A tribute to my Grammy

Today would have been my Grammy's 87th birthday. It's been almost two years since she passed away, but I still think of her each and every day. Today I wanted to make a tribute post and fill it with of the good memories I have of her :)

(Grammy and I after I was born)

Shalimar perfume - she wore this perfume for almost all of her life. Whenever I see the bottle or smell it on someone, I think of her.

Puzzles - we used to always do jigsaw puzzles together on her special puzzle table. :)

The Wizard of Oz - I used to love watching this movie at her house when I stayed over.

Raggedy Ann - my Grammy handmade me a Raggedy Ann doll when I was little. Unfortunately we lost it when our basement flooded, but I still remember how much I loved that doll.

Song & Dance - She loved tap dancing and taught me my first time step.:) She used to organize all of the performances at her senior center and choreograph numbers for everyone there. I can remember watching Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies with her and listening to her sing along.

Betty Boop - she had figurines and calendars and mugs with Betty on them.

Teddy Bears - she had different ones all over her house. She loved the ones that were dressed up.

Costume Jewelry - she had dozens of huge rings, brooches and necklaces. She loved accessorizing!

These are only a few things that remind me of my Grammy...there are way too many to list here! Her memory will always live on through me in many ways and I will never forget all of the good times we shared together. :)

DIY Covered Storage Drawer

I love my studio apartment, but I've always had an issue with the small bathroom. I own way too many beauty products, hair products, nail polishes and makeup items to fit them all in the tiny medicine cabinet and under-sink cabinet! I hate having my products out all over the bathroom - I like to stay organized and put everything in its place. I bought a mini storage drawer from Bed Bath and Beyond that I could keep on my windowsill, but it was just a plain clear drawer set that looked just like this:

Last night I decided I wanted to make it cuter and give it a bit more flair, so I used Mod Podge and scrapbook paper to give it a makeover!

(click to enlarge)

All I did was cut pieces of patterned scrapbook paper to fit the large areas of the drawer set. I adhered them with Mod Podge and then painted over them again with a thin layer of Mod Podge to seal them on. 

I used red scrapbook paper to give the edges some contrast. It was tough to get the paper to adhere perfectly to the plastic since it had many rounded edges and corners, so the drawer set definitely looks homemade, but I think it adds a bright pop of color to my bathroom and is much more fun than boring clear drawers!

(click to enlarge)

Overall, I'm happy with how it turned out! I'm thinking I may find a little something to add to the drawer pulls to make them look more fun...maybe I'll spray them with glitter paint??

Last Minute Gift Guide: The Artsy Girl

We have just 3 days left until Christmas, but that doesn't mean it's too late to shop! If you've been looking for the perfect gift for your artsy friend who loves unique finds, this is the guide for you. Every gift is under $100 so you won't break the bank. :)

One Sketch a Day Journal - $16. The artist (or the girl who just likes to doodle!) will love this journal that features a page for each day of the year so they can save all of their creative designs.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Miss Marc Shopper - $58. This versatile bag is easy to carry and will hold everything she needs to stay creative. The graphic is quirky and fun and unlike anything anyone else will be wearing!

Lomography 35mm Fisheye Camera - $50. This hot pink camera takes old school fisheye shots that will be perfect for her scrapbook or latest art project.

Theodora & Callum Paint Brush Wearable Art Scarf - $89. This hand printed scarf features a gorgeous paint stroke design and can be worn in a variety of fun ways.

The Big Ass Book of Crafts 2 - $14. Great for the girl who loves DIY! This book is chock full of fun projects that will keep her busy on rainy days or long weekends.

K.Amato Rainbow Bangle - $48. This colorful, chunky bangle will make a statement when paired with any of her outfits.

Forest Trees Wall Decals - $85. This customizeable wall decal gives her the freedom to be creative. The decal can be ordered in an variety of colors and she can arrange it on her walls in whichever way she pleases. This is a beautiful project for the girl who loves to decorate!

Last Minute Gift Guide: The Glitter Girl

It's not too late to find that perfect gift for your sister, BFF or cousin! This gift guide is for the girl who loves glitter, sequins, and everything sparkly! Everything here is under $100, so there's something for every budget.

Juicy Couture Stardust Glitter Smart Phone Case - $35. She can carry her iPhone or Blackberry in style!! Available in silver, black and gold.

Deborah Lippmann 'Dance Music' Holiday Mini Trio - $29. Deborah Lippmann makes the best nail polish out there! Your gift recipient will have three great colors to choose from with this fun set.

Zara Tulle Dress with Sequins - $90. This black sequined dress is perfect for New Years Eve parties and suits any body shape.

J.Crew Glitter Purse - $50. This adorable silver bag can be worn as a clutch or with the chain strap. 

Dara Ettinger Felicia Disco Druzy Stud Earrings - $95. Druzy jewelry is all the rage right now and these unique sparkly studs are sure to make her smile.

TOMS 'Classic' Glitter Slip-On - $54. Perfect for the casual girl who still loves a little sparkle!

Last Minute Gift Guide: Guys

**For my 2012 men's gift guide, click here!

Most guys can be really tough to shop for, don't you think?  You don't want to get them sweaters and ties year after year, but it can be difficult to think of new creative gifts that they'll actually like and use!  If you haven't yet purchased a holiday gift for the guy in your life, I've got you covered! My gift guide has a gift for everyone on your list: dads, brothers, boyfriends...there's something that every guy will enjoy. :) Best of all, everything is under $100!

Kiehl's Ultimate Man Collection - $50. This kit filled with manly products has everything he needs to stay handsome but wouldn't think to buy himself!

The Art of Shaving 'The 4 Elements of the Perfect Shave - Sandalwood' Kit - $115. Perfect for the guy who travels a lot for business (or pleasure!)

Bergino City Map Baseballs - $20. These unique baseballs make a great gift for the baseball lover in your life! Choose a New York, Boston, Chicago, DC, LA, San Francisco or Jerusalem ball that comes with a turf display stand and gift box.  

Full 60 to History - $50. What more could a Bruins fan want? Glossy photos, great stories, in depth interviews...this book has it all! (If your guy isn't a Bruins fan, there are lots of awesome sports themed coffee table books out there that feature his favorite team.)

Incase Neoprene 15" Gray Laptop Sleeve - $40. This is something that every guy with a laptop needs but might not necessarily think to buy. It's extremely practical and the neutral color keeps it from being flashy.

Charging Station - $28. This all-in-one charging station sits nicely on a desktop and charges his smartphone, iPod and e-reader all at once! What's not to like?

Custom Vinyl Record Bookends - $15. These bookends are custom made from vintage records and are perfect for the guy who loves music and retro decor.

And last but not least....tickets! (prices vary.) Get your guy tickets to see his favorite team play, hear his favorite band perform, or laugh at his favorite comedian. This is a great way for the two of you to spend time together and give him a fun experience at the same time!

S'mores cookies for 'Cookie Swap for a Cause'

Today I had the pleasure of participating in the Cookie Swap for a Cause hosted by Boston Food Swap and the Swapaholics in Fort Point! All proceeds from the event benefited Cookies for Kids' Cancer, so it was great to see so many people who baked and came out to support this awesome charity.

I chose to make a delicious S'mores cookie recipe that I've made a few times before and people always love, and sure enough, they were a hit at the event!

Cookie Dough Filled Cupcakes

Not only are these cupcakes super easy to make, they are definitely a crowd pleaser! Who doesn't love the combination of chocolate chip cookies and chocolate cupcakes?  When you bite into the cupcake, you get a nice mouthful of cookie dough that is just delicious and the light whipped cream cheese frosting is the perfect compliment.

*These cupcakes have been featured by Lauren Conrad on her official website and on her Pinterest account and by Pillsbury on their Facebook page!

Christmas Cookies

In my job as a Manager Assistant, I support 6 very busy consulting managers. I never know what to give them for Christmas because they can buy themselves anything they want!! I decided to bake them each a batch of Christmas cookies this year and although I wouldn't call them professional looking (or even close!), they are definitely cute and full of Christmas cheer. I did the best I could using the only Christmas themed sprinkles and icing tubes I could find at Shaws! (There wasn't much to choose from...)

Here is the recipe I used to make the Christmas cookies.. I doubled the cookie recipe to make enough cookies to give to 6 people, but the frosting recipe did not need to be doubled to cover all the cookies!

Sugar Cookies
adapted from Our Best Bites

For the cookies...

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large or extra large egg
• 1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups flour
• 1.5 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy - about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla extract and mix to incorporate.
2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.
3. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until completely combined.
4. Immediately roll dough out between two sheets of parchment paper and then place on a flat surface in the fridge. Chill for about a half hour.
5. Lightly sprinkle flour on your counter top and roll the dough out with a rolling pin. Using your Christmas cookie cutters, cut out as many shapes as you can!
6. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes for a nice soft sugar cookie. If you want the cookies to be crispier, bake for 10-12 minutes.

For the icing...

• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 6 tablespoons whole milk
• 6 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

With a whisk, combine sugar and milk until smooth with no lumps. Then stir in corn syrup and vanilla extract.

Some helpful tips...

• make sure you let the icing harden completely before trying to decorate your cookies. I didn't do that because I was rushing and I ended up with droopy faces on my snowmen and gingerbread men. :(
• let the icing and decorations set before you put your cookies in their containers or packaging. This will keep them from rubbing off onto each other.
• use icing to outline your cookies! it makes them look more vibrant :) I didn't have outlines on any of them at first but when I started to outline the edges, they started to look much cuter.

Even though they look a little childish, they tasted fantastic and my managers were all very surprised to receive them today!! They really do make a great gift.

Some Christmas Cheer!

Now that I've decorated my apartment and my tree, I'm 100% in the Christmas spirit! Here are some of my favorite Christmas pictures to make you feel holly and jolly. :)

(all pictures are from Pinterest, Tumblr and Google images)