Thursday, September 30, 2010

Decor to Die For: We amore much super cute Sal y Pimiente shakers



What is super important to every kitchen...come in many colors...make any dish, dessert better...and add flavor to every table or counter top?
Give up? Yup! Super cute salt and pepper shakers!!!!


We heart 'em more than you can imagine...
If we are not careful...we will both end up old bubbies with shelves filled with fun salt and pepper shaker collections.


But who can blame us when there are soo many rad ones out there?

Like these sail boat ones that inspired this post!

Live near the beach or wish you did? Throw this uber cute set on your table and set food afloat!

Last Xmas, Miss TWH was the super lucky recipient of these TDF cats from a certain fellow sister wife of Jonathan Adler.


Soooo sleek...so chic yet totally playful and fun to throw on any table for a dinner party!

So naturally after getting those cutie beans...we HAVE to have these sexy Mr and Mrs Muse shakers from our BF, JA. LOVE!!!

But Dear Johnathan...will you make them in gold and silver metallic? Thanks!!!


We came across these Devil & Angel shakers when perusing today and loved them soooo much we ordered them for our brother who appreciates fun kitchen stuffs too.


How cute are they????

And shpeaking of cute...dying for these "Peaceful" shakers.

Loving the dove and the cloud.
These would love to be displayed with the rest of your collection...maybe on a vintage cake stand or on the back of your oven.


For your friend or family member that is too chic for words...the ones that have the gorgeous marble modern kitchen or just looove modern style...


These rosewood beauties are perfect for them. Soooo sleek and lovely!

And what retro lover could be with out these vintage inspired shakers?


Right??! They just make you smile looking at them!

SO spice up your life, food, tables and kitchens with a lil pizazz and cuteness by grabbing some TDF shakers!

Easy Peasy!

xoxo things we heart

Monday, September 27, 2010

Yummies: Candy Corn!!

Lets say that one day, Miss. Me & Miss. t.w.h were to find them selves on top of a New York city apartment building, busting some ghosts... And they were warned not to think of any one thing in particular because the evil spirt would take the shape of whatever they thought of and use that form to try and destroy them. It wouldn't be the Stay Puft Marshmallow man stomping through New York.


It would be the equally delicious and slightly less sinful Candy Corn Monster!

Because every year as Halloween draws near, our minds turn to one thing only....
CANDY CORN!!

Alright two things, Candy Corn and Costumes.
But, because this is yummies day lets talk Candy Corn!

Did you know that October 30th is National Candy Corn day?
Well, neither did we but we all know now and we intend to celebrate!

How about throwing a little Pre-Halloween candy corn party?

Here are some yummy looking recipes for Candy Corn cookies if you get bored of eating them straight from the bag... LIke that could ever happen!

First up comes from Miss Martha... So you know they are gonna be cute.

Also delicious looking, but lacking in actual Candy Corn are these candy corn inspired cookies from The Recipe Girl.

But like we said, the best way to eat them is very slowly one by one savoring every second straight from the bag! Yummy!

In case you are wondering Just what this candy corn is made of... Well look here.
The bad news is, it's nothing good for you... The good news is, they are fat free.
We call that a draw.

Oh my goodness! Look at these Candy Corn rattles! Little teething softies for the babies in your life. Looks like I know what my partner is getting for National Candy Corn Day!

Go ahead, be naughty eat some candy!
Halloween only comes once a year, and that means Candy Corn only comes once a year, enjoy it while you can!

XOXO- Things-We-Heart


Friday, September 24, 2010

7 Reasons why is Diamond so special

Round-Diamond-Twisted-Engagement-Ring-and-Wedding-Band-Set-in-14k-White-Gold_DRW18580_Reg
If one were to elaborate on the reasons why diamonds are so special, it would fill pages, for these stones are one of the rarest and most beautiful gifts of nature. So to keep it simple we will only mention seven reasons why diamonds are so special to us and why we are so in love with their dazzling beauty.
  One look at a diamond and you are sure to gasp at the sheer beauty of the stone. Diamonds are indeed one of the most beautiful stones that were ever mined and the stunning looks of this magnificent stone is the primary reason why diamonds are considered to be such special stones.
Diamonds are also very valuable stones and most of them cost a pretty amount of money. The price of a diamond depends upon the quality of the stone which is mainly measured by the three C’s namely Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat. The better these contributing factors the higher is the value of diamonds.
Diamond-Engagement-Ring-and-Wedding-Band-Set-in-14K-White-Gold-(1-ctw.)_DRW17794_RegDiamonds are one of the hardest substances. Due to this quality diamonds are considered very durable stones and are therefore ideal for everyday wear. Diamond jewelry definitely stands the test of time and is very often passed on to generations as a prized family heirloom.
No matter what we say about gemstones and about any other form of jewelry, the truth is that diamond engagement rings supersede every other variety in terms of its rare and dazzling beauty. This is the reason behind the popularity of diamonds; they are indeed the most coveted of all gemstones.
 Designer-Oval-Blue-Sapphire-Ring-with-Diamonds-in-Platinum-(10x8-mm)_NRP21768SH_RegDiamond-Bordered-Oval-Ruby-Ring-with-Split-Shank-in-14k-White-Gold-(10x8-mm)_ORW83819RH_Reg







There is a lot of lore and history associated with diamonds and these stunning stones bear a lot of significance. One thing that needs mention here is the hardness of diamonds which is also symbolic of the relationship between couples. Hence diamonds are the most obvious choice of engagement rings and wedding bands as they stand for durability and stability in a relationship.
Oval-Colombian-Emerald-with-Pear-Shaped-Diamond-Side-Stones-in-Platinum-(9X7-mm)_SRW0382EH_Reg

 Oval-Tanzanite-Ring-with-Pave-Set-Diamond-Split-Shanks-in-Platinum-(10x8-mm)_SRW0402TH_Reg

Diamonds are indeed luxurious stones and are definitely associated with affluence. It is true that the rich and the famous hardly let go of an opportunity to flaunt their favorite diamonds at every red carpet event and social occasion and over time diamonds have come to be associated with top bracket celebrities.
Diamonds are forever so if there is someone in your life who is really very special and dear then there can be no better way of communicating your feelings than with a gift of diamond. These timeless stones are a perfect way to express love. More Information at Angara.com
Resource : http://www.zimbio.com/Jewelry/articles/EmmWufWxZLf/7+Reasons+Diamond+special

Fashion Friday: We super heart rad jewelry way under $100!


And no...this isn't "Rad Jewelry Under $100...(that's really $99.99)" This is super cool jewelry that you for sure need to mix with your shmancier stuff and glittery baubles that happens to be under $100 considerably....
Oh! No need for kisses! Oh!! Hhaahaha...OK ....tickles are totally an appropriate payback.
You're so welcome!

So you know how we just said this stuff would die to be mixed with a sparkly ring (whether it's fake and fun or totally real) or 2...or gold amazing bangles?

Well, this amazing bunny ring from Calourette is exactly what we were talking about!


This fucking awesome Alice in Wonderland meets Acid ring would look sooooo good next to some stacked diamond bands or a ton of other sparkles.
Or it's so great it would do fine all by itself!

Shpeaking of sparklies....we are a wee bit in love with all things saftey pin. We have been coveting a pair of pave diamond safety pin earrings but they are totally not under a hundie...

then we found these gorgey little studs and fell madly in heartville with from Giles & Brother.


LOVE THEM!!!!! Go ahead and put a diamond stud in your 2nd hole and you are RTG!

So we are the luckiest ladies around who get to wear stunning gold Hawaiian bracelets everyday! We pair them with everything...watches...friendship bracelets...hair ties...what ever we want really...
So imagine how super happy we got when we came across this messy yet crazy rad bracelet from Hope Marian!

Sooo chic! Dying for the mix of crystals, fabric, mesh metal and gold!!!!

Oh hello House of Harlow perfect "tribal" earrings!!! How are you??? Oh what's that? You want to be on our ears right now?

OK...no problemo. We will pair you with our signature messy braids, dark jeans (maybe bell bottoms...hee hee), heels a rad jacket and presto! Insta rad...

Dearest birdies in the sky...thank you for inspiring every cool designer out their with your beautiful feathers!!!!
With out you guys we would not look to the sky as much...wake up to your lovely songs....OR have this yummy double finger feather ring from Luv AJ.


Xmas is coming fast!!! This is for sure on the list!!!

See!?! You don't have to always be glittery and glam to be super chic and stylish...AND more importantly you don't have to spend a grip doing it...


xoxo things we heart



Monday, September 20, 2010

Beauty: Sleeping Beauty....


Sleep, it is one of the most precious and wonderful things in our lives... But why? When we love it so much, do we ignore it?

It seems like we are always fighting sleep off, we have to finish this, we have to start that... This party is so fun, let's stay out & up just a little later....

That is until sleep finds us, claims us and never wants to let us go!

Well these days, more then ever, we have been appreciating our sleep.

So today we give you the healthy benefits of sleep... To remind us all to grab it whenever we can get it! Hey it's good for you!

*Info Snatched From HealthySleep.com

Scientists have gone to great lengths to fully understand sleep's benefits. In studies of humans and other animals, they have discovered that sleep plays a critical role in immune function, metabolism, memory, learning, and other vital functions. The features in this section explore these discoveries and describe specific ways in which we all benefit from sleep.

When we sleep another of the benefits of sleep is that our body goes into repair mode. It focuses on repairing and building bone, muscle and other tissue as needed by our body. The body is set up to go into a sort of maintenance mode while we sleep that allows it to concentrate on fixing things. Not that our body doesn't do some repair while we're awake, but sleep allows it to concentrate without dividing energy between repair and all the tasks we perform when we're awake.

Mental well being is also one of the sleep health benefits we get from rest. Getting proper, regular sleep helps the mind to unwind, regroup and cope with stress and other issues. When we don't get our rest both body and mind are less able to cope with and adjust to stressors. We are also more prone to developing depression, anxiety and other illnesses. Sleep helps to keep the chemicals in our brain balanced and allows our mind to process out stressful or painful things from our day. We miss out on these sleep health benefits when we don't get our rest.

It is hard to recoup lost rest and get back the benefits of sleep. If we miss a couple hours a night during the work week we can't necessarily just sleep longer on Saturday and expect that we've balanced out our lack of rest from the week. Most likely you will need a little extra sleep for a few nights in a row for your body to feel back on track.


Sleep makes you feel better because when you get enough, you are actually healthier.... You look better, you feel better and you think better.

Sounds like a great beauty tip to us.

XOXO- Things-We-Heart





Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Yummies: Who's that kid with the Oreo cookie?


There must be something in the cool (almost) fall air that brings with it the nostalgic-ness of childhood cravings.
And todays childhood wishes and wants that are filling our heads are...OREOS!!!! Right?!?! Something about those 2 choc crispy yet crunchy wafers filled with soft vanilla-ish cream that begs to be eaten first that just does our tummies right!



Although mom wouldn't let us near those delectible treats...dad was super on our team and helped us smuggle the fudge covered Oreos (TDF!) into the house...thanks Daddy!
But the older we get (well we are hardly old) but the more Mat-oore (mature) we get the more we realize that maybe...just maybe the ingredients in the ol' cookies of the 80's and 90's are not so bueno.


So what's a girl to do??? Have no fear Oreo hearters...we are sooooooo here for you! Especially when it comes to muy importante matters like cookies...
While waltzing through the aisles of our local Whole Foods we noticed some familiar looking cookies to sample. So after tasting 1 (or 10) we decided, NO MORE OREOS!

Those natural ones are just as yummy if not even more!

Instead of the creamy white center tasting like vanilla chemicals the Health Valley cookie center tasted like creamy vanilla with crunches of real all organic sugar. Soooooo good!
And the best part? After buying a few boxes (hey! who wants to run out of cookies?) they totally stood up to the dunk test!

Then there are the delectible yummies from Country Choice...

you would never know these weren't OG Oreos...unless you looked at the ingredients and noticed a bunch of weird ingredients and chemicals missing of course....
Miss Me's boyfriend, Paul Newman for Newman's Own makes a version of the chocolatey sandwich cookie in tons of yummy, organic and earth friendly flavors too!

OK...Now that we had you at Oreo and we have successfully switched you from the chemically Nabisco ones to the more body and earth friendly a ones...how about a few of our TDF recipes????? Ya....no shit...let's get on with it!!!

Wanna make your own oreo??? Now you can!!!


Go here to find out how!!!

Ingredients

For the Dough:

  • 1 1/3 cups Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Filling:

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
  • 3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Prepare the dough: Sift together the cocoa powder, flour and salt in a large bowl.

Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, incorporating each ingredient before adding the next. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Divide the dough into 2 pieces; place one piece between 2 lightly floured sheets of parchment paper and roll into a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle. Repeat with the other piece of dough. Refrigerate both rectangles, covered with the parchment sheets, until firm, at least 1 hour or up to several days.

Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut the dough into 64 circles. (You can reroll the scraps once.) Place the cookies about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets and chill for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Bake the cookies until they are set and slightly darker around the edges, about 20 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling: Using a mixer, cream the butter and shortening until fluffy. Beat in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla.

Flip half of the cookies upside down and top each with 1 level tablespoon of filling. Press the remaining cookies on top to make sandwiches.



We are huuuuge crazy fans of Oreo Cookie fudgey ice cream cakes!! HUUUUGE! And now we can't believe how stupid easy it is to make one!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed
  • 1 (8 ounce) tub COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
  • 1 pkg. (4 serving size) JELL-O Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
  • 8 OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, chopped
  • 12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches, unwrapped


Directions

  1. Pour fudge topping into medium bowl. Add 1 cup of the whipped topping; stir with wire whisk until well blended. Add dry pudding mix; stir 2 min. or until well blended. Gently stir in chopped cookies; set aside.
  2. Arrange 4 of the ice cream sandwiches, side-by-side, on 24-inch-long piece of foil; top with half of the whipped topping mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining 4 ice cream sandwiches. Frost top and sides of dessert with remaining whipped topping. Bring up foil sides. Double fold top and ends to loosely seal packet.
  3. Freeze at least 4 hours before serving. Store leftover dessert in freezer.



Our fave kitchen store...William's Sonoma created the cutest cake pan ever!!!

A cream sandwich cake pan...so if you are as obsessed with those cookies like us...you can make a ginormous one with this bad boy!


Now...if you are a lover of all that is decadent...rich....sweet and just simply crazy calorie filled (I raise my hand...so high it almost pulls my shoulder out of socket)...try these OREO cookie truffles!!!!!





****In all of the above recipes they called for Oreos...but please do you best to buy the natural kind and substitute...

you and your friends will never know the difference****


Go back to the kiddie future...go natural...go (real) OREOS!!! You will kiss us later!



xoxo things we heart