flowers in bloom

remember when i planted this amaryllis bulb from target a few weeks before christmas? look how beautiful it is! i get so sad that they only last one bloom, but the good news is that it lasts for a long time. i love looking at them as i wash dishes from my magical culinary creations (note sarcasm).

it's that time again - the gift of growing

this time of year the smith and hawken aisle at target turns into a wonderland of bulb kits. i picked up three (yes, three) last week so i'd have a couple of hostess gifts on hand for upcoming holiday dinners and parties. i decided to keep one for myself and planted it over the weekend in between boxes of tissues, cough drops and harry potters. i love these kits - they're inexpensive (on sale for $7) and super easy to grow. there's a different version online here.


below: the contents of the kit.

below: my favorite line in the instructions: "ornamental bulbs are not for human consumption." but they're ok for animal consumption? weird.

below: soaking the dirt for planting.

below: all planted and soaking up the sun on the kitchen windowsill. i'll post pics once it starts to grow!

caldrea for target

if you've been reading the blog since day 1, you'll probably remember my obsession with molton brown hand soap. i have a special bottle of molton brown naran ji next to my kitchen sink, and while i love love love it, it pains me to think i'm spending roughly $.50 every time i wash my hands. i decided to pick up some of the new target line by caldrea as my "i don't need to spend fifty scents washing bacon grease of my hands" kitchen soap and let me tell you, it's awesome. i picked up the olive oil scent ($7.99, not available online) and it's exactly what i'd like next to my kitchen sink. now i don't feel so bad when i wash my hands...

master bathroom is almost complete

the master bathroom is (so far) my favorite room in the house. the builder used encaustic mexican tiles, an antique light fixture over the toilet, 1800's stained glass window from england and a reclaimed tub. all together, it reminds me of a swanky and comfy hotel bathroom. i haven't finished the towel rack over the toilet but it's on my to-do list. i'm trying to think of something to do there aside from boring old towels folded over the rack...

homegoods owl plant stand, lowes plants, ikea plant pots, macy's hotel collection towels, anthropologie castile rose bathmat, target bamboo trash can and soap dispenser, tiles by original mission tile

fall shoes are on target

i stopped by target yesterday for a few gardening supplies. obviously i made a detour into the shoe department to see if anything in stock was new. there certainly was. i'm a bad blogger and only took photos of one of my try-ons, but i did give all of these a shot and i'd be perfectly content with any one of them.

below: merona myka suede wedges in taupe, $29.99 (available in many colors); good heel height, nice detail where the shoe meets the heel. the only one they had was way too big, obviously.

below: mossimo kamara ankle boots, on sale for $23.99; these were super comfortable

below: mossimo kat faux suede booties, on sale for $23.99

below: mossimo kachiri leather americana boots, on sale for $39.99 (available in many colors)

john derian for target

i first wrote about john derian here after my friend risa gave me one of his pieces as a housewarming gift. lo and behold, john derian is launching his third line for target - and gilt is having a preview sale today starting at noon est. be there and ready to hit refresh over and over again at 11:59am; his stuff is great!

a flamenco dancer with uniboob

i tweeted last week from charleston that nick called me a flamenco dancer with uniboob. well, this bathing suit was the culprit. even though nick made fun of it i still absolutely love it. another great bathing suit find at target. exhilaration floral/polka dot bandeau top and tie bottom, each piece $14.99.

ps. this model needs to eat about 600 cheeseburgers.

mood board: happy fourth of july

*whoops...bad blogger. if you read this post this morning, you caught me...i wrote this post early and scheduled it for the wrong day...sorrrrryyyyyy*

happy early fourth of july! hope you all have a great weekend filled with friends, family, fun and of course some sun or beach time. today's post is a mood board dedicated to the fourth of july...

pictured, from top left to right:

• ocarina striped canvas loafers, target, $16.99
  
• michael kors beach towel, amazon, $15
  
• jumbo beverage tub, target, $17.99
  
• extra large tote bag, ll bean, $37.95
  
• crab napkin holder, pottery barn, $15 on sale
  
• pantone triple strand necklace, anthroplogie, $48
  
• nautical dress, shopmamie.com, $44
  
• red spacewalk dress, lulus, $36
  

outfit in action: target flower child

who doesn't love a good romper from target? found this little number at my local target over the weekend and have already rocked it twice - once for fun and once for work. i was a little nervous i'd look like i'm wearing a diaper but the tight top evens it out. love it!





express sweater ($29.50), target exhilaration romper ($19), ralph lauren wedges ($69), gorjana key necklace ($65)

reader question: that perfect beach hat

am i the only one SO glad that the work week is starting on tuesday!? hope everyone had a lovely weekend. i thought a great way to start off the short week is with a question from one of you wonderful readers...

"have you found any good pool/beach sun hats that aren’t ridiculously expensive? i have been browsing in the stores and haven’t been able to find anything that doesn’t look like it belongs on a 90 year old, so before i age myself 20 years i wanted to see if you had any ideas."

great question because there are so many sun hats that borderline kentucky derby or 80-year-old on the tennis court. here's what i came up with.

below: lands end canvas classic straw hat, $29.50

below: express patterned straw fedora, $34.50

below: express straw fedora, $34.50

below: j.crew summer straw hat, $34

below: target mossimo trilby hat with madras trim, $12.99

happy memorial day...beach bag essentials

happy memorial day, ladies! i hope many of you are beach-bound this weekend. i'll be heading up north to oklahoma for a few days at the new choctaw casino...yes, a casino in oklahoma...yes...i know. anyway, i plan to spend a lot of time at the brand new pool and spa so i broke out the old beach bag to make sure i pack the sunning essentials...

forever 21 sequin anchor bag ($10ish i think), clarins sunscreen spray oil-free spf 15 ($32), neutrogena sheer ultra-dry spf 30 ($10), softlips spf 20 ($2), ray-ban aviators ($70-$120), target ruffle eyelet bathing suit ($15 each piece)

ruffle and eyelet bathing suit

i love target. i mean...who doesn't? i ran in on saturday for a few cleaning supplies and came out with this eyelet trim bathing suit - i love the girly details of the eyelet and the ruffles. and hello...$14.99 for each piece. way easier to swallow than that $220 one i posted about last week (although this one is not as awesome, i'll admit, it definitely does the job).

happy earth day! strawberry grow pot

i've written before about my obsession with the smith & hawken aisle at target. my latest s&w purchase was this strawberry grow pot for $19.99 and i thought i'd write about it in honor of earth day today. it was growing SO nice and i had two cute little buds - until i moved it outside onto the patio and my buds were eaten by those dang pigeons!! i hated pigeons already (rats with wings) and they successfully put the nail in their own coffin, those bastards. anywho...

the kit came complete with dirt, seeds and step-by-step instructions.

who knew strawberry seeds are so itsy bitsy? well, probably everyone considering we eat them all the time...but still...they're tiny.

the dirt comes in little packs so you have to moisten and stir them up before planting.

and voila! the seeds are planted! if only i left the little buds in the safety of the apartment rather than sending them outside to their death. learned that lesson! regardless, it's a great little kit and i recommend it for the casual "gardener" like myself.

plant something in honor of earth day!