Gift Idea: Stuffed Animals from Furbish Studio

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Kids can never have too many stuffed animals!

Alvin, the alligator:

Javier, the hippo:

Dante, the donkey:

Leonard, the lion:

Gus, the goat:

Fanella, the flamingo:

Aren't they cuddly?

Okay fine. Fanella might prompt a few nightmares.

...but don't you justwanasqueeze Javier?

Shop here.

until next time,

g

Thoughts of the Day

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until next time,

g

How to Kill a Moth

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"Well...I think he had a heart attack," Patrick gravely claimed after he swatted the broom at the moth. By the way, I bought that broom days before this happened. Guys, it's my very first full-size broom! Alas, my diploma for graduating to adulthood must be lost in the mail.

There are moments such as the one above that make me grin with a pout and shake my head. Out of our lengthy history with ups and downs and all that we've been through, it's these kind of moments that we are sharing for the first time right now. ...Like tackling dirty dishes as a team and debating whether or not hot water really kills germs. (He says it doesn't which is crazy-talk and would nullify everything I know about cleaning.) Or when he doesn't really know what to make of his kooky sentimental girlfriend when I cry over everything from a thank-you note to a sappy commercial to nothing at all. (Men don't understand the crying-just-because phenomenon which is, like, so silly.) Or when I stubbed my toe in the dark on something he put on the floor and screamed obscenities until my thumb accidentally hit the appropriate buttons on my iPhone that made Jason Mraz start singing 93 Million Miles and neither of us had any idea what the heck was going on so we just laughed uncontrollably. Or the myriad of times when I inquire about something's whereabouts like how a new box of tissues "jumped" into the shower. Or, ya know, when I watched as he and the big blue broom followed the tiny brown moth as it fluttered around the apartment. 

And who am I kidding? I'm no angel. In this time of "bonding" we'll call it, there have been plenty of moments where we have peered at the other with a look of, "really?!"

Like this.

I don't know about him - he could be plotting his escape as I type - but as high as my eyebrows jump in disbelief at his antics, I still think he's pretty great. Is that love? Maybe. ;)

Oh, and for the record? The moth regained consciousness from his heart attack and I caught it and squished it in my little hand. In other words, the Hart attacked. (Had to.) And  that, my friends, is how to kill a moth.

until next time,

g

Autumn Outfit Inspiration - At the Office

 [ tank // cardigan // skirt // earrings // necklace // watch // purse // shoes ]

until next time,

g

Weekend Links

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{original}

Whatcha up to this weekend? My weekend fun started a little early with an event at Blue Smoke last night. Have you been? The food and cocktails are amazinggg. (I recommend the Porch Swing and the Lynchburg Lemonade!) The rest of my weekend will consist of a birthday celebration, basking in the September sunshine with Patrick, long talks with girlfriends, and turning the work-week kitchen counter into my weekend art desk.

 ------- some links for you! -------

How to get wax out of candle containers so you can reuse them.

Gwyneth Paltrow styles her favorites from J.Crew's fall collection.

I will be downloading these free 12 inky Photoshop brushes over the weekend.

Put one of these in your bachelorette's hotel room.

This print maps all of the foul lines of every major league baseball stadium, letting them run to infinity.

What a perfect bag for fall for under $100! And a cute fall dress for under $50!

One of my most prized possessions is a framed intricate treasure map that my brother drew for me when I was little. (He even took me on a treasure hunt through woods and caves and all!) I was reminded of that as I stumbled upon this boy's incredible birthday party invitations.

Neon 2013 planners.

How to piss off your designer friends.

From what I saw on various fashion blogs during NYFW, the Oscar de la Renta Spring 2013 collection is my favorite. I can't wait to see some adorable celeb wearing that last striped number. It's fabulous!

I was inspired by all of these trays.

monogram etiquette.

I'm pumped to check out this restaurant this weekend for the first time!

I want!

I leave you with this quote.

until next time,

g

Little Bit of Lately

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...the only water bottle that makes me drink enough H2O.

a big thanks to the friend who made me get one! ;)

"Oh so you got your blue belt in karate?" 

- Patrick, as I was hugging him goodbye that morning.

Normally, I'd roll my eyes with a "Paaatricckkk!" 

but I just giggled.

all. day. long.

I jingle jangled all over the big apple.

The best workouts still happen in my boarding school athletic uniform.

Don't i look lovely narrrsty?

My trainer was appalled at two things: how long I had been wearing my sneakers

and the fact that I require training wheels to ride a bike. No chance I'm fixing

the second issue (bicycles are terrifying!), so I dragged myself to Jack Rabbits to 

get matched with some new kicks. (I went with the yellow!)

(it's been chilly enough to wear jackets - hooray!)

I live near a balloon store and seeing them bob around the neighborhood

always gives me the biggest smile.

Speaking of smiles, I got home close to 8:30 last night - incredibly weary - and Patrick opened the door with a giant grin before I could finish turning my key and quickly showed me the salsa chicken dish he had prepared. (Btw, it was incredible.) Sometimes, I think back to when I was here alone and I'd open that door to a soundless home and stand over the sink and eat my "dinner." I still have my moments when I love the alone time...the Sunday mornings when he leaves by 6:15am for work or the random nights that I have by myself to sprawl out with my crafts...but he keeps coming back and I sure am thankful for the company...and for the noise of the large man screaming at the T.V. about some 40-yard pass even though I never have the slightest clue what it means...and for the days I get to the gym and realize I've accidentally grabbed his giant holey socks that go up to my calves...and for the have-a-good-day-I'll-check-in-with-you-later's and most of all, for the goodbyes that are only for a few hours instead of a few months...

Oh, yes. I sure am thankful.

until next time,

g

9/11/12

Sunday's view of 1 WTC.

...and the view last night.

"Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, the funerals of the children." -President George W. Bush, November 11, 2001

"The attacks of September 11th were intended to break our spirit. Instead we have emerged stronger and more unified. We feel renewed devotion to the principles of political, economic, and religious freedom, the rule of law and respect for human life. We are more determined than ever to live our lives in freedom." -Rudolph Giuliani, former mayor of NYC

"The moment to spend with a husband who loves me, or a sick friend, or a delicious new grandchild is here and now. Not some time later .... The nation learned this lesson all at once that horrible day in September 2001. The pictures stay with us -- the fires and falling debris, and, most hauntingly, the faces. Look how young so many of them were, people who thought there would be much more time, a lot of 'later' when they could do all the things they really wanted to do. I grieve for their families -- especially for those, like me, who haven't found any trace of the people they loved. But I grieve even more for the people who died that day. They couldn't know what we know now about the precious gift of time." -Cokie Roberts, contributing senior news analyst for NPR News

"For me and my family personally, September 11 was a reminder that life is fleeting, impermanent, and uncertain. Therefore, we must make use of every moment and nurture it with affection, tenderness, beauty, creativity, and laughter." -Deepak Chopra, M.D.

"Even the smallest act of service, the simplest act of kindness, is a way to honor those we lost, a way to reclaim that spirit of unity that followed 9/11." -President Barack Obama

Tune into the live webcast of New York City's 9/11 memorial this morning, starting at 8:30AM.

until next time,

g