Flea Market Finds

I've always been a fan of craft fairs, flea markets and thrift shops. I still remember afternoon trips with my Dad to an indoor flea market 30-45 minutes away from my parents house on Sunday afternoons. A year or so ago I went to a flea market in Philly and signed up for email alerts about EVERY flea market in Philadelphia. I'm proud to say i've finally been to each different one and i've taken friends and family back to many of them. I've even developed a set of negotiating skills...I can't get enough of that thrill of the ultimate find! 

I wanted to show off some of my favorite flea market finds. I'll post about my favorite Philly flea markets in the near future. :)

Vintage Bread Box <3 <3 <3

Wicker Chairs

 Squirrel/Nut Jar and Gold Etched Shotglasses

 Gold Etched Ice Bucket and Glasses

Mustache Mug!

 Vintage Coca Cola Wooden Crate aka Shotglass Holder

 Pan Am Travel Bag

(w/ a The Beatles Pam Am playing card)

 Geometric Squirrel Necklace <3

(from the Santa Monica flea market)

And these are just the favorites. ;)

Sign up to get weekly emails about flea markets in the Philadelphia area: Phila Flea Markets

Building a Classic Wardrobe

I decided to join a Weight Watchers group at work. Not that i've lost much weight so far but the thought of going out and buying a entirely new wardrobe is something that really kicks my willpower into gear. I would be so excited to basically build a new wardrobe by altering key pieces I already own and by added some new classics to the mix. Sometimes I think I could reinvent my style and finally go after what I love on other people but am too scared to try myself. 

Pinterest has been a great source of encouragement in losing weight and has gotten me excited about reinventing my wardrobe. This Pinterest page has it all: Building a Wardrobe -from how to build a wardrobe or how to pack a suitcase with minimal pieces to advice from stylish people and how to fit/wear/choose your clothing. 

Here are a few pieces i'm loping to add to my closet:

A Little Black Dress

Basic Cardigans

A White Dress Shirt

Ballet Flats

Brown, Tan, or Camel Knee-High Boots

Dark-Wash Boot-Cut Jeans

A Perfect Black Blazer

Black Pumps

Simple V-Neck Shirts

Black Dress Pants

Comfy Skinny Jeans

 A Classic Pea Coat

Happy wardrobing!

Sweatheart Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies!

Just in time for Valentines Day! When any Holiday comes up I use it as an excuse to bake something new. During Christmas one of our staple cookies are Peanut Butter Kiss cookies. Ever since seeing a version of these cookies with chocolate hearts instead of kisses on Pinterest I knew I wanted to make them for Valentines Day. 

I found what I have come to believe is the BEST peanut butter chocolate heart cookie recipe on the blog The Baker Chick. I stumbled upon this blog via Pinterest and it's quickly becoming one of my favorites.  Everyone who tried one of these cookies said it was absolutely amazing!

Yummm Dove chocolate...

As usual the peanut butter cookie dough was rolled in sugar before baking. After baking I placed the chocolate heart in the middle and quickly put them into the fridge. If this isn't done quickly you'll end up with lots of melted hearts...and lots of rejects to eat..mawahaha.

ENJOY and Happy Valentines Day!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip: Valentines Day edition

Can you believe tomorrow is already Valentines Day?? 2014 is seriously flying by. At work we decided to have a 'Dip Party' and since it was the week of Valentines Day I figured why not make a themed dip. Thanks to the blog Erica's Sweet Tooth I was able to find a great dessert dip. She made a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough dip....the only difference is her's was a Super Bowl theme and is shaped like a football. 

The only changes I made to her recipe were the shape - now a heart - and using Gluten Free All Purpose Flour instead of plain 'ole flour. 

I mixed the dry ingredients in a separate bowl then using a hand mixer blended the other ingredients together. I folded in the whip cream at the end which gives the dip a lighter, fluffier texture that's easier to scoop up with fruit or pretzels.

I put the cookie dough in the fridge for a bit before molding it into a heart.

I chopped up some chocolate baking melts to cover the dough with chocolate. I offered up apple slices, strawberries, gluten free pretzels and Nilla wafers as dippers..I would also suggest some graham crackers!

Overall the dip was a hit and everyone was seriously impressed with the presentation. And I must admit it was a pretty easy dish to put together. I would suggest making it for any occasion...and I would also definitely suggest having a Dip Party at work!

Small Changes Make a Big Difference Around the Home

I've been in my condo for about 1 1/2 years now. I have most of the 'big projects' done (with a few exceptions) so for the past year i've been making tiny changes in each room to give them updates. Here are a few i've done over the past year:

Some updates can make a big impact! I'm not much of a drinker but I must admit I have a bar where my dining table should be. Why you might ask? Well, why not! When I moved in I had no use for a dining table since I had space to sit and eat in my kitchen and I happened to have this bar back home just waiting for me to scoop it up and put it in my very own place. It's been the focal point of the few parties i've hosted here and more importantly it's Memphis's favorite hang out spot.

I had been on the search for a big, interesting mirror for behind the bar (instead of the placeholder band posters) and I finally found the perfect one at Homegoods. I. Love. Homegoods. I needed something to balance out the space behind the bar and add some extra workspace so a floating shelf was used under the mirror. To the right of the mirror is my flea market wooden Coca Cola crate filled with shot glasses...I have a very extensive shot glass collection!

The guest bathroom in my place has been a blank canvas for a looong time. The room is painted a brown suede color and accented with white. I needed some extra storage as well as something to decorate the wall - I found both of these things in a *discounted* wall mounted 3 level shelf from Urban Outfitters. I screwed it into the wall, filled it up with some vintage mason jars my Dad found for me. I absolutely love the overall look and is even useful showcasing all the toiletries my guests might need.

This past week I finally got my order of Instagram magnets in the mail from StickyGram a website that allows you to print your Instagram photos as magnets or even phone cases! I had purchased a few in the past but wanted to update my collection I had littering the fridge. And not to mention i'm on their mailing list and they had a great deal I couldn't pass up.

I printed out all kinds of pictures - some showcased my baking, others were pretty flower, and most showed off my amazing friends and family. I thought it only fitting to spell out LOVE with my magnets. I can't wait for some friends to come over so I can show off all my great memories in magnet form.

Good luck on your next mini home project! ;)

Super Bowl Baking: Chocolate Chip Cookie Helmets & Brownie Footballs

Super Bowl XLVIII is upon us! I've made it a habit of baking something for every Super Bowl party i've been to in the past few years. The past two years i've gone the easy route and made a football-cupcake-cake. I made them with store bought cake mixes and icing...funfetti of course!

This year it was time to try something new! After discussing option with my best baking bud, Emily, I was offered the use of her football and helmet shaped cookie cutters. I decided to make brownie footballs and chocolate chip cookie helmets.

I used a Ghirardelli brownie mix - cause it's delicious and easy and I ain't got all night. The chocolate chip cookies were made with a knock off Mrs. Fields cookie recipe found on the website Yum Sugar. They even offer a video of how to make the cookies and I must say it was really helpful. Try it next time you whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookies I swear you won't regret it.

The footballs needed their laces and of course I had to decorate the cookies with the team colors. It was hard to get the orange exact but I think they came out just fine. 

They were a hit!