• How I went so long without seeing Antonia’s Line, I’ll never know. Loved. It.
• Although I’m still in-love with my bike, this Simply City one looks really good.
• World’s smallest postal service.
• Decor8’s sharing a lot of discounts from her amazing sponsors.
• White Chocolate Gratin. Oh. Yes.
• Making it Lovely’s Plant Reference Book - great idea.
• I have just seen some snipped of “Grey Gardens” starring Drew Barrymore - cannot wait for this to come out!
• Prep for the Quake: I’m participating. I was in the Seattle Earthquake a few years ago and my building, across from the Starbucks that tumbled, went dark and all our manufacturing equipment, ladders, and desks fell whilst the floors went up and down. Scary and I had no idea what to do. Living so close to a major fault line now in LA, I’m changing that.

I’ve written here before on my Etsy Finds and also on Pet the Pretty Things (where I actually highlight some of the things I’ve bought). Like so many I’ve found that it’s a great resource for finding almost anything I need; it’s been my first and last search stop for numerous things. When I needed a bit of art, the perfect photo turned up. When I need a key chain, I discovered a great one and bought two. A shelf for the entrance way, a bag for dog business, all there.

My current favourite items are listed above and you can find my favourite sellers here. Just click an image and you’ll be directed right to the artist’s shop. And if you have any fav’s, let me know.

Happy Etsy’ing!

P.S.: I hope to get some prints up in my Etsy store by the end of the month in time for the Holidays.

Image by Seattle Bon Vivant

Jesse: You know, I satisfy one desire, and it just… agitates another, you know? Then I think, to hell with it, right? I mean, desire is the fuel of life, I mean, do you think it’s true that if we never wanted anything, we’d never be unhappy?

Céline: I don’t know… Not wanting anything, isn’t that… a symptom of depression? Yeah, that is, right? I mean, it’s healthy to desire, right?

Jesse: Yeah… I don’t know, I mean, it’s what all those Buddhist guys say, right? You know, liberate yourself from desire and you’ll find that you already have everything you need.

Céline: Yeah, but I feel really alive when I want something more than just basic survival needs. I mean, wanting whether it’s intimacy with another person, or a new pair of shoes, is kind of beautiful. I like that we have those ever-renewing desires.

Jesse: Well, maybe it’s just a sense of entitlement. You know, like whenever you feel like you deserve that new pair of shoes, you know. It’s OK to want things as long as you don’t get pissed off if you don’t get ‘em. Right?

From the movie, Before Sunset

Despite all my talk of being a simple, minimalist kind of girl, I do have a healthy appetite for falling in-love with many a thing. The lists of things I want never, ever seems to get smaller from books to clothes to home things to places to visit.

However, being frugal, living in a small place, and being overwhelmed at check-out counters leaves most of my desires in the shops. I treat them like a good book or magazine - highly inspiring, something to think about and sometimes even think about one day owning. I also find wishlists just handy for keeping track of things I want - especially online.

Wists is my favourite item-tracker. If someone mentions a great bag on a site, I can just add it to my Wist List so when I’m ready to get it, I know where to go  instead of trying to remember where on the web I saw it (I also use it for all my Domino Magazine finds). It’s great for sharing ideas with friends or seeing their finds. The down side is it doesn’t ship to people so you have to visit individual store sites to buy. Amazon is great for buying things for people (you can ship to their address if they have it listed and you don’t know it, I’ve done this heaps and it’s a really nice feature), it’s also great to keep a book list running (I think I add every Posie Gets Cosy book recommendation).  Wishlists at your favourite stores are also really handy. My store of choice is Anthropologie and my wishlist is perfect for finding out when things I love are onsale. This way I’m not tempted to scour their sales section for things I really don’t want but think of getting because it’s half off. Instead, I wait until the item I really love has been marked way down (and they do have great sales). I’m not sure how their shipping is for shipping to people whose address you don’t have or if you’re in need of gift services but buying for yourself, easy peasy. And adding to the dreaming? Even easier.

Read the rest of this entry »

1. Mr Moors Photography. Stunning, charming and just simply lovely images of farm life.
2. My friend and artist Summer Pierre made the most amazing little video called, “9 things I know for sure.” I highly encourage you to watch it because she made it for you.
3. Alicia’s Sour Cream Apple Pie looks like one of falls most perfect pies to bake.
4. The true rockstar Vickie Howell’s new crocheting book is almost here! I just love how feisty she is and sharing a panel at SXSW with her last year was just amazing. I love women who take traditional things and shake them up!
5. And speaking of great women, Lauren at Boss Lady has written a great article on Battling Information Overload.

• I am a huge fan of Shabby Chic and have a lot of pieces throughout my home yet always seem to find a reason to wander into their stores both in Malibu and Santa Monica (yesterday I had to get the white linen towels). So I was happy to discover that owner and creator Rachel has a new blog . Love the inspirations!
• Loving Schuyler Fisk’s music; can’t wait for her album to come out.
• How to Read a Movie by Roger Ebert. He’s the only critic that I’ve found has similar tastes like mine and I love the way he critics a movie. (via)
• How to Poach an Egg. The picture alone makes it worth a view but I’ve been using this recipe (minus the apple cider vinegar) and it’s worked like a charm.
• And finally, I’ve added a “search bar” to the right hand side navigation (under “categories”). So you can enter words to search for posts about it!

• Gray walls at Door Sixteen. I’ve always loved gray and have always kept my living room in different hues. Now I’m slightly obsessed with yellow and gray!
• Have old carpet you need to recycle? The Carpet America Recovery Effort site find local carpet recycling centers. I have a 6X8 carpet that got totally wrecked and haven’t known how to dispose of it until now.
• Ads are not the new online tip jar. Great article on how to support your favourite sites. I do have ads on my sites but the revenue generated from them goes to different charities. This sites’ funds goes to Habitat Humanity’s Women Build! Program.
• I have linked to Gypsy Life before but it’s worth another link. Her photography is just absolutely stunning and inspires me to some day learn how to work my camera! I also connect with her writing in so many ways.
• And lastly, I am obsessed with this amazing dress from Makool on Etsy. Yes. Please.

• Moving week: I’m moving this weekend and taking at least a week off. So thing’s be quiet here.
• 1890’s Levi’s for sale: amazing find and history - and price!
• Earthquake Preparedness List: I was in the last big one that hit Seattle when, in my office, a cubical wall fell on top, the lights went out, and the ground shook for about 30 seconds. Luckily everything ended up being OK but it was scary. And after LA’s recent shake, I’m setting up a kit!
• Better Sleep Foundation: I feel as though I’ve tried everything to get more sleep but it seems like my body just doesn’t want it. But now I’m starting to feel the effects of 4 hours of sleep a night after years. So hopefully there will be some solutions here (and the stats on women and sleep is very interesting).
• Movies on my radar: Brideshead Revisited and Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants.

• “Given a shovel, Americans Dig Deeper into Debt” sheds an interesting light on how the majority seem to be getting more into debt. Luckily, there’s a great site, Get Rich Slowly offers solid advice on how to get out of it. (via).
• If you’re a graphic designer and love fonts, you just might appreciate this video.
• Pino’s Aprons. You got to hand it to a donkey that can cultivate a following of pie bakers and apron makers. And the money goes to one of my favourite people and favourite causes.
• Just discovered Pioneer Woman and love her photography/Photoshop tips. I especially love the post about who your twenty-year younger self thought she’d grow up to be. I was doing a school sponsored twice weekly work/study at my local airport as an Air Traffic Controller and thought maybe I’d do that or perhaps own a flower shop or just maybe be a writer/photographer who travelled the world. I wouldn’t have thought the last one, which seemed the most impossible, would really be the only possible thing to come happen!
• Walkable cities; I’ve blogged about this before and how, living in Santa Monica CA I have access to amazing things within walking distance. Staying with my BFF in her Hollywood home it’s the same thing which goes against the notion that LA is only accessible by car. It isn’t - it’s just that most people choose to drive for status, conveinence or Air Conditioning!

• The Principles of Uncertainty. I’ve been wanting the book forever since I saw a few of the images on the NY Times site. But they’re all online for free now.
• Eco-friendly fabrics. I have a sincere love for linens and have been wanting to find fabulous, eco-friendly fabric forever. Great list.
• Cainer Horoscopes. I’m not sure how much I really believe in horoscopes or signs (I’m an Aquarius), but Cainer gives really good advice. I peek in every once in awhile for an arse kick.
• My Wist List. Great little site for saving all the things I find on the web and one day want to own!
• My Favourite Flickr Photos: so many beautiful photos to see.

• Paper Clip Movie; a very inspiring documentary about how an idea in a middle school in small town Tennessee changed not only the students, but its community and all those who heard about it. And it was down with a paper clip. If you have children, watch this with them.
• For months I’ve been following the adventures of Mr Fox and Mrs Polar Bear on Flickr. Lovely stories, lovely photos.
• Gluten Free Day has the most amazing, easy, and gluten free recipes I’ve seen in a long, long time. It’s so simply laid out with helpful photos and it’s literally the first time I’ve starred almost every entry as something I want to make! Even if you can eat gluten, you won’t mind going without with these recipes.
• Ivoca Space Planner: Been playing with the free version a little bit to see if I really could do a studio. I do, after all, have a 6′ couch I adore and would have to fit in.