I haven't been doing many new recipes lately, but I've still been baking at least twice a month. Not in the height of my "one recipe a weekend" groove from lockdown but good to still be in the habit of making something instead of being on my computer or watching TV all day. I did make a couple new things for Christmas celebrations which was fun!
Orange Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze
Christian came up with the idea of doing a chocolate and orange cake for Christmas Eve so I found a few recipes and this is the one we ultimately went with. Plus we were able to use the new bundt cake pan I bought with a gift card! It was a big hit, I wish I could've eaten the whole thing myself. We followed the recipe above but made our candied orange peel with strips rather than chunks.
Pull Apart Christmas Tree Garlic Bread
The second I saw this on Tieghan's instagram I wanted to make it for another small Christmas gathering! I accidentally overcooked the tree because I got a phone call and forgot to check on it a couple minutes before the timer went off. Luckily it didn't ruin it but it's a little darker than I wanted. We also made a wreath-type thing with the leftover dough after making out tree/triangle.
Cinnamon Bread - A Redo!
The first time I made this it came out very flat because my loaf pan was slightly too big. This time I doubled the recipe and quadrupled the cinnamon filling. Sooooo much better looking and more cinnamony! A really fun treat to make so I'm sure I'll make this again and again.
Christian and I made this pie for our family Thanksgiving. I saw it on Tieghan's instagram and knew I HAD to make it (this seems to be a theme with everything she makes!) We even made our own crust for this one instead of using store bought like we did for the last pie we made. It came out really good, nice and molten with chocolate and browned butter and maple...YUMM!
Brown Sugar Maple Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
Another recipe I remade. This time it was for a family get together since no one but Christian and I got to enjoy these bars last year (darn Covid!) So delicious and perfect for Fall/the Holidays.
I've featured stromboli in these posts a few times before but this is yet another recipe for the dough. I'm still not sure which I like best, I think I need to make each of them in the same week so Christian and I can better decide which dough we prefer.Normally it's a week or two between strombolis so we can't really judge.
*This post was made in partnership with Responsival. Thank you for supporting brands I feature*
What better way to start off 2022 than buying something pretty? If you're going to buy new jewelry this year, consider classic sustainable jewelry from Aurate! The New York based brand is doing what it can to make the jewelry industry more ethical and sustainable.
All of Aurate's gold is sustainable; it's 100% recycled and is able to be reused without losing quality or harming the environment. In addition to their gold, Aurate only uses sustainably harvested pearls from family-run farms. I found this pretty cool video showing how on farm sustainably grows and harvests their pearls.
If gold and pearls aren't your thing, never fear because their diamonds are also ethically sourced using the Kimberley Process. This ensures that the diamonds are not from conflict regions and there are no human rights violations behind the scenes.
This is what I wore for our Christmas Eve celebrations. I actually ended up changing into burgundy jeans once I got to my parents because I realized the suede coating on these was peeling away from the pants, not a cute look. So, sadly, this is the last outfit post featuring these faux-suede pants.
Sweater: Inis Crafts Fishermans Sweater (Marshalls)
Faux Suede Jeans: Blank NYC 'Persuede' jeans (South Moon Under)
Sandals: Lanvin studded leather 'City' sandal (The RealReal)
Bag: Purple Prada Cahier in Viola (Rebag via Vestiaire Collective)
Some other sustainable and ethical brands to shop:
Everlane - Longtime readers will know of my Everlane tee obsession. Pretty much all of my tshirts are from the brand, but they're getting a bit worse for wear, so I may need a stock up soon! I also love their cashmere sweaters!
Stella McCartney - If you want some high fashion sustainable clothing look no further than Stella! I have a polar bear sweater and crazy pair of jeans I love. If budgets weren't a thing, I would own much more.
Sézane - I haven't bought anything from Sézane yet, but many of my blogger friends swear by the brand. I've been meaning to make a purchase, perhaps 2022 is my year to buy one of their gorgeous sweaters or dresses!
Resale/Pre-Loved - Another great option is shopping resale sites. Buying something pre-loved instead of brand new will keep clothes out of the landfills and give them a second life. Roundabout is one of my favorite local places (they ship too!) but I also frequently check The RealReal and Vestiaire Collective when I feel like browsing my favorite designer brands or looking for a specific item.
It's my last wardrobe update of 2021. This year seems to have flown by now that we're at the end but I know there were some months that seemed to drag on forever. Another weird year done, hopefully next year is better.
As expected, this year was very light on clothing purchases. Having nowhere to go really helps to curb my spending. I do miss having new things in my closet but since I'm not going many places aside from visiting family it doesn't make much sense.
THE (modified) RULES
- Be mindful of purchases
- Quality over quantity
- Basics are best
MY PROGRESS
Clothes:
- mīere the label Women’s Cotton Knit Sweater in Terracotta ($68.87 including shipping)
- Vintage Disneyland shorts with embroidered Mickey pockets ($20 via Poshmark, used ad money)
- Old Navy EveryWear Printed V-Neck T-Shirt in leopard ($3.58, retail $10)
- Old Navy Luxe Printed High-Neck Tank Top in Olive Green Botanical ($4.78, retail $19.99)
Basics:
- FRAME Denim Le Skinny de Jeanne Crop in Sunnyside ($30 via Poshmark, retail $189, $18.67 after ad money)
- Old Navy First-Layer Slim-Fit Rib-Knit Tank Top in Crimson Cranberry ($1.78, retail $6)
- Old Navy High-Waisted Textured Twill Shorts in Copper Moon ($7.18, retail $29.99)
Shoes:
- Splendid Harvest Mules in Tiger/Cheetah Print - also here ($25.80 via eBay, retail $118, used ad money)
- Teva Original Universal Sandals in Boomerang Pink Lemonade ($42.50 via Shopbop, used partnership money)
Handbags:
- Prada Cahier in 'Viola' purple via Vestiaire Collective ($1488, used bag savings account)
- None yet
Activewear/Swimwear:
- Target "All in Motion" Zip-Front Racerback Laser Cut Back Detail One Piece Swimsuit ($34.99)
- Old Navy High-Waisted Cropped Leggings in Raisin' Arizona ($5.98, retail $14.99)
Gifted from Brands:
- Vintage Emerald Cut Ring - London Blue Topaz c/o Aurate ($50 after gifted amount)
- Infinity Hoop Earrings - Yellow Gold c/o Aurate
- Pearl and Gold Bar Duo Stud Earring - Rose Gold c/o Aurate
- Simple Pearl Bracelet - Rose Gold c/o Aurate
- Midi Stackable Twist Diamond Ring - White Gold c/o Aurate
- Stackable Twist Ring - White Gold c/o Aurate
Spent in December: $0
Spent in 2021: $232.96
Spent in 2021 Counting Prada bag: $1,720.96It's Christmas Eve Eve and I still haven't decided what I'm wearing for all our Christmas celebrations. Now that we're all vaxxed and boosted we're having a more "normal" Christmas this year with a Christmas Eve celebration at my parents and Christmas Day at Grandmas.
I thought I would take a glance back at old Christmas looks to see if they spark some inspiration.
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| Christmas 2019 |
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| Christmas 2018 |
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| Christmas 2017 |
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| Christmas Eve 2017 |
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| Christmas 2016 |
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| Christmas Eve 2016 |
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| Christmas 2015 |
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| Christmas Eve 2015 |
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| Christmas Eve 2014 |
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| Christmas Eve 2013 |
Thanksgiving look number two! Although, technically, this was the first one I wore. This was my outfit on actual Thanksgiving day at my parents. We had a small gathering with just the immediate family. Then on Saturday we went to my Aunt's for a slightly larger celebration.
I was surprised to realize I haven't worn this Saint Laurent blouse and burgundy velvet skit together before. Both of these have been holiday staples over the years so it was only natural to finally pair them. Also broke out one of my favorite pair of shoes for the first time in quite a while.
Blouse: Saint Laurent silk patchwork blouse (eBay)
Peep-Toe Boots*: Alexander Wang suede Freja boot in brick red (The Outnet)
Skirt: LC Lauren Conrad Velvet Pleated Skirt c/o Kohl's
Purse: Wink & Winn (giveaway, no longer in business)
Necklace: Olive Branch Pearl Stilvi Necklace, bought in Santorini
*Note: There was a version of these boots made for an H&M collaboration a few years after I bought mine so make sure you're getting actual high end ones if you want to recreate this look in the same quality. Or if you want a budget version, go for the H&M pair, just make sure you don't overpay for those! (I noticed one site had the H&M boots listed for almost $400)
I've had a version of this outfit saved as a photo on my phone since 2017 (was one of my options for this trip to the pumpkin patch) and FINALLY wore it. I just never had (what seemed like) the right occasion. This year I decided to wear it for Thanksgiving! In my original idea I had a plain black long sleeve shirt and different black boots but I switched it with a v-neck and over the knee boots. My original boots were more durable for walking around the pumpkin patch but since I'd just be hanging out inside I could switch it up!
It was probably not the smartest choice for a day full of eating, though. The shorts are high waisted and very tight with not much give so they're not great for sitting. Or eating tons of turkey. But, hey, at least I looked good!
Of course it was SUPER cold and windy when we took these photos. So pardon if I look frozen.
Sweater: Everlane 'the cashmere crop v-neck'
Tweed Colorblock Shorts: Proenza Schouler (Roundabout) - buy the matching jacket here
Boots: Audrey Brooke 'Mirie' (DSW)
Bag: Louis Vuitton Epi Leather Sac D'Epaule (HauteTrader)
Necklace: Acanthus Jewelry 'Gemma'
