'Nuff Said

I would just like one of these for today.  Or this week.  Hell, this year.  That is all.

Image:  vimeo.com (originally seen by my own eyeballs on Fab.com)

Cut and Paste?

I'm very often a sucker for an adorable critter adorning my clothes.  Mice, raccoons, horses, and - of course - kitties can be found parading around my tops or perched on my ballet flats.  But sometimes, even I have to sigh and pass on the cutie because whatever it's attached to is just...  nope...

Example given - I love the cat/mouse/what-are-you creature on the top right of these jeans.  But, the overall package is giving me bad flashbacks of 80's fashion.  Or maybe even the 90's.  I see acid wash.  And pleated jeans?  I can't.  There's also just too much going on here.  Now I'm thinking of the Disney Channel.  And that, for me anyway, is no bueno.

Ever had the same dilemma?  Love some feature on a piece of clothing but had to set it down because the whole was killing the beloved details?





Image:  nordstrom.com

The Cold, Windy Truth

Well, it was nice while it lasted.  Our desperate wish for a few more summer days has officially been squashed by Mother Nature.  Wind, snow flurries, and temperatures in the 30's descended on us last night.  Blech...  As we come to terms with what lies ahead, I keep staring at my down jackets.  And listen to my head wage a little skirmish:  it's dang cold outside, especially considering this time last week it was 80 degrees.  I know, right?!  All our Midwest bodies are reeling in sad shock.  Down looks awfully appealing right now.  On the other hand, we're Midwesterners!  In a few months, we'll be putting a minus sign next to that 30.  Now that's when we break out the serious stuff.  This is like Springtime...

What about the rest of you guys facing the cold?  Are you grabbing your downy best or toughing it out with less toasty coats?

Equal, Equal?

Remember this behemoth?  Perhaps you tripped over it on your doorstep.  After all, this sucker must weigh close to 10 pounds.  It could act as a structural support for your house, right?  All delivery people probably cursed it to the hot country and back.

After listening to everyone wail about how much Restoration Hardware must hate the Earth and all that stuff, I decided to do a quick comparison with another retailer of home goods.

On the left is the once-a-year catalog dump from that company which must really like killing trees.  On the right is Pottery Barn, minus 2 of its monthly editions, some random specialty issues, and all of their spin-offs (PB Teen and PB Kids and who knows what else).  Maybe it's not a surprise to you, but I got curious about whether RH deserved the chiding.  

So...  depending on how you look at it...  both retailers (as well as probably many others like J. Crew) tie for, well, sending us an annual catalog collection worthy of some bench pressing.  

Did you receive RH's bundle?  What was your reaction?

Heavenly

I've been well overdue for a catalog purge.  As the weeks go by, the pile grows higher.  And as y'all know by now, I will hold on to anything that might inspire creativity.  This translates to a fairly crippling inability to just chuck things and be done with it.  I'm one of those nuts who needs to peruse each page (and rip out anything eye-catching) before tossing the volumes into a recycling bag.

Thankfully, we were treated to an absolutely glorious weekend of sun and 80 degree temps.  And since Upper Midwesterners are painfully aware that our little slice of heaven could end at any time, we're basking in the outdoors every possible second.  Soaking up each sun ray as we try to deny the light's changing, and the days are getting shorter.

So, I spent a very lazy and sunny afternoon on the porch.  Just me, a stack of Pottery Barns and Title Nines, and Mother Nature's best.  Oh, and Lila.  If I'm going to do some housecleaning, might as well take it outside while summer pretends to hang around.  Because it's only a matter of time before it decides to pack up and head south for the winter.