I thought I was done posting for 2018, but then I made an impromptu champagne cocktail for tonight and decided I wanted to get this short recipe up immediately — in the event you folks might still be searching for a festive NYE beverage. This drink might be bit extra in terms of ingredients, but truthfully I had everything already on hand with the exception of the champagne. You could certainly skip out on a…
And just like that, the year comes to an end! I’d be lying if I said 2018 wasn’t one of the best years of my life. I got married to my best friend, I enrolled with IIN, I continued to grow my blog, I made some new friends and made great strides in my relationship with myself. The year was filled with so much joy, positivity and growth, but also filled with a lot of…
If I’ve learned one thing about sustainability through the past year, its to respect progress over perfection. Ideally, we could create a more sustainable home environment at the drop of a hat, but the reality is that making a shift towards a more eco-conscious way of living can require the investment of both time and money. I’ve also learned, however, that at any given time you can easily start making more intentional decisions that help…
Just a little over a year ago, a little voice inside started to whisper at me. Then it started to speak a little louder and louder until eventually it was shouting. But it wasn’t the same voice that whispered insults on “bad mirror days.” Or the same one that told me I “couldn’t/shouldn’t do _______ for a living.” Or the voice that made me compare myself to everyone else. Instead this voice was kind. It…
I’m not sure what happened, but suddenly I love baking! I have my theories as to why, but we’ll get to that in minute. First: let’s talk cookies! I’ve learned: baking is actual quite simple if you can get to know the basic staple recipes. From there, you can add, subtract and experiment with different ingredients, flavors and spices. I’m all in on the standard holiday flavors like peppermint mocha, gingerbread, eggnog and chocolate, but…
Do you ever have one of those weekends where you feel like you strike the perfect balance of relaxation and productivity? Certainly easier said than done, but when it happens I feel like gold on Monday morning! One of things we enjoyed this weekend? Diving into the holiday baking season with these bite-sized gingerbread cookies! One of the simple gifts we will be giving people this year are mason jars with gingerbread cookies, so in…
Host Your Own Craft Party Something I’m learning in adulthood, is that it takes a bit of extra effort to make time for social interactions. I get it; life is really busy. We have our own families, careers, errands, to-do lists, laundry, hobbies and more. Social engagements can easily be pushed to the wayside, and suddenly 3 months have passed since the last time you saw your friend and said “let’s do something soon!” Trust…
You’ve heard me say it before: sometimes I’m not sure baking is really my thing. Between the finicky ingredient chemistry and the catastrophic kitchen mess, i’ve always felt kind of meh about it. Occasionally though, I catch a wave of inspiration and give it another go. When I end up with results like these spiced chocolate chunk cookies, I think maybe, just maybe, I do like baking after all. Since I’m no baking aficionado, I…
I’ve had a terrible post-wedding habit of creating and photographing a recipe and then never writing the post for it. But as the days since the wedding increase, I realize that it’s time to really get back at it with my blog – as I type this I’m on the third post draft in a row! Isn’t it crazy how waves of inspiration work? Alas, I’ve finally brought you my chai spiced old fashioned recipe!…
Daylight savings, man. No matter how much you prepare for it, it comes in like a wrecking ball year after year. 5 pm rolls around and it basically looks like midnight — what gives? Dark when we leave for work and dark when we get home; the lack of sunshine can leave us feeling so “meh.” On the more serious side, this can actually result in seasonal affective disorder, or seasonal depression. But even if…