My Nail Care Routine + Top 10 Summer Polish Picks

Hello friends! I don't know about you, but I absolutely love painting my nails. Here's how I keep my nails in peak condition plus my top 10 nail polish picks for the summer:

The Care: I paint my nails once a week, so it's super important that they stay as healthy as possible. I make sure they're always clean and trimmed so they don't break, and I make sure I use a special tool to remove surface ridges to make the polish apply smoothly (I like the four-sided bricks with a file and three-step smoothing sides). But most importantly, I always, always, always use a base coat - it keeps the polish from staining and damaging the nails - and a top coat to keep everything lasting as long as possible.

My Summer Top 10:

• Julep "Hope" - This white-hot polish is a satin finish, so it looks semi-matte when dry. Adding a normal top coat will take away the matte finish, so I always use a matte top coat with this color.

• Essence "Don't Be Shy!" - This neon yellow-green is one of the colors from the gel line, so it's super glossy.

• Essence "Indian Summer" - This is another from the gel line, and its neon pastel coral color makes it a true summer hue.

• Sephora Formula X "Power Source" - This neon red is what's on my hands right now, and it's survived about a week with minimal chips. (The picture is of a sample, hence it's tininess.)

• Sinful Colors "Lie-Lac" - This pastel purple is a perfect transition from spring into summer.

• Sinful Colors "Amethyst" - This is a darker, mid-tone purple, so it's great when I want something darker but still fun for summer.

• Julep "Bailey" - This is my favorite shade of blue for nail polish (especially for the Fourth of July - very patriotic). The only downside is that it's very gelly and sheer, so it takes a few coats to build up to the full color.

• Revlon Colorstay "Costal Surf" - This bright sky blue has an amazing brush - it's a bit flat and wide, so it covers the nail like a dream.

• Essence "Play With My Mint" - Can you tell I like the Essence gel polishes? This minty blue-green is bright enough to hold its own against more neon summer colors.

• Julep "Winter" - Despite the name, I think this super light gray is the perfect alternative to true nudes that are popular in the summer.

I wish you all the best,
Erin

Sweet Spot: The Essential Baking Toolbox

Hello friends!  I've been super into my baking lately, and I've really gotten the chance to figure out the essentials I need to make amazingly impressive desserts and treats. I keep everything I have separated into four categories and stored in four clear bins for easy access and storage, so I'll go box by box and tell you what's in my essential baking toolbox.

The Tools Toolbox - This is the box where I keep the mechanical stuff that I really only use for baking. My top picks are:

• Silicone baking mats: These are great for baking cookies and scones; usually I like cookie sheets with parchment, but I hate cutting it down or risking it burning over the multiple uses it takes to make a full batch of anything. These are the perfect solution to that.
• Disposable piping bags: I absolutely love the look of piped icing, but I hate cleaning piping bags with a passion. These let me get everything done, then just cut the tip out and toss the mess.
• Piping tips: For me, only two piping tips are absolutely essential: a round and a star, preferable larger and open. They give the looks of classic cupcakes and elegant, swirly cupcakes.
• Palette knife: The essential tool for cake frosting. I like to have two; a large straight one for the sides and a bent one for the top.
• Ice cream scoop: These are essential for equal portions in baking. I like the ones with the squeezable handle that shuffles the dough or batter out, and I use them for everything from cookies to cupcakes to scones.
• Cake leveler: This tool looks like a saw and is used similarly to even out risen cake tops. As long as its feet stay on the table or countertop, your cakes will be perfectly level every time.
• Electric hand mixer: This is the most essential tool of the bunch - most everything starts with a creamed butter base of some sort, and this makes it so much easier than trying to do that by hand.

The Edibles Toolbox - This box has all the edible things I don't keep in the pantry: sprinkles, food coloring, extra vanilla, etc. My top picks are:

• Food color paste: Food color paste is much more concentrated than the liquid stuff, so it ensures your baked goods turn out the color you intend (goodbye, pink watermelon cake!).
• Sprinkles: I like to keep a variety of sprinkles on hand. Good for cakes, yes, but even better for cookies - Dip any raw cookie dough (sugar is always my pick for this) into sprinkles, bake as per normal, and end up with schnazzy cookies that were no extra work at all.
• Candy melts: I always have a bag of candy melts on hand (usually just the basic white because I have a box of candy-specific coloring). You never know when you'll need to make a white chocolate ganache or whip up some Oreo truffles for a party.

The Cupcakes Toolbox - I'm going to be very honest, this box is 99% guilty pleasure buys. The entire box is full of any cupcake liner I will ever need, which I will probably never use up in my lifetime. But I'll give you my top picks to be ready for any occasion:

• Basic colors: If nothing else, you need white liners, but I also really love the basic colors for their versatility.
• Patterns: Also very versatile, I love patterns for more plain-looking cupcakes.
• Holiday/theme-specific: These are the smallest group I have, but it's nice to have liner with balloons for birthdays, ornaments for Christmas, etc.

The Presentation Toolbox - This is the box where I keep all the little bags, boxes, and toppers to make my treats extra cute, especially if I'm gifting them. Here are my top picks:

• Individual cupcake boxes: I love making giant cupcakes for people's birthdays, and these are perfect for giving them away.
• Twist tie bags: These have the same basic principal as the cupcake liners - one basic is necessary, multiple decorative are nice to have. I like to have different sizes and I try to keep the seasons neutral because I don't use these as often.
• Large treat boxes: I have a few Christmas-themed larger boxes perfect for giving cookies to people. This is only necessary of you're a bake-aholic like me during the holidays.

I wish you all the best,
Erin

Collective Summer Haul & Lookbook

Hello friends! I thought I'd share some of the pieces I've been collecting for the summer and how I plan on styling them (minimally - I'm always indecisive, so things like accessories will change every time I wear these). I'll link any that are still available, but some of these go back to winter and may not be online any more. Here we go!

Kohl's

• Alice in Wonderland Ruffle Dress in Teatime Blue http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-2442971/disneys-alice-in-wonderland-a-collection-by-lc-lauren-conrad-ruffle-dress-womens.jsp?color=Hearts_Blue

*Shoes: Payless (regular rotating stock)

• Alice in Wonderland Peplum Graphic Tank http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-2443169/disneys-alice-in-wonderland-a-collection-by-lc-lauren-conrad-peplum-graphic-tank-womens.jsp

*Shorts: Dressbarn (linked below), Shoes: Kohl's (linked below)

• Alice in Wonderland Definition Graphic Tee http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-2529066/disneys-juniors-alice-in-wonderland-definition-graphic-tee.jsp?skuId=Disney's+Juniors'+Alice+In+Wonderland+Definition+Graphic+Tee&search=Disney's+Juniors'+Alice+In+Wonderland+Definition+Graphic+Tee&submit-search=web-regular

*Shorts: Forever 21 (linked below), Shoes: Kohl's (many years ago)

• Grayson Threads Ampersand Graphic Tee http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-2542426/juniors-grayson-threads-ampersand-graphic-tee.jsp?skuId=Juniors'+Grayson+Threads+Ampersand+Graphic+Tee&search=Juniors'+Grayson+Threads+Ampersand+Graphic+Tee&submit-search=web-regular

*Shorts: H&M (linked below), Shoes: Target (many years ago)

• Chaps Chelsi Women's Espadrilles (not available online, may be on clearance in stores)

Dressbarn

• Black and White Crinkled Shorts https://www.dressbarn.com/detail/black-and-white-crinkled-shorts/102597617/150

*Top: Old Navy (regular rotating stock), Shoes: Payless (regular rotating stock)

• Signature Fit 5" Lace Shorts in Navy https://www.dressbarn.com/detail/signature-fit-5-lace-shorts/102646147/442

Forever 21

• Crochet-Trimmed Shorts in Black/Grey http://www.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?BR=f21&Category=bottoms&ProductID=2000152482&VariantID=023
• Lace-Trimmed Floral Shorts in Navy/Coral http://www.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?BR=f21&Category=bottom&ProductID=2000133404&VariantID=033 (final sale, only available in XS)

*Top: Kohl's (Regular rotating stock), Shoes: Kohl's (many years ago)

H&M

• Lyocell Shorts in Olive Green http://www.hm.com/us/product/36050?article=36050-B&cm_vc=SEARCH (available in black only)

I wish you all the best,
Erin

Just Do It - Making Changes for Your Own Happiness

Hello friends! Over the past few weeks, I've been doing a lot of "just doing." I thought I'd share my experiences with you, and hopefully this helps people like me who have a hard time with the whole concept of "just doing."

Let me start by saying I'm a chronic over thinker. If you give me a simple task, I can easily think of every way something can go wrong. So naturally when I have to decide things for myself, it's nearly impossible. I have a book of excuses ready to deflect anything that has the slightest potential to go wrong, making it hard to do anything. And forget being spontaneous. My brain goes into overdrive and I'm surprised I haven't caused some sort of implosion within myself because of that.

So you may be asking, "How can you 'just do' anything if you're always like that?" Well, most of it is a change of mindset. I finally admitted to myself that I was really unhappy, and that nobody could change that except me. 

The first step to being happier was cutting off all the negative people in my life. I had people I was still calling friends who just made me miserable, and for the most ridiculous reasons. Some I haven't spoken to in a few months (happily), and they try to reenter my life relentlessly through social media. Apparently, three rejections to follow isn't sending a clear enough message. Another "friend" was just so negative about everything I did; I once posted a picture of my family and me and she commented that she "see[s] how it is." It was my family, for goodness sake! Needless to say, having those people out of my life is a big relief.

Next, I needed something (or a few things) to occupy my time. School was about to end for the summer, giving me four months to either waste or make the most of. I went out and bought a bunch of craft supplies for things I've been meaning to do, baking supplies to fuel my baking kick, books to keep my mind going, and found a job that feels fulfilling. I work part-time, so it's enough to feel like I'm doing something productive (and make connections for after I graduate in a few years), but not so much to drain me. And through that job, actually, I found the confidence for my third step.

Before we get there, I have a few more confessions: I'm ridiculously shy, so talking to people is hard enough on its own, but that shyness often comes across as mean or anti-social even though I don't mean it to be. I also have never been on a date or really ever talked to a boy in a not-forced environment. So you can see that this all sets me up for success in the quest not to die alone.

Anyway, there was a boy (eek!) my age at the place I work (I say "was" because yesterday was his last day), and oh goodness, he is perfect. 99.9% of the time, I never act on my emotions and my golden rule is to keep everything bottled in, but something in me told me not to let him go so easily. He's moving away for the next six months, but I'd at least like to get to know him in that time, even if nothing happens (although something happening would be great). I Googled what to do last night (because Google is the oracle of all answers), and saw a situation similar to mine posted in a forum. The response is what stuck with me: Regardless of the outcome, the only losing situation is the one you're in now. The worst that can happen is for him not to be interested, but the best could be better that you'd ever imagined. Not taking the opportunity now leaves a question mark forever.

So without ever having talked to him, I sent him an email this morning. I worded it to mostly focus on work, as we're in overlapping industries, but left it open (and dare I say flirty? . . . Who am I kidding, I flirt worse than a piece of lint.), suggesting a fun trip to take when he studies abroad and to keep in touch. No response yet (it's been an hour), but I feel so empowered, just sending the email. Of course, I want something to come of this, but at least I can say I was trying to make it so, not just watching another opportunity go by.

And there you have it, my tales in "just doing." I hope this was helpful or encouraging in some way. If you're stuck like I was (and am, probably, I just don't know it yet), just do it. You have so much more to gain than to lose.

I wish you all the best,
Erin

Planning an Epic Summer Road Trip

Hello friends! My family and I love to take road trips in the summer, and this year is shaping up to be the best one yet. Not only is it the four of us, it's also my cousin and her parents - when all of us are together, it's like being in a bad comedy, and it makes for hilarious stories. I'll write up a post at the end of the summer sharing our experiences, but for now, here's everything we're planning for our epic road trip, complete with tips, fun ideas, and more.

1. Pick a New Destination When we started talking about where we are going to go, we all
    decided that a new place is always more fun. The powers that be (the parents) gave us
    a set radius to travel in, and they pretty much let my cousin, my brother, and me pick
    the destination. We settled on a mountain town in the Rocky Mountains. None of us
    have ever been there, and there are a surprising number of things to do there, making
    sure there's something for everyone.
2. Have a Trip Theme This is probably the lamest thing anyone could ever do, but having a
    theme for your trip makes it so much more fun. We have a theme song (John Denver's
    amazingly ironic "Rocky Mountain High," also the official name of the trip), code names
    (all bean-based, i.e. Jelly Bean, Frijole, Bean Sprout, etc., and particularly fun if the
    theme for the names has absolutely nothing to do with the trip), trip hats (custom with
    a logo and our code names), and playlists to fit the theme.
3. Rent a House, Not a Hotel Room With seven adult-size people, renting a few hotel
    rooms costs as much, if not more, than renting a whole house, especially if it's split
    between a few families. Our house has plenty of room for everyone, multiple
    bathrooms, and a full kitchen, which means we can do some grocery shopping when we
    arrive and save a whole lot on food expenses because we'll be eating at the house more
    than eating out.
4. Plan Activities for Everyone Where we are staying, obviously the main attraction is
    the mountains, with lots of trails and activities, but there are also hot springs, gondola
    tours, golf courses, an amusement park, little shops, and nearby ski resorts to scope
    out during the off-season. With a little of everything, you ensure everyone leaves
    happy.
5. Don't Spend All Your Energy During the Day Some of my favorite vacation memories
    aren't even of the actual trip and the things I saw, but of the time my family spent
    together at the end of the day. We absolutely love board games and card games, and
    the seven of us always manage to make it so by the end, nobody is playing and
    everyone is in tears laughing. It's especially fun if you bring new games, because
    nobody reads directions and it just adds another level of hilarity. These nights are
    also the perfect occasions to sit around a fire with a whole bunch of s'mores and
    hot dogs, which just scream summer and make for great memories.
6. Leave Wiggle Room The great thing about going somewhere that doesn't need tickets
    like an amusement park is that you can go without a detailed itinerary and decide what
    you want to do as the days come.

I wish you all the best and safe, fun travels,
Erin

Sweet Spot: Catering Made Easy

Hello friends! I recently was asked to cater a small bridal shower, so here's how I did everything from the menu and prep timeline to setting up my food stations, as easily as possible.

Menu: Bruschetta Bar, Pasta Primavera, Cannoli Dip with Pizzelle Chips, Sangria Cupcakes & Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes

Recipes:
Bruschetta Bar
    Crostinis: Slice French bread on the bias, brush with olive oil. Toast at 350 degrees for
          5 minutes.
    Bruschetta: Dice 3-5 tomatoes, removing seed pockets to avoid too much moisture. Add
          1 clove crushed garlic, 1/4 chopped basil, 2 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tbsp. red wine
          vinegar, and salt and pepper.
    Whipped Ricotta: Whip 15 oz. part-skim ricotta with 1 tsp. salt.
    Pesto: store-bought
    Olive Tapenade: store-bought
    Balsamic Berries: Reduce 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar over medium heat 8-10 minutes.
          Combine with approx. 2 cups (total) blueberries, raspberries, and chopped
          strawberries, and about 6 chopped mint leaves.
    Honey & Walnuts: That's it. Easiest topping ever.

Pasta Primavera
    1 red bell pepper, chopped
    1 green zucchini, chopped
    1 yellow zucchini, chopped
    1 bunch asparagus, chopped
    1/2 bunch broccoli, chopped
    1 container mushrooms, chopped
    1 bag spinach
    1 container cherry tomatoes
    Olive oil
    Salt & pepper
    Cayenne pepper
    2 boxes pasta
    Grated Parmesan
    Juice of 1 lemon
1. Chop all vegetables (except spinach) to the same size. Drizzle with olive
    oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast peppers, zucchini, and broccoli for 12 minutes,
    tomatoes for 7 minutes, and asparagus and mushrooms for 5 minutes, all at 425
    degrees.
2. Heat approx. 1 tbsp. oil in a skillet. Add spinach, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.    
    Toss until spinach is wilted, remove from heat.
3. Cook pasta according to directions, drain. Mix in all vegetables, lemon juice, Parmesan,
    salt and pepper to taste.

Cannoli Dip
    15 oz. ricotta
    8 oz. mascarpone
    Splash vanilla
    1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
    Dash cinnamon
    1 cup mini chocolate chips
    Pizzelle cookies for dipping
1. Whip ricotta and mascarpone until smooth, add vanilla. Mix in confectioners' sugar 3/4
    cup at a time, add cinnamon. Fold in chocolate chips. Serve with pizzelles.

Sangria Cupcakes
     1 box angel food cake mix
     Zest of 1/2 orange
    1/2 cup blueberries
    1/2 cup strawberries, chopped
    2 cups red wine
    1/4 cup sugar
    1 cup shortening
    1 cup butter
    Splash vanilla
    4 cups confectioners' sugar
    Blueberries, strawberry & orange slices for topping
1. Prepare cake mix as directed, folding in zest and berries before scooping batter into
    lined cupcake tins. Bake as directed, let cool.
2. Combine wine and sugar into small saucepan, bring to a boil on medium-high heat.
    Reduce to medium-low heat 20-30 minutes, take off heat, let cool.
3. Whip shortening and butter together. Add vanilla and 1/2 cup wine reduction,
    combine. Add confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time, whipping until combined. Add pink
    and purple food coloring, if desired.
4. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes, top with reserved fruit.

Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes
    1 box chocolate cake mix
    1 box chocolate pudding mix
    1 cup shortening
    1 cup butter
    Splash vanilla
    1/2 cup caramel sauce
    4 cups confectioners' sugar
    Sea salt
1. Prepare cake mix as directed, adding pudding mix to cake mix before combining. Scoop
    into prepared cupcake tins. Bake as directed, let cool.
2. Whip shortening and butter together. Add vanilla and caramel, combine. Add
    confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time, whipping until combined.
3. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes, sprinkle with sea salt.

Timeline: The shower was on a Saturday evening, so I prepped and made as much as I could on Friday. Friday morning, I started with the sangria cupcakes. While those were cooling, I chopped made the bruschetta, leaving out the basil until serving the next day. When the cupcakes were cool, I made the chocolate cupcakes with the same tins. With those in the oven, I chopped most of the primavera vegetables and put them into a bag and kept them in the fridge. Then I made the cannoli dip. After that, I made the balsamic berries, leaving out the mint until serving the next day. Then I made the red wine frosting, piped it onto the cupcakes, and left the fruit topping for the next day. Finally, I made the caramel frosting, topped the chocolate cupcakes, and sprinkled on the sea salt.

On the day of the shower, I made the pasta and kept it warm in foil pans placed in a towel-lined cooler. I also did finishing touches, like topping the sangria cupcakes and adding the herbs. I also didn't make the crostinis until the shower was about to start.

Setup: The shower was in a house, so I utilized the space I had to make food stations. On the kitchen table, I put down brown butcher paper and laid out my bruschetta bar. On the counter, I put the cupcakes and cannoli dip, and put the pasta on the stove. There was also and Italian wine tasting (which I was not in charge of) in the dining room. This all allowed people to grab what they wanted easily and kept it so that no one area was too congested.

That's it! I've never catered a whole event before, and this was really catering made easy. Everything was successful - Italian food done like this always impresses, and it's way easier than it looks.

I adapted the sangria cupcakes and cannoli dip from these blogs:
http://thefirstyearblog.com/sangria-cupcakes/
http://www.ifyougiveablondeakitchen.com/2016/02/06/easy-cannoli-dip/
The rest of the recipes are mine, so please credit Streamers of Consciousness if you use them elsewhere.

I wish you all the best,
Erin

Dear Future Husband

To my future soul mate:

Hello. As of this moment right now, May 12, 2016, I do not know if we have met. I do not know if we're from the same place, what struggles we have faced, or where we're going next. But I do know that I love you. I have loved you much longer than I have known you. I will love you much longer and more intensely than you can ever imagine. It's hard to explain why and how you can love someone so deeply without knowing anything about them, but I do.

As you probably know, I absolutely love random facts, and I've been saving my favorite one to share with you: You and I are split-aparts. According to Greek mythology, humans at one time had four arms, four legs, and two faces. These humans possessed powers great enough to threaten the gods, so Zeus solved this problem by splitting each human in half. The human halves would wander around miserably, searching for their other half. When they finally found each other, they knew without speaking that all was right again, and they would be happy together for the rest of time. I'm so happy I've finally found mine. It's been a long time coming.

There is so much I want to say to you, so much I want to know about you. By the time you read this, I will know those things, but, another thing I'm sure you know about me, I am not patient in the slightest, so waiting to know you is near impossible. How are you? What is your family like? Do I treat your siblings like my own, and you mine? Do you like going out together, or do prefer making dinner at home and watching movies in our pajamas? Does my constant showtune singing drive you crazy? We have a lot of catching up to do, you and I.

If I wrote everything I want to say to you and ask you, I'll still be writing when you read this, and even then, I will not be anywhere near done. I want us to share everything. I want to be your best friend, your biggest fan, your best support, your soul mate. And I will try my absolute best to be all that and more. And if I'm not, please let me know. I don't want to let you down. I think that is one of my biggest fears.

How did we meet? Did we work together? Go to school together? I'm always looking for you, wherever I am. What is our relationship like? Do we laugh a lot? Do you think I'm a big dork, hopefully in a cute, endearing way? Do we live together? If so, where? I've been dreaming of moving to LA. I think only you can stop me from going there, if I'm not there already. Do we talk about the future? About getting married? Having kids? You probably think I'm crazy, but I have our wedding planned, and lists of names for those little people who will be half you and half me. I can't wait. I'm ready to start my life with you.

Regardless of where we are, what we do, where we're going, I promise you this: I will always stand by you. I won't ever leave your side; we are a team. I will happily go on crazy adventures with you, and I will be just as happy to spend entire days eating pizza on the couch with you. I will always try to be the best version of myself for you, and I will push you to do the same. I will take care of you when you are sick, I will tell awful jokes when you are sad, I will love you unconditionally, forever and always.

I love you more than you will ever know,
Your future soul mate