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!

Urnatur

Urnatur is a Swedish eco-lodge created for truly relaxing retreats and vacations. Don't the pictures look lovely? Visitors stay in tiny eco-friendly cottages and tree houses, there is a sauna, and a fire place. It sounds so relaxing - I want to go now! Check out all of the information about the cool eco-lodge here. Swedes are on top of it.