My best friend Rachael, who was awesome enough to feature this as a guest post on her blog Lovely.Crafty.Home, often told me "I can't bake." And then she discovered a cookbook that really spoke to her, Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes or Less. Before I knew it, she was baking up a storm. She was like, power baking, like professional style baking---like dropping this BREAD BOMB all over my Easter Brunch baking!

Mad skills, right? And she still says she doesn't bake---whatever. She even made a birthday cake for her brother and used diet coke as an egg substitute---and it was GOOD. I am still a little puzzled about what in diet coke is a lot like eggs…I digress…

My point is, anyone can learn to be a from scratch baker---even someone who says they can't. It's really easy. And just like anything else, with a little bit of practice, you will be a pro before you know it.

I love to bake. I have been baking (or at least making a good mess in the kitchen) since I was about 3. And today I plan to share with you a few tips and tricks to help make your next adventure in baking a smashing success.

Step one: MEASURE THINGS CAREFULLY. Baking is not like cooking. You can really just toss in a little of this and a little of that. If the recipe calls for one cup of flour, spoon the four into the one cup sized measuring cup, level it off, and then put it in the bowl. Don't eye-ball it. Don't even use two ½ cups instead. Put into the batter exactly what the recipe calls for---no more, no less.

Step two: MIX INGREDIENTS IN THE RIGHT ORDER. This may seem simple, but some recipe directions leave a bit to be desired. As a general rule, when you are baking something that is flour based (like cake, cupcakes or most cookies) mix the ingredients like this:

You will need two bowls. In one bowl mix the flour and whatever combination of baking soda, baking powder and salt the recipe calls for along with any other dry ingredients---like coco powder, for example (important note: Sugar is NOT a dry ingredient).

Some recipes call for four to be sifted. I never sift flour. It's messy and unnecessary. I do, however, mix my dry ingredients well and with a whisk-that seems to do the trick.

In another bowl, preferably the one that goes with an electric stand mixer, whip your butter. Butter should be used at room temperature for most cake and cookie recipe. If the recipe doesn't specify, go with room temperature. If your butter is straight out of the fridge, warm it up a touch. You can use a microwave or a toaster oven for a FEW SECONDS. Don't melt it. Just take the chill off. You can hold it in your hands for a few minutes and use your body temperature to warm it. If your butter is a little chilly, just be sure to whip it really really well. The friction of the beaters will warm it up a little too. In any case, mix it until it is fluffy and there are no lumps at all. Then mix in sugars and extracts (like vanilla) and add eggs, one at a time, mixing and scraping after each one.

It's best too, but not usually critical, if eggs are also room temperature, but the microwave trick does not work so well on them ;)

At this point, you can't really over mix the batter, so make sure your butter/sugar/eggs are combined really well.

Next, add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar/eggs batter in two or three batches, scraping the bowl between each and being careful not to over mix. If there is liquid in the recipe, like milk, melted chocolate or sour cream, add it in small batches too, alternating with the dry flour mixture, and ending with the liquid.

Common Problems

If your cake, boxed or homemade, comes out too dense, pay close attention to how much you are mixing. Over mixing will make a fluffy cake into a brick. Once the dry ingredients are added, you really just want to combine things.

One other common problem with cake, cupcake and cookie baking is ending up with weird white lumps in your creations. Or you may have had a cake that baked flat and didn't get fluffy, cookies that were weird and runny, or other similar 'strange baking' disasters. These are usually from baking soda or powder that is too old. You should replace baking soda and powder at least once every six months. If you bake a lot, you probably never have to worry about it, but if you are thinking of whipping something up and it has been a while, throw out these old ingredients in your cupboard and start fresh.

And finally, don't over bake. All ovens are different and factors like altitude and humidity play a role in how long your items need to bake. Bake your items in as close to the center of the oven as you can. I always set a timer for the lowest suggested time and then turn the oven light on and pay attention. If you are not sure if something is done, stick a toothpick or bamboo skewer in the center of it---if it comes out clean, your item is done.

Eventually, you'll develop a sixth sense with practice and you will get better and better at knowing when things are done baking. My mom used to call it 'the fleeting moment' when a cake is baked to perfection. Totally baked, but not over done--golden but not too brown. And eventually you will just know when that fleeting moment is. I don't really know how else to explain it. I guess it's a combination of sight and smell, but as Mom says, "all of a sudden, they are just in there [the oven] and you can hear them….fleeting" :)

Happy Baking Everyone!

I am not much of a seamstress, so I am pretty pleased at how my new drop cloth (of course) barstool slipcovers turned out. They are not really 'tailored' per say, but they get the job done.

Here is the before:

I really liked the barstool that we had. I like their shape. They are vintage and hardwood, but I was kind of over the bright colors and design. We've had them for about 4 years now. My husband bought them at a funky gallery in Wilmington, NC called Una Luna. They were pained by a local artist, and my husband didn't really want them to be re-painted. That was my first idea, but after some convincing, I agreed with him. After all in a different context, I might really like the bright colors again some day. However in my current dining room/kitchen they were standing out like a sore thumb.

I was inspired by these very adorable parson chair pleated drop cloth slipcovers by Anna White.

I adore the box pleats, but I didn't quite know how to translate them to my barstools since a) because of the bright mismatch-y colors, I could not have my slipcovers 'Capri' length and b) they are way beyond my sewing ability.

So, here is my result. More casual for sure, but still a much more clean and less colorful look than the multi hued tribal paint job.

What a delightful accoutrement, don't you agree!? This stylish floor pouf was created by my cousin Lindsey, a beginning DIY'er, and I could not be more impressed!

Lindsey, her husband and two kitties had just moved into a new super chic urban loft downtown and she was in need of some additional occasional seating for their new space. She found this floor pouf from Urban Outfitters and really liked the idea of it, but it was not really the right colors and cost a bit more than she wanted to spend, so she made the ambitious decision to make her.

Lindsey looked to me for sewing advice (which will give you an idea of just how new she is to sewing---me teaching anyone about it is laughable---a classic case of the blind leading the blind). Undaunted by my lack of knowledge and full of gusto, we hit up the Foam and Fabric Outlet in downtown Asheville. This place is delightful! We found everything we needed at fantastic prices! They have a great fabric selection, too!

We headed back to the loft and Lindsey followed this tutorial from Living with Punks to create her custom pouf. Just the right color for the loft and at total cost of under $25, just the right price as well. Nice work lady!

This recipe that is perfect for summer. Pink Grapefriut Cupcakes! I submitted these as an entry in this years Cupcakes for Cures event in Asheville hosted at the always lovely Grove Park Inn. The cupcakes went in a flash, and were a favorite of my friends and one of the organizers, but did not win any of the categories. Competition was stiff!

Regardless, these are one of my favs and have become a staple for my summer baking. A cupcake that is refreshing? Who knew!

Cake

2 c flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ t baking soda

¼ t salt

3 t grapefruit zest

½ c butter, room temperature

1 c sugar

1 egg, room temperature

1 t vanilla

2 T grapefruit juice

½ c sour cream

2 drops red food coloring

3 drops yellow food coloring

Icing

½ c butter, room temperature

½ c butter flavor Crisco

4 T grapefruit juice

1 t grapefruit zest

1 t vanilla

2 drops red food coloring

3 drops yellow food coloring

3 c confectioner's sugar

Ah, the hutch. Few things combine my love for all things vintage and all things specific like a proper hutch. It's super specific piece of furniture made to showcase some of my most favorite things in the world, very specific dishes. Make everything about this equation vintage, and well, my heart skips a beat. So, when I had fully stuffed my delightful dining room hutch with china and crystal and silver, I found myself in need of MORE storage for my vintage dish collection (might be time for an intervention).

Do you see that lovely fluted milk glass cake plate in there? Yeah, amazing, I know. That little guy deserves a post all his own, but for now, suffice to say, my new little friend needed a home. So I set out on Craig's List to find him just that. And this is who I found:

Hmmm….not in bad shape, just the right size, a little lack-luster….for $70? Oh, yes, you will work nicely. I have been SO inspired lately by my BFF Rachael and the really exceptional things she has been doing on her blog, Lovely.Crafty.Home, that I enlisted her help and guidance. She not only helped me lug this little guy to his new home in my kitchen, she made me a list of materials, even donated some to the cause, and came over with some hands on instruction and elbow grease for my project. Best friend ever? Yep, you bet. In ONE DAY we were able to transform this little shabby hutch into this vision for my kitchen:

Can you hear the angles singing? Oh I can! It's the full Hallelujah chorus. Here is a closer look at the detailing Rachael instructed me on:

I know. Hutch love. When it happens, it's just so right, it can't be wrong.

For this transformation, I used:

Sand paper

Sherwin Williams Westhighland White for the majority of the hutch and Watery for the backing in the glass cabinets

Glaze and Wax for distressing (see Lovely.Crafty.Home for the details on this technique)

Glass cabinet knobs from Lowes

It's funny how adding a little illumination to an area or swapping out the lighting will completely change a space. I have been on a bit of a kick of late, as I am sure will gather in upcoming posts, with lights. My latest victim is my back deck. I really enjoy my back deck in the summer time. It is one of the few places in my whole yard that gets full sun and, for that reason, the place where I plant my container garden. I've added a yellow Adirondack chair for sunning and reading, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. But, just the other day, I added another element that has made me so happy and created a whole new way to enjoy the space.  Enter the mini-globe string lights.

Although intended for Christmas decoration, these wee globe lights looked to me like the tiniest garden string lights in America. And since my back deck is not as sweeping as and grand as some of those seen in say the Restoration Hardware catalog, I found their scale to be perfect.

I simply strung them in a zigzag pattern from house to redbud tree and back. The result is a delightful canopy that makes just enough of a glow to enjoy my deck after dark as well. Perfect for sipping a glass of wine, while sitting in my Adirondack chair, and watching fire flies. Oh joy!

Any one that knows me knows that my world revolves around my dog, Lizzie-Lou. She is the light of my life. So, of course when it comes to the comfort of a dog, nothing is too over-the-top. This creation, dear readers, was just to ridiculous not to share and it has snapped me right out of my blog funk and back into action. Behold the Painter's Drop Cloth Monogrammed Doggie Duvet

Yes, that is right. I fussed this much over a dog bed. It seems silly unless you know what a princess my Lizzie is. Here is a snapshot of her just today, enjoying the patio at Starbucks:

When we returned home from our coffee and walk, I decided to wash the covers on her dog beds-yes plural, she has one in the living room and one in the bed room (which is kind of pointless because she always sleeps in our bed, but I digress). The living room dog bed cover has seen better days. It was faded and the zipper had broken, but the pillow inside was in good shape. I thought about heading to Ross or T.J.Maxx to see what I could find in the way of size giant dog beds (my little darling weighs about 80 lbs) and then I got to thinking….surely I could come up with a solution. I mean, the pillow was fine and a new dog bed, even from a discount store, was going to cost at least $40. So I started poking around the craft room and found:

6x6 plastic backed painter's drop cloth

Green craft paint and fabric medium

Pretty cloth ribbon

Sewing Machine

Cardstock

I am not very skilled with the sewing machine, so I knew there was no way I was setting in a zipper. The ribbon gave me an idea though: why not make Doggie Duvet!? So I removed the old cover from the dog bed and got to work. I folded the drop cloth over the dog bed and it happened to be the perfect size. Before pining or stitching the side seam, I cut 6 inch lengths of ribbon and pinned six of them, three on one half of the end I planned to leave open and three across from them on the other half, and stitched them into place. Next I folded the fabric in half, right sides together, and stitched the length of the duvet. I trimmed the other open end down to fit the length of the pillow and stitched it up too. And finally I turned the duvet right side out.

To make the monogram, I cut an 11 ¼" letter "L" out of a 12x12 sheet of card stock using the Cricut. I took the sheet with the "L" cut out and centered it on the duvet. Using a pencil, I traced the letter onto the fabric. And with a paint brush, I mixed the craft paint and fabric medium per the directions on the bottle and filled in the pencil outline. I let the paint dry and heat set it with my iron, per the package directions. The whole project took about 30 min and was super easy.

I love the way Lizzie's new dog be looks in the living room-much cuter than the old faded cover and perfect for my spoiled pooch.

Seeing as how one of my very best friends in the whole wide world is going into labor any second now, I have had baby on the brain today. That combined with my love for flickr has lead me to this delightful discovery:

How sweet are these illustrated letters by Nagoya Art Life & idea cloud? I adore them. I can just picture them framed and spelling out a baby name in a very whimsical little nursery. Love. Find the whole alphabet here and enjoy!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I have had this recipe for a while and I found it online intially, but now have no idea where it came from. So, unfortunately, I can't give proper credit. Regardless, I wanted to share it here with you, because it is so darn delish. I typically make this stew with Guinness (the draft in cans, not the stout in bottles), but I am sure any creamy dark stout would do the trick. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it as much as my husband and I do. :)

Chocolate Stout Beef Stew

2 lbs boneless beef chuck stew meat

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onions, chopped

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

3/4 cups Stout

2 tsp light brown sugar

1/2 tsp dried or fresh thyme

2 tsp Hersey's extra dark coco powder 

2 bay leaves

3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1" chunks

3 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1" chunks

1  lb baby red potatoes, scrubbed clean

3 tbsp cup all-purpose flour

1 tbsp minced parsley (fresh)

Pat beef dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tsp oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook half of beef until browned on all-sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker insert and repeat with additional 2 tsp oil and remaining beef.

Add remaining 2 tsp oil, onions, and 1/4 tsp salt to skillet and cook until onions are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add broth, 1 1/4 cups stout, sugar, thyme, chocolate and bay leaves - bring to boil using wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits. Transfer to slow cooker insert.

Add carrots, parsnips, and potatoes to slow cooker insert. Cover and cook on low until meat is tender, 9-10 hours (or cook on hight for 6-7 hours). Set slow cooker to high. Whisk flour and remaining 1/4 cup beer until smooth, then stir mixture into slow cooker. Cook, covered, until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir in parsley, season with salt and pepper, and discard bay leaf. Serve!

Even though it is only March, it is not too early to be thinking about your garden. It's a little too early to put plants in the ground, but it is the perfect time to start some seedlings. This is a fun project and a money saver too. You can pick up seeds at any hardware store or garden center, find just about anything you'd like to grow, and rather than pay $3-$7 per plant, you'll pay $1-$2 for more seeds than you know what to do with.

I am starting out this year with tomatoes, zucchini, lettuce, spinach, pumpkins, cilantro, basil, sunflower and a wildflower mix for less than a $10 investment. I also bought a bag of potting soil for around $4.

To make my own seed trays, I used some things I had sitting round the house. I started with some small green paper cups and some larger plastic cups left over from my super bowl party. I punctured the bottom of the paper cups with a nail about 5 times for drainage, then nested the paper cups inside the plastic cups to catch the drips from watering. I watered all of the soil lightly before planting to make sure it was damp, but not muddy. Each seed packet will give you information on how deep to plant the seeds, but as a general rule, small seeds can go just below the surface of the soil, and larger seeds (pumpkins, sunflowers) like to be planted a little deeper, a few inches into the soil.

I used a plastic tab notebook divider, cut into strips, to make plant markers and marked the name of each plant on the plastic strips with a black marker. I was going to use the bottom half of a box to house my planter cups, but then remembered the wooden crates I saved from the Clementine's I bought from the grocery over the winter. They look really cute and are perfect for making the seedling cup planters easy to move in and out of the house.

Because it is so early in the spring, we are still getting some pretty cold temperatures at night, so I move my seedlings out on the porch during the day to get some sun, and move them back in the house in the evening to protect them from the frost. Keeping your seedlings from getting too cold is important. They like to get a little sun when weather permits, but most of all, they like damp soil. So keep them watered. You can even cover the tops of the cups with plastic wrap or an additional clear plastic cup (like a tiny terrarium) to keep the moisture in. Make sure to remove any plastic cover before you put them in direct sunlight, or you will cook their little leaves like bugs under a magnifying glass.

And look! After only a few days, I already have tiny sprouts!

Aren't they cute?

Starting your own seedlings is not only a cost effective way to garden, but it's very satisfying. With minimal effort you will be on your way to a wonderful harvest this summer.