7 days in Instagram

So between the holidays, working two jobs, etsy, blogging, OH and that GroopDealz order of 216 bracelets.....I've been a bit crazy lately. My extreme apologies! BUT.... I did take quite a few pictures via the lovely Instagram. So here's what's been going on....

Rocking cute new clothes at my nanny job

Eating delicious food at the pub {my OTHER job}

 

Enjoying all things Christmas for our very first one living together

We had our first stockings {also first time as Santa}, lego building Christmas morning, berry pie and roast beef in the crock.

And for me.... trying to fill 216 bracelets orders from my GroopDealz offer in just two weeks. 

Also...thinking to myself...WHY did I make them FIVE rosette bracelets? Oy. 

But I do feel SO INCREDIBLY blessed to have sold so many and my packaging reminds me that I'm doing what I love. 

Now if only I could get rid of those other jobs. ;) 

Happy Wednesday.

busy like a bee.

Does anyone else feel like they are running a muck doing twenty-two thousand things at once and not a single thing is really getting done? And besides that you are also constantly listing new things on your to-do list so that really it doesn't EVER seem any shorter?

Like currently I am typing this.... directly to my left is a HUGE pile of gifts to be wrapped, packaged and mailed {not at ALL in time for Christmas}, directly under my left arm is my new 2012 planner where I am trying to input all new addresses to avoid much chaos of tracking them down NEXT year, in my lap is the Xbox remote because I'm trying to find something to watch in the background so that I don't feel so alone since my fella is working 7pm-7am tonight {insert really sad Tara here} AND.... to my right is my slowly dying iPhone where I am answering emails, taking photos, perusing twitter....you know. Oh, and did I mention that I also have various other windows open on my computer with many OTHER tasks that I'm trying to complete? AND.... I'm real thirsty.

Whew! BUT, I do have some good news. Two pieces of it in fact. The FIRST: I am offering FREE SHIPPING in the shop from now until the end of the year. Yep, party like it's almost twenty-twelve people.... cause it is. Holy crapola Batman. Just enter the code: PARTY2012 when you check out. Mkay?

And SECOND: Tomorrow, which is Wednesday for those of you reading this perhaps ON Weds or after maybe, after MANY emails and preparation.... I am going to have a featured deal on GroopDealz. If you have never heard of GroopDealz it's like Groupon for handmade people. I am really excited to be working with them and they've done a beautiful job with my product. Here's what you can get:

Also, if you'd help me share the word about the deal I'd be SO eternally grateful to your heart. I'd really love to sell some of these beauties because I think they're super cute AND I have the BEST wrapping supplies that I really want to use! :) Just $3 people.

So either tweet, FB, blog, stumble, pin, text, email, HOLLA, whatever..... but share this deal for me mkay? You'll have TWO days to purchase it. Eeek!

Hope your Wednesday is great and happy ALMOST holidays to ya alright?

***OH! I almost forgot.... no {Thrifted Thursdays} this week. Taking a break in order to have some holiday goodness.

{Thrifted Thursdays} Week 8

If you are new to this read about it all here. 

This week I'm going to share with you one of the fabulous link-ups from last week and hopefully encourage you to join in with the fun.

Last week the adorable {and 39 weeks pregnant} Sandy from SandyalaMode linked up with {Thrifted Thursdays} to show off her awesome glasses that she thrifted.

Isn't she just the cutest. Her blog is too. You should pop over and let her know that she rocks because SOON she's going to pop a baby out of her belly and she needs major awesome love to make that happen!

Then two nights ago at work we had a menu tasting party and since my fella and I technically work for the same company.... he got to be there too. So to me....it was date night. I got all glammed up and even threw on my thrifted leather jacket he got me for rides on his Harley. Or maybe just for looking goooood. 

Shirt: Roxy//Necklace: c/o BabyboyBakery for CHWH//Ring:c/o LittleMissMomma

Leather jacket: Thrifted

 

 And finally Sandy I hope you read this post..... cause you were the WINNER of the Poshlocket GIVEAWAY!!! What a happy, beautiful way to celebrate being a new momma! Can't wait till you get your earrings in the mail! Xo.

cold hands. warm hearts.

This year I lovingly participated in Much Love illy and Sandy a la Mode's COLD HANDS, WARMS HEARTS exchange. If you haven't heard of it, don't worry cause I just stumbled upon it and was WAY happy to have. Basically it's a swap with another fabulous blogger where you trade mittens and other cute items (if you wish) and most definitely make a new friend.

I was paired up with the beautiful Jacqui from BabyBoyBakery who just happens to live about 10 mins up the highway from me in SoCal. She has a fantastically adorable 18 month old son (with gorgeous red curls) and she's an adorable baker who makes delicious delights. If you want to learn more about my friend Jacqui you can follow her tweets or send her some love on facebook.

Jacqui not only gave me the sweetest gifts for our exchange but she hand-delivered them to me by inviting me out for coffee and shopping! Not only did I LOVE my sweet gifts but I also met a new friend! Best gift of all. Thanks so much to Sandy, Illy and Jacqui. xxx.

the holidays.

Since we just moved to CA a few months ago.... there will be no returning home to celebrate holidays with family and friends. Also, we are pretty broke and so we will not be able to get a tree, buy lots of gifts or do anything really.

BUT, I am still a fan of sending out a Christmas letter to all we love and so this year I used my new skills and put together a letter on a cool new program I'm learning called "CoreIDRAW". I think it turned out very cute and I can't wait to package it up in some cute envelopes and send it to everyone! 

Also special this holiday season is the fact that I now have an Etsy Shop that I didn't have this time last year. That means I can not only make super great items for all of you to purchase but I can use my handmade talents to create GIFTS!

Here are some of the items in the new Holiday Collection that you can buy right NOW!

{SHOP Your HEART Out}

{Thrifted Thursdays} Week 7

If you are new to this read about it all here.

I am so sorry this is late. The end.

There were two cute link-ups last week and I can't wait to share them with you now. Hopefully this week we'll have even more! I don't have a button for this but perhaps I'll make one so you can encourage others to join in?

First cute gal:

The lovely Gina from Acute Designs

Her cute skirt is vintage and she MADE her headband. You can find it in her shop.  

Second cute gal:

 

And just look at Rachel from Dramatic Attic

Her adorable skirt is also thrifted and her hair pin is from her shop. 

If you want to be featured here next week, you gotta link up! And a tweet doesn't hurt either. ;)

Happy thrifting! And Thursday, uh Friday.  

 

{Sponsor Love} Poshlocket + giveaway!

I'm one of those girls who has never been really great at accessorizing. I own all sorts of necklaces, headbands, scarves, earrings, rings..... all of it. But when it comes down to planning out what I'm going to wear; basically as soon as I'm not naked I feel ready to go. :)

But the older I become (ugh, older, such an ugly sounding word).... I realize that I like looking good and that involves accessories! But when you want something beautiful and quality that will last you a long time... it's gonna cost ya.

I have your solution.

This adorable online store is not only filled with gorgeous unique jewelry of kinds; BUT it's also SUPER affordable. And that couldn't come at a better time when the holidays are fast approaching and I have almost NONE of my shopping done! Eek!

Here are some of my favorite items:

{1} {2} {3} {4}

And I also am loving my new Starlite Stud Earrings they graciously sent me last week.  They are simple yet elegant and can either dress up an outfit or just be worn casually on a daily basis {which is great for easy-going, non-accessory-prone girls like moi}. 

AND, the lovelies at Poshlocket are graciously wanting to give one of you a pair of the gold starlite studs! So how do you enter to win those beauties?

::How to Enter::

  

*Must follow my blog, does not count as an entry*

{1} Subscribe to Poshlocket's mailing list and leave a comment letting me know you did.

{2} Visit their site and let me know what you would buy as a gift.

{3}  Follow Poshlocket on facebook and let me know you did.

{4) Follow Poshlocket on twitter and let me know you did.

{5} Blog, Tweet or Facebook about this givewaway and tell me what you did. 

Feel free to use this:
 Dear Santa, please let there be something shiny from @Poshlocket under my tree or just let me win @TBlendings #giveaway http://bit.ly/ulbEAK

ALSO don't miss out on their 20% SALE {with FREE SHIPPING} happening now with the code: HOLIDAY20

GOOD LUCK! 

Winner will be announced December 16th!

Words cannot express.

Today has been unreal. Today is why I live. Today has left me with a warm heart and a permanent smile. And while I'm feeling this exuberant joy.... I had to tell about it. So I can always remember why I must work hard.

Today I had coffee, aimless shopping and the BEST conversation with a fellow blogger---Jacqui. Jacqui blogs at BabyBoyBakery and reached out to me to see if I wanted to meet up. I've never met any of my friends from this community "in real life" so although exciting... this was also scary in a way. But we absolutely had the BEST time together. We are so similar and can really relate to each other. This new friendship is something that is so invaluable to me especially if you read this post from awhile back. 

I also found a PERFECT xmas surprise for fella and cannot wait now to give it to him. But sorry, can't share a photo of that just yet. ;)

While purchasing said gift, the cashier told me she loved my headband and asked where I got it. When I told her I made it {best feeling to be able to say that} she asked where she could shop and I got to hand her one of my new cute business cards from Moo.com.

THEN, I came home to check the mail {one of my favorite activities ever} and found that my first published article had arrived!!!

I cannot ever describe to you how it feels to see your writing in print and then to also have someone paying for those words. And other people reading them! It was IS the best feeling. I am accomplished and I CAN do THIS.

And just to top it off I found that my friends at ShopKempt have me featured on their site from this post and I just feel so overwhelmed with appreciation to be considered a "fashionable blogger". If you've never visited their site you MUST. They have the CUTEST clothing at the BEST prices. Love love love THEM.

It's such a beautiful day. I'm going to keep the happiness flowing by getting some new products listed in my shop. Who cares if I don't have a swanky nice camera? That's not what matters.

And you should smile too. Tomorrow I will have a giveaway for you from one of my fabulous sponsors, Poshlocket. You will love it.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

After working on it all weekend I think I'm finally somewhat satisfied with my new blog design. I really wanted to take it in a new direction and since I can't afford to pay the talented people who know how to do such things right now.... and I want to learn .... I worked on it all myself.

What do you think? There are lots of little tweaks I'm going to try and make over the following weeks but I like the overall look of things now.

Also I've been wanting to share the recipe with you from this post. It is a-mazing. Seriously. 

::RECIPE::

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Cheesecake Filling:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Apples:

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Streusel topping, recipe follows

1/2 cup caramel topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Streusel topping. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Let cool in refrigerator for at least a day for optimal cheesecake firmness (can also be frozen) or just let cool. Drizzle with caramel topping and enjoy!

Streusel Topping:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. I like to really combine it by using my clean hands to thoroughly combine the butter into the mixture.

Source: adapted from Paula Deen

please excuse the mess.

Just wanted to pop in to say that I'm working on a re-model of my blog this weekend so I apologize if things are a bit goofy till then. If you see something you love, hate or have an opinion on... please write me a comment so I know if I'm moving in the right direction. Staring at a computer screen for many hours straight can really mess with your judgement, ya hear?

Also..... can someone please explain to me why us bloggers feel the need to mess up a perfectly cute blog every few months?? Oy.

{Thrifted Thursdays} Week 6

If you are new to this read about it all here. 

This week has been a bit crazy with starting two jobs (out of the house) and the nutzo wind storm we had here last night. And again expected today actually. It's insane to see tree limbs EVERYWHERE in the streets and to have the power out in all of LA.

So for this week I encourage y'all to spread the word about Thrifted Thursdays and to LINK UP! It's way more fun that way and next week I'll even feature some favs!

Source: dresswithcourage-elissa.blogspot.com via Tia on Pinterest