The Post-Christmas Recap

Hi!

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I hope everyone had a lovely holiday yesterday. I certainly did! My family was very generous, and I am so excited about my new iPad Mini! Among other things, I also received the book Fault in Our Stars, {has gotten hundreds of RAVE reviews!} The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, {the recipes are already bookmarked and ready to go}, and a set for my American Girl dolls. How did giving and receiving presents go for you all?

On another note, I have the next week off from school, but blogging might slow down a bit. I will definitely pop in to do this week’s Love List, and I will probably write up a review of Les Mis as well. Happy Holidays! :)

wishing for…

Happy December, everybody! It’s officially holiday season :) Are you as excited as I am?! I can’t think of anything better to welcome December than a sprinkle of snow, which I woke up to this morning.

To celebrate the holidays, I made a little list of things that I want the most come Christmas. Of course, this is just for fun, and I don’t expect to get everything! What are you hoping to receive this year?

ellie goulding’s halcyon

I love Ellie Goulding’s music, so it makes perfect sense that I would want her newest album!

these extremely cute boots

I have been dying to get these ever since they came out in the summer! They are the perfect neutral to go with my winter and spring wardrobe.

this baking set for dolls

Again, this is another item I have been wanting since it came out. Look at all those doll-sized baking goodies! :)

this wristlet

Little wristlets or bags are really good when it comes to holding my phone, money, and diabetes stuff. This sparkly gem is cute and just the right size!

time between us

If you read my review {see it here}, you would understand just how much I loved this book. It’s definitely a book worth adding to my collection!

these hair ties

Aren’t these little hair ties cute? I’m starting gym for the rest of the year {I had health for the first trimester}, and I think these would be great for throwing into my gym bag for when a need for a ponytail strikes.

professor layton and the miracle mask

The only time I pull out my DS is when there is a Professor Layton game to play :) This one came out pretty recently, and I’m so excited to play it!

 this springy dress

One of the things I struggle with, in terms of clothing anyway, is the transition from season to season. This dress would be great with tights and a sweater in February, yet it would also look just as cute in April when it’s a bit warmer.

the smitten kitchen cookbook

I seriously idolize Deb Perelman. She’s one of the reasons I have come to love baking so much! So, when the opportunity for hundreds of new recipes to try arrived, I was all for it.

these headbands

These will make my buns look even better than ever!

Have a lovely start to your December!

Bella :)

Psst. Today’s featured holiday blogger is the Spicy’s! They are doing a festive feature called “The 12 Days of Christmas,” where they post a holiday craft/story/recipe each day until December 12th. Check it out here!

Psst again. I feel as if the formatting of this post is a bit off, so I apologize for any wonky spacing or picture/test issues!

loving >> week 53

Hi!

I’m loving…

doll diaries’ 31 more days of doll play

I was VERY happy when Char announced that she was doing 31 More Days of Doll Play earlier this week! I loved this feature over the summer, and with the long winter break coming up, I’m sure I will appreciate having some things to make for my dolls. Tomorrow is the first day, so be sure not to miss out!

american girl’s special holiday issue

This issue was a fun one! Each year, AG release a limited edition holiday issue, and this one had a bunch of great ideas! Here’s what I enjoyed the most…

• candy bark We always make Peppermint Bark around the holidays, but I think it would be fun to switch it up a little and do mini marshmallows and graham crackers crumbs, instead of peppermint, as AG suggests! {to check out my recipe, click here.}
  
• forest friends These little step-by-step doodles are too cute! I drew a few to decorate my bug whiteboard calendar in my room.
• holiday hijinks I usually skip over the short stories, but I do love a cute mystery. There were three mini stories in total, and what can I say? They were fun to read! :)

angie’s holidrizzle kettle corn

This is all kinds of delicious. I love Angie’s kettle corn as a year-round treat, but their limited Holidrizzle Kettle Corn adds the certain holiday cheer! It’s basically just kettle corn drizzled with chocolate, but it is SO, SO yummy. Mix it with some regular popcorn, pop in a holiday movie {It’s a Wonderful Life is on tomorrow, by the way.} and you’re all set! We buy it because it is awfully convenient, but to try the homemade version, click here.

to and from’s holidays gift guide

This is amazing. I promise. This holiday guide is over 100 pages long, full of holiday goodiness :) They have something for everybody on your list, from your friend who likes to travel or the perfect gift for an artsy kid. The two founders did a terrific job combining all of the bloggers’ and taste makers’ input. Not to mention the design, which is gorgeous. This is really helpful as I finalize what I’m making/buying for my family and close friends!

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the holiday season

I would be flat-out lying if I said December wasn’t my favorite month of the year. Everything about the holidays make me happy :) The tree, the movies and shows, the feeling of giving back, the cookies, and of course, some presents! Tomorrow I can “officially” start listening to Christmas music and baking my first batch of holiday cookies {shortbread snowflakes coming up!} I also think that blogging has helped me like Christmas even more. There’s so much coming up on the blog this month, so be prepared! What do you love most about the holidays?

Have a lovely day!

Psst. If you have anything holiday-focused coming up, let me know! I’ll be featuring a lot of activities on different blogs this month, and I would just love to feature one of yours! :)

loving >> the spooky edition

Hi!

Here are a few spooky things to kick off a Halloween weekend! I’m loving…

fun size

This looks hilarious! :) I read that Victoria Justice was starring in a movie called Fun Size last year, and ever since, I have been keeping an eye out for news about the movie. I was so happy to find that it was released today! The story follows Victoria Justice’s character as she looks for her brother after he disappeared in the midst of trick-or-treaters. Although the reviews haven’t made it out to be an outstanding movie, I think it will be a fun Halloween treat. I won’t be catching it in theaters, but I will definitely see it when it comes out on DVD.

bath and body work’s halloween hand sanitizers

I LOVE these scents! There are two times that I look forward to Bath and Body Work’s releases: Christmas, and, of course, Halloween. This year, they were all winners, but my two favorites were Candy Corn and Ghoul Friend. {Bat Bite was one of my favorites from last year, so I was happy to see that was back as well!} I love adding them to my lunchbox with the PocketBac holders {bonus points if they are Halloween-themed} but come November, they will happily reside on my nightstand. It’s never to late to spread some Halloween cheer! :)

it’s the great pumpkin, charlie brown

Not only is it one of the few Halloween specials, “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown” is probably the best. I adore all of the Peanut characters! :) Last year I missed it, and I am determined not to miss it again. Trick or treating will have to wrap up early this year! Want to watch with me? It will be on ABC at 8 pm EST.

halloween themed food for dolls

I am a huge supporter of Etsy sellers who make accessories and clothing for American Girl Dolls. They are all so talented, and you can often find exactly what you were looking for! One of my favorite sellers, Teresa at Pippaloo, makes terrific food for the dolls, right down to the tiny details! Earlier this month, she had her Halloween stuff for sale, and I was able to snag a trio of lollipops and a set of sugar cookies. {Look for them in an upcoming photo story!} She has nothing {except brownies} in her shop as of right now, but make sure to check back on Sunday when her Thanksgiving stuff will be up.

these halloween beauty tips

The Beauty Department always comes in handy, and I am totally loving these Halloween Beauty Tutorials that were posted this afternoon. Combining various hair and beauty posts from the past, the Beauty Department girls came up with several costumes you could do. Last minute costumes are always needed! :) I know I am going as Minnie Mouse, but I hadn’t decided on hair yet. What about you all? {And for those who are still in need of costume hair/beauty help, they are posting another round tomorrow!}

Have a lovely rest of your day!
Bella :)

a birthday celebration

Hi!

I love birthdays. Like loooove birthdays :) The cake, the presents, and spending time with family and friends all to celebrate one person’s special day is something I look forward to all year.

Yesterday was my birthday. After two months a few days of counting down, the day arrived. Laid back and stress free, I went to the library, played Scrabble, and, of course, had cake.

Let’s see what I got, shall we?

emma

I have been dying to read this, so why not enjoy it with a lovely cover? It’s stunning in person.

smart girls get what they want

This is supposed to be good, so I hope it doesn’t let me down.

second chance summer

Morgan Matson is one of my favorite authors. This is huge honor because you all know how much I read ;) Anyhoo, I can.not.wait to begin Second Chance Summer!

hyperactivitytypography from a to z

I am obsessed with typography, and this book is all about FONTS! This will be so fun to take out on long afternoons.

a history of graphic design for rainy days

By the same people who made Hyperactivitytypography from A to Z, this one focuses on graphic design. I am about 50% the way through!

florence and the machine concert tickets

I am SO excited to see Florence and the Machine in concert! Her songs are some of the most played on my iPod.

minnetonka moccasins

Don’t these look comfortable? I think they will make perfect footwear for the fall.

doll moccasins

 And, of course, the dolls needed some too :)

the sweet savannah dress

I have to say that AG is stepping out of their comfort zone a little. The dress is currently on Ruthie, and it is gorgeous on her!

the weekend fun outfit

Quite possibly my favorite outfit from American Girl. It looks so cute on my doll, Hannah! {MyAG #38?}

That was my present round-up, with a few more on the way :)

Have a delightful day!

Bella :)

Psst. A few items of note.

[1] Thanks to all of the lovely family members who gave me these! Love you all :)

[2] So, Danielle won Design Star. Interesting.

[3] And Felix left Master Chef. {which, in my opinion, she did not deserve to go.}

[4] I just realized that I never posted this month’s Style Snapshot! My apologies. I will start back up again in August.