cuteness overload

so holly, you win blogger of the month - you've been way better than i have about blogging lately...

but ahh i feel like i've been in cuteness overload lately and i just had to blog about it!

the sartorialist!

jonathan adler!

anthro!

anthro again!

design sponge!

okay, so maybe a lot of these are veering toward kitschy... but the line between the cute & the kitschy is starting to get blurred in my head...

just an fyi

in case anyone wants to know what makes my heart go pitter-patter, you can just refer to our friend leah's great blog post - a guy's guide to european fashion.

um, yes please - to all of the above.

(sorry, this is shameless. you probably don't want to read about my opinions on this stuff. i won't let it happen again.)

women for women

well isn't this sweet?... kate spade is partnering with a group called women for women international to create handmade snuggly-goods this holiday season. you can get mittens, scarves, and even dog sweaters (holly, i think daisy might need one??) - and each piece is hand-knit by women in the war-torn communities of bosnia and herzegovina.

according to the women for women website....

Women for Women International will provide the training in knitting for the women, with creative direction from kate spade new york.

Knitting, a traditional skill in the region that has passed through generations of women, is now a source of income for these enterprising women. This partnership has helped Bosnian graduates transform their traditional handcrafts into high-fashion winter accessories. Rabija Mujalo, a participant of the training program and current employee of kate spade new york, says "I earned nearly as much money knitting at home in my spare time as my son who works full time in a factory." 

you can see the whole collection here, and learn more about the partnership here.

gloversville, usa

this article in the nytimes was really inspiring. it's about a man who moved from the city to gloversville, ny - home to factories which supplied 90% of america's gloves, up until the mid-20th century. Even though most of the glove shops have closed, daniel storto moved in and opened up his shop in order to continue the town's tradition of fine handmade gloves... it's really inspiring how he is so focused on perfecting his skills in one particular craft, and it makes me want to do the same - to really work with my hands and create something other than computer-generated drawings... to do one thing and do it really well.

ode to anthro...

i have had this on my desktop for a while...i think it is such a cute outfit, i had to include

ode to anthropologie

oh, anthro - you have my heart forever.

it's pretty much a given that at any point in time i will be in love with one or more object from anthropologie. i don't know if it's because now it's fall (my fave) or if they've perhaps recently started designing things specifically with me in mind.... but there are SO many things right now that i am loving....

like these accessories:

phlox flats

ring & peal cloche (i only wish i could pull off a hat like this....)

belsay bangle

spider chrysanthemum scarf

and these home goods:

cameo lace chair
(sidenote: i am in LOVE with this upholstery, and have had a sample of it - Maharam Intricate in Coffee - pinned up in my cube at work for at least a year now, so i was excited to see it here!)

ikat rug

estuary lampshade

castilla lampshade

and these dishes:

scenic dessert plates

paint by number dessert plate

bateau platter

ah..... i will always love anthro for its never-ending inspiration!

3 more days....

can't wait.

aren't the images from this show just fabulous?

sometimes when i watch this show it makes me wish that guys still wore fedoras and trench coats....

obsessed.

there is just always something so great about j.crew's fall collection. i am usually ready for the hot summer weather to end by about june, and am always excited when it comes time to pull out boots and light jackets. j.crew usually channels my excitement about fall pretty much to a t. and this year is no exception....

i am especially fond of (read: absolutely insanely obsessed with) these shoes....

diy headband

i am a sucker for any blog posting including diy instructions for something cute.... i am trying to keep all of the good ones i see in a favorites folder so one day, when i have all the time in the world i can have a diy-cuteness marathon!

this one from heart of light is great - i think it's a lot like that headband from anthro that i spent way too much money on...

hatch + anthro + music = well, wow

the latest anthropologie catalog was had typography done by hatch show print in nashville, some musicians also modeled the latest fashions

the orla kiley swim collection...

...is just too cute

along with other things such as bags and seersucker shorts and jackets

click here

please?

i want these rain boots from hunter so badly it hurts. wearing them would almost make all this cold, rainy april weather worth it....

how's that for April Showers Bring May Flowers?....

found here.

billy reid

i got this email for a spring sale at billy reid last week. i just love the image - it makes me want to go lie down on a patchwork quilt in a park, read, and smell pipe smoke... and today it was actually applicable... it really felt like spring here this afternoon... finally!

there are some really great clothes and accessories over at his website (and be sure to check out the "social" section...), but what i really want is this hat:

if money grew on trees....

i would join in this day-long alabama chanin workshop with natalie chanin & angie mosier. they're having a workshop in NYC on april 4 for the low (note the sarcasm please) price of $450. so i'll start taking donations now, thank you...

here are a few more images i loved from the alabama chanin website...