Five Classics to Buy Now

1. Luca Luca “Vivian” wrap jersey dress, $287.50:  This stylish, luxe wrap dress will become the hardest working item in your closet. Wear it with pumps and a simple strand of pearls to work, and then add a metallic belt and an armload of bangles for dinner afterwards. And while it’s not exactly inexpensive, the price is a mere fraction of its previous $1k price tag.

2. Juicy Couture Rosa Velvet Heel, $114.99: This supremely-stylish heel is half price, and with it’s sleek, simple shape, luxe fabrics, and classic style, it will add oomph to everything from jeans to cocktail dresses.

3. Kate Spade Knightsbridge Jasper bag, $212: This bag will make you look like you have it all together, even if you don’t. It’s a chic, minimalist take on a dated briefcase, this easily transitions from work to travel. And the price is half off the original.

4. BCBG “Carly” pant, $29.60: A fashion-friendly version of the stylish khaki, these pants are infinitely versatile and wearable, and they’re about 20% of the original cost!

5. Neiman Marcus Cashmere Waterfall Cardigan in Red, $169 plus another 60% off: There’s plenty of sweater weather left, and this chic cardigan will add punch to a wardrobe of neutrals. Plus, it’s plush cashmere and Neiman Marcus quality at an additional 60% off.

The Top 5 Sample Sale Sites for Kids

There’s a lot of buzz about sample sale sites, and with good reason. Not yet a convert? Here’s the scoop: these sites offer limited-time-only sales on top labels, often at rock-bottom prices. The catch? They're only open to members, so you have to sign up, and you must be willing to act quickly (items often stay in your cart for as little as 15 minutes). If you’re not yet convinced, check out these tempting deals.

1. The MiniSocial: This chic site offers an ever-changing array of fashions, toys, and gear from the best names in the business. I love the Everyday Essentials section, which offers everything from nursery decor to glass baby bottles - perfect for gift-giving! 
2. Zulily.com: This site offers items for home, for kids, and for mom, making it a great one-stop shopping hub for the stylish family. Plus, you only pay shipping once for everything you buy over the course of a day. 
3. Hautelook.com: Hautelook is a general sample sale shopping site offering everything from clothing for mom and dad to home decor to vacation packages. It’s offerings for little ones have expanded dramatically in recent months, and the selection is always unfailingly stylish. 
4. Ideeli.com: Like Hautelook, this is another general sample sale site that has expanded its children’s offerings. This site is one of my personal faves - I always seem to land a great deal here, particularly when they are having one of their legendary seasonal Ideeli RED sales. 
5. Gilt.com: If the name didn’t give it away, this is possibly the highest-end site of the bunch, and again, it offers everything, from food to travel, clothes to home decor. Current sales in their kids section reveal everything from nursery essentials to toys, shoes to rugs to clothes. 

A Shopping Break: Top 5 Style Steals

And now, I interrupt my regularly scheduled blogs to write about, what else, shopping. I've been finding so many insane deals online that I just had to share, and, as always with a great deal, there's no time to waste. So without further delay, the top 5 style steals online, right now.

1. Glitterati Ballet Flat, $89.99, J. Crew: A much-loved classic gets a sparkly update.

2. Hooded faux fur trim poncho cape, $99.99 and an extra 40% off, Ann Taylor Loft: This chic topper is very dramatic yet totally wearable. No coupon code required for an extra 40% off all sale items.

3. Cara Cara Peasant Dress, $98, anthropologie.com: This easy printed dress is very of the moment, and the price makes it a must-have.

4. Signature Merino Cardigan, $49, Garnet Hill: All the versatility of a cardigan in an array of gorgeous prints, this will become your go-to piece this season.

5. Ella Moss Dress in Castaway Stripe, $103.80: Ella Moss is known for her breezy California style, and this dress will become an everyday favorite.

Resolutions 3-5: Catching Up

Okay, this is the thing: I've realized it's only the 5th day of the year, and I am still struggling with these resolutions. The last couple of days have been CRAZY. Last night I showed up at a board meeting slightly late, breathless, rambling on about technical difficulties and it's just been one of those weeks as I hurl myself headfirst into the new year.

So resolution #3 is one I think many of us can relate to: Stay on top of clutter in my home, particularly paper clutter. I struggle with this every single day, but there are a few systems that I've put in place that seem to be working.
1. Corral Kids Stuff: I keep two art boxes by the back door, and as soon as I can after the girls get home from school, I take their artwork and papers out of their backpacks, date them on the back, and toss them into their respective boxes. Eventually, I will sift through them, keep the best, and turn the whole batch into a coffee-table worthy book, but that is for another lifetime.

2. Sort Mail Before It Gets in the Door: Other people's idea of junk mail is my idea of heaven. I adore catalogs, but alas (deep sigh) I have very little time to enjoy them these days. So before I step in the back door, I toss any unwanted catalogs straight into the recycle bin in the garage. I try to be as ruthless as possible. Am I really in the market for new bedding? light fixtures? rugs? If the answer is no, I toss them. I quickly flip through the ones I want, Pin (if you haven't discovered Pinterest, see my earlier blog about this topic) the items I am interested in, and then toss those as well.

3. Find organizational systems that work for the countertop off the kitchen that I call my desk area. Still working on this one, and still haven't fully decided on my home office makeover essentials yet, but that is coming. In the meantime, I'm obsessed with browsing through seejanework.com. Sigh. Stay tuned.

Resolution #4: Exercise 3X a week and flatten my tummy. Self explanatory. Have not done it. There's always next week...

Resolution #5: Spend more time in prayer and reading my Bible. Again, self-explanatory, but I haven't done it. Or at least not as well as I could. I need my mom's Bible study back for motivation and accountability.

So there you have it... not even a week into the new year and I am floundering, but hopeful. After all, tomorrow is another day. : )

Resolution #2, and Flirting with A Healthier Diet

Okay, so my second resolution of the year is to Keep a Better Journal. I have always kept a journal for my girls, and I have been an avid chronicler of every phase, quote, and milestone. But 2011 was not a great year for my journal... It was updated carelessly and sporadically, and FB saw the bulk of my interesting posts. Plus, the files for each of the girls are getting so long!! Mostly I just forgot, and when I sat down to write, I was so overwhelmed by the amount of catching up that I had to do that I did nothing. So I googled online journals (sounds scary, but it's completely safe) and found Penzu.com! Penzi is an online journal that looks and acts like actual paper, but with lots of cool features, like the ability to add pictures to your journal and email reminders to write (an option, but one that appealed to me). So far, I love it! Of course, it's only January 2... : ) If I update to Penzu pro, it will give the option of emailing in my journal entries as well as other features. This is a great, easy, stress-free way to start a journal if you have never kept one, and as a lifelong journaler, I can go on and on about their benefits. But mostly I keep them because I am a sentimental sap! I love being able to look back and remember everything that was said and everything that happened, even if some of it makes me cringe. So, for those of you who haven't journaled regularly before, some tips to get the ball rolling:
1. This is not the great American novel. You can be wordy and flowery or quick and concise - just write what you are feeling or what is happening that day.
2. The genius is in the details. The minutiae of daily life might not seem interesting now, but years from now, the fact that your darling 2 year old napped from 1 to 2:30 every day will seem priceless.
3. There is no yesterday. Updating is the journal-keepers biggest enemy. Start with today, and then, if you are feeling ambitious, work backwards. I've found I rarely get around to updating.
4. Write anything. Even a quick, funny sentence uttered by a precocious 4-year-old is worth saving. You'll be glad you did! A single quote with a picture is enough to capture a moment.
5. This is for your eyes only, and possibly your child's, if you pass it on later as I plan to do. It doesn't need to be Shakespeare.

Okay, about yesterday. I may have gotten a little carried away. As I was skimming The Kind Diet, which I picked up today on a quick trip to Love's Whole Foods after a recommendation from my friend Jean (she raved about a tuna salad recipe made with tempeh...), I came across a term that describes what I am doing right now, diet-wise. I am flirting. I am not married or even engaged to the idea of barring animal products from my life, for life. I am just entertaining it for a little while, and I am definitely open to finding new and interesting dishes that don't incorporate meat. I think going vegetarian is relatively easy and straightforward;  it's the vegan part that gets tricky. For example, I just realized that if you are strictly vegan, you can't eat honey. Seriously? Anyway, I am definitely happy to be making some substitutions (just discovered that I like the cultured almond milk - aka almond yogurt - that Lola chose at the store and quickly dismissed) and trying to find more ways to eat more plants. But as I skim Rose Elliot's gorgeous Classic Vegetarian cookbook, which I've had for a couple of years and have never actually used, I realize how extremely limiting eliminating dairy and eggs can be. If you say no to dairy, you say no to vegetarian staples like frittattas and quiches and many, many breads, and casseroles with melty cheese on top, and mac and cheese, and blue cheese (my fave!). Sigh. So for now, I will eat less.

Among the items in my cart today, I bought:
Nutritional Yeast (the new Parmesan?)
Organic Acorn Squash (which I will stuff with a quinoa pilaf for tomorrow's dinner)
Almond Milk (it's worth a shot - I already know I despise soy and rice milk)
Organic ramen noodles for a quick and easy lunch
Love's Veggie/Hummus Wraps (the BEST! - I've been addicted to them for years)
Frozen So Decadent Coconut Milk Fudge Bars
Organic Dates Rolled in Shredded Coconut: Don't know why, but the sum of these ingredients is so much greater than the parts. Absolutely addictive!
Braggberry Dressing and Marinade

A couple of the dishes I am looking forward to making this week and next:
Jasmine Rice Cakes with Thai Vegetable Curry
Cheesy Skillet Polenta and Eggplant Bake (Not vegan, of course)
Quick Black Bean Soup with Avocado
Something in the slow cooker to make use of the half-dozen bags of lentils (all kinds) that I found in the pantry

Happy New Year: Resolution Week!

Happy New Year!!! After a tumultuous 2011, I am praying for a smooth, relatively stress-free 2012 for my family and friends! I haven't made real resolutions in year, mostly because I hate the fact that I never stick with them. But this year I decided to go for it. What's odd is that this wasn't even something I thought I would seriously consider a few weeks ago, and now it seems to be the most natural next step in the world. It's a biggie, but fortunately my health-conscious husband is on board. We are going to adopt a plant-based diet most of the time. That doesn't mean that we are completely vegan (we will still allow ourselves to indulge when we go out to eat, or as an occasional treat) but most days, and for most meals, we are going to eat an exclusively plant-based diet. The hardest part of this for me is cutting out the dairy, so I am not going to say that I will never have it - just that it will be an occasional treat. I've been inspired by the China Study, which I am now reading, and an episode of Dr. Oz about the study. Kevin and I plan to watch "Forks over Knives" this week, and I am planning a trip to the health food store to stock up on Tuesday. Kevin doesn't mind repetition, so he plans on eating steel cut oatmeal with dried fruit and nuts every morning and pasta salad with whole grain pasta at lunch. I will do pretty much the same, with some variations, time permitting. Here, a few substitutions I plan to make:
Leaving milk out of my tea, or substituting almond or coconut milk (I HATE soy milk)
Using coconut milk ice cream or frozen banana ice cream
Juicing to get more veggies and vitamins in my diet
Dramatically reduce the amount of food that I eat that comes from a box, even if it's organic/whole grain, etc.
Cook at least 3 dinners a week with no animal products

One of my main concerns with adopting this kind of lifestyle is being inflexible or severely limiting my options and enjoyment of food, but since I plan to indulge every once in a while, this shouldn't be a problem. I will still eat whatever my mom makes on Thursdays when we all have dinner at her house, enjoy a casserole exchange with my girlfriends, and indulge in cheese in Paris and an occasional steak.

I think this is a plan I can live with. Have you made any resolutions involving food or diet? I'd love to hear them!

Secrets of a Semi-Professional Shopper :)

I have often toyed with the idea of being a professional personal shopper, and one of these days I am going to print up some cards and start up my own little business. After all, I already do it for many of my friends who ask, and even for some who don't. It is what I do best, or at least what i do most. LOL So, when you do as much shopping as I do, you are bound to pick up a few tips and tricks along the way.

1. Shop all the time: I don't mean literally, of course. Okay, maybe I do. But what I really mean is to buy something when you see it, even if you don't need it at that moment. The best buys are the ones that come when you don't need them. I always stock up on cute toys and crafts when they are on clearance, party favors and treasure box surprises at the dollar section at Target, cocktail dresses and sweaters in the middle of summer, bathing suits and gauzy coverups in January, etc. I keep extra toys and gifts in a closet so that I never have to run out for a last minute birthday gift, and rarely - although this year was the exception - do I buy a dress with a specific party in mind. Usually, I have an unworn cocktail dress or two at the ready for the next social occasion.

2. Plan ahead, when possible: Early this fall, I knew that I had Lola's class Halloween party, Eva's class Christmas party, and Eva's class birthday party coming up, so I placed one order at Oriental Trading and had the next couple of months covered.

3. Know what to Buy an Outlet, and What to Avoid: My favorite outlets are the department store ones, like Last Call (now online - yippee!) and the Rack. They are a great source for authentic designer merchandise at deep discounts. I always hit the outlets for great deals on tees from my favorite lines, like Theory, Splendid, Michael Stars and James Perse, classic sweaters, cocktail attire, children's clothes, and timeless bags and shoes. Skip them for super-trendy items, because by the time they make it to the outlet, they are on their way out. Also be wary of some outlets, like J. Crew and Kate Spade, which feature outlet specific merchandise. I'd rather wait for the store sales than buy something that was never intended for sale at a regular store.

4. Get organized Before the Post-holiday Sales: Have a wish list in mind, and as soon as the sales go online, you should too. Knowing what you want and being able to act immediately is essential if you want to land a good deal. If you are willing to wait, the post-Christmas sales are a great way to stock up on holiday decor, toys, holiday clothes, and practically anything else you can imagine. This is a great time to  buy next year's Christmas portrait outfits for the family, for example. And while you are at it, schedule those Christmas photo shoots for the summer, before the insanity of fall kicks in.

5. Shop with Friends: It may not always be possible to physically coordinate shopping outings together (although nothing is more fun than the occasional shopping spree with girlfriends!), but anytime you can think of what your friends are looking for/need, do it. Offer to pick up an extra gift for a friend whose child is attending the same birthday party as yours, grab some wipes or diapers when you are at Target or milk at the grocery store, or text a friend on the way to a store to see if you can grab something for them. And if you see something you think a friend will love, take a picture and text it to her. Another way to coordinate. Check to see if a friend is placing an order for something from a favorite catalog an order together to save on shipping or to take advantage of special offers. My sister and I do this all the time!

Happy, Hectic Holidays!

I don't have a good excuse for the fact that I have (and very uncharacteristically, I might add) not blogged in a couple of weeks. All I can say is that, like everyone else I know, every single second since Thanksgiving has been consumed by a flurry of pre-Christmas and pre-Eva's birthday (yes, I have a December baby, and her birthday is tomorrow) planning. Yesterday she went with a few of her little girlfriends to see the Nutcracker. Today we went to my sister's house for an early Christmas celebration, since we all take off for colder holidays elsewhere. And tomorrow's Eva's actual birthday, which will begin with a couple of birthday traditions (some, admittedly, stolen from my sister).
Birthday Breakfast of peanut butter with a spoon, her favorite thing in the world, and the opening of a birthday morning present (Squinkies and a baby-sized Strawberry Shortcake)
Class birthday party with Wizard of Oz theme (I will be running back and forth from the party to the preschool clothing drive/fundraiser, which I am supposed to be in charge of)
Special birthday lunch out with mommy
Pick up Lola from school
Playdate in the park
Birthday dinner of mac and cheese, by special request

Fortunately, the birthday festivities yesterday went off almost without a hitch, and Eva loved her party and the thoughtful gifts from her friends.

With all of this fun, I have almost overlooked our annual St. Lucia day celebration on the 11th, to honor Kevin's Swedish heritage. Every year, the girls wear their St. Lucia candle crowns and we eat Swedish meatballs and ginger snaps, but this year, the family Christmas party took precedence. So St. Lucia will have to wait until the 13th.

Other traditions have also taken a hit this year:
Our annual Swarovski ornament was ordered late and therefore has yet to arrive
The Krinkles ornaments I buy for the Krinkles tree in Lola's room every year have not yet been selected
The Mackenzie-Child's ornaments I buy for the girls this year haven't been bought either
I haven't ordered our family photo ornament
Baby Jesus is still missing from the upstairs kids nativity set, for the second year. Should I get another baby Jesus, or do I need to replace the whole set. After all, what's a nativity set without Baby Jesus?
The Christmas cards have JUST arrived, making it the latest we've ever been
Eva cried and squirmed when I tried to put her on Santa's lap at the Yacht Club, but happily accepted the plush puppy that he offered her and tells everyone it's from Santa
Both of the girls have added last minute things to their lists that I never saw coming: a windup puppy dog with a key for Eva (spotted on Max & Ruby, I believe) and a ballet barre for Lola. Sigh.

We've also started a new tradition that I've wanted to do for years. We've adopted an elf, nicknamed Littly by Lola and Little Buddy by Eva, who has made himself comfortable in the most unlikely spots: a chandelier, a ledge above a picture, the Christmas tree. Lola is especially into him, and is fascinated by his nightly trips to the North Pole. Unfortunately, Eva is the one who actually needs more, ahem, behavior modification than Lola, and she seems blissfully unaware that the number of gifts under the tree are in danger of dwindling.

This week: 2 holiday programs, 2 class parties, and a little more shopping... Hope your week is as happy and hectic as mine!

Electronic Handheld Toys for Kids: Views and Reviews

Eva, my almost 4 year old, is absolutely obsessed with anything that beeps, pings, or lights up. She is the only one of the girls who has played with all of their various electronic games, from the Leapster to the little Barbie laptop to the IPOD to the IPAD. She loves to play with my phone and on the Netbook and can work a touch screen like an IT guy. So, my question is: Do we need another electronic device? I think my answer might be yes, because some of the toys out there seem to have some amazing features and are cute to boot. But I can't make up my mind which of the current crop of hot, trendy handhelds is the best, so I decided to do some informal research and check out the reviews and other info online. Here's the scoop from Amazon.

MobiGo Touch Learning System, about $50, additional game cartridges about $15 each:
Pros: Touchscreen and keyboard, sounds fun and easy to use
Cons: Downloaded games only stay on until you turn off the device

FisherPrice iXL, about $50, cartridges $15-25 each
Pros: Serves as a reader, for writing, drawing, etc. Easy to use stylus
Cons: Seems sort of limited, not as highly rated as the MobiGo

Leapfrog Leappad, about $200, $7-10 for apps
Pros: Tons of features, including downloadable apps, very sophisticated
Cons: Apparently a huge pain to set up, and if you're going to spend this much, why not just buy a regular table. Eva has no problem with the IPAD, so I don't need an IPAD substitute that isn't as good.

V-Tech InnoTab, about $70, about $20 for games, or free using V-Coins
Pros: Many people seem to prefer it to the more expensive LeapPad, and it plays movies, music, has art and reading and other games
Cons: Battery life, but not an issue with AC adaptor

Nintendo DSi XL, about $170 at BestBuy:
Pros: Pretty, portable, has a lot of avid fans
Cons: Have no idea what age group this is for? Is it appropriate for a 4 year old? Are the games too mature?

Do your kids own and love any of these electronic games? I'd love any feedback on the right device for a tech-happy preschooler!

The Week of LIving Dangerously

I cannot believe it's been a week since I last blogged. The last week has been nuts in a way I wouldn't have thought possible, as I try to wrap my brain around the craziness of the coming weeks. In the next month alone, I will be:
Throwing 2 birthday parties (a school one and a home one) for Eva
Hosting our annual Christmas party for 60 or so of our dearest friends : )
Hosting a board dinner at my house
Hosting a dinner swap
Throwing a class Christmas party for Eva's class
Volunteering at Lola's school
Hosting Thanksgiving
Attending 2 balls and countless other holiday functions

And I don't feel up to the task. Or, at least, my house doesn't. I am still in the throes of reorganizing my desk area (some of the items I ordered are backordered) and decided to add the playroom to the mix, since I like to clear out toys the girls have outgrown and donate them before the influx of new toys. Plus, in the past few days:
The girls got flu shots, and were extremely dramatic about the whole thing
Lola had a cold and a slight temperature, which made me keep her home from school for a day for the first time this year
I got my hair colored and it's darker than I am used to, although it's starting to grow on me
The girls got countless extremely minor injuries, including bug bites, bruises, and a scrape between Lola's toes that she thinks is life-threatening
Lola made friends with our neighbors' grandson, Grant, and they exchanged lots of hugs and possibly a kiss!!!! Still recovering from that
Kevin came down with a bad case of what we think is food poisoning, so he was out of the action all day yesterday
We did our holiday photo shoot with the amazing, funny, talented Zeida, whose sister happens to be a friend of mine, while my husband was recovering from food poisoning. He bravely smiled through a few shots before retiring to the couch
I attended two social functions alone, due to sick husband
I met some new moms at school while helping to stuff envelopes for a fundraiser
Eva had a meltdown about a new dress that she didn't want to wear, which led to a meltdown later that same day by her mama
Took the girls to a carnival, without Kevin, something I never do - but enjoyed meeting my friend Marcie and her kids there

Oh, and I got a pimple. A big one. One that makes me not want to leave the house. I know it's shocking that this could happen to someone my age. I mean, who gets pimples at 25? ;)

A Few More Desk Accessories/Gift Ideas

Not redoing your desk. Don't click on the tab to Facebook just yet. Some of these items are so gorgeous, they make great hostess gifts.

1. Desk Dictionaries, $175: I might not use these, but I still want them. : )

2. Travail Accessories, about $79 each, Room Service Home: These look French flea-market-ish, which I love. And even though "travail" means work in French, no one is going to twist your arm to be productive or anything. : )

3. Provence Rose 3 Drawer Cabinet, $26, Cath Kidston: A useful style in a pretty print.

4. Filled Stationery Tin, $20, Cath Kidston: All the essentials in one adorable place.

5. 3 Mini Journals, $16, Cath Kidston: So useful and pretty - perfect for purse or desktop.

6. Kate Spade Desk Top Spiral Calendar, $38: I love everything Kate Spade, especially this very chic calendar. Too bad she doesn't make an entire desk set!

7. Treasure Tray, $48, Macbeth Collection: I'm obsessed with this entire line. Their prints are amazing, and you can order anything you want in almost any print.

8. Eco Speakers, $18, Macbeth Collection: I must own these speakers. Even though I have no idea what to do with them.

9. Large Clipboard, $22. Macbeth Collection: I've had the same chintz-covered clipboard since college. Perhaps it's time for an upgrade.

10. Anything Scissors, $39: I love this entire cool, colorful collection, which includes all the essentials, like tape dispensers and my favorite item, these scissors. Too bad I can't figure out how to post a pic. You'll just have to click on the link and see for yourself.

The Home Office: More Wow for Your Workspace

Okay, so I lied. : ) I am not yet ready to reveal, or, more accurately, to decide, which direction I want to take my desk decor, since the options are dizzying and so much fun to browse. So here, some more fun ideas. Tomorrow, I will try to make my decision, order my desktop accessories, and post a picture of my currently chaotic workspace.

1. Red Lacquer Storage Box, $98, Gumps: A fashionable way to corral all those little odds and ends.

2. Small Lacquer Trays, $29, West Elm: Luxe lacquer at a down to earth price.

3. Lacquer Wine Rack, $39, West Elm: Sure, you could store rolled up magazines in here, but wine might be more useful. And more fun.

4. Lacquer Office Accessories, $79, West Elm: Outfit your whole desktop for only $79. Genius.

5. Brocade Desktop File, $19.99, The Container Store: I love the whole Brocade collection, which adds a sweet, feminine touch to a desk.

6. Circuit Letter Sorter, $17.99, The Container Store: For a pop of color and texture.

7. Chrome Magazine Collator, $125, Room Service Home: Great for the magazine lover. Not that I know any of those. : )

8. Cast Iron Ruled Tape Dispenser, $85, Room Service Home: Rustic, but in a good way.

9. Colored Pencils and Brass Holder, $55: More a desk ornament than a useful accessory, but so gorgeous, it doesn't really matter that I might never use the colored pencils.

10. Colorful crest files, $10, and file collator, $39, Room Service Home: Girly, happy, and super-handy!

Pre-Holiday House Projects: The Home Office

I am hosting 4 major parties at our house in the next 2 months, and the house shows no signs of getting any readier. In spite of all of my efforts at organization, I just seem to keep falling farther and farther behind. The library is completely hidden under piles of toys still in their shopping bags, decorative items waiting for a home, and, ironically, empty organizational bins and boxes. The back door area is completely crammed full of assorted items from our half-done garage clean out project, awaiting Kevin's pending storage closet redo. And my desk area, which is really just a countertop off of my kitchen, is buried under piles of papers and assorted junk. The thing is - I have plenty of organizers, but I am still not organized. Sigh. So the desk, being the smallest and most manageable, is the first item on my list. I've been wanting to reaccessorize it and glam it up for a while, but as with all of these types of decisions, it takes me a while. Do I want to go with a hippie-chic eclectic feel a la Anthropologie with some floral Cath Kidston items mixed in. Or do I want to go with a sleek, chic red lacquer desk area - simple, spare, flawlessly edited. I've decided that my eclectic nature needs the freedom to mix things up a little, to combine modern with romantic, clean with colorful. Here are some of the best desk accessories I've found. Tomorrow, I will tell you what I actually chose, bought, and post a before pic. Soon, hopefully, an after pic will follow. In the meantime, I hope these inspire you to revamp your own home office!

1. Acrylic Desk Set, $180-550, horchow.com: Sure it's pricey, but just look it at. Gorgeous and so sleek!

2. Hexagon Tray, $175, Jonathan Adler: Love his "happy chic" aesthetic, and these lacquer trays are stunning.

3. Acrylic trays, $78-98, Jonathan Adler: Beautiful, but I would have to choose a pattern. Hmmmm...

4. Format storage boxes, $39.95, CB2: Sleek, see-through red and black boxes stack up to stylish storage. Also love the matching wastebasket.

5. Tree Bookends, $49.95, CB2: A cool, quirky nod to nature.

6. Format desk collection, $7.95 to $29.95: Clear acrylic goes with everything, and lets me mix up my color scheme when I get bored.

7. Cuckoo Clock, $99.95, CB2: Not exactly a desk accessory, but this retro-modern style would really perk up a workspace.

8. Jet Set Wall Calendar, $14.95, Jonathan Adler: This would really add color to an otherwise neutral space.

9. Poodle Giant Eraser, $9.95, Jonathan Adler: I. Must. Own. This. Just as soon as it's back in stock.

10. Note Cube with Pen Holder: Another artful objet from my friend Jonathan. Love him!

Sigh... Gearing up for the Holidays

I am so sorry that I have been delinquent about blogging, but, as always, I come armed with some good excuses.
1. My MAC is still driving me a bit nuts. I think it's time for one of those online tutorials. I would love to put some pics on this blog, and do a million other things, but I don't know how. I know I will figure it out, and grow to love this thing, but right now I am stumped!
2. Halloween turned into a weeklong marathon of parties and festivals during which I, the non-baker, made 200 mini muffins from scratch for the Harvest Moon Festival (at Lola's school), a batch of rice crispy treats shaped like pumpkins using Erewhon Brown Rice Cereal for Lola's class party, pumpkin seed cookies (using a recipe from Weelicious - so good), pumpkin pancake sandwiches (also Weelicious), brownies using Hodgson Mills Insta-Bake baking mix...
3. I am frantically preparing for a photo shoot with a friends sister at my home, on a weekend when a million other things are going on. I've ordered two amazing custom dresses from Etsy with the girl's silhouettes on them for the occasion, and I have oodles of other outfits to squeeze in to one shoot.
4. I have been spending an unhealthy amount of time annoying my friends with all my Pinboards on Pinterest, sending out frequent reminders to my husband using Cozi, and organizing all my recipes using Ziplist. Yes, they are all finally working, and they are all amazing!
5. I have lots and lots of catalogs to look through. Ah, the pressure!

Actually, the real pressure is coming over the next couple of months: Thanksgiving at my house this year, with my family, followed less than two weeks later with our annual Christmas party December 3 (still no theme - how do I do New Orleans without doing French - which I did last year.; The food will be cajun, because it will be catered by our restaurant), followed the very next weekend by Eva's nutcracker themed birthday party, a tea party preceding a trip to see a children's production of the ballet, followed by Christmas with Kevin's family, but again at our house. And for the first time ever, I've done no Christmas shopping yet and ordered no invitations.
Sigh. Who am I kidding? I totally love it. Because, despite the craziness, this is my absolute favorite time of year!

Technically Challenged

Okay, so even though I've devoted this week to all things techy - which in my world means cool websites, and not actual gadgets and stuff - I have found myself frustrated and blocked by the things that should be making my life easier. Here are a few examples:

1. My beautiful, weightless, soundless, heatless MacBook Air is taking some real getting used to. I created my first document in it yesterday, and it was such a frustrating process to learn a new word processing program after years of using Microsoft Word. And just now as I was typing this, a message came up on my desktop that told me that I had been logged out of another site, and it kicked me out of this page as I was typing. And I am having a really hard time working with Safari, and figuring out which windows I have open and how to use the tabs.

2. Cozi won't let me sign in. I used the "forgot password" link and am waiting for the email. Very odd. I know I had the correct login info, and I really want to update it with this week's INSANE calendar before it sends out the weekly calendar email tomorrow.

3. Pinterest: I am both intrigued and frustrated by this program. I am obsessed with creating my own pinboards, which are sort of like virtual bulletin boards of your interests and inspirations in any category, and that was supposed to be my topic for today. But unfortunately you have to email them and wait for an invite. Then, when you finally do get one, you have to download the little Pin tool thing that lets you attach items to your boards. So far, my friend Erin and I are still waiting on invites, my sister is still trying to figure out how to find that Pin tool and get started, and several of my other friends are already hooked. I will get the scoop on this, since it appears to be one of the coolest things ever, so stay tuned!