Easy Zucchini Muffins (Vegan)

One of my new years resolutions is to up my baking game. Let me tell you, these muffins definitely helped me get off to a great start, the reason being that I had never baked anything that was vegan before. For the record, I am not a vegan. However, my roommate has made the change to go vegan so when I got the urge to try a new recipe, I thought I would bake something that the both of us could enjoy! I got this recipe from  Fraîche Nutrition blog. The blog's founder and content creator, Tori, has one of my favorite instagram accounts to follow and her blog is one of my go-to inspiration sources when it comes to trying new recipes, especially now for more vegan friendly options. You can find the full recipe for these muffins (or you can make it as a bread loaf)  here. 

This recipe was so much easier than I thought baking vegan would be. The main difference is that you substitute using regular eggs with ground flax seed and use extra virgin olive oil as a healthier fat alternative to butter. I'm usually more partial to traditional eggs and butter recipes when it comes to baking, but I would never know these muffins were vegan if I wasn't the one who made them. They are so moist and fluffy, not to mention delicious! Plus, as Tori mentions in her post, you get all the benefits of the heart healthy qualities that the flax seed provides, making these a super healthy treat! 

Make sure you check out Fraîche Nutrition for the full recipe along with so many other delicious looking options. I will definitely be trying out some more soon and will report back to you. Let me know if you make these muffins and how you like them! 

Thanks for reading!

Bridal Showers & May Flowers

A few weeks ago I was honored to help throw a wedding shower for one of my best friends, Murphy! (Check out her YouTube channel here!) With the help of two other friends, we planned a special day for the bride-to-be. One of the responsibilities I was given in preparation of the shower was the decorations- and of course, I saw this as the perfect DIY opportunity! Hand crafted decorations always add a special touch to any party. I had made these tissue paper flowers for other occasions in the past, but this time I gave them a unique twist by making them into garlands! The garlands made for the perfect springtime wedding shower decorations and added bright pops of color to other white and gold decorations, like the the custom "Future Mrs. Blosil" banners. I made those with some flag garlands I found at Michael's and some gold letter decals. They were so simple to make and added something personal for the bride! As for the flower garlands, they require a few more steps than the banners, but they are so easy to make as well! They only require three materials and although they are a bit more time consuming than just buying decorations, they are a lot less costly and give you a fun activity! Keep reading to see how you can make the paper flower garlands for yourself and for more snapshots of how they looked at the party!

Here's what you'll need:
- Tissue paper - I alternated between light pink, white, and this
                          pink ombre paper I found at Micheal's
- Scissors
- Bakers Twine - I also found this at Micheal's in their $1 bins! It comes in all different colors!

First cut the tissue paper into small rectangular pieces. For bigger flower I used around 8" X 10"sized paper and for smaller flowers I used around 5" X 10" sized paper.

Next, layer 5 to 6 sheets of paper on top of each other. For the ombre paper, I alternated which way the darker side of the paper faced so that the color was spread throughout the finished flowers.

Starting on one of the shorter sides of the paper, accordion fold the tissue paper the whole way down.

Holding the folded paper together, use your scissors to round each end of the paper. This will give the petal shape to the flowers!

Next, cut a very small triangle in the center of the folded paper on each of the long sides. Make sure they do not cut through to each other or your flower will fall apart!

Now, we will cut the bakers twine! You can cut the twine as long or as short as you want depending on how long you want your garland to be. I pulled the twine out to be a full arms span from finger tip to finger tip.

Taking one end of the twine, leave a small amount at the end to be able to hang the garland up, then tie the twine around the folded paper right in the grooves we created by cutting out the small triangles. Secure it with a double knot!

Now comes the best part! Make your flowers bloom by simply pulling apart the layers of the tissue paper and evenly space them out, fluffing them as you go!

You're on your way to a whole paper flower garland! Repeat these steps, alternating the color and size of the tissue paper, and continue tying the flowers down the whole length of the twine as seen below!

One of my favorite parts about this project is that no two garlands come out exactly alike! The variety of colors and sizes of flowers adds a unique touch to these adorable decorations. I made about six different garlands to be hung throughout the party space. Take a look below to see how I styled them for the wedding shower and then be sure to try making them for yourself!!

Thanks for reading!

Sisters Take Savannah

Last weekend, I kicked off my spring break by taking a trip down to Atlanta, Georgia to visit my sister, Maria! There was a lot of fun had in Atlanta, but I think we would both agree that the highlight of the visit was our little road trip to Savannah, followed by a night spent in Tybee Island. Neither of us had been to Savannah or Tybee Island, so it was an adventure for both of us! We got an early morning start on our four hour drive from Atlanta to Savannah and spent the afternoon walking around and exploring the beautiful city! We took a stroll along the river walk and grabbed lunch at a restaurant right on the water, and then walked over the City Market, through a few different squares shaded by Savannah's giant oak trees, and of course, did a little shopping. We also took a short drive outside of downtown Savannah over to the Wormsloe Historic Site. This dirt road is lined by mile long rows of gorgeous oak trees! If you make a trip to Savannah, this is definitely a must see!!
After our afternoon in Savannah, we hopped back in the car for about a half-hour drive to Tybee Island. We stayed at an adorable bed and breakfast with the most whimsical courtyard! The best part, is that it was a five minute walk from the beach and a scenic ten minute walk to the Tybee lighthouse. Once we arrived in Tybee, we packed up a cooler and hit the beach before heading to dinner at Tybee's famous Crab Shack. The Crab Shack is known for their sample platters, packed with delicious seafood to share! The next morning, before hitting the road to head back to Atlanta, we walked to the Tybee light house and then found a cute little coffee shop to grab a bite to-go.
Although our little weekend getaway was short, it was packed with sightseeing, amazing food, and lots of memories. If ever given the opportunity to return, I would not hesitate for a minute! You can check out a few snapshots from our adventures below and I hope it inspires you to take a trip there for yourself!

Tybee Island

Thanks for reading!

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!

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!