Happy Blogiversary To Me!!

What?! YES!

I started this blog one year ago today in search of an outlet to post (and later look back on) my miscellaneous thoughts, adventures, creative projects and must-haves at the moment.

I had no idea what I was doing, but I'm so glad I went ahead and started it. Never would I have thought that I'd be so attached to it a year later.


Some of you have been here from the beginning, some of you enjoyed my favorites of 2008, my appendicitis scare, TBF and my trip to Sandestin, my never-ending love for J.Crew and Etsy and Fall weather, when I did some acting, when I got a job, my DIYs, the fender bender and last but certainly not least, my favorite day and post of the week, Freck's Friday Fancies.

Goodbye 2009! See you next year!


Thank you to all of you who enjoy and read I5OS. I appreciate and love your comments so much.

Cheers to another year.

Much love,

Getcha Hair Did

Last night was spent in mourning because I did not get the tickets. Long story short, TBF got the original tickets that were from Ticketmaster through Stubhub so we don't have legal rights to the password to get the presale tickets. The original ticket holder does. So what did I do last night? Mourned. Mourned because I was so excited to go to the concert, and now I am not going. I'm still mourning.

Fortunately I have some coworkers who used to work for LiveNation and Ticketmaster who can hopefully pull some strings. Think positive thoughts for me :)

Luckily, I have these adorable Etsy hair accessories that can be worn with a cute black dress on NYE to distract me.

Etsy, $15

Etsy, $25

This one may be too casual, but it's cute. Etsy, $20

Beading! Etsy, $25

Etsy, $24

Happy hump day!!

Lady Gaga Upset :: NYE Little Black Dress

Did you hear? Lady Gaga ticket holders in Chicago (aka FRECK) had their tickets canceled because of a venue change. Meaning we have to reorder them. Simple right?

Not so much, what if I don't get tickets? What if I don't get as awesome of seats? Grr..


TBF gently shared the news with me last night and I sincerely thought he was joking for a good five minutes until he showed me the email saying the tickets were canceled. I almost cried. The tickets go on sale tonight and you KNOW I'll be all over the nets and phones people.

Anyway, cross your fingers for me. I must have these tickets.

::This just in, Lady Gaga is Chicago's Redeye person of the year..this only makes me more peeved about my potential lack of LG tix::

Onto a happier subject. I may attend a little black dress party on NYE. Meaning I need to review a couple of options...thoughts?

I could do a basic from The Limited, $89.50


This one has some more va-va voom? Nordies, $158


This one's precious, love the shape. Nordies, $138


Shouldn't there be some shine in a NYE dress? J. Crew, $149


...or you can have a simple dress and an amazing shoe from Kate Spade, $375
I'm kind of in love with this shoe.

One more day and I won't be back in the office until next year!!!

Anyone have any fun NYE plans?

Back to work!

...but not for long! I thankfully have Thursday and Friday off for NYE and NY. Not much, but after having a little break and without many people in the office, I don't have much motivation to work!


How was everyone's Christmas? Mine was splendid. I feel so spoiled. I was right about my homesick feelings, they disappeared as soon as I was home. However I made sure to stop and cherish the moments I had with my family (which was easy to do when we were all laughing hysterically at my dad playing wii bowling).

One gift I received from dad (Santa) was cable and internet for A WHOLE YEAR! What's this mean? I'll be able to watch the Food Network and conveniently have the internet after work and on the weekends. This means I won't have to leave my apartment and go to Argo when I need the internet!! I feel I must note that I didn't have internet and cable previously because A. I have a blackberry (aka internet), B. I'm on the internet all day at my 9-5, C. I don't watch much TV, and D. I thought it'd be a nice money saver if I didn't have it and E. when TBF's over, I feel like we have more quality time to talk and hang out because we aren't distracted by technology. Ya dig?

I also received some fun wine accessories from my brother and sister in law (have any of you used a wine aerator before?? Makes an incredible difference!!!!!) and a gift certificate to one of TBF and my favorite restaurants. Maybe we'll put it toward a New Years dinner?

All in all, great Christmas.


Now folks, I NEED to get back on the wagon and go to the gym. Holy Christmas cookies and coffee cake. More of that to come later...

Next post - potential black dresses for a New Years eve party. Love little black dresses.

Happy Monday!

Chocolatey Etsy

With the weather becoming chilly and the holidays under way, chocolate seems to be everywhere!

..and not just in dessert...

Chocolate brown Booties, $9.99


Chocolatey Brown Bird, $10


Chocolate Drops 3 String guitar, $195

Fresh Soy Travel Tin, $2.75

Vintage Cloch Hat, $65

Dark Dreamy Chocolate Brown Brooch, $24

I plan to take a short break from blogging until after this weekend.

Happy Holidays Freckles!

Another Smorgasbord Post!

Yes, I can't complete a sentence/thought today because my thoughts are all over the place. What's that mean? A smorgasbord post!!

If that's not appealing to you, then know that the most adorable niece in the whole friggin world is at the bottom!

• Remember when I was pondering about what to wear on Christmas while sitting around the tree opening presents (or whatever tradition you have)? Well, today I'm imagining I'll wear this ...
  

• It's a winter wonderland out here in Chicago today, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

• Nota won on Sing Off last night! I was rooting for them, so I was so pumped. AND they sang Down by Jay Sean who actually came out on stage and sang with them!
  

This isn't the finale but I can't resist, I just love how they sing it! Jenn knows what I'm talkin about ;)

• I'm still pretty homesick since I can't be at home right now and I really want to be. I'm trying to think about how these feelings will disappear as soon as I get home. It helps a little :)

• I may get to work from my apartment tomorrow, which is a teeny bit fabulous. Being able to work out in the morning and then work in jeans? Yes, please!

• TBF's fam got in late last night, I'm really happy they made it in safe. They drove all the way (to Chicago) from DC, where all the snow is!

• Congrats to Andy and Jeanna on their engagement! Jeanna was the first person I met when I started college in Chicago way back when. I'm lucky that she and I are still so close, I can't say enough nice things about her. Their engagement is also pretty exciting because FRECK introduced them!! Hip hip hooray! They're pretty much perfect.
  

• Is anyone else finding it difficult to take the time for yourself and work out? I skipped yesterday as well as a couple times last week simply because it's so cold out and I keep thinking about gifts I could be wrapping or cards I could be writing. Hopefully I get a good work out in tonight.

• ...and here is my beautiful niece Emma. I adore this little one so so so much!

Is it weird that it makes me nervous to post her pic? I may end up taking it down...

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Weekend Recap + Best Christmas Gift Of All Time. Period.

Let's get this friggin' work week started people.

Earlier to begin, earlier to END. Because I started my job in June, I didn't have many vaca days or sick days available. As some of you know, I was out of work sick for an entire week in the fall, so all my sick days and all but one vaca day is gone. Which means I'll be in the office Mon-Wed this week and Mon-Wed next week as well and I'll probably be double posting on some days out of boredom.

Onto the weekend recap and the best part of this entire post. TBF and I exchanged gifts on Friday evening. He enjoyed the design book and monogrammed fancy shmancy robe I got him. I totally thought I'd won the gift giving competition. Boy was I wrong!! First, he gave me a very lovely mushy gushy card that I just love, and then a square box.

OMG WAS IT A RING?!!?!

No, better.

I opened up the box and out pops a Lady Gaga cd case, hoorayy!! Love her, so this gift was off to a good start. THEN, I opened the cd case and TWO tickets to LADY GAGA's concert downtown in JANUARY fell out!!!


Ohh mannn, did I freak out or what?! Cloud 9 people, I was am still on cloud fricken 9. I'm so excited!! Yes, you'll be hearing about this concert until January 10.


He then showed me the other card he'd made me, which had my head photoshopped on Lady Gaga's body. Another fantastic gift, but unfortunately I cannot share until I someday reveal myself. Bummer.

Back to the recap - We shopped for last minute gifts on Saturday and went to the burbs to hang with TBF's fam on Sunday. He has 6 cousins under the age of 6 and they were running around like crazies which made for an exhausting and fun evening.


Anywho, I'd also like say happy birthday yesterday to my best friend in the whole entire world who i dont get to see enough becaues we're over 3-5 dreadful hours apart, Heidi. I've known her since we were little ones in elementary school, but we became closer friends in 5th grade/jr. high age. Ohh, I'm so thankful for our friendship and that we've stayed close over the years.

Last but certainly not least, RIP Brittany Murphy. So sad.





Hope everyone had a nice weekend :)

Freck's Friday Fancies XXIX

It's FRIDAY! ..and not just any Friday, it's the last one before Christmas!

dun dun dun...

You know what that means! If you're like me, you have a couple of "last minute" gifts to get. Thankfully, my hood in Chicago has plenty of places in a 50 foot radius for these yet to be purchased gifts.

As you've probably noticed, this week's fancies include last minute gifts that can be purchased within a 50 foot radius of my apartment.

Go!

Walgreens/CVS. Bump it. Yes, throw away your teasing comb gift reciever and refrence this how-to for the perfect poof.

Walgreens/CVS - Reese's. What's better than candy?

Walgreens/CVS. Snuggie. They're really taking the world by storm.

Walgreens/CVS. Classic mixed cd..preferably Lady Gaga if the person knows whats up. Consider referencing this how-to to make the most bomb mixed cd ;)

Walgreens/CVS. Puppy Chia Pet. Who wouldn't want to watch a puppy's head grow moldy?

CD store. Beatles shirt - classic.

Walgreens/CVS. Develop pictures from Facebook or last May's graduation and frame them.

Argo/Starbucks gift card. Trust me, it will be used eventually.

Video/cd store. M.A.S.H. for the parents so they can tell you for the millionth time that "that guy" went to the U of I and they know because he always wears U of I sweaters.

Gap. Slippers for your sister in law because her toes-ies might get cold. (Yes, I have a gap less than 50 ft away from me, it's truly dangerous. Some people have to refrain from going to Chipotle on their way home, I have to refrain from the Gap. Ok, that's a lie, I have a Chipotle near me too.)

Last but not least, if you're in the market for Uggs, did you see Fantabulously Frugal's post about Uggs? She was also kind enough to post my comment about how I found out that you can get REAL Uggs for almost HALF the price!!

Alright, now get out there and start checking your list twice! ;)

Have a great weekend everyone!!