The Tree of Recycling goodness!

So here is another quick update on the Christmas tree I said I was going to make! 

I am so surprised that it turned out so well! I wasn't incredibly optimistic about the end product but here you go! 

I bought some lights and taped them to the wall since the heat from the lights might cause the trader joe's bags to combust into flames. Then I used colored construction paper and yarn to create the Charlie Brown lights and of course I had to add snowflakes! 

The recycled tree of 2011

I hope everyone is inspired to have a lovely holiday as I was! 

Merry Christmas!

A Bookish Surprise...

Well it's been a whirlwind of a week! Between shopping, wrapping, creating and enjoying the season with my friends and the ever so delightful work it's been incredibly tiring! 
But I have a few exciting things to share!
I have had the most fun I've had in a long time creating my boyfriend's Christmas present! 
I have the most wonderful boyfriend in the world and I wanted to not only buy him the perfect present but create something unique and unexpected to hold this present! 
I got the idea to hollow out an old dictionary and place the box holding his gift in the center. I was so excited to start when I found a 2600 page dictionary at my local Half Price Book Store. 
It took me several hours, and exact-o knife, box cutter and an incredibly sore hand but eventually I had hollowed out the center of the book as deep as I needed to fit the box into. 

Here we are about halfway through the process. 

Once I was finished cutting it out i mixed plain old glue with a little bit of water to make it easily spreadable. The goal with gluing down the sides of the book is to hold it together and make inconspicuous that there is something inside! 

After gluing it I had to squish it down so again it would look "normal". This picture was timestamped at about 1am! I just couldn't wait to finish this project! I left it overnight and came back in the morning!

In the morning I had a brand new secret book! I wrapped up the box, wrapped the dictionary and completely fooled him!

This is an awesome idea to hide valuables in your house or to surprise a loved one with a special gift! 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 

Nerd chic?

So, I had glasses as a kid...

Awful glasses that I hated.Then as I got older I started wearing contacts and decided to abandon the glasses.

Now I'm finding all of these absolutely adorable and funky glasses that I can definitely wear all the time! Glasses are accessories! We should wear them all the time!

So, I thought I would share my exciting new find of new favorite glasses!

Mhh... Maybe sometime in the future I will own these lovely glasses and show all of you lovely people!

It is the most wonderful time...

The temperature has dropped, the stores are full of shoppers and my sweaters have gotten thicker and warmer.
Yes! It is the Christmas season!
20 days til Christmas! Whoo hoo!
The beautiful Christmas lights and cozy cups of tea like the one by my side right now make me nostalgic and want to fill my apartment with the scent of delicious cookies.
Watching White Christmas the other night inspired me to make my first Christmas not surrounded by family a darn good one!

Step one: Get in the Christmas spirit! 

With finishing the end of this eternally long semester, studying for finals and writing papers, getting in the Christmas spirit has been all too long neglected. Watching White Christmas the other night made me realize how much of a deficit I still have to make up in holiday cheer!
So, let's bring on the egg nog!
Step two: Decorate with lights!
Seeing wonderfully decorated front yards and the magical twinkle of lights all around has made me realize the lack of magic in my own little apartment! So, I shall turn on the melodious sounds of Michael Buble's "Christmas" and get to work! Now, to actually obtain lights...  
Step three: Make a Christmas tree!
I have decided that vacuuming up tree needles is not in the forecast this holiday season. Neither is storing a fake tree for a whole year. So I have decided to muster up my creative genes and be a thrifty miss and create my own tree out of the ever growing mountain of Trader Joe's paper bags under our sink.
So I have scoured the internet and have found some incredible inspiration!

This idea is absolutely incredible! Using old paperback books to create mini trees for a tabletop!

And I know this isn't a tree but I still love the handcrafted look and DIY chic wreath!

 This fabulous idea of copying an idea from one of my favorite places (Anthropologie) and making a lovely tree!

This felt ornament is absolutely beautiful! So funky and vintage!

And this fantastic idea of how to count down the days til Christmas!

Oh how I love this fantastic idea of reusing old newspapers and the gold spray paint for a fun twist!

Well, now that I am sufficiently armed with a host of ideas I can begin creating a magical bohemian Christmas!

Happy Decorating!