Eats- Pappy's

Saint Louis has lots of great little eateries that are off the beaten path, but super popular gems of the city.  Pappy's is no exception!  Stuart has been raving about this restaurant since he went for a business lunch, and I have been eager to try it ever since.  On one of our random road trips around the area, we found ourselves very close to the restaurant, so we decided to stop.  Wow!  I love barbecue, but this is awesome.  The lines start to form pretty early and will end up out the door until they sell out of food, so get there early!  As a lover of brisket, this was probably the best one I have ever had, but really anything you get is probably delicious...and deep fried corn on the cob-what!  Perfect.

 Try it and let me know what you think!

One Fabulous Year Later...

If this were a year earlier, right now I would be soaking up the sun in Hawaii on my honeymoon, but alas, I am sweltering in the Saint Louis heat- ha!  But, that DOES mean that we got to celebrate our one year anniversary!  And what a great year it has been!  We have had so many exciting adventures and experiences, and with the addition of the little one in October, so many more to come.  As is traditional in the Presley household, we like to re-create our very first date, as it was the first time we met and also the day (a year later) that we got married.  It includes gift-exchange, dinner at Blueberry Hill, and a trip to bubble tea.  Since we did not get to keep our cake topper, I secretly planned to have a small replica of our wedding cake made from the bakery where we got our original cake.  So delicious!  It was a fantastic day, filled with love from family and many new memories. 

 

On our way to dinner to celebrate!

It was a crafty anniversary...with a personalized scrapbook 

and hand-stamped keychain (also serves as a reminder-hehe) 

Can't wait till next year!

DIY: Cabinet Makeover

While I LOVE being a home-owner, it seems that there is never a shortage of projects to complete!  I am always looking for new ways to update this or re-purpose that, and our kitchen is no exception.  Not exactly user-friendly and with slightly lopsided builders' cabinets, I decided to jazz them up a bit with some decoupage and a fun mod kitchen themed paper.  It brightened up the whole space and makes me actually want to use it- now I just need to learn how to cook!  We have family coming this weekend and I wanted to make it more cozy. 

Supplies:

Scrapbook Paper

Paper Cutter

Ruler/Pencil

Mod Podge

Sponge Brush

1. Choose your paper- make it fun!  2. Measure the area where your paper is going to go and use a paper cutter for straight edges.  3. Once you have the size you need, apply the Mod Podge to the back of the paper and position it where you want it on the surface (I chose matte-medium because I didn't want super-glossy cabinets, but you can use whichever suits your project).  When you have the paper placed, give it a little time to dry underneath and then apply a coat on top of the paper, let dry, and repeat.  You can put as many layers of decoupage medium as desired.

Tip: If you get some air bubbles in your paper while the Mod Podge is drying, take a small pin or thumbtack and lightly poke the bubble and pat to get the air out. 

4. Enjoy your new cabinets!  Remember that Mod Podge IS water-soluble so you may want to apply a sealant to the top once everything is completely dry.  But if not, this means that you can change the themes when you get tired of the pattern or if it gets icky.  Now I am on the hunt for the perfect knobs to go with my new funky kitchen!

As always, Mr. Jasper is on hand to help...

I hope you will try this technique on something in your home!  It's so easy and the results make for a personalized touch to your space- and a great conversation starter.  Have a great day!

Food Truck Fridays!

One of my most favorite summer activities is the annual Food Truck Friday event that happens in Tower Grove park.  I love to see how each trucks' individuality, with their whirring generator and precisely placed mini-kitchen, brings flocks of us to enjoy their goodies!  My first adventure in food trucking was last year, and I was totally unprepared for the feast that lay ahead.  This time, with camp chairs slung over one shoulder, plenty of cash to spare, and a map of which food truck was where (pre-highlighted, I might add- hey, a girl has to be prepared), Stuart and I managed to try three different trucks.  Good thing this event happens more than once because we made note of which one to try next time...everything was so delish!

So clever!  The banana/nutella crepes are sensational.

Guerrilla Street Food...Asian Limeade is a MUST

Always save room for dessert-

especially peach cheesecake cupcakes (mmmm)

We are already planning for next time.  Maybe go in a group and divide and conquer...?

Foto Friday

So I have decided to start a new tradition of "Foto Friday" on the blog.  I finally upgraded my phone to the newest version so I have discovered all these great new (to me) camera apps that I couldn't use before.  I had been dying without my instant photo editors...ugh.  BUT it all works now, which makes me super happy, so I grabbed Jasper for an impromptu photo op, to which he graciously obliged...kind of.

Have a good one, lovelies!

As warmer weather approaches, I am looking forward to more bold and colorful makeup looks to go with all my spring outfits.  Today, I tried a little green for this sunny day.  

It totally helps to have a good place to put your makeup on.  Mine is a converted desk with space to hold my books and hide my nail polish collection above.  I keep everything in a handy dandy travel case, mostly because it looks nice and because I can organize it by section and it makes me feel professional!  Last Christmas, my hubby got me the most amazing makeup kit from Sephora with practically every color needed, which makes experimenting super easy.  So today, it was green:

I started with the usual prep: foundation, concealer, powder, brows.  I always prime my eyelids, usually with Cover Girl's Shadow Blast.  I just got one in green, so I was so ready to use it.  I went a little above my lid line, then brushed a slightly darker shade of powder over my lid and into the crease, then a slightly lighter shade in the inside corners.  I then used liquid liner for a slight cat eye.  While letting that dry, I applied blush to the apples of my cheeks then finished with a brush of mascara.  And never forget your lips!  I hope you can use this look, and you can always make it more dramatic for an evening out.  Enjoy! 

Blouse/Earrings: Avenue

Wow! Where has the past month gone?  A lot has happened, but I am really ready to get back into the swing of blogging, with new ideas and new excursions.  Most importantly (and the biggest change to our life), we will be welcoming a new addition to Team Presley come October!  We are super excited, so don't be surprised if some baby posts show up...or at least cute ways to stay fashionable with maternity-wear.  Yay!

Today was absolutely beautiful!  I just had to drive home with my windows down and enjoy it while it lasts!  Maybe a walk around the lake is in order for tonite's activities...?

Also, be sure to check out the interview I did with my friend Katie Sheridan over at her blog Sheridan in the City about my artistic endeavours and inspiration.  I had a lot of fun answering her questions and there are some new pictures of a special project I have been working on!  Enjoy. xo

The Sloup!

So Saint Louis has these great little nooks and crannies of awesome art groups that gather for a tradition known as "Sloup". What happens?  Artists submit possible project proposals which are voted on while enjoying homemade soup (for a small cover)!  I heard about this adventure from Katie, who always has the most interesting ideas for things to do.  I love it!  This time around, it was hosted at various places around South City, and our eventual choice was at a local chef's house.  She was serving both vegan and omnivore soup, which worked for both of us and our significant others, so off we went.  So delicious!  Stuart tried the fancy cocktail that consisted of about 15 ingredients, but he got lost after "cognac"-ha.  We voted, enjoyed some cheese and soup, mingled, and then made our way to Bailey's Chocolate Bar.  For real.  Recommended: bittersweet and bacon truffles and banana nutella crepes.  I didn't take pictures...because it was so good, I forgot.

 Butternut Squash and Ham and Beans...Delicious

Stuart enjoys the 15-ingredient cocktail!

Our chef had an amazing collection of cookbooks.  She said at one point she had about a thousand in stacks around the living room.  Well they were worth it!  Her soups were delicious- and for such a fun cause!  ...Maybe I'll see you at the next one! 

In My Makeup Bag

A lot of friends have asked me about my beauty routine and what products I use.  These are a sampling of my favorite and most-used items in my bag.  First, and most important, is prepping your face using light and moisturizing lotion before adding foundation:

Next, I go to the eyes, which for me are the most fun because you can always add your own flair depending on how you feel, or what you are wearing.  For me, a good flick at the end of the eyeliner for a cat eye always makes for a good look.  If there is any special outing, I always add fake eyelashes for extra drama, and just a little gold liner at the inside corner.  For day, a little shimmer goes a long way with a little darker shadow in the crease, using a primer so that it doesn't smudge:

 Finally, never forget the lips! (as my mother would always say) I live by this double-ended lip gloss because it literally lasts all day and I perpetually forget to re-apply normal lipstick.  For those dry days when your lips feel like the Sahara, this little minty globe of heaven might just help...and it looks cool:

 Hope these ideas help you!  xo

Credits- Almay /Boscia /Cover Girl /eos /Maybelline /Oil of Olay /Rimmel  /Sephora /Sonia Kashuk

DIY: Watercolor Brooch

I love the way that just adding one accessory can add something special to an outfit.  I have recently discovered a love of brooches and while putting together my craft room, I found a bit of felt and decided to make a little something fun.  Here's what I came up with: 

Supplies:

Felt

Circle Template

Watercolor Image

Superglue/Crystals

Pin Back

Needle and Thread

 1. Using the template, draw a circle on a piece of felt in any color you choose and cut out the outside and the center./2. Copy the circle onto a watercolor image (or any image that inspires you) and cut out, leaving about a 1/4 inch from the edge.  I quickly drew and painted a vintage looking portrait, but really anything would work!/3. Stitch the drawing to the open middle of the circle./4. Cut a smaller circle in a contrasting color and stitch a pin back to the middle with a needle and thread, then superglue to the back of the main piece./5. For an extra touch, I cut out some small leaves to go with the flowers in the painting and then used hotfix crystals to give it some sparkle.  Make sure everything is dry and then enjoy adding something unique to your next outfit!

Renovation

I'm excited to share my project from Christmas break with you-my new craft room!  While, for all intents and purposes, my original craft room was well situated in the basement of our house, it just wasn't being used to it's full extent- so mom, Stu, and I moved it upstairs into our spare room.  It is amazing...I may never leave...which is kind of the point.

A home for my buttons.  Grandpa's old cigar boxes!

Of course, Mr. Jasper is my ever-present helper!  He particularly likes to lay on any project I am working on and take naps under the desk lamp.  

He is quite the mascot.

 

My crafting adventures have already begun in this room!  I am working up an inventory in order to start an etsy shop- yay!!