The Lovely Side

Christmas came and went.  Now here we are on the last day of 2011.  If you're like me, you're raiding your closet trying to figure out what to wear to your New Year's Eve festivities.  Nothing seems sparkly enough.  Or bright enough.  Or fabulous enough.  Am I right?  If you're low on time and money (thanks to all the gift shopping and holiday bonding)... stop, take a deep breath, and get your creative juices flowing.  Just because you don't have an extra $100 or hour to spend at the mall doesn't mean you can't pull off a hot ensemble for whatever your NYE involves. 

Hey lovelies!  I'll be taking a brief holiday hiatus as I unpack and decorate my bedroom in a new apartment, get my wisdom teeth taken out (eek!), and visit my family for Christmas. 
I wish you all a very lovely holiday full of laughter and love!

(Image Courtesy of Anderson Transport Edinburghhttp://anderson-transport.co.uk)
A few years ago, you came to college with only what you could fit in the back end of Dad's truck.  Semester after semester, stuff began to pile up.  And now as you get ready to move out, you find yourself needing to downsize.  There are a lots of reasons why you might be needing to trim down your belongings.  Perhaps you landed a summer internship in a far off city and just can't take that much with you.  Maybe you're studying abroad.  Or maybe... like me, you're moving into a smaller apartment.

This past summer, I was so lucky to intern at BHG's Do It Yourself and Storage magazines.  One of my fondest memories of the internship: a DIY crafternoon (craft afternoon, hehe) that we (editors, designers, interns) spent making yarn wreaths.  With a foam wreath, lots of colors of yarn, and a variety of embellishments... it was so much fun to see the creative ideas everyone came up with!  If you haven't picked up the Fall/Winter 2011 issue of Do It Yourself Magazine---you should run to the magazine stand and get it right now. :) There are instructions inside for making your own wreath.  Plus, I have several stories in there, too. ;)

I don't know about you---but for me, the ladies in your life are the most fun to buy gifts for!  They somehow also turn out to be the easiest.  But if you're frantically trying to think of ideas to spoil your sister, sorority sister, co-worker-turned-friend, bestie, or roommate... check out this wish list of girly delights!

Boys, boys, boys... can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em.  And shopping for the male species (whether it's your dad, brother, or boyfriend) seems is an often a challenge.  So here's a list of six tried-and-true gifts for guys.  All of these are safe bets whether you're buying for a male family member, a long-term boyfriend, or a guy you've been seeing just long enough to make it appropriate to buy each other something for Christmas.

The winner of the My Diva's Closet giveaway is... Kristen, who said "These necklaces are so cute! I like the statement designer necklace."

Back in the day, I featured Mister Eye Candies of the month.  And while that won't be back as a monthly feature (I'm really picky with my eye candy!)... I do think we all deserve something nice to look at during these dark hours of Finals Week.  So here we have him!  Chris Evans, the man, the legend, the eye candy.  I fell in love with him in "Cellular."  And then I toppled head over heels again when I saw him in "What's Your Number" starring alongside Anna Faris. He's also in Captain America: The First Avenger, Fantastic Four, Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and his steamy ads for Gucci. 

Ooooh boy, this is a fun one!  This gift giving guide is to point you in the right direction when it comes to shopping for the DIY diva in your life.  You know... the one always covered in paint, glue, and wallpaper paste?  With scraps of fabric all over her room?  And hideous pieces of furniture found on the curb... that mysterious vanishes around the same time she starts showing off a magnificent chair she claims to have "made-over."  Yep, that one. ;)

I'm kicking off the gift-giving season with a special list full of things that I, personally, find lovely.  
1. Design*Sponge at Home book by blogger Grace Bonney. I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing this baby during my summer internship and looooved it.  (Check out my review in the Winter issue of DIY Magazine.)  Buy the book and check out Grace's blog here.

Stumped on what to wear to that Christmas-themed party?  Look no further.

Here we are again, undergrads!  Winter Break is just around the corner.  Here's a round up of tips on how to show those finals who is boss!

As a college student, Lovely Undergrad understands that your wardrobe probably isn't the highest priority during Dead Week and Finals.  But looking good can give you that extra boost of confidence that may shine through on your exam.  So instead of rolling out of bed, throwing on your sweats, and heading to campus looking (and feeling) like a bum, Lovely Undergrad dares you to get up a little extra early--if only during one of your finals days--and put on something cute. Study up on these cute (but still comfy) alternatives.  Wanna merge fashion and style with your studies? Consider attending online universities for design.