November 18, 2010

Sweet Dreams.

I love the two neutrals to follow.
Too busy for Doug. I already know it. The stripes might be cool.


I need a headboard. Help! I'm going to purchase some fabric and am also interested in taking some sowing courses down the street from my apartment at this location called The Needle Shop (not to be confused with something that sounds like a tattoo parlor). At first I was thinking about creating a headboard from scratch, then I thought that might seem like a huge amount of work that I'm not really able to do myself (I have no idea how to use a saw?).

Disclaimer: Doug if you are reading this, I hope you don't get too freaked out by the fact that I may or may not enjoy a few busy fabrics here and there. I'll try to keep it in control. We usually have similar taste, so trust me on this. I'm a huge fan of the photo above (from a site called "Apartment Therapy").

Type of Fabric I'm Looking For: Clean, yet textured looking. Modern (not overly floral or heavily patterned). Using the colors blue, white, black, gray or neutral tone. Shouldn't be too hard, right? Let me know if anyone has seen anything they like recently.

Best Headboard Website I've Found: The Headboard Store. Website Here.

Proposed Headboard Fabric Options (in case I decide to purchase an older one and upholster it myself). These are all from the Needle Shop just around the corner from my home.

Alexander Henry Home Decor Fabric. Clean yet a b
it textured. Grey and white (with a blue-gray feel to it, which would match the lighter gray/blue drapes).


Kaffe Fassett Swatch. I like this because it's a textural navy color.

Robert Kaufman Swatch. It's in 'Extreme White' color. I think this could be cool. It has some gray in it, too.

If anyone has made a headboard and would suggest or warn, let me know. I'll post what I end up choosing in the end!

Sweet Dreams! Maybe with a trendy headboard, I'll stop sleep talking...meh....not a chance.
Mish

I'm in Love with a Template.



After reading Martha Stewart Living (one of my bibles) while on the treadmill this morning (what is better motivation for a nice 4 mile run than reading cake recipes for the holidays?) I realized that it was the time of year when Martha's Microsoft Office Templates are now ready for use on her site. Laugh all you want, but I've literally been excited about this since her Summer 2010 issue when there was a notice about Templates "coming soon" for the holiday season. To best represent my excitement, I'd be lying if I said I didn't just run around the office with my print outs from Power Point showing the adorable initialed orange-ish coloring Thanksgiving palette table plate labels I'm going to use for my Thanksgiving spread with the family. "J" is for my brother, Jon.

I am way too excited for this. Check out this Custom Template
on the site now to try it for yourself. For the first time, I don't need to know Photoshop or InDesign (which, by the way, are also on my list of things to learn in 2011, which would also most likely mean I'll need to buy a Mac.....along with my money tree...). Molly is letting me use her sticker-maker. That way, I can now adhere my labels to the mini Frango Mint boxes I purchased last week at Macy's (it's not a holiday without Frango Mints). I plan to set the table with a box of chocolates on each family member's plate, with their initial on it. So cute right? I'm overly excited. I am now happy for the next week with this project. Now all I need to do is find the Gingham paper that goes with the table-scape I'm creating. JoAnne fabrics, here we come! I'll keep you posted as I develop the look and feel (and Menu!) for Thanksgiving on my new dining room table!

Martha also informs about place cards, holiday shopping lists, and coaster templates, too. Very neat. Thanks Martha! (Shout out to Martha Heun, too, because I know she is a super crafty lady herself who would appreciate these projects that I engage myself in!).

Cheers,
Mish

November 17, 2010

Pretty.

Hello Friends!

Here is a quick update a few things I am really enjo
ying as far as the beauty front is concerned. My top 3 items are listed below. I love these products, and you should too!

Cheers,
Mish

Item 1: Solia Hair Dryer
Item 2: Clinique Face Cream, Youth Surge

Item 3: OPI Fall/Winter Polish, Ski Teal We Drop (Swiss Collection)





Ralphie from 'A Christmas Story' wanted a Red
Ryder 440 BB Gun. I wanted the Solia 1875W Thermal Ionic Hair Dryer.

I decided that I
deserved it (plus it was on sale with free shipping and a free brush, so I made the purchase while preparing for a meeting at work). Thankfully I work with cool people who show me fantastic beauty oriented websites so I can find items like this that don't fry my hair off. It really makes a huge difference. I rate this dryer 5 stars. It makes my hair feel smoother and sleeker and has special details you won't find in a piece of crap dryer such as this chord is longer (so when drying your hair, you aren't standing smack dab up to the mirror) and also the Solia is pretty quiet for all the power that it offers. It dries my hair in a about 5-7 minutes faster (no joke) than my old retired Walgreen's piece of junk. It's funny because we were chatting about hair dryers at my desk at work, and apparently our use of the word "blow" when someone stepped into my cube had him cracking up and asking questions about what we were really talking about. Oh boys. They are so stupid and they always have usually one thing on their mind....

Check out the website. I have found products here that I haven't found elsewhere. Click here to view the site (especially if you are in the market for a new hair dryer). There are a good deal of promotions going on now and always, as far as the shipping is concerned, I really don't think you ever have to pay it when visiting this site. Horray! Mazel Tov Folica!


Youth Surge Clinique Moisturizer. The best stuff I've ever used. Plus, it doesn't make me break out. A Proactiv user to the core growing up with terrible skin, I am still accustomed to watching out for products that will upset my sensitive skin. I wish I could have olive skin, but I guess that's just the way that the cookie crumbles. I put this on my neck too. I think skin is important. I especially like how it's for people from ages 22-32. Right in my age bracket. I think this helps protect the skin I have now for the future as opposed to correcting using drastic measures when I'm older and my skin has already been damaged. I'm not saying that I'm a saint at maintaining my skin after years of climbing out my back window of my Wilmette home (I had the back bedroom that was freezing in the winter) and laying on the roof with oil on my face. Ah the joys of trying to get tan in high school. I'll never do that again! Buy this in any department store or Sephora/Ulta.


OPI Swiss Collection 2010. My favorite. What did we do before the days of OPI? Don't answer that. It's a stupid question, really, but no matter how much I try to enjoy the brands that drug stores offer as far as their nail selections, I can't because ever since I got my first manicure using OPI, it was hard to go back. This is one of my favorite colors, up there with "Black Onyx" and "Lincoln Park After Dark," oldies but goodies. The first time I wore a darker shade of nail polish home, my mom said "are you GOTH?" No mom, I said, it's trendy. OPI says so. And for my wedding, I'm doing Black Onyx on the bridesmaids. If you are reading this and are one of my bridesmaids (I have yet to announce them but you probably know who you are already) I hope that's okay with you!
I'd suggest that you look for this product on Amazon in case you'd like to purchase. They have pretty good rates! Or at the salon is always a fair bet.

Cheers,
Mish






November 16, 2010

Mustache + November = Movember.

Well, ladies and gents, it's that time of year. The month of November when Doug grows a special stache (a "mo" as the Australians call it) to participate in the larger program established by the Movember Foundation. This foundation is a registered non-profit organization that is responsible for raising funds for male health (specifically for cancer affecting men such as Prostate cancer) . This effort was originally established in Australia (Doug plays Australian Rules football, and that's how he got involved in this facial hair growing related charity), and seems to have stuck within the United States quite well.

I literally burst out laughing when doing some research prior to this posting & reading the website, to learn that the "Movember women supporters" of the Movember movement (and men having creepy mustaches) are known as "Mo Sistas" (view the caption from the website below). I would like to please now be known as "Mish the Mo Sista" effective immediately throughout the end of November.

All jokes aside, seriously have a look at the final amount raised last year: $40 MILLION DOLLARS! I didn't know the nu
mber was that high. I have a new respect and/or understanding of why Doug does this (other than feeling like Tom Selleck in his mustache glory days). It's hilarious, awesome, and for a good cause.

"Supported by the women in their lives, Mo Sistas, Movember Mo Bros raise funds by getting friends and family to donate to their Mo-growing efforts. The rules are simple: register online at Movember.com and start the month of Movember clean-shaven, then grow a moustache for 30 days. Last year, 255,722 men and women across the globe raised $40 million (USD) - all through the power of the Mo." (My favorite quote, by far, taken from the Movember Foundation website).

I am going to donate to this cause. I think it's awesome. I think everyone should donate, too. By clicking here, you'll learn his motivation for growing the scary looking facial hair ("to send women and children running in fear... for a good cause. Also, Sam Elliott") and will also be able to donate.

After all this mustache talk, I was also thinking about doing something interesting for my wedding reception fun, which incorporates these mustaches. I think that, if we had a photo booth, that would be really hysterical to have mustache cut outs on a stick. I included some photos from a craft blog that I think are well done. It's from the Lisa Welge blog site. Photos below. I love it.

Signing off,
Your Mo Sista Mish


November 14, 2010

Go Fish.


I have a small obsession with tilapia this month for some reason. Maybe it's because my immediate reaction to the temperatures getting colder is to indulge in red white and dark chocolate and I'm trying to compensate (well, let's be honest, I do that every month, so maybe I just feel like some fish!). Who knows. Either way, I am sure everyone will love this recipe. It's from my bestie Martha Stewart.

Ingredients:

  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro (roots and thick stems removed)
  • 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 1/2 bunch radishes (about 4 ounces), trimmed, halved, and thinly sliced
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 pounds skinless tilapia fillets (about 4)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (this really makes a big difference in the taste!)
  • 12 corn tortillas (6 inches each)
  1. In a blender, combine cilantro, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons oil, and 2 tablespoons water; season with salt and pepper. Blend until pureed. We added in some agave nectar because it tasted a little too tart.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, remaining tablespoon oil, radishes, scallions, and jalapeno; season with salt and pepper. Set radish salad aside.
  3. Place tilapia on a rimmed baking sheet; season with coriander, salt, and pepper. Broil until opaque throughout, 4 to 5 minutes; break up into chunks. (We did ours on the grill but you can also do this in the oven like Martha suggests).
  4. You can heat up the tortillas if you'd like. We didn't (I actually just ate mine without that part, it was just as delicious). To assemble, fill tortillas with fish and radish salad; top with salsa verde. I also choose to eat with ripe avocado. It was really delicious!

If I Was Green, I Would Die.



Oh I remember the good old days of Eiffel 65. I had the CD, I'm not going to lie to you. I even recall that someone choreographed a dance to that song for "Dance Day" at New Trier High School because of the popularity of the song. I miss dance day (we took off a whole day of high school classes to perform pieces student and teacher choreographed...totally unique experience that I'm not sure could be matched. We were really lucky at New Trier with our fine arts program!).

Blue was the color of the hour this weekend, let me tell you. We just hired Lee Painting (Mr. Lee in specific) to come in and do some painting in our front room(s) that all connect with each other (i.e. the Kitchen, Dining Room, and Living Room). We got the ceiling and trim painted in a crisp white color. Previously, it was off white, more of a glossy egg shell color. Bleh. The last people who had the walls painted really loved that shiny khaki look, which we felt made the room feel darker and more closed off. Immediately after the workers started (an hour or so late because they got lost coming here although they had previously been at my apartment to price out the job (?)). No big deal. It all worked out.

The Benjamin Moore coloring of the paint for the accent wall was "Philipsburg Blue" and the remaining walls were painted "Thundercloud Gray." I chose that gray color for the coordinating walls because I felt like it had a small fleck of blue in it, and that the overall streamline feel from the Dining Room wall to the surrounding areas would be cohesive. I know that it sounds like I have an idea what I'm talking about. It's really a result of my Interior Design friend (and long time High School friend) Annie, who is well versed in interiors and I was lucky enough to come home from work one day with a fun package containing a few samples of colors and magazine tear outs to further help me visualize what the room would look like. I love it. I really enjoy how the room came to life, and the colorful Dining Room rug we have that you'll see in the photos I've included really come to life. Excellent. Don't mind that the curtains were all twisted up. I guess I'll have to take those darn West Elm nuggets down and re-iron awkwardly (without any parts falling on the floor since they are WHITE, always a strange project to tackle). Ignore when you look at the wall colorings.

....and just because I have to, here is the "Blue" song.