if the customer service is THAT great...

I have some sad stroller news for everyone:
Our beloved Bumble Ride Flyer (yes, the one I had to have) is a total goner. The front wheels won't lock anymore so Bumble Ride so graciously sent me a giant box and arranged for someone to pick it up, drop it by a stroller mechanic and drop it back off at my abode. When it returned from the stroller repair shop (are you also picturing mechanics in greasy jumpsuits fixing strollers in a old garage?) I was thoroughly disappointed to find that the frame that had supposedly gotten fixed was now cracked. SHIT. I called and complained (like a 2 year old) and we somehow ended up with not only a new frame for our old stroller, but another stroller as well. It's still in the box and came with a lovely house mouse. Cheese, anyone?

This whole process feels like attempting to quit the gym...and then ending up with four more years of procrastination. Except my four more years are more like many more years of crappy strollerhood.

And on that note:
Seagrass color (green and blue) Bumbleride Stroller for sale - brand spankin new in box (no mouse, as we checked and sealed the box) best offer...check out a pic at www.bumbleride.com. Contact me for more info (and hey at least it's pretty!)

more purple birds

I decided after 1+ years of changing Little Peanut's two crib sheets from her usual Martha Stewart green with white stripes and just plain cream, to purchase some I-enjoy-looking-at-her-crib-more-than-she-does sheets. And what a difference they make! Fitted sheet is by DwellStudio for Target, about $10. Super soft and pretty - and I think pretty cool, too!

Here's a snap of them...

and wuddya know?...lots of purple birds (not at all on purpose, promise)

moo knew?

A few weeks ago a cute little cow creamer started showing up everywhere! I saw it at Pier 1, at Wegman's grocery store, at my sisters in-laws home...all over town! It looks like Chuck Williams, aka the brains behind the successful Williams Sonoma, knew he had something fantastically timeless when he first saw the cow creamer. It originally came in a print, and Williams asked the manufacturer if it could be produced without all the hoopla. That was in the mid 50's. (We can thank him for convincing Kitchen Aid to make their mixers in all those great hues, too!)



Made of porcelain, dishwasher and microwave safe, Williams Sonoma's Cow Creamer retails for $28. So elegant and goes in just about any style kitchen with it's clean, white, sculpture-esque feel. williamssonoma.com




Like the look but not the $$? Check out this one above, from target.com. Also Porcelain and only $10 and maybe slightly underfed?

notes worth taking

I am a complete and utter list person. What does this quite mean? Weeelll, it means that without a piece of paper and pen in my purse, by my bed, in the kitchen, and every other place in my house, I am a total mess. Plus I love love buying new cute notebooks to store all my lists (lists of things to do, things to buy, things to cook, etc)

Purchasing fun notebooks, calendars, and organizers is truly an exciting activity for me (yes I am that person standing in the "day planners" isle at Staples with four planners in hand deciding if I'll get bored looking at purple everyday, or if the blue bird print will bug me after a month).

Here are some adorably sweet notebooks to get you inspired too!

Robert Le Heros Journals are exceptionally chiq and very well made. I love the elastic strap for extra durability. His patterns are bold but very clean and refreshing. Retail for about $19. www.shopwritersbloc.com

I am a big Etsy Fan. Check out this great planner from Etsy shop Clann04.



Made from a recycled food box, this planner is truly one of a kind! Retails for $7 + shipping. Worth checking out - choose from Milk Duds to DiGiorno, lots of shapes and sizes. Very cute! Prices range from $4-$20! www.etsy.com

Barnes and Noble has to have one of the greatest selections of calendars, organizers, planners, and journals I could wish for! I can easily spend lots of time peeking through all of them. Plus, if you have a membership or a sister with a membership you get a pretty percentage off and maybe you could grab a coffee and book or two on your way out!


I love this planner by Silver Lining. Retails for about $8. Great color palate and very durable! www.bn.com

Happy planner-seeking!

a wallpaper wonderland

Wallpaper lovers get ready to ooh and aaah. I was warmly welcomed to take some snaps of this truly gorgeous dining room. The pictures speak for themselves--check it out:

Three questions for Rachel:

one. Did you have a particular vision in mind before decorating?
I did not have a vision for the dining room. It started out with the wallpaper and it was not really about the color scheme but about which paper I liked the most.

two. What drew you to the wallpaper?
I liked it because it was traditional but with a modern touch. After the wallpaper was chosen, everything was built on that.

three. At what point did the room feel complete?
For me, the moment the whole thing came together was when we chose the light fixtures. We brought in samples of the wallpaper and curtain fabric and explained the feeling of the room and the lady designed them for me on the spot, complete with drawings and color scheme included! It was actually a really cool experience.

A couple cool facts worth mentioning...

* wondering about the magnificent art on the console? it's a one-of-a-kind and painted by the owner's mother, an artist!

* take a close look at the ceiling and you'll notice it's textured wallpaper - so elegant!

Rachel, thanks so much for welcoming me into your lovely home.

still looking for clothes for your tot this summer?

I'm always pleasantly surprised when I stumble upon great prices for clothing for my daughter, especially when the clothes look like I spent much more.

Check out this adorable dress from The Children's Place:


Sunshine Halter Dress is on sale now for less than $12. The burgundy color in the center of the earthy dress adds a rich touch along with the orange lace trim along the neckline. Adorable! childrensplace.com

coffee tables and coffee tables

I was recently searching the web for a cool, refreshing coffee table - here were my requirements for the perfect table:

1. table must not be ugly
2. table should not look like a place to throw junk on - rather a functional, yet respectable piece of furniture
3. table must be kid-friendly
4. table cannot be rectangular (aka resemble my old one)

and just for extra credit....

1. table can be used as conversation starter with guests
2. table can receive oodles and oodles of compliments...from my husband (this one made me giggle)
3. table can magically transform into homemaker when I'm too busy (well, it was worth a shot!)

Because I purchased our last coffee table thoughtlessly quick, I am much more inclined to take my time and find the perfect table.

I stumbled upon allcoffeetables.com and was immediately pleased with their broad range of shapes, colors, sizes, textures and so on.

Innovations IRock Collection is ultra bright and ultra modern. Legs are metal chrome. Choose from white, red, orange, yellow and black (below).

Retails from about $150 to about $250 depending on size and height. Pick and choose your color and size combo. I absolutely love these!

If you like the minimalist look and want something very simple and less trendy (because you would like to keep your furniture around for at least a couple of weeks) check out Square Cross Table by Furniture FX, for $280. Available in black or white.

If you've got little ones, or just aren't a fan of the sqaure, FX makes a round version as well! For something a little more substantial, check out this one, below:

The Tema Tokyo Square High Table is available in beech, cherry, walnut, wenge, and white finishes. Retails for about $490.

You can never go wrong with a simple glass table - it will last a while in both style and durability. I happen to love this one from justmyshopping.com:


RTA Home and Office Coffee Table has an aluminum base and a durable 8mm clear tempered glass - very easy clean and very affordable at $99! plus use coupon code 3purplebirds5x and receive an extra 5% off at checkout - that's a good deal!