You all know that when I am a fan of something, I am hardly fair weather. I usually love with all my heart and my newest discovery is no exception. Kate Gabrielle is the artist behind Flapper Doodle, which is the cutest little fictional lass I ever did see. Flapper Doodle and I seem to have a lot in common, we like cotton candy, we have cute husbands, we enjoy bike rides and polaroids! I have included two of my favs below, but honestly if you go to her site or her Etsy shop you will probably fall in love too. Kate’s prints have actually inspired me to create a baby shower registry which will include some of my favorite stuff from Etsy. How fun, right?
Remember back in January when I highlighted the site Conversation Pieces? The one with all the cute dresses and amazing prices? Well as a thank you, the gal behind the site sent me the Ahoy, Sailor shirt. How nice was that? I know I am terribly delyaed in giving her an additional shout-out, but I thought seeing me trying to squeeze into the cute little top with my round belly might provide a bit of humor for you.
*p.s. The site has some super cute spring/summer dresses up!
I had the chance to spend some quality time with one of my oldest and loveliest friends over the weekend and it was divine! It is just so fun to have a few people who really know you and still manage to like you. And it isn’t so bad when they happen to use that insightful knowledge to buy you amazing gifts just because.
So it looks like I have a new commuting bag after all, thanks to Mandy! I couldn’t find the exact graphic that she got me, but the company is called Envirosax. They make these adorable, eco-friendly bags that are spacious yet completely light-weight! Do you love them too?
Most of you know of my love/hate relationship with Etsy. I mean I really do enjoy finding good stuff on the site, but I just find the search so much less fulfilling than a good thrift shop dig. So many stores and goods and no tactile experience–it always leaves me wanting for more. Every couple of weeks though, I try to spend some time finding new shops to follow and if I’m lucky a new little something-something.
Last night was my Etsy night. I choose to plunge in and keep my search terms very vague so I could cast a wide net. I went with the generic “mid century modern” and wow, that term sure delivered page upon page of loveliness. One store, in particular, caught my eye and it’s called The Sunday Times Market. The couple that host the shop sound just about as cute as can be and if they lived in Chicago, I would totally make them my friends (even though they don’t like kimchi!)
I picked a few of my favorites from their line-up; but with all the colors, quality vintage and amazing photography you will see that it was hard to choose just four items!!! I also suggest that you check out their site for good measure.
p.s. My coffee press broke this morning (again?!?) I had to use a sieve to drain my stinkin’ coffee. Why does this keep happening to me?
I have been having the most bizarre craving as of late. I have always liked sweet things, particularly along the lines of suckers, sweetarts and nerds, but lately in my fog of pregnancy, I have been craving cotton candy. Hmmm… could there be a reason for this? Am I destined to birth a sugar-addicted child? And more importantly, where does one find a stash of cotton candy all year round? Well, as any addict could tell you with the right amount of determination, any fix can be found. The mall back in Ohio (we’ve been going back a lot lately for the little man) seems to be the best source of the good, fresh stuff and the Easter season has brought an additional stash to my local CVS and Walgreens. When all else fails, Blockbuster has packaged cotton candy for year round enjoyment. Delicious!
So in honor of pretty, pink cotton candy, I thought a little taste of some lovely feminine (and pink) dresses would make you think of walking down a boardwalk in summer with a fun summer treat! As usual, click on the images to view or purchase.
This week has brought me great joy. For starters it’s already Wednesday, which means the week is already half over and then I find out I may get to have a little work stop-over in NYC next month (excited to see my ladies!),I finally found a network tv show that I like (Parenthood), then Season 3 of Mad Men was released on DVD and I finally saw the photos of the Mad Men Barbie dolls.
I am sure that I must sound completely lame, but quite frankly it takes a lot to get me excited about anything, especially the release of doll photos and the launch of a DVD. So, I refuse to fight it. I mean just look at this mini Joan and her cute little outfit. (Although it really seems that could have made her proportions a little more Joan-esque, no?)
It’s 5:30 a.m. was that the correct use of wares? This whole month has completely wore me down, so the smallest details are becoming a blur. I did make time to look at some eye candy though. We are making plans for all the weddings, showers, graduations and other warm weather celebrations and it makes me long to be sheathed in something pretty. I figured since my body is growing into alien-like proportions and I will probably be wearing a chiffon moo-moo, that I will fantasize about a gorgeous teeny-tiny dress. I mean if we are talking fantasy, do I need to admit that my pre-preggo size was an 8 and not a 0? Nope, my dream…my tiny make-believe bottom.
I saw this dress in the free H&M magazine that they pass out in really random places. The most recent edition I got from a girl handing them out when I got off the Red Line a few weeks ago. (Again, very random!) I just love this dress, it is the perfect shade of red, has lovely texture and it costs $40. I suppose in fantasy land it could have been $1400, but we really do have to come back to reality sometime and I am probably more likely to have a smaller bottom in the future than to be purchasing a $1400 dress to wear to someone else’s wedding!
I need help! Yes, I am admitting it…I may have turned a small rut into an ongoing issue. You see, I don’t like taking my purses on the train (because trains are gross.) I am a bit of a bag lady when it comes to my daily commute–I have to take the entire house with me not to mention the bulk amount of fresh fruits I carry now (that gets heavy!) When I lived in NYC, I would carry my cute purse and then an extra bag, but my commute was so short–I only had to travel 4 stops from Brooklyn to Union Square. I also never packed my lunch in NYC (obviously this was before I married my sensible husband!), which significantly cuts down on the “stuff”.
So back to the issue at hand, I have been hauling my life to and from work in a canvas tote that I received at a luxury suite for L’Oreal (which was a work event) a few years ago. That’s right, I own plenty of beautiful lovely bags and I am walking around like a homeless person carrying a dirty old one. What is wrong with me? I am including a picture of the bag. PLEASE NOTE: I usually keep the slogan facing me!
So my quest to you is this: I need to find a large commuting bag, that is cute, washable and ready for spring! It has to be a bag that, if necessary can be set on the floor of the train (extreme circumstances only!)
My husband and I were watching old episodes of the Dave Chappelle this week and the show had a segment called “keepin it real”. I would like to follow his lead and do a similar gut check on some new spring fashion items. Now I really do love the excitement and fan fare that goes along with Fashion Week and high design shows, but I feel that many of those creations are designed for attention and not practicality. Here in Chicago, I work, run errands and have the occasional night on the town. I like to dress up for dinner parties and work events, but mostly I am just a girl trying to avoid looking too comfortable out of my house (i.e. no sweatsuits at Target, please) but generally trying to have my attire meet the demands/needs of my daily life.
So when fancy pants designers meet the likes of Target I usually run to see what kind of everyday creations they unveil. For the most part I love them. Proenza Schouler for Target….Amazing! Erin Fetherston for Target….Enchanting! Jean Paul Gaultier for Target….Confusing. The colors and prints are really beautiful, but I don’t know if I can totally get behind the cuts and fabrics. I really liked this red dress on the left with the side swept fabric, but then I saw the other variation on the website I wanted to throw up. It felt a little 1980′s M.C. Hammer to me. I mean, let’s keep it real here folks, would you wear a chunk of fabric between your legs like that? Just think of the maneuvers you would need to take to use a public bathroom. Eeck! I am sad to say that I think this equals a missed opportunity for functional, affordable fashion.
Alright, I may possibly be the worst blogger, ever! It has been forever since my last post, and I feel so guilty. I promise I have had a lot of “stuff” going on, so I haven’t just been sitting on my sofa eating bon-bons! Not to mention work has been completely mad! I always seem to have crazy February’s at work, but managing them while preggo seems to be a little more exhausting!
Other fun news–we bought a new car! It was not in the budget or in the plans, but our sad little paid off car finally kicked the bucket. We got a Nissan Versa, and it is the perfect little city car. This is actually the first time my husband or I have purchased a new vehicle. The financing is daunting, but the new smell really is intoxicating. What the heck is that?
We also had our ultrasound on Friday and we found out it’s a girl! I am beyond thrilled and holding back everything to avoid purchasing a surplus of cute little polka dot dresses and mary janes.
So to celebrate all the news, I am posting a preggo photo of me. I haven’t even posted one to Facebook, because well…I can’t say that I feel the glowing beauty vibe that some women experience (just look at my hair–what is going on there?) I hope this helps you all feel special and forgive me for my tardiness.
