Wednesday, December 31, 2014

A New Year

 I promise to spend more time creating 
a warm and cozy home for myself and others.
 Getting outside more, breathing in
fresh air and taking more walks.
Taking care of myself, mentally & physically.
Traveling and exploring more.
Being more creative and inspiring. 
I promise to eat a well balanced diet.
Make time for myself to enjoy quiet
time and my own space. 
I promise to be happy with myself, no matter what.

 What are some of your goals for the coming year? 

(1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8)

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

2014: Year in Review





This year has been packed with wonderful moments, bouts of sadness, career transitions, many stressful nights, doubts about this blog and too many job applications. I started my year on a high, I finally spent some time visiting my sister in her Manhattan apartment and strolling the chilly streets of New York. In the winter the city is almost quiet and still, the snow gently falls between all those tall historic buildings and just for a moment, I imagine it's just me and the city. I spent a lot of time wandering alone, (while my sister was working) reacquainting myself with some of my favorite spots in the city. In March I was apart of my brother's wedding, it was filled with happiness, joy and tears I tried to fight back when the bride and groom exchanged their vows. It was beautiful and elegant without being over the top. It was filled with pink, mint and off white accents all around the ball room. It was a picture perfect spring day and fulfilling to witness a southern wedding. 

After coming home from seeing my sister and brother, I flew back to California to be welcomed with family loss. It was torture watching my parents go through so much sadness and it became difficult to deal with in the midst of my final semesters of school and work. I dove into my studies head first and tried to concentrate on projects at work to sidetrack my feelings. And while I was happy at work, I was wanting something more. More responsibility, more trust, bigger projects and a voice to be heard. I spent my summer filling out job applications and going into interviews confident with my experience and education. By the end of the summer, I had nothing. No job in sight and I was starting to wonder what I was actually worth. Going into fall, I finally came across a full time position in my dream field, I went for it, gave it all I had and got the job. It was the happiest moment of the year, I was finally moving forward in the right direction.

And now that we are near the closing of the year, those feelings of sadness that I never quite got over from this past spring have crept in to remind me of loss and my personal health, both mentally and physically. On the outside I am a very upbeat person who smiles all the time. Really, I am incredibly hard on myself about everything from work, school and my home life. Like most women I fall victim to having a perfectionist mentality and when I can't reach that perfection, I feel like a failure. Inevitably, I then resort to pasta or dessert and can become extremely anti-social. Learning to be happy with who I am, (seriously though this is a big problem for me) and letting go is my biggest problem. Looking up, standing tall and walking with confidence (instead of keeping my head down and being ashamed of stupid little flaws) would be the biggest achievement for myself. That is what I plan on working on for the new year. What is the biggest problem you have with yourself, how do you deal with it and how will you work on becoming stronger and happier.

(I also promise not use the word change or fix when referring to myself in the new year, this journey is about being happy with yourself. Do not fix or change who you are!)    

(1,2,3,4,5)

Monday, December 29, 2014

Weekend Wrap Up

 perfect lounge wear for a lazy weekend.
 lush overload :)
 anthropologie kitchenware for christmas!!!
 winter musts include long socks, heavy duty face
cream and aloe lotion. 
 new night routines...
history sidekicks and winter tea sets...

(images via instagram)

Friday, December 26, 2014

this week's favorites...






Growing up if there was one thing I could not wait for it was my mom hauling out the holiday book basket. Reading and rereading favorites and collecting new, there is nothing more exciting than pulling out all my old Christmas pictures books from my childhood. 

(images via amazon)

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Five Minutes Peace

It's Christmas Eve, Eve and hopefully you are finished with all your shopping and wrapping up the last of your gifts. I suspect you're a little tired from preparing your home for relatives and friends, putting out all the treats you've baked and perhaps still finishing decorating the tree, because it's a family tradition to do it when everyone gets in to town. Lock yourself in the bathroom, draw yourself a bath and give yourself five minutes peace...before the festivities get going. 

(image via the style scribe)

Monday, December 22, 2014

Weekend Wrap Up...

 blush beanies and leather gloves are my
 winter musts.
 my little bunny friend that I plan on stealing from 
my neighbor, her name is Sandy :)
 feed stockings make for excellent door decoration.
 december reading and christmas greetings. 
weekend movie marathons. 

(images via instagram)

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Creamy Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup

My mom found this Paula Dean recipe years ago that is fantastic. It's the one thing that everyone in the family likes and is a favorite every time she makes it. When I stumbled across this recipe, it reminded me of the spicy tortellini soup my mother makes so often. Now its time for a new family favorite, hello creamy tomato basil tortellini goodness! 

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cup diced carrots (3 medium)
1 3/4 cup diced yellow onion (1 large)
2 tbsp olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 (28 oz) cans whole Roma tomatoes
1 (32 oz) carton vegetable broth
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp granulated sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
16 oz refrigerated three cheese tortellini
Parmesan, shredded, for serving

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots and onion and saute 3-4 minutes, add garlic and saute 1 minute longer. Pour mixture into a 6 or 7 quart slow cooker along with tomatoes, vegetable broth, basil, bay leaves, sugar. Stir and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover slow cooker and cook on LOW 6-7 hours or HIGH 3-3 1/2 hours.

Remove bay leaves then puree mixture well with an emulsion blender (or carefully in small batches
in a blender. If your slow cooker doesn't keep all the moisture in well while cooking, you may need to add in 1/2 cup water or so at this point so the soup isn't too thick). Stir in tortellini, cover and cook on HIGH heat 15 minutes longer (or until heated through). Reduce heat to warm, stir in heavy cream. Serve topped with parmesan cheese and fresh basil. 

(image and text via cooking classy)

Friday, December 19, 2014

this week's favorites...





This weekend is dedicated to finishing decorating around the house and setting up the wrapping station and getting to work. The Christmas movie marathon is on and I'm also hoping to make a few batches of sugar cookies. Happy Friday :)
(1,2,3,4,5)

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Holiday Gift Guide Part iV

Get your dad something nice and cozy like this sweater from Brooks Brothers and treat him to the best men's cologne out there and my personal favorite to give away. He'll go nuts over the new Cosmos and this great book on writing and alcohol will definitely be a winner. Happy last minute shopping :)

(1,2,3,4,5,6)

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Holiday Gift Guide Part III

Your mom deserves some comfy and festive pajamas and lazy time after all the hard work she's been doing between gift shopping, cooking, baking and more cooking, wrapping everyone's presents, decorating the house and front yard and finding time to relax. Treat her to some new plaid shoes because that is all she's been wearing, a nice and simple bracelet and a new and pretty crossbody. 

(1,2,3,4,5)

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Be Happy



In these last weeks of the year, I always feel very stressed. Anxiety kicks in and I feel exhausted most of the time. Maybe it comes from being in school most of life. The anticipation of finals, studying like crazy and finishing paper assignments the night before... it's easy to say that between undergrad and graduate school I've written at least two books worth of information. With the holidays  and all my family members birthdays crammed in between these last six weeks of 2014, all I want to do is hide underneath the covers and hibernate. With Christmas less than two weeks away, the memories of spending the holidays with my grandmother floods my memory and all I can feel is sadness that she is no longer with us. 

So for now, maybe a take a day or two off from work to dedicate forty-eight hours to only you. Stay in bed all day, take an hour to drink your tea and read a book or do something you have not done in awhile that makes you smile or laugh.  Do laundry all day or bake snowman sugar cookies, whatever you do-be in the moment, do something you love and be happy. 

(1,2,3)


Monday, December 15, 2014

Weekend Wrap Up...

ugly christmas sweater work party.
 this little guy. 
 Dewey our elf on the shelf is about to get in trouble.
 and this sleepy guy. 
relaxing sunday evening.

(images via instagram)


Sunday, December 14, 2014

Holiday Cocktails

When it comes to the Holidays, I'm always in need of a festive and bubbly drink when all the family gets together. Find some pretty glasses and break out the champagne and enjoy each others company. Happy Holidays!!! 

Ingredients:
A bottle of your choice of champagne 
A splash of cranberry juice
Raspberries and Mint

(image via love you, mean it)

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Simple Updo



Other than the fact I am in serious need of a hair cut and a new style, my hair has been in sad and boring pony tail way to much lately. Needing a little inspiration for a pretty and simple updo for holiday pictures, these are easy and glamorous, even on the go :)

(1,2,3)

Leading Ladies

Five Things to Know About Bernadette Marie: 1. Trained and completed two degrees, an AAS in Communication Design and BFA in Textile S...