Archives for February 2015

February 28, 2015 by Drafts & Crafts

The struggle is real, I am guilty of not eating my veggies. I try to eat a vegetable with each meal, but let’s be real… it is easier said than done. 

On the days I know that I won’t be getting enough fruits and veggies in my diet, I make a green smoothie for breakfast or a small smoothie to drink with my lunch. This recipe is simple; it either makes two large smoothie’s (big smoothie= meal replacement) or 4 small smoothies that I put in 8oz mason jars to have with lunch.

{Serves} 2 large smoothies or 4 small smoothies
{Time} 15 minutes

{Ingredients}

• 1 cup frozen strawberries (or fresh, yet it is easy to always keep frozen strawberries in the freezer and they make the drink cold!)
• 2 small bannanas
• 3 cups spinach // or 1.5 cup spinach & 1.5 cup Kale
• 1 dairy free yoplait yogurt
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cranberry juice
• 1/2 cup egg whites (optional)

{Steps}

1. Measure out all ingredients. This is the order I place them in the blender starting from the bottom: Strawberries, bananas, spinach, yogurt, milk, juice. I have learned from experience that it is best to put the liquids in last, this way each ingredients gets wet and will blend better. Tip: If it seems like your smoothie does not want to blend, add a splash of water.

This one is a no brainer, smoothies are the best! You are never too old to get your fruit and veggies in with a quick smoothie. I highly recommend filling up the blender and storing the extra smoothie for the next day, You can even make smoothies for the whole week, it can be a pain in the butt to pull out the blender everyday. Cheers!

Keep in touch,
Dani

February 23, 2015 by Drafts & Crafts

I have looked for the right turtleneck all winter long, the search is finally over… and who knew I would have Forever 21 to thank for that?!

{Turtleneck: Forever 21 (not online)} {Hat: Forever 21}
{Jeans: Target} {Necklace: Bauble Bar, similar on sale for $8}
{Earrings: IlY Couture} {Purse: Kate Spade, similar}
{Booties: J. Crew Factory major sale}
{Bracelets: Piperlime, similar & Hermes}

Finding the turtleneck that was right for me seemed like quite the struggle this season. I wanted to find the perfect turtleneck because A) it is cold in VA/DC B) they are comfy C) I love the way they look on others. Now the last time I wore a turtle neck was when I was under 10 and living in NJ. In Florida, there are no such things as turtlenecks… Ok, ok there are, but not too many people need them in 80 degree weather.

I knew I wanted an oversized turtleneck since I do not care for sweaters that are clingy. I rarely stop in Forever 21. I honestly just do not have the patience to go through that store. However, after several deep breathes, a girlfriend and I decided to quickly stop in. Within 5 minutes, I had like 5 pieces in my hand that I wanted to try on. I feel in love with this cozy sweater and hat. For the price, this hat was a steal, thank you Forever! Remember my winter white post, as much as I am obsessed with my white J. Crew hat, I was in need of a darker color hat for winter. Do you have a good winter hat or turtleneck, do share! Pulled together with this statement necklace from Bauble Bar, this is my go-to Brunch look! Cheers!

Keep in touch,
Dani

 

February 18, 2014 by Drafts & Crafts

Complete any game day munchies with skillet Buffalo Chicken Dip for the win! BCD will be a sure crowd pleaser.. make it as mild or as spicy as you like!

I know it is a bit past the “big game”, but I still wanted to share the recipe I made for the Super Bowl. There will be more excuses than just the Super Bowl to make this delicious dip! I will say, I am a little embarrassed to admit that I used canned chicken, but it really did come out good and  it was EFFORTLESS.. and let’s be honest, sometimes that is what you need when hosting a get together!!

{Serves} 4-5 servings (I would highly recommend doubling for a party)
{Time} 30 mins

{Ingredients}

• 1 10oz can of white chicken
• 1/2 cup Frank’s Hot Sauce
• 1/2 cup non-fat Ranch (or reg ranch)
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack
• 1 block (8 oz) of cubed Cream Cheese (or low-fat)

1. Cook drained chicken and Frank’s Hot Sauce over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.

2. After the chicken is nice and warm, add the cubed cream cheese and ranch dressing. Stir and cook until cream cheese is consistently melted.

3. Add shredded cheese to the dip. Stir well and continue to cook on medium-low for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you enjoy things a little more spicy (like me), add another splash (or five) of Frank’s to the dip.

4. Place in a bowl and serve with chips, veggies, bread, pita, or crackers.

Hope you get to try this game-changer.. no pun intended.. 🙂

Keep in touch,
Dani

February 14, 2015 by Drafts & Crafts

Happy Valentine’s Day loves!! I have been wanting to post a recap of our wedding for quite some time. With all of this love in the air, it was impeccable timing! 

A little back round, Valentine’s is now my favorite day of the year- like heart throbbing, butterflies in my tummy, smile so big my mouth hurts, favorite day of the year. This is because my husband and I got married last Valentine’s Day, 2/14/14. No, I am not some crazy Valentine’s Day obsessed human! I just wanted to get married on a Friday in February and Valentine’s Day just happened to be one of those Fridays! Don’t get me wrong though, I love every holiday!! Plus, it was a destination wedding and more than half of our guests were from out of town which meant some folks had the following Monday off for President’s Day. I did not want to get married on a Saturday because that would of meant I would have had to leave Sunday. Instead, we got to hang out with our family and best friends all weekend long, it was unreal!!

I have had several people ask me about my wedding and wedding decor this past year, so in honor of my one year wedding anniversary I wanted to do a little recap of my Valentine’s wedding with some photos, plus my DIY’s.

I went for a ‘Rustic’ meets ‘Classic’ look for my Valentine’s Day wedding. We got married at the Casa Marina Hotel in Jacksonville Beach, FL. It was the perfect venue for Jason and I. It is a historic hotel of America, dating back to the early 1900’s. In the roaring twenties, the hotel was known as “The Hollywood” of the south. Famous actors, politicians, and mafia folks would come down to Florida and stay at the Casa Marina Hotel. We were married in the outside court yard of the boutique style hotel. My favorite part of the venue is the ballroom/dining room because there are huge, original exposed wooden beams that run along the ceiling. The wooden features are beautiful and timeless. Our wedding colors were blush pink, grey, gold, black, and white.

Jason and I had 140 guests on our big day. We said “I do” at 5pm on 2/14/14, but the party did not stop until 11pm.. or should I say 2pm since we shut down the rooftop bar, The Penthouse Lounge. The service at the Casa Marina was 5-star, from a smooth year of planning, to help with each and every little detail on the day of. Jason and I had the MOST epic weekend, filled with endless love, laughs, and bubbly!! We were so blessed to have our closest friends and family spend three or four days celebrating our love!! These are just A FEW of my favorite photos from our wonderful photographer. Verance Photography is the artistic genus behind each photo in this post. Sindy is located is the Western and Northern Florida area, if you need an excellent photo for an event, she is your girl!

Now for some DIY’s and Decor.. Most of the items you will see below was handmade by myself or was designed me. I’ll explain a few pieces and please let me know if you have any questions! Also please keep in mind that I am now creating custom wedding signage through my etsy site, I already have 3 weddings that I am working on for 2015!! How cool it is that I get to add a special touch of decor for couple’s big day??!!

1) Our “please sign our guest book sign” – And of course, we wanted to wish everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day too!! This sign is on wood with chalk board spray, I use actual chalk, not the chalk markers.

2) This was our “wedding map” of Jacksonville. On the map, it had our college, where we met, where our rehearsal was, our favorite fountain, our favorite bridge, the hotel we got married at, and our brunch spot the next morning. I purchased this map on Etsy from Natty Michelle.

3. Direction Sign in the court yard.

4. I made these mason jars for our sand ceremony. We decided a sand ceremony since our hotel was on the beach. 

5. Flowers and matches on our outside tables that surrounded the dance floor. We have a few smokers, so I wanted to get these “perfect match” made. 

6. The steps that went down into the courtyard were lined with candles in pretty mason jars. I hand painted the pink ones and my girlfriend, Jenna, made the gold glitter ones. 

7.  Our escort cards.. this was one of my favorite DIY’s!! My father in law made this fence panel for me to hang each escort card on. I cut each tag and hand stamped 150 mason jars. Tied to each escort card was a heart shaped year. The sign reads, “Find the key to your seat.” 

8.  Bride and Groom burlap banners for the back of our seats.

9. Who doesn’t love a monogrammed corn hole!? Here is where I ordered the corn hole boards from, All American Tailgate and I added the monogram myself.  

10. Signature drink sign, “love potion number 9.” Also, you can see my DIY paper straws in this photo. The flags said, “Happy Valentine’s day,” “Dani & Jason’s Wedding,” “All you need is Love.”

11. Jason’s gifts for his groomsmen. Inside was, a small bottle of whiskey, coke, Jason’s favorite book, hot sauce, and a dry rub for BBQing. Jason picked each item out for his guys, I thought he did an awesome job!! It seemed like all of his guys really liked their basket. Unfortunately, I do not have a photo of my bridesmaids gifts. That is because we were already in our robes. Each girl got a monogrammed robe, pink pearl earrings, and matching bracelet. These items were in  a reusable monogrammed bag that I got from the Hallmark store!

12. One of our gifts for our guests were Koozies- “To Love Laughter & Happily Ever After!” I ordered these koozies off Etsy as well, Rook Design Co. I love these little guys, they are nestled on my bar cart and I plan to use them for years to come!! Our other goodie for the guests was a tiny box of Godiva chocolates and each person’s place setting. After all, it was Valentine’s so a sweet treat was in order!

13. Lastly, here is a snap of our rustic center piece. These birch wood vases and wooden slabes came from an awesome shop on Etsy. The owner, Nicole, of the PNZ design was so personable and a pleasure to work with. Our cake topper and table numbers are from The First Snow Fall, their stuff is ADORABLE!!

I hope you enjoyed some of our wedding photos. I can’t even begin to describe how perfect the weekend went! The only thing I would have changed was the weather up North, a few guests could not make it out because of snow!! We sure came home to a snow packed city, we put our bags down and had to shuffle our cars out of the driveway!

Hope you all have a special Valentine’s Weekend! Hugs and Kisses!!

Keep in touch,
Dani

February 11, 2015 by Drafts & Crafts

During the week of Valentine’s, it is my obligatory time to wear the color red. Here is my Valentine’s outfit, perfect for date night with my sweetheart.

{Sweater: Old Navy} {Skirt: Zara}
{Blanket Scart: Target} {Heels: J. Crew}
{Clutch: J. Crew, WANT} {Striped Bracelet: Hermes}
{Double Pearl Bracelet: Piperlime, similar} {Peach Necklace: Stella & Dot}

Shake, shake, shake…SALE, SALE, SALE.. shake your booty! Both this skirt and this sweater are currently on sale in stores for $10… yes, $10. This black skirt is the perfect midi with just the right amount of flare. I always find myself looking for something red in February (anyone else?) and this sweater is the perfect little addition to my closet. The sweater also comes in blush pink and deep red, swoon. I am going to wear this outfit on Friday night and a dress on Saturday night. Did I mention, Saturday is my one year wedding anniversary!?!?! I am beyond excited and in disbelief that it has been a whole year since marrying my best friend! 🙂 Yes, I am that girl who got married on Valentines Day… “And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate.” Next post is going to be my wedding recap & some of my wedding DIY’s… stick around, I am pretty excited to share!

What are you going to wear this Valentine’s Day?

Keep in keep,
Dani

February 8, 2015 by Drafts & Crafts 

Make Valentine’s day a little sweeter with this DIY for your honey bun. This handmade goodie will be an long-lasting reminder of your love! 

This Valentine’s craft is an oldie but a goodie! To be honest, I made the original “message in a bottle” a few years ago for my husband; when we were just dating and in a long-distance relationship. I adore a handmade gift made with love. This craft is the perfect, personal touch to remind your significant other how special they are to you. You could even make this DIY for your BFF.. after all, they should be reminded how important they are too!

I love this idea because it is like the gift that keeps on giving!! Encourage your partner or friend to open a note each morning.. or when they are having a rough day. It is a great pick-me-up or reminder that they are loved.

{Materials}

• Small Jar
• Paper
• Scissors
• Scotch Tape
• Ribbon or string
• Red Thread (optional for those with patience)

1. Write or type your desired amount (25, 50, 75, or 100) of messages to your Valentine. 100 messages may sound like a lot, but once you start they will come effortlessly. These messages should come from the heart; they can be reasons why you love the person, romantic words, sweet memories, friendly reminders, inside jokes, or simply “I love the way you…” or “I love you because…”

2. Cut each individual message with scissors. I cut mine about 1/2 inch (height) x 4 inches (width). Roll each note by hand and fasten with a tiny piece of scotch tape. For an extra special touch, tie a small piece of red thread around each note. This does require some patience.. you can always throw on your fav TV show and go to town with the thread tying.

3. Drop each message into your jar of choice. Then write or type a tag for the outside of the jar. You can see mine below!

I hope you adore this DIY as much as I do. My husband loved this Valentine’s Day gift, he said it brought him much joy to open each hand rolled love note. It is very rewarding to remind the person you love each day how much they mean to you. We should not take our days together for granted, each day that passes is a day we can not get back. With that being said, make sure you spoil your lovers and friends with sweet reminders this year! Are you making any special Valentine treats or DIY’s? If so, please share- I would love to hear!

Happy Valentine’s Week!! It is my fav week since Jason and I got married on 2/14/14!

Keep in touch,
Dani