Birthday Fest 2014

happy birthday to me! almost. mark likes it when i give him easy access to my wishes via an amazon wish list, so i thought it would be fun to throw some of my requests on polyvore and pair them with fancy, high-priced versions.  the items i asked for are on the left, and the highfalutin versions are on the right.  (and will be in my possession should the money unicorn ever ring my doorbell.)

Click image for links (some of them are just photos of out of production items).

oh, i'm sorry, did you want actual details about my choosings instead of me just posting an image and going about my day?  you're in luck!


1. Tan Handbag with Lace Detail (Cato) vs. Tan Handbag with Lace Detail (Modcloth)
i went to cato for the first time on friday and saw this cute bag on clearance.. it's funny how i like purses, but i don't actually use most of mine. (or it's sad.  that works too.)

2. Turquoise Earrings (World Market) vs. Morganite Earrings (Ice.com)
world market has some pretty cute $5 earrings, and i haven't even taken advantage of that yet.. travesty!  the fancy one's are morganite, which i have a heart-on for. i've only ever seen it clear and sparkly, but these opaque versions are really pretty, and remind me of seashells and summer.

3. First Aid Kit Tote (thisisfirstaidkit.com) vs. Harajuku Lovers Mermaid Backpack (the internet, maybe)
i don't really need yet another tote, but i do like this one and i know i'd use it. (plus, picking stuff out for a wish list is hard, you guys!) the backpack is awesome and horrible all at once. (like me!) i'm in love with the G of the Sea design from a few years ago and i'm always keeping an eye out for pieces. (i have three so far, but i want it allll!)  this backpack is totally juvenile, but i'd wear the hell out of it on my forthcoming trip to disney world this fall.  fashionable and useful! (mark would be embarrassed to be seen with me though, so i guess it's a good thing this one is out of production.)

4. Little Northies - OPI Nordic Collection Mini Set (Ulta or Amazon) vs. Pacifica Nail Polishes (Pacifica)
again with the first aid kit.. so pretty much the only reason i want this is because it's nordic and i want to be a beautiful swedish girl folk singer sister.  (because buying this totally makes me one, right?)  i would also love to have every single nail polish from pacifica's newish collection.  i have three so far (totally coral, afterglow, and heart of gold), so that's already $27 off of the whole bill right there.

5. Harajuku Lovers Coin Purse (Ebay) vs. Fossil Key-per Weekender Bag (the internet, maybe)
this match-up doesn't makes as much sense as the others, but i really like both of them, and they are both things you can use when traveling. i'd put jewelry in the coin purse compartments, and the weekender bag could carry incidentals like books and i can't think of anything else to put in it for the life of me. ha. i'm sure i could fill it up with stuff though. unfortunately this one's not in production anymore either.

6. L'Aromarine Oceane Spray (Amazon?) vs. Pacifica Solid Perfume
i sampled the first perfume in an anthropologie and loved it, but didn't have funds for it at the time. i've been meaning to ask mark for it as a present at some point, but in looking for it to put on the list i found that apparently it's out of production or it's changed hands or something, i'm not exactly sure what that i found online is the same one, so don't take my word for it.  i have samplers of most of these solid pacifica perfumes, but the ones i really like smell so damn good i wouldn't kick having all of the big versions out of bed.

7. Bat Bangle Bracelet (Frosted Willow at Etsy) vs. Pearl and Morganite Bracelet (Gilt.com)
i saw and coveted this cute bracelet on Kelsi at Brighter Sides. i feel kind of single white female putting it on my list, but i guess that is the price you pay for posting your fabulously adorned wrist parts on your blog.  (anyway, we're on opposite ends of america, so i don't have to worry about awkwardly running into her at the fish market  - that's where everyone in seattle hangs out, right?) the fancy verison bracelet is again an opaque morganite, this time with some pearl, and by far the most expensive item on the list.  i could easily pair it with the earrings, and the pearl really brings out the summery shell feel.

so that's it!  i hope you enjoyed my game of reality vs. fantasy.. this makes me want to do a next time and go all fantasy, and put on stuff like $90,000 backyard teepees out of the neiman marcus christmas book.  (although i might get too disgusted at all the ridiculousness, which would defeat the fun of living in my rich imagination.)  

as for my birthday... (in Carl Kasell's voice) well, if any of these gifts happen, reader, i'll tell you about it next time on Oh, Dinosaur!

world market "window" shopping

i saw some tasty jewelry at world market last week, and if i were a rich girl i'd have given my wallet a workout.  i don't think i'd ever fawned over the jewelry section there for quite as long.  i took one photo of something i liked, and then i ended up just keeping it out because i kept seeing more beautiful goodies.  i'm trying to save up and pay off at the moment, so i didn't get anything, but i was sorely tempted.

i love these wrap watches, and the spring sorbet colors.  they had a dark teal
one on clearance for half-price, but i just couldn't pull the trigger on that one.

this delicate linked ring is interesting.  but the only finger it fits on is (as ichie crane would say) "espoused to another."
and p.s. what can i use on my dry dry cuticles and dry finger tips???

if i'd bought anything it would probably have been this one.  i really like old brass patina, even if it's faked.

i just love coral and aqua/mint. i don't really have any chunky necklaces, but i could happily own any or all of these.

normally yellow would be my first choice, but this lemon drop-colored stone is just so pretty.

i make my own fun.

and now for a few extra-curricular photos:

this deer print scarf is dear. but i'd take out the stiff posable wire inside.

what a sweet bird ring or necklace holder.

i have a sort of love/scorn relationship with the mason jar popularity, but i do like this lamp base.

these tin containers were really reasonably priced (under $10?).  i would totally use these in the bathroom.

we don't have a bar (i drink liquor maybe up to 3 times a year, mark never, and have company about as often)
but i would totally use this deer head as kick-ass necklace display.

and for your convenience, i've linked to some of the above, or similar.

World Market Jewelry

Shoes, Shoes, Shoes, Yeah!

1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | 5. | 6. | 7. | 8. | 9. | 10. | 11. | 12.

if i was a rich girl, na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na, see i'd have all the shoes in the world, if i was a wealthy girl.

i would happily welcome any pair of these beauties into my home.   come to me now, my pretties!  i can't even tell you which one i like the most.  i *think* though, that (if they were comfortable), i'd probably get the most wear out of the green pumps.  they could easily be a work shoe and they're a little less outgoing than the purple pump (which comes in other colors, including ivory which would be lovely for a vintage-style wedding).  the rest are just lovely daydreams.

what are your favorite fall shoes?

Birthday Haul 2013

birthday month has come to a close, so i guess that means it's time to stop buying stuff and calling them presents. *shameful grin*  i have a bad habit of not keeping track of monetary gifts and continuing to shop with the impression that i have money in the kitty.  so, i'm cutting myself off now, but not after one last hurrah i went on today. i got the shirts above and some bra/undies sets for my trousseau. some of these things i'm putting away to enjoy in the coming seasons (fall: boots, apple lotion; spring/summer: floral purse, nautical shirt, the pacifica stuff and the other B&BW stuff).  i'm also saving the new travis album for until after their tour comes through my nearest city... the show is in a seated theater (ugh) and since i passed up $45 tickets to sit in the front row of the balcony, that's my decision pretty much made that i'm not going.  unless some anonymous donor sends me some front row tix.  the point is, i'm putting off the listening because i know if i like it i'll get all mopey about not being able to go. 

one thing i finally did with some of my birthday money is open my first savings account.  i'm all growns up!  i always have bills and/or anticipated possible bills so when i'd get a tax return or windfall i'd hold on to the money in my checking account so it'd be available. (i've always had this idea that if you put it in a savings about you can't get to it, and i know that's not true, but it still made me uncomfortable.)  what usually happens is that i buy a little something extra here and there, pay a few bills, and before i know it the money's all gone.  so this time i did the smart thing and put it where i figuratively can't get to it.  i feel good about that and hopefully i can continue putting a bit of cash in here and there.   

and because i know you want to see photos, here is what a new 33-year-old looks like:

i may have worn my disneyland tiara all day.  yup, yup i did.  and i may have been told at bedtime that i looked like frankenstein's bride with my stripe of light hair, and requested a photo of such. and no, no i really don't have much shame.

say "NO" to the muskrat way!

my gentleman friend has his birthday tomorrow, and according to the polyvore set i made, this is what i'm getting him:


(by the way, that's just some good advice i threw in, courtesy of a birthday card mark once got me.  i say "no" to the muskrat way at least once a week (the muskrat way being mainly defined as just "bad stuff" because where else would you go with that - muskrats not celebrating birthdays is their way=bad=anything bad is the muskrat way).  it's a very useful term with which to convey your emotions when something you don't like goes down at the office.  i also say "you're killing me, larry!" - mostly to my computer - but that's a tale for another time.)

if you know me at all, and since we are probably strangers and i haven't done too many posts yet you don't, but if you did know me, you'd know i like pink floyd and house of love.  so picking from mark's amazon list wasn't too complicated because i just got him stuff i want to gank from him later on.  isn't that convenient?

the PF are books and the HOL are albums (he likes a tangible album with cover art, what can i say?  half of his cd/vinyl purchases are things he already owns digitally.  that boy...) mark turned me on to both of these bands and i must say they have put out some fine, fine music.  i never really liked pink floyd as a youth - i bought into the druggie band stereotype and never gave them a chance (i was so mad when "the wall" beat out "abbey road" in a top 100 classic album contest on the radio station back home, but it turns out they *weren't* a druggie band (aside from poor syd barrett who fried his brain and had to leave the band early on), and their music is amazing.  house of love is late 80s/early 90s dreamy brit pop and they have many moments of brilliance in their well-crafted tunes.

the monkey is a mini glass figurine from pier 1 and it cost two dollars.  mark and i don't, and actually have never (except if one of us needs the other in a public situation), called each other by our first names.  we exclusively use nicknames (mostly anything that pops into our heads at the moment) and monkey is just one habitual names i call him.  (they didn't have a poodle, but that would have been sweet.)

we're meeting for lunch tomorrow at panera, and i'll give him the monkey then.  (that sounded sexual!)  like a man, he didn't give me his list until yesterday, so we have to wait 80 gagillion days for them to ship.  no presents for you!  and, since we are high-rollers and love to really get out there on the town and throw caution to the wind, we'll probably get chipotle takeout, come home, and watch "kitchen nightmares" or "man vs. wild."  we'll top the night off with some early 90s "wings" and that, my friend, is the making of an epic, epic birthday.  honestly kids, don't even try to replicate this at home because you might injure yourself if you aren't cool enough, ok?  i'm only thinking of your safety.

happy birthday, spatula-head!

so, i bought some stuff from pacifica

Tuscan Blood Orange Take Me There Set | 2. Hawaiian Ruby Guava Take Me There Set | 3. (clockwork from top left) Malibu Lemon Blossom Solid Perfume (sample), Indian Coconut Nectar Solid Perfume (sample), California Star Jasmine Solid Perfume (sample), Waikiki Pikake Solid Perfume (sample), Brazilian Mango Grapefruit Solid Perfume (sample) , Mediterranean Fig Solid Perfume (sample)  | 4. Color Quench Lip Tint in Sugared Fig | 5. Great Face Value Collection (Limited Edition) | 6. Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream (sample)

what up, pacifica!  i have been loving on this brand since i finally picked up some of their lotion for discount at marshall's.  i started with tuscan blood orange, and this scent is so scrumptious.  i've been collecting the lotions slowly, and this spring i scored some solid perfumes for 40% off.  i've sort of been haunting the site since then and when several freebies and discounts and the stars aligned, i sent off for some goodies.  i had really wanted to try to coconut water face wipes, as well as the seafoam face wash, so when they came together with the moisturizer in a discounted package, i figured it was time to buy up.  i also had a 20% off code, a free BB cream sample code, and a free lip tint code.  i also got two free solid perfume samples, as well as free shipping, for spending $50.  i luvva me some deals!  (let's not address that i spent way too much money on goodies.  look away, look away!)  the only thing i sooort of if you can even call it regret is the free bb cream sample code, since i just got a revlon bb cream and don't really need it.  i did want to try it though, but i wouldn't have minded if the sample were something else. 

it's always so exciting to come home to a package.  i must have checked the tracking 5 times today.  ooh, and my spacehog tshirt i bought from etsy came too (will post on that later).  (in an aside, joe on "wings" just ordered a blt sandwich and that ish sounds good!  i am voracious this week!  and yes, i am watching "wings.")  i haven't used most of the products yet, but i will say the seafoam face wash smells amaaaaazing!  so coconuty, like being on a tropical beach (i imagine). i only used a pea-sized amount and that was plenty.  the moisturizer doesn't smell nearly as nice, but i needed less than a pea-size to cover my face parts.  the lip tint is a nice faintly berry color that gave my lips a healthy darkened flush. and it smelled pretty good.  if i'm a good girl i will let you know what the other products are like.  

time for mark to come home and another "wings" episode, then i hit the sack.  i'm loving that tomorrow is friday, not thursday, and we have a potluck for a co-worker's going away.  cross your fingers i don't eat my weight in hash brown casserole.