pretty plain janes

day to night summer makeup

July 15, 2014

Summer calls for all things simple, makeup being no exception. The sun gives your skin a bit of glow and honestly, you don’t need much more. This basic bronzed look transitions perfectly into an evening look without adding much! Your summer makeup should be quick and simple!

Start by prepping your face with your favorite light foundation, bronzer, blush and brow shade. Next, we used the Naked Basics palette– a matte light brown across entire lid followed by a bit of definition created with a darker matte brown shadow. Line your eyes lightly with a gold pencil or liner, on both the top and bottom. Complete with a coat of your favorite mascara.

To transition this look to evening we tried out Younique’s 3D lashes, which were perfect to layer on for a more pumped up lash! The lashes with a bit of gloss were all we needed! Jordanne sent us a set to try and we loved this fun alternative to false lashes. Simple to apply, and customizable to your look. I opted for a single layer, but as you can see one layer gave quite a bit of volume and length! To order your own set of 3D lashes, visit Jordanne’s page here.

XO,

Posted in beauty, makeup | Tagged Post by Shan | 1 Comment

her little style | adelynn

July 14, 2014

Adelynn has always been one of my most cooperative little models. So much so that I am never even an ounce worried that we will get “the shot”. In fact there is no such thing as a bad shot of this beauty (she gets that from her mommy). From her ornery yet sweet smile to the kindness in her eyes she could not have more character to photograph. So glad to have this gorgeous little lady in our lives.

To be fair Adelynn’s “style” would truly be a flower girl dress, princess gown pj’s, one of Shan’s old dance costumes or a recent fave – Wonder Woman costume. I love the looks Shan put together for her though. Girly without being over the top. Perfect for a little one with lots twirls and dance moves to practice.

We absolutely could not have a photo shoot without Mickey of course. Adelynn has loved this mouse since she was an itty bitty baby. This may be one of my favorite shots ever of her.

Thank goodness for you sweet Adelynn!

xo,

Posted in Kids, kids style | Tagged Post by Brandy J | Leave a comment

these things

July 11, 2014

Chip and Joanna Gaines from HGTV’s Fixer Upper

I had no idea this wonderful show existed until a few weeks ago. Chip and Joanna help families find and then renovate the home of their dreams in and around the Waco, TX area. While they do fantastic work and have impeccable taste it’s the couple themselves that really sell this show. Chip is young at heart with the sweetest disposition and always the jokster. Joanna is an incredibly visionary who remains the true professional yet with a kind, calm spirit. Together they are magic – it’s impossible not to fall in love with this show.

Coccoli Blankets sold on Amazon

Bingham has two of these t-shirt like blankets and we absolutely love them. Super soft material and the perfect weight for all year use. Plus the designs and colors are so fun!

PPJ Scone Board

Ever since Shan knocked her cinnamon scones out of the park I have been obsessed with this biscuit meets muffin treat. I am thinking a raspberry variety is in my future. Do you have a favorite scone flavor and/or recipe? Please share!

humansofny on instagram

If you are not following @humansofny do so immediately. It’ll make you smile, cry, laugh and most importantly think. This simple yet extraordinary concept gives us a peek into the lives of New Yorkers. Everyone has a story, something to say – this is a reminder that we are all human just trying to live life as best we can. I enjoy checking in on this feed every single day. You will too.

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Posted in web love | Tagged Post by Brandy J | 1 Comment

chewy granola bars

July 10, 2014

Adjusting to the rhythm of two kids has left me hungry more than anything else. The last few days I have had to remind myself to eat – not something I normally have an issue with. We keep plenty of fruit on hand for healthy grab and go snacks but a girl needs more variety than the fruit bowl. These bars fit the bill perfectly. They leave me satisfied without feeling heavy in my stomach. The oatmeal is filling (and great for nursing mommies and their milk supply) and the texture is fantastic.

Another reason to love these bars – they are incredibly quick and easy to whip together as well as very adaptable in taste. For this go around I used dried cherries, almonds and coconut (absolutely delicious combo). Next time I think I will leave out the peanut butter and try dried apricots and walnuts.

Of course there are plenty of yummy, prepackaged granola bars out there. Unfortunately you have no control over the sugar content nor may be familiar with every ingredient in them. I promise these take no time to make and you have control over sweetness and ingredients. If you appreciate a chewy texture and love granola bars you need to give these a try!

Enjoy!

chewy granola bars

Ingredients

1⅔ cups rolled oats
¼ cup granulated sugar (more if you like sweeter bars)
⅓ cup oat flour (or ⅓ cup oats, processed till finely ground in a food processor or blender)
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 to 3 cups dried fruits and nuts (any variety - be creative!)
⅓ cup peanut butter or another nut butter (optional - I used peanut better)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons melted butter
¼ cup honey
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon water

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8″ x 8″ x 2″ pan in one direction with parchment paper, letting some hang over the sides. Lightly grease with butter the parchment paper and the exposed pan.
Stir together all the dry ingredients, including the fruit and nuts. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all the wet ingredients, including peanut butter if using. Toss the wet ingredients with the dry until the mixture is evenly crumbly. Spread in the prepared pan, pressing firmly to ensure they are molded to the shape of the pan. (Use a piece of plastic wrap if mixture is too sticky to press firmly.)
Bake the bars for 30 to 40 minutes, until they’re brown around the edges and slightly on top. They’ll still seem soft when pulled out of oven but will harden when cooled.
Cool the bars in their pan completely on a cooling rack.
Once cool, use a serrated knife to cut the bars into squares. If bars seem crumbly, chill the pan of them further in the fridge for 30 minutes which will fully set the “glue”, then cut them cold. To store, wrap the bars individually in plastic or stack them in an airtight container. In humid weather, it’s best to store bars in the refrigerator. They also freeze well.

recipe from the incredible smitten kitchen

Posted in breakfast, recipes, vegetarian | Tagged Post by Brandy J | 3 Comments

nutella stuffed french toast

July 9, 2014

French toast just got a little sweeter. Thick slices of crusty french bread, stuffed from the center with creamy nutella, and topped with maple and strawberries- are you drooling yet?

It’s no secret that we love breakfast in our house, and french toast is at the top of that list. A childhood favorite of mine, and a new favorite of Josh and Adelynn’s. Yesterday we woke up to thunderstorms, and it was one of those days that you want to stay in bed all day and listen to the thunder. I pulled myself to the kitchen (eventually) and made banana pancakes. Jack Johnson was playing in my head, flooding out my to-do list. This is why I love breakfast. Its the quiet cozy before the day starts, the coffee-mug-in-hand, blanket-on-the-couch time. Add thunder and life is complete.

nutella stuffed french toast

Ingredients

1 loaf of french bread
1 cup milk
¼ cup heavy cream
5 large eggs
½ tsp vanilla extract
1½ tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp flour
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 cup Nutella
Butter, for griddle
strawberries, chopped
syrup

Instructions

Preheat a griddle to 350F. Using a serrated knife slice bread into 1¼ inch slices. Cut into each slice keeping the end attached, and fill with a heap of Nutella, then set aside.
In a medium bowl whisk together milk, cream, eggs, vanilla, sugar, flour, baking powder and cinnamon, and then pour into a shallow dish.
Butter the griddle, and dip each side of the toast into the egg mixture, squeezing it a bit to really soak it in.
Cook french toast until golden on each side, and then serve immediately topped with sliced strawberries and maple syrup.

XO,