The Bee's Knees

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I find honey in beauty products so luxurious, I love the scent and the rich, moisturizing benefits it offers.  Here are some honey inspired beauty treats, too sweet not to indulge in.

xo Bridget

Berry Lovely

I recently decided that my makeup routine needed a little something new.  Even though I am most comfortable with a nude or light pink lip, I love experimenting with lip color.  I decided to venture out of my comfort zone and try something totally new, a dark berry lip.  I picked out Butter London's Lippy Liquid Lipstick in Queen Vic and the formula is amazing.  I have been wearing it nonstop, which inspired me to pull out these berry colored Blank Denim jeans that I usually reserve for the fall months. I can't believe how great they look with a floral tank and my nude sandals.  I am loving this berry look!

Top: Forever 21(love this, this, and this)

Jeans: Blank Denim (similar, similar, love this leather looking style) 

Sandals: Sam Edelman

Pajama Mama

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One of my greatest joys in life is pajama time. After a long day of work, I really look forward to a hot shower, and jumping into my jammies.  I tend to collect pajamas - I cannot resist a cozy looking pair when I spot them.  I think I love pajamas because of everything they symbolize - home and comfort.  Here are some of my favorite pajama time comfort items.

1.  Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner: Ok, so I haven't actually tried this yet, but I have purchased it.  I saw this Natural Skin Care Routine post on LizMarieBlog and total identified with her skin issues.  I can't wait to see how it works.

2.  Clarisonic Mia:  I keep this in my shower and use it daily with my philosophy purity cleanser, it leaves my face feeling nice and clean.

3.  Hempz Pommegranate Herbal Body Lotion: My mom turned me on to this lotion, it smells wonderful and makes my skin so soft. 

4.  Make & Model Vintage Sleepy Time Lounge Pants:  I mean, I have tried pretty much all the pajama pants out there in this world and these are my favorite.  They are soft, comfy, and inexpensive!

5.  Strawberry Lip Balm:  I keep this on my bedside table and apply it every night, I always wake up with soft, moisturized lips.

6.  Pink Boy Shorts:  Like a nice cotton-y hug for your bum - the best!

7.  Shea Infused Lounge Socks:  These are so soft and they've got little silicone dots in the bottom so you don't slide all over the floor running into the kitchen for a late night snack :)

xo Bridget

M&M Cookies

Last week, I was scavenging through my pantry for something sweet and found a snack sized back of m&m's, I promptly gobbled them up and ran out for some afternoon errands.  Well, I literally could not stop thinking of those m&m's, they were yummy and let's be real the snack size just isn't big enough.  I ended my errands at CVS where, to my delight, large bags of m&m's were on sale.  I was in the mood to make some chocolate chip cookies that day anyway, so I figured why not change it up a bit and make some m&m cookies.  I found this recipe from A Pinch of Yum for Big Soft M&M Cookies and they were just that!

(pressing a few candies into the top before baking makes them much prettier)

M&M's remind me of my Grandad and my childhood, so it was the perfect sweet treat for me to make myself on the brink of my 30th birthday.  Does food ever make you nostalgic?

xo Bridget

Kimono Inspired

I have been loving the Kimono trend that I've been seeing everywhere lately.  It's such a good way to add something special to an otherwise simple outfit.  This Spring I tried on some different styles in stores, but couldn't find one that was just right.  While I was home over the 4th of July, I discovered this Silk Kimono-like top in my bedroom closet.  My mom had given it to me as a gift a few years ago, but because that trend had faded for some time, I had forgotten about it.  I packed it with my things when I left to go back to Georgia and I have been enjoying it all over again.

Silk Top: Allen B. ( love this, this, and this )

Knit Top: Velvet ( like this tank )

Jeans: Free People

Don't you just love it when you hold onto favorites and they come back into style?

xo Bridget

Working It Out

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During a regular week, frequenting the gym is a big part of my routine.  I love how working out makes me feel and it's a necessity in my life for stress and anxiety relief. Lately, I have required a little extra motivation to get out to the gym.  My work schedule makes it difficult to get to my favorite classes,  so I've been using that as an excuse to skip some days.  I recently purchased #6 as a little motivator for myself.  I know it's ridiculous, but sometimes the smallest, silliest thing can get you back in the groove.  Here are some of my favorite gym things that get me amped up for a great workout. What gets you in the workout groove?

xo Bridget   



Tarragon Chicken Salad

The other day, Matt mentioned something about croissants, mmm croissants, but anyway it made me think of my mom's chicken salad.  My mom makes some amazing chicken salad and the last time I had it, she made it for my cousins bridal shower and served it with warm mini croissants.  Well I couldn't get this idea of warm croissants and chicken salad out of my head, so really there was no way to get past it until I made it myself.  I called my mom and she sent me this recipe for Tarragon Chicken Salad from her Silver Palate Cookbook. She adds grapes to the recipe, which makes it extra yummy, and pretty!

  I halved this recipe, because I didn't think we could eat as much as the recipe makes between the two of us.  I also used light sour cream instead of creme fraiche to cover the chicken before I baked it.  I couldn't find creme fraiche at the grocery store and I didn't feel inspired enough to makes my own - ha.  The chicken still came out moist, and easy to shred using sour cream.

I feel like it's so much more of a pleasant cooking/making/baking experience when I have all of my ingredients prepped.  Do you feel the same?

xo Bridget

Birthday Sneaks

Last Wednesday was my birthday and I was sick - boo.  I rarely get sick, and especially not in the Summer,  and especially not on my birthday! Anyhow,  I was feeling super groggy that morning, but I perked right up when Matt brought me in a lovely wrapped present.  These floral sneaks were inside and I was thrilled, I have been looking at them online for a long time.  We are headed to South Wales in a couple of weeks and I can't wait to wear them all over!

While I was doing some personal birthday shopping on the Free People website last week, I noticed that one of my favorite dresses is on sale.  In these photos, I have paired it with a tulle dress that I purchased that day,  it works perfectly with the dress on top which is a bit too short to wear on its own.  I have put the links below and seriously if you like either one, you should go for it.  Both dresses are great layering pieces that I will wear year round.

We went for a long walk and a late lunch out in Macon today and all of the sudden it started pouring down rain.  We had to move our photo shoot indoors, which I was really ok with - it's been so darn hot this weekend.  Did you do anything fun this weekend?

Dress on Top: Free People

Dress on Bottom: Free People

Sneakers: Doc Martens

xo Bridget

Joie De Vivire

SUNFLOWERS!! My joie de vivre the week is lots and lots of pictures of sunflowers from our backyard.  Matt put down some seeds a couple of months ago and we have watched these giant stalks go up and up; impatiently waiting for the day when they might finally bloom.  Well, it was a super gloomy week when they finally decided to show themselves and it has been magnificent.  We have enjoyed them so much. Here are some great snaps that make me happy.

Jax and the Sunflower Stalks

And in a totally unrelated story .. 

I caught this picture of Jax last week during a snooze, doesn't he look like a little red fox all snuggled up like that?

Hope you have a great weekend!
xo bridget

Lovely Leo

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It's my birthday, yay!  I am a proud Leo lady and I will use it to justify my love of large cat prints for the rest of my life.  I am not a horoscope follower really, but I do believe that my star sign characteristics fit me perfectly.  I am working today, but I am looking forward to a nice evening at home with my husband, my dog, and some champagne cocktails afterwards. 

Here are some fun Leo-y things that I pulled together; #4 is my favorite - how cool is that bracelet? It's got a Leo zodiac charm surrounded on either side by confidence and courage charms, two classic Leo traits.    

xo Bridget

Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

Cooking is something that my husband and I both like to do for each other.  I feel super lucky that he can cook, likes to cook, and is good at it! Some of my most favorite dishes are ones that he makes.  On the days when I am working, I  am usually on the road until late in the evening and it's so nice to have a meal waiting when I get home. Last week, I was craving this Linguine with Shrimp Scampi, which is one of our favorite Summer dishes.  It's lemony, buttery, and has a little red pepper kick.  It's also very easy to put together.  I got home just in time to photograph his process. 

Sautéing the garlic in olive oil and butter. 

The red pepper is supposed to come later, but he likes to sauté it with the garlic.

The parsley, lemon zest, and shrimp are ready to go in next!

Handsome chef.

Cook the shrimp in the garlic until they just turn pink, then remove from the heat, and add the lemon and parsley.

Mix it with the cooked linguine.

Top with some grated parmesan cheese, and serve.

xo Bridget