sealifestyle

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T13:43:00.002-05:00

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, EVERYONE!

Here's hoping you have a lovely day. xoxo

Image 1 found on gen's favorite; image 2 found on Brown Button.

for B.

2012-02-14T12:44:00.000-05:00

From See Jane.

Mmwpaa!

Appropriate.

2012-02-13T12:39:00.012-05:00

...yeeeah, I'm sure some my mother and husband would agree that the above note is certainly applicable for me. I should basically get this sentiment tattooed on my arm (or maybe even my forehead) for certain (all too often) low-sugar melt-down incidences... It would certainly save me a lot of time spent on post-hunger apologies. ;)

Image from the brilliant website someecards.com.

Turn me up some!

2011-05-13T14:01:00.007-04:00

Stanton Warriors - Turn Me Up Some from Roge B on Vimeo.

Oh. Heck. Yes.

(Also here for those of you who can't see embedded videos...)

Lurv a video with dance in it. And cannot wait for season 9 of SYTYCD!

Spring happenings

2011-04-30T20:02:00.011-04:00

Photo found on luxe + lillies

It's been ages! While I've been off working, traveling, wedding planning, kickballing, and waiting for the good weather, I've missed quite a few major events. I could just pretend like I was on top of it (oops, totally wasn't), or forget they went by altogether, but I'd rather give a quick shout-out to the lastest spring happenings.

Here are a few of the things I've missed:
(let's do this oldest to newest, shall we?)

Earth Day came and went. Have you been doing your part?

Photos from We Heart It, as spotted on Lavender & Lilies

Easter / Passover / the start of Spring came. Oh and the cutest bunny ever - hello, cutest bunny:

Photo also found on Lavender & Lilies, from Baby Animal Photos

An everyday girl became a princess:

Image via Pinterest

And now that those happenings have zoomed by, we have even more to look forward to. The St. John's/Naval Academy Croquet Match, Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day, nice weather - I can't wait!

A little margarita / Mexican food combo never hurts:

Photo by This Modern Romance

And don't forget to thank votre mama for all her hard work:

Stationery by Rifle Paper Co.

Happy Spring everyone!

Help Japan

2011-03-13T22:14:00.006-04:00

The news about the massive earthquake and resulting tsunami that hit Japan on the 11th is devastating. I sort of feel like I'm just one person, what can I do to help?

Of course you can donate to the Red Cross, Doctors without Borders, and other major organizations (go here for links to these organizations' and others' efforts). You can also support Japan through art.

The print shown above, "Help Japan" by W+K Studios, was designed by Max Erdenberger and printed by Steve Denekas and Walker Cahall. All of the proceeds from the print will go to Japan.

Print spotted on Design Crush.

Better late than never...because I love you.

2011-02-15T10:44:00.003-05:00

A day late, a dollar short, but I still wanted to take a minute to say Happy Valentine's Day y'all!

I Love You garland by Lovely Indeed

Sign by Coulson Macleod, as spotted on Le Love

And for you, B:

Via Le Love

Wishing you a great one, wherever you are and whomever you're with. xoxo, r.

Dirty 30 (plus one) Club

2011-02-08T10:23:00.000-05:00

This Thirty-ish candles are high-larious. And since I'm fast-approaching the age where I'd actually need these (yikes!), I'm cataloging this sussy and adding it to ye old wish list.

Good thing too, because I was planning to be "29" for the next couple of years, so at least these "Thirty-ish" candles will help keep me honest. You know, gotta keep it real. ;)

In case you, too, are encroaching upon "cougar" status, you can get your very own set of candles here.

Editor's note: I just found out the same company also makes candles that read Don't Ask, Lost Count, as well as simply You're Old (my personal fave). Or - if you're feeling really daring - they also have ones that read 21 Again (ballsy).

Baby beer pong?

2011-02-07T14:28:00.001-05:00

Look what Maggie found in Target:
Edit post
Photo by Maggie from Mighty Girl

Beer pong for babies? Say huuuuuhhh?

Well, sorta. Cuponk is a game from Hasbro that comes with a ping pong ball (two, actually - guess they were feeling generous) and a decorated cup. When you sink the ball in the cup, the cup lights up and plays a "victory sound" to let you know you've got your shot in. That's kinda cool, actually.

Hmm, actually, I'm kinda into the El Campeon lucha libra version (above, far left).

But do you think it smacks a bit too much of the binge-drinking beer pong? Don't get me wrong - I do enjoy some pong - but for children ages nine and up?? Yiiiikes.

Is anyone else disturbed that Hasbro is now selling beer pong to kids? "Get 'em started young!" I guess, eh? Also hilarious: Bam Margera is the spokesman. Yeah, 'cuz this is age appropriate.

Let your hair down...then put it up

2011-01-27T16:44:00.015-05:00

Image via Sweet Nothings

This summer I was inspired by braids (probably because my hair felt so hot on my neck!) so I did a whole round-up of different kinds of braids (here). Last March I fell for a fishtail braid that made its wearer look like a mermaid (here). Fickle hair admirer? Perhaps.

Maybe the formality of the holidays is still upon me, or the romance of the upcoming Valentine's Day has enticed me, but right now I'm loving an updo. Whether it's a bit undone (bordering on sloppy) or a perfectly chic chignon, all of the below updos look just so elegant to me.

Image via {this is glamorous}

Image via {wit + delight}, as spotted on ink and post

Image via hanneli

Image via it's mary ruffle

Now someone hand me some red wine (so I can channel my Parisian spirit), some hairpins and a teasing comb, STAT!

Cheers to New Year's!

2011-01-04T21:22:00.001-05:00

Oops, guess I'm a little late on another holiday. Ah well, you can't win 'em all. (In 2011, I'll shoot to not be 0/2, eh?)

Anyway, let's cheers to the arrival of 2011. A toast:

Looking forward to hangin' wicha, 2011. Hope you're a good egg.

Images via: 1- SHELTER, 2- Sparkles and Pretending, 3- Martha Stewart Weddings, 4- everything LEB, 5- Black*Eiffel, 6- hand lettering by Alan Ariail, via {this is glamorous}

Belated holidays

2011-01-04T20:49:00.000-05:00

Uhhh, I may be a touch late here, but I wanted to wish you all a happy holidays! (Let's just pretend that we're not in a totally different year by now, okay?). I hope you all had a wonderful Hannukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and the like.

B and I traveled to Phila (sadly, no cheesesteaks this time around); hauled gifts; exchanged said gifts; and did a lot of relaxing with family. 'Twas lurvely.

How was yours?

And before I forget, I have one special holiday shout-out in the form of the coolest pic ever. Val, this one's for you:

Blazow. (Yup, that's a word.) You can thank me later. ;)

Images via: 1- Walking Around Where the Sidewalk Begins, 2 and 3- Habitually Chic, 4- The Lil Bee

Oh Happy Day

2010-11-28T15:51:00.000-05:00

Photo by Elizabeth Messina

Friends, I've been gone for a while; I've missed you all. I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving holiday. Some happy news:

WE'RE ENGAGED!

Thanksgiving was a good one this year. :)

Oh crap.

2010-11-08T09:46:00.000-05:00

They're back. I'm in trouble.

(See what I'm talking about here.)

It's not too late!

2010-11-02T15:44:00.000-04:00

Poster designed by Shepard Fairey of Obey.

Dear US friends,

Today is Election Day. Get your tuckus out there and vote. It is your civic duty (and if you don't, you have no room to whine or complain when things aren't going the way you want them to).

Sincerely,
The Country

:)

Have a great weekend and happy Halloween!

2010-10-29T15:36:00.003-04:00

Photo 1 via Mary Ruffle; photo 2 via Twig & Thistle.

What a fun weekend coming up: Halloween (free candy! mmm!); for those of us in DC, the Rally to Restore Sanity; gorgeous weather (70s in DC?); and maybe even some downtime to take in all the gorgeous fall colors around us. I'm definitely ready.

Hope you all have an equally awesome weekend. See you back here Monday!

xoxo (and boo!), r.

Half-baked Halloween?

2010-10-29T09:47:00.001-04:00

Hello all and TGIF! Happy almost-Halloween weekend!

I lurv Halloween - always have - I mean, what's not to love about dressing up in a fun costume and getting free candy? Sounds pretty ideal to me. I am kind of sad we're too old to go trick-or-treating these days (well, I could probably still pass for a high schooler, but old man weird beard [ahem, that's you, love] might stand out), but we can still do some little stuff around the house. I hate to say it, but we actually haven't carved pumpkins this year (maybe sometime before Sunday??) and I haven't gone too overboard with decorating or the like.

Here is my one little Halloween vignette:

Spooky, eh? Yeah yeah, I know it's kind of a half-a$sed Halloween set-up, but what can you do? Gourd + plastic pumpkin (he makes an appearance every year) + spooky glitter skull (which was an awesome find, here) on an upside-down bowl = I tried. It is what it is. I kind of like it though... And don't our silhouettes look kind of creepy/dead relative-ish? :)

The one effort I have made was in the kitchen. Yesterday I got the baking bug and decided to whip up some homemade "boo pies" (I have no idea what to call them - they're sort of halfway between whoopie pies [but not as cake-y] and Oreos [but not as crunchy]) - whatever you call 'em, they ~~are~~ were gooood (just ask Sara).

Here's proof that I made these mammers from scratch:

Cooling.

Patiently waiting while I mixed up the cream cheese filling by hand.

Assembled. (A tad sloppy, but it was my first attempt at this!)

Halloween-ed up.

The only trouble is that I have this left over:

A decent portion of handmade cream cheese filling. There's about a million pounds of cream cheese, butter and confectioner's sugar just waiting to go straight to my a$s. It's all I can do not to dig in with a spoon. Oy.

Have you all gotten into the Halloween mood yet? Without kids, I feel slightly strange getting too amped up over it, but I am looking forward to this weekend... In the meantime, see you all back here in a bit!

Camo gets classy

2010-10-28T13:34:00.002-04:00

I never thought I'd see the day when I dubbed camo as "classy," but I guess today is that day. Thank you, Andy Warhol. Leave it to good ol' A. Warhubs to elevate an everyday soup can, a banana - or yes, even camouflage - to something artful and wall-worthy.

Also, that gargantuan arrangement of gorgeous hydrangea; the classic Saarinen tulip table; and the simple pops of color mixed with bright white plus dark, dark floors really helps. Whew! So many design elements mixed into one effortless, but gorgeous, room.

Camouflage silkscreen print by Andy Warhol. Photo by Douglas Friedman for C Magazine, via Destined to Design.

A video about bacon & one about life

2010-10-28T10:03:00.000-04:00

I know some of you can't check out videos during the day while you're at work, but these two are totally worth sneaking under your desk or checking out at lunch. One's hilarious and one's pretty interesting. I suggest you to watch both. (Or at least video #2 - and you scan it quickly if needed.)

First up, this little guy is verrrry upset about having his junk food cleaned out of the fridge (by his temporary mom on Wife Swap). His reaction is kinda priceless:

In case you can't see embedded YouTube videos (iPhoners!), here's the link.

Next, an interesting look at a controversial question. Don't be scared: it's not offensive or political; it's just fascinating to see what a huge change occurs in these peoples' thinking after just one follow-up question:

Here's the link if you can't see the embedded YouTube video above - go take a look, pretty please!

Thoughts?

Video 1 via I Suwanee; video 2 via Roblahblog.

Night comes early on rainy fall days

2010-10-27T20:10:00.000-04:00

Via Brown Button

I had fully planned to do another post this evening, but with the rain still coming down, the sky all dreary and dark, and our house warm and cozy, I must admit that I'm already wearing my PJs and pretty much hunkered down for the night. But, I will be back in the morning (hopefully a sunnier one at that!) with fresh new posts. See you then?

Instead of rain...

2010-10-27T10:44:00.001-04:00

...what if your windshield wipers swept over this instead today?

I know it's pouring cats and dogs out here, but wouldn't this cheery rainbow be a welcome sight?

Dutch artist Helmut Smits created this windshield rainbow using acrylic paints like this:

Concept and execution by Helmut Smits, photo by Lotte Stekelenburg. Originally spotted via DesignLoveFest.

You say tomato, I say tomato tart.

2010-10-26T13:56:00.009-04:00

Photo from Cannelle et Vanille

Hello kiddies. Miss me? This post is actually something I meant to put up last week, but what can ya do. Here it is for you now. It's a half educational, half bragging kind of post. Kidding, kidding. Well, sorta.

You see, with summer fully gone, I knew tomatoes would be on their way from beautiful, round and abundant to pretty much scant and mealy. In order to take advantage of the last gorgeous, local heirloom tomatoes still cropping up at the farmers markets and grocery stores, I decided to make a tomato tart.

I got the recipe from Martha Stewart (here) a year or so ago and have been dying to give it another shot since my mom gave me a real tart pan (read about my first attempt at this here).

So, here comes the pat myself on the back part (don't say I didn't warn you)...

Here's Martha's version of the tomato tart:

Photo from Martha Stewart

And here's mine:

Not bad, eh? (Especially considering this was a crappy iPhone pic I took as the tart was cooling in my dimly lit kitchen.) In a way, I almost think mine looks prettier with the mix of yellow and red tomatoes. Could it be?

In case you want some more eye candy, here's a close-up:

Yum. It's like a really fancy pizza. Mmmm, pizza.

If you're interested in giving this a try yourself, here's the recipe:

Heirloom Tomato Tart

Originally from Martha Stewart Living, July 2005
Serves 8

Ingredients:
1 head garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil Note: next time I would cut this down to 2 tablespoons
All-purpose flour, for dusting
Pate Brisee (pie dough) Note: I used premade dough from the grocery store, found in the refrigerated section (not frozen), and it was just fine
2 ounces Italian fontina cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)
1 1/2 pounds firm but ripe tomatoes (4 medium), cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place garlic on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Wrap to enclose garlic in foil, and place on a small baking sheet. Bake until soft and golden brown and the tip of a knife easily pierces the flesh, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven; set aside.

Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees. When garlic is cool enough to handle, using either your hands or the dull end of a large knife, squeeze the cloves out of their skins and into a small bowl; mash with a fork, and set aside. Discard the papery skins.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 1/8-inch-thick circle, about 12 inches in diameter. With a dry pastry brush, brush off the excess flour; roll the dough around the rolling pin, and lift it over a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Line the pan with the dough, pressing it into the corners. Trim the dough so that it is flush with the edges; transfer to the refrigerator to chill, about 30 minutes.

Spread roasted garlic evenly on the chilled crust. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Arrange the tomatoes on top of the cheese, in an overlapping circular pattern. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Transfer to oven.
Reduce temperature to 400 degrees. and bake until crust is golden and tomatoes are soft but still retain their shape, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool for 20 minutes, and serve warm.
--

And, in case you're like me and need "Cooking for Dummies" in the kitchen (I so do!), Gail from She Loves to Cook posted step-by-step pics as she made her tomato tart - too bad I didn't find this tutorial until just now, drat! Her post on this recipe is here. Doesn't her tart look pretty with the green tomatoes included? (It's still uncooked, obviously, but pretty nonetheless):

Photo from She Loves to Cook

I assure you this recipe is easy as can be (if I made it, you know it is!) and won't take that long now that I've done it more than once. So let me just relish in this one-time kitchen success and forget about the fact that I had to call my friend Sara in a panic to ask her how to cut a tomato. (I said forget that part. Eep, embarrassing.)

I love you so.

2010-10-20T15:13:00.010-04:00

The sweetest Where The Wild Things Are quote has been made into a print by Dear Colleen on Etsy. I've talked about her work before [check it out here - it was a good post if I do say so myself! :) ] but I truly adore this new print - wouldn't it be sweet for a Valentine's Day gift or hung on the wall on the way out of an entry? Oh and did I mention that it's only 29 buckaroos? Sold.

Print available here.

Spotted on roblahblog.

Boo your neighbors

2010-10-20T11:54:00.003-04:00

...Not for leaving their trash on the curb two days early - for Halloween!

I love this cute Halloween neighborhood tradition of "booing your neighbors" (from the ever-brilliant Kristin of Blonde Designs). This seems like a tradition that would be super simple and easy to do. And no pressure - you only have to do it for two neighbors - they in turn do it for two other neighbors. Fun!

Here's how quick this would be:

Step 1: print out the awesome printable labels from BD here.

Step 2: Fill two bags full of inexpensive Halloween treats.

Step 3: Include the fun "boo" poem explaining the deal (the poem is also included in the printables here).

Step 4: Put the "boo" ghost sign (below) on on your neighbor's door (see top photo) and leave one of the treat bags.

You've just booed your neighbor!

Further instructions and printable templates available here. All photos from Blonde Designs.

Girls on the go

2010-10-19T15:41:00.000-04:00

Sadly, with the weather getting rapidly cooler and the sunny days fading, I'll be putting my beloved scooter into storage for the season. I suppose if I really had some cajones I could ride it year-round, but that would require some heavy-duty coveralls (Carharts and work gloves, anyone?) that I'm just not willing to bust out.

But a girl can still dream, and evidently I have been, since these are three images of absolutely fab girls on the go that I bookmarked recently:

How stylin' is this scooter fashionista? If only I looked so glam. Instead, I rock a bobble-head helmet in lieu of this chic hat. Safety first, right?

Forget the limo - this is my kind of wedding transportation (other than wedding bikes of course). Wee vintage cars are always my fave.

And as much as I love to hate her, Olivia Palermo really is lovely. Though I refuse to believe she's actually going to ride that bicycle in those shoes.

How do you get around? (That sounded wrong.) Fall is still a nice time for bikes and walks in the crunchy leaves before the weather turns cold and bitter and I practically run to my car each morning. I must remind myself to take advantage and be my own chic girl on the go while I still can...

Photo credits: 1- photo by Laura Sciacovelli for Vogue UK (October 2010), via Fashion Spreads, 2- via Say Yes to Hoboken, 3- Olivia Palermo in London, from The Sartorialist.

Polka dotty

2010-10-19T12:28:00.006-04:00

I'll take one roll in each pattern of this very happy polka-dotted tape, please. ;)

I'm picturing it adorning/sealing up packages simply wrapped in kraft paper, using it to hold up pics on my inspiration bulletin board (the tape is removable), as a fun flourish on cards and other paper crafts, or even just to tape things together as needed (I'm looking at you, cover on the back of the universal remote where the batteries go!). Too cute.

Spotted on Armelle blog.

Leafy wreath-y

2010-10-18T16:33:00.012-04:00

Truth: I've been having some extreme motivation problems. Maybe it's that it's getting darker earlier, or just that my body is preparing itself to enter hibernation mode (it happens every winter: the daily routine becomes a cycle of: drag myself out of the warm bed into the cold house, shower, work, eat, watch movies in, eat more, cuddle, sleep, repeat, not much else - I don't like the collld!), but I've lost my gusto for all things non-mandatory. Whereas I used to relish DIY projects, I've been dragging my feet lately in getting them done or not taking them on at all. (I'm keeping it real here, peeps.)

But if I can squeeze out even one ounce of extra energy, it might just be for this incredible DIY wreath from Kathleen of Twig & Thistle. Isn't it beautiful for fall?

She took these ~~ugly~~ typical (trying to be slightly nicer) fall fake-leaves...

...spray-painted them purple and collected some coordinating ribbon, pins, and a foam ring...

...tacked the leaves onto the ribbon-covered ring...

...et voila! The most beautiful (and weather resistant!) wreath for your table, windows or door:

Isn't it so cute? I love the silvery-gray fabric flower things paired with the ombre purple leaves.

Want the full instructions? Kathleen was kind enough to lay it all out, step-by-step, on her blog here. Also, she made this fall leaf creation as part of a contest for Better Homes & Gardens - won't you be kind enough to vote for her wreath here? I mean, if I can't muster the energy to make this myself, the least I can do is take the two seconds to vote for the lady who created this, right?... ;)

From The Nick to The Moth...(and Brooklyn too)

2010-10-18T14:25:00.007-04:00

Last weekend as Sara and I drove home from our whirlwind NY trip, we queued up a podcast to keep us entertained. Sara chose a story from The Moth. (For those of you who haven't heard of The Moth, it's a non-profit storytelling org. in NY which brings in authors, celebrities, musicians, etc. to share stories live in front of an audience. Go check out the podcasts now - they're great.)

This podcast of The Moth featured Steve Burns from Blue's Clues, the old Nickelodeon kids' TV show. If your brain is as foggy as mine, let me help you out here - Steve Burns is this guy:

Nice shirt, Steve.

Anyway, Steve is no longer Steve of Blue's Clues (some dude named Joe took over); he's now a musician and off-Broadway actor. And bald. But anyhoo. Evidently he's doing pretty well for himself - or those Blue's Clues royalties still really pay off - because this is his gorgeous home in Williamsburg:

I love that his house is blue. Get it? Like Blue from Blue's Clues. Heh.

Yes, so right after I got home from said weekend trip, I came across these photos of his bachelor pad in New York magazine. Isn't the place great? Check out the interior courtyard:

I love that he has private garden space -- in Brooklyn. Who knew?

I'm glad to see that Steve o' the Big Red Chair is doing so well for himself and not, as was rumored for a while, dead from an overdose. Well done, you!

In case this post has piqued your interest, you can listen to Steve Burns' story from The Moth here. It was pretty hilarious.

Have a great weekend!

2010-10-08T14:14:00.008-04:00

Doves, it's been grand, but I'm off for a girls' weekend in New York. We're truly taking advantage of the Columbus Day hoiday and staying through Monday, so we'll have an entire extra morning in the city. Woohoo! I doubt we'll actually be riding bikes around town like this adorable girl, but it seemed like such a fun (and fashionable, in this pic!) way to flit about the city that I couldn't not include it.

If we're lucky, we'll see fall in full force like this:

Though I'd even settle for moody evenings like this:

Either way, I know I'll have a great time with friends, running around the city, eating, shopping, and talk, talk, talking. Oh and did I mention eating? Can't wait!

Hope you have a great weekend. Since we're staying in the city an extra day, I'll see you back here Tuesday!

xoxo, r.

Photo credits: 1- Topaz Page-Green on her bicycle (photo by Elizabeth Lippman for The New York Times); 2- via 6th Street Design School; 3- by Jamie of From Me To You.

The Hipsters are back...and this time they're attacking your face

2010-10-08T11:48:00.003-04:00

It all started with a photo of a bride and her bridesmaid. Totally cute and sweet. But then I looked closer and I realized: "is that bridesmaid sporting a perm? And oversize, hardcore nerd glasses?" She's like the Steve Urkel of the wedding party here. What?

Then, the more I thought about it, I realized I've been seeing these giant nerd glasses popping up all over fashion blogs. Behold, hipster-itis in full effect:

Do you think these people just woke up one day and said, "I think I will personally campaign to bring back the 80s, and I'll do so through my fashion choices. Fugly plaid, canvas sneakers, and giant corrective glasses, here I come!"

Why have just one hipster with giant nerd glasses when you can have two?

I wonder if they shop at the same glasses store.

Anne Sage of The City Sage is brilliant and adorable and I do think she actually kinda pulls off these glasses, but really? You too, Anne? Three hipster cliches in one? (I'll let you count for yourself...)

(Hint - #1: giant nerd glasses; #2: red lipstick; #3: pictures in front of lucha libre masks (from Mexican wrestling). Isn't she so ironic? ;)

And finally, hipster glasses for the more mature set. See, pairing anything with a vintage quilted Chanel bag makes you super grown-up and super hip, didn't you know? It also strongly reminds me of my grandma...

So there you have it. Please pardon my snarky tone. I am only (kinda) kidding. :) I do think some of these examples are pretty cute... And let's be honest - my fashion stylings tend to run more preppy than edgy so I can't really talk (though I did rock the gold loafer look - so trendy now - back in 3rd grade - does that count?).

Are you feeling the huuuuge glasses?

Photo credits: 1- Sean Flanigan via Style Me Pretty, 2- The Sartorialist, 3- Emili Vesilind for the LA Times, 4- The City Sage, 5- The Sartorialist.

For some non-nerd glasses, check out this round-up.

For some more hipster goodness, take a look at this or these.

Pretty in pink (and pasta)

2010-10-08T09:26:00.000-04:00

Image via Mary Ruffle

I absolutely adore this image. The top half is all ladylike elegance and proper with panache. Scroll down a bit further and you'll see that this girl's not just pretty and prim - she can down some spaghetti and drink some wine with the best of 'em. So maybe she's more Sophia Loren than Grace Kelley after all. Love it. (We could hang.)

Nap. Snazzily.

2010-10-07T13:49:00.000-04:00

Hey Snuggies, move aside. There's a new product for relaxation and it doesn't need sleeves...'cuz it's SNAZZY.

Okay seriously, how could I NOT talk about this on here?!

Has anyone else seen this Snazzy Napper thing? I laughed for a solid five minutes when I saw the ad. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it essentially a blanket with a nose-hole? But oh is it snazzy... ;)

I reneg. I think it may be more scary than snazzy. If you saw this scene what would you think?

I'm pretty sure if I saw this scenario on an airplane, I'd be deeply concerned that someone had died mid-flight and the stewardesses were trying to cover up the corpse. Either that or a snazzy terrorist had boarded the plane.

Maybe it's more appropriate for use in a car?

Oh wait, that's totally insane too. Kids, don't try "snazzy napping" while driving, k?

How about in between two total strangers?

I love that these guys are not paying any attention to the woman donning an ill-fitting burka next to them.

Are you all loving the Snazzy Napper as much as I am? Good, 'cuz you're all getting one for Christmas. You can thank me later. ;)

Want more ideas for portable nap spaces? Check out the Sleepyhead mattress cover and the cocoon chair. Nap away!

POTUS and kiddo

2010-10-07T10:08:00.001-04:00

"POTUS and kiddo" sort of sounds like the name of a children's book, doesn't it?

Anyhoo, as if this presidential ploy that I talked about earlier weren't cute enough, check out El Presidente playing peek-a-boo with a wee one in the White House:

Le sigh. Obama-rama in effect.

Photo via Pinterest.

Ooey-gooey goodness

2010-10-06T13:40:00.003-04:00

Just so you know, this looks like food porn to me.

YUM.

Oh, what is it, you ask? Sorry, let me wipe the drool off my keyboard and give you the deets.

It's a brie, apple, and arugula quesadilla. YUM. (Did I say that before?)

The recipe is from Cooking Light, here (it's healthy too, WUT!). The photo is from Atlantis Home, here. Originally spotted on Walking Around, here.

YUM.

Sorry, I just can't stop myself.

Chic & easy: DIY Halloween costume

2010-10-06T08:22:00.000-04:00

Seriously? Who knew a DIY Halloween costume could be so fashionable? Of course it helps that this woman looks like a model, but dare I say that this adorable is mushroom costume is...chic? It seriously couldn't get easier either - cover a wide-brimmed hat (grab one from Tar-jay - my favorite chic & cheap spot!) and adhere some felt spots to make it look like a mushroom top. Pair with an all-brown (or earth tone) outfit et voila! Mushroom.

If being a fun-guy (heh, fungi - get it? oy. sorry.) doesn't do it for you, here are a few other easy DIY options:

I'm loving this cute gnome costume. I highly doubt B would ever let me even suggest something like this for him/us, but maybe someday I'll be able to put a munchkin of my own in it. The whole thing could be accomplished with some basic clothes and felt pretty easily too.

Maybe B would rather be in a Polaroid. Paint box, adhere background, done. (Don't forget your "picture smile" to top it off!) Love it.

I've always toyed with donning a giant fruit-laden headdress and polka-dotted garb a la Carmen Miranda to be the Chiquita banana lady for Halloween, but this all-yellow banana costume seems much easier. Mind officially changed - peace out headdress (maybe one day when I'm a crazy old lady...), hellooo head-to-toe yellow! Now where to score yellow pants on the cheap?

All these brills ideas came directly from Kendra Smoot for Holidash - check out the link for even more DIY ideas. In the meantime, I'm off to shop for a floppy hat and some felt... can you guess what I'm going to be?

A gnome. Duh. (Kidding)

Photos by Seth Smoot. Mushroom costume originally spotted on {frolic!}.

Hip-hip-hippopotamus

2010-10-05T15:40:00.001-04:00

Photo by George Ross, as featured in Hamptons Cottages and Gardens

I'm way into those gorgeous blue gourd lamps, and loving the striking koi print in this room by designer Tara Seawright.There are far too many pillows on that daybed/couch for everyday life (in my humble opinion - and B's), but there is one thing in that room that is by far my favorite element... That leather hippopotamus footstool is bananas!

They're made of leather over a steel frame so they're strong enough to be a footstool anytime or a seat occasionally. Can you imagine one of your friends perching on one of these guys at your next cocktail party?

My favorite part is the cheery smile on his face. Here's a better view (or click on the image below to enlarge it):

Isn't he such a cute little guy? I think the smaller size would be perfect in a kids room - too bad the small size is $395 and the big one is $875. Ouch. They must be shipped straight from the Serengeti for those prices...

Regardless, I'm still putting this happy hippo on my "future dream purchases" list. So cute!

Available at Scully & Scully or Jonathan Adler. Originally spotted on House of Turquoise.

Fall style goal

2010-10-05T12:47:00.000-04:00

Look like this every day:

Photo by The Sartorialist

Buttery soft leather jacket? Check. Oversized, comfy scarf. Check. Laid-back hair with a sunny visage? Check and check. Sounds like a plan...

A Barney-ism.

2010-10-04T15:14:00.005-04:00

Today I woke up feeling like this:

I've been staving off a cold for a week now and the cold snap that has arrived (along with all the buckets of rain) hasn't helped me want to crawl out from under the covers anytime soon.

But enough with the whining! It's fall after all - beautiful leaves, fun things to do, cooler weather! - so I dug up a "Barney-ism" to give me a proper kick in the a$# for this Monday.

Wait for it:

Thanks, Barn.

I'm off being awesome (ha). See ya in a bit.

Photo 1 from High Street Market, photo 2 from Design Crush via ffffound.

Have a great weekend!

2010-10-01T15:59:00.002-04:00

Photo from Yen Magazine via pretty.little.world

How did it get to be October 1 already?? Fall is officially upon us.

Hope you have a great fall weekend. Be back on Monday!

Room and (inspiration) board

2010-10-01T12:09:00.000-04:00

I love that the "inspiration board" / "mood board" trend of late gives me permission to tack up all the things I love/want/need/havetohave onto a bulletin board without feeling like a 1980s schoolgirl. And sometimes, the very inspiration board turns into a piece of art itself. Here are some of my favorites from the blogosphere:

Photo from sfgirlbybay, as spotted on Beach Bungalow 8.

Photo by Jeltje Fotografie, via the Style Files, as seen on Canadian House & Home.

Inspiration boards hang as artwork and command central in the entryway of Toronto stylist Sabrina Linn's home. Photo by Michael Graydon, from the August 2009 issue of Canadian House & Home.

Julie Richards of the blog SHELTER boasts an office with a colorful inspiration board - though I think the perky pink deer is my favorite little surprise.

Jamie Meares of I Suwannee corrals her photos and inspiration files with a criss-cross pink beribboned board.

John Derian's bulletin board is sprawling and colorful, yet somehow still artfully arranged. Image via simple + pretty.

Monochromatic but meaningful. Image via Simply Seleta.

Do you have an inspiration board of your own? Or just a junk board? Maybe your refrigerator doors? Perhaps I'll get brave and post photos of my own office bulletin board sometime soon (it's ever evolving).

Proof.

2010-10-01T10:48:00.002-04:00

While we're on the subject of Maine...

Lest you think - from reading my daily musings on fashion, design and home goods - that I'm just a frilly, sissy, only-types-with-manicured-nails, style blogger who never gets her hands dirty, here's proof that I'm actually an outdoorsy, DIY kinda girl:

See that stone wall? B and I built it. With our bare hands. And a wheelbarrow (whatevs, I loaded those rocks into said wheelbarrow with my bare hands so it counts, right?). How very rustic of us.

Guess I do indeed have some Irish potato-picking, toil-in-the-field genes in me somewhere. ;)

The scent of Maine (hint: it's not lobstah)

2010-09-30T09:13:00.013-04:00

All this rain has me thinking of Maine...

Photo by Anne McClain for MCMC Fragrances

There are several specific places in the world that feel magical to me. New Zealand was one of the first places that spoiled me day after day with sheer amazement of the natural beauty that abounded everywhere. The Amalfi Coast of Italy made me squeal at every turn as we Vespa-ed around the gorgeous (and steep!) mountainous seaside. Cape Cod feels like home and nostalgia and happiness wrapped into neat summer packages. And the coast of Maine to me sings of relaxation, fresh air, and the sea.

My aunt owns a house near Boothbay Harbor, Maine, that is all at once beautiful, inspiring and creaky (it is over 100 years old, after all). The cheery blue ceiling of the huge wraparound porch beckons you to relax the moment you walk in. The back looks out onto the water, and the sounds of seagulls and lobstermen conjure up classic American novels and old whaling stories. I love it there.

We don't get up to Maine very often due to work, schedules, etc., but I just read about a possible new lifeline - it's a perfume called "Maine." It's made with sage, seaweed, beach plum and pine. I wonder if they were able to bottle the crisp sea air.

Originally spotted on A Cup of Jo.

Beautiful bike hanger

2010-09-29T11:06:00.001-04:00

Say bye-bye to the days of simply leaning your bike up against a wall (ours are jammed into corners), only to have it fall over inconveniently, or hanging your bike on those industrial yellow hooks to get it out of the way. The bike shelf from Knife & Saw is an elegant take on getting your bikes off the floor, but with a stylish and functional touch.

The hanger is plenty sturdy as it's suspended on a solid steel rod mount, the top can act as a shelf, and the gorgeous solid wood finish is an asset, not an eyesore.

The bike shelf is pretty spendy at $270 or $300, depending on the wood (ash or walnut, respectively), but it's quite lovely... B, wanna take on a little construction project? If so, I'll take two, please. ;)

Originally spotted on pretty pretty paper.

B&R go to the baseball park

2010-09-29T09:46:00.004-04:00

Let's put this out there now: I am a Red Sox fan. B worships the Phillies. It's okay - they play nicely together (they're in different leagues and very rarely do they play each other). The Phils have already clinched the NL East division championship and no one really cares about the Nats (sorry, it's kind of true), so B was able to score some really good tickets to last night's game for pretty cheap.

Behold, our clutch seats:

Is it wrong that I was most excited about the tailgating and eating a ballpark hot dog? (Which, for the record, I did, along with french fries and beer, capped off with Cracker Jacks. Ouch.)

The game was a quick one - the Nats won, 2-1 - but we had a really good time hanging out and enjoying the amazing early-Fall weather.

Thanks for the tix, babe. I had a blast!

(Please excuse the mediocre iPhone pics and the slight mushiness...)

Home tip: fixing dings in wooden furniture

2010-09-28T14:46:00.000-04:00

You're going to thank me for sharing this genius tip from Apartment Therapy. If you have wood furniture - the real kind, not the fake MDMF kind from Ikea - and it's unpainted but has some dings or dents you want to cover up, here's the easiest possible way to do it:

Step 1: Take one walnut (it needs to be out of the shell) and rub it over the dented or scratched area.
The damaged bits will start to darken and match more closely with the rest of the leg/affected area. Obviously the nut will only do so much (probably won't fix giant scrapes here), but that's pretty awesome nonetheless, right?

Step 2: Put five dollars into an envelope and mail it to me for the bright idea. I'll give $2.50 of it back to Apartment Therapy.

Step 3: Enjoy your (almost) free furniture fix.

;)

Dancing doggies

2010-09-28T11:21:00.006-04:00

This one's for you, Marcy.

For Marcy and for everyone else, just watch the video below - it's awesome. If you like music, Ikea, or puppies, you'll be into it, trust me. (And if you don't believe me already, kindly reference these other amazing OK Go videos: 1 and 2 - the treadmill video [#2] is a classic at this point.)

Enjoy - OK Go's White Knuckles:

In case you can't see embedded YouTube videos (iPhoners!), here's the link.

Right? Riiight? :)

Originally spotted on Design Dust.

I think I'm turning Japanese: bento box lunches

2010-09-27T14:58:00.003-04:00

To all the moms out there (you know, my two friends who have babies), here's one for you: Have you heard of the website called another lunch? It's written by a mother of four who strives to make nutritious and visually appealing lunches for her kids, specifically focusing on using bento boxes to cut down on packaging and waste. The result is a slew of cheery eye candy that made me want to whip up some fun lunches - until I realized that B might not appreciate the colorful boxes and fruit cut-outs as much as a toddler might. Ah well...

If you actually have children (and not just large children in mens' bodies) in your life, here are a few of her delish preschool to elementary school appropriate lunches:

In case you're wondering, the contents of the above lunch include (from top left, clockwise): applesauce with some sprinkles on top and mini Saltines with a slice of cheddar cheese, grapes and cucumber, a PB&J sandwich (the beak is made from cheese), sliced hard-boiled egg, raspberries, organic yogurt-covered raisins. Sounds pretty good to me!

However, I'm pretty sure you're thinking "what effing mom has time for this?" (except since you're a mom you probably didn't insert the "eff" in there like I do. Oops!). Anyway, I don't even have kids and I'm already doubting whether I could muster up the energy/time to cut a duck out of cheese.

But, not all of the bentos shown on another lunch are complicated. In fact, most of them look pretty simple. This one is basically whatever was in the fridge, tossed into a container in a cute way:

Plus, these could work for grown-ups pretty easily too. Here are two workday lunches that made my stomach growl:

Looks pretty healthy to boot...

I'm not running out to buy these BPA-free bento boxes and mini-containers any time soon, but if I have kiddos in the near future, I'll certainly consider it. In the meantime, Cov, I'm looking at you - this is right up your (green, organic) alley and I'm pretty sure little Finn would be super psyched to find a mini shark made out of organic cheese or an Ezekiel bread sandwich cut into a fish shape in his lunchbox. ;) Perhaps I'll give making one of these for Finn a go when I come down to visit in November... Yay for loaner kids! (ha ha)

Perfect farmers market tote

2010-09-27T12:43:00.001-04:00

Photo by Leslie and Auda from a room somewhere

This reusable canvas shopping bag by Riley Noehren on Etsy is totally cute and pretty green.

I would totally work it at the farmers market - imagine it filled to the brim with fresh, seasonal local veggies, hanging from my beloved scooter as I zip home - so cute, no? Of course this vision would mean I'd actually have to get out of bed before 11am on a Sunday morning, and I wouldn't hold your breath for that... but the bag is cute nonetheless. ;)

Rain, rain... you're okay for now.

2010-09-27T08:51:00.004-04:00

Photo 1 via dress, design & decor; photo 2 via luxe + lillies

Last night we got in bed with the windows flung wide open, listening to the sound of the soft rain. It was cool and breezy but not too cold under our heavy down comforter. This is what fall is supposed to feel like, I thought, as I drifted off to sleep.

It's supposed to rain allll day today and in to tomorrow. It certainly makes getting up for work more difficult, but for right now I don't quite mind (ask me again tomorrow how I feel about it...). Welcome to fall, everyone.

Retroactive have a great weekend!

2010-09-26T23:02:00.002-04:00

Photo via Mary Ruffle

Wellll, I'm just a wee bit (*cough*) late in wishing you all a happy weekend (considering the weekend will officially be over in an hour!), but I wanted to do so anyway. Our weekend was a whirlwind of travel, football, and my sweet B's birthday (happy {undisclosed age}, love!), so I'm a little late in getting to it. But I hope your days off were great regardless!

B and I drove up to Penn State on Friday evening to see his sister, her new baby and the fam, and to tailgate for the PSU/Temple game Saturday afternoon. I desperately wanted to bring these fun new Oreos (spotted on Jaimee Rose's fun blog) - they're in the shape of footballs, people! Fun with a capital F! - but after running around town and searching for them in six - count 'em six - stores, I realized they were nowhere to be found around Naptown. B's sis informs me they're sold out throughout Penn State as well. Boo hoo. Aren't they cute though? And the perfect Sunday football snack?

Photos from Jaimee Rose

Harumpf.

So my early-Fall dreams of the perfect tailgate are only slightly dashed (we somehow managed to deal without these Oreos and had a lot of fun anyway, in case you were wondering). There are many more weeks of football (ugh, oh so many) ahead and at least a few more beautiful Indian summer-like days in the forecast as well.

As Monday rolls around, here's wishing you a wonderful week (and dreams of Oreos?).

xoxo, r.

Happy first day of Autumn!

2010-09-22T11:53:00.003-04:00

Photo via mary ruffle

I can't believe summer is officially over! Gone are the days of bathing suits and flip-flops, in with scarves and boots. I'm sad to see the sunny, warm days go, but hoping for a lovely fall filled with football, parties and friends.

Hellooo, Autumn!

Kills some brain cells (no alcohol required)

2010-09-21T12:20:00.001-04:00

Let's take a little stroll down ~~memory~~ pop culture lane today, shall we? I've found a few nuggets from the weboverse that I had to share - any and all of which may place me squarely in the "pop culture whore / likes the same stuff as a 13-year-old girl / slowly rotting my brain away" category. But I don't really care. And neither do you realllly, do ya, Judgy McJudgerson? You know you love it. So let's take a look, eh?

First up: trendy nails.

Soooo, everyone (okay, every 16-year-old) knows Lauren Conrad is, like, the coolest. And everyone knows that all the trends come from Asia before they hit America. Well, LC (Lauren Conrad is known as "LC" for any of those of you who live under a rock...Sara) just got back from Hong Kong and look at the fun mani she brought back with her:

Photo by @LaurenConrad on Twitpic

I already covered matte nail polish and gray nail polish (both of which are going to be huge again this fall - though gray nails are now being usurped by "greige" - gray/beige), but is leopard the next big trend in nails? It is kind of cute, but I'm not sure it's the best for everyday workwear...

Next up: silly shower caps.

Thank you, Urban Outfitters, for always selling the most entertaining slash ridiculous products on the planet. Case in point: shower caps that look like animals (cat, shark, and so on), as well as other objects (no, no, UO is not about to leave out the possibility of putting an ice cream cone, raspberries or devil horns on your head!).

Here are some of my faves from their offerings:

The Happy Hippo would make for a cheery start to your day.
Or how about something furry and gray on your head (and not just hairs that need a dye job?)

The duck bill could serve as a visor to keep water out of your face. Convenient!

Ribbit.

All available on Urban Outfitters for $8.

Last: I can't not mention the VMAs in some capacity (and throw in both a Twilight and a SYTYCD reference all at once!).

So last year I commented on some of the performances from the VMAs (which are more fully known as the MTV Video Music Awards...try to keep up with the references here, folks...ahem, Sara) and this year I was really into the performance by Florence Welch from the English group Florence + the Machine. She gave one of the few live performances of the night and sang among a flurry of blue-painted dancers.

She was awesome, as were the dancers...whose movement looked strangely familiar. Turns out they were choreographed by Travis Wall, a So You Think You Can Dance alum.

Oh, and if the Florence song sounds familiar to you, it could be because it's the song from the Eat Pray Love preview (or maybe, if you actually are 13, it's because another Florence song - Cosmic Love - was used in Twilight).

Check out her live performance - and the awesome dancers - here:

And if you can't watch embedded videos, you can see the video here.

Well, I hope this dose of teenager-appropriate pop culture has brightened your Tuesday lunch break. I'm going back to my normal regimen of important and deep topics now (you know, things like Martha Stewart pole dancing, Obama drinking games, beards, and proper TP loading...those sort of deep topics). Cough.
:)

Seventh heaven

2010-09-18T11:28:00.001-04:00

Image via pretty. little. world.

I'm not going to turn this blog into my personal diary (at least not planning to), but I couldn't resist putting a little *ding* on here to wish my kind, dear, wonderful, lovely B a happy anniversary. This weekend was our seventh anniversary. Yikes! Time has flown...

Happy anniversary babe! I love you so much (more today than yesterday). xoxo, r.

Okay peeps, smooshiness over. Back to regular posting now. :)

Another Oprah progeny

2010-09-15T12:12:00.002-04:00

Has anyone seen The Nate Berkus Show yet? It started this Monday. I adore him (exhibit A, exhibit B), but I can't tell if the show is going to be tragic or awesome...

Though regardless I will probably DVR whatever episode Bethenny is on. I can't help it - she's oddly fascinating to watch - I think it's the extreme oversharing she offers. :)

Have you seen the show? Is Nate great? Or is the show a trainwreck? Do tell!

An afternoon with two pretty ladies

2010-09-14T11:59:00.003-04:00

People. I am shirking afternoon posts today. I'm sorry, but I have very important business - I'm hanging with a lovely gal pal and this adorable face:

Can you blame me for skipping out a bit early? :)

So Romantic (and Joey makes a break)

2010-09-14T09:18:00.007-04:00

Is this not the best-looking ensemble (and best-dressed, to boot) that you've seen in a while? It's the cast of the upcoming movie, The Romantics, and they're all clothed in allll J. Crew. Yep. Hot and well-dressed. Bitches. (jk)

Best part? It looks like Katie Holmes might have temporarily evaded the "clutches of crazy" (lookin' at you, T-Cruisey). Doesn't she look much more normal here? I almost see a slight sparkle of "Joey Potter" in her again. Case in point - she actually looks like she's having fun in this pic:

Photo via Just Jared

And here she looks just adorable:

This cast could not be more cute. Here are the ladies:

(Though not sure why the other star - Anna Paquin - was missing from this shoot - maybe because she was filming True Blood?)

And here are the boys:

Anyway, back to Joey Potter. I'm glad Tom let her out of her cage. Or that mountain where the aliens are trapped. She looks happy here:

And she appears to be consuming a sugary cupcake here. I'm not sure if that's allowed...

She probably had to get E-metered immediately afterward.

I keed, I keed. :)

I'm sure T.C. has a sense of humor as well. Just check this out for evidence.

Regardless, the movie itself looks cute. I doubt we'll see it in the theater (I pride myself in being a nice girlfriend who does not drag her boyfriend to chick flicks...though I do drag him to break-dancing movies [Step Up 1 & 2, what?]), but I will def be RedBox-ing it eventually.

Welcome back, ~~Kotter~~ Potter!

Fall festivities?

2010-09-13T14:33:00.000-04:00

I've been itching to host a party recently, but didn't have a specific occasion. I still don't, but this branch place setting seems kind of pitch-perfect for a fall fete. I need to start digging around in my inspiration folder to come up with some more fall festivities images and maybe we'll host something after all... (Uh, I guess I should have done this first: is that okay with you, B?)

Photo by Gemma Comas, as spotted on Sara's Party Perfect.

Lessons learned: Caroline DeCesare interiors

2010-09-13T09:55:00.000-04:00

Goood morning! Today I'm feeling inspired by some interiors I came across on Full House (great blog, by the way) and thought I'd share some of the ones I really loved. The rooms are all designed by Caroline DeCesare and they're not only gorgeous, but also kind of "educational" (take that with a grain of salt since I am in no way a professional). The point is, there is something to learn from these rooms and the way the designer has brought in some quirky and creative ideas.

Like this room:

That barn door on a sliding track is kind of genius. It allows you to close off the living room for some quite or privacy, but doesn't close off the space.

Idea #2:

Don't be afraid to display interesting objects in unusual ways. I lurrrv these framed vintage bathing suits. Paired with the old sewing form but juxtaposed with the very clean furnishings, this room stays somewhat modern and doesn't get into kitschy territory.

I also love how she groups things:

I'm already a huge fan of a big ol' gallery wall (I have one in my own house), but this one seems especially awesome to me. I think it's because she's unified the objects with all black frames and has kept the items displayed to very graphic things.

Another fun idea:

I love that she's brought what look like house numbers inside. You could put up your actually house number, or even just your favorite number or something with significance.

In this room, a mirror is fashioned to look like a porthole window, giving the impression of a ship's cabin. So creative, and super easy to implement.

Another unexpected element is the thick rope covering these lighting cords:

It has a hint of nautical without being too theme-y, and adds some rustic appeal to the otherwise polished room.

So what do you think? Do you like these quirky elements and unexpected inclusions?

Have a great weekend!

2010-09-10T15:22:00.001-04:00

Photo by Ormond Gigli, as spotted on Destined to Design

Doves, it's time for me to roll. We've got another busy weekend ahead and I'm ready to get to it.

Here's wishing you all an awesome weekend. We're dog-walking this weekend so we'll be starting Friday evening off with a looong walk with the furry creature (he's the cutest - I'm excited!), then we're headed out to celebrate our friend Katie's birthday later tonight (happy bday, K!), and then we have the Vampire Weekend concert at Merriweather tomorrow - yay! (Let's hope the weather holds...or I may need these boots more than I thought!)

Vampire Weekend. So good.

Hope your weekend is great! See you back here Monday!

Fashionable finds for fall

2010-09-10T11:58:00.012-04:00

Photo from Banana Republic Fall 2010

As promised, I'm doing my best to banish thoughts of sunny, sunny summertime and focus on fall. It is definitely helping that the weather has cooled down a bit and is even slightly chilly at night.

Fall always makes me think of back to school, a new season, a new start, and therefore...shopping! But, since I'm supposed to be on a shopping hiatus (damn you, recession!), I've cut back my shopping habits from slightly maniacal to none or to strictly budget finds only.

I've scoped out a few great picks for the fall - all on trend and all cheeeeap - so I thought I'd share a few of them with you....But not all, since I've got to have some tricks up my sleeve still, right? (Tricks of the "yes, I got this at Nordstrom" as I hide the $13 F21 tag variety...) ;)

With fall here, I'm just waiting for the rains to start any day. But since we still have quite a few outdoor activities on the books (the MRE Tug of War, concerts at Merriweather, football games, etc.), some sturdy but comfy boots are in order.

I'm kind of obsessed with the Hunter boot / Jimmy Choo collaboration and one of its offspring, the Carnaby Boa Tall in black:

I am not obsessed with the $250 price tag.

However, Payless to the rescue:

Project Runway designer Christian Siriano has created a damn good knockoff for only 50 bucks. Looks pretty darn close, right?

For the clothes themselves, trends like neutrals, ladylike style and menswear are all huge for fall 2010, so a classic tan trench is a clutch piece (also good for the aforementioned coming rain). I'm not sure I really need a trench, but this one from H&M is very nearly perfect and it's only 35 dollars:

I kind of want to go there today and snap this up before everyone else in Annapolis scoops me on this good find!

I would work it like this:

Olivia Palermo is a silly, silly biotch, but she can rock an outfit like none other. That look is so yummy I could die.

Another H&M score that falls right in line with the fall trends - animal print being huge again this year - is this cute and cheap cardi for 25 bucks:

Screenshot from the Today Show, as found on Full House.

Going back to Payless, I can't tell if these "shooties" by Lela Rose are awesome or kind of crazy:

I think they'd look really good with tights (or maybe even over-the-knee socks) and they're definitely on point with the trends, but I might look like a wacko wearing them...

I'm also tempted to try the faux fur vest layered with other stuff look or over-the-knees socks (with a skirt or shorts, duh), but I couldn't find any good pics to illustrate the look. Maybe that should be a good clue for me not to try them...

Have you scooped up any fun new finds for fall? Any amazing bargains or steals we should all know about?

Bicycle built for two

2010-09-09T15:04:00.003-04:00

While we're on this wedding idea kick (stop sweating, B, it's just a quick trip!), here's one more thing I just had to share.

Isn't there something so sweet about including a bicycle in a wedding?

I'm not sure what it is - whether it's the down home-y-ness or the quaint feeling or just because I'm kind of an outdoorsy girl - but I think they're so adorable.

(It doesn't hurt that these people are model-perfect):

See? Cute, I tell ya!

Photo credits: 1- via Mary Ruffle, 2- by Jose Villa, 3- by Dana Grant, via from Hello to Hitched.

That concludes the wedding portion of our program. Posts will now return to your normally scheduled content (or whatever you want to call the odd menagerie of things I usually post here!). ;)

Hanging pretty

2010-09-09T12:37:00.000-04:00

I'm totally about to out myself here.

No, no, I'm not about to tell you all about some secret lovechild or a trashy tattoo or even an obsession with crap TV (okay, that last one was true). No, really I'm kicking myself for sharing this amazing find because I was planning to buy it for all my friends who are getting married in the near future (ahem, first up: Sara and Dan) and now they'll all know about this. Boo. Oh well, they'll still like it, right? (Or maybe someone will buy one for me some day...)

What I'm blathering on about is this adorable custom wedding dress hanger:

For only 25 dinero, you can have a custom hanger made with the couples' names (joined with a plus, ampersand or heart), a word or phrase, or the bride's new name. Wouldn't this be the cutest shower or day-of gift? And 25 bucks isn't too shabby for something custom.

Plus, I'm loving the photo opps:

The hangers are available to buy from Lila Frances on Etsy here (originally spotted via Sweet Nothings). I'm also thinking these would be really sweet for the birth of a baby, especially since she makes them in smaller hanger sizes for only $15 (here). Cuteness!

Happy 5771!

2010-09-09T08:57:00.003-04:00

To everyone celebrating Rosh Hashanah, here's wishing you a very sweet new year! (And perhaps some delicious honey-glazed cake like the one above, which comes from - who else? - the shiksa queen Martha Stewart [as spotted on the completely un-goyisha Amy Atlas' blog]).

In case you were wondering the significance of a honey-glazed cake, it is traditional to eat something sweet, such as honey, usually paired with apple. The round apple signifies the world, which was thought to start on this day, and the honey is for a sweet new year.

This holiday is nice not only for the sweets we're supposed to eat (hooray!), but also for the idea that (after Yom Kippur), the book is said to be closed on the past year and a another year starts anew. So with that sentiment in mind, let's bid 5770 adieu and head into 5771 with a totally fresh start.

Image via Yes and Yes

Happy New Year!

Presidential Letters

2010-09-08T12:55:00.000-04:00

Image from Letters of Note, as spotted on Neither Snow.

Say what you will about The President, but I think anyone who takes the time to write an unsolicited thank-you note - and for an indirect gift at that - is a lovely person (especially if the person who is writing happens to be one of the busiest people in the world!).

Above, a note from #44 himself to Canadian author Yann Martel. President Obama read Martel's book, The Life of Pi, with his daughter and then penned a handwritten note, which included this sentiment:

"It is a lovely book — an elegant proof of God, and the power of storytelling. Thank you."

This & that

2010-09-08T07:23:00.008-04:00

The ever-adorable and brilliant Joy creates some awesome "this & that" posts over on her blog, Oh Joy! Each "this & that" post includes a fashion wear and a home/life item that echo each other in some way, and they're always perfectly paired.

Here's a cute stripey example:

Original post here.

And one in plaid:

Original post here.

In an homage to Joy's creativity, I was inspired to make a match of my own. When I saw an amazing homemade wedding dress (based on a vintage dress form, to boot) recently, it sparked an image in my head of some Vera Wang note cards I had seen at Paper Source. The two sort of reminded me of each other, each with their vintage-y, doily-inspired feel, and a "this & that" of my own was born:

Wear this sweet eyelet dress, write a lovely note with that note set.

What do y'all think? It was kind of fun to make, actually! I just hope I'm doing Joy justice and not shaming her. :) I love the idea of the "this & that" - thanks for the inspiration, Oh Joy!

(And isn't that homemade wedding dress amazing?!?)

Whipped cream gets boozy

2010-09-07T14:51:00.003-04:00

Here's my last post having to do with our fading summer season and the just-passed holiday weekend, I swear. After this, it's officially fall in my book - though the stuff in this post could work at any time of year I suppose...

Have you all heard about all these new "adult beverage" options for whipped cream? I have no idea where this new trend came from, but all of a sudden I'm seeing whipped cream and alcohol paired together everywhere.

Enter example number one: Pinnacle whipped cream vodka.

We bought it. We tried it. It's delicious.

Pair it with ginger ale and it tastes like a cream soda; pair it with orange juice and a splash of ginger and it's a spot-on creamsicle. Mmmm.

Best part? The big bottle is only $12.99 and I hear that Pinnacle is made by the same people who make Grey Goose. Ooh la la - could it be true? All I know (and care about, really) is that it's yummy... and slightly dangerous, so consider this your warning!

And, as if whipped cream vodka wasn't good enough on its own, I recently saw (on roblahblog) another bevy option, this time in topper form. Cream is an alcohol-infused whipped cream. Say what? It comes in a can and needs no refrigeration, even after it's opened (slightly scary). Cream comes in several different flavors like vanilla, caramel, chocolate, orange and a few other flavors, with more coming.

Oy.

I think I'm developing a hangover just writing about all these options....

Squeezing in the last drops of summer...

2010-09-07T11:38:00.001-04:00

Oh, and while I'm still in "holding on to summer" mode, here are two more summery items that I'm loving and just had to share.

Because really, you can't go wrong with a big, beautiful bow:

...especially when paired with cute everyday shorts and beachy hair:

Photos from Le Blog de Betty, as spotted on Dress, Design & Decor.

Or, for an even more overtly sunny-day pastime, the iREV from Motothority would be an oh so chic way to spend a day on the water:

It seats up to 10 adults, comes with bevy and utensil holders for each person, has storage drawers, a built-in charcoal grill (with vent system - don't worry!), and a great, big umbrella for shading you on the float. And, most exciting to me, custom colors and decor are available, as well as optional accessories like bev buckets, a mattress or a sound system.

Wouldn't it be fun, stocked up with lovely goodies like Mrs. Lilien has cooked up below?

Now that would make for an amazing holiday weekend afternoon activity!

Feeling nautical

2010-09-07T08:22:00.002-04:00

Folks. I AM BACK. :) I've missed you all! Fo reals. Did you all have nice Labor Day weekends? Ah, the last holiday weekend of the summer. When did it get to be September?? I feel like summer just started and now it will be over - officially - in 19 days! (Though Labor Day weekend really feels like the true end of summer.) Boo.

In the meantime, I'm grasping on to the last semblances of summer, which to me right now is feeling like a nautical tone - for the home, clothes and accoutrement. Here are some of the nautical items inspiring me right now:

Room by T. Keller Donovan (as seen in House Beautiful), via SHELTER

The above living room really started off this seafaring feeling for me. I don't like an overly "theme-y" room, but this one is done nicely and without getting too crab shanty. The striped rug, the tufted ottoman and the pseudo-leopard stripe pillows are killing me with goodness. (Also this room kind of looks like a much more chi-chi version of my own living room, so of course I'm in love.) ;)

Sheets from Land of Nod, as spotted on Design*Sponge

These sheets are totally nautical with a touch of French provencal - and would be perfect in any crisp guest room. Can't you just picture visiting the coast of Maine, sleeping in a white and blue room, with a lovely ceiling fan overhead and a seabreeze through the window? These would be the sheets I'd imagine gracing that bed. Ahhh....

Photos by Amanda Pratt, spotted on Full House

I would wear a stripey sweater every day if it wouldn't be just plain weird (and slightly dirty, no? or require tons of washing...). Oh yeah, and I'd happily float around all day on a lovely boat in Napoli, too, but that part may be a little less realistic than just rocking a sweater daily...

Illustrated print by Jon Contino, spotted on Soolip

I'm gaga for the look of the whale print above - the hand-written text is so beautiful (and done by a dude!).

Knot door stopper from Jayson Home & Garden

35 buckaroos for some seaside style in your house isn't half bad. I'd snap this up instantly if we had any doors that needed holding up (I don't think my bathroom door or the front door would work...).

From The Deep dinnerware from Anthropologie

I saw these dishes in person the other day and they are amazing. They're reasonably heavy-weight and the illustrations on them are gorg. They're a little pricey and maybe a bit much for everyday (the octopus tentacle handle on the teacup is both genius and creepy), but I still love 'em.

Sperry docksiders from J. Crew

I mean really. Who doesn't need a pair of gold docksiders in their closet? I know I sure do. (Also please note that I had an identical pair of these when I was in elementary school. They were fresh to death and I wore them allll the time. Such a trendsetter at 10. [haha])

Sammy the Seagull, by Wayne Pate, originally spotted on Design*Sponge

And finally, this fun guy was too cute not to include. We all need a little whimsy, especially when doing nautical, and this guy is pretty good. In fact, I would wear his outfit anytime.

So what do you think? Is this nautical route way too overdone these days? I'm not planning to run out and buy all of these accoutrement anytime soon (or any, likely), but I did love the breezy and clean feeling these pics gave me. Hope it helped you hang on to summer just a wee bit longer!

Being "Euro"

2010-08-17T13:27:00.010-04:00

Very Euro car, at merci in Paris; photo by simple + pretty.

My friend Sara, who is now engaged (yay! let's all wish Sara & Dan congrats for the big news), was complaining about the lack of posting (I know, I know, I'm still coming back soon, I promise!) here on sea*life*style.

She then kindly suggested maybe I was just being "Euro" about it - you know, taking off the entire month of August, as Europeans do. Yeah, that's it. That's what I'm doing.

With that being said, I'll be back soon - when "holiday" is over. (European holidays wrap up by Sept. 1, but I'll be back after the American Labor Day holiday.)

Hope to see you then!

xo,
r.

MIA blogger - it's not permanent...

2010-07-19T14:50:00.004-04:00

Image from decor8 (original photo from poppies and posies events)

Hey all! Just a quick note to say that I'll be back soon - sea*life*style is not closed for business and I'm hoping to be posting again regularly shortly. Please check back again next week. Looking forward to seeing you!

xo,

Heads above the rest?

2010-07-06T15:26:00.001-04:00

Peeps. Did I tell you I won my first-ever giveaway (a free prize from another blog) on the lovely Leslie's blog, A Room Somewhere? The prize was a custom-designed blog header from Jill of Freshly Squeezed Designs. I was ecstatic, considering the current sea*life*style header is something I jury-rigged myself back when I started s*l*s - needless to say, it's not the most professional looking thing ever. Behold, the current header:

(You can also just look up to the top of the page to see it full size and in full color - as long as you're actually on my blog and not reading this post through an aggregator).

Now, here's what Jill came up with for this site:
(....drum roll, please....)

What do you all think?

I would love to hear your thoughts, so please feel free to leave a comment below. However, I've been picking up what you're all puttin' down and I know some of you said you don't always have time to leave a comment or sometimes you just want to be "quiet" online (see? I do listen to you all!). SO. If you don't want to comment but have a second to literally click a button for "old" or "new" instead, I'm trying out my first-ever in-blog poll. Today is a day of all kinds of new things, huh?

Here is my first attempt at an automated poll; please give it a go!:

So, which header do you prefer for sea*life*style?online surveys

If you want to comment, please do! If you don't want to comment, maybe just submit via poll? If you don't want to do either, I understand. I still love ya!

And here's to hearing what you think about the header sitch. Thanks and cheers!
xoxo, r. (sea*life*stylista)

Some things I'm loving...

2010-07-06T13:48:00.001-04:00

Today feels like a bit of a ramshackle day. It's the end of a much-anticipated holiday weekend, we're all trying to get back into the workweek, it's way hot again, and I have a dentist appointment (fun stuff).

Instead of trying to wrap my head around one singular, cohesive theme or concept, I thought I'd be a little fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pantsy and give you some of my favorites from the week. I hope you don't mind the visual menagerie. Maybe you're even in the same place I am and feeling a bit flighty? Well, if your brain can take it, here is a visual mix - a few things I'm loving right now:

I love a bride and groom with a sense of humor.

Photo by Braedon Photography, via Snippet & Ink

I love the subtle peek of lace, especially with a modern neckline (pic on the left).

Images from Stella McCartney's Resort 2011 collection

I love wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling bookcases, and the perfect neutral couch.

Photo from Domino magazine (RIP), via Shelter

I love a tufted chair (especially with nailhead trim!) and a cheeky pillow.

Photo from Style Files

I love a cheery door (especially in blue) and I looove quatrefoils.

Photo via Caitlin Creer Interiors

And with the lovefest concluded for now, I'm off to the dentist (love! not.). Please stop by again a bit later for a fun end-of-day post/query. Hope your day goes swimmingly. Ciao for now!

Recovering from the 4th / slow start

2010-07-06T10:14:00.002-04:00

Do you ever feel like this after a long holiday weekend?

Photo via quite cheeky.

I do. We had a great holiday weekend, filled with gorgeous weather, lots of time out on the water, a festive 4th of July fireworks show (both downtown and an unsolicited show in our parking lot), tons of food, friends and some downtime for B (I had to work while everyone else was off - boohoo). And even though the weekend was great - and I loved having everyone around for the additional day off - I'm still moving kind of slowly this morning. If only there was one. more. day. off.... ;)

Nonetheless, I'm getting back into the swing of things and will be back in a bit. Check back!

Happy 4th of July weekend!

2010-07-02T14:31:00.001-04:00

I'm hard at work trying to wrap things up before the holiday weekend (which, I will unfortunately be working during as well...), but I hope you're already out there enjoying this gorgeous day. B and I have some great plans coming up this weekend, including lots of eating outside on the water, boating, hosting a friend (the very guy that introduced us, in fact), and some good-old fashioned fireworks watching. I hope you have some awesome plans too and happy 4th of July!

Photos from Martha, via Ritzy Bee

Be back after the 5th!

Whale print for good, by Children Inspire Design

2010-07-02T08:21:00.003-04:00

The print above is not only adorable, but also charitable. Children Inspire Design has created this super-cute signed, limited addition print, with 50 percent of the proceeds going to the National Wildlife Federation's Gulf Oil Spill Restoration Fund. Bonus: along with your purchase of the print, you not only get to feel good about helping the sad situation in the Gulf, but you also get a $10 gift certificate to ChildrenInspireDesign.com. Score!

I love the friendly whale - I think he'd make the perfect gift for anyone with kids (too bad your birthday's not 'til Dec, Cov and Finn's not 'til March!).

I also happen to know that Children Inspire Design is a great company since I bought this little print as a kids gift for the holidays:

Though I'm not sure if the recipient liked it or hung it up... but I thought it was cute, so that's what matters, right? ;)

If you're in the mood for some fanciful art, or just to help out with the Gulf restoration while getting something fun, definitely go check out this adorbs whale print for 30 bucks well-spent.

Originally spotted here.

Rise up

2010-07-01T13:28:00.002-04:00

Photo by Pia Ulin

Can you imagine having a bookshelf tall enough to warrant a remote-controlled mountaineer's harness? Scratch that - can you imaging having a home big enough to house a two-story bookshelf??

Um, very cool. That would be so fun to use to grab a new book! We might be doing a lot more reading if we had one of those...

For more pictures of this rad house, check out the story on Dwell.

Originally spotted via Swiss Miss.

Happy 1st of July!

2010-07-01T10:47:00.000-04:00

Photo via Mary Ruffle

Can you believe July is upon us already? The summer is zooming by and I feel like I haven't fully taken advantage yet. No complaining, though, yesterday was gorgeous and we've got tons of fun plans to come: lots of outdoor concerts, camping and the Poconos Blues Fest, baseball games, and a week-long beach trip. I need to get more scooter rides in and this will be a great summer. Hope yours is going well too!

Oh and if you missed my posts yesterday (they were a little late), here they are: magic ice cream and watermelon deliciousness (or just scroll down). More to come!

Happy July, y'all!

Magic ice cream

2010-06-30T17:09:00.004-04:00

While we're on the subject of single-fruit treats, here's another almost too-good-to-be-true idea I stumbled upon via the kitchn (that's not a typo, there's no "e" in there).

The idea? One-ingredient ice cream. And this "ice cream" is made from nothing more than...(drum roll)...bananas. Yup, that's it.

You're gonna have to bear with me here, because I need to believe that this snack is as amazing as they say it is. Did I mention that, starting July 11, I am doing a no "FADS" regimen (no fruit, alcohol, dairy, starch) for the two weeks before our beach trip?
Stop laughing. No, really. I'm not kidding!
For a girl who has literally never dieted ever and has a strong obsession with carbs and sweets, this should be an interesting social experiment. So let's hope this "ice cream" is good.

Here's how it's made:

Peel and slice bananas. Freeze them for two hours (if I run out of time, I'll do this overnight).

Blend the frozen banana pieces. Scrape down the bowl often - supposedly the bananas stick to the sides a lot at first - don't be freaked out!

Near the end, once the bananas are creamy, and if you want (or are allowed - not sure if I will be on this new regimen), you can add one tablespoon of peanut butter or honey.

This is what it will look like right out of the blender. Creamy and smooth and with the consistency of soft serve. If you want it to be truly ice-creamy, re-freeze in an airtight container.

Et voila!

All photos by Faith Durand.

I'm praying this is truly good, because come the end of week one, I'm sure I'll be scratching the walls looking for something tasty. If you want even more detailed instructions, full step-by-step pics and tips can be found here.

Note: I just realized I'm an idiot and will not be allowed to eat fruit, so this is out the window for me. See? Already messing up this whole diet thing! I'm so not meant to diet! Grrr... Well, at least you can enjoy this recipe!

Watermelon avec tap

2010-06-30T16:54:00.001-04:00

We've got a watermelon sitting in our kitchen and it needs a purpose. We originally bought it for B's baseball game on Sunday, but ran out of time and didn't cut it open. But, thanks to Logan, I think I've found just the thing for it:

Photo from Food Network (follow the link for a Watermelon Sour recipe too!)

Brills, right? Cut a hole in the top of the watermelon, scoop out most of the pulp, insert keg tap and fill with a tasty bev. This is such an awesome summer drink vessel - perfect for a hot day, party or any lazy afternoon - and just in time for the 4th of July weekend. Love it!

Friday wedding (and have a great weekend!)

2010-06-25T13:29:00.000-04:00

Photo by Elizabeth Messina, via Snippet & Ink

B and I have a wedding to go to today, so we are on our way up to Philadelphia as you read this. I'm excited to hang out with friends, to celebrate the lovely (and miniature) couple, and to enjoy what will no doubt be a gorgeous and fun wedding.

With that being said, I'm out like a trout (hello sixth grade, I'm bringing that saying back!) a bit early today. Hope you have a great weekend in store - be sure to check out the USA World Cup game on Saturday at 2pm! - and see you Monday!

xo, r.

Clogged?

2010-06-25T10:13:00.004-04:00

TGIF: Thank goodness for....fashion? Well this morning that's what I'm taking it to mean. But I may be pushing it with the "fashion" label, since what I want to talk about is not necessarily fashionable to some.

What I've got on the brain this morning is....clogs. That's right, clogs. You know, makes you think boy of a with his finger in the dam, tulips and the paint can. All that Dutch stuff you think of when you think of wooden clogs (or is that just me?). But these are actually Swedish. (Go figure.)

Swedish Hasbeens to be exact. And look who's rocking them:

Pay no attention to the ginger sitting next to SJP...don't want to scare you on a Friday morn, now do I?

And another view:

But SJP doesn't stop there. No! She's got multiple colors, of course! More:

Oh, and not just with capris. Here's a fall ensemble (complete with baby):

On a side note, her kids are pretty cute. Anyway, back to the clog at hand...

People have been suggesting I buy clogs for years - they're the only shoes that won't hurt your back, they say - but I've been resisting because I either picture little girls picking tulips and clog dancing or my mom disco dancing in the 70s. Woah.

But if they're good enough for SJP, American fashion royalty...I might be swayed...

Oh wait, I forgot to mention something about these clogs - made by Swedish Hasbeen and shown here in the Peeptoe Super High style (shown above in "Nature" or "Olive"), in case you were wondering. Here's the thing: I thought to myself, "Fine, fine. Clogs. They'll help with my backaches and at least they'll be reasonably priced." Wrong.

These mammers are $202! Well, they're $154 (converted from Euro) plus $48 shipping from across the pond. Them's some pricey wood-soled shoes man! But are they worth it?

What do you think? Are they too hein? Or kinda cool? Do tell on this Friday morn! (What do you have to lose? Tell me what you really think... As if you're hard at work...) ;)

Photo credits: 1&3- ShopRobertson, 2&4- CoolSpotters, 5- Swedish Hasbeens. Shoes originally spotted on A Diary of Lovely.

I Poo in Blue

2010-06-24T15:47:00.002-04:00

Did I really just see this on TV??

An ad for denim....wait for it....diapers. Whaa?! You read that correctly. Huggies has indeed created limited edition jeans diapers. And they're not kidding.

The commercial starts with a Euro voiceover of "My diaper is full -- full of chic." and ends with the tagline, "The coolest you'll look pooping your pants." Oh and don't forget the middle bits: "When it's a number two, I look like number one." and "I poo in blue." That's copywriting gold, y'all.

But don't just read about it, see for yourself:

(In case you can't view embedded videos, click here.)

Wow. I'm kind of freaked out by the fact that they're sexualizing a male baby in the ad, but then again, I also think the whole thing is kind of totally hysterical (and gross at the same time...). See? Flip. Flop. Any ad that makes you unsure of whether you love it or hate it must be pretty good. I'm definitely weirded out by the whole thing, but I'm also pretty amused, so kudos, ad agency.

Though I heard they turn your baby's legs blue... Oops.

Oh, and Sarah: Take a look below - this could be soon-to-be-born-at-any-minute baby Caroline in just a few short months. Huzzah! ;)

Photo by Amber Porter

Oops! Did I just ruin the surprise of what I'm getting little Caroline for an arrival gift? Darn. (ha ha)

So what do you think? Heinous or hysterical? Would you buy these for your baby?

The stationary/stationery issue

2010-06-24T14:03:00.001-04:00

I'll admit it: I am a big ol' jerk, a grammar snot if you will (I may have mentioned this before). Sadly, if you spell something incorrectly, I'll probably judge. Sorry, but it's true. :| I'm not perfect by any means, but I do like a correctly written sentence.

One word/homophone pair that gets confused a lot (other than "a lot," which is not one word, as some people seem to think): stationery vs. stationary. That's why I love this tote bag:

The genius Sapling Press created this helpful tote in case you - or any repeat offenders you know - need a quick reference. It really clears things up, huh? And if you're a mean, mean grammanimal like I, then you're in luck, because these bags are available in the Sapling Press shop here.

Originally spotted on Oh So Beautiful Paper. Photo from Sapling Press.

Want more grammar-nerd posts? Enjoy a slew here.