Hello friends! This week's post was inspired by a series I watch on YouTube called "Sense of Self." If you're not familiar, it's a series Ingrid Nilsen does where she goes to people's houses and asks them to share something that evokes each of their five senses. I love learning about people and I think the things they pick are interesting ways to get to know them, so I thought I'd do my own "Sense of Self."
Sight - For sight, I'm choosing my scrapbooks. I love making something that is exactly how
I want it, and of course, I love looking back at the memories made. This picture is
of the scrapbook I'm working on at the moment, which is a whole book dedicated to
my Colorado trip, which has been my favorite trip I've ever taken.
Smell - For smell, I have to share my Bath & Body Works Cinnamon Sugared Donut candle.
I'm the kind of person who associates smells with memories, and to me, this candle
smells like fall days spent at pumpkin patches with my family, where we would
stop at the little stand with the cinnamon roasted almonds before we went home.
Sound - My sound object is not the typical pick for this category; most people would pick
a song or a record player, maybe a music box, but I'm picking the floors of my
house. I've lived in this house my whole life, and the creaks the floors make are
the most familiar sounds I know. I can walk through this house with my eyes
closed and still know exactly where I am by what the sound of the floor is.
Taste - Thanksgiving at my house is a big deal; we go all-out with more food than you can
imagine, and some of the dishes aren't your typical Thanksgiving food. My favorite
of these is "Thanksgiving rice," with is rice with bacon and onions. It's the most
simple thing, but it tastes like home, and I think everyone should have a food that
takes them back home, no matter how far they may be.
Touch - My touch object is more of a collection of things. I'm choosing my Christmas tree
and all of its decorations, from garland to skirt to ornaments. We have a fake tree
because some of us have allergies, so the feeling of the fake needles of the tree
is so familiar, as are the textures of the ornaments and the cushiness of the tree
skirt. Christmas is my favorite holiday, and I love that I have things that are so
familiar that make that time of year feel really nostalgic and homey.
I wish you all the best,
Erin
Hello friends! With the holidays officially upon us, I wanted to share my tried and true, fail-proof gift ideas with you. These are my go-tos when it comes to buying for people I don't know that well, and perfect for things like grab bags, Secret Santas, or even fun little gifts for people close to you, and you can adjust them to any budget. I hope you can find inspiration within some of these, so let's jump right in!
- The Traditional Movie Bucket - This is probably the most generic of all the gifts, but it's a classic. I like to go to Target's $5 movie section, pick a few classics, then put them in a big popcorn bucket (you can find them at party stores and dollar stores). I stuff tissue in the bottom to lift everything up, then I fill in the space with boxes of candy, bags of microwave popcorn, etc. It's adorable and everyone loves it.
- The Amped Up Movie Bucket - In high school, I was in a small choir that had an overnight trip every Christmas, and we always did Secret Santas. My last year, I had absolutely no idea what to get my person, and then it struck me: the Amped Up Movie Bucket. I took my absolute favorite Christmas classic - Elf - and went with that as my theme. I bought the DVD and ordered a mug with the saying about the elves' main food groups, and then bought one of each of those things (candy [any kind will work], candy canes, candy corn, and syrup [I found a tiny bottle at Target]), and that was the box. It was a hit.
- The Sundae Kit - This is great for anyone who loves ice cream (most people) and is super easy, one-stop shopping. I went to the grocery store and picked up things to make sundaes, such as caramel and fudge sauces, maraschino cherries, sprinkles, brownie bites from the bakery, etc. Of course, you can't really gift ice cream, so I also threw in a gift card to an ice cream place.
- The Warm & Cozy Kit - This was another creation that came out of the Secret Santas I've done. I figured that I couldn't go wrong with a cozy theme, so I picked up a fleece blanket (it was super cheap at Old Navy the day after Black Friday), fuzzy socks, a travel mug, some fancy hot chocolate mix, and peppermint lotion and lip balm. My person loved it, and I think she used everything I gave her on that one overnight trip.
- The Spa Basket - Another traditional gift, but so much fun and you can get so creative with it. I like to choose my favorite things to put in it so I know it's a good basket - a face mask, a sugar scrub, lip balm, hand lotion, nail polish, tea, magazines, etc. There really are no rules with this one.
- The Man Box - For me, the difficulty of buying a gift like these doubles when it's for a guy. I like to make it fun and stereotypically "manly" - the guy always gets a kick out of it. I like to put in things like sports magazines, bacon-flavored snacks, pocket-sized tools or desk games (Kohl's and Target have great selections of these every year) - all practical but fun things.
- The Non-Foodie Box - We all know someone who can't cook to save a life, and this is the perfect box for those people. I like to start with a takeout menu organizer, fill it with menus of places around where they live, and then I'll throw in a few non-perishables like a packet of Ramen noodles and some crackers, and I finish it with some small gift cards to different places like coffee shops, sandwich places, etc. They always love it.
- The Emergency Kit - We all know someone else who is always a mess and isn't prepared for a whole lot. This is a funny take on helping them out, while still being a good gift idea. I like to stock up on essentials (Tide-to-Go, Band-Aids, Kleenex), and then some funnier items (for a new mom: surgical masks for changing diapers, for someone who has a hard time saying "no": a voice recorder with my voice recorded saying "no", etc.), and I like to label each thing with funny descriptions. This gives everything some entertainment value, which is always a bonus.
I wish you all the best,
Erin
Hello friends! As it is currently snowing outside and I am freezing, even under four layers of clothes and blankets, I figured it's about time to put these fall favorites away and start up a new round for winter. These are the things I've been loving throughout fall:
- Blankets - I recently ordered a new blanket my bed, because the one I had and loved so much was falling apart and I was holding it together with duct tape. I'll link the one I found below, because everyone needs a warm, cozy blanket for winter.
- Sugar Cookie Coffee Creamer - We all know how much I love my coffee, and one of the seasonal creamers that's out right now is sugar cookie flavored, and it's amazing.
- Worst Bakers in America - This is a show on Food Network, and, being a baker, I found it to be the cringiest, but funniest, food show. Those people were so bad, but I couldn't watching it.
- Christmas Music - Honesty hour: I've been listening to Christmas music since August. And I have no shame. My favorite albums at the moment are all the Pentatonix albums, Peter Hollens, Damian McGinty (especially if you like Michael Buble), and Home Free. They're all amazing.
- Target Tumbler Cups - Around September, Target had tumbler cups in their dollar section (technically the cups were $3 each, but still), and I love them for my iced coffee. They're a good size, and didn't cost me an arm and a leg like any other cup would.
- Singing - When I'm not listening to Christmas music, I'm listening to showtunes, and more than likely singing along, loudly. I've been singing and in choirs since I was little, but haven't done it in a while, so it feels great to be back at it again.
- Christmas Shopping - Guess whose Christmas shopping is done! I went hardcore this year, and I love that I don't have to fight crowds or worry about shipments coming in time. I can just enjoy December now.
- Nameberry.com - I recently made an account there, and the forums are just so much fun. I like the advice giving, but I really love it for the tags and games.
- Chestnut Praline Lattes & Hot Chocolate - 'TIS THE SEASON!!! Starbucks' Chestnut Praline flavor is my absolute favorite, and it's back. I love it.
- Christmas Decorations - And of course, I can't do this post without talking about Christmas decorating. My family does it the Friday after Thanksgiving every year, and now my house is festive and I live for it.
My fluffy blanket: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KFZ4GS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
*Sorry for the lack of pictures this time, I only have a few tangible favorites that aren't very exciting to look at.
I wish you all the best,
Erin
Hello friends! Recently I was watching Food Network and they were showing how to make Swiss meringue buttercream. My mom asked me to make it to see what all the fuss is about, so I went on the hunt for the perfect recipe as well as the perfect cupcake to pair with it. I ended up adapting a simple vanilla cake recipe and taking general ideas from many buttercream recipes. Here's what I came up with:
The Lineup (Cupcakes):
2 1/4 cups AP flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 box instant pistachio pudding mix
8 tbsp. butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
Splash vanilla
1 1/4 cups unsweetened almond milk, room temperature
(Buttercream)
4 oz. (1/2 cup) egg whites
1 cup sugar
16 tbsp. butter, cubed and softened
Seeds from 1 whole vanilla bean
The Play-by-Play:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line 2 cupcake pans.
- Mix flour, baking powder, salt, and dry pudding mix in a small bowl and set aside. Add a splash of vanilla to almond milk and set aside.
- Cream together butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing in between.
- Alternate adding flour mixture and milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined and smooth.
- Evenly distribute batter between 24 cavities, filling about 2/3 full. Bake 16-18 minutes until springy to the touch. Cool completely.
- Over a double boiler, combine egg whites and sugar until all granules dissolve and whites reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer. Place bowl in an ice bath to bring down to room temperature.
- Pour egg mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a balloon whisk and beat on medium high for about 10 minutes until soft peaks form. Add vanilla beans.
- Quickly add butter piece by piece while mixer is still going, mixing until combined and before buttercream starts to break down.
- Pipe buttercream onto cooled cupcakes. Enjoy!
I wish you all the best,
Erin
Hello friends! This week I want to do another "get to know me" post, and after seeing Fern (The Fern Life on YouTube, I'll link her video at the end) do this, I want to answer these questions, as well. Here we go!
- How did you get your YouTube (or blog) username?
- I love the term "stream of consciousness" to describe sharing random thoughts, and I love the idea of celebrating little, everyday things, hence the "streamers," so it's a celebration of little random thoughts.
- If you could change your name to anything, what would it be and why?
- I love lots of name, as you probably know, but I think of all of them, Ingrid suits me best. Ingrid is a name that people either love or hate, which is pretty much how people receive me as a person, and I love that. I think it would be very fitting.
- If you could go back in time and give your younger self advice, what would it be?
- There's nothing wrong with being different. Someday you'll love being different, so embrace it now and enjoy it longer.
- How old were you when you learned to blow a bubblegum bubble?
- I distinctly remember watching Dora the Explorer with my brother and accidentally blowing a bubble when I was about five, and I was so proud.
- What did you want to be when you were little?
- A teacher, then I went to work with my mom (a kindergarten teacher), and that changed very quickly.
- What do you order at Starbucks?
- I really only get Starbucks when the holiday flavors are out, so either an iced chestnut praline latte or a chestnut praline hot chocolate. Trust me, it's amazing.
- When's the hardest you've ever laughed?
- I go into hysterics at my own jokes (or bad puns), so much so that I cry and can't breathe. For example, I was driving past a cemetery with my mom and there was a line of geese walking through the grass. My mom said, "Think they're visiting a loved one?" and I replied, "Maybe. Think it was fowl play?" and proceeded to laugh all the way home.
- If you could play any musical instrument, what would it be?
- Piano; I love the classic sound and versatility of. Plus, being a singer, it would be really helpful.
- What's your favorite thing to do when you're upset?
- What's your favorite movie?
- I can't answer this. I have categories I separate movies into, so picking one overall favorite is near impossible.
- What's one food you can't live without?
- I'm going to maybe cheat and say carbs, that way I can encompass all the lovely breads and starches I love.
- What's your favorite dessert?
- Cheesecake, hands down. There's never a bad time for cheesecake.
- What's your favorite pizza topping?
- Traditional topping: pepperoni. Specialty pizza: buffalo chicken. I love anything buffalo.
- Would you rather have the power to read minds or be invisible?
- Read minds. It's rare that people are always honest, so reading their thoughts is a guaranteed way to know if they're being honest.
- What did you do for your last birthday?
- Not much the day of, but went to a concert to celebrate a few days later.
- If you had one personal "selfish" wish, what would it be?
- I would wish for my dream life: dream house, wonderful husband, my own successful business, ideal number of kids, etc. because not knowing stresses me out, and it'd be nice to know I'd be happy forever.
Fern's video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmSCa1X_OdU
I wish you all the best,
Erin
Hello friends! It's been a while since I shared a recipe, and I have some knockout Swedish meatballs I want to tell you about. These little guys have amazing texture and flavor, and are super easy to make. Here we go!
The Lineup:
2 lbs. ground turkey
1/4 cup dried minced onion
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 egg yolks
1/4 tsp allspice + 1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp. parsley, chopped + more for garnish
salt & pepper, to taste
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
4 cups beef stock
3/4 cup sour cream
Egg noodles, cooked to serve
The Play-by-Play:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, line cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Combine turkey, onion, Panko, yolks, spices, parsley, salt & pepper in a large bowl.
Roll meat mixture into 1 1/2 in. balls, place on tray. Bake 20 minutes.
3. While meatballs are cooking, melt butter in large skillet. Add flour to melted
butter, whisking 1-2 minutes. Slowly add stock, whisking constantly. Simmer about
3 minutes, until slightly thickened. Add sour cream and whisk to combine.
4. Take meatballs out of the oven, place directly into sauce. Cover and simmer 10
minutes.
5. Serve meatballs over egg noodles, top with extra sauce and parsley. Enjoy!
I wish you all the best,
Erin
Hello friends! Yesterday I saw that Alena and Amelia, two namers on YouTube, created this Ultimate Baby Name Tag, and I had to answer it over here asap. Here we go!
- 1. What is your own name and do you like it?
- My name is Erin, which I don't like because it's so common and plain, and my middle name is Violet, which I love.
- 2. If you have children, what are their names and how did you come up with them?
- 3. If you had a baby boy right now what would you name him?
- Declan Oliver - I love so many Irish and Scottish names, and Declan is in that sweet spot of not being too popular yet, but still familiar and easy to pronounce.
- 4. If you had a baby girl right now what would you name her?
- Isla Wren - Just like Declan, Isla is in that popularity sweet spot and is familiar and easy to pronounce.
- 5. What would you name boy/boy twins, boy/girl twins and girl/girl twins?
- BB: Beckett Theo & Calvin Scott
- BG: Gray Caledon & Scarlett Waverly
- GG: Stella Ingrid & Luna Tess
- 6. What would you name your ideal number of children using all names that start with the same letter (or one letter for girls and another for boys)?
- I would have two girls and one boy named Adeleine Grace, Audrey Linnaea, and Andrew Griffin.
- 7. What would you name a boy and a girl using only names from your family tree (or the names of close friends and loved ones)?
- Nathan Theo & Hailey Victoria
- 8. Create a name for your child (You can choose the gender or do one name for each gender) using a.) a combination of your name and your significant other's name or b.) a combination of your parent's names.
- I don't have a significant other, and I can't come up with anything good combining my parents' names.
- 9. You enter a witness protection program and must choose a completely new name for yourself. What name do you choose and is their any special significance as to why you choose it?
- Ingrid Kay - Ingrid is a name I love and (I think) has a bit of mystery to it, which is fitting, and Kay is my grandmother's middle name, and I think I would need her with me because I would be a terrible spy and she would be great.
- 10. If you could create one rule parents had to follow when naming their children, what would it be and why?
- Please choose a name that your child won't be ashamed of telling others as an adult; Rainbow Puff may consider changing her name when she's 18.
- 11. Name a boy and a girl using only nature and place names.
- Hudson Fox & Brooklyn Flora
- 12. Name a boy and a girl using your own first and middle initials. If you don't have a middle name, select an initial of your choosing.
- Eli Vance & Esme Victoria
- 13. Name a boy and girl using names from the most recent data of top 100 baby names in the US.
- Gavin Isaac & Ruby Olivia
- 14. Name a boy and a girl using names from the most recent data of top 100 baby names in the UK.
- 15. Name a boy and a girl using names from your favorite TV shows and movies.
- Larkin Jude (Hairspray, The Fosters) & Nora Wendy (Friends, Full House)
- 16. Name a boy and a girl using names of characters from books and literature.
- Ezra Felix (The Beginning of Everything, Finding Audrey) & Cosette Grace (Les Mis, The Fault in Our Stars)
- 17. Name a boy and a girl using rare letters, Q, X, Y, and Z.
- 18. Name a boy and a girl using names that, for whatever reason, you would never use in real life.
- Caledon Michael & Linnaea Wren - I love both Caledon and Linnaea, but I'm not sure people would ever pronounce them correctly, and I don't want to put that on my kids.
- 19. If you could rename a celebrity baby (or celebrity baby sibset), which one would you pick and what would you rename them? Alternative: choose the name of a friend or a friend’s baby that you don’t like or whose name you feel doesn’t suit them and rename them instead.
- I pick the Busby girls; the Busbys are a reality TV family who have one older daughter and one set of all-girl quintuplets. I don't have a particular issue with their names, I just like the challenge of styling a sibset that has quints.(Note: I'm going to challenge myself by keeping their initials and finding new names to fit them.)Their names are Blayke Louise, Olivia Marie, Ava Lane, Hazel Grace, Parker Kate, and Riley Paige. In that same order, I would rename them Bailey Lauren, Oakley Madelyn, Addison Leigh, Harper Gabrielle, Peyton Kara, and Reagan Paisley.
- 20. Any last names? Do you have any names that you didn’t get to mention in this video that you have been liking recently, heard recently, or were reminded of during this post that you didn’t get a chance to mention? If not, what’s the coolest name or the worst name you’ve heard recently?
- I don't want to share any other names I love just yet - I'll be posting my Top 100 Names in a few weeks, so you'll have to wait and see! As far as cool names, I recently watched a name video on YouTube, and the mom had twins named Louis and Linnaea, and Linnaea happens to mean "twinflower;" how cool!
A special thanks to Alena and Amelia for creating this tag; I'll link their videos for you to see their answers.
Tag Questions: https://youtu.be/we5EjhvQ3OQ
Alena's Answers: https://youtu.be/imcyATuV8GM
Amelia's Answers: https://youtu.be/A8Q-rQA8sfQ
Please answer these questions in the comments or leave a link to you answers. I love hearing from you!
I wish you all the best,
Erin
