This bag holds everything. including the kitchen sink (and a pair of shoes)

It's finally that time of year that is always the most stressful for college students– finals season. For me, this season is the time that I am not only stressed out, but am also most likely to embarrass myself. There is really nothing graceful about watching me lug around a bag full of library books through the unpredictable Boston weather. I've become pretty acquainted with the sidewalks in front of my classrooms because when you don't own snow boots, you spend a lot of time falling on ice.

Since it's my senior year, I thought it was about time to stock up on weather appropriate clothing. So I took the plunge and bought snow boots. And gloves. I thought I'd share my lazy day outfit for appearing put together during finals week, while still staying warm and bundled. (Note: there are no snow boots present, but it wasn't icy enough outside yet for me to trip. Just wait.)

  

The best part about this outfit is my bag, which I bought as a part of my stubborn refusal to wear a backpack. It's the Lo & Sons O.M.G. Bag , and it is honestly the best bag I have ever owned.

When I leave the house, I like to pack everything I own and also have room to return with souvenirs. But really, I think most students can relate to the fact that we are constantly carrying around a ton of stuff to campus in order to avoid the trek home to pick up things between classes.

This bag is large enough to hold all of my school supplies (i.e. my lucky pencil and my laptop) as well as daily necessities (wallet, Starbucks gold card, Starbucks Bottled Frappuccino, portable Starbucks employee... the usual), a change of clothes for sorority chapter, and there is even a special compartment for a pair of shoes. It helps me stay organized in style and keeps all of my stuff with me throughout the day so I don't spend time running walking back and forth to my apartment.

O.M.G actually stands for Overnight and Medium Gym Bag. I can attest to the fact that it also makes a great overnight bag and airplane carry on. No idea how it does as a gym bag. (And I don't plan to find out).

Check out the Lo & Sons video below to see just how much you can fit in the O.M.G Bag

http://vimeo.com/54687915

Lo & Sons is offering 20% off on all orders until Dec. 31st.

Pictures by my super chic friend Schuyler Silverman for her style column for CollegeFashionista

 

Mini Pies for Skinny Thighs

We take pies very seriously at my house. My family also takes exercising very seriously. I'm not on board of that train yet. Maybe it will come with age (but probably not). For now, however, I've found the solution for indulging in pie and not feeling too guilty: Mini Pies.

These bite-sized pies are baked into 4 oz mason jars, so you get a sweet treat without having to bake an entire pie. Below I've given instructions for mini apple and  mini blueberry pies, but you can make these with basically any filling you'd like.

Supplies:

4 oz glass canning jars (which can be purchased here , or at a craft store)

             

Ingredients:

Pre-made pie crust (I used Pillsbury Pie Crusts)

Makes 2 Mini Apple Pies:

1 Cup peeled and chopped apples (I used Gala, but any kind will work)

2 Tablespoons sugar

A pinch ground nutmeg

A pinch of salt

1/8 Teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 Teaspoon lemon juice

Makes 6 Mini Blueberry Pies:

3/8 Cup sugar

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 Cup all-purpose flour

1/4 Teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 Teaspoon allspice

2 1/2 Cups fresh blueberries

1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 Tablespoon melted butter

         

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Unroll the pie dough, and use the top of the jar as a cookie cutter to cut circles that will becoming the topping of the pie.

                  

Use the remaining dough to line the jars all the way to the top. You can just random stick pieces of dough right onto the walls of the jar.

After your jars are lined, you simply mix together your fillings.

For the apple pies, mix together the apples, sugar, nutmeg, salt, cinnamon and lemon juice in a medium bowl.

                 

                       

Scoop the filling into the jars. You'll use about 1/2 cup per jar.

For the blueberry pies, mix together the sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, allspice, blueberries, lemon juice and melted butter.

             

           

Stir the bluebabies around until they're fully coated with sugar, spice and everything carbs, then scoop them into the jars, too.

Finally, top your pies with the dough you've already cut out. This is the most fun part, and you can be as creative as you want– just make sure the lid of your pie has at least one slit in it for steam to escape while the pie bakes.

   

Weave strips of dough in and out for a lattice pattern, or use a fork to create designs on the pie's edges.

Pop the jars into the oven for about 30 minutes. The pies will be golden brown on top and the insides will be bubbly when they're ready.

Then dig in!

Obviously you'll want to eat these all in one sitting, but because they're in jars, you can twist the lid on and stick them in the fridge for later (if you have more self control than me). Also, you can make the pies in advance and store them in the freezer. Just pull them out and bake them fresh when you get a craving for home-cooked pie.

These can also be cute holiday gifts for friends and family; they're so simple but impressive.

 In the words of my dad, "this is actually way better than I thought it would be!" I think that's a ringing endorsement because he finished his off and is already requesting one for  tonight.

Be Thankful (for family, friends and online discounts)

Happy Thanksgiving!

What better way to kick start the holiday season and remember what we're thankful for than by trampling over people to get the best deals on Black Friday?

 Today I'm celebrating Thanksgiving by eating 4 different pies and drinking the 5 gallons of home-brewed beer that my family has created while I've been at school (I shouldn't leave them unchaperoned for too long). By the end of the day I plan to be stuffed, and passed out on the floor surrounded by all 5 dogs in my house, and Black Friday will be the furthest thing from my mind.

Luckily, I think a lot of stores are on the same page (well, I'm not sure that their parents brewed 5 gallons of beer...) and are offering great Thanksgiving Day/Pre-Cyber Monday sales. Below are some great deals from a few of my favorite stores.

Make sure you do your shopping before you hit the beer. Your credit card will thank you.

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If I have to do homework, it's going to be at a cute desk

As promised, I wanted to share some progress that I've made on my real grown up apartment. Have you ever walked into a new apartment, seen that you were blessed with TWO closets, and decided that it would be a great idea to stick a desk in one of them? I did.

My room isn't huge, so I decided to save space by creating a desk-nook in my second closet.

I started by taking the bifold doors off the track and storing them under my bed.

I have a gold metal desk that I got from HomeGoods; I'm in love with it, and I refuse to part with it. So into the closet it went. Sort of. The closet doorway was smaller than I anticipated.

There were tears. There was sweat. There was laughter from my roommates watching me struggle.

 Finally I got the desk inside. I unscrewed the dowel for hangers and I applied a coat of white paint to the leftover brown trim.

Luckily I've got a boyfriend who puts up with my random bouts of creativity (and genius); he helped me install a second shelf above the desk for storage.

He also helped me install a towel rack above the desk. I wanted to use this rack to hang buckets for pencils and desk supplies.

I used the added shelf to store my printer, papers and school supplies. I also attached battery operated push lights to the underside of the shelf to give my nook additional lighting.

I decorated the remaining space and after a lot of reorganization, I finally have a working desk area (plus my golden piggy makes a cameo below).

(sometimes you just need a lot of pencils that boost your self esteem)

I think this is a great way to get an organized study space without taking up extra room in an already small apartment. Now I just have to hope that my one remaining closet is big enough for all of my clothes.

To do: Buy Makeup Remover

In my last post, which I wrote on actual Halloween, I was completely costume-blocked. I did actually spend Halloween night in pajamas on my sofa. But in college, apparently Halloween doesn't end on the 31st, and it's required that you dress up all weekend. This was a problem since I have really comfy pajamas and I couldn't even figure out a costume for one night of Halloween.

Luckily most of my friends were on the same page, and are also insanely creative, so for the remainder of the Halloween weekend, we just used makeup to really complete our costumes.

I thought I'd post some pictures because everyone's makeup just looked so cool. It was definitely the easy and fun way out of getting a traditional costume. And it was cost-effective too, because we already owned almost all of the makeup we used.

My roommate had the most creative idea to be a Lichtenstein pop-art girl. I did her makeup on Halloween night (before I planted myself on the couch and then fell asleep by 10pm) and I think it turned out great and she looked absolutely amazing. Taylor made herself into a Sugar Skull and looked fantastic, especially paired with those earrings. She inspired my makeup! Amelia made herself into the world's cutest scarecrow (who would have scared away no crows!). She looked so cool and even continued the makeup down her arms to really complete the costume. My other roommate was so excited to dress up as a '20s/ Gatsby inspired girl. She completed her look with this vampy, dark lipstick. It's Diva, by MAC; it's the perfect fall lipstick and looks great on everyone. For night two of Halloween my roommates and I decided to dress as witches, inspired by this season of American Horror Story: The Coven. It was super easy (i.e. we're lazy) because we just wore black dresses. But we put in a little effort with spiderweb makeup. Finally, I guess I got into the Halloween spirit by the 3rd night. I did Sugar Skull inspired makeup, like Taylor. I think crazy makeup might be the new Halloween trend. Putting the makeup on was the most fun part of the night(s). The least fun part was taking it all off; I think there's still glue on my face from those rhinestones.  

Ghosts of Halloween Past

I'm usually pretty unmotivated when it comes to choosing a Halloween costume, and this Halloween isn't any different. But this time it's because I literally peaked last year, and had the costume of all costumes and I will never be able to top it.

Halloween is supposed to be the day where you get to be whatever you want and I don't think any other costume captures my hopes and dreams as much as this one. 

Since it's Halloween today and all I've got to show for it is a midterm and a deep refusal to be an outfit-repeater, I think this year might be more low key (i.e. I'll probably be in pajamas on my sofa).

But I'll never forget those grande memories of being Starbucks.

If Starbucks speaks to you the way it does to me, here's how I made the costume: 

To make this costume I just asked my Starbucks friends for about 10 cups and cup sleeves.

I cut the cups in half and sort of flattened them. The front halves of the cup formed the front of my top, and the backs obviously made the back (there was a good amount of tape involved). I just arranged the cups into the shape of a shirt I wanted and attached them together.

Then I attached the Starbucks sleeves around my waist like a belt and stapled the rest around the edge of the tutu.