Shoe shopping

I've been on the lookout for work shoes that I can wear this summer, preferably peep toe pumps or wedge sandals. But I wasn't holding out hope because shoes are so hard to find for my ridiculously tiny feet. I did find a pair of wedges at my favorite shoe shop, Nordstrom, but they were going to charge me not only shipping, but sales tax as well. So instead I tried Shoes.com, and found this perfect pair of Franco Sarto peep toes in my size! How lucky is that? I was even more ecstatic to find out that not only do they offer free shipping and no tax, but I was able to get an additional 20% off using a promotional code. And because I like you guys, I will share the magic code: BFF09. Enter this at checkout and they'll take the discount. Instead of $80, I ended up paying only $65. Not bad for my recessionista find, eh?

Busy, busy

Last night I babysat my two most favorite little people in the world, and after they were happily snoozing away in dreamland, I had enough time to finish my custom project (that I can't reveal yet - I promise to post pictures after the holidays). Who knows, maybe you are the intended recipient!

And today, I braved the mall. Yes, I did. I figured I've put it off long enough. And was reminded again how much I loathe - absolutely loathe - malls and big box stores during the holidays. But, brave them I did, and crossed off a whole bunch of names on my Christmas/Hanukkah shopping list.

Amidst all of that, I managed to take some time to list a new pair of earrings in my Etsy shop. Quartz and pearls, and named Margery after medieval writer Margery Kempe, who I confess I've never heard of until now. I just really like her name!

Hand-stamped silver disc pendant

I finished this new stamped sterling silver pendant but I haven't listed it on my Etsy shop yet because I am unsure about the quality of the photos. I didn't realize how difficult it would be to photograph something this shiny: one, it reflects the sunlight back something fierce, creating a bright light that obscures the details of the pendant, and two, if you look closely enough, you can see me and my camera reflected on the super shiny surface.

But actuallly, now that I look at it again, this photo actually ain't too bad.

So while I go experiment some more with the lighting, I'm also going to mention that I need to really gear up for the coming holiday shopping season. This coming one will be the first for my shop so it's hard to predict how much I will sell, but in any case, I need to start preparing my inventory.

Dress dilemma

We are going to a family wedding next month, so I got a new dress. At first I really wanted this adorable one in deep purple with a black ribbon belt - called "Tickled-Plum," from Anthropologie - but they were out of my size.

So I bought this one instead - the "Country Mile" in taupe. But when it arrived, it didn't look as good on me as it did on the mannequin. It ended up going back.

Lo and behold, I found out that they had dress #1 in my size back in stock, so I bought it before it can go out of stock again.

And everyone was happy.

Shopping trip

I took my sister out to lunch for her birthday today at a French bistro (she is officially in her "late 30s", aka "old fart") and afterward we stopped in at Anthropologie. We were there "just to look." Ha! I should have known better. This beautiful blue fall coat caught my eye and then I saw that it was on sale for 50% off (!), so I tried it on. And that was my downfall.

The cut is 1960s boxy, similar to my favorite suit that I wear to all my job interviews. The coat is now in its new home in my closet.

I've also been contemplating re-starting journal writing, but I haven't been able to find the right journal until today. Anthropologie had a really pretty one with a whimsical cover of a nightingale perched on a tree, and the pages are unlined, a major requirement. And it was also on sale! I haven't kept a journal since high school, so it will be interesting to see what things I come up with now that I'm an (alleged) adult.

Say it ain't so!

Well, this is upsetting news - Isaac Mizrahi is leaving Target and defecting to Liz Claiborne, of all places.

Noooo!

I love Target. I hate Liz Claiborne. And I'm proud to claim that the only Liz Claiborne anything I have ever owned in my entire life was a brown logo purse that was a hand-me-down from my sister, back when those purses were huge in the mid to late 80s.

I've never actually spent any of my own money at Liz Claiborne. But now...does this mean I'm going to be forced to?


BEST WISHES
...to my cousin for a successful day tomorrow and a speedy recovery.