Commentary

Adding Value and Inspo to Your Life Through YouTube Videos

Hi everyone, happy weekend! I hope things are going well in your world no matter where you live. Here in Telluride, CO the temps are in the 70’s and it’s feeling like a high alpine summer. We are loving spending more time in the outdoors! (Socially distancing of course)

I wanted to share with you some really fun updates around here. As I have since 2009 I’m continuing to post here on MarlaMeridith.com at least 3X per week. Posts range from recipes to travel, fashion, beauty and anything else that inspires me. My job (and I LOVE my job!) is to create beautiful, inspirational content and the hope is that is resonates with you and adds great value to your life.

A component that I feel is very valuable for all of us (and will add value to the content on this blog) is an engaging YouTube channel. Up until recently I’ve avoided video creation as much as I could. I preferred being behind the camera then in front of it. I snored at the idea of sitting in front of a computer editing videos. Well times have changed, especially since the pandemic stay-at-home orders. I’ve been spending gobs of time self educating on shooting, styling and editing videos. Now I LOVE every aspect of it! I soak up info like a sponge and the greatest thing is I get to share my obsession with all of you!

The goal of my videos is to add that special sauce to your life. Positivity, motivation and empowerment to help you live your BEST life!

I post a few videos per week with topics including (but not limited to!)

  • RECIPES
  • TRAVEL
  • FASHION
  • BEAUTY
  • SKIING (MOUNTAIN LIFE)
  • CRAFTS
  • & anything else I feel will add great VALUE to your LIFE

Subscribe to my YouTube channel today! My promise to you is beautiful inspiration to live your very BEST life! XO

Please let me know what content you would like to see me post here and on Youtube.

~ Marla Meridith

Fashion

5 Fun Ways to Style a Skinny Gucci Marmont Belt

One of my all time favorite accessories is a GG Gucci Marmont belt. I’ve had the cream color for a while and I just got my hands on the brand new pastel shades. These tiny treasures add so much to any outfit. I particularly like the subtlety of the .8 inch style. In this post I share all the shopping links with you and all kinds of advice to help make this luxury purchase well worth your effort.

Watch the video here.

HOW TO SIZE THIS BELT

Before you purchase your GG belt think about how you want to wear it. Are you going to style it mostly high on your waist or predominantly with low rise jeans? Gucci has a handy sizing chart (sizing chart links are on each belt shopping page) but it can still a bit confusing to find your size. My cream belt is a size 75 and my pastel blue and pink are size 80. I bought the 80 to wear both high waisted and low, however, I will need to punch an extra hole in those to make them tighter for super high styles. The size 75 is perfect for high waisted and on I’m pushing its limits on the first hole with lower waisted styles, but it still fits well. Stay tuned for a belt hole punching video soon.

SHOP THE LOOKS

BELTS

NOTE | I’ve searched for styles similar to the ones I’m wearing to help you achieve a similar look. Always know that making things your own is a great way to go! I give you the ingredients and you season to taste.

5 Fun Ways to Style a skinny GG Gucci Marmont Belt
5 Fun Ways to Style a skinny GG Gucci Marmont Belt

LOOK #1 | SKINNY JEANS // BLUE GG BELT // PINK BLAZER

5 Fun Ways to Style a skinny GG Gucci Marmont Belt
5 Fun Ways to Style a skinny GG Gucci Marmont Belt

LOOK #2 | BALMAIN TEE // PINK GG BELT // BLACK BOYFRIEND JEANS

5 Fun Ways to Style a skinny GG Gucci Marmont Belt
5 Fun Ways to Style a skinny GG Gucci Marmont Belt

LOOK #3 | CAMO PANTS // PINK GG BELT // WHITE CAMISOLE

5 Fun Ways to Style a skinny GG Gucci Marmont Belt
5 Fun Ways to Style a skinny GG Gucci Marmont Belt

LOOK #4 | WHITE DRESS // PINK GG BELT // PINK FEDORA

5 Fun Ways to Style a Skinny GG Gucci Marmont Belt

LOOK #5 | DENIM MINI SKIRT // CREAM GG BELT // DENIM SHIRT

*DISCLOSURE: I occasionally use affiliate links. If you happen purchase something through one of my links, I make a tiny percentage of revenue. Thank you for supporting me and my mission to help make your life it’s very BEST! XO Marla

~ Marla Meridith

Chicken

One-Pot Tuscan Chicken aka: Marry Me Chicken

Whenever I ask on Facebook what kinds of recipes you are all looking for one ingredient that pops up time after time is chicken. Not a shocker right? This is something that most of us load into the cart when at the market. The issue becomes once you get it home, what recipe to cook with it. I have many chicken recipes here on my blog and I’m always adding to the inventory. This One-Pot Tuscan Chicken aka: Marry Me Chicken is one you need to try this week. I’ve seen many variations of Tuscan Chicken and the ingredients are also what’s in the popular Pinterest recipe Marry Me Chicken. So consider yourself lucky, these recipes are one and the same and you can try them both right here!

What makes this dish extra flavorful is the creamy sauce loaded with sun-dried tomatoes, capers, artichokes, mushrooms, tomatoes and spinach. A splash of dry white wine brings all the flavors together just right. Want to cook this the day before? That’s even better as the flavors really marry when kept in the fridge over night. Why Marry Me Chicken? Because this recipe is worthy of marriage proposals!

Watch this recipe video.

Click HERE for recipe details.

One-Pot Tuscan Chicken recipe aka: Marry Me Chicken

~ Marla Meridith

Berries

Vegan Banana Split

Looking for a sweet breakfast or snack, but not looking to break the calorie bank? My daughter made this beautiful + creative Vegan Banana Split. Isn’t it gorgeous? She is getting so creative with her recipes and great at food styling too! Not only will this beauty relieve your cravings for refined sugar treats, but it’s jammed packed with all kinds of nutrients, vitamins and flavor.

All you need to make this is:

  • 1 banana, sliced in half
  • 1 cup fresh berries
  • 1/2 cup granola
  • a few tablespoons of almond, peanut or sunflower seed butter
  • chocolate covered or roasted almonds
  • anything else you might like such as coconut flake, vegan whipped cream, sprinkles
Healthy & Easy Vegan Banana Split recipe.

~ Marla Meridith

Fashion & Beauty

Mother’s Day 2020: 10 Great Gifts for Mom

Mother’s Day is around the corner, mark your calendars for Sunday, May 10th. It’s time to think about what you are going to get for your mom. I’ve had fun doing some virtual shopping and I hope these selections help you out when choosing that special gift. Maybe while your at it you can pick one of these up for yourself too. Why not?!

COMFY SLIPPERS | With all the time we are spending at home these days it makes sense to have a really comfortable pair of slippers. Both my mom and daughter have these UGG Fluff Yeah Shearling Slides and they love ’em! These beauties come in 8 colors. $99

CHEERY MONOGRAM MUG | Get mom a pretty, floral monogram mug so she can think of you every time she sips her morning coffee. $12

PILLOW SHAMS | These pillow shams are gorgeous! When mom relaxes she can rest her head on these beautifully patterned pillow covers. These hand-printed shams help to create such a peaceful environment. Set of 2 standard size shams $26

SILK SLEEP MASK | For afternoon relaxation and naps, treat mom to this silk sleep mask. Also great for long road trips (when she’s a passenger!) and long flights. One day we will all be traveling again! $50

CHARLOTTE TILBURY PILLOWTALK LUXURY EYESHADOW PALETTE | Mom will love this cult favorite luxury eyeshadow collection. This palette will take her from desk to dusk to disco. If mom doesn’t disco, then happy hour with friends will do! $53

DEBORAH LIPPMAN BEAUTIFUL DREAMER NAIL POLISH SET | This five piece nail polish set is perfect for at-home manicures. These colors are dreamy indeed. A great mix of neutrals and pastels. $29

GUCCI PILAR FLORAL ESPADRILLES | I have these espadrilles with the honey bees and absolutely LOVE them! Easy to wear, very comfortable and they look cute with jeans, shorts, skirts and dresses. The floral print makes them extra special. $495

CASHMERE BLANKET | I can’t begin to tell you how much I’m swooning over this blanket!! Comes in five swoon worthy colors, though I’m smitten with the rose. $425

SUEDE JOURNAL | For note taking, recipes and daily journaling. These cool journals will keep moms creative streak on a roll. $38 Does mom prefer her monogram on things? This journal is cool too! $24

BANDIER PERFECT SPOT KIT | I love the way Bandier does their kits. They put together awesome selections that make you want to workout. This leopard outfit should help to inspire her daily workouts. $170 This Jog Around the Block Kit is great too! $395

~ Marla Meridith

Fashion & Beauty

Rock Your Roots! Pretty Styles for When You Can’t Get to the Hair Salon

Wondering what to do when you can’t see your hair colorist? For most of us there’s no time in the near future that we can get our hair done. I have some great tips and styles for your here.

Over the course of the past few years I want from jet black hair to brunette, to honey to platinum blonde. These days I’m blonde with the help of about 300 foils every 8 weeks. My stylist doesn’t bring the blonde up to my roots. She leaves a bit of brown and does a smudge so when my brunette grows out the line of blonde/brunette is a bit softer. So many blondes I know freak when their dark roots show…but I say ROCK YOUR ROOTS! There’s no use stressing yourself out when you can’t get that appointment with your hair stylist.

In this video, I show you a few simple styles I love that embrace the dark/light contrast. You can make your hair look elegant and sophisticated with the dark roots or you can wear it a bit more trendy or rock and roll. The choice is yours! I’ve also listed my favorite styling products, tools and embellishments below to help you style your hair up right.

MY FAVORITE STYLING TOOLS

  • DYSON AIR WRAP | Wonderful for every style imaginable!!
  • GHD CLASSIC 1″ STYLER | This flat iron continuously gets huge amounts of praise year after year. Why? Because it’s the very best!
  • DYSON SUPERSONIC HAIR DRYER | Dry your hair faster with less damage with this hair dryer. Also helps increase smoothness by 75%, This was my first Dyson hair tool and I absolutely saw great results from the first time I used it!

MY FAVORITE STYLING PRODUCTS

MY FAVORITE HAIR ACCESSORIES

~ Marla Meridith

Gluten Free

Very Veggie Lasagna

Get the most out of your time in the kitchen with this absolutely delicious Vegetarian Lasagna recipe. In this easy to prepare dish I combine the freshest veggies with layers of gluten free brown rice lasagna noodles, a cottage cheese/ricotta mixture, tomato sauce and lots of cheese on top. Your entire family will LOVE this healthy recipe, mine does! If you love lasagna as much as we do also try this One-Pot Cast Iron Skillet Veggie Lasagna too!

Watch the video HERE.

Click HERE for recipe details.

Healthy, gluten free, Vegetarian Lasagna recipe

~ Marla Meridith

Lifestyle

10 Stay-at-Home Activites to Inspire During Quarantine

Hi everybody! I hope your weekend is off to a great start. I know that days are blending into each other and things are not like the way they were before the stay-at-home lifestyle. No matter when you choose to do these activities there’s one thing I know for certain….they will all inspire and help you feel like you are being productive. Let’s face it, there’s just so many naps you can take! These 10 Stay-at-Home Activites to Inspire During Quarantine should help you pass the time and keep you inspired and motivated to live your best life!

My outfit details can be found here.

1. Procreate for the iPad

Ignite your inner artist with Procreate® With this app you can create all kinds of artwork. From drawing to painting to coloring, have fun making all kinds of pretty. This app is what I used for the cute little illustrations that decorate my photo in this post.

2. Bake this!

Homemade Blueberry Pop Tarts are a fun baking project and the time you spend making them are so well worth it. Flavor with any fruit you have on hand, you can mix flavors too! Love sweet rolls? Try these. Are cookies your thing? These are some of the best Chocolate Chip Cookies I’ve every tasted.

3. Organize

I know it can be difficult to motivate and organize…but just a few minutes creating order can make your day feel brighter. Organizing is kind of like exercising. It can be hard to motivate to start, but when you do you feel great! Follow my Organize board on Pinterest where I’m always updating and pinning inspiring posts to help get your entire home in order.

4. Get Some Exercise!

Even just a little exercise can make you feel so much better. Not only is it good for your body, but also great for your mind as well. I have been loving the mini workouts by this gal on Youtube Madfit. She targets each body part and many of the exercises require no equipment which means there are no excuses!

5. Read a Book

I absolutely love true stories and nature. The Animal Dialogues: Uncommon Adventures in the Wild by Craig Childs is fascinating. In this book the author recalls his up close and personal experiences with all kinds of animals in the wild.

6. Listen to Podcasts

There are a few podcasts that I just can’t get enough of! I love listening to inspiring women speak. Two of my favorites include the LikeToKnowIt Influencer Radio and Goop’s Beauty Closet. On both of these I learn so much about fashion, beauty and being an entrepreneurial Girl Boss.

7. Coloring Books

Coloring is not just for kids! I have a great collection of coloring books and this awesome colored pencil set. You can also get a sketch pad if you feel like creating your own art.

8. Get Crafty!

If you’ve always had Martha Stewart aspirations now is the time to start or finish those craft projects. I love to tie dye anything and everything in my path. Get yourself some white tees (I love these Hanes tees), pillowcases, hand towels, sweats, etc. and have a tie dye craft day. This is my absolute favorite tie dye kit, the colors are great and the application process is so easy. It comes with rubber bands too. Looking for more crafty projects? Follow my Pinterest board Cool Crafts.

9. Handwash & Defuzz Winter Sweaters

I’m obsessed with keeping my cashmere and wool garments very clean and defuzzed. Did you know that you can keep your sweaters looking like brand new with the help of this inexpensive Defuzzer? I keep this battery powered fabric defuzzer at the ready and my sweater collection looks great! This Wool & Cashmere Shampoo cleans so well and your sweaters smell great afterwards. Now your sweaters look like new again and are ready to store until next winter!

10. Learn How to Dip Your Own Nails

There are great dip nail kits out there these days. Certainly helpful when there’s no time in the foreseeable future that we can go out in public to get manis and pedis. Learning how to master your own dip nails is a true skill indeed!

This post contains affiliate links which hopefully make your life a whole lot more fun and easier!

~ Marla Meridith

Breakfast

Homemade Blueberry Pop Tarts

Breakfast pastries are a delicious, special treat. Typically I’ll splurge and try these goodies when I travel, but we don’t regularly indulge on them at home. Until now. Recently we stayed at The Little Nell in Aspen, Colorado. The Pastry Chef Amy Andrews treats hotel guests to Homemade Pop Tarts, they are served at breakfast and thankfully on the room service menu as well. The fillings vary according to what she has on hand and the results are always spectacular! She was kind enough to share the recipe for me to post with you. I hope you enjoy these pop tarts as much as we do!

“The Pop Tarts were an idea that we had to bring a bit of excitement to the morning meal period. We wanted to offer our guest a pastry that could be enjoyed by itself or with everyone at a table. I wanted this pastry to remind people of fun or enjoyment from their past.”

Amy Andrews

Watch the video!

Click HERE for recipe details.

The Most Delicious Homemade Pop Tarts Recipe!

~ Marla Meridith

Ski

Conca del Sogno at Chefs Club St. Regis Aspen

How did the winter fly by so quickly? For this die-hard snow queen, I live for powder days, roaring fires and five star ski resorts. Every year you will find me vacationing in Aspen, Colorado. It’s worthy of all the exemplary press it gets. In Aspen you can escape and indulge in the best skiing, shopping, restaurants and hotels. We were fortunate to dine at Conca del Sogno at Chefs Club St. Regis, Aspen. Read the entire post over at SNOW Magazine.

~ Marla Meridith

Coconut

Cream Cheese Lemon Coconut Cookies

There’s been a lot baking going on around here, way more often then usual. Last week it was this absolutely delicious Cast Iron Skillet Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. This weekend I baked these super tasty Cream Cheese Lemon Coconut Cookies. The texture is soft, velvety (thank you cream cheese!) And the flavors are subtle and spring like. If you have never baked with cream cheese then it’s high time you do it now. It adds a texture to your baked goodies like nothing else!

Click HERE for recipe details.

Super Soft Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies Recipe

~ Marla Meridith

Casseroles

Last Minute Easter Brunch Recipes

Happy Easter Sunday! I know many of us have limited ingredients on hand right now….but if you happen to have some eggs, flour etc. perhaps you can whip up some of these favorites. These recipes have all been big hits in my home and around the web. You have come back to me with some awesome feedback and variations. I love hearing how you make these recipes your own. If you try one of these take a photo and tag me on instagram @marlameridith I’d love to share your creations on my Insta Stories!

These Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Pancakes are always the hero at any breakfast or brunch table. Serve these up and you will be everyones hero too! Get the recipe on MarlaMeridith.com 
Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Pancakes

~ Marla Meridith