Ensemble: NYE

Blogging on the go, wanted to quickly share my New Years ensemble!!

Hoping everyone has a happy New Years!

Dress - LC by Lauren Conrad, Bag - Michael Kors, Bracelet - ASOS, Shoes - BCBG, iPhone Case - LOFT Outlet

Top Posts of 2012

It's crazy to think that I've been rocking this blog for six months now.  I was looking through some of my early posts and if feels like they were so long ago.  As 2012 winds down, I wanted to share my top 5 posts of the year:

1. Easy Costume: Wendy from Peter Pan
How to turn a nightgown from Sears and some ribbon into a quick Wendy costume

2. Giving Cash as a Gift

An amusing way to gussy up cash monies 

3. 5 Tips for Curling Stubbornly Straight Hair
How I get my crazy straight hair to stay curled, as well as a gift for my almost sister-in-law

4. Mini Meatloaf Bites

The recipe for my favorite appetizer, Mini Meatloaf Bites

5. Sisterface Wedding Extravaganza

A look back at my little sister's wedding as well as a double-denim outfit

Thank you to everyone who has read and supported my little blog over the past few months!  For 2013 expect a lot more how-to posts as well as a (hopeful) improvement on my photography skills.  Can't wait to see you then! 

Merry Christmas!

Santa came.

This little guy was hanging around my aunt's house, so my sister and I taught him how to do the Jersey Turnpike.  It's probably a good thing there aren't any little kids in our family anymore.  

I just wanted to pop in and wish everyone a Merry Christmas!   I'll be spending a lot of time with my family, so I'll be posting sporadically this week and will be back to my regular posting schedule in the new year.  Happy Holidays!

The End of the World as We Know It

There has been a lot of amusing stuff floating around about the world ending today.  The most hilarious thing I heard was my 22 year old sister when she realized the exact date - "You mean we don't get another Christmas?!"

Source

If today really was your last day on Earth, what would you do?  I'm going to the zoo tonight with the boy to see the Zoo Lights, so I guess I would choose to hang out with the beavers (my favorite animal at the zoo, no joke).  

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend, sans apocalypse! 

Want//Need: Critters

I'm scared of animals.  There, I admitted it.  I grew up with a dog and a cat and gerbils and fish and a little lizard named Charlie that the pet store swore was a Chameleon but definitely could only change from brown to green.  Yet despite all of this, animals still make me a little nervous.  I'll pet your dog, yes, but if he gets too excited during a game of tug of war I start getting jumpy. 

Even if little critters make me a little scared, it doesn't mean I don't want them in inanimate form!  Here are a few of the critters I've been craving:

1. Elephant Stud Earrings / 2. Gold Pig Bookends / 3. Polar Bear Sweater / 4. Lounging Elephant / 5. Fox Ring / 6. Monkey Print / 7. Flamingo Print / 8. Elephant Ring

Awkward Wednesday: Christmas Hats

One September, several years ago, I saw a picture of this hat on Fred Flare, and thought "I bet I could make one of those myself.  Or five..."

And the dream of making embarrassing hats for my entire family to wear each Christmas was born.  

Since I started in September, I got a lot of weird looks crocheting these in Millennium Park on my lunch break.  Unfortunately I'm crazy and made up the pattern as I went, so there isn't a pattern on the books for this one.  I could probably figure it out if anyone is interested.

I already pulled out my hat this year and modeled it for the boyfriend (somehow he missed the experience last year), he couldn't look at me without giggling.   

My sister's husband actually proposed to her while she was wearing it last Christmas.  I think he decided to pop the question because she looked so adorably hilarious, am I right?

Does your family have any awkward Christmas traditions?

Ensemble: Velvet & Chambray

Happy week before Christmas! I'm taking the next week and a half off of work, so I'm going to have all kinds of time to celebrate the season.  When I put on this outfit for the first of my Christmases this weekend, I thought it looked "Christmas-y with a twist," but now it just looks like blue and brown.  It's okay velvet pants, I still love you!

There were some additional photos where I made friends with the duck statues that I'm sure my sister is just dying to see, but those definitely did not make the cut today ;)

Shirt and Jeans - Target / Necklace and Bracelets - LOFT / Boots - Chinese Laundry

All Target ensemble?  Yes, please. 

Beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

A few Instagrams of all of the Christmas activities of the past week... plus a night of eating some weird animals.

The big tree at Chriskrindlemart

Christmas lights downtown

Eating some odd things at Frontier - I tried kangaroo, alligator, and elk!

My wrapped present for a white elephant.  There may have been a DVD of "Magic Mike" with the same photo over Channing's head inside...

Christmas socks while watching Christmas movies

A knight in Christmas armor 

Have a great week everyone!

New Girl Friday

So, just putting this out there, I love New Girl.  Jess reminds me of the inner dork within myself (yes, I often find myself singing for no apparent reason) and is just so endearing and cute, even when playing an amazing drinking game.

Of course, I also love Jess's style.  This week she had on an adorable blue coat with a bow collar.  I saw her on screen and thought immediately, "Yes precious must be mine."

Source

I looked it up, and of course, it's by Kate Spade, the love of my life (sorry boyfriend) and the star of my current lust list.  Aaaaaand $700 and sold out everywhere.  BUT there's a red version currently on sale at Neiman Marcus.  So, you know, if anyone is still trying to think of a Christmas present for me and wants to drop about 400 bucks, yes please and thank you.  

On a different note, this weekend is full of Christmas-y activities for me, including at least one white elephant and many, many cookies.  I hope all of you have a fantastic, cookie-filled weekend too!!

Workday Crafts

So this week, the wellness committee at my office decided to have a holiday craft party as a way to relieve stress.  And also as a way to make sure we trampled glitter all over the place.  No, seriously, there is now a trail of glitter leading from the kitchen into my office.  Which I love, of course.  Can every day be office craft day?

A stocking hung by my corkboard with care.

And a glitter and tinsel filled ornament hanging off of my fishbowl.  I now want to buy all of the supplies from our craft day and make all of the ornaments for my tree next year.  Wouldn't a tree covered in blue and silver (or maybe red and gold) bulbs be really pretty?  

And appearing on my blog for the first time, Sirius the fish!  Yes, he's named after a Harry Potter character.  And yes, he was super confused by his new bowl bling.  This is him giving it the stare down and deciding whether it's a friend or foe.  Eventually he got distracted by his own reflection and then started blowing more bubbles for his collection.

P.S. My office voted Sirius "Best Animagus" during our staff awards this year.  I almost died of laughter.  Of course, most of my co-workers are not Harry Potter obsessed and did not get the joke.  Le sigh.

Sugar Crumble Cookies

When you think of a Christmas cookie, what does it look like?  I think most people's first thought is of a sugar cookie.  Now, weirdo that I am, I don't actually like regular decorated sugar cookies.  All of the frosting and sprinkles and whatnot is a little too much for me.  When I think of my perfect sugar cookie, it's warm, buttery, and topped with plain colored sugar.  

My grandma's recipe for sugar cookies (which I modified slightly because I think she underestimates the amount of sugar that actually goes into the finished cookie) really is one of my favorite cookie recipes of all time.  When she used to make these for her annual Christmas party (the only thing that wasn't catered), my sister and I would find the stash and gorge ourselves on them.  As an older, much more responsible person, I limit myself to one at a time as to avoid falling into a sugar coma.  

Ingredients:

4 1/4 cups flour

1 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

1 t. cream of tartar

1 cup butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 cup oil

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

Additional white sugar

Colored sugars for decoration

Mix flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar in a large bowl.  Set aside.

In another large bowl, cream butter and sugars together. 

Add eggs, oil, and vanilla.  Beat until combined.

Slowly mix in flour mixture.  If you have the time, chill the dough for one hour to make it more manageable.  

Using your hands, roll balls of dough and then roll through plain white sugar to coat completely.  Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and flatten with the bottom of a glass.  Top with colored sugar.  

Hint - If you're out of a certain color of sugar (ahem, I was missing green), you can mix a couple of drops of food coloring in with plain white sugar.  It won't come out perfectly, but the result was good enough for me!

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until edges are just starting to turn golden.  

Let cool and enjoy!  

What kind of cookies will you be leaving out for Santa this year? 

Favorite Polish: Essie Ladylike

So my polish collection has grown impressive as of late.  Where I used to have a couple pinks and purples, I now have a whole apothecary jar full.  Yet despite all these options, I keep going back to Essie's Ladylike.

It's a great neutral shade with a hint of purple.  I don't know if it's come up on this blog yet, but purple is definitely my favorite color.  I didn't actually realize it until someone pointed out to me in college when I was wearing a purple sweater, carrying my purple backpack, and wearing purple nail polish.  

Ladylike is the perfect way to get a little bit of purple into my day.  

What's your favorite polish shade?  

Ensemble: Neon Stripes

Now normally I would be like, "Highlighter yellow?  No thanks!"  But something made me pick up this dress anyway.  I'm glad I did, because it makes me look like a crazy bumble bee in the best way possible.  

Sweater Dress - Old Navy / Necklace - Francesca's / Belt - Old Navy / Booties - Kelly & Katie

These photos were taken with my old camera, but don't worry, photos with the new camera are coming soon.

Looking at this photo, I now realize I fastened my belt incorrectly.  Serious struggs.  

Life Lately...

... via Instagram!

Do you ever buy something because it comes in a pretty bottle?  I mean no, I don't ever do that.  

Thai restaurant, yes please.

Ahhhmazing donuts that someone brought to work.  I'm odd, so I only like one kind of donut: the Chocolate Longjohn.  What a strange child I must have been.  

Sake bomb oh dear.

Birthday mochi (it wasn't my birthday, duhhhh)

 New arm candy!  And from Target, no less!

In other news, today is my work Christmas party, which means bowling and an open bar all afternoon.  Really, I'd take that over a fancy ballroom party any day ;)

Like what you see?  Click here to follow along with me on Instagram!

Dreaming Of: Comfort Foods

Yesterday the temperature dropped here in Chicago.  While I was a little relieved (since I've been reading a book about global warming and freaking out a tinge), I was also a little displeased since the heat coincidentally decided to go on hiatus in my apartment.  Being buried under piles of blankets made me start to crave anything warm, rich, and creamy.

French Beef Stew with Red Wine

Tuscan Bean Soup

Tartflette

Baked Potato Soup

Best Shepherd's Pie