Cooking – Page 3

Easy Saint Patrick’s Day Beer Bread!

March 16, 2015 & 3 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

Thank you for being here! I hope that you had a fantastic weekend! I had a great birthday weekend starting on my birthday when Hailey and my mom made me my favorite cake, Rainbow Chip, and my mother in-law helped Hailey pick out a balloon and flowers for me. Hailey’s sweet excitement made my birthday so much fun : ) Stephan made sure to have sweet little surprises up his sleeve, and we had our first date since having Logan!

I love St. Patrick’s Day and even though I don’t celebrate *quite* as enthusiastically as I did in college, I still like to do a little something to celebrate my Irish roots! I have made a couple different variations of this beer bread recipe, but this is my favorite simply because the ONLY ingredient I had to buy was the Guiness, everything else most people have on hand. You also need a bread pan, but can pick one up for a few dollars at Target or most grocery stores.

Irish Beer Bread:

Ingredients:

3 cups of all-purpose flour

1 cup of sugar

1 tablespoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 egg

11.5 oz of Guinness beer (one bottle or measure out if using a larger can like I did)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl mix all of the dry ingredients with a wire whisk. Next, mix the egg and beer in using a large spoon. I mixed this by hand, it is a thick dough, so use your muscles ; ) Spray a 9×5 bread pan with cooking spray and pour in your dough. Bake your bread for 40-50 minutes until the top of your loaf is brown. Remember to keep in mind that you are using a dark beer, so the bread will be darker also. This bread is awesome and surprisingly a tad sweet.

As always, thank you so much for reading!! XO

POPSUGAR MUST HAVE BOX FEBRUARY 2015!

February 23, 2015 & 1 Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

Thank you for being here and making me part of your day : ) Today I want to share my PopSugar Must Have Box for February with you. Once again I am disappointed with the shipping :/ It wasn’t AS bad as last month, but I got this box several days after a friend who lives in the same state, and after Valentine’s Day which this box was strongly themed around. With that said, I LOVELOVELOVE this months box, and will still use every single item, but I wish the shipping would improve to how it was a year or so ago. I have been subscribed for 26 months and shipping has seemingly gone downhill. So, the dates of delivery really seem to vary, but *usually* the PopSugar box usually arrives between the 10th-15th of every month for me…it ships from California via FedEx Smart Post, which means it goes out FedEx but arrives to my P.O Box.

If you don’t know, the box contains full size, premium quality items in all different categories: food, beauty, fashion, home, and sometimes an extra goodie too! Each box boasts a retail total of $100 or more. You can check out my review of the PopSugar Must Have Box for January 2015 here.

The February box was inspried by, “One Love, Hearts & Arrows, Red Hot, Devine Desserts, and Pampering” (a.k.a Valentine’s Day ; ) ) …ummm yes please!!

February Must Have Box:

*Note: Rose Water Bubble Bath by U.S Apothecary NOT shown because it arrived (very) damaged

Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush by Tarte Cosmetics in True Love:

I was instantly over-the-moon excited by this box when I saw this! Obviously, I reeeeally love makeup, and Tarte is an amazing brand! I own a holiday blush palette from Tarte, but until now did not own any of the individual Amazonian Clay blushes. I love this shade, and it wears beautifully for a very natural flush that can be built up as needed. It is great that just a tiny tap into this is all you need because it is so highly pigmented, and this could be worn on many skintones.

$26

Rose Water Bubble Bath by U.S Apothecary:

This was a huge letdown because mine was broken : ( It leaked badly and my whole box smelled strongly of roses, but thankfully it didn’t damage my other items except the burlap bag that the next item was in. I appreciate that PopSugar always is sure to wrap items like this incase this happens, but I was still bummed! I contacted PopSugar first by email, but then recieved a much faster response by reaching out on social media. I have had two or three other issues over the course of 26 months, and always get excellent customer service once I get ahold of someone at PopSugar. If this happens to you I suggest sending a *nice* tweet to @MustHaveSupport or a Facebook message to the PopSugar Must Have Facebook page. I look forward to trying this when I get my replacement!

$30

Bamboo Heart Cutting Board & Cheese Knife by ACME Party Box Company:

I swoon over the ACME Party Box Company website, they have fantastic but fairly pricy gift ideas for everyone, and things themed for any party or celebration you could imagine! I love making little cheese and snack platters to make a night of Netflix with Stephan a little more special, so this is perfect for that! I love that this came with a little cheese knife, too!

*Similar item linked

$32

Mini Arrow Pendant Necklace by Bauble Bar:

Just like the Tarte blush, I was estatic when I saw something from Bauble Bar! I adore Bauble Bar jewelry! This little arrow necklace so dainty and cute! I think this would be adorable layered with other small necklaces, or worn alone. You can wear it at two different lengths, and I found that it laid better on the shorter length for me. This is definitely a new favorite for me, and my 3 year old Hailey gave it her nod of approval as well ; )

*Similar item linked

$32

100% Natutral Blam by Figs & Rouge in Lemon Berry:

This has such cute packaging! I really like the ever ever so slight tint and feel of this. Although I love the look of a tin style balm, I don’t like dipping my finger into it unless I have something to immediately wipe my finger off on, so I end up using balms like this less than ones in tube form. I also feel like they are less sanitary. I really like the Lemon Berry color/flavor that I got, but if you’re subscribed what kind did you get? Leave me a comment and let me know, I love hearing what other variations people received!! : )

Ravishing Rocky Road Bar by Chuao Chocolatier:

OH MY GOSH YUM!!! Salted, caramelized almonds, and marshmallows in all-natural milk chocolate? Yes, yes, yes!! This is soooo good! I was really sad when it was gone! And Steph, who isn’t a big sweets or milk chocolate fan typically, also really enjoyed the small piece I shared ; ) I think these would be awesome as a gift add-on, or a sweet thing to send to a friend or loved one…maybe a Galentine!

FingerPaints Nail Color by Sally Beauty in Romanticism Ruby:

This is a special extra and what a fun one! I love nail polish, and this is a brand I’ve never tried, so I can’t wait to try something new. I think Romanticism Ruby will be a great toe color! If you’re a PopSugar subscriber, what color did you get?

$5.50

I am THRILLED with the items in this months box, but I am frustrated with the shipping and my broken item as well. I hope that PopSugar can turn it around quickly so that I can start enjoying my box and sharing with all of you in a timely manner. This box has a retail value of $139.50 which is $100 more than the cost of the box. It really is like Christmas every month! Do you subscribe to PopSugar? What did you think about this box? Let me know in the comments! If you’d like more information on PopSugar you can find it here.

Have a great Monday!! XO

POPSUGAR MUST HAVE BOX JANUARY 2015!!

January 21, 2015 & 3 Comments

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I finally got my hands on my PopSugar Must Have Box for January! My sweet friend (hey girl hey you know who you are! Don’t spit out your coffee if you’re at work!) got her box a whole week before me and we live in the same state. Hmm! So, the dates of delivery really seem to vary, but *usually* the PopSugar box usually arrives between the 10th-15th of every month for me…it ships from California via FedEx Smart Post, which means it goes out FedEx but arrives to my P.O Box.

I didn’t get the sheet with information about what inspired each product, which was a bit of a bummer because I like jumping into the box and being surprised but then reading about each item. I looked up this months inspirations for the box and it said, “Rejuvenate, Fresh Start, Snow, Glimmer, Energize and Refresh”.

January 2014 Must Have Box:

Pom Pom Hat by Jack + Lucy

I love this!! It’s a bit slouchy and more “hipster” than what I normally would wear, but it is super cute on!! I looove to wear gray and the pom pom is right up my ally! We got tech gloves Jack + Lucy in the January box for 2014 that I wear all the time and they’ve held up really well.

$32

12 oz Brew Glass Coffee Cup by KeepCup

I love this! First of all, it fits under my Keurig which is great because a lot of travel mugs do not. The idea is that you can take these cups to your favorite coffee shop and they are the correct size for consistent proportions. I am curious about taking a cup like this to Starbucks…has anyone done this or tried to? But let’s be real, I usually am drinking/making coffee at home, and so I can definitely get a lot of use out of it.

$26

Skin Jewel Tattoos

I started seeing these last summer, and I’ll be honest the first time I saw them is when all of the girls on the total guilty pleasure of a show, Bachelor in Paradise, were rocking them. I think they’re fun, and would definitely wear a few on my wrists in the summer when I have a bit of a (fake) tan. Also, where were these when I was in college?! How freaking cute! I would have definitely worn these alllllll summa long at the pool.

$18

Protein Gronola in Peanut Butter N’ Dark Chocolate by Nature Valley

I am breastfeeding a newborn, so I am constantly needing simple snacks because I get so hungry so fast, and I think this will be a great option. I tried it and it tastes good, I bet it will be amazing with milk or almond milk!

$3.70

eQua Yoga Hand Towel by manduka

I am excited about this one! Once I get the all clear from my doctor to workout again after baby, I can’t wait to get back into shape, and this will be an awesome gym towel!! It says yoga but I can see myself using this after the treadmill or machines.

$16

Ice Water Eyes by ToGoSpa

I love these! Did they know that I just gave birth?! Look for these in an upcoming Empties post where I let you know how they worked for me. I am hopeful ; )

$12.50

Ultra Repair Cream by First Aid Beauty

I keep seeing First Aid Beauty, and this product in particular, mentioned on other blogs I read and on YouTube videos that I watch but until now I haven’t had anything from the brand. I am thrilled to have this and can’t wait to try it out. And this is the big size, so it’s pretty nice that they gave us that and not the smaller $12 tube that is also avaliable.

$30

This box had a retail value of $138.20 and I think I will get use out of every single item in the box! I love PopSugar because it is a nice way to pamper yourself with things you probably wouldn’t buy yourself otherwise or may not know about otherwise. Do you subscribe to PopSugar? If you’d like more information you can find that right here! If you subscribe, did you enjoy your box? Please *COMMENT* to let me know!!! : )

POPSUGAR MUST HAVE BOX DECEMBER 2014!! BONUS POST

December 19, 2014 & 1 Comment

Hi there! Happy Friday!!

Today I have ANOTHER bonus post because I got my December PopSugar Must Have Box and have to share it with you right away! It’s suuuuch a good one!

If you don’t know, the box contains full size items in all different categories: food, beauty, fashion, home, and sometimes an extra goodie too! *Usually* the PopSugar box usually arrives between the 10th-15th of every month for me…it ships from California via FedEx Smart Post, which means it goes out FedEx but arrives to my P.O Box.

December 2014 Must Have Box:

Speckled Metallic Scarf from SPUN by Subtle Luxury

I love this! Anything metallic, especially gold, catches my eye! I absolutely love this lightweight scarf and think it’s a great way to add a little sparkle to any outfit.

$62

Sydney Necklace from Sparkle Pop

This is by far my favorite thing in the box!! It is *so* sparkly! I was doing my monthly unboxing with my 3 year old, and she nearly broke my heart when she said “Mom! Check and see if there is another one in the bag” because she loved it so much, too. I couldn’t blame her, it’s stunning!

$42

Platinum Bowl by Canvas Duaville

This bowl is plain matte white on the outside, but on the inside it is a super sparkly platinum! This looks PERFECT with the Sydney Necklace above tossed inside! I adore this for a jewelry catch-all.

$29

Be Legendary Long-Wear Lip Lacquer

This deep bordeaux color is perfect for winter! I thought that staying power was great, and I haven’t braved it without a lip liner yet, but with a liner I didn’t have any bleeding or feathering. I really like this color, the gloss formula (again, my DRY lips need it!), and the stain it left was beautiful! Even after eating out at a mexican resturant!

$24

Parcel Tags from Knot & Bow

These little tags are cute! I think they would look adorable with a name written in gold sharpie : ) I don’t love these for Christmas gifts, but I like them for other gift giving, or labeling around the house! I love that these are from an etsy.com shop!

Cupcake Mix in Vanilla Bean from William-Sonoma

I was hoping for some fancy smancy chocolate this month, but I am not complaining about this ; ) I love William-Sonoma cooking ware, but haven’t tried any of their mixes. Hailey, my 3 year old, LOVES to bake with me! So, we will have fun with these even though I wouldn’t pay this much for cupcake mix myself : )

$14.95

I looooove this box! The $175.95 total value is fabulous and I think this box is absolutely worth the $39 price! Do you subscribe to PopSugar? If you would like to you can sign up here for $39/month! If there are any other subscriptions that you think I need to try, let me know in the comments or find me on social media! It’s always LeahTackles : ) Good luck getting all of your last minute Christmas shopping, baking, and wrapping done this weekend!!

PopSugar Must Have Box November 2014!!! BONUS POST!

November 20, 2014 & 2 Comments

Hi there! Happy THURSDAY! Or Happy Friday Eve ; ) Because that sounds much nicer to me!

I usually post on a Monday and Wednesday schedule but when both my PopSugar Must Have Box AND My Ipsy Glam Bag showed up I knew I had to squeeze one of them in right away for you guys!!

November 2014 PopSugar Must Have Box:

The Secret Recipes by Dominique Ansel from Simon & Schuster:

This is such a beautiful baking book! This is written by the creator of the Cronut (YUM!) and has recipes for everyone, no matter your skill level so it says. It looks complicated honestly, but I still want to try some recipes out! I really enjoy baking, and I do have some baking books but none as fancy smancy as this! I think it would look gorgeous sitting in your kitchen or on a table, but with little kids mine is up with all of my other cookbooks.

$35

Saffiano Wallet On a Chain by Sorial:

I love this! I think it’s a fantastic idea and although I usually am carrying a big bag or diaper bag because I have little kids, this could be great for a girls night out or date night!! One concern is that I do *not* think this will fit larger phones like the iPhone 6. Quality wise this seems nice, but someone told me that the zipper on theirs came broken : / I am sure PopSugar will get it replaced quickly, but it does make me question the quality a bit. Still, very cute and functional! *Note: Lipstick shown in picture is for size reference!

$49

Ambergis Shea Butter Cream by K. Hall Simpatico:

I say this every time PopSugar sends luxury lotions…I LOVE IT! I don’t splurge on lotions but I definitely love them! The packaging of this is very luxe, but I don’t like the metal style tube because sometimes when you squeeze it they can crack…basically it is stylish but just doesn’t seem as functional this way to me…is that just me?! I opened this right away, but I had to do so with a pen because it doesn’t have that little part some caps have to poke it open. I love the light scent of this and have already been enjoying it!!

$22

Thoughtful Heart Stationery by Tiny Prints:

I just mentioned in a recent post how much I love sending snail mail to loves ones! And I *adore* pretty stationary, so this will definitely get used.

$15

Custom 3-Pack for POPSUGAR Must Have by Wine Glass Writer:

Oh my goodness! These are fantastic!! I am super pregnant, so I’m not currently consuming any wine, but I love wine and all the little accessories to go along with it! These are so much fun!!

$9.95

Chicago Mix Popped Corn by G.H Cretors

THIS. IS. UNREAL!!!! Are you paying attention?! UNREAL! Seriously!! I saw it an was kind of “meh” about it at first. I knew I would eat it, I do like carmel corn and popcorn, but it isn’t something I gravitate to if I’m in a chocolate shop or anything. But this?! Stop, seriously, stop! It is THE BEST SNACK I HAVE TRIED ALL YEAR! Hands DOWN! I know I sound sort of like a crazy preggo, but both my mother in-law and my friend who are also PopSugar subscribers have confirmed my feelings, this is the bomb.com! My husband doesn’t like carmel corn, and isn’t much of a snacker (it’s truely unfair actually!), but even he thought this was pretty amazing. I am buying a case of 12 bags on amazon for $35! That should last me a good two weeks ; )

$3.69

TOTAL BOX VALUE:

$134.64

After feeling lukewarm about the October PopSugar Must Have Box I am so happy with the November box! I love everything and everything will get used! I am super excited for the December box and hope that it ships plenty early so we can enjoy the goods before Christmas!

Do you subscribe to PopSugar? If you would like to you can sign up here for $39/month! I love subscription boxes and will be reviewing my November Ipsy Bag next week!! If there are any other subscriptions that you think I need to try, let me know in the comments or find me on social media! It’s always LeahTackles : ) Have WONDERFUL weekend my loves!!

POPSUGAR MUST HAVE BOX OCTOBER 2014! AND BUTTER LONDON GIVEAWAY!!!

November 3, 2014 & 34 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

Okay, I know it’s November now, but I JUST got my October box last Thursday. If you are subscribed to the PopSugar Must Have Box then you know that they had MAJOR issues this month after revamping their website. People had issues with shipping and also with billing. I am disappointed, but I also understand that things happen. My experiences with customer service have always been good, and that says a lot as well.

October 2014 Must Have Box:

Animal Socks by Happy Socks:

$12

I love fun socks like this for the winter months! I am really happy with these : ) Super cute, and very nice quality.

WINK Eye Pencil by Butter LONDON:

$18

I love this!! I love makeup, and eyeliners are one thing that I don’t have that many of, and I don’t have anything like this. Earl Grey is a beautiful silver gray color and I think it will be wonderful for the holidays (I know, I know I can’t help it…everything can be twisted to be holiday related in my book!)

Would you like to win one of these? My mother in-law is a PopSugar subscriber and she doesn’t wear eyeliner, so she was kind enough to let me have it for a little giveaway for my subscribers! Details will be at the bottom of this post!

Acrylic Frame by Issac Jacobs International:

$36

I like that this is magnetic and easy to swtich pictures frequently! I think this would be great for a place in the home where you’d like to change out the picture frequently, maybe with the seasons.

Chalkboard Candle by Mine Design:

$24

I LOVE candles and I think this is fun because I can write little messages for the seasons, for my husband, for the kids…how cute! I think one of the best things will be depotting this and using it for makeup brushes or pens on my desk.

Pumpkin Spice Malt Balls by Dean & DeLuca:

$5.75

I love trying out fancy candy, and I think these will be nice to have in the evenings when my sweet tooth comes out. *Update: I tried these…meh, they’re okay. It tastes like pumpkin pie filling, but a different texture, and has a lot more pumpkin than chocolate. Still, I ate a couple just for you guys ; ) and I didn’t spit them out or anything.

Halloween Decals by Nailed Kit:

These are cute little nail decals that you can wear over any nail polish you like! I think my daughter will enjoy these as well : ) I would have REALLY liked these had I got them when the boxes usually arrive, and it isn’t a huge deal because I can save them for next year, but I’m not going to put these on for one day! Because to me, Halloween is OVER when it is over, and then it’s full on holiday mode. Checking out the website they have some ADORABLE choices!!

Special Extra:

Shoreline Shea Butter/ Olive Oil Bar Soap by K. Hall Designs:

I’m feeling pretty *meh* about this. I’m not a big fan of bar soap usually, I know PopSugar has sent out a few in the past and I liked one of them, but this is very nice looking. Depending on the scent, Stephan may like this and if not I’m sure we will use it at some point.

Blue Jean Box by The Blue Jean Bar:

Enjoy $40 off of a box. I LOVE subscription boxes, but I haven’t really been tempted by clothing subscriptions. I probably won’t use this, but it is a nice discount.

GIVEAWAY:

1) Comment on this blog post and tell me your favorite makeup item of the moment!! Commenting is *easy* promise! Just click the link by the title of this post and you enter your first name, email, and comment : )

2) You *MUST* be subscribed to my blog! To subscribe enter your email into the subscription box on the right side of the page! You will then get an email that asks you to confirm that you subscribed and that’s it! You’ll just get emails when I post something new.

EXTRA ENTRY OPPORTUNITIES:

If you’d like to gain extra enteries you can 1) Share this post on your Facebook, 2) Share this post on your Twitter, 3) Follow me on a social media platform you are not yet following me on and you will get an entry for each new like or follow (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Luvocracy, Pinterest)

The support means a lot to us and it’ll get you extra entries : )

RULES:

1) This giveaway is limited to those in the United States and Canada, but eventually giveaways will be opening up to subscribers everywhere!

2) If you are under 18 years old just ask permission from your parents to enter the giveaway!

3) A random selection website will determine the winner to keep things fair.

4) Once the winner is contacted by email they will have 48 hours to respond and after that I will select another winner.

5) This giveaway will end in two weeks!!

If you have any questions please reach out to me and I would be happy to help!! I hope that you are having a wonderful week so far : )

EASY DIY HALLOWEEN TREATS! Part 2 of 2

October 13, 2014 & 2 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you enjoyed the treats from last weeks post, Easy DIY Halloween Treats! Part 1 of 2, and today I have a couple of more easy Halloween treats to share : ) Please share this post if you enjoy it!!

#1 Boo-nanas

What You’ll Need:

Bananas (note: 1 good banana should make 4 boo-nanas..just be sure it isn’t too ripe!)

Popsicle sticks

White chocolate chips

Rasins (or chocolate chips)

Directions:

Peel your banana and then cut into half and then slice that half in half lengthwise. Carefully put the popsicle sticks into the banana pieces and then place onto a wax paper lined plate or cookie sheet. Place the banana pieces into the freezer until frozen. Once your bananas are frozen, you can melt your white chocolate chips. I melted my white chocolate chips in the microwave for 15 second at a time in a large coffee mug. *Tip: do NOT microwave too long!! Be sure to stir every 15 seconds. You can then either dip the bananas into the cup or use a spoon to cover the frozen banana in chocolate. Quickly, before the chocolate begins to harden, put your rasin eyes onto your ghosts. Put BACK into the freezer until the chocolate completely hardens. Enjoy!! : ) My 3 year old had an especially fun time with these!!

#2 Witch Hat Cookies

What You’ll Need:

Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies (or similar chocolate cookie)

Hershey’s Kisses

Fine tip orange cake or cookie icing or gel (I found mine in the baking section)

Peanut butter or frosting

Directions:

Flip your Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies over so that the chocolate side is facing up. Use a small dab of peanut butter or frosting to “glue” an unwrapped Hershey’s Kiss onto the center of the cookie. Use the orange icing to to decorate the witch hat however you’d like. I like to go around the Hershey’s Kiss and then make little tassles coming off…but Hailey likes to decorate with the orange all over the cookie!! ; ) And that’s fun too! These are easy and SO yummy!! I think Hailey will be making these again to take to her schools pumpkin carving party!

What are you dressing up as on Halloween? Or, what are your plans for the holiday? I would LOVE to hear about your plans!! Commenting is easy, promise ; ) Have a GREAT week!!

Leah Tackles CHRISTMAS! Series Intro!!

October 8, 2014 & 4 Comments

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

Okay, I know, it’s only October, but I want to introduce my Christmas series now so that if things I share interest you, you’ll have plenty of time to do them before the holiday season really creeps up on us!! I want to share gift guides, how I plan, DIY projects, how I budget, how I put aside extra money for the holidays, Elf On the Shelf ideas, holiday fashion, holiday traditions…the list goes on! If there are things you are interested in or would like to suggest that I post on, please let me know! I want to do what you want to read : )

Today I want to share where I start every year with my holiday planning: lists!

#1 iPhone Notes (or similar phone app)

I use the notes feature on my iPhone all year long and if I see things that the kids love, if they mention toys to me, or if I randomly think of something it goes onto a note on my phone. I don’t do anything fancy with these notes, but they a good basic that I start with every year as I begin to shop.

#2 Paper Lists for EVERYTHING

*Note: These pages are EXAMPLES and I have not included all of my lists or my lists in their entirety.

I use a large legal pad or notebook to write out a list the old fashioned way for EVERYTHING Chirstmas you could imagine. Here are some of the things I like to make lists for:

-Gift ideas

-Who we need gifts for

-DIY projects I want to do

-Recipes I want to do

-Elf On the Shelf ideas

-Decoration ideas

-“To-Buy” list for Christmas items we need that are not presents (ie: lights, decor, cookie cutters, etc)

#3 Buying Timeline List

I know some people buy a year in advance, some do it ALL on Black Friday, and some people do it the last shopping days before Christmas…and none of those are wrong! There is no wrong way to shop, you just have to figure out what works for you, your budget, and your family. For me, I like to slowly pick things up as I go but do the majority closer to the holiday. I also will store gifts that the kids may have recieved for birthdays or the Christmas before but weren’t quite ready for, because those make great gifts as well.

#4 Christmas Outfits List

I like to begin planning our Christmas outfits in fall so that I have plenty of time to gather what we need and it doesn’t break the piggy bank. I may do a seperate post on Christmas fashion, but for the most part in our family we do this:

-Christmas Eve Outfits (these are our dressy outfits)

-Christmas Outfits for Santa and other holiday events

-Christmas Jammies…oh yes, we are those people!

And just for fun, here are some pictures of some of our projects AND memories from Christmas 2013 : )

I hope that you don’t think I’m *too* crazy for titling a post about Chirstmas already and that you enjoyed this : ) Please don’t forget to let me know what you’d like to see for Christmas or holiday posts by commenting (click the link by the title of this post!).

Easy DIY Halloween Treats! Part 1 of 2

October 6, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

With only a few weeks left until Halloween I wanted to share some easy, festive, and tasty treats with you today! I really like all of these because you don’t have to do any baking…you’re just piecing together the ingredients to make a fun fall treat. These recipes are great for little ones, and my 3 year old LOVED helping me make these!! If you make any of these, please share pictures with me! All of my social media links are below : ) And I would love if you “pinned” them on your Pinterest as well!

#1 Spider Crackers

What You’ll Need:

Ritz crackers or similar circle cracker

Small pretzel sticks

Rasins (chocolate chips are fine for those who don’t like rasins)

Peanut butter (or cream cheese or frosting if you have nut allergies or dislike peanut butter like my 3 year old…crazy I know!!)

Directions:

Spread a small amount of the peanut butter onto a cracker and place 4 pretzels on each side to create your spiders legs. Then put a little bit more peanut butter ontop of the “legs” and cover with another cracker. Use the peanut butter to attach the spiders eyes. My 3 year old insisted that one of our spiders also needed a mouth : ) These are a yummy and fairly healthy treat.

#2 Frankenstein Pudding Cups

What You’ll Need:

Vanilla pudding

Green food coloring

Oreo cookies

Black permanent Marker

Clear small plastic cups

Directions:

Dye your pudding until it’s a green of your liking. Crush your oreos (I just place mine in a plastic baggie and smash! But a food processor also works well). Draw your best frankenstein faces onto the cups with your marker…be sure to have fun with it! Scoop the green pudding into your cup and then top with the crushed oreos. Stick these in the fridge if you don’t plan to eat them right away : )

#3 Jack-O-Lantern Orange Cups

What You’ll Need:

Orange fruit cups (peaches or mixed fruit cocktail will also work, but oranges are the most pumpkin-y)

Black permanent marker

Directions:

Draw a jack-o-lantern face onto the tops of the fruit cups and pack into school lunches or have as a fun surprise for lunches at home!!

That’s it! Pretty easy and a lot of fun : ) Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss next weeks post where I share more fun fall treats!! Happy Fall Ya’ll!

September Favorites!

September 29, 2014 & 5 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope you all had a great weekend! One of my good friends visited, and we had a wonderful time with beautiful weather! And my alma mater won big at our homecoming game : ) I am combining my beauty favorites and lifestyle favorites into one post this month. Let’s get right into it…

September Favorites:

1) M.A.C Paint Pot in Bare Study

This isn’t new to my collection, but I have been using it a lot lately and have fallen back in love. I love this as an eye shadow base or on days when I want a super natural look, alone.

2) Wet n’ Wild Coloricon Bronzer in Reserve Your Cabana

This is definitely NOT a bronzer, but it is part of the Coloricon Bronzer collection from Wet n’ Wild, and what it is is a *OMG* gorgeous highlighter. The price cannot be beat, and it comes with a huuuge amount of product. Love it!

3) Maybelline “The Nudes” Palette

I had been holding off buying this because I have so many neutral palettes…but when I saw it was buy one get one 50% off at Walgreens, I went for it because I needed some other Maybelline products. If you do not have this yet and you love neutral eye makeup, or if you have been holding off getting the Naked palettes by Urban Decay or other neutral palettes from high-end brands, YOU NEED THIS! It has had some mixed reviews, but I absolutely love it! I have worn it more than any of my other eye shadows this past month, and think it is definitely worth the $10-12. On the back it shows how you can break it up into quads, trios, and duos which is super helpful for people who maybe don’t know where to start with an eye look, and I find the quads especially to be fantastic! The pigmentation overall is good, although I will say that they wear and swatch much better with an eye shadow primer used first. The packaging is simple, not bulky, and very sleek for drugstore, but my one complaint is that there is no mirror. I could gush on and on about this, and if you’d like more information please let me know because this palette really could have its own post!

4) The Balm Shadow/Blush in Down Boy

This is a perfect baby pink blush! I love this because it looks great with so many eye shadow and lip combos! You can’t go wrong with it, but it is HIGHLY pigmented, so you only need a tiny bit!

5) Maybelline Dream Wonder Powder in Porecelain Ivory

This is my go-to everyday pressed setting powder ever since the Dream Wonder line replaced the Dream Matte line. I like that it gives an ever so slight coverage in addition to any foundation or BB cream you might have on.

6) EOS Lip Balm in Pomegranate Raspberry

I love the EOS lipbalms! And so does my 3 year old ; ) I like to apply these while I’m doing my makeup so that my lipsticks have a nice base…and this lipbalm is even thin enough that my matte lipsticks still appear matte but have a little moisture underneath.

7) Dual Ended Brow Brush with Spooli

Brand really doesn’t matter too much here, there are great low cost options as well as more high-end brushes, but I have been using powder for my brows lately and loving a dual ended brow brush with spooli.

8) NCLA Los Angeles Nail Polish in Rodeo Drive Royalty

I adore this nail polish! I mentioned it in my “Leah’s Friday Five” on the Pearls and Pastries Shop Blog, and it has been on my nails almost all month! I keep re-applying it because I can’t get enough of this gorgeous color!

9) Bauble Bar Arc Pendant Necklaces in Rose Gold

I have been loving my plain rose gold arc necklace layered with my pavé rose gold arc necklace! So simple and beautiful! This necklace from Bauble Bar is similar.

10) Gorjana Viceroy Necklace in Yellow Gold

This is such a beautiful simple piece! It goes well with everything!

11) Minnie Mouse Coffee Cozy

I found this adorable crochet Minnie Mouse coffee cozy from LNRCrochetDesigns on Etsy! The seller is super helpful and shipping was very fast. How cuuuute is this?! Seriously! Cute!

12) Name Bubbles Small Contact Clothing Labels

This is mostly for all the moms out there! Or maybe if someone is stealing your jacket off your chair at the office or your food out of the fridge at work, you too ; ) These labels are WASHER AND DRYER SAFE! And just STICK ON! Amazing. And they come in really cute designs, too. I was able to use a coupon code “B2SNB” for 10% off as well.

13) “Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids” by Laura Markham on Audible.com

This book is amazing! Stephan and I are only halfway through listening to this book, and it has changed our relationship with our kids (and eachother!!) for the better. I don’t think you need to be struggling or think there is a problem at all to gain a great deal from this book! I really think this book would be benefital to anyone, with grown kids, or without kids at all! We plan to pick up a paper copy as well to highlight our favorite parts. Seriously, READ THIS IF YOU HAVE KIDS!

Phew! That was pretty long! If you read all that, thank you so much! What things have you been reaching for and loving this past month? I would love to know! I hope that you have a great start to your week, and don’t forget to subscribe!! : )

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