Wishes, hopes, and dreams.

It's 11/11!

I'm the kind of fanatical dreamer who makes 11:11 wishes every time I happen to be looking at the clock at the right moment. I don't step on the sidewalk cracks sometimes because of bad luck. I toss salt over my shoulder if I spill it, I knock wood, and I always eat the fortune cookies before I read the fortune. Needless to say, November 11th makes me contemplative for all the best reasons. 

As I am basic, a feet-in-leaves photo seemed appropriate. 

I've hit a point in the past few weeks where, for the first time in months, I'm confident in saying I'm truly happy again. The barometer's been off for the better part of a year. First, my old job was causing me such professional misery that it skewed my view of everything else toward negativity. Shortly after I happened serendipitously into a job that suits me better than I could have hoped for, my relationship's rose-colored glasses shattered and left me facing more mammoth unhappiness. 

An early September sunrise from my parents' driveway.

After months of uncertainty, self-doubt and self-loathing, and demoralization, that relationship ended. I ended up in my hometown and spent a summer on auto-pilot, trying to piece the fragments of my life back together. There were times when I was happy, for sure--my friends, my family, and my own stubborn pride ensured I wouldn't wallow for too long. But if I had to pick a word to define my summer of 2014, it would be "aimless." "Confused," maybe, or "stumbling." At any rate, it took my move back downtown to get me back to me. 

The most gorgeous farmers' market lilies. 

I'm a naturally happy person. By and large, I wake up every day ready to be joyful. Life's too short to be anything but excited about it...even if it's just the little things like short rib tacos, how pretty snow looks on a roof, the coziness of a fireplace or the prospect of inside jokes. My first wish this 11/11 is to always be able to hold onto that happiness, that delight in the little things that makes my life so worth living. I'm starting to get tiny lines at the corners of my eyes where they scrunch basically shut when I smile, and I'm fine with that. I'll take the lines if it means I'm smiling at everything. 

Balloon lights outside my 25th birthday dinner, because why not?

I wish to be able to take the time to put others first, and to promote others' happiness in those little things. I love to give--pumpkin cookies, a $5 bouquet of flowers, a book that I just finished and have to pass on. And time! It's such a small thing to give an afternoon to my grandma, five minutes to pen a thank-you note, a fifteen-minute phone call to my bestie, or a vent session over a happy hour. I wish to be the kind of person who can do all that giving unselfishly and bring others a little bit of insignificant happiness along the way. 

Even weeds can bloom (Cincinnati, May 2014)

One of the best quotes I've heard in recent months is that there's a difference between listening and simply waiting for your turn to talk. I find myself guilty of the latter more than I'd like, so in kind with promoting others' happiness, I hope to improve that aspect of myself, and grant others my true listening ear instead of waiting, ready with my own anecdote to share. I hope that I can always remember that the hallmark of care is to give that undivided attention, to focus and remember and stay invested in that way in all the people who have invested so unselfishly in me. 

A fairly fitting quote from my five-year journal. 

And finally, I'm dreaming again. I'm dreaming of all the places this job can take me...to London in a few weeks, to promotions I didn't dare dream of coming sooner than I'd hoped, to a more confident, fulfilled professional self. And even more significantly, I'm finally, finally dreaming about the time someday in my future when there are first dates, first kisses, new loves and, yes, broken hearts. And someday I won't be afraid of all of that, and I'll be ready. That's what I'm dreaming of, this 11/11. Here's to the wish for that future, on every clock and with every fortune cookie and in every well, until it comes true. 

Happy Friendsgiving!

This weekend, Courtney and her roommate Jean hosted what I hope will be the first of many annual Friendsgivings! A dozen of our little Minneapolitan crew gathered at their cute apartment to kick off the holiday season in the best way possible--with excessive, over-the-top amounts of festive food (and wine). 

Not going to lie--I got really excited when I saw this invite hit my Facebook events. I'm not a crazy-huge Thanksgiving fan, but I love any excuse to celebrate, make toasts, and pretend it's close enough to Christmas to decorate. Courtney outdid herself in adding fun fall touches to the decor--Hal could not stop effusing over the "SO transitional!" fall centerpieces fusing pumpkins, squash, and pine cones! I, on the other hand, loved the door hanger. 

My personal favorite "decor" item, though? Andrew and Alyssa's contribution of the ever-so-Minnesotan butter sculpture of a turkey. Um, hi. We carve princesses in butter once a year, why not enhance our gathering with a butter fowl? I believe the little guy met an untimely demise at the hands of Stu (and a butter knife), but I'm pleased to say I didn't witness the carnage firsthand. 

Friendsgiving naturally calls for potluck-style dining, especially when you're talking about a dozen twenty-somethings with widely varying levels of kitchen proficiency. Add to that the fact that Courtney is gluten-free, and you've got a super-interesting challenge. Nobody failed to execute, though. Courtney's turkey and sweet potatoes, Andrew and Alyssa's stuffing and mashed potatoes, and Stu's green bean casserole were all fantastic. My personal fave, though, has to be Hannah's standout rice dish--she came over on Saturday before we went over and made it at my place, so I got to taste-test in advance. The goat cheese, pine nuts, and roasted corn and green chiles made for a totally unexpected but fantastic flavor combination (I had thirds). To get at this magic for yourself, go to Gluten Free Goddess. You'll thank me later! (Of course we didn't lack for wine...as is apparent below!)

It wouldn't be Friendsgiving without an obnoxious photo of my excessively full plate, which I cleaned. Of course. Commence food coma in 3...2...1...

Court and Jean have the most spacious living room for entertaining. I loved how the setup, of three smaller dining areas, really facilitated conversation and created such a personal, cozy feeling. 

My contribution to the party? Dessert, naturally--with my sweet tooth, who would expect anything else?! Frankly, though, gluten-free desserts I found online all sounded really difficult (or not at all appealing)...so I got creative and went with classic dark chocolate fondue! We had dippables ranging from the standard strawberries and bananas to pretzels, Nilla wafers, and marshmallows...but my crowning glory was homemade pound cake. Um, yum. Super proud of myself on this one (how cute is our hostess helping herself?!).

Friendsgiving kicked off my holiday season in the best way--food, friends, and abundant festivities totally got me in the mood to hang stockings and trim trees and wrap presents and all that jazz. If only it weren't still several weeks away! I can't wait!

Thanks for a great evening, Jean and Courtney! Happy Friendsgiving to all!

One month down--Apartment Tour, Part Two!

Whee!! You've all seen where I cook and live, now let's take a look at where I wash and sleep...

Because there didn't seem to be a natural fit for where to put these guys, here are some quick photos of my entryway. 

Not much to write home about, I know, but I've loved my Anthropologie key hook since my first apartment. (Gloria and Jay on "Modern Family" have the same one, naturally.) The tiny pumpkin is a sentimental fave from tiny Liz's childhood Halloweens! The chalkboard-esque wood print was a gift from my mom. I made the cork "pin-board" over the summer of 2013, and it is the easiest Pinterest project ever! It's a yardstick, with wine corks hot-glued onto the entire length. For ease of hanging, I glued a champagne cork to the top and tied a pretty ribbon around it. The whole thing took about 15 minutes start to finish, and about ten of those were spent arranging and re-arranging the corks for maximum cuteness and wine-stained edge appeal. (It's hanging next to my laundry closet now, and I think I can safely spare the world a glimpse at that glamour. Ha.)

This is my bathroom! A few exciting items of note: 

I've already shared the story of my insanely cheap Anthropologie shower curtain, and I love it in action just as much as I hoped I would. The tassels and colors are girly, and it's fun without being overpowering in the small space. 

I have a rainfall showerhead! It's one of the most random things to get excited about, but I'm so excited about it nonetheless. I don't know why, but it just feels so luxe to have it.

One doesn't immediately think "art" when one thinks of a bathroom, but I'm really pleased with how these pieces look in here. The "Giggle" photo montage above the towel rack was a gift from my sister Em, and the three canvases used to hang in my parents' bathroom (but obviously look way better in mine!). They've got three sweet inspirational sayings on them, and I love how they coordinate with the cool purple and marine blue of my towels. 

Kaitlin got me addicted to these Mistral soaps with a feel-better gift this May. They smell heavenly, but I'm just as in love with the packaging. In five scents and patterns, I had no excuse not to collect them all...even though Apple Blossom is the undisputed best scent. I also keep my two current perfumes (Tocca Giulietta and Philosophy Pure Grace) out on display. 

My bathroom accessories are basic stainless steel from Target. With all the bright colors I have going on in the shower curtain, art, and towels, I didn't want to overwhelm the space with stuff happening. That didn't stop me, however, from repurposing two burned-up Anthropologie candle jars: the orange one holds my cotton balls and the yellow one, my Q-tips. The honeysuckle candle, a Target find, smells fantastic, too!

And now onto the bedroom! It's tiny, but well worth its petite size because what I lack in room space, I make up for with a walk-in closet that's big enough to do yoga in. I'm not kidding. It makes my extensive wardrobe look small. For the sake of my clothes' privacy (HA), I'm going to refrain from photographing it, but trust me...if you ever venture over, you'll be forced to admire until you compliment it with appropriate effusiveness. 

My bedding is all Anthropologie, and was a splurge I would make again in a heartbeat because it is SO gorgeous in person, and such high quality. The Zigon Tilework quilt, euro shams, and bedskirt are made of the softest cotton, and the quilt is simultaneously incredibly lightweight and crazy-warm. I also added two Rivulets Shams in "green," which is more of a dark teal that matches beautifully with the bedding's color. And finally, I couldn't resist this precious pom-pom pillow...it's delicate, but so fun. 

My lamp is a recent purchase from Target. We had intended the mercury-glass base and gilt-leaves shade to go on a coffee table out in my living room, but due to space and outlet constraints, I'm in the market for a floor lamp out there instead. The neutral tones work in a small room that could easily get overwhelmingly bright and zany, given my bedding. The little candle is a housewarming gift from friends Andrew and Alyssa...it's Mandarin Mimosa scented, was made with love in Door County, WI, and I'm hooked. 

I don't have a ton of trinket-y things to decorate the tops of my dressers with...my lovely ex-bedroommate was not a fan of clutter, and most of my tchotchkes were deemed too girly. That said, I've amassed a little collection on my small dresser that I'm very fond of. The Anthropologie vase matches my bedding like it was made to go with it, the "2011" frame holds a Kate Spade mailer insert (here's to creative decorating!), and the wood block painting was a gift from Kaitlin after her trip to Croatia. My "Goodnight" wire art was an Anthropologie purchase...although Em, my insanely talented sister, could probably have made it herself!

The Anthro Capri Blue candles are each a different scent, and each smells utterly lovely. Once they're burned down, I plan to repurpose them to hold something else. The nail-polish jar is an old cookie jar I inherited from my grandma--I stole the idea from Em, who keeps her nail polish and lipsticks in apothecary jars. 

To add a little fun to my basic-as-can-be Ikea Hemnes bedroom set, I've started switching out the knobs of my nightstand and dressers. Nobody will be shocked that they're from Anthropologie. As their knobs can be a bit of a splurge, I've gone bit by bit, but I love how unique they are and how such a small touch can be so impactful. 

Last but not least, I'm starting to collect pieces for what will eventually be a bedroom gallery wall. Here's the preview...and that's all you get for now, because it's a blog post and 101 in 1001 item waiting to be checked off! 

And there you have it, friends. I've had so much fun over the past month starting to make this little corner of Minneapolis my own, and I can only anticipate that the fun will continue as I add more Liztastic touches to my space. Hope you enjoyed--and if you're overwhelmed with burning desire to witness my decorating prowess in person, hit me up and I'll happily have you over for wine sometime!

One month down--Apartment Tour, Part One!

I can't believe it's been a month since I moved! Time has seriously flown with all the fun October held. I'm so excited to finally share some of my (mostly) finished apartment...it's been so great to get to settle back in, relax, and get into a routine again!

A caveat: I'm not done, done with the apartment, and there are so many things I still "need," that in a perfect world I'd have up before I get all House and Garden on the internet. That said, whoa, I'm paying rent again, and no, Rome wasn't built in a day and neither was my bank account. Given that, my desire for a bistro table or a loveseat or curtains can just...wait. And that's all she wrote. 

For the sake of not writing a short novel, I'm going to split this post up into two parts...the living/dining room, and the bedroom/bathroom. Leave it to me to make 800 square feet into a Homeric epic...really, though, I'm just so in love with how everything is shaping up that I can hardly help but be absurdly verbose and excited about this!

So here goes! My humble abode! Start by clicking through these guys, below:

This is the progression over those first three wonderful days of moving. My blank canvas, my myriad boxes and bags, and finally the old configuration of furniture when we didn't really know what we were doing. Huge shout-out to my parents for being saints over those days. My dad handled the bulk of the heavy lifting, my mom power-cleaned all day Thursday, and the two of them collaborated to ensure I didn't have to take a minute of my already-stretched-too-thin vacation time. Can we rehash, yet again, how lucky I am? 

This is the new configuration of furniture, and how the place is laid out today. As you can see, we flipped my two big cozy chairs to sit between my tall bookshelves along the far wall. They face into the kitchen/dining area and create a really nice flow for having people over. (How cool are my exposed HVAC ducts?!)

Just this weekend, one of my favorite purchases arrived! I splurged big-time on a West Elm "Herringbone Mirror" coffee table. The surface and sides are mercury glass chevron-patterned. It's such a fun statement piece, and it brings so much light into the apartment just because it's awesome and reflect-y. I particularly love it on top of my other West Elm purchase, the Bello Shag Wool Rug. This thing has affectionately been dubbed "the polar bear," because it sheds so badly it looks like I'm rooming with one. I've been informed that will abate over time, and with the ridiculously soft, plushy feel under foot, I'll take a few extra vacuum passes a week. 

Ladies and gentlemen, my obsession, my very very favorite thing about my entire apartment, is this fireplace. I've never seen another apartment in the Twin Cities with a functional gas fireplace, so I immediately fell in love with it (and the rest of the apartment) when I toured in September. While we were moving, we just stuck all my hurricanes and vases up on the mantel for safekeeping, and I totally fell in love with how it looks. The bird frame was a gift when my parents left after my freshman move-in at Notre Dame. It's always been one of the first things I find a place for in a dorm room/apartment, and I love featuring it so prominently there. 

My little TV nook could not be a more perfect fit for this portion of what used to be an entertainment center. I had to split up the two bookshelves and the TV console due to the sort of weird layout of my space...but I'm loving how it looks! My bookshelves are alphabetized by author's last name (naturally), the two wire shelves used to hang at our cabin, and my tiny collection of coffee table books is chilling with the TV at present. 

The Basilica prints and blue clock are from an ages-ago iteration of my family's living room at home. I've always loved how they look with the chairs, and it feels especially appropriate to hang them in this apartment, given they're paintings of Loring Park and, hello, I live on Loring Park now!

From my regular seat in the chairs by the window, here's the (bird's eye) view of the kitchen. The dark wood cabinets, black granite countertops and kickass stainless steel backsplash are such a pretty combination! I'm in love with all things European, so I love the slight Euro-retro flavor of my decor. The "Cucina" sign above the cupboards was a HomeGoods find, and the plate wall is a conglomeration of sentimental old favorites and new gifts. How cute is the little rotund chef with his tall hat? He's a treasure from my grandma and goes perfectly up there. 

I've adored these rugs since my mom ordered them for her laundry room at home a few years ago. They fit perfectly in the color palette and feel of the kitchen space, and bring in more fresh, bright pops of blues, reds, and yellows. 

With limited cupboard space, I had to re-invest in a wire rack to hold my bakeware and dishes. I actually really love how it looks tucked in that odd corner that I otherwise would have no idea how to use. Notice, if you will, my favorite housewarming gifts: beautiful Anthropologie kitchen pieces from my grandma and godparents (on the tray)! How fun and feminine--exactly what I want for this place. 

My kitchen gallery wall is a collection of pieces I've had for a long time. The "Keep Calm and Carry On" was a housewarming gift for my very first apartment. The two cuties in the top left corner used to hang in my parents' mudroom and were purchased at the Edina Art Fair, by local artist Christina Hankins. The print on the bottom left was purchased on the pier in Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy, during my semester abroad. And the big guy in the middle? A $3 piece of wrapping paper I bought at one of my local faves, Patina. All the pieces were wood-mounted at Posters on Board, a hidden gem in Richfield that my family has frequented for years. Wood-mounting is a cheaper, customizable, and unique alternative to traditional framing, and I love that these pieces all happen to go together so nicely! I'm adding this print from Etsy in the next few weeks because it's perfect for my vinophile tendencies...can't wait for it to arrive!

The barstools were a bargain from Target over the summer and are much more gold than the brown they photographed to be...I'm thinking I'll add two more in a coordinating print and color eventually, just because everyone I know congregates around the center island when I have people over. My mom picked up the lazy Susan catch-all for me on a trip to Amish country a few weeks ago! 

And of course, the kitchen tour wouldn't be complete without highlighting my (never-full) wine rack. It's one of my favorite features...nothing feels more decadent and adult than being able to just grab a bottle of pinot noir out of the rack when I have guests. 

Like I said, there are a few outstanding "blanks" I'd love to fill in. The tentative plan for the next several months is to invest in a (very) small loveseat to go where the ottoman is currently camping out, to get a few more wall pieces for the last two big blank spaces, find a bistro table and chairs for under the kitchen gallery wall, and pick up some neutral curtains for the windows. For now, though, I'm so proud of my little space and am having so much fun drinking wine and reading books by the fire, hosting little gatherings of friends around my center island, and putting my kitchen through its paces baking and figuring out how to cook for one. 

Stay tuned for part 2 soon!

Bookworm: September/October 2014

“Loneliness had taught Harriet that there was always someone who understood - it was just so often that they were dead, and in a book.” -Eva Ibbotson, A Company of Swans

Holy delinquency, Batman! With all the events of late September and early October, I completely forgot to update my nerdish book log, so the universe gets treated to a two-for-one today!

Loved: 

The Invention of Wings, Sue Monk Kidd

The Morning Gift, Eva Ibbotson

Henry V, William Shakespeare

Enjoyed: 

Traitor to His Class: The Privileged Life and Radical Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, H.W. Brands (#1 of 101 in 1001 #76!)

Tender is the Night, F. Scott Fitzgerald

Tolerated: 

Not That Kind of Girl, Lena Dunham

Shopaholic to the Stars, Sophie Kinsella

And the last couple months' re-reads: 

A Company of Swans, Eva Ibbotson

A Countess Below Stairs, Eva Ibbotson

Life After Life, Kate Atkinson

Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn