Spring it up!

As some of you may know, I have a serious love affair with spring: the breezy light jacket weather (insert Miss Congeniality quote), the acceptability of sun dresses, painted toenails...the list goes on and on. In honor of the gorgeous weather, I think we should talk about decorating.

When I was little, we always decorated our "Easter Tree" with colorful eggs, and then put a wooden bunny in front of it. On Easter morning, I would put on my dress, and have my picture taken with the beloved tree. I assumed Jesus liked to be celebrated with festive trees. As it turns out not every family has that tradition, but it is one I remember fondly.

Seeing as I don't have a tree in my apartment, I needed to find a new way to welcome the season. Enter my sweet friend Randall. She surprised me this weekend with an adorable wreath for my front door! Coral, floral, and monogrammed: perfect!  I'm still giddy about it, and looking forward to taking Easter pictures in front of it! 

How do you decorate for spring? Share your ideas in a comment below!

The Little Things

In the South, every woman knows two things:

1. Humidity will always win the battle with our hair.
2. No matter how many bobby pins you have, it will never be enough. Don't even bother buying more, they will just plan an uprising, and run away while you are sleeping. What other explanation is there for the fact you can never find them? Of course, when you are moving out you find them wedged in the crack of every drawer (kitchen included)!

When you are ready to regain both your sanity, and control over your bangs, I have a solution: use a jewelry organizer to hold all of your little hair treasures. 

Notice that each row is a different category.

• Row 1: ponytail holders
• Row 2: the ever elusive bobby pins (separated by color)
• Rows 3-5: Cute barrettes, fancy clips, etc.
• Rows 6-10: nail polish (in color order, obviously)

No longer are you forced to dig through a drawer to find 2 matching clips. Keeping things visible and easy to locate has allowed me to use the same set of bobby pins for over 2 years (unbelievable right?). And even better, the whole organizer hangs in the closet with the dresses. Easy Peasy.

As for that humidity business, I have yet to master that monster. Please let me know if you know any secrets on the matter.

Placefully yours,

Allison

The Check is Here!

As a college student, going out to eat often involves eight separate checks. I am always appreciative of how accommodating restaurants are with this request. However, I also understand that credit cards and checks can be easily confused in the hustle and bustle of food and customers. This weekend I was discussing with my dad how I was charged for the wrong meal at lunch one day while out with a group of friends. And of course, Daddy had the perfect solution: write your name on the check when you hand the waitress your credit card. This eliminates the confusion of which order the cards and checks were handed to the server!

Leave a comment with your suggestions for making eating out easier!

Placefully yours,

Allison

The Travel Tote

I am a girl that adores road trips. I love planning in advance, thinking through the details of outfits, and packing. Thankfully, I am surrounded by amazing friends who love spontaneity and making memories. We have a tradition of making the 45 minute drive to Steak 'n Shake every semester, usually late at night when the cheeseburger desire cannot be quelled. And, on those summer days when the only thing that wakes me up before the glow of the sun through my blinds is my phone ringing with an invitation to the lake, I like to be prepared. Talk about the best way to wake up!

Enter the travel tote.

I like to keep it pre-packed with my favorite travel essentials so allow me to share them with you. 

• GPS (even when you know just where you are headed, it is awesome for finding local restaurants!)
• FM Transmitter
• Spare phone charger
• Ziploc baggy (The uses for this are endless: keeping the wet swimsuit from touching the rest, keeping the cell phone dry, picking up shells at the beach. Seriously, a must.)
• Reusable snack tupperware filled with something that will stay delightfully fresh: pretzels, nuts, cheez-its. 
• Pen, because you never know when you need to write, but alas, you will.
• Book. Perhaps something that has been on your "books to read" list?
• Band aids for the blistery shoes, paper cut, blood, etc. I don't go places without them. I also keep a stash in my wallet.
• Travel sized perfume (even after 4 hours in the car, a fresh entrance is possible!)
• Undibears (For a spur of the moment overnight trip, you will want these around) They use this title at Build-A-Bear for the undergarments, and I thought it was too cute!

Now comes the summer specific items

• Towel
• Swimsuit
• Spare sunglasses
• Big bottle of sunscreen to share
• 2 ponytail holders (you will ALWAYS need them)

So these are the regular items in my bag. If it is a chilly season, without doubt, pack a light jacket. Also, when you know things that you want to take with you, put them in the bag as the thought occurs! Promised to lend a book to a friend? Put it in the bag instead of worrying later. The salad dressing I promised to pick up for my Mom because it isn't available back home? That's right, it is in the bag ready for when I zip on home!

The big thing is just to have the already packed so commit a bag as your travel bag. I have a cute pink canvas tote that sits in my front seat whenever I am on the road. I always know what is in it.

What items would you add to the bag?

The Table

So on Tuesday after taking the 2nd part of the CPA exam (halfway there!), I saw a billboard for a local antique store, Front Porch of the South. What can I say, I was intrigued. A few turns later I found just what I was looking for: a world of well-loved treasures.

After a pleasant meander about, I came across the perfect coffee table: a carved wooden base with a pink marble top. The French influence beckoned!

So you wonder, is this the whole story? Did I just want to tell you about my new table? Well I admit, I did want to talk about it, but allow me to provide a bit of backstory. I live in a studio apartment, a partially furnished studio apartment. While this is a great thing when you need somewhere to sit and prop your feet, where should you hide the standard-issue coffee table when you find your dream one? 

Answer: use the old coffee table to elevate the laundry basket in the bedroom! For me, this was just the perfect solution! The basket is now easier to access, and not on the floor. And, the old coffee table is not taking away the spotlight off of the French dream table! Oh, and how do you carry a slab of rock 60lb table top to the second story? Well hopefully you have sweet friends like mine who offer to help (Thanks Kathryn and Adam)!

What ways have you repurposed furniture?

Placefully yours,

Allison

And So It Begins!

Welcome to Arranging Magnolia!

I am so excited to have you here at Arranging Magnolia. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Allison. I am in my last semester of graduate school, and creating a blog is part of my class homework. Talk about a fun assignment! Starting a blog has been on my ever growing to-do list, so this is just the push I needed to get started!

The goal here is to inspire you to live a more organized life. My belief is that once you establish a system for organization, your daily habits will follow. So please join me as I share tips and tricks to making your home and workspace tastefully tidy!