February 9, 2015

I'm Moving...

No I am not actually packing my bags and moving to a new city, although I wouldn't be opposed to that either. I am actually just moving my blog. I have housed it here at blogger for well over a year and decided to bite the bullet and move to WordPress. Please note I am not a coding genius nor do I have a clue about designing a blog but guess what I am going to learn as I go.
 
 
 
This will be my last post here on this platform. You can now find me and all previous posts at here. My newest post is already live on WordPress so make sure to check it out and leave me some feedback/comments.
 
 
Please bare with me as I learn how to redesign and work WordPress.


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January 26, 2015

Nike Necessities

I am alone or are there others who get motivated to workout just by having cute workout gear? I mean there are days I just don't want to spend the time to workout and then I look at my clothes and think I didn't buy these to sit in a drawer. 

I have a few favorite places to buy workout gear but one of my absolute tried and true stores in Nike and Nike Factory Outlet. Not only are they stylish, comfortable but they last a long time. I am not getting a dime for writing any of these words, they are my own, I just wanted to get that out there! :) 


The other thing I love about these two pieces is also the versatility I get from them. They are great work out pieces but you can go from gym to brunch with the a few sprays of dry shampoo, a hat and sunglasses. 


I will recommend going down in the leggings. I have a few pairs and after my first pair I learned they give and that is the last thing you want while working out. 


I keep my workout gear pretty simple with greys, blues, blacks and whites. However my shoe game I like to step up one or twelve notches.  I love fun colors and designs and I am hoping to scoop up this pair in a few weeks. This pair was a random purchase while at the mall a few months ago and they are SUPER comfortable. 


I have actually worn this top with leggings, boots and a scarf out to dinner and a movie so when I say these pieces have versatility I mean it. I love the off shoulder detail and when it gets a bit warmed a scarf won't be necessary. 


Just showing you that you can move around in this gear. 


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January 23, 2015

The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies


So after a title like that I better deliver something pretty spectacular below huh? 

Well I personally think I have. I got this recipe from my friend Christine, mentioned on this blog more than once, a while back. She got the recipe from Annie's Eats blog. You can find the recipe here. It is my go to for parties, thank yous and when I need a little chocolate in my life. 


I will start by saying this recipe makes a lot of cookies. So when you make then have a plan to take them to a party or give to a few friends, otherwise you might as well sit down with a big glass of milk and enjoy. Every. Last. Crumb. 


The first time I made these the amount of brown sugar caught me a little off guard, but the final product didn't disappoint so make sure to follow through to the end and I promise you won't be disappointed. 


A crucial part of this entire recipe is the butter. If it is too hot your cookies will end up more mushy than chewy, but if it's too cool than your cookies will have too much crunch. I myself have done both of these so I can say from first hand experience the butter is important. My piece of advice. Start with melting the butter and then gather your ingredients and mix them together. Once you get to the butter it should be just the right temperature for your recipe. 


When you start mixing the wet and dry ingredients together you will notice the dough isn't overly greasy or sticky. This is one of my favorite parts. It is tacky and sticks to itself but you have to kind of press it together. 



The recipe calls for one and a half cups chocolate chips. Feel free to abide by that rule if you deem necessary. I personally am a chocolate fan so I put the whole 11.5oz bag into the mix. 


So this was the last cookie dough ball I made. I kind of got in the rhythm of making them and forgot to snap pictures (oops!). As you can see the dough doesn't really stick to the bowl much and I had to press those chocolate chips in. That may or may not have something to do with my overuse of chocolate but shhhh that can be our little secret. 


And yes since you asked I had already licked this spoon and I may or may not have eaten this cookie dough ball pre-baked. 



Ingredients:
2 cups + 2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (I prefer sea salt) 
12 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (or the whole bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325* and adjust racks to upper lower middle slots. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Trust me, go the extra step and line your cookie sheets. 

- Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl and then set to the side. 

- By hand (my method) or with an electric mixer combine butter and sugars together until they are combined thoroughly. Next beat in your egg, yolk and vanilla. Finally add your dry ingredients slowly and mix (on low with mixer) until combined. Now it's time to add the chocolate chips. 

- Start rolling palm sized dough into balls. Grab the dough ball and using your fingertips pull the dough apart into two equal halves. You will lay the dough balls on the lined cookie sheet with the jagged section up. Cooking time is approximately 14-16 minutes. You will rotate the cookie sheets halfway through the cooking time. The edges should be harden but not the centers, they will once out of the oven.

Side note: If you have more than one round of dough balls to cook, make sure to check your second round sooner as they don't take as long to bake as your first batch. 

Do you have a favorite cookie recipe? If so, let me know what it is. I am always up for trying new recipes. 


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January 21, 2015

Vloggng...Do or Don't

So until about 4 months ago, I didn't even know Vlogging was a thing. I know...I know I am so behind the times. Well after a few months I saw the benefits that vlogging can bring to a blog and just to a person's life in general. Imagine having snippets of your life in video form. It's pretty awesome in my opinion.
 
I am personally a fan of vlogging because I like the insight it gives me to the blogger/youtuber. Two of my absolute favorite vloggers to watch are Lily Pebbles and Viviana Does Makeup. They are both from the UK and they are both hilarious and serious beauty bloggers to follow.
 
So this leads to me the point of this post...would you watch someone's vlog? Do you currently? Honestly I think for me, it will be a personal decision but I am always interested in seeing what you guys have to say. So let me know your thoughts and any other good vloggers to follow.
 
 
 
Not that this is at all what my vlogs would look like but I took this video while at the beach with my sister and told her I would post it on here and I keep my word. Also just so you know I had to crop the video to send from my phone since I couldn't find my card...vlog fail! haha
 
 



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January 19, 2015

His + Her Game Day Wear

Football hasn't always been in my blood, in fact, growing up I was a HUGE basketball fan. It wasn't until I went to college that football became such a big part of my life. You see at the University of Georgia, football isn't just a sport it is a way of life. A weekend in Athens is an experience I believe everyone should have. Saturdays in Athens are not a joke. We arrive early. We arrive rowdy. And we arrive dressed to the nines. So it the last part that I am going to explain a bit further. 

The wonderful group over at Paul Fredrick asked me to put together his and her game day outfits that represent my favorite team. I happily accepted and got to work creating  two dressier game day looks for you guys. I know you are probably thinking. Did she say dress? Yes I did. You see some people think that game day attire is simply shorts or jeans and a jersey BUT in the south we view football as a religion and if you dress up for church then you best believe you dress up for the football game. 



This is such a classic look for guys. I recommend starting your outfit with a dress shirt. Paul Fredrick has a great selection but this red and white striped shirt was my favorite. Then you move to selecting your bowtie. Of course you can wear a tie but I personally prefer a gentleman in a bowtie. This black and white polka dot bowtie was the perfection addition to the striped shirt. Pants are a bit easier as you just need a good pair of black pants however I will say PLEASE get flat front ones. No one likes a pleat. This pair of flat front black pants is a great staple to have in any wardrobe. The finish touch will the be these black winged oxfords which add an extra dash of sophistication to the outfit.


Cold Weather Game Day Outfit

This is definitely an outfit I would gladly wear on game day. Sometimes red can be a hard color to pull off (on my skin it definitely is) so I opt for items that are black with red details. This black and red plaid dress is fashionable and functional, it's wool, so you will stay warm in the colder months or at the bowl game (God willing we go to one every year). Next I add this simple black turtleneck underneath the dress. Tights are must to keep your legs warm and these Spanx tights will be sure to hold you in, even after one or two or more beers. A dash of gold brings some add luxe to this outfit. This Kate Spade link necklace is such a good staple piece. These booties are extra comfortable, which you will need, after hours of standing on your feet. If you are from anywhere other than the south, you are probably thinking HEELS?? Is she crazy? Well I and some 30, 000 other girls are who decide fashion is a must on Saturdays. Thankfully these Cole Haan booties are extra forgiving on your feet. The last item is this classic black cross body bag from Tory Burch. Don't get me wrong I love a big bag, like most women, but carrying around my totes for 10+ hours is a no for me. This bag will fit everything you need for the day and night. 

Let me know what you guys wear or wore to your game days. Also let me know who your favorite football team is. No matter if it is NFL or NCAA, just do a shout out below. 


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