Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!
I hope you all have fun plans to celebrate whether it's bar-fulls of green beer or staying in with some grasshopper pie! Today I have for you a hodge-podge of Irish and St. Patty's affiliated fun!

What's It All About?
Love whiskey and pinching people, but curious about the actual history of the holiday? Time magazine has a great little brief history and slideshow here! You'll learn lots of interesting facts (including that the first St. Patty's parade wasn't even in Ireland! Wow!)

Irish Blessings

Those Irish have a way with words! Here are some Irish blessings and wishes for you to take with you on your way today!

Old Irish Blessing:

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

and the rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again, 

May God hold you in the palm of his hand. 

Wish for a Friend:

Wishing you a rainbow for sunlight after showers -

Miles and miles of Irish smiles for golden happy hours -

Shamrocks at your doorway for luck and laughter too, 

And a host of friends that never ends 

Each day your whole life through!

Celtic Blessing:

May the blessing of light be on you -

light without and light within.

May the blessed sunlight shine on you

and warm your heart

till it glows like a great peat fire. 

Jam Out!

For today, I have put together a playlist on Spotify that is made up of all Irish bands and musicians to celebrate their homeland, and some super classic Irish songs!

Check it out here! 

Hope you like these findings and have a fantastic and festive St. Patrick's Day!

How To Party Like An Irish Gal

Happy Friday! 
Tomorrow is St. Patrick's day, and as an Irish lass, I thought I'd impart some fun suggestions to spice up your holiday! Whether you're hosting a party or a pre-game or staying in alone, treat yourself to a little bit of that fun and festive Irish spirit! Below are some tips on fun Irish things to make and enjoy!

St. Patty's Cocktails

Irish Coffee
Ingredients: 2 1/2 oz strong, hot coffee, 1 1/2 oz Irish Whiskey, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 oz whipped cream 
* Pour the coffee, whiskey and brown sugar into a glass or mug, stir well, and float the cream on top!

Dublin Dream
Ingredients: 1 1/2 oz Irish Mist Liqueur, 1 1/2 oz Carolan's Irish Cream, 1 1/2 oz Vodka, 1 oz Chambord Liqueur, 1 oz Fresh Cream
* Mix all ingredients in a martini shaker with ice, strain into chilled glass, garnish with a mint leaf!

Irish Martini

Ingredients: 3 oz Vodka, 1/2 oz Irish Whiskey, 1/2 oz Dry Vermouth, Lime

* Fill martini glass with whiskey and swirl around until it is coated, drain excess whiskey. Then mix vodka and vermouth in martini shaker with ice, strain into the glass and garnish with slice of lime

Irish Snake Bite

Ingredients: 6 oz Irish Stout Beer, 6 oz Hard Cider, Bailey's Irish Cream

* Pour the ingredients except the cream into a glass and stir. Then pour a dash of the cream on top

Purist? Not into cocktails? Here are some sure-fire Irish classics that taste great all on their own:

Beers: Beamish, Guinness, Murphy's, O'Hara's, Porterhouse Brewing Co., Harp, Kilkenny, Murphy's, Smithwick's

Whiskeys: Bushmill's, Jameson, Michael Collins, Redbreast, Greenore

Irish Munchies

Irish Soda Bread

Soda Bread is a tasty and very traditional Irish meal. Here is an easy recipe!

• Ingredients:
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespooones white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup margarine, softened
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup buttermilk

How To Make It:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease large baking sheet.

2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and margarine. 3. Stir in 1 cup buttermilk and egg. 

4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a round and place on prepared baking sheet. 

5. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk; brush loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp knife to cut an 'X' into the top of the loaf.

6. Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

*You may continue to brush the load with the butter mixture while it bakes if you want!

** ALSO, a lot of people mix raisins into their bread, so you can try that if you like!

Bittersweet Chocolate Irish Whiskey Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Irish whiskey

6 ounces bittersweet (70% cocoa) chocolate (such as Scharffen Berger or Lindt), chopped

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder dissolved in 6 tablespoons hot water

1/3 cup blanched almonds (about 2 ounces), lightly toasted

6 tablespoons all purpose flour, divided

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided

7 tablespoons vanilla sugar, divided

3 large eggs, separated

Pinch of fine sea salt

2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

How To Make It:

1 Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour 8-inch-diameter springform pan.

2. Boil 1/2 cup whiskey in small saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 2 minutes. 

3. Combine bittersweet chocolate, espresso powder mixture, and 1/4 cup boiled whiskey in small metal bowl. Place bowl over saucepan of simmering water; stir until mixture is smooth. Remove bowl from over water. 

4. Finely grind almonds with 2 tablespoons flour in processor.

5. Using electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup butter and 6 tablespoons vanilla sugar in medium bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks 1 at a time, then sea salt. Fold in chocolate mixture, then ground almond mixture. 

6. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold whites into batter alternately with remaining 4 tablespoons flour in 3 additions. 

7. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

8. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 30 minutes. Remove pan sides and cool cake completely.

For the Icing:

1. Combine semisweet chocolate and remaining 2 tablespoons whiskey in small metal bowl. 2. Place bowl over saucepan of simmering water and stir until smooth. Remove bowl from over water. 

3. Add remaining 1/4 cup butter to chocolate mixture, 1 small piece at a time, whisking until each piece is melted before adding next. Place bowl over larger bowl of ice water. 

4. Using electric mixer, beat icing until thickened to spreadable consistency, about 1 minute. 5. Spread icing over top and sides of cake. DO AHEAD Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover with cake dome and let stand at room temperature.

Want Somethin More Simple?!

Clover Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcake Mix any flavor you like, with whatever other ingredients it requires (egg/oil/water), white frosting, green food coloring. PLUS tinfoil and cupcake liners

How To Make It:

1. Preheat oven and mix cupcake mix as instructed on box

2. Place paper liners in muffin trays and then fill each halfway with batter

3. For each cuocake, roll 3 balls of foil (think about 2/3" in diameter) and insert them evenly around the edges between the liner and tin (see below photo)

4. Bake the cupcakes for a few minutes less than the box says, because there's less batter per cup than they suggest - until a toothpick comes out clean, and allow the cupcakes to cool and remove them from tin

5. While they cool, mix the green food coloring into your white frosting(use about 1 teaspoon to a 16oz thing of frosting) and cover the clover shaped cupcakes

*Optional: use a toothpick to draw leaf veins, and put about a 2" piece of green licorice for a stem!

St. Patty's Decor

Hostessing with the mostessing? Better Homes and Gardens has some fantastic and simple decor ideas that aren't too kitschy and that will spruce up your place and give a little taste of Irish to your fete! Click Here to check it out!

Hope you like these tips and ideas! Have a fantastic St. Patrick's day!

Make Your Own Stamp!

Hey There, Crafters!
It being the week of St. Patrick's day, I have been scouring the internet to find a groovy Irishy craft for today, but to no avail :/ Everything I found was specifically for children or not very cool or super complicated. SO I decided to just do something that I liked a lot and thought you guys would like too! AND if you so choose, you can apply it to St. Patty's!
Today's craft is a really neat one that's also cheap and easy! I found it on a blog I've talked to you about before: A Beautiful Mess. It's how to make foam stamps! You can make all kinds of shapes, and they can be used to stamp anything your heart desires!

Materials:
- Craft foam (try for thicker)
- Little wood blocks
- Glue (wood glue or hot glue)
- Scissors & a permanent marker
- A Paintbrush & whatever kind of paint you wanna use! (Think fabric paint for clothes, wood paint for furniture, ink, etc)

How To Make It:
1. Draw an easy shape on the foam with permanent marker (think hearts or stars or clovers *holiday hint* etc! ALSO - keep in mind that when you stamp it the image will be an opposite direction, so make sure you reverse anything that will need it)
2. Cut your shape out of the foam and glue it to your block of wood, then make sure it's fully dried
~ Now you have your stamp!
To use it, brush your paint on to the stamp and run with it! Stamp all over the place! Make sure to wipe it off after use! 
*ALSO if you're painting on a piece of clothing, make sure you put some paper towels/cardboard/something in between layers so it doesn't bleed through to the other side!

You'll find yourself stamping everything from notebooks to dresses to walls to skateboards to cards! Enjoy!

Things That Will Always Be Awesome.

Frozen Pizza ~ Twinkle Lights ~ Champagne for no reason ~ Levis ~ Amy Poehler as "Kaitlin" on SNL ~ Heart shaped cakes ~ The Cure's "Disintegration" ~ Photobooths ~ Christmas Tree Shopping ~ Ballet flats ~ 75 degree weather ~ I Love Lucy ~ Child's Pose ~ Bobby Pins ~ iPhones ~ Billy Wilder Movies ~ Bow ties ~ The Dollar Store ~ Getting Flowers ~ Sharpies ~ Blazers with elbow patches ~ Manners ~ Ray-ban Wayfarers ~ Home-knit scarves ~ Greeting Cards ~ Mix CDs ~ Chuck Taylors ~ Van Gogh's brushstrokes ~ Swimming Pools ~ Sock Monkeys ~ Lattes ~ Color Copies ~ Turquoise ~ Beach cruisers ~ Steak ~ Elvis' 1968 Comeback Special ~ Cigar boxes ~ Finding something you think you've lost ~ Monograms ~ Paris ~ Gone With The Wind and The Wizard of Oz ~ Ukuleles ~ Slurpees ~ Cacti ~ Suspenders ~ Margaritas ~ Folk Music ~ Aquanet ~ Monster Cookies ~ "Home" by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes ~ Marlon Brando ~ Ben & Jerry's ~ Friends ~ Fake eyelashes ~ Oscar Wilde ~ Dogs in outfits ~ Sailboats ~ Halloween Candy ~ Chanel ~ Kisses ~ Mason Jars ~ Disney's Matterhorn ride ~ Music on Vinyl ~ Campfire hot dogs ~ Hefeweizen ~ Pinatas ~ Banana Splits ~ Sterling Silver ~ The Pacific ~ Dinner Parties ~ Tea Parties ~ Costume Parties ~ Dance Parties ~ Walk-in closets ~ Pompadours ~ Coffee Table Books ~ Stickers ~ Frivolity ~ Lists.

I'm Moving to Downton

 Downton Abbey is the best thing on TV. Period. 

           Part mystery, part romance, part tea-time dramedy, this high society soap opera has engrossing characters, riveting plot twists, and writing so great you'll wanna stall eating your popcorn so you don't miss a second. I was hooked by season one, but season two - Season two is effing incredible! How can so much class combined with so much melodrama culminate in such perfection?!
           Built around stolen moments and hushed conversations, the period show maintains a quick pace and keeps you on the edge of your seat. You hear half the story from behind doors or through vents, seeing the characters' fates transpire through windows and telegrams. The duality of characters between the nobility and the servants is genius, and the way their lives and situations intertwine creates a thickly knotted narrative you won't want to untangle.
           The cast delivers a truly tour de force company performance. The subtlety of the portrayals keeps the realism afloat in a sea of ostentatious circumstances and intensified drama. All of the characters have a symbiosis, unable to successfully exist without the others. I'm barely sure where to begin when praising the dexterity of the ensemble. They are all absolutely fan-freaking-tastic. 
           Maggie Smith's zippy one-liners are delivered so purely that you can't help but adore her. Moments such as where she asks "what is a weekend?" highlight the delusion of the upper class with such tongue-and-cheek aptitude, but she also has really lovely moments of sincerity that make you want to hold her tiny ancient hand in yours. Hugh Bonneville has created the most noble, most magnanimous role as his Lordship and is powerfully engaging. Rarely can someone pull off such gentility combined with such underlying strength with such skill. I may have a big British crush on him... 
           As Mathew and Mary, Dan Stevens and Michelle Dockery's will-they-won't-they chemistry is addictive excellence, and Brendan Coyle and Joanne Froggat create an incredibly sweet and longing liaison as Bates and Anna. And villainy takes a new form in the characters of Thomas and O'Brien (Rob James-Collier and Siobhan Finneran). Never have two people accomplished so much delicious plotting during their smoke breaks. 
           I am more invested in the lives of these characters than I am in most major news stories! (Sad or just great TV? You decide...) Having just completed season two in a 2-day binge, I have come to a decision: I'm cinching up my corset, packing my steamer trunk and moving to Downton. 
           I want to taste Mrs. Patmore's cooking, and have tea with Cora his lordship. I want to go riding with Mary and strive for perfection with Carson. I'd go driving with Edith, head to the front lines with Mathew and share late night secrets with Sybil. It will be fabulous!
           Sadly, it being 2012, and, well, reality, I cannot actually move to Downton. I can however, curl up with my slippers and giant bag of saltwater taffy and take little hour-long visits to the estate and all my lovely cohorts. Season three isn't due on PBS until January of next year and I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do with myself (other than watch seasons 1 & 2 until I know them all verbatim). 
           To any of you who haven't seen it yet, I envy you. I envy that you get to experience it all for the first time and let the gust of amazing sweep you off your feet. Give it a couple episodes, and I strongly believe that you will be as invested in the fate of the Crawley family as I am.