The Love List : Fairy Tales are True

As you're reading this, I'm most likely sitting in class..scrambling to take notes, watching the clock tick s.l.o.w.l.y., and dreaming of a far away place that has endless amounts of food and fun.  I found it fitting to  share with you the Sarah's Love List, from Fairytales are True.  This girl is my hero: intelligent, sweet, and has traveled to so many places that I dream to one day visit too.  Did I mention she's a knock out?  I asked Sarah to share her Love List and requested that it catered to all 5 senses.  I thought it'd be kind of neat to catch a glimpse of what blogging can't always provide you.

Without further adieu, I give you Sarah's favorite sense of:

...touch...

{the sand between my toes and waves crashing at my feet}

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...hear...

{adele. oh so soulful.}

...smell...

{its a three way tie folks. 

confederate jasmine, magnolias, salt air}

via

...taste...

{gaucamole - my favorite.}

via

...sight...

{positano, italy!  simply my favorite place on Gods green earth}

via

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I think I'm with Sarah on roughly 5/5 of these.

What are your favorite things that cater to your senses?  Do you have a "6th sense"? I'd love to hear about it!

Happy Monday  Folks :)

Guest Posting : Creative Index

Hello lovelies!  I am over here today sharing my "Love List". 

 I hope you'll stop by and say hello.  Trust me, you don't want to miss Jessica's gorgeous blog!

Here's a sneak peak:

The Love List : In Honor of Design

If ever there were a girl after my own heart it would have to be sweet Anna from In Honor of Design.  I am always in awe of all the gorgeous eye candy she posts.  From fashion to paper, Anna definitely hits the nail with things I love. She owns her own Etsy shop too!  ( I am in love with this necklace!)  Oh, and she's expecting a baby pretty soon.  Anna is keeping the babies gender a surprise, so I'm pretty excited to see if it's a boy or a girl.  I'm thinking another boy ( but she's so tiny, maybe it's a girl?!)  Head on over to her blog and take the poll :)

I present to you the gorgeous Anna

Triangle Print - I am really drawn to geometric designs so I have been really enjoying all the fun bunting and triangle print items around the handmade marketplace. Can you even believe how cute these items are?!

Triangle print Tote

Bunting Pillow

Bursts of Coral Orange. I am head over heels for all shades of Coral, and think this season's big hit is Coral Orange which is very fun to add in subtle elements to your wardrobe. Here are a few favorites of mine, although I may just get a dress in this shade:)

Butter London Polish - Jaffa

Nixon Watch

Coral Pendant

Stripes - Nautical Stripes may be trendy but they will always be classy. You can invest in a few good pieces and know that you can still work them into your wardrobe ten years from now. I realized that my drawers have quite a few striped tops in them:)

Stripe Love 1, Stripe Love 2

Sweet Lulu Party Straws - Don't these make you want to throw a party just to use them?! Numerous colors and prints to add the perfect element to your party drinks or decor:)

Sweet LuLu Party Straws

Natural Tone Gift Packaging - As a shop owner, I really love to package my items like a gift, and natural tones make it fun for me to work with. You can add colored ribbon, doilies, greenery, etc. etc....the combinations are endless and it makes such a personal looking gift.

Natural Tone Gift Wrapping

These are just a few of the fun things I am loving right now, but of course my family always takes the #1 spot on my love list;) Thanks for having me here as part of this fabulous series! <3

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Okay, isn't your list of things to buy so much longer now?  Told you she always knows about the cutest things!  I've been quite smitten with anything coral or stripped lately.  Oh, and neutral color packaging (like butcher paper) is my favorite type of paper to wrap/ bag presents in.  No more hassle about gender-specific or event-specific bags!

Thanks for stopping by Anna!

The Love List : City of Dionne

Welcome back to another edition of The Love List!  I'm excited to have Dionne from City of Dionne over today.  If you've ever been to her blog, you know that it never disappoints!  She is a girl after my own heart with her lovely posts about all things vintage, baking, and clothing. 

Here is pretty Dionne with her husband

 Let's see what this sweet blogger has on her list:

It's almost finally Spring!  Flowers, greenery, picnics, tea parties, kite flying, bike riding - I am so excited for my favorite season to be here!  My name is Dionne, and I blog over at City of Dionne.  With Spring on it's way, I am finding myself smitten with light colors, soft and flowy details, and everything pretty and girly.  Goodbye, Winter chunkiness - hello, Spring softness!

Here are six things that I am completely smitten with this season.

Even in the cold months, I am always drawn to lighter, fresher colors.  I want it to feel like Spring in my home all year long - and these two lovelies would be the perfect way to do that.  Isn't this Camden Display Case from Layla Grace lovely?  The colors, the little drawers, the glass doors... Definitely smitten.  And then this Conservatory Chair from Anthropologie has captured my attention too.  It's a respectful nod back to the Louis XV chair, but upholstered with a more modern but lovely and whimsical fabric.

Teehee, isn't this little Letterpress Paper House Kit from 1Canoe2 just adorable?  Some people might want it for their kids to play with, but I'd want it for cute place-card holders for a cute country-themed luncheon!  Imagine one of these cute little houses set atop each plate - wouldn't it be so cute?!  And then sticking to my paper love, I am really digging this Sydney Mapcut by Studio KMO.  The detail in the cutwork amazes me, and since I was born in Sydney, it would be a nice nostalgic twist to an already lovely art piece.

And now for the clothes.  Aside from what the weather and nature do during the Spring, my other favorite part about Spring would have to be the clothes!  No more bulky layers, hooray!  Modcloth has a lovely tank with a Crochet overlay that I want in my wardrobe - this Modern Mantra top is definitely on my Spring Wishlist (i need to show this blog post to my husband!).  And if my husband is willing to spend a little extra money - I REALLY REALLY REALLY want this Citrine Rose Peplum dress from BHLDN.  I love how soft and ethereal it is.  In it, I would feel like I was in the Great Gatsby, off to one of their lavish garden soirees.

Thank you, Nuha, for having me on your lovely bloglet!  I had a lot of fun with it, and now have a visual wishlist that I can show my husband, hehehe.  Wish me luck, everyone!  :)

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It was an honor to have you Dionne!  I hope you all enjoyed Dionne's list as much as I did.  Make sure you head on over to her blog and say hello!

The Love List : Wandering Spice

I'm pretty excited about today's Love List because it features someone I love oh so much: my cousin Yasmeen from the blog Wandering Spice.  Intelligent, gorgeous, & funny are just a few of her characteristics.  But my favorite?  Our super long e-mails.  I love seeing her name pop up in my inbox because I know that a series of incredibly long e-mails are about to begin.

She's new to the blogging world, but I'm positive her blog is going to take off.  

Stop by and welcome her why dont-ya?

1. MOZI body products. They're Australian made, use bio-conscious packaging and feel soooo good on your skin. I especially love the quince + rose lotion. MOZI also has a full range of bedding, candles and handbags that channel vintage design themes and always feature bold colors. 

Via

2. T2 Teas. I'm a coffee junkie but Iove unwinding with a warm cup of any of T2's blends. They also let you mix and match loose teas, which make great custom-made gifts (like peppermint-chocolate-cherry or roobois-almond-vanilla. Delish!)

Via

3. My bike Febie. She was custom built for me, which explains why we're so inseparable. She makes errands + commuting fun.

4. Community gardens. Live in an apartment or don't have a yard? Rent or buy a plot of land among other food/flower lovers and grow your own produce. Then exchange your extra crop for something new from your neighbor's spot. Most cities have them - you'll meet awesome people and take care of the environment at the same time. How awesome is that!

5. Onitsuka Tiger Asics. Any of my friends will tell you these are my signature - I've worn them for years and worn them everywhere, in a variety of colors (some neutral, some shocking!). It's my philosophy that shoes are a reflection of your personality. My current mood:

6. Mark Ronson + The Business International. He released - in my humble opinion - the best record of 2010, collaborating with the likes of Q-Tip, MNDR, D'Angelo, Boy George and Theophilus London... yet again proving his flexibility and dexterity with offbeat tunes and lyrics. He's been on repeat in our house for months and we're seeing him at a festival next week. Yippee!

7. Baking. It's my therapy. Throw on some music and get mixing, whether it's an old favorite or something new and experimental. The end result will always make for a good story, whether it was something sumptuous shared with friends or a funny disaster story. I most recently made these little citrus beauties for the Australian Man (my boyfriend's) birthday:

Above all, my favorite thing is to be positive at all costs. I'm not always the best at it, but moving trans-continentally twice in 2 years has taught me that life is full of unexpected surprises. All it takes is a positive attitude to turn fear into excitement, and it's contagious.

 Thanks for sharing your space with me Nuha. Love!

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So in case you're wondering: No you cannot have her.  She is my cousin.

And is anyone else jealous she had a bike custom built for her?  And here I am dreaming of owning my own bike...from Wal-Mart. haha

Thanks for stopping by Yas, love you !!

The Love List

I'm pretty excited about my new series here on Habibi.  I have met so many amazing people through blogging and I want to share them all with you!  Each  guest will be sharing with us items that have been on their love list lately.  

This should be fun!

My first guest is the ever-so gorgeous and hilarious Christina from Hungry Meets Healthy.

I can honestly say that with each and every post Christina X-tina writes, she has me laughing out loud. Oh, and did I mention she's a health nut?  

(Note to self:  Wasn't that a New Years Resolution of mine?  And it's only February?  Oh boy...)

  I told you she was purty!

Without further ado, I give you X-tina's favorite things:

1)The new Chobani lemon flavor. 

I typically prefer Fage Greek yogurt, but Chobani's three new flavors (lemon, black cherry, and mango) are irresistbile! I love these because they are a lower-calorie snack with a ton of protein - perfect for a post-workout snack. 

2)The Library.

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Sure, the librarians are awkward and they smell kinda musty, but the books at the library are free! I think e-books are pretty neat, but there's nothing like holding a book in your hands and turning each page until you reach the end. I also love that I can get any book from any of the libraries in my county bc they will ship it to my town's location. Again people, these books are free. Take advantage!

3) This book: 

I've only read three chapters, but it has already been so eye-opening for me. Actually it's more like each page I turn is a slap in the face by the author. I completely understand what I've been doing wrong in relationships, why my ex and I broke up, and why we will probably get back together. On a positive note, I am so ready and excited to use what I've learned in my next relationship. This book is blunt, hilarious, and real. Everyone needs a copy of this. As much as I love those library books, I bought my own copy of this baby.

4)My Bodem travel French press. 

This is such an easy way to get your daily brew in under a few minutes. At around 16oz, it's the perfect amount of coffee to get you going and you can take it anywhere. Stop standing in line and paying so much for your coffee - this is a much quicker and less-expensive alternative. They also have them in different colors. 

( As soon as I find that lime green, it's mine!)

5)Groupon, Living Social, and other group coupon sites. 

Thanks to these daily emails, I've gotten some really good deals on things I wouldn't typically consider. For example, last week my friend and I went to a class where we painted and drank wine that we had brought. Classes are usually $35, but I paid only $15 with my Groupon. For just $15, we chose which painting we wanted to do, learned how to do it, and got to take our masterpiece home. Here's mine: 

6)Tiffany & Co.'s Graffiti Collection by Paloma Picasso. 

I love anything Paloma designs, but I am particularly fascinated with the Grafitti section as everything is in an XO design. My friends call me Xtina (sometimes just X) and because my last name begins with an O, it's like they're my initials! I I really want these earrings, ring and bangle:

7)The weather finally warming up in Charleston! 

I know, it's only February, but beach and boating season is right around the corner. I love everything Summer - beach, boats, beer, bikinis, and babes! Woohoo for living on the coast!

Well there you have it, our first edition of  The Love List!  

Be on the look out for more bloggers love lists :)

And don't forget to visit Xtina at Hungry Meets Healthy

Happy Monday!