Just My Type

On today's pilgrimage to Target I spotted this typography towel set - a perfect house-warming gift for the graphic designer in your life.

For Love and Flory

I can look at photo albums for hours upon end - even when I have no clue who the people in the photos are. Yes, I'm a self-professed voyeur. At any rate, this holds especially true when the photos are inspired and original. So, when I discovered the Bay Area photography team Joel and Cara Flory, I was immediately sucked into their website's galleries...for hours - no joke. The photographs capture an energy that makes me wish I was standing on the sidelines watching the happiness unfold. Enough talk, their pictures tell a thousand words.

Your Own Adventures in Wonderland

Fred Flare is giving us all the opportunity to star in our own version of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Purchase the book kit for $34, register online and personalize all the novel's details to your liking. That's right, you get to pick the names of the characters, the title of the book and write your own dedication page. Then, in two weeks, your taylor-made novel will be delivered to your mailbox. Pretty cool, huh?

Two For the Road

Send your newly hitched friends off on their honeymoon with these Two's Company Mr. & Mrs. luggage tags. Adorable!!

Darcey & Dan's Curtis Park Home

My friend Darcey and her husband Dan recently moved into a fabulous home in the Curtis Park area of Sacramento. After two months of begging for an invite, Darcey finally decided to host a brunch for all her girlfriends. Little did she know that I was going to turn a harmless Sunday brunch into a blogging affair! Anyway, here's a little bit about Darcey's decorating style and where she gets her inspiration from. Special thanks to Veronica for taking the photos.

{The lovely hostess, Darcey}

{D is for Darcey}

{Did I mention the house has a pool? Guess where I'll be this summer!}

{I heart this House Industries print}

{Ladies who brunch}

My style could be described as...eclectic. I like to mix new IKEA stuff with Danish Modern pieces and I'm a big fan of flea markets and yard sales. My Mom and I, that's our hobby. Weekends, summer break we are always on the look out for a good yard sale or flea market.

Where do you look for inspiration? Well, Bows & Sparrows always inspires me [Thanks, Darcey!], magazines (R.I.P Domino and Blueprint) and my uber-stylish friends.

What my friends say...Yesterday was the official unveiling with the "Ladies Who Brunch" and there were a lot of ohhhs and ahhhs and a few girlish screams when it came to the gigantic walk-in closet.

My biggest indulgence thus far has been...my first official "grown up" couch. Just waiting for them to deliver it.

My biggest challenge was...filling the space. We moved from a much smaller house so I was breaking out stuff from the garage that hadn't seen the light of day in years. Somehow it managed to work.

Where I go to find the good is...the Alameda Point Flea Market (it takes hours to get through it but it is soooo worth it) and the Sacramento Antique Faire.

More photos on the Bows & Sparrows Facebook page.

& Over Wrist

I'm not sure what it is about the ampersand that makes my heart skip a beat, but I have an undying love for them...in almost any font and form. Here are some Clarendon Ampersand Faux Cufflinks that I found over at Veer.

Bet Your Lashes

For the longest time I have been reading about how great DiorShow Black Out Mascara is...and being the consumer that I am, I finally broke down and bought some. Turns out, I do really like it - the pigment is rich and it volumizes (is that a word?) your lashes. Still, I'm not sure it's worth the $24...plus, I can't seem to find an eye-makeup remover that can get this shit off!! Anyone have any suggestions? Help!

Over the Shoulder Boulder Holder

I love this VPL Stripe B Bra. The cotton hem and thick grosgrain straps combined with the delicate mesh trim gives it a sporty, yet sexy vibe.

Balls To the Wall

This has got to be the most unusual clothes rack that I have ever seen. Fashioned from leather balls and rope, the hanger can be attached to a wall or the ceiling. It's available in a variety of colors, but you'll have to fork over a healthy amount of cash if you want one for your house. Find it at Made In Design.

Learn To Love Yourself

I would probably tire of this I Love Me Heart Mirror rather quickly, but I still appreciate its design. Created by graphic designers Ich&Kar, the mirror is available at A + R Store for $96 - a small price to pay for self love.

Office Space

I love the clean lines and practical functionality of the StudioDesk by Bluelounge. It's especially luring to those of us with OCD, as it features a hidden storage compartment for hiding all those unsightly power cords. It also features an elongated slot across the length of the desktop, perfect for feeding cords and power cables through - thusly preventing desktop clutter. The only cord visible is the one that attaches to the power supply in your wall. Loves it!

There's No Place Like Home

Finally, a ruby red nail polish to match those famous slippers worn by Dorthy Gale. Simply apply and repeat "there's no place like home" until your polish is dry and you're ready to tackle the yellow-brick road. Part of the Lippmann Collection, the polish is available at Barneys New York for $18.

As Luck Would Have It

Everyone can use a little good luck now and again...up your chances by sporting this sterling silver wishbone necklace by Marci Washington. Find it at Little Paper Planes.

Step Up to the Plate

I'm a sucker for various shades of blue, particularly the turquoise variety like that found on the Regent Wide Band Dinnerware collection from Crate and Barrel. Combine turquoise with gold and white and I'm drooling - it doesn't even matter what you put on the plate! Too bad I just got a new set of dishes not too long ago.

Affair of the Necklace

Emily Wheat Maynard, creator of Elva Fields Jewelry, scours local markets, auctions and antique stores to find unique and beautiful pieces that she can reconfigure and incorporate into new, unexpected works of wearable art. Her jewelry company features three lines: Elva, June and Deb - named after the artist's great-grandmother, grandmother and mother, respectively. The pieces in the Elva collection (like the Benevolent Forces necklace featured above) are one-of-a-kind necklaces...and are still reasonably priced. I covet most of the collect.

The Time Machine

Minneapolis-based communication company mono has developed an iPhone clock app that consists of 720 photos - wherein each photo represents a different minute of the day. It's a very artful way of telling time. Love it! Do an app search for photo'clock and download your own copy for a mere $0.99. Get the desktop version for free here.

Sweet & Salty

The best part of this look from Kate Spade's spring collection? The name: Loved Salty Snacks and Sweet Surprises.

Pill Popper

What better way to say "I love you" than this heart-shaped pill keychain by Jonathan Adler? It's pink on one side, orange on the other and yellow in the inside. Fill it with those hear-shaped Redhots and it's the perfect V-day gift!

That's Smoking Haute

I'm SO not a smoker and I would SO never EVER recommend that anyone start smoking. That said, if I were a smoker, I would totally smoke Nat Sherman Fantasia Lights!!! I mean, they come in five colors and have a gold filter - what's not to love, aside from that whole smoking-will-kill-you thing.

Girl With The Pearl Necklace

A couple of months ago my friend Sarah hosted a Stella & Dot jewelry party. She scored this little number - the Sofia Pearl Bib Necklace - as a "thank you" for playing hostess, and every time she wears it I have to do everything in my power not to rip it off her neck!!! The jealousy is SO overwhelming. I think I need to go to therapy...or purchase one for myself.

Better To See You With

I really hope my optometrist carries these glasses by the Coastal California-based company SALT. Dubbed "Jaden," the frames come in this fabulous tortoise and pink color combo. Love them! Check out other frames in the collection here.

Relax, Get To It

{photo by Pewari Naan}

I have to admit that I've been a little stressed out lately. Between piano lessons, Italian class, my day job, my freelance job and life in general - I am finding little time to decompress. I could really go for a long, hot bath right about now. Unfortunately, I don't have a bath tub in my apartment! Bummer, huh? Well, my brother and his wife have three in their house - I think they can spare one for a couple hours.

.

At any rate, today I received the latest Goop newsletter (yes, I subscribe to Gwyneth Paltrow's newsletter - so what?!!) and it contained a recipe for a"winter bath" soak. Apparently, the bath's ingredients offer numerous benefits, including helping to calm the nervous system, and tension and muscle pain relief. Think I'll whip this bad boy up and headed to my bro's!

• 1 Cup bath sea salt
• 1 tbsp almond oil or 2 tbsp whole milk
• 3 drops sweet orange essential oil
• 3 drops lavender essential oil
• 1 - 2 drops ginger essential oil
• Mix together

I Want A T@B!

I seriously want one of these T@b trailers - they are SO fricken cute! I know that RV-ing is typically reserved for the old folks, but these retro, tear-shaped campers make me want to travel cross country before I become a member of AARP. Did I mention that they're also highly customizable - you can choose from a variety of exterior/trim colors, interior fabrics, floor plans and other add-ons like stereos, DVDs, refrigerators and more. I'll say it again, SO cute!

Cold And Calculated

Last night I went to see "A Single Man," the directorial debut from fashion designer Tom Ford. First off, let me just say it really is a breathtaking film. The set designs, the wardrobe, the cars, and even the pink cigarettes were totally covetable. Each scene could easily translate to a fashion-house ad or a Vogue editorial spread.

As for Colin Firth and Julianne Moore, they are both amazingly talented (duh) and did a fabulous job with what they were given. Plus, they're both very attractive and I could pretty much watch them in anything and be entertained. That said, I found myself emotionally detached from their characters and the film as a whole.

It's a sad story, and had I cared for any of the characters, I'm sure I would have found myself sobbing throughout the film. Instead, I found my eyes drinking in the beauty and my mind wandering. I think my friend Darcey put it best when she said, "The film was detached and I was detached from the film" - or something to that affect.

Coming Full Circle

I can totally imagine myself curling up in a bed adorned with the Bloomsbury duvet cover and pillow case collection from Habitat. Designed by Margo Selby for Habitat, the line features a sweet circled pattern of rich tones and soft pastels. Unfortunately, Habitat doesn't ship to the United States - guess I'll have to call in a favor from my London-based pal, Simon.

If You Ever...

Several years ago I stumbled upon a series of odd, but adorable illustrations by artist Jason Sho Green. The site where the illustrations were housed has gone missing, but I managed to find a few of the images through a Google search (yay, Google!). Above is one of my favorites - if I had a Valentine, I would give them this.

You A-Maze Me

I'm a sucker for super soft T-shirts - you know, the kind that make you feel oh, so cozy when you slip one on. In my mind's eye, this Maze Heart shirt by Portland-based No Star Clothing feels exactly like that - plus, the design is just straight up adorable! Could this be the perfect gift for your Valentine? Or maybe for yourself? Or for me?!!!

The shirt is available for $32 at both Little Paper Planes and No Star Clothing. Once you buy the shirt, submit a photo of yourself (or a loved one) sporting it and you'll score a coupon for 20% off your next order from No Star. Go here for details.

Slip(per) Into Something More Comfortable

Here we are mid-winter, the perfect time of year for French Press Knits to hold a slipper giveaway. The winner of said giveaway will get a custom-made pair of felted slippers - color and button choice is up to the winner. It seems a little counterproductive for me to recommend that my readers get over there and enter the giveaway, but a little competition never hurt anyone...right? Deadline to enter is 5 February 2010. Good luck to everyone!

Oh, and if you don't win, you can always purchase the pattern on Etsy and make a pair for yourself - and maybe a pair for me, too!

Light As A Feather

This past weekend, I visited some friends in the East Bay (as I so often do) and we decided to do some shopping at 4th Street in Berkeley (as we so often do). That's where I spotted, and subsequently started coveting, the On-A-Wing Blouse by Byron Lars Beauty Mark. The blouse is delicate and feminine with a cowl neck, embroidered feather detailing and side button closure. It's available at Anthropologie...but at $148 it's a bit too spendy for my tastes. Still, I can appreciate its beauty.