Gift Guide: Gifts That Give Back

Hi guys! Long time no talk, oops! How it is already December 11th is beyond me. Wasn't it just Halloween? Not only is it already almost half way through December, it will be 70 degrees in Nashville this weekend! How late is too late to lay out by the pool? 
I didn't want to make it through the holiday season without my favorite post; putting together a gift guide full of gifts that all give back in some way. I love being able to not only buy someone a gift that they will love, but knowing that you are making a small difference while doing it. After all, that's what the holiday season is all about, right?! 

1. S'well Bottle. Not only does S'well partner with UNICEF to provide clean drinking water to children around the world, but for every purchase of their wood collection bottles, a tree is planted. And I can testify, I have a S'well bottle, and I love it. It is so worth it! Shop Now. 
2. Sevenly. This was a new company to me this year and it is so awesome. Every week, they highlight a new cause and have the cutest apparel to go along with it. For every item sold that week, the cause gets $7 or 7% of the proceeds donated. How awesome is that?! They are doing a 7 Days of Christmas right now (we're on day 4!), so be sure to check it out! Shop Now.
3. The Shop Forward. I've talked about #PimpinJoy apparel on the blog before, and The Shop Forward is the online boutique where you can get all of your #PimpinJoy and other apparel in one place! They are constantly launching new products and campaigns benefiting various charities, such as St. Jude and the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. Shop Now.

4. Baking for Good. What better way to celebrate the holidays than with baked goods?! Baking for Good donates 15% of the proceeds to the organization or charity you choose, and they have so many to choose from! These are the perfect gifts to bring as hostess gifts for your holiday parties, or to just indulge in for yourself (diet starts Jan 1, right??). Shop Now. 
5. Raven + Lilly. This store makes beautiful clothing and accessories by employing impoverished women to improve their lives. They also donate back to the communities where the women are employed from in order to provide healthcare and education. Also, if you're a Pretty Little Liars fan, Shay Mitchell loves Raven + Lilly! I think their bags and home collection are my favorites! Shop Now. 

You can check out last year's round up here for even more ideas! Also, you can shop through Amazon Smile where they donate .5% of proceeds on applicable items to the charity of your choice. As always, I encourage everyone to donate to their local Toys for Tots or toy drive this holiday season as well. Spread the kindness! 
I hope you guys got some inspiration for some thoughtful gifts this holiday season, and if nothing else, to at least remember to be kind. I hope you all have a great weekend! 

Manless Margarita Night

People keep talking about this holiday that's coming up. Valentine's Day I think they are calling it? Never heard of it. Personally, I'll be going on year number 5 of celebrating Manless Margarita Night. While that does make me feel slightly pathetic, I'd like to preface that with I haven't been manless for 5 years, I'm just completely incapable of having a lasting relationship (I swear this is mostly me making fun of myself and only a little bit of bitterness :) ). 
So, this is a post for all my single friends out there - don't spend this weekend having a pity party for yourself, go out and have a few margs with your friends or stay in and have your own party that may consist of inappropriate decorations, sombreros and an inflatable palm tree (see below). Buy a new outfit, glam yourself out and if nothing else, celebrate the guilt-free chocolate binge that is allowed on this holiday, and the fact it will all be discounted on Sunday! But, cardinal rule of MMN, wear black, obvi. 
I wanted to share a few (embarrassing) photos of Manless Margarita Nights throughout the years from the deep, dark archives of Facebook - sorry ladies!  
This was my first taste of MMN, and it did not disappoint. Check out those silver hoops - nothing says "night out" like a pair of big hoops and showing off your right arm circa 2011. 

 The rookie days of Instagram. Oh how times change....

Last year I spent MMN with my best friend on my couch with feet upon feet of snow outside. This was the result - the most accurate depiction of my life ever taken.

I personally can't wait for Saturday - I may even break out some false lashes! What are your plans this February 14th?

End of 2014 & Christmas Eve Tulle

I hope everyone has had a great start to 2015! I'm just about the worst blogger ever right now. I had almost two weeks off from work and didn't do a single thing for my blog! Although I did take an amazing trip down to Charleston, SC for New Years and got out of the cold for a while. But I'll tell you guys more about that trip in the next post. 
For now, I just wanted to give you all a little recap on the whirlwind last days of 2014 which seemed to fly by. And because I happen to have an unusual amount of documentation. I definitely need to get better at taking pictures in 2015. 

I love wrapping presents, and especially loved this wrapping paper. Although, it was super thick and I struggled a little... a lot. After a few battles and re-wrapped boxes, I settled for a few botched wrapping jobs. 

Our annual gingerbread house party I mentioned here was a success. Props and all! 

Speaking of props, they came in handy at our annual cookie swap! Can you tell that was my festive holiday plaid shirt? 

Christmas Eve was celebrated in tulle, perfect for our unseasonably warm 50+ degree December weather. 

I continued celebrating the season with college friends and gold glitter pants. 

Outfit Details: | Plaid shirt: Old Navy, no longer online, loving this | Tulle Skirt: online boutique (old), similar here and here | Glitter leggings: Bar III (Macy's) | 

Next up: New Year's Eve in Charleston. 

2015 Resolutions

Via

I'll be the first to admit, I'm not one for making or sticking to resolutions for the new year. But I do like to try and think of a few goals for the upcoming year, whether they be personal or more general, and I wanted to share them with you today. And put them on the internet for everyone to read to help me stick to them a little more. 
1. Move. It is absolutely no secret that I want to get out of Connecticut, and more specifically, New England winters. While I may have a few plans (realistically, dreams)  up my sleeve, I have nothing set in stone to move in 2015... yet... but I am making sure this one happens. I've lived in the town I was born and raised in for 24 years and it's time for a change of pace and I couldn't be more excited for this next adventure. Stay tuned... 
2. Be more organized. While I'm not a complete hot mess, I could be wayyy more organized. One good example is my purse. Why do I have cinnamon in my purse right now? I have no idea (okay, I do.. and I swear it's not that strange...), but it's there, along with a few other odd things, but that could be a whole post for another day. I have purchased a 2015 planner to help stay organized and on top of everything going on. I feel a 2015 cleaning purge coming on.
3. Blog more. I want to really keep up with my outfit posts in 2015, so I am planning on dedicating more time to taking photos and recruiting some photographers (aka bribing friends and family members to let me pretend I'm a model for a half hour). 
4. Be single. This is probably the complete opposite goal of every other almost 25 year old girl, but I want to take an entire year to be single (sorry, Mom!), and do whatever the hell I want. Especially if I'm going to be in a new city! But I will preface this with, if someone comes along, I won't not see what happens. 
5. Travel. And then travel some more. I'm already lucky enough to have been able to take pretty spur of the moment trips to new cities but I want to see more. I definitely want to get back to Europe before I'm 30 (Wait. That's in only HOW MANY YEARS?!). And while 2015 probably won't hold out of the country trips, I want to go to at least 5 new cities/places this year. 
What are your 2015 goals? 

Old Factory Candles + Giveaway

I hope everyone had a great holiday and is enjoying some time off and relaxation! I know I am. My Netflix and I are really building a strong bond over the next week. 
I'm teaming up with the lovely people at Old Factory Candle for a giveaway today! I have the "Coffee Shop" set which I especially loved smelling while wrapping some Christmas presents a few days ago. These seriously smell so good and I love burning them on a weekend morning so my house smells like a coffee shop. Which is pretty ironic coming from the girl who used to work in a coffee shop and despised coffee and the smell was only associated to work. Now I can't get enough of either! 
Even though New England has been unseasonably warm lately (no complaints here),  these will be perfect to burn throughout the upcoming winter months or can be the perfect little hostess gift for all the parties this time of year. 

And now for the fun part! I'm giving away a set of Old Factory candles to one lucky winner! Check out their Facebook page and their Amazon site then enter below and comment which set is your favorite! Vacation? Romance? Man Cave? Let me know! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post was sponsored by BrandBacker, but as always, all thoughts are my own and genuine. 

Merry Christmas!

It's the most wonderful day of the year! Wishing you and your loved ones a very merry Christmas full of love and laughter!  
(This is a picture of my coworker and I in our natural habitat celebrating the holidays at work)

Friday Five: Holiday Traditions

Can you believe this is the last Friday before Christmas?! This year absolutely flew. I feel like it was just last Christmas. I am so excited to go visit my best friend in NYC tonight. We have complete opposite schedules and it gets so hard to make plans. So, to be able to find a Friday night that works for both of us is pretty exciting! 
'Tis the season of traditions. I thought I'd share a few of my favorite holiday traditions today, old and new, because I feel like the next week is full of them! 
Cutting down a tree. While sometimes traumatizing (have your dad come out of the garage revving a chainsaw and cut down the pine tree in the front yard and tell me you wouldn't cry...), this is a tradition we never miss. The weekend following Thanksgiving is created to trek out into a tree field and find that perfect tree. No matter how cold, warm or icy. (See this year's outfit here). 

'Twas the Night Before Christmas. While this hasn't happened in years, one of my favorite Christmas memories is sitting on my grandpa's lap on Christmas Eve and having him read The Night Before Christmas to me. Always while wearing my new Christmas pajamas left out on my bed by magical elves after church. 

The Nut and Ball Roll. Bear with me here... What is a completely innocent tradition of making Christmas cookies with my mom and sisters, somehow turned into a mix of dirty innuendos while asking for help rolling balls in nuts and dipping rods in chocolate. Ever since, the day of marathon baking has been referred to as the Nut and Ball Roll. Which probably shouldn't be normal terminology in anyone's house... 
The Christmas Eve Dual. Ever since I can remember, my brother and I would have a "sword" fight with the empty wrapping paper rolls. At 24 and 29 years old, we (embarrassingly?) still do this. Although much more difficult now that most wrapping paper rolls come without the actual cardboard rolls now! (Thanks, everyone, for "going green"). And let me just say, I have never, ever won and am always awarded the title of "Christmas Loser". 

Gingerbread Houses. Every year, my friend hosts a gingerbread house decorating party, and this is honestly one of the events I look forward to the most during the holiday season. We have pounds upon pounds of all different candy and "decorations" for the houses. It's so fun to get creative, catch up with old friends and maybe indulge in a few mimosas. I've gotta get an idea of how I'm going to decorate before the big event this Sunday! Check out the spread from last year! 

What are your favorite holiday traditions? I bet you don't have a nut and ball roll.. 

Gift Guide: Gifts That Give Back

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'Tis the season to be giving! In my head, I had this whole plan to do a bunch of gift guides to post during the month of December, and now its 10 days until Christmas... 
So, I'm going to post my favorite gift guide: Gifts That Give Back. We all get caught up in making wish lists and finding the perfect gift for everyone on your list, that it's easy to forget the true meaning of Christmas (looks like all those years of Catholic school are coming out right now...). But over the years, it's doing something for someone else or giving back that truly has made me feel the best during the holiday season. So, why not give back while crossing off items on your list? 
1. Georgetown Cupcakes. Buy the Hope for Henry gift assortment (a dozen cupcakes) and 100% of the proceeds go to Hope for Henry, a cause that helps children with life-threatening diseases. $30 
2. Support a friend. Know someone who is running a race for a cause? Or even a stranger? Donate to their page. They will not only appreciate the support, you will be contributing to a great cause. Need an idea? Donate to one of my BFFs NYC Half Marathon page for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (shameless plug). Any amount helps
3. Finnegans. Have a beer lover on your list? Finnegans turns beer into food by donating 100% of the profits to provide fresh food to families in need. If anything, pick up a case for the holiday party you're headed to (or for yourself - it is a charitable act after all). $10 for a 6 pack
4. Headbands of Hope. If you're new to the blog, this is a cause close to my heart as an HoH representative. For every headband purchased, $1 is donated towards cancer research and one headband or buff is given to a girl or boy with cancer. $10-$25
5. Toms. I'm sure you all know about Toms, but for every (cute!) pair of shoes purchased, a pair is given to someone in need. $54
6. Target Sweatshirt. Target and Toms teamed up this holiday season, and each time this sweatshirt is purchased, a blanket is donated to someone who needs it. There's a whole section on Target.com with all different items to give back this holiday season. Definitely worth checking out. $22
7. Alex and Ani. Shop by charity or by bracelet for a huge selection of different charities to have a portion of your purchase be donated. $28
8. French Milled Baby Soap. Don't let the description of baby soap fool you. This soap is great for sensitive skin (children or adults!) and 20% of the proceeds go to charities benefiting children, such as St. Jude. $12
Sorry for the long-winded post, but I wanted to give a description of all the items. If you're done shopping, consider doing something small like donating a toy to Toys for Tots or even just buying the person behind you their coffee in the morning. Let's spread some Christmas cheer :) 

Friday Five

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... 
So, I love Christmas. Always have, always will. Like, spent the day cutting out Christmas props for our office Christmas.. sorry.. holiday.. party (Twice, to be exact, because I realized too far in that I should have printed them on card stock...) and making detailed party planning spreadsheets kind of love. 
In honor of my favorite time of year, my Friday Fives for the month of December will be holiday themed. This week will be my top 5 all time favorite Christmas songs, which was extremely hard for me to narrow down (in no specific order - that would be way too hard). I usually strictly abide by the day-after-Thanksgiving rule when it comes to Christmas music, but I have to admit, I cheated a little this year. 
Baby, It's Cold Outside. Specifically, the Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey version. I know, I know, the relationship is over, but it's still one of the best versions out there, hands down. 


All I Want For Christmas Is You. Obviously, this is a no brainer. Whenever I hear this song, I have a specific memory of belting it out with my best friend in her kitchen when we were in middle school, which makes me love the song a little more. 


I'll Be Home For Christmas. I never really cared about this song until I went to college, and all of a sudden I couldn't wait to go home for Christmas break and see my family and old friends. Ever since, it's become a favorite. 


All I Want For Christmas Is A Real Good Tan. I'm all about a white Christmas (but on Christmas only) but I think I may be more about white sand on Christmas. Kenny Chesney nails my feelings of spending Christmas on a beach in this tropical tune which is now a Christmas classic for me. 


It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas. Every single time I hear this song, I think of my grandpa. I can still picture him and hear him singing this as he would walk into my parents house during Christmastime, or when there was fresh snow on the ground, and it always makes me smile. This song always gets me into the Christmas spirit. 


And for a bonus song - Baby! It's Christmas by Jessie James Decker. It only came out this year so I felt like it didn't have the right to make the official list, but this song has been on repeat. Especially in my car. Such a good belt out song. 


What's your favorite Christmas song? 

Peppermint Oreo Cookies

'Tis the season to be baking! My friend and I jump-started the holiday season with some baking (and wine) Saturday. I love baking to begin with, or maybe I just love dessert, but either way, Christmas cookies are probably my favorite to bake. This recipe we found on Pinterest was so easy and the dough was SO. GOOD. The recipe called for Andes Peppermint Crunch pieces, but we substituted those for crushed up candy canes. Just as good. 
Also, food pictures are so hard to take. Or maybe it was the wine. Either way, sorry for the poor quality. 
Preheat oven to 350. 

Combine full box of cake mix, melted butter, egg and peppermint and vanilla extracts. Beat dough until soft. Add in cream cheese and beat until combined. 

Chop up peppermint pieces. The easiest way I do this is put the Oreos in a big zip lock bag and use a rolling pin to break them up. (I've definitely used a bottle of wine to do the same thing in college - do you see the baking/wine trend here?) Stir in peppermint pieces and dark chocolate chips. 

Break up Oreo cookies (same method as candy canes).  Gently stir in. The recipe said to do this by hand. We definitely did not. Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes. 

Once refrigerated, place dough on a cookie sheet and bake for 9 minutes at 350. 

Let them cool and enjoy! 

I brought these into work on Monday and they were a huge hit! 

Ingredients 

1 box white cake mix

1 stick melted butter

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract 

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract 

4 ounces cream cheese, softened (half a block)

1 cup Oreo chunks 

1 cup candy cane pieces 

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips 

Find the original recipe here (we definitely did things a little more haphazardly). 

What's your favorite Christmas cookie to bake?