I'm NOT a Cook- Easy Fresh Blackberry Pie Recipe

I can't even believe I'm sharing a recipe with y'all because as you can see from the title of this, I am NOT a cook.  I am one of those people who eats out(or gets cooked for) just about every single meal.  I don't really understand what went wrong in my gene pool, because every single woman in my entire family are all basically the best cooks ever.  I can't pick a favorite, so we will leave it at that.  My great grandma, Mema Knight, was the greatest cook on the planet but she is 90 now and her cooking days are unfortunately over.  I will never forget the days at her house in Kentucky going out to her huge garden and helping her pick bucket after bucket of fresh blackberries, and ever since then they have always been my favorite!  

Blackberry cobbler is probably my all time favorite (non-chocolate) dessert, so when I saw my friend, Dr. Aimee Lyst, shared a picture of her homemade fresh blackberry pie, I commented about how amazing it looked and that she should share her recipe.  Thankfully she did. 

Aimee's Pie

I tend to ask people for recipes because I swear I have really good intentions on actually cooking, but it's rare that I ever do.  To my surprise, this recipe didn't call for many ingredients and looked fairly easy, so I figured I'd give it a shot. 

You will need: 

Aluminum Foil  

9-inch pie plate or Round pan

4 cups of fresh blackberries

1 1/4 cups of sugar  

1/4 cup of all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon of salt

Pastry for double crust pie

Combine sugar, flour and salt.   Add sugar mixture to blackberries, after washing them, and toss to coat fruit. (The mixture will stick to the blackberries then and turn to a glaze while baking).  Fill a pastry-lined 9-inch pie plate with berry mixture.  Adjust top crust.  Seal and flute edge.  Cover the edge of pie with foil.  Bake in a 375° oven for 20 minutes.  Remove foil; bake for 25 to 30 minutes more or until golden.  Cool on a wire rack.  Makes 8 servings. I have included a step by step visual guide as well below.

I decided to do a little design with the top of my pie crust and added a heart in the middle, something I've seen on Pinterest over the years, I'm sure.  I know I won't be winning any pie decorating contests with my creation, but I was pretty proud of the way it turned out.  Even more importantly, my sweetie pie was impressed.  If you are looking for an easy and delicious dessert to make, I highly recommend this one.  I felt so much more accomplished than when I make brownies from a box or use pre-made dough to make cookies.  Move over Martha Stewart ;). Thanks so much to Aimee for sharing this simple recipe! 

Thank you all, as always, for reading! XOXO- Amber

GET GLOWING: Kalahn Harmon at Glow Medspa

I'm always looking for ways to make myself look and feel a little better!  As a woman in the South,  there are literally gorgeous girls everywhere you look.  I don't think I can even  think of one who is not beautiful.  I guess you could say it's almost a little bad for my self-esteem at times how pretty you all are!  I think the most important thing a woman can have is her own self confidence and self-esteem.  If something makes you feel more beautiful, I say go for it!  At the end of the day, you are the only person whose opinion really and truly matters. If other people don't like you because of something that has to do with your appearance, you definitely don't need them in your life anyways and I can promise you your life will be much better without them in it!  I've been feeling a little blah lately which is why I'm so glad I found Glow Medspa for a little... ok maybe a big pick me up!!  

Glow Medspa, owned by Dr. Jeffery Marvel, Tonia Gibson and Gail Hayes, is located in historic downtown Franklin in the most charming and sweet old house.  I actually used to work about 50 steps from there and I honestly never took a second look at it.  From afar it simply looks like a home.   I just so happened to be at one of my favorite coffee shops right next door and luckily one of the lovely ladies who works there, Leigh, invited me to come over and see it.  I was pleasantly surprised when I walked in and realized that this is actually a spa, not just a house, and definitely my kind of place.  The decor is welcoming, comforting & simply beautiful!  It helps that the staff is so friendly too. 

I was so excited to realize that this was the place that a lifelong friend and aesthetician,  Kalahn Harmon, is always raving about because she loves working there so much! I can tell you from experience if you work somewhere and still love it, it HAS to be a great place!  Kalahn set me up for an appointment and I left feeling more than fabulous.  I was honestly really impressed by everything, so I want to share with you all about my experience at Glow Medspa and talk about all the services I got done because trust me, you all need to know about this place.  It was like finding a hidden treasure! 

I want to start by saying it can sometimes be  a little awkward getting services done by a friend, but Kalahn actually made me feel like a client, she took everything seriously and I really appreciate that.  For example, I know sometimes when I have gotten my hair done by someone I know in the past I don't always feel as if I'm getting the full treatment that I'm paying for and deserve, which can lead to stress.  When you're going somewhere to be pampered that should NOT be the case!! I left feeling a million times better than when I walked in and was highly impressed with her level of professionalism. 

HydraFacial MD  & Dermaplaning

When I first walked in Ginger offered me wine, water or coffee, which let's be honest... it's always nice to be offered wine any time or place!  I decided to be healthy and go with water though which also impressed me because it was VOSS water and it made me feel fancy ;).  Kalahn had me change into a spa towel and dipped my hands in paraffin wax.  That stuff is the best! My appointment was on Friday, it's now Monday and my hands still feel so soft.  She had me lay down on what is like a massage table which was very comfortable and the temperature in the room was perfect.  She cleansed my face herself and before she began the HydraFacial asked me if I had ever had dermaplaning done.  Dermaplaning is a method of exfoliation that consists of gently scraping off the top layer of dulling dead skin cells in order to reveal a smoother, brighter complexion.  It also removes that annoying peach fuzz that you sometimes see when the sunlight is beaming down on you.  I was all in!  I was a little scared at first but definitely glad I added this service on!  You hear the word scraping and it sounds scary but I promise it's completely safe!  Next, she did the HydraFacial which was absolutely amazing and I wish I could get one every single day of my life!  

Great for all skin types, the HydraFacial MD® Treatment is not only highly effective at improving overall skin health, but also excellent for correcting fine lines and wrinkles, elasticity and firmness, the evenness of your skin tone and vibrancy, skin texture, enlarged pores, oily skin and the advanced signs of aging.  This multi-step treatment cleanses, evenly exfoliates and extracts to remove impurities and dead skin cells while at the same time replenishing vital nutrients including Antioxidants, Peptides and Hyaluronic Acid.  My favorite part was the  third step which was the extraction part!  Kalahn was able to remove something from my face that has been there for years and not even a dermotologist could remove.  Y'all have no idea how excited I was over this !! I don't get many breakouts, I have more of an issue with blackheads than anything and she was successfully able to remove them all!!  My second favorite part of this treatment was that I got immediate results and my face is still glowing 4 days later!  It was a pain free and super relaxing experience and I already want to go back!!  This service is $199 and you can add on Dermaplaning to a facial for just $50.  Dermaplaning alone is $85. 

 Eyebrow Tint & Wax

After we were done with the HydraFacial me and my face were feeling amazing.  It was then time for her to work her magic on my eyebrows.  I never realized the importance of eyebrows until Kalahn first did my eyebrows a few years back and she actually gave me some shape and filled them in some.  When done properly they can really help frame your face and make your eyes pop.  She tinted them, sort of like a dye for your eyebrows, but it basically just picked up the little baby hairs that were there making my eyebrows look a little more full without drawing them on like crazy.  I swear some girls these days look like they draw them on with sharpies and that's just not my style.  I was shocked the difference that just the tinting made.  She also waxed them and really took her time doing it.  I love them !! The eyebrow tint is $20 and the eyebrow wax is $20.  

Makeup 

Then we got to the really fun part, makeup!! I have always admired Kalahn's makeup.  Every time she posts a picture I secretly wish I had her skills!  Her makeup always looks flawless without overdoing it, almost like a natural look.  She was nice enough to list all of the products she used on me too for y'all! 

Neocutis Bio-Cream moisturizer

Cover FX Mattifying Primer

MAC Studio Fix Foundation in NW 25

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW 20 blended with a moist Beauty Blender

Cover FX Illuminating setting powder

Anastasia Beverly Hills powder contour palette

Sephora Collection Banana Powder

Anastasia Beverly Hills brow powder in soft brown

MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC15 under brows

MAC Painterly Pro Longwear Paint Pot all over lid

MAC shadow in Amber Lights & Creative Copper

Morphe shadow and liner from 35N palette

MAC Fix + Spray

Sigma brushes F80, E15, F10, P84, F35, E65, F75, E30, P86, E55, E25, F05

MAC brushes 239, 184

BECCA champagne pop highlighter

Shadow on inner eye is from the Tarte Energy Noir palette

Ardelle Demi Whispies Lashes

They're Real Mascara by Benefit Cosmetics

NYX Dewy Finishing Spray

Urban Decay All Nighter setting spray

MAC Soar Lip liner  

MAC Honey Love Lipstick  

Makeup application with lashes is $95.  

This is the look she created on me but please excuse my hair! I left there feeling beautiful, confident, refreshed and days later my skin is literally still glowing!! Everyone there was so warm and friendly.  They made sure to explain everything in detail, building my trust, and made me feel extremely comfortable.  I'm not the best at taking good care of my skin so I'm sure my skin probably loves me for finding Glow Medspa!  I will definitely be back!!  

They offer many more services such as Botox, Juveder, Restylane, Kybella, Micro Dermabrasion, chemical peels, many different kinds of facials, Microneedling, full body waxing and Coolsculpting !! They also sell various products such as Latisse, Glo Therapeutics and NeoCutis.  Visit their website at www.GlowFranklin.com and Kalahn's website is www.FacesByKalahn.com Check out their Spring specials below and tell them Native in Nashville sent you :)

I hope you guys go see them & love them as much as I do !!  Thanks as always for reading! XOXO- Amber  

"A Change Would Do You Good"

Today's post is more like a dear diary post than anything else, and I think that's ok.  I made some MAJOR life changes today.  I literally quit my job, got another one, and applied to college. I also worked out which was also a major life change, because simply walking up the steps to my apartment is the extent of my athleticism.  Seriously embarrassing but it feels as if I just ran a marathon every time I get to the top.

 Life is so strange sometimes.  It only took me almost 30 years but I think I finally figured it out.  I've never felt like a "normal" person.  I was the kid watching "I Love Lucy" or "Bewitched" instead of cartoons, and what felt like the only high school kid in my senior class who couldn't pick a major.  I've done it all, went to MTSU straight out of high school but that didn't last long. Cosmetology school right after that.  Unfortunately I'm a perfectionist and it once took me two hours to do a haircut, I never would have made it.  Real Estate school. Literally done it all.  I've been at a job for quite some time that quite frankly did not make me truly happy.  I would go to work everyday and the more time that would pass by I realized there is something more out there for me, and that was not what I wanted to do my entire life.  The more time that went by the more things started happening that made me realize what I actually want to do.  I also got the best advice from a friend "If you don't like where you are- MOVE, you aren't a tree" and I can be the first to tell you, it's some of the best advice I've ever gotten ( thanks Brianna).

 It all started out when I had a nose bleed so bad that I lost 1/4 of my body's blood(sorry graphics), it lasted about four hours and nothing could make it stop other than three doctors, two trips to the emergency room in 24 hours and two nights staying at the hospital.  The first thing that I realized here was how the blood did not gross me out at all whatsoever.  I can handle that.  The second thing was the fact that out of the ten nurses I encountered, only about 3 of them were actually nice to me or seemed like they cared.  I thought to myself, this is crazy, if this was the other way around I would be way more passionate about taking care of this person.  I've always been a very caring person in general.  Most times, almost too caring, which can either be a blessing or a curse.  I feel like most times it's a curse but it is what it is.  I think I get that from my mom (thanks Sue).  Another thing that sort of changed my life is when I sat next to a blind woman named Terry on an airplane while traveling last month to Denver.  I will never forget her, she was such a sweet woman.  She made me appreciate things a whole lot more.  She openly talked to me about being blind since birth.  The statement that touched my heart the most was when she said "it doesn't really bother me, I don't know any other way, but I wonder if an apple looks like an apple feels". We then talked about how she doesn't even know what red looks like, she's never seen it.  I can't even imagine that. She was still such a happy person.  I found myself talking to her and helping her out with everything she needed the entire flight.  It made me feel genuinely happy and good inside to know I was taking good care of her. I've always loved any possible way to make a difference in someone's life & I can't think of a better way for me personally than to become a nurse. At the end of my flight Terry told me that I would make the best nurse.  That felt really good. 

I've been wanting to go back to school for awhile, like I said the more days that would go by being unhappy and settling made me want it that much more.  There would have been no possible way for me to go back to school working where I was.  I took a leap of faith and realized life is too short, if you want to do something no one is stopping you!  You are in charge of your own happiness.  I wasn't going to be miserable any longer.  I'm actually switching to another job where I will likely be making a lot less money but I've realized lately that money truly really does not buy you happiness.  I understand money can buy you all kinds of things, but true happiness comes from within.  I figured my family would be upset with me so I avoided telling them right away.  Most found of from my facebook status but I was shocked when the first comment was from my dad.  The first thing he said was "YOLO" , not kidding.  He then followed it up with this: "Sometimes a bold move is what it takes to find happiness. I am proud you are courageous and ambitious!!!  Most miserable people SETTLE!!  They spend life miserable and at an old age, look back with regret!! I love you and we are proud of you!! I got your back Doll!!"  You guys have no idea how much this comment meant to me coming from him.  

I don't want to look back with regrets!  I want to make myself happy and make myself and my family proud.  These next few years are likely going to be a struggle.  Financially, mentally and probably physically but I have no doubt in my mind I finally "know what I want to be when I grow up."  It sounds crazy and almost weird to me to be so behind in life compared to others but I guess it's never too late.  Change can be very scary but so can walking out your front door these days.  If you have been thinking about making a change to better any aspect in your life ask yourself like I did "What are you waiting for?.  Hold your vision and trust the process!! Life is too short to not be ridiculously obsessed with yours.  

It was the best day ever, and I couldn't be happier because I am taking a chance and making a change.  Thank you for reading, friends and for all my friends and family being so supportive of my decision, I really appreciate you! 

XOXO- Amber