it won't be long

nothin' but good things. lunch with anna & michelle, way too much netflix, passion tea lemonade, & adorable toiletries from forever 21. tomorrow i'm driving up to tuscaloosa, finally. i'm truly enjoying my winter break, but being at my parent's house can get a tad boring, so i resort to shopping and baking a lot. i also took a 5 hour nap today, but i had to be up early to go with my brother to get his wisdom teeth out, so it's excused, right? right. i can take 5 hour naps on winter break.

2011 was an interesting year for me. plenty of ups & downs, including some of the most horrific moments of my life thanks to april 27th. i am so fortunate to be alive & surrounded by amazing people on a daily basis. i am proud of some of the choices i made this year. i am also happy about my growing interest in food, baking & wine; it's a real passion of mine that has grown immensely in 2011, & it's brought me (& my friends who hardly cook) great deliciousness & happiness. this year, i learned who my true friends are. i also learned that my choices matter. & most importantly of all, i've been reminded that my family is what matters the most. 2011 was a year of growth, difficulty & amazing moments. i'm truly one of those people that's pretty damn happy no matter what happens. there are parts of 2011 i wish hadn't occurred, of course. if i could take back april 27th, i would. but i am so fortunate to have the life i do, & i cannot wait for a new year to spend with the people i love. i'm also pretty excited for the national championship, duh!

this is the song in my head at the moment. maybe because i'm excited for the weekend? i hope everyone has a splendid new year's, & best wishes for 2012!

happy holidays!

i love christmas. i do the same thing every year, but i look forward to it so much. on christmas eve, i whipped up a quick batch of my go to red velvet cupcakes to take to my grandmother's. christmas morning, i opened gifts with my family, then we went to my grandmother's for lunch. mimosas, beef tenderloin & the most AMAZING mashed potatoes ever = the meal i look forward to all year, every year. i got lots of presents that i'd been wanting, including some things from my holiday wishlist! i am so in love with the coach poppy scent, i'll probably go through half the bottle before the new semester starts. my other obsession is the steve madden annie booties - i can't wait to wear these on new year's eve!

this week i'll be spending time with friends, working out, watching netflix, baking & doing a little shopping with mom. during the upcoming weekend i'll be back in tuscaloosa to ring in the new year with my boyfriend & spend some time with him! hope everyone had a wonderful holiday.

it comes naturally

"your love" on repeat, my fortune when i got chinese last week, china glaze's "meteor shower", geekin' in a homemade facial mask with honey, nutmeg + cinnamon, my peppermint meringues, new velour hoodie from juicy couture after a day of shopping with michelle, making my favorite orange chicken stir fry for dinner tuesday night, homemade caesar salad + pinot noir wednesday night. i can't wait for christmas!

winter break at last!

on friday afternoon i drove to my parent's house for christmas break. finals week wasn't that bad! & i got to spend a few days with a special someone before driving to fairhope on friday night i went to my grandmother's birthday, & i spent all day saturday baking with my mother, grandmother & aunts. we made tons of cookies, including pecan sandies, sugar cookies, cranberry pistachio, peanut butter blossoms, peanut butter truffles, martha washington balls & lemon bars. i personally made chewy lemon snowdrop cookies & peppermint meringue! the meringue turned out way different than i expected but it's yummy!


it feels SO good to get a break after this semester. it was a difficult one as far as academics go, but i'm feeling totally refreshed already & ready for next semester's classes. i've got so many things i'm looking forward to, including cooking my heart out, shopping & spending time with family. oh, & netflix. & naps.

"dead week" in photos

relaxing on my comfy bed doing homework. playing words with friends. endless trips to redbox. studystudystudy. starbucks runs. new favorite boots steve madden boots that i wear constantly. having a girly drink at the end of a long day of studying. cinnamon roll study breaks. and sleep. hello dead week.

holiday wishlist 2011

starbucks giftcards, grey tall uggs, cath kidston iphone case, marc by marc jacobs turnlock necklace, coach poppy perfume, northface e tip gloves & tickets to the national championship

on monday, "dead week" begins. i've got a huge project to do, a portfolio to organize & an exam to study for, so i haven't had time to take photos. i am SO looking forward to exam week being over, spending a few wonderful days with a great guy, & then finally heading to my parent's house for 1 month. baking, family time & catching up with friends at mcsherry's will ensue!

also announced today: alabama is going to the national championship game in new orleans! am i going to be there? OF COURSE! i'm entering the drawing for student tickets tomorrow at 8am, & hotel reservations are in the works. whether or not i get a ticket is purely luck, so my fingers are crossed. even if i don't, i'm heading to new orleans anyway just to be present.

for the next 2 weeks it's coffee, instagram, studying, writing & no sleep. i'll be updating again on the other side of finals. happy december!

chocolate cupcakes + cream cheese icing

after making my birthday cake, which was my first experimentation with chocolate, i wanted to make cupcakes as well. on thursday night i whipped up this batch & i'm proud to say i'm very happy with them! paula deen recipes haven't disappointed me so far. i've found that i'm starting to prefer cakes made with oil instead of butter, they're always lighter & fluffier, which is the texture i prefer. dense cupcakes can still taste nice, but i love bouncy cake.

i used 2 separate paula deen recipes for these. for the cake, i used this recipe, but omitted the filling elements. the filling is supposed to be coffee buttercream by the way, so maybe i'll try that one day! for the icing, i used this recipe, which i always use for my red velvet cupcakes as well.

lately when it comes to icing i've just been using a good old ziploc bag. i need to get some tips & get creative! round icing is pretty but i want to experiment.

for the cupcakes:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
• 3 large eggs
• 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

preheat the oven to 350 degrees f. line muffin pans with paper liners and set aside.

in a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. add oil, coffee, & eggs. beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. mix in the sour cream & vanilla.

spoon the batter evenly into prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. bake until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, for 16 to 18 minutes. let cool before icing.

for the icing:

• 1 pound cream cheese, softened
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

beat the butter, sugar & vanilla together until smooth. add confectioners sugar slowly until incorporated.

mini MAC haul

on friday night i went on a little trip to the summit in birmingham with the girls for a shopping trip. we had cheesecake factory for dinner. i got alfredo & jw's lemonade, nom.

we stopped by all our usual favorite places & then i went by MAC to spend a giftcard that was burning a hole in my pocket! i picked up a new bottle of fix+, brush cleanser & eyeshadow in 'gleam'. i've never tried the brush cleanser & i got it in hopes of being encouraged to clean my brushes more often. most girls can agree that their brushes don't get a thorough cleaning nearly enough, so here's to hoping this helps in that area. last, i got an eyeshadow in 'gleam'. though my favorite neutral shadow is 'naked lunch', i wanted to pick up a different neutral for every day. i liked the warm golden tones in 'gleam' & i thought it would be pretty for fall.

the biggest october recap ever

my little toshiba pc finally bit the dust. i had an affection for it, i'll admit. it was the first computer that was mine. it got me through 2 years of college & there were plenty of memories attached, but it was time for him to go. he had been running poorly, & quite literally falling apart. the screen was totally detached from the base & i had to prop it up against a wall or other objects in order to use it. it was a sad, sad sight. one night i was watching katt williams videos with my roommate, & just like that, he was gone. screen black. dangling wires protruding from cracking strips of plastic. no lulling hum of the hard drive, no flashing battery light. rest in peace, dear friend.

but not really, because you were not a very nice computer to begin with. i made the mistake of doing no research prior to your purchase. i waltzed into best buy & picked out what was shiny. it's my fault. but, i digress.

so you can imagine my utter joy when this baby showed up on my doorstep. the transition is complete, i'm officially a mac person. bye bye pc.


a recap of the second half of october: i turned 21 at last on october 13th, & i had a great birthday weekend with my family & friends. my first legal drink was a tropical cosmo. typical, right? i asked the bartender for the girliest concoction he knew to make, & that what i got, complete with an orange slice. of course, it wasn't my last drink of the night. i found myself with way more wristbands than i had intended to collect. i got some great gifts, including gorgeous pearl earrings from my grandparents, betsey johnson perfume, MAC goodies, vs pink sweatpants (those were a need, ok?) & the fun of baking my own cake with my mother. my best friends also surprised me at midnight & brought cupcakes to my apartment! my incredible roommates got me the philosophy microdelivery peel kit (review soon!), a vanilla candle & some bath salts. they know me all too well.



the next week, i drove to birmingham to have dinner with someone special & fell in love with pf changs. why hadn't i eaten there before?! i've been dreaming about it (& the person i ate with) ever since. i don't like to get too personal on the relationship front, but let's just say i'm crushing hard.

the weekend of the 22nd my parents drove up to stay with me & go to the tennessee game. the next week was fall break! i had wednesday & thursday off from class, so two friends & i went camping at cheaha state park down in talladega national forest. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN. we did tons of hiking all day & it was so exquisitely beautiful, oh my gosh. we picked the perfect time of year to go, just when the leaves are changing & the air is cooling down. i'll be posting the film photos from that trip in a later post!

i'm honestly surprised i was able to put this entry together, because the past month has been so busy. i'm only taking 12 hours this semester, how is this possible? my agenda is packed! i'm excited for the holiday season & i've got lots to look forward to. also, how did i forget that having butterflies in my tummy 24/7 was so fun? it's the best feeling. the things that have changed in my life in the past 3 months have been for the better, & i'm so happy that my life is headed down a different road.

sinfully delightful chocolate mousse cake

normally, i don't undertake endeavors like cake. i enjoy their tiny counterparts, the cupcake. however, for my 21st birthday in october, i knew i wanted to make something special... something divine. i stumbled upon this recipe for a chocolate mousse cake & knew it was the one. when i read further & discovered that it was a paula deen recipe... let's just say my heart was set.

cake decorating is something that i haven't really experimented with, so i was grateful when this recipe called for simply covered the cake in chocolate shavings. more chocolate? don't mind if i do. i found that tilting the cake to cover it was kind of a daunting task, & i wasn't ready to risk the cake itself for the sake of it's beauty. so, it's sort of a monster chocolate cake. it's not the prettiest. it's not even in some places. & that's totally ok with me, because it tasted so damn good.

here is the recipe i used for those interested. i would highly reccomend this cake for any special occasion, or just because! if you're more dedicated to cake decorating than i, it can look amazing. or it can just taste delicious, which is what i focused on.

a post on my 21st birthday & life since then is coming soon! i'm getting photos developed from my camping trip to cheaha state park tomorrow so that i can include them. i've got a busy week ahead of me & i'm probably going out of town this weekend.

love like woah

hi everyone! long time no update, & for totally valid reasons! school is eating me alive, i've got midterms in 2 weeks. currently, i'm at my parent's place for the weekend. it's been a wonderful past few weeks & i'm so excited for the rest of this month, despite my exams. let the recap begin!

school, internship, homework, repeat. as i mentioned, i've been the busiest ever academically. i've done a lot of thinking about my minor, &... i think i'm going to cut it out with the graphic design & switch to creative writing. i'm looking to brush up on my indesign skills for my portfolio, but i don't feel like my heart is in graphic design. i've been writing since i was a child, & i really think that means something. JUST A THOUGHT. will i stick with this sentiment? who knows.

i made my very first bread! if you follow me on twitter you probably already know about this endeavor. i started with sourdough - i let the starter ferment for a week, then i got right to work on baking & it turned out great. it was so much fun to do & i'm looking to experiment with french bread next.

spent tons of time with my girls, went to football games, had football parties (made a taco ring!) & have literally been cooking my ass off simply because i love it.

i used my incoco nail strips that i got in my september birchbox, & i was actually pleasantly surprised. although i'm not the biggest fan of blue glitter, i wanted to try them out.

i attended bayfest in mobile this weekend, the first time i've been since i was 14. i went simply for a throwback - 3 doors down, hinder, theory of a deadman, korn, drowning pool... yep, all the music i enjoyed as an 8th grader. i couldn't resist. had a great time, felt nostalgic & was sort of reminded why i stopped going to bayfest - it's a sweaty alabama mess. however, i knew this ahead of time & i'm cool with it. seeing ludacris was also a (classy) highlight.

because i was at my parent's place this weekend, i did a little baking, just some simple chocolate chip + cookies & cream cookies to satisfy the baking fix.

my birthday is this week (!!!!!) & i'm looking forward to turning 21 so much - not just for obvious reasons. yes, i'm still mulling over what my first legal drink shall be. a cocktail? champagne? wine? i have no idea, but i have a feeling it will just come to me when the time is right. besides that, i'm looking forward to spending time with my family & friends. in 21 years, i've learned that that is what's most important.

the reason i'm able to make this post is because i'm sick. last night, after arriving home from bayfest, i started to feel kinda off & thought i had a cold. within a few hours it progressed into a full blown virus & i've been running a fever all day. hopefully i'll be feeling better by my birthday on thursday, & if i'm not... well, i'm still going out, i only turn 21 once. here's to hoping i'm better by then.

september birchbox #3

this month's birchbox is special because they are celebrating their year anniversary. even though i've only been getting boxes since july, i've been pleased with the service so far. items this month:

• adventurous incoco nail polish applique - "we all have a wild side. eye-catching nail strips are the latest trend - try them on your fingers or toes." ok ok, i know. nail polish strips are kind of cheesy (in my opinion) but i've been dying to try them. i peeked at the other boxes people received this month & i can say that i'm not too wild~ about the pattern i got, bright glittery blue, but i'm going to give them a shot anyway. happy about this item being included!
• polished jouer lip enhancer - "why settle for plain 'ol lip balm when you can hydrate, plump and condition all in one go? right, we thought so." ok, this lip balm smells AMAZING, a very delicate rose scent. LOVE that. the application is very smooth & it feels great on the lips. a+ on this item, & i will likely purchase the full size. one question, though: why is it so tiny? i know these are samples, but this is really, really small.
  
• eco-minded LIV GRN earth eau de parfum - "made from sustainable ingredients, this sulty scent is laced with jasmine and sandalwood. plus, ten percent of sales go directly to global green, an environmental non-profit." i really like this scent, & i'll likely use the entire sample. i'm not wild about it enough to purchase a full size, we'll see.
  
• balanaced pangea organics facial cream - "an all natural moisturizer, with antioxidant-rich grape extracts and essential oils, keeps skin both hydrated & shine-free." love the way this smells, it reminds me of aveda products. i love moisturizers so i'm going to implement this one into my daily routine & see how it goes. i tested some on my hand & it feels heavenly, so i'm really looking forward to using it.
  
• birchbox friendship bracelet - this is the only item i'm going "wtf" on. i mean, it's kind of cute... but i don't really think i'd wear it.

overall, i'm ok with this month's box. if it were any other month there would be no problems. i love the products included, except for the bracelet. my only issue is this: this box was supposed to be a celebration of 1 year of birchbox, rewarding new & old customers alike with something spectacular that thanks them for their loyalty. i didn't see that in this box. i dunno, maybe i'd be happy if the lip balm sample was larger, since i'm crazy about that. but why not a huge benefit sample? why not just a little more bang for your buck than usual, birchbox? you fell short on this one.

just a tiny chill in the air

hi little blog. i haven't forgotten you. in fact, i miss you a lot. so many things have happened in the past month & i've been so swept up in it all that blogging hasn't been on my priority list. many things have happened in my personal life that i won't get into... mainly because, well, it's personal. all i know is that at the end of the day i'm blessed with the most amazing friends & family that i could ask for, & better days are to come.

i've started school again & i am way more busy than i ever anticipated. i'm only taking 4 classes, but my internship has taken up my time as well as countless projects for classes. it feels like there are so many things i'm getting involved in this semester & i'm being pulled in so many different directions. everything interesting i wish i'd known about freshman or sophomore year is hitting me like a sack of bricks, & i'm having to do some major decision making in regards to where my time goes.

i've also done a lot of cooking in my new apartment - i made my first ever pot roast for the alabama vs. penn state game on saturday & it was a success! i've already made a batch of halfway decent cupcakes (the icing, ick, never again) & i hope i can finally venture into chocolate territory soon! let's all cross our fingers that i don't screw that one up, right?

i'm taking a creative writing class that has actually sparked some ideas in me. hopefully soon i'll be back in the blogging spirit & writing my heart out (+ taking more photos!). fall is finally in the air & my favorite time of year is almost here!

a lush life

if you know me, it's no secret that i love lush. my mother was kind enough to pick me up some goodies in chicago this past week while she was there on business, & i absolutely have to share. since there's no lush in alabama, i usually order from online or pick up items in new orleans. by the way, lush, there's a macy's in birmingham that could really use you...

i got 3 bath bombs & soap! sex bomb, my FAVORITE! + twilight, which i've used before, & geo phyzz, which is new! i wanted to try out rockstar soap because it smells heavenly. their soaps are to die for. i've got such a long list of lush products i love that i'll likely order more in the next few months.



what lush products have you tried, & which are your favorites?

blueberry crumble cake

well, i've done it. i've baked something in my new apartment. it's baking virginity is gone. now, it's in for a wild ride of experimentation, way too many cupcakes & hopefully no disasters. i've got my little baking basket organized (yes, i have a basket full of cupcake liners, fondant flowers & ridiculous things) & i'm totally set. let's do this.

i thought this cake was a nice thing to start with, it's basically JUST like the very berry coffee cake at starbucks. i can't wait to have a piece with a doubleshot on ice during the afternoon. if you're looking for a simple recipe that's good every time & can also serve as a (sugary) morning snack with your coffee, this cake is definitely the trick!

for the streusel:

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 & 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

for the cake:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick), room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1 & 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. butter & flour a 9 inch baking pan.

for the streusel:

1. combine the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon & nutmeg.
2. stir in the melted butter & then flour, set aside.

for the cake:

1. cream butter & sugar with an electric mixer on high for 4-5 minutes.
2. reduce speed & add eggs one at a time.
3. add vanilla, lemon zest & sour cream.
4. in another bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder & salt. slowly add the dry mixture to the other bowl with the mixer on low, until just combined.
5. fold in the blueberries with a spatula.
6. spread batter into pan with a knife.
7. using your hands, crumble the streusel on top until it covers the cake.
8. bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
9. enjoy with your morning coffee, or by itself!