strawberry summer.

It's hard to believe it's been a month since I've had the chance to update!

Not only have I been extremely busy with school, but I guess there haven't been very many blog-worthy events in the last month. But that's about to change becauseeeeee....

it's finally summer! 

If there's one thing that reminds me of summer, it's fresh, juicy berries. 

After visiting Warbington Farms last week and leaving with five pounds of freshly picked strawberries, I faced the predicament of how to use them. I tested out three new recipes and am pleased to report they all turned out wonderfully. I will link them below!

 *HINT* Berries picked straight from the garden require a more thorough cleaning job than anything you buy from the store. I've found adding a cup of apple cider vinegar to a sinkful of water is a great way to leave them sparkling. And no, it doesn't change the taste of the fruit!

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Strawberry Cream Cheese Bread

 Oh. My. God. This is the creamiest, most delicious bread I've ever tasted. In fact, it's so decadent, it even makes a satisfying dessert. Really.

Strawberry Applesauce

I'm a sucker for any kind of applesauce. I followed this recipe to a tee and was beyond pleased. After blending the ingredients, the mixture may seem a bit thin. However, it thickened after being in the fridge to the perfect consistency.

Roasted Strawberry Buttermilk Pops

 At a first glance, this recipe may seem a little weird. Roasted strawberries?
 Through this savory experiment, I learned that heating berries brings out all the natural juices. So tasty! For this recipe, I substituted the lemon juice with the juice of one lime. As an added bonus, I also used locally harvested honey for a real "at-home" feel. 

So, there you have it! 

Just a few ideas of how to use all those berries. 

I'll be attending a 3-day music festival in Atlanta this weekend, so prepare yourselves for more updates in the very near future. ^_^

march favorites.

Hello, everyone! 

It's been a hectic few weeks. I feel like I've hardly had any free time between my work and school schedules. Although it's a tad late, I wanted to share all the awesome products I fell in love with in March with you guys! ^_^ 

First, my Teeny Tiny Gardening Book. It was actually given to me at Christmas, but I only recently went to Pike and picked out my little plants. I decided on a Zebra Haworthia, a Purple Rose Succulent, and a mini flower bouquet from Trader Joe's. The book has some awesome ideas and they're all super cute and easy. For this particular project, all I used was a small amount of potting soil, some decorative river pebbles, and three stemless wine glasses. I'll definitely be doing more projects like this in the future!

 Onto the next obsession... I'm in love with these 1978 vintage canisters from Sears & Roebuck's Merry Mushroom collection. I ordered them on eBay for, like, $40 and they're in great condition. Anyone who knows me knows I collect just about anything mushroom, so they're a great addition to my kitchen stockpile.

 Heading into the realm of beauty products, these are three new products that have come into my possession that are definitely new favorites. 

The first is Wella's Flowing Form Smoothing Balm. My hair tends to be very frustrating-- in the summer, the Georgia humidity causes endless frizz. In the winter, the dry air causes static. The last time I had my hair cut, my stylist gave me a bottle of this for free. And let me tell you, the shit works wonders. I just put a pea-sized drop on the palm of my hand, rub it together, and finger-comb it from the middle of my hair to the ends. It smells awesome and tames any pesky flyaways.

Next, Victoria's Secret Vanilla Lace Hand and Body Cream. This isn't exactly a new product. It's one of their signature scents, but it's by far the best vanilla scented lotion I've ever tried. I'm a vanilla freak, so I've tried a lot. But nothing compares to this one. The scent lasts all day and it's a light and non-greasy formula. And it's only $12, which is probably the cheapest thing you'll ever buy at VS.

Finally, The Gap's Dream Eau De Toilette. This is yet another signature scent, and I believe this one's been around since the 90s. As I mentioned before, vanilla and other comfort scents are my favorites. I've never found a floral fragrance that I really care for...until now. Its key note is freesia. It's very springy and subtle. LOVE. I ordered this one on Amazon, but I believe it can still be purchased at Gap Outlets.

 As far as makeup goes, I'm pretty hesitant to try new products. I have sensitive skin and eyes, so once I find something that doesn't cause any discomfort, I generally stick with it. However, I walked through Sephora recently and decided to give this Stila Liquid Liner a try. It was only $20, so I thought, "Why not?" And let me tell you, it does not disappoint. Its super-fine tip makes application easy and flawless. It's also water-and-smudge-proof, but is still easily removable with facial cleansing wipes. Definitely an added bonus. I've found my new go-to eyeliner for sure. 

 Next is a Frye leather backpack from Urban Outfitters. This one may very well be my favorite on the list, because it's a $498 value and I got it for free. That's right. I happened to win it in a Twitter contest. (Those re-tweet contests are real, people. I'm living proof!) It's made of genuine, high-quality leather and is very sturdy and stylish. After all the money I've given to Urban Outfitters over the years, it was nice to finally get this back. Almost like a thank-you for being a loyal customer. 

 Last but not least, my favorite not-so-guilty pleasures: Tazo's Organic Chai Latte and Trader Joe's Speculoos Cookies. I mix the chai with an equal amount of Silk Vanilla Almond/Soy Milk and stick it in the microwave for a minute and a half or so. It's absolutely delicious and tastes exactly like a $4 Chai latte from Starbucks, but saving money is much sweeter! I'm a sucker for any kind of sweets, and Speculoos, cinnamon spiced Belgian cookies, are a great addition to tea time. Because they're from Trader Joe's, they're all natural. So it's really a win-win. You get your sweet fix without all the additives. 

Well, that's it for my March Favorites! I may decide to post one of these every month, so check back for updates! ^_^

90s nostalgia.

Fresh. from 4L150N on 8tracks Radio.


So, continuing the theme of nostalgia... here's my ultimate 90s rock/alternative hits playlist.
And although it's rather old, I've recently stumbled upon a couple of YouTube videos about the 90s tag, and that combined with my playlist inspired me to do my own. So, here it is!


1. Favorite Toys:

Kitty Kitty Kittens, Tomagotchi/Nano Pets, My Little Pony, & Skydancers. 

2. Favorite Advertisement:

3. N'SYNC or Backstreet Boys?:
Backstreets all the way.

4. Weirdest Fashion Trend:

Those strange, uncomfortable chokers.

5. Favorite Collectible:

Without a doubt, Pokémon Cards & Beanie Babies



6. Favorite Beanie Baby:

This guy. He's still on my bookshelf.

7. Favorite Game System and Game:

 

Hands down, N64 Pokémon Snap & Mario Tennis.

8. Favorite Disney Channel Original Movie:

  

Tru Confessions, where Shia Labeouf played a retarded boy.

9. Favorite Music Artist:

I went through a phase where literally all I listened to was Jewel or Britney.

10. Favorite Nick Jr. Show:

 

 Maurice Sendak's Little Bear.

11. Favorite Candy:

  

Sour Starbursts before they changed the flavors. The original had watermelon, blue raspberry, green apple, and sour cherry.

12. Favorite Game? 

 

 Milton Bradley's Guess Who?

13. Favorite McDonald's Happy Meal Toy:

 

Teenie Beanies.  But I also LOVED the golden Pokémon cards from Burger King.

14. Favorite Book:

 

 Bridge to Terabithia and The Giver.

15. Favorite Clothing Store:

 

I think every girl shopped at Limited Too in the 90s.

 
16. What I Watched When I Got Home From School: 

 

I always watched  Pokémon ( I was obsessed, obviously), Arthur, & Zoom. Sometimes Full House or Sailor Moon, too.

17. Favorite TV Shows:

 

Anything on SNICK.

So, there you have it. My 90s autobiography! ^_^

    

second star to the right.

I watched Peter Pan this morning while finishing up some homework and wow, did it induce some nostalgia. I couldn't help but think about how wonderful it would be if Neverland really existed. I'd be there in a heartbeat. From the time we're kids, all we can think about is "I can't wait to grow up!"/"I can't wait until I'm old enough to ____!" Oh, if we only knew. Being an adult is hard work, and to remain a child forever would be wonderful.

Then I realized... I am still a child in many ways. I have a fondness for all things Disney and Nintendo-related. I love things that sparkle. I have about five coloring books I alternate between on cold/rainy days. I have a serious candy addiction. I still climb trees and love to coast down hills on my bike as fast as possible with closed eyes. A lot of me is still the same as it was 15 years ago, and I'm going to hold onto those parts tightly. After all, they are essential elements of my being!

scents of spring.

I am super excited to say that it's finally beginning to feel like spring! Georgia obviously has bipolar weather. Just a week ago, I was snowed in. Now it's 62° and I don't even need a jacket. It's pretty fantastic and, actually, a little odd. I've always been a fall/winter person, but it's been so cold here this year that I'm ready for some sunshine.

Anyways, with the new season comes new fragrances! Call me a little crazy, but I will change out literally everything I have depending on the season: lotions, shower gels, hand soaps/sanitizers, perfumes, candles... EVERYTHING. When I think spring, I think floral. I've never really been into floral scents, but some of these are to die for. I tend to go a little overboard... but I'm obsessed with change every season!

So here are some of my favorites for the rapidly approaching spring season! ^_^

They're labeled as follows: (location purchased) name- key notes/fragrances

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Lotion: (Victoria's Secret) Love Rush- wild currant & bright lily
Hand Soap: (Bath & Body Works) Fresh Picked Apple Blossoms- gala apples, pink grapefruit, apricot nectar, soft musks
Perfume: (Aerie) Vintage Lace Eau De Toilette- honeysuckle & vanilla
Fragrance Mist/Lotion/Shower Gel: (Bath & Body Works) Velvet Sugar- wild strawberry, white nectarine, pear blossom, apple nectar

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And I've also recently ordered these from Bath & Body Works' Spring St. Sweet Shop collection:

Sanitizers: Sugar Berry Shortcake, Orange Creamsicle Swirl, Pink Vanilla Macaron, Fresh Honeydew Lemonade & Lemon Meringue Tart

Candles: Cinnamon Sugared Doughnut, Raspberry Peach Macaron, & Frosted Cupcake
 

wanderlusts.

My boyfriend and I absolutely love finding new places to hike.

Fortunately, Georgia has a pretty wide selection of trails and parks. I was pretty excited to discover this one a couple of days ago, only about 20 minutes from my house. The trail runs adjacent to a river, which is ridiculously beautiful. 

It also crosses over a dam, which made for some pretty awesome scenery--we even saw a couple of deer! It was a gorgeous day for outdoor activities, and those kinds of days have been pretty hard to come by the past few months. Now, I know for some of you, receiving 5 inches of snow is the norm for the entire duration of winter. Being from Minnesota myself, I actually love the snow. However, I've realized after moving to Atlanta that here, it's a totally different story. Two inches of snow, the entire state shuts down. So any and all beautiful days have definitely been taken advantage of! We've had close to a week of snowy/icy/slushy days.

In fact, this is what my yard looks like at the moment. -_-

It's crazy that three days ago I was enjoying a mild, 60° day in the woods and now the city has been at a complete standstill again for the past 48 hours.

-Sigh.- I never thought I'd say it, but I'm ready for spring.

Oh well, at least my dog seems to enjoy it.

sugar and spice.

Since I was a little girl, I've always enjoyed baking and am always excited to try out new recipes.

So--naturally--when I stumbled upon this unusual Scandinavian cookie recipe, I had to try it out. 

It contains the standard ingredients of most other cookies: baking soda, salt, flour, sugar, shortening, and... wait. Is that rosemary? Why yes, yes it is. Now you're probably thinking, "Is this bitch crazy?" Truth be told, an herb as strong as rosemary would be the last thing I'd ever think to include in a cookie, much less any other dessert. But you'd be amazed by just how damn delicious these things are. Not to mention, they're surprisingly easy to make.

First, I creamed 1/2 c. shortening, 1/4 c. butter, and 3/4 c. sugar together in a bowl. This is a pretty standard first step in just about any cookie recipe you'll find. 

Next, I beat in one egg and added 1/4 c. locally cultivated honey (straight out of the backyard of a family friend) and 1 T. lemon juice. So far so good, right? This is where it starts getting a little strange.

Moving onto another bowl... I mixed 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg, and--yep--2 tsp. dried, crushed rosemary and slowly added it to the creamed mixture in bowl #1.

Now, I'm the kind of person who enjoys a small, two-bite kind of cookie. That way, if it turns out to be a really rich recipe, it's not overwhelming. And if it's not too rich, well... then it's just an excuse to eat more cookies. My point is, I generally make smaller spoonfuls which in turn usually yields more cookies than the recipe says. So I greased up a couple of cookie sheets and baked these bad boys at 325° for about 14 minutes.

This was the final result.

And might I say, they were damn good. They were almost like a snickerdoodle with a slight honey and herbal taste. Paired perfectly with a cup of Tazo Zen tea. This is definitely one for the archive.

I guess the moral of the story here is don't knock it 'til you try it.

Just because it sounds weird doesn't mean it won't be absolutely delicious!