Up Next: Eight Days of Easter

The next holiday that will befall us is Eggscellent Easter! Easter will fall this year on Sunday, April 8 which makes for a perfect Eight Days of Easter. Unfortunately my season also starts for baseball so that will be a very busy week for me! While Easter is first and foremost about Christ rising, it's fun to participate with pastels, candy, bunnies and chicks also. I am thinking of doing all PEEPS themed things this year. There's a lot of fun, easy things you can do with PEEPS and they are a signature treat when people think of Easter. Stay tuned and see what I come up with!

7 Days of Shamrocks Summary

I realized that I never got around to posting a summary of my 7 Days of Shamrocks. As always, I had a lot of fun coming up with crafts and recipes to celebrate my favorite holidays. I did have to take my hiatus from this challenge due to a weekend away. Ultimately I was able to pick back up the following week and finish out my 7 Days. St. Patrick's Day has always been a favorite of mine. I always have to enjoy a green beer to celebrate among other things. This year I put green food coloring in Bud Light Lime. I think it looks pretty cool in the bottle with the green logo, Bud Light should definitely considering selling this in March!

Day 1: Shamrock Banner
Day 2: Shamrock Crisps
Day 3: St. Patrick's Day Cocktails: Irish Stout Float and Green Apple Martini 
Day 4: Shamrock Hurricane Centerpiece
Day 5: Guinness and Cheddar Dip
Day 6: Green Beer Marshmallow Pops
Day 7: Homemade Shamrock Shake
BONUS: Girl Scout Cookie Cupcakes

Top Ten: Music Videos

Last week I did a post of my favorite TV and Movie Proposals. I had so much fun with it I decided to make another list. This time I wanted to do my favorite music videos of all time. It doesn't necessarily mean these are my favorite songs, just what I think is the best depiction of that song based on the video or just a cool video in general. Most of my choices are older videos because I honestly am not sure what the last new music video I've seen is. These are in no particular order.

1. "Coffee and TV" by Blur
This is one of those ones where the song is okay but I absolutely love the video. The milk carton is adorable and I love the adventure he goes on. The ending is the best.



2. "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter
I love this song and I think the video is the perfect depiction of the lyrics. This is one of those videos that you can't help but smile at when you watch it. I love everything about it!



3. "Someday" by Nickelback
I'm not a big Nickelback fan but I've always liked this one song. I think the video is amazing and has a unique twist to it.



4. "Untitled" by Simple Plan
This video is pure genius. It's a fantastic song and the way the video is done is perfect. It gives me chills every time. The best is when the cars hit in slow motion and the family is thrown about in the house instead. Pierre in the rain isn't bad either.



5. "Quit Playing Games With My Heart" by the Backstreet Boys
Speaking of hot boys in the rain, the Backstreet Boys will always have a place in my heart. This video was a favorite of mine during my boy band phase and let's face it, I still love these boys soaking wet.



6. "Mr. Brightside" by the Killers
This is a great song and they did an amazing job with the costumes and telling a story in the video.



7. "Alcohol" by Brad Paisley
Being a big country fan, I had to include a couple country videos on my list. I love Brad's light-hearted comical songs and this is one of the best. The song has so much truth in it yet it's fun and playful. The way the video is done is very unique. My favorite part about the music video is the lampshade guy!



8. "Kerosene" by Miranda Lambert
The way Miranda does this video is perfect. It's simple yet makes a big statement about what the lyrics of the song are saying. To top it off she looks fantastic in the video!



9. "We Belong Together" by Gavin DeGraw
I also wanted to include a soundtrack music video on here as well. One of my favorite movies is Tristan and Isolde. I think this song was the perfect fit for the movie and the clips that they show from the movie in the music video tie in nicely. I always love watching this video on the dvd extras.



10. "I Don't Dance" - High School Musical 2
I don't know if this really counts as a music video, but this clip from High School Musical 2 is fantastic. It's mixing baseball and musicals, two of my favorite things! Disney Channel also did a cute shortened version of this using actual MLB players which I thought was amazing. Below is the MLB version and then below that is the full version from the movie.

Cherry Coke Cupcakes

Below is a recipe that Three Olives shared with me on Facebook using their new Supercola flavor vodka. I haven't tried it yet but I wanted to post it so I don't forget to save the recipe somewhere!

Cherry Coke Cupcakes

Yield: 10-12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
¾ cup sugar
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup Coca-Cola
¼ cup Three Olives SuperCola
¼ tsp. maraschino cherry juice
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Maraschino cherries, stemless

For the glaze (optional):
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tbsp.-taste Three Olives SuperCola

For topping:
2/3 cup heavy cream
3-4 tbsp. powdered sugar
Maraschino cherries

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a muffin pan with foil or paper liners. In a medium bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar and butter. Mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg until incorporated. In a bowl or large measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, Coke, maraschino cherry juice, and vanilla extract; stir to combine. (This mixture may look disgusting and/or curdled - it's okay!)

Mix the dry ingredients into the butter-sugar mixture on low speed, alternately with the liquid ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing just until incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners. Drop 4 or 5 stemless maraschino cherries into each cupcake well and push them down into the batter. Bake for about 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the optional glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and Coke in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Spoon or drizzle a small amount of the top of each cupcake. Allow to set.

To make the whipped cream topping, add the heavy cream to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Begin whipping on medium speed, slowly adding the confectioners' sugar and gradually increasing the speed to high as the cream holds soft peaks. Whip until the cream holds stiff peaks, being careful not to overbeat. Spoon or pipe the whipped cream on top of the cupcakes and top each with a maraschino cherry. Enjoy!

Roasted Lemon Garlic Herb Shrimp

Ingredients:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 a lemon zested and then cut into wedges (you can use a whole lemon but I only had a half in my fridge so I went with that)
3-4 fresh thyme sprigs (or a generous sprinkling of dried thyme which is what I went with)
sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste
spaghetti, pasta, couscous or rice for serving (I used orzo)
2 tablespoons of butter
1 pound fresh shrimp, medium sized, de-veined with tails off
5 cloves garlic, minced

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Next prepare all of your ingredients such as zesting and slicing the lemon and mincing the garlic so it will be ready to add when the time comes.

Step 2: Combine olive oil, lemon zest and thyme in a glass baking pan. Make sure the olive oil covers the bottom of the pan, if not, drizzle a little more.Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Put in the oven for about 10-12 minutes. Make sure to check on it every few minutes, if it starts turning brown take it out. I left mine in for 10 minutes exactly.

Step 3: While that is in the oven, cook up your pasta, rice or couscous. I decided to go with orzo. Follow the instructions on the box. When done, mix with butter or olive oil.

Step 4: Remove pan from oven and add butter. Move it around in the pan until melted. Add shrimp, garlic and lemon wedges (don't squeeze), toss to coat with oil mixture. Put back in the oven for 8-10 minutes.

Step 5: Pour mixture over orzo to serve. Squeeze the lemon juice from the lemons over the individual servings and sprinkle some additional thyme on top.

This was pretty good. If I make it again I'd add some green vegetables to it, most likely some fresh asparagus! It pairs well with white wine.

Spring Fever: Cherry Bomb & Cherry Expression

The weather is a little colder this week but it's still Spring. Even though the wind is chilly today, the sun is still shining! In my First Day of Spring post I shared some Cherry Blossom recipes from TY KU made with their Silver Sake. Unfortunately I don't have any Silver Sake right now so I mostly wanted to post it to save for later.

Well, lucky me, TY KU just posted some new recipes using their Citrus Liqueur which I happen to have a pretty full bottle of! If I can get the other ingredients, I will be posting my attempts at these cocktails soon!

7 Days of Shamrocks: BONUS

I needed to make a bonus post for my 7 Days of Shamrocks for these fabulous Girl Scout Cookie Cupcakes. We all love Girl Scout Cookies and they just happen to come around during the month of March. A favorite GSC, the Thin Mint, has that perfect St. Patrick's Day feel to it with it's minty chocolate goodness.

In order to make a batch of Thin Mint Cupcakes, start by whipping up a batch of chocolate or Devil's Food cupcakes. I used clover cupcake liners to help with the festive St. Patrick's Day look.

Next whip up a batch of your favorite white icing, but you need to give it a twist. Add 1/4 teaspoon of mint or peppermint extract and a few drops of green food coloring, just enough to give it a minty green shade.

After your cupcakes are cool, ice them using the mint icing.

Then top each cupcake off with a squirt of chocolate icing.

Finally insert a thin mint in the middle of the chocolate icing. Make sure to press down so that the cookie is inserted slightly into the cupcake so it stays put.

You could also leave out the chocolate icing completely and just insert the thin mints directly into the mint icing.

7 Days of Shamrocks: Day 7

For day seven of my 7 Days of Shamrocks, I decided to try a homemade replica of the famous McDonald's Shamrock Shake.

3 cups good quality vanilla ice cream
1 3/4 cups 1% milk
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
Green food coloring

Simply blend all of the ingredients in a blender until completely thick and smooth.

Pour into glasses, top with whipped cream and sprinkles and serve! I thought it was a little too minty but I'm not positive I had quite enough ice cream, I only had a certain amount left in my freezer.

For a fun party twist, make Shamrock Shooters by pouring the shake into shooter glasses and top each individually with whipped cream and sprinkles.

Spring is in the air: Wedding Proposals

Spring is in the air! Spring is a big time of year for weddings, not sure if it's a big time for the actual proposals as well but let's pretend that it is. I wanted to share my Top 10 favorite wedding proposals from TV and Movies. Below is my list in no particular order.

1. Gilmore Girls: A Thousand Yellow Daisies: One of my all time favorite proposals would have to be on one of my favorite shows, Gilmore Girls. When Max proposes to Loreli with a thousand yellow daisies, it's definitely one of the most romantic things ever. Part of my love for this probably stems from my love for daisies, but I just love everything about it.

2. Friends: Monica and Chandler: With Friends being another one of my favorite shows, this proposal is so touching because of how well you know the characters. I love it because they're both so honest and heartfelt and you can really tell they belong together.

3. The Wedding Singer: Grow Old With You: If you know me, you know I'm a sucker for musicals. While the whole movie wasn't a musical, the most romantic part of it was a fantastic song. "Grow Old with You" is romantic in a silly way which is totally my style. Loves it!

4. Love Actually: Just in Cases: This proposal tugs at all kinds of heart strings. It goes to show that it's now about what you say but how you say it. These two fell in love without even speaking the same language and they both went home and learned each other's.

5. Sweet Home Alabama: Tiffany's: Obviously you have to have some serious dough to pull off a proposal like this one but it will always remain one of my favorites. I couldn't find the actual clip on YouTube but the trailer has the gist of the proposal in it.

6. The Prince and Me: Butterfly: I couldn't find a clip of this or even a picture so I guess you'll just have to go watch the movie! I always loved when Prince Edward proposed to Paige with a beautiful butterfly on top of the ring and it fluttered away. Super romantic. I think anything with balloons, glitter, confetti or bubbles would make me happy, I love the look of pretty things floating away.

7. While You Were Sleeping: Token Booth Style: Cute and clever. I love when he puts the ring into the token booth and when she looks up, the whole family is pressed up against the glass. Surprises are key to a romantic proposal.

8. Serendipity: Candles, Rose Petals and Boxes: This is an amazing proposal. The rose petals and candle light made the perfect setting and the multiple boxes to finally get to the ring was a fantastic idea. Super creative and super romantic.

9. Jim and Pam: Meant to Be: Jim and Pam are one of those TV couples where their whole relationship is what ultimately makes their proposal so special. So even though I couldn't find a clip of just the proposal, if you click on the link it takes you through a short montage of their relationship ending with the actual proposal. Jim also "Fake Proposaled" Pam once. I might kill a guy if he did that to me but it fit Jim's personality and their relationship pretty well.

10. Glee: We Found Love: I love everything about this from the roses to the synchronized swimming to the song! I also love that Mr. Schu dives into the pool fully dressed in a tux!

BONUS #11: The New Normal: David's Proposal: After seeing this I just simply had to add it to my list of favorite proposals. It is so heartwarming and perfect with the candles, flowers and of course the baby! If you haven't watched this show yet, I HIGHLY recommend it. You won't regret it.

I'm sure there are a few gems I'm not thinking of. What do you think is the best proposal Hollywood has created? Spring totally has me in a Rom Com mood so stay tuned for more Top 10 lists including Best Kissing Scenes, Best Wedding Scenes, Best Dates, and whatever else I feel like making a list of!

Happy First Day of Spring!

What are you going to do to celebrate the first day of Spring? I plan to take my dog for a walk in this beautiful weather and go pick up a free Rita's Water Ice. *UPDATE* Chloe and I took a walk to Rita's (I believe it's about a mile to a mile and a half away from our apartment), we left a little later than planned but made it. Then we had to wait in line for about an hour. After enjoying our treats, we had to walk home in the dark but it was good exercise! I enjoyed a Strawberry Margarita flavored water ice while Chloe got her usual Doggie Delight, and the best part is, both were FREE! Thanks Rita's for doing this every Spring!

The National Cherry Blossom Festival also kicks off. I'm hoping to get a peak of my favorite blossoms when I drive through DC going back to Virginia within the next couple weekends. Speaking of Cherry Blossoms, I saw this post on TY KU Sake & Spirits' Facebook with some fun Cherry Blossom themed drink recipes. I wish I had a bottle of the silver sake to make these. I wanted to go ahead and post it so I could remember the recipes for future reference even though I'm not making them myself right now.

What other fun Spring themed things are people doing to celebrate the new season? Spring Cleaning anyone? I certainly need to get a move on that as well! 

Sampleicious: Birchox Edition: March Teen Vogue Box

It's possible that the first thing you're going to think when you read this is that I'm not a teen. Very true. Birchbox sent out an email a while ago giving a choice of the Teen Vogue Beauty Picks Box or the regular March box. I was totally torn! They even said in the email, even if you're not a teen, you can still enjoy the products in the box. I decided to go for it, all the time wondering if I would regret not getting the regular box.

Anyways, the decision was made, I received my box, and here's what I got. As you can see above, a Teen Vogue subscription discount was included, however, I will not be taking advantage of that. While their beauty picks are for all ages, I'll leave the actual magazine for the teens.

Here are the samples in my box this month:

Annick Goutal Petite Cherie
essie® Luxeffects Nail Polish
PETER THOMAS ROTH Max Anti-Shine Mattifying Gel
tarte LipSurgence™ lip tint
Twistband Hair Ties
Also, a bonus MODCLOTH coupon!

Perfume samples are always fun to receive. I think I once read that it's good to switch up your perfume and body spray on a daily basis, otherwise you get immune to the smell. Samples are definitely giving me the opportunity to do that. Also, a tiny sample like this can last a long time because you only need a few drops. I haven't smelled this yet but the website describes it as fruity and musky, clean and sweet. I'll update when I take a whiff.

If you know me, you know I can't resist something that sparkles. This essie Luxeffects Nail Polish fits that bill. I received Blingy Silver in my box. I can't wait to try it out solo or layered with a fun color. The other colors sold look awesome too, the red reminds me of Dorothy's slippers and the yellow shimmers like the yellow brick road.

Again, I'll update after I try out this Mac Anti-Shine Mattifying Gel. The website says to use on clean skin or over moisturizer, sunblock, foundation, etc. Anything that helps with shine is okay in my book though!

Again you gotta love full size samples. This tarte LipSurgence lip tint is a great product. I actually purchased a bring pink color of this once from Sephora. I believe it got a little melty though and got ruined. Be careful keeping your lipsticks in hot places. The color I got in my box is unique and I can't wait to see what it looks like on.

I need to add a picture of the twist band hair tie. I didn't realize it was actually a product in my box. I just thought it was a random ribbon that fell off of something. If you click on the link above you can see how I got confused. Especially since Birchbox products always come wrapped up in colored tissue paper and ribbons. I'm always looking for a better kind of hair tie so now that I know this is in my box, I'm excited to go home and give it a try. The 12 pack sold out quick on the site so it must be good!

Finally, my coupon to ModCloth. I love all the dresses on their website but only $10 off $75 isn't a great deal if you don't have room in your budget for a new wardrobe right now! Not sure if I'll end up getting to use it before it expires.

7 Days of Shamrocks: Day 6

For day six of my 7 Days of Shamrocks, I wanted to try out a super cute marshmallow pop I found on Pinterest. They look like mini green beer mugs, perfect for St. Patty's Day!

I received some cake pop supplies for Christmas including a kit, maker and book from my mom and cousin. I guess this is my first attempt at a version of cake pops except instead of cake, I used marshmallows.

Ingredients:
Large marshmallows (I made 24 because I had two cake pop stands that fit 12 each)
Mini marshmallows (same number as you have large)
Green candy melts
White candy melts
Lollipop sticks

Step 1: Place your large marshmallows on your sticks. I decided to make 24 which was the amount that fit in my cake pop stand.

Step 2: Cut a rectangle in the side of each mini marshmallow, these will be your handles. Set aside until Step 5.

Step 3: Heat up your green candy melts according to the instructions on the bag. I used Wilton Green candy Melts and only needed about half the bag for 24 pops.

Step 4: Dip your large marshmallows into the green melted candy until completely covered. I used a plastic knife to help me spread the candy around to cover the marshmallows. If needed, tap the stick on the side of the bowl to drop excess melted candy off.

Step 5: Stick a handle on each marshmallow while the green candy is still wet so it sticks.

Step 6: Find a way to stand up your pops and wait until the green is completely dry. I used cake pop trays, you could also lay them on wax paper if you don't mind one side being flat.  One minor problem I ran into is when they dried, a few were stuck together because they were touching on the trays. Next time I might stick sheets of wax paper in between to avoid any stickage.

Step 7: Once your pops are completely dry, melt your white candy melts according to the instructions on the package. Again, you only need to use about half the bag. Dip each pop into the melted white candy to give your beer mugs a foamy look. It helps add to the frothy look if the white drips down a little.

Step 8: Let your white part dry and you're all finished. Display them in a vase filled with green candy or individually wrap them in St. Patty's Day themed or plain green, clear or yellow cellophane bags and tie with ribbon to make cute favors.

7 Days of Shamrocks: Day 5

Welcome back to my 7 Days of Shamrocks after my brief hiatus! I plan to post a blog all about my weekend, I hope everyone else had a fantastic St. Patty's Day as well and hopefully people are continuing to celebrate their inner Irish desires through next weekend making my final 3 posts relevant still. For day five, I used the last Guinness in my fridge to make a dip that would pair perfectly with with my Shamrock Crisps. So even if you're done celebrating, if you have some Guinness in the fridge, you can make this dip. It also goes great with crackers or pretzels.

 Guinness and Cheddar Dip
Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 and 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons half-and-half
1/4 cup Guinness
2 or 3 scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Step 1: In the bowl of your blender or food processor, combine the cream cheese, cheddar, mustard, and half-and-half.  Pulse until smooth.  (I don't own a food processor so I had to use my blender, it was a little difficult to get smooth with all the cheese but I was eventually able to make it work. I recommend using the food processor if you have one.)

Step 2: With the food processor running, slowly pour the Guinness down the feeder and blend until combined.

Step 3: Add the scallions, garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper (to taste).  Blend until thoroughly mixed.

Step 4: Transfer to a bowl, cover, and chill at least for one hour prior to serving.

This dip was amazing. While the  Guinness gives it that St. Patty's day theme, Guinness is sold year round so keep this is mind for your next get together if you're looking for a tasty dip to serve.

7 Days of Shamrocks Hiatus

I will be taking a small break in my 7 Days of Shamrocks blog due to the fact that I will be out of town for the next few days. I will pick up with days 5,6, and 7 next week. I understand that St. Patrick's Day is this Saturday, but fortunately it's one of those holidays that is celebrated all month long. I started to see St. Patty's Day bar crawl pictures sprouting up last weekend on Facebook, this weekend is the actual holiday and events like DC's famous Shamrockfest aren't until the following weekend. So hopefully there will still be plenty of green and luck on my side as I finish the final 3 days next week.

Here's a sneak peak of what I'll be making: Green Beer Marshmallow Pops, a homemade version of the famous Shamrock Shake and a special St. Patty's Day cupcake. Stay tuned...

7 Days of Shamrocks: Day 4

For day four of my 7 Days of Shamrocks, I went to my old faithful hurricane centerpiece. If you follow my blog, I'm sure you've seen my hurricane centerpiece which I have updated for various themes and holidays including fall, winter, Valentine's Day, Red Carpet Award Shows and Mardi Gras. For instructions on how to make the actual hurricane vase, click on my fall or winter blog.

For this one, I added large foam shamrocks in between the candle and vase. I'm not sure I love it but it's a little different than other things I've tried with it. It's good to mix it up every once in a while and I think it looks cute still.

7 Days of Shamrocks: Day 3

For day three of my 7 Days of Shamrocks, I decided to make some St, Patrick's Day cocktails. If I had been doing my original plan of 17 Days of Shamrocks, I would have made these separate days, but since I'm only doing 7, I figured I'd do one blog for both.

The first cocktail I wanted to make was a Guinness Float. Guinness is a cliche/classic beer to enjoy on St. Patty's Day. There are a few different options to spice up a classic Guinness. The most cliche is an Irish Car Bomb. This consists of dropping a mixed shot of Irish Creme and Irish Whiskey into a Guinness and chugging it as fast as you can. A less known variation of this is a Boiler Maker. That is a straight shot of Irish Whiskey in a Guinness that you chug also. I decided to go for a less "chuggy" twist on a classic Guinness: an Irish Stout Float. Start by taking a scoop of vanilla ice cream and placing it in a pint glass. Next pour a cold 12 oz. Guinness over the smooth creamy cold treat. If you own a Guinness spoon, it helps pour the beer properly. See pictures below.

Your final result is a smooth, tasty treat. An adult Irish version of your favorite root beer float. The sweet creaminess of the ice cream adds something special to the bitter dark stout. Top it off with a festive green straw and you've got an awesome St. Patty's Day beverage.

If an Irish Stout Float isn't your cup of tea, maybe a festive green cocktail is more your style. Going green is never wrong when you're celebrating our favorite Irish holiday. My recommendation is a tasty Green Apple Martini.

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons of sour-apple schnapps (I used Mr. Stacks)
5 tablespoons of vodka (I used Belvedere)
5 tablespoons of lemonade (I used Crystal Light)
5 tablespoons of lemon-lime soda  (I used Sierra Mist)
Cinnamon Sugar for rim

First I poured a tiny bit of sour-apple schnapps into a shot glass and dipped my finger and rubbed it around the rim of the martini glass. Next I made a cinnamon sugar mixture on a plate and dipped the rim of the glass in the mixture. I believe this special touch really added something to the taste of the drink.

Next, take the rest of your ingredients and add them together over ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously and pour into martini glass. I think I'm truly an apple martini fan these days and this recipe was divine!

7 Days of Shamrocks: Day 2

For day two of my 7 Days of Shamrocks, I made a delicious simple snack: shamrock crisps with olive oil and sea salt. These are super cute and super tasty! Pair them with a tasty Guinness and Cheddar Dip for something extra special!

 Ingredients:
Spinach wraps (I used Mission Spinach Herb Wraps)
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Shamrock cookie cutter

First preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Next take your shamrock cookie cutter and make shamrock shaped pieces from your wraps. Make sure to press really hard to cut all the way through the wrap. I had a large cookie cutter so I was only able to get about 4 shamrocks per wrap. I recommend saving the scraps though and making some unshaped crisps with the leftovers. They won't be as cute but they'll taste just as good!

 Once you have your shamrocks, spread them out on a cookie sheet and lightly brush each shamrock with olive oil and then sprinkle with sea salt.

Place your shamrocks in the oven for about 5 minutes, definitely no longer. These can burn very quickly so make sure to take them out at exactly 5 minutes. Once they're done, you'll have a delicious crispy snack. They taste great on their own or you can pair them with your favorite dip such as hummus or ranch.

7 Days of Shamrocks: Day 1

For day one of my 7 Days of Shamrocks, I decided to make a shamrock banner. I saw a similar idea on {where else but Pinterest} and thought it was cute.

Supplies Needed:
Different shades of green scrapbook paper
Scissors
Stapler
Green ribbon

Start by cutting your paper into vertical strips. I used two different shades of green paper, but the more variety the better. If you have any designs like polka dots or stripes, I think it would just add to the look of the banner.

Next take each strip and fold it in half. Then take the ends and staple them into a heart.

Next take four hearts and then staple them together to make a clover.

Make as many clovers and you'd like, depending on the length of the banner you're trying to make. Finally string them on your ribbon and choose a spot to hang it.

7 Days of Shamrocks

I love St. Patrick's Day! It is my favorite holiday. Because of this, I wanted to do a 17 Day challenge for St. Patrick's Day but just needed a breather after all of the holidays and events in February. Aside from 17, doing a 7 day one just made sense. It's basically celebrating the holiday with a week's worth of crafts and recipes. Since I'm doing a shorter one that initially planned, I may feature multiple things per day like perhaps a variety of cocktail recipes on one day instead of splitting them up. Since St. Patrick's Day is on a Saturday this year, my blog will run from Sunday-Saturday, the 11-17th. I toyed with doing days of Green but like the way Shamrocks sounded. So stay tuned for 7 Days of Shamrocks...

Red Carpet Hurricane Centerpiece

If you follow my blog, I'm sure you've seen my my hurricane centerpiece which I have updated for various themes and holidays including fall, winter, Valentine's Day and Mardi Gras. Since I was going all out with an Oscar Worthy Bash for the Academy Awards this year, I decided to incorporate my famous fixture into the decorations by giving it a red carpet makeover. Click on fall or winter above to see how to make the basic hurricane centerpiece. Once you have that, you are free to update it to fit whatever theme or holiday comes upon you! To make mine red carpet ready, I simply used red and gold filler mixed with movie themed confetti. The movie confetti included gold stars, white movie tickets, black film reels, etc.