Times in Instagram...

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Burst of Light, Pointed Peaks & Dunes and Green Jubilee

D.I.Y oh my to TRY...

I came across this no less than brillant idea for a mini corner closet. It would be perfect to hang outfits for the day and/or week. Such an excellent idea and it brings a little umph to any corner.

I'm going to try this d.i.y. and post pics of how my version turned out!

{photo via Mint Social Club}

Inspiration...

Sometimes we all need a little bit of inspiration and reminders...







1. Gala Darling
2. That's Happy
3. Jill McDonald
4. Maya Bondyr
5. Chanel Files
6. Departika

Accessory Goldmine...

I absolutely love the designs/creativity of Kim Dulaney! Anything from her collection would make my jewelry selection all that more exciting!

Have a Lovely Weekend...

plain and simple..I hope that you have a lovely weekend!

It's the furchild's 6th birthday on Saturday! I can't believe it, he's getting older but that's a great thing! He still lights up my life and I pray that he has many more doggie year's to come. I plan on making a baby big deal out of his birthday even though he'll be none the wiser!

This video by the Girls with Glasses is pretty darned cute and funny! This would so be my friend and I, ha ha they beat us to it C.H.:)


{video courtesy of Youtube}

I'm Smitten...

As you may have noticed, I have a PT (Penelope Toop)shop button located on the left side bar of the blog. Well that little darling is for the future items that I will be adding to Penelope Toop Darling! (yay!). It'll house handmade party hats, small paper goods and little party items. So in preparation for that, I needed to have some branding done if you will. In my thoughts I wanted to have a wonderful little logo, banner/header design for the shop and all things Penelope Toop. Approximately two weeks ago, I emailed a few artists whose work I love, to run my thoughts by them and see if I would be able to hire one of them to help me bring my whimsy thoughts and ideas together. Cue the music and prep the drum rolll............................................................................

In comes the very sweet Sarah of Truly Smitten, cue the fancy music! Her blog is wonderful as is her body of work from invtes, to note cards and party treats. Please visit her page and her wonderful talent {the dog with the balloon is so funny and cute}! So once the preliminary work is done (the signing of contracts and all that jazz), submitting ideas, photos, you know the usual fun stuff, then we can truly get done to the business of getting the shop up and running I'm so totally excited.

{photos courtesy of Truly Smitten}

What Do You J'Adore..

Artwork: "If you knew how much I love you, you'd faint"! If someone fainted over love, would it be endearing or funny?

Pillow: This would look great in my home but honestly, I don't need nary another pillow..blink blink but it's so adorable!

{photos via Lovemaki}

Of the Spotted Variety...

In addition to my love of animal printed items, I have a little spot (get it, spot..spotted pencils, alright) for the dotted variety as well.

These pencils are amazingly cute and I can picture them sitting on my desk in an equally as amazing container!

{photo courtesy of Lisa Stickley}

Chocolatey O's...

As most know, I have a special place in my heart especially for Trader Joe's. It's one of my staple places for groceries and food gifts (I like giving different food finds as gifts). Two of my co-worker's had birthday's last week and I decided to treat them to some Milk Chocolate Covered Joe O's. When I say totally AMAZING, I mean it from the depths and top of my heart! I'm normally a dark chocolate kinda gal but from time to time, I can change it up and take on some milk chocolate treats! The taste reminds me of a chocolate covered rice krispie treat but somewhat different. All I know is that it's really good.
If you're ever get a chance to, swing, stop or pass by TJ's and grab a mini carton of yummy goodness!
{photo courtesy of PTD}

Have a Lovely Weekend...

This week the weather has been more than amazing, especially yesterday! We hit temperatures in the 80s! Summer in March is pretty alright with me. As the weekend approaches within a few mere hours, I'm looking forward to it!

Here's to hoping that you have a super fantastic weekend!

I seriously was flabbergasted & darn near gobsmacked when I found out I can make an even smaller cake!

I'm so excited that the circus is coming to town. I'm way over the age to be excited but there is still a little bit of kid in me., I keep getting visions of cotton candy and amazing feats!

This has to be THEE BEST NEWS I've heard today! This was one of my favorite magazines and I still have ALL of them neatly stacked in my home. The truth is I couldn't bear to part with them! Hip Hip Hooray!

New (to me) musical artist, Zara McFarlane

{photo via Confetti System}

Instagram Thursday...

1. Strawberry Shortcake w/Chili Chocolate Ice Cream at Oya

2. Book I'm currently reading

3. Footloose, mom's current shoes of choice

4. Tulip in a Calf

{photos courtesy of PTD}

Haunted Honeymoon...

Those who know me, know that I love a good comedy movie! My movie collection has become amped up over the past few years and YES, I like to have actual DVD's instead of downloading movies to my computer...call me old fashioned.
For some reason Haunted Honeymoon with Gene Wilder, Gilda Ratner and Dom DeLuise popped in my head. It's quirky and hilarious!!!! I must add it to my movie collection PRONTO.

{Video courtesy of Youtube}

My Main Campaign...

Ever since I laid eyes on this campaign dresser a while back, I had been on the hunt to find one and do my own Campaign Dresser DIY. Well, amazingly I finally found one on Craigslist and tried my hand at it. I'm pretty pleased as punch to say that I did a darn tooting good job (sometimes you just HAVE to toot your own little horn, toot toot). And after a few afternoons of sanding, priming and spray painting in my backyard, the dresser held up pretty well. It went from a something that lacked a little punch to something that makes me smile with a little bit of pride and glee. For my first dresser makeover, I may be able to say that I could do it again minus the gnats that kept landing in the wet paint.

What's your furniture DIY story?

{photo courtesy of PTD}

Have a Lovely Weekend...

This weekend should be nice and a bit relaxed after last Saturday's travel debacle. (Insert fadey dream sequence here): I was in LA and just trying to get home, simply trying to get home. Unluckily for me, I was at the airport at 6am (yep 6am). Somehow (GRACE), I made it safely after my lunamaniac shuttle driver's driving, in order to make a 7:50am flight. Needless to say after enduring broken kiosks, line waiting for 2 hours (with NO FOOD), missing my flight, irate customers/airline workers, next flight delayed by 2.5 hours, middle seat and what should have been a 3:33pm arrival turning into landing at my home airport at 8:40pm and then me turning right about and making yet another out of town trip, I'm really really looking forward to a very peaceful weekend with no travel.

I hope that this weekend proves to be what you need it to be whether it's restful, peaceful, fun, productive, lovely, in good company/or the arms of the one you love and/or enjoying some good eats!

Dear beauts if I've never known it before, I do now, you belong with me!

I'm def. becoming partial to this amazing scent. Sweet yet not syrupy sweet!

Heard so many good raves/reviews about this that I have to give it a try. My face deserves a nice treat!

This pretty much sums it up and I need to place an order STAT!

Have a lovely weekend!

{photo courtesy of Geronimo Balloons}

Bacon, Caramel & Toffee...

All of my friends know that I love to try new foods..like it's serious. I'm always bringing something new home or into the office for my family and/or friends to try. With that being said, my friend brought me a nice little gift back from her Vegas trip. Introducing Bacon Caramel Toffee ! Yep that's right, bacon, toffee and caramel rolled into one sweet treat. Now I'm sure that this is more than an acquired taste but I'm actually willing to go for the gusto and try it, after all I like peach cobbler w/vanilla ice cream and you guessed it....BACON! I will most def. do a small review after I've yanked open the packet and shared it with some friends to see if it passed the "I'd def. eat this again" taste bud test!

Hmmm, now that I think about it, it may taste amazing crunched up on top of some vanilla ice cream....

UPDATE: We tried the candy today and I didn't really taste the bacon flavor but it def. had a smoked flavor to it. You could see small flecks of bacon bu not huge chunks as my friend initially thought. It's pretty good but the only caveat is that it's HARD on the teeth! I couldn't really enjoy it like I would have liked because it was like sticking to my teeth! But I'm glad I tried it to at least attest to, yes, I've had bacon caramel toffee before!

{photo courtesy of PTD}

BlogShop puhlease...

come to the Washington, DC area! I have been patiently waiting and even putting my request/bid in for this dynamic duo, Bri Emery of Design Love Feast and photographer Angela Kohler to come to this area for what seems like eons (okay maybe only a few months).

BLOGSHOP is primarily a "Photoshop bootcamp" where you spend an entire weekend packing your wonderful brain full of awesome things to make your images on your blog unique, eye catching, amazing and awesome to look at. You'll learn the basics and nifty little tricks on how to spruce up your blog and NOT be intimidated by the tools/applications of Photoshop.

This sounds like something that would be perfect for PTD and it's a good tool to have because looking at PhotoShop truly makes my head hurt. Also, it doesn't hurt that Bri and Angela make the class look like LOADS OF FUN (check out the video below)!

So please, Bri and/or Angela, would you please come to DC..and soon?!

{video courtesy of BLOGSHOP - Seattle from GMP on Vimeo}

Home Sweet Home

Hey there, Hi there!

I'M FINALLY HOME! I've been missing in action only because I was in LA last week for work and didn't have the opportunity to blog/keep you posted. I had an amazing week of great things so photos and a more in depth summary is coming soon (next post) everything from an NBA game, TV taping, sushi, karaoke etc.

Until then....