Thanksgiving Recap

My Thanksgiving was filled with food, cooking, more food, shopping, and relaxation- the perfect break.  I live in a dorm which means I don't get to cook and bake as much as I would like, so when Thanksgiving comes along, i jump at the chance to bake as much as possible. As much as I love holidays, I find the whole recipe finding process stressful. I always have a million elaborate ideas of what the perfect holiday dessert would look like, but it never happens. Over the years I've realized that the simple dishes are the best. Thanksgiving is about taking a step back from your life and appreciating everything around you. A fancy over-the-top dish would interfere with that, so embrace the little things in life. I baked two desserts this year: brownies and pumpkin cupcakes. They are both classic and easy to make, and not limited to thanksgiving.

My pumpkin cupcakes! I used this recipe from Food Network. The frosting was the best part by far!

An extremely close up picture of tomato, mozzarella, and basil skewers with a balsamic drizzle.  I just love how close up it almost looks like a garden. It was a simple appetizer that didn't require time or attention.

  My Thanksgiving outfit(and awkward posing)!

Jewelry detail- layered necklaces

I chose a sweater dress because it is the epitome of style and comfort. Plus, I am obsessed with stripes, which is an added bonus. The dress is from H&M which also makes it very affordable. It is my go-to store for anything I'm looking for. The dress was long enough to keep me warm without needing tights, especially since Thanksgiving was at my house. The boots are by far my favorite pair. The heel is only around 2 inches which adds some height to my 5'1 self, but is still comfortable to walk around in. Stylish enough for the dinner table, but loose enough to accommodate any impending food coma. 

Did you survive black friday? For the first time I participated in midnight shopping and it was so fun! I live really close to a Kohl's and figured I would give it a shot and walked away with jewelry and a new bag at great prices! Luckily, the crowd was tolerable which made for a more enjoyable experience. Online shopping is definitely more convenient, but nothing beats the experience of sitting in your car at midnight waiting to go shopping. 

What are your favorite thanksgiving recipes? Score any amazing deals on cyber Monday? Comment below! Stay stylish! 

Organize, Prioritize, Decorize...?

One thing that I could be considered famous, or infamous, for is my innate ability to organize anything and everything that I am doing. From the notes that I take in class to the clothes that are hanging in my closet, I take much pride in how I organize.  However, I am not one of those intensely has-to-be-my-way-or-the-highway type of people; I just try to find a nice balance between Crazy Housewife and Sloppy 20-someting. This obsession is really just for my personal business and for peace of mind.  So here it goes, my attempt to explain and teach my ways of organization.  The first basic step is to write things down.  Obviously with the rapid increase in technology and the beloved iPhone (complete genuine statement, I love my iPhone) there has been a push towards virtual calendars. As I will discuss later, if you find a way that works for you stick with it! However, I for one, have to physically right things down and be able to see, in front of me, all the things I have to do.

 

 As I'm sure you can imagine, that means having some sort of "agenda" or "planner" or "calendar". Call it what you may but as long as there are specific sections for every day of the week, i.e. a calendar, you shall be golden. Through the many years of me keeping a planner [as I call them], I have found that it is most helpful to test out and try every type there is out there. One with a spiral bind, one without a spiral bind, a big one, a small one, one that only has month calendars, one that has weeks, one that has giant days.  There are so many variations.  I have found (as pictured above) that the planner that works best for me is one where when it is open, my entire week is displayed.  This particular one is my Mead Five Star and I love it. Each long column you see is one day of the week.  This allows for things to be put in chronological order within each day. So, you may be thinking to yourself "yes Julia, I'm not a first time planner!" In response to that thought, I will share with you one of my favorite secrets. I write down EVERYTHING; including when I want to go to the gym, if I have class, if I have practice, if I have to bake cupcakes for someone's birthday, birthdays, holidays, the exact hour that I want to get things done, assignments, lists of emails I must send,  and most importantly, I schedule in blocks of time when I write in big bold letters "DO NOT SCHEDULE ANYTHING: RELAX".  This my friends, is the secret. Because of this it is a mental and physical blocker that I am not available because I am tending to myself.

Next up is really a subtopic of organization: prioritization! This is something that I have only recently fallen in love with.  It is explained best by example. As depicted below, this is my method of prioritizing things (I apologize for blurring out the photo. There is top secret information on my board such as WHO is receiving WHAT Christmas Presents!).

I will explain this in many less words than the actual act of organization (hopefully). First offs, let me state that I bought this wonderful whiteboard at Walmart for $5 in September when they were clearing out the school supplies and most likely prematurely preparing for Christmas (only a joke.. kind of). As you can see I make different lists that change depending on what is relevant to my life at the time. Previously I have had lists to deal with "next semester's classes" or "Baby Shower Planning", right now, I have quite a few. Here's where it begins: as with many people, our finances are a pretty big priority in our lives, especially around the Holidays. Right now, I have made lists of expected expenditures for the next month and a half or so.  They include: Birthdays that I will be purchasing gifts for, events such as Graduations that I will be buying cards for, Christmas presents for those close to me  and their budget (or lack thereof), ect.  What I am respecting the most is the section titled "DO NOT BUY ANYMORE:" where sadly enough, after reviewing my finances, I realized too much money was going into the accounts of Panera, Dunkin Donuts, and Target for unneeded expenses (i.e. grilled chicken caesar salads with pumpkin spiced lattes, peppermint mocha coffees, and cosmetics, hair products, random crafts, and birthday supplies..) I have a section that is a reminder of my change in work availability with the recess of classes in December and yet again, my top secret section "Fun Things to Purchase When I Actually Have Money to Spend". Here I have little things such as a new hair dryer, "New Girl" on DVD, more big comfy sweatpants, etc. As you can probably tell, I like to have small sections to lighten the mood and make things less serious and scary and more "doable". Having the "things i will eventually purchase" section allows you to #1. keep track of items you may not think of all the time that you would like and #2.  Allow you to focus on something positive and fun! By prioritizing these aspects, in a physical manner, it allows for peace of mind, a better understanding of obligations/responsibilities, and also time management.

And last but certainly not least: Decorize...? Okay, well really decorate. This goes along with having that little expressive outlet in your life full of organization. Whether its guaranteeing that you have time to relax, providing yourself with a little bit of hope by listing fun items you'd like to buy, or decorating, you're able to bring a fun, expressive, peaceful air to your life. One thing I will say is Fragrance plays a huge role in the way one feels and can often be considered decor, or at least for this purpose it will be.  Scent is the closest link sense to our memory, so buying candles or home fragrance with scents that remind you of fond times in your life can in fact change the energy and the entire feel of a space. For example, in my bedroom  I use Lavender Vanilla scents all the time. Not only is it clinically proven to be relaxing but I have lovely memories with my family linked to the scent.  The main reason I wanted to include this was my recent "seasonal craft" that I did in the beginning of November:

These foam snowflakes I bought pre-cut, then hung them with ribbon and thumbtacks.  It's such a small craft, only taking about an hour total to cut the ribbon and hang them up completely (45 minutes out of 60 was spent struggling to reach my ceiling while standing on a mountain of pillows.) It adds a cute and cozy feel that  can also bring peace of mind and comfort to you. 

WHEW! There is so much information here and I hope you find it helpful. Please leave comments, questions, and/or suggestions in relation to anything I posted here. The main thing to take away from this is what is most important: your own personal peace of mind and how to achieve that through organization, prioritization, and decoration! :) Stay Lovely! 

1 Pattern 4 Outfits: Polka Dots

Dear polka dots, you are one of my favorite patterns. Versatile, you can be feminine or edgy. Whether you are a color girl and live for neons, or value a more muted palette, there is a polka dot piece for you. Here are four outfits inspired by my love of polka dots and the fall season. 

Pattern mixing is still going strong. I love pairing stripes and polka dots together; the two have become neutrals in my eye. With a pop of color in the bag, to the almost geometric pattern in the skirt, this outfit is perfect for a classy night out with friends.
{necklace House of Harlow, top Dorothy Perkins, jewelry couture candy, skirt Proenza Schouler, bag Zac Posen, shoes Jimmy Choo}

I am obsessed with these shoes. Polka dot shoes are a little more daring, so pairing it with a solid, but bold dress, balances the printed footwear. I also love the mint blazer, it looks gorgeous with the boots, and of course, a classic Chanel bag.
{dress Tibi, shoes Opening Ceremony, ring jcrew, necklace Marie Chavez, blazer theoutent, bag Chanel}

When wearing darker colors,  I look to my accessories to add color. These booties are the perfect example of adding color, without being blinded by a color too bold for the rest of the outfit. Plus, a hint of leopard in the earrings never hurt.
{earrings Betsy Johnson, shoes Miu Miu, dress net-a-porter, watch Marc Jacobs, bag Mulberry} 

For those with an extra love of polka dots, try wearing 2 pieces of polka dots together.  The dots are of similar size, and the neutral color leads into the green jeans, creating a coherent look that isn't too overwhelming. Throw on some ankle boots and edgy jewelry and you have a simple but chic outfit.
{earrings opening ceremony, bag 3.1 phillip lim, bracelet calypsostbarth, top amrag.com, jeans, forever 21}





How do you wear your polka dots? Comment below! 

Julia's Adjectives

If anyone is to carry out a normal conversation with me, one may notice that quite frequently I use over the top adjectives in ALMOST every sentence that I say.  Also, one may notice that in my acronym, the "A" in "JULIA" is "Adjectives" - there is in fact a method to my madness.. well, sort of. I simply love over-the-top adjectives. Some even go as far as to call it "hyperbole", however, I do not agree. hy·per·bo·le/hīˈpərbəlē/ noun: Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally. If I am telling you that something was enchanting or wonderful, most likely I genuinely mean that. Therefore my usage IS in fact meant to be taken literally.  These simple and not-so-commonly-used words make people feel good. They make situations more fun and are expressive. I have taken the liberty to compile a list of these beloved adjectives that I use on a daily basis. Even the genius musical styling of Taylor Swift uses one of my favorite words to title one of my favorite songs: Enchanted. Please feel free to become inspired, try them out, use them sprinkled about your vocabulary  and maybe even adopt them into your own vernacular. 

 

Fall Cravings

With the colder weather, I can't stop thinking about jackets, especially the IRO Kristen jacket. Since it is way beyond my budget, I will continue to admire its construction, grey wool, and leather zippers. It will be my mission to find a similar style with a more affordable price tag.


What are you currently craving? Comment below!

An Un-Bridal Shower Introduction

Julia and I love planning parties, which is perfect because my sister is getting married in June! She loves everything Alice in Wonderland, which is my inspiration for her bridal shower. I've scoured Etsy and Pinterest for the perfect decorations to take everyone through the looking glass, just for one afternoon. Here are some of my favorite finds for an un-bridal shower!

A banner with book illustrations to hang around the room. 

Cute signs that reference the book. Perfect to hang right outside the door!

Invitations inspired by playing cards. 

Drink me tags for vials filled with water and food coloring. 

My vision for the bridal shower can be summed up in one word: eclectic. Teacups of all patterns and sizes spread throughout the tables, mixed with vials with 'drink me' tags. Alice in Wonderland props for  pictures, and a mini "house of cards." I'm trying to not let my imagination get the best of me, otherwise, party favors will include teabag shaped cookies in Alice-themed tins.

Keep reading for a series on my adventures in party planning :) 

Any suggestions or tips? Comment below! 

*all photos from Etsy 

New Girl Premier Party

As you may be able to conclude, Ilana and I are interested in two main things: Polka Dots and Cupcakes.  Yet we do share another common love; the mastery work of Zooey Deschanel in her Fox series "New Girl".  In celebration of season 2 premiering, this past September, I hosted a "New Girl Premier Party" featuring LOTS of polka dots ( based off of our favorite quote of a quote " 'Jess, you rock a lot of polka dots!' "), cupcakes, hot cocoa, and Shirley Temples. This night is essentially the epitome of what we're all about: Celebrating the little things in life that bring us joy, like comedy and sweets.  Here are some pictures to inspire you to celebrate the little things! :)

Kim, Ilana, Julia, and Christina.

Channeling my inner Zooey Deschanel.

 What better way to formally introduce Ilana and myself than with creatively constructed acronyms?! Enjoy ! :)