Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Bling and Decadence

Sometimes a girl just wants to feel luxurious.  And whether she does that with a big earring or a satin pump, there are ways to dress up and feel decadent without breaking the bank.  Here are some of my picks.

This shoe reminds me of a Kate Spade heel but a little less painful on the wallet.


Ok stay with me, picture this on the lapel of your navy schoolboy blazer, a white silk tie blouse and skinny jeans. Instant class and vintage.

Modcloth, Swing me around skirt, $60
Now that is a skirt.  Va Voom.

White House Black Market, Plum Structured Bag, $88
This is fabulous, I love the handle, remind me of a man's briefcase.


So what do you wear when you want to feel decadent? Velvet, sequins, black?

Be fabulous today!

Monday, September 19, 2011

Camel and Some News

Happy Monday to you lovebugs!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  Mine was a little extra special then normal because The BF and I got a new puppy!  His name is Norman and he is such a love.  If you want to check out pictures, you can look at my Twitter feed.

Now onto fashion.  I'm really loving camel right now because it's such a great transition color into the fall season.

The prepster in me is always a sucker for cable knit.  And this wool blend is perfect for work or play.


SO worth the price tag. The seaming on the bust is just perfection.

Nordstrom, Halogen belted skirt, $78
I love this skirt for a couple reasons: one, it's lined which reflects quality, two the sailor-inspired buttons, three the versatility in changing out the belt.

I'm usually not loving a square toe pump but this heel has a Mad Men feel to it doesn't it?

Camel is so easily dressed up or down, and it comes in so many color variations that their is a shade for everyone.

Be fabulous today!

Friday, September 16, 2011

Friday Foodday!

Happy Friday lovebugs!
Here are some of my favorite recipes from this week!

Ultimate Veggie Dip
c/o Kitchen Bellicious
Ingredients
  • 8 ounces of Monterrey pepper jack cheese
  • 1 cup pitted and finely diced Kalamata olives
  • 2 ounces of diced green chiles
  • 5-6 marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
  • 1 bunch of green onions, chopped
  • 1 can rotel, slightly drained
  • 1 tsp Italian dressing
  • ½ tsp fresh lime juice
  • Pinch of salt and pepper
  • ½ tsp fresh chives, finely chopped 
Directions
In a large bowl combine all ingredients including the hot sauce. Serve immediately or refrigerate until game time.


Roasted Vegetable Stromboli
c/o Stephanie Cooks 
  Ingredients
2 cups roasted vegetables* (see below for details)
1 batch pizza dough
1 cup mozzarella cheese
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Tomato sauce

Directions
1- Preheat the oven to 450 with a pizza stone in the oven (if you don't have one just cook it on a baking sheet).
2- Roll out your pizza dough into a long rectangular/oval shape.
3- Using a pizza cutter, start on the right side of the dough and slice 1/3 of the way in, making 1 inch slits down the side. Keep going until the whole side is covered in 1 inch slits. Repeat on the left hand side, also 1/3 of the way in.
4- Spoon the vegetable onto the 1/3 of the dough in the center. Top with the cheese.
5- Start at the top, take one slit from the right and fold it over the center. Repeat with the dough slit directly opposite. Keep repeating until the dough is "braided" and covering the filling.
6- In a small bowl combine the oil, salt, and garlic powder. Brush over the dough.
7- Transfer to the stone. Bake 15 minutes or until golden.
8- Slice and serve with hot marinara sauce.

* Roasting veggies- I used 2 zucchini, 1/2 a head of broccoli, a handful of baby carrots, 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, and a green pepper. I diced them, drizzled with olive oil, and cooked about 30-40 minutes, stirring halfway through, at 375. For this recipe I smashed the tomatoes so they were flat, but that step isn't necessary. Use any veggies you want. This yielded a lot of veggies, enough for two meals.

 Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
c/o Annie Bakes
Ingredients (cake)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup agave nectar (all natural sugar substitute)
1 cup canola oil
3 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 cups grated fresh zucchini 


Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Spray a 13 x 9 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.  In an electric mixer, combine all ingredients and mix until well blended.  Pour into the greased dish.  Bake fore 45 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.


Ingredients (frosting)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar


Directions
Using a hand mixer, mix all ingredients until they are the consistency that you like, then spread over the cake

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Patriots

It's the last day of football week on the blog. What did you think?  I like using these colors for inspiration because they are so saturated and bright, no pastels, no neons, just hard color.

Today's post is for the Patriots.  A little red, a little blue with some hints of white inbetween.

Converse, Jack Purcell CP Navy, $55
I love my jack purcells. They're perfect for weekends and running around the city.  You can throw them in the washing machine and they will look as good as new.


J Crew, Silk Camisole, $39
You can never have enough of the basics, and this red silk cami you will wear year round for many years to come.

I'll admit, I've spent money on Citizens jeans and they're great, but Gap will always be my go to for any style of denim.

Old Navy, Helmet Tee, $19
I love a soft, comfy, throw back tee like this.

Blue and red doesn't always have to scream Fourth of July.  Break it up to make an outfit pop with red or grounded with navy.

Be fabulous today!