Jane Pope Jewelry

In a recent issue of Garden & Gun magazine (don't be put off by the title - it's a fabulous magazine), southern jewelry designer Jane Pope was featured in a photo spread (pics above). I really like her designs - cool, modern shapes, yet they appear to be inspired by nature. For the longest time, I've been into silver, but when I saw some of her gold work, especially the rings, I was quite drawn to it. Not that I expect any Jane Pope jewelry under the tree this year, but it's lovely to look at nonetheless.

Photos courtesy of www.gardenandgun.com

Black Friday

Does anyone plan to hit the stores on Friday morning? I try to avoid shopping the Friday after Thanksgiving like the plague. But, I do know several brave souls (that's one term for it), who wake at the crack of dawn to score holiday discounts. Not me. I plan to be in bed, under the warm covers, hoping the kids don't get up early. So glad online shopping was invented!

Over the river and through the woods...

Safe travels to all of you hitting the roads or skys this Thanksgiving holiday! We're packing into the wagon and heading to my aunt's house, but just for the day. That reminds me, better take the travel DVD player for the kids (and my sanity).

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sundance – Friends & Family Sale

I love the Sundance catalogue. The clothes, furniture, house wares, jewelry and accessories - it all evokes a certain "coolness" that is the American West. But, sometimes their prices are out of this world. Heck, if I’m going to pay that much for a table, Sundance founder Robert Redford better deliver it to my door himself!

Fortunately, they do have sales. From Nov. 25 to Dec. 1, you can receive up to 20 percent off your entire order. Just enter the word “Friend” when checking out. Looking for a fun, funky holiday gift? Visit Sundance online.

Images courtesy of Sundancecatalog.com

Spain - On the Road Again

I recently signed up for Gwyneth Paltrow’s e-newsletter “Goop.” It’s a mix of fashion, food, travel, and lifestyle commentary. I’ve been an on-again, off-again fan of Ms. Paltrow. But, recently I got hooked on her PBS series Spain – On the Road Again, featuring Paltrow, chef Mario Batali, food writer Mark Bittman, and Spanish actress Claudia Bassols. After watching this wonderful program and hearing her speak flawless Spanish, I found Ms. Paltrow engaging. There were times during the program where she seemed a little ill at ease. The other three seemed to have so much more energy. But, the food and the scenery were amazing. There’s also a cookbook to accompany the series. So, I offer this as another recommendation for the foodie and/or traveler in your life.
Photo courtesy of spainontheroadagain.com

The Downside of Facebook

I recently joined Facebook at the urging of family and friends. It's been fun catching up with old friends from high school and college. But, I've found there's a creepy side to Facebook. Within the last week, I've received "Friend Requests" from two random men, neither of whom I know. One was an Indian graduate student who added a note stating "Nice smile...", the other a married, middle-aged Frenchman, with no note. Ew. Needless to say, I hit the "Ignore" button on the requests and then blocked both from my profile. Has this happened to anyone else? I value my privacy and if this continues, I may shut down my Facebook page. You can avoid being hit on by creepy men by not frequenting bars or other places like that. But with the Web, they can end up in your living room! Scary.

I'm dreaming of a white kitchen...

Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm not crazy (to put it lightly) about my kitchen. We moved into our current house five years ago and while it's a great house, the kitchen is outdated and lacking in space. We did take down the sad, old wallpaper a few years ago and painted the walls apple green with bright white trim, giving it a much happier look. And, we relocated a chandelier over the kitchen table to spruce it up a bit. We have some original artwork on the walls too, in an effort to modernize. But, until we come up with the funds to take a sledge hammer to it, it will continue to annoy me. So, I continue to add images to my kitchen binder in hopes that some day we can renovate.

The first two photos above I spotted on Camilla at Home, a great blog for home design ideas. The third one is a divine kitchen I found on Marley & Lockyer's blog - another fabulous blog for home design inspiration. If anyone has seen the film, "Something's Gotta Give," with Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson, that's the kitchen I want. I've read that that movie inspired many-a-kitchen, and it's easy to see why.