Holiday Decorating: Anthropologie Ornaments

OK, so it's no secret that I am in love with Anthropologie, and their adorable holiday ornament collection makes me love this store even more! I think that what makes them so special is their slightly quirky, "hand-made" style. (Possible craft project over winter break??) Here are a few of my personal favorites, most of which happen to be on sale right now on the Anthropologie website, so be sure to check out the selection.



By the way, I adore the collection of cozy sweater ornaments. How lovely would it be to decorate a Christmas tree around the theme of handknit sweaters and scarves?

Holiday Decorating

Here are some creative ideas for holiday parties and decorations, all courtesy of Real Simple (if you're not already a subscriber, I highly recommend this magazine). I was impressed to see that all of these suggestions are not only smart and inventive but also fairly easy to put together in a short amount of time.

Using craft stencils to write a festive holiday message on the wall.

Replacing traditional placemats with whiteboards to entertain your guests.

Making a mobile/hanging ceiling art out of wooden craft hoops.

Be sure to share your own creative holiday decorating ideas. I'm always looking for more inspiration!

Holiday Decorating: 3D Paper Snowflake

I found a website with really simple instructions to make amazing 3D snowflakes. They're surprisingly easy to make, but the end result is stunning! I made one in about 15 minutes to hang in my dorm room window for the holidays. I'm already thinking of all the possibilities to decorate and embellish these snowflakes (different colored paper, glitter, small silver bells, the list is endless).

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-3D-Paper-Snowflake

So Much to Do, So Little Time

Unfortunately, I have been super-busy over the last couple of days and am currently buried under a mound of work! To make it worse, the next two to three weeks look like they are going to be just as hectic and work-filled. But don't worry -- I will try to make time for updates, even if they are very brief! So for now I will leave you with a few disjointed thoughts/suggestions/pieces of advice.

1. If you're in New York, definitely check out Loehmann's. I went in yesterday and found some amazing pieces that must have arrived only recently. Especially exciting were several racks filled with gorgeous blouses, blazers, and cropped pants by Rebecca Taylor (one of my new favorite designers!).
2. Make time to see New York City Ballet's production of The Nutcracker. It is such a fantastic holiday tradition, plus it is absolutely adorable to see families bringing their young children to see the show for the very first time. And even if you can't make it to see NYCB, take advantage of local companies and touring companies in your area.
3. Decorate for the holidays! Sadly to say, housing does not permit students to have live Christmas trees in their rooms (!), but I would still like to make my dorm festive for the holidays. I am thinking twinkle lights and maybe even a wreath hung in my window would be nice touches.
4. Check out style.com's feature on packing for holiday travel. Even though I will not be spending my break lounging poolside in the Caribbean (I am going to Paris this year), I can still admire the collages of colorful bikinis and chic cover-ups and daydream about tropical weather!
5. Put together your own non-school-related reading list for over the holidays and make a trip to Barnes & Noble to pick up your selections. Then plan to spend a few days over winter break lounging on the couch under a warm blanket with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book.

That's all for now -- I will try to update again soon!