My “disposable income” — which, for me and a lot of other twenty-somethings in New York, is loosely defined as “not rent” — is primarily funneled into the following three categories:

1.) Clothes

2.) Beer

3.) iTunes

And, you know, food.

But, if there were to be another category that could use some extra funding every now and again, it would probably be My Apartment.  Luckily for me, my old friend Olivia has arrived on the scene with her excellent new blog Lacquered Life, to show me and other booze-addled style bloggers that not only is it possible to create a great space for yourself on a budget, it’s also not very difficult.  Opting for timeless over trendy, with a great eye for detail, Olivia’s meticulous blog is updated almost daily with tips and tricks for making your home feel more like a home and less like the place where you sleep.  Extra attention to living in small spaces is a huge plus for apartment dwellers, and the “Cheap and Chic of the Week” feature let’s you keep up with the Stewarts on a decidedly Rachael Ray budget.  Plus, you’ve got to love any interior design blog that leads a post about retro wallpaper with a shot of Richard Nixon bowling.  I am not a crook or ashamed to bring people to my apartment anymore.  So move the laundry off of your futon and head on over to Lacquered Life.  And while you’re at it, eat something.

This is apparently old news to regular DesignBoom readers, but when I saw it today on Flavorwire’s list of Presents for Your Valentine That Don’t Suck, it was enough to almost make me J in my P’s.  It’s a prototype for a “color picker” pen — a real life Photoshop eyedropper tool that lets you draw in the color of any actual objects you choose.  Korean designer Jinsu Park is the mastermind behind all of this, and if he can actually make the color picker a reality, he will one day be a very rich man.  Now all we need is a real life stamp tool and we’re in business.  More pics below, including one of Jinsu’s maybe-girlfriend coloring.