Gorgeous Giveaway - 31 Bits Fuchsia Necklace

I recently had the pleasure of learning more about an amazing jewelry company! And they aren't just any jewelry company, they are making a difference. 31 Bits started when Kallie Dovel, traveled to Uganda in the summer of 2007, getting a first- hand look at life in Northern Uganda. While she was there, she met women making paper beads but who lacked a plan to market and sell them. After spending time in their homes and hearing their stories, Kallie knew there had to be a way to give opportunities to her new friends. She brought a box of jewelry back to the U.S., and spent the next year finishing her degree and dreaming up the concept of a development organization. She brought a few friends on board and her ideas quickly evolved into 31 Bits. The girls traveled back to Uganda in August 2008, and selected six women to begin buying jewelry from on a monthly basis. Since then, they have grown to 99 women; each with a unique story of suffering that has been overcome with joy and liberation. Check out this video...






After becoming completely smitten over the company and everything they stand for, I inquired about becoming a Blog Ambassador. 31 Bits doesn't have an Ambassador program for blogs in place (hopefully they will someday!), however, they were SO generous to offer me a fun spring necklace to give away to one lucky reader!






The Heritage Mid necklace in Fuchsia will be perfect to add a kiss of color to any outfit. I could see this necklace layered with delicate gold pieces for a gorgeous summer boho look! The Heritage necklace is valued at $28. To enter please fill out the form below...

J.Crew Final Sale Fav's

My love affair with J.Crew started in my early High School years. I still remember getting those catalogs in the mail, back before they even had the kind of website they do now. Back when there were glorious sample sales at local warehouses in my area! I miss those days. I'm still wearing my beloved J.Crew. Whether I have a love/hate relationship with them at times due to quality change & price increases over the years, some things will never change. I tell you with no doubt in my mind that as long as J.Crew is around, I'll still be shopping there in my 60's!

Today I got an email with the latest sale updates and even better, use code "SHOPNOW" for an additional 30% off!!! I've been a little "late to the party" as far as spring/summer shopping goes. I've honestly been hoping to score a few deals and fab finds! Just watch that cart, as some pieces are final sale. Here are some of my current JC fav's...


I've never been a fan of regular sweatshirts, so the Spindrift Sweatshirt is perfect! It's a little more light weight and the fit is just right. I could see it paired with chino shorts and these adorable Stripw wedge flipflops


I normally grab my tanks at the factory store, but this is a great deal! I've been wearing these tanks for years and they are a constant in my closet from summer through winter! I love the Vivid Poppy color and think it would look great paired with the tailored Classic Flare Jean


The Ruche Banded One Piece is perfect for the body conscious girl that still wants to look chic! I could stand to lose a couple pounds and this suit is perfect for hiding some of those flaws without looking frumpy! And the Shirred Ruffle Bandeau is a gorgeous two-piece option available in an array of colors!


I love Maxi's in the summer! Nothing is easier than grabbing a breezy skirt or dress to throw on!! Both the Amie Maxi Dress and the Jersey Maxi Skirt would be ideal additions to a spring/summer wardrobe!!


I love the pops of color in these simple tees! And at these price points, I would def grab a couple colors of each!! The Linen Baseball Tee in Cerise would be gorgeous with a pair of navy shorts! And the Perfect Fit Tee in Heritage Green would compliment pretty much any pair of shorts!!

So there you have it! Just a few of my favorite picks from the sale! There were more.... but I would be here all day .... make sure to check it out so you can snap up your fav's before they're gone! And don't forget to use code "SHOPNOW" for an additional 30% off!! Happy shopping!!!


XOXO

Healthy Nut Butter Cups

If you're new to my blog, you might not know how crazy I am about healthy food! I'm quite a nutrition nerd and have really been getting into superfoods as well as experimenting with different ways of eating. Recently because of various digestive problems, sleep issues, and lack of focus, our Doctor advised us to try cutting some different things out of our regular diet. I was already doing this on and off over the last year, but now we are taking a more agressive approach. No dairy, no gluten and no preservatives, dyes or anything artificial. I personally don't mind this new way of eating too much since I had already somewhat adapted to it, however, this past Holiday weekend was our first real challenge. For my Son's Easter basket, we filled it with candies that had no dyes or artificial ingredients. Chocolate was a major issue as far as stores around here, so I decided to make my little man his very own chocolate treats! They turned out amazing and way better than anything we could have bought in my opinion ;) So here is my recipe, sorry for not including a pic, they aren't that pretty!!



Christy's Healthy PB Cups
* Mini or Large Muffin Tin* Non-stick Muffin Liners (parchment is best)* 1/2 Cup PB, or you could use any other Nut Butter* 2-3 TB Organic Powdered Sugar, to taste* 1/2 - 3/4 cup D-Free Choc Chips (reg would work fine here too), melted in a double boiler* 1 banana

I just created this recipe myself, so depending on the size of your cups and how much choc or peanut butter you like, you may need more or less of the PB/Choc ratio. I started by melting my chocolate. Carefully melt the chocolate, stirring constantly and be careful not to burn. When the chocolate is melted, set aside for a moment and line your muffin tin. After each liner is in, drop a enough melted chocolate into each to line the bottom, you want to make sure there's enough in the bottom, but not so much that it's super thick. When you're finished, place the entire pan in the freezer. Mix up your PB or Nut butter of choice in another bowl with the Powdered Sugar to taste. Some Nut Butters may need more or less sugar. My Fav Almond Butter (Justin's Maple Almond) probably wouldn't need any additional sugar. It really all depends on your preference and the consistency that you prefer. Set the bowl aside when you're done mixing. Now slice your banana into thin slices. Retrieve your pan from the freezer and place the banana slices into each cup in a thin layer. Next spoon your Nut Butter mixture on top, spreading around to cover the bananas. Finish each cup off with a chocolate top. They do not need to be perfect! After you're finished, place the tin back in the freezer for 1-2 hours. Eat while frozen or enjoy slightly thawed, keeping them in the fridge. Enjoy!!!!

XOXO

Split Personality

The weather is starting to warm up a bit, and even though I've always been more of a cool weather person, I've been finding myself dreaming of warmer sunny days! But with the summer approaching, I also become very confused and seem to develop a split personality..... A split fashion personality that is ;) As I approached the end of my twenties I started to notice more and more that I have a hard time pinpointing who I really am. I try to embrace my love of multiple styles, but each and every summer seems to be the most difficult to manage. Most of the year I spend my time loving clean, classic pieces and sometimes even more preppy finds a la J.Crew. I've dressed this way since I was in High School and it's always been who I am. But as I've gotten older, my more boho, beachy loving side is less dormant and shines through! The days of wearing Abercombie shorts with Quicksilver shirts at 17 have turned into wispy tunics, flowy maxi dresses and fun tribal prints as soon as the heat rises.

Funny enough, I've noticed that my Interior decor instincts are like this is well. This is where I find it the most difficult! I love clean white, gauzy curtains and kisses of turquoise and gold the most. But my home has Buddha's, Greenery and wooden accents, with pretty mosaic or sari prints scattered all over it as well. At 31 years old I've learned that this is just me.... I'm trying more & more to just accept that I've always been this way to some degree and I don't need to choose between my forever friend that is J.Crew and my all-time love that is Anthropologie. I even try to make them work together at time. I can have them both and that's ok!

Have you pinpointed your style yet? Do you feel you're a split fashion personality as well? How do you balance it?

Ps- Some of my fav spring & summer finds coming soon!!!

XOXO

Best Peanut Butter Ever!

So sorry for the lack of posts lately! I really have no excuse, just super busy with the Immersion program through school, lots of appointments and the craziness of life in general! I have had time to sample some amazing Peanut Butter! Being a major PB lover, I always have time to try some out. The super kind folks over at PB Crave were kind enough to send me their delicious sampler pack for my review! And let me just start by saying O... M... G....

Ok, so we happened to get the PB on my Son's 9th Birthday, which was awesome!!! He was playing hooky from school that day and was super psyched when the package came in the mail! We immediately broke out the spoons and tried all 4! All of them were very very good! I don't have a negative thing to say about any of the flavors. Great texture, low sugar, no nasty ingredients (although I would love to see the PB made without Soy. I'm not a huge fan of soy!). So I'll comment individually on each flavor...

Cookie Nookie: Described as A mouth-watering mix of chocolate chips, cookie dough flavor, wild honey and premium peanut butter — it’s two classics together as one. This was probably my 2nd fav. The cookie flavor wasn't overwhelming. More like just a hint. I think maybe it would have been a teensy bit better with just a smidge more cookie flavor!

CoCo Bananas: Described as A tropical blend of yummy bananas, cocoa and wild honey, this peanut butter adds a taste of island paradise to any kitchen. I was most excited to try this one! I LOVE banana's and for me, mixed with PB they are heaven! For me this one didn't have as much banana flavor as I would have liked. The smell is amazing! And I think though there is just a hint of banana flavor, using it to make a PB banana sandwich would really bring out the flavors and add that extra kick!

Choco Choco: Described as A delicious double dose of semi-sweet and rich dark chocolate with premium peanut butter and wild honey — it's decadence and delight in every bite. For me, though this one was good, it was my least favorite. Maybe I mixed in the flavors too much or not enough, I don't know. It kinda tasted like a really good regular PB to me. =(

For me, the most unexpected, yet clear winner was....

Razzle Dazzle: Described as A twisted blend of red raspberry, wild honey, cool white chocolate and rich dreamy darkness — this peanut butter offers a magical mix of deliciousness. This is the one that for some reason, I thought I would like the least. Love, love, love it!!! I've been snacking on it like crazy! It is SO good!!! I've been dying to make some Raw PB cups with this, I just haven't had a chance. When I do I'll be sure to post the recipe. YUM!!!

So that concludes my review of PB Crave's Amazing Peanut Butter! While I didn't fall in love with every single one of the flavors, I highly recommend that you try out this Sample Pack! You will not be disappointed!!!


XOXO

DISCLAIMER: Though PB Crave was so generous to send me a sample pack of all 4 of their amazing flavors, I did not recieve any monetary compensation for my review. This post conveys my honest opinion of PB crave products. I would never recommend any products I do not approve of.