BEING A PREP FOR A WEEK: 11/22/15 -- 11/28/15

I've never been more thankful for a three day break.

My week was pretty exciting academically because I became the first sophomore to ever be inducted into my school's math honors society (perks of having my last name). Going Black Friday shopping was just as relaxing as ever--I've found that window shopping on Google Chrome is never quite as crowded.

Now, on to some of my favorite links from the past week:

The best Black Friday deals from Kate Spade and Anthropologie.

My ideal coffee table book:  The Dogist.

EASY CRANBERRY RELISH

Happy Thanksgiving!  To celebrate this much-needed holiday, I'm going to share one of the simplest (and most delicious) Thanksgiving recipes ever created.  It's always promptly devoured by my family, and this relish is one leftover that you won't dread eating.

Ingredients

Food processor with a chop blade

2 medium oranges

4 cups of fresh cranberries 

2 cups of sugar

1/2 cup of pecans, halved or chopped

BEING A PREP FOR A WEEK: 11/15/15 -- 11/21/15

November's flying by, and I must admit, it's a little disconcerting.

I've been a horrible blogger lately, only because my schedule has been extremely bogged down (think "missing three days of honors classes in the span of a week" bogged down).  With holidays coming up, I'm hoping that will change.

Now, on to some of my favorite links from the past week:

In light of the Paris tragedies, a beautiful perspective on the matter from a favorite blogger of mine.

Gorgeous calligraphy menus that would be perfect for Thanksgiving!

DOG SHOW DAYS

An annual tradition in my household is having an outing to the dog show.  We're all self-proclaimed dog lovers, so stepping inside an arena that's full of the creatures is like waltzing into paradise.  To me, the dog show is also a symbol that fall has decided to make its presence known--and that winter isn't far behind.  First and foremost, I just look forward to being surrounded by welsh corgis.

Since I knew we were going to be walking on a dirt floor in a chilly environment, I opted for a simple long-sleeve and my most durable pair of rain boots.  I should've reconsidered my split-second decision to wear black leggings (dog fur and black don't cooperate), but for the sake of comfort, it was worth it.

PHOTO EDITING TRICKS

Exposure, contrast, warmth, definition.  What do these words have in common?  They all deal with that special art that's becoming very prevalent in the age of technology: photography.

Whether you want to pursue photography as a profession, take photos for a blog or website, or just like taking pictures of things, it's important to know some basic photo editing skills because--sadly--most pictures are not perfect quality when you initially take them.  I'm no photography master, but I've picked up a few easy tips from blogging.  No matter what photo editing system you use, remember to ask yourself four quick questions as you're editing:

Light Or Dark?
The single most important factor of photo editing is the exposure, or bright light, that you'd like to add to your photo.  Keep in mind that a bit of exposure is almost always a necessity for photos to achieve that nice, professional look.  Decide whether you want to crank it up for a sun-drenched snap or leave it lower to allow for more color contrast.

BEING A PREP FOR A WEEK: 11/1/15 -- 11/7/15

Is anyone else puzzled about how time suddenly picked up its pace and moved us to November?  I understand completely.

Over in my spectrum of the world, there was an abundance of Fiber One Bars being eaten and tests being taken, along with blog posts being written.  And, in case you didn't see on Instagram, Toby and I channeled our inner Halloween spirits.

Now, on to some of my favorite links from the past week:
@kenthecorgi has only fueled my obsession with corgis--I'm thinking Toby needs one of these Instagram accounts...

PATAGONIA WEATHER

The weather's getting crisp, leaves are falling, boots are stomping, and jackets are being pulled out of closets.  There's always been something appealing about breaking out my jackets in the mornings and being able to see my breath in the frosty air (well, until February rolls around, and then I'm quite ready for spring to come again).

I received my first Patagonia pullover as a Christmas gift last year, and I was so happy to have jumped on the bandwagon.  Patagonias are pretty pricey, but the quality of the jackets and pullovers makes up for it. I'm almost positive that I wore my pullover at least fifty times last winter--that's saying something!

Via