The Monogrammed Life: July 2014

Wednesday, July 30, 2014 54 comments

Monday, July 28, 2014 No comments

Friday, July 25, 2014 2 comments

To celebrate National Ice Cream Month, I decided to challenge myself to take a creative twist on a summer staple: the ice cream sandwich. We all have fond memories of peeling the paper wrapper off the sandwich and enjoying the sweet, creamy treat complete with bits of the chocolate sandwich wafers sticking to our fingers. Summer wasn’t summer without ‘em, am I right??

I’ve grown up but my love of ice cream hasn’t quite got the memo yet (phew!) and I wanted to elevate the traditional recipe. But, of course, still make it simple enough to make quickly. Then it hit me: strawberry shortcake.

DC Girl in Pearls - Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Sandwich

I picked up vanilla ice cream, fresh strawberries and packaged buttery biscuits from Trader Joe’s this weekend. You can make this dessert in about 20 minutes and happily feed a group of 8 (or you know, just not share which is totally justified given how yummy this dish is). Bam you’re a great hostess and you won’t even have to sacrifice your chat-athon with your guests. Bonus: if you prep the strawberries at least a couple of hours before serving, the strawberries will taste even sweeter by absorbing the sugar. Let’s just dive into denial together and pretend this is totally kosher for bikini season.

A treat that looks rustically elegant and takes the length of one Big Bang Theory episode to make? Sign me up! Not going to lie, I felt very Pinterest-y throughout the entire process.

Do you have a creative ice cream sandwich recipe or idea? I’m thinking about black + white cookies next. Or do you have a favorite summer memory starring an ice cream sandwich? I’d love to hear it!

Simple Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Sandwich

Ingredients

1 can, Trader Joe's Homemade Biscuits
1 large container, strawberries
1 carton, vanilla ice cream
2-3 tbsp, granulated sugar

Instructions

Prepare the biscuits following the instructions on the package.
Slice and hull the strawberries, halve them.
Toss the strawberries into a bowl, add 2-3 tbsp of granulated sugar until reach your desired level of sweetness.
Place the strawberries in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
Let biscuits cool.
Serve the ice cream inside the biscuits topped with strawberry mixture.

Written by Lauren of DC Girl in Pearls

Wednesday, July 23, 2014 No comments

Monday, July 21, 2014 No comments

In the summer months denim shorts are one of my closet essentials. I have a few pair that I wear weekly and can't get enough of them. But, just like anything, it's always nice to have a variety to choose from! I've had my eye on so many denim shorts recently, but decided to try to make a pair myself. I watched a few youtube tutorials and read up on sometips and tricks before getting started (and thank goodness I did because it made the process way easier!) Although, I'll admit I still need a freakin' margarita after this project! ;-)

For starters you can use an old pair of denim (like I did) or you can go purchase a cheap pair at a thrift store. I went with a pair of denim that I've had forever but had stopped wearing due to the bottom looking a little worn. Keep in mind if you go thrifting for a pair to not worry about what the bottom half looks like, it won't be there after all!

For this DIY project you will need:
- a pair of denim
- scissors (if they are fabric scissors, great, if not, normal scissors work just as well!)
- tweezers
- (optional) sand paper
- (optional) Fray-Check

I began by trying on my denim to see the approximate length I wanted to cut off. I put a safety pin in the spot where I wanted to cut. I thought I may cuff my shorts, so I wasn't too worried about getting the bottom extremely straight. I cut mine inside out so I could make sure I wasn't cutting the pockets and could see my cutting lines a little better.

Once I made the initial cut I tried them on again. I ended up cutting just a little bit more off. I then took my scissors and cut a few horizontal slits where I wanted to distress. Make sure these lines are straight and even!!! After you've cut the slits, begin by pulling the denim thread vertically. That will start the actual distressing. Note: This part is a little tedious at first but gets easier as you continue. (see more detailed photos on this tutorial from Carrie Bradshaw Lied! )

I also ended up using some sand paper that I had lying around from previous projects to add a little more of a distressed look to the pockets. Tip: Use the sandpaper after you've cut your slits to make the area a little easier to tweeze the vertical denim particles out! This made a world of a difference!

After every part I distressed, I tried them on to make a "game plan" of what I wanted to do next. I kind of just went with it as it happened and really like the way they turned out! I can't wait to throw these on this weekend. I'm so excited to add these beauties to my denim shorts collection. I'm also patiently waiting to start my next DIY denim project. hint: It may be this! fact: I need a Sauza margarita after that project and definitely before I start on my next one!