new beginnings

I have good news and bad news. The bad: There will be a bit of radio silence as I dive into training and become a productive part of my new company as quickly as possible. The good: I'm so happy with the position and company. The days are flying by!

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see ya reader

Have you heard the news? Google Reader is going bye bye on July 1st. I'm super sad, as this is my preferred method of staying connected with my favorite blogs.

The most popular way to keep in touch with finer feelings post-July 1 is through bloglovin'. Check out the button on the right side bar to follow along that way.

Many bloggers use Facebook to keep their readers and friends involved. Having recently deleted the FB app on my phone (and SO happy with that decision), I don't see a finer feelings page making its way to your feed anytime soon. Facebook has proved to be an effective way to gain readership; however, it is just not a platform I believe to be a good fit. Unfortunately I find it to be more of a place for one-upping and narcissism than for sharing enlightening stories and supporting each other (there are of course exceptions to this at times).

I do appreciate all of you reading and following along, and strive to continue the growth of this little space of internet. That being said, I sure hope you continue to follow along here. I would love to hear your opinions on Facebook, and of other blog reading websites that may be a decent replacement for Google Reader.

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welcome back, mr. jt

I'm assuming you've all been listening the majority of the past 4 hours like I have.

So, what do you think?

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dream desk

With the end of my unplanned winter break drawing to a close, I can't help but start thinking about my new desk. There are few places I like more at an office than my own little space to decorate (second only to the break room). It's where I'll spend 8+ hours a day, so it better instill inspiration, patience, and motivation.

In my dream situation, I would have these pretty little pieces at my new desk.

 

poppin inbox trays // gold shears // acrylic stapler // monogrammed pencil cup // frends headphones

In reality, I'll come stocked with my favorite pens, K-State mug, and a picture frame or two. 

spring scent

Confession: I have worn the same perfume almost exclusively for the past 11 years.

Angel by Thierry Mugler

I only need two fingers to count the number of times I have chosen not to refill the pretty star bottle right away and tried something new. Both of those perfumes were fine, but I always ended up going back to Angel. It is sugary at first, but when the liquid dries on my skin, the patchouli takes over and it's this perfect mix of woodsy/vanilla deliciousness. When I get stopped in stores by women who have to know what perfume I'm wearing, or when I walk into a room and people know it's me just from the Angel wafting in, I know I found a good thing in this scent.

That being said, I gave my empty bottle to my parents over Valentine's Day to refill as a gift (for Easter I'm hoping!) so have been without this divine perfume for over a month. For awhile, I wasn't wearing any smell-good-stuff at all. Then I remembered a birthday gift I received in January, Laura Mercier's Almond Coconut Milk Body Butter. It's sweet, but not overpowering, and it lasts subtly on my skin for hours and hours. So while I'm waiting for an Angel refill, this decadent body butter is an excellent substitute.

I always have an internal debate whether I'm cheating myself by not being more adventurous with perfumes, or if it would just end up a waste of money. For now, I think I'm going to continue sticking with what works with my pheromones.

Do you have a signature scent, or do you change perfumes with the season?

working girls' favorite shoes

Hooray, hooray. I accepted a job last week!

It was actually a great few days, where I landed two offers and had the opportunity to compare them side-by-side, ultimately making a decision that is going to keep me busy and happy. Not to mention I'll be using and learning even more Finance skills on a daily basis. Yay for numbers and Excel. (But seriously, they're kinda my thing.)

My start date isn't for another two weeks, so I created a list of goals I'd love to complete before jumping back into the corporate world. The list includes watching seasons 1 and 2 of Downton Abbey, spring cleaning my closet, and not buying tons of new business casual clothes. So far I have only purchased one top from J. Crew's sale (extra 30% off with code GOODNEWS through Friday), but am really wanting these beauties.

j. crew janey patent flats

Can they be more perfect for the office? Comfortable yet bright. And that heel.  To top it off, they come in the most fabulous colors. I mean, they're sooo good, no? 

city scapes

I am loving these city skyline prints from Etsy shop Loose Petals, especially since my travel plans for 2013 are significantly less exciting than the past two years.

These are some of my favorites, but she has tons of options over at her shop site.

Which one is your favorite?

how my wine and shopping habits helped jumpstart spring cleaning

Oh man, am I excited to see March. Have you noticed all of the spring cleaning articles and pins lately? This is the time of year when I add "clean" to my daily to do list, but rarely ever implement a new organization system or create something that will help keep my quarters tidy all year long.

Enter 2013. I officially caught the spring cleaning bug yesterday. Using Darling Magazine's spring cleaning advice, I decided to split each area in need into zones that I can tackle one at a time. Yesterday's focus was on the bathroom.

The area under the sink has been a disaster zone since I moved in over two years ago. I never organized it with much intention, and so it quickly became a mess of all things hair, makeup, and cleaning supplies. I couldn't even take a "before" picture to document its transformation, it was so bad. 

I targeted the main culprit behind the chaos: too many hair appliances with no place to call home. My curling iron, wand, straightener, and blow dryer were in a constant cord-tangled battle. I'd seen a brilliant solution for this problem using PVC pipes on the back of the vanity doors, but really wanted something that would work without using any type of adhesive since I'm renting. A few other musts for this project included using materials already in my possession, and needing very little Home Ec skills to get the job done. 

This is where wine and shopping come in to play. Who else has those super convenient six-pack wine carriers stashed somewhere in their pantry? I decided this CVS bag was the perfect solution to my vanity clutter issue. 

The only problem was figuring out a way to keep the bag from toppling over once the curling irons went in. I grabbed the delivery box from my recent ShoeMint purchase and started cutting away at the cardboard flaps. Six large pieces and some folding later, I had found my super easy (and very little measuring needed!) solution.

Now everything has a place. I'm so happy with this thrifty and easy solution. Added bonus: my hair products are more easily accessible in the bin next to the CVS bag instead of constantly being thrown about the space under the sink. I hope to use my products like the PHYTO hydrating cream more often now that I can always find it right next to the blow dryer.

monday motivation

Just a little reminder to never stop learning. Now, I do believe it's time for me to tackle all those photography tutorials I have been pinning so much of lately.