Thought you all might want to see what I'm looking like these days. The picture above is from last week, so I'm a wee bit bigger now, though not much. Things are progressing nicely, as far as I can tell, though I still hate being pregnant more than anything else I've ever experienced. I'd love to return to blogging regularly, but it would really just be a litany of complaints at this point, and nobody wants to read that. So, just a note to let you know I'm still here, pushing on, and getting bigger every day. Hope you're all well!

So I haven't been here for a while, and in reality, I'm not going to be here for a while longer. I really love blogging, and I really miss blogging, but pregnancy has ended up far more difficult than I ever could have expected. I have hyperemesis gravidarum, which basically just means relentless nausea, and am having a really hard time doing anything beyond the most basic things necessary to keep myself together and employed.

I hope to get back to blogging before this pregnancy is over, but at this point I can give no guarantees. I'll miss you all. Be well.

So, clearly I am a very bad blogger lately. I even wrote half of my Sons of Anarchy post last week and then never finished or posted it. But there is a reason. For once, I have a pretty viable excuse.

I'm pregnant, ya'll. 8 weeks. Due June 26.

And it's bad. So sick, so exhausted, so unable to do anything beyond the bare minimum to keep life and limb together. I'll get back to blogging--I have tons of things I want to write about--but posts are probably going to continue to be sparse until I get a bit more energy.

And yeah, I'll totally post pictures of my enormous belly, as soon as I get one. Promise.

Steve Jobs' death has me thinking about computers, and the difference they have made in my life. I am, I think, a bit on the cusp of the online generation--I didn't have a computer or access to one as a kid, aside from a brief stint of playing Math Wizard or some such on a Commodore 64 my stepmother owned. There were, I think, four or five(?) PCs in my high school lab, but no Internet access. My first personal computer was given to me as a high school graduation present. It was Toshiba laptop that must have weighed 20 lbs and shut itself off every night at midnight like it was possessed.

Tempermental Toshiba aside, though, my first year at Reed (1997-98) was when the computer age got real for me. Reed's lab was full of shiny, candy-colored iMacs (Steve Jobs was a non-graduated alumnus). I got my first email address, my first ICQ account (boytoy--I was a much different person at 17). Being online turned slowly from a curiosity to a way of life.

And in the nearly 15 years since, it has become more a way of life every year. The Toshiba was followed by a line of Dells, each one better than the last. I continued to use Macs at Reed and then later in job situations, so I was always fluent in both systems. And, like so many others in my generation and class, life changed when I got my first iPod (I think in 2002).

Now, as the commercials said, I am a Mac. I do all my real personal computing on a MacBook Pro. I have an iPhone (first generation, will probably need replacing soon) and an iPad 2. I love the look and feel of Apple devices. I love the performance. I think the price is worth it. Nothing else I've seen or used has compared. In my suburban, upper middle class 30s, I am Apple's demographic, and I buy and will continue to buy their products like a good demographic should.

These devices improve my life in ways that are hard to quantify. I can write without the save-every-2-minutes-it-might-crash fear my Toshiba taught me. I can communicate with something that fits in my pocket, something that fits in my bag, or something that lives on my couch. i can listen to music and even surf while on the treadmill. More and more, my world is online--that's where my most of my friends live, it's how I stay in touch with my family, and it's how I stay in touch with myself. And these devices go a lot way in facilitating those processes.

Put simply, I think Apple is better. I still use a PC at work and it can't compare with my Macbook Pro by any measure. I've had lots of other cell phones, and my iPhone blows them all out of the water. And the iPad? Well, that's simply the best toy ever. Yes, I realize there is a certain level of cultural snobbery in buying Apple, but there's also a pretty distinct performance advantage. They make good stuff.

So that's my epitaph for the late Steve Jobs. Thanks, Steve, for making such good stuff.

Winners of my BlogHer swag giveaway, did you think I forgot you??

Sorry about that! My basement, including my craft room where my giveaway stuff resided, flooded. Nothing for the giveaway was damaged, but the resultant disorder put me behind in mailing out the packages. Thanks for your patience! And hey, sneak peak?

Some of my favorite bloggers, and the ones I most emulate, are what I think of as "tastemakers." Sometimes, they're fashion bloggers, some times home decor, and sometimes life bloggers with exceptionally good taste. Since I started reading blogs, these bloggers have stood out to me, become my favorites, and influenced me greatly. As I try to position myself among them (knowing, of course, that I'm a pretty small fish in this pond), I thought it might be fun to call out a few of my favorites.

Mighty Girl
Mighty Girl Maggie Mason is the first blogger I identified in my mind as a "tastemaker." Back in the day, before she sold them, Maggie ran Mighty Goods, Mighty Junior, and Mighty Haus. These "shopping blogs" highlight specific items, for self, kids, and home, respectively, that Maggie found cool. And she's got great taste. The minute I started reading these blogs I knew I wanted to do something like them, though it is now many years later and I still haven't really done it. I can't remember offhand anything I've purchased on Maggie's recommendation, but I know there have to have been a few things.

Dooce
My other early tastemaker idol was Heather Armstrong at Dooce. For several years, Dooce has had a "Daily Style" section, and some of the things she has highlighted there have been phenomenal. The one I remember most clearly, which immediately went on to my wish list, was Charley Harper's An Illustrated Life book. Heather posted about it in July 2008, and I still want it.

Already Pretty
Already Pretty's Sally McGraw is well-dressed. She's also got a talent for explaining why the things that work do, and how she puts things together to flatter her figure and her fashion priorities. We actually don't dress all that much alike, but I can't even count the number of times she's worn something and I've had to have it. Recently, Sally inspired me to buy my first "nice" bag--a Foley & Corina.

Wardrobe Oxygen
Alli at Wardrobe Oxygen has probably sold me more stuff than any major advertising campaign, ever. She's perfectly put together, in a way I strive towards and only very rarely get to. I can't begin to tell you the number of things I've bought on Allie's recommendation or by her example, but I know they include NARS Orgasm blush and thread bangles. Plus, she turned me on to Ebates!

Young House Love
I'm a fairly new reader to John and Sherry Petersilk's home renovation and decoration blog, Young House Love. I may actually have been the last person in the free world to know about it. Since I've started reading, though, I've added a ton of John and (especially) Sherry inspired home decor items to my wish list. Pretty much every time John and Sherry post about Home Goods, I end up there. I love the mix of old and new, mass-produced and DIY, of John and Sherry's style.

Girl's Gone Child
Rebecca Woolf at Girl's Gone Child is my maternity wardrobe hero. (No, before you ask, I am not pregnant.) She maxi-dress based looks she wore and posted about while pregnant with her twins were absolutely amazing, and they are only the tip of the iceberg in her "Gone Style" section. I really, really want the newspaper animal heads she used to decorate her twins' room. For my living room.

As I look over my favorite tastemakers, I see a strong common thread. These bloggers all have unique style--they aren't afraid to pick things just because they like them, or to mix upscale and bargain, new and old, etc. None of them is *trying* to sell me things when they post--they are simply sharing things they love. Marketing doesn't get better than that, and, for my money, neither does blogging. I'm inspired.

I've been interested in consumption and buying things, both on a personal level and on an academic one, for a long time. When I was in college, I took a fantastic history course on the rise of consumer culture in the U.S. We read tons of great stuff, but two books I remember in particular are Hope in a Jar: The Making of America's Beauty Culture by University of Pennsylvania history Kathy Peiss and Satisfaction Guaranteed: The Making of the American Mass Market by University of Delaware historian Susan Strasser. Given that it's been more than ten years since I read either book, you have to take my analysis only for what it's worth, but one thing that stuck in my mind from both of them was the importance of packaging in advertising and sales. In Strasser's book in particular, I remember a long discussion of the move from "goods" to "branded goods," and the concurrent importance of logos and packaging to tell one brand from another. In the current marketplace, with millions of brands and generally more options than you can count on two hands for any one product, these things have gotten only more important. Clever and beautiful packaging sells things.

Being aware of this doesn't make it work any less well, at least not on me. I LOVE good packaging. I absolutely buy products based on packaging, especially when I don't otherwise have a preference between similar options. Good packaging makes a product I purchase feel a bit more like a gift, and that absolutely has value.

I'm going to try to start sharing little things that I like with you a bit more often here on WINOW, since picking out and writing about the millions of little objects, the stuff, of our lives seems to be one of my more unlikely talents. To kick that effort off, I thought I'd show you some of my favorite packaging.

Benefit Cosmetics
I like the makeup Benefit makes because it's good makeup, but I was absolutely initially drawn to the packaging. It's colorful, they use interesting fonts, and they tend to go with quirky, humorous, and sometimes tongue-in-cheek product names and descriptions. For example:

The turntable-styled compact and matching box, along with the lingo (it comes in "deep" and "lite") draws the eye to Benefit's Some Kind-a Gorgeous foundation. It's aesthetically pleasing, and it evokes the sort of 50's/60's Hollywood startlet glam feeling that Benefit infuses into their whole line.

I am a complete sucker for a box or a kit, and in part that's because I feel like I'm getting more for my money (though that is rarely true), but in part it's because seeing smaller versions of things, nestled cleverly together, makes my heart sing. Combine that feeling with the clever name, colorful, eye-catching packaging, and feeling of luxury (the "gilded" mirror, the smirking princess on the box) of Benefit's I'm glam...therefore I am and I'm gonna be sold.

Method Home Care & Personal Products
When I first saw Method products at Target, I was drawn to the display like a moth to a lightbulb. The packaging immediately makes you think clean, modern, minimalist thoughts. Just what you want in cleaning products, especially those that are going to sit out on your counter. Even though I don't even like most of Method's scents, I keep buying some of their products just because I am so drawn to that look.

I don't mind the "Orange Zest" and "Lemon Verbena" scents of these Method wipes, but honestly, it's the Orla Kiely-like print on the container that keeps me buying them, as well as the silly cleverness of calling them "Antibac Wipes."

I could try to convince myself that I buy Method hand soap for the variety of scent options or the way it foams, but in reality, it's all about the shape of the bottle and the way the brightly colored soaps shine through the clear plastic, with its understated labeling, like prisms.

Sheffield & Sons for Bloom
I don't like Bloom grocery stores, at all. However, they knocked it out of the ballpark with the packaging for their in-store spice line.

The reusable, apothecary-influenced cylinder containers, the color and font on the labels, the corks...there is no bad here.

Bonne Maman Jam
I don't even like jam all that much, but every time I pass a shelf full of Bonne Maman jam in the store, I have to stop myself from scooping it into my cart. It's just such a perfect package.

From the great classic shape and incredible re-use potential of the glass jar to the almost-handwritten-by-Grandma looking label to the cute plaid lid, everything about the Bonne Maman package says it's good jam. And it is.

Zhena's Gypsy Tea
I definitely have a hierarchy of packing materials. Plastic is the bottom rung, paper or cardboard above it, glass above that. At the top of that hierarchy is the reusable tin. And nobody has a better tin than Zhena's Gypsy Tea.

It's not just that the size and shape of the cylindrical tin are perfect, though they are. What's even better is the lack of external label and attractive romantic icon. If I liked tea even a little bit, I'd have stacks of these.

Rogue Beer
I love Rogue the most because they make fantastic beer. However, they've also got amazing labels.

The combination of the simple color schemes, the similarly-postured but brew-specific icons, and the amazing capital letters and star logo does me in every time. Love.

Vosges Chocolates
Vosges chocolate is amazingly good. The perfect packaging, however, is what makes it such a breathtaking gift.

The simple lines of the purple abstract heart gift box Vosges uses serves to frame the truffles perfectly. It's like chocolate art.

Vosges' crazy line of chocolate bars are fantastically identifiable, each with its own signature color and a cover picture of some of the specialty ingredients. The innovative Vosges logo doesn't hurt, either.

Navita's Naturals
I haven't tried the products from superfood company Navita's Naturals yet, but the packaging certainly makes me want to.

I love the simple bag design and the abstract organic shapes, but the color coding and the matte ink does me in.

Twist

Twist sells sponges and other eco-friendly cleaning products, which isn't exactly a fun and whimsical business. Their packaging, though, is fun and whimsical at its best.

Bright colors, a minimalist design, a cool geometric logo, and some of their packaging can be cut out and made into little bird houses. How freaking cool is that?

The Show Wine
I try to pretend I know enough about wine to choose it on some grounds besides the label, but with a label as great as The Show's, it's hard.

How much do I love that bucking bronc logo? And the explosive color background? The font? Perfect.

This is, of course, the tip of the iceberg--tons of well-packaged products exist out there, and they are getting better all the time. For thousands more examples of awesome packaging, check out TheDieline.com.

What about you? Leave me a comment and tell me about some packaging you really love.

I love magazine subscriptions. In part, this is because I love magazines--my attention span is just about magazine article length and I like pretty pictures. The bigger reason, though, is that I love love love mail. And reoccurring mail is my very favorite. I've been a Columbia House used-to-be-Record Club subscriber at least a dozen times. I'll sign up for a sample of just about anything. I just like it when something comes in the mail for me.

Turns out, I'm not alone. Lots of us love receiving mail, and when it's good mail, something we picked out, or, even better, a surprise that was curated for us? (Curated, in this case, just meaning selected based on our likes/dislikes by some sort of authority.) We're sold. That's what drew me to the independent business sample boxes I've reviewed here before, and to Birchbox more recently. And I'm so enamored with Birchbox, I started nosing around for more things like it.

And I found far more than I'd expected I would. Turns out, these "curated subscription services," wherein you receive periodic shipments of something that was either picked for you, or picked by you from options picked for you, are sorta the next big thing. They're popping up everywhere, for all sorts of products, and they're hot hot hot. I found dozens of them. And I did not find any sort of comprehensive list. So, I thought I'd try to fill that space and provide a list.

Please realize that I have NOT tried all of these, or even most of these, services. This list is not an endorsement; it's simply an overview of what I found in this space. And it is, but necessity, a work in progress--most of these companies are new, and some will fail, and new ones will pop up. So please, if you see anything I omitted, or anything that is here that doesn't, as you are reading this, exist anymore, let me know and I'll update.

Now, for what I found:

(A note on pricing: many of these services have a price cut if you sign up for several months at once. For the sake of simplicity, the prices I am quoting are their highest prices, generally for a single month.)

Beauty

This is the biggest category, by far. Tons of people are hopping on the Birchbox train. The ones I found are:

United States
Birchbox: 3-5 deluxe makeup/beauty samples each month, curated, $10 including S&H. This is one I can vouch for--I've had a subscription for nearly a year, I love it, it's more than worth the $10/month.

Julep Maven: 3-5 nail polishes and treatments each month, curated, $15 including S&H.

Yellow Box Beauty: "Makeup of the Month Club," curated full-sized makeup and beauty items, monthly, $34.95/month + $7.95 S&H.

Beautyfix: 8 full-sized makeup/beauty products, selected by you from a group of options, sent quarterly. $49.95 including S&H.

New Beauty Test Tube: deluxe makeup/beauty samples, some full sized, curated, sent quarterly. $29.95 + $8.95 S&H. I'm going to try this one, so I'll let you know how it turns out.

Smallflower Bath of the Month Club:curated bath products, sent monthly. $85/3 month subscription.

Added 9/21: GoGoGirlfriend: Similar to Birchbox, trial-sized beauty products sent monthly. $12.99/month for monthly boxes or $6.98/month for bi-monthly boxes.

Added 10/17/11: The Little Black Box: This is one of several monthly sample boxes for independent/handmade beauty products, as well as other things like candles and edibles. Boxes are $20/month including S&H.

Added 10/17/11: Out of the Box Sampler: Out of the Box sampler is another sampler of independent and handmade businesses. It is available for $22/month including S&H.

Added 10/17/11: Makeup Monthly: Makeup Monthly offers clubs for nails, makeup, or beauty care. The clubs are $20, $30, and $35/month respectively, including S&H, and subscriptions are available for 3, 6, or 12 months.

Canada
Loose Button Luxe Box: 4-5 curated deluxe beauty samples, sent monthly. $12/month including S&H.

Glymm: 4-5 curated deluxe beauty samples, sent monthly. $10/month including S&H.

Added 10/17/11: Sweet Delight Divalicious Sample Box: Sweet Delights Divalicious box focuses mostly on handmade/independent beauty products. Boxes are $26 Canadian including shipping to Canada or the US.

Australia
Little Red Box: deluxe beauty samples, sent monthly, not yet launched

Haute Box: deluxe beauty samples, send monthly, not yet launched

Added 10/17/11: The Lust Pack: The Lust Pack is a monthly 5-6 deluxe sample delivery. The cost is $14.95/month including S&H.

UK
Glossybox: 5 curated high-end beauty miniatures, sent monthly. £10.00/month + £2.95 S&H.

Bonbon: monthly artisan lip balm, £5.00/month, delivers throughout Europe. Not currently accepting new members.

Added 10/14/11: Amarya Beauty Box: For £10 per month, Amarya sends at least one full-sized product, along with multiple samples or trial sizes.

Added 10/14/11: Bourdoir Prive: Works just like Birchbox-- £10/month including S&H and they send 5-6 deluxe samples.

Added 10/17/11: Carmine: Another one in the Birchbox model, Carmine sends 5 "deluxe product miniatures" to subscribers each month. The price is £10/month plus £2.75 postage.

Added 10/14/11: FeelUnique Beauty Box: Offers a monthly subscription to 5 deluxe beauty samples for £9.95/month including S&H.

Kids/Parenting
This seems to be the currently fastest-growing category. I'm intrigued by it, especially as a gift option.

United States
Citrus Lane: 4-5 curated baby products, tailored to baby's age (newborn through 18 months), sent monthly. $25/month including S&H.

Bluum: 4-5 deluxe baby-related product samples, sent monthly, $12/month including S&H.

Little Passports: information about and "souvenirs" from a different country sent every month, geared towards kids. $11.95/month plus S&H. I really, really love the idea of this one. If anybody out there does it, please drop me a message--I'd love to run a review.

Babba Box: curated monthly box with all supplies needed to do 3-4 projects with a 3-6 year old child. $29.99/month including S&H. This is another one that really intrigues me, and I'd love to run a review if anybody has used it.

Added 10/11/11: KiwiCrate: much the same model as Babba Box, KiwiCrate is a monthly delivery of supplies for craft projects suited for a 3-6 year old child. It is $19.99/month including S&H.

Added 10/17/11: Tiny Tots Sample Boxes: These boxes focus on indie/handmade items for children. Each box has 15-20 samples. Boxes are $23 in the US, $33 in Canada, and $58 in other countries, including shipping.

Added 10/17/11: Fluff of the Month Club: Cloth diapers! For $22.50/month including S&H, you receive a cloth diaper delivery. Subscriptions are available for 4, 6, or 9 months, and you choose the style and size of diaper you want.

Added 10/17/11: KraftyKid Craft Clubs: KraftyKid offers lots of different options, with basic clubs, deluxe clubs, and clubs for teachers. They have clubs available for 3-6 year old kids and 7-10 year old kids. Prices vary.

Green Products

Another large and growing market! I have to admit, this one is counterintuitive to me--what's green about sending packaged products through the mail? Still, I'm intrigued.

Blissmobox: you choose between curated monthly collections of eco-friendly and organic products in several categories (this month had a beauty box, a tea and snacks box, and a romance/sex box, other months have had cleaning/laundry boxes, summer snack boxes, etc.) $19/month + $3 S&H. This is another one I'm planning to try out, so watch for a review in the future.

Eco-Emi: curated green/natural product samples delivered monthly. $15/month including S&H. Available outside the US for $30/month. Currently has a waiting list for new customers.

Goodebox: curated monthly samples of green beauty, health, and wellness products. $15/month including S&H.

Uncover Me Naturals Soap of the Month Club: monthly delivery of six bars of natural soap. $25/month including S&H.

Added 10/12/11: Conscious Box: a curated monthly collection of various environmentally conscious products, based on a monthly theme. Products include food and health and beauty offerings. $19/month including S&H.

Added 10/20/11: Herbaria Soap of the Month Club: A smaller scale soap-of-the-month offering, Heraria sends 1 hand-crafted bar each month, for an $88 annual subscription cost.

Food

There are a ton of these--everything from the ubiquitous "Beer of the Month" to the more interesting "Bacon of the Month" or "Cheese of the Month." For the sake of brevity, I'm only including the curated ones I found here.

United States
Turntable Kitchen Pairings Box: This is a cool concept. Each month, they deliver a food and music pairing--a limited edition 7" vinyl two-track along with a downloadable digital mixtape, and the recipes and ideas for a dinner party to go along with the music, along with 1-2 premium specialty ingredients to make them. Not exactly up my alley, but fascinating. $25/month including S&H. Not currently taking new orders.

Foodzie Tasting Box: curated monthly delivery of 6 gourmet food samples. $19.99/month including S&H.

Lollihop:monthly box of 8 single-serving healthy snacks. $22.75/month including S&H.

Healthy Surprise: monthly delivery of curated healthy vegan snacks. Prices vary by package size: $33/month + $5 S&H for 5-10 snacks through $250/month including S&H for 70-80 snacks.

PaleoPax: monthly curated selection of 5 paleo snacks. $20/month including S&H.

Steepster Select: 3 2-3 oz pouches of curated premium loose leaf tea each month. $19/month including S&H.

Craft Coffee: 3 12 oz bags of coffee, curated from different small roasters, each month, along with tasting notes. $24.99/month including S&H.

Added 10/14/11: Black Box Dessert Club: High end desserts, varied based on your region, right to your door! This club is not cheap--a single month is $65-$85 depending on the box--but contains 6-8 full size artisan desserts.

Added 10/14/11: Foodiholic: For $39.99/month including S&H, Foodiholic sends your choice of a ready-to-eat or ready-to-prepare food box. The first contains 4-6 new ready to eat items and some celebrity chef ideas for enhancing them, the second contains ingredients and recipes for a memorable meal. The selections are personalized to your diet and taste preferences.

Added 10/17/11: Adagio Tea of the Month Club: Adagio makes really good tea. Their tea of the month club, available in 6 or 12 month increments, and in flavored, herbal, black, decaf, and green & oolong varieties, sends two bags of loose tea (enough for approximately 80 cups) every other month. Prices are $39-$49 for six month and $69-$89 for twelve month subscriptions.

Added 10/17/11: Kettle Chips Chip of the Month Club: For $74.99 for a 3 month membership, Kettle Chips sends monthly deliveries of 5 4-oz bags of chips, including classics, hard-to-find flavors, and sneak peeks of unreleased flavors.

Added 10/17/11: Pasenella & Son, Vitners: Vino & Cookbook of the Month Club: This one is interesting--each month, they send a white wine, a red wine, tasting notes, and a cookbook. Price is $49.99/month, plus S&H.

Added 10/17/11: Citizen Bean: Every month, Citizen Bean sends a pound of sustainable small-batch roasted whole bean coffee, along with extras. The cost is $79.99 for three months, $129.99 for six, and $219.99 for a full year.

Added 10/17/11: Anchor Chip of the Month Club: Every month, Anchor sends regional, unusual potato chips. Subscriptions are available in 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 month increments of various sizes, starting at $13/month.

UK
Graze: Nutritionally balanced single-serving snack boxes, however many days/week you'd like. £3.49/box including S&H.

Added 10/17/11: The Chocolate Tasting Club: The Chocolate Tasting Club charges £18.95/month including postage, for which you get a box of 32 hand-selected chocolates. The selections are different every month, and recipients can choose between Classic, Dark, Purist and Elements boxes.

Clothing/Accessories

United States
Jewelmint: Jewelmint is the big player in this space right now. For $29.99/month including S&H, you pick a piece of jewelry each month from a collection curated to your taste by celebrity entrepreneur Kate Bosworth. This is club to which I subscribe and I am very happy with it so far.

Stylemint: Stylemint is from the same parent company and uses the same business model as Jewelmint, only it's t-shirts, not jewelry. $29.99/month including S&H gets you a t-shirt of your choice. The celebrities behind the style and curation are the Olsen twins.

Shoedazzle: Shoedazzle is another big player. It works the same way as the previous two programs, with the recipient making a monthly selection among a curated field of choices. This one is $39.99/month, though, and the selections are shoes and handbags. The celebrity name is Kim Kardashian. Shoes only up to size 11, though!

In the Mood Intimates Gift of the Month Clubs: Several monthly options, all curated, including Panty-of-the-Month, Camisole/Bustier-of-the-Month, and Bra-set-of-the-Month. Prices range from $18-$90/month.

MeUndies: Not-yet-launched subscription service for both men's and women's underwear.

Send the Trend: Similar to Jewelmint, only it includes non-jewelry accessories. Clients pick from among a curated set of options. $29.99/month including S&H.

Threadless 12 Club: I kinda love this one. Every month, you get a handpicked t-shirt from Threadless! Think of the variety you could amass! $200/year for US participants; $250/year for international, including S&H.

Added 10/14/11: Sole Society: Basically the same model as Shoedazzle, Sole Society charges $49.95/month including S&H for your pick from a curated selection of shoes.

Added 10/17/11: Solmate Socks Sock of the Month Club: This one amuses me. Available for adults or kids, you get a pair of funky mismatched cotton socks each month. There are 3, 6, and 12 month memberships--the 3 month is $65 including S&H, and kids' socks are a pair-with-a-spare.

Added 10/20/11:Stitch Fix: Stitch Fix sends a shipment of clothes, based on your personal style quiz, and you keep and pay for those you like and send the rest back.

UK
StylistPick: Similar to Shoedazzle, a curated monthly selection of accessories and shoes, based on our style profile. You select what you want to have sent your way. £39.95/month including S&H.

Canada
Panty by Post: monthly curated pair of deluxe panties. $18.50/month plus S&H, international available.

Books and Magazines

Books are another area that has been doing of-the-month clubs for a long time, and there is no way I could list them all here. However, I'm going to mention a couple.

United States
Indiespensible: I absolutely love Powell's Indiespensible book club. Every six-to-eight weeks, they sent a first edition of a new, independent book, along with some other "goodies," typically thematically connected to the book in some way, or local to Portland. The cost is $39.99/shipment, including S&H, and international shipping is available for $12 more.

Just the Right Book: Coming from another independent bookseller (yay!), R.J. Julia Bookseller in Madison, CT, Just the Right Book is a curated book club that has options for kids, teens, and adults. The selections are curated to individual tastes and get this--they guarantee you'll like what they send! The service can be purchased on a monthly, every-other-month, or quarterly basis. Prices vary depending on specific program, but average about $24.99/month.

Stack America: This one I'm excited about. Every two months, you receive a curated collection of indie magazines. Lots of it is likely stuff you aren't going to find in your Barnes & Noble. You get at least one magazine, plus extras, every two months. Subscriptions are annual and cost $75.99 in the US, with options for international shipping at higher rates.

Added 10/20/11: Chin Music Press Books Rx: Billing itself as "mail-order medicine for your mind," this club sends a curated quarterly collection of independent literature and art, all chosen to fit a given theme. The cost is $40 for each shipment, including S&H to the US and Canada.

International
Stack: Stack is the international version of Stack America. The basic service is the same, but the magazine choices and shipping options are international, and monthly or annual services are available. Prices vary depending on where you're located.

For Men

The subscription model is traditionally more heavily marketed to women, but a whole lot of man-specific services are popping up. A few of them:

United States
Hiskit: Birchbox for dudes. 3-5 luxury samples, delivered monthly, $12/month including S&H.

Manpacks: This one is about convenience, more than curation--men can sign up to get quarterly shipments of necessities they choose--shirts, socks, underwear, shaving cream, condoms, etc. Prices vary based on what's in your pack.

GuyHaus: GuyHaus is the same basic model as Manpacks, except that it's just for toiletries. Men pick what they want and how often they'd like to have it delivered. Prices vary depending on what the client picks.

Sababu: The Undershirt Club: Set to launch in December, Sababu Conscious Clothing sends two ethically made undershirts quarterly, for $20.

Trunk Club: Trunk Club is all about curation--they send a complete "trunk" of clothes, including 8-12 items. Prices vary depending on what is in the specific trunk. The subscriber keeps/pays for what he wants and sends the rest back.

Added 10/19/11: His Black Box: His Black Box offers a personalized selection of 5 travel sized products each month, based on a survey of age and tastes. The cost is $12/month including S&H.

Canada
Added 10/14/11: Bread and Butter: Bread and Butter is a monthly men's skincare subscription, based on a natural product and minimal packaging ethos. Kits are customized to the client and run $35-$49 Canadian each, with free shipping to the US and Canada.

UK
Added 10/14/11: Wibba: Wibba is a curated monthly delivery of "man stuff," further described as "toys, gadgets, games, or gizmos." It's £14.95/month.

Germany
Mansbox: Though I can't read the German site, I believe Mansbox is the German equivalent of Manpacks, offering a subscription service for undershirts, underwear, and socks.

Art & Craft

I am more than a bit fascinated by the art-by-subscription model. I had no idea it existed, and there are several price points and options.

United States
Alula: sends limited edition original textile art quarterly. $300/year.

Papirmasse: monthly delivery of a limited edition print by an unknown artist. $5/month in the US and $10/month internationally.

Little Otsu: Another one by which I am super intrigued. For $15/quarter, you get two original "art books." The books are gloriously illustrated mini-books about anything in the natural world. This would be such a fantastic collection to start.

Tota Press: A handmade letterpress card-of-the-month subscription! Each month brings two cards and costs $13 including S&H. International subscription is available for an additional $2/month.

Sunrise Fiber Co. Yarn Club: Each month brings a skein of hand-dyed yarn (you pick the weight), a goodie of some sort, and a dessert recipe that ties in with the yarn colors. Subscriptions are available for 2, 4, or 6 months, at $22/month.

Added 10/14/11: Mercier Beaucoup: Mercier Beaucoup offers 3, 6, or 12 month stationary subscriptions, each month with 3 assorted handmade cards. The cost for the 3 month option is $36, plus $5 flat rate shipping.

Added 10/17/11: Three Irish Girls Pick of the Knitter Club: If you know a dedicated knitter, you probably know about the amazing yarn from Three Irish Girls. The Pick of the Knitter club offers your choice of weight and number of skeins each month, in either a solid or a handpainted colorway. Price depends on the weight you choose and subscriptions are available in three month intervals in the US, Canada, or internationally.

Added 10/17/11: Three Irish Girls Sock Yarnista Club: As the name suggests, this club is for sock yarn. Each month, members get a selected high-end sock yarn, a pattern, and possibly extras. Membership is available in 3, 6, and 12 month intervals, in the US and Canada and internationally. 3 month US membership runs $94.

Added 10/17/11: The Irish Girls Stash Menagerie Club: This is the 3IG variety club, sending a selected type of yarn each month, along with extras. Membership is available for 1, 2, or 3 skeins a month and in 3 or 6 month increments. A single skein 3-month membership is $72 in the US.

Miscellany

I have to tell you, this is where my heart lives. The subscription programs for things that seem only very vaguely subscribe-able. this is the market I want to see grow and flourish. And I think these are a good start:

United States
Lost Crates: Couldn't love this more if I tried. Lost Crates is a curated stationary subscription--each month brings a new crate of pens, pencils, paper, and associated etcetera. It's $38/month including S&H. This is one I'm trying, so stay tuned for a review later this fall.

Quarterly Co: This one baffles me. You choose a "cultural icon" and receive a quarterly box of physical objects curated by that person. I'm intrigued, however, by the tagline "each shipment tells a story." Sadly, there are no current subscriptions open, or I'd try it. Subscriptions are $25/quarter.

Toys4Tails: Dog toy of the month club, curated based on your dog's breed/size. Several subscription tiers are available, starting at $14.95/month.

Added 10/14/11: Good and Lovely: The business model for Good & Lovely is a period pampering pack. On your selected date each month, they send you a box of your selected variety of pads or tampons, as well as whatever extras you request (Midol, heating pads, wipes, etc) and a selection of soothing treats (chocolate, tea, bath products, etc.). The base price is $19.99/month, with more for add-ons.

Added 10/14/11: Feliz Box: Feliz Box is basically the same thing as Good & Lovely, but with less customization--you simply choose tampons or pads and they decide the rest. The cost is $14.99/month.

Added 10/14/11: Swuni: Similar to Good & Lovely and Feliz Box, Swuni is a monthly menstrual product delivery. However, you simply receive and pay for the product(s) you choose--no curation.

Added 10/14/11: Ohco: Like Swuni, Ohco is a monthly delivery of whatever you select. They do, however, include health and beauty samples with their shipments.

Added 10/14/11: Umba Box: The Umba Box is a monthly delivery of a surprise handmade item--accessories, home goods, jewelry, bath products, stationary, etc. It's $26/month including S&H and subscriptions are available for 3, 6, or 12 months.

Added 10/17/11: Z Box: The Z Box is a monthly collection of items sold on Zibbet. Two sizes are available--for $8.75 you get 8 samples, for $18 you get 15-18. Both prices include S&H.

Added 10/17/11: Lighter of the Month Club: This one is odd and possibly brilliant. For $32.95/year ($8 more internationally), you get four stickers each month with which to customize Bic lighters.

UK
Not Another Bill: Probably the most clever of the programs I found, this subscription promises something in your mail each month that is NOT a bill. It could be just about anything, but it'll be something that the curator, Ned, is surprised and excited by. The price is £15/month including S&H in the UK, £18 in the rest of Europe, and £20 in the rest of the world, all including S&H. Couldn't resist this, so I'll be reviewing when mine arrives.

Jangneus Design: This one is delightfully quirky. Each month will bring a colorful, Swedish-designed cleaning cloth--you pick your color scheme. Subscriptions within the UK are £25 for the year, including S&H. International subscriptions may be available, they ask prospective international subscribers to contact them.

Added 10/17/11: Finally, I have to point out Global Giving Project of the Month Club. This is a truly great idea. You choose a monthly donation amount, and each month a charitable project is selected for your money. You receive an email each month telling you about the project. How great an idea is that?

In doing my research for this post, I was very indebted to:
Subscription Commerce (#SUBCOM) Matrix by Sean Percival
Boxing Up Social Commerce: Hot Opportunity? by Paul Marsden
Blissmo Launches Monthly "Blissmobox": Delivering Curated Eco-friendly Products to Your Door! by Priti Ambani
What Will The Big Winners in Subscription Commerce Look Like? by robgo
Several articles at Springwise

Added 10/14/11: Subscription service startups are the hot new thing by Harrison Weber

Added 10/14/11: Directory of Subscription Commerce Clubs by Paul Marsden

I'm so sorry for the delay--I completely spaced out on picking winners for my BlogHer swag giveaway.

As promised, three winners:

15

Revvie | August 12, 2011 3:34 PM | Reply
Facebooked!

Little Miss Moneybags | August 16, 2011 9:45 AM | Reply
I've just discovered your blog, thanks to your "still not married, thanks for asking post!" so I'll have to do some more hunting before I can tell you what I'd like to see more of. At this point, I like what I see!

Ashley H. | August 13, 2011 10:32 AM | Reply
I'd love to hear more about your fur babies.

I'll be emailing each of you. Thanks for playing!

My birthday is right around the corner, and, as has become my habit, I want to have a...subtle suggestion list for anybody who might want to get me a gift. This also gives me the opportunity to highlight some of the Etsy shops I've had my eye on lately, which is always a fun thing to do. So, my birthday wish list, all via Etsy:

I have been after a yo-yo necklace from cookoorikoo for ages now. I love everything about them--their size, the great fabric choices, the vintage embellishments. Some are even on sale right now!

I learned about the state shape necklaces made by tru.che when they were rudely ripped off by Urban Outfitters, and have wanted one ever since. Which one? Oregon, of course!

Lisa Rupp's hand-designed floral dishtowels are so, so beautiful. And we all know I have a bit of a dish towel obsession...

The tiny air plant terrariums offered by TortoiseLovesDonkey are pretty much the cutest thing I have ever seen, and they get cuter the more of them there are. I'd love one of the 3-month subscriptions, where they send three tiny air plants each month for three months to help you build your own tiny collection.

I think I may have shared these on the blog before, but I am still absolutely crazy about the scrap wood art pieces made by paint square. And I have a partner who loves to buy me art....hint, hint!

I really, really, really want a custom Sohomode tea dress. Really really bad.

I've been wanting a silver cage ring, and this one from The Silver Artisan is the prettiest I've seen.

I could go on and on, of course, but these are my current favorites. Anything you know I should add?

This is a bag. A bag of swag. This bag of swag came from BlogHer, where I hunted and gathered it from vendors, parties, the swag exchange room, and occasionally the sidewalk. It represents the sum total (well, minus a few small things I hoarded for myself) of my take from the swag extravaganza that is BlogHer.

And I'm giving it to you!

I decided before I even went to the conference this year that I wanted to gather up as much good shit as I could find and give it away. However, I may have slightly underestimated the mass. I believe I have enough here to pack up THREE flat-rate boxes. So that's what I am gonna do.

To enter, leave me a comment and tell me something you'd like to see here at WINOW in the next year. I am hoping to make some changes and really start improving my game, and I need your help to do that. For extra entries, FB or Tweet about this contest, or WINOW in general, and leave extra comments telling me you did. Don't forget to leave an email!

The contest will run for two weeks, until August 24.

For the curious, there are products in that bag from/sponsored by:
-Koko Accessories
-Snapfish
-Lowe's
-Evite
-3M
-Babeland
-Jewelmint
-Eden Fantasys
-As Seen on TV/Cool TV Offers
-Healthy Women
-Red Envelope/Shari's Berries
-Dr. Scholl's
-Anti-Monkey Butt
-Mighty Leaf
-HTC
-Philosophy
-LG
-Hershey's
-Cotton Incorporated
-K-Mart
-CVS Pharmacy/Minute Clinic
-Star 50 Handbags
-Modify Watches
-fresh & easy
-Growums
-5-Hour Energy
-essie
-flip flop wines
-Best Buy
-Softcup
-Mom's Clean Air Force
-RoseArt
-Dove Chocolate
-Paper Coterie
-WaterPik
-Coffee-mate

A huge thank you to all of these sponsors, as well as the ones from whom I didn't collect. I'll get you next year!

Over the course of the past few weeks, I've seen at least a jillion references online to the brilliant iced coffee directions/recipe given by Ree at The Pioneer Woman. As a big coffee snob myself, I, of course, tried Ree's method, and I think she's spot on. The iced coffee that comes out of her recipe is delicious.

I also think it's too much work and takes up too much space for someone with a single, regular-sized fridge. Large containers and cheesecloth? These are things those of us without big-ass ranch kitchens (not to mention those of us who don't actually cook) might not have. So...I worked on a modification for my lifestyle. And I think I've perfected it, so I'm gonna share it with my similarly ill-equipped (or, you know, lazy) readers:

1. Before I go to bed, I grind up a big French press worth of coffee beans. I used good beans. If you aren't going to use decent coffee, I pretty much think you should just skip this. I don't measure, generally, but for the sake of science, I did measure last night, and it's about 10 coffee scoops worth of grounds. More than you'd use in a regular hot French press by about a third or so. I put that in my French press and then fill it with water from my Brita pitcher. I know I should stir, but I don't want to get a spoon dirty, so I just kinda try to pour the water over the grounds enough that it all gets wet. I put the top on the French press and push it down very slightly to ensure that all the grounds are trapped, then I go to bed.

2. In the morning, I push the press down like a regular French press of coffee and pour the darkly brewed java in a water bottle to take to work. One mostly-full French press fits perfectly in my tall Oggi stainless steel bottles--17 oz, I think?

3. When I get to work, I fill my plastic tumbler-with-lid-and-straw (adult sippy cup!) with ice, then sprinkle about 2 tsp of sugar over the ice, then dump two individual half-and-half containers over that (oddly, though I drink hot coffee black, I like my iced coffee slightly sweetened and lightened). Then I fill the rest of the cup with the cold coffee from my bottle. The bottle will make three of these. I make sure the lid is screwed on tight and shake it up really well, then sip and slurp away!

4. On the weekend, I replace the office-provided sugar and half-and-half with my own skim milk and brown sugar simple syrup, but the rest of the process is the same.

Is this as good as PW's recipe? Not quite. However, it takes no time, no supplies I don't already have, and it's pretty darn tasty.

Long live the lazy and caffeine addicted!

Note: The photo above is my current iced coffee, in my cube, taken by my iPhone. Much like my cooking, my photography is not exactly in Pioneer Woman's league. We all do what we can.

Disclaimer: If you aren't at all interested in BlogHer or my conference plans, go ahead and skip this post.

You had to know it was coming--this is my first in a series of pre-BlogHer conference posts. See, it's coming up next week, and I am EXCITED. I love the annual BlogHer conference so much. This year has shaped up to be an extremely expensive one for me (cross-country plane tickets are not cheap right now, and neither are hotels), but it's absolutely worth it. However, since I am spending so much, I have promised myself to absolutely make the most of the conference this year. There is an increasingly popular sentiment from BlogHer old timers towards going to the conference but not attending much, if any, of the programming. I understand this sentiment and have ever subscribed to it in the past, but this year, I really want to "get my money's worth" and take in as much as possible.

That means an itinerary. I am not married to this plan, but it's what I'm thinking right now.

Thursday: Pathfinder Day
Pathfinder Day is something new this year--a full-day small group session the day before the official conference starts. I'm going to be attending the session with Ree Drummond and Kathryn Finney, "My Blog as Media Company." I'm honestly not sure why I picked this one, since What If No One's Watching? is far from media company status, but I'm sure I'll learn a lot. The session blurb is:

How to monetize and widely distribute your content, building an ever-larger media footprint. Spend the morning talking strategy, and how to organize yourself to achieve scale. Spend the afternoon exploring whether achieving that master plan is your dream come true.

On Thursday night, I plan to hit the Expo Hall and the People's Party, followed by the Queerosphere get together.

Friday: Day 1
On Friday, I will hit breakfast, but skip speed-dating, as it gives me hives. Then I'll start on sessions:
Session 1: I'm going to start out on the Minding Your Own Business track with the
"Bad Blogger Pitches (The Other Side of the PR-Blogger Relationship" session. As I'm interested in building my reputation and possibilities as a product reviewer, this seems like a really good place for me to start.
Session 2/Session 3: After lunch, I'll hit my second session. I think I'm actually going to go for the double full-afternoon option, in the The Write Brain track, "Essential Blog Content Development Workshop." I've been chomping at the bit for more writing-centered sessions at BlogHer since I first started attending, and I am psyched to see this programming this year and can't wait to take advantage of it.

On Friday night, I want to take in at least some of the Voices of the Year Community Keynote, and then I'll be getting my party on. I'm not sure which parties I'll be attending--depends largely on what my friends want to do. I'm a big fan of Sparklecorn, though, so I'll likely spend some time there, and I'm intrigued by the Open Mic idea, so I want to check that out.

Saturday: Day 2
I'll do breakfast again on Saturday, then hit some more sessions:
Session 1: I haven't decided on my session for this slot yet. I'm intrigued by two options. First, I'd like to check out the Minding Your Own Business track session, "
Your Blog Can Make You a Social Media Marketer," but I'm also interested in the sponsored session, "The Path to Healthy Financial Balance," since that's sort of one of my issues right now. I'll have to wait and see how I'm feeling about it then.

I may or may not take in the lunch keynote, and I think I'll skip the first afternoon session and see what other trouble I can get into at that time. I do want to be back for the last session, though, as Karen Walrond has a session on "Owning Your Beauty: If We Change the Conversation, Can We Change the Culture?" on the Change the World track.

After that, I'll either attend the closing keynote (I am curious about what kind of speaker Ricki Lake is) or take another break, and then I'll see what the night holds with parties.

Wow. Now I'm REALLY excited.

Are you going to be there? What are you doing? Is my schedule missing something awesome? Leave me a comment or get in touch with me--I'd love to hang out!

Extreme close-ups of my face are not my favorite photographs. It's not that I don't think I have a nice face--I'm pretty much good with it--it's just that it feels invasive, seeing a photograph of what you peer at most closely in the mirror. It feels like someone is looking at you far too hard. I also don't like photos of myself without my glasses--I feel naked and not-me.

So why publish the picture above, which I just snapped with my iPhone? Because I've been talking a lot lately with a number of folks about truth in blogging, about the creation of a persona, and about how much this blogger or that blogger really is who she seems to be. And I want to make a point here--there is no What If No One's Watching persona. This blog has grown from my online journal to something a bit (only a bit...) more structured, with more focus, but it's still just me here. If something I write doesn't ring true, if it seems like it's here because I was paid to do it, or because I am trying to drive up traffic, or because I think it would be good for my "brand," then we've got a problem.That allergy-eyed slightly hook-nosed mug above? That's me. That's all you here here at WINOW.

Have a good weekend.

The other day, my email contained this gem:

Based on my purchase of a book of essays about women and body image, Amazon suggests I buy a book entitled, "Got Milf?: The Modern Mom's Guide to Feeling Fabulous, Looking Great, and Rocking A Minivan." The connection they are making, I guess, is one about body positiveness, but they kinda missed the mark.

So I missed Thrift Share Monday yesterday. I have a good excuse, though. I was in New Jersey, attending the funeral mass for Mark's grandmother. She was an incredible woman who had a wonderful, full life and died at 96. This post isn't about her, though--though I was blessed to have known her, she's not my story to tell.

This day-late post is about her house and the treasures within.

I've heard stories about this house for years. It's a connected duplex, with two discrete halves connected on both the first and second floors by hallways, with a shared basement and attic. Though I've never seen a set up quite like it, apparently it wasn't all that uncommon back in the day. For many years (from the late 1940s or early 1950s, I believe), the house was occupied on one side by Mark's grandmother, her husband, and her four children (one of whom is Mark's mother) and on the other by Mark's great aunt (his grandmother's sister) and her husband. Through all that time, there have been almost no changes to the house or its contents. Mark's aunt, who is a bit older than his mom (maybe about 70?) told me she remembered the house being re-sided when she was a little girl, and a roof being put on when she was a young adult. The washing machine and dryer in the basement, as well as the boiler, were replaced in the 80s. Other than that, everything is pretty much the same.

Which is to say, it's pretty much my idea of heaven. Mark knew it would be, and prepared me, but I still ran around exclaiming over everything I saw in a way that was probably not quite polite, given the occasion. There wasn't a piece or two of nice mid-century (and older) furniture--there were rooms full. Every totchke, every glass or cup in the kitchen, every square of wall paper--it was all perfectly, resplendently, old. There was almost nothing there I wouldn't have picked up and considered buying in a thrift store.

But there were two highlights.

First, Mark and his dad took me down to the basement to show me where Mark and his brother and their cousins had spent so much time as children. It was a basement--work bench, laundry, etc. Except that every thing on the work bench, every can of varnish or paint, had a pristine mid-century label. As I was oohing and awing over them, I almost missed the chairs.

The room was more or less lined with perfectly lovely mid-century lounge chairs. Several wooden framed ones with cushions, and two absolutely perfect turquoise naugahyde ones. I gasped, ran over to them, and began to pet them lovingly while Mark and his dad laughed at me.

Then, later, Mark took me up to show me the "kids' bedrooms" in the attic. On an exposed shelf, I noticed a row of pristine vintage hat boxes. When I mentioned them to Mark, he grabbed one and looked inside.

They were full of perfect condition vintage hats, circa 1930s-1960s. There were probably six hats, wrapped in tissue paper, in each of the four or five boxes. Church hats. Party hats. Feathered headbands. Mark's great-aunt was a jazz singer. She kept costume hats. And they are all in perfect shape.

I so nearly cried. Just touching this amazing collection was a privilege. Being able to see these things in their native environment, before they are separated and given away, or sold, or (please God no) thrown away? An unbelievable joy.

This, my friends, is why I thrift. To be able to see these things that have lived such long lives, and occasionally to bring them home with me. But seeing them like this, as they were used in the lives of people I know, is so much more amazing. I am so honored to have been invited to take a peek.

Apron Thrift Girl has done it again! In conjunction with Amy from The Thrifty Chicks, she is starting a new project: Trade Me Up. Here's the scoop:

Here's how Trade Me Up works. It's like many of the other sharing opportunities here. If you'd like to take part, find something that you'd like to trade whether it's goods or a service. Write a blog post about the item with a photo. Also write out your wishlist of items that you'd absolutely love. Think big. Think crazy big.

Come back to ATG and add your link to your blog post where your Trade Me Up item is posted. For those taking part in Trade Me Up make sure to spread the word to your friends, acquaintances and blog readers. Anyone can offer you something. Share on Facebook, Pinterest & Twitter. Tell friends in your area what you are participating in and see if they'd like to trade.

I am so in.

Here's what I currently have available for trade:

A vintage cookbook from Maine, 1967:

Three Ben Steibel for Mikasa Duplex plates:

13 Jackson Custom China Paul McCobb Falls Creek pattern saucers

Three Franciscan plates

A 1950s West Bend bean pot

Small Winfield China Oats pattern platter

Steubenville Pottery Co. Fairlane pattern small platter

Nelson Lebo salad plate

6 Homer Laughlin/Syracuse dessert bowls

1950s Royal Stetson Royal Maytime china--1 dessert bowl, 3 bread plates

Yogurt maker (don't think it has ever been used)

Anybody interested in any of that?

Things I'd like:
1. A guest posting spot on a high traffic blog, or a high-profile blogger to guest post here on WINOW.
2. Catherineholm pieces of any kind.
3. Mexican pottery in the same style as my little owl.
4. Vintage wooden animal carvings.
5. Someone to sew for me.

I've been giving a lot of thought lately to where I want to go with What If No One's Watching? in the near future. The more I blog about clothes, makeup, decor, shopping, etc., the more feedback and audience I seem to be drawing. When I asked you all what you wanted me to blog about, the great majority of you picked topics in that realm. This really surprises me. I've always tried to temper my posts about these things with other topics, because I thought too many of them might be boring for you all, but that really doesn't seem to be the case.

So...I'm thinking I'll roll with the changing focus that seems to be moving of its own volition at this point. I like to blog about clothes, makeup, thrifting, decor items, etc. Those subjects may not be "serious," but they make me happy. And if you like to read about them, then what would be better?

I'm not saying WINOW is now a beauty/fashion blog exclusively. I still just don't have it in me to be a single-subject blogger, regardless of expert advice. But I am going to start focusing a little more on the general category of "style." I considered starting a new blog for this endeavor (I even bought a domain for it), but in reality I don't see myself contributing regularly to two personal blogs, so I think it makes more sense to just let this one morph.

So, what can you expect to see here?

1. I am extremely happy with how the first post in the Dress You Up series turned out, and plan to do a lot more of those. If you would like to be a subject, PLEASE email me at gracemitchellwriting@gmail.com.

2. I am also really enjoying doing the Super Style Icon series, and have come to a reasonable solution as far as picture use, so I'm going to continue doing those posts.

3. I plan to continue posting along with Thrift Share Monday, as I really dig that community and it's always fun to show off my thrifted finds.

4. I am hoping to increase the product reviews and giveaways I do here, even if I end up having to fund some of them myself. I do seem to be slowing breaking into this space, though, so look for more of that content in the coming months.

5. Though it may not fit neatly in with the other categories I enjoy discussing, I intend to keep talking about money and finances here, because I think it's important and good for me. Like broccoli.

Other than that, I'm pretty flexible. I want to write about things that interest me, but I also want to write about things that interest you--especially things that move you to comment and join the conversation! I've noticed a huge uptick in comments with my 30for30 posts--does that indicate you'd like to see daily outfits posts more regularly? It's a complete time suck, so I'm not sure I can commit to doing it every day, but I could do it on a more regular basis if folks are interested. I also plan to keep working off the suggestion list I got with the Lush contest entries, which should keep me busy for a bit!

So here's what I'm asking you to do--help me build my audience. If you read and enjoy this blog, recommend it to someone! You can do it easily online (via Twitter or Facebook or a shout-out on your own blog), or even just mention it to a friend. I want this community to grow and I'm very happy that we seem to slowly be doing just that. There have recently been a number of comments from new folks here, and that makes me just about as happy as I can be. Let's keep up the momentum!

Y'all! I did something rad today! I achieved a goal! I got a post syndicated on BlogHer! Please please please go over to my post on navigating the unemployment system and show me some love?

This bit of good news reminds me of something I was going to share with y'all anyway. I'm trying to get people to read my blog. I mean, I've always liked it when people read my blog, but lately, I really want a bigger and more involved audience, so I'm taking steps to try to make that happen. It's nothing Earth-shattering--I'm doing more contests, posting more regularly, becoming more involved in other blogs I like (which I am really enjoying for its own sake), and using Facebook and Twitter to promote myself--but it seems to be slowly working. I took a look at my Google Analytics today and learned that while my visits are actually down about 4% over the past month, time spent on the site is up over 40%! People are hanging out longer! My Feedburner tells me that I have 116 subscribers, up from an average of 71 since it was installed. These are not huge numbers by any means, but they're a good start. And if you are one of the new folks, welcome! I hope you'll stick around.

There are, however, pieces of blog optimization advice I am just not willing to take. The biggest one I am ignoring is the advice to blog on only one topic. While I understand the reasons to do this, I just...don't wanna. I participate in a single subject blog (Heroine Content), and while I very much enjoy that, it's really limiting. As someone who started blogging completely for herself and who still does it first to please herself, that doesn't work for me. If pushed, I say my blog does have a single primary subject--me. As my interests wax and wane, so do my blog topics. It may not garner me as much traffic as another approach would, but it keeps me interested in writing, which I think is more important.

There are other canards that I haven't yet gotten into, but I am considering. I'd love to trade guest posts with someone, for example. I'm looking around for more blog carnival type activity to get involved in. And I'm working on legal ways to incorporate more pictures that weren't taken by my point and shoot on a timer. Most of all, though, I am really trying to listen to you all. If you want to see something here, I'm going to try to do it. So let me know if there's something you think I'm missing that would improve the quality of WINOW--I live to serve!

One of the suggestions for new post topics I got for my Lush giveaway was as follows:

how you allocate your time! It seems like you're someone who has a lot of "systems" (tracking what you've read and watched, for example) and I wonder how you keep track of all of them, what sort of records you keep on a daily basis, and just generally what your days look like.

This cracked me up. I am definitely someone who has a lot of systems. Many of my systems don't work, or get used, but I love attempting them. And a few of them stick along the way. Still, I have a lot more theoretical record keeping than I do real life record keeping. Though I strive towards being an organized and systematic person, in reality, I'm just not.

My life has undergone a lot of changes recently, particularly in terms of time management. As I've mentioned, I transitioned in January from part-time work-from-home status to full-time work-at-an-office status. That was really only part of the transition, though. I am also still doing two part-time freelance work-from-home jobs, as well as spending more and more time each week on outside writing projects. Things are busy in my world. And all this busyness is requiring a few changes to my "systems" and a little more coordination. Which is a work in progress.

At present, my days/weeks look vaguely like this:

Weekdays
7:45: Get out of bed.
7:45-8:30: Teeth brushing, makeup, get dressed, make coffee, feed animals, take, upload, and edit pictures for 30for30, if possible, write 30for30 post
8:30-8:50: Drive to work.
9-5: Work (I generally eat lunch at my desk and don't leave the premises during the day)
5-5:30: Drive to the gym, change clothes
5:30-6:45: Workout
6:45-7: Drive home
7-10: Play with the dog, eat dinner (possibly make dinner), work on freelance jobs, read blogs, blog, read
10-11:30: Watch TV with Mark (currently The X-Files), no computers allowed!
11:30-11:45: Shower
11:45: Go to sleep.

Now, I only go the gym 2 days in a row, then I take one off. So I always have 1-2 non-gym weekdays. On those days, the 7-10 time frame activities just start earlier. And Mark and I don't watch TV together every night, either (though we do most nights)--sometimes the 7-10 activities go right up to bedtime.

On weekends, the schedule is a lot less rigid. I always go to the gym at least one weekend day, and usually spend about 1.5 hours there. Sometimes I go both days. We spend many weekend hours watching football (soccer). I quite often go thrifting on one weekend day, which can take 4-6 hours easily. We tend to cook more elaborate meals on weekends. We do nearly all of our household chores (laundry, any type of real cleaning, etc.) on weekends. We take the dog for long walks on weekends. And we try to go to the movies at least once every few weeks. Recently, I've also been needing to spend at least a good chunk of one weekend day working on freelance work or writing.

In all honesty, life is busier right now than I'd like it to be. I'm weeks behind on the TV shows I like to watch without Mark (Bones and American Idol). I never have as much time as I'd like to write. I'm barely reading (usually just for a few minutes before bed). I have a constant running list of things I want to get done and I never see the bottom. It's hard to complain too much about it, though--I'm too happy to be employed, and I get too much enjoyment from the time consuming hobbies (like blogging!) that take up so much of my time.

As far as my systems go, the ones I really use take up hardly any time at all. Whenever I finish a book or a movie, I take a quick minute and log it on GoodReads or AllConsuming (I have iPhone apps for both, but I am usually close to my laptop). I log my workouts using FitLinxx, which is provided at my gym. I use an Outlook calendar for my day job and a Google calendar to keep track of everything else (deadlines for freelance jobs, birthdays, when the dog needs his flea medication, everything). I've attempted various housekeeping systems and calendars, but failed spectacularly at all of them, and recently realized that I'm just not all that concerned about the cleanliness of my house. I automate whatever I can (bill paying, prescription ordering). And I am trying, more and more, to cut things that are neither profitable nor enjoyable out of my life altogether.

This is actually a subject that I'm really interested in reading more about--does anybody have any links to good blogs or posts about scheduling and time management?

OK, when I asked y'all to enter my Lush giveaway, it was with a question about what type of content you enjoy/would like to see more of here and WINOW. These were the results:

-food (how you are doing with your resolution to cook more now that you have your new job, and how you handle meal planning and grocery shopping)
-Big Lots posts and TJ Maxx/Marshalls, more stores where you can buy "unexpected" gifty thing
-caring for multiple pets when both owners work
-recommendations for your favorite blogs
-how you allocate your time! It seems like you're someone who has a lot of "systems" (tracking what you've read and watched, for example) and I wonder how you keep track of all of them, what sort of records you keep on a daily basis, and just generally what your days look like.
-shopping
-more fashion stuff and makeup recommendations. Maybe some awesome low end versions of high end cosmetics?
-books/feminism/women's issues.
-how to use accessories with outfits, maybe some cool hair accessories
-more plus sized clothes, thrifting or not, the best for certain body types etc.
-more about your thrifting
-instructions about the home industry you have (had?) with beauty products
-product or company comparisons
-individual LUSH products and how to use them and ur faves
-books
-making outfits
-makeup
-magazines
-accessorizing
-tips for business and biz casual for the bigger woman
-posts exploring different worthy causes.
-work wardrobes
-music recommendations
-how you keep up with your blogging
-favorite products
-more food type of posts
-pre-work routine
-makeup recommendations

What a great list! These are ALL things I can post about in the near future. If anybody has anything to add, please do. I love suggestions.

This month's Living Out Loud question:

Tell us something you've always wanted to learn. If you could go back to school, money and time not-withstanding, what would you choose? Is there something you'd love to master but haven't figured out the logistics of who will show you? Do you think you'll make time to learn these things soon or is it something you're saving for "when you retire"?

I don't know why, but I had a hard time coming up with a response to this question. I guess it's because I feel like there were no less than 100,000 things I could have chosen? There are many, many things I'd like to learn, were time and money not deciding factors.

I've always wanted to be "expert" at something. To have some thing, no matter how small or arbitrary, about which I know more than anybody else. To be the top of some tiny field. I think this is a fairly common desire, but very few of us actually achieve it. There's always somebody ahead of you. In all honesty, this desire to be the expert of experts on some tiny subject is one of the reasons I've always wanted to get a Ph.D. Arcane though the subject matter may be, a Ph.D. dissertation is a claim to the ultimate expert knowledge in whatever its topic. Writing a book would serve a similar purpose, I guess.

I wonder, though, if that desire is really about mastery as much as about recognition. Do I really want to be an expert, or do I want to be regarded as one?

Anyway, returning to the original question--were time and money not an object, here is a very partial lists of things I'd like to learn:

-meditation
-sewing
-flying an airplane
-animal grooming
-knitting
-any second (and third, and so on) language
-fencing
-kickboxing
-successfully opening and operating a business
-cutting hair
-perfect waterline eyeliner application
-recognizing valuable objects in thrift stores
-drawing
-playing the guitar (or better yet, the banjo)
-sailing
-skiing
-tending roses

In reality, I don't see myself learning any of those things anytime soon. They are just not my priorities. Most of them would likely frustrate me in that special way things that don't come naturally have always frustrated me. In the spirit of positivity, though, I'm going to end this post with a list of things I *can* do--maybe if one of them is on someone else's list, I can be a better teacher than I am a student?

I can:
-drive a manual transmission
-make a fantastic pie crust
-sniff out the useful, if not the valuable, in a thrift store
-type over 80 wpm
-cut 100, or 1,000, or 10,000, words out of a document
-cry on command
-touch my nose with my tongue

Any takers?

So this is being published later than I'd intended. I seem to be getting ahead of myself and ending up behind myself lately. Sorry about that. Still, in case you haven't already selected a Valentine's Day gift for the man in your life (or, you know, decided not to do so), here are some Etsy finds that I liked:

ISHAOR handmade leather belt, $66

I love small, daily luxuries. Men often wear the same belt most days. What better than a handmade belt upgrade?

Tomatomade Sterling Silver Custom Map Cufflinks, $38

Cufflinks are hardly a new suggestion, but I love the romantic nature of this custom map pair--any location that holds significance for you and your boy could be represented.

Moon Beam Hand Knits Men's Chunky Cable Beanie, $35

We have an issue at my house recently, whereby Mark steals my hats. I think it would be better if he had his own. I love this chunky beanie for it's simplicity and manliness, as well as the 70% wool 30% alpaca yarn--that ought to be nice and soft for his head!

Orange Fuzz Deluxe Eco Friendly Shaving Kit with Beer Shaving Soap, $47

This is not the first time I've shared my love for shaving sets. I think they're a great dude gift. I'm particularly fond of this one because it's packaged so cleverly in a vintage wooden cigar box.

Dorothy Domingo Sea Mist Cups, Set of 2, $40

We are very serious about our weekend coffee in my house. And we have at least a dozen mugs for it. But we don't have perfect, make-you-happy-every-time-you-see-them hand-thrown pottery mugs. Wouldn't they be a nice addition?

Jam Jam Tees Russian Bear T-shirt, $14.99

Maybe it's the dormant grunge girl in me, but I love a man in a graphic tee. This Russian Bear one is awesome--cheeky and graphically elegant!

These suggestions really just scratch the surface. Depending on what your particular model of man is like, there are a million other ideas available on Etsy or in other handmade markets. Go forth and buy handmade for Valentine's Day!

Here's something you may not know about me: I love honey. The stuff itself is pretty good, but honey scented products of all kinds are really the way to my heart. Something about that sweet, fresh scent makes me think it's spring and all is happy. So, since it's something like 12 degrees here today, I thought maybe I'd share some honey love with you all. Some of my favorite honey things:

Lush Honey I Washed the Kids soap, $7.95/3.5oz

My love for honey bath products began with this soap from Lush. A friend recommended it to me, and I was in love at first whiff. Lush describes the scent as honey infused with bergamot and sweet orange, and it's simply the perfect honey scent--sweet, not cloying, and so warm and sunny and smooth. I also love the layer of beeswax on each bar. Honey I Washed the Kids is my all-time, hands-down favorite soap.

L'Occitane Honey and Lemon Lip Gloss, $12/.8oz

Honey lip gloss is great in theory--smells great, tastes great, moisturizes well--but sometimes it can be sticky and cloying. This L'Occitaine gloss is the exact opposite--the mix of light honey and citrus makes it smell and taste great, without being a Lip Smacker, and it doesn't go on goopy at all. It's spendy, but it's worth it.

'
Burt's Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Honey Body Lotion, $10/8.6oz

I avoid most Burt's Bees products, as many of them contain lanolin, to which I am allergic. This fantastically (though strongly) scented lotion, however, gets its moisturizing properties from sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, and beeswax--no lanolin needed! It's a very light formulation--almost runny--so it's not hearty enough to stand up to my winter dry skin, but it's great in the summer. It is also really affordable, usually $10 or less for a bottle. The bummer? The buzz is that this stuff is being discontinued. I need to stockpile a few bottles if that's really the case.

Violette Market Vintage Beekeeper perfume, $15
In my searches, I've found two really great honey perfumes. The first is Violette Market's Vintage Beekeeper. The scent is described as "Honey absolute, golden resins, clove bud, cinnamon bark, creamed vanilla accord, and weathered wooden hive." It's perfect. The clove and cinnamon undertones keep it from being too sweet, and the vanilla is very subtle. I can't smell the wooden hive in specifically, but there is definitely a note that keeps the whole scent grounded. I've been using it for more than a year and I adore it.

The Poison Apple Apothecary Queen Bee perfume oil, $13/5ml

Poison Apple Apothecary's Queen Bee is my other favorite honey perfume. It's a less complex scent, more straight-up honey, and it layers better with other scents. I'm not sure I like it quite so much as the Vintage Beekeeper, but I do wear it often.

Haunt Batik Skin Glossing Oil, $12/4oz

Sometimes, I just don't feel like messing with lotion. On those days, I turn to body oils, and my favorite is Haunt's Skin Glossing Oil in Batik. Batik is described as "smoky beeswax & resin darkened honey," and that's exactly what it smells like. The smell a bit smoky and a bit stronger than I'd usually choose, but I like it a lot on occasion, especially before bed.A little goes a long way, so the 4 oz bottle for $12 is actually a pretty good value, too.

http://www.lushusa.com/shop/products/bath-shower/shower-gels/its-raining-men

I'd be remiss in ending this post without telling you about the new honey product that has me thinking about my honey love in the first place. I went to Lush the other day and immediately fell in love with the limited edition It's Raining Men shower gel. The gel is formulated with actual honey, for cleansing and moisturizing, then the scent is supplemented with the same yummy formulation as the Honey I Washed the Kids soap. This stuff is fantastic, and I'm very tempted to buy a case before they discontinue it after Valentine's Day.

Do you have any honey-scented favorites? Tell me in the comments--I'm always interested in trying something new!

As I've mentioned a couple of times, I got (another) new job. I'm really really excited about it. I start on Tuesday, and it's in a professional environment at a big national company. It will be very different than what I've been doing for the past eighteen months (i.e. working from my couch), and pretty different from what I did before that (work at a state agency, a university, etc.). This job will be, for better or worse, my entry into "corporate."

For the past two weeks, I've been lining up my ducks like only a semi-neurotic can. I have been to the dentist, the eye doctor, the gynecologist, the dermatologist. I have purchased new glasses, new tires, new shoes. I have made lists upon lists upon lists. And now, as my final unemployed weekend begins, I find myself putting together my job emergency kit, to take with me on my first day and stash in my brand new cube.

Everybody's job emergency kit is going to be a bit different, I'd think, and just like peeking into someone else's purse, peeking into someone else's emergency kit should be fun. So here's what I've got ready to go in mine:

Caldrea Hand Balm (Mine is actually from the Caldrea Target line, in the Olive Oil scent. I love that stuff, and it is on clearance right now for $2.99/tube.)

Listerine Zero No-Alcohol Mouthwash (A small bottled picked up for $2.50 at Big Lots.)

Orange Tic Tacs (Like Paulie Bleeker, I'm obsessed with them. They taste like Tang! I got a 4 pack at Target for I think around $3.50)

Shout Wipes (A little pack of four of them was around a buck in the travel sized section at Target.)

o.b. Tampons (Exciting contraband, I know! I only have one box left, and it's coming to work!)

Degree Ultra Clear in Pure Satin (Again, Big Lots--$1.50, I think.)

Tweezerman Slant Tweezers (TJ Maxx or Marshall's, I'm sure--I always have an extra tweezers or three around. I think they're usually $5 or so.)

Tarte Natural Lip Stain Pencil in Enchanted ($24 at Ulta)

Cover Girl LashBlast Length Mascara in black (I got a two-pack for around $5 in the Target clearance section. Not what I'd usually use, but no way I am letting expensive mascara dry out at work.)

NARS The Multiple in South Beach (from a past Birchbox)

Hue Tights in Black (purchased, I'm sure, in a two-pack from Marshall's or TJ Maxx for $9.99)

There are a few more things I know I need to add: dental floss, a hair brush and hairbands, and drugs (Midol, Advil, etc.). But other than that, I feel like I'm covered. What do you think? What's missing? What's in your work emergency kit?

Back on track this month with Genie's Living Out Loud, #24: Total Recall. Here's the question:

I'm curious what moments in your life are vivid. What are your personal snapshots where you could describe the scene down to everyone's wardrobe and the song on the radio? Was there a particular scent in the air? Was it hot or cold? When it was happening did you think it would be a moment you'd never forget or did your sharp memory surprise you? Do you generally trust your memory?

I don't have a particularly good memory, at least not for my own life. I'm excellent at remember song lyrics. I can remember the phone numbers of all of my high school friends. But that's where it ends. My autobiographical memory is pretty sketchy.

That said, there are snapshots. Little pieces of memory that come through clearly. Mostly, I remember clearly how I was using my senses, more than remembering the scenery. And I almost always remember the smell. I walked through a department store men's section once recently and smelled the cologne my first high school boyfriend wore. That took my directly back to that time, in a really sensory way. I could suddenly remember how this black bodysuit (remember those?) with a waffle pattern I wore at that time felt against my skin. I could remember the exact taste of Big Red chewing gum. I could remember the cool smoothness of the beads on a necklace he gave me. But that was it. No actual events. No conversations.

Another example, and the one that hits me most often, is the smell of wet rubber industrial flooring, like is found sometimes in the stairwells of office buildings. That smell puts me in the stairway of my dorm my first year at Reed, every time. I don't remember doing anything particular there, I don't remember conversations, or even the stress and insomnia I know I was feeling at the time. I remember the ways my other senses were being abused, though. I can taste clove cigarettes in my mouth when I smell that wet rubber smell. I can feel the way my stiff BDU pants hung on my bony hips. I sometimes instinctively shake my head when I this memory hits me, fully expecting droplets of rain water to spray out all around my hair.

Not all of these sense memory snapshots are pleasant. I was sick a lot as a kid, and had pneumonia several times. Every time I get sick in any way that constricts my breathing, I go right back to that time. Unfortunately, I don't remember the warmth of my blankets or the taste of hot soup--I remember the constriction of my chest, the fear of not being able to breathe before I had a good vocabulary to share that fear. I remember the incredible ache in my bones. The smell of Vicks Vapor Rub is suddenly in my nose, and it's all I can do not to gag.

I really wish I had more clear memories. It's part of the reason I am crazy about taking a lot of pictures of things--I'd like my memories to be a bit less fractured. And they fade so quickly. To remember Leo, to see his face in my mind, I have to concentrate. I can remember the roughness of his fur under my fingers very clearly, and can even come up with his not-very-pleasant odor pretty quickly, but to actually remember how he looked, or any specifics about what he did, I already have to try. The visual memories I have--of him or anything, really--are almost all like still pictures, not like movies. I think some people are really lucky to remember things more clearly.

I have been reading a ton of money saving and frugality blogs lately. In part, this is due to my plans to cut back spending drastically in order to meet hefty savings goals in 2011, and in part it's because I have this fascination-horror thing with extreme frugality that keeps me coming back for more even when I don't want to. Still, I had these blogs in mind when I headed over to Big Lots today. I generally go about once a month, just to see what is there and to restock the things I know I can get more cheaply there. Last time I went, I posted about it. I was awfully proud of my discounts that time, and I *think* I may have done even better today, so I thought, in the spirit of the frugal bloggers, I'd tell you about my trip again.

Today's haul included:
-1 box Kashi trail mix granola bars, $2 (regular price $3.89-$4.69)
-4 boxes Annie's Mac N Cheese, $1.20 each (regular price $1.99-$2.99)
-4 tubes Tom's of Maine toothpaste, $2.50 each (regular price $3.74-$5.34)
-3 cans organic Del Monte diced tomatoes, $.80 each (regular price $1.69 each)
-3 bottles Green Shield organic cleaner (bathroom, kitchen, and all-purpose), $2.50 each (regular price $3.95)
-1 package 38 Hefty UltraFlex 13 gallon trash bags, $6 (regular price $6.99)
-1 50 square foot roll Reynold's recycled aluminum foil, $2 (regular price $4.10-$4.99)
-3 15 ct tins Zhena Gypsy Teas Superberry Pink Tea, $2 each (regular price $4.90-$9.99)
-1 32 oz bag Aunt Jemina yellow cornmeal, $.80 (regular price $1.98)
-3 packages 4-count Fuji AA batteries, $1.70 each with $1 each rebate (regular price $3)
-2 packages 4-count Fuji AAA batteries, $1.70 each with $1 each rebate (regular price $3)
-1 3 pack Scotch Brite scrub sponges, $3 (regular price $3.99)
-1 2 pack Mr. Clean latex gloves, $1.20 (regular price $2.70)
-1 4 pack Bridgeport glue sticks, $1 (regular price $1.99 for similar)

I know what a true frugalista would say looking at this list--most of it I didn't need to buy at all! Granola bars and mac and cheese are convenience foods, I can make my own vinegar-based cleaning products, and I ought to be saving aluminum foil and trash bags. And I hear that, I really do. But the reality of my life is that some level of convenience is required. Besides, lots of things on this list are necessities--canned tomatoes and cornmeal are both whole foods, and I'm not about to go toothpaste free!

My favorite find today, though, was the batteries. Like many people, I'm sure, we go through a ton of batteries--remote controls, Wii controllers, electric toothbrushes, and on and on. And yes, these are modern, non-frugal luxuries, but since we have them and use them, it's better to get cheaper batteries than more expensive ones, right? After the rebates, the batteries I bought today were $.70 for each package of four. You can't beat that!

The other thing that impressed me was the tea. I'm going to be trying to cut back on my coffee consumption in the next few months, and I am hoping to meet some of my hot beverage needs with green tea. The problem is, I don't like unadulterated green tea, I think it tastes like dirt. My fingers are crossed that these teas, with their berry flavorings, will go down a bit easier.

There you have it. Me, moonlighting as a frugality blogger! How'd I do?

Silly magazine cover courtesy of BigHugeLabs.
I've recently re-discovered my love of magazines. I've long been a magazine lover. My subscriptions to Sassy and Rolling Stone were lifelines when was a preteen and teenager in Elkton. I even wrote my senior thesis at Reed about Ms. magazine. In the years immediately post-college, I remember working the "free trial" system to get months of free issues, then canceling as soon as I started getting charged for them. I'd read anything I could get for free--Maxim, Catholic Digest, Runner's World, it didn't matter--and if I couldn't stomach reading it, it was always good collage material. It was at that same time that I discovered the magazine recycling bins at the public library, where you can get old issues of all kinds of weird things for free.

In recent years, I've been flush enough to actually pay for my subscriptions, and happy to do so, as the magazine, like the newspaper, is threatened by online competition. Mark, too, is a lover of magazines, and visiting his family has shown me that he came from a magazine loving people as well. So, I decided to share with you a history of our lives in lists of magazine.

Magazines that were around my house when I was growing up
Time
Reader's Digest (I still miss the Word Power feature)
Sports Illustrated
Ladies Home Journal
Field & Stream
National Geographic (my grandmother used to read this to my infant brother)

Magazines that were around Mark's house growing up
Sunset
Proceedings
Better Homes & Gardens
The New Yorker
The Economist
Newsweek

Things haven't changed that much--I'm pretty sure I saw all those titles at Mark's parents house this visit, along with Vanity Fair, Wired, and at least two floral design titles. My folks still get all the old favorites as well (besides maybe SI, they may have let that lapse), and have added a couple more outdoorsy titles and Every Day with Rachael Ray.

As for Mark and I, we run a magazine heavy household as well. It started with a flurry of more indie titles, most of which aren't even around anymore (anybody remember Nervy Girl?). Slowly, we've built up an arsenal of favorites, and a list of titles we've tried that just don't work for us. As I'm doing annual re-subscriptions, I'll share our lists.

Stuff we have previously subscribe to but don't anymore
The Economist
Travel + Leisure
Gourmet (RIP)
Cooks Illustrated
The Atlantic (formerly Monthly)
Food & Wine
Real Simple
Mother Jones

Stuff we get now
Bitch
Bust
The New Yorker
This Old House
Ready Made
The Bark
Martha Stewart Living

Stuff we're going to try or re-try this year
Real Simple
Make
National Wildlife
Portland Monthly (that oughta make me nice and homesick)
Anthology (I'm really excited about this one)

Finally, a list of titles I've loved and lost (because they don't make them anymore)
Blueprint
Budget Living
Domino
Sassy
No Depression
ID
Craft

So tell me--what do you read religiously? Pick up on occasion? Miss ferociously? Let's hear it for magazines

I'm absolutely of the belief that Christmas isn't all about presents, and that it is too commercial, and giving presents is far more my focus than getting them. All that being said, who doesn't love to open a gift? I got some great things this year, so I thought I'd share my favorites. Please, feel free to share yours in the comments.

I've been wanting a Broken Plate Pendant for years--they've seriously been on my wish list since early 2007. This year, my mom got me one for Christmas! The workmanship is fantastic--just as great in person as on the site. I can't wait to wear it.

My other fantastic Mom present is wine from home--it hasn't arrived yet, but will be shipped early next week. My aunt works at the Brandborg Vineyard & Winery, so I'm sure at least some of the bottles will be from their collection. I'm hoping for some Bradley Vineyards and River's Edge Winery selections as well.

From Mark's parents, I got the state bird and flower print set from Dutch Door Press I cooed over last month: Oregon, Texas, and Virginia. I can't wait to get them framed and hung.

From my Mark himself, I got a bunch of fantastic stuff. One of my very favorite things was the set of Bambud Bamboo Earphones in my stocking. They are a cute, eco-friendly twist on something I really desperately needed and just hadn't gotten around to buying for myself. I love gifts that are things you use often--they remind you of the giver every time you use them.

My other favorite present from Mark is also an eco-friendly, gorgeous take on something needed--the Ironwood Gourmet Acacia Wood Pizza Peel. I've been complaining about not having a peel, but never would have bought such a nice one. I'm hoping I can find a place to display it so it won't have to hide in a cupboard.

As for Mark, my mom was the big winner when it came to his gifts. She got him an autographed copy of Mark Bitterman's Salted: A Manifesto on the World's Most Essential Mineral and a Salt Starter Set from Bitterman's gourmet shop, The Meadow. It's hard to out-foodie Mark, but he was impressed. Good job, Mom!

My favorite of the gifts I gave was the one I came up with for Mark's dad. Mark's dad is a fairly recently retired guy of intense intelligence and curiosity, and he has recently (last year or two) become very interested in 16th century history. A month or so ago, I came up with the concept of a "course in a box" for him. I grabbed the syllabus from for a really interesting sounding course on how the Inquisitions played out in different parts of Europe, bought all the books for it (used, of course), and gave him Reed in a Box. He was amused, and had only already read one of the ten books, so I consider it a success.

All in all, we had a lovely holiday on the gift giving and getting fronts. Hope you did, too!

It's time for the last hurrah of the ultimate season of consumption, the post-Christmas sales! Since I seem to lately be trying to refashion myself a blogger of all things buy-able, I'd be remiss not to point you towards a few of my favorites. Since I have absolutely no plans to draw my butt out of the warm, comfy, and well-stocked house through the snow tomorrow to do ANYTHING, they're all of the online variety:

Boden Winter Sale: Oh how I love Boden. Right now, they've got a whole passel of things on sale up to 50% off. Things seem to stay on sale for a while there, so there probably isn't a hurry that way, but sizes do sell out rather quickly. I'm a particular fan of their dresses, and I've got my eye on the Chelsea dress, though it's still expensive at $84 (marked down from $128), and the extremely cute Holland Park dress, which is marked down from $138 to a much more reasonable. $55.

Philosophy Year End Sale: Philosophy calls their year end sale "spectacular," and I think that might be an overstatement, but lots of things are 40% off, and most of the gift sets and holiday-esque stuff are marked down. The awesome flavored lip glosses are $6, rather than $10--I hear great things about the Peppermint Bark flavor.

Sephora Sale: The checkout code EXTRA gets you an extra 20% off all of the already on-sale merchandise at Sephora, which is worth checking out. My picks are the Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Lip set, marked down from $40 to $30, so $24 with the code; the Benefit Femme Metale kit, marked down from $38 to $28, so $22.40 with the code; and the Tarina Tarantino Magic Hour Cream Shadow, marked down to $9.50 from $19.50, so $7.60 with the code.

Bath & Body Works Hello, Yellow! Sale: I'm not a huge fan of Bath & Body Works myself, but I know I have some readers that are, so I have to mention they've got stuff up to 75% off right now. Classic lotions are $3 each (regularly $9.50). There are also big markdowns on gift sets and products that are being discontinued.

Ann Taylor Semi-Annual Sale: Ann Taylor has had stuff on sale constantly for the past two months, but this may be the best one yet. There are a ton of things marked down, and you get 40% off your entire order with code SAVE40. I am intrigued by the Ponte Slim Leg Pants, which started out at $98, are on sale for $59.99, and will be $36 with the coupon code. I'm also loving the One-Shoulder Cascade Dress, originally $228, on sale for $149.99, and down to $90 with the code.

Ann Taylor Loft: The deal here is pretty much the same as Ann Taylor--lots of stuff marked down, and an additional 50% off anything that isn't new merchandise with the code SALE50. My favorite thing is the Metallic Croc Pencil Skirt--originally $79, on sale for $39.99, $20 with the coupon code.

Garnet Hill Annual Winter Sale & Clearance: I've noticed really strange things about sales at Garnet Hill in the past, and this one is no different. Certain items are just oddly cheap. The ones that stand out to me right now are gorgeous Christmas items: I love this set of knit sweater ornaments (down to $9 from $28), and the super-cute Hable Christmas stockings are half price ($24 from $48).

There is, obviously, a ton of other stuff on sale all over the place. However, were I to be shopping today (which I am not, I swear...), there are some sales with which I'd start my search. Happy hunting.

Mid-day update:

There were, of course, some great sales I forgot when I wrote this. Since telling you all about them seems to help me to stop pushing the "buy" button, I'm doing an update.

The Body Shop Mother of All Sales: The Body Shop has been running huge sales throughout the holidays, and they've got another one now. Body butters are $10, there is 3/$10 makeup (I love the Shimmer Cubes Palettes), and there are tons of gift sets on sale up to 60% off.

Lush Holiday BOGO Sale: Lush doesn't have real sales that often, so it's worth jumping on when they do. Right now, all their Christmas stuff is buy one, get one free. Doing that even one better, all the year round pre-wrapped gift sets are also BOGO! It's a while supplies last situation (lots of things are already out of stock), and the max is 10 freebies per order. The website is alternating between being unbelievably slow and completely down, though, so attempting an order may be a frustrating experience!

Banana Republic: Through today, BR has an additional 25% off their already reduced items with code BRSALE25. Always in need of work clothes, I'd think of ordering the Martin Fit Winter Wool Trouser in black (regular $110, on sale for $93.99, reduced to $70.49) and the French Cuff Shirt (regular $59.99, on sale for $39.99, reduced to $29.99). If you happen to be a size 6 (the only size left in stock), I also really love the silk pintuck v-neck tunic (regularly $69.50, on sale for $34.99, reduced to $26.25).

Here's something you may not already know about me: I LOVE Christmas cards. My very favorite thing about this time of year, more than the food or the shopping or anything, is going through the mail every day to see who we have cards from. I love hearing from people I don't talk to often, and I especially love it if they send pictures or, the holy grail, a form letter describing their year. Seriously. I realize a lot of people think these things are stupid, but I adore them.

And I do them. Every year. In droves. This year, I sent out 75 cards. I've received 17.

Yeah. I'm more into it that most people, I guess. Still, I'm sure there are lots of you out there whose addresses I don't have. So I wanted to "send" you a card as well, here on the blog. If I had your real life location and could put it in the mail, this is what you would have received:

It would be accompanied my version of the form letter I love so much. This year, it reads:

December 12, 2010

Hello Family and Friends,

Isn't it hard to believe we're already at the end of 2010? It's actually been a pretty stable year for us here in NoVA--no moves, no new pets, and (more or less) no new jobs! We're still living in Herndon, still enjoying our three cats (Atticus, Esme, and Illy) and our wonderful dog (Ata), and Mark is still doing rewarding work for long hours at HHMI Janelia Farm. Grace is finishing her telecommuting project for JET Software Solutions, so she's started looking for a local full-time job. The search has been pretty good--lots of possibilities and quite a few interviews--but nothing has quite worked out yet. Keep your fingers crossed! In the meantime, Grace is keeping busy with a few freelance jobs and a lot of holiday baking!

Our big event of 2010 was the trip we took to London in October. We lucked out and had wonderful weather while we were there, and we spent eight days enjoying it! We saw most of the major sites: the Tower of London, the London Eye, Kensington Palace, and more markets and museums than you can count. We also ate extremely well, with stops at gastro pubs, Indian restaurants, Turkish restaurants, and teahouses. We stayed at the Zetter Hotel in Islington and would absolutely recommend it to anybody considering a London trip.

We visited Oregon twice this year (once for Christmas 2009 and once over the summer, to attend Grace's cousin Jessie's wedding), as well as making a trip to visit Mark's parents in Minnesota in July. In Oregon, we enjoyed tons of local wine and coffee and were able to drift the Umpqua River (Mark's first time doing that!). In Minnesota, we spent two lovely days sailing (Grace's first time doing that!). Though it's difficult to live so far from our families, we're very happy we get to visit them often. Mark's parents have also visited us here in Virginia, most recently at Thanksgiving, which was a wonderful time and a great meal.

We continue to be absolutely enamored with our lineup of pets, though we still miss Leo. Adding a second dog to the mix has been under consideration for months, but the right one has not yet come along. Still, we'd be very surprised if you were to receive a 2011 Christmas letter that doesn't mention a new addition.

This year, we'll be spending Christmas in Minnesota with Mark's parents, brother, and sister-in-law. We're looking forward to the occasion, which, if history is an indication, will be marked with fantastic food, lots of cookies, and freezing temperatures! We hope this letter finds all of you safe, happy, and warm. Our best wishes go out to you for 2011.

Love,

Mark, Grace, Ata, Atticus, Esme, & Illy

Remember when I went to London and drooled over everything fabric at Liberty? Remember how high I said the prices were? Well, today I found a little piece of heaven. At my local Marshall's and TJ Maxx stores, of all places, they are selling Liberty fabric patterned note card sets and journals!

What is the madness of which I speak? The Liberty Art Fabric Stationery Collection! In its entirety, the collection consists of note card sets, journals, address books, and notebooks. My stores had just the cards and journals, but there were four varieties of each (with four more varieties within each box of note cards). My online searches haven't come up with anywhere else in the US these can be purchased--they are available at Amazon UK, though, for sale prices between 5.99 and 7.99 pounds (on sale!). In dollars, that's $9.32 to 12.43. At TJ Maxx and Marshall's, I scooped up the journals for $4.99 each and the note cards for $5.99 per box (and yes, before you ask, I did buy one of each). The quality is excellent--beautiful prints, and the journal covers and outside of the note card box are the actual fabric. These would have easily fit in at the actual Liberty store--they'd just have cost 3-5 times as much.

In keeping with the British theme, Marshall's and TJ Maxx have also been carrying a few things by Cath Kidston. So far, I've only seen her Dream Home Journal ($5.99 instead of $13.57) and a few small accessories, but I'm holding out hope for aprons and tea towels.

It's not just the Liberty and Cath Kidston stuff that has me going back to Marshall's and TJ Maxx once a week these days, though. I'm finding at least two or three great finds on every trip. Another thing I was delighted to see recently and greedily scooped up in duplicate were gorgeous soap sets by Fringe Studio. The sets I got, which are two very large bars of soap packaged in a great vintage floral-esque tin, were $7.99 each and I'm pretty sure they must be last year's design, because I can't find them online anywhere. They're gorgeous, though, and the scents--Rose Cassis, Grapefruit, and a Orange Currant--are fantastic. I don't think Fringe Studio makes anything that isn't lovely. If you want to pay full price for it, you find it at places like Anthropologie.

Another thing I scored at TJ Maxx/Marshall's recently (I use the two interchangeably because I can never remember what I got where, and they tend to have very very similar stock, at least here) was trouser socks. I am partial to the Chinese Laundry variety, as they come in fun patterns, fit my feet, and hold up pretty well. A six-pack of them (two pairs black, two pairs gray, two pairs purple!) was $8.99. Retail? Well, they're $26.45 at Shoebuy!

Finally, I have to give a shout to Tuesday Morning, a store I don't frequent as often as Marshall's or TJ Maxx, but which impresses me on occasion. Today, I found a whole bunch of hand-dyed wool Andes yarn on the shelves there, for $5 a skein. Beats $11.25!

This discount store round up may need to become a regular feature here, as great as the stuff I'm finding recently is. Remember, everything at these stores is limited time only, so if you're after anything I've mentioned, better look for it now!

As promised, I wanted to share a few kids gifts ideas from the wonderful world of Etsy. I am not buying for many kids this year, but if I were, these are things I'd consider:

Pick Three Babushka Russian Matryoshka Cloth Dolls, $42

I absolutely love the Babushka dolls made by Tadpole Creations. They are SO adorable, and there are tons to choose from. I think they'd be great for babies up to older kids, and the ideal would be to pick three, because everything's cuter in a set! The dolls are 8" high x 3.5 " wide x 1.5" deep and machine washable, and individual dolls are $14 each.

Custom Fancie Heroes and Villains, $40

I love everything Fancie Fannie's makes so much, it took me forever to figure out what to highlight. These little hand-painted wooden dolls are pretty much the cutest thing I've ever seen, and the store features everything from Harry Potter characters to Star Trek's line-up to custom sets. Prices seem to be about $5/doll, so sets run from $15-$45 or so, depending on the number of dolls included. A perfect low-tech answer to some high-tech kiddie loves, I think.

Modern Christmas Lounge Set, $42

There a lot of people on Etsy selling baby clothes. One of my personal favorites, though, is Mountain Aven Baby. The clothes aren't cheap, but they are truly beautiful. The lounge set above is only one offering. Other favorites are a reversible holiday dress ($42) and all manner of appliqued tees and onesies. Definitely special occasion, picture-day type clothes, but I always feel better about giving my money to a small business than to Gymboree, don't you?

Fun Felt Foods Sushi Deluxe Tray, $30

Felt food is another thing you can find 1,000 versions of on Etsy, but c'mon, is anything cuter than this felt deluxe sushi set? For those who don't want to push raw fish on the kids in their lives, Sam McLean designs makes plenty of other felt food, too. But I like the sushi.

5X7 eco friendly nature themed alphabet wall cards, $32

One of the many reasons my hypothetical child will likely have an intense dislike for me one day is my insistence on decorating with the alphabet. I LOVE kids' alphabet cards of various types. These ones, from Art and Philanthropy, are both lovely and on sale for 20% off. It gets better, though. Art and Philanthropy has sets in Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese, Hebrew, German, and Swedish. It's honestly all I can do not to buy the vintage French farm animals set for myself.

Boy's personalized magnetic dress up doll, $30

So I'm not alone in thinking paper dolls are the coolest thing ever, right? Sandy Ford Design makes personalized paper dolls, based on photographs of the recipient. Neat, right? For $20, she'll do a PDF of the doll and five outfits, which you can print out on any paper you want (including magnetic paper for magnetic dolls), or for $30-$35, she'll print and trim the magnetic doll and outfits for you. She does adults, too. I'll admit it. I want one.

The Elephant Hat, $22

Tell me these fleece hats with animals on them aren't the cutest thing ever? They are made by Katie Segel at My Kids Lids, and she's also got birds, cats, dogs, crabs, monkeys, frogs, and various monster varieties. I'm no expert, but they totally look like something that adults would think was super cute but kids would also find fun.

Mr. Ethanol, $25

Oh yeah. Crocheted molecules! They're cotton, they're scientific, and they're adorable. Sold by Prime and Plush, there are several varieties available for Geek, Jr. Another of my favorite is ice, which is water with a scarf on.

Loose Vegan Mineral Eyeshadows, 5 mini jars for $13.50

Etsy can deliver presents for the older kids as well as the babies. For a newly makeup experimenting teen, how about a sample set of vegan mineral eyeshadows from Shiro Cosmetics? At $13.50 for your choice of five 1 gram shadows, that's not much more expensive that Wet N' Wild, and a whole lot better for your kid's eyes. Plus the color palette is awesome, with names like Wobbuffet and Moosh, and they come packaged in a nice organza bag. Stocking stuffer, anyone?

Wooden Hedgehogs and Mushrooms, $25

Finally, I have to recommend the beautiful wooden toys made by Imagination Kids. The little set of hedgehogs and mushrooms I have here is too cute to pass up, and there are tons of other toys hand-crafted from "sustainably harvested wood, AP Certified non-toxic paint, and our homemade natural wood polish made from beeswax, jojoba oil, and essential oils." Check out the amazing advent calendars, too!

It can eat up hours (which I'll admit I enjoy more than I should), but I really believe if you browse Etsy for long enough, you'll find something for everybody on your list (and probably several things for yourself). For the uninitiated, hopefully this gives you a place to start.

I was happy to see a total of 70 entries for my Chubby Girl Cheesecake giveaway! So, I put numbers 1-70 into random.org and I got...

Our winner is our very last commenter, number 70!

I want a vanilla bean!!!

Posted by Liane | November 25, 2010 12:06 AM

Thanks for playing, everyone!

In honor of the American Express Company's Small Business Saturday (which I didn't get asked to promote like some of my favorite bloggers did, but I'll give a shout out to anyway), I thought now might be a good time to introduce you to the Etsy shops I currently have my eye on. I'm not including gifts for babies or little kids in this post, because they're a whole separate Etsy animal, to my mind. These are just things I would like or I think would make great gifts for the adults on your list.

Cash Budget Pouches, $35

I have no desire to to actually do cash based budgeting, but I love the fabric cash envelopes at Beauty that Moves. They can be customized with any labels you'd like, or left without labels, so I'm sure they could be used for something else as well. There's free shipping right now, and the fabric choices are awesome.

Oregon (from Blooms and Birds of the 50 States), $15

Dutch Door Press makes the most amazingly cool letterpressed art, including my favorite set, the "Birds and Blooms of the 50 States." The Oregon (above), Virginia, and Texas prints are all on my Christmas list, and they're a very reasonable $15 each, or $40 for a set of three.

Super Bike Party screen printed glasses, $31 for 4

Aren't these screen printed glasses from Vital Industries the cutest thing? I'm a total sucker for pint glasses in general, and I love the clean-yet-quirky look of these.

Coffee lover flour sack tea towels, 2 for $20

I love tea towels. LOVE. They're one of those great gifts are both useful and fun.These illustrated ones from Girls Can Tell, showing all the parts of four different types of coffee makers, are so perfect. And for those who prefer a different hot drink? The tea version!

Personalized cosmetic bag, $22.99

JuJu Baju bills itself as "best bridesmaids gifts ever," and it may well be, but I can tell you they make ADORABLE custom bags. My favorite are the cosmetic bags, which can be personalized with the recipient's name.

Atomic Apron half apron, $25

Those who remember my Happy Housewife project know I love aprons. Right now, my favorite ones are made by Atomic Aprons. The $25 half aprons are just lovely--I love every single fabric they are offered in. I think there's someone on my list getting one!

Original insect framed paper cuts, $80 each

Paper cuts are just so cool, and these ones of insects, in their old-school oval frames, are awesome. They're made by Tina Tarnoff, who also translates her work into great pendants and cards.

Custom tea dresses in vintage fabric, $130

I love vintage dresses, especially the ethereal 50s kind. But they so rarely come in my size. The answer? Clearly custom made vintage-esque dresses, like these beautiful ones from Sohomode. I'm not the marrying kind, as you know, but I have to admit, the idea of a herd of bridesmaids in these (like so?). Makes me consider it for a minute.

Magnetic sea salt kit, $35

Another thing I am always a chump for it things that come in sets or kits. Just seeing several of something together makes me want to buy it. That said, the herb, spice, and tea kits sold by Cook Outside the Box would make incredibly good gifts for a foodie. There is everything available from an "everything" spice kit with 24 spices (for $84) to small "make a meal" spice kits with recipes (from $14). The packaging is perfect, too, with the spices individually sealed in little glass topped magnetic containers. I just love these.

Darwin Origin of Species Butterfly Art, $97.17

I probably wouldn't buy art for a present for someone I didn't know well, but were I going to, I'd definitely consider the pieces at Terrordome's Extractionarium. They are so lovely--cut paper pieces, mostly butterflies, made from maps and classic books. As a bonus, they're sold already framed, so you don't have to deal with that hassle.

Unlucky - Gyotaku Fish Rubbing - Limited Edition Print, $55

Another Etsy artist with whom I am completed enamored is Fred Fisher. Fisher's prints are made using the traditional Japanese Gyotaku fish rubbing process, in which paint is applied to a fish and then cloth or handmade paper is pressed into the surface to create the print. Fisher's pieces are gorgeous, and at $45-$85, really reasonably priced for original art.

10 Wrapped Samples Vegan Cold Processed Soap, $17

There are a ton of soap makers on Etsy, and I can't really recommend one over another. However, I love ">Prunella's packaging, and I think a set of ten little baby soaps in one's choice of scents for $17 is a great deal. Prunella has a ton of scents available, too--all EOs and natural scents, no perfumes. If you prefer full-sized bars, she's got any five bars for $24, or single 5-5.5 oz bars for $5.50 each.

Unisex dino print underwear, $20

As a kid, I hated getting underwear as a gift, but c'mon, who wouldn't be stoked to receive a handmade, recycled fabric pair of unders from Sheso Designs? Both unisex and women's styles are available in a variety of mostly colorful retro type fabrics, most for $20/pair.

The Color Study II Locket, $54

I love lockets, and these color study ones by Verabel are amazing. Verabel has tons of other vintage lockets as well, both with and without embellishments, from $24-$78.

Manly Shave Gift Set with Clove Beer Soap, $30

I'm often told that men are much harder than women when it comes to buying gifts, and I think it's often true, maybe even more so when you're trying to keep your gifts handmade. A shaving set is a wonderful solution. There are a few for sale on Etsy, but I think my favorite is this one by Dirty Deeds Soaps. For $30, it includes a ceramic bug, a beer shaving soap, a badger hair shaving brush, and a set of instructions for an old fashioned shave. It's put together really nicely and I think it would make a wonderful present.

Dorothy - silk, cotton and barkcloth yo-yo necklace, $21

Everybody is wearing a statement necklace these days, and I still haven't found one I love enough to commit to. If I do find one, though, I think it's probably going to be at cookoorikoo. Her amazing handsewn yoyo necklaces? On sale for $21 right now, in tons of great fabrics. Maybe I can justify an early Christmas gift for myself?

Pacific Northwest Seed Bombs, $7

These I'm getting for stocking stuffers for sure--they're just too cute not to. Visualingual makes tons of different types of these little bags of "bombs," including herbs and regional wildflowers. They bombs are seeds mixed with red clay and worm casings, so that all you have to do it throw them on the ground and they'll germinate and grow all on their own. The packaging they're in is super cute as well--screenprinted linen sacks that could be easily reused.

Lot of 25 vintage hankies, $22.99

Honestly, I don't know who I could get vintage hankies for as a gift, but I couldn't not tell you about Nathaniel's shop. Aren't vintage hankerchiefs amazing? And in lots, with themes, for great prices? If you've got a vintage lover on your list, it would be worth considering.

Journal starting kit #24, $14.59

I think these journal starting kits by Rebecca Horwood would be amazing gifts for teens. For about $15, the kits include a plain basic Moleskine journal 20+ pieces of original ephemera, 4 pieces of craft paper, and instructions/hints on how to start making your own original art journal.

Modern Animal Clock--Elephant, $68

Finally, I have to show you the amazing wooden animal clocks made by Decoy Lab. The elephant is my favorite, but there is also an owl, a squirrel, and a hedgehog. The clocks are made of maple veneer or bamboo and are so amazingly cute I could have one in every room.

That's probably a good start! Got any favorites of your own? Please share in the comments!

We have a winner! A package of London souvenirs will be going out to commenter #12, Kerri!

I'm hoping my best vacation ever is this coming weekend when we visit my parents. It is as close as we come to vacation, and it should be beautiful in NC with the leaves changing.

Posted by Kerri | October 19, 2010 7:49 AM

Congratulations, Kerri!

Much as I would have loved for it to be otherwise, it was simply not realistic for me to bring gifts back from London for all my friends and readers. So, I decided on the next best thing--a London souvenir giveaway! This is a non-sponsored giveaway--all the things in my prize package are bits and bobs I picked up while in London. As it's stuff I picked out, it's the kind of thing I'd love to get when someone comes back from a trip--think exotic candy and foreign fashion magazines. Nothing super touristy, and nothing super spendy, just a few little things to make you feel like you were there with us.

To enter, leave me a comment telling me about the best vacation you've ever been on, or the place you'd most like to go. Same contest rules as usual--extra entries are available for Tweeting or Facebooking the contest, or turning a new reader on to my site. I'll draw the winner in a week. Good luck!

We're safely home. Wonderful trip-I can't even pick a best part. The photos don't do it justice, but I thought I'd share a few anyway.

Heather at the Columbia Street Flower Market:

Sign seen from the bus:

St. Paul's Cathedral:

Latte served with a tiny ice cream cone at Fortnam & Mason:

Houses of Parliment and Big Ben:

High tea at The Orangery:

Enjoying our last night with some room service:

This is it--our last night in London. Mark and I are both so exhausted we've barely got our eyes open. It's been a truly fantastic trip, though, topped off today by a visit to the Enchanted Palace at Kensington Palace and high tea at the Orangery on Kensington grounds.

I'm not particularly interested in the monarchy, or in royalty in general, but the mix of creepy fairy tale and bizarre art of the exhibition was just perfect for me. I loved every minute of it, and definitely found myself curious about the stories to which the displays were--sometimes directly, sometimes not--referring.

Yesterday, knowing we were running out of time, we put the vacation pedal to the metal and hit the British Museum, Burrough Market, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and Notting Hill. It was exhausting, but well worth it--the V&A is fantastic and we had great pizza in Notting Hill.

Photo via Enchanted Palace website.

I didn't check in yesterday, because I spent the last few minutes of my evening, which I had previously reserved for blogging, trying to figure out how to alleviate the discomfort caused by a gigantic blister just at the base of my second toe. Before my next major trip, I need to learn to embrace sneakers as a legitimate fashion choice. Really.

Hard to believe, but our trip is already wrapping up--only two more days here! We've seen so much already, I shouldn't complain. Still, there are so many things we haven't prioritized or that haven't worked out, I know I'm going to go home feeling like a second visit here is in order.

To catch you up, we started yesterday with a visit to the London Eye, which I loved. What's there not to like about a huge Ferris wheel? It was clear out and the view truly was spectacular. After the Eye we walked around the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey, and watched a pick-up football game played by uniformed schoolboys, for maximum Englishness. We had a pub lunch (steak and ale pie and mash for me) and then walked through Hyde Park and attempted to go the Kensington Palace, but were there too late, so just saw the sunken garden instead. Then we headed to Liberty. Wow. There were very few things in the store that I could justify buying at those prices (though I didn't leave completely empty-handed), but it was incredible. I see now what Anthropologie is trying (and mostly failing) to do. The fabric room was one of the more amazing things I've seen recently. It was breathtaking for me, a non-sewer, so I can't even imagine what it would do to my needle-inclined readers. We ended the day with an Indian meal near our hotel.

Today we headed to the Tower of London. As far as tourist attractions go, it's exceptional. The prisoner's graffiti alone is worth the price of admission, though I suspect most people are more interested in the crown jewels (turns out they're shiny). I also enjoyed the displays on torture and execution. Guess I'm just gothic that way. After the Tower we went to the little market at Whitecross Street for a street food lunch (I had some so-so pad thai and an excellent custard tart). Mark and our traveling companion friends were ready for a rest then, so they headed back to the hotel and I hopped a bus to Oxford Circus to check out Primark and Top Shop--couldn't help but get the goods on the clothes I inevitably choose from Polyvore. It was really crowded, and most everything was well outside my size range, but it was still a good time and I did grab a few new makeup products and a great Wonder Woman t-shirt. We got dinner at a nuevo English restaurant near the hotel, which turned out to be a mistake.

Oh, and I stopped at a shop for more Jaffa Cakes and flavored Kit Kat bars. Can't forget that!

Today, I saw this. And I nearly wept.

Then I saw this, and I really did weep.

Then I saw about 50,000 pictures of Jesus.

I already knew I liked Jaffa Cakes. I'd tried them before.

However, I was not prepared for the Jaffa Cake Bar.

It's a Jaffa Cake, in bar form. More cake, layer of orange, dark chocolate.

And I'm going to need an extra suitcase to get my stash home.

Also: Today we went to the Tate Modern, ate Turkish food, went to Fortnam & Mason, and had fantastic French tapas. And I still didn't get any tights.

I spent a good deal of time today sitting on the top deck of a double-decker bus, stopped in traffic/construction, observing the fashion of the people on the street below. So, here's what they're wearing in London:

• A ton of women's oxford type shoes.


• Ditzy floral mini dresses


• Tights (which I still have not obtained).


• High-waist pants and shorts, with almost corset-like buttoning.


• Scarves. These seem to be required by law.


• Skinny jeans for men.

I expected to see more women in high boots and skinny jeans--there are some, but I think there are more at home than here. Here, the trend is definitely oxford style shoes, and skimmer flats. The scarf thing is ubiquitous. And the men aren't wearing as many of those weird slicked forward hairstyles as I expected.

Also? Things are closed on Sundays here. Like, everything. But that's the only complaint I really have. I kinda love it here.

Thoughts on London so far:

• The trash in London smells markedly different than the trash in New York.


• Hotels that let you check in way early when you've just come off a red-eye are a wonderful thing.


• Malaysian food seems to be something like Thai meets Chinese, and is good, but greasy and meat-heavy.


• Relatedly, Ipoh white coffee is the most amazing thing ever.


• I could very easily spend the entire week walking around, listening to people talk, and looking at old buildings.


• I brought three pairs of tights, and they are all too short. 90% of my planned outfits revolved around these tights.


• Gilchrist & Soames BeeKind products are lovely.


• Jet lag is real, and red eyes are brutal.

Tomorrow, we're going to:

• Columbia Road Flower Market


• Brick Lane


• The London Eye


• Long Tall Sally

My goal for tomorrow is to actually take my camera with me when we leave the hotel, so hopefully I'll some pictures to show you then! Well, that's my second goal. My first is to buy tights that make it all the way to my crotch. Wish me luck!

Thanks to Mary at Unmitigated, I now know about this. The Sketchbook Project. My friends, it's a little piece of brilliance.

The deal is:

Each artist is sent the same blank Moleskine sketchbook. We've only got two rules: first, the book must be used in some way - no sending us back an empty book or a completely different book! Second, the sketchbook must stay within its original dimensions (because we don't want to have to provide an extra suitcase just for your book while we're touring the country).

Each book will be given a barcode so we can easily catalog it into The Brooklyn Art Library system. Once we catalog it, artists will be able to track where on the tour their book is viewed and how many times someone pulled it from the shelf - we want to make sure you can stay connected with your sketchbook!

You pay $25, they send you a Moleskin. You use it for any creative thing you want and send it back. Then, the whole collection does a US tour, then is housed permanently at the Booklyn Art Library.

Tell me that isn't the coolest thing ever? Public art journaling! I'm so in, and I think you should be, too.

Get on it, if you're interested. There are limited books available, and registration is only open until 10/31.

Yesterday, Hillary asked for a picture of the contents of her readers' bags. It is her early birthday wish! Who am I to deny a woman a birthday wish?

This is the contents of my bag. It's pretty typical, except that my keys and cell phone are not pictured (because they only go in the bag when I'm headed out).

The bag itself is from Rose City Totes and was purchased at the Saturday Market in Portland. My friend Skye had one at BlogHer and I loved it so much I ran right out to get my own on my next Portland trip. It's the perfect size and shape and zips closed. I'd love a few more, especially since the print I picked, though really cute, isn't terrible in keeping with a lot of my clothes.

The little bag with the stenciled owl on it was a gift from an online friend, and it houses my traveling pharmacy--Epi pen, inhaler, migraine pills, allergy pills, Tylenol, etc.

The pink pouch with the hedgehogs on it is from The Dainty Squid, and I can't recommend it highly enough. So cute, great prices, has held up great (I've been using mine for over two years). It serves as my wallet and currently contains no cash and the following plastic: two debit cards (personal account and joint account); bank-issued Visa; Discover card; $100 Visa gift card I was given as a birthday gift; library card; driver's license complete with terrible picture; Sephora Beauty Insider card; Costco card; very old gift card from Best Buy; insurance card; coupon for a pair of free jeans in-store only at the Gap (who do not carry my size in store); and Unique (my thrift store) frequent shopper card (25% off on Thursdays!).

The tampons are self-explanatory.

The purple and white case houses a pair of oversized tortoiseshell sunglasses from Zenni Optical, where I buy glasses like candy. The case itself is old and I think from Target.

The black square with the rubbed off logo is the compact Sephora gives you when you buy a gift card. I bought a GC as a gift for someone and kept the mirror. I'm a selfish ass like that.

The square with the water aviator girl on it is my business card case, from Uncommon Goods. It was a birthday gift from Mark last year. It holds my professional grant writer business cards and some cards I collected from clients on my last business trip. They don't seem to have this design anymore, but they do still have the other card case I have, this one (which I use for personal cards).

The package of baby wipes are a thrifter's staple--I always have something similar in my bag, since hand washing facilities are not always available. I used to use hand sanitizer, but I really hate the way it smells and feels--baby wipes are gentler, and at least they get the visible scum off my digits. My very favorite things to carry, though, which I have but don't seem to have in my bag right now, are these individually packages wipes from Giovanni. They are expensive as heck when I see them at Target, but I've seen them in T.J. Maxx/Marshall's quite a bit recently and have been stockpiling them.

Next to the baby wipes are the inevitable pile of receipts and coupons that find their way to the bottom of my bag. In this collection I believe there is a Caribou Coffee receipt/coupon, a McDonald's receipt, and a receipt from a Turkish restaurant in Fredericksburg. Above that is the stack of change that meanders to the same place, right now just three quarters.

At the very top is a small black moleksin that contains my thrifting list, a pen, and a tube of Stila Pearl Shimmer Gloss.

Whew! I didn't think I carried much until I started typing it out! And Hillary is right, this is fascinating. I'm definitely going to be peeking in on her other birthday wish granters!

This month, Genie's Living Out Loud challenge was just too tempting to pass up.

Tell us some of your rules. Maybe it's how the toilet paper goes on the roll. Maybe it's something about finding the perfect mate. Maybe it's some lesson that involves hiring J. Walter Weatherman to teach your children a lesson about leaving notes. It could be one really important rule or a list of guidelines for living. But the best part is they're your rules.

Rules, y'all. I have a few. However, the real rule master at my house is Mark. Mark has tons of rules. In particular, Mark has Food Rules. Important Food Rules. Food Rules that he frowns deeply upon being broken. And, as they are a lot more amusing, and a lot easier for me to poke fun at, that my own rules, I'm going to share those with you instead.

Mark's Food Rules

1. Cheese and seafood shall never, ever, ever mix. No exceptions.


2. It doesn't matter how similar pie and cake are to pastry, the former two are desserts and the last is breakfast food.


3. Bacon may be eaten at any time of the day or night.


4. Tea and coffee are to be consumed altered to tooth-aching sweetness.


5. If it costs less than $1, it is not food.


6. There are cookies and there are biscuits. Biscuits are for tea-time, with tea, cookies are for before bed, with milk.


7. Convenience foods Mark enjoys (Chips Ahoy, pretzels, Snickers bars) are fine. Convenience foods that Grace enjoys (snack cakes of all kinds, Doritos, McDonalds) are disgusting.


8. Never eat anywhere with a drive thru.


9. Unaltered fruit is suspect. To alleviate suspicion, it must be macerated, poached, or at least sauced in some way.


10. Never eat anything that has been touched by a pickle. Pickles are from Satan.


11. There is a difference between a pickle and a cornichon.


12. There is absolutely no reason to make a simple version of anything if you have access to za'tar.

I am in beautiful rural Oregon, at my parents' house. With the exception of one-probably brief-conference call tomorrow, I have no work obligations. I have no real social obligations. I could, probably, turn off my computer now and not have any pressing reason to turn it back on for the rest of the week.

This is the time I've been desperately needing to unwind. I've been traveling and working two jobs for months and I'm a tense, paranoid, ball of stress. I'm not eating right, exercising, or sleeping well. I'm irritable, panicky, and burst into tears easily. Life isn't bad--it's just busier than I can apparently handle.

And yet, I'm not unwound. I have the constant feeling that I should be doing something and I'm not. I'm still not sleeping well or eating right. My stomach is giving me a lot of problems. Last night, I had mystery hives. I'm worried all the time that there is someone I should be seeing, some obligation I haven't met.

My hope is that a couple more days of enforced down time (and less online time, which I've been pretty good about since we got here on Friday) will mediate whatever switch in my head is stuck on overdrive. By the time I head home, I really want to feel centered and competent again. This place, I know, is pure peace. I just have to figure out how to let it in.

Go over to the review blog and see if you won!

Though I thought the pictures looked pretty, I never really got the appeal of having someone paint words on your body and take photographs of it. I've seen a few people do it on their blogs (like here), but never had any desire to try it myself.

So, tonight, when I saw that Karen Walrond (yeah, I know, I'm her fangirl) was painting words on folks' bodies at a BlogHer art event, I didn't think a whole lot of it. Cool, not interested. But after a bit, walking around and seeing people and reading what they had chosen, I decided to give it a try. Karen wasn't doing the writing anymore, but another lovely woman (whose name I so sadly did not get) was. I thought of a word, got painted.

And felt fucking great for the rest of the evening. There's something to this.

So I'm sitting here at BlogHer '10, and I am in serious awe.

This is not sarcasm. I'm not starting a post in which I am going to go on to complain about sexist t-shirts or mommy hegemony bad wi-fi or anything else. I'm honest-to-God floored.

This is my third BlogHer conference. Th first one, in 2007, had, I think, a few hundred attendees. The second one, last year, had more, but I'm not sure how many more. This year, there are 2,400 people, 95% of whom have to be women. 2,400 women, who write and take photos and talk and advertise and who are heard, all here together. As I sat at breakfast this morning and listened to BlogHer founders Lisa Stone, Elisa Camahort Page, and Jory Des Jardins speak about the state of the blogosphere, it hit me. These three women built this. Starting from what I understand was very, very little in 2005, they made this. And no matter how uncomfortable I am around this many people, no matter how much I prefer small groups and all of that crap, I am in so impressed with them, so in awe of them, and so fucking grateful to them for doing it.

I can't promise I won't log some complaints later, but really, there is nothing that could happen here to lessen how impressed I am. I've met all three of the BlogHer founders, though none of them for more than a second, and I've never had the chance to tell any of them how much I appreciate the impact they've made. This will have to do. Lisa, Elisa, and Jory--thanks.

I can't resist--I'm a sucker for completion (except for with that whole cleaning my house thing). These are the contents of my toiletries and makeup bags:

From top left: Downy Wrinkle Release spray, Arbonne Intelligence Self-Adjusting shampoo and conditioner, Tom's of Maine Crystal Confidence deodorant in Citrus-Zest, Giovanni Cleanse body wash in Grapefruit Sky, Clinique liquid facial soap, Scope Outlast mouthwash, custom Diablo Canyon perfume blend from Violette Market, rosemary mint body scrub from Flutterby Beauty, Tide To-Go Instant Stain Remover pen, Neutrogena acne spot treatment pen, Crest Extra White Plus Scope Outlast toothpaste , Target brand toothbrush, Yes to Carrots Deliciously Rich body butter, Clinique Youth Surge SPF 15 Age Decelerating moisturizer.

Most of these are not actually things I use at home. I use all of these types of products, but not these specific brands. However, I have some sort of constitutional issue with decanting my regular products into little plastic bottles to travel, so I have a collection of travel sized products that I raid for trips. These come from three places: free samples that come with Sephora orders, bags of unopened goodies I buy at thrift stores (both the Arbonne and the Clinique stuff I'm bringing on this trip were procured that way), or Target (the natural-ish beauty stuff section has great miniatures--the Yes to Carrots and Giovanni stuff comes from there). I actually like using different-than-usual stuff when I travel, based on what I can find in travel size, as it occasionally introduces me to something I really like and start using at home.

As a travel-by-bus bonus for this trip, I tossed all this stuff in my large makeup bag, rather than having fit it in a Ziploc. Yay!

On the cosmetic side, I'm bringing:

From top left: Blinc Kiss Me mascara in Black, Per-fekt Skin Perfection Gel in Luminous, Lorac Perfectly Lit Oil-Free Luminizing Powder in Luminous, Benefit Georgia powder, powder brush, blush brush, angled eyeliner brush, eye shadow brush, tweezers, Tarte LipSurgence Natural Matte Lip Stain in Hope, Buxom lip gloss in Brandi, Buxom lip gloss in Krystal, Smashbox Limitless Long Wear Lip Gloss in Forever, Nars blush in Orgasm, Benefit Lemon Aid eye concealer/primer, Sephora eye shadow duo #8, Stila eye shadow in Kitten, Benefit Boi-ing concealer in Light, Stila Smudge Pots eyeliner/shadow in Black, and Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner in Stiletto.

This is complete day and night makeup for me, with a few lip color options because I'm fickle that way. Unlike toiletries, I don't have separate travel makeup--the are my regular products. The Per-fekt gel, Tarte lip stain, and Stila Smudge Pot are all new and I'm looking forward to trying them out.

And now you've got the whole picture--everything I'm bringing to BlogHer. Well, aside from the electronics that will be in my shoulder bag: MacBook Pro, iPhone, Canon Powershot digital camera.

Now, the more interesting question--what will I be bringing home?

I've been reading quite a few blog posts recently about packing. Partially, it's a search for decent tips, since I've been traveling so much, and partially it's a side effect of reading a lot of clothing/fashion blogs. I'm fascinated by how fashionable people pack. My favorite posts, I think, have been from Maggie Mason, who has a series called "Packing Light" that I've really enjoyed. Maggie and I have pretty different styles, but I freaking love the way she puts things together.

So, since I've been enjoying looking in on other people's packing (and, of course, reading the blog posts popping up every day about what to wear at BlogHer), I decided to have a go at telling you all my current packing routine. If I can swing it, I'll take pictures of my outfits while I'm gone and show you what I actually wore out of what I packed.

The trip is thusly: BlogHer, in New York, from Thursday-Sunday, plus a two-day pre-BlogHer detour to New Haven to visit a VERY stylish friend. Weather is supposed to be warm bordering on extremely damn hot, with the caveat that the conference is in a big hotel and those are always overly air-conditioned. I'm traveling by MegaBus, so I can only bring one suitcase, but don't have any airline-type regulations. So, I need to get everything I need into a regular carry-on type roller bag, plus my laptop/shoulder bag.

My first step is list-making. I know some people are list people and some aren't. I am a list person. Even if you aren't a list person, though, I don't see how you can pack for a trip of any length without list. Things just get left behind. So I always make a list. For this trip, the list was as follows:

Carry-on bag

• Wednesday casual outfit


• Thursday casual outfit


• Thursday night party outfit


• Friday casual outfit


• Friday night party outfit


• Saturday casual outfit


• Saturday night party outfit


• Sunday casual outfit


• PJs


• Underwear/bras


• Swimsuit


• Evening bag


• Toiletries


• Makeup


• Accessories/jewelry


• Brush

Laptop bag

• Laptop & cord


• Camera & cord


• iPhone & cord


• Business cards & case


• Sunglasses


• Medications

Looking at the list, I decided I needed four day outfits, two party outfits, and a couple of extra tops. Between those and what I wear to travel, I should easily be able to make up three party outfits and five day outfits. First, I went through my closet and took out all the pieces I knew I wanted to bring, either because they have worked well in similar situations (lightweight black wrap cardigan, denim skirt, purple maxi dress) or because I am really into them right now (black geometric tank, white off-shoulder Moroccan top, black Swiss dot shirt). I piled those up on the bed:

Starting with those things, I began to make outfits. The maxi dress is good for one day outfit, the denim skirt and black and white geometric tank are another, the white off-shoulder shirt can be paired with my skinny jeans (add those to the pile) for a third. For a fourth, I went downstairs to the laundry room and grabbed my new lime green eShakti skirt--I'm loving wearing that in hot weather, and paired it with a fitted black tank. Easy!

Party clothes were a bit harder. I have a lot of dresses I'd love to wear, but they tend to be of the crisp cotton variety these days (I'm loving a shirt dress), and those do NOT pack well. I decided I'd wear one of those on the bus tomorrow (bus wrinkling being probably a bit better than suitcase wrinkling) and picked out two of my non-cotton, packable dresses that will work for parties. Neither are my favorite, but both are fine, and an unwrinkled non-favorite is a better bet than a super-wrinkled favorite.

Looking at the outfits I'd amassed, I checked to make sure they'd all work with my black wrap cardigan. The dresses wouldn't, so I added my shorter black embroidered cardigan for those. Then I added two or three extra plain tank tops, which can be used to layer or worn alone with any of the bottom I'd packed.

Next came underwear, bras, and pajamas. I added those to the pile on the bed. Then shoes. I decided that everything I was bringing would work with either my black wedge heeled sandals and or my flat silver sandals. Since I know I'll be walking a lot tomorrow, I decided to wear those and give up a bit of suitcase space to pack the wedges.

Looking back at the list, I saw that I was missing my swimsuit and an evening bag, so I tossed my suit and my favorite little black and white wristlet on the bed.

Finally, I picked out jewelry to go with the outfits I'd chosen and packed it into my little divided box. Worked out perfectly!

OK, moment of truth time. I rolled it all up and put it in my suitcase. And...it fits! With plenty of room left for my toiletries and makeup and hairbrush, which I'll add after I get ready in the morning!

How'd I do?

I've been traveling quite a bit this summer. The more traveling I do, the better I get at it--I have a better idea of what to pack, know which advice to take (e.g. "pack all your clothes around one neutral so that anything can be worn with anything else" is NOT good advice for me), which space eaters are worth it (extra shoes) and which aren't (extra books), etc. There is one packing issue that I've never found a good solution for, though, and it's bothered me for years--jewelry. I pretty much always wear jewelry, and am especially fond of necklaces, so I always want to pack jewelry when I travel. However, all previous attempts at packing it have ended up with my spending precious vacation time untangling a wad of necklaces, and I've broken more than one. I knew there had to be as simple solution for how to keep this from happening, but short of putting each individual necklace in a Ziploc (which I considered, but seemed too wasteful and anal retentive), I couldn't come up with anything.

Until the extremely obvious finally occurred to me.

Those plastic boxes with dividers, used for tackle, beads, embroidery floss, etc. They make small ones. Big, huge, duh.

So today I went to Michael's, headed to the beading section, and purchased the perfect solution for less than $3. It's a smallish box, about 4.5" square, with two levels. One level is separated into two compartments (perfect for chunky necklaces), the other into eight smaller compartments (perfect for earrings, rings, and smaller necklaces). The box itself is small enough not to take up a ton of luggage space, and I'll be able to bring plenty of jewelry options without tangling anything up.

Taking the DUH factor one step further, I also purchased several of the bigger divided bead boxes. A necklace in each cubby in my jewelry drawer (yes, I have a jewelry drawer, like I said, it's kinda my thing) means no more at-home tangles, either.

I love solutions this simple and obvious. Just wish it had occurred to me a lot sooner. Hopefully my mentioning it will help someone else who has been irritated by this one in the past.

I was hard at work yesterday when my phone rang. Glancing at it and seeing an unknown number, I groaned inside. Unknown numbers usually mean work. Still, I answered. And to my surprise and delight, I heard:

"Grace? It's Suebob."

The lovely Suebob was calling to ask if I'm going to attend the annual BlogHer conference coming up in New York in a couple of weeks. I am! And I'm getting excited about it, too.

BlogHer seems to be one of those things that only makes sense to folks who are into it, if you know what I mean. For the uninitiated, it's a two-day conference focused on women and blogging. This is the 6th one (and will be my 3rd). The days are filled with panel discussions and hands-on technical classes, the evenings with keynote speakers followed up with parties. It is, as the website claims an opportunity for bloggers to enjoy "hands-on learning, rich discussions, opportunities to meet with the brands that support them and plentiful networking opportunities."

Which still doesn't really explain why I'm so into it, does it? The truth is, I'm kind of a half-assed blogger. As Suebob said on the phone to me yesterday, I'm not particularly interested in improving my blog or building my brand. I know I'm never going to blog for money, and that's fine with me, that's not why I do this. For me, blogging is about communication with folks I know (online or in the flesh) and having a reason and a platform to write. So, crass as it may sound, I'm not really there to learn anything.

The primary reason I love it is for the people I get to hang out with. This year I'm especially excited, because I'll get to room with and spend some time with my friend and Heroine Content co-blogger The Princess, who I left in Austin a year ago and haven't seen since and miss horribly. I'll also get to see the aforementioned Suebob, who is nothing but lovely and so much fun to be around, and hopefully Laurie, who I also adore and haven't seen since last year, even though we live in the same neck of the woods now. If I can spend even a moment basking in the rather glorious presence of Karen this year, as I was lucky enough to do last year, then I'll be completely happy. It goes without saying, I'd hope, that there are a ton of other folks I'm looking forward to seeing as well, or even being introduced to for the first time this year.

Beyond the specific folks I go to BlogHer to see, I also go for the general environment. Though it does get a little rah-rah girl power for my tastes at times, the fact is that there aren't a lot of times when 1,000 or so women convene on any space, take it over, make it their own, and enjoy the living hell out of it. Sure, it's less political action group and more sorority party, but at least it's *my* sorority, you know? These are, by and large, women with whom I feel really comfortable, and it's great to spend two days surrounded by them.

Another great thing about BlogHer is finding new blogs. Every year, after I return, I end up with an even more bloated feed reader, full of new blogs to read. And as time goes on, I whittle some of them off, but a few always hang on and become new favorites, and if I've met the mastermind behind them, I'm much more likely to be interested in their content. My favorite from last time around? Gotta be No Appropriate Behavior, the blog-child of Laura, who I was thrilled to get to know at BlogHer '09.

Finally, there's an atmosphere of fun and...luxury? at BlogHer that just isn't part of my daily life, and I enjoy the hell out of that. The swag is plentiful and sometimes incredible, the parties are great fun, and I get to spend three nights staying (at a VERY reduced rate) at the New York Hilton. Like I'm not gonna be into that.

SO! Are you going to be there? Drop me a comment so we can be sure to find each other!

Oh, that picture? That's me at the MamaPop party last year, with a giant cardboard Edward Cullen. Not a great picture of him, but it's cute of me, right?

My recent trip to Pittsburgh had many, many highlights (see my previous post with the cotton candy, for example). One of them, though, had to be the last afternoon I was there, when my friend Nonny and I headed to the Shadyside area of the city to do some vintage shopping. First, we stopped for a great lunch of crepes (hadn't had crepes in years, still love them, particularly with Nutella). Then, we hit a couple of great vintage stores. Pittsburgh vintage stores impressed me not just for their selection, which was excellent, but for their prices--vintage stuff I could actually afford!

The best place, by far, was a shop called Eons Fashion Antique. Among other treasures, there I found a long rack of 50s and 60s house dresses, in waist sized up to 36. Yes, that's right, 36. I never find real vintage stuff in my size (which, it turns out, is generally 18 or 20 in pre-vanity sizing)! And the dresses mostly had their original tags still on them! Amazing.

I bought three. Excessive, probably, but I couldn't help myself. They were between $22-$30 each! Less than $80 for all three, if I am remembering correctly. And last night, when Mark and I went out to The Wine Kitchen (excellent as always, though they were sadly sold out of the sea salt and caramel torta palla), I debuted one of them.

I don't think there is any question that this is the style for me--it works with all my assets and does a pretty good job of hiding my flaws. The question is, can I really dress like this every day?

Turns out, I LOVE sailing.

For reference:

I just returned home from the first leg of my summer travel adventures, which started with a business trip to Portland and ended with a pleasure trip to Pittsburgh. So far, so good. I didn't totally fail at packing, air travel treated me very well (including my taking a $400 travel voucher to return home this morning rather than last night, which I very much didn't mind doing), and I had a productive time in Portland a wonderful time in Pittsburgh. In two days, I start the next leg, a trip to Minneapolis to visit Mark's parents.

In Pittsburgh, I ate here. The dessert menu featured a "Six Penn Circus"--cotton candy, cinnamon doughnuts, whoopie pies, and Cracker Jack, all house-made. Oh hell yeah.

Since we moved to Virginia, my blogging has gone downhill. I can't say why for sure--I have the time, and I'm still very interested. Be that as it may, though, I am barely squeaking out a few posts a month, and I hate it. With BlogHer looming in the increasingly near future, I feel especially crappy about not providing my readers with any content, or myself with the outlet to write and communicate that I know I need.

So I need a boost. A project. A way to get back into blogging. I've been thinking for a while about what that boost might be, and I'm coming up blank. I started listening to this book, Living Oprah by Robyn Okrant. Basically, she started a blog to document her project of spending an entire year putting all of Oprah Winfrey's advice into practice in her own life (and the project later became a book). It's fascinating. It's not all about Oprah--it touches on all sorts of things. I've always liked stuff like that--people who do something every day and blog about it. The Little Brown Dress Project. All the blogs that post daily outfits. My friend El's husband's hat-a-day blog. Even my own History Making Women series. I like the idea of committing to doing something every day for a set period of time and following through on that commitment--it demands some discipline, which I could frankly use, and the rote-ness of it adds something to what you get out of it.

So, this is where you come in. Give me a project. I'm gonna decide on the time frame, and it's going to depend on what it is, but I want you to task me. Tell me what I should do.

And I'm serious about this, so there's a prize. Whomever gives me the idea I take up gets an extra special sample basket, made up of stuff from the Little Black Box and Out of the Box sampler boxes I get every month. Not just the stuff I didn't want, either--the good stuff. But here's make your suggestions fast, because this contest ends in one week's time, at midnight on Thursday, April 29. My plan will be to start my new task on May 1.

Go!

I'll admit to being a late adopter. I didn't get a cell phone until 2002. My iPhone is two models old, even though I've had it less than a year. I resisted iPods forever and never moved beyond the original Nano. I don't know how to download music or watch television online (not anywhere but Hulu, anyway). It took me until it had been off the air nearly 10 years to watch Buffy. I never really like things until everyone else it completely over them. And I have always been completely anti-video game. The last one I remember playing with any enthusiasm was a Pac-Man game that took quarters to start, and I believe I had to stand on a stool to see it at the time.

But this week, the skies opened and I saw the light. The Wii light.

Seriously, y'all, I love it. I am embarrassed to admit it, and even more embarrassed to admit it like three years later than everyone else, but I love it. Bowling, golf, tennis, boxing (especially boxing), yoga, balance games, aerobics--I like it all. The game where I make combinations of numbers adding up to ten by thrusting my hips in their direction? Brilliant.

I think part of what I dig about it is that it allows me to do things that I am truly not coordinated enough to do in the real world, like hula hoop. I've always wanted to be able to hula hoop, and the Wii shows my little avatar swinging three at a time! And actual boxing might require me to feel actual pain, or even cause it in someone else, but I can beat the crap out of my animated opponent and feel no guilt.

Do I think it's going to solve all my exercise problems and magically remove 20 pounds from my ass and thighs? Not very damn likely. However, I do like that it has a feature that allows me to weigh my pets and track their weights. How incredibly odd to have added that! And though I think it's ideas about my "real" age (45) and BMI (solidly overweight) are bullshit, I enjoy the obsessive tracking of not only weight, but balance tests, that it engenders. I do so like to track things.

It is quite possible that my loving-bordering-on-romantic feelings for my Wii were jump-started by my realization, upon first getting on the Wii balance board scale, that my scale is, and has been since we moved, almost 15 lbs heavy. Nothing like magically removing 15 pounds from my self image to get me on your side. I suspect, though, that it's a bit more than that--the damn thing is just entertaining. It's fun for me by myself, though I hesitate to call it an actual exercise tool, and it's fun for Mark and I (so far we only have one controller, so we can only play golf and bowling competitively), and it's fun with friends. I'm interested in what other games I can get and what else it can do (I totally want a dancing game). I, God help me, see what all the hype was about.

As I may (or may not, I'm not sure) have mentioned here already, I spent last week in Portland. I was in town for work, but I was able to squeeze in a couple of dinners with friends, which was great. On Thursday, I had most of the afternoon and evening free, so I borrowed my aunt's car (a very nice 2009 Jetta) and headed to my old stomping ground in SE Portland, where I had numerous cups of coffee (and bought six pounds to bring back with me). Having made plans to meet my friend Sarah and her beautiful little girl in NW a bit after 5, I headed that way at about 4:30. I had no trouble finding the restaurant where we were set to meet, and noted with satisfaction that I was parked very close to the restaurant. (Red Onion at 23rd and Northrup, by the way--it's very good). Since I was still early to meet my friend, I wandered around for a while, then met her and her daughter.

A couple of hours later, I dropped Sarah and her daughter at the streetcar stop and walked back to where I had parked the car.

Or, where I thought I had parked the car.

I remembered thinking it was close to the restaurant. I remembered that it was in the middle of the block, in front of an apartment building. It was, in my mind, on Northrup, between 22nd and 23rd. Or maybe, just maybe, between 21st and 22nd.

Except it wasn't. And it wasn't on Marshall. And it wasn't on 22nd between the two. And it wasn't on the next block. Or the next.

Did I mention that right around the time we left the restaurant, it started to rain? How about my boots, which had started pressing on my toenail in a bruise-inducing way midway through that afternoon--did I mention that?

I walked south--Marshall, Lovejoy, Kearney, Johnson, Irving, Hoyt, Glisan. I walked north--Northrup, Overton, Pettigrove, Quinby. I walked east--22nd, 21st, 20th, 19th. I saw the highway entry ramp. Couldn't have come this far. I retraced my steps. Made sure I hit every block in between. It rained. The temperature plummeted. I shivered. I stood on corners and mashed my thumb into the panic button. Nothing.

I retraced again. I started to get texts from Simon, whom I was supposed to meet at 7:30. It was 8. I put him off. Told him I was walking to the car. Then told him I was having trouble finding the car. He texted to ask if he should drive up and get me and drive me around to look for it. Feeling super foolish, and in tears, I accepted the rescue.

I continued looking while I waited. Retraced my steps another time. Saw at least a half dozen mid-sized silver cars that could have been it, but weren't. Got rained on some more. Started feeling the need to wring out my soaked bra. Cursed myself for not wearing a coat.

Simon picked me up. Asked where I thought I'd parked. Said we should look in a grid, with a plan. I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd already done that. Realized my laptop was in the car, so if it had really been stolen, my work was all gone.

Simon and I looked for a few minutes. He was just as bad as I was with thinking every mid-sized car was a Jetta. He asked if I was sure I didn't park west of 23rd. I said I was. I never go that way. There's nothing that way.

We looked for a few more minutes. Drove up 23rd, with the intention of turning down Northrup again. Stopped at the intersection. "Is that it?"

"Where?"

"There."

A half block off 23rd, before 24th, on Northrup. Very close to the restaurant. In the middle of the block. In front of an apartment building.

Yeah. Nearly two hours of looking time. It was less than a full block from the restaurant. Right where I parked it.

I've been slowly catching up on the 2K or so posts in my Google reader, and there is a common theme I keep running into, in posts from IRL friends, online friends, acquaintances, and folks I don't know at all:

2009 sucked.

Almost without exception, 2009 was brutal. A lot of people lost friend and family members. Even more lost jobs. Several suffered ill health ranging from the consistently annoying to the actually life-threatening. Pretty much everything that could go wrong did.

So I'm gonna put this out here right now: 2010, you'd better be nice to the folks I love (and those I like, and those I don't know at all). You'd better bring health, wealth, happiness, good food, nice vacations, cute babies, lazy Sundays, hot showers, great sex, and whatever the hell else will wash the bitter taste of 2009 out of the mouths of my peeps.

If you don't, I am so gonna kick your ass into 2011.