Around Town: High Tea Favorites

~ i'll let you in on a little secret: i think i should have been British. i'm a bit obsessed with afternoon tea, also known as high tea. introduced to Britain in the 1840's, afternoon tea stemmed from the need to fill any hunger pangs before eating dinner {which was done much later in the evening than nowadays}. traditionally, the upper class would have 'low' or 'afternoon' tea late in the afternoon {around 4pm} before the fashion promenade in Hyde Park and the middle and lower class would have a 'high' tea later in the day {5 or 6pm} {via afternoontea}. composed of small sandwiches, scones with clotted cream, pastries and cake, afternoon tea originally belonged to the upper class ladies who would have private social events for other ladies of the higher echelons of society. nowadays, high tea is enjoyed for bridal showers, birthday celebrations, mothers day and simply because you love high tea {like me, so pretty much anytime} ~

~ i can't tell you exactly why i became obsessed with high tea. it just sort of happened. a few years ago, i started collecting vintage tea cups. one of my besties, Julia, her mom had this amazing collection of mismatched tea cups and i became so enamored by them, knowing they were a part of her life, something she'd collected over the years with every one telling a story of where and how she got it and they'd become family heirlooms, passing down through generations. i knew i wanted something like that in my life as my family doesn't really have anything like that. rather, they were forced to leave their valuables behind when then first emigrated 32 years ago. and so it began. everywhere i go, i'm looking for antique shops and flea markets so i can get my hands on gorgeous tea cups. i'm kind of obsessed with all things antique now also. i even make tiered cake stands with vintage plates i find that can be used to serve high tea on {among other things}. my little shop that could is opening up soon on etsy. i'll be sure to share it with y'all!

~ i've always been partial to smaller bites, mini versions of foods of all kinds and i do love my tea {i'm Persian, we likely drink as much tea as the British, if not more}. combine those two and we've reached a place where obsession has met madness. i like to to call happiness ~

~ i've yet to experience a traditional English afternoon tea in the UK. one of my besties, Grace, went to London last year and went for High Tea and said it was an experience unlike she'd had here. the food was served on trolleys with the portions much larger than most places here. it's definitely on my bucket list of places to go to in my life time for high tea! luckily, the popularity of high tea has increased in the last few years. there are so many ways one can experience high tea now, whether traditionally or more modern. i've definitely been on a quest to experience the best of high tea that Vancouver has to offer. i've also been trying to bring all my girlfriends to the sweet side, basically forcing them to come to high tea with me. my bestie Courtney and I started celebrating our "bestie high tea" birthdays about two years ago. we treat each other to high tea for our birthdays, just the two of us. we go to a new place each time so we can experience different ones ~

~ at the moment, my most favorite high tea is at Secret Garden Tea company. maybe i prefer it because it was the first place i tried and have gone back many, many times. also, thus far, it seems to be the most traditional of all i've experienced. they change their menu seasonally and even has special ones for Valentines day or Mother's day. another first i experienced is my favorite tea flavor, Creamy Earl Grey, that i purchase in tea bags and loose leaves all the time! ~ 

~ another i've tried a few times, and most recently took Courtney to, was Soirette. while it's considered high tea, and has all the elements of high tea, the menu is definitely not traditional. but that's why i liked it! their menu changes seasonally and its the first menu i've tried where the variety is more gourmet like. they have this adorable potato pancake with a pink quail egg on it! it's just the prettiest! ~

~ a few years back, Groupon had a deal for Afternoon tea at the Fairmont Airport Hotel. we, my friends and i, basically went crazy and bought a bunch. i think i bought 3. i remember going with my mom and then two days later, again with Courtney. i had the same server. she totally recognized me and said, "don't worry, you're not the first'. that made me feel a bit better. my most favorite small bite was this curry chicken salad they served on a small baguette. i don't really like curry but it was fantastic ~

~ Butter Baked Goods is known for their delectable desserts. luckily, their original location in Dunbar was turned into a tea room with a gigantic portion for a very reasonable price! i remember Courtney falling in love with their Butter Cream tea. just take a moment and think about that. Butter. Cream. Tea. ~

~ Courtney took me to Little White House & Co. last summer in Fort Langley. while its a bit out of my way, it was the most adorable little place. a very french-inspired menu with the most amazing croissants we've ever tasted along with a creamy earl grey that was unlike anything we'd tried. you can even have champagne with your afternoon tea! i did love how french it was and how different the decor was. the salon looked like a barn that been treated with a lot of love and it was such a delightful experience ~

~ i've still got A LOT of places to try in Vancouver and surrounding cities as i can't imagine this obsession dying down anytime soon. if anything, its gotten worse and will likely continue to get worse and i'll eventually be speaking with an affected accent and asking everyone who comes into my home if they'd like some biscuits with their tea. served in my vintage tea cups of course. i'm pretty sure i'm converting Tarah also {who shares my love of tea} so much so that we're putting together something super special to share with you guys very soon!! ~

~ got some Afternoon/ High Tea places you think we should try? let us know if the comment section!! ~

xoxo

Oz

Mother's Day Mason Jar DIY

~ mother's day is this weekend and we've got a super cute and easy mason jar DIY floral arrangement you could put together just in time to surprise mom. this DIY is foolproof and super simple to do, especially if you've never DIY'd before or have been thinking about making mom something handmade. she'll be sure to love it and the best part is the mason jar is reusable as a vase for all the gorgeous spring and summer blooms ~

~ when choosing your color, err to the side of mom's favorite or what might go best with her current decor. that way she can use it over and over again with a variety of different florals. i chose a lighter shade of pink and yellow because most of the blooms in my parents yard go well with both those colors and my mom's favorite floral color is purple and both pink and yellow pair well with purple ~

you'll need: 

~ a *clean* mason jar in what size you'd like or have ~ the dollar store is a great place to find mason jars for a very very reasonable price. Michaels also has them as do almost every supermarket and Canadian tire. dollarama is great because the biggest mason jars are only $1.50 but Michaels has a greater selection of jars. it's also important that the mason jar is clean. if it's brand-spanking new, you won't need to wash it but its not a bad idea to wipe it down with some 99% alcohol. otherwise, be sure to wash your jar well, let it dry completely and then wipe down the with alcohol. this allows the paint to adhere properly and smoothly

~ acrylic paint in colors of your choosing. be sure that the paint you are buying is a multi-surface paint that works for glass. i made the mistake of picking up some paints that were not the best for glass surfaces and had to do 4-5 coats of paint just to get a good covering. i got mine for Michaels. i did try the dollar store variety and found the paint to be too thick and pasty

~ a paint brush. i use the sponge ones that are crazy cheap and they give you a smooth coverage but you could use any paint brush you already have

~ sealant. this is especially important for if you'd like mom or whomever you are gifting, to be able to reuse the jar. it protects it from water damage and can also give it a particular sheen. i chose Matte as i like the rustic look but i do have a Satin also for more texture

~ sandpaper. i 'borrowed' a sanding block from my dad but you could use an emery board, or 100/120 grits sandpaper. the idea is that it looks rustic and shabby chic, not overly sanded so be sparing with it

~ ribbon or any other adornment you might have 

~ a floral arrangement or garden blooms. i, again, 'borrowed' from my dad's garden but you could pick up a variety of different florals. it is peony season and they're just the prettiest

how to:

~ clean your jar and while waiting, mix your paint to desired color

~ paint one full coat, making sure the coloration is as even as possible. i don't have a particular way of painting but i found i do the bottom half and then top half and blend

~ allow it to dry until its dry to the touch. luckily it was a beautiful day when i did this and mine dried in 10 minutes but make sure its fully dry to touch otherwise the paint will move when you do the second coat

~ apply second coat, fully covering the the jar {depending on your paint type and quality, two coats is normally enough but you might need three so repeat the previous step if need be}

~ let dry overnight. this particular step is the 'hardest' but the paint needs to cure in order for it to not come off easily {even with sealant} so put it somewhere safe and let it dry until the next day

~ sand/buff the areas you desire. i tend to do the lettering and a bit randomly. you do want to be careful as the different grits of sandpaper will do different things. the sanding block i 'borrowed' has different angles so i was able to buff down the lettering with ease and carefully sand a few other areas

~ spray with sealant. it's best to do this outdoors in a well-ventilated area so there is no spray back and that you don't inhale any of the nasty spray fumes. sealant dries pretty quick so you could clean up while waiting for it to fully dry

~ adorn your jar with ribbon or anything else you might have

~ place your florals! i'm a fan of contrasting colors as i feel it gives both the flowers and the jar the most pop. one tip i learned from a florist: don't force the flowers in to settle the way you want them to, allow them to fall as they do and the arrangement will look natural!

have a wonderful Mother's Day and I hope your mom enjoys this gift!

xoxo Oz

The Morning After {Breakfast with your Love}

~ you spent the night together, had your champagne and chocolate strawberries, or in our case handpies and brownies. the morning after a day of love should be just the two of you having a quiet and easy breakfast together. squeeze out a bit more extra love until the day goes back to errands, children, work and life ~

 ~ some delicate pancakes with raspberry jamp, bourbon syrup and some mimosa's {why not? its saturday} is a great way to begin any day~

*pancake recipe*

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 1/2 tablespoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup milk

1 egg

3 tablespoons butter

~ melt butter in microwave for 30 seconds and set aside

~ mix together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar

~ in a separate small bowl, beat egg and milk together

~ pour butter and milk/egg mix in with dry ingredients, whisking well {with a wire whisk} to combine everything together {mixture will be thick and slightly lumpy}

~ in a non-stick pan with butter {or cooking spray} scoop in 1/4 cup of batter {per pancake}

~ allow to cook approximately 3-6 minutes on each side {or until lightly golden}

~ top with a dollop of butter, some raspberry sauce and delicious bourbon syrup

~ enjoy with a mimosa

*all Photography by Matthew Burditt *

Valentine's Dinner {For Her}

~ valentine's day is a special day for a lot of couples. a day to celebrate their love for each other. whether you're a romantic person throughout the year or not, the day itself brings out everyone's romantic side. for us, a special dinner made by our love is one of the most romantic gestures we can imagine. with our help, you can put together a simple, Parisian-insipred dinner for your lady that will wow her ~

~while cooking might not be the strength of every guy out there, the menu we've put together here is quite easy to do. as long as boiling water is something you are comfortable with, you'll be gold ~

~ decor is simple, some champagne flutes, candles, a gorgeous bouquet and these super pretty stone hearts. a simple white tablecloth, soft pink linens and gold cutlery is all you need for a romantic table for two. don't over-complicate it, that's not how the Parisian's do it ;-) ~

~ for an appetizer you'll both love, a beautiful roasted beet and pear salad topped with goat cheese, slivered almonds and a balsamic dressing will be sure to impress your lady love. it involves a bit of prep work with the beets but is otherwise super easy. appertizers and dinner is served with a delicious prosecco that is sure to pair well with the meal~

*recipe for Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese with Balsamic Reduction*

2 large beets

1 Bartlett pear

slivered almonds

balsamic dressing {reduced on low temperature until it becomes thick and syrupy or store bought}

herbed goat cheese {as much as you like!}

1 handful candied pecans {chopped coarsely}

~ roast beets wrapped in aluminum foil topped with a bit of olive oil for no less than 30-45 minutes, set aside to cool

~ peel beets {the external skin needs to come off before slicing thru. remember, beets can stain your fingers so use some disposable gloves or whatever you have and work on a plastic cutting board, not wooden}

~ slice beets about 3 cm in thickness {they can be slippery so do your best to get nice, even slices}

~ slice the pear in half and then in wedges of similar thickness

~ begin arranging your plate: start with 4 slices of beet, topped with 5/6 slices of pear

~ scoop out some goat cheese from its packaging and simply form a small ball of deliciousness and place atop the beets and pears

~ sprinkle some pecan pieces around the salad

~ drizzle with a delicious balsamic reduction

~ dinner is simple: a beautiful pesto spaghettini topped with a delicate quail egg {once cracked, cooks within the heat of the pasta and becomes like a carbonara, creamy and delicious}. shave some parmesan on top and this dinner is a perfect way to feed each other while staring dreamily in each others eyes {if that's your sorta thing ;-) }

~ for dessert, impress your lady with delicious heart shaped berry hand pies. you'll need no magic tricks here, some pie crust, mixed frozen fruit, heart shaped cookie cutter and the love you have for your gal ~

* Heart-Shaped Handpies recipe *

1 store-bought pie crust thawed

1 package frozen mixed berries

1 cup sugar

heart-shaped cookie cutter

flour

~ in a pot on your stove top, pour in 2 cups of frozen berries and 1 cup of sugar and let them marinate over medium temperature. keep your eyes on it as you aren't trying to make a syrup, more a chunky sauce

~ once reduced, turn off temperature and let it cool a bit {and thicken up slightly}

~ roll out your pie crust on a floured counter so it is approximately 2 cm in thickness

~ punch out 4 heart shapes

~ spoon in some fruit into the middle of the heart, avoiding a 1 cm edge {to avoid spillage}

~ top with the second heart crust and using a fork, pinch the edges down to keep all the yumminess inside

~ bake for 10/15 minutes {or packaging directions} and serve warm with extra berry sauce

*All Photography by Matthew Burditt *

Valentine's Dinner {For Him}

~ national love day, also known as Valentine's day is celebrated tomorrow. restaurants of all kinds put out special menus, are completely booked with reservations and champagne bubbles grace every table top. but sometimes all you want to do is spend a romantic evening with your loved one in the comfort of your own home. we've put together a super easy three-course meal for you to follow for a special night in with your significant other ~

~ even if you aren't the most chef-saavy person, the menu we've put together is fool-proof. even the table top styling we've done is simplistic but makes a statement ~

~for him, we've put together a rustic table top with a decadent three-course menu that he is sure to love : 

 ~ we wanted to evoke the feeling of being in a log cabin, sitting around the fire with your special someone. some candles, a bit of nature, tree trunk plate chargers {a DIY btw!} and some heart-shaped stones are all the decor you need. we loved the idea of putting the table together on a plaid tablecloth with a some copper mugs and gold cutlery. it was the perfect amount of romantic rustic-ness ~

~ for a delicious appetizer that you will both love, put together a simple, melted brie in an oven-safe brie baker topped with some caramelized onion jam and slivered almonds. some sliced baguette and a delicious  and refreshing moscow mule bevvy is the perfect way to start a decadent meal ~

*recipe for baked brie*

1 brie of your choice {make sure it is small enough to fit in your brie dish and the more creamy {triple cream for example} the longer it will stay melted}

1 large onion

a few tablespoons of sugar

salt and pepper to taste

slivered almonds {can be omitted}

~ slice the onion into thin slices {not too thin otherwise they will burn quickly}

~ heat a non-stick pan with olive oil before placing the onions in the pan {make sure your pan is big enough to fit all the onions otherwise you'll have to do two batches}

~ with the temperature on medium-low, cook the onions down until translucent

~ add salt and pepper and some sugar to speed up the caramelizing process

~ turn down the temperature to low to cook down the onions until they're perfectly sweet {slow and low will give your the sweetest, most perfect caramelized onions}

~ once cooked, let them cool down {they will get warm again once atop the melted brie}

~ for the brie, simply cut the top rind to allow an air pocket {and bubbly brie to seep out}

~ place it in your brie dish and bake for at least 20 minutes for perfectly melted brie

~ top with caramelized onions and slivered almonds and enjoy with baguette wedges

 

~ for dinner, treat yourselves to a delicious meal of steak and potatoes with some veggies. We kept it simple: seared steak topped with herbed roasted garlic butter, fluffy mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus ~

*recipe for herbed roasted garlic butter*

1/2 cup butter at room temperature

1/2 garlic head {or 5 cloves of garlic }

herb of your choice chopped finely {we loved parsley for ours}

salt & pepper

saran wrap

~ roast garlic by placing garlic cloves in aluminum foil, topping with olive oil and salt & pepper. wrap tightly and roast for at least 45 minutes. you'll be able to smell the garlic scent waft through the kitchen 

~ while waiting, chop parsley finely

~ once out and cool enough to touch, soft your butter with a fork for easy working

~ squeeze out the roasted garlic into the butter,  add parsley and salt and pepper and mix together

~ tear a piece of saran wrap and place your flavored butter in the center

~ wrap the saran around the butter and roll the package until it is cylindrical in shape 

~ twist the ends tightly and place in freezer {if making ahead of time} or fridge for it to get cold

~ slice off a delicious piece and place it atop your steak while still hot. it will create a delicious sauce and flavor

~for dessert: skillet brownie with some creamy vanilla bean ice cream and slivered almonds. we switched up our bevvy to some sweet white wine garnished with mint leaves that paired well with dessert ~

*all Photography by Matthew Burditt*

Happy New Year {2015}

~ wishing you all health, happiness and prosperity in 2015. thank you for sharing in our love of beauty|style|pretty things. we cannot wait to share in more prettiness with you all! ~

xoxo Oz & Tarah

Holiday Festivities

~ my family celebrates Christmas on the 24th. i spend Christmas day normally with my best friend's family. we're Persian so Christmas to us is an adopted holiday. i grew up with my cousins whose mother is absolutely bananas {bananas is good} over Christmas so we became accustomed to celebrating every year. i love Christmas mostly for the presents. i'm kidding. its a great time to spend with family and friends and just settle down and enjoy some quality time, good food, drinks and just overall merriment. i bake A LOT over the holidays, gifting everyone i can think of with delicious goodness. i've gotten better over the years, practice making perfect and can now call myself an avid baker. i cook also but i've been cooking for a while, the baking is relatively new. there is something about feeding people that brings me joy. especially baked goods. i think their tummies feel the same. i thought i'd share a bit of my Christmas eve with you all. we had a bunch of family friends over and watched Home Alone 1 & 2. i hope you all had a wonderful day and Santa was good to you ~

~ started my morning with a delicious cup of creamy earl grey tea {i love the one from the secret garden tea house in kerrisdale} in my new monogrammed anthropologie mug. i was so sad i didn't get one last year because it is just the prettiest! i jumped this year when i found it and im glad i did!

~ this adorable entry way table is decorated with all dollar store finds! even the vases. i just spray painted them gold~

~ i love a good bar cart. styling a bar cart is loads of fun! this versatile bar cart was a gift to myself last year. i've used it for so many different things and its so perfect for any kind of event. i got some super pretty lights from martha stewart {thanks tarah} to give it a little glimmer. a mix of target and indigo accessories and bar ware were perfect compliments to the bit of decor on the bottom level. i like scouring home sense and michaels for good deals on decorative items. i thought it worked out in a really lovely, understated way~

~ a closer look. the lights are battery-operated so i had to find a creative way to hide it. a few gold napkins and a champagne glass filled with ferrero rocher chocolates et voila. i included a little DIY sparkly moose i made a few days ago ~

~ couldn't leave out my little fur monsters in their snappy bow ties ~

~ a super delicious appetizer: burrata {from trader joe's} with a tomato compote that Tarah makes from a Jamie Oliver recipe. it is SO good. we usually serve it with proscuitto and baguette. and of course i have a monogrammed cheese plate from indigo ~

~ some of the baked goods i made: raspberry thumprints and coconut thumprints topped with creamy caramel and fleur de sel ~

~ a very delicious lemon cream cheese tart topped with pomegranates and mint chiffonade. i adapted the recipe from joy of baking ~

~ of course no Christmas eve would be complete without leaving Santa come cookies ~

 xoxo Oz

{Merry Christmas !!}

~ wishing you lots of joy and quality time with your families and loved ones! we hope Santa treated you your hearts desires, whatever they may be. sending you all lots of love and happiness ~

xoxo

Holiday Gift Guide {For Her}: Last Minute Gifts

~ Christmas is coming!! if you are like me, you've likely finished all your holiday shopping. thank goodness for online shopping and free shipping! however, like many, work and life can get in the way and all of of a sudden it's Christmas eve and you've got to scramble looking for gifts. we've put together a few holiday gifts for the lovely ladies in your life and the best part is, you can find them all online with quick shipping! ~

 ** also, being a huge fan of pitch perfect, there's a reference in here. if you get it, bravo! you're my kinda person **

1. for the glam girl: these gorgeous Olive and Piper tassel earrings are so lovely and a perfect accessory to any holiday look
2. for any girl who loves to entertain: vintage gold rimmed champagne glasses from Chapters Indigo are perfect and so classy
3. show me a girl who doesn't love sephora: a fresh lip set is not only super pretty but also practical for the wear and tear of winter on our pouts
4. a classy girl needs a classy watch: a classic sheffield lady watch from Daniel Wellington would make any girl smile on Christmas
5. the girl who loves mani's: will no doubt own some Essie nail polishes. why not treat her to a few of the new collections?
 6. some hostesses are purists at heart: a gorgeous pen for the thank you notes she will no doubt send is a beautiful way to say thank you

Daily Prettiness {Antiquing}

~ i went to Portland this past weekend with my brother. its a sibling trip we take for his birthday. we go to watch the Trailblazers play and do some {tax-free!} shopping. normally we stay overnight but its a bit of a drive {5 hours} for one night so we decided to stay two. neither of us are big on touristy things but i do love antiquing. my poor little brother. he followed me to 5 different antique stores and was patient with me while i browsed the many, many aisles of antiques. this was my first venture into an area that was so filled with antique shops and so many different kinds! i've been to flea markets before but this was a foray into a new territory for me and i am HOOKED. i bought way too much and regret nothing.

now, if you haven't been antiquing before, let me give you some pointers based on my very little experience:

1. patience ~ most antique shops are organized chaotically. you really have to take your time and look through many, many pieces to be able to find the treasures. 

2. hold on ~ even if you aren't going to buy it, hold onto it. there are many occasions when multiple people will have eyes on the same thing and if you walk away thinking it won't be there, you are sadly mistaken. example: the ornate phone that i purchased, my brother had to stand guard on to make sure this lady who was following me around, picking up things that I wasn't taking, wouldn't try and snatch it. y'all, it's a jungle out there! survival of the fittest antique-er is what's up.

3. the eyes have it ~ i like to think i have a good eye for things that appeal to me and are showcase pieces. i do get carried away sometimes but for the most part, i try and find unique, magical items that are conversation starters and look like they have a history. in my mind, i live in a magical fairy tale and the pieces i tend to choose emulate that. so trust your taste and your eyes and zoom in on the pieces you think convey your personality the best.

~ i am relatively new to the process of antiquing. i don't know the good from the bad so i tend to not purchase thing that are very pricey as i am unfamiliar with which antiques are worth it or not but the ones i do get are just SO PRETTY. i hope you love my new pieces as much as i do! i did get a few others that are for a secret project i'll be sharing later on

xoxo

Oz

{ps. you'll have to excuse the appearance of the towels and linens, i was too excited to share and didn't clean up}

Halloween {DIY}

~ halloween is two days away! if i'm honest, it's my least favorite holiday behind valentine's day. dont get me wrong, i love candy and trick or treating as a child. dressing up can be fun too! it's just one of the holidays i don't get overly excited about as i've gotten older. however, that doesn't mean that i won't decorate some or bake or buy candy to eat. sometimes i even pull out my minnie mouse ears. sometimes. i've been browsing pinterest and i've noticed so many halloween tablescapes. real classy ones too. i wouldn't say i'd go as far as a tablescape but i did decide to pretty-up a few mini pumpkins and they turned out super cute if i do say so myself! i've written a tiny how-to below should you be inclined to attempt {i hope you do!}

~i used flat white and gold metallic spray paint from home depot and found three mini pumpkins in varying sizes because i thought i would be cute and some black/gold/silver trio of glitter i found at the $1-$3 bins at target

~i worked outside which was my luck because the weather was b.e.a.utiful today! a well ventilated area is a must when spray painting. i put out some cardboard on the deck and wore some disposable gloves

~i had decided one pumpkin would be all gold, the other all white and was indecisive about the third one. i started with the largest pumpkin and the gold, spraying lightly as to not get it streaky or too heavy {shake the canister really well, at least for a minute before spray and test spray on the cardboard before spraying on the pumpkin}. the smallest pumpkin i sprayed all white and then topped it with some black glitter right away so it would dry along with the spray paint. while the first two were drying, i thought to try a mixed color/glitter one for the medium size. i sprayed the top of the pumpkin white and the base gold and mixed black and silver glitter on the top for a fun effect

~fortunately the weather helped dry my paints pretty quickly and voila! a super easy, fun, glittery diy! have a wonderful halloween!

xoxo
Oz

Pie

~ fall is my favorite season. i've told you this before. cozy knits, layers, minimalist beauty and scarves...all the scarves. its also one of my favorite seasons for baking. leading into holiday season, the aroma's of fall baking fill the entire home. i'm relatively new to baking, slowly getting the hang of some basics. pie is my next challenge. in the past, i've always used store bought crust, without any shame, mind you. however, in my quest towards becoming a domestic diva a la Martha, mastering certain baking principles is a must. ergo: pies. pies come in all shapes, sizes and flavors. i don't discriminate. from a basic apple pie to a pecan pie, cranberry flavored pies to bars of all kinds. starbucks has a deadly cranberry bliss bar that i'd like to attempt at home, as well as an oatmeal fudge bar that i have attempted in the past and turned out delish. i pin a lot of baking pins on pinterst {follow along here} and am always inspired by beautiful images of bloggers whose passion is baking. i'm looking forward to trying my hand at different flavors and eventually {soon, hopefully} mastering pie crust. i promise to share as i go along. meanwhile, feast your eyes on some deliciousness below from our most recent pins on pinterest.

 xoxo Oz

creating the prettiest office

~ many of the blogs we read here at Sbd HQ {glitter guide, the everygirl, steph sterjovski, lauren conrad, to name a few} all post about creating an office space that makes you happy and allows you to be the creative self you envision. surrounding yourself with office decor that is just too pretty to handle only makes you want to work at your desk all day. i'm slowly putting together an office space that allows me to do my blogging and writing in an environment that strengthens my creativity. i'm obsessed with all things polka dot and thankfully for me {not so much for my wallet} kate spade sells polka dots galore. i'll share bits and pieces of my office space as i'm building it but i couldn't resist sharing this polka dot prettiness ~

xoxo

StylexBeauty Dept

Oz

#HAPPYDANCE

~our blog is finally up and ready to go again...its been a summer of frustrations, our web designer, Souli, can attest. who knew we'd get hacked so badly that our blog would get shut down? live and learn. we're on a new platform with a bit of revamped design and we can't wait to share our love of everything pretty with you all again! a big thank you to you all for your constant support and patience during this quiet summer. looking forward to our favorite season {fall} and all the goodness it brings~

xoxo
SBDgirls
Oz & Tarah