Here are some things that put the sparkle into the past week:

Last Sunday was my little Chloe+Isabel popup party! As I've said before, I'm not a huge decorator, or a frequent hostess, but my soirée went really well! It was super chill, and all of the girls really got into the jewelry! Also, some of these girls were from different circles of friends, but by the time it was over, they were all gushing about each other! I felt like the friend version of Match.com! <3 If you've been eyeing any of these pretty jewels, my pop-up "Ginger's jewel soiree" ends Saturday!

The party also reminded me how much I used to like cleaning and decorating the apartment. I've resigned myself to living at home for the time being, but having free rein to clean and decorate exactly how I wanted was SO nice.

Taking a page (ha!) out of Sheryl's book, I've been trying to do "Morning Pages" on my morning el ride, and it has been giving me some very interesting--and unexpected--insights. In last Friday's Morning Pages, I was stressing about cleaning for the party (our house was, as Pops would say, a "royal wreck"), and then I had the revelation of "It's my weekend too." Like, I don't need to kill myself. I can clean for the party and also give myself a break from all of it. (Like I said last Friday, I always feel like I'm not working hard enough if I'm not using all available time on a task.) I actually let myself take breaks (breaks?!) from cleaning on Saturday to watch (and sob) over Grey's season 5. (Three words: drunk depressed Derek.) "It's my weekend too" became like my mantra to battle guilt. It was great!!

Remember how I was complaining about lip products in my budget post? Well, OF COURSE the inexpensive one I impulsively throw on the belt at Whole Foods (on Pops' dime, no less!) turns out to be awesome! I later learned that one of my friends has about six of them, so I am not alone in my love!