White After Labor Day

What I'm wearing:

+ Talbots coral pullover button up......I recently snatched this little baby up at Goodwill for $4.99. The condition was still great and the fabric is really good quality. I did re-enforce the buttons on it when I got home though but it's worth it.

+ Almost Famous white cuffed distressed capris.....these are by far, my most comfortable pair of pants. Ever. I think i got this at TJ Maxx a few years back in the clearance section for around $3.00.

+ Toms original red canvas

+ Ottimo bag.....my bf got this for me a few years ago when we were in Hawaii. I love the way the bag just hangs and all the detailing on it.

+ Gold necklace with twisted design....I got this recently at Goodwill for $3.99 because I thought it was super cute. Don't know why, but recently I've been buying a lot of these choker type necklaces in gold. It's odd because I usually gravitate towards the longer necklaces. Maybe it's just a phase, we'll see.

+ Mixed bangles

I think we've all heard of the phrase "Don't wear white after Labor Day" and I never knew why this was. I don't really stick to any fashion rules but this one seems so silly yet many people really take it to heart. Maybe white is too springy after Labor Day? I have no idea but since these white capris are oh so comfy, I'm wearing them anyways.

Is wearing white after Labor Day a fashion faux pas?

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Crawfish Boil With Garlic Tomato Sauce

Crawfish Boil with Garlic Tomato Sauce Recipe

2 bulbs of garlic, finely minced

10 roma tomatoes, diced small

handful of kaffir lime leaves, julienned

Louisiana Brand crawfish boil seasoning

sugar

oil

fresh crawfish

beer

1. In a large stock pot, fill with the crawfish. Pour in one bottle of beer. Sprinkle some of the Louisiana seasoning, about 2 tspn because it's salty.  Cover with lid and bring to a boil. Total cooking time is about 12-15 mins. Shake the pot once or twice during boil to evenly cook the crawfish. (For us, we got around 15 lbs of crawfish so we boiled it in 2 batches. One bottle of beer per batch.)

2. In a large pan, saute the garlic in oil until fragrant and tender. Add the tomatoes.

3. Add 2 tbsp of the Louisiana seasoning and 4 tbsp sugar. Mix thoroughly. (Be sure to taste the sauce at this point to make adjustments. Remember that the seasoning is really salty so add small amounts at a time.

4. When tomatoes are soft, turn off the heat. Add the lime leaves and combine.

5. Remove cooked crawfish into a large bowl and half of the sauce. Mix all together and get out some napkins!

Optional dipping sauce: ketchup and mayonnaise, in a ratio of 1:4

Hope you guys enjoy!

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Thrifty Jewelry Finds

After stumbling upon a great Dooney & Bourke bag recently, I've been hitting up some local thrift stores to see what I can find. It's been awhile since I've been thrifting so you can call it like a small resurrection of interest. And like many times before, I'm a sucker for the jewelry counter.

I just love the random arrays of jewelry that are always available. Hey, it's something sparkly to look at, so why not? Within this past week, I've been lucky enough to find some pieces that I'm thoroughly in love with.

I picked up this black and gold necklace at this small thrift store in the Sacramento area. The chain is short so it fits almost like a choker but with a bit more breathing room. I've worn this a few times already and have received so many compliments for it. I really like that the necklace itself is quite simple but there's just a few small aesthetic twists to it that makes it interesting. (Price: $3.99, R Thrift Store)

This now has become one of my favorite necklaces of all. I really am in love with the design of the links in this thing. You might not be able to see but the pointed tips on each link is a pale cream color. It blends into the surrounding gold just perfectly. When worn, it fits like a choker. Who needs the ability to breathe when you have a great statement piece on your neck, right? (Price: $5.99, Goodwill)

I decided to get this gold bracelet because I liked the extra chain accent on it. I saw another bracelet at the Salvation Army in the same day with a similar chain accent but it was priced around $30, so that was a no bueno. This bracelet is much less expensive and I like it even more than the one at SA. Just a simple bracelet to throw on for fun. (Price: $2.99, Goodwill)

When I saw this ring in the display case, I was already jumping for joy. I thought the design was just so pretty and elegant. I tried it on and thought that it's a bit mature for me but that it would be something my mom might like. My mom loved it when I showed her. She was very giddy...it was pretty silly. Although it's a bit worn, the inscription says "14K Taiwan". When told, all my mom said was "Gold or not, it's so pretty to me." (Price: $8.00, Deseret Industries)

What great jewelry pieces have you found lately?

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I've got nudes on my mind...

Before you start thinking that this post is going towards the wrong path, it's not the "x-rated" kind of nudes.

Lately when I'm browsing around some sites, I just can't help but be drawn to all the nude toned items. I think it's cause the color itself is just so nice to look at. It's crisp, clean, and oh so chic. Also, I think that it's just one of those shades that is extremely feminine and soft. I can't help but fall in love. Did you catch that transition into the season Fall? No? That's okay, I still love you.

As I was trying to say, fall is here and I think the nude tones will be easily carried into the season. As many of us are familiar, as the weather cools, we tend to steer towards colors that are darker. But for me, this fall season, I'm going to try to incorporate some of these lighter colored pieces into my wardrobe. I think with different accessories, these light shades can be manipulated into the fall color scheme with ease.

Steve Madden Trench Coat - $205.00

Forever21 Contrast Tie Lace Dress - $29.80

Forever 21 Long Sleeve Chantilly Lace Top - $19.80

Forever 21 Glittered Stiletto - $24.80

Nine West Compellinn Boots - $199.00

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Sparkle French Tips

As of late, I've really been into adding sparkly french tips to my nails. They're so easy to do and I think they give a great affect to the overall look.

For the base, I use 2 coats of "Bubble Bath" by OPI and for the sparkles, I use "Star Lights" by Jade. Any type or color of sparkles will work to suit your needs. As for the base, I just happen to love the "Bubble Bath" because it is my favorite "milky" type of nail polish out there. It doesn't streak when you put it on and gives a clean look to the nails.

Once the base color has dried, paint the glitter polish onto just the tips of the nails. Depending on how glittery you want the tips of your nails, you'll most likely have to use multiple coats. Keep applying the glitter to the tips of the nails until you get the desired look. Add some top coat and you're good to go.

With this simple technique, you'll be able to achieve so many different looks. Have fun!

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A Surprise Find!

As with many lazy weekends, I like to browse around my local farmer's market for produce and other thrifty finds. I'm lucky enough that there is a large auction yard about 1 mile from where I live that carries an abundance of things on the weekends. From stalls upon stalls of fresh fruits and veggies to the knick-knack stands of cheap plastic toys, they've got everything!


After getting some produce, I normal just walk around because it's good exercise and it's just kind of fun to see some random stuff. There are vendors who sells knew things, those who seem to be in the business of selling old/used things, and there's even those who bring their garage sales out to this auction yard.


Today, as I was passing a stall of an older lady, my sister notices a Dooney & Bourke purse hanging on one of her racks of clothes. She mentions that it's a nice purse so I go over to check the item out. The purse turns out to be a real Dooney, which got me really excited because it's hard to find the real stuff in places like these nowadays. I looked at the hardware of the purse to make sure it had the names and symbols of the brand, which is one way to spot a real piece. Also, I always look at the leather itself. Dooney is really know for their old leather purses, and this one is no exception. Since it's been used the leather is a little worn near the bottom of the purse, but because it's real leather, it's holding its shape and feel nicely.

The purse is still in excellent condition, especially in the inside which looks impeccable. I was so excited whenI heard the price.......$8! Now how can you beat that price for a real Dooney & Bourke?! And for me, I'm currently loving the vintage/boho/grandma look that's trending at the moment, which makes this purse perfect. 

I've been interested in more Dooney's in this style for quite some time but have not stumble on any that were the real deal. But with this new great find, It's kind of making me wanting to go thrifting again soon because I have not been in awhile. Wish me luck!

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Funfetti Cake Pops

Well, I'm going to a friend's niece's birthday party tomorrow and decided to make some cake pops for the little girl. She's turning 7 and I think these pops are the cutest things ever, so I wanted to give them a try.


Recipe (adapted from various food blogs)
(makes roughly 60 cake balls)


1 box cake mix (I used Pillsbury Funfetti)
1 jar of frosting (I used Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Vanilla frosting)
Vanilla melts
Crisco shortening

lollipop sticks
sugar crystals for decoration
block of styrofoam

1. Bake cake according to package directions.
2. When cake is completely cooled, break into crumbs. Add frosting and mix thoroughly together.
    (I actually let my batter then sit in the fridge for awhile so it can harden just a bit)
3. Roll batter into 1 inch balls. Place them on a baking sheet or tray with parchment paper, then place them into the freezer for some time to harden.
4. While the cake balls are hardening, melt the Vanilla melts by placed it into the microwave, stirring occasionally. I use the defrost setting to melt them because it helps from burning the chocolate.
5. Remove the cake balls from the freezer. Take the lollipop stick and dip it into a bit of chocolate, then insert into the cake ball. When finished, placed the cake balls back in freezer.
6. After about 10-15 mins, remove the cake pops from the fridge. You might have to reheat the Vanilla melts in order for it to be really melty again. At this point, if your melt is on the thick side, you can add some shortening to thin it out. You want a runny chocolate so that the coating doesn't get too thick, so add small amounts of the shortening at a time to get the right consistency.
7. Dip the cake pops into the Vanilla melt, tapping off excess coating. Coat them in sugar crystals or sprinkles if you desire. Use a block of styrofoam to stick the cake pops in to keep them up right.

I decided that would make a gift basket out of these cake pops for the birthday girl. I found a small woven basket and used 2 small blocks of styrofoam to make the form in the middle of the basket so that I'll have a place to stick the cake balls into.

I thought that the final product turned out very cute, just hope the birthday girl will enjoy. 

One thing that I wanted to comment on these cake pops is that I noticed a lot of the Vanilla coating was cracking after it was dried. I don't know if this is due to the Vanilla melts themselves or the shortening that was added. I'll have to search around to see if anyone can help me.

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Fall Nail Color

So, as the Fall season is fast approaching, I'm out to find myself some pretty colors that are appropriate for this season.
I really love the Fall season because the temperature here in northern California is quite nice. Not too cold and not too hot, just quite around perfect.

And keeping in line with the warm color scheme that is known for the autumn season, I was in search for a deep red that was fitting for the season. I settled on "Quarter Of A Cent Cherry" by OPI.

The color turned out great and I really love it. It was exactly what I had in mind, which was a "deep red". None of that bright reds that are more appropriate for spring or summer. 

i used two coats of this red color then one coat of a clear topcoat. I know that many of you might be saying "No base coat?" Well, for me, my nails seems to have lots of oil and the polish does not stay for as long as I'd like. Personally, I just find that when I don't have a base coat, the polish stays a bit longer.

So, if you're out to look for some new polishes for the fall season, this one definitely gets my vote!

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