Lamps, Lamps, Lamps - But which one to choose?

I really need some new bedside lamps in my master bedroom. I love to read at night before going to sleep, but when my hubby is ready for bed, he just wants to sleep. Since we have no bedside lamps that means lights out and no reading for me unless I want to go back out into the living room.

I found these three lamps online and I love them all! It's so hard to choose one! What do you think?

Cooled Globes Lamp from Anthropology

Marston Crystal Lamp from Pottery Barn

Bancroft Crystal Lamp from Pottery Barn

Aren't they all great? I know that I definitely want to go with a crystal or glass base of some sort but to go with color or clear...I just can't choose!

I love Halloween and I love Glee

Just a little Halloween tidbit from the fabulous Sue Sylvester:

1 weekend, 2 black eyes!

My kiddo is so definitely his mama's boy...he managed to get not one, but two black eyes this weekend.

The first one came courtesy of his soccer game on Saturday. He managed to fall down, get a wonderful cleat mark & bruise on his arm, all the while scratching and giving himself the black eye!

Then on Saturday night, in the middle of a living room break dancing routine, he somehow ran into the wall and blackened his other eye!

Yeppers...that's my boy! Taking after his mommy and her legendary klutziness.

Link to a Giveaway!

Hi everyone! I just wanted to tell you about a give away over on Fresh Cut Flours.

She is offering a $35 gift certificate to the CSN Store of your choice! The contest only runs through today so hop on over and get yourself entered!

While you are there make sure to look around her site...she is an amazing cookie baker/decorator and has some great stuff. 

Happy Friday Everyone!

What is Playing Wednesday

My newest musical obsession is Ray LaMontagne and his new album that he recorded with the Pariah Dogs titled God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise.

You. Must. Get. This. Album. 

Seriously...the whole damn thing is amazing, an absolutely beautiful album from start to finish. LaMontagne is a master singer-songwriter, possibly the best of our generation and this album is filled with amazing, give-you-goosebumps, emotion, vocals and songwriting.

Here is one of my favorites off this album...Beg Steal or Borrow. Check it out below...



And as an added bonus, here is a link to my absolute favorite track from Ray LaMontagne, Trouble:



I hope you like what you hear and become as enamored with Ray LaMontagne as I am!

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

One of my favorite flavors is pumpkin...I love just about anything pumpkin. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin spice lattes...they are all just yummy! And to me one of the best things about fall is the abundance of pumpkin and I wanted to share one of my favorite recipes with you! The bars are extremely moist and delish, especially when topped with homemade vanilla cream cheese frosting.

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

for the bars...

• 3 whole Eggs
• ¾ cups Canola Oil
• 1-⅔ cup Sugar
• 29 ounces, weight Canned Pumpkin
• 2 cups Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger

for the frosting…

• 1 (8) ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter; softened
• 1 lbs. confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions for the Bars
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2) In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs, canola oil, sugar & pumpkin. Use a hand mixer on medium-high speed and mix until light and somewhat airy. (If you like, you can substitute apple sauce for 1/2 of the oil.)
3) In a separate large mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
4) Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold them together until completely combined.
5) Pour the pumpkin mixture into an ungreased 15 by 10 jelly roll pan and bake for 25 minutes.
6) Allow the pumpkin bars to cool completely before frosting.

To make frosting:
In the bowl of your mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar and mix until smooth and creamy. Stir in vanilla extract. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

I hope that you enjoy it as much and my family and I love it!



Linking up to:

New Logo - Assistance for Independence

I recently created a logo for a brand new non-profit called Assistance for Independence. It's a great new non-profit that helps anyone with a physical disability be able to drive by providing assistance with retro-fitting their vehicles. The client and I were very happy with the result and I just wanted to share!

Happy Monday!