What I Got For Christmas

Hey everyone! I hope you all had a holly jolly Christmas! I also hope that you got things that you are excited about and had a great time with your family.

I had a great Christmas Eve and Christmas, and I was thinking it would be fun to show you the things that I got for Christmas. I'm always curious to see what other people got. So this might be a tad of a long post, so bear with me. I'll start with some stocking stuffers that I recieved.

 On the left above I got some Ghiradhelli Peppermint Bark, which is so yummy. I also got some chocolate gold coins, which have been a favorite of mine since I was little.

 

 I recieved two cute key toppers. One is a ladybug and the other is a cupcake! They came from Target and I love them! I also got some bows for my hair (perfect for pulling my bangs out of my eyes), and some holiday Soft Lips (raspberry and sugar cookie!).

 

 Now are two monogrammed things I recieved. On the left is a really cute new phone case. It's an Otterbox that has been personalized with navy and white stripes, with a red circle monogram in the center. I love it so much! And it's much better quality than my other cases I've used. It was a total surprise because I was expecting a Kate Spade one.

The item on the right is the monogrammed necklace that I was drooling over in my Winterlicious post. I got it. It's perfect. It's 1.25 inch silver from this etsy shop. It's so affordable and seems great quality too!

Going into more beauty related products, I heard about It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in Product on Youtube. Since I've started curling my hair frequently, I thought my hair could use a leave-in product that protects it against heat and styling. So I'm hoping it works as good as things I've heard said.

I got the new Covergirl Clump Crusher Mascara, which I have been dying to try. I've heard really good things about it, and I'm interested to see if it's better than my Maybelline Cat Eyes mascara.

 This is something that I've been really eyeing. It's one of the Starbucks Christmas tumblers with a fox on it. I love it. It's the tall size (the other two sizes were snatched up fast), so it's perfect for water beside my bed at night).

 

Here of course is the Naked 2 palette. I've been waiting to get it forever. I wasn't actually planning on getting it, but my mom surprised me! I've already been watching tutorials on looks from it.

 

Next up was a huge surprise. I had been wanting the Marc Jacobs Dot perfume since my birthday, but it was so expensive! Well, my mom surprised me with buying me the 1.7 oz., which is so much bigger than I expected it being! I love the packaging so much and the bottle is too cute for words.

 

Here are some Vera Bradley items I had been wanting really bad. The wallet is the clutch wallet in Island Blooms (this style is one they are discontinuing, and I love it! My old wallet is the same, just Happy Snails, so I wanted another too before it disappears!). I always got the Happy Snails hipster, which my mom scored for only $30 on Cyber Monday. I love Happy Snails, and being the hoarder I am, I'm trying to collect as much as I can afford in it before it too is officially retired.

And of course, what is Christmas without new jammies? These reindeer pajama pants on the right are from Old Navy and I love love love them!

 

 They are so cute and festive and warm! Next up are some bath items, both from Ulta. I love the packing of the Christmas Cookie 3-1 shower gel. Isn't it adorable? The smell is heavenly too. So sweet and yummy! And I also recieved this fuzzy dottie bathroom my mom got for free from Ulta. It will come in handy definitely up at college.

And of course, I was so delighted to see this Lilly Pulitzer wall calendar on Christmas morning! Every year I like to get a calendar for my room at home, and this will be perfect! The pages are just like the agenda, and they are too cute for words. I cannot wait for February, that's for sure, because that page makes me so darn happy!

 

Now getting into some of the clothes I got. Above I got this thick, warm navy blue sweater. It's sort of a cable knit and it will be really cute layered with a warm scarf.

 And on here I got this plaid flannel shirt from Target. It's really cute and soft!

I also reieved this red cable knit sweater, that is so warm! I love it! Plus it has little sparkly particles in it, which is super perfect for Christmas and New Years!

 Above I recieved this dottie henley that has a ruffle down the center. I absolutely love the polka dots!

 

I absolutely love this American Eagle cable knit sweater! The corol color is so pretty and I really love this button detail on the sleeves.

The last clothing item I recieved was this pretty lavender-colored cardigan from Target. What I love about it, is the lace all over the front. I love lace so much!

                                    

The last item I recieved were these cute monogram decals! They are from Etsy (if you're curious just let me know and I'll put a link to the exact shop), and I think they will look really cute on a couple of notebooks for my classes next semester!

 

Well, that's all! I love everything I got! All of it will be really useful and fun to have! But most of all, I really just enjoyed the holiday. Even without the gifts, it would have been amazing and fun.

 

What things did you recieve? Was there anything Santa left out that you are hoping to score in an after Christmas deal?  

Cute Ways to Spoil Your Little

Wondering where I went last week? Well, it was big/little week here at my sorority, so I was busy crafting like one of Santa’s elves. I lucked out and got twins (two girls that I LOVE), so that meant I was busy crafting for over a week straight. I love crafting though, so even though it was slightly stressful (and my perfectionism was definitely kicking in), it was a lot of fun and so worth it to spoil my littles some.

Making and picking out cute gifts for littles can be super difficult and so expensive. Every sorority at every college has different traditions and expectations of amounts and money that should be spent, but I thought I would offer some cute ideas that I love (and some I even used!).

Matching T-Shirts!

Here at my sorority, we devote a day to giving our littles cute shirts, ones that generally match their future big’s, and sometimes even their future grandbigs!. I made my twins matching ones, that were just in different colors and with their names on the back! I’m currently loving bows, so I made sure to design a bow on the front and back! Hurting on cash a bit? Make them shirts! Whip out the puff paint, fabric, or use one of the t=shirt design programs for your computer! The thought is what counts!

Flowers!

I decorated cheap $3 vases from Walmart with nifty Marta Stewart class paint (using sponge polka dot brushes of course!). I personalized them with their names and our sorority. I then gave them each a dozen roses. If that’s a tad too expensive, use other cute flowers like daisies or carnations, in your sorority’s colors!

Bulletin Boards

This was my favorite thing to make my twins! See, my own big made me a board that I absolutely love. It was my favorite gift I received from her, and I wanted to follow the same design. I just customized them to my littles’ preferences. It was so much fun and really inexpensive too!

 

Favorite Snacks/Candy/Food

This is such a simple, cute idea to spoil your little! If you sorority doesn’t give out information sheets on your new little, have a sister sneakily ask her what her favorite foods, candy, and restaurants are. In my gift bag and boxes I included all of their favorite candy. And another day I added little $5 Starbucks gift cards (in clean Starbucks cups I decorated with ladybugs and ribbon!).

Rainboots or Shoes

Many girls in my sorority decorated rainboots with polka dots and monograms for their littles. Whether it was Toms look-alikes or just tennis-shoes, these came out so adorable! Bonus points for matching ones!

Pinbox

Making a cute little box for your little to store her pin in is a sweet gift for either big/little week or initiation. My Ruby when I first joined my sorority made me a pin box, that was also large enough to hold my bid card and some other important items from my membership.

Slippers/Stuffed Animals

Having a soft, stuffed animal or some fuzzy slippers in your sorority mascot are always fun things to receive. Pillow Pets are always popular as gifts too.

Blanket

Some sororities have traditions of making their littles fleece tie blankets, and they are very cute things to get and hold onto. Plus, they are very easy to make! There are wide varieties of fleece out there, and places always have sales on their fleece.

I hope this list of ideas make shopping and crafting for your littles easier and more fun! Enjoy each and every second of big/little week, and remember that the relationship with your sister is the most important part!

Birthday Haul

 

So the Thursday before last was my birthday and it was probably one of the best of all time. I have an amazing family, friends, and sorority sisters, that's for sure! I wrapped up most of the celebrating this past weekend with my family.



On my birthday I was awoken with a delivery from my secret sis, who spoiled me with a venti caramel pumpkin spice latte and a blueberry muffin. I'm so lucky!

And I was also surprised with a flower delievery from my parents! I absolutely love the fall colors in this arrangment! It makes me so happy just looking at it!

 

Then on Saturday, I celebrated my birthday with my family, and it was definitely a fun time! I got a lot of awesome things, that I'll share with you guys! I'm super excited about everything that I got.

 

 

So here is everything I got. A lot, right? My family definitely spoiled me this year.

 

One of the first things you probably noticed in the full haul picture was my new Vera Bradley laptop backpack in Provencal! I absolutely love it! This print might not be for everyone, but it makes me so happy just looking at it, with it's bright mustard yellow! To go with it, I got a matching pencil case! Perfect for fall, right? Then I got some perfume that I've been dying for.

 



 

Then I got some perfume that I've been dying for. Sephora has an online special for Marc Jacob's Daisy, where you get a 3.4 oz of the Daisy perfume that is so popular, a rollerball of the same scent, plus one of the Eau So Fresh scent, and a lotion of the original scent. All for $88 plus free shipping, which is a steal. Just saying.

 



Continuing the fragrance trend, I got my all-time favorite, Country Chic from Bath and Body Works perfume. Which, I actually got for Christmas last year, but upon moving out of my dorm last May, was broken in a tragic moving accident by my dad. So I've lived the last five months without, and it was very sad. But now I have a replacement and I'm really happy.

 

 Another present was this Tub O' Scissors. You know, that cool craft scissors that cut cute little edges on paper? Love them! A must for any crafter or scrapbooker or sorority girl.

 A couple more gifts I recieved were these adorable scarves from Target. I used to be obsessed with scraves in high school, but in college, I always thought that they kind of got in the way. However, now I'm retrying them out, and so far so good! Plus I think they are so cute, that it's worth it.

I also got a one inch curling wand, which I was beyond excited for. See, my hair refuses to curl. Ever. But in the two times I've used this since recieving it, I've had curls. That have lasted more than 12 hours. With minimal amounts of hairspray.

A much anticipated gift I recieved was Sigma's Mr. Bunny makeup brush travel kit. Yep, I finally decided it was time for a brush set. And that it wouldn't be MAC. Kind of earth shattering, right? I'll do a full review soon, but let's just say it's positive so far!

 

This Vera Bradley napkin in Island Blooms might seem completely random, but this is going to turn into a sorority block letter shirt soon! I love this print so much, and it only makes sense that I should have Vera blocks since I'm so obsessed.

 

My mom decided that I needed some yummy little snacks up at school, so she picked me up this Peanut M&M snack mix (which is like trailmix) that has little shortbread cookies, pretzels, peanut M&Ms, and almonds in it. I've been enjoying that as I watch Gilmore Girls to relax!

Knowing how insanely obssessed I am with Bath and Body Works and their fall scents, did you really think that I wouldn't ask for something from there for my birthday? Well, I did. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go to their White Barn Fall Festival (I was so excited for it too!) because of sorority recruitment, but I did hint to my mom that she could pick up some birthday presents that day during the certain times, and get the free Pumpkin Carving candle (which I DEMAND as a full line next fall).

Anyway, in order to get said free candle, my mom bought for me some fall Wallflowers: Marshmellow Fireside, Pumpkin Cupcake, Pumpkin Caramel Latte, and White Barn's No. 1 (Nutmeg and Spice). All so yummy and cozy!! Thanks Mom!!! I think she enjoyed the fall festival, just saying.

 

My mom also surprised me with this absolutely adorable sweater from American Eagle. I know, my iPhone picture doesn't do it justice. It's the lovliest lavender color, with a high/low front and back that's so in right now. I got five compliements on it this past week. So cute and comfy!

 

 Nothing is better than a cute cardigan, and I love dots! It's from Target and perfect for fall!!

Being obsessed with dots, I was also so excited to see this dottie shirt also from Target when I opened up presents! So cute!

 

Sorry for the super long post, but I'm so excited about all my new birthday stuff! I'm so loved and spoiled. But it definitely made a memorable 21st birthday!!



52 Reasons

So if you are a crafty sort of person like me, you've no doubt have been on Pinterest to see this cute gift idea made out of a deck of cards. Basically, it's a little book that is generally called 52 Reasons Why I Love You, or 52 Things I Love About You.

Not only am I a sorority girl (which is you should know one thing about most sorority girls, is that they LIVE for crafting, especially gifts), but I also inherited a strong crafting gene from my mom. So it was no surprise that for my first year anniversary to my boyfriend (which is today! September 10!), that I would make him something. Not that I haven't already done that for his birthday, Valentine's Day, and Christmas. But this 52 Reasons idea definitely seemed perfect on so many levels.

First, we always go back and forth with reasons why we love each other, usually trying to outdo each other (maybe that's just me?). I also liked the idea because (correct me if my math is wrong, that is a very sore subject area for me) there are 52 weeks in a year, and we've been together a year.

And plus it just seemed adorable.

So I went to work. And being the sorority/college girl/procrastinator that I am, I saved all of it for the night before. No self-respecting college student does anything, not even cute, adorable crafts for their significant other, ahead of time.

With a grande size Starbucks Salted Caramel hot chocolate and a Disney movie off Netflix on hand, I went to town.

In case you're wondering...I used:
-1 Deck of Cards (Target for like $2.68 or something)

-A Hole Punch (note: while the Up and Up Target brand is only 99 cents, mine was sorta frustrating to use because it took a ton of pressure to use it. Plus it'd get stuck)

-Binder rings (Office Maxx, a bucket of like 12 for $6.99. Sadly the smallest quantity I could find) in 1 inch by the way

-Black Ribbon

-Red and Black Cardstock

-Red Hearts and Pink Chevron scrapbook paper

-Mod Podge

-Elmer's Permanent Tape/Glue stuff

-Cool scrapbook scissors

-Optional: Starbucks Beverage

And there are a ton of instructions out there on the web (trust me, I researched), so I think for the most part I'll spare you all the gory details. But here are some tips:

-Be as careful and precise as possible with the hole punch. I found out that binder clips are fantastic at keeping the cards perfectly straight.

-Mod Podge (which I started using after I ran out of my tape glue stuff) isn't the easiest, cleaniest, or best glue for this project. But it worked.

-Try numbering them! I totally forgot, and poor college student I am, refused to print out another five sheets to add them.

-Use cool scrapbooking scissors (the ones with the cool edges) if you can't cut a straight line to save your life like me.

-If you have awesome handwriting, handwrite it!

-Add cool little pictures and captions!

-DON'T toss the Jokers. You need them for the cover and back cover pages!!

-Have fun with it! Get as lovey dovey/goofy/sexy as you want! I did a mix of a lot of favorite memories, goofy moments, and things that I absolutely adore about him!

-While 52 may sound like a lot, it's not! Be selective!

Here are some of mine!

{Spending almost all day, everyday with you last school year}

{How you are almost a food taller than me}

{For leaving me breathless after every kiss}

{Taking the chance to date me, even though you were afraid of being hurt}

{For loving me}

{Cuddling and sleeping in bed together}

 And finally, my last page!

So I hope that overall you liked my book I made him. I loved this project, it was fun and easy and something that I hope to do again in the future as maybe a little gift?

And even though he doesn't read my blog, I want to say happy anniverssary! It's one of those things that just flew by and now here we are, at a year! Best year of my life and I can't wait for more!