celebrate

This weekend was insanely full of celebrating. I had two engagement parties, multiple birthdays, and a few miscellaneous occasions to prepare special somethings for. As a girl on a budget, I favor sweet gifts with more thought put into them than flash. This often means getting crafty, whipping something up in the kitchen, or shopping at unconventional places. It was slightly overwhelming trying to get everything done on time, but in the end, I was happy with what I came up with and grateful to have so many reasons to celebrate. Here are a few of my favorite inexpensive ways to show someone you care:

1. Fresh flowers are my favorite gift to receive and to give. I prefer breezy bouquets of one type of bloom, available at most grocery stores. I like to give them in a simple glass container with a ribbon or some colorful tissue paper tied around it. Flowers are so fun for a gift- because they aren't really a necessity, they immediately make an occasion (or ordinary Tuesday!) feel special.

 {fuschia anemones}

2. Crafty cards are a fun way to personalize your greetings. They make a lovely first impression when attached to a gift or can stand on their own for occasions where a gift is not warranted. I picked up most of the supplies for these cards at Michael's craft stores. They have a great selection of blank greeting cards, rubber stamps, mini stamp pads, and rub-on appliqués for only $1 each- amazingly cheap and a great resource for crafters, hobbyists, or teachers.

 {homemade cards}

3. Freshly-made baked goods are perfect for birthdays and special occasions where a gift might be too much, but you do not want the occasion to go unnoticed. I made these for a Nutella-loving friend's birthday that we had celebrated previously- I didn't want her to feel like her actual birthday wasn't special! With so many amazing recipes on the internet (I found the cookies below on the blog Erica's Sweet Tooth, previously mentioned here), all it takes is a little searching to find a treat that is practically tailor-made for a friend.

{peanut butter nutella swirl cookies}

shoe safari

I am completely drooling over all the graphically-printed chunky-heeled sandals out right now. Paired with a breezy dress or crop pants and a billowy blouse (like those mentioned here), they make a perfect summer uniform, though I wouldn't take them anywhere here the Serengeti. I have my eye on more pairs than I'd care to divulge, but here are a few of my favorites. They are all a bit spendy for my student budget, but if they can't make it into my closet, at least they can live here!

{tory burch florian wedge}

{loeffler randall dita heel}

{anthropologie trianon wedge}

play with color

With spring in full swing, my eye is naturally drawn to all things colorful. With that in mind, I decided to highlight some of my favorite of-the-moment color palettes for the home in case yours is in need of a little freshening up.

GRAY, WHITE, AND CORAL

{image via apartment therapy}

This palette is subtly beachy but not so much that it feels out of place in a land-locked suburb. It looks lovely here in this pretty baby's room but would also do well in a bathroom, entryway, or den.

NAVY AND CHARTREUSE

{image via porter design company}

Navy and chartreuse are playful and a little preppy. They pair nicely in this grown-up bedroom here, but I think they would also be fantastic in a family room or little boy's bedroom.

CREAM, GOLD, AND BLACK

{image via sarah gilbane interiors}

This subdued color scheme is lovely on its own (the gold will really shimmer) or as a backdrop for punchy-hued accessories (think fuchsia, tangerine, and/or aqua!) for something fun and summery. Large spaces like a great room or kitchen look especially great in these tones.

city life

I arrived home yesterday from my trip to NYC and miss the hustle and bustle of the city already. It was a great getaway filled with great sights, amazing food, and best friends. Highlights for me included browsing the Guggenheim, shopping in SoHo, and seeing How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying on Broadway. I also loved exploring Williamsburg, where we stayed. There were so many hip shops and adorable restaurants, and the view of the City's skyline from the riverfront can't be beat.

{delicious avocado blt from dean & deluca}

 {spindly trees at bryant park + a yellow taxi}

{playbill from the incredible show we attended}

candy shop

This past weekend, to celebrate to start of Spring Break, a friend and I felt the need to bake something and decided to make homemade Snickers bars. We followed this recipe from the Brown-Eyed Baker and were delighted by the results. Each step was super easy, but the entire process did take a while since we had to wait for each layer to cool before adding the next. We were not phased by the waiting game, however, because we had several episodes of Real Housewives to catch up on. Hey, we're on vacation!

{adding the last layer} 

{cutting got a little messy so we put them in the freezer} 

{the finished product}