New Find Friday: CarolinaCottage on Etsy

Bonjour faithful readers! 'Tis the season to spend needless amounts of money on your loved ones, people you kind of like, and that weird cousin who you'd rather avoid for the rest of your life, but whose name you drew at Thanksgiving dinner.

But have you found yourself sneaking in purchases for yourself as well? I have! And I'm not ashamed. Look what I found on Etsy:

It's a 4-piece coaster set from CarolinaCottage. I never thought I'd be in the market for coasters. I'm just not that fancy. But, as an avid water drinker, I have found that my condensation-covered water bottle often leaves rings on select pieces of furniture around the house. So, as a new convert to the world of Etsy, I started searching for a coaster set that warms my soul. This one spoke to me; it was love at first click. It's simple and stylish, and it will add a little suh-um suh-um to a side table without distracting the eye from other important things in the room, like the TV.

What have you bought for yourself while Christmas shopping?

New Find Friday: Rachelli

One of my besties gave me a beautiful onesie last week.

Tangent: The term "besties" comes from Little Sis, who uses this word frequently to describe her best friends. Every time I see it in type, my mind says "beasties," and I wonder why she is friends with a bunch of hags.

Anyway, this onesie made me happy. It is art on cloth. An expression of creativity stitched onto what would otherwise be a mundane piece of apparel.

Take a look at the rest of Rachelli's collection here.

New Find Friday: Everyday Chic

I am loving these "hostess aprons" from Everyday Chic. They are modern and retro at once. I know if I had one, I would be able to channel the '50s in all their casserole glory. Maybe I would even cook dinner more than twice a month!

Do you wear an apron when you cook? Do you cook?

New Find Friday: Seraph Stationery

I have recently become a very big fan of greeting cards. I love the heavy texture of letterpress cards, and the feeling of holding one in my hand. Sometimes an email just can't replace a real, live card with a stamp. I am discovering so many companies who make unique, playful, stylish cards, and I find myself wanting to stock up on millions of them just in case! One such business is called Seraph Stationery. It is a local company out of Draper, and the owner is a friend of my designer friend Dave.

I LOVE these comic cards. I mean, is there a better word in the English language than Shazaam!?

And these vintage cards are just so deliciously girly! I have a few of them, just waiting for the right occasion.

New Find Friday: Petunia Pickle Bottom

I have found my calling in life. It is to become the kind of woman who is worthy of carrying this.

I was introduced to this ultra-chic, swanky, stylish brand of baby gear called Petunia Pickle Bottom by my very fashionable friend JaKie. We were sitting up on the stand at church one day because I was tickling the ivories on the organ and she was leading the congregation in glorious song, and I noticed her fabulous diaper bag:

...and asked her where she got it. Little did I know that one tiny question would change the course of my life forever. A few weeks later, I was in the area, so I paid a visit to Babinski's on Foothill in Salt Lake. Glory, glory, hallelujia! I had found my happy place.

Isn't it incredible how one piece of fabric can make a person feel so alive?

New Find Friday: Design*Sponge

Do you ever imagine yourself living a totally different life? Do you wonder if you could just overhaul your entire environment and start somewhere else? I'm not talking about becoming a different person. I'm talking about doing and seeing and creating things that are nothing like what you do and see and create in your current life. 

If I were to do this, I would choose to live in a small, old flat (you can't call it an apartment because it's too chic) in a big city where the moldings and the wood floors are original and the electric and plumbing are brand spanking new. Of course, the stove would be retro in appearance, yet modern in function, and the kitchen counters would be a combination of concrete and old-school butcher block. I would have elaborate wallpaper only in small quantities in small corners of the house. I would have a sofa like this (I would normally say "couch," not "sofa," but you can't call this a couch. Again, too chic):

My man and I would eat breakfast at our favorite corner coffee shop every morning because in my dream, my man loves hot chocolate and croissants almost as much as I do. We would visit libraries and museums on crisp, fall weekend days, wrapped snugly in our scarves and long jackets.

On that note...

I visit three blogs daily. One of them is a recent discovery, and it fills me with creative energy every time I visit. Design*Sponge rocks my world.

One of my favorite segments of the site is called DIY Wednesdays. Will I ever actually execute any of these projects? Probably not. But it's fun to dream. Some of the DIY projects are waaay too cheesy and "crafty" for my taste, but check this out. It's a picture frame tray! 

How perfect would this be to hold my steaming mug of rich hot chocolate and buttery croissant while I read Jane Austen on my fabulous red sofa?

New Find Friday: Strawberries with Sour Cream & Brown Sugar!

Technically, this isn't a new find, but I just recently rediscovered how yummy it is. My friend Stephanie introduced it to me a few years ago. As soon as you try it, you'll be hooked too! Just wash a bunch of strawberries, and put a dollop of sour cream and a spoonful of brown sugar on a plate, right next to each other. First dip the berry in the sour cream, and then in the brown sugar. I love how you can taste both the tart creaminess and the crunchy sweetness separately and together.

New Find Friday: Life's Lemons

A little while ago, I read an article about a local company called Life's Lemons. The creators are three sisters who were all going through hard times at once: one was going through a divorce, one was having child custody problems, and one had just been dumped and laid off. So they created a greeting card company for these not-so-celebratory moments in life. These are some cards I've given to family and friends:

 

(Front) To me it's an animal (Inside) To you it's a child with fur

 

(Front) I love ya (Inside) Whether or not you prefer Jacks over Jills

 

(Inside) Hope you are doing a-ok.

 

(Front) I wish I had a band-aid (Inside) for your heart

New Find Friday: Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

I have a friend Jamie who works at Sephora. This is a very useful kind of friend, and I recommend that you all find a makeup expert friend immediately. I was complaining to her about how my eyeshadow always ends up creasing during the day, and she recommended that I go to Sephora immediately and purchase this magical product. So I did! And now, no ugly eyeshadow crease. Here's what Urban Decay has to say about it:

This miracle eyeshadow primer is unmatched by any other in the beauty industry! The genie in this bottle fulfills three wishes: eyeshadow that lasts, more vibrant and lasting color, and absolutely NO creasing. Apply Primer Potion to lids before shadow application. It dries down almost instantly (and invisibly), creating smooth lids that are super powered eyeshadow magnets.

My only warning is that you have little room for mistakes once this primer is on your lids. The first day I tried it, I accidentally glopped a bunch of mascara on my eyelid and I couldn't get it off. Seriously - this stuff has an iron grasp on anything you apply to your eyelids. It's magnificent, as long as you're not a makeup klutz.