A Slow-Down... and a Giant YAY!!!

My friendship bracelet-making plans are on hold for at least six weeks, and my posting, too, may be a little slower and more sparse in that time-frame, and I apologize. But my dopey, klutzy self had herself a little (a second) rollerblading mishap Sunday, and now my right wrist is fractured and braced-up, inhibiting easy typing (or easy anything, really). So, I regret that I'll have to slow down a bit, and space out posts while I heal up. Hopefully it'll get easier as the six weeks roll on, and I'll be able to do more and more every week -- that's the plan!

That's the slow-down... now the YAY!

(via Oh Joy!)

HAPPY ALMOST-WEDDING WEEKEND TO MY DEAR, LOVELY, WONDERFUL FRIENDS R&D!!! I'm so excited I could burst. Can't wait to jubilate and make-merry at what will undoubtedly be one of the most incredibly beautiful, joyous, fun, and boogie-down-filled celebration of love and soul mate-ness! My D and I feel so lucky to call you friends, and to be able to be witness to this perfectly perfect moment in your lives. Looking forward to a great weekend with some of the best friends we could ask for. Here's to love and friends who are family!

I love you! See you in Rhode Island!!! Whoop!

(via Jakob E's Flickr photostream)

Friendship Bracelets

My friend A tells me (via shares on Google Reader) that friendship bracelets are back! If that's true, then I'm on board for two reasons: 1) FUN! 2) I have that "skill"/"talent"!

(via Rikshaw Design)

Last year I was determined to get back on board with embroidery, and while I still would like to do that, I haven't made much progress. I do, however, have a JoAnn's Fabrics bag full of unused embroidery thread, so I might as well do something with it, right?!

I'm going to try to revisit my summer camp youth this weekend and fancy-up some friendship bracelet-making.

I do have an actual embroidery project in mind, though, but that one's top secret. So for now, updated friendship bracelets it is!

Shorts

I don't know if you know about Pinterest, or if you do, if you're aware of/following my pins/boards. But, well you should be. HA! Pinterest is great, it's like a holding pattern for anything you're into, thinking about, planning, enjoying. You can create as few or as many boards (by subject, concept) as you desire, and keep everything organized to easily recall or get back to at any time. I know I will enjoy this resource even more when we are finally ready to plan our bathroom renovations (yes, both), and when I'm helping to plan, say, a friend's upcoming baby shower for example (!). But I digress. This post is about shorts.

Because if you *do* by chance follow me on Pinterest, you may recall my swooning and drooling over these pricey lovelies:

(Paul & Joe Sister Roman Blue Denim Bow Shorts)

These are delicious, and also $193.05 (the five cents are critical, obviously) at My-Wardrobe.com. My pin described my state of drooling, but also my hope that a perfectly acceptable knock-off might be found at the likes of a Forever21.

Guess what?! I pass Forever21 on my way to work from the bus every day, and sure enough, some good substitutes were in the window this morning! So, onto the website I went, and here's what I found for options:

(High Waist Pinstripe Short - $17.80)

(Pleated Lyocell Shorts - $17.80)

(Casual Woven Short - $15.80)

(Self Belt Shorts - $17.80)

(High Waist Linen Blend Shorts - $18.90)

(Self Tie Linen Blend Shorts - $17.80)

Eh? Not bad, right? Not the same, for sure, but maybe close enough? I'm betting there might be more possibilities to be found at H&M...

Dear Mr. Postman

Last year, among my usual New Year's Resolutions (more water, less sugar, monthly self-breast checks), I absorbed one inspired by my friend R, who wanted to write one real letter or card and mail it every week for the year. How wonderful is real mail? It's basically the best.

I did well for the first part of the year, but then tapered off, though I did send real mail every month throughout the whole year, and I've carried it over into 2011. I have always loved stationery and note cards. I inherited that from my mom, who's bottom desk drawer is always filled with boxes of note cards so that no matter the occasion or the whim, she has a beautiful piece of paper (and matching envelope) ready to go. I have storage boxes, as well as bedside table drawers (and desk drawers at work) filled with my collection. I love to actively scour the clearance shelves at stores like Marshalls and TJ Maxx and Michaels, I basically always have my third eye out looking for pretty stationery, cards, post cards, envelopes, etc., whether consciously or not.

Don't you love getting mail for no reason?! Do you ever write real notes or letters anymore? Who do you write to?

I know, it all goes back to Etsy lately, but I saw this post this morning and, not only did it make me smile big and bright (which is always a good thing at the office!), but it also sent me right over to the shop (ooh! it's a new one! just joined Etsy May 4!) to see what other goodies there are.

(sparrownestscript)

Yes, I could probably make these myself (I do make my own note cards with prints of photos I've taken), but someone else already has, and so well. How happy would you be to get a sunny yellow envelope in the mail, open it up, and find this happiness inside?


More:

(happy father's day, indeed!)

I just realized that part of what's drawing me to these is that the font reminds me of my old friend K's handwriting. I think I'll send her a card today!

Tie Dye Beauts

I'm really into tie-dye lately. Not the janky kind I made at camp, but the beautiful kind that's popping up in all things, well, everything. From home goods to fashion to accessories, I could tie-dye up my whole existence with what's out there and be really happy right now.

Apparently, I'm also way into items way beyond my budget today, as well. Because I just want one of these gorgeous tie-dye scarves by Scout & Catalogue so desperately I could knot up my arm and dip-dye it if I could use that as barter...

(The Nomad)

(The Lasso)

More here.
Found via Oh Joy.

Holy Gorgeous! Prabal Gurung for J.Crew

The CFDA/VOGUE FASHION FUND helps emerging American designers pursue their design and business plans. In addition to grants of $300,000 to the winner and $100,000 each to the two runners-up, the awards include a yearlong mentorship with an industry professional whose business expertise is tailored to the designers’ needs and future goals.

Among other eligibility requirements, all applicants must have an established primary design business in the U.S., be in business for a minimum of two consecutive years, and must have "demonstrable talent: i.e., have garnered substantial and recent editorial coverage, and have support (i.e., orders) from key retailers."

Notable previous finalists include:

Phillip Lim ('06, finalist; '07 runner-up)

Thakoon ('06, runner-up)

Jovovich-Hawk ('06, finalist)

Rag & Bone ('06, finalist)

Derek Lam ('04, finalist; '05, runner-up)

Marchesa ('06 finalist)

Proenza Schouler ('04, winner)

Vena Cava ('07, finalist; '08, runner-up)

Alexander Wang ('08, winner)

To celebrate, each of the recipients of this prestigious award (winner and runners-up) designed a signature "capsule collection" exclusively for award partner. Prabal Gurung is one of the runners-up for this year's prize, and J.Crew just posted his limited collection (for some of the designs, only 50 pieces total were created at all!) on their website. IT. IS. STU-NNING. 

(Boom!)

(Yes, please)

(This (denim?! really?! awesome.) jacket is DIVINE)

Says the designer: "Personal style is innovative yet intimate. It's a reflection of your aesthetic, beliefs, who you stand for and the relationship you have with the world. It has the power to speak volumes about you without having to vocalize a thing."

I wish my budget spoke Gurung's language.

Inspiration: Grandma

Have had my Gram on my mind all day today, so I thought I'd share two of my favorite photos of my grandparents, which I keep on my desk at work.

This one's from my cousin's Bar Mitzvah in 2006 (it's one of the last photos taken of my Gram before she passed the following fall):

(I love the light and love in both of their eyes in every shot they took together)

And this is my all-time favorite photo of them together, ever, hands-down, it's perfection:

(see what I'm talking about in the eyes? how awesome is this photo?!)

And here's how I display them on my desk:

(glass owl photo holder is from Pier1. I don't think they carry the owl anymore, or at least not online, but here's a glass pig from the same collection...)

Wine Cork Crafting

My dad has been collecting wine corks in my parents' basement for a long time. Originally, I think he was trying to see how many bottles they popped in one year. And then, having no plan with what to do with 12 months' worth of corks, he just kept going. I was visiting my parents Mother's Day weekend, and noticed that the barrel-o-corks is runneth over. So I've been thinking about encouraging my dad to get on that project, or maybe I will.

Found this DIY for a wine cork-cork board, and liked the idea, but more as just framed art and not necessarily a cork board. Seems simple enough, eh?

What else could I do?

Terracotta

Beautiful terracotta sconces from Anthropologie. Wonderfully combining the new with the old... I love the way the glaze is crackled.

(Pantile Pillar Sconce)

(Pantile Taper Sconce)

Both sconce designs come in both colors... both are just $28. At Anthro! New!

Now to decide where these can go.

To Buy or Not To Buy - Vintage Havana Dress

Vintage Havana Yellow Tie Dye Twisted Back dress... on sale at Ideeli today (and presumably for at least another day or two)...

To buy? or not to buy?

Ana Ventura

(1. "you make my heart sing" * 2. "weeping tree" * 3. "waiting for you" * 4. "love" ~ more here)

Love these illustrations, and their beautiful and perfect titles, by Ana Ventura (found via Morfologica).


And check out these gorgeous embroideries...

("Roots")

Lots more pretty things in her shop.

Dirtsa Studio

(Letter Pillows from Dirtsa Studio)

Discovered Dirtsa Studio by way of a random clicking stream of consciousness, and ooh-wee! How fun are these?! More from her shop...

(cases only)

(snuggly)

(or, just buy a number of your choice of any letters and spell yourself silly!)

Okay, she has more than these awesome Scrabble letter pillows, but I just love them!

Dirtsa Studio is named for artist Becky's late grandmother (her name was Astrid; Astrid backwards = Dirtsa) who was an artist in her own right. By the artist's own words, she's just "out to add some color to the world." Combining her professional background, education, and passions, she left a two-year stint at Anthropologie to pursue her own creative interests. The result is whimsical, playful, interesting... delightful.

(Penmanship Pillow)

(Chalkboard World Map Large)

Pretty, Delicate Intimates... at Target

I've gotten *really* into light nightgowns and chemises recently, especially as it starts to get a little warmer. There's something so easy and yet pretty about them. I definitely still sleep in old soccer t-shirts sometimes, but less and less as time goes on.

I recently bought one like this one, by Gilligan and O'Malley, at Target (mine's in a bright summery aqua, or calypso-like green, but they didn't have that color online). It's (surprisingly?) extraordinarily comfortable, light, soft, simple. It's also just pretty, and even a little sexy. And, come on, $20. Can't be beat.

Peekaboo Teacups from ModCloth

Can you even stand how adorable/awesome/delightful/hysterical these are?!

[@ ModCloth... Fox and Owl (currently sold out... but hopefully back soon?!)]

Branch

Love this branch vase/holder/wall art by Otchipotchi (via simple things). The texture on white is just evoking such a reaction in me. What a lovely way to bring in subtle flora to the home... it can hold water and be mounted to the wall.