Can you believe it’s already August? It’s okay though, because that means my favorite season is almost here: FALL!! (The first day of Fall in the Northern Hemisphere this year is September 22 at 5:18 p.m.) In preparation for this crisp, bright, leafy, rainy, glorious time of year, I created an Autumn Essentials list, chockablock full of products (clocks, silverwear, apparel, art, etc.) to help get you in the spirit. In honor of Halloween, the list currently contains 31 items, but I’m sure there will be more as the autumn months get closer, so keep checking back! Cool stuff shown above (L-R): Puckered Canvas Bag, 23 Inch Roulette Clock, Narration Booties, Lipmann Collection Nail Color in Dark Side of The Moon, Gladiator Bird, Raven, Wire Spun Candelabra, Viceroy Velvet Curtain.

I’m keeping it classy with My End-of-July Finds. Everything that is appealing to me today has a vintage-chic, rose-colored feel to it (or has rhinestones on it, duh). I must be getting into the Fall vibe. . . And cocktail coasters are cracking me up! Peep these hot picks and see my other July Finds here. What do you think?

July Finds (L-R): Oh My God Coaster, Lula Hoop Scarf Kit, Bear Shits Coaster, Fossil “Candy” Frame Cents Coin Purse, Cocktail Now Coaster, Rose Bouquet Earrings, Bling Bottle Opener, Tree Owl Lamp, Wildfox Malibu Girl Sweatshirt.

Don’t forget to vote on today’s poll

What Do We Think of Halle’s Potato Sack Look?

That top is a bad move, girl!!
OR
I love potato sacks, especially ones with Halle Berry in them!

When was the last time you sent someone a surprise bouquet of flowers? How about the last time you received one? “Sending someone flowers” is written off by many these days as cliche’ and unoriginal. Steer clear of a dozen long stems and you’re golden! Studio Choo delivers some of the Cutest Floral Arrangements I’ve Ever Seen! If you’re not in the mood to shell out for the real thing, or if you want to give the gift of an everlasting bloom, consider giving Paper Flowers (Super-chic. Don’t laugh). And if you’re in the crafty mood, bust out a Paper Flower How-To Book and make a romantic personalized bouquet for your loved one.

For the paper flower Single Rose Gift Box (above) or a bouquet of paper roses, visit zoebradley.com.

No, I’m not talking about potted plastic plants. With wall decals, you can bring an entire tree inside your home and stick it right on the wall for a modern, unique take on home decor. And it’ll never die! If you get tired of your decal, even if it’s been years since you applied it to the wall, you can easily remove it without damaging the wall surface. Check out my Nature Wall Decals guide to see all the nature-themed wall stickers that I think would look cool in any room of your house.

Shown above (L-R): Treesome, Luxury Bonzai, and Classic 16.

See also: Wall Decals for the Kitchen for kitchen-specific wall decor.

Having just created my own registry, and making an ongoing list of possible registry items over the past few weeks, I thought that I’d go through and pick out some registry necessities. Even if you feel like you have everything, you have to remember, now is the time to go for things that you may not normally splurge on for yourselves.

Bed and Bath
Frette linens have the splurge department covered- they are by far the most amazing bed linens I’ve ever slept on. Their famous Frette Hotel Collection is 100% Egyptian cotton, 200 thread count and comes in classic styles. Frette also makes amazing towels in 100% thick and absorbent Turkish cotton.  With your new towels, spice up your bathroom experience with the Yuzu Jasmine Hand Soap and Lotion duo. If you decide to go with Frette linens, you may want to add a little pattern to your bedroom with a graphic patterned Marimekko Lehtimaja duvet cover available at Crate and Barrel. They also have complete matching sets if you want to get pillow shams and sheets.

Kitchen
I am a firm believer in spending a little more for quality kitchen ware. Most quality stainless steel kitchen goods will last nearly a lifetime and you’ll find that they actually make cooking easier. You’ll never regret having a good All-Clad stainless steel, heavy-bottom sauce pan or saute pan- it’s amazing heat conductivity will insure consistent heat disbursement, saving you from charred sauces and the like. A good set of Shun Knives, if sharpened regularly, will last forever. And for the baker in the household, a KitchenAid Mixer will always come in handy. There are so many different attachments for the mixer- you can do anything from making fresh pasta to crushing ice. Don’t forget the NordicWare Bundt Pan. Everyone needs to be able to make bundt cake!

Dining and Entertainment
All entertainers should have some crystal wine glasses on hand. Even if you keep them boxed up for special occasions, they are good to have. My favorite glasses are made by Riedel and come in a set of two. You’ll also need to have a crystal decanter like the one from Schott Zweisel. Crate and Barrel’s Cove Dinnerware and accessories (like the Cove Pitcher), although simple in white or blue, will ensure a sophisticated dining experience while letting the food speak for itself.  To dress up your table top a little more while keeping it simple, grab some interesting tea-light holders like the Pixie Candleholder and the Chilewich Bamboo Placemats that come in a variety of colors and shapes and clean up really easily.

I found most of my these registry must haves at Macy’s, Crate and Barrel, Sur La Table and Williams-Sonoma, but there are a ton of great places out there create a gift registry. Drop me a line if you have any must-haves that I’ve missed!

SHOP FAIRIES HERE

My favorite theory on the origins of fairies comes from the author, J.M. Barrie, who wrote: “. . . when the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies.” I enjoy decorating my home and garden with unique and whimsical fairy figurines to remind me of these peaceful mythological creatures. I have added some wonderful fairy products to Kazowie, which you may view here. These items make great gifts for any collector of whimsical and wonderful fairies.

Shown, clockwise from left: Itsy Bitsy Petal Fairy Figure, Don’t Piss Off The Fairies Engraved Sign, A Fairy’s Secret Place Sculpture, The Complete Book of the Flower Fairies, and Fiona- the Flower Fairy Sculpture.

In my search for vintage country-themed rooster kitchen decor, I was pleasantly surprised to find a vast array of modern kitchen decor featuring the rooster as well. Since ancient times, the rooster has been a symbol of watchfulness, pride, courage, flamboyance, and vigiliance, among other things. Today, many have chosen to adorn their kitchens with rooster decor in the adorable traditional, French country-style. In my Rooster Theme Kitchen Decor shopping guide, I have included both modern and rustic kitchen furnishings.

The Italian Ceramic Rooster Pitcher makes a great housewarming gift, as it symbolizes good fortune and protection from danger. If you purchase this pitcher, it comes with the legend of the ceramic rooster pitcher written on a small scroll. It is an interesting story from the Renaissance period and the pitcher makes a precious gift!
Pictured: from top left: French Rooster Clock, Coq Au Vin Rooster Kitchen Flour Sack Dish Towel - Set of 3, Kitchen Rooster Canister Set of 4 Country Style, JK Adams Novelty Rooster Cutting Board, Old Dutch 2-Tone Rooster Design Standing Paper Towel Holder, Rooster Message Board, Rooster Wall Clock, and (below) Ricco Deruta Italian Ceramic Rooster Pitcher.

What do bullets, chicks, and weed have in common?

It’s probably not what you’re thinking. . . I’ve never done this before, but I added almost 50 products to one buyer’s guide on Kazowie today. Once I started, I just couldn’t stop. And you’re going to think I’m weird when you see the particular item that piqued my interest so much. . .

The buyer’s guide is called 47 Cool Ice Cube Trays. Why? Because there are 47 products, the items are all ice cube trays, and they’re all really cool, believe it or not. I never really thought much about investing in uniquely shaped ice cube molds, but if you’re throwing a party or want to spice up your daily cold beverage, this is the way to go. They’ll make an impression. I’ve included the most inexpensive ice trays I could find on my guide because you’re probably going to want to buy more than one tray of a certain shape, especially if you’re serving up drinks for several people. (It would be a shame to run out of dinosaur fossil cubes and have to switch back to REGULAR ice halfway through the party! Tacky.)

And get this: all the silicone trays featured in the guide also double as jello molds, chocolate molds, baking trays, or even butter-shapers (melt, pour, refrigerate)!

I also found these sick Progressive Ice & Slice ice cube trays, which involve putting slices of lemon or lime in the tray’s wells and allowing ice to form around the slices. If you’re as excited as I am about this, click 47 Cool Ice Cube Trays and select View Per Page: 50! That way, you can scroll through and enjoy all these awesome ice trays at a glance. You will not regret this.

Shown (L to R):Pi Symbol Ice Cube Trays, Fossiliced Dinosaur Ice Cube Tray, Fred Cool Jazz Ice Cube Tray, Silicone Alphabet Letter Ice/Bay Tray Set.

Mother’s Day is rapidly approaching (May 10th) and if you haven’t started brainstorming gift ideas, you should probably start soon! If you know your mom’s awesome, but don’t know what she wants or needs in terms of a gift, you can check out my Sweet Mother’s Day Gifts buyer’s guide, which contains some nice gifts (in a wide range of prices) that any mom would appreciate.

From left: Spa Stones Soap Set, Jo Malone Vintage Gardenia Cologne (don’t worry, it’s not man cologne!), Calico Juno Bracelet 09, Coral Pillar Candle Holders.

Just keep in mind your mom’s personal style and go from there. And remember, it’s the thought that counts, so don’t stress too much. Your mom will still love you no matter what you get her for Mother’s Day. . . She sorta has to.

Have a happy Mother’s Day!

I really enjoyed shopping through the shabby-chic/beach/Zen products of VivaTerra today. I never really considered this type of home décor my style, per say, but after I shopped around for some eco-sensitive, handmade home and garden accents in honor of Spring, I think I may have changed my mind. The eco-friendly items I found today would blend easily into anyone’s home, room, or garden.

These natural-looking pieces are meant to stand out in a non-obtrusive way and together, they add up to create a peaceful, serene, comfortable atmosphere in your home that any guest would appreciate. See the Springtime Garden Eco Accents, VivaTerra Wall Décor, and Eco Friendly Table Décor buyer’s guides and shop around for yourself. You may find a unique piece that suites your style perfectly! I found several!