Dorm Decor: Jewelry

via MackenzieHoran.com

It's no secret that living a dorm room is the ultimate challenge in personal organization. It's all about how much stuff one can fit into a room that's the size of a walk-in closet (seriously, my parents' closet is bigger than my dorm room...). Luckily, my room next year is going to be about 2.5 times bigger... hallelujah! And with new roommates and a whole lot more space, it's hard to not start planning for the next year. 

I'm taking full advantage of the fact that I bought most of my "dorm necessities" last summer- the tv, printer, fridge, desk organizers... you get the idea. This next year is all about the cute accents. I've really gotten into jewelry and accessorizing this year. The problem is that I've now got my necklaces hanging on command hooks and my bracelets/earrings in a makeshift pile in my drawer. Not cute. 

plus, isn't half the fun having your pretty jewels on display?

Luckily, a few of my favorite shops and boutiques have the perfect display options, from boxes to trays to plates, I can promise you that my jewelry will get the attention it deserves next year! 

Shop what I'm loving:

via Lilly Pulitzer

via Lilly Pulitzer

via Johnathan Adler/ Design Darling

via C. Wonder

P.S. those Lilly options match the comforter I'm wanting... too matchy-matchy or cute? You tell me! 

Decor, Decor

So, I've come across some very dangerous decor items/ ideas lately....

Not that I even have a house or apartment to decorate, but it's still so much fun to look and dream. For now, I pretty much incorporate every Tumblr and Pinterest decoration idea onto my itty bitty little desk here at school. It's a bit ridiculous, but it's my little space to make pretty. So what have I been seeing lately? 

Let's start with Folletts. Folletts is a bookstore here on campus that has pretty much everything. Books, yes. But they're the place to buy the really nice Nike gear, coffee mugs, the fun stuff. But, there's also a Lilly/ Vera Bradley area that is oh-so dangerous. This past week I've made my fair amount of trips to Folletts, and guess what I found? The Kate Spade office collection. And yes, my roommate, K, and I fell in love. We didn't buy anything since we were already dropping hundreds on textbooks (ugh don't get me started!), but we sure did look and squeal at the cuteness of it all! 

Okay I know that the collection has been out a while so this is old news, but seeing it in person is so much better than looking at pictures online! The binder clips and push pins make me want to completely re-vamp my organization method for this semester (but I won't because I'm not crazy), but that won't happen. The post-it's though... I use post-its like a madwoman so these actually may be justifiable. I'll save it for when I need something really cute to pick me up :-)

I talked about housing for next year, and just in time Lilly has restocked their Garnet Hill collection. Can you say perfect? I'm in love with my comforter right now, but it's almost impossible to turn these down! The First Impressions print is basically the embodiment of me, so I might have to splurge this summer and bring it back to school with me... because really, how cute is it?

As far as decoration inspiration goes, I'm loving all things pink, gold/ sparkly, and white or lucite right now. It's such a happy, fresh color scheme. Anywhere from bright to a blush pink is gorgeous paired with gold! If you follow my Pinterest boards, you've probably noticed this trend. If you don't, I am here to grace you with a few of my favorites:

are you a fan of the combo yet? ;-)

Summer Fun: Crafts

I've never been much of a DIY'er.

I'd much rather spend the extra money and have a product that looks good and is done professionally. I'm not sure if this is because I've grown up with the ability to afford this or if it's my lack of any kind of artistic ability whatsoever (I'm thinking a little of both..). But, with the world of Pinterest, my lack of creativity doesn't hinder my ability to find cute and functional crafts! Between my sort-of looking for crafts for my dorm room and people posting their craft ideas, I've been able to come up with some fun ideas that I think even I'm capable of making.

All three of these crafts are definitely going to be done this summer! From left to right, there's the Lilly Pulitzer Print Craft, the Sparkly Mason Jar, and Sparkly Clothespins. 

The Lilly crafts are everywhere and I'm sure you've seen them anywhere from coolers to coasters. I'm thinking either some coasters or even small wall art- type things would be cute for my dorm room! My roommate is a Lilly Lover as well, so I think these would be so cute!

 Next, you can never go wrong with Mason Jars! They're so functional- from cups to flower vases! Decorating them is such a fun way to add a little spunk and personality to an every-day item! 

And, if it wasn't obvious that I love sparkles, how about clothespins? I've seen clothespins used as ways to hold up pictures or any other light items. But, the sparkling doesn't have to stop there, since I'm sure this technique could be used on bobby pins or binder clips. 

Like I said, I've never been much of a crafter. I'm honestly very surprised with myself that I even have a remote interest in doing these and a few other little things! But, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do when it comes to budget-smart decor. I have the instructions to these crafts and many more on my Pinterest.

Keep me updated on the cute decor crafts you do this summer!