road bump

March 24, 2015

A couple of weeks ago I was walking around as proud as a peacock over my workout routine.  Then just like that the exercise gods were less than impressed by my cockiness and cursed me with a cold.  But not just any cold.  No, no, no, no, no… This was by far the nastiest cold of my existence.  My head pounded, stomach ached and nothing, I mean nothing, tasted good.  The worst of it was the fatigue – all my limbs felt as if they were made of jello.  Everyday for about a week the cold strengthened, which in turn made staying on that workout routine more difficult.

avoid_derailment_1The good news is I was determined not to allow the cold to be my excuse for falling off the tracks.  The bad news it was nearly impossible for me to accomplish what I do when normally healthy.  Typically at the end of a workout I feel good.  Really good.  Those workouts though, they were different.  I felt disappointment in myself.  What is the point if I am only doing half as much?  It felt like I had taken 5 steps forward and then 7 back.  A really annoying mind game that can squash motivation in an instant.

These are the times we need to remind ourselves to take it easy.  Be patient.  Let our bodies heal.  I kept thinking “I just need to get on that treadmill and sweat this crap out of me” but physically it wasn’t going to happen.  What did get an extra workout that week was my mind power.  It would have been easy to allow the negative thoughts to take over and in turn do zero exercising.  That zero exercising would have only caused more ugly thoughts towards myself.  A vicious path that only leads to one destination – derailment.

So yes, for a few days my workouts were pretty wimpy.  But that’s okay.  By the second day of feeling back to myself, so did the workouts.  In fact shortly after the cold left so did Sticky for work.  This meant I really had to prioritize and make sure I got that workout in with two littles on my own over the weekend.  As you can see Bingham loves to watch mommy do her thing…

PicTapGo-Image

 (Before judgement begins I swear he didn’t start looking this pathetic until the cool down part of the video.  It’s like he’s sad Jillian is over and everyone is done jumping around.  Or maybe it’s his look of sympathy for his tired and sweaty mom.  Regardless he’s darn cute.)

Illness, injury, travel, that extra piece of chocolate cake…all can cause one to veer in the wrong lane.  It’s a mind game to not succumb to these road bumps.  And another goal worth accomplishing in your path to feeling awesome.

Keep moving!  I will be too…

brandyjsig

 

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what the pants…

March 23, 2015

For some women that postpartum haze is gone by the time they go in for their follow up obgyn visit.  There are even a few freaks of nature out there who could throw their skinniest of skinny jeans on and happily host a houseful of people within a week of childbirth.  (They must have unicorn hormones and a uterus made out of memory foam.)  Then there are people like me.  My haze holds on for dear life the entire duration of nursing.  It’s not that I am depressed, or hate my life or want to kill my husband or anything.  It’s just this constant nagging oddness that doesn’t go away until a few weeks after nursing is done.  The good news is I buy pretty much nothing for myself except easy access nursing tops and discount sweatpants.  The bad news is I have been wearing those tops and sweatpants for months – and you know what Eva Mendes says about those sweatpants…(Sorry, couldn’t help myself.)

Being a few weeks post nursing I am so eager to buy something new for my closet that doesn’t involve the words stretch or knit or “this can easily be lifted and a baby thrown under”.  To be honest with you though guys, I am not feeling this season.  Like at all.  Not even a little.

First off, I have no plans of going to Coachella which pretty much rules out half of what’s being shown for spring.  Second of all, what the hell is with the pants?  It’s like the designers got together and said “let’s use every pant anyone has ever made fun of and make them the trend for 2015.”  Not cool.

Alright, maybe I am being cynical.  Or maybe I am turning into a fuddy duddy.  So be it.  Regardless let’s talk about these pants – starting with the palazzos.

Okay, at first glance I absolutely hated these.  But as I was putting the below graphic together they started to grow on me.  An easy breezy summer pant.  Especially good for a beach vacation.  My apologies to the palazzo…I guess you’re not so bad.

spring 2015 pants1New York & Company paisley palazzo/2Forever 21 kaleidoscope palazzo/3H&M wide leg pant

Next up, culottes.  Yes, I said culottes.  Here’s the thing about culottes – they are super wide and cropped at the largest part of the calf.  AKA, hard to wear.  If you are 5’10”, size 2 with itty bitty ankles culotte away!  The rest of us really need to shop around before braving this trend.  Again, these grew on me a little more after I looked into them, but I’m not saying they will find their way into my wardrobe.

spring 2015 pants1Nasty Gal culottes/2Forever 21 linen culottes/3ASOS culottes

Oh but did I save the best for last.  Ladies you can now purchase yourself some trendy mom jeans.  Yep.  Mom Jeans.  They are literally called “mom jeans”.  Isn’t that fabulous news?  I mean who doesn’t want an extra long flat booty and shapeless hips?  I feel uncomfortable looking at these.  In case you haven’t guessed these did not grow on me, and never will.  (#1 is a skinny, destroyed version – still doesn’t do it for me.)

spring 2015 pants1ASOS slim mom jeans/2H&M mom jeans/3Forever 21 mom jeans

So ladies, I want to know what you think about this season of pants.  (And who’s rocking the mom jeans?)

xo,

brandyjsig

Posted in style, trends | Tagged | 3 Comments

bunny party inspiration

March 20, 2015

Hip, hop, hooray!  Could there be a sweeter party theme than a bunny rabbit?  I think not.  Last month I listed a brand new bunny invite design in the PPJ Shop and much to my delight it has been a hit.  I’m kind of obsessed with this adorable bunny head and polka dots, makes my heart sing to know others love it too:

bunny party inspirationWhen it comes to themed birthday parties I really do not think there is such a thing as overdoing it with the details.  Every little something you add will impress your guests and make you look like you have some serious event skills.  Details do not have to be difficult.  I think half the battle is figuring out exactly which ones you want to pull off.  Here’s some inspiration in case you are contemplating a hip hop-pity bunny celebration:

bunny party inspiration1bunny dress/2polka dot bunny cake/3bunny napkin tutorial/4diy bunny headband/5spring inspired cookie cutter set/6marshmallow bunny tails

You can also find coordinating party printables in the PPJ Shop to really pull your bunny’s celebration together!  These add a ton of impact with very little effort.  A great way to set your party apart.

bunny party inspirationI’ve got one more tip for anyone planning a bunny party.  Shop now.  Even if your party is not until September.  Why?  Because Easter is a couple weeks away and bunnies are a plentiful this time of year.  Target’s Dollar Spot in particular is an excellent place to find find favors and decor.

Here’s to fantastic weekend and super cute parties!

Cheers!

brandyjsig

Posted in etsy shop, let's celebrate | Tagged | Leave a comment

make grocery store flowers look good

March 19, 2015

You’re in the grocery store and that case full of colorful blooms lures you in.  You throw three bunches in your cart without a second thought.  Then you arrive home and realize you have no idea what you are doing.  Which vase?  What length?  I have to arrange them?!  Believe it or not you can make those grocery store flowers look good.  And it’s insanely easy to do.

Let’s start with a bunch of perfectly pink roses.

how to make grocery store flowers look goodRemove the roses from their cellophane home and strip all leaves from the stem except the ones that are near the top.  Those are nice little “peek-a-boo” leaves.

how to make grocery store flowers look goodNext take your vase (jar, pitcher, bowl – whatever you want to use as long as it will hold your flowers) and hold a stem next to it.  Cutting at an angle, trim the stem to a length where the bloom will hit right above the vase.  After all stems have been trimmed, grab a couple elastic hair ties and put them around a handful of roses (about 6 or 7).  Add the remaining roses, being careful of the thorns, and create a “bouquet”.

how to make grocery store flowers look goodOnce all flowers are bunched together place in vase.  If flowers are sticking out too far from the top trim a little more off the bottom of stems.  You can also gentle pull the blooms from the middle making a “dome” effect.

how to make grocery store flowers look goodIf using a clear vessel and want to hide the stems, simply place the leaves that were pulled off earlier on the inside of vase.  I find this to be easiest to do after I have put some water in the vase first.

how to make grocery store flowers look goodNow you have a simple and pretty display of roses.

how to make grocery store flowers look goodNext let’s tackle a mixed arrangement.

how to make grocery store flowers look goodFirst thing you will want to do is get rid of any and all flowers that have dye or fake shamrocks all over them.  (My man purchased these for me.  I am not complaining by any means but I did kindly mention that in the future perhaps he could try to avoid bouquets with such shenanigans.)

how to make grocery store flowers look goodTake your mixed blooms and divide them into groups of the same.  Stripping the lower leaves just as we did with the roses above.

how to make grocery store flowers look goodNow take your “groups” and arrange them in your hand by heights.  Different heights of different clusters of similar texture/color gives your arrangement depth and keeps the eye moving.  Once it looks good in your hand, measure the height it needs to be for the vase and trim stems at an angle (my rule here is that the shortest flowers should hit right above the top of vase).

My arrangement has 5 different heights with the boldest color being the tallest.

how to make grocery store flowers look good

In this instance I used a tea tin (thanks Vicki) for displaying my blooms.   I love the vintage effect it gives my arrangement, plus the size and height are perfect.

how to make grocery store flowers look good Don’t forget to replace the water of your blooms daily to keep them looking good longer.

how to make grocery store flowers look goodWhether you’re having a party, welcoming overnight guests or just want some fresh color in your life these tips will make the most out of your grocery store florals.

xo,

brandyjsig

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lemon meringue bars

March 18, 2015

lemon meringue barsBefore we get into that lemony goodness above my heart needs to tell Shan how much I love her.  My innate nature is to help, to be that friend a person can count on.  My motto is “I’ve got this” and darn it I usually do.  But this, this is different…and I feel completely lost as to how to make it hurt less.  Words feel so trite when you try to comfort someone who is grieving.  Especially so when that hurt is in the heart of a mother missing her baby.  My bag of tricks is empty and I cannot fast forward time. (Not that I feel time heals so much as it gives space.)  All I have left is the one thing we always have to give – our hearts.  Mine is always with you Shan.  Your beautiful voice here will be missed but I, as I am sure so many others, completely understand your decision to step back and simply be.  Love you!

{In case you missed Shan’s post yesterday click here.}

***

Okay, now that I’m bawling my eyes out let’s talk about these bars.  There is a bit of a story as to how I landed on this recipe for today.  A few weeks back I asked my friend Vicki if she would show me how to make an angel food cake.  She agreed until I became sick and then banned me from her home.  I would have totally done the same.

Plan B was to bake a pie for Pi Day.  My first hiccup was that I pulled out pizza dough from the freezer instead of pie crust.  Not a big deal, I still had time to bake and shoot a pie the next day.  Sunday came and with my thawed crust in hand I searched for my pie dish.  It’s still missing at the moment.  I never bake pie so it probably fled to someone’s home where it will get more love and attention.

With no cake, no pie made I thought let’s do bars.  These are so amazingly delicious that I am glad all my other plans were foiled.  (Although I am still coming over for that cake Vicki!)

lemon meringue barsAs you may have guessed the pie I had planned on making for Pi Day was lemon meringue.  I have fond childhood memories of this classic pie.  My mom would whip one up on breezy summer weekends.  There was something so magical about that swirly golden dome piled high on top of an otherwise perfectly delicious lemon pie.  I’m almost certain it would be devoured in a day because I cannot remember ever having leftovers.

This is the closest I have came to making a lemon meringue pie myself.  My only regret about this recipe is that I am still in a cold/sinus yuckville state.  Therefor my tastebuds cannot fully enjoy the sweet and tart yumminess.  Regardless it was well worth the effort.

lemon meringue barsThe proportions of the layers are completely to taste.  I like a shortbread crust and I like it to be as thick as the filling.  As for the meringue, skies the limit for me.  But if you are not into thick crust, or a load of meringue simply cut both of those things in half.  You can also adjust the sweetness level in the meringue but cutting back the sugar.  This version is a little sweeter than I am used to, I might try to take it down a notch the next time.

lemon meringue bars lemon meringue barsOne thing about that meringue being as tall as a tower is that it is visually exciting.  In other words this is an “impress your guests” dessert.  It’s kind of like cake, I don’t always eat all of the frosting per say…but if it’s pretty my eyes will get a feast regardless of how much I send to my belly.

lemon meringue bars lemon meringue barsHere’s to childhood memories layered tall in sweet fluff, luscious lemon and buttery crumbly crust.

Enjoy!

brandyjsig

 

 

 

5.0 from 1 reviews
lemon meringue bars
 
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Prep time
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Author:
Serves: 12 bars
Ingredients
  • For the Shortbread Crust
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • lemon zest from 2 lemons
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼tsp salt
  • For the Filling
  • 6 egg yolks, at room temperature
  • 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
  • ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • For the Meringue
  • 1¼ cups granulated sugar, divided
  • 2 tbsp light corn syrup or simple syrup
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 6 egg whites, at room temperature
Instructions
  1. Make the crust. Preheat the oven 350 degress. Line a 9X9 pan with parchment paper - be sure to leave some hanging over the sides.
  2. Place butter, sugar, flour, zest and salt in a mixing bowl in mix on low speed until it becomes a crumbly dough. Press into an even layer in pan.
  3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the crust is golden. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
  4. Make the filling. Beat yolks in an electric mixer with whisk attachment on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes (until pale and fluffy). With mixer still running very gradually add condensed milk and mix until light and fluffy (3 to 5 minutes). Stop mixer, scrape down sides and add lemon juice. Beat on medium speed for 30 seconds to a minute.
  5. Pour filling over cooled crust and back on 350degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool on wire rack to room temperature and then cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  6. For the topping. Combine 1cup and 2tbsp of sugar, water and corn or simple syrup in a small saucepan attached with a candy thermometer. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once boiling stop stirring and allow it to continue to boil until it reaches 240degrees.
  7. While the sugar is coming up to temperature use a mixer with a whisk attachment and beat egg whites until soft peaks form (about a minute). With mixer still on gradually add the 2 remaining tbsp of sugar. Turn mixer off at this point is syrup is not to temperature. Once syrup is ready set mixer to medium and slowly add syrup, allowing it to run down the side of the mixer bowl. When all added turn mixer to high until meringue is stiff, thick and cool. About 5 to 7 minutes.
  8. Now the fun part. Turn your oven broiler on high. Spread meringue on top of the lemon bars (I took the bars out of the pan and used the parchment paper to help me make "sides". Be sure to make a swirl pattern at the top for pretty presentation. Stick the bars under the broiler (I left about 6" between broiler and top of meringue) and absolutely do not leave it. Watch it until it turns the desired amount of brown (this will happen fast - if you miss it, it will burn). After your meringue has been toasted let it cool and then cut with a knife that has been dipped in warm water (for cleaner cuts). Keep left over bars in an airtight container in the fridge.

 

Posted in recipes, something sweet | Tagged | 4 Comments