Friday Inspiration: Quotes I Love

Happy Friday!! Before I share my favorite quotes from this week, I wanted to highlight a really unique and inspiring documentary project called "Strength and Beauty" by Chelsea Wayant. Here's some info about the documentary in Chelsea's own words: "With this documentary I want to give working ballerinas an opportunity to give voice to an icon that is in danger of disappearing from our society. It has been argued that ballet is dying and, thus, so is the ballerina. To accomplish a well-rounded portrayal I felt it was important to profile three dancers: one at the beginning of her career, one at her prime, and one preparing to transition."

As you will hear in the snippet below, Chelsea started a Kickstarter page to help raise money to hire a sound professional to polish her film before she enters it into film festivals. Since I spent 19 years of my life as a dancer, this project is very near and dear to me, so I hope you will consider donating to help her reach her goal!

Now, on to the quotes...

What I'm Dreaming Of...

For this month's dream post, there's only one thing I'm wishing for: a return trip to Paris! I was lucky enough to visit back in 2010 but I would absolutely love to go again and it's all I've been thinking about lately! Here are some gorgeous photos of Paris...it was hard for me to narrow them down, but I chose my favorite ten for your viewing pleasure :)

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Kreativ Blogger & One Lovely Blog Awards

Recently I was nominated by two of my fellow bloggers for two different fun blogger awards!

Madai from Leather & Pearl nominated me for the...

and Mollie from Pink Pineapple nominated me for the...

A huge thank you to both ladies for highlighting my blog and featuring me on their pages! Please make sure to check out Leather & Pearl and Pink Pineapple today!

Style Inspiration: Hanging Dresses

Normally my style inspiration posts feature chic ladies in amazing outfits, but today I wanted to post some inspiring fashion images that don't include any people in them! Don't these hanging dresses make you want to run to your closet, pull out your prettiest pieces and start snapping photos?

oscar de la renta dresses

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Bright Handbags for Summer

The easiest way to add a fun pop of color to your summer wardrobe is to buy a bright bag! I've picked my six favorite bright bags over $100 and my six favorite under $100, so there's something for everyone on my list. Let me know in the comments which bag is your favorite!

bright bags over 100 by amybreckenridge on polyvore

1. The Cambridge Company Satchel - $155

2. Kate Spade New York 'Gold Coast Leighton' - $468

3. Rebecca Minkoff 'Lazer Bubble' Mini Crossbody - $350

4. Marc by Marc Jacobs 'Classic Q Natasha' Bag - $368

5. Rebecca Minkoff 'Mini Mac' Convertible Clutch - $195

6. Sam Edelman 'Hugo' Messenger - $348

made with apple picture collage maker lite

1. ModCloth 'Made for Blue' Bag - $45

2. ModCloth 'Something About Hue' Bag - $63

3. ModCloth 'Grasshopper, Skip & Jump' Bag - $60

4. ModCloth 'Golden Hits' Bag - $65

5. ModCloth 'All Bright With Me' Bag - $60

6. ModCloth 'Urban Adventure' Bag - $60

Design Inspiration: Feminine Living Rooms

One of the best things about living alone is being able to decorate your apartment to entirely suit your tastes. No need to compromise on color or style with a roommate or significant other! While my apartment is definitely girly, it's more on the modern side with lots of black & white, jewel tones and a few vintage accents thrown in. These uber feminine living rooms have me rethinking my decor and wishing my apartment had more pink!!

Friday Inspiration: Quotes I Love

It's Friday again and today I am celebrating because my blog has officially reached 100 followers! I wanted to say a HUGE thank you to each and every one of you for following my blog and leaving me comments!!

When I started Cupcakes & Couture back in November, I really didn't give much thought to how many followers I would get...I just wanted a place where I could express myself creatively and share my interests and passions. I started the blog more for me than for anyone else, but it feels so great that 100 people like it enough to follow me! :) I could not be happier!

And now, on to the quotes...

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Beach Beauty Must Haves

Now that summer is officially here, I've put together a list of my beach beauty must haves! Let me know which products make your list in the comments.

Beach Beauty by amybreckenridge

1. Dior Vernis in St. Tropez 401 - $23. The perfect shade of ocean turquoise for your nails!

2. Josie Maran Bohemian Waves Mist - $22. No need to blow dry your hair this summer - just spray this on damp locks for soft, textured & moisturized waves.

3. Boscia Super Cool Depuffing Eye Balm - $26. Use this to moisturize and depuff tired eyelids after too many days in the sun (or too many sangrias!)

4. Korres Yoghurt Cooling Gel - $23.50. Keep this healing body & face gel in the fridge and slather all over after a long day in the sun to moisturize and prevent sunburn.

5. Bobbi Brown Beach Eau de Parfum - $67.50. This blend of jasmine, sea spray and madarin is the perfect signature scent for summer!

6. Fekkai After Sun Hair Mask - $25. This mask conditions and detangles hair that's been dried out from too much sun and protects hair from UV rays and fading.

7. Dior Creme de Rose Lip Balm SPF 10 - $26.50. Smells great, looks pretty and protects your lips from the sun - what else could you want in a lip balm?

8. Shiseido Oil Free SPF 42 for Face - $30. This high level SPF protects your face from sun damage but is oil free and safe for even the most sensitive skin.

9. Supergoop! Everyday SPF 30 Lotion - $48. This gigantic bottle will give you more than enough sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun every day this summer! 

Style Advice: Pointy Heels

Hi there everyone! I hope you're all having a great week so far. I've never used my blog for fashion advice before, but seeing that I have a bunch of extremely stylish followers, I thought I would reach out to you and ask for your opinion!

I have been eyeing these Jean-Michel Cazabat 'Emma' Two Tone Pumps ($265) in dusty rose/aubergine:

The color, shape and unique snakeskin toe really caught my eye, but I've never worn pointy heels before so I am a bit hesitant to buy them! I usually stick to peep toes or a rounded toe when it comes to my heels. Even though they are technically purple, I think the color is muted enough so I could wear them as a neutral with a variety of colors in my wardrobe. I can picture myself wearing them with skinny jeans, pencil skirts and dresses, but something has been holding me back from snapping them up right away! 

So please tell me: what do you think? Would you wear these heels? Are they haute or not? I'm really looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

My Favorite Mac & Cheese Recipe

As you've probably noticed by now, I'm more of a baker than a chef! :) But ask anyone who knows me well what my favorite food is and they'll all give you the same answer: mac & cheese!! It's been my favorite since I was a little girl and it's still my favorite indulgence at age 26, so it was necessary for me to find an awesome mac & cheese recipe that I could make my own.

This recipe is my absolute go-to for mac & cheese and was adapted from the amazing Barefoot Contessa. The smoked gruyere was my addition and gives it a really interesting flavor, almost like it has bacon in it, but it's meat free! Note: you will need 3 open burners on the stove top in order to make this recipe, so it does require a bit of multitasking! By the second time you make it, you'll have it down pat, but I found myself scrambling a bit the first time I made it as I'm much more comfortable using a stand mixer and the oven. :)

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Style Inspiration: Mint Green

Mint is one of my favorite colors for this spring/summer...I can't get enough of it, whether I'm wearing mint jewels, a sheer mint top or mint nail polish. Here are some of the most stylish fashionistas who prove that it actually is easy being green! :) Which look is your fave?

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Friday Inspiration: Quotes I Love

It's finally Friday! I hope you all have a great weekend  :)

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Kelleher Rose Garden in Boston

One of my favorite places to go during the summer in Boston is one that many people don't know about, but I'm going to let you all in on my secret. :) The Kelleher Rose Garden is an absolutely stunning, peaceful and fairly hidden garden in the Fens which are right around the corner from my apartment. During the months of June and July, all of the roses are in full bloom and there are hundreds of species in different colors, shapes, sizes and scents.I feel like I am walking through the secret garden when I'm there. I often bring a book or my kindle and sit on one of the benches and read for hours  :)

a secret garden in the city

Every time I visit, I can't help taking a bunch of photos because everywhere I turn I see beauty! I wanted to share some of my photos with you today. If you live in the city or are visiting at any point during the summer, I highly recommend you visit the Kelleher Rose Garden - you will not be disappointed! More photos after the jump.

Design Inspiration: Feminine Chairs

There's something really inviting about a beautiful chair. Whether it's decorated with cozy blankets, ruffled pillows or your favorite book, it's great to carve out a corner in your home for a pretty chair with accents that express your personality.

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Nautical Stripes

I've never been one to wear stripes, but I've really been drawn to nautical stripes for this summer! I just bought this cute striped dress from Forever 21 ($14.80) and can't stop wearing it on sunny days.

I've compiled a list of some other cute sailor inspired pieces that I also have my eye on - it was hard to narrow it down! Which is your favorite?

Mango 'Monaco' dress - $40

Kate Spade New  York 'Sidney' Striped Tote - $213 (available in lime and hot pink!)

No Bake Cake Batter Truffles

This past Friday, my friend Jen had a Tupperware party at her apartment! I wanted to bring a sweet treat but didn't have enough time to bake, so I decided to try out this cake batter truffle recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything. Being a a huge fan of anything cake batter flavored, I knew I would absolutely love these, and I was right! They turned out delicious and were a huge hit at the party. The centers are basically raw cake batter (without the egg of course) and taste soooo darn good! I dipped half in white chocolate and half in milk chocolate so all palettes would be pleased, but you could choose just one if you wanted. :)

Friday Inspiration: Quotes I Love

It's the first weekend in June - can you believe it? Time really does fly by! I hope we all luck out with beautiful sunny weather so we can spend some time outdoors this weekend :)

I made the first quote earlier this week when I was feeling stressed...the song from Peter Pan was just what I needed to feel better!

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Design Inspiration: Gorgeous Kitchens

Since I absolutely love to bake, I'm really inspired by beautiful kitchens. My kitchen is about the size of a walk in closet, so I'm always dreaming of bigger (and more modern) kitchens to whip up my recipes in. I know I included one of these kitchens in my May wish list last week, but I couldn't help including it again along with some other beauties that you need to see!

Which kitchen would you feel most home in? It's hard for me to choose because they are all so perfect!

Perfectly pink and girly...

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A stone backsplash...

Clean white & light green...

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Summer Maxi Dresses

I know that maxi dresses have been in style for awhile now, but I just started wearing them last summer. I always thought that because I was on the shorter side (5'4") I couldn't pull them off, but once I tried one on, I learned that I was so wrong!! Maxis really are super flattering on girls of all heights and body shapes. My friend Cordy is a great example - doesn't she look fab?

maxi dress: 344 (similar), blazer: J.Crew (similar),

sandals: Jack Rogers, hat: Target (similar)

My favorite maxi dresses for this summer feature brights, pastels, colorblocking, stripes of all types & sizes, ombre and tie dye. I love that you can wear maxis with cute flat sandals for a casual daytime look and then switch to platforms or wedges for a more dressy nighttime look. Let me know which dress is your favorite in the comments below.

Young, Fabulous & Broke 'Jeremiah' Ombre Halter Maxi Dress - $229

FELICITY & COCO Chevron Print Jersey Maxi Dress - $78

Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies

I have always loved Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies. When it comes to store bought, individually wrapped desserts, they have been my favorite since I was a kid. This past Saturday I baked a homemade version of this classic treat and fell in love - I could not stop eating them no matter how hard I tried!! They tasted even better than the store bought pies (sorry Debbie) and are definitely better for you since they are all natural and fresh.

Friday Inspiration: Quotes I Love

Happy Friday everyone! It's supposed to be a rainy weekend here in Boston, but that gives me an excuse to stay in, bake and watch movies! :)