Halloween!

I've Been Slacking...

I've been slacking on the home front.. I apologize.
Back in July, my friends Sarah, Jesse and I went for a little camping trip to Seaside OR! It was pretty awesome. I was only able to go for 2 days while my friends were there a little longer. None the less, I love going down there and I had so much fun. We went to Tillamook and Blue Heron, played at the video arcade, had a glass of wine at a wine bar, went to the beach and soaked up some sand. I don't get to go camping often anymore, but when I do I make sure I take nothing for granted. Older I'm getting, I'm realizing time is so precious and we waste so much of it.

Photographs Re-birthed

My friend Sarah is currently attending SCAD in Georgia. She asked me if she could use some of my photographs for a project she was doing and I said of course. So she sent me what she finished and I have to say I just love them. It's like a re-birth of my old photographs. Below are the finished projects and the photographs before. I am just IN LOVE with the first and second ones.... but all of them are amazing.

Image copywrite Sarah Wise, photograph copywrite Erica Berry. All rights reserved.

Britany's Visit to WA!!!

One of my dearest friends came to Washington for a short visit! I love her to death and miss her so much since she moved to Utah for school, and then got married, and then had baby 1 and baby 2! All of this happening in the last 3 years! If I made more money and had more time I definetly would be going out there to visit her more often, but I don't. And we still find a way to stay dear friends. And that's why I love her the most.

Amazing Baking

I have been on a baking kick since I haven't been working. I like working with my hands and I need things to do to keep me occupied during this slow time. So I have been finding new recipes and trying new things all the time. So far everything I have baked has been a hit because it only lasts about two days in this house and among friends. 

I found this recipe for Candy Cookies... OMG right! I was stoked.

So I bought 2 bags of milky ways, minis.

I also decided to make this recipe a little more creative by adding caramel syrup to the batter.

I love this pink mixer. After my grandma passed away, we collected items from her house to keep and I just fell in love with this pink mixer because I totally feel like a 50's housewife baking for her family, and I think its such a pure and sweet image. Makes me think of my grandma when she was a housewife and mother and worked.

The basic mix for this amazing recipe is just chocolate chip cookie dough mix. You can even be lazy if you dont want to make from scratch and get it at the store, although its easier for this to make it at home.

I worked off the recipe from my phone. Emailing it to yourself is easier than printing/writing it down.

Tah dah. Cookie Dough mix with a little caramel goodness added.

You lay down a small glob of cookie dough, and then lay the mini candy bar on top.

Then you cover it up with a lil bit more, bake and tah dah! Candy Cookies!

I used milky ways, but you can pretty much use any minis. Kit kats, reeses, anything.

The recipe

2 sticks softened butter

1 Cup granulated sugar

3/4 Cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla

3 1/2 Cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

10 oz bag chocolate chips

Variety of snack size Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, Snickers and Kit Kat

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a stand or electric mixer, cream butter and sugars until well combined.  Add eggs and vanilla until well combined.

2.  Place flour, baking soda and salt in large bowl; mix then slowly add to wet ingredients.  Add chocolate chips to combine.  Using a cookie scoop take one scoop of cookie dough and place on top of snack size candy bar.  Take another scoop of dough and place on bottom of candy bar.  Seal edges together by pressing and cupping in hand until candy bar is enclosed with dough.  Place onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and bake cookies 9-13 minutes or until cookies are baked to your liking.  Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.  Serve with a tall glass of milk, enjoy!

Makes about 24 LARGE Cookies

Bridal Reception of Love

Beautiful wedding in mexico and an equally beautiful reception back home in Washington, Ryan and Alyx celebrated their marriage with friends and family's at a quaint reception in Tacoma. 

Sadly I couldn't stay for the reception, but I was able to help set up and ease some of the stress that it takes to plan a reception for friends and family.