the lovely list. part nineteen.

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one very bright outfit. 

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stuffed cookie dough brownies. recipe to come! (you want it, believe me). 

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this excellent picture of my parents. i want to frame it and put it on our dining room table and make it the focal point of our living area. 

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a beautiful nature walk around our apartment complex pathways. i honestly don't take walks very often; i usually hit the gym after work and get my exercise that way. but this was a very good walk. i remember it well. and now you will too because i documented my reflection in a marble slab sign. 

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new white faux leather purse to display new manis. only the best backdrops will do. 

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a very balanced lunch.

oh! and i didn't get a photo of the experience, but my friend chelsea and i saw claire danes and hubby hugh dancy shopping at dean and deluca this weekend. they had their chubby baby with them, and they were strolling the aisles like normal common folk. except i'm pretty sure they were doing their grocery shopping. {as in what i do at wal*mart and dollar general}. i can only afford dean and deluca for a cup of coffee. still, it was very cool to spot these celebrities, and as we were driving away we saw them making out in the rain. proof that true love in hollywood does exist. 

what's lovely, ya'll?

the lovely list. part eighteen.

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remember when i had a blog? yeah, me neither. life is lovely, and it's summertime (pool! beach! tan!) see? so many other places to be! can you blame me? it's not that i haven't thought about you guys (you guys = my one faithful reader, my mom). i've definitely missed writing my blog posts. i have a few recipe posts lined up for your enjoyment so get ready because this girl is back. well, at least until a friend asks me to go to the beach, and then i'll probably be MIA again for another two months. 

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lots and lots of crafting! i have been in the creative zone with my jewelry making. i can't get enough of it. i saw one inspiring picture on pinterest (that's all it ever takes), and it's been one big craft party all over our dining room table. good thing my roommate is kind and patient with my "creative environment". it's really just a plain old mess but calling it something else makes me feel better.

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coffee dates with my boy. he likes most anything topped with whipped cream. which works out beautifully because i, too, like whipped cream. and i especially like taste testing. we frequent bean traders coffee which is conveniently a few miles from my apartment. they have this one drink that tastes like a reese's peanut butter cup. uuuh yeah. get at me. 

{photo credit: me, liz, megan}

beach trip to oak island with two of my girlfrands. it was basically a mini luxury vacation. her wonderful parents showered us with food and drinks for two days straight. there was also an afternoon at the club pool that involved poolside service. where am i?

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this steak dinner that i am extremely proud of even though one of my roommate's expensive cookie sheets was ruined in the process of making it. i can't own nice things and neither can my roommate (because nothing is safe if i'm around). 

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i am now the proud owner of a durham country library card. *squeals with delight* FINALLY. it's only been over a year since i've moved to durham. the first stack of books i checked out? all craft books. can't wait to get my grubby paws all over these pages. 

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so. many. baked. goods. i have been busy in the kitchen baking up a storm. i keep finding these delicious recipes that look so easy it would be wrong not to make them. don't worry. each of these delicious treats will get their own, individual blog post. you do not want to miss out on the glory that is cookie dough stuffed brownies. i said it, and i meant it. 

what's lovely, ya'll?

the lovely list. part seventeen.

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just a few little lovelies from the past few weeks.
i haven't taken this decoration down from my door. think i have a hard time letting go?

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a movie date with my roommate. nicholas sparks, we're basically suckers for your books/movies.

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josh garrels/mason jar music concert with my friend dan. holy mack. what a stellar show. i am now inspired to learn how to play every instrument in the world. {seriously, go check him out}.

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early birthday present from my parents. i've been wanting a mirror like this for a long time, and they found one at a thrift shop in my hometown. it looks gorgeous in my bedroom!

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a fresh pan of brownies with hot fudge frosting and toppings galore. get at me.

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this one time i had plans to go hiking with friends. instead, i canceled and went to parker and otis to eat a grilled pimento cheese sandwich. best decision of my whole weekend.

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blog writing and a hot latte from the morning times. perfection on an overcast friday afternoon.

what's lovely, ya'll? linking up here!

the lovely list. part sixteen.

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guglhupf. hard to say, easy to love. i can't say enough good things about this place mainly because my mouth is full from all of the delicious things they make to eat and drink. even if i tried to talk with my mouth full of one of their apple streusel tartlets, it would probably come out as "guglhupf" anyways.

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saturday morning writing in mismatched christmas pajamas. i am such a catch.

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my roommate bought a juicer a couple of weeks ago, and we have used it. 

once. 

here's proof. 

{photo credit: me and new friend}

hiking at eno river state park with some friends from my small group. the day was so gorgeous!

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cheap (but delicious) mexican food followed homemade by milkshakes with my friend ryan. our friendship is based largely on our shared love of food. it's what works. 

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slingshot coffee. pretty tasty, but i only bought it because the lady was handing out free samples, and i felt compelled to support her. i couldn't afford to make a habit of this. i have other things on my weekly shopping list that are a little more important. like the bag of cookies that was in my other hand at checkout. 

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my new warby parker glasses! too bad i'm so blind that i can't see out of them properly. blind as a flippin bat. off they go, back to the land of cute glasses. buh-bye. 

ok, your turn! what's lovely ya'll?

the lovely list. part fifteen.

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just a smashing of lovely things happening over here the last few weeks.
for starters, how about this pile of love notes?

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celebrating the marriage of will and brittany! brittany was a stunning bride, and will looked very dapper in his suspenders. congrats to these two! 

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homemade lasagna soup and parmesan ricotta topping. domestic goddess (in training). i still eat cereal for most dinners. unless i am out of cereal, and then i eat peanut butter on crackers. 

{photo credit: me and micah}

on a freezing cold afternoon what else would you do but sit outside at a coffee shop playing board games with your hipster friend micah? the latte helped bring feeling back into my fingers. the wolf fur just looked cool.

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three days later, and i'm dressing like it's the 4th of july. what the heck, north carolina?
you've sure been judy moody lately. 

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handmade gold nugget earrings. be a baller today. 

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a coffee and pastries date at dean and deluca. there is no day that cannot be improved by coffee and pastries. especially when with the ever enchanting taylor swift. 

what's lovely, ya'll?

*linking up here!*

the lovely list. part fourteen.

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first lovely list of the new year. gotta make it count. first up, these amazing mason jar lights that my stepdad made. and they double as drinking glasses if you're in a pinch. (thank you, dale!)

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early morning reading with dark, black coffee. bliss. 

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the perfect anytime snack. chocolate, graham crackers, peanut butter, and, what is that? a container of homemade frosting?! i die.

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the necklace i made for the swank party gift exchange. not going to lie. i'm pretty proud of this baby. fortunately, it stayed in the family as chelsea ended up taking it home with her.

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yummy breakfast with the rooms. anytime we can have breakfast together and be lazy on the couch for a little while is indication of the start to a good day. 

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new wall art! these are ceiling medallions spray painted "catalina mist" which makes me think of the catalina wine mixer which makes me think of will ferrel in step brothers which is hilarious.

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a pretty package tied up in string, this is one of my favorite things. 

christmas i over. i know this, but i'm having a hard time accepting it.

what's lovely, ya'll?

*linking up here!*

the lovely list. part thirteen.

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does everybody know what time it is? it's blog time! (name that tv show and win yourself a mention in an upcoming post. we're talking major media publicity here).

here is my latest irregular and unpredictable installment of the lovely list. this list is one of my favorite posts because not only does it require little word prep and lots of big pictures, but it helps me remember the small things. afterall, most of life is comprised of a lot of small things stacked on top of each other, yeah? the good, the bad, the mundane. this list gives me a chance to reflect on the good.

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morning coffee at swank with friends chelsea and sarah. swank is stocked with pretty christmas decorations. i want it alllll.

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burgers, thick cut fries, and bourbon milkshakes at chuck's with my friend micah. it's a killer trifecta.

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this tree.

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one of the perks of a rainy day is a chance to get to wear these babies. i feel a little bit like little red riding hood in reverse.

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homemade salted caramel chocolate pie tort shortbread crust thing. the longer the title, the better it tastes. this dessert was nine letters long good.

in other news, my parents came up on sunday and helped me with some things around the apartment including hanging a string of handmade mason jar lights out on our deck and helping me hang my deer head that i mentioned literally a year ago in this post. he is taking to his new wall quite well. i'm a proud mama. (pictures soon!)

what's lovely, ya'll? (this is not a rhetorical question. i really want to know).


**linking up here!**

the lovely list. part twelve.

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starbucks coffee and christmas shopping at target with my rooms. it's the start of the most wonderful time of the yeeeear. 

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thank you, ace hardware, for this sign. i don't really need any new wrenches or lug nuts, but i will shop at your business because of the awesome sign you have out front.

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sexy new target watch paired with my new triangle dress i got from the weekend file's shop my closet sale. (it fits perfectly!)

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my roommate went to south korea to visit her boyfriend who is deployed and brought me back some korean candies! my favorite is the black walnut flavor. oh yum.

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tons of cards! i have been very crafty over the past week and made a bunch of stock to bring to swank coffee. being crafty feels good in my bones.

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mondays are hard. caribou coffee makes getting ready on a monday morning a little easier.

what's lovely, ya'll?


*linking up here and here!*