I have a girl crush on Zooey Deschanel (by which I mean I think she is pretty and funny and cool and should be my friend). I don't think I'd be missing the mark to say that a lot of women do. So I'm pretty jazzed to see her new movie "500 Days of Summer". Plus if there's a lot of the Smiths on the soundtrack, I can drag Dana with me and watch him do his Morrissey impersonation. It's pretty classic.

Any upcoming movies on your must-see list?

Friday Song Picks

A few of the songs that are in heavy rotation on my iPod lately...

Okkervil River, "Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe"

This video takes a few seconds to load, but is worth it. You can also check them out at okkervilriver.com. Check out the "Band" tab for one of the longest but best band bios I think I've ever read...

St. Vincent, "Now Now"

I couldn't find any good video clips for this one (the one above is just the song playing over a still photo), but check her out at ilovestvincent.com. There's a link in the left sidebar to listen to this song, as well as "Paris is Burning" and "Marry Me" (in which there is some fabulous strategic hand-clapping).

Sufjan Stevens, "The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is Out to Get Us!"

I feel like there's a joke in here somewhere pertaining to my deathly, paralyzing fear of wasps, bees, hornets, and all bugs of that ilk. But phobias aside, Sufjan Stevens is an amazing story teller, lyricist, and songwriter. This is just one of many, many examples. See more of him here.

That's all for today, kids. Have you got any song recommendations for me?

I know it's a little bit late to be buying a 2009 calendar, but if by chance you still need one I'd highly recommend checking out these adorable options from Etsy seller little brown pen. They're a witty twist on the British WWII Keep Calm and Carry On poster.



There's a women's and a men's version of the calendar (February for women: "Bat Lashes and Pound Chocolate"...for men, "Strum Guitar and Look Sensitive").

Top row (L to R): Isphotography, Shop Shop Designs, Cheer up Cherup.
2nd row (L to R): Creative nuts , Home Studio, Berkley illustration!.
3rd row (L to R): Woodworking & recycled bike parts by Julien Jaborska, Bicycle paintings, Arcane Arts.
4th row (L to R): Velocipede, WD Design & Photography, bitter sugar, Rar Rar Press.

with spring weather in full force here in arizona (okay, it’s pretty much “spring weather” here as far as everyone else is concerned all winter long), i’m wanting to ride my bike everywhere. i think lots of people might be feeling the same way, judging by the bike imagery/inspiration i’ve been seeing all over etsy. art, clothing, accessories, stationery…from retro illustrations to gear-head inspired pieces, bikes are everywhere.


original photos from beachbikes.net

i'm loving this cupholder from beachbikes.net--it may not be ideal for all terrains, but for cruising around the (relatively flat) streets of tempe, it would be a handy, hands-free way to bring along my venti americano. and for those of you who tote around your lives with you on your bikes, how adorable is this double bike bag, which mounts over your back tire?


L ro R: sunlite wooden basket, carrie bicycle basket, topeak quick-release basket

for people like me who can usually fit your necessities in your front basket, how about one of these? the topeak basket, which has a quick-release function, would be great to tote along to the grocery store for smaller shopping trips. and i love the carrie bicycle basket (available at huset-shop.com) with it's bright green pop of color (it might make my orange bike looke a little bit pumpkin-esque, though...).

the pear project: artisan goods for every day life

pear project items
Originally uploaded by kristaleigh

so if any of you are in the same boat as me, and i suspect that many of you are these days, you've got your mind on your money and your money on you mind (snicker). it's tempting at times like these to hit up the big box stores in search of low prices, especially when you're looking to purchase "extras". and while i am a big fan (and frequent shopper) of tar-jay, there's a lot to be said for putting in a little more leg work and maybe an extra few dollars to upgrade to an item that is unique, creative, and hand made.

etsy is pretty well known as a source for items like this, but there are other options, too. the pear project, run by north carolina artist (and looooong time friend of mine) brooke fuller, is a fantastic place to find household good, jewelry, handbags, and one of a kind art. and unlike larger sites like etsy, the pear project is able to carefully regulate the quality of each and every item sold through the site, so you can rest assured that your purchase will be well made (more well made, more than likely, than it's big box brethren).

so next time you're on the hunt for the perfect purse, necklace, piece of art, or even some new salt and pepper shakers, check out the artists over at the pear project for something a cut above that mass-produced "bargain" at tarjay. you get a great product, and you support an independent artist and a small business owner, all with one purchase--everybody wins! and who doesn't love that?

probably a better idea in theory than in practice...

road rage-pola

Originally uploaded by kristaleigh

these road rage sticks from urban outfitters are cracking me up. i especially like the "are you drunk?" sign. however, i imagine whipping one of these out after someone cuts you off might only fuel the already fired-up tempers that flare during rush hour. they sure are tempting, though...i can think of a few people i know who'd make good use of them!

how to work better

how to work better
Originally uploaded by kristaleigh

i'm really striving to live by this lately. unfortunately, i can't recall how or where i stumbled across it, but i have it printed out and hanging on the wall in my office. #1 is especially relevant for me. i have a tendency to take on about 20 tasks at a time, and while some people are truly efficient multi-taskers, i have come to realize over the years that i am not one of those people. i work best, fastest, and most efficiently when i can sort the things i need to do into a list and tackle them one at a time. hence the legal pad next to my computer that serves as my "to do" lsit. i refresh it every monday, tearing off the top sheet and only transfering over to the next sheet the things that didn't get finished the previous week.

also relevant is #10...as someone who tends to wear her emotions like a flag on her face, i sometimes need to remind myself to smile when i'm feeling overwhelmed at work.

what do you do to stay focused, motivated, and efficient?

Who says you can only send Valentines on 2/14?

mustache valentine
Originally uploaded by kristaleigh

So it's past Valentines Day, but I couldn't resist posting this free e-Valentine from katespade.com. Perfect for the mustachioed man in your life on Valentines Day, or any day!

clearly something's got to give...between facebook, twitter, and myspace, there are so many other places to check and update that this blog has fallen through the cracks. i'd like to fix that. so i'm going to be making some changes...i can't promise anything in terms of timelines since i'm focusing most of my energy on the wedding lately, but i'm a-workin' on it...

IMG_1019
Originally uploaded by kristaleigh

Erika suggested that if this chicken hat ever needs replacing, I could always buy Chester a kitty wig:



What do you think?

my best girl brooke is having a sale at her online shop! the pear project is a great place to find handmade crafts by talented artists--check it out by clicking below:

more folders
Originally uploaded by kristaleigh

...these seem quite fitting lately. I could file lots of things on my desk under "Documents: Useless".

Changing things around again a bit...

A Political Diversion

I don't get political here often, but I thought this was a pretty interesting article...

"Few Americans (less than 20 percent) want to return to an America in which abortion is almost always illegal, and if they knew McCain's true views on the subject, most would not vote for him. So the candidate is...sneaking a little of his bad-tasting reproductive rights stance into the meatloaf of his candidacy—not by hiding it, but by trading on his reputation as a maverick."

Read the rest of this article at Slate.com...

Okay, so I know I'm stupid late to the party on this, but has anyone heard Obadiah Parker (they're an Arizona band) cover Outkast's "Hey Ya"? It's been out for a few years now, but I just heard it recently.

You're probably best off starting the video and then just minimizing it and listening...someone tried to patch the real video in with the live cover, and the timing is nowhere near right. But anyhow, I just wanted to share this because I lurve me some acoustic guitar and a good cover. Hear more on their Myspace page, or download them off iTunes. Enjoy!

I am in love with pretty much everything that Amy Butler does. Now she's come out with a line of eco-friendly paper products...I am presently coveting this blue and green gift wrap and this fancy paper tableware. Her designs are so elegant, and I consistently love the colors she chooses.

If you've always been dying to know whether you're rock, paper, or scissors, today is your lucky day. I, by the way, am paper.

You Are Paper

Crafty and creative, you are able to adapt freely to almost any situation. People tend to underestimate you, unless they've truly seen what you are capable of. Deep down, you're always scheming and thinking up new plans. Your mind is constantly active. You are quite capable of anything you dream of. You can always figure out a way to get what you want. You can wrap a rock person up in your sheet of trickery. A scissor person can sneak up and cut you to pieces. When you fight: No one can anticipate your next move If someone makes you mad: You'll attack them mercilessly when they're unprepared

Are You Rock, Paper, or Scissors?

I blame Sonia, who instigated this with her "what karaoke song are you?" blog post. (For the record, I am "Living on a Prayer.")

Finally, a scientific(ish) explanation for something I have always known to be true...
how to properly position a roll of toilet paper.

*blows dust of blog*
Anybody in here?

Probably not, seeing as I've been the Queen of Inconsistent Posting. Yikes. Life has been eventful lately, too.

We're buzzing right along with the wedding planning; we'll be getting hitched on May 9th 2009, most likely at Elizabeth Park in West Hartford Connecticut. We've booked the Pond House Cafe for the reception, which is located within the park. Erika has mocked up some incredibly cool looking Save-the-Dates (which we'll be sending out soon-ish)and invitations for us. Lots of other kettles on the Wedding fire, as well.

Also, Dana and I are in the process of packing up and moving. We found a great house in Mesa (just east of Tempe, where we currently are) with more space, an enclosed garage, a pool, and room for the dogs to run around like idiots. We move in 2 weeks, so our current house pretty much looks like a bomb went off. Good times. You can see some pictures of the new pad here, but I'll be posting more once we're in and settled. I'm pretty jazzed about the thought of a fireplace. Indoor s'mores!

That's all for now...more in a couple of weeks, at the longest!

dana and i are engaged!

after weeks of high-quality secret-keeping on his part, dana proposed to me on christmas eve! no date has been set yet, but we're planning on getting married in connecticut next spring (2009). i have never been happier, and i am so jazzed about planning the wedding that i can hardly see straight :). we'd really like to be married outside, and for the reception to be able to have some sort of outdoor component, so i've been scoping out locations...and I already managed to stumble across the perfect bridesmaid's dress. other than that...well, what's to say other than that? christmas was fantastic; i was able to see a ton of friends (though not as many as i'd have liked), and got to spend some time with two of the CUTEST wee ones ever (that's you, babies renshaw...). now it's 2008 (2008?!?!), and it looks like this year will revolve largely around wedding planning. i'd love to throw some house buying in there as well, but we'll see...

i hope you all had a great holiday and new year's, and that 2008 is being good to you so far. cheers!