vanilla iced coffee

{  love an iced coffee!  }

Brew your favorite coffee. Stir in a sweetener of your choice. Add in one teaspoon of vanilla. Pour the brewed coffee into an ice tray and freeze. Once frozen, place coffee cubes into a freezer bag for easy use.

 

Add 5 to 8 coffee cubes in an adorable glass. Pour in milk over the coffee cubes. Enjoy!

 

 

* Blend the frozen coffee cubes and milk for a frozen coffee drink!

favorites @ Magnolia Market

In February, I visited Magnolia Market in Waco, TX. My first visit to the silos was in 2016...and I loved it! So, I always look forward to stopping when I am in Texas visiting a friend.

I found a couple cute items for my farm kitchen at Magnolia Market...a table runner and cake stand. 

I love this black striped ticking table runner! It is perfectly contrasted by a black tablecloth on my kitchen table. The black tablecloth is a canvas for my rustic farm chic décor. I decorate my kitchen table throughout the year using different placemats and plates, candles, antique crocks and bowls, turquoise antique Ball jars, and even a rusty hog pan.
 

At Magnolia Market, I also found a metal cake stand. I am very excited to use it for cupcakes and cookies. It is so adorable! Perfect for my rustic farm style. For now, I sat a small pottery bowl on it as décor.

The dishes are from an auction at my old grade school. I love the scalloped edges on them. So simple and sweet! And, the sea grass place mats are from my visit to Magnolia Market in 2016. I love my kitchen table setting. So cute! And, it is perfect for spring!

repurposed crate

{  I love a fun piece of funky and fashionable jewelry!  }

 

 

Jewelry adds so much to a simple outfit... especially when I am fresh off the farm.  

 

Over the years I have found necklaces, bracelets, and rings I love from traveling. I decided to organize my jewelry I use often and display them in a unique way. At a local antique store, I found an antique bottle crate. It was perfect. I love it so much!   

 

farm chick favorite

{  COWGIRL  }

 

 

On a road trip to Texas to visit a friend, I found this pillow at the old Fort Worth stockyards. I absolutely love it! Everything about it is super cute. The rectangular pillow is made of burlap and has black fringe on the sides. And, I adore the script! This farm frilly pillow will be perfect in my living room or bedroom!

peanut butter hearts

so cute for valentine's day!



1 cup      peanut butter
1/4 cup      butter
2 tablespoons      brown sugar
2 teaspoons      vanilla
1/4 teaspoon      salt
2 cups      powdered sugar
12 ounces      milk chocolate

 

Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper. Leave the paper hang over the sides of the pan to use as handles later.

 

Stir together the peanut butter, melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. Gradually add in the powdered sugar. Press the mixture into the pan. Smooth it over with a small spatula. It makes a 1/2 inch thick layer in the 8x8 pan. Place the pan in the freezer until it is firm enough to cut.

Lift the peanut butter mixture out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut hearts out of the mixture using a small, heart shaped cookie cutter. { use different sizes of heart cookie cutters } Place the hearts onto a parchment paper lined sheet and let them rest in the freezer until firm.  

Melt the milk chocolate. Dip the hearts into the melted milk chocolate using a fork. Cover the hearts completely with chocolate. Place the chocolate covered hearts onto a lined tray to set then refrigerate.

 

Place the hearts into an adorably crafted container as a gift for friends to enjoy!

 

HaPpY VaLeNtInE's DaY!

 

 

road trip to TX: 2018

So, I took a road trip to visit my friend in Texas. It is always enjoyable driving through Oklahoma and Texas. Such a beautiful drive! And, it was good for my gypsy spirit.

 

I stopped at the Fort Worth stockyards for a beer at the White Elephant. It is a tradition of mine. I really enjoy the atmosphere of the old cow town.

old bricks in the stockyard

In Waco, I visited the Silos Baking Co at Magnolia Market. It was my first time at the Silos Baking Co. I had been wanting to go since I was at Magnolia Market in 2016. It was so exciting to be at the Silos Baking Co! I just had to have a cupcake. So, I ordered three flavors of cupcakes to take home with me...The Classic { chocolate cake + vanilla buttercream icing } Shiplap { vanilla cake + vanilla buttercream icing } and Lemon Lavender { lemon and lavender cake + lemon buttercream icing. The cupcakes looked amazing! And, the box they were packaged in was even adorable!

 

My heart was all aflutter. The bakery was absolutely gorgeous! It was beautifully designed...the white washed brick, windows, black shutters, and gooseneck lighting. And, those window boxes!! So simply beautiful.

 

It was such a pretty afternoon. So, I had to enjoy a Lemon Lavender cupcake on the patio of the bakery. Sitting at a marble patio table, I soaked in every moment at the silos.

 

 

From Waco, I continued along the road to meet Keri at her home. It was great seeing her. The next day, we revisited Junk Gypsy in Round Top. So much fun décor inspiration! I am in junk overload. In love!

 

 

 

At a shop in town, I found an antique cash register. So cool! It made the trip back to Illinois. And, I am so excited to use it in my rustic farm style!

After looking at some cute shops, we enjoyed lovely lunch at The Garden Co. The burger with bacon and crispy fried onions was amazing!

The restaurant was absolutely beautiful. So much to adore! It was so very nice to chat with Keri. And of course, the day would not be complete without an iced vanilla latte for the road! What a great day! 

 

 
When in Texas... We had lunch at Whataburger! It is a must when I am in Texas. I enjoyed a Whataburger with their spicy ketchup, fries, and a Dr Pepper. Yumm! And of course, there was Blue Bell ice cream...coffee ice cream. 

 

Keri and I had so much fun looking at an antique store in the afternoon! There are so many unique finds in Texas!

 

Visiting friends is good for my soul. It always makes my heart smile. I loved my adventure to Texas!    

farm chick favorite

My nieces [ Alexandra + Brenna ] and I enjoyed a girl day. It has become an annual tradition of ours to cherish small and fun moments together. It always brings a smile to my face and makes my heart happy.

 

- be brave -

We started our day with a stop at Flour House. It has become a tradition. We enjoyed delicious pumpkin cinnamon rolls and iced coffees! So yummy! And, Flour House is such a cute and cozy bakery where we can chat.

 

We walked to and explored a few local shops. At The Makery, I found this wooden [ Be Brave ] sign by Homemade On Highview. LOVE!! It is perfect. I have it in my farm office / laundry room.

farm chick favorite

This is perfect...

 

I absolutely love this baseball cap! It is a birthday gift to myself. As a cow chick, this cap from Bad Bitch Cattle Co is perfection. The cap is black and white with turquoise stitching. And, I am sure I will be ordering a few more...

 

[  Bad Bitch Cattle Co  ]

 

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