Going Red with Kendra Scott Tonight!

Hi Friends,

I am so excited this morning because today kicks off a long few days of birthday celebrating.  Don't get me wrong, I am normally not a birthday person at all!! However, I think transitioning into a new decade feels a little different and I am going to soak in the last days of my 20's and celebrate the heck out of this weekend with my friends and I just can't wait.

Tonight I am celebrating the start of my birthday weekend with Kendra Scott and the American Heart Association and I can't think of a better place with a more important message to kick off the fun! February is Go Red for Women Month and I recently learned that cardiovascular diseases kill about one woman every 80 seconds and about 80% of cardiovascular diseases may be preventable.  Last year, I touched on some heart issues that my mom had been dealing with and how important, as women, it is to be our own biggest advocate.  The last few months, she has been having trouble again and I have been so proud to watch her advocate for herself to ensure that she gets the care that she needs.  Yesterday, she received a heart monitor to make sure that her heart is working properly and I am thrilled that tonight's event will benefit the American Heart Association.

It is highly likely that I will be wearing this exact outfit tonight (please don't judge).  I don't know about you, but when I find an outfit that I love, I wear the heck out of it!  And I love these pants and can't get enough of them!! I have really been into high waist trousers lately, but they also come in a mid rise version.  The fabric on these is so so soft.  This blouse had me at "hello" ruffles, flowers, and a bow? and a price point under $60, game over!  My Kendra Scott earrings are from their Go Red collection and as I mentioned here 20% of proceeds will be donated to AHA and will be a great way to support if you are not able to make tonight's event.  Hope to see you there!! Please see details below. xoxo

Spring Fling with Swoozies

Happy Derby Day, Friends

I don't know about you, but I get a little excited about frilly dressing and hat wearing all day.  I just learned that Denver is second only to Louisville when it comes to the amount of people celebrating the day.  Not sure why or how that happened, but I am guessing it has something to do with the fact that we just like an excuse to dress up and have a good time... why not?!

I started Denver Darling almost one week ago, next week, and the one thing that I didn't realize would be such an amazing perk of this blog ride, is the sweet and like minded friends I would make a long the way.  Recently I got to spend an evening with some of my favorite blogging gals and we could not have had a better time. 

We enjoyed some of the tastiest treats from Coohills and were delighted with the adorable table setting and other goodies from Swoozie's.  I love their assortment of disposable table runners, I have used them for several events and they are such a great way to add to your theme and give a great pop of color without breaking the bank.  I also love these mix and match Kate Spade appetizer and dessert dishes, I am so excited to use my set for Mother's Day brunch this weekend.

If you have been following along for a little while now, you know that I never met a monogram that I didn't like :)..  I think a monogram adds such a special touch to an everyday item.  I love our sun hats (which will also be doubling as my Derby hat this year) and totes  for a fun in the sun bachelorette party.  For my bachelorette my bridesmaids ordered personalized beach towels (like these) and matching bags, similar to these, and stuffed them full of weekend essentials (magazines, cheap sunglasses, sunscreen, and tons of water).  I also think these totes would be great for the new graduate heading to school.  I have been carrying my laptop around in my tote lately and know it would be perfect for my little cousin heading to college next year.... I never loved carrying a traditional backpack when I was in school.

I saw this dress and fell for it immediately (also cute without the cutout here).  I love investing in pretty pieces that can be dressed up or down and this dress certainly can be.  I have already worn it with these flat sandals, these chunky sandals, and these pumps to dress it up.  

Swoozie's is offering 20% off to Denver Darling readers in store and online with code DENVERDARLING through May 31st.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend - would love to hear about your Derby Day!

xo

Photography: Corey Anthony

This post is in collaboration with Swoozie's. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible! 

Charlie's 10th Birthday Paw-ty

Hi Friends,

I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  Jonny and I got to spend the cold, dreary, sleaty, snowy weekend enjoying a cozy staycation at the Hotel Teatro.  We had planned on playing hometown tourists all weekend all over downtown, but it turned out to be the perfect weekend to stay in and cozy up with a good book and watch the White House Correspondence dinner and some Lifetime Original movies.  Gahhh - I forgot Lifetime marathons can really suck you in!  But there was really no need to go anywhere with the awful weather... and hard to leave a room with a great view of Denver, watching the snow fall while enjoying the company of your two favorites - human and non.

There is no doubt about it, I have a healthy obsession with our golden retriever Charlie Brown.  I would bet a lot of you are animal lovers too, I typically don't get along very well with non dog people (so guessing you all are animal lovers of some kind).

After my freshman year in college I had my heart set on a golden retriever puppy.  Most people would tell me what a terrible idea it was to get a puppy during college, but for me, getting Charlie Brown almost 10 years ago, was one of the best decisions I made.  We have been through so much together: countless moves, graduating college, starting jobs, leaving jobs, meeting Jonny, falling in love, first fights, getting married, and becoming the little family we are now.

I may seem like a crazy dog lady (and I definitely am!) but Mr. Brown has been an eager bundle of love happily waiting for me with a smile, or a pup hug when needed, every day for the last 10 years.  He has been the best doggy and more than a girls best friend and I felt his 10th birthday was a reason to celebrate.

Liz and her pup, Gus,  came (also here) came over and Bethany brought Hank, the golden they were puppy sitting.  It ended up being the perfect way to spend a snowy afternoon - a gaggle of girlfriends and goldens.... nothing better!  We enjoyed a little champagne during our walk and came back to  our house and warmed up with a hot cocoa bar and birthday treats for all.

I love all of our bright jewelry from Lonna and Lilly, it is so fun and cheery and brightened up the snow day a bit (here, here and here).  Our mugs and this glass pitcher are two of my favorite hostessing pieces and I got the the party hats from Swoozies (which you will hear more about later this week!).  I have to tell you, I also do not wear these rain boots enough.... yellow, monogrammed, bow? Love!  And I have been wearing these earrings as often as possible - perfect with a plain tee.

Hope the rest of your week is wonderful!! Thrilled the sun is shining today and crossing my fingers we have seen our last snow for the season.

xo

This post is in collaboration with Lonna and Lilly. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible! 

Perfect Picnicing

Happy Monday, Friends,

I hope you had a wonderful weekend enjoying the spring weather.  We made plans early in the week to do some spring cleaning, and spend the weekend inside organizing.... Well, the beautiful weather was calling our name, and of course we spent little of our weekend in doors cleaning (oops!).  I did switch my winter and spring clothes out, which always feels like a fresh update and made me feel like we accomplished at least a little cleaning.   Can you blame me?

Picnics in the park are such a fun way to enjoy the beautiful day with each other and friends.  We love being outside as much as possible, so once the weather warms we picnic a lot.  It is a fun date for us and love that we can, of course, bring Mr. Brown.  

We try and make our picnics as hassle free as possible so our time is spent enjoying the outdoors and our friends company. I actually threw all of the fruit we had on hand in a bowl and called my new favorite cheese shop down the street, Cheese and Provisions,  to put together an assortment.  I showed up and was so surprised at the gorgeous and delicious spread they arranged for us.  Also, our picnic basket is the cutest and has been a game changer.  It has all of the essentials for the perfect picnic including a cooler in the bottom.  I was so excited when I found it - it is also quite a bit more affordable than others I have seen (but also love this one and this one).  

I have been wearing all of my new J.McLaughlin pieces non stop.  As I mentioned (here), they just opened their first store near us and I couldn't be more excited! The colors are so bright and perfect for spring and summer and the fun patterns are just so sweet and adorable.  These scalloped bumble bee shorts have been perfect for zipping around town on our scooter with Jonny - no, I will never ride alone again, and no there were no injuries this time (read about my silly scooter crash here).  I love their assortment of men's shorts too.  Jonny's shorts have tiny surfers on them which he also wore while on the beach last weekend.  Also this sweater is a great weight for spring days and chilly summer evenings and comes in several other pretty colors... I am usually a pink lady, but have really been loving yellow lately.

I hope you have wonderful week - I would love to hear your favorite picnic stories.  I have loved hearing about all of your trips planned to our fun city, keep them coming, alway happy to answer any questions below or at abby@denverdarling.com.  

(shop both of our looks below)

xo

Photography:  Corey Anthony

This post is in collaboration with J.McLaughlin. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible! 

 

 

 

Valentines Date In

Happy February Friends,

I hope you had wonderful weekend!!  I loved this weekend.  My little sister was home again to rock out at the Soul Cycle Denver/Target pop up (more on that later this week!), there was sunshine, and snow (so typical Colorado) , and some great time with our sweet grandparents!  It was also really nice to be in our home and sit by the fire most of the day Sunday and play cards (I am lame, I know... I love gin rummy if you ever need an opponent).  

Jonny and I get the chance to do some fun things living in this beautiful state, and do our best to take advantage of them, but sometimes it is nice to enjoy being home.  That is why, whenever Jonny and I are celebrating anything extra special my first choice is to have a date night in.

Jonny is not usually much of a cook (although his apron would lead you to believe otherwise).  But pizza making was so interactive, fun, and easy for both of us!  Not to mention, delicious!  We also loved being able to pick our toppings.... Jonny is a big pepperoni guy and I love all the veggies my little pizza could handle.  

I love these pink glittery flutes that I got from Swoozies and I'm sure will use all month long.  I also love our tray from there (we got for our wedding) with all of the areas in Denver!  P.S. I know I am wearing this blouse again, but it just matched my apron so perfectly, I couldn't resist! 

What you need:

  • pizza dough (we used fresh dough from Whole Foods)
  • tomato sauce
  • toppings you love (mozzarella cheese, mushrooms, peppers, onions, pepperoni)

What we did:

  • preheat oven to 500
  • cover area you will be rolling dough with good amount of flour
  • cut dough in half
  • work dough in round(ish) shape
  • add sauce first then toppings
  • slide onto cookie sheet (I read that you shouldn't use one - ours turned out great!)
  • bake for 10 - 13 minutes (until puffy and browned)
  • enjoy!

What fun things do you have planned for Valentines Day?  I'll be sharing our favorite date night spot out soon!

 

Photography: Corey Anthony


 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving Friends!!!

Yesterday I got the opportunity to head up for a quick day of skiing with my dad.  It was such a beautiful day -  I cold not stop looking at the mountains around us and feeling grateful for time with my family.

Thanksgiving has become a favorite holiday of mine - the perfect time for reflection and thanks. Every day I try and step back and think about the things that I am thankful, grateful, excited, and happy for, but especially this time of year and especially this year.  Recently, have been spending extra time talking on the phone and enjoying the company of the ones I love and holding them a little tighter and just feeling grateful for this life that we live.

Last week Jonny and I hosted 30 of our nearest and dearest (actually 31 if you count our tiny newborn nephew) for the second annual Miller Friendsgiving.  It is always such a treat having our friends over for dinner, but sharing a cozy feast and and reflecting on the things that mean the most to one another made the evening even more special.

To prep for our party, my friends Nerida and Bethany and I learned how to make Thanksgiving inspired floral arrangements (here).  I also made a trip to one of my favorite shops (Swoozies) to pick up some fun decor - I love these napkins - and they usually have sweet and funny sayings for each holiday and different occasions (our napkin drawer is stocked with them :) ).  Also, this Friends Giving chalk board was a hit - cute and interactive!  I also love our banner - I wanted one that made sense to hang for the whole holiday season and "count your blessings" I think, rings true throughout! 

For bigger parties I think it is always easiest to make fun specialty cocktail that fits your theme.  We went with pomegranate punch - it was delicious and perfect for a large group (I used a drink dispenser like this one).

Here is what I did:

  • Fill dispenser half way with ice
  • Pour 8 Pomegranate Izze's 
  • Pour 3/4 gallon ginger ale
  • Pour 4 cups Pomegranate/Blueberry juice (I used Tropicana)
  • mix together
  • slice 4 oranges to lay inside drink dispenser (do not mix)
  • seed 1 pomegranate and place on top (do not mix)

Have the happiest Thanksgiving!! Eat something delicious and enjoy every minute.

xo



Easy as (Pecan) Pie

Hi Friends!

In an effort to get things ready early for our Friendsgiving party tomorrow night, I decided to bake pies and do as much as I could today since there always seems to be last minute errands and grocery trips the day you are hosting a party.

This is my favorite pecan pie recipe that I have adapted from my grandmothers recipe and several others over the last few years.  It is super simple, and friends and family seem to (er...) gobble it up!  PSA - I don't know if I will ever be able to make pretty crusts, but someday I hope to learn... until then I'll focus on the filling!

Ingredients:

  • 5 Eggs
  • 1 cup Karo syrup
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 1 1/2 cups pecans
  • 4 tbs. melted butter
  • 2 tsp. vanilla

Directions

  • roll out pie crust and pinch in pie dish (there is a much prettier way to do this)
  • preheat oven to 350° 
  • whisk all ingredients EXCEPT pecans
  • pour mixture in pan
  • pour pecans in mixture
  • bake for 70- 75 minutes (until middle is no longer jiggly and crust is golden brown)




Wish List Wednesday

Dear Santa,

I have been a mostly good girl this year.  I only crashed my scooter twice, and went over on our family data plan every other month 😳, but just in case you are still listening - these are few things I am loving!! 🎅

Velvet flats ($58) // Check shirt ($44.50) // Kate Spade watch ($175.00) // Gold Slide slippers ($25.50) // Plaid Reversible cape ($48) // Hunter Rain Boots ($150) // Statement necklace ($54.50) // Plaid throw ($39) // Initial wrap ring ($125) // Talk is Chic notebook ($16) // Antler Jewelry Tray ($12) // Kate Spade dot candle ($40)

From now, through Christmas I will be posting a weekly wishlist (in addition to a few other fun gift guides) of things that are on my Christmas list and gifts that I would love to give through out the holidays.  I hope this is helpful in your holiday shopping!!

I love the idea of wearing blue suede shoes, they are classy and fun rolled into one.  These gorgeous flats are also a steal ($58) and can be worn with a pair of fun tights or jeans!  I am definitely hoping for this shirt.  I have a similar, summer version (seen here) and it is one of my very favorite shirts!  I never knew I was going to be such a big fan of capes... I posted one just yesterday (here) and love that this plaid one ($48) is similar and is also reversible which makes it versatile and easy to wear multiple ways.  I also love that they add character and a pop of color to a simple outfit.

Hope your week has been great!

xo