an extra special christmas

our little apartment is brimming with christmas spirit,

smelling of pine needles, warm and inviting,

celebrating our first christmas together.

colored button lights

and a parliament of owls on the mantle

a vintage inspired tree
complete with a few vintage ornaments


here's wishing you a holiday season
surrounded by those whom you love.
xoxo


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oh, ellen

one of the good things about finals week

is that i am back home by about lunchtime every day.

this means that i am at home when ellen show airs.

i love ellen degeneres.

i think she is absolutely hilarious.

i watched her show last year during my workout hour,

and i almost fell off the treadmill from laughing.

not only is the show incredible comic relief from a mound of schoolwork,

ellen gives so much away to people who really need help.

she gave a car, christmas money, a gas card, and some extra cash

to a single mom who couldn't afford to provide christmas for her children this year.

during december ellen also does "12 days of giveaways"

where she gives ridiculously incredible prizes to the people in the audience.

we're talking digital cameras, gift cards to target, qvc, barnes & noble,

laptops, palm pixis, lcd tvs, photo printers...

you get the idea.

so yesterday i was watching and taking a break from studying,

when she broke my heart just a little bit.

{i know this is really quite silly, so don't laugh at me...}

she gave away a red kitchenaid mixer to everyone in the audience.

a red stand mixer that would be so perfect in my kitchen.

i didn't care about the camera, the printer, or the hdtv.

just the mixer.

anything but the mixer.

{note, that this is after i found out that my "discount" at macy's

is only 10% which really doesn't help, so i decided not to get one.}

so i will watch ellen today with a slightly saddened heart.

if only i could teleport to los angeles to go to the show.

i do think that a {post-pharmacy school} trip to cali is in order.

and when that trip comes around,

you better believe the ellen show is on my list.

xoxo

images courtesy of the ellen degeners show

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outerwear outings

living in the south i really don't have need of a winter coat.

we do experience some pretty cold days during january and february,

but it is nothing compared to the snowy north.

since i would need to spend quite a bit
to find a nice wool coat that actually fits me well,
i often settle for more trendy versions at lower price points.


i found this lovely guy on sale at h&m earlier this year.
he made his fashion debut this past week
for husband's office christmas party and for church on sunday.

it's a great piece at a great price,
definitely warm and snug, and pretty versatile.
the over sized collar is my favorite part.
it looks best buttoned all the way up like a cowl neck
{which isn't shown in either of these pictures}
and the belt helps to hide the fact that it's a little too big.


since our snowfall may consist of six inches on a good year,
and the really cold weather only lasts a few months,
it is completely unjustifiable to spend a lot on a winter coat.
as much as i absolutely love the one from anthropologie,
it's just not practical to spend that much when i live in the south.

one day when we move north or west,
i am sure i will invest in a more durable winter coat,
but for now i will stick with h&m, f21, and the bp department at nordstrom


where do you go to find affordable winter coats?


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right on time, rodarte

just in time for all of those holiday parties,

target is releasing a collection of edgy items by rodarte.

the collection is full of statement pieces that will pair perfectly

with more conservative skirts for an office party

or with lace tights for new year's eve with friends

or even with jeans and heels for christmas with the family.

we're talking lace and tulle dresses and skirts,

leopard-print sequin frocks, netted legwear,

silk camis, and bow belts.

although the styling of these images isn't exactly my cup of tea

{ie, doc marten style boots, leopard and lace together, straight dark hair with a middle part}

i can definitely see the potential in all of the items in the rodarte collection.

what is your opinion?

will you be perusing your local target for holiday apparel?

xoxo

images courtesy of laforce + stevens

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cup vs. mug

the other day my bestie and i had a conversation

about coffee cups vs. coffee mugs.

as much as i love many of my vintage tea cups,
i drink my daily coffee out of over sized mugs,

even if i don't fill it up all the way.

i just like the feeling of a big, warm cup in my tiny hands.

a mug filled with hot chocolate mix and peppermint

or spiced tea and gingerbread

is a simple, personal gift for anyone on your list

that won't send you into financial distress.

an easy place to find unique mugs is anthro

or search online for really unique mugs

husband would love this trigger mug from a+r

this hand painted tree mug from etsy is perfect for an outdoorsy guy or gal

a monogram mug from this seller is an easy gift for anyone on your list

vintage tea cups definitely have their place in my life,

but as for daily use, i am a mug type of gal.

what about you?

are you a cup or a mug person?

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opinions, please!

one item that i have long been coveting for in my kitchen
is a kitchen aid electric stand mixer.
i absolutely love to bake, and i know i would use it quite often,
so it definitely is not a matter of if i will purchase one
but more a matter of when i will purchase one.

that being said, i placed one on our wedding registry
simply hoping to acquire enough gift card credit to purchase it.
this coming weekend, macys is doing a friends and family discount,
and i think it is time to take the plunge.
between gift cards and the discount, it's not a bad price.
here's my issue.....


this is the one i originally wanted {the one that i registered for}
i simply adore the color.
i think the turquoise makes the mixer look that much more vintage,
and you know how much i want to rework my kitchen
into a vintage turquoise and red color scheme
and how much i like turquoise in any room in our home.


here is the more practical option:
i am definitely not drawn to the white, but i don't really mind it.
the only reason it is in the running is price.
this one is $100 less.***
it is a bit smaller than its competition,
but honestly, it's pretty comparable.
also, it is a color than can be incorporated into any kitchen.
i do love my red and turquoise and don't foresee that changing,
but in thirty years i may feel differently.
{and yes, i plan on still using it in thirty years. it's a lifetime kind of appliance.}


so, my dears, what would you do?
go with the prettier, more expensive one since we are using gift cards
or go with the less colorful, less expensive one
and use excess gift cards for something else fun as well
{a nice menswear watch, makeup from benefit, jeans for husband}
??????

***EDIT: after the discount/coupon the difference between the two is $70.

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dear followers,

i adore you <3>

it honestly makes my day that you read this little blog.

i love reading your comments and getting your input on my musings.

thanks for being so great.

xoxo

Heart U, originally uploaded by twoeyes.

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ugly cupcakes? i think not...

i have heard it said that muffins are just "ugly cupcakes,"
but i wholeheartedly disagree.
as much as i love cupcakes, i love muffins too.
{in fact, i think i just love baking regardless of what i'm making.}

for those of you who agree with the "ugly cupcake" hypothesis,

those of you whose favorite part of a cupcake is the icing,
these muffins are just for you:

pumpkin spice muffins with built-in cream cheese icing
soooooo delicious :)

image credit

the how-to:
spice cake mix
1 box instant vanilla pudding (3 oz)
1 cup canned pumpkin
one 8 oz package of cream cheese (softened)
one egg
1/4 cup sugar

make cake mix as directed on box,
add pudding powder and pumpkin.
spoon into paper-lined muffin cups.

beat cream cheese until creamy,
then add sugar and egg, and beat until creamy.

spoon a small amount of cream cheese mixture onto
batter-filled muffin cups and swirl gently.

bake for 18-21 minutes at 350


my mom made these for us a few weeks ago,
and they pair perfectly with a big mug of hot chocolate
or strong coffee early in the morning.
i do believe that a batch of these little guys
is on the agenda for the weekend.

if you decide to make them, let me know what you think!
xoxo


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{from the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another}

today {and every day} i am thankful for

my incredible husbandwhose kindness, generosity, and overwhelming love
never cease to amaze me

my sweet motherwho is the most self-sacrificing person i know
always encouraging, always smiling, always with a kind word

my family
we are a close-knit group,
and i am so blessed to have them all.

wonderful friendswho make life that much sweeter


who or what are you thankful for today?


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bright tights

one of my favorite things about cold weather

is the chance to break out some of my brightly colored tights.

with colors ranging from cobalt to mustard to emerald to bulldog red,

there is a pair for every skirt or dress in my closet.

sometimes it's difficult to incorporate colored tights into ones wardrobe

without looking like a box of crayola crayons.

here are some of my favorite inspiration looks:

from magazines:

images: the little bit

from other bloggers:

image credit: nicole hill gerulat via rockstar diaries

image credit: lookbook.nu

image credit: taghrid

from anthropologie {of course}:

image credit: breakfast at anthropologie

my best advice for wearing colored tights is to do one of two things:

1. stick with one color and play with varying shades

{ie, pink & red in the first photo; yellow in the fourth photo}

2. pair two colors that compliment each other

{ie, purple and yellow, blue and white, gold and green}

what is your advice for bright winter tights, my lovelies?

xoxo

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{something funny to brighten your day}

my bestie sent me this during a stressful week,
and i loved it, so i'm sharing it with you.



this is so my life with cooper.
xoxo


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finishing touches

with the cool weather setting in

and the thanksgiving holiday around the corner,

i have started to think more and more about christmas presents.

{things to give, not receive!}

this year i decided to make all of my presents in the kitchen.

although a bit nervous about this rather large undertaking,

i think it will be a fun, personal way to give one of the things that i love the most,

the comfort of homemade, delicious food.

i am still tweaking the recipe list,

{check back for a detailed account later!}

but i have started to think about packaging a bit.

i know i want to find some mini mason jars for one of the goodies,

and i stumbled upon nice package when looking for finishing touches.

the site has adorable tags, twine, boxes,

and anything else you may need to wrap sweet little gifts

{or even do a bit of decorating}

i love these metallic tab stickers, especially as a garland on a brown box

personalized award ribbon tags

to make brown paper packages that much more special

this pennant bunting is simple and sweet

i love the personalized simplicity of it all,

and i think it is quite perfect for the types of gifts i will be giving this year.

stop by nice package and look through their creative gift wrap ideas.

which one is your favorite?

xoxo

images courtesy of nice package

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in the spirit

thanksgiving and christmas are my favorite holidays,

and this year is even more special since it is

mine and husband's first christmas as our own little family

we did a small amount of christmasing this weekend...

i succeeded in decorating our mantle

and placing a small tree in the kitchen,

and we will put up our tree over thanksgiving.

needless to say, i am quite content.

here are some of my favorite christmas ideas:

mini trees

source: apartment therapy

these adorable gift sets of cocoa and cookies from rosanna, inc:

{inspired by her grandmother's vintage holiday stickers}

i love giving cocoa and goodies as gifts...

stay tuned for more about this in an upcoming post(s)

source: rosanna, inc

ornaments made from old christmas cards

source: martha stewart

a wall tree

perfect for small spaces, but still so festive!

source: apartment therapy

household items as tree ornaments

i love the old clock faces and letters,

and how fun would those vintage utensils be on a tabletop tree in a kitchen?
source: country living

where are you finding your christmas inspiration this year?

xoxo

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