Sorry So Sad

I just had to have my dog put to sleep. I bitched about what a pain in the ass he was constantly. But, really, he was a sweet and energetic boxer. He had curiosity in his eyes. He was beautiful. I tiger striped brindle. And as much a complained about him, I really loved him. I never imagined this would hurt this bad. And my husband isn't here to share the pain. And I really hate that he didn't get to see him before we had to let him go.

Thankfully, he went out with no pain. For that I am very thankful.

Just feeling very empty tonight. I didn't see this coming.

Together- Collection Art

Collection A Day 2010 takes mundane objects and somehow transforms them into art. The feathers were the first to catch my eye. I, too, pick up pretty feathers when I see them. But vintage erasers? Look how pretty their colors are when grouped together. Same goes for the books in washed out greens. Vintage postcards. Now that is art. How often do you see a hand written note these days? Aren't they beautiful?

It's Monday and I'm a little slow to get going. But I have been working on some pretty exciting stuff. Hopefully, I will get to share it with you this week.

Here's to a new week. Hope it goes well for us all.

The Sweetness

You know what rocks about being a girl?

You can use it as an excuse for stuff.

Particularly, stuff like .......... taking too long to get ready, being emotional, buying one too many shades of lip gloss or fingernail polish. In my case, I use being a girl as an excuse to use bad judgement for one week out of the month. For example, it's a pretty good reason to take ibuprofen in insane doses. Who cares if it rots out my liver? I neeeeeed it. (I actually really do. Which is quite unfortunate.) This evening I used being "a girl" as an excuse to eat three microwave made s'mores. Hey. I can do that this week. Or, at least for the worst few days. Being a girl hurts. So I can absolutely skip a few workouts and eat Godiva chocolate on graham crackers with monstrous amounts of puffy marshmallow on top. Yes I can!

And, I can giggle with delight as I lick marshmallow goo off of my fingers.

On the subject of giggling with delight ...... do any of you find yourself trying to pronounce the crazy, computer generated verification words that you have to type in to leave comments? Or am I the only moron that does that?

*that delicious little pic above was snagged from Slumber Designs blog. Sweet indeed.

Etsy Love

Well. Thank goodness it's Friday! It has been another long week here at the shop. I'm glad to be going out of town this weekend with friends for some fun and sun.

I've been collecting some pretty awesome Etsy finds in my favorites lately. They are just perfect for spring and summer. I figured it's a good time to share a few with all of you. Enjoy.

How sweet is this Tea Party Dress by Amanda Archer? Pretty darn sweet! I love the colors of this one. But if you lean towards to solid end of the spectrum, she makes the same design in other colors and fabrics.

I am a very cold natured person. Once the sun goes down I have to have something covering my arms. I thought that this little shrug top with shawl collar looked just perfect for cool spring evenings. Once again, My Lola Fashion makes these in multiple colors.

Okay. Is this not the most adorable dress you have ever seen? I am always won over by the nautical look. This Sailor Pin-Up Girl dress is from 007 Fashion. In the designers own words, its so cute that even a Bond Girl would wear it. I agree.

I have to say that I am not super crazy about the whole ruffle trend that's happening right now. However, Coralie Beatrix has changed my mind about wearing ruffles. Her Ruffle Tease have made my heart crumble. They are somehow both darling and edgy at the same time.

Happy weekend, dolls. Hope to see you back here next week.

Keep it Simple

I was so thrilled to read all your thoughtful comments on "simple pleasures". I love hearing from you. Your words are also a simple pleasure. They never fail to make me smile. Thank you.

Sometimes I wonder what would happen if you put a big bunch of us bloggers at a table together (maybe with some pie and ice cream, like above). Would we all break out into lively conversation and go on like old friends? Or would we sit with polite smiles and wait for someone else to say something? Are we more confident, witty or creative when hidden behind a computer screen? Or would our personalities bubble forth like a pot of boiling water?

It's an interesting thought, wouldn't you agree? I think that regardless of where we are, what we share is pretty special. We may not get to meet up for lunch in reality, but in a way, maybe we do. I meet with many of you for a little break in the afternoon, when my energy and attention are waning. You share with me your thoughts and inspirations and I instantly feel much better. Even if you like feeling anonymous, would you honestly leave comments for anyone if you didn't think that they enjoyed reading them? I wouldn't. Sometimes I find myself not commenting on blog posts because they already have like a billion comments already. It feels impersonal, like my comment will just be floating around out there in a sea of others.

But its nice to be acknowledged, isn't it? Its always a good feeling to sign in to your blog and see that you have such and such number of comments to be moderated. It means that someone heard you. And I, indeed, love hearing from you. So keep on blogging and keep on commenting. And have some pie and ice cream ready. ;)

*photo from Pottery Barn.
*P.S.- five more posts to go before I do my first giveaway! Don't miss it.

small things

What a beautiful Sunday. The sky is blue. The sun is shining. And the day has moved at a pleasantly lazy pace. I just finished a little cream of wheat break on my front porch. I needed a little something to eat before going to a birthday bbq this evening.

Its nice to be reminded that sometimes the simplest of things do the most for us. I love the luxury of sitting on my porch and enjoying something to eat. It is one thing that I miss dearly when winter rolls around.

Yesterday I went for a haircut. Nothing major. Just a good trim and the addition of a few layers around the face. Some long sweeping bangs. No big deal. But as simple as it was, it made a huge impact on how I felt. As does a little sun on my skin. I suddenly feel fresher and more vibrant.

If you really think about it, the things that usually make the biggest impact on our state of mind are the small things. What small thing has changed the way you feel lately?

Jealousy

This, my dears, is an open-air backyard bathroom. I'm not even joking. The owners decided to convert the shed in the back of their house into a big, open, inviting bath retreat. They cleaned the place up, added terra cotta tiles and plumbing and, voila!, the most jealousy inducing bathroom in the west.

I know its in the west because I found it on the Sunset website. I swear, they make living in arid climates look so good.

I hope you have a relaxing weekend. Happy Easter!