In a Downward Spiro

These lovely earrings remind me of a Spirograph version of peacock feathers. Remember that toy? The one with the different colored pens and all the little gears? It wasn't really that much fun, but it was cool. www.oohboutique.com, only $20!

Paper View

My latest obsession? Paper dolls. I know. Weird. But I keep thinking about them, and how I might like to get some obscure, vintagey ones and frame them. Then, I would hang them. On a wall. I would *not* play with them. I swear.

In my search (integral to any good obsession, because if you can find it readily available, that's just no fun), I found this website: www.paperdolls.com. Obvious, yes. But where else could you find a paper doll of Jane Eyre? She might be my favorite. All of her clothes are grey. Also available? Anne of Persuasion, and Frida Kahlo, complete with mustache.

One Part Marilyn, One Part Mother Teresa

Okay, boys, hide your eyes. These briefs are too cute! I found them on one of my new favorite websites, www.nest.com. You wouldn't know it by the trendy design of their stuff, but it's actually a company that helps women in -- you guessed it -- developing countries! The "dolly briefs" are even on sale, now $15 each. Sure, you could find cheaper underwear, but would it support women in developing countries?

Don't Flask Me What You Know Is True

I guess a flask doesn't exactly qualify as a necessity (unless, of course, you really really hate your job) but if you've got to have one, this must be the coolest one available. Not that my search has been that extensive. Because my job's not so bad. For all of you out there looking to deaden the pain of your existence -- www.aldeahome.com, $32.

Honest-to-God Universal Truth

They really do. And if you can make pancakes, you should serve them on these plates, available at www.poshchicago.com for $15. Don't forget to invite me!

Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road? To Say "Thank You!"

I always want to be the kind of person who sends thank you notes. Instead, I seem to be (a) the kind of person who thinks about sending a thank you note or (b) the kind of person who writes a thank you note, but never mails it. Somehow, neither seems to convey the appropriate amount of thankfulness. Maybe if I had these cards (and a current address book), I actually would be the kind of person who sends thank you notes. Find them at pixiegirlshop.com

Splitsville

This is the kind of find that inspired me to blog. How could I let all my dear friends live without knowing about this bag? P.S. Notice the dessert theme we're developing here. Find this at www.naughtysecretaryclub.com It's $56 and it's one of a kind, so hurry!

Dessert Storm

Whatever your political affiliations, you can't argue with the cupcake. Want to make a statement? Go to www.johnnycupcakes.com

Ebony & Ivory

Obviously, black and white is all over the place for Spring. What I keep thinking about is a little jacket, or even the ubiquitous trench with contrasting trim. Black on white, or white on black. Doesn't really matter, does it? This one is from ChicStar.com for $49.95 While you're there, don't miss the dresses.

Almost Birthday Gift

These flowers remind me of something from a Japanese fabric. I like them so much that even though I can't justify buying them for myself (you can imagine how much jewelry I own after working at a bead store for three years), I could buy them for a friend's birthday in good conscience and live vicariously through her. This is yet another great find from etsy.com -- the seller's name is Down To The Wire Designs. While you're there, read the artist's profile. He sounds like a Really Nice Guy. [Note: I didn't buy them; instead I gave her Whoonu. Maybe she's reading this post right now and wishing for the earrings. Sorry, Pam!]

C'est What?

Okay, yes, this website is in French. And I've already posted something about a vinyl decal from Urban Outfitters. But this is SO COOL. If I calculated correctly from Euros to U.S. dollars, it would be $174. Maybe you should just enjoy the website. www.domestic.fr

Cheap Mascara

Sometimes the budget calls for $20 mascara, and sometimes it calls for $8 mascara. When I have the extra to spend (is there really such a thing as "extra money"?), it's either Lancome Hypnose or DiorShow. But when life takes over, and I have to buy boring but necessary things like food and shelter, my new go-to cheap mascara is Loreal Voluminous Full Definition. (Don't even ask me about Great Lash. I think it's some kind of Emperor's-New-Clothes conspiracy on the part of all makeup artists and celebrities. They recommend it, knowing it's completely useless, just to keep the rest of the peons from looking as great as they do. ) So, look for the Loreal Voluminous mascara in the gold tube. The secret is that you have to wipe the wand off on a tissue before applying the mascara, especially when you're using a brand-new tube. That way you don't get too much on your lashes, and they won't clump together. You don't have to do this with the more expensive mascaras, but I guess that's the price you pay for being able to put a roof over your head and having defined lashes. You heard it here.

Life is Full of Difficult Choices

The only problem with the French Bull melamine plates is having to pick one pattern over the others. This is "Grace" (notice the bird!) but all of them are delightful; you can pick your favorite at www.plumparty.com.

To the Manner Born

In keeping with the love for all things bird related, check out this wall decal from Urban Outfitters. I haven't actually tried the wall decal thing, so I can't vouch for them, but I like the idea of a way to change your walls without doing something permanent like wallpaper or paint. Besides, this would be less work than either of those scenarios. I know exactly where I would put these -- if I had $118 to spend on wall decals. Seriously, when I am going to get to be a trophy wife? While you're thinking about that question, it's www.urbanoutfitters.com. Golden Birds Wall Decals.

Wake Up & Smell the Vanilla-Lavender

One of the great things about being single is that you can use a really girly fabric softener like this one from Downy. Don't you love the way if you step outside while the laundry is running, you can smell the faint flowery clean aroma of laundry products wafting on the breeze? No? Maybe it's just me. All I'm saying is this: if you're single, or your signficant other's machismo doesn't prevent it, this fabric softener makes doing laundry a pleasant experience. It's practically aromatherapy. At least, that's what it says on the bottle.

Have Your Cake And...

I'm not going to say it. But you know what I'm thinking. Now, you can have your cake, and eat it, too! Wait, I guess I did say it after all. I just couldn't resist. What could be more perfect to hang in a kitchen than this little cupcake picture? You can find it on Ebay -- the store name is "Every Day is a Holiday."

Top Three

We tried these at Ten Thousand Villages, but Greensboring just wasn't fashion-forward enough to embrace them. Not that I'm bitter. This fabulous, fair trade bag is made from recycled rice bags in Cambodia, thus combining three of my favorite things: humanitarian aid, recycling, and cuteness. You can get it for only $21 at www.trailstobridges.com

Seriously

I think this guy is gonna make it big. No, really. If you don't already have this album, wake up and smell the genius.

Justify My Bag

Have you ever bought or seen something online, and then forgotten the name of the site? Yes, I know that's why God invented bookmarks, but you can't bookmark everything. Just when I thought I had lost the site where I bought my cute Fall/Winter 2005 handbag (and I so wanted to share it with you!) -- tah dah! I received in my inbox this morning, not just a newsletter, but a newsletter with a discount code. Now I can tell you that baghaus.com is the place to go for faux leather handbags that look like designer bags but don't cost more than my car. (It really wasn't that much.) And you can get 15% off by using the discount code newsletter15 at checkout. Don't let the word "leatherette" put you off -- the bag I bought was well-constructed and looked like the real thing. And no cows had to die for it. It's the Snakeskin Tote, and I have it in green, but the one that caught my eye for Spring/Summer 2007 is the Motorcycle Bag in Orange. I don't know about your Handbag Philosophy, but I like to buy one new bag per season and carry it all the time. Since, Motorcycle Bag excepted, I rarely spend more than $30 on a bag, it seems like a reasonably inexpensive way to update my wardrobe. At least, that's how I justify it.

Tea Still My Heart!

Checking out another link from "The Handmaidens," an online artist collective (www.thehandmademarket.com) I thought I might see some things that were pretty, or at least better than okay. Then, I saw this teapot and my heart literally skipped a beat. Or maybe that was all the caffeine from the Gypsy tea. Either way, this set is absolutely gorgeous. It makes me want to take a pottery class. It makes me want to go to Seagrove. But mostly, it makes me want to buy it. http://tashamckelvey.com/Stoneware_Pottery_by_Tasha.html

Lucky You

Saint Patrick's Day is right around the proverbial corner...if you're not into green beer, here's another way to celebrate. (I also suggest you avoid green potato soup -- if you were there for the Great Debacle of 2001, you'll know what I mean). I have a thing for four-leaf clovers; they seem to find me all the time, but then they just languish in some book until I find them, all dried up and crumbly. This seems like a much better way to enjoy them. You can find them at www.indiaromeo.com (for those of you who know the NATO Phonetic Alphabet, the designer's initial are I.R., hence the website name. Just a little nerdy note I had to make).

Control Freak

I know it's wrong, and it probably proves that I'm a control freak, or at least very very devious, but I *totally* want one of these secret universal remote controls. If you're at a sports bar, for example, (you being the operative word -- I'm not normally a frequenter of sports bars) you could turn off the tvs at a critical moment, causing the crowd to realize their ridiculous obsession with sports is meaningless, and creating a epiphany/life change for everyone there. Or you could just change the channel to something more important, like CSI Miami.

Whoonu Howfun

At our slumber party last night, my friends and I played this game. We had to change the rules a little, just to make it more strategic, but it's a great game, especially if you're playing with people you know pretty well, or people you want to know better. There are cards with everything from "napping" to "hip hop" and you choose which ones you think the other players will like best; they then put the cards in order and you get points according to whether your chosen cards were most or least favorite. Sometimes you learn things about people that are surprising, and sometimes you can even give your friends a hard time and point out that for people who *say* they don't like to talk on the phone, they seem to spend an inordinate amount of time on their cell. Of course, this is a strictly theoretical example. Get your own game and see how much trouble you can stir up!