{gaga + puppies = puffy heart}

have you seen the doggie gaga project?

i die.

(all images via jesse freidin)

{happy st. patty's day!}

oh. my.

(found via dlisted)

{my irish eyes are smiling}

and my irish toes are wiggling. 

(and my irish legs are blinding)

it's a beautiful, sunny spring day in my 'hood. i'm hoping it stays that way until quitin' time.

some low-key beers at home are on tap (no pun intended). no crazy bar scenes for this girl. i can be irish at home (365 days a year) with some sam adams light. what? no killians? no guinness? no murphy's or harp?

well sam adams is what i already have at home.

sam adams = boston = celtics = irish. 

works for me.

p.s. in case you were really diggin on the she & him video i posted, you can preview the whole album on npr, before its march 23rd release. 

good stuff. 

happy st. patrick's day!

{could she be any more adorable?}

{a collection of blog giveaways}

i subscribe to a bajillion blogs. most days, when i open up my reader, i'm greeted with 80+ blog posts. it's delightful. 

even more delightful is the fact that there are so many giveaways going on right now!

disclaimer: if you are directed to a giveaway from my site, that automatically entitles me to a 50/50 joint custody scenario, regardless of prize/worth/proximity. 

my blog, my rules. 

i kid. 

a bissell vacuum cleaner presented by young house love

"remember the moment bow necklace" presented by amber's notebook

free event design consultation presented by the city sage

16x20 rolled canvas print presented by etsy team columbus

le creuset 12x 9.5 cobalt rectangular dish presented by diagnosis deferred

good luck! :)

eta: square initial pillow presented by a cup of jo

{just keep on moving, it’s such a wondrous world out there}

remember when i said i love stop motion films?

i really, really do.

{found via paper ice cream}

amazing! and such a great song too.
if you like the song as much as i do (and with lyrics like this, how could you not?), you can download for free here.

the video is actually a marketing tool for the olympus pen camera series.
slr quality, hd video in a retro looking package? sign me up!

oh, wait. not in the budget.

add it to the list of "if i win the lottery." man that list is getting long!

{the discount gods hath smiled upon me}

last week was an absolute whirlwind for me. with the birth of my niece, lots of family and friends in town visiting, and meeting my brother's girlfriend! (she's the first one he's ever brought around, it's a bit shocking to the big sis), i needed a low key sunday to recoup. so when my dear friend mike asked if i wanted to go shopping, i happily said yes. nothing like soothing the soul with some retail therapy.

as my fellow fashionistas know, banana republic had a "mystery coupon" event. you're handed a folded card, which decides your fate - 25%, 35% or 50% off your total purchase. 

our cordial sales associate greeted us and asked if we wanted a coupon (does anyone ever say no?!) 

pick a card, any card. i went for the right, mike went for center. i got the 25, mike got the 35. after some gentle ribbing to the sales associate - "you can give me the 50, i won't tell your boss" - we scoured the store for deals.

i picked up this shirt for the hubs:

$59.50, then 25% off - eh, not bad

as i made my way over to "my side" of the store, that cordial little sales associate came by again. 

she handed me another coupon and walked away.

no. could it be?! not a 50%?!

a 50%!!!

i found her to express my gratitude, 

"bless you my child," 

and then grabbed anything and everything in my path.

i ended up walking away with 

+

+

+ hub's shirt for $215!

the blazer alone is regularly $198!

so, cordial sales associate, and the discount gods, i humbly prostrate myself in your adoration. 

it is only through your good graces, and uncle sam's hefty return, that such pieces can be welcomed in to my closet. 

your faithful, and fabulously outfitted servant,

-s

{oscar favs and fails}

i love going to sleep after watching events like the oscars. my mind likes to substitute my head on celebs' bodies, wearing the most incredible couture. my mind also had an "avatar" substitution, but i woke myself out of that one, to return to ruffles and organza.

some favs:

(via tmz)

sandy, you looked gorg. and very much like your statue.

(via tmz)

cam, you cannot read a teleprompter to save your soul. but i still love your dress.

and my fav of the night:

(via tmz)

(via fabsugar)

love love looooove this. 

(erinn - looks similar to one of yours?)

and now on to the fails. 

(via tmz)

miss cyrus, you are 17. just a reminder.

(via fabsugar)

zoe, this purple people eater did nothing for me, or you for that matter.

(via usa today)

charlize, we all know you have bubbies. no need to highlight.

and for the menfolk:

(via tmz)

jakey, you're such a hunk. 

what are some of your favs from the night? 

{this is what love looks like}

it's official! i am now an aunt to two beautiful girls and my heart swells with love and pride. 

tuesday night, we got a phone call saying my sister-in-law's contractions were consistently 5 minutes apart, and they were headed to the hospital. hubs and i threw some clothes in a bag, grabbed the pup's food and toys, and made the 2.5 hour trip.

we arrived shortly after s-i-l had her epidural, so she was a happy camper. 

i was able to spend some time with her before the 10cm mark, and i couldn't be more grateful. she was such a trooper.

funny labor story: i was rubbing her hand during a pressure-filled contraction, and after, she makes the "one minute" index finger gesture. 

"either my water just broke, or i peed myself, and i really don't think i peed myself"

adorable.

shortly after that, she was ready to start pushing, so we made ourselves comfortable in the family lounge.

and not too long after that, proud daddy came in and made the announcement - "quinn is here"

she is the most adorable little peanut - 6lbs 12oz and 19 inches long. 

her big sister cooper is adjusting, but at 2 years old, she doesn't really "get it" yet.

to make her happy, she got to have a cookie...

and a spin in a wheelchair.

it was an experience i will never forget. i soaked in every feeling.

the way your chest and arm create the most perfect nook for a baby.

the way you can stare at a baby for hours. no other setting is it socially acceptable to stare at another human being for so long and not embarrassingly avert your eyes at least once.

the fact she has every single organ/system that i do, packaged in such a tiny body.

she has her whole life ahead of her, and i can't wait to watch and cheer for her as it unfolds.

i love you, quinn.

{i just might embarrass myself tonight}

tonight, the hubs and i are going to see black joe lewis and the honeybears! i could not be more excited! booty shaking, hair throwing, good time music (well, and some slow stuff which is just as good, but I really love his faster stuff).

hubs and i put on their records when we do a power clean in the house. it usually involves some singing in to the swiffer, a reenactment of james brown's "cape routine," and a little dance party. he might not ever admit it, but in the privacy of his own home, my man can pop a booty! sometimes it makes a public appearance, but only after many beers on college gamedays.

tonight should be fun.

eta: tonight will not be fun. concert postponed. what a bust. 

{message in a cookie}

(i'll send an s.o.s. to the world, i'll send an s.o.s. to the world, i hope that someone gets my, i hope that someone gets my)

message in a cookie

yesterday, i finally received my backordered cookie cutter set from williams-sonoma!

message-in-a-cookie cutter set from williams-sonoma (via creature comforts)

my geeky excitement could not be contained. i had big plans for these guys.

you see, i'm going to be an auntie (again) any second! 

my sister-in-law's due date was yesterday so these guys came at the perfect time, to welcome this new baby!

i got to work right when i got home (after a trip to the grocery for icing - oops, not homemade there). after a few trial runs, i was knockin' these babies out (figuratively and sort of literally, later in the story).

i didn't really get the color right, but this was my first time using color gel rather than food coloring. i'll get better, i'm determined.

(sorry for the phone pics, my camera battery was charging)

as i'm wrapping up the icing dots, we get a message. she's having contractions! albeit inconsistent,  but contractions nonetheless! i'd like to think that williams-sonoma and i had something to do with it. 

(ali, i can take requests when you're ready)

overall, i really love this set. the possibilities are endless and the suggested recipe is really yummy. i substituted half of the batter with lemon extract rather than vanilla and it's uh-maz-ing. 

but, i'm still waiting on my niece. 

don't be tardy for the party baby, these cookies won't last forever. 

{monday morning playfulness}

i love stop motion films.

(found via black*eiffel)