Insta-Sam

This is just a little glimpse into my life from the past few weeks on Instagram. You can follow me @samanthaevers.

(Starting from top left...) The perfect chocolate chip cookies from Cupcakes & Cashmere. The first book I'm reading off of the 20 Books to Read in Your 20's List: Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close. The bf and I on NYE in New York City. New shoes that I got for Christmas (Sam Edelman, Steve Madden, & Madewell). The bf and I on Christmas day in front of the tree at my grandma's house. Lights in NYC. My precious sleepy pooch. A house decorated for Christmas near my neighborhood. Christmas cookies that I made and sent out to family members. A polaroid of the bf and I after we declared ourselves winners of the gingerbread house competition we had with my best friend and her boyfriend. Signage I bought from Urban Outfitters for my Christmas party with the girls from school. Our Christmas tree after we finally got around to decorating it. 

Hope you enjoyed!

Fourth of July Treats

American Flag Cupcakes from Martha Stewart 

I love all things festive for holidays, especially food. (I made Pumpkin and Ghost Sugar Cookies at Halloween, Santa Hat Brownies at Christmas, etc.) I'm one of those people that can't wait to get a little older and have a place of my own so I can entertain friends and host holiday parties at my house, and I'm always on the search for fun recipes for when that happens. So I was looking for Fourth of July dessert recipes for my family's barbecue and came across the most adorable and easy desserts that anyone can make. I am definitely making the American Flag Cupcakes this year. Here are a couple of other fun Fourth of July treats. 

Patriotic Jello Shots from Saucy Pants

Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Sticks from Cupcakes & Cashmere

Red White & Blue Fruit Cups from Rachel Ray 

Friday Turned Into Saturday Faves: Cinco de Mayo

Happy Cinco de Mayo! I was short on time yesterday so I decided to turn my Friday Favorites into Saturday Favorites for this week. In celebration of Cinco de Mayo, I picked out five recipes that I love and think would be perfect for this lovely holiday. Hope you like!

Chipotle Chicken Cups from Gimme Some Oven

Super Nachos from Rachel Ray

Chicken Fajitas from Martha Stewart Living

Speedy Gaucamole from Martha Stewart Living

Pinata Cookies from She Knows

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! I know a lot of people dislike this Hallmark holiday and all of the cheesy things that come along with it, but I love it. Last year I spent Valentine's Day sick in bed with my boyfriend because I had mono. This year I'm spending it with friends and over the weekend I'll celebrate it again when my boyfriend comes to visit. I love holidays like this because they're an excuse for me to spend the weekend prior baking and watching sappy love stories like The Notebook. Over this past weekend I went on a serious baking spree. On Saturday I made the Heart Shaped Red Velvet Whoopie Pies that I posted on Friday. On Sunday I made Conversation Heart Sugar Cookies. I used this recipe for the sugar cookies and this recipe for the royal icing. Let me tell you, royal icing is easy to make but piping it out in a perfect heart and then flooding each cookie takes hard work! By the time I was done icing them I was exhausted and barely wanted to write the messages on them. They weren't as perfect as the ones shown above but I was happy with the outcome. They tasted delicious and looked adorable.

Photos: 1

Nars Holiday 2011

As soon as November hits, I start getting in the holiday spirit. Christmas is no doubt my favorite time of the year so right after Halloween I break out the Christmas albums and Christmas movies. It's only fitting that the first thing I saw online today, at the very beginning of November, was the new Nars Holiday 2011 collection. I have to say love every bit of it. They never do me wrong. My favorites would have to be the Arabian Nights Eyeshadow Trio, Endless Night Nail Laquer and the Joyous Red Lipstick. All perfect for the holidays.
St. Mark's Place Long Lasting Eyeliner $23, Campo de' Fiori Long Lasting Eyeliner $23, Albatross Highlighter $24, Space Odyssey Nail Laquer $17, Endless Night Nail Laquer $17, Arabian Nights Eyeshadow Trio $47, Miss Liberty Highlighting Blush $27, Mandchourie Eyeshadow Duo $33, Joyous Red Lipstick $24, G Spot Multiple $39, Ponderosa Cream Eyeshadow $23