lots of great finds over at homegoods...

it's amazing what you can find over at homegoods these days! check out this beautiful selection of table cloths from april cornell:

how about these adorable crab & seashells serving pieces! perfect for summer entertaining, which is thankfully around the corner! also, they are also priced under $40.00!

how about this chip & dip server! too cute, came close to purchasing but resisted! i already have a wilton armetale and arthur court chip & dip servers.

do i really need a 3rd?!?! nope!!! ha! ha!

i did end up buying this cute pair of elephant salad servers and two serving bowls, not pictured.

UPDATE: here's the photo of the 2 serving bowls i picked up.

also, speaking of deals you may remember my post from earlier this week about the PREPPY PLATES monogrammed tray and coaster set i bought over at one kings lane. couldn't resist the navy blue & pink!!!

well, if you missed out be sure and check out the PREPPY PLATES sale monday, april 11th for a second shot!

this time over at joss & main.  a site very similar to one kings lane. not a member of joss & main? click HERE.  SALES are PRIVATE! membership is FREE! 

below is a photo of what you can expect, looks familiar to the items i bought above! might have to treat myself to some more monogrammed goods from PREPPY PLATES . ha! ha!

also, while on the topic of joss & main be sure and check out the LILLY PULITZER sale which is scheduled for monday, april 18th!

lots of good sales coming up, remember to get there early! the good stuff goes fast!

Omg! this looks AMAZING...

i just finished watching my favorite segment on the early show [CBS] called "chef on a shoestring ".  well, today they featured sheryl crow and chuck smith who teamed up together to create a cookbook called, IF IT MAKES YOU HEALTHY.

i have to get my hands on this cookbook! there is a recipe called chocolate avocado mousse. yes, chocolate avocado mousse! can you believe it, i don't know about you but i love avocados and chocolate but who would have thought about combining the two ingredients together....WOW!

anyone else watch the chef on a shoestring segment?

seriously, doesn't this look AMAZING!  can't wait to make this recipe!

chocolate avocado mousse

to watch the whole segment, click on the link HERE. best of all, it's healthy!

i did a quick search and Dr. OZ has a similar recipe on the web. 

have you tried this chocolate avocado mousse? if so, how is it? inquiring minds want to know!

can't get enough...

hope you all have a wonderful weekend! tomorrow we are going to navy pier with some relatives that are in town for a few days. should be fun!

glad they did the "museum" thingamajig over the past two days, so i don't have too! lol!

plus, the weather might actually make it into the low 70's....i'll take it!

speaking of "navy" ...blue that is, guess what arrived this afternoon? 

yup, my lilly pulitzer order from rue la la...so excited! couldn't believe how fast it shipped too, considering i just placed the order on wednesday!

i think the UPS guy got my tweet...

...lol!

now if only weather would cooperate here in chicago, so i could actually wear my navy blue patent mckim's! ha! ha!

have a great weekend!

here we go again...

ugh! still feeling like crap! although, nothing this cute kleenex box and a few generic cold pills from target can't handle,  lol!

so if you follow me on twitter, you probably came across of few of my lovely tweets!

yeah, it's been a pretty miserable couple of days for me!  what started out as a sore throat turned into a nasal thingy and can barely breathe thru my nose...lovely!  i certainly hope it's gone by this weekend! no fun being ill!!

got my lilly pulitzer fix for the day...

so did you end up buying anything over at lilly pulitzer SALE over on rue la la?

i ended up ordering this adorable gator critter straw clutch in navy blue [of course!], along with a pair of matching navy blue mckim's for a wedding up in harbor springs, michigan this summer.

 if you aren't a member of rue la la, no problem - click here for your personal invite. SALES are PRIVATE! membership is FREE!

2 weeks, but who is counting...

until our trip to las vegas! can't wait, so much has changed since my last visit! lots of new restaurants, shopping destinations and casino/hotels.  we use to make it out to vegas every other year, but sadly i haven't been out there in 5 [or has it been 6?] years! meanwhile, my husband still manages to make it out there a few times a year for work....yeah, right! ha! ha!  until then the count down continues... tick tock!

can't wait to pack my bags and get out of chicago!

yesterday i made it over to chicago to fill up my SUV. i have to tell you, good thing i didn't wait until EMPTY to fill up! my SUV takes 22 gallons and i filled up with only 15.60 gallons....SUCKS and this was CostCo price, which was only $3.86/gallon!

what are gas prices near you?

we are officially over the $4.00 mark here! thank god for CostCo, their prices have NOT reached that dreaded $4.00 mark! not good for a household w/2 SUVs! i remember when i first bought my SUV and could fill it up for $34.00...those were the days!

yesterday, i was also craving macaroons. so i stopped by a local bakery and bought these:

i have to tell you i was VERY disappointed! oh well, at least i know NEVER to order macaroons from this place again, which is ODD b/c i love everything else about this place! oh well, check out some of the treats they had on display last night....yum!

so did anyone make it over to  one kings lane  for the preppy plates SALE event?  the sale is still going on in case you missed it!

super excited...i ended up ordering both the tray and set of coasters in the ARBOR pattern below.  

i actually saw both of these items this past saturday over at all she wrote. glad i held off buying anything, ended up saving myself some $$$ ordering from one kings lane ...yeah!

if you aren't a member of one kings lane, click here. SALES are PRIVATE! membership is FREE!

finally, don't forget today  rue la la is hosting another lilly pulitzer SALE event. 

if you aren't a member of rue la la, no problem - click here for your personal invite. SALES are PRIVATE! membership is FREE!

location! location! location! aren't these awesome....

we all know, especially when it comes to real estate ...location! location! location!

have you seen seabags with zip codes?

i know there are a number of seabags fans out there. i about died when i saw these on saturday over at all she wrote on armitage in lincoln park [chicago].

seriously, aren't these the cutest!

seriously considering ordering one of these bags, but really....DO I REALLY NEED ANOTHER TOTE?!?!?! that is the question? if you read my blog, you already know the answer. ha! ha! 

speaking of ...location! location! location! i also previously posted about these adorable notepads also available over at all she wrote.

ironically, both represent two of my previous zip codes back when i lived in wrigleyville [60657] --- yes, i lived a couple blocks from wrigley field when i first moved to chicago and moved to lincoln park [60614] about a year later.

NO! i NEVER became a chicago cubs fan! sorry, detroit tigers fan here!

speaking of last saturday, i am still craving the macaroons i had last weekend!

i have found a couple of other bakeries in chicago that carry macaroons. going to have to check out another location next weekend! YUM!!!! 

in case you missed my post from yesterday,  rue la la is hosting another lilly pulitzer SALE starts tomorrow, wednesday, april 6th!

if you aren't a member of rue la la, no problem - click here for your personal invite. SALES are PRIVATE! membership is FREE!

also don't forget to check out one kings lane  for the preppy plates SALE event  which starts TODAY! 

can't wait to check out this SALE!

i really want those monogrammed coasters on the left side!!

if you aren't a member of one kings lane, click here. just like rue la la, sales are PRIVATE! membership is FREE!

OMG! as i type this post my cat is lying next to me sound asleep and SNORING! too cute!! 

mackenzie-childs, simon pearce, mariposa, michael aram DEALS...oh my!!!

so excited, as promised i would share my loot from saturday.  if you follow me on twitter, you may remember my tweet about a store closing SALE? well, i purposely didn't share the name of the store until i stopped there first, lol!

why and what did i buy?

let me show you...first off, i bought this adorable hanover bowl  [retails for $62.00].

super excited about this simon pearce purchase! doesn't it look great next to my simon pearce vase.

my family vacations every summer in stowe, vermont and often makes trips over to quechee, vermont to the simon pearce hand-blown glass factory and lunch at the simon pearce restaurant. check out the view from the restaurant below....TRULY AMAZING!

[photo credit: simon pearce website]

i also bought this adorable 4" mackenzie-childs pop ridge flower pot [retails for $60.00].

additionally, i bought 2 of these michael aram heart votives [retails for $39.00/each]. notice my waterford egg basket in the background...too cute! looks great with the easter eggs i bought a crate & barrel about 10 years ago!

now i really want the matching michael aram heart frame! doesn't it look cute a lit up!

finally, i bought this mariposa bumblebee wine set [retails for $52.00]

so what is the store and what kind of deal did you get?

everything was 60% off! yup, you read that right! i bought everything above for ONLY $100.00!!! okay $110.63 with tax, lol!  the store is called crosell & co. and it's located in wicker park [chicago].

crosell & co. has another location over on michigan avenue that is still open, which is why i was surprised those items didn't get moved? oh well, their loss is my gain....RIGHT! ha! ha!

finally, i received the nambe "cascade" 5x7 frame i ordered from rue la la. 

whew, is it possible to celebrate christmas in april?!!?! i sure think so!  ha! ha! ha!

oh, speaking of rue la la don't forget to set your calendars for wednesday, april 6th!

why?

rue la la will be hosting another lilly pulitzer SALE starts wednesday, april 6th!

 if you aren't a member of rue la la, no problem - click here for your personal invite. SALES are PRIVATE! membership is FREE!

speaking of sales, any preppy plates fans out there? one kings lane will be having a preppy plates SALE event starting tomorrow --- tuesday, april 5th!

can't wait to check out this SALE!  loving those monogrammer coasters on the left side!!

if you aren't a member of one kings lane, click here. just like rue la la, sales are PRIVATE! membership is FREE!

feel the love...

with the royal wedding less than 4 weeks away, i can't help feel a little british love!

how about you?

after all, i am 25% english, lol! my grandfather was born in london and moved to the united states when he was a teenager. i remember visiting my grandparents and seeing lots of british memorabilia in their home. however, my grandparents have since passed on and so has their british memorabilia.

anyway, while out and about yesterday i noticed a trend.  first off, thumbing through the current issue of cottages & bungalo i came across this painted dresser. the magazine actually goes on to show you how step-by-step how to paint with stripes.

then i stopped over at fuller's in hinsdale, il and noticed this floor mat.

then i saw this pair of headboards over at one kings lane: