Organic Mint Julep Cocktail Recipe

We styled up this gorgeous and organic mint julep just in time for Derby weekend. I wound up finding an organic mint plant for less than $5.00 at my local Co-Op. I replanted it after making this recipe, and it's growing like a champ :) Have you ever had a Mint Julep? They're so fresh!

INGREDIENTS (adapted from this recipe): 

10 organic mint leaves, plus a sprig for garnish
1 1/2 teaspoons organic cane sugar
Water
Crushed ice
2 1/2 ounces Kentucky bourbon whiskey

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place the mint leaves in the bottom of acute  glass and top with the sugar. Muddle these together until the leaves begin to break down. Add a splash of filtered or seltzer water, fill the glass 3/4 full with crushed ice, and add the bourbon. Top with another splash of seltzer, stir, and garnish with a sprig of mint. Serve immediately.

Carbondale Community Farmer's Market - Weeks 1 & 2

So we have a new(ish) Farmer's Market in Carbondale. It happens every Wednesday afternoon from 3-6 pm. Tomorrow marks the third week, and I love the whole vibe of this market so much. The Carbondale Community Farmer's Market began operating out of the Carbondale Community High School a few years ago, and also hosted Carbondale's only Winter Farmer's Market. They wanted to provide a summer market to the city that serves this vibrant community, and wanted to help make local, small-batch, and organic produce and products available. The market is really wonderful.

Feel free to check out my two photo Facebook albums: Week 1 ~ Week 2

Radishes From Homer Grown

The market is great for families!

Scratch Beer offers refreshing craft sodas at the market, as well as home made croutons and other bread items and mixes.

All Seasons Farm - All Local, All Organic

All Seasons Farm - All Local, All Organic

Yay! Cascade Hops from Flora Bay Farm

Pie From Longbranch Coffee House 

Herbal Salve from Dayempur Herbals

Week 1 ~ Week 2

Erin Pelicano Jewelry

I absolutely love photographing anything from Erin Pelicano. I was so inspired by the city of Santa Fe, because of the gorgeous architecture, and the history of the buildings and my surroundings. I absolutely LOVE the fact that so many of the doorways, doors, and other parts of the buildings are painted mint or blue. Erin's necklaces always arrive wrapped in light blue tissue paper, so I thought that the mint railing would be the perfect place to photograph her necklaces. I also utilized an adorable courtyard (that I had all to myself!), and was able to work on her photos near a fountain and lots of pretty early Spring flowers. Such a magical place to work! I had so much fun with this project, and I hope you enjoy!! 

And, of course, these necklaces are wonderful gifts for Mother's Day and beyond! I have given these to various women in my family, and they are wearing them every time I visit! Erin Pelicano jewelry is always made from either real silver or gold, which I think sets her work far above the rest! 

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Find Erin Pelican Jewelry On The Web

Learn more about Erin Pelicano Jewelry on her website. 

If you are in need of product photography for your goods, please comment below, or feel free to Contact Me for quotes! I would love to help you capture the beauty of your products.

Chocolate + Cashmere - Santa Fe, NM

I was so impressed by Chocolate + Cashmere in Santa Fe. The store was a breath of fresh air, and I literally never wanted to leave :) The sign itself drew me into this boutique during my final hour of shopping time in Santa Fe, on the last day we were there. They were one of the last shops open this night, so I was very fortunate to be able to stop in, take some photos, and grab a few chocolates. Chocolate + Cashmere is located at: 109 East Palace, Santa Fe, NM 87501. They also have a location in Taos, NM. 

Chocolate + Cashmere proudly offers Golightly Cashmere (learn more here). 

Local Santa Fe chocolates available, in so many amazing flavors. 

I absolutely loved the necklaces. They were a bit out of my price range, at about $300 each, but they were locally handmade, and stunning!

Chocolate + Cashmere displays all of the available colors of cashmere on a wall display (below).

And, the chocolate again! 

Isn't this store just beautiful!

Toad&Co And Our Road Trip Through Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree National park was one of the most incredible parks we have ever visited. We have been to  National Parks, and this one takes the cake! We also got incredibly wonderful light the day we drove through, so that was even more perfect than I could have ever imagined. 

The National Parks We Have Visited Include:

Saguaro, Joshua Tree, Redwood, Great Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde, Rocky Mountain, Hawaii Volcanoes, Yellowstone, Glacier, Badlands, Arches, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, Zion, Shenandoah, Mt. Rainier, North Cascades, Olympic, Grand Teton!!! 

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Aah, memories!! I was also super happy that I could bring along some new items from Toad&Co. The Gemma Dress is beyond amazing! Perfect for the warmer weather we experienced while in the southwest in March. It fits like a dream, has a stretchy drawstring waist, perfect pockets, and is made from a stretchy material that I just love. Learn more about the Gemma Dress here. This dress is amazing because the length is perfect. And, this is the only dress that I have worn on a windy day that stays put! Couldn't believe it, but it's completely amazing. 

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I was so happy when I spotted the first Joshua Tree (in the first photo in this post)!!! Definitely the most unique and quite beautiful trees I have ever seen, and I love the look of them so much. Around that time, I also saw some of the first rock formations, which looked very smooth from far away, but were actually very rough, and very grippy - which is probably perfect for climbing. The rock shapes also seemed very conducive for climbing. 

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I also brought along these Jetlite Pants, which were comfortable to wear for hours and hours! They were amazingly comfortable, and a bit of a higher waisted design, which has soft elastic. I could not believe how well these fit! And, if you wear them with a shorter cropped shirt, you can show off your cute silhouette in these whether you're road tripping, hiking, lounging, in the office, or shopping. 

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We entered Joshua Tree from the entrance east of Coachella (by about 20 miles), and at first, all we saw were smaller yucca style plants, which looked like what I would assume Joshua Trees look like when they are young. No rock formations, and not much of anything, just desert. Then, we drove a little more, and the road started to snake around a bit more, and it was surprisingly 45 mph through most of the park. We began to see tons and tons of Jumping Cholla, which are all over Arizona, so that was pretty cool.

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Bobby had backpacked in the park before I even knew him, and he told me about the amazing campgrounds, rock formations, climbers, and these mysteriously strange looking trees...Joshua Trees, but I still hadn't seen either of these things. We could begin to see mountains all around us and I was beginning to get super excited, because mountains make me happy :)

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The Joshua Trees began to get thicker, and they basically took over the landscape, amongst these awesome rock formations, all at a bit of a distance, but very majestic. Like I said, the light was incredible this day, and we were in the park just before sunset. Stunning!!!

Thanks for checking out my road trip, and these awesome clothes from Toad&Co. Perfect for a road trip to just about anywhere! Have you ever been to Joshua Tree? 

Honeywell Lyric Thermostat

This thermostat ROCKS! Check back later today for easy DIY instructions on how to install the Lyric Thermostat! 

Papago Brewing Co. - Scottsdale, AZ

Another stop on our quest for craft beer was Papago Brewing Co. 

7107 E McDowell Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85257

We drove a little ways to get to this place, but it was really nice. We almost couldn't find it, because it was one of the few businesses still operating in this strip mall. Nonetheless, I am really happy we went! The food was decent too, not a huge menu but the Nachos with pork added were good, the Caprese Salad was fresh, and the Thai Chicken Wrap was great! 

Their food was a nice addition to the amazing beer selection! And, it is a bottle shop where you can have the bartender open any bottle in the cooler and drink it on sight! They also had quite a few beers on draught, including their own beers, 30 taps with various, rotating selections. I took a pick your 6 pack home. 

We tried the Transatlantic Kriek beer from New Belgium / Lips Of Faith. It was amazing!!! Love the tart cherry flavor and the beautiful red color of this beer. 

THE BEER

"We feature 30 beers on tap. And every time a keg runs out, a different one takes its place. You will never see the same lineup twice. We also offer over 500 different bottled beers to drink on site or to take home. We love beers from all over the world, and you can choose from a wide selection of Belgian, German, and English beers from our coolers and on tap. But our pride and our specialty is kick-ass American craft beer. We love to drink local, and we love to offer the best of the best from microbreweries around the country."

The Thai Chicken Wrap, Potato Salad, and a Pickle. 

The nachos were also good. we added pork to them, and there were all sorts of good toppings. 

Learn more about the Transatlantique Kriek Ale here. It's sour and delicious! 

About This Beer: "In a never-ending quest to create new beers and defy category, New Belgium Brewing and Old Beersel of Belgium have partnered to create TRANSATLANTIQUE KRIEK, a spontaneously fermented lambic ale made with sour cherries. The 2016 edition of Transatlantique Kriek began life in the oaken vessels of Gert Christiaens’ Oud Beersel, a 130-year-old Belgian lambic brewery. After time spent aging in wood, Oud Beersel’s lambic was blended with tart cherries and shipped across the Atlantic to New Belgium. In concert with Oud Beersel’s cherry lambic, or kriek, we blended in a portion of our own sour Felix from our foeder forest, and created a golden brew to mix in, and round out, the engaging beer. The intense cherry nose leads to a pleasing tart, sweet flash across the palate. Crisp and effervescent, Transatlantique Kriek is a trip worth taking."

I thought it was really neat that families gathered here either before or after their kids' baseball games. I saw lots of families in Papago. 

Milkyway Cases

THE YIN YANG MANDALA CASE

This case is gorgeous! It is boho and beautiful, and fits my phone really nicely. I love the all-over pattern of the mandala, it's so pretty! This one makes me think of all the fun memories summer music festivals bring. 

EYES CASE IN CLEAR

This also fit onto my phone very snug and nicely. I really like the mix of black and "gold" on this case, and the art is so great. I was inspired to use some eye makeup for the props in these photos :) The vibe of this case is more tumblr to me than boho. See ing the art on this case made me want to start drawing and sketching again, like I did when I was younger. 

What are your favorite Milkyway designs? Check out all of the new cases here! 

Vanity Planet - Pure Spin Facial Brush

I cannot even describe just how soft this facial brush is! So soft that I would even feel safe using it on skin near my eyes and my most sensitive skin! My face feels extremely soft after using this brush, and I am super happy to be able to include it in my newest face washing routine. I aways use this facial brush with my new favorite face wash, Cetaphil. 

And, this facial brush is only $30!! SHOP HERE NOW. 

You still have time to order these before Valentine's Day! {Or even hint to someone that this would be a great last-minute Valentine's Day present} - And, there are three color options, and I think the black and white version would be great as a Guy Gift! 

I like that they provide THREE color options! 

The Super Soft Facial Brush from Vanity Planet

So, if you are looking into refreshing and improving your facial care routine, check out the Vanity Planet brushes, here! 

Nature Hills Nursery - A Special Plant Delivery, and an IZZE Cocktail Recipe!

Over the holidays, Nature Hills Nursery sent me the most adorable mini Christmas tree ever. Now, they surprised me with something much larger! This gorgeous philodendron arrived at my doorstep and I absolutely love it. It's on sale for over half off right now, Find It Here! These plants are gorgeous, and arrive at your doorstep super quickly. 

*VALENTINE'S DAY GIFT IDEA*

I think larger, more mature plants would make an amazing Valentine's Day gift! Send one to your loved one's office, or home, and brighten their day! Every time they see this gorgeous plant (it will last for years, believe me...), they will think of your love :)

Tropical Charm for Inside or Out

Split Leaf Philodendron, Philodendron selloum, is one of many varieties of Philodendron plants with tropical allure and a hardy nature. Place one of these indoors where it will have space to climb and you can enjoy watching its progress.

Split Leaf Philodendron has been a favorite of gardeners for years—as a garden plant, but also as a lovely, indoor houseplant. The heart-shaped leaves are huge (almost 3-feet long), with an appearance reminiscent of something you’d see in a rainforest.

It’s like bringing a bit of the tropics into your home! Split Leaf’s delightful green leaves are deeply-lobed with a glossy finish that easily catches the light and presents a vibrant appearance wherever it’s planted.

In optimal conditions, your Split Leaf Philodendron will reach 12 feet with a 15-foot spread. Split Leaf Philodendron is a vigorous grower and easy to care for. It prefers humidity, but will tolerate some dry conditions. There are no pest or disease concerns and Split Leaf is quite hardy.

Split Leaf Philodendron’s positive features make it easy to see why it’s so often the choice of homeowners for both inside and out. Even if your climate isn’t appropriate for a Philodendron to live outside, why not bring one indoors this year. You’ll soon view it as one of the best houseplants you’ve ever owned!

*Evergreen
*Cold hardy
*Great for containers
*Grow Inside or Out

I also thought that this fun IZZE Cocktail would look superb along side of the philodendron. 

INGREDIENTS:

IZZE Sparkling Raspberry, Frozen Blackberries, Vodka or Tequila (Optional), Cute Glasses

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Fill glasses half way with ice, pour in 1 shot of alcohol (Optional), add IZZE Sparkling Blackberry (love the fizziness of this drink!), and garnish with 2 frozen blackberries!

Note: This drink is not incredible sweet, which is nice. But, you could add a tiny bit of Agave if you want! Enjoy!

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Oatmeal Recipe

Hearty, Yummy Oatmeal! This recipe tastes as good as it looks!

INGREDIENTS:

Oatmeal

Milk or Water (for oatmeal)

2 slices bacon

Red and Green Peppers

2 Eggs

Shredded Cheese

Salt and Seasoning To Taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

- Cook desired amount of oatmeal, as per directions on container, using either milk or water.

- Meanwhile, cook or bake bacon until it is crispy. You can also use bacon bits, but I cannot resist the smell of fresh bacon! Chop up bacon into small, bite sized pieces. 

- In a separate skillet, scramble 2 eggs, and season with salt, pepper, and your other favorite seasonings. Add chopped up green and red peppers to your eggs if you wish.

- Pour finished oatmeal into a bowl, and top with scrambled eggs and peppers, sliced pieces of bacon, and finally, top with cheese!

Enjoy!

2015 Year In Review

I had an incredible year, last year, and I think it will be great to share all of the fun things with you. Sometimes, I think I am never doing enough, completing enough, scratching a line through enough items on my endless to-do list. Do you ever feel that way? I think this post will also be an amazing way to look back at all of the wonderful places we went, and things I accomplished throughout 2015. It is so important to share the things you are thankful for, and I am thankful for health, happiness, and all of the fun opportunities I had last year. Here's to another circle around the sun!!! 

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JANUARY

In late January of 2015, I decided it was a good idea for me to move over to a .com from my long-standing blogspot blog. I am still very happy that I chose to go to a .com! My previous blog was - http://lily-the-wandering-gypsy.blogspot.com/. Throughout the whole year of 2015, I had over 150,000 Page Views on lily-the-wandering-gypsy.com, and I am so happy about that!!! I also started my super popular Group Pinterest Board, called Inspire Me. 

I also created some pretty awesome things, like my Mixed Berry and Banana Smoothie Recipe, and this Beautiful Fleece Cowl Scarf. 

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FEBRUARY

I had the experience of a lifetime in February when I went to Laguna Niguel, CA to speak at The Re/Code Media conference at THE RITZ (!!!) on a panel of "New Influencers". This was a monumental trip that you can read all about here. 

This month, I also ramped up my holiday-inspired posts by making a few Valentine's Day Posts. I had lots of traffic from my post about Beautiful Bacon Roses and still love them so much! Another super popular post was my Candy Heart Tutorial. I photographed some beautiful goodies from Brightly Twisted, too! I also started a blog called Bisque This! (which I later turned into Bisque-This.com). This definitely marked a point where I began creating some really nice recipes and posting them. 

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MARCH

Some of the posts I made in March were these Bacon Wrapped Pineapple Rings, and the Tater Tot Horseshoe. We also created some gorgeous styled photos for Alice & Marie! We got out of the cold Illinois weather this month and headed out to Arizona!!! For some reason, I was silly and didn't post much about it on my blog...probably because of the complete lack of good internet while we were galavanting around in the desert? Who knows, but we had such an incredibly time, we are going back in March of 2016! I promise I will post more along the way this time around...PROMISE! 

The places we visited in March on our Southwest Road Trip include: Truth or Consequences, NM, Saguaro National Park, Cave Creek, AZ. Read about Utah Below...

AND ANOTHER THING...

Bobby and I also got to work on an amazing project for L'Oreal Advanced Hairstyles while we were in Arizona. I could not think of a more gorgeous place/backdrop for photos! View my portfolio here. I also created a Dedicated Pinterest Board, called Style It - Change It - Own It, which I had a lot of fun with! 

OFF TO UTAH

We had an amazing time doing each and every National Park in Utah - so glad we had a National Parks Pass. Zion National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Escalante, Canyonlands, Kodachrome Basin, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Moab, UT. What an unforgettable time!

Escalante National Park

Escalante National Park

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Bryce Canyon National Park - Click To See Larger

Our Trusty Prius At Kodachrome! 

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APRIL

In April, the weather finally started to warm up here in Illinois, and I was creating even more content. I also started (another) blog for fashion-only, called She's So Chic (which I need to revisit pretty badly...). 

Bobby and I also created some more content and a Dedicated Pinterest Board for L'Oreal Infalliable Makeup. Another incredible and honorable projects that I was so happy to create.

I also created this DIY Daily Planner post, which remains my most popular post to date! I also created this Festival Ready Flower Crown, in honor of Coachella and Bonnaroo. 

I visited the Nashville Country Living fair with my mom and sister, and had a great time! 

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MAY

Another fun month! I collaborated with Sony Pictures to help promote their movie, Aloha! We have been to Hawaii three times, so I thought this was a really fun and inspiring project. Check out the Dedicated Pinterest Board and Blog Post talking more about the project. I was also named in the Top 100 Pinners of 2015 by Daily Tekk. I also created this Tassel Earrings Tutorial, and photographed Emblem Eyewear Sunnies.

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JUNE

In June, I created a great post for HelloSociety about my Top 5 Pinterest Tips! It was shared quite a few times!!! I also created another boho tutorial, showing how to embellish the cutest boots ever! I also created some adorable onesies, and took some photos at our amazing Farmer's Market, one of which was featured on the VSCO blog! 

Speaking of Farmer's Markets, Carbondale gained a new Farmer's Market this past summer, and they had a great selection of local veggies. And, check out my favorite Bloody Mary Recipe ever! 

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JULY

This month, I worked with Nordstrom Rack to help promote their clothing on Pinterest! I created a new Tumblr site, called Wandering Gypsy Fashion Blog, to focus one site on fashion-only. I also photographed this organic lotion line from Ayushi Woods. We also gave a $100 Gift Certificate To one lucky winner! I also created this fun Raspberry Mint Spritzer Recipe. 

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AUGUST - OUR BIG ROAD TRIP + MORE

Things heated up this month with an amazing collaboration with Ulta Beauty Hair & Cosmetics. I also created an amazingly delicious No-Bake Cheesecake Recipe, perfect as individual servings! 

 The second week of August, we took the biggest road trip we have EVER taken!!! Again, I did not really post much about this on my blog, but I promise to blog more on upcoming road trips, promise! 

OUR ROAD TRIP...

We spent about 6 weeks on the road throughout August and September. We visited places in Colorado like Glenwood Springs, Crested Butte, Silverton, Ouray, and Silverton. I got a few photos, but this was when Lily was having a really hard time, so it's very hard to even go back and look at photos from this time...We lost one of our very best friends on the trip, though, and I have still never felt the same without her. Lily the AmStaff will always be loved and I am happy she had such an adventurous life. 

OFF TO CALIFORNIA

Lake Tahoe

San Francisco

Westport

OREGON

Waldport

Cannon Beach + Portland

WASHINGTON

Olympic Peninsula - Kalaloch Lodge 

Whidbey Island

MONTANA + IDAHO

On the way back home, we drove through Ketchum, Idaho, and Missoula, Montana. 

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SEPTEMBER

Some of the photos from August actually took place in September, but this month, I wanted to feature the projects we completed in August and September. We worked with Bacardi (!!!), Missouri Department of Tourism, Emma Stine, and the FYI Network for their show Style: Unzipped. 

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OCTOBER

Another pretty incredible month. While working on Halloween projects, I got an email from HelloSociety and Skype, asking me if I wanted to visit New York City (in a few days...), and help with a Skype Halloween Party for The Lower East Side Girls' Club! They flew me out, and then put me up in a (hotel). i had an amazing time and learned so many new things. Check out my tips for a great Halloween Party With Skype, and my trip to New York City! (Thanks, Skype!!!!)

I also created some amazing photos for Sony Pictures' movie, Burnt. This was one of the hardest projects I have ever done and loved learning so much from it. 

I also created a few photos for Toad&Co. 

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NOVEMBER

Going back to loving to cook, I created a great Stuffed Squash Recipe, a 7 Can Soup Recipe, took photos of Fall Ice Cream Treats at Cold Stone Creamery, and also shot some gorgeous photos for Erin Pelicano Jewelry. Her work is beautiful! I also created this gift guide, and also shot a few photos inspired by e.l.f. cosmetics for their #PlayBeautifully project. 

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DECEMBER

Wow, I did quite a bit this month! Christmas and the holidays were such a great inspiration for me, and I actually worked with Harley-Davidson! I think we got some great photos and I also made them a Dedicated Board. I also styled up a beautiful watch by JORD Wood Watches, made in St. Louis, just 2 hours from here. 

I also created some awesome DIY Gift Bags, an Ugly Christmas Sweater Dog Bandana, Pumpkin Oat Dog Treats, Holiday Decor with Nature Hills Nursery, Red Cocktail Recipes, Frozen Hot Chocolate Pie (YUM!!), Soft Gingerbread Cookies, Sugar Cookies From Scratch, styled up some more e.l.f. makeup, and also styled a cute New Year's Eve Party, which was featured here on Kara's Party Ideas.

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Whew! So, that's my last year in a big gigantic nutshell! I hope this inspires you, I know it will help me keep motivated to continue to create new things and travel to new places! 

This post was inspired by This Post from Inspired By Charm! 

Hot Chocolate With A Hint Of Bam!

I love a good hot chocolate! I would take a mug of hot cocoa over coffee any day! It's just something about steamed milk and chocolate that make me feel so warm. 

HOT CHOCOLATE RECIPES:

BASE HOT CHOCOLATE (1 SERVING):

Fill a mug with milk, and pour it into a small lidded sauce pan. Begin to warm the milk on medium-low heat for 4 minutes, with the lid on. Add 3 Tablespoons of chocolate syrup to the saucepan, stir, and heat for another 2 minutes. Wait a few minutes until is has cooled a bit, and pour the hot chocolate back into your mug. Top with a generous amount of whipped cream, and enjoy! It will be very hot, so please be careful! 

VARIATION: MOCHA CINNAMON

Add 2 ounces espresso and 1 tablespoon cinnamon simple syrup to each mug of hot chocolate. 

VARIATION: CHAI SPICE

Add 2 pods star anise, 10 cracked cardamom pods, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 1 tsp grated ginger, 6 ounces strong black tea, and 3 Tbsp. dark brown sugar. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, without letting the mixture come to a boil. Strain spices, and ladel hot chocolate into mugs.  

Enjoy!!

Check Out My DIY Page!

I just created a new page that helps you find all of my DIY projects in one place. I had so much fun going back through all of the fun projects I had created in 2015, and thinking about all of the great things I want to make, design, and share in 2016. If you have any requests, or ideas for me, just comment below! Happy Crafting!!

e.l.f. #PlayBeautifully - December Makeup Finds

I hope you got a chance to check out my November post for e.l.f. - Now, I have a few more awesome products to show you! 

The most interesting items in this post would have to be the Eye Liner and the Sculpting Face Brush. The Eye Liner looks a bit like a marker at first glance, but it will definitely give you a couple of options. Either a more polished every day look, or a more dramatic cat-eye for a more glam look. The Eye Liner would be perfect for a road trip, or a flight, because it's super compact, and would not be messy at all. The Sculpting Face Brush has more compact bristles, so I think it would be perfect for bronzer to sculpt your makeup look. 

I thought that a glittery background would be perfect for this makeup, because a little glitter and glam never hurt anybody! I love the way our studio lights make the products pop. The e.l.f. packaging has always appealed to me. Love that chic black and white look to it all. 

I think the New Year is a perfect time to take a look at our makeup bags, and refresh them! Add a few of these e.l.f. products to your daily or night-out routine, and you can try out all the new looks you've been seeing on Pinterest for under $10! 

The products pictured in this post are as follows: Sculpting Face Brush, 3-in-1 Mascara, Clay Eye Shadow Palette (in Smoked Perfection), Extra Thick Ink Eyeliner, and the Long-Lasting Lustrous Eyeshadow (in Toast).

Disclosure: e.l.f. sent me these products so I could share them with you. I hope you enjoy!!! 

Easy Starfish Bobby Pin Tutorial

A while back, I did one of my favorite collabs of 2015. I created this awesome DIY Tutorial when I was working with Sony Pictures to help promote their Aloha movie! I hope you enjoy this Tutorial!!! Check out my entire post I did for Aloha HERE. 

Celebrate The Holidays With Nature Hills Nursery

I love my newest addition to my plant family! This Colorado Blue Spruce is just the right size, and I am going to plant it after the holidays. See, I'm the type of person who despises seeing live-cut Christmas trees on the curb less than a week after Christmas. It almost makes me cringe, knowing that the tree could have just been taken home with the roots in tact, in hopes of planting a tree in your yard or in a nearby park or nature preserve. 

These cute mini trees from Nature Hills Nursery would really make a wonderful gift! The Quart Sized Blue Spruce, pictured below, can be found here. 

And, here is a cute way to display your mini tree - I found this amazing silver serving tray at an antique shop and absolutely LOVE it! Place the tree in a galvanized metal bucket, set the tree onto the silver tray, and place as many vintage ornaments as you can onto the tray. I love how everything looks so classic and sparkles so beautifully! I also put a star-shaped cookie cutter by the silver tray for an extra bit of whimsy! 

A special thanks to Nature Hills Nursery for sending me this adorable Colorado Blue Spruce! I absolutely love it and am excited to see it grow huge over the next few years! 

Find Nature Hills Nursery Around The Web - { Pinterest / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Website }

More fun with JORD Wood Watches!

So, I did another photoshoot with my newest, and more favorite accessory, my JORD wood watch! (I am modeling the Fieldcrest Watch In Maple) In this post, I am also featuring some of my other favorite clothing items! Use my link here.

Dress/Tunic Top by BKE  // Tie Dyed Scarf by Brightly Twisted // Wood Watch by JORD // Merrell Boots (Similar Here) // Fossil Sydney Satchel Handbag

So, check out al of the beautiful watches that JORD has to offer here. 

Clementine Surfwear - Tie Dyes + Home Goods

Tie Dye is something that has always caught my eye. I love the intricacies in the colors fading into one another, and I love the amazing patterns that can be created by simply tying and folding fabric in certain ways. And, generally no two tie dyed pieces will ever be alike, just like a snowflake! A few years ago, I tried my hand at Tie Dying and it went well, but it takes a ton of hard work. My favorite part was always unwrapping my creations after they had been sitting overnight, and seeing what amazing things happened. 

So, when Carol contacted me to see if I could help her capture the beauty of her creations, I jumped at the chance to see her work in person and show you just how wonderful her work is! 

Clementine Surfwear is based in Los Angeles, and I am sure you will see that warm weather vibe in all of her work. She creates some gorgeous tie dyed clothing perfect for layering up, lounging around, heading to yoga class, or grooving at a local concert or a festival! 

Tie Dye isn't just for summer! Check out these cool weather options, and layer them up with some cute socks, boots, and a scarf! Above, the tie dyed hoodie, leggings, and beanie. 

HOODIES - LEGGINGS - BEANIE CAP - DISH TOWELS 

Above, you can see a pink long sleeve v-neck, beanie cap, two sets of leggings, and fingerless gloves! Everything is incredibly soft, and made from super nice materials. I have a feeling I will be sporting these garments for a long time! 

Another one of Carol's more recent creations are these adorable dish towels and tote bags. They say, Kiss The Cook, Drink The Wine, Kiss The Cook! These would make adorable housewarming or holiday gifts. So, check out her screen printed goods here. 

And, make sure to check out Clementine Surfwear on Instagram!

Wood Watches by JORD #jordwatch

Looking for a fun gift, made in the USA? Here is a fun idea for you! I absolutely love this unique, and very well-made Wood Watch By JORD. I am sharing the Fieldcrest Watch in Maple! It is absolutely gorgeous, it's one of the nicest pieces of jewelry I own. 

See how I styled up this cute watch for the holidays, and check out our very first Stop Motion video!!! So happy with the outcome, and cannot wait to create another :)

Make sure to check out JORD Wood Watches around the web!

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