outfit post: fawning over a new scarf

scarf: front and co // coat: aeo // jeans: h&m // boots: spring

It snowed!!!  I realize this isn't that exciting for a lot of people, but it's quite the event here in Abbotsford.  So, Jordyn and I ran out when we saw that it was sticking to document this rare occasion before it all melted!

Now this scarf is my new favorite accessory, and I'm trying not to wear it every day!  It was love at first sight, especially when I noticed the fawns (and zebras) hidden among the trees.  So adorable!

I was also pretty pleased when my mom informed me that she had kept my peacoat from highschool!  Peacoats are definitely staples in anyone's winter wardrobe, and I'm so happy that this one still fits.  I really love my red statement coat, but sometimes it's nice to have a neutral coat that you can add pops of colour and texture to!

Another close up of the scarf....because I'm in love!  And you can even see little snowflakes stuck to it....I promise it was really snowing, and I don't just have extremely bad dandruff.

I'm also so in love with these new boots from Spring!  Clara and I did a little shoe shopping while I was out, and were so stoked when we were informed that all sale boots at Spring were an additional 30% off.  Needless to say, we both came away with a pair!  I'm not much of a heels girl (waaayy too clumsy), so I love the nice chunky heel of these boots.  Baby steps people, baby steps.

I was very excited about the snow....although, sadly, it's all nearly gone now.  I'll still be crossing my fingers for a white Christmas though!

p.s.  ♥ kelsey

p.p.s. I'm completely unashamed at the cheesy title I chose.  What can I say?  I'm a sucker for lame puns!

diy: burlap bunting

These two are the absolute sweetest!  I had the most wonderful week in Edmonton, and Clara and Caleb were the most incredible hosts!  As glad as I am to be at home with my family, I already miss Edmonton, the dear friends that live there, and the snow!

Now, this d.i.y. was Clara's idea, as she wanted something sweet for her and Caleb's Christmas card for this year.  This burlap bunting was such an easy craft, and seriously can be adapted for any occasion!

Supplies:

-burlap                          -cardstock

-acrylic paint                 -scissors

-modpodge                   -paint

-jute/string                  - hot glue gun

Instructions:

1)  First, you'll want to cut out a triangular template from the cardstock.

2)  Then, use your template to trace triangles onto the burlap with a sharpie and cut them out.

3)  Next, we painted a bit of modpodge along the edges of each triangle in order to keep it from fraying too much!  This step isn't totally necessary, but is definitely helpful if your burlap frays easily and/or you plan on keeping your bunting for a while.

4)  Once the modpodge is all dry, start painting your letters onto each triangle.  We found that a small, fairly stiff brush worked best for this, and two coats really helped the letters pop.

5)  Let the paint dry, and then measure out enough jute for your words.

6)  Using a hot glue gun, place a line of glue on the back side of each triangle along the top edge.  Press the jute into the glue, and hold until it has set.  Continue for each triangle.  *Double check that your letters are in the correct order, and that you're not gluing them on backwards!

It was so so fun to be able to craft with Clara!  And I'm already eagerly awaiting the next time we will be together!

p.s. ♥ kelsey & clara

tasty tuesday: chocolate mint patty cookies

These cookies come from the very creative mind of Miss Jordyn!  She is a pro at melding recipes, and coming up with new ideas in the kitchen.  This time, she took her famous triple chocolate cookie recipe and wrapped it around mint patties.

Rich and chocolatey, these decadent cookies are best saved for special occasions....like Christmas!  They are also quite finicky, and we don't recommend them for beginner bakers!

We love drizzling these cookies in white chocolate, and then sprinkling with red and green sprinkles for Christmas.  It'd be fun to mix up the colours of the sprinkles for different occasions, and we've also used crushed up candy canes!

Chocolate Mint Patty Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

1 cup Sugar

3/4 cup Brown Sugar (packed)

2 Eggs

1 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder

1 3/4 cup Flour

2 tsp Baking Soda

Mint Patties (we used pearsons)

Directions: 

1) Place mint patties in the freezer.

2) In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar and eggs.

3) Mix in cocoa powder, flour and baking soda.

4) Take a few mint patties out of the freezer, and start molding cookie dough around each one.  You want as little cookie dough as possible around the mint patties....otherwise your cookies will be too wide and flat and have a bulge in the middle.

5) Continue taking out a few mint patties at a time, and forming cookies until you have a complete pan.

6) Stick your pan of cookies back into the freezer, and repeat the process.

7) Once you have another pan of cookies complete, place your first pan into your oven and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

8) Repeat until cookie dough is used up.

9) If you want, you can drizzle with white chocolate and decorate with sprinkles!

*The key of these cookies is to keep the mint patties as frozen as possible before baking, as well as placing the cookies in the freezer for a bit before going into the oven.  Otherwise all your minty-goodness will leak out.*

These cookies are truly not for the faint of heart.  I'm going to give it to you straight....These bad boys are tricky.  They take a VERY long time.  And they might even kick you in the shins.  Sometimes they WILL (not might....they will) turn out like this:

But that's okay, because you'll get the hang of it.  And these cookies are definitely worth the effort!

For the white chocolate drizzle, I melted a few white chocolate wafers, and used a small ziplock bag with a small cut in one corner to drizzle it on.

And sprinkles if you want, and you're done!

One of my favorite things about Christmas baking is that your house smells amazing all the time!  These cookies don't disappoint, and will fill your house with delightful minty chocolate goodness.

p.s. ♥ kelsey

weekly wrap-up: edmonton adventures

Clara and I are having an absolute blast in Edmonton, and here's a little peek into our week!

Clara's wonderful husband, Caleb, spoiled us by making eggs benedict for us on Saturday morning!  I had actually never had it before (I know, I know....I'm a freak.  Please don't judge me.)  It was amazing though!  Definitely two thumbs up.

Clara and I have been busy thrifting laughing, crafting and baking.  The above photo is a little sneak peek of a diy coming up soon!

We also attended a Christmas banquet with our dear friend Jenna!  The night was full of food, games, trivia....and we even watched the original animated version of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas".

Next up, we headed to Five Guys, Burger and Fries for lunch after church today.  This was another new experience for me.  And man....those burgers are INCREDIBLE!!!  Let's not forget about the cajun fries....yumm-o!

Did I mention that they provide peanuts to snack on? And that you can THROW THE SHELLS ON THE FLOOR!!!  Yeah, my mind was blown.  The inner goody-two shoes in me definitely struggled to throw my first shell on the ground.  

While the temperature here has been A LOT colder than I am used to, it has been incredible!  Clara and I (and Caleb!) have braved the elements a couple of times already to do a few photoshoots....and hopefully we'll cram in a few more in the coming days!

I hope you've all had a wonderful week!  And good luck to all of those still dealing with exams!

p.s. ♥ kelsey & clara

outfit post: a blue scarf

In this outfit, the scarf is the star of the show.  It's great having a nice pop of colour near your face...

This is my favourite scarf, I bought it at a wonderful outdoor market when I was in Florence about 3 years ago.  In my senior year of high school I went on my schools Europe trip, and it was such an amazing experience!

I love pairing it with blue jeans and a black jacket, that way it really does stand out!

Every time I wear it I get a rush of memories from Europe!  Walking around Pompeii with Mt. Vesuvius in the background, climbing up the stairs of the Eiffel tower, or just eating gelato with my friends! 

It is one of my favourite souvenirs from Europe.  I love that it is something I wear all the time, and not something I just forgot about!

p.s. ♥ jordyn

diy : burlap & stencil art

Today's diy comes to you in the form of burlap! I absolutely adore the look of burlap and am so excited to share this beautiful, yet simple piece of art. I was inspired by this piece of art, but was at a loss since I'm no woodworker! Thankfully, I got hit with some inspiration when a friend offered me some huge burlap coffee bags to craft with & this is what I came up with =]

what you need : a large canvas, lots and LOTS of burlap, white paint, paint brushes, stencils, masking tape, glue gun & glue sticks

{  i  n  s  t  r  u  c  t  i  o  n  s  }

1. Glue gun your burlap onto your canvas! 

2. Pick a Bible verse/quote/lyrics that you want stenciled on & measure it out... make sure the whole thing fits on your canvas before you start doing anything else! 

3. Take a ruler, make sure your measurements are accurate and start lining your stencils up in order & tape them down with some masking tape.

4. Paint away! Take your time & make sure you allow time for the paint to dry before taking the stencils off and re-using them again. Also, grab a small paintbrush to do touch-ups if need be. 

And voila! You've got yourself a new piece of art to hang =]  Simple & beautiful, this burlap & stencil art looks amazing and will add so much personal detail to any space!

& amen to that! Excited for this to serve as a reminder to me every day of who is Lord. 

Happy crafting, friends =] 

p.s. ♥ clara

tasty tuesday: butter tarts

Today we're talking about butter tarts!  I know a lot of people (including my family) like to bake things that are either a bit finicky, or slightly more expensive as a treat around Christmas.  These tarts are perfect for family get-togethers, Christmas parties...or, let's be honest here, just because.

This dessert actually originated in Canada, and is a great combo of flaky pastry, and delicious caramely goodness!  For those of you who aren't huge raisin fans (cough cough, that's me)...you can always make them without, or keep some of the filling separate before adding them in.

Butter Tarts

Ingredients:

1 cup Raisins

2 Eggs

1 cup Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

1/3 cup Butter

4 TBSP Cream (or half and half)

1/2 cup chopped Walnuts (or pecans make a nice substitution here as well!)

frozen tart shells (or your own homemade pastry shells)

Directions:

1)  First, soak your raisins in a bit of warm water before you start (this will help them stay plum and moist even once baked!).  Let them soak for 5-10 minutes before draining.

2)  Then, in a large saucepan, whisk your eggs until frothy.

3)  Add in sugar, vanilla, butter and cream and mix.

4)  Stir in raisins, and then boil on a medium heat for 3 minutes.

5)  Remove from heat, and add in chopped nuts.

6)  Spoon the mixture into your tart shells.

7)  Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.  

I'm in love with my mom's handy butter ruler!  This thing is a lifesaver!

You'll want your nuts chopped fairly fine.  The tart shells aren't huge, so you don't want enormous pieces!

We doubled the batch, and ended up making 12 regular tarts, and 19 mini ones!

I like how unfussy these tarts are, and yet they still look and taste amazing!  You'll be sure to make new friends if you bring these to a party.  I promise.

p.s. ♥ kelsey