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

Friday, November 14, 2014

Hummingbird


 
In the beginning of the Summer, my husband and our cousin spotted a hummingbird in the backyard while I was at work.  While we were out running errands that weekend, we decided to pick up a hummingbird feeder.  I was a bit skeptical but, to my surprise, a couple days later I spotted the little bird myself.  All Summer long, we had pair that would take turns drinking from the feeder.  We hung the feeder right outside the window of our kitchen table and I never got tired of seeing them there while I was eating breakfast or working from home.  It even got to the point where they felt comfortable feeding while we were sitting out on the back porch.  We felt lucky to have them for so long, but it seems sometime in October they finally decided to head farther south.  Last week, while I was cleaning through some photos on the computer, I came across these ones that my husband took of the hummingbirds.  It was a great reminder of these beautiful little birds and how they made out Summer a little sweeter. Enjoy!
 




xo Bridget

Thursday, November 13, 2014

DIY Chan Luu Inspired Necklaces


Last month, my  mom and I spent a weekend exploring the city of Savannah, Georgia (post here).  On our last morning we got hot chocolates and took one last, long stroll through the city and browsed through some small shops that we had missed.  In one of the shops, Terra Cotta, practically everything caught my eye.  Among those items was a simple Chan Luu layering Necklace, but after spending the weekend indulging on eating out and other boutique shopping, I couldn't justify the hefty price tag.

A couple of weeks later, I just couldn't get that necklace off my mind.  I decided that because of the simplicity of it, I could probably make it myself.  I picked up some inexpensive materials at Michaels (I spent under $20 to make both necklaces) and voila, so easy.  It made a really nice and relaxing Sunday activity.  I need to remember when I am out there shopping that there are so many things I can make myself.  I love a good project and the creativity, and fulfillment that comes from making something with your own hands.





 
xo Bridget

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Thanksgiving Touches



I can't believe Thanksgiving is just two weeks away.  My parents are driving down to us for Thanksgiving this year and I can't wait to spend the day cooking and hanging out with them.  Here are are some fun touches that I'd love to add to the occasion.

xo Bridget






Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Bacon, Tomato, and Arugula Pizza


My husband loves a good pizza and I have to admit, I really do too.  Thanks to Publix and their amazing Pizza dough, he has now become a master at making them himself.  For people in areas without a Publix, we have used Trader Joe's fresh dough too, which is also good.  This past Sunday, we decided pizza was on the menu, but wanted something different than the usual.  Upon googling, I found this recipe for Bacon, Tomato, and Arugula Pizza and it did not disappoint. I usually make a salad to have alongside on pizza night to cut out some of the guilt, and I love that this recipe literally puts the salad right on top for me - genius!






 
Matt's Pizza Tips
1.  Don't roll you pizza dough.  Dough is best kneaded and tossed by hand to keep the air in the dough, for a light and crispy crust.
2.  He recommends a pizza stone.  Warm the stone in the oven for at least 30 minutes before you start your pizza.
3.  Don't be afraid to experiment until you get your perfect pizza!
 

xo Bridget

Monday, November 10, 2014

Subtle Tulle



Is anybody else getting excited for holiday dressing?  I just love dressing up for the holidays, I've got a thing for tulle and sparkles.  This year, I am lucky enough to have a job where I get to attend some fun holiday open houses, which means dressing up.  I purchased this tulle layered skirt back in August and am excited to finally have a reason to wear it.  I love it with this striped long sleeve top and my new Toms booties, which were an early Christmas gift from my husband.  No holiday look is complete without at least a little sparkle and Pandora's Cosmic Stars collection has got it all.  Check it out if you're in need of a little holiday bling.






Top: Free People (similar) (chilly elbows)
Dress: Free People (similar)
Shoes: Toms
Jewelry: Pandora 

xo Bridget




Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Fabulous Faux's


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For some inspiration on how to add a little fabulous faux to your fall wardrobe, here are a few faux fur items that I could see myself getting a lot of wear out of.

xo Bridget

Monday, November 3, 2014

Furry Weather


It was FINALLY furry weather this weekend, which means that all of my faux fur goodies have come out to play.  One of my favorite pieces is this faux fur vest that I received as a gift from my mom a couple of years ago.  Because of the color and shape, it can get thrown over a lot of outfits.  This weekend, we ventured up to Atlanta to do some Christmas shopping.  It was super chilly and I knew that this vest was coming. I love it paired with jeans, an extra long sleeved shirt, and my taupe booties.  I think it makes a chic, yet comfy fall day outfit.  Happy Monday, I hope you've got something furry for this chilly weather too!







Vest: Hinge via Nordstroms (love this) (and this)
Top: Free People (similar) (similar)
Shoes: Sam Edelman
Sunglasses: Wildfox
Rings: Pandora

 xo Bridget


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