It’s cold outside, the sidewalks are covered in ice and I SOMEHOW, on top of my pregnancy sickness, managed to contract the cold that stomps all other colds in the face then asks if they want more. Maybe it’s the Bubonic plague? But am I letting that hamper my day dreams of summer days wearing a cute little dress, my saddle shoes and riding my bike? The answer would be no, my day dreams are still alive and kicking even though Sherry the Schwinn is currently freezing her tires off outside on the porch. I am thinking about her too though, and ways I might be able to pimp her out next summer. I have been trying to find the right basket for her for ages, we tried the saddlebag baskets that go on the back (very harley davidson), but they didn’t bolt on right and most of the front-loading baskets totally cramp her style. I mean Sherry is a tough, black, pin-stripped, white walled, riding machine–she means business she can’t have some wicker basket bringing her down. Don’t you agree?
So to remedy the situation I found the Handlebar Bag and, low and behold, it is made in stinkin’ Chicago! (This city does manage to grow on me a little more everyday.) I can’t even tell you how I found them, but somewhere through a labyrinth of other blogs and links while doing research for work this little gem Po Campo popped up.
Cute bags, made by cute girls in cute Chicago–sign me up!
Okay, this is possibly the coolest thing I have seen in a while. A website dedicated to highlighting vintage shops nationwide. I know that most of us want to keep our favorite places secret, so all the girls that can shop during the day on weekdays don’t go and reap all the goods. But after seeing my beautiful sister’s boutique Rockin’ Rose fold last year because sales were so low, I now understand that to keep the shops thriving we need to help promote them and stop being selfish (this is really just directed at myself.)
Jessica of What I Wore appears to be the mastermind behind Vintage Where? and I am so excited to see that someone took the time to do this–it is such a great idea. So please fill in your favorite hot spots!
You read my post yesterday, right? You saw that I was trying to turn things around, perk myself up and look like a normal human being, yes? I really did have the best intentions, after my post I marched into my bathroom ready to make a change and when I opened my medicine cabinet, I glanced over all the lovely new beauty products I had at my disposal. Is it coincidence that I joke that I was looking “bad” and yet every single member of my family bought me some sort of hygiene and/or beauty product for Christmas? I am not even kidding–I received shampoo, soap, creams, lotions, make-up, perfume, etc… I literally have an entirely new arsenal of beauty supplies.
Well first things first I decided to take my new eyelash curler and test it out with a new method my mother suggested to me. She said “you should take your hair dryer and heat up the curler, it gives a much better curl” and I thought to myself “cool”, I feel like I have seen make-up artists do that on TV before. So there I am face potions administered, new found youth and vigor are building and I am heating my eyelash curler with my candy pink blow dryer. But how long do I hold it there? Does it need to be hot like a curling iron? 30 seconds? I waffled on this for a bit and decided to just go for it! Immediately following this burst of confidence I burnt my eyelid with the stinkin’ curler. Apparently it does not need to be HOT for maximum effectiveness! *sigh* Here’s to another day “trying” to be pretty.
p.s. Please forgive my typo yesterday referring to my husband as a couch and not a coach. He texted me while I was in bed last night and he was in the living room and then came in and turned all the lights on to verbally alert me of my typo. Ain’t love grand? 
It’s Monday morning, again!?! I left the couch all of 3 times over the weekend and missed my friend Kristen’s NYE party because I am literally a bump on a log. I feel so bad for ever lacking sympathy for a pregnant person in the past, as these symptoms are legit! But, my plan for January (if this fetus will agree) is to start brushing my hair again and actually applying make-up before leaving the house to, if anything, fake it ’til I make it.
I currently do not look preggo at all–just look like I ate too much Christmas Supper (which is funny because the only two Christmas things I could stomach were mac n’cheese and marshmallow salad!) This is especially difficult when you are walking through the grocery store and violently gagging at all the smells. ha! My husband honestly had to yell at me like a coach last week to “run to the dairy aisle” to get away from the rotting meat smell. barf! So to make myself feel pretty, I thought I might need a little “in between” cuteness. This dress is a little potato sack-ish, but it is frilly and lovely and will hide my widening silhouette.
p.s. I have had a few requests for me to highlight preggo fashion during the next 6 months. Is this okay with you all? I will still cover regular clothes (while secretly cursing all of you who can wear them!) but keeping it relevant to my deformed body could prove hilarious for all involved. Let me know as I really don’t want to become a bore!
p.p.s. I really wish ModCloth was a real store so I could take about 50 of their dresses into a dressing room and play dress up like I was 5.
I think I may have mentioned Lonny Magazine a couple of months ago in a post. After seeing their debut issue, I was filled with excitement that a shelter pub may still have a home, albeit online. I mean the end of Blueprint and Domino Magazine were truly sad days for me. I am one of those lame people that still have some issues cataloged at my apt. Does anyone remember the layout of Erin Featherston’s Parisian apartment? *sigh* Fingers crossed that Lonny is here to stay. She may not be budget-friendly (in regards to the items featured) but she is free and eco-friendly and she gives a wealth of ideas that can be reenacted on a budget.
These two photos got me hook, line and sinker.
I am not sure if I mentioned this in the past, my memory as of late is a little dull, but I have been asked to contribute to a new website called 24 Savvy. I am the Chicago contributor and I am writing on fashion and home. yay! The site covers a little bit of everything but the Webisodes with Kathleen Monteleone are super fun. She is the current star of the touring Broadway show Legally Blonde (and possibly a friend of mine.)
My first post went up this week and it’s a fun little holiday number hilighting the lovely Sprout Home, so I thought I would link and share. Let me know what you think of the site and if you are Chicago local, send me some cool stuff to cover. Considering that I can hardly peel myself off the sofa these days, I can use all the details you fine folks are willing to offer.
My apologies for the creepy picture, but I thought this was better than posting a pic of a real person whom I don’t know. I am so excited to be able to tell people freely now and also to explain why my posts have been so sporadic and sub-par (not to mention that I have completely ignored the horrible google ads that have been on my page–what is the deal with that?!). I have definitely been hit pretty hard with the first trimester issues and I am trying my darndest to pull myself back up again. I think January is going to be a good month. So please do not fear that this blog will somehow be turned into a mommy blog or that my pregnancy is going to drown out all of my other interests (you should know me better than that!) but I can’t say that a little venting/celebrating will not slip through every now and again.
Yeah, I said it! I’m putting a little Christ back in the season. This year especially–I just haven’t been feeling well and haven’t gotten into any of my normal routines. It is Dec 16th and I haven’t even filled out one Christmas card or wrapped one present. It’s absolutely painful to think about how much still needs to get done. My only saving grace is that I bought a poinsettia and hosted a dinner last weekend for friends that looked mildly seasonal i.e. green goblets, white plates and red flowers. *sigh* Is anyone else having this problem this year? Am I all alone? I swear that I want to be more motivated, I just can seem to ignite the fire.
I almost posted pictures of pretty parties and food that I found online, but thought that might be a little soul-crushing if anyone is in the same boat as me. Instead, I am sticking with the paper theme and posting some lovely retro holiday cards that will, hopefully, inspire me to get my sad carpal tunnel stricken hand a writing this weekend. Please feel free to taunt or make fun of me–I usually find these methods motivating. Or you could tell me how much you have already completed and maybe I will feel compelled to catch up?
I love paper! I have loved everything about it since I was a kid–the crisp feeling between your fingers, the smell and the tingle of excitement that comes from flipping through a stack of finely crafted Italian card stock. Is that creepy? I used to play secretary as a child and my grandmother would get pads of Rx brand paper from her neighbor for me to “take my notes.” My collection of paper has dwindled over the years because I found it very hard to move and store when I lived in NYC. When you have no place to put food or clothes in your studio, that box of stationary you’ve had since you were 9 seems less of a priority.
I have been slowly trying to build my collection back up. I am due for some personalized letterpressed note cards with my married name, but those are a little pricey to request as a gift. I also need to up the ante with my thank you cards, the dollar bin at Target always has these really cute note cards that I keep grabbing, but the quality is a little lame. I thought I might add the journals below to my holiday wish list this year. I like that they have a retro vibe, but are modern and covered in cloth. I found them in the Bust Magazine Shop.
I am coming to you, my fine readers, today to ask for some assistance. I was just told by my in-laws that my christmas list was not long enough and that they need more ideas. Oddly, I have been at a loss the past few weeks for things that I want. Imagine that!? (I think it may be a side-effect of not feeling well.) But I remembered yesterday that I still need throw pillows for the new sofa. I remember finding a site last month in Lonny Magazine that you could custom make your own, but I stupidly did not write it down and now I can’t find it again. (Jen White, do you remember?)
So I need your suggestions for cool sites, stores or etsy shops to get amazing, moderately funky pillows for our beautiful retro-modern sofa. Please help a sister out!
