Three Favorites Thursday. v4.

Another week, another Thursday where the news cycle has had me in constant fight or flight. That alone is probably going to cause our entire generation to live shorter lives than our Boomer antecedents. Thanks for weakening unions, Brenda, glad you’re about to get your vested pension though. Love you, mean it.

So… things that are my favorite. (other than the basics like clean water, life liberty and the pursuit of happiness, marriage equality – which just turned 3- Happy Birthday!)

We will call today’s list: Summertime Hygge. Because hibernation with the people we love, candlelight, good books and conversation over wine aren’t only for winter.

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kryptonitesweater — Get yours HERE. (you’ll be glad you did)

I love being cozy. Being cozy is my favorite. For this reason I own 23 pair of Lularoe leggings and they’re the thing I put on as soon as I get home. I’m sure you know a dozen people who sell those so I won’t hit you with another, but I will hit you with the most comfortable cardigans ever ever ever. I called them “kryptonite cardigans” to my Trunk Club stylist and she sent me TWO in my next box. (My fault for announcing my weakness like that). I love this style with the ruched sleeve, it keeps them looking a little more polished, and they look nice over little dresses at work, bringing the cozy feeling to the summertime air conditioned office. Nordstrom has some on sale pretty much all the time. They’re so soft it’s almost unfair to every other article of clothing you thought was comfortable before. These are true to size and wash and wear well.

twotwotwo

Since the goal is summer coziness in the face of uncertainty and anxiety #2 has to be the weighted blanket I referenced last week. I bought the:

YnM Cooling Weighted Blanket, 100% Natural Bamboo Viscose, 15 lbs 60″x 80″, Thin Gravity 2.0 Blanket, Great Sleep Therapy for People with Anxiety, Autism, ADHD, Insomnia or Stress, Dark Grey

I know I mentioned it very briefly last week but I love it, it isn’t as heavy as is recommended for my weight but I want to be able to carry it around or fold it without pulling something, and I’m not sure it’s “cooling” but it is definitely cool and never makes me feel as if I’m over-heating. I didn’t buy a duvet cover for it so I can’t speak to those. Also it makes for an excellent nap.

10 outta 10. Would buy again.

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Three is Thor: Ragnarok. No, I’m kidding. Though after cocktails last night I DID fall asleep watching it again. You gotta do what you gotta do to get through the next few years.

My other other favorite thing this week is art. Specifically from the Cactus Art Gallery in LA. Their exhibits are SO FUN. Their artists are diverse and interesting and the subject matter is as well. I got this one recently- I’d been eyeing it and went back this week to discover it was still unsold – so that’s a sign, right?

Screen Shot 2018-06-28 at 10.32.46 AM — cutie little owl. eeee. this is going into my studio when I get it.

I think this is my third or 4th piece from the Cactus Gallery. Their pricing is accessible and it doesn’t feel stuffy but still feels like I’m putting a nice collection together.

Their current show is called Board and Room in a Mushroom… and I want all of it.

boardandroom

Support artists (and all fellow humans) with encouragement – even when we aren’t making a sale it is still nice to hear that our work says something to you.

xoxo

Packing for Imaginary Vacations. (when I have an actual vacation to pack for)

Y’all. on the 9th I had to have a tooth extracted and then this weekend I cracked a tooth on the OTHER side of my mouth – on an egg salad sandwich. So it was the tooth’s time to go I guess. So, I’m still not really eating anything delicious. But! Today someone brought a bag of fun sized candy bars to the office and there are Three Musketeers bars- which are definitely my speed right now.

So I ordered three boxes of chocolates from See’s. And technically I bought extra to share but I might keep all three for myself because the world is shitty right now and I’m a sucker for a berry creme chocolate. And chocolate in general. And pretty much anything I can eat without worrying that I’m going to stab myself in the gums or break another tooth. (my teeth aren’t all this fragile, just those two.)

I have no regrets, #becausechocolate

I got an email today with this dress in it. I’m not buying it because like I said – dental work – and also I’m currently pretending that I’m going to Egypt for 17 days in January/February. THOUGH. if I were going to Egypt this dress seems like it could be amazing with a giant hat to wear onboard the Sonesta Star Goddess as we travel up the Nile. Oh… I’m definitely putting together a fake packing list Pinterest board for my fake adventure through Egypt. hang on…

ok. done.

the dress:

handpainted dress — perfect, right? I especially love the styling with the shoes.

Anyways, like I said- I’m going on actual vacation on Saturday. I’m going to Disneyland! Don’t roll your eyes at me, I know I was in Disney World last month but this is different. I’ve never been to Disneyland! And everyone is going – Dave, the girls, my sister and her husband and my nephew, and the girls are each bringing a friend… it is a Disney field trip of the highest order. AND. we are doing a VIP tour because it stresses me out to be responsible for other people’s vacations – so to make sure we cover everything… getting a plaid. Wicked excited.

I’ve been making the same list over and over this week – tweaking it a little each time. But yesterday morning it occurred to me that I’m bringing a big-ass-suitcase because I’m NOT stressing out about fitting my outfits and shoes into a little suitcase to prove that I can. That’s not fun at all.

How do I pack for Disneyland? Is it weird that I’m looking at strangers’ Instas to see what people are wearing in their photos?

AND THEN…

news breaks that Justice Kennedy is retiring and there goes all of my travel excitement and actual anxiety hits and none of this fun silly stuff matters.

I picked the wrong administration to start a blog about shopping.

Call your senators.

xoxo

Three Favorites Thursday. v3.

This week has not been conducive to lighthearted blog posts. I’ve started a few but every one of them turned into a screed. A justified and completely logical screed but still… so so angry.

So today among my favorite things are the people who will stand between this administration and the people they mean to harm, the people who are speaking up and out, and the helpers, also teenagers for setting a good example of self appreciation.

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RAICES Texas and their Bond Fund.

raicesbondfund — Donate to the fund HERE.

What is RAICES?

“The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services is a nonprofit organization that provides free and low-cost legal services to immigrant children, families and refugees in Central and South Texas.”

They are on the front line of getting these families reunited and with the summer refugee immigration surge just beginning they are needed now more than ever.

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Empathy, Activism, Protest.

Everyone is exhausted. Everyone thought that they couldn’t possibly maintain this level of outrage for going on 2 years now. And yet here we are. Marching, protesting, emailing our representatives so often that I just automatically recycle the response letters I get now. So many donations, so many emails from so many activist groups… it helps me feel like we aren’t alone, like these daily atrocities are not going unnoticed, unaccounted for.

I’m also a person who keeps rolls of stamps now because books just don’t cover it anymore. Because sometimes you can’t make a phone call, and a post-card sends the perfect little message.

Luckily I know a lot of creative women who have designed their own cards – like these:

postcards — Polkadot Paper Company post cards can be purchased from her Etsy store.

and these!

postcard2 — These are new and I am EXCITED. Get yours from Fisk & Fern here. (profits go to the ACLU!)

threethree

Finally – National Selfie Day.

Girls are constantly being mocked for taking selfies, for sharing pictures of themselves, for LIKING pictures of themselves. How messed up is that?! Now that our national embarrassment is an actual narcissist in the White House can we stop calling teenaged girls narcissists for taking selfies?

I get that women and girls are supposed to BE pretty but not KNOW we’re pretty, it makes us easier to belittle and control that way- but where’s the fun in that for us?

If you’re feeling your look, take a damn selfie, post it. Turns out not hating how you look is rebellious and incredibly political.

Why yes, I am about to post a bevy of selfies… (two with Manic Trout necklaces, two in Disney, one also with my new amazing Weighted Blanket which we can talk about later.)

Send a post card, be heard, post a selfie, be seen.

xoxo

Three Favorites Thursday. v2.

It has already been a week and I have NOTHING to show for it other than that I’m down a tooth and have never wanted a steak more than I do right now. But like I said in my first ever post – everything is my favorite – so I can always find 3 things to share with y’all.

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Hint Water. I am an advertiser’s dream audience. I read a story in Forbes about how when Karen Goldin, founder of Hint, approached Coca Cola to sell her company one of the execs called her “sweetie”, after which point she decided to go it on her own and I’ve been getting two cases delivered every other week since then. I used to drink a LOT of Coke, and I still love it, but now it’s a legit treat and not a thing I’m addicted to (I’ve weaned myself off of any caffeine addiction) and I think Hint had something to do with that. It just tastes so good, and my kidneys are so much happier with all of the hydration.

Heck yes, I have a discount code for you. $10 off of your first case. You can get individual bottles at places like Target, and likely your grocery store. Find your favorite and try a case. (the Fizz is also really good!)

two222

I’m like a pre-schooler, wrapping things I find in my house to give to my parents for Christmas. I’m just looking around my house and through my phone to come up with my ideas. (I’m drinking a watermelon Hint while I type this.)

I have a couple of things for #2, and they are both “Things that smell like the beach” so I’ll just say Things that Smell like the Beach are my favorite.

miamibeach First is Lush Sea Salt Spray – I fricking love it, it smells like the beach – sand, sun, the ocean, sunscreen… in the summertime I don’t like to blow dry my hair so Sea Salt Spray gets liberal use. In the wintertime I miss the sun so I used it a lot then too…

Second is Bobbi Brown’s Beach perfume. If I have a scent that I want people to associate with me (other than tacos or brownies) it would be this perfume.

Those are both awesome, if you know of other delicious beach scented things for me let me know and I’ll buy them. Things that would make my house smell like the beach would especially be appreciated!

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And the third thing that I can’t live without. (right now) The writing styles of Ilona Andrews. Ilona Andrews is actually the pen name of a husband/wife writing duo from Texas who write some straight up delicious urban fantasy garbage. The kinds of books that make me extra glad to be reading on a Kindle Paperwhite because the have covers that look like this:

wildfire — Book 3 in the Hidden Legacies series. I’m reading this right now. It is terrible and I love it.

I was introduced to them through the now-dissolved Vaginal Fantasy Book Club which was the brain child of Felicia Day, Bonnie Burton, Veronica Belmont and Kiara Kazebee. Clean Sweep was an alternate pick one month and I loved it. It is about a witch who is an innkeeper at a B&B in Texas – her guests are intergalactic travelers and werewolves. These books are SO FUN. They do have some sexytimes (way more in the Hidden Legacies series than in the Innkeeper Chronicles for sure, blushable levels for sure) so if that is going to be an issue then I can recommend some other things I’ve been enjoying lately. (a series of cozy mysteries about a shopkeeper in Amish country, with titles like: A Churn for the Worse, for example)

So – there are my Three Thursday Favorites for this week. I’m off to finish this ridiculous book.

xoxo

I haven’t really been shopping…

I had to have a tooth removed last Saturday, so I’ve been sleeping as much as possible because I can’t eat anything good – and I haven’t felt like I needed or especially wanted anything.

Saturday I AM going shed shopping though – we moved to Massachusetts from Texas four years ago this summer, in Texas I had a little jewelry company called Unrepeatables and Unrepeatables had her own room in the house – It acted as a studio and I loved it, giant windows, awesome light. Rather than sit on the sofa and watch TV I used to spend evenings there, making things, watching TV… I’d have sales on weekends and was stocking inventory in shops and I loved doing that. Then we moved and Unrepeatables got set up in the basement. Which flooded, had mice, had spiders, flooded again. After the mice I threw away so much of my stuff- crying hysterically, hauling stuff upstairs late at night, throwing it in a dumpster that I had in the driveway. I was pathetic but it was really sad and felt like the end of my ability to be creative in a space that was mine. The lack of a creative outlet has been awful but it is almost at an end.

So- a shed. In April we bought the house that we have been living in since we moved up here and we have a 5 year plan to make it super spiffy and sell it. A pool house was never on my list of things that we needed to make the house marketable, but it is a thing that *I* need. Between now and when we sell, the “pool house” will be my studio… and just the thought of that makes me so fricking happy. Maybe SO happy that I don’t want to spend my $ on stupid shit I don’t need? I’ll need supplies soon!

poolhouse — this is the dream but I have a feeling I’ll have to sacrifice the cute little porch.

The fun of this is that I HAVE been doing a lot of browsing for this space that doesn’t exist yet. My Pinterest board for this project is all over the place because I want to do ALL THE THINGS! This tiny space will need to be a glass studio, and have a place for all of my polish, a worktable for jewelry making and sewing and I need a little sitting area so that I can have friends come hang out with me drinking vodka tonics. It needs excellent ventilation, access to a gas tank, heat and air conditioning and good lighting. So, just a couple things.

I’m hoping that Saturday I find the exact right one and can get it on order because I really need to make stuff! I’ve only been using my nail polish to paint my nails, and that’s just not right.

xoxo

PS: I’m wearing a necklace with a whale on it. I’ve got a list of things that I want to do this year and wearing something with a whale or a pig or an elephant on it is on that list. Learning to make school bread is also on the list. Losing weight is NOT on that list in any form (eat healthy, exercise more, less junk food, etc.) for pretty much the first time ever. More brunch, less negative self-talk. Anyways, I feel cute as heck in my whale necklace.

Three Favorites Thursday. *

*on a Friday.

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OPI’s “I’m Not Really a Waitress” is the reigning champion red nail polish – universally flattering – good coverage – good formula – it checks all the boxes. You can never go wrong with a good red polish.

BUT. Cirque Color has a polish called Halcyon and it is my very favorite polish out of all of the bottles I have or colors I’ve worn. The last time I updated my polish spreadsheet I was at about 1100 bottles. Halcyon by Cirque is one of the few that requires I have an unopened backup bottle at all times. My youngest daughter and I wear it a LOT. Two coats to completely opaque. A smooth, easy to apply formula. And unlike many other metallics it doesn’t chip off within 12 hours of application. On my toes I can easily get 3 weeks out of it, but after that I’ll just put another coat on and Queen Elizabeth I that until I absolutely HAVE to remove and replace – with more Halcyon.

9_cirque_colors_halcyon — I borrowed this photo from Lacquered Bits – her photos are INCREDIBLE and you should definitely follow her polish blog.

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I’ve talked very recently about my aging feet and their need for love and comfort. So when one of those click-baity headlines from Business Insider about Allbirds Wool Shoes crossed my newsfeed recently I read their return policy and ordered a pair of Tree Loungers in charcoal. Can something that I’ve only owned for a week already be on my list of favorite things? Did it take more than one episode of Luther to make you realize that Idris Elba is the MOST? No. My charcoal Tree Loungers are very likely the most comfortable shoes I have ever put on my feet. I’ve worn pants all week because they don’t look great with my cute dresses or skirts – I’m hoping that the solution to this is the pair of Tree Skippers I just ordered in a blush color that should fit the bill until the white ones are back in stock.

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And this week’s third favorite isn’t going to come as a surprise to anyone who knows me:

thorragnarok

Thor: Ragnarok (With Bonus Content)

Pretty much one of my favorite movies, did it replace Pulp Fiction? what about The Philadelphia Story? no. but it’s up there with them and if you haven’t seen it yet then I question your life decisions.

Why? badass female characters, hilarity, Jeff Goldblum, cute boys, Idris Elba, Cate Blanchett’s entire performance, the soundtrack, the fight scenes…

I bought the digital version from Amazon so that I can watch it whenever I want, which is at least once a week. You can also watch it on Netflix right now. So you should go do that. I’ll wait.

xoxo

Trying Something New (color! swimsuits!)

blacklaundry — And they know I do laundry, so I don’t stink, and that’s also a bonus.

Y’all. I love wearing black. Don’t you ever marvel at the memes people share with you because they reminded them of you? I love that. For me those things are Disney, Jello Shots, Nail Polish and Black Clothing.

For example, every time this –> makes the rounds I get tagged at least four or five times and I love it, because it is true, and because it is awesome to know that people are thinking of me!

In the past – both recent and distant – when non-black items come into my wardrobe it is almost always because the black in my size was sold out, or it was much more expensive, and so I think to myself: “Now is the time! let’s buy these boots in brown, I wear brown now!” No. No I don’t. I don’t wear sky-blue cashmere hoodies because they were on clearance at Lord and Taylor, those things always get returned.

Until this year.
shoppingforspring In February I went on a cruise for a week and I decided it was time to add some color back into my warm-weather wardrobe. I started with a bathing suit. It is pink and purple and blue, there are flowers- I ordered it, and about 4 other suits, from Swimsuits For All. The other suits were all black, and I kept the colorful one and returned the safe, “flattering” (UGH, another post for another day) suits that guarantee that my fat self on the beach doesn’t get noticed. Like women over a certain age, women over a certain weight are supposed to keep that shit locked down. “I don’t want to have to see…”* is the common refrain of the a-hole who thinks they get a say in what other people wear. But not this year. On that beach in Jamaica, drinking Red Stripe and getting the worst sunburn I’ve ever had, I was wishing my suit was NEON. *(Here’s a hint, if you ever hear yourself saying “I don’t want to have to see…” STOP LOOKING. no one is making you do anything.)

I still don’t have a neon suit but I just remembered that from returning the safe black bathing suits I had a big credit for Swimsuits for All, which brings us to the shopping part… I just bought THIS and I am going full on Poison Ivy at the pool this summer.

Screen Shot 2018-06-03 at 9.58.29 AM — How amazing is this suit?!

I have a discount code for you! 40% off if you use my link– consider signing up for emails as well because there is NEVER a reason to pay full price at Swimsuits for All, they have great sales pretty much all the time. But a tip- if you return things – don’t use their shipping label. Because then they refund in store credit rather than to your original form of payment. Which is less convenient for sure.

Rock it and be seen.

xoxo

Nordstrom Trunk Club (part 1)

I’ve mentioned my deep and abiding love for the Nordstrom Trunk Club before but I just got an email that my stylist (Courtney, bless her, she puts up with a lot from me) is going to be putting my next Trunk together soon. Sometimes I ignore it and leave the whole thing to chance- this time since I wanted to talk to you about the process I figured I’d fill it out.

The Trunk Club is a wardrobe subscription service offered by Nordstrom. You can choose the regularity with which you wish to receive your trunk and you can choose your per-item cost, keeping in mind it is Nordstrom and they are sending famous brands. In one Trunk I had a 49 dollar sweater (kept it, love it) and a 1300 dollar St. John blazer (loved it SO MUCH, sent it back, think about it sometimes). So it is really all over the place. Also they include SHOES if you want them to- I’ve kept 2 pair so far and I am going to get so much wear out of both. And sending things back couldn’t be easier- the UPS label and tape to close the box back up are both included in the Trunk.

To get started you’ll fill out a long-ish questionnaire where they can get a sense of your style, your sizing, preferences, budget, etc. But after that, and before each Trunk is assembled, there is a very short form when you can highlight boxes to help steer your stylist in a direction. Or where, like me, you can go all Oz Scarecrow on her.

Screen Shot 2018-06-01 at 12.14.12 PM — See? I’m not at all helpful with my requests.

There’s also a text box where you can elaborate. Mine says:

I highlighted every box in the “what are you looking for section” but I’m not actually looking for anything, I just don’t want to rule anything out. I’m trying to avoid black for the warmer months- so navy, ivory, olive, that blush color. I don’t really NEED anything… but jeans that aren’t blue that I can wear to work could be good. (I love Wit & Wisdom.)

I’m going to Nantucket for a few days in August. I’ll have to be presentable in a “casual, stylish, trying hard to look like I’m not trying” way. Thank you!

Asking for something other than black is the stuff my nightmares are made of, yet here we are.

Some of the Trunk pieces that I’ve kept:

When they email back with my selections I will post a Part 2. Part 3 may or may not have pictures of me in it. It will depend on how clean my house is. ::shrug::

The thing I love about it is that my comfort zone is very small, and having someone else choose for me gets me right out of that comfort zone. Though you can see from my thumbnails up there that some of the things are exactly me- that black Eileen Fisher Dress is one of my favorite go-to pieces now. It is stupid comfortable and is a great backdrop for some of my giant statement necklaces.

If you would like to try your very own Trunk (you would!) then please use my referral link. You’ll get new clothes, I’ll get a 50.00 credit if you buy anything from your trunk, we’ll both be happy!

xoxo

(ps: I tried the proofread function. it tells me to stop using dashes – so I won’t be using that function again.)