hard to believe, but this beautiful hobo is actually (a) faux ostrich, and (b) by furla, a brand i’ve never thought of as producing bags i’d actually be interested in.  but when i spied the spring shades for this lovely furla bag while i was away in hawaii – they’ve released it in a gorgeous fuchsia and a bright cobalt blue, both of which are fantastic and colorful – i stopped dead in my tracks.  

but for now, don’t you just love this peachy cream shade…especially at 50% off?  grab it quick…it’s bound to sell out in mere moments.

i have been a fan of kate wilson‘s sweet drawings and watercolors for so long, she’s literally one of the first bookmarks in my (now extremely overcrowded) art folder.  but for the longest time, her etsy cupboard has been bare, or nearly so.  so i was thrilled to click over and see that she’s just released a whole new series of prints, just in time for valentine’s day.  what a perfect (and affordable!) gift for the one you love – whether you choose the birds dining via cupcake candlelight or the simpler bird holding a heart-shaped leaf, you can’t miss.

as for me, the beauty queen is just begging for a spot in my bathroom…and those choccie birds, fighting over the box of candies, has been on my must-have list for a while.  looks like it’s time to take the plunge!

much as i love vogue, the happiest day of my month is when domino arrives in my mailbox.  literally, i have every issue for the last three years, at least.

sadly, those happy mailbox days are now over.  first blueprint, and now domino….sigh.  i know you can’t sustain a magazine on love alone, but i know i’m not the only one who’s heartbroken to see them go.

design*sponge:  domino closes

decor8:  domino folds

sfgirlbybay:  say it ain’t so

oh joy:  sadness

nothing like a jewelry sale (or two) to brighten your wednesday morning, right?  and if i threw in shoes?  don’t worry, you can thank me later.

first up, alexis bittar (known for his mod, chunky styles and his celebrity fan club) has marked just about everything on his site 50% off.  so, grab one of his signature lucite bangles, a very marni-eque graphic necklace, or something a bit more refined.  i happen to be obsessed with cameos, so this piece is at the top of my list.  sure, it’s not free…but bittar’s designs are well worth a little coin.  

next up is a pretty fantastic sale going on at plaza too.  i haven’t written them up in aeons, because i had a pretty heinous customer service snafu there once upon a time.  but, we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt that things have improved (please let me know if you find this isn’t the case, and i’ll ream them on your behalf).  they’ve just marked their entire jewelry collection down 50%, and their sale shoe collection is an additional 30% off, so most are in the 75-80% discount range.  all are final sale, but there are some pretty remarkable deals to be found.  a very spicy python-embossed loeffler randall boot for $175, a fantastic purple suede wedge from kate spade for $77, and last year’s frye paige riding boots (vastly superior to this year’s buckly version), marked down to $209.

on the jewelry front, they have everyone from gerard yosca to kara ross, isharya, marcia moran…and some other alexis bittar pieces that weren’t on sale at his site (sigh, i was all excited initially because they stock chan luu…but turns out he’s excluded).  still, there are definitely some deals to be had!  grab some of spring’s hot layered necklaces, a show-stopping jeweled cuff or two, or these beautiful rose quartz earrings i nabbed on my vacation – they’re amazing in person, particularly if your skin is as pale as mine!

perhaps, because i test new skincare products almost daily, i’m overly jaded…but is anyone else completely confused and overwhelmed by the skincare options available today?  honestly, i go to the websites of my favorite companies, and i hardly know where to start – by the time i’ve finished looking, it seems like i need $500 worth of products, and i’ll be spending 30 minutes prepping my skin twice a day, applying potion after potion.  i’m exhausted just thinking about it!

as i’ve mentioned before, clarins is one of my absolute favorite skincare lines.  they’re one of the few companies i can completely trust with new products, and when my skin is tortured by some other product i’ve tested, clarins never fails to soothe the beast.  so, in honor of a new year and a fresh start, i thought i’d check with their chief skincare guru, kara peterson, to weed through the mess and give us her top tips for keeping your skin gorgeous in 2009.  

shoppingsmycardio:  can you help us navigate this crazy world of skincare?  sometimes it gets so overwhelming – how can we know which products are providing which results, and whether we should be using brightening products, anti-aging, moisturizing…the list is endless!

kara:  you know, everyone’s skin is so different – i really recommend sitting down with someone who can look at your skin and guide you.  go somewhere that you can get really helpful info, where someone will really sit down, talk to you and analyze your skin.  that might be your aesthetician, or the department store counter for your favorite skincare brand.  there are so many products, but everyone has specific needs – it will really make a difference if you get some personalized advice.

but in general, remember that a facial serum penetrates down deeper to provide concentrated results, a moisturizer helps to hydrate but also to protect your skin’s top layer.  using a serum first also helps to pull moisturizer deeper into your skin, for better results.  

SMC:  what are some of the biggest mistakes women make with their skin?

kara:  i think the biggest thing is to remember, whether you wore makeup that day or not, you really need to cleanse your skin every single night.  when i’m too exhausted, i use our comfort cleansing water – just soak a makeup pad with it and wipe your face.  it does a great job of cleansing your skin, and is so easy!  (editor’s note:  i keep a bottle of this by my bed…when i just can’t face the nighttime routine, i do exactly as she says…works like a charm!)

SMC:  we’re all trying to cut our budgets these days, and for a lot of us, i’m guessing spa facials are going to be off the table for a while.  what treatments can we do at home, and what should we leave to the pros?

kara:  exfoliation will really help your skin’s cell renewal and keeps your skin clean and revived, so make sure you’re exfoliating 2-3 times a week.  blackheads and milia will eventually go away on their own, so never try to do extractions at home – you’ll damage your skin, and potentially leave permanent marks.  lotus oil is great for treating blackheads, it penetrate pores and cleans out debris.  even using biore strips is still a better option than trying to do an extraction yourself.  

one great trick to use at home:  apply a facial oil before you apply a mask:  the oil will pull the mask further into your skin, and really improve its benefits!

SMC:  what are some simple things we can do in this new year to improve the condition of our skin?

kara:  wear sunscreen!  i know everyone says this, but it’s so important.  also, make sure you have the proper cleanser – keeping your skin clean is the best way to keep it healthy.  and when you’re applying any facial product, be careful that you’re not pulling and tugging on your skin as you apply – be gentle. (editor’s note:  clarins uv plus 40 is the best facial sunscreen i’ve tried.  it’s mineral-based, so no nasty breakouts.  just apply a little on top of your normal moisturizer, and it lasts all day!)

SMC:  if we overdo a treatment and get into trouble, what would you suggest to repair our skin?

kara:  go back to the basics.  look for the most simple, natural products you can find – let go of your anti-aging products, brightening products, anything like that, and give your skin 2-3 weeks of a very gentle cleanser and moisturizer.  (editor’s note:  i always go back to clarins’ sensitive skin line when my skin is upset – it’s amazing stuff!)

a huge thank you to kara and the clarins gurus for helping out with this amazing advice – from my experience, i can tell you that kara’s advice about asking for personalized help is a great tip.  don’t feel obligated to buy everything the expert suggests…you can pick up one product at a time, or find similar products in other lines. but having someone with expertise look at your skin and tell you what you need can be invaluable, and you’ll end up saving money on all of the products you’re buying that are wrong for your skin!

hi, readers!!  i’m back from the tropics, and missed you all terribly…i saw so many things i wanted to blog, but alas, the pina colada in my hand was weighing me down.  i had some very grand plans for my first day back…but well, i’m exhausted, and it’s just not happening.  so, i’ll leave you with a few random tidbits, and we’ll start the awesomeness tomorrow.

1. clarins UV plus sunscreen SPF 40 is a miracle potion.  my freakishly sensitive, freckle- and sunburn-prone skin has nary a blemish after a week in the hawaii sun and surf.  tomorrow, i have a fantastic Q&A with their head skincare expert to share with you…so look forward to that!

2. i’m on a huge exotic floral print kick now (big shock), and these beautiful notebooks from cartolina cards are hitting me in just the right spot.  at $4 each, they’re cuter than most of what i saw in hawaii…i’m considering buying a stack and passing them off as souvenirs!

3. it was snowing when i arrived home…welcome back.  but i refuse to be defeated – inhabit is sample sale-ing my favorite, light-as-a-feather stretch cashmere cardigan and v-neck (as well as some other pieces) for $80 each this week…that’s down from more than $300.  i’m stocking up on as many colors as i can afford.  ready, set, shop!

see you all monday…i’ll be back, sunburned and ready to shop it up!  until then, i’m wishing you a beach like this, and a drink like the one i have in my hand this very moment.  aloha!

as penance for torturing you all with those lovely loefflers the other day, i thought i’d make it up to you by showing off this quite fab grey flat boot from spring shoes.  oh, did i mention it’s $50?  sure, we’re not talking fine italian leather here…but personally, boots that can stand up to a little winter weather are making me very happy now that i’m living in the city of rain.  man cannot live in waterproof uggs alone.  plus, isn’t vegan footwear the new black?

more love from the january anthro catalog…in fact, did i mention i literally ran down to my local store the day the catalog arrived in my mailbox?  thank god things have improved since last fall, and their regular stylist appears to have either come back to work or regained consciousness.

page 5: in my 2009 effort to buy fewer cardigans and wear more interesting combinations, this would be a fantastic layering option.  okay, it is technically a cardigan.  but doesn’t it look awfully jacket-y to you?  the jacket-style-cardigan is the saving grace of busty, big-shouldered girls like me who look absurd in all cute, cropped blazers.  i think there’s great potential here…just make sure you buy the beige.  the other colors are frightening me with their granny schoolteacher vibe.

page 13: i have to admit – i’ve seen both of these pieces in person (the dress and the trench, that is), and i’m not as in love with either individually as i expected to be.  but as a pair, they’re just perfect – exactly that perfect mismatch i’m going for this year.  i have to believe the trench would do just as well with most patterned spring dresses, so if you’re choosing your splurges, i’d spend there.

page 16: i’m violently opposed to the jumper…i just don’t care how trendy it is.  but this is just such an elegant look, it honestly would never have occurred to me that this was a one-piece ensemble.  i’d be much happier if it were two…but this might be the one single exception to the no-jumper rule.  

page 43: this waterfall blouse was the one purchase i made when i ran down to anthro last week (i just refuse to pay their shipping charges), and it’s my favorite purchase in a while.  i bought it mostly for the hawaii trip, but it’s gotten plenty of cold-weather mileage as well.  i love it with a bright cardigan in a totally different color (kelly green, in my case) or layered with a striped tee underneath and a menswear vest on top.  plus, for those of you still mourning the babydoll top for its ability to camouflage imperfections, this one has the exact same effect, but manages to stay streamlined.  perfect! 

there’s so much more, but i’m more interested in knowing what you loved!  care to share?

i had meant to post some of my picks from the january anthropologie catalog, but as usual, it slipped my mind.  then i saw this post from casasugar about chair & ottoman pairings (in which i fell hard for a certain ottoman), and it all came rushing back.

could someone please, please convince my hubs that we should replace our coffee table (which is driving me crazy right now) with this lovely owl-embroidered ottoman?  wouldn’t that just be gorgeous?  i’d top it with some fantastic mirrored tray (hmm, perhaps this one i spied over at bliss), and it would make a perfect coffee table indeed.  plus, there’s a decent chance it wouldn’t be covered with mail, books and magazines 24/7.

speaking of furniture from anthro…this cheery yellow chair is pretty high on my list for the ever-ongoing living room remodel.  doesn’t it just make you happy?  does anyone have experience with anthro furniture?  i so want these to be fabulously well-made, heirloom-quality pieces.

and, not a clue what i’d do with this rug…but it’s just so fun and girly.  ooh, that’s it…perfect for a little girl’s bedroom, no?  i’d strew three across the room as a little path from the door to the bed…so fun.

stay tuned…we’ll do the clothing redux tomorrow!