GRANDMASTER YODA COCKTAIL

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 ounces Kahlua
• 2 ounces Vodka
• 1 ounce milk
• 1 scoop mint chocolate chip ice cream
• chocolate syrup
• mint chocolate chip oreo cookies

DIRECTIONS:

Dip your high ball glasses in chocolate syrup and coat the rims. Then dip the glasses into crushed mint chocolate chip Oreo cookies. Fill your highball glass with one large square ice cube or a few smaller square ice cubes. Pour the Kahlua over the ice followed by the Vodka. Top your cocktail with milk leaving enough room for a scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream. Serve and ENJOY!

This Star Wars inspired cocktail is delicious…its like having dessert in a glass!

Hoping you have a fun and safe Halloween. As always, thanks so much for stopping by!

The post Grandmaster Yoda Kahlua Cocktail appeared first on KBStyled.

Who knew that Darth Maul likes to bake?! He especially likes to create Galactic Fudge Cupcakes that resemble the Dark Side and that reminds him of the galaxy he wishes he ruled.

I wanted to create a cupcake that fits this years Star Wars Halloween theme and I love how these Milky Way Galaxy inspired cupcakes turned out.

They are rich and covered by the Dark Side (ahem..also know as fudge icing) and adorned with a variety of planets, stars, and asteroids.

These are fun to make and are the perfect compliment to any galaxy inspired party you may be planning!

Who knows…maybe Maul should give up his quest to destroy Obi-Wan and turn his attention towards something a little more peaceful like baking sweet treats.

GALACTIC FUDGE CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 box of fudge cake mix *prepared according to the instructions on the box
• 1 container of milk chocolate icing
• 1 container of vanilla icing
• yellow gumballs *can be found on Amazon
• multi-colored gumballs *can be found on Amazon
• red licorice
• clear rock sugar *can be found on Amazon
• edible gold star sprinkles *can be found on Amazon
• food coloring (black, purple & blue)

DIRECTIONS:

• prepare cupcakes according to the instructions on the box
• mix a couple of drops of black food coloring in with the milk chocolate icing, stir until well blended, and then ice each cupcake *wear disposable gloves when handling and mixing food coloring
• scoop out some of the vanilla icing and mix a little bit with blue food coloring and a little with purple
• use a toothpick with a little blue/purple icing on it to make a celestial looking design on the top
• place the planets (gumballs) on the top
• sprinkle some rock sugar on top
• sprinkle some gold star sprinkles on top

Hope you will give these Galactic Fudge Cupcakes a try…they are out of this world!

As always, thanks so much for stopping by!

Looking for more Halloween dessert ideas…check out this recipe, this one, and this one!

The post Galactic Fudge Cupcakes appeared first on KBStyled.

This Halloween, I was inspired by our love of Star Wars. We started watching Star Wars as a family within the last several years and we’ve been big fans ever since! Some of the most mysterious and intriguing characters are from the Dark Side of the Force so this year, I decided to create a Darth Maul Halloween costume.

Darth Maul…also known as Maul is the son of Dathomir, a powerful Zabrak warrior, a disgraced Sith Lord, a feared criminal Lord and is seeking revenge against Obi-Wan…his arch nemesis.

Becoming Darth Maul was a lot of fun and allowed me to tap into the Dark Side of the Force. Although most days of the year I favor the Light Side of the Force and their hero characters, I like to tap into villainous characters for Halloween. What better way to celebrate spooky season!

For reference, I sourced my costume directly from www.SkyCostume.com. They offer high quality costumes…just be aware that it will take several weeks to arrive to you. I also shared a tutorial of how I did my make-up on Instagram. My colored contacts are from www.ColouredContacts.com.

Be sure to check out last years Captain Jack Sparrow costume and my Maleficent costume the year before. Stay tuned here for more Halloween content this week including some fun celestial cupcakes and a Yoda cocktail!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a great day!

The post Darth Maul Halloween Costume appeared first on KBStyled.

Where has summer gone?! Time always passes quickly when you are having fun and we’ve truly been enjoying every bit of summer. We start back to school in early August so we are already starting to prepare by getting together our school supplies, backpacks, locker swag, etc.

Every couple of years, the kids get to pick out a new backpack, which is one of their favorite things to pick out for back to school. We’ve always loved Vera Bradley backpacks…their prints are colorful and fun, they are comfortable to carry, they are sturdy and they are made to last.

Today, I’m sharing a Vera Bradley backpack comparison guide in hopes of helping you select the right backpack for your student. Vera Bradley backpacks are excellent for anyone who enjoys carrying a backpack too…from school, to work, to travel…they are the perfect everyday companion.

1. The XL Journey Backpack in ReActive – we love this backpack in the lavender butterflies print…it also comes in 3 other prints and in solid black. The ReActive material is lightweight, water repellant, and is made from recycled PET water bottles. This backpack has all of the bells and whistles and I particularly love all of the pockets and compartments. There is also a ventilated pouch for your shoes and extra clothes. This would be an excellent backpack for a student who needs the extra space and may have a sports practice after school!
2. The XL Campus Backpack in Recycled Cotton – this style has always been one of our personal favorites.
   We love the cotton quilted look and how cute is this Butterfly By pattern?! This backpack is made from 100% recycled cotton. It has front and back zip pockets and two side slip pockets…perfect for carrying a water bottle. The shoulder straps are nicely padded as well for extra comfort!
3. The Utility Backpack in Recycled Cotton – this backpack is available in 5 solid colors and 2 prints and is made with recycled cotton. The size of the backpack is perfect for everyday use. I especially love carrying this backpack when running errands or shopping. It is comfortable to carry and big enough to fit all of your everyday essentials. The drawstring keeps the backpack snuggly closed and the various zip and slip pockets are ideal for holding your phone, keys, etc.
4. The Small Backpack in Performance Twill – this backpack comes in 3 solids and 4 prints and is made of water-repellant polyester. This backpack is also a great option for everyday use. It is lightweight, super comfortable to carry and small enough so your belongings are easy to retrieve. The side slip pocket will keep your water bottle secure and the other zip pockets will help you keep everything organized.
5. The Grand Backpack – this backpack comes in solid black and two different prints. I love this fun colorful tropical print called Rain Forest Canopy Coral! It is lightweight, has padding for comfort, is water-repellant and is made from recycled PET water bottles…22 bottles to be exact! This one has pockets GALORE…any pocket that you may need, this backpack has it! It also had an adjustable chest strap which is helpful when carrying heavier loads. You can also clip your keys or water bottle onto this backpack to keep them secure and nearby for easy access! What’s not to love about this backpack?!

As you can see, Vera Bradley has an awesome selection of backpacks for all stages of life and all of your needs. You can truly find a backpack that will carry you throughout your day and beyond! Vera Bradley backpacks are high quality and made to last and not to mention…SO FUN TO CARRY!

Now all you have to do is decide which backpack is right for you! Happy backpack shopping!

The post Vera Bradley Backpack Comparison Guide appeared first on KBStyled.

Summer is officially here and we are enjoying lots of get togethers with friends and family…we hope you all are doing the same! From pool parties, to cookouts, to holiday gatherings, birthday celebrations, and beach vacations…summertime is truly one of our favorite times of year!

I’m always on the lookout for great summer gift ideas for friends and family…those we are gathering with and those we are celebrating birthdays with as well. Vera Bradley has so many beautiful gift options for all who are hosting this summer and for all who are celebrating a birthday…maybe you are looking for the perfect “just because” gift…whomever you may be giving a gift to and whatever the occasion, Vera Bradley has it all.

Their bold colorful prints are so fun and they have gifts for every gal on your list. I personally love their aprons…any gal who loves cooking, hosting or entertaining should have a Vera Bradley apron! From coffee mugs, to various tote bag styles, to beach towels, to pajamas, to the coziest blankets, and even an adorable phone charging cord…there are just so many amazing summer gift giving options.

I’ve included some of my favorite Vera Bradley summer gift ideas below! Definitely order an apron for yourself and gift one to someone else too and check out the many other gift options as well.

The post Summer Gift Ideas appeared first on KBStyled.

Sitting on the front porch, in the evening, during the spring and summer months with a Sweet Tea Sorbet Refresher in hand is one of our favorite things to do as a family. We enjoy every bit of summer daylight that we can squeeze in and then we unwind together by taking a long walk or by sitting on the porch chit chatting and enjoying our refreshers.

I’ll be sharing our Sweet Tea Sorbet Refresher recipe along with some of my favorite new home pieces from Walmart, like these striped tumblers that come as a set of 8 for under $20! They are so cute and perfect for summertime entertaining. Not to mention they are great for using out on your deck or around your pool because they are not glass.

I also picked up this 3 gallon beverage dispenser, under $30, which is made of lightweight BPA free material and is perfect for using when you entertain indoors and out. Fill it with your favorite tea, lemonade, or even your favorite summer sangria!

These Pioneer Woman tea towels are colorful and bold…great to keep by your sink or use when serving food and beverage and I loved this Better Homes and Garden serving tray that is under $10! I’ve also linked up more of my favorite recent Walmart finds below! Walmart has so many great entertaining pieces perfect for family and friend gatherings and home decor that is sure to brighten up your home just in time for summer.

Now on to the simple and delicious Sweet Tea Sorbet Refresher recipe…

SWEET TEA SORBET REFRESHER

INGREDIENTS

• your favorite sweet tea (store bought or homemade)
• your favorite flavor of sorbet (we used orange but we also love lemon, strawberry, and raspberry sorbet with our tea refreshers)
• whipped cream for topping
• mint sprig for garnish
• wide boba straw or spoon for enjoying

Scoop your favorite sorbet into your tumblers and and pour your favorite sweet tea over the sorbet. Top with whipped cream and a sprig of mint…serve and ENJOY!!!

Be sure to check out my current favorite Walmart Home finds and try this Sweet Tea Sorbet Refresher recipe…I truly think you will love it as much as we do!

As always, thanks so much for stopping by…see you back here real soon!

The post Sweet Tea Sorbet Refresher appeared first on KBStyled.

We finally finished our home office and could not be more thrilled with the way it turned out! My only regret is not having more before after images to share with you so you can get the full picture of how dramatically this space in our home has changed. I’m excited to share today’s post as this home office makeover has been a long time coming…nearly 5 years to be exact!

We moved into our home almost 5 years ago and for whatever reason, at the time, our office space was not our biggest priority. We wanted to take our time decorating and making wise decisions on how we transformed each space so we began with putting our love and attention into other rooms. At the time, I truly did not have a vision for our office and was okay letting the space sit unfurnished and undecorated…it was a catch-all for so many years and was the collector of many miscellaneous things. I never really LOVED letting this room collect things and dust (as it is the first room on the right when you walk in our front door) but again, I didn’t want to just fill it with things when my vision wasn’t clear.

The very first thing I updated in this room was the light fixture…I chose this beautiful Cascade Capiz Chandelier from Shades of Light. It was as if I was setting the stage for what’s to come. I love this chandelier so much and is truly one of my favorite accents in our office. Shades of Light has such a beautiful high quality assortment of lighting…I love their light fixtures so much that I ended up buying our matte black wall sconces from them as well.

I then decided that we needed to have built-in office shelving installed but first…the wall had to be wallpapered with a subtle burlap wallpaper. I wanted the wall behind the built-ins to be textured and special and I love how it turned out. Our carpenter then came in and created the perfect built-ins that we designed together and he did such a beautiful job. The gold/acrylic knobs are from a shop I found on Etsy called Hook & Knob. They are absolutely beautiful and they tie in with the gold on the chandelier.

Next up was the task of filling all of the books shelves with meaningful pictures and decorative items. This was the most fun part of decorating our office but also the most tedious as I knew what I was looking for…it was just a matter of finding the items I envisioned filling these spaces. I started my search on Etsy and found these beautiful unbound books. They came as a set off 25 so I was able to decorate almost all of the shelves with these books. I also discovered an Artist by the name of Maren Devine, whom I had not heard of before, and immediately fell in love with her artwork. I ordered several pieces of her artwork to fill our shelves as well.

I also ordered two focal artwork pieces from one of my all time favorite artist, Lindsay Sherbondy, of Lindsay Letters Co. Her artwork has such soul and meaning to each and every piece and I love how the colors of these two pieces tie in so nicely with the rest of our office space. They are the focal point of this space and are most certainly conversation starters too!

I used these gold and white frames to showcase pictures of our family both on our shelves and on our walls. These frames are classy, beautiful, and affordable. We use these frames throughout our home…they are the BEST!

The buffalo plaid bench that we purchased was such a great find but is no longer available…I did find this one that I love just as much in case you are interested in something similar. This tufted ottoman is the perfect centerpiece for this space! I also love mixing prints so I picked out these leopard print pillow covers to place on the buffalo plaid bench! Another favorite piece in our office is my desk chair…it is the Pennington Desk Chair from Ballard Designs. It is custom made and I selected the Serengeti Camel fabric, which I absolutely LOVE!

I sourced the rest of our decor from Kirkland’s, Target, At Home, Etsy, Ballard Designs, Anthropologie, and Target. My rug is from Rugs USA, which is my favorite online place to find beautiful and affordable rugs…in fact, almost every rug in our home is from Rugs USA.

I’ve linked up the items that are still available plus some similar decor items. There are still a few simple additions we’d like to add to our office, included either some photos or artwork around the desk but for now, we are sitting back and enjoying the room that came to life after almost 5 years of trying to decide how to decorate it! Lesson learned…good things are worth the wait!

I appreciate you stopping by today and do hope you found some inspiration for your home office as well. See you back here real soon…take care.

The post Home Office Makeover appeared first on KBStyled.

Easter is almost here and what better way to celebrate with family and friends than by putting together a colorful and delicious Easter Dessert Board.

From bunnies, to flowers, to Easter eggs…there are so many fun treats that you can find to create a dessert board.

I found most of our sweet treats at Whole Foods and Walmart. I especially love the adorable iced sugar cookies in the shapes of flowers and bunnies that I found at Whole Foods.

An Easter Dessert Board is a great post breakfast or brunch treat!

Get creative and have fun putting your board together and I wish you and yours a beautiful and blessed Easter Sunday!

As always, thanks so much for stopping by…see you back here real soon!

The post Easter Dessert Board appeared first on KBStyled.

Our family loves deviled eggs and what would Easter be without them?! These sweet heat Jalapeño Deviled Eggs with pickled red onions bring the perfect amount of spice and sweetness…they are absolutely delicious! Dye your egg whites pink to get into the Easter spirit.

If you love deviled eggs, you are certain to love these! They are easy to make and look so pretty when placed atop your favorite serving dish and some fresh greenery.

Let’s dive into the recipe below!

JALAPEÑO DEVILED EGGS

INGREDIENTS:

• 12 large eggs
• 1/3 cup full fat mayonaise
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp of Mt. Olive Sweet Heat Jalapeño juice
• Mt. Olive Sweet Heat Jalapeños for topping
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1/2 cup of red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup of boiling water
• pink food coloring

DIRECTIONS:

Place your eggs in a large saucepan and fill with water until eggs are completely covered and the water is about 1 inch above the eggs. Bring water to a boil. Once the eggs start to boil, reduce the heat and let the eggs gently boil for 10-12 minutes.

Once done boiling, remove from the eggs from the saucepan and place in an ice bath. Allow eggs plenty of time to cool before peeling.

Remove the yolks and then place your egg whites into a large bowl of water with a little bit of pink food coloring. Allow your egg whites to bathe in the pink water until they reach your desired shade of pink. You don’t have to do this but it does make your eggs look a bit more festive. Remove the egg whites and let drain/dry on paper towels (be sure to protect your counter tops)!

Now go ahead and make your pickled onions by adding your sliced red onion to a large bowl and then add 1/2 cup of boiling water (I just microwave my water), 3 tbsp of sugar, 2tbsp of salt, and 1/2 cup of red wine vinegar. Stir well and seal with an air tight lid. Allow picked onions to sit at room temperature for a few hours before topping your eggs with them. These can also be made in advance so they are ready to put on your eggs immediately. Don’t forget to refrigerate them after letting them sit at room temperature for a few hours (we put the remaining onions into mason jars).

Mix the egg yolks with mayonnaise, dijon mustard, jalapeño juice, and salt and pepper. Mix all together until well blended.

Fill your egg whites with the egg yolk mixture. Top the eggs with some Mt. Olive Sweet Heat Jalapeños and some pickled red onions.

Place your eggs atop of your favorite serving dish and some fresh greenery for presentation! ENJOY!

You can also try my sun-dried tomato deviled eggs and my avocado deviled eggs!

As always, thanks so much for stopping by…see you back here real soon!

The post Jalapeño Deviled Eggs appeared first on KBStyled.

These Cream Cheese Strawberry Jam cupcakes have to be one of my absolute favorite cupcakes…like EVER! The strawberry jam filling is such a nice surprise as you bite into a fluffy cupcake topped with the most delicious cream cheese frosting. They will melt in your mouth and you will have a hard time stopping at just one!

These cupcakes can be made year round and decorated to fit any occasion. With Easter right around the corner, I decided to top these cupcakes with edible sugar grass (you can also color some coconut flakes if you can’t find edible grass), some speckled Whoppers Robin Eggs, and a cute Easter buddy cupcake topper.

Have fun making and decorating these delicious cupcakes…they truly are such a delicious and special treat!

CREAM CHEESE STRAWBERRY JAM CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS:

cupcakes:

• 1 box of white cake mix
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup of full fat sour cream
• 1/2 cup of milk (whole or 2%)
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
• 2 tsp of pure vanilla extract

strawberry jam filling:

• 1 pint of strawberries (washed, hulled, and diced)
• 1/4 cup of fine granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup of water, divided

cream cheese frosting:

• 8 tbsp of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 ounces of full fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 cups of powdered sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

toppings:

• edible grass or coconut flakes
• Whoppers Robin Eggs (or any other candy you’d like)
• Easter cupcake topper or any topper that fits your theme

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix white cake mix, eggs, sour cream, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract together until well blended.

Line your cupcake pan with paper cupcake liners and the fill each cup with a heaping spoonful of batter…about 3/4 full. Bake your cupcakes for 17-20 minutes…I like my cupcakes to be nice and moist so I bake mine for 17 minutes.

While the cupcakes are baking, prepare the strawberry jam filling. Place the strawberries, sugar, 1/4 cup of water, and lemon juice into a sauce pan and cook over medium heat, mashing the strawberries as you go. In a small cup, add the remaining 1/4 of water and the cornstarch…stir until well blended and then pour overtop of the strawberry mixture as it continues to sauté on the stove. Continue cooking over medium heat until the mixture thickens and appears glossy. You don’t want this mixture to be runny. Once you’ve achieved the right consistency, remove the strawberry jam from the stove and let cool.

Once the cupcakes are out of the oven, transfer them to cooling racks and let them cool for at least 15 minutes. Once cool, use a cupcake corer or sharp knife to remove some of the cake from the center of each cupcake. I used a knife and it worked just fine.

While the cupcakes are cooling, make the cream cheese frosting. In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the cream cheese and the butter until well blended. Slowly add each cup of powdered sugar until well blended with the cream cheese/butter mixture. Finally add the vanilla extra and blend gently until the frosting is nice and fluffy.

Fill each cupcake with some homemade strawberry jam and then spread or pipe on a nice layer of homemade cream cheese frosting. Top with some Whoppers Robin Eggs and a cute Easter cupcake topper…enjoy!

Be sure to check out more Easter recipes and posts and stay tuned for more! As always, thanks so much for stopping by…see you back here real soon!

The post Cream Cheese Strawberry Jam Cupcakes appeared first on KBStyled.