Oh, For the Love of Etsy

As long as I'm pretend-shopping on Etsy again, I thought I'd share what's catching my eye! (It helps with the cravings, mom. Promise.)

This seriously lovely porcelain greyhound. Usually they seem kinda creepy to me and this one is just...sleek!

For obvious reasons. :)

This adorable vintage tweed dress + jacket set is calling my name!

And can I have her hair, please??

I love the idea of having this super cute light in the corner of my room - it'd be so cozy!

These gourd bowls are so simple and elegant, and they'd be perfect for homemade sauces or dressing.

Continuing the white trend, I'm thinking this gorgeous hand painted ceramic coffee cup with silicone lid would be a smart investment and keep me from wasting so many paper ones!

This whale tissue box cover would have really cheered me up the 400 times a day I was reaching for a tissue last week! We're talking major nose drippage, people. Not pretty.

What have you found lately, fellow addicts?

xo

P.S. My dad is out of surgery and doing great - already flirting with the nurses. :)

Etsy Finds

You might have noticed that I put back the Etsy favorites widget in the sidebar - now that Christmas is over, I won't be ruining any surprises by having it up there! :)

While I was doing that, I couldn't resist taking a peek in some of my favorite shops. That was a baaaad move. I'm left with too many new favorites! Here's a few...

I'm seriously in love with this rough amethyst ring. And really, her whole shop:

An old friend from junior high & high school has recently started selling her lovely jewelry on Etsy. I think this necklace is my favorite, becase it reminds me of the Viking tree of life:

This recycled wood sign has been calling my name for a long time! Soon, soon, I just need more space...

Something I need put next to the door:

Yes, I have a weakness for big rings. Especially when they're green.

I need this shirt for when I go to the shelter. Always, always, always opt to adopt! (Greyhounds preferred, naturally.)

The saucer for this cup is just too sweet:

This little owl bank will give me even more motivation to save my pennies!

So what have you found irresistable lately? Link me up so I can drool and favorite some more!

xo

The Weekend

Doesn't Christmas seem like forever ago? Or is it just me?

Last week I hit the ground running, as I'm working on getting my website up (hopefully by the end of the month!) and there's so much more to do than I ever imagined. It's madness! Luckily I get by with a little help from my shutter sister Nancy and Mr. Same Same. Plus, Nancy brought me to a meeting of the local Fast Track Group. Exactly what I needed!

By Friday, I was ready to have a quiet night in. A Lemon Drop martini and a self-manicure, plus catching up on Modern Family and Big Bang Theory made it perfect. :)

New polish color is from SpaRitual's spring 2011 line, called Circle of Life. It's electric blue and I'm in love!

Saturday morning I *forced* mom and Liv to go with me down to South Coast Plaza in pursuit of a new winter coat. We started at Nordstrom Rack and I got super lucky and found the perfect one! Originally retailed for $400, it was marked down to $150 and I had a $50 gift card. I am triumphant! (It's this one, in olive.)

They found some cute things too and we had a lovely leisurely lunch. After a nap once we got home, we made filet mignon a la Elissa for dinner (my auntie's yummy recipe) and watched Gosford Park.

Sunday I let myself sleep in a bit and then headed down to the shelter for some more photos. I've got to give Sarah big props, I couldn't do it without her! And it saves me taking time away from the dedicated volunteers.

Kaya is a ridiculously cute lab/pit mix puppy - you'd better hurry down there if she's what you're looking for! No doubt she'll find a loving home super quick. Who could say no to that head tilt? Turns out she was a Christmas gift to a family that wasn't ready to have a puppy. :(

Mr. Same Same had arrived by the time I got home, so we spent the evening snuggling and catching up on the new Robot Chicken Star Wars. Which was, of course, awesome.

So how was your weekend, dear reader?

10 Things

An occasionally-posted series, here's ten things that are currently floating my boat.

1. This guy.

He's amazing. 'Nuff said.

2. Pumpkin spice lattes. Discovered them last year and couldn't wait for them to come back! (I know, I'm so late to the game. AKA lame.)

3. Skindinavia's No More Shine makeup finish spray. Got this stuff at the beginning of the summer and it's been my saving grace! My skin is oily-dry combination and super sensitive, and this has been wonderful at keeping my makeup from sliding without irritating it or using silicone like most primers do. I got the smallest size and it's lasted since June, and I use it nearly every day. Worth every penny!

4. Anja and Dante playing together.

It took a little while, but Dante is finally really warming up to her! (Sorry he looks like an alien in this photo. The light behind me was really bright!) Going on walks together multiple times a day hasn't hurt, and he's figured out that she's a good playmate when it comes to chase in the backyard. :)

5. The start of fall. The week before last unseasonably cool for SoCal, the nights have really been cooling down and I'm loving every minute of it! It's my favorite season!

6. Hairstylists that give you exactly what you want/need.

I've been going to Kim Lyon at Lux Salon in Fullerton (an Aveda salon - loooove their products!) for almost two years now and every time she never fails to give me the exact cut I'm looking for, while still making it work with the hair I have (I've finally come to grips with the fact that I'll never be able to carry off tons of curls and volume with my fine hair). Never mind that she's sweet and lovely. If you're looking for someone, she's fantastic and reasonable!

7. SpaRitual nail polish. My salon started carrying this brand this year, and it seems that everyone there is as addicted to it as I am! It's a nice formula and the bottle has a rubberized handle to help keep it from slipping, but the best part is the colors. I'm like a kid in a candy store every time they have new ones! My favorite right now is called "Living in the Moment" - the perfect taupe-grey-purple. :) I top it with Orly's quick dry topcoat and it lasts a week with no chipping, easy.

8. Gorgeous vintage dresses. Like this one by Christian Lacroix that Cate Blanchett wore recently. It took my breath away!

9. Lego Star Wars. Mr. Same Same and I spent a few hours playing this during our lazy Sunday yesterday and it was awesome. Never gets boring! 

10. America's Next Top Model. It's totally my guilty pleasure TV. I love to fast forward through the teenage drama crap and get straight to the challenges and photo shoots. :)

So what's making you happy lately?

xo

Anatomy of a Purse, Fall 2010

It's been about a year since the last time I did this, and after seeing Jason Travis' awesome photos of people and their bags, I knew it was time for another round! Things have really changed. :)

1. My good ol' B. Makowsky purse. A larger initial investment, but so worth it. Looks like new, no problems yet with the stitching coming apart or anything, no matter how much crap I cram in it! :)

2. My super cute reusable greyhound coffee cup sleeve from Etsy seller Shopmollyd. Love it! I save paper and she donates money from every sale to sighthound rescue organizations.

3. My Pirates of the Caribbean giant key ring with my car keys. I got it at Disneyland and for some reason can't find it online anywhere!

4. House/office keys, with a ducky LED light that quacks when you turn the light on, plus souvenirs from Norway and London. :)

5. My trusty "Meds or Madness?" Mad Hatter pill box. I took out the divider the comes with it immediately, seeing as it doesn't allow for anything bigger than Aleve!

6. My inhaler. Don't go anywhere without it!

7. Burt's Bees Pomegranate lip balm. Has just a hint of tint and smells good too.

8. Fresh Sugar lip gloss in Sugar Cherry. Almost more moisturizing than the lip balm, and the perfect shade of sheer red. Love it!

9. Aveda Hand Relief. Seriously the best - you still feel moisturized after washing your hands, but it isn't grossly greasy or watery. All the women in my family are hooked on it!

10. Tide To Go. Because I'm a dork and spill more than I would like.

11. My business cards from Moo. So awesome that you can have a different image on each card. Now I just need to find a decent card case - any suggestions?

12. Clean & Clear oil blotters. Been using these for-ev-er and nothing beats 'em!

13. Moleskine Daily Planner for September. I invested in this box set in January and love them! It's just right to keep me recording little things every day, as it's a page per day.

14. Wallet by Etienne Aigner that I found ages ago at TJ Maxx (and by "ages ago" I mean more than five years ago). It just won't die! :)

I can't believe I forgot to include my iPhone - I think it was in my pocket when I took this photo. I don't leave home without that either!

So what's in your bag right now? Share!

xo