A lot of you probably know that I moved into an apartment this year for my junior year of college. I couldn’t be happy, especially since I was pretty much done living in the dorms! Don’t get me wrong, they were super nice to be in for my first two years of college, and I ended up meeting some of my best friends, but I really missed having my own kitchen and all of the other benefits that come along with living in an apartment (like actual rooms…).
As soon as I knew I was definitely going to be living in an apartment, I made a board on my Pinterest so I could keep track of all of the decorations I wanted to put up, and other organization tips. Moving in was stressful, and it took way too long to decorate – procrastination on my part – but I finally have up all of the decorations I want, so I thought it would be fun to show you all how it turned out!
I thought the most simple way of doing that would be to post the video I made about it on my channel, since I basically walk you through it! Here are some highlighting photos, though, of some of my favorite things!
I’m so happy with how my apartment came out! It’s really nice being able to have my own space – shared with roommates – that we can just come home to at the end of a long day filled with classes and work. My roommates and I honestly don’t really want to take down all of the lights even after Christmas is over because they make it so cozy in the apartment! Maybe we’ll swap them out for white lights, but for now the colors are super festive and give it such a warm feeling.
Thank you so much for reading and have a wonderful day! 🙂
Merry Christmas Eve, Eve!
Every year, my parents ask me for a Christmas list, and in recent years they have changed a lot! There are a lot less toys, and receiving socks is now one of the highlights of my Christmas mornings. Whereas getting clothes as a kid was not cool at all, I love it now. Since Christmas is only a couple of days away (what?!) I thought I would share what’s on my list this year!
Every year, my parents ask me for a Christmas list, and in recent years they have changed a lot! There are a lot less toys, and receiving socks is now one of the highlights of my Christmas mornings. Whereas getting clothes as a kid was not cool at all, I love it now. Since Christmas is only a couple of days away (what?!) I thought I would share what’s on my list this year!
1. Gray socks
Is it weird that gray socks are seriously my favorite thing in the world? There is something about them that I absolutely love, and I am always in need of cozy socks!
2. Nike Frees
I’ve had my trusty Nike’s for a couple of years now, so I think it’s due time to get a new pair! I’m running a whole lot more lately, so I desperately need another pair to switch around with.
3. The illustrated copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
I was thumbing through a copy the other day, and ohmygosh is it gorgeous! I’m a total Harry Potter fanatic, so I’ve been dying to get my hands on it!
4. Ecosphere
These things are so cool!
They are an enclosed glass bowl (or in this case, oval), and contain microorganisms and shrimp that don’t need anything from the outside! I love the environment, so this thing is so fascinating to me.
5. Booties
My favorite pair of flat booties have finally bit the dust, so it’s time to get a new pair, as much as it pains me. I have a pair with heels, but I like flat ones for day-to-day wear since they’re a lot more comfortable.
6. Pink Sugar Perfume
This is my all-time favorite scent, and I’ve been out of it for a couple of years, so I really wanted another bottle. I smelled it somewhere a little while back, and now I’ve really been missing it!
7. Bralettes
I have been wearing bralettes non-stop because they’re so comfortable – it seriously feels like you’re not wearing a bra!
8. DSLR Camera Stabilizer
These guys are great for filming, because they create a much smother and stable image for things like landscape shots.
9. Over-sized turtleneck sweater
I have seen so many celebrities wearing these lately, and I think they are so cute! They are so easy to make an outfit out of, and are super comfy for the winter.
10. Tickets to the opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Los Angeles
I am so excited for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter to open in Los Angeles, because it’s much closer than Orlando! It would be so incredible to go for the opening weekend, but I figure that’s probably not going to happen. A girl can dream, though!
Well, that is everything that is on my grown up Christmas list! I’m so excited for Christmas, and I can’t wait to give my family and friends what they want for Christmas! Seeing my loved ones’ faces light up when they open up their presents on Christmas is truly my favorite part of the day. We’re getting so close! Looking at Spring also really helped me to create my Christmas list this year!
What’s on your Christmas list this year?
Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂
Decorating for Christmas is one of my favorite things to do, so I thought I would share how I decorated my dorm for Christmas! I’m back home now for winter break, but I’m so glad I decorated my dorm for Christmas, because it really got me into the holiday spirit, and allowed me to get through finals sanely!
1. Get festive pillows and put them on your bed, couch, etc.
Christmas pillows are always so pretty, and there are so many to choose from! I love to go to Michaels to get them because they have a lot, and they also have a lot of coupons you can use! This makes the cost of the pillows go down a lot, and also allows you to get a lot!
2. Get a mini-Christmas tree
I found my little Christmas tree in the dollar section of Target (it was $3), and later found the little ornaments for $3 as well! I had the little firefly lights already, but I know Target has some for super cheap as well. It’s super easy to find really cute and small Christmas trees that don’t cost a lot, and also won’t take up a lot of room in your small space! It was also super fun decorating it, even though it didn’t take that long at all.
I found my little Christmas tree in the dollar section of Target (it was $3), and later found the little ornaments for $3 as well! I had the little firefly lights already, but I know Target has some for super cheap as well. It’s super easy to find really cute and small Christmas trees that don’t cost a lot, and also won’t take up a lot of room in your small space! It was also super fun decorating it, even though it didn’t take that long at all.
3. Make a cute Christmas banner
I found a little kit at Target (I promise this isn’t sponsored by Target!) with gift tags and a bunch of twine. Instead of using the trees as gift tags, I decided to make a little banner out of them and put them by my desk! It was super easy to do, the kit was $3, and it looked so cute once I hung it up! This would also be really simple to do with simple construction paper and twine if you can’t find a kit like the one from Target!
I found a little kit at Target (I promise this isn’t sponsored by Target!) with gift tags and a bunch of twine. Instead of using the trees as gift tags, I decided to make a little banner out of them and put them by my desk! It was super easy to do, the kit was $3, and it looked so cute once I hung it up! This would also be really simple to do with simple construction paper and twine if you can’t find a kit like the one from Target!
4. Hang up twinkle lights. Everywhere.
I have little fairy lights in my room year-round, but they definitely feel super festive around the holiday season! You could even get some red or green colored lights to layer on top of twinkle lights already there.
Alright, well those are four, simple ways to decorate a small space for Christmas!
I can’t believe it is already time for Christmas – this year has seriously flown by. This is my favorite time of the year, though, so I’m trying to soak it all in as much as I can.
You can also check out the video I made down below, and you can see more of my Christmas-fied dorm room!
Do you like decorating for Christmas?
Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day!
It’s no secret that I love DIY projects, especially as gifts for my friends and family. I think they are so nice to give to people because it shows you like to put in a little extra effort for them, and the projects are usually so much fun!
While Christmas shopping this year, I saw cute little milk bottles at my local craft store, and just had to do a project with them for gifts. So, I went on the hunt for gold and chalkboard paint in order to make a gold dipped (I love gold things if you haven’t noticed) milk bottle, as well as one painted entirely with chalkboard paint.
Here are the results!
They were both really easy to do, but I will include how I painted them step by step, as well as the supplies you will need!
Gold Dipped Milk Bottles
For this project, you’ll need however many milk bottles you want to paint, painters tape, Liquid Leaf (or any other gold paint you can find, I found the Liquid Leaf at Michael’s), and a brush of some sort. If you do use Liquid Leaf, you actually need to use a paint brush with bristles, but use a cheap one unless you have a good cleaner to immediately clean off the paint, or else it will ruin the brush!
Tape off the part that you don’t want to paint with the gold, but you don’t need to tape off the whole bottle. Just make sure the line is straight and even all around the bottle!
I just had to take a picture of the Liquid Leaf – how cool does it look?!
Turn the bottle upside down, and simply paint! Make sure you paint in the same direction (I did up and down brush strokes) around the whole bottle. I did put two coats on one bottle, but there was no visible difference between two coats and one when I compared the two bottles.
That’s it, you’re done! Carefully take off the tape, and make sure the bottles are completely dry before you do anything with them! I think these are perfect to use a vases, decorations, or anything else you can think of to use them for. This method could also easily be used to make anything else you would want “gold dipped.” I also painted a giant seashell gold for my grandma for Christmas because she loves the beach, and it turned out great!
Chalkboard Milk Bottles
For the chalkboard bottles, you’ll need milk bottles, chalkboard paint (you can find this at any craft store, usually by the acrylic craft paint), one of these little sponge brushes, and newspaper to put under the bottles while painting.
Turn the bottles upside down, and paint away! Again, make sure your brush strokes are consistent the whole way around the bottle. I had to do three coats of chalkboard paint in order to make it completely opaque, and make sure the previous coat is completely dry before you apply another one.
I love how the chalkboard paint looks on the bottles, especially next to the gold dipped ones! This would be really cute to hold things that you could label with chalk. I also think they would look really cool with bright daisies in them!
Well there you go! DIY gold dipped and chalkboard painted milk bottles for you or your friends! This was a really simple project that only took a couple of hours (I made sure the coats had plenty of time to dry between paintings), and wasn’t too expensive at all! I had plenty of leftover paint after these bottles, and the possibilities for the Liquid Leaf and chalkboard paints are endless! I have a feeling everything I own is going to be either gold or chalkboard painted…
Have you been liking the gold dipped and chalkboard paint trend lately?
Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have a great day! 🙂
I’m so sorry I’ve been MIA for a couple of weeks, but I’ve been super busy with family stuff, and Christmas in general!
This is what I wore to our church’s Christmas Eve service, but I think it would be really cute to wear to any holiday party you might have, or for New Years Eve! It isn’t too fancy and it is also really comfy, so you could definitely last all night in it!
Dress: Nordstrom
Tights: Nordstrom
Bangles: They were actually a gift, but they’re just little gold bangles that are sold most places.
I have really been loving my Ted Baker bag!!
Shoes: Nordstrom Rack
Anyway, I thought I would just show you guys what I wore on Christmas Eve, and the fact that it is really versatile for the holiday season!
What did you wear for the holidays?
Thanks for reading, and have a great day! 🙂
Blogmas Day Five!
Today I was watching Louise’s (from Sprinkle of Glitter) latest Vlogmas vlog, in which she talked about giving back, and how the holiday season is the perfect time. With my last couple of posts being about gift ideas for loved ones, her thoughts got me thinking about the importance of giving back as well. I’m not saying that it’s horrible to only give presents to those we love, if that’s all you can afford to do, then that’s perfectly okay! But if you happen to be fortunate enough to have the time or money to help out, then by all means go ahead. I actually went into a store today, and the fire department was standing outside doing a toy and canned food drive. My family usually donates a couple of cans of food, but this year I really want to do more and try to help a lot more people. With it being the holiday season, giving back is all the more important to help other people have the warm fuzzies associated with Christmas and other holidays. So many people aren’t fortunate enough to even have a warm place to be at night, let alone receive presents on Christmas morning. Don’t get me wrong, giving back is extremely important all year long, but this time of year really helps people realize that there are others who are in desperate need of help from people who can afford to lend a hand.
Being at college has also opened my eyes to the horrible realities some people face; homelessness, going without food for a couple of days, becoming unemployed, or worse. It’s easy to forget how some people live in the world when you aren’t surrounded by it everyday. Living is very, very hard in some parts of the world – sometimes it can only be called surviving. This time of year is the time for you to be grateful of what you have and not what you don’t have. What I mean is, don’t be grateful that your life isn’t like the lives of the less fortune, rather be happy with the things that you do have, and try and help others out when you can. I heard a wonderful talk about this, and how the speaker hated it when people were grateful for the wrong things – that they have a home that unlike homeless people, or that their health isn’t like that of the ill. Try and always be thankful for the things in your life as they are. Life becomes so much easier when you are able to be thankful for everything you have, and even for the little things in life. And on that same point, trying to help out in little ways, but often, can add up to a lot over time! An act of any kind of kindness goes a long way.
Giving back and helping out has always been something that I’ve been passionate about, so it’s something I could drone on and on about! I just think the world would be a much better place if more people tried to help out, even in the smallest of ways. I know that I could definitely try and help and give back more myself! This is just the perfect time of year to try and help out a little bit more than you usually would, because it helps spread holiday cheer 🙂 This time of year is definitely my favorite for that reason, and all of the warm fuzzy feelings of being with those you love, and being able to give them a gift that shows just how much you care for them. I hope all of you have a great holiday season this year!
What are some of the ways you give back?
Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have a great day! 🙂
Blogmas Day Four!
As a continuation of my post yesterday (Gift Ideas For Family), today I’ll be sharing with you guys some gift ideas I have for friends!
For Your Best Friend
Okay, so while these bracelets might be a little bit cheesy, I actually think they’re really cute and simple!
(One says “best friends” and the other says “till the end.” Find them here!)
I think they’re a very classy version of those silly matching bracelets you would get as a kid for your you and your best friends to wear everywhere. These are a great present, too, if you and your best friend go to different schools that are farther away.
For Your Jewelry-Loving Friends
I don’t know if it’s just my friends who love watches, but they’re always a solid go-to for my friends who love jewelry!
These drop necklaces have also gotten really popular, and I think they can really add a lot to a simple outfit, so this would also be a great gift, too!
For Your Beauty-Loving Friends
Sephora has great gift sets for not a lot of money (both of these are around $20!), so those are great options for friends who are really into beauty items.
For Your Book-Loving Friends
Honestly, as an avid reader, I would love to receive my friend’s favorite books as gifts. I think that’s a really cool thing to give someone, because it allows you both to get to know each other more, and for the other person to read a great book!
You can also never go wrong with a journal!
Well, these are the gift ideas I have for friends, and hopefully it helped! It’s definitely helped me to actually sit down and think about what I would get for my friends, because I still need to go shopping…
What are some gifts you usually get your friends?
Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful day! 🙂
Blogmas Day Three, for me! 🙂
If you’re anything like me, you probably haven’t started shopping for Christmas presents yet… However, I have actually started thinking about gift ideas for family members, so I decided to compile a list for you guys!
For Mom
I think I will be getting a little spa package for my mom, as she overworks herself and never leaves time to pamper herself, and instead spoils everyone else. I know my mom will really appreciate it, and it will give her some much needed down time!
If you want to make a DIY gift for your mom (my mom absolutely loves handmade things), you could crochet her a scarf – I did this last year, and my mom really loved receiving something I had worked a while on – or make her a tray like this one:
It’s a picture frame made into a little serving tray, and I think it’s so cute! My mom would love something like this, especially with pictures, and it doesn’t look too difficult to make!
For Dad
I don’t know if it’s just my dad, but he loves getting sweaters from my mom and I (mostly because he never buys clothes for himself, and doesn’t have a clue when it comes to fashion), so usually I get him one a lot like this:
I think sweaters are a really good present to get dad’s since a lot of them don’t do their own shopping, and it reassures you that they won’t be wearing that shirt they got back in the 80’s everyday.
For a more DIY gift, I would suggest making them a Sharpie mug, or painting one at a place where they put it in the oven for you and it looks really nice after (is this just an American thing?). I have done both in the past for my dad since he’s an avid coffee drinker, and dad’s appreciate handmade things, too!
For Brother
My brother loves watches for some reason (even though he didn’t learn how to read an analog clock until he was about twelve years old), and he most likely needs a new one, so I’m probably going to get him one similar to this:
He’s pretty rough and tumble, so I like to get him watches that will last for a while, and are resistant to scratches. I think I’m also going to get him footie pajamas this year as well, because he loves being comfy and thinks they are hilarious!
For Sister
I don’t actually have a sister, but I have a neighbor who is like a sister to me, and I love getting her pretty necklaces, bracelets, earrings, or any other jewelry because she loves accessories!
Both of these are really pretty and classic, which I’m sure your sister would love for Christmas! A cute frame with a picture of the two of you is always a good option as well, or a DIY painted canvas with one of her favorite quotes!
Writing this post has made me even more anxious to get Christmas shopping done for a least my family, so that’s probably what I will be doing this weekend!
What gifts are you getting for your family?
Thank you for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful day! 🙂
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I thought this week I would write a post about what I am thankful for.
Too often, people get caught up in the happening of their lives, and don’t have the time to give thanks to all of the wonderful parts of their lives. I often fall vicim to this as well because my life has been insanely busy with just starting college, and trying to figure out how to manage all of my time. I think it’s extremely important, though, to step back and be thankful for all of the good in our lives – it not only puts things into perspective, but I find that it also helps life seem a little easier. Suddenly all of the hard parts of life are easier, because you see life isn’t all bad after all.
Ten Things I’m Thankful For
1. My family
2. My friends
3. My animals
3. Being able to go to college
4. Having a home to go home to during the holidays
5. All of my favorite books
6. Coffee (I am a college student after all…)
7. Having a mom who taught me how to cook for myself
8. Living in a place where people can practice any religion they choose
9. The holiday season
10. Harry Potter, because why not?
Even if you don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, this time of year is a great time to step back and reflect on all of the good things in your life. Everyone has something, and honestly it gives you the warm-fuzzies that are so often associated with the holiday season (and who doesn’t want warm-fuzzies?!).
What are you grateful for?
Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have a great day! 🙂
Okay, I’m just going to start off by admitting that I have a slight addiction to anything related to s’mores, and, of course, s’mores themselves. They are just so delicious and remind me of great times with my family. So, when I saw the recipe for this s’mores dip, I couldn’t resist.
The ingredient list is quite short, and the whole process is really simple.
You will need:
1 cup of chocolate chips (some recipes said to use milk chocolate chips, and others said to use dark or semisweet, but it really is up to your preference. I used semisweet because that’s what we had)
2 tbs of milk
1 cup of mini marshmallows and 1/4 of a cup for sprinkling on top
Graham Crackers to dip into this delicious creation
Let’s get to the steps!
Add the chocolate chips, (1 cup) marshmallows, and milk to a medium saucepan and heat on a medium setting, stirring continuously. Stir until it looks nice and creamy like this:
Next, poor the mixture into a small casserole dish. It helps to have a rubber spatula to scrape all of the chocolate from the side of the pan. Top the chocolate off with the remaining 1/4 cup of marshmallows.
And, of course, you gotta lick the spoon!
Put it in the broiler for about a minute, or until the marshmallows are golden brown.
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| Okay, how pretty is this?! |
Now crack open your graham crackers and go to town with the dip!
I really can’t explain how yummy this is. I knew I would really enjoy it, because I love everything s’mores, and my family loved it as well. With all of the holiday parties and Christmas Day celebrations, this is the perfect dessert! Everyone can just pop a graham cracker coated with this dip into their mouths, and they will be coming back over and over, trust me. I will definitely be making this on Christmas day since we’re having Christmas at my family’s house this year. But really, it’s perfect for anything or anytime of the year!
Let me know if you guys have made this, or if you have had it before!
Have a great rest of your day, and thanks for reading! 🙂