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T.G.I.F. Anniversary Edition

Oh Holy T.G.I.F. 
That's all I can say. 
This weekend the bf & I will be heading to a hot springs resort to celebrate our 3rd (yes to those incredulous souls out there, that's 3 years of mayhem) anniversary.
Some wine tasting, some hot tub-ing. Sounds too good to be true.
In order to celebrate I thought I'd share a little something pretty.
In this case its Regency dresses & cupcakes.
And now you know what I dream about at night.
Cupcake images from various sources. (Thanks Google!)
If anything scrumptious is yours and I didn't credit you 
please let me know and I will
or I can remove it.

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Black and White & Gorg(eous) All Over

I almost hate to post something new because I so love the below Alice in Wonderland post.
But alas, life moves on and so must I, to prettier and shinier things!
Normally I like to post my own accomplishments, awesomeness, etc but at the moment I think I'm just a vessel for greater things. Like these images which are exactly as the title says, black and white and gorg(eous) all over

Amazing Chanel images from
Gorgeous images from  

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Finally Down the Rabbit Hole

And if you go chasing rabbits
and you know you're going to fall
'tell em a hookah smoking caterpillar
has given you the call

 




Gorgeous images from Bardot in Blue and Vogue 
Products from Lulu's & Louboutin
Illustration by Manuel Rebollo
French Macaron images from various sources





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Because I Know You Want to Call Me

So now that I have an actual job and quite possibly a career I get the great and previously withheld honor of getting business cards! I know, I'm like a real girl finally.

Well it turns out that these coveted little slips of paper take a long time to order. That or someone in the business office has dropped the ball as I've been waiting several months. I wonder, which is it more likely to be? Hmm. . .

Anyway one day soon I will have them. But you know I needed something in the interim, because people are like constantly asking for my number. Especially French people, it's kind of weird. I have to tell them, "um no no mon cherie, I have noothing to write eet on, I apoloogizze" (Yah and I rock a French accent too).

It's as though Three Kisses Studio knew my conundrum & designed the below especially for me. Its tres chic & so easy. Just print and voila! You can pass out your card to a bunch of French suitors.


You may have already seen these on Love, Obsess Inspire since that's where I found them. In which case goody goody gumdrops for you!

Head over to Love, Obsess, Inspire to download.. These are too cute!
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Sunday Dinners Revisited

Confession time: I have a really bad habit of making promises I don't necessarily keep.  I start off with the best of intentions, but sometimes I just get caught up in a creative frenzy of DIY and become too overwhelmed to complete all the projects I've taken on.
A while ago I posted a bit about my need to have Sunday Dinners with my boyfriend. Basically I whined about how I was a latch-key kid trying to break the cycle and embrace my neglected Martha Stewart spirit, you know how it is. Blah blah blah. Since then I haven't totally followed through. There have been illnesses, out-of-towners & natural disasters! (ok so not in Santa Barbara but still). You can tell how many projects I abandon by how great my excuse making skills are. lol.

Anyway after a rainy weekend I decided to yet again pick up the torch that is my attempt at being wholesome; Sunday Dinner. I found a great recipe for Chicken Provencal from YumSugar. I also owed my boyfriend something yummy since he finished up a DIY I dragged him into, my Metallic Molding project (pix to follow) It slow cooked for about 3 hours in the kitchen and the delicious warm aroma filled my house.

It reminded me of all the Christmases at Grandomther's house I never had.
Of all the family game nights not to be.
It did not however, remind me of my mother's roast beef, which is why I had an aversion to slow-cooking & crock pots for so long.

Chicken Provencal is so good, it will make your forget any heinous things your mom did to a slow-cooker. . .

Provençal Chicken Stew
From Epicurious via YumSugar

Ingredients
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 chicken, cut into serving pieces and skinned
1/4 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade, for garnish
1 cup black Nyons or kalamata olives, for garnish
Directions
  1. Combine the 3/4 cup flour and the salt in a resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken to the bag, several pieces at a time, and shake to coat completely.
 
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned on both sides. Using tongs, transfer to paper towels to drain, then arrange in the slow cooker.
Set the sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the onion and the 2 tablespoons flour. Sauté, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the garlic and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine and stir to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Increase the heat to high and add the tomatoes and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 to 15 minutes, until some of the tomato liquid evaporates.
Pour the onion mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 8 hours, until the chicken is tender. At 3 to 4 hours, the chicken will still be firm and hold its shape. At 6 to 8 hours, the meat will be falling off the bone.
Divide the chicken among dinner plates and garnish with the parsley, basil, and olives. Serve immediately.
 The finished product is delicious! I don't have crock-pot (like I said, I'm damaged) but a pan with a lid worked great. One of my favorite recipes for a nice winter's evening. :)