Happy New Year's Eve!

Happy New Year's Eve to everyone! I don't really make resolutions anymore...but I think to celebrate the start of a new decade, it's always good to remember to choose joy.

Oh, and of course, to eat cupcakes. Here's to an amazing 2010. Cheers!

Snow today

Finally managed to take a snow pic today with my extremely comfy and reasonably priced faux-Uggs.

Even more boots

Now that Christmas is past, the gifts have been opened, our wallets have been emptied, I thought it would be a good time to post about even more stuff to buy.

Aren't these boots so pretty? They're vegan, and they're cheap! Even cheaper with code YEAREND till tomorrow. I must admit, I'm mighty tempted.

(photos via)

Mini gingerbread houses

I literally went "Ooh!" when I saw these mini gingerbread houses perched on mugs from Not Martha.  How could I not?  How could YOU not?  If it weren't so labor intensive I might even give it a try.  Too bad we're not really very frequent hot chocolate drinkers here at home.  Plus, there's only two of us. 

Yes, I know it's past Christmas, but it's still considered the holidays so I don't think these aren't timely anymore.  Come to think of it, I think I'm going to make some hot chocolate tonight.  With marshmallows.

(photos via)

Merry Christmas!

We managed to have our tree up and decorated in time for Christmas. Happy Holidays to all of you and thanks for reading the blog. Here's to an amazing year ahead for all of us!

38 Essential NYC Shopping Experiences

Since we've been going to NYC so often, I thought I should post this so I always have it on hand. I have a bad habit of never bring able to find links I like. :)

(via)

Lace dress

Sigh.

(via)

Gift Suggestion: Graphite Pencil Sculptures

I saw this a couple of weeks ago at a store in Grand Central Station and was blown away by its awesomeness.

It's a graphite pencil sculpture by Batle Studio. Made of the same material as normal pencil lead except it's been treated with a polymer that prevents the staining of hands. These pencils wear very slowly and are supposed to last between 7 to 9 years with normal use. My favorite is definitely the quill pictured above. Sadly, it was out of stock except for the display model.

Do I let that deter me? Of course not! What else is google for, right? So I was able to find a cheaper source online with free shipping to boot! Yay!

Here are some other designs that I like:

Left Hand

Olive Branch

Twisting Leaf

And in case you're wondering, here's a photo of what the actual "writing" from the quill looks like:

I think these would make amazing gifts for almost anyone on your list.

Review : Proenza Schouler Lux Leather Wallet

Above is the image posted on the Proenza Schouler website of the Lux Wallet in Evergreen. When I hear the word wallet, I expect certain things such as maybe a zipper or some card holders, so I was a bit disappointed to find that this was more like a pouch or mini clutch inside.

There is only the one compartment, so I wouldn't call this a wallet at all. Despite that, it's still pretty cute. The green was really difficult to photograph. It definitely looked lighter in real life than in the web photo.

You can see that the shade changes drastically in the photos I took, depending on the where I was standing when I took them. The most accurate representation of color would be the middle photo, but it's still tricky in that from certain angles the "wallet" looks green, teal, or even blue.

I still really like the overall look, though, It looks and feels like something that will look even better when it gets all beat up with usage.

I just took a quick look at the website to check out the description and it looks like the only color left is pink.

Bag lust

Ever since I saw the PS1 medium satchel at Barney's, I've been in lust. It's gorgeous and simple, and I'd like to think, even androgynous. Discreet, too.

photo from net-a-porter

It's a bit pricey, though, so I was thrilled to see (via For me, For You) that Proenza Schouler has launched an online shop selling these Lux Leather wallets in extremely gorgeous colors at 1/10th the price of the satchel.

Mazerine Blue

Blackberry

Chartreuse

Evergreen

Now the next dilemma is which color to buy. Hmm...

Granted Clothing

I first heard about Granted Clothing on Bliss, and I was immediately hooked! I did some more research and was happily surprised that these are handmade in Vancouver! My old hometown I can't believe I never saw these while I was still there. Most of their items are hand-knit using 100% pure new wool, merino wool, and possum -blend wool.

These are the items I'm most craving right now:

Graphic Deer Head Sweater. I adore the colors and it looks so war and cozy.

Possum blend - Deer Love Toque. Nice neutral colors, cute deer motif. What's not to love?

Leg Warmers/Boot Covers - Motif Design. These are just too cute. Actually, they may be a bit too cute for me to wear, but they looks so cozy. And since i like wearing skirts even in the winter, these may help to keep my legs warmer.

Here's an image of the graphic deer head sweater with the leg warmers. The more I see the sweater, the more I want it. I wonder if they'll be having a Boxing Day sale and if I can even wait that long.

all photos from the Granted website.

OTK Boots: Which to get?

I tried resisting the trend, I really did! But I think I'm about to give in. Over-the-knee (OTK) boots are appealing to me more and more these days. It's partly the full leg coverage that makes me want to buy them already. It's getting cold, and I don't think only wearing tights and boots is going to cut it anymore.

So, here are the choices, with my corresponding dilemma:

First is the black OTK boots that are my actual first choice. I've ordered them from endless.com and they should be arriving tomorrow. The dilemma? These are full price on endless and I really don't want to pay that much money for something that may turn out to be too trendy.

Next is the brown version of the above Pour La Victoire boots. These are on sale at Cusp for a more reasonable price. Sadly, they don't have the black one in my size, only in a size 8. The dilemma? Right price, wrong color.

Last is this black pair from Topshop. It's the cheapest among all the choices, and it's still made of leather so the quality should be okay. The dilemma? They only have size 5.5 and 6.5, and I'm a size 6. I could potentially pick the 5.5 which will most likely fit me, but will it be too uncomfortable for serious walking? Also, I prefer the hidden wedge heel of the first two choices to the visible heel on this one.

So there you have it. I need help! I can't decide which to get! The first one is definitely out of the running because of the price, so it;s between choice 2 and 3. Stylewise I really prefer #2, but I'm really leaning more towards a black pair, so what to do, what to do...

(first two photos from Cusp.com. last one from Topshop.com)