Loft Tour: Twinklelight City

I feel so thankful to live in such a creative space. I get to work somewhere that constantly inspires and surprises me (sometimes those surprises are spiders, but let's overlook that!). We've taken a glorified basement style loft and transformed it into a place we call home. Twinklelights everywhere, because why not right?! Sometimes it almost feels like we live in a planetarium.

I can't wait to have a normal sized hot water heater and a bath tub, but for now I'm happy with our concrete floors and "everything is dusty within 15 minutes of wiping it down" home sweet home. It fits our current situation and we're happy to have a roof over our heads.

The lighting is far from ideal so it's almost impossible to get decent photos but these will serve as a little taste of our home. Excuse the random boxes, giant softbox, and plentiful Honeybean shoes... our home is our office and our storage shed! We've got an always-stocked bar, wicker furniture perfect for a garden party, and an antique pink couch that I can't seem to get rid of. (It's kind of like the girls' couch [obviously!] but I'm hoping to have it reupholstered eventually!) Home sweet home, here you have it! xo

Are you decorating for the holidays?

Wedding Wednesday: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pie

Mike and I are getting really excited about putting our plans into motion for our October 2012 wedding. We made the decision several months ago to do a multitude of pies rather than cakes or cupcakes for the reception. We've been having fun playing with pie recipes ever since. While the Blueberry + Peach is still by far my favorite (yum!), we've also made apple pie and Blackberry+Pear! This one is our most recent attempt though! I baked one for my family on Thanksgiving (and we kept one at our home, too!). Mmmm! It's rich and gooey and positively divine when still warm! Of course all pie tastes better with ice cream in my opinion but this one hits a homerun!

I originally stumbled upon this recipe from Our Best Bites (which originated from Nestle) and they have the best pictures, too! I didn't manage to snap any while I was baking away (aside from the 3 which are obviously from my phone!) but I've included a few from OBB and you can always pop on over to see step-by-step photos if needed! I got to use my new baby KitchenAid mixer for this recipe and boy oh boy, it's a dream machine! 

Let me preface this recipe with this: It is so simple! I made a second one without even looking at the recipe and I clocked myself and five and a half minutes! Of course you need to bake it for an hour, but really, it's such a simple recipe! (I changed a tiny thing here or there, but not too much!)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pie

Ingredients:
1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust, homemade or store-bought.
2 large eggs
1/2 C flour
1/2 C white granulated sugar
1/2 C packed brown sugar
3/4 C real butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)
1 C chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark works best, you might find milk too sweet)
1 C candied pecans (you are welcome to make it without nuts)
Directions:
Vanilla ice cream, or sweetened whipped cream for serving (a must!  I prefer ice cream)
optional: chocolate sauce (honestly, doesn’t really need chocolate sauce, but it looks pretty!)
Preheat oven to 325° F.
Beat eggs in large mixer bowl on high speed until foamy. Beat in flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat in butter. Stir in morsels and nuts. Spoon into pie shell.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack or serve slightly warmed.  Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.





Okay, so mine doesn't look all that delicious out of the oven, but I assure you it is! OBB makes a good point that it takes a lot less rich when it's cooled, but you can't really beat the oogey gooey goodness of a fresh-from-the-oven pie! iPhone photos and poor kitchen lighting do not do it justice. It's a super simple recipe with things you might already have in your house so you simply must give this a shot! Even if you don't like overly sweet things, this might tickle your fancy! (Mike even liked it!)


* Additional photos courtesy of Our Best Bites

Little Teapot


You get one normal picture and two pictures of me acting silly ;) That's my "I'm a little teapot, short and stout" pose and "Hey! Look at my cool hallway!" haha! Any other style bloggers get a bit exhausted simply trying to name your outfit posts? Man alive! I wore this outfit yesterday and Mike and I went out for a dinner date after we packed up a million and seven Hive + Honey/Honeybean orders. We shut off our phones and focused on conversation with each other. It was lovely. Now it's back to the daily grind! I'm trying to get everything prepared for December's sponsors and the ultra awesome (if I do say so myself!) giveaway coming up on Thursday!

This dress is the sister dress to the one in this outfit post. I wear the two of them entirely too often. They're the best dresses considering I maybe paid $9 for them! It was an otherwise bland color palette so I added this Love Stitched necklace and a bright red belt. The little rosette necklace is darling and perfect for a punch of color. I was a bit intimidated by it at first but it proved to be such a fun accent. I recently snagged these flats from Target on clearance (same as my tan ones!) to replace my Blowfish flats that are basically mesh from all the holes I've worn into them. I'll have to show y'all one day haha I'm kind of proud of them. (and I'll continue to wear them... I just won't photograph them!)

This week is full of friend dates, new and old, so I can't wait. Until then, I'll be slaving over some design work and website coding so I'll see ya on the other side! xo

Bebop dress via Ross
H&M denim jacket
Zoe necklace c/o Love Stitched
Red belt from Forever 21 dress
Black tights c/o Foot Traffic
Target flats

Have you ever had an article of clothing you've worn to bits? They're the best, right?!

Bohemian Gift Guide


I thought it'd be fun to put together some gift guides based on certain personality and style traits, but I waited a little late in the game! This is still one I already had mocked up so I'll go ahead with it and see what I can't post in the next week or so! If you've got someone in your life that has an Earthy, bohemian style, these might be some rad gifts to give! 

Clockwise from top left: 

If you're looking to make a difference by buying fair trade items, Ten Thousand Villages is a wonderful one-stop shop for apparel, accessories, and home goods sourced from all corners of the world. 

You could also get crafty and make a batch of sugar or salt scrub to give as gifts! It's on my list of things to do!

What would you gift to a boho princess?

Shop Honeybean Mobile Boutique Online!


We did it! Many many hours/days/weeks of work finally put to good use! We knew we wanted Honeybean to go live before Cyber Monday but man are we cutting it close! We only managed to get about 25% of inventory shot, edited and listed before we finally agreed to cut it there. We'll be adding more inventory (skirts, dresses, feather goods, consignment pieces) throughout the entire week (and continuing!), but feast your eyes on 149 products up for grabs!

We're offering today's (thru Monday at midnight!) customers a 15% off coupon with the code CYBER. Swing by and pick up a thing or two! They're priced very moderately, and there's tons of new Hive + Honey pieces up for grabs! I'll be working on more this week, too! It's a never ending adventure and I'm so tickled to have y'all be a part of it! xo


Psst... you can also get my ebook at 15% off for one day only! Drop by the shop to pick it up!

Honest To Blog -- Clocking Out

This week's Honest To Blog is probably going to do nothing but make me sound a bit neurotic to be quite frank. I tend to have a handful of HTB topics lined up (or even written) but this one is something that sort of reared it's head this week and I felt compelled to talk about it (in hopes that I can fix it!). Being that i'm about 90% self-employed (lacking the 5-10 hours a week I bartend), I've found that I simply can't stop working. I don't know how to just "hang out" at home. I can't lay on the couch and watch tv or go get coffee with Mike without constantly feeling the need to work. I chock it up to the instability of freelance work and self employment. I think it terrifies me that I'm not relying on a set paycheck or salary every single week. My bank account is simply what I make it. Lately I've found myself diving into fifteen projects at once just to make sure we're comfortable and we can save for our wedding and store. Even at the City and Colour show last week I was answering emails on my phone! It's a habit that I just can't quit.


I guess working too much is slightly better than feeling too lazy to work at all, right? At this exact moment I'm working on fulfilling ebook orders, Kaelah's Closet orders, getting ready to launch Honeybean's online shoppe (tonight!), 2 website designs, 3 blog redesigns (with a 4th just being finished!), and my own personal projects and blogging. But I love that feeling. I love being busy. I love the feeling of crossing things off of my to do list and marking another project done. It's almost like it's an addiction.

After a few nights of 15 hour days on the ebook, Mike started to notice that I really just couldn't stop. It was 11pm and I was still on the computer, typing away, responding to emails while a document loaded or saved. At one point he came and physically removed me from my computer and sat me down on the couch. The other day he took me for a an hour and a half coffee date just so that I wouldn't come home and work on design projects.The good thing about our little date was that it ended up being one of the most inspiring talks we've ever had. I'm so grateful to have someone in my life that understands my incessant need to work or be doing something. But at the same time, I need to learn that it's okay to step away. It's okay to take a break or take a day off. (I actually started writing this for Sunday, November 20th, but then decided to take the day "off" to go with Mike to a photoshoot. So now I'm picking it back up!)

A lot of it too has to be the product of my computer/work station being smack in the middle of our house, and our house has no walls therefore I can see my computer from every single corner of our loft. It's almost as if it taunts me. "You could be kerning that text! You could be coding that layout! You could be answering your emails as soon as you receive them!" Plus, when your blog is so personally driven, it's hard not to think about it at all times when you're out doing things!

I'm not complaining in the slightest. I love my job. I love that "work" doesn't really feel like "work". I love the ability to make a living doing things I'm passionate about and being able to share it with all of y'all. I just wish I had a better "schedule". I even have to schedule in ukulele practice or an episode of Dexter. I'll work right up to it and most likely after. I know I need to find a balance, however, simply to avoid getting burnt out and abandoning everything at once. It's an exciting time in our household and we're taking great measures to ensure we get to share the Honeybean Dream with you. It just happens to be exhausting in the process (which makes for better sleep! :P) 



With that being said, I have to ask... How many of you work from home or have found yourself in a similar position? How do you delegate what will happen today vs. tomorrow, and how do you know when it's time to walk away for the evening? I've tried working "set hours" but I always find myself in front of the tv looking at my computer and thinking "I could just go answer 10 emails..." How do you decide to clock out for the day? If you've never experienced this before, maybe you still have an idea you could share? Let me hear it! I'm all ears! 

Now, I've got some designs to tend to! ;) Happy Sunday, honeybees!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Honest To Blog is a weekly free-writing feature where I talk about things that are silly, frustrating, or whatever else. Sometimes they don't make sense, and sometimes they're controversial. But they're honest!

Princess Peach

I snagged this dress from Jen's Shop My Closet sale after I had already ordered one from ModCloth. I ordered a large from MC and it was gigantic when I tried it on. Jen had a medium with the tags still on it (and 1/3 of the price!) so I bought it and returned the first one instead. Well even this one is huge! I'm not sure what's up with this brand's sizing but if you order it, sized down at least one or two sizes if you can!  It's still a super sweet dress and the peach color is divine. I toned it down with my black "funeral tights" and a grey cardi though. It was a really gloomy/rainy day (hence indoor shots) but it was still a fun thing to wear. I picked up these suede loafers from the thrift store one day ($1!) and I've been itching to wear them ever since! The outfit is a little mis-matched but hey, it's what I really wore so whatever! 

Mike and I sat up our Christmas tree last night while listening to the She + Him Christmas record, and today we're hard at work on Honeybean's online shoppe and finishing up some new handmade goodies to stock it with! This girl needs a big ol' pot of coffee and a trip to Hobby Lobby though so I'll leave it at that! Happy Saturday! xo

ModCloth's Morning On Main Street dress via Jen
Forever 21 cardigan
Black tights c/o Foot Traffic
Thrifted suede loafers

Shop Hive + Honey for Small Biz Saturday!

After a nice little hiatus so we could focus our efforts on Honeybean, Hive + Honey on Etsy is reopen! We stocked it full of fascinators, bows and barrettes, and you can get your hands on them while saving 15% with the code SMALLBIZ! Brace yourselves, Honeybean's online shoppe just might be open for Cyber Monday! ;) CLICK HERE to shop Hive + Honey handmade hair pieces! (With lower prices, too!)

It's important to remember the small businesses that are putting their lives on the line by opening up shop this year. The economy isn't in the best state and we could all help by contributing to the little guys! Mike and I have decided that all gifts this year will be handmade and/or from independent shops. I'm excited to see what we come up with! xo

PS; The coupon code is already live, so feel free to shop away! You don't have to wait until midnight! ;)

Cranberry and Chocolate

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving! I had every intention of yesterday's post to be a Things I'm Thankful For post (in place of a TiLT) but I was out of town, had no access to a computer, and had more fun enjoying family. It was nice to take a day off of blogging. (I'm also avoiding email today and maybe all the way until Monday so don't freak out if you don't hear back from me immediately! I'll send ebook orders but that's probably it!) Anyway, I worked Wednesday night and it was surprisingly dead, but I still didn't get home (to my parents') until 3am. Mike and I slept until 10 then visited with my nana and headed to Lawrenceburg to see Mike's family. My nana gifted me the most gorgeous set of Pyrex dishes that my mom bought her in the mid-70's! I'm so excited to use them.

We had a really great visit full of really great food and conversation and we made our trek back to Nashville around 4:30. (I slept most of the way home) but we crashed on the couch and watched Netflix for the rest of the night and we mega slept in today! I used to get into the whole Black Friday shopping but I started realizing it wasn't for me at the end of high school. It can be fun but not when you have to work that night! I learned the hard way one year. This outfit is a little more "holiday" inspired with all the cranberry colors but I just need to block out my entire head. My hair is all sorts of a mess these days (and I've since dyed over it, but I don't know what I want to do with it! Story of my life haha) I'm off to procure some hot coffee and warm clothes! Happy Friday!

H&M lace dress
Thrifted belt
Target cardigan
Thrifted purse
Honeybean ring (Coming soon!)
Opaque tights c/o Foot Traffic
Suede + Patent booties c/o Love Clothing


PS; I'm thankful for every single one of you!

[Vegan] Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today I thought it would be fun to have one of my closest friends (and bridesmaids!) do a guest post on vegan baking. Shannon just started her blog in the past week or so and we decided to trade a blog design for some awesome vegan baking guest posts! If you've got any last minute time to kill, maybe you could whip some of these bad boys up for your Thanksgiving festivities tomorrow! Enjoy!
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Hi! My name is Shannon. I recently started my blog, Leaves & Flours, because I wanted to show people that neither baking nor veganism were too difficult. When I went vegan I had to learn how to bake all the treats that I knew I would miss otherwise. And really, nothing makes me happier than sharing treats with people.

There's a DC based bakery named Sticky Fingers (you may have seen them on Cupcake Wars) that makes a sweet and salty chocolate chip cookie that I love. Since I appreciate it so much, I thought I would share with y'all my own recipe that was inspired by their creation. If you have any questions about vegan baking, don't hesitate to ask!


Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies
yeilds approximately one dozen

½ cup vegan butter*
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1½ tsp vanilla extract
1 Ener-G egg or other egg replacement**
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup old fashioned oats
½ tsp baking sode
1/3 tsp salt & extra salt for sprinkling
1/3 cup chocolate chips



Allow butter to soften at room temperature at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375F. Cream butter & sugar. This may take some arm strength. Add vanilla & egg replacer, mix again. Mix in dry ingredients, aside from chocolate. Gently fold in chips. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop approximately 1" balls of dough spaced at least an inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Slightly flatten balls of dough with palm of hand. Bake 10-12 minutes, rotating tray once during baking. After removing cookies from oven, sprinkle with extra salt to taste. I prefer sea salt, but any should work.

* I use Earth Balance
** You can find Ener-G in most grocery stores, and one box has lasted me 3 years. As a different egg replacer, I recommending mixing 1 tbsp ground flax seeds with 2 tbsp water.



Black Swan




[ click here to see all recent outfit posts ]
Don't worry, that third duckface picture was totally on purpose. Someone asked me the other day why I make that "duckface in all of my pictures" haha I wasn't aware that I did but I guess anything short of a full-toothed grin is undesirable. ;) I've come to realize I'm a smirker. I smirk always. Maybe that makes me have "Chronic B**chface" as Kris Atomic would call it, but that's just how I smilie! (Plus, smiling real big while having your photo taken in this fashion is kind of awkward! haha Like fake laughing!)

This outfit is a fun one for me. A summer white dress, a sweet swan cardi, a thrifted scallop clutch (my favorite thrift find ever!), and some industrial, borderline gothic, wedges to top it all off. It's such a mess but I love it. I actually wore this outfit on Sunday (sans these shoes, because it was raining) but they were fun to play up. I actually stuffed my Gee WaWa wedges into my purse the other night when we went to the City and Colour show so I could gain some height! 6 inches goes a long way when you're 5'2 and stuck behind what seems to be the tallest group of people ever! They're super comfortable too so that helps!

Today Mike and I are baking away! We're each baking a pie to take to Thanksgiving dinner at our respective families. He's baking a Blackberry + Pear pie and I'm whipping up a Chocolate Cookie Dough pie (!!!). Wish me luck because I've never attempted it before! I have to bartend tonight (would you believe me if I said it's typically the busiest night of the year?! I hope that's the case tonight!) but tomorrow is all about family time! Hope you're having a wonderful Wednesday!

Bebop dress via Ross
Swan cardigan c/o Love Clothing
Thrifted scallop clutch
Tights c/o Foot Traffic

PS; I have a couple of sponsor spots left for December! Shoot me an email to snag yours! And you can use the code "GiveThanks" on Kaelah's Closet for 10% off now through the weekend!

PPS: You can use the code "KAELAH" for 20% off your OmericaOrganic order (like my button plugs!) and "KAELAH" will also get you 20% off your Karmaloop order! (I'm not sure if they have any Gee WaWas left though!)