today’s company that still manufactures in the us-of-a and makes products i actually want to purchase:

the one that started it all for me- american apparel!

Here’s a bit from the website:

now they definitely have their share of controversy, but i give american apparel credit for being a clothing manufacturer in the us. honestly, there aren’t many left… and especially not many that have so many stores, products that are nicely designed, and an international following!

their website can be a little scandalous (don’t go there at work!) but here are a few of my favorite items for spring…

i especially love this tan-cream striped version

this one is my fav.

such a pretty spring tote

i like the blue version of this too!

some items can be a little pricey, but you can also find american apparel on amazon for VERY reasonable prices! just go to amazon.com and search ‘american apparel.’ there’s also a ’special deals’ section on their website of items from tees to dresses at $5, $10, or $15.

happy weekend lovelies!

*images and text via americanapparel.com

the other night, i spotted this pretty sparkly fun little beauty in j.crew:

and thought, hheeeyyy… that looks like just beads on string. i can make that!

not quite a perfect replica, but pretty good, i think!

ribbon: $.54, glass beads: $5.99 (- 50% off coupon) $3 = $3.54!

i have supplies to make another version with pearls… and i think i’ll try doubling up the ribbon on that one for a slightly thicker effect. after looking more closely at my original inspiration… that one is doubled up too.

just for the record- this is fryes challenge day three. unfortunately, i don’t have photographic evidence… but i wore grey chinos and the fryes! pinky swear.

about a year ago, i bought a pair of frye harness 12r boots. to be honest, i haven’t really worn them too terribly often, especially considering their price. this is for a few reasons… one, i bought them late in the season, so it got pretty warm really quickly. two, they weren’t the most comfortable shoes and i didn’t really know how to style them.

about a week ago, i saw a girl in memphis wearing some…they looked super cute and comfy! i said to husband: i don’t think my fryes will ever get that worn in.

hence, the challenge: wear my frye boots every day in february and see how broken in they become.

i know, you’re thinking what i thought- THE SAME PAIR OF SHOES FOR A WHOLE MONTH?!?!? if you know me at all, you know that is no small feat. (feat… feet… ha!)

so here we go!

day one:

i love him!

jeans + cardigan: j.crew, shirt: marc jacobs, necklace: michelle chang, watch: military watch, boots: frye!

day two:

dress + cardigan: j.crew, tank: old navy, tights: h&m, watch: kenneth cole, boots: frye!

so far, it’s been going well. rules include: i am allowed to wear other shoes for important business meetings! let’s see if they’re broken in and more fabulous in a month!

hey ya’ll!

today you can see my first ever guest post over on the FABULOUS jewelrywhore blog, commandeered by a very good friend of mine.

you should go check out her blog every day for beautiful, sparkley goodness.

thanks, jw!

so, i didn’t do a made in the usa post on friday. i’m sorry! i was coming down with a cold-ish sore throaty thing and was totally exhausted. which means i came into work late, left early, and passed out.

my made-in-the usa feature for last friday is… quoddy!

this company is incredible. they have been cranking out hand-sewn shoes in perry, maine since 1909. each pair of shoes is hand-sewn by get this- one person – and no adhesives or staples or anything mechanical is used in the process. they’re definitely expensive, but for gosh sakes, it was someone’s JOB to make your shoes and your shoes only for a few days. like i said, incredible.

they have boots, boat shoes, etc… but here are a few of my favorites…

weird name? yeah i thought so too. who knows how to say it… but here’s what they say about it on the website:
“The name Quoddy comes from Passamaquoddy, the native tribe of Downeast Maine, which also lends its name to Passamaquoddy Bay, West Quoddy Head Lighthouse, and many other landmarks of Downeast Maine. The Passamaquoddy are renowned for their artistry and craftsmanship, from birch bark canoes to woven ash baskets. They also made moccasins. Their approach using a full leather wrap around the foot and stitching it all together by hand was the inspiration for the footwear Harry Smith Shorey sat down to make in 1909.”

if you want a serious investment shoe that will look great and truly last a lifetime, these are a good pick. they’ll even re-sole them for you for $10, or make them according to a tracing of your foot if you send one!

my hubby was generously gifted a pair of the grizzly boots for christmas, and says they are unlike any shoe he’s ever worn. and, they’re pretty.

there’s something to be said for hand-crafted goodness. take that, sperry.

*images and text via quoddy.com

last night it snowed it up in central north cackylacky. if you know anything about the southeast… you know that means that our state has been pretty much crippled.

my favorite snow day activities?
1- SLEEP. and man, did i need to. after a few long days of work and starting to come down with a cold, i slept for probably close to 20 hours. it was great.
2- watching my dog charlie act like a little kid at christmas in the snow. he gets so. excited. it’s pretty much the cutest thing ever.

tonight i’ll be watching movies, eating chili, reading magazines, and you know it- sleeping some more.

how do you spend your snow days?

so, i have really sensitive skin. as in, anything with chemicals in it (hellooo salicylic acid?) = a bad skin day for me.

after many years of trial and tribulation, i use this soap on my little face:

dr. bronner's baby mild. a baby tester bottle = $.99 at target.

it’s not expensive, organic, and doesn’t make my face angry. plus, its creator was completely hilarious.

dr. bronner. awesome. and hilarious.

Here’s a little taste of his philosophy… which you can find printed on every bottle:
“The over 30,000 words spread across all the soap labels were Dr. Bronner’s life work of searching every religion and philosophy for “Full Truths” that can be summed up in two beautiful sentences:
1. CONSTRUCTIVE CAPITALISM IS WHERE YOU SHARE THE PROFIT WITH THE WORKERS AND THE EARTH FROM WHICH YOU MADE IT!
2. WE ARE ALL BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND WE SHOULD TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER AND SPACESHIP EARTH!”

but you should really watch the trailer from the documentary made on him here. his accent is awesome.

so today i came across this:

not sure if it’s a reference to the same thing, but it made me smile.

thanks dr. bronner for making my face happy in more ways than one.

*images + text via artintheage.com and drbronner.com, tee found via looks good to me

one of my bestest friends sent this link to me and i just had to share.

i am in love with this mug. how could you ever be irritable in the morning if your coffee came from such a pretty little vessel?

also, a perfect valentine’s gift! find it here.

*image via spoonsisters.com

last night i discovered a new (to me) phenomenon that i just can’t get over.

the whoopie pie.

ohmahgoodness. heaven in a cookie-cake-brownie hybrid. i haven’t attempted making them myself yet, but if you’re so inclined there’s a pretty good looking recipe here. mine came from whole foods and were the perfect miniature size.

seriously. life changing. they’re that good.

*image via epicurious

it seems a little crazy… this glorious winter is slipping by so quickly, before i even have a chance to take it all in! it’s even been in the 60’s lately! in january! winter… where did you go?

anyway, i digress. today my bestest buddy sent me a link to these pretty valentines, which have been all over the interwebs lately. as much as i love them, i have always made it a point to create homemade valentines… so i started thinking about what i will make this year.

in my quest for cool v-day ideas, i of course turned to the lovely ms. m. stewart. i noticed though, as i was perusing her ideas, that i most loved her envelopes!

paper hearts on clothespins used to fasten bags of lovey treats

look at that doily envelope!! gorgeous. doilies are super inexpensive, too!

valentines made using envelopes could hold clever surprises...

paper heart folded into an envelope. we all know i heart the stripes...

valentines that fold into a neat little gift package. such pretty papers...

get the instructions on these pretties here.

i used to not be the greatest fan of valentine’s day, but i have grown to love it. number one: chocolate. let’s all be serious. number two: a day that encourages us to drop our cynical crappy selves and pay attention to the people we maybe neglect a little on a daily basis. come on v-day! force us to be better people and remind us that we love each other every day!

all that said- we don’t really do big gifts for valentine’s day, typically. wouldn’t these envelopes be the perfect way to dress up the usual card? put a little extra love into it?

*images via marthastewart.com