Peppermint White Chocolate Cookies

This is a great homemade gift to give someone for Christmas. All you need are a few baking ingredients, jars, fabric, and ribbon. I layered baking soda, salt, granulated sugar, crushed candy canes, white chocolate morsels, and brown sugar. I topped the jar with fabric and tied it with ribbon. Make sure you give the lucky person receiving this cookie jar the ingredients list and directions. To stay with the theme I used red and white polka dot stationary paper. I hope you like these yummy cookies!

Happy Holidays!

Katie

Ingredients: In the Jar

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Salt

3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar

3/4 Cup Packed Brown Sugar

1 1/2 Cups White Chocolate Morsels

1 Cup Crushed Candy Canes

What you need

2 1/4 Cups All Purpose Flour

2 Sticks of Butter, Softened

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 Teaspoon Peppermint Extract

2 Large Eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

Combine:

Flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract and peppermint extract in large bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and crushed candy canes. Roll into 1 inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Let cool and enjoy!

Stocking Stuffers

French Soaps

A luxury item anyone would love to find in their stocking. Mistral French Soaps are triple milled and made with shea butter. They have wonderful signature scents and a mens collection that would make any guy in your life smell amazing. 

Socks

These womens Aztec Socks from Topshop will keep your tootsies fashionably warm this coming Christmas morning. Every guy needs a nice pair of dress socks. Argyle socks in bright fun shades adds a unexpected hint of color to any outfit.

Cups

Not a common gift to receive in your stocking, but its an inexpensive present that can be used everyday and can also be personalized. An Espresso cup and Saucer is a good idea for the avid coffee drinker. These Monogram Mugs adds a personal touch to your gals morning coffee or tea.

Lip Balm

Who doesn't need lip balm right now? My lips get insanely dry this time of year. Burt's Bees Lip Balm is one of the best lip balms I have tried. The Pomegranate flavor is my favorite. It tastes really yummy and it adds a little color.

Decadent Beverages

Yes please! During the holidays I typically pig out on food and drink. You're very own  Half Bottle of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut will help bring in the New Year. My brothers choice is a Rogue Chocolate Stout Ale. If he is lucky he just might get one in his stocking ;)

Nail Sets

You can tell a lot about a person by looking at their hands. Lets keep our digits nice and tidy with these handy dandy nail essentials. He might not admit it, but your man really wants his own Manicure Set and I'm sure you wouldn't mind it either. I'm just going to say it. Men are gross and usually don't put things back where you had them. My solution, get them their own clippers and call it a day. I love Mini Nail Polish Sets because you get a variety of colors for the price of one or two regular size polishes.  Sephora by OPI Glimmer Wonderland Four Piece Mini Nail Color Set is a great set to give your lady or your bestie. 

Hope everyone is having a great Holiday Season!

Katie

November Favorites

Hey I'm back! Sincere apologies for posting absolutely nothing in the month of November, but here are my November Favorites. Please comment below! I would love to hear what you think!

Katie 

1. Houndstooth: old school pattern I think everyone should embrace. For a living I am an assistant to an Interior Designer. I'm constantly around fabric that we use for clients homes and businesses. I get a lot of inspiration from all the fabric samples we have. I wouldn't use this pattern strictly for home decor. It is also a lovely pattern to wear just as long you don't clash it wish another bold geometric or busy print. I really want to upholster a headboard for my bedroom in a black and white chenille houndstooth fabric. I'm sure it would help me sleep better at night :)

2. The Trench Coat: a classic must have in your closet. All women should have certain staples in their wardrobe. For example a little black dress, the perfect fitting jeans that you can't live without, and a trench coat. I recently learned that my hometown and where I currently live is the second sunniest city in the U.S. This doesn't mean that I shouldn't be fashionably prepared for a rainy day.

3. Tea: is a beverage I consume frequently, especially in the colder months. My father and brother splurge on really nice tea and because we all live near each other I'm around to sample the tasty drink. Lucky me :) My brother is a Teavana Tea of the Month Club member. He receives different teas every month in the mail. This was an early Christmas present that his girlfriend was kind enough to give him. I think this would be a great Holiday gift to give to the tea connoisseur.

4. Origins VitaZing: is my new favorite tinted moisturizer. Well Origins doesn't call it a tinted moisturizer, but as you rub it into your skin it gives you a little glow with some color. VitaZing comes out of the tube white with little grains of something blended in. Kind of looks like cinnamon mixed with white moisturizer. I find it helps even out my skin tone. I recommend it to anyone who doesn't want a heavy foundation look.

5. MAC Cosmetics 211 Pointed Liner Brush: will help you execute a precise line. I was having trouble creating the cat eye liner look I was going for with my angled liner brush. I explained this to my local MAC Makeup Artist and she recommended the 211 Brush. The hairs are very short and stiff which gives you more control. Since the tip of the brush is pointed you can make a very thin line and build it up if you so wish.

6. Moroccan Oil: makes my hair super shiny and tames the frizz. I apply a dime size amount to my ends before I dry my hair. You can also use Moroccan Oil on dry hair to give it more shine. Moroccan Oil is a great heat protectant that will leave your hair soft and healthy.

7. Laura Mercier Brow Definer in Fair: I was using eyeshadow to fill in my brows for the longest time. I noticed when I used an eyeshadow my brows looked a bit ashy and not as natural as I would like. I could have looked for a new eyeshadow color, but I wanted to try a product that had a creamier consistency. I've been growing out my brows and the Laura Mercier Brow Definer fills in the bare spots and darkens my blonde hairs. It also holds the hairs in place and I'm extremely happy with the color. Fair is a great color for someone with a light skin tone. Laura Mercier has two other colors to choose from. It can be very frustrating when you can't find the right color for your brows because it will definitely throw off your look. Maintaining your brows is very important because they frame your face.

8. Burt's Bee Herbal Blemish Stick: is probably one of the best blemish fighting treatments I have ever used. Kind of frustrating to be 25 and still getting spots, but since I discovered this natural solution it has kept my pimples at bay. It contains willow bark, tea tree oil, and juniper oil. These ingredients are natural antiseptics, which will help keep your skin clean and clear. I apply it at night and in the morning I am surprised how quickly my spots seem to disappear.

9. Hempz Body Lotion in Pomegranate: I absolutely love the smell of this lotion. I don't usually like sweet smells on me. I tend to go for more floral or herbal scents. This pomegranate scent is sweet, but not too sweet; more fresh if anything. Hempz lotion is a rich cream that soaks into your skin and will make your skin silky smooth even during these dry winter months.