LBR

LBR is my acronym for Little Black Romper, a new favorite basic for me.  Last week while I was home my mom and I did some light shopping, because I wanted a cute romper to wear with heels for a night out. I tried on loads of styles at a department store in the mall, but none of them fit just right and I definitely couldn't justify spending $70-80 on something that didn't fit well.  We left the mall and popped into Marshalls to see if there were any good steals, and when I wandered over to the Juniors section I couldn't believe how awesome the stock was.  I ended up buying two rompers for under $25.  I was so thrilled with the fit and quality of this romper that I decided it's a new basic; easy to throw on, easy to style, and cool for this Summer heat!

 Romper: One Clothing (similar)

Shoes: Born

Bag: Liebeskind (similar)

Sunglasses: Betsey Johnson

Necklace: Urban Outfitters

xo Bridget

Blackberry Lemonade

A couple of months ago, I picked up a bottle of Blackberry Syrup at HomeGoods.  It looked so tasty and I loved the idea of adding it to foods and beverages as a fun surprise.  So far I have used it in homemade iced tea and on pancakes.  While I was in my kitchen doing some brainstorming on posts, I thought that making some homemade lemonade and adding the blackberry syrup would be great. My mom has made Ina Garten's Lemonade in the past and I knew it called for superfine sugar, which I didn't have and I wasn't in the mood for trying to make my own!  I did a quick search and came up with this recipe from the Pioneer Woman, which uses granulated sugar to make a simple syrup.  The lemonade turned out great, but if I can get my hands on some superfine sugar, I will try Ina's next time and choose my favorite.  This is a great recipe to use and the addition possibilities are endless - I must say I really loved the pinkish tint that the  blackberry syrup gave this lemonade though.  Maybe next time, if I had it, I would add some fresh mint .. yum!

What you need: A dozen Lemons, Granulated Sugar, Water, and Blackberry Syrup.

The first thing that I did was mix 1 cup of sugar and 2 cups of water on the stove on medium heat until the sugar dissolved to make a simple syrup.  I transferred the simple syrup into a glass measuring cup and cooled it in the fridge.

Next: Juice your lemons.  I juiced 6 and got a little over a 1/2 cup of lemon juice.

Next: Pour the lemon juice in a pitcher and add 2/3 of the simple syrup, stir.  At this point I added 2 cups of cold water and taste tested.  In the end I just added 1 more cup of cold water and left the remaining simple syrup out (the blackberry syrup will replace it).

Add blackberry syrup to taste. Mix Well.

Ready to pour, love the color!

xo Bridget

Summer Beauty Favorites

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I'm a big fan of Summer beauty routines, mostly because they require little to no effort.  I can let my hair air try and leave the house with just some spf and a swipe of mascara on my face. I am really loving these products this Summer and thought I'd share .. I love a good beauty share!

one . Essie Nail Polish in Sand Tropez - BEST color ever.  I have had been wearing this most of the Spring and Summer and occasionally switching out to something brighter, just because I feel like it's Summer and I have to.  This color makes me look tan and goes with everything - it's a lovely neutral.

two . Jo Malone Velvet Rose & Oud - I received this perfume for Christmas and have been wearing it non stop, but I have noticed that as it has gotten warmer, the scent changed the way it smells on my skin.  I loved it before, but I love it even more now.  I catch myself in the car wondering what smells so great and then I realize it's me! Who doesn't love that ...

three . Kiehls Epidermal Re -Texturizing Micro - Dermabrasion - I walked into Kiehls for something else entirely and got to talking to one of the employees about face issues that I have been having because of the heat.  I use this just once a week, super gently and follow it with number five - my skin looks great instantly after and for the rest of the week.  It takes a lot of self control not to use it more than once a week.

four . Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes - These are one of the only types of wipes that don't irritate my face.  I use them nightly to remove my makeup before I use my Clarisonic, but this Summer I have been using them throughout the day.  Cleansers can be rough on your skin and to avoid washing my face too many times during the day, I have been using these to refresh throughout the day and remove sweat and excess oil.

six & seven . Coconut Lime Breeze Shower Gel and Body Lotion - I pop into Bath & Body Works from time to time to pick up candles and hand soap.  It's been a while since I have used any of their bath products, but during my last visit they were have a promotion and I was able to pick a free product.  I pretty much smelled every scent in the store and this one was so fresh, Summery, and clean.  I picked up the body lotion and was so hooked that I returned the following week and picked up the shower gel.

eight, nine, & ten .  These three are my recipe for the perfect tan leg.  I have used a lot of self tanners in my day - Tan Towels are the easiest I have used by far and provide great result every time.  I prep with the Soap and Glory Scrub of Your Life, follow with the Tan Towel and end with the Victoria's Secret Instant Bronzing Tinted Shimmer Lotion for an instant tan while the tan towel develops. 

xo Bridget

Easy Peach Cobbler

Georgia is the peach state and living there, it could't be more obvious.   Without even trying, I can come up with roads, cities, and schools that all have Peach - something in the name.  In fact, we literally live 10 minutes from a giant peach orchard and cafe - renowned for its peach ice cream and peach cobbler.  All of these things coupled with the fact that it is peach season  can only equal one thing - peaches on the brain.  I picked up a few peaches the other day and decided that cobbler was in the cards.  I used the Easy Peach Cobbler recipe from Southern Living and it was just that, very easy. It was also very yummy - I paired it with some frozen vanilla greek yogurt - so I wouldn't feel TOO bad about my indulgence.

First, you peel and slice your peaches to get them ready to boil with sugar and lemon juice.  Meanwhile, you should have a stick of butter melted in your baking dish and the batter mix ready and waiting in a mixing bowl.

You don't stir any of the ingredients once you are adding them to the baking dish, which adds to easiness of this dessert.  After the butter is belted, you layer in the batter, which is followed by the peaches and a few shakes of cinnamon. 

The peaches all seemed to migrate to the middle of the cobbler. I might try to make my layering more even next time, but it was still delicious.  It's not the best looking dessert in the world, but as my mom so smartly commented "it looks like cobbler" - true!

xo Bridget

Denim & Stars

I am so happy to be home.  It was almost a 12 hour drive from Georgia, but we broke it up by stopping for the night in Cary, NC - a lovely surprise!  It feels great to be here and I had my first Summer swim in the lake down the street yesterday.  We have a lot of fun things planned for the week and I really can't wait.  I didn't want to bring too much home with me, but I did want to have a couple festive things to wear throughout the week.  I picked this little bubble dress up years ago for $25 and I have definitely gotten my wear out of it!  Paired with my star printed denim Vans, I think it makes a festive (and cool) outfit for the holiday week. 

Dress: Dollhouse (in a darker color)

Shoes: Vans (lace up version) 

Bag: Cath Kidston (larger dots)



Happy Monday. Hope you have a fabulous start to this week!
xo Bridget

4th of July Wreath

There is something really welcoming and lovely about a wreath on the front door. I have made wreaths for most of the major holidays/seasons of the year. It's a fun and inexpensive way to be festive and they don't take up too much room to store year round (I think they look great stored on a wall in the garage).  Since we are going to stay with my parents for the 4th and won't be here, I decided to make a 4th of July wreath for them.  The great thing about this wreath is it can go up for any patriotic occasion. 

My favorite place to go shopping for wreath supplies is Hobby Lobby.  They undoubtedly have the best selection of all things crafty.  I usually scan Pinterest and Etsy to get inspiration before I head to the store, but it's also really fun to go in with a open mind and get inspired by what's in the store.  I picked up all of my materials at Hobby Lobby and all together they cost me about $20.

Step One: Lay out all your materials on a covered surface (grapevine wreaths can be messy when you are arranging).  Play around with wreath balance; how your wreath will hang and where you want to arrange your flowers. 

Step Two: Once you have your flowers arranged, make sure you tuck in the stems so they don't stick out of the back.

Step Three: Take some time to fluff out the flower petals and arrange any other aesthetics.

Check it out!

Step Four: Add your final touches, in this case, a patriotic star.

(Note: Keep checking out your wreath as you go to make sure that you are happy with the balance.)

Final Step: Create a bow (if you wish).

A little more fluffing ...

Ta Da!

xo Bridget

All American

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The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays.  It symbolizes everything I love about Summer; lake days, late nights, cooking out, parties, fireworks, family,  and relaxation.  My husband and I are packing up the car and the dog this Saturday and driving to Virginia.  I really cannot wait.  

How do you celebrate the 4th?

xo Bridget