leah tackles – Page 13

Homemade Baked Elephant Ears!

June 6, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Friday!!!

Today I want to share a recipe that I found flipping through Taste of Home Magazine (I know, again! I am not paid by them whatsoever, I just love the recipes they offer!): Baked Elephant Ears!! I think these would be so fun for any summer party! If you make these, I would LOVE to hear about it, so comment (click the link by the title of this post) to let me know about it!

Ingredients:

Dough:

1 package active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water between 110° to 115°

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup cold butter, cubed

1/3 cup milk

1 egg yolk

Filling:

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Cinnamon-Sugar Topping:

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

Dough:

In a small bowl dissolve yeast in the warm water. In a large bowl mix the flour, sugar and salt. Cut the butter into the flour mix until crumbly. Stir the milk and egg yolk into the disolved yeast. Add the yeast mix to the flour mix and stir until a soft dough forms. Cover the dough in plastic wrap and put into the fridge for 2 hours. Preheat you over to 375°. Punch down the dough and turn onto a floured surface. Cover dough and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll dough into a 18X10 inch rectangle.

Filling:

Spread the butter onto the rolled out dough. Mix the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the butter. Roll the dough up jelly roll style, starting with a long side. Pinch the seam to seal the dough after you have rolled it up. Cut into approximately 24 slices that are 3/4 inches thick. Cover the slices with plastic wrap until you are ready to work with each slice.

Cinnamon-Sugar Topping:

In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon of the mixture on a sheet of waxed paper, top with a slice of dough, and top with another 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon-sugar. Press or roll the dough into a 4 inch circle.

Baking:

Place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet that is coated in cooking spray. Bake 7-9 minutes or until golden brown. Cool onto wire racks.

Thank you so much for reading : ) If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe by entering your email into the subscription box on the right side of this screen! I hope that you have a fabulous weekend! XO

EASY DIY SUMMER WREATH THAT ANYONE CAN DO!!!

June 4, 2014 & 4 Comments

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

A lot of people tell me that I’m “crafty” and I do enjoy lots of different types of crafting, but I didn’t really get into it until after graduating from college. I started because I loved looking at other peoples projects, and figured I could give it a shot too. I know that everybody has different interests and talents, but I think that the main thing for a lot of crafts is just DOING IT! So, today I want to show you a DIY for a summer wreath that I *promise* anyone can accomplish! And what makes it even better is that it only uses a few easy to find supplies, and only takes 30 or so minutes. If you enjoy this, please pin it to your Pinterest account by hovering over any of the pictures and clicking the pink “pin” button that will appear : )

Ready?! Let’s get started!

SUMMER WREATH DIY:

What you’ll need:

Styrofoam wreath form (NOTE: Avaliable at craft stores or the craft sections of big box stores)

Wreath hanger

Fake flowers (TIP: I got mine at a dollar store!)

Ribbon

Wire cutters

Glue gun or other strong glue of choice

Step 1:

Use the wire cutters to cut the flowers so that there is only 1/2 inch to 1 inch of stem left.

Step 2:

Stick the flowers into the wreath to cover the styrofoam.

Step 3:

Wrap the ribbon around the wreath hanger and glue down the ends.

Step 4:

Hang up your gorgeous wreath for everyone to admire : )

That. Is. It!

I hope that you enjoyed this easy DIY project! If flowers aren’t your thing, I also saw an ADORABLE wreath using cocktail umbreallas! Don’t forget to comment if you have any questions or comments! And as always, please subscribe! Thank you and have a wonderful rest of your week!!

Our Sunday In Pictures : )

June 2, 2014 & 2 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a wonderful weekend! Connor, who is 1, got his second haircut yesterday : ) And his big sister, Hailey, who is 3, got to play outside for most of the day! Today I just wanted to do a quick post showing off my kiddos!

Somebody slept in!! SHHHHH ; )

YAY! It’s finally warm outside!!

Playground fun!!

Don’t worry, this is my *second* haircut….I’m a total pro ; )

Such a little looker!

After the haircut!

Thank you for reading this! I know not everyone wants these kinds of posts, but I want to share my family on here a little bit too : ) If you’ve enjoyed this post or like posts like this, please comment by clicking the link by the title of this post! Have a wonderful week!!

May Beauty Favorites!

May 28, 2014 & 3 Comments

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I hope that you are all having a fantastic week so far!! Can you believe it is almost JUNE?! In my eyes once we’ve hit June, it’s summer!! Today I am going to quickly go over a few of the beauty products I have been loving this past month! What beauty products have you been reaching for? Let me know by commenting (click the link by the title of this post) or find me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! I have created a Luvocracy collection to go along with this blog post if you’d like more information or would like to purchase directly online!

Let’s get started!

Face:

L’Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream

This comes out of the tube white and then color adjusts to your skin. This is a very light coverage BB cream, but slightly buildable. I am LOVING this for a light coverage “no makeup makeup” look for summer! I was a little worried it wouldn’t work on my combo/oily skin, but it actually stays very matte.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind in Brightener

This is a great salmon-y pink colored under the eye brightener that works great under concealer or on it’s own for a quick fix for tired eyes.

Benefit Blush in Rockateur

This is such a gorgeous light rosegold blush. This also isn’t as sparkly as it looks when you look at a just opened box, it is sprayed with a shine spray that coats only the top, but this does have shimmer.

L’Oreal True Match Super-Blendable Powder in Perfect Beige

I use this face powder as my contour and sometimes also as my bronzer. I find that it has a less orange look than a lot of actual bronzers, and I really like the way it works as a contour on my (very) light skin.

Eyes:

Benefit Gimme Brow

I think it is so key to do your eyebrows, even if you are going mostly barefaced. This is a tinted fiber brow gel that can be used with a pencil or powder, or on it’s own. I like it for days when I want very natural makeup, but don’t want to ignore my brows completely!

Covergirl Clump Crusher by Lashblast

This is one of my go-to favorite mascaras! I always have this in my rotation.

Lips:

L’Oreal Collection Privée in Doutzen

This is limited edition, but I saw it in stores last week so you *may* be able to find it in stores, or else possibly on eBay. I love love love this color!

Revlon Super Lustrous Gloss in 205 Snow Pink

This is a great neutral gloss! It’s a light peachy color with golden shimmer. It looks beautiful over nudes or pinks, and I also like it alone when I want a very minimal makeup look. I think the packaging is also very sleek.

Thank you for taking the time to read this! If you’ve enjoyed this post, please subscribe to my blog! It’s easy : ) and it’ll make my day! Have a wonderful rest of your week!

Memorial Day 2014

May 26, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday! And more importantly, Happy Memorial Day!

Today, in observance of Memorial Day, I will not be posting a regular blog post, but would like to thank the men and women who have laid down their lives for our country and our freedom.

I hope that you are having a safe and happy day, remembering and celebrating with your family and friends! Happy Memorial Day 2014!! I will see you Wednesday and we will be back to blogging as usual ; )

Adorable Watermelon Slice Cookies!

May 23, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Friday!!

I thought that because this weekend is the big kickoff to summer that it would be the perfect time to share this recipe! It is a very simple recipe, it just needs a little prep, but the end result is so adorable! You will impress all of your family and friends with these *for sure*! I found this recipe in my Taste of Home magazine last summer. If you enjoy this recipe, please pin it to your Pinterest account by clicking the “pin” button that will show up if you scroll over any of the pictures on this blog post : )

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

Red and green food coloring

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

In a large bowl cream the butter and the sugar until fluffy. Beat in the almond extract and the egg. In a seperate bowl mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the dry mix to the creamed batter. Reserve 1 cup of the dough. Tint the rest of the dough red and shape into a 3 1/2 inch roll. Wrap in plastic wrap or press n’ seal (my favorite!). Tint 1/3 of the dough green and wrap in the plastic wrap. Wrap the remaining plain dough in plastic wrap. Put all 3 colors of dough into the fridge for 2 hours. After 2 hours, on a lightly floured surface, roll the plain dough into an 8 1/2 by 3 1/2 inch rectangle. Unwrap the red dough and roll the plain dough around the red. Roll the green dough into a 10 by 3 1/2 inch rectangle and wrap it around the other roll. Put in the fridge again for 8 hours at least or overnight. Slice the cookies into 1/4 inch or slightly smaller circles. Place the cookies about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Press mini chocolate chips into the cookies to create the watermelon seeds. (*NOTE: I used regular chocolate chips because that is what I had on hand, but have included a picture of ones I made with the mini chocolate chips at the top of this post. I think the mini look better, personally! But both taste great ; ) ) Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes. Cut in half with a sharp knife immediately. Remove to wire racks to cool.

These cookies are so great for all those summer BBQs I know you’re going to be heading to anyways, and they’re an amazing way to impress your hostess (mother-in-laws?! Meeting the parents!?! go for it!!) or host! These also can be made in advance and kept like other slice-and-bake cookies if you want to save yourself some time the day of an event! If you enjoy this recipe, please subscribe to my blog and make my weekend!! If you have any questions or if you make these, tell me about it! Find me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! Or, comment by clicking the link by the title of this post. Have a wonderful holiday weekend and stay safe!! : )

Wet n’ Wild Megalast Nail Polish! Dollar General Exclusive Colors!!

May 21, 2014 & 5 Comments

Hi There! Happy Wednesday!!

It is a BEAUTIFUL day here and I thought it would be the perfect time to talk about the bright and fun colors that Dollar General carries exclusively for Wet n’ Wild Megalast nail polish! This isn’t a new release, the colors have been in Dollar General stores for a little over a year now, but when I did my Wet n’ Wild Limited Edition Spring 2014 Collection “And The Style Award Goes To…” post I realized that some of you out there are as hooked on Wet n’ Wild Megalast as I am!! So, I thought that this post may be helpful to those of you that may not know about the Dollar General exclusives. This is one of my favorite nail polish formulas! I do not have every color, and some stores seem to carry 40 (the amount that Wet n’ Wild originally announced would be exlusive) and others have more. If you have any additional information on these exclusives, feel free to comment down below! This can be interactive! If you have any questions about specific colors, please let me know! I would be happy to help in any way I can : )

Find a Dollar General Store Near You

What You Shoud Know:

$2.00 each (some Megalast polishes are $1.50 but the Dollar General ones are labeled $2.00 here)

You know they are a Dollar General exclusive if they have a “D” before the color number. Example: D292A

Wet n’ Wild Megalast Nail Polish Dollar General Exclusive Colors:

I hope that this post was helpful to the other nail polish lovers out there! These are definitely worth a look : ) If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, please subscribe by entering your email into the subscription box on the right of this page! It’s easy! And you only get emails when I post something new!! Have a fabulous day!!

My Experience with a J.Crew “Very Personal Stylist”

May 19, 2014 & 6 Comments

Hi There! Happy Monday!

About a month ago a friend from college, who now works for J.Crew, contacted me after seeing my blog to tell me about the J.Crew “Very Personal Stylist” program because she thought I might be interested in blogging about it. I have loved J.Crew for a long time, and that love only seems to grow stronger, but I never knew that they had a personal stylist program at all! Have you ever tried the Very Personal Stylist program at J.Crew? Have you used a personal shopping or styling service anywhere? I would love to hear about it! Let me know by commenting (click the link by the title of this post)!

The Basics:

I contacted my closest (not close enough!) J.Crew and set up an appointment to meet with a stylist. You can contact them by phone, email, or an online form. I told them that I was going to be blogging about my experience, but ANYBODY who wants to can set up an appointment. You can go in looking for a dress for a special occasion, a whole new wardrobe, or take in a favorite pair of pants in search of the perfect matching blouse. It is *competely free* of charge to use a personal stylist, and the stylists work off of comission.

The Day of the Appointment:

The day of the appointment I got a phone call from the personal stylist I would be working with, Cathy, who asked me if I would like a coffee or tea during our appointment, and confirmed the appointment time. I arrived with my photographer (hubs!) and met up with my personal stylist for the day! Then we walked the store with Cathy showing her things that I was drawn to, things I didn’t like, what styles I was looking for, and what I thought my sizes were. Cathy also pulled items that I didn’t pick out, which I liked, and she also would tell me what she liked to pair with different items (super helpful!). She was very honest about items that she didn’t like the way they fit people, and also encouraged me to shop the clearance section! My dressing room was reserved at the end of the dressing room area, and a very large room that fit my husband and myself comfortably. My Starbucks iced tea and (surprise!) Godiva chocolates were waiting in the room. I spent about an hour trying on clothes. Cathy was very attentive if I needed a different size, wanting to find something to corrdiante an outfit, or take items that I didn’t want. I didn’t feel pressured to spend a certain amount of money or bothered in any other way. I ended up with a nice range of items, both full price and clearance, and had a fantastic time! I bought quite a lot for one shopping trip, but I really needed some things. It was less stressful than doing such a big shopping haul alone, and much more enjoyable to shop with a stylist. Before I left she gave me her card, told me to contact her anytime, and she helped me check out. I had such a great experience, and feel like I already have such a nice relationship with Cathy. I know that I will email or call her if I am on the hunt for something or just want to go in to do a little wardrobe refreshing.

The Experience in Pictures:

What I bought:

Matelassé Sheath Dress

Vintage Cotton Stripe Sleeve Scoopneck Tee

Stripe Muscle Tank

Perfect Shirt in Honeypie Print

Long-Sleeve Painter Tee

Pixie Pant

Sunburst Skirt

Flower Fan Necklace

Outfits Styled From What I Bought and My Own Closet:

I hope that this post was helpful to those of you may be interested in making an appointment with a J.Crew Very Personal Stylist! If you have any questions or comments, please let me know by commenting or finding me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to read this and if you enjoyed this post, please subscribe! Have a great day!!

POPSUGAR MUST HAVE BOX MAY 2014

May 16, 2014 & 1 Comment

Hi There! Happy Friday!

Today I am very excited to be reviewing the May 2014 PopSugar Must Have Box! Some people read spoilers…maybe that is why you are here reading this?!…but I prefer to be surprised! The box contains full size items in all different categories:food, beauty, fashion, home, and usually an extra goodie of some kind, too. The PopSugar box usually arrives between the 10th-15th of every month for me…it ships via FedEx Smart Post, which means it goes out FedEx but arrives to my P.O Box.

I will quickly go over the items from my April 2014 PopSugar Must Have Box first, and then dig into the May box!

Product titles are also links for more information or to buy online.

APRIL MUST HAVE BOX MINI REVIEWS:

Must Have Food:

PopSugar Must Have Mix from Nature Box

Verdict: I LOVED THIS!! I wish I could buy this at my local grocery store. YUM! I still haven’t gotten a subscription for Nature Box yet, but I want to!

Must Have Home:

Caldrea Rosewater Driftwood Liquid Hand Soap

$10.50

Verdict: I haven’t used this yet because we have been using up what we have, but it smells lovely and I can’t wait to try it.

Must Have Beauty:

Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette

$36

Verdict: My orignal palette came with a broken shadow, but PopSugar quickly replaced my palette. I love this little palette, and have been getting a lot of use out of it.

Must Have Fashion:

(XO) Echo Shopper Collapsable Tote Bag from Lauren Conrad for Blue Avocado (*Similar)

$24.99

Verdict: I really love this! It still hasn’t made it to the farmers market, but as soon as ours opens up, this bag will be heading there : )

Must Have Home:

Pocket Notes from Graphic Image

$20

Verdict: I used this immediately! It is so adorable and I love it.

Must Have Home:

TOTALLY AWESOME: 80’s Sayings Tea Towel Set by Fresh Pastry Stand (an etsy.com site)

$18

Verdict: I have used these a little bit, and they are pretty cute! I like the summery colors!

MAY 2014 MUST HAVE BOX:

Must Have Beauty:

Smell Bent St. Tropez Dispenser

$45 Value

This smells just like sun screen, salt, coconut…basically a day at the beach in the bottle! This may not be a favorite for everybody, but I LOVE it! It doesn’t seem to last super long on the skin, so that is a bit of a downside, and the bottle is glass so if you wanted to take it in your bag you’d have to consider that. I can’t wait to wear it this summer!!

Must Have Home:

Kerry Cassill Eye Mask (*Similar)

$24 Value

This is really pretty, and I needed a new eye mask, so I will happily use it!

Must Have Fitness:

Tone It Up

$15 Value

I really like workout DVDs because with two little loves running around, I don’t get to the gym very often anymore! I use our treadmill the most consistently, and I like to change up my DVD workouts. This DVD features the ladies from Bravo’s Toned Up, which I have never seen but have heard about. Has anyone watched Toned Up? Have you tried the Tone It Up DVDs? I would love to hear from you! Please comment and let me know : )

Must Have Home:

Zing Anything Cirtus Zinger

$17 Value

This is my favorite thing in the box!! I was *so* excited when I saw it!! In my April Beauty Favorites I mentioned that I have been drinking lemon water every morning recently, so the timing on this couldn’t be more perfect. You can press lemons, limes, or other citrus fruits into your water. Love!

Must Have Beauty:

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Pool Boy Nail Lacquer

$10 Value

This is such a pretty color for spring and summer! This is 100% vegan and cruelty free. I already put it on my nails and I love it!

Must Have Food:

Hi I’m Skinny Sticks Multi-Grain Sweet Onion

I was excited when I saw these, but I unfortunately really didn’t like them. They do have adorable packaging though! I think that if these were savory flavor I would have liked them, but a sweet flavor just wasn’t doing it for me. I sent these to work with my husband, so they hopefully won’t go to waste!

At first glance, I thought this was a fairly small box, but that being said I really enjoy the items in this months PopSugar Must Have Box! This box has a value of $115 and besides the Hi I’m Skinny Sticks, I know that I will use everything in the box. As always, well worth the $39. Do you subscribe to PopSugar? Do you subscribe to any other subscription boxes? Please comment (click the link by the title of this post) or find me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! Please subscribe by entering your email into the subscription box on the right hand of this screen and you’ll only get emails when I post something new : )

PHEW! SUPER LONG!!! But thank you for reading : ) Also, don’t forget to check out my column, Leah’s Friday Five, on Pearls and Pastries Shop Blog! There is a new post up today!!

INEXPENSIVE SPRING/SUMMER OUTFIT IDEAS AND STYLING PART TWO!

May 14, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

First of all, I am a guest blogger on www.SundusA.com today and am flattered to be there : )

Today is Part Two of my two-part Inexpensive Spring/Summer Outfit Ideas and Styling series! You can see my Inexpensive Spring/Summer Outfit Ideas and Styling Part One from Monday. These posts are sharing inexpensive clothing pieces that I love for this time of year and how I like to style them. Where have you been shopping for clothes lately? Comment by clicking on the link by the title of this post to let me know : )

Outfit #1:

Dress: Forever 21 (*Similar)

Shoes: BCBGirls (*Similar)

Outfit #2

Top: Forever 21

Jeans: Express

Shoes: Converse

Bracelet #1: Ann Taylor (*Similar)

Bracelet #2: Bauble Bar (*Similar)

That’s it! I hope that you liked these outfit ideas and I will be doing more styling posts in the future. Don’t forget to MAKE.MY.WHOLE.DAY and subscribe to my blog by entering your email in the subscription box on the right side of this page!! Thank you for reading and have a fabulous day!!

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