On Saturday I ventured out to a mall about an hour from my home...it was well worth the drive...went to J. Crew and they told me they were having a "secret cashmere" sale....YAHOOOOO!!!!! All cashmere was $99!! My local J Crew doesn't even carry cashmere! :( I really wanted to try the Bisou sweater but it wasn't in stock so I ended up with the following:

Cashmere crewneck tee item 98277 reg. $145

Ohhhh how I love this sweater....got it in black and this great charcoal grey that I don't see online....the fit is so perfect!

Cashmere V-neck sweater: item 17056 reg. $145

I scooped this up in heather (light) grey, black and dark grey....what can I say...I am not a bright color kind of girl! These will be fab with a couple of taffeta flower pins/hairclips that I got a few months ago...I can secure then with the barrette attachment and not have to put holes in my sweater.

I picked up the Antler tee (item 20489) in graphite grey. This tee rocks! It is a little long and a bit slouchy...just how I like them! If you want a snugger fit definitely size down in this one.

Last but not least: The Crystal and Pearl Libretto necklace in blush! Item 22709 ,$118. This looks SOOOOO great on the crewneck cashmere.......I wore it around the house over my PJ's last night...it just feels so good on...has a nice weight to it and will be great against greys, blacks, charcoals....you know....my whole wardrobe! :)

Today I went to my local mall to make a return at Gapkids and popped onto my local J Crew...they told me new merchandise will arrive on Wednesday or Thursday and they are having a promotion on Friday....20 % off $125 or more. I plan to go back. I have my eye on a couple of things. Post to follow!

Quality over Quantity!!!

xoxoxo HKM

The best baby gifts...

We have had a run on new babies recently... 4 new babies last month alone between family and friends! My own children are 3 and 5 and I remember receiving the cutest outfits for them and then feeling guilty...they spent all their newborn bliss in soft onesies and zip-ups! 3/4 of the adorable outfits we received went unused! So started my quest for a go-to gift that would be sweet and usable! My daughter wore these cute socks everyday...she had about 20 pair and I could not get enough of them! They can be found here: Trumpette



5th Ave. MaryJanes 26.50 for 6 pairs. These are brand new..the houndstooth print is so chic.These are the socks my little sweetie wore....MaryJane Pastels 24.50 for 6 pair. Fits sizes 0-12 month...really!
Can't forget the baby boys! Barnstable Bat is a local company that makes all the wooden bats for the famed Cape Cod Baseball League. They offer a 26 inch "birth bat" that they engraved with babes name, date, time, weight and length at birth. We have given about 6 of these as gifts and it is great to see the new dad get excited about a gift!





Birth Bat 45.00 Barnstable Bat

Life has been so much easier with signature gifts...and new parents really find them unique. I have gifts for other occasions as well...post to follow!

Do you have signature gifts or do you wing-it?

J Crew purchases

Well...that didn't last long. Visited my local J. Crew today armed with the new CC I vowed never to get. The 20% off your first purchase was too much to pass up. Plus...my girlfriend has the card.... she charges items then immediately pays the balance via the SA. Never carries a balance but gets rewards. Here's what I decided on:

Tissue beaded necklace tee. 19.99 - 20%. Been eyeing this for along time...the price was right.

Slub cotton silk bib henley 42.50 - 20% I purchased this in black....it's getting mixed reviews on other blogs but I really liked.

Carnation cluster tee 29.99 on sale -20%. It is really cute and the SA said she turns hers inside out in a lingerie bag to wash and the flowers actually come out fluffier. I may go back for the navy and off white...I like it that much.

The infamous Jaspe boyfriend. A bit pricey for a sweatshirt at 49.50- 20% but I own the zip thru and wear it all the time....sooooo comfy. As you can probably tell....i LOVE grey. :)

Destroyed boyfriend chino in mineral gray...hee hee. Sized down to a snugger fit per advice from the SA. She said these stretch quite a bit. I love them cuffed with a white tee and my white chuck taylors. Makes me feel like a kid again!

I also purchased a light grey :) and white striped tee with a snap at the shoulder....tried it on before and couldn't pass it up today for 19.99 -20%

Also bought 3 "crunchy" flower pins/barrettes... off white, black and a greyish/blue 12.50! each -20% Pinned one on my bag on the way home...too cute and so much bang for your buck!

A pretty good day of shopping. Love to get a deal at JC!!! I guess I'm all set with casual tees for awhile...I am on the hunt for a new black coat and some new jeans. My local store is pretty small and didn't have many (any?) coats and nothing new in jeans. I have the vintage slims but how many pairs of destroyed jeans does a girl need? Yup. One.

Did you shop the Crew this weekend?

Nesting

It's raining and very chilly here on Cape Cod today. These are the days that kick my nesting instinct into full force. The kids are "camping" in the living room....I have candles burning....padding around in fleece socks....nowhere to be. Love it.

Making my home cozy for the coming weather has trumped fashion for now....I have been spending more time decorating, decluttering and re-arranging and less time stalking J. Crew and Anthro. :) Of course.....new the new rollout at JC didn't go unnoticed...

We haven't taken the kids apple picking yet and hope to find the time but these apple blossoms from Trader Joe's ROCK as an alternative to fresh apple pie. What's not to love about warm apples and cinnamon in a warm flaky crust??? YUM. (In the frozen section.)

And finally, thanks to Kathy and Seashell over at Two Hands Full of Daisies for the "Let's be friends" award. I really enjoy your blog girls!! xoxoxo

Blogs that receive the Let’s Be Friends Award are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers.”

Home Wish-List

I have multiple folders with pages torn from Coastal Living...sorted by room. And labeled. I am so type A. I am a homebody....the goal is comfy casual chic. Slipcovers, worn wood, big imperfect baskets...

Here are a couple things on my list:

Loving this wire basket from Anthropologie...would look so darling in my mudroom. I definitely love the vintage look for my home....with small kids it is a no brainer!

I just love these mugs...actually, I love anything monogrammed! I MUST order these ASAP.

This is the "Sunburst Mirror" from Ballard Designs. My home has dark hardwood floors, cream walls, white slipcovered couches. You get the idea. I like it serene...this would add some nice texture to the space over my mantle.

This is the Pottery Barn "Belvedere Armoire". Isn't she a beauty?? The wood...the white and cream linens....*sigh* I have to say that I've had some quality control issues with things I have ordered from PB...I use the catalog for styling ideas only.

The "Baguette Luminaire" is from the Sundance catalog. I saw this online and realized that I already own a similar wooden dish. And who doesn't have all those tea lights and holders around? I now have a great replica of this on my dresser.







Do you have favorite catalogs or magazines for home decorating inspiration?

Anthropologie Fall 09

I love J. Crew. I could love J. Crew too much....it accounts for about 90% of my closet! When I lived in Scottsdale for 6 years I was in an Anthropologie phase...we lived 10 minutes from a great shop and I would spend hours in the shop trying and buying. This was BTK (before the kids!). Now my nearest shop is about an hour away.... Anyway...its time to branch back out into Anthro! Here are a couple things I might try:

Anthropologie Wrapped in Ruffles Jacket $128

I love this jacket..the nipped in waist could be great or a disaster....def. would have to fit like a glove to be a keeper.

Anthropologie Timeworn Necklace $198

The price...ouch...but she is a beauty. Will be watching this for a sale! Would elevate a simple white tee and jeans to total chicness!

Anthropologie On the Road Boots $328

With jeans rolled just above the height of the boots and a fitted plaid button down....cute!

Anthro pics part 2 coming tomorrow...including a few things for the house. What are your top shops???

Lemon Love

There are not many products I can't live without....with one exception. Burts Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream. I have these little tins everywhere. It was worked miracles on my cuticles...and my lips, too! It is all natural and smells amazing. The price is great, too..about $6 at CVS. If you see a crazy person walking around the shore sniffing her cuticles...please stop by and say hello, i'm friendly!