My First Snow in New York

Two days ago, the heat kicked on in my apartment for the first time. It was one of the coldest days since I've been here, and it was raining. I came in and I could hear the steam heater sizzling and bubbling. I'm used to gas heat, but I kind of like the sound the steam heaters give off. It's like the heater is saying "hey, it's time for me to make you warm after a long walk in the cold." Haha, anyway, I thought to myself, this is a sign. The cold is coming.

I heard the sound of my heater popping really loudly early this morning and couldn't figure out why it was so loud.  When it stopped I could hear the faint sound of what  I thought was rain.  I didn't raise the blinds because I've seen rain plenty of times and didn't feel like looking out at it once more after my walk in it this past week.  I was pondering about the holidays and wondering what my work schedule would be so I could book a flight home.  I called my friend Tracy who also works at Martha to ask her about details.  The first thing she said when she picked up the phone was "It's snowing".  I said, "What!" I spastically pulled the blinds up on the nearest window to me and couldn't believe it. It was really snowing. Snow in October. I couldn't believe it.  It was coming down so fast, but not sticking.  If you looked at the ground it looked like it was just raining, but when you looked up, it was snow.

It is still snowing right now. The heaviness comes and goes in waves. When  the bigger flakes come down is when it's of course the prettiest, and it looks like it falls a little bit slower. Then there are short lulls of what looks like rain. Maybe it's a mixture? Anyway, it's still really pretty to watch.  I tried to take several pictures and videos, but my camera couldn't capture it! I'll just leave it to your imagination and let my description speak for itself.  Woah, I just heard thunder. Thunder and snow at the same time? Definitely a first.

Cheers, to my first snow in New York! (with a little thunder)  Time for some tea. Yum.

**click images for their source**

Getting Ready to Bundle Up!

This past weekend I went on a hunt for my first down coat.  Everyone that I've talked to here has told me it is a must-have for winter and that I would never regret getting one!  My walk to work could be brutal when it starts getting really cold, so hopefully now I'll be ready. This is the coat I got! It's by Tahari, and I found it at a reasonably low price at Marshall's.  I was quite proud of this purchase.

My favorite thing about this coat is how feminine it is for a down coat because of the detailing at the waist and around the edges at the bottom. I also love the hood. It's super puffy and it looks really neat tied down like in the photos.  It also look great worn as well. I felt like a cute little Eskimo! It is so warm and fluffy, I could probably fall asleep in it or on it.  Which ever way I use it, I think I'll be ready to take on the cold!

You can purchase this coat at Macy's as well, but be sure to compare your prices at places like Marshall's or even T.J. Maxx if you are on a budget and want to save money!

Eye Candy : Sania Pell

Hi everyone! I can't believe it's Tuesday! Running a little behind on posting, but I'm not very tired right now and have enough energy to make one!  I've had her name written down on a post-it note for about a week now because sharing her work was a MUST for me.

I discovered Sania Pell while doing some visual research and stumbled on her beautiful blog.  Sania is an author, interior stylist, and designer from London. One of the main publications her work can be found in is Elle Decoration.  Sania's work is so fresh and beautiful. I do hope you'll take a moment to gaze at her work, which is exactly what I caught myself doing!

Have a lovely evening! 

What are your weekend plans?

Wow, I can't believe how quickly this week flew by!  I was hoping to have another Ensemble post, but maybe I wasn't looking hard enough to and from work this week..I still can't believe it's Friday.  What are your plans for this weekend? Anything exciting?  I'm going to try gather some winter wear.  I know it probably won't snow until the end of December, but I definitely want to be prepared and get out before the huge crowds come in.  Ultimately I like to take the weekends to wind down a little bit after a crazy work week, but there is so much to do here and I am fortunate enough to have some wonderful friends living in the city that I went to school with in Savannah, ones I worked with at Martha last summer, and a few new friends I've recently made. On the weekdays I'm doing what I love. On the weekend nights I get to share my muses with lovely strangers who love creating and sharing inspiration just as much as I do, and on the weekends I'm spending time with people I love. Who could complain?

Do something fun this weekend. Explore. Go somewhere you haven't been that's close by. I know I'm guilty of that in my own hometown in Florence.  Go see a friend you haven't seen in a while. Start something new, like a project or a blog! Embrace you free time and spend it doing something productive, meaningful, and inspiring.

Images by Mandy Lynne. Find these prints in her Etsy shop!

Woven Saddle Boots

BA BAM. I just bought these on sale from Anthropologie.  It was completely impulsive, but I HAD to have them. They are so unique. I love the woven texture in the boot, and I can wear them with pretty much anything in my wardrobe. My sweet mom sent me an email with a link to them. Part of me wishes she shouldn't have because it caused me to splurge, but then again, I'm glad she did... and I'm also glad my first paycheck came in today. Yay for new boots!

p.s the reviews were really great too!

Three Red Apples : Annabelle Ozanne

Hi there!

Today I wanted to introduce you to the work of Annabelle Ozanne. I recently emailed Annabelle about her work, and she was so kind to allow me to share with you. Thank you Annabelle!  I discovered her in Aug/Sept/Oct 2011 issue of the magazine Artful Blogging (one of my favorites!)  Annabelle calls herself a "textile doodler", and an amazing doodler she is at that.  Repurposing vintage and recycled fabric, she uses applique and free-motion machine embroidery to create beautiful textile illustrations and other home decor accessories. (You can learn a little more about her here) I respect her passion for redirecting herself back to using the hand to express her creativity. She sells her adorable pieces of art in her online store called Three Red Apples.  Look for her on Etsy as well, and keep up with what she is doing on her blog.  Enjoy!

p.s. If you guys love sewing and have never free-motioned before, you should definitely try it. Once you do, you won't be able to stop!

{click images for more details}

love this little dec pillow!

embroidery on canvas

Taking Note : Innovate and Decorate!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!  Mine was definitely eventful. I took a short trip to Brooklyn to help my dear friend Liz move into her new place! I also want to give her another shout-out and congratulate her once more for her new job as a sign artist at Trader Joes! She graduated with me at SCAD and majored in Illustration.  I'm so proud of you!  I also checked out the Farmer's market in Unions Square this weekend, which was amazing. So many yummy foods and interesting people around.

Today was the first day I climbed my three flights of stairs and hit the 4th floor unexpectedly because I actually wasn't out of breath!  Talk about success.  Today the VP of design at Martha made my day. He introduced me to a girl who I've heard, but never met. I say "heard" because she sits a row behind me and she has the greatest southern accent. All I could think to myself was, I have to meet her at some point to share my common bond of being a southerner with her!  When I was introduced to her, the exact words used were "Andrea, come meet your cousin!"  Loved it.  She is from Mississippi, practically from Alabama because she rests on the state line.  It was so nice chatting with her, and made me nostalgic for home.

Speaking of home, now that I'm away and have my own, I've been paying a lot more attention to nifty ideas for future reference. I love repurposing old things.  It's a lot cheaper than buying something new, and always adds so much character to a space.  Right now I can't do too much to my place, but when the time comes, here are some really clever ideas I'm keeping in mind!

Ikea wheels on an old crate for magazine storage

Love the old door in the back corner! 

I know, more storage for books, but I have so many books! And what's better than repurposing an old spool? Very clever.

These are paper covered shoe box lids.  Cheap and very cute for adding some color and fun to a space.

lastly, old drawers used as little display shelves. So adorable!

{click images for source}

Ensemble : The Girl in the Yellow Skirt

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a lovely Friday! What are your plans for the weekend? I'm hitting up the Farmer's Market in Union Square tomorrow, and running the usual weekend errands.  Today went by so quickly, and now I'm home sitting with a Carolina Honey Tea from Argo, and ready to share some wardrobe inspiration with you.

Every week I see at least one or two people on the street coming and going from work who look amazing. I am by no means a fashion expert, but I definitely know what I like and I try to make a mental note of outfits I see on others that I love. The types of ensembles that attract my attention these days are vintage inspired with a 60s flare to it.  Today I thought, I should definitely post about this, and it might just become a weekly one!

On the way home I saw a girl with the most adorable, yet simple ensemble. She had on a calf- length A-line mustard yellow skirt with a creme sweater which had knitted leaf motifs that adorned the sides of each sleeve. And lastly, a pair of your classic warm caramel-colored boots. She carried a navy umbrella which also looked great with what she was wearing.  I don't know if I've ever seen someone dressed that cute in the rain. She should have been on her way to an Anthropologie catalogue shoot.

Anyway, here is an idea of what she was wearing!

               Sweater: via SarahtheMagician

Skirt and Boots: Asos

One week in

I'm a little over a week in of being in the city, and I must say I have gotten used to it very quickly and comfortably.  Having an internship here for two months last year was definitely a big help. This morning was very nice. It was actually the first morning I rolled out of bed early enough to take a nice long shower AND stop and get a nice, warm, caffeinated drink.  If you know me well, you know that I am a hot tea kinda gal. Coffee makes me crazy jittery. My new go-to place is Argo Tea. It is wonderful, and I call it the Starbucks for tea. I ordered the pumpkin spice chai, and it was so delicious!

 Anyway, it made me feel more like an official New Yorker having a hot drink in my hand while briskly walking to work with my earbuds in listening to moderately tempoed music to keep up my pace.  The walking has been great, and is my official workout for the day. 20 minutes in the morning, and 20 minutes after work.  I don't know if I quite have that "New Yorker" pace, but I'm getting there.  I try to start off really quickly, but 5 minutes in my right shin always gives me a fit. No worries though, I know I will overcome it and soon become a very speedy walker. Right now, I'm just.. a little speedy. Oh yes, and then to make it to my little studio, I climbs 3 flights of steep stairs that I like to call my "mini mountain". Yes, I climb up and scale down a mini mountain every day in order to get to and from my mini fortress, 4RW.

One thing I remember saying once I left was how much I was going to miss vegetation around me, but guess what? I got extremely lucky and ended up smack dab in the middle of the flower district!  When I walk to work in the mornings I get to walk through a mini jungle on my side of the street.  It's quite lovely.

This weekend a few of my friends and I asked ourselves, "so how do you know when you are officially a New Yorker?"  My dear friend Shannon from Queens was able to give a few great answers for this.

You know you're a New Yorker when...
1. You bump into people and don't say sorry
2. You actually enjoy the exhaust from large trucks during the winter months because of their warmth
3. You stand in the middle of the street to cross with oncoming traffic /risk your life to cross the street
4. I've already briefly covered this one, but you walk like you're on fire with no expression

I'm still kind of a newbie, so that's all I have for now, but if you know any more please do share. It's always nice to have a few humorous ones in there too  ;)

A Twinkle in my Eye

Hello lovlies!

I've been searching for a lot of inspiration lately and I can't help but love the ongoing trend of all things sparkly, which are always appealing to a girl's eye am I right? Anyway, I put together a little story board of  a few of the beautiful images that caught my attention upon my search for some sparkle in my life. Enjoy!

(from left to right)
J.Crew Sparkle Flat via ballerina flats
Sparkle nail via MegMac Designs
Gown via Frogs and Crowns
Balenciaga dress via Lucy Holloway on Pinterest
"Keep Calm and Sparkle On" via Sunny Day & Starry Night
Eye Shadow via Model Love

Fall Must - Haves

The weather is getting colder and colder, and I must say I'm getting more and more excited about it. There's nothing I love more than fall weather.  I pretty much live in my boots, scarves, cardigans, and my best fitted jeans. I also can't forget my leather satchel, because it looks great with everything! You honestly can't go wrong with all of these separates. A good pea coat, some gloves, and a cute hate will work too, especially during the winter. I'm anxious to see how the winter here is. This is coming from someone who very rarely sees snow. Now that I think of it, i'm not even sure if I know what a real winter is, but I'm pretty sure I will soon. Get ready to bundle up!!

Satchel- Fossil

      Cardigans- J.Crew

                        Boots and Scarf- Anthropologie

New Home

Hi everyone!

This is my first official post for my new blog!! Like I said in my last full post at Sweet&Dainty, the next time I would be blogging would be from my not-yet-found apartment in New York.  Well, I'm sitting here in apartment 4RW for the first time on my own. It's crazy to think that I am now a resident of New York City and starting my first official job tomorrow!  I'm still trying to take everything in at the moment, and I'm so happy that I can calmly sit down and share my thoughts with you here.

This moment is truly bittersweet and a testament to my willfulness to broaden my horizons and create more open doors for my future.  This morning when I parted with my parents one last time, the feeling was different than the feeling I had going off to college.  Before, I knew I would get breaks to come home as well as see my family at functions that the school had to offer that would give them an excuse to come visit me, but this time I knew it wasn't going to be this way.  The thought of not seeing them isn't what made me emotional, it was the idea of this huge change in my life, that the work I have done has finally paid off, and the fact that I could have never have done any of it without them there to love and support me in every decision I made along the way. The fact that they were ready to fully let go and know that they have also fulfilled something great with me, was touching, and I feel so grateful and blessed.

There is also that feeling we get when we are home, where we were raised, and I will miss that feeling, but I know as long as I have my family, they will bring back home to me because wherever they are is where home is to me. The same goes with my friends from home as well. As long as I still have them in reach through communication, they will be another little piece of home that I take away wherever I am.

With all of this said, I am ready to share my journey and experiences in the city with you. I know there is plenty here to keep me inspired!

Here's a little peek of my studio! I'm pretty much all settled in. I've added only a few small personal touches with a blanket, a few candles, a little framed embroidery piece, and a couple of hand-made pals from my sister.  I'm still in the works of gathering a few more little things to make it feel more like a home.