HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE FOR JEWELRY LOVERS (FEATURING UNCOMMONGOODS!)

You all know how much I love jewelry, which is why I am SO excited to share some sparkly holiday gifts from UncommonGoods! If you haven't heard of UncommonGoods, they're a site that basically has everything under the sun you could imagine getting (or giving) as a great gift...including jewelry (like all these handmade pieces!). 

I know jewelry can get to a place where it's a cliche gift, but that's why UncommonGoods is so great. There are pieces with real personality (some of which you can personalize) that show you really thought about them when picking out the perfect item! There's such a variety that it's easy to shop for multiple people with different tastes - whether they like big glitzy jewelry or simple, handmade pieces (like these).

I've featured mostly necklaces (like these) in this post because that's my favorite type of jewelry to wear- plus they're one size fits all- so they're easier to buy than rings or cuff bracelets that aren't adjustable! A few necklaces I have to call out below include the amazing amethyst piece on the top row (need!) and the astrology locket right next to it. Having such a subtle detail on the locket makes it seem really personal, without being over-the-top. 

Does the lady you're shopping for already have enough baubles? Get her a jewelry holder (like one of these) to store it all in! I personally think the cup that holds makeup brushes is genius.

If you want to see more, be sure to click here to see more great Holiday Gifts for women from UncommonGoods!

Which jewelry piece would you pick from the ones above?

Be sure to check out more here!

xo, lp

*this post was sponsored by uncommongoods, but as always, all opinions are my own. like...i really want that amethyst necklace. stat. no stop reading this, go check out uncommongoods now! * 

BECAUSE YOU KNOW I'M ALL ABOUT THAT....BUFF CHECK

Oh my friends,

It's the season from here on out I will fondly call Buffalo Check season.

I work in Menswear and I have to say, buffalo check is is one of my favorite patterns to run during the holiday season. It's bold, classic, and great for guys & girls alike.

Here are a handful of awesome red + black buff check items you've GOT to grab this year!

1.  Oh, let's begin with some classic Pendleton, shall we? This clutch (currently on sale!)  is 98% lady and 2% lumberjack. 

2&3: This tote is just right for Farmer's Markets...and this backpack is MADE for a chilly camping trip.

4. I don't think I am quite cool enough to rock a mini belt bag- but if I was, this one would absolutely be my choice.

5. I know I've shared this C.Wonder blanket before- but if you're not into 100% wool blankets, this one is for you!

6. This scarf is perfectly androgynous enough for you to wear...or for your boyfriend to steal. Or vice versa.

7. Looking to make your home decked out in Buffalo Check? These throw pillows from Faribault Woolen Mill will give your pad the cabin feel!

8.  Say it with me: Buffalo. Check. Wallets. 

9.  The #1 thing from this list that I want to scoop up is the Faribault Woolen Mills 100% Wool, Made in the USA blanket. I want it for picnics, and camping trips, and early winter bonfires! 

Which of these Buffalo Check beauties would you love to have?

If anyone feels like sending me that Faribault blanket, you'd be my favorite person ever...

xo ,lp

full of cheer.

aaaaaaaand i'm back. 

after our tour-de-minnesota to see our families last week, we are fully settled back into snowy wisconsin. 

hope you all had a great and safe time with your loved ones!

-----

winter had fully hit minnesota when we got there. driving through the snow-covered valley to michael's aunt's house was completely gorgeous. a little scary...but gorgeous.

i was lucky enough to be gifted a pair of loren hope earrings for christmas. i posted this little shot on instagram which she happened to #regram - which was another christmas gift in itself :)

i don't know if i've ever shared this with all of you, but i am a total calendar hoarder. i love calendars and planners. type-a, much? i am in love with my 2014 gold embossed desk calendar from paper source in portland. so gorgeous!

sorry for all who witnessed my insta-rant yesterday about the chick who was complaining about thank-you notes. but seriously. in other news, how gorgeous are these mara-mi cards i bought to send out??

what was something lovely about your christmas?

don't forget to send out your thank you notes!

xo,lp

 i love instagram. i bet you do to. let's be friends! --> @lpodlich

ETSY GUIDE TO HOLIDAY SHOPPING

Gift guides are fun. I love making them. I love looking at them.

I decided that my first gift guide of the season had to items that were off of Etsy, because supporting small shops is a great way to feel good in the holidays, am I right?

These are 9 shops that have gifts for all the different ladies on your list, go check them out and #shopsmall!

1. Pen & Paint: This shop is perfect for the sentimental & sweet girl- gorgeous prints and cards in bright colors, and meaningful sayings/quotes.

2. Sincerely Me, PJD: This shop is perfect for the preppy lady- a shop dedicated to monogram necklaces, bracelets, earrings and more!

3. First Snow: This shop is perfect for the ultra-girly-girl- prints and stationary with florals and cursive and class.

4. Loollipop: This shop is perfect for your crafy gal- washi tape & paper straws in every color and print under the sun!

5. Thyme is Honey: This shop is perfect for the organization nut- daily journals for your most Type-A friend.

6. Michelle Dwight Designs: This shop is perfect for the bright & bold girl- lots of quirky pillows & coasters in pink & gold. (oops. accidental rhyme).

7. Rouge and Whimsy: This shop is perfect for the eclectic fashionista- clutches and bags with leather & fabric with pops of bold prints & colors.

8. LucyLovesThis: This UK shop is perfect for the foodie- gastronomy tea towels and prints- the USA one is fab!

9. Shade on Shape:  This shop is perfect for the feminine lady- pastels, golds, greys, and natural wood vases & candle holders. Simple, elegant items!

What Etsy shop do you love finding gifts at?

Share the name or link in comments, I'd love to check them out!

xo, lp

DIY HOLIDAY: WASHI TAPE CARDS

 WAIT.

Before you go all "LAURA IT'S NOT EVEN THANKSGIVING WHY ARE YOU DOING HOLIDAY CARDS!?"

1. I said HOLIDAY, not Christmas

2. Hanukkah is in a week, and that is one of these cards.

Thus, I bring to you, washi tape holiday cards!

For your tree cards:

Step 1:  Bust out all your washi tape. Most of mine is from Loollipop, but I have some rolls from Coscto & Target too!

Step 2: Layer different patterns & colors of green washi tape & cut into triangles

Step 3: Layer on your card, and write a cheery greeting!

Get creative with your cards! I made sure to cover Hanukkah, Christmas, aaaand New Years. I may have gone a little washi crazy and made a few too many. Oops.

The best part about washi tape is that is peels right back off of the cards- so if you screw up or don't love your design- you change it!

Have you made any great holiday crafts yet?

Share a link in the comments- I'd love to see them!

xo, lp

USA JELLO. AND CHEESEBOARDS. AND DRINKS.

Oh long weekends, you are too good! 

 I hope you all had a fun 4th of July! The weather has been 100% perfect lately, which has made the last week and weekend ridiculously enjoyable.

Wednesday we met up with friends for Concert on the Square- which features the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra right on the Capitol lawn. Other than a few tiny rain drops it was completely comfortable:

Sorry for the boatload of 4th of July photos on Instagram! We had a blast at our friend's house, with a marathon day of yard games, drinking, and eating. SO Amurrrrican.

This was the excuse to bust out every USA themed thing I own...including this USA cheeseboard:

....and my USA jello mold! I used 3 flavors of jello (&vodka) to make a triple layer jello shot. It was huge! We all took turns cutting out states and eating them. Because we're cool like that.

Oh, and the main event for the day? COLORSBEE! A new and improved version of Beersbee, it involved getting really messy with dyed drinks and kiddie pools full of dyed water. Dani even made shirts for us!

We didn't make any other specific plans for the weekend because we knew we'd be packing up our apartment for the upcoming move! We spent time by the pool, played darts with friends, and had a great date night on the Cap Square. If you're in Madison, you've got to try DLUX. I was skeptical-but our meal was excellent. I rarely get cocktails- but the Blvd Buzz with bourbon, blackberries, and turbinado sugar was too good to pass up! 

 (also- you can barely see it, but i'm wearing my new favorite shirt with zebras on it! it looks ridiculous how it's styled online, but i sized up so it's not a freaking belly shirt. highly recommend!)

So that was our weekend. How was yours, friends?

Anyone else eat something in the shape of the USA?

gosh I sure hope so...

xo, lp

*find me on instagram here


*Psst: if you're an online shopper, you HAVE to use Ebates. Fer real, y'all. Find out more HERE*

4 RED WHITE & BLUE WASHI IDEAS!

I'm slowly but surely starting a washi collection...so I decided to put some of the red & blue to good use!

Yesterday The Washi Blog featured my 4th of July washi straws- and I figured I should share a few more super easy red/white/blue crafts :)

--------------

The 4 super easy crafts are as follows:

1. Patriotic Planner

2. 4th of July straws

3. Cupcake party flags

4. USA cups

#1: Patriotic Planner:

I am a planner hoarder, and the one I got from Target a little while back had its gold stripes wearing off. I figured and little makeover was in order with a few strips of red and blue washi:

#2: 4th of July straws:

Paper straws are cute enough already, but adding these little flags makes them even better! Just fold over, cut out a triangle, and you're good to go.

#3: Cupcake Party Flags:

These are the easiest ever. I mean, just little triangles on toothpicks? Definitely going to be making these for every holiday there is!

#4: USA Party Cups:

The possibilities are endless here, but I went with a simple USA flag and some fun fireworks! If you're having a small get together, making a different design for each guest could be a great way to differentiate whose glass is whose!

If you're looking for more fun washi ideas, you have to check out The Washi Blog!

Have any fun 4th of July decorating tips?

Feel free to share my friends!

xo, lp 

I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE CLEARANCE CANDY

Before we go any further, let me just say:

To my friends observing Passover- I hope you all haven't turned into a giant piece of matzah.

To my friends celebrating Easter- I hope you enjoyed your egg hunts and pastel treats.

To my friends not partaking in either- I hope you enjoy the 50% off candy at Target.

-------

A few things:

1. I like all of you A LOT! That's why I'm doing an awesome giveaway with The First Snow. You can win a gorgeous print or set of cards (worth up to $50)- and all you have to do is tell me your favorite thing in her shop. Easy right? No hoops to jump through! Click HERE to enter! Ends in less than 2 days! 

prints all via the first snow

2. I've finally ditched the sweaters! HURRAY for being 40 degrees!!!

3. We went back to Michael's hometown this weekend since his family has a big Easter celebration. We were lucky enough to see Michael's best friend's play a show in town! (If you live in MN, check out Rochester Revival!)

4. I did traditional Easter egg dyeing for the first time...turns out I'm not to great at it (I thought it was foolproof?). Please note my hideous rabbit that looks more like a voodoo doll. Aaaand Michael's jack-o-lantern. #holidayconfused

5. Tomorrow I'm sharing one of my favorite sweet recipes in a while. It is totally baking for lazy people- so if you love making baked things for family/coworkers but don't like the effort- this will be the recipe for you!

What did you do this weekend?

Brownie points if you entered the giveaway!

xo, lp

pssssssssssssssssssst: find me on instagram! @lpodlich

RASPBERRY CREAM CHEESE POP TARTS

I fully believe when you see great ideas on Pinterest- you should GIVE CREDIT to the websites you originally got said ideas from. There are people behind the pictures, my friends. Give credit where it's due.

Now, that being said, allow me to share the two awesome ladies that inspired these delicious raspberry cream cheese treats! Thus, if my recipe isn't up your alley, check out these talented ladies!

- Jessica @ Novice Chef shared her Nutella Pop Tarts (that gave me the cut out heart idea)

- Sarah @ Cake Student shared her heart Cherry Cheese Pie (that gave me the cream cheese & fruit idea)

With that, here's my creation. Ridiculously easy, ridiculously delicious.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Heart Pie PopTarts!

What you'll need to make it happen:

- Heart cookie cutters

- Premade pie crust

- Cream cheese

-Raspberry preserves (use any kind of fruit!)

- granulated sugar

- egg white

- parchment paper

How to make it happen:

Prep: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees, and set our you cream cheese to soften 15 minutes before starting

Step 1: Using your big heart cookie cutter, cut out as many big hearts as you can, re-rolling the dough as necessary to get as many as you can. Set aside half of them to be your tart toppings.

Step 2: Spread out a thick layer of cream cheese on half of your hearts, and a thick layer of preserves on top of that. Leave a good half inch around the outside so you can press your top layer firmly without any of your filling spilling out!

Step 3: Cut a small heart in the center of the large hearts you set aside, and before placing it on top of your filled heart, lightly spread the dough so it's just a little bit larger than the bottom heart.

Step 4: Cover your filled heart, using your finger or the edge of a cookie cutter to fully press together the edges. 

Step 5: Cover the top with a quick egg wash and a healthy sprinkle of sugar, and let it bake for 16-18 minutes or until golden brown

Eat & Enjoy!

Enough photos for you?

I just am trying to portray how delicious they are! It's for your own good, I promise. These hearts are not only good for a very sweet Valentine's breakfast, but also an easy treat to make for your coworkers.

Thanks to Jessica & Sarah for the inspiration!

Have a Pinterest full of great recipes?

Leave your Pinterest name or link so I can find you!

xo, lp 

Here's a full- Pinterest friendly version for those of you who want to save this recipe for later:

To check out my Pinterest boards, click HERE!

10 MINUTE DIY HEART ART!

Last year I was all about decorating for Valentine's Day. I had flowers and garlands and tacky candles galore.

This year? Well, this is about all I came up with. I could pretend it was some super fancy process that takes skill, but let's be real. It took about 10 minutes and could probably be done by a kid.

Eh, I love it anyway.

Try it, friends:

All you need:

- Contact paper

- Red acrylic paint

- Sponge brush

- Scissors

- Thick cardstock or painters paper

- Vinyl letters (I used 2" Helvetica from Office Depot)

Make it happen:

I don't think a step by step is needed here, right?

Just one tip: Contact paper doesn't always stick suuuper well, so paint going from the outside of the heart into the center to keep a crisp outline!

There she is. Framed in all her glory. 

 (yup, those are a couple of the flowers from the V-day tradition I shared last year)

How are you decorating for Valentine's?

Don't have any ideas or any time? Try this 10 minute DIY!

xo, lp 

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER OREO POPS

Last week I shared with you some sweet Conversation Heart Cookies...but you didn't think that was the only V-day treat I had up my sleeve, did you? 

This is one that is super easy to make, but looks like you put a lot of time into it. Plus, just change up the color of sprinkles and you're good to go for any holiday!

I present to you:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oreo Pops

What you'll need to make it happen:

Double Stuff Oreos

Creamy Peanut Butter

Lollipop Sticks (available at Michael's and Target)

Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Shortening (Crisco works well)

Red Candy Melts (available at Michael's and Target)

Sprinkles

Ribbon

How to make it happen:

Step 1: Carefully put your lollipop sticks in your oreo and push them about halfway through without cracking the cookies

Step 2: Apply a thick layer of peanut butter to the tops of the cookies, and stick 'em in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Step 3: Set up a double boiler and melt your chocolate chips and shortening. Pull out your oreos from the freezer and quickly coat them with chocolate. Do this using a spatula quickly- or else the peanut butter will melt all over!

Step 4: Add any sprinkles you want directly on the chocolate right away! Put them back in the freezer for another 15 minutes to harden everything up again.

Step 5: Melt your candy melts in the microwave and drizzle/dip your remaining cookies.

Step 6: After the chocolate is fully hard, tie little bows around the sticks and you're good to go!

Cute, right!?

The best part is you can make them ahead of time and keep them in the freezer so they'll still be great for Valentine's day! 

I really dare you to find someone who doesn't love these. Make them and tell me if you do!

What's your favorite easy-to-make treat?

Share a link from another blog/Pinterest in the comments!

xo,lp

Pssssssssssst: If you'd like to give a whole bunch to one person, try this:

Take a small cardboard box and poke small holes it it using a pen tip. Push your cookie pops into the holes and surround with colorful tissue paper!  You'll have the sweetest bouquet possible! 

CONVERSATION HEART COOKIES

Two recipe posts in one week!? 

Don't hide your delight, my friends. 

I guess it's not really a true recipe post, since it just is an extension of Tuesday's post about how to ice the perfect sugar cookie. 

Here's my take on conversation hearts- the candy ones at least. I remember when we were kids those things were delicious. Chalky, not too much flavor, just sugary crunchy heaven. 

Now they have weird sour flavors, new colors, different texture. BLASPHEMY I say. So this year rather than buying those candies, I decided to make my own sugar cookies inspired by them:

Now, for how to ice the perfect cookies, check out my post earlier in the week. Making your own icing is quick, easy, and doesn't require any fancy ingredients or techniques. There isn't a need for special bakery bags or anything, a ziplock will do! 

I colored my icing in a few pastels- use less food coloring than you think you need!

I used gel icing to write out the little messages like "Be Mine" " So Cute" and "xo".

Sidenote: not to sound like an old senile lady complaining more about useless candy- but all the text-speak candy hearts are dumb. There. I said it. Why would I want a heart with "LOL"  or "IDK" on it from someone? Mixed messages I tell ya. 

Of course I wasn't going to make a whole bunch of I LOVE YOU and BE MINE cookies for my co-workers...that might just get awkward. Thus, there are plain iced hearts in abundance for them:

What would your conversation hearts say?

I'm sticking with the simple "xoxo" as my favorite!

xo, lp