Thanksgiving Tastiness

If you are looking for the the perfect recipe for pumpkin pie, look no further. I get rave reviews every time I make this.

If you want something to really wow your Thanksgiving guests, this Chocolate Pecan Pie is a must!

What about dinner rolls to-die-for? The best part? You make the dough the day before and then cook them on Thanksgiving!

Want some super-yummy salads? Try Frog Eye Salad or fresh and tasty Layered Salad. Or you can make this Broccoli Salad that will get raves for years. (Seriously, I once made this for a wedding reception for some friends, and they said that people were like, "Hey, congratulations on your marriage. Who made the broccoli salad?)

These recipes are sure to make everybody happy at Thanksgiving. Give them a try! You won't be sorry!

Nichole Van's Textures and Actions

If you have been reading my blog, you already know how much I love Nichole Van. I was introduced to her work a few months ago when I asked a photographer friend of mine where she got the textures she used on her images. When she pointed me to Nichole's website, I was blown away by her work. No wonder she has been on the cover of Rangefinder magazine (twice) and has gotten so many awards. She is so humble and generous, and gives workshops to teach those of us who are not quite as awesome how to become more awesome :) (You can go here to learn about her workshops).

I bought her Chic Vintage action and textures set, and I love it! Here are some samples of my images with some of her actions and textures. Her sets are very reasonably priced, and you couldn't be establishing a mutually beneficial relationship with a better person.

Shop Nichole Van

In an effort to win a workshop with Nichole Van, I am posting a link to her website here. If you are a photographer, she also sells textures and actions to take your images to the next level. If you haven't seen her work yet, prepare to be awed. To go to her site, click here.

Being on T.V.

On November 16th, I got to be on T.V! My friends, Brandi and Jen, have a craft blog and business called Holiday Snobs. They got to be on our local Fox station's morning news demonstrating a Christmas craft and talking a little bit about their business. The news station wanted at least 10 other women there crafting with them, and I got to be one! Here are some pictures from the event (that I stole from Brandi):

This is the craft we were doing. It is a Christmas tree centerpiece made out of festive napkins.

This is me, sitting in the corner. If you watch the video, I am standing in the back on the left-hand side.

The man on the couch is Dan Daru, the newscaster who did the segments. He was CRAZY. (I guess you have to be to work on a morning news show that starts at 5:00 a.m!) During one segment, he ran upstairs to surprise Brandi's husband and ask him what he thought about all this crafting. Luckily, Sterling saw him coming up the stairs on t.v. (he was watching the show in his bedroom) and hurried and came out of the bedroom before Dan could burst in!

Here's a picture of the Fox 31 van. You can't see the top, but there was a huge spinning antennae (or dish, or something I don't know the name of) at the top of the pole that was broadcasting what we were doing at the house.

Here is a video of one of the segments:
 

Take Two! {Littleton Baby Photographer}

When this little guy was here a a couple of weeks ago, I didn't feel like he got enough face-time in front of the camera. (His whole family, including grandparents and cousins were all here!) So I invited him back so he could get the one-on-one time he deserved. He really rose to the occasion and favored us with lots of smiles and happiness. Can you say "adorable?"

See Me on T.V!

Tomorrow morning (November 16th) I'll be on Good Day Colorado helping promote my cute friends' craft blog! I know these girls through church, and they are so darling and have so many stinkin' cute ideas. You can check out their blog, called The Holiday Snob, and then tune into your Fox station tomorrow morning at 7:45 and 8:45 to see me! (But mostly to see them, as I am only there to provide crafty support as requested by the news station. They'll do all the talking).

Which is Your Personality Type--Part 2

In this post, I talked about the book It's Just My Nature by Carol Tuttle. In it, she explains that there are four different personality types, and while we all exhibit characteristics from each type, there will be one that is most dominant in us. Today I am talking about the second personality type, which she labels "soft and subtle." This does not mean weak and shy. If you think about the Mississippi river, it is powerful, but flows in a constant, stately motion. Also, a willow tree flows gently in the wind, but provides shade and comfort to those under its branches. Type 2 people are the same way. They are steady and consistent, and comfort is a major priority for them. My second daughter and my husband are both Type 2s. My daughter gets upset if her socks don't feel just right, and my husband never throws out his old, ratty t-shirts because they are so comfortable! Type 2s also like to hold onto things. For girls and women, this means they hold onto pictures, blankets, special toys--anything that ties them to the past. For men, it means they hang onto big boxes that electronics came in (just in case they need them) and also have tons of cords for said electronic items! (This describes my husband to a T!) Type 2s are also very detailed and methodical. To others, it may seem like they are taking a long time, but to them, they are just being thorough and investigating all the possibilities before making a decision. They are also very skeptical. When my daughter was about 5, she asked me how babies were made. I told her that Mommy had a seed inside her, and Daddy added a special kind of water, and then a baby grew. She looked at me doubtfully and then said, "I don't think that's correct." :) Type 2s are the peacemakers--kind, gentle, and sweet. My husband is definitely the peacemaker in our family full of emotional women! To find out more about Type 2 personalities (and all the other personalities) go to Dressing Your Truth and click on the "Shop" button, and then on the "Books" button. It's Just My Nature is a fantastic book that will help you to understand yourself and others so much better. It would be a wonderful Christmas gift to yourself or someone you love. Are you a Type 2? Do you know somebody who is? Leave a comment and let me know!

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

This is a recipe from Chocolate Never Faileth. A roommate in college gave me a very similar recipe. I decided to try this one and compare, and it turned out just as well, so I will add it to my list of go-to recipes. My roommate's used brown sugar and this one uses white sugar. They both worked well. It's good to know that if I ever have a white sugar shortage, I can use brown sugar instead :) I also love this recipe because you don't have to grease the pan. Also, this cake is magic. Seriously. You just put sugar and cocoa powder on top and pour water over it and put it in the oven. Then, through the miracle of chemistry that I don't understand, it all sinks to the bottom and turns into pudding. This is so fantastic served warm with ice cream, but is also great the next day after the pudding has firmed up. Then I think whipped cream works well on top. The picture is a spoonful showing the layers of whipped cream, cake, and pudding. Yum! By the way, this recipe makes a 9x13 pan, which is a lot unless you are entertaining guests. I cut this in half and put it in an 8x8 pan and it is the perfect size for our family. If you do this, bake for 40 minutes instead of 60.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
3 cups sugar, divided
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup cocoa, divided
1 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 cup milk (I used powdered milk)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup nuts, chopped (optional)
3 cups hot water
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9x13 pan, combine flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, baking powder, salt, and 1/2 cup cocoa. Mix well. Add the butter and mix again. Add milk and vanilla, mixing with a fork until well blended. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar, remaining 1/2 cup cocoa, and nuts (if desired). Sprinkle this mixture over the batter in the pan. Pour 3 cups hot water over everything. Do not stir. Carefully put in oven and wait 60 minutes for the magic to happen! Allow the cake to set for 10 minutes before serving.

Proud to Present... {Aurora photographer, custom frames}

I am so excited to be offering frames from The Organic Bloom! These are hand-made boutique frames that are the perfect complement to your gorgeous portraits! They have a ton of different designs, and they are fully customizable with colors to match your decor! These are only available through professional photographers, but you can purchase them through me whether or not you have your portraits done with me. (Although I'd really love for you to have a photo shoot with me as well!) If you are interested in having a shoot or just buying some frames, you can contact me by e-mailing at melissabhowell@gmail.com. Here are some samples of what they look like on the wall with gorgeous portraits inside!

Little Princesses in the Forest {Parker child photographer}

A few weeks ago, I took my girls out to get "school pictures" of them (since I never buy actual school pictures). I had them get dressed up in pretty dresses and I curled their hair. Then I made my husband lug this bench out into the wilderness to get these pictures. I love how they turned out.