TGIF, y’all!
One of the reasons why I think it would have been fun to grow up in the south (besides epic BBQ, crawfish boils, and wearing pearls to tailgates) is so I could legitimately say y’all. It always sounds so charming coming from a Southerner. ;)
All I’ve got is heck, dang, and shoot. Wait, that’s perpetuating a horrible Midwestern hick stereotype. We are not hicks! We don’t all live on farms! Although we adore our farmers! I was so annoyed at the show Smash this year for always making fun of the main character Karen for being so small town, as she moved to New York from Iowa.
Anyways, total rant, sorry. It’s supposed to be wretchedly hot this weekend, and apparently the heat has already gone to my brain.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend, wherever you are, and please enjoy my favorite finds from around the web and beyond in this week’s Friday Favorites!
FAVORITE THING EVER: The Big Yellow Bike. This is a local company that built a 16 person bike which you can pedal around downtown visiting different bars. SO. AWESOME.
Favorite sink: Key Lime Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting. As in, I want to sink my teeth into one (or five) of these babies! Love the fuchsia color of the icing with the bright colors of the cupcake wrappers, too. Very festive for summer!
Favorite floor. Rustic, cozy, and perfect for hiding crumbs!
Favorite wake up: Sugar Crusted Vanilla French Toast. What a decadent way to start a weekend, no?
Favorite awwww: Tired Allen. I feel ya’, buddy!
Favorite shortcut: Vinyl Backsplash. Because who has the time/ungodly amounts of patience needed to stencil a backsplash?!
Favorite bite: Hummus and Avocado Toasts with Roasted Tomatoes. Wow, these look so satisfying and delicious, and super easy too.
Favorite DIY: $1 Store Pot Holder Flat Iron Caddy. GENIUS. I usually cough borrow a hotel washcloth to wrap my hot flat iron in when I’m traveling!
Favorite twist: Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Treats. Awesome twist on the classic Rice Krispie Treat. Who doesn’t adore the unique chew of salted caramel?
Favorite tip: Chobani Conversion Chart. This is so great to keep on hand. I never knew I could use Greek yog to replace a portion of butter in recipes!
Favorite RRR: Candle Jars turned Storage Containers. This is an awesome way to turn empty or near empty candle jars into something that looks super chic and expensive.
Favorite app: Peach & Prosciutto Bruschetta. I was working on a freelance recipe using peaches the other day and was dying over how delicious and juicy they were. Love this salty-sweet combo!
Favorite place: The Blue Lagoon outside of Vang Vieng, Laos. I can feel that cool water on my skin already! (Totally jealous of this blogger, btw!)
Favorite devour: Baked Brown Sugar Chicken Wings. Oh. Heck. Yes.
Favorite photo: Morning Sun in Viddal, Norway in a Bubble. WOW.
Favorite before & after: DIY Ottoman. This is so cool. Heading to Craigslist, mmm, NOW!
Favorite must-have: Rain Gutter Drink Cooler. Borrowing my Dad’s saw this weekend. How freaking awesome is this?!
Favorite dinner: Spaghetti in Garlic Gravy with Herbs and Lemon Marinated Chicken and Cherry Tomatoes. How ya’ gonna hate on anything with gravy in the recipe name? :)
Favorite duh: Cord Control. Place opposing pieces of velcro on appliances with long cords. This would have come in handy yesterday when I tripped over the long cord of a computer monitor I was carrying and nearly fell down the stairs!
Favorite party: Watermelon Keg. A fun feature at any summer party!
Favorite tip: Pillowcase Fan Duster. I’m going to go ahead and bust myself out by saying I haven’t turned the fan on in my office in about ohhh two years, simply because I don’t want to clean the fan. I know. So shameful. Totally using this tip to avoid having dust fly all over the room dusting the traditional way!
Favorite dessert: Cannoli Dip. Come to Mama!
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Sarah 06.08.2012
Kristin, I live in Australia and being about 15 hours ahead of you, it’s a great way to wake up to a Saturday reading your Friday favourites. I have recently become addicted to ‘food porn’ and love looking at thw gorgeous pics of the recipes you put up every few days. Friday Favourites are the best because then I get a random selection of all kinds of cool stuff. Keep up the great work! I look forward to making any of your dishes once our school holidays roll around!
Mackenzie 06.08.2012
I’ve been on the pedal pub and it truly is the coolest thing ever!
Angela 06.08.2012
I always look forward to your Friday Favorites! I loved that video of the dog, so sweet!
Maura @ My Healthy 'Ohana 06.08.2012
Always look forward to your friday favorites! Love the idea of repurposing candle jars :)
58Teresa 06.08.2012
Oooohhh & TOTALLY to the max did not see that post on bless your heart – meant that as a fee sure thing.
jules 06.08.2012
Love the rain gutter drink cooler! Please post pictures if you actually do this with your picnic table. Would love to see it happen in ‘real life’.
April 06.08.2012
Fan cleaning tip is my favorite! Took me almost two years to convince my husband that it not only worked, but that when cleaning the one over our bed he should leave the sheets on and do it just before stripping the bed so all the crap does on the sheets and into the washer! Great list of stuff today!
Teresa K. 06.08.2012
Can I just say – this New Yorker (although does upstate count?) LOVES Iowa girl – and doesn’t look down on y’all at all? Bless your heart.
Krista 06.08.2012
I’m Canadian so we don’t say y’all or heck. But according to everyone else we say Mazda, out and about ‘funny’. Oh and then there’s infamous eh. Do you guys know the Canadian alphabet? Eh, B, C, D lol
How brilliant is the hair straightener cover? If I didn’t have a wedding tomorrow that is all I would do. Will have to wait now, but so excited (maybe a little too excited lol).
Michelle (Better with Berries) 06.08.2012
Ohmigosh I love that floor! I love big, wide, wood (oh goodness, this is sounding dirty) plank floors. And I am definitely looking up the candle how-to because I have so many of those candles!
coop 06.08.2012
I spy with my little eye… High Life Lounge. What I wouldn’t give for a cold beer and some bacon wrapped tots right now!
Maddie 06.08.2012
Made the Spaghetti with Garlic Gravy recipe a few weeks ago… it will NOT disappoint! I will say that I roasted the tomatoes first and added a lot more of them. It was a little sparse for my taste as written :)
Lori 06.08.2012
Oh yes, the pedal pub! Fun times!
Have a great weekend~
Emily @ I'd Rather Walk 06.08.2012
I adore your favorites posts! Now I just need to find a way to get to Laos.
Emily 06.08.2012
Given the seriousness of all that’s going on in life right now, I actually really look forward to these posts, it’s like the weekend has arrived and I can stop thinking! Thank you :) Hope you have a great sunny time over the weekend.
Nancy 06.08.2012
Lots of good things here, Kristin. Hope you have a great weekend!
Lori H 06.08.2012
Another great Friday Favorites. I look forward to it all week! Have a great weekend:)
Mandy 06.08.2012
16 person bike! Such lovely wood floors! Sleepy little French bulldog! LAOS!
Yeah…I kinda liked your link round up this week. :)
Holly 06.08.2012
made those cupcakes a few weeks ago for a shower because i love blackberries – everyone loved them!
Colene 06.08.2012
Hi Kristen. I just wanted to say what an awesome blog you have here. I discovered you yesterday though “That’s What We Said” on the “What’s in my…” section. I followed their link to your blog and fell in love immediately. I have to tell you that I spent a good amount of my work day yesterday going through all of your past Friday Favorites. I’ve already printed out so many of your recipes and I can’t wait to make them all. I just wanted to show you some love for you and your blog.