The Lovely Side

To refresh and revamp my apartment for the new year, I'm doing a little bit of rearranging in my space this weekend. One of my main missions is to move my turntable. My lovely little Crosley (just like the one above, but orange) shouldn't be hidden away in the corner of the room. There's just something about vinyl and I love listening to my tiny (but growing) collection of records. I feel that if I move the turntable to a spot more out in the open, I'll use it even more and be able to spread the music throughout the apartment. 
So I did a bit of digging around on Pinterest for inspiration. I LOVE the little round table pictured above. If I could find something like that for my turntable, I'd snatch it up in a heartbeat.

Frostbite from l1v on 8tracks Radio.

I hope everyone had a lovely, blessed holiday. I had a wonderful break from work - spent back in my hometown with family, food, fun, and nearly a foot of snow!

It's that time of year where it's natural to reflect on the previous year with nostalgia. 

After putting up a 5-foot-tall Christmas tree in my apartments the past few years, I decided to switch things up for the holiday season. As much as I enjoy the pretty glow of a Christmas tree, turns out that I don't enjoy the process off putting a tree up and decorating. The branches that shed their needles! The garland that sprinkles its little glittery pieces all over! The lights that I always manage to get tangled up in! I always end up more frustrated than anything. And since the taking-down part is just as loathsome (if not more!) than putting-up - I'm embarrassed to say that I've let a Christmas tree stay up well into February or March. Horrible, I know!

Brrrr! Lately, I've come across a lot of posts about how to dress professional and still stylish during the winter months. Problem is: it appears that these posts are directed at young ladies living in balmy 30-degree-winters with no snow on the ground. Heels?! Really? 
I say balmy 30-degrees because in Iowa, I've been riding out sub-freezing temps for over a week now. We're not talking a cozy 20 degrees either. I'm talking 5. With a -15 windchill. Eventually, we Iowans acclimate to the cold. And when that first 40-degree sunny day comes next spring, we'll be out and about sans coat, sans sleeves, sans pants. 
But for now, we need to keep bundled up - and stay cute and professional while we're at it. Because interviews, internships, and jobs don't take a break for winter hibernation. So I've put together several cozy layered looks that keep you warm when you're on your way to or from work and out and about - but that can be easily peeled away once …

Copper is my favorite metallic. Yes, I even like it better than rose gold. Copper is warm and flattering. It's versatile - it can be rustic and industrial, burnished and antiqued, crisp and contemporary. It has a gleam that can work in your wardrobe, decor scheme, or beauty routine. Above, I rounded up a wishlist of some of my favorite copper items - from a shiny copper Moscow mule and cute 2-cents notebook to a copper-hued watch and rosy lipstick with just a tinge of penny. Below, I'm sharing some of my favorite copper inspiration for bringing more copper into my decor.

This is so true. Keep this in mind - on campus, at your internship, in the workplace.

Have a lovely day!


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I stumbled across this Homes of Classic Literature infographic yesterday and fell in love. To me, seeing a floor plan of the main setting of a novel really makes it come to life. Back in junior high, high school, and even college, I'd make floor plans of the homes in the stories I was reading. I remember making up a floor plan of Miss Havisham's house from Great Expectations, floor plans of Emily's house and George's house when I played Emily in a high school acting class production of Our Town, and I always sketch up floor plans of the houses that the characters of my own novels live in.

Coming from a family of bookworms that could never have enough books - and being a bibliophile myself - I couldn't pass up curating a gift basket for the readers out there. A good bookworm basket begins with a good book, but unless your dear reader has a wishlist of books (which they very well might!) it could be hard to pick out a book for them. In the case of no wishlist, instead buy them a beautiful copy of a book you know they love.

When I moved into my apartment on the second floor of an old Victorian house, I fell in love with the surrounding Cedar Rapids neighborhood full of beautiful turn-of-the-century homes - some in sorry shape, some in okay shape (like mine), and a handful of breathtaking homes that had been kept up or restored. Located a block away, this house is one of those stately beauties that has been lovingly restored.

Question:
A really awesome brewery just opened up in town and I can't wait to spend my Friday nights there with my friends - but I'm not a beer drinker! Would you have any suggestions for a wine and whiskey drinker looking to develop a taste for beer? (asked by Shelby)
Answer:
How exciting! To know me (and my other blog Yeast, Love, & Hoppiness, co-blogged with my bf) is to know that I love craft beer - especially when imbibed at local breweries. Before I begin with my suggestions, I must first divulge that I wasn't always a brew lover. In fact, just about two years ago I hated beer. It was largely due to the college scene - flooded with Bud Light, PBR, and the likes.

For those of you who also tuned into Lifetime, A&E, or The History Channel for the new, two-part television mini-series Bonnie & Clyde - were you as obsessed with Bonnie's clothes as I was?! What a great time for women's fashion. While the flapper silhouettes of the Roaring 20's were still hanging around, the following decade saw the return of nipped in waists and feminine curves. (That's something to not be depressed about!) I also adored Bonnie's softly curled hairstyles and many shades of red lipstick and nail polish. 1930's style was truly glamorous in a fresh, simple way.

Question: 
How do you keep your blog active during the day? I read that you have a full-time job, but I often see posts, Facebook statuses, and tweets that publish during the day. How do you manage? (asked by Ellie M. from Colorado)
Answer:
Yes, I do have a full-time, big girl job as a web content writer. Even though I work a day shift (one that actually begins and ends earlier than a 9to5) I can't just save all my blogging for the evening hours. I'm staring at a computer screen all day at work.

Toast the holidays (or any gift-giving occasion) with a beer basket for the brew lover in your life. Go above and beyond a six-pack of their favorite brew with a beer-themed gift basket. I started this one with a gorgeous, just-enough-rustic, industrial-inspired metal basket.

This is very true. The more you use it, the more you have. The more I craft, the more I craft. The more I write, the more I write, the more I write. You just have to get started. :)


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Come in close from Allie Newman on 8tracks Radio.
Not So Silent Night from flying_away on 8tracks Radio.
2 playlists. 2 hours. Lorde, Bastille, The Neighbourhood, Alt-J, Arcade Fire, Passenger, Iron and Wine. Enjoy and happy Friday!
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What do you think of Pantone's Spring 2014 Fashion Color Report?! I'll be sorry to see 2013's Emerald go. (Although I don't think it will be disappearing anytime soon.) As far as Radiant Orchid goes, it's actually a color I've never decorated with. Ever. I wear it a lot though because I like how it complements reddish / auburn hair and green eyes.

Even though I love my big bedroom, huge bathroom, and lovely hallway - I still can't help but crush on adorable small spaces. I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for tiny studio spaces that have been perfectly decorated. Like this fashion blogger's studio in San Francisco.

Perhaps your roomie is striking out on her own next semester. Maybe your friend is moving in with her boyfriend. Or your sister is getting her first place all her own. This gift basket is to help make your newly independent dweller make her apartment feel more like home. Don't be overwhelmed by the thought of helping someone decorate. You needn't know their personal decor taste - and even if you do, resist the urge to go overboard. You might get it wrong or she might want to change up her interior design style. Instead, stick with simple design and neutral colors that can seamlessly blend into any decor.

Whether one of your gal pals just recently landed her dream internship, is busy job searching and interviewing, or already works a 9 to 5 career, this gift basket is sure to pamper any young professional. Instead of using a traditional basket for this gift set, I started with a woven desktop organizer. Cubicles can be so stark and gray, so a little decor goes a long way.

This basket is for the wine lover on your gift shopping list. I took inspiration from the rich reddish-purple hue of one of my new favorite wine styles: Shiraz.

This gift basket is lovingly curated for the Downton Abbey devotee in your life. Chances are good that your Downton lover already has the previous seasons on DVD, so now's your chance to pull together the perfect items to tide them over while they suffer Downtown withdrawal symptoms and await the US airing of the beloved British drama.

Just a little motivation for the first Monday of December: Make ideas happen.


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