White Chocolate Cereal Mix-RECIPE

Don't you love easy cereal snack mixes?  Like this Sweet Cereal Mix found here or the Lemon Buddies Mix I shared here.  I love how quick they are to make and the fact that they make plenty for a crowd...or just my hungry family!  I thought I would share my version of White Chocolate Cereal Mix (you might also hear of it as "White Trash Mix")  as many of you had emailed me about it after seeing it in my sister's bridal shower post here.  It really is quick and of course easy to swap our ingredients for what you have in your pantry, me likey that a lot.

We seem to make this mix for any holiday...Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter...you name it, it is good any time of the year!  To up the cuteness factor I like to use food coloring and mix it in the melted white chocolate chips...so pretty!  That's what we did for my sister's bridal shower seen here.

Remember?  We colored it pink to match her "Pretty In Pink" bridal shower theme...part of our pink foods buffet table.  I love a good theme :-)

How's about that recipe?  

You got it, dudes  :-)

White Chocolate Cereal Mix

3 cups Chex cereal (any variety)

3 cups Cheerios type cereal

1 cup pretzels

1 cup peanuts (or other nut of your choice)

1 cup M&Ms (or raisins, cranberries, chocolate chips, reese's pieces...the list goes on!)

1 bag of white chocolate chips (we love Ghiradelli brand for it's nice melting)

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  Place the white chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 30 second intervals until completely melted.  Pour white chocolate over dry cereal and mix until well coated.  Pour out onto greased parchment paper and let cool in bite-sized chunks.  Enjoy!

Oh, the makings of a great party mix begin with just a few simple ingredients..

I love buying seasonal M&Ms and coordinating this mix with each holiday...who wouldn't want to enjoy this mix year round I say.  I like to stock up on the Easter M&Ms afterward on clearance (what a bargain!) because they work well for lots of different themed Spring/Summer parties and Baby Showers, love those pastel colors!  

Simple Simon...just mix all the dry ingredients together like so.

Melt a bag of white chocolate chips in the microwave and pour over the dry mix until well coated.

Then just pour the mix on a large piece of greased parchment paper or a large greased jelly roll pan and spread it out so it cools in smaller bite-sized chunks.

Then scoop it up into bowls, bags, or little cups...

Enjoy!

XOXO,

Giveaway Week: WallFry

Aww man, today is the last day of my first official Giveaway Week, didn't it go by way too fast?  It has been so much fun to do!  I am so grateful for all of my wonderful blog sponsors and it makes me so happy to be able to give back to them by doing this kind of thing, they all help in keeping Smashed Peas and Carrots going and for that I am truly appreciative.  I hope you had a chance to stop by their shops and look around...maybe even buy a few goodies for you or someone you love :-)  

Today we are showcasing my newest blog sponsor, WallFry...

WallFry is your one stop shop for Nursery Art, Children's Art and Playroom Decor.  WallFry is owned by Kylie, an extraordinarily talented print designer who blows me away with her eye for beautiful colors, fonts, and her amazing style.  She designs and prints all the artwork in her shop, many of which can be customized!   I cannot wait to find out if we are having a little boy or girl because I NEED to have some of these sets in the nursery...bad!

Let me show you about what I mean.  You are going to love them!

{Baby Nursery Art Prints:  Woodland Nursery Decor}

{Alphabet, Maps and Animal Print Sets}

{Typography Art Prints and Inspirational Quotes for Children}

{Bathroom Art Prints:  Bathroom Rules}

Aren't these just awesome?  I could use a few different sets to brighten every room in my house!

Today WallFry is offering to ONE of my lucky readers, A set of four prints of the winner's choice in size 8x10

Yippee for you guys!!!

To enter this giveaway:

(you can do any of the below...so that means you can enter up to 4 times, one comment per entry please!!)

1.  Head on over to WallFry, here, and tell me which set you would get if you won!

3.  'Like' WallFry on Facebook, here!

4. "Like" Smashed Peas and Carrots on Facebook, here!

4.  Be a follower of Smashed Peas and Carrots the blog!

This Giveaway ends Sunday, April 29, 2012 at 8 am!!

GOOD LUCK!

 XOXO,

Pretty in Pink Bridal Shower

This past weekend I got my 8+ months pregnant butt on a plane and headed out east to hang out with my awesome sisters and my momma to throw my sister, Liz (affectionately known as Sister #2), a bridal shower.  I was probably pushing it a bit to be flying on a plane so late in this pregnancy, especially by the looks on some of the airline attendants faces, but it was worth it...and the baby is still in my belly, so it was all good for everyone involved :-)  I figured if I did end up having the baby in Virginia and it was a girl then maybe we'd just name her Virginia and not have to come up with a list of names after all!

My long weekend was lovely and much needed.  I hardly ever get to see my sisters as we all have such crazy schedules and we are scattered all over the country, me in Chicago, Annie in Seattle, and Liz in Richmond, that a 3-day getaway just to hang out with them (and our momma) was pure perfection!  We bridal-partied it up, shopped up a storm, ate out, and just laughed a whole bunch....LOVE!

My middle seeester Liz and her fiancé, Kenny, are getting married this summer and are planning a 'pink' wedding.  From the details I have heard about so far, it's going to be so lovely!  My sister, Annie, and my momma decided that a 'Pretty in Pink' bridal shower was needed to celebrate their upcoming nuptials in style so that is what we did.  I love the color pink (like most girls) so it was fun to come up with lots of pink-themed decor and food.  

We had a drink station at the bridal shower that included a large glass cookie jar we as a punch bowl and filled with Raspberry Lemonade.  We added lots of sliced lemons and raspberries to make it extra pretty too.  For the non-pregnant guests (there were 3 us of if you can believe it, one of which is having TWINS and due around the same time as me and she looks totally awesome to boot!) we made a Strawberry Champagne drink.  It was really easy to make, just puree a pint of fresh strawberries in a blender and then add in a bottle of chilled champagne or prosecco.  It looked really pretty and I heard from everyone who was lucky enough to taste it that it was dee-lish.  

We used pint-sized regular-mouth mason jars as our drink glasses and added fresh strawberries on the rims along with stripey straws in various shades of pink for a few pretty pops of color.  

Our buffet table was loaded with lots of goodies too.  We offered pinwheel slices for a nice light lunch option, fresh strawberries and fruit dip, a fresh fruit salad, lots of pretty pink cupcakes in chocolate and vanilla, cheese and crackers, a pretty pink version of a sweet chex cereal mix, and marshmallows dipped in pink-colored white chocolate (an idea I found on Pinterest and pinned to my Pinterest board here.)  

Each guest took home a little box of See's Chocolates as their party favor.  I brought Raspberry Cream and Strawberry Cream filled chocolates (more pink!) from a shop here in Chicago and we placed them in simple brown craft boxes that were decorated with a dainty pink ribbon.  

We filled a white wooden tray with pink chevron paper bags (bags bought here) full of the sweet chex cereal mix.  This stuff is sooo good and a pretty paper bag is definitely the way to present it with no mess!  Chex cereal, pink m&ms, peanuts, pretzels, and pink-colored white chocolate, oh my!

We dyed a huge bag of rice a pretty pink hue and used it to fill various vases and decorative tins to add more pink color to the party.  The rice was perfect for holding up the pretty dipped marshmallow pops on pink polka-dotted paper straws.  We also used it to hold giant folded rosettes we made out of different pink-designed scrapbook paper.  We hot glued them wooden dowels so they would look like pretty blooming flowers.  

My sister really liked her bridal shower (hooray!) as it was simple and elegant, right up her alley.  We were so happy to throw it for her and I am so glad I was able to fly out and be a part of it.  

Here she is, the guest of honor opening her gifts!  Do we look alike?  Maybe a little...we definitely talk alike, lol!

She is blessed with so many wonderful friends that I am so happy I was finally able to meet in person.  Of course I was a bad picture-taking-taking-during-the-party host (again!) as I should have taken this at the beginning of the party and not the end so I could have gotten everyone in the picture!!!

Only a few more months and she'll be married...how exciting!!!

Thanks for stopping by today!

XOXO,

Giveaway Week: Hadley Grace Designs

Only two days left of Giveaway week...who's getting a little misty eyed?  Well to brighten up your day today I am showcasing another wonderful sponsor of Smashed Peas and Carrots, Hadley Grace Designs!

Hadley Grace Designs is an awesome pattern shop run by the lovely Stacey, momma to 3 little ones!  She is an amazing clothing designer who leaves nothing and nobody out.  There are plenty of patterns available in her shop for boys, girls, accessories, and even plushies.  All her patterns are in PDF format so you get them via email the day of purchase and they are all super-detailed and perfect for the beginner seamstress to the more advanced!

Let me just give you a little lookie-lou at some of her adorable designs...

{Little Man's Tie Sewing Pattern PDF e-Book}

{Ruched Leggings PDF Sewing Pattern}

{Lily Headband PDF Pattern}

{Sophia Paper Bag Skirt Sewing PDF Pattern}

Today, Hadley Grace Designs is giving away $15 Shop Credit to ONE of my lucky readers, holla if you think that is awesome!

To enter this giveaway:

(you can do any of the below...so that means you can enter up to 4 times, one comment per entry please!!)

1.  Head on over to Hadley Grace Designs, here, and tell me your favorite pattern!

3.  'Like' Hadley Grace Designs on Facebook, here!

4. "Like" Smashed Peas and Carrots on Facebook, here!

4.  Be a follower of Smashed Peas and Carrots the blog!

This Giveaway ends Sunday, April 29, 2012 at 8 am!!

GOOD LUCK!

XOXO,

Giveaway Week: Pink Poodle Bows

Day 3 of Giveaway Week...are you excited or what!

Today I am showcasing a super awesome Etsy shop who is also one of my lovely my blog sponsors, Pink Poodle Bows, holla!

Pink Poodle Bows is run by an amazing designer and momma, Alisha, who's talents for creating beautiful children's clothing patterns does not stop there.  She also designs PDF patterns for E-readers like the iPad, Kindle, and Nook.  And all her patterns are designed with the beginning sewist in mind meaning that all instructions are super easy to follow!!  Every pattern you make from Pink Poodle Bows will look professional because of all the attention to detail found in them, love that!  

Here's a little peek at some of the lovely patterns you will find at Pink Poodle Bows...

{The Bree Pillowcase Romper PDF Pattern}

{Wide Leg Lil Diva Pants PDF Pattern}

{E-Reader Cover PDF Pattern for iPad, Kindle and Nook}

{Knot Dress PDF Pattern}

So are you ready for the giveaway?  You are going to love it!

Pink Poodle Bows is giving one winner his/her choice of any TWO patterns from her shop!!

Woot!  Isn't that awesome!!

To enter this giveaway:

(you can do any of the below...so that means you can enter up to 4 times, one comment per entry please!!)

1.  Head on over to Pink Poodle Bows, here, and tell me which two patterns from her shop you would love!

3.  'Like' Pink Poodle Bows on Facebook, here!

4. "Like" Smashed Peas and Carrots on Facebook, here!

4.  Be a follower of Smashed Peas and Carrots the blog!

This Giveaway ends Sunday, April 29, 2012 at 8 am!!

GOOD LUCK!

XOXO,

Giveaway Week: KK Children Designs

YAY!  Today continues on with my first ever Giveaway Week!  So far are you liking it?  I hope so!  Of course, throughout the week I will also share a few of my regular blog posts too so you can get a mix of everything, you know I like to mix it up!

Today, I am showcasing my awesome blog sponsor, KK Children Designs!  This lovely shop is owned by two sweet sisters, Peini and Kathy, and they design and sew the most adorable little girls' dresses in the most eye-popping fabrics!  They even have a section in their shop for organic cotton dresses...so cool...two ladies after my own heart, I say!  And don't I wish I could be in business with my sisters, how fun would that be! :-)

KK Children Designs will also have two new patterns in their shop coming soon so be sure to check back with their shop often to see when they have the patterns up and ready for sale!

Here are a few of the sweet little dresses you can find at KK Children Designs...

{Organic Cotton Knit-Bloom in Ruby} 

{The Sweet Rose Sunflower Dress}

And I just had to show you the back of this dress...is it not the cutest thing ever!!

{Flower Shower Pillowcase Dress}

And now let me share with you the dress that KK Children Designs is giving away today, oh man, it is soooo cute...

{The Ice Cream Dessert Party Cones Jumper Dress}

Gah, isn't it adorable and just perfect for summer!  This sweet and summery little dress is made from Ann Kelle's beautiful designer fabric, it is 100% cotton and is fully lined.  The winner of this dress gets to choose which size they desire as well!

Ready to win it!?!

To enter this giveaway:

(you can do any of the below...so that means you can enter up to 4 times, one comment per entry please!!)

1.  Head on over to KK Children Designs, here, and tell me which item from their shop you love!

3.  'Like' KK Children Designs on Facebook, here!

4. "Like" Smashed Peas and Carrots on Facebook, here!

4.  Be a follower of Smashed Peas and Carrots the blog!

This Giveaway ends Sunday, April 29, 2012 at 8 am!!

GOOD LUCK!

 XOXO,