Monday, April 11, 2011

Pastels in Silk

Hey lovebugs,
Sorry for the later post this morning- it was a busy weekend!  How was yours? Any good buys? Did anyone indulge in the Kate Spade friends and family sale?

This morning I thought we would go with something light and bright.  I'm usually not one for pastels, I prefer more saturated colors- but when done in a silky fabric, it feels so light and luxurious.  What do you think?

The belt on this gives this lose fabric a defined waist.  

Banana Republic, Crochet trim tunic, $35
This light tunic is perfect for the weekend.  Or tuck it into a pencil skirt for work.

How many weddings are you going to this summer? Right.  This is your new go to dress.

Nordstrom, Hinge Handkerchief Hem Silk Shirt, $88
This shirt is so sophisticated and cool.  It has just the right amount of detail and not too busy.

So what do you think? Are you liking silk for spring?  It's definitely an easy-breezy fabric for warmer weather.

Be fabulous today! 

Friday, April 8, 2011

Friday Foodday

TGIF!!!! Can I get an amen please?!  It is Friday Foodday and I couldn't be happier about it.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Banana Oatmeal Bars
c/o Sara
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup soft butter/margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
3 medium mashed bananas
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup quick cooking oats

Directions
Temperature: 425

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking soda and spices. In a larger bowl, cream the brown sugar and margarine together with the egg until soft and creamy. Add the mashed bananas (if bananas are ripe, make use of a food processor) and the vanilla. Slowly begin to add the flour mixture and, once flour mixture is added, add the oats and mix together. Pour into a greased pan and bake at 425 until golden (usually 25-30 minutes).

This recipe makes two dozen, so it's easy to half, but I find they're pretty popular office treats as well so I usually just make the whole batch.


Spinach and Artichoke Tortellini
c/o Stephanie Cooks Blog
Ingredients:1 package of tortellini
2 cups of fresh spinach, chopped
4 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted and chopped
2 cups tomato sauce (more or less according to taste)
1 cup pecorino romano cheese
Directions
1- Preheat the oven to 350.
2- Cook the tortellini according to package instructions. Drain and return to the pot.
3- Add the spinach, artichoke hearts, 1/2 cup cheese, and sauce to the pot. Stir well.
4- Transfer to an oven safe dish. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
5- Bake for 25 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling.

Grilled Chicken with Spinach and Mozerlla
c/o Skinny Taste
Ingredients
  • 24 oz (3 large) chicken breasts sliced in half lengthwise to make 6 cutlets
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 10 oz frozen spinach, drained
  • 3 oz shredded part skim mozzarella
  • 1 roasted red pepper, sliced in strips
  • olive oil spray
Directions
Preheat
oven to 400°. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Lightly
spray
a grill with oil

Cook
chicken on the grill until no longer pink, careful not to overcook or you'll have dry chicken.
Meanwhile, heat a sauté pan on medium heat. Add oil and garlic, sauté a few seconds, add spinach, salt and pepper. Cook a few minutes until heated through.
When chicken is done, lay on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment for easy clean-up. Divide spinach evenly between the 6 pieces and place on top. Top each with half oz mozzarella, then slices of roasted pepper and bake until melted, about 6-8 minutes.

It List

theitlist

Happy Friday ladies... I hope you have big plans for this weekend!  In the meantime, take some time to visit these inspiring posts from the blog world!
  • shen dove style pairs a floral dress with a simple blazer for the perfect spring look.  We both agree that a blazer can pull an outfit together so easily.  (find shen dove style on twitter!)
  • walking around {where the sidewalk begins} lays out her top restaurants in Chicago.  I always enjoy getting good recommendations for dining in my favorite cities!  (find walking around on twitter!)
  • good clean fun whips up the ultimate summer cocktail... as she says that "conjures up warm summer nights, lightening bugs, and laughter" - I don't know how you can say no to that! (find good clean fun on twitter!)
  • thought and musing remixes one little black dress into three gorgeous outfits!  You have to pop over and see her styling work.
  • strong sense of style has you covered (literally) for the rainy spring weather.  Check out her picks for rain jackets, wellies and umbrellas, oh my!
  • a spot of whimsy recognizes that sometimes you just need a dash of inspiration in the form of Audrey Hepburn. And to that I say, 'Amen, my sister'.  (find a spot of whimsy on twitter!)
  • rose a la mode features the office she never uses (while looking fab, of course!) - do you have a room in your house you don't use? (find rose a la mode on twitter!)
  • sweetie pie style always posts her recent inspirations on Monday mornings... it's the highlight of my post weekend slump.  The images she finds never disappoint! (find sweetie pie style on twitter!)
  • capital barbie gets ready to "lace up" for spring... but not like you may think! Check out her new favorite style of shoes! (find capital barbie on twitter!)
  • a little dash of ash pulls together tons of interior inspiration featuring navy blue walls.  A look that I totally love, even more so after perusing all these gorgeous photos! (find a little dash of ash on twitter!)
  • mama loves papa is posing pretty in a super fun bird print dress for spring... her post also features her husband's (aka 'papa') new vintage VW truck - so cool! (find mama loves papa on twitter!)
  • a spoonful of dish manages to put together a fun blog post even when her internet is down - find out how she did it!  I love a resourceful gal!
  • good life for less is color crushing on red + pink + khaki - check out her inspiration! (find good life for less on twitter!)
  • good tots features a very chic nursery inspired by this gorgeous magenta dresser/changing table.  So fun for a sweet baby girl!
the IT list is compiled each week by Jill of good life for less - for more information, click here!

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Hair Accessories!

Hey lovebugs,
You know what I love when my hair isn't cooperating?  Headbands, barrets, and ribbons.  Hair accessories are such a great way to dress up your hair when you're feeling you need a little extra boost.

Red Autumn Creations, Retro Flower Turquoise , $5
I just love this with boyfriend jeans on the weekend.  What a great way to dress up a casual outfit.

This is perfect for a summer sun dress, it would catch the light perfectly.

Anthropologie, Clara Bobbies, $15
Are you obsessed with these?  Because I am.

TopShop, mini flower headband, $12
I love this one because its an all the way around headband which means no headaches. 

If you ever need to kill time, just type headband into Etsy.  Not only will you lose hours in your day, you'll thank me later for all of the amazing hair accessories you find!  I just love playing with headbands and bling in my hair, its so easy, affordable and fun.

Be fabulous today!