Away we go!

Our Greece and Turkey adventure happens in a mere two weeks! I'm terrified I won't pack the right kinds of things. Does anyone have any must see places I should know about? Tips?

(I think I'll just bring an empty suitcase just to bring back 10 of these lamps.)

((image from NYTimes)

Black Keys!

I'm totally crazed about the newest Black Keys album, and this is a hilarious video for Tighten Up.

I also can't stop listening to Next Girl.

Giveaway!

The Coterie Blog is hosting a giveaway for a pair of my silver bow earrings! What a delightful blog. Go enter!

Bathing Suit Decision.

Ok. For all of those following the Anthropologie dress saga, I decided to pass. I did however, splurge on this fun one piece bathing suit from Urban Outfitters! I hope you approve!

lovelove

How great are these brooches by Little Sister Designs?

Oh dear

I think I need to buy this dress. But it's 100 buckaroos. Worth it?

\

Turkey/Greece trip is coming up. This could be a vacation expense, right??

Bubblegum Drusy

This ring just screams girly summer fun. The stone reminds me of strawberries and cream. Or bubblegum. Or anything else bright pink, I guess.

Guilt.

I think we are one of the few houses that has power.

Thank god. I've been waiting all week for this episode of housewives of nyc!

How bad do I have to feel about being absolutely and completely in love with that show?

Just listed: that pyrite ring.

good gravy, i can't wait. 10:00 can't come fast enough!

pssst

bicycleknuckles

I've been wanting to make this for a loooong time. At long last!

I had a super productive day of, well, producing! I'll post more pictures later!

In other news, there was this wildly intense thunder and lightning storm last night, and all sorts of trees are toppled! Lots of people without power, and loads of branches everywhere. The lightning was AMAZING though, totally lighting up the sky constantly for like, half an hour. (Western MA, if you're curious!)

Pretty Nails

You know sports are on the tv (all. night.) when I post multiple things consecutively on the blog. I wish I could get into Basketball/Baseball. I really really really wish I could. But I can't. So I'll share with you my new favorite nail polish, which is unfortunately called Blazed, by Wet 'N Wild. I think it was $1 or something, and never have I been so compelled to re-paint my nails every day so that they are perfect. (Sadly, due to the whole jewelry making thing, half of my beautiful polish work is ruined by the end of the day).

Not the best photo, but you get the idea. The perfect watermelon/peachy combo for summer. Mm mm mmmm.

sweat sweat sweat, drippin off

If you want a fun song to dance to when you are already sweaty but want to get more sweaty, listen to this song by Juiceboxxx. I saw him perform once in a basement of some crazy house in Allston with the lowest ceiling ever. It was so hot and crowded and people kept reaching into holes in the ceiling for their 40's. I thought for sure we were all going to get crushed. Needless to say, I couldn't enjoy him music too much. But this song is super fun to listen to!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHSGdeQDVks&feature=related

Read the interview with him that my friend Leor wrote for the AV Club!

Sweat and Cupcakes

Today, I made cupcakes. Against all odds, they came out okay.

The players: Funfetti cake batter, Big Y frosting, pink sprinkles.

The pictures:

I have these fun cupcake sprinkle stencils, but as you can see in the top 'bowling ball' designs, the hearts didn't really work out. So I went with the more traditional look. yum!

Bullet Buddies!

Remember these? My darling little Bullet Buddies? I'm thinking of re-introducing them to the world. Say hi, guys!

Peridot Joy

I like thinking of the green peridot in this ring as a droplet of lime juice. Anyone else?

Gold Arrowhead Pendant

Just made this pendant in a whirl of creativity. I like how it kind of looks like an arrowhead?

In other new, it was HOT today. I biked for the first time in my life wearing a skirt. It wasn't too bad though. But how do you get on/off without showing the world everything? I had to hide against a wall or behind a tree. I hope it gets easier.

Summer Tip #1 (and a long winded story about the hottest I've ever been)

Allow me to explain my horrendous appearance in this picture. It is from the summer after college, a couple of years ago, when me, Ben, and our friend Steve went on an epic summer long road trip. Here we are at Salvation Mountain in California, where it was by far the hottest, sweatiest, and most uncomfortable I've ever been. I literally thought I was going to die. Silly, I know, but it was HOT with NO shade anywhere. If you're not familiar with Salvation Mountain, check out my old photo blog. And google it.

Anyway, the guy in the white hair kneeling on the right is this man named Leonard who built Salvation Mountain (which you will recognize from the movie Into the Wild.) The guy lying on the ground between me and Steve was a passerby who got a flat tire and asked us to help, right before lying down and saying he thought he was having a heart attack. He later told Ben he had pretty eyes and nice teeth.

Why am I telling you all of this? Because I wanted lead into my "tips for keeping cool" series with a fun story about the hottest I ever was. Continuing:

Tomorrow is going to be 90 degrees, and since we don't have AC in this house (yet, I hope) I think I'll start posting little tips for keeping cool! Drum roll please....

#1 Take a bath in Kiss My Face Cold and Flu Bath and Shower Gel

When I was ailing from a severe cold, my loving mum brought me this bubble bath. Even though I'm healthy as a daisy, I still use it for baths. Mostly because I don't have anything else, but after taking a bath tonight, I realized my body was pleasantly chilled from the eucalyptus and menthol in the ingredients! Definitely recommended.

Ahhh Real (paper) Monsters!

Michael Valliquette's paper art is as delightful as delightful gets!

Via Me Melodia

Clothesline Photo Shoot

Teeny clothes!

The gang's all here!

I like this little family portrait of most of my bigbeautiful finger candies.