I Heart Faces - Celebrating Teens

Now that summer is here....i heart faces is celebrating teenagers and showcasing their talents by having several weeks devoted to them!

This week, anyone can enter and 
you must have a teen in the photo.

The week of July 5th ONLY teens (age 13-19) can enter a photo into the challenge!
That will be fun, as Sunshine is pretty good with her point and shoot camera! I can't wait to see what she comes up with for that week!!  If you know a young person interested in photography, be sure to tell them about the photo challenge on July 5th for ages 13-19 only. You can visit this page to learn about the details.

Last week while out shopping I took this picture of Sunshine, and then tried my hand at some new actions from Amy McMaster and AMP Actions.

I've learned so much about editing in the Everyday Elements Workshops!
Sign up for PSE workshops here 
 






Be sure to check out all of the amazing entries this week!

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I Heart Faces - All About Babies

They are celebrating itty-bitty babies this week at i heart faces!!

Lucky for me, I had the chance recently to take pictures of my 8 day old great niece!

It's my 11th time becoming a Great Aunt.....but my first time with a newborn shoot!

I'll share a few more pictures another day.......

This is one of my favorite shots from the day!

Congrats Erin and Ryan!!

♥

Welcome baby Clara!

Join in all the baby fun over at i heart faces this week!

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I Heart Faces - "Play"

This week over at I Heart Faces, the theme is "play".

I just so happen to have the perfect photo!

I had the pleasure of watching this little dude one day recently, when his mom was in a bind. His mom is one of Hollywood's best friends...........they have been BFF's since grade school. It's hard to believe that one of her friends has a three year old!!

I thought.......what on EARTH am I going to do with a three year old BOY! (I only have girls) LOL

Well, I pulled out the camera, and went outside......apparently little boys LOVE to play outside.....little girls.... not so much! lol

He was happy with the big ball we had, so he played, while I shot.
This was one of my favorite shots of the day!

Pop over to I Heart Faces for lot's of PLAY time this week!!

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I Heart Faces - Smile

This week at I Heart Faces, they are having a “smile” photo challenge. Kristen Kalp from Totally Rad Actions is the guest judge !

I took Sunshine and a few friends out for a "photo shoot" a few months ago.....this is one of my favorite shots of the three of them that day.




Join the fun!..... enter your SMILE picture this week at I Heart Faces!!



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I Heart Faces - Dessert!

Ok, this week's theme at I Heart Faces is RIGHT up my alley.........

Desserts!!....a photo of a dessert!

and get this..........

the guest judge is no other than the AWESOME….

the one and only Bakerella!!

Woo hoo!

You don't even need to have a face in your picture this week.

I had a hard time deciding what picture to enter........I have fun photographing food

I think right at this moment, this is my favorite though

The Raspberry Filled Vanilla Cupcakes I made for Easter

You can find the recipe and how-to's in this post.

You can find more recipes in my recipe box.

You can find all of my food shots in my Flickr sets.

Now head over to I Heart Faces for more amazing dessert shots!!.....or enter your own!!

Raspberry Filled Vanilla Cupcakes

So last week I showed you the cookies I made for Easter.

But Sunshine wanted cupcakes.

I wanted simple.

I was originally just going to make Vanilla cupcakes with Vanilla Butter Cream frosting.

But I thought that sounded a little boring......

what could I do to "kick it up a notch?"

When I thought.........RASPBERRY FILLING!!

These were really easy when I used the secret trick of making a box mix taste like homemade!

French Vanilla Cupcakes

(print recipe here)

1 box Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe French Vanilla (this is my FAVORITE vanilla cake mix)

3 Large Eggs

1/2 cup butter, melted (use butter not margarine....trust me on this!)

1 cup of water

Directions

Melt the butter in the microwave.

Add cake mix, eggs and water to the butter in large bowl.

Mix on low for 1 min. Then mix on high for 1 min.

You will be amazed that your batter is nice and thick and creamy - not thin and runny like it is when you follow the box instructions.

Fill cupcake papers - tip: use an icecream scooper! - One scoop is just the right amount per cupcake!

Pop them in the oven on 350 for 20 minutes.

Let cool.

While the cupcakes are cooling, make the raspberry filling

Raspberry Filling

2 full cups frozen unsweetened raspberries, thaw with 1/4 cup sugar (or thaw sweetened raspberries with out adding sugar, unsweeted was what I had on hand)

1/3 cup sugar

1-1/4 cups water*

6 Tbsp flour (or 3 T. corn starch - I didn't have corn starch)

1 tsp lemon juice

In a medium sauce pan, combine water*, sugar, flour and lemon juice and mix well. If there is any juice in your raspberries, drain the juice and add to water = 1-1/4 liquid. (I didn't have much juice at all, but if you by sweetened raspberries, they may yield more sauce.)

Heat and stir until mixture boils and thickens.

Cool completely.

Stir in thawed raspberries.

Yields approximately 2 cups of filling.

(I made 1/2 of this recipe because I didn't want to fill all of my cupcakes.)

Filling your cupcakes

1. Bake cupcakes and cool completely
2. Cut out a small cone shaped section in the center of the cupcake
   
3. add raspberry filling to the hole
4. replace the tops (just do the best you can- they don't have to be perfect)
5. Now they are ready to frost.

Butter Cream Frosting

1 cup real butter (not margarine) *room temperature
1 cup vegetable shortening
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups powdered (confectioners) sugar
1/4 - 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
paste food coloring

Thoroughly cream butter and shortening . Beat in the vanilla. Add sugar, one cup at a time until blended. When the sugar is completely beaten in and the sides of the bowl are scraped down, add the whipping cream, beating at the highest speed until super fluffy, about one minute.

If you wish to add color to your frosting, like I did, use the gel paste food coloring. It's stronger and more vibrant. Add frosting to a pastry bag with your favorite tip and frost! I only filled 1/2 of my cupcakes, so I frosted the filled cupcakes in white frosting with sprinkles....the cupcakes with the pink and yellow frosting do not have filling.

(print full recipe here)

If you enjoy filled cupcakes, you may want to check out the Chocolate Strawberry Filled Cupcakes I made.

I Heart Faces is hosting

My Story in Photos: Dessert Edition

I'm sure there will be some AMAZING recipes and photos!!

I'm also linking this post to Sweet Shot Tuesdays!

I'm sharing this recipe at Bake at 350, Tempt Your Tummy Tuesday, Balancing Beauty and Bedlam Mouth Watering Mondays and Tuesdays at the Table, Cupcake Tuesday, Foodie Friday Make Ahead Meals (Cakes) recipe exchanges, and Kimba's DIY Day, and Strut Your Stuff and Spring Fever Friday and Tip Me Tuesday,

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I Heart Faces ~ Dramatic B&W

The theme at I Heart Faces this week is “Dramatic Black and White” and the guest photographer judge is Tara Whitney.

I thought I'd enter this self portrait I took with my tripod and remote back in February as part of my 365 project.

I love black and white photography, so I'm excited to see all of the other entries this week!!

I'm also linking this shot up over at

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I'd like to introduce another new TidyMom sponsor.......

Amanda of Usborne Books & More



Usborne Books and More are award winning, high quality educational children's books for all ages. With over 1400 titles, we have something for everyone!

Take a look at the books kids LOVE to read!

I Heart Faces ~ Unusual Angles

The theme this week at I Heart Faces is “Focusing on Angles” and the guest photographer judge is Brad Barton.

I was so excited for this week, because I knew just what I wanted to do.

I love shots from up above, looking down.

My oldest daughter was my willing model for this assignment and I was just THRILLED how it turned out! I took this picture on Friday and I already have it hanging on the wall in our family room!

And yes, that's a blue (clip in) stripe in her hair! lol

Be sure to visit I Heart Faces for all the other great entries......

or enter one of your own!

I've also linked up to a new photo blog hop...
"Sweet Shot Tuesdays" hosted by Life with my 3 Boybarians

I Heart Face ~ Bundled Up

I'm late in getting my entry up this week.......we've had a lot going on around here lately.

The theme this week is “Bundled Up” and Tracey Clark is the guest photographer judge.

I took this picture on Feb 5th - it started snowing about 8:30am and they sent the kids home from school about 11:30am - My husband went and picked Sunshine up and I got this shot just as they pulled up at home and got out of the truck.

Head over to I Heart Faces for more amazing entries!

I Heart Faces - Jump for Joy!

The theme this week at I Heart Faces is “Jump for Joy” and Kelly Moore is the guest photographer judge.

I was so excited for this week, because I knew just what picture I wanted to enter!

I took Sunshine and two of her best friends outs out for a little "photo shoot" a few weeks ago and we got a great "jump shot".

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I also wanted to thank everyone for all of the WONDERFUL Birthday wishes yesterday!

You all are AWESOME!!

Want to see what my family got me?

Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX Lens

Tamrac 3536 Express 6 Camera Bag (Black)

♥ I had the perfect birthday! ♥

Be sure to head over to I Heart Faces to see all of the other GREAT entries!! Should be a really fun week!
(I've got my post up a little early.........the linky party doesn't go up until late tonight)

I ♥ Faces {Hands}

My entry for "Hands Week" at I Heart Faces is this picture I took of me and my husband on Valentines Day for my 365 project .

This picture sums up how I feel about him as we approach our 24th wedding anniversary in a few months. He's ALWAYS there for me. ALWAYS by my side. ALWAYS there to catch me when I fall.

Click on the button to view all the other fantastic entries this week! The guest judge is Becky Earl she's such an amazing photographer ♥

And while you're over at I Heart Faces check out some more Flat TidyMom sightings!! While in Nashville she wore her I Heart Faces T-shirt and fancy camera strap and was able to ride along with Amy & Angie for the Nashville Photo Walk!

Click to See Flat TidyMom at the Nashville Photo Walk

I'm telling you, Flat TidyMom really got around in Nashville and I am just overwhelmed with the amount of support all of my bloggy buddies have given me! You guys ROCK my WORLD!!
Cathe, Amy and Angie.

I ♥ Faces - Completely Candid

I instantly thought of this pictures when I saw that this week's theme at I ♥ Faces is
"Completely Candid"



It's a picture I took of my mom and Sunshine on my mom's birthday back in June.

I don't remember exactly what Sunshine was doing, but it sure made Grandma laugh!
I love that when you convert to black and white, you "feel" the emotion in a picture.

It makes me smile that at 12 years old, she can still have fun with Grandma!♥

Check out all of the other wonderful candid shots this week at I♥Faces


Speaking of my Mom and Grandmas...
do you know that we have and use my mom's old washer and dryer,
and it belonged to my Grandma before my mom had it! LOL

Yes, I could REALLY REALLY use a new Samsung Washer & Dryer
and YOU could help me WIN by
clicking here
and leave me a comment!
You can comment as many times as you want!!
Thanks so much!

I♥Faces -"Contemplative"

Labor Day weekend we had fun at a family birthday party at a park. I hope to post some of those fun pictures soon!

This weeks theme at I♥Faces is Contemplative.

I had recently been working on the pictures from the party and when I saw this picture of our great nephew, I knew I had to use it shot for this week's entry.

He was deep in thought while patiently waiting for his slice of cookie cake!

Be sure to click the button below for all of this weeks great entries!