{Giveaway] Rouge & Co CLOSED

So remember when I talked about my obsession with monograms here? Well I went on a bit of an etsy spree and found this wonderful company called Rouge & Co. They can pretty much monogram anything you can think of. Their patterns are super cute and colorful. and they are very cost effective (always important). I mean just look at these. Beyond cute. I mean just look...

Koozies (perfect for summer, and don't forget football season is right around the corner)

Adorable trays for entertaining

Keep everything organized with this awesome calendar

Protect your ipad with this beauty

and who can ever have enough coasters? It's summertime, don't forget to protect your furniture!

Rouge & Co has generously agreed to giveaway not one but TWO personalized Kookies for you wonderful Blue Dog Belle readers! I'm so jealous y'all, I plan to order some too!!!

The giveaway will be open now through Sunday Night! So make sure you go check out Rouge & Co and let me know which products you love!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

{Friday Cocktail} Peach Two Ways

So, I'm from Georgia. I love Peaches. I love peach cocktails. I saw this on the lovely Julie's blog and I knew I had to devote this week's cocktail to the peach. You should know something about me though, I am indecisive. oh, and I like many liquors. When making these last night, I absolutely couldn't decide so I made two versions.

They both start out the same: Peach Puree. All you need to do is slice up a perfectly ripe peach (over ripe would be even better) remove the pit, and puree in the blender/food processor. Strain if you so desire (I did not care to).

Jim (Bean) and the Giant Peach

In a shaker combine 2 Tbsp of the peach puree

1.5 oz of Bourbon

1 Tbsp Honey or Simple Syrup

add ice and strain into glass.

Top with cranberry juice (but next time I would probably cut it with club soda)

or if gin is more your style (as it is mine) you should definitely try...

The Gin-ger Peach

In a shaker combine 2 Tbsp of peach puree

1 Tbsp Honey or Simple Syrup

Add ice and shake. 

Strain into glass. Top with Gingerale.

Can you tell I love peaches? mmhmm. Both are delicious (I had to down sample both of them for y'all ), but the gin-ger peach is much lighter, perfect for summer time. 

Hope you ladies have a wonderful weekend!

Another Thursday Randoms

• Some days you just need to write a blog post in bullet form. So here you go. 
• I stayed at work yesterday until 10 pm. I am DRAGGING today, let me tell you. 13 hour days are for real, no fun. EVEN when drinking is involved.
• I am also suffering from a minor mid week hangover. what the heck? "I don't got time for that"
• I finally broke out the sear sucker for Sear Sucker Thursday! But now I remember why I so rarely participate (this skirt is too short for work. oh well)
• I went to a CRAZY huge UGA reception at Union Station last night. It was awesome.

• Outgoing President Michael Adams (President of UGA) really needs to get his teeth whitened. Come on dude, you make a lot of money, you are making us look bad. 
• I really miss college. 
• I REALLY don't know what to do about Grad School.
• I am beyond over this hot weather that has suddenly invaded DC. I get that it's officially summer now, but seriously? I am not ready for heat indexes 100+, for reals, not okay.
• I wore a dark suit yesterday--> worst decision of my life
• Have you ever swam in a public pool? Something about it just kind of irks me. I feel like they are full of diseases and urine. BUT there is a pool like 3 blocks from my house, and I'd really like to start swimming laps after work. But... eww, I don't know if I can do it. 
• I love jambalaya. (and plan to have some for lunch today, just thought you should know)
• I forgot to put on foundation today. I just forgot. My make up routine is slightly extensive but I have the exact same routine for my face. just about every day. primer. concealer. foundation. powder. blush. more powder. Today I did primer (stila bronze). then cheek stain. then powder.WTH?  I don't even know. I'm tired.
• I might go get gelato for a post lunch snack. I've been thinking about my Sunday trip to Pitango all week. 
• ALL week I've been thinking that the fourth of July is on Wednesday (meaning next week is a very odd 4 day week). NO wrong. We have a whole other week in between. NOT FAIR.
• I really want to take a "mental health day" soon... but I want to plan it to be AWESOME. DC peeps, any suggestions on random day time activities?
• OH. So I had a huge tech victory yesterday! I figured out how to make a blog button! OMG I know right? I'm so impressed with myself y'all have no idea, well... actually most of y'all probably do. If you want my button you can get it here...

&<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">lt</span>;center>&<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">lt</span>;a <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">href</span>=”http://<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">bluedogbelle</span>.<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">blogspot</span>.com/“>&<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">lt</span>;<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">img</span> border=”0″ <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">src</span>="http://3.<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">bp</span>.<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">blogspot</span>.com/-I6gvhPIq3Ts/T-IPA4SmDZI/<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">AAAAAAAADKE</span>/7jbp_sqtl0A/s1600/button.<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">jpg</span>" />&<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">lt</span>;/a>&<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">lt</span>;/center>

• Does anyone want to do a button swap? leave a comment or email me at thebluedogbelle@gmail.com 
• I. AM. SO. EXCITED. FOR. FRIDAY. these weeks just keep getting more and more painful
• Pretty sure that's all I've got for you today. Maybe I'll double up tomorrow since I feel like my posts have been lacking the last few days. Summer cocktail and a Friday Fancy? I think yes.

Have a great day lovelies.

Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz Buzz

If you got the reference you are my bff. If not... it's a kind of ice cream, don't judge me.

Today I want to talk to you about coffee. A very serious subject. I am a coffee addict. I blame my father, who has an obsession with good coffee like no one I've ever seen. He has an espresso machine, some fancy drip maker (that I can't figure out how to use for the life of me), french presses galore, etc. Several Starbucks in the Little Rock area know him by name, or more specifically by order "doppio espresso per favore." He has been a proud owner of a gold card for several years (I'm still loving mine) And whenever I go home I realize what a coffee novice I really am. I started drinking coffee for real in college, but I dabbled during high school. Super sweet Starbucks drinks... does anyone remember the chocolate brownie frappaccino? I sure do. Then I moved to Spain for a study abroad in 2008 and I was introduced to cafe con leche, espressos y cortadas. The cortada was my drink of choice. Delivered in a shot glass was straight espresso with a some steamed milk. You can sip it or shoot it, but whew, is it a caffeine rush. yum.

Needless to say all of this coffee training has failed me of late. I bought one of these a few years ago

and while it's awesome on the go, it doesn't exactly brew a great cup of coffee for my discerning pallet. Since I get free coffee at work I have somehow trained myself to wait until 9 for my first cup of the day... but it's not cutting it anymore. I've recently fallen in love with the idea of french press coffee.

Look at that rich coffee goodness. If you don't know how a french press works, you basically fill up the bottom with your grinds then add boiling water, stir and steep. Then you "press" the coffee with a nifty plunger, pour and enjoy. Pretty easy right?

Some of the reasons I'm thinking about switching to the french press:

It's a relatively cheap investment (compared to a more expensive drip machine)

You can easily control the number of cups you make (most make 2-3)

You get everything out of the coffee-- with drip coffee the water spends very little time with the grinds, and just strains through. With a french press you make more of a coffee soup then you strain it, leaving you with a stronger and fuller flavor.

I can have "fresher" coffee. Coffee goes stale once it's been ground, and how long have k cups just sat around after they've been assembled? Weeks? Months? Years? who know... and should I waste my time with stale coffee? no gracias.

I'll no longer be a slave to the k cup- don't you just hate it when you run out of k cups and your left up the creek without a paddle? *yes I have one of those reusable k cup things, but they are such a mess I rarely use it. 

Okay, I think I've just convinced myself. French press here I come... Do any of y'all have recommendations for a good one? I'm officially on the hunt.