Raspberry Lemon Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Every year it seems I lose a little bit of that excitement that comes along with a birthday. I used to be the biggest, brightest most in-yo-face girl about my birthday but as I continue to move closer to the big 3-0 there's just something that lingers over me saying, "you'd better get this life going girl". And oh how I wish I could answer back, "I'm really trying... but how. Like, seriously... I'll take any answers on what's supposed to happen next". But that's for another post.

This year to try and bring a little of the fun back to the birthday; I thought there was nothing better than a cupcake.

A simple little fluffy nugget of sweet joy with a simple frosting and a tart red plump raspberry on top.

So here's to 2014 and 28 years young on Saturday. If anyone's listening my wish this year would definitely be something shiny for my left hand. You know, if candles have a real say in these things.

--//--

Raspberry Lemon Cream Cheese Cupcakes from Pastry Affair

Yields about 18 cupcakes

Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes
3/4 cup (169 grams) granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick or 57 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1/3 cup (76 grams) sour cream (or plain, non-fat yogurt)
1/4 cup (59 ml) vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups (175 grams) cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cups (9 ounces or 255 grams) fresh raspberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line a cupcake pan with baking cups.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the sugar and lemon zest with your fingers until fragrant (about 1-2 minutes). Add the butter and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour cream, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Gradually add in the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix in the milk and lemon juice, stirring until batter is uniform and smooth. Gently stir in the raspberries.
Fill baking cups about 2/3 full and bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven, transfer cupcakes to a cooling rack, and allow to cool to room temperature before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup (1/2 stick or 57 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups (500 grams) powdered sugar
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the salt and vanilla. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar. If frosting is too soft, add more powdered sugar until it reaches a spreadable consistency. Likewise, if the frosting is too stiff, add milk until it reaches a spreadable consistency.
Before serving, pipe or spread frosting on top of cooled cupcakes and decorate with a few fresh raspberries, if desired. If cupcakes will sit out more than a day, keep refrigerated in an airtight container to help preserve them. Serve at room temperature.

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currently. it's beginning to feel a lot like...

 

 

obsessing: about our 2013 Christmas letter that I just finished last night. each year I do these and each year I love the next letter a little more. I've had a lot of requests for a template for me to sell in my Etsy shop but I put so much love into each detail that I cannot put together just a boring template. So.... if you'd like a custom Christmas letter, invite, whatever I'd love to do it for you but know that I'll need LOTS of special details! Email me if interested {beautifulblendings@gmail.com}

reading: too many celeb mags. it's my little secret that i'm mostly embarrassed about but i just love hearing what's going on and looking at all the purdy clothes. Does anyone else want to confess to this habit? Or perhaps offer me a suggestion on a good book to read? I'm about to have my wisdom teeth surgery next week so I'd love the help with something to keep my brain entertained while my mouth hurts. 

watching: season after season of house hunters international. gosh, I LOVE seeing those exciting countries and what kind of homes are to offer in those gorgeous places. thank goodness for amazon prime. i seriously heart you. 

 

planning: to get a baby christmas tree today. our house is too small for a large one and with our new Molly pup around; it wouldn't be a good idea anyway. BUT we do have a high table and if I take the time to clear away all the mess on top it.... there might just be the perfect spot for a baby tree to light up right in our front window. I think I shall. 

 

sick of: my teeth being such a hassle. I'm having my second of four surgeries to deal with all the issues my soft teeth have brought me. the total cost to avoid further health issues (like super scary ones) is going to be $12,000. I still have no idea how we are affording it but I do know that I'm SO incredibly lucky to have my fella supporting me. and if anyone has any spare change... let me know. You may find me in a fountain.

 

thinking about: how I FINALLY feel like I'm chasing what I want to do and really doing it. There's definitely sacrifice involved in going after what you WANT to be doing versus just having a J.O.B. But again, it's much easier when I have someone so supportive in my corner. so thankful for him this christmas. and can't wait to go see twinkle lights tonight as a little family of three. 

 

happy holidays all.

what are you currently up to, friend? if you have your own "currently" post, be sure to include it below - i would love to check it out. and as always, thanks to Danielle  and illy for the original inspiration of this post.

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five.

 I've been dating this hunk of a guy now for FIVE years. And what's more interesting to know is that I've been friends with him for the past nine.  In honor of our awesomeness and my super love for him I'd like to share the following five stories // one from each year we've been together.


 one // when we began our relationship we knew we'd be doing it apart. It wasn't until after this begun that I knew how challenging it would become for us and how many obstacles we'd face. But every time I visited you it felt like we were just where we were supposed to be. Like our relationship was a book and each new visit was just turning the page and seeing what was next. I'll never forget how excited I was every drive I made to your house and how much closer I felt to you every time I traveled back home. 

two // In true Oregon style, the first time we made a trip to the pumpkin patch together it poured rain. But that didn't stop us from getting hot cider, riding on the hay truck, taking goofy photos with our faces in the holes of the scarecrows and picking out a pumpkin! It was during this trip that I saw us doing this together year after year, that I saw your sweet spirit to stay with me and pick out a pumpkin in the pouring rain and that I saw you could have fun no matter what the circumstance. And also.... that I like to close my eyes for pictures.

 

three // The move to California. Through every other challenge we've faced together this one definitely almost broke us. But I stand by the fact that we made the right choice for ourselves and for "us" together and it's brought us to the BEST part of our relationship. We've learned to live together, support each other and take time to have fun together. Packing our bags and leaving home behind and friendships behind wasn't easy but it's brought us to our best selves. 

four // Our first Christmas tree. It's not a secret that the holidays aren't your favorite. But you are the VERY best at making things special for me when you know it's something I love. So we got a tree. And dragged it down the hall, into the house and fought with all those sticky branches to stand it up. Then we had a glass of wine, vacuumed the entire apartment building and got to decorating. You helped me hang a giant box of sparkly, glittering green and red balls on every available branch and then you even let me turn off all the lights and just gaze at it for forever when we finished. That tree will ALWAYS be such a special memory for our Christmases to come. It only had a few small gifts under it but the soft twinkling lights and the warm smell of pine were gift enough. You even loved it. 

 

five // On the same page together. Knowing that you make me laugh, you keep me safe/supported/happy and we want the same awesome moments from life. That I can count on your soft kiss on my head every morning and your sweet smile as you climb into bed each night. That you fight for your happiness, my happiness and OUR happiness and I can trust in you as my partner. That no matter what kind of craziness I get myself into or when I'm doing the ugly cry.... you'll hug me and help me past it. And most importantly that you cook like a god. I love you everyday. And I hope we get to grow old and stinky together. Thank you for being my best friend. xo.

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Home is....

I've had the very good luck of getting to visit my home (Portland, OR) twice this summer with my man. We dearly miss all of our friends and family out there and also just the city itself.

Thankfully all of our closest friends got together and decided to get married in the same summer so that we could have lots of good excuses to come home and enjoy some time.

And I must tell you about what I've learned. I've learned that there will always be places that you can go to and have that "home" connection with. You're just there and it doesn't matter how long it's been since you were last there or who you know that still lives there.... it's that you were once connected to this place, created memories there and now it's home.

I've moved around my entire life. I can't even tell you how many "homes" I've lived in because the number is probably pretty ridiculous. But the point of the matter is.... I have a connection to each place. Arizona always feels like home because of my grandfather's HUGE house and the beautiful desert sunsets. Nevada is my home because it's the place I used to vacation to visit my dad and make memories as a child with him. Massachusetts is a HUGE home for me since it's where my mom and I became best friends and where I learned to fall in love with being myself. Corvallis, OR is definitely my home because it's where I went away to college and lived on my own for the very first time. 

And when we first moved to LA I never really thought I'd consider this place a home. It was somewhere that we'd live for awhile and then return to our "REAL" home of Portland. But I have to admit that I've learned LA is my home too. I'm building a life and memories here. It's the first place my love and I have lived together and because of that our relationship has grown so much stronger.

Home is..... any place you feel connected.

And now that I understand that.... I feel like I can really soak in my time in all these different places because one day, when I'm not here anymore.... I'll miss it. But I can always come back and feel right at home. And honestly, I'd rather have a million places I feel at home; than none at all.

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Currently.

obsessing: our new house. love love love doing laundry in my own home with my own appliances. actually love cooking dinner (which if you knew me you would understand is a huge statement). love hanging out with my fella in the a/c. love picking fresh fruit right off the trees in our yard. love having good friends live across the street and having BBQs together and chatting outside late into the night. love feeling more settled in this crazy place called LA. 

reading: after finishing even if I am. (which I truly couldn't recommend reading MORE)... I started reading is everyone hanging out without me by Mindy Kaling in order to enjoy a little comic relief reading after said previous book (which yes I will warn you; requires tissues). I'm enjoying the book but tend to get VERY sleepy after just a chapter or two so it may take me some time. 

watching: everything. no, really. I'm always on the hunt for something new and exciting. right now we are enthralled with the final season of dexter. i've also recently gotten into orange is the new black on netflix. if you haven't seen it; i definitely recommend giving it a try if you are into a more mature type of show. but then of course i also really love such things as: pretty little liars, real housewives, venture bros (i know, random) and uh.... when is downton abbey coming back!?!!

planning: we are off on another vacation to our hometown of portland, or in two weeks (we just returned from there a week ago) for more weddings! we were invited to six this summer and can only affordably attend three. hot damn, people love getting hitched. for this second trip we are driving the 16+ hours and actually selling my little VW jetta to my little sister (who just turned 16!). It's going to be crazy (especially since I have to get a new car sometime before then... fingers crossed).... but I'm always happy to be back in Oregon. More stories on our travels to come. 

sick of: being so busy with work all the time. I really feel disconnected from some of the things that I love to do (blogging, crafting, relaxing... ha) and so I really need to work harder to find a better balance. If i figure out how to do this I'll be sure to let you all know. 

thinking about: how lucky i am to have a man that i love so much and who loves me back. i know that probably sounds so silly but it's really true sometimes. he can definitely make me crazy but we are seriously so happy together. xo. 

what are you currently up to, friend? if you have your own "currently" post, be sure to include it below - i would love to check it out. and as always, thanks to Danielle  and illy for the original inspiration of this post.

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Home is wherever I'm with you.

It's definitely true. Finding a home that suits your almost every desire, after 8 months of searching, can be the very best feeling there ever was. Especially when you find out it was right down the street from your current place AND across the street from your good friends; all along.

We found a house! After nearly two years of living in an apartment after our big move from Oregon to SoCal... we are finally going to be settled in our own HOME.

For the past few months (since we've been on the hunt) I've been buying little items here and there so that our new house would truly feel like OURS vs the odd collection of items we've each brought into the strange little apartment we moved to in a hurry.

And patiently I've waited for just the right place with all our desires met and location ideal so that we could create that comfortable home and really start living here in L.A.

I cannot contain my excitement at finally having it. And although the house is on the smaller side; I'm just so happy to have a washer and dryer of my very own that I'd live in a studio apt if it meant no more trips to the laundramat.

Keys are ours today. We're moving stuff in two weeks. And life is awesome. How was your Memorial Monday?

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SNAP! Giveaway!

Via

So you've been wanting to attend a blogging conference. And one of the very best ones is right around the corner. But perhaps you (like me much of the time) haven't been able to contemplate going to this conference because the cost of the ticket is far too much. Well, to celebrate the fact that my 27th birthday is also around the corner (and that I can't get away from work), I'm going to be giving away an all-inclusive ticket to SNAP! Conference in Salt Lake City, April 18-20. All you will need to provide is travel and hotel. {Please note: This ticket is non-transferable. }

Via

To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment on what winning this ticket would MEAN to you. And make sure your comment gets counted as an entry in the widget!

For additional entries please see the rafflecopter widget below. 

And PLEASE share this! I want everyone who couldn't have this opportunity.... to get the chance at being able to attend! 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

awkward & awesome.

The awkward, taking a photo of yourself while waiting for your nail appt. and everyone in the salon is watching.

awkward. 

-The moment where you are alone in a restaurant bathroom checking yourself out in the mirror and the other girl walks in. 

-The FedEx man knocking on your door while you're still in bed and all you're wearing is a t-shirt, no bra and definitely no pants. 

-Getting stuck behind the recycling truck one block from your house.

-Sneezing a huge sneeze while sitting in your car, trying to get all the yuck out of your nose and then realizing that your boyfriend's boss is right outside your window. 

-Forgetting to fully rub in all your dry shampoo and going to work looking like you aged 30 years over night. 

-Turning off all the lights in your house for bed, and then running face first into an open cabinet door in the hallway at 3am. 

awesome.

-Every minute of Parenthood. Is there truly anything better?

-My new elephant tote bag and phone case. They make me smile every time I see them. Best.

-Brussels sprouts, Brussels sprouts, Brussels sprouts. I'm a believer. I will post a recipe that will make you one too. Is every day this week too many times for eating them? I think not. 

-Playing "Beaveropoly" with boyfriend and losing horribly from the first moment we started. Worth losing just for the trip down memory lane of meeting his cute face in college. Go Beavs!

-Said FedEx man from above delivering a much anticipated package full of wine from our favorite winery from home. Wino anyone?

-Getting a text from your best friend, currently 1,000 miles away, flabbergasted about the same thing you've been wondering all week that's going on in your town. Oh Facebook how I love thee and thee's power of sharing news. 

-Being friends with this girl and having her totally get me even though we've never met.

Thanks again to Sydney for the inspiration for writing these. 
She's definitely in the awesome category.

NEW beautiful Hoops

I'm so excited to *finally* have some new hoop art in the shop for you! I'm working on making a few more designs that I've had in my head for awhile now. So hopefully I'll have even more for you shortly.

But today I wanted to share these beauties with you.

Love Story

Create Beautiful

Teal & Red Starburst

Make Today Beautiful

Ps. i love you

Wish

Blue & Orange Bliss

I'm so excited about these! So excited in fact that I'd like to offer you a special little discount today!
Use the code BEAUTIFULHOOPS for 15% off your purchase today! But hurry, these babies won't last long and the code is only good for a short amount of time! Visit my shop now. ;)

Thanks so much for all your love and support! And I still do custom work too so let me know if there's something you'd like to have!

a little something about love.

Photos by Kacie McMakin

I certainly have the best man. He works 12-13hr days everyday. And when my car won't start, he drops me at work on his motorcycle, buys me the only battery the auto shop has in stock (ie, the MOST expensive one) and then spends the evening installing it for me. swoon. 

He cooks me breakfast on the weekends and fresh pressed coffee each morning. Oh and he ensures that we are taken care of. always. Does grocery shopping, supports my dreams (even when there are many) and makes me laugh.

Also.... he always lets me pick the dinner and the next TV show, movie or activity for the evening. He listens to me. I cannot tell you how important that is to me.

Y'all I just love this man so much. And could not be more thankful to have him in my life.


Also.... check here to see if you are the winner of the Blowfish giveaway. Email me if it's you.

Love, Blowfish.

Remember that time I wore my Red Rulla's from Blowfish everywhere and my toes never got tired and I got a MILLION compliments on them? Oh, well yes.... that has happened pretty much since they arrived at my door and I ripped them out of the box. They are seriously my favs. And like I mentioned.... so comfy.

Well here's the best news ever.... today my very sweet friends at Blowfish want one of you to rock some gorgeous Rulla's just like mine! Isn't that so FREAKING exciting? The only detail to note is that they are just like mine and a size 7.5. You are free to enter even if that's not your size and you know someone you'd love to give them to if you won.

So how can you win? 
Enter here.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Oh and don't worry.
Right now Blowfish is also having a sale of 25% off ANYTHING.
Yep, they are the best.

love you blowfish. 

Happy Monday

I feel like working two jobs always means that the weekends go by so FAST! I'm usually trying to relax, spend time with my man, clean the house, catch up on emails, make shop orders or attend lots of crazy events!

Getting ready for the dreaded pub shift

But yesterday I really wanted to take a day off from everything and just have fun. So where to go in California for fun? Well Six Flags Magic Mountain of course!

We slept in till about 9am, grabbed delicious empanadas from Red Ribbon bakery (if you haven't had these an live close to one of these bakeries I highly recommend you get your booty there and eat some) and then headed out to the park.

via

Now I'll admit, the park IS in the middle of the desert and I hadn't fully thought through exactly HOW hot it would be or that we'd literally have sweat dripping between our boobs (oh wait, that was probably just me) BUT nonetheless it felt great just to be outside and flying through the air on some pretty crazy coasters.

There's something I just adore about being at an amusement park. Feeling like a kid with no worries or fears and just feeling the adrenaline and excitement pump through you as you travel quickly through the air. It just makes me so happy.

Enjoying a frozen lemonade, soaking wet

AND to be there with my fella, NOT talking about work and hearing his laughs as we fly upside down… well that's just pure joy.

 And although we lost a pair of sunglasses on the rapid ride, couldn't stomach a FULL day of coasters like when we were younger and had to wait in some hot lines; it was TOTALLY worth it to just let go.

Oh and the sushi date we had when we got home was pretty amazing too! I just adore spending a day with my man, acting like a kid and not worrying about anything else.

Cause in the end, these are the days we'll remember and talk about.

About a Nanny

I do not have any kids. I am 26 years old and while many friends around me have already crossed that bridge; it's just not where I am yet.

But I know more about raising kids than most. Let me explain.

I don't say that to sound pompous or self-important. And I completely recognize that HAVING a child is much different than just taking care of one. But I also have a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, have taken Infant First Aid and CPR more times than I even remember anymore and I've spent longer days with kids than their parents.

I'm a nanny. And I've been in the 'business' of loving and caring for kids for about a decade. I've worked with many different families with many different styles of parenting and personalities of children. I've been a Childcare teacher, a babysitter and an at-home nanny. And I want to tell a bit about what it's like to not have a child of my own but to have extreme love and passion for a child LIKE it's my own.

The last family I worked for had a baby girl. Their first baby and they were working parents so they hired me when she was three months old to care for her during the day. I'll call her Emily.

Emily was a fantastic happy and intelligent baby with awesome parents. They were open to my suggestions and fully trusted that I was always acting in Emily's best interest. They were a loving, easy-going and amazingly kind family to work for.

I spent 8hr days with Emily 4-5 days a week. And once or twice I even had her overnight when her parents had to be out of town. I was the first person she threw up on, the person she had her first solid food with and the one who took the binky away.

As I said before her parents trusted me to make decisions with Emily and they were very comfortable letting me take the lead on issues they weren't fully sure about because they trusted my knowledge about such things (even though I didn't have my own child).

I could tell you so many stories about my time with Emily (and perhaps I will someday) but here's the main point I want you to understand; I love Emily with a kind of love that words cannot describe. It's a kind of love that is not the same as a parent's love but captures your heart in the same strong way.

After two and a half years with Emily I had to say goodbye when I moved to another state and I've honestly never felt so heartbroken or empty in my entire life. I felt like I was abandoning her without any explanation that she would understand. We went from togetherness everyday to not seeing each other at all anymore. It was wretched for me and everyday I feel sad missing out on her new words and her happy face.

I do still keep in touch with Emily (and I always will) but I can not explain to you what it's like to be away from her. She's not my child. But I will always love her like that. And I'm so thankful her parents let me be that piece in her life.

I completely understand how difficult it must be to trust another person to care for your child when you aren't there. But I want you to know, if you find someone with the right heart, they will love your child forever.

Our Story {part two}

To read part one of our story…go here.


To get to the beginning of things between Cole and I you must first rewind back to January of 2005.

I was a freshman in college and he was five years older than me. I had just been hired for my very first job thanks to my roommate who quit and recommended that I replace her. I was hired over the phone during Christmas break and started the first week back to school in January.

Oh why hello there little freshman self.

I was making smoothies and wraps at a cute place called Dixon Cafe inside the rec center of our college. At the time Cole was also working at the cafe (as a manager) and also at the rec center which meant that he was at the building almost everyday of the week.



I remember the first MOMENT I saw him. He had on a polo and a pair of khaki cargo pants and the most stunning blue eyes you've ever seen. His dirty blond hair was styled but easy and he seemed quiet but confident. He smiled and my heart started racing and my knees literally felt weak. These two responses were not something I was used to ever feeling for a guy and over the next couple years I would feel them ALL THE TIME.

Because he worked at both the cafe and the rec center; he was almost always there when I would work. And he always stopped by to flash those sweet blue eyes and grab a smoothie before making his "rounds" to count the people in each of the exercise rooms. (Yes they do this at gyms....hourly in fact)

He didn't even have to look at me for my knees to go weak and my words to get flustered. I could be helping another customer at the register and if he was just nearby I'd end up handing them back the wrong number of $1 bills or forgetting to add protein powder to their smoothie. I knew for sure he didn't notice me....

Or so I thought. 

Until that Saturday shift where we worked all alone together... 

Our Story {part one}

If you read and follow Much Love, illy or Little Miss Momma then you know they have pretty great love stories. And if you're like me then you have also been thinking to yourself, "what's my story?"

I decided to ask fella {Cole} where he thought our story began because really; we're a little complicated. We met each other at my very first job in college and I was seriously dating someone who at the time I was sure I would marry. So when Cole and I met we of course only just became friends. Plus he was 5 years older than I and to be honest that intimidated a lot. Of course later I realized it only intimidated me because I was over the moon for him.

And so we worked together {side-by-side} at our campus fitness center in the smoothie shop for a few years and became really good friends. Eventually the "perfect guy" I was dating wasn't right for me anymore and it would be because of a number of reasons but Cole was certainly one of them.

But let me back up. So back to the present. I asked Cole where did our story together begin? And just like a boy he replies, "Dunno". Nice.

So I started reliving it for us both. Mostly cause "dunno" was NOT the answer I want him to have and also cause honesty my answer sort of also fell into the "dunno" place. Dang.

And so over the next few weeks I'd like to share "Our Story". Because I want to remember and relive every detail. And because no good story ever started with "dunno". And every love story should be good.

via

Please feel free to tell me your story too! I'd love LOVE to hear it!

Beautiful Blendings {Year One} Blogiversary {& Giveaway}

One year ago I started reading some blogs.
I instantly felt a strong connection to the writers of those blogs.
And so one year ago.... I started a blog of my own.

I had no idea where it would take me.
How INCREDIBLY inspired I would be.
That I would open my very own business on Etsy and love doing it.
That 202 of you would follow along my journey and read my words; week after week.

That I would learn how to do my own HTML, tweets, picture taking/editing, facebook posts and general business decisions that not only help me grow as a person but also inspire and push me to be the passionate writer and creator I've always wanted to be.

And so one year ago.... my life truly changed. My perspective became something else. And I started to believe in myself again. And actually created something that I was proud of and excited to do each day. And it's all possible because of all of you. All of the friends, readers and wonderful people I've "met" along the way. I thank you today.Words CANNOT explain what a wonderful year this has been for me with Beautiful Blendings or how it's completely changed my life. Thank you for taking this journey with me. And here's to many more years of doing what I love, and loving what I do.

And without further ado..... the giveaway from my lovely friends whom I heart in the very best way.
Thank you friends for your love and support!

|| BEAUTIFUL BLENDINGS BLOGIVERSARY GIVEAWAY ||

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