Pretty is

...My Life and Style

You are here: Home / Home

Cupcakes & Colored Eggs

Easter weekend

would not be complete without coloring eggs on Saturday.

Last year, on the Saturday before Easter were made cookies & colored eggs

You can read about that event in this post.

This year, we made cupcakes & colored eggs on the Saturday before Easter.

First we colored/dyed 24 hard boiled eggs… and made a wonderful mess!

After the eggs had been colored,

and the egg-shaped cookies beautifully decorated,(The brown one is mine.  Yep.)

We moved on to the sunflower cupcakes….And it was no easy task.

Lydia participated long enough to finish one cupcakeObviously her skills are unmatched and could have completed the whole job herself.

However she was far more interested in something on TV.

Due to her work schedule, Stephanie wasn’t able to join us, so Amanda and Emily turned all 52 mini cupcakes into lovely sunflowers.The cupcakes were presented the following day as dessert after Easter Sunday dinner.

Afterward the Easter egg hunt began!It was High energy(notice the binoculars for easier egg spotting)Serious business!but plenty for everyone!

It was a good day to spend with family, enjoying time together, and making memories!

 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog

Friday Favorites: Easter Edition

Today is one of the best Fridays Ever, so much so, we call it

Good Friday

Favorite # ONE

It only makes sense to start my list with this day.

 Good Friday is part of a significant weekend, culminating in Easter Sunday.  On Sunday our family will gather to celebrate.  We start the Easter celebration on Saturday with a tradition I’ve kept with my girls… coloring eggs.

This time last year, we colored eggs, as I mentioned in this post and Easter would not be complete without coloring eggs on the Saturday before Easter.

Favorite # TWO

Easter eggs

Why do we celebrate Easter with eggs?

The egg, an ancient symbol of new life, has been associated with pagan festivals celebrating spring.  From a Christian perspective, Easter eggs are said to represent Jesus’ emergence from the tomb and resurrection.  The Easter egg tradition may also have merged into the celebration of Lent as it was traditional to use up all of the household’s eggs before Lent began.

In addition, one ancient tradition was the tinting of Easter eggs with the color red “in memory of the blood of Christ, shed as at that time of his crucifixion”.

This custom of the Easter egg can be traced to early Christians of Mesopotamia, and from there it spread into Russia through the Orthodox Churches, and later into Europe through the Catholic and Protestant Churches (source).

Very interesting.

 

 

Favorite # THREE

Sunflowers

in the form of cupcakes.

We will be making sunflower cupcakes tomorrow.

Last night I baked the chocolate mini-cupcakes…  52 of ‘em.

Tonight I am coloring the sliced almonds (yellow) that will serve as the petals for our sunflower cupcakes.  When my girls arrive on Saturday, I’ll have them assemble the cute little confections and will premier them tomorrow!

Be on the lookout for Sunflower Cupcakes!

 

On the subject of flowers…

Favorite # FOUR

Yesterday LB came home with flowers!a tulip plant and an Easter lily plant.

I love surprises!

 

 

Favorite # FIVE

Like the petals of a sunflower…

Yellow

Specifically my new yellow pants from LOFT

which turned out to be a smart spring shopping event!  Very Springy.

 

Happy Easter!

 

 

 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

 

All About Makeup

The ladies at

The Blended Blog

will regularly host a link up that is interesting and fun.

Also, as I’ve mentioned before, it is great to have someone provide a topic.

Today the link up is

All About Makeup

For me makeup is typically all about Mary Kay.

My skincare, foundation, loose powder, and mascara are all Mary Kay products.

My eyeliner and lip color are not Mary Kay.

But I have to have them!

Lately I’ve been experimenting with a gift I received last Christmas.  It is a pink case filled with makeup from ULTA.  Mama decided all the girls needed one.  You can read about here.

In addition to highlighter,  bronzer, blush, eyeshadow, eyeliner, eyeshadow primer, and lipgloss there are 4 color correcting concealers.  It was necessary to do some research before using the concealer.  Here is what I found:

The easiest way for me to decide which concealer is best is to envision their complementary colors on the color wheel.

Yellow concealer, being that it is directly across from purple on the color wheel, is best for hiding purple or blue bruises, veins, under eye circles and any unwanted blue undertones on your skin.  Yellow is the most often used concealer.

 Purple/Lavender concealer  is opposite yellow on the color wheel and is used to regulate yellow-colored skin imperfections such as sallowness and yellow bruises. It can also help conceal dark under-eye circles and dark spots on darker skin tones. Purple/lavender concealers are suitable for eliminating any unwanted yellow undertones on your skin.

Green concealer is best for masking red areas such as broken blood vessels and the dreaded pimple.  Because red is directly across from green on the color wheel, using the green concealer neutralizes the color red.   In the case of widespread redness, such as rosacea, then a color correcting green primer would be best.

Pink concealer can help make dull or ashen skin look rosy, and can reduce the appearance of dark under eye circles.

So that is the short and sweet on color concealer.

Although I use the yellow most often, I’ve been having a good time experimenting with them all.

 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog. 

Celebrating Spring

It is the first weekend of a new season…

SPRING!

The first day of spring occurs when the robins arrive.

Bird, Nature, Forest, Robin

 

Just Kidding!

The first day of spring occurs on the day the center of the sun crosses directly over the equator.

This celestial crossing results in the equinox—a day with light and dark of practically equal length, with the sun rising precisely in the east and setting precisely in the west.  This year the vernal equinox befell on Tuesday, March 20 at 12:15 PM.

See how smart I am!

On this first weekend of spring I celebrated by

Spring cleaning the YARD

It was a perfectly beautiful Saturday.  While LB was busy pressure washing the patio, I was busy pulling weeds and trimming the shrubs that I thought may have died during the winter.  My main concern was getting the dogwood tree planted.  There were so many rules for this little tree:  Only 3-6 hours of sun, well drained soil, and highly visible to me as I come and go.

LB was my hero when he picked a spot!

On Sunday there was

Shopping

I needed a spring wreath for the front door and I found mine at Pier One

although it has no Easter eggs or BUNNIES…

it will be appropriate for display all season long!

Oh! Look behind me… its Joanna Gaines!

 

I was also on a hunt for a deviled egg plate/platter.

There were so many to choose from!

 Can you guess which one I chose?

While fall is my favorite season, spring takes a close second, although it does bring with it a potential issue…

Spring Fever

There are some indicators that reveal you may be suffering with spring fever.

You may know the symptoms… restlessness, daydreaming, a delightful inclination towards romance and a strong desire to ditch the drudgery in exchange for a frolic in the flower fields. The emotional exuberance that winter has come to an end may be more than many are able to manage.  If this describes you, it’s time to get out of town.

One thing is certain… LB has it!

 

 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog. 

Friday Favorites

It is time for my Friday Favorites!

Favorite # ONE

The seasons have changed and once again…

SPRING BEGINS!

“And here in the Northern Hemisphere happy are we this day has arrived!  Get ready for longer days and increased sunshine.  Tune up the lawn mower.  More sunshine means the grass will be growing.”

(National Calendar Day)

Favorite # TWO

It was supposed to take four weeks, but after only ten days we have growth!

Reminds me of GROOT!

It’s so cute!  I can’t wait to see the parsley!

 

 

Favorite # THREE

It is adorable when Elvis sits at the bar and watches me in the kitchen.

I love how he sets his little chin on the counter.

LB captured this adorable moment…

I love that cat!

Favorite # FOUR

My new dogwood tree

We’ll be looking for a perfect spot to plant it this weekend!

 

 

Favorite # FIVE

Lydia and Rory

It may be that this is a regular occurrence.

These baby girls are adorable and they have my heart!

Here they are in their new spring-themed matching dresses handmade by Aunt Mamie.

Adorable!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m not the only one who loves Friday!  There is a lot of excitement in my office on Friday mornings.  Typically Ms. G will be dancing as she comes in and will escalate from there.  This morning she didn’t feel much like dancing.  This didn’t seem to matter to the other ladies as they pressed her.  She wasn’t going to comply which prompted a log onto YouTube for an appropriately titled tune.

Thus was my introduction to Bishop Bullwinkle and his song was stuck in my head all day.

 

 

Hopefully you will be as entertained by this as I am!

 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

Kim

XO

May Your Blessings Outnumber the Shamrocks that Grow

…And may trouble avoid you wherever you go.

That is an Irish Blessing that I can appreciate!

For several years LB and I have been “dressing up” in observance of

St. Patrick’s Day

I’m not sure what started this practice, but it has become a tradition for us.

With the closing of O ’Brothers Irish Pub, the Margaret Street/Five Points St. Patrick’s Day street party is no longer happening (sad face).  The annual St. Patrick’s Day party became a major event, filling not just the restaurant, but Margaret Street with thousands of people.  We’ve been hoping to find a similar event.

This year, I thought I may have found a suitable replacement when this ad appeared:

Hyperion Brewing Company and Crispy’s Springfield Gallery are presenting Historic Springfield’s inaugural St. Patrick’s Day Block Party.

From 3pm – 9pm: Main Street, between 7th and 8th, would be closed and filled with live music, food, beer, vendors and other fun activities (i.e. Mario Cart).  This event was FREE to attend!  Woo Hoo!

In addition to the live music and food vendors, there were sites (historic buildings) to be seen.

LB and I walked up and down the street checking everything out, while everyone was checking us out.  Once it became apparent that LB and I had been voted King and Queen of the Green, it was time to go.

Next stop

Culhane’s Irish Pub

I [typically] love Culhane’s, but for the St. Patrick’s Day BASH, it was much like a zoo.  And I promise I won’t say another negative thing after this…. there was a long line, a long wait, and a cover charge.

The Tent:

The positives:  although there were way too many crazy people for my taste, the DJ Vito was good, the band Briteside was good, and the Reuben Sandwich was good.

You can check out some other photos from the Culhane’s BASH here.

I’m not completely positive if it will be next March 17th, but we will definitely be dining at Culhane’s again.

 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

Kim

XO

Friday Favorites

Its Friday!

 I’m headed out of the office and

Friday Weekend GIF by Red Bull

This weekend is going to be a good one starting with my

Friday Favorites

 

 

Favorite # ONE

I have FINALLY started my herb garden… slowly but surely as it will take 4 weeks for the seeds to germinate.

Patience is a virtue.

 

The Healthy Kitchen Herb Trio Kit… its easy to Grow Basil, Parsley and Chives Seeds In Your Own Kitchen!

That remains to be seen.

Stay tuned.

 

Favorite # TWO

I can’t stop shopping loft.com.

Right now I’m obsessed with these Floral Embroidered Riviera Pants

(in Marisa Fit… very important)

these are currently sitting in my shopping bag.

Because they are $69.50, I will wait for a sale and make up a reason to treat myself.

 

Favorite # THREE

Date night on Thursday

because there was a one night only opportunity to see a good show.

AND

because Friday nights are reserved for collapsing in the recliner

(after a harrowing week at work) while enjoying Kim’s little pizzas and a good movie on the big TV.

 

Favorite # FOUR

There is nothing sweeter than a tiny baby girl.

Rory was one month old on 3/14/18 when her Mama posted this…

And later this…

Precious!

 

 

 

Favorite # FIVE

My Mama gets to keep Lydia typically once a week.

Lately if they take a walk, they will wander over to Glammy’s house.  Yesterday Mama sent me an account of their adventure with pictures:

Today Lydia and Mema took the pink princess car out for a ride.

 

Lydia wanted to visit Glammy’s house, but Glammy wasn’t home.

Lydia told Mema that all she had to do was push the buttons by the garage door so they could go inside.  She even offered to show Mema how to do it.

It was disappointing that they wouldn’t be able to come inside since no one was home.  Mema suggested that Lydia pick a flower and leave it at the door for Glammy. 

Before she left, Lydia decided to leave the flower on the garden fairy’s book instead.

 

“I hope she finds it”, said Lydia.

Glammy came home that afternoon and found that pink flower!

 

 

I love this story!

 

 

 

 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

Kim

XO

Connect