happy snow

Tommy built me this snowman on Christmas Eve. I love this place...snow is so fun!

on being merry

via The Perfect Palate

Off to celebrate the holidays with my future family. All of them - aunts, uncles, cousins. Complete with a crazy tasty smorgasbord of obscene proportions (all of the women in this family are lil Martha Stewart's). Games (yes, they actually do play games together as a family...how cute is that?). Gifts galore (holy hell you've never seen such an opulent display of gifts in your whole life.) Matching outfits (ummm...yea....I don't know how this will play out either). And all of the joy and love and laughter that Christmas brings.

Have a very merry Christmas.

i dig tacky christmas

here

Growing up, our house was decorated like whoa for Christmas. Our tree was always quite a masterpiece. My mother's exquisite hand-blown glass ornaments and fragile crystal pieces, hung alongside our popsicle and macaroni ornaments. Such a splendid sight. Until I was in high school - then my sisters and I started longing for a more "grown-up" tree.

We began choosing"color themes" for the holiday. We would decorate our tree only in that color scheme, wrap our presents in those coordinating colors, and my mom would even decorate the dinner table to match. We weren't decorating with the macaroni ornaments...and many of our "silly" childhood decorations were kept in their boxes. It was all about the "designer" look.

Boy am I over that. Now, I'm all about the Christmas decorations that not only make memories, but help recall special memories. Bring on those popsicle creations! Bust out the macaroni! Screw the stuffy department store decor that looks impersonal. I long for a good old fashion (tacky?) Christmas.

twinkle lights

There is something so enchanting about Christmas here in New England. The way the lights sparkle in the morning mist on my drive to work...or how it reflects off of the glittering white snow...oh... it is all just so dazzling.

I find these images to be quite divine. Found at this spectacular photography blog: Montague.

pretty presents

I remember when I used to obsess over creating the most perfect Christmas packages for under the tree. I would slave away making raffia bows tied up with dried flowers, or lux lacy ribbons paired with textured handmade wrapping papers. I'm not even kidding. That was back when I was an undergraduate no less. In more recent years I've barely managed to wrap my presents at all - and they tend to look like more like a 6 year old did it. Eh. I've been busy.

But then I saw these. And I'm inspired. For some DIY goodness find it here.

*it alllllmost makes me rethink the whole standard gift bag with tissue thing I've got going this year...almost.

i threw my watch away

I threw my watch away about a month ago. It was an accident. It got tossed out in in the pocket of a set of scrubs I wore for a crazy surgical case. Do you know how hard it is to live without a watch!? Freaking. Impossible.

And this wasn't just some random watch. This watch was the first gift my fiance ever gave me. Mucho sentimental value.

Picture Valentine's day five years back. We were a couple months into an 1800 mile long distance relationship...we didn't even know each others sense of style yet. He knew I needed a watch and so he picked out the "prettiest" watch he could find. It was a Guess watch with a heart shaped face surrounded with rhinestones and heartlinks throughout. Probably the most hideous watch I've ever seen. He didn't know my repulsion to "heart" shaped things. Especially sparkly rhinestone encrusted heart shaped things.

Well. I was touched none the less. But, I still told him that hearts really aren't my favorite. Apparently, he even emailed a picture of the watch to my little sister to see if I would like it and she was very enthusiastic that I would LOVE it. When I approached her about it (more specifically, why the hell she would say that) she said she felt bad telling him I wouldn't like it.

Doy.

So he got me a different watch. It was still super fancy compared to what I would have picked out for myself. This Guess watch had a mother of pearl face that was surrounded by glittering Swaroski crystals. Super girlie. But no hearts....thank God. It took a while to get used to the "bling" but I ended up loving that watch. I never took it off. Ever. For 5 years it was a part of my wrist.

And I threw it away. I suck.

team jacob

I went and saw New Moon with my future sister in law (who is the cooloest 17 year I know). And now I'm completely obsessed with the whole Twilight series thing. And I have to read all of the gazillions books 7 times (like she did). Just what I need. A new distraction. With 700 pages each.

*note: I did call my fiance and told him that I am in love with a warewolf. He told me that he would buy P90x tomorrow. What a trooper.

winter

I know it's cold, freezing in fact...it's slippery and dangerous to drive in...and its takes a special wardrobe to survive...but I love it. The winter snow. It's just so beautiful.

a midnight snow

Haunting and ethereal...the first snow of the season came late Saturday night and I was giddy with excitement! It was like a present...a cold, magical, icy, lacy, sparkling present.

We sat inside, all bundled up and cozy...watching from the big frosted windows...sipping our hot cocoa brimming with fluff...with White Christmas on in the background. I can't make stuff like this up.

Rhode Island is the perfect place for me this winter.

goals for year 28

saipua

Today I turn 28. A part of me feels that 28 sounds sooo old - why is that? I know I am still crazy young...I am blessed with an insatiable thirst for life...and 28 is no where even close to being OLD old. (unless you ask my 21 year old sister...in which case she thinks I am ancient...eh.)

I am very proud of all of the things my 28 years have accomplished so far. I have seen such beauty, experienced the truest love, laughed till I cried, experienced heart ache, survived medical school (which is a feat in and of itself) and have a lot to be proud of. (I just realized that this is quite a lil love fest I'm having for myself...that's kinda fun).

I have a lot of things I'd like to accomplish as a 28 year old. My 28 year old resolutions:

1. get the slammin' 28 year old body I want! wahoo!!
2. embrace a lovely and harmonious marriage with the one I love most
3. begin my surgical training to be a top notch physician (officially graduate in June!!)
4. take advantage of weekends for more local exploration
5. finish my first quilt (I've taken close to 7 months off from working on it...it's about time I begin again)
6. quit buying sh*t clothes :-) I really need to quit buying stuff on sale just because it's onsale...and instead buy great pieces of clothing that I can cherish in multiple ways.
7. mix up the classics I haven't read yet with the chick-lit I've been pouring over (hehehe...Twilight...it's more of an addiction)
8. cook at least one real meal per week...using new recipes each time (oooooo fun!)
9. become more politically aware/tolerant
10. work on my mad photog skills

10 is a good list to start with I think. Happy birthday self. This is going to be a GREAT year!

fantabulously frugal *contest*

Sweep over to Fantabulously Frugal and enter to win one of these crazy rad prize lots. I'd love to win some new stuff before the holidays... I could put allllllll these lil goodies to excellent use! Good luck!

providence

Providence has been captured so honestly and so beautifully by RISD grad Carrie Anne Chandonnait...love her stuff.

Ok. Here I am in Rhode Island. My final month on the east coast...and what a magnificent whirl-wind it has been. Probably the most incredible four months of my life. I love that I have been able to become a part of these landscapes...to know what it's really like to live in these amazing places...to have been able to take advantage of all the tourist sites and the local faves.

Rhode Island is more like a second home to me at this point. What's fun about this tiny state is that every time I come here I find new charming places of loveliness.

Wish me luck.

so thankful

Find the recipe for this little dazzler here.

You probably won't care too much about my list. You most likely have your own list of lil wonders to be thankful for. But I want to capture this. .

I'm thankful for...
the love of the sweetest man i know.
my magical childhood memories.
my mom still being my biggest fan.
the daily text messages from my dad.
the friendship of my little sisters.

philly foodie

flickr

I spent this past weekend in Philadelphia with my fiance. He was in town for a huge teaching convention...so I drove down from upstate NY to hang with him for a couple days in between his sessions. We stayed a block from his RAD old place in Olde City (he lived in Philadelphia for a while in the early days of our dating phase)....around the corner from Betsy Ross' house. I love this section Philadelphia. LOVE it. The cobblestone streets, the church spires, Independence Hall, buildings from the 1700's, all the dang statues of Ben. God. It's amazing.

This time, for the first time, we took on the role of Philadelphia foodies and ate ourselves silly at every meal. Traditionally, we are rather broke travelers, so pizza places and cheap beer are what we fuel up on. Oh friends. Life is SO much more fun eating incredible cuisine along the way. We basically camped out on 2nd and Market...delicious street full of yummy eateries.

Best weekend involving food in my life. AND it was a great rendezvous with my loverboy.

yellow coat

My coat via Girl Meets Glamour

Two years ago My Guy gave me the most beautiful JCrew coat for Christmas. It is bright yellow, has a ruffled stand up collar, and big fun yellow buttons. I pretty much worship this coat...I have never had anything so fine.

Needless to say, when I was in New York City last weekend I received several compliments on it. Seriously. Simple little me...getting complimented on my clothing in New York. It felt fabulous.

Also...three people asked me for directions. Yep. Like I was a local. And the rad part? I knew how to help them find their way.

uggs

flickr

I am far from a fashionista. And I had no idea that my practical Uggs would actually help me blend in to the New Yorker landscape. I wore them because it was cold and rainy, and I needed my feet to be warm and cozy (and comfy!) as I explored. I actually think they are kind of funny looking, so I was surprised that everywhere I looked and everywhere I went I saw Uggs. (Well...it was either Uggs or stilettos.) Paired with my super skinny jeans and big ass slouchy black bag, I felt New York tres chic.

I am so damn hip.

nyc

Spent a few days in New York City. Gawd. Love that place. Granted, this past weekend was rather rainy...and cold...and windy...and just perfect. I didn't take out my camera...I lived everything instead of trying to capture it. And then I found these amazing images from Porter Polaroid Project and I'm instantly bummed I didn't take any. Next time.

I have a couple fabulous friends in the city. Instead of the tourist thing, I decided to explore their neighborhood (when I wasn't traipsing about the hospitals in Greenwich Village or Park Slope.) I ate at different eateries...did the MET (obviously...I live for my excursions to the MET), studied in little cafes, and meandered in and out of the beautiful boutiques of the upper east side. It was an exquisite five days.

It would be a dream to live here one day.

trees without leaves

Birch trees - Single Stone Studios

In the one week that I have lived in the southern tier of upstate New York, the trees have become bare. It really looks like winter...and a lot like the Blair Witch Project. They are a tad more creepy than charming...but they are rather nice to look at from the coziness of my window, while I'm drinking a steaming cup of hot cocoa.

These Etsy finds look like the nature outside my door.

Winter trees - Popwall

The Wishing Tree - Salon D

Barren Tree - Uncommon Accents

Julie Webb

Winter Trees - reasdesigns

long johns

REI

Here I am, in upstate New York, freezing. FREEZING. It's so cold I can hardly breath when I'm outside. And from what they tell me, this is NICE weather.

Holy Jesus.

Thankfully I packed a couple pair of long underwear (thanks Mom!). The difference is amazing.

I went in search to buy another pair or two this morning and all I can find are boring solid colors. Granted, they do go under the clothes...but that fact only makes me want a pair of brazenly obnoxious ones even more.

Winter Silks

Winter Silks

cloudy with a chance of rain

Etsy shop Ara133 Photography

That was my Halloween costume this year: "cloudy with a chance of rain." And it was the best Halloween of my life.

I drove down to DC for the weekend to stay with one of my dearest friends of all time. She is, quite literally, Crafty McCraftster, and dressed up as Carmen San Diego herself. When I showed up with the intention of wearing a set of blue scrubs as my costume, she busted open one of her pillows and hand sewed cotton clouds all over them. Then she slapped a water bottle in my hand and pinned a big white cotton fluff in my hair. I looked silly - but it was clever and I love clever.

DC was full of clever costumes. Clever costumes and rockin' parties!

Sea Pink - adorable lil pin cushion!

A Little luster - something shiny...and stormy.

Uniquely Chic For You - perfect color to wear on a cloudy day...I like to rock gray. And yellow.

cloudy day magnets found at Kathleen Marie Kelly

pretty pretty pennsylvania

This view is of the gardens behind my "home" here in the 'burbs of Philadelphia. I fell in love with this area...my month here started out shaky...but I ended up falling hard. It was such a gift to experience the spectacular explosions of brilliant color this autumn. I've decided that I only want to live where the leaves change every year. There really is no other way.

This has been one enchanting month.

The gardens behind my housing. Spectacular.

Red and yellow.

The park across the street.

Yellow leaves make my heart sing.

Such great shapes. I love that all of these different colored leaves came from the same tree.

Streets full of crunchy crunchy leaves.

The prettiest lil red leaf.