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I always like to read what people have recently purchased, so I thought I would share a few things too. I’m writing more posts recently as I figured people might be bored socially isolating! At least I am!
These are purchases I have made over the past 3 months!
Ombre Antelope/Fawn pillow case– I got this pillow in Aqua and white. I was going to put it in my living room but decided I actually liked it in my bedroom better! Comes in tons of colors.
Freshwater pearl earrings for under $25– I am always a little bit leery in trusting descriptions on Amazon, but these do look like real freshwater pearls. They come in so many sizes. I got the 7mm ones.
Scalloped Bow Napkin Ring – just got these and I can’t wait to use them in a Spring table setting!! So romantic.
Faux Orchid Stems pack of 4 – I actually used these in a tutorial I made in a few posts from now. They look quite real and were under $20.
Tory Burch Miller Sandals – I have these in two other colors but I bought them in green! You see, several years ago they came out with a similar green and I did not buy them right away. I went back to buy them about 2 weeks later and they were sold out! I was so mad and have been lusting for them for several years! When I saw the green again, I HAD to get them! You can get them at Nordies here instead.
I updated my iPhone case and pop socket. I love the new pale pink silicone iPhone case!!
I also love my popsocket! I spend so much time on my phone and this helps holding it so much easier!
Short sleeve woven mini dress – this dress isn’t here YET and is arriving this week! While I’m pregnant I plan to use it as more of a tunic shirt with leggings.
I also bought this tiered ruffle dress (both the dresses are from Target). It comes in several colors. It reminds me of Sea, Love Shack Fancy, etc. Same look for way cheaper!
Essie Sugar Daddy nail polish – a really nice pale pink that doesn’t leave lines. I use one coat to get my nails a nice healthy looking pink shine.
Birkenstock Siena Big Buckle Sandal – I got these and they are really comfy! I purchased them for our trip to Hawaii since my sore pregnant feet can’t handle Tory Burch millers all day! They come in white and rose gold. You can get them at Saks as well instead of Nordstrom. Here is a link to brown color way as well.
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Doesn’t a French strawberry naked layer cake sound good? Well, let me tell you… it IS good. I made this recipe with the spirit of Le Fraisier in mind. I tried to simplify Le Fraisier and came up with this combination of a cake.
A cake as fancy as this requires a fancy table setting! Antique embroidered hankies were are as napkins.
I highly suggest eating this cake off of a fancy antique plate – just don’t use your knife (not that you would when eating a cake! – side note: If you are using antique china, don’t use metal knives on it as it will scratch the plate!)
I picked the daffodils from my garden. Aren’t they pretty?
I made the filling with creme mousseline, recipe below.
Cut fresh strawberries, halved.
Crème Mousseline
350g whole milk
100g granulated sugar
1/2 a vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped for inside beans/seeds
4 egg yolks
35g plain flour
200g unsalted butter, softened
Making the creme
Place milk, vanilla bean and scraped seeds into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then remove from heat and set aside.
In another bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until mixture is pale yellow. Mix int the flour until well combined.
Remove vanilla bean pod from milk mixture. Then pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, constantly whisking to combine.
Then pour the whole mixture back into the saucepan and place over high heat. Whisk constantly until it is thickened, smooth, and glossy. Then remove from heat and transfer pastry cream to a plate. Immediately cover with plastic cling wrap and place into the freezer to cool but only for 10 minutes. Do not allow it to freeze (If you don’t put the cling wrap on immediately, the pastry cream will get a film on it that’s lumpy and gross and you will have to strain it out later, so don’t miss this step)
While the cream is in the freezer, beat your butter until creamy. Then when the pastry cream is about room temperature, add the cream to the butter and mix until while combined.
Assembly
Using a 6″ cake ring, stamp out the ring into your sheet cake two times, one for each layer.
Then, place your cake ring on a stand. Next, line the cake ring with acetate.
Starting with the sheet cake you stamped out, place it in the center of the ring. Next, arrange the strawberries on the edge of the cake so the insides face the outside of the cake. Then fill the insides of the cake with strawberries.
Next, pour a layer of creme mousseline over the strawberries until they are all covered and the layer appears even.
Take the second sheet cake ring you cut out and place it over the creme layer.
On top of your second layer, spread more creme mousseline.
Top the creme with strawberries in any pattern you desire.
Place the cake in the fridge for 2 hours so that it may harden and will make it easier to take the acetate and cake ring off.
Final Thoughts… How does this compare to a Le Fraisier?
The Fraisier I felt displayed more of the strawberries’ flavor whereas this cake displays more of the white vanilla cake flavor. That said, I felt that this cake was easier as it did not include two steps that the Fraisier does: the kirsch syrup and marzipan layer. I do feel Le Fraisier is a little bit better in my opinion, however this still tastes GREAT and way better than any layer cake that I’ve had from the grocery store and even some bakeries.
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Bonus post today! I’ve been looking online for maternity dresses to wear to my baby shower and thought… WOW I’ve bookmarked a ton of them, so I thought I would share them with you!
I picked pretty romantic dresses. Not ALL of these are labeled “maternity”… what you can do is just size up. In fact I think many of these would look gorgeous in a maternity photo shoot as well!
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We have had the Peloton Bike since 2016 and several months ago added the Peloton Tread to our home gym.
The PROS of the Tread
First, let’s talk about the looks – yes, it sleek modern looking treadmill.
I love the big touchscreen on it. I also like the little shelf in front of the screen where there are two water bottle holders. I will frequently put some chapstick, my towel, and depending on the day – my kindle/book if I’m just doing some “lazier” walking. The screen can be tilted as well.
The knobs – the one on the right adjusts the speed and the left adjusts the incline. The incline goes up to 15% and the speed is 12.5mph! In the center of the knob is a “jump” button that you can manually set to different inclines and speeds. For me, when I hit the jump button on my incline it goes up 1% and my speed 0.5mph.
I really like the slat belt – it feels really solid under your feet unlike the other standard treadmill belts. I think honestly this is my favorite feature of the treadmill.
They have a variety of classes. They have sprints, intervals, runs, jogs, walk/runs, walking, power walking, hiking (so just walking at an incline), boot camps, strength training. Also there is yoga, meditation, and stretching.
I like the strength training classes – I know you can do these with the peloton bike, but we got the package with the peloton weights and we tend to do the strength classes more. We have other weights, but I actually recommend buying the Peloton weights because they are square and you tend to do a lot of push ups on the weights – our old weights were round and would roll so we couldn’t do some of their exercises properly.
Here are my husband’s thoughts – the real RUNNER of the both of us:
The treadmill allows at high speeds to increase in increments of 0.1mph unlike most other treadmills when sprinting. It is unusual for treadmills to have the ability to do that when you are sprinting – usually they only increase in increments of 0.5mph.
The slat belt feels very sturdy but not clunky – it does not feel like a hard cement. The slat belt can easily take the impact of a heavier weighing person running full speed without any slippage or stoppage under your feet.
You need to find an instructor that works best for you and your exercise style – so if you have to try out every instructor 1-2x or more until you find your favorite, then so be it! There is an instructor for every one!
Below, just showing how much space we have behind the treadmill – enough to lay an exercise mat so we can do the boot camps and strength classes!
Let’s talk about the cons.
The price. Yes, it is expensive. I can’t really say the treadmill is “worth it” because of the price, but that said… it keeps us healthy and how much are you willing to pay for your health?? We already drank the Peloton Kool-Aid (Powerade?) with the Bike and were already paying for a Peloton subscription. If you have the bike, your $39/month bike subscription includes the treadmill subscription.
For me, the number of walking classes. I KNOW people buy treadmills to run, but I hate running but do like walking and wish that they had more walking classes of ALL lengths. I find that I sometimes have to do the run classes and just walk through them—not a HUGE deal, but hey, if I’m paying $4000 for a fancy treadmill, shouldn’t they produce content for everyone?
So our treadmill hasn’t had any mechanical problems, but my mom got the treadmill right when it came out and had some mechanical problems – the technicians have been out a total of 3 times. The screen wasn’t turning off. It was making a HORRIBLE clunking sound when the incline would go up/down. IMO, that is kind of ridiculous given the price and how new it was. I STRONGLY recommend purchasing the extended warranty because of this.
The scenic “runs or walks” are just copied over from the Peloton bike library – so they are filmed at a fast rate as if you were biking instead of running/walking. I wish they could slow the films down to go a slower speed for walking/running. Speaking of the scenic runs, there should also be a way to sort them. There is NO way to sort them currently (goes for the peloton bike too!)
I wish there was a way to hook the screen up to the tv – it is SO big, there should be a way to splint screen so you could watch tv on one half and then have the class on the other half.
I strongly recommend going to the local Peloton boutique to try it out before plunking down a few thousand dollars on this.
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As you might have noticed, I have been on a porcelain inspiration kick recently. Rounding up my favorite dessert plates today. You can have your cake and eat it on one of these fabulous plates!
You can shop them by clicking on the widget below:
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I recently purchased some new shoes at the recommendation of my husband (I’m sure he’ll say he’s a fashionista now). I had to share them with you because I LOVE THEM!!!
The exact pair I got are the Wool Loungers in Frost, which are pictured above. I love them! They are SO SOFT and VERY COMFORTABLE. They are made of merino wool which makes them extra soft. You do not need to wear socks with them (you can if you want!). When I wear them without socks, I have not noticed any malodorous feet!
They are perfect for running errands or even just lounging around the house – my husband likes to wear them as his slippers.
I thought they ran a little bit small. I normally wear a 9 to 9.5 and ended up needing a size 10. So I suppose if you run into half sizes sometimes, you should size up.
My only concern is how hot my feet my get wearing these wool shoes in the Summer, which is why I’m considering one of their “tree” versions.
The tree shoes are not made of wool so they are more appropriate for hotter climates or Summer.
I’m debating about getting is the tree lounger. I like the lounger style because I don’t have to tie my shoes! Never thought I’d say that!
The other style I am considering is the Tree Breezer, but I don’t know if it would be as comfy as the sneakers because the sole profile is smaller. However you could probably wear these to work depending on your job!
Overall, I would not wear the runners or loungers as work-out shoes. They are more appropriate for city trekking, errands, lounging, and I’d say even traveling. If you’re going to go running, jogging, cross training, weightlifting – stick to your regular sneakers.
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Here are my favorite looks from the Oscars 2020. I did not watch the Oscars – frankly, I almost never do. I just love looking at red carpet pictures! What I love is really… the textiles and craftsmanship that goes into each beautiful dress!
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Sharing my favorite looks from the Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2020 show. All pictures are from Vogue. See the entire show here.
Also – email subscribers, I thought I had canceled my subscription service, but apparently all I did was cancel my paid subscription service. It then defaulted to a free one. I don’t know what the free one entails, so I’m just going to roll with it…
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Who doesn’t love a tea party?? I am sharing favorite teacups I have recently found.
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Sharing some of my favorites for Valentine’s Day. You can treat yourself #lovethyself or perhaps a special someone can make a little purchase for you!
Every year Diptyque comes out with a limited edition rose scented candle and EVERY YEAR for the past 4 years now I cannot help myself and buy it. They smell so good! Also, they have a pretty design on the candle!
I got this pair of slippers for Christmas and they are the cutest! I love the little pom pom! I got them in pink, but it seems pink is sold out at a lot of places (besides the link above, try here). You can get them in chestnut/cream here.
Now who doesn’t love chocolate covered strawberries? These actually ship via Amazon and have 1000 reviews rated as 4/5 stars. They are cheaper than Sherrie’s Berries.
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It’s that time of year again! Awards season! Honestly, I don’t usually watch the awards shows other than a few clips online here and there. But I DO love the red carpet.
I was disappointed by the looks this year that many of the stars wore. Many of the “big names” I feel wasted an opportunity on an ugly dress!
Margot Robbie in ChanelNaomi Watts in Armani
Gillian Anderson… I think this simple white dress is really lovely and I love the covered one shoulder and the look on the back too!
Priyanka Chopra in Christina Ottaviano
My runners up are Ellen and Portia in custom Celine suits! Totally digging how they look together. I would totally wear Portia’s, in fact, I have looked for a female tuxedo like this and it is very difficult to find!
And my BEST DRESSED goes to…. Zoe Kravitz in Saint Laurent! I adore this dress! It is so chic! I would also wear this!
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When I was making my post for charcuterie boards, I stumbled across dessert boards and just HAD to share them with you!
There are a variety of ways you can do this. You can have only chocolate. You can have just cookies. You can mix and match. You can add fruits. You may add candy. Whatever you feel like!
I would make a mixture of milk and dark chocolates. I would have some really sweet items, and some less sweet such as shortbread. Berries are a good idea as well.
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Entertaining season is coming up and I’ve rounded up some great looking charcuterie boards for inspiration for your next party.
First, you need a board to serve all of your food on. You can see some of my favorites here.
A beautiful Fall board by @ainttooproudtomeg – actually, just go check out her whole website here which is dedicated to making various boards. All the ingredients on this board came from Trader Joe’s – by Style your Senses.
Then you need… FOOD!
Cheese– Choose a variety of cheeses. Mix soft and hard cheeses, along with sharper and more mild cheese.
Meat– Again, choose a variety of cured meats with different flavors.
Bread and crackers – Mix a sliced baguette with a variety of different crackers.
Dips- Jelly, jams and honey are a good choice. You can also do a spinach dip, cheese dip, etc… whatever floats your boat!
Fruit- I like to include grapes, apples, mandarins, berries. Use what’s in season! Dried apricots are good too.
Nuts – I love to use the mixed nuts from Costco. But also, a special mention is Marcona Almonds… drooooool.
Veggies – A few veggies such as carrots, cherry tomatoes or cucumbers are a good option . Use what is in season!
Sweets – Now, if you want, you can add a few sweets to the board, such as dark chocolate bites or truffles.
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Over the past few years, I noticed my teeth getting progressively more crooked. Overall, they were pretty straight, but every time I looked at myself in photos I just hated how my upper teeth looked. I noticed I started smiling less in the pictures and that made me feel sad.
So I decided to do something about it and I made the plunge and decided to try Invisalign as an adult.
My goals of treatment were just to get my teeth straight. Yes, I have an open bite but I decided not to address that because it would have been a 2 year treatment plan to fix it, and frankly, I don’t care that much.
Here’s how my progress has been going on so far… this is week 13.
BEFORE:
AFTER: (13 weeks)
I was placed on the Invisalign Express schedule – meaning I change my aligners weekly.
There are a few things I have been disappointed about.
When they gave me 13 trays, I thought that was IT. Like I was done with treatment. Nope, it turns out I had to get rescanned and then MORE trays were ordered. 6 weeks more (for now… we will see).
When they did the rescan, there was a delay in production of the trays due to high demand so my trays were delayed 2 whole weeks – which meant 2 more weeks of wearing these things. UGH
A few things about Invisalign that I DON’T like:
NO they are *not* invisible. People do notice them.
THERE IS NO SNACKING which is horrible to me since I prefer to eat like 4-6 smaller “meals”. The 3 meals a day deal just doesn’t work out – and in fact, I’ve lost 3 pounds unintentionally with these things. Which I suppose is a bonus, but I did not enjoy losing it.
Also, no drinking hot drinks with the aligners because you could overheat them and they can distort and lose their shape. Really you should only drink water with them in and nothing else. Sometimes I’d cheat and drink a diet coke. I always took them out for coffee (iced or hot).
You will get sick of brushing your teeth. I brush my teeth at least 3 times a day. Every time you eat, you have to brush your teeth before you put them back in. If you don’t, well your teeth are covered in food, and bacteria loves food, and then the bacteria are “locked in” with the trays and you can get cavities. THAT said, when I went to my dentist most recently my gingivitis test, you know, when they poke your gums to see if they bleed, went really well. No bleeding. Got all 2’s and 3’s. So I suppose there really is a benefit to brushing your teeth everyday.
They place little “buttons” on your teeth that are enamel colored – I was told I’d have one or two… yeah I have two on one tooth alone. The buttons give the trays something to pull/push against. I have l0. Some people get them on every tooth.
There is this thing I didn’t know would happen, I showed to an appointment one day and my teeth were “overcrowded” so they filed down like 1mm off a few teeth – um, it was the oddest feeling ever and I did not enjoy it and hope I don’t have to do it again. THAT said, my teeth are straighter now, so… winning.
THINGS I do like:
My teeth are straighter!
They are better than metal braces, I swear. I had metal braces as a kid and these are way better.
They are minimally uncomfortable when you switch trays, but NOTHING like when you’d get a new adjustment with metal braces.
Did I mention my teeth are straighter? So I’m willing to suffer with the things above, if my teeth are straighter.
But SERIOUSLY when will I be done? Cause home girl here is HONGRAY.
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Sticking to the softer side of Fall this year.
Light blue and orange pumpkins decorate the table.
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