WORLD MARKET: WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT?!

So this post doesn't have a whole lot of content besides that fact that I want you to know that World Market has pretty awesome jewelry! :) I mean, really... who would've thought!? Everyone knows that World Market has awesome home goods and furniture, but jewelry??? I have gotten a couple pieces there and they are good quality and I do not think the prices are bad at all! If your vibe is slightly bohemian, World Market is the place for you! they also have some great scarves and hats!

Here are a few of my favorites:

ELLIS AVEREE - 19 MONTHS

It has been a while since I have done an Ellis post. I suppose 18 months would have been more of a milestone, but I missed that one. :)

What we will remember about E at 19 months:
- She LOVES baby dolls - JUST.LOVES.THEM. She has been known to carry several around at once and get very upset if someone Isla (her cousin) tries to take one away. She pulls down all of our kitchen towels and swaddles her favorite doll "baby" in them. It is so darn cute.
- Her new trick is throwing her toys (yes, baby included!!!) in the kitchen sink! We always soak her sippy cups and other things in warm, soapy water in the sink, so we have had to dry out some books and give a few time-outs!
- On the subject of time-outs, she doesn't understand that they are a bad thing. She gladly goes over and sits in her 'time-out' spot and continually says "I sowey" (I'm sorry) with a big smile. ugg. Discipline is an area we struggle in. 
- She says so many things, meaning we need to watch our mouths more than ever. She will repeat anything. She will link words together and say things like "I love you, Mommy" and it melts my heart. Her little voice could not be more sweet. I love that she can now communicate with us and tell us exactly what she wants.
- Ok, this one is a funny one. I can't think of anything she is really afraid of except beards and black foam rollers!!! She is getting over the beard phobia, but man, do black foam rollers terrify her! She cries at the sight. We happen to have a few friends who own foam rollers, one being a personal trainer (Matt) and one (Luis) who just loves to roll. ;) Matt has two of them, a red one and a black one. The red one was no big deal, but forget that black one!!! That black one was clearly dangerous and very scary! The whole thing cracks me up.
- Super Why. The girl loves herself some Super Why! Our neighbors told us about the show and she just can't get enough. I think I know all the songs (and dances) by heart. Make sure to visit 'Storybook Village' if you have a little munchkin.
- The potty. We have recently introduced her to the training potty and she just likes to stick baby in it, close and top and sit on it. I guess we know her thoughts on starting potty training.

PUMPKIN OATMEAL BREAKFAST COOKIES

Like I have mentioned so many times before, my sister in law, Ashley, is always making the most delicious food. She is always experimenting with yummy snacks and treats for the kids and I get to sample them from time to time when I pick up E after work. (Ashley runs the Buell family daycare and yes, we are so lucky to have her!)

She found a recipe for pumpkin oatmeal breakfast cookies, changed it, gave it to me, I changed it a little more and here it is. I love them! They are fast, easy, seasonally appropriate (we are all crazy for anything pumpkin in the fall), perfect for breakfast or a snack and not overly sweet.  

1 can pumpkin

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour

3 cups rolled oats

2 tablespoons flax meal
4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp cinnamon


1/4 tsp salt


Bake 350° for about 12 to 14 minutes

GET THE LOOK: 3 OUTFITS

I am so excited to be guest posting over at 5th and Vine today! Amy asked me to pull together style post while she is away having some fun with the fam! Here it is:

Let's start this post off by talking about pinterest. I.am.completely.addicted. I use it for inspiration for everything - projects at work, freelance design, DIY/sewing projects and style ideas!! I am not one of those girls who has a unbelievable knack for putting outfits together, so to pinterest I go! I always find these amazing style ideas, but when I click into the pin, the image came from tunblr (no links) or the blogger's wardrobe budget seems to be a bit waayyyyy more than mine. ;)

I have taken three looks I am loving right now and found some affordable items to put them together!

(inspiration picture: midwestern darling tumblr)

ONE $30.03  |  TWO $18  |  THREE $11.99  |  FOUR $64  |  FIVE (sold out - another option)  |  SIX $39.99

(inspiration pic: the day book blog)

ONE $42  |  TWO $50 (it says 'journey' on the inside. swoon)  |  THREE $33

FOUR $22.97  |  FIVE $24.10  |  SIX $12.95  |  SEVEN $7.80  |  EIGHT $99.95

(inspiration pic: mekenna bleu)

ONE $17.99  |  TWO $53.99  |  THREE $89.50  |  FOUR $74.99  |  FIVE $22.80  |  SIX $8.80  |  SEVEN $28.69

LINKS TO LOVE

1. Need some quick kids coloring pages? Check out Hippo Paint! Search any word to bring up all kinds of coloring/painting pages for the kiddos!

2. Simple recipes - we al love 'em. This site takes simple to a whole new level. Here are 34 two-ingrediant recipes. Here are two interesting ones:

3. I found my next crafting project. I must makes these awesome double wrapped bracelets when I find the time. I love how they use a hex nut as the closure. I want to make them in every color.

4. Ok, so this 'link to love' might be my favorite. We had an awesome intern in our fitness facility at work this past summer and she made us do this 8 minute arm exercise and it pretty much blew my mind. Yes, you look (and feel) super weird doing it, but man does it work! Seriously, try and let me know what you think. Eight minutes, it's all it takes!

UNICORN COSTUME TUTORIAL

I will always be the mom who bakes and decorates my children's birthday cakes and crafts them homemade Halloween costumes because I.LOVE.IT. These are the things that I was so excited about while I was pregnant. I couldn't wait for all of the holidays with her and I CANNOT wait for her to really understand Christmas and get excited about Santa! We are going to do it all --- the cookies for Santa, the reindeer food, Elf on the Shelf, cookie baking, etc. Oh boy! Just writing this makes me excited for Christmas! I am that person who listens to Christmas music from the moment is starts and legitimately gets upset when Christmas is over and it stops. I have been known to play the Glee holiday CD in my car on repeat for an extended period of time and even bring it out once in a while off season. :)

Anyways, let's hit the breaks b/c it's not Christmas yet. It's Halloween! Plan #1 for E's costume was Uncle Si from Duck Dynasty. My friend gave me this ADORABLE little vintage camo jacket and pants suit, but it ended up being way too big for her. I plan on using it next year possibly. It is seriously wayyy to cute to not use it at some point. So then I was on to plan B. I literally thought up this costume in my head on the way to Hobby Lobby last Friday. I seriously had so much fun making it that I have started to think of all the different costumes I could make in the future! Oh the possibilities are endless. Really, anything flies and they do not have to be fancy. I still remember the picture my mom has of my brother on Halloween when we were little. She must have been scrambling for a last minute costume b/c she put a brown sheet over him with a brown beanie hat and attached a sign that said snickers to the front of him. :) It may not have been fancy, but it is the one that I remember!

So here is what I came up with - Ellis the unicorn!
I made this costume one afternoon and it only took me a few hours.

Everything listed below (except the sweat suit) you can find at your local craft store.  The costume was pretty basic. The only two parts I included a tutorial on are the horn and ears. Beside that, I basically super glued or sewed things to the sweat suit. 

I sewed the cone onto the top of the hood with embroidery thread and then covered the bottom of the cone with the mane to hide the stitches. 

To create the mane, I braided several strands of the yarn together and hot glued it around the horn, onto the hood and down the back of the sweatshirt. 

I attached the tassel to the arms and legs with hot glue. Easy peasy! 

For the tail, I opened the seam in the back of the pants and inserted strands of tulle just like I attached the ears to the hood. (see tutorial below)

To finish off the look, I attached a piece of purple ribbon to the zipper as a pull and tacked on two ribbons for strings with my sewing machine. I wanted to be able to tie the hood tighter around her head in hopes that the cone would stand up straight and she wouldn't be able to pull off the hood.  

Did you craft an awesome homemade Halloween costume this year? If so, send me a picture of it!! I am thinking about doing Halloween wrap up post of DIY Halloween costumes and I would love to share all of your costumes!

Also, I am selling this costume after Halloween. Do you have a little one that is going to be 18-24 months next Halloween? This sweat suit is a 24 month size.

Email me at katieannebuell@gmail.com to send me your pictures or inquire about buying the costume!

THE BUELL ZA (MEXICAN STYLE)

The traditional Buell Za is a staple in our house. In fact, we had it last night. :) Here is a little twist on it that is SUPER yummy. The sauce is made of black beans and roasted red peppers! YUM!

For the Sauce:

1 cup back beans, rinsed

1/2 cup chopped jarred roasted red peppers

1 medium clove garlic, quartered

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Toppings:

Monterey jack cheese

Red bell pepper

Green onions

Black olives

Tomates

Crushed tortilla chips

Jalapenos

Sour cream

THE CRUST

Directions:

- Preheat the oven, with a pizza stone on the lowest rack, to 550 degrees F. Lightly dust a pizza peel with flour.

- Using one ball of dough at a time, lightly dust the dough with flour, and flatten with your hands. Continue to flatten with a rolling pin until it is about 1/4 of an inch thick. Place the rolled out dough on the floured peel.

- To make the sauce: Place beans, peppers, garlic, chili powder and salt in a food processor and process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

- Spread the sauce over the pizza leaving about an inch around the edge.

- Sprinkle the cheese on top followed by the toppings of your choice (excluding the tortilla chips)

- Bake for about 12-15 min or until the edges start to brown.

- Take the pizza out of the oven and sprinkle on the crushed tortilla chips.

Enjoy! :)