Pinned: 200!

This marks my 200th blog post! Granted, this combines Drunk on Discounts and the former cocktails & merriment, but it’s still an accomplishment. Thanks for being loyal readers!

Mouse pads already come in a wide variety of patterns and designs but wouldn’t it be more fun to really customize one for your desk? Cape 27, one of my favorite blogs, has this quick and easy tutorial for a fabric covered mouse pad.

The Limited’s new arrivals are pretty and fun, and I’m absolutely loving this belted pleat front skirt. It has one of those “as seen in” banners on it, meaning that a popular women’s magazine featured it, so it probably won’t last long!

Growing up, Shirley Temple was my idol. Everyone told me I looked like her, mainly because of my blonde, corkscrew curls. There are so many things I want to share with my future daughter and Shirley Temple’s movies are high on that list. Hostess with the Mostess featured this awesome birthday party, complete with “good ship lollipops.”

Now that I’m working from home two days a week, I’m focusing on finding a comfortable yet stylish desk chair. Much to R’s chagrin, the Man Den is turning into a Man Den & Office. I love the lines of this chair from Target and the subtle pattern. It definitely works with our current decor and will fit right in when we upgrade other furniture.

I got the funniest Facebook message from my mom the other day.

Heading out to school but I want to stay home…why you ask? QVC..all Italian…all jewelry…all day!!

She said I would especially like the ‘bronzo,’ which looks like rose gold but it’s bronze so it’s less expensive. Gee, who did I get my bargain hunting gene from? Since I need to beef up my rose gold toned collection, this bracelet is on my wish list.

That’s it for Pinned, and thanks again for reading!

Recipe: Stuffed peppers

It’s been a while since I shared a recipe but I made these delicious stuffed peppers last night and decided it was time to spread the yum. This recipe comes from Skinny Taste and I only altered two elements.

You need:

• 1 lb. lean ground turkey
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp cilantro or parsley
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• salt
• 2 or 3 bell peppers
• 1 cup fat free chicken broth
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups rice, cooked
• drizzle of olive oil
• 1/4 cup shredded cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Saute garlic, onion, parsley/cilantro in oil for two minutes.
3. Add ground turkey and season with salt, garlic powder, cumin. Cook until browned.
4. Add tomato sauce and 1/2 cup chicken broth and simmer for five minutes.
5. Combine rice and meat.
6. Halve bell peppers and remove seeds, place in baking dish.
7. Spoon meat/rice mixture into peppers and fill as much as you can.
8. Pour remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth in baking dish.
9. Cover with foil, cook for 35 minutes.
10. Top with cheese and enjoy!

As for what I did differently? Well, I didn’t have any chicken stock. Adding that on my “always have in the cabinet” list. Turns out you can use 1 tbsp soy sauce plus water to equal one cup in lieu of chicken stock. I also didn’t have tomato sauce but I did have pasta sauce. Same thing, right?

I added a few dashes of hot sauce to the peppers after they came out of the oven. It might be because I bought 99% fat free turkey but it needed a little something.

Just a warning…you will have a lot of leftover rice and meat. This isn’t a problem, it’s just more yum.

Pinned: Make, eat, wear

Now that things have settled down in my life, I have “me time” again and can finally get back to blogging on a regular basis! Since it’s been a while, let me give you a little reminder about what Pinned is. Every Wednesday, I share five images and links that I’ve added to my Pinterest boards in the past seven days. Check out what I’m loving lately!

I’m still redecorating our bedroom and I think this DIY tray would look fabulous on my lipstick-colored dresser. This tutorial comes from For Chic Sake and all it takes is a piece of ceramic, a paint pen, and those little stickers that you put around paper holes so they don’t rip. I desperately need to buy paint pens so I can draw all over everything.

The last thing I need is another t-shirt but come on, how can I resist this one? The Home T makes these shirts and besides having a great product, they donate a portion of the profits to multiple sclerosis research.

I’ve been eating a lot of Greek yogurt lately, mainly for breakfast with a drizzle of honey and some fresh berries. It’s delicious so I like the idea of adding it to other meals and using it as a substitute for less healthy ingredients.

I saw this IKEA hack on Apartment Therapy and had to find out more about it. Catherine of Domesticitie covered her IKEA LACK table with faux leather gator fabric for a modern, sophisticated look. Such a funky update to an otherwise basic table.

I haven’t actually made these brie and apple crescent rolls but boy do I want to gobble them up! These would make a great snack for a wine and cheese night or, you know, a Tuesday.

Follow me on Pinterest for even more recipes, DIY projects, and fashion!

What a deal!

I usually do my shopping online but I had some time to kill one day and decided to head into Old Navy…and boy am I glad I did.

I scoured the clearance rack and found this wrap dress (in red, which is sold out online) marked down to less than $5.00! It was originally $33 so that’s an 85% savings.

I love the Springtime look with nude/tan pumps but until it warms up, there are other options. Just last week, I wore this dress to work with a black camisole, black tights, and the $13 black pumps I got at Goodwill.

The lesson to take away from this, which is one that I’ve taught you many times already, is to dig through the sale racks for hidden gems!

Family always comes first

My darling readers, I’m sorry I haven’t been around lately. I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was starting a new job but that’s only one reason I’ve been away.

Sunday morning, surrounded by loved ones, my grandmommy passed away at age 87. Thirteen years ago, she had a stroke and lost the ability to move one side of her body. She was bound to a wheelchair and had to rely on others to get dressed and use the bathroom. It was difficult to see her like that but I can’t even imagine how she felt.

Grandmommy was so devoted to her family and could do anything she put her mind to. For years, I’ve heard stories about how she built a brick walkway, a gazebo with a sloped roof, and a canoe. Apparently the canoe was so well-built that someone stole it!

I’m not writing this post for your sympathy, only to let the world know what an amazing, strong, beautiful, and beloved woman my grandmommy will always be. I want to thank all of my friends and extended family members for their love and support during this difficult time. Out of everything my grandmommy taught me, the importance of family is at the top of the list.

Golden Globes Fashionistas

It’s taken me a few days but I’m finally ready to share my favorite red carpet moments from the 2013 Golden Globes. But first, can we just all agree that Amy Poehler and Tina Fey ruled the night?

Looks like Ms. Poehler’s divorce is having a positive effect on her neckline – girl is looking good! I have never laughed as much during an award show opening. You can watch it all here.

Moving onto the fashion! My favorite looks of the night come from Isla Fisher Jennifer Garner, and Claire Danes.

Isla Fisher wore this amazing Reem Acra gown covered in sequins. Her strawberry locks and berry lipstick go so well with her dress and I’m so glad she kept her jewelry to a minimum – that dress has enough sparkle on its own!

Can we talk about the fact that Claire Danes just gave birth one month ago? She bounced back from pregnancy better than any starlet I’ve ever seen. She looks effortlessly elegant and comfortable at the same time in this Versace gown. The dress actually reminds me of the one I wore to Junior Prom. I’ll have to scrounge up a picture of that sometime.

My favorite look of the night belongs to Jennifer Garner. The gathered sweetheart neckline on this Vivienne Westwood Couture gown is so beautiful so going necklace-free was a smart choice. The gold jewelry is a perfect touch to this burgundy/oxblood dress and even her hair is perfection with its loose, messy waves.

Take a look at some other looks I loved but didn’t make the Top Three list:

Top: Jessica Alba / Christoph Waltz / Megan Fox

Bottom: Kerry Washington / Leonardo DiCaprio / Kate Hudson

Pinned: Changes

I’ve been a little preoccupied this week at work. You see, I’m starting a new job in a few days so I’ve been busy with transition meetings and file clean-up. I don’t want to say too much about my new gig yet but I’m really excited to take this opportunity and continue my career in social media. Enough about me, let’s see what pinteresting finds we have today!

On a cold, gloomy day, nothing beats a bowl of soup. Buzzfeed usually features hilarious articles but I was excited to see a recipe on there. My last attempt at making soup didn’t turn out that great but now that Santa brought me an immersion blender, I’m more excited to try again.

This black and gold wedge was on Zulily the other day. Remember that site name? It’s one of the daily discount sites I mentioned in this post about finding deals. I wish I had jumped on this one sooner because my size is now sold out. That’s the good and the bad of these sites – you have to move quickly!

Wedding planning is starting to feel more real now that R and I have scheduled a venue tour. I’ve put a lot of thought into the type of dress I want but I’ve recently started looking at hairstyles. This one is elegant but not too fussy.

Even though we’re nowhere close to having a baby, R and I are already arguing about which NFL team future baby will root for. Whatever baby chooses, he/she will be a fan of the game and will need this onesie from Retro Baby Wear.

This outfit on Making it Lovely puts a smile on my face. I love every element from the matching soft pink sweater and glasses to the bold skirt and pumps. Of course, I love most things Nicole from Making It Lovely does so do yourself a solid and check it out.

And now I’m off to use the office’s Keurig as much as possible before I no longer have access to it. Maybe I can smuggle it out in my purse…

Pinned: I’m back!

Now that the holiday craziness is over, it’s finally time for a new Pinned post!

One thing on my 2013 to do list is to re-organize my apartment. An element of that is cleaning out our kitchen cabinets and using ceramic canisters to store sugar, tea, or whatever else on the counter. I love this set from Target. The chalkboard label is ideal in case I decided that candy deserves its own jar over flour.

This one comes from For Chic Sake. Since I am in love with all things gold, this plate stand turned calendar holder is amazeballs (yes, I’m still using this word in 2013). I also love the monogrammed calendar – there are a bunch of different colors to choose from here.

For Christmas, R and I bought his 2 year old cousin a book called Princesses Can Be Pirates, Too. The message is that girls can do everything boys can do – what a cute story to teach that lesson. This collection of books about strong, brave girls would be a hit. I’m partial to Madeline, of course, but Eloise, Pippi Lockstocking, and Harriet the Spy are all on my list of favorites.

Even though I own a lot of shoes, it’s time to buy some new ones…and begrudgingly toss the old. I like these brown suede pumps from DSW – the asymmetrical strap makes them unique but they’re still a classic shoe. One, please.

Combining Mean Girls with Harry Potter? Genius. This hilarious tee comes from Skreened and it makes me laugh every time. There are a bunch of designs in their shop, or you can create your own pop culture mash up.

For more, follow me on Pinterest!

App love: Red Stamp

Have you guys heard of Red Stamp? It’s an app that lets you email, text, tweet, Facebook, Instagram, or snail mail cards of any kind and it’s pretty effing awesome.

I first heard of the app when my Stella & Dot stylist created an invite for me to send out to my trunk show guests. I immediately downloaded the app for myself and have used it to send out thank you notes and our NYE party invite.

These are screenshots from the iPhone app. The first is the home screen where you can select what type of card you want to send: holiday, invitation, announcement, thank you, etc. The middle image appears when you select “collections” from the home screen. The third is a sample of what one of my favorite photo cards looks like. If the card features more color options then they appear on the right hand side – so fun!

We already told our friends about the NYE pajama party via email, but we wanted to send out a more official invitation.

We took the picture of our slippers and Christmas tree with Instagram and decided on the ‘cheers’ photo card. Once we customized with our photo and text, it was time to send the card to our guests. The text limit had us editing our wordy selves but we got all the information in that we needed. Some of the cards even have room for an address and short note so the possibilities are kind of endless.

Red Stamp gives you a bunch of send options – the screenshot on the right appears when you select ‘Mail Paper Postcards.’ I haven’t tried this feature yet but it’s such a cool idea for save the dates, holiday cards, birthday party invites, and whatever else you create.

The post is in no way sponsored by Red Stamp, I’m just a fan of the app and all opinions are my own.

Tomatoes and garlic and olives, oh my!

When I was coming up with snack options for our NYE pajama party, I started by looking in the cabinets to see what was already there. I had two cans of black olives (not sure why, they were probably on sale) and decided to try my hand at olive tapenade. I remembered the yummy tapas dish on Gordon Biersch‘s menu and settled on tapenade, tomato bruschetta, and roasted garlic cloves.

Tapenade recipe:

• 1 cup black olives (or 1/2 black + 1/2 green)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp capers
• 1/4 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
• Blend everything together in a food processor until the mixture is only slightly chunky.

Tomato bruschetta recipe: (it called for plum tomatoes but I used what I had)

• 2 pints cherry tomatoes, diced with seeds removed
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp basil (I used oregano and a pinch of cilantro)
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Stir it all together and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Roasted garlic:

• Pre-heat oven to 400

• Cut top of garlic head
• Coat with extra virgin olive oil
• Wrap in foil and back for 35 minutes or until soft
• Squeeze cloves out once it cools!

I served these alongside some toasted bread and crackers. It was such an easy dish to make and I’d do it again in a heartbeat, or maybe this weekend for the Redskins playoff game!