Easy (and adorable) Christmas shortbread cookies

I haven't had much experience with baking (other than box baking) in my 22 years of life, but I've always been creative and interested in making little masterpieces that I can eat. Working in an office environment gave me the perfect excuse to make something simple but special (and most importantly, edible) holiday gift for the people that I work with.

When looking for a recipe to try, I turn first to Pinterest. I'm always interested in trying new things in my tiny apartment kitchen. I remembered that I had pinned a recipe for lavender shortbread cookies a while back, and decided to look for a way to make the recipe a bit more Christmas-y.

Cranberries were the key!

I decided to add in some dried cranberries to make my batch a bit more festive.

Motivation Monday: Light in the Darkness

Whenever I am going through a hard time or just need a little bit of wisdom or advice, I usually turn to great thinkers like my favorite authors or artists and of course, God. Literature, passages and quotes that relate to the situation I am in seem to give me some clarity. It is at least comforting to know that someone has felt the same as I am at some point in time.

Something that has really helped me through recent hard times has been being able to see the light in the darkness... even in the literal sense. Here's a quick anecdote:

It just so happens that my bedroom doesn't have windows, and though I thought that would bother me at the beginning of the summer when I had just moved in, it doesn't at all. After I close my door and turn off the lights at night, my bedroom is ultra dark. I never realized just how nice it was to sleep in almost total darkness, and I have noticed that it is comforting and calming.

My apartment building used to be an old schoolhouse, so it is complete with old radiators and old wooden doors with gorgeous knobs. Anyways, after some recent life changes, I started noticing the ray of light that shone through the keyhole of my bedroom door. It's like a nightlight that I never knew I needed, and it has really kept me settled and grounded for some reason. Whether you take it as "God closing a door...etc" or just as a guiding light and reminder to not give up, it has helped me. It reminds me to keep hope in so many metaphorical ways.

This tiny keyhole of light has reminded me that the dark times do have an ending, and that there is always some little sliver of hope in a world of darkness, and you can find it as long as you take the time to let your eyes adjust. I think everyone goes through dark times at some point, and could use a little wisdom now and then... so here are some quotes to help you to continue to look for the light in each day:

Pinterest Find Friday: #4

After successfully making a trip back home to NY for the week, I have spent my days hanging around my hometown and chilling at home! Now that is what I call a vacation.

Here are some of my favorite finds this week, including a new take on coffee and homemade breakfast classics:

Pinterest Find Friday: #3

It's time for another Pinterest Find Friday! I have been so busy this week, that I have been moderately slacking on my pinning... which may be a good thing. Here are some great finds from this week!

Pinterest Find Friday: #2

I am trying with all my might to get into the habit of posting interesting Pinterest finds every week since I love the social media platform and what I find there. Sometimes, re-pinning a post is just not enough and you just have to find a place to rave about what you have found...:

Pinterest Find Friday: The First of its Kind

I will be the first to admit that I spend a lot of my free time on Pinterest... but that's only because I think that it is actually helpful! It is also therapeutic, since I love organizing things I like into little categories and labeling them. It is also a great way to keep recipes and ideas together, so that I can use them later.

Anyways, I wanted to start compiling some of my best finds in weekly blog posts so that I can share them with you and how they have helped me! I am going to post this series on Fridays, thus: 

The hunt: My first apartment

     I am both thrilled and relieved to announce that I have figured out a plan for myself after graduation in May! If you have been in my position of being a second-semester senior, about to graduate with a Bachelor's degree and no plans in sight, then you know just how much better I am feeling now that I know that I will be doing something.
     I have never felt more blessed than the moment I realized that I had a plan. It was a whole lot of "being in the right place, at the right time." I had decided to apply to do an internship during my final semester at my university's office of communication. After I got the internship and began working, I was offered a Grad Assistant position, which will be covering the cost for an MBA. I will also be working as a managing editor of a local newspaper.
     Although I do feel incredibly lucky and glad, this new stage in my life is coming up very quickly, and it is a teeny tiny bit overwhelming. Now, I have to really prepare myself for my latest transition, and a very intimidating part of the real world:

     Apartment Hunting 

     My university and future place of employment are located in a tiny town, almost in the middle of nowhere. I recently found out that it is almost impossible to find open apartments for rent online... there are virtually none listed. Most of these kinds of transactions happen by word of mouth around here.
     I was lucky enough to know someone who will be moving out of a two-bedroom apartment at the end of this semester, so I visited with a friend/potential roommate last week. We were not completely sold on the apartment, and we also may be having a third roommate, so we are not sure if this will work out. Now, I have moved on to looking for town houses/bigger apartments in the area. I am also considering a larger town that is relatively close by. We shall see what happens.
     Before I actually started looking for apartments, I thought the process would be relatively painless and I would find a cute, quaint, cheap apartment for rent in no time. Unfortunately, these kinds of things take a lot of patience and I have come to terms with the fact that I will not likely be able to buy my dream apartment just yet.
     Luckily, I feel very supported by friends, the people in my office, and those who I know in the community. Through them, I have been able to be in contact with around four possible places for next year, and I am now working on talking to my potential roommates to see how they feel about these places. I really feel like a grown up now, and the whole idea of living in the "real world" is becoming more and more real by the minute.
     Honestly, I am most excited to decorate my future apartment... even though my budget is very small. I have already started listing some tips and decoration ideas on my "Living Little" Pinterest board.
     Do you have any tips for me about looking for my first apartment?