Sno Cone Cupcakes and Teddy Bear Treats. . . .

just when you think you've seen it all,

some brilliant person (Bakerella?) discovers 

sno-cone cupcakes.

aren't they the cutest idea for cake since. . . . .

cake pops?

here's the good news. . . . .

they're super easy to create yourself.

first, buy some short paper cups or

paper sno-cone cups from a party store,  like party city..

you're gonna need those on hand or you have a regular cupcake:)

next, make vanilla cupcakes. . . . 

color them if you want the cupcake to be colored like the frosting.

try to make them so they have at least a bit of a rounded top.

when cooled, remove from wrapper and place

in the short ice cream cup

 or sno-cone cup.

finally, frost and add sugar sprinkles.

pop a pretty little straw or mini spoon in the cupcake and

enjoy your sno-cone cupcakes:)

here's another cute treat. . . . 

help me now, this is adorable!

Teddy Bear's in a Bubble Bath!

awwwwww. . . .

the recipe uses cake mix but it seems

to me it would be just as easy with a brownie mix.

1 (18 1/4 ounce) box chocolate cake mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg
24 Rolo chocolates, unwrapped (optional)
2 cups miniature marshmallows
48 Teddy Grahams honey graham snacks (any flavor) or 48 Teddy Grahams chocolate graham snacks (any flavor) or 48 Teddy Grahams cinnamon graham snacks (any flavor)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cake mix, melted butter and egg together. This should be like a soft dough. Take a spoonful of batter and roll into a small ball. Push dough ball into a mini-muffin tin. Take a Rolo and push into the center of the batter. Fill up the muffin tin and bake for 10 minutes. Take the muffin tin out and add 3-4 mini-marshmellows on top of each treat. Push in 2 Teddy Graham bear cookies into each treat. Bake for 2 more minutes to melt the marshmellows a bit. Cool and enjoy!NOTE: Please use muffin tin liners and spray with cooking spray -- these treats get sticky!

(food.com)

it's hard to beat yummy and cute!

***************************************

don't forget about the giveaway for an Origami Owl Locket!

all you have to do, if you want to do the least possible,

is go to tammybrewer.origamiowl.com and see what you like most,

then come back to leave a comment on my blog 

or

my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ShabbyChicksNaples

that's it!

come on. . . .you know you want this!

xoxo

Suzanne

Happiness is.......The Long Hot Summer Edition

because while it's only mid July.....

it's been a loooooong HOT summer!

so hot, i think maybe i've been even LAZIER than normal!

which is why i haven't been on my blog much.

too hot + lazy = no blog posts.

seriously, this is what happens when i sit at the computer to write.....

awwwww....so cute:)

i mean, this heat is draining.

  all i wanna do is lay around like these cool guys..... 

but before you think i haven't been enjoying summer,

here are a few things that spell summer happiness to me.....

and we all need to think about the HAPPY in our life, 

past and present, right?

Happiness is.........

~having FUN is what summer is all about.

remember water balloons?

SOOOO much fun in the summer!

well, now some creative mommies have discovered how to have a water fight with sponges!

photo credit: Sponge Balls

super easy to make.....

just cut up 3 sponges into strips.  

gather them together and tie with dental floss.

fluff out your water sponge and you're ready for a water sponge fight!

COOL, huh?

now that's some serious summer fun, sure to make everyone

HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY:)

~Happiness is also.......

the beach!

going to the beach with a book and a CUTE hat are even better.....

(love this book, and what do ya think of our new hat?)

next best thing to going to the beach is EATING the beach.

haha......one of our favorite desserts is sand on the beach.

kind of like dirt cake except with vanilla pudding, cream and crushed vanilla wafers.

OR

you could experiment with happy beach cupcakes.

okay, enough about the beach, our happy place:)

~Happiness is an ICE cold treat.

if you don't like em, they make a CUTE gift!

credit: eighteen25.blogspot.com:

Happiness is........

hanging out and just talking with my girls.

well, one of them.  the other is still at Boston Ballet but coming home soon.

happiness is ALSO that she is HAPPY, having FUN and made some wonderful, life-long friends!

but speaking of talking with your kids this summer, 

here is a list of great ideas from iMom re: talking with the kiddos.

Happiness is.........eating simple.

as in simple dinners!

like the good ol' 

B

L

T

Yum!

Happiness is.........

 lemonade stands.

my girls used to do this ALL the time.

so much fun and still makes me happy.

do yourself a favor.......

if you see a lemonade stand, stop.

you may be the only one (besides the mom) who does.......

and you will make some children VERY happy:)

Happiness is.......

cuddling and playing with my dogs.

they just make me happy, no matter the season.

this time i bring you my big boy,

Maui the Goldendoodle.....who doesn't know he is big at all:)

YIKES! hahaha

and last but not least,
Happiness is.........
staying inside on a hot summer day,
doing crafts with my girl(s)
like these SUPER CUTE headphone wraps!

we saw the idea on pinterest and in one night, Jordie was done with hers.
(mine took longer but only cause i was doing 10 other things at the same time:)
aren't they cute though?

okay, okay.....enough catching up!
time to get out and enjoy the day before it gets TOO hot and steamy:)
most important, remember this.......

XOXOXOXOX
Suzanne

Cool Summer Treats and Cool Stuff to Do in the Heat of Summer!

Happy Monday Morning to you!

Looks like it's going to be another HOT one.

Coming from south Florida, we're used to the miserable

heat and humidity.

the only thing we have going for us in the summer heat 

is that it isn't the busy tourist season......

so we can park at the beach, go to the movies when we want,

go out to dinner without a reservation a week in advance,

get places quicker...and that's about it.

Otherwise, we are suffering right along with you.

so how about some FUN for these red HOT days?

The kiddies are gonna love some of these drinks!

just in time for July 4th.....

A red/white/blue kiddie 

Firecracker!

3 ounces fruit punch
3 ounces blue Gatorade (not sugar-free)
3 ounces diet 7-Up or Sprite (must be sugar-free; so diet only)
ice

Fill glass 1/3 full with ice cubes. Pour fruit punch almost (but not quite) to top of ice cubes. Fill another 1/3 with ice cubes and slowly pour blue Gatorade almost to top of cubes. Fill final 1/3 ice cubes and slowly pour sugar-free Sprite. Add straw and voila!

or check out this super easy kiddie drink.....

let's see.....what should we call this one?

something with rainbow in it, obviously.

you make up the name......cause your kiddies are gonna love it, and you will too.

it's SO refreshing!

Rainbow Blast

Freeze different fruit juice in ice trays and put in glass. 

Pour sprite over ice cubes. That's it!

how about a 

Raspberry Lemonade Slushie

from just us girls......

Raspberry Lemonade Crystal Light Slushy

Ingredients

2 Cups of Ice

1 Packet of Raspberry Lemonade Crystal Light

1 Cup of Frozen Raspberries

Directions:

Make packet of Crystal Light as instructed with water.

Pour ice, frozen raspberries and then crystal light drink into blender, blend and enjoy!

Check out this "good for you" protein drink.....

and another healthyish one, courtesy of Paula Deen.....

Pina Colada Smoothie.

1 cup fresh pineapple chunks 

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk  1 banana  1/4 cup ice cubes  2 teaspoons honey, optional  pineapple wedges, for garnish

Directions

In a blender, combine the pineapple chunks, coconut milk, banana, ice and, if desired, honey. Puree until smooth. Pour into 2 large glasses. Garnish each serving with a pineapple wedge.

if you're feeling artistic, because these are so pretty.....

you could make some summer fruit cookies!

If you have read my blog, you know I am addicted to

homemade Caramel Corn!

Hopelessly.

Addicted.

So you can imagine how i felt when i saw this.......

Marshmallow Caramel Corn.

1/2 c. brown sugar 1/2 c. butter 9-10 marshmallows 12 c. popcorn. Microwave brown sugar and butter for 2 minutes. Add marshmallows. Microwave until melted, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Pour over popcorn.

yikes...this is good!

make a batch and chow down while looking at this list of FUN things

to do this summer.....

or if you would rather psych yourself out with sone

"SNOWBALLS",

then you have to try these...

Lemon Snowball Cookies

1/2  cup lemon drop candies

1  cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2  cup powdered sugar

1  teaspoon grated lemon peel

1  teaspoon lemon extract

2 1/4  cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/4  teaspoon salt

Additional powdered sugar

Directions

• Heat oven to 400ºF. Crush lemon drops in food processor or blender. In large bowl, beat butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, the lemon peel and lemon extract with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, 1/4 cup of the crushed lemon drops and the salt.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake cookies 8 to 9 minutes or until set but not brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet; roll in powdered sugar. Cool 10 minutes; roll in remaining crushed lemon drops. Cool completely on wire rack, about 30 minutes. Reroll in crushed lemon drops if desired.

 if you have a pool, sprinkler or plain old hose...

just go out and get wet.

that always works to cool off in the summer heat:)

just be sure to

HAVE FUN!

FUN, yummy, creative summer food for kids and you, too.....

okay, no rambling from me today.

too many YUMMY treats to show you!

wow...once again,

some really creative people out there!

(all inspirational sources listed at the end.)

two categories here.....

fruit and cupcake-ish stuff.

your kids are gonna LOVE these yummy ideas.....

1.   Goldfish fruit cup.....cute, cute cute! 

2.  fruit tacos made with a sugar cookie shell.....YUM!

3.   fruit filled ice cream cones.......

regular cone

4.  sugar cone 

5.  chocolate chip cookie bowls with fruit and ice cream

6.  Strawberry Ninjas

7.  palm tree and watermelon pail.......

8.  rice krispie treat sand castle (NO peanut butter, please:)

9.  flower pot cupcakes

10.  teacup cupcakes.....

and last but not least, one of the coolest cupcake ideas

i've ever seen.....

11.  ice cream cone cupcakes!

well, does that get you inspired?

it sure got me to thinking.

food can be fun and cute?

i love it!!!

but does it really have to be fattening?

Smile!

Suzanne

linking to...

thank you to these talented people.....

1.  life with baby

2.  modern hostess

3.  simply nabiki and 

4.  mudpie multiples

5.  cookie bowls

6.  babble

7.  palm tree and watermelon pail

8.  hungry happenings

9.  relish

10.  swanky chic

11.  bridal banter