Twinkie Cupcakes!

     
Processed with Keri Meyers' Sweet Sugar Action

Who's craving a rich, soft fluffy Twinkie?? I sure was... That was before I made these bad boys! They turned out super rich and creamy. I even photographed my every move for you all to see :) 

You can find the whole recipe I used at this link: Twinkie Cupcake Recipe.

These were the basic ingredients needed that I didn't have at home: Powdered sugar, yellow cake mix, marshmallow fluff, and vanilla pudding. (You need TWO jars of the marshmallow fluff, one for the filling and one for the icing.. That's TWO jars, the recipe on the link doesn't make that very clear on the top list of ingredients; it's kind of confusing! See the link for the full ingredients list.

                                      
When you make the cake batter, you'll do so as the box directs and just stir in that box of vanilla pudding. DO NOT MAKE THE PUDDING before stirring it in ladies!! Just put the powder in :) lol.

When I filled the cupcake liners, I used a 1/4 cup scoop and heaped them pretty well; each one had only about a 1/4 inch at the top of the liner left after being filled.

For the filling, it will be much lighter than the frosting. Leave it pretty light. After I mixed it I put it in a ziploc bag and snipped the corner. I opened the bag over the top of a measuring cup just to hold it open (you can have a hubby or friend do this as well).

Now, coring your cupcakes... My mom has this handy little tool for coring strawberries, and it worked ever so perfectly for coring these cupcakes! There may be a tool for doing so, but I'm not that fancy just yet :) . 

Next, fill your holes with the filling to the top... You can spread it or level it out if you go over.

When you make your frosting, you may use a special tool you have for icing cupcakes, but I'm kinda primitive (or redneck) and just stuck an icing tip in a snipped corner of a gallon ziploc bag. (I spread the bag over a larger container to hold it open here as well).

Beware.. follow the frosting instructions on the link for the marshmallow buttercream. It will  be thick if you follow the instructions. It states "about a bag" of powdered sugar, but be aware and watch how thick your frosting is getting. No exact amount is stated. Good luck and enjoy :) Happy Sunday to All!

Adorable Floor Pillows-DIY Project

My first sewing project was an apron I made just this last week; and for the past few days I've been working on some floor pillows for my (nonexistent) house. Lol :) . Can't wait to get them into our place in El Paso!!

I am very happy with how they turned out, and I learned alot while making them. Including how to sew an invisible zipper. If anyone out there wants to know, just say the word and I'll be happy to post a how-to; it's easier than you think! Anywho, I didn't have a pattern for these floor pillows I just HAD to have, so I kind of winged it... And it went very well! The bottom pillow is 22x22 inches, and the top is 15x17 inches. Both have a height of 4 inches. The first took me quite some time to do (with all that seam-ripping and all) but once I got that one done, the second (larger) one took me under three hours to complete. I just love them and the colors... I can't wait to see what they look like with all of our other decor!

On the note of James and I, we are chugging through the days one at a time. He got a 90% on his quiz today, I am SO happy and proud of him! I know he's not liking the new 4am to 11pm schedule, but I believe that he is loving the training and it's gonna get him where he wants to be. As for me, I'm sort of anxious to get back into school just so I can get it done. I have so many friends who have graduated and here I am, not done, but hey- I'm Married to the love of my life and the best guy in the whole wide world! Having a degree wouldn't make my life near as complete as it does having him by my side every day, for all eternity. 

xoxo,

The Fowlers

Hello out there from the Fowlers :)

We are doing excellent, just making it through these seven weeks ahead (down one week already! WOO HOO!!!). James passed his first test, although it was difficult. I'm very very proud of him! I'm currently working on making some floor pillows, so keep your eyes open for the debut of them here on our blog.

Today I had the awesome opportunity to take engagement photos for one of my long time friends from high school. Her and her fiancee have known each other as long as James and I have, so I couldn't be more excited for her to be married to her other half like I am now! The pictures turned out SO pretty, and the weather was beautiful. They are so adorable; I even told James as I was editing that I wanted to get engaged and married all over again so we could do the cute pictures again lol.

This time apart has been very difficult, but we know it is for the best. I keep telling myself that the time will fly, which is why I keep crafting and making stuff to have something to look forward to each day. But I do look forward to those nightly facetime chats with my Hubbie-they just make everything better. I love him so so much and I just couldn't live this life without him. I can't wait to see what our not so far future holds... We're makin' plans!!! Just wait and see :)

xoxo,
The Fowlers

Lindsey Gets Crafty - Adorable Apron, Too Easy to Make!

So I've always been on the creative/crafty side, but me and sewing a straight line have never mixed well  haha :) But when I got the wild hair to sew something today, I pulled out a pattern I've had for a couple years now. Overall, it was really very easy, and it came together fairly quick!

My project was a "Susie Homemaker" apron, as my dad would call it. Something like this would be so so easy to make in a miniature form for a little girl, which I may have to try. It fits like a baby doll style top, and hits about six inches below the hips. It is VERY comfortable to wear, and I can't wait to bake something up while wearing it (tomorrow's project, possibly!!) to tell you all about it. It has a couple thick bands that tie in the back; I kept mine fairly long, just because I love bows and I'm a girly-girl! But they can be shortened if you need. The entire apron was just four main pieces to sew then put together, not including the two pockets, which can be left off or have just one... But they were SO easy to do.
                                                           

I added my own little embellishments, like the button bow up top (like I said before, I LOVE bows) and the rick rack on the pockets. The bow I added with velcro on the back, so it can be removed when the apron needs to be washed. The button is attached with Eileen's Tacky Glue (best craft glue ever!).

                         
                                                      

If I get a lot of hits on people wanting the full know-how, I'll just have to make another one and take step-by-step photos for ya'll :). As far as my wonderful hubby goes, he is doing very well. I ask that he stays in your prayers going through these 8 weeks as the program moves very very fast and it requires a lot of studying. I'm so proud of all he does for this country; I'm such a lucky girl!!

I hope you like my creation and I hope you keep coming back for more! Now I gotta go find more ideas to keep me busy; have a great night ya'll!

xoxo,
The Fowlers

Our (Well... My) Ultimate Purpose for this Blog

Here we are: seven years after meeting each other, five years of off-and-on dating; several breakups, one deployment, and an amazing wedding later! Not even two months into our marriage, and already apart. Once. Again. While we are sure this won't be the last time (being a military couple and all), it is much harder this time than ever before. We're a married couple now, and after several weeks of adventure and being ultimately spur-of-the-moment crazy, it seems that our life has been established - even though it hasn't.

In essence, we have yet to get settled into "Our First Place". Don't get me wrong... Living in hotels, never having to clean or cook, and living out of a suitcase has had its advantages. We've been all over, from the Western Caribbean to Oregon, to Fort Campbell to Memphis, to Monroe Louisiana (yeah, we went to DUCK COMMANDER.. Be Jealous! :)  ) and all the way to Texas and the antique stores in between - I have a weakness for old junk! But I'm longing for the days where I can do all of the "wife" things for my husband in our own home.

We have eight weeks apart while James goes through phase 1 of his LPN school. Then it's off to El Paso, Texas. Finally we will get our life in order and be settled... for 10 months. I joke about our scattered lifestyle, but I do love it and I am looking forward to every minute.

Now I titled this post as if I was going to mention why I want to start a "married life" blog. And the reason is this: before I got married, other blogs or family & friends gave me so much advice on relationships and being married. Now that I am married and I see how difficult it can be, I (and James) want to give that help to anyone who needs it. Or a good laugh if they need that instead; heaven knows we've got plenty to share!

Keep coming back to see the cute & crazy things I decide to do to fill my time away from my hubbie!

xoxo,
The Fowlers