is enough really enough

I know this is bad... but I haven't gone shopping in awhile and I started swooning for new things. I have not yet had the opportunity to indulge this want (because I can affirm that it's NOT a NEED), but it did get me thinking: there are some things that I can never buy enough of. I feel this way simply because I love these items and they bring a spark of "fun" to my life. Here's a short list I thought of...

• scarves (so many cool colors and patterns to be had!)
• coffee mugs (ESPECIALLY Starbucks ones) 
• nailpolish
• ETSY goods (which spans into several things on this list) 
• flats (just ask my husband)
• sandals (this includes flipflops)
• flowers... fresh ones
• fresh fruit
• lounge pants
• bags and purses (thanks ThirtyOne)
• good books
• eye shadow
• fabric (a person affliction)
• earrings and necklaces
• candles

more than that, and I just seem greedy. But these are things you will always see me buying with little regret! A girl can dream.

from jessie (a few of my favorite things)...with love

garden full of cupcakes

Check out these "garden" cupcakes I recently made for my mommy's birthday::

  

  

My inspiration (and complete direction) came from the book Hello Cupcake. I received it two Christmases ago but this is the first time I've made a set of cupcakes from it. The book couldn't be any cuter or the directions easier to execute. You don't have to be an expert at piping icing because many of the "objects" are made from candies: tootsie rolls, skittles, corn flakes. They were more time consuming than I had anticipated, but soooo worth it. I think I'll try the sunflowers with ladybugs next (perhaps for mother's day). 

from jessie (crazy for cupcakes)... with love 

rug renovation

Since moving into the new apartment, our feet have REALLY missed the carpeting in the old apartment. Our feet just don't like the "fake-wood-laminate" floor feel. Thankfully, our tax returns this year provided us the opportunity to purchase an area rug for the living room space. I searched online and found a few really fantastic options at Target. We had settled ourselves on this one or this one, but the mixed reviews from previous buyers really had me hesitating despite the fact that I LOVED the design (especially of the second one). 

THANK GOODNESS for hesitation! During an impromptu trip to Lowes this past Sunday, I passively suggested we check out their rug selection. It took all of two seconds to spot the rug I had pictured in my mind, check the price (RIGHT in our range), and haul it over my shoulder (who needs a cart?!) to the front. (side note: Scott said he'd carry it for me about 5 times, probably more, but I was just TOO DARN EXCITED to let it out of my hands)

So here's the empty, "non-foot-friendly" living area before ::

(pardon the "post-party, pre-spring-cleaning" mess) 

and the complete, "soooo-foot-cozy" living area after::

from jessie (snug on my rug)... with love 

happy hubby...

...cause it's his BIRTHDAY! We're entering the final year of his 20's... next year is the big 3-Oh!

I'm making him pancakes early for breakfast and we're celebrating tonight with a few close friends over Thai Food and games! He deserves more... but I'll do my best with the above listed activities to make him feel LOVED. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

SCOTT

(aka birthday-boy)

from jessie (party planning)... with love 

mr. postman:: PART I

If you ask me, one of the BEST things in life is getting snail mail! With the exception of bills and junk mail (and the like) there is little more exciting than receiving MAIL that's been personalized to you! 

For this reason I LOVE ordering online (especially from ETSY). I look forward to the day my package arrives and I get to rip it open and retrieve the goods inside. 

An order I recently placed with Orglamix (an organic-makeup Etsy shop) came packaged so prettily... I just have to share! 

What's not to love! The package was FUN and the makeup is so pretty! 

Make someone feel special and send them some snail mail today! 

from jessie (send it snail)... with love 

surprisingly crafty

I do shock myself sometimes with the crafty inspiration that pops in my head... 

I have a few large plastic bead necklaces that have been hibernating in my top drawer since we moved into the new apartment. Out of sight meant out of mind and I hadn't worn them in awhile. When getting ready for my friend Bethany's ThirtyOne party last Friday, I remembered the necklaces in my drawer and went to try them on. The blue one worked with my outfit but was too long... "if only it was shorter," I said to myself. 

Hence the bracelet and necklace you see in the picture before you! A few snips of the scissors and a slide or two of unused beads onto a new string and...VOILA! Two pieces of jewelry from one! 

from jessie (getting crafty)... with love 

ewok

He looks just like a little ewok! SO CUTE! Found him while browsing on etsy the other day...

I don't know if I'm for or against "animals-in-clothes"... but can I have one of him pretty please?! 

from jessie (puppy please?!)... with love