BHLDN - Fun and Eclectic

My mother stumbled across BHLDN yesterday and sent it my way. Let me tell you - super cute stuff! They have lots of great shoes and dresses. Also, you can find great priced wedding dresses if you are looking for something very different. Check out my faves!

$260

Beautiful and only $1600

There are also some fun gift ideas, stationary, and home pieces! BHLDN is very eclectic, I love it! I also love these champagne glasses :)

Love! $68

Grocery Shopping Made Easier

Since I despise cold weather but still in Boston, J tries to limit my outdoor exposure. One way he does this is by going to the grocery store on his way back from work to grab any last minute things we may need for supper. We used to have some communication issues, though. We are both forgetful and use a variety of mediums to discuss the grocery list which can complicate matters - sometimes he will miss a gchat from me or I will send an email with my list of grocery requests but he wont check until it is too late.

To solve all these problems, we use the Grocery IQ app on our phones. We can both add to the list (or multiple lists, since we shop at a few different stores) and our phones update the list automatically. It is so efficient to have one syncing location for my grocery wants! Our lists are also available to view and edit online, and can be emailed/printed out/etc - great functions for those who are without smart phones or prefer hard copies.

We had one minor mistake over the past few weeks while using the app. I added pita bread to the list on my phone and J's phone did not update quickly enough for him to purchase the pita. It was a sad day, but not the end of the world since I wanted the pita for the next day. Other than the sometimes slow syncing, I love this app and definitely recommend it to all who have lovely and amazing grocery shoppers! It is also good for roommates who are unavailable for shopping when you are desperately in need of milk :)

Fresh Idea Friday: Design Your Own Bedding

As I pour over the home goods for my registries, I find I have become obsessed with certain type of items.  I tend to put way more than I need, but  Briana has been really good about going through and telling me I don't need 12 juice glasses aaaaaand 12 water glasses or the super expensive copper core stock pot (a regular stainless steel accomplishes the same objective for about a third of the price).  However, one of my particularly troublesome areas is bedding.  I love layering a duvet, a quilt, and sheets with an optional extra blanket during the winter.  I'm also a sucker for shams and pillows...I think every bed needs a set of pillows with shams, a set of pillows with cases, and a toss pillow or two.

Unfortunately, I have had a really hard time finding bedding that Mr. 3 and I can both agree on.  The man loves his blues and greys, whereas I prefer brighter colors like green and yellow in the house.  After much discussion, we found one set of bedding that we both love and one set that he can at least live with, so both of our beds will be covered in wherever we wind up living together (apartment hunting its ongoing).

I might have been able to avoid this whole discussion if I had known about this website, InMod, which allows you to design your own bedding and toss pillows.  You can selected from a variety of prints, fabrics, styles, and sizes (they go up to a "super king", which I believe is their version of the California king).  Prices start at $160, but when I built my bedding using a silk dupioni duvet cover, mine was $494 for a queen sized duvet and king sized shams.

More later on my eensy, weensy addiction to glass...

Thrifty Thursday: Not the Cast Iron!

My siblings and I decided to have a party to celebrate my mom's birthday this past weekend. My little sister Tally and I flew down and surprised her Saturday morning. That evening, the siblings plus some cooked supper for Mom. She absolutely loved it and we all had a great time :)

I get back to Boston to discover that J doesn't have much of a social life. He cleaned his apartment and took the opportunity of me being gone to eat a steak (ick). He also decided to run the self clean function on the oven. Unfortunately, cast irons do not hold up to being baked at 500+ degrees for hours. 

Can you tell which one won't give you tentanus?

I'm pretty sure my 12 inch cast iron is ruined beyond repair, so I did some research on replacing it. Of course, I immediately thought of Amazon and William Sonoma, and then included a quick Bed, Bath and Beyond.

Amazon has a 12 inch cast iron for $21, by Lodge Logic which is not a brand I'm familiar with. William Sonoma has a Lodge 12 inch cast iron for $33 - I do not know if the two brands are related, but Amazon seems to think they are. And then at BBB you can get Emeril's 12 inch cast iron for $25. I didn't find a range of prices across the levels of quality, probably because these things are just sealed and seasoned cast iron - there can't be much variation in the cost of manufacturing or materials. You may be able to find one in your local Marshalls if you get lucky, but it looks to me like I will be spending between $20 and $35 to replace my beloved cast iron. Not too bad of a price for something that theoretically lasts forever. My mom's cast iron is over 40 years old - probably because a man in her life never left it in the oven with the self clean cycle on.

Bridesmaid Dresses

Melinda and I have been (mostly) enjoying the wedding planning, but we each have some topics that frustrate us. For a few months now, I have had difficulties with bridesmaid dresses. Maybe I am being too picky, but I just can't seem to find the right one. I don't want anything too expensive, but I prefer natural fibers. I've noticed that a lot of dresses are both synthetic and expensive - ick! I also don't want anything too "bridesmaid-y"and of course I want a dress that is flattering on all the girls, or at least not unfortunate. I'm also looking for a specific family of colors. I am avoiding more intense colors on the girls since I don't want a Great Wall of Color.

Pretty much everything is wrong. Melinda has found a few great ones that I am very excited about, so I'm hoping to manage that as well. If you are looking for bridesmaid dresses, the Jim Hjelm group has a ton of beautiful options in all sorts of styles and fabrics. The website is easy to use, with the downside of not being able to search by color. Their fabric swatches have all been beautiful, but you have to contact an authorized retailer to find out info such as pricing and other specifics. The price ranges are approximately $175-$350. Generally, the bridal shop where you purchased your dress will give you a discount on bridesmaid dresses. Melinda is receiving 20% off! My shop is only giving me 10%, but I am planning on speaking with them about it and hopefully will receive a better discount.

Good luck today, on your wedding endeavors or otherwise! Tomorrow is Thursday, which means the weekend is close!

Can I have this dress just for myself?
Love it!