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Archives for February 2016

Save vs. Splurge

Closet, Mommy & Misc

February 20, 2016 by Drafts & Crafts

Getting down on a sensitive subject, saving vs. splurging on designer handbags. Plus, the details of some awesome Chloe dupes. 

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{Shirt: Nordstrom (old)} {Jeans: Motherhood Maternity}
{Purse: Joy Drew Baginc, similar dupe!} {Flats: J. Crew}

If you follow along with me, than you probably know that I have a thing for designer handbags. I do believe if you are going to invest in an expensive wardrobe item, it should be a “stable” purse. For instance, a black, beige, cognac, or grey high-end bag is always a good investment that is worth saving for. You should be able to carry a staple bag for years AND it should go with most outfits you wear.

The thing with designer bags is there is quite a LARGE price range when you think about it. Purchasing a designer bag does not mean each bag was $500-$1000. The designers that I find most affordable and often have AWESOME sales are Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Tory Burch, Rebecca Minkoff, and Coach. If you are patient, these designers bags do go on sale for around $200 and less. Great times to search for sales are the major holidays and long holiday weekends.

Now when you are talking prices of Chloe, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel, it is a whole different ball game. My beloved Chloe Drew bag (wearing a dupe) ranges anywhere from $1,200-$3,000. With a baby on the way, buying a home, and not having a 6-figure job, this purse is not AND will not be in the budget any time soon. If I wanted to save for years, the purse could be attainable, but once I saved $2,000 for a handbag, I could think of several other things that I would like to do with that amount of money…. home renovations, a family vacation, investing in a college fund for the baby, and so on.

With that being said, the above purse was a no brainer for me, SAVE!! I have linked 2 Chloe dupes that are under $100. This is the only dupe bag that I feel would be worth owning. It really does look very similar and at $30 you can’t go wrong! What are your thoughts on saving for designer bags? If you are looking to invest in a designer bag, do check out my favorite companies that I listed above: Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Tory Burch, Rebecca Minkoff, and Coach. Do you have a favorite hand-bag designer?

Keep in touch,
Dani

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Homemade Waffles

Kitchen

February 14, 2016 by Drafts & Crafts

My husband and I are beginning a new tradition with waffles in bed to kick off our anniversary. Here is a simple recipe with ingredients that are common in any pantry!

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{Time} 20 minutes
{Serving} 8-10 waffles

{Ingredients}

  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 ¾ cups almond milk
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 4 teaspoons of baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract

To make whip cream:
Click here for whip cream steps

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup powder sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  1. Preheat the waffle machine. Coat with Pam or light butter so the waffle does not stick to the iron.
  2. Blend the eggs, flour, oil, milk, sugar, baking powder, and extracts in the mixer or mix by the hand in a large bowl.

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The hubs and I began a new tradition last year, to start Valentine’s Day and our anniversary with a yummy, homemade breakfast! This typically consists of homemade waffles, bacon, fruit, and fresh squeezed juice. There will not be any mimosas this year for this pregnant lady! Jason and I are spending part of the day at Babies “R” Us registering for our baby boy! Wish me luck, I have a feeling picking out baby products as first time parents is going to be a bit overwhelming! If you have any suggestions or favorite baby items, I would love to hear! A few friends have shared some of their must-haves and it is just SO HELPFUL!

Hope you have a wonderful Valentine’s Day weekend!

Keep in touch,
Dani

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A Pop of Red

Closet

February 11, 2016 by Drafts & Crafts

I always find myself in a pop of red during the month of February, how convenient! Here are the details of this oversized sweater, perfect for a cozy holiday weekend.

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{Sweater: J. Crew} {Skirt: Loft, similar & similar}
{Bag: Kate Spade} {Booties: Lord & Taylor}
{Sunnies: Illesteva}

At last, another 3-day weekend, just what the doctor ordered this Valentine’s Day! Between getting ready for a baby, purchasing our first home, and a few stressful weeks at work, I am looking forward to having an extra day off… to create a baby registry & pack up my house! Valentine’s Day just so happens to be the hubs and my 2 year wedding anniversary. I have been dreaming of our dinner reservations ALL WEEK LONG. My absolute fav restaurant in Jacksonville, Orsay. Side note: I feel obligated to explain that I am not some Valentine’s Day obsessed girl. We wanted to get married on a Friday in February since it was a destination wedding. Valentine’s Day falls on a 3-day weekend, so we just ran with the idea! With that being said, I do LOVE romance, flowers, pink, hearts, and sparkles… you could say it turned out to be a WIN, WIN!

This year, it is all about cozy & casual. This mama-to-be plans on keeping it chic in this tunic sweater, which is currently half off a la J. Crew!! I would recommend considering sizing down. I am wearing my typical size, medium, however I think a small would have worked too. It just depends on how slouchy/comfortable you want to sport it. I purchased this skirt last winter from the Loft and it has remained a staple in my closet. I have linked a few similar style skirts. Finally, my girl Kate Spade is having a great sale this weekend, HOLLA! What are your weekend and Valentine’s Day plans?

Keep in touch,
Dani

 

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Boho-chic with Natural Life

Closet

February 7, 2016 by Drafts & Crafts

This Natural Life outfit hits all of my boho checks: soft, organic, and feminine.

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{Dress: Natural Life} {Scarf: Natural Life}
{Shoes: Sears on sale!!} {Purse: Coach}
{Bracelet: Loren Hope ala Rocksbox}
c/o Natural Life

I can always get behind a company like Natural Life, they radiate positive vibes, and who doesn’t love some positive vibes! Natural Life is a boho-inspired website that specializes in clothing, gifts, and decor. You will want to check out the website to learn all about their feel-good gifts. If you have any questions about the Natural Life brand, please don’t hesitate to ask me!

This olive dress is SUPER soft and effortless, making it the perfect casual dress. The awesome thing about Natural Life is that each garment has hand embroidery and special dying techniques, so no two pieces are identical. Although this dress is not a maternity item, the “flowiness” allows it to double as a maternity dress.. which of course doubles the value for this mama-to-be! I paired this boho-chic style with cognac booties and Coach purse, love this color scheme. If you have not already subscribed to Rocksbox, be sure to use promo code “dccoldxoxo” to get your first month free!

Keep in touch,
Dani

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Shopping Winter Sales

Closet, Mommy & Misc

February 4, 2016 by Drafts & Crafts

At the end of each season, our favorite stores tend to have unbeatable sales. Today, I am sharing some tips for shopping winter sales.

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{Bag: Kate Spade} (Jeans: Pea in the Pod}
{Rain boots: Hunter from Nordstrom}
Each item has a variation on a great sale!!

  1. STOCK UP ON THE BASICS- Time to purchase those basic pieces that you find yourself wearing at least once each week. For me, I wear my hunter boots, peacoat, green utility field coat, and my favorite pairs of jeans all winter long (J. Crew is my favorite place for basics).
  2. KEEP PRINTS SIMPLE- As much as we all love our bold, fun prints, I would avoid buying too many printed items at the end of a season. Prints are so trendy and come in and out of style so often that you don’t want to buy a wild print that you won’t wear next year.
  3. ALL ABOUT THE NEUTRALS- You can never go wrong with neutrals or have too many. I try to stick to solid colors like beige, cognac, grey, white, black, blush, and navy when shopping sale items. These are the colors that I will put on for several seasons to come (Nordstrom’s has a neutral selection for days).
  4. BUY THOSE TIMELESS DESIGNER PIECES- A great tip for building a wardrobe is having a few high-end timeless items. For instance, designer shoes and purses are an instant way to take an inexpensive outfit and make it look more high-end. I like to get sweaters from Forever 21 and pair it with my winter boots and bags. Designer items will go on sale at the end of each season (Kate Spade is my favorite designer).
  5. KIDS CLOTHES GALORE-  Most children’s clothes do not go out of style as the season changes, so it is good to take advantage of savings. Gap and Old Navy are my favorite children’s stores. When items are full price, they are not exactly cheap for kids who are going to grow out of them before you know it. With that being said, Gap and Old Navy does have a great end of season sales!

Most stores have amazing winter sales right about now! I have linked my favorite winter sales above. Spring collections are being released, which means winter clothes prices are being slashed in half in some stores! One thing to keep in mind is even high-end stores will have good sales. My guilty pleasure is purses, especially from my girl, Kate Spade. If you wait until Kate Spade is having a great sale, you can get bags for half off!! At that point, they are actually affordable and I do not feel so guilty for the splurge. What are your favorite designer brands? Have you checked their winter sales?

Keep in touch,
Dani

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No Bake Mini Strawberry Cheesecake

Kitchen

February 3, 2016 by Drafts & Crafts

Valentine’s Day is my favorite excuse to fill the house with sweet treats! With strawberries being our favorite fruit, this one was a no brainer…
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Serves: 10-12, 12 oz mason jars
Time: 1.5 hours

{Ingredients}

  • 8 ounces regular whipped cream cheese
  • 4 ounces strawberry cream cheese
  • 12 ounces heavy whipping creams for homemade cool whip (could purchase already made cool whip)
  • 6 oz strawberry preserves
  • 1/2 cup powder sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 8 graham crackers
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • Sprinkles

Optional:

  • Will need mixer to make homemade cool whip
  • 2 freezer bags to neatly place contents into mason jars
  • 12 oz Mason jars

{Steps}

  1. Melt the butter. Grumble graham crackers into fine texture (I use a wooden spoon to smash them in a large bowl). Mix the melted butter throughout the graham crackers to create the crust. Scoop two small spoonfuls into the bottom of each mason jar.
  2. Make Cool Whip with Mixer: Pour 12 ounces of heavy cream into the mixer. Place the speed setting half way and slowly add in 1/2 cup powder sugar and vanilla extract. Then put the speed up to 8 or 10 and within a minute you should see the cream turning thick. The cool whip will begin to create peaks in the mixer and you will be able to tell that it is ready. Should not take more than 2 minutes on high speed.
  3. Set aside 1 cup of cool whip for garnish/topping at the end. Put one cup of cool whip into a freezer bag and cut a small hole in the corner to create your own piping bag.
  4. In the mixer bowl with the remaining cool whip, add the 2 cream cheeses and the strawberry preserves to create the cheesecake. Mix for about a minute on medium.
  5. Place the cheesecake batter into another large freezer bag and cut a small hole in the corner  to create a piping bag.
  6. Squeeze the strawberry cheesecake into each mason jar over the graham cracker crust. Fill jars until 2/3’s full.
  7. Top each jar with the cool whip that was set aside in Step 3. Garnish with sprinkles and graham crackers!
  8. The jars need to be refrigerated immediately after. I recommend placing the jars in the freezer for an hour before serving them.

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This no-bake cheesecake is a hassle-free must-try. This dessert was inspired from a Nutella Cheesecake in mason jars that I created the very first month of Drafts & Crafts, June 2014! (You can find that recipe at the very bottom of the “Kitchen” tab) I love February because it means everything is pink, sparkly, and covered in sprinkles- like we really need another excuse! This is a fun recipe to serve if you are hosting or attending a Galantine’s get-together. This light, fluffy dessert is the perfect grab and go treat. What sweets are you making your hunny or BFFs this holiday??

Keep in touch,
Dani

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