Make a Wish

For anyone who has ever planned a wedding, you may be able to relate to the fact that the in the last two months, the planning that seemed super fun in the beginning starts to get really tedious...even boring. I love the small details, but some of these little things are driving me crazy. Between table placements, waiting on people to respond in a timely manner, finalizing the draft for the ceremony, getting all of the bridesmaid/groomsmen/parent gifts, etc., my Target, Michaels, and Crate and Barrel shopping trips have been helping me keep my sanity. Today, I tried to kill two birds with one stone. I did something fun, while also not spending a ton of money and--- guess what-- it is for my wedding! I am finishing one of the details! YEAH!

My wedding has a "City girl meets country boy" theme and is turning out to be more "chic rustic." Something that my mom suggested that we do is a "Wishing Tree." If you have never heard of it before, you're not alone, as I had to research it myself. I did some research and found out that it is a Dutch tradition. Although I am not Dutch, I must say that I like their wedding idea. So, I picked up a few branches, a pot (which was on clearance), rocks, and a green Styrofoam ball from Michael's so that I could make a tree. I also got a piece of scrap wood from Home Depot, some neutral colored paint and used some of the acrylic paint I already had and decided to make a sign to tell people what to do. I posted a few pictures of the process and the finished product. It was super easy and really fun. I can imagine how it all is going to come together. If you want to take a break and do something fun and creative, you could make a decorative wishing tree. You could make your house guests leave a wish every time they come over. It would also be a perfect centerpiece for a fall party. Take a vacation and do something for your home, yourself, or a friend.


How-to make a wishing tree

- buy a pot
- buy a styrofoam ball to fit in the pot
- buy branches (oak or birch)
- cut off top of the styrofoam ball
- carefully place the branches in the styrofoam. Make sure that the branches are securely placed in the styrofoam.
- cover the exposed styrofoam with rocks.
- have your guest hang a wish on the tree

Here was the final product at our wedding!

Happy Birthday Karma!

Growing up, I never thought I would be one of THOSE people. Some of my family members were some of those people and I never understood it. It was not until I got a dog that I really understood what it meant to be apart of that crowd. I had always seen people with their animals talking to them like babies, kissing them, letting their pets kiss their lips (still kinda gross), or dressing their pets in expensive fur coats with pink buttons that accented the beloved pet's fresh manicure. Crazy...Absurd, I thought, until today. Today, my lovely dog Karma turned one. I showered her with love, bought her three presents (one of which includes a new red and leopard print bed, which totally matched nothing in my room, where she sleeps, but my fiance felt the need to get anyway), and I even made her a peanut butter and bacon cake. As I was mixing her cake, I realized that I was now, officially, one of those people whom I had scoffed at many years ago- I wasn't ashamed. I was so excited for her to eat what I am sure was a delicious concoction and was greatly delighted as I watched her devour it from her bowl.

The surprising thing was, I really enjoyed doing this for her. For once, it was not about making my fiance dinner, or cleaning the dishes for the 15th time today. I was able to try something new, that I wanted to do. I has been looking forward to making her cake all week. When I was finally able to give her a nice birthday today, I not only accomplished something I had never done, but I was also able to take a break from the busy business of last minute wedding planning and graduate school work.

If you have a dog you adore- plan him or her a birthday party. Get a few goodies and make a cake, the recipe of which I list below. Best of all, it gets your mind away from the worries of everyday life and lets your pet know how much you care. Let me know how it goes! :)

Peanut Butter and Bacon Doggie Cake

1 cup flour
1 egg
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 t vanilla flavoring
1 t baking soda
4 slice cooked bacon, crumbled

Preheat oven to 350 degree. Mix all ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Put mixture in a lightly greased 8 inch circular pan or bone pan, if you have it. Bake for 15 -20 minutes. Let cool and serve.