Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Tuesday Shoes-Day!

In today's Shoes day post I want to share with you all a pair of shoes that I have been lusting after on Zara for quite some time and how I would wear this for a summer BBQ or even a day out shopping.

(Disclaimer: This is just a suggestion as I know my tastes are quite different then most.)



 To me nothing is easier to wear then a pair of jeans and a tank top and while it may seem like a boring combination there are many things you can do to jazz up this boring combo. 

Since I've been obsessed with colored pants these last couple of weeks I think these sandals would go perfect with these colored jeans and this simple swinging tank. Though it may seem crazy to pair light pink pants with a shirt that doesn't have any pink in it, that's what makes the outfit interesting. Just consider the pants a part of the "White" family and then they will feel more like a neutral. If you want to be even bolder you could wear this tank with some patterned pants. Its your outfit though so put your own spin on it and make it work for you!

*J* 

Monday, May 28, 2012

Eats - Crab Salad Stuffed Eggs

I hope everyone had a fun and memorable Memorial Day weekend! I've enjoyed a fantastic 3 days off, including a family barbeque on saturday that included a wide array of food and other than the chips most of it was made by me. Many of the dishes were old family favorites, but I made a few twists on the original. Like these deviled eggs - instead of the traditional yolk filling, I made a really simple crab salad to stuff them with.



Its primarily imitation crab meat, and diced celery. I didn't want something with too much mayo since we were having the party outside, so this has the bare minimum I felt it needed to hold it together.


Crab Stuffed Deviled Eggs
(makes ~1 1/2 dozen)


9 eggs, hard boiled
2 stalk celery, diced
6 oz imitation crab meat, diced
~1/4 Cup Mayo (eyeball it as I mention above)
Spices to taste (onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper)


Cut eggs in half, discard yolks
Combine remaining ingredients for the crab salad
Stuff eggs with crab salad.


These eggs were a hit - I also made traditional deviled eggs, and one with added Sriracha for a spicy kick. They all got eaten in no time.


Do you have any traditional picnic foods? I'd love to hear your recipes!


-B-

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Tuesday Shoes-Day

Welcome to another edition of Tuesday Shoesday! Since sandal weather has finally arrived for most of us in the northern hemisphere, I thought today I would feature a few of my favorite pair of sandals!




These gladiator sandals from Jessica Simpson are one of my favorite pair for summer - they can be dressed up or down, and go with any number of dresses, pants skirts, you name it! I was drawn to them initially because of all the buckles and zippers. I sort of wish I had gotten them in black now, but I like having this pair in my arsenal for when I want more "subtle" shoe statements. They are pretty high, but since they have a wedge heel I find that they are surprisingly comfortable.



This red suede pair is another comfy set, in spite of the height. They were a steal for $13, I got them at Burlington Coat Factory and while they aren't a name brand the quality has stood up for the amount of abuse I regularly put my shoes through. The color is so fun and a great punch for neutral outfits.

Do you have a favorite pair of sandals for summer? Tell us about them!

-B-

Book(s) Of The Month - May Edition

It's been a little slow on the reading front, but this month I've been reading multiple books.



I first knew about Garrison Keillor from the radio show A Prairie Home Companion, and I actually read his other Lake Wobegon book called Pontoon. These books based on life in a fictitious small town in Minnesota are pretty hilarious, in my opinion, so I've been enjoying them.


Jen and I have also been reading the 50 Shades Grey series. My opinion about the books keep changing, because I think the whole premise is entirely too cliche and it makes me put them more in the category of a romance novel than a legitimate novel. I'm intrigued by the characters though, which is why I keep reading, although I'm sure Jen is getting tired of me getting to certain points and sending her text messages along the lines of "OMG REALLY THAT IS SO SURPRISING, oh wait- no it's not", or musing back and forth whether the books were sponsored by Converse and Audi.


Jen is actually lending me the books, which is kinda a leap of faith on her part because she is like me in that her books are her babies, and she is sending 2 of them over the great lakes for me to borrow. I told her I promise that I would keep them out of the twins' reach. They're too busy with their own books anyways - My BF and I recently got them a whole series of matching books that they love


Toy Story 3 Look and FindLook and Find: Disney Princess (Look and Find (Publications International))Look and Find: Mickey Mouse & Friends


So if you think about it, I've got a lot of books in circulation this month. My eyes are tired!


What are you reading lately?

-B-

Friday, May 18, 2012

DIY : Growing Celery

Remember one of our pins of the week?

Grow your own celery from your remains from the store. Just chop of the base and plant. One week of growth shown in photo.
Check out this orginal blog post on how to re-grow celery from cuttings

Well, I did it!


It's been growing pretty steady. Hopefully it will continue growing well so I'll be able to enjoy it.

Have you done anything you pinned lately?

-B-

Thursday, May 17, 2012

LBD!


Hey look it's me! I know it's been a while since I've done an outfit post and I'm sure you want to see something more exciting than a little black dress but what could be more exciting that a LBD with classic tailoring?!?!

Working two jobs again really seems to put a damper on my creativity so I'm trying to revamp my wardrobe using classic easy pieces that will still give me a little bit of a punch. Lets face it, when you know you have a long day ahead of you the last thing you want to do is wear a whole bunch of fussiness!

And that's all about that!

*J*

(Necklace: Dots?, Dress: H&M, Watch: Target, Shoes: Charlotte Russe)

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

How Does Your Garden Grow

Since I've been living in a house for the past year or so and finally have a chance to put down roots I've been trying to cultivate my green thumb. I have a few houseplants as well but the wee ones have managed to knock most of them over so they are a little sad at the moment until I can get them re-potted. Outside is another story - In the fall I planted a lot of bulbs, and sat back and crossed my fingers. By the time they sprouted I had forgotten what exactly they were supposed to be. The day the first one bloomed I was so happy! Not only because they grew in the first place, but because I love Daffodils!

2012_04_03 daffodils

Something about Daffodils just makes me happy. They also make me think of Alice in Wonderland. I half expect them to start talking to me when I'm out in the yard.

2012_04_03 daffodils

They've all died off now, sadly, but I've got some more plants to add in for the interim since daffodils will come back every year. They spread, too, so in another year or two my garden will not look so sparse.

Last weekend I did a lot of gardening, and while nothing has blooms yet I'll post an update on them later on.

Happy Gardening!

-B-