Salted Carmel Hot Chocolate Recipe

Hot chocolate is probably one of my favorite autumn/winter beverages! & although I am no stranger to store-bought hot chocolate mix for a quick and easy treat I wanted to share a hot chocolate recipe that was more like a decadent dessert drink.

 

 This Salted Caramel version really fits the bill. It will be quite rich and thick and although I just adore caramel paired with a little sea salt, if you don't like the sweet & salty combination then just leave the salt in this recipe out.

Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate, makes 2 large servings.

Needed: 16 ounces milk or cream (I used a combination of 8 ounces milk & 8 ounces cream), 4 ounces dark chocolate, 4 ounces chocolate caramel, a pinch or two of sea salt.

In a sauce pan or small pot heat half (8 ounces) of the milk and 4 ounces chopped dark chocolate and salt until melted. Continue heating and whisk in the remaining milk and 4 ounces chopped chocolate caramel. Continue whisking until the entire mixture is warmed through and smooth in texture.

Serve with a little whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel and a sprinkle of sea salt. Have fun sipping something sweet! xo. Ariel Shay

Tree Stump Coaster D.I.Y. craft

If you choose to hand stitch each coaster takes about an hour. Machine stitching would be much quicker, & both versions are cute-as-can-be! Here's how to make this woodsy coaster set...

1. Supplies Needed: dark brown & light brown flannel (1/4 yard of each), embroidery thread and needles, green felt for leaves, chalk & scissors. 2. Using chalk, Draw a circle on your dark brown flannel the size you would like your coaster to be. Find something like a small mixing bowl as a template. 3-4. Cut the light brown circle slightly smaller than the dark circle. Don't worry about using a template for this one as imperfection is absolutely perfect for this project! 5. Start stitching from the center in a spiral all the way around your coaster to the edge. Then go backwards and fill in the stitch gaps with more stitches. Do this until the entire light brown circle is covered in rings. Be sure to make your rings imperfect, as a real tree stump would be. 6. Stitch leaves to the back of your stump and you are done. Hooray! ♥

 

This project is a little time consuming, but also incredibly relaxing to create! It's a great project to do while sipping tea and watching a favorite movie at home. 

xo. Ariel Shay

Music must hear... Loch Lomond

After a string of head-turning, critically acclaimed releases, Portland's Loch Lomond has brought their unique brand of raw symphonic chamber pop for our sweet ears to hear. 

In addition to employing notable visceral and expert melodic acrobatics, the co-ed sextet of Loch Lomond distinctly incorporates the use of vibraphone, piano, guitars, mellotron, clarinet, flute, drums, bass, and other sonic treatments to foil the even more distinct and arresting voice of lead singer & multi-instrumentalist Ritchie Young. 

A band with this interesting of a sound I couldn't miss the opportunity to share with all of you. Their newest album, Little Me Will Start A Storm, just released a few months back on CD & vinyl. Help support their music! 

Don't forget to take a listen!

xo. Ariel Shay

Fall Leaves D.I.Y craft

Buying decorations for the seasons can be expensive. I've been searching all over the place for craft ideas for the fall & Halloween. I came across these sweet little leaves & they're just absolutely perfect! Super cozy, easy to make, & affordable. Hope you have fun!

Here's how you do it...1. Cut leaves... as many as you like! I used felt and yarn. Thread is easier to sew, but I think yarn is a little bit prettier. 2. Stitch the leaves together. This is a good project to do while watching a movie or waiting for some cookies to bake! 3. Be sure to add knots to each end of the felt leaves and to the ends of the yarn to prevent fraying. 4. Hang it in a doorway, on a mantel or on a bed frame. Enjoy your leaves...

Here's one using thread instead of yarn. Also don't be afraid to play around with fabrics other than felt. Suede & leather are pretty, too!

Have fun getting crafty! xo. Ariel Shay

I found this lovely little D.I.Y. here along with many other great reads!

Music must hear... Best Coast

"The West Coast is the Best Coast," says Bethany Cosentino, the lead singer of Best Coast, about how their name came to be. I couldn't have said is better myself.

Quite a few months back I discovered Best Coast on YouTube. I can't thank YouTube enough for referring one of their music videos to me because they're now one of my favorite bands! One day while treasure hunting in a record store I saw Best Coast on Vinyl & knew I had to snag it up right away. 

I was ridiculously stoked on finding this piece of vinyl gold.

& so It really only made sense to pass this band along to the people who read this blog & like the same unique nonsense that I do! This trio out of LA brings us music that reminds me of a modern day Beach Boys. Best Coast will have you thinking of summer days at the beach or riding in a convertible with the top down. Their music will bring sunshine back into your thoughts & long summer days that you don’t want to end. Best Coast is just getting started on a long musical journey with many good things in sight.

Check out their website here for tour dates, merch, & their own blog!

Also check out this interview by Nylon Magazine. It's got some awesome little fun facts in there.

Hope your ears love them as much as mine do! 

xo. Ariel Shay