October Feature: Dreaming of Dimples

Hey Everyone! Today, I got an AWESOME October Feature to share with you! Jessah from Dreaming of Dimples is guest posting and sharing the most amazing party idea. I wish I knew more people in my area to host one of these babies...Maybe when I go home for Christmas...

Anywho, Check out Jessah's blog here! read on for her amazing post. Take it away girl!

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Alright ya'll, here it is. The best party idea of the year.Pinterest parties are the new Favorite Things parties. This party has been in the making for a while.As I mentioned to my guests, I'd been waiting patiently to be invited to a Pinterest Party since I stumbled upon this article.The idea looked so fun!But if I hadn't planned my own party, I'd probably still be waiting.I'm glad that I took matters into my own hands.And a girl just can't wait forever.The theme as you can see by the graphic was pink ballerinas.I didn't want to send it out on the invitations as I wanted my guests to see the theme all pulled together at the party.

ballerina rice krispie cupcakes

mason jar favors to be filled in the candy bar

DIY gifts and candy bar (including peppermint taffy, good and plenty and watermelon gummis)

All of the food and drinks for the party were inspired by Pinterest.Take a look.

tomato, mozzarella, basil skewers with balsamic drizzle

avocado hummus and pretzels

strawberries, basil, brie and honey on crackers

veggie cups in ranch dip

lemonade bar with strawberries, blueberries and raspberries

Wondering how the heck a Pinterest Party works?Here are the deets.

Each guest brings the necessary items/ingredients/directions to create the craft, item or recipe to the party. (Making sure to have it wrapped.)

Then gifts are exchanged - "white elephant style - allowing each guest to take home a fun, unique creation!

This party was so much fun. 

These 10 lovelies ladies attended my party.
It was really cool to see the different DIY ideas they brought to the exchange.

If you're interested in seeing or pinning the DIY gift ideas given at the party, follow this Pinterest board.
I'll be adding the pins this week.

Don't you just love Pinterest!

October Feature: Anima Kinsi & Husband Quote

Hey Everyone, today, my personal friend, Kinsi is going to share an awesome recipe with you. She blogs over at Anima Kinsi and Husband Quote! Stop by and show her some love.. and check out this awesome recipe!

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Hey there, Spicy fans!

I’m here once more to lead you on another culinary adventure, except this time, you get to eat it- not read it!

I’m here to show you how to create homemade potato chips with only three ingredients; no frying required!

I whipped these up the other day when my husband was in a funk.  If there’s something that will bring cheer to a stressed-out hubby, it’s buttery, salty, some-are-chewy-and-some-are-crispy POTATOES! 

This is a great way to use up those potatoes that are “on edge” and ready to be used now or else! Waste not, want not.

With only three ingredients, how can you go wrong?

Here’s what you’ll need:

 -          vegetable peeler

-          cutting board

-          knife or mandoline slicer

o A santoku or chef’s knife is prefereable: the bigger, the better for fast and even slicing.

-          paper towels

-          microwavable bowl

-          pastry brush

-          baking sheet(s)

-          spatula

-    potatoes

o   I used 8 baby red potatoes, since that’s what I had on hand.

-          2 Tb unsalted butter

-          kosher salt

Your first step is to peel all of those lovely potatoes.  I wait to preheat the oven until after this step, because it is admittedly the most time-consuming part of the whole process (at least for me).

Don’t worry about getting every single eye out of the potatoes beforehand.  The goal here is just to get the skin off so that your potatoes roast evenly.

Since there is no frying required to get these lovelies all nice and crispy, your oven will need to be hot, hot, HOT for these puppies; about as hot as the 3^rd level of Dante’s hell.  Set that bad boy to 500° and get to slicing!

Now it’s time for slicing!  

Since I was working with a smaller potato, I cut them on the diagonal to give the slices more surface area (and a delightful oblong shape).  You’ll want your slices to be about 1/8 in. thick; this is why a mandoline would be nice.  Forgive my archaic ways.

                                              

As you cut, lay each slice on top of a paper towel.  I’ve found that 1.5 paper towels = 1 standard household cookie sheet.

Now that you’ve covered your paper towels in potato slices, press another layer of paper towels over the top of them, applying pressure and soaking up any residual moisture.

That’s right- no slimy potatoes allowed.  You want them good and dry so that they crisp up nicely!

Next, melt the butter(a couple tablespoons) in a microwave-safe dish.  Increments of 10-20 seconds will do.

Dip your pastry brush in that liquid gold, and brush a thin, even layer over your baking sheet.  This will help your potatoes to 1) come off of the sheet after baking easily, and 2) crisp and brown on both sides.

 Now it’s time to lay your potato slices out on the baking sheet.  If your slices are uneven because you’re an old-fashioned Neanderthal knife-user like I am, then try to put thicker and larger slices around the edges.  Smaller/thinner slices will cook more slowly in the center.

Guess what we do after placing our slices down? Oh yeah, we brush them with butter! You don’t want so much butter that it’s pooling up on the potatoes- just enough to make them good and shiny!

Now place the pan in the oven.  I find that keeping it on the bottom to middle rack is most effective.  Any higher and they WILL burn.

Keep an eye on them: at 500°, your oven is ready to take a perfectly yummy chip somewhere scary in a matter of minutes.  15 minutes or less will do!

 As soon as they come out of the oven, salt them babies! Take a healthy pinch of kosher salt and hold it up high, sprinkling evenly over the chips.  That hot, bubbly butter layer will hold the salt better than if you season them cold.

Scrap up the chipswith a spatula and…

Voila: a warm plate of simultaneously crispy/tender chips.  I usually make two batches, since my husband doesn’t like to share them very much!

I hope you enjoy!

Don’t be afraid to get creative! These chips are so simple, they beg to be messed with.  Heck, I think a good handful of blue cheese and a sprinkle of hot sauce would be great.  Maybe you can season them with freshly ground pepper.  How about rosemary and lemon zest?

Come visit me over at http://animakinsi.blogspot.com for more food fun. I will soon start a Meat-Free Friday post! 

Also, feel free to drop by http://husbandquote.blogspot.comif you’re looking for a laugh, and more husband-inspired moments.

<3+ Kinsi

October Feature: SNAP! by Becca Robinson

Hey Everyone! Today, I'm going to share a post from my sister-in-law, Becca. She is an amazing photographer, my newest sponsor and has some great tips and tricks to photography to share with you today... but I'll let her tell you all about it. Take it away, Becca!

I am a professional photographer (and mom of three young kiddos) from the Raleigh, NC area (see my website at www.raleighfamilyphotography.com).  Many of my clients ask me for advice on how to take better pictures of their kids, so I wrote an e-book to answer all those questions they have.  The book is to help you learn simple and straightforward techniques for taking beautiful portraits of your young children.  It is written for moms (and dads) who don't have the time to learn all the complicated technical aspects of photography. Learn how to easily capture your child's natural expressions, and how to find the right light to photograph them in, indoors and out. Learn how to inexpensively assemble an indoor setup to take studio-like pictures in your own home. Figure out how to determine the ISO, Aperture, and Shutter Speed when using the manual setting on your camera. And then the book will show you some posing ideas for each age group (newborn thru age 10), and some simple editing and printing tips for what to do after you get a great picture. Covering everything from start to finish, this is the one book you will need (whether you have an expensive DSLR, a simple point-and-shoot camera, or even your camera phone) to help you take better pictures of your children.

Today I wanted to write a post about how I take professional looking pictures indoors. I do most of my indoor sessions in my client’s homes. So you don’t need a studio to take good pictures indoors.  I made myself what I call a “mobile studio” that I can bring anywhere or set up in my own home quickly and easily.  You can be as intricate in your indoor setups as you’d like.  If you want something quick and easy just set up a chair in front of a neutral colored wall.  But if you want something more elaborate you can make your own backdrops and floorings.  They are not even hard to make!

How to make your own indoor studio

Flooring:  Do you have pretty hardwood floors that don’t produce much glare?  Then you may be able to skip this step.  But for the rest of us we can make some fake ones!  Take a trip to your local hardware store and buy a piece of plywood; the size depends on what you want to do with it.  I have three kids and my piece is 4x4 feet.  If you will be photographing just one child you can get away with a smaller piece.  Then go to the laminate flooring section and pick up a carton of laminate “fake hardwood” flooring.  Make sure it doesn’t give off too much glare. Some of the laminate floorings seem to be shinier than others – go for the less shiny.  I personally like the darker wood colors but feel free to choose whatever color wood you like. Then go home and secure the laminate flooring to your piece of plywood and you have a flooring drop for portraits!

Backdrops:There are lots of options for backdrops.  Seamless paper and fabric are probably the most common for DIYers (Do It Yourself-ers).  You can purchase Seamless paper at your local camera shop or through Amazon.com.  Go with the 53” wide rolls – the smaller rolls will be too small and the bigger ones are pretty unwieldy and not needed unless you’ll be photographing a large group of people.  These rolls are a great value and last a long time. 

Some of the colors of seamless paper are easier to work with.  Avoid the white – it is tough to work with unless you have a professional lighting system.  The super bright colors can cause a color cast onto your subject (and I doubt you want your child to look like they have a pink face).  However, greys and tans work wonderfully and don’t cause much color cast onto your subject at all.  You can attach the backdrops right onto your wall with painter’s tape (make sure it won’t harm the paint job on your wall!) or command strips.  Then when you are done taking pictures just roll the paper back up and store it in a closet till your next picture taking opportunity.

Molding strip: Just lining up the backdrop with your piece of flooring isn’t going to look right.  To make it look like an actual wall and floor you’ll need to pick up a molding strip.  You can get a pretty basic and cheap white molding strip at your local hardware store and use that to cover the end of the backdrop where it meets the flooring piece.  You can just balance the molding strip against the backdrop, or you can attach the molding to the backdrop with utility clips.

I arranged the indoor setup here right in our tiny entry way to show that you don’t need a lot of free space to set up a little indoor studio.  Once you have the materials, setting them up takes only minutes!  The plywood and laminate flooring piece seen here is something I have used for years and it is still working great.  I just slide it into the back of our closet when I’m not using it.

And a quick snap taken of my four year old on that setup a few minutes later:

For more information, or to buy my e-book on Amazon go, click here.

Thanks for reading!

EDIT: 

Follow Up Questions that have been asked:

If you don’t have a kindle, could you still purchase the E-book?

Yes, There is a free kindle app that you can get on your phone, ipad or computer that will allow you to read kindle books on your phone/ipad/computer. I used to read kindle books on my laptop before I got my ipad and it works really well.

What do you do for lighting if you don’t have a lot of natural light?

There are a couple things that you can do if they don't get a lot of light indoors.
(1) In the book I go into a couple things you can do with your onboard flash on your camera to get a more natural look using a flash (if you don't have enough natural light). For instance you can use an folded index card to try and direct the light from the flash to "bounce" off the index card instead of going directly into the subject's eyes. It's a little hard to explain without using the pictures from the book though!
(2) If you have a DSLR you can invest in a Speedlight - an external flash for your DSLR. There are some basic ones for as low as $100. I got a fancy one used for only $200. Then you can bounce the flash off the ceiling so you avoid the hard "flash photography" look while still producing enough light to have a well-lit image.
(3) Or I would suggest moving the set up right next to a window on the time of day when that window gets the most amount of light shining through it. Even if it is a small window that doesn't get a whole lot of light you should get enough light if you position the set up right next to the window.
(4) Once you've moved your setup as close to a window as possible - If you are using your camera in the manual setting set your ISO a bit higher. When I am in a client's home and they don't have a lot of natural light I up my ISO to 800 and that compensates for the lack of light.

September Feature: The Dreamy Meadow

Hey Everyone! Special treat for you today!
 Meet another wonderful sponsor! Katlyn from  The Dreamy Meadow!
Show her some love and stop by her blog !
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Hey It's Just Spicy readers! 

My name is Katlyn and I blog over at The Dreamy Meadow, a lifestyle blog about everything I love!

That includes my son Bentley, my husband, crafting, and trying to stay out of chaos.

I originally started blogging as a way of staying in contact with family once I got married and moved across the country as well as having an outlet for where I talk about the struggles that I go through.

That being said, it can get a little heavy sometimes. 

I believe that honesty is the best way of going about things when you're in the blogging world. Yes, I know that everyone wants to think that everything is rainbows and puppies but let's get real! I tell it how it is and how I'm feeling at the time. You can see a bit about that here if you'd like to have an insight.

I feel that in the community we are blessed with a voice, and why not use that voice to try and help and spread awareness? I tell my stories not because I want people to feel sorry for me or to gain followers. I do it because if there is someone out there who is or went through something similar in their life, they know that they are not alone and that they can reach out and talk about it. Writing is an excellent way to get out emotions and stress. And talking is a vital part of surviving in this chaotic life.

On a lighter note, I will be celebrating my 1 year Blogiversary in October!! 

There's going to be a party, educational guest posts, and a reader appreciation giveaway!! 

Come check out my blog and let me know if you'd like to be part of it!!

Hope you all have a fantastic day! Come say hi if you get the chance! :)

September Feature: Pretty Little Endeavors

Hey Everyone! I want to introduce you to one of my amazing Sponsors... Mandy from Pretty Little Endeavors! I know I've been MIA lately due to pregnancy exhaustion... but Mandy is here today to share a little bit about herself and her awesome blog! So be sure to stop by and say hi!!!
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Hey all you fab Spicy readers! I'm Mandy & I blog over at Pretty Little Endeavors!

I'm no "big shot blogger". I do not and will not follow the rules. I don't sugar coat anything. I just blog it like it is! I'm a sassy and sarcastic kind of girl. It's too easy to make me laugh.. But, it's almost impossible to make me mad. I work & go to school full time.. So, I take any chance I can to have some fun! I have a severe addiction to shopping and coffee. I live for a great sale and a big cup of coffee. I have been dating my best friend officially for over 2 years.

He has made me happier than I've ever been in my life & with myself. Don't worry... We're not one of those mushy over the top couples. Remember, I don't sugar coat! We have our cute lovey moments.. Most of the time we're just silly and fun. Which is my kind of perfect! We share an extreme obsession for the Detroit Red Wings

I'm a total boy when it comes to hockey. & I'm a total girl when it comes to any other sport. I was born, raised & currently stuck in Michigan.. But, I was made for Nashville, Tennessee. I can't wait until I can call it home in a few years! Now that you know some randomness about me.. 

Come stop by my little blog! I'd LOVE to meet all of you!!

August Feature: My So Called Chaos

Today, I have the pleasure of introducing you to one of my awesome sponsors!
Angie from My So Called Chaos! Take it away Angie!
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We all have those Facebook friends.

Or Twitter/Blogger/Real Life friends.

You know which ones I'm talking about, right?  Their status' are always negative, their tweets are always a complaint, or they end up being a "real life Eeyore" with lives that are always falling a part, and a self-loathing  they feel the need to broadcast every single moment of the day.  It gets to the point where you really don't want to be around them.  You want to use that little gray X of a weapon and hide their status', delete them, or flat out stop hanging out with them as a friend.  It gets to the point where that sickness in the pit of your stomach that you feel with every word they write or say just isn't worth the love you feel for that person.

I can't imagine anyone actually wants to be that person-do they?  I understand that everyone has complaints, or bad days, or moments of self-doubt so strong that you just need to vent to someone about it.  But why must it be all the time?  Why must your life constantly be in the deepest darkest drudges imaginable? 

News Flash:

You have an impact on the world.

Every single word you say is like a little worm that works it's way into someone's brain.  Sometimes they can pull it out and not think about it again, but sometimes it sits there-twisting and turning-whether they realize it or not.  If everything you say is negative, you're negatively altering the lives of those around you, bringing them down, hurting them.
Why not spread a little positivity instead?

You have an impact on yourself.

If you are constantly saying negative things, you will always feel negative and unhappy.  Why reinforce the demons in your head?  So what if you hate something about yourself-why must it need repeating all the time? Change what you put out into the world, and you'll change what you get back. Start saying positive things, and you'll feel more positive.  Give someone a compliment, or a smile, and you'll find yourself smiling as well.

There are those people who are always saying something loving, wise, kind, or always looking for the up-side.  Their status' are enlightening, and they're the kind of people who's blogs you always go to because you read it and leave feeling like there is beauty in the world.  That's who I want to be.  That is who I strive to be every day.

You'll find that if you're a happy, positive, and loving person-people will want to be around you more. People will soak up the joy you put out, and they will magnify it ten times and send it back to you.  

It really is that simple.

All images from we♥it

Come and visit me at My So-Called Chaos!
I'm always looking for wonderful people to add to the blogging family!

August Feature: The Secret Life of Samara

Hey Everyone! I have a great bloggy friend to share with you today! Check out her awesome blog, The Secret Life of Samara,  and what she has to share with you today!

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Hi everyone, it's Samara from The Secret Life of Samara. I was sooo excited when Jenna asked me if I wanted to guest post that I jumped at the opportunity. In light of the impending birth of Jenna and Noland's son, I thought I would share with you another birthday- my little brother's.

We recently celebrated my little brother Aidan's 21st birthday. As with all good birthday parties, my mum pulled out the baby photos (Jenna, this will be you before you know it!). This is seriously my favorite part about birthday parties.

As I was flicking through the photos of my little brother, I was amazed by how quickly time passes. I still remember 21 years ago when I was 3 years old and Aidan was born. I was convinced that he was a girl (I already had an older brother so had decided that it was time for a sister).

I still remember all the funny things he used to do like blow raspberries all the time and pinch people's bottoms.

I remember him crying because I wouldn't play dolls with him.

I remember being infatuated with him. The photos prove that I was a doting big sister, rarely leaving his side (my Dad claims that this is actually just because there was a camera around and I wanted to be in the picture, which I would believe!).

And here we are, all grown up, with just memories and photos to remember these times by.

When I was younger I was desperate for a sister and really only gave up that dream when my parents divorced in year 7. Looking back however I am so thankful that I had 2 brothers. Sisters are great I'm sure, but nothing beats joking around with your brothers, the constant fights that generally revolved around them reminding me that "I'm not their mother" every time I told them they should or shouldn't be doing something and the assurance that came with having brothers that would stick up for me no matter what (we could tease each other but watch out if you teased one of our siblings!). I

We're grown up now- Aidan is 21 and really starting to find his feet in the big wide world as he completes his uni degree and works part time. My older brother Josh is 26, living over the other side of the country working as a petroleum engineer and engaged to be married next year. And I am here, married, working and tending to my bunny. Despite the different paths that life takes us on though, I think I will always have that motherly instinct over my brothers. No matter how old we get, we will always tease one another. And no matter how much time passes, we will always stick up for one another.

So if I could say anything to 3 year old me I'd say sisters are great but I'm quite happy with my two brothers thank you very much.

And Jenna, enjoy the time you have with your son- before you know it you will be celebrating his 21st and looking back on all the baby photos wondering where all that time went.

Thanks for having me Jenna!

Samara

xo

August Feature: High Heels & Grills

Hey guys! I am so excited to be here today! Isn't Jenna just the greatest? What a cute girl she is. My name is Sarah and I write over at High Heels and Grills. What is High Heels and Grills? It's a little corner of blog land where we (my husband, Zachary, and I) try to bring you some good eats and recipes. Or at the very least, provide you with some source of entertainment as we try our hand in the kitchen. :) We were married a little over a year and a half ago and since then, I can probably count on only two hands the number of times I've cooked dinner by myself. That's the basis of our blog - the fact that we cook together! I'm the main contributor, but Zachary likes to pop in every week for some Man Mondays. Trust me, you won't want to miss it!

Speaking of Man Mondays, I'm actually here to share a recipe that Zachary made last week. He's really good at whipping things up out of nowhere and they end up being insanely delicious. That was exactly the case with these lil' guys. I present to you, the Mini Philly Cheese steaks.

I can't even tell you how many Philly Cheesesteaks I've had in my lifetime. I love them! I've had some really great ones and some really not so great ones. *shudder* And I know that it may seem like I'm a little biased in saying this, but just know that I am giving you my complete, 100% honest opinion - these are the best Philly Cheesesteaks I've ever had in my life. I'm really not exaggerating one bit! After I took my first bite, I literally sat there, with my eyes closed, and my mouth hanging wide open, completely overwhelmed with how good these things were. (Wow, that is not a pretty picture.) You get my drift though! They are amazing. You will love them, I just know it! So here's everything you need to do to get these little pieces of heaven in your mouth:

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1/2 white onion, cut into thin slices
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 lb. thinly sliced roast beef
• salt and pepper, to taste
• mushroom slices (however many and whatever variety you like)
• 1/2 Tbsp. oil
• 6 small french hard rolls, cut in half
• 6 provolone cheese slices

Directions (According to Zachary):

1. Melt the butter in a skillet on medium heat and add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper - let the veggies simmer in the butter while you work on the meat, stirring occasionally.
2. If you went to the deli and got super thin slices of beef, then cut this step out. If you are like me and buy the cheapest stuff out there, you will probably need to pound the meat into oblivion. (Super thin beef = awesome Phillies.) Pound until meat is about 1/8 inch thick.
3. Season your beef with salt and pepper. (Trust me, it's all it needs.) If you insist on seasoning it with something more, try a little Allspice. It will do the trick.
4. Add the 'shrooms (mushrooms) to the veggie skillet when the onions and peppers are getting soft - season also, with salt and pepper.
5. Cover the bottom of another skillet with your oil and get it nice and hot.
6. Put a couple of the meat slices in the pan. (Since it's so thin, you only need to cook it for literally 30 seconds on each side. I promise that's all it takes. Don't overcook it or you will have one unhappy sandwich.)
7. Put it all together by adding your hot meat to your rolls, putting the provolone slices right on the meat, and topping it off with the veggies.
8. Enjoy your nice, juicy, perfect sandwich.

I hope you enjoy these as much as we do! Be sure to stop by our blog and let us know what you think! Thanks again to Jenna for letting me guest post over here. It was sure fun to be able to hang out with ya'll! Until next time...peace.

-Sarah 

August Feature: Warm & Fuzzy

Hey Y'all! I have a special guest post today! Lauren from Warm & Fuzzy! Her blog is so cute and today, she's gonna tell you a little bit about it and a little bit about herself! Make sure to stop by and show her some love! Take it away Lauren!

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Salutations Spicy Readers! 

My name is Lauren and I'm the bloggin momma over at Warm & Fuzzy! 

Jenna & I are swapping for the day! She is sharing a yummy recipe over at my spot and I am sharing a little about myself with you. My blog is about crafting, a bunch about party planning, a bit more about my crazy life and a whole lot about my family. 

  Crafting: A few of my past craft projects, I don't consider myself one of those amazing crafters, 

but I do love to craft...

Large picture is my favorite project by far! My LSU picnic table redo! Love the purple & gold!

 Top Right was Eli's vinyl art in his room

.Bottom Right was one of my favorite wreaths- made completely from wait for it- NAPKINS!!

Party Planning: I love to plan a great party! I feel like I am not doing enough if I am not planning SOMETHING, a birthday party, a wedding, a bridal shower, a wedding shower, any sort of party! I really just need an excuse to use Pinterest for ideas! Some of my past Parties-

Top Left: Eli's 5th party- Superhero cityscape- tutorial here
Top Right: was a banner I made for Ben's 1st birthday,

 Middle Right: Car's birthday cake
Bottom Right: Party hats from Ben's Farm party,

Bottom Middle: DIY Mickey wreath tutorial here
Bottom Left: DIY stick horse & cows from Ben's Farm party.

Life & Family: Well Brian and I have been married for almost 8 years.

We have two boys 

Eli who is 5 and Ben Henry who is 2.

My boys are our lives! If you are reading Warm & Fuzzy you will be reading about them!

I hope you all have a great weekend and have a great time with your families!

Please stop by Warm & Fuzzy and check us out!!

You won't be disappointed, there is always something going on!

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