Taste Trunk - July 2013 BBQ Trunk (Review and Coupon)

I'm really excited to share a new subscription service with you all today!  After much deliberation, I finally decided to cancel my GLOSSYBOX subscription (I'll probably share more details of why in a future post).  I had been seriously considering canceling GLOSSYBOX for a few months, and when I discovered Taste Trunk at the end of June, that was the last little push I needed to seal the deal.

Taste Trunk is a brand new foodie subscription service.  From what I can tell, they just launched in June.  From their website, Taste Trunk allows you to order individual products through their online store and also to sign up for their monthly trunks.  Taste Trunk offers 4 different trunks each month to subscribers: The Gourmet Trunk, The Health Trunk, The Sweet Trunk, and The BBQ Trunk.  Each trunk caters to a specific theme and "includes 5-10 products, discount coupons, backgrounds on companies and amazing recipes."  The service allows you to cancel or switch to a different trunk theme at any time.  For $29/month (which includes shipping - my box was sent via Priority Mail and arrived incredibly fast) you'll discover new products to enjoy and share with others.

My July BBQ Trunk came carefully and beautifully packaged.  The exterior and interior of the box were beautifully branded with a wax seal.  Recipe and information cards were wrapped in a lovely old-timey bag and tied with a raffia bow.

A lovely and thoughtful welcome from Mike and Dawn Shipley, the founders of Taste Trunk, "Our goal is to introduce you to amazing products, many of which you might be seeing for the first time.  As part of that, we'll tell you the stories of how these products ended up in your trunk.  We'll also show you the inspiring people working hard to bring each brand to life.  We hope to make Taste Trunk a monthly voyage of discovery that will take you from small farming towns in California to vast olive trees in Tuscany.  Thanks for giving us a try and cheers to discovering what's out there!"

What I received in my July 2013 BBQ Trunk:

Bone Doctors' - Original Barbeque Sauce
Retails for $6.99 on BoneDoctorsBBQ.com

afire - Northern White Cedar Mini Grilling Planks
Retails for $12.99 on afireinc.com

México Lindo - Habanero Green Hot Sauce
(Couldn't locate this exact product for sale online.)

Community Spice Company - Tale Gator spice rub
Retails for $5.00 on communityspiceco.com

Miners Mix - Salmon Marinade
Retails for $5.49 on MinersMix.com

Total value: $30.47 + value of the hot sauce

The beauty of Taste Trunk is that you get to try unique products from brands that you may otherwise never have been introduced to.  Every brand and item in my July BBQ Trunk was a completely new experience for me.  I am incredibly happy with the variety of the products I received in my BBQ Trunk!  My husband and I really enjoy grilling and I can't wait to put these items to use.  The only item that I'm not over the moon about is the hot sauce, only because my husband and I tend to prefer our food on the mild side.  However, this hot sauce smells divine and I think it will add a lovely flavor and subtle heat when used in moderation.  I already have plans for how I'm going to use several of the items and I hope to share the recipes with you in the future.

Overall, I think the value of the July BBQ Trunk was great.  Assuming the hot sauce retails for around $5.00, the total value of the box would be around $35.00.  Each Taste Trunk costs $29.00, however, I purchased mine with a 25% discount code and paid only $21.75.  While I may not have received a huge excess of product value beyond the price I paid, I truly think this service is a great value and worth the investment.  For the sheer uniqueness of the products you're receiving and the attention to detail, Taste Trunk is providing a fantastic service at a reasonable price.

I wholeheartedly recommend this service if you're a foodie and like trying out new products.  Even if you're not a brilliant cook, the recipe ideas provided in the trunk along with the products take the guesswork out of what to do with the items you receive.  I think Taste Trunk would make a fantastic gift as well!  I really love that the service offers four different Trunk varieties so there is truly a Trunk for everyone.  I really loved the July BBQ Trunk, but I'm very curious to try the Gourmet and Sweet Trunks in the future.

If you'd like to try Taste Trunk, you can save 25% with the discount code "winsomegirl25" which will bring the cost of the Trunk of your choice to $21.75 (including shipping)!  If you would, kindly provide me as your referral by listing my full name (Amy Kelly) in the "Special Instructions" box during checkout!

Visit the Taste Trunk website to learn more and sign up.
Become a fan of Taste Trunk on Facebook.
Follow Taste Trunk on Twitter.

*Full disclosure: I paid for the Taste Trunk subscription with my own money.  I receive no commission or any other benefit if you use the discount code that Taste Trunk kindly provided me to share with you.  I will, however, receive a 10% discount on the purchase of future Trunks if you decide to enter my name as a referral during checkout.

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UPDATE as of 7/16/13: Taste Trunk will begin charging new members a $5.99 shipping fee (in addition to the $29/month charge for trunks) to insure they are able to continue including premium (and often heavy) items in the trunks.  Considering how large and heavy the trunk I received was and the fact that it was sent via Priority Mail, I think this a fair and reasonable charge.

Additionally, I wanted to share the following details:

• After you have signed up to receive a monthly Trunk, you will be charged each month thereafter on the 1st and trunks will ship during the first week of the month to arrive by the 15th.
• In order to change your Trunk theme, fill out and submit this form by the 25th to receive your newly requested theme for the following month.
• If you wish to cancel your subscription, you should do so by the 25th of the month to avoid being charged for the next month's Trunk.

butter LONDON {Ulta} Haul

The big 21 Days of Beauty sales event is going on at Ulta right now.  I believe the event happens twice a year (in early spring and fall) and includes some fantastic sale events.  I usually don't splurge on much during the sale, but the butter LONDON polishes always draw me in as they're some of my favorites.  The butter London polishes typically retail for $14, but last Friday they were on sale at Ulta for $9.  Of course, I had to pick up a few including a couple that I have wanted for years.

I picked up four polishes that I thought would be lovely worn alone or paired together.  Ashton is described on the butter LONDON website as a "sultry, toffee nail lacquer that looks like a million quid."  I haven't worn Ashton yet, but it looks like a lovely neutral shade.  It doesn't translate well to these photographs, but Ashton has a pretty, almost lavender/silver shimmer.  If the shimmer shows up on the nail, I imagine it will be lovely!

A lovely rose gold glitter that I've been wanting for years, Rosie Lee, is finally mine!  From swatches I've seen, Rosie Lee can easily be built up and worn alone for a super sparkly look, but it also works beautifully as an accent.  I think it would be lovely paired with Ashton.

I picked up Scoundrel, "a medium tone purplish-mauve," which will be lovely for spring!  I like that it's a soft purple without being straight up pastel (I don't find that very pastel shades flatter me much) and I thought it would make a good base for the other polish I've been eying for ages, No More Waity, Katie, which is a beautiful "soft lilac glitter" that pairs best layered over a similarly toned purple.

{1 coat of No More Waity, Katie layered over 1 coat of Scoundrel}

I couldn't wait to wear No More Waity, Katie so I paired it with Scoundrel immediately.  I think they work beautifully together.  No More Waity, Katie also looks nice layered over grayish purples for a more moody look.

I really love the formula on all the butter LONDON polishes that I've tried.  From my experience, they're easy to work with, build to full opacity in 1-2 coats, and have a fantastic self-leveling quality.  They're definitely on the high end of polishes, but when you can catch them on sale like I did, they're worth the splurge.

Natural Skincare Haul

As might be evident by some of my most recent beauty-related pins, I've become pretty inspired by one of my favorite YouTubers (Christine of Pink So Foxy) to take a more natural route with some of my skincare.  I've been watching Christine since last Fall and have really grown to admire her genuine personality and I've fallen in love with her DIY skincare-related videos.  I've done a few DIY scrubs and face masks in the past and have enjoyed them and saw great results, but never stuck with using them for very long.  I have fairly problematic skin.  I suffer from VERY oily, acne-prone skin with enlarged pores and quite a bit of overall redness.  From the overflow of skincare samples I receive in beauty boxes and from my own purchases, I've tried an obscene number of skincare products over the past couple of years.  From drugstore to extremely high-end (hello, $225 moisturizer), I've tried everything in hopes of seeing an improvement in my skin.  Unfortunately none of the conventional products I've tried to this point have ever really blown me away.

Over the past month or so I've been slowly using up and running out of some of my essential skincare products (mainly toner, moisturizer, and eye cream).  My favorite moisturizer to date bears a hefty price tag, so I've been using up various little moisturizer samples from my stash in hopes of putting off having to repurchase the $50 moisturizer.  During this process, I finally started using a deluxe sample of Tarte's Maracuja Oil that I received with a makeup set I purchased well over a year ago.  For the past few weeks I've been using a few drops of the maracuja oil mixed with a couple of drops of tea tree oil as my nighttime moisturizer.  I've since seen a decrease in the frequency of breakouts and I've noticed my skin appears brighter and more even in texture.  Seeing my skin react so favorably to such a simple, natural routine has been the push for me to jump into transforming parts of my skincare routine.  Being hesitant to spend so much money on commercial skincare products that are full of cheap filler ingredients also makes the transition a pleasant one.  For a fraction of the cost of expensive skincare products, I can simply my routine by using only natural, beneficial ingredients and avoid putting needless, irritating chemicals on my skin.

I recently purchased several products from Vitacost and a couple others from Trader Joe's.  Most of the items I purchased are for specific scrub recipes that I'll be sharing with you in a few days.  A few of the other items will be worked into my skincare/haircare as is.  I've already given a few of these products a try since purchasing them, and I have to say the stand-out item thus far is the Vanilla Monoï Oil (which I was introduced to by Christine in this video).  Monoï Oil is coconut oil that has been infused with Tahitian gardenias (and this particular version has also been infused with vanilla beans).  Trust me, it smells just as amazing as it sounds!  After showering, before drying off, I like to rub this oil into my skin as a moisturizer in place of lotion or body butter.  It absorbs fairly quickly and leaves your skin soft and smelling out of this world.  Because coconut oil is typically solid at room temperature, I suggest keeping the Monoï Oil in your shower.  It will warm up and melt with the heat of your shower and will be perfectly liquid and ready to use by the time you're finished washing up.

I'll be sharing a few recipes for how I used some of these other items later this week and I'll keep you all posted as I continue on my DIY, natural skincare routine.  If you're interesting in purchasing any of these items or already use some natural products in your skincare, I highly suggest you check out Vitacost!  They offer the best prices I've seen on natural oils and the like (half the price or less than what local stores charge for the exact same items), so if you're a bargain shopper like I am,  you'll love them!  If you are interested in placing an order, you may want to take advantage of their referral program.  When you place an order using a referral link, you will receive $10 off any order of $30 or more and the individual who referred you will also receive a $10 credit.  If you'd like to take advantage to save $10, here is my referral link.

I'd love to know if you use any natural oils, butters, etc. in your skincare and, if so, what your favorites are.

Sugar Pop Earrings: A JewelMint Review

I placed my first order with JewelMint recently and I thought I'd share a little review of my experience for those who have been curious about trying JewelMint.  For those who haven't heard of JewelMint, it's a monthly jewelry subscription service.  For $29.99 each month you're presented with a personalized showroom of jewelry to choose from.  With JewelMint you do have the option to skip purchasing on a given month by logging into your account between the 1st and 5th to select the skip option and avoid being charged for the month.  If you do not choose to skip the month, you'll be charged $29.99 and a credit will be applied to your account that can be used toward any item on the JewelMint website.

I have heard so many raves about JewelMint from countless YouTubers over the past year and a half.  I've been curious about checking out the service for a while and had even signed up on the site to view the selection, but hadn't made a purchase until now for a few reasons.

First of all, as someone who has made jewelry for nearly seven years, I am very particular about the style and construction of the jewelry I'm willing to purchase.  Many times I won't buy a piece of jewelry because I can make something similar myself for less money that will be of better construction and higher quality.  For this reason, I am fairly skeptical about purchasing jewelry online from mass retailers without first being able to gauge the quality with my own eyes.

The other main reason had yet to place an order with JewelMint is that the jewelry offered on their website usually isn't my personal taste.  I tend to prefer very classic, retro jewelry as well as modern, feminine pieces.  I find the bulk of the styles offered from JewelMint simply don't suit me.  Even while taking the initial style profile on the site (which helps determine which pieces will be in your showroom each month), none of the questions really had answers that suited me.

I was recently browsing JewelMint again after one of my favorite YouTubers shared a JewelMint piece she had ordered with a 60% code.  It was then that I happened upon the Sugar Pop Earrings and was tempted to make a purchase.  After finding a 60% code to use on my order (bringing the price for the earrings down to $11.99 with free shipping), I decided to place an order.

I placed my order last Wednesday, received a phone call confirming my order on Thursday, and my earrings arrived on Tuesday.  I was fairly impressed with the quick delivery time; however, because I receive no shipping confirmation (on my account, via email, or by phone call), I actually had no idea they had even shipped yet.

From having seen numerous reviews of JewelMint online, I had high expectations for their packaging and I wasn't disappointed.  Each piece arrives in a mint green JewelMint box with a description of the piece displayed inside.  The Super Pop Earrings were described with, "Embrace la dolce vita with this runway inspired design.  Sweet as candy, our 10K gold-plated pair, measuring 2 1/4", boasts a dramatic combination of transparent and opaque jewels, in hues of lemon yellow, peridot, pink hyacinth, and tangerine tango."

 Inside their box, which was firmly padded to protect them, my earrings were placed in a beautiful black velvet bag.

The earrings themselves were just as vibrant and sparkling as I imagined they would be from the photo and description provided on the website.  Having paid $11.99 for the earrings, I am pleased with the experience of my purchase and the quality of the product I received.

To be honest, being as particular as I am with jewelry, I probably would not pay $29.99 for these earrings.  I would be hesitant pay $29.99 for anything I find on the JewelMint website in the future.  I think that the packaging of the jewelry above and beyond exceeds the quality of the jewelry itself.  I certainly do not think these earrings are cheap or flimsy.  They seem fairly well made and they are certainly unique and eye catching.  The "10K gold-plated" metal components of the earrings seem hefty without being cumbersome in weight.  The "transparent and opaque jewels," on the other hand, do seem a little more inexpensive and costume-y then I'd prefer.  The quality of these earrings reminds me of costume jewelry you might inherit from a grandmother or find at a flea market.  While I adore the look of costume jewelry, I certainly wouldn't readily pay $29.99 for a piece of that quality.

While I wouldn't personally pay full price for a JewelMint piece, there are thousands of women who do and are incredibly pleased with the quality.  I'm just extremely nitpicky because of the fact that I make jewelry.  I would definitely recommend everyone give JewelMint a try if they find a piece that they love.  There always seems to be fantastic discount codes available online to save 50% or more off your first JewelMint purchase, so I would suggest doing a little Google search before you place an order.

Don't forget to enter the Easy Canvas Prints giveaway for a chance to win a custom 8x10" canvas print!

Beauty Haul: CVS, Rite Aid and Sephora

 I wanted to share with you a little beauty haul/mini review of some products I picked up over the past week from CVS, Rite Aid and Sephora.

I had several Extra Care Bucks about to expire at CVS last week and nothing essential I needed to get, so I decided to treat myself and I finally picked up the Essie polish Set in Stones from their Luxeffects line that I had been eying for months.  It's a gorgeous silver glitter that is very densely packed with sparkle.  I love using glitters like this as an accent over polish on my ring fingers.

On the same shopping outing, I took advantage of a 40% sale on Revlon products that was going on at Rite Aid and I picked up three of the new Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains which I had heard glowing reviews about from two of my favorite YouTubers: makeupTIA and redheadphd.  These balm stains are just what the name implies: slightly minty balms with somewhat sheer, but buildable color that stain your lips to leave behind beautiful color even after the balms have worn off.  There are currently 12 shades offered in the range, everything from a nude to a deep red.  The shades I purchased were Honey, Smitten, and Romantic.  I have to say I have been very pleased and impressed with these balm stains!  The initial application is fantastic and I find the stains themselves to last a very long time.  When I catch these on sale again, I definitely plan to browse the shades again to see if any more catch my eye.

Recently Sephora had a "15 Days of Beauty" promotion going on where each day a different product was offered as a free gift with any online purchase over $25.  I had been wanting to pick up the new Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Coral for several weeks and when I heard about the promotion Sephora was offering, I checked every day to see what the free gift was.  I was holding out on making my purchase until the free gift was something I really wanted or needed, and when the free gift was a full size Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion near the end of the promotion, I knew that was the time to place my order as I was finally running out of the travel size that came with my Naked palette that I purchased a year ago (this stuff lasts positively ages).

To pass the $25 minimum for the promotion, I checked the sale section and found a Nail Dotting Tool and figured that might be fun to experiment with and added it to my cart.  Now I'm cheap and I hate to pay for shipping when I don't have to, so to qualify for free shipping I decided to purchase a Clarisonic Deep Pore Cleansing Replacement Brush Head.  I actually don't currently own a Clarisonic, but I plan to utilize some Birchbox points and birthday cash to purchase a Clarisonic Mia sometime this month.  I've heard nothing but glowing reviews for the Clarisonic from everyone I know who owns one and I've been dying to see if the Clarisonic would help improve my oily, acne-prone skin.  Perhaps I'll share my experience with the cleansing system after I've purchased the Mia and had a sufficient time to see results.

I thought I'd share what swatches of the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains in Honey, Smitten, and Romantic look like, as well as the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Coral.  Here you can see swatches of the products in that order (from left to right).

Have you picked up any new products from the drugstore or Sephora/Ulta lately?  I'm really loving a lot of the new products that have released for spring/summer.

The Perfect Print

I did a little online shopping last week when Torrid had one of their fabulous 50% off clearance sales. I also had a 10% off coupon which got me some great deals. Torrid usually only has a handful of pieces at any given time that are really feminine and frilly enough to suit my style. This floral print chiffon ruffle blouse was just my taste--feminine and romantic with just a hint of whimsy. And it has the most perfect print: light and airy pastel flowers. Love it. Had to have it. And now it's mine!

Seriously, isn't that print amazing? I'm a big fan of teeny tiny floral prints but hate bold, overpowering prints. This print is large enough to be noticed, but delicate enough to still look soft and understated. Something about the thin lines and transparent hues remind me of watercolor, which I just adore. I have a few design ideas for the perfect earrings to pair with the blouse. One idea is a bit more sculptural, playing off the outlines in the print. Another idea is more simplistic to compliment the pretty pastel colors. We'll see which wins my heart.

I also purchased this perfectly pale gray cardigan to wear over the floral blouse. Now I just need a dark denim pencil skirt to complete the look. I have a denim pencil skirt but the color is a bit too light to pair with more elegant tops and it's becoming rather worn as it's one of my staple pieces. I'm having the worst luck finding affordable (plus size) just below the knee length pencil skirts this season.

These are my favorite of the pieces I purchased during the most recent 50% off clearance sale. These sales are pretty much the only way I shop from Torrid as I just can't justify their regular prices. I'm proud to say that none of the pieces I purchased were more than $12. I just love a bargain.

Vintage China Love

As promised, I'm back to share photos of the gorgeous vintage china and napkins I purchased at Street Scene yesterday. This set of eight cups and saucers (with matching lace-edged napkins no less!) caught my eye immediately and I was hooked. I would have been heart broken had I not purchased the set. And the price was fantastic! I love the unusually large size of the cups, they would be perfect to serve everything from coffee to soup to ice cream to homemade granola, in this case. Honestly, I will be eating anything and everything possible out of these gorgeous cups! I am absolutely crazy about the cheerful blue and green rose pattern. It's feminine without being overly sweet, if you know what I mean. This set really makes me want to have an outdoor dinner party with a table full of gorgeous blue and green and white accents.

The vintage china is always my biggest weakness when I visit Street Scene. With my current kitchen situation (we hardly have ANY cabinet space), I really shouldn't be building a collection of vintage china. However, sometimes there are some pieces that I just can't pass up. Thankfully my jewelry has been selling like hot cakes at Street Scene, so I don't feel quite so naughty when I treat myself to a little something when I stop in to replenish my stock.

Unfortunately there are no markings on the china so I have no clue the age or maker of the set. I'd love to know if the pieces were part of a larger set. I would kill to have a whole set of china with this gorgeous rose print. If anyone knows anything about this particular set or knows of any great resources for researching china, do tell!

Teacups and Cupcakes

I just stumbled upon this adorable new product via Bake it Pretty and fell in love! TeaCupCakes are adorable silicone molds in the shape of teacups in which you cake bake the most darling cupcakes. I've seen tons of folks place baked cupcakes inside teacups for tea parties and the like, but this takes it to a whole new level! I think these are such a cute idea.

New Camera!

Thanks to a very, very generous belated graduation present from my in-laws, my new camera is ordered and it should arrive by the end of the week! I am so very excited. I really could burst with joy! It's been surprisingly hard the past few weeks not having a camera. I am so looking forward to having a better camera that will make photographing items for my shop easier and will enable me to chronicle my baking more (the old camera just couldn't handle the poor lighting of my kitchen). I am overjoyed!


After much research I decided to go with a Canon XSi. I needed a relatively inexpensive DSLR, but I also wanted one that I could grow with and would love for years to come. I really look forward to furthering my skills with this camera.


After reading the same suggestion countless times from various foodies, I decided to order the camera minus the kit lens and order the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens instead. This specific lens came highly suggested by several folks and for around $100 it's a great deal. Eventually I'd like to also purchase this macro lens as well but, as it's quite a splurge, that purchase won't come for several months.

I look forward to getting back in the swing of things. I hope to start posting more again and include more recipes and photos from around the studio. I am also planning a big shop update for next week sometime which may be accompanied by a little celebratory sale!

Indulging

Okay, don't tell my hubby, but I've been indulging (quite modestly, I might add) a bit recently...

It began when I decided I needed a new pair of gloves as the only pair I had somehow, unfortunately, ended up in the wash and shrunk. I knew I wanted something simple but with a bit of a feminine flair. I first began looking at Anthropologie to see if I could find any lovely, but affordable options. I stumbled upon their Ring-Around Gloves in a lovely shade of blue. And at a reasonable $24 they were a great contender! Before I could commit, I clicked over to Target and started looking around there. Then I saw a section for cashmere gloves and that's where I found the beautiful cashmere gloves that were surprisingly inexpensive!

Aren't they pretty? Simple but the scalloped edge/button detail at the wrist adds just enough interest so that they don't seem boring. I ordered these beautiful gloves and I can't wait to get them so I can put them to use. I hope they are as soft and warm as I imagine they will be. And I was finally able to indulge my love for cashmere, even if it is small scale. I hope they pair well with the pretty new coat I am getting for Christmas from my mom. I have really been wanting to get back in the habit of reading more so I'm thinking about taking weekly walks to the downtown library to pick out a new book each week and, you know, perhaps a cookbook and craft book or two, so I will surely be needing these little gloves to keep my hands warm and toasty.

Next I finally treated myself to some bareMinerals makeup. I saw a great deal on television some time ago for a five-piece starter kit for $29.99. I decided to try it as I had tried a smaller brand of mineral makeup several months back after utilizing an offer for free samples. I absolutely loved the mineral makeup and had really been wanting to try the mother of all mineral makeups since. I can't until I receive mine and give it a try!

My last little splurge as of late was from my dear King Arthur Flour! With all the holiday baking I've been dreaming of, I have been dying to get my hands on some more King Arthur Flour ingredients.

This time I decided to try their Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa which promises to provide a rich chocolaty flavor and a deep black color! Cocoa is one of those ingredients where it really makes a huge difference to use high quality products. I see some killer brownies in my future! I will definitely be saving some of this cocoa to use in the absolutely amazing Andes Mint Brownies that I am including on list of goodies I am baking for my friends this Christmas.

Then, of course, I had to get some Espresso Powder to put to use in my chocolate baked goods to enhance the chocolate flavor. I am excited to try this out. They claim that if you use between 1/2 to 2 teaspoons in your recipe you won't notice any coffee flavor but it will simply help to enhance the chocolate. If you use 2 or more teaspoons you can create a great mocha flavor. My hubby hates coffee, so I am hoping that this powder is indeed magical and merely plays a silent, but supporting role in my chocolate treats.

And finally I wanted to get some Vietnamese Cinnamon. I received a Penzeys spice box as a wedding present and it included the most amazing cinnamon! Once you try good cinnamon the stuff from the supermarket just isn't the same. I am so giddy about having some of the good stuff at my fingertips again. Cinnamon is one of my favorite spices.

It is probably a bit silly just how excited I am to receive these ingredients and put them to use. Baking is such a fun science! I wish the package would magically arrive on my doorstep in the next few hours as I am doing some serious baking this afternoon and would love to be able to use my fancy new cocoa! I am baking Spritz Cookies, Snow Ball Cookies and Chocolate Bon Bon Drops (from none other than King Arthur Flour). I'll post pictures and recipes later this evening!

My Black Friday Purchases

I wasn't originally planning to make any Black Friday purchases this year. That is until I read via Etsy Forums that the ever popular Dennis Anderson was participating in the Black Friday madness. I casually clicked over to the Anderson Soap Company shop and that is where I found these three items that I simply could not resist!

Vanilla Bean Solid Perfume! I mean, seriously, how could I resist? Every time I bake with my unbelievably decadent Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract, I am always so tempted to just splash the stuff all over myself--it smells so divine! If it weren't for the hefty price I pay for the good stuff, I probably would. Don't judge.

Then I found this Turkish Mocha Body Butter and, of course, it got added to my cart as well. I love anything coffee scented. My husband is going to strongly regret this purchase--he despises the smell of coffee. The winter cold and all the dishes I wash (our apartment sadly has no dishwasher) has left my hands quite dry. I am hoping this rich body butter will provide the moisture I need to keep my hands happy this winter.

My final purchase was a stick of the Sweet Orange Luscious Lip Balm. I typically only use Burt's Bees lip balm, but I make an exception every now and then to try different handmade lip balms. I think this Sweet Orange will be lovely.

I can't wait to receive all my new body products from Dennis Anderson. I love being pampered, don't you?! Do you have any bath or body products you swear by?

Desk Makeover

I just won these pretty Anthropologie knobs on eBay! With shipping, these knobs came well under $3 each which is a steal considering Anthrpologie's knobs typically cost around $8-$12 on average. I have been wanting to paint my hand me down desk and give it some life with pretty knobs and decorative paper to line the drawers. My desk, which used to be my husband's, is currently a honey-colored, boxy eye sore. I'd like to sand it down, give it several coats of fresh white paint, add these pretty knobs to the drawers and line the shelves with some kind of sweet patterned paper.

This desk from a before & after featured on Design*Sponge is along the lines of the shape and style of my desk. I just love the clean, modern look the white paint brings to the desk. I also adore the chair that was painted and reupholstered to coordinate with the desk.

And here is a shot of the pretty lined drawers. I just love that unexpected pop of pattern! This desk was made over by Laura of Groovin With the Grizas, you can find more photos and details of the makeover here.

I am hoping to tackle my desk makeover shortly after new year.

Scarf Love

I have been drooling over the Cashmere Squiggle Scarf from Anthropologie for the past few winters and I still can't get over how beautiful it is. I would kill to visit an Anthropologie location in person to have the chance to try on this gorgeous scarf. At 100% cashmere, I imagine it would sinfully soft! I still remember the time I first felt cashmere when I was around 14. It was life changing. I need to own something cashmere!

I think that either one of these stunning cardigans from J.Crew would also curb my cashmere craving.

Cozy is Key

I have been ill for the past several days. Thankfully I am feeling much better now. Being sick has got me dreaming of cute and comfy loungewear. I have seen some of the cutest slippers this season and I could really use a new pair of pajamas. I am loving the combination of cute but casual tanks, loose fitting pajama pants and sweet ballet slippers.


I love this colorful pairing. The top and bottoms are from Old Navy while the slippers are from Payless. Aren't those ruffled, cable-knit ballet slippers to die for?!

Billy Button Love

click images for source

I am currently mad about the fun, retro look of Billy Buttons. I love their simple, sleek shape and their gorgeous mustard color. Mustard is one of my absolute favorite colors for fashion and design. I love mustard paired with gray and it looks oh so sleek with white.

I love the effortless beauty of a few billy buttons in simple white vases. The ever popular, totally affordable FÄRM vases from IKEA are perfect for this application.

I have several of the IKEA vases and am dying to get some dried billy buttons to fill them with.

Dress Shopping!

With two very good friends getting married in early October, I have had dress shopping on the brains recently. I have a very modest collection of dresses which are all perfect for spring or summer but are a bit much for a fall wedding. Yesterday I decided to venture to the mall and attempt to find an appropriate dress for the occasion. Being a plus size woman with a very particular sense of fashion makes for a difficult shopping experience. I was horrified to see stores filled with tacky animal print dresses and ungodly amounts of purple for fall. Nothing to satisfy this classic, 50's silhouette loving woman.

After much shopping I finally decided on purchasing an Adrianna Papell dress from Dillards and a skirt and cami from Lane Bryant. I think I have decided to go with the Adrianna Papell dress as I am crazy about its classic shape and the fact that I already own the perfect clutch and heels to pair with it.


The dress (you can click on the image to view the details better) has these gorgeous leaf/petal cut outs which are sewn to the overlay. I love its very classic, flattering shape and I just can't get over how playful the petal details are. Now I have the challenge of finding an appropriate cardigan, shrug or wrap to wear with the dress. Oh, and designing the perfect jewelry to wear with it!

Gemstone Shopping and Another Event

The Kentucky Proud Art Fair went quite well last Saturday. While the wind was a force to be reckoned with and several of my displays got damaged (nothing a little elbow grease can't fix), the show was a great success! Unfortunately with the wind issues I was pretty preoccupied after getting set up so I didn't get a chance to photograph my new display. I am hoping to capture some nice photos soon. I am now frantically preparing for the Lexington Fourth of July festival. I was accepted as a juried artist to show at Triangle Park in Lexington from 9am until 6pm on July 4th as part of the Vine Street Festival. One source claims that last year's festival saw over 150,000 visitors, thus I am expecting a busy, successful day!

I have been ordering lots and lots of new supplies as my stock has been painfully low. I ordered some gorgeous gemstones to pair with three vintage brooches which will become one of a kind necklaces.

This gorgeous pink chalcedony briolette is from The Curious Gem on Etsy. I will be pairing it with a lovely vintage Catamore 12K gold-filled brooch with a sweet ivory rose. I am planning on accenting the necklace with some wire wrapped freshwater pearls.

These stunning green onyx cube beads are from Stoney Marie Gemstones, also on Etsy. They will be paired with a vintage Van Dell 12K gold-filled rose brooch with an ivory rose. I am planning on placing the brooch asymmetrically on one side of the necklace and wire wrapping these gorgeous beads at the bottom of the drape. I will also use a few to make a pair of matching earrings.

Lastly are some beauitful deep amethyst cube beads also from Stoney Marie Gemstones. I will be using these similarly to the green onyx beads above. They will be paired with a vintage sterling silver bow shaped brooch which will be placed asymmetrically with the amethyst wire wrapped to drape beautifully. A pair of matching earrings will also be made.

I am really excited about these new gemstones and can't wait to see how the designs turn out.

Out With the Old, In With the New

I am such a sucker for clothes and fashion, but for a number of reasons have never really been able to indulge in my love. So many of my clothing choices the past four years have been based on what's cheap and practical for walking to and from class in the wind, rain, snow, etc. Now that I am about to graduate I am excited to be able to think beyond practicality and pick prettier pieces for my wardrobe. I am very much a believer in quality over quantity (though you wouldn't know it by my closet these past few years).

I have been rather self conscious lately trying to represent myself and my business. It's difficult when you create such beautiful, feminine designs yet feel your personal look is falling apart. When I first started college I wore cute skirts nearly ever day and always made an effort to look nice. Then the past couple of years just haven't been the same. I am so excited to refresh my look!

In the next month I would like to go through all my clothes and get rid of things I don't wear anymore. I have so many things I bought on clearance throughout the years that I never worn or only wore a time or two as I never found the perfect place for them in my life. I found a local consignment shop I'm going to try to sell some of my new and unworn clothes to. I would be so happy if I could clear out the things I don't wear, perhaps make a tiny bit of money from them, and make room for some beautiful new pieces. I'd be perfectly happy if I never owned another t-shirt in my life.

I was sharing all this with my mother recently and she insisted that I buy myself something nice. I found this beautiful blouse on sale on Kiyonna.com and had to have it.

I love the simple, non-fussy feminine details. The color is absolutely gorgeous and I have a feeling it will compliment my fair complexion well. The pearl earrings I designed for myself for my wedding will be stunning with it! According to the tracking information, it should arrive on Friday, which means I would wear it Saturday or Sunday for Mayfest. Perhaps I'll get a photo of myself wearing the top and earrings this weekend.