Antiques

Today started out as an adventure with my friend L.  I have known her for almost four years and she is a dear friend and always up for anything.  We had plans to visit a few craft stores, some resale shops, and a couple cupcake bakeries along the way.  Well, with my trusty garmin plugged in and programmed with the addresses (thanks to my sister and brother in law...best christmas gift ever!) we were off and running.  First stop was a bust...too much stuff in one place.  Gotta love a well stocked thrift store but it was overwhelming.

Of the places we hit it was Vignettes that really surprised me.  Let me back up.  We went to one of my  favorite scrapbook/craft stores in Point Loma, Paper Tales.  I purchased some new valentine themed stamps and paper that I hope to use on Valentines to be made next weekend or possibly this week after work.  While at Paper Tales the customer in front of us was being told about a great antique store in Ocean Beach that had a black and white awning.  The clerk said that it had a well-edited selection of cleanly laid out antiques that weren't at antique prices.  The thought crossed my mind to ask her where it was but I thought against it since we already had a list of places we wanted to go to.

Next was our craft shop for my friend L.  She recently got into beads and jewelry making.  She is quite good and found some great deals at the Black Bead in OB.  Its a tiny shop that is packed with literally wall to wall strands of beads, cords, chains and anything you can put to good use making jewelry with.  The ladies were extremely helpful and had a huge selection of items at 50% off.

After leaving the Black Bead I noticed that the black and white awning was about two blocks up the street and convinced my friend to walk up the street to see what the fuss was about.  Well...now I know. I have always loved the french aesthetic.  But when I walked into this shop I knew I was going to love this place.

Vignettes is an adorable and well stocked store that is separated into different rooms that are all maintained by 24 different designers that travel the world to bring back the french style to San Diego.  This store has been open for 10yrs but seeing as I rarely get down to OB I never knew it existed.  Now I am dreaming about their apothecary tables and chandeliers.  I want floor length distressed mirrors with crackle insets in the oval panels.  For now I could only justify the item pictured below.  At $18 bucks I couldn't resist this charming bird cage that somewhat resembles a greenhouse I once saw in San Francisco.

I am in love with this shop.  Its like visiting anthropologie...but at an affordable price tag.  Sorry anthro, I love you, and you know this...but I can't afford your amazing products at regular price tags.  If you're in OB visit the shop with the black and white awning and you'll be transported to France and come home with a new item to transform your place.  

For the record we never made it to the cupcake store...they were prepping for a 944 magazine party to officially open their shop.  This was the second weekend in which I had tried to get there.  Next weekend I am headed up the coast again for a birthday breakfast for a friend and I hope that on the way back down I'll make it in time to visit Cups.  It looks like more than just a bakery, its a lounge and a place to take baking classes. 

While driving along the 5 my friend L turns to me and says, 'where do you find all of these places?'  Well I watch the news in the morning as I am getting ready and they are always featuring new restaurants to check out and then of course there is Yelp.  I rely on the reviews of others to send me into different directions around San Diego.  

Tomorrow I am off to the 'Happiest Place on Earth' to do a bit of shopping, lunch and relaxing in the heart of Disneyland. Pictures to follow.   

Haiti

Watching the news tonite makes all your daily problems seem so small.  While I normally like to post happy or creative things I cannot ignore what is going on in Haiti.  So many people suddenly homeless, critically injured, and an estimated 1million dead.  It makes my simple and insipid problems just that.  I cannot stop thinking about a former coworker, Gloria, who's entire family lives in Haiti.  And while tonite as I sit here in my warm bed and watch fools on tv auditioning for American Idol there are people searching for their family members and friends.   So tonight dear bloggers and readers please hold your family a little closer and keep those far away in your thoughts.

Clarisonic

I am a self admitted Sephora-holic.  I love to peruse the aisles of glitter, brushes and perfumes and take home a glossy black bag with red tissue filled with potions to make me gorgeous!  This holiday I got a variety of gifts including two sephora gift cards and a visa one.  The possibilities are pretty much endless for a beauty addict like me.  But I decided on probably the best purchase I have made (to date) at Sephora.  I got a Clarisonic.

From the makers of the Sonicare toothbrush comes the facial cleansing wonder the Clarisonic.  I absolutely love the way my face feels. My skin is glowing and it exfoliates like a dream.  Really I don't know how I washed my face without it before.  The price point is a little steep ($149 for the Mia, and $249 for the full size)..and admittedly I wouldn't have purchased it if I didn't have the gift cards.   However, considering an average trip to Sephora for me costs at least $40 I have probably spent that price 10x over in the last year.  Especially since I just got my 500pt perk for being a Beauty Insider.  It wasn't the Kat von D eyeshadow pallet but something I kinda needed more, new OPI nailpolishes.  Everyone loves a 'free' gift...even if it cost me $500 in purchases to get it.

When I was in the store clutching my Mia before rushing to the register to pay I spoke with one of the 'beauty consultants' about the product.  She told me how my products would last longer on my face throughout the day, how more effective my moisturizers would be, and how overall I would love the way my skin looked.  And, well, she was right.  I have noticed a dramatic change in the way my makeup glides onto my face.  And how my skin is soft before I put on my moisturizer.

I would've posted a 'cute' photo of my Mia...but for Christmas I also got a new Macbook Pro and have yet to figure out how to upload photos to blogger with iPhoto.  So..as I experiment please bear with me.  
But while you're waiting check out the Mia you won't be disappointed!

Wishbook

When I was a kid every year we'd get the Sears Wishbook, until they stopped making it.  My sister and I would circle items that we just had to have for christmas.  And the rules were that we couldn't choose the same item.  So it was a race to see who could 'get' what.  I think my parents did it so they would know what to get us, but moreover it was just entertaining.  We'd spend hours just looking at the 20+ pages of Barbie bubble-gum-pink-paraphernalia hoping Santa was watching and knew exactly what we had circled in the wishbook.  Whether or not he was watching, circling items in the book became a big deal for both of us.

During college I worked for Sears in almost every department learning the many facets of the day to day operations of the store.  I no longer work there but received a small gift card from them this year due to a class action law suit.  Also this holiday I got a gift card to Sears from my grandma.  Now I am in a similar circumstance as with the wishbook.  I have over $400 to spend at Sears.  And their website, the digital version of the wishbook, has become the new place for me to 'circle' items I want by placing them into my shopping cart.

Circling all those toys when I was little was a fantasy.  Hoping that I would get maybe one of the large playsets was all I really wanted.  And I imagined if I had the money that I would buy all of them.  Well now I 'have the money' and I can't decide what to get.   I keep thinking 'practical', use it for new glasses in the optical department, or go 'indulgent' and get those $169 Ciao Bella Boots.

Off to peruse my wishbook.  Happy 2010 everyone!  May you have a safe and happy holiday and I'll see you in the new year.

2010 I await you...

I am making my resolutions list public this year.  Hopefully this will help me accomplish more by putting them out there for everyone in cyberspace to see.  Along with stringent non-fun things I will add in some spontaneous and creative goals for myself.

So here goes nothing....

1. Save more money
    -after cleaning, and cleaning, and cleaning up stuff today I see how bad an addiction to shopping that I truly have.  I have known  this for a while, but with two family weddings in 2010, both out of state, I'd like to be able to afford more than just food and hotel rooms.

2. Save more money (that isn't for vacations), and (gulp) set a realistic budget.
    -One that allows me to still indulge in my daily starbucks fix but limits my visits to Anthro and Sephora.
 
3. Do at least one craft project a month and post it online.
    -To satisfy my creativity and need for self expression through a paper medium.

4.  Recommit to losing weight
     -In 2009 I lost almost 30lbs, and in 2010 I want to lose another 30.

5. Use my annual passes!
     - I have annual passes to Disneyland and the San Diego Zoo and I will set up plans to use them in 2010!

6. Take dance classes and meet new people!
     -My friend L and I are going to make good on this promise in 2010!  Latin American Dance here we come!

7. Post on my blog regularly.
     -enough said. ;)

8.  Plan regular vacations and time off from work to recharge.
     -Possible destinations, LA for a long weekend, Vegas for, well, just for Vegas and all that it brings, Hawaii, because I've never been.

9.  Explore my hometown!
     -Try a new restaurant, explore a different part of the city, or just take my camera out and shoot the unexpected.

10.  Take my car in for regular car washes and treat it right.
     -I know how stupid this one sounds, but really the last car I drove, I ran it into the ground.  Rarely washed, rarely cleaned.  For the biggest purchase in my life so far I should take care of it beyond scheduled routine maintenance.

This list is unfinished...but hopefully I will accomplish most if not all of them.  Its a fresh year for new adventures...nothing ventured nothing gained.

Christmas is coming the geese are getting fat....

Yes, they are getting pretty plump..and thus I have neglected my blog.  I decided on my commute home tonight that on my 'resolutions' list for 2010 would involve this little space on the internet I call mine.  I really enjoy expressing my creativity to the few people that might stumble upon this site.  Musing about my favorite music, shopping excursions and crafty expressions is something that I would love to expand upon in the new year. I realize that this will require some dedication...and maybe even some 'planned posts'.  But in the end I will have a creative outlet that lets me reach the masses...however few they may be.  You never know my blog could end up with its own book, like Pioneer Woman, or even a movie like Julie and Julia.  But even if my blog only expands to a readership of 6 close friends I will be happy.  

For now, please enjoy this photostream of Christmas decor from my home to yours.  May you enjoy a joyful holiday filled with family, friends, and geese...er..turkey!  Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!!!

Update

Now that November is almost over (and I only have two work days left this month...be jealous!) I figured that I'd include a small photostream of november occurences so it appears that I wasn't just avoiding blogging. 

Out of Town Bags -- Food Labels

(San Diego skyline stamp is from Paper Tales in Pt. Loma)

Bridal Bouquet

Place Settings at the Wedding & My Bridesmaid Bouquet

Sparkler send-off at the end of the night

Minnie!!

The one of very few video games that I am good at.

One of the many reasons to visit Disneyland at the Holidays!

Hopefully December brings as much excitement and fun as November did!  And more Charger wins!!!

Have an exceptional Thanksgiving and I'll see you in December!