Christmas Cookie Heaven

I love sweets.  I love cookies.  I reeeally love Christmas cookies.  If you put the word "Christmas" in front of the word "cookie" it's instant magic.  Give me an Oreo and call it a Christmas cookie and I'm one happy girl.

I do love and appreciate a new recipe for Christmas cookies and every year I look for new treats to share with family and friends.  I couldn't wait to try out the recipe that Julie from This Gal Cooks sent me for the Christmas cookie swap!

The recipe:

White Chocolate Mint Cookies

Ingredients
1/4 cup of shortening
1/4 cup butter softened
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 egg, room temp.
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup All purpose flour
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup mint M&M's chopping (use Food processor)

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and shortening with mixer on medium high for about 30 seconds.
2. Add white and brown sugar, baking soda, and mix until combined.
3. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
4. Gradually beat in the flour.  Mix until well blended.
5. Fold in white chocolate chips and mint M&M's.
6. Drop dough into round tsp size balls onto baking pan lined with parchment paper.
7. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  Allow to cool before serving.

Did you notice?  The recipe includes white chocolate chips and Mint M&M's!

This recipe was quick, easy, and absolutely delicious!  I will definitely be making these again before Christmas and probably in the years to come.  It was a perfect blend of white chocolate and mint.

The only thing I needed for an evening of Christmas cheer were these cookies, a cold glass of milk, and my Christmas tree!

So here is what you need to do... bake a batch of these cookies, go sit near your Christmas tree, and read Julie's blog.  You'll be glad you did!

Pinspiration.

Hi!  Can you believe that its already Wednesday?  I'm super excited for this weekend because Caleb and I are actually staying home.  I can hardly wait to get started on finishing off some last minute projects around the house before Thanksgiving...

I'm on a role with actually making the pins that I pin on Pinterest!  This pin is another that I saw a loooong time ago and have been dying to make.  Cute, right?

Funky Junk Interiors via Jodi on Pinterest

Here is my version.

I just realized that my white linen is totally caught in the door...

I found the frame at an antique shop for $5.00 and used some picture handing wire and a staple gun to finish it off.  I'm not super crazy about the wire so I may eventually switch it out for something else... any suggestions??  Twine maybe?  I also didn't have clothes pins so I punched a hole in my pictures and used some jute to attach them to the wire.  Not super crazy about that either, but I wanted to use items I already owned.  I have since purchased some clothes pins at dollar tree so I can't wait to hang up more pictures using those.

I may repost this in a couple weeks after I make some changes.  Kinda a work in progress, but I have already gotten several compliments from guests.

Oh, and guess what?!  My Pinterest project from last week was featured on Fortune Favors the Brave by Sarah!  Stop by and check it out.  Stay a while and check out the rest of her blog too.  She's a crafty, amazing cook who likes to read.  Pretty good combo!

Today I am linking this post up with Sarah, Amber, and Melissa for The Pinspiration Project.  The goal is to actually try out some of those pins that you've been drooling over!

& Michelle at The Vintage Apple for Oh, How Pinteresting!

Pinspiration.

I've been working diligently to finish decorating our living room which is a little impossible because I don't think you truly ever finish decorating something.  It always seems to be more of a work in progress.  I have found that as soon as I think I'm finished, I have grown tired of the decor I started with.  Am I the only one?  No?  Okay, good... thanks! 

I have been trying to use colors that are more on the neutral side so that I can update the look with accents.  I've also been making some of the items that are in our living room.  I've had this cute little canvas pinned for several months now and a few weeks ago I finally gathered up the supplies and made my own version.

Not on the High Street via Jodi on Pinterest

I shared this picture with you yesterday when I showed you my newly painted front door.  The canvas that looks solid black... yeah, thats my version.

You can see it much better here:

This project was really simple and perfect for this wall.  It was as simple as picking up a few wooden letter at hobby lobby, gluing them to a canvas, and spray painting it.  I already had the canvas so the total cost was about $4.00 which means there will be no guilt when I'm sick of it and want something new!  :)

Easy!

Sometimes the simple things are the best things.

Today I'm linking up with Michelle at The Vintage Apple

& Sarah at Fortune Favors the Brave, Melissa at Lulu & Sweet Pea, and Amber at My Three Bittles!

Oh, How Pinteresting

Happy Halloween!

This picture is actually from last year, but the cuteness kills me!  We also attempted to put this costume on Cinderella this year and I think she hates it even more than Splinter...

In addition to it being Halloween, it is also Wednesday!  So, I'm linking up with The Vintage Apple for:

Yesterday I hosted a small get-together and knew that I wanted to have a Halloween themed food table.  There is so much great inspiration out there that I knew that I would have no trouble coming up with something.  I did however have one big restriction... I didn't want to spend any extra money making this happen. My first step was firing up Pinterest for some great ideas...

College Life DIY via Jodi on Pinterest

Good Housekeeping via Jodi on Pinterest

Candace Stringham Photography via Jodi  on Pinterest

Inspiring Pretty via Jodi on Pinterest

Digs Digs via Jodi on Pinterest

After looking through all these pictures, and visiting the websites, I felt pretty confident that I could come up with something, so I set to work.  I was pretty pleased with the end result... especially since I set it up an hour before the party started!

The first set of pictures are pre-food and the lighting is a little better.  The latter pictures are once I put all the food out...

I can't wait to hit some sales snatch up some cheap Halloween supplies for next year!

Oh, How Pinteresting

So I went through most of the day today thinking that it was Tuesday.  I was very happy, but surprised when I found out that it was really Wednesday.  I've been absent this week and I'm not quite sure why, but I have been in a little of a blogging rut.

But then I came home and found my package for the Fall Swap from Victoria over at One Crafty Momma and all was well with the world!  It was just the pick-me up that I needed.  I LOVE getting mail!  The only problem is that you are going to have to wait until tomorrow to see what I got ;).  The suspense!

Today I'm linking up with Michelle at The Vintage Apple for:

Having just moved to the South I am super excited to try out this recipe for "The Perfect Sweet Tea!"

Craving Comfort via Jodi on Pinterest

I can't wait to use my Cricut to cut out the word "Welcome" for our front door!  Its definitely on my to do list for next week.

Ginger Snaps via Jodi on Pinterest

I stole a pallet from the construction site where my mom and her fiance are building their new home.  I have big big plans for that pallet.  Most likely I will paint it white and put it in my sunroom.

Dump a Day via Jodi on Pinterest

Only three pins today.  I'm setting the goal to actually complete/try out all of the pins that I feature on my blog on Wednesdays.  Wishful thinking?  Maybe, but I'm starting to feel ambitious!

Be sure to stop by tomorrow to check out all the amazing goodies from Victoria.  Oh, and stop by her blog and say "hello"!  She's so creative!

Me, Myself, and I

Okay, I think this is a blogging record for me... I have posted the last three days in a row!  Aaaaand this is actually my second post today which is a total accident...  I had prepared this post for tomorrow forgetting that Me, Myself, and I is on Tuesday.  But anyway...

Woohooo!  It's time for the Me, Myself, and I linky party!  This is seriously my favorite link up.  I love to think about and answer these questions... I love going through and reading other blogger's responses because it is so much fun!

So here it goes...

What is your favorite season? Explain.

We are right, smack dab, in the middle of it!  I LOOOOVE Fall!  I love the colors, the decorations, and the traditions that some along with the season.  I love snuggling up with a warm blanket, lighting a pumpkin scented candle, and drinking a hot mug of cider.  Plus the pretty leaves don't hurt.  Perfection.

Talk about a moment that changed your life?

I could think of a million answers for this question.  There are a million and one different moments that have led me to be who I am today.  I think that the most life altering moment in my life thus far was losing a parent.  It is something that most people go through at some point, but for me it happened at a young age (23).  Its easy to take family {and life in general} for granted, and I think that this really provided me with a reality check and was when I truly became an adult.  You have to appreciate each and every moment.  I've really learned that life is fragile and much too short not to value the simple things.  And you can never say "I love you" too much.

If you could be any Crayola crayon color, what would you be & why?

Tough one.  My favorite color is gray, but I'm not sure that describes my personality.  People say I smile a lot so maybe yellow?  That seems like a happy color.

Source: Soda Head

Describe yourself as a superhero: Superpower? Name? Sidekick?

Haha!  So funny.  Ummm...

If you had all the money in the world and could only shop at 3 stores, where would you shop?

I wish this were true.  Wouldn't it be nice if someone offered you a shopping spree at your three favorite stores??  But I guess this is a little more tricky... only three for the rest of your life?  Like you have to get toilet paper and toothpaste at these stores too?  Maybe I'm thinking about this too much...

Just to cover my bases I am going to say Target.  Can't go wrong with Target right?  They have a little bit of everything.  

                                                                   So... 1. Target
                                                                           2. TJ Maxx
                                                                           3. J. Crew

Source: MBfashionweek

Seriously, does anyone else love J. Crew?  I love that all the clothes are classy and conservative, yet stylish.  I would love to have unlimited money to spend at this store.  Swoon.     

You all {or Y'all as they say here in the South!} should link up with Breanna over at My Beautiful Crazy Life.  So fun!

Me, Myself, and I

It's time for my favorite link up party with Breanna, Shane, Kristen, Danielle, Jenna, Amanda, and Chelsea!
FYI, I just started following Chelsea's blog Adventures With My Enemy Melanoma and I think she has a great message.  You should definitely go and check it out!

1) When you're feeling down, what do you do to pick yourself up?

When I'm feeling down my favorite pick-me-up is getting outside into the sunshine, listening to music on an upbeat playlist, and reminding myself that in the scheme of things "its not that bad."

2)  If you had to live in a different time period which would you prefer?

See... I would fit in just fine!

I initially thought I would probably choose the 1950's.  Love the clothes, love the music, and love that it seems like a simpler time.  I even love to cook and clean!  But then I started thinking about the oppression of the 1950's housewife and started to have some second thoughts... so can I choose 1950's without all the parts I don't like?

3)  What is the most creative Halloween costume you've ever worn?

Hmmm... I don't know that I have ever had a creative costume, but I did always have amazing costumes.  My mom is very talented at sewing so my costumes were always handmade.  One costume that stands out as being especially memorable was the year that I dressed as Belle in her yellow ball gown.  My mom spent weeks making this costume for me and I remember feeling like a real princess when I went trick-or-treating that night.

4)  Five weird things about you we wouldn't know without being told?

1. I have a complete nighttime routine that consists of making sure all the doors are locked, checking the cats' food and water, brushing my teeth, washing my face, putting a glass of water by the bed, straightening the covers, and applying chapstick.  OCD?  Probably.  ;)

2. I don't like raw tomatoes, but I like cooked tomatoes {This one is Caleb's idea... he thinks its strange.}

3. I could eat corndogs every.single.day.  My very favorite are the Morningstar veggie corndogs.  I have to limit myself by buying them only on select occasions because I would eat them nonstop.  

4. I hate the sound of feet dragging on carpet.  Its like nails on a chalk board.  It makes me cringe.  It gives me the shivers.  Weird, I know.

5. I have a collection of antique ladies makeup compacts.  I currently have over a hundred {my grandmother has around a thousand... maybe more!} and I have been collecting them since I was young.  I showcase them in cases in my living room.

5)  What would you tell your 16-year-old self?

I would tell my 16 year old self not to worry about fitting in so much and to hang on because  in a couple years she will be starting college thats when the good stuff happens.  She will figure out she has met the man of her dreams, make true friends, and things will end up just as they should.

Oh How Pinteresting & Living Room Sneak Peak

I actually featured this pin a few weeks ago on Oh How Pinteresting, but I actually had a surge of motivation this week and completed the project.  I saw this picture several months ago {before we even bought our house!!} and was dreaming about painting a striped wall.  

I fell in LOVE.

Petrella Interior Designs via Jodi Whitted on Pinterest

The black and white is beautiful, but I knew that I didn't want something quite this dramatic.  I did teeter-totter back and forth between a grey and white striped wall and a gray and navy striped wall.  I also debated and debated about whether I should paint a wall in the bedroom, office, or living room.  Eventually I decided to go for it and paint a wall in the living room.  Right when you enter.  Front and center.  Go big or go home right?

So I gathered some essentials... tape measure, level, pen, tape, paint, roller... and I got started.

I had a mishap when I initially started taping and didn't measure correctly.  It was a little tricky because when you tape off the spaces will NOT appear to be even.  This is because you have to take into consideration the space taken up by the tape.  Initially I taped off the wall and if I would have painted without going back and re-taping my stripes would have ended up being uneven.

The smaller areas were left gray.  The areas that appear to be a bigger stripe were painted white.  I also used a pen and lightly wrote "white" in the areas that I was going to paint... just to be sure I didn't make a mistake! ;)

Its best to remove the tape while the paint is still wet.  I splurged for the more expensive Scotch brand painters tape and it made a huge difference!  My lines turned out crisp just like the commercial advertised!

Here is a little sneak peak into my living room redo!  

I LOVE love LOVE my new stripes!!!  I love the wood against the gray and white and it really adds the interest that I was looking for in this space.  We are expecting our new couches to arrive later this week and I can't wait to show off our living room when its finally finished.

I'm just so proud of myself for actually bringing one of my Pins to life.  I can't stop staring at it!

Sometimes the simple things are the best things.

I'm linking up this post with The Vintage Apple.  Head on over and check out all the links for some great new Pins and ideas!

Also with My Three Bittles, Lula & Sweet Pea, and Fortune Favors the Brave for The Pinterest Project!