Minions Whoopie Pies

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MinionsAtTarget #CollectiveBias

Recently, we had a good old-fashioned movie night at home with Minions, and I baked up some adorable whoopie pies to go along with it!  This recipe is kid-friendly, so everyone can enjoy baking and decorating them.  :)

The cookies in the whoopie pie are a luscious lemon flavor, with bits of lemon zest throughout.  The filling is a light and airy blueberry and lemon zest whipped cream cheese frosting.  You know that cream cheese frosting is my favorite kind, so I had to include it!  I used blue food coloring in the filling because I thought it would look like their little pants.  Right?  :)

Lastly, I think the Minions Whoopie Pies look adorable!  It's so much fun decorating them by choosing one or two eyeballs, deciding on if they'll smile or look shocked, and designing their goggle straps as well.  :)

Are you ready to take a bite now?

But first, back to the inspiration for this sweet dessert...

I must admit that I'm one of those adults who loves cartoons and sometimes borrows nieces and nephews just to have a reason to see the movie in theaters.  Actually, I was bummed that after seeing both Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2 with the little ones, I missed out on Minions in theaters.  That's why when the movie came out on 12/8/15 on DVD, I rushed to Target to buy it!  I bought the Target-Exclusive Deluxe Minions Metalpak Blu-ray/DVD, which has 40 minutes of extra content.  The DVD case was just too cute not to buy!  There was also an exclusive $5 Target gift card deal upon purchase, so it was a total no-brainer.  :)  Besides, I was able to pick up all of the ingredients from my shopping list.  Easy peasy!

Now, let's get to the recipe!

Minions Whoopie Pies
Adapted from this recipe

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5 Useful Tips for Off-Season Storage

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ZiplocSavesSpace #CollectiveBias 

Recently, I was at my parent's house when I noticed a sneaky pile of cushions and blankets in the corner of the living room.  Being a neat freak, I immediately noticed it, even though my mom had scooted a bookshelf over to try and hide it.  :)  You have to understand that I am such an organization aficionado, that as a kid I would organize the kitchen, garage, closets, and every other room in the house for fun.  Basically, she's used to me poking around in her closets!

So when I asked my mom about what was going on, she told me that the storage closet was already full!  When the holidays come around, my family loooves hanging out here because there are three couches, plus lots of comfy pillows and blankets.  That means she has a stash of guest blankets that only need to come out for the big holiday parties.  Also, this summer she bought new cushions for her patio chairs.  Now that winter is rolling around, she decided to store them inside to avoid weathering

Well that explains it!

I suggested that we maximize the space in her closet by using Ziploc® Space Bags®, which create three times the storage space.  Get this... my mom has never used them before!  Immediately, I decided that I needed to share a few useful tips on how to use Ziploc® Space Bags® with both her and all of you.  After I show you how well they worked for my mom, then I'll share those helpful hints.  First stop, Lowe's!  You can find the Ziploc® Space Bags® in the Home Organization section, in the Storage aisle.  Easy peasy!

So here are the items that I started off with in the Ziploc® Space Bags®.  I stuffed them in there a bit, so I thought they were already compressed.

Nuh uh!  I always feel like it's magic when I see HOW MUCH space is saved!  I mean, on the box it says it compresses up to 3 times the space compared to uncompressed storage volume.  I believe it!!!

Now, are you ready for the tips?  Let's get started!

Tip #1: Utilize Your Sizes

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Gift Guide: for Home Chefs

Welcome to my tenth gift guide of the season, for all of the home chefs and kitchen dabblers out there!  (Psst...  Check out these links if you missed my other nine gift guides for Travel Bugs, Men, Kids, Dogs, Everyone, the Home, Tech Geeks, Crafty Gals, and The Edible Gift Guide!)

The room where most probably spend the most time in could arguably be the kitchen, because who doesn't love eating and making delicious treats?  Then, why not outfit your favorite room with some awesome appliances, pretty serving pieces, and a complete library of cookbooks!  Hopefully you can find something new to add to your shopping list.  :)

Let's get to the guide!

Cooking Appliances & Tools

• 8 inch Chef Knife Crimson Series High Carbon German Steel With G10 Ergonomic Handle, $65.95 :  I personally use this knife for all kinds of chopping.  The ergonomic handle is both functional and pretty!
• Tagine, $99.96 :  I bought this tagine a few years ago, and it serves as an elegant serving dish as well!
• Automatic Stirrer, $59.95 :  You mean you don't have to spend all your time by the stove stirring and stirring?  It's SUCH a lifesaver for people like me who sometimes forget to keep an eye on all the burners.  :)
• Adjustable Pastry wheel, $21.95 :  Not only is this pastry wheel a useful tool, it's adjustable with interchangeable discs!
• Kitchen scale, $12.14 :  Every home cook needs a kitchen scale.  :)
• Kitchen Torch, $27.99 :  Use this to make my easy S'mores Mini Donuts!
• Draining sieve, $29.95 :  This tool is so useful for draining quickly, without having to take out (and wash) a colander.
• Salt & Pepper shakers, $27.97 :  You can adjust the coarseness of your salt and pepper with these grinders.
• Butter warmer, $9.99 :  Need that butter warmed through?  These may help.  :)
• Measuring cups, $24.90 :  I love the cheekiness of these measuring cups from 1/4 cup of kisses to 1 cup of love!  :)
• Food Mill, $49.95 :  Food mills are such a helpful kitchen tool, streamlining so many of my kitchen jobs!
• 5-in-1 Grill, $74.99 :  This grill also functions as a waffle maker, griddler, and panini press.  It's definitely on my wishlist!  :)

Ingredients & Serving Pieces

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Felt Flanerie feature + GIVEAWAY and promo!

Welcome to another Shop Small Saturday Showcase!  This week, I am featuring one of my favorite new shops: Felt Flanerie!  I met Amanda at a recent craft show and I was totally enamored with her pretty items, and I'm so happy she's being featured today.  In fact, I have already featured her in my Gift Guide for Kids!

There are so many items different items in her shop, from pretty floral arrangements to scary and cute zombies and even groovy ornaments... and they're all made out of felt!  The creations are ridiculously cute, and you even have the chance to win one.  :)

Amanda will be giving away a set of peat pot flower arrangements, which are great for gifts, displaying on a bookshelf, or adding a pop of color on your desk, without having to worry about watering it every day.  So make sure to stay tuned until the end of the post for that, as well as a promo code that will save you 10% off her entire shop.

Now, let's find out more about Felt Flanerie!

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Tell me a little bit about yourself!

My grandma taught me to sew when I was ten, maybe even younger, but I remember ten, haha!  After that it was a whirlwind of bobbins, needles and threads.  Any chance I had to use the skills, I did, always trying to make my own halloween costumes or set pieces for school plays and projects. I got into sewing plushies when I needed some gifts for my four siblings one very broke holiday season and then I was hooked. I haven’t really looked back since. I love it too much to stop.


Where did the name of your store come from?

“Flanerie” is one of my favorite words in the vocabulary that I know and my favorite material to work with is felt. I guess it just felt right when they came together and it stuck. Ultimately it made me smile when I said it and I think that how I knew it’d work. Can’t argue with a smile. :)

Why did you start making goods for Felt Flanerie?

I got into sewing plushies when I needed some gifts for my four siblings one very broke holiday season. When I saw my two year old sister open the gift, it was hard to ignore just how much it made her smile, whether she really knew what it was or not.


What is your favorite item?

Favorite item right now is Mr. Mint.  He's a one of a kind XL plushie and he’s made with different shades of minty green hues, mint being one of my favorite colors. His shape is a cuddle conductor, his size is conducive to those seeking unscripted play and imaginative fun, and his minty shades are minty fresh. ;) He can work as a decorative throw in your living room or even as a child’s plush play toy.

What is your most popular item?

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Stress-Free Holiday Gifting with Fragrance Gift Sets

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GiftingAMemory #CollectiveBias 

This year, I feel like the holidays have been impossibly busy, and I am doing my best to make sure that everything is as stress-free as possible.  One thing that I plan to do is make my holiday shopping list as streamlined as possible but still make sure I give thoughtful presents too!  One way I'm doing this is with COTY Holiday Gift Sets, because there are so many options to fit everyone from my niece, to my boyfriend, and everyone in between!


In particular for my boyfriend, I knew that I was going to get him a fragrance right away for the holidays.  For one thing, he's a guy who likes to "suit up."  He can kick back with the best of them, but when he's in professional mode, he has his whole set-up on lock-down: tailored suit, pocket square, and a manly fragrance.  It's pretty dashing if you ask me.  :)

In fact, his scent is one of the first things I remember for our first date.  We had texted, talked on the phone for hours, and I had met up with his friends and him, but we hadn't spent any time alone together yet.  Maybe it's crazy, but we decided to go to a beer festival TWO HOURS away from where I lived.  When he picked me up, I remember stepping into his car, and it had the scent that I now associate with him, in the good way for sure.  :)  It was easily the longest first date I've ever been on, which turned out to be a very good thing!

Yes, I removed the sticker before giving it to him.  :)

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The Edible Gift Guide!

Welcome to my ninth gift guide of the season, and it's chock full of delicious, edible presents!  (Psst...  Check out these links if you missed my other eight gift guides for Travel Bugs, Men, Kids, Dogs, Everyone, the Home, Tech Geeks, and Crafty Gals!)

Since I am a huge foodie, one of my favorite kinds of gifts to receive for the holidays is food!  I did dedicate a whole other blog to places that I eat...  A lot of my picks are of the sweet variety, but I do have a wide variety of edibles on my list.  I included a few favorite shops from Shop Small Saturday and a few other items that you'll want to add to your shopping list!

Let's get to the guide!

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Take a Holiday Break with Dunkin' Donuts!

Disclosure: Sponsored by Dunkin’ Donuts. All opinions are mine alone.

This weekend, I was on a shopping mission with my grocery list in hand, my map app with a preloaded route with all the stops to be made, and my boyfriend to carry a growing list of bags.  We started pretty early on Sunday with errands, gift shopping at a bunch of different stores, and the regular grocery trip.  Seriously, I crossed off SOOO many things off of my to do list for the holidays.  Tiring, but so rewarding!

Near the end of our journey, we both needed a little break.  For a quick pick me up, we ended up at Dunkin' Donuts before braving the last bit of our errands.  We arrived just in time for their National Afternoon Latte and Macchiato Break promotion.  At first, I was going to get a small iced Latte, but when I found out that it was only $1.99 for the medium size, I totally upgraded!

Here are the deets: every day from 2 PM to 6 PM from November 30th through December 27th, medium hot or iced Lattes or Macchiatos are only $1.99 at all Dunkin' Donuts locations nationwide.  Basically, it's a great deal that you can enjoy every day through Christmas, when you need a holiday break the most!

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Gift Guide: for Crafty Gals!

Welcome to my eighth gift guide of the season, for your favorite creative, crafty person!  (Psst...  Check out these links if you missed my other seven gift guides for Travel Bugs, Men, Kids, Dogs, Everyone, the Home, and Tech Geeks!)

I share a few crafts on Vintage Zest from time to time, and I always have a long list of projects that I want to do, skills to learn, and supplies to buy.  Lucky for me, I have friends and family that feed my insane addiction creative passions by gifting me supplies from time to time.

For this Gift Guide, I decided to put together a list of items that almost any creative person would love, from knitters to paper crafters.  Some of these items I have personal experience with, and others, I just want for myself!  Also, I included a few favorite shops from Shop Small Saturday and a few other items that you'll want to add to your shopping list!

Let's get to the guide!

Paper Crafting

• Hand-Lettering for Everyone, $10.65 :  I am super jelly of people with pretty writing, so now that I own this book, I'm definitely upping my skills soon!
• Washi tape, $12.79 for 6 :  A crafty gal can never have too much washi tape.  :)
• Silhouette Mint, $94.99 :  I want this ASAP!  I already have a looong list of all the stamps I want to make!
• Silhouette starter kit, $219 :  One of my favorite crafting supplies of all time.  Get this starter bundle kit for a great price!
• Coloring Flower Mandalas  |  Coloring Ocean Mandalas  |  Coloring Dream Mandalas, $5.39  |  $8.92  |  $7.66 :  These "coloring books for adults" are ALL the rage, and I have all three of these!
• Paper Jewelry, $29.74 :  Upcycle paper into jewelry with this instructional book.  Two of my faves in one: being eco-friendly and pretty accessories.  :)
• Photo cube printer, $99.99 :  Make personalized cards in a snap with this printer that print out your favorite photos!
• 100 Amazing Animal Snowflakes, $15.22 :  Make intricate snowflakes with the help of this helpful instructional book.

The Fiber Arts

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Easy Grilled Broccolini Recipe

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #NestleHoliday #CollectiveBias 

It's December, so you know what that means: the holiday rush is on!  Since it's my first recipe this month, you are probably expecting an elaborate holiday dish... but truth be told, when things are so hectic, I hardly have time to cook!  That's why today, I'm sharing one of my favorite quick and easy recipes that I frequently use as an appetizer or side dish (my Easy Grilled Broccolini), along with one of my tried-and-true shortcuts.

I love how the broccolini is so flavorful and spicy, along with the nutty shavings of Pecorino Romano on top.  It also looks so green and gorgeous, don't you think?  There's also zero chopping involved and just a couple of ingredients needed to whip this up.  I think you'll be making this dish, even when you do have extra time to spare because it's just that delicious!

First of all, let me know if you can relate to any of these situations.  Work hours are even longer these days due to the upcoming holidays, so when I get home, I want to eat something super quick to prepare.  It's dark out so early, that I just can't wait to get right home after a long day and stay inside (so no eating out or grocery shopping).  Family and friends pop over during the week and expect to catch up over a little dinner, sometimes unexpectedly!

Well, I found the perfect solution to all of those holiday predicaments: pizza and broccoli!  Actually, it's not just ANY pizza and broccoli, it's kicked up a notch: the CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN® Crispy Thin Crust Oven Ready Pizza, Sicilian variety and my Easy Grilled Broccolini!  See, it sounds SO much better and grown-up, right?

Why do I rely on this delicious combo?  It takes about 20 minutes from start to finish, including clean-up time, and it's so flavorful and fancy that no one will know how easy it was to get everything cooked up.

Step 1 of being prepared is to head to Walmart and get a CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN® Crispy Thin Crust Oven Ready Pizza, Sicilian or two.  It'll last in the freezer until you need it, so keep at least one on hand for emergencies!  While you're there, pick up the broccolini ingredients below!  Another reason this is a great dish is that you can buy the ingredients even a week beforehand, and they'll keep.  There's nothing worse than having your vegetables go bad before you have a chance to cook them!

Step 2 is to follow the easy directions on the back of the package.  While your pizza cooks for 16 - 17 minutes, that's when you get to make the recipe.  Let's get to it!

Easy Grilled Broccolini
A Vintage Zest original recipe

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Gift Guide: For Tech Geeks

Welcome to my seventh gift guide of the season, and this one is for the technology buff (or tech geek) in your life!  (Psst...  Check out these links if you missed my other six gift guides for Travel Bugs, Men, Kids, Dogs, Everyone, and the Home!)

This may not be your typical "Technology Gift Guide" post with all the fancy bells and whistles.  Yes, there are some big ticket items, but I'm also including great affordable stocking stuffer ideas and a lot of items that are for technology as well.  You'll see what I mean!  As always, I have included a couple of favorite shops from Shop Small Saturday and lots of other items that you'll want to add to your shopping list!

Let's get to the guide!

Say Cheese!

• Sony Digital Camera, $548 :  This is the updated version of my camera, and people ALWAYS ask what I'm using both on social media and in real life.  Here it is!
• Camera bag, $47.99 :  I love a pretty camera bag, and this is one is gorgeous!  It's so cute, I would use it as my purse and even my boyfriend wouldn't mind carrying it around as well.
• Camera Strap, $19.89 :  There are so many pretty straps, and I adore this print most of all.  Too cute!
• Camera light, $28.99 :  I own this light, and it's amazing for low-light situations when I'm out at media events.  Get one, or even a couple!
• 5-in-1 collapsible reflector, $18.50 :  This isn't a set of 5 reflectors, it's actually 5 in 1!  It's pretty ingenious if you ask me.  :)
• Instax Instant Camera, $69.95 :  Remember shaking it like a Polaroid picture?  (Sing it, Outkast!)  This pink camera is a way to relive the nostalgia with instant photos, shaking optional.
• Instax Neo Classic Instant Camera, $133.88 :  Just in case the pink version is too cutesy, this one looks like an old-school film camera but you have your pictures in just a few minutes!

Hello?  Phone-y Gifts  ;)

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Noshkins Feature, Giveaway & Promo!

Happy December!  For today's feature on Shop Small Saturday Showcase, I have such a fun one for you from Noshkins.  When I first saw all of Connie's cute and crafty creations, I was obsessed!  If I'm being honest, I would love a set of her petit fours for myself even if they are made for kids...  They just look so scrumptious!

Actually, the set that Connie is giving away (stay tuned at the bottom of the post) is a sushi set that people of all ages will love!  But first, find out which special person inspired all of these creations, and check out some serious eye candy... literally!

*******************

Tell me a little bit about yourself!

I grew up in Central California on the Monterey Peninsula. I’ve worked as a graphic artist for over 35 years, mostly with my own home business, Connie Simon Design. I love color, typography, well-designed anything! Growing up in the 60s was great—a real do-it-yourself time of my life. Drawing, painting, macrame, sewing, print making; so much to experiment with! • In 2011 I made a set of play food out of felt for my then 3 year old grandson to use in his play kitchen. I hated the plastic food available and thought the wood food as potentially damaging (kids throw things!). His reaction was immediate joy and engagement. He inspired me to start Noshkins, Inc. in order to share my lovingly made items with others.


Where did the name of your store come from?

I went through so many name ideas before I came up with one that wasn’t taken. “Nosh” is a Yiddish word meaning “a snack or small item of food”. The addition addition of “kin” to imply tiny or child related, Noshkins was born.

Why did you start making goods for Noshkins?

I love producing things of quality and detail. My grandson was the original inspiration. There are plenty of products for children that are cheaply manufactured or overly simple in design. I wanted to share something that was beautiful and well made to delight and inspire both the child and adult. I’m looking into ways to let the special needs market know about Noshkins. I’ve been told they’d be great for kids with autism or other sensory processing challenges.


What is your favorite item?

Wow! That’s a tough one! Each item has its own “personality”. The tea party sets are so pretty. I guess I am partial to the tomato slice and broccoli floret. The first time I made the broccoli I used a kazillion french knots. The texture was great but, seriously??? Then inspiration hit. I can get a lot of broccoli out on one bath towel and the texture is perfect! I find myself giggling as I finish a piece. My newest set of sushi has a lot of texture and the “seaweed” is attached with velcro so kids can assemble some of the pieces.

What is your most popular item?

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Gift Guide for the Home

Welcome to my sixth gift guide of the season, with more than 25 presents for the home!  (Psst...  Check out these links if you missed my other five gift guides for Travel Bugs, Men, Kids, Dogs, and Everyone!)

If you are looking for a few items to add to your shopping list for a gracious hostess, something for your own home, or a few holiday decorations, this list is for you!  As usual, I have included a few favorite shops from Shop Small Saturday and a few other fun finds.

Let's get to the guide!

Home Decor & Furniture

• Handmade Birch Magazine / Book Stand from Workshop Honey, $275 :  I adore this piece and wouldn't mind one or two for my own house, hint hint!
• Mini Icosahedron Vessels with Copper from Concrete Geometric, $50 for set :  Anyone would love these mini succulent planters from one of my favorite Shop Small Saturday Showcase shops!
• Crystal Cactus Print from Cactus Club, $25 :  I just adore this colorful print, wonderful for any blank space!
• Edison Vintage Style Bulb, $14.99 :  I'm sooo in love with Edison bulbs, and this one is extra sparkly and pretty, right?  I'd pick up a couple for myself too.  :)
• Lovable Livable Home: How to Add Beauty, Get Organized, and Make Your House Work for You, $17.18 :  Get some advice straight from the fab home bloggers of Young House Love!
• Porcelain Ceramic Butter Dish from Tricia Ree Ceramics, $75 :  These one-of-a-kind pieces are so awesome.  Check out the honey jar too!
• Hanging Monster Planter and Air Plant from Clay and Fabric, $30 :  The monster planters are so whimsical.  I especially love how thee hanging ones look like they have tentacles!  :)

Pretty Decor

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Gift Guide for Everyone!

Welcome to my fifth gift guide of the season, and this one is for just about everyone on your list!  (Psst...  Check out these links if you missed my other four gift guides for Travel Bugs, Men, Kids, and Dogs)

You know the person who is difficult to shop for?  Your friendly neighbor, the dependable coworker, or your awesome babysitter?  Well, I have a few ideas in this gift guide for the person on your list that you want to give some a little special to, this holiday season.  I included a few favorite shops from Shop Small Saturday and a few other items that you'll want to add to your shopping list!

Let's get to the guide!

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Gift Guide for Dogs

Welcome to my fourth gift guide of the season, and it's for man's best friend: your adorable puppy dog!  (Psst...  Check out these links if you missed my other three gift guides for Travel Bugs, Men, and Kids)

While I was putting together the rest of my gift guides, I ended up with a few fun items that would be perfect for your furry friend!  Even though I don't have a pup of my own, any dog's would be wagging after receiving one of these for the holidays.  I included a favorite shop from Shop Small Saturday and some upcoming features as well!

Let's get to the guide!

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