Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Two Ways to Make a Statement

Time for another Marionberry Trend of the Month Challenge!

I was super excited when Marion posted her trend of the month challenge for August: The statement necklace!  Why was I excited, you ask?  Because 2 days prior to the announcement I had stumbled across the online store Bauble Bar on Pinterest and ordered this gorgeous statement necklace in turquoise!


Luckily it got here just in time for me to use it for the challenge!

The obvious way to use a bold statement necklace is to choose a solid top in a complimentary color, and perhaps throw on a cardigan or blazer if it is chilly.  However, I wanted to try my new necklace with a patterned top (or in this case, dress) as well.

Honestly, I like both! (PS... pardon the creepy pictures! I think I was having an "off" face day....)

Necklace: BaubleBar $42
Dress: Anthropologie (old) similar, similar, similar
Tee: Express $29.50

Be sure to check out Marionberrystyle.blogspot.com tomorrow for more Trend of the Month contributors!!!


Monday, August 27, 2012

What the SHELL?! My Failed EGGS-periment...

As my summer draws to a close, my husband and I are turning back to our clean eating and P90x-ing.  We went though the whole program last year and had really great results.  I lost about 12 pounds, was in the best shape of my life, and felt amazing.  This summer has been a bit of a lard-fest for me, and to be honest, I can't wait to get back to eating healthy again.

If you know anything about the P90x diet, it is a very high protein, low carb, low fat regimen.  So I have been pinning a lot of P90x safe meals over the last few days in anticipation of our start.  Today, I focused on one of the central ingredients to the P90x program.... EGGS.

I found 2 recipes I wanted to try out to help us eat more eggs.  I start back to work tomorrow, so I rarely have the time (or, well... the motivation) to wake up and make breakfast.  So, when I found these make-ahead Egg Muffins, I thought they'd be perfect to pop in the microwave and eat before work.  Also, while on my egg hunt, I found this pin which claimed that hard boiling eggs in the oven is even better than the traditional boil-in-water approach I've perfected.  Here's the eggs-periment:

Recipe Number 1: Egg Muffins


The ingredients:
-egg beaters
-green onions
-colby/jack reduced fat cheese
-reduced fat bacon bits
-PAM cooking spray
-muffin liners (unless you have a silicone muffin pan...)
(*note, you can apparently add just about anything to these muffins... from broccoli, to peppers, to sausage...)

I started by lining the muffin pan, spraying with PAM, and putting in a few green onions.  You would also add any other veggies FIRST.

Then I added the cheese and bacon bits.

Finally, I filled each muffin liner up with the egg beaters (to about 3/4 full).

I baked the muffins at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, and I was pleasantly surprised when I pulled them out.... they were so cute and fluffy!

However, after about 3 minutes.... WHAT THE SHELL?!?! My muffins deflated!!!!!

They continued to deflate over the nest few minutes.  I let them stand for about 25 minutes as directed by the recipe, then peeled off the wrappers and refrigerated the muffins.  Needless to say, they certainly didn't LOOK like the muffins in the recipe....

As far as the taste..... equally underwhelming.  However, I must say that the convenience was great... I'm already 2 proteins and a veggie in, and its not quite 6 am!  If theres a next time... I will omit the bacon bits.  In my opinion, it made them a bit too salty, and they tasted a little bit burnt.  Maybe uncooked low-sodium bacon would work better.

Recipe Number 2: Baked "Hard-Boiled" Eggs


While my egg muffins were deflating, I placed a dozen eggs in my muffin pan and popped them in the oven at 325 degrees.
The pinner claimed that baking the eggs make them "tastier" and easier to peel.  I also liked the idea of being able to leave the room for 25 minutes and accomplish other things, rather than watching boiling water...  After about 27 minutes (the pinner said 25-30, so I went half-way...), I pulled the eggs out.

Once again.... WHAT THE SHELL!?!?

At first I thought my oven was just dirty or something... and something had dripped on my eggs.  I rinsed them, and the spots came off... success?  Not quite.  Upon peeling my eggs, I found that not only was it WAY more difficult to peel the shells off as compared to my usual boiling method, but it appeared that the eggs were BURNT! They had little brown burn spots on them! UGH!

I'm still going to eat those eggs... call me thrifty... but I am not wasting a whole dozen eggs!

Moral of the story:  You pin some, you lose some...

Here's a little sneak peak of the newly pinned P90x approved recipes that I plan to try over the next week.  Stay tuned for updates!!!


Sunday, August 19, 2012

Owl Cupcakes

With the start of another school year just around the corner, I've been anxiously pinning some great lessons and organization ideas for my classroom.  But, other than this marking my first "back to school" crunch time since my discovery of Pinterest, it also marks a very important event.

Our five year old will be starting Kindergarten this year (*tear), so this is my first year on the OTHER side of the spectrum... I've attended 9 years of "Meet the Teacher" Nights and orientations... but always as the teacher! However, on Monday, the script is flipped!

I'm already pondering what one wears to a kindergarten "Meet the Teacher."  I would, of course, always have worn a nice suit.... but is that excessive for a parent??? I'd hate to show up in jeans and feel underdressed... OK... so, I am an "overanalyzer..." I get that.

Perhaps to preoccupy my mind, I also thought it'd be fun to make something for Maddy's teacher.  Madison LOVES to cook with me, so when I saw these cupcakes, I thought they would be perfect!

Here's what we used:
-1 box of cake mix (we used chocolate)
-1 can of chocolate icing
-24 cupcake liners (silver, though any color would work.)
-1 box of Reese's Pieces (the recipe on Pinterest called for M'n'Ms, but we had the Reese's available...)
-1 box of Oreos
-Muffin pan


Begin by making the cupcakes according to the package directions.  *This is Madison's favorite part:

Then, ice the cupcakes with the chocolate icing.

Then, separate the Oreo cookies and place the icing sides up on each cupcake to make eyes.  If you can find a way to get the icing to split, you are a better person than I.... we ended up with a while box of un-iced halves of cookies when we were done... oh well!

We then added eyes and a beak using different colored small candies (I had leftover sixlets from my Olympic Rings Cake [see here]), and an orange Reese's for the beak..... 



I'd say it was a success :)

To be continued.... :)

Friday, August 17, 2012

I found you... Miss New BOOTY!

While surfing Pinterest I stumbled upon another fab fashion blog: PS...BANANAS. In addition to some great fashion ideas, blogger Daisy Nyguyen posts weekly style challenges. This week: BOOTIES!!!!

 I dug up an old pair of Cathy Jean booties and tried to restyle them. I bought these booties for about 80 bucks a few years back from a shoe store in Columbia, SC. I fell in love with these booties instantly, but also chickened out almost every time I went to wear them. I found my comfort zone when adding some opaque black tights. So, when I embarked on my style challenge today, I thought I'd try two different options with my long lost booties... and here's what I came up with...

Option 1:
OK... I'm out of my comfort zone.... but maybe diggin' it?

Top & Skirt: Dillards (Top $29, Skirt $39)
Necklace: Charlotte Russe $10
Watch: Michael Kors


Option 2: Ahhhh back in my comfort zone! I'd totally wear this outfit to work.... 

Top & Shirt: The Limited (I can't remember what I paid! But I know they were on sale! :)

So, which look do YOU prefer???

Also, since my booties are old news, here are two new versions I am crushing over:

Left: Jessica Simpson, $139.99
Right: Rock & Candy, $46.99

Check out more booties at PS...BANANAS! 

DOUBLE DOG DARE Fashion Link-Up: Fall if For Booties!

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Blazer Daze...

I'll admit that lately my favorite pin-searches have been fashion related.  Perhaps its because shopping is hands-down my favorite extra-curricular activity! My newest obsession? BLAZERS!

I am actually super-stoked for some cooler weather to move through so I can start wearing them on a more regular basis.  However, I was able to sneak a few in on my recent trip to Atlantic City; it was a breezy 72 degrees along the Boardwalk, so I packed my two faves, pink & black/white, and armed myself with an arsenal of inspiring pins.

Check it out...

Night #1: Neon Pink Blazer....


Blazer: Charlotte Russe (I swear, the only thing I can stomach from this store is their casual blazers... usually I find their clothes to be cheap and ill-fitting, but a cotton blazer for $35? I'll take it!)
Tank: Express, $29.90
Shorts: Express, $59.90
Necklace: Charming Charlie, $14.99
Watch: Michael Kors, On sale for $159
Bangles: Forever 21, $5
Earrings: Borrowed from a friend

Here was my Pinspiration.... I was most inspired by the first look, but preferred to rock my new patterned shorts from Express, so I went basic black on top.  I love the versatility of the pink blazer... who would've guessed you could take this right into fall, right??
*All pins are from J's Everyday Fashion Blog*

Night #2: Black & White Tuxedo Blazer...



Blazer: Charlotte Russe, $36.99
Tank: Express, $29.90
Skirt: Express, On sale for $17.99 (I know! Right!??)
Clutch: Express $19.90
Necklace: Forever 21, $7
Shoes: Jessica Simpson (Dillards), $89.00

My Pinspiration: Just love royal, black, and white.... and I totally plan on pairing my blazer with similar colors soon!

Look for future Blazer posts soon!

Also, check out the other submissions on PS...Banana's Style Link Up this week! I decided to submit my Night #1 outfit for the Neon weekly challenge!
DOUBLE DOG DARE Fashion Link-Up: Summer of NEON

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Atlantic City Adventures

Hello, strangers!  I just returned yesterday from an awesome girls trip to Atlantic City, New Jersey.  Being a teacher has many perks, but probably none greater than 2 months of unrestricted travel time.  Unfortunately, blogging while I'm away is something I have found to be cumbersome.  My pinning was put on a serious hiatus, as well.  However, I do have some great tidbits for you!

My intention was to use the site OnTheWay to plan some fun pit-stops for my girls between Chesapeake and A.C.  The site claims to help travelers find "interesting stuff along the way."  So, the morning of our trip, I entered our start and stop points, and chose the route we planned to take.


I couldn't wait to see what kind of cool places we could stop at on the way.... what could it be? World largest corn cob? Maybe some famous battle site? The anticipation was killing me! And then...


McDonalds.
Wendys.
Olive Garden.
A strip mall.

Needless to say I was underwhelmed.  I clicked through steps 2 and 3 to find Wal-Mart and Target had made the list as well. Woohooo.

So my fun girls trip pin project was a flop.  But I don't want to leave y'all empty-handed.  So here's a little recap of what "interesting stuff" we DID do once we made it to A.C.

A.C. MUST EAT: Scarduzio's at The Showboat


Why you must go there: One word: DUMPLINGS.  Also, they're one of the few upscale restaurants that doesn't require reservations (though they are recommended).

What you must order: Homemade Cavatelli Pasta and the Maine Lobster Bisque
OH. MY. GOD.  The Homemade Cavatelli Pasta was in a spicy tomato cream sauce and was seriously heaven in my mouth.  The pasta literally melted in my mouth... they were almost more like little delicate dumplings (and if you know me, you know I love a dumpling.)

The Maine Lobster Bisque was equally impressive and it was like no other lobster bisque I've ever had.  For once, the sherry didn't overwhelm the taste of the lobster... it was a perfect balance.  In addition to the perfect bisque, this Scarduzio's specialty also puts lobster dumplings in the soup.  It was simply amazing.

What you'll pay: This meal cost me about 30 bucks, though I also had a glass of Reisling, bringing my bill a bit higher.  Though both of the things I ordered were listed as appetizers, the portion sizes were HUGE (in fact, my friend and I actually split the pasta because we were so full).  Entree prices range a bit higher: About $30-50 for a steak/seafood entree.  Still, as far as upscale Atlantic City goes, this place was pretty reasonably priced... and worth it!

A.C.'s BEST SOUVENIR SHOP: IT'SUGAR on the Boardwalk (near Caesars)


Why you must go there: Super-sized candy and hilarious gifts for all ages.  This was by far the most unique candy shop I've ever been to, and let's face it, no one actually wants a "DTF" t-shirt from the Jersey Shore Store.

What you must buy:  This is a tough recommendation, because this place had everything you could imagine.  I personally loved the super-sized candy.  I don't just mean a king size Carmello bar.... I mean Nerds the size of cereal boxes and cantaloupe-sized blow pops...

What you'll pay: Obviously it depends on what you buy.  The nerds were about 20 bucks, the blow pops, just 10.  The look on the face of the person who receives the 2x3 foot Rice Krispies Treat in lieu of a boob shot glass, priceless.

A.C. BEST NIGHTLIFE SPOT: The Quarter at Tropicana


Why you must go: This place has everything, for everyone.  From retail shops, to fresh markets, to fancy restaurants, to sports bars, to trendy clubs... you just can't go wrong; its a one-stop shop.

What you must do: Definitely check out the Damn Good Sports Bar on the second floor.  The drinks were reasonable and the crowd was fun.  Boogie Nights was a great place for a girls' night out.  They play 70's, 80's, and 90's music, have a dead-on Michael Jackson impersonator, and (when we were there) late night visits from Vegas' very own Thunder from Down Under.  The hot spot for the younger crowd is definitely Providence, which, in my opinion, played the best mix of music of any of the night clubs we went to: a balance between techno, hip hop, and top 40 (most other places play nothing but techno.... snore!)  Here's a look at some of our adventures in The Quarter:


What you'll pay: Depends on the venue, there's something for every budget!

A.C.'s BEST SPLURGE: Red Square at the Tropicana


Speaking of The Quarter, Tropicana is also the home to the best splurge of Atlantic City: Red Square.

Why you must go: Slightly larger and newer than the regional Red Square in Vegas, A.C.'s version offers amazing food, induing the best blue cheese stuffed olive I've ever had, private luxe booths, more than 200 vodkas, and FUR COATS!


What you must buy: Splurge and get the bottle service.  A small bottle yielded about 5 drinks each for me and my friend, Stephanie, with any and all mixers you could imagine.  There was even enough for our last shot in the Vodka Vault - an exclusive room reserved only for those ordering bottle service.  Set at 15 degrees, the Red Square will hook you up with fur coats and hats before you enter the vault and take your last shot.  Well worth the splurge!!!

What you'll pay: Bottle service ranges from $100-200 per bottle, then add in $40-$70 for food depending on your picks... which is why this is definitely filed under the splurge category!

A.C. HONORABLE MENTIONS

Dive Bar: Worship in The Showboat 
Worship is A.C.'s only Surf Bar... its quaint, inexpensive (try the Wipe Out!), and has beer pong tables! My husband would've loved this place.

Casino: Revel
We aren't big gamblers, but just walking through Atlantic City's newest casino, Revel, which opened Memorial Day 2012, is impressive to say the least.  You'll be dazzled by the modern architecture and design, and for the guys, you'll appreciate that the casino cocktail waitresses are primarily under 40 and under 200 pounds, unlike most other AC casinos...

Night Club Runner-Up: The Pool at Harrahs
Providence beats out the pool simply because the drinks are better, lines are shorter, and The Pool plays almost nothing but techno.  However, the huge dome that covers The Pool at Harrahs lights up at night and is definitely a great spot for fun.

Pizza: Pizza Di Roma
Need a night in? Nursing a hangover? Pizza Di Roma, suggested to us by the concierge at our hotel when we requested "huge, floppy pizza," didn't disappoint.  And an extra large for just $13????? Word.

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Kelly's Fitspiration!

A big thanks to my dear friend, Kelly... who constantly conquers the world and somehow questions herself along the way! You can view her amazing blog (she's an English teacher, and could draw you into one of her posts even if it were about watching paint dry....) by clicking here!

And here's her Fitspiration:

Confession: I am obsessed with Pinterest. The site is pure GENIUS. Bursts of colorful visuals + words? Hooked. I have completely suspended the disbelief that one site cannot solve all of my problems. Because Pinterest totally can. There's probably even a category for it. Or at the very least -- a topically-related motivational quotation print or poster.

Anyway, I'm clearly thrilled to write a post about my current marathon training program I found on Pinterest. 

A little history: 

I started running in 2004, two years after I started teaching. When I first started running, I was 30 lbs heavier. Post-College. Job stress. Marriage stress. (Add ten pounds for each and throw in some carbs for the bad days.)

Anyway, when I first started running, I actually couldn't run. Well, I could, but just a block at a time. I literally had to take rests after each block. But that's how I originally got started. We had just bought a house in Colonial Place, so four or five nights of the week, I would run around the neighborhood, gradually increasing the number of blocks I could run without stopping. The first time I ran Mayflower Rd. (a long, winding street along the Lafayette River), I actually cried. 

Shortly after that, my department chair of English at the time, Sharon Blumenthal, encouraged me to run a 5k at the Oceanfront. The idea of running an official race terrified me, and I felt a little ridiculous. I mean, I'm not a "real runner." Who was I to be in a race? 

But I did it. And for me, a non-runner, it was exhilerating.

The 5k turned into a 10k and so on and a little over a year later, I ran the Shamrock Half-Marathon. Since then, I've run 5 half-marathons, a couple 20ks, and many other shorter-distance races.

So, I run, but I still don't consider myself a "runner," mostly because I feel that there are too many connotations associated with the term. Too many expectations.

Here's what I love about running:
What I get out of it is relative to what I put into it. And what I get out of it is mine, and nobody can take it from me, because it was me getting my ass out of bed and beating the streets. There's no greater self-confidence boost than that. Not for me, anyway.

On the 26.2 Beast:
Past:
I have failed both attempts at a marathon. My first race (that I trained four months for) was a disaster. I missed the turn-off on the course that separated the marathoners from the half-marathoners. My second race never happened because I got injured on a 20k training run.


Present:
I have decided to give the marathon one more "college try." To that end,I registered for the Freedom Marathonm which takes place the second weekend in November in Norfolk, VA. I have been slowly building up my mileage for the last six weeks or so to prevent injury. I have worked up to a solid 25 miles a week, which I feel is a good start.

I knew I needed to find a training program that wouldn't make me hate my life. I am a teacher, so much of my training will fall right at the beginning of the school year. In the past, I have followed Hal Higdon's programs, but I thought perhaps I needed something different. After much searching, I found this program on Pinterest:

http://pinterest.com/pin/231583605809527198/

This week marks my first week of training! So far, so good.

Only 15 weeks left. No big deal, right?

Send your posi-vibes my way.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Christina's Sassy Waters


Hello to everyone over here on 100 Days of Pinning! I'm super excited that Jen asked me to write a guest blog sharing with y'all something I have tried from Pinterest.  

Today's pinning adventure involves WATER--not swimming in it or looking at it, but the kind you drink...and we all need water in our lives!  I am on a quest to lose weight and get healthy, so I have been increasing my daily water intake. I am aiming to drink at least 80 ounces a day. I searched Pinterest for some ideas on what I could do to ensure I meet this goal and I came across recipes for naturally flavored waters using fruits and herbs. Awesome! I just had to try these out!

There were sooooo many to choose from! I selected Sassy Water (umm...yes, I always need more sassiness) and Watermelon with Rosemary.



Sassy Water:


1 Medium Cucumber
1 Lemon
12 Mint leaves
1/4 Tsp. Grated Ginger
81/2 Cups Water

Cut up the lemon and cucumber into thin slices
Fill a pitcher with water. You will need a 2 gallon pitcher.
Grate the ginger. I used fresh ginger and had to figure out what to do. Chop off a small piece.  Take the skin off. (I used a knife, although that was probably not the smartest way to do it) Use a grater of some kind and grate the ginger until you get the 1/4 tsp.
Combine all the ingredients and stir.
Refrigerate overnight
Enjoy the next day!

The exciting thing about Sassy Water is the boost to your metabolism it claims to give!



Watermelon and Rosemary Water:


2 Gallons of Water
1sprig of Fresh Rosemary 
Watermelon
Mudler

Put the Rosemary in the pitcher and use the mudler. I had no idea what the hell a mudler was before this and a spoon will work just fine! It is a fancy thing with flat plastic on the end used to smash-gently- fruits. Doing this releases the smell of the Rosemary. 
Scoop out chunks of watermelon (remove seeds) and put into the pitcher. Again, use the mudler to release the flavor of the Watermelon.
Place ice in the pitcher
Fill with water and serve

Both of these flavored waters were delicious and perfect to enjoy on these H.O.T. summer days! My favorite was the rosemary and Watermelon infused Water. It had a very distinct and refreshing taste. Cheers!

Recipes pinned from:



Wednesday, August 1, 2012

I get by with a little help from my friends...

Recently, three of my colleagues (and fabulous friends, of course!), offered to help me by trying out some pin projects of their own and guest blogging for my site.  As the school year quickly approaches, I thought I'd make them a little "thank you" gift to repay them for the time and effort they are putting in to my new found hobby!

What do teachers need more than Post-it Notes? (OK, excluding happy hour....) The answer is.... Nothing! I probably go through 10 packs of Post-its per year.  They, along with gallons of coffee, are all I use to keep everything straight.  So when I saw this pin, I knew I'd try it out before I went back to work.

Luckily, this pin project shaped up to be quite thrifty, as most of the supplies I already had on hand thanks to a former obsession with scrapbooking.  Here's what I used:

-2 pieces of complimentary scrapbook paper
-a sticky-back post-it pad
-1 clear 4x6 frame
-embellishments (for mine, I used some old scrapbook embellishments and stickers.  However, if you look at the original pin, it appears she used ribbon and punch cards... whatever you have on hand will work!)

So I scoured my scrapbook paper supply for some cute combinations.  Here's what I came up with:

I rummaged through my other supplies to find some complimentary embellishments.

Based on my hoard, I figured that my only purchases for this project would need to be the frames and the post-it notes.  So, I headed to Michaels, and, thanks to a coupon, found 4 frames and a post-it pad for under $5! (I bought an extra frame so I can make one for myself at a later date...)

Using my handy-dandy paper cutter, I cut the papers into 4x6 and 4x1.5 rectangles.

Using a small amount of Elmer's glue, I secured the papers together.

I slid the paper into the frame and added the embellishments, including some decorative border to hide the seem and a label with my friend's initials.

Finally, I peeled the sticky back off of the post-it pad, and placed it on the frame. VOILA!




Here they are! If you look closely, you can see the initials.... 
hmm.... I wonder who the lucky ladies are??  ;)

**Edit: I noticed that after a while, the Post-it pad would start to slide down the frame.  So, I secured it with glue to keep it in place.

Happy pinning!

I'm a REAL blogger!

OK, well.... what I mean is.... I've officially made my submission to Marion Berry Style's Trend of the Month Challenge! This, being a "big girl blog" with more than 10 followers, is a big deal to me! Hopefully some of her loyal fans will check us out over here in Smallville!  In the meantime.... check out her blog at MarionBerryStyle.blogspot.com to see all of the submissions!

Also.... check back soon for a guest post from the one and only Christina Wills!  You can check her blog out at nostretchypants.blogspot.com :)
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