So long...and thanks for all the fish!!

You may have noticed that I've thrown in the towel on this poor, neglected blog. I've been trying to deny it, but it's time to face reality. Thanks for reading, guys. Thanks to the nice commenters for commenting. The rest of you I had to delete - there are plenty of places on the web to hate the war. Maybe next summer when eBay goes dead again, I'll be back. :)

Movin' on up!

We're moving and I'll be incommunicado for about a week. I've been packing up the house for what feels like EVER now. It's a slow process with hubby gone and two little ones underfoot. It will also be a slow process on the other side. It might be longer than a week before I'm back. Wish me luck!

Dog days

This here is Bug. He's a sweet little guy who puts up with a lot from his two best "friends" - namely the kiddos. I've discovered that when they tell you to never leave your dog and child alone, it's for the dog's sake. I think the long suffering little pup could use a bit of couture.

Bella Bean Couture has a sweet little collection of collars, leads and doggie beds. Some of my favorites are Modern Loop

Madame Butterfly

and Mod Dot.

I also dig (heh, get it?) this Yummy Retro doggie bed.

You can buy Bella Bean Couture at a ton of stores and online shops.

I'm not usually one to dress up the poor dog. He's been through enough. But, I love this little pink, rhinestone studded killer tee from GirlShop. Too bad my husband would never allow this.

Taking a stand

Pardon me while I digress (sort of) from shopping for a brief moment. Michael Yon is a former SF soldier and a self-supporting war journalist, usually reporting directly from Iraq and Afghanistan. Men like him are responsible for informing the world of the good done by men like my husband when the major media outlets fall short. He has been a victim of a large company called HFM Publishing. They stole a moving portrait Michael captured of a US soldier cradling an Iraqi child hit by an insurgent's car bomb. You can read about the soldiers who risked their lives to get this little girl to a US combat hospital here. The vultures at HFM stole this picture and plastered it on the cover of a despicable new magazine called Shock. When confronted, they have resorted to bullying Michael and continue to steal his picture and use it to denigrate the US military.

The following is a list of magazines HFM publishes. I don't intend to purchase these magazines in the future. Most of them are junk anyway. American Photo Car and Driver Cycle World Elle Elle Décor Elle Girl Flying Home Metropolitan Home Mobile Entertainment Popular Photography and Imaging Premiere Road and Track Sound and Vision Woman's Day Whatever your views on the war are, we all deserve to know what companies do when we aren't looking.

Shopping for the sexes

I'm still alive. And I need a watch.

Alright I'm back, folks. And over the death flu. Thanks for sticking around. I'm also in need of a new watch. I started looking at Forzieri.com, which is a fantastic source for Italian accessories ranging from ever popular to super hard to find. I, of course, got distracted. I love this ring. The rose is pretty but the black makes it more chic and a little vintage-y.

This tote bag is summer minus the flip flops. Florentine wicker and leather craftmanship make this way more Hamptons than grandma.

I did finally get around to actually looking at watches. This watch by Krizia has a sleek and sophisticated feel with really modern touches.

I like that this Haurex watch has a bit of a rocker bent but with a sleek and stylish finish.

This Moschino watch is perfect with its elastic band and retro funk vibe. Not so much an every day kind of watch but definitely a catch the eye kind of watch.

Be back in a few

Sorry y'all. It's been a bit slow around here. I went down to Charleston, South Carolina for a few days and now I'm sick as a dog. Be back soon!

Never Forgotten

A salute to my husband, his fellow SF candidates and the soldiers his unit lost in Iraq. Please think of them all today.

I've finished reading Martha's new Blueprint magazine. I feel pretty meh about the whole thing. There are some great features - in this edition I liked the tai chi piece and the stationery finder. The magazine is organized well with features categorized room by room - from the top drawer to the bedroom to the worktable, etc... And, it pulls together some great standards from other magazines like its own version of the party guide that In Style runs monthly to a craft like you'd see in Living. There's a pull out sofa-buying guide that's part Consumer Reports, part Domino. They have achieved their stated goal of putting together a magazine that covers everything. In doing so, they've assembled a guide that will help you if you know nothing about anything. Because the spectrum is so broad, there is little depth. Still, the layout is gorgeous. Some of the ideas are great. This is like the buffet of magazines - nothing is fantastic or particularly unique, but there's something for everybody. And it takes a lot less time to read than paging through every single one of the magazines its modeled on.

Black Raven Vintage

I'm not really into vintage clothing myself. But, I'm here for you! If you love vintage, this eBay store looks like a great place to shop! Black Raven Vintage has great feedback and a fun inventory. She includes super detailed measurements and comprehensive descriptions - a must for educated eBay shopping. I love that she models all the clothing herself. Here are a couple of fab dresses she has in her store right now.

For your little L-A-M-B

Much like the lady herself, Gwen Stefani's L-A-M-B clothing line is expecting. These adorable crib shoes will be available June 1st.

Thoroughly modern mini

If you've been following along here, you've noticed that I'm not a fan of cutesy cute baby stuff. I like the stuff my kids use to be stuff I would use myself, only smaller. I've found a kindred spirit in the folks at ModernMini. I like this bouncer (its so cool, they call it a baby lounger) by Oeuf NYC. You will notice that there are no ugly toy bars teeming with fake aquarium fish or dangling Winnie the Poohs. Nothing lights up or plays midi versions of sticky sweet songs. And, its the color of chocolate. I just don't see how it could get any better.

A bassinet is one of those cool-to-have-but-not-really-necessary baby items. This one is so stylish, it might just become a must have.

I love this little ride on toy. They come in cow, bee and ladybug prints.

New print

Blueprint Magazine is the newest publication hot off the Martha Stewart presses. They are only publishing 6 times per year and you can try it free here. I've just started perusing, but it appears to be Martha's answer to Real Simple. This could be a very good thing. I've always liked Real Simple, but sometimes its solutions are just too simple. A little cheap and uninspired, actually - it could use a little Martha-style complication. So far, so good. I'll post later once I've finished.

Father's Day is on the way

Father's Day is coming up around the corner and its time to get shopping! I will probably do a few posts on this over the next week. Because, let's face it, men are a bit of a conundrum. While most men aren't particularly picky, they can be tough to shop for. Why is that? Well, thankfully, my husband is actually pretty easy to shop for. I know he covets the next few things. He has a personal GPS training device that he straps onto his arm before going on long runs or marches. It's great for helping keep track of distance and pace. But, he would love to upgrade to the Garmin Forerunner 301 Personal GPS with Heart Rate Monitor to track his heart rate and monitor his exercise intensity and performance.

He would also love to upgrade from his across-the-doorway chin up bar to this standing Chin & Dip Station (EA). And I would love for him to do his pull up stuff outside!

Now if your Dad or husband isn't an exercise obsessed paratrooper, I may be of less help. But, this Beer-O-Matic retro 12-can vending machine from Perpetual Kid may do the trick. It's just short of kegerator but with some style.

Throw rugs are probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you're looking for a Father's Day gift. But these sewer cover rugs, also from Perpetual Kid, are pretty cool for a garage or shed.

The husband and I are from fly fishing territory where angling is considered just about on par with, well, murder. Orvis has fly tying kits from the basic all the way up to this juggernaut. However your giftee fishes, the best thing about a fishing gift is its explicit encouragement to get away guilt-free.

Always a hit with the husband (not so much the Dad) is really anything from figleaves.com.

Or, for a gift that's more for you than him, try Kenzo Pour Homme Cologne. This is consistently picked as one of the best men's fragrances ever.

Don't forget that the best present you can give your husband or Dad is to let them know how great a Dad you think they are!

The Urban Garden

With the summer on the horizon, the husband and I are ready to start turning the land surrounding the house into actual landscaping. The Urban Garden has just the kind of sleek and modern garden accessories that we covet. The company is in the UK, but you can call for a shipping quote on anything you see on the site. While I really want these super-futuristico wall planters, I'm not sure how practical they are. I can already see myself out there shining them up multiple times a day. And, I'd hate to blind one of the neighbors with a stray sunbeam. Still, I like!

I dig these recycled tire planters on a couple different levels. They have a real industrial vibe with a handmade look.

And, they remind me of the wacky hey-honey-let's-build-an-Earthship-days. What, you didn't live those? Well, look closely, you'll see the recycled tires in the foundation.

I love this sleek table set. Its way more art than adirondack.

This next piece is a ceramic fire bowl. It's really just a fancy candle. But, I'm going to pretend its big like an outdoor fire pit. Because, that's what I'd like it to be and this blog is all about my little material heart's desires. Okthanksbye.

I'm still a super star!

I'm getting old. I can admit this. What I hate to admit is that I'm going all soccer mom over here. Gwen Stefani is older than me and she's still maintaining! Me, all I've got is a teeny tiny bit of edge left.

The perfect place to indulge that last wee little bit of inner rebel is E.C. Star. In general, the line is more punk than I've ever been. But, some of the pieces are just perfect for me - even in all my suburban glory.

I love this dress. I love that its seersucker. I love that its black seersucker. Most of all, I love that they call it the Pirate Dress.

Because that means it goes perfectly with this fantastic tote.

I am so not a cat person. I'm not even sure why I like this simple tank top so much. But, I do.

I also really like this vintage birdie tee. I don't usually wear t-shirts, but I could make an exception for this one!

And lastly, this brings me back to my usual, girlie girl ways.