New Website

Happy Monday Guys!

I hope you had a great weekend! We enjoyed lots of time with good friends at a wedding in the city on Saturday (congratulations Matt and Heather!)! Everything was gorgeou s, the food was delicious, and everyone had such a great time! It was really nice, too, to just be able to relax on Sunday. Joe and I had a movie marathon all day :)

On another note, I'm super excited to announce the launch of my new site for Lizzie and Jane! Hanna from Gadabout did an absolutely amazing job! I highly recommend her! So, please visit me at http://lizzieandjaneblog.com/ from now on :) We're still finishing up the final stages of the design and implementation, but it should stay the same for the most part. Let me know what you think!

Thank you so much for reading!! See you on my new site :)

❤Britt

Confetti Cake Dip

This confetti cake dip (or dunkaroo dip) recipe is one of the easiest and quickest desserts I have ever made (it is also one of the best!)... maybe aside from my 5 minute Chocolate Lava Cake! I needed a quick dessert recipe to make for a get together at my sister-in-law's house, since I waited until the last minute per my usual, and a friend from work suggested this dip. I'll admit I was a little hesitant at first upon hearing that there were just three ingredients (I mean, really, how good can something with just three ingredients be?), but I decided to give it a try as I was told that this dip got great reviews every time she made it and I didn't have any time to bake. Needless to say, this dip was a huge hit!



recipe inspired by Eat Yourself Skinny

Ingredients:
2 cups plain yogurt
1 container of cool whip
1 box confetti cake mix
1 box chocolate chip teddy grahams (for dipping)*
1 bag pretzel sticks (for dipping)*

Directions:
Whisk together the plain yogurt and cool whip until smooth. Then add cake mix and mix well (warning: do not eat while mixing, it doesn't taste very good yet!). Allow dip to settle and chill in the refrigerator for about one hour (this allows the cake mix to dissolve and for all the ingredients to mesh.

*You can use whatever you'd like here, these are just my preferences.

Yes, it really is that simple! Have a wonderful weekend everyone! Do you have any fun plans? Joe and I will be attending a wedding tomorrow for one of his grade school friends! We're really looking forward to it :)

Enjoy!

❤Britt

Stripes for Days

This skirt is such a fun piece! I love the saturated hues of red and blue, the stripes, and the cupcake shape. This is one of my favorite silhouettes (it is so flattering on everyone) and yet I've had a really tough time finding ones that aren't too short or too young-looking. This one gets it just right. What do you think?

skirt- J. Crew (similar in polka dots!), top- J. Crew (similar), belt- J. Crew, sandals- Bandolino (similar), bag- Kate Spade outlet, necklace- C. Wonder (also love this one), watch- Fossil (similar), sunglasses- Kate Spade

Also, how cute is this nautical bracelet from C. Wonder?! It would have gone perfectly with this outfit! Just one more thing to add to the wish list... :)

❤Britt

Beach Stripes

I love this striped tee shirt midi dress! The stripes are so perfect for summer and the length is very flattering and classic (and it also was great for hiding the sunburned stripe on my leg that I got from missing a spot while attempting to use a spray on lotion). I added the long pearls to lend to the Great Gatsby era feel of the dress and the pink flats and mint bangle to brighten up the look a bit. Finally, I anchored the ensemble with some neutrals with the leopard bag and brown belt. The midi length (or tea length) is one of my favorites! What's your favorite dress length?

dress- Madewell, belt- J. Crew (similar), flats- J. Crew, bag- South Moon Under (similar), bracelet- J. Crew, ring- Nordstrom, necklace- Bedazzled Boutique, sunglasses- Ray-Ban

These pictures are from one of my favorite places to be in the summer... and actually year round, though I haven't been there in the winter in a while.The beach and the ocean always seem to make me happy no matter what.

Also, today is the last day to enter my giveaway with Vieta Fashion here! I'll be picking the winner tonight!

Have a great day guys and thanks for reading!

❤Britt

Red & Blue

One of the things that I like about holidays is that you typically dress for the occasion, whether it be wearing certain colors or incorporating specific decorative elements into your ensemble. One of the things that I dislike about holidays is that you typically dress for the occasion. While it can be fun to dress to a theme, I'm not usually one of those people who partake in the act (I rarely even dress up for Halloween)... weird, I know. Anyway, I am also usually in dismay when I discover how little I have of whatever I need for that particular occasion. For example, when I was getting dressed on Thursday for the fourth, I wanted to pair a red shirt with this adorable polka dotted skirt, until I realized that I don't own a red shirt.... I trust you can see how this could become frustrating :)

skirt- J. Crew (similar), top- J. Crew, slingbacks- Target, rings- Madewell, Nordstrom, bag- Juicy Couture (also love this one), sunglasses- Ray-Ban, lips- Bare Minerals in Never Say Never

Guys, don't forget that you have one more day to enter my giveaway with Vieta Fashion! See rules to enter here! Make sure you leave a comment here so that I know you've entered!

Have a wonderful Tuesday and thanks for reading!

❤Britt 

Classic and Girly

I wore this classic green and pink combo to Joe's grandfather's 80th birthday party. I always love pink and green together, but I especially love the classic and girly color combination when Lilly Pulitzer is involved! Lilly's dresses are so iconic and are the epitome of classic and girly; they instantly make you feel and look like you're the embodiment of feminine and chic when you wear one.

dress- Lilly Pulitzer (I also love this one and this one), sandals- Style & Co. (these melon wedges are on my wish list!), necklace- C. Wonder (similar), bracelet- J. Crew, lips- Bare Minerals in Never Say Never

I hope you all enjoyed the long weekend! I know I did... I only wish it was longer! We spent some time at the beach with my family and also had time to finally get some house projects finished (actually, make that started... we made a lot of work for ourselves to finish up this week!) :)

Don't forget to enter my giveaway with Vieta Fashion here! I'll be picking the winner on Wednesday!

❤Britt 

Banana Bread

I love banana bread and I don't make it nearly enough because bananas go pretty quickly in our house (I had to specifically ask Joe not to eat these ones and then buy him new ones to ensure he kept his end of the bargain!).







recipe modified from that of the courtesy of my Aunt's kitchen

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking sida
1/2 cup butter (I used salted)
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/3 cups mashed, ripe bananas
a pinch of cinnamon (I used a little more than a pinch!)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan (I used a glass Pyrex dish and it worked out really well).  
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add the vanilla and mix. Add eggs and mashed bananas to the butter/sugar mixture and stir. Combine the two mixtures, mixing well, and pour into the loaf pan.
Bake for 60 to 65 minutes (I took mine out at about 55 minutes).

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you had a lovely holiday and have a great weekend! Do you have any exciting plans? We're planning on spending some of our time at the beach... one of my favorite places to be :)

❤Britt

Happy 4th of July!

left: outfit 1, top right: outfit 2, bottom right: outfit 3

If you're stuck for outfit ideas for what to wear today, here are a few of my favorite red, white, and blue combinations :) I tend to wear these colors year round but especially in the spring and summer. They look so classic together and work for any occasion, the perfect color combination if you ask me!

Happy 4th of July! Have a happy and safe holiday everyone!

❤Britt

Vieta Fashion Giveaway

I really love the black and white look but I never seem to be able to keep it in just the black and white color family. Somehow, a pop of color always finds its way into my ensemble! I'm loving the bright yellow and pink neon accents with this toile print dress. It adds a freshness to the look and keeps it looking youthful instead of dated. I love toile! The first pillows that I bought (and kept) for our living room are a light blue toile... I actually decorated the rest of the room around them!

dress- Lilly Pulitzer, belt- Lilly Pulitzer, wedges- Lucky Brand, sunglasses- Nordstrom (similar), bag- c/o Vieta Fashion, bracelet- Forever 21 (similar 1, 2), lips- Bobbi Brown in Cosmic Raspberry

To Enter:
1. Must be a follower of Lizzie and Jane (don't forget that Google Reader is on its way out! Try Bloglovin' instead!)
2. Leave a comment telling me what outfit you would wear with this bag!

For extra entries:
3. Like Vieta Fashion on Facebook or Follow VietaFashion on Instagram
4. Follow Lizzie and Jane on Twitter, Bloglovin', and Instagram :)
5. Tweet about this giveaway and tag @brittanyamonroe

I'll be choosing the winner next Wednesday, July 10th! Good luck!

❤Britt 

Everything is Better Monogrammed

I love the peplum detail and the pleated front on this top. Usually, it's the details that get me... I always get roped into making a purchase if something has a cute bow or pretty floral pattern or some other sweet little detail. I think it's the details that really make a piece special... like the monogramming on this clutch! I also love monogrammed items, in case I haven't mentioned that already :) This chunky beaded necklace is great, too, because it pulls together all the elements of this outfit: the green and black of the top and skirt, the lime color of the bag, and the metallic tones in the wedges. It's one of those pieces that can either stand on its own or tie everything together, a wardrobe workhorse!




skirt- Gap outlet (love this striped pencil skirt), top- Anthropologie, wedges (also love these wedges with the thin ankle strap and these with the thicker ankle strap)- Target, bag- GiGi New York, necklace- Lia Sophia, sunglasses- Ray-Ban

Today, I plan on taking some time to just be... to be grateful for what and who I have in my life, to really be aware of my surroundings and to notice the beauty in the little things, to enjoy the daily liberties and freedoms that I all too often take for granted. I feel like I have been running around so much lately that I've forgotten to just take some time to smell the roses... or the lavender outside in my garden. It's important not to lose sight of what really is significant in the grand scheme of things and, so frequently, I get caught up in my daily routine and whatever else comes along that I forget to remember that... so that's what I'll be thinking about today (though I'm sure in between these admirable thoughts I'll be worrying about my to do list, as usual!).

Have a wonderful day!

❤Britt

Yellow Accents

Yellow is the perfect color for summer. It instantly makes you happy and puts you in a cheerful mood, even if it is overcast and rainy. Yellow is also great because it can be paired with so many different colors (case in point: the yellow background of this bag makes the bright floral pattern pop!). These yellow wedges are actually really comfortable and are a pretty accent piece to make any outfit pop! I'm also loving this striped skirt I recently got from Anthropologie (it twirls when I spin around... love that!)! 




skirt- Anthropologie, top- Target (similar), bag- Kate Spade, wedges- Lucky Brand, necklace- Anthropologie (also love this necklace), bracelet- J. Crew, sunglasses- Ray-Ban, lips- Bobbi Brown in Cosmic Raspberry

Well, I didn't get the relaxing (or productive, for that matter) weekend that I wanted but we did get to see some really good friends and family. We celebrated Joe's grandfather's 80th birthday yesterday and, while it was a very long day, everything turned out beautifully and we had a really good time spending the day with his family :) I think it's safe to say that I'm not ready for Monday... at least it's a short week!

❤Britt