T minus 1 day....Drum roll please.....

Photography by Zila Longenecker. Love her.

The Mississippi State Fair will be here tomorrow!! Can't. Wait. The Fair is honestly one of the things I look forward to all year round. Nathan thinks I'm insane and I really can't explain it. Maybe it's the whole nostalgia thing....memories of being a kid, a teenager, whatever, but I just love it. I love the rides (which I'll sadly be missing out on this year due to Baby #2 on board...except for some kiddie rides I suppose ;) ), the lights, the sounds, Circus Maximus! and last, but not least the food (the biscuit tent and all that other deep fried loveliness). Dylan was so small last year that even though he was a trooper he really didn't know what was going on. This year I'm excited to see how he'll respond to all the fun.

Seriously.

Can't. Wait.

Knock You Naked....Brownies.

FYI the Salt Creek Steakhouse in Breckenridge
named these little nuggets of heaven so no. If only I could
be so clever.

For our first two home games I really wrestled with a severe sweet tooth. And not just any old sweet tooth. An ooey gooey caramel chocolate filled sweet tooth. If you love pecans, chocolate, caramel and powdered sugar - you'll love this recipe. And best of all - it's super easy and quick to make. Below I've posted the recipe, but if you'd like to venture over to Ree's website (I love scrolling through all of her yummy recipes), click here.

Ingredients

• 1 box (18.5 Ounce) German Chocolate Cake Mix (I Used Duncan Hines)
• 1 cup Finely Chopped Pecans
• 1/3 cup Evaporated Milk
• 1/2 cup Evaporated Milk (additional)
• 1/2 cup Butter, Melted
• 60 whole Caramels, Unwrapped
• 1/3 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, chopped pecans, 1/3 cup evaporated milk, and melted butter. Stir together until totally combined. Mixture will be very thick.

Press half the mixture into a well-greased 9 x 9 inch square baking pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and set aside.

In a double boiler (or a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water) melt caramels with additional 1/2 cup evaporated milk. When melted and combined, pour over brownie base. Sprinkle chocolate chips as evenly as you can over the caramel.

Turn out remaining brownie dough on work surface. Use your hands to press it into a large square a little smaller than the pan. Use a spatula to remove it from the surface, then set it on top of the caramel and chocolate chips.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for several hours. When ready to serve, generously sift powdered sugar over the surface of the brownies. Cut into either nine or twelve helpings, and carefully remove from the pan.

*Adapted from the classic "Knock You Naked Brownies" recipe, based on a dessert at the Salt Creek Steakhouse in Breckenridge. These brownies don't really knock you naked...but almost.

Tune in Tuesday. Mumford & Sons.

Mumford & Sons' Babel is here! Oh how I love these guys. Pretty pumped.

And for your listening pleasure - a clip from last Saturday's SNL performance. Yeeesh.

As Julie sings it best.

Batiste.

I'm not a daily hair washer. If this grosses anyone out I apologize. With all the coloring, flat ironing and blow drying I don't like the idea of damaging it anymore than I have to. Plus it cuts my get ready time down by half an hour. :) However, I'm never really okay with skipping a day of hair washing unless I spray in some dry shampoo to volumize and freshen it up. I've been using various salon quality brands over the past few years and it wasn't until the last several months that a little birdie chirped in my ear (Lis, you are the birdie in the story) that this stuff was the bee's knees. And best part - it's sold in Kroger for a fraction of the price of the other brands. I was hesitant because I had tried some cheaper ones that left my hair feeling oily and flat, but this stuff....this stuff is the best dry shampoo I've ever used. Doesn't weight my hair down, make it oily or over dry it. It's awesome. So if you're into the whole dry shampoo thing - go find this little product in Kroger asap. 

Smashbox Master Classic Palette.

Confession - I'm a huge eye shadow junkie. I'm aware that I probably wear too much of it at times, but I love it. As of late I've been buying more and more of the Smashbox eye shadows so when I stopped in Sephora the other day to grab some lipgloss I decided to make a quick peek at the Smashbox palettes. It was like Christmas! They are currently selling the Smashbox Master Classic Palette which includes 28 eye shadows along with blushes, lip glosses, cream eyeliners and more. If you've never used Smashbox eyeshadow you should give them a whirl. They're very smooth. Love them!

Take Me Home Tonight - the Soundtrack. 

A little late in expressing my love for this album, but it wasn't until a month ago that I finally watched the movie. Even though it didn't make my favorites list I still enjoyed it. If you liked "Can't Hardly Wait" back in high school you should rent it. It's currently on Netflix Instant. Anywho - what really made this movie so enjoyable for me was the music (and the fact that Dan Fogler was in it). If you love 80's music as much as I do you'll enjoy the album. Check it out.

First Day of School. Cheers.

First day of Mothers Morning Out was today. "Yippee!" says Dylan. Actually in the above photo he's singing and dancing to the "Hot Dog" song. If you know Mickey Mouse Clubhouse you know the drill.

Love. On Paper.

This Summer has been pretty exciting work-wise. Some of you know that I still freelance identity, stationery and brochures. This has always been my main line of work whether in an advertising/marketing agency environment, non-profit or freelance. Website Design and Development once belonged on that list, but since Dylan was born I've slowly, but surely phased this out. At home with an infant, now toddler, I sadly haven't been able to crank it out fast enough. It's been bitter sweet. I love web programming and design, but I don't really miss the hours upon hours of programming and the sleepless nights.

But the reason for this post is an additional something - Invitations. I've designed invites, gift tags, thank you notes, food tags and wedding programs for fun off and on for several years. Within the last two it has started to grow into a more frequent thing. Even though ALL of the work I design is considered "fun" I really look to the invitations as my creative outlet. Identity/Stationery/Brochure work is often corporate in style so the invitations give me a chance to let lose and try some of the design styles I've been longing to dabble in. Over the past few months I've had a lot of great design opportunities...Weddings, Wedding Showers, Baby Showers, Baby Announcements, Birthdays....It's been great fun. So I figured I'd post just a few of my recent favorites. I'm going to try and do a better job of showcasing my work from to time. I get so timid, but I'm working on that. Here you go.....

Dylan's 1 Year Birthday Invite

A 3 Year Old's Birthday Invite. The theme was Firetrucks. :)

A Couples Shower Invite

Thank You Notes

A Wedding Invitation

Wedding Program to accompany the Invite

A Couples Shower Invite

A Baby Boy Shower Invite

Birth Announcement. Photographed and Designed.

Back side of Birth Announcement. Photographed.

A Baby Girl Shower Invite

A Sip-n-See Invite

A Baby Girl Shower Invite

A Couples Shower Invite

Gift Tags

Peanut Butter + Chocolate Chip + Oatmeal = Heaven on Earth.

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

College Football/Tailgate season begins this Saturday and with it comes my desire to up the baking in the Lott abode. Sadly we're hanging at home this weekend missing out on our first home game due to the weather, BUT I already had my ingredients on the counter prepared to bake tonight so - I baked. What to bake? For the past few weeks I've been craving my all time favorite - Martha Stewart's Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Recipe. I stumbled across the recipe back in '08 and it quickly became one of my go-to's. I almost want to keep this recipe all to myself and claim it as my own, but it's really too good not to share. You can click on the link to the recipe above, but I'm including the ingredients and directions below. Now that these little puppies are cooked, cooled and in their little tin, it's time to watch some tv with the hubs. Night all.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups salted whole peanuts
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
2. Put sugars, butter, and peanut butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in eggs and vanilla.
3. Reduce speed to low. Add oat mixture, and mix until just combined. Mix in peanuts and chocolate chips.
4. Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop balls of dough 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
5. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown and just set, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 days.

Time Travel Tuesday

Before they were "Mom" and "Dad" or "Mimi" and "Poppy" they were simply Kenny and Sandra, the couple. I love this picture so much. My mom isn't crazy about it because she's not smiling, but I think she looks peaceful and beautiful. My aunt found the photo several years ago when looking through my grandparents old photo albums. "Young Love" is what comes to mind when I look at it. Sweet. Enjoy.

Kenny and Sandra.

Happy Birthday to this Girl!

Tiffany Long
(if you haven't already
noticed - Wilson Long is her clone)

As a child, she didn't wear many clothes. Times were tough. Money was tight. But in all seriousness, if you see Tiffany this week wish her a Happy 29th Birthday! The last of her 20s. I'm so lucky to have this girl as a sister and best friend. She has always been so good to me. Stood up for me in my moments of pansy-ness. And she makes me laugh pretty much every day. I love her.

As Julie sings it best.

I love reading the "favorite things" segment of other individuals' blogs. I feel like it often inspires me and, from time to time, I discover something new. So even though it's kinda unoriginal of me, when the mood strikes, I'd like to share a few of my favorite things. So this will be the first of my "As Julie sings it best" posts. And if you have a hard time with the Julie Andrews reference - go get your google on. ;)

Stella & Dot Rebel Pendant Necklace. 
What can I say? I'm very happy with my purchase. (Thank you Kasey!) I always love a long necklace with a beautiful unique pendant. And this one kinda makes me feel like I'm wearing Joan's sophisticated pen necklace in Mad Men. If you love Stella & Dot as much as I do, but don't have a rep to order from my friend's sister is a sales rep. Click here to visit her site.

The Lacoste Classic Small Shopping Bag. 
This bag is the perfect sized tote! This was my mother's day present from a few months back. Ordered through Zappos. It's useful for so many errands/travels/etc.

Breaking Bad!

Yep, we're digging into Season 1 as I type. The future of this show is looking pretty bright. 

And last, but definitely not least....

Catching Fire. 

I was a little late at jumping on the Hunger Games band wagon, but I'm here now. Round 2. I just can't quit you Hunger Games. :)

A one year old's birthday. We love you Dylan.

As most of you know, this year has been a new experience for the Lotts. On July 22, 2011 our lives were changed in the most blessed way when Dylan James Lott finally arrived. The first child is a definite adjustment - loss of sleep, many dirty diapers, temper tantrums, spit up, you know - the icky stuff, but it's also the coolest sweetest most indescribable thing. We've had so much fun watching this little guy grow month by month. Watching his cool little personality form and witnessing his firsts - giggling, sitting, crawling, talking and finally walking! I can go on and on, but what this post is really about - is the celebration of the one year mark. We had such a great time gathering with close friends and family. It was truly an amazing day.

Being a graphic designer - I really looked forward to planning and decorating the shin-dig. I didn't want it to be over the top or to lose meaning of what the day was all about, BUT I also wanted to put some of my design and craft skills to good use.

Here I wanted to post a few of the items I designed for the big day including the birthday invite, thank you cards, framed art, banners, hats and some additional decor. They really were all pretty simple and fun to make. The theme was Dr. Seuss. I didn't want to go with the classic over done Dr. Seuss using the red blue and black. Don't get me wrong - I love me some Cat and the Hat and Thing One and Thing Two (if you knew me in high school you'll remember my T1&T2 t-shirt. Big Dork.), but I really wanted to go for the Lorax meets "Oh the Places You'll Go" when it came to illustration and color scheme. So this is what I came up with.....

The invitation.
The illustration was created to represent the hills in
Dr. Seuss' "Oh the Places You'll Go"

Front Door Decor.
Printed/Sewn Paper Flags, Framed Art, Etc.

Birthday Hat and High Chair Banner.
I had so much fun with the hat since it was foreign to me.
I'll try and post a better picture later.

This was the front entrance display including a suitcase of
treats for the guests, a billy ball bouquet in ode of the
truffula trees, Dylan's monthly pictures from his first
year on display and Dr. Seuss' "Happy Birthday To You"
for all the guests to sign.

Smash cake by AlliCakes. 

Cake by AlliCakes.

Easy Peezy Candy Coated Pretzel and
Marshmallow Sticks. Kinda like truffula trees!

And now for some additional photos of the birthday boy! 

Dylan, sweet boy, we love you so much!