Aaaaaaaaah!

At twenty-eight, I've reached the uncomfortable age at which everyone around me seems to be engaged or expecting a child. Mercifully, this seem less prevalent in Williamsburg, where I live, but on Facebook - and all of social media in general - it's all diamonds and diapers, all the time.

These hand-lettered cards by Emily McDowell - when read in the somewhat startled tone I imagine in my head - are just perfect. Appropriately happy, appropriately horrified.

Visit Emily McDowell's Etsy shop, here.

Further reading: on feeling young/on feeling old.

All You Need Is...

For Valentine's Day, which, amazingly, is just around the bend: a bottle of love potion, made in Brooklyn with brandy and wild roses,

a well-curated collection of New York confections, 

and this sweet sentiment, with which I wholeheartedly agree.

Also, for a list of date recommendations by city (including mine for NYC), check out this post on Designlovefest - thank you for having me, Bri!

Enjoy the weekend, everyone - and fellow East Coasters, stay safe in the storm tonight!

Toast, Lollies, and Australian Bird Eggs.

Three offbeat Etsy finds to start off your Tuesday: quirky cards by Nicola Rowlands (creator of pocket man friends),

a ceramic plate featuring a rosy-cheeked and very friendly-looking slice of toast, 

and Cake With Giant's illustrated guides to Australian bird eggs and "lollies" (what a great word).

Have a wonderful Tuesday! (I'm excited to see these lovely ladies today - what a treat.)

Rainbow Writing.

How beautiful is this paper card set, made by Korea-based company Ttable Office? I'd love to use it to send a letter to a long-lost friend.

See more of Ttable Office's beautiful designs, here. (In NYC? The cards are also currently stocked at Brooklyn boutique Catbird. I bought this one last week.)

Photos via Toothpic Nations.

Cut-Out Cards.

Ashley Pahl's cute-as-can-be cards may be just what I need to get started on my goal of writing more snail mail. (This one, in particular, strikes a chord.)

Shop more on Etsy, here.

Stop Worrying & Eat More Cake.

...if you say so! This morning, I'm loving these sugary words of wisdom, this cultured cat, and this gentle reminder to stop worrying and start doing more of what makes us happy - eating cake, for instance (kind of reminds me of this wonderful quote).

Speaking of happy things, what are you up to this weekend? I'm looking forward to attending two brunches - one indoors and one at the park - and spending time with my niece (she's three and one of the funniest people I know).  I'd also love to kick back with a book or catch a movie - have you seen any good ones lately?

See you next week! 

Holiday Humor.

Hello from not-so-sunny Los Angeles! Despite the clouds this morning, I'm so happy to be home. The time difference (a whopping three hours) has messed a bit with my blogging schedule today, but I couldn't let the afternoon go by without posting these amazingly funny holiday cards by artist Nicola Rowlands. (Nicola makes the "pocket man friends" that Joanna blogged about in October.)

In case it's hard to read, this one says, "Happy holidays to you and your horrible little dog,"

while this one introduces us to Geoff, "a rabbit who loves the Christmas spirit."

"Here," says this jolly, carp-wielding gentleman, "I didn't wrap it."

Lastly, these pillow ornaments feature cats craving tacos. Incredible.

See more at Nicola's Etsy shop, here. 

Freaks, Geeks, and Cat Birthdays.

A die-hard Freaks and Geeks fan, I stopped in my tracks when I spotted this card, by the Great Lakes Goods, in a local boutique.


I'm also a fan of this one...



...and this one. I'm not sure what a "cat birthday" entails, (besides perfection, apparently), but I'd love to find out!



More from the Great Lakes Goods - including a list of stockists - here.