monster mash

Whoever said that two heads are better than one, has not had to share a pillow with a three year old. But at 4 am, when you awake to a child just inches from your face claiming there are monsters under her bed, you can either walk her back to her room and try to convince her otherwise or you can just slide over and hope she'll lie next to you sweetly and fall back asleep. I choose the latter and spent the next two and a half hours with a squirmy, cover-hogging little chatterbox. It is no surprise that I have spent a good portion of my day researching monster-repellents online. Enter Scare Me Nots, quirky little plush creatures designed to scare away monsters. Their Velcro tails allow them to hang from door handles, closet or curtain rods, and chair backs. Their tails can also be placed between the box spring and mattress allowing them to hang upside down and see under the bed. The Scare Me Not crew includes Guardian Gus, Fearless Fred, Defender Dave, Watchdog Wally, Valiant Valerie, and Protector Patty. Available at www.scaremenot.com for $24.95 each. A small price to pay, considering I think I spent that at Starbuck's this morning just to wake up.

damn the man

Maybe it's that I'm sick of hearing about the corruption of corporate America and the Bernie Madoff's of the world or maybe it's that I'm attempting to be a little thriftier this Christmas, but I'd rather give my money to the little guy this year. Instead of hitting the mall this year to tackle your holiday shopping, try Etsy.com instead. An online marketplace with sellers in over 150 countries, Etsy offers everything handmade you could ever imagine. And then some!

Here's my Etsy gift guide to help with your holiday shopping list!

For your mom:

sprinkled with brown floral scarf - $48

For your dad:

necktie wallet - $28

For your husband:

secret message cuff links - $85

For your sister:

gold oak leaf necklace - $26

For your best friend:

yellow reeves feather headband - $20

For your nephew:

appliqued toddler tee with deer head - $21

For your niece:

nadia mae - $42

For your child's teacher:

teacher's gift personalized note cards - $15

For your friend's new baby:

custom crochet brown owl beanie - $29.95

it's that time...

It's barely November and already the aisles are filling up with all things Christmas. While it's too early to start decorating my house and too early to start buying gifts (which in attempt to hide, I will invariably lose instead), it is not too early to start thinking about what to wear to the dreaded office holiday party. You want conservative but not boring, you want sexy but not slutty. Here are my picks for the perfect holiday party dress:

Ann Taylor ponte v-back sheath dress -$150

Rebecca Taylor The Socialite dress - $295

Adam metallic tweed dress - $395

Banana Republic silk color-block dress - $152

See by Chloe Animal-print silk jacquard dress - $555

where the wild things sleep...

Seeing Where the Wild Things Are this weekend made me remember just how much I loved the book as a child. It also got me thinking how adorable some elements from the film would look in a child's room. Here are a few that are sure to invoke some wild rumpus:

Where the Wild Things Are inspired mobile - $30 on etsy.com

Organic Forest Duvet Cover - $74.99 (twin) at West Elm


Where the Wild Things Are Pillow: Wild Scales - $32 at Urban Outfitters

Wild Thing Max 8x10 Print - $16 on etsy.com

Where the Wild Things Are Movie Still on stretched canvas- $48 at Urban OutfittersSilent Forest Print -$599 at Crate and Barrel



Where the Wild Things Are Pillow: Forest -
$32 at Urban Outfitters

stella sneak peek

In the latest issue of W magazine, Stella McCartney shares more details on her clothing line for Gap Kids set to hit stores in a few weeks. Pictures of the photo shoot for her collection provide us with a sneak peek. The one-time only collection includes everything from cashmere infant blankets to organic cotton tees to Fair Isle sweaters to monster-clad days of the week underwear. There are brushed cotton blazers with silk lapels, military jackets with gold thread embroidery, a silk dress adorned with tiny flowers, a tulle tutu, a sensible navy peacoat, canvas sneakers, a sweaterdress, and a plum wool princess coat with pleated skirt. Like her signature line, she uses high-quality, cruelty-free fabrics, insisting "fabric is so important, especially on a child, as they are so aware when things are scratchy". Prices range from $14 to $128.

hat happy

Maybe it's because my 3 year-old just cut off the entire left side of her hair with her "kid scissors" or maybe it's because the weather's finally getting brisk, but I am obsessed with hats! Fedoras, cloches, beanies, berets, you name it! Here are just a few I'm pining over:

did internet kill the magazine star?

First Domino (sniff... sniff) and now this! Cookie magazine is the latest Condé Nast publication to announce that it will be closing its doors. In the day of the Internet and the world of blogging, it seems less people are turning to magazines for information and inspiration. I have been a subscriber of Cookie since its debut issue and have loved perusing its pages for cool kids' clothing, decor, and gear. While I love the Internet as much as the next girl, there is something special and exciting about going to the mailbox and finding a magazine, especially one that seemed so tailor-made for me. It will surely be missed!

cheap choos

I love a good collaboration. The latest is a line of clothing, shoes, bags, jewelry, and menswear that Jimmy Choo is doing for H&M. It debuts at H&M stores on November 14th. Get a sneak peek here!

chloe for kids

So usually I would say that paying two hundred dollars for an outfit for a three year old seems asinine, but in this case I would trade in 4 outfits from Gap Kids for one of these adorable dresses from Chloe.

i heart purple

So it's not just for eleven year old girls anymore. Purple is everywhere these days.... from wall colors to eyeshadow to ankle boots to cocktail dresses. Here's what I'm loving right now:

i love my job, i just hate the dress code

I know sometimes when you've been up all night because your baby is getting a tooth or your 2 year old is convinced that there's a monster in her closet and spends the rest of the night wedged between you and your husband in your bed (sideways), you wake up in the morning with absolutely no desire to look presentable. But the everyday wardrobe of cargo capri pants, t-shirt you've had since college and flip flops has got to go ladies! Why must our sense of style be compromised as soon as we give birth? I've often heard people say that you shouldn't wear something when you're pregnant that you wouldn't wear if you weren't. So how about dressing how you would if you were the same age but didn't have kids? It takes the same amount of time to get dressed, no matter what you put on. If you want to wear jeans and a t-shirt...fine, but make the jeans skinny and put on a t-shirt with a little shape. Ditch the flip flops and put on some ballet flats and a scarf. Viola! Same amount of time, same comfort level, but considerably cuter. A long tunic and leggings is as comfortable as any pair of sweatpants. Celebrity moms do it all the time. Why? Not because they have more money or more help. But because they are being photographed! So pretend there's a paparazzi at the playground or chant "what would Heidi do?" as you get dressed in the morning. Whatever it takes! Trust me, you'll feel better and be more productive if you look more put together!

short circuit

As it starts to get a little crisper outside, I find myself craving shorts of all things! With some textured tights and booties or a great pair of peep toe oxfords, you can have the sexiness of a mini skirt with the comfort of a pair of pants. And...with everyone from Gap to Chloe turning out shorts this fall, there's bound to be a pair in your price range.