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it’s ok… {once again}

April 26, 2012 By Michelle 6 Comments

it’s thursday. i haven’t blogged in a couple of days. i also haven’t linked up with amber & neely in a while, so…
it’s okay…

…that i feel like my blog’s stats have tanked since i switched from blogger to wordpress. who knew leaving behind g.f.c. would bother me so much? surely wordpress has to have some kind of similar app, right??

…that i feel like this semester is never going to end. but, that’s what happens when you’re scrambling to finish a practicum rotation.

…to feel a bit defeated about life in general. you know, because i can’t find maxi dresses for shorties like me. us 5′ tall gals want to be stylish, too, fool.

…that i’ve been a spending machine lately. well, no, it’s not okay. the spending freeze starts today…again.

…to stalk the whole foods website to see when my local store is hiring. seriously, i will work for some food…at a 20% discount!

…that i’m nervous about calling the pediatrician about an issue that i’ve been ~~in denial about~~ avoiding for quite some time {more on that later}.

…that i may not graduate this december as originally anticipated…i just wish the college of education at the university i attend would stop cancelling the required classes that i need to take!

…that my eyebrows look like two hairy caterpillars. don’t get too close to me & you’ll never notice. ha!

…to be excited for adam’s new job & it’s paid holidays, health benefits & direct deposit…three things he did not have at his last job. {seriously, y’all, the construction industry offers nothing.}

…to be a bit bummed that we’re not going to the race in richmond this weekend, BUT malia’s back-to-back lacrosse games makes up for it. now, if only if the forecasted rain holds off…

…that i’m super excited to fly to boston in just over a week to see my sissy {and stock her freezer for when the baby arrives}.

…to be the world’s worst photo a day participant. i do love me some instagram, though! {i’m @maliasma, by the way.}

…that i’m SUPER excited about joining thirty-one gifts at the end of this month! {what’s up…you want me to sponsor your b-l-o-g??}

…that this blog post is ONLY blog post #999. that’s right, y’all, i’m getting ready to hit the 1k blog post mark. tomorrow. that is, IF i blog.

sorry if the spacing in this post is wonky…wordpress & i are not friends at the moment.

Filed Under: it's okay, link up

guest post: mississippi mud cookies

February 2, 2012 By Michelle 3 Comments

hey y’all. i am super duper excited to have my bloggy friend, kimmie, guest posting today. she’s my baking guru & hero. seriously, have you seen her blog? go now after you read this yummy post. kimmie {along with her trusty sidekick, gabby} create all kinds of delectable goodies in the kitchen. but, kimmie’s favorite thing to do? bake. and, after seeing the pictures in this post, you’ll want to bake, too. promise.

First of all, I am so excited to be hanging out with the amazing readers that call Stuttering Shell their friend today! I can’t even tell you how long I’ve been stalking Shell’s space on the web, but I do know that this was one of the very first blogs I added to my ‘blog roll’ back in the day. Besides, anyone who can also rock the short hair is a true winner in my book of awesome.

I have come across a cookie recipe of epic proportions. I’ll let the following text conversation do the talking for how good these cookies really are and then I promise to share the recipe.

You read that correctly. These cookies had to be hidden from my best friend’s husband in order for them to last more than a day. By the end of that week, Meagan had made a total of three batches of cookies and I just knew I needed the recipe stat. And because I love Shell, and you’re guilty of awesome by association, I’m sharing this recipe so that someone else’s thighs will suffer too out of the kindness of my heart. ❤

If you ask me, these are the perfect cookies to show someone you love them this Valentine’s Day. They also make the perfect dough to drown your singles sorrows in, straight out of the unbaked bowl. And at the end of the day if you strategically place them around the house so that no one else can find them, I won’t judge. We’ve all been there.

Mississippi Mud Cookies

adapted from Southern Living Magazine

makes about 3 dozen

Ingredients:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (don’t skimp, Ghirardelli or the likes works best)

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips (once again, don’t skimp)

1 cup miniature marshmallows

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line baking sheets with either parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

2. Microwave semisweet chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl in thirty second intervals, stirring in between until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

3. With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Add vanilla and melted chocolate and mix until fully incorporated.

4. Gradually add flour, baking powder and salt to mixture and beat until a well blended, dough-like consistency is reached. Fold in the walnuts and milk chocolate chips so that they are evenly distributed.

5. Drop dough by healping teaspoon or 1/2 inch cookie scoop onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.

6. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes, push three miniature marshmallows into the top of each cookie and bake for an additional 2-4 minutes until cookies are set. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

like what you see? then go check out kimmie’s blog: full circle foodie. you can also follow kimmie on twitter or via her blog’s facebook page. oh, and don’t ever forget to check out her weekly feature called scrumptious sundays.

Filed Under: baking, Full Circle Foodie, recipe, sponsors

the nail files {1.13.12}

January 13, 2012 By Michelle 14 Comments

last week, vicki & tara kicked off a weekly link up that is all about nail polish. you know, trends, manis, pedis, favorite brands, what color you’re currently wearing, etc. being the slacker that i am, i didn’t participate last week for the inaugural post. instead, i’m a week late, but all will be forgiven when i share with you all the gel mani i gave myself last friday.

yes, instead of posting with the nail files last week i was giving myself a mani instead. a gel mani. at home.

i can’t take credit for the idea of the at home gel mani. i owe a huge thanks to my favorite beach bum who not only linked me to the blog post she found on pinterest {no surprise there}, but she also showed me the stuff to get while we were at ulta last week.

this is what you’ll need:

{via}

it doesn’t matter which color you choose {i bought sheer natural} because you need the small bottle of activator that is inside of the box…

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just to let you know, there are more than three color choices for this kit. the kit was $11.99 at ulta and i also found it at cvs for $11.99. cvs had a $1.50 off coupon at the display and i also had a $5 cvs gift card so i got the kit for a steal. i will admit, i was skeptical. but, where else can you get a gel mani for less than $6?! and, even if it was a total bust at least i wasn’t spending a lot of money on my nails, ya know?

anyways, here was my result:

{at home mani was done on friday, january 6th}

i used my own base coat, polish color & top coat {orly bonder, orly fowl play & seche vite}. i did have to use the cleaner that came with the kit to clean off the brush for the bonder because it did get stiff from coming into contact with the activator. my nails didn’t take long to dry & i was quite pleased with the result. also, i didn’t need to swipe my nails with rubbing alcohol to get a shine either {like you sometimes have to do with a professional gel mani}.

here is my manicure today…one week later:

{please excuse my janky cuticles. my hands are a mess right now. blasted dry skin & eczema!}

i had minimal wear at the tips & one small chip on my left thumb. i’m super hard on my hands & nails. i don’t wear gloves when i clean or wash dishes. i use my nails to peel labels and open things. i am a manicurist’s worst nightmare.

overall, i’m VERY pleased with the at home gel mani. it stinks that you have to buy a whole kit just for the activator, but for the price i think it’s still worth it because a professionally done gel mani will run you up to three times the cost of the kit. and, there is a coupon inside the kit for $2 off of your next purchase, so it’s like a win-win in my book. the next time i give myself a gel mani, i will try using the polish that came with the kit. look for that in a future link up of the nail files.

oh, and if you want detailed instructions about the mani, please check out the blog post that kate put together over at the small things blog.

Filed Under: manicure, nail polish, the nail files

it’s ok thursday: #2 for 2012

January 12, 2012 By Michelle 5 Comments

it’s thursday. you know what to do.
IT’S OK…
…that i’ve been slacking on the blog posts this week because i want y’all to check out my sponsors.
click here and here.
…to dread tomorrow night’s class. seriously, who schedules a graduate level education course at 7pm on a friday night? and, who signs up for stuff like that? oh, yeah…me.
…that i still need to post a couple of reviews & giveaways. it will happen this weekend. maybe.
…that i promised {two weeks ago} to write a tutorial on how to make a rag wreath. it hasn’t happened…yet.
…to be beyond excited that tervis now has a dale earnhardt, jr. tumbler. {p.s. i love me some stock car racing.}
…to be pleasantly surprised by my at home gel mani. i’m linking up with vicki & tara tomorrow to share the deets.
…to dream about going to blissdom & blogher this year. neither will happen, i’m sure. blissdom falls during the weekend of my 10th wedding anniversary. blogher falls right at the end of the summer session {and this girl, unfortunately, will be in classes all summer long}.
…to want to label EVERYTHING with chalkboard contact paper.
…to be slightly obsessed with watching little gold stars fall into the mug on my phone’s starbucks app.
…to want to paint stripes inside my cleaning closet because jen did it. my husband says it’s not necessary. i think it is.
…to be excited that my links now open in a new window. you can run, but you can’t hide from my blog. ha!
…to be ready for warmer, spring-like weather.
…to be happy that days are getting a little bit longer.
go link up with neely or amber & share with us what’s been OK with you this week.

Filed Under: it's okay

january sponsor “shout out!” {part two}

January 10, 2012 By Michelle 3 Comments

if you haven’t already noticed the new sponsor tab, please go check it out!

yesterday, i introduced the first half of stuttering shell’s sponsors for the month of january. today, i’m excited to share rest of my blog’s sponsors with you {because cramming ten sponsors in one post would have been a bit much}. just like i asked yesterday, please join me in welcoming my sponsors {you’ll see them in february, too!}.

meet celia. she’s the adorable author of the blog …just trying to find my way.
she’s also a bad ass scentsy consultant.

“Scentsy is a safe, wickless alternative to scented candles.

The Scentsy motto is to warm the heart, enliven the senses, and inspire the soul.

I originally started my Scentsy business knowing that one day I may want to be a stay-at-home Mom.

I am independent in every sense of the word. Scentsy would allow me to stay at home while still contributing to the household. Now, I’m engaged and planning an intimate wedding for October 2012. The goal? Pay for our wedding using money earned from my Scentsy business!

If you love a smell good home you will love Scentsy. Completely safe for your little ones, as well as your furkids! We have over 80 scents to choose from. We have warmers, room sprays, scent packs, travel tins, scent circles for your cars, and stuffed animals!”

January Warmer – Valentine $31.50 sale price for January!

like what you see?

you can follow celia on the twit, follow her blog,

AND

you can shop or host a scentsy party!

custom, personalized ribbon?
yes, you need it!

meet royal ribbons.
“We provide custom, personalized ribbon for every occasion starting at $2.50 a yard. Discounts apply to large orders. Ribbon widths start at 3/8″ and go up to 4″. Minimum purchase is 3 yards. Our ribbon is perfect for businesses, gifts, corporate events, holidays, baby and wedding showers, weddings, birthday or any other reason you want to stand out and make your mark!

For information or to order please contact us at RoyalRibbon@yahoo.com.”

just one example of a custom ribbon order…

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like what you see?
you can follow royal ribbons on facebook and you can follow the shop’s owner on the twit.
royal ribbons’ owner also blogs at the life of a suburban princess.

need the perfect gift?
well, look no further & let the preppy poppy help you with all of your personalized gift needs.
owner & designer angela takes pride in creating one-of-a kind, monogrammed items for her customers.

from the preppy poppy website:
“Initiated by her creativeness and her need for adorable personalized items, she created, The Preppy Poppy. Named after her love affair with Poppy flowers and her love for always Preppy J. Crew (she was not paid for this endorsement - but wishes she was) clothing, she joined the two names.

Angela’s creations are inspired by her children, for whom she insists on dressing in personalized matching outfits every chance she gets!

What was once intended to be an online boutique for all ages has now been centered on children. Though we carry some personalized items for adults, it appears our kids items are a hit!

The Preppy Poppy strives to create original and quality merchandise. How do we know that people like us – because they always come back!

We appreciate your interest in The Preppy Poppy. We hope you have as much fun shopping the site, as we do creating the products!”

the preppy poppy can also be found on etsy.

{via}

like what you see?
you can follow the preppy poppy on the twit. you can also keep up with the owner, angela, on her blog, diary of a domestic failure.

meet lindsay.

she’s known around the blogoverse as the undomestic chica.
she’s a hard workin’ mama of twin boys who recently turned a year old…happy birthday e & e!!
if you already love her blog, then you’re going to love her etsy store…

custom prints {you know, like subway art} are hot, hot, hot right now.
at lilo prints, you’ll find a wide variety of prints at an affordable price.
even better? everything can be customized.
promise.
why? because lindsay said so:
“the biggest thing i want everyone to know is everything can be completely customized. if they don’t like the background color posted in the shop, let me know and i’ll change it. if they want the font to be just a bit different, let me know and i’ll create a custom posting for them. if they don’t see a quote they like, i can make a custom listing so they’ll get exactly what they want. the possibilities are endless with lilo prints!“

like what you see? well, then go favorite lilo prints in etsy. you can also like lilo prints on facebook.

psst…lindsay has generously offered one of my readers a free print.
details on a giveaway from lilo prints is coming soon, but for now, start making a list of your favorites or think about a customized order.

meet gina.
she is the mastermind behind all of the personalized paper goodies & more at
a touch of whimsy.

i know many of you are already fans of a touch of whimsy, so i’m excited to share a discount code with you all! from now until january 31st, you can get 15% off of your order* when you use the code: shell15

new products are continually being added to the shop and right now a touch of whimsy is offering a faster processing time AND lower shipping rates.

are you looking for a pretty case for the iphone you got for christmas?

{via}

what about some fun address labels like these envelope label wraps?

{via}

personally, i’m just slightly obsessed with chalkboard labels & i’m beyond thrilled to find that a touch of whimsy carries them in a variety of styles & sizes.

{via}

a touch of whimsy has you covered whether you’re looking for personalized paper goods or a fun, cute personalized gift idea.

to quote gina…
“you’ll quickly come to realize that i love what i do and want you to have the best experience possible. i truly hope you enjoy shopping here & find a way to add a little touch of whimsy to someones day!”

don’t forget to use the code shell15 for 15% off of your order* until january 31st!
*code not valid on gift certificate purchases, sale or custom items

like what you see?
you can follow a touch of whimsy on the twit and you can like a touch of whimsy on facebook, too!

i cannot thank my TEN inaugural blog sponsors enough for coming along on this journey with me.
it is my desire to create a mutually beneficial relationship with all of my sponsors.
i hope stuttering shell readers will reach out & welcome my sponsors with open arms.
please take the time to read their blogs & browse their sites. get to know them & consider their shops for any or all of your next gift purchases.