Yes Please!

It's finally nearing the end of a long week for me, and I can't wait to relax and unload this weekend.  I hope you also enjoy a few of things that brightened my day!

Gorgeous red roses in full bloom that I love seeing on my dining room table

The chewiest oatmeal raisin chocolate chip cookies I have ever baked (super simple recipe here!)

An exquisite cameo ring passed down from my grandmother to my mother to me

A trip to the farmer's market (thankfully before Tropical Storm Andrea dumped days of rain on us) where I stocked up on locally grown fresh veggies for the week

Red chairs made out of recycled seat belts at a trendy tapas restaurant that I dubbed "the stiletto chairs"

Brushing up on my French with one of my favorite books, Bonjour Tristesse (Hello Sadness) 

When You See Gun, I See Jewelry

Jewelry For A Cause is one of the most inspiring and innovation organizations I have encountered.  Jessica Mindich founded Jewelry For A Cause in 2008 to design and create fashionable and affordable jewelry that can be sold at a profit to raise funds for schools and charities.  Jewelry For A Cause has helped support Knock Out Abuse, American Cancer Society, Jacob's Cure, Doctor's Without Borders, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Operation Smile, and many other charities doing amazing work on local, national, and global levels.  Now Jewelry For A Cause also works with artisans all over the world to help them establish sustainable lives for themselves and their families based on their craft.  Visit Jewelry For A Cause's website to learn more here.  I posted a few pieces from each collection below.

Jessica Mindich and the Newark Police Department collaborated to establish the Caliber Foundation, which aims to offer support to victims of illegal gun violence and their families.  All of the jewelry in the Caliber Collection is made from illegal guns taken off the streets by the Newark Police Department.  20% of the proceeds from each jewelry purchase in the Caliber Collection goes towards funding future Gun Amnesty Buyback programs in Newark, New Jersey.  100% of profits from purchases of the Caliber T-shirt go directly to The Caliber Foundation.  The Caliber Foundation helps families and communities heal and work together to change their Caliber.  Watch a video about the Caliber Foundation below.  

STEEL CUFF WITH DIAMOND, $250.00.  The oval shape of the cuff is supposed to mimic the trigger cage of a gun.

BRASS CUFF LINK, $300.00


"When you see gun, I see jewelry.'
            
                                                                    -Jessica Mindich, Founder of  Jewelry For A Cause

CALIBER T WOMEN'S, $40.00 (men's t-shirts also available here)

BLACK BUDDHA, $32.00

DAISY NECKLACE, $35.00

LEFT:  CINNAMON IN GRATITUDE NECKLACE, $60.00; CENTER:  DARK DENIM IN GRATITUDE NECKLACE,  $60.00; RIGHT:  LEMON YELLOW IN GRATITUDE NECKLACE, $60.00

"It is truly jewelry that sparkles with good intentions."

      

The Most Beautiful People

A Walden Moment

There is a little haven of trees and creek in the woods near my house where the leaves still crunch under my feet, and this quiet crackling reminds me of autumn.  Every once in a while I wake up early, put my dog on a leash, and go to this lovely place simply to breathe and think.  Everyone should have a happy place like this to call their own.

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.  I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary.  I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive live into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms."

               -Henry David Thoreau, Walden: Or, Life in the Woods

Things with Wings

Ancient Greek Sandals, Ikaria Winged Vachetta Flat Sandal, Platinum, Bergdorf Goodman, $230.00

The breathtaking "Wing Dress" by Australian designer Konstantina Mittas from the collection 'breath' which you can see her website here

I want to fly

Can you take me far away

Give me a star to reach for

Tell me what it takes

And I'll go so high

I'll go so high

My feet won't touch the ground

Stitch my wings

And pull the strings

I bought these dreams

That all fall down

                                                             -Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Wings

Wings is one of my favorite songs by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis from The Heist, and I heard them perform it live in April of 2013.  I took the photo above from the pit during his concert at The Pageant in St. Louis.  You can read an interesting explanation of the lyrics of Wings here.

My all-time favorite angel wings from any Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Alessandra Ambrosio, 2011

Spotlight on Swans

Left:  Bjork wearing the infamous "swan" dress to the 73rd Academy Awards in 2001; Right:  Florence Welch wearing a Givenchy S/S '11 dress adorned with swan wing appliques on the bodice and bold tangerine feathers on the back to the 2011 Grammy Awards.  Love or loathe?

"We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down."

                                                                   -Kurt Vonnegut, American writer

Kick Your Feet Up

Sometimes you just need one of those Saturday nights.  Total and complete relaxation because you deserve to be pampered like a princess (or prince).  For me that includes snacks, a mani/pedi with new summer pinks, and finally finishing the sixth season of my all time favorite series.

XOXO,

Gossip Girl

Yes Please!

There's nothing better to kick the weekend off to a great start like having the perfect Saturday morning.  

A delicious and colorful fruit salad I shared with my family

A pair of vintage leather boots I bought for $10 at Bits & Spurs, the store where my sister buys the tack for her horses and ponies

The cutest sign next to the coffee maker at my hair salon reading "DON'T CRITICIZE THE COFFEE.  You may be old and weak someday yourself!"

Running across this inspirational quote 

Looking back at the photos I took last night at a small art gallery downtown.  I especially loved this colorful mural - the geometric patterns would be beautiful on a dress, sweater, or scarf.