A Few Things I'm Excited About

Spring Has Sprung in Cleve!

After busy season ends, there is always this period of a few weeks where the fact that free time is available again takes some major getting used to.  My first instinct to all invitations and suggested outings is "no"; however, then I remember I can have fun again.  I believe this period of reacquainting with my life has thrown off my blogging schedule.  Oh well, no point in feeling guilty about something I choose to do!

For my first blog post in a few weeks, I wanted to share a few things I am very excited about.  Nothing like me finding new products that I decide I need when I really should be saving my monies. I think spring does that to me - reinvention comes with restocking of the closet and beauty cabinet.

Clare Vivier Flat Clutch in Cobalt

My first new obsession is Clare Vivier handbags.  I treated myself to her flat clutch, which has been a staple among celebs for quite some time but appears to just be trickling down to girls like me in Cleveland.  Her goods are handcrafted entirely in L.A. and offers unique monogramming options, which keeps your handbag unique to you and in line with trends.  Her clean and simple designs suit my style to a "T" and I love the soft and buttery feel of the leather.  It took me a good five hours to decide what color to get.  Now I want a foldover clutch, the laptop size clutch, and the (out of my price range) large duffle in navy.  I just want to pack it up and take a trip.  Doesn't matter where... because I just want to pack it.

Dry Texturizer and Foundation Mist

My next new obsession is Oribe hair products.  For those of you that know me know that I try to get away with washing my hair twice a week.  Oribe's dry texturizing spray helps me get there while providing texture and volume options.  Also, the smell is to die for.  Oribe's foundation mist offers heat protection and helps dry hair faster, softer and sleeker.  I am ever on the hunt for ways to make my thin and stringy hair a bit more manageable and pretty... and I think I'm on to something.  Check out the company's website for some "how to" video tips.

Lastly, I am on a sock knitting kick.  I can't get enough of the Madelinetosh hand dyed sock yarn I chose for my first pair.  The colorways from this highly regarded company are mesmorizing.

I had to restart this sock multiple times due to some blunders: forgetting how to work the pattern, attempting to knit drunk and dropping stitches, turbulence on a plane causing me to mess up.  However, I think I'm on a roll now!  I sit at home after work and knit while watching Season 4 of Ally McBeal on Netflix.  Her quirkiness makes my quirkiness appear slightly tame.

Any new obsessions on your end?

Lipstick and Love Stories

I'm pretty cautious with my money. I rarely eat out, I don't take many trips and I seem to over research most purchases. However, every so often when my closet feels bare and I have some events coming up, I will throw caution to the wind and partake in some good old fashion retail therapy. The goal was simply to find an outfit for Toresil's bridal shower in Chicago this weekend. But alas, I found much more... and I refuse to feel guilty about it. All in all, it was a material focused weekend.

This Saturday was the first Saturday I didn't go into the office, thus giving me ample shopping time. My favorite purchase wasn't my bridal shower outfit, my Oribe hair products (stellar, everyone must look into these) or what appears to be the greatest concealer I have come across. I think my favorite purchase was my first step into true womanhood- I bought a REAL lipstick. Tom Ford came out with a line of lipsticks not too long ago and they have been getting rave reviews ever since. The packaging is heavy and high quality. The pigment range is vast but not overwhelming. You just feel luxurious even being at the counter browsing. I will admit- I hate lip color. I feel it is too high maintenance. I love makeup, but I love putting it on at my apartment and then not thinking about it the rest of the night. Who wants to excuse herself to the restroom after every sip of scotch to reapply? Not this girl. However, Tom Ford's formula wears evenly and, without reapplying, I was left with a high pigment lip stain after four hours at a bar. Awesome.

I wrapped up my weekend by wearing my pjs all day Sunday and watching about four movies on Netflix. My fave? Broken English. Quirky (!) and closed off thirty something meets a "fly by the seat of his pants" hot Frenchman who teaches her to lower her philosophical walls? Yummy. I watched it while eating my pancakes this morning. They were also yummy.

Tomorrow is our office "end of busy season" party. I heard the band takes requests. I've been practicing my set list all weekend. Sorry I am not sorry.

Life Crisis Caused MIA

Apartment at Dusk.  Relaxing After
a crazy two weeks.

So I've been M.I.A. I know it, you know it, Stella knows it. I was on my way to an out of town job, blah blah blah. Had to drive on the highways before the snow plows carted away the (hopefully) last winter beating NEOhio got blah blah blah. My 2002 Saturn spun out into a wall on the highway and was totaled blah blah HUH?

Yea, car accident. Awesome. I've never even gotten pulled over, let alone had to sit in a State Trooper's car while we waited for a tow truck to take away the remnants of my "no car payments, fully owned" vehicle. Sigh.

Needless to say, I was too busy frantically researching cars to blog. I found two distinct test drive lists emerging: cars that fit my "I'm a professional that drives to clients and will probably have this car for 10 years" self versus cars matching my "I'm used to not having a car payment and now you expect me to give up a large chunk of money... MONTHLY?" self. I will say that the first part of me beat out the second part just a tad. Nothing like having a single weekend to fit in one's first major adult decision.

2014 Mazda CX-5

Part of me felt like I needed to do this by myself. Maybe I didn't get the best deal or maybe I should have taken a few more options for a test drive. However, for my first car buying experience, I don't think I did too shabby.

Zoom zoom.

Busy season is almost over. I can almost TASTE our April 15th party. I'm pushing for karaoke. I think it'll just be me singing to the jukebox while everyone else is annoyed like every other year. Oh wells...

What was your first major adult decision?

Delayed Crafted Gift Reveal

Engagement Picture vs. Portrait

For the past month and a half, all I wanted to do was blog about the following topic.  However, I had to keep my keys quiet because it needed to be a surprise.  More specifically, it was to be joint birthday surprise for my brother and future (less than three months!) sister-in-law.  Because both birthday’s are in early March, I had to wait to blog until later in the month.

As a side note, I have decided to refer to my future sister-in-law as my ToreSIL.  I haven’t run this past her quite yet, but it distinguishes her from my other sister-in-law when the time comes when I can no longer call her “future sister in law”.  Toresil it is.

A couple of weeks ago, I finally mailed the surprise to my brother and Toresil and they were thrilled.  Hurray.  Commence blogging!  However, it is hard to blog about something when one goes out of town for a week and forgets to save the necessary blog pictures for the post to the laptop that was packed.  Whoops.  Hopefully my weekly post wasn’t missed too much.  Actually, it probably is worse if the missed post went unnoticed because that means no one is reading this but Toresil, my Mom and Kerry at work… and all three of them knew I was out of town.  Sigh.

I think I like Charlie best.

Moving on – the delayed and heavily “built up” surprise reveal:  cross-stitched family portraits!  Cross-stitching is the new knitting – you’ve heard it here first!  Great entrepreneurs sell modern and quirky (!) patterns on Etsy and through various websites.  My favorite has to be Wee Little Stitches on Etsy.  Check the store out.  There also was a “how to” in a Martha Stewart Magazine about a year ago.  I decided to take on the challenge and designed a little pixel brother, Toresil and Charlie the dog.  Since the lovely couple’s nuptuals are right around the corner, I designed them wearing the outfits from their save the date picture.

On its way to Chicago!

The designing of the pattern is what took the longest.  The easiest way is to block out your stitches on graph paper.  I found out that perfecting the hair color and layout is the most important aspect of making the pixel people recognizable.  After the design was solidified, I ran out to JoAnn Fabric’s for embroidery floss (at 10 cents a color, it is such an economical project), an embroidery hoop, and aida cloth.  The design stitched up quickly, which was a requirement for a project tackled during busy season.  I would assess it as a 10-hour project.

Toresil also loves personalized and unique stationary, so I put a picture of the cross-stitch portrait on the front of some postcards.  I like to think they will have this for years to come.  Who says cross-stitch has to be frumpy and old fashioned.  I think I am hooked and plan on making more!

Phew - I'm glad I got that post off my chest.  On a related note, I'm home for the weekend before going back out of town next week.  Stella was pretty peeved at my absence and was wary regarding my return (see below).  Who wants to tell her I'll only be home for two days?

That's it!  I'm raising the drawbridge!

What are some good gifts you have given recently?