Wicked good.

Ever since my husband took me to see Wicked for our anniversary, I've had a new appreciation for all things emerald. Here are some of the green things I'm newly coveting...

Chrysoprase Silver Ring, $62.50

Stella Wardrobe, $715Pratt & Lambert "Clover" wall paint

Accommodating Maillot, $188

'Tis the season for lurrrve.

My husband proposed to me in December, and our anniversary when we were dating was right around Thanksgiving, so every year around this time I start to turn into a sentimental sap of a woman. Which means I get all warm and fuzzy when I come across romantic gifts like this one:

Fingerprint Wedding Band in Silver, $150

Is there anything more romantic than a ring that has your personal, one-of-a-kind fingerprint in it? Sure, it's meant to be a wedding band (and would be perfectly lovely for that purpose), but I could see it also being a very sweet and simply sentimental anniversary gift or holiday gift--assuming your sweetheart wears rings. And if he (or she) were to purchase one of these bands for you? SWOON.

This post brought to you by the letter A.

Because "A" is my first and last initial, I'm kind of obsessed. I like it in almost any font, uppercase or lower...and now I've found an initial necklace that I'm also kind of obsessed with.

See for yourself:

14K Gold and diamond initial charm necklace, $350.

Isn't it gorgeous? It's handmade in 14K gold with a teeny little diamond, but you can also get it without the diamond or in sterling silver. Lurrrve!

I know what you're thinking.

Rings? Again?

Yes. I can't help it; rings are my favorite jewelry.

When I came across Garnet Girl Designs' new Constellation/Zodiac Rings, I knew I had to share them!

Wouldn't you love to carry around the Big Dipper all day?

Big Dipper Constellation Ring, $98 (all photos courtesy onegarnetgirl)

Libra Constellation Ring, $118 (Perfect for your favorite October baby.)

Animal-Friendly Jewelry Designer, Christy Robinson.

I'm not a vegan. I love cheese and milk way too much to give them up. I'm also not a vegetarian although if tofu's on the menu, I'll most likely order it. My personal beliefs and diet aside, there's no denying the adorable designs by Christy Robinson.

Her animal-friendly, vegan-friendly line of jewelry mixes recycled and synthetic materials with quirky yet poignant eco-political and animal rights messages.


Every Day is Earth Day Ring, $60


Flocked Not a Nugget Chick Necklace, $45

We extra, extra lurrrve her for giving a portion of her proceeds to animal and environmental charities (Earth Island Institute, Farm Sanctuary and Vegan Outreach to name a few).

Which of her designs do you lurrrve most? Check them all out on her website at christyrobinsondesigns.com.

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.

What to get for the one you lurrrve.

The big day is coming up...are you ready? We have some great, last-minute suggestions to keep you from panicking on Friday night when you realize you completely forgot that the next day is Valentine's Day.

ALEXANDRIALEIGH LURRRVES...
For Her: Flowers
It may be cliché, but I think flowers are pretty romantic. You could give your girl a flowering plant, because then she can have flowers practically year-round, but if you're worried about upkeep (or your significant other has a black thumb), you can't go wrong with the classic Valentine's Day gift: A bunch of red roses.

And what could make a bunch of red roses better? How about if they're fantastically gorgeous, smell wonderful, AND are natural, organic, sustainable, and fair trade. Like these, from Organica Deluxe:

Red Freedom Russian Cut Roses, $59

For Her: A Token
I love puns, so I guess it's no surprise that I also love gifts with meaning. Take this little statue from Stray Dog Designs, for instance. It's a love bird, but it doesn't scream "Valentine's Day" -- it's subtle, with the tail ending in a heart shape, and it would look charming atop a stack of books in your sweetie's bookshelf. Plus, it's handmade, and you can choose her favorite color.

Love Bird, $45

For Her: Goodies
Who doesn't love a man who cooks? I do. Especially if he bakes, because personally, I am a failure with baked goods. This is practically the perfect gift--it's inexpensive, good for sharing, romantic, and thoughtful. I recommend Bakerella's Red Velvet Cake Balls, because I love red velvet cake, they're festive, and I think they'd be romantic to share with some champagne.

(Image via Bakerella)

For Him: Help for the Junk in his Trunk
My guy always has a bunch of man-stuff in his trunk: a football, some rags, a flashlight...you know, stuff. And it used to drive me crazy, because every time he'd make a turn, it would go rolling from one end of the car to the other. Until, that is, I bought him a trunk organizer like this one from Uncommon Goods--it even has a cooler to keep your beer cold, which seems pointless to me but probably would sound like a GREAT idea to my husband. It's not the most romantic gift, but he'll love it. Trust me.

Collapsible Trunk Organizer, $32

For Him: Grill Pan & Panini Press
I have one of these, and I think my husband might like it more than I do. There's just something about guys and sandwiches...it's a match made in heaven. Le Creuset products are my favorite--they're well made and will stand up to generations of use, especially if you buy the cast iron stuff. I recommend the skillet grill pan with the matching panini press. You'll use them, I promise.

Square Skillet Grill

LINDSEY LURRRVES...
For Her: Fragrance
One of the best gifts I ever got was actually a bridesmaid gift from my sister, but it would make a thoughtful present for anyone you hold near and dear. Essens creates personalized, custom fragrances based on your loved one's personality. Fragrance Designer Kathleen Dreier uses a detailed questionnaire to capture your sweetie's signature scent in 1/4-ounce of pure alcohol-free essence. The bottle comes with a card that explains what was put into the fragrance and why. They say a bottle lasts 9-12 months, but I've made mine stretch to a year and a half. Sad to say I'm finally running out (hint, hint).

$100, essens.com

For Her: Shoes
A woman always needs another pair of shoes. These cozy kicks from Keen combine the comfort of a slipper with a rubber outsole that can also take her out and about. Less clunky than clogs, she'll get plenty more wear out of these stylish slip-ons before the warmer weather rolls in. And they come in beet red -- be still my heart.

Timberline Shoe, $65

For Her: Earrings
It can be daunting to pick out jewelry, but your gal should appreciate the design behind these earrings from the husband and wife team at 2ReVert. They make all of their jewelry from damaged and broken skateboards. And each piece is one-of-a-kind, just like your Valentine.

Cube Earrings, $30

For Him: Say it with Steaks
If your man is a meatatarian, he'll salivate over the selection from Diamond Organics. Choose from several cuts of grass fed lamb, beef and buffalo, or splurge for one their samplers, which start at $149. With overnight home delivery, it's not too late for last-minute Valentine's meatfest.


For Him: Branch Out
For your tree hugging honey, a gift from Trees Instead makes a great green gesture. Plant a tree in his name in any U.S. state, Israel or the Amazon. He'll get a certificate with a special number so he can find the tree's location online.

Valentine's Day Tree, $25

For Him: Perfect on Paper
Men like journals, too... you just have to find the right one. My husband's a fly fishing guide, and would go ga-ga over the weather-proof products from Rite in the Rain. Known for their all-weather writing paper, they also make all-weather pens that work in -30F and upside down (you know, for all those times he might need to write hanging from his feet off of a cliff). You can buy the notebooks on their own, but the kits, complete with pouch, journal and pen, make a great gift and come in several styles.

Rite in the Rain Fly Fishing Kit, $34.69

Lurrrving Candy Point

One of my best friends got married the other weekend and as bridesmaids gifts, she gave us these amazing earrings. Turns out her aunt made them. In fact her aunt, Anne Whittle has her own jewelry business and sells her beautiful work as Candy Point Collection. I don't see earrings on her site (must've been special, just for us) but her necklaces are equally stunning. What better time than Halloween to treat yourself to a little candy?


Orange Crush - four strands of orange pearls, $75 at CandyPointCollection.com.

True Lurrrve: Kate Szabone

Etsy is one of my favorite things -- I spend a lot of time on that site, cruising around for new, fun things. One of my other favorite things is jewelry, especially anything with aquamarine, which is my birthstone. It's also the centerpiece of my favorite piece of jewelry of all time, my engagement ring:


I'm a fan of simple, classic jewelry. I'm not big on the trendy stuff, because I also have expensive tastes, and that means most of the jewelry I buy has to be more of an investment than something that will go perfectly with my newest favorite outfit. (I do make a few exceptions, though: I bought these because I thought they were pretty, and I always get compliments on them.)

I've been back to visit Kate Szabone's Etsy shop several times since I first discovered her, and now that I've discovered this gorgeous set of rings ($360), I know what my next jewelry splurge is going to be.


I'm also seriously coveting this gorgeous set of bangles ($265), featuring a large blue aquamarine.


I love Kate's jewelry for its simplicity and organic lines. I've been dying for a pair of her hand-hammered hoops for months, and I love the interesting combinations and shapes she uses. And, if you're looking for a beautiful, simple engagement set -- she's got you covered.

Loving Laura James Jewelry

I know I speak for both Lindsey AND myself when I say that Laura James Jewelry is one of Lurrrve's favorite things ever, and definitely worthy of being our first post!

I bought myself a gorgeous pair of Laura James earrings with vintage chandelier crystals and teeny aquamarine drops (aquas are my absolute favorite gemstone) a few months ago, and I can't wear them without having people stop me to ask where they're from. Once, a woman literally yelled at me to roll down my window at a stoplight because she saw them on my ears.

(OK, maybe that didn't exactly happen. But it could have. Seriously.)

Either way, Laura's stuff is spectacular. It's unique and interesting, and definitely not the kind of obvious pieces you'll find in your average jewelry store.

This piece would be especially lovely as a graduation gift for a recent high school or college graduate:



You can get it handstamped with the name and date of your choice. Heck, it would even make a great bridesmaid gift for your favorite girlfriends.