Obsession: Halcyon

Just downloaded the new Ellie Goulding album Halcyon and I'm OBSESSED! Her voice is like fun and dance-y meets chill, which I know sounds like an oxymoron, but its the truth.

Countdown to Christmas: Holiday Cards

I hope you've all received your December issue 'Real Simple' which includes a fabulous checklist of all the things you should be doing to minimize the stresses of the Holiday Season.

 First up on their list is to order your holiday cards by November 30th! I would say a little earlier to insure there are no bumps in printing or delivery, but that's just my anxiety prone self. 

Needless to say I've already begun my search for the cutest Holiday Card ever. Between Kate, Lilly, Ashley, Etsy & Minted I don't know how I'm ever going to make a decision!  Below are my favorites so far!

Kate Spade's 'Shine On' Holiday Card, because the holiday's are the best time to sparkle!!

Inside Reads: 'tis the Season to Sparkle

Love the Art-Deco lettering and fun Turquoise! A New Year's card is great for a neutral Holiday card and it gives you a little more time to get them out! Definitely the best choice if you're going to be busy entertaining for both Thanksgiving AND Christmas!

Inside Reads: Happy New Year

"Spread" The Cheer Cards from Kate as well, because who doesn't love some "cheesy" holiday humor?

Inside Reads: Spreading Good Cheer

Lilly Pulitzer's "Falalala Lilly" card is fun and sassy!

Ashley Brooke designs has a lot of fun, unique options as well! 

Both her "Favorite Things" & "Santa Baby" cards come in folding cards AND postcards!

She also offers gorgeous customizable cards for the couple and the single gal! She does have ADORABLE photo cards available, but what is more custom than a portrait of yourself??

They make me want to get a twirly skirt for all the upcoming Holiday Parties!!

Minted is a stationery/card website that allows you to design your own cards and share your designs with others (& vice versus). I found this card last year on Tumblr and fell in love with it! I sums up the holiday's perfectly for me! Maybe I'll suck it up and get it this year??

So now that I've shown you all these fabulous options where on earth can you find them?

Kate Spade's Cards: Nearest Kate Spade Store or Crane Stationery website
Lilly Pulitzer Cards: Lifeguard Press Website

Ashley Brooke Designs: In her Holiday Shop Of Course!

Minted: Minted.com

Thankful Thursday

Happy almost Friday! Being that its November, the month of Thanksgiving, and I'm making a conserted effort to be more positive about my life I thought I'd start doing Thankful Thursday!

Things I'm most thankful for this week:

1) People with everyday manners.
 Please and thank you go a long way and I think our generation forgets that a lot, especially with each other.

2) The right to vote! 
Duh.

3) Fall weather. 
Finally getting to bust out my sweaters!

4) Amazing San Francisco restaurants
Never ever cease to amaze, transport and satisfy me!

5) Holiday Spiced Teas 
Mostly Winter Solstice from Peets :)

6) Visits from Out of Town Friends
1 last weekend and 1 coming up this Weekend!!

National Health Blogpost Month

Since I was slacking on the blog front in October I completely missed the chance to give a shout out to Dysautonomia Awareness month and my friend, and fellow blogger, Kingsley over at Life as Griki who was spending October blogging about her experience with P.O.T.S, a  condition of dysautonomia.  Lucky for me November happens to be National Health Blogpost Month and I can make up for it, because she's spending November continuing her posts!

MyWegoHealth is sponsoring the blogging event and providing prompts for everyday in November.
Yesterday's prompt (day 4) was "What do you have to carry in your purse for your health needs?".

My biggest health issues are chronic headaches and severe migraines. Mind numbing, vision affecting, limbs go numb, can't eat, can't sleep, "Am I having a stroke?" migraines. For those I carry Maxalt dissolving tablets with me everywhere because you never know when those first symptoms will hit you. When they were first prescribed I only took them when my headaches would get to that can't eat- can't sleep phase. Serious medication like that made me nervous. I've slowly begun to learn that the best way to avoid those life-inhibiting headaches is to take it BEFORE it gets that bad. Before my migraines I usually get a pinching feeling on the bottom of the right side of brain and the light sensitivity and nausea start coming in waves. THAT's when I have to pop a maxalt, not when I'm already laying in bed and can barely stomach the tablet on my tongue.

The other thing that goes with me everywhere is Advil (yes, my purse often makes the sound of pills shaking in the bottle). I used to be an all tylenol girl and then I found out tylenol can actually cause backlash headaches, especially when you take it 3-5 days a week so I've converted to ibuprofen  I've just recently read that the gel capsules absorb more quickly so I've just switched to those. Every second counts when you're living an active life!  It usually takes me a little less than a year to go through a 350 pill, family sized jug and I always joke that I have a bottle from almost everywhere I've traveled because my travel bottle ALWAYS runs out.

November Goals

Well it's finally November. Just 2 more months left in the fabulous year of 2012. October was a little hectic for me with work, out of town visitors, brunches, boys being their ridiculous selves, Fleet Week and the Giant's World Series chaos it literally flew by (and I only managed to squeeze out 1 blog post).

So I made my #1 goal for November to get my act together, organize my life and make some goals for the month! We'll have to wait and see how they pan out, but I have to start somewhere and, if anything there will have to be a follow-up post (contributing to Goal #6)!

#1) Be More Positive

One of my favorite things about myself is my sarcastic, and somewhat cynical, sense of humor. While, I wouldn't really think of myself as a "Debbie Downer" I do think those abilities stem  from a more pessimistic view of life. I've started to notice this, outside of my sense of humor a lot lately. Whether it's being sad about feeling like I have no control over my life, to getting up every morning and dreading the people I will encounter on public transportation, it's all becoming exhausting. So I've decided to put it in writing to remind myself to think out side of my usual tunnel and notice the positive things that are happening!

#2) Finish 1 Book

For the last year...and maybe longer I've been starting books and not finishing them (except for the 50 Shades of Grey series all of which I finished in 1 month). I currently have 5 partially read pieces of literature sitting by my bedside and I'm vowing to finish 1 by the end of the month.  My re-reading of The Great Gatsby seems to be the best contender, but Fitzgerald's The Love of the Last Tycoon is close behind. I do still have Decision Points, Let the Great World Spin and MWF seeking BFF as well. So many choices!

#3 Workout 3x a Week

With the start of the Junior League active year, the school year and work swinging into full production. I have had zero time to work out. Exercising has always been more efficient for me to do after work and now my weeks are jam packed full of extra-curricular commitments. Since it's not coming easy I'm going to have to make more of an effort to get myself out of bed in the morning and off to the gym. Classes are most motivating for me and I was doing Bar Method for a while this summer. I loved every part of it except for the "I already worked out today so I don't have to do cardio." that got stuck in my head. I'm looking into BurnSF a cardio and pilates studio not too far from my house. I keep reading that us 20-something gals need both Cardio and Toning to keep our slowing metabolisms up and I'm trying to find the best way to do that. Stay tuned.

#4 Be More Budget Conscious

Apparently with all the craziness of October my credit card got a little crazy too. I have a budget outlined, but it's always kind of worked itself out. I guess I'm going to have to start paying more attention to it. Any good apps or tool tips would be appreciated!!

#5 Get Christmas Shopping Done

Now that it's November is officially the Most Wonderful Time of The Year in my book. As much as I love (zero-sarcasm there) spending December weekends in the decked out stores it's always stressful (see dreading of crowded public places in Goal #1) and December goes by so quickly. I'm hoping to be a little more crafty this year; pinterest as so many amazing things, but all those things mean I need to start early! I'm hoping to ready for crafting, baking and/or wrapping by the end of the month!

#6 Blog 2x a Week (at least)

I always get great ideas for blog posts, but never actually sit down to write them! I'm hoping Goal #6 will give me the motivation to make the time, write them out and entertain you lovelies with my oh-so-fabulous life (read sarcasm).

Ga Ga for Ginger Jars!

Nothing is more traditional in home decor than Ginger Jars. Well, except maybe ducks and plaid, but that has too much Bunny and not enough Charlotte for my taste. The jars have a very rich history throughout American and Chinese Aristocracy. 

The truest Ginger Jars are made of porcelain  emerged from China around the 10th century with the development of porcelain pottery. In the late 19th century the jars became a popular product for export as wealthy Westerners began to buy the imported jars filled with ginger, largely for decorative purposes. In China the jars were made as gifts to Chinese emperors and are were traditional wedding gifts to grooms.

Their curvy shape and classic blue and white patterns go with almost anything and add a great splash of color to a neutral room! They're multi functional as well. Historically, ginger jars held provisions, including not just ginger but salt, oils and other spices. In the West, ginger jars are mostly decorative rather than functional. They can be used for every thing from stand-alone decorative peices, to lamps of vases. I absolutely love how they look bursting with some white hydrangeas!

If you don't want to go antiquing for them C Wonder has a beautiful collection in multiple shapes and sizes.

Quality > Quantity

I hope everyone had an absolutely amazing weekend! San Francisco 'summer' has officially arrived and it was gorgeous!

This weekend was full of a lot of changes and letting go for me; between redecorating our living room, adjusting to new roommates and (gulp) cutting the cord with that 1 guy you always go back to it was a difficult, but productive weekend. Change is always scary and, especially, immediately after making changes I always find myself second guessing my decisions. A friend of mine shared this blog post on facebook this morning and I couldn't find it more relevant and absolutely true. The thing that almost scares me more than change is empty space and sometimes you have to face that fear and just let it be.

Boys, furniture, friends, food this is applicable to everything.

How to make space for quality to show up in your life.

What does bad home decor have to do with reaching your full potential? Thought you’d never ask.
Imagine an ugly chair — in your own living room. And in walks an angelic and hip interior designer who’s on a mission to help you create fresh, contemporary comfort in your space. And she says, “What’s with that damn ugly chair?” And you say, “I know it’s horrible, I hate it. But I haven’t had the money to get a new one.” Cosmic designer then orders you to get rid of ugly chair that very weekend. Pronto. And you protest, “But what will we sit on?”
Angel of design dictates, “Sit on the floor. Pile up on the couch. You’ll figure it out. The sooner you get rid of it, the sooner the right chair will show up.”
You resist, “But they’ll be a…big…hole in the room.”
Designer of flow says, “Yep! It’s called space! Every time you walk by that space, you’ll be thinking about how great a new chair is going to feel.”
You keep resisting, “But shouldn’t I order the ideal chair first, before I get rid of the old one? Have the new one delivered, then have the old one taken away?”
“Actually, it’s better of you don’t. Let the space be there. It’ll change the way you look at the whole room. And besides, maybe a chair isn’t what’s best. You won’t know until you let go…of the chair.”
The light dawns. You pipe up, “You know, I really can’t wait to get rid of that freakin’ chair.” Nodding. Grins. “I’ll call the Goodwill pick up guys.” Action!It’s a beautiful sight when right that very instant you shove that chair into the garage for it’s re-using destiny.
Letting go makes way for something closer to your truth…which is always more beautiful. Always.
Making space signals the universe that you’re ready for ideal…or at the very least, much improved.
Making space expands your being and clarifies (and dare I say, actually minimizes) your needs.
The Divine Law of the Ugly Chair applies as much to furniture and stuff, as it does to lovers, careers, and thought forms.
Because: Going without, and holding out, is better than selling out.Always.
Let’s milk the chair metaphor a bit longer. You’ve got the nasty chair (or…boss, or incessant critical thought, or crappy winter coat,) in your space. Every time you come across it in your physical or psychic area, you consciously or subtly think, “Meh, that damn… boss guy…self-criticism…crappy winter coat.” And you affirm to yourself that it’s okay to put up with fugly, or nasty, or uncomfortable.
You make “making do” your normal. You’re giving up precious space to something that isn’t precious to you.Things you don’t use. People who use you. Possessions-roles-gigs that make you feel pinched, or awkward, cheated, compromised, heavy, confused…stuffed — they need to go. You know this. But it’s not just because dumping the chump and reducing your carbon footprint is a rightful, socially responsible and life-affirming action. It’s because possibility requires space to unfold.Clear space.Expand possibility.Everywhere.