Nice Package

Lovely creative packaging/decorations beautifully styled seen over at Nice Package, the brain child of Ez from Creative Comforts.

{via Lushlee}

Turntable Clock

Somehow, I feel it is my blogging duty to alert you to any and all cool handmade clocks found. There are a bunch of awesome ones from etsy seller pixelthis. Consider yourself alerted, blogosphere.

{Seen via Rare Bird Finds}

Lambswool Mittens

I've heard it's never quite cold enough for mittens in San Francisco but I still want this pair


{via Love it A lot}

DIY: Light in a Bottle

I've been admiring this atrium lamp for a while, but the price tag seems just a little too much.

Then I saw this at DIY magazine a few days ago. You can easily make one yourself: find a cool vase and lampshade at a thrift store and get a bottle light adapter kit from a hardware store. Beautiful!

Apple Picking

Jordan and I took our boys apple picking last week at Hales Apple Farm in Sonoma. It was perfect. We had the whole huge orchard to ourselves, it was so peaceful and beautiful. I really do miss the east coast terribly in the fall, and this felt like a perfect little piece of home. Here are a few fakie polaroids I made from the pictures:




(I recently took the plunge and got bangs!)

Stella McCartney for Gap

The news is pretty sweet about Stella McCartney designing a line for GapKids with 70 pieces in the collection. It almost looks like a more affordable version of crewcuts...dreamy!

Mini French Cinnamon Puffs

I made mini versions of these french cinnamon puffs from pioneer woman to bring to a Halloween party this past weekend. Mmmmmm...the perfect mini treat.

Fall Outfits Project with Erin Olsen

I've got a fun project in the works: Erin Olsen is a super talented friend of mine from Salt Lake who owns a model management business, Echo Model Management and is also a fashion stylist. She is helping me on a fun little project to branch out of my boring t-shirt and jeans routine.
Posted here are five polyvore fall outfits she put together for me, don't they look awesome? When I come back from Hawaii I'll try to put some outfits together with the wardrobe I have based on some of these ideas, take some photos, and then we'll get Erin and all of you to give me some feedback, cause let's be honest, it's harder than it looks. I bet you'll get lots of new ideas too to recreate some new looks.


What to join in? While I'm in Hawaii the next week and a half, put together some of your own fall outfits based on some of these suggestions here, or some other new trends you've been meaning to try, take some photos and shoot them over to me lizstan(at)gmail(dot)com and we can post them here with mine to get some feedback. It's like a virtual girls night fashion show (minus the cosmo mags and prank calls to our crushes).

Hawaii!

Yeah! We leave tomorrow early for Hawaii for my 30th birthday trip! Hank is staying here for the nine days (yes, Jared and I are taking a real vacation). Jared has planned the entire itinerary: lava fields, star observatories, waterfall hikes, sunbathing, naps, scuba diving with manta rays, paragliding, lots of good food, walks on the beach, and no cleaning off sticky hands and dealing with toddler tantrums in the grocery store....I'm giddy excited, and the bonus good news is my ankle is up for it (physical therapist gave me the go ahead!). I have lots to do today. But don't worry, I have posts scheduled for while I'm away so you won't miss me too much.

{photo of Jordan cliff diving last year in Hawaii}

Butternut Squash Apple Soup

I love the winter vegetable flavors in this soup: butternut squash, apple, carrots, celery, onions. I added a splash of whole milk at the end. Serve with some hearty fresh bread and a dollop of creme fraiche or sour cream. Recipe here from Simply Recipes

Halloween: The Drapers from Mad Men

Jared, as Don, was stuck with some work (seemed to be appropriate for Don, right?) so it was Betty and Bobby Draper for Halloween. Kind of didn't feel like a real costume especially since I dress Hank in vintage stuff often, but together it worked well. I can only get away with dressing him as a pansy for a little longer...
I couldn't wear heels because of my ankle, which was super annoying. Sensible flats instead (very un-Betty like). The dress I wore as Betty Draper was borrowed from a friend and seriously, she saved the day about an hour or so before the party. It's her mother's, isn't it lovely? I found Hank's coat just last week at the thrift store and am so in love. Not sure if I'll sell it or keep it. I will be listing his shoes and overalls though in my baby hank vintage shop.
After the church party we headed to the burbs to do some trick or treating with friends. Hank loved being with the kids but was confused about the proper trick or treating procedure. A couple of times he took candy out of his pumpkin and put it in the giver's bowl. Cutie.

Weekend Roundup

{ Wednesday from Addams Family costume on flickr}

Have a spooky Halloween weekend! Lots of great things seen in the blogosphere this week:

Homemade paper doll magnets: polyvore on your fridge!
Last minute invite to a Halloween party? Grab some wire and make pippi longstocking pigtails
I always love really current costumes: check out this balloon boy one
Can Don and Betty save their marriage? Expert advice from a marriage therapist
Meatloaf hand: So creepy!!! Could you eat this?
Beautiful western wedding details seen at A Little Sussy
Huge giveaway over at Designmom, over $1000 in goodies from Trifle Shop. Have you entered yet?
Here's a hint of what family we're dressing up for this year: we'll be using this tutorial and Hank will be in something from here
Are you registered yet for the Altitude Design Conference? Saturday is the last chance to get the huge discount!

Polka Dot Scarf

I'd love to get my hands on one of these polka dot head scarves before our Hawaii trip next week. And is that a matching bathing suit I spy? You kill me! Maybe I can find something in my fabric scrap box...

Holiday Advertising on Say YES

Have a shop or business that needs some holiday promotion? I have a great readership of mostly woman in their 20s and 30s that love beautiful products and services. I'm offering a special discounted rate for advertising on Say Yes to Hoboken this upcoming holiday season with small businesses in mind. Email me for more information and rates!! lizstan (at) gmail (dot) com

Crave Jewelry

How hot are the charm necklaces over at Crave Jewelry? I have a sly coyote one that I wear all the time, I hardly ever take it off. Simple and small, perfect for everyday outfits. Tons of ones to choose from, all super hip. Everything from animals to lightning bolts to airplanes and skulls. I dare you to try and pick just one you love.

Creepy Treats

Lots of brilliantly creepy Halloween treats seen over at Delish. Why am I not having a Halloween party again? I love this stuff!!

{via designmom via kirtsy}

DIY: Creepy Portraits

Creepy, spooky portraits with instructions on how to create your own seen over at Country Living. How cool would blown up versions of these be at a Halloween party? I love the dude with the fangs.
Bonus: You get to use your christmas twinkle lights early without your neighbors passing judgement. BAHA!

Tulip Pants

I'm still really drawn to these tulip pants regardless of the fact that I may never have the guts to actually put them on.

{seen at Heartthrobs and Villians}

NYC Subway

One of the things that really surprised me about San Francisco was how little people used public transportation here. I was expecting it to be must more like Manhattan in that way, but San Francisco is a driving/biking city mostly. I haven't really missed it too much until I thought about it from Hank's perspective and how fun it would be for him to ride the subway everywhere. It would be fun to create something like this three-year-old's view of the NYC Subway for a kid growing up in Manhattan.

Sailing on the Bay

Had such a great time taking a sailing lesson on the San Francisco Bay this past weekend with Jared and the Ferneys. If you take the whole 4 wknd course, they will let you charter out their boats whenever you'd like. How amazing would that be? We are seriously contemplating taking more lessons, charting a boat and heading down to Mexico for a week or...four or.....Tahiti? Skipper gave us directions: go through the golden gate and take a left. (taking the helm)

Sartorialist Fall Inspiration

Fall clothing has been on the brain with a couple fun projects coming up soon (so stay tuned!). Lots of inspiration seen over at the ever-fabulous Sartorialist. Above are some of my favorites seen the last couple months. Why oh why do I not have the class, sense of style or legs of a European woman?

Altitude Design Summit

Guys. Sooooo excited about this Altitude Design Conference in Salt Lake City this January 21-23. Have you heard about it? It's looks amazing.
Whose gonna be there: Other design/lifestyle/trend/shopping bloggers and companies that want to connect with them.
What'll it be: Speakers and workshops, speed networking and mixers with companies, lift pass for a full day of skiing at Solitude Resort (Utah skiing is world class, if you haven't heard), staying at the super fancy Grand America Hotel and attending a little film festival called Sundance + hoppin' star studded after parties.
(pic, pic, pic)

Sign up here, plus if you sign up before Oct 31st, there's a nice discount. It's gonna be so awesome. I'm STOKED!