December/2014 Favorites!

This was originally supposed to just be a December favorites post (and part of it will be), but I figured--why not just combine it with my 2014 favorites?

So, we'll start with December favorites first, then!

December has been a pretty good month--just busy! So, here are some of my favorite things this month.

First, we've got my most favorite & prized possession: flannel. Everything, too--shirts, leggings, sheets, pajamas, blankets, you name it. If it's flannel and cozy, I probably own it. I just love how warm it is, and how cute it looks with a pair of leggings and a fur vest and some boots. It's seriously become one of my favorite pieces in my closet--I have close to ten flannel shirts! Flannel sheets are godsend, too. Seriously, you guys. Flannel.
Here are some good flannel options!

plaid flannel shirt (in red tartan), $17.

holiday flannel sheets, $21.

christmas plaid flannel pants (in classic tartan wine), $20.

Next, I've recently been obsessed with eyeshadows--namely, e.l.f.'s, from Target. It's pretty cheap stuff, and the pigmentation isn't great, but it at least gives me a little color on my eyelids and lets me test out looks. I'm loving the 'Flawless Eyeshadow' collection, and namely these few palettes:

e.l.f. flawless eyeshadow, $2.

I'm partial to the Sea Escape, Smoky, & Happy Hour palettes, as they look best on my skin. The Sea Escape (blues) is kind of out there for me, but it's certainly fun to play with!

I've also been recently obsessed with Ariana Grande's homemade music video for 'Santa Tell Me', which is an incredibly catchy (and great) song!
Here's the video:

And, finally, to round out my December favorites, we have a pretty popular pattern... Fair Isle. I've been absolutely hellbent on getting my hands on every single Fair Isle thing I could, and it's been amazing. Here are some good starter sweaters!

fair isle wool sweater (in endive), $30.

harley of scotland fair isle sweater, $170.

Onto my 2014 Favorites!

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To kick off this list, we'll start with something I've been using all year long--Aveda's Color Conserve shampoo! It's seriously the best stuff out there, and honestly, for a normal-sized bottle, it's not too bad, clocking in at about $22. It lasts me about two or three months, which is great! I've just recently gotten highlights, so I needed something that would protect them--and this shampoo does an amazing job.

color conserve shampoo, $22.

Something clothing-related I've latched onto this year (aside from flannel and fair isle) is leggings. If you'd asked me a year ago, I would have told you that they're stupid and uncomfortable and annoying. Now? I'm in love. I've got a million black pairs from Forever 21 that I love to pieces, along with a mix of fun-patterned ones from other places. My go to pair, though, are the black pair from Forever 21. At only about $4, it's worth it to buy a handful.

solid knit leggings, $4.

Another favorite of mine this year was the app 'Timehop'. It lets you see into the past--through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, that is. It's a really cute idea, and when you link up your other social media, you can see everything you wrote/tweeted about/instagrammed in years past. I highly suggest downloading it to get a sense of nostalgia (and to get some great #TBTs!).

download timehop.

A TV-related favorite... Once Upon a Time! I'd gotten into it a few years ago, when it first came on Netflix, and got through about six or seven episodes in one day, then forgot about it. It wasn't until a good friend of mine told me she watched it, and we reconnected over that in January. It's recently become my favorite TV show, and I really don't watch much else! If you haven't seen it yet, it's a TV show that twists and turns classic fairytales on their heads. It really is a great show, and the acting in it is phenomenal. I highly suggest you give it a watch!

watch ouat on netflix.

And, finally, to round out my list of 2014 favorites, I'll put happiness. I've been happier this year than I've been in a really long time, and for a few reasons. Some are obvious, others, not so much. But, I will tell you a few things:

• Getting rid of people you don't need in your life is great. It really does lift a lot off your shoulders, and lowers your stress level.
• Also, getting rid of things you don't like doing does wonders. Quit your job if you hate it (make sure you've got something else lined up, first!). Don't go to college if you don't want to. Obviously, there's a limit, but you need to know what's good for you, and what's making you unhappy.
• Don't dwell on what other people think of you, or your fashion sense, or sense of humor, or whatever. Love yourself, because you're the only you that you get! And, to quote my favorite episode of Parks & Rec: 'Treat yo'self!'--seriously! It sounds ridiculous, but next time you're stressed, take yourself out on a date. You'll end up feeling great afterwards.
• Be yourself. Don't try to curb your likes and dislikes to cater to those around you. If you're doing that, you need to rethink your social groupings.
• Accept change. It sucks, but you know what? More often than not, you find a way to grow from it. Change is inevitable in a world like this, so you need to accept that it's happening, regardless if you want it to or not, and it will leave you behind.

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Anyways, I hope you all have a very, very happy New Year's, and a great 2015! I'm really looking forward to getting into this blog a little further and starting everything up here.

See you all in 2015!