Obsession Worthy - Flat Sandals

It was a virtual heat wave today.
After all the snow we've had all winter.  The frigid cold these last few weeks.
The temperature reached a balmy 53℉.  Yipee!!!!

Ahhh....a flicker of Spring.
And Spring got me thinking about Summer.  And Summer got me thinking about shoes.

Uh huh!  Shoes.
Sandals to be exact.  Flat sandals, to be more exact.

      

Lilly Pulitzer

Target

With weather like this, I could easily drift into the delusion that the wearing of 

shoes like these is right within my grasp.  

Darn delusions.  Darn weather! 

Well, a girl can dream.  And when I dream of flat Summer sandals, these 

are my picks for the season!

Kate Spade

Elie Tahari

My preference? One of each, of course.

(Wouldn't that be awesome)

Boots

Obsession Worthy - Good deeds and random acts of kindness

I came upon the amazing blog world just a little over a year ago.

I am smitten and obsessed.  And thus, have two blogs of my own to show for it.

In my blog obsession I have found beautiful design blogs.  Unbelievable craft blogs.  

Breathtaking photography blogs.  And my favorite, delicious food blogs.

I have many favorites. 

I follow these favorite bloggers almost daily.  And I have been impressed and inspired by so many.

Today, however, I was greeted with such beauty and kindness, I could not not share.

Katherine, of Katherine Marie Photography, is simply amazing.

Her most recent post has confirmed in me (again) that amazing, thoughtful and creative people reside everywhere.  We can be touched daily by beauty and kindness.  But more importantly, we can express and deliver goodness and kindness daily.  Let's begin today.

52 smiles.

Fifty-two weeks of absolute goodness.

A new year's resolve to bring a smile to another's face.

Katherine has created a family project for 2011 - A year of Kindness.  The family plans to each week complete an out-of-the-ordinary kind act - for a full year.  This may sound daunting, but she has proved that simple good deeds can be as overwhelmingly appreciated and considerate as something much larger.

I feel one small random act of kindness can be so infectious that it can create an avalanche of goodness! You just have to simply start.

Here are some things that Katherine and her family plan to do:

-deliver homemade Valentine's to a nursing home

-pack plastic gallon bags for the Salvation Army with toothpaste, tooth brush and deodorant 

-put salon kits together (nail polish, remover and nail file) for young girls at a shelter/hospital

-donate blood

-send a box of small toys (bouncy balls, bracelets) to Iraq so soldiers can pass out something to kids while on patrol

-door holding patrol - find a busy place and hold open doors for 15 minutes

-collect canned goods for food pantry

-invite someone, who might be alone, over for a special home-cooked meal

-write a heartfelt note to manager telling him about a friendly employee

-send handmade cards to officers at local police station… signed, a thankful citizen

Some of these good deeds will cost some money.  

Others will cost you nothing more than a little bit of your time.  

In the end, your act of goodness will be priceless when you put a smile on someone else's face.

Boots

Obsession Worthy - Sunglasses

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I love me a great pair of sunglasses.

And, I die (hi Rachel Zoe) for tortoise shell.  They are always in style!

Definitely sophisticated. 

You can glam up any outfit, summer or winter, with a sweet pair.  And they keep the ultraviolet rays

from damaging my eyeballs.  And they keep me from squinting - keeping crows feet at bay.

But, if you ever see me out in the bright daylight, you might wonder about my eye apparel. 

It is not hip.  It is most likely smudged.  And it is absolutely scratched.

What gives?

Well, first, I have children.  And I realize that this should not be a pass for not having

some sweet and stylish sunglasses.  It's a totally lame excuse.  I acknowledge this.

But, when one of these small people that I have was much smaller, this smaller person took a very

beautiful pair of my sunglasses and systematically destroyed them in less then 3 seconds.

I was naive to hand the glasses to this smaller person.  I was thinking that the glasses would entertain the child for a few seconds while I probably did something very important like determine that cold fusion

does exist and can be harnessed as an energy source....I digress.

The second reason I don't have some hot and happening sunglasses is because I lose them.

Yes, I said it.  It's true.  I have owned beautiful (and often, expensive) sunglasses and have 

lost them within weeks of purchase.  Foolish and costly.

So.  I know what my limitations are.  I buy very inexpensive sunglasses and hope for the best.

I try to be as stylish as possible.  Yet - I do so yearn for these....

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And these.  Ahhhhh.

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Any one of these pairs of sunglasses would be soooo lovely to own.

Alas,  I will not cave to temptation.  

Though it will be difficult with the awesome Ralph Lauren pair.

I guess my $15 cheapy sunglasses will have to do for now.  

And believe it or not - I've had them for about two years.  I wonder why the kids haven't 

gotten their hands on these yet?  Maybe, if I carelessly leave them on the kitchen counter....

Boots

Obsession Worthy - Soup Crockery

"Do you have a kinder, more adaptable friend in the food world than soup? Who soothes you when you are ill? Who refuses to leave you when you are impoverished and stretches its resources to give a hearty sustenance and cheer? Who warms you in the winter and cools you in the summer? Yet who also is capable of doing honor to your richest table and impressing your most demanding guests? Soup does its loyal best, no matter what undignified conditions are imposed upon it. You don't catch steak hanging around when you're poor and sick, do you?"Judith Martin (Miss Manners)

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I love soup.  

I love soup in pretty, fun and cozy bowls.

Today, my obsession is soup crockery.

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I'm starved for French Onion Soup.  Lobster Bisque.  Chicken Corn Chowder.

New England Clam Chowder.  Chicken and Noodle soup.  My Grandma's Bean Soup.

And I want this soup in all of these lovely bowls.

These are actually "12 days of Christmas" cereal bowls from Williams-Sonoma.

Wouldn't they be perfect for Wonton Soup or Chili?

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Even a simple mug makes a lovely soup vessel.  

This is my Creamy Broccoli Soup - it's nutritious and delicious.

Seriously.  What wouldn't I put in this little covered crock. 

Leek and Potato?  Baked Potato Soup?

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Oh!  How about some Matzo Ball Soup here?

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What type of soup crockery is your favorite?

And what soup would you be eating right now in that soup crockery, if you could?

Longing for some French Onion Soup in a sweet handled crock,

Boots

Obsession Worthy - Address Labels

So, have you sent any snail mail lately?

A thank you note for dinner at your friend's house.

A get well card to your cousin.

A simple hello letter to your old college roommate.

No?

Well, let me share with you another reason why you should crack open a new pack

of number two pencils.  Buy that amazing letterpress stationary.  

And get some stamps - yes, actual stamps - and send some happiness in the post box.

Address labels by Felix Doolittle!

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Come on!  How precious is this?  And seasonal to boot.

But look at these....

            

 

Seriously cute!

And I'll tell you, this is just a small sample of what's available.


Felix Doolittle will pretty up any envelope you send.
Even those nasty bills that you may still be paying by post.
(Though you my not want to waste such beauty on a silly bill.)


Need more motivation?

Felix Doolittle is offering 20% off address labels through Oct. 17!


Go!  Go now!  And get some lovely letter writing, envelope prettying, motivation!

Boots

(This is not a paid advertisement. Felix Doolittle has never heard of me or Figgity Jam - though I love them all the same!)

Obsession Worthy - Wedding Cakes

September.

Anniversary month.

Ten years.

Good heavens.  

Has it really been that long?

September is a lovely month to wed.  

Even though wedding season is kind of rolling to a close.

Here's a look at our wedding cake.  Not the best picture to see detail, though there wasn't much detail.

  It was a very simple cake.

It was delicious - oh sooooo delicious.  

Rich, moist, decadent banana cake.  Holy moley it was good.

But not a spectacular, show stopping (or show pausing) cake.

And that was fine by me - it's exactly what we wanted.

Obsession Worthy - Stationary

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Have you gotten your mail yet today?
No - not your email silly goose.  Your mail mail.

Anything good?
No?

Bills.

Bills = boring.

Wouldn't you love to get a letter or note or card...something pleasant in your post box today?

Well, buck up, because it's likely not going to happen.

Why?

Because most people don't do handwriting anymore.

It's a lost art.
Antiquated, time consuming, old fashioned, not technically sound...blah, blah, blah.

Obsession Worthy - Books

IT'S HERE!!!!!

Mockingjay

The third and final book in The Hunger Games series.

If you haven't yet heard of or read this series - you must read.  Now.

You must.

The Hunger Games

Catching Fire

and now - Mockingjay

Get to it!

Boots

Obsession Worthy - Boots

I have a little, teeny tiny, microscopic feeling about boots.

I like them very much.

There.  I said it.

I have been eyeing these little ditties.  Just eyeing them because they're gorgeous

and because I don't want to take out a loan to buy them.  All of them.

Isn't window shopping fun!

Frye - Dorado Riding ($458)

Frye - Harlow Capmus ($398)

Diane von Furstenburg - Jameson ($395)

Chloe - Riding Boot ($1195)

Dior - Ribbon Bootie ($960)

Just a few of my favorites for the season.

What boots are you loving?