10 Things That Make Me Happy

10 Things That Make Me Happy, New Year Edition! (Only slightly overdue...)

1. Beautiful thank-you cards - I like to keep some pretty notecards on hand, because you never know when you might need to say "thanks." Rifle Paper Co. has the most beautiful cards featuring hand-painted illustrations by artist Anna Bond, and these "Frances" thank-you cards are definitely at the top of my stationery wish list.

2. My new journal - New year, new journal! It took me a long time to find one that I really liked, but as soon as I saw this one Japanese paper-covered journal, I knew it was the one for me.

3. Emma on PBS - When I was getting ready to watch the first episode this past Sunday, I was positively giddy with excitement. The Kate Beckinsale and Gwyneth Paltrow versions just don't quite do it for me (though, of the two, I prefer the latter). It's about time the BBC came out with a four-hour version! I've already put the DVD on the top of my Amazon wish list so I can watch it over and over again.

4. Light chocolate soy milk - The perfect guilt-free, post-workout treat. Chocolate milk is
ridiculously refreshing and delicious, but it's a little high in calories...chocolate soymilk has about 1/3 fewer calories.

5. Potted flowers - Just the thing to brighten up the indoors until spring arrives.

6. My closet - I'm not sure how long it will be mine (because I am temporarily living at my mom's house), but I certainly will enjoy it as long as it is. A double closet with plenty of space for all of my dresses and floor-to-ceiling shelves for everything else...definitely an improvement over the teeny tiny closet in my old studio apartment.

7. This jacket - This just might be the perfect go-with-anything blazer. I love the slim cut, the slightly puffed sleeves, and the single button.

8. Dinner with friends - Is there anything better to lift your spirits?

9. Penguin classics designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith - These have already been around in the U.S. for a few months, but I still drool over them every time I see them. I recently bought Tess of the D'Ubervilles and Sense and Sensibility, and I can't wait to add more to my bookshelf. (Penguin just came out with a second set of these beauties, which will hopefully be available in the U.S. at some point!)

10. A cozy fire - Being stuck indoors is a bit more bearable when there is a cozy, crackling fire to keep you warm. I especially love when cafés and restaurants have working fireplaces...it makes leaving home and braving the cold that much more worth it.

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10 Things That Make Me Happy

It feels like it's time for another 10 Things That Make Me Happy...holiday edition!

1. 3.1 Phillip Lim Sequined Dress - Nobody remixes the classics like Phillip Lim, and I absolutely love this Grecian number updated with a generous sprinkling of gold sequins. Sadly, at $675, I don't think I will be wearing this gorgeous dress to any New Year's Eve parties anytime soon.

2. 12 Days of Cookies - Baking (and eating) massive amounts of cookies is one of the highlights of Christmas for me, which is why I have subscribed to Food Network's 12 Days of Cookies newsletter for the past four years. What better way is there to start the day than with a delicious cookie recipe in your e-mail inbox?

3. Japanese Masking Tape - Savvier bloggers, Etsy fanatics, and crafters have known about Japanese masking tape for some time, but I just discovered it a few weeks ago. It comes in countless colors and patterns, and is an incredibly easy way to decorate your Christmas gift packaging

4. Vintage Leather Gloves - Buying vintage is practically like recycling, and vintage leather gloves have the advantage of already being broken in. I just found another pair for $7 at my favorite antiques mall, and they are incredibly soft and buttery. Now if I could just find a cute winter hat, I'd be set!

5. Red 2010 Moleskine Planner - I have been on the lookout for the perfect day planner pretty much forever, and I think I have finally found it. It's small enough to toss in my purse, it has extra pages for keeping track of my many lists, and the red cover is so much more fun than Moleskine's usual black. I can't wait to use it!

6. Snow(!) - We got a couple of inches last weekend, and it was pretty exciting. I stayed inside all day, just reading and feeling cozy. There is no more snow in the immediate forecast, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a white Christmas.

7. The Scent of Pine - There are many delightful scents associated with the holidays (cinnamon, citrus, sage, peppermint), but nothing compares to the scent of pine. It's crisp, it's clean, it evokes nature in its wintry simplicity. (Pictured: Illume Aurora Candle in Snow on Cedar, $18 from Anthropologie)

8. Gourmet Hot Chocolate - A cup of extra-rich hot chocolate (topped with fresh whipped cream) is my favorite winter indulgence. I make my own by melting a combination of milk and dark chocolate in a sauce pan and slowly stirring in hot milk. This + popcorn + Little Women = perfect winter evening at home. (Pictured: Starbucks Signature Hot Chocolate)

9. Bacon - I may be a little late hopping on the bacon-flavored-dessert bandwagon (it's this year's salted caramel), but I can't stop daydreaming about Vosges' Dark Chocolate Bacon Bar, Kumquat Bakery's maple bacon cupcakes, and the Elvis panini (with peanut butter, bacon, banana puree, and honey) at The Patterson House in Nashville. I think I might have to make some chocolate chip and bacon pancakes for a holiday brunch.

10. 24 hours of A Christmas Story on TBS - I admit to watching this movie at least 2.5 times each Christmas. The innocence, the nostalgia, the many quotable lines...I never get tired of it, and it just wouldn't feel like Christmas without it.

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What makes you happy these days, dear readers?

10 Things That Make Me Happy

This post was inspired by another of my favorite, now-defunct magazines. Back when Domino was still in print, whenever I got a new issue in the mail I would have to restrain myself from immediately flipping to the last page. This is because my favorite feature was "10 Things That Make Me Happy," in which a person (it might be a designer, a boutique owner, or a museum director) would be profiled and asked to name ten things that brought a bit of happiness into his or her life. I miss Domino, and I miss that last page, so I thought I would try to recreate it here on littlebits. These are not meant to be the most important things in my life (friends, family, good health), but just those little things that bring a smile to my face. I will be doing this from time to time, so I hope you enjoy it!

1. Nude heels - This lovely pair is by Stuart Weitzman. I don't own a pair of nude-colored heels yet, but I have high hopes for their legline-lengthening potential...I need all the help I can get!

2. Brunch - I really think it's the perfect meal...you can order pancakes or omelets (and bacon on the side of everything) without having to wake up early! Plus most restaurants serve lunch fare at brunch as well, so you can pretty much have whatever strikes your fancy. Bonus: drinking in the middle of the day is socially acceptable when it's a mimosa you're sipping.

3. Up & Up Cocoa Butter Lotion - Part of Target's new line of store-brand basics. 32 ounces of yummy-smelling lotion for about $3.50 all wrapped up in a pleasingly graphic package--now that's a bargain.

4. Lala - Lala is a music website that I discovered a few days ago where you can listen to just about any song, or entire albums, for free (just once though...after that you can only hear a 30-second preview). If you like the song enough, you can download the MP3 for 89 cents or buy the "web song" which will only play in your lala player but will only cost you a dime. Pretty cool, huh?

5. Jeni's Ice Cream - I think Zach and I are going to have to make another pilgrimage to Columbus to try Jeni's new seasonal flavors: blackstrap praline, heirloom pumpkin five-spice, goat cheese with cognac figs...mmm.

6. Pet Silhouettes by Jenny lee Fowler - I almost featured these on my (P)etsy Wednesday post. I love their charming simplicity as well as the subtle humor.

7. Monogrammed Cocktail Napkins by Sferra - I saw these featured in Elle Décor, and I thought they would make a great gift. Simple yet refined.

8. Crimson Bubbles Skirt by Lauren Moffatt - Remember that red Lauren Moffatt dress I featured a couple of weeks ago? It also comes in an adorable skirt!

9. Color Sensational Lip Gloss by Maybelline - I am pretty much always on the lookout for the perfect lip gloss, and this might just be it. It goes on very smooth, not at all sticky, and has enough pigment that I don't have to apply too much of it. To top it off, it has a lovely light scent that reminds me of strawberries.

10. MiniCards by Moo - Super cute mini business cards that you can customize with your own images. Even though I don't have my own business (or a job, for that matter), I love the idea of handing these out as calling cards.

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(Apparently I wasn't the only blogger who had this idea. See also: 1) Wide Open Spaces, 2) Sacramento Street, and 3) Design Happens)