2012 was probably my favorite year so far. There were so many milestones: gradutation, first apartment, traveling to Africa for the first time, starting a new job… it’s been a whirlwind of a year, but I have loved every minute of it–and cannot wait to see what 2013 has to bring. Here’s my highlights of 2012:
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
You can pretty much assume that if something is small and cute, I will like it. Take mini cupcakes or gingerbread-type houses on martha’s vineyard. I love them all. However, now that I’m living in 750 sq foot apartment, I have learned that sometimes small and cute isn’t always better than… say spacious and cute?
Regardless, I should be thrilled to have 750 square feet to call my own. And here are lots of muuuuch small spaces that made it work. It gives me hope that if I were to ever need do down-size, I could do it with cute-ness intact.
So basically, a smaller square footage will also mean that I will get rid of all the junk? I mean seriously, where are they keeping their 40+ pairs of shoes? Or their jackets-for-every-possible-occasion? And most importantly, where will my (future) two dogs stay?
For the sake of all things small and cute, I’m willing to take this future challenge.
We’ve been at the apartment for about ten days, and JUST starting to feel settled in. We have this great big wall and absolutely no idea how to fill it. Luckily for me, the BF always comes to the rescue when my creative juices are at an all time low. A frame wall, duh.
So lately I’ve been doing some research on how to make a frame wall
I’m still working on getting one of those mastiffs in the first picture but the BF won’t flinch. Doesn’t he know that a house isn’t a home without a dog? What am I to do?
My school has a 4-4-1 schedule, making the spring term the best ever. And it just so happens that my birthday falls on the first week of Spring Term every. single. year. Therefore I have had the most amazing birthday weeks EVER since arriving to school
And this year marked my last (pink) birthday in college
Highlights include: My mom’s delicious birthday cookies, one for each year and one to grow on (other cookies featured here and here), Baking pink cupcakes–thank god for neon pink food dye! Tricking my 16 year-old-sister into thinking the BF bought be a kitten…. which he didn’t but would have been a wonderful gift and lastly, Buffalo Wild Wings for drinks and appetizers with KME. I just love those girls
Ever since signing the apartment lease, I’ve been dying to decorate it.
Calm down, I know.
My kitchen at home has a painting of pigs… now, I’m sure that sounds really weird, but it’s this very simple black and white painting of two hogs. My mother, in all her ironic glory, bought it because we don’t actually eat pork in the house… so instead she added her own version of pork to the kitchen. Good one, mom!
I should probably bite my tongue, because looks like the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree… As my quest for apartment decorations continues, I keep thinking of what we will add to our little kitchen. I saw these prints on my fave site Esty and just had to feature them. I love all the butcher chart prints–especially of the exotic animals. Gosh, who wouldn’t want to know what piece of a Dodo they’re eating?
TheWordShop has some amazing prints. BUT it gets better. The owners of this shop also own KeepCalmShop which features my favorite: Keep Calm and Drink Champagne. How fabulous is that?
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Two months from tomorrow I will graduate from college. Isn’t that just ridiculous. What in the world will I do with my little blog once I’m in the real world? So far I’ve had suggestions to change my blog to “ApartmentStyler” or “Boston&theBF” neither of which roll of the tongue quite as nice as DormStyler… so everyone keep brainstorming
In the meantime, we had our last all college Gala this weekend. I could not be more upset. It was definitely, hands down the best Gala of all four years. I had the most fun in the world dancing the night away to swing music. the BF will not be so happy that there are photos of him in this post, but since they’re all in groups you will just have to choose for yourself which of these handsome boys is mine. Here are pictures from this years Gala as well as Galas from years past. Gosh, I want to just cry!
Note: my iphone is unavailable during all the academic moments captured at college. Sorry that I did not take pictures of hours spent on SPSS or writing papers–they just don’t seem as visually appealing as the fun moments:
(1) smoothies at the farm with friends on a saturday afternoon (2) chocolate chip cookies for St. Patrick’s Day 3. kittens spotted roaming the farm (3) hot find at the local good will (4) loving all the dogs that attend the home sports games–pretty much the only reason I go to the games… but hey at least I’m supportive, right? (5) Brunch at the Pop Shoppe with with the BF
For some reason, I have always wanted my own KitchenAid standing mixer. It’s entirely and completely impractical for a recent college grad to own. How much mixing will I really be doing? Especially considering that most of my cooking will consist of defrosting prepackaged meals and concocting stir-frys. But there is just something so simple, sophisticated and almost regal about those shiny appliance that I can’t help but want one. so. badly.
Like any good daughter, I blame this obsession on my mother (and her shiny white KitchenAid appliance). After years of watching her mix cookie batter and homemade ice cream, how could I NOT want one of my own?
In an ideal world I would have a little kitchen like this with a little yellow KitchenAid mixer placed casually on a table… or maybe an Avocado colored one. Okay, let me dream.
Every so often, RueLaLa, Gilt or Joss & Main will pop up with a sale of KitchenAid mixers. Just yesterday, RueLaLa had them for $179… which, if you don’t know anything about these little works of art, is a damn good deal! And yet, if I can’t bring myself to buy one on a private timed-sale site, then I certainly won’t be buying one full price.
I suppose happiness doesn’t usually come in a butter-yellow aluminum kitchen appliance, but maybe, just maybe for this DormStyler it does.
In the mean time I should probably think more about realistic appliances such as an iron or microwave. But gosh, aren’t those so boring in comparison? I think I will settle for this necklace on Etsy and call it a day.
I can’t believe we’re already a week into February
Here are some updates from the past week or so
Pictures include: Super Bowl last minute tension, Jalapeno Cheese dip, Buffalo Chicken Wings, DormStyler featured on Napkin Board, Paintings from Class, and Weather updates for Bahamas!
It’s hard to remember that only a few short months ago I was wearing shorts and tank tops instead of fleece-lined pants and hats. Winter came a little late this year, but has certainly hit us full force–making apparent once again that I did not know what I bargained for when signing myself over to Maine for four years.
As a Mid-Atlantic-er I have very little appreciation for the winter. I often associate Maine with -20 degree weather, icy mornings, and blizzards that bring feet of snow– but know that this association is tragically misleading. One of my sorority sistas and suitemate, Erika is from a seacoast town in Maine called Camden. It’ s really pathetic that I have never been up to her home because I can only imagine how much I would love Camden. I’m going to add that to my second semester check list right now. When I think of Maine I think of snow–when she thinks of Maine she thinks of her beautiful hometown and the seacoast that she grew up on.
Remember when I posted on bringing your home with you wherever you go–and adding tidbits of home when you move to college? Well, Erika does just that. I snagged some pics from her room this afternoon to share how artistically and creatively she incorporates Camden in her room. It just makes me want to spend all day collecting sea glass.
My favorite are the open frames with fragments of seashells and sea glass glued on. I’m totes copying her. And speaking of copying her, I have already started filling little mason jars with champagne and wine corks (as seen in the top picture). It’s such a simple way to add character!
Also–Did you spot the Hunger Games in the photo? It’s safe to say that Suite 343 is obsessed
DormStyler Part II 