Warning: This post will likely bore you to pieces.....

I think all my problems are about to be solved. My lips are painfully dry pretty much all year around. The problem is worse in the colder months when the air is drier. I have never found anything that works great....just temporarily fixes the issue. I am obsessive about keeping something on my lips at all times. I can't sleep until I have applied chapstick. I always have lipstick or gloss on. In fact, I know a certain someone who used to poke fun at how perfectly it was always applied and wondered if I slept in my lipstick in college. I am not naming names....but she knows who she is!

I will be purchasing this product ASAP. I am hoping to leave the days of dry lips far behind me.

It really is the most wonderful time of the year....

The holidays are just around the corner. I love the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I go overboard and decorate every inch of my house. Zach gets annoyed at what a production getting all the decorations down turns into. It's an all day affair complete with hot chocolate, Christmas tunes and Love Actually on in the background. I remind him how his father has it so much worse. My mother-in-law loves Christmas more than I do. Ie: double the amount of stuff to put up and even worse take down.

I was driving down Western the other day and Chesapeake was already stringing lights on the trees. I imagine they do have to start in October to be done by Christmas. I have never in my life seen that amount of LED lights in one area. I forget how spectacular it is and every year the first time I drive through is almost breath taking.

Anyway, I decided to write this blog because Christmas ornaments are a huge deal to me. I like to buy/receive ornaments that are symbolic. A trip we have gone on, a memory that is important to us, an inside joke. When we lived Downtown we had a mouse in our house for about a week. It was a rather traumatic experience for both of us. I got a mouse ornament for Christmas that year. Every year I unwrap it I makes me remember how horrified I was to find out we had a little rodent living in our house and that they could climb onto things like the bed and the kitchen counters.

Urban Outfitters has some pretty cute ornaments this year. Here are a couple of my favorites.

GG Fashion

This necklace was worn on Gossip Girl last night. Don't laugh.....I know it's not award winning television but the fashion is wonderful. I am totally in love with the color of this necklace. I have always been drawn to anything turquoise. It's perfect with the dress she has on and the chunky ring & bracelet. Lily wore the matching earrings in a different episode. The vivid blueish color looked amazing with the fuchsia dress she wore.

Project Runway Week 8 & 9

I am painfully behind on my PR blogging. I'm finally all caught up. I was going to write this grand combination blog of the last two weeks. It did not happen. Sorry loyal readers. Here are a few tidbits for discussion.

1. I cannot stand Irina. She just annoys me. That hateful face she makes. News flash: You aren't that talented and are far to cocky to be that mean.

2. I love, love the grey nail polish Heidi is wearing in week 9 (I think). I will be locating some very soon.

3. I want Carol Hannah and Logan to date. They are too cute!

4. Tim comforting Shirin. I felt truly bad for her. I thought Christopher was a goner. I was pretty shocked.

My very own LV

Wednesday was an exciting day for Mixed Handbag. For my third wedding anniversary my dear husband put his personal feeling about this particular thing aside and bought me an amazing gift.

He gave me the traditional 3rd anniversary gift (leather) in the form of a beautiful Louis Vuitton. It sort of reminded me of when I got engaged. The first week or two all you can do it stare at your hand all day long. Well, I find myself looking at this purse at least 10 times a day. Thanks for a memorable anniversary, Z.

The Year of Three's

I would like to veer from my typical blog posting to wish my husband a Happy 30th Birthday! Also, Happy 3 Year Anniversary, lover. We got married on his birthday. Birthdays are a huge deal to me. I didn't want him to have to share "his" special day with "our" special day. He has been very cool about it all. Things like that don't bother Zach. One of many things that I find endearing about him. Which brings me to a short list of things that I love. I will do my best to leave out all the mushy crap.

1. He wears Birkenstocks or Vans with dress pants and a sport coat.
2. He is the most inappropriate person I know. But also one of the funniest.
3. He is giving. Incredibly giving.
4. He is everyone's best friend. It is rare to hear someone speaking negatively about him....unless it is in regards to his political views.
5. He knows all the words to all the Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan songs. And sings them really loud when he thinks I am not listening.
6. He likes to shop. Would never admit it. I love that he cares about his appearance. The man has more clothes than I do.
7. Until last May, he didn't own a swimsuit. He said......"why do I need one, I don't swim."
8. He gets really nervous if there isn't something vegan on the menu when we got out to dinner with Layni. He truly cares about his friends.
9. He likes to leave the house for work by 7:00 a.m. or earlier. He doesn't want to be late.
10. He is wildly talented. I am sure he is mortified right now. But there, I said it. I am allowed to brag on him today!
11. He doesn't know who any celebrities are. Or the names to any songs or who sings them. It's totally cute.
12. He is a total social engineer. Some would call him just plain nosey. I call it a man who knows how to do his research.
13. He is in a scooter club that he made up.
14. He cannot eat anything without some sort of dipping sauce.
15. He does not like to be the center of attention.

Green light.....

....as in the hubby said I could paint one wall in the kitchen with chalkboard paint. He always shoots down my ideas for making our adorable love nest more cozy. What he does not realize is, I will never stop striving for the perfect little home. I think special touches like this are easy and can bring out the character of a home. Wish me luck. I always think painting is a grand idea until I actually start doing it. Then I remember why I said "never again" last time.

Antlers

How awesome are these?
I would love to mix them in with some of the new "sophisticated" Halloween decorations.
I think I can locate some that are a little less pricey.

Random finds

These note cards made me laugh so hard. I would love to get them. People at work give me a hard time about Twitter all the time. They just don't know what they are missing out on.


How cute is this scarf? Adorable! Collected Thread has them. I love that place. I have gotten some really great, unique gifts in there. This I think I would need to go ahead and keep for myself.

Project Runway Week 7

The challenge this week was to design something to be sold commercially at Macy's and fit into the INC. holiday line. I love INC. One of my favorite Macy's lines. Blue was the chosen color palette. They worked with partners and it was a one day challenge.

All the judges were ooohing and ahhing over that dress that Irina made. I don't get it. It was so ugly. I cannot believe she won. Both of those looks were so ugly. I don't care for Irina.

Carol Hannah and Shirin's designs were my favorite. Followed by the look Logan did. I didn't care for the suit that Althea made. That skirt was WAY too short. I loved the detail on the shirt that Logan did. I would have worn both of those outfits.


After thoughts:
1. Tim Gunn revealing his distaste for leggings. I think my heart broke a little.
2. Michael Kors comparing Louise's dress to a shower loofa.
3. The birds noises Louise was making while sewing....WTF?
4. Layni asking me Saturday night if Heidi says Oopsy Daisy to people when they get eliminated. I could not stop laughing. I guess it sort of sounds like Auf Wiedersehen.

Messy hair

I love this look. I have this kind of hair. Or at least I did when it was longer. This made me want to grow it back out. I really like the messy bun with that cute headband. I took this picture off Anthropologie's website. I know that is shocking to most of you :) I love every single thing about that store. I cannot wait to go browse with Amanda in 28 days!

The Perfect Pair

My friend, Jena painted this for me. It is exactly what I requested. Anyone who knows me already knows my fond affinity for things in pairs. I also love pears. Not to eat. Just to look at. They are so cute. I decorate with them frequently. Oddly enough, so does Alanda. We discovered our mutual love of the fruit during the parade of homes. Anyway, I just wanted to show off my fancy new artwork. Thanks, Jena. This looks quite nice in our kitchen.