Jewelry Favorites

I normally like to keep my favorites to five, but it was too hard to decide on just five pieces of jewelry that I love. Of course, this doesn't include my long-lost wedding set. If you stick with me to the end of this post, you might just get a great piece of jewelry for yourself!

So here they are:

1. Lia Sophia Ring:I purchased this ring about a year ago at a Lia Sophia jewelry party. I love it. I don't own many "fun" rings, but this one really stood out to me. It matches a lot of things I wear and adds a bit of flair that most of my ensembles are lacking.

2. Gold Arabic Name Necklace:This is the oldest piece of jewelry that I own. I got it while we were living in Oman, when I was about four or five. All of the women in my family have a necklace like this, with their name in Arabic. I have worn it so much that the chain is wearing out and becoming a bit skewed.

3. Strand of Mikimodo pearls and ring:My parents gave me this set for my 21st birthday. I don't wear it that often, frankly because I'm afraid of it being damaged or of losing it (which has already happened to a more important piece of jewelry). But these are classic heirloom pieces, which I will one day pass on to a daughter or granddaughter.

4. Gold James Avery knot ring:This is another piece of jewelry given to me by my parents. It was originally an unofficial sorority symbol. But as that time in my life has passed I have continued to wear it and come to appreciate it for its simple and beautiful design. I am currently wearing this ring on my left hand in place of my wedding ring.

5. Bracelet from the Sudan:
My wonderful friend, Jeannie gave me this bracelet for my birthday a few years ago. She has one as well, and told me that the women of the villages surrounded by war collect the stray bullets from the ground. Then, they make these bracelets out of the metal from the bullets to sell for money for their village. They are able to make something beautiful out of something so horrible.

6. Broken China Heart Necklace:I found this at the Utah Art Festival about four years ago. The artist took broken pieces of antique china and made them into jewelry, frames, and other decorative items. Normally I don't like hearts, but this necklace really caught my eye. I love that it's one of a kind.

7. Emerald ring and earrings:
While living in Colombia, my parents decided to purchase emeralds for my sister and I. One of Colombia's major exports is emeralds, so we were able to get beautiful stones at a fraction of the price in the U.S. This is another heirloom I plan to pass down.

8. Pandora (honorable mention):
I call this an honorable mention, because I don't have it (yet). I recently went to an event hosted by Goldsmith Jewelers here in Utah, where they featured this collection. Currently, they are the only ones in Utah who sell this line. With this line, you are able to build your own bracelet or necklace from a large selection of beads. Each of the beads has a meaning to go along with it, so the piece is very personalized.

Here's the fun part: Goldsmith Jewelers is so awesome. Just for coming to the event they gave us coupons to give away for a free strand of pearls. You do have to go into the store to redeem the coupon - so I'm sorry to all of my non-Utah readers.

All you have to do is print it out and go to the store. Feel free to print out as many as you want for friends and family. Click here to download and print the PDF coupon.

Favorites for my Home

It's been a while since I did a list of my favorites. This post is dedicated to my favorite items for my home. From decorations to designers.

1. Anna Griffin - What beautiful designs. My wedding invitations, guest book and photo album were Anna Griffin and I still love all of her designs. If I ever see note cards or accessories of hers on sale, I have to buy them. Her colors and designs are elegant yet modern, some are fancy and some are casual. Very high quality, and pretty enough to display with a nice pen on my secretary in the guest bedroom. She now has fabric and other accessories in her collection too.

2. Keurig Coffee Machine - Though I don't have one of these yet, my dad and friend Sarah have one. I plan to buy one for my office when we move to our new space. It makes individual cups of coffee (of which you can choose the size) and cleans itself. No filters or coffee grounds to mess with (unless you make your own pods). It also makes hot chocolate, tea, and other warm beverages.

3. Clothes Drying Rack - I can't find a link for this, but I was able to find a picture. I found this on clearance at Pottery Barn a couple of years ago, and it has been one of my greatest finds. It hooks onto my laundry room wall and lays flat (object to the left) when it's not in use. When I need to air dry clothes or jeans, it folds up and out (object to the right). This is essential for my laundry duties because I can never tumble dry my jeans. They always shrink and become too short. With this rack I can air dry eight pairs of pants at the same time. I used to have wet jeans hanging all over the house, but this has solved that problem. Plus, the design is simple enough to blend in with my blue and white laundry room decor.

4. Sid Dickens Memory Tiles - I have a collection of these tiles arranged above the sofa in our formal living room. I started my collection in college when the antique store I worked at started selling them. I even have a few that are signed by the artist. The tiles are quite expensive, but raise in value after being discontinued. I love them and would have a few in every room if I could afford it.

5. Lampe Berger - Pronounced lamp burjay (with a soft j sound). A couple of Christmases ago my mother in law purchased one of these oil infusion lamps for me (the one pictured below). At first I thought it was just a regular home-fragrance accessory, but after reading the enclosed material, I found out that these decorative fragrance burners help clean the air. They used to use them in hospitals in France in the 1800s. I have one in the main part of our house and one in our basement. I especially like to use them after cooking a rich meal to eliminate the smell from the house. If I don't feel like using a fragrance in the house, I burn the neutral oil which has no scent. The lamps are sold at all different price points.

More of my favorites

Thank you for all the congrats and well wishes on my new job. Sorry, I won't post details here. But just know that I have left my old job for a much better arrangement and great career opportunity. My first day is February 15th.

With that said, let me give you more of my favorites ... baby style.

1. Robeez shoes: These shoes are perfect for babies who either can't walk yet, or are just learning to walk. The soft, leather soles provide balance and grip, while still allowing their feet to develop properly. Plus, they help keep those little socks from falling off. Nathan wore these shoes constantly. I love them. I buy them for all my friends having babies.

2. Snack Trap: I love this little device because it distracts Nathan long enough for me to do my grocery shopping, go on long car trips, or visit friends houses without making a huge mess. He loves it because he can be a big boy and feed himself snacks.

3. Fleurville Bags: These bags are super cute and wear-resistant. They are covered with a clear plastic material that is easily cleaned with a baby wipe. They are a bit pricey, but I love mine and think it was money well-spent. My bag still looks like new.
4. Books with hard pages: Nathan's favorite toys are his books. He'll sit and "read" a book for quite a while, turning the pages back and forth. The books with paper pages are so easily torn, which makes me cringe. Books should never be destroyed! So I love the books that are made with hard pages. He can be as rough as he wants, they'll never tear. (Sorry, I couldn't find a decent picture or link)

5. Rockabye Baby: Nathan falls asleep to lullabies every night. BSC found these CDs online that have taken music from The Beatles, U2, Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, etc. and made them into lullaby CDs for babies. "Stairway to Heaven," "Smells like Teenspirit," and "Hey Jude" all make me think of putting my little boy to bed.

More of my favorite crap

Yes, I have the word "crap" in my title. Wanna know why? Cause I rated my blog with this link from Nytro's blog and mine came up with a G rating. HOW BORING IS THAT???? So I added CRAP into my title to spunk my rating up a bit. I need to un-clean my blog.

Fart

Poo

Butthead

That oughtta spice things up!

Anyway, on with my list. I have compiled more of my favorite things for all you hos and gangstas out there:

1. Orbit Mojito flavored gum - Mojitos have recently become one of my favorite drinks. If they are made well, they are the perfect and refreshing end to a hot summer day. And now they make that flavor into a gum?? YES INDEEDEE. This has become my new favorite flavor of gum. They don't sell it everywhere, but when I do see it, I buy a pack. If you see it, buy some for me!

2. Method Cleaning Supplies - I especially love their lavender-scented cleaning wipes. I stole this excerpt from their website: Our cleaners are powerful formulas made with naturally derived surfactants. They work by absorbing dirt rather than chemically degrading it, like many other products. Also, they're scented with essential oils, so you smell the beauty of nature in your home. The result? Nothing but clean So you all know how Monica-like I am about being clean and organized. Well, little Nate-dogg has thrown me a curve ball with my cleaning habits. I don't like to use bleach and harsh chemicals to clean anymore because his little mouth goes EVERYWHERE. The Method cleaning supplies don't scare me because of their natural ingredients. Maybe it's just a marketing ploy ... but it worked. I love their products.


3. Lint Shaver - You know that favorite sweater that you've had for like 5 years and you just love cause it's so comfy but you hate that it has little balls all over it (hey, maybe that will increase my rating too!). I have a battery-operated lint shaver that removes these annoying little pieces of lint. I love it sooo much. I have a mini-version that I keep in my junk drawer in the kitchen and it works perfectly. No more ball-covered sweaters for me!

4. Moxie Scrub - I discovered these scrubbing pads whilst browsing the cleaning section of my grocery store. They scrub gently enough to use on Teflon surfaces, and they also work better than your typical rough scrubbing sponge. Plus, they are re-usable. Just throw them in the washing machine and voila ... new Moxie Scrub. They also come in lots of cute patterns. I have the grape pattern to match my kitchen.

5. Wheat Thins and Nutella - Basically anything goes well with Nutella. But my most recent indulgence is Reduced Fat Wheat Thins spread with Nutella. Yes, spreading Nutella on "reduced-fat" anything totally defeats the purpose of "reduced-fat." But it makes me feel better. Don't judge me!

6. Super-sticky Post-Its - These post-its actually stick, stay and re-stick on stuff. I hated Post-its before they came out with these because they never stuck to anything for longer than a day or two. These are now the only Post-its I'll use in my office.

My Favorite Things

I stole this idea from Rachel. She has posted about her favorite things on two different occasions, and they are some of my favorite posts. I really enjoy reading about good finds, products that work well, and gadgets that can make my life easier. So, here I am sharing with all of you some of my favorite things:

1. Facial cleansing cloths: Several different companies make these types of cleansing cloths (I use the ones from Mary Kay) with the cleanser already in the disposable wash rag. I love these for several reasons; they are easy to pack in a suitcase with no risk of a mess, they cleanse and remove makeup all in one step, and when I'm done washing my face I use the leftover cloth to rinse out the sink so no residue is left to dry overnight.

2. Springhill Nursery: I'm not an expert gardener by any means. In fact, this is the first season I have fully committed myself to having a beautiful blooming garden (last year at this time I was pregnant and sick, gardening was NOT a priority). We have a lamppost in our front yard with a circle of landscaping around it. Right now it is empty except for a few tulips I planted earlier in the fall. I found that Springhill Nursery not only customizes gardens according to your planting zone, but also gives you instructions on how to plant in various shapes and sizes. I ordered this full-circle lamppost garden during their pre-season 50% off sale. It's full of perennials so my garden will continue to bloom year after year.

3. Velvet Padded Hangers: I use padded hangers for several articles of clothing that risk getting deformed shoulders if I use regular hangers. The problem with satin hangers is that several of my sweaters easily slip off and lay in a wrinkled mess on the bottom of the closet and I don't find them until it's too late. I recently found padded hangers made of velvet instead of satin and voila ... no more slippage! (I found mine at Smiths Marketplace, sorry I couldn't find a link for the product.)


4. Archer Farms: I haven't found anything from this brand that I don't like. They make food products, beverages, etc. Archer Farms is a Target brand. I'm usually very disappointed in store-brand products, but I've been quite impressed with everything I've tried so far, not to mention that they are reasonably priced. I especially like their blood orange Italian soda. Yummy.

5. Plinks - I hate wasting lemons to deodorize my disposal. I don't use fresh lemons enough to deodorize it as often as I would like. I saw these at Bed Bath and Beyond a few months ago (I also got them in my stocking for Christmas this year). I decided to try them, and I really like them. One little "plink" and no more odors ... until I decide to throw some onions and garlic down there again.


6. The Rabbit - This can also be found at Bed Bath and Beyond, Sur la Table, or any other kitchen store. It's a bit pricey, but worth every penny. BSC and I have had too many experiences with broken corks, so we invested in this fancy schmancy wine opener. We love it! There's no effort involved at all and it corks the wine perfectly every single time. The set we bought even came with extra corks in case we don't finish an entire bottle and want to save the rest of the wine.

That's all for now, I will post more favorites every once in a while. Here's some recent pictures of the little one:

He wanted to be like Daddy ... so Daddy shared his hat.





Pig nose! Apparently the pacifier was no longer needed, so it was discarded with no remorse.