Posts – Fook

Things I’ve Been Trying Lately… And Discount Codes So You Can Try Them Too!

Heroine Sport Leggings and Mask

These are ostentatious but sooooo fun! They are comfortable, hold you in in all the right places, and look great! The mask is also super comfortable, and who doesn’t love a good matching moment? Use this link for $20 off your first purchase!

Alpha Paw, Paw Ramp

Makes it so much easier for your pets to get into bed and/or on the couch! Use code FOOK20 for a 20% discount on your purchase!

Modere Trim and Liquid Biocell Life

I started taking these products in January and I have absolutely fallen in love. The Trim has definitely helped me drop some pandemic pounds and the Liquid Biocell Life has done wonders for my skin, hair and nail growth and joint pain. Use this link to save $10 off your first purchase!

Let me know in the comments if you have tried or try any of these products and what you think!

Aunt Mae’s Special Lemon Glazed Cake

The other night I was craving a milkshake but it was thirty degrees out and raining so I was not about to leave the house in my jammies for a milkshake. I had all the ingredients on hand for my Aunt Mae’s Special Lemon Glazed Cake so I decided to make that instead. It is something that brings me such fond memories, as she has been making it as long as I’ve been on this earth, and many years before. It is very unique (at least I have never come across another like it). Hope you all enjoy and try it for yourselves! Let me know in the comments if you do, and how you like it!

Ingredients:
Cake –
1 Box Lemon Cake Mix
1 Box Lemon Instant Jello Powder
3/4 Cup Water
4 Eggs
3/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
Glaze –
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/3 Cup Fresh Orange Juice
Juice Of One Half Of a Fresh Lemon
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
2 Tablespoons Warm Water

Directions:

Place cake mix, jello mix, water, oil and eggs into a bowl. Mix on medium/high for 3 minutes.
Bake per instructions on cake mix box.

Prepare the glaze while the cake is baking.

Once cake is done, take out of the oven and immediately poke holes into top. (You can use whatever you have on hand, I used the round end of a metal chop stick).

Then pour the glaze all over the top while the cake is hot. I usually pour it all on then I smooth it over with the under side of a spoon.

Let cool and enjoy! (I wanted to take a really fancy, staged photo of the finished product but I got too impatient to eat it, lol).

Holiday Cookies

In normal years, the women in my family try to get together to make Christmas cookies. Unfortunately, in the year of Covid, that was not to be. So I woke up one day and cranked out all my Christmas cookie faves and I thought I’d share them with you!

Dutch Cocoa Cookies

Ingredients:
1 Cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
1.5 Cups Granulated Sugar
2 Large Eggs
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
3/4 Cup Dutch Cocoa (Hershey Special Dark Cocoa works)
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
Granulated Sugar For Rolling (I just pour some into a bowl)

Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla extract. Beat for a full 3 minutes, mixture will look fluffy.
2. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, dutch cocoa, baking soda and salt.
3. Gradually stir dry ingredients into butter mixture until just combined.
4. Cover bowl or wrap dough in wax paper. Chill for at least 1 hour (up to 24 hours) in the refrigerator. Refrigerating will help the flavors meld and also create a firmer dough to roll into balls.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Remove dough from refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Scoop dough using 1.5 tablespoon scoop or shape by hand into 1.5 inch balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar.
7. Place cookie dough balls 2 inches apart onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cookies begin to crack on top. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Chip Snowballs
I have never been a fan of the traditional “snowball” cookies. But I found this recipe last year for a chocolate chip version and I absolutely love them.

Ingredients:
1.5 Cups Unsalted Butter, Softened
3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
3 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Cups Mini Chocolate Chips
Additional Powdered Sugar For Dusting

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a large bowl and electric mixer) and beat until creamy.
3. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and salt and beat again (start on low speed and increase to high) until the mixture is creamy and well combined.
4. Gradually add all purpose flour until ingredients are well incorporated.
5. Add mini chocolate chips and use mixer on low speed to stir them into your cookie dough. Dough will be stiff.
6. Scoop cookie dough by approximately 1 tablespoon and roll between your hands to form a smooth ball. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and place cookie dough balls at least 1 inch apart.
7. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until bottom edges are just beginning to turn light golden brown.
8. Remove from oven and sprinkle or sift powdered sugar over the tops of the cookies while they are still warm.
9. Allow to cool and enjoy!

Loaded Oatmeal Cookies
These are my “signature cookie”. The cookie I have become “known” for and people request of me. The recipe calls for 1.5 cups of “mix ins” and this is where you can make them yours. You can choose just about anything.

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
3/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Large Egg, Room Temperature
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 Tablespoon Dark Molasses
1 2/3 Cups Old Fashion Oats
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Cups Mix Ins (I use 1/2 cup butterscotch chips, 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 chopped pecans)

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Cream softened butter and both sugars together until smooth.
3. Add egg and mix on high until combined, about 1 minute.
4. Add vanilla and molasses and mix on high until combined.
5. Add cinnamon, baking soda and salt, mix until combined.
6. Add flour and oats and mix on low until combined.
7. Bake 10-11 minutes.
8. Cool and enjoy.

Michaella’s Favorite Things – Wish List

So I’ve already shared my guide to the most giftable items for your friends, family and pets. The following are some of the things on my wish list! I can’t vouch for their actual awesomeness, just that my heart greatly desires them, lol.

FightCamp. I have been wanting this since the beginning of the pandemic. I’m not much for “working out”, but I used to be very involved in martial arts and I think this would be the perfect fit for me. They have many some different “packages” you can choose from, and pay monthly or one lump sum.

Lettuce Grow Farmstand. Since I discovered my love of vegetable gardening this summer, I have been wanting one of these to keep the party going during the winter months here in Ohio. The Farmstand comes in various sizes and you can purchase grow lights if you plan to grow indoors. It is a hydroponic growing system and you can buy the seedlings directly from them for $2 each. They offer a huge variety of vegetables, herbs and flowers.

I collect gold charms, and I have been wanting a Marla Aaron Lock and Medium Curb Chain for a lonnnnnnggggg time. The chains are all super beautiful with the unique ends so you can add any one of their unique locks to close it and add charms or whatever you want. Their locks come in a bunch of different shapes and sizes, and their chains range from traditional to chunky to strands of brightly colored gems.

Louis Vuitton Since 1854 Speedy Bandouliere 25. I have a weakness for designer handbags. Especially Louis Vuitton. (Would anyone like to see my collection in a future post?) This bag is just gorgeous. And I need it.

Bird One Electric Scooter. I used one of these a couple years ago in San Diego and it was so fun! I would love to have one to scoot around my neighborhood!

Smeg Electric Kettle. I love gold! And who couldn’t use this super bougie electric kettle?!

Dyson Corrale Hair Straightener. Ok so I have straight hair, and two other hair straighteners… But I still want this one. I have the Dyson Air Dryer and Air Wrap, and i just feel like they all belong together. Right?

Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool Cryptomic. It is a fan, humidifier and air purifier ALL IN ONE! I suffer from extremely dry nasal passages and I love my Dyson humidifier. But with the current state of the world, I figure it couldn’t hurt to have an air purifier in the house. And as previously mentioned, I LOVE GOLD!

Michaella’s Favorite Things – 2020 Holiday Gift Guide

Small Gifts / Stocking Stuffers

Clockwise From Top Left:

Keychain from Various Keytags. These keychains are soooo fun! They come in a ton of pre-made phrases or you can customize your own with anything you want. Loads of colors and customization options.

Wishbeads Bracelet. The bracelet comes with little slips of paper you can write a wish, affirmation or intention on; then you slip it into the brass cylinder in the bracelet. This seems especially on point for 2020, because we could all use some good vibes!

The Motli Light Gold USB Lighter. This arc lighter charges via USB and lasts up tp 1,000 lights per charge. Super functional, and cute enough to keep out next to your candles.

Corkcicle Coffee Mug. These are my favorite coffee mugs. The insulated stainless steel keeps your hot beverage hotter, longer. It has a rubberized bottom so it won’t slip on any surface. Double walled so you don’t burn your hand and comes with a lid.

Ugg Ribbed Crew Socks. These are the ultimate cozy socks. They are super soft, tall enough to wear mid calf or scrunch down, warm and come in an array of colors.

Gifts For Your Pooch

Clockwise From Top Left:

Aplha Paw Pet Ramp. Comes in a variety of colors, carpeted to help pooch get traction, and can adjust the height to go with any piece of furniture. Use code FOOK20 for 20% off your purchase!

No Hide Dog Treats. These are rawhide free treats that are easily digestible and safe for your pup. They come in multiple sizes for any size dog.

Woof Clicquot Rose Champagne Bottle Dog Toy. Your pups have had a rough year too, they deserve to relax and unwind.

Dooty Free “Thank You” Dog Waste Bags. Add a little humor to the unsavory task of picking up your dog’s dooty.

Gifts For Home, Office and On The Go

Clockwise From Top Left:

Rustico Leather Family Photo Album. This is the perfect gift! Give empty for optimal customization or add a few precious photos for someone special. Use code fook15 for 15% off your purchase!

Rustico Expedition Notebook. Refillable, portable, do-it-all little notebook. Comes in an array of colors. Use code fook15 for 15% off your purchase!

Rustico Leather Wall Pocket. Perfect for home or office, supple leather can hold anything from mail to recipes to magazines. Use code fook15 for 15% off your purchase!

Dagne Dover Ryan Laptop Bag. This bag has everything you could possibly want in a work bag. Plenty of compartments, sleek style, top handles and crossbody strap. Great gift for students, professionals and anyone in between.

Arlo Tech Pouch. Perfect storage for all your cords, AirPods, and other small items you need to keep together.

Malicious Women Candles. This company offers many fun items from candles to apparel. They offer many unique candle scents and there is no shortage of humor in their products.

Theragun Mini. This little beaut is a game changer. Perfect for any aches and pains from everyday life or post-workout. If you get it from QVC, they offer an exclusive nude color, extra attachments and easy pay.

Sugar Mold Candle Holder. This has that perfect cozy farmhouse vibe. The signature scent is divine and not overpowering. Once you burn down the candles, you can purchase replacement candles in the cups, fill with your own votives or use the holes for anything you like.

Flikr Personal Fireplace. Ambiance of an open flame? Check. S’mores year round? Check. This gift checks all the boxes for anyone on your list.

Gifts For Kids

Clockwise From Top Left:

Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn My Smart Purse. As someone who is a major collector of handbags, I like to be the first to buy one for any baby girls in my circle. This one is not only cute, but a learning toy!

Fisher-Price Style & Shave Barber Shop. I’ve never seen one like this before, and I think it is so cute! They can have fun and maybe create a vocational spark.

Honest Baby Bandana Bibs. These bibs are THE CUTEST, and of course, catch all a baby with GERD can spew at them.

Biggie Baby Romper and Biggie Kids T-Shirt. Cotton:On has some of the cutest kids clothes I have ever seen. Prices are good, and you can usually find them on sale.

Ornaments

Clockwise From Top Left:

Bronner’s Personalized Ball Ornament. Ornaments are one of my favorite gifts to give. These truly become heirloom pieces. They hand-paint any name you want on them and they are beautiful.

Unifury Ornaments. This company has a lot of customization options. You can include people and/or pets with multiple scenes. They come fast and are very good quality.

Hallmark New Home 2020 Ornament. I love giving ornaments that can become keepsakes to the recipient, and this one is so pretty.

Hallmark Christmas Vacation RV Ornament. Perfect for any Christmas Vacation lover, and the wheels really spin.

Pewter Santa With Mask 2020 Ornament. Commemorate this unusual year with the perfect Santa ornament!

Well there you have it – my Holiday Gift Guide. I think my taste is AT LEAST as good as Oprah’s, if not better, lol. What are you buying this holiday season?

Best Shoes… Ever

Earlier this year I was introduced to a brand of shoes called Hey Dude. I hated them immediately. The name evoked the image of the Nickelodeon kids show of the same name that I watched in the 90’s, and frankly, they looked hideous in the pic I saw of the top of someone’s feet. BUT, the person told me that they were the most comfortable shoes they had ever worn and I was intrigued. I bought a pair, and now I’m hooked. They are MUCH cuter in person than they will ever be online, and they really are the most comfortable shoes. The soles offer cushion, bounce and support. The patterns are trendy and cute. Most styles would accommodate an insole if necessary. So, while I prepare my Holiday Gift Guide for you, I thought I’d drop these shoes for you. Get a pair for yourself, and give a pair as a gift. Or just get two for yourself, I won’t judge you.

Eloise. I love that they have winter appropriate shoes as well as more spring-fall styles. I was getting bummed by the ticking clock of Ohio weather, when I wouldn’t be able to wear my other styles.

Wendy Funk Wool. The furry lining is irresistible.

Misty Buffalo Plaid. The Buckle carries a lot of “exclusive” versions like this pair. I am a sucker for a good buffalo plaid. They are mostly sold out online, but you might be able to find them in store if you’re lucky.

The Camo. These come in men’s, women’s and kid’s so the whole family can match. I was able to find the men’s and kid’s on Dillard’s website, and the women’s on The Buckle’s website.

*None of these are affiliate links, and I am not sponsored by Hey Dude in any way, I just really love these shoes.

**If Hey Dude is reading this and they would like to sponsor me in any way, I am super down.

Holiday Decor 2020

Today I am going to share some of my holiday decor with you. Decorating for Christmas is my absolute favorite, my house never looks as good as it does during the holidays. A lot of my items are sentimental, but I will share links for items whenever possible.

The Tree. Vickerman Upside Down Christmas Tree With Multicolored Lights. I have been using an upside down tree for about ten years and I absolutely love it. It gives you a lot more ground space for gifts and it really takes up less room in small spaces. I also love that the ornaments really hang prominently. The garland and tree skirt are a few years old from Crate and Barrel.

I collect ornaments from anywhere I go on vacation (or business). The ornaments from The Peabody Hotel and Graceland are two of my absolute favorites. I love the beautiful hand painted pictures on the classic ball design. I visited Bronners Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth, Michigan a couple years ago and got the red ball with my name painted on it. You can order them online here. I used to live in California, and love my glass California Bear Hug Ornament. And I also collect Christmas gnomes, this little Harley-Davidson Mechanic Gnome is so cute.

I have this cubby from Pottery Barn that I put little knick knacks in all year, but I especially love my Christmas collection. I fill it with fun Christmas knick knacks I’ve collected over the years.

How do you decorate for the holidays?

My Favorite Fragrances

Juliette Has A Gun – Not A Perfume

This perfume is unique. It’s rich, and strong, but not too strong. It is one single note, which is typically one of many ingredients in a perfume. It is incredibly unique and a little goes a long way.

Clean Reserve – Radiant Nectar

I discovered this perfume this Spring. It is very clean smelling yet complex and slightly musky. It’s probably best suited as a spring/summer fragrance.

Lush Cosmetics – Dirty

This perfume is described as a fragrance layered with sandalwood, tarragon and thyme. It’s the sexiest of my favorite scents and I get compliments from the opposite sex every time I wear it.

Recent Fun Jewelry Finds

I have purchased some really cute everyday jewelry lately that I thought I would share…

The Giving Keys Barcelona Dainty Key Necklace

It comes in silver and gold, with a number of pre-stamped words, or you can choose your own custom word.

Allsaints Albert Curb Chain Necklace

This necklace is chunky and fun. The two clips are functional and I used one to clip on some fun charms.

Top left: Moon and Lola Leone Printed Round Charm – This charm is made from a real, repurposed Louis Vuitton bag.

Bottom left: Shutterfly Customizable Charms – I purchased a tiny gold charm with my fur baby Bling’s picture in it.

Right: – The Allsaints necklace with my charms attached to the clip. I got so many compliments on this chunky chain with my charms on it!

And now for a little shameless self-promotion… I just received some super cute, affordable pieces in the Fook Mercantile. I only buy things to sell that I would personally wear/use/keep/gift, etc. So I have basically kept one of each of these pieces for my own personal collection. They are unique, cute and great quality. As always, if you haven’t already, please join the Fook Mercantile Facebook group, so you can stay up to date on all product offerings, blog posts, and fun stuff!

Thank you for checking out this post! None of the links provided are affiliate links.

September Book Faves

I never reread books. “P.S. I Love You” is the exception to that rule. I just read it for the third time, to prep for reading it’s followup book, “Postscript”. I will tell you right from the start, these books are emotional cutting. I sobbed through both. But they are JUST SO GOOD! If you are in the mood for a good heart wrenching read, these are it. I have read most of Cecelia Ahern’s books, and “P.S. I Love You” remains my favorite. If you’ve seen the movie adaptation just know that there is very little resemblance at all. As is usually the case, the book is so much better. I will drop the synopsis for each below:

“P.S. I Love You” – Cecelia Ahern

Everyone needs a guardian angel! Some people wait their whole lives to find their soul mates. But not Holly and Gerry. Childhood sweethearts, they could finish each other’s sentences and even when they fought, they laughed. No one could imagine Holly and Gerry without each other. Until the unthinkable happens.

Gerry’s death devastates Holly. But as her 30th birthday looms, Gerry comes back to her. He’s left her a bundle of notes, one for each of the months after his death, gently guiding Holly into her new life without him, each note signed ‘PS, I Love You’. As the notes are gradually opened, and as the year unfolds, Holly is both cheered up and challenged. The man who knows her better than anyone sets out to teach her that life goes on. With some help from her friends, and her noisy and loving family, Holly finds herself laughing, crying, singing, dancing–and being braver than ever before. Life is for living, she realises–but it always helps if there’s an angel watching over you.

“Postscript” – Cecelia Ahern

Seven years after her husband’s death – six since she read his final letter – Holly Kennedy has moved on with her life. When Holly’s sister asks her to tell the story of the “PS, I Love You” letters on her podcast – to revisit the messages Gerry wrote before his death to read after his passing – she does so reluctantly, not wanting to reopen old wounds.

But after the episode airs, people start reaching out to Holly, and they all have one thing in common: they’re terminally ill and want to leave their own missives behind for loved ones. Suddenly, Holly finds herself drawn back into a world she’s worked tirelessly to leave behind – but one that leads her on another incredible, life-affirming journey.

With her trademark blend of romance, humor, and bittersweet life lessons, Postscript is the perfect follow-up to Ahern’s beloved first novel.

Let me know if you read them and how you like them!!