Summer Happened

Since I'm a teacher, I've had the same basic schedule since I was five years old. My life is broken into semesters and is punctuated by well-timed breaks. All my non-teacher friends always express jealousy at my three months-ish of break, but I've never really known any different. There's something so glorious about having that break time to do pretty much whatever you want, whenever you want. I will take the smaller paycheck teachers get every time to have freedom over my time like that (not that I would say no to a raise, don't get me wrong).

I got some good and much-needed mama time...and Gatsby got some Grammy time :)

The thing about having a three month break from your routine is that...you have a three month break from your routine. Days start to blend into one another in that languid way that only summer days can. At its best, you get to work on and do things just because you want to; at its worst, you forget the last time you washed your hair.

 I made some fun friends while in England and played lots of char-ahds (which is like charades, but British).

My family and I hiked a glacier in Alaska. We ate PBJs and filled our water bottles with glacier water and it was one of my favorite days ever.

All of this is to say I haven't been the best blogger the past few months, but for good reason. I've been busy with all the summer things: traveling, spending time with family and friends, hanging out with my sweet nugget, and eating and drinking lots of great food and drink. In the last four months, I've been to New Orleans, England, Austin, and Seattle/Alaska. What?! Picture dump posts are forthcoming. More than having fun, I've had the opportunity to be with people I love and to think deeply about what I want out of life moving forward. What can I say, too much free time makes me existential. Hopefully, some big news is coming soon!

I drank butterbeer at the Harry Potter studios in England. My (not-so) inner nerd was freaking out the whole time.

School (real school, you know, with kids) starts today, and I'm ready for it. I'm ready to wake up at a normal time, do something productive all day, and see my colleagues and students, who I really enjoy being around. I spent my last real day of summer drinking coffee, sitting on the couch with Gatsby, running a few errands, and having dinner with friends.

My brothers and I in front of Mendenhall glacier in Juneau

Goodbye, Summer 2014...you've been pretty great.

xoxo,
E

Songs and Memories

I know they say scent is the strongest sense tied to memory, which I can totally understand, but I really think that certain songs can bring up stronger memories for me.

 

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Do you have songs that bring up memories or certain times in your life?

Here are a few of mine:

"A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" from Cinderella
-This always reminds me of my dad because he used to sing it to me before bed time. I've always thought that this would be the song we would dance to on my wedding day. It kind of makes me weepy just thinking about it :)

"Sweet Baby James" by James Taylor
-My dad again. He has a really good voice and loves to sing...it's funny, when he comes home after work, you can often find him sitting in the car in the driveway or back in the bedroom singing (loudly) to whatever song is on the radio or his iPod. I just remember him singing this song growing up.

"#1" by Nelly
-High school basketball games/high school in general. The team would enter the gym to this song, and it just has such a confident vibe. This song came out my freshman year, and I remember singing it in the car with friends. God, we were cool.

"Nothing Better" by Postal Service
-Pretty much any angsty time in my life. This is my listen-to-it-on-repeat-until-I'm-crying-too-much-to-sing-along song. Break-up? Crush on someone who doesn't know you exist? Moderate to severe panic that comes with almost any life change? Break out the Postal Service and thank me later.

It's interesting to think about a person from your past (or present) and think of what song brings them to mind. I had a crush on someone in high school that comes to mind any time I hear "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World or anything by New Found Glory. So weird, but those types of things make me smile every time, even if it's bittersweet.

Now go dig through that CD book you know you had in high/middle school! There are some serious gems in there ;)

xoxo,
E

Vacation Ready

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Does anyone else have an "Orange is the New Black" hangover?? SO GOOD.

I'm going on a few big trips this summer (including a three week trip to England! Yee!!) and have been in need of a nice piece of luggage for some time. I know that a suitcase doesn't sound like the sexiest gift ever, but my parents got me this for an early birthday present:

I hate how my iPhone pics never do anything justice...probably has to do with the extreme lack of natural light in my apartment.

Isn't she beautiful? I knew I wanted a hardshell suitcase in a color that would be instantly recognizable coming down the baggage claim line. I really wasn't expecting to fall this hard for a piece of luggage! Here's a better picture from the website:

 

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It's still sitting in the middle of my living room because it makes me smile every time I look at it. I may or may not have actually hugged it several times. I'll definitely report back on how it does when I take it on a trip...a three week trip to England should put it to the test!

xoxo,
E

Pretty in Purple

Quick post today...because today's the first day of summer (for me, at least)! Woo hoo! I'm celebrating by getting a new cable box, cleaning my apartment, and shopping for supplies for the summer camp I'm running next week. I know, I know, way too much partying for day one; I'll try to scale back in the coming weeks.

Even though I might not be beaching it, I can still feel summer-ready with my pretty summer nails!

 

This is Essie's "Play Date" and the icky iPhone picture doesn't do it justice. It's bright and cheerful and everything I'm looking for in my summer nail polish!

Happy hump day!

xoxo,

E

Honey Simple Syrup

Don't you hate how sugar won't dissolve in cold drinks?! I've always preferred iced coffee to hot coffee for some reason (like, as soon as the temperature go above 30 degrees, I'm breaking out the cold brew coffee and doing a little dance). I used to use icky fake sweeteners, but I have since quit that nonsense and gone with either simple syrup (homemade of course...do NOT pay for sugar water! It's the easiest thing ever to make!) or just unsweetened vanilla almond milk.

But, I definitely like a little honey in my tea in the afternoons/evenings. I've noticed, though, that I can be a little heavy-handed with the honey. Teaspoon, shmeaspoon. So I just transferred the easiness of simple syrup to make honey simple syrup. Having homemade simple syrups on hand makes me feel like a barista!

Not very glamorous, but great to have on hand!

It's seriously so easy. Just equal parts honey and water heated in a saucepan/whisked until two become one. Easy-peasy.

Does anyone else stare at their tea until it's finished steeping? No? Just me?

Right now I'm liking my honey simple syrup with lemon ginger tea. Simple syrup is easier for me to measure than gloppy honey.

Happy Friday!

xoxo,

E

Family Weekend

I took a long weekend this past weekend to go on a road trip with my mom to visit family in northern Virginia and see my little brother's lacrosse game. It was a quick trip, but I loved being able to see so many people I love! 

 

We had to make a pitstop at South of the Border outside of Florence, SC where we met up. That place is so hilarious! Have you ever been?

 

The highlight of the weekend was watching my little brother's game! It didn't go the way we would have preferred, but I love watching him play! Go Blue Hens!

 

My mom and I were in the car for around 16 hours this weekend (we joke that my mom missed her calling as a long-haul trucker)...between talking, laughing, and singing, there was never a dull moment. As you can see, even Gatsby was a road warrior!

We also got to see my aunt, uncle, cousins, and their families, which never happens enough. Such a great weekend!

xoxo,

E

Roadtripping

My mom and I are going on an impromptu road trip this weekend to the DC area/Towson to see my brother play lacrosse (Go Blue Hens!). I haven't seen my mom since Christmas break, and I am so excited to hang out with her...we always have a great time together :)

These are a few gems from our last adventure together. We went to Chicago for my birthday last summer and had so much fun! The one above is from the architectural boat tour we took one night.
 

 

Trying to stay dry on the double decker bus tour!

 

Waiting for the Second City show to start

Even though it's just a weekend, I'm excited to be able to hang out with my awesome mama!

I'm even bringing her grand pup along for the ride...

 
Happy weekend!

xoxo,
E

Holiday Gift Guide Round-Up

So it's probably a little late to get in on the holiday gift guide game at this point. We've got 12 days until Christmas, but I always end up second guessing my gift choices at this point. Are they going to like it? Are they going to get it? Is it thoughtful enough? Is it too sentimental?

Leg Lamp, anyone?

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I'm not usually a fan of holiday gift guides because I feel like they tend to be full of useless but pretty things that just seem so holiday-gift-guide-ish. I feel like someone would totally know I copped out and shopped a gift guide instead of genuinely thinking about who I was buying for and what they like.

That being said, this is a holiday gift guide round up. These are gift guides that I either have actually bought things from or have thought "huh, that's a really great idea, if I hadn't already bought that completely thoughtful gift, I would totally buy that" while scrolling through it.

• Emily at Cupcakes and Cashmere has some great gift guides that are so stylish and thoughtful at different price points (under $25 and under $100). Each selection really feels handpicked. I even bought my dad something from her gift guide for men. Actually just look up any of her gift guides; they all rock.

• Dinner A Love Story's 2011 gift guide...the 2012 gift guide was pretty good (come to me, Le Creuset french press), but I really like the idea of receiving Pantone ornaments...so I went with this one.

• As always, Gilt has curated a beautiful and unexpected boutique, this time for the holidays. It has lovelies at every price point, without ever sacrificing style. Get your invite here.

OK, so that was only three. Told you I was picky! I've been seriously coveting almost everything on all these for a little while now, so I had to record them here so I could get back to them in the future! 

I hope you're enjoying holiday preparations...remember, if you're in a pinch, nothing says "I love you" like a Starbucks gift card!

xoxo,

E

Something Wicked This Way Comes

I don't have any children (of the human variety, calm down, Gatsby) and haven't really anticipated any trick or treaters for the past couple years, so decorating for Halloween the old fashioned way has never really held too much appeal for me. Nope, no pumpkin guts and fake spider webs for this girl.

But D.L. & Co has me singing a different tune this year. Their wares are a little on the pricey side for seasonal stuff, but just think of all the deliciously evil fun you could have with these:

Seven Deadly Sins Dessert Plates

How much tastier would Halloween candy be on these scary guys? I'm picturing dressed-up Halloween themed petit fours paired with, what else?, a glass of (blood) red wine.

Delft Skull Stationery

Invite everyone to your Halloween party with the coolest stationery I've ever seen.

Skull with Mandible Candle

A collection of these on your entryway table or bookshelf set a playfully scary tone. To burn or not to burn?

Le Pomme Rouge Candle

Normally, this would look like a cool apple shaped candle. But this time of year, all I can think about is Snow White and the Wicked Witch. What do you think poisoned apple smells like?

What are you doing to spookify your space this year?

 

xoxo,

E

PS: No, D.L. & Co did not sponsor this post...I wish.

What did Delaware?

I don't know, Alaska! I know it's a little early in the week for cheesy state humor, but I'm hoping it somewhat makes up for my MIA status since last week. The reason for my absence was a trip to visit my little brother at the University of Delaware! He's a freshman and plays on the lacrosse team...it was fun to see him (and the rest of my family) in his new element!

A big blue hen in one of the athletic buildings...intimidating, right?

My brothers and I in front of middle bro's locker. It was cool to see the locker room, but cracking a smile was a little tough. Sweaty boys =  STINKY locker room!

Defensive players huddling during the fall scrimmage. My brother is the goalie. When they huddled, it looked like they were hugging each other...so cute! My mom and I kept trying to catch them in the huddle, but they usually broke apart too soon. This fuzzy one was the best we could get.

Brothers and I after the scrimmage. They're bigger than me now!

One of the best parts of the trip: U Dairy Ice Cream! Ice cream made from the University's dairy cows...I went with Holy Fluffernutter (peanut butter, marshmallow fluff, chocolate chips). Dee-lish!

Have a happy week!

xoxo,

E

Madewell Craving

When I opened my September Birchbox (more on that later), I was excited to not only find lots of mini-beauty pretties, but also this lovely...

A $25 off coupon to Madewell! Yeep!

I am obviously going to be using this to jump start my fall wardrobe because GUYS I GET PAID NEXT TUESDAY. Sorry, did that sound a little loud? It was meant to. I've got a few days to plan out my purchase as aided by this little happy. Here are some of my thoughts...

Leather Shiftdress, $450

OK, so maybe I won't be investing in this over-budget lovely. But, c'mon, how could you not want this awesome fall dress in your closet?? Leather + Burgundy = Love

Serenade Lace Dress, $168

I've said before that fall is awesome not only for that burning smell and crisp weather that makes for awesome hair, but also for allowing you to play with textures in a way that summer just doesn't encourage. The dress needs to stop it with the nipped in waist, lace, inky yumminess.

Silk Gatehouse Dress, $165

Long-sleeved dresses are a no-brainer for fall. (But, can we Just Say No to the knee-sock-with-ankle-strap-shoes thing? Sorry, I'm not sorry.) I really like this color for some reason...it's beige without being so beige-y. That's a thing.

Bow Sweater, $88

I deeply enjoy this sweater. The orange and grey combo is unexpected, and the over-sized fit makes me want to throw it on for either a walk in the park on a crisp day or a night in with wine and friends. Unexpected yet versatile is always on point in my book.

I'll take one of each please. Happy hump day!

xoxo,

E

When your week's feeling a little long...

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Sometimes you gotta get a little punny...

Happy almost weekend!

xoxo,

E

Christmas in September!

My first Birchbox got here! It was like a little mini-Christmas of beauty goodies! Here's what I got in my box (all pictures are of the full-size product, but I got all mini/sample sizes)

theBalm cosmetics Stainiac

I've always been a little wary of stains. I have no idea why, but I sometimes decide that I don't like something (usually food related, but this time not) just because of the way it sounds or how I imagine it will work/not work for me (for example, I don't like scallops...not because I've ever tried them, but because I imagine that they would make me gag for some reason). I always thought stains would be messy and too much color for some reason. I was so wrong. I love this stain...everything they say about that "just finished a cherry popsicle" look is true!

twistband Hair Tie

I've been wanting some of these for a while and now I want more! My box came with an orange one just in time for the first Clemson game. It's like they know...

Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy La Fleur

I normally avoid all things Juicy (in my mind, I associate Juicy with butt-writing on sweatpants and Ed Hardy tees), but this actually smells really good. Is there a way to decant this perfume into a bottle that doesn't say Juicy Couture so I can save face but still have this really awesome perfume?

Whish Shave Crave Shaving Cream

I actually needed shaving cream when I got my Birchbox (again, it's like they know...). Great as far as shaving creams go. I'll definitely use up my sample, but I don't know if this teacher's salary can support a $20 shaving cream habit.

Schick Hydro Silk Razor

I feel about this razor pretty much the same as I feel about the shaving cream. Great as far as razors go, (and I might keep using it because it came with a coupon for more cartridges) but it's a little expensive for a razor. That being said, it is a sharp knife that I choose to slide along my legs twice a week, so maybe I shouldn't spare expense on that?

I'm not sure if I'll detail what I get every month (unless you want to hear about it?) unless it's really exciting/life-changing. Thoughts?

xoxo,

E

Friday Happies

Happy Friday! I hope you all have fabulous weekends planned! I'm excited to go to the farmer's market to stock up on yummy produce and to one of my best friend's wedding shower, but will otherwise probably be pretty laid back, as school is starting FOR REAL on Monday. Here are some things that are making me smile...

The new 652-page InStyle fall issue. O EM GEE. I'm not the biggest JLo fan, but something tells me with over 650 pages of lovelies, I won't really mind...reading this will be my reward for when I actually get my first unit planned...

Gatsby's precious face when I told him I would be going back to school next week. Just kidding, but I imagine he's thinking, "wait, so we can't play all day anymore?"

This pretty freebie that will definitely find a place in my classroom this year. As a classroom teacher, I support all of these statements!

Happy Friday! See you next week!

xoxo,

E

Milk Glass Obsession

I love milk glass...its not-quite-opaqueness always seems like it has been around for generations, giving it such a sentimental look. I am always in need of little dishes, bowls, and trays to hold all the things I tend to leave in my wake as I move through the day. I'm especially looking for milk glass cake stands to make some of my less-pretty bathroom items (i.e. floss, toothbrush, etc.) a little more happy. So even though I have a definite item I'm looking for, I can't help but google "milk glass" and ogle all the pretties that come up in my image search...

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Milk glass vases are the perfect combination of pretty-on-their-own and simple-enough-not-to-compete-with flower-prettiness.

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While I'm sure this intricate pedestal bowl was meant for a higher purpose, I can't think of a more sophisticated way to keep track of my key's and the nugget's leash.

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This may be the front runner for my bathroom catch-all. It would also be so pretty as a kitchen catch-all for dish soap, scrubbies, and rings for when you are washing those hard-to-clean pots and pans.

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I feel like I'm ODing on green milky beautifulness. Stop it.

I think my favorite milk glass pieces are either the colored ones or the hobnail (bumpy) pieces...or hobnail colored pieces! (gasp!) Anyone else out there share this milk glass love?

xoxo,

E

Collector's Items

I have a love/hate relationship with collections. I love the idea of collecting little things over time, and I love the way things look in a place when they are displayed creatively. However, when I think of collections, my mind also tends to go to kitschy shelves of porcelain cats in a grandmother's dusty formal living room. So when I began looking at sweet vintage brass animals, I knew I was walking a fine line. But when you find a little bird wearing a crown, how can you not want to create a collection around him?

According to the description, he's cast iron gold (maybe spray painted?), not brass, but he is adorable. He's also on his way to my apartment as we speak, and I'm excited to find a place for him.

I also love these little guys (who are not on their way to my apartment--not quite ready to make the full-fledged collection plunge yet). I would just need a way to display them in a way that says "Look at my cool and interesting little brass animals, don't they make me also cool and interesting?" rather than "Look at my weird collection, I should get out more."

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It's really the story that surrounds the objects that makes a collection interesting. I have a small collection of street art that I gathered while studying in various places in Europe during college, and each one makes me smile when I think of the experiences I had there. With that said, I realize snatching up every brass animal does not a collection make. So, for now, I'll be happy with my little crowned bird.

How do you display collections without it looking like you're a great aunt that collects plates with pictures of ducks on them?

xoxo,

E