ringing in the new year

Well, it's been just about a year since my last post and so much has changed! 2014 was such a journey. Between a few health scares, changes with work and falling in love with the sweetest man I've ever known, this blog has been seriously neglected...BUT all that will change! To celebrate the end of a wild year and to usher in a new one, I gathered some of my close girlfriends for a classic sleepover to toast the start of 2015.

If anyone knows me, they know I have a serious love of charcuterie and cheese plates. I've never met a cheese I didn't like and after obsessing over Pinterest board after Pinterest board, I decided to take my quest for queso into my own hands. Take a look at the snaps below and follow the steps to make your own party plate sure to please a room full of your drunk besties or one very hungry lady.

You want your cheese board to look as good as it tastes so I started with a wooden serving tray. Feel free to use whatever you have on hand - a wood cutting board works perfectly. 

You want your board to be a mix of flavors and textures ranging from sweet and salty to soft and crunchy. I got a variety box of crackers from Trader Joe's which paired unsalted waifers and multigrain wheat crackers. It's really just a vehicle to get the cheese in your mouth (LOL). On this side I used proscuitto, capacola and salami, gouda cheese, sliced green apple and red grapes. 

When it came to the other side of the board, I went really crunchy but also mixed up the flavors. For cheeses, I used brie (my favorite) and an extra sharp english white cheddar. For sweetness, I threw in dried apricots and a dish of honey. To top it all off and give it a fancy touch, I popped on a handful of truffle salt marcona almonds (literally the best thing I've ever tried).

The only way this tray could literally get any better would be to pop open a bottle of your favorite wine with your favorite friends. This tray was such a hit with my girls - especially the white cheddar dipped in honey on a salted cracker. 

richie rich

If I was going to wish to be any woman under 5'1" it would have to be Nicole Richie. I've followed her from The Simple Life to Style Star and the girl has got it going on. Thanks to the fairy style godmother to the stars, Rachel Zoe, Nicole has gone from hot mess to hot damn! I am in no way this teeny tiny but I am ALL about what she's got going on. Her hippy days were amazing but her recent turn as glamazon is literally giving me life. So here's an ode to my spirit animal and her ferocious fashion sense.

in the mix

I admire girls who can mix and match prints without worrying about looking insane. I never thought I was one of those chicks until today when I referred to my current fashion idol (re: Khlo-Money) and saw her spin on denim, flannel and the classic white tee. I punched my look up with leopard peep toe wedges, which to be fair, are so amazing and don't get as much love as they should. Once I put everything on it's safe to say I was fully obsessed with myself.

T-shirt - Old Navy, Flannel - Vintage, Jeans - Joe, Shoes - Jeffrey Campbell

Headband - Urban Outfitters, Sunglasses - Fossil, Bag - H&M

put a ring on it

I suffer from a syndrome. I like to call it chubby sausage finger syndrome. It's really sad actually and made me not wear rings for years because I could NOT get those damn rings down my fingers. They would literally sit on my knuckle and not budge. Luckily, midi rings are hugely popular and make it totally acceptable to wear tinier than small finger jewelry. Chubby finger queens rejoice! Go ahead and jam as many thin, chunky, bedazzled, rings right on top of each other on both hands! You won't look like an eccentric rich grandmother but a super chic glam god. So go forth and put a ring on it honey.

 

keeping up with khloe

If anyone knows me well, they'll tell you in five minutes I am a reality TV junkie. I'm not proud of my addiction but the first step to recovering is acknowledging you have a problem. And I have a problem. A Kardashian problem. Sure, KUWTK (yes I used the abbreviation, get over it) is mind numbing celebrity TV created by blonde, tiny man, super mogul Ryan Seacrest, but what my hours of watching has created is the fashion icon, the gorgeous Khloe Kardashian - no Odom. Can we get into how insane her body is? How amazing that hair is and yes, some of these looks have been worn by Kim, but there's no denying Khlo-Money is KILLING it. I gathered some of my favorite looks of my "in-my-head-BFF" and have every intention of getting as beat as this diva. 

 

mono

I'm pretty sure that I'm completely not cool enough to pull of one color all over. I love the look and envy the girls who can but if it falls outside of my usual black on black, I freak out. Fortunately the internet is a well spring of fashion knowledge for me (thank you Google!) and I've been so inspired to step out of my weekly dark hues and maybe (MAYBE) edge into other monochromatic schemes. Grey on grey maybe? All white? Who knows but I'm most definitely taking notes from these lovely ladies.

faux real

My incessant tweeting and fur vest safari has finally come to an end. I stumbled upon my new baby on my final shopping trip before the start of my cleanse. It was my last purchase and I am so beyond thrilled to own it. I wish I could wear it everyday over sweatpants and pajamas and flannel but today I chose leather and my favorite sheer tank top. Cap the look with a beanie, excessive amounts of gold jewelry, a bright red lip and you're in the game.

Beanie - Target, Jewelry - H&M, Tank - Nordstrom Rack

Faux Fur Vest - H&M, Leather Leggings - H&M

Bag - 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target, Shoes - Dolce Vita