Cherry Blossom

Outfit Details: Dress: Vintage in shop//Headband: Modcloth//Shoes: Thrifted

Happy Saturday darlings, 

Just a very quick pop in today to say 'hello" and wish you the most lovely weekend.  I feel like shouting "Hooray"  as it has finally stopped raining.  First time of the season with bare legs too...whoohoo!  Naturally I want to be out and about and antiquing to my little heart's content but first I must catch up.  Lots to do as we are leaving for Pittsburgh on Monday so back to the suitcase again I go. 

Any special plans on your horizon?  Do tell:)

Love bunches, 

Friday Snippets for a Rainy Day

The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house. All that cold, cold, wet day.

~The Cat In The Hat

As these very cold and dreary days have had me stuck inside, I've decided to make the most of it to conquer the cabin fever.  

So I:

Wrote a new song...it's the first I've done this in a very long while and it's not finished yet, but still, I was feeling quite accomplished.  I've also been fiddling with my own arrangements of "Don't Stop Believin", "Stereo Heart", "Snowed Under", and "Little Talks" nonstop.  It's kind of fun to put your own spin on things.

I won a personalized piece of artwork from Ana of Ana Cloud.  Naturally I asked for a painting of some keys.  I finally got around to giving it a proper home on my wall after a couple failed attempts.



S'more's Cupcakes.  This was my first go-about with them and they were pretty darn delicious with only a few minor kinks to work out.  The toasted marshmallow creme on top was way too divine.

Plenty of play and cuddle time with my little guy. <3



The simple life is simply a sweeter one.
Happy Friday darlings!  See you tomorrow!

Love Bunches,

Come Again Another Day

Outfit Details: Dress: Modcloth (2010)//Floral Crown: DIY//Blouse: Vintage in Store//Brooch: Antiqued//Tights: We Love Colors//Shoes: Gift

Hi there darlings,
Hope your weekend was just as fantastic as mine.  Seems as of late my life has been all about cupcakes and cooking as there is not much to do when stuck inside all day when the rain is drizzling down nonstop.  It's hard to believe flurries filled the air again yesterday...sheesh mother nature!

Nonetheless, I still love where I live and as Earth Day was this past weekend, I was feeling so thankful to be surrounded by plenty of mountains, lakes, and fresh air.  Rain or not, I simply wouldn't have it any other way.

As for the cupcakes...on the menu today is Smore's cupcakes.  So here I sit and type, but really I am ready to take a nose dive into them.  I think I just might.

Hope your Tuesday is lovely and sweet!

xx,

Big Fancy Treehouse

Outfit Details: Dress & Scarf: Vitnage//Cardi: Target//Necklace: Modcloth//Tights: We Love Colors//Boots: Delia's (very old).

Why hello there!
If you follow me on instagram, then you already know that last weekend the little ol fam and I ventured up north a bit to this state park that houses this beautiful little big fancy treehouse that I completely fell in love with!  Goodness, I could have camped out here all day and even all night long.  I'm quite a sucker for a good view...and that it was!  The weather was a comfy cool that day...hence the cardi and tights, but to tell you the truth, I am perpetually cold so I'll wear tights till it hits 75 degrees, no joke!

Anyhow, I feel like spring and summer are all about days like this...much more getting out and a whole lot less staying in.  I'll say it again, I completely adore this time of year.  Here's hoping to stumble upon many more fancy treehouses in my future.

Have a splendtastic weekend darlings!
Love bunches,

What I Baked: White Chocolate Banana Cupcakes w/ Honey Cinnamon Frosting

Happy Friday Darlings!

As promised, here is my banana cupcake recipe that was a big hit last week when I had some company over. I'm quite the bananaholic as well as cupcake obsessor so this seemed to be the perfect combination for me. I took the main parts of my recipe from here & here and modified them just a bit to make them my own. 

What you will need:

Cakes:
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas & 1 extra non ripe banana for garnish.
1/4 cup buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk, you can use 1/4 of plain yogurt)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup white baking chips

Truth be told - I did not use white chocolate chips in my cupcakes - though I wish I had as they taste absolutely delicious when thrown into a batch. I happened to have a bottle of Godiva white chocolate liqueur laying around that someone gave me as a gift so I used 1/2 cup of that instead - since I realize most people don't have this readily available in their house, I know that white chocolate chips would be a fantastic substitute.

Honey-Cinnamon Frosting:
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.
3 tablespoons of honey
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

These are my approximate measurements for the honey and ground cinnamon. You can use more or less depending on how sweet and cinnamon-y you prefer it to taste. I love honey and cinnamon both, so I went a bit more heavy handed then the original recipe called for.  Also, I don't use a ton of frosting on the cupcakes.  Since frosting is sooooo sweet, I always tend to just give my cakes a nice coating instead of piling it on.

Directions:
1. (Preheat oven to 350.) In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add the eggs, vanilla, bananas and buttermilk.

2. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to banana mixture.

3. Fill 18 paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

4. While baking, begin making your frosting. In a large bowl use an electric mixer to beat your confectioners' sugar, unsalted butter, honey, and ground cinnamon until smooth - approximate 5-6 minutes. Frost cupcakes.

5. Top with a slice of banana if desired and sprinkle with a little extra ground cinnamon on top of the cupcakes as well as on the plate for a little added touch of sweet.

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

Now put a cheesy smile on your face and enjoy with your friends:)

If you happen to give these a try, be sure to let me know what you think.

Catch you tomorrow darlings!

xx

Chantilly Plaid

Outfit Details: Skirt & Bag: From Chantilly//Vest: taken from another dress//Hat: UO//Brooch: gift from sister//Shoes: Modcloth

Hello darlings!
Goodness, I think I have just been enjoying the sunshiny warm weather a little too much that the wee ol blog has been ever so slightly neglected.  I can just never get enough sunshine...yes this is my time of year!  So my weekend was filled with plenty of nature walking, thrifting, milkshake drinking, and cupcaking.  - Yes I realize that is not a real verb, but it should be, right?  On that note, my white chocolate banana cupcakes with honey cinnamon frosting turned out scrumptious-dilly-umptious, so sometime this week I will be posting that recipe here on my lil ol space.  Nom nom.  I would highly recommend them if you are a cupcake lover yourself.

Enough about me...  Over at Chantilly Songs today a party is going on to celebrate Chantilly's recent cd release, "Up to the Moon".  If you feel so inclined be sure to pop on over and check it out as both her blog and music are just as sweet as cherry pie (and will surely not disappoint).  I was also so thrilled to recently come home to this thank you package she sent me filled with her cd, a tote, and the most darling little plaid skirt she thrifted for me as a thanks for backing her album:)

That's all for now.  Hope you week is full of plenty of sunshine!
 Love Bunches!

I Say Goodbye...You Say Hello

Outfit Details: Dress, Hat, Brooch, Bag: Vintage//Blouse: Target//Shoes: Thrifted

Just a little pop in darlings to say hello and hope your week is going well.  I'm just playing catch up from being away last week.  That means loads of laundry, and food shopping, and dusting....exciting, isn't it?    Snow flurries have filled the air where I live up in the mountains so back to long sleeves and tights it is.  Hmm, I thought I said goodbye to old man winter already...why is he back again?!

Anyhow...I am off to bake up a batch of banana cupcakes with honey cinnamon frosting.  I will be sure to let you know how that goes:)

Catch you on the weekend!
Love Bunches!

Sweet Easter

Outfit Details: Dress: Vintage in shop//Hat: Vintage - Antique//Shoes: UO (old)

Why hello there darlings!

Seems my little blogging break went a little longer than planned, but I do hope you had a lovely Easter if you were celebrating.  After a long week of judging at a Fine Arts Festival, Al and I headed back to Philly then right back down to Camp Hill to visit with both of our families.  We were entirely pooped out from the week so during these last couple days, plenty of relaxing has been in order before returning back to the daily grind today.  

Easter is pretty traditional for us...church in the morning followed by a big Easter dinner and this year my mom really outdid herself.  Though I'm not a big ham person...or even meat person really, her ham with roasted pineapples and raisin gravy was truly delicious and I can't even speak about the twice baked potatoes without getting a major hankering for them.  Anyhow, following our meal we headed over to the cemetery to visit my Oma (grandmother), & Opa (grandfather), and Nana (grandmother) who all past away last year.  It was bittersweet but nice to have those moments where we looked back and smiled at all the memories they gave us throughout the years.    They felt close and that's all that really mattered.  Off course the day concluded with an egg hunt and plenty of Cadburys for the soul.  

So there you have it, that was my Easter.   Hope your Sunday was just as sweet.  Now time to catch up with all of you as it's been way too long:)

Love Bunches, 

Do Re Mi

Hello darlings!

 As I am off at a Fine Arts Festival this week, I am taking a short lil ol break from blogging til the weekend, but you can catch me on over at Lagelle where the very loverly Tahisha was so sweet to feature me on her latest Style Profile post.  Hop on over this way if you feel so inclined.  Thanks so much for all your sweet wishes and comments while am off judging some good old fashioned songwriting.

Cheers and hope to catch up with you all real soon!

xx Marisa Noelle

Cadbury

Outfit Details: Blouse, Skirt, Scarf, Brooch: Vintage//Cardi: Target//Tights: We Love Colors//Shoes: Modcloth

Oh boy darlings has it ever been a crazy weekend and it's looking like a crazy week lies ahead.  I'm quite alright with that though.  The fam and I are heading off to Philly again this evening and then Albert and I will yet jet off again to a Fine Arts Festival for teenagers all across Pennsylvania and Delaware.  I will be judging the songwriting entries and I simply cannot wait as songwriting is so near and dear to my heart.  It's always so inspiring to see what these lovely guys and dolls who have entered come up with.  I judged it last year and was completely blown away.  At 16, I only wish they had something like this for me.  I would have eaten it up, just like a Cadbury Egg.  At that age, I was completely obsessed with Jewel and Tori Amos and I'm pretty sure everything I wrote sounded like much cheesier versions of their songs.  Haha....I'd like to think, I've come a long way and can hopefully give these students plenty of encouragement as well as constructive criticism.

Alright that's all for now.  Please forgive me if I am nowhere to be found this week.  I do hope to catch up with you all very soon.  Oh and the photos above were taken in my neighborhood.  Deer can be found in my front yard like this on a daily basis.  I just love it!

Love Bunches,