the home. t

It's important to be proud of where you come from. And if you're from one of the 50 states, you can snag this uber cute t-shirt to rep your home. I wear a lot of blouses and way too many sweaters. Sometimes, it's nice to just throw on a cute tee that means something. And, of course, piling on tons of baubles is also part of my usual dress code.

Another thing-- this shirt is unisex. Don't you love it when ladies and gents can be twinsies? I do. So, boys, don't be shy--  you can show off your home and support the cause, too. But maybe leave the bauble-wearing to the ladies. Or not. I don't judge.

If I haven't yet convinced you that you should purchase one of these tees, then maybe you should also know that there's a cause involved. Buying this shirt means you're contributing to multiple sclerosis (MS) research.

Rock this tee, support the cause, and feel good (literally-- this tee is SO soft!).

 shirt: The Home. T || jeans: Rag & Bone

necklaces: BaubleBar Onyx Chain Strand (top) & BaubleBar Lilac Tab Strand (bottom)

bracelets (left to right): Gorjana Cross Over Cuff Bracelet, BaubleBar Onyx Garbo Bracelet (ivory & sky available), & BaubleBar Pave Links Bracelet

chambray + rose gold

I know it looks like I curl my hair all the time and it's because I do. My hair is getting so long and I have no idea what to do with it these days. I haven't gotten it cut yet, because I'm still wavering on whether I should just get it trimmed and styled.. Or donate again to the Pantene Pro-V Beautiful Lengths Program. Regardless, right now, it's just too hard to wear it straight. So, instead, I pulled it up into a bun today. My curling iron needed a break anyway.

 shirt: Madewell || leggings: Stylemint || earrings: BaubleBar

 necklace: BaubleBar Rose Oversized Link Strand

rings: Gorjana Shimmer Disc Chain Ring in Rose Gold and BaubleBar Rose Gold Link Ring (in silver here)

psst.. how to have an amazing hair day

I've accumulated a bajillion different hair product samples. Okay, I know bajillion isn't a real number but, you get the point, I have a lot. Between sample boxes and free samples with purchases, I have kind of an overflow. They do come in handy when I'm trying to switch up my haircare routine. I'm not the type of person who would ever buy a whole bottle without testing it out first.

Around Valentine's Day, BaubleBar had a free gift with purchase promotion. Thanks to my addiction to baubles, I was able to snag the Rahua Jetsetter Kit and the Amika Blow Up Spray. My hair is long, thick, and extremely temperamental at times. It's hard to give my mane volume and shine without drowning it in product. Therefore, it takes a lot to impress me when it comes to this stuff. Well, it looks like the BaubleBar team not only knows how to pick out the best sparkle but also knows a thing or two about hair. All I have to say is OMG, THANK YOU! My hair is forever grateful.

With the Rahua shampoo and conditioner, my hair finally feels CLEAN. Other shampoo and conditioners leave my hair somewhat filmy-- like it's never really completely washed out. Rahua is 100% natural and I'm 100% sold on this brand. While my hair was still damp, I misted it with the Amika Blow Up Spray. What's great about this product is that it doubles as a heat protector-- always a plus. After blow drying, I noticed significantly less fly aways. For the first time in a long time, I felt like my locks looked sleek and shiny. I can't tell which product is responsible for this newfound hair swoon. Perhaps it's the combination of the two. Magic, I tell ya.

My hair looked so good, I considered stopping there and leaving it straight. But ultimately, I ended up curling it like I do 6 out of the 7 days of the week. I finished styling with another new product I'm trying out-- Not Your Mother's She's a Tease Volumizing Hairspray. More on this later.

 tee: NYC Paris ||  jacket: J Brand || jeans: Blank NYC || necklace: BaubleBar Silver Weave Bib || bracelets: Gorjana (Suede Studded Wrap + Parker Leather Wrap in Neon Yellow) and Sequence (Spice Knot Bracelet + One Soul Bracelet)

simple layers + rainbow wristwear

Happy casual Friday! No thick sweaters or printed blouses (aka: no Madewell) today. The glimpse of sunshine I caught today made me hopeful that spring will be arriving sooner rather than later. I've packed on the bulky statement jewelry all season, so today I thought I'd change it up by going lighter.

jeans: Blank NYC || shirt: Forever 21 || sweater: Urban Outfitters

I'm so jealous of people know how to layer-- clothes, jewelry, everything. I pretty much suck at it. But, in order to compensate for no big bauble, I decided to give the layering thing a shot-- basically threw on my 3 favorite dainty necklaces. I thought about taking it further, but then I foresaw a huge knot of chains by the end of the day. No thank you. 3 will do. And, with all the gold around my neck, I found it only appropriate to add color to my wrist-- in the form of a rainbow, of course.

necklaces: Gorjana (top) || Jennifer Zeuner (middle) || BaubleBar (bottom)

bracelets: Gorjana || Sequence

chocolate chip cookies with nutella, brown butter, and sea salt

 

Bauble of the Day:  Gold Geo Bib (BaubleBar), Wishbone Charm Necklace (Gorjana), and Vine Ring (Gorjana). BaubleBar + Gorjana just go beautifully together, don't they? Statement pieces always seem to look better paired with simple, dainty jewelry. Clearly this comes from the mind of someone who is indecisive and sickly obsessed with jewelry.

 shirt: Madewell Laid-Back Tee in Stripe || jeans: J Brand Legging in Starless || shoes: Sperry Top-Sider A/O 1 Eye in Brown || nailpolish: Essie lapiz of luxury

Okay, I'm back. Well, in case you were wondering, I started throwing things at the t.v. during the Thunder/Lakers game. I really don't want to talk about it. I even wore my blue and orange striped shirt to support OKC! The only NBA update that matters at the moment is that Rajon Rondo tore his ACL, which means the Celtics are not getting anywhere close to the ship this year. Wasn't counting on that anyway. Le sigh, All-Star weekend cannot come any sooner..

The rest of my day was productive-- if you're like me and consider worthy productiveness to be shopping and baking. I popped into Anthropologie, not because I actually needed anything but it happened to be on the way to the grocery store. My intention was to make a quick return and leave, but then I tried on a few things. An hour later, let's just say I ended up in the negative. Don't care, new clothes makes me happy. But, for the record, I would totally judge me, too.

I got a little off track, but I was still on a baking mission today. So, here's the deal. I spend oodles of hours on Pinterest. I would consider myself to be an avid repinner. I'm not sure what any of it really means (I feel more like a stalker-- constantly admiring the fashionable and DIY savvy) but damn it's fun. Admittedly, I've also never actually made any of the recipes I've stored away on my pinboard.. until today.

Dear Annie (whoever you are), I wish I were you and could take credit for creating this Godly creation of a cookie. Alas, I am just a baker who had the honor of successfully fulfilling all my hopes and dreams that were unknowingly wrapped up in single cookie. Brown butter. Nutella. Chocolate chips. And OMG, the sea salt. This cookie is my new favorite (really, how could it not?!). It blew my mind and then slapped me in the face for waiting this long to make it. Sorry S'mores cookie-- I still heart you, though.

Here it is.. You're welcome.

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Nutella, Brown Butter, and Sea Salt
Recipe by Annie's Eats, adapted from Ambitious Kitchen
Yields about 2 dozen


INGREDIENTS
Chocolate hazelnut spread (such as Nutella), about 1/2 cup
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp greek yogurt or sour cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare nutella coins. Line a baking sheet with wax or parchment paper. Place chocolate hazelnut spread in plastic bag toward one corner of the bag. Twist so that it does not squeeze out of the top. Snip one corner off the end of the bag. Pipe small dollops of the spread on the wax paper, about 1 1/2 tsp each. You will need about 2 dozen. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and let set until firm, about 2 hours.

2. Prepare brown butter. Place the butter in a medium to large skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter completely. Continue to cook, whisking frequently, until the butter foams, bubbles slightly, and begins to brown. Continue whisking until the butter is evenly browned, being careful not to burn. Remove from heat and let cool.

3. Put the dough together. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine sugars and brown butter. Mix on medium speed until well blended and smooth. Blend in egg and egg yolk, scraping down the bowl as needed. Blend in the vanilla and yogurt. With the mixer on low speed, blend in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Fold int he chocolate chips. Chill the dough briefly, about 30 minutes.

4. Assemble. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Use a medium dough scoop (about 2 Tbsp) to scoop a portion of cookie dough. Press an indentation into the center of the dough ball to create a bowl shape. Place a dollop of the frozen Nutella in the indentation and pinch together the edges of the cookie dough over the top to completely seal it in the center. 

5. Place the shaped cookies on the prepared baking sheets, 2-3 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are golden brown and set, rotating the pans halfway through, about 14 minutes total. When the cookies are finished baking, sprinkle lightly with additional sea salt. Let sit a few minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining dough as needed. *Be sure to place the Nutella drops back into the freezer while waiting for cookies to bake. It softens fairly quickly otherwise.

I promise all the work is worth it. The instructions are very thorough, but I absolutely love the method outlined by Annie's Eats. Piping and freezing the Nutella dollops-- genius.

This is one sweet cookie, with the excessive chocolate and all, but the sprinkle of sea salt on top takes this cookie to the next level. It orchestrates all the flavors and balances out the sweetness to perfection. In all seriousness, if you don't make this cookie, you will never forgive yourself and I might slap you for being so ridiculous.

chambray glam

Every wardrobe should contain at least one chambray shirt. And mine, I love. It's not like all the other chambray shirts I've seen floating around. This one is soft and absolutely comfortable. Right up my alley. There are a few different color options, but I chose the Grey-Glacier. It's a perfectly muted blue-grey color that can be worn with dark denim without looking awkward (always a plus).

Citizens Leggings || Bandolino Riding Boots || chambray button down 

Bauble of the Day: Beaded Bloom Bib from BaubleBar. You know me, I can't help but glam up my basic chambray shirt a bit. I actually spotted this EXACT same necklace at J. Crew last week for $42 or $44 (something like that). The point of my story is that I got this necklace from BaubleBar for $20. Did I already mention today that I love BaubleBar?

I also put on a couple other simple pieces of jewelry to go with my statement necklace: the Gorjana Kensington Ring and Alphabet Stud Earrings. I went a little Gorjana crazy over the holidays. I just think Gorjana gold is fabulous and the pieces are extremely well made. Over the holidays they had insane sales, so now I finally have a pretty decent Gorjana collection.

All in all, I love chambray, but of course the only way I'll wear it is if I can add a little bit of sparkle.