Good morning! I’m hoping that today’s skies will look a lot like the picture above. We’ve had more than our fair share of rain and humidity these past few days. There are puddles of water everywhere. At least our newly planted willows are very happy right now.
On my slate today is trying not to covet the new iPhone. Oh, I want one. Sounds great to me: more memory, 3G network, gps, and costs less, too. The gadget bug bit me a long time ago, and there appears to be no cure.
And since I’ve revealed my consumerist self, may I also say I’m really taken with these shoes. My run to Barneys on Sunday came up short – nothing good spoke to me from the sale racks, and it’s that odd time of year for fashion, with spring on sale, and fall, well, who can think about fall on June 9? I ended up replenishing my shampoo stock. (I’m doing so well on bottle reduction, but it doesn’t translate to gadgets and shoes.)
And speaking of shampoo, I’m also considering a new haircut. Not wildly new, but I think Reese’s new bob is the cutest.
One day of summer vacation down; the rest to go. See you tomorrow!
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Today is my son’s last day of school, which lasts one hour. (Do they do this everywhere, or is it just an Illinois thing? Frankly, I’m glad he has the bus ride, too, because it gives me from 8 ’til 10:15 to get a couple of errands in, like the ever exciting trip to the drycleaner.) This is where having no kitchen will be a challenge: the first weeks of vacation are usually marked by requests for lunch starting at 10 am. There is a new cafe/bakery opening today that’s in biking distance, so I hope he’s up for a lunchtime excursion ….
I thought I’d start off summer vacation with a stationery giveaway. I’m a big fan of Mr. Boddington‘s stationery and greeting cards. They’re gorgeous and they have a modern sensibility about them that makes them fun. I especially like the greeting card sayings (like “Hello Little Miss Engaged” for starters – one of my favorite cards, period). Rebecca was kind enough to send along a generous sampling of her cards (impeccably wrapped: did you notice the wax seal?), and I’d like to pass along some of that giveaway to you!
the loot
Here are the rules: Leave a comment (no anonymous, please, and one comment per person) at this post before 11:59 pm cdt Tuesday, June 10. I’ll draw one winner at random from those comments and will announce the winner with Thursday’s blog post. The loot is the assortment of seven cards pictured above: if you need a card for a birthday, baby, new house, bird flu …. they’re all covered.
Can’t wait to see who wins? Rebecca’s cards are available online at Broadway Paper and Luxe Paperie. Check out the Mr. Boddington site for peeks at the customized stationery portfolios. Good luck!
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From the photo above, it looks like we’re just cooking along with the remodel. Not so fast. Hidden to the right of this photo is the “surprise”. The pantry wall that we’re taking down (and by the way, of course it’s the only wall we’re taking down) houses the water pipes for the master bathroom. Oops. So we wait for the plumber, who will move the pipes, and then back to work putting in cabinets. The base cabinets have to be in before they can measure for the countertops. Cross your fingers that the plumber shows up today, and those pipes get moved on Monday.
On with the Five:
- untitled
- sake
- gray tree frog
- Duckies
- Tug of Worm
Those ducklings were so cute I couldn’t help but link to two photos. I hope that you agree.
Have a wonderful weekend! I’ll see you back here on Monday, with a giveaway! (I hear you, Ms. Firefly!)
So many things to do this weekend, and so little time. Sound familiar? On Saturday, we have a morning Bar Mitzvah party, followed by soccer and baseball (cross your fingers that the tooth gets cleared to play!) Then on Sunday, while in the city for a birthday/Father’s Day bbq, I hope to tackle the following:
- Domino Design District Gear up for a fun day of shopping and events in the Armitage/Halsted area of Lincoln Park. Saturday is full of shopping discounts and fun events (my favorites are the flower arranging class at Jayson Home & Garden from 1-2, and the how to set a summer table at Tabula Tua from 2-3). You can also sign up for a free 30-minute consult with an interior designer …. I’d guess those slots will fill quickly. If, like me, you can’t make it for the Saturday events, no worries, the discounts run on Sunday, too! Download the complete shopping guide and I’ll see you there! If you bring your June/July issue of Domino, you can also check out the Chicago shops featured in the city guide!
- Greer I need Father’s Day cards, and after checking out Greer’s website, I see she’s stocking Egg Press’ adorable “Sea of Dads” card. Of course, I’m also hoping to see Chandra and chat about the stationery show. She has a great eye (and has introduced me to more than one of my obsessions, from vintage stamps to pottery from Keith Brymer Jones). I love her shop: it’s small and cozy, and well-edited. Stationery Trends magazine profiled Greer for the premiere issue, and it was nice to get the back-story on one of my favorite shops! Okay, I’ll stop gushing now, but if you’re in Chicago, you must go.
- Food Not sure where we’ll go, but I know I’m bringing some sort of yummy take-out home to stock my refrigerator for another week of kitchenless eating.
Finally, you lucky Minneapolitans should mark your calendars for Saturday, too: Lunalux is launching Stationery Saturday. From 11-6, they will letterpress print personalized stationery. This month’s style is black ink on white 4×9 buckslip cards. At $29 for a set of ten, it’s a deal, not to mention an awesome Father’s Day present.
See you tomorrow with the construction update, and the Five.
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We’re in to June and no peony blooms yet. Everything is running late this year. No matter – when they’re ready, I will be too, with my Felco pruner and a vase filled with water. They’re soooo close. If I’m lucky, I’ll have my first bouquet in time for the weekend.
I’m loving Ron Schmidt‘s photos right now. My cousin (of course) forwarded me an email of his Lewie & Clark dog series. You’re supposed to pick your favorite. Mine is the sledding Jack Russell – I don’t mind looking at snow when there is no chance of it falling in my backyard. Check out his portfolio (and find your favorite pup) here.
See you tomorrow.
p.s. Maria’s celebrating Port2Port’s 2nd birthday with 15% off Card Society memberships this month. There’s a nifty click pen, too, that will go out with June shipments. Click on over and join in the fun!
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