Quickie

Rhubarb crumble. 

Just a quickie to assure you that I'm alive and well. I'm just recharging my batteries a bit since the past week has really burned me out. Long hours of playing Professor Layton and the Last Spectre can really do that to you, ya know? 

In all seriousness, I've been really busy with work and just catching up with friends here and there. I'm also trying to spend more time with my husband now that he's a bit free because of winter break. My baby (le blog) turned one yesterday, and I kinda forgot about it because I was ballz-tired and just plonked on my bed and hibernated. Don't worry though, I am planning on some festivities and surprises soon for the anniversary and my upcoming birthday! (hint, hint: Pressies, everyone, PRESSIES!) 

But for now, I am leaving you with these delicious morsels of delights (from quite a while back).

I was quite amused with the size of this spoon. I'm holding it up to my face for comparison.
Granted I have a HUGE head, the spoon is still big.

Black Forest Cake Coffee. For Bella, of course.

A HUGE brownie surprise. Complete with whipped cream, homemade vanilla ice cream,
hot fudge, nuts, and a cherry on top!

Happy New Year, everyone! 

Magical Wishes

I'm wearing the "Birdies and Cages hair tie" bow from the shop!

A Green River Phosphate

dress, worn as skirt; cardigan; belt: thrifted:: thigh-high socks: Target::
Zatanna tee: Comic Con:: kitty necklace: Forever 21:: heart kitten heels: JCPenney (circa 2003)
hair bow: my shop!

I want to wish you and yours a magical (Zatanna, get it?) holiday season. 

At the mo, I am knee-deep in cookie and cupcake baking, last-minute stocking stuffer acquiring, and much-needed booze drinking. My 4-day weekend has JUST commenced, but with the holidays and all, my blogging will probably be a bit sporadic for a while.  Though I'm sure everyone's on the same boat. I'll be blog reading throughout the holidays, so I promise to make it to your blog soon!

I hope everyone has a beautiful holiday. 
I epoh enoyreve sah a lufituaeb yadiloh.

♥ Laura

Glamour and Glitz: An Anjolee Review

Ending my 6-Month shopping ban in December has a few drawbacks. Along with acquiring pieces for festivities and parties, I also have to begin rebuilding my almost bare wardrobe from scratch. So I was thrilled when Anjolee contacted me a few weeks back to review one of their gorgeous diamond pendants.

To serve my need for both holiday glamour and everyday glitz, I chose this gorgeous Rounded Triangle Diamond Pendant necklace among their beautiful line of diamond pendant necklaces. Anjolee offers all their customers customized jewelry where one can choose from the type of stones (and carat weights) to the metals used to the chain length for each necklace. I chose mine to be set in 10k yellow gold on an 18 inch chain.

The necklace came beautifully packaged, and the quality of the necklace itself is exquisite. I've bought diamond necklaces in jewelry stores in the past, where I was able to inspect the jewelry itself, and I am impressed at the quality of this Anjolee necklace, especially because I did all the ordering and customization online. The stones are clear and cleanly set, and the chain is delicate and lustrous.






I am in love with my necklace, and there are so many diamond pendant necklaces that Anjolee has, that it was hard to pick one! I love how this piece dresses up my casual everyday looks but is also very appropriate for fancy dinners or dress-up parties. If you're looking for more bling, Anjolee has a wide range of riviera diamond necklaces as well that you can fully customize to match your tastes.

Thoughts on Diamonds? 

*Anjolee offered this diamond necklace for my honest review about their product and service*

Bloggers Rock the Colors of Christmas: Red

dress: Meijer? :: blazer: Old Navy:: boots: JC Penney::
purse: CJ Banks:: leopard scarf: shop of worldly delights (one more left!)

The lovely Collette from Statements in Fashion asked me (among many other beautiful ladies) to pick a holiday color to rock for today's post. I could choose between red, blue, green, silver, and white. I've been wearing a lot of blue lately, so I decided to give my much-neglected red dress a whirl while running today's errands (which explains the library photos, folks)

I also got a haircut recently, and I am quite smitten by my new layers and bang-less look. I feel much, much more grown-up. Because I'm more grown-up, I should be going to grown-up holiday parties, right? How come no one has invited me yet? Am I that unpopular?!?! I know I have chronic bitchface, but that shouldn't stop me from being loved!

I can be melodramatic when I want to be.

What colors are you rocking this holiday season? 

Batwings and Nonsense. You know, a Lauratypical Monday

top: Pitaya:: denim: Old Navy:: heels: Target:: scarf, bow pin: DIY

Na nana na na nana nana BATWINGS! Apparently, not everyone is kosher with flowy-sleeve tops like this one I'm wearing. A lot of people asked me if I felt like a bird, flapping my wings.

Nope. To be honest, I felt like Batman, even though he doesn't have wings, he glides with his massive cape. That or I feel like a sugar glider.

How is everyone doing today, especially with all the holiday rush and whatnot? I haven't been the best of bloggers with the blogreading and replying, I know, but I'm trying really hard so please, bear with me. Or you know, bare with me and let's both take our clothes off. 

Cue (not queue) awkward silence. Cricket sounds in the background. Curtains fall.  aaaand, that's a wrap. 

pink tunic top: Old Navy:: piggy skirt: DIY:: tights, clogs: Target::
scarf: Rue 21:: cardi: GAP:: bow belt: DIY, will be available in the shop sooon!

I quit my mentally-stifling job about a month ago and started working back in retail. Though I will confess it makes me a bit sad I'm not teaching or doing scholarly work, I'm quite relieved to have something fun to do instead of staring at a computer screen, wanting to incessantly bash my head. I've been doing part-time work, but it feels like I honestly am working more than that. I barely have time to blog or craft, and I have to deal with dramatic co-workers. UGH.

Why can't we all just do what Fergie does and, you know, don't want no drama?

Because of all this drama, I have to get to work earlier today and won't have time to finish catching up with my much-neglected blog reading. Obviously, I have next to no experience with dealing with overdramatic sorts of people-- I tend to just cut them out of my life-- or I have no sympathy and am really a robot.

How do you deal with drama?

Garish, Whorish, Whatever. + a Delectable Treat

dress: Forever 21:: cami: Old Navy:: belt: Urban Outfitters:: wedges: Hot Topic

These are truly awful photos, but I quite liked my outfit with the pops of colors here and there, so I'm sharing them anyway. It's a rarity for me to dress up in tighter fitting clothes because I feel quite naked when I do so. And the pops yellow, bright pink on my lips, and aqua on my nails makes me feel a little too happy. Or whorish. I dunno the difference. I'm kidding, of course.

For those of you who have reached this far in the post, here's a delicious treat you can cook up in a flash. Perfect for gifts or for high-calorie, eternal-regret snacking:

Chocolate-Covered Brownie Bites

Ingredients:
1 box of brownie mix and all the ingredients it takes to make them.
1/2 bag or 8 oz of chocolate chips. Please get the good kind. It's the only kind worth getting.
*optional 1 Tablespoon of butter

Directions:
1. Bake the brownies as directed. Let them cool COMPLETELY before even slicing them into bite-sized pieces. <-- this is probably the hardest step of the whole process.
2. Melt the chocolate chips. There are 2 ways of doing this
a. in a microwave-safe bowl, put the chips in and microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring in between until completely melted.
b. in a double boiler, melt chips over a med-low heat.
*optional:after all the chocolate has been melted, and while it's still warm, toss in the butter for some shine. REALLY, the butter is just there for shine.
3. Dunk and coat the brownies in the chocolate. Set aside and wait for them to cool before nomming.

What are your favorite holiday goodies? 

A little bit of 90s Grunge... Maybe?

dress: thrifted:: necklace: Forever 21:: booties: Payless:: jacket:Blue Rivet

I was feeling a little bit "I don't give a damn" when I put this outfit together.This thrifted dress has quite a 90s quality to it, what with the higher waist, looser fit skirt, the length, and the mini shoulder pads. That with some leather, and you've got yourself a bonafide blast from the past ensemble. Right?

No makeup (ok, a slap of dark lipstick) and hardly combed hair... am I getting this period wrong?

Cheap Thrills

On Saturday, my 6-month shopping ban ended. I waited patiently until the day ended before even looking online for places that may have the stuff I've listed over the past few weeks of things I thought I needed to incorporate into my wardrobe.

Because I was giddy with excitement, I didn't end up falling asleep until 4:00 Sunday morning. AFTER I organized my sock drawer, realizing that I have 5 pairs of black tights, 2 pairs of electric blue ones, and 2 maroon ones. Ridiculous.

I promptly woke up at 7:00 am. I didn't even grab anything to eat before I left the house, dressed in the comfiest and most convenient ensemble ever (leggings, skirt, and pullover-- no pictures because I was too gung-ho to shop.

Now, I thought about this day a lot. And just like when one goes on a diet, they don't just stuff themselves silly when the diet is over. That would spoil all the hard work they put into that fast, right? So I decided that I would ease myself into the whole shopping routine again by setting a limit for myself and following a list.

For a while, I felt like I forgot how to shop. For reals. It seemed like I had no enthusiasm for looking at clothing. I would pass rack after rack without even glancing to check if any of the items in the rack were on sale. Is this good? I hope so.

I spent a good 4 hours walking around from shop to shop, driving from one part of the shopping district to another, checking out merchandise and comparing prices. By the end of the 4 hours, I knew what I needed to go back for and even had enough time to think of how to incorporate those pieces into outfits.

I had set my budget for this shopping trip to $100 because I was really terrified that if I didn't, I would just buy anything in sight.

Well, I failed there. But not by much, and I stuck to my list. I ended up spending $160 but I was pleased with my haul, and I feel like I don't need to go back and buy anything else for a while. I mean, possibly, for another month or so. I know, right? CRAZY.

So here it is, ya'll. My Haul of Cheap Thrills. Enjoy.

1. White Lace Top from TJMaxx-- $7.00



Who doesn't love lace? I needed layering pieces that I can wear over dresses or under blazers and cardigans. The flowier, the better. 
2. Black Flat Boots from Target -- $35.00

I have really huge calves, no thanks to my dad. :) So I had to get these babies a size up from what I usually wear. I'm surprised at how comfortable they are! I needed a pair of flat boots that I can wear with jeans or to toughen up girly skirts and dresses. 
*THESE NEXT ONES ARE A BIT RIDICILOUS. BUT I SWEAR, THEY WERE ON THE LIST*
3. Hello Kitty Beanie-- $9.00

I had a HK cardigan on my wishlist last post, and I went to my F21 to get one because I need cardigans of different colors, but they didn't have it anymore. (Of course, because they're cute). But I DID need a beanie/snow hat for the winter. Might as well get the cutest one possible.
4. Hello Kitty Hot Pink Cardigan-- $25

I don't have a lot of colored cardigans, and I like that this one is bright and has cute details on it (in HK's face!!!) Look at that adorable tag!
5. Hello Kitty Jumper-- $20

Because believe it or not, I don't have any comfortable sweaters. Most of them are tighter than I would like or are too itchy.

LAST Hello Kitty one, I promise.

6. Hello Kitty Pullover-- $18

Perhaps my most favorite purchase of all. I love the HK big head design, and am LUSTING over the printed leggings. But, they're not on the list, so I didn't get them. 
7. Skinny Orange Belt -- $3.50I need to branch out with color, and this is my first orange piece ever! (at least I think it is!) Just like with leopard print, I'm taking the orange in small doses until I'm comfy with it. 
8. Bow Rings-- $1.50 each

Ok, I'll admit, these weren't really on the list. But they were cute and inexpensive. Plus, rings are my weakness. $3 for 2! 

9. Ruff Hewn Puffer Coat-- which I got for such a steal. Originally $140, I got it for (get ready for it...) $35.

And it's from this season, too. I waffled quite a bit on whether or not I wanted this or a black one, but because I knew I needed to start playing with more color, I got this instead. 
Like I said earlier, I'm quite thrilled. And I didn't feel the need to buy everything else in sight. I even picked up a couple of ideas for clothes I'd like to make myself instead of purchasing a mass-produced copy. So there you go, folks! My 6-month challenge has ended, and I'm quite proud of myself for getting through it! I thought I spent a decent amount of money on pieces that I know I need and will be able to wear all the time, and I'm developing a new system of purchasing so I can fully assess how much I really need/want an item (it makes me sound crazy, but I promise you, I'm not.)