The jewelry/outfit photos are from a family Christmas party I went to. It was 74 degrees outside. Ah, North Carolina winters.

The photos of the Christmas lights are from our annual trip to McAdenville. We went on Christmas Day and as always, it was magical.

leftover holiday sweets.

I know these are super late, but it's not quite New Years yet, so I'm going with it. It amazes me how quickly some of us are able to move from holiday to holiday. I personally enjoy taking my time easing in and out of each one. I also enjoy spending too much time laying in bed and not editing pictures until a week after I take them. ;)

I had a very cozy Christmas Eve at home. I made these eggnog cinnamon rolls, and I am so proud of myself. I don't really cook, so these were by far the most successful thing I've made in the kitchen. They were too, too good. Along with the cinnamon rolls, many Christmas cookies were made. I've been pretty pleased with the amount of time I've spent in the kitchen so far over Winter Break, and I hope cooking and baking is something I can start doing more of in 2014.

pinterest favorites: merry and bright.

this emerald party outfit, because it's a different take on the usual red attire.

this vintage ornament wreath, because I see these kinds of wreaths popping up everywhere and I am obsessed.

these eggnog cinnamon rolls, because I'll be making them on the morning of Christmas Eve.
this Christmas cake, because I love the natural decorations.
these sparkling holiday baubles.
these birch ornaments, because I love natural ornaments on real Christmas trees.
this nail polish, and any other red or gold sparkly nail polish this time of year.
this simple yet beautiful holiday greeting card.
this equally simple yet beautiful window decoration.

In a perfect world, I would've uploaded holiday inspiration throughout the month of December. I would've loved to post my ideas for a White Christmas, a Rustic Christmas, a Colorful and Modern Christmas, etc., however, not so unfortunately, I've been spending my Winter Break relaxing and spending time with family and friends instead.

I can't help but feel the stress of the holiday rush and all of the hustle and bustle that the season brings, even though I personally haven't had that much to stress about since exams have been over. I've enjoyed my blog feed which has, since before Thanksgiving, been absolutely overflowing with beautiful gift guides and holiday style guides and appetizing recipes and DIYs galore. Truly, I have. With that being said, I didn't feel the need to add more of those kinds of posts to the blogger-sphere. I wanted to allow this space to provide the kind of silence and calm which Christmas really should bring, as I try to cultivate those feelings for myself.

So here is my one teeny tiny post of holiday inspiration, a short summary of my favorite bits and pieces of inspiration I've seen on my feed and Pinterest this season.
I wish you all a holiday that is calm, peaceful, merry, and bright.

my Pinterest.

cozy.

exam week / lighting candles / sipping coffee by the fire / christmas ornaments / hanging with Crusoe while everyone else is at work and school, he recently got a new dog bed and he LOVES it.

I haven't updated in a while, so here's two posts to make up for it. These two sets of pictures are a glimpse into the bits and pieces of my life lately. I survived exams and made all A's and B's, which is a total success in my opinion. I'm considering the past semester conquered and have been rewarding myself with plenty of free time for relaxation. I'm looking forward to a Winter Break filled with quality family and friend time, cooking, baking, working out, sleeping in, and taking lots of pictures.

Also, if it isn't obvious, I am loving my new lens. All of these photos were shot using it. I'm super excited to use it during the holiday season because HELLO BEAUTIFUL BOKEH. And the way it performs in lowlight is phenomenal: HELLO EVENING CHRISTMAS LIGHTS.

bright.

exam week / christmas tree farm / cucumber water / my favorite "christmas" decoration is that bear candle holder, I can't get over how happy it makes me.

december blue.

Just a quick update to say that I'm surviving the end of the semester and finals(so far, somehow).

I turned in two major projects yesterday, I'm on track to turn in another on Monday, and my study times are all mapped out.

This semester has been a tiring one. It has been a trying one. I will be thankful when it's all over, just as I am thankful to have experienced it.

So far, I've actually amazed myself with everything that I have accomplished. I honestly didn't think I had this kind of work ethic and willpower in me. I'm proud of the kind of student that I have become, as well as the kind of worker I have become. I'm thankful for the amount of growth I've seen within myself these past couple of years, and I'm excited to see where that growth will carry me.

Top picture is from my last few hours of relaxation over Thanksgiving Break. Laying in bed, lighting candles, and catching up on Hart of Dixie.
Bottom picture is from the cloudy ride back to Asheville. The sun was setting and the clouds were hugging the mountains and it was absolutely beautiful.

home.

I'm home on Thanksgiving Break. I don't have to be back at school until Thursday, so I'm staying home a little longer than most.

Since being home, I have celebrated my birthday with my family. This includes eating a fantastic coconut cake my dad made and receiving my first new lens(!!!!!!!!). The lens is this one. These pictures are some test shots I took around the house. So far, I really love it.

I have also been eating (a lot), relaxing by the fire, shopping (and wishing), and spending time with family. I have not been preparing for finals. However, the next 3 days are completely dedicated to projects with deadlines that are swiftly approaching. It's surreal that this semester is already almost over. It's surreal how fast this year has flown. I am already looking forward to next semester and, more importantly, Winter Break(which starts just 6 days after I'm back at school on Thursday. Crazy.).