quasi the cat! :)

I always find myself doing something work-related on my days off. Not that this was for work, I just always end up doing something baking/decorating related for some reason. I guess I just love it too much! Anyways, found this tutorial and figured I'd give it a try. Loved it. Such a cute kitty!

{mine is on the left, modeled from this tutorial}

fondant.

I'm obsessed with fondant creatures! Here's one of my latest cuties. Pretty proud of her! She was my first attempt at a fondant figure.

{girlyyyy!}

graduation.

I DID IT!!! I graduated culinary school. With honors even! So happy and feeling so accomplished. Feeling blessed, so thankful that I had my family's support :)

{Mom & me!}

inspirational words.

busy bee.

I have never been so busy in my life. Got an internship (at a nice steakhouse!) + a night job... Things are crazy and stressful. It will all be worth it in the end. Just wish there were more hours in a day! But, hey I'm blessed, ! :D

{last cheat meal before i get even more serious about my eating clean!}

lately + dean's list.

{chef whites}

School is back & in full swing. I'm there all day, every day. Not to mention, I start not one, but two new jobs next week. I'm excited and nervous about having to juggle so much work, school, and homework. Needless to say, I'm going to be one busy, busy {hardworking!} girl. It's going to be a crazy, yet rewarding last quarter. Graduation is so soon! Hurry up September. Anyways, I'll leave you with some recent instagram {@taylorannd} pictures...

{new yoga pants that probably won't ever make it to yoga}

{tasty treat; protein bars; GF!}

{Bad Ass Coffe Co. I miss Florida}

{latest obsession; PB2, look it up:)}

Oh, and also... I MADE THE DEAN'S LIST!!! :) HARD WORK PAYS OFF!

vintage chair love.

As I prepare to move at the end of this year, I realize, it is expensive. Between buying furniture and trying to save money, and have money to spend before we move, it is a little overwhelming. We have been looking around a lot, especially at World Market {dying over their furniture selection} and we have found so much we like, but it is just a little too pricy. I have a mild obsession with vintage items. To describe my style it would be sort of shabby chic... But updated. I love lace {hence my mason jars}, and I love trendy patterns such as chevron. {I will never stop loving it. ever.} Every living room chair I have seen and loved has been out of price range until this one. I was over at my mom's boyfriends a couple nights ago and commented on this cute vintage yellow chair. A couple days later, I texted my mom asking if she knew where he had bought the chair. She replied with, "Oh, he said you can have it." Jaw. Dropped. I was soooo thankful {serious blessing!} and excited. I can not wait to fix it up. I have biiiig plans for this baby. I am going to reupholster it with a trendy chevron fabric. Can't wait to share it! Free is seriously the best price ever. Elated over this chair.

{love}

DIY: mason jars.

{i love the lace/pearls/vintage look}

I am on pinterest way more than I'd like to admit, and I always feel so crafty pinning to my DIY board, yet I never actually get around to making anything. At the end of this year, I am moving to Austin, TX with my boyfriend, so we are trying to save up money and buy furniture and decorations. Buying things can get expensive, but DIY projects are usually cheaper! So I went that route tonight. Mason jars are clearly not just for canning anymore. On pinterest you see everything from mason jar wine glasses to mason jar chandeliers. The options are endless. So, thank you pinterest, for making my future apartment have an adorable decoration for a fairly cheap price. I had most of the mason jars on hand, and today hobby lobby had them for 50% off! You can always use any {washed out} jars you have on hand, you do not necessarily have to use mason jars! These are so easy to make, and they are adorable!

What You'll Need:

• Mason/Jars in random sizes {however many you want to use}
• Hot Glue Gun
• Lace/Doilies
• Pearl Strands
• Cute Yarn/Strings/etc.
• Whatever else your heart desires!

{so pretty lit up; perfect for a mantle/centerpiece}

{my inspiration}

nails.

{patriotic pedi & adorable sandals from payless!}

Because I'm in culinary school, I never get the chance to paint my nails, we aren't allowed to as part of our uniform. It really sucks because I love nail polish and getting manicures. Since I'm on break for one last week, I decided to paint my nails. I found three cute colors from Target for .97c each! I also got a super cute & patriotic pedicure this weekend! July 4th is coming up after all, gotta look the part! ;)

{wet n wild 'shine' #405, 437F, & 429D}

{my inspiration; iphone case, Kate Spade}

destin, florida.

{Destin, Florida}

I had a wonderful vacation with my boyfriend and his family. We had a week long stay in an adorable beach house! I love the beach, and honestly I did not want to come home. Driving from Dallas, Texas to Florida took forever, but we still had fun. I can't wait to go back next year. A few pictures from my trip...

{before dinner one night}

{bad ass coffe company}

{moped/scooter fun}

{s'mores served campfire style at Harry T's}

{arm candy}

I've got a busy week ahead of me. I have an interview in the morning and it's my last week of "summer" vacation before my very last quarter of culinary school begins. I can't believe in just 3 months I will be graduating! {crazy} 

guiltless protein cheesecake.

Yesterday I got home from a vacation with my boyfriend and his family from Destin, Florida. We had a great time, I miss it already, but eating healthy on the vacation proved to be a huge challenge. I am so happy to be home and back on my regular healthy eating schedule! As I discussed in my last post, I have taken on the vegetarian lifestyle. Becoming a vegetarian has really opened my eyes and has made me even more aware of what I put in my body. I am really trying very hard to eat clean, and my boyfriend is even on board with eating clean as well. I love the way I feel when I eat healthy, but I still have a major sweet tooth. Recently, I found the blog Rabbit Food For My Bunny Teeth and have fallen in love{check it out!!}. I found this recipe & used it as my base. I was pleasantly surprised at how well this dessert turned out, and it definitely fulfilled my sweet tooth for the evening. My picture is not that great {clearly no professional food photographer here}, it's from my iphone/instagram (@taylorannd).

Filling:

• 6 oz Plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 TBS Sugar Free Jello Mix, Cheesecake Flavor

Crust:

• 1/2 C Uncle Sam Original bran/flax cereal.
• 1/4 TSP Stevia
• 1 TBS Almond Butter
• 4 TBS Water

The most ignorant thing I have ever heard anyone say is... "If it's good for you, it won't taste good, and if it tastes good, it won't be healthy for you." This statement is so not true! So don't be afraid to try new/healthy recipes. Your body will love you for it, and you will feel a million times better.

new found vegetarianism.

For almost three months now, I have stopped eating meat. I will admit to having a few bites of meat here and there, but for the most part, I no longer eat it. I had no real reason to quit eating meat, and it definitely wasn't some sort of fad diet I was trying to go on, I just kind of made the decision to stop. I have never really liked red meat, so I figured cutting out other meats wouldn't be too hard for me. I don't miss eating meat, especially with recipes like this one! I found this recipe, and kind of used it as a base. I made these veggie meatballs with some whole wheat pasta and some store bought vodka sauce. Easy, healthy, delicious dinner! :)

chocolate cures all.

My friend is having a hard time right now, so I figured chocolate might help ease some of the pain. I love to bake for people. This is just a classic chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and chocolate sprinkles. Chocolate overload, pretty much.

{the editing made it appear dustyish on the cake stand}

a cake baking kind of day.

I had no special occasion to bake for today, but I just felt like it. I was inspired by the blog Cupcakes and Cashmere. You never need a reason to bake! It's a classic yellow cake with vanilla frosting. Now I just need to get it out of my house, so I won't eat it all by myself.