Hair Obsessed

"I blame Pinterest."
How many times has this phrase been uttered?

I don't think I've ever been so adventurous with my hair.
Thanks, P!

Pinterest has made me look at ponytails in a whole new light.  And updos, and all other hairstyles.  Anything and everything can be accomplished with a quick tutorial or YouTube video!

Source: jettingtothewedding.com via April on Pinterest

Source: latest-hairstyles.com via April on Pinterest

Source: theberry.com via April on Pinterest

Source: triplemaxtons.com via April on Pinterest

Source: hartandsew.blogspot.com via April on Pinterest

So, are you as hair obsessed as I am?
What's your go-to style for both work and play?

Follow my Gorgeous Tresses Pinterest board here.

Southern Living's Pumpkin Crisp

Today marks exactly one week until Ian's birthday, and I've got almost all of my loose ends tied up ... one small present already at the house, one en route with guaranteed delivery by this Thursday or Friday, and one more that he'll need to be present with me to buy.  The first two are surprises, so obviously I'm most excited about them.

I recently made Southern Living's infamous Pumpkin Crisp, and let's just say that it didn't last long.  Ian asked me to please make it at least once again this fall.  Lucky boy, another birthday surprise to add to the list is that it will be taking the place of a traditional birthday cake for him as we celebrate this weekend.

Last fall I posted the recipe on the blog -- but it most definitely deserves an encore post.  Bon appetit!

(and just for the record, when I made it this past time, I used 1 stick of butter instead of 2 and it was just as tasty!)

***

PUMPKIN CRISP

Prep: 15 min.; Bake: 1 hr., 5 min.; Stand: 10 min.

Ingredients

·         1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin

·         1 cup evaporated milk

·         1 cup sugar

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·         1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·         1 (18.25-ounce) package butter-flavored yellow cake mix

·         1 cup chopped pecans

·         1 cup butter, melted

·         Whipped cream (optional)

·         Ground nutmeg (optional)

Preparation

Stir together first 5 ingredients.

Pour into a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle cake mix evenly over pumpkin mixture; sprinkle evenly with pecans.

Drizzle butter evenly over pecans.

Don't judge.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven, and let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream, if desired. Sprinkle with nutmeg, if desired.

For the printable version of the recipe, just click here.

Ya'll.  This dessert is amazing.  I didn't get a pretty picture of it right out of the oven, but here's a picture of some that remained after we already started into it.

When you are making it, it is going to seem a little odd.  Specifically when you sprinkle the dry cake mix over the liquid ingredients in your 9x13 and it just sits there floating on top.  I checked the recipe over and over to ensure that I wasn't supposed to mix the two together.  But not mixing it is what causes that crunchy goodness.

Chances are, your pantry/fridge already contains sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and butter, so all you need to grab at the store today is a can of pumpkin, two small cans of evaporated milk, the cake mix, and the pecans!  Easy peasy.

Saturday Sip & Shop VI

Sip:
 

Source: ohsobeautifulpaper.com via April on Pinterest

 

St. Germain and Blood Orange Brunch Cocktail

 

***

Shop:

 

Source: rstyle.me via April on Pinterest

 

DVF Clutch

Friday Five {Pink Edition}

October = pink!
This is the month we focus on breast cancer awareness.

This blog often celebrates all that is fun, fabulous, pretty, and yummy, and I don't always go into all aspects of my life.  But this form of cancer has been a part of my family this year.  And for that ... I will wear my pink with even more conviction this month.

Five pink things I'm digging today:

ONE.
Several Charlotte businesses have dyed their fountains the loveliest shade of pink.  I love driving by them in the morning on the way to work!  The picture below is not Charlotte, but that's how our fountains look now.  It puts a smile on my face daily.

source

TWO.
There are so many delicious shades of pink nail polish now.  Fall nails don't always have to be dark.  Heck, I think of a light pink nail polish as a neutral!

THREE.
Pink kitchen accessories.  These Anthropologie juice glasses are just the cutest.  And just so you know, I consider wine a juice too.  Wouldn't you love to sip your "juice" from this?

FOUR.
Pink workout wear is the jam.  This Old Navy running top has thumbholes, people, thumbholes!

FIVE.
The weekend is here!  Why don't you treat yourself with some pink goodies?  TGIF, ya'll!

Thursday This + That

This post may be all over the place.  A little "this and that" for you this morning, if you will.

{1} These are the enchiladas I made recently when Ian said I was a "rockstar at making enchiladas."  Honestly -- this recipe is crazy good.  Just click on the photo to be taken to my Pinterest board, where you can repin it and link into the recipe.  Gina from Skinnytaste can do no wrong.

Source: skinnytaste.com via April on Pinterest

{2} After work yesterday I spent a good amount of time working on some new jewelry.  I hope to have several pieces posted to my A. Liz Designs Etsy shop soon!  Here's a sneak preview of a necklace I finished.

{3} The $15 dress from Saturday's blog sale is still available.  Thanks for helping me clean out my closet and make room for more fall items!

{4} Seems like many of you are fans of liquid eyeliner, too!  I had a few people ask me through comments or email if I used liquid on both the top and bottom of my eyes.  I am definitely a fan of liquid eyeliner on the top eyelid only.  For me, my eyes are just too small to handle a dramatic bottom line.  Ulta makes a great eyeliner pencil that I prefer for my bottom eyelid, and the color I use is Dove Grey.

{5} I thought of another goodie I love that should have been a part of yesterday's Faking It post. (And let me just say, I loooved reading all of your comments!).  This bronzing stick that I picked up earlier this summer from Walgreens gives a hint of color and I love gliding it over my legs when I am feeling a bit pasty.  It's just temporary color, though, so make sure rain isn't in the forecast.  Eek.

{6} Lastly, a very happy birthday to my dear girlfriend, former roomie, fave partner in crime, Miami-dwelling Texan -- Ashley!

NYC, March 2012

Faking It

Faking it.
In the beauty department, we all do it from time to time.
Here are my three top fakes.
And you know I'm going to ask about yours, too.

{1} Pearl earrings.
Years ago, I received some gorgeous Mikimoto pearl earrings ... the crème de la crème.  Sadly though, about a year and a half ago, the entire post came undone from one of the pearl studs.  I took it to the jewelry store and had it repaired ... only to have it happen yet again.  At that point, I marched my derriere over to Claire's and picked out a pair of $7.50 pearl earrings.  No more babying my pearls, freaking out if I get hairspray on them.  And this summer at the beach, when the mighty ocean took the back off of my post and swept the whole pearl earring away, I didn't shed a single tear.  Back to Claire's I went.

{2} Plumped Up Lips.
Why involve syringes when you can get amazingly plump lips from a tube of gloss?  Too Faced Lip Injection is amazingly potent.  I like to wear it solo and also layered over other lipsticks.  Three free samples of your choice with the purchase of this gloss using this link.

{3} Big Buns, Hun.
I first bought my faux bun about three years ago at Sally Beauty Supply.  This was before the crazy sock bun craze of 2011/2012 ... but I'm not going to act like I've been wearing it on top of my head, topknot-style, since my original purchase.  I first used it years ago to create voluminous low side buns.  Now, I have hopped on the trend train and occasionally do use it for topknots.  But it's still super cute as a low side bun creator!  For someone with very fine hair, it does a great job of faking the appearance of thick tresses.

So, y'all 'fess up.
Do tell ... how are you faking it?
You can be honest.  I won't tell a soul.

My Biggest Makeup Love

I have been told by my husband that I have a flair for the dramatic. 
I'm pretty sure he was alluding to the fact that I love black liquid eyeliner.
Pretty sure.
Hmm.

I've been wearing black liquid liner for as long as I can remember.  Well, at least since it was approved by my mother for me to take it up a notch from clear mascara and Bonne Bell lip gloss.  So yeah ... like senior year of high school  ;)

After trying several brands, I've come to the conclusion that I prefer a felt-tip liquid eyeliner.

My favorite now is L'Oreal Lineur Intense felt tip eyeliner in Carbon Black (BOGO 50% off currently with that link).  It's the top left version seen above.

The reasons why I love this one so much: it is extremely precise during application; it does not flake; it is long-lasting; it comes off easily with face wash; it doesn't break the bank!

Also, the L'Oreal folks would probably want me to remain mum about this little tidbit I found out, but here goes: when the eyeliner starts getting sparse and a little dried up, add a small drop or two of water (seriously, you don't need much at all) right to the tube, replace the cap, and give it a good shake.  It will buy you a lot more time before you're officially out -- several weeks more at the very least.

Are you a fan of liquid eyeliner?  Do you, like me, have a flair for the dramatic?

Weekend Wear

Another successful weekend ... check!

Friday, Ian had to work late, and he didn't get home until about 8:30.  I picked up a pizza for us and we had a very sophisticated night spent watching Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.

Yes, I realize that our taste in TV is pretty diverse ... from Dexter to Honey Boo Boo.  Serial killers, "sketti"-lovin' country pageant queens, and all inbetween

Saturday, we worked out hard both at the gym and also in the yard, and we rewarded ourselves with a date night to Basil, a wonderful Thai restaurant in downtown Charlotte.   I had a basil lime martini that was incredible.  We shared the coconut chicken soup and the Basil Duck entree.  We walked around downtown before retrieving our car from the valet guys.  It was the perfect night.

Sunday consisted of our normal Home Depot trip and yardwork, and then Ian went off with a friend to go shooting while I celebrated a very special one year old at her birthday party, complete with cupcakes galore and bounce houses.

H&M , $32 / Marc by Marc Jacobs marc jacob / J.Crew skinny jeans / C9 by Champion / Old Navy / Forever 21 knit pants / Old Navy / Tory Burch / Cezanne / Danielle Stevens Jewelry gold jewelry

During the workweek, I sometimes feel like my wardrobe is so predictable and boring.  Black pants/khaki pencil skirt/trouser jeans with a Banana Republic/Old Navy/J. Crew top.  And for that reason, I absolutely live for weekend wear.  Whether it's comfy yoga pants or skinny jeans that are just a hint too skinny for work, I feel like I let my true personality show on the weekends ... and I like it.  Very much so.

If it were perfectly acceptible to wear yoga pants to work, I would definitely be down with that.  But for now, I'll get my excitement through pairing a statement necklace with a traditional work ensemble.

How do you inject your personality into your work wear?