My Favorite Things: July 2012

I've been expanding my horizons in many ways lately and have stumbled across some "how did I ever live without this?!" beauties. Here are the ones I'm currently going gaga over:

1. SodaStream. I bought this DIY seltzer maker for two reasons. First, I'm trying to cut back on processed foods and by making my own I know exactly what's in the fizzy water I'm drinking. And second, because I hate, hate taking out the recycling and the re-usable bottles that come with it mean many fewer trips to the bin. So far I'm loving it. I don't use the flavors that come with it - they're just chemical junk. I add a splash of 100% juice or a slice of fresh citrus and it satisfies my craving for soda without any of the terrible health impacts.

2. Maxi dresses. At 5' 4" I never thought I could pull off a maxi dress. But just for kicks I tried one on at The Gap the other day in preparation for my recent vacation. Much to my surprise, I loved it. The length is just above my ankles and the top (which is less baggy on me than in the picture below) skims my hips perfectly. Plus, it's like going out to dinner in your pajamas! I'm officially hooked.

3. Pinterest. Do I really have to say any more? I am officially addicted! But I'm also proud to say that I actively use the workouts I pin, have made many of the recipes I've pinned, and use the pins in my Style File to inspire new ways of putting together what's in my closet already. It's turned me on to some new bloggers that I LOVE (hint...see #4!) and boosted my own design confidence to see how many others are re-pinning things I loved or following whole boards of mine because they like my taste. I don't know most of them, but it feels great!

4. I Heart Organizing. This blog is amazing. The author, Jen, does such creative, beautiful things and is expanding to include a whole host of other creative ladies out there as well. It's already added to my list of daily checks and I can't wait to see what she'll bring us next!




5. People StyleWatch Magazine. I'm not a fashionista, and I don't want to be. I do, however, like looking good in modern classic styles. People StyleWatch is the only "fashion" or "style" magazine that (IMO) features clothes and outfits that real people over the age of 18 actually want to wear (and can wear to someplace like an actual office). I cancelled all my other fashion mag subscriptions but kept this one and regularly add to my paper inspiration file.

So there you have it - my favorite things for July 2012. What are you coveting this summer?

Fun shelf paper site

I've been searching for some fun patterned shelf paper lately for a project I'm working on in the bedroom. I was really disappointed in the limited selection in my local stores but once again my favorite bloggers came to my rescue.

This week's sponsor love post at Young House Love featured a site called Chic Shelf Paper. Seriously, Petersiks...were you reading my mind? Awesome!!

I'm still working my way through the many awesome patterns available but you can be this site has gone into my bookmarks list. I can envision this site being helpful for other things, too, like backing bookcases to make them more interesting to DIY artwork for my gallery frames. I love me some fun graphic prints and this site is full of them at super-low prices.

What are some of your favorite places to shop for fun, inexpensive decorating and organizing items?

YHL gets some love for being stodgy, in a good way

One of my favorite blogs, Young House Love, got some love itself recently when its authors were featured in a project that celebrates a return to old fasioned values. I love it! Congrats John and Sherry!

http://www.younghouselove.com/2011/03/bringing-stodgy-back-2/

My Favorite Things: March 2011

It's been a while since I did a "favorite things" post, so it's time. If nothing else it helps keep a focus on the positive while we wait for spring to arrive here in snow-buried Boston. Here's this month's run-down:

1. My new camera, a Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5. I bought a new camera because my old one went for a swim in the ocean and was not fixable. Can't say I'm sad because that old Sony was pretty bad at picture taking, and the new Lumix is worlds better! I got it for a steal ($169 on a regular price of $278) because I happened to be shopping right before the new line of cameras rolled out. The store was trying to clear out its old models, so I got a camera with high end features like 12x optical zoom and manual controls that I can use if I decide to take that photography class I keep talking about.

2. San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. I needed a new camera because I was heading out on vacation to Cabo with two friends. And I quickly fell in love with our location. It's about 19 miles away from Cabo San Lucas and is the slightly quieter cousin to that Cabo's party reputation (they're called "Los Cabos" because they're so close to one another). Here are just a few of the reasons I fell in love with this beautiful spot (thanks to #1 above!):

3. My new spice rack. I know I already posted about this, but I can't help it. I just smile every time I see it!

4. The perfect nude strappy sandals. These were a complete impulse purchase at Nordstrom's yesterday. But they're the perfect color, just the right combination of casual and dressy, a nice heel height without being painful, and so, so, so comfortable. I had a bit of sticker shock, but the comfort and quality construction convinced me that these were an investment that I would have for a long, long time. (Make: Via Spiga, Model: "Horizon")

5. Daffodils. I saw someone carrying a bunch of daffodils last week and smiled, because to me these scream "spring is here!". I remember them most from the Daffodil Days fundraiser that someone in my small child's circle did when I was young (don't recall who). That association still comes back each year, plus they're just pretty and yellow and after all that dirty, dingy snow a little pop of bright yellow will cheer anyone up.

So there you have it...five things I'm loving right now. And now that I've got a camera back stay tuned for more updates on decor, spring fashion, and other domestic pursuits!

My Favorite Things - September 2010

Here's what I'm loving as we kick off the fall season:



1. Longchamp "Le Pliage" large tote. I started seeing everyone carrying this bag, including 4 girls on my team at work. So I went and got one, and it is great. A perfect errands-around-town carryall. My only feedback would be to put a zipper on the inner pocket and maybe a little more structure. But it's still a great bag.



2. Self magazine's new workout plan. I've been needing a boost, and last month's Self magazine had a great workout plan that included some interval routines for the elliptical, treadmill, and bike. I've been doing one for elliptical in particular that's a real calorie burner. I was down 3 lbs at my last check, so clearly it works!



3. My "Happy" playlist. I realized that my iPod contains way too many sad songs, and I'm trying to be a more positive person these days. So I created a playlist of all music that makes me smile from ear to ear. It includes songs like "1985" by Bowling For Soup, "Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under" by Shania Twain, and "Blame It On The Love Of Rock 'n' Roll" by Bon Jovi. Yes, I have ecclectic taste in music. But when I'm in a funk it lifts me right out!



4. A bed full of fluffy pillows. I recently added a third set of pillows to my bed and while it's a little annoying at night because I have to move them all, I love looking at it. I travel alot for work and hotel beds just look so appealing with all that fluff. I was trying to recreate that at home and I've succeeded.


5. My new ruched-sleeve tshirt. On my quest for more interesting, fun clothes I found this tshirt at Nordstrom. Wasn't sure if it was really "me" but the first time I wore it my friend told me - without prompting - how cute I looked and that she loved my top. Sold! I feel very french in it with some slim jeans and ballet flats. Oui oui!

My Favorite Things: July 2010

Here is a list of all things I loved in June:

1) Small dark chocolate squares. Whole Foods has these little plastic canisters next to each register with candy in them. Generally I'm not a candy person, but one day I found little 0.4 oz squares of 75% dark chocolate. I thought to myself "that's a little treat that's self contained, and has some redeeming nutritional qualities!" So I bought one. Yum! I know build one into my day when I know I'm going shopping. It satisfies my sweet tooth without breaking the calorie bank. Whole Foods no longer has them, but I discovered that my local Brueggers Bagels does. Not an every day thing, but a nice treat once in a while

2) My new rosette t-shirt. I have looked everywhere for a pretty top with ruffles or florets but all of the ones I've seen either looked sloppy, unfinished, or too muted in color. They look great on models and other people, but I couldn't see myself wearing them. But recently I spotted one at Target of all places that I love. The color is pretty, the rosettes look finished and not sloppy, AND I had a coupon for 20% off one item in that brand. Score! It was only $14.99 to start with, so I got it for $13.49.

3) Everyday Food Magazine. A friend of a friend turned me on to this mini-magazine at a wine tasting party, and it's lived up to her praise. You may have trouble finding it - it's small (5x7) and usually with the smaller publications like Prevention Magazine. But it contains a ton of useful information, and simple recipes with minimal ingredients that you are likely to actually have in your pantry. I also really like the "Cooking For One" column each month because I am often eating solo or with just one other person and have to try to cut recipes down to scale. This saves me the trouble. There are also a ton of great features for larger families too - I've already seen articles on big freezer meals and how to feed a brood on a budget - with a premade shopping list! Good stuff. (Note - unlike some magazines, the associated Web site leaves alot to be desired, so I do recommend picking up the paper version.)

4) Babies!! Several of my friends have given birth to adorable little ones in the past few weeks. I am in love with all of them. Welcome to baby boy T, baby boy E, and baby girl L!!

5) Bon Jovi. My favorite band. Hands down. Best band ever. I got to see them live this month with my college best friend and another friend from work. Any month that includes a Bon Jovi show is a great month. I bought the tickets in November so this was much anticipated. And as usual, the Jersey Boys didn't disappoint!

My Favorite Things: June 2010

It's time for another installment of "My Favorite Things". Here's what I'm loving this month:

1) Laura Mercier primer, tinted moisturizer, and translucent powder. I was in the market for new foundation, and saw the Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer rank #1 in InStyle Magazine's annual beauty issue. Having no better authority to go on, I took the plunge. I'm happy I did. The primer really helps my makeup last, and the tinted moisturizer provides light coverage and SPF in one without feeling heavy. It's rather expensive ($106 for all 3) but I once heard that you should splurge on cosmetics for the areas that need the most help. For me that's my skin. Plus I haven't found a drugstore product that provides the same results.

2) My new lunch tote. Until a few weeks ago I was still carrying the logo lunch bag I got at my last employer. There are so many things wrong with that sentence (corporate swag, 10 year old lunch bag, haven't worked there in almost 5 years) that I decided to get something new and cute. Luckily, I was able to find one that is also infinitely more functional! It has a nice wide opening to fit large bowls of salad, and it just makes me smile when I look at it. Target had some in store in different prints but I liked this one the best so I sucked it up and paid the $7 shipping on an $11 item.

3) Boston Cares. To whom much is given, much is expected. I'm truly blessed, so it's important to me to give back. Unfortunately, my hectic schedule makes it hard for me to find volunteer opportunities. Enter Boston Cares. This group organizes volunteer events and helps people like me find ways to give back no matter how much or how little time we have. I attended a very quick orientation Tuesday night to teach me about the program, and now I'm all set to start signing up for events. (There is a $20 orientation fee but I just consider it a donation.)

4) Switch by Chip & Dan Heath. The first book by this duo - Made To Stick - has been of more use to me than any book I've read in the last 5 years. It's about why some ideas stick (think urban legands) and others don't. As someone who persuades people for a living, the research and recommendations were invaluable. Switch is the sequel, and although I'm only about 40 pages in I'm already hooked. This one is about why people change or don't, and how to get people to change even when it's hard. The writing is so smooth and easy to read, and the concepts are so clearly spelled out it's a pleasure to read. I will say that the findings thus far aren't terribly new to me - my own research deals with changing human behavior and their conclusions support what I've written myself. But they have a way of crystalizing and communicating the ideas that just jumps off the page. (Makes sense given the topic of their first book, right!)

5) Fresh strawberries. There is nothing more delicious than a naturally sweet, fresh strawberry. The season is in full bloom right now and I bought 3 lbs of organic strawberries on sale at Whole Foods this week. Yum!

So there you have it. Five things I'm loving in the month of June 2010.

My Favorite Things: Summer Reading Books

It's almost summertime, and for me that means long warm afternoons by the pool with a good book. I haven't figured out what I'm going to read this year, but wanted to share a few of my past favorites for others to enjoy:

American Wife by Curtis Settenfield - A fictionalized story based on the life of former First Lady Laura Bush. It's a great story, and I was surprised how many of the anecdotes turned out to be true. You have to keep in mind it's fiction, but it sure explains alot!

Jen Lancaster's entire body of work - Jen Lancaster is HYSTERICAL! I laughed out loud (much to the chagrin of my fellow airline passengers) at all four of her autobiographies. They are, in order, Bitter Is The New Black; Bright Lights, Big Ass; Such A Pretty Fat; and Pretty In Plaid. The footnotes are the best - it's snarky but will make you laugh until you cry.

In addition to these books, I love everything by Emily Giffin and Jennifer Weiner.

I devoured Wedding Belles by Haywood Smith on a recent trip to Aruba.

Read it a few years ago, but I loved Best Friends by Martha Moody.

And Judy Blume's adult books are also great - Summer Sisters and Wifey.

Last summer I read Beach House by Jane Green, which was fantastic. I also liked Second Chance and Swapping Lives by the same author.

Lipstick Jungle by Candice Bushnell (of SATC fame) was excellent. I haven't loved some of her other books, but this I enjoyed very much.

If I find any more this summer I'll post again, but this should be enough to get you started!

My Favorite Things - April 2010

It's been easy to love things this month now that the warmer temps are here. It's amazing how much light and warm air affect my mood! Here are 5 things I am enamored with this month.

1) My new Santoku knife. I broke the tip off my old chef's knife last month trying to separate two pieces of frozen chicken, so it was time to buy a new all-purpose knife. My friend L advised me to get a Santoku with a flat blade instead of a traditional chef's knife. I was delighted to see knives from high end maker J.A. Henkles at Target, so I bought a 7" forged steel beauty for the low price of $29.99. I love it! The blade is so sharp, the handle feels great, and the flat blade makes controlling things much easier. I dare say that it's leading me to eat more salads because I am looking for an excuse to chop some veggies just so I get to use my knife. Hey...whatever works!

2) Scented linen spray. I have been trying to get to bed earlier lately to boost my energy level, and one of the ideas I had to make bedtime enticing was scented linen spray. The idea is that you mist your pillowcase with a little scented water and let the smell carry you into dreamland. I found a very nice Ginger Mint scent at HomeGoods for $5.99 and so far it's been very nice. I do recommend spraying things about an hour before you go to bed, though. Any sooner and the smell may be a bit overwhelming (speaking from personal experience on that one!) In addition to HomeGoods a friend just clued me in to the fact that you can get pillow mist at stores like Bath & Body Works. I had trouble finding any and honestly it never occured to me to look there, but I will when this bottle runs out (or when I get sick of the scent and want a new one).

3) Colorful fabric on a corkboard. My guest room/office is decorated in a graphic black and white scheme with pops of lime green in the toss pillows on the bed. I wanted to find a way to bring that color into the other side of the room, so I found a piece of bright green fabric that matches the pillows at my local fabric store (only $1.99!). I stapled it to the cork board above my desk and it changes the entire feel of that side of the room. This is what I face while I work from home or pay bills, and it's just the pop of high energy I wanted in that space. The fabric square was premade and a little narrow for my cork board, so I plan to buy some 1" wide white ribbon and hot glue it around the edges to cover the gap. The whole thing should cost me less than $5 and I absolutely love it.

4) Buds on the trees. My backyard is a conservation land, so when I look out the window or go stand on the balcony I see a line of trees. This morning I noticed that suddenly they'd gone from stark, bare branches to having lovely green mini-leaves all over them. It was like being reborn. (Sounds melodramatic, I know, but I do not do winter well. Spring is a big deal to me -ripe with possibilities).

5) Barnes & Noble. I'm trying to watch less TV, but it's hard to avoid turning the thing on when I get home from work at night. So I've started heading out to B&N some nights. I may sit and thumb through a book I'm thinking of getting, flip through magazines to look at pretty pictures, or just people-watch. Our local store has a Starbucks cafe and a large lounge style area with several easy chairs and tables. It's really a great place to relax, or even go when you need to concentrate on work but not go into the office. I worked an entire Sunday there and got far more done than I would have sitting at home distracted by dishes or laundry that needed doing.

So there you have it. Five things I love this month. Happy Spring!

My Favorite Things - February 2010

Time for this month's installment of "favorite things." Here's what I'm loving right now.

1. My new "Snuggie". OK, so it's not a real Snuggie because I didn't like the colors it came in. But my mom bought me a generic Snuggie (called a Snuggle) in dark green. I am wearing it right now and let me tell you...it is the best thing ever! I am always cold, and spend many nights on my computer on the couch. The Snuggie allows me to keep the heat down, surf my favorite blogs, and stay toasty warm!

2. Pyrex Portables. The second present my mom got me this weekend was an 8 x 11 Pyrex dish with a lid and a carrying case. It is awesome, because I attend alot of potlucks and always struggle to transport my culinary masterpieces (lol!) to the party. This solves the problem. It comes with a hot/cold pack, the dish, a lid, and carrying case with a handle. This baby's going to get alot of use!

3. My Garmin GPS. Anyone who knows me knows that I lack any sense of direction. My GPS gives me the confidence to go places and do things that I might not have done otherwise. Granted, it sometimes sends me home via some wacky routes. But I definitely feel as though I'm much more of an explorer with it than I was without it.

4. Real Simple magazine. I have a love/hate relationship with magazines. Sometimes I think they just rehash the same over-simplified advice month after month. But Real Simple I like, enough that I asked for a subscription for my birthday. I get alot of great ideas, advice, and reference sources from the magazine each month. A few of my favorite parts are the quote at the front of the magazine and the reader answers to a "Question Of The Month" (a friend was in there once!).

5. My new black boots. I had the same black ankle boots for years, and this year they had finally reached the end of their useful life (only after being re-heeled 3 times). So I went off to DSW to look for a new pair. I wasn't sure I was going to find that "perfect" boot again, but I did! They're Franco Sarto boots with a 3" block heel and a zipper up the back. I wore them to work a few days later and wow - they are SO comfortable! The heel is thicker than my old pair which makes them feel better for walking. And they look great with jeans or dress pants. Plus I only paid $64.95 for them. Given how often I expect to wear these boots and how long they'll likely last, they were a great deal.