Raspberry Almond Blondie Bars
Makes 12 – 16 servings
 
What you will need:
•8x8-inch pan
•Large mixing bowl
•Silicone spatula
•Non-stick spray (I like coconut oil spray)
•Parchment paper
 
Ingredients
•1 ¼ cup light brown sugar
•1 large egg
•1 tsp. vanilla extract
•½ tsp. almond extract
•Pinch of salt
•10 tbsp. butter
•1 ¼ cup almond flour
•1 cup raspberries
•¼ cup slivered almonds
•1/3 cup of chocolate chips + more for top
 
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350º  on convect.  Cover pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray.
2. Spread the almonds on a small baking sheet. When the oven reaches desired temperature, toast the almonds for 3-4 minutes, watching closely so they do not burn.
3. Melt the butter in a small microwavable bowl. Let it cool slightly while you combine the brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, almond extract and salt in the large bowl. Add the butter and mix to combine.
4. Stir in the flour until it is fully incorporated.
5. Gently stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Lightly spray the spatula with non-stick spray and spread the batter into prepared pan.
7. Lightly press the remaining chocolate chips, toasted almonds and raspberries into the top of the batter.
8. Cook for 32-35 minutes or until lightly brown around the edges with a toothpick coming out clean from the middle.

Planting Activity

1. Set up an area outdoors or somewhere safe to use paints or spill dirt (would not recommend using your kitchen table). Spread out an old sheet, plastic tablecloth or newspapers to protect surfaces, as needed.
2. Decorate your terracotta pot with paint markers, paint, stickers     

or stencils. Encourage your child to paint or draw images of bees, beehives, butterflies, dragonflies, flowers – anything goes!
 

1. Allow the painted/decorated pot to dry completely. I tried to rush this process and my paint pen bled.

 

1. Planting time! Compare the length/width of your plant to the size of the pot. Place a handful or more (as much as needed) of potting soil into the pot to create a base. Less is more to give the plant room to grow, but you also don’t want its roots directly touching the bottom of the pot. 

 

1. Gently squeeze the sides of the container that your plant came in to remove it from the container. Once removed, gently massage and squeeze to shake out any excess soil and loosen up the roots.
2. Place plant in the center of the pot. Fill in the gaps around it with more potting soil, as needed. Gently pat the soil down to ensure that it’s firm around the base of the plant.
3. Place your potted plant somewhere where it will get plenty of sunshine. Pollinators prefer to visit sunny places.
4. Make it an ongoing activity with the kids to give your plant some TLC. Make sure the plant is well adapted to the conditions of your deck, porch or balcony and watered as needed.
5. Enjoy the future bee and butterfly sightings together

Bomb Seeds
Making seed bombs is a fun, easy way to get the kids involved in gardening. With this activity, you can use any pollinator-friendly seed mix (My son chose some non-pollinators, but I could not say no him). Once planted, the seed bombs will brighten up your garden in no time, and kids love watching the sprouts grow.
Materials Needed:
•6 pieces of construction paper, assorted colors (I should have used 2 sheets per seed package.)

​Order on Amazon
•3-5 pkg. of pollinator-attractant flower seeds

​Food processor

​Scissors

​Directions:

1. Cut each piece of construction paper into 1-inch squares and place into a small bowl; keep each group of colored paper squares in its own separate bowl.
2. Fill each bowl with water until the paper is completely covered and leave to soak for 20 minutes.
3. Take each bowl of paper and wring out half the water so that the paper is still damp. 
4. Using one color at a time, place the damp paper in the food processor and pulse the paper into a pulp. 
5. Repeat this with all the paper colors and put the pulp back into each of their individual bowls.
6. Mix the seeds into each bowl of paper. 

7. Press the pulp and seeds together to form into balls. If the pulp is dry, add a little more water to the pulp.
8. Place the seed balls on a sheet pan and leave overnight to dry.
9. Plant outside, cover with soil and add water. The seedling should be visible within 2-3 weeks, or quicker in warmer conditions.

Happy National Pollinator Week! #Nationalpollinatorweek

Sharing the easiest Waldorf Salad recipe EVER! I won’t bore you with how I accidentally came across this pairing and how Aunt Amy was famous for this recipe. I’m making this for Mother’s Day and it’s a 15 minute recipe!
▪︎▪︎▪︎
Recipe:
---------->
1 Green Apple 🍏
1 Red Apple 🍎
1/2 C Chopped Walnuts 🌰
3/4 C Red Grapes 🍇
3/4 C Green Grapes
1/2 C Hellmanns Mayonnaise
Mix
Add to a fresh croissant
Enjoy 😍

Follow me on Instagram @Sarahshawyall 

​White skinnies are essential for Spring and Summer wear, they go with nearly EVERYTHING!!

Abercrombie & Fitch White Skinny Jean's the whole site has been 50% off plus FREE SHIPPING

​An Amazon prime find with cute embroidery detail!

Blue embroidered top

​How stinking cute is this and so affordable!!

Love this must have layered necklace 

​Kendra Scott has they same earrings for $80!! You guys these are $14 dupes and sooo cute!!

Drusy drops

​It's hard to find a good pair of shoes for under $50!! These are a steal!

Lulus pumps 

Thanks for checking out my must haves!!

Soooo I spent entirely too much time picking out all of the details for my 14 yo daughters room makeover...buttttt it all turned out better then expected!! When we built our home we did Tween decor so she could enjoy it longer. She will be 15 in March and after 6 years she was ready for an upgrade.
This custom Chloe Wallpaper Mural was made and sponsored by

I have linked all of the websites and products below!

It was super easy to install. We picked up some wallpaper paste at the local hardware store and used a paint brush to apply the paste.

I recommend getting the large tub, because you really need to use a good amount for each strip.

The great thing about this Wallpaper Mural is they send you the mural based off of your measurements so minimal cutting is required. They all come numbered and pre-cut

We started at the top and add paste to a 2 foot section, smooth all bubbles out (I used an old t-shirt so it wouldn't tear up the wallpaper), and repeat on the next 2 foot section until the whole panel is applied to the wall. I saved all cutting for a sharp box knife and waited until each section was completely dry before cutting so it wouldn't tear. Overall super easy to do, our only delay was squeezing it in during a CRAZY SEASON OF TEENAGE LIFE!!

You can shop their UK site here

Or their Global site at

We bought all bedding from

the curtains were custom made through the cutest Etsy shop!

The lamp and fuzzy pillows were a Walmart find ! Here is a similar lamp

This wallpaper and projecr was super easy to install although

insisted on installing 100% of it herself and I was only allowed to supervise...hence the 4ish month delay on start to finish!
.
We still need to paint the other 3 walls, and add some hanging decor..but that will come later.. Overall very satisfied with the quality and customer service from this wallpaper Ccmpany!

Guess what?! …I'm a #fabfitfunpartner for the Winter 2k19 Fab Fit Box. It arrived on my doorstep & I am in love. If you don’t already know, Fab Fit Fun is a subscription service that sends out highly indulgent products in boxes and every season they are packed with high end & name brand items in the lifestyle, fitness, beauty, & selfcare category.
\n•
\nIn my box I got the Beauty Bakerie Proof Is In The Puddin' Palette & I have been wanting to try this for so long!! The best part about getting the Fab Fit Fun box is that they offer my followers a discount CODE so the box that usually retails for $49.99 is only $39.99 for you using CODE: SARAH10 at checkout at

Ok, now let’s look nto what I got in the Winter 2k19 box!
❄
Reno Laszlo Pore Cleansing Clay Mask – $48

R+CO Television Perfect Hair Shampoo+Conditioner – $64

Adore By Swarovski Organic Circle Bracelet in Rose Gold– $39

Beauty Bakerie Proof Is In The Puddin' Palette – $38

Makeup Eraser in Original Pink– $20

Drybar Prep Rally Prime & Prep Detangler– $23

Curcio Somatology Calm+Clean Epsom Salt Hand & Body Wash – $39.95
❄
Can you believe for a box of your OWN , using the coupon code, is only $39..99 & you get all of that?! The total amount of the items in my box came out to $271..95 …. Ya, I feel slightly spoiled. I was in shock that just one item is more than the cost of the whole box (most of them). The best part is they are all full-size items which just makes everything feel so much richer!!

I don’t know about you, but I feel like I focus alot on the kiddos, hubby, and the household and I forget how important it is to slow down and enjoy the little things, such as quarterly subscription boxes!! I love that you can customize items to go in your box and each item is always so fun and luxurious! The items always range from fashion, fitness, beauty, & lifestyle so each box is unique and never like the one the season before.

Remember to use the coupon code SARAH10 at checkout for your $10 off. One more thing these boxes sell out very quickly, so if you want the Winter box I would sign up to make sure you get yours! Thank y'all as always for stopping by the blog & for more up close and personal looks at the box be sure to find me on Instagram & Youtube to see more details! See you all over there!!

Love & Light
Sarah Shaw

#fabfitfunpartner #fabfitfun #sponsored #winter #seasonsgreetings #beautyroutine #selfcare #finallyfriday #winterwonderland #subscriptionboxes
@fabfitfun

Some of the exercises I do to keep my social media mind right are:

A. As crazy as it sounds and as much as I want to support EVERY boss babe out there, I limit people I follow that are in my same category. I.e. if I'm a fashion blogger, I don't want to follow other fashion bloggers..why...? Because you will find yourself NO DOUBT in the comparison game! You will constantly compare yourself to them on photos, styles, and even collaboration opportunities that you may have been turned down for and they were accepted orrr well why didn't I think of that or do that.
​
It also narrows your creativity senses, because we are visual beings. Once we have seen what others are doing, we lose a sense of our own creativity because our brain goes back to the image we have seen before and we tend to mimic what "everyone" else is doing.

B. I try to only post when I have dedicated time to respond back to my followers and comments on my pictures. I typically commit to 20-30 minutes of engagement time.I think it's important to engage with your audience and if they see you will respond they are more likely to engage in the future, this you losing the whoa is me no one has commented on my feed.

B1
In addition I make it a point to spend time engaging on your own post, I use this time to scroll through my feed liking posts, comment on other photos, stories, etc. You cannot expect engagement if you are not giving engagement. Period.🤷‍♀️
Plus it makes you feel pretty f#@*ing kind that you may have complimented another human being.

C.
I keep a running digital journal that I jot down ideas as they come to me in the moment! Therefore I can spend more time with my family through the weeks instead of dedicating an entire afternoon or day to create content. This is helpful, because I can pull from this journal at any point and create content quickly. Don't get me wrong I do create on the spot content, but for the most part my posts are carefully written out and planned.

D.
Last but not least I have stopped saying yes to EVERY opportunity that comes my way..even if it means losing out on some $$..sound counterproductive?! Nahh! This frees up so much time for bigger opportunities and I can focus more attention on the edit/creative side (which is why I started this all in the first place). Plus really guys if you are a product pusher dropping 5 varieties of protein bars and searing by each one of them, how can your followers feel your are authentic and pr telling the truth! Authenticity = committed followers and engagement.

This digital world is supposed to be fun and freeing of the creative mind. Don't over complicate it and have fun with it! I hope you found these tips helpful and as always love and light babes!!

​

Did you know that Bees are the most significant animal pollinator in nature.
It is estimated that one third of the food that we eat each day relies on pollination mainly by bees, but also by other insects, birds and bats.
•
Bees are attracted to flowers because flower nectar and pollen provides food for them. ... As they travel from plant to plant, some of the pollen that they carry will fall off onto other flowers as they make their journey, which helps pollination and the viability of plants!
•
The great diversity among species of bees means that there is a great risk of losing species before we understand them. Many bee species have developed extremely complex and intricate relationships with plant species. These relationships provide pollination for plants that could otherwise never reproduce. With the loss of bees comes the loss of many plants.
•
We can help offset the decline of bee colonies by planting flowers that bees are attracted to. Some of the plants to make a bee garden are Clover Crocus, hyacinth, borage, calendula, and wild lilac provides enticing Spring blooms. Bees feast on bee balm, cosmos, echinacea, snapdragons foxglove, and hosta in the Summer.
•
For Fall, zinnias, sedum, asters, witch hazel and goldenrod are late bloomers that will tempt foragers.
Bees are vital for our ecosystem and neccessary for human survival. If we all do our part and help plant flowers favorited by bees we can help sustain the colonies. Find more info on events and what you can do to help at the link below or follow #FeedABee on Instagram! Together each one of us can make a difference!

Top 5 Customized Gifts For Dad

1. Hooray Heroes Special edition books: Link Here. Ok guys this one was by FAR the best gift for my husband this year!! They have several books you can choose from, but for Father’s Day I selected the Daddy Edition! My sons name is Carson so the book was titled “When Carson Grows Up.”  You customize your child and husbands name, gender, hair color, even eye color!! The characters in the book really matched my boys well. This book is very special, because my husband and son have such a special bond and they read together every night and now they can read a book about them!! Best part these can be customized for Mother’s Day, birthdays, siblings, and much more!!  Use DISCOUNT CODE: Daddy15 for 15% off of any book!!!
2. Mixtiles: Link Here

These are great gifts for Dad! You simply download an app called Mixtile, upload photos of Dad, choose a border that fits your home decor, and checkout! It is super user friendly and sends to you in 3-5 business days! The best part is the back is adhesive so they will stick and re-stick without tearing up your wall.

1. Make Custom Gifts: www.http://Makecustomgifts.com I think this one is great you can literally upload a picture of yourself and they put them on a pair of SOCKS! I personally giggle when I think of my Dad wearing a pair of socks with my face on it!!
2. Zazzle:  www.http://Zazzle.com I love this site for its HUGE assortment of customized  products! I actually had a pillow made with our Family’s last name
3. Mancrates: www.http://www.mancrates.com they have FANTASTIC Father’s Day crates from assorted/exotic jerky, pizza making kits, beer kits, even beer making kits for the manly men in you life!

*Hopefully this was helpful and gave you some new ideas for your Father’s Day gifts!! All opinions and reviews are my own.

Now this one hit me in the feels!! My Grandmother-GiGi made her famous Rum Cake EVERY week. On Sundays we would visit and we could not say no to her cake. Towards the end ALL you could taste was Rum and we would joke we felt buzzed after eating GiGi’s Rum cake. Now I would do anything to have a slice of that liquored up booze cake lol and to tell her how much I appreciated the work that went into creating a cake from scratch. I got to use her famous bundt cake pan and reminisces on the amazing lady that she was. This recipe is very easy, but you’re still baking from scratch soooo it requires some patience.  I opted to leave the Rum extract and liquor out of this one just because I wanted to taste the original before playing with other flavors! So here is the how to:
FOR THE CAKE🎂

Cooking spray
1 1/2 c. (3 sticks) butter, softened
2 c. granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract (optional)
3 c. all-purpose flour
6 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 c. whole milk

FOR THE GLAZE🍰

2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
5 tbsp. whole milk
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 12-cup bundt pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl using a hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and almond extracts and mix until combined.

In another large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.  Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, beating until just combined. Pour in milk and mix until fully incorporated, then add remaining dry ingredients and stir until just combined. 

Pour batter into greased bundt pan and smooth top with a rubber spatula. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 50-55 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely. The longer you leave the cake in the pan the harder it is to remove cake.

Glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt. Pour over cake, garnish with fresh fruit, and serve.  

​