Jantzen Heritage Collection

Today while I was getting a much needed pedicure, I read an article in May's In Style magazine about Jantzen Swimwear's 100th Anniversary Celebration and their new Heritage Collection. The collection has bathing suits inspired by the 1920's-1970's. The suit the magazine highlighted was so cute, I had to find it online. Well not only did I find the ruffled little number from the magazine I also found a plethora of other goodies. My favorite bathing suit is the following one, complete with the cape and swim cap. I found that most of the collection can be purchased at Dillard's, but I did not want to shell out over $250 for the ensemble. Not to mention I would feel a little foolish parading around the beach wearing a "swimming cape". I did manage to find a red Jantzen "Vamp" bathing suit on Overstock for a fraction of the price. I decided with summer just around the corner, and the fact that it has a perfect retro and classy vibe that I should just go ahead and buy it. After all, it is incredibly difficult to find a cute one piece swimsuit, usually they are some horrible muu muu looking thing with an ugly print and a little floofy skirt and no one wants to be caught wearing something that awful. I'm quite happy with my find.

Yet Another Wishlist

First I would like to say that I got everything (save one item) off of my birthday wishlist! I received my final present on Friday night, the skinny legged black pants and they are very cute, paired with my black Ray Bans I make quite the wanna be beatnik.

Today my fiance and I went to register for gifts, I don't think either of us really knew what we were doing and I ended up leaving the store more overwhelmed than anything. I did a bit of perusing on Anthropologie's website, which can be quite dangerous you know, and I came up with a fantasy wedding dish registry that I would like to share with anyone who happens to stumble across my humble blog. So here is another list...

Birthday Wishlist

Well, it's about that time of year again and I thought that to make things easier for my gift givers, I would make a little birthday wishlist for them. I am also currently stuck in the house while braving yet another snow storm. This craft pad is full of cute little embroidery transfers and is on sale at Amazon for only $5.18! Okay, so the cover is a little bit dorky but this book is full of tips for starting your own crafty business. The more obscure the craft supply the better, and these washi paper tapes fit the bill. Also any little millinery supply from the etsy shop Caramelos, like these cute cotton spun mushrooms, would be perfect. I'm imagining an entire outfit around these sunglasses where I look like an early 1960s beatnik or a Bob Dylan devotee. I saw a pair of Ray Ban Wayfarers at Marshalls this winter for only $60 and I am kicking myself that I didn't buy them. I started seeing these heart tights around on the blogs I frequent and I must admit that at first I didn't care for them, but I really like them now and I enjoy adding to my tight collection. They are pretty easy to come across, like on Urban Outfitters (I've got to help some people out here :) And finally, this Trader Joe's Lavender Salt Scrub, I saw it the other day at Trader Joe's and it smells just like the summertime and is inexpensive, even better. Oh, and while we are on the topic of Trader Joe's, their Jojoba Oil would be a fun present too. Well, I hope I've helped everyone out with gift suggestions. *UPDATE* Since I am still in the snow, I have done some perusing for the perfect cropped black pants to go with my Ray Bans, and I found these slim cropped pants on Gap. I'd say they fit the bill!

Blasted Blizzard

I just survived my first blizzard, the Baltimore area received a record snowfall of 30 inches! Whoa, that is wayyyyyy too much snow. I spent my day off shoveling the snow only to turn around and see that the freshly shoveled walk was once again covered in snow. Oh, how irritating. I then decided to go inside and spend some time crafting Valentines but that didn't last long since I was experiencing throbbing pain in my neck and back from shoveling all of that snow. I had to retire to my bed to rest but I was sure to take pictures of my crafting supplies. As you can see I am a big fan of Martha Stewart crafts. My sister gave me this Martha Stewart flocking kit for Christmas, and I'm going to try it out on my little Valentines.

Christmas Crafts Continued

Shocking I know, another post! I have been so terrible about blogging this year but I am making up for it a bit with all of these crafty posts. Well, these little guys were another craft from this month's Martha Stewart Living and they've been a big hit with all of their recipients; my boyfriend's parents, my mom, my boyfriend and myself. They are so easy to make and the result is darling, I tied strings around them to make them into Christmas ornaments and put tinsel pipe cleaner trim on their hats for a vintage feel. My crafting supplies are a bit limited (since I am visiting family) but all this project took was scraps of felt and a couple of pipe cleaners. I found the toppers for their hats while looking around my mom's house, I snipped a couple of red and white "berries" off of her Christmas garland. It's not noticeable that they're missing and the elves appreciate their berry toppers.
Here's the tutorial to make these jolly elves.

Candy Cane Lane

This post has nothing to do with candy canes but it is all about candy of some sort. I saw this lovely little cupcake ornament tutorial and had to go out to the craft store and pick up all of the necessary items for these little confectionary snowballs. Mine did turn out a little bit overstuffed but I like them like that.

I just hung them up on the Christmas tree and they are quite cute.

I like to find inexpensive craft supplies, these foil liners were only $0.77!

I lined the walkway to the gingerbread house with cuppity cakes. My sister had the idea to put shredded wheat on the roof of the house to make it look thatched and the gumdrops on the front are surrounded with icing grout to look like a cobblestone front. I have been having a merry time around here in my crafting/baking paradise.

New Discoveries

I have been wanting to make Thai Coconut Lemongrass soup for some time now, but I was having the hardest time finding lemongrass stalks. Yesterday my manager at work told me about Allgreen Market, a grocery store that sells Asian and Latino groceries. Well, I certainly had fun in there yesterday! Not only did I find lemongrass stalks (for $0.39!) but I found an entire houseware section full of Asian goodies, the things they sold reminded me of my time in Korea. The soup recipe I made with the lemongrass turned out so delicious that I have decided to post it.

Tofu Coconut Soup with Lemongrass
4 cups chicken stock
4 slices peeled fresh ginger
1 large lemongrass stalk, cut into 2 inch pieces and crushed
Grated zest of 1 large lime
2 (14-ounce) cans unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon red chili paste
1 package of firm tofu, cut into bit sized pieces
1/2 pound fresh enoki mushrooms
5 small fresh green or red chilies, sliced crosswise, paper-thin
Fresh cilantro leaves
1 Package of rice noodles

In a large saucepan, combine the stock, ginger, lemongrasss and lime zest. Place over medium heat and slowly bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low, add the coconut milk, stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Add the lime juice, brown sugar and chile paste. Mix well and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the tofu, mushrooms, and rice noodles and simmer until tender.
To serve ladle soup into warmed bowls. Float the chili slices and cilantro leaves on top.
Serves 4 to 6.

Yum!

I saw this cute little bunny bowl at Allgreens (it has a plastic cover for it too, for delicious leftovers) and dearest D. bought it for me. :) Isn't he nice?. I couldn't wait to put my soup in it, somehow that bowl made it just that much better.

These little Hello Kitty containers are also from Allgreens, they're the perfect size for my Healing Bar face soap from Union Street Soapworks