Black Friday Deals

Hi everyone! 

I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving! I know some of you may be out and about hitting up shops for Black Friday deals, but I for one get a bit overwhelmed by the crowds, and prefer to have a lazy day at home after Thanksgiving.

Just because I love a lazy day, though, it doesn't mean I don't love some great deals! And let me tell you, there are some great deals this weekend! Here's a round up of some of my favorites to get you started on your holiday shopping:

Uh, first up, today only, Anthropologie is offering 20% off of EVERYTHING. Pretty ridiculously awesome, right? Stock up on cute clothes and housewares while the getting's good, am I right?

Boden is offering 30% off of EVERYTHING, which is equally awesome. It's a great time to stock up on some amazing quality clothing and fill your closet with timeless pieces.

Modcloth is offering 100’s of items 50% off for Black Friday (through Sunday). With my ever-growing ModCloth wish list and the new items they're adding daily, this one is a must! They're also offering free international shipping for a limited time, so if you're outside the US, now is a great time to order!

Today only, BonLook.com is also offering 50% off on select eyewear, plus free shipping! If you are looking for some new frames for the holiday season, it's definitely worth checking out!

If you're after some beauty products, Nordstrom is offering over 80 different free gifts with purchase today.

J. Crew is offering 30% off your purchase with the code HOLIDAY, through Sunday.

And their sister company, Madewell, is offering 25% off your entire purchase wight the code FEAST25, through Monday.

ASOS is also offering 20% off today, with the code GIMME20.

I hope these help you get a jump on your holiday shopping or just help you add some pretty things to your life!

And hey, if store bought gifts aren't your speed, I'm going to be sharing some great handmade and homemade gift ideas in December, so check back soon.

Til next time!

-Becca

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Giving Thanks

Hi Everyone!

Today is one of my favorite days of the year- it's Thanksgiving! It's a lovely day full of delicious food, family, friends, and tradition. On top of all that, it's a great reminder to take a moment to step back and think about all of the things you are thankful for. In fact, one of the reasons I love the holiday season in general is that I feel like it's a time of year to really show the people in your life how much you appreciate them.

Today, I'm giving thanks for quite a few things:

I'm thankful for my family, who I love so so much. Not only are they amazing support group, but a smart, hilarious group of people that I love spending time with. I'm particularly thankful for my parents, who have done right by me in more ways than I can possibly express. I'm a really lucky lady to be a part of such a loving, wonderful family.

I'm thankful for my friends, near and far, who are always willing to lend an ear, have an adventure, or just have a lazy day together.

I'm thankful for Buddy the Cat and Hank the Cat for being the sweetest, goofiest furballs a girl could have. There isn't a day that passes where these little critters don't make me laugh, smile my face off, or feel loved.

I'm also thankful for this blog for rekindling my creativity and for introducing me to so many amazing people from all over the world that I may have otherwise never met!

All in all, I've got a lot to be thankful for.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and even if you don't celebrate it, I hope you can take a few moments today to think about what you are thankful for.

XOXO
-Becca

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Sponsorship: December

Hey friends!

I don't know about you, but I sure am looking forward to December! With Thanksgiving wrapping up tomorrow, I'm looking forward to getting fully immersed in the holiday spirit. December will be all about festive decorations, delicious treats, and homemade and handmade gifts here on Ladyface Blog.

If you have a handmade business or a lovely blog that you are looking to promote, I'd love to help! Feel free to visit my Sponsor Page for more information on rates and options. And of course, if you have any questions, feel free to email me at ladyfaceblog@gmail.com.

XOXO

-Becca

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Homemade Cranberry Sauce with Orange

Cranberry sauce: it's a staple for a holiday feast, mandatory for a Thanksgiving spread, and frankly, an under appreciated gem of a dish. Having been raised eating homemade cranberry sauce, I could never understand why I knew so many people who didn't care for cranberry sauce. Then, when I was 20 or so, I tried canned cranberry sauce for the first time and it all started to make sense.

Now, there is certainly nothing wrong with canned cranberry sauce, but the homemade version can really be something special. You can adjust the sugar to your liking, you can add spices or other flavors to jazz it up, and the color and texture are just lovely.

With the exception of one Thanksgiving where my mom made some sort of cranberry jell-o that had celery in it (she maintains it was delicious, I maintain it was gross. I think I was 3, and I think I cried when I ate it), I've been a devoted cranberry sauce fan since a young age. And this recipe, well, this one is my family's tried and true. It's got a perfect balance of sweet and tart, and the additions of orange juice, orange zest, and brown sugar make it really something special. Here's how to make it!

Cranberry Sauce with Orange- Makes about 2 1/2 cups worth

Ingredients:
- 3/4 cups water
- 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (from about half an orange)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 12 oz fresh cranberries
- 1/2 tsp orange zest

1. Begin by combining the water, orange juice, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a medium sized sauce pan.

2. Bring to a boil over medium to medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved.

3. Add the cranberries to the pot, and simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened and most of the cranberries have popped. (Did you know cranberries are hollow? It's pretty cool! They actually bounce, which my cats couldn't get enough of when I dropped a few!)

4. Remove the cranberry sauce from the stove, add the orange zest, and stir to combine.

5. Let cool, then serve!

It may not be as simple as opening a can, but this homemade cranberry sauce with orange is worth the extra bit of effort. In less than 20 minutes, you can make a delicious, memorable cranberry sauce worthy of any feast!

I hope you enjoy it!

Til next time!

-Becca

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Weekly Wardrobe- Cozy On Up!

 Glasses: BonLook

Coat: Trove Vintage/Similar

Top: Anthropologie/Similar

Belt: Anthropologie/Similar

Skirt: Anthropologie/Similar

Tights: Nordstrom

Shoes: Rocket Dog from ModCloth

The last week has been absolutely gorgeous! Unlike the last few weeks of grey days, this week has been cold, crisp, and sunny. Since it hasn't been grey, there have been GORGEOUS sunrises (which you may have seen if you follow me on Instagram!), the mountains are all out, and the skies are blue as can be! It's been really, really amazing. If the rest of fall and winter could be like this, I would be more thrilled than I could possibly say!

Well, you may recall that I've been on the hunt for a new winter coat. After searching and searching, I happened upon my dream coat last Sunday! On my usual Sunday errand running outing, I walked into Trove Vintage in Ballard (obviously I was avoiding the errands) and found this gem of a coat you can see me wearing above. 1960s vintage, baby blue wool, faux fur collar and cuffs, and MY SIZE! I was so thrilled. The best part was it cost about a quarter of what I had been prepared to spend on a winter coat, so I was SUPER pumped.

Needless to say, since the weather has been so gorgeous, but so chilly, I've been wearing this baby everywhere. Everywhere, including out and about with Katie on Saturday! Initially Katie and I headed to Carkeek Park to walk around and check out some of the salmon swimming back to their home creeks. If you are not aware, when salmon swim back from the ocean, they return to the creeks in which they were born, but since it's such  long journey, they usually die within 2-4 weeks of returning, generally after they've mated and laid eggs. This is legitimately stuff we learn about in school in Washington. 

Well, Katie, a fellow Washington native, had somehow blocked this from her memory. Turns out we visited this creek a bit late in the season, and there were tons of dead salmon around. Needless to say, Katie was a bit traumatized. Sorry Katie! Between that and the crowds at the park, we decided to go to a different park. We were both glad we did because we found this lovely little trail where these photos were taken!

Now that the weekend has wrapped up, I'm totally excited about Thanksgiving this week! Not only is it a short week followed by a nice long weekend, but I adore Thanksgiving and can't wait to cook and eat a bunch of tasty food and spend time with my lovely family. My mom's birthday is on Friday, too, so there will be lots of family time this week. I can't wait!

Do you guys have any fun plans for your week? If you're in the US do you have any fun Thanksgiving plans?

Til next time!

-Becca

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DIY Round-up with Whimsy Darling!

Today, Alex and Paige of Whimsy Darling are back to share some of their amazing DIY projects! I hope their pretty projects will bring you some weekend inspiration! As always, be sure to stop by and check out their blog for more amazing Whimsy Darling goodness!

Hello again, Ladyface Blog readers!

We're Alex and Paige of Whimsy Darling and you may remember us from a previous guest post in early November. We're back for another round to share some of our latest DIY projects with all of you!

Thanksgiving Place Settings While American Thanksgiving is right around the corner, us Canadians had ours a while ago now. Around that time we shared this tutorial for a simple last minute thanksgiving place setting. It's always nice to make your guests feel welcome and appreciated but sometimes you don't have enough time to put together an elaborate place setting for every single person. All you need for these ones are some toothpicks, card stock and a miniature pumpkin or gourd. Easy Peasy!

Embroidery Wall Art Being students on a budget, we also like creating a lot of our own wall art! We love the look of embroidery art but have yet to acquire the skill it takes to create a real embroidery piece. We decided to recreate the look with a small canvas and paint and love the way it turned out!

Storage Box Makeover I'm always looking for new ways to find storage in my small apartment but like to do it as cheaply as possible. I found these white storage boxes at Ikea one afternoon and decided to spruce them up a little bit to make them a little more interesting. It was a super easy project that only took one afternoon and it made my craft shelf look very organized and put together. Much better then the mess it previously was!

Wood Slice Wall Art Once again, we love creating our own wall art! This is one of our most common types of projects over at Whimsy Darling because it is normally very simple to make but adds a touch of uniqueness and personality to your home. We found these wood slices at Michael's for a good price and painted some of our favourite quotes on them.

Anthro-Inspired Bedroom Makeover While this project is definitely my favourite thus far, it was also the most tedious. It took a few weeks of sporadical work to complete but I managed to recreate a $500 Anthropologie bedding look for only $50! It was just the update my bedroom was needing.

DIY Umbrella Update Paige bought this umbrella for her Mary Poppins Halloween costume this year and since has decided it needs an update. She painted little white hearts all over the inside of it to give it a little more cheer and personality. It is so cute and such a pleasant surprise whenever she opens it up. 

We hope you have managed to find a little big of inspiration from some of these DIY tutorials to start something new this weekend! Thanks again Becca for hosting us on your blog!

 Alex (& Paige) xo

Quick and Easy Thanksgiving Centerpiece

Hey guys! With Thanksgiving next week, I thought it was due time for me to share a pretty centerpiece idea with you!

This one is super inexpensive to put together, and easy as can be!

To get started, you'll need some supplies!

- 1 thin, somewhat shallow glass or plastic container
- Gold (or color of your choice) ribbon (optional)
- 3 apples in the variety of your choosing
- 3 candles
- 1 12oz bag of cranberries
- Scissors (not pictured)
- A small knife (not pictured)

If you're using ribbon, being by tying that around your container. I did mine in a nice square knot with the ends cut on a diagonal.

Use your knife to cut a small cone shape out of your apple on the stem side. You'll want this to be approximately the same size as your candle. Tapering the cut in towards the center of the apple will help ensure a snug fit for your candle.

Place the candle in the hole you cut in your apple and repeat with the other apples!

Next, get your apples all situated in your container.

And then, pour in the cranberries, making sure to evenly distribute them around the apples.

And, voila! A quick, easy, and beautiful Thanksgiving centerpiece done in no time!

I hope you enjoyed checking out this tutorial!

Til next time!

-Becca

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Apple Crumble Pie

Alright guys, with Thanksgiving coming up next week, I thought it would be time to talk pie. Ohhhhhhh, pie. Could you be any dreamier? I, for one, am a big pie fan. Lemon Meringue? Yes please! Cherry? Duh. Really, just give me all the pie!

Of course, when it comes to Thanksgiving, most people reach for pumpkin pie. And don't get me wrong, I love the stuff, but after a big ol' meal I kind of can't handle something as rich as pumpkin pie. I want something that's tart, sweet, and deliciously spiced! So for me, Thanksgiving is all about the Apple Pie. Apple Crumble Pie to be exact! 

This Apple Crumble Pie is one of those awesome foods that may not be much to look at, but is tasty as all get out. Buttery crust, tart apples, cinnamon, and sweet, crunchy crumble topping. Yum!

Alright, let's hop to it, shall we?

Apple Crumble Pie Makes 1 Pie!

Ingredients:

- 1 prepared pie crust. I used this recipe, made with Trader Joe's all purpose gluten free mix and couldn't have been happier!

For filling:

- 3/4 cup sugar

- 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp cornstarch

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

- 2.5 lbs Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 1/2" slices

(note: I know it's sort of uncouth, but I don't peel my apples. 1. I think the peels look pretty, 2. I like the extra bit of tartness they add, and 3. Let's be real, I'm lazy. You can totally peel your apples if you want to.)

- 2 tbsp butter, melted

- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice

For topping:

- 3/4 cup flour (I used Trader Joe's all purpose gluten free mix)

- 3/4 cup oats (I used Bob's Red Mill gluten free rolled oats)

- 3/4 cup brown sugar

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- Pinch of salt

- 6 tbsp butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Get your pie crust all set in the pan, crimp the edges, etc.

3. To make the filling, begin by mixing the sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon together in a large mixing bowl.

4. Add the apples, vanilla, butter, and lemon juice, and mix until the apples are nicely coated in all that awesome stuff. Also? You should totally use your hands. It's more fun that way!

5. Next, put your filling into the pie crust! You don't have to lay them out all fancy like I did, but I would recommend it. 1. It's pretty, and I like pretty food. 2. You can totally fit more apples in this way than if you just dump them all in. Truth.

6. To make the topping, begin by mixing the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium sized mixing bowl.

7. Add the melted butter, and mix with a fork until the topping has formed sort of a crumble. It'll look real tasty.

Alright, at this point, we've got our filled pie crust, and our topping! Let's bring 'em together!

8. Put that crumble topping all over them apples! Seriously, cover 'em up! You can see that when it's done, it'll just look like a big pile of crumble. That's what we want! You can also see that you will undoubtedly make a mess doing this.

9. Place your pie on a baking sheet (to catch any bubbling over pie goo), and put your pie in the oven.

10. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 350°F and bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the pie is bubbling around the edges.

Aw yea, look at that! 

Now, it may not be the prettiest pie you've ever seen, but it's real tasty. So tasty, I couldn't resist eating a piece before I took photos of it! To be fair, by the time I finished baking, it was super dark out (at 5pm. Sheesh), and I had to wait until morning to take pictures of the finished product. You would eat some, too. It smells too good not to!

Serve up a slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you'll have yourself a little slice of Thanksgiving heaven!

Do you guys have any favorite Thanksgiving desserts?

Til next time!

-Becca

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