Let's Shop:

Today we're shopping the Old Faithful Shop. They are one of my favorite online shops. In my head, I'm living my life in a secluded cabin somewhere in the Northeast where it is perpetually a cool, crisp autumn morning. And these are the things that I use in my daily pretend life:

1. Herbal Shampoo Bar --  because it's just that economically smart
2. Copper Cloths -- for scouring my perfect, non-Teflon pans, of course
3. The Adventurer's Guide to the Outdoors -- a fascinating read, to be sure
4. Glass Butter Dish -- because this looks like it's been around (and in use) since the 50's
5. Classic Pitcher -- for holding fresh milk and wildflowers
6. Frankie's Organic Olive Oil -- we only use the best
7. Lemon Scented Board Oil -- for keeping those original butcher block counters in top form
8. Ceramic Mortar & Pestle -- because we like to grind everything ourselves

Also, have you read their Still Life Journal? It's fantastic -- the stuff of my rustic dreams. Check them out in all their glory here.

Current faves:

1. Sperry Top-Sider Bluefish -- $79
2. Madewell Perfect Chambray shirt -- $68
3. ASOS Floral Silk Look Print scarf -- $27.70
4. Fossil Vintage Reissue Messenger -- $168
5. Rebecca Minkoff Twiggy bracelet -- $100

Spring wardrobe update

March is turning out the be a tricky month. The trees are saying that Spring has arrived. They're lying. And I'm angry. But rather than lash out, I've decided to channel my rage into something positive: shopping. I will shop with Spring in mind regardless of the temperature. Because it has to come sooner or later. And when it does, I'll be ready:

Apparently, J. Crew has been reading my mind. Because so far this year, they are dead on with exactly what I've been craving for my wardrobe: faded chambray shirt, white skinny jeans, cropped khakis, and gauzy shirt dresses (Madewell). And Piperlime, my go to for pretty much anything, has got it going on this season with their selection of wedges and sandals. My summer shoe motto is this: celebrate the fact that I am a girl by wearing shoes that a boy couldn't get away with wearing (with the exception of wearing flipflops in the shower at the gym, of course). And man do they make it so easy.

the way to shop:

"If she can’t afford it, she won’t buy it. If it doesn’t fit (or make her feel good, or flaunt what she’s got), she won’t wear it. If she can’t find it, she won’t compromise. If she loves it, she won’t toss it. She reuses it, rethinks it, lets it age.

When a French girl shops, it isn’t a solitary act of buying something new. It’s part of a lifelong process of editing her environment, making small but meaningful additions to her home, her closet, her life.

When you shop like a French girl, you buy only one of anything – and make sure it’s the best quality you can afford."

From Wit & Delight

Happy Friday!

I know this week was short because of President's Day but I am so ready for the weekend!
We've got plans to do some major sleeping in, cleaning, and having a super late Korean Christmas present party with Kat and one of the best families on the planet (minus this twin and this twin).


P.S. I love bags. All kinds. And it doesn't even matter if they're for me or someone else. I love. LOVE. Check out this bag I just snagged for Andrew. French Connection for $39! Thank you RueLaLa. Click here for your own invite to join RueLaLa.

Warning: Winter Weather Coming

I am going through withdrawals: sunshine, green things, warm skin, feeling in my toes. I thought this disgusting thing called winter in January was over. It was 70 degrees this weekend (which we took full advantage of). But then the weather man tells me this morning that more winter weather is heading our way. And that tomorrow, and especially Wednesday, the temperature will have a hard time getting above freezing. Great.

I am going to have to work overtime this week imagining my own little world where it is 86 degrees and so sunny it almost hurts to open your eyes. And there will be plenty of black-out sunglasses, floppy straw hats, soft green grass, and popsicles that stain your lips red.

I think owning this swimsuit will make this imaginary world seem more real. At least that's how I justify this purchase. And then I can put it on, lay in bed under a mountain of blankets, and imagine my glamorious self right in the middle of the dog days of summer.

Huge Piperlime Sale!

I love winter sales. All the clothes I've had my eye on are finally going on sale to make room for all the spring stuff. And I am definitely taking advantage.

Today only, over @ Piperlime.com, they are having a 30% off sale on some of their winter stock (sweaters, coats, boots, etc. -- most of which is already on sale for up to 60% off). That's a total of 90% off! It's only today though. And you have to enter the code WARMUP at checkout.

I got this Central Park West Sycamore Sweater Cardigan. Originally $141, I got it for only $39.18. Over $100 in savings. Oh yes. Now I already have a navy sweater cardigan but I've had it since college and I think it might have stretched out a little because I'm just not as crazy about the fit as I used to be. Plus, I'm starting to notice a little pilling action going on. Anyway, it's time for it to go.So I will be putting it in the donate pile to make room in my closet. One new thing in, one old thing out is my motto (I try my best, at least).

Hurry over to Piperlime and see what else they've got before everyone gets all the good stuff. Because at these prices, it won't last long. (And no, they didn't pay me to say that although I wish they would).

J.Crew Spring 2011

I just got these pants on super sale @ J.Crew!

Originally $108, reduced to $79.99, and with the additional 40% off all sale items (still going on, btw), this gorgeous pair of pants was a whopping $47.99. Amazing. And while I wait for them to arrive, I am fantasizing about all the soft grey and lovely brown things I will pair with them.

Speaking of J.Crew (obsessed, yes), their Spring 2011 lookbook is full of beautiful clothes. Like these:

Come on Spring, hurry up and get here! I am dying for some bare legs!

Obsessions:

I think I'm one of those people that finds something they like and then becomes addicted to it. Single minded. I started noticing this about myself this December when I became completely obsessed with the Amazon Cyber Monday week-long deals. I watched them all day long, counting down the hours and minutes until the next one was revealed. Because now I have become obsessed with members-only shopping websites. Like Rue La La. New boutiques open every day @ 10a and I absolutely have to check them out. Doesn't matter if I buy anything or even like any of it, I have to check. And with the discovery of The Foundary, I am even more obsessed. The Foundary is like Rue La La, only instead of fashion it's mostly home goods (furniture, kitchen gadgets, decor, etc).

Also, I got a new hair dryer the other day. My old one was from college, had been slightly melted by an incident with my roommate's flat iron, and had lately been getting so hot, I could hardly hold it long enough to get my hair dry. So it had to go. I had been researching hair dryers for months now, determined to find the perfect one and have had my eye on a certain one for a while now. I found it on Amazon for under $20 but I had put off buying it because since it was under $25, it didn't qualify for free supersaver shipping. And I guess I've been spoiled by that free shipping because the idea of actually having to pay to ship it is what has kept me from buying it for this long. But then Wednesday night, while Andrew and I were checking Wal-Mart for fluoride-free toothpaste (per my dermatologist's order), I stumbled across this exact hair dryer. The Revlon RV544, blow dryer of my dreams. It was priced @ $23 which is probably about how much the other would have cost with shipping included, but I justified it to myself by saying this one was right here and I could take it home and use it tonight while if I had ordered it from Amazon, it would have taken another week to get here. So we bought it right up.

Now I know this is a whole lot of talk about a hair dryer and most of you could care less, but for those of you who can't live without a good blow dryer (especially those with long hair -- ahem, LB), I cannot tell you how amazing this one is. It doesn't get extremely hot but it somehow dries my super thick long hair in about 5 minutes. And not that my hair is curly or frizzy or anything, but it makes it so silky and soft. I have not used my flat iron in two days. So if you're in the market for a new hair dryer, I highly recommend this one. And so do 280 other Amazon reviewers. Just saying.

Spotted Moth

A little peek at what I'm loving over at Spotted Moth:

P.S. My bags are on their way!

Love it.

I love Ruche. Cute clothes. Reasonable prices. And even though my clothing allowance is spent (already!) for the month of January, these are the things I am loving right now:

Oh and I bought this lamp for my office today (half off @ Crate & Barrel!)

Closet wish list

This is a short week for me. I have tomorrow (Thursday) and Friday off from work for New Year's. And I plan to make the most of it. Tomorrow I plan to spend a good chunck of the day in my closet, playing dress up, trying stuff on, listening to good music, and purging. I used to be afraid to get rid of anything in my closet because I worried that the minute I would get rid of something would be the minute I desperately wanted to wear it. And so far, that has never happened. Besides, by getting rid of things, I am making room. And that means I get to go shopping. I'm on a mission to create a working closet -- one that is filled with fewer, quality, coordinating basics. And a few special surprises too. That way I can jump in there every morning and easily pick out an outfit without spending too much time or stressing out over it. The closet revamp begins now. And here are some things that I will be filling my closet with in the near future:

I have been wishing for these boots forever. But I can cross them off my list now because guess what is headed to my house this very afternoon? Happy Birthday to me.

I am having a moment with Piperlime. And partly because of this shirt. Would be so cute with a pair of cropped black pants or skinny jeans (both of which I already own) and booties.



Is there ever a time when I'm not thinking about J.Crew? It is my absolute fave and I want these wool minnie pants and grey matchstick cords from them so badly. And they're both on sale. Yes please.

I have been lusting over these cute heels from Urban Outfitters for a while now. I can't decide if I want them in the tomato red or the mustard yellow. I think yellow.

And finally, I am in desperate need of new black pumps (I still haven't replaced the ones I complained about in this post). And new booties. I need new lace up booties. I think these will do nicely.

Shoes!

I wore my black pumps to work yesterday. Mistake. I came home and shook them off my feet and across the room, swearing to never subject myself to them again. They are awful. Uncomfortable. A disaster. I have tried everything to make them bareable but it's no use. So I'm ridding myself of them.

The good news is that since I no longer have a pair of basic black pumps, I get to go shopping for new ones. I spent some time looking around online (thank you shopstyle) and what I came up with is interesting. Yes, there is a pair of black heels (with insanely cute soles) but more importantly there are two beautiful pairs -- one deep turquoise, one dark plum. Not black, I know, but so pretty and comfortable looking.

Black Friday is the worst day. ever.

I am not one for Black Friday shopping. In fact, I avoid it at all costs. I refuse to leave the house. Getting up at 3 am to brave huge crowds to score some awesome deal just isn't worth it for me. I would much rather spend the day cuddle up in front of a movie, snacking on Thanksgiving leftovers and putting up the Christmas tree. But I have to admit, I am sort of loving Amazon.com's whole Black Friday thing. It's going on all week and I kind of can't stop watching the countdown to the unveiling of the newest deal. It has all the suspense of Ebay without all the competition. And it allows me to shop while doing my two favorite things: 1. avoiding crowds of the most annoying people on the planet and 2. being a hermit. What's not to love about it?

Check it out at Amazon.com. Just don't snag the last copy of whatever I've got my eye on.

P.S. One half of the dymanic Walker duo will be making an appearance all the way from Delaware today!

R.I.P. 30 for 30

Ok, so the whole 30 for 30 thing hasn't really been working out for me. I did good for a few days but then today I had the day off from work -- Happy Veteran's Day, btw (thank you government employment) -- so I went to exchange a sweater that I bought last week (I figured it didn't count because I was just getting a smaller size). And then stupid me decided it wouldn't hurt to take a look around. And what did I find? A leather jacket on sale for $30. So I bought it. Only an idiot would pass that up. And because I had already failed, I bought a red flannel shirt to go with it. And I look good.

So in celebration of the end of my short lived (not even a week) 30 for 30 participation, here are my favorite picks from J.Crew. I love love love that store. I would marry it if I could.

30 for 30!

Starting tomorrow, I'm participating in 30 for 30 on Kendi Everyday. Here's how it works:

1. Pick out 30 items from your closet. Shoes are included in the count, coats and accessories (i.e. tights, jewelry, hats, gloves, and so on are not.) I won't use a coat yet here in Texas, but you might in say Chicago so I don't want to penalize you for Mother Nature's wily ways.


2. Remix the 30 items into 30 or more outfits.

And that's it! Ok -- not totally.

3. No (clothes) shopping for 30 days.

Originally shoes counted in the 30 for 30, but I'm not including them in my count. That way I can have more clothes and change my shoe options whenever I want. Plus I'm still in the market for new work shoes. And it can't wait 30 days.

So click here to check out my 30 for 30 clothing picks.

Let the choir sing

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Just a few thoughts before the weekend:

1. Did you watch the live episode of 30 Rock last night? Shame on you if you didn't. It was fabulous -- the perfect blend of 30 Rock and SNL. See both the east coast and west coast broadcasts here.
2. Bought some grey booties but am having trouble deciding what to wear them with. Any ideas?
3. The latest installment of the CD Exchange Club went out this week. Hope you dig the newest Weepies album, L. I am in love with it.
4. Sometimes I like to listen to old Blink-182 albums on repeat and relive my teenage angst years. But then it makes me sad when I think about how they sold out just like all the other great bands of the 90s (read: Green Day).
5. My "to read" book list has over 150 books on it. I need to get on it.
6. These pants from Gap are so cute.
7. The 2010 World Gymnastics competition starts Sunday. NBC airs their coverage the 23rd and 24th. The women's team is looking solid. Except Chelsea Davis dislocated her knee cap this morning during a tumbling pass and will be sitting out for most of the competition, if not all. But the six remaining team members are incredible. They'll be great.

Something on a Stick

Today is something on a stick day. What is your stick food of choice? Mine is probably the pancake wrapped breakfast sausage on a stick dipped in maple syrup, thanks to my brother.

Today my mom and I went in search of some decent patio furniture -- found one possibility and an adorable planter that would be perfect next to our front door. We also got a new rug for the kitchen and some new pillows for shams. Nice.

Tillie spent the evening getting better acquainted with my sister's dog and my mom's cats. It was pretty entertaining. It was like watching a bunch of little kids.