it’s a stitch!

Posted on November 13, 2010 by justplainlovely

[image from Design*Sponge - click here for more!]

A few weeks back, I discovered DIY instructions for a pretty awesome tote bag by Renske on Design*Sponge. Being the wanna-be crafty gal that I am, I immediately shared my discovery on Facebook, with a feeble request for sewing machine donations. I wasn’t truly expecting a reply, and figured if push came to shove, I could try sewing the bag by hand. Shockingly, I actually got an offer from a former high school teacher of mine. He mentioned that he and his wife had an old one kicking around that didn’t get much use and he’d be happy to see if off to a good home if I could swing by and pick it up. Conveniently, he lives just about 10 minutes away from the new house, so J and I drove on over for a visit.

It was pretty fantastic to see my old prof after about 15 years. He looks just the same and had the same light-hearted demeanor that I remembered from my school days. He and his wife were incredibly welcoming and kind and offered up a few memorable anecdotes. I have no doubt J and I will head back for another visit very soon. So, thank you to Peter and Jean:). My first sewn creation goes out to you!!

Without further delay, may I introduce to you the latest addition to my crafting family, the Singer:)

Now, I haven’t operated a sewing machine since I was roughly 14 years old, but I remember holding my own back then. I’m looking forward to taking this beauty for a spin. It might be a little ambitious to start with Renske’s tote, but I’m an ambitious gal. Get ready for a guided tour of my attempts coming later this Fall. I’m sure that you seasoned sewers will get a huge kick out of it;). Maybe you’ll even offer up a tip or two? Wish me luck!

always

Posted on November 12, 2010 by justplainlovely

Did you know that José Gonzalez is in a band called Junip? I didn’t until a few weeks ago and I’ve been growing increasingly attached to their tunes ever since. The new album came out back in September. This video is a little quirky, but it doesn’t change how much I love the song itself. Enjoy!

counting the days

Posted on November 12, 2010 by justplainlovely

If I haven’t already professed my love for Gus & Ruby, let me do it now. I first found this gorgeous Portsmouth-based shop through Emilie at emilie inc. photography. In addition to the items beautifully curated by owners Whitney and Samantha, the shop also serves as a custom letterpress. Rest assured this will not be the last time you hear of this fabulous shop. If you’d like to look a little closer now, however, head on over to the vendor tour put together by Love & Lobster. Gorgeous photos and an interview to boot!

All that said, I’ll get to the point. The gals at Gus & Ruby just posted an enticing selection of 2011 calendars to their blog, Paperhounds. In the spirit of gift-giving, I’m thinking these could very well be added to my holiday list. I may also have stumbled upon a new favorite illustrator… Claudia Pearson. More on Ms. Pearson very soon:). For now, feast your eyes on these! (You’ll want to head on over to Gus & Ruby to snag any one of these… and make it snappy!)

[calendar by Claudia Pearson]

[by Pistachio Press]

[by Urban Bark Papers]

a growing gift

Posted on November 11, 2010 by justplainlovely

Swirl woos me again! The ever fabulous sale site is now recommending gifts, something super handy as we approach the holidays. Included in their lineup were a few unique plant and tree gifting ideas. Something, perhaps, to brighter a Winter kitchen or to entice a friend to start an herb garden. It seems that gifts like these are increasing in popularity. A dear friend of mine offered up evergreen seedlings as favors to guests at her late summer VT wedding. And… I have it on good authority that another friend, due to wed out West in February, plans to use carefully manicured Bonsai trees as her reception centerpieces. Seems to me that these gals have the right idea. I took Swirl’s lead and found a few new online spots that could prove very helpful while making out my holiday gift lists this year. Interested in taking it to the next level? Scroll to the bottom of this post for a fab recommendation for gifting trees.

left: heirloom lavender in a pail – $25; top right: sunflower in a bag – $12; bottom right: apple-tree-to-be – $22.50

top: snapdragons bamboo grow pot – $20, assorted garden-in-a-bag herb collection – $8/each; bottom: Japanese Black Pine Bonsai Garden – $30, Gardenia Bonsai Garden – $30

top: organic herb garden trio kit – $34.99, eco friendly herb garden gable box – $24.99; bottom: seeds of life tree-in-a-box – $45

If you’re feeling like going the extra mile and being that super awesome and amazing friend/daughter/son/mother/etc you want to be, why not send a historical tree? The American Forests’ Historic Tree Program offers offspring from famous and historic trees such as the

Johnny Appleseed Apple Tree ($49.95),

the Clara Barton Redbud ($39.95),

the Elvis Presley Southern Magnolia ($39.95),

and the Edgar Allen Poe Hackberry ($39.95).

It’s a pretty cool site to peruse and, truth be told, I’ve purchased from them before. Take a look around and click here to learn more about the Historic Tree Nursery.

kiss each other clean – iron & wine

Posted on November 9, 2010 by justplainlovely

If the preview is any indication, I’m going to love Iron & Wine‘s new album just as much as all of their others. It’s coming in January and it’s their first studio album in 3 years. YAY!

goredon

Posted on November 8, 2010 by justplainlovely

If I ever had to replace my beloved Tashkent Meadow boots, it could likely only ever be with the unbelievably stylish and amazing Goredon boots. LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE.

[image from tashkent fabulous website]

and for those who aren’t familiar with the Meadow… a peek:

I’ve been rocking these for a few years and they are still my winter staples… Maine Winters be damned!

a new soul

Posted on November 5, 2010 by justplainlovely

Ah, hype machine… how I love thee so. Any time I’m feeling like my music collection needs a little sprucing up, you help me find something (someone) fabulous. Ms Yael Naim has a gorgeous voice and I’m loving this video!!

walking pretty

Posted on November 5, 2010 by justplainlovely

Well… I promised, didn’t I? If you know me, you know I LOVE shoes. Heck, I had a shop nearly dedicated to them (with a little jewelry and a few handbags thrown in). Something I learned not too long after I started stocking shoes at Clarabella? Two of the brands that I found, loved, and procured? Also sold at Anthropologie. You see why I should be a buyer?

Anyway… I’m currently thinking of fund-raising schemes to add one of these to my collection. Until then? My usual… covet, adore, web-stalk… wait for the sale;).

top: ribbon swell pumps – $398, draping sapphire heels – $338; bottom: final flourish heels – $178, waving grains pumps – $148

top: slinking frills pumps – $188, forest flower oxfords – $510; bottom: covered and uncovered heels – $365, raines heels – $128

top: farrier boots – $528, uppsala clog boots – $578; bottom: delancey boots – $288, well-weathered booties – $258

why I love anthropologie, the fall edition

Posted on November 4, 2010 by justplainlovely

Sometimes I feel a little like an Anthropologie ad. I don’t mean to, I swear. It’s just that I love so much of what they stock. Would it honestly be too much to ask for them to move their corporate offices to Portland so that I can get signed on as a buyer? Seriously… someone get on that.;) It’s pretty much guaranteed that I could walk into any one of their stores on any given day and find something unique, design savvy, and well-made that also fits me perfectly. Trust me, that’s rare for me. I try to keep myself at bay and have done pretty well since I moved to Maine, largely because the closest shop is a 2.5 hour drive away, but still… I loooove. Thanks to a pretty awesome fellow, I think I still have a bit of cash left on a gift card, so now it’s all about selection. How in the world do I narrow my ultimate Fall shopping spree down to just one piece? For the moment, maybe I’ll just look and admire. If I had the funds today, this might be what my blow-out shopping spree would look like:

top: floral frappe top – $58, sleeve pitch blouse – $128; bottom: posh peasant tee – $68, bianka blouse – $68

top: lorena dress – $138, look back sweater dress – $148; bottom: harbingers of fall dress – $158, volga dress – $89.95

top: knitting needle cardigan – $98, belladonna top – $128; bottom: stitch play cardigan – $358, cabled pathways pullover – $128

top: le soir magnifique coat – $298, double duty cape – $248; bottom: alice in autumn sweatercoat – $168, tyndall coat – $248

[all images from anthropologie - shoes to follow in a separate post]

squeezable

Posted on November 3, 2010 by justplainlovely

This collection of cuddly little lovebugs goes out to all of my friends with new babes of their own. A cozy stuffed animal seems to be a staple for all little ones, boys and girls alike. There is always that one that must be taken to bed every night, to cuddle, to ward off those evil monsters in the closet and under the bed, and to be there to snuggle with in the morning. I haven’t personally tested all of these out, but as evidenced by the hefty number of plush jellycats, it’ll come as no surprise that they are my favorites. If you haven’t tried them yet, I’d suggest going there first. Snuggle up and sweet dreams;).