Happy Love Day!

The Beautiful Tulips my Sweet Pea Got for Me This Year! <3

It may be that I am a hopeless romantic & love gushy stuff or my love for everything pink, but I just love Valentine's day! Just the feeling of receiving all of the goodies at work...anything from the beautiful red, pink, & white tulips that my wonderful boyfriend got me this year or a box full of chocolate strawberries one of my favorite reps got for our office, I am tickled pink today!

I just wanted to quickly share some extra sweetness with everyone on this special love day (maybe you can share the baked love with your sweetie too!)

 

For the dough you will need:

1 cup butter, softened

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons lemon juice (the lemon rind & juice add a subtle citrus flavor that really take them to another level)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt 

 

For the icing you will need:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

Food coloring

Paintbrush

As you can see, it might get a little messy, but that is what it's all about when creating yummy art! Just have fun & experiment with painting, whether you paint the letters with just one color or mix it up with layering the different colors or trying various brush strokes, have some delicious fun!

Instructions:

1. Cream butter & powdered sugar until light & fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla, lemon rind, then lemon juice. Add flour, soda & salt; mix until blended.

2. Divide dough; wrap each half in plastic wrap & pat into a disc. Refrigerate several hours until firm.

3. On a floured surface, roll one disc about 1/4 inch thick. Cut with letter-shaped cutters (ex. LOVE or XOXO).

4. Transfer to a lightly greased cookie sheet & bake in a pre-heated 325-degree oven for 12-15 minutes, until barely browned. Cool on wire racks and repeat with remaining dough.

5. To decorate, stir 1 tablespoon of cream into 1 cup of powdered sugar. Divide among small bowls & use food coloring to make intense shades.

6. Use a paint brush to paint the cookies with the icing, adding a little extra cream into the icing if needed to make it thinner. Wipe the paintbrush off in between, or even let a little color remain on the brush to overlap shades. Go back over each cookie with extra brush strokes.
7. Make sure you let the icing fully dry on each cookie, then stack into boxes. (Makes about 3 dozen)

 

recipe & images via Lauren Craig

 

Now go & enjoy this beautiful sweet day- whether it's with your best girl friends, significant other, or family members- this day is all about loving one another even more than we already do & showing how much we care for our loved ones!

peace & love,

Lindsey

DesignCandy's 1st Year Anniversary!

 

photo via MadeByGirl

Well, today marks the 1st anniversary of DesignCandy! I can't believe it has already been a year. It went by so fast, but I enjoyed every tasty minute of it!

I am so excited you all have followed me the past year, Thank you from the bottom of my sweet little heart! I know it has been a learning experience for me & this will only get more sweeter with time, kind of like a good bottle of wine!

So to celebrate this anniversary, I am doing a giveaway! One special reader will get
something to celebrate any yummy occasion (see below), plus another surprise treat!

Cupcake Memo Pad by Perptual Kid

You ask how do I get this fun little treat & the surprise treat? Just comment on any of my posts with your address at the end & then share my post you commented on either Twitter (RT @designdolci), Facebook, or Pinterest! The deadline is March 23rd, 2012, so you better snag the treats up before all the sugar is gone!

Again, thank you to all my delightful followers & any other reader that has ever enjoyed a candy!


peace & love,
Lynz

Fragrances of Summer

The Summer is winding down now, however it is still in full swing here in Texas with 100 degree weather the past month. So, I thought I would share with you some flavorful items and room vignettes I have found that have a hint of summer in them!



photo via pinterest



When I think of summer it's bright & bold colors. Colors that are found in yummy summer fruit & beautiful flowers that grow in the summertime. I also think of bringing the outdoors inside, so I can feel like I am enjoying Summer without dealing with the blistering heat!

Here are some of those tasty summertime treats for you to enjoy this beautiful, and hot, Friday afternoon!



grass covered Ottoman by GH Design





unusual bed by vitamin design





garden furniture set overrun by plants by Radici decastelli celato





a simple floral touch form Crinoline on the Armchairs with a High Backrest



crisp hotel guestroom
photo via hotelspace.com



floral touches & bright colors go perfectly in this vignette
photo via designsponge



real roses add an extra touch to any room
photo via everythingleb.blogspot



gorgeous color inspiration
photo via pinterest



bright colors balance nicely with the crisp white
photo via besttopdesign



beautiful pink bouquet surrounded by yummy pink leather chairs
photo via house beautiful



simple wild flowers & plants add real outdoors to the already bright & cheerful space
phot via pinterest



summer fruit & flowers
photo via pinterest

simple white with pops of yummy summer colors
photo via sweethomestyle.tumblr



Even though this summer has been one of the hottest (temperature wise) for me, I still have enjoyed all the sunny days, trips to the farmers market to get fresh fruits, getting sunkissed skin, random road trips, swimming in the glistening pool, & spending time with friends & family.

Have a wonderful rest of your summer...soak up the smells & colors while you have a chance.

peace & love,

Lynz

FlowerFix.

Hello Everyone!

I hope you had a fabulous weekend. I just wanted to share a beautiful picture of one of my favorites flowers...peonies. They make me reminisce about my childhood home. We had a row of beautiful peonies in shades of pink in our front yard. The smell of them always gets me. Plus, they are gorgeous to look at with their delicate petals that effortlessly float in the air. Enjoy my treat.




photo via jen ramos


peace & love,
Lynz