april showers aren't lookin too bad

One sad rainy day at the pediatricians office, I spotted the most fantastic rain boots! They came just below the knee and had that authentic, I-just-fed-my-horse look I was looking for. I squinted away to read the brand (I really should have just asked!) and later on that very same day I ventured off to find them...

Hunter "Original" retails for approximately $100 and well worth every penny! Originally designed for Scotland's unpredictable weather and sold in a variety of stores (from REI to Nordstoms!) I know they're a bit pricey for rain boots but they're well worth it! I absolutely live in mine. They come in a ton of great colors. I own a black pair but am itching for a pair of the "Dolphin" or "Merlot" colored ones! They don't look as militant after a couple wears - the shininess fades substantially for a more "worn" look. I should mention that in the winter you most definitely need warm socks to wear under. Hunter sells their own socks, "Wellys" that fit nicely inside, and come in a huge array of colors to mix and match - retail for about $36.

If you're looking for something slightly chicer but with the same Hunter quality, check these out:


The Jimmy Choo "Hunter" Rain Boot - These pretty things don't come cheap - approx $400. Here's to daydreaming!

hair to stay

I must say I am very apprehensive when it comes to buying my daughter hair clips - with good reasons: 1. they are always overpriced. 2. some just look so darn cheesy (don't do to others as you wouldn't want done to yourself). 3. I'm the queen of breaking clips! (don't let me borrow your fish clip if you ever want to see it again). 4. My daughter finds enjoyment in pulling them out of her hair.


In search of the perfect clips for her daughter (who had just a wee bit of hair), Anna, a mom from Seattle, created Moo G Clips.

Anna's adorable daughter, inspecting the clips!

a yummy, refreshing assortment of snap and clippies

With Moo G's genius no slip grip, these chic lil creations aren't goin anywhere! You'll get carried away just checking out the huge selection of appliques, bows, and snap and clippies - moogclips.com. Makes a great gift! High quality, very well made and really decently priced - an adorable applique clip costs $4!

books never looked so good

I know I've expressed my love for Etsy in the past - and here's another great shop I am so excited about - Pillowhappy! Her work is fabulous and so unique. I have my eye on her "Modern Poppy Bookends."


Retails for $22 for a set of two. Would make a great gift! I love that they don't look like your average serious bookends - they really are so chic: etsy.com. Her blue pairs and purple eggplant bookends are worth taking a look at as well. At first I thought they would look fantastic on a clear acrylic shelf - and I'm sure they still would, but then I saw this:

I fully understand that not everyone will appreciate the color coordination in the same way I do, but this "Viktor/Stodis" wall shelf from Ikea (ikea.com) really does work. It retails for about $6 and is the perfect size; length - 29.5" and depth - 11". While the mere thought of going to Ikea with a 16 month old really frightens me, it's worth it for items like this (I'll have to bring lots of snacks). You'll have to bring your bookends with you to mix and match.

Quick Tip: If you go with both colorful bookends and a colorful bookshelf, keep the book-cover colors as neutral as possible - it's much more pleasant on the eye and will enhance the richness of your shelf and bookends. Go with more colorful books if you choose a more neutral shelf.

talk about stretching your dollar

Besides the warm sun beaming down and lots and lots of outdoor playing, the spring and summer are great times to check out yard sales. This past summer, my husband and I stopped off at a garage sale around our neighborhood. It's easy to spot the junk - and it's easy to get caught up in the junk - so make sure you walk right by the items that are going to clutter your space. Any item you are contemplating needs to have a known spot for your home or replace an item you are getting rid of (oh how I wish I had the space for that old school desk!)

We happened to come across a guy who was moving and he just wanted to get rid of his "junk". My husband was checking out some tool and I immediately ran over to this fantastic white lamp and guarded it with my life.

Before.

The owner priced it at a wopping dollar and when he saw that the toggle on/off switch was damaged, he felt bad and sold it for 75 cents! A huge victory party was going on in my head! should I mention that the light bulb that came with it costs more? what a steal! It came with an outdated lamp shade - I thought I could run to Target and throw a modern $25 shade on it - it didn't work out that way.

The obstacle: the neck of the lamp is extremely long - and shades with the length of a foot or longer are hard to find in stores like Target, Walmart, etc. Annoyed, I ventured off to the local lighting store and was so glad. They were super helpful there and helped me try shades until I found the perfect one.

After.

Because the linen, handmade shade was so large, it retailed at $55 dollars - not exactly what I had in mind when I first purchased the lamp (I could buy two at Target for that price) but well worth it in the end. I love the look of a classic lamp updated with a modern drum shade. And because it was white, it was the perfect accent piece I was looking for to bring some life into the room and contrasted perfectly with my black side table. Have fun and keep your eyes on the lookout this season!

that's a wrap

If there is one thing I simply cannot stand....well never mind, let me rephrase, amongst the many things I cannot stand, rolls and rolls of unorganized wrapping paper is definitely one of them. And no, I'm not saying that you need to make a whole wrapping room a la Candy Spelling (she has two!) Something neat and organized will do just fine.

Here's a common problem people make: buying oodles and oodles of wrapping paper - One for holidays, birthdays; boy and girl, showers, baby gifts, etc. and ending up with 25 rolls all over the place (I'm actually getting anxious from even thinking of it all!)

And AHHHHH here's a nice little way to get organized, fast!
1. Get rid of all that wrapping paper (yes, I understand you got it on sale, it was a great day - move on, get over it! let your kids trace each other on the white side).

2. Purchase either a large brown paper roll or a white roll, or both (don't get too excited, it's only if you have room). You can actually purchase the paper on huge rolls for about $45 (more or less depending on how much you buy) - but it's worth it! saves on contemplating which pattern to buy, rushing before a party, etc.

3. Now that it's in your house you're done! Okay, here's the EXTREMELY fun part: because your wrapping paper is neutral, you can go to any craft store and buy tons of ribbon varying in colors, materials, and patterns. Not too excited? Check out these cheap ribbons from michaels.com:



Their huge array will keep you in the isle forever! Ribbons retail from about $1.50 +. I love the look of a wide, brightly colored satin ribbon on a brown paper wrapped gift. A neutral Raffia would also look great:


Rafia is a must have around the house - a great way to make a gift look both personable and elegant. Don't forget to neatly store all your ribbon together! Wrapping will never be the same. (well, it will probably be really similar - just a little less unorganized and less annoying to look at).

gaga for oompa

I recently stumbled upon oompa.com while researching rocking horses for a gift. I am hooked on oompa - and trust me, you have to check out their website to understand why. The prices are actually decent (and in this economy they should be!) but the quality is really there. They carry some of my favorite baby brands like BlaBla and OFFI. I was melting for this adorable blocks set by Haba:


"Sakrada Building Blocks" from Haba would brighten up any toy box! The unique shapes are so creative. Retails for about $26. Paint is non-toxic and kid friendly. Check them out at oompa.com.
*Free shipping with purchases over $65.
*Use code HM and receive 5% off entire order
*no tax!

if your lamp is looking a little short these days...

I'm loving my lamp but not really happy with the height. When I ordered my lamps for my bedroom from Lampsplus.com I was really happy with it! The only problem: It was a little shorter than I expected (why I didn't look at the dimensions, not so sure). Here's a way to add a little height and personality to your lamp: Grab your favorite/prettiest hardcover books or funky boxes and stack em - put your lamp on top - and voila! an updated look, instantly.

The "Stacked Ball Acrylic Lamp" at lampsplus.com, retails for about $100 (check out retailmenot.com for coupons). I stacked mine on a vintage Hershey's Kisses box and an old cigar box. I couldn't go much bigger or bulkier because the lamp itself is relatively dainty. This look works in just about every room and adds great character (but doing it in every room is overkill)!