I'm having a moment with light necklaces and bracelets primed for layering....mostly in gold, because I'm a huge sucker for anything that's gilded. I think I'm going to be Goldfinger when I grow up.

Photo by Kasia Sykus; Originally posted here.

Edible flowers delicately suspended in ice cubes....for the most glam cocktail you've ever had in your entire life.

Easy peasy confetti filled balloons....it would be super fun if you made tons of these and filled up a room. Bummer if one pops though. Just have the dust buster on the ready.

....and napkins dotted with gold paint to match. I am smitten with this bright neon color palette. Feels so perfect for summer.

This huge fringed chevron garland would add such a fun atmosphere to any party. A huge impact without too much work....just lots of snip, snip, snip.

Now you'll have to excuse me while I raid all the plain old vases at the thrift store and get them ready for a little metallic paint facelift.

The Swedes just nail it every single time when it comes to interiors and design....which is why I have been drooling over the portfolio of Carl Dahlstedt, a photographer based in Stockholm. Tons more photo goodness after the jump!

The hat. A miracle cure for horrendous hair days. A wunderkind that shields your precious face from the sun. An instant way to add some swagger to your style. Every girl needs a good hat in her closet.  My trusty panama hat is definitely my go-to, but I'm definitely eyeing a few others that definitely need to be on my noggin' sooner rather than later....check out my faves by scrolling down to the hat section here.

PS My other fave hat here...oh how this post brought back some memories. Humpy the Squirrel. Awesome.

Let's talk milkmaid braids. From the front, I l-o-v-e them. From the back? Not so much. I actually would go so far to say I despise how it looks from the back, and never wear my hair that way because of it. Some gals can pull it off with flying colors, but those gals don't have weird shaped heads topped with super fine light hair that has absolutely crazy wild untameable curls that start at the root underneath the crown area. Ugggghhhhh.

Enter the Dutch halo braid. It gives you the same effect as milkmaid braids, but without the icky center part in the back. Instead of having two pigtail braids that you cross over each other at the top of your head, you essentially Dutch braid (reverse French braid) a braided halo around your head. You start at the part in front, and add in hair as you work your way around. After watching this video tutorial about 9 times and this one about 7 times (I wish I was kidding), I finally felt like I 'got' it. I gave it a whirl on my sweetheart of a niece over the 4th of July, and gosh...she looked so beautiful in this simple updo! Gotta love a hairstyle that looks fab on gals of all ages. I haven't tried it on myself yet going all the way around my head, but definitely hope to soon...gotta keep working on my "I can't see the back of my head, and hope I'm not making huge knots" finger nimbleness. Despite that, this 'do is a definite keeper.

What's a gal to do when she picks up two enormous jars of peanut butter at Costco? Put a dent in the gallons and gallons of PB by making peanut butter cookies, that's what. John has been up in Connecticut visiting with the fam (I stayed behind because plane tickets cost as much as a Birkin bag....lame), so I made a batch to welcome him home today. Nothing says "I love you and freaking missed you like woah" like warmed homemade cookies and a cold glass of (almond) milk. I also like pairing these cookies with berries....it's kinda like a dessert version of PB&J.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 1/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

{Recipe via Simply Recipes; Photo by Kirsten Stoddard for Triple Max Tons}

...and talked about one of my most favorite topics ever: THE RAMIFICATIONS OUR FOREIGN POLICY HAS ON THE ECONOMY. Har har har, did you also know I moonlight as a comedian?? ;) For real though, I had the pleasure of filming a segment on the 4th of July with our friends at KXAN on behalf of Maya Star and Co-Star, and shared some of our favorite pieces in the stores that will keep you looking cool this summer, even as the temps creep upwards of 100 degrees. Check out the clip to see the one and only Hangerface Stoddard in action (my TV debut!), get the scoop on what's trending this summer, and stylish tips for how to wear it!

See something you just have to have? All you have to do is come visit us at Co-Star on 1708 S. Congress Ave...or email me and we can arrage to have it shipped if it's not on the website yet! I heart my new job.