hello there sweatshirt

September 23, 2013

sweatshirt_three_ways_1The one top everyone should (and can) rock this fall is the sweatshirt.  That’s right, I said the sweatshirt.  No longer is this cozy long sleeved item reserved for lazy days at home.  From fitted to over-sized to printed to studded  – it is the must have piece of the fall and quite possibly the most versatile.  I recently purchased this Old Navy Statement Sweatshirt at a steal.  Not only do I love the comfort but the length is perfect (a rarity for me since my arms are exceptionally long).  Here are 3 looks that easily could work for your on trend sweatshirt.

Easy day look – this is for those perfect 70 degree days where you want to be cool in the sun but cozy in the shade:

sweatshirt_cut_off_shorts_1cut-offs similar/olive ankle boots similar/taupe tote similar/aviator sunnies similar

Dress down your sequins – a great way to get more mileage out of your party wear.  This would be perfect for brunch with the girls:

sweatshirt_sequin_skirt_1sequin skirt similar/black ankle boots similar/black tote similar

A little grunge meets glam – boyfriend jeans are a favorite and pairing them with a sweatshirt just makes me happy.  Love that all you need is a fun statement necklace and girlie pumps to send this into day date appropriate:

sweatshirt_boyfriend_jeans_1Mango boyfriend jeans/black d’orsays similar/rhinestone necklace similar/bronze clutch similar

brandyjsig

 

 

Posted in outfits, style | Tagged | 4 Comments

loving lately

September 20, 2013

loving_lately_41 Chipotle’s New Promotional Campaign – thanks to Guest Jane Lisa for posting this on FB last night.  It’s beautiful, it’s haunting, it’s captivating.  There is no denying the artistic brilliance that went into this short masterpiece.  2 Chinese Laundry Belted Ankle Boot – ankle boots, ankle boots, ankle boots!  Can’t get enough of them this season and these are FABULOUS!  3 Owl Mug – who doesn’t love a cute mug?  A great gift for yourself or to brighten a special someone’s day.  4 H&M Chiffon Blouse – a MUST in every woman’s closet.  This one is $14.95.  It should be in your shopping cart right now.  5 Parenthood – the Braverman’s return next week.  September truly is the best month.  6 Raw Pecan Pumpkin Butter Recipe – need we say more?  Yum.

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend (and happy 1st day of Fall Sunday)!

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children book love

September 19, 2013

Before the girls were born we began their collections of children books.  There is something so intoxicating about the endearing characters, vibrant illustration and heartwarming stories.  Some are exciting, some gut wrenching and some just make you giggle.  We love that our girls love their books and admittedly we love them just as much if not more.

girls_books

Over the last couple of years we have been asked several times what our favorite books are.  While that list could be never ending (it really could) we have compiled a collection of current favorites.  Obviously the best place to check out books is the library.  We certainly do not go enough and have made it a Fall mission to make regular appearances.  The next best place would be to visit local new and used bookstores.  Supporting small independent retailers keeps the culture of our society alive.  In a lot of cases they provide an experience beyond compare to the big box chains.  And then of course there is Amazon.  Guilty and guilty should be our names as far as where the majority of our girls books came.  Obviously price and availability is hard to beat when it comes to this online superstore.

No matter where you go to get your books it is never a bad idea to read with your child.  Our bookworms enjoy the part of the day that involves pages and a story more than any other.

girls_favesAdelynn’s Faves 1 I Had a Favorite Dress by Boni Ashburn 2 Marcel the Shell With Shoes On: Things About Me by Jenny Slate 3 The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen Jettie’s Faves 1 Belinda Begins Ballet by Amy Young 2 Everybody Bonjours! by Leslie Kimmelman 3 Pig Kahuna by Jennifer Sattler

holiday_picksFall Picks 1 10 Trick-or-Treaters by Janet Schulman and Linda Davick 2 Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson 3 Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet Holiday Picks 1 The Night Before Christmas Pop-up by Clement Clarke Moore 2 Llama Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney 3 Tallulah’s Nutcracker by Marilyn Singer and Alexandra Boiger (releases October 1st, we can’t wait as we love Tallulah’s other books!)

gift_picksGift Givers 1 Someday by Alison McGhee and Peter H. Reynolds 2 On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman 3 The Invisible String by Patrice Karst and Geoff Stevenson Classics 1 Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd 2 The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle 3 Pat the Bunny (Touch and Feel Book) by Dorothy Kunhardt

Do you have any can’t live without books in your home?  We would love to know what they are!

Posted in Kids, web love | Tagged | 6 Comments

salted caramel apple mini pies

September 18, 2013

salted caramel apple mini piesI had been working on putting together some small thank-you gifts when I came across the recipe for these itty bitty pies.  Seriously, how adorable are they?   Last fall, my in-laws traveled up to spend Thanksgiving with us, and my mother-in-law had given me this little apple pie press from Williams Sonoma that I wasn’t sure I would ever use.  (In its packaging it looked fancy and borderline intimidating, I swear.)  These pies can be made just as easily without a press, but I am so glad I dusted mine off and used it- they were fun and simple!   If you want to make this recipe even more simple, or if you feel about pie crust dough the way I feel about yeast- go pick up 2 Pillsbury Pie Crust boxes.  Your secret is safe with me!

salted caramel apple mini pies

salted caramel apple mini pies
 
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Cook time
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Serves: 10 mini pies
Ingredients
  • For The Dough:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • ½ cup cold sour cream
  • (As I mentioned in the post, if you are looking to save time, you can use two boxes of Pillsbury Pie Crust in place of your own)
  • For the filling:
  • 2 cups small diced (peeled) Granny Smith apples (I mixed in a few Honeycrisp! Chop very small, due to the 15 minute cook time they need to be small to become tender)
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 bag soft caramels, chopped
  • Coarse sea salt
  • Egg wash (1 egg lightly whisked with 1 Tablespoon water)
  • Crystal sanding sugar (optional)
Instructions
  1. Pie crust dough:
  2. Whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Add the cubed butter to the bowl and use your fingers or a fork to work the butter into the flour until the mixture is the consistency of wet sand.
  3. Stir in the sour cream (the dough will be very wet), and then turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface.
  4. Knead the dough a few times until it comes together, adding more flour, 1 teaspoon at a time, if the dough is too sticky to handle. Roll the dough into an 8x10-inch rectangle and dust both sides with flour before folding it into thirds as if you were folding a letter.
  5. Rotate the dough 90º and roll it out again into an 8x10-inch rectangle. Fold the dough again into thirds then wrap it securely in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes while you make the filling.
  6. For the filling:
  7. Combine the chopped & peeled apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, sugar, & flour. Fold to coat apples in mixture and set aside.
  8. To assemble:
  9. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and unfold it onto a well-floured surface, rolling it out to a 14x14-inch square. Using a 3-inch circular cookie cutter or a mini pie mold, cut out as many circles as possible (or whatever your shape is.) Re-roll the scraps and continue cutting out circles until you run out of dough, ensuring you end up with an even number of circles. (You should have approximately 20 3-inch circles.)
  10. Placing the bottom half of dough into the mold, scoop a large spoonful of apple mixture into the center. Top the apple filling with a portion of the chopped caramels and a pinch of sea salt. Place a second dough piece on top of each filled portion, then press mold to adhere seams. (If you are not using a mold, simply use a fork around the edges to make a seam.)
  11. Brush each pie with the egg wash, and using a sharp knife, cut two or three vents on the top of each pie if your mold does not already have an air vent. Sprinkle the pies with crystal sanding sugar (optional).
  12. Bake the pies for about 15 minutes, or until they're golden brown. Remove the pies from the oven and allow them to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe courtesy of Kelly at Just a Taste.  See her page for helpful tips on making these pies!

salted caramel apple mini piessalted caramel apple mini piessalted caramel apple mini piessalted caramel apple mini piesFor my gift, I wrapped up two of these in wax paper, tied them with baker’s twine and added them to my gift basket.  As for the rest of them, they were quickly devoured.

shansig

Posted in recipes, something sweet | Tagged | 19 Comments

contour

September 17, 2013

In the beauty world there are so many upcoming and new techniques, sometimes it’s hard to take in and remember it all to apply to your own routine. Something I have been doing for years now has found itself up front and center as a makeup routine must. The ever popular, facial contour. There are so many confusing graphs and photos that would scare anyone away from a simple and easy technique that I believe adds that little extra to bring together even the simplest of makeup.

countour_1

This is what I use everyday for a basic contour.

countour_2

  1. In a circular motion apply the natural bronzer along your entire hairline.
  2. Continuing in a circular motion apply to the jaw line, cheeks, and sides of the nose.
  3. With the darker bronzer, in a sweeping motion, you’re going to carefully apply to the hollow of your cheek (right under your cheek bone).
  4. You may take the darker bronzer onto the temple area and any other area you may want to make more dramatic.
  5. Now you’re going to take your highlighting shade (I like to use a bare minerals concealer) and start by applying it between your eyebrows bringing it up onto the center of the forehead, down the bridge of the nose.
  6. Continue taking that highlighter around the corners of the nose up to the top of your cheekbones (under eye area also!). To finish off I apply also right above my top lip and right below my bottom lip.

Get out there and play around with this technique, you’re only 1 makeup remover wipe away from starting with a new canvas, so don’t be afraid of doing this wrong. You can go as subtle or dramatic with this as you wish. Always remember that this technique is to add depth and dimension to your face after you apply foundation. Go contour what you’ve been blessed with!

brandyhaassig

 

 

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