Monthly Archives: April 2016

White Denim Love

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Whew, it’s finally Wednesday. The weather here in the midwest has once again swung back towards cooler temperatures, which meant busting out some long pants again. But since it is spring, I thought that white denim was a perfectly appropriate choice. I have also been living in this army green utility shirt lately, it’s ultra soft and comfy, making it the perfect light layer for when the weather changes while I’m in class! I’ve also been looking for every possible excuse to wear these sandals! I think they’re adorable and they were probably my biggest splurge in the past couple of months, so I’m loving finding all the different outfits to pair with them. This bag is also great for students, moms, or really anyone that might need space to carry lots of stuff. It’s under $50, so you don’t have to worry as much about it getting damaged or spilling things inside of it (easy to clean too!). I’d highly recommend it if you’re looking for a good carry it all bag!

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XO, Katie

P.S. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page and subscribe to All Things Gold so you never have to worry about missing a post!

Sweet Sundays: Molten Lava Cakes

Today I’m sharing one of my favorite and super easy tasty desserts. This chocolatey treat is sure to impress anyone, and takes almost no time to whip up. You can use just about any kind of baking chocolate you want, I prefer the semi-sweet, but if you’re someone that loves even sweeter chocolate, you could definitely add it! I also alter this recipe a little bit because as a college student I do not own individual custard cups, so I just use a plain ole muffin pan and it works great (makes dishes a little easier too). Just be sure to grease each individual cup & sprinkle with cocoa. I’ve shared the recipe and a few photos of the baking process below.

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Ingredients

 6 oz semisweet baking chocolate, chopped
 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
 3 whole eggs
 3 egg yolks
 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
 1/2 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour*
Additional powdered sugar, if desired
Unsweetened baking cocoa

Directions

  • Heat oven to 450°F. Grease bottoms and sides of six (6-oz) custard cups with shortening; dust with cocoa. In 2-quart saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring frequently. Cool slightly.
  • In large bowl, beat whole eggs and egg yolks with wire whisk or eggbeater until well blended. Beat in 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar. Beat in melted chocolate mixture and flour. Divide batter evenly among custard cups. Place cups on cookie sheet with sides.
  • Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until sides are set and centers are still soft (tops will be puffed and cracked). Let stand 3 minutes. Run small knife or metal spatula along sides of cakes to loosen. Immediately place heatproof serving plate upside down over each cup; turn plate and cup over. Remove cup. Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar. Garnish with kumquats. Serve warm.

Molten Chocolate Cakes recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker

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The finished (and delicious!) final product. If you have questions or comments, leave them below! Happy Sunday & be sure to keep a look out for other Sweet Sunday posts, coming soon to All Things Gold!

XO, Katie

Graduation Dress Decisions

It’s hard to believe it’s already that time of year when graduation is just around the corner! I always feel like I sound old when I say this, but it honestly feels like yesterday that I was just moving into the dorms as a college freshman, and I am now staring at my Masters program graduation in less than a month. Time sure does fly! Since it is graduation season, and that means lots of graduation parties as well as ceremonies, I’ve been on the lookout for the perfect graduation dress.

Dresses for graduations and/or graduation parties can sometimes be tricky. Especially in the midwest, you never know what the weather will do, and you want to choose something appropriate since graduation celebrations typically involve lots of family. I’ve linked some of my favorites below. They are all perfect for graduation but also can definitely be worn to some of those upcoming summer weddings too!

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  1. Wondrous in a Million Dress  This dress is a great classic piece, it’s a gorgeous color (who doesn’t love a fabulous navy?) and the lace gives it that extra feminine detail that really tops it off. I love this as a graduation dress because it would be great under a gown and would layer well with cardigans or wraps in case graduation day turns out to be a little chiller. The versatile navy will pair so well with neutral wedges (that won’t get stuck in grass!) or any of the adorable block heel sandals that are out there right now. Another thing I love about this dress, is it could easily transition to fall with the right pieces, which makes it easier to spend a little more.
  2. Felicity & Coco Crepe Shift Dress This little number is a great choice because it comes in tons of colors (in case you’re feeling like showing a little school spirit on graduation day!) and it’s a total classic. Every girl needs at least one good basic shift dress in her closet, so if you don’t have one, get this one!
  3. Adelyn Rae Ombre Lace Sheath Dress I am in love with dress because the color is so gorgeous with the ombre and lace detail. Lavender is such a great timeless spring color, and I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t seem to own a lot of lavender pieces so it’d be a great addition to my closet!
  4. Lily Pulitzer Callie Lace A-Line Dress I’m not normally a big pink person, while it has a definite place in my wardrobe, it’s certainly not my go-to when dress shopping. However, I LOVE this dress. While it’s a little pricier than some of the others on this list, it just makes me think of summertime sunshine every time I see it.

What are some of your favorites for the upcoming graduation season?

XO, Katie

Red Boots + Rainy Days

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It’s been nothing but clouds for the past couple days here in the midwest, but that didn’t stop me from some bright accessories this past weekend! Both my striped dress and flower necklace I’ve had forever. I love pulling this flower necklace out to add a pop of color and floral in the springtime. I’m also loving this J.Crew Factory denim jacket lately, it’s been such a great piece to throw on with so many outfits.

One thing that I’ve never quite understood is that I think a lot of people shy away from wearing their Hunter Boots with anything but leggings, but one of my favorite ways to wear them is with dresses. They’re such a great statement piece and come in such fun colors, how could you not embrace them to brighten up simple outfits on dreary, rainy days?!

Also, this week is a big week for Jason & I, since it’s the week of our first section of the CPA exam. Eeeeek, I can’t believe it’s already been three weeks since we started this process. Keep your fingers crossed for both of us!

Be sure to stay tuned to All Things Gold this week for some awesome posts! On Wednesday, I’ll be sharing some favorite dresses for the upcoming graduation season and this weekend I’ll be featuring an extra special (and yummy!) post. If you don’t want to worry about missing posts, subscribe to All Things Gold in the right sidebar and get updates delivered right to your inbox!

XO, Katie

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Polka Dots & Pink

DSC_0191edit DSC_0196edit Today I’m sharing one of my favorite wear-to-work dresses that I’ve been putting on again & again over the past few weeks. This polka dot shift is the best versatile piece I’ve added to my work wardrobe in a long time! It can be worn oh so many different ways, but I love adding these pink J.Crew heels for a bright pop of color. It also looks great with blazers, sweaters, denim jackets and so much more! Unfortunately, my pink heels are no longer available from J.Crew, but I’ve linked my dress and some other bright pink heels below. I’ve also linked the Venus Flytrap necklace from J.Crew, this necklace is so perfect for adding a little sparkle to any outfit. Check out the links below!

XO, Katie

P.S. Also be sure to subscribe to All Things Gold over on the right side of the page, that way you never have to worry about missing a post! 🙂

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Venus Flytrap Necklace

Bright Pink Heels- Zappos

Bright Pink Heels- Macy’s

Shift Dress