The Lovely Side

My apartment is always a work in progress. There's so much on my to-do list, but so much of it requires some spring weather (aka spray painting weather, thrifting weather, garage sale weather). This winter has me more cabin feverish than usual. Here's what I've been up to around the apartment:

Isn't this kitchen adorable?! From the chalkboard cabinet doors to the vintage accessories housed up top and the pretty pink rug down below, I'm smitten. The best part is that the kitchen is a rental - and it started out looking like this:

Doubly busy as a University of Georgia grad student pursuing a Master in Public Administration (MPA) with a concentration in Non-Profit Administration and interning for a local non-profit called Books for Keeps (which helps combat "summer slide" by every May giving books to children at schools where over 90% of students are on free or reduced lunch), Amy needs a doubly versatile wardrobe.

Sometimes I just like to share things I like. Like the adorable mason jar measuring cups above.

I never get tired of looking at work spaces. These places that people create, write, be productive. And each desk space is as unique as its user. My little office space is a corner of my bedroom. While I daydream about the idea of someday having my own office, I'd still want it to be a small, cozy nook. Whether you use your desk for homework, working at home, blogging, designing, or something else - you're sure to reap some inspiration from this eclectic roundup of desk spaces. 
Above, I love the vintage metal desk, sleek white chair, and array of prints on the wall. The muted colors and vintage feel is so lovely.

Today's spotlight falls on working girl Daria Patrusheva. In her position as Student Information and Program Support (at the International Office of University Student Services), Daria works with incoming and outgoing exchange students, as well as international students studying in Canada.
Daria stocks her closet full of basics that she can switch around to create new looks as well as layer to accommodate Vancouver's climate and a sometimes chilly office. She prefers lighter neutrals to black - especially a neutral look with a splash of color. Her go-to clothing and outfit combinations include:

Does your life feel as good on the inside as it looks on the outside. I strive to make everything look lovely - lovely clothes, lovely decor, lovely lipstick, lovely etc. - but it's essential to create a lovely life on the inside, too. Have a lovely attitude. Have a lovely heart. Have a lovely imagination. When I feel lovely on the inside, the loveliness escapes and makes other things lovely, too. Try it.
Have a lovely weekend! :) 

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Whether you're interning, working full-time, or job searching, you can never get enough workplace wardrobe inspiration. Business casual doesn't equal boring. Professional doesn't mean stuffy. New on The Lovely Side, we'll be spotlighting how young professionals, college students, and interns dress for work - combining office-friendly elements, chic style, and elements of their own personality.
Today we're featuring Shelby Converse, an assistant house manager for a theatre and the blogger behind A College Theatre Dork. Shelby's go-to clothing items for her position at the theatre include:

Looking for an irresistible series to stick your nose into and keep your new year's resolution to read more? If you haven't considered the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin, now's the time to dive in. As a lover of the HBO series and being half-way through the 2nd book, I have to be a typically bookworm and tell you that the books are better than the series. Monica Hunasikatti (today's guest contributor) agrees. Check out her notes on the book and one of its strongest female characters:

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Bowing down to the Mother of Dragons and Game of Thrones A Song of Ice and Fire: A Game of Thrones Review
(written by Monica Hunasikatti)
I think by now the television show Game of Thrones has garnered enough critical acclaim, controversy, and devoted fans that it’s safe to assume that is one of the greatest shows on television. The series, however, owes everything to the book series A Song of Fire and Ice by …

I'd been lusting over the above bar cart (from Target) for months. Every time I shopped at Target, I had to visit it to see how many were left and if the price had gone down. For $130, I just wasn't quite willing to snatch it up quite yet. Patience paid off! A few weeks ago I nabbed one. Thanks to a clearance markdown, Christmas money, and a gift card I won at the workplace holiday part - I scored this bar cart for just $30 out-of-pocket.

I've been digging around for inspiration for my upcoming apartment landing strip project. (I'll be working on putting it together this weekend!) I love the wall hooks on the one above. While I like the idea of a vase of flowers, I just know that I'd knock it off while putting my coat on or hanging up my purse.

I've come to the decision that I need a landing strip for my apartment entry. Too often, I put stuff (purse, keys, mail) down in different parts of the the apartment and end up having to run around gathering it all the next morning. I need a nice little space - nothing too complicated or cluttered - to hang my purse and keys, slip on or off my boots, and toss mail or packages until I have time to deal with them.
Above, I've created a rough draft mock-up of my plans. My mission is to create this landing strip with stuff I already have.

Healthier eating. Is it on your list of new year's resolutions? While it's not a goal I specifically devised for 2014, it's something I've been working on for the last few months. I don't aim for limits - I aim for possibilities. I don't want a short-term fad diet - I want a long-term commitment that I can live with. I also want it to fit my young professional budget, be quick and easy to stick to (for office lunches), keep me full (to avoid vending machine temptations), and taste good.
The other night when I did my grocery shopping, I tried to buy food items that could mix-and-matched to create different meals for breakfast and lunch. I usually eat both breakfast and lunch at work - so I need that flexible wiggle room to shake up my meal options with versatile ingredients. I call these "Throw-Together Meals," since they require minimal effort when whipping them up at work.

Whether you're a working girl or college girl, a basic black pencil skirt is one of your most versatile clothing items. This wardrobe staple is not only an outfit essential for internships, interviews, and office jobs, but also can be dressed up or down for date night, bar hopping, or even a typical day spent on campus or running errands. Best of all, black pencils are easy to find at reasonable prices (hello, Target and TJ Maxx!) and flatter most figures. Just try it on before you by to make sure it fits your waist and thighs in all the right places - there's a fit for any curvy or skinny silhouette.

Taylor Schilling's sleek, feminine dress - and its gorgeous emerald color - was my favorite Golden Globes gown. Michelle Dockery looked absolutely stunning (as always) in her pretty dress with simple hair and makeup that really let her shine.

I come from a long line of red-lovers. Growing up and to this day, my mom and grandma decorate with a lot of red. Not just accessories. We're talking red walls, red carpet, red furniture. We like our red. Red is undergoing a bit of a renaissance for me this winter. It's a bright and bold splash of color amid all the snow. Here are some of my red favorites right now:
1. The Forever Red fragrance from Bath & Body Works smells soooo good. Warm and feminine, this scent boasts notes of pomegranate, peach, apple, peony, vanilla rum, marshmallow, and oak wood - it's just the right balance of fruit, floral, and woodsy. It's my new signature scent for 2014. ;)

New year, new you? Not sure what to do? Whether you're planning to amp up your money smarts, get involved with the community, or make some professional networking connections, we've got you covered with some tips and tricks. Julie, today's guest contributor from Skyo, has put together a quick guide to proactively preparing for your future. Use these ideas to make your new year's resolutions or to make long-term changes over the next few years. It's your future - plan for it proactively!
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Living Proactively
A wise man once said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” This wise man’s name was Benjamin Franklin, and maybe one day, you too can be as successful as Mr. Franklin. Maybe that is a stretch, but it’s far too common for college age students, and I was no exception, to procrastinate certain steps or engagements that contribute to immediate and future success. By carrying out the…

With the relaxing holidays behind us, it's time to get back into the swing of things. Whether you're starting a brand new semester or just trying to readjust yourself to the daily grind of the office, alertness and energy are of the utmost importance. Maybe you get your focus-fix with coffee - and then (like me) spend the day making trips to the java bar. Perhaps energy drinks are your go-to, though they're too sweet, unhealthy, and crash-prone. But what if you could get a long-lasting boost of energy, focus, and alertness by simply adding something natural to your hydrating bottle of water.
Meet Mental Mojo. Mental Mojo is "rocket fuel for your brain," which comes in convenient stick packs that you add to a 16 oz. bottle of water. Shake it, drink it, and get to work. The power comes from a blend of 100% natural brain boosting nootropics and energizing amino acid / vitamin complexes. It goes beyond just boosting your alertness (which coffee and energy drinks eas…

Negative 20-degree temps (and negative 40-degree wind chills) have made the last few days quite miserable here in Iowa. Breathtaking frigid air. Numb noses, fingers, and toes. Dead car batteries. And frozen pipes. Yesterday when I came home from work, I decided to tackle my sink full of dishes from the weekend. But instead, I found myself tackling the challenge of frozen pipes.

The first sign your pipes are frozen: only a trickle of water or no water at all. In my case, water wasn't coming out at all. Neither the hot nor the cold. Not even a drip. Thanks to being centrally located in the house I rent, my bathroom sink and tub worked just fine. But the kitchen sink water pipes are located in a stairwell leading up to my 2nd floor apartment. Since the stairwell gets chilly, I usually close the door at the top of the stairs to keep the cold out. Bad idea. The pipes might as well be outside. Those water pipes sat in arctic temps all day. I called my landlord right away, but he wasn…

Do you resolve to read more in the new year? Or add more suspense to your life? The Lovely Side is giving away a brand new novel that will do both! The Killing Woodsby Printz Honor author Lucy Christopher is set to hit bookstores on January 7 and one lucky The Lovely Side reader will win a $50 Visa gift card and a copy of the pageturner The Killing Woods.

* * * This giveaway has expired. Stay tuned for more! * * *

About The Killing Woods “A gripping, heartbreaking, emotionally substantial look at [the] allure of danger.” - Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Fatal attraction, primal fear, survival in the forest: From the author of the Printz Honor Book STOLEN, the highly anticipated thriller about deadly games played in the dark.

Ashlee Parker is dead, and Emily Shepherd's dad is accused of the crime. A former soldier suffering from PTSD, he emerges from the woods carrying the girl's broken body. "Gone," he says, then retreats into silence.

What really happened that wild nig…