Sunday

In case you're wondering, I "lovingly ripped off" this little survey from Delightfully Tacky. It seemed like the perfect re-kick-start to my blogging adventures. I thought I would take a break for a couple of weeks and see if I was any better for it...but alas I am not. My creative outlets are few and far between, and eliminating the blog only added stress as opposed to decreasing it. I will try and remember this next time I decide to go blogger AWOL.

Reading...
Stuck on the last two chapters of Dresden File's Summer Knight. Once I'm finished I can't decide if I want to continue with the the series or take a little break with Diane Keaton's Then Again.


Watching...
Catching up on my Hulu queue. New Girl, Chicago Fire, Parks and Recreation, and I still have the last episode of 30 Rock there too. I can't bring myself to watch it! Need a new series to though...


Wishing...
I could get the remainder of my apartment put together. I moved in November and things are still in plastic boxes and art is still sitting on the floor. I need a plan of attack to organize and decorate this place on a limited budget. I would love it to feel more like my home than just a place to crash every night. I know these things take time, but I feel like I'm stalling by not doing the basic projects I've already set up for myself. Hopefully once those things are done I'll have a sense of direction in what I want to do next.


Proud of..
I started working out in my apartment four weeks ago and I'm still at it! I have yet to go outside for a run, but I can already feel a difference in my energy level just by doing plyometrics. I like the Bikini Body Workout from Self and the Get In Shape for Summer workout from Refinery29. I have also taken a greater interest in nutrition and cooking for myself, which isn't to say that I'm not having cereal for dinner every now and then, but I'm getting better!


Excited about...
Mama Morgan decided to come to Chicago for a few days at the end of March! Also the Atlanta trip and Color Run is fast approaching.


Impatiently awaiting...
Spring's arrival and the opportunity to wear all my sundresses and shorts again. I realize that I should be looking for on sale boots and winter coats, but I can't help but browse sandals, skirts, and swimwear for the upcoming Atlanta trip. As lovely as Chicago is in the winter, it's even better in the summer.

Nooks and Crannies

I would like to introduce you all to my lovely yet extremely awkward nook space. My neighbor tells me that everyone else has shelves in theirs, but not me. I have this adorable little nook.

Right now the nook houses my rocking chair and pseudo-end table/storage unit/bucket of summer clothes that I need to find new homes for. Plus my Christmas Tree, Albert. As happy as Albert is with his situation, I really think I need to spiff it up. I did a lot of soul searching and Pinteresting and decided that I wanted the nook to be...

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...and adorable nook office! Clean and simple. I love the one drawer writer's desk with a chair and a file cabinet for extra storage (for my endless amounts of notebooks) and the two or three wall shelves for my books and tchotchkes. Just a cozy little place to work and be inspired. Seems like the perfect place to set my laptop up and type or go to first thing in the morning and write. I'm glad I didn't just get boring old shelves in my nook!

Gimme Mo

Back in college our RAs where responsible for organizing a certain number of group activities for residents, and the annual favorite was No Shave November. Being a co-ed dorm, ladies were allowed to participate via leg hair...and I'm positive I participated unwittingly (who has the freaking time in college?)


But now it's morphed from college pass time to a full on charity extravaganza with Movember, and lately it just seems like a good 'stache isn't that hard to find...

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Deck the Halls

The complaints about the holidays coming earlier and earlier keep rolling in, and right off my back. Obviously since I was ready to listen to Christmas music in mid October. But think about it folks, if we start decorating for the holidays early then there's an extra month to enjoy your hard work making your dwelling look festive, three if you're like me and let some x-mas stuff slip by through January.

Here are a few understated ways to inject some holiday cheer in to your home without driving you nuts before December:

Greenery is always a nice touch, especially in winter where you start to become tree-deprived.

 

Stick to either red or green while decorating, that way the Christmas spirit isn't all up in your face.

 

Use good old fashioned paper snowflakes! You legitimately can leave these up all winter long.

 

These metallic starts are festive yet not over the top.

Add some glitter: cheery and stylish.

 

White lights put some warmth in to your space, I love the glow they create in the evenings.

Photos:

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Apt.

This Monday I became an official big girl. I sat through new hire orientation and an employee health care meeting and only laughed at the sexual harassment video once (I'm sorry, but those things are just so darn contrived). After that I hopped on the el, set foot on a new red line stop and signed my first solo lease. No co-signers, no roommates, just me and my little studio in Chicago!


I wish I had taken some pictures of it, but it opens up in to a bedroom with a hallway leading to a kitchen and breakfast nook and a giant walk-in closet. I can't wait to move in at the end of October and make it my own!

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Pining for Pins

To those of you that have a Pinterest: obviously the "thrill of the hunt" starts with the chase. Scrolling through pages, finding something inspiring/amazing/noteworthy enough to give up-to-the-minute updates with your friends (mostly on your phone...while you're at work.) But when is the last time you actually went back and surveyed your pin boards? Looked at the things that inspired you right then and there enough that you wanted to remember it for later? I urge you to go back and look, and remind yourself why you wanted to try a new outfit, or a new recipe, update your bedroom, or, you know, just look at corgis.

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Hood

I love this graphic design project; The Chicago Neighborhoods. It's essentially branding logos for Chicago neighborhoods based on local features and background knowledge of graphic designer Steve Shanabruch.

Best of all, if you'd like to represent your neighborhood via a swanky t-shirt, that is an option an Below the Collar. I'm also reminded of those all too cute Pinterest projects where you hang up pictures or maps of where you lived. These prints would look super spiffy adorning your wall. 

Here's an adorable one from Life Blessons:

Futon-Palooza

I know it's been quite some time, but I'm finally able to cross something off my 24 Before 24 list!

24. Buy a couch

 

 

Well, it's not technically a couch, but it is a darn comfy futon. My dress is from the Target Webster Collection and it too is one of the comfiest things I own.

 

And I didn't technically buy it, these folks did. When they came to visit they slept in my bed, and Viking and I re-located to the futon. I love walking in the door and seeing it there! I squeal at it like it's been waiting for me to come home and lay on it. His name is Ernie. Also, note my Dad...texting! He and Reid were text connected pretty much the entire time due to the lack of television in my apartment. Sorry Dad, maybe in the next apartment!

After the futon buying, breakfast eating, and general exploration, they had to leave. Mom will be back in a month, and when I hit Columbus in July I'll see Dad.

 

Thank you very much for visiting Mom & Dad! It helps take my mind off things and reminds me how strong I am.

 

 

Shopping My Closet

One of the perils of renting in Chicago (or in general) is the severe lack of storage space. My closet is more impressive than I expected, but with the addition of my Spring and Summer wardrobes space had become limited.

While I appreciate my closet for its high shelving and depth, it has a tiny door making parts of it very difficult to reach or see what I have back there.

But no more! For I have bought...a garment rack!

I got the idea while watching No Strings Attached...alone...the day before Valentine's thankyouverymuch (you can see it off to the right in this picture). It fits nicely in the nook between my closet and the door where I hang all my purses. Those bins are full of my winter clothes. Currently I have no place for them, so they will remain an end table/catchall.

It makes shopping my closet so much easier and adds some visually appealing "creative clutter" to my space. It's also going to make #22 on my 24 Before I'm 24 list a lot easier:

22. Shop my closet and wear all of my clothes. If I don’t, I have to donate it at the end of the season

I bought my garment rack at Target and it serves its purpose well enough for what it costs. Hopefully once my career becomes a little more lucrative I'll go for aesthetic and throw down the cash for the commercial grade version at the Container Store.

What do you think? Would you ever have a garment rack in your apartment?

Christmas Cheer

It's begun! Chicago Winter took me by surprise this morning. I woke up and looked at my phone which was sporting little crystallized snow flakes. I rushed to the window and this is what I found...

Eeps!

It snuck up on me to say the least. Luckily the windows are taped, the heat is finally turned on, and we've already decorated for Christmas! I would like everyone to meet my Christmas tree, Albert!

Albert in all his dining table glory

Now, as expensive as Albert looks, he was actually quite the bargain from Target. He had many brothers in sisters in shiny red, sparkly purple, shimmery silver, and crisp white. But we found Albert sitting by his lonesome with his less than eye catching matte green pre-lit cousins. Albert's color? Roommate described it as "dirty silver". He has kind of a Silver and Gold theme going on, and we love him for it. And since the ornament selection was not so great, Albert is decorated with things we found around the apartment. Earrings, feather hair clips, and beer bottle caps attached to the tree with scotch tape and thread. I am one proud mama.

From his good side

Roommate inadvertently picked out the tree topper when he spotted this peacock. He has one eye and his name is Azuleanno.

 

And Azuleanno matches the other new addition to the dining space, the blue twinkle lights.


All in all, the Macaque's Igloo is looking pretty spiffy for the holidays. And now that it's stuck in my head...