a true gem.

Photos by http://adrianaowensphotography.com

So I have a secret. If you already know me this isn’t too much of a secret for you. Besides my love for nutella, adorable coffee mugs, brunettes and succulents I have a deep love for designing jewelry. Weird right!?

Well for as long as I can remember I’ve been making and selling jewelry. As a kid me and my childhood best friend would put our sisters to work and crank out insane amounts of hemp bracelets and necklaces. Oh wait, it gets better. After making hundreds of them we would lug them all to our local beach and sell them up and down the shore. Would you believe me if I told you we even took them on vacation with us? I kid you not, we made some serious dough as 12 year olds. We didn’t do it for the money, we did it because it was so much fun. But we grew up, got into cute boys and that was that.

Needless to say my crafty drive never died out. My entire life I was always into DYI projects. That comes from my mom- she was the queen of crafts.

In a blink of an eye I was a freshman in college...

I come from a strict Italian household so working while in school studying for my degree was off limits (although I was a full time nanny- tell me how that makes any type of sense. it doesn’t). So being a broke college student didn’t help my shopping issues- girls you know what I’m talking about. I would pop my head into trendy boutiques after class but realized $150 bracelets were not gonna happen. So I decided to make my own. Did some research? Became MEGA obsessed. Learned the in’s and out’s of every type of gemstone you could think of. Replicated a few, created my own… wore them around.

That was the end of that. “Hey Adele such a cute necklace where did you get that?”. “OMG, loveeee that. Where can I buy?” “You need to tell me where you got those bracelets, I love.” I wish I was joking, but it was that easy. So after giving my number out on loose leaf paper in class for a few months I decided to make some business cards. In one day I had over 50 emails of orders (it was December- hello last minute shoppers!!). WHAT THE HECK did I get my self into? How in the world can I produce all of these orders?

Well, that’s when (pardon my French) shit got real. I got my packaging down to a science, created an Etsy account, figured out my profit margins, hosted trunk shows, sold to hair salons and local boutiques and forgot what a social life was. But it was all so worth it. I created a brand, a business an extension of my self and it was all so real. I loved every minute of it. I would get this crazy adrenaline rush, a sense of accomplishment. It was insane…

But life moves on. My house was wrecked in Hurricane Sandy. I graduated. Ended a serious relationship. Started a new job. Moved into Manhattan. Things changed, a lot. But with all of that sudden movement one thing kept me sane. Kept me busy. Kept my interested.

Sometimes things work out, other times they don’t. And quite frankly it’s okay if they don’t. Am I going to be a jewelry designer? Probably not. But do I love it? You bet! Never give up on something you love. Whether is a hobby, the guy you’ve been crushing on, knitting that scarf you started 5 years ago or renovating a new bathroom. If you have passion for something you shouldn’t see past it because one day you’re going to question your self, what if. And between you and me I’d much rather a life filled of “oh well’s” than a life of “what if’s”.

https://www.etsy.com/people/armcandybeads   

Sicilian Cauliflower with Chickpeas

My nonna would be one happy lady if she knew I created this lovely concoction. I bring to you my Sicilian cauliflower with chickpeas. All I can say is, bomb.com. I love this dish so so much! You can serve it hot, cold, as a side, as a main, on top of a salad… the options are endless!

Ingredients

• 1 can of chickpeas

• A handful of fresh basil (about 10 leaves)

• 1-2 heads cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets

• 5 Tablespoons olive oil

• ¼ cup of capers

• Salt & pepper

• Hot pepper flakes

• ½ a lemon

• Head of garlic

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Cut the bottom the entire garlic clove. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil the freshly cut bottom and place it facing down on tin foil. Close the tinfoil until all the air pockets are out. Roast the garlic for about 30 minutes. Once golden, set aside.

3. Cut the cauliflower into bite size pieces. In a baking sheet coat the bottom with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook cauliflower for 10-12 minutes or until roasty and soft. For the last 5 minutes add the chickpeas into the same pan.

4. Once cooked transfer cauliflower and chickpeas into a bowl.

5. Add the ¼ cup of capers, roasted garlic, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, a pinch of hot peppers flakes, salt , pepper, and chopped up fresh basil into the bowl. Gently mix it all together and wa-la!

Hot & Cold Butternut Squash Salad

Okay, seriously all my body wants is veggies. VEGGIES, VEGGIES, VEGGIES!! The holidays did me dirty, and I am so ready to lose the chub and start lookin’ hot. I’m not going to be super cliché and give you the whole New Year’s resolution weight loss talk. There is no possible way that you will look fab and feel good all year round if you binge diet for the month of January, it’s impossible… I’m telling you from experience. It’s a way of life, honestly. Healthy food DOES NOT need to be boring and tasteless.

 This one is one of one my faves and it’s sooooo easy to make. Plus you can make it all year round and eat it both hot and cold… say whattttt.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium butternut squash (or a package of pre-cut)

• Olive Oil

• 2 medium onions

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

• 4 tablespoons dried cranberries

• ¼ cup of pecans

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Cut squash into large chunks (unless you buy pre-cut, which is MUCH easier and the same price).

3. In a baking pan drizzle a little olive oil, about 2 tablespoons should do it. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until well caramelized.

4. Peel onions and cut into large chunks and coat with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add that to a second baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, or until well caramelized.

5. Chop the pecans and fresh sage. When squash and onions are done, toss with sage and cranberries. Season with salt and pepper if you like.

6. Serve hot or cold! Enjoy :)