Crust and Crumbs 12

Wow, it’s been a really long time since I wrote one of these posts. Therefore, it’ll be long. We have a lot to gab about!

1. If you read food blogs at all you probably know that last weekend was BlogHer Food in Miami. Are you sick of hearing about trip after trip yet?

Let’s pretend you said no. {If you’d rather not read about my trip, skip down below for some other fun stuff!}

I’ve never been to Miami and I really hope to go again some time. I feel like I got to see a little bit of it, but not enough.

For instance, I got to see this view once, for about 10 minutes:

That’s #nofilter, my peeps. Breathtakingly gorgeous. I even got a shot of me:

So, BlogHer Food. What did I learn? Weelllll, not much. Actually, that’s a lie. I learned a lot – from my blogger BFFs. I attended 2 sessions (and only because friends were on the panel). The rest of the time I spent meeting brands and networking with bloggers that I’ve been chatting with online for a long time but never met in real life. (Blog Conference Tip: you learn more from the people you meet than in the sessions. #truestory)

For example, I’ve been friends with Shawn for years and we’ve never met. She was my roomie and I totally love her, especially because she taught me to curl my hair with a flat iron, which is something I’ve been unable to ever do.

That pic was after a night of dancing and sweating. So, yeah.

FYI, if you ever go to BlogHer, bring water to the closing party, or you’ll end up drinking it from a tap in the bathroom after waiting an hour in line and then finding out they want to charge you for water. #epicclosingpartyfail #austinwassomuchbetter

But then we danced with Ree, and the night got better. #starstruck

Really, the best part about any blog conference is meeting new friends.

Not only did I get to hang out with a few blogging besties, but I got to meet a whole lot of new friends too:

From left to right: Donna (and Chad)/The Slow Roasted Italian, Lisa/Je Suis Alamentageuse, Liz/Love Grows Wild, Roxana/Roxana’s Home Baking, Julianne/Beyond Frosting, Aimee/Shugary Sweets, Jocelyn/Inside BruCrew Life, Toni/Make Bake Celebrate, Amy/Amy’s Healthy Baking, Alice/Hip Foodie Mom, Jocelyn/Grandbaby Cakes, Allie/Baking a Moment, Connie/Urban Bakes, and Shawn/I Wash You Dry

{And those are only the ones I got photos with!!}

And then I met this gal:

I don’t know about her, but I was instantly smitten with Jocelyn from Grandbaby Cakes. I plan to stalk her a lot, and then show up on her doorstep and beg for a girls weekend. #BFFforever

Seriously, if you don’t read her blog, GO. Someday you’ll see her on the Food Network and you’ll be able to say you knew her when.

You know the best part of a food conference? That everyone knows it’s okay to do this:

{That’s Lindsay from Life, Love, and Sugar.} It’s perfectly acceptable to take food photos of your food (and everyone else’s) and no one says a peep or gives you the evil eye. #bloggersforthewin

I got to have lunch with these fabulous ladies:

Mental note: don’t bend over in photos. Also? Don’t wear short, airy dresses in Miami. (Ahem, wind.)

I was a little star-eyed at that lunch. Another place where I lost my tongue and forgot how to talk. #starstruck

While I was in Miami I also got to eat the best dulce de leche dessert ever, drink lots of cocktails, and finally try Key Lime Pie!

It was a great trip, and I can’t wait to see all my blogging friends again soon. I just hope it’s sooner than a year from now!

2. Since I packed half my closet and 7 pairs of shoes for Miami, the logical thing to do was go shopping. I’m glad I did, because I found my favorite pair of jean capris ever at Express. Totally worth the price: they’re soft, fitted, and super stretchy. I want 4 pairs!

3. Some of my favorite recipes lately:

Almond Chip Cherry Pie Bars / Peanut Butter Oreos / S’mores Oreo Truffles / Chocolate Chip Mud Hen Bars / Peanut Butter Twix Pie / Margarita Sangria

4. My trainer, Bobby, started his own business in Lincoln, CA. If you’re in the Sacramento area and want to work with a trainer, I recommend him 100000%. I can’t even thank him enough for how much he’s helped me physically and mentally. Check him out at RockFit (or on Facebook)!

5. Monday is Memorial Day! Are you having a BBQ? Here are some fun ideas for you:

Red, White, and Blue Cupcake Tops / Raspberry Arnold Palmer / Blueberry Slab Pie / Mini Crumb Apple Pies / Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bark / Chocolate Chip Cookies – Bakery Style XL / Peanut Butter FLAG Dip / Cherry Coke Poke Cake / No-Bake Lemon Dessert

6. I’ve been posting over on the Pillsbury site! Check out my newest two recipes:

Cinnamon Roll Flower how-to

Strawberries and Cream Trifle (made with biscuits!)

7. Scandal. OMG. We watched the first two seasons in about 2 weeks. I was SO mad we’d have to buy the 3rd season on Amazon. Then I got an email it’s now available on Netflix.

It was like a sign from the heavens.

#scandalobsessed #arethereanyothershows #Iwouldntknow #Ionlywatchscandalnow

8. Favorites I’m loving:

Strawberry Blueberry Yogurt Pops by Wine & Glue
Mini Samoa Donuts by URBAN BAKES (and, well, pretty much everything else on her site)
Cinnamon Sugar Swirl Cupcakes by Life, Love, and Sugar
Easy No-Bake Granola Bars with Nutella Drizzle by Yummy, Healthy, Easy (I met Jen – FINALLY – at BHF and OMG I love her!)
Creme Brulee filled Croissant Donuts by Lemons for Lulu
Chocolate Tart by Cupcake Confession. Dude – it’s a potato chip crust!
Frosted Candy Bar Stuffed Cookie Cups by Kevin & Amanda

And waaaaaay too many more to count.

9. I would like to thank Woman’s World Magazine for featuring my Funfetti Gooey Bars in the May 19th issue!

10. Yes, coffee is this to me.

11. As I write this, my house is in chaos. We are smack in the middle of getting new flooring installed in almost the entire first floor of our house. The living room, family room, kitchen, hallways, laundry room, and downstairs bath are all getting new wood laminate.

Preparing to get these floors done has been like moving, except I had to find places for all my crap in my same house. I have a washing machine in my garage, three hutches in my living room, dining room chairs in my bedroom, a coffee maker in my bathroom, and I’m currently high on glue fumes. It’s been a good day.

#Itwilllookamazingwhenitsdone #wontbedonesoonenough #totalchaos

12. I want to thank you all for visiting here as often as you do. If you come often, or if this is your first time, thank you. YOU all make it possible for me to do what I love to do. Because of you, I have a job I love and I can help support my family. So…thanks. 🙂

13. One last thought: make these for breakfast.

Hope you’re doing well. What’s going on in your life???

Oh and I lied, one more thing:

What should I make next? What recipes do YOU want to see (desserts/breakfasts only, obvi)? I’m in a rut and I need ideas! Cake? Pie? No-Bake? Flavors? Help!!!