How long would it take to make one of these with my mom's old sewing machine?

Speaking of Anthropologie, I've been lusting after this $198 duvet cover for several weeks now:




Isn't it DIVINE?? Really any of the bedding on Anthropologie would be greedily accepted by yours truly, but I am blocked once again by Anthropologie's high prices. Sigh. Another duvet cover that I cry over at night is at Urban Outfitters:



Soo fluffy and luxurious, it makes me want to leap into bed and never, ever leave. I'm about one unexpected paycheck increase away from paying the $148 for a queen size cover. Urban Outfitters' bedding, like Anthropologie, has that effect on me.

I blame the editors of Real Simple Magazine.

Things I need. Now.




Desktop Hand-Cranked Shredder by A+R Store. For those dark and stormy nights when the FBI is coming for your financials and the power just blinked out. No actually, this isn't incredibly useful, nor do I see myself buying it anytime soon (at $44, it's more expensive than an electric shredder), but it's so freaking cute I couldn't resist. It comes in pink, white and blue. I suggest browsing the entire store, all their stuff is just adorbs.

Marbles. Basic marbles. Real Simple March 2011 suggested several ways to use them, including:

Playful Arrangement: Add marbles to the bottom of a vase to keep your daisies in the drink and make arranging, well, child’s play.

Muscle Soother: Store a handful of marbles in the freezer, drop them into a thin sock, then roll it across your sore spots for ahh-inducing relief.

Spray-bottle Aid: To pull the last bit of cleaner from a bottle, drop in a few marbles to raise the liquid's level to the spray tube.

Heartfelt Cupcake: After filling a cupcake liner with batter, wedge a single marble between the liner and the pan to create a heart-shaped indent.


Pinwheel Push Pins by Anthropologie. Let me preface by saying, while I have a HUGE weakness for all things Anthropologie, I have a hard time breaking down and paying their exorbitant prices. That being said, I'm going to try and see if I can MAKE something like these $15 (for twenty) beauties, because they are just that amazing.

Cut-out, pop-out votive holders by Studio Tord Boontje for Artecnica. The decorations on the stainless steel mean AWESOME shadows and instant room decorations when you light the candles. $35 for 4, what a deal.

Slip-on Pour Spout by The Kitchen Outlet. Seems like a duh moment for cooks everywhere. I, for one, will be buying one of these $4.99 beauties asap, and kissing splattered tomato soup goodbye!

Book Review: The Pioneer Woman by Ree Drummond

The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels - A Love Story by Ree Drummond



A memoir/love story, this book was a wonderful, fun and squeal-worthy read about a self-proclaimed city girl who falls in love with an Oklahoma rancher. It reads like a romance novel, complete with the (yes) squeals and swoons, but it's an actual true story! She's a hilarious writer, with wonderfully graphic details about a prank her new brother-in-law pulled on her (involving a cow's rectum and what comes out of it), as well as girl-I've-been-there moments (spilling the contents of her purse EVERYWHERE in front of two decidedly female-shy cowboys) and the treat of her miserable, though entertaining first pregnancy. I felt like the book ended suddenly and I wish she'd written more, but the book JUST came out on Feb. 1, 2011, so hopefully she'll get to work pronto on the next book! She previously wrote The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl, which was a best seller. She has been married to her cowboy for 12 years now, and the book just barely covered the birth of their first child (conceived on their honeymoon) so she certainly has plenty of material for a few more books if this one sells well, nudge nudge. I've already recommended this to several friends and now recommend it to everyone in the blogosphere! Ree started out with her own blog (where she posted her love story before deciding to make it into a book), so see what she has to say about her own book: http://thepioneerwoman.com/blog/2010/11/black-heels-the-book/

Neon Angel by Cherie Currie

Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway by Cherie Currie

I first learned about The Runaways when the movie about the band came out, starring Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart. The movie is based on Neon Angel, so of course that piqued my interest. The book was entertaining in the best way, a mix of the best dream and worst nightmare. I found myself learning lessons from this book, namely, that if Cherie Currie can come back from the worst kind of abuse and reinvent herself, then surely those who haven't been through such trauma can find ways to cope in their own lives. This was also a shocking review of how poorly child stars were treated in the 70s, and it makes the reader hope that things have changed today, though we have suspicions they haven't, in many ways. The book had some parts that lagged or didn't quite match continuity, but as a whole, it was a well-written and well-edited memoir, which is certainly not the norm, especially for a writer who is normally a chainsaw artist nowadays! I recommend this book to all fans of The Runaways, and all those who dream of being a Hollywood rock star. This book might change your dreams a bit, or at least strip away any naivete.

Book Review: Kasey to the Rescue by Ellen Rogers

Visual Bookshelf is a great way to organize all of these incredible books I've read.

Kasey to the Rescue by Ellen Rogers



A fascinating subject about a mother's quadriplegic son and his service monkey, but I think the real strength is her writing ability. Ellen's style makes me wish for another memoir about HER life, even if it's not as eventful as someone else's. She walks a delicate balance between humor and intelligent analysis, with an engaging speaking style. I say speaking style because I felt as though she were telling me the story in person. I found myself holding my breath, wondering what would happen next, and then experiencing the same joy she conveyed. I really do hope to see more work from her, but until then, this book is an inspiring and funny story. I think we'll all want a monkey when we're done reading it.

Click on the picture above to purchase a signed copy of the book (only $23.99! I wish I'd done that). You can also visit http://www.kaseytotherescue.com/ for more information on the story.

Book Review: Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

Another Visual Bookshelf review:

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin



I wish Greg Mortenson had told this story in the first person. I didn't feel as connected to the people as I did when reading his follow-up book, Stones Into Schools. This is a good read, but it does get a little weighted down with explanations of the back regions. Though necessary for the average American reader, I would have preferred more emphasis on the people than the region and land. It's worth the read to get inspired about helping CAI continue to build schools in these terrorism-ridden regions.

Book Review: I Beat the Odds by Michael Oher

I've started using a Facebook application called Visual Bookshelf, and I posted this same review there:


I Beat the Odds: From Homelessness to the Blind Side and Beyond by Michael Oher



As someone who loved The Blind Side movie, this was a wonderful addition. When I saw the movie, I was wondering what was exaggerated or changed for the movie and what was true, so this book filled in all the blanks for me. For editing junkies, there are some neglected grammatical errors and misspellings that escaped the publisher/editors' notice, but overall I enjoyed this book. It's written as an inspiration to foster kids to get out of poverty, and to that end, Michael did an excellent job of continually linking stories to how he "beat the odds." While he had assistance in writing the book, it's clear the book is controlled by him, and I appreciated that. We all could learn from his fight to get out of the ghetto, even if we've never known such dire conditions. He included excerpts from letters he received, telling how his story has already inspired kids in less-than-ideal circumstances, and it's a pretty powerful read.