{one year blog-anniversary}

 

 I truly cannot believe it has been a whole year since my very first post on this blog.  I also can't believe it took me so long to actually start this blog since I had wanted to start one for quite sometime before I actually wrote my first post (I even had my domain name for almost 4 months before the first post went up).  I took a little time to celebrate with some rosé prosecco and raspberry macaron cake last night.

To celebrate Mint Love Social Club turning one, here is a look back at the top five posts (based on page views) from the past year:

DIY confetti art: it still amazes me that this is consistently the top post on this blog since it is such a simple project that I made on a whim.

Bubble Chandelier: This project was one of the most intimidating projects I have ever attempted, but it turned out to be comically easy.  I think this is a great piece in our loft and helps to soften the hard industrial layout/interior.

Credenza Makeover:  Cocktails are clearly a big part of this blog.  We had this credenza made for this loft before we even moved in.  I cannot imagine this piece not being a part of our decor even if we move to a new place.

 

Fishbowl terrarium: This was the first post I wrote about succulents on the blog, but it was certainly not the last- see some others here, here, & here.

Deck makeover:  By far our favorite part of this loft is our outdoor deck which we spent a lot of time transforming into an additional living space.


Thank you to everyone who has followed this blog and encouraged me with their kind words!
I can't wait to see what this next year brings!!

{baked valentine's donuts}

I recently received a donut pan as a gift and I knew it would be perfect for making up some Valentine's treats.  While I had intended on making the recipe from scratch, I ended up finding myself short on time this weekend and decided to seek out a recipe that utilized a boxed cake mix.  Even though they might not be as dense as a traditional cake donut,  these still have a great vanilla flavor with a light moist cake.  When I made mini baked donuts before (see that post here), I was not happy with how the icing turned out since it never really stiffened fully.  This time I picked up a bottle of pre-made dessert glaze.  I have never used a product like this before and I believe it is actually intended for bundt cakes so I wasn't sure about what I would end up with, but this worked perfectly and really made a difference in the amount of time I spent making these.

I think all in these took me about 30 minutes from start to finish which means they are great as a last minute Valentine's treat for your loved ones or even to bring into your office tomorrow morning.  Here is the recipe I followed:


Baked Vanilla Donuts

Makes: 18-20 3-inch Donuts

Ingredients

• Full box Vanilla Cake Mix
• 2 large eggs
• 1 stick melted butter
• 1 cup milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Lightly grease donut pan. Combine eggs, butter, and milk.  Add mix. Stir until smooth.  Pour batter into prepared doughnut pan- make sure to only fill up the donut cavities about a third full as this batter will rise quite a bit.  Bake for 13 to 14 minutes.

Next time around, I really want to try making these using a plain muffin mix and adding a savory topping like a orange glaze with chopped pistachios!

{friday cocktail: type O}

On a recent trip to visit my parents in the bay area, my dad made me this cocktail which the bartender at a hotel bar in Healdsburg had given to him.  Besides the Aperol, this cocktail is relatively simple in it's ingredients, but packs a lot of flavor.  Plus, it has the most popular ingredient on this blog lately, blood orange! (re-live past blood orange magic here, here, & here).  

On a side note, I am trying to design a new template for the cocktail recipes as an update to the template I have used previously.  I'm not in love with this new one, but it is definitely a start in the right direction. What are your thoughts on the new template? If anyone wants to take a stab at a new one and send it my way I would love you forever.  seriously- for. ever. 

cheers!