Holiday Red & Green

Holiday Red & Green by caro714 featuring a flare dress

DIY Gingerbread Garland

Times are tough.... and I wanted to add some more Christmas decorations around my house. I made this gingerbread garland from stuff I had at home. Only thing I went out to buy was the christmas looking ribbon which was $1 at Michaels. The garland was so easy and it looks so cute. I actually surprised myself. You can pretty much add anything to the garland. The more stuff you have at home and the more creative you are the better.

These are the basics you will need:
Brown Paper Bag
Scissors
Glue & hot glue gun
Glitter ribbon
Construction paper
white marker or white puffy paint

Hot in December

Well today has got to be the muggiest day in the history of muggy days. Its 75 degrees! But the humidity is just awful. Christmas is a little over a week away! WTH I dont like this weather. I have definetely been M.I.A from my blog :( Its been a busy last few weeks. I currently have a sprained ankle. Thats a first for me. Its horrible. Luckily I didnt break anything, just tore ligaments on it. I have to wear this sexy brace. And even if I tried, I cant wear heels. My ankle is literally like jello and its just too painful. Its crazy how much thats impacted me lol ... I know its so lame but yet its made me really sad. Heels are such a staple in my outfits, Ive really been thrown off and I never know what to wear. Im such a baby I know aha Im gonna have to invest in some new flats soon.

I did most of my Christmas shopping last weekend. The brace cant stop me!!! jk I was in pain when I came home

Holiday Drinks & Cocktails

I dont know about you, but I sure love a great cocktail. I personally dont like super sweet drinks. I just have to find that happy medium. Here are some delicious and really easy drinks for all of your upcoming holiday parties.

White Cosmo
Servings: 2

1 cup white cranberry juice
4 oz vodka
2 oz Cointreau

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add cranberry juice, vodka, and Cointreau. Shake to combine well. Strain into two large martini glasses. Serve immediately.

Orange Champagne Cocktail
Servings: 10-12

2 1/4 cups freshly squeezed or frozen blood-orange juice

2 750-ml bottles champagne, chilled

Pour 3 tablespoons juice in each champagne flute. Fill flutes with champagne, and serve.

Lanesborough
Serving: 1
.5 oz Grand Marnier
.5 oz  Cranberry Juice
.5 oz Passion fruit juice
2 oz champagne

Add Grand Marnier, cranberry juice, passion fruit juice or puree to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled Champagne flute. Top with champagne and garnish with an orange spiral twist.

Pumpkin Martini
Serving: 1

3 parts vodka
½ part Hiram Walker Pumpkin Spice Liqueur
Splash Simple Syrup

Combine all ingredients over ice and shake. Strain in to martini glass, and garnish with a cinnamon stick.


Spiced Apple Cider Sangria (this is the most "difficult" recipe but its soooo worth it!)
Serving: 5-6

For Spiced Apple Cider:
2 cups apple cider (the real stuff - opaque in color & found in the refrigerator section)
1/3 cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
2 orange slices (rounds)

For the Spiced Apple Cider Sangria:1 bottle inexpensive Spanish red wine (we used Tempranillo)
2 cups spiced apple cider (recipe above)
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup brandy


Photos: Martha Stewart, Huffington Post, Mylifeasamrs, William Sonoma

My Wish List

Well here are few of the things that I really want right now .... whats on your wish list ?

 

 

 

 

My Wish List by caro714 featuring chain earrings

ASOS faux fur coat, $122
Christian Louboutin high heel pumps, £375
Chanel vintage bag
Marc by Marc Jacobs bangles jewelry, $98
Chain earrings, $5
KitchenAid Artisan Susan G. Komen Stand Mixer, Raspberry Ice, $400
Tocca Stella Candle, $38
Trish McEvoy Blackberry & Vanilla Musk Eau de Parfum Spray #9, $80

Thanksgiving Decor

Im so excited to start decorating my kitchen and dining rooms for Thanksgiving. There are so many things you can do to decorate and give your home that Fall and Thanksgiving feel. I also have been using some of my uncarved pumpkins from Halloween for my Fall decorations. Here are some beautiful ideas

I will be posting my DIY pumpkin idea in a few days... its so easy

Photos Courtesy of: Martha Stewart, Casas Sugar, Napa Style, Southern Living

Apple Dumplings

I ate so much this weekend :( it was great!! :) lol my sister and I made apple dumplings and served it with vanilla ice cream. Wow! Sooo good but this dessert is pretty much the opposite of heathy. Here is the recipe

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/02/apple_dumplings/

Halloween Weekend

Aaww Halloween over already. Tonight I had my family and closest friends over my house. I went out to a lounge with my friends on Friday and Saturday night went to a maskarade party. such a great weeekend. I also baked over the weekend and on Halloween. I love baking btw.
I found this recipe for from Paula Deen and made it last week. WOW so good. I plan on making it again this weekend.  Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

                                                  
How cute is this picture of my sister as the SOLAR SYSTEM, my brother-n-law as an ALIEN & nephew Benjamin as an ASTRONAUT.

Glitter All Over

If you know me.... you know I love anything girly & whats girlier than GLITTER??? Here are 10 of my favorite glitter pieces. You can instantly give any outfit some sparkle but adding one of these. BTW its almost Friday waahoooo!

1. Ellie Saab Sequin Bolero 2. Belle Noel Palladium Enamel  Earrings  3. 3.1Phillip Lim Sequinned Shorts 4. Topshop Ombre Sequin Dress  5. Giuseppe Zanotti Ballet Flats  6.Asos Glitter Bow Belt  7. Zara Sequinned Wallet 8. Deborah Lipman Glitter Nail Polish  9. Miu Miu Glitter & Suede Booties 10. Marc by Marc Jacobs Pave Star earrings

Photo Courtersy of: Vogue Italia

Ceviche Recipe

So at the end of summer I came to this restaurant called Rosario's. I had heard of it several times since I moved to San Antonio but it never came to mind when I was trying to come up with a place to eat. Well Im glad I finally went. The food was GREAT. Its been a few months and I am still thinking about it.. yum. I need to go back.... My favorite was the Ceviche, which is actually an appetizer.... Here is the receipe I found online. This place was nice, yet casual and of course clean. Now I recommend it to anyone who is looking for good mexican food. They even have music some nights of the week.

If you guys are in San Antonio head to downtown and check out this place

http://www.rosariossa.com/

Rosario's Ceviche Fina

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound fresh tilapia fillets, cut into strips 2 inches long by 1/4 inch wide
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
3 serrano chilies, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup diced jicama
1/2 cup cilantro, torn by hand
2-3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or a chili-spiced olive oil

1 large avocado, sliced for garnish
tostada chips

Place the fish in a large glass or ceramic mixing bowl and add lime juice, serrano chilies, onion, jicama, salt, pepper and oregano. Add cilantro and thin sliced garlic, toss into the mix and let it marinate with everything else. Mix ingredients gently and marinate in the refrigerator for about 45 minutes. Then place the mixture in a strainer to drain off excess lime juice. Toss mixture in olive oil and season to taste. If desired, removed garlic slices before serving. Serve on chips with slices of avocado. Keep in mind, the longer you let the ceviche sit in the fridge the better and more flavorful it will be.

I found the recipe on this blog. Thanks :)  http://sincerelyyours-kate.blogspot.com/

Pop of Color

Bright colored jeans continue to be a popular trend even way into fall. Dont be afraid to wear your favorite bright pair of jeans this season. You can easily wear this with boots, a cozy sweater or leather jacket. Im loving it :)

Versace for H&M Collection

Vogue Just released the entire Versace for H&M collection! I am speechless.... all I need is more $$. I want it all sigh..... here are my favorite pieces.

You can see the whole collection here
Versace for H&M

Fall Faves

So Fall is finally here.... well probably every where else in the country other than Texas! We have still been having weather ranging from 90-100 up until this week! Im glad we can finally bundle up and start using all these amazing fall accesories. Here are my favorite pieces. I just noticed you cant see the tights :( they are suppose to be black... tights are a key accesory for fall.

Peridot Nails

Its been a lazy, rainy Sunday. I got a new nail polish a couple of days ago and I was so excited to finally do my nails with it. Chanel Peridot! So beautiful!!! Its got tones of gold and green! Love love it
What is your fav fall nail color?

Fall Trend- Loafers

Everyone needs that perfect fall flat.... we have a huge trend for this fall. SO cute and a bit different from the last few seasons where it was all about the ballet flat. This season all about the Slippers and Loafers

These babies have been spotted all over Paris Fashion Week. Ill be shopping for a pair this week

Photo Courtesy of: Gerg Kessler, Christina Perez, WireImage

Magical Heels

I saw these shoes yesterday for the first time.... I am in love!! They are Miu Miu and $595 -_-

They remind me of a fairytale .... or maybe even a modern version of Dorothy's ruby red glitter slippers.

This would be my dream outfit on a special night out in the town

What is your dream outfit?

http://www.miumiu.com/

Blue Royalty

                                         Here is my boyfriend and me at our friend Brian's wedding in Houston.

Versace for H&M first look

So.... a couple of days ago I came across this picture from the official Versace for H&M lookbook. Model Abbey Lee Kershaw is wearing a beautiful, bright top. OMG ... and that belt is to DIE for. I need it. Must have it! Total Versace staple. This is a very different look from the leather and gold dress Donatella wore back in June during the announcement of the collaboration.
So sad there isnt an H&M store in freaken San Antonio !! UGH.Kill me... I will be driving to Dallas for this.
I cant wait for H&M online shopping.... this is coming sometime end of 2011/2012

Mark your calendars people-- Versace for H&M hits stores November 19th

Remember 9/11.... 10 years later

I woke up this morning, and watched the memorial. I watched as surviving family members read of the names of those brave people that passed on this date. It literally brought tears to my eyes. It's so heartbreaking and still unbelievable that these attacks even took place. I dont think anyone will ever forget what they were doing on this tragic day.

God Bless all of those who were affected by 9/11. You are forever in our prayers.

Aerial View



This photo is so shocking, and yet so touching to see the American flag over the Brooklyn Bridge

Photos Courtesy of Getty Images, Associated Press

Farmer's Market

My sister's and I went to the Pearl Farmer's Market downtown. I was a little dissapointed. I thought there would be a lot more fruits, vegetables and food like the farmer's markets I grew up going to in Los Angeles. There weren't many stands and even though we got there at 10 am all the fruits & veggies had been sold out ?? All I bought was a coffee and a zuchini bread I will be having for breakfast tomorrow.

Anywho, across from the market they had all kinds of small stands selling new and vintage clothes, jewelry, furniture all from local stores and vendors. This was a lot more fun if you ask me. However, we had to pay $5 to get into that part of the market. The lady at the entrance told us that the money was going to charity, but when I asked her which charity she had no clue...uumm ok?

It is still so very hot in Texas.... I wore my hair up in a bun inspired my SJP. I really love the combination of Coral with Browns

We still had a good time and found a couple of fun items.