Spring Rules

First of all, can we take a moment to give my fiancé a huge high five for landing a job with FOX working on the Deadpool movie (an X-men spin-off)! Proud fiancé moment: Zack has been working SO hard to get to this point...sometimes working for free just to network...and he never gave up, just kept pushing, and he deserves this opportunity so much. I can't wait to see him kick butt!

Moving on now. It's officially spring, so it's time to pack up your winter wardrobe and pull out your warm weather wear (or look at it, hate it, and go shopping). As for me, I hardly touched a sweater all winter, so I've been looking at my "spring clothes" for a while now. Translation: I hate everything in my closet (almost). It happens to us all at some point, so a few weeks ago I had myself a rather large closet binge. Then came the fun part: shopping. I'll skip the play by play of my new finds and just settle with sharing some of my advice with you.

1. When it comes to basics, if you find something you love, buy it in multiple colors (or every color). Case in point: this A-line top from H&M. It comes in a few solids and a few fun prints, and I am now the proud owner of all of them. (Plus, can you beat the price? The answer is no.) 

2. Say yes to a few statement pieces. I'm not saying fill your closet with pieces that may or may not be in style next season, but if all you have to choose from are basics, then your closet will probably give you the silent treatment (because it won't be making a statement. Ba-dum-CH.). Neutrals are a good option here too, because you'll find you can match them to so much more. One of my favorites that have found their way into my hands (err...feet) are these TOMS booties. Seriously, TOMS has come a long way from their classics and I don't hate it. 

3. Mix prints. Mix textures. Mix prints & textures. Do I need to elaborate?

Until next time.

XO – Courtney

top [h&m] // scarf [loving this one] // pants [the limited] // shoes [TOMS]

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Food Mashup: Pizza for Breakfast

It's no secret that I love breakfast (see here & here for just a couple of examples). It's also no secret that I love pizza...and experimenting with pizza (like when I made Chicken Alfredo Pizza, Caesar Salad Pizza, and Enchilada Pizza). Want to know something else I love? PIZZA for BREAKFAST. Don't act like you've never done it. I do NOT, however, like cold pizza, so this recipe looked like a winner.

Instead of leftover pizza for breakfast, what if we created a pizza that screamed breakfast? That's right, I'm talking eggs, bacon, hash browns, and of course, cheese. Get wild. I also added mushrooms and dried herbs. Topping options are limitless. Maybe you'll get even crazier and make a pancake crust and douse it in syrup. (If you do try that, let me know how it is). 

XO – Courtney 

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Breakfast Pizza

INGREDIENTS

· Pizza Dough

· Olive Oil

· 1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese

· 4 Slices of Bacon, cooked and chopped

· 4 Eggs

· 1 cup Tater Tots, baked

· 1/4 cup Mushrooms

· Salt & Pepper to taste

· Optional: Rosemary, Basil 

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven according to pizza dough instructions. Prepare all ingredients (Cook bacon and tater tots, etc.)

2. Roll out the pizza dough and lightly brush with olive oil. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese on the pizza then add the bacon and mushrooms.

3. Begin placing the tator tots on the pizza, making sure to leave areas to crack the eggs. Cook the pizza for 5 minutes.

4. After 5 minutes, remove the pizza from the oven, crack the eggs onto the pizza, and add any herbs along with salt & pepper. Place the pizza back in the oven for 10-12 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the egg whites are cooked through.

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Lost & Found

LOST: One hour. Seriously, has this time change hit anyone else really hard? I think my body is slowly adjusting, but on the bright side, at least the sun is still shining when I leave work (pun intended). 

FOUND: New music. I went to the Joshua Radin concert last weekend (shout out to my friend Mabry for the invite & tickets). His music was beautiful. Rachael Yamagata was one of the openers, and she was hilarious & wonderful, and I want to be her friend. But today (and this week), Joshua Radin's song "Beautiful Day" is speaking to me because that's how I'm feeling. And if you're not feeling that way, then put this song on repeat (or any other song that puts you in a happy mood) and go climb the hill behind your house in a new sundress because spring is on it's way and it's a beautiful day.

Gonna climb that hill behind my house
See what this place is all about
Cause from above it all
You can't help but say
It's gonna be a beautiful day
It's gonna be a beautiful day
But let me hear you say

Oooh ooohh my my
I'm learning to fly
Hey hey what's that you're saying
Lets not forget we're alive

XO – Courtney

dress [urban outfitters] // shoes [target] // jewelry [assorted]

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DIY: Grown Up Friendship Bracelets

Last weekend was a blast, to put it plain and simply. My two best friends, Brittany & Katie, (who also happen to be my matron and maid of honor), hopped on a non-stop flight for the west coast and I had a non-stop weekend planned for them. Between eating our body weight in comfort food and playing tourist, we did manage to squeeze in some time for wedding dress shopping, and I said "YES" to the dress! Can every weekend be that much fun?!

And this past weekend ties in perfectly with my newest DIY project. I made these bracelets for a few friends for Christmas, and I had not gotten around to posting about them. This twist on a "friendship bracelet" is the perfect gift for the long distance friend, sister, mother, aunt, etc. Part of growing up sometimes means moving away, but leaving a city or state doesn't mean you have to leave the people behind. (Case and point: this past weekend.)

I decided to use the two states (NC and CA) as the charms, and had no trouble finding an abundance of options on Etsy. From there it was just a matter of getting all the parts and pieces for the bracelet. I used a delicate gold chain for the bracelet but also considered other materials like leather, cording, or metal bangles (look to Pinterest for more inspiration). Making jewelry does require some patience, but these bracelets weren't too intricate, and are perfect for beginners. Let's get started:

SUPPLIES  

DIRECTIONS

1. Layout jewelry chain and cut 5-6" inches using the cutting pliers. Length is determined by wrist size and how you want the bracelet to fit. If you are making multiple bracelets, go ahead and cut multiple stands.

2. Using a jump ring, attach the extender chain to one side of the jewelry chain. Use two bent nose pliers to open the jump ring. At the end of extender chain, use another jump ring to attach the extender charm to the extender chain. 

3. On the other end of the jewelry chain, use a jump ring to attach a lobster claw. At this point, the bracelet should be wearable. 

4. Decide where you want the charms to fall on the bracelet. I went with the center, but this is entirely up to your preference. Use 2 jump rings (1 for each charm) to attach the charms to the bracelet. 

You're done! And the good news is, these bracelets are basically fool proof. If you mess something up, just grab your pliers and try again. No harm done. Any DIY projects that you're dying to try (or love to do)? Let me know in the comments; I'm always looking for inspiration for my next project!

XO – Courtney

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