2013 Christmas Gifts That Give Back

It’s that time of year again… Thanksgiving has come and gone and Christmas shopping is in full swing for many as they try to wrap up their holiday shopping. I definitely fall into that category and find myself thinking about my gift list too many times throughout the day while I should be working. If you’re like me, you want to find something special for each person on your list – something that you know they’ll love and appreciate. Over the past few years, I feel like I’ve realized the value of charity more, and of supporting a cause that you feel strongly towards. So this year I’m going to try to incorporate that as much as I can into my Christmas gift giving. And I’d like to encourage you to do the same!

So, how do you give a charitable gift? There’s always the traditional way of making a donation in someone’s name, which is an excellent way to directly support a cause. However, I like to have something wrapped up that my friends and family can open – the best part of gift giving for me is watching their delight while they open it!  I sought out items online that, when purchased, give back to a charitable organization but that are also sparkly enough to light up someone’s face when they receive them. Here are my suggestions for 2013 Christmas gifts that give back.

Sevenly

Sevenly.org has become one of my absolute favorite websites this year and I can’t say enough good things about this company. They are an organization that chooses a different charity each week, sells merchandise to support that cause for seven days, and donate $7 from each purchase to the charity. From child sex trafficking awareness, to ending teen suicide to supporting adoption in children with down syndrome, they support so many worthy causes, and help bring awareness to the growing needs of our world. Sevenly has some pretty awesome inventory, like the most amazing graphic tees, some fab prints, notebooks, jewelry, accessories and baby goods. You should be able to find something for anyone on your list from Sevenly – a cool tee for the guys, some beautiful jewelry or a print for the girls, and a onsie, tee or stuffed animal for the kids! Their current charity is  Operation Christmas Child, and remember to check back every week to see what they’re selling and who they’re supporting next!

(Bonus Facts: Your Sevenly package will arrive in the coolest designed packaging imaginable – they have some serious graphic designers over there. And each purchase comes with a nifty Sevenly sticker, asking the recipient to snap a picture of them in the product and tag themselves on one of Sevenly’s social media sites. How fun!)

Sevenly cause tees

Sevenly charitable gifts including jewelry, bags, and prints.

Sevenly home decor, note pads, note cards.

Toms

Ok, let’s be honest – everyone loves a good pair of Toms! This is a real easy gift idea. Toms makes groovy shoes for women, men and children, and the best part is their motto: One For One. For every pair of Toms purchased, they donate a pair of shoes to a person in need. So you can walk around in comfort knowing that somewhere in the world there is another pair of shoes on someone’s feet who appreciates it more than you can imagine – all because of you. I recently received the leopard print pair as a gift (best gift ever!) and am currently crushing on the serpentine pattern.

But Toms is no longer just offering shoes; they’ve now added eyewear to their wheelhouse. And with every pair of Toms glasses purchased, you give sight to one person by way of prescription glasses, sight-saving surgeries, and medical treatments. There is also a Marketplace page, where you have access to tons of charitable gifts from organizations benefiting various causes. Jewelry, apparel, ear buds, this page has it all!

Toms Men’s Classics

Toms Women’s Eyewear

Toms Marketplace

West Elm

I was recently looking for a birthday gift for one of my dearest friends, and this particular girl (along with her wonderful hubby!) is very involved in St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital charity work. So, when I stumbled across the glass bird paperweight on West Elm’s site which benefits St. Jude, it was like serendipity! While on their site I found some other really nice charitable gifts. They have mugs with the designs on them that benefit various charities including ASPCA®, Architecture For Humanity, Oceana, Teach For America, Doctors Without Borders, and It Gets Better. Seriously, something for everyone!

West Elm charitable gifts benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

West Elm charity mugs benefiting multiple organizations

Some other great sites to check for charitable Christmas gift ideas are Project7, Sephora, Grounds For Change, and Build-A-Bear Workshop.

Do you have any suggestions for charitable gifts? Happy Holidays!

#MusicMonday – Ed Sheeran

Just when you think Ed Sheeran couldn’t get any cooler, he goes and releases a new song for the upcoming Hobbit sequel The Desolation of Smaug. I mean, really Ed? Really?

A few months ago I discovered Ed Sheeran, and my music collection will never be the same because of it. If you’re not familiar with Ed, here’s the rundown: he’s a 22-year-old British, award-winning artist, bestie to Taylor Swift, soulful singer and amazing songwriter. He’s extremely talented, performing his songs with just himself and a loop pedal (which allows him to act as drums, bass, and background vocals) and has gained superstardom not only in the UK, but also in the States. His album, +, was released in 2011, and soon after Taylor Swift asked him to write and perform a song with her for her album Red. So they penned and recorded “Everything Has Changed” (love it!) and Taylor loved Ed so much that she asked him to come open her US Red tour with her, which of course he did. (Does anyone really say “no” to Taylor Swift?) His song “The A Team” was nominated for Song of the Year at the 2013 Grammy’s, where he performed with Sir Elton John. Ed recently sold out three shows at Madison Square Garden (sold out! wow) where he surprised concert-goers each night with a special guest opening act, and even brought Taylor out on stage at one point to sing with him!

+  has become one of my all time favorite albums; some of the highlights you definitely need to check out are “Give Me Love“, “Lego House” (Harry Potter fans will love this one), “Drunk“, and “Small Bump“. The record has absolutely been played dozens of times in my house and I love watching videos of Ed performing. To get the full effect of the loop pedal and what all this kid can do, watch The Live Room performance of “Give Me Love” here. Ed Sheeran has gone on me and my husband’s list of live shows to see at some point in our lives.

So, we were thrilled when he announced on Twitter a few weeks ago that he was asked by Peter Jackson himself (whoa!) to write and perform the song for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. “I See Fire” is sooo good, I got goose bumps the first time I heard it. Ed captures the story of a dragon wreaking havoc on Middle Earth in this song so well, and I look forward to hearing it as the credits role at the end of the movie. Which my husband and I will be going to see on opening day. Because we’re nerds.

Here is the video for the song, which Ed performs all instruments and vocals on, except for the cello. (I guess there really are some things this guy can’t do.) Break out your hoodies and your cuppa tea and crank this one up, y’all.

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Scream Queens – The Best of the Best

Halloween is tomorrow and my annual Halloween horror movie marathon is in full swing. Fact: I am a fan of the horror genre.   I blame it on my Mother – she always made Halloween so fun and magical when I was little. From costumes and trick-or-treating, to staying up late each year, vegging out on the living room floor, eating candy while watching Michael Myers. I grew up thinking horror movies were fun.

One of my earliest memories is watching The House of Long Shadows starring the fantastic Vincent Price. Granted, this is probably one of my earliest memories because it scared the ever living crap out of me and scarred me for life. Nevertheless, I love me some scary movies. Particularly the cheesy nineteen-eighties films like Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th and my absolute favorite, Halloween. Since it’s that time of year again, I’d like to dedicate this blog post to all the classic Scream Queens of the silver screen.

Neve Campbell – Scream series

Scream was released in 1996, a time when good horror movies were few and far between. When it was released, Scream took the world by surprise, reinventing the slasher film genre by none other than Wes Craven – the man who helped build it more than a decade earlier. Neve Campbell portrayed Sidney Prescott, a high school student who is targeted by a crazed, knife-weilding murderer known as Ghostface. Sid and her friends battle the murderer(s) while learning the “rules” of horror movies, which include (according to Randy): “1. You can never have sex. The minute you get a little nookie–you’re as good as gone. Sex always equals death. 2. Never drink or do drugs. The sin factor. It’s an extension of number one. And 3. Never, ever, ever, under any circumstances, say ‘I’ll be right back.'”

I will never forget seeing this movie in the theater when it came out and it is still one of my all-time favorite movies. Fans will always remember that creepy voice asking “What’s your favorite scary movie?” at the opening of the film. And Sidney is my top choice for Scream Queen in terms of what a good horror heroine should entail – she was a good girl who was determined to stay alive at any cost. Campbell went on to star in all four additional Scream movies, all of which were note-worthy horror films – something that rarely happens in the world of sequels.

Heather Langenkamp – A Nightmare on Elm Street series

In 1984 we were introduced to one of the most recognizable monsters of all time, known for his striped sweater, stylish hat, burned face and of course, the infamous knife hands – Freddy Krueger. The lead in A Nightmare on Elm Street was a character called Nancy Thompson, played by Heather Langenkamp. Nancy was a high school student (starting to notice a trend here with horror movie leads…) who, along with her friends, begins experiencing horrific dreams that are all too real, starring none other than Freddy himself. As her friends are killed off one by one in the most gruesome of ways, it’s up to Nancy to stay awake and figure out how to take down Freddy. Langenkamp went on to star as Nancy in 2 sequels –  A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors and Wes Craven’s New Nightmare. Sadly though, her reign as a Scream Queen came to an end in Dream Warriors when Freddy finally caught up to her. But then she comes back in New Nightmare. Go figure. RIP, Nancy.

Linda Blair – The Exorcist series

What do I say about this next Queen? She starred in one of the most scary movies of all time – The Exorcist. Linda Blair portrayed 12 year old Regan, a little girl who is possessed by a very, very evil demon while her mother is forced to helplessly watch. Regan endures some pretty sick torture by the demon possessing her, things involving crucifixes and pea soup that I don’t wish to repeat. And then there’s the head-spinning horror of the actual exorcism performed by the priests.

 

 

Linda Blair starred in the sequel Exorcist II: The Heretic, which follows Regan years later, where she finds that some of the evil that once possessed her still lives inside her. All I can say is, if you don’t want to be thoroughly creeped out and not be able to sleep at night, absolutely do not watch these movies.

Jamie Lee Curtis – Halloween series

And finally, we come to my all-time favorite Scream Queen – Jamie Lee Curtis herself. Halloween was released in 1978 and starred Curtis, in her first movie role, as Laurie Strode, an awkward teenage girl who got stuck babysitting some neighbor kids on Halloween. Poor Laurie had no idea that her psychotic, long-lost brother, Michael Myers, would decide to come get his kicks by killing all of her friends and coming for her in the end. But Laurie kept her wits about her and was determined to live and keep those kids safe! She fought back (with a coat hanger to the eye) and made it to the sequel! Halloween II picked up right where Halloween ended – following Laurie to the hospital after her traumatic fight for survival. But once at the hospital, Michael rises from the dead in the  morgue and goes on another killing spree.

 

Jamie Lee survived the hospital too, and went on to appear in two other Halloween films – Halloween H2O, which also starred Josh Hartnett and Michelle Williams, where she played Laurie as a mother and head mistress of a boarding school. Of course Michael comes for her there and she now has to protect her son and some kids at the school. (This one was also one of my faves!) And sadly, Jamie Lee’s reign as Screen Queen came to an end in Halloween: Resurrection in 2002, where Michael finally catches her in a mental hospital – where she has stowed herself so he couldn’t get to her. I gotta say, I was pretty upset when they killed her off. But Halloween isn’t the only horror movie Jamie Lee is known for. She also starred in such films as Prom Night, Terror Train and The Fog. I think she will always be the ultimate Scream Queen.

So, what’s your favorite scary movie? 

Happy Halloween!

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Casting Christian Grey

The news broke this weekend that Charlie Hunnam will no longer be playing Christian Grey in next year’s highly anticipated big-screen adaptation of the Fifty Shades of Grey novel by E. L. James. I have to say, I was a little thrilled by this information. I read all three books in the Fifty Shades trilogy earlier this year after putting it off for a long time, thinking it was going to be some silly erotica/romance novel that was beneath me. Boy, was I wrong. It sucked me in and I unwillingly joined the ranks of millions of  totally obsessed fans of the series.

When I heard that Charlie Hunnam had been cast to play the infamous Christian Grey, I was pretty disappointed. The anticipation of finding out who would be cast had built up so much and when they announced it, it was a pretty big let down for me. I never pictured anything like Hunnam as Grey when I was reading the books, and I know that when novels are adapted into movies they almost never cast someone you imagined…but still.

So, needless to say I am excited that there is still hope for Christian Grey, and of course I have a few suggestions of my own. Here are four fine fellas that I would not be upset about being cast as Christian in the Fifty Shades of Grey movie.

1. Henry Cavill – You know the British actor as Superman from last summer’s blockbuster Man of Steel and also from the Showtime series The Tudors. I’m not going to lie, I first pictured Christian Grey as very similar looking to Henry Cavill while reading the books. He’s definitely got the body and the looks, doesn’t he? Cavill has been a fan favorite to play Grey since it was announced that it would be made in to a movie. But with intensive filming beginning very soon on Man of Steel 2, I’m skeptical that he’ll take the role as Grey.

2. Jamie  Dornan – Dornan gained popularity as Sheriff Graham / The Huntsman on Once Upon A Time, and in a much darker role as creepy killer Paul Spector on the European series, The Fall. This Irish actor certainly has shown us he can portray a dark and dangerous dude (perfect for Christian!) while looking drop dead gorgeous at the same time. I remember while watching The Fall thinking to myself, “this guy could totally be Christian Grey”. And rumor has it he is currently in talks with the movie execs for taking over Mr. Hunnam’s spot.

3. Alex Pettyfer – Best known as Adam from Magic Mike, Pettyfer is another British actor I’d like to see as Christian Grey. He’s come a long way since I Am Number Four, and I think it’s time he stepped in to a bigger acting role. I could totally see him giving a crooked smile and saying “Laters, baby”, couldn’t you??

4. Robert Pattinson – Ok, there. I said it. Yes, I’d like to see RPatz as Christian Grey. I mean come on! He’s gone to some dark, tortured places onscreen before as the oppressed and lovesick vampire in Twilight,  and I’ve seen him do some more serious acting since then. He could totally pull it off! I think it would shock a lot of people to see him in such a grown-up role for a change, and probably come as a pleasant surprise. And word on the street is E. L. James wanted Pattinson originally for the film adaptation of her novel. Surely she’s got some pull!

Now I want to hear your opinion. Have you read the books? Are you interested in seeing the movie? Weigh in and let me know who you would like to see as Christian Grey in the film adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey.

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#MusicMonday – Tegan and Sara “Closer”

Oh, Tegan and Sara. You two rock my world. These Canadian identical twins are not only cute, but extremely talented. They sing, play instruments and write their own music. They have released seven studio albums, and tour constantly. If you ever have an opportunity to see them live, take it! I first saw them in 2010 in New Orleans when they opened for Paramore during the Honda Civic Tour. I had heard their songs “Walking With A Ghost” and “Back In Your Head” before, but after seeing them live I was sold. They were amazing, and I’ve loved them ever since.

Their new single, “Closer”,  is off their current album Heartthrob and it is so much fun. If you haven’t heard it yet, watch the video below. I dare you not to get sucked in to its happy, catchy beat. The first time I heard it, it reminded me of an 80’s song – so of course I loved it.

If you liked what you saw, check out some of their other stuff here, here and here.

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Copycat Fashion: Celebrity Couples Halloween Costumes

Halloween is less than three weeks away, and that means it’s time to decide on a costume! Many of you will be celebrating All Hallow’s Eve at parties with your friends, getting dressed up for each other in your most ghoulish attire. I love looking at costume ideas online, and always see some pretty fantastic ones from celebrities. They get to go to elaborate Halloween bashes and seem to always pick the most outrageous and creative costumes. This year I thought, “why not take some inspiration from the stars?” so I’m bringing you my favorites from some pretty cool celebrity couples (past and present).

First up – Christina Aguilera and ex-hubby Jordan Bratman got ghoulish in 2006 as a corpse bride and groom.

This is one of my favorite couples costumes, especially for an engaged couple or newlyweds. And it’s surprisingly easy to pull off. I don’t know about you, but every time I go thrifting at a local Goodwill or Salvation Army store I always see that one sad, lonely, and totally 80’s wedding dress. For the corpse bride look I think the tackier, the better! (Plus you won’t feel as bad destroying it with rips and fake blood.)

What you’ll need: Wedding dress, veil, silk flower bouquet, suit and tie, silk flower boutonniere, white costume makeup (or even very fair foundation, if you have a dark skin tone), and fake blood.
Optional accessories to complete the look: Opera gloves (tear them up a bit), fake eyelashes (if you want to go all out with the dramatic makeup), baby powder (put some in his hair to make him look dusty and decayed) a red lip liner pencil (draw on some cuts and scratches).

Next, it’s Kate Beckinsale and husband Len Wiseman as horror royalty Frankenstein and his bride from Halloween 2010.

I am a big fan of these two, and would expect nothing less than horror-ific from the Underworld star and writer/director themselves. Everyone loves Frankenstein, and this couples costume is easily one of the most classic choices of all time. Again, it’s very easy to pull off, and your guy wouldn’t have to do much in the way of dressing up, so they’ll love it.

What you’ll need: Old wedding dress, white dress or store-bought bride costume (get creative!), Bride of Frankenstein wig, white costume makeup, Frankenstein mask, black blazer or jacket, big black boots.
Optional accessories to complete the look: Ghoulish jewelry (check out the stitch choker below!), black costume makeup (rub some under your cheekbones for added drama), sunglasses, leather pants.

Here’s another fun one – Sophia Bush and Austin Nichols went as now famous exes Katy Perry and Russell Brand in 2010.

Ok, so this really may just be an excuse to dress slutty and don a blue wig, but you have to admit, it’s pretty funny. For the Katy Perry look any low-cut dress will do – just remember, the more cleavage the better, and stick to wildly bright colors or patterns. For Russell Brand, a long curly wig is a must, and of course, the half unbuttoned shirt.

What you’ll need: A fun, California girl inspired dress, blue wig (you could also go with lavender), curly brown wig, men’s button-up shirt (not fully buttoned, as mentioned afore), lots of necklaces.
Optional accessories to complete the look: Vest (unbuttoned, of course), sunglasses, scarf.

There are so many more great costume ideas from celebrities…

(Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart as nerds; Emma Roberts as her aunt, Julia Roberts, from Pretty Woman; Ryan Seacrest and Julianne Hough as Bonnie & Clyde; Gwen Stefani as Jesse from Toy Story; Kim Kardashian as Poison Ivy; Scott Disick as American Psycho Patrick Bateman; newlyweds Shenae Grimes and Josh Beech as Frankenstein and Bride; Lauren Conrad as Minnie Mouse; Katy Perry as a vampire.)

Of course, you could always choose the trusty (and my fave!) Lois Lane & Clark Kent/Superman costume!

Happy Halloween!

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Music Monday – Electronica Obsessions

So I am pretty sure that in some alternate universe I am a club kid. You know, those people who live in NYC and go to nightclubs with glow sticks and lose themselves in techno music. Yeah, you know. I just can’t help myself when I hear it, y’all. Electronic, progressive, ambient, techno, I love it all. Sometimes it scares me that I am so into this kind of music but most of the time I just go with it.  I love turning on my deadmau5 Pandora station while I’m working at the computer – it’s hours of amazing, trance-like background tunes. Plus, it’s amazing workout music!

I’m lucky because right now there seems to be a spike in that genre and everyone is teaming up with DJ’s to make their songs more electronic. Here are a few that I can’t get enough of lately… if you’ve never given this type of music a try, here’s your chance!

(click images for links to awesomeness videos)

Lana Del Rey – Summertime Sadness Remix
Miss. Lana is so alluring and so is the mix behind her sultry voice in this gem.

Calvin Harris Feat. Ellie Goulding – I Need Your Love
This guy is huge right now, and so is Ellie – double tap! I love this fun, upbeat song! And how cute are these two in this video??

Zedd Feat. Hayley Williams of Paramore – Stay The Night
Ok, if you haven’t heard me say it before, I freaking love Hayley Williams. Like, I’m obsessed with her. And now I’m obsessed with this song, too.

Skrillex – Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites
This one is kinda cray-cray. If you’ve seen Spring Breakers you will recognize it. I dig the insane and erratic chords.

deadmau5 – Raise Your Weapon
I love this guy. He’s really creative and loves cats. Slow things down with this one and lose yourself in the trance!

La Roux – In For The Kill Skrillex Remix
She is super cute and reminds me of a little fairy. This song is light and airy but then Skrillex really mixes things up in the middle.

Calvin Harris Feat. Florence Welch – Sweet Nothing
Ok, prepare to be blown away. Calvin is back but this time with the one and only Flo (minus the machine). She’s so amazing. This video is pretty amazing, too.

Swedish House Mafia Feat. John Martin – Don’t You Worry Child
This is a great upbeat song that I can’t help but sing along to at the top of my lungs! (While dancing around like a nerd, of course.)

Do you like this type of music? If so, what are some of your faves?

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Hiatus Over + Etsy Shop Coming Soon

I’m back from what turned out to be a longer than expected Summer hiatus. I took some time to myself and also started a long overdue project that I’ve been telling myself I’ve needed to launch for quite some time now (why yes, I am a procrastinator, thank you).  For the past few years I have been tossing around the idea of doing something creative, and I think I used blogging as a stepping stone. I finally decided I was ready, and have spent the past few months working on tweaking my graphic design skillz with the intent of opening an Esty shop by the end of the year!

I am sticking with what works for me and going with the name “Good Girl Graphics” with the idea of incorporating my shop into my blog. I’ll continue to do posts on whatever I feel like blabbing about but will throw in some posts on my latest graphic projects, as well.  Good Girl Graphics (GGG) will feature party supplies like invitations, thank you cards, and cupcake toppers, as well as announcements and prints. All items will be sold as digital files to be printed by the customer. My goal is to have my shop open by Christmas.

So what do you think? I am constantly looking for inspiration in the form of party themes for invitation ideas, so if you have any please leave me a comment below! Did your child have a birthday party or go to one that had a cute and popular theme?

Oh and by the way…

Happy October!!

Character Fashion Inspiration: The Girls of “Spring Breakers”

My husband and I watched the movie Spring Breakers last night. Let me start by saying this is not a movie for the faint hearted. This extremely controversial film follows four best friends as they embark on every college student’s rite of passage – Spring Break (obviously). It stars Disney alums Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Pretty Little Liars Ashley Benson, and relatively unknown (to me, at least) Rachel Korine. With a cast like that you are expecting good girl behavior, right? Well my friend you couldn’t be more wrong. These girls are wild, unpredictable, rebellious, and extremely violent.

Spring Breakers was fascinating to me. I honestly can’t say that I didn’t like the movie but I also can’t say that I particularly liked it. It was very intriguing, kind of like a car wreck – you don’t want to look at it but you can’t help wanting to see what happens. In addition to a graphic snapshot of our current society’s Spring Break beach activities (think lots of drinking, drugs and promiscuous behavior) the girls set the tone of the movie when a few of them decide to rob a restaurant for the money they’ll need to go on Spring Break. And that doesn’t even come close to the drama that ensues after James Franco’s character, Alien, comes in to the picture.

I am a huge Franco fan, and think he was brilliantly funny / disturbingly realistic as a dangerous rapper and drug dealer. I found myself wondering several times throughout the movie if this is what it’s really like to be a young adult in the world today, and I will admit, it scared me.  The fashion of Spring Breakers was really fun, though. Set during Spring Break, the cast mostly wore bikinis or beach attire the entire movie. There were some really cute bathing suits and accessories, and it definitely gets you in a summery, beachy mood. Here are a few fashion inspiration boards that I created with Spring Breakers in mind via Polyvore (click on each board for info on the pieces). You can also shop official Spring Breakers inspired clothing and merchandise here.

 

 

Have you seen Spring Breakers? If so, leave me a comment telling me what you thought of it.
Did you love it or hate it? 

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Quick and Easy Meal – Chicken Spaghetti

We eat a lot of chicken in my house. Like, a lot. I’m talking 3 out of 5 meals will have chicken in them. Eating the same thing all the time can be very monotonous and boring, so we try to think of different ways to cook it. There’s the Paula Deen Chicken and Rice Casserole (which I’ve already shown you how to do), Chicken Alfredo, chicken salad, baked chicken, grilled chicken, etc, etc. But my absolute favorite chicken recipe is one I got from my mom that her mom gave her. Chicken Spaghetti was my favorite meal growing up – I always requested it on my birthday or for special occasions.

This recipe is near and dear to my heart, and I hope you and your family enjoy it as well. It’s a great, big casserole that can be eaten throughout the workweek. Here’s my recipe for Chicken Spaghetti.

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2/3 package thin spaghetti noodles – noodles broken in half
1 can Campbell’s Cream of Celery Soup
1 yellow or Vidalia onion, chopped
1 green Bell Pepper, chopped
1 jar diced pimentos
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
Olive Oil

Boil your chicken in a large pot of water, transfer cooked chicken to a plate but reserve broth. Dice or shred the chicken, whichever you prefer. Cook the noodles in the reserved the broth. Sauté diced onion and pepper in olive oil until translucent.

In a large mixing bowl combine chopped chicken, onions, peppers, pimentos and soup. Spoon noodles into the mixture and stir well.  I usually add a few large spoonfuls of the reserved broth as well (this makes it less dry – you want it to have a juicy consistency but not too watery). Season it with salt, pepper and garlic powder (however much you like). Last, add 1 cup of cheese and stir it up real good.

Transfer to a large casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cover the top of the casserole with the remaining cup of cheese during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Let me know if you try this and like it, or if you are already making a version of Chicken Spaghetti! Enjoy! 

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Music Monday – Ben Howard

Life gets hard sometimes. We all have things going on and from time to time it’s easy to get bogged down and let the negativity take over. I want to remind you all (with the help of a song) to take a minute and be thankful for your life and what you’ve been given. I can’t think of a better song to lift everyone up than one by Ben Howard.

I’ve been listening to my Ben Howard Every Kingdom record a lot lately (a gift from my wonderful husband) and wanted to share one of my absolute favorite songs off of it today. Ben’s music is so beautiful – if you’ve never heard it before I encourage you to check it out (especially “Only Love“). Originally from London, he’s an avid surfer and you really get a feel for his free-spiritedness in his folksy lyrics. I find his music to be almost spiritual, and turn it on lately when I’m in need of some positive vibes.

So turn that frown upside down, y’all! Have a wonderful week!

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Music Monday – Fitz And The Tantrums

It’s June! When June rolls around every year, I start to feel like it’s really Summer. And that means long days, beautiful weather, and lots of fun and happiness. So let’s celebrate! Here’s a groovy new tune by Fitz and the Tantrums that will certainly make you want to celebrate. “Out Of My League” is the first single off the band’s new sophomore album, More Than Just A Dream. You may know them from their other hit, “MoneyGrabber“, which is equally fabulous. If you’re not familiar with them yet, you need to be!

Fitz and the Tantrums was formed by lead singer Michael Fitzpatrick in Los Angeles in 2008. Backed by a female vocalist and instruments like guitars, keyboards, trumpets, and even harmonicas and flutes, the band has a very eclectic sound. It almost reminds me of 70’s disco music. Fitz and the Tantrums got their start opening for Maroon 5 in 2009, played the Austin, Texas SXSW festival in 2010 and gained fan support after appearing on several late night talk shows including Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan and Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.

Here is “Out Of My League” – go have yourself your own personal dance party!
Have a groovy week!

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Bag Envy

While perusing through a local department store last weekend, I suddenly found myself in the handbag section gawking at all the amazing bags on the shelves. I quickly convinced myself that I absolutely need a new purse, since I haven’t had a new one in almost a year now. Plus, a lot of them were on sale so this helped in my convincing tremendously. However, the ones that I liked the most were not on sale, so after nearly stroking out at some of the price tags on the bags I left the store without a purchase, telling myself that I’ll shop around and find the perfect new purse at the perfect price somewhere else.

I’m looking for an everyday bag, which for me means giant big enough to hold all of the crap that I carry around everyday (because one never knows when they’ll need a mini flashlight, dental floss, or wet wipes, do they?). In my search efforts I have come across many bags that I am totally in love with, possibly borderline obsessed with in some cases. Most of them are way above my budget but a girl can dream, right? Here are some of the latest bags that I am currently in awe of.

Balenciaga Lambskin Large “Giant Work Bag” available here for only $1,471

Kate Spade Cobble Hill Small Leslie, available here for $348

Hobo Kinley, available here for $328

Fossil Explorer Tote, available here for $238

Frye Vintage Stud Tote, available here for $348

Rebecca Minkoff Cupid Satchel, available here for $495

I would take any of these bags in a heartbeat!

Which one would you choose? 

Quick Chick Flick: “Confessions Of A Shopaholic”

I recently read Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella and really, really liked it. I had seen the movie years ago not knowing it was a series of books. But when my best friend suggested I add it to my to-read list on Goodreads, naturally I took her advice. After finishing the book obviously I wanted to watch the movie again to compare. This won’t be a “Book Vs. Movie” post since the two were SO different, but rather just a review of the movie (definitely read the book, though!).

Isla Fisher stars as Rebecca Bloomwood, a girl with a serious problem. And I mean serious. She has a shopping addiction so severe that she comes up with the most outrageous (and hilarious) stories in her head to justify her spending problem. She’ll do anything to make it to a designer sale, and her problem has gotten her over $9,000 in debt. Living with her rich best friend, Suze, (played by the adorably quirky Krysten Ritter) Becky finds herself out of work as a journalist and constantly dodging pesky debt collector Derek Smeath.

Rebecca Bloomwood at a designer sale

Desperate for money, she creates a very elaborate if not completely false resume and goes for an interview at her dream job – a top fashion magazine – only to find that the position has been filled. However, she finds out there is an opening at another magazine within the publication family – a financial advice digest. Thinking she can work her way to an “in” with the fashion mag, she goes on the interview at the financial digest and meets handsome editor Luke Brandon, played by charmer Hugh Dancy.

Hugh Dancy as Luke Brandon

Following a very entertaining interview, Becky lands the job after Luke reads an article she writes for the fashion magazine that accidentally ended up in his hands instead. Seeing journalistic potential in Becky, he takes her to press conference where she shines with her tough, relevant questions about corporate raises after customer fund cuts. She writes a piece on it and becomes an overnight sensation in the financial advice world. The public love her. But what they don’t know is that Becky Bloomwood is the last person anyone should be taking financial advice from. Several hilarious plot twists later – including Becky telling Luke the debt collector is her ex-boyfriend turned stalker; getting into a pickle by being forced to speak Finnish (which she said she was fluent in on her resume); and her misadventures at a Shopaholic’s Anonymous group – Becky and Luke find themselves attracted to each other after spending more time together.

That is where things start to get interesting. Can Becky continue lying to Luke about her financial troubles and shopping addiction? Will her problem come between her and her best friend? The truth comes out in the end in a very shocking and embarrassing way for Becky, and she must finally confront her problem head on instead of running away from it. I won’t ruin the ending for you if you haven’t seen it, but I will say that everything works out in a way that none of the characters could have ever imagined.

Confessions of a Shopaholic is such a fun, absurdly amusing chick flick that I think anyone would enjoy. Be sure to check out the books, too! Sophie Kinsella created a character with Becky Bloomwood that girls everywhere will adore. She makes us laugh out loud, gasp at her ridiculousness, and find ourselves routing fiercely for her in the end, so proud to see her succeed that we may even shed a few tears (sniff). I’m currently reading Shopaholic Takes Manhattan, the second book in the series, and so far Becky still has a knack for getting herself into hilarious sticky situations.

What did you think of the movie and/or book? 

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Music Monday – Country Collaboration With A Message

OK, so you saw the word “Country” and are immediately thinking about skipping this installment of Music Monday – but before you do, let me just tell you that this song is not about someone’s truck or a dog dying or crying in their beer. Alright? So, as I’ve said before, I am a Southern girl living in Alabama by way of Tennessee and I couldn’t really help the fact that I grew up listening to country music. I have always kind of loved it. But I do love other types of music like pop, alternative and indie rock.

I’m sure everyone has heard of the artists from today’s featured song – country sex symbol Tim McGraw, mega-superstar Taylor Swift and extremely hot American Idol judge Keith Urban are all pretty much country music royalty. When the three got together for Tim’s new single, “Highway Don’t Care” not only did they create an amazing song but also a video that covers a very relevant topic in our society today.

I have been hearing “Highway Don’t Care” on the radio a lot lately (yes, I even listen to country radio sometimes! gasp!) and really like it – the lyrics are catchy if not a little bit haunting. I finally caught the video yesterday while flipping through the channels and it immediately drew me in because I thought I knew what the song was about, but was surprised to find out it was actually about something totally different. We all know that distracted driving due to cell phones is a huge problem in our society right now, and not only with teenagers. I’ll admit, I am guilty of this. So far this year in the U.S., there have been an estimated 392,872 crashes involving drivers using cell phones and texting. And that number increases every 30 seconds. (source) That is too many, y’all.

I urge you to watch the “Highway Don’t Care” video because not only will you get to hear some great music that will get stuck in your head for hours (not to mention a glimpse of Keith Urban in all his marvelousness), you’ll also get maybe a much-needed reality check. Seeing this definitely reminded me that taking a call, reading an email or sending a text is not worth it if it means that I or someone else could end up in the hospital, or worse – dead.

Are you a country music fan? If not, did you like this song? 

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Mama Always Said…

Happy Mother’s Day! Tomorrow we celebrate Mom and everything that she has done for us. All our lives she has loved us unconditionally, hugged us tight and made everything better, told us we can do anything we set our minds to, and been there for us through thick and thin. Mom is the person who made us who we are today, and I think a day of celebration is definitely in order for this wonderful woman.

Everyone learned pretty much everything they needed to know from their mother, right? Her words of wisdom have echoed in our heads  when faced with tough decisions throughout our lives, and today I’d like to remind you all of some of those wise words. Don’t forget – Mom knows best!

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Audrey Hepburn’s Beauty Tips

I received an email from a family member a few weeks ago with a poem that was said to be written by Audrey Hepburn. The poem was so beautiful and captivating that I wanted to share it with you all on my blog. To do so, I did a little digging and found out that it was actually not written by Audrey Hepburn but by writer Sam Levenson. Titled “Time Tested Beauty Tips”, Levenson wrote it for his grandchild, and it just so happened to be one of Audrey’s favorite poems. It is said she read it to her children on her very last Christmas Eve.

Hepburn submitted this poem to a member of the media when asked to share her beauty secrets. Known for her beauty and charm, I think this poem gives us a clear picture of the type of person Audrey Hepburn really was. Please take a few minutes to read it and take to heart what it conveys – that the true beauty and grace of a woman is not seen with the eye, but felt with the heart. It is measured by the good deeds she does for others and by  random acts of kindness. Let’s all strive to be better!

Time Tested Beauty Tips

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge you’ll never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived,  reclaimed, and redeemed; Never throw out anybody.

Remember, If you ever need a helping hand, you’ll find one at the end of your arm.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the  figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

~ Sam Levenson 

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Quick & Easy Meal – Paula Deen’s Chicken & Rice Casserole

It’s been a little while since I did a food post so it’s time to do another one! Today I’m going to share with you one of my absolute favorite casseroles – Paula Deen’s Chicken & Rice Casserole.

Everyone knows Paula Deen is famous for her amazing food, and most people tend to think her recipes are pretty unhealthy. Considering the amount of butter they call for, I can understand why people think this. But the Chicken & Rice Casserole isn’t that bad, and I like to substitute as many lighter items as I can when making it. This is a great weekend meal where you’ll have leftovers the next day. I usually make it on Sundays and we’ll eat the leftovers Monday night, then still have some leftover that I’ll take for lunch a day or two later. It’s a very economical meal! Granted, my husband doesn’t love it as much as I do (I think he has trouble getting past the water chestnut consistency) but he lets me make it every now and then.

This casserole is very easy to prepare and only takes 25 minutes in the oven! Here’s the recipe and directions:

Ingredients:

1   10 3/4 ounce can condensed cream of celery soup
1   4 ounce jar pimentos
1   8 ounce can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
2   14 1/2 ounce cans green beans, drained and rinsed  (I use frozen green beans)
3 cup diced cooked chicken
1   medium onion, peeled and diced
2 tablespoon butter or vegetable oil  (I use olive oil)
1 cup mayonnaise  (I use lite mayo)
1   6 ounce box long-grain wild rice, cooked according to package directions
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1   pinch salt

First, boil your chicken and transfer it to a plate, then dice it up and be sure to save your broth. Boil your green beans in the broth about 10 minutes, then drain them. Next, cook the box of rice as directed on the package. Sauté your onion over butter or olive oil. Then, in a large mixing bowl, combine the sautéed onions, pimentos, green beans, water chestnuts, can of Cream of Celery soup, and 1 cup of mayonnaise. Mix it well. Now add your diced chicken and the cheese and mix it up again.

Transfer to a greased 3-quart casserole dish and cook on 350 for 25 minutes.

You can add extra cheese to the top of the casserole during the last 5 minutes in the oven if you are a cheese freak (like my husband). Serve it up while it’s hot and enjoy! I love mine with a big glass of cold milk – mmm mmm! I might have to make this again soon.

What are some staple casseroles in your house?

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Book vs. Movie – “Beautiful Creatures”

Since I love to both read and watch movies, I’m going to do another book vs. movie review! This time I chose a Young Adult novel that my best friend and I recently read, Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. Let’s begin with the book…

Our narrator is 16-year-old Ethan Wate, who lives in the small Southern town of Gatlin, South Carolina. Ethan is haunted by a recurring dream where he is desperately trying to save a girl, whose face he can not see. He doesn’t know who she is or why he’s dreaming this but he is so drawn to her and feels he would do anything for this beautiful stranger. Ethan’s mother died last year and his father has been cooped up in his study “writing” ever since, leaving Ethan to be looked after by their superstitious, grandmotherly housemaid, Amma.

The people of Gatlin’s favorite pastimes include attending church and participating in the annual re-enactment of the town’s historic Civil War battle, complete with Confederate soldier costumes and big antebellum dresses. (The authors goes on to paint the perfect picture of small-minded, Bible beating hypocrites for us.) At Jackson High School, where Ethan attends as a Junior, you are either on the inside or the outside with the popular group, and Ethan has recently broken up with his cheerleader girlfriend, thus leaving him dangerously close to being on the outside. But he doesn’t mind much as he longs for something more than a close-minded life in Gatlin. Ethan immerses himself in books that take him far away and applies to colleges anywhere and everywhere outside of Gatlin, which he sees as his ticket out of there.

But the peace in Gatlin is disturbed when Macon Ravenwood’s (the town’s alleged “Boo Radley”) niece, Lena, comes to live with him. As all of the town’s people consider Macon and his kin to be Satanists (told you these people are small-minded), when Lena Duchannes shows up at Jackson High…it ain’t pretty, y’all. She is quickly outcast and everyone’s fears are fueled by a strange incident that occurs at school – suddenly all of the windows are blown out in the classroom while Lena is being publicly ridiculed by the other students – causing mass chaos in their quiet little town.

On his way home from school that day in a severe thunderstorm, Ethan almost runs someone over in the road only to find out it is Lena Duchannes. He offers her a ride home and quickly learns she isn’t as bad as everyone thinks. The two begin to spend more and more time together and Ethan soon finds out that Lena and her family are more different than he could have ever imagined. They are “Casters” and all have special powers – kind of like witches. Ethan and Lena fall in love and he realizes Lena is the girl from his strange, recurring dream. This is when it starts to get real good.

Her 16 th birthday is rapidly approaching, and we find out Lena is in grave danger as she nears her “claiming”, where every Caster female is claimed as either a Light or a Dark Caster on her 16 th birthday, regardless of what they wish to choose. (Obvs a Light Caster is good and a Dark one is evil.) Since all of the females in Lena’s family have been claimed Dark, she fears she will follow in their footsteps and become a monster who will no longer recognize or care for Ethan, and could possibly even hurt him.

There are so many other little interesting elements to this story that I will briefly summarize: there is an underground Caster Library where Ethan finds out his mother worked as a “Keeper” of Caster records; Ethan’s maid and grandmotherly figure Amma turns out to have supernatural powers of her own and can communicate with spirits; Ethan and Lena find a locket that when they touch transports them to the Civil War where they observe Lena’s ancestor bring her dead lover back to life (whose name also happens to be Ethan Wate…mmm hmmm) with a powerful Dark cast, thus cursing all future females in her family to be claimed as Dark Casters. And then there’s Lena’s evil, estranged mother, Sarafine, who is so desperate to have Lena join her on the Dark side that she is willing to harm Ethan in the process.

All in all the book was very intriguing and had a climactic, exciting ending that left me eager to read the second book, which I am currently reading. There are four books in the “Caster Chronicles” and I am looking forward to reading each one.

Beautiful Creatures book review – 7/10

When I heard there was a movie based on the book I was excited to see it as I obviously love reading a book and then watching it’s characters come to life before me on the big screen. As we all know though, not every movie adaptation turns out as well as fans of the book would hope. Unfortunately, this was the case for me with the movie Beautiful Creatures. Here’s my review of the movie…

The movie starts out with Ethan’s dream so I’m thinking, “ok this is good, they’re following the book already!” but I soon realized that was one of the few things that would be exactly like the book in this film. Ethan, played by Alden Ehrenreich, definitely lets the audience know the film is set in the South with an overwhelmingly Southern accent. (Side-note –  It makes me absolutely sick how the media portrays ALL Southerners as having this insanely twangy country accent in any movie set in the Southeast. Hello! We’re not all rednecks! Ok I’m done now.) Amma is introduced, played by Viola Davis, a much younger version of the grandmotherly figure we get from the book, and Lena is played by Alice Englert, who perfectly captures what I imagined Lena would be like in my mind while reading Beautiful Creatures (I love it when that happens). Uncle Macon is also spot on and played by the great Jeremy Irons, and I honestly can’t picture anyone else in the role.

Alden Ehrenreich and Alice Englert as Ethan & Lena

Things in the movie get tricky as we jump around from scene to scene, and plot twists from the book are revealed to us in a somewhat distorted way. I found myself confused and saying “that’s not what happens in the book!” a lot throughout the film. For example, Lena’s family in the movie are not at all what we have come to know in the book. In the film they are almost comical and do not come across at all as they do in the book – like supernatural beings who you do not want to mess with. Take the character of Ridley (Lena’s cousin who is a Dark Caster) for example. She is supposed to have a hot pink streak in her hair, wear extremely short school-girl skirts and is constantly sucking on a lollipop (which drives all of the men wild) but she’s quite the opposite in the movie. Yes she is seductive, but played by Emmy Rossum, Ridley in the movie is dark, regal and sophisticated – nowhere near Valley-Girl-evil enough! And then there’s Larkin, Lena’s other cousin, who plays a very big role in the book with a huge twist at the ending. In the movie he is just an afterthought with only two scenes and plays no significant role to the plot.

Emmy Rossum as Ridley. Where is your lollipop, Rid?!

There were other disappointments as far as plot changes including a character being completely left out of the movie, the lack of Kelting – a special and very rare ability Lena and Ethan share that enables them to communicate with each other without speaking (I felt that leaving this out made it harder for the audience to understand just how close their relationship is), and the ending was totally different than the book ending.

Alden Ehrenreich and Viola Davis as Ethan & Amma

Jeremy Irons as Macon Ravenwood

Alice Englert and Kyle Gallner as Lena & Larkin

Overall, the movie was entertaining and did feature some pretty cool special effects, but if they hadn’t read the book I don’t think the viewer would fully appreciate this bewitching and intriguing Caster world. I do not think they will be making a sequel or carrying on with four movies to match the books, as the estimated overall budget of the movie was $60 million and it only brought in $19 million in theaters (source). It will be released on DVD May 21, and may have more success as a rental.

Beautiful Creatures movie review – 5/10

If you have read Beautiful Creatures and/or seen the movie, leave me a comment with your thoughts! I would love to hear how others thought the movie compared to the book, or just what you thought of either one in general!

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Music Monday – Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

Good Monday to you all! Fresh off a weekend getaway with my sweetie, I have that happy, buzzing feeling you get when you are so in love. My husband is my best friend and he is home to me, no matter where we are in this world. Today I thought I’d share one of my favorite love songs with you that encompasses that feeling. It’s by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, called “Home”.

This is an indie band from California and I absolutely love their vintage, old-fashioned aura. “Home” brings to mind a June and Johnny Cash timeless love story so sweet it puts a smile on your face. I would love to see them live, or maybe be a groupie in their band. How fun would that be?? Hope you enjoy this one and it puts you in a lovestruck mood!