Jet Lag Aids Blogging.

Peeps what do you do when you're away from home for work, jet lagged out of your mind and missing your beloved Hubs and babies? I don't know about you, but I obsess over design. Hmm. Doesn't sound any different than a regular day at home.



I got back to my hotel room this afternoon completely pooped from a long day of seminars and sessions and completely crashed -- Ralph Lauren dress and all -- on my fabulous hotel bed. I normally don't show these types of things for fear of being too personal but you HAVE to see this bed. It's fabulous.

Oh well. Back to the Olioboard. I've been wanting to put a more realistic Olioboard up of what the room is really turning out to look like and I finally had the chance to get to it tonight - after waking up from my 4 hour coma, taking a fabilis hot shower, and ordering room service because my preggers behind was too lazy to walk downstairs to get food.

I'm pretty happy with the way the room is turning out. I ordered some white shelves for my gallery wall above the couch, along with a stretched canvas photo I took of my Little Guy last year on the North Shore. I love this photo of him and I love that it hasn't been photoshopped and still looks great. :0) We were poolside and he had ordered a virgin "fancy drink."

On the wall above the turquoise buffet, I'm thinking of finding salvaged white, window frames I saw recently for a whopping $2 each at Reuse Hawaii, a very cool, green salvage yard in Honolulu.

Wouldn't they be a fun weekend project? I don't think I'd keep the glass or screen. But I like the distressed finish to the frames and the peeling white paint (which would be gently sanded down, bien sur). Part of me wants to take a piece of plywood and paint it with chalkboard paint and frame it with the window. I love the vintage beach feel.

Oh well. Enough for one night. I seriously need to get some sleep. It's 7:30pm in Hawaii, it's 12:30am where I am, and I have a full day's schedule starting tomorrow at 7:00am. You gotta love travel! It will kick you in the butt, but sometimes lets your creative juices flow.

Yes, We're Dating. Out with the Old and in with the Anthropologie.

In typical NoJcrewinJapan overthinking, I am contemplating aloud what I've got in my cart. Yes, we're dating. Me and this glorious outfit pictured here. I am so enamored it's borderline ridiculous. I can only tell you, my bloggy gal pals. Even the Hubs will think I'm off my rocker. Ever loved an outfit so much you visit the damn website habitually -- daily even -- just to see the outfit? The last time I acted like this? Fall 2008, J.Crew ---> when spectator peep toe mary janes, thigh high grey socks, and bug pins ruled.

Now, I find myself under the spell of:

The Van Wrinkle Sweater, $118

and the

Tweedy Leaves Dress, $158

In particular, I think I'm drawn to the fall colors of both pieces, as well as the skirt on the dress. In theory, it should work with my body shape, which leans towards a pear-shaped apple. I like that the dress nips in at the waist, but is easy in the tummy and hip area. & I love the look of that sweater open, a la the styled look in the first photo. It's something different I can add to my wardrobe. & did I say how much I love the look with the tights? *le sigh*

Next up:

The Distant Chirping Chemise, $58.00

Let us discuss the absolute dress-like qualities of this piece -- too cute!

Can you picture with a cardi or little sweater? & I have tons to go around, given my J.Crack addictions of the recent past (As my logic goes, any gal who's got an affinity for J.Crew has more than her fair share of cardigans in her enviable closet). I am envisioning with my distressed brown men's leather belt, also from J.Crew, and a pair of very cute sandals.

& finally:

The Pittore Dress, $158

The Pittore Dress gets an honorary mention. Style, cut and everything else in between, it is my hands-down favorite. I am in loooooooove with this dress. The issue comes from my body shape and the straight cut of this dress. We just weren't meant to be, and for that I am a bitter, bitter lady.

What do y'all think about the Anthro roll-out? Anything on your wishlist?

Is there such a thing as too much bling?

Swag, meet my fellow bloggers. Fellow bloggers, meet my bling-alicious swag. It's possible I went off the deep end in the bejeweled-sequined-glittery-sparkliness category of crazy. Some may ask, Is there even such a place? & I'm here to say, Yup, I'm pretty sure... & I think I could draw the map to its exact location. While immersed in Christmas spirit, I may have gifted myself a little something here and there (Tries to withhold own giggles). & those little gifts - mostly tees and sweaters - seemed to have a common theme.

Shown (All J.Crew, of course):

Sequined Peakaboo cardigan, or, the one with the sequins going down the front of the placket

The Florentine (?) tee, or, the one that looked like a large bejeweled angel wing going down the front.

The Antler tee

The Starburst (?) tee, 2 colors, blush and ivory.

The sequined pocket long cardigan

The crushed glitter minaudiere in Copper

Somewhere along the path of staunch preppy-clothed-preferences, I have gotten a taste for the sparkly-sparkly. Like a full-on magpie. The funny part is, I arrived home from Europe to numerous -- and I do mean numerous -- J.Crew boxes. With the free shipping offered on top of the discounts, I seemed to have ordered numerous "little" orders. & when all the mini orders were opened, I had to laugh at how single-minded I had been.

Up-close of the sequined pocket cardigan. Like having little darling coin purses dangle from your cardi. I have to say the bling on this one is extra fantastic. The sequins are laid out rather randomly with no precise pattern, are a mercury-silver color and have a clear bead sewn on top of each. I love when the sequins are laid out all mish-mash like this.

Here's an up close of the peekaboo cardi. The color is more taupe than the slightest off pink I had thought I would have received but I wouldn't kick it out of bed. As Goldmember says from that Austin Powers movie, "It's a keeper!" The sequins as you can see are see through and in straight lines, which I think gives a nice lengthening effect. An illusion I don't mind given my short torso. Although I usually don't prefer the in-a-row sequin thing, I do like the subtlety. It's actually rather subdued bling.

& there is not one ounce of subdued anything in this minaudiere. It was a total sale item, $29.99 I believe with 20% off. A great deal for a little bit 'o swag. I was wondering how well the glitter would stay on this thing. I envisioned receiving this with glitter flakes everywhere but it is much sturdier than it looks.

I did remember this time to take a picture of the interior, which is lined in a fabric I will call, Not J.Crew Canvas. It's not silk but it's perky and dressed-up enough of an interior to match the bag's exterior.

Well, ladies. January better be a festive month, because I've gots me some bling to wear out and about. I will try my best to take IRLs of these when I style them or put outfits together. Let's just hope I've got the sparkly-sparkly out of my system!