Have A Gorgeous Spring Weekend.

Happy Friday, friends! How was your week? The semester is winding down, so I've been feeling like the Energizer Bunny with a caffeine I.V. this week. I'm looking forward to a little breathing room this weekend. Do you have any splendid plans? My sister and I are celebrating Mother's Day a week early and taking our mom to the special pre-screening of Chicago's Brookfield Zoo's new Great Bear Wilderness exhibit. After all, she is our Ms. Bear, so we thought it only fitting.

While we're bear viewing, check out my Top 5 Favorite Blogs this week (OH, and don't forget to check out my guest-post on Café Fashionista tomorrow! I'm so honored to be featured on Erika's lovely blog!)...

Dancing Branflakes: The title grabbed me, and then I fell in love with the girl behind the blog! Great read!

Blue: A great inspirational blog with beautiful ideas and etsy finds!

Daddy Likey: An awesome girl who always has something awesome to share!

The Style Rookie: Yes, I am taking fashion lessons from a teen! Amazing!

Already Pretty: I read this blog any time I need a self-esteem pick-me-up!

As always, check out these fabulous finds from the Web...

Do or Don't: Leather skirts?

What did you dream about as a child?

Do you still wish upon stars?

A great rustic theme!

And my love of vintage clothing just increased a billion times over!

Country + calm = Peaceful bliss

Banner love

Check out these wonderful rings!

A beautiful autumn photo shoot in April!

A great mew etsy shop (Congrats, E!)

Do you like this?

A magical Michigan wedding!

Genius: Book wallpaper!

Do you have a green thumb?

Don't you love all these bags?

Don't you love this fruit jewelry?

Man, do I need custom-made boots!

I love pretty colors, don't you?

I love Dr. Seuss quotes!

Congrats, Emma!

Do you know what time it is?

What glorious shoes!

Lamp love

Could the Loch Ness Monster really exist?

Yes, I'm going to have lots of peach in my wedding!

Anything containing almonds? I'm in loooove...

Don't you love carnival fun?

Do we like these outfits?

Stunning silverware, no?

Love these colorful necklaces!

I've never heard of Goji berries before, have you?

Happy Birthday, Nicole!

Wow, what an awesome Sound of Music video!

Red is such a beautiful color, isn't it? Or maybe I'm just partial to it because of my hair color?

I love when things are in order, don't you?

Best old lady story EVER!

A great berry-picking guide!

Look at these awesome business cards!

New favorite color: Golden Olive

Oh, lovely, Sassy!

[Photo via Hip Hip Gin Gin]

Beau-Coup Giveaway!

Today's giveaway is another gift certificate from Beau-Coup, the online shop that has lovely items for any party ocassion, including weddings, birthdays and baby showers! One lucky reader will win a $50 gift certificate from the shop.

For your chance to win, simply visit Beau-Coup, and post a comment below with your favorite item. Please include your email address as well. A winner will be chosen at random on Monday afternoon. Happy shopping, friends! xoxo

Be sure to visit the Beau-Coup blog as well! Lots of pretty things there too.

Update: Congrats to winner Cha! Thanks so much! xoxo

Special Message: Video Hello Suggestions.

Please Note: We interrupt today's regularly scheduled Freaky (Funny!) Friday to bring you this special message. Translation: My scanner is broken, hence making scanning today's knee-slapper of a diary entry a bit difficult.
But I digress. On this lovely Friday, friends, I want to get your opinion. What topics would you like to see me cover in a future video hello? Any burning questions or concerns you desperately need addressed? Post your suggestions below, or if you're so inclined, you can email me at mellow1422 [at] aol [dot] com.

I can't wait to hear from you!! xoxo

Inspiration: Bedside Tables.

At any given moment, if you look at my bedside table, you're likely to find a huge stack of magazines, a notebook for my lyrics and the assorted book. I recently finished the book I was reading, so I'd love to hear your suggestions. What's on your bedside table? What book should I read next? I'm itching for a good new read.

P.S. Did you know I'm a proud Nicholas Sparks fan! xoxo

[Photo via Oh, Hello Friend]

Key To My Heart Giveaway!

Today's giveaway is from Amy of LittleGreenRoom, a jewelry boutique that, as Amy says, is inspired by nature and all things happy. It's jewelry for the "free-spirited," as she says.

She's offering this Key To My Heart necklace to one lucky reader. For your chance to win, simply visit LittleGreenRoom, and leave a comment below with your email address. And of course, tell me the special person you'd give the key to your heart to. The possibilities are endless, aren't they? I just might have to order one for myself! A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow afternoon. xoxo

Update: Congrats to winner Audreya! Thanks so much! xoxo

Etsy Love: Soft Pillows.

It's getting to be the end of the semester of my newspaper adviserly duties, so this week I've felt super tired and like a hamster spinning on a giant wheel. I'd love to curl up with one of these pillows from etsy shop joom, wouldn't you?

How awesome are they? And an entire shop dedicated to comfy pillows? Genius.

Is your week going well, friends? xoxo

P.S. How is it that I lost 40 Feedburner subscribers just overnight? Was it something I wrote...?

Lisa Leonard Designs Giveaway!

Today's giveaway comes to us from Lisa Leonard of Lisa Leonard Designs, a handmade jewelry boutique. As Lisa says, "Our handmade jewelry is meaningful, unique and perfect for everyday. Each piece is hand-cut, hammered, antiqued and polished sterling silver."

She's offering a $50 gift certificate to one lucky reader. You can choose from this illuminate necklace to this kisses and hugs necklace to these crystal drop earrings. Can you imagine all the possibilities?

For your chance to win, simply visit Lisa Leonard Designs, tell me what you'd love to buy and leave a comment below, along with your email address. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow afternoon. Happy shopping! xoxo

*Special Note: Today is the deadline for all Mother's Day orders. Don't forget!

Update: Congrats to winner Kastie! Thanks for entering! xoxo

Letters To My Future Husband: Letter #88

Dear Mr. Melissa Blake:

You know, Sweetpea, when I told you about my wee obsessions with all things polo shirts, I fear that I may have left out a tiny piece of the puzzle. Don't worry, I'm not about to confess my love of Hawaiian shirts (that was my father's domain...), though I do love Hawaiian Punch with a powerfully passionate punch.

OK. Here. It. Goes.

I think I'm an 80-year-old woman trapped in my 28-year-old little body. And it's not just because of my oversize specs, either, though aren't they sexy, Sweetpea.

No, no. I...have...a...HUGE...obsession. With sun hats. Have we talked, and maybe laughed, about this a lot? I say a good sun hat is one that has its own personality. I tried on my first sun hat while on a trip to Palm Springs, California to visit my aunt and uncle when I was 22. Needless to say, that little hat was a huge lifesaver in the July hot and humid weather. See that first photo above? Yes, the one where my face is peeking out from under that billowed hat. That's the moment I was deflowered. Well, at least my head was deflowered, but once was all it took. I was in love. And we're talking a sweeping, epic love here, Sweetpea.
For example, I went shopping yesterday. The minute I zoomed myself into Target, I saw them. At the front of the store. An entire display of summer sun hats. Had mothers with their small children not be around, I might just have let out a loud, booming "Hallelujah!" But so as not to scare anyone - or have myself escorted out of the store by Target security - I just casually strolled over to the giant display.

And, of course, I had to take some photos.
Now, I'm sure people were giving me a few strange looks. After all, they were probably thinking, "Who in the heck is this girl, smiling, wearing a pink hat and snapping photos of herself?"

But you know me, I didn't care one single bit. I was simply enjoying some quality time with some lovely sun hats. I wonder what you would have done if you saw me.

What do you think of these hats? I'm most partial to the ones with the sash. You know, makes me feel like a bit of an outlaw cowgirl and all. Oh, and the paperboy-type one is awesome, too, for obvious reasons (hint: journalism, writing...).
I just thought of something incredibly awesome. What if, by the time we meet, I'm a world-renowned sun hat spokesperson? Back in 2010, I have yet to see one single commercial proclaiming the glory of sun hats. Could I be the first to grace the screen in a multicolored hat with a bow? Oh, that would be amazing, wouldn't it, Sweetpea? Are you rolling your eyes at me again? That's not very nice. See if I get you a sun hat for our anniversary someday. Or, wait. Maybe I will. Yes, I will. I will get us matching hats. This is going to be great! I do look forward to shopping for sun hats with you someday, so you'd better start studying the trade, Sweetpea. Until we meet...

How I Feel (In 5 Photos) Wednesday.

"What do you say to taking chances? What do you say to jumping off the edge?" -- Celine Dion

Love Lounge: Out To Lunch.

So, friends, I did something last week, and I'm not exactly sure what I did. Or, even if I should have done it.

You all know our resident guyspert, Kasey, right? Well, over the weekend, I sent him a note inviting him out to lunch as my semester comes to a close in the next couple of weeks. I tried to keep it casual, you know, it just being a platonic thing and all, and said I'd love to take him out to lunch as a thank-you for writing such great things for us every week.
I was super confident when I hit send. And then, as usual, when I woke up the next morning, I had what I can only imagine is a sort of hangover feeling, seeing as how I don't drink.

What did I just do last night? Oh, shoot.

What if he gets the wrong impression and thinks I'm some crazy freak (well, more crazy than he probably already thinks I am, and, friends, that's excluding this here post...). Oh, shoot, I never even thought of this post...

But that's not some crazy, radical thing to do, is it? Inviting someone to lunch. I'm not crazy. Now, if I had written to him and proclaimed my undying love and affection for him and demanded he whisk me away to Paris....? Now, that, my friends, would be crazy. And I didn't do that. All I want to do is take him out to lunch to show him how much I appreciate his writing pizazz. My gosh, he's doing all this writing for free; I figure he should at least get a free meal out of it.
It's not a big deal, or rather, it shouldn't be a big deal. Yet I'm not quite sure why on Earth I'm making it into such a grandiose thing. At least in my head, anyway. It's not even a thing. Heck, it's just lunch...right?

Yes, that's right.

It's lunch.

A simple lunch.

A simple lunch between two friends.

Lunch. Lunch. Lunch.

But if I'm being truthful here, I sort of still hear that faint voice of my disability in the back of my mind. It's trying to tell me that he'd never even want to go out to lunch, that I'm creepy for even asking and that I should just bury my head in the sand and take giant swigs from an oversize can of Barq's root beer. Again.
That evil voice is trying to make itself louder, but I'm doing my best to squash it and give it a good pound into the pavement - ironic, I know, considering it's my very physical disability that would make such an action a bit difficult.

I mean, am I crazy to think that someone wouldn't even want to have lunch with me?

*cue inner voice: Yes, Melissa. That is just crazy. Why are you so over-analytical? Gawd*

You're right, inner voice. I am too over-analytical. I just need to do it, right? And by do it, I mean I just need to be casual and nonchalant about the whole thing...

Right?

Can't that just be a nice thing to do?
I'm reading too much into things again aren't I? It's OK. You can just tell me. I probably already know the answer.

Lunch. Lunch. Lunch.

Oh hey, maybe Barq's root beer will even be involved. You know, this whole lunch thing is starting to sound better and better. I think.

Oh, shoot. There I go thinking again.

Inspiration: French Postcard Engagement.

There's something so romantic, dreamy and whimsical about a little rain mixed with fog, isn't there? This beautiful couple chose a 1920's French-postcard theme for their engagement shoot, and I think they chose right, don't you?

P.S. Don't forget to check out my guest-post today on the lovely Wild and Precious! Thanks, Blair!

[Photos by Dreambox Photography]

Tales From The Trenches: Tales #33

We have a very special writer joining us today! Andrea Syrtash, author and the host of On Dating, produced by NBC Digital Studios, releases her newest book today. In He's Just Not Your Type (And That's a Good Thing), she empowers woman against falling into the trap of settling just to settle down. Part of her strategy for finding love? The ever-powerful Love Checklist.
When I was 16, my "type" was a guy who drove a motorcycle, had two earrings and grunted when I asked him questions. I don't remember ever having a very deep conversation with this guy, but I remember how good he looked in a white T-shirt and tight acid-wash jeans (hey, it was the '80s). At 20, I dated a guy in my college dorm who was whiter than Wonder Bread and found my "Jewishness" exotic. He was a good kisser, and I liked that he found it endearing each time I argued that bagels were a food group, but really, I had nothing in common with him and I knew it.

When you're young and new to dating, a guy's cool factor or the way he looks in jeans may rank higher than how emotionally or spiritually connected you feel to him or that he brings out great qualities in you. At this point in your life, your criteria for a mate aren't usually based on how he would be as a father, a provider and a partner. In many ways, our teen years and early 20s are about exploration—learning who we are and ultimately making some mistakes from which we can grow. And yet, I meet so many women who are still hanging on to the "type" of guy they were attracted to eons ago. Most of these women have met new and diverse groups of friends who are different from the ones they chose as teenagers, or have embarked on a different career path than the jobs they graduated with. In many cases, their choices and their lifestyles have evolved.

So many of us get into a pattern in our dating lives, and our lives in general, in which we do things because we have always done them that way. We don't question our routine because it's comfortable (and frankly, who has the time or energy to find alternatives when things are okay?). We do what we know. We are creatures of habit, after all.
When we are living in this passive way, it is as if we are pressing the snooze button on our lives. We are almost awake—but not quite. (Isn't it funny, too, that sleep researchers say that pressing snooze a number of times in the morning actually makes for a more tiring day?) In this regard, we are not living consciously. And when we do not live consciously, we make choices that may not serve our best interests.

Love Lists
The list of criteria you are looking for in future mate should evolve as you evolve. It should not resemble the long list you draw up before you head to the grocery store or the checklist you give to your real estate agent when you are looking to move. For one thing, you are decreasing your chances of finding a relationship if your list it too long and specific; and another, you are taking all the romance and spontaneity out of the process of truly connecting with someone you have not met yet! I once heard a guy say that he could not describe his perfect woman before he met her, just as he can't describe a beautiful painting before he has seen it. Depending on your perspective, this guy is either wonderfully romantic or terribly cheesy...but he has a point!

It's important to be mindful of the qualities you would like to find in a partner. Creating a simple must have/can't stand checklist can help you to get clear on things you feel you can or can't live without in a future mate. Make sure to distinguish your needs from your wants and your preferences from your absolute deal breakers. You may prefer someone who is more than 6 feet tall but realize you have more important characteristics that you "must have" in a partner. (My friend Dan is 5'8" and used to be frustrated that women online said they wouldn't date a man shorter than 5'9". He said, "Would these same women be disappointed if someone who looked like Jude Law or Tom Cruise walked in for the blind date?")

I like to confine the must have/can't stand list to five things on each side so you can stay open-minded and not limit yourself by trying to follow a long laundry list. So, take out a piece of paper and make your new checklist!
Name five things you must have in a mate and five things you can't stand. It can be as silly as wanting your partner to dance to as serious as wanting to be with someone of the same faith. Whatever is important to you, write it down. In some cases, one side will reflect the opposite of the other. If you are not attracted to bald men, put baldness as a "can't stand!" You are entitled to some deal breakers—even superficial ones—when looking for your future mate. One of my clients volunteered to share her must have/can't stand chart:

Must Have / Can't Stand
• Generosity / Self-centered
• Send of humor / Unmotivated
• Self-awareness / Arrogance
• Family values / Sense of entitlement
• Attractive (I want to kiss him) / Argumentative

Dating Dare
Include, "He must be really into me" as one of your five must haves. Those six words will automatically affect your dating success.

When you consider men you've dated in the past, did they fulfill your must have/can't stand list? When you are forced to really home in on what's most important to you, you will find more clarity on the kind of person you would like to date and automatically create different results.

Stop pressing snooze on your life. Wake up to what will bring you true fulfillment in and out of a relationship. Live authentically and consciously—in life and in love!

[Photos via Andrea Syrtash and Audrey Hepburn Complex]

Wonder Why.

I wrote this song over the course of a few days. Isn't it nice when you finally stop wondering what you did, why someone didn't like you as much as you liked them, and let go, realizing that, maybe, just maybe it wasn't you for once.

P.S. I caved today and bought that jewelry box! Not sure if I should feel guilty or happy for spending $70...

I watch your tail lights fade as you drive away
And all I can do is stand there putting on a brave face
I'll be damned if I let you see me cry
So here's to no more excuses, looks like you said them all before
Don't be surprised that after all this time, it's finally over
'Cause you won't have to wonder why

Why I'll never ask you how you are
Why we can never be just friends
Why every word you ever said turned into a lie
Why when everything is said and done
The lights will have all burned out
I'll be the one moving on
So you can sit down now all by yourself
No more time for goodbyes
No more time to wonder why

If we pass each other on the street
Just keep looking down at your feet
I won't be looking you in the eye or even saying hi
Isn't it funny how quickly your charms have worn off
Like the gold shine of a brand-new watch
Looks like I'm now the one done wondering why

Why I'll never ask you how you are
Why we can never be just friends
Why every word you ever said turned into a lie
Why when everything is said and done
The lights will have all burned out
I'll be the one moving on
So you can sit down now all by yourself
No more time for goodbyes
No more time to wonder why

I wondered why you couldn't love
Was it because you were more in love with yourself?
It must make it hard to let anyone else in

Why I'll never again ask you how you are
Why we can never be friends
Why every word you ever said turned into a lie
Why when everything is said and done
The lights will have all burned out
I'll be the one moving on
So you can sit down now all by yourself
No more time for goodbyes
No more time to wonder why

Why I'll never ask you how you are
Why we can never be just friends
Why every word you ever said turned into a lie
Why when everything is said and done
The lights will have all burned out
I'll be the one moving on
So you can sit down now all by yourself
No more time for goodbyes
No more time to wonder why

Haven't we already said goodbye...?

[Photo via Sofia Ajram]

A Woman's Word: The Bag vs. The Boy.

Erika of the insanely addictive blog Café Fashionista has long been one of my resources for an excellent lesson in style, shopping and fashion. This week, she gives us a lesson in both love and fashion. How's that for talent? xoxo
Kitty cats, it is not my intention for you to misunderstand me; after all, if there is anyone who considers the sudden appearance of a cute boy to be synonymous with the ability to eat as many cupcakes as one’s heart desires without having to worry about the calories settling about the waistline, it is me. Whether you want to admit it or not, cute boys retain the ability to make life more cheery and fun with their lopsided grins, cow-licked hair, and penchant for texting a quick “what’s up?” at the most unexpected of moments. Then again, handbags are oftentimes capable of the very same thing – sans the flirty texts, that is!

I know it sounds bizarre, even preposterous, perhaps – but it’s truly not. Boys and bags share many of the same qualities with one another. It just takes a bit of searching to unearth them.
While a bag doesn’t have the capability to pay for the luxurious lobster dinner at the four-star restaurant you just HAD to try out, the cute boy, as far too many of us have learned over the years, is frequently too stingy to part with his hard-earned money to wine and dine his date du jour, a girl who obviously deserves to be impressed and treated like a princess every once in awhile. The difference between the two, however, is that while the bag will continue to be the apple of our eye – a partner in crime as we navigate the world of dating, you may even say - the boy will commonly be viewed as an obnoxious individual who cramps our style, and it won’t be long before we realize that we deserve better and must find someone else.

But darlings, that is not where the similarities end. There are other areas where handbags and boys compete with one another - areas that are very valuable for you to determine how things will play out in your life, and whether or not you should settle for the boy...or the bag.

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe
I abhor even having to state this, but, though we would love to simply snap our fingers and have the boy of our choosing, be it celebrity or buff-cute-boy-next-door-whom-you-are-forced-to-watch-parade-a-bevy-of-model-worthy-beauties-through-his-life-like-a-revolving-door, so is not possible. Yes, we can choose who piques our interest, select individuals who make butterflies flit through our tummies uncontrollably and make goo-goo eyes at anyone and everyone. The problem is that if they do not share in our affections, they are out of the running, and we are left in the lurch. Such a problem is not a part of choosing a handbag. Love the Marc by Marc Jacobs Stam Satchel? Buy it! Infatuated with the Balenciaga Giant City? Splurge! Yes, it may take some time to save up enough to make these pretties ours, but they are obtainable over time. Not every boy is.

Stand By Me
The problem with many boys is the disappearing act that so many of them seem to be well acquainted with. Things are fine. You are both spending quite a bit of time texting one another, sipping coffee at Starbucks, then poof! Like a magic genie who dissipates from your life after your three wishes have been granted, the boy simply falls off the face of the Earth, never to be heard from again. In some cases (i.e. when the individual in question is one of the so-called “bad boys”) this is a welcome revelation; in all others, you can’t help but find yourself questioning what you did wrong, and placing all blame on yourself. With a handbag, this is not a worry, for your chic counterpart is always there to keep you company. You may cast her aside for months on end in favor of a new beauty. But she is always there waiting for you to return, and willing to add a posh pinch of pizazz to your ensemble whenever you need her.
My loves, just as there are boys who are undeserving of your affections wandering aimlessly about Planet Earth, there are handbags guilty of the very same crime. Once you have settled upon perfection in one area, however, it is nearly impossible not to fall upon something fantastical in the other; and at that time, it will no longer be that the bag is competing with the boy. Rather, the bag and the boy will be a packaged deal that work as one to make you shine like the brightest star in the sky!

Good luck, my loves. Something magical is on the horizon!

Fashionably yours!

[Photos via We Heart It]

Inspiration: Alphabet Mugs.

My mother has an entire cabinet nearly filled to the brim with mugs. Mugs with Christmas designs, mugs with the Chicago skyline and a mug with Freud's, well, mugshot front and center - my sister bought that one on ebay.

I've never really cared much for mugs (I'm more of a plastic cup gal myself...), but aren't these mugs from Baíta Design, a Brazillian designer studio, pure genius? Alphabet mugs. Pure awesome!

P.S. Oh, Mr. Melissa Blake, wouldn't this be a cute way to propose to someone? Just a thought... xoxo