Spring style: Outfit for lunch

Warm weather has pretty much descended on Phoenix. Word has it it’s supposed to be 91 degrees at the end of the week. Sounds like it’s time for spring-wear — and not a second too soon. I’m really tired of my baggy ensembles as of late.

Here’s an outfit that I’d like to (but probably won’t) wear to a lunch on a patio. The only accessory it needs: a margarita.

• Scenic Route Shirtdress, $158
• Marc Jacobs Bangles, $88 each
• Wayuu Taya Handmade Bag, $130
• Wood Platform Wedge, $250

2 new (to me) eco stores in the Valley

When AKA Green closed last year, I thought my ship for getting local environmentally-friendly products had sailed. But in a search for zero VOC paint for my baby room, I found that there isn’t just one — but TWO stores in town dedicated to eco-home decor. (You can also get no VOC paint by Olympic for cheaper at Lowe’s).

1) Central Slope
This eco design market specialize in eco-friendly decor, local art made from recycled materials, some cleaning/decor products and have recently added mid-century modern furniture to their inventory. What you can find there: paint, giant wind chimes made from old beer kegs, arty goods and gifts.

8801 N. Central Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85020
(Just south of Dunlap)

2) Eco Clean
Located in small office complex, this unassuming store is filled with materials to clean and decorate your home with the environment in mind. A small room in back is filled with non-toxic cleaning products. The showroom has loads of samples of mattresses, comforters, pillows and bedspreads made from sustainable materials. Find floor tiles created from recycled materials, and several lines of no VOC paint. Eco-friendliness doesn’t come cheap. Two gallons of paint ran about $100. An eco-pillow top is over $500. But can you really put a price on saving the world?

2828 N. 36th St.
Phoenix, AZ 85008
(Across 36th Street from Home Depot)

Rock-a-bye baby: Baby room design

So baby got here early — and his room is about 85% done.

I stayed pretty true to my initial inspiration which started around a toss pillow — vintage red, blue and yellows, a good amount of shelving, and some cute wallpaper.

We got some hand-me-downs (the crib), bought some vintage (rocking chair), spent a fair amount of time and money at Ikea (shelves and dresser/changing table), and have been receiving a seemingly endless stream of boxes from Amazon.com (crib sheets, changing pad, loads of non-decorating stuff).

We still need some sort of floor covering (these Flor tiles?) and maybe a bed-skirt so we can use the under-the-crib area as a storage space.

Here are a few of the design elements:

- Littlephant Rain poster from Huset

- Wallpaper from Ferm Living

- Fox pillow from Ferm Living

- Chair fabric from Tonic Living

- The ABCs of Heavy Metal Poster

Store profile: The Curiosity Shoppe

Those clever items and gifts that are unique, interesting to look at, and can’t find anywhere else– you find at The Curiosity Shoppe.

Housewares, decor, office goods and crafts –  there are no shortage of cool stuff to covet on this site. Here are a few things I’m liking right now.

1. Bottletop Candleholders, $29.95 each
2. Tooth Brushes, $80
3. Italian Push-pins, $4
4. Molecule Building Set, $79.95
5. Prize Ribbons, $10

Spring style: High-waisted jeans

What my “last days of pregnancy” dreams are made of: something sitting on my waist.

Even better, if that something is belted.

So it’s understandable that one item in my post-pregnancy spring shopping list is high-waisted jeans.

I’ve found a few pairs I’ve put into an online shopping cart a half-dozen times, but my logical side says I should wait until after delivery and see the state of my mid-section (and everything else) before settling on a pair.

These are on my short list:

• 1971 Reiss Birkin, $159.58
• Sunwashed Denim, $188
• Rio Blue High Waist Kickflare, $62.76
• High-waisted Carly Jean, $39.99

Style maker: Promise Tangeman

I met Promise Tangeman at the Alt.Design Summit blogger conference in Salt Lake City.

I loved her big big rock ‘n roll hair and bold patterns, which I figured would transfer to a pretty cool blog.  Turns out, she lives in Gilbert! So on return, I pestered her about some style questions for a What is She Wearing segment on Jackalope Ranch.

Q: Where are your favorite places to shop? Online? Locally?

A: I love the good old fashion Goodwill, or Savers. I also love Fashion by Robert Black, or Zara in LA….

Read more on the New Times Jackalope Ranch Blog >>

Setting the baby shower bar

Even though I’m more than 9 months pregnant, I’m still not what you might call baby crazy. So when my sister said she was going to throw me a baby shower, I must admit, I was skeptical.

First off, no one ever seems excited to go to a baby shower.

Secondly, I’ve heard horror stories about what goes on at these events. One friend told me about a shower game featuring diapers with a “guess the melted candy bar inside” motif. Ewwww!

Third off, I’m nearly 40. I feel bad having an event where my friends/family have to come and buy me stuff. “This baby isn’t a consumer event!” I thought — even though, so far, I’d say it kind of is.

“People want to celebrate your new baby,” friends told me.

Okay, fine.

So my sister started planning.
And planning.
And planning.

“What could she possibly be doing?” I wondered.

Here’s what she was doing:

Creating a theme
Knowing that I wouldn’t want anything that screamed BABY — she chose nests as a theme (egg 1) and thought of EVERYTHING. Gorgeous centerpieces with nests where you could place notes (see below), cards for conversation starting, even gift bags for people to carry home their goodies (I never would have thought of this).

***

Gift eggs
Everyone who came got an egg box filled with cool nesting stuff (egg 2): a bird wine stopper, an egg/nest necklace (she made them all by hand — see egg 3), some vanilla bath salts in a hand-stamped pouch, and candy eggs.

***

Cake topper
Seeing some birdy cake toppers on Etsy, my sister thought, “I can do that even better,” so she created two birds and a nest from Sculpey, using lollipop sticks for the legs (egg 4).

***

Games?
There were games — but they were optional and innocuous, like guessing the candy eggs and/or diapers in the jar (egg 5).

***

Conversation starters
In case people were struggling with conversation, she put facts about childbirth and questions about how we were raised on the table (i.e. The oldest woman to give birth was 63).

***

Advice
She cut out little sheets of paper into the shape of birds (again, by hand) for people to give me advice — either from their own experience as a parent, or what their parents did that affected them positively. One of my faves: Liquidize tastyfood from an early age so they are not picky! P.S. Be prepared for excess gas and adult intestine problems.

The result, a beautiful event that even heavy downpours couldn’t dampen.

You’re amazing, Stephanie!!!

I’m wishing…

It’s supposed to be cold and rainy tomorrow — and my midsection looks like I’m concealing a several pieces of sporting equipment. Neither are ideal for spring clothes shopping. That, however, doesn’t keep me from wanting.

Desperately wanting.

These days, however, I’m just wishing. The following are a few of my wishlists for spring: Shopbop & Modcloth.

Shopbop (click image to see list)

Modcloth (click image to see list)

Coming around again: Penny loafers

I’ve been nesting like a mad woman.

I had a yard sale on Saturday and got rid of loads of stuff…and I’m still on a crusade for unnecessary items in my house.

But this morning I was looking at one of my purge piles — and saw a pair of dusty Bass Weejun penny loafers I wore during a preppy phase in high school.

“Hmmm…those could be cute now,” I thought, and put them on.

Yes — I think my preppy phase might have a renaissance.

Here are a few penny-loafer inspired shoes I’m liking right now:

1. Bass Weejuns, $109
2. Kindred Burgundy Tassel Loafers, $100
3. Hours at the Library Heel, $154.99
4. Frye Alex Camp Loafer, $137.95
5. Penny Lane, $126
6. Bass Brookfield Loafer, $39.99
7. Madge Leather Tassel & Bow Loafer, $62.76
8. Mansford Slip On, $118

What should I be reading?

I’m always looking for a book to read.

Not just a book, but a REALLY good book to read.

During a recent office purge (part of goal #1), I  found an old Entertainment Weekly list of some of the best books written in the last 25 years.

Some I’ve read (The Corrections, Into Thin Air, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), and some I’ve been meaning to read (The Road, The Handmaid’s Tale).

Granted, I think I’ve been holding onto this list for probably a couple of years, but I still link it’s probably a pretty good guide of what I could/should be reading.

See the list of all 50 >>