Countdown to Christmas

Remember those chocolate calendars you had as a kid? Well, I have something much cooler for you: Starting tomorrow I will surprise you with a little gimmick, shopping tip, holiday recipe, D.I.Y,  or other christmassy thing every day until Christmas Eve.  Exciting, right?

                                                       Source: fiskarscrafts.com via Laura on Pinterest

To busy to stop by each day? Subscribe via email (sidebar, under my picture), and you'll get the calendar delivered right to your phone.  Like your very own advent calendar app.

Peace, Love and Serendipity
Laura

Black Friday Deals

Anthropologie is having 20% off clothing and 10% off on home, and added many new things to the sales rack, like the Georgina bedding (which I would get in a heartbeat if it would fit on my bed...)

Antropologie

Use BLACKFRIDAYBONUS to get 20% off on Asos where you will find the perfect Christmas gift for anyone:

 

Marc Jacobs watch &Ralph Lauren Sweater

And last but not least, Modcloth is  having 50% off on selected items. Wanna ring in the NewYear like it's 1929? Look no further:

Art Deco Ball Dress

Happy Shopping!

Peace, Love, and Serendipity
Laura

Hump Day Homework: Rainy Day

In between working on my ebay shop, homework, and grad school paperwork, I simply forgot about Hump day Homework (how is it already Wednesday?) - Still, I am determined to give you a new assignment, even if it's just a very short one...

Check Out: Rainy Mood

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The sound of rain is one of the most relaxing things since hot showers and camomile tea, and thanks to RainyMood.Com you don't even need an umbrella to enjoy it. The site has rain, thunder, and a song of the day - So take a look and enjoy your personal rainstorm!

Want a pocket rainstorm?  Get the Rainy Mood App for iPhone/iPad or Android.

Peace, Love, and Serendipity

Laura

Goldfinger

O.P.I  always comes out with a couple of movie inspired collections over the year, but in most cases the company tends to draw inspiration from Disney or Marvel. This holiday season, however, we get to choose between 12 shades that are inspired by no other than Bond, James Bond. 

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The SKYFALL collection is as expected on a darker, very glamorous, side - but overall I am not too impressed. There are a few interesting glitter polishes (The Living Daylights, The World is not Enough), but I am simply not a fan of all the reds and purples - It's just nothing new, and the pink tint doesn't feel very Bond. 

BUT there is something in the collection that caught my eye, something truly spectacular, something... just see for yourself:

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It's an 18 karat gold top coat. That's right real gold. The clear polish has flakey bits of gold leaf and will turn any base into a work of art.  The only downside is the price ($38) - Christmas list maybe?

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There's only one more thing: Why isn't this one named Goldfinger? Wouldn't that have been the much punier option? what were you thinking O.P.I.?

Peace, Love, and Serendipity

Laura

Geeking Out: Moo

Even as a child I always wanted my own business cards. I usually stole my dad's crossed out his name, and put ninja turtle or pony stickers on them - and they looked awesome.

...But I found something even more awesome. And that something is MOO. The London based company offers a huge range of personalized business and greetings cards, stickers, notebooks, and other little things. Personally, I am a huge fan of their MiniCards (see picture below). The unique size and endless design possibilities make them stand out - which is exactly what a business card should do.

The only downside is the price, the MiniCards aren't the cheapest option out there BUT I tried others and nothing lives up to the quality, design (and packaging!) of Moo. And if you're still not convinced why not order yourself a couple of Facebook Cards? Moo creates them with the data/pictures from your Facebook profile, lets you add a nice quote, and the best part? They are free. Yes free. For a limited time you can order a free 50 card sample - so hurry up and start designing! 

Want more? Use this link and get 10% off your first order: http://www.moo.com/share/jhsjyb

Peace, Love, and Serendipity
Laura

Hump Day Homework: Let's Stay in Bed...

Need an excuse to spend the day in bed?  Well here are three hauntingly good reasons to do a little daydreaming... 

Watch: Elvis and Anabelle (2007)

Beautiful, funny, and haunting - these three words best describe this underrated masterpiece of a movie.  The trailer suggests that the love story between the young mortician and the pageant queen is a comedy, the premise of said pageant queen dying, coming back to life, and falling in love with the mortician makes it sound like a horror movie - but what the movie actually is is a love letter to life so beautiful it'll make any Nicholas Sparks romance look pale in comparison.

Read: Jeffrey Eugenides: The Virgin Suicides

Read Me

Oh the nights I spent in my playhouse trying to unfold the mystery of the entrancing Lisbon sisters... The narrators of this haunting but tender story about growing up, try to recall (and make sense of) a family tragedy that disturbed their quiet home town, Grosse Pointe, Michigan, during the 1970s. A book like this comes along once in a 100 years. It's the unique narrative style, the mystery that extends to the the narrators, that pulls you in, and will haunt you for years to come. What really happened? We will never know but neither will anyone else, and there's a strange comfort in that.

Listen To: Joshua Radin: Underwater 

Listen to me

The guy who brought you Paperweight has a new album out, and that's all you need to know. 

Peace, Love and Serendipity
Laura

Saturday Best

Perfect coat, perfect jeans, perfect hair, and the best? This gorgeous Zara look is also pretty affordable. If I didn't already own a Burberry coat quite similar to this, and more boyfriend jeans than a single girl can justify, I would have ordered the whole outfit - but since I do, I only snatched up the shirt. Which is perfection, go check it out. 

                                                           Source: zara.com via Laura on Pinterest
 

  

                                                            Source: zara.com via Laura on Pinterest

Peace, Love, and Serendipity
Laura

Little Blue Boxes...

Who says you can't wear turquoise nail polish in the colder months?  Yes, Essie's Turquoise and Caicos is a summer color by name, but it all depends on how you wrap it.  Because nothing says Christmas than little boxes in a certain shade of blue: 

So just add a little white bow, and your favorite summer polish is ready for the holidays. Happy Friday!

Peace, Love and Serendipity
Laura 

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

I always try not to get too excited about the holidays until it actually is December. I mean, Halloween is barely over, let me put away the ghosts and ghouls before it's time for reindeer and ribbons...  And I was doing so well this year: I strategically avoided the Christmas displays, didn't even look at the Neiman's Christmas book yet (okay, I peeked at it last night, and yes I need a chicken farm and a jet pack), and didn't play a single Christmas song....

Until Burberry tweeted this:

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The ghost of Christmas yet to come won, as this is simply too gorgeous to be ignored for another three weeks. I need to go Christmas shopping, and deck the halls in rose gold. That's all.

Peace, Love, and Serendipity
Laura

Hump Day Homework: Coffee Break

Need a break?  Grab a coffee, sit back, and follow these simple instructions:

Read: Chris Ver Weil: Starbucks Nation

I am not even going to attempt to explain this book, all you have to know is that there's an unhappy writer named Morgan, a talking chihuahua in a blue Prada bag, and lots and lots of caffeine, oh and elves. Starbucks Nation wouldn't run without elves. This satire on Hollywood, mindless entertainment, and, of course, the modern absurdity that is Starbucks, is a brilliant comment on American pop- and coffee culture - and one of the most entertaining books I have ever read.  

Watch: Coffee and Cigarettes (2003)

This movie is nothing for the easily irritated. The collection of strange, satirical, and slighly surreal vignettes that are all connected through - you guessed it: coffee and cigarettes -  starts off like your average deadpan comedy, when big names (Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, Iggy Pop, Jack and Meg White to name a few) meet self-irony and existential wisdom over many cups of coffee - but you'll find that it is much more than that, and it'll leave you with haunting realizations about life, and the longing for a good cup of coffee. 

Listen To: Taylor Swift: Red

Red on iTunes

This girl sure loves her coffee, 'cause it seems like that's all she sings about on Red. Not my favorite album of hers (you can't top Speak Now - like ever!), but nevertheless a  hit, and home to some of her catchiest songs to date (22, Starlight, and of course We are Never Ever Getting Back Together). As a special treat, try to find the secret messages in the booklet over a cup of Maple Latte, you might be surprised....  

Peace, Love and Serendipity
Laura

Look For Less: Emma Stone

I've been a little obsessed with  Burberry's asymmetrical ruffle wool skirts ever since I saw this picture of Emma Stone:

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While I usually have an it's okay to splurge philosophy when it  comes to all things Burberry, I also have a no trendy pieces over 50 bucks philosophy. And yes, a navy pencil skirt  isn't exactly a trendy piece, but I'm also not exactly a pencil skirt kind of girl... Long story short, I wasn't going to spend a small fortune on a skirt that I'd wear once or twice. But then...

Call it serendipity, I was browsing on one of my favorite Blogs, saw that Anthropologie was having a 25% off sale, and somehow ended up with this:

Anthropologie Wandering Wave Skirt

It's a tight cotton knit, not wool. Gray, not navy. But most importantly: 30 bucks, not a thousand. There is, however, one tiny disadvantage: due to the material and the very tight fit you have to be super careful with tucking shirts in - anything too bulky, and you'll end up with awkward lines where you don't want them. But pair it with a thin shirt like Emma's, and it's the perfect wallet friendly alternative to the Burberry version.   

Peace, Love, and Serendipity

Laura