Champagne Nails

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So I had one hour to myself last night. ONE HOUR. Instead of wallowing in nail pity – when you look down at your hands and think “I’m so sorry guys, you look terrible and it’s all my fault” – I decided to do something about it. I had just enough time to do this speedy and fabulous manicure, making my nails party ready. To create champagne nails all you need is your favorite go-to pink shade and some glittery polish for the tips. I used Zoya “Sari” and Ciate “Antique Brooch” but I found the exact same glitter polish in the stash I have for my daughter called “Gilded Rose” by Maybelline (available at Target). THERE IS STILL TIME TO GET PRETTY NAILS LADIES!

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This manicure is super easy and basically mistake prove since the glitter is pretty forgiving. Start by doing 2 coats of the pink shade. A lighter pink works best, especially one a little translucent. Mistakes show up less with a light shade and if you are anything like me you need an “easy” color to apply. Once dry, add glitter to the tips by brushing slowly across entire top of nail and come down a little further at edges. Add a clear top coat if desired. Voila! Your nails will look like little glasses of champagne.

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This polish will be good for a week at least. The glitter hides any chips in the tips, and you can go over tips as needed to add more sparkle. And P.S. how cute is my new heart ring? It was a last minute Christmas present I bought for myself from Irina Victoria Jewelry. I absolutely love the delicate (yet budget friendly) pieces. Cheers and Happy New Year everyone! XO

 

 

What Are You Wearing New Year’s Eve?

Forget the question “what are you doing New Year’s Eve?” I’m just concerned with what we are wearing New Year’s Eve. There is a chance we will be at a party, but there is also a chance we’ll be at home watching the televised countdown. Either way, I am sure to be in sequins with a glass of champagne maintaining a semblance of glam since that is how you start off the New Year right, right? Here are several options so you can be sparkly. Just add the bubbly.

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Feel shiny and new in a sequin tee shirt ($17.99!!)with faux leather leggings ($23.98!!). 

Or a pencil skirt fully sequined and ready for the countdown. After New Years, pair it with a fuzzy sweater and booties for a night out. I love this dress, too. So many options…it makes me wish sequins were acceptable for everyday.

Pregnant? H&M has sequins for all!

maternity sequin tee shirt  // maternity sequin leggings

 

Velvet Pants

Are you looking for something special to make a perfect outfit for Christmas Eve, Christmas Breakfast (or brunch or dinner), New Years Eve, New Years Day, etc. etc.? I have something for you.

Velvet skinnies with stretch are a great holiday option and you can find a pair at the Gap, which means you can also most likely get them for 40% off bringing them to $27. They come in several colors and I want them ALL. From beautiful burgundy to a stunning pewter, they can be easily paired with dressy and casual pieces.

I initially went to all the black tops in my closet, but stopped and had a much needed intervention. “You don’t have to wear black with everything,” I said. “Let the comfort of black go.” So, I paired my velvet skinnies with an oversized cream sweater and my favorite Frye boots for a casual look.

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I paired it with a beautiful knit and sparkle flats for a dressed up, let’s go to the Nutcracker outfit.

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My denim shirt goes with just about everything, and velvet is no exception.

I made a “coffee with friends” or “have coffee at home on couch” casual look with this top from Old Navy (bargain!) and added a pink sweater to tie it together. Add in my sparkle ballet flats again.

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Lastly, I have a lovely green silk top that has been calling “put me on!” So I gave it a go. Slipped on some nude sandals with gemstones to match, and I have a really nice take me out to dinner option.

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I paired them with a light pink faux fur. Well, I wish. Until the day that beautiful coat is back in stock (soon pretty please!), I will be pairing these wine-colored velvet pants with a whole lot of color because they go with so much and I’ve kicked myself out of the black clothing rut.

 

Jeans and Gingerbread

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Joy to the world! I found the best jeans and I am going to share my new pair with you, in hopes I can make your holidays magical with great pants. It’s going to be like one of those Old Navy commercials where you will be running to the store. Because it is the giving season, I also want to share an essential gingerbread cookie recipe sure to crown you “best cookie baker” at your exchange or at least make your kids super happy with the yummiest of yummy cookies.

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Yes, I ate that entire cookie and half the batch, but first I want to tell you about my jeans. If you sit-stand-sit-stand, squat to floor, rise back up, pick up baby, put baby down, crawl, jump, etc. everyday, all day, you need a pair of my favorite jeans. They bend with you, stay up most of the time (because let’s be real, there is no jean that will stay up all the time unless they are painted on you) and most of all will not make you feel like a snowman stuffed into a pair of pants after 6 gingerbread cookies because they stretch with you.

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Let me introduce you to my denim best friend…[drum roll please]…Old Navy Rockstar Jeans, the mid-rise version and especially with the brushed interior (i.e. super soft). I know this a lot of information but stay with me. Mid-rise is fabulous. We all know low-rise is pretty impossible to wear after childbirth unless you a) don’t have a muffin top or b) are only wearing them for a night out. High rise is awesome and I applaud anyone who can pull it off without feeling like an elderly hipster. I cannot, and anything high rise in denim treads way too close to mom jeans country. Mid-rise is a sweet spot where the jeans stay up and flatter your frame no matter what body type you are blessed with. When I started wearing my new jeans more often than my good ol’ standby leggings, I knew I had found the denim unicorn -miraculous jeans so comfortable you want to wear them everyday. I even wear them to Gymboree Play and Music and don’t swear at myself I made a huge mistake by trying to skip the yoga pants!

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I promised you something else necessary in your life – gingerbread cookies so delicious, people who claim they don’t like gingerbread love them. Not that I need to spend my free time convincing people gingerbread makes you feel warm and fuzzy and everything cozy with one chewy, lightly spiced bite.

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This is not your typical gingerbread cookie with overpowering spices. They have the perfect balance of ginger, cloves and cinnamon with a hint of orange. They are chewy and have the best texture EVER, unless you over bake them. If you are like me and sure to over bake at least one cookie sheet-full, I’ve found the older types in my family love “crunchy” cookies, namely Nana and Papa. Make a batch or 4, some hot cocoa and settle in. Your home will smell amazing and may make you want to snuggle with a baby, small child, dog, husband or heated blanket.

The BEST Gingerbread Cookies. Ever.

Notes – Icing is not mandatory. The cookies are excellent on their own. They also freeze magnificently. You can bake them in early December, freeze, and take out at will as the days fly by. They also make awesome teacher gifts in a sweet little tin. I am a huge fan of Earth’s Balance Buttery Sticks though the original recipe calls for margarine. When making these cookies a few years ago, I had been looking for a margarine replacement because I did not like what is in margarine (and still don’t) and haven’t looked back. 

ingredients:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) margarine
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 3 teaspoons orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed orange juice (don’t panic, use the orange you just zested)
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • additional flour for work surface

Cream together margarine and sugar. Add egg, blending until light and fluffy. Add orange zest, orange juice and corn syrup.

Sift flour, spices and baking soda. Slowly add to margarine-sugar mixture. Wrap dough in cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

When ready to bake, pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats. Work with one quarter of the dough at a time, leaving the rest in the refrigerator. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4″ thickness. Use cookie cutter shapes of your choice and place 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden – do not let edges brown unless crunchy cookies are your thing. Cool cookies for 2 minutes on baking sheets before moving to a wire rack. Ice cookies with royal icing once completely cool.

Royal Icing (completely optional)

ingredients:

  • 2 cups confectioners sugar
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract (preferably oil free)
  • 1/4 cup water, plus a few tablespoons

Mix vanilla extract into half the water. Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, combine confectioners sugar and meringue powder on lowest setting. Slowly add extract/water to sugar/meringue powder. The icing will be thick and lumpy but don’t worry! Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula and continue to add remaining water until the mixture looks smooth and thick – you may not need all the water. Turn the mixer to medium and whip icing for approximately 2-4 minutes, until thick and fluffy. Stop mixing when the icing can make a soft peak.  Keep a spray bottle of water around to spritz icing to desired consistencies.

For the gingerbread houses, I use a stiff icing in a piping bag with a #3 wilton tip to outline houses. I then go in with flood icing (simply stiff icing watered down with a spray bottle to desired consistency and placed in a squeeze bottle) to fill any spaces I want covered, and add Wilton white sparkling sugar.

I love sweetsugarbelle.com. Her recipe for royal icing is by far the best, and she explains the whole process better than I ever could.

Links to outfit:

striped tee // best jeans ever // glittery ballet flats