Not Getting Down with the Sickness

Being sick is awful, and getting food poisoning is (in the words of Jean Ralphio) the woooorst. However, after the first few days it was nice to be able to take time off to lounge in bed with a cup of tea and a good book (I recently just started reading Nightingale by Kristin Hannah).

With that being said, I am already back to bringing you more content to come in the future. Seeing as how the weather is getting quite nice in some areas of the country (if you could send that down our way in Houston, I’d appreciate it…), I figured I’d post about some of my favorite places to hike in Oregon and more.

Have a great weekend!

-C

 

P.S. I hope my fellow Texans stay dry this weekend as it looks like more rain is headed our way. Just what we needed, right?

Advertisement

Happy National Park Week!

 

This week, April 16th-24th, is National Park Week and this year in particular is the National Park Service’s 100th birthday (so to speak). There’s lots of events going on to celebrate, including free admission to any park during the week, Earth Day (April 22) events, and even a National Park Instameet (April 23).

Be sure to visit your nearest National Park if you can to help celebrate! I know I always enjoyed the times I went, whether it was to the Redwoods or Glacier or John Day (all pictured).

-C

 

*For more information, visit the National Park Service website.

Wednesday Want: Celane Lace Dress

You know those pretty Self Portrait dresses that you’ve been seeing everywhere (literally)? Yeah, this dress is just like those but half the price. Half!

I also love how the lining is longer than most (a little bit just above the knee) and the light gray-almost lilac coloring of the dress. All in all, this lacy dress from HD in Paris is so chic and perfect for a night out.

-C

Lemon Cheesecake Bars

If there is one cooking magazine out there that I always turn to, it’s Cooking Light. I have always been able to find such amazing recipes to try within its pages, and I love the added bonus of how the dishes are healthy for you as well. Foodies rejoice!

These lemon cheesecake bars were no exception, as they only contain roughly around 6g sugar. The recipe is also simple overall (perfect for beginners!), even with my tweaks, and easily satisfied my need for something citrusy.

I will warn y’all, though, that these babies go fast. I mean, one minute you’re cutting them up and the next there’s only half a pan left. So if you want some for yourself, put a few in a container right after you cut them. Otherwise, your chances of getting more than one or two are going to be slim to none.

Enjoy! 

-C

 

 

Hands-on time: 25-30 min

Total time: 3-4 hr

Crust: 

1 cup pastry flour

1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted (I used pecans as well as almonds)

1 tablespoon canola oil (I used olive oil for baking and cooking instead)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces

Filling: 

3/4 cup fat-free Greek Yogurt (I used two single cups of Dannon Plain Non Fat Greek Yogurt)

1/3 cup granulated sugar 

1 tablespoon lemon rind 

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (I used 1 cup to make it more citrusy) 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 

1 8 oz package 1/3-less fat cream cheese

2 large eggs

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉. 
2. To prepare crust, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour, almonds (/pecans), powdered sugar, oil, and salt in a food processor; pulse until nuts are finely ground. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Pour mixture into an 11 x 7 in glass baking pan coated with cooking spray. Pat mixture down into an even layer, patting firmly without compacting too tightly (which will make crust tough). Bake at 350℉ for 23 minutes or until lightly browned. (*Note that this time is variant upon your elevation). Remove from oven; cool completely. 
3. Reduce oven temperature to 325℉. 
4. To prepare the filling, rinse processor, and wipe dry. Place yogurt and next 6 ingredients (through cream cheese) in processor; process until smooth. Add eggs; process until smooth. Pour mixture over crust, spreading evenly. Bake at 325℉ for 30 minutes or until set. 
5. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours or until chilled. 

 

Serves 18. Calories: 129; Fat: 7.7g (sat:3.5, mono:2.6, poly:O.8g) ; Protein: 4g; Carb: 12g; Fiber: 1g; Sugars 6g (est. added sugars 5g); Cholesterol: 37mg; Iron: Omg; Sodium: 130mg; Calcium: 34mg. 

(Recipe found in Cooking Light Jan/Feb 2016 issue)

 

Home Envy: A Touch of Southwestern Flair

Processed with VSCOcam with kk1 preset

I don’t know if it’s due to having grown up in Texas or having visited my family in New Mexico over the years, but there’s always been something so inviting and cozy about a place that has some southwestern flair.

Right now I’m currently trying to find a place in the Houston area that sells reasonably priced serapes. I want to make some throw pillow covers for the couch out of the material, similar to what Brooklyn Decker did when she re-upholstered her chairs, as I think it’d add a nice punch of color to the space.

Have a good weekend y’all and stay dry!

-C

 

(Image 1, Image 2, Image 3, Image 4, Image 5, & Image 6)

Spring Dressing

Now that Spring has fully come alive with the weather staying consistently in the 70’s+, I’ve been wearing as many dresses as I can. I’ve also been starting to lust for more to put in my closet. Whoops.

My current “lust list” includes either a LWD (like the one in Wednesday’s post), a lacy dress, or one that’s more structured in either a great print or color. It’s also hard to go wrong with a new floral dress as well, as long as it doesn’t have a more infantile pattern. Larger floral patterns are also a nay for me, as they are better suited for someone with a taller frame.

Have a good weekend, y’all!

-C

 

(Dress 1, Dress 2, Dress 3, Dress 4, Dress 5, Dress 6, & Dress 7)

Liebster Award

Thank you Halla Jacobsen (of hallajacobsen.com) for recently nominating me for the Liebster Award. For those who don’t know, the Liebster Award is an “award made by bloggers for bloggers”. It leads to the discovery of new bloggers, along with allowing new connections to be made in the blogosphere. Though this blog has always been more of a fun and creative outlet for me, I love how the Liebster Award gives recognition for blogs such as mine.

Here are the rules:

1. You have to thank the blog that nominated you.
2. You have to answer the questions asked by the blog that nominated you.
3. You have to nominate 11 other new bloggers.
4. You have to set new questions for your nominees.

 

My questions that I’ll be answering, as chosen by Halla:

Why did you start blogging?

I started Short Sweet and Lovely in college as a creative outlet. A place where I could share my love for clothes, style, and so much more, because as a Geology major, my time was mainly focused on what I was doing in the classroom, the field, or the lab. I’ve always been a creative person with a love for all the arts, so this site has been a place where I can meld that love along with my passion for the great outdoors.

Are you a Type A or Type B person?

Definitely Type A. Even though I can at times get messy, I generally like things to be in a certain place. I’m also very big on planning and to do lists.

All time favorite brand?

This is a tough one as there’s so many brands out there but i’m going to go with my favorite brand of lipstick, Nars. I love the variety of shades, how long they always tend to last, and also how Red Lizard always makes me feel like I could conquer the world.

If you were an animal, what would you be and why?

A dog. Belly rubs, lazying around, and not having a whole lot of worries just sounds really nice.

What would be the hardest thing for you to give up on?

Love. Though romantic relationships may not always work out, there’s still so much to love about love. Plus, I don’t think I could ever doubt love with having such amazing friends and family members in my life.

Are you usually late, early, or right on time? 

I try to be early if I can but if not, I’m on time. One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone is late. If you say you’re going to be somewhere at a certain time, you better try your best to make that happen.

Are you happy with your life for the most part?

Absolutely! I have all of my limbs, am in good health, am surrounded by people who love me, have a great support network, and am constantly trying new things when I can. So how could I not be happy?!

Do you like rainy days or snowy winter days more?

Rainy days. There’s nothing quite like hearing the pitter patter of rain while reading a good book with a cup of tea nearby.

Name 3 things in nature you find most beautiful. 

Flowers, mountains, and trees. I love the variety of flowers this world holds, the ever changing nature of mountains, and the great heights that trees can reach.

Name your 5 favorite foods. 

Oooo, this is tough as I’m such a foodie. Let’s go with fajitas, anything lemon, cheesecake, pasta, and sushi. Oh oh and pizza! Darn, can we do 6 instead of 5??

Who is your favorite style icon?

I have many style icons, but the one whom I’ll always accredit style choices to will be Audrey Hepburn. I love how she always wore what worked for her body type, and even if she was just wearing pants and a shirt, she wore them with such understated elegance and confidence. That’s what I’ve learned when it comes to style, as long as you wear pieces that work for your body and do so with confidence, you’ll be a knockout.

 

Here are my nominees: 

Charlene Chic

Sweet Magnolia Chic

Taylor Dorothy

An Historian About Town

Patriot in Paris

coffee with zoe

Fashion Blues

Buttons and Birdcages

Le Zoe Musings

Admirably Legal

Hello Lesya

 

Questions for my nominees?

Coffee or tea?

What is your go to outfit?

Favorite book and why.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned recently?

List the top 5 places you’ve visited.

How has blogging helped you?

Are you more of a night on the town person or a homebody?

What is your biggest pet peeve?

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?

What’s your favorite concert you’ve gone to and why?

Who inspires you the most in your everyday life?

 

I look forward to seeing everyone’s answers! Thanks again Halla for the nomination 🙂

 

(Liebster Award photo via Rustic Luxe)

 

 

Wednesday Want: Julia Jordan Lace Sleeveless Dress

I had honestly never heard of Julia Jordan until recently. And oh my goodness–am I happy to finally know of her and her dresses!

Not only am I in love with this lace dress, which is perfect for spring with a little jacket or for summer by itself, but also with close to five others. I love the classic shapes and lines they all incorporate and how she pairs them with a fun print or bright color. Also, the fit and flare dresses of her remind me so much of what a ’50s starlet would wear so of course, I love that as well.

As the prices for her dresses are fairly reasonable ($100-$200 range), I honestly wonder why I had never heard much about them before. Either way, I’m glad now that I do and will definitely be treating myself to one here shortly.

-C

 

(Dress available at Nordstrom for $138)

Style to Admire: Amal Clooney

Taking timeless patterns and silhouettes and modernizing them seems to be the name of the game for Amal Clooney’s style.

I love how long knitwear even looks chic paired with tennis shoes and a satchel by having the pieces be neutral only in color.  The polka dot peplum look, though, is my favorite by far of course. Such a modern silhouette to use when pairing with a classic pattern.

-C