Cake Mix Cookies

January 27, 2013 Megan Hauver

Finally, we are getting some snow in Baltimore. I think it is the perfect excuse to start a fire and bake all the things that I pinned and then forgot about. The first thing I want to make is cake mix cookies. I tried making red velvet cookies last year for valentines day, but my friends and I got impatient waiting for the oven to heat up and we ate the batter instead. The only thing I have to do today is sit by the fire and watch every episode of 30 Rock before the season finale next week; that should keep me entertained and relaxed enough to resist the glorious cookie dough.

Okay, these cookies are totally worth waiting for. Not only are they colorful bites of joy, but they taste exactly like cake batter. What could be better! Now I am going to go back to sitting by the fire and enjoying this cold weather before the temperature gets back into the 50s. Mother Nature is one crazy betch.

Ingredients

1 box yellow cake mix
1.5 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sprinkles

Preheat the oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix together dry ingredients (minus the sprinkles) and the wet ingredients in separate bowls by hand. Once each bowl is mixed separately, add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the flour and baking powder. Stir together until all the dry clumps of cake mix are broken up and the dough is mixed thoroughly. Fold in the sprinkles. Do not stir the sprinkles in, or they will dye the dough. Roll small balls of dough (1 inch think) on the baking sheet about 1 - 2 inches apart. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown. Remove parchment from pan and let cool. Put a new piece of parchment paper on the pan and bake another batch until dough is gone. Enjoy!

Check out this blog!

January 25, 2013 Megan Hauver

Update: Will passed away on February 2, 2015. He shared some of his artwork on his blog for two years, and my family is selling items featuring his artwork to raise money for JDRF and scholarships in his name at McDonogh and Rollins. Please visit the Hello Darlings Shop if you are interested in purchasing something!

You can also make a donation in Will's memory to JDRF by clicking this link.

I also started a bravelets page, and $10 from each sale will be donated to JDRF in memory of Will.

Original post:

Hey everyone!

My brother just started a blog to share his artwork. He is posting everything from T-Shirt designs to murals. Be sure to check it out here, wlhart.org!

Source: www.wlhart.org

Lilly Letters

January 24, 2013 Megan Hauver

Now that it is 2013, I have no use for my 2012 Lilly Agenda. I felt bad throwing it away, but I don't have a use for it and it is filled with homework assignments and test schedules that I really don't need to be reminded of. Before throwing it out, I obviously took out the sticker pages. I may not be a kid anymore, but that doesn't mean I stopped loving stickers or don't need a lollipop after I get a shot at the doctors. I'm actually quite upset that my doctor thinks she can stick a needle in my arm without the promise of a sugary treat. I also went through all the prints for each month of the year and realized they were way too cute for the trash. I saw an instagram picture of Lilly patchwork letters and thought this was the perfect way to use the patterns that the Lilly print designers are so great at making. So if you are a fellow Lilly Lover and need something to personalize your room, or rep your sorority, or just want to craft, try making your very own Lilly Letters!

What you need:

-Wooden letters from Michaels.

-Old Lilly planner, or 12 patterns printed out.

-Mod Podge

First, decide what size patches you want. Make your stencils 1/4- 1/2 an inch larger than the actual size you want so the patches can overlap and you won't have any gaps between the patches. I used normal sized post-its as stencils.

You can either glue the patches directly onto the letters, or glue the patches together, let dry, and then glue the patchwork onto the letters. I chose the second option because it made it easier to put the middle patches on.

After they are both dry, you can outline the patches or paint fake stitch marks between the patches. Finally, put a coat or two of mod podge on the letters. Use a sponge brush to avoid streaking.

Let dry.

Bacon Sweet Potato Bites

January 17, 2013 Megan Hauver

I never really liked sweet potatoes until I went to college in Memphis. Growing up I think sweet potato fries looked too much like carrots for me to give them a try. After trying the fries at Young Avenue Deli in Memphis, I became obsessed. I went to Sam's Club this weekend and bought sweet potatoes in bulk; I eat them so often that this is actually necessary. Usually, I just wrap them in foil and throw them in the oven, then stuff them with cheese, spices, and fruit, but I wanted to try something new.

Echo Palm Beach & a Lychee Martini

January 11, 2013 Megan Hauver

Maybe it is because of the freezing weather in Baltimore, but I keep wanting to write about my trip to Palm Beach. I used to be one of those people who said they could never live somewhere it's warm year-round because they like seasons, but I'm starting realize that some seasons are terrible. Don't get me wrong, I love the snow, but snow seems to hate me; it's avoiding me like I’m a stage 5 clinger. I don’t understand why, all I want to do is love it and collect it and put it in my freezer so I can use it to make snowballs to throw at my brothers even after its melted away. That’s normal, right?