ear buds

as a student, having headphones to listen to music whilst studying is a very important thing to me. unfortunately, i lost my only set of earbuds- the ones that come with the iphone. while i am sad about not having headphones anymore, i do not miss these earphones one bit. for one, they don't stay in my tiny ear canal, and two, i saw these golden ones a while back, and can't really see myself wearing plain white ones happily anymore. here's a picture:

i decided i would also be ok with these wooden ones:

now i just need to convince my husband that it's a good idea to spend $50+ on earbuds. maybe i'll just say my success in school depends on it.

what do you think about fancy earbuds? would you wear them, or do you prefer them a bit more plain?

arrow minded

recently my friend got a tattoo of an arrow on the side of her wrist. extremely jealous that i did not think of that, and unwilling to blatantly copy her, i have turned to arrow jewelry, such as this rose gold arrow pendant necklace from house of harlow that nicole richie was seen wearing. 

i am a fan of all arrow jewelry, whether it be earrings, necklaces, bracelets, or rings. below are some of my favorite pieces. don't you love how they are so dainty, yet subtly edgy? 

1. arrow drop duster earrings- $19 2. delicate arrow ring- $12 3. delicate arrow necklace-  $19 4.  arrow drop earrings-  $19 5. arrow earrings- $16 6. 1960 arrow drop necklace- $159 7. gold plated arrow ring- $86 8. rose gold arrow bracelet- $185 9. on the mark necklace- $49

a year in new york

A Year in New York from Andrew Clancy on Vimeo.

andrew clancy is a freelance cameraman who filmed a year of his life in new york, and compressed it into this truly beautiful video. i think it is amazing how he combines a bunch of seemingly mundane moments that, when they come together, truly show the heart and soul of new york.

i guess i am not the most qualified to say that, though, as i have only been once. can any new yorkers attest?

 Living in New York I’d grab my Canon 7D, or S95, and shoot footage of what was going on around me. It seemed like a never ending project and you could stay filming life in New York for a long time.

Eventually I put the camera down and started to edit. Here’s the end result, it’s a bit rough and ready but that’s life in the Big Apple I guess.

'shrooms

ever since i have been little, i just haven't liked meat that much. sure, i have cravings now and then, but i just tire of it quickly and can never seem to finish it. whenever we went out to a restaurant when i was a small child, i would order a grilled cheese, which in retrospect must have been very frustrating for my mom who could have made that at home for me for 25 cents.

whenever i am not in the meat kind of mood, i turn to mushrooms, which can make a savory meat replacement that doesn't leave me wanting more.
mushroom crêpe cake
mushroom pie

 mushroom walnut burger

spicy mushroom miso ramen

mushroom and poblano tart

mushroom moussaka

wild mushroom tartlets

mushroom tikka masala

spinach&artichoke stuffed portabellos

mushroom turnovers

sweet onion & mushroom braid

anthropologie 50% off for a limited time

ladies. anthropologie has a surprise 50% off sale right now! plus, there is free shipping by christmas when you spend over $100. it is online and in stores and is on sale items only. there are some very good things there. but hurry, last time they did this, things sold out very quickly.

head on over right now and pick up some last minute gifts, or just treat yourself to a christmas present!

look. at. this. place. setting.





















i am majorly coveting this matte gold flatware. in my ideal world, i would have an everyday silverware set, then bust these out for special occasions. they'd be perfect for classy dinner parties and holiday dining, don't you think?

open shoulder

nastygal- $52

i am definitely down with one of the hot new trends: open shoulders. t-shirts, sweatshirts, blouses, dresses... you name it. i love the subtle sexiness and added elegance to any article of clothing. below, i have some of my favorite shoulderless blouses and dresses. i'm thinking, though, that i just might transform one of my older shirts or dresses myself!

1. MM6 by Maison Martin Margiela- $219.45 2. Anthropologie- $199.95 

3. Urban Outfitters- $59 4. Anthropologie- $89.95 5. Topshop $46.50 6.  Topshop $52

color dipped

is it just me, or does drinking from a cute mug make your coffee taste better? these color dipped mugs make we want to cozy up with some hot cocoa and watch re-runs of madmen.

similarly, these hand dipped cups make me feel like i would finally start drinking my 8 cups of water per day. i love the burst of color and think they would look great in any kitchen.

ten easy do-it-yourself christmas gift ideas

at holiday time, there are always so many people that you want to give gifts to. but for many of us and our wallets, it is just not possible to purchase gifts for every one of our friends and family members  i compiled a list of do-it-yourself projects that people would be happy to receive as gifts.

1. homemade granola. put it in a big mason jar. this recipe is delicious and easily customizable.

2. infused alcohol. this is a wonderful idea from emily schuman. she has several flavor combinations that sound delightful.
 
3. candied nuts. this recipe would be perfect. put them in some decorated papers cones or a mason jar.

4. homemade tea powders. some vanilla chai tea or russian tea would be delicious, and would look great in a mason jar or old tea tins.

5. homemade truffles. these red velvet truffles are incredibly easy and delicious, and these dark chocolate truffles are sure to please.

6. homemade magnets. these poloroid magnets are adorable and sentimental. these marble magnets are easily customizable to suit anyone's interests.

7. homemade lunch bag. these reusable fabric lunch bags are perfect for the students and workers in your life.

8. homemade coasters. these coasters made from tiles, paper, and modge podge are unique and adorable.

9. succulent planters. who doesn't love succulents? apartment therapy has a great tutorial for succulent planters.

10. christmas lights in wine bottles. this tutorial helps you change a regular wine bottle into elegant mood lighting/decor. 

redhead

i love my natural hair color, in that, it is a blank slate basically to color it whatever i want to it. recently, i decided that i love emma stone's hair and was inspired to dye my own red. i adore how it is so vivid and feminine.

 this time around, i was a bit too scared to become a full redhead, and it is really more of a dark auburn shade.

next time, i would like to omit the brown and opt for lighter shade such as one of these:

    

i am so insanely jealous of girls who have this naturally. what do you think about red hair? what does it take to be able to pull it off?

images via for-redheads.tumblr.com

iphone cases

1. jcrew $35 2. printshop $35 3. society6 $35 4. society6 $35 5. society6 $35

         6. jcrew $25 7. uncommon $39.95 8. jcrew $25

i love the clean, utilitarian design my iphone 4s. if i had the choice, i would probably just leave it naked. however, i am plagued with nightmares of my previous iphone's shattered screen. having broken it 3 days after my warranty expired, i lived with the phone this way for 2 more years as i awaited the arrival of the new iphone. thus, i decided that no case was not an option for me this time around.

these cases eased the pain of covering up my iphone. my everyday case is the faux wooden one. it allows me to dress up my phone without adding the bulk that comes with many cases.

christmas list #4: volcano candle

there are certain things that many girls view as cliche and overdone when it comes to christmas gifts. these things often are lotions/bodywash, chocolate, and candles.


many girls will open these things and put on a big smile to be polite, however on the inside they are like, "oh, another flowery body wash that my grandma would use. great." or "another nasty candle with no gift receipt."


i am here to tell you that you no longer need to fear getting candles. you may even want to request one, which is the capri blue volcano candle. i have had about three of these pretties, and i have not run across one person that did not love the scent: tropical fruits, sugared oranges, lemons, and limes, redolent with lightly exotic mountain greens. and in this mercury glass jar which looks so pretty as the candle burns- it is just heavenly.


put this one on your list. and put it on your shopping list for your friends. at first, they might not know that they are going to like it. but once they smell it, they will be eternally grateful, i'm sure of it.

critter pillows

i love modern design. i also love old, craftsman type design. i used to think i had to choose between the two. however, slowly i have been integrating the two styles and i really like the results.

these critter pillows from areaware are perfect for helping me achieve my style. i think they would go perfectly on my all-white bedding.

what do you think about these pillows? how would you incorporate them into your decor?

christmas list #3: a go-to long necklace

my favorite kind of outfit is the kind that looks like you put in a lot of effort, but you really just reached into your closet and pulled out the first things that you touched.

i do this two ways: 

1) buy pretty much only things that will work with the rest of my closet &

2) throw on a long necklace

these lockets by beklina are the perfect go-to necklace. simple and elegant, they can be paired with a pretty cocktail dress or put with leggings, a cardigan, and boots. they are a little bit steeply priced at $98, so that is why we will put them on our christmas lists!

i am in love with the sand-colored one and the red one. i can't think of anything that these would not go well with.

christmas list #2: portable turntable

i have a friend that is really so much cooler than me. if she had a blog, i guarantee you'd be reading that one instead of mine right now.

this friend is a master at creating a comfortable, inviting, and warm ambiance that makes you just want to stay, drink tea, and socialize for hours. i have been trying to pinpoint just what makes it that way. it is a number of things that i have identified so far, but i think the quickest way to create a nostalgic environment is some old vinyls being played on a record player. 

after doing some searching, i decided that if i could have a turntable, it would be this one from urban. my place is pretty tiny, and this can be tucked away when it is not in use. plus, it has a USB port, so i can play my ipod if i don't have whatever music i am craving on vinyl.

birthday cake

today is my lovely sister's birthday. she turns twenty one! i am unable to celebrate with her as we are not in the same state, but when i go to my home state in about a month, we will celebrate. when i saw this cake, i thought of her, and decided this is what i will make. isn't it darling? i love the blush-pink frosting.

happy birthday sammie! i love you and can't wait until i can celebrate with you.

scalloped gold glitter garland

i get really excited about decorating for christmas. today, i found this fabulous scalloped glitter garland on etsy from stephlovesben. it combines everything i love the most in decorating: scallops, matte gold glitter, and garland. i think i will display it behind my christmas tree. the thought makes me giddy. check out her store. it comes in a six foot strand, but she will make custom lengths if you like. oh, and the price: it's reasonable at $14 per strand.

christmas list #1: copper cookware

without trying to sound like a know-it-all, i think you to add something to your christmas list: 


some copper cookware for your kitchen.


 i can't decide what i like better about mine: how it makes my kitchen look or how completely and evenly it distributes heat for even cooking. this has seriously revolutionized my culinary life. no more burning in the middle and undercooking on the sides. 


i have recommended several sets below and included several price ranges. functional and gorgeous, all of them will work wonderfully; picking one is only a matter of what your price range is, and how aesthetically pleasing it is to you.


#1- calphalon® tri-ply copper 10-piece cookware set
     this set is a great value. i received this as a gift when it was $1000+ from crate and barrel. now, its is on sale for $449.95! It comes with a lifetime warranty.

#2 mauviel professional copper 10-piece cookware set

this gorgeous set comes from williams-sonoma for $1,399.95, and comes from france.

#3 ruffoni copper cookware set

in my opinion, this set from anthropologie is the most beautiful. it has a hammered copper finish. coming to us from italy, this set is $1098, but only comes with 5 pots and pans as opposed to 6. 

and just a word of warning- you have to take care of your copper cookware! please look at the specific instructions from the manufacturer, but you can expect to:

• allow pan to cool before washing.
• hand-wash; dry immediately with a soft cloth.
• avoid using steel wool, steel scouring pads or harsh detergents.
• copper will develop a rich patina over time. this will not affect the pan’s cooking performance. to keep the exterior looking new, use a copper polish or a combination of lemon and salt.

Rumor has it...

...Anthropologie will be participating in Black Friday this year. According to Effortless Anthropologie and my source who works there, Friday from 6am to 11am, sale items will be an extra 50% off. Wake up, get your peppermint mocha, and get there early, because I'm pretty sure this will be the best sale Anthropologie has ever had.

I have had my eye on this coat for a while. Hopefully I can snatch one up before everything's gone! Find more things you may see at the sale here.

Stipulations:
- sale clothing only
- in-store only
- not valid on charge/sends
- items cannot be put on hold
- USA only as of now

Christmas Trees

It is Christmas season. I know that some of you will scoff at this, but I firmly believe in a long, drawn-out Christmas season. I have been calling all of the local tree lots to see when the fresh cut Christmas trees will be in. I think they are starting to expect my calls. Anyway, looks like I'm getting my tree from Lowe's on the 21st. Can't wait!

There are so many varieties, themes, and possibilities when it comes to Christmas trees. 

How do you like your Christmas tree? I think that this year I will go for a naturey themed tree- simple, with woodland creature ornaments and even some terrarium ornaments I am going to make myself (thanks to design sponge).

                                          (image via Design Sponge)

Happy Birthday!

Double meaning alert. This is the christening post of my new little adventure that is Its the Little Things, but also the name of my recent obsession: Deborah Lippmann's Happy Birthday nailpolish.

During my sophomore year of high school, there was a list going around in my class to vote on who had the best various physical attributes, such as hair, eyes, etc. Well, I won the obscure category of "Best Fingernails." Quite the honor. All this to say, I am very credible in this area.

I have been coveting this particular nailpolish since approximately August of 2010. I finally gave in and bought it the other weekend, and the little party in a bottle has been providing me with a great deal of happiness and entertainment since. It is a very chunky, multicolored glitter that isn't too flashy, but so fun.

I have tried it the following ways and lu lu loved every single way.

• Over black
• Over teal
• Over matte gray
• Plain, with about three layers
• Pretty much beginning to think it will look stellar on anything

Happy Painting!

cw

deborah lippmann- happy birthday $18