blueberry crumb bars

July 24, 2013

lemon_blueberry_bar_3

Anything baked with fruit is sure to be amazing as far as I’m concerned.  If you disagree, you are probably wondering why it is all I have posted lately, and all I can tell you is that this charade will most likely not end until pumpkins are in sight.  When our local grocery store is selling 5lb boxes of blueberries for $10, I can’t help but search for ways to coat them in sugar and throw them in my oven.

lemon_blueberry_bar_1

This week the reality of how soon our wedding is has really set in, and I have officially entered panic mode.  I am an anxious person anyways, but this anxiety is a whole new ball game.  It’s the cant-sleep, exhausted, ever-present-lump-in-your-throat kind.  Don’t get me wrong, we are over the moon excited, but this crunch time madness is serious stuff.

There is nothing better than being able to throw together something from scratch that tastes like you put a few hours in it- when really you didn’t have a few hours and it took minimal effort.  I love this recipe because it is no-fuss; you probably have the ingredients on hand and it is thrown together so easily!  Like pie, without the headache…

lemon_blueberry_bar_4

blueberry crumb bars by smitten kitchen
 
Print
Ingredients
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks or 8 ounces)
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Filling:
  • Zest and juice of one lemon
  • 4 cups fresh blueberries
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 4 teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9×13 inch pan.
  2. 2. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and lemon zest. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of dough into the prepared pan.
  3. 3. In another bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Gently mix in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.
  4. 4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Baking always helps me to relax a bit, that’s the reason I love it.  So, between now and August 9th I will most likely be living in my kitchen.  Eating these.

lemon_blueberry_bar_5lemon_blueberry_bar_2

shansig

 

 

 

Blueberry Crumb Bars
Posted in recipes, something sweet | Tagged | 3 Comments

a night out in mint

July 23, 2013

On Sunday we kicked off wedding activities with my wedding shower, hosted by Brandy J, along with my sister Brandy and friend Cassity and it could not have been more fabulous.  Not only was the party gorgeous, it was the first of wedding festivities and made me all the more excited for the few weeks to come!  This Saturday we are headed to Columbus for a night out with the girls- my bachelorette party.  I have been kept pretty “in the dark” about both my shower and my bachelorette party, but Brandy J asked me early on if I was okay with switching things up a bit.  In place of the usual bride in white and party goers in black- we opted for something more fitting to my taste; they will be in ivory and gold and I will be wearing mint.  I’m having fun already. 

bachelorette_invitation(Invites were designed by Brandy J- I couldn’t love them more!)

Planning for our night out I get to focus on the fun things- like my makeup and things that will go in my clutch (since my fabulous friends are taking care of the rest!)

shan_bachelorette_beauty_graphic_1

The dress, here.  1.Eye shadow: Kat Von D Palette for naturals with a fun pop of color (not to mention a great black to darken it up)! 2. Nars blush in Orgasm –the best blush ever created (truly great for every skin tone!)  3. Urban Decay Lashes -for bold lashes! 4. They’re Real! Mini Mascara by Benefit -This little mascara produces big results- and fits in your clutch perfectly.  5. Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Gloss – Gloss that tingles and enhances your lips natural pout.  6. Kenra Mini Hairspray – To tame those little fly-aways and keep your volume in check while you’re on the go.  7.Viva la Juicy and La Fleur mini perfume– These are not my “everyday” scents, but Viva la Juicy takes me back to a really fun season of my life every time I put it on.  I keep a little roller in my makeup bag for days that I need a little something extra, and it always does the trick.

So excited to celebrate with my favorite girls, and  even more excited for the dress that I get to put on after this little mint number…

shansig

 

 

Posted in beauty, product love | Tagged | 2 Comments

rain, rain, don’t go away

July 22, 2013

summer_rainy_day_look_3I never understood why people go on and on about living somewhere that is 75, sunny and “perfect” everyday, all year.  First of all, consistency is boring.  Who wants the same ideal weather day in and day out?  Second of all, sometimes a person needs a dark and gloomy day.  Like when a person only sleeps a few hours over the weekend, has a broken dryer and needs to rearrange furniture from hosting a bridal shower.  When I went to bed last night I was irritated thinking about what look to put together for a sunny summer day (and clearly too lazy to check the forecast for this morning).  Upon waking a smile came across my face due to the sound of rainfall.  An even bigger one sprouted when I thought about wearing my most fabulous Hunter wellies (gifted to me this past birthday by a dear friend who most definitely knows me well).  The look is complete with coffee in hand, of course sunnies would have aided in hiding the bags under my eyes but you can’t always have it all.

summer_rainy_day_look_2Please ignore the lack of makeup and “natural” hair.  My agenda consists of little to no chance of seeing other human beings today so I opted to skip the primping.

summer_rainy_day_look_1 summer_rainy_day_look_4 summer_rainy_day_look_5|WEARING| Hunter Original Boots/raglan tee similar/cuffed denim shorts similar/ceramic traveler similar/clear umbrella similar

brandyjsig

 

 

Posted in outfits, style | Tagged | 7 Comments

southern shandy

July 19, 2013

southern shandyOn Wednesday evening Sticky and I shot an e-session in this unbearable heat.  As we were wrapping up the last few shots I bent down to get a low angle and then felt what no one ever wants to feel – the closure of my pants popped.  I was already sweating but now I was really sweating and had to quickly figure out a way to strategically place my camera while standing so no one would notice (not to mention keep my pants from falling down).  Most sessions wrap up and we would be on our way but this incredibly sweet couple offered to take us to dinner (sweating even more now).  Luckily I did not have my purse with me so I had to make a stop at the car which gave me a chance to do pant surgery.  We were in a parking garage, which was of course 20 degrees hotter than the already dreadful outdoor air, and in no mood to mess with wardrobe malfunctions.  On examination of my poor pants I noticed that I failed to button the more secure inside closure when I slid them on (you know, the button that keeps the hook and clasp from breaking because it takes most of the pressure).  Good news is I still had the button closure to keep my pants up, bad news is all the stress and sweat of the situation had me looking like a drowned rat.  So when we arrived at the restaurant and Sticky asked me if I wanted a beer the answer was without question a YES.

When it is as hot as it has been this past week all I crave are ice cold refreshing drinks.  This beer cocktail has a crisp, clean taste, is just a little fruity and is served over ice for maximum chill factor.  It is a fantastic way to cool down on a sweltering day.  I could have drank the entire pitcher the other night (then again my pants would have popped for a different reason but I probably wouldn’t have cared).

southern shandyChose a beer that is not dark and would have a complimentary flavor to fruit (especially lemon).  Of course you can make fresh lemonade but seeing how Sticky offered to pick up my ingredients I decided store bought was more than ok.

southern shandyThe sound a bottle makes when it’s opened followed by the vapor that slowly creeps out of the top – there’s something sexy about that if you ask me.  And getting to open 3 in a row was such a treat (clearly it does not take much to keep me entertained).

southern shandyThis recipe can be easily double or tripled and thrown into one of those large drink dispensers for a fabulous party pleasing cocktail.  If you want to get really fancy set out a bowl of sliced peaches and lemon for garnish.

southern shandy

southern shandy
 
Print
Ingredients
  • 3 12 oz bottles of ice cold beer (not dark)
  • 4 cups of lemonade chilled
  • ½ cup peach brandy
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients and stir.
  2. Pour into glasses filled with ice.

recipe from Group Recipes

Cheers to beer cocktails and being able to keep our pants up.  Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

brandyjsig

 

 

Southern Shandy
Posted in cheers!, recipes | Tagged | 36 Comments

garage sale tips

July 18, 2013

garage_sale_tips_1The first weekend of August welcomes the 127 Yard Sale to our little town.  For the past 3 years we have been gathering our “no longer used” items and prepping them for the big event.  Preparing for a sale takes a lot of time and effort – obviously it’s not worth it unless you have a success on your hands.  Here are a few things I have learned along the way as well as learned from seasoned sellers.

garage_sale_tips_3

  • Be Prepared Go to your local dollar or discount store and purchase labels (sticker and tag – all sizes), safety pins, zip ties, plastic storage bags, poster board and markers.  It’s nice to have a garage sale kit on hand so that when it comes time for pricing you already have what you need.  The day before your sale be sure to collect plenty of change (bills and coins) for smooth transactions.
  • Price to Sell A garage sale is the last stop before the goodwill store so even if you are only make 50 cents off something that is 50 cents more than what you would make by donating it.  If you are not ready to sell a piece of furniture for $10 or a wool coat for $2 try craigslist or ebay first.  Some items will go for more on those sites and worth the time in shipping or delivering them to a buyer.
  • Group Sets Clear storage bags are great for holding sets such as drinking glasses, salt and pepper shakers or anything else that comes in multiples.  The items will no get separated and your shopper will know exactly what they are getting and how many.

garage_sale_tips_2

  • Collect “Free” Supplies There are few things I loathe more than a wire hanger.  But in the garage sale display world they are a gem to have because they do the job and if they come up missing I will certainly not cry over it.  Plastic bags are also great to hoard for your sale (you know, when you forget to grab your market tote for shopping).  Your shopper (who forgot their tote as well) will have something to take their goodies home as well as the goodies that the last not so smart garage seller handed to them without a bag.
  • Label ALL Items and Clearly Make sure every single item/set you are selling has a price tag.  If there is something a buyer should know about an item write it on the label.  You may not always be available to answer questions and some shoppers will not stick around to wait till you are.
  • Make a Display Just like a retail store the better your display the better your sales.  Set large items in the front (furniture, bikes, etc…) and have your tables and shelves with smaller items towards the back.  Organize items as if you are a mini department store.  Toy, kitchen, apparel (separated by gender and size) – the better the organization the easier it will be for your customer to find what they are looking for (or fall in love with something that they didn’t even know they had to have).

IMG_0850

  • Use Social Media Instagram and Facebook are a great place to pre-sell your items and get people excited about your upcoming sale.  Three years ago I had quite a collection of shoes to get rid of.  A couple of Instagrams and they were gone within 2 hours of opening my doors.
  • Make a Comfortable Environment Grab your iPod/iPhone dock and play music that makes people feel good.  On a cold morning set out a pot of coffee.  For hot days have lemonade on hand (better yet have your kids set up a lemonade stand).  People like it when you think about them and if they are having a good experience they are more likely to buy.
  • Join Forces The more full your garage sale looks the more enticing it is to shoppers.  Invite a friend to bring some things they are looking to get rid of over.  Be sure that they mark their tags with a distinguishable icon so that the designated cashier will know who’s is who’s.
  • Put on a Happy Face If there is ever a time to be extra friendly now would be it.  Being a people person will get you far in the garage sale world.  If you are the complete opposite of a people person you may want to pay someone a few bucks who is.  No one likes to purchase items from grumpy pants.

Garage sales are a lot of work but they can also be fun, a great way to meet people and of course the obvious – you have some brand spanking new cash in your pocket.  If you have any tips we would love to hear them.  Happy selling!

brandyjsig

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment