Glee Dance in Rome

Why does this kind of stuff never happen to me?!?!?!



I would probably just die right there.

Spiced Apple Toddy

The thought of eggnog makes me want to gag, but I always loved apple cider growing up. Doesn't a spiced apple toddy sound delicious for a warm holiday drink?



Recipe:

To make the baked apple, peel, quarter, and core an apple (Braeburn or other seasonally appropriate variety). Dust apple quarters lightly with ground cinnamon and allspice. Wrap each quarter separately in foil and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. (To make slices to garnish glasses, cut another apple into ¼-inch slices and bake until just softened.)

Combine Calvados (French apple brandy), apple, and sugar in a hot mug. Muddle apple (or mash it with a spoon), add boiling water, and stir until pulp dissolves. Lightly grate nutmeg on top.

Seen on ReadyMade.

I can't wait!

Looks so great.

Festivus...

...was so fun! Got to see all of my favorite people! It totally wore us out though...

Two Days...

...until CHRISTMASSSS BREAKKKK!!!! I can hardly wait. Studying for my last exam is absolutely tortuous!


Here are my fun Christmas break plans:

1. Visit Kristina in Pine Mountain. We'll do our usual routine of eating, wearing footie PJs, watching Gossip Girl and the OC, drinking hot chocolate, and playing dress up.

2. Wrapping Christmas presents! I love these pretty presents:
From Such Pretty Things via concrete and honey.

3. Watching Christmas movies with my Mom and dogs! Movies on my list? Home Alone (1 & 2!), The Holiday, Love Actually, and Four Christmases. My all time favorite is Miracle on 34th Street (the newer one...) but I watched it with my Mom and brother over Thanksgiving Break!

4. Playing Wii with my fun little brother.

5. Attending my hilarious older brother's Festivus party next Friday.

6. Hopefully painting a table and recovering a chair with my mom! She got a free, beat up table and chair from a client, and we're going to re-do them! For the chair, I want to use a fun fabric. I've been inspired lately. I like this before and after project: Spotted on Ready Made.
Spotted on ish and chi.

7. Going ice skating in Centennial Olympic Park with Eli and Robyn!

8. HOPEFULLY spending New Years with my wonderful boyfriend.


Here are my not-so-fun Christmas break plans:

1. Studying for the GRE.

2. Being away from Lucas most of the time :(

3. Reading 5 books for my directed reading next semester. Blah.

I think the good definitely outweighs the bad - luckily!

New Goodies

I went shopping for Christmas Gifts with Kristina and came back with a few gifts for others and a lot of gifts for myself (whoops!).

Kristina and I both bought these Nine West rhinestone-embellished-satin-black-peep toe-pumps! Love.

I also got this black and tan tote for DC next semester! It looks small, but it's nice and roomy. I can fit my Mac and books, notebooks, etc. It is from Target!

Also from Target, I got this top for work. It is a purple tweed top. I love the detail at the neck!

So happy with my new purchases. :)

Prettiest. Wedding. Ever.

Everything about this wedding is so beautiful and fancy. Personally, I think I would rather have an simple outdoor wedding, but this one is so lovely.

It was at the Hotel DuPont in Wilmington, Deleware:


I usually don't like frilly wedding dresses, but this one is so gorgeous:


Looks like a fairytale!
All photos by Marie Labbancz.
The dress is Monique Lhuillier.

Christmas Card Pictures!

2009 (junior year):

2008 (sophomore year):

2007 (freshman year):

The Babies

My friend Katherine Cherry (who is wonderful..) sent me this trailer and it immediately brightened my day. Babies are so funny and weird. This movie follows 4 babies in 4 very different places as they grow up. Looks interesting!

Alternative Christmas Trees

With my hardest final over and my 20 page paper turned in, I can finally recognize that there IS good in the world. Therefore, I will turn my blog focus back to CHRISTMASSSS which is a mere 22 days away! Weeee! :)

I love our traditional Christmas tree at my parents house. But at college, you have to opt for a smaller tree or a non-traditional tree. I love these adhesive ones:





See more on coocolor and lovemaestore.

Christmas!!!!

Oh goodness I can't wait until Christmas. Why is school so stressful? This week while I was home we decorated the house. We put up wreaths outside, hung ornaments on the tree, set up our little villages, and decorated the mantle! It got me in the spirit!

We decorated the mantle with magnolia leaves from outside and poinsettias!


Our huge tree:


Hard to tell, but the outside is decorated too!

Reasons to be happy today:

1. LUCAS is flying back to Georgia RIGHT NOW! :)
2. UGA vs GT = Clean old fashioned hate. GO DAWGS! :)
3. My family is awesome!

Madonna the Wise

Reason #1 why I'm getting an iPhone over a BlackBerry (Probably):

Because there is a CatPaint app!


I WANT IT! I WANT IT!

Speaking of cute hair pieces...

...enter to win this one here!

Flowers ARE Lovely!

A fellow UGA student, Lucy Holloway, makes the most adorable flower pins and headbands. I bought 3 today! Her little business is appropriately named "Flowers are Lovely."



(It looks pink but it's red and oh-so-perfect for UGA gamedays!)



Check out all of her designs on her Etsy shop and Facebook group - she even does custom orders. They are so affordable and dainty.

These Flower Fabric Garlands...

...are so pretty. Enter to win on The Coterie Blog!

(I think I like an army, golden yellow, pale yellow, and dark purple combination).

Gift Guide Part 3 - Etsy Finds

There are so many affordable and original gift options on Etsy!

For your oh-so-original friends like Shannon and Mimms a "Be U" pillow cover! $25.
From littlebirdart3.

For your eco-friendly slash coffee lover friends like Katherine or Aaron - a reusable coffee cup cozy! $16.
From CuffeShop.


For your trendy friends with iPhones like Robskies, Mimms, and my older brother (who is obsessed...) - these adorable iPhone cases. Both are $20. (I think I am getting an iPhone for Christmas and I can't decide which one to get!!!!).
From EvelynX.

From EgoorEngland.

Washington DC

So I know I'm all over the place, but I have so much going on! I'm going to Washington DC next semester and I just found out a few weeks ago. Needless to say, I'm excited, nervous, and anxious all at the same time.

Lately I've been stocking up on warm clothes. Today's weather in Georgia is close to 75 degrees - in the middle of NOVEMBER! So you can see why I don't get around to buying a lot of really warm clothes.

I just bought this wool Old Navy jacket. I chose red so I can represent UGA in DC! :)


I bought some really pretty Ralph Lauren gloves the other day. They are deep purple with a pretty black leather bow on the cuff. I can't find a picture online to post though! :(

I ALSO ordered these mustard yellow gloves (you can never have too many pairs - right?) from Target! I love the color and the bow. They're sheepskin so they should keep my hands warm!


I am excited about all of the fun things to do in DC in the spring. When it is not frigidly cold, I want to go kayaking or canoeing on the Potomac River, eat at the adorable cupcake shops scattered around DC (check out some of the cute shops here, here, and here), go to Eastern Market every weekend, and go to the National Cherry Blossom Festival in March and April!

Bunting Love

Rather than tacky Christmas lights (which Kristina loves...hahahaha....), I want to make red and green holiday bunting to add some color to our black and cream apartment!!!

Modeled after these - but green and red and oh-so-festive!

By Sophie Cuvelier. Seen on Design*Sponge.

By Melanie (who totally IS my fav)!

We could also get these fun buntings from Etsy:
"Joy" bunting, "Merry Christmas" bunting, or this red and green felt bunting!

I love Christmas, bunting, and I am already SO in the holiday spirit. Countdown until Thanksgiving break? FOUR DAYSSSSS!!!!!!

Christmas Gifts Part 2

For that friend weirdly obsessed with cats (you know you have one...I have several!) like Shannon, Kristina, Meaghan, and Caroline! What better than a cat tape dispenser??? Only $15.99 - a small price to pay for the look on their faces when they open it to realize they have yet another cat thing to display in their room or apartment. Should I go ahead and order 4? Probably. From ModCloth.

For your friend who is absolutely obsessed with their home state, like Brett (Brett loves Alabama - he orders like 8 rounds of Alabama Slammer shots whenever we go out and blasts a rap song called "The Alabama Anthem" way too often). So what to buy a friend like this? A state pillow of course. They have a pillow for every state! Okay...okay...so it is $149. Not really in my budget range. :) Maybe one day I'll be able to buy Brett this pillow! From Whispering Pines.

For your friends that love blogs and "follow" The Sartorialist and Garance Dore obsessively. This could definitely apply to most of my friends. "The Sartorialist" book by Scott Schuman is now available on Amazon in paperback for less than $20. I can't believe I don't have it yet. But this would be a great gift for a friend that just got a new place and needs a new book to adorn their coffee table. (It would also be a good gift to me - just sayin!) :) Book seen on Amazon. Written by Scott Schuman.

Potential Christmas Gifts

On a budget this year? I feel like a lot of my friends are. First of all, we're in college - enough said. But everyone seems to be saving for something! I am saving up for next semester in DC (I am so pumped)!

Check out these fun and affordable Christmas gifts:

For your friends who appreciate a good cup of coffee and a homemade cookie just as much as a store-bought gift. Homemade cookies in recycled tea boxes - the perfect fit! Almost free for you too!
Seen on Post Punk Kitchen.

For your traveling friends like Eli and Robyn and Meaghan. Pretty luggage tag! For under $10!
From Lizard Thicket (the boutique I worked at in HS).

For your friends that love colorful fun things just because - like Kristina or Caroline! Fantastic printed coasters in fun colors - only $10!
From Love My Costers. Seen on Bright, Bold, and Beautiful.

More fun gift ideas to come later - I've waited as long as I can to start talking about Christmas - SOOO excited! :)

Planter Boxes...

...this inspires me to be crafty. It would be painful to cut pages out of a book, but I love these crafty ideas to turn random items into planters...


Spotted on Mitsubai Tokyo.

Spotted on Blade Diary.

Butterfly Collection

In my ecology class, we went to the State Botanical Gardens to catch butterflies. Then we learned how to make butterfly collections. It was really fun and interesting, and I love my new collection. It always makes me smile when I see them above my bed!