My summer to-do list

Well, well, well, it has been quite some time since my last post.  Work had really gotten the best of me the past couple months, but I think I am in a good spot to get back to normal life again and begin posting.  To welcome my self back to the blogging community, I decided to post my summer to-do list! 

Last year, I created a summer to-do list, but I have to admit, I did not get nearly as far on the list as I should have.  I think it's great to make lists because it keeps me accountable and reminds me of all the things I want to get done over the summer.  Sometimes summers can be filled with weddings, showers and engagement parties; basically summer has been all about celebrating others.  But what about celebrating yourself?  This list is really important to me because lately I feel like I have not been doing things for myself, but rather everyone else around me.  Don't get me wrong, I love all the weddings and parties that summer brings.  I love spending time with friends that I do not normally get to see very often, but sometimes it's nice to just do things for you.  And between all the things I have to do for others this summer, I also want to take this summer to do the things that I want to.

You may notice that this year's list has a lot of items that I also had last year.  But what is summer without a "sick" day to the beach and a few S'mores?

I think this is a very reasonable list to accomplish this summer.  Last year my list was a little too aggressive, but I know I need to take time to myself this summer.  I can't wait to get started.

Spring Neon

 

 

 

Top - Express // Jeans - American Eagle // Wedges (old) - similar // Long necklace - Express // Layering Necklaces - Forever 21 // Gold Bracelet - BP via Nordstrom // Cuff - Baublebar (similar) // Nail Polish - Essie's Spin the Bottle

As some of my readers may know, one of my New Year's resolutions is to incorporate more color into my wardrobe.  I have a horrible habit of buying anything black or white (but mostly black).  Spring has really encouraged me to start branching out because of all the beautiful colors right now.  

I loved this top as soon as I saw it.  The neon color was bright, but so lovely at the same time.  Coral is such a great color for spring and I think it goes well with almost every skin tone.  Some other colors I am really loving this season are navy, hot pink and cobalt blue.  I think I have been doing a pretty decent job of shying away from black and purchasing more beautiful colors. The true test will be if I can keep it going throughout fall and winter. 

How 2 Style: Boyfriend Jeans

I absolutely love boyfriend jeans!  They are definitely on my list of investment pieces.  Revolveclothing.com has such a great variety and definitely has some of the best options out there.  If you are look for the perfect pair of distressed boyfriend denim, Revolve is guaranteed to deliver to you the perfect pair.  I have also found some great pairs at places like Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle (channel your inner high-school self).

  I love that you can dress  boyfriend jeans up or dress them down to fit almost any occasion.  I also love the fact they are super comfortable and stylish.  I really hope that they never go out of style.

Probably the most common way I dress boyfriend jeans is by keeping it casual.  Slip on a pair of black loafers and style with a rock tee.  Perfect the look by add some gold jewelry and a fedora for the perfect go-to look!  I fringe bag is a must if you want to pull off the whole "rocker" look.

Even though boyfriend jeans tend to be more casual, you can dress them up.  I love adding feminine details like a lace top and blush handbag to give a softer look to an otherwise edgier jean.  Complete with pearls and strappy heals and you have the perfect date night look!

Probably my all-time favorite way to style boyfriend jeans is with a v-neck, heals and a blazer.  I love the care-free vibe this look gives off while looking well put-together.  Of course, you will need to pair with some dainty gold jewelry and brown leather satchel to get that "Jennifer Anistan", girl-next-door look.

Office Space Styling

I have been working extra hours from home lately.  The problem is I live in a small condo, so finding space to do my work has been difficult.  I often find myself bouncing around from dining room table, to couch, to bed, etc.  I decided enough was enough and I needed to find somewhere to set my laptop and do work in space I felt comfortable in.  Not only would this space be great for working from home, but it would also be a creative space for me to work on blog posts.

I have been souring pinterest for ideas on how to make a great work area with very little space.  I decided my space had to meet three qualities if I was going to feel comfortable in it:

1. Small but effective - I don't have a lot of space to work with, so making sure I have everything I need while not being over-cluttered is very important.

2. Inspirational - I love to have inspirational quotes all around me to keep me motivated and working hard.

3. Stylish - If I want to embrace my creativity, I need to style the space so that it fits my personality and looks beautiful as well.

After hours of Pinteresting, here are a couple of photos I found as inspiration for my work area.

photo credit: Homey Oh My! 

 

 photo credit: Style Me Pretty

photo credit: Pearls&Pastries on Instagram

I decided to put together some of the pieces I have been eying up for my work area.  I want it to be feminine, but professional.  I love using the colors mint and gold together, but I think a little bit of pink will add some brightness and cheer to the mix.

1. Quoted coffee mug - I drink a lot of coffee while I work.  It keeps me going.  I love this mug because it not only helps keep me caffeinated, but it also makes me feel important with the "like a boss" quote.

2. Fun notepads - I am constantly writing down notes and ideas while I work.  I love these Kate Spade notepads because they double as a functional item as well as a decor item with the cute covers!

3. Mouse pad - I must have a mouse while I work.  I cannot stand the track pad on lap tops so I always have a wireless mouse and mouse pad handy.   Zazzle has a lot of really cute and affordable options for mouse pads.

4. Desk Organizer - I always seem to collect a lot of desk nick-nacks such as pens, highlighters, scissors, etc.  This desk organizer by Nate Berkus from Target fits well with my work space style.

5. Flowers - Every space needs some flowers.  You can always count on One Kings Lane to deliver on the faux flower department.

6. File Folders - I always go through tons of folders.  These mint colored folders from Nate Berkus for Target are a perfect way to ad some style to an otherwise boring desk accessory.

7. Pens - forget the normal black and blue ink.  Opt for these gold and silver gel pens from PaperSource to add some flare to your notes.

8. Printed wall art -  I recently came across this cute Etsy shop, FashionandFeathers, from a fellow blogger, and you have to check this stuff out!  She has the cutest wall prints.  I love this #WorkIt print for some quick motivation.

I will definitely be posting pictures once the final product is complete... so stay tuned!

Friday Favorites: Spring Pastels

Happy Friday everyone! Well we made if through the first full week of spring; although it sure hasn't felt like it.  Even though the weather has not been the best here in the Northeast, I have been dreaming of spring and pastel colors all week!  My favorite clothing season is definitely fall, but I love all the colors that come with spring collections.  It gives me the opportunity to experiment with colorful outfits and new textures.  Here are some of the items I have been lusting over this week:

1. JCrew jeweled statement necklace // 2.Chicwish midi lace skirt // 3. Zara city bag // 4. Vince Nude peep-toe booties // 5. JCrew mint Carrie Cami // 6. Kate Spade jeweled earrings via Saks Fifth Avenue // 7. H&M Textured wool coat

Welcome Spring with Lavender Cupcakes

First of all, happy spring!  This winter has seemed like it has lasted an eternity.  I am so ready to shed the layers and start wearing open-toed shoes and short sleeves.  I am so sick of bundling up and wearing boots everywhere I go.

Anyway, I know I have been on a little bit of a blogging hiatus lately, but work has been super crazy these past couple of weeks.  My normal schedule has been wake up, go to work, go to the gym, come home and do more work.  I think things are finally going to slow down a little bit, so I can concentrate a little more on blogging again.  I have felt like something has been missing for the past couple of weeks, and I think that void has been all of you guys!  I figured I would welcome myself back with a new cupcake recipe.  Because this week marks the first full week of spring, I thought I would share a floral recipe.  Ever since I introduced myself to pinterest, I have been eying up these Lavender & Honey cupcakes.

I decided to make my own version of the cupcakes.  I decided to make Lavender cupcakes with a honey frosting topped with lemon zest.  I modified the cupcake recipe slightly, but I didn't want to make a cream cheese frosting, so I made more of a honey buttercream.   The lemon zest on top was the perfect addition to give the cupcake some zing (if that's a word).  Overall, I was very happy with how this cupcake turned out!  So perfect for spring! The taste was very refreshing, and they were not too heavy or overly sweet.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 eggs (2 yolks, 1 whole)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons lavender extract (found at Sur La Table)
2/3 cup cold milk
red & blue food coloring (optional)

For the frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup honey

Topping:
2 lemons to zest

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 ° and line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.

In an electric mixer, cream room temperature butter and sugar together.  Add in your eggs, one at a time, then beat in the vanilla extract. If you are using food coloring, you can add it in here.

In a separate bowl, mix your flour, baking soda and salt.  Slowly add your dry ingredients to your butter and sugar mixture, making sure to keep your electric mixer on a slow-medium speed while you do so.

Lastly, stir in your milk and lavender extract.  Fill your lined muffin tins about 3/4 of the way and cook for about 20-24 minutes.  Ovens tend to vary slightly in temperature, so make sure you check towards the end of the timer with a toothpick.  Once the toothpick comes out clean, your cupcakes should be done.  Be sure not to overcook, otherwise they will become dry and crumbly.  Let cool for about an hour before frosting.

To make the frosting, start with room temperate butter and cream on a medium-high speed for about 3 minutes.  Slowly add in your powdered sugar a little at a time.  Once the sugar and butter are well mixed, add in your honey and heavy whipping cream.  Put into a piping tube and frost with your favorite tip!

Lastly, zest two lemons over top of your cupcakes.  Not only does this add some great flavor, but it also looks pretty and adds some color to the top of your cupcakes. 

 

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday!!  I just got back from vacation on Wednesday and you have no idea how hard it was to come back to cold, snowy weather.  Take me back to sunny Cancun, please!  Luckily our flight was able to land, but yesterday we got bombarded with about 8 inches of snow.  I am so ready for spring and this winter weather to be over.

Since I had a snow day yesterday I did a lot of online browsing.  It was so hard not to with all of the great sales.  Shopbop has 25% off with code BIGEVENT15 and Francesca's has B1G1 50% off almost everything.  Here are some of the things I was lusting over yesterday as I did some "window shopping".

1. DANNIJO iPhon 6 case via ShopBop // 2. Bauble Bar ear crawlers // 3. Rebecca Minkoff Leo Clutch in winter mint via ShopBop // 4. "I love coffee" mug via Francesca's Collection // 5. Rachel Zoe Inigo Flat Sandals via ShopBop // 6. Two piece sheath dress via ShopBop  // 7. LuLu's Floral midi skirt // 8. Adriana Orsini pave snake cuff via Saks Fifth Avenue