Saturday Project: Getting Creative (and Organized)

Not my office: picture via Domino

Hope everyone is having a splendid weekend- right now I'm working on going through some of the less organized areas of my apartment and getting rid of clutter. I'm going to tackle *gulp* under the bed next, which should be interesting since I tend to stash all my crap there when I want to forget about it, and now it's full.

Along that vein, check out this article by Domino on establishing and organizing a creative space. I've been going through the Domino website ever since I found out that they were shutting it down with the magazine- basically nabbing photos and articles that I find particularly inspirational and stashing them on my computer. At any rate, this particular article speaks to me since I am working on my own desk project.

Here are a few of my favorite tips from the article:

choose your space Maybe it's a studio out in some bucolic garden. Maybe it's a miniscule desk stowed in a bedroom nook. Either way, what's important is that this space feels good to you. Do you love or loathe natural light? Will you be too distracted around a lot of books or the television? Does one part of your house or apartment just feel better to you? If possible, try out a few different spaces. Find the one that works the best, and set up camp. (maybe it's shoved against the wall in your living room because there is literally no other place for it?)

to thineself be true If you need a lot of room where you can spread out all your crafty projects and leave them overnight, it's extra important to have a worktable dedicated just to this. You don't want to use set-up and clean-up times as excuses. If you know you work best when actively blocking out distractions, maybe all you need is a laptop and a corner café. Remember that not everyone works best in his or her own home. It's all about learning what works best for you, and not judging it.

it's clean-up time Get rid of everything you don't need: old projects, other people's stuff, pieces of furniture or accessories irrelevant to the tasks at hand. Clutter is a great way to distract yourself and provide a built-in procrastination excuse ("Oh, I'll finish that sonnet, I just need to organize my tax returns first..."). It also blocks energy, in case you speak feng shui. (oh, how very true- I have all kinds of clutter around my work space, which is maybe why I have trouble getting work done)

prepare your arsenal If you are a visual artist, separate your paints, inks, and pencils into individual containers. If you're a crafter, set aside separate areas for felt, thread, googly eyes, and the like. Once you actually get to sit down and work on something, you don't want to have to spend a lot of time finding the tools you need just to get started. There are enough obstacles to making art; no need to create your own. (for me, this means having several cups for pens, pencils, highlighters, plus a bookshelf right next to my desk where I can store textbooks and research articles I'm working with- otherwise they end up all over the place)

gather your totems Surround yourself with meaningful objects that spark your creativity. Maybe this is an inspiration board collaged with images and sketches. Maybe this is a special souvenir or relic that conjures a creative state of mind or reminds you of what you want to create. The surface area of my desk is dedicated solely to a laptop, a playful and expressive lamp designed by Marcel Dzama, one of my favorite artists, and some totem-like objects: a glass globe of sand from White Sands, New Mexico accompanied me as I wrote my book which took place in the southwest. (some people aren't into personal things, but I don't know what I'd do without my smattering of trinkets from my grandma, my mom, Nathan, etc- they keep me happy and inspired)

Also: if you're really wanting to get organized check out this book by Julie Morgenstern which is all about making organization work for you (instead of you working for organization).

Alright, back to my own project. Tigger just came out from under the bed and she's got tinsel on her head. I don't even know how tinsel got under there- ugh.

PS: you can read the goodbye letter to Domino readers here. Try not to cry.

Awesome Dinner Napkins

Along the vein of "Things that are Awesome," how cool are these Dress for Dinner Napkins? You can even get them in different prints!

I won't be tucking one into my shirt anytime soon, but they would be sweet for a party.

Via Drinkstuff

The Catorialist

Image via The Catorialist

You all know that I love me some Sartorialist. And I love my cat. So it's really no surprise that I am loving this website. It's a total spoof on The Sartorialist, except cats. The pictures and descriptions are a spot-on satire, too. Awesome!

What I'm Not Buying: Mustache Pencils!

Via a pretty pill, via oh joy

Ok seriously- how awesome are these mustache pencils? If I wasn't on a spending hiatus, I would totally have a set of these in a clear glass on my desk.

See my other spending hiatus posts here and here.

Baby Beautiful!

My handsome nephew Hayvyn, when he was only 2 weeks old! He's 14 months now.

I realized when looking in my medicine cabinet today that I have a ridiculous number of baby products in there. And no baby. What is it about baby products that makes me love them so much? Any time I'm in the drug store, I'm always drawn to the baby section like there's a giant Amanda Magnet in there. I can't help it- babies get all the good stuff. And it makes sense when you think about it- baby products are made for the softest, most sensitive skin on earth. Baby skin!

So here are some of my fave baby products that, er, are also good for grown-ups:
Baby wipes are my favorite multitasking product. I use mine mostly for makeup removal since they are effective without stripping my face of all its moisture. Any kind will do, but I use the sensitive skin ones because they are extra-gentle. I have also learned, being a klutz and apt to spill things, that they do a great job of wiping up sticky messes in a pinch. Bonus: they are ultra portable, just stick 'em in a plastic baggie so they don't dry out.
I haven't actually used baby shampoo in my hair for a long time- mostly because I have thick, unruly hair. Maybe it would work if I had hair that was, you know, baby fine. Baby shampoo does do a great job of cleaning up my makeup brushes, though, without destroying the bristles.
Burt's Bees Baby Bee Skin Creme is one of my old favorites. It's not expensive, it's gentle, and its effective. Great for elbows and knees especially. Plus, how cute is the packaging?!
I used to stay with my grandma a lot when I was little, and Johnson&Johnson's baby oil was one of the things I remember from that time. Nowadays, I put it on my legs at night after my shower and layer thick creme (like Baby Bee skin creme) on the knees, and my legs are soft and smooth come morning. Plus, I love the smell of Johnson's and Johnson's baby oil, original or lavender formula. So comforting :)
I don't know if Vaseline is technically considered a baby product, but I do have to get it from the baby section in most stores. It's great for, well, softening skin. I have these crazy-dry feet that I hate, and most lotions don't come close to doing anything to them even applied 5 or 6 times a day. I put a glob of Vaseline over my feet with some socks after my shower, and they'll be soft and smooth come morning. Admission: I do absolutely despise the way petroleum jelly feels and smells going on. But I love the way it makes my feet feel, so I keep using it. Bonus: it's cheap!

I can't be the only one addicted to baby products, can I? I've also heard really good things about California Baby products and have been meaning to try some out- but haven't gotten around to it. Got any other baby brands you love, for a baby or yourself?

Baby picture of my nephew is mine. All baby products and their images, drugstore.com

Fashion Inspiration

If I could only dress one way for the rest of my life, I would choose something like this:

Picture via Garance Dore

I love the playful full skirt mixed with the bold yellow striped sweater. I love bangs and the pretty little necklaces. I even love the puppy (though I love kitties more). It's all so cheerful and cute.

Spending Hiatus Update: Week 1

So how'd week 1 of the spending hiatus go?

Pretty good I think.

I did end up buying a new pair of skinny jeans because my only other pair had, er, a hole in the butt after almost two years of constant use. And you guys voted that that counts as a necessity. I happened to find a pair of J Brand skinny jeans at Rag O Rama for just $40 and they fit me perfectly. Which is a freaking miracle- usually I have to try on ten pairs of jeans just to get a pair that isn't too short, too baggy in the thigh, or too small in the bum. Anywho, my new jeans look a lot like these ones:

Disclaimer: not my legs. Image from the J Brand website.

Except a bit darker, which I like. And I considered them a pseudo-necessity, since I was fresh out of jeans that I could tuck into boots. I don't want to call them an actual necessity since, you know, they're still just jeans. Food is a necessity. Heat is a necessity. Jeans- not so much. But they sure are useful.

Other than that and some TP, I haven't bought anything this week. I even went into CVS and came out with NO cosmetics. That, my friends, is a miracle. So overall, I would say things are going pretty darn well.

Cute Wedding Idea: Truffle Cake!

I have never been a huge fan of wedding cake. Cake itself is okay, but it's not my favorite. And wedding cake always ends up tasting bland and having too much icing.

Then I saw this truffle cake on the wedding blog Snippet and Ink:

How awesome is that? It's like a wedding cake, but so much tastier. I'm not getting married anytime soon, but if I was, I would definitely consider a cake like this.

What do you think about the non-traditional wedding cake? Cool idea or just too weird for a wedding?

PS: The names on the flags are the Match.com screen names of the happy couple- it's where they met! How cute is that?!

You can see the rest of their vintage movie themed wedding here.

Truffle cake images are from Greg Piche Photography, via Snippet and Ink. Copyright: Beth Hurley and Deb Mindel.

Bangs for Glasses

As anyone who regularly wears glasses knows, hairstyles often look really different with glasses on. Especially bangs. I really like how this girl from The Satorialist manages to have both bangs and glasses without one overwhelming the other. Also, I sort of wish I looked that good in a suit of any sort.

Ants on my bottle!

An ant bottle to go with your ant spoon (previous post). Also, a humorous gift for a beloved aunt?

Image via Etsy.

Ants on my spoon!

How creepy are these spoons? The ants are apparently hand-drawn and printed on, but they look so realistic! I'm not sure if I'd want them around my place, but they would have been perfect for my office white elephant gift exchange in December. They'd also make a great housewarming gift for someone with a sense of humor.

Looks I Love: Steven Alan

After seeing this post on A Cup of Joe earlier today, I am now just a wee bit obsessed with the Steven Alan spring preview. Check it out:

I admit to having a big soft spot for anything that is flannel/plaid. I love the contradiction of a manly flannel in a feminine shape. Women always look better in men's clothes, wouldn't you agree? We're just cuter.

Also, the hair makes me want to go and get mine cut right now. Alas, my hair is probably too straight for this exact style- and we've all seen what happens when I try to go wavy. Plus, Nathan likes it longer.

Which brings up another issue- does anyone else listen to their SO's hair preferences? Technically it's my hair, but he IS nice enough to keep the goatee I like so much on him so...

Things to Read: Trifles

Susan Glaspell, via Wikipedia

Don't you love it when you read something and just instantly connect with it? I just finished up with the play "Trifles" by Susan Glaspell and boy was it a good one. There is not a ton of action- just four characters going through a house after a woman is jailed for allegedly killing her husband. The female characters are intriguing in that they aren't independent women by any means, but they find a way to solve the mystery in a way the men totally disregard. But I won't ruin the whole thing for you- go read it if you get the chance. It's a very short play, considered an early feminist work, and it will definitely get you thinking.

Lakeside Vacay Photos

I'm really tired today and didn't have time to come up with a good blog topic so here are some photos from my summer vacation. Last June we went to Lakeside, Oh which is off of Lake Erie. It's this beautiful little town where we rented an above-the-garage apartment and basically relaxed for a long weekend. Very quiet and peaceful.

The lake at sunset.



Along the lake there were all these rocks with little pink/red flowers growing between them. It was a great place to sit and think.

I was lovin' on these glasses from the gift shop. Mostly because they lit up.

If you're ever looking for a place to go that's quaint, peaceful, and not too expensive then Lakeside is a nice one. The town is full of old houses that people rent out and there's a really great old hotel there that would also be a lot of fun to stay in. They're also really close to the Put 'n Bay ferry for what that's worth (you can go get sloshed on cheap wine and not have to pay the ridiculous B&B prices at the island).

Of course, I look back on it fondly now that it's winter and miserable outside but during our vacation it was of course like 94 degrees constantly. Funny how memory works- 95 doesn't sound so bad when it's 15.

An adorable bunny vase.

How seriously cute is this bunny vase from Etsy shop prettyrandomobjects?

Picture from prettyrandomobjects.

I could just see this little guy chilling out on my desk. He would make me smile while I worked. Too bad I'm on a spending hiatus.

The Spending Hiatus

Camera from Target.

Joslyn over at Simple Lovely is going on a 3-month spending hiatus and now- so am I! I have always thought of taking some "time off" from shopping but I tend to struggle when there is no one to keep me accountable. But now that we've got a little group of no-spenders going on, I feel like it might be a lot easier. So for the next three months, I'm going to try and refrain from purchasing anything but the "essentials"- food, toiletries, etc.

If this spending hiatus goes really well, maybe I'll even save enough to pick up a digital camera at the end of it. I like the one pictured above because of its cute green color (I'm a sucker for cute colors).

I'll be keeping you all posted on the dilemma's I'm sure to run into on the way.

My first dilemma is this: what counts as a non-essential? Obviously food, TP, and toothpaste but does, say, mascara count? For the sake of not going insane, I'm going to say yes to the mascara. But only after I finish my current tube. I think one of my major problems is that I tend to "replace" cosmetics before I'm done with them which is why I own 4 mascaras and like 40 lipglosses. I'd still be cutting back on spending by making myself use stuff up before I replace it.

I'm also wondering if some clothes aren't essential. My only pair of skinny jeans is its last leg (psh, bad, but I couldn't help it) and I have to wonder if a new pair really needs to wait three months. Because really, bootcut jeans don't look good tucked into boots and I have to have boots on for winter (I walk...everywhere). This one is still up in the air though- let me know what you think in the comments. Are skinny jeans an essential if I wear them all the time and my only pair falls apart?

PS I like these skinny jeans a lot.

I need a hat.

Finding a hat is always a dilemma to me. I love the way fedoras and newsboys and all those fun styles look...on other people. But frankly, those hats look ridiculous on me. Primarily because I have a gargantuan head and, occasionally, really huge hair.

So I've found that the only style that really works on me is the floppy beret. Which is all good and well, except that most berets are these flimsy knit creations that do nothing to keep your ears warm. The one I've been working with all winter is not very warm and, what's more, is losing its elasticity so it slips off my head all the time.

Pic via tiffytuffington

This Cherry Red Tam I saw on Etsy (via Cup of Joe awhile back) looks nice and warm. And dare I say, floppy enough to fit over even my big head?

The question is: would getting a bright red hat be impractical? I feel like it would look cute over dark brown hair though...

Happy MLK Day!

Dear readers, I hope you have had a lovely Monday. Today I was off of school and work due to Martin Luther King Jr. Day and I have made it a spectacularly lazy long weekend. I slept in late, had fried chicken for breakfast/lunch here (the student's version of brunch), and tried to get caught up on homework. I also took an extraordinarily long, hot, 100% not eco-friendly shower *blush* that I very much enjoyed and gave myself an at-home pedi, because my feet wanted it. Is there anything better than not being pressed for time?

I do feel a bit guilty about being so lazy though.

You can read about Barack Obama doing something much more useful with MLK Day here.

MLK photo from Wikipedia.com

A REALLY bad hair day...

As promised, here is my retelling of the event that shall hereafter be known as Bad Hair Saturday.

It all started when a friend of mine and I made plans to hang out on Saturday night. This was pretty exciting in itself, as the snow and the below-zero temps had kept me cooped up inside for several days and I was kind of going crazy being at home all the time. I decided that going out with a friend called for nice hair- something that wasn't one of my usuals (down and straight or ponytail and, uh, puffy). My hair is pin-straight naturally, so of course I'm obsessed with wavy and curly hairstyles and I'm always trying to find a way to un-straighten my hair that doesn't involve an hour of quality time with my curling iron. That's when I read this post by Beth over at Glamour's Beauty Dept on how to get Gisele waves. Um, yes please. So I decided to give it a shot.

I took my shower then set about putting my hair into spirals like Beth described, using a little cream to hold them in place. Because my hair is so straight, I had issues getting the spirals to stay put so I just pinned them haphazardly to my head, which seemed to work pretty well. I ran out of time to dry them naturally, so I set about doing it with a hairdryer, then pulled the pins out and tried to loosen up the spirals when I thought they were dry.

And this is how it turned out:
Yikes.

Not so much Gisele. But I do look like I could be related to this guy...

Chewbacca courtesy of Wookiepedia, the Star Wars Wiki. Not kidding.

Which would be awesome if I ever go to a Star Wars convention.

Of course, this was less funny when I looked at the clock and realized I had about two minutes to fix this mess and get out the door. Thankfully, I had a back-up plan.

Ah, the headband pony. It's not beautiful, but it's probably the best cop-out hair out there.

I was a little hesitant to put this on the internet but I'm not proud of my hair-doing abilities anyway (because honestly, I stink at doing hair). And I figured, what the heck, we could all use a few laughs. Feel free to confess about your worst hair mishap in the comments, photos not necessary.

And because I don't want to diss Beth's favorite hair trick, here are a few things I think might have gone wrong:
1. My hair is straight, thus it doesn't take to spirals all the well in the first place, hence the frizz.
2. In retrospect, I think Beth only meant to do a few big spirals. I did WAY too many, hence the kinkiness.
3. Blowdrying was probs not my best idea ever. Especially without a diffuser (sue me, I don't own one because of aforementioned straight hair).
4. The hair wasn't completely dry when I took it out of the spirals, which really didn't help with the frizz.

One very small wedding...

I've always said that if I were to get married some day, I wouldn't want a huge wedding. I know some of my friends want a wedding where they invite everyone they know and some people they don't- but I've always wanted something a little more intimate. Just the people we know and love most. But what about a wedding with no guests? Sound crazy?

Well that's exactly what Donna and Kevin did. They knew some of their invitees would not be able to attend, so they chose to have a really intimate wedding with...just the two of them.

Check out some of their photos:

Such a beautiful wedding, no? We need a big collective aww.

You can check out more pictures at Snippet & Ink and hear about how they told their families and friends about their secret wedding.

Would you ever consider a private wedding? Or do you want a big affair? Or, if you've already gotten married, how many guests did you invite?Leave it in the comments.

And don't forget to check in tomorrow, where I'll be sharing the hairstyle I tried tonight that did not work out at all. Including all the embarrassing photos (hint: think Chewbaca).

All photos in this post were via Snippet and Ink via Mimmo + Naz.

An Interview With Kat

Recently I just got a chance to be interviewed by Kat, the author of this lovely blog, Poetikat's Invisible Keepsakes. I jumped at the chance to answer a few questions that I hope will help you all get to know me a little bit better- and will be offering you the opportunity to be interviewed by me for your own blog or webpage. Hopefully we of the blogging community can all get to know each other a little bit better this way! And honestly, who doesn't like talking about themselves?

Here is my interview and, if you would like to be interviewed by me, read through the rules at the bottom of the page.

1. If you could go back in time to any era, which would it be and why?

See, this is a tough question for me. I do love the romantic idea of going back in time but I'm a pretty independent female, essentially a feminist at heart, and I would have a very hard time living in any era in which a man was considered more valuable than a woman. I KNOW I would get myself in trouble with my big mouth. Feminist issues aside, though, I have always thought it would be fun to head back to the 60's or 70's. I figure I listen to enough music from those periods that I could go to the early concerts, before they made it big, and seem totally hip and on top of things. Instead of seeming like, you know, a weird college chick who listens to music that's 30 or 40 years old. It would also be really great to head back to the early 1800s and find myself a Mr. Darcy, Jane Austen-style.

2. If you could play any role in any movie from the past, who would it be?

Another toughie! My all time favorite movie ever is Casablanca so I was tempted to say Ilsa Lund but honestly, I'm not dramatic enough to play her. I'd have to go with Francie Stevens from To Catch a Thief. She's a fun character with tons of spunk, and she gets to be a complete smartass around John Robie. Anyone who can take the notorious thief and get the upper hand is A-OK in my book. Plus I would LOVE to look like Grace Kelly (um, who wouldn’t?).

3. Apart from pandas, when you go to the zoo, which animals do you like to visit the most? How do you feel about the concept of caging up animals for zoos?

I love going to the zoo, and I usually hit about every animal with the exception of the reptile house (because reptiles are lame). I guess it would be cheating to say that my favorite animal is a red panda because that's close to a panda, but they're not actually in the same family because a panda is a bear and a red panda is not (seriously, wikipedia it). And it is a fact that red pandas are actually cuter than pandas. I'm also a big fan of otters, manatees, and bears when they're not sleeping (they usually are). Basically, I’m a fan of anything that looks snuggly and/or playful.

As far as "caging" animals up for the zoo, I won't pretend to be an expert on that. All I know is that, in my many visits to the zoo, I've never seen an animal look like it was suffering or unhappy. Meanwhile, zoos provide us with the ability to learn a lot more about animals around the world, especially endangered ones. I also know that the Columbus Zoo is a big supporter of environmental preservation and the protection of endangered species like red pandas and tigers, and it mixes a lot of very valuable educational resources into its exhibits. Zoos are a great chance to teach children (and adults) why it's so important to protect our earth and its resources. As a side note, I do believe that zoos have the responsibility to provide the utmost standard of care to their resident animals. That means well-trained staff, clean and comfortable exhibits that mimic natural habitats as much as possible, good nutrition, and all the necessary veterinary care. As long as these things are provided, I think animals would be pretty happy there, don't you? I mean, it beats getting eaten.

Red Panda, Columbus Zoo

4. Who is your favorite fashion designer and why? Do you own anything by this person?

I have to preface this to say that while I spend hours pouring over websites looking at clothes I love and lust after, I rarely pay attention to the names of the designers and my "favorite designer" changes from season to season. Thus, I'm sort of ill-equipped to answer this question.

I do know one designer I have been loving for awhile is Alicia Bell, whose designs you can check out here. They are insanely gorgeous and feminine without being too formal- perfect for me. Unfortunately I do not happen to own any items from her collection primarily because I am a broke-ass college student. If I did happen to find an item from one of her collections at a thrift store, however, you can bet I would be all over it.

Alicia Bell design, photo from their website.

I would also buy the entire stock of Anthropologie if I had the money to do so. Their clothes are so cute and feminine and totally lust-worthy. Unfortunately they're also like a million dollars if you're on a college student budget like me. Le sigh. But a girl can dream, right?

Of course, I’m always looking for new designers to lust after so if anyone has suggestions, they can feel free to leave them in the comment section.

5. What is your best thrift-store find, ever?

Ever? Oh man, your questions just never get easy. I do have a few favorite items which I mentioned in a previous post. One of my all-time favorite finds, however, is an absolutely adorable lamp that I call my “teacup lamp”. Its base, I kid you not, is shaped like little tea cups stacked on top of each other and it is painted all these crazy colors. I tried to get a photo but I’m working with a super jankity phone camera (note to self: buy digital camera) so you’ll just have to believe me. It’s adorable.

So now that you've read my interview, here are the rules for being interviewed yourself:

1. Leave me a comment saying, letting me know you'd like to be interviewed or email me: onehappypanda@hotmail.com with the subject "Blog Interview".
2. I will respond by e-mailing you five questions (I get to pick the questions)
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.
6. Lather, rinse, repeat.

I will post a list of those who have agreed to an interview so everyone can follow along.

What is Jeni's, you ask?

Photo from the Jeni's website.

My previous post got me thinking that maybe some of you all aren't aware of Jeni's Ice Creams. Since that is a tragedy beyond measurable proportions, I'm here to inform you.

Jeni's is the best ice cream ever in the history of mankind and I'm not kidding.

And before you say "I don't like ice cream" just know that I have taken at least 3 self-proclaimed ice cream haters to Jeni's, and each one of them has been back since. It is that amazing.

Jeni's ice creams is located in Columbus, Ohio and has several locations in that area. In case you're not lucky enough to live just down the street from it like I am, it appears that you can order it on their website, though don't ask me how you're supposed to ship ice cream.

You can also find a flavor list here. To give you an idea, they're pretty much the only place I know that offers flavors like Riesling Poached Pear Sorbet, Olive Oil w/ Sea Salt Pepitas, Cherry Lambic Sorbet, even Thai Chili and Saigon Cinnamon (both very hot flavors, which is a weird sensation in ice cream). I also highly recommend Honey Vanilla Bean, my other fave.

I'll stop now before I start sounding like an advertisement- I just had to spread the Jeni's love.

I love you more than I love this blog post...

Have you all seen this website yet? It's a whole blog filled with "I love you more than ____" statements, all contributed by the readers.

Here's mine:
Mine is naturally the one about gelato, Jeni's gelato no less. A whole year of it. Just in case you're reading, Nathan, that's a LOT of love. I would probably die if I had to go 365 days without my Jeni's fix so, that's basically saying I love you more than my life.

I'm currently searching the site for my Nathan's post. He sent one, but he didn't tell me which it was. So I'm on the hunt.

I love you more than I love blog comments, but leave a comment telling me how you'd answer this anyway.

Things to Read: One Sentence Archives

Has anyone every checked out the One Sentence Archive? It's a website full of stories that are only a sentence long! Now I'm a wordy writer (if you haven't noticed) but I absolutely LOVE this site- I'm amazed by what stories people can tell in just one sentence.

Here are a few of my faves:

"The other day I got into the shower with my bra on and I didn't even notice." (I've actually done that- oh sleep deprivation)

"I thought it was pretty cool when my dad told me he had joined a band, until he informed me that he would be playing the spoons and the triangle." (personally, I think that dad is awesome)

"I just finished a project on bees, and now that I've learned how they make honey, previously one of my favorite foods, I never want to eat it again." (I don't actually know how bees make honey and maybe that's a good thing...)

"My grandpa choked up as he said, 'House plants grow better when the house is filled with love, and I've never seen the house plants grow as well as they have since you moved in a year ago.'" (aww)

"I can't believe that you smiling at me was the highlight of a day where I got an A on a test, found twenty bucks, and won a debate." (more aww...)

"'Leave the pizza on the futon and I'll eat it for breakfast' would be the most collegiate sentence ever uttered, if only I had worked in the word 'toga.'" (oh man, so true)

What's your one sentence story?

Bedrooms I Dream Of

It seems that lately, all I can think about is beds and bedrooms. I've become obsessed with burying myself under layer upon layer of luxurious sheets and fluffy comforters. I blame it on sleep deprivation. Is it any wonder that the bedroom above, from LivingEtc's Bedroom Gallery, looks to amazing to me? Look at all those soft layers of blankets!

Another one of their appealing bedrooms:
I really like the colors here- pristine white bed with a pop of purple (my fave) against soft blue walls.

And here is the bedroom that was basically my childhood fantasy:

When I was little, I dreamed of having a "princess bed" much like this one (I blame Disney movies). This is, of course, a slightly more grown up (and very much toned-down) version. But all the important elements- elegant headboard, antique curved "feet", all-white linens that look like fluffy clouds- are there. There's even a little chandelier-esque lamp, a nod to my younger self's love of all things sparkly.

What's your dream bedroom?

*All images, LivingEtc

An open letter to mother nature.

Dear Mother Nature,
You can stop now.
No, seriously.

Love,
Amanda

Some Rag and Bone Love

I like this look from the Rag and Bone pre-spring 2009 collection. I really like the rolled up sleeves on the jacket and the top underneath, that makes it look a lot more casual. I think I'd like it even more with a fun girly top underneath.

Similarly, I also like this look.
I think the long vest over the longer sweater looks boyishly sexy, especially with loose hair and skinny jeans.

All photos from the Rag and Bone website.

It's a snowy day...

Very early this morning, before the sun was up, I woke up to a big CRASH sound. Alarmed, I sat straight up in bed and then froze, certain that someone had broken into the apartment and was waiting for me to get out of bed so they could kill me. I have a vivid imagination. It's times like this when I wish I lived with a roommate- preferably a big strong male one- who could get up and go chase the morning monster away. Needless to say, I do not have a big strong man living with me so instead I did what any person would do...I sat there in bed refusing to move for an hour until the silence of the house finally convinced me that no one had, in fact, broken in. Turns out, Tigger had knocked a bucket of kitchen utensils over. Thanks, cat.

So needless to say, I'm a little tired. And it's freezing outside, so I can't stop thinking about my warm comfy bed. Here are a few pictures of what it looks like in my neck of the woods today.
I do bitch about the cold a lot, but I still love the way everything looks with snow blanketing it.
And at least I can walk to work and class, so I didn't have to drive in it.
This is a photo I took a few days ago actually, but I thought it was cool. From far away, it looked like the ducks were standing and walking on the water (like Jesus ducks!). Turns out, the ice was actually just covered up by a thin layer of water, and that's what they were walking on. So, no divine ducks, but still pretty cute!

Mark Jenkins Street Installations

Has anybody else stumbled upon this website before? I just did today and I have to say some of those street installations are very impressive, and also very creepy looking. I especially love the photos with regular people in them, walking by like "wtf?".

Quote of the Day

"Imagine every day to be the last of a life surrounded with hopes, cares, anger, and fear. The hours that come unexpectedly will be so much more the grateful."

~Horace

I love me some tees...

I found these tees on Threadless and had to share the love. They really do have tee shirts for everyone.

For people who have trouble keeping calm...

for people who are like, totally rad
for people who loved 99 Luftballoons...
and for bearded men (and the women who love them).

All photos by Threadless.com.