A California Christmas Eve

I feel like I need to re-introduce myself here! I'm Bri, and you've landed at my life and style blog Breezy Days. This past year has been crazy, and my poor blog has been left in the dust. I'll do another post outlining my goals for 2018, but for the time being here is my Christmas Eve look!

Christmas Casual

I am so stoked for Christmas! I'm looking forward to taking a big breather from a crazy couple months at work, and for Ryan to finally come down from the high-stress of finals week. I can't believe how fast the year 2016 flew by, it seems like we were just at NYE banging pots and pans celebrating the beginning of 2016. It's true when they say that the days are long, but the years are short. Am I getting old?! haha

We are heading down to California for the week to de-frost from this 30 degree weather, brrr! This means breaking out the swimsuits and hanging in the jacuzzi every night. Sounds so cozy :)

This look is a casual nod to the holiday season, since it's not bursting at the seams with reds and greens. I have a fun pop of red with the strappy block heel from Shoedazzle, and a little glitz with my agate necklace from Geode in the Rough (my new fave)!

What are you looking forward to with the holidays coming up? Traveling anywhere?

Mixed Media Lantern Blouse: Loft (similar)

Guess Mixed Media Wool Blend Coat: Nordstrom

Joes Jeans via Nordstrom (similar)

Agate Pendant Necklace c/o Geode in the Rough

Beanie: Anthropologie (old) 

Mikayla Heels c/o Shoedazzle

Lash Extensions: Layers n' Lashes (located in Draper, UT)

Thin Mint RITZ Crackers Holidays Treats

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HolidayRITZ #CollectiveBias

The past few years I have chosen a holiday treat and mass produced them for everyone that we know and love! It's the best way to let all the people know in your life that you are thinking of them, without breaking the bank :) I went to my local Walmart and picked up all the ingredients to make these delicious RITZ Crackers Thin Mints topped with crushed candy cane. I had to "taste test" a few before wrapping them up and giving them to friends and family ;)

Below is a list of the ingredients I used, a step by step tutorial on how to make them, and this RITZ Crackers coupon to get 50 cents off a box. Which makes it even more affordable to create your holiday treat! 

Ingredients (1 batch: creates about 15 cookies)

1 sleeve Original RITZ Crackers

1/2 teaspoon Pure mint extract

1 teaspoon Coconut oil

3-4 crushed Peppermint candy canes

1 cup Semi-sweet milk chocolate chips

1. Grab a microwavable bowl and pour 1 cup of semi-sweet milk chocolate chips into the bowl.

2. Add 1/2 teaspoon of pure mint extract to chocolate chips.

3. Finally, add 1 teaspoon of coconut oil.

4. Microwave in 15 second-intervals, and mix between intervals. Usually takes about 2-3 times to get the chocolate all nice and smooth! If it's not smooth enough, add a little more coconut oil. 

5. Grab a sleeve of RITZ Crackers!

6. Dip RITZ Crackers in bowl, and cover completely with chocolate mixture. I picked up the covered RITZ Crackers with a toothpick to then place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 

7. Crush up peppermint candy cane, then sprinkle on top of chocolate before it starts to harden. Or you could use festive sprinkles!

8. Place in freezer to set for about 1-1.5 hours to set.

9. Place treats in festive holiday treat bags with fun sparkly clothespins and this adorable treat sleigh!

10. Make tons and tons of them for all your friends, family, and co-workers!

This was such a fun and delicious treat to make for the Christmas season! How would you wrap up these RITZ Crackers cookies? What fun topping would you sprinkle on top? :)

Holiday Party Dresses

Now that it's finally December, bring on the sparkles and glitter! I have a few Christmas parties to attend this month and while some are Ugly Sweater themed, I actually get to dress up for other ones :) Above I have my picks for holiday looks and below are some more adorable options! Are you excited for the holiday glam? Any fun parties coming up??

Icone Glam Sequin Gold Dress ($69): So cute and sparkly. Love the long sleeves!

Pink Blush Gold V-Neck Sequin Evening Gown ($129): This has such a casual glam look to it, and so affordable for a gown.

Pink Blush Light Pink Metallic Dress (black/gold option both $72): A great modest option, that you could wear year-round. 

Contemporaine Lace Corsage Black Dress ($99): Looove the 3/4 lace sleeves, so classic

Pink Blush Long-Sleeve Gold Dress ($47): This looks so comfy, and could be worn all through the colder months. 

Santa Monica Pier

This past Christmas break was a blast and much needed. Evan, Ryan, and I drove down to stay with my parents and we just crashed. Almost immediately after Christmas day we all got sick with some form of the cold or flu. It pretty much sucked,  but it couldn't have come at a better time. We got to chill on my parents couch watching movies, taking medicine, and just getting some (apparently) needed rest. 

My mom asked at one point "are we going to do anything this break? Or is everyone going to stay sick?" Towards the end of the trip I was the only one who was still sick, so I brought a bag of cough drops and some medicine and we went to the Santa Monica Pier. 

No one in my family had been before besides myself, which I think is crazy cause we've all lived in CA for years and years! It was a pretty chilly and busy day (we went on a weekend), but we rode the ferris wheel and got the most gorgeous views of Malibu and Santa Monica. 

Ryan enjoys ruining my pictures, but he's cute when it counts ;) We had a blast and since Ryan has never been to the tourist-y things of LA, we are going to make it a point to hit something new every time we're down there visiting. Especially with Ryan's favorite team, the Rams, moving to LA I have a feeling we'll be making weekend road trips down a lot more often for game-time :D

Gifting a Memory

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GiftingAMemory #CollectiveBias

The holidays are such a crazy time! With all the Christmas parties, gift shopping, and wrapping up of school and work; it's tough to find the time to grab thoughtful gifts. My favorite gifts to get for close friends and family are items that remind me of them. Whether that be a bracelet with their favorite stones or a perfume with their signature notes in it. 

When I found this perfume at my local Walgreens, I knew that it would be the perfect gift for my mom! When I was growing up she wore this perfume that had an orchid flower note to it, and whenever I catch a smell of orchids it reminds me of my mom :) I picked up this Beyonce Heat Wild Orchid set that includes perfume, shower gel, and body lotion. It's a great all-in-one gift that is thoughtful, affordable, and easy to pick up.  

What scents give you warm and fuzzy memories? Which perfume would you pick up for a friend or family member?

How to Throw a Treat Bar Party

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GiftDeliciously #CollectiveBias

Christmas is such a happy time of year and it's the best time to get all my favorite people together under one roof. Give me a holiday, and I'll show you a party ;) My parties are always a hit, and people tend to stay 'till the wee hours of the morning having a blast! I always make sure we've got some food around and to create a comfortable environment for mingling.

We just moved into a new home just last week (such a quick decision and move), and I want to throw a housewarming Treat Bar Party featuring some of my favorite treats! Such as OREO, Double Stuf OREO, Nutter Butter, and Chips Ahoy!

I am a woman who needs a checklist. In my old 24 years (haha) I've become forgetful, so I need a list to keep me on track! Above is a checklist you can print out yourself for planning the perfect Treat Bar Christmas soiree! 

It's all about getting the right products and informing your guests with ample time to schedule the party into their crazy busy lives.  One of the best party tips I can offer is do as much as you can ahead of time, including the making of treats and favor bags!

One of my favorite holiday treats are chocolate dipped Double Stuf OREO cookies with festive sprinkles and crushed candy canes on top! Here are the quick instructions on how to amp up your party with these adorable treats.

1// Heat up a fondue pot (or pot on the stove), and put in a splash of vegetable oil. Lay out a sheet or parchment paper on your countertop to prepare for the Double Stuf OREO cookies. 

2// Put on low heat and pour in 2 pounds of white chocolate meltable chips. 

3// Stir until all the chips have melted and turn to lower heat to avoid burning. 

4// Dip half of your Double Stuf OREO cookie in the white melted chocolate and make sure it completely covers one half of the cookie. 

5// Place cookie on parchment paper then pour sprinkles, crushed candy cane, or anything festive and delicious on top of the melted chocolate.  

6// Let the cookies cool on the parchment paper, wait until hardened then move to your party table or place in a clear treat bag to show off all your work! These are perfect for friends, family, and colleague gifts. An affordable gift to show everyone in your life that you're thinking of them this holiday season!

I grabbed some Christmas decor from around my home to complement the candles, poinsettia plant, plates, and napkins I purchased from my local Walmart. It's all about presentation! As I was walking out of Walmart I found these easy-to-grab boxes of treats by the cash register. I snagged OREO, Double Stuf OREO, Nutter Butter, and Chips Ahoy! boxes to create my Treat Bar. 

To avoid stressors on the day of a party, if you can do cleaning and party prep the couple days before it helps you to enjoy the party itself instead of racing around like a madwoman. I did this party prep the night before and it saved me from a ton of stress the day of! 

What are some of your best party tips? How would you gift or showcase these fun and affordable treat boxes?