VACATION TIME

I know that this time of year, most everyone is itching to head somewhere warm. Me? I just want to head north, and here's why:

 

duluthguide.com

webshots.com

climate.umn.edu

wunderground.com

bluefinbay.com

panoramio.com

Lake Superior is so gorgeous this time of year. Everything is still, calm, peaceful...the ultimate destination for a recharge, if you ask me. I love seeing the jutting ice along the shore, where the open water continues to push the ice from shallower waters toward land and the pressure causes it to crush. Sometimes you can even hear the ice when it cracks from inside! Words cannot describe how spectacular a sunset or sunrise is over ice and calm waters.

Duluth? March? I'm thinking yes.

THIS IS WHAT IT'S COME TO.

To get my sorry self out of bed and awake (yes, often in that order), I have to:

• Write emphatic notes about yoga and cowboys
• Tape these notes in such a way that I can't turn off or down the alarms 
• Remind myself to smile about cowboys

Isn't he fun?

HOLY THIN MINTS

Lys over at we keep saying was kind enough to send me a box of Back to Nature's Fudge Mint Cookies to sample. They are absolutely to die for.

(Jamie's dining room in action--please excuse the paint swatch!)

This brand, Back to Nature, has a truly healthful line of goods. Their packaging is 100% recycled, and their food contains no artificial preservatives, no hydrogenated oils and no high fructose corn syrup, the latest big-bads to cut out of your diet.

I love-love-love these cookies. So much so that I immediately had to portion them out into small bags and freeze them so that I wouldn't eat too many! Absolutely delicious, and at 150 calories for four, this is a snack that won't make you cringe every time you take a bite. These beat out the Girl Scouts variety, and I can't wait to try BtN's other cookies.

Thank you, Lys!

(Also: This is why it takes me 7 years to pull off a decent photograph:

Damn curious cat.)

BARGAIN OF THE WEEK: THOMAS O'BRIEN QUILT

Trying something new here at Gracefully Amusing. :)

I've had so many great finds lately, and I've been photographing all of them with plans to share them here. This week, take a look at this beauty:

 

I've been eyeing this Thomas O'Brien quilt for at least a year, waiting for the price to drop...and it finally has! It's a gorgeous pale blue with pewter stitching; the fabric is surprisingly soft, and the quilt is pretty heavy, which is one of my primary requirements for bedding of any kind.

Thomas O'Brien Pewter Blossom Coverlet (full/queen): Originally $89.99, now $22.48!

You better believe I snatched this guy up. Wouldn't you, at that price? He's going to look great in my bedroom to be, which will be featuring white bedding, dark wood and inky blue walls (updates to come).

HOUSE BEAUTIFUL NOTES

 Cujo Cat supervises Mom's scanning activities

House Beautiful is hit or miss with me. This cover is no exception. All about blue? Okay. But make a statement, okay? This room says nothing to me. (The side table is pretty great, though, I'll concede that point.)

That being said, there were some really great pieces under the not-so-good cover.

My favorite, hands down:

Sasha Adler is officially on the watch list. I absolutely adore the yellow velvet on the headboard and the dark lampshades, the gray walls and the bed linens...love love love.

 

That ottoman is fantastic!

There's not much that I don't like about this room. The ikat pillow and the soft pink blanket look great on the couch...not my first choice in fabric, but the stripes are nice and I love the tiny nailhead trim! The rug adds some great depth, and the lamp on the console table gives a nice pop.

 

This room is simple, but I'm such a sucker for a comfortable looking bed. Love the layering and play with textures and patterns. That pillow isn't half bad either (and there's that lamp again.)

That blue is fun. That blue says something. (Also, the bookshelves are arranged so very nicely!)

 

I want this to happen in my future house! Those pillows with the greek key trim, the colors, the velvet...oh my god.

And finally,

 

 

There's plenty about this room that is great (the rug, the pillow on the chair, the map wall, the Blue Moon tasty beverage), but, as the post-it says, lamp!

101 in 1001 -- UPDATE!

13) Set up monthly automatic donations for a charity.  Accomplished, January 2010

I've established monthly automatic donations for DonorsChoose, an online charity which allows teachers to post monetary requests for specific projects and donors to choose to which project they would like to contribute.

About a year ago, my financial situation changed and I was finally in a place where I could afford to start giving to a cause. Education is very important to me; I feel especially strong about keeping music and writing in public schools. After doing some research, DonorsChoose quickly became a favorite charity of mine because I could choose exactly where my money was going, versus donating to a fund and not having a say in how it would be spent. And as icing on the cake, I get a thank you letter and sometimes even pictures from the teacher and class that I helped once their project is complete. It's so cool to get that extra bit of recognition! (I'm not vain, promise...but come on, isn't it nice to get a small pat on the back when you do something good?)

If you are so inclined, you can visit my giving page and view projects that I'm interested in, or you can start at DonorsChoose and handpick the school subjects that you care most about. DonorsChoose makes it super easy to donate any amount you'd like to give, and you can be as personal or impersonal about your donation as you'd like.

Do you have a favorite charity or cause?

(My 101 in 1001 List)

MORE!

Remember this?

Etsy seller YeeHaw has listed a few others, and I kind of want them all. Since I'm a sparse-wall-art kind of gal, however, I'll have to settle for one. Or two.

This one is, hands down, my favorite, despite the typo.

 

This one is a close second, though.

The others are all extremely awesome, too:

 

 

  

  

You can view and purchase YeeHaw's prints here for $25 and $35, depending on the print's size.