Soccer Snacks

Whether you played soccer, basketball, football or baseball. Whether you won or lost. Whether the coach put you in for longer or shorter than the required 20 minutes in youth sports. Whether rain or shine. Those team moms came through for us--with those beloved, albeit questionably nutritious sports snacks of our youth.

A Beekeeper's Reflections

A paper-cutting project success that was sweeter than honey. I lovingly dedicate this to my favorite Bee.

Rubber Band Braid

Here's a lovely way to wear a low ponytail. It reminds me of a classic candlestick, or my lighthearted luminary, Lumiere. :) If you've got some tiny rubber bands, and 3 minutes to spare, try it out!

French Country Tart

Do you have extra pie dough you want to use? Try this super rustic-looking fruit tart. Bon Appétit!

Peanut-Crusted Chicken with Lemony Asparagus

The peanuts on this chicken give it so much flavor; so forget ketchup and barbeque with this one! Also, it’s paired with my very favorite vegetable—asparagus.

Easy Chocolate Chip Crescents

So simple it’s senseless. So addicting it’s absurd.

Grab a movie, because these are way better than popcorn—and just as easy to make. Jk and I deem these: best movie dessert.

Jaw-Dropping Droplets

Think water's nothing to light a candle with? I don't know how familiar you are with the chemistry you learned in high school, but it doesn't take long to realize how truly amazing water is when you begin to think about it--scientifically speaking.

Which is what I did.

Snow Laden

I love how snow is winter's flowers.

Examining Embroidery

Once can't read a book about princesses or look at any sort of gown and not be drawn to the elaborately exquisite art of embroidery. What female doesn't love delicate flourishes embroidered into fabric? And what dapper male wouldn't want his initials masculinely monogrammed onto his shirt cuffs?

For a fabulously regal jaunt to a more elegant time where notes began with calligraphic capital letters and love was cultivated ardently, consider incorporating some embroidery into your life.

If I were a Disney Cartoon Character...

So...  I got to thinking... if Disney turned me into a princess and made my life into a classic cinamatic cartoon, what would it be like?

Fishtail Braid

I love wearing the not-so-traditional fish-tail style of braid in the summer. It reminds me of salty sea water, splashing waves, and sun-kissed skin. :) Resembling the interlocking bones on a fish tail, it's a fun twist on a.. well on a twist!

Just the Beginning...

Because when the princess is locked in a tower, a dragon has just stormed the castle, and all hope looks lost, it is just the beginning of an adventure and a happily ever after... not the end of one.

Poolside Painting

After watching Disney's Tangled, I was completely inspired by the tower-trapped girl's whimsical paintings on her wall. If my mom hadn't spent hours painting my room the perfect shade of creamy cloud blue I picked out a couple months ago, my walls would look like this:

Mermaid Candle Holder

After watching Pirates of the Caribbean multiple times--traveling on boats brandishing pirate flags, searching for missing Aztec gold, and reveling in the turquoise crystal waters, how could I pass up this awesome candle holder?

For $20 from Home Goods, I now have an ivory mermaid holding a candle the exact color of the Caribbean tide that makes me want to wear salty, loose curls and a pearl necklace during these sweltering summer days. :)

When Was the Last Time You...

had a pillow fight?
looked at the stars?
ate warm, homemade chocolate-chip cookies?
laughed so much it was hard to breathe?

Things That Go Bump in the Night

Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I sometimes get very anxious about whether I'll actually be able to sleep. And, interestingly, it isn't the bumps in the night that keep me up, but they are the very things that bounce me softly off to bed.

Just Peachy: Peach Praline Pie

Peach pie is my favorite, and when I'm feeling southern... this is the only way to go!

Beauty Buys--July

Summer is in full swing! Today, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite products with you to keep you glowing in that bright sun! :)

For Your Eyes Only

After countless hours of watching Burn Notice, I have henceforth decided it might be in my best interest (in the sense that I would find it very interesting) to become a spy. So, in the event that I should have to grapple with the decision to accept or reject a government offer to do so, I have compiled a pro/con list of my personal aptitude for the position:

2 Thumbs Up for Red, White, and BLUE

Happy 4th of July! I decided to be a little festive for the holiday.

In middle school I repainted my nails every day to match my clothes. (I also bit my nails all the time so I am waaay too familiar with the taste of nail polish--wet or dry. Neither is good in case you were wondering). The two-colored, no-patterned approach is my way of breaking out of my OCD nail color shell, and it's my new favorite way to wear nail colors.

So, go ahead and break out of your normal manicure routine and try something new! (How cute would black and white with this pattern be?)

Enjoy! :)

Poached Alaskan Salmon

When we went to Alaska, I eavesdropped as the chefs were explaining the recipe for this delicious Alaskan dish, memorized it—playing the ingredients and their amounts over in my head, and smuggled it back home. I like to think of myself as a modern-day Samuel Slater.

Now it is here for you to enjoy. (PS. in this instance poached is not a reference to the cooking style.)

Marie Antoinette Book Art

My new artistic kick? Bringing books to life.