Cottage Cozy

February 9, 2011

February 7, 2011

{Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes}

This was the most delicious little Pumpkin Cheesecake.

I baked it for a special Birthday Super Bowl Celebration.

I used my mini cheesecake pan.

It is a wonderful tool to use!

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
Filling:
1 eight oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. canned pumpkin (or cooked and mashed fresh pumpkin)
1 egg plus 1 egg white, slightly beaten
1/4 C. packed brown sugar
2 T. maple syrup
1/2 t. pumpkin spice

Crust:
1 C. graham cracker crumbs
2 T. brown sugar
1/3 stick melted butter
1 T. maple syrup
1/2 t. pumpkin spice

Topping:
Whipped Cream topped with Pumpkin Spice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium bowl, mix crust ingredients until well combined. Divide mixture evenly between the 12 cups. Press crumbs firmly on bottom and 1/3 up sides of each cup. Set aside.
In a separate medium bowl, blend filling ingredients together until smooth. Spoon this mixture into each crust-lined cup, dividing evenly between all 12.
Place cheesecake pan into the preheated oven and bake for 14 minutes. Remove from oven and place on rack to cool for 20 minutes. Carefully remove cheesecakes from pan by pressing up from the bottom of each cup. Let cheesecakes cool completely on wire rack then refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serve the cheesecakes topped with whipped cream sprinkled with pumpkin spice.

February 2, 2011

{Before & After Craft Space}

For those of you that do not know...Cottage Cozy is also a business of mine...
where I bring my passion for room re-design, reinvention and refinement
into your home or office!

I love bringing style, charm and harmony to a space that needs some TLC,
and I am excited to see my professional organizational skills
bring calm to your clutter!

Everyone needs to have a house they feel good about and love to come home to
no matter what the size or location.
And with today's economic challenges you may not have the resources
to make a major move or change.
Whether you are at odds with what to do or have run dry on design inspiration,

Cottage Cozy comes to your rescue!

This is a space that my client has to use for many different purposes.
She lives in a downtown apartment has to use this alcove in her living room for her
sewing, crafting, and office needs.
She was lost as to where to begin and didn't want to spend any more money
buying new pieces or storage materials.

So I worked with what she had....eliminated a lot of unnecessary "stuff"
...and achieved her goal!

BEFORE

AFTER

The drawers on each side of her desk are completely organized with the supplies
she needs for that particular task.
All her sewing/crafting materials are in their designated areas...
easy to get to when the creative urge strikes.
The other side has all of her office supplies, notes, cards and inspirational books
so she can sit down at any time to write a thank-you card to a client
or add a photo to her scrapbook!

Because of her busy and ever-changing work schedule,
rather than having her sewing machine, etc hidden away,
she asked that everything be easily accessible
so she can squeeze in some crafting in her free time.

When it comes to organization...no job is too small
or too large...

to create that "ah-ha" moment!