As you can see I do my level best to update frequently. Although I must be studying...

January is a month when I don't leave the house very often, due to exams.

It's not such a bad thing, because December is a very busy month. All of the college dead lines, combined with a high stress level and afterwards all the holiday parties, leave me exhausted at the end of December.

December not only holds Christmas and New Year, but for me it's also my birthday.

All this means getting and giving presents. I equally love both. Actually, I love giving more as it holds, carefully planning and searching for the right presents. The last month has been, what you can call, fruitful on that level.

So I decided to show you some of the presents I got from friends and from myself too :)

Some of the cards that I got for these holidays.

Dyrberg/Kern pendant I got for myself. This quote has to be my new motto: 

'To not dare is to have already lost'.

Boxeeees!

So, this is a present I bought for me, yes. I wanted this watch for about three years. I know it's very popular among bloggers, but I wasn't aware of that at that moment. Anyhow, it's a classic silver watch that suits almost anything. It's also the first thing from the recent wish list that I posted. Check! I wasn't used to wear a watch, but now I can't take it off!

On the right are the beautiful Swarovski earrings I got from my best friend, they sparkle like crazy! Bliiing!

On the bottom a bracelet from Butler & Wilson. My boyfriend made me choose my present for Christmas.

They have it in different sizes and colors, so the choice wasn't easy. The bracelet was also on my wish list. Ok, I cheated, because it was already ordered by the time I made it :p So, check again! Pretty sure I'll buy the gold one too!

My boyfriend also gave me a book about Radio Modern, a Belgian retro party organization. More about it soon. He also gave me a new pair of leather gloves, from COS and the Adele dvd, love*

Maybe you recognized that green box, it's from La Durée. My best friend bought it for me in Paris. 

The macarons didn't survive long enough to take pictures of, but the box will be a perfect for jewelry.

I can't tell you how happy I am with everything I got that last month.

And these are the cuff links I got for my boyfriend. They're also from Butler & Wilson. He didn't know that at the time I ordered the bracelet, but now we have matching accessories :)

And now back to saving money, I hope...

What did u get for the holidays? 

2011

How happy I am to start 2011 with this post.

My new blogging resolutions got smashed right away, there're no pictures of my NYE outfit, at least no descent ones :p

But I've still got some things to show, presents keep on coming my way.

Today I want to show my first won giveaway.

I rarely participate in them, only if I really want something badly. And this time that was just exactly the case...

I won a giveaway from one of my favorite bloggers Ioana from Fashezine.

Now this wonderful illustrated silk scarf from Keszeg Agnes is mine.

Can't even describe how happy I am with it, for several reasons... First of all I love scarfs, even more when they're silk and my love is beyond real when it pictures a redhead (I'm obsessed with red hair). The girl on the scarf is practically an illustration of Ioana, who's a redhead herself. All this makes the scarf priceless to me.

Thank u again, dear Ioana!

And winning never comes alone here, there's another giveaway I've won recently. That one is from one of my favorite bloggers too... I'll keep u posted.

Small update

Between long dinners and cake parties and cleaning up the house I found a little time to update.

I must say that I forgot to take a picture of my Christmas outfit, believe me, this happens a lot to me. I didn't have a lot of time before the party, during the party I was busy eating and having a good time and afterwards it was already too dark. Plus enormous amount of snow outside and me wearing heels. I wore a new leopard dress btw.

Excuses, I know, I know. But I promise to be a good girl and show you my new years outfit, which I'm still haven't figured out.

So, back on topic, the reason for my update is another surprise that hit my mail box today.

A Birthday/Christmas present from my friends Margot, Nathalie & Griet.

Margot texted me this morning that the package will probably arrive today and she was right.

A few hours later the doorbell rang and there was the postman, handing me a box.

Inside I found a Birthday and Christmas card, a box full of delicious macarons. They were a little bit bruised from their trip, but not less tasty.

And last but not least a set of Fashionology bird skull earrings!!! I'm in love with them, thank u, girls!

Now my bird skull necklace has friends to hand out with ;)

Here's the bait :

I've become a real macaron addict, I must admit that this is already a second box that I got for my birthday. Yummy!

The birds

Also a little something, something. My dear friend Nathalie started blogging recently. Unlike me she updates regularly and has very nice pictures :p Make sure you give her a visit and leave some nice reactions!

Her blog is called The Merrymakers

See us in matching panda beanies and admit we're cute!

Presents time!

My birthday and the holidays are just around the corner,

but the present exchange has started already.

Giving presents is just as exciting as receiving them, especially with 'no reason'.

Because U don't need one when love is involved, right?

I'll start with the present that I gave to my dear friend Margot this week.

This thursday me and my friends Nathalie & Griet were invited to her house for a dinner.

I must say she's an impeccable cook and I'm a bit jealous of her cooking skills.

Well, not only of her cooking skills, but her designing, sewing and photography skills as well!

Anyway...

Do U know that feeling of excitement when U find just the perfect present for someone?

I got it when I saw this pin from the collection of Cristophe Coppens for JBC.

She's a major lover of brooches and pins, so we always know what to give to her.

It's also black, which is her favorite color ;)

I got also a little something something from her, heaven in a box or

Guimaves with the taste of absinth. Not only they're nice to the eye, but they taste heavenly and are so soft, I can't even describe it :)

I couldn't resist to eat two of them before I took the pictures

Last week I bought the autobiography of Keith Richards called "Life" for my bf.

He's a major fan of him and I knew he wanted to buy the book, so I surprised him.

I must say that the book looks really good, lot's of nice pictures and funny stories.

I'll be reading it too for sure!

I've also been spoiled by him lately. Recently I've been surprised by him with the adorable

Panda beanie. We saw it together in the window of a store and the next time I came over, there was a bag waiting for me. I literally screamed when I saw what was in it.

The funny thing is, when I looked closer at the label of the beanie, I saw that it wore my bf's name. Isn't this just surreal? He was also very surprised, 'cause he didn't look at the brand when he bought it. Speak about "meant to be"...

It's definitely has been my favorite beanie since then. I also never received as many compliments as I do when I wear it, everybody thinks it's cute.

My friend Nathalie has almost the same one, but in white.

Pictures of us two coming up soon btw ;)

That's not all... Yesterday morning he had to get some things done, by the time he came back I was still in bed. He told me he had a surprise for me, when I got downstairs I saw beautiful orchids and a book, "Fragments". The book collects never before published notes, poems and letters by Marilyn Monroe. Both the orchids and the book are absolutely stunning.

I don't have to mention that this is what a perfect morning looks like :)

Marilyn has always been my number one icon from the past,

so I was very happy to receive this book.

I started to read right away and planning to do a post about the book soon.

This past month has been feeling like Christmas already and it's just the start of it.

I have a present coming up for my friend who's birthday is next friday.

I can't show it yet, but I can say there's a lot of pink involved ;)

And I'm also going to see Lady Gaga again tomorrow with all of my girls,

one big party it'll be!