::here's to new

Happy New Year everyone. May 2011 be a year to remember!

::Merry Christmas

I hope you all have a great holiday!

::pretending

This is an actual kitchen. I love that it looks like something you'd find in a Barbie's dream house. Swoon. I would LOVE that fridge.

::once again

And here's the annual Christmas post featuring kitty with Santa. You'd think I'd get tired of posting it...but I don't. :D We've got our first get together this evening at our house. Pizza and gifts to kick off Christmas. Here's to getting into the Christmas spirit!

::on the hunt

I'm looking for still looking for a duvet cover for the guest room. The walls are painted a new, not-so-nursery blue now and I'm looking for something a little more on the modern side. All the furniture in the room is very antique, white, whimsical and I want something to really contrast it. I've found these..and they're all good...not sure if one just grabs me though...

This one reminds me of an old anthropologie duvet they had a long while back. Love the color, but I'm thinking it's a little more "pretty" than I'm ultimately going for.

Before you call me a 14 yr old, I really like the pattern of this. The deal breaker would be how pink that pink is in person. If it ended up being a little more of a muted raspberry rather than the electric pink in this picture...it could be a winner.
I put this on here to freak Aaron out. Look honey, it's FUR! He makes fun of me that we have something fur in every room of the house. What can I say? It's just so soft.

I Love this duvet. My friend has this in her guest room (the same friend I stole the paint color from. What can I say, she has good taste?) This, like the first duvet though, might be too "pretty". We shall see though. This color would look fantastic in the room.

Ok, so this is the wild card. On first impression, I really like it. But this would be the most "I'm not really sure how it would tie in with everything else in the room....and I might just hate this in 6 months".

This looks much better from an aerial shot. The circle actually covers the entire bed. This picture kinda makes it look like it stops short of the end of the bed. I actually really like this one too...but I would want the gray to be darker in person (which it might be).

Thoughts? Where do you shop for bedding?

::makeup

Saw this in a magazine yesterday and I really want to try it!

Also started using this thanks to my sister who didn't like it :D I've really liked it so far. I have extremely dry skin and the texture to this is like butter. Thumbs up from me. Have you started using anything new lately? Anything you want to try?

::catch up

Apologies for the lack of posting lately. Like many of you, the holidays have taken over (holidays...work...whatever you want to call it :P) Work has been insane (as per the end of the year) and the weekly schedules are quickly filled with activities, last minute shopping, wrapping, etc. Time has just flown by. I'll catch you up in short:

1- Went to the circus Friday. Very fun. Felt a little out of place without a 3 year old attached to my side...but whatevs ;)

2- Got a smart phone and new cell service. SO much fun. I'm always the last to join in the tech movement (ex: I didn't get an iPod til maybe last year sometime...and by "get" I mean take Aaron's...and by "Aaron's" I mean the old one he bought in college. Think back to when it was a novelty to actually have a color screen.) So, for us to have Internet on our phones is just an amazement :) We've been having Scrabble battles. So far we're tied.

3- Actually went to the Singing Christmas Tree. I haven't been in many, many years so it was fun. My nephew was playing "little boy" Jesus and my niece was playing "baby" Jesus. Oh they were just so cute. If you saw them you'd melt.

4- I'm kinda wanting to go to the Enchanted Forest here. I haven't been since I was really young and I think it could be fun. That and zoo lights.

5- I feel like I've been a serious Grinch lately. I haven't had time to sit down and really enjoy everything about the season this year. But with Christmas day quickly approaching and the minute snow we had the other day...I'm starting to get excited. Our stockings are filled, the ornaments have stayed on the tree(for the most part), and wrapped gifts are sitting in our guest room (far away from kitty). Let the festivities begin!

::calendar round-up

Here's a few 2011 calendars I've found that are just so cute. I think I'd like to get a letterpress calendar this year to mix it up. (Though, I won't lie...I've enjoyed the generic Rothko all year). What do you think?

empapers

pistachiopress

cucumberpress

paperboatstudios

::gift ideas

Just some stocking stuffer gift ideas from me to you for the lovely ladies in your life. I gave a list last year and it was fun. This time I limited it to just the girls...and these gifts are a little more on the cheap ;)




From top left going clockwise: ae sunglasses, costume jewelry magnets, ruffle scarf, christmas tea towel, glitter wallet, carnation pouf pair, essie nail set, ballet russes posts, grace bow slipper, bare minerals kit, hair tie ball

I actually have that scarf in white from Ann Taylor Loft and have gotten so many compliments on it. Great option. I also think the hair tie ball from Anthrolopogie is genius. What girl doesn't need more hair ties? I'm Always losing mine or they get all stretched out. They have several color options, but I'd get the metallic set.

::not that you asked

Melinda...this house just reminded me of you when I saw it. It reminds me of a big treehouse. I'll come over swimming all the time! :)

::not really new(s)

So I've decide to buy at least one ornament a year. Shocking to you all, I'm sure. I've never really thought about it before, but I've never collected ornaments. People talk about the memories they have when putting up their tree and I'm in the corner talking about my theme :) Neither is better or worse mind you, just a manner of preference. (I liken this to my huge aversion to all picture taking. Yes, I'll be able to remember what I look like just fine. I don't need others too.) But on this issue, I'm caving. Thus to commemorate the moment, I'll share with you some ornaments I've found:

::deja vu

How weird that I was going to post today about some macaroons that I found, when I happened to notice that on this exact day last year...I posted the same thing. Sad. It's been a year, and I still haven't had a macaroon. Maybe this will be the year... : )