Monthly Archives

June 2013

FASHION

DIY Jewelry or Coffee Table Trays From a Ralph Lauren Box

When it comes to DIY projects, some have the knack and others do not. I’m definitely not one of those people who is naturally crafty, but occasionally I do have a flash of brilliance. While cleaning out my closet, I noticed a leftover Ralph Lauren box with plenty of reusable potential. Instead of letting it collect dust in my closet, I decided to turn it into two trays for my necklace collection.

It couldn’t have been easier. In another moment of brilliance, I realized that I had an old calendar from Papersource filled with vintage Italian postcards that were about the same height and width as the Ralph Lauren box (example here). A little cutting and taping later (too scared to glue haha!), I ended up with these beautiful trays that would be great on a coffee table in a living room, or a jewelry tray adorned with all of my favorite necklaces. Look below for the step by step process.

RECIPES

Recipe: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (Vegan)

Prepare yourself to be wowed with these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. With their delightful orange hue, mix of savory-sweet spices and chocolate chips, these cookies are addicting. I served them for a dinner party waaaaay back when and cannot believe that I have not blogged about them (bad, bad blogger). Though vegan, my friends could not tell the difference!

The recipe for these cookies comes from the Healthy. Happy. Life blog, which I just love. It’s a vegan blog and even though I’m not vegan, I enjoy cooking with a lot of vegetables – something this blog offers in abundance. I also really like the creative smoothie ideas, such as freezing cubes of watermelon to use in a smoothie. Seriously next level stuff, right? 🙂

GOOD READS

Book Club: Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

There’s nothing like immersing yourself in a good book. Not sure if this happens to anyone else, but I know a book is really good when it takes over my life. I become less interested in watching TV, or catching up on email – all I want to do is find out how the book ends. This is exactly what happened to me with The Rules of Civility by Amor Towles.

Set in New York City in 1938, The Rules of Civility follows the story of heroine Katy, plus her two best friends Eve and Tinker. Katy and Eve are up-and-comers struggling to find their place in the world while stretching every dollar they have. Katy is smart, ambitious, independent and very much a woman who cleverly challenges the role she’s required to play in society. Eve, on the other hand, is beautiful, daring and adventurous – the perfect sidekick. Tinker is a wealthy banker who they serendipitously meet and helps to usher them into Manhattan society.

My hunch is that those who enjoy The Great Gatsby will like this book. There’s the nostalgia of re-living the glamour and enchantment of upper class society in the late 1930s into the 1940s and beyond in New York City. The book also has a powerful, likeable heroine, romance, intrigue and a few plot twists. It’s heartbreaking at times, but also very real.

For more information on the Rules of Civility by Amor Towles, click here (affiliate link).

BEAUTY

Beauty: Sephora by OPI Nonfat Soy Half Caff Nail Colour

Though I adore treating myself to a proper manicure, there’s not always time. Luckily, I continue to amass a fabulous collection of nail polish. I love the nude nail polish trend, but wasn’t sure the best shade to select to pair with my, erm, super pale complexion. Thankfully, a friend took the guess work out of the equation by gifting me Sephora’s Nonfat Soy Half Caff nail color (you know how I love my coffee!). A few shades darker than my skin tone, the color comes off as a stylish nude shade that’s perfectly professional. I prefer it on my finger nails to toenails. In terms of wear, I sometimes find that it chips before the end of the week with three coats on, but the shade color makes it easy to hide!

The shade is available in store or on Sephora.com.