Death By Chocolate

Over the holidays, I was asked to make two desserts for a Christmas party we attended. Today I'm going to share with you on of the recipes I brought.

Growing up, my mom made this dessert all the time and I loved it. It is the perfect dessert to bring to a large gathering because it serves so many and is just that darn good!

Death By Chocolate:
-2 tubs of whipped cream
-1 box of brownies, baked, cooled and crumbled
-large instant chocolate pudding box
-bag of mini heath bars, crushed
-2 pints of heavy cream, whipped

1. Prepare pudding with 2 cups of whole milk. Let set and fold in whipped cream. Make sure to save enough whipped cream for topping.
2. Begin layering in deep dish truffle bowl - brownies, pudding/whipped cream topping, health bars.
3. Repeat until the top.
4. Cover top with whipped cream.
5. Devour!

This recipe is honestly so easy and so delicious! Let me know how yours comes out!

2014 House Trends

Top 2014 Projected House Trends:
1. Hottest Hues- lilac, chinese red, deep peacock blue, chrome yellow, grey
"Grey has become the new neutral - replacing the now outdated beige. Grey is projected to stay for beyond 2014." -Woodhouse
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2. Finishes- rich dark wood, clear acrylic, white
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3. Print- big & bold (especially on chairs). Big butterflies, oversized florals. Prints are being blown up on a bigger scale. Bold geometric patterns in upholstery and wall coverings. Moroccan inspired patterns have been appearing on rugs and wall coverings.
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4. Furniture Details- The 60s are back. Tufting, channel quilting, contrast cording, buttons and nailhead
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5. Metal- Gold has reentered the scene
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6. Finishing Touches- White-washed, gray-washed and metallic finishes
2014 is the year to take your old traditional pieces and give them a facelift - give an old chest a fresh, fun hue of your choosing.
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7. Rope Chic- Light fixtures being hung by rope, rope ship ladders. Be careful with rope- skinny looks cheap while heave and thick looks sophisticated.
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So what do you think? Do you like what's being projected? Do you currently have some of these trends in your house? 

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Email for advertising or product review details

erica@inspiredbyabove.com 

DIY Chalkboard Door

Since we've moved into our house, we've made it a goal to make it represent us. From the soft colors to plantation shutters and mix of textures, we're well on our way of creating a home that reflects our style. And when I say OUR style, I actually mean our style. God knew what he was doing when he gave us our taste. We have the exact same taste in just about everything home. This small coincidence, I sure am thankful for.

So now we can move onto the topic of chalkboards. Who isn't swooning over them? Black and white art you can change at the drop of a hat, turn of a season. Let's do it! My dream would be to have exactly 3 chalkboards in our home.

 1) home office 2) pantry 3) dining room

Now I know what you are thinking.. why on earth would you need 3 chalkboards in one little home? Glad you asked.  Home office = glorious to do list. Pantry = weekly menu/calendar. Dining room = seasonal graphic.

And there you have it. One day all three will be up and running. As for now, we are 1/3 of the way there and have a whole lot of paint left over. Hint, hint hubby!
....

DIY Chalkboard in 5 Simple Steps 
1. Wash surface & let dry.
2. Paint 2 to 3 liberal coats of chalkboard paint.
   (We choose Rust-Oleum brand and were really satisfied)
3. Let sit for 3 days.
4. "Chalk prime" the entire surface.
5. Wipe down & begin!

Even Gari got into it!

Some Etsy Shop Additions

While have two glorious weeks off, I managed to add some new items to my Etsy Shop. If you are wedding/party planning, make sure to check it out! As for tomorrow, it's back to work for the both of us. I am sure it's going to make Gari (our frenchie) a little uneasy - especially since he has been by our side for the past 16 days.

The rest of my Sunday will be spent folding clothes, meal planning, working on invitation orders, cleaning the floors and tending to our sick puppy. He ate a ton of junk yesterday while escaping from his crate and let's just say it isn't looking very pretty... but the Lord is faithful and we will continue to pray for the best.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend with your family & friends!