Little by little!

Well, things are starting to shape up around here! Slowly, our new house is starting to feel more homey. Obviously, more space means more things to fill it up...and more means, well more. More money to spend, more time to instal. And more is something that we don't necessarily have right now. So the little things get me really excited. And little by little we'll get there!

We've replaced the generic (aka ugly) chandelier in our dining area with this vintage-cool pendant (love the light bulb!), have a lot for the bathrooms, just need to find the time to paint, replace light fixtures and mirrors, etc., and we have curtains for our living room. But those won't go up for about another month when poor little Gigi gets declawed.

That's another story altogether. Last week, I took both cats to get declawed and got a call that Gigi has a mild infection and so her surgery has to be postponed while she's on antibiotics. Have you ever tried to give a cat a pill? Sometimes it's fine, other times it's miserable. And usually she just throws it up. So I'm just praying really hard that these antibiotics will work. Otherwise, I don't know what we're going to do.

If your friends with me on Facebook, you may have seen that I was thinking of giving her away. Well. I don't want to do that. But I can't have her with her claws around the baby. She's just a little too crazy.

In other news, I'm trying to take on a little bit of freelance editing work, so wish me luck on that!

Oh, and it's Leap Year Day! Which means if you're a lady, you can propose to your man. Whatever. Happy Leap Year Day!

Little Updates

Well...

• I got my maternity jeans in the mail. One word: disappointment. Really, Old Navy?? That's the size I ordered?? The "baby band" which was disproportionally tight compared to the rest of the sagging "skinny" jeans was so low that they might as well have just been ill-constructed elastic waist jeans that I don't think anyone would be caught dead in. Not to mention that the charcoal cowl neck sweater I also ordered was somehow confused by the same geniuses for a hideously pleated bazar black sweat shirt that looks nothing short of amish. And to add to my madness?? I drive 25 minutes to Mt. Pleasant to return the horrendous items only to be told that they don't accept maternity items in the store.

Thanks. For. Nothin.

• In more uplifting news, since I was at the Towne Centre, I stopped in Pea in a Pod, which I should have done all along, and got some much more satisfactory jeans. Thank ya Jesus for well-fitting preggo jeans.

• Brendan and I went to the wedding of our good friends Jeffery and Ashleigh this weekend and I had Brendan take a baby bump picture before we left, but after further review, I hate it, and therefore will not be sharing. Maybe now that I got some better jeans, I'll post one soon.

• 16 weeks was Sunday...and the roller coaster continues. Many more ups than downs, but still, Monday was rough.

• First house project complete: blinds for the downstairs! Yay! So now when I'm working, I don't share awkward glances with people walking by outside. Next step, blinds for the second and third floor and the bathrooms/half baths!

This is what we're doing in the second floor half bath. I'm still scouting out the mirror, just the version that doesn't cost $300. I know I can find it cheaper. And so the hunt is on.

Mmk, friends. I'm off make brownies for our Code Orange viewing party tonight. What's that, you ask? Elevation Church in Charlotte is hosting a 12-night event where speakers, pastors, and musicians from all over the country (and the world) are taking the stage and our very own Pastor P will be speaking tonight. So if you can, check it out! It's streaming live tonight at 6PM here.

Ciao!

Big Apple Love

{As Promised}

So two weekends ago, I went here:

You might find it bit odd that I would go to NYC right after a blizzard, but if you really know me, you'd know that it's not odd at all. I love this city.

It wasn't nearly as cold as it looks. In fact, thanks to some awesome rain boots we bought at Tertorn in SoHo and these amazing fur hats, we were totally toasty.

Here's a look at our trip:

Red Velvet + Dulce de Leche {Crumbs}

CP ♥

Purl Soho {love this place}

Washington Square {The Village}

Park Ave. {flowers} | Bryant Park {snowmen}

Tretorn saved our lives! {and our feet}

Do as ze Russians do.

CP

SoHo

Hello, Kate Spade.


The Rug Company | SoHo



Ze Pod.


{taxicab yellow} the accent color of the city

The History of Redemption

Good morning! Once again it is Monday. Which means that the exclamation point in that first sentence is only a ploy to make you think that I'm awake. I'm not. It was a kind of exhausting weekend.

Anyway, if you have a few minutes you should really go here and watch "The History of Redemption."



It's pretty incredible. If you're looking for a last-minute gift, the book and the prints are pretty awesome too.

Have a lovely week! :)

ADD

I am way too ADD to work today. All I want to do is go home and decorate the Christmas tree and go for a walk and maybe go to the land bridge in Old Mt. P and go shopping at Out of Hand and go to Starbucks and get lunch at Poe's and go downtown and go shopping everywhere and call all my friends that I haven't talked to in a long time.

IS THAT SO MUCH TO ASK?????


Thanks, Allie Brosh (hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com) for summing up my current state as illustrated below:

Hello, Autumn!

The official first day has passed, but it's just starting to feel like fall. Mornings are crisp, days are overcast, and we've actually been getting a lot of rain here in the lowcountry. I'm not complaining though, because this is what the weather looks like next week:

So looking forward to it.

So with little whims of autumn creeping in all around, I can't help but be inspired. Here are some of my favorite fall things....

{click image to see stuff in all it's splendor}

All of this eye candy makes me want to go outside take in a deep breath of crisp air, and jump into a pile of leaves- of course while staying cozy in that black and white wool cape or that rust-colored silk-cashmere wrap. I am so ready for some Wellies and oyster roasts and toasty red wine and cuddling up with a good book on an overcast day. The Gardiner Heist is one I'm really looking forward to. And speaking of cuddling up, I could really use a pair of those sock slippers. And that Fire Side Wood Wick candle, and those maple marshmallows...and...all of it!!!

Oh fall, I'm so glad you've made it. You're just in time.

From top left:

• Vintage Herringbone Pillow High Street Market (etsy store)
• Continuum: Music by John Mayer Amazon.com
• Gold Stackable Rings Stella & Dot
• Passion Flower Plate Crate & Barrel
  
• East Hampton Cottage Flannel Shirt Shopruche.com
• Natural Draw-String Sweat Shirt Gap {no link available}
• Sam Adams Octoberfest Beer
• Decorative Pumpkins and Gourds (set of five) Pottery Barn
  
• Snow Leopard Cocoon Cardi-Cape Leilanni (etsy store)
• Warm Slipper Socks Forever 21
• "I Love!" Copper Notebook Oh Joy!
  
• Heritage Badge Mug Starbucks
  
• The Gardener Heist by Ulrich Boser Amazon.com
  
• Facetted Jewel Necklace Forever 21
• Nail Color in Velvet Voyer Essie
• Frilly Sweater in Oatmeal Shopruche.com {out of stock}]
• WoodWick 10 oz. Candle in Fireside Wood Wick
  
• Studded Leather Wrap Bracelets Lori's
  
• Sculptural Birds Pottery Barn
  
• Weathered Leather Boots Forever 21 {yes...F21. I didn't believe it either. Please don't let them sell out, please don't let them sell out!}
• Beauty Basics Scarves in Olive, Dusty Pink, and Eggplant Shopruche.com
• Trasforming Wool Cape Lex M (etsy store)
• Pumpkin Ginger Sandwich Cookies and Brown Sugar Ginger Spice Cookies Whimsey & Spice
  
• Fuzzy Plaid Scarf Forever 21
• Gray Pearl Cocktail Ring Ann Taylor
  
• Maple Marshmallows Whimsy & Spice
  
• The Emerson Clutch EmersonMade
  
• Silk Posy Tee in Moroccan Spice, Jeweled Dream Cardigan in Rope, and Refined Silk-Cashmere Wrap in Vintage Rosewood J.Crew
• Gossip in the Grain: Ray Lamontagne Amazon.com
  
• BDG Sholder-Stripe Cardigan Urban Outfitters
• Pumpkin Pie Spice Coffee Creamer International Delight
  
• Women's Pelican Tall Boot Lug in Tan Plaid Sperry Top-Sider
  
• Escudo Rojo Chilean Bordeaux Blend

Into the Wild

I'm not usually given to garishness. My wardrobe consists of a lot gray, white and black. I'd say all and all, I'm pretty monochromatic with punches of color here and there. To me, you make more of a statement with subtlety because people are actually more prone to notice a gold belt or coral cuff when it's up against a canvas that actually allows it make a statement, rather than getting bogged down in with over accessorization or patterns that should just be a statement themselves.

So I'd like to acknowledge the latter of the two- patterns that should just a be a statement themselves.

Animal print hasn't always been my thing. But this fall, I'm finding myself really drawn to it. Especially in softer colors that we all know those animals don't really come in (grays, pastels, plum).

If you really look at it, animal print is nothing more than an unconventional pattern of neutrals, that when done correctly, is so Fifth Avenue and so not Jersey Shore.


Now, I'm definitely not advocating over doing it (which can be easily done).

I think sticking with one jungle cat inspired item per outfit is all you need.

I've had this thought before, and I think this just proves it to be true- God is truly the king of couture. I wonder what His muse was when creating such haute patterns.

Conundrum

I love options. When given the choice, I almost always opt for options. Maybe it's because I'm easily distracted. Maybe it's because I'm fickle, impulsive, generally non-commital. I'm going to stop before I start getting side tra....what's the name of that new sushi restaurant I've been wanting to try?....ok, bring it in. Options=good. Usually.

On rare occasions, I do not appreciate the option of having options. And this particular situation is one of them.

I'm trapped in a conundrum. The most crappy of conundrums. A calendar conundrum.

Yes, I realize I am ridiculous. Let's be serious, we've all known that for a long time. But back to the conundrum at hand.

A calendar is a serious investment. It's a commitment to one style, one compilation of at least 12 designs, photos, paintings, etc. for an entire year. Can you change your mind about your chosen calendar? Sure. But I find it tacky.

Can you just tell yourself it's not a big deal, just use the one you got as Secret Santa gift? You know, the one with wiener dogs dressed seasonally according to their respective months? Or maybe babies posed in disturbing and bizarre scenarios like in a larger-than-life tea pot or perhaps a head of lettuce. Creepy. No! You cannot allow it!

Or...maybe even worse, since there is no semblance of personality whatsoever, do you just go with the free calendar from the supply closet at work? The one printed on less than desirable anemic-looking paper stock with red Arial font months, emotionless expression of date and holidays and no recognition whatsoever of the unique beauty of the twelve months? No! You cannot use this for anything except lulling yourself into depression about the passage of time.

I shutter to think of hanging such an atrocity on my already bleak storm cloud of a cubical wall. The afore mentioned items are not options.

But there is hope! There's a lot. And THAT'S the problem! When is too much of a good thing bad? As a rule, I like to say "never!" But I can't say this regarding this particular issue.

I've narrowed it down to three and I'm feeling anxiety of having picked the wrong one already! Which one do I want to stare at in my cubical for an entire year? Which one can I give that kind of time to? Which one will make me forget the others?

Don't even tell me they all look the same.

2011 Snow & Graham Desk Calendar

2011 Papersource Letterpress Desk Calendar

2011 SuzyJack* Deluxe Hanging Calendar

*Yes, I am totally aware of my excessive mellow drama. No I won't do it again.

Ok, I will try not to do it again.

BREAKING NEWS!!

Ok people. This is a special report. Anthropologie has an outdoor store {{!!!}} .

It's called Terrain and I think I just died a little upon receiving the news of it's existence.

It's not new. I think there are only a few test stores that opened before the economy plummeted. Say what you will about me and my priorities but can we please PLEASE fix the economy so that we can get one of these down here? I mean among all the other good reason to fix it, of course.

Not so special.

Question.


Where can I get this


For less than this



Yes, that says "SPECIAL $949.00."

I'm sorry Pottery Barn. That price is not special. It's cruel.

Must...find...cheaper...twin.