yes, chickens.  seven of them.

i had mixed emotions about getting them.  on one hand i like being able to have fresh eggs and the chickens provide excellent (and natural) fertilizer for our garden. but on the other hand, what do i know about raising chickens?

it turns out they are fairly easy to care for.  the kind we have are orpington chickens which as it turns out is one of the friendlier breeds.  they don’t mind being held and they eat out of my hand!

i ran across this today and had to post about it.  what a great idea!  i’ve always been a fan of fabric buckets and inklore has several to choose from.  but this one absolutely takes the cake!  i think i need to get one for my laundry room.

some current etsy faves in navy blue.

moccasins by darlingtonia -

tote by bayan hippo -

fabric covered notebook by kalla -

so perfect for spring!  clockwise from upper left - fedora, top, skirt, flats, dress

the heart motif is everywhere for spring but i’m not sure i’m buying it (literally or figuratively). there’s something about hearts that just doesn’t sit well with me. even when they aren’t used in a juvenile way they still seem immature to me. or maybe too girly (but not girly in a good way).  what do you think? will you be buying anything with hearts on it for the coming season?

images below from topshop, anna sui, marc jacobs and leifsdottir.

i was given this necklace as a gift this past christmas (thanks b!)  instantly smitten, i asked where it was from and was told it was from a shop on etsy called elephantine.  all of the jewelry in the shop is beautiful, simple and delicate. the kind of jewelry you can wear with anything.  a few of my faves below.

snippets of patterns i’m working on for spring -

i was doing some research online (seriously i was, that’s not a euphemism for gorging on fashion blogs and sites) when i came across this.  love it!  i think each paillette is the size of my head! ok not really.  but close.

i love when something is made completely out of scale, be it very very oversized or teeny tiny.

it’s a snowy day.  not too cold and not too windy, just steady snow laying a soft white blanket over everything. i’d love to curl up on the couch wearing this sweater, these socks and wrapped up in this blanket.

this milk bottle from alyssa ettinger is one of my favorite handmade possessions. i love it for its beauty and simplicity, i love that it’s from brooklyn and because alyssa is a friend and i think everything she makes is pretty great.

this morning while reaching to get a book off of a shelf i knocked my milk bottle over and it tumbled to the floor!  i was sure it was going to be in pieces.  i looked down and there it was at my feet, not a scratch or a nick.

so not only are they beautiful but sturdy as hell.