Hey all!  I spent the afternoon pulling together the design plan for the kids room for the Alma Project with Cristin of Simplified Bee, we’re so excited about the space taking shape and all the volunteers and vendors that have stepped forward to donate their time and products, thank you so much!  I’m so excited for the install and big reveal in a few short weeks.  (Still need more donations, so contribute what you can by clicking on the link in the sidebar!)

While online, I was shopping for artwork for the walls on Etsy and we’ve narrowed it down to a favorite series (can’t wait to show you!), but I couldn’t help but notice so many other amazing artists over there, I could be lost for hours.  I just had to share a few I stumbled across – some of these might look great on your walls or as part of your collection. 

I love Eva Juliet from Montreal, Canada.  Her shop is filled with whimsical illustrations from constellations to cupcakes, but I’m particularly fond of the culinary series, perfect framed in a grid on a kitchen wall or dining nook.

Who knows a dude who loves Star Wars? Oh, you’re all raising your hands.  Well check out the pop art series over at The Decorium Studio of Laguna Beach, California.  I want my little boy wants one too.

Visit Monorail Studio of Austin, Texas for some very fun and fresh quotable screenprints.  They are “printmakers by blood and artists by trade, ink in one hand and coffee in the other.”  I love that so much.  

Have you seen Quill and Fox?  You should, this shop from Portland, Oregon offers sweet paper goods in the form of seasonal and other post cards, my favorite it this terrarium series, send two to friends, then frame the others on your gallery wall.

Parada Creations of Bridgeport, Connecticut is another favorite for the whimsical illustration and excellent use of color, don’t miss the series of passion love prints!

Watercolor is en vogue again, and Jessica Durrant of Atlanta, Georgia does exceptional work.  I’m especially drawn to her series of multicolored world maps.

Traveled to a major city and fallen in love with its architecture?  You’ll love the colorful series of city prints by Laura Amiss of Amstelveen, Netherlands.

Hop on over to browse the art on Etsy and get lost like I did, there are so many talented artists over there.  Who’s your latest favorite? 

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Hello. There’s so much going on in my little world right now. My daughter turned eight yesterday and that just makes my head spin. My husband started growing a goatee for no reason and I’m really not happy about it and so I’m strategizing how to get him to shave it off ASAP. My five year old son announced that he needs me to get him some Pokemon cards so he can play whatever it is with the other kids and I witnessed the Pokemon craze with my nephews and prayed and begged that it would pass over my household and apparently no one was listening. So today I’d like to share a few of the little things in life that help me survive the madness of it all.   

1.  The mirror reminds me I’m getting closer to forty every day so I have found a few beauty products that help me feel presentable when I leave the house.  Here are my four ‘if ever stranded on a desert island’ essentials.

Ole Henrickson Collagen Booster; Smashbox Photo Finish; Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20; Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmer (Raisin)

2. In December, my husband listened with close attention when I made my Christmas list clicked on the hyperlink I emailed him and bought me this lovely camera bag from Jo’s Totes for my Christmas present. It’s very green and it’s so lovely. And I will bring it to SNAP (did you know I’m speaking on a panel at SNAP?) and you attendees can all admire its cleverly divided compartments that hold this budding photographer’s lenses and lip gloss. Cause that’s really all I need when I’m out and about, my camera lenses and my Burt’s Bees lip gloss. And a Twix bar stashed away at the bottom.

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Greetings all, welcome to a fun little get together all about the favorite things in your town!  I look forward to reading about where you all live and what you love about it. 

Quickly, I’ll share my three favorite things about where I live.  For those who don’t know, I live in a great little town called Petaluma in Northern California, which had a little feature in Country Living last year.  It’s 45 minutes north of San Francisco, 30 minutes from the coast, and next door to Sonoma in the heart of the Wine Country, which brings me to my first favorite thing about where I live . . .

1) Proximity   I’m a lucky gal, I get to make day trips to San Francisco and some weekends we head out to the coast, but my most favorite thing about my town is being surrounded by vineyards and having quick access to great wines.  

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There is little that’s more miserable than battling with an infected computer, gah.  Oh the time and energy wasted, and shaking of fists in the air!  I cannot wait to pick up my new (wicked fast) computer later today and get back to business.  Many thanks to all of you for commiserating with your tales of hard drive failure, I feel much less alone in my frustration.    

The post I was trying to write before my computer was sabotaged was a simple invitation.  I came up with this idea when I was jogging through my neighborhood the other day.  I realized there are so many quirky little things I’ve come to love about my town, and no doubt you have your favorite things too.  That’s what I love about the blogosphere and our community – it’s reading and being inspired by what all of you have to say.  I imagined a day where we all share the best things about where we live, sound fun?  

So let’s have a party!  It’s a ‘favorite things in my town’ kind of party.  No need to live in a small town though, you big city peeps need to give us the scoop too!  Where are the coolest places to go?  This is your opportunity to photograph and write about a few of the favorite things you see from day to day that make your world a better place.  Show us that building you love, or wraparound porch on the house around the corner, the best place for java, tastiest spot for lunch, or a store in your town with amazing finds. 

You’re invited to share your favorite things about where you live! 

Won’t you join me?  

It’s right here, next Wednesday.  One week from today.  August 31st ! 

I hope you’ll link up with a post about your favorite things in your town.  And if you’re the mom of little ones still in car seats, the drive thru Starbucks totally counts.

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