Deal Alert - Coach Soho Leather Tote

A classic, beautiful Coach bag, without any silly scribbles mucking it up:

Today and Friday, you can get one on eBay for $99 + shipping.

Dear Ombre, Please be done now....

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It's

just

too

much.

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Don't get me started on chevrons.

Portlandia (For Hire)

Have you seen Portlandia?

It's pretty silly (I don't always find it funny), and I'm still trying not to hold it agains Fred Armisen that he split from the darling Peggy from Mad Men (Elisabeth Moss).

 I did like the feminist bookstore episode. Penny Marshall is a guest stars.

If you live in the area, Portlandia is hiring extra for the third season. Hey - $70 a day and a chance to be on a popular show!

Go here for the details.

Artifact Bags

If I could slow down and focus better, this is the kind of maker I'd like to be:


Artifact Bag Company from Turnpost on Vimeo.

This is my favorite bag on the Artifact site. I think that I love it because it represents what I'd like to be: simple, elegant, functional and made with great attention to quality and detail.

Deal Alert - Extra 30% on J Crew Sale Items

Use code SHOPNOW for an extra 30% off.

Things I like:

Tippi Sweater in Linen Stripe
Was $79.50, now $36 with discount

Vintage Matchstick Cord
Was $79.50, now $13.20 with discount

No. 2 Pencil Skirt in Jade
was $110, now $46 with discount

Gingham Retro-Inspired Tank
Was $110 now $59 with discount

J Crew has some great clothes, but a bit overpriced. I love the cut and quality of most of their pants - I have two pair of the vintage matchstick cords that I wear all of the time. I also love their sweaters, and they also tend to be well-constructed. Their pencil skirts are wonderful, and worth it to scout out on sale.

I don't like J Crew shoes. Most of them are made for narrow-ish feet, and I find their shoes in general are not be made for people who require comfort in their footwear.

I've noticed over the past few years that Target sells clothing that appears to be J Crew inspired.  For trendy piece that you may not wear for more than a few seasons, this could be a good option.

I Miss My Dad

For all of you who feel a sense of sadness and loss today, I understand.

If you still have the opportunity to feel your dad's strong arms around you - cherish him.

Happy Father's Day.

Make a DIY cardboard iPad stand from a box

What a brilliant idea! I'd love to make one of these for my Kindle

Make a DIY cardboard iPad stand from a box | How About Orange

Homemade Pasta

I don't know what inspired me to add another gadget to my kitchen, but this is a good one:

Marcato Atlas 150 from Amazon

So easy to use that the kids made the entire dinner with just a little supervision.

Here's the steps, in-brief:

1. Make pasta dough in the food processor. I used this recipe here. I chose a recipe with 4 eggs in it because these guys need something to do:

Obviously this is a rooster, but Chuck was nice enough to pose.

2. Feed the dough through the rollers first at #3, then again at #6, then through the fettucini cutter. I watched this video.

3. Cook pasta in salty, boiling water for 3-5 minutes, toss with browned butter, fresh parmesan and garlic.

We ate this with fava beans from the farmer's market.

Best. Dinner. Ever!

You can buy these on Amazon for well under $100, but I found mine on eBay for about $25. These machines are built like tanks, so buying used can be a good option.

I Love a Good Giveaway.

One of my favorite blogs, All Things Thrifty, is giving way $100 to Shabby Apple, one of my favorite places for pretty and flattering dresses. Shabby Apple has some sweet bathing suits too.

Get clicking people! This is a good one:

All Things Thrifty Home Accessories and Decor: SURPRISE!!! Shabby Apple GIVEAWAY!!!:

Marc by Marc Jacobs Colette Bikini (Deal Alert)

Though not normally a bikini-lover, when I saw this bikini last year I fell in love...

It's the perfect combination of retro-darling meets modern-brainy-girl.

I couldn't, however, justify the $200 + price tag for both of the pieces. Since they're last year's model, they're out of stock in the bigger retail centers, but you can find them at 50% off or more at 6pm.com and ASOS. 

Here are the links:

Colette pieces at 6pm.com

Colette pieces at ASOS

I like shopping at both of these websites - free shipping both ways and easy to return stuff.

Also, if you click through Ebates, you can get 3.5% cash back (You'll have to create an account, but it's worth it if you shop on line much.)