Random Cute thing

I'm on an email list called VSL. According their website, "Very Short List (VSL) points to excellent new (and sometimes vintage) entertainment and media that haven't been hyped to within an inch of their lives."

Anyway, today they sent out a link to a list of fun venn diagrams. And the first one was so darn cute, I had to share it. The middle part says "awesome". I love it.

Everyone Loves a Box of Slippers

Leah visited me this weekend and was quite taken with our visitor slipper box. She told me I had to blog about this, so here it goes.

When we bought our house, we didn't want everyone tracking their cruddy city-grime shoes everywhere - but, I'm not too found of walking around in socks in someone's house. I will do it, but my feet get cold and I feel oddly undone. So, from the minute we signed the papers I started dreaming about having a box or basket with slippers so that visitors could have something comfy to wear around that was crud- and embarrassment-free.

I did some googling for awhile and had a hard time finding what I needed. Either it was going to be way too expensive to buy multiple pairs or way too cheap and inappropriate (think disposable pedicure thong slippers).

Then I found these. They are "comfort pedic" (a temper pedic-esque slipper) and apparently "as seen on tv". I bought them from a guy on ebay for less than $5 a pair. At the time he offered a lot of 8 new slippers and you could mix and match the sizes. I got 4 medium and 4 large. They are very cushy and nicely gender neutral.

They are also a huge hit. Initially people are taken aback by the slipper offer, but most people jump right in.

We store them in one of these boxes (the biggest one) from The Container Store.

Every once and awhile I spritz the slippers with an anti-bacterial spray to keep everything germ free. For what's it's worth - I use Clean Green spray because it's environmentally friendly and kid friendly.

Let the slipper revolution begin!

Etsy Sellers I Love . . . Baby Edition

MOBILES!

I really love Etsy. When I was looking for a mobile for my daughter, I was trapped in waves of indecision. I couldn't find anything that I really liked until I stumbled upon thewonderlandstudio on Etsy. She makes lovely, floaty, mobiles out of wire and foam circles and can personalize them with a child's name. And she's from Newburyport, MA - so I have to support a local crafter!

I got this one for my daughter's nursery and chose colors to match her safari themed room.



BABY LEGWARMERS!

My daughter was a winter baby so I quickly became obsessed with baby legwarmers. Babylegs are cute, but kind of pricey for what they are. Etsy came to the rescue! Apparently, these things must be pretty easy to make, because everyone is making them and they are making them for cheap.

Check out these (2 for $15) from mamarunswithscissors:

Or these preppy ones (2 for $10.50!) from forevermybaby:



What a freaking good deal! I might have to order more!

Ikea does it again

Recently I installed the Hemnes Shoe Cabinet from Ikea in my foyer. It has two front legs and the back gets installed on the wall. I LOVE it! I got it in this black-brown color but it also comes in white. Everyone will have a drawer for their mittens and hats (except Piper the golden retriever - she will keep her leashes in there.). It also nicely frames the artwork above.

Buy it here.

British fashion is at least 3 years ahead of American fashion, no matter what you say

For Christmas my mother-in-law gave me this bag:



She carried a similar one at my wedding and I thought it was pretty fab. The label said Boden so I googled it and found a pretty awesome clothing and accessories website. The stuff is a little spendy, but it's got that cute "where did you get that" feel that comes from clothing that's made in (or at least originally sold in) England.

When I was younger, we lived in England. Then I came back to America and everyone looked like they did in England 3 years previous (apparently, writing "previous" at the end of a sentence is also something I got from living in England). I thought that with the advent of the internet, fashion would catch up. Wrong. I haven't done a lot of research, but I can tell you that the British dancers I worked with on a cruise ship 3 years ago were all wearing those "maxi dresses" which, at the time, I thought looked insane. Then for the next two summers everyone in the US was wearing them.

So, I don't think you can go wrong with Boden. Check out this coat on sale. Look at me, I'm hip and fashionable but also carefree. And is that an old Englishy looking building in the background? That's right I am worldly, too. SOLD!



And for those with CHILDREN, there is miniBoden. Any company that uses "mini" as a descriptor is all right in my book.

Quit it:

Etsy Sellers I Love

I love Etsy! How could you not really? If something can be handmade, then it's probably on this site. I was recently given a little birthday money to buy something on the site and I decided I wanted a necklace -- a showpiece if you will. Something knitted or crocheted or upcycled. It still had to be chic and fashionable. I wasn't looking for crunchy, hippy jewelry.


I found so many things, I had to enlist my fellow bloggers to help me make a choice. I ended buying this awesome crocheted necklace from craftaria. The designer, Marta lives in Portugal and makes all sorts of cute textile accessories. I love the gold ball and white flower together. I think it's perfect for work or for going out.


I have my eye on some other designers too. Ollies Woollies does cool felted jewelry like this gray and olive "branch" necklace.











LiveInStyle has fun upcycled lace creations that look retro and modern at the same time.


Hmmm. . . which do I buy next?