Crafty Cards & Betty Crocker

I love to make homemade Christmas cards. They are so cute & something special to send to family & friends! Plus, it actually ends up being extremely budget friendly :) 

Tonight, I also tried another cookie recipe out of my Betty Crocker Cookbook. Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. They turned out so yummy! :)

Get the recipe!

I'm a Mouse!

Every Halloween we dress up at work and have a costume contest! Today was our Halloween  dress up day! Last year I was Wonder Woman...

But needing something a little more budget friendly this year I decided to make my own!
I ended up spending about $14 on this years costume but can wear the clothes all the time! This year I am a Mouse!

Leggings-Target $5
Shirt-JCPenney $7
Tail-JoAnns $2 (made out of yarn!)
Ears-Free (made out of cardboard, paint & bobby pins!)
Whiskers/Nose-Free (Used eyeliner!)
Ballet Shoes-Free (Old dance shoes!)


Happy Halloween Weekend!!


btw...do you like my hair!? I colored it this week. Ombre color! :)

Snickerdoodles & Cold Medicine

Still coughing my head off I decided to bake some Snickerdoodle Cookies by the famous Betty Crocker recipe! (This is one of my favorite holiday cookies to bake) 

I didn't cough into the cookies I promise! :) 

Hope everyone reading is having a great night! 

Much Love!

Make Your Own Spa Scrub!

When I think of relaxation I think of spas. Maybe because I've worked at a day spa for 2 1/2 years or maybe it's because I've always loved the scent of lavender. Whatever it is I just love using scrubs, getting my nails done & facials! A lot of us are on a tight budget these days which makes us try to do as much of our "spa-ing" at home with cheap products. I want to share two scrubs that are easy to make, gentle on your wallet & leaves your skin soft without using harsh chemicals! 

Sugar Love Scrub

1/4 C Sugar

1 T Olive Oil

Several drops of your favorite essential oil 

(Your grocery store usually has essential oils in their organic body/health aisle)

Salt Love Scrub

1/4 C Salt (I prefer Sea Salt)

1 T Olive Oil

Several drops of your favorite essential oil

I can't get enough lavender or eucalyptus. These are my two favorite oils. Lavender is calming and great for relaxing especially before you go to sleep or you feel stressed. Eucalyptus is a great morning scrub to awaken, energize & clear your head!

***Be careful when using this scrub in the shower. The oil causes your tub to become slippery! I prefer to use the scrub while taking a bath or just being really careful when using it in the shower.***

Holiday Love Scrub: Make the scrub using Peppermint Oil. Put the scrub in a little snowman dish with a small spoon by your sink in your guest bathroom. Your guests will get to use a holiday scrub while at your house! (If you have little one's make sure it's out of reach!) Take it an extra step: Use a log and hollow it out like a bowl then tie holiday ribbon around the bowl. Cut out a spoon shape from a log. Now you have a completely unique set up for your guests!

Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Tonight, I made cookies! There is nothing better (Okay, there is but this is great too!) than when my husband gets home from work and we can watch something on Netflix while enjoying something sweet from the kitchen. This is simply the best recipe I've ever used for chocolate chip cookies that stay fluffed up when baking and are perfectly moist with that ooey gooey chocolate. 


I didn't get this recipe from anywhere. I just basically knew a recipe and increased the sugar, decreased the brown sugar, omitted the eggs and presto! Now it's my own recipe!

Chocolate Chip Cookie LOVE Recipe
From the Kitchen of: Laura Lynn


1/2 C (1 stick) Butter (real butter, not margarine)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4 T brown sugar
8 T sugar
1 C flour
1/2-3/4 C milk chocolate chips


Soften the butter in the microwave using a glass bowl for about 30 seconds. The butter should be soft but not completely melted. Stir in baking soda, salt and vanilla. Stir in the sugar & brown sugar. Stir in the flour and chocolate chips. The mixture should not be runny it should be pretty stiff (almost dry looking). Next you will want to make sure your hands are clean and using your hands form the dough into a ball. Then you can start taking the dough by teaspoon or tablespoon and forming the dough into balls and place on lightly floured baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes in 375 degree oven. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from baking sheet and placing on cooling rack. 


Hope you love these cookies as much as I do!


Much Love, 
Laura Lynn

Crocheting 101

Today I sat outside with Gram (The Hubs Grandma) and she was knitting so I grabbed my plastic storage bin out of the basement and rummaged through the yarn I have. I found a pretty tan/brown color and also a light cream/white color. I decided (since I like things done quick) to use a jumbo crochet hook and double the yarn to have a nice caramel frappuccino look. Which, in my opinion, is a great blend :)
If you already know how to crochet this is super easy and if you are wanting to learn how to crochet this is the perfect beginner project.


You can see how to do a double crochet stitch here

You can learn how to make a round pot holder here

I think crocheting & knitting is perfect for fall & winter months. It's something fun to do and since we bake & cook a lot more hot meals during the colder months, you can never have too many pot holders! 
(I have also made several blankets which I absolutely LOVE to curl up on the couch with when it's chilly!)


Much Love,
Laura


p.s. I hope you make some pot holders...I'd love to see them! :)

Pinterest: Addiction

Yes. I am officially addicted to Pinterest. If you have one you need to check out mine! Tomorrow morning I'm hoping to talk my hubby into going to a couple garage sales to find some new things on a small budget! 


If you don't have a Pinterest, I'm telling you...You need one! It is the most inspiring website I've ever seen! I'll send you an invite if you want but I will need an email to send the invite to.


Much Love!