Man, do I love food. Good thing there are lots of creative people out there with amazing recipes to share! I can't help myself from browsing the endless pages on Pinterest of flavorful and delicious dishes to try. When the weather changes, I am re-inspired to test out lots of fresh and light meals. Good thing for these talented food bloggers, I can only aspire to be this creative.

Here are some summer recipes that I am currently craving:

Cauliflower and Chickpea Tacos // Bootleg Cocktail // Cauliflower and Roasted Garbanzo Salad

Kitchenblend is killing me with these easy to make tacos with a big kick of flavor! The creamy avocado sauce is the perfect way to top these off.

Cookie and Kate nailed this cocktail- just what I am craving in warm weather. Anything with Lime and Mint is right up my alley.

The First Mess thought of it all with this bright and healthy salad.. hello fresh!

Cherry, Pistachio, and Balsamic Honey Yogurt // Rustic Grilled Peaches Pizza // Cucumber Margarita

Cookie and Kate has me drooling for this yogurt. Who would have thought these flavors together?

The Healthy Foodie has me thinking about grilling this rustic peaches pizza. A nice way to lighten up a classic dish.

A Beautiful Mess brightens up my day with a Cucumber Margarita! This sounds OH so fresh.

Aren't you inspired?! What are some of your favorite summer dishes and drinks?

*Tip (if you don't know this already): I tend to find much lower prices on sale items at J.Crew in the actual stores vs. online.

 Crown Vintage Flats // Anthropologie Skirt // J.Crew Jacket // Forever 21 Shirt // J.Crew Necklace // Marc by Marc Jacobs Purse // H&M Sunglasses

Hello! It's almost Memorial Day weekend and I am SO excited. It is the perfect official kick off of summer! The weather is finally turning, pools are open, grills are fired up.. I'm ready. I am heading back to Minneapolis this weekend for some family time on the lake. My sister is bringing home her new man for us all to meet too, hope we don't scare him away! Looking forward to some quality time together and hopefully enjoying the weather. I snagged up this shirt from Target this week for a little pick me up. Sometimes something as simple as purchasing a bright shirt mid-week is just what you need. I paired it with this knit skirt from Anthropologie (old) for a little extra color. I'm all about bright colors, especially this time of  year. Probably will be a majority of what I am packing for home this weekend! What are your Memorial Day weekend plans?

Target Merona Tank  // Anthropologie Skirt // Max & Chloe Monogram Necklace // Anthropologie Shoes // Ray Ban Erika Sunglasses // Charming Charlie Bracelet

I've been thinking I should take some strides towards being an adult. I mean, it's clear I already am one, but sometimes I forget.. and I mean a REAL adult. Let's not get carried away, I'm talking about the fun kind. I'm just sayin', there are things you to start to realize with age. Some things as of late:

1. Skin Care:

I was really bad at actually fully washing my face before bed, but rumor has it I could age quicker or something so let's jump on that. Some Almay products I like: these are good to get all the mascara off your eyes, and I've also liked these. For face lotion, I swear by St. Ives Timeless Skin Lotion.

2.Matching Pajamas:

Make fun of me if you want, but recently I bought two different pajama sets. The first thing I want to do when I come home from work is change into more comfortable clothes, and I decided it was time to look cute and not sloppy. This also falls into line with something else that I've realized with age.. I need sleep. Getting a good amount of hours in each night really makes a difference in your performance and overall mood the following day.

3. Caring about Good Food:

In college, I'm pretty sure my diet consisted of everything bagels and macaroni and cheese. It is sometimes hard to wrap your head around spending that extra dollar for good vegetables or grass fed meats. But suddenly, it's worth it. You feel better and stronger while eating right and realize your body isn't the same it used to be. Eating good and taking care of yourself is so important to keep you young, healthy, and happy.

4. Spring Cleaning:

I have gotten into the routine of cleaning out my closet after every season. Slowly weeding out crappy shoes and pilling sweaters. My biggest thing I've realized lately is how short some of my dresses are. It's important to keep some of these for events and parties where you can sass it up, however you need to know the right place and time. If you work in an office setting, showing too much leg will not get you that promotion... but in fact will do the opposite. As you grow older, you learn more about how to dress yourself in a flattering and appropriate way.

Photo Credit: Pajamas // Lotion // Veggies // Jeans

Anything you have noticed comes with age?

SANDALS -they have arrived! Finally felt it was the time to truly pack away my boots for the season and bust out my flippy floppies. I also felt it was appropriate to be wearing one of my favorite trends: patterned pants. Stores like H&M and Forever 21 are overflowing with these comfy gems. It's the perfect place to shop for a light weight and fun patterned pair of pants. I got these for $17.95 and they are exactly what I was looking for. I love dresses, but am not a huge shorts fan- especially since I feel they are not right for every occasion. These are the perfect win for warmer weather... it's like wearing pajamas! I did a little pattern mixing with some stripes today too... the long sleeves are there mostly to hide my embarrassing sunburn. You would think I just moved here! Why is it alarming every year how quickly the weather turns?

Lands' End Panama Hat // H&M Aviators // Theory tee shirt // H&M Pants // Old Navy Sandals // Michael Kors MK5166 Watch // Anthropologie+Bauble Bar Earrings 

 

Sometimes Ben comes home with projects. This one in particular sparked my interest as it involved clothing and changing a surface texture. He picked up Otter Wax Fabric Dressing online with hopes of taking his $39.95 H&M Jacket into a Belstaff look-a-like. The results were good, but not up to par with the quality of a Belstaff Jacket. This was expected, as a jar of this handy wax is only $19.95. I will say, however, that the results were still good and a it was a great DIY activity. 

Here's the steps we took to take his cotton jacket into a waxy finish:

Step 1. Heat up the Wax

Boil water on the stove and set wax tin container in the water. 180 degrees is an ideal temperature to keep wax a liquid and spreadable substance.

Step 2. Paint onto Fabric

Take a paint brush (preferably larger to cover more ground) and paint wax onto surface.

Step 3. Heat Set Wax

First trial for heat setting the wax was with an industrial heat gun. This seemed too hot and almost evaporated the wax from the coat. Switched to a hairdyer and it did the trick! Move over wax in even motions with hair dryer until it appears almost wet again.

Step 4: Even out Surface

While still hot from Step 3, press wax into the fabric with a cloth to cover all seams and tricky corners. Remove extra build up and make sure all surfaces appear even.

Step 5: ENJOY! (in the rain!!!)