My Name is Medina

Happily Ever After

2010-12-02T14:11:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow my grandmother is getting married. She is in love with a man that treats her well and loves her completely. She is 72 and he is 86. His name is Bogie. He was my papa’s uncle. Yes, my grandmother is marrying her deceased husband’s uncle. That idea was strange at first and it took a minute to wrap my head around. He’s my uncle, not hers. They have known each other for nearly 60 years and after my papa died and his wife died they started spending more time together. They soon uncovered their feelings for each other and began to date. I first heard of their relationship in May 2010 and by November they were engaged. I witnessed their relationship for the first time in September and it was truly sweet. Many of our family members think it is weird, strange and “just not right”. And some are going as far as saying that they will not stay at Granny and Uncle Bogie’s house when they visit. Some people feel so strongly about it that they have even refused to comment or acknowledge the relationship. I think that is completely selfish. My feeling is this: I love my Granny enough that I am willing to put my personal feelings aside and give her my support. It doesn’t matter what any of us think anyway, in the big scheme of things. What matters is that they have each found someone that loves and adores them and someone to spend the rest of life with. What more could you want for them? They both have lived full lives and had families and experienced the loss of their spouses. And now, in their old age, they have once again found love. What a wonderful thing! My wish for them is a happy life together full of love and friendship.

Chile!

2010-10-13T20:03:00.003-05:00

Wow! Today has been incredible. Watching each one of the 33 Chilean miners being pulled out of the earth after being trapped down there for 2 months was just amazing. I didn't actually see each one of them pulled out, I started watching the live feed around #11 and I couldn't look away the entire day. It was so uplifting to see everyone rally together to welcome them back to life above ground. The reunions were heart-warming to say the least. May we all have the strength and courage to get through hard times the way these men did. Chi! Chi! Chi! Le! Le! Le!

My Happy Place

2010-09-30T10:42:00.005-05:00

I recently went on a week-long genealogical adventure in and around my birth city of Brunswick, GA. I had been planning this trip for a very long time and it was exhilarating to finally be there researching my family history. One of the highlights of my trip was the interview I did with my 86 year old great-great Uncle, William H Kyser. Uncle Bogie as he known in the family. This man has an amazing wealth of information stored in his head and each time you visit with Uncle Bogie you hear a story you probably have never heard before. Or maybe you have heard it before but you never get tired of hearing it. Many people in the family have said that they have always meant to record his stories but never got around to it. I knew that if he were to pass on before I recorded an interview it would be something I would always regret. Our interview took place on Monday, September 13, 2010. It was a pleasure and something I won't soon forget. Also on the agenda for my trip was visiting as many family cemeteries as physically possible. I made it to 14 out of the 21 on my list. And I have a pile of pictures, videos and voice memos (and bug bites) to show for it. Most of my days were spent on the dirt roads of southeast Georgia with my mom and whichever relative was willing to show me the way and tell me a story. At night, I would sit and go through the media from that day while visiting with my mom and grandmother. And thanks to modern technology I got to say goodnight to my husband via video chat on most nights. The week culminated with a family reunion organized by uncle and cousin. The first annual Howard/LaRoche family reunion. There was a great turnout and I got to meet many people and catch up with others that I had not seen in a long time. Because I was so busy playing detective all week, I hadn't managed to get out to Jekyll Island. My happy place is Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island. I've loved it for a very long time. It brings peace and calm to me and I often daydream of sitting there on the deserted beach listening to the waves and digging my toes into the sand. It's also where my husband proposed to me back in 2005. After the reunion, I decided to grab my hat, some sunscreen and a beach towel and head over to the island. It was a fabulous way to end the week, sitting in my happy place reflecting on life and family.

On the 'ol Noggin' - part deux

2010-09-03T11:06:00.005-05:00

It's been a while since I last made a list of my thoughts. Since it's September and because I just feel like it, here is a list of things I have thought about today.

Black walls. Goth or manly chic?

Freshly sharpened pencils

Death certificates

Cemeteries

Free kittens (it's not all dark)

Spontaneous napping over the long weekend (yes, i daydream about naps)

My cute little nephews, Andrew and Jacob.

Hayrides and hot chocolate and flannel

Tattoos

Family reunions

Netflix documentaries (I'm hooked)

And, of course, my sweet, handsome husband. That should go without saying. But I'm saying it anyway.

The end.

New Hair

2010-09-03T11:00:00.002-05:00

Hair

2010-08-27T08:47:00.006-05:00

My hair style & color change frequently. I get bored easily. In the past 4 years my hair has changed more times than I can count. I had mid-back length hair with layers, then I tried the blunt cut bangs with long hair. Then I went with a shoulder length bob and wispy bangs.
Then I had the pixie look. I even had sideburns at one point. And don't even get me started on color. Well, it's time again to make a hair decision and I'm taking to my blog to sort out my thoughts. I take this very seriously. I mean, I have to look at my decision in the mirror every day. I want to love what I see (I wonder if I'm weird or if most people obsess over their hair this way). My hair is in that awkward in-between stage right now and I'm resisting the urge to chop it off. Maybe shorter bangs will make this transition more tolerable. I really liked the short, wispy bangs before. But what about color? Should I stay dark or go for something bold and bright? Decisions, decisions. Shannon will know. She always gives me great advice and I always, always love the finished product. She's amazing. I guess we'll wait and see what Thursday brings. Okay, enough about my hair already. G'day.

Inspiration

2010-08-26T08:38:00.002-05:00

For the past few days the weather in Chicago has been amazingly cool. It is August after all. In a few months when the weather turns bitterly cold, I will use today's weather report from Chicagoist as a reminder that the sun will shine again. Like many people, I seem to slump into a state of S.A.D. during the winter and if I can only remember days like today, there will be hope.

Summertime

2010-06-08T08:48:00.003-05:00

I've been dreaming a lot lately. Mostly dreams of the daytime variety. I dream of lounging by the pool in my leopard print bathing suit and Betsy Johnson sunglasses, drinking watermelon lemonade and listening to Elvis. I dream of a road trip out west with my husband and the dogs. We would be "cruisin' and playin' the radio with no particular place to go". In that dream, I wouldn't necessarily need this kick ass Michael Kors watch, but I would wear it anyway just because it makes me happy. I dream of an east coast family history tour where I get to pretend I'm Nancy Drew searching for clues. I have dreams, I tell ya. And I prefer the lucid daydreams over those crazy nonsense dreams I conjure up at night.

Lonny

2010-05-12T10:24:00.006-05:00

Lonny Magazine seems to be doing a good job at filling the gap left by the now defunct Domino Magazine. I have been hearing whisperings about Lonny for a while now, but had not checked it out until today. I love it! I was a devoted Domino reader and miss it dearly. But Lonny has nearly made me forget about Domino. Being able to flip through the virtual pages and follow product links is genius. It's so neat and clean and really speaks to the organizer in me. Here are just a few of the lovely things seen in Lonny. This jute tote from Williams-Sonoma is functional and fashionable. And you can personalize it!

Another cute bag. Is it too big for a lunch sack? I would love to replace my boring black zippered lunch bag.

And how adorable is this scarf? Muy! Muy! This would really take any jeans and t-shirt look up a notch.

I think it is safe to say that I will be checking back in with Lonny to get my fix.

Try as I may

2010-04-06T13:21:00.005-05:00

Try as I may, I can not find one thing I don't like about this. I want to live in this space. The concrete floors, the reading nook, the desk on wheels. Everywhere I look there is something that makes my heart go pitter patter.

b&lu

2010-03-26T11:06:00.005-05:00

I'm currently drooling over this new top at b&lu. It would look saucy with these black jeans and some cute chunky sandals.

Genealogy

2010-03-17T09:54:00.003-05:00

For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in knowing the history of my family. I really started to research my roots just a few years ago. To think that the stories of my ancestors might never be heard lit a fire in me to go and find and listen. I want to know the struggles they faced and what life was like for them. I guess the ultimate goal is for my ancestors to not be forgotten. With that goal in mind, I want to get my hands on as much information as possible to aid my research and prepare my mind to learn. You can imagine that the new show on NBC, "Who Do You Think You Are?", is right up my alley. The show airs on NBC on Fridays at 8/7C and this Friday will be episode #3 with Lisa Kudrow. If you are at all interested in genealogy, you should check this out. Another show I've been watching is "Faces of America", which aired (airs?) on PBS. You can watch the videos online by clicking on the videos tab. I have embedded Episode 3 below. Be prepared to get sucked in. I find it all very fascinating. So much so that I wish I could quit my job and do genealogy full time.

On the 'ol Noggin'

2010-02-19T17:23:00.008-05:00

Inspired by Phil Plait, the Bad Astronomer, I am going to compile my own list of things I have thought of today. And I'll do it on the fly. This could get ugly.

Rope ladders

Accidentally over-tipping at a restaurant last week due to faulty math

Spring break plans

E-6 extra spicy from Vietnam Kitchen

What happens when we die

Black holes

Pitchfork!

The food I will eat this weekend

The amount of dirty dishes piled up in my kitchen

My hair color

Thrift store shopping

NPR

Ok, so that wasn't so bad. What's on your mind today?

Ben Sollee

2010-02-16T13:18:00.002-05:00

Ben Sollee's new album, Dear Companion, is available for purchase today. Can't wait to check it out.

New Sites

2010-02-16T10:37:00.003-05:00

I was recently introduced to two fabulous sites for clothing & accessories and now I am sharing them with you. Boden USA is full of colorful and lively pieces and the About Us section is rife with humor. Cerulean is the other site. I stumbled across Cerulean while visiting a blog mentioned by another blog that I frequent. Just a quick glance at this site made me want to pack my bags and fly away to a tropical destination. I can't vouch for quality because I haven't purchased anything from either site. Yet. But they are on my radar.

b&lu

2010-02-06T15:46:00.004-05:00

What an adorable frock! This is one of the many new arrivals at bandlu.

In the year 2009

2009-12-31T21:33:00.006-05:00

January

In-laws came to visit

Jackson started 2nd semester of law school

Made a weekend trip to Kentucky for Allison's baby shower

February

Our nephew, Andrew, was born on Lincoln & Darwin's birthday

We saw Coraline in 3D

March

We saw the midnight showing of Watchmen with friends

Went to Kentucky for spring break - met our nephew for the first time

April

?

May

Visited my aunt in Grand Rapids

Went to a graduation party for Jackson's cousin, Katie

Went to a Chicago Fire game

June

My mom stayed with us for a week - we explored the city

July

We saw the theatrical version of Corey Doctorow's novel, Little Brother

Went to The Pitchfork Music Festival for the first time

August

Went to Lollapalooza for the first time. Unforgettable.

Moved into our new apartment

Jackson turned 30 - went to a Chicago Fire game

Jackson started his 3rd semester of law school - almost 1/2 way done

My brother turned 27

September

Started taking banjo lessons

Saw Deke Dickerson live

Volunteered at the Renegade Craft Fair

Attended our friends, Mike & Laura's 5th anniversary party

October

Went to Kentucky for Adam & Shellie's wedding

Said goodbye to Jackson's grandfather, Charlie Cooper

Had one of many dinner parties with our friend Ginny

Celebrated the third anniversary of our marriage

Participated in a chili cookoff. Didn't win

November

Saw our friend Mike's band, Wells-Next-The-Sea

Went to a book signing for The Pioneer Woman's cookbook

Had Thanksgiving dinner with Heather & Ginny

December

My dad came to Chicago for a one day adventure

I volunteered at the Renegade Holiday Craft Fair

Went to Kentucky for a week to celebrate christmas with our families

I turned 29

Constructing this list and thinking about all that has transpired in 2009 naturally put me in a reflective mood. I think that's an appropriate mood to be in on the last day of the year. We welcomed a new life and said goodbye to others at the end of their life. Overall 2009 treated me kindly. I'm still here and ready to take on 2010. Goodbye to 2009.

Renegade Craft Fair Holiday Sale

2009-12-07T11:28:00.004-05:00

Because I had so much fun working the info booth at the Renegade Craft Fair in September, I decided to volunteer again for the Holiday Sale. The sale was held at Pulaski Field House, an excellent and interesting venue. Three rooms on the main floor and two on the second floor were filled to capacity with vendors and shoppers. The Magnolia Photo Booth was there too and have lots of fun pictures posted on their website. I managed to get away for a few minutes of shopping myself and came away with some good stuff. In the back corner of one of the upstairs rooms I found Squasht by Les and couldn't resist her adorable headbands. I bought this one , which I'm wearing right now. I also came across a vendor named A.S.I.S that had these really awesome cashmere necklaces and bracelets. Lust! I didn't buy the necklace that I wanted, but instead picked up a pair of earrings, which I am also wearing right now. The Renegade Craft Fair is so much fun. I can't wait for the next one. In the meantime, there's always the Renegade Handmade store on Division to meet my handmade needs. By the way, I am not being paid to lust after Renegade...it's just that awesome.

Restoration Hardware

2009-10-26T15:23:00.002-05:00

I am swooning over the new Restoration Hardware Holiday catalog. There are so many pretties and baubles and cozies and lovelies and oohs and aahs. Like the Cashmere Throw on page 12, the large wall map on page 45, and oh my goodness the leather office chair on pg 47. I can't stop looking at the images in this new catalog. It's such a great mix of rugged & manly with soft and warm. Now I want to find time to go to the store so that I can see it all in person. I love to window shop and luckily it doesn't make me feel the need to buy it all. I just enjoy the happiness I get from looking.

Love at first sight

2009-10-20T16:22:00.006-05:00

While browsing the Winter 2009 Garnet Hill catalog, I fell in love. There I was just casually flipping the pages when I saw a pair of shoes that would not let me look away. Mary Jane style, leather wedges. So practical. I like practical. I've been wearing dresses and skirts a lot lately and these shoes with colorful tights would be a perfect winter accessory. Alas, the price tag is a little too hefty for my coin purse to handle so I will admire from afar. My dad always said "Wanting never hurt nobody". And i just bought 2 pairs of shoes a couple weeks ago out of necessity. When preparing my outfit for an upcoming wedding I realized that I had not one pair of dressy black shoes. Not one! Knowing that we would be in Louisville, KY for the wedding I immediately made plans to hit the shoe clearance room at Von Maur in the Oxmoor Center. What? You haven't heard of the shoe clearance room at Von Maur? Get ye to the Oxmoor Center pronto. Sometimes I find exactly what I'm looking for and other times I find nothing. I got lucky that day and left with 2 pairs of black shoes - a pair of Calvin Klein flats for $40 (yay clearance!) and a pair of heels that I paid full price for (still less than $100) because I loved them so much. I'm pretty rough on shoes, but I'm hoping that by investing in better quality shoes they will last longer.

Leather Anniversary

2009-10-19T13:09:00.002-05:00

Wednesday marks the third year of marriage for me and my honey. I decided early on that I wanted to follow the traditional suggestion for anniversary gifts so this year is the year for leather. I haven't bought a gift yet and I am drawing a complete blank. I could just go with a wallet or something generic, but I want it to be personal and thoughtful. What would be useful to a handsome, intelligent, law student? Did I mention handsome? Looks like I need to put on my thinking cap.

It's that time again

2009-10-13T10:01:00.003-05:00

Now that the weather is cooling off, we have switched the sheets on our bed from the cool cotton to the warm flannel. Garnet Hill is my go-to place for sheets. The paintbrush flannel sheets are my favorite. I have them in deep sea blue and graphite. There's nothing better on a cold night than being surrounded by a flannel cocoon.

Stripes

2009-09-28T08:52:00.003-05:00

Found this image on a blog I frequent, Design Sponge. Stripes on the wall make me happy.

The Swell Season

2009-09-25T11:29:00.006-05:00

If you haven't seen the movie Once you should do yourself a favor and watch it soon. The musical duo of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova will knock your socks off. They sing and play with such emotion and I instantly fell in love with them. They also make music together in real life under the name The Swell Season. One of my favorite songs is "When Your Mind's Made Up". Their new album, Strict Joy, will be out October 27. Give them a listen. I took the video below at The Swell Season concert in Louisville, KY on May 12, 2008.

Task Chair

2009-09-23T13:29:00.003-05:00

In our living room/office, my husband and I currently have matching, white, side-by-side desks and are using mismatched chairs. I have no issue with mismatched, but I am using a rocking chair and he is using a standard, black, boring task chair from Staples or some place like that. For now I can live with it. We are on a budget so changing something just for the heck of it doesn't make sense. In the future, I would like to have an actual office chair, one that rolls and swivels and the whole bit. And it must look cute. That's not too much to ask. Is it? I have my eye on the surf chair at cb2 - in white. It is sleek and simple and $199 seems like a good price.

It Never Fails

2009-09-23T10:27:00.002-05:00

Last weekend I made a trek out to IKEA with some friends. I had no intentions of buying anything, except a delicious and cheap meatball lunch. But who can go to IKEA and not buy anything? Not me. In the spirit of making our rental a bit more cozy, I decided to peak at the curtains. As with any purchase, I had a hard time deciding but finally went with the IKEA STOCKHOLM BLAD, a pretty, neutral leaf print on a cream background. And they are lined! Last night my husband and I teamed up and put the curtains up in our living room. They look so good! I will post a picture soon.

Cotton

2009-09-20T08:46:00.002-05:00

Just saw this commercial for the first time. I am a fan of Zooey, cotton and banjos so you can imagine my excitement.

The Loot

2009-09-18T09:59:00.005-05:00

I was lucky enough to be asked to work the info booth for Renegade at the 7th annual Renegade Craft Fair last weekend. There was a great turnout of people that I will attribute to the gorgeous weather. The mood of the crowd was cheery, even bordering on cotton candy sweet and everyone seemed totally excited about crafts. Every vendor I talked to said the same thing - they were surprised by how well they did. I was tied to the info booth most of the weekend, but managed to get away on Sunday for lunch with my husband and a little shopping. I tried to pick up business cards from the vendors I visited so that I could visit their websites. From Get Felt Up I bought a heart necklace and (possibly) some earrings - I can't remember where the earrings came from. I sent my husband on a mission to find a coin purse for me. He found one at Miss Alison that is exactly what I wanted. It is sparkly purple vinyl with sparkly silver and gray stripes. Yay sparkles! Being the thoughtful man that he is he also bought a banjo print for me from cindytomcyzkart . It's really awesome and I can't wait to get it up in our apartment. Before the fair, I read about a Louisville vendor, Dearest Inez who made the cutest felt leaf earrings. I had to have them. Overall, the fair was a lot of fun and I can't wait for the next one. In the meantime, I will support the artists via their websites.

Weekend work

2009-09-08T14:26:00.003-05:00

The long holiday weekend was a chance to get organized and make our apartment feel a little more like home. Since we moved little by little we were able to unpack things and put them in their place as we went along. That means that all of our daily essentials are in place, but it still doesn't feel warm and cozy. Organization and decoration are a must to make a place feel like a home. I attempted to tackle those tasks this weekend and, although I did not get it all done, I got a lot accomplished. We now have a clock on the wall in the living room, a 35+ yr old clock handed down to me from my grandmother. And after a trip to Home Depot, our spare bedroom is starting to look like a livable space. Our office and living room share the same space so it is important that everything be clutter-free. To achieve this, I picked up some storage pieces from The Container Store. This will give us a place to put things out of sight to be sorted later. I know the experts will say that you should sort things immediately before putting them away, but that's just not practical sometimes. I also picked up a few things from World Market and Target and the apartment feels a lot more cozy. The next thing I would like to do is upgrade the lighting in the hallway, bathroom and kitchen and get some curtains up in the living room and bedroom. Because we are renting, we don't want to put a lot of money into upgrades so I need to put some thought into this. Overall things are looking good.

Strummin' on the 'ol banjo

2009-09-04T13:52:00.002-05:00

Because of my husband's love of music, we have a small collection of musical instruments including a Sullivan banjo which was a gift to him from his former employer. I don't play any musical instruments but I want to change that. I hear the banjo is a hard instrument to learn so I decided to start with that one. A local music school was offering an 8 week beginner banjo class and I signed up. My first class was last night and I really enjoyed it. I can't wait for next week.

Renegade Craft Fair

2009-09-02T11:20:00.002-05:00

As a subscriber to Bust Magazine, I had heard of the Renegade Craft Fair but never had a chance to attend. We were in the midst of selling our house in Kentucky and moving to Chicago last fall during the annual Renegade Craft Fair so I was way too busy to attend. I'm not going to miss it this year. The 7th Annual Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago will be September 12 & 13 on Division between Damen & Paulina. And admission is FREE. I decided to volunteer my time to work at the fair and was pleasantly surprised to get a response and a chance to participate. I will be working on Saturday and Sunday and I can't wait. One of my favorite artists from Louisville, Ky, Kathleen Lolley, will be there as will hundreds of other talented artists from far and wide. If you can't make it to the fair, you can visit Renegade Handmade online or at the store on Division to purchase handmade wares.

Ork Posters

2009-09-02T11:06:00.005-05:00

In the spirit of embracing our new home, I purchased a poster of Chicago made by Ork, as a gift for my husband. They offer several color options and I picked "spicy red". There are many Chicago neighborhood maps out there, but this one is artistic and easy on the eyes. At the time when I bought the poster, I did not buy a frame and for that reason the poster is still in the tube it came in. We just moved to a new apartment in Ravenswood (it's on the map!) and I want to get this up on the wall. Any suggestions for a reasonably priced framing shop in Chicago would be much appreciated. And check out the latest Ork poster, the Heart.

Planning for fall

2009-08-19T13:26:00.002-05:00

As I was window shopping online this morning I found a pair of wedge-heeled shoes that made my heart flutter. For real. I have no idea how they would feel on, but I can imagine wearing them often with dresses and tights.

Sassy Stationery

2009-07-21T15:28:00.004-05:00

Isn't this card adorable? You can find equally adorable stationery at the etsy store thebeautifulproject.

Filene's Basement

2008-09-23T15:23:00.002-05:00

I have a new favorite store. On a recent visit to Chicago, I came across Filene's Basement. It is a discount store similar to TJ Maxx and Marshall's, but is much bigger and definitely more organized. They also have a bigger selection of designer clothing. I looked for at least an hour and felt like I barely scratched the surface. I settled for a Michael Kors top, black dress pants (didn't recognize the brand) and a pair of Kenneth Cole shoes. My total was around $100. What a steal! I heart Filene, whoever she is.

Dog Dish

2008-08-20T10:50:00.004-05:00

I have been considering throwing out our dog's current food and water bowls and upgrading to a wall-mounted version like the one above. Not only will it help aid in digestion (I have no evidence to back this up), but it will also be stationary instead of moving all over the floor. And it's pleasing to look at. That is also important. I have two dogs so I can't decide if I should get two feeders, a food bowl and a water bowl for each of them, or if I should just get one for food only and have them share a separate water bowl. Decisions, decisions. Speaking of dog stuff, check out this yard sign. I'm not sure that it would be a deterrent, but it might get a few chuckles.

Trying new things

2008-07-04T11:09:00.005-05:00

If you live in Louisville, KY then you probably have heard of bejeezus. But if you're like me you never really knew what it was about. I knew it was a magazine and that was the extent of my knowledge of bejeezus. I intended to check it out at some point so when I read on Consuming Louisville that bejeezus was having an Independence Day part at the Nachbar last night I decided now was the time to find out what the fuss was all about. I had never been to the Nachbar, I didn't even know how to pronounce it (it's pronounced "Knock"). It was a night to try new things so my hot date (aka The Colonel) and I headed out to the Nachbar to check out bejeezus and soak up the sounds of Relic with our friends and coworkers. Turns out bejeezus is "a guide to unpopular culture". The content covers topics including music, film, handmade crafts, and local eateries. The design is artistic and thoughtful and representative of the local culture. I picked up two copies (issue 9 & 10) of the local magazine and have been absorbing the awesomeness that is bejeezus all day today. I have enjoyed everything about the magazine, even the ads. That's saying something. I can't wait to pick it back up and see what is on the next page. Don't wait to check it out like I did. Go get Bejeezus!

CeFiore

2008-06-15T07:15:00.003-05:00

There is this place on Bardstown Rd. in The Highlands called CeFiore that sells italian, low-fat frozen yogurt. I drive past it all the time and have been meaning to stop in. Last night my husband and I were out for a walk and decided to give it a try. They offered several different flavors of frozen yogurt, including original, acaiberry, green tea, and pomegranate-raspberry, with many topping options as well as smoothies and coffee. I gave a quick look at the menu and decided on the child size portion of the pomegranate-raspberry topped with blueberries. My husband went with the original topped with fruity pebbles (he loves fruity pebbles in a major way). The yogurt was refreshing and creamy and delicious...and low-fat. As the summer heats up, I will definitely be visiting again.

Clay and Cotton

2008-06-05T20:20:00.003-05:00

I love the look of this robin's egg soap. It would look cute and charming in a guest bathroom. Clay and Cotton has all sorts of interesting things including stationery, bath and body products, home decor and candles.

Dresses

2008-05-14T12:03:00.005-05:00

After looking around at several retail stores and trying on 143 dresses, I settled on the following two from Target:

The plum-colored, shift dress was in the "regular" sizes and the the black linen dress was in the plus sizes. I bought this really cute cropped sweater to wear with the linen dress.

The linen dress tends to stretch out and lose it's shape after a little wear, but I find that is the tendency of linen fabric. Because my weight has changed so much recently, I am teetering between being plus size and regular size. Being able to shop in both sections really gives me a lot of options and shopping for clothes has definitely been more enjoyable these days.

Springtime & hem lines

2008-04-19T12:22:00.009-05:00

Now that the weather is getting warmer, it is time to start wearing more skirts and dresses. I recently lost 50 lbs. so all of the stuff I wore last summer does not fit anymore. I've been poking around the web looking for dresses and I found a few that I would like to try. I specifically need summer weight dresses and skirts that are work appropriate. Old Navy and Target both had many options. All of these dresses look flattering and appropriate for the office. I can't wait to try them on.

Torrid

2008-01-24T16:27:00.000-05:00

While browsing the goods at Torrid.com, a few things caught my eye, like these jackets:

This seersucker jacket is adorable. It could be worn with jeans or dressed up for work. The model has a killer haircut too.

I really like the flattering cut and the color of this puff-sleeved jacket.

I like this one for the 3/4 sleeves and the open front.

Almost destiny

2008-01-20T11:28:00.000-05:00

My husband really wants a recliner, but I am generally opposed to recliners because they are usually big, bulky and tacky. We currently have a "chair for two" with an ottoman which I would be happy to replace with a recliner if only we could find one that was sleek, modern and affordable. Restoration Hardware has a beautiful leather recliner that I am totally lusting after.
And get this, it's called the "Cooper Leather Recliner" and the color is "Jackson cinnamon". It must be destiny, except for the minor issue of price. It cost a whopping $2,450! And since I don't have that kind of money to throw down on a chair I will have to keep looking. Fortunately, Target has a couple "real" leather options in the $650-$700 range that are more what we are looking for.

Evans

2007-11-07T20:04:00.001-05:00

I discovered Evans while in Ireland on my honeymoon and I instantly knew that this was the place I had dreamed of so many times. The clothes are both plus size and hip, something I did not think existed. It was magical and I could not pull myself away. I spent hours in the store trying on clothes and shoes and ultimately spent a small fortune. The jeans I bought on that trip turned out to be my favorite jeans and I quickly wore them thin. Unfortunately, Evans only has stores in Ireland and the UK and although they have a website they did not ship to the United States. I signed up for the mailing list and frequently checked the website to drool. One day I received notice that Evans is now shipping to the United States. You can imagine my excitement. Hooray!

Now I can have these boots

And this wool coat

And this stylish pair of knickers

And this adorable frock

This could be dangerous.

pillos

2007-11-05T13:42:00.000-05:00

Check out the pillo's over at world wide fred. I really want the gun. The fire hydrant is cute too.

Michael Kors

2007-02-22T12:02:00.000-05:00

Michael Kors is currently my favorite designer. I just decided this yesterday after visiting his website . His pieces are trendy, but classic and I just can't get enough. The only MK thing I own at this time is the Astor Satchel in white which i was shocked to find on sale at Von Maur for a mere $75. What a deal! So don't be afraid to venture into the "fancy" department stores because you never know what you might find on clearance.

From Domino Magazine Feb. 2007

2007-02-20T13:22:00.000-05:00

The following websites were mentioned in the February issue of Domino magazine. Domino is a shopping magazine and they always have inspirational ideas about stylish home design. To quote them, "Domino was created to help busy, style conscious people (like you) furnish your homes in a comfortable, personal way." They also have a blog on their website about their favorite spots to visit online. This is one of my absolute favorite magazines.

hooklady.com
- vintage hooks and brackets. My favorites are: The antique white fleur de lis hook ($10), and the owl double hook ($8). You can order: by phone, fax or email and they accept credit cards, checks, money orders or C.O.D. as forms of payment.

westelm.com
- furniture, textiles, lighting and accessories for the home. The website is very user friendly. I like the fact that most of the products are staged in a room so that you're able to see the scale of it and how it would look with other products. One of my favorite color schemes is pale blues with dark browns and westelm has alot to offer in that category.

crateandbarrel.com
- Contemporary furniture, housewares and gift registry. I like the classic look of white dinnerware. It goes with everything and it's easy to replace if a piece is broken. Crate and barrel offers a variety of white dinnerware as well as many colorful pieces to spice up your table setting.

cb2.com
- A division of crate and barrel. For versatile furniture arrangements, the blackjack sectional and the FLOR tiles look very exciting! Be sure to check out the outlet for great deals.

soles4souls.org
- Shoes for the needy. Soles4souls is a Nashville based charity organization that, through donations, provides shoes to those in need. They began gathering footwear in October of 2004 for the victims affected by the Asian tsunami and since have provided shoes for Katrina victims as well. Contact soles4souls at (866) 521-SHOE for information about donating shoes.

wrapables.com
- Unique gift ideas. Giving is great, but there's a lot of this stuff I want for myself. Some of my favorites are: the jigsaw greeting cards, the turquoise duck feather earrings, and the manzanita jewelry tree.

lafcony.com
- Seller of decadence. There are two locations, one in New York and one in L.A. Lafco NY carries fine fragrances, soaps and candles. They also offer a complete men's line of face and body products as well as customized gift boxes.

chambersstwine.com
- New York wine shop. Introducing little known wines; they carry very few brand names.

Welcome

2007-02-20T13:00:00.000-05:00

This is my journal of temporary obsessions. The purpose of this blog is to chronicle the interesting bits I come across every day either while reading magazines, surfing the web or from word of mouth. My personal style is a mix of classic and unique. I have an incredible weakness for all things antique/vintage.