Day 74: Friday Loves

1. Pasta With Butternut Squash & PecansI’ve never made a Martha Stewart recipe before until this week.  I was searching for a recipe to make with butternut squash and came across this one at MarthaStewart.com.  All I can say…why didn’t I ever make a Martha Stewart recipe before?  This was so delicious.  I keep having to remind myself that this was not made with garlic or seasonings…just butter, salt and pepper.  This is a nice fall recipe that I plan on making again and again. It really hits the spot on these cold nights. 

2. Urban Outfitters.  For those who know UO for their clothes, may not shop the store as much for their Home items.  For the past decade, I’ve been shopping their home section off and on.  It started with a $59 chair that was just a silly thing for a just out of college graduate…but it followed me around for the next seven years.  It was so simple to pack…and the cat loved it so much.  It was a great chair to sit in and read for hours.  But stupid me gave the chair away in my move to NYC and I miss it like crazy.  Lesson learned: never give away UO home items. 

I’ve bought a lot of decor items for the kitchen, including a fancy shmansy silk pillow that looks so luxurious…and I got it for only $9.95 each. 

As I decorate my office, I’ve been able to find more great items in their clearance section.  That means that I’ve been able to bring everything below budget.  Everything is so fancy and well made that I’m very happy with all of my finds.  Now to wait for those boxes to arrive!

3.  John & Mary Bag.  I’ve found my new bag.  It’s perfect in oh so many ways.  1.  It’s a classic.  2.  The colors are oh, so perfect.  3. The bag will last for a very long time.  4.  It’s perfect for work.  5.  It’s perfect for travel.  6.  It’s perfect for a writer on the go all of the time.  Luckily, the bag is on sale.  I can get the large bag for $135 (regular $224).  It also comes in a medium for $120 (regular $208).  I’m going to opt for the large bag because it’s considered a ‘personal’ item and not a carry-on bag. 

4.  Fabric Covered Magnet Board.  Thanks to Etsy.com and Pinterest.com, I came across the perfect magnet board for my office.  It’s Parisian style…and will go with the decor of the room.  What I envision putting up on the board are my index cards of story lines as I go through and write the book.  I can visually see the book in front of me and move the cards around as I put the book together.  I also plan on making little magnets from all of those extra buttons I’ve been collecting over the years that they attach to the clothing tags.  Waste not & recycle!

Isn’t the board just cute!  I love all things French. 

5.  BonBon Rose Girls.  So this is where I share a blog I love to stalk.  BonBon Rose Girls is such a fun site.  They talk about fashion, decorating, food, finds…all in all…it’s just an inspiring site to find ideas on what to wear, decor items for the home that they’ve found, deals of the day….I mean…there’s so much to cover in what they actually cover.  Right now, I have Gap City Flats on my brain as my next purchase from the Gap.  Luckily, they still have them in my size on sale for $33.99.  Thanks to the BonBon Rose Girls for having that deal of the day in my brain!

About Michelle Kenneth

Michelle Kenneth is the voice behind PerfectionistWannabe.com.