Sunday, February 19, 2017

Spring Sightings

This weekend in New York City is simply perfect!! The weather has been in the mid 60s and the sun is shinning! For spring fashion lovers like me, this can only mean one thing- it's time to break out some spring clothes!! I am loving this new 3/4 sleeve blouse with bow details from Talbots. It is so light and airy, it is perfect for transitioning into spring. It's simplicity makes it very versatile, but the little bows on the sleeves add a feminine, preppy touch. I paired the blouse with these light wash, cut-off skinny jeans from LOFT. I can't wait to wear these into the summer with sandals, but for now, they look just as cute with flats! I plan on wearing these adorable loafer style flats (also from Talbots) with just about everything this spring. I love love love the leather flower appliques on top and the color is a great transition tone to go from winter into spring and even to wear from late summer into the fall. Together, these pieces made for an effortless outfit for an afternoon stroll on the upper east side. Of course, I couldn't resist picking up some fresh flowers from a flower cart on the street! Take a look at the pictures below to see the full outfit and for outfit details, and stay tuned for more spring fashions coming soon!!
 ~ Details ~
Blouse - Talbots
Jeans - LOFT
Flats - Talbots
Purse - Kate Spade (similar here)

Thanks for reading!

Sunday, February 12, 2017

Sweets for Your Sweets

Valentine's day is just around the corner, which means it's time to treat your sweet tooth! I love baking for Valentine's day! In past years, I've made everything from cupcakes, to caramel popcorn with pink and red M&Ms, but this year I decided to take a more traditional route with a unique twist. When I found the most adorable set of heart shaped cookie cutters- one with scalloped edges and one with smooth edges- I knew that this year, I was going to bake sugar cookies! I then started brainstorming some ideas on how I could decorate them, and this is where the fun began...
I started by mixing the frosting. To make it, I combined 1 cup of confectioners sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a splash of milk. I then gradually added Karo corn syrup to the mixture until I reached the desired consistency. Once I got the smoothness I wanted, I divided the mixture into two smaller bowls. In one bowl I add one single drop of red food coloring to get an adorable light pink color, and in the second bowl I added a few more drops to make a deeper reddish pink.
For each cookie, I spread one color over the entire surface. Then I grabbed a toothpick and swiped a good size dollop of the second color onto the end of it. To get a marbled effect, I simply swirled the toothpick around the frosting on the cookie. It is so easy and looks so pretty when dry!
I alternated between the base and the swirl colors to add a variety of color to the plate of cookies. I also decorated a few cookies with sparkly red sprinkles, and opted to leave some plain and simple with a single color- but they're still oh, so sweet!
After frosting, leave the cookies out to dry for 1-2 hours and layer in between sheets of wax paper when storing them. They are the perfect treat to put out for a Valentine's day party or to tie up in goodie bags to hand out to all your friends! Take a look at the pictures below to see the decorating process as well as the finished product and then go try it for yourself! Whatever sweets you make for your sweets, I hope you all have a lovely Valentine's Day! Enjoy!!

Thanks for reading!

Blog Design by Get Polished

//