New Product!

Check out my newest, nicest face product. I've been using it constantly since I got it...

Right? I mean I'm kind of being funny, but I also have been using a roll of paper towels under my sink for the past month or so and my skin has really not had any major breakouts since I started. It takes a little time to get out of the habit of just using your big towel or hand towel to dry your face. But those things carry skin cells and bacteria that can be no bueno for your face! Give it a try for a month or so and see what you think!

Waiting for Wilma Pie

This past Saturday, my friend offered to make taco soup if I'd make a dessert. I took this as a chance to make one of my favorite pies, a Waiting for Wilma pie! It's a chocolate, caramel, pecan pie and it's an absolute winner!

The recipe is here, and I have some additions/changes that always work best for me.

1. Make your own pie dough if you have time. I didn't this time, but have in the past and wish I had just taken the time to do it. Frozen dough is sometimes good, but homemade is always delicious!
2. You can definately knock the baking time down to 40 minutes. It'll make the pie just a little fluffier.
3. I sprinkle a little sea salt on top before I put it in to bake. It always gives the pie a little more complexity!
4. If you have trouble finding the dulce de leche, ask someone at your grocery to help you. They probably have it, but it's often in a random spot!

Weekend Wanderings

Well, I'm back after a wonderful weekend. Just what I needed after a rough week of being sick and busy!
Friday: Hung around with my sick puppy, watched Clash of the Titans with my roommate (hilarious, and action packed), then Chinese food and dancing.
Saturday: Slept in, wine and cheese in the park, taco soup, pie, Mean Girls and bedtime.
Sunday: Easter Brunch with friends, an ill-attempted run, reading and napping, delicious pimento cheese burger to top it off.

Unfortunately, my laptop has died. I'll try to maintain a posting schedule, but it might be a bit abbreviated. The upside is that I'm getting so much more relaxation time in!

Sick+Spring Allergies=Office Eek

I'm feeling completely out of it. I'm suffering through spring allergies and may also have a cold of some kind. But, I still have to work and attend class, meaning I can't just stay in my PJs. One day away was one too many! Days like today make me thankful for old standbys:

I slather myself in Kiehl's Creme de Corps lotion, spray Bumble and Bumble's Surf Spray in my already messy hair. Slip on an easy dress with a long necklace and black sandals, and stuff a grey cardigan in my giant bag for the times I will (certainly) get cold in the office. Top it off with a shimmery tinted moisturizer and pretty coral lips and I just might look a little better than death for the duration of the day. What's the in rest of the bag?  Kleenex, Ricola and a travel tin of green tea. I wish I were kidding.

Sick Day

Sweet, sweet readers. I'm sick. I'm taking the day off from class and work to lay in bed, drink tea, blow my nose and disturb my dog by eating 17 Ricola every hour. On days like today, my only recommendation is this:

I'll be drinking several quarts of this today. See you on the other side, kiddos.

Some Kinda Rant

I know that I usually just use space here to talk about makeup, clothes or random shopping and cooking. And I really like that, and I have some great posts lined up for this week. But today, I just want to rant a little bit about what I've been reading and hearing re:health care reform.

Listen. I know that there are knowledgeable, caring people on all sides of this debate. There are people who support the reform fully, and welcome the exact reform being put into policy. I know there are others who have some concerns about pieces of the reform and wish some of it were different, or removed. I know others who don't support it at all, and wish that we as a country had explored other methods of ensuring health and well being to all people. I know that there are other viewpoints that come from a place of reason and compassion, and that they aren't all in support of the reform. And, I'm down with that. I personally support the reform, with hopes that there will be refinements made. I'm also open about saying, while I've done my level best to understand the reform, I'm still unsure about a few pieces.

What I'm just sick to pieces of is having to encounter unbridled despair and rage over this reform. Fear that isn't tempered with any attempt to even understand the language of the reform. I am genuinely sad that instead of trying to understand what's happening, a few people seem to be content to allow Glenn Beck to tell them what this health care reform "really means." I'm tired of corporations and talking heads making millions off of fear they needlessly ignite, and then fan to pandemic heights. I've had it. The only way to understand what the health care reform will do, is to READ it. Or, read a few articles about it. Don't trust the media? Then turn off your Fox News, MSNBC, CNN etc. Read the bill. It's hard to read, I didn't understand a ton of it.

The bright side is this: I think that most people want to understand, and they form a variety of opinions on the issue once they understand. I just don't want to see my neighbors, friends, family and colleagues swallowed up by a fear for something they haven't tried to understand. That's never gotten any of us anywhere.

As a side note: Here are some airy, fun things coming up!
-Paint/wall decor ideas
-Updates about where A and I are moving
-Wedding decor (I promise to not turn this into a wedding blog. I promise)
-Office organization
-Q&A I've gotten several emails from readers (who I didn't know, but am happy to now) asking questions!
I promise, it'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Liberty of London...sigh

Alright, Liberty of London has collections at Target and MAC. And, yes, some of it's really pretty. What I'd like to point out, is, some of it's really ugly. Some of it's only on the rack because, while some companies hide overblown florals away and call them "misguided", Liberty of London makes a policy of them. And I love prints, people. I wear prints so ridiculous my mother is embarrassed to be seen with  me. She once asked that I "Leave the Picasso prints on the walls." Very funny. In any case, I did go check out the Liberty stuff at Target, in part because while the whole blog world bemoaned the fact that everything got swept away in a day, all THREE of my Targets in South Carolina were still brimming with overgrown florals and inexplicable peacock designs. (As a side note: I think peacock looks can be really pretty, but I have a weird reaction to anything that doesn't include the whole bird. I'm not sure why?)

AND I even BOUGHT something. I actually bought two somethings. Not a dress, or a scarf (it's going to be HOT soon, I don't want a damn scarf.). I bought two coffee mugs that bring the kind of delight to my heart usually reserved for morning my dog lets me sleep past 8 am. I only found one online, and it's the less pretty of the two. The other one has the same colors, but in a kind of cracked glass pattern.

I might return for a few more items, but none of them will be clothing. It's strange, I either love the cut but hate the pattern, or I love the pattern and hate the cut. For example:

Am I loving the print? Yes. And I even love off the shoulder. I'm less interested in a giant ruffle at my chest, though. That seems hazardous. But I may go back for a few more things, like some of the pillows and maybe a few items to give as gifts later on.

Thai Cucumbers

I love this time of year in the South because we're already starting to see some Spring bounty, which includes cucumbers! So, for dinner a few nights ago, I decided to make a little cucumber mix-up for my roommate and I:

Small, seedless cucumbers, peeled and cut into small slices.
White vinegar
Fish sauce
Red pepper flakes
Sugar

You want to mix the vinegar, fish sauce and sugar together and taste until it's perfect for you. It takes a little time to get it right, but I don't like to use measurements since everyone is different. Most recipes I've found for this are way too sweet for me. Then, add in the pepper flakes. They'll heat up the mixture more and more the longer it sits, so don't add too much if you're not into spice. Adding just a little won't make it super spicy, just a little heat. Then, add in your cucumber, give it a mix and let it sit for at least an hour. Before you serve it, garnish with crushed peanuts. We ate this little mixture with moo satay. Delicious!

Au Naturale, Sometimes

I'm not really a super dedicated consumer of only all natural items, but I do like quite a few products and items that happen to be all natural. I find that some of them just work better with my skin needs, and some of the organic fabrics just hang more comfortably.

1. Makool Loves You Hemp/Organic Cotton Skirt. This is a Portland,OR based retailer and the skirt is adorable. My mom purchased this skirt for me on a trip and I wore it over my most recent break trip to Mississippi. The skirt lives there full-time since I am going to be making a move there soon. I miss it sometimes though!

2. Burt's Bees Loose Powder. I love this loose powder over a bare face or over my tinted moisturizer. Keeps my face matte but never chalky.

3. Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm. I stole this from my fiance last time we were together, and it's a dream. I'm pretty sure my mom actually put it in his Christmas stocking, since he'd rather die than think about buying a "lip product." He says that like it's a dirty word, so I was happy to scoop this right out of his grimy man-hands!

4. Origins GinZing eye cream. I'm not sure when, but I noticed recently that I've really started to develop some super-dark under eye circles and some serious puffiness. It's probably a combination of not sleeping well and constantly rubbing my eyes from early-spring allergies. This cream takes away a lot of the puffiness and helps my concealer get rid of the dark circles.

5. Fin Wild Silk Print Dress. This silk dress is made from cruelty free wild silk and is incredible to wear. Both times I've worn it I've felt like sleeping in it. It's a crazy print, probably too much for some but just right for me. I'm going to wear this well into the fall of this year! This website in general is a great source for fair trade, cruelty free and all natural products. Shipping will certainly cost you, and it doesn't beat finding a great local source for such sweet items, but I think it's a great way to spend any holiday/birthday gift money you might be lucky to get!

Freedom Fridays

I get Fridays off this semester, so I tend to look for something relaxed but still fun to wear. I also try to do much much less with my makeup and hair. I thought this get-up would be super sweet to try out as the weather gets warmer!

Old Navy Jeans, J Crew shirt, Tom's Shoes, Burt's Bees Lip Sheer and Laura Mercier TM

I like that it could go straight from shopping to a dinner date with friends, and I'm obsessed with Tom's lately. They're so comfortable, and a great cause. What do you wear on Friday's?

The Luck of the Irish (or at least their bread...)

I'm obsessed with bread, friends. Sourdough, Focaccia, Wheat Berry...any kind really. Every few weeks I turn out this bread for myself and my roommates. It's perfect for a night snack, or for breakfast with some hard cheese and coffee. This is a modified recipie I found online, and yes, the Irish butter makes all the difference.

Irish Soda Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup  good Irish butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.


2. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda. Blend egg and buttermilk together, and add all at once to the flour mixture. Mix just until moistened. Stir in butter. Pour into prepared pan.

3. Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
 
4. Wrap in foil for several hours, or overnight, for best flavor. This last step makes all the difference! Don't skip it!
 
I actually used powdered buttermilk for this recipie, since it's the only thing I ever use buttermilk for. The only change is that you follow the directions and put the recommended amount of water in with your wet ingredients, and the powder goes in with the dry ingredients. I find it's a bit more economic that way!
 
Give this bread a try for St. Pat's! It's not quite traditional but it IS delicious.

Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

I love peanut butter, on pretty much anything. I even like it on hamburgers sometimes (well, soy burgers really...). This recipe is super simple and delicious!



Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

1 1/2 cups flour 1 cup peanut butter 1/4 cup oil 3/4 cups sugar 1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, roll the dough into 2-inch balls, place on an ungreased cookie sheet, and bake at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes. 


I use the honey roasted peanut butter you can grind yourself at Earth Fare (or Whole Foods, Fresh Market, where-ever) but I'm 100% sure you could use any variety. Be careful to not overcook them! These aren't exactly health-food, but they are a little better for you than other recipes which call for pounds of butter and eggs. You might find that you need to add some oil to the mix to get it to stick together nicely, this varies because different brands and kinds of peanut butter contain different amounts of oil. Happy Baking!

Been a long time, been a long time

I took an unannounced one-week hiatus while I was on spring break! The break was great, I hardly checked email and the net at all. I thought I'd post about some of the items that are becoming  my newest favorites in my makeup bag. When I packed for spring break I tried to pack some things I hadn't used yet or hadn't used in awhile.

1. Korres Lip Butter in Pomegranate. This is so soft and sheer, I can't resist applying it a million times a day. I sometimes rub it on my cheeks too, and it gives a nice sheer flush without getting smudgy or messy.

2. Revlon Age-Defying Moisturizing Concealer. This under-eye concealer is perfect for general concealing as well, I usually end up rubbing a little on my cheeks and chin after the eyes, which are the only other places I really need coverage. I usually reach for it on days when I'm feeling more sensitive than regularly (on those days, I just use my TimeBalm concealer).

3. CoverGirl Lash Blast and LashBlast Length. I've been doing a swipe of LashBlast and then a swipe of the LashBlast Length, both in waterproof Very Black. I love the combo, and I never have to comb them out at all. Sticks around all day long.

4. Stella by Stella McCartney. I love this perfume, and I had hidden it away in a drawer. I pulled out the rollerball for this trip and I'm newly in love with it. So soft but unique, it never overpowers me though.

5. Soap and Glory Dr. Spot. A great spot-fighter for my skin, you can grab it at Target along with all the other adorable Soap and Glory products.

6. Yes to Cucumbers Facial Wipes. These wipes are the perfect travel solution. Pre-moistened (but they don't count as a liquid or gel, HA HA!), they leave your face soft and clean, NOT sticky and stinky like lots of wipes I've found. I'm excited to try the rest of the Say Yes to...line once I finish my current rotation of hair products.

7. Aveda Phomollient Foam. This foam adds great volume to my hair, but doesn't leave it sticky or greasy. It also gives me a good bit of shime and helps to control frizz when I pair it with my Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum.

So, there are just a few of my new/old discoveries over the course of my trip!

What's a Girl to Wear?: Weekend Shopping

White Anne Taylor T, Gap Skirt, Nine West Flats, NARS Sin Blush, Gold Necklace

I love big weekend shopping excursions. The kind where you pack a PowerBar in your bag and make sure to wear comfy shoes. This outfit fits the bill, with a comfy skirt/T combo, dressed up with a gold necklace. The shoes are comfortable but still fun. The blush gives you a day-long flush with just a little shimmer. But, what bag, you ask? I'm so GLAD you asked.

I'm dying for this beauty. Sweet, vegan fabric, made by hand and completely guilt-free!

What's a Girl to Wear?: Simple Date Night

The Limited Cardigan, Gap dress, Gap shoes, DiorShow mascara, Paul and Joe Bronzer, NARS Lip Gloss, Etsy.com seller's bracelet

My fiance and I have been together a little less than five years, so I don't feel much pressure to impress on our dates. However, we do go out a good bit when I'm in town and I always like to try a fun look. I was trying to brainstorm some spring break looks and this one came together nicely! 

Perfect for an outdoors date night, or a group date night. A sweet cotton dress is the centerpiece, for comfort and a bit of neckline action. The cardigan keeps it grown up, and warm if needed. A fun bracelet and strappy sandals keep the flowery cardigan from getting too frumpy. Add glossy pink pink PINK lips, a metric ton of mascara and a swipe of bronzer and it's a date outfit  that could work in tons of occasions!

Makeup Routine: the Sensitive Edition

My makeup routine has changed a bit due to the sensitivity of my skin lately, but I'm liking this daily look a lot!

1. theBalm TimeBalm Concealer. A great under-eye concealer, it lasts all day and never get cakey. I think it pretty much requires a good bit of under-eye moisturizer to look so nice, though.

2. Stila Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer. I've heard that some people find this greasy or overly shiny. For a dry skinned girl, with minimal coverage needs this is perfect. I can't sub it for a moisturizer, but it goes on smoothly and sinks right in.

3. NARS Blush in Sin. Orgasm blush turned muddy and shiny on my cheeks. I exchanged it for this beauty, a cool berry color with  barely there silver shimmer. It's my go-to blush these days because I don't even need to blend it. I just swipe and go.

4. Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Busy Signal. This is a pretty brown shade that lasts all day without creasing or smudging at all. It isn't too harsh behind my glasses.

5. CoverGirl Lash Blast Length Mascara in Waterproof formula. I love this mascara! I have pretty long lashes, and they're already pretty thick but this mascara makes them look perfect. And it never flakes.

6. Random lipstain. Sometimes it's Benetint, or Posietint or CoverGirl Outlast in Flirty Nude. Love them all, love that I don't have to re-apply constantly!

Shopping I Love: Down East Basics

For awhile, I swore off online shopping. The fit was hard to determine, I never had accurate measurements to compare to size charts and I hated paying for shipping. But, I had my measurements taken, and now a whole world of unavailable clothing is open to me! One of my current favorites is DownEast Basics. They seem to specialize in trendy pieces that aren't polarizing or unwearable. Their clothes are also downright cheap, but well made and definitely stand up to serious wear. Some favorite pieces:

The He Loves Me dress

This dress just came in the mail for me last week, I ordered it for engagement pictures and general cute wear for the spring. It's a great fit, and has hidden pockets, which I adore.

Perfect Form Dress

I've had this dress in my cart for a week now. I love the color, and I think it'd be perfect for a date night or a wedding. I have roughly a million weddings coming up, so I'm feeling like it could be an investment.

Tulle Flower and Beads Necklace

I love this statement necklace. The flower comes off, so you can wear just the beads if you want. I ordered it in both shades, and the pink beads are the perfect easter egg pastel!

Impressionist Skirt

I adore crazy prints, and I feel like, at 24, I can get away with most of them! This begs to be worn with simple brown sandals and a pretty t-shirt. Probably NOT office appropriate, friends!

Classic Plaid Skirt

I ordered this in the black/white combo. Mostly because I don't have a plaid skirt, and this one is cut to a length and fit that is far more "smart winter wear" than "Catholic school girl." Not that there's anything wrong with Catholic school! I'm pairing this with black flats and a variety of jewel tone tops. I wish they had a picture of the black and white print!

Everything I posted is less than 40 dollars on the site! Amazing! Their shipping is super fast and every service representative I've spoken to has been unfailingly kind. Check it out!

Etsy Love: Sterling Silver Oak Leaf Pendant

I surf etsy.com far too regularly for my bank account's health, but I rationalize it by saying that these are sellers who are small-business owners, or who work in their free time out of their homes. See? Doesn't that sound better?

My most recent love is this pretty leaf pendant. I'm dying to buy it, and wear it all day everyday.

It's from etsy seller Knitsteel, and I'm in love with it!

I'm sensitive and I'd like to stay that way

Okay, on this point, and most, I disagree with Jewel. I do NOT want to stay sensitive, at least in terms of my skin. I also do not want to stay dry and uncomfortable. Recently, I've had to get rid of numerous body washes, lotions, face washes and moisturizers to keep my skin from flaring up. And so, I'm stuck with these beauties:

1. Tom's of Maine Moisturizing Body Wash. I'm in love with the lavendar scent, and it has yet to break my skin out at all.

2. Tom's of Maine Toothpaste. Do you know what happens when you become allergic to a toothpaste? I'm going to spare you the details, actually. This toothpaste is saving my life right now. And I love the Cinnamon-clove flavor!

3. Tom's of Maine Deodorant. Once again, allergic reactions to deodorant are not pleasant. At all. BUT I love this stuff, and I get to avoid to aluminum which might (or might not) cause cancer. Again, the lavendar scent is lovely.

4. Weleda Lavender Body Oil and Nivea Body Creme. I mix five drops of the oil with a handful of the creme to make a super emollient body moisturizer. I've thought about buying several smaller jars to mix it up in a bigger size.

5. Avene Cleansing Milk. Super gentle, I picked it up first in Taiwan and have continued to order it for the winter months.

6. Avene Cold Cream Moisturizer. Cold cream does good things for dry skin, but if you have even the slightest bit of oil or issues with blackheads or acne flare-ups, avoid it. This incarnation is great because it doesn't stink at all.

7. Avene Thermal Spring Water. I have five of the tiny bottles and two of the huge bottles. I bought them all in Taiwan and I know it sounds like a gimmick but this stuff really does calm down my skin when it gets red and blotchy. I spray it on every morning before I apply makeup and every night before I put on moisturizer. I've  heard it also helps set mineral makeup, which I've never tried because I don't want or need another step in my makeup day!

What have we learned? Having sensitive skin that is also dry becomes expensive and frustrating. So, when you find a combo of products that works, stick with it.

What's In My Bag?

I promised ages and AGES ago to try to do this somewhat regularly. We see how that worked out. But, here we go!

I usually end up carrying a medium sized tote, with school books, work papers and necessities. BUT there are other things in there, and that's mostly what is interesting!

1. Moleskine Weekly Planner. I got this from my Mom for Christmas and have oddly fallen in love with it since. I'm not a schedule freak, but I do find that writing down commitments helps me find free time. The best part about this planner is that one side is the week and the other page is a lined note space that I use for lists, ideas, and doodles during boring work meetings.

2. Moleskine Small Lined Notebook. I try to keep a running grocery list, shopping list and to do list in this. I also have a little tab for wedding planning ideas that should probably get more use...

3. Shady Kiss Lip Balm with SPF 30. This is my favorite lip balm. It's so soft and has little to no taste or scent, which is a huge plus for me!

4. L'Occitane Lavender Hand Cream. I love the light scent of this, and it never makes my hands greasy. This is important because I have the dangerous habit of applying hand cream at stop lights. It's a No No!

5. NARS Easy Lover Lip Gloss. For my lips, this is the perfect sheer, pink gloss. I wear it everyday!

6. Microfiber cloth. I wear my glasses almost all the time, and I am obsessive about wiping them down roughly every 45 minutes.

7. Clean Well Hand Sanitizer. I'm skeevy about germs, and my office is in a health center, so I think it's pretty necessary to sanitize religiously. But, I hate the crazy scents and chemicals in the B&BW versions. Clean Well is non-sticky and non-smelly!

8. Iphone. You all obviously know what this looks like, but I love having it with me because it also syncs to my Kindle and to a website called Instapaper. Go on, sign up for free and you can put a bookmark on your browser that let's you click "Read Later" on any item. Them, put the Instapaper app on your Iphone, sync it to your account and the net content will be housed on the Iphone for later reading. Now, when I wait for anything, I just catch up on blogs, columns, and anything else!

9. Cover Girl Lipstain in Flirty Nude. I shamelessly apply this a million times a day and put it on my cheeks and lips. I have several of these lipstains, but this is the only one that I can get away with applying full strength. Thank you, Jacqueline, for the recommendation!!

10. A million brown, matte bobby pins. I recently had bangs cut into my hair, and while I love them, sometimes I end up needing to pin them back mid-day.

So, what's in your bag?

Everywhere I go, it rains on me

It's raining again this morning. I don't mind some rain, but this is a full out flood of rain, complete with lightening and thunder. The dog is hiding under the bed and I'm fighting the urge to follow her. Only one thing can keep my spirits from sinking...

My lime green wooden umbrella

And, yes, this thing is just as large as it appears to be. On the plus side, I won't even bother doing anything real with my hair today!

New Shopping Obsessions

Previously, all my shopping energy was focused around clothes and makeup. I'd scour the web and shops looking for sweet dresses, simple shoes and the perfect lipstain. Worthy pursuits, of course, but lately my focus has changed. In May, I'll move out of my grad school house (which I share with two lovely fellow graduate students, but which was mostly pre-furnished before I got here). I'll move into a new apartment/house with my fiance, and the decorating/furnishing will begin. We're committed to buying as much pre-owned stuff as possible, from thrift stores and from etsy, but I couldn't resist buying a few things online that I just KNOW we're going to need...or want...or love.

(Shoestring Home - Porcelain Flower Votives)

Like  theses precious candle holders. While I can't promise Andy will appreciate their precious look, I've already decided that these little babies are going on the top of a bookshelf or on a mantle.

In other housing search news, we're pretty certain we're going to try to move into an apartment instead of a house. For one, the search for a rental house that we both like has already proved impossible. For two, we would both like to try some "small space living" for awhile before we have to move into a larger place. Stay tuned, we're going apartment hunting in March and will hopefully have a lease by April! Until then, I'll be buying random pieces of home goods and imagining furniture to put them on!