Easy Peasy Cake Cookies

I am so excited to be sharing this recipe with you.  I was first introduced to this recipe here and have since changed it up and created some new ones.

Here is what you need: a box of cake mix, 2 eggs and 1/2 cup of vegetable oil

First pre-heat the oven to 350 and line your baking sheet with foil (I do this for easy clean up).  I do not spray my cookie sheet because there is a lot of oil in the cookies.  Then mix all of the ingredients together in a mixing bowl and mix until combined.

Form about 1 inch balls (maybe a little smaller than a golf ball) and place on the cookie sheet.  I added mini chocolate chips to some of my strawberry cookies.

Place the balls about 2 inches apart.  They will spread a little.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 9-10 minutes.  When you take them out, they will look like they are not quite done, but let them sit out for a few minutes and they will get that hard crust on them.

The last step is to taste test while they are still a little warm.  You know, you have to make sure they are good enough to share with your family and friends.  I shared these cookies with our sweet neighbor.  She loves to garden  and Carson was helping her water her flowers while she was planting them this spring. One morning we woke up to a small bouquet of hydrangeas on our front porch with a note for Carson.  He was so in love with the flowers and couldn't wait to bring her cookies as a Thank You.

This recipe is so easy to change up.  All you need to do is change the kind of cake mix.  I have used Devil's Food, Strawberry, Funfetti and Red Velvet.  I also like to add different things into the batter like chocolate chips, peanut butter chips and white chocolate chips.  I was thinking Lemon cake mix would make delicious cookies too.  So make choices!  Here is a picture of the Red Velvet Chocolate Chip cookies I made yesterday for a family BBQ.  They were a huge hit!

I'm Back!

After a few short long weeks, my computer is back up and running.  Turns out our hard drive was bad... again :(  We had hard drive issues less than 2 years ago (the computer is only about 2 and a half years old) so luckily everything was still under warranty.  I am just so happy to have my computer back.

I have been working on so much over the past few weeks and I cant wait to share it you.  Here is a little list of what I have planned over the next 2 weeks: nursery wall decor, wedding center pieces and accents, desk face-lift,  back to school teacher gift idea, and lots and lots of recipes (including cookies, enchiladas, tacos, summer pasta).

Check back soon for the first project, Nursery Wall decor and the first recipe, Easy Peasy Cookies!

Life without a Computer

I am so sorry I have been MIA for over 10 days.  Our computer died last week and we are trying to get it replaced since the warranty is not up yet.  Ever since we got this computer we have had nothing but problems.  First, the computer had a faulty hard drive and it erased everything from the hard drive about 8 months after getting it.  I am still not over losing ALL of my pictures.  Then over the last 2 years the computer has had it moments where it has been slow and acting funny.  Then, last week when my husband was using the computer it said that there was a hard drive problem and could not turn on.  Thank goodness we have backed up all of our things.
Well, I am not sure when I will be back since I have to come over to use my parent's computer, but I will try my best.  I have so many new projects and recipes I am dying to share with you. They will have to wait until next week though because I am headed to Colorado tomorrow :)  I am so excited to meet my new baby cousin, Logan, and get a few lots of baby cuddles in.  I made Logan a few things so I can't wait to see them on him.  I am also really excited because I get to help decorate the nursery!  Since my cousin did not find out what she was having, they left things pretty neutral.  I have so many project in mind and I hope she likes them.

Check back late next week for an update.  Hopefully the husband will get the computer stuff figured out while I'm gone, you know, in between chasing after the boys ;)

Fashion Friday

Happy Friday everyone!  Today I thought I would share with you my idea of fashion. Now, I am slightly obsessed with Pinterest so here are some of my favorite pinterest finds for fashion.

**All images were taken from Pinterest

Well, these outfits pretty much represent me.  I love jeans (very self conscious about my legs), comfy and casual shirts, zip-ups and hoodies, flip flops, ballet flats and my new love, TOMS.  Most of my clothes are grey, blue, white and black with splashes of pink.  I am really trying to add more color and pattern in my closet.  Lately I have been drawn to strips.  I just bought 2 new striped shirts and I LOVE them.

Now that it is summer you will find me in Bermuda shorts, capris or shorts with a tank.  

I hope you liked learning a little about my style.  Feel free to follow me on pinterest!

Quote Canvas Art {Tutorial}

Before Spencer was born I made a subway art canvas for his bedroom.  I did not (and still do not) have a cricut or silhouette to cut the vinyl, but I was able to borrow a cricut from a friend.  This is what I came up with:

I really love how it turned out and every time I go into Spencer's room it makes me smile. I have been wanting to make another canvas for the playroom, but again I do not have a machine. I am obsessed with Pinterest and I came across a way to make a painted canvas using stickers.  My sister had a birthday present to make for her friend and decided she wanted to try and make a quote on a canvas using the method we saw on pinterest.  First she painted the canvas she wanted to color of the words to be:

Then she added the stickers where she wanted them to go.  Before she did that she decided that she wanted some of the words to stand out so she used another color as well. *Sorry it is sideways*

The next step is to paint over the entire canvas with a different color.

The final step is to carefully peal off the stickers.  My sister used a safety pin to help her pull the edges up.

She also added some small rhinestones and little flowers that I had in my supplies to give it more details.  The colors match her friends room and her friend absolutely love it.
Here is a picture of another one she made for herself:

The canvases came in a 2 pack at Walmart for about $8, the stickers were $2.99 per pack (bought 3 packs) at Michaels and they actually ended up being buy 2 get 1 free.  The paints I had on hand, but are under $1 each.  That is $14 for both projects not including all of the supplies I already had on hand.


I hope you are now inspired to make some artwork as a gift or for your house!

Let there be POWER!

Sorry I have been MIA for a few days.  Last week we had a jammed packed week of fun activities then on Friday night we had a crazy storm and we lost power.  Now normally I would not mind losing power for a day or 2, but we were projected to be without power for a week and it was about 97-100 degrees plus humidity making it feel like 105+.  Luckily my parents, who live less than 5 miles away, had power so Saturday morning we packed up the fridge/freezer, some clothes and the kids and headed over to their house.  It was a little cramped at my parents house, but boy did it beat staying at our house.  After only 2 days without power, the power came back on Sunday night.  I am so glad to be back home and I am looking forward to sleeping in my bed.  

Please check back this week for some new posts.  I'll give you some hints... canvas art work, summer bucket list and a little fashion.  

The perfect Baby Shower Gift

Over the past 4 months there have been so many babies being born.  I have had to get gifts for 2 close friends, my sister in law, my cousin, a friend of the family and 6 co-workers all in the past 5 months.  My favorite gift to give is a homemade gift.  I love to craft and I feel like it means more when I make something that is personalized.  Enter the personalized wood letter:

This one I made for the daughter of my son's daycare provider.  She told me the nursery was a pinkish coral color and white.  


Here are some more that I have made:

 This one was for my team member who was doing a grey, pink and white nursery for baby Gia.  She absolutely loved the letters.

 This letter J is for little Jackson, the son of another team member.  

 The letters H, S and W I made 2 summers ago for some fellow teachers.  

This one I made 2 years ago for my cousin's daughter, Jordan.  Jordan was turning 7.  The J, D and N have ribbon and/or flower embellishments and the O,R and A have small rhinestones.  




Now here is something I would like to do.  I would like to start taking orders for personalized letters, whether it be a first initial, all initials or the first name.  The top 3 are made with 9 inch letters.  The bottom 2 are made with letters that are probably about 6 inches, but I have not been able to find them anymore.  I made those letters 2 years ago and I was living in another state.
The price would be $8.50 per letter for the 9 inch.  If you are ordering 5 or more letters, the price would be $7 per letter.
If you are interested in ordering some, please email me at planestrainsandpb@gmail.com










**Sorry for the quality of the pictures. Most of them were taken with my phone.