Catchall

Tomorrow, I am attending my casino party. However, I will unfortunately not be sporting the lovely J Crew dress I purchased and shared with you last week. I just happened to check the status this morning and it is stuck in IL...still. I rang up the call center and they were less than helpful. I will spare you of the details and a rather long story because I would hate to turn anyone off from the store. I mean at the end of the day they have darling clothing, but I will be sticking with Lilly as much as possible from here on out and for very good reason too. Anyway, I have other things I can wear and I sure hope I am able to come with a new ensemble. I am hopeful! While this was the downer of the day I did have a delightful day overall and this incident is now water deep under the bridge.

On a positive note today I FINALLY got around to hanging this wonderful painting on silk that mother picked up for me on her first visit to India. Isn't the hot pink so fitting? Oh, and the elephant is too! She represents my political party and it is of course a preppy figure! Perhaps when I start my India handbag import business I will bring some of these back for buyers as well! Other wonderful news was I got numerous compliments on my ensemble and Harper has been moved out of the NICU and Kelly can now stay with her at night! What an answer to prayer, God is wonderful! What delight this brought to the end of my day. Hooray!

Before I sign off I wanted to give you all a heads up: I added three skirts to my ebay listings. Two are Lilly so feel free to bid!!

Whoever Said Orange Was the New Pink Was Not Actually Disturbed!

Every girl loves something in a classic orange box!

Few of us are lucky enough to ever carry a real Birkin, wear the darling H belt (I will admit I did indulge for my initials sake, but mine was too much of a steal to pass up and it is brown croc!) or have a fabulous collection of scarves, but we can all actually afford something in an orange box. The Hermes Parfum Paper seemed to be the gift of choice in many magazines this fall. Perhaps it is because you can purchase an orange box of five Hermes drawer liners for just $45! As we all know that is a REAL steal for Hermes! These would be the perfect gift for BFF or even just a pick me up for your dresser. I might even throw them in to the monogram bridesmaid totes as one of the treats- keep reading and maybe you can be in the wedding, I just have to meet future hubby to make it happen! It is fun to indulge in luxury every now and again and even the smallest touch can make a big difference. So head over to Hermes.com or hit up your local boutique (the Dallas store can be contacted at 214.528.0197) and stock up today!

SIDE NOTE: Along with purchasing the LL Tote in Deep Fuchsia today (I used a gift card and free shipping so it was free with the monogram) I also added this darling Lilly, reversible skirt today:

I have always longed for something in this patch and now I am finally the owner! Won't it look darling with a baby pink or white top and the hot pink Jack Rogers come spring?!

Lilly, Bean Totes and photos of orange boxes can turn any day around!

It's In the Bag (and the monogram)!

Are you getting tired of my new found love of the scanner yet? I certainly hope not because I am just getting started!!

As mentioned, I find lots of inspiration on the pages of magazines just like many of you do. A good number of years back I found this wonderful monogram page in Town and Country weddings. It has come in so handy through the years and I have been able to collect a good deal of items on the page. When I worked at Serefina in college I also gave a copy of the page to our owner for inspiration and perhaps it was what got me promoted to monogram manager! You never know! The Bonanos (mine are black with hot pink) and the cosmetic case (did I ever tell you I monogrammed an identical case for Jessica Simpson while also working at Serefina??) are both wonderful, but the LL Bean Tote is a true staple piece. If you do not own one you need to open head to the site now and order one ASAP! They are a STEAL and they last FOREVER! Plus, it does not hurt that the spring colors are now online. I am in LOVE with the new pink and green. Either will look darling with Lilly anything in my opinion! I currently have a medium navy and large hunter green, but plan to order a medium deep fuchsia (shall I add my initials again or go for Hopsy this time around?) with a gift card today. I am thinking it will be perfect for groceries and even dry cleaning. The colors this spring are just so vibrant and fun and these bags are so durable that you cannot go wrong. These make the ultimate graduation, birthday and bridesmaid gift. In fact, should I ever get married I will be ordering each bridesmaid one in pink and will fill it will several amazing treats. It would even be nice to put these in the rooms of all your out of town wedding guests with snacks and fun. Enjoy and shop away before they are gone, gone, gone!
PS- Here is another little Bean Tote treat for all you madras lovers:

Patchwork Madras Tote

You NEED it!!!

Snow Day!

We had a snow day here in Dallas as a result of a horrid ice storm last night. In the two years that I have lived here it is safe to say that this is the worst weather I have seen in Texas. The roads were horrible so I choose to stay off until the temperatures warmed up. Now things are looking great and all is well. While it was grim outside I kept warm inside and wore a darling little combination in order to do so. I know, I know, I sort of was that girl all decked out in Burberry, however I will admit it was tasteful. My coat is actually a much lighter shade of blue, but I could not find a photo. It looked wonderful with dark wash denim and I topped the outfit off my old school Burberry rain boots, my Burberry pashmina and a headband from Calista Cove. I hope you were able to stay warm in style today as well. It sure helps beat the negative bad weather vibes!

The Winner Is....

Huge congrats to Belle of the Ball for winning the darling Her Southern Charm XO necklace!

I love the Aniston necklace because it is timeless and can be worn for so many various occasions!

Drop me an email with your mailing information and the lovely Jennifer will get working right away! Thank you for all your wonderful entries. I loved hearing what everyone's favorite items were and even if you did not win remember the HSC discount code is still active. Receive 10% off your order by adding HOPSY to the seller notes! So hit up Her Southern Charm and add some spice to your jewelry collection!

Talk to me...

Well now that I have FINALLY brought myself out of the dark ages and learned to use a scanner you can expect loads of fun photos (Hopsy as a little girl to come in February...stay tuned) and magazine pull outs. As I have mentioned I have binders for all the fabulous items I find in magazines so that I am easily able to keep track. I have been keeping one binder since high school and it is filled with some of the classics which also happen to be my favorites! There are a few 'special' pages that hold my VERY FAVORITE finds of all time: The Harry Winston ad campaign circa 2002.

The Harry Winston ad campaign spoke to me the day I opened my Town and County junior year of boarding school. The ads were so classic and simply stunning that I could not bare to get rid of them. I scoured the pages of T&C for months to come and would be thrilled to catch one of these ads. The model does a fantastic job of capturing the reader and the jewelry displayed on the pages takes your breath away.

This was the front of numerous college binders. I have even put it in a silver frame (like they do in some boutiques) as I love it so much. Perhaps I can reenact this scene for my upcoming birthday!
If only I could look this chic while watching a movie. That diamond ring is fantastic and the necklace speaks, but it is not too much.
Someday I hope to own a nice long, double strand of pearls to wear with all my turtlenecks. Don't you just love the look?

Will you be my Zoro?? I will happily accept any Harry Winston you wish to gift me!

J'adore this necklace! Again, it is so elegant and works so well with the entire outfit. I also love how the photographer captured the models; the lady stands out, but the man is not cut from the picture. She is loved!

Last but certainly not least another priceless Harry Winston ad!

I hope you enjoy these ads as much as I have over the years! Did I mention I also love the models hair? I think it is such a chic up-do and should ever I need to keep hair out of my face this is the look I will try and achieve. I am now off to find me a man that can buy me a today, tomorrow and forever ring...it is a good thing there is a store just down the road because in my mind it simply increases the chances of owning something from the collection!!

Giveaway Reminder

You have until 11PM EST to enter the Her Southern Charm XO necklace giveaway!

To be eligible to win the ever-so-cute XO necklace leave a comment with your favorite item from Her Southern Charm and why you have chosen the item as your favorite on the giveaway post. All comments MUST be left by 11pm EST on Tuesday, January 27th, 2009.

Gifts!

I got several questions about the gift section of my binder today and thought I would share more on this organizational tool. Spreading the love is what blogging is all about, right?!

A gift binder makes shopping so much easier! There are two parts to my gift binder: the log and the ideas.

I keep a log of all gifts given. The log notes to whom something was given and for what occasion. I created a simple spreadsheet in Excel so it is nothing fancy at all. However, you would be surprise how much easier things have become with this spreadsheet! If I am questioning purchasing a certain gift for someone and fear it might be too similar to something given in the past I simply open up Excel and voila, problem solved! Also, if something has been given that was a big hit it is nice to take note in case it could be given to someone else in the future.

Now, onto the fun part: finding the gifts! I get LOADS of magazines and catalogs. In the past I have had a hard time parting with issues as I feared I may forget about something or how to place an order, etc. I know this sounds odd, but it is hard to keep track of these small details. So, over Christmas it dawned on me to start collecting pullouts of items that would make fabulous gifts and a new binder was soon born. Just like a clothing or home binder, a gift binder holds all my ideas and favorite treasures found on the pages of magazines. Once I pull a page out I make sure to note what exactly caught my eye with a arrow sticky note. This way as the binder grows I will not have to worry about forgetting any small detail. I try and pull only items I can actually see myself gifting otherwise, the binder can become a huge hodge podge and end up being a bit useless. I also think it is important to pull gifts at very price points and for different ages. This way I will (hopefully) never get myself into a bind! I have also thought about adding photos of beautifully wrapped gifts for inspiration. It is fun to try new ways of to tie bows or different adornments. If you have trouble mixing it up this might be something to add to your binder too. Another wonderful wrapping source with pages of ideas is Carolyne Rhoem's Presentations: A Passion for Gift Wrapping. If you have not taken a look you simply must!!

So ladies it is simple as that! Now, all you have to do is pick up a cute binder, some fun wrapping paper that represents you, a box of sheet protectors, a stack of magazines and you are good to go!!

Out With the Old

I had a very busy weekend in Dallas and am prepping for another busy week. I love keeping busy as that is what makes the world go round! Plus, you can only watch so much TV and do so much shopping before you start to lose it. I was able to squeeze in a quick dinner with L at Villa O this weekend. I made L take the lovely photo (above) for a report I had to write. My hair looks a bit off, so I do apologize for that! Sidenote to all those Catherine obsessed: that is the larger style bag in ostrich that I am holding. This weekend I also made the cover insert for my darling pink binder:
I used Lilly wrapping paper from last year and it is just beyond adorable. I am obsessed and it just makes me smile whenever I look at it. I am afraid to put it up on a shelf since it is just so perfect so I currently have it sitting next to my laptop. This binder is my event idea and gift idea binder. I have a clothing and home binder as I am sure many of you also do. I started the home/clothing binder in high school so I have really built those up, but the Lillyfied binder is new for 2009 and is off to a wonderful start! These types of items make keeping track of your ideas and favorites so much easier plus you do not have to live amongst piles of magazines!!

This weekend I was also FINALLY able to list a few items on eBay. I cleaned out my closet a few weekends ago and donated the majority of items, but there were several pieces that were in stellar condition and I knew someone else would be able to enjoy. Thus resulting in my eBay listings! Since I am sure your priorities lie in owning something of Hopsy's head on over and bid away! If a dear blogger wins I might just throw a little something special and paper related into your box!!!
Finally, do not forget to enter my FABULOUS giveaway hosted by Her Southern Charm! Since we are all ladies we could all use another piece of jewelry!!

Her Southern Charm Giveaway!!

I am SO thrilled to announce a fabulous new giveaway hosted by the wonder Her Southern Charm! If you have already found the store on etsy you know you know someone is in for a real treat! Jennifer is so very talented and has started a wonderful jewelry store. She hand stamps all of her disks which give them an individual and unique look. I adore her Charleston bee and sand dollar disks and for those of you that are all about Twilight the Team Edward disk (BigGirl needs this Tickled Pink and Green!) is for you! Jennifer also has some fabulous monogram options for those of us preps that love to wear our letters with pride! You can choose from a simple one letter monogram or strut you stuff while displaying all three initials! I think this would make FABULOUS birthday gifts or wedding favors (she has date and name disks too!), but with Valentine's day right around the corner there is even more reason to buy and spread the love. You are being given the chance to add this piece of Her Southern Charm to your jewelry box just in time of Valentine's Day:

To be eligible to win this darling XO necklace leave a comment with your favorite item from Her Southern Charm and why you have chosen the item as your favorite. All comments MUST be left by 11pm EST on Tuesday, January 27th, 2009.

However, the fun does NOT stop there! Her Southern Charm is offering all Monograms and Manicures readers 10% off purchases if you use the code Hopsy! You are sure to come across an item or two you adore and another that would make a perfect gift so take advantage and shop in time for Valentine's day!!

Casino Night!!

Next weekend I am attending the annual Cotillion Club Casino Party! Even though this will only be my first year attending I know it is going to be such fun. It is not at all a gambling event (which is good because I am not much into that myself), but a fundraiser and mingling event! The attire for the party is cocktail chic. I had thought about wearing a black, velvet, strapless dress from J Crew that I bought for a 2006 Kappa formal, but then stumbled on to the J Crew site this morning and found the above dress. The color is so stunning, so me, and I love the style. I actually do not own anything in this style, but the cut is similar to that of a shift dress in that it is straight so I thought I would take the plunge and try it. Since the event is exactly one week away and J Crew is offering free shipping this weekend I did not think there could be a better time to scoop it up. I just hope the size I ordered properly fits and that the dress does in fact arrive in time!!

Cheering for the Other Side!

This morning I heard the most touching story on the radio. It served to remind me that you just never know when you might touch the life of someone else. You can do the smallest thing that will impact someone forever! I spend a good bit of time at Fed Ex and whenever I go the nicest homeless man always seems to be there. He is very talkative and at Christmas time I felt called to reach out to this man. However, each time I stopped in to drop something off he was not there (just my luck!). Finally, a day before I left for Minneapolis I decided to leave the gift with the kin, older lady that helped me. She said the man had never accepted a gift that anyone had brought in and left so she wanted to take my phone number so I could pick the gift up in the even he rejected it. I was hopeful he might decide to take the gift as it was nothing near large as other brought in, but at the same time I knew what my chances were. Well, I boarded my flight to go home the next night and as soon as I landed I noticed I had a voicemail. It was from the kind lady at FedEx who said she was so shocked and touched, but the homeless man had decided to accept my gift! He had then proceeded to tell her he thought I might be some sort of angel- I was very flattered by this, but know I anything but! However, the best news was yet to come. This past week I was in FedEx and I found out that this many had started going to the church down the road! He apparently said he had received a card at Christmas with some words that urged him to attend. While this may or may not have been my same card I am just so thrilled. In the grand scheme of things we are on this short a very short time. However, by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior you can be given eternal life. We should do all things for His glory! The following story is brilliant example of people going out of their way for someone else and these great men and women clearly strive to glorify God through all they do!

There Are Some Games In Which Cheering For the Other Side Feels Better Than Winning

Rick Reilly

High school football is big in America, but I suppose there is no place where it is bigger than in Texas. Friday nights there are legend.
The fans scream; the stands are packed; cheerleaders with pom-poms jump and sway to the beat of the school band and everybody joins in the chants and stomps their feet on the metal stands until you are sure they will collapse.
This is the frenzy of Texas high school football.
But there is one football team in Texas that is a little different. When they play on Friday night, their stands are empty, no band, no cheerleaders, no mass of parents or townsfolk wearing the school colors and waving banners and flags. They take the field without anyone cheering them on. When they score a touchdown, which rarely happens, there is no wild celebration behind them… All of it seems hollow and muffled in contrast to the tidal wave of roars and drums and chants that come from the opposing side.
They are the Tornadoes of the Gainesville State School, a fenced, maximum-security facility. The young men who go to Gainesville State are there because they have made some major mistakes in their lives. But the players who are on the team are there because they have worked hard and have earned enough good behavior points that gives them the privilege to leave the facility and play football on Friday nights—always an away game for them—always a home game for their opponents—and almost always a loss. They don’t have a weight program or training equipment or high-paid coaches and assistants. They don’t have a large pool of players to draw from. The school has 275 boys, but many are too old or too young or can’t or don’t meet the “criteria” to play. And they don’t have the support of a town and a mass of parents and family and reporters and bands and cheerleaders.
That is, until November 7th. Something changed. They played Grapevine Faith Christian School.
A few days before the game, the Gainesville coach, Mark Williams received a call from Faith Christian coach, Kris Hogan, asking him if it would be okay if Faith formed a “spirit” line for his team when they ran on the field. Mark said, “Sure, that would be a real encouragement to the kids.” He thought that the line would consist of a couple of the JV cheerleaders, but when they took the field, there were a hundred people in it and it stretched to the 40-yard line, filled with Faith Christian parents, fans and varsity cheerleaders, complete with a banner at the end for them to burst through that read “Go Tornadoes!”. And then, those parents and fans sat in the stands behind the Gainesville players and when the Tornadoes broke the huddle and went up to the line they could hear people cheering for them, by name. When they got a first down, “their” fans erupted.
You see, coach Hogan had sent an email out to the Faith Christian parents and students asking them to consider doing something kind for these young men, many who didn’t know what it meant to have a mom and dad who cared, many who felt the world was against them, not for them. Hogan asked that they simply send a message that these boys were “just as valuable as any other person on earth.”
So half of the Faith Christian fans were now sitting on the visitor’s side of the field, cheering for the Gainesville team, and in some cases, against their own sons.
–Cheering for a team decked out in mismatched old uniforms and helmets.
–Cheering for boys who wouldn’t go home that night and have a smiling dad slap him on the back and feel his mom put her arms around him and say “I’m so proud of you son!”
–Cheering for the underdog.
This was a Friday night like no other for the Tornadoes. In the locker room, the players were confused.
“Why are they cheerin’ for us, coach?”
“Because, men, they want to encourage you. They want you to know that they care about you…that you have value.”

Coach Williams said the boys were stunned. For many of these kids, it may have been the first time that anyone had shown them, so visibly, unconditional love.
They were down 33 to nothing at the half. Williams encouraged his team to set a goal for the second half: to score a touchdown against this vastly superior team. And when the boys from the State School took the field again, with their fans cheering them on, everything started to click. And they did score. Not once but twice.
And the fans went wild.
Coach Williams was asked what the bus ride was like on the way home and he laughed and said that they were all asleep—their bellies were full. That’s because after the game, the parents brought a whole bunch of food over to the guys: hamburgers, fries, candy, sodas…and included in the meal sack was a Bible and a personal letter of encouragement from a Faith Christian player. But then, he said, they formed a line for us out to the bus. And the parents patted them on the back and said, “Nice game” and “Look forward to seeing you guys next time.”
As they left the field that night, Coach Williams grabbed Coach Hogan and said to him: “You’ll never know what your people did for these kids tonight. You’ll never, ever know.”

Smocking!

Last week I received a delightful note from mother. She had contacted the lady that did all my smocking when I was little and found out she has an etsy store!!

H,

This is the link for Lynn Everett’s smocking shop on Etsy. It is called SewLadybug. She finished all of your smocking & Maryann’s, as well as doing quite a bit for you once we left Americus. All those pretty dresses & outfits you wore were done by Lynn.

Lynn is so very talented and has the most darling (and affordable) items in her shop! You can also contact her with special requests should need me. She is so very talented and willing to work with you.

Wouldn't this baby bonnet be the sweetest little gift for a newborn? Or , for all you readers that are expecting it would be the perfect addition to a 'going home' outfit!
Sweet Little Bo Peep! Mother loved to dressed me in theme smocking , aren't they just the cutest?

Whoops for some odd reason I choose the back view of this sweet dress. Well, you are able to see that Lynn does not skimp and is perfection all around!

No little girls ever looked sweet than when they were dressed in a pink smocked dress!

I love the sleeves on this dress. In fact, when talking to Preppy Pettit she even mentioned that long sleeve dresses are a wonderful investment and I totally agree. They can be worn for years as the sleeves go from full length to three quarter to short! How great is that?!

Hip, Hip, Hooray!

Well, while the morning brought some sad news things only got better and better today! As I mentioned in brief I was lucky enough to meet Lulu and her mother for brunch this morning! it worked out perfectly for my schedule and I am so honored they were able to fit me in to her trip to the Big D. This is the second time I got to see Lulu (the first was in NYC at Bloomies) and I feel as if we are old friends. We are Kappa sisters and only children which makes a big difference I guess! Thank you for such a WONDERFUL time Lulu (and Mrs. Lulu too!) and I am hoping we will get to meet up again VERY soon! Whenever I meet a dear blogger that I instantly hit it off with it reminds me how lucky I am to be surrounded by you all! I feel as if I know so many of you so very well and there are some whom I am even closer to than some real life friends. It is so amazing and wonderful that we have been able to connect with others so similar to ourselves that we may have otherwise never met!

Then, this afternoon GrannySmithGreen reminded me that India is known for its leather goods. Remember how I plan to have my ideal pair of riding boots made? Well, while I was reading her comment I immediately phoned up mother who confirmed this and we then discussed how I can have my Catherine bags COPIED! Catherine was so very accommodating and they will forever hold a special place in my heart, but in India I can pick the exact shade of pink (I am thinking magenta) or green (I am looking for a dark, brownish, English countryside green) leather and have them make my bag for me! I can pick the hardware color, exact size, etc. This is even more amazing and mother even said it will likely cost less then a pre-made bag in France! Talk about perfection.

Finally, the day ended with a delightful dinner with the bffs and then wonderful news on Harper. God is answering prayer! If you have not already visited Kelly's blog for some reason I highly encourage you to head over now and read her inspiring life journey!

Hip hip hooray for a wonderful, 80 degree, January day!

Tear, Tear, Tear!

I have some of the SADDEST NEW E.V.E.R! I have been trying to call Catherine ALL morning, literally every five minutes. I finally resorted to trying to send a fax, but that line was oddly enough busy. Well, after about an hour and 15+ tries of calling direct I had the brilliant idea to call the concierge at the Westin which is next door (when I want to get something done I will go to the extreme). Kind concierge informed me that he believed my BELOVED Catherine was closing or had already closed. He even went outside to check for me and when he came back he confirmed that Catherine was indeed no more. He was unable to offer an exact reason, but said the news came as a shock to all stores on the darling, little rue and that the closing was very recent. I am just heart broken. This is tres, tres, TRES sad! I have gone through all my notes and agendas to see if I may for some reason have the owners information, but no such luck. I have resorted to emailing a writer (whom I consider a dear friend for introducing me to Catherine) to see if she may have the personal contact information for the owner or any of the bag vendors. I just cannot believe my favorite shop in Paris is gone, I hope Laduree is not next! I am going to resume my mourning session for the next thirty minutes then I am off to meet Lulu!! Thank goodness for that or else this day really might be a long one!

9:30am UPDATE: I just heard back from dear author, now friend, who said the family that owned Catherine retired from the business so Catherine is therefore no more. She said she has NEVER received such a reaction to a store closing so I am holding out that someday, somewhere they may reopen!! Until then I will cherish and take VERY good care of my current bags!!

Easy Gourmet!

Well, unless you have missed all my weekend recaps where I talk about eating out you know I LOVE food! During the week I am one that grabs a latte in the morning, has a small lunch of soup and pita chips or crackers and some sort of cheese, then maybe an orange or apple in the afternoon and perhaps a piece of chocolate (or two, or three!) in the evening. I really am not a big dinner eater during the week and unless I am going out tend to not eat after 6pm. If I am hungry or did not have lunch of course I will grab something, but often I like to go home and rest rather than cook. However, this does not mean I do not indulge! I am ALL about great meals when I have the time, but I love delicious and easy just as much.

This will likely not be new to most of you, but I just could not resist sharing some of my favorite, easy gourmet mixes. The Barefoot Contessa threw us for a loop a few years ago when she released her pantry line. The mixes are sold at many grocery stores as I am sure we have all noticed, but they are also a bit pricier than the average mix. Well dear readers, I am a firm believer in you get what you pay for and these mixes did not prove me wrong. They are out of this world and as easy as can be! Most require VERY little prep (which can be rare for gourmet) and they yield truly delicious results. I was reminded of this earlier this week. We made the brownies the other night and the only other that compares are the famous Miles of Chocolate brownies out of Austin.

There are two bags in the brownie mix. One of chocolate morsels that you melt with butter in the microwave and another flour mix with mini chocolate chips. These are DIVINE and it literally took a mere ten minutes to mix everything and just 35 to bake it. The result was amazing brownie sundaes not even one on the strictest of diets could resist!

When my cousin came home from Iraq on leave my mother made these cookies for him, only the best for our servicemen is our motto! These too are the best and they are beyond easy as well! However, be careful because the batter is so good you might only end up with three of four cookies on your baking sheet!

These biscuits are perfect for a brunch with friends or a Saturday morning family affair. Bake them the night before and warm them up with butter the next morning to make things easier on yourself.

Okay, I am not sure how I missed this sinful hot chocolate and marshmallow mix before Christmas, but I somehow did. They are the currently the BC products of the month at Stonewall Kitchen and they are on super sale. When something has the word sinful in the title you know it must be good!

Mmm, there is nothing better like dulce de leche on Hagan Daaz vanilla! This product is new to the Barefoot Contessa's pantry, but having tried the hot fudge I know it will be like a miracle in your mouth! Yum!

Whether you want an easy afternoon snack when the loves get home or you need to take someone a treat in the hospital or you simply want to add some more gourmet into your week these items are for you! There is a wonderful selection and even if your grocery store does not carry the line you can stock up online! Once you try a mix you are never going to look back; you will be hooked!!

It is award time! I am sure you all noticed, but I was HORRIBLE about responding to awards on my blog in 2008. I always made sure to thank the giver, but often forgot to post and I do apologize for that. However, one of my blog resolutions for 1009 is to set it up and make awards matter...here goes nothing!

DC Prep and Modern Maven has given me the Honest Scrap Award; thank you!!
1.) Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in content or design.
2.) Show the 7 winners names and links on your blog, and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with "Honest Scrap." Well, there's no prize, but they can keep the nifty icon.
3.) List at least 10 honest things about yourself.

Facts first:

1. I am one of those lucky people that only has to wash their hair once or twice a week. However, I of course wash it more often if I must!

2. There was a time in my life when orange was my favorite color. Junior Kindergarten at SMS in Memphis. Mother even had a orange dress smocked.

3. I am a bad nail bitter- such a BAD habit. However, if my nails are polished I will not touch them.

4. I am a hotel snob. However, I do not think this is a bad thing. Mother has always been right and the best hotel can and will make ALL the difference!

5. If possible, I want to spend my 25th birthday in Paris (and load up on Catherine bags...)!

6. I have no husband prospect, not even close, but I have already picked out the most beautiful Oscar de la Renta dress. Since strapless is not my thing he is of course my favorite wedding dress designer!

7. I have had my car for over two years and have less than 7000 miles on it.

8. My mother and I were evacuated from Honduras.

9. I have worn glasses since I was eight months old.

10. I am not one for fake handbags. You might think Catherine bags are fake, but no, no, no dear friends. There is NO label of any other brand but their TRUE maker on these bags!

Weasel's Journey- You are so poised, positive and put together! You are truly an inspiration to so many of us!
AGH- You have such fun posts on anything and everything!!

Beaufort Belle- I feel as if we are sometimes long lost friends!
Etiquette With Miss Janice- Every day you have wonderful posts that remind us all how to be a true lady, thank you for filling the gap!

Granny Smith Green- I often wished we lived in the same city. Our taste is so very similar whether it be regarding home decor or clothing!

Pink Pearls and Muddy Sneakers- You are always a fun and fascinating read.

Preppy, 50 and Loving It-I simple adore your new blog as we share so many favorites!

Europafox and Carolina Prep have bestowed the Lemonade Award on me! I am so honored you all both thought of me!
Put the logo on your blog or post.
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Tickled Pink and Green- We are almost always on the same wavelength and I adore all your fabulous TJ Maxx finds and heads ups! You are a wonderful role model!

All Things Southern and Preppy- We too are on the same wavelength plus you have amazing taste!

Bama Belle in the Big City- I love reading the 411 on your life in NYC.

Henley on the Horn- We share the Greystone connection, need I say more?

Landlocked Mermaid- You are so very positive and I just LOVE the first sentence of every post of yours. Lilly Sale Fall 2009?!

Midnight Madras- We share the same political and clothing views- you will always be a winner in my book!

Pink Preppy Party Girl- I feel as if you are just like my mother and therefore you are simply wonderful!

Pink Tutu- We are always on the same page and I so appreciate how you respond to my comments on my blog!

The Monogrammed Nest- You are so very inspirational and patriotic!

The Preppy Apron- You too are a long lost friend and I am so thrilled you have finally joined our preppy, blogging world!

Spanish Preppy Girl and Lou Lou in Lilly have honored me with the Beautiful Award. Wow, thank you all so, so much!
You are truly beautiful. Beautiful means more than a pretty face! It also means that you are unique, and oh so full of grace! The things in you that go on much deeper than the softness of your skin are the things that make you beautiful, both inside and within! Rules: Find and give the beautiful ladies that you follow. Don't be shy and don't forget to notify!

Muffy Martini- you are like me soul mate and are beautiful inside and out! I cannot wait until the day that we will finally get to meet!

Belle of the Ball- I have loved getting to know you these past few months. We share so many common traits and I am so excited for the trip we will someday take!

Dirty Martini Diaries- I am so glad we are not only Kappa sisters, but real life friends! I CANNOT wait to see you tomorrow!

NINA- The day you first emailed me I knew we would be lifelong friends. This is just the beginning!

Birthday Countdown!

Well today was a big day in more way than one. Yes, it was the inauguration of our 44th president and the President and Mrs. Bush are finally back in Texas, but today also begins the one month countdown to my birthday! I used to be SO into my birthday. I guess that comes with being an only child? I was one of those that had somewhat elaborate birthday parties and it was such fun! When we lived in GA I had all my parties with my dear friend Mary Ann since we were just week apart. We always had matching smocked dresses and somehow were lucky enough to end up on the front page of the local paper after each of our parties (small, Southern town society thing). Then, in Honduras all the birthdays were sort of intense by American standards. I had about 100 to 200 guests at my parties and everything was hand made to coordinate with the theme. In 2nd grade I was very into trolls (remember when treasure trolls were big) so I had a troll themes birthday complete with a special painted outfit (it was VERY tasteful as mother would have it no other way), a troll pinata and troll party hats and goodie bags for all. I also had an Aladdin theme and Flinstone theme parties in Honduras. My freshman year of boarding school I also had a fun birthday in the spirit of a Quince Anos. Mother flew up all the recuerdos and such from Panama then we did a delicious red velvet cake and topped it off with lunch for my closest friends at the Mayflower Inn. In recent years I have had my golden birthday (my 20th) as well as my 21st which mother organized fabulous parties for as well. I have been one lucky birthday girl year after year! However, as the years have come and gone and I have gotten older birthdays loose their luster. Do not get me wrong, they are still special, but I am not one to have people bow down to me on my birthday nor do I see it necessary to go all out anymore. I feel as if I have had my shining birthdays and they were so out of the park that they would be hard to top. Anyway, the point of this post (I apologize that it is get long- I hate when posts become daunting) is that there is nothing in particular I MUST have for my 24th birthday. I am not dying for a new Chanel bag nor do I need a new pair of earrings. However, while browsing the web I have found a few eye catching items that would be fun additions to my wardrobe of my abode:

This Tory top is tres chic and perfect for the warm Dallas weather!
Yes, I have a zillion bags, but a pink and green Tory?! Oh, my goodness, lovely!!
If I had to pick one thing I would most like it would be four Blue Canton salad plates for my collection. You can never start building a set too early!!

I have been in search of the perfect dresser for quite sometime. (However, mother has said she and father would prefer to buy me fun items, rather than furniture). The above (PBK) matches my pink toile bedding perfectly, but the mahogany chest below is timeless and can be used in a different room later.

I always love a fun pair of earrings! These pink or green would be darling with one of my Lilly shifts!

While I said I am contemplating which jewelry box to purchase I must say this darling tray would be a nice addition to my bedside table...or perhaps my new dresser!

So dear readers, that is my fun little list in honor of their being just ONE month until my 24th birthday! I am sure you are all madly emailing one another trying to decide on the perfect gift for me, so the very least I can do is assist you- tee hee hee! Enjoy and have a wonderful evening!!

It's America

Today is such a big day for our nation! The president America elected on November 4th will be sworn in to office. While he was not originally my candidate he is my president and as I said last week I will be respectful of that fact. I will pray for President Obama and his family as they embark on this life long journey and I encourage others to do so as well. I personally feel as if President Bush had it very rough and I would not wish that kind of treatment on anyone as it is demeaning to the office of our leader. We are Americans and as I have mentioned time and time again we have so much to be thankful for. Living overseas really allowed me to learn this at a young age and I will forever be grateful to live in this amazing country. I am thankful to every single man and woman that has ever served this country- they are heros!!- and am I so proud of my family members who were in the service. I am blessed to vote in a free election and wake up every morning and have the same rights as those in the apartment above and below me. There are so many people in this world that spend much of their lives dreaming of coming to this country and we are already here! We live in the land of the free and home of the brave. May freedom forever ring and may God bless America on this historic day and everyday!

Collecting

Mother and I have collected Herend since I was at Saint Mary's in Memphis, that makes for quite some time! I have received pieces as gifts and we also have picked out several on trips to serve as momentos. Each animal has some sort of significance so this has become very fun and we have built up a great, little collection over the years. Well, since mother planned on moving the Herend to India she suggested I remove the pieces that were more mine than ours and bring them to Dallas. After all, I do plan on staying here and want to bring all the my nicer things down over time.

One of the main reasons I decided to purchase my desk hutch was so that I could display my mini Herend collection in my room. I love adding a small touch of luxury here and there and feel it can make all the difference in a room! As you can see we/I do not collect just one color of Herend like most people. We adore the raspberry, the blue and the green and love mixing all three colors. If you are considering starting a collection I would consider doing this. Pick colors that match your decor and build a collection. These are pieces you will have forever and can pass down through generations. Here is my collection:
The rhino was the Taft mascot, the mouse was my first grade class mascot at Saint Mary's, the mouse was my 2nd grade class at Saint Mary's mascot, the dolphin was the mascot for my school in Panama (I am not that into to dolphins, but the Herend was is pretty cute...), the snake commemorates the millennium and the reversion of the Panama Canal which we attended and to be honest I have forgotten what the lamb is for. I will inquire and get back to you all on that one!

Here is a photo of my entire desk with the newly installed hutch. I love how much more room I have! I also apologize for it not looking very organized. I promise it looks ten times better in person and far less mess. Also, please excuse the pink blob. I had to hide my Pink Swap items!! If you look closely you might notice my Sharpie collection in this photo (upper right). As I have mentioned before I am a HUGE fan and have almost every color Sharpie makes in both sizes (if available). The only one I am missing is Pink Lemonade in the thicker marker. I could have bought this two summers ago, but neglected to do so and obviously I really regret it. Perhaps one day soon I will run into the 16 marker set that includes Pink Lemonade and be good to go. Until then I will continue to enjoy the Sharpies I have! I hope you enjoy my collection as much as I do!