Kindle: friend or foe?

I have loved reading since before I can remember. Some of my greatest childhood memories consist of hours spent at the public library, the agonizing decision on which books would make it into my little tote bag. I would read in the car, in my bedroom, outside in a tree. I even turned my closet into a reading nook when I was eight. I took everything out of it, put in a desk lamp and lined it with a sleeping bag, and spent hours and hours reading in there. I was the kid who took a flashlight to bed and read under the covers, until my mom busted me and made me go to sleep.
My love of books has continued well into my adulthood. My favorite place in the world is a bookstore. There's something exhilarating about it. The best book you've ever read, the book that changes who you are or how you look at the world could be just waiting for you to stumble upon. I could sit for days in a bookstore, in one of those cushy armchairs with a coffee in hand and read until my hearts content.
So naturally, the invention of the wireless reading device (i.e. Kindle, nook, Reader) has never resonated with me. I mean, don't get me wrong, I get the concept. I get that having a little device I could keep in my purse with 1500 books at my disposal sounds like a good idea. It's convenient. And as a mom of almost 4 kids, I am all about convenience. But there is just something about it that makes me feel dirty. Like I'm cheating on books, real books, with paper pages that get musty with age or crinkled after a day at the beach. I can see how downloading a book in a matter of minutes is so much easier (and cheaper) than going to the bookstore. But that thought just makes me sad. I wonder how all of these great authors, that sat by candlelight with a pen in hand and jotted down what would turn into some of the greatest literary works, would feel about me downloading their masterpiece to my Kindle. Is that the way The Great Gatsby or Anna Karenina was meant to be read?
So, I am resisting technology. I am going to stand my ground. I believe that the electronic reading device is a fad, one that we will look back on in a few years and laugh about. I believe that books will come back into style. Everything truly great does, right?

Picky Sticky

Since almost everyone I know is either pregnant or has just had a baby, I've been on the lookout lately for cute baby gifts. I received this one recently, and thought that it was a really fun idea. Picky Sticky makes cute number stickers that you can stick on the front of a plain onesie in order to take monthly milestone pictures of your new baby. They have a bunch of different styles and they are only $14.99 for 13 stickers (0-12 months). Pair with a couple packages of onesies in various sizes and you have a really easy shower gift!

making your own little wonderland

There are few literary characters envied more by little girls than Alice in Wonderland. With the upcoming release of Tim Burton's sure-to-be breathtaking version hitting theaters next month, there will be a whole new generation of children mesmerized by the whimsical wonderland.

Here are a few items to help give your little one her own little wonderland:

Alice in Wonderland print set by theblackapple on etsy.com

Toadstool table & chair set

decoylab bamboo teapot clock at Fawn & Forest

Mushroom Pouf at Anthropologie




made by mosey flutter mobile in crimson at Fawn & Forest







White Rabbit pillow cover by Nuka on etsy.com

One-lump-or two lamp at Anthropologie

Cute Kid Find

NEWSFLASH: Kids aren't exactly environmentally-friendly! They leave lights on. They waste food. They leave the water running. They unravel entire rolls of toilet paper for fun. They would rather go buy new clothes than do laundry. Oh wait...that one's me!

Well...help show your little one how to be a little more green by eliminating plastic sandwich bags, plastic wrap, and juice boxes from their lunch everyday. Goodbyns lunchboxes have 5 compartments and include an 8 oz. drink bottle. They also come with 275 stickers so they can be personalized. Available in Blue or Green at Uncommon Goods for $30.

Bachelor Pad

Cheesy reality dating show lovers rejoice! ABC announced that a new show will feature former contestants from The Bachelor and The Bachelorette living together in a house. Twenty contestants will compete against each other, with one person leaving at the end of each episode. Chris Harrison has signed on for what is sure to be the most dramatic season ever, full of hot tubs, catfights, tequila shots, steamy hookups, and hopefully a little crooning from an aspiring singer/songwriter. The Bachelor Pad airs late summer.

new year, new projects

There is nothing like the start of a new year to give you a fresh outlook on all the things in your life you'd like to change. For me, it was my house. Tackling rooms left unpainted, finally sorting through the endless plastic bins of baby clothes in the attic, clearing the linen closet for room for...well, linens! After the attic and closets were overhauled, I was forced to deal with my dingy-white living room. Here's a before picture:

So, not wanting to trade in my curtains, which I just purchased last year from Anthropologie, or my rug from CB2, I knew I had to pick a color which worked with my existing color scheme of black, white, and yellow. Then I came across this picture on Apartment Therapy:



My quest for the perfect shade of turquoise led me to Benjamin Moore's Poolside Blue. Once the room was painted, everything else kind of went back where it was. I added a little more spunk to my previously-dull photo gallery wall. I found a yellow and white Trey Speegle plate at Anthropologie that I hung on the wall, as well as the yellow chair print I found on Etsy. I am adding two white ceramic lamps from CB2 on the end tables flanking the sofa (which haven't arrived yet!) Aside from the lamps, the room is finished. Take a look:




Here's the opposite wall:




I feel so productive this year already!

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!