Bugs!

When my mom asked what I wanted for my birthday last month, I didn't have to think very hard -- I just sent her a long list of potential suggestions from my Etsy favorites. And then promptly forgot what I'd sent, until this came in the mail:

Blue Mountain Butterfly Display, $40

Isn't it gorgeous? It's a perfectly captured Blue Mountain Butterfly, framed by Biologist/Entomologist Kevin Clarke of Bug Under Glass. He only uses farm-raised insects, and each piece has a replica vintage museum label (signed and numbered) on the back with detailed info about the species, so you can feel like a true collector.

I can't stop admiring my little butterfly, and I already have my eye on a few more to add to my collection: the Charles Darwin Callithea, or maybe the Yellow Migrant Sea Monster.

Love Affair: Mid-Century Modern

I lurrrve the look of mid-century modern furniture. It's everywhere these days, especially in the blogosphere, but unless you stumble upon a great deal when you're thrift shopping or cruising Craigslist, it's hard to find mod pieces that don't break the bank.

Which is why I squealed--loudly--when I found these mod-looking pieces from Urban Outfitters.

Danish Modern Side Table, $130.

Mid-Century Modern Rocker, $288. (Free shipping!)

Truman Coffee Table, $198.

Yum.

I have been somewhat obsessed with miso soup since I first tried it years and years ago. It's a staple on my "comfort foods" list, because it's warm, it's delicious, and it's easy on the tummy. I order it every single time I have sushi, and thanks to one of my new co-workers, I now have a delicious non-restaurant version that I keep stocked at my desk for working lunches.

I could eat this stuff every. single. day.

Annie Chun's Miso Soup Bowl, $3.49

I buy mine by the cart-full at Trader Joe's, where you can get it even cheaper, and it won't go bad--just add water and toss in the microwave for a little taste of Asian food heaven. But the best part is that it comes in a sturdy, biodegradable bowl, which makes it yummy AND good for the environment. Win!

On Cloud b.

My latest online shopping obsession has less to do with what I want to buy for myself and more to do with what I want for our baby. If I could lock myself out of our Target registry, I would add hours of productivity to my work week. I love Target for necessities, but I'm also loving all of the little boutique-y luxury items. You know, the ones that make great gifts but you could never rationalize buying for yourself.

I'm in lurrrve with lots of good stuff at babyearth.com, but am hesitant to register with a website as I have to pay for any returns, which can be a hassle. It's amazing what they've come up with in the past 30 years (since I was a baby). One of my favorite items that I've seen both online and in person at friends' baby showers is the Cloud b Sleep Sheep.



This is their "on-the-go" model, which is made smaller for travel, which I will probably do more of in theory than reality, but still. It has four soothing nature sounds and a sleep timer so you can set it to go off in either 23 or 45 minutes from when you put your little one to bed. Hopefully, that will be enough time to get him to sleep! If this doesn't work, I'll have to resort to singing to him... and nobody wants that.

$21.95, babyearth.com.

Handy

Photo courtesy flipandtumble.com

These re-usable 24-7 bags from Flip & Tumble aren't just pretty -- they're convenient and washable, too. And (bonus!), they fold into tiny little balls so they're easy to stash when you're not using them. (Click on "see how it goes from a bag to a ball" for a video of the process.)

I want one in every color.

Target, how do I lurrrve thee?

Let me count the ways:

1. Orla Kiely for Target- As you may know, I adore Orla (Huz once rightfully accused me of picking out our home color scheme based on the colors on my Orla Kiely handbag). Now that my wallet's a tad tighter, I can't afford everything Orla, and was so excited to see she's joined the "design for everyone" movement. I bought four of her melamine dinner plates and four of her salad plates. Who cares what your food looks like when it's served on such lurrrvely patterns? With my cooking, I need all the distractions I can get! They were out of the mugs and bowls and only had one of each plate style left, so I got one of each for a super colorful table:






2. Target Home Organic Sheets - Even though they had 450 thread count sets for about the same price, I opted for the greener and softer 250 thread count organic sheet set in white (which is really an off-white). You can't beat the comfort of organic cotton, plus they were on special for less than $50 for the queen set (regular price online is $49.99):




3. Greenroom Eco File Folders - I work from home and little things like pretty patterns for my folders and notepads make mundane tasks a little more doable. Plus, it's nice to know that I'm filing away my priceless thoughts in products made from recyclable materials and non-toxic soy-based inks. Unfortunately, I can't find these on the Target site, which leads me to believe they're in-store only. But it's worth the trip:

The best online yard sale ever

I've been browsing the goodies at 1stdibs.com for a while now, debating about whether or not it was worthy of being Lurrrved. I've found many fantastic (and expensive) pieces on the site that I would love to have in my home, but my favorite part of the site is the Saturday Sale -- every Saturday morning at 8am EST, 1stDibs.com posts items that have gone on sale over the past week. Most of them are still pretty pricey, but the site is so well organized (and the pictures are so gorgeous), that it's the perfect accompaniment to your first cup of Saturday morning coffee.

More Etsy love: Necklush

Another great Etsy find: Necklush. I think these cotton loop scarves would be great for the unpredictable, transitional weather between winter and spring. They're like a conversation piece for your neck!

Lurrrving: bonzie

Lurrrve has been full of Etsy love lately, but I just can't resist posting these gorgeous wraps and things from Bonzie, an independent fashion label based in Ireland. I am coveting everything in this shop.

I mean, how romantic and beautiful is this bridal wrap? It's the perfect finishing touch.

Tea-stained bridal wrap, $65

I'm also seriously in love with this little silk wrap. It's bright red and perfect for a romantic Valentine's Day date over your favorite little black dress:

Rich poppy red dupioni raw silk wrap, $79

Follow Bonzie's blog, here.

Head case.

I know I'm supposed to be shopping for my family and friends right now, with the holidays merely weeks away, but I can't stop bookmarking things I want for myself these days. I am covetous and it's a problem. I can't stop lusting after the gorgeous hairpieces I keep finding on Etsy.com: fascinators, clips, headbands, you name it--and they're all covered with feathers.

There's this peacock feather headband from WashedUp Mermaid ($22):


Then there's this darling little Swallow in Flight cocktail hat from StyleSmith ($29):


I also have a hard time choosing between the Etta headband ($32, top) or the Calloway headband ($34, bottom), both from FeatherBrain:

But then I can't choose between Portobello's strikingly beautiful Avril headband ($35, left), or the Miyuki headpiece ($39, right):




















If you end up buying one of these beauties as a holiday gift this year, please let us know so we can be properly jealous.

Coveting: Prints by Alie Ward

I've had Alie's site, Curiology, bookmarked for years now, and I've gotten attached to several of her pieces (all of which were snapped up before I'd saved up enough of my pennies).

I just checked back in, though, and discovered she's now offering prints of some of her stuff, starting at $30 each. I'm going to buy this one, called Sin/Atone from her Dichotomy series, to hang up in my office. (It's perfect for an editor, no?)


I like Alie's work because it's thoughtful and funny. Take a look at her other prints for sale here.

The Sample Life

While on sabbatical in Colorado ("on sabbatical" meaning unemployed), I once wore the same pair of pants for five straight days. I know. I'm gross.



But if you ever put on the Cloudveil Run Don't Walk Pants, you won't want to take them off. They are hands down the most comfortable clothes I've ever had on my body. It's like they're lined with babies' bottoms.

When I ordered my second pair, my husband asked, "How many pairs of those do you need?" My answer was two. Now that I've found them in the new 2008 Bluegrass color, I've changed my answer to three.

At full price you might be sticker shocked, but thanks to the Cloudveil Store at KL Sport, I never pay full price for my Clouveil gear. Their sample sale section offers the latest looks at up to 50% off.

Kate O'Brien's 2009 Calendar

I discovered Kate a few months ago and shared her talent with you, but I just have to bring her up again, because her 2009 calendar is now for sale:

It is fantastic, and I am ordering one for myself (and possibly one for my sister, too) right now.

$23.75 -- Get it here.

I lurrrve Kate O'Brien

I stumbled across Kate O'Brien's work on flickr today, and was instantly smitten. Her photography is playful, thoughtful, and imaginative--and the attention to detail is unmistakable. This shot is the one that originally caught my eye:
It's called "Jeune Fille délivrant un oiseau de sa cage," and I think it's gorgeous. But then, scrolling through Kate's other images on flickr, I found this one ("Hail Mary"), and I was officially hooked.

Here are links to a few more favorites for you to check out. From the looks of Kate's web site, she'll take on any client, any challenge -- and it looks like she's great fun to work with. Would love to see her take on traditional wedding photos!

Happy feet

My new favorite shade of polish for my toes:

I think Lindsey Beth disagrees with me on this, but I prefer Essie polish. I don't like how thick and gloppy OPI polish is, whereas Essie is nice and smooth; perfect for easy application (and at-home touch-ups). This shade is called Bermuda Shorts, and since I decided to skip lunch in favor of a pedicure this afternoon (I know, I know), I wanted something that would perk me up. Something bright. Something lively. Something unique.

And then two girls sat down in the chairs next to me and had chosen the EXACT SAME SHADE. So much for originality. However, I think this means it's a winner. My toes are looking tres chic.

Lurrrving Orla Kiely

After obsessing over Orla for ages, I finally indulged a few months ago in this goes-with-nothing-and-everything Multi Stem Shoulder Bag.

I wanted to spread the lurrrve by letting you know about the fabulous Summer Sale going on now at www.orlakiely.com/usa. With items up to 50% off (and the right amount of rationalizing) it's kinda sorta almost afforable. The Primrose Print Dress is not only ideal for summer, but could transition nicely into the fall over a pair of jeans or leggings.


$72.50 (down from $145).

Lurrrving: Dyson

When my vacuum died last week, I thought, Oh well, another one bites the dust.

At last count, my household has gone through four vacuums in the past five years. The sad part about that is that in the past five years, we've lived in one house with carpeting: the one we live in now, that we moved into in February. So those vacuums died after not being able to handle the amount of dog hair that accumulates on rugs and hardwood floors when you have two golden retriever mixes.

On Friday, I dug out the Phillips-head screwdriver, pried off the vacuum backing, and checked the vacuum's belt, figuring maybe this time it would be an easy fix. It wasn't. There is something wrong with the motor, and for a vacuum we spent about $80 (an estimation), I don't see it being worth a trip to a repair store. It's just going to break again.

For years, I've been dreaming about owning a Dyson, but have never been brave enough to make the investment. I mean, they cost $500 brand new! But then I added up the approximate amount we've spent on vacuums over the past five years, and I realized we'd been spending more money on vacuums than we would if we invested in one that was supposed to last for five years. And I have several friends who have Dysons and swear by them (seriously, people swear by this vaccum), but, still -- $500 for a vacuum?

Yesterday was do-or-die: I hadn't vacuumed in a week, and the house was starting to get hairy. I went to Target, expecting to plunk down another $150 or so on a new vacuum...and found that the Dyson I'd been coveting, the Animal, was on clearance. I emailed my husband, we checked our bank accounts...and decided to go for it.


I was starting to freak out as I reached the check-out counter, thinking about what the grand total of my Target shopping spree would be (of course I also needed to get necessities like dog food and shampoo), when a woman walked by, glanced at my cart, and said over her shoulder, "You will LOVE that vacuum cleaner. Seriously. It is worth every penny. I wish I had two of them."

That was all it took.

I got home yesterday, put my new toy together (can a vacuum be called a toy?), and took it for a test drive on my week's-worth-of-dog-hair carpet...and it was awesome. So far the best part is that you don't have to bend down to turn it on, empty the canister, or even plug in the attachments. And it has an extra-long cord so I don't continually have to plug and unplug. I also suspect it picked up dog hair that my now-deceased vacuum had been missing for months.

The Dyson Animal is the vacuum most recommended for houses with pets--so I'm crossing my fingers that my little furry boys' shedding won't prove too much for it to handle. So far, I'm impressed. Will I still be impressed a year from now? We shall see.

Lurrrving: Good Stock

I've been daydreaming about having Kim of Good Stock make books for me for about a year now. I'd like to rummage through the old black and white photos stashed in a dresser in my grandmother's house and make a family book of "entertaining" -- photos from parties. I'd like a book about my grandfather, who I never got to meet. I'd like a book about how my parents met and fell in love. I'd like one dedicated to my friendships.

I think, I'd just like to get started on something that lets me hang on to my past in a concrete way. And Kim's books are a beautiful way to do it.

Each is one-of-a-kind, completely unique, and lovingly handmade by Kim. I think the results are pretty stunning -- these put those self-made books that are all the rage to absolute shame. Yes, they are more expensive, but these are basically heirlooms in print form. And I am dying for one (or ten) of my own.

iPod lurrrve.

Ever since I first discovered AB Sutton, I've wanted to buy something from them. I love their custom wallets and adore their Moleskine notebook covers (how could I not?), but what I really want most is one of their iPod cases.

In particular, I want this one: the iPod classic case ($88).

It's not my birthday, and it's not my anniversary, either...but if you were considering buying me a gift, this is what I would like--a yellow or blue one that would fit my little iPod Classic, please.

Anthro 101

So, I don't mean to brag, but I discovered Anthropologie way before most Folks had even heard of it.

Folks: Wow, I love your outfit!
Me: I know, right?
Folks: Where'd you get it?
Me: Anthropologie.
Folks: Where? I've never heard of that.
Me: It's a store called Anthropologie. They have a super cool catalog [pre-Online Shopping Era].
Folks: Wow, that's so awesome. You are so awesome.

Of course now Anthro is everywhere and everyone can spot their stuff a mile away. But I still lurrrve them. Most lately lurrrving these lounge pants:

Wicker Bloom Pants, $48 at Anthropologie.com.