Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes

I just love cupcakes, they are easy to make, cute and delicious. What can be better than that? These cupcakes are absolutely perfect, the touch of espresso really brings them to a different level from just a regular chocolate cupcake. I made these for my birthday in the beginning of the month and shared them at my office. They were a huge hit, the cupcake by itself is amazing but the frosting is perfection! The combination of dark chocolate and espresso, need I say more? 

I used this recipe from "Call me Cupcake" 

  

City Ballet

I just discovered the most interesting documentary about New York City ballet, it's called city.ballet. It's a twelve-part online series narrated by Sarah Jessica Parker. It really opens your eyes to the ballet world, where 16 year olds are professionals and by the age 18 you could be at the top of your career. These dancers have been training together since childhood, the school is more like home for them than anything else, the company is their family in many ways. It's inspiring to see how hard they work for what they are passionate about, they have given their whole lives up for this but for them it is so worth it. I knew a dancers life is difficult but could not imagine what they really go through, this documentary shows you a glimpse of that.

Images via: 1,  2

A wonderful weekend to you!!

I hope all of you who celebrated had a wonderful Christmas, we went to a little Christmas party at our friends house and I enjoyed it so much! It was so great to eat together and share our past memories from home each one from his own culture. I love how Christmas brings people together and really focuses on loving one another. A lot of people feel controversial over Christmas, especially Messianic Jews, but from my experience Christmas is a time of celebrating Christ and the love he gave us, a time to remind us what love is and share our love with others. Anyways I am excited for the weekend, we are having a little game party tomorrow with family which should be fun. I hope you all had a great week and an even better weekend ahead.

Here are some great links...

I am baking these peanut butter cookies for our game party.

Cutest toddler naps with his puppy

Another warm dutch home

I just love Jane Austen quotes

Lovely winter whites fashion editorial

Make these panko mozzarella sticks

Love this DIY concrete credenza

I want this floral jumper

Love the Design files open house

DIY confetti poppers great for a New Year's party

Wishing you a very merry Christmas! May your holiday be spent with loved ones, with great conversations over delicious food! I am excited we are having a small Christmas party, with family and friends! I am really excited to be able to celebrate here in Israel, and even though I am far away from where I wish to be right now (Canada - drinking flavored lattes with my dearest friends and having strawberry waffles on Christmas morning at my grandma's house) I am thankful to be able to enjoy a little bit of the holiday spirit. Hope you enjoy yourselves wherever you may be and remember the real reason for celebrating Christmas!  

Holiday Nails

I can't believe Christmas Eve is just a day away. Since sadly I won't be celebrating Christmas the proper way, I thought I would at least do as much for myself to feel a little if the holiday magic. Pretty nail polish is a fun way to bring the holidays into your every day style. Here are four holiday inspired manicures I would love to try. 

Images via: 1, 2, 3, 4

Have a lovely weekend!

What are your plans for the weekend? I am so very happy the weekend is finally here, the past week was exhausting but we also got some really exciting news! We got our tickets to Holland! We are going on the 7th of January, we are going to do a Mercy and Justice DTS (discipleship training school) with YWAM! We are so very excited that this is actually happening! We've been wanting to do it for a while but did not know if we would have the finances, but God is so good and he supplied and still is supplying what we need. So we are planing and starting to actually get ready for this amazing adventure to begin! If you guys don't know about Ywam and would like to hear more about it please feel free to ask questions! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Here are a few links that I enjoyed...

Striking selfies of a pregnant woman

Roasted mushrooms recipe

A beautiful artistic California wedding

Oh how I wish I could go back to Tuscany and visit this beautiful castle

The psychology of color

I need this rose gold watch

Love this Christmas forest cake topper

I really want to try this linzer torte with raspberry jam 

The best holiday candles

Great wrapping paper for those to busy to diy

Image via: sandy

Pretty gift wrapping DIY

I just love giving gifts! It's so much fun to search for the perfect gifts for your friends and family, and cute wrapping is just as important as the gift itself isn't it? I love how DIY touches make the gift so much more personal, yet it's so simple to do. Here are a few fun ideas. 

Above: Polka dot wrapping paper

Add a paper snowflake to your wrapping. 

Add prints and a little foliage

Mini wreath

How do you wrap your gifts? Do you do something special or just buy Christmas wrapping paper? These would be great for birthday gifts as well for those who do not celebrate Christmas. 

Etsy Finds

Tiffin Studio is a wonderful ceramic shop on Etsy. It is all handmade delicate ceramics, pretty gold and blue spotted dishes and gold detailed bowls. I love the use of small details such as the gold trim on the dishes seen above. Their dishes would be beautiful for jewelry or for small portions of dessert! These would make great gifts as well, if you are still have some late Christmas shopping to do!

Seen above: 1, 2, 3, 4

Have a warm weekend!

It's been raining non-stop here for the last few days, and it is pretty cold for Israel down to 5 C degrees! So this is a "stay home" kind of weekend for sure. We are planing on eating lots of warm soup, reading and just staying cozy. And tomorrow I am having a little birthday gathering, and making caramel popcorn! It's going to be a nice weekend!! 

A few beautiful link...

These realistic colorized historical photos are fun

DIY glittered wooden spoons

These enamel-coated hair pins are really cute

A beautiful blue jeans fashion editorial

Ten amazing waffle toppings

Touching portraits of mothers with their one day old baby

Cute gold detailed flute set

Christmas decor inspiration 

words of wisdom

These bread rolls look divine

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!  

Christmas Decor DIYs to Try

Christmas is only two weeks away, so in the midst of all the preparation (or in my case dreaming of Christmas preparation) I hope you find some time to make some of your own Christmas decor. Isn't it just so special to make your own decoration? It really makes the house feel warmer. Here are a few ideas I would love to try...

Above - bottle brush trees

Herb votive - just wrap them around the votive 

DIY snow globes

Some chalkboard art 

Pumpkin Cheesecake

 Pumpkin cheesecake is the best way to celebrate the beginning of December! The perfect combination between pumpkin pie and cheesecake, makes this a must during the holiday season. Pinterest made me dream about pumpkin desserts with all the amazing recipes, and I really couldn't wait to fill the house with the aromas of cinnamon and nutmeg. Since in Israel pumpkin is used mainly (if not only) for savory dishes and most people don't understand the amazingness of pumpkin pie, my mom and I have a little tradition of making pumpkin pie during this season and enjoying it all to ourselves. This year we decided to make it a little lighter and so we made this cheesecake. 

Here is the recipe: 

Crust:

We made this basic pie crust by Smitten Kitchen.

Filling: 

300 grams of cream cheese

2 c. pureed pumpkin

3 eggs

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 tbsp. cinnamon 

1 tsp. vanilla

1/8 tsp. fresh ground nutmeg 

2 tbsp. flour 

While the pie crust is chilling make filling and heat oven to 175 c.:

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg mixing until smooth. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined. 

Pour into crust, bake for 1 hour or until tooth pick comes out clean. 

Best served after it has been refrigerated for at least 4 hours and with a spoonful of whipped cream on top

Coveted Bags

Six of bags I am loving right now and dreaming of the moment I can get them!!

1. Alice D canvas clutch - $210

2. Madewell transport tote - $168

3. The Cambridge Satchel by Asos - $208

4. Madewell mini satchel - $178

5. The Company Satchel - $200

6. Kara backpack - $640

Which one is your favorite? Mine are number 2 and 4

Have a cozy weekend

It has finally started to feel a little like winter in Israel, with rain and thunderstorms (last week it was still 28 c. outside). I am so happy to get into some cozy clothes put fuzzy socks on and snuggle on the couch. What are your plans for the weekend? We are planing to stay home, watch movies and stay warm. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and stay warm wherever you are! 

Some fun links...

Pumpkin Mac 'n' Cheese

An abandoned house in the woods taken over by wild animals 

Awesome parents pull a great stunt on their kids

A beautiful architect's house

I want these chocolate brioches

Love this hairspiration

These gold tipped loafers

Love this Mary-Kate & Ashley Allure shoot  

This natural Christmas tree

xoxo

(image via "The Inspiration)

Home Inspo: Colorful Doors

Colorful doors are such a wonderful way to bring some life into your home and really make a house look welcoming. Whenever I see colorful doors I think to myself "the people who live there must be fun and cheery". Doors are so important in my opinion, they can really change the look of your home. Here is  a little inspiration...

Blue tones...

Purple...

Yellow...

Red...

I would love to have one of these colors for my front door, I would probably choose the turquoise or yellow, they are both so bright and cheery! 

What do you think of these? Would you paint your front door? Which color would you choose? I would love to hear your thoughts. 

Images via: 1- me, 2, 3 source unknown, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 

Etsy Finds

A lovely handmade home accessories shop, Bailey Doesn't Bark. I love the simple design using nature as an inspiration. These would be great as a hostess gift or a housewarming gift. The textiles are made by artists in India, isn't that wonderful? 

Pictures above: 1, 2, 3, 4