Stella and Dot

I've been a bad blogger lately, I know. I've had family in town for two straight weeks, needless to say, I haven't been to any estate sales lately, sad I know.

However, my store did have a Stella and Dot trunk show and I headed home with some cute new accessories!

Kudos to Stella and Dot for the cutest packaging on the planet...

Doesn't that just make you feel so much better about your purchase!

It's quality merchandise, very nicely made...the only downfall--the earrings are pretty heavy! Oh the price of fashion!

New Digs

Officially moved into my new office today, one in which a person would have to knock before entering, rather than barging in...ahh privacy!

Here are some quick pics I snapped before I left for the afternoon.

Still a work in progress...needs a bit more flair.

My periwinkle wall with painted cork boards.

One of my fave earthly possessions...Danger Women Shopping sign.

Wall o' catalogs

And this guy...fell and broke, so BCF super glued him back together and I adopted him. BCF did not like how I had this guy packed in my rolling lap top bag, so she offered to carry him to the car...and proceeded to buckle him in before our departure. "Never roam alone..."

P is for Parisian and Promotion

Two things I love...

I picked these two items up at the Estate Sale prior to leaving for that great state of Ohio.

This hat is a-mazing, (not for the 100 degree weather we are currently having) it will be a staple in my fall/winter 2010 wardrobe.

The detail is great...the brim ends on the side with the bow--giving it an uber sassy look!

I also acquired in its original packaging...

Who doesn't love a vintage gold sequined head band??

Now...my outfit for my first official day in my new position, I tried to take a page out of ClairesLA blog...

The dress...navy blue, Forever 21, $22.50, very Twiggy-esque

Great bow detail on the front...

And the accessories...

Couple of bangles, dainty hoops with small bead detail, and my new favorite necklace (thanks Babs).

For just a bit more drama, I'll be rocking the Patron Saint bracelet, with a new heart charm that was so tarnished the lady practically gave it to me. The wonders of jewelry cleaning! And a fab large ring for my index finger.

And to complete the look: A grey headband and Ruby Slipper Red nails.

First order of business: Surprise Starbucks for BCF and I to toast to our new jobs...and...

Cards congratulating the gals on their promotions and a fantastic mix CD for the store. We are very peculiar about our music.

While helping the hubs search for jobs, I came across one that had a very interesting title. I'm thinking about changing my job title to this all together:

"Director of Continuous Organizational Effectiveness"

Doesn't it just roll off the tongue ever so nice?

Sassy Kids

Gotta' love this pose BCF's daughter is striking...Perhaps a mini Madge in the making??

TGIF Tune-age

The person who gets the farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure-thing boat never gets far from shore." - Dale Carnegine

Best Coast - When I'm With You


Tame Impala - Solitude is Bliss


Cat Power - Lived in Bars


Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - 40 Day Dream


Wayne Jackson and Lula - Perfect Day

Quasi Flower Update and Such

For those who know me...my thumb, in the past, aint been so green.

Well kittens, great news....it has turned to a lovely shade of lime.

I picked up the tin for .$50 while in Ohio, and the terra cotta planter above I added a bit of flair to it by painting polka dots on in.

 I transplanted the rose bush from MP's front yard yesterday.

We aren't sure if we can plant our own plants according to the home owners association that patrol this place like the Gestapo. But, I'm hoping for rose bush success!

Another item I picked up at MP's neighborhood yard sale was a magnetic chalk board, which I'm going to put in my new office. I thought it would also be a great way to showcase some of my new jewelry!

And lastly, I'm afraid to inform everyone that Madge has fallen off the wagon and started smoking again. I picked up the super cute ash tray at a sale we hit up before we left for Ohio. And then non-smoking sign paid $.25 for at the yard sale.

Cincinnati Or Bust

I wouldn't say I necessarily LOVE Cincinnati, but it is a very fun town! This past weekend BCF and I road tripped it to help MP move into her new house.

We had a lovely drive, briefly put on hiatus when a "jumper" wanted to take his/her life on I-75 North, what a way to go, huh?

Madge a bit annoyed that we sat in traffic waiting for the jumper to be cleared.

BCF and the police scanner app--God love mod cons!

But the mountains were absolutley beautiful at dusk...

Lucky for these gals...MP's neighborhood had a yard sale on Saturday--

We each picked up some great items...including this lovely Nun who will be my new office mascot.

(I'll share the other items on a later post...I have a new creative project I'm working on!)

The houses in MP's neighborhood are so quaint and cute...lots of them were bungalow style homes with great amounts of detail.

Loved the detailed trim on this house!

So after all the fun at the yard sale, the manual labor began. Me, being somewhat OCD and neurotic, cannot stand bushes that are not trimmed. It drives me NUTS! And the landscaping on MP's house had seen better days, so I took it upon myself to tackle the trimming of what I thought was two over grown rose bushes.

MP's absolutely adorable casa.

Wrong sir, the bush on the left side turned out to be bushes.

That's correct, plural. So from a visual merchandiser's point of view--the second one just had to come out. It was un-Godly hot and about 2 hours of digging/sawing later MP and I got the bush out of the ground.

Woot Woot!

I couldn't let all that hard work go to the yard waste bags, so I transported the rose bush back home and planted it. All I have to say is that damn thing better grow--my arms and legs look like I was attacked by a vicious kitty cat.

I realized I didn't take any after pictures, but here is a slight glimpse of what the freshly trimmed and mulched front yard looked like.

Kudos to MP and her edging skills...I swear part of that cement hadn't seen the light of day in at least 6 years! This also proves that she can do manual labor! :o)

We got some delish pizza from a local pizza joint located off of Margburg Ave. You know I had to get a picture!

The next morning, my task was the back yard--more landscaping.

MP has a love pergola, but it was bombarded with overgrown ivy.

Here's Madge sawing the roots of said overgrown ivy.

Looks like I'm in my own personal prison!

Long story short--I was convinced that ivy did not need a root source after a certain point...don't ask where I gathered such a illogical conclusion. But I ended up convincing MP and her mother of the same. "Oh, it will grow no matter what. It just needs to be squirted with the hose now and then..."

This is a very incorrect statement--after lunch the ivy began wilting and dying. My appologizes to MP--I'll come up with some other pergola shade apparatus.

I even went to the extreme of climbing the pergola and trimming the excessive plant life.

You may ask..."My, BCF hasn't been in any pictures lately." Well...BCF's college BFF just so happens to live in Cincinnati. So naturally they went out. Let's just say she was not in the best of shape the next day--at all!

On our way home, we stopped at a fireworks/souvenir store in Tenneesee. They had cr-azzzy items there.

The collection of random animals covered with the confederate flag were quite interesting...

But the "Nut Scratchers" by far were the highlight!

For as much as I bitch about being in the car for such a long period of time during road trips...we had a great time! Only in the U.S.A!