This will be our year!

I can't believe this will be my last post of 2009. It seems like only yesterday everyone was fretting over Y2K... how fast time does fly!

I want to wish all of you a happy new year as we bid farewell to 2009. I'll leave you with this great Youtube video of user mitm2002's super 8 home videos between 1965-1979 set to The Zombies "This Will Be Our Year". I don't know this individual or their family personally, but its a really lovely collection of videos that feels very personal and somehow quite comforting.

Roost cats and woodland critters... oh my!

Awhile back I made a post about the Roost carved wood animals and brushy animals that were for sale on Velocity Design, one of my favorite web stores to browse. Well, I was browsing their site again earlier this week and came across these suuuuper cute cat (set of 6, $44) and woodland critter ($8 each) ornaments. Oh my, they make my heart just squee! I love that orange cat and the little hedgehog so much!

favorite calendar for 2010 - Jamie Shelman's Cat Calendar

2010 is just around the corner and if you haven't yet picked up a new calendar (don't worry, I haven't either) the time to do so is now! I've been looking at tons of calendars lately and my current favorite for 2010 is without a doubt Jamie Shelman of The Dancing Cat's 12 month/12 print calendar which is available for $75 on her etsy page.

12 cat prints with calendar, appox. 8 x 11 in. each printed on 100% cotton
rag paper, each print signed and numbered. Awesome affordable way to own
12!! great works of art! (ability to cut off calendar part after use and
save the print! Over $200 worth of art!)

pictures from Jamie Shelman's Etsy page

About a year ago I was lucky enough to win an adorable set of greeting cards from Jamie's blog and have absolutely adored Jamie's artistic sensibilities ever since. Its becoming somewhat of a pain to find artwork that isn't overdone/gaudy and isn't done on a computer, so Jamie's work is a welcomed breath of fresh air. I love the simplicity and organic shapes incorporated in her works reminiscent of another one of my favorites, Madeline creator Ludwig Bemelmans.

Jamie's original artwork and prints would make an awesome gift (*wink wink*), but even if you don't plan on making a purchase in the near future, I definitely recommend browsing her Etsy page and blog at the very least as they are full of really cute and unique artwork!

cutest designer label : manoush

When it comes to cutesy clothes (sometimes over the top cutesy), Manoush has always been my #1 pick. I can always count on them to incorporate an overabundance of pink into their current collection and pretty much drool over their look books for the entire season. I really love the versatility of the current collection (biker jackets AND ruffles), and definitely recommend checking out their site for the closeups of these thumbnails.


This season Manoush's website features French pop singer Olivia Ruiz's "Elle Panique" as its soundtrack. While the song itself is cute, the music video is arguably even cuter! The video can't be embedded (grrr) but you can watch it here or listen to the song via the video below.

cute Christmas items in MoMA sale

MoMA has placed all their holiday items on sale for at least 50% off. There are some really cute things there and if you're the type of person who stocks up way in advance this is the perfect time to be thinking Christmas 2010!

Here are some of my favorite items:

Santa on Skis Snow Globe Ornament
Featuring designs from MoMA's award-winning holiday card line, these colored glass balls, each with one flattened side, are mouth-blown in Italy, hand-dipped in a vibrant translucent tint, hand-painted, and filled with iridescent or foil glitter.
originally $22, now $9.95

Santa In Snowglobe, A&B Designs, 2009

originally $18.95 for 8 cards, now $9.49

Snowman's Scarf, A&B Designs

originally $17.95 for 8 cards, now $8.99


Light Bulb Ornaments
Cleverly designed as a larger version of traditional Christmas tree light bulbs, these ornaments are mouth-blown and hand-dipped in multicolored tints and painted with glitter. Packaged in a sturdy silver box with a clear acetate lid.
Set of 4.
originally $35, now $8.95

Cardinal Snow Globe Ornament

Mouth-blown in Italy featuring a Cardinal design from MoMA's award-winning holiday card line, this colored glass disk is hand-dipped in a vibrant translucent tint and then hand-painted and filled with iridescent glitter.
originally $20, now $9.95

You can view the rest of the sale items here: http://www.momastore.org/museum/moma/CategoryDisplay_10451_10001_11523_11599_-1___1_all

chocolate cherry mice recipe!

I was just browsing the flickr page of My Paper Crane's Heidi Kinney and came across her version of homemade chocolate mice. So precious! I had never actually seen these before but I thought they would make a nice stocking stuffer or last minute gift item for Christmas.

I found a recipe from Family Fun Magazine & while I don't think these are quite as cute as Heidi's (click the "chocolate mice" link above to see hers), they are still pretty dang adorable!


Also, if you're looking for a last minute gift item, I totally recommend Heidi's Yummy Donut pillows. Available here, here, here and at Kid Robot retail stores in LA, San Francisco, Dallas, Miami, and New York City (call for availability).


Katy Perry has one!

Bubble Necklace - yay or nay?

Bubble Necklacem, Marina and Susanna Sent, $115

I admit I'm not much of a jewelry wearer, but I've always admired looking at necklaces whenever I see them. While I probably wouldn't actually wear most of them (yes, even diamonds!) I would totallllllly wear this bubble necklace. So pretty!

It actually reminds me a lot of the Hussein Chalayan dress that Lady Gaga made famous.

picture from the nypost

Not gonna lie, I would totally wear the bubble dress too!

Giveaway : Kiss My Face Sheer Organic Shine Lip Gloss in "Opal"

Hi everyone! I decided to giveaway another item from my personal stash of beauty goods. This time its a brand new Kiss My Face lip gloss! This lip gloss is 100% natural and 91% organic. The color of the gloss is slightly darker and a little more purplish than whats pictured in the image, but its semi-sheer so it will work well for just about anyone. Kiss My Face is definitely one of my favorite skin care brands, so I'm really excited to be sharing this little item with you!

To be entered simply leave a comment here. Tell me anything, just make sure your contact info is in your blogger profile or you leave an email address with your comment (if I have no way of contacting you, you will be disqualified, sorry!) .

For extra entries you can:

• follow via google friend connect or if you're already following (1 entry)
• tweet about this giveaway & link to your tweet (1 extra entry for the duration of the giveaway)
• post about this giveaway in your blog & leave a link to your post (1 extra entry)
  

You don't have to leave a separate comment for each entry as I'll be reading all the comments and keeping track of everything via a spreadsheet. The winner will be selected using random.org.

This is giveaway is open to anyone no matter where you live! :)

This giveaway will close at 11:59 PM PST on Saturday, January 2nd.

Giveaway winner: Sherlyj

Bird is the word! : On sale at Anthropologie

I love all things bird (buh buh bird bird bird) and Anthropologie has a really nice selection of buh buh bird items on sale right now! My favorites are:

• the "A Measuring Gaggle" measuring cups, $14.95 (originally $28)
• Tartan Quail dishtowel, $9.95 (originally $18)
• and "Fabled Beasty" dessert plate, $3.95 (originally $12).
  

The only bone I have to pick is that the measuring cups are made from bone china which is a no go for me (get it "bone" to pick?! wocka wocka). Anyway, you can find all these items right now under "kitchen and dining" on the Anthropologie webstore sale section.

"A Measuring Gaggle" measuring cups, $14.95

Tartan Quail dishtowel, $9.95

"Fabled Beasty" dessert plate, $3.95

cute video of the day - classic Sesame Street - Octopus's Garden

APAK holiday notecards

Oh my. How cute are these APAK holiday cards? The "Holiday Santa Notecard set" is being sold at APAK's etsy store right now for $12 for a 6 pack which I think is a really great deal. The set comes with 2 designs which are pictured below (click to enlarge). The cards are printed on 100% recycled paper and I absolutely love their natural, earthy looking color!

This holiday season don't forget to support your favorite independent artists!

awesome footage of a dumbo octopus

new lesportsac "baby" collection

Ryan Baby Bag, $128

Lesportsac has a new collection out called "baby" which so far carries three really cute items: a baby bag, a set of pouches and a teddy bear. And while these items may be pretty much the standard Lesportsac fare, I lovelovelove the new "Zoo In Love" print (pictured above on the Ryan Baby Bag). Definitely my favorite Lesportsac print in recent months and months.

I've always been a huge fan of Lesportsac because their bags are always super lightweight, durable and best of all... washable!

3 Pack of pouches, $38

Donnie Bear, $18

cute video of the day : baby sloth!

awwwwwwwww!