Simple Pleasures: Listening to the Wind

Simple things that have made me happy lately:

• Toasting to nothing other than a quiet night at home

• Sitting in my backyard listening to the wind

• Packing surprise snacks in my brother's lunch bag for work

• Sipping on water with frozen berries and lime juice

• Writing down my completed workout on the calendar

What simple things have made you happy this week?

Reasons to be Fit

I must have been hiding under a rock. Only recently did I discover the "Reasons to be Fit" tumblr. I love checking up on it every so often to remind myself why health and fitness is important. Some are silly. Some are serious. All are important. Here are some of my favorites of the moment:

 

 

 

 

 

What are YOUR reasons to be fit?

I Confess: Jillian and Lucky Charms

Time for the next installment of the "I Confess" series! First one is here in case you're curious.

I confess... I have a slight obsession with Jillian Michaels. Missing from this photo: Making the Cut, Unlimited, and my podcast collection.

I confess... that as much as I try to eat clean/healthy, sometimes I just need some Lucky Charms in my life.

I confess... I could never be a vegetarian. My sanity is often delivered in the form of an occasional burger.

I confess... I love office supplies, and about freaked out when I found this highlighter trio.

Any confessions for you this week? Don't worry -- no judgement here! ;-)

Wednesday Wishlist: It's My Party

Currently coveting these fun, celebration-worthy items from Etsy:

Sparkle & Shine Tissue Tassel Garland (EverlyLaneDesign)

Rock Candy Centerpiece Topiary Tree (HollywoodCandyGirls)

 Fancy Frills Fan Tissue Garland (EverlyLaneDesign)

 

Rainbow Plantable Heart Confetti (PlantablesAndPaper)

What's on your wishlist this week?

The Natural Switch

The endless array of products that are supposed to make you "better/prettier/smoother/softer/more energized" is incredibly overwhelming. And I'm convinced many of them (food, drinks, beauty products, etc.) are loaded with chemicals that actually have the opposite affect on your body in the long run. But that's a lengthy conversation for another day. Here are a few natural items that have made their way into my routine in place of their more processed counterparts:

• Coconut oil (preferably unrefined) as moisturizer

• Brown sugar as body scrub (mixed with some coconut oil)

• Apple cider vinegar as energy booster (1 Tbsp mixed with a few ounces each of cranberry and pineapple juices)

What natural products do you use on a daily basis?

Simple Pleasures: Birthday Pancakes and Open Tulips

Simple things that make me happy lately:

• The most delicious birthday pancakes to ever grace my lips

• The way one rosebush in our front yard creates different shades of red blooms

• Making up recipes (especially when they turn out wonderfully)

• The mixture of a cold house and a warm, soft blanket

• Seeing what a tulip looks like completely opened up

Sugar Cookie Milkshake

Now if that post title didn't catch your attention, I don't know what will. That is, if I still have an audience. [Enter poor excuse for lack of blog posts here]. You know what they say -- onward and upward!

This moderately healthy milkshake was the product of a cupcake craving. But with no cake batter in sight, I grabbed a box of sugar cookie mix from the darkest corner of my pantry and got to work. In about five minutes, I had in my hands one of the best things I've ever sipped through a straw.

I laughed. I cried. I scraped every last drop out of the blender.

The sugar cookie flavor of this shake was so spot-on that I excitedly text messaged my husband and two sisters before I even finished slurping my way to the bottom of the glass. My youngest sister rode her bike to my house that night so I could make her one. A few seconds into her shake, and she quickly became a devoted fan. And if she likes it, then chances are you will too.    


Sugar Cookie Milkshake 
(serves one)

• 6 oz. almond milk (I use unsweetened original)
• 2 oz. half and half
• 1 frozen banana
• 1/4 c. sugar cookie mix, dry
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract (I use a non-alcohol version)
• 1 tsp. rainbow sprinkles, plus more for garnish

Blend all ingredients except sprinkles. Gently mix in sprinkles with a spoon (note: if using larger sprinkles, you may want to blend on low for a few seconds). Pour, garnish and drink!

 

 Tell me friends, what have you been up to?

Recipe: Homemade Sloppy Joes

In keeping with the tradition of comfort food, I set out to make sloppy joe's from scratch. Even without the can, these are surprisingly simple and just as delicious as I remember.

I followed Pioneer Woman's recipe, with the following modifications:

• Used pretzel rolls instead of Kaiser rolls (trust me, SO good)
• Didn't add Worcestershire
• Replaced the green bell pepper with red 

What comfort food should I attempt to make next?

Wednesday Wishlist: Neon

Currently coveting these hand-painted neon accessories from Etsy seller ColorBlockShop:

 What's on your wishlist this week?

Pumpkin Rosemary Mac & Cheese

I have to warn you. This mac & cheese is good. Too good. It will ravish you with all of its cheesy, flavorful glory, but you must never surrender to the pressure to eat it everyday for the rest of your life. It's a tough battle, but I'm willing to take my chances.

While the addition of pumpkin puree and fresh rosemary probably make this dish vastly different from the mac & cheese of our childhood, the gooey, cheesy flavor and shell pasta make it just reminiscent enough to still count as comfort food. Plus, the pumpkin offers a nutty, creamy flavor that your dinner guests probably won't be able to pinpoint. Add in some rosemary and cayenne, and you have yourself one complex dish that isn't all that complicated to make.

I followed Jenna's recipe almost exactly, but omitted the breadcrumbs and only used a little over three cups of milk. I also opted to use orecchiette, which is quickly becoming my favorite pasta shape for the way it holds onto the sauce just enough without hogging it. =)
[Update: After a taste test, I prefer Kate's variation on this recipe. The addition of Velveeta makes for a more silky smooth sauce.]

What's your favorite comfort food?

DIY Confetti Canvas

I'm always in search of ways to freshen up my living room. As the focal point of our home, it's both a center of relaxation and entertainment. So when I came across Mint Love Social Club's Kate Spade-inspired post on DIY confetti art, I was on board right away.

The finished product reminds me equally of champagne bubbles and shiny confetti that's just been thrown in the air. Either way, it's a party!

There's hardly an accompanying tutorial, since gluing dots onto a canvas is pretty self-explanatory -- but for the record, I followed the Mint Love Social Club method almost exactly. The only notable changes were the size of the canvases and the addition of silver dots. I also chose not to use a hole punch because of the device's $12 price tag -- a steep price for something I'd probably never use again. Instead, I relied on tracing circles and cutting them out with scissors (talk about hand cramps!). Here's what the canvases look like on my wall, though it's hard to capture their shine:

What the latest DIY project you've worked on?

Simple Pleasures: Broccoli Tempura

In honor of the impending weekend, here are a list of simple things that have made me happy recently:

• When my grandma told me I made her day by calling her on the phone

• Browsing the aisles of Hobby Lobby for supplies for my next DIY project

• Laughing at the (delicious) concept of fried vegetables. Broccoli tempura, anyone?

• Curling up under a soft blanket and watching reruns of How I Met Your Mother 

• The fact that it's FRIDAY!

What simple things have made you happy lately?

Eleven Questions

Jolene from Everyday Foodie asked her readers to fill out a little questionnaire. I thought it was a fun way for you to learn more about me, so here are my answers:

1) What are your plans for tonight?
Make tortellini and watch reruns of 30 Rock with my husband. Perfect Wednesday night.

2) What is your favorite perfume?
Miss Dior Cherie.

3) What is your middle name?
Josephine.

4) What has been your greatest personal accomplishment?
That's a tough one! As vague as this is, perhaps it's learning the balance between healthy skepticism and living in awe of my surroundings.

5) How would you describe your fashion sense in three words or less?
Classic yet whimsical.

6) Furthest place from home you have traveled?
Brazil.

7) What is one song that brings a tear to your eye?
There are a few, but "You Hold Me Now" by Hillsong United immediately comes to mind.

8) 3 things you would do if you were bored?
Watch YouTube videos on my phone; read blogs; call my sister.

9) What is your favorite magazine?
Glamour.

10) What do you want to do when you retire, even if it is many, many years away?
See the world and write about it.

11) How many children do you have or do you hope to have one day?
 Two or three.

Your turn! Answer the following questions in the comments, or do a post of your own and link it below. =)
1) Favorite Disney princess?
2) What's the last thing you made for dinner?
3) Favorite sports team?
4) Which three bloggers would you love to meet in person?
5) What's one positive quality about yourself that sometimes gets overlooked by others?
6) Describe your perfect day in ten words or less.
7) Are you a coffee or tea person?
8) Let's pretend genies and fairy godmothers are real. What are your three wishes?
9) What was your favorite subject in school?
10) Weirdest thing you've ever eaten?
11) Most despised chore?

Saving Up Our Wishes

“I’m a dreamer.”

Ever said that? I have. It’s a pretty common statement to make, especially for those of us in our 20s and 30s. We’ve been told that we can accomplish anything. That our hopes can be fulfilled. That dreaming is essential to change the world.

And it is.

But what about action? At the end of a dream – right before a new dream begins – is a goal. We often forget that part. We save up all our wishes. Pack them up in jars and admire them from afar. Because if we take them out, then that little jar isn’t so full of neat, pretty ideas.

When we actually try to make something happen, things have a tendency to get ugly. Challenging, if you will. But remember this: fruition is far more brilliant than fantasy.

Sure, that jar of dreams we shelved so long ago won’t look as full and pretty. But it's replaced by something better and far more beautiful -- the fruits of our labor. The truth is, things get messy. The truth is, we don’t always know what we’re doing.

I can't pretend I know your situation, or to understand just how difficult it will be to achieve your dreams. Trust me, I have my own issues. But if you haven't started, begin to chase them -- regardless of how small that first step should be. Sometimes all it takes is putting one foot in front of the other.

So Simple, So Sweet

Happy Valentine's Day my lovely readers. =)

I had grand plans to do another installment of the color series, but those were swayed by two early morning conference calls and a general lack of motivation. Instead, I leave you with this:

Woke up this morning to these funny little surprises from my husband. Whether you're single or taken, may your day be filled with reminders of just how loved you are.

Video Round-Up: Curls, Whales, Babies and Poetry

Like most of you, I encounter a plethora of media on a daily basis that I think might be interesting to share with my readers. Most of the time it's articles, however I've come across a lot of really great videos lately. Here's what made the cut this week:











*thanks for pointing this one out Jolene!

Have you come across any interesting videos lately? Feel free to share the link in the comments below. =)

Simple Pleasures: Untangled Knots

There's nothing quite like life's simple pleasures. Here's a list of simple things that have made me happy this past week:

• Finding out that a hug from my husband is quite possibly the best cure for a bad mood -- even when I don't think it will be

• Wispy grey clouds on a rainy day

• Realizing just how therapeutic untangling knots can be

• Tiny flecks of gold in my favorite blush

• The hope of receiving a much-anticipated letter in the mail

What simple things have made you happy lately?

Caramel Apple Sundaes

There's something about gooey caramel apples that just speak to me. They're such a simple treat, yet they pull on the heart strings (and braces) of people everywhere. Because they're just. that. good. But the old caramel apple got a makeover at my place this past weekend. And here's what she looks like now:

Those, my friends, are caramel apple sundaes in all of their glory. The concept is simple -- a hollowed out apple filled with vanilla ice cream and topped with caramel and walnuts. I followed Martha Stewart's recipe with some notable changes to the caramel that didn't work (i.e., I replaced the white sugar with brown, and used almond milk instead of heavy cream). While the caramel tasted great, it never thickened up like a more traditional sauce should -- as indicated by the pool of caramel you see above. I recommend going with a recipe you know works. There's also the option of going the jarred route. Trader Joe's makes a pretty good fleur de sel caramel sauce.

This dessert is not heart-shaped. Nor does it involve chocolate. But I think it's the perfect -- albeit nontraditional -- Valentine's Day treat.

Are you planning on making a homemade dessert on Valentine's Day?

I Confess: February 8, 2012

I discovered the Run With Me blog a couple of weeks ago, and have been hooked ever since. After reading some of her previous blogs, I took a cue from her "I Confess" post.

I confess... that I will avoid driving on busy, complicated downtown streets at all costs.

Parking spot at the train/subway station.

I confess... I haven't gone for a run since January 13th.

Right where I left them.

I confess... that I'm really bad at the whole "clean as you go" thing.

What my desk looks like by Friday.

I confess... I'm often conflicted about whether I'll work or stay at home when we have kids.

We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

I confess... I bought this workout DVD weeks ago, and it's still in the package.

Sorry Jillian. Please don't yell at me.

Time for you to spill the beans! List some of your confessions in the comments below, or do a post on your own blog and leave the link.

Color Series: Blue and Gold

Here's installment two of the Color Series. This time, the theme is beautiful blues and golds:

One: My latest jewelry purchase -- a statement necklace

Two: Thrifted candlestick holders with stars

Three: Sequined top 

Four: Button-up blouse with polka dots

Five: Lavender pillow spray

Six: Loreal Double Extend Mascara

Seven: Beaded earrings

Eight: iPod Nano

Nine: Key and heart charms

Ten: Stack of books (bottom to top: Style A to Zoe, For Whom the Bell Tolls and Blue Like Jazz)

If you're interested in including this feature on your blog, simply email Brynn at chartreuseandatwist@gmail.com to let her know you'll be joining the series.

Let's play along in the comments: what's the closest blue or gold thing to you right now?