Three Creative Things To Do This Weekend

Print: My friend recently printed out her Instagram photos and I loved the idea. I'd always wanted to but never got around to figuring out how. I used the free app PostalPix and did the entire process from my iPhone. I chose the smallest (and cheapest) size option, and love the result; it's like Polaroids all over again. Now I just have to decide where to display them.

Write: I feel like lately I have so much going on in my head that if I don't write it down I end up forgetting too many good ideas. I've been carrying around this great little journal that was given to me at one of the companies I visited in Paris. I keep it in my purse, accompanied by a few colorful pens, and whenever there's something I need to do, or something I don't want to forget I put it in my little brown book. I feel so much more organized!

Paint: This "S" was given to me by my friend and I just love it. I decided to spray paint it gold to add a little bit of sparkle to my room. I love spray paint, especially in gold, because it's such a great way to spice up something that would be too ordinary without it.

I hope this brought you some creative inspiration for the day. Happy Friday!

Happy Fall

{Aldo / Topshop / Voluspa / Forever21 / Nars}

The past few days have been so foggy and cozy that I have officially accepted that Fall is really here. Stop by The Penny Rose

today to see my choices for Fall must-haves.

Although I'm sad to say goodbye to the carefree days of summer, I'm excited for new clothes, cozy days and a new season. With new seasons comes new beginnings and I'm definitely looking forward to starting my career and exploring a new city this Fall.  

End of Summer Lobster Dinner

I subscribe to Gwyneth Paltrow's weekly blog Goop, which comes to my inbox every Thursday. Last week this delicious recipe for lobster rolls was featured, and I thought it would make for a great end of summer treat. Of course lobster isn't something that I indulge in regularly, and I've never cooked it at home, so it was really a fun and yummy meal to make. I used fresh sourdough bread instead of hot dog buns as the recipe called for, and I definitely think it added so much more flavor. Paired with a fresh green salad and a glass of white wine, it was truly a delicious end of summer meal. 

{fresh, organic ingredients - except for the lobster which was a bit of a challenge to hunt down}

Bon appetite!

How To Make a Homemade Face Mask

I love the idea of making your own beauty products at home, but I've never taken a class or read a book about the process. Fortunately my good friend Leilani is a natural beauty expert, so we spent a day learning about at home beauty, where she taught me how to make my own face mask, and the benefits of each ingredient. 

{French clay / raw honey / organic sour cream / turmeric}

Our anti-oxidizing honey face mask is simple to make and only requires four ingredients which you most likely already have in your cupboard. 

You Will Need: 

1. Two tablespoons sour cream - the lactic acid in the cream is a natural exfoliate, and also boosts the production of collagen. 

2. One tablespoon raw honey - raw honey is enzyme-rich and acts as a natural moisturizer. The honey decreases pore size and is full of antioxidants.

3. One tablespoon French clay - French deeply cleanses the pores. 

4. One teaspoon turmeric - the anti-inflammatory properties in antioxidant rich turmeric helps heal acne as well as soften the appearance of lines and wrinkles.

{makes enough for two masks}

After measuring your ingredients, mix them together in a small bowl until they are well blended and pasty. Be careful because turmeric stains, so make sure to save your favorite outfit for after making your face mask.

Spread thickly and evenly on clean, makeup-free skin. Leave on for 20 minutes and rinse off thoroughly. 

Enjoy your beautifully glowing and moisturized skin!

Working Girl Chic

I feel like it can be hard sometimes to distinguish your style when dressing for work. I find myself always debating between what's too much and what's too casual. I love dressing up and putting in that extra effort to look nice, but also love being able to incorporate my own style to avoid a boring look. Business casual is the requirement for most offices, so it's all about finding the balance of being both stylish and professional at the same time. Although I wasn't a fan of Olivia Palermo on The Hills, I'm a huge fan of her taste in fashion and always love her style. I love the way she's made this outfit above tasteful for work, but stylish at the same time. I think it's the perfect work outfit, if only I was better at walking in heels!

Cream Cheese Brownie Cupcakes

I don't know if it's just me, but I feel that cupcakes became trendier than ever this year. I love cupcakes because they are that perfect amount of sweetness, without having to indulge in a whole cake. This weekend I took one of my favorite brownie recipes and adapted it for cupcakes. 

I love the Reduced Guilt Brownie Mix from Trader Joe's. It's the easiest thing you'll ever make, all you need to do is add some fat free vanilla yogurt and you're done. I wasn't sure if the recipe would work in cupcake form, but I was pleasantly surprised with the results. I reduced the baking time by five minutes to ensure a traditional brownie texture. They tasted great and were much lighter and chewier than regular cupcakes. I topped them off with a simple cream cheese frosting and a swirl of caramel. 

Yum.

Glamping

Last week I took my boyfriend "glamping" for a birthday surprise at the Big Sur Getaway. I ended up being more surprised than him at first, when I came to the realization that we were actually sleeping in a trailer and not a five star hotel, but once I got that through my mind I had so much fun. We lucked out with a beautifully clear starry night, and an almost full moon. It was a fun and cozy way to soak up the warm nights of summer.

{cooking under the stars}

{outdoor shower and swing with a view}