favorites as of late.

I used to indulge myself by creating a love list for each month of the year, but, truth be told, at times I felt it was a bit of a stretch. I was finding it harder & harder to produce an authentic list of ten things I was absolutely adoring for each month. So, when January Favorites time rolled around this year, I made the executive decision to hold off, vowing to compile a list as favorites showed themselves, publishing the list when & only when a collection of the ten most glorious things ever filled its spaces. Thus, I give you... favorites as of late.

twinkle lights on frenchmen street in new orleans

1. Pitch Perfect. Justin & I crave watching this movie all the time. And we sing the songs constantly, because they're in our heads constantly. And I haven't met one person yet who doesn't like it. 

2. Urban Decay Suspect eye shadow all over lid & smoked out. This is the easiest smoky eye on the planet. Suspect can be found in the Naked2 palette, or may be purchased as a separate eye shadow from Urban Decay. 

3. Vanilla Caramel Tea from Bigelow. This has long been a favorite of mine, but I've recently put my red Le Creuset teapot to use, indulging in a cup for many days in a row. This flavor is reminiscent of caramel popcorn. It smells - & tastes - delicious, no sweetener or creamer necessary.

4. Black & White Cookies. Believe it or not, I had never tasted this particular type of cookie until one of my Shreveport book club meetings over at Natalie's. The book we had read was If You Have To Cry, Go Outside, by Kelly Cutrone, & Daci brought black & white cookies, in keeping with the New York theme. Imagine my delight when I discovered that my local Harris Teeter makes these fresh, daily.

5. Aveeno Lavender Chamomile Lotion. I went through an entire tube of this in under a month, & trust me, that is saying something. This is my favorite lotion to apply after a shower & before bed. The soothing scent reminds me that it's time to put my phone and/or laptop away & go to sleep.

6. Light Pink Camellias. On our visit to Pinehurst earlier this year, I discovered an abundance of these beautiful blooms. I texted my mom, asking if they were, indeed, camellias, because I had an inkling that's what they were. She not only confirmed that they were, but also reminded me that they are blooming in front of our house in Shreveport. And now, well, they are topping my list of favorite flowers, right alongside hydrangeas & sunflowers.

7. Pastel Colors. As you may guess from the design of my blog, I've always been drawn to the softer range of colors; however, my love of them lately has increased exponentially. Blame it on the season, but I don't think that has much to do with it, really.

8. Twinkle Lights. I mean, who doesn't love twinkle lights? But lately, I've had an increased affinity for them. So, that's what earned them a spot on this list. The fact that they are now used in abundance - not just for the Christmas season - makes me so very happy. I want to use them in our home decor soon.
9. Spring-time Scarf-wearing. Not only is the room that my afternoon class is held in a frigid scene out of Antarctica, I truly just love the wearing of scarves in spring-time. And I'm calling it spring-time because the first official day of summer has not come yet, though it both feels (& looks) like it has here in Wilmington.
10. C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Tint. Basically, I sit in class & apply this stuff over & over. Its minty quality is quite addictive, I'd say. My mom loves this stuff, too.