Hey Little Birdie!

So, as the only one on the HLB team who has a cat, I thought I should step up and give all those kitty lovers a voice.

Here’s my cuddly 12 year old little Emmie.  I just love that pink little nose!

Without further ado, here are some super cute accessories for your purry housemate.

77LIONHEART77 || bell charm cat collar || $10.99

(This collar is great because the handy little bell would alert Jina and Nicky that a cat is coming. That way, everyone is happy.  Just like that cat.)

Modern Cat || Felt Roller Cat Toys – 3 pack || $5.00

Urban Outfitters || Die Cut Animal Calendars || $12.00

(I think I found my HLB Christmas present! Shh!  Don’t tell them!)

Merlin’s Bark Products || Elevated 3Bowl Cat Feeder || $30.00

(I like this cat feeder because it insinuates that you have more than one cat… the stuff of Jina and Nicky’s nightmares.)

Uncommon Goods || Inconvenient Kitty Tumblers || $35.00

(Whatever you do, don’t show them these glasses.  It will just give them one more kitty “I-told-you-so”.)

Urban Outfitters || Paul & Joe Cat Lipstick || $25.00

(I have to admit.  This one’s just weird.  Why, Paul & Joe?  Why?)

I have to confess.  I had a big post prepared about wanting to get into shape and being afraid of the holiday season.  Then I happened upon Portia de Rossi’s interview with Oprah.  She has a new book chronicling her emotional path to an eating disorder.

I’ve never had an eating disorder and cannot relate on that level, but like most women, I have struggled with wanting to be at my “perfect” weight.  The weight I was at about 20 years old (you know, before I had 3 children).  Right now I’m on the top of my healthy weight, but oh, how I long to be where I was before I hit 30… on the bottom of that healthy weight. I get frustrated with myself when another year goes by and I still haven’t hit that mark.  It sounds so silly seeing it in black and white like that!  While I love diversity in women and truly see beauty in all shapes and forms…. I still have that stupid idealistic vision of ME in my head.  I have a feeling I’m not the only one who does this.

Watching the show, I realized I wasn’t being very nice to myself!  So instead of beating myself up this holiday season, I decided to allow myself to relax, accept me for me and just focus on being healthy and active in a way I enjoy.

I’ve always loved walking and, while it’s a challenge to find time with my 3 kids, think it’s about time I dust off my old walking shoes.  Actually, my shoes are a little too old and pretty beaten up, so I thought about investing in these with some upcoming Christmas money:

Starting off with some new duds always makes it feel like a special marker….  Kind of like the first day back at school.  So, I might hit a couple of these stores for a couple fun, little outfits for my birthday in January.

The funny thing is, if I think about it, I’m essentially going to be doing the same thing… but that little mental shift from stressed/frustration to a intentional outlook of acceptance/enjoyment has already made such a difference in wanting to get up and move!

Go on and accept yourself like you accept and love others this holiday season!

I have quite a few photog friends. And they all need this:

Heck, even I want it and I am not even close to being a skilled photographer! For me, it has nothing to do with the lovely antique camera charm (and it is lovely). It goes waaaay back to my childhood and my middle class/suburban/white girl love for rap music. I hold the phrase “oh snap!” dear ever since the song “Just a Friend.” Come on, sing with me! “Oohh baby youuuu, you got what I neeeed, and you say he’s just a friend…” Thank you Biz Markie. I heart you (and to continue the love, my 2 year old adores your Biz’s Beat of the Day on Yo Gabba Gabba!) If you love this pretty necklace (and Biz) like I do, you can find it at Angel Face Designs.

P.S. The amazing blog, The TomKat Studio is doing a giveaway of one of Angel Face’s other adorable necklaces! Enter here.

We are officially entering The Holiday Season. Can you believe it? If only our Phoenix weather would cooperate and stop showing 90s in the forecast. I know you have heard this complaint from me a million times, but it really is getting annoying. Therefore, I am in denial of Mother Nature’s vendetta against Phoenicians and I am instead thinking of the following:

Cupcake liner trees (via Twig & Thistle). A perfect, easy DIY craft that could fit into autumn decor and then be re-created for Christmas. Just add glitter (like you expected anything less, coming from me!)

I had a sample of these yummy bars at Williams Sonoma over the weekend. They are made with this Pecan Pumpkin Butter that I want to slather on toast, crepes, waffles, cupcakes- basically anything loaded with carbs. The genius Miss Bakerella posted the recipe so we could all indulge at home.

I love this. A cardigan in military trench coat form! I may not need heavy outerwear in our mild AZ winters, but a cardigan is always doable. The look of a chic jacket without sweating buckets? Hooray!

Happy Autumn Everyone!

(Image Credits: 1.Yokomono Sankaku Lavender Sachet; 2. West Elm Loft Task Lamp; 3. Red Velvet Art Thought Bubble Chalkboard; 4. Echo Design T-shirt Ruffle Striped Scarf)

Lately my mind has been reeling with really creative, really amazing products I see online. Okay, let’s be honest, in stores too. You know how it goes. When you have money to spend, you can never find anything you want or need. When you are pinching pennies, there’s a list oodles long of things you can’t justify purchasing. At least, that’s my experience. Please say you commiserate in the irony of this with me. Yes, I do need plenty of reassurance lately, just ask my exhausted husband.

Anyway, with our move, it seems like I am surrounded with blank walls and new little nooks begging for something uniquely theirs. Wait…(pause)… I’m not saying my house is actually talking to me. I haven’t gone “off my rocker” quite yet. (Grandma, the use of the word “oodles” and the phrase “off my rocker” in this post are in honor of you.) But I will say it is a game of perspective when you are somewhere new. There is tons of inspiration and not getting wrapped up in needing to have all new things is a real battle.

So in an attempt to get things out of my head and into yours, here is a sampling of beauties I am eyeing. Oh, and thanks for being willing to share your brain space and help carry my load.

So my post about the fabulously huge bow tote on Monday got me thinking- I really need a small, grab and go purse option. You know, for those lucky times when I get to run errands to Target all by my lonesome, have my monthly book club meeting or indulge in a girls’ night. And especially for those even luckier times when Mr. Vender and I get to go on a hot date. No reason I needing to be hauling around 20 pounds of toddler and mommy essentials during those moments. I’ve always swooned for EmersonMade and their ginormous flower pins.

Yet I somehow missed that they also create beautiful clutches as well.

Whimsical, adorable and could be dressed up or dressed down. I need to start saving my pennies for one of these!

I desperately want this tote. In all eight colors. Washable, roomy, lots of interior pockets and one HUGE bow. It was made for me.

On a related note, have you ever read those “what’s in my bag?” type posts? I love them but I don’t think I could ever do one. The contents of my bag would fill an entire encyclopedia. Or maybe that’s the point? Hearing that other people are as wacky as you and right now have a dozen crumpled up Starbucks receipts, 5 pink lip glosses and a lint roller in there (not that I have any of that…) is fun, right? How about this: One day out shopping at the mall, I was wondering why my bag felt so darn heavy. I reached in a pulled out a wine corkscrew and a bag of chocolates. They had been in there for over a week from a girls’ night. Random that I forgot about those! Finding forgotten chocolate is almost as good as finding forgotten money. Okay, confession time: what silly things can be found in your purse?

Reading this:

Wanting these:

Making this for supper:

Inspired by this autumn craft:

You might have noticed this cowl scarf on the sidebar as one of our Etsy Favorites. If you have no idea what I am talking about, shift your eyes slightly to the right while scrolling down using your down arrows or the right scrolling bar… and welcome to the world of computers and this crazy thing called the world wide web. Anyway, we have a Etsy Favorites page, where we highlight some of our… favorite… etsy… items. It’s a catchy name, isn’t it? We were feeling a heightened sense of creativity that day, in case you were wondering.

Seeing as this week in Phoenix, our seven day forecast sported no triple digit temperatures and… I sat outside yesterday afternoon for at least 20 minutes without sweating, I am braving to consider autumn the way the rest of the country does. Enter scarves… and corn mazes… new yummy hot drinks at Starbucks… and… Christmas decorations at Home Depot. Seriously, what does HD have against fall holidays? Obviously, we have all just lost our mind when it comes to holiday spirit and Christmas joy.

Anyway, this is on my short list of things I must own in the next few months. What about you? What signifies autumn in your world?

I feel like I’ve been distant from you all recently. And for that, I am truly sorry. If you haven’t noticed this chasm between us, I don’t know if I am relieved or offended. I mean, aren’t we closer than that? I’ve missed you. You had to have missed me, right?

Truth is, since the middle of August, my life has been the definition of chaotic. Seriously, look it up in a real dictionary (a book, not online – you never know what you will find on the internet. Case in point, this post). Anyway, crack open a dictionary, and you will find my mug next to the word “chaos”. Below that, you might find a footnote stating, “See disorder, confusion, jumble”. These words will indeed all produce additional photos of yours truly.

Before I start into a pity party of the array of disarray in my world, I want you all to know that none of the current events of my life are bad. Well, a couple are, but mostly I am blessed with the messiness surrounding me. I feel overwhelmed… unsure… and tentative. But at the same time, I am trusting in a force larger than me who is at work in all of this.

At risk of appearing coy, I will leave it at that. Just know that my lack of connection with you is temporary and doesn’t signify where our relationship is heading. In other words, “It’s me, not you”. Don’t change our facebook status. We are still a deal… a real deal. I promise.

Now on to what you really want from me… the goods.

37 Posters combines trademark phrases with classic movies and tv shows in unique typographical ways. You can get your favorite as a poster, t-shirt, hoodie, laptop or iphone skin. It might make a perfect gift for the person on your list who is always tough to buy for… or is just a movie geek, like my husband (or me).

Enjoy!