Friday's Royal Fancies

Like a lot of other people on the planet, I watched (and loved!) the royal wedding this morning. Actually I watched it after a nice long peaceful sleep! I just couldn't bring myself to get up early and I'm glad I didn't since I fast forwarded through all the coverage of the common people. Haha.

I guess my invite got lost in the mail because I never received it, imagine that! If I had gone, I would have liked to have worn something like this:

royal wedding by tchavis1107 featuring a ruffle cocktail dress

My first polyvore! So neat!

I have to say, Catherine stole the show in her beautiful gown. It reminded me a lot of Grace Kelly's wedding dress. Either way she looked stunning. A few of my favorite moments from the day:

How did yall celebrate this historic occasion? I wish I had thought to have a big watch party, they looked like such fun! 

And remember, pinkies up ladies! 

Pink & Green Thursday

Ive been thinking about my dream (future!) house a lot lately. I even sketched out the floor plans! So I've decided to share some of my interior designs plans with yall.

For the kitchen:

This is as close as I could get
to something I liked

Master bedroom:

                                                        

Boys bedroom:

      

Minnie's bedroom: 

Study:

                               

Hope yall enjoyed it! 

Recipe Wednesday: Spicy Sausage Penne

Hey yall! Sorry I've been MIA for the week, I just haven't had anything to report. Hope everyone had a sunny and blessed Easter! Anyways, this is a recipe I kinda threw together one night and Beau and I loved it. When I "throw something together", measurement aren't precise, but I'll do my best.

Here's what you need:

1/2 roll of spicy sausage
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
1/2-1/3 box of penne
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp of garlic
1 generous sprinkling of crushed red pepper
olive oil as needed

Servings: 4

So start by preheating your oven at 350. Cook chicken and sausage in a skillet with some olive oil. Once done, set aside on napkin to absorb some of the grease.

In that same skillet, saute some garlic. When browned, add can of tomatoes and crushed red pepper. Simmer this, covered, for about 15 minutes.

Then place in a casserole dish, sprinkle with Parmesan and bake for about 20 minutes or until heated through.

Bon Appetit! Serve with garlic bread and a Caesar salad.

Let me know how you like it or any changes you made that were delicious! 

Pink & Green Thursday: Easter

With Easter right around the corner I figured I'd share some pink and green lovelies. What do yall have planned for this weekend? Whatever it may be, don't forget the real meaning of Easter while you're egg hunting and candy gobbling.

Wouldn't this be a pretty centerpiece?!

and of course it wouldn't be Easter without these guys!

Hope yall have a wonderful Thursday and Easter weekend! 

Recipe Wednesday: Stuffed Chicken Alfredo

Today I made something that I usually reserve for special occasions, but I wanted to impress yall so there!
The first time I made this meal was on Beau and I's two year anniversary trip, which we spent in a cabin in the Blue Ridge mountains. Note to self (and everyone else): do NOT cook a brand new recipe for a special occasion without a test run! See this recipe didn't turn out entirely to plan, but still ended up being delicious.

Here's what you'll need:
2 bone in chicken breasts (can also be boneless skinless chicken breasts, i've used both)
1/2 package of frozen chopped spinach
       -thawed and drained
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup alfredo sauce
2 Tablespoons shredded mozzarella

2 Servings

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees.
Next combine spinach, onion and Parmesan.

After thats done either use the cavity that is already in the chicken or cut your own. I prefer to cut my own because I feel like I get more stuffing that way. Then proceed to stuff the mixture inside the chicken cavity. 

Once you have the chickens stuffed, align them on your platter and drizzle them with the alfredo sauce. Once drizzled, bake for 35 minutes (give or take, depending on the size of chicken). Sprinkle with mozzarella and bake for another 5 minutes. 

Then enjoy! Serve with linguine or fettuccine noodles, garlic bread and a Caesar salad. Yum!

Do you Groupon?

I don't know if yall have heard of a little site called Groupon, but it is amazing. Basically its a site that will send you daily deals for your city, or any you subscribe to, straight to your very own inbox! They negotiate huge deals with popular businesses in your area and then offer them to you! You can get discounts on food, spa treatments, hair services and all sorts of other things!

Recently I've bought a Groupon to Handpicked, Shutterfly, and tickets for more than half off to see the Columbia City Ballet.

Basically all you have to do is buy, then it'll be delivered to your inbox the next day, then just print and use! For you eco-conscious bloggers out there, they also have an iPhone and android mobile app so you don't have to print to use.

An added perk is for every friend you refer that buys a Groupon, you get $10 towards your next Groupon!

If you need a referral my link is: http://www.groupon.com/r/uu7344712 

Also, you always have the option of buying as gifts and at these prices anyone can afford something nice for their friends and family!

Another little know site is LivingSocial, which is basically the same thing. I recently bought a 1/2 dry cleaning coupon and 2 fandango movie tickets for $9! The unique thing about this one is they offer discounted trips to anywhere you could want to go. These seem to be especially targeted towards romance most of the time!

They also have a perk. When you buy a deal, if 3 of your friends buy it also, you get it free!

These deals are too good to pass up so get out there and start grouponing!



I wasn't paid by either of these companies, but I think they are so awesome I had to share! 

Calypso St. Barth for Target

So I just found out Calypso St. Barth is making a line that will be in Target starting May 1st! I love their stuff, but on a college girl's budget I don't get to indulge very often. They are going to have a full line of women's, kid's, homewares, accessories, jewelry, and shoes! You can check out the full lookbook (with prices) here. Some of my favorite pieces are:

Dress? yes. Linen Pants? yes.
Together? eh, no. 

Love love love this bathing suit!

Straw tote, need I say more. 

Yall better hurry into target on the 1st because these goodies won't last! 

Also, was anyone else really disappointed by the Lilly sale on Joss and Main today and the Jack Roger's sale on RueLala last week? What gives? These sites need to step it up.

Who says Mondays have to be bad?

Today has been such a great start to the week!

In aerobics class we did our post fitness test and  I improved in ALL the categories since the beginning of the semester!
Then I found a job opening that would be perfect for me in the paper.

Also, some Ebay goodies, including new Jacks and the most adorable vintage dress, came in the mail! The dress looks a lot like this one from Lilly, but has short sleeves.

Oh and back in October, when we made our jack o'lantern for Halloween, Beau threw a pumpkin seed into the yard to see if it would grow and today we found its sprout! 

And best of all....drumroll please...Gossip Girl returns tonight! This half of the season sounds like its going to be super scandalous! I can't wait to see what happens between Blair and Dan after the kiss! 

GIVEAWAY: Marley Lilly Monogrammed Derby Hat!

Let the tide pull your dreams ashore is having a giveaway on her blog for the most adorable hat this summer! Its for this monogrammed derby hat from Marley Lilly based right here in SC!

You can choose from these color combos:

I personally am lusting after this baby! 

The winner gets to pick which style floppy hat and the color. You may choose from an Outlined Derby Hat in Lime, Turquoise, Red, Black, Pink, Orange or go with a Solid Derby Hat.

Ways to enter:

One entry...leave a comment, you must be a follower.
For an additional entry = 2 entries...become a fan on Facebook.
For an additional entry = 3 entries...become a fan of Marley Lilly on Facebook.
For an additional entry = 4 entries...tweet about this giveaway.
For an additional entry = 5 entries...post about this giveaway on your blog.

***Each entry must be in a separate comment.***

The giveaway ends tomorrow so hurry hurry hurry! 

UPDATE!

We finally have our first batch of drinkable moonshine from Beau's pet project! Cheers!

Recipe Wednesday

Sorry but I didn't cook tonight. I went shopping after class today for a little longer than expected and Beau claimed to be starving so we stopped at Tokyo Grill.

YUM!

Here's a recipe for the "white sauce" that Beau and I have made that tastes just like the real thing if you're interested!

Here is some of the goodies I picked up today.

Guess Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini!
Haha I couldn't resist!

Sorry for the sketchy mannequin!

I can't wait to wear these out on the boat or to the beach! I couldn't really find much else I liked today so maybe I'll just stick with my ebay addiction!

I promise I'll cook something delicious tomorrow! 

Giveaway at Nautical by Nature!

Nautical by Nature is having a giveaway for a Smathers and Branson 'Got Rum' needlepoint flask! This item is a preppy must have! It holds 6 oz. so its the perfect size to carry wherever you go!

To enter:
-You must like Smathers and Branson on FB

Additional entries:
-follow them on twitter
-leave a comment on her blog about your favorite product
-blog or tweet about the giveaway

So what are you waiting for? Get to it!

Crunch Time!

Sorry posting has been scarce lately. I'm in the home stretch of being done with this semester! So that means teachers throwing everything they've got at you, trying to find and job and maintaining the rest of my life! Its been a little hectic around here, but we had a wonderful weekend this past weekend.

Friday I went to Relay for Life and we raised a total of $82,000! That is just so great, but its only the beginning of what we need to find a cure for cancer.
Saturday Beau and I headed home to Florence to see the parents. We went to the International Festival at FMU and tasted foreign delicacies! My favorite was the baklava!
Sunday we met my dad for church and went to lunch.

Sorry I'm slack and didn't take any pictures this weekend.
On another note, I got 3 new Ralph Lauren polos off ebay for $40 shipped! You can't beat that. I don't know if I've said this before, but I am obsessed with ebay! Its pretty bad when people who hardly know you are like "yeah you're the girl who likes ebay"!

Also, we finally have something drinkable from Beau's new hobby! We are starting to distill a new batch tonight so keep your fingers crossed for us!

Recipe Wednesday: Greek Chicken Pizza

I decided to try a recipe from fellow bloggers Heads in the books, still time to cook that they posted last Sunday for a Greek pizza. You should really check them out! They are always making something that sounds delicious! Its a really simple recipe. I'm sure some people like it, but it was not me and Beau's thing. In fact we ordered a meaty pizza from Papa John's right after we stifled down one piece. Anyhow, they can't all be winners.

Here's what you'll need:

16 oz. pizza dough
2 1/2 tbsp. pesto sauce
1/2 cup spinach leaves
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
3 tbsp. parmesan
1/8 cup feta
1/2 cup mozzarella
also, I added three (but only needed 2) chicken tenderloins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Then spread pizza dough evenly on cookie sheet. Next add your pesto on dough and top evenly with sun dried tomatoes, spinach and chicken. Then cover with cheeses. Bake for approx. 10 minutes.

Heads in the books also suggested some additional toppings could also include olives and artichoke hearts if they suit your taste buds. And a little balsamic vinegar drizzled on top after the pizza has cooked makes it even better! 

And voila! 

Let me know if yall have any favorite recipes that you'd like me to feature. I'm open to pretty much anything, but squash! 

Love Monograms?

Then you're going to love Tiny Tulip! They monogram just about anything imaginable and the prices are surprisingly reasonable. I picked out a few things that I particularly liked.

Wouldn't this be perfect for the dorms!

Monogrammed Beach Towel? Yes please!

These are just a few of the cute things they had on their website. I could see so many being good big/little gifts! Go check it out! 

Cute Baby Videos!

I love watching cute baby videos on youtube and I came across this one yesterday. The original doesn't have subtitles, but I guess google paid the family to do this and I think its even funnier.

Also, I figured I'd share two of my other favorites.

Very Belated Recipe Wednesday!

Here's what you'll need:

(4 servings)
4 lasagna noodles
1/2 pound ground beef
1 clove of garlic
3 cups spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 container of ricotta cheese
1 egg (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Start out by browning your hamburger meat in a skillet and cooking your noodles. I used a Corningware casserole dish so if you're using something bigger you are going to need more stuff. When hamburger is cooked through, drain and add to spaghetti sauce. Cook noodles for approx. 8 minutes, drain.

While the noodles are cooking/cooling, mix cheese mixture by combining 1 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup parmesan, 1/2 container of ricotta and 1 egg. The egg is optional because it basically serves to combine the cheeses. 

Once everything is done start layering your greased dish. Start with spaghetti sauce on bottom, noodles, then cheese mixture. Repeat. Cover with sauce one last time. Then use 1 cup cheddar and 1/2 mozzarella to cover top. Sometimes I do all cheddar too, so just use whatever you have on hand.

Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Then turn broiler on for 3-5 minutes. Keep an eye on it because I let mine go a little long this time. Then just let it settle for a little while and enjoy! 

Also I made this yummy cake! I love when the strawberries come into season! 

I hope yall have a wonderful weekend!