Sweet Gestures - Happy V-Day

Last night my husband went to bed early & do I went into his bathroom & left a note on his mirror. I figured he'd see it today.  So he was gone when I woke up & I found it unusual that he wouldn't leave a note back to me - I couldn't find one anywhere! So, I sent him a text & said, did you see the note I left you?

Sometimes he's in such a rush to get to work - he misses things....

He told me he saw it & loved it! So of course I said to him jokingly, "it's so strange you didn't leave a note back, it's not like you" - he said, "I did." - I was confused - then as I'm walking over to my computer and turned it on - BAM....this pops up! (see below)

It's 'sweet gestures' like this that let us practice our LOVE for each other - making love a 'VERB' as Andy Stanley would say. 

So, will today be a day full of LOVE for you? If not, try to surround yourself with family or friends, and enjoy today no matter what. 

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!!! 


-images by jen ramos

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Food: Baked With Love

Happy Valentine's Day! Lauren here, and I love this month since it's all about sweet treats & little love notes, celebrating our significant others and also our girlfriends. I usually package up these heart cookies around Valentine's Day, but this year I was inspired to use my mom's sugar cookie recipe to create something new. 

Inspired by Jen's LOVE prints and colorful paintings, these painted LOVE cookies send a sweet message to their lucky recipients. I am not a gifted baker, so I promise they're incredibly easy too...they'd even be fun to make with kids! Keep reading for the rundown...

Whoops: I had a little kitchen accident and dropped one of my Anthropologie bowls, filled with flour, all over the floor. So I made the most of my mess and just photographed my ingredients right where it landed! My favorite part of these sugar cookies is the lemon...the lemon rind and juice add a subtle citrus flavor that really kicks them up a notch. 
 

I ordered this set of alphabet cookie cutters to create my L-O-V-E. Another fun option would be to use X-O-X-O.
 

For the dough:
 

1 cup butter, softened

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

As you can see, things may get a little bit messy, but that's okay! It's time to let your inner artist come through and not worry about making these perfect. Experiment with layering different colors on the paintbrush and trying different.

brush strokes. I used the edge of a sponge paintbrush we had on hand, but I'd actually recommend using a smaller art paintbrush. Just make sure it's brand new and hasn't been previously used with real paint. 

For the icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

Food coloring

Paintbrush

The final touch: See-through boxes that ensure your painted cookies are perfectly packed for gifting to loved ones at Valentine's Day. 

Makes about 3 dozen.

Instructions:

1. Cream butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla, lemon rind, then lemon juice. Add flour, soda and salt; mix until blended.

2. Divide dough; wrap each half in plastic wrap and pat into a disc. Refrigerate several hours until firm.

3. On a floured surface, roll one disc about 1/4 inch thick. Cut with letter-shaped cutters (ex. LOVE or XOXO).

4. Transfer to a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake in a pre-heated 325-degree oven for 12-15 minutes, until barely browned. Cool on wire racks and repeat with remaining dough. 

5. To decorate, stir 1 tablespoon of cream into 1 cup of powdered sugar. Divide among small bowls and use food coloring to make intense shades.

6. Use a paint brush to paint the cookies with the icing, adding a little extra cream into the icing if needed to make it thinner. Wipe the paintbrush off in between, or even let a little color remain on the brush to overlap shades. Go back over each cookie with extra brush strokes.

7. Make sure you let the icing fully dry on each cookie, then stack into boxes.

-Recipe & images by Lauren Craig

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Pink Velvet Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

These cake toppers are so adorable! At first glance I thought, "Can I eat those?" - I'm no baker, what did I know?  So, my husband said, "YES Jen, they're totally edible." Phew. 

Well, how do they taste?? They actually seem to blend right into the butter cream frosting, so you're pretty much just tasting the frosting! I LOVE how they were inspired by the classic candy conversation hearts! Remember those??? 

My husband & I made these together - they're called Pink Velvet Cupcakes with Buttercream frosting. He made the butter cream frosting from scratch & I swear it tastes just like Magnolia. These goodies are also part of the Love Letter Mag we put together - you can see it all here.  

Recipe is below- don't miss it!
 

Pink Velvet Recipe

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon pink food coloring
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk

Swiss Meringue Buttercream
-adapted from Martha Stewart-

5 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1 lb (4 sticks) butter
2 tsp vanilla

In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and food coloring until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 23-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Place egg whites and sugar in a metal electric mixer bowl. Set bowl into a pan of simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch (3 minutes). When its ready, you should feel no sugar granules when you touch it.
Transfer bowl to mixer and use a whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff, glossy peaks (10-11 minutes).

Add the butter, 1/2 bar cut in pieces at a time. Beat until incorporated after each addition. It will initially look curdled but don't worry - it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add vanilla, and beat just until combined.

Change to a paddle attachment, and beat on the low speed to eliminate air pockets (5 minutes). 
Frost the cupcakes then top with the cupcake toppers.

If using the frosting within several hours, cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature in a cool environment. Can be stored refrigerated in airtight container for up to 3 days but bring to room temperature and beat for 5 minutes with paddle attachment before using.

 cupcake toppers via william sonoma

 
-images by jen ramos

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Pink Velvet & Berry Parfait

My husband rocks. He is so passionate about cooking & even though he's not a professional chef, his meals really impress me. 

I'm always posting them on my instagram, so if you follow me there, you'll see what I mean. He made these amazing parfaits for the LOVE LETTERS/Cartas De Amor digital Mag we put together, they were delicious! Below he'll add the recipe in case you want to impress your significant other! You can view the entire Love Letters magazine here. 

Also a quick shout out to Holly of Decor8 for sharing the 'Love Letter' mag on her blog! Thank you!
 

Here he is prepping...

Parfaits:
Cake (any kind of sponge or regular cake like the pink velvet)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar (powdered)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Berries - cut strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries

In a chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream with a whisk attachment until it begins to peak. Add the sugar and vanilla and finish whipping - should be light, soft peaks.

Cut small cubes of the cake and place in the bottom of a parfait or tall shooter glass (if you don't have those, champagne or wine glasses also work well). Carefully spoon about 2 tsp of cream on top then gently knock the bottom of the glass to force it down. Add a layer of berries, then another layer of cream. Top with an exceptional berry, or even a nice bing cherry!


Stay tuned for a few more sweeeeeeet Valentine's Day recipes this week!

 
-images by jen ramos

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FOOD: Heart-Shaped Napoleon with Raspberries

Hi everyone! Alison from Heart of Gold & Luxury blog! I'm here with my first post for MadeByGirl!  I am excited to share with you an impossibly romantic dessert to enjoy with your sweetie this Valentine’s day.  The Napoleon is a classic dessert that combines layers of flaky puff pastry, luxuriously rich pastry cream scented with almond and vanilla, topped with plump ruby red raspberries and finished with a dusting of confectioners sugar.

This dessert might look intimidating but it is incredibly easy - you just have to use your creative eye to assemble this confection. This is one recipe that will impress your other half, not to mention your friends and family. In fact, you just might have them wishing that this day filled with roses and chocolates would come around more than once a year.

Ingredients:
16 ounces puff pastry, dethawed
2 cups whole milk
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
4 egg yolks
¼ cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, diced
½ pint fresh raspberries or strawberries

Equipment: Heart-shaped cookie cutter (optional)

 
For the Pastry Cream:
Combine 2 cups milk, ¼ cup sugar, almond extract, vanilla extract and pinch of salt in a small pan. With stovetop on medium heat, allow for mixture to come to a simmer. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine 4 egg yolks, ¼ cup sugar and ¼ cup cornstarch. Slowly whisk in the warm milk mixture to combine.  Pour mixture back into pan and return to medium heat, stirring constantly.  Pastry cream will begin to thicken rapidly.  Once mixture is thickened remove from heat, add butter and stir until combined.  Pour into a heat-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Be sure to coat the top of the pastry cream with the wrap, otherwise you will have a film that forms on the top.  Allow to cool completely in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or up to 2 days.

 For Napoleon Assembly:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  Unroll puff pastry and place on lined baking sheet.  Pierce holes with a fork all over the dough.  Place a heavier baking sheet on top (a Pyrex pan is perfect) and allow to cook for approximately 25 minutes. Pastry is done with it is golden brown.  Allow to cool completely.  Once cooled, cut out pastry into hearts if desired.  Place pastry cream into a sealed plastic ziplock bag.  Cut the tip off and fill one side of the pastry with cream, top with raspberries and then place another piece of pastry on top. Finish with a dusting of confectioners sugar. 

*Makes about 3 to 4 servings depending on size of cookie-cutter

*Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

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Cartas de Amor (Love Letters)

Hello everyone! I know it's Saturday & don't I normally don't post on weekend, but I've been working on this wonderful project for several weeks now. I'm exhausted!  However, being that it's February & almost Valentine's Day - the word LOVE has been constantly on my mind. 

A few weeks ago, I created 'Cartas de Amor', which means "Love Letters" in Spanish. It's a collection of personal love letters from 18 bloggers, including myself. In addition, there's a whole bunch of gift ideas, delicious desserts & more! The reason I decided to do it in a magazine format was because I really felt it would look much better than in a blog post. 

I hope you'll enjoy it & tweet about it, add it to Facebook & share it with others.
 
My guy has always been a ROMANTIC throughout our relationship & so I wanted to capture the idea of what LOVE was for other people. There's something special about a handwritten note that far outweighs any email - taking the time write on a piece of paper is refreshing. It's truly an act of love to write a love letter. In fact most of the great poets did it this way.

It is such a blessing to have all these women share LOVE letters with all of us!  Cartas De Amor is now live!!!! Please take a look here.

Please feel free to BLOG about it & if you do, let me know! I will re-tweet your post to my followers! Thanks!

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Design: Farrow & Ball Wallpaper

Hi MadeByGirl readers, this is Sam from The Peak of Très Chic blog.  I am thrilled to be a new design contributor here on MBG!  In addition to blogging, I attend school and work as an interior designer in Houston- and am so excited to be here!

Today I wanted to share with you a peek at the new line of Farrow & Ball wallcoverings launching February 4!  I am sure many of you have heard of the infamous Farrow & Ball paint colors.   I love them for their high levels of pigment- use just about any F&B shade and you are sure to get a saturated, full color.  

Unlike their competitiors, Farrow & Ball doesn't have 100 shades of every color to choose from.  Instead, they have just over 130 paint colors total, but each shade packs a punch.   True to form, Farrow & Ball's wallpapers utilize the finest pigments and are offered in a variety of motifs.  Here are a few of my favorites:

 

 {Lotus}

{Ranelagh}

{Orangerie}

 

{Wisteria}

{Lattice}

{Ocelot}

And lastly, my very favorite:

{Tessella}

I can picture it making a bold statement in an entryway:

  

Shop This Board:

Tessella Wallpaper $255/roll/Gem Light in Pink $165/each/Curvilinear Console $1,398/Sunflower Antiqued Wall Mirror $330/  Bliss Studio Elgar Chairs $1,563/each/Vintage Kilim Rug $900

  

 Which paper design is your favorite?

Access the wallpapers shown above and check out the full Farrow & Ball wallpaper collection here.

-post by samantha penner

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