Lunchtime Links for March 2nd, 2017

• Serious Eats: Japanese roasted buckwheat custards.
• The Kitchn: Brownie recipe.
• Buzzfeed DIY: Ikea upgrades.
• Bakerella: Cookie Kisses.
• The Pioneer Woman: Brownie truffles.

Starbucks Japan - Tokyo Mug

Big thanks to my oldest brother that was able to pick up this Tokyo Starbucks mug at Narita Airport during his recent business trip to Japan!  While these don't look exactly like the "You Are Here" collection that is sold here, it's a very fun design that has some of the icons of Tokyo (like the Tokyo Skytree building).  And, since I have been collecting the Starbucks location mugs for places that I have been to, of course I had to have the Tokyo one!

In related news, it looks like Starbucks Japan is coming out with a new Geography series which is a very colorful and fun set of designs to celebrate different areas of Japan - I hope to see these in person sometime soon!! 

Target - Thanks a Latte Plate

The seasonal housewares section at my local Target is always located right when you walk in, so there's a good chance I will see something that I like every time they bring in new merchandise, haha. 

This recent visit was no exception, as I was instantly drawn to these cute metallic dessert plates that are part of the fall/Thanksgiving collection!  I got one of the "Thanks a Latte" plates and can't wait to use it.  The design is in a very pretty metallic gold color, and it would even make a cute decorative item for any time of the year!

Bath and Body Works - Pumpkin Candles

This year, Bath and Body Works has lots of pumpkin scented candles in their fall collection which is very exciting!  There are lots of different pumpkin based scents to choose from, and I love the cute labels! Of course I lean more towards the baked/sweet pumpkin scents, but I can see why this collection is one of the more popular ones each year!

Macaron Kitchen Towels

Yesterday was the first day of Spring, and also Macaron day!  

This cute kitchen towel set that I recently got at TJ Maxx was a great item for me to celebrate both, with the pretty spring-like colors.  I actually didn't find this in the regular kitchen towel section, but off on its own in another section.  It's always good to make sure you thoroughly check the store if you're browsing because you never know what you might find! 

Anthropologie - Pumpkin Card

I'm a big fan of buying cards to use as decoration for my apartment, and as soon as I saw this one at Anthropologie I knew I had to add it to my collection! It's the perfect way for a PSL fan like myself to show how much I love them, haha.  It has the perfect amount of metallic details to make it totally display-worthy! 

Home Goods - Fall Items

It's no secret that I love fall - especially all of the pumpkin foods - and I am so happy to see that Home Goods has a LOT of fall-themed items in store!  

In addition to lots of pumpkin/leaves/apple dish towels, table runners, Halloween costumes, and flavored coffees, there are lots of adorable decorative items as well.  I really love the acorn container - the top comes off so you can fill it with candy or smaller decorative items.  The glass pumpkins were also everywhere around the store, in various colors and sizes.  If you're in the market for some fall pieces, or just want to feel surrounded by fall-themed items, be sure to check out Home Goods ASAP! 

Bath and Body Works- Fall Hand Soaps

I love Bath and Body Works candles and hand soaps pretty much year-round, but fall is really when they have SO many different scents that I love.  Not surprising, since their fall lineup consists mainly of pumpkin and apple products, which are always a welcome addition to my apartment.  The hand soaps especially go on sale fairly regularly (currently these are 5/$18) so it's a great way to try out some new scents.

These four bottles above are just a few of the new fall scents, and I love that there's a good mix of past favorites and some new ones as well.  The labels are also super cute, and they're a big part of how I celebrate my love of fall, haha.  If you're also a fan of fall scents, be sure to pick some up soon so you are all set for the fall season in your home as well! 

Trader Joe's Tea Card

I always love looking through the card section at Trader Joe's - it might seem unassuming at first, but the store by me seems to have a slightly different selection every time I check.  Combined with a cheap IKEA frame, these cards make for great wall art around the apartment! 

I liked the different fonts and the tea theme to this card, so of course I had to pick one up.  Next time you're in Trader Joe's for groceries, be sure to check out their card section as well! 

Target - Soap Dish Set

If you're a fan of cute home items and the candles that they're always burning at Anthropologie, this is a perfect little set for you!  I saw a fashion blogger post this on Instagram, saying they found a soap set at Target that smelled just like the Capri Blue Volcano candles.  Prior to that, I had actually seen the Mother's Day display area at Target that included this soap, but didn't really think much of it as I passed by it.  On my next visit, I definitely spent some more time looking at the items there, haha.  

This soap is technically a Pineapple Mango soap, but really, really, really, does smell a LOT like the Volcano candles.  I'm basing this on smelling both of them in my apartment - they really do smell very similar to each other, haha.  The wrapping paper for the soap is adorable, and it comes with the cute gold and white colorblock tray that can also be used for jewelry, loose change, office supplies, etc.  This is a great little gift for someone that also loves Volcano candles or pretty soap! 

Trader Joe's Cards

How cute are these greeting cards that I found at Trader Joe's recently?  They would be great cards to send out to friends, but I also thought that they would make for fun wall art in my apartment.   

The cards are $0.99 each, and I got these great matted frames from Target on clearance, which was a great find.  The one on the left is the same matted frame - I simply centered the card over the mat because otherwise some of the words were covered, haha.  Next time you see a cute greeting card that you want to keep, definitely consider turning it into cute wall art for your home! 

Kate Spade Candles

I recently got these Kate Spade candles during the Nordstrom sale online, and I think they are super cute! It almost feels like a waste to burn the candles inside, but I think the porcelain containers will be just as fun to have out on display once the candle portion has been used up. They would also make a great gift for anyone that's a fan of Kate Spade, or likes collecting fun, decorative items for their home! 

Haute Papier Hautebox #4

Another fabulous HauteBox from Haute Papier! This one included a few seasonal items (Love postcard and St. Patrick's Day coaster), as well as everyday items that are always great to have handy.  I especially love the monogram neon pink notepad -  such a fun punch of color for my apartment! I always look forward to seeing what comes in these shipments and this one was great! 

Target Ottoman

A while ago, Target had an online furniture sale and I found this great gray patterned storage ottoman for my apartment.  The gray color is actually slightly lighter in person, so even with the busy pattern it manages to feel neutral enough with the other items in living room.  Also, I love that I can store my extra bedding sets and blankets in this ottoman - it fits quite a lot inside!  Unfortunately I am unable to find this exact ottoman online, but there are a few others that I think are great too, like this blue chevron one, and this blue diamond ikat one. 

Lunchtime Links for June 24th, 2013

• Serious Eats: TanakaSan in Seattle. 
• Bake at 350: Peanut butter swirl chocolate chip blondies.
• The Kitchn: Strawberry kitchen finds under $50.
• Cookies & Cups: Toasted marshmallow krispie treats. 
• BGSK: Peanut butter icebox cake. 

West Elm Modernist Bowls

I've had my eye on these West Elm Modernist bowls for a while now, so as soon as they were having a dinnerware sale I snatched these up immediately.  I also got a matching serving bowl (not pictured) afterwards because I really liked the design of these bowls. 

The smaller bowls are a little smaller than an average soup bowl, which is good because I am severely lacking in cabinet space as it is.  I use them for cereal, ice cream, side dishes, and as candy bowls when I have friends over.  If you're into more bold colors in your kitchen, the other designs would be perfect for you as well! 

Kate Spade Postcard

I recently placed an online order from the Kate Spade website, and along with the cute pink wrapping paper, the package came with this card above.  I thought it was super cute and such a fun, Kate Spade-ish message.  

I have since purchased a frame for it and have it displayed in my living room.  It's always nice to have a fun little quote art in your apartment, don't you think?  

Lunchtime Links for December 18th, 2012

• Two Peas and Their Pod: Oreo white chocolate pudding cookies. 
• The Everygirl: Cupcakes for Breakfast feature. 
• Kevin & Amanda: Cheesy chicken, bacon, broccoli, and rice. 
• Catfish: Recap from TVGasm. 
• Picky Palate: Christmas cookie exchange ideas. 

Crate & Barrel - Gingerbread Man Collection

As soon as I saw the Gingerbread Man collection in Crate & Barrel, I KNEW I had to buy something.  Everything looked so cute!  There were platters, dessert plates, mugs, children's mugs, and a few other pieces in the collection.  Unfortunately, I have negative cabinet space in my kitchen as it is, so I knew I couldn't buy all of it... but two mugs wouldn't hurt, right?

These mugs are super cute and a perfect festive addition to my ever-expanding mug collection.  They are perfect for drinking hot chocolate out of all winter long :o)

Lunchtime Links for October 22nd, 2012

• Two Peas and Their Pod: Pumpkin toffee cookies with salted caramel glaze. 
• Bakerella: Ghost cake pops.  
• The Kitchn: Minty fresh kitchens. 
• I Heart Naptime: Lasagna soup. 
• Kirbie's Cravings: Pumpkin recipes.