And We'll All Float On

For me, November is a month of grey skies, itchy wool and eating to the point of exhaustion. Let's feel a bit lighter by looking at all of these clever people who have somehow mastered the art of levitation. And we should probably do it while we listen to this song.

Do you feel a bit lighter now? I do!

Link Love!

Friends! While I was futzing around with my layout to include Paypal for the 2010 'A Year in Yes' calendar, I somehow deleted all my links. The Horror! I know! And to add insult to injury, I'm afraid I can't remember all of the lovely sites that I had listed.

So! If I had previously linked to you, or if you link to me, or if you know of any great sites that I should be reading, please let me know in the comments below!

One Last Calendar-Related Post! And Then A Funny Video of a Cat!

Friends! I just sent off the first big mailing of 'A Year In Yes' 2010 Calendars! So if you've ordered already, they're winging their way to you as we speak and you should have them sometime next week. And when you get yours be sure to dig around in that big manilla envelope for a wee little thank-you note from me! Can I talk a bit more about said calendars for the just a moment?

Paypal
Sadly, I am a total novice at Paypal and can't figure out how to edit my account. I know! For shame! I have not yet sussed out how to alter the number of calendars you can order, so if you want multiples, I'm afraid you'll have to put through multiple orders - though this is a good idea anyway if you're paying for several but want them shipped to different addresses. Sorry for the inconvenience! I also can't figure out how to alter the price to charge sales tax, give you a better price for ordering a lot or charge you more for rush shipping. But I'll keep trying to figure it out!

Photographers
I wanted to give a special shout out to two lovely readers who were kind enough to contribute their photographs to the project.

Alexandra Paun shot this gorgeous purple-y number for October on a Canon Xsi. This photo was taken in Gaspésie, the eastern part of the province of Quebec, on a deserted beach after sunset. Isn't it moody and lovely? Alexandra has been experimenting with photography for about seven years, but just began to get more serious in the last two years.

Nikki Griffin's photo is Miss September and reminds us to "be yourself and people will enjoy it. and if they don't? forget them." Particularly good advice for the start of the school year, yes?

Nikki used her Canon 450D EOS to take this photo of a church in New Zealand, The alter, instead of being set in front of religious artifacts, is set in front of a huge glass window, so that the congregation is looking out onto this incredible view of Lake Tekapo and the snow capped mountains beyond. Isn't that a lovely idea?

Our Design
When you finally clasp that calendar in your hot little hands, you'll see that all of the photos? They're edged and cropped into slightly asymmetrical shapes. And the font on the grid of the calendar? It looks like handwriting. And we did this on purpose - not because we're sloppy and incompetent, but because we wanted to create a fun, funky, slightly homemade look - like someone snuck into your office during a house party and scrawled little love notes all through out your calendar for a year's worth of fun. I do hope you like it!

Am I To0 Late To Order My Calendar?
No! A million times no! I've sent off heaps, but I've still got several boxes left, so never fear. There's still a calendar waiting for you. I'll let you know when we're getting close to selling out!

A Video Featuring A Funny Kitteh!

And now, because you've patiently endured a logistical post about paper products, let's all watch this video of a naughty, smashed-face cat eating from chopsticks!

Long Weekend, Lovely Projects

I'm not sure about you guys, but I would rather chew off my arm than brave the mall on Black Friday. Underpriced Wiis are not enough to make me risk my life at the hands of over zealous women in cat sweatshirts.

But I am keen to start carving away at my Christmas list! And nothing says lovin' like a hand made gift, right? Let's take a gander at some of these lovely DIYs that are a notch above that popsicle stick log cabin I made last year. As per the usual, links to directions embedded in photos.

We all love bath bombs, right? But I refuse to pay
$5 ($5!) for them at Lush. Why not just make our own?
Then you can even scent it the way you want!

A sun jar? A jar all full of sun? These charge during the day

and then glow at night like fireflies.

Perhaps for the more advanced knitter among us, but wouldn't
you love to give this wee penguin a home? I would not
say F U Penguin.

So theoretically, this is a DIY for one of those pull-tab books
for toddlers. You know "What's behind the gate? Oh! It's a
puppy!" But I'm sure you can see all sorts of great possibilities
here: "What's behind that cloak? My BFF dressed as a Twilight
character!" "What's under the blanket? My brother passed
out with squeeze cheese all over his face!"


I'm sorry to say that this link leads approximately nowhere,
but I'm pretty sure a clever minx like you, a notepad, a drill,
two old floppy disks and two binders rings can figure it out.

I really believe that we make our own luck.
Like, literally.

Felt stones. More cuddly than actual stones.

Re-cover the beads on a necklace you hate and
then re-gift without guilt!

Too cute. A library of love - you write a memory/
inside joke/note on each card.

Iron transfer placemats and napkins!
So you won't embarrass yourself by eating your breakfast
waffles atop your dinner placemat again. For shame!


Really. Seriously. Is someone wants to go ahead and
make me a custom wax seal with my initials, I will sign
over my first born. Or let you hang out with my cat for
up to three hours.

If you want even more DIY gifts that don't suck,
check out last year's post by that very name!

Have you started Christmas shopping yet?
Do you ever DIY your gifts?

Happy Thanksgiving!

If the only prayer you ever say

in your life is 'thank you,'

it will be enough.

- Meister Eckhardt

The Calendars Have Landed!

Lovely! Fantastic! Right when I was about to have an aneurysm! The Powers That Be (read: UPS) arrived at my door, in the dark and rain, to drop off the last two packages of the day, our 2010 'A Year in Yes' calendars. They're pretty stinking cute and I can't wait to share them with all of you lovely people. I'll be stuffing envelopes and printing off labels for the rest of the night and heading down to the post office bright and early on Friday.

Again, thanks so much for supporting our little venture and making Yes and Yes part of your day!

Ten Things Blogging Has Taught Me

Anna writes one of my favorite blogs, Little Reminders of Love. It's rife with inspiring quotes, lovely pictures and good ideas. And she's here to share her love of blogging with us!

1. The world is bigger than you could ever imagine, and oddly enough, it does not revolve around you. But that doesn’t mean that you are not important, or that you don’t add anything to the world, because honestly, you add more than you could ever imagine- funny how that works.

2. You will never cease to be amazed by the amount of pain in the world. You will never have it worse than somebody else. But, too, you will never cease to be amazed by the amount of love in the world. Love will always beat the pain.

3. Everybody has their doubts. Some may doubt their dreams, others their purpose. But at the end of it all, we all share in hope, which is much bigger than any doubt.

4. A person’s blog can change your life, just as any book can do. Know that your blog could be the blog to change someone else’s, and if not, it definitely changed yours, whether you realize it or not, it did.

5. The people you meet through blogging become just as dear to you as those you meet in person. Friendships that you never expected to have can blossom, and while others will be skeptical, you will never hesitate to call people in the blog-o-sphere your true friend.

6. You will discover things about yourself you never knew. You may not know it in the moment, but you will look back and recognize that which you have gained through blogging.

7. Everyone is insecure about something. Everyone. But just as easy as it is to declare your insecurities, having just one person send a sweet message of encouragement your way can change the way you think about yourself.

8. Being honest with yourself can be hard, but you can only benefit from it in the end. Your being open about certain things can allow your mind to embrace your inner hopes, and let them out to shine. And most often, when you are honest with yourself, you are honest with others, making your true self that which everyone sees and values.

9. There are a lot of things you think you know about, but you have absolutely no clue. Being open to different perspectives from people and varying opinions can help you grow, and perhaps even bring you to a new way of viewing the world.

10. You can change your life at any moment. You can live the life you want to have. You just have to do it, and you can never give in, or give up. Always press on.

What has blogging taught you?

See-ling? Ceiling!

Have I told you before that I'm oddly obsessed with hanging things from the ceiling? Well, now you know. The secret's out. I'm a hanger. It's such an under utilized space, don't you think? And what a fun way to fanci-fy a space. Let's steal some of these ideas! As always, links to sources embedded in the photos.

An old map on the ceiling! What fun!

Wouldn't you love to lay on your back and imagine

trips to foreign lands? Me, too.

I would do this in a heartbeat! If I lived someplace

with high ceilings. That was bigger than a breadbox.

I'm sure the designer probably imagined using these

planes in a little boy's room but I'd live them in my office.

Like, today.

Wouldn't this be lovely for a wedding or a shower?

I love how this is feminine and subtle but still sliiiightly off
and messy. Yum!

This is being added to my list of "Party Ideas That
I Can Use If I Ever Become Independantly Wealthy."

Yes! Birds photocopied out of a guidebook and decoupaged

to the ceiling. So.damn.clever.

Would you ever do anything crazy to your ceiling?

Are you hanging anything from yours at the moment?

In Which We Attempt To Have It All

Gather round friends, for I have a story to tell you about three ladies that I know.

Lady Number One is working on her PhD and regularly runs marathons. She makes pirogi to die for, dances a mean salsa and is completely fluent in three languages. She has been dating and breaking up with the same guy for a year now - moving in with him, breaking up with him and then meeting him parents.

Lady Number Two has the cutest boyfriend you could ever imagine and heaps of amazing, lovely friends. She rides her bike everywhere, throws great parties and goes to all the best shows. For the last four years she's been shifting from non-job to non-job and is now seeking amnesty in graduate school, hoping that after this program, this time, she'll get it sussed.

Lady Number Three (okay, this one's me) has a job that she loves and a creative hobby that lights her proverbial fire. She has friends that inspire her, a mister that amazes her and a cat that occasionally attempts to pilot cardboard jets. However, her diet mainly consists of Lean Cuisines, Cheetos and canned coffee. The extent of her exercise routine is walking to and from work and she frequently wants to sleep for 10 hours a day.

So all these ladies? They're real. And though they're all smart, scrappy, amazing ladies there are aspects of each of their lives that are not smart and not amazing. It's not awesome to keep messing around with the same dude, or to be adrift professionally or to attempt to survive on gas station food. But I would venture the guess that all of us (myself very obviously included) have one aspect of our life that we'd like to rein in a bit.

Is it possible to have it all? The fit healthy body, the great relationships, the challenging career, the fulfilling creative life? I'm sure that someone, somewhere has this. And it's something I actively try to work towards - balance and happiness and fit upper arms. But as of yet, I haven't figured it out. Have you?

Do you think it's possible to have it all?
What areas of your life are you trying to work on?

We Love To Boogie

Isn't dancing The Best?!

Stop It Already

Cover Me

I *love* cover songs. Love them! And aren't they even better when performed in a way that is so, so far from the original? Like White Zombie on the flute? Or Moby by a pep band? Let's waste some time watching these awesome covers.

Mr. Brightside as performed on a ukulele.





Don't Stop Believin' on a harp. A Harp!

Viva La Vida on a violin.





Acoustic Britney!





In the event that you ever wondered what The Final Countdown would sound like if it was performed by an orchestra.

What's your favorite cover song?

Links

The Inspiring

Cup of Jo

Frock and Roll

Cupcakes and Mace

Gala Darling

Lick My Cupcakes

Tres Lola

Sparkle and Glitter

Smaggle Style

A Cat of Impossible Color

Daddy Likey

A Year In Yes 2010 Calendar Officially For Sale!

Friends! I've been waiting with baited coffee breath to get word from Our Guy that our little labor of love is on its way to the printer. And it finally is! So for all of you who were kind enough to respond to my post about this saying that you were interested, now you can finally get your order in! Just over there! To the right! Click that 'Buy Now' button!

A bit of info about our 12 months of fun? Every month boasts a great color photo with an inspiring (non-nauseating) quote. The date grid includes fun ideas, hilariously real holidays and more quotes that make you want to go out and kick ass. To the left of all this goodness is a monthly list! January's list is "Awesome Things I'm Going To Do This Year" and February's is "People I've Kissed."

(click image to see close up)

The calendars measure 11" x 17" and are printed locally, on recycled paper in the flavor of 'antique grey.' According to the distributor, I should be getting them by next Wednesday, and I hope to have the first group shipped out that weekend, so you'll have heaps of time to wrap them and get 'em under the Christmas trees of your nearest and dearest.

This is the first time I've ever used PayPal as a vendor, so I'm giving myself cramps with all that finger crossing. The calendar is $18 with free global shipping. Really! Germany, Pakistan, India: okay!

Thanks again for supporting Yes and Yes and our little endeavor!

Next Stop: Inspiration Station

Dear Sarah Von,
Where do you get all of your ideas for posts? I have a blog too and coming up with ideas is like pulling teeth! Half of them aren't good enough, or they don't relate to my blog's topic, or I just get writers block. Is there a bottomless idea well that you have access to that I'm unfamiliar with?

Oh you give me too much credit, friend. Because I'm not clever enough to write on one single topic, I chose to make Yes and Yes a 'lifestyle blog' which means that I can validate writing about masturbating Peruvians, my attempts at Scientology and what I imagine that Disney heroines would wear in 2009. So it's easy to come up with ideas when I have virtually no parameters! But if you're not keen to make your blog's topic Everything Ever, here are a few of the places I find ideas for posts.

Conversations
I'm sure The BFF has tired of having every good conversation end with me staring into the middle distance and saying "Hmmm. I'll have to write about that." But it's true! If something's interesting enough to hold you and your friends' attention for twenty minutes (not including when you're talking about The Hills) there's probably something in there worth writing about.

Physical Activity
I do some of my best thinking when I'm engaging in mindless, repetitive physical activity. That sounds pretty sexy, eh? If I'm taking an aerobics class, I need every spare brain cell to navigate all that stepping and kicking, but if I'm hiking or running, I can let my mind wander. For some reason, I get some of my best ideas while walking to and from work. And if I'm stuck on something, wandering around outside often helps me work it out. I'm sure I'm slowly becoming known around my neighborhood as That Blond Girl Who's Always Stalking About and Muttering.

Photo sites
Use with care, as these are highly addictive substances. You can easily fall into flickr and emerge three days later with a questionable tattoo and a bad hangover. If you're ready to give up your weekends to devote to drooling over extra great photos, try We Heart It or Visualize. Seriously, your internet life will never be the same.

Right brain activities
If I'm feeling really blocked (or ambitious) I try a few exercises that are supposed to help develop the right, creative hemisphere of your brain. A few of my favorites (that I totally stole from the November issue of O magazine)are:
*Writing (I mean physically, like with a pencil) different ways - in my left hand, backwards, upside down, in the mirror. I swear I can feel the wheels in my brain turning when I do this.
*Writing a conversation using a different hand for either side of the discussion
*Engaging in some of those coordination exercises. You know, patting your head while you rub your stomach, etc.

What do *I* want to know about/see?
Really, the most defining motivation behind anything that I write is creating something that I, as a reader, would want to see. When I first started reading blogs, I wanted to read one that was funny, smart, thought-provoking and covered all the topics that your average lifestyle magazine would: fashion, travel, design, inspiration. So if I'm reading a magazine or trolling the internet and see a hole in the content ("Where's the article about throwing theme parties?" "I want to read about non-stuff gift ideas!") I'll just write one myself!

What about all you bloggers/writers/artists out there?
Where do you find your inspiration?

31 New Things: Take Part in a Giant Group Dance

On my list of Things That Give Me Faith In Humanity, nestled between items 1. ('Guerrilla Gardening') and 3. ('Golden Girls') is 'Giant Group Dances.' And since MJ was my birthday buddy (August 29th, represent!) I felt that taking part in Thrill the World would be the perfect excuse to cross something off my 31 New Things list, wear some zombie makeup and honor a fallen hero.

Now, I dabbled in The Dance in high school (okay, I wore a sequined bun-cover and high kicked my way around the infield) so I was very snottily convinced that I? I didn't need learn the dance ahead of time! Why practice when my evenings are so much better spent canoodling or drinking wine or plotting world domination?

Friends. Learn from my mistake. Do not attempt to learn a five minute dance routine, usually performed by a master, in the span of a Saturday morning. This will result pulled groin muscles and talking in dance terms for the rest of the week ("Blade hands! Jazz hands! Oneandtwo!")

As per the usual, I was determined to Kick Ass, and this naturally meant practicing from 9 am to 2 pm and then performing in my red leather jacket with a sparkly glove. My lovely friends Colleen and Jen were kind enough to join me and rocked some awesome, awesome zombie-wear.

Don't they look great?! Don't I look weird?

That is some serious sparkle glove.

The entire section on the left was composed of kids -
so cute!



If you look carefully, you can see me in a red leather jacket and jeans in the third row, doing my best zombie boogie. Had I been properly prepared, I would have braved the front lines, but my lesson has been learned: Michael Jackson choreography is not to be taken lightly!

Would you ever take part in a giant group dance?

Did you do Thrill the World?

In The Event That The Glass Is Half Empty

Not everybody in the world is born walking on the sunny side of the street, viewing the glass as half full and every stranger as a friend they haven't met yet. Which is fine! Diversity is the spice of life! But is it possible for an Eeyore to turn into a Tigger? Or at least a Pooh? Reader Gene thinks so in this great, researched-backed guest post.

Over the past several months, I've really been working hard on developing a better attitude about life and getting more accomplished. I used to be really negative, so I started reading up on what's helped for other people who weren't born with sunny dispositions and decided to try a few of their ideas. A few of my favorites:

List-making
Each day, I try to make a list of five or six items that I think were positives from the day before. Even when my day has been subpar, I still work for six. It helps me think about the day before in a positive way instead of a blur of activity. Credit is given for each thing that I feel helps me become a better person, husband, dad, friend, employee, etc.. Did I get up early and on time? If so, it goes on the list. Did I bike to work or exercise? Yay for me, it's on the list. Time with family and friends, healthy eating, completed projects at work, books read, and nights when I go to bed early all go on the list. It's been addictive for me.

Avoid the news
I go out of my way to not listen, watch, or read the news. If I want information about an issue I can always research it and I still know what's going on without the daily input. If you're someone who isn't bothered by the news, awesome. However, if you're like me and the news can come between you and an otherwise perfect day, maybe you should try giving it up. Maybe just try it out for a short time. Like for a week. Trust me. Instead of Morning Edition or Fox and Friends (dude!) how about your favorite record? You know that record that's been sitting on your shelf for a while that makes you smile because the arrangements are so surprising and the lyrics and harmonies make your heart EXPLODE with happiness? Start your morning with that and then take on your day with spirit!

Eat
Almost anything will do for breakfast. There are lots of people who will tell you that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and they're right. That said, it might also be beneficial to have a snack right when you get home from work. Low blood sugar can make a person grouchy and then by the time dinner is actually served that you're HUNGRY. A few chips and salsa or a slice of bread with butter and honey might be the difference between a great evening and a not so great one.

Exercise
We've all heard it. Exercise releases endorphins and gives you energy and raises your metabolism and blah, blah, blah. It's all true though. Even just a few minutes of walking in the morning can help you get your mind right.

Avoiding negative conversations
I'm not sure where I heard it, but the words we say actually have a lot of influence on our thoughts and attitude. Negative and complaining conversations at work usually bum out all of the participants. I've never seen people walk away from those conversations very happy, even if they were in a great mood to begin with. I don't get all superior when I'm in one of those situations, I just find a way to tactfully remove myself. If I'm in a meeting with my coworkers and they're all complaining, I usually just keep my mouth shut or crack a joke every once in a while. There might not be much else you can do in those situations to remove yourself, but not participating will do wonders for your attitude.

Are you a born optimist?
How do you stay positive?

'Closet Confidential' Winner!

Bah, you lucky girl! You've won a copy of Winona's great book! If you're curious, Bah said that her favorite accessory is a pink metal cuff bracelet she got in London a couple of years ago while following her favorite band around the UK. Awesome, no?

Even if you weren't lucky enough to win this copy, your bookshelves will better dressed if you own one. So go pick one up!

I Will But I Won't

Friends! Remember a while ago - when we played a little get-to-know-you game? Perhaps it's time for another round, yes? Let's play a game of I Will But I Won't to celebrate the complexity that is the human condition.

Or just so that we'll have something to talk about if we bump into each other on the bus.

I will have a conversation with the stray cat that lives behind my building but I won't talk to strangers.

I will joyfully tell you tell you how much my boots cost ($4!) but I won't tell you how much money I earn (other than to coyly refer to it as $2).

I will successfully complete graduate school in a foreign country, but I won't reset the clock in my car for months at a time.

I will eat portabella mushrooms but I won't eat button mushrooms.

I will eat uncooked angel hair pasta, cookie dough and Swiss Miss mix but I won't eat Velveeta 'cheese.'

I will change my car's oil but I won't change my tires. (Though I wish I could do both!)

I will remember what you wore the first time we met and everything about your family, but I won't remember your phone number or your birthday.

I will say things like "OMG!" in real-life interactions but I won't ever use them online or in texts.

What fun! Now you!

If Evolution Were a Ten Year Old Boy

credit

Say It

credit

The Five Productivity Tricks That I Know

Now, I should preface this post with the disclaimer that I cannot claim to be a total expert in the realm of productivity. I do hold down a full time job, keep the good ship Yes and Yes afloat, contribute to The Secret Society of List Addicts, canoodle with a very dapper Gentleman Caller and find time to perfect the Thriller dance - but sometimes all that fun means some other things fall to the wayside. What's up Cheetos for lunch? Oh hai, car that's overdue for an oil change.

That said, I do have a few tricks up my sleeve for getting a bunch of stuff done. While surviving on a diet of Cheetos and coffee.

"The First 10 Minutes" Trick
When I get home from work, the temptation to kick off my boots, eat a bowl of cereal and sit down in front a Hulu is nearly insurmountable. However! I (try) to force myself to spend the first ten minutes of my time at home doing something productive. Maybe that's paying bills, putting a load of laundry in, catching up on emails or changing the litter box. Regardless of what I do, those first ten minutes of my time away from work set the tone for the rest of my evening, and I find it a lot easier to keep doing stuff if I start off in that mind set.

On the same token, if you're a workaholic who has a hard time winding down, you can use your ten minutes to do some stretching, make a cup of tea, cuddle with your lover or play with your cat. It's not hard to have a relaxing evening if you make a conscious effort to have one from the minute you walk in the door.

"The 20 Minute Timer" Trick
If Sunday evening usually finds you slightly sulky with the knowledge that you have heaps to do and very little interest in doing it, may I introduce to my best friend: the timer? I use this trick all.the.time to derail fits of laze. Set your cell phone timer for 20 minutes and force yourself to start on some of the things that you need to do. Just knowing that you only have to work for 20 minutes makes it soooo much more bearable, and you'll often find that once the timer goes off, you're willing to keep going for a bit longer. And if you're not? You still got something accomplished, you clever minx, you!

"The Three Equally Important Things" Trick
If you were given two options: going to the beach on a gorgeous day or organizing your important paperwork, which one would you choose? Perhaps the beach? Maybe?

But what if the options were: organizing the paperwork or doing laundry? or writing a research paper? or sending out resumes? You totally know how this one goes - once you need to write a research paper, your resumes suddenly because so much more interesting. I (try) to harness this avoidance technique to get things done. Everything will eventually get done, if only because I will do anything to put off cleaning my refrigerator.

"The List" Trick.
Really blowing your mind with this one, right? Making a list? Checking things off? Yup. Makes me get more stuff done. Maybe because I painted my front door with blackboard paint and have to look at a list of unfinished items every day before I leave for work.

"The Weather Watcher" Trick
This trick might be applicable only to those of us who live in places with tempermental temperatures, but I'm something of a slave to the weather. On the three days of the year when the Minnesota weather is lovely, I use that time to walk around the neighborhood running errands, catch up with friends in outdoor cafes, lay in the grass and write or read the paper by the lake. When it's overcast or cold (the other 362 days of the year) I have zero qualms about hunkering down with my computer, repainting the living room, or spending hours attempting to teach my cat to fetch.

How productive are you?

What are your tricks?

The House* of Yes

*And by "house" I mean "shoe-box sized apartment."

Would you guys like to take a peek at the three square feet that I call home? These photos are just of my bedroom and bathroom - the rest of the flat is not yet sufficiently cute to share with you. But when it is? Watch out! Photos, as always, by Yes and Yes's resident photographer, Jill.

Shockingly enough, Putin would rather lie on the bed than hang out in his jet.

I bought this bedspread at a market in Sapa, Vietnam. When the woman told me the price ($12 US) my mouth maaaay have actually fallen open. And that was the hugely inflated, just-because-you're-a-tourist price! It was handmade by the hill tribe Hmong who live in the surrounding mountains. They literally grow the indigo and other plants needed to hand dye these and then hand stitch approximately a million tiny squares all over it. I used the blanket on the overnight train back into Hanoi, and then mailed it home - which, coincidentally, cost more than $12.

I bought that sweet little chain of elephants in Yingge, Taiwan, a little tourist town filled to bursting with pottery shops and good cafes.

All of these frames are thrifted, though I took the the photos myself on my trips through Asia. The big orange picture is a rather intrepid soul holding a flare at a crazy fireworks festival I went to. Said festival mostly consists of wearing rain gear and helmets and getting fireworks shot directly at you. Yes, really! The shoes are those crazy golden lotus, bound foot shoes and the little green thing is a tiny jade tiger I bought from a sidewalk vendor for entirely too much money (read: $11.) He told me it was an antique but I'm 99% sure he just rubbed it in the dirt.

My bathroom is the size of a matchbook with no storage, so I thrifted and painted this wee shelf and use the brown decorative box to store my make up, bits and bobbins. The shower curtain comes via target.com and I thrifted the frame, undeterred by it's total lack of glass.

I have a strange affinity for religious iconography, despite being pretty agnostic. The gold and black bobbin next to the plant actually contains anointing oil - I bought it in Paros, Greece. And the nightlight? Good ol Spencer's Gifts.

Have you got any photos of your space to share?
Where do you find things to furnish your space?