Vineyard Vines Christmas Mugs

(This post contains affiliate links.)

Y'all, we're entering the dangerous holiday territory where I want to order something cute for myself with every present I purchase. Now, I promised myself I'd be good for the rest of the season and try to remember the spirit of holiday giving. But then I saw that Vineyard Vines and Stoneware & Company (formerly Louisville Stoneware) have paired up to make Christmas Whale Mugs! This is so awesome, y'all. I've been collecting Stoneware for nearly 20 years, and I absolutely love their mugs. My Pappy & Co and Derby Whale mugs are my absolute favorite coffee mugs... and I *may* have a few more Stoneware mugs. These are such a perfect size and weight. And, I probably do need one... And so do you!

Thortons Kentucky Derby Bourbon Ball Donut

Bourbon balls are one of my very favorite Kentucky traditions. They remind me of holidays with my family; my great-aunt Marie always made bourbon balls using the exact same recipe that I use to this day. I always think of bourbon balls as a Christmas treat, or something to savor at the end of a bourbon distillery tour. I only recently learned that a lot of people make bourbon balls as a Derby treat as well.  This morning, I picked up a bourbon ball donut from Thorntons' new #ThorntonsBourbonKitchen line, and it was fabulous! 

If you're in the mood for a bourbon ball, my recipe is below, or you can just pick up one of those donuts at Thortons for 99 cents. It's the same flavor with a lot less effort! And let me know -- do y'all think of bourbon balls as a Derby time treat?

• 1 to 2 cups good bourbon whiskey 
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 to 1 cup whole pecan halves (optional) 
• 1 two-pound bag of powdered sugar
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 2 bags Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate chips
• paraffin wax

1. Place 1/2 to 1 cup of chopped pecans in shallow bowl. Pour bourbon over nuts, immersing completely. Cover and let soak 12 hours to overnight. 
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pecan halves in shallow pan and toast lightly for about ten minutes. 
3. Cream butter in stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Combine bourbon-pecan mixture with powdered sugar to form a stiff ball. Refrigerate to let stiffen slightly. 
4. Roll dough into small balls. 
5. In double-boiler (or a sauce pan placed over a cooker full of boiling water), add a third to a half a bag of semisweet chocolate chips and a small shaving of paraffin wax (no more than 1/4 cup). Heat until just smooth. Dip dough balls into the chocolate mixture. The key is to coat them quickly and make small, frequent batches of melted chocolate. 
6. Place bourbon balls on wax paper to cool. Top each with a toasted pecan half, if desired. Results are better if you leave them to cool at room temperature rather than in the refrigerator.

Yields between six and seven dozen bourbon balls.

Vineyard Vines 2017 Kentucky Derby Collection

Derby is only 52 days away, y'all! While it's ridiculously cold in Kentucky today, the official Vineyard Vines Kentucky Derby Collection was just released and it has me thinking about warmer weather, mint juleps, and Derby festivities. (Not to mention the upcoming opening of the Vineyard Vines store in Lexington!) 

I am simply OBSESSED with this mint julep recipe t-shirt. I'll definitely need this one!

The Bugler Whale shirt is so cute and commemorates one of my favorite racetrack traditions!

And this t-shirt has the coolest drawing of the track!

Y'all, I have to have one of these coffee mugs. I mean, Derby, Louisville Stoneware, and Vineyard Vines are three of my favorite things. 

Shop more Vineyard Vines Derby looks at Nordstrom or Vineyard Vines. They have looks for you, your beau, and the kids in your life! They even have some Oaks gear! 

This post may contain affiliate links; HerKentucky LLC may receive a nominal payment for your purchase or click.

Fair Isle For Fall

Fair Isle sweaters are a traditional favorite for fall and winter. The traditional knitting pattern is named, obviously, for Fair Isle, the most remote inhabited island in the United Kingdom. This tiny corner of Scotland, one of the Shetland Islands, is perhaps most famous for knits that have a limited palette of five or so colors, use only two colors per row, are worked in the round, and limit the length of a run of any particular color. For those of us who aren't knitters, that basically translates to rows of small, intricate patterns.

Sir Paul in Fair Isle

The pattern was popularized 1920s when Edward VIII, Prince of Wales, took to wearing the pattern.

Prince Eddy in Fair Isle

Over the years, Fair Isle knits have become synonymous with leisure, outdoorsy activities, and a traditionally British aesthetic.

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#squadgoals

I love that Fair Isle sweaters work well year after year. They never really go out of style. I may have a problem with collecting pink ones, though...

Modern Fair Isle knits aren't just relegated to stuffy sweaters. Here are some great Fair Isle pieces at every price point, ranging from traditional and preppy to modern and irreverent.

Welcome, Y'all!

HerKentucky is a collective of six women bloggers who love our beautiful, diverse Commonwealth. As we began planning our blog, we found that each of our experiences and tastes were shaped by the Kentucky regions where we'd lived.  We talked about the geography and customs of our hometowns, and how Kentucky symbols held various roles in our culture -- horses symbolize the racing lifestyle to some of us, and  are farm animals to others.  In some of our hometowns, bourbon is a way of life; in others, it's forbidden.  As we talked, we realized that, for each of us, "my Kentucky" means something different...

And so we --Cristina, Emily, (a.k.a. Skinny Emmie), Heather, Hunter,Megan, and Sarah-- welcome you to HerKentucky!

We look forward to sharing our experiences and starting a dialogue about Kentucky with all of you.

Cheers!