Holiday Gifting 2014 - Stocking Stuffers

When it comes to Christmas morning, I think I honestly get more excited about opening my stocking than anything else. Little trinkets, candy and other goodies all wrapped up inside, each waiting to be carefully opened and treasured. Some practical, some frivolous, but almost always fun. Now that I'm older, the big ticket items under the tree are much less of a surprise, which I think makes me appreciate the small, and often totally random things my mom puts into my stocking even more. In honor of my favorite Christmas tradition, here are my personal picks for stocking stuffers, all under $15!

Handbag Essentials

It's official. I've finally splurged and bought my first designer handbag.

So I bought it from the outlets at less than half the retail price. STILL COUNTS.

While I'm all about purses, shoes, scarves and the like, I've never been one to shell out insane amounts of money on accessories. Actually, I've never been one to shell out insane amounts of money on anything. I think there is something to be said for spending a little extra on a quality piece, but if I can avoid paying full price, you can bet that I will find a way.

Up until this point, the majority of my purse collection has been a mishmosh of Kohl's clearance rack purchases and retired Vera Bradley pieces. And while I do still love them all, with their various shapes, sizes, and funky patterns, they don't always scream "professional adult". I decided it was about time that I bit the bullet and bought myself a beautiful, classic leather handbag that I could rock through any season.

The outlets offered me many a choice in designer labels - Michael Kors, Coach, Tory Burch, Cole Haan, Fossil, Guess. In the end, though, I found my calling with Kate Spade, whose playful yet sophisticated style is right up my alley.

Of course, with a new handbag in my possession, I've got to show you some of my favorite essential items that I'll be packing in to it. Take a peek!

December 2013 Birchbox

Good morning world!  I've decided that today is going to be a day of playing catch up. Catching up on my TV shows. Catching up on my ironing. And most importantly, catching up on my subscription box reviews. Even though today is February 2nd, it just feels wrong to totally skip over my December Birchbox and Glambag posts. I've been working on these as well as my January reviews, so expect to see all four in the very near future.

To kick things off, here's a look at what I got in my December Birchbox. The theme for the 2013 holiday season was Sparkle & Shine, and even our boxes were dressed for the occasion. I always hate admitting when I'm bummed out by the contents of my box, because I do love Birchbox and their service as a whole, but I was a bit let down for this much anticipated holiday version.