Monday, December 15, 2014

Plaid and Mocs


It was a beautiful, sunny, and warm weekend here in Georgia. I am so not used to temperatures in the 70's in December, and certainly not two weeks before Christmas. Sunday especially was the kind of day for putting off to do lists and getting out to enjoy the weather.   My husband and I took our dog out for a long walk in a pretty and calm place. It was a great way to clear my head before the busy week ahead. 

I wanted to post a pretty holiday outfit, but the weather felt more like fall so my knee high mocs and flowy plaid top felt much more appropriate. 
Hope you had a lovely weeekend!








Top: Odille via Anthropologie (similar) (love this)
Tank: Free People
Jeans: Free People (similar)
Socks: Free People
Mocs: Minnetonka
Sunglasses: Wildfox
Bracelets: Swarovski, Lily and Laura, Bourbon and Bowties, and Pandora

xo Bridget

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Pretty Packaging


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Yesterday, I completed my Christmas shopping .. well nearly, there's always something that pops up right at the last moment.  But, for now, I am at least at the point of wrapping.  There's nothing I enjoy more then sitting down to wrap all the Christmas goodies that I have purchased. I love giving a beautifully wrapped gift almost as much as I enjoy receiving one. 

Over the weekend, I got on Pinterest to have a look at some creative wrapping ideas that I could take inspiration from.  Above are some of my favorite picks.  There are some that I can take inspiration from for this year and some that I may save for next year.  I love the labels in #1 for homemade food gifts for next year.  

While I was home in Virginia at the beginning of November, my Mom and I stopped at Paper Source to get some inspiration for putting together small gifts for the people that I work with.  We saw the below gift bag and label idea on display and loved it, so I decided to replicate it.  At Paper Source, they always have great ideas and examples on display throughout the store, it's awesome for inspiration. 

Here are some pics of the goodie bags that I put together.  The bags are filled with holiday candy and a small pack of homemade cookies with a hand sanitizer tied to the front of each.  To me, it's like a little retail "get me through this holiday season" care pack.





The items used to make the bags were purchased at Paper Source.

The sanitizers and holders are from Bath & Body Works (here and here)

The cookie bags were purchased at Micheals.

xo Bridget

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Holiday Gift Guide: Made in America



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For years, I spent the holiday season working in a toy store.  I loved my job especially at the holidays when I could get out on the sales floor and help customers find the perfect gift that I had helped pick out for the store.  Every year around the holidays, I would get a customer or two that would only want to be shown items that were made in the USA.  Well, as you can imagine, in a toy store that could be quite difficult.  I was usually able to help the customer find something, but was always frustrated with the slim choices. Since then, things made in the USA have really stood out to me.

Today, while I was working on some things in the house, I overheard an ad for ABC's "Made in America" series. I tested myself mentally to see if I could come up with some companies that make their products in America and it was a little embarrassing.  I decided I would do a post on great gifts that are also made in America.  

I came across this website with lots of great Made in America companies for future reference.  In this guide I tried to pick items that you might see out and about in shops.  I know Etsy and alot of the small companies listed on that website are handcrafted items made in the USA, but with online ordering time dwindling I thought it might be useful to list items that you are more likely to see while running your other Christmas errands.

Hope you find this interesting - I sure did!

xo Bridget









Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Christmas Cookies


This weekend I was pretty excited to get some fun things on my Holiday To Do List checked off.  One of those things and one of my most favorite things to do ever is bake christmas cookies.  I am really trying to be good and stay on track with my healthy eating between now and Christmas, but I couldn't not make cookies.  So, I decided to make some festive Christmas sugar cookies to give out as gifts.  

I've got a real weakness for pretty sugar cookies and I just love to make them myself.  I have a favorite recipe, which you can find in my post on Shamrock Sugar Cookies from back in March. The recipe is so simple and always makes a yummy cookie.  After that,  I just whip up some royal icing (I use meringue powder), and top them with some pretty sugar crystals.  







xo Bridget

Monday, December 8, 2014

December Taupe


Towards the end of last week, I could feel my list of things to accomplish over the weekend piling up on me.  It was a little overwhelming and I could feel myself starting to get a little stressed - so not the direction that I want to go in for the official start of the holiday season.  I sat down and made a more thoughtful to do list and broke everything I had to do down into small realistic chunks.  I quickly got a grip and realized I still have lots of time before Christmas and even if I don't get everything I want done - it's not the end of the world.

It's all about priorities!  I am so glad I took the time to spend my Sunday doing some things totally not on my list and really enjoying them, including an impromptu breakfast at waffle house after church.  It's been lovely weather here and so I got the chance to wear one of my favorite tops.  I get a lot of wear out of this top and love it paired with my Joe's leggings and Sam Edelman booties.  Yay for Sunday.  Oh, and also yay for this cardigan, which is very similar to the top I am wearing, both made by One September, and which just happens to be on super sale. 








Top: One September via Anthropologie (similar) (similar)
Pants: Joe's
Boots: Sam Edelman
Bag: Liebeskind (similar)
Lipstick: Sable by Bite Beauty (similar)

xo Bridget

Friday, December 5, 2014

Joie De Vivre: Panama City Beach



This past Friday, my parents, my husband, our two dogs, and I traveled down to Panama City Beach, Florida for the long weekend.  The weather was beautiful and it was so nice to have a relaxing weekend to discover a new place together.  

We spent most of our two days in the Pier Park area.  You can pay $6 per person to fish off the pier for the day and there is a tackle shop for bait right on the pier.  To the right of the pier was a dog friendly beach where we could take the dogs out for a swim or run in between fishing.  Pier Park, which is across the street from the beach, is an outdoor shopping center full of fun beach restaurants and surf shops. For lunch, we went both days to Margaritaville,  which had a great location right across the street from the beach with perfect margaritas and an amazing view.  It was a great place to hang for two days, it was wheelchair accessible everywhere we went, and super dog friendly too!

We had a lot of nice meals,  and especially enjoyed eating at Margaritaville, Pineapple Willy's, and watching the sunset on our final night at Pompano Joe's.  It was the perfect time of year for a trip down to the beach and one that I will be remembering fondly for a long time.






xo Bridget

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Stocking Stuffers


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1. Lush Bath Bubble Bar:  Love the idea of this little mistletoe in someone's stocking for a nice long bubble bath treat after a long Christmas day.

2. Swedish Soap: From the makers of the classic sea salt soap - I'm sure it smells great like their other soaps plus I love the festive packaging.

3. Fancy Charger Cable: Who couldn't' use an extra one of these? Cute and Apple approved.

4. Razor Holder: This thing is awesome. Slip it over your shave cream can and your razor sits in the prongs. Whoever invented this deserves a medal!

5. Peppermint Bark Bites: Everyone loves a little peppermint bark for the holidays.

6. Strawberry Lip Balm: I love this in the tin form but the tube form is much more practical. I always like fun little beauty goodies in my stocking.

7. Seven Year Pen: I bought this pen and love it, I've only had it two years but it's still kicking' - great stocking stuffer for anyone and so much prettier than the usual.

8. White Peppermint Truffles: Pretty packaging and fills up the little stocking gaps.

9. Happy Socks: Because they make you happy.

10. Cable Keeper:  This little goldfish will keep those pesky iPhone charger plugs and cables organized on the go or in your house.

11. Petite Candle: I love these candles and this size is great for someone who travels a lot or just to put on your bedside table.

xo Bridget

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Gifts under $25


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1.  Voluspa Sugarplum Candle: These pretty candles make the best gifts - love this festive scent.
2.  Pretty notebooks from Rifle Paper Co: Everybody needs a pretty notebook for work or play.
3.  Butter London Gift Duo: My favorite nail polish in a festive giftset, but with colors you can wear year round.
4. Initial Pillow: Great idea for someone that just moved into a new place or who loves a splash of color.
5. Let's Salsa Dish and Spoon: Is this not the cutest little set? For the Mexican foodie in your life.
6. Philosophy Pink Marshmallow Buttercream gift set: Philosophy always makes the best gift, this set has three of my favorite philosophy items in a yummy scent.
7. Gold Confetti Tumblers: For your friend that loves to make everything a little fancy.

xo Bridget

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Gifts Under $50


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1. Sweet and Simple Bangles: These come in a few different options of metals, something for everyone.
2. Cashmere Touch Tech Gloves: You don't even have to take these cozies babies off to answer your phone.
3. Philosophy Rollerball Set: Wish you grave and love: sweet scents and sentiment.
4. L'Occitane Hand Cremes: Great little portable tubes of this lovely hand cream and much needed by all during the upcoming Winter months.
5. Cultured Elegance Earrings:  Classic and Elegant.
6. Feather Cheese Knives: For your cheese lover friend, we all have one!
7. A Beautiful Calendar: Doubles as wall art and an art project once the month is through.
8. Fleur de Sel: A nice fresh scent and a gift that I always like to get.

xo Bridget

Monday, December 1, 2014

Gifts Under $100


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1. Ugg Flip Flop Slippers: Two great ideas put together AND made out of Ugg fluff.
2. Sparkly Cashmere Infinity Scarf: A classic with a fun hint of sparkle.
3. Pj's in the Prettiest Print: Cath Kidston never disappoints.
4. Luxury Candle Set: A good deal for these three favorites, and a great gift for any candle lover.
5. Barefoot Dreams Throw: Softest blanket EVER.
6. Tocca Meet The Girls Sampler: I have smelled a few of these scents before and they are all nice.  This is a great little set for someone who likes to get creative and layer scents.
7. Pandora Light as a Feather Ring: This ring is beautiful, I love it worn on the middle finger; a nice and unusual gift.

xo Bridget

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Joie De Vivre: My Holiday To Do List


I can't believe that it is Thanksgiving tomorrow.  It's a nice short week for almost everyone, I hope.  My parents are en route to Georgia today and I can't wait to see them.  We are going to spend tomorrow cooking, walking the dogs, watching movies, and maybe working on a little Christmas decorating .  On Friday, we are escaping the Black Friday madness and heading down to Panama City Beach.  The fall has flown by and it will be nice to have a relaxing weekend at the beach together. 

With that being said, I am also really looking forward to the start of the Christmas season. With Thanksgiving being so late this year, I feel like the time before Christmas will just fly. I really want to be organized so that I can enjoy and make the most out of this holiday season. It didn't feel right to call it a bucket list, so I am calling it my to do list; a hopeful list of things I'd like to do to savor the holidays this year.

1. Spend a cozy afternoon drinking hot chocolate and writing my Christmas cards.
2. Dedicate a day to baking Christmas cookies.
3. Mull Cider and watch a Classic Christmas Movie.
4. Morning yoga and long dog walks every day.
6. Victorian Christmas & Drive Through Lights in a sweet Southern Georgia town.
7. Give to someone in need.
8. Go to church all four Sundays of Advent.
9. Find a good Christmas music station to listen to while I wrap my gifts.
10.  Get home for Christmas to see my family & friends.

What's on your list?
xo Bridget

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps


I rarely eat at PF Changs, but the last time that I did I had the chicken lettuce wrap appetizer for dinner.  It was a great choice, because it was very filling but in a very light sort of way.  For some reason I have had lettuce wraps on the mind lately and have never tried making them myself, until now.  I thought it would be a good start to try and duplicate those wrap from PF Changs.  I came across this recipe from Damn Delicious and it sounded easy enough!  

I will say that I am not a hot sauce person, so I omitted the Siracha.  I have also never cooked Asian food before, so I had to purchase a lot of the sauces.  Even with having to buy all the sauces, this was still a really inexpensive meal and it will be even more so now that I have some of the items on hand.  Overall these wraps were a success, my husband especially liked the fresh ginger flavor (a bit much for me), but I found that it was more mild the next day in leftovers.  I'd love to try this lettuce wrap idea in some other ways as well .. any suggestions?




xo Bridget

Monday, November 24, 2014

Grungy Gray


Before our trip to Savannah back in October, my Mom did some research on the best things to do, places to eat/shop, etc. One of her findings was the Red Clover Boutique, which was listed as one of the best boutiques in Savannah.  We decided on our first night that it would be good to go for a walk to seek out this shop and that it would help us sort of map out the city and gather our bearings for the next couple of days.  We just window shopped on the first day, but when we returned on Saturday I picked up this oversized gray cardigan.  I have been enjoying wearing it more lately since it has gotten a bit chillier.  Every closet needs a staple like this that can be thrown over almost anything and is cozy enough to wear around the house, but chic enough to go out in.





Sweater: Potter's Pot via Red Clover Boutique
Leggings: Betsey Johnson (love these)
Boots: Report (similar)

xo Bridget



Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Recent Beauty Buys


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1.  The Body Shop Tee Tree Concealer:  I bought this while I was in the UK and having some breakouts, but they sell it in the US as well.  I love the idea of an acne treatment and concealer in one. The price is great and it's small and convienent to go from my vanity to my purse.

2.  Butter London Lippy Liquid Lipstick in Toff:  I have talked about this lipstick before.  The pigment is great and it stays on and shiny for a long time.  This Toff color was a new pick and I find that it goes well with whatever makeup I'm wearing, I think it might be one of those colors that looks good on anyone.

3.  Tarte Light Camera Lashes Mascara: I got this off a recommend from someone at Ulta.  So far I am loving it.

4.  Neova Radiant Skin Cleanser:  I bought this on the suggestion of my dermatologist many years ago.  Sometimes I don't feel like splurging on it, but I always regret it.  It makes my oily and sometimes acne prone skin look radiant and feel refreshed. I won't stray again!

5.  Redken Curvaceous Ringlet perfecting Lotion: I have naturally wavy hair but, because it is so long, if I don't put anything on the ends it can look a little messy.  I put this on my ends after I shower and just lightly blow-dry.  A couple of days later I apply it again to freshen my waves.  

6.  Bite Best BITE Remix Set:  I spotted this on the Sephora website right about the time I decided to stop buying for myself until after Christmas.  I decided to make an exception for this cute and reasonably priced set.  They lip pencils are small, so it has been fun to try some new colors that I may not have wanted to purchase in the full size.  They have since sold out on Sephora, but they have a lot of great lip sets for the holidays, if you are interested (link here).

7. and 8.  Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Shampoo and Conditioner:  I purchased these during a promotion on Drugstore.com.  They were a splurge, but the Shampoo claims to keep your hair cleaner longer and the Conditioner claims to make your hair stronger overtime.  So far, I am really liking these. I have definitely noticed a (good) difference in my hair since I have been using them.

xo Bridget

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Heath Bar Cookies


The holiday baking pop up shops are out in the grocery stores here and there's nothing I love more than a little (or a lot) of holiday baking.  I tend to just grab things that look good and decide what to make with them later.  Although, I will say that I saw these heath bar pieces used in a recipe I browsed through about a month ago.  I didn't save or pin that recipe, yet I still felt compelled to toss those heath bar bits into my cart when I saw them.  I figure it's nice to stock up on these fun little bits to use when you don't want to go out to the store. 

Well magically, I became in the mood for cookies last week and I knew I had those heath bits to use.  I got online and found a simple heath bar cookie recipe from The Delicious Life (love the name! recipe here).  I was a little taken aback by the, ahem, flatness of these cookies, but they were actually perfect.  They were very chewy and still had a lot of substance for being on the thinner side.  They reminded me of the toffee crunch cookies that Panera used to sell, but no longer make.  If you miss that cookie, then this is the cookie for you.  It was nice to try something a bit different and I would definitely make these again.  One of these with a little scoop of ice cream would make a mighty fine dessert. 







xo Bridget
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