Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Current Makeup Favorites




Sometimes I get lost.  It usually happens in bookstores and makeup stores.  Does that ever happen to you?  I'm a total girly girl when it comes to makeup and love discovering new products but I have to keep my daily routine pretty simple.  I also religiously wash my face at night and most mornings.

I thought it might be fun for us to share some of our favorite's here on the blog so I'll start this off and you can share one, two or as many as you want in the comments section below!  Fun, right?  Like a mini makeup party.

Tarte Cheek Stain (color Tipsy):  This may be my favorite new find of 2011.  The color is so bright and glows on your checks.  It lasts a long time too!  The texture is different, kinda lipstick like, but it doesn't bother me one single bit.  Love it!

Smashbox Sheer Focus:  This tinted moisturizer does wonders evening out my skin and it takes seconds to apply.  I noticed that shortly after I began using this, I started getting compliments on my skin.    It's very lightweight and spreads evenly across the skin.

Clarisonic Mia:  This was a huge product in 2011 and I finally bit the bullet and bought one.  At first I was using it twice a day and that frequency was way to much for my sensitive skin.  My relationship with my Mia was a bit love/hate at first because it left my skin so soft but a bit dry.  I've found that an every other day scrub is great for me.

Too Faced Naked Eye Kit:  This kit has a lot of great colors and I use most all of them with the exception of the very dark black.  I just don't wear a smokey eye very often but it's there if I need it.  The thing I love about this kit is it comes with pretty little instruction cards for different looks and a little place to keep the eye brush.  I really like having all my shades all in one place cause it helps streamline my routine in the morning.

Erase Paste:  Where oh where has this product been all my life?  I am very much a night owl and a mom of two boys so my under eyes are often suffering.  This lightweight concealer not only conceals but brightens too.  I don't leave the house without this.  And you can see in my sidebar that I have it proudly displayed!

So there you have it.  Some of my favorite makeup pics that I began using in 2011.  Now it's your turn to share a product.


Monday, January 30, 2012

Barley, Arugula & Tomato Saute


Hello friends! Can you believe this is the last Monday in January?  How are you doing on your resolutions and intentions so far?  Some of you know that I'm a Weight Watchers member and have been so close (yet so far away) to making my goal for weeks now.  Why are the last few pounds the hardest to lose?  I'm really hoping to gain my lifetime status before my next birthday in March! (Fingers crossed)

Anyhow, each week they share recipes with us at our meetings and this one I just had to share with y'all.  I've made this for my lunch as well as a side for dinner.  The recipe has a lot of simple flavors but they combine really nicely.   I had never cooked with barley before but it's quite easy, particularly if you buy the quick cooking kind.  I hope y'all give it a try because it's become one of my go to favorites. 

Recipe: Barley, Arugula and Tomato Saute (adapted from Weight Watchers)

Ingredients:

1 cup barley, cooked
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup halved grape tomatoes
2 cups arugula
1 tsp. lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1.  Cook barley according to package instructions.  ( I used fat free chicken stock in my recipe to add flavor!)  Set aside.

2.  In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over low heat.  Add crushed garlic and saute very briefly (maybe 15 seconds) being careful not to burn.

3.  Add grape tomatoes and saute for 1-2 minutes until juices release.

4. Add cooked barley to saute pan and combine.

5.  Add arugula and toss for 1-2 minutes until the leaves have wilted down significantly in size.

6.  Add lemon zest. ( Don't skip this because the lemon adds so much flavor!)

I added some feta cheese on mine as you can see in the photo above but that's completely optional.  



Sunday, January 29, 2012

Sunday Best

Untitled #84


Proenza Schouler canvas pants
£695 - brownsfashion.com

Nine west pumps
$99 - ninewest.com

Blue leather bag
fashion.1stdibs.com

Ziba vintage gold earrings
£10 - houseoffraser.co.uk

Monsoon tahitian pearl jewelry
£6 - monsoon.co.uk

Sambag clear shades
125 AUD - thegrandsocial.com.au

Clarins Gloss Prodige
$20 - bloomingdales.com




Friday, January 27, 2012

Life at its Finest


I have been completely hooked on grapefruit lately.  I crave them morning, noon and night.  Isn't there some kind of grapefruit diet?  I need to research that further.  Helpful hint: use a grapefruit spoon.  They make the experience so much more enjoyable.


Why I even bother to paint my nails I have no clue.  My nails are always suffering due to overworked dish hands and playing in the dirt outside with the boys.  BUT I do find the act of painting my nails very relaxing and it reminds me of my life before kids.  Yes, I do remember that life!  The color here is OPI Tutti Frutti Tonga.



If my kitchen island is clean I feel like my whole house is clean.  Do you have a spot in your house that makes you feel like this?  I love that there is no holiday decor, mail, book bags, purses, etc...


My kids eat this pretty much every Wednesday when I'm rushing out the door to my yoga class.  I think I have my older son convinced that since it's "Amy's" pizza that I've actually cooked for him.  I usually add some carrots, applesauce or lima beans alongside their pizza and call it a day.  Om.


My new favorite cocktail.  It is so so yummy and I'm delighted to be sharing the recipe today over at Society Social.  I've been acting as food contributor for their blog since October and I'm absolutely thrilled with the opportunity.  It's really fun sharing my love of food and drink with stylish socials and I hope you'll go over to see what all the buzz is about!

Hope you enjoy life at it's finest this weekend fellow peaches!


Thursday, January 26, 2012

Fashion Inspired


Today I'm going with the flow.  Gonna see where the day takes me and enjoy the ride!

Monday, January 23, 2012

Mood Shift by Cerra


One great thing about being a blogger and sharing a little bit of yourself with the world is that there are complete strangers out there who are willing to send you a little pick me up when you're feeling a little down.

A few months ago, I wrote this post and a few days later Cerra sent me one of their mood shift kits.  Pretty cool, right?  Some of you may know that I am nine years into my yoga practice and depend on it to keep me "normal." But sometimes it's the little things we do throughout our day that keep us grounded too.

Inside this small bag are little treasures to keep you focused, energized and grateful.  Lovely teas, aromatic lotions and cards are all centered around positive affirmations.  Love that!



How perfect would this be for a friend's birthday, a new mom, a teacher gift, a gracious hostess or the jetsetter?  I also really like their dissolving notes to release all that "stuff."

Hope y'all have a wonderful day and stay focused on the good stuff.


Easy Peppermint Ice Cream



Hello friends!  This is another post brought to you by leftover candy canes.  I seriously buy them in bulk at Christmas.  That's how much I love them.  You can of course find regular peppermints year round and those would substitute just fine in this recipe.  Wouldn't this be a perfect treat for your special Valentine too?

The thing I love about this ice cream recipe is that there are no raw or undercooked eggs involved.  The sweetened condensed milk makes for a very easy and creamy end result too.   I've made this twice in the past week if that tells you how good it is.

You do need an automatic ice cream maker for this recipe unless you know how to manually churn ice cream yourself.  If you do, you have my complete adoration!  I own this Cuisinart model which whips up a batch of ice cream faster than you can dry a load of laundry.  And don't forget to throw the freezer bowl in the freezer the night before you plan to make this!  Okay, now that we have that out of the way, here's the recipe.

Recipe: Easy Homemade Peppermint Ice Cream (adapted from Amanda's Cookin)
Makes 2 quarts

Ingredients:

1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup skim milk
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
3 tsp. vanilla extract
7 drops red food coloring
1 cup very finely crushed candy canes or peppermint candies (vent out all your frustrations!)

Instructions:

1. Combine first six ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

2. Whisk and pour into automatic ice cream maker.  Process according to manufacturer's instructions.  (I let mine go for about 30 minutes.)

3.  Pour ice cream into freezer safe container and freeze for a minimum of two hours.


Sunday, January 22, 2012

Sunday Best

Untitled #83

Markus Lupfer backless top
$206 - glassworks-studios.com

Oasis a line skirt
£15 - houseoffraser.co.uk

Madewell suede shoes
$195 - madewell.com

TopShop doctor bag
$75 - topshop.com

LORD & TAYLOR gold post earrings
$700 - lordandtaylor.com

Cashmere shawl
£125 - austique.co.uk

Barry M Lip Gloss Wands
$5.09 - asos.com



Friday, January 20, 2012

Life at its finest

Happy Friday! 

In 2011 I began The Friday Five series which was wonderful fun but now I'm ready to change things up a bit.  I'd like to introduce you to my new Friday series titled, "Life at it's finest," brought to you via Instagram.  (Let's follow each other!  I kinda love it.  You can find me as yoursouthernpeach).  

"Life at its finest" looks a lot like this in my head but as you'll see through this series, my everyday life has a course of it's own.  (Hope you'll follow me on Pinterest too.  It's my part-time lover.)

I hope you like the new series and getting to know me a little better.   

My 8:00 AM wake up call while my back was turned making coffee.


Favorite date spot.  The peanut butter and chocolate swirled is divine.

French pastry from local bakery.  It threatened to haunt me if I didn't take it home with me.

Skinny cords, pink flats and 10 seconds of putting my feet up.

A $15 vintage find.  Scoooore!



Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Be Fun


Today I'm having a little fun over on Shannon's blog, "I love your crazy."  While she's attending an uber stylish blogger conference in Salt Lake City, I'm talking spring fashion.

Pretty fun, right?

Warning...you may want to put on your shades.

Any spring trends you're expecting to be extra fun this year?

Monday, January 16, 2012

Green Smoothie Love


green smoothie weight loss

Good Morning!  (or afternoon or evening)  It's a new year.  You know that...I hope.

Many of us have resolved to live healthier, cleaner, greener.  I'm not real sure what that involves for each of you but this green smoothie fits the bill for me.  Last year, I posted my favorite weight loss breakfast that helped me lose 15 lbs and counting.  So this year, I've resolved to adopt another healthy recipe from Lesley   Yep, the infamous green smoothie.  Please don't be afraid.

My conclusion...green smoothies are fun...and yummy...and filling!  (Thanks Lesley for convincing me to take the plunge.)

I made a few adjustments and notes to the recipe and feel free to adjust to your own liking too. That's part of the awesomeness of smoothies.  You can get a little creative with it.

Ingredients:

1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup orange juice
1 green apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1/2 banana
1 inch ginger, peeled and diced
3 dates, pitted and chopped
1 stalk kale, stems removed
1 cup ice

How to:

Blend ingredients, beginning with juices.  Mix well, pour into a tall glass and garnish with a silly straw.  That last part is absolutely necessary.

A time saving tip: Prepare the ingredients the night before and be ready to go in the morning!


Happy Monday y'all!