if money were no object....

....then I would have one of these Virginia Johnson chain stitch bags in every color!  Or, maybe just choose my most favorite.  AREN'T THEY GORGEOUS?

photo credit: virginia johnson, virginiajohnson.com

High Gloss Magazine - Fabricadabra Giveaway

Erin from Elements of Style is one of the contributers over at High Gloss Magazine, coming January 2011-- I cannot wait for its debut.  I LOVE magazines.

High Gloss is hosting some incredible giveaways!  Today's is a giveaway of Fabricadabra pillows, and you know what?  I've been holding on to a secret favorite fabric over there, waiting until I have a more permanent residence where I actually want to invest in window treatments.  That will probably be YEARS.  Now I'm starting to think I should just have a few pillows made!

Head over to High Gloss to enter the giveaway - and for the record, these are some of the ikat print fabrics I want in my house.  What do you think?

new fave blog: i want to be her

One of my favorite pieces of Lucky Magazine - which I've discussed before! - was (since she's left the building!) co-founder & editor Andrea Linett's page with a watercolor sketch and lots of beautiful things.  It reminds me of my friend Lauren's blog, My Closet in Sketches (mentioned here).

So imagine my delight now that I can see a new Andrea Linett sketch, not monthly with each new issue of Lucky, but on her very own website, I want to be her!  (How perfect is that name, by the way?)  I imagine Ms. Linett has more creative license on her own website now, and ZOMG why didn't they let her do this with Lucky because these are amazing. 

My favorites so far are:

Sharon, painter & stylist from Columbus, Ohio.  That ostrich feather collar, sequin clutch and wedge boots combination is very nice.

and

Flea Market Girl: for her killer outfit, obviously; but also because I always see a girl I want to be when I go flea marketing and think, why can't I look that cool?  It's probably because I am not brave enough to wear red pants or a leopard jacket, let alone at ONE TIME.

alyson fox + verabel lockets

some of you may have seen this collaboration already but I can't help but write another post: I love these lockets, and I hope they restock this pretty one soon

but, if they don't, I'm very close to pulling the trigger on this beauty

....to wrap nicely and place under the chrismukkah tree this holiday season.

via cup of jo via lola is beauty.  alyson fox + verabel

quite possibly the smartest thing Albert Einstein ever said!

Everybody is a genius.  But, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing that it is stupid.
                                        -Albert Einstein

via most beautiful darling, via cup of jo - found after seeing this lovely photo

i want that!

to the owner of this gorgeous victorian moonstone ring from erie basin: if you ever change your mind, I WANT THAT!  and may make it my life's work to find one of these and make it mine.  surely there was another lady romping around 1890s with its twin.... no?

14k gold, big round stone, asymmetry predating art noveau?  LOVE.  i am having a greed attack.

E Jean's 25 things women should know

Elle Magazine just celebrated it's 25th anniversary (happy birthday, Elle!) and their advice columnist, E. Jean, posted the 25 things every woman should know.  I am a sucker for those kinds of lists, and I love E. Jean's snarkiness, so naturally I am in love with this list, and plan to take it to heart.


Below are some of my favorites....  read the full list on Elle.com!


#3: If you don't question what you believe in, you end up making the same mistakes over and over.  When we find ourselves in a romantic quagmire or struggling for an eternally denied promotion at work and our old ideas aren't working, we must, must, must ask ourselves two questions:

a) Is this idea I'm acting on even effing true?  (e.g., am I so irresistible this time that he really is going to leave his wife?)

b) What would happen if everyone in the world believed this idea and behaved as I'm behaving now? (this is our old friend Immanuel Kant's categorical imperative--view every action you take as universal law.  Meaning, if you're considering lying to your boss to save your job, imagine a universal law that says everyone must lie to his or her boss.)


#11: go play with your dog.  Your dog is the one creature on earth you can make insanely happy by playing 'hide the cookie' in the living room.  If you have neither cat nor dog nor bird nor fish, it's not essential, but if you want to lead a more enjoyable life....why not?


#15: When you're in college, don't worry too much about grades.  Other than getting into a decent grad school and associating with the cream of your generation, getting straight A's means diddly squat in the real world, where it's all about hustle, determination, focus, dressing right, sucking up, and who you know.


Some of these are harsh but true-- and you know what?  I appreciate E. Jean's honesty.  

Now if you'll excuse me I have to go hustle and show determination and focus at work before going home to play with my dog.  And I can check "dressing right" and "sucking up" to my "accomplished tasks" list for today, obvs.