Plaid Shoe La La

Happy Saturday!!  It's raining cats and dogs here so I have the Kardashians on tv and I'm shoe shopping online.  I came across these beauts on the J.Crew website...


You can click through the picture to get to the J.Crew website.  This is an affiliate link.

These are the Falsetto Plaid Pumps and they're listed for $199.99 but are Final Sale and it just so happens that J.Crew is offering 40% off of Final Sale in stores and online with the code TREAT. 

I love plaid and with all of the colors in the fabric, you're bound to find something that matches them in your closet!  I would pair them with a solid color dress or a solid color top with dark jeans for a more relaxed look.

Oh, man, Khloe and Kim are getting into it.  I'd better go!  Have a great rest of the day!

A Delicious Mishap

Well, Frank Underwood, we've seen how you handled the peach "situation"......check out what food related mishap Frank is going to have to deal with in the land of The Peachoid (that's Gaffney, SC) now.  It's delicious, I promise...LINK  

Pic from Kevin Spacey's Twitter account: @kevinspacey

Kate Spade Surprise Sale

It's one of the most wonderful times of the year!!! *sing the sentence aloud for full effect*  It's Kate Spade Surprise Sale time! Kate Spade is offering up to 75% off and we all know I enjoy a good sale...like, a lot. So head on over HERE and let me know what goodies you snatch up!

Derby Day

Happy Tuesday!  I hope you're having a great week so far.  The weather has been great and I think the heat is here to stay!

I thought I'd share my Derby Day outfit from last Saturday.  Fiance' and I had a Derby Party and it was so much fun!  As I've said before, I love any excuse to dress up, eat good food, and spend time with friends and this party was the best!

My dress was by Mud Pie and was blue and white chevron with a red, tunic style neckline and hem and a red sash at the waist. (Link to Dress)  

My hat is from J.Crew and I've had it for about 8 years.  I've worn it just about everywhere: Derby Parties, Carolina Cup, golf tournaments...it's $34.50 right now and I think it's worth every penny. (You can click the hat to go to the website! Fancy, right?)

I've mentioned my necklace before. It's by C.Wonder and it is my go-to gold necklace.  I love it!

You can't see my shoes in the picture, but I wore Lilly Pulitzer McKim Wedge Sandals in navy.  These add just enough height without making you feel like you're going to topple over!  I thought I'd branch out from my faithful, gold Jack Rogers wedges.  (Click on the shoes to go to the Lilly Pulitzer website.)

My outfit was comfortable and not too fussy, which is important when hosting a party.  You want to be able to enjoy the party and spending time with your guests, rather than tugging at your dress or tripping over your shoes.

I'm going to leave you with a picture of the cutest Scottie Dog in the world, Beauregard, in his Derby Day attire.  Have a great night!

Earring Obsession

I've become obsessed with earrings lately.  There are just so many cute earrings out there this season and I'm particularly loving Kate Spade's.  So, I've rounded up a few pretties for you to check out.  You can click on the picture to get to the item's website!

Kate Spade New York Small Square Stud. I love the bright pink color!

Kate Spade New York Secret Garden Stud.

Kate Spade New York All Wrapped Up Drop. Bows and Pearls, perfection!

Kate Spade New York Knot Stud.  A classic knot earring!

Kate Spade New York Boardwalk Stroll Chandelier Earrings.  I love the different shades of pink!

Kate Spade New York Giverny Floral Linear Earrings. So colorful and I love the flowers!

Have a great day!

Cheese Straws

I'm a member of the Junior League and am part of the Products Committee, which works to promote and sell one of our biggest fundraisers, our cookbooks.  From time to time, we make recipes from the cookbooks and last night I made Cheese Straws from "Charleston Receipts."  They were really easy to make, so I thought I'd share the fun, since I don't think you can go to a Baby or Bridal Shower without seeing these tasty treats!

I started by preheating the oven to 350 Degrees and then put 1/4 pound of butter (1 stick) into a large mixing bowl.

Then, I creamed the butter, which is basically stirring it with a spoon until it reaches a soft consistency.

I added 1 pound of grated, sharp cheese.  I bought the pre-shredded cheese in a bag, which saves oh so much time!  I also Googled and learned that 1 pound of shredded cheese is equal to 4 cups. I'm a lifelong learner.

Next, I added 1/2 teaspoon of salt, which looks like this. (I think visuals are helpful.)

The recipe calls for red pepper and I didn't have any, so substituted a "Heavy pinch of cayenne pepper" from the Ice Box Cheese Wafers recipe that is listed below the Cheese Straws recipe in the book.  Rather than sticking my fingers in a container of cayenne pepper (there are just too many things that can go wrong with that), I gave the container 2 good shakes from the sifter side of the lid.  This is what a container of cayenne pepper looks like.

I stirred the butter, cheese, salt, and cayenne mixture and it started out looking like this...

...and ended up looking like this.  It was the consistency of dry pimiento cheese.

Next, I added 1 3/4 cups of plain flour.

I stirred the mixture with a large spoon, trying to incorporate all of the flour into the butter and cheese.

This became hard to do with a spoon, so I put the spoon down and started kneading the mixture with my hands, which worked much better.  Eventually, the mixture looked like this and was the consistency of firm dough or Play-Doh.

Here is where your Play-Doh skills from Pre-School and Elementary School come into play.  The next step in the recipe calls for putting the dough into a cookie press (which is at my parents house) or rolling the dough thin and cutting it into narrow strips, four inches long.  I opted for rolling the dough into thin strips, so I started with a handful of dough...

...and rolled it into a long strip, which Play-Doh aficionados may refer to as "making a snake with the Doh."

Next, I cut the strip into 4 inch sections and then pressed each section with a fork.  The recipe doesn't say to press the fork into each section, but I just don't think a cheese straw is really a cheese straw without the fork marks. 

I repeated the rolling, cutting, and fork pressing and then placed each straw on a non-stick, ungreased baking sheet.  I know, I know, the ungreased baking sheet is alarming, but with a non-stick pan, there was no way these babies were going to stick with all of the butter and cheese in them.  I made sure to leave about an inch or two between each cheese straw.

I baked the cheese straws for 25 minutes and made sure they were golden brown. Yes, I have a Masters pot-holder, as well as a Masters apron and Masters oven mitt.  I think they add a little excellence to the cooking experience.

I let them cool on paper towels (I didn't take a picture of these. I know, shocking.).  Once they're cool, they're ready to serve!

Here's a picture of Charleston Receipts.  It's America's oldest Junior League Cookbook in print!  I've had my copy since I was in college.

So, pick up your copy of Charleston Receipts HERE, make some Cheese Straws, and live the good life!

Happy Good Friday!

Happy Good Friday to you all!  Fiance' and I have a fun Easter weekend planned; yummy food, drinks, maybe a Riverdogs baseball game, and the Easter church service on Sunday morning!  AND Cadbury Eggs, lots and lots of Cadbury Eggs.  Those things are pure, chocolate magic.  Beau is ready for the Easter Bunny to get here as you can see from his Easter picture below! Unfortunately, there isn't an Easter Basket or Bunny Rabbit with him because let's be honest, he would eat them.  

Enjoy the weekend!

P.S.  Look at these pretties: Kate Spade Seaport Pearl Studs.  *cough*get.in.my.Easter.Basket.*cough*

Lilly Lovers Friday!

Rue La La is having a Lilly Pulitzer Gifts sale starting at 3PM EST today!!!  Click HERE for an invitation to Rue La La if you're not already a member or click HERE to head on over for some Lilly fun!!  I'm on the hunt for a Lilly iPad Mini case.  My iPad Mini needs a new Spring outfit!  

Throwback Thursday and a Southern Living Contest

Happy Thursday!  It's been a good week and the weekend is almost here!  In honor of one of my favorite weeks of the year, Masters Week (I mean, as an adult, we don't get Spring Break anymore, so Masters Week it is), I present to you a Masters themed Throwback Thursday....

Last year, Fiance' and I went to the Tuesday Practice Round of the Masters with some friends and we loved every minute of it!  The great part about the Practice Rounds is that Augusta National lets you bring in cameras.  Cameras aren't allowed for the Live Rounds, which are Thursday-Sunday.  So, here's my Throwback Thursday...I had my camera out, taking random pictures of Augusta National's beauty, and I heard people around me saying "There's Condoleezza! There's Condoleezza!"  You know how you never have your camera ready when something exciting happens?  Well, my camera was fired up and ready to go, so as she rolled by on the golf cart, I snapped a picture of the former United States Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice!!  It was so exciting!  She's one of the few female members of Augusta National and I just love her fitted, green blazer and her stylish, yet totally sensible shoes.  Kick up that leg and show those shoes off, Condoleezza!  Class & Sass!

In other news, Southern Living Magazine is having a Share Your South Photo Contest and I just so happened to hashtag an Instagram picture I took of Beau on his morning walk last Saturday with the contest's #shareyoursouth.  Well, badabing badaboom, Beau and the oak tree and the sun and the spanish moss are now featured on the contest webpage!

Therefore, I would like to so graciously ask if you would be ever so kind to vote for my lil 'ol picture HERE.  Please and thank you, my friends.

If I don't talk to you before then, enjoy the rest of the week and weekend.  I'll be glued to the Masters coverage on my tv, computer, and Masters app!

Carolina Brunette

Kate Spade Friends & Family Sale

Kate Spade is having a Friends & Family Sale with 25% off your entire purchase!!  Just use the code "S14FFUS".  You know I love a good sale and there are so many cute things to chose from!  What are you going to scoop up?!  Click HERE to head on over to the site!

Tan-In-A-Can

The sun is out. The weather is warming up. Spring has sprung.  April is here. I'm as pale as Casper the Friendly Ghost.

IT'S TIME TO BREAK OUT THE FAKE TAN, BOYS AND GIRLS!!!  WOOOHOO!  As a general rule, I don't/can't tan when I go out in the sun, I freckle and burn.  Therefore, fake tan and SPF 100, no joke, are my best friends.  This is my favorite of all my fake tan best friends...Banana Boat Summer Color Self-Tanning Lotion in the Deep Dark Color.

Click here-->Banana Boat Summer Color Self-Tanning Lotion at Drugstore.com

I've found that Banana Boat Summer Color has the most natural color and doesn't wash away or wear off as quickly as others.  I always buy the Deep Dark Color, rather than the lighter shade, because it saves time having to build up your desired "tan" color.  The quicker the amount of time it takes for me to not look like Casper, the better.  Also, this brand doesn't smell as bad as the others.  In college, my friends and I found a brand that actually smelled like fish food when it started to work.  That was unfortunate.

Pro-Tips:

1. Exfoliate first:  I don't have a favorite exfoliant (sorry, friends, you're on your own), I just use whatever samples I have on hand or I just scrub, scrub, scrub with a washcloth.

2. Try to apply even amounts: if you put a blob of fake tan in your hand to rub onto one leg, put the same size blog in your hand to rub onto the other leg.  I'm a Libra, we like balance.

3. Use sparingly around your knees, elbows, ankles, and eyebrows.  Those areas tend to suck up the fake tan the most and we don't want you to look like you rubbed yourself with a sweet potato or like you're having an Oompa Loompa breakout of some sort.

4. We're almost done: Try to let your tan dry as much as possible before putting on your clothes, or if you're fake tanning at night, before you go to bed.  Your clothes will stick to the fake tan and that means that precious fake tan will come off on your clothes.  Sad for you, sad for your clothes.

I hope this has been helpful to you!  Now, slather on the fake tan and go have fun outside!

Fake-tanily yours, 

Carolina Brunette

Lilly Pulitzer on Rue La La

Hi there!  Lilly Pulitzer will be on Rue La La starting March 27th at 11 AM!  Rue La La is such an easy to use website and they have a great app for smartphones.  I love any chance to buy Lilly Pulitzer on sale!  Click HERE if you aren't already a member and would like an invitation! Happy Shopping!

Monogram Monday: Totes M'Goats

Happy Monday!  I hope you all had a great weekend.  It was sunny and warm and then the cold weather decided to come back today. Bleh. And the pollen.  Double Bleh. 

So, to pep things up and to keep our sights on the warm weather ahead, I thought I'd share my favorite monogrammed beach bag/travel bag (well, all purpose bag, really)....my Lands' End tote.  Here she is.  Isn't she a beaut?!

My favorite part about Lands' End is that they will monogram just about anything (ok, maybe not anything) and the turnaround time for orders is pretty quick.  They also have great monogram designs and options.  I have the Medium Natural Open Top Canvas Tote Bag and I like it because the strap is long enough to carry on your shoulder and the tote part is big enough to put a towel, sunscreen, magazines, water, etc. for the beach or toiletries, hairdryer, flat-iron, makeup, etc. for travel.

Beauregard, the cutest Scottie Dog in the World, has the red version of the one I have and his has "BEAU" monogrammed on it.  He saw mine and demanded that he have his own bag to put his food, bowls, toys, treats, and carpet cleaner spray (this is key) in for when he travels.  I was like, "Ok, ok, I'll get you one for Christmas.  For a dog, you are so smart and have great taste!"  

Click here to check out the totes and be sure to look at the cute Easter ones that would be the perfect, sturdy Easter basket for the kiddos....or the adult-o's who still demand that the Easter Bunny bring them an Easter Basket... ;)

...Carolina Brunette

Instagram Roundup aka What's 'a Happenin', Hot Stuff?

Carolina Brunette has it's own Instagram account, @carolinabrunette.  I post pics from the blog, as well as fun and random things I see throughout the day.  I thought I'd let y'all see what's been happenin'.

Meet Beauregard.  We call him Beau for short and he's our Scottie Dog.  He's a little over a year old and so incredibly cute.  He just got a haircut yesterday so he's proudly showing it off (aka, most likely staring at a delicious piece of doggie bacon that Fiance' is holding).  He's wearing his new plaid collar with detachable bow tie.  He ate his last plaid collar...while wearing it...talent, I tell you, talent.

Ok, so I have a thing for jewelry.  Here are some of my favorite Kate Spade earrings that my friend gave all of her bridesmaids and we wore them in her wedding.  The wedding was at the Legare-Waring House in Charleston and with the ceremony outside under the avenue of oaks and the reception at the house and surrounding gardens, these were the perfect floral earrings for a classic, Southern wedding.

These are my favorite sunglasses decked out in Lilly Pulitzer and ready for Spring!  Purple and Pink are two of my favorite colors so when I saw this sun glasses strap, I was like "Boom, you're coming with me."  I actually said that to them.  True story.  This pattern is called "Booze Cruise" and it has anchors and rope in the design.  

I went into C.Wonder for the first time about a month ago and it has quickly become one of my favorite stores.  On King Street in Charleston, it's where the Puma store used to be, across from Jim 'N Nicks.  I saw this initial necklace with the matching earrings in the sale section (yippie!) and snatched it up.  A cute necklace and earring set for cheap? Bingo!  Check out C.Wonder online, the website is awesome! 

Town & Country magazine is one of my favorites and The Masters is by far my favorite golf tournament.  I found this blurb in T&C's "Social Calendar" section.  Fiance' and I went with some friends to one of the Practice Rounds last year and had a blast.  We actually got about 10 feet away from Adam Scott, last year's winner in the picture below.  But more importantly, I think we tried almost every sandwich they had to offer. The egg salad was my favorite.  I want to replicate the peach ice cream cookie sandwiches they had.  They were heavenly.  I'll do a Throwback Thursday post of our day soon.

J.Crew has been doing an awesome job with their jewelry lately.  I found this necklace at the J.Crew Factory store the day after Christmas and it was an incredible deal.  I like that they're making awesome looking bling at affordable prices.  Kudos, J.Crew, and keep up the good work!

Well, that's a little taste of what's going on in Carolina Brunette Instagram Land.  I hope you enjoyed it and be sure to follow along and say "Hi!" @carolinabrunette

Alright, Alright, Alright

With all of the Matthew McConaughey hoopla going on lately, its really got me thinking about him as a person. Like, who is he really? Well, I have a sneaking suspicion, deep down, that the modern day version of the character he plays on "True Detective," Rustin Cohle, is what he would look like in real life if he wasn't a famous Hollywood actor.  I'm not talking about the flashbacks of him looking slightly "A Time To Kill Matthew McConaughey," with his PERFECTLY coiffed hair.  I'm talking about THIS GUY...

Pic from True Detective Instagram Account

....swiggin' Lone Star Beer, a pack of cigs in his pocket, scuzzy beard, scuzzy hair, scuzzy clothes, wrinkles on his face because he's not slathering Creme de la Mer all over it.....

Pic from True Detective Instagram Account

 ...ponytail (tied with a strip of bandana, nice touch!), forearm tat...

Pic from True Detective Instagram Account

...sitting on an old wooden chair, outside of a metal building, in the middle of a parking lot, with a cooler from 1985 next to him.

Basically, this is alternate universe Matthew McConaughey.

Thoughts?

Special Shout Out: I would like to give a special shout out to the Chevrolet Caprice Classic that Matthew and Woody Harrelson drive on the show.  

Pic from True Detective Instagram Account

My first car was a maroon 1991 Caprice Classic and it was a beauty.  Affectionately named "The Boat," because it was the size of one, it could hold all of my friends and made the everyday drive back and forth to 11th Grade what some would call a luxury experience.  I miss you Boat, wherever you are.

Spring and St. Patrick's Day Green

The highs in the low 70's that we've been having the past few days has gotten me ready for Spring and warm weather!  The Daffodils are blooming, the grass is turning from brown to green, and the covering of snow and ice from a few weeks ago has been replaced with the ominous yellow dusting of pollen on everything that you see (break out the Zyrtec)!

In preparation for the warmer weather and St. Patrick's Day, I did a little online shopping that, of course, features the color o' the Irish, green!

I am a big fan of tunics.  Depending on the length, they're great over a pair of jeans, for a more casual look, or if they're long enough, they can be worn simply as a dress.  In the warmer months, I skip the pants and stick with the longer dresses.  Sail to Sable has lots of cute tunics and dresses and I pretty much want one of each item on their website.  The two tunics featured below would be perfect for a warm St. Patrick's Day of fun!

Cheers to Chic Tunic in Green Flash

Garden Party Tunic in Peacoat Navy

Then, of course, you have to have some fun, warm weather shoes so I picked out a pair of Jack Rogers wedges in gold.

Hamptons Mid Wedge in Gold

Remember to wear something green and have fun this St. Patrick's Day!

Side Note: Speaking of Daffodil's, today is National Plant a Flower Day, so I hope you all celebrated by planting your favorite flower or flowers.  If you didn't, the night is still young, most Walmart stores are open 24 hours, and let's be honest, you never leave a late night trip to Walmart without a good story!  Pick up some flowers and get to planting!