Never Overlook Classic

If it isn't broken, don't fix it. 

I have simply adored Vans since high school. Recently, they have fallen victim to the back of the closet. That won't be a problem after I get my hands on these. 

Remember this post. Mission accomplished. Absolute perfection. 

image cred {Vans}

Oh My, Good Gracious

I have a new object of affection. Hit the Dock Rudy by Kate Spade.

And of course this particular purse would not be complete without the cutest coin purse I have ever seen. Isn't it just perfect for this bag?

I may need to purchase these items (hey, at least the purse is on sale!) with the first paycheck from my new job. Yup! Thats right! This lady gets to leave "the 9-5" for something far more exciting and intellectually compelling. My new position is entitled "Social Media Manager," I know you must be as happy for me as I am because I have not spared complaint these past months.

The Hub's and I will be packing up and moving north to Annapolis, MD over Memorial day weekend. We could not be more thrilled to be closer to family, friends, the Bay, the beach and fresh seafood! This is a very welcome change. Peace out Hill City!

With all that said, wouldn't this purse be simply perfect for purusing the streets of such a nautical town? Excited. Yes.

Expect posting to be light for a while during my adjustment. I start the new job on Monday (yup, that means back here until the end of May). After that I am back, full force and hopefully better than ever!

{image cred: Kate Spade}

Getting Into It

So, I am just really getting into Polyvore. I love having it as a resource! I have seriously been missing out. Then again, now I want so many more things than I already have, but I think that is more being a girl than anything to do with Polyvore.

Ok so I had a go at picking out an amazing J. Crew outfit. Here is to a first try!

Winter Dream by jhyphenl featuring cluster jewelry

Men - outerwear - Luminosa puffer vest - J.Crew
$70 - jcrew.com
Sequined tops »

fabric - cotton - Jackie cardigan - J.Crew
$62 - jcrew.com
J crew cardigans »

J. Crew Velvet schoolboy blazer - dark plum
$80 - jcrew.com
Plum blazer »

J.Crew Pleated wool-flannel tuxedo shorts
$98 - net-a-porter.com
J crew shorts »

Women's accessories - socks & tights - Lace tights - J.Crew
$23 - jcrew.com
Lace hosiery »

Langford two-tone high-heel oxfords - J.Crew
$198 - jcrew.com
J crew shoes »

Women's jewelry - bracelets - Crystal cluster cuff - J.Crew
$88 - jcrew.com
Cluster jewelry »

Oh man, and it is so nice to blog with! Ahhhh! Ok, for the new year I think I may instill at least one Polyvore post per week.

Let me know what you think!

I hope all of you had amazing winter holidays! I am so sorry I missed you, but I was quite busy myself. I promise from here on out to be posting at least five days a week. I have begun to reshape some priorities for 2011 and blogging is in the top five. The 9-5 got thrown out! And for good reason! I plan to tell you so much more about my resolutions later this week.

Punctuate away,

Jessie-Lee

Food for Thought

I have been sitting on these a while, and I didn't realize it until today. I originally became obsessed with this recipie set about a year ago (see told you it was a while) and the fact that we are in the holiday gift season (cringe!) this might be a good idea to share.

Whisker Graphics is pretty brilliant, I am not going to lie. Let's take a step back and remember Grandma for a second. If your Grandma is anything like my Mom-Mom was, she has a slew of recipies and one tiny recipe box that is overflowing with oodles of delishious goodness. Now, I know I have always really liked the idea of having a box of recipies on hand to dig through when you want to cook. My only problem with this theory is I like things unified. More specifically I like things graphically unified. This lovely printable set makes all my recipie box dreams come true.

It is just utterly perfect! And the greatest part is, you can buy this .pdf set for $10. How perfect is that for Christmas. Buy it, buy some super fancy paper, a new ink cartridge, some bakers twine, and you have all the lovely ladies in your life covered! And if you are feeling extra crafty, I hope this inspires you to come up with your own recipie card set to distribute this Christmas.

{image cred: Whisker Graphics via Etsy}

Punctuate away,

Jessie-Lee

P.S. I am going to strive super, extra hard to keep up with the blog this week. I have a new, extra special loathing for my job, so that inspires me to commit to you readers instead! Thank you to those dedicated readers that still check up on me when I don't post. Here is to doing better!

Friday Kitsch

What a find for today! Seriously, these made my morning and I have no doubt you will fully enjoy them too.

Wit & Whistle is my new favorite stationery shop. From this point forward this is where I am going for all greeting cards. They are just too original, and well designed might I add.

I just love them! And I am also swooning over the photography skills here. Some Etsy shops have it and some don't and this one pulls it off magnificently. I always find that well photographed shops hold my interest so much more, don't you? Major props!

Wit & Whistle also runs a blog, which is pretty snazzy. I am adding it to Bloglovin as we speak. What can I say, I am impressed. I told you this was a good find! And might I add I am totally jealous of this chick, she is pulling off the lifestyle I can only imagine having; the blog, the stationery, the career you enjoy waking up to everyday. Yeah, I have a large green monster on my back here. I guess situations like these let me know it's possible, and I need that to get through the day sometimes.

I really hope these super fun cards jump start your weekend. I know I am completely ready for mine to get here already (more on that next week).

{image cred: wit & whistle}

Punctuate away,

Jessie-Lee

P.S. The Hub's and I are taking a mini-getaway weekend, we need some romantic time. So, that means I may or may not be around these parts on Monday (it all depends on if I am sanctioned to leave the MacBook home or not!) Just stay with me, I will for sure be back on Tuesday.

Double Take

Finally! Five minutes to pay attention to my blog. It upsets me that I have been neglecting my duties to the blogosphere. Stupid 9-5! I hate having responsibilities. By nonetheless, lets get into my thoughts for the day.

Quite a while ago I stumbled over the website of Coralie Bickford-Smith. If you aren't familiar with her, she is the designer of some super lovely Penguin book covers! I would die to have a set of these books. They are too beautiful!

But earlier today I was looking for the perfect set of fall boots (which takes forever, by the way). So I checked sort of a secret here in good old Lynchburg, Virginia; Must Have Shoes. Yes, we have a clearance store for Poetic License and Irregular Choice shoes, be jealous! They are manufactured here.

And through all that searching and remembering, this is what I came up with to show you today!

They compliment perfectly, no? I think both items are quite perfect actually, and I would kill to have either in my possession. The compliment was just too perfect not to share.

{image cred: Poetic License via Must Have Shoes, Coralie Bickford-Smith}

Punctuate away,

Jessie-Lee

P.S. See, I seriously meant five minutes. So terrible, I know. I will try to prepare for the rest of the week tonight, after I finish my overtime hours. Stay with me! I swear I am not giving up on this blog!

The Root of My Problem

Design is not what I do, it is who I am.

And, just by the way...this is post number one hundred.

{image cred: Jessie-Lee Nichols}

Punctuate away, 

Jessie-Lee

That Which Defines Our Time

This blog is not about movie reviews, in fact I have never done one on here before. But under this particular circumstance I would like to share my thoughts. I promise to get back to design posting later on today.

OK, so unless you live under a rock and haven't ever heard of the Internet, you have heard about this movie. And don't tell me it doesn't interest you and that you aren't going to see it, the point is, you have to. This sounds super cliche and somewhat ridiculous, but this movie defines our generation in a short two hours. It is the best definition, I think, you could possibly give us.

Facebook. It is our link to each other, and it has become such a commonplace in our lives that we no longer fully realize its permeation and therefore innate casualness. The average Facebook user spends something like 50 minutes a day on the site. That is craziness. We use an hour a day to connect socially with our friends, colleagues, businesses, organizations, and by our definition anything worth knowing. Find us on Facebook.

It is absolutely nothing to any of us anymore to go online and get someones full background, 300 pictures of them, their likes and dislikes and all of their friends. In fact, we can't even imagine our worlds without this link to information. In fact what really struck me and the Hub's was the bit in the movie where it was realized that "relationship status" was the launching point. The Hub's (our sophomore year of college) didn't ask me to be his girlfriend, he asked me if we could make it (and I quote) "Facebook official." That is our story. That is how we came to be as husband and wife, today. Facebook defines who we are.

See, here is where the movie isn't just about Facebook anymore, it is about how we carry on about our lives. Where would we be without the Internet? Wikipedia? The link to any unknown fact by the push of a button. That is who we are.

Furthermore, lets look at how connected we are because of Facebook. I know as a blogger this is something I happen to treasure, the interconnection between all of social media. But if it wasn't for Facebook, would we have Twitter? How would we blog? Well yes, we would continue to blog, but who would read us? How would we be found? How would we share our link with friends? Yes we could email, but where do you find people's email? Exactly my point. We can't function without it. And it's really not that big of a deal until you step back and realize it for everything it's worth. It isn't just a craze. It is a way of life that we can't live without.

I highly encourage you to see this film if you have not done so already. I found it enlightening, informative and entertaining. And I also adored Jesse Eisenberg in this film, he played Facebook's creator Mark Zuckerberg. I think this might have been the role of his career.   

If you have seen it, what did you think? Are you as in awe as I am? Or do you think I should tone it down a few levels? Let me know what you think!!

One last thought. When I first started using Facebook I had to have an official college email address. In fact Lynchburg College only joined the network a semester before I came, maybe it's because it didn't launch until 2004 which was my senior year of high school. It is crazy to look back at how you have used Facebook the last six years, and look what we have become. Does anyone else remember those days?

{image cred: IMDB}

Punctuate away,

Jessie-Lee



It's Nice to be Nice

It is no surprise that the Internet is one huge resource for inspiration. And it isn't hard either. If you find one blog you have found 50, and then you have 50 new resources from each of those 50 and it is simply incredible. Today I want to share a resource I have been sitting on for a while. And to give credit where credit is due, I would love to promote this blogs new "premium membership" program that was just launched!

I will fully admit, I use this blog as a resource more often than I should, but the content is just that darn good. (Yes, you will notice some similarities if you look at my stuff, and her resources) If you don't already know, Pugly Pixel is simply brilliant. And there is no better description.

As the ultimate resource, Pugly Pixel offers an array of freebies as well as paid content. I myself have not succumbed to the monthly paid option yet, but at $5 a month it is an opportunity you don't want to miss! In a nutshell the site offers; clip art, photo shop tutorials and e-courses (have you ever taken one of these? I have always wanted to!). You can also find a very extensive blog roll and a pretty wonderful Etsy shop! Yes, I wish I were her too.

Let me show you a few snippets of awesomeness, then I will share more about her premium content.

It really is pretty amazing she has been offering this content f.r.e.e. until now. Which is why I don't feel it a burden in the slightest to be paying for it. I think designers should utilize their resources, people as generous as this are truly driving the creative forces around them.

For five dollars a month or fifty dollars for a year (bargain!) you are entitled to all the premium versions of her freebie content. And yes, the paid version is so very worth your while. You are also entitled to an e-course. If you are a blogger, a graphic designer, or a recreational photoshoper you will find these tools to be extremely useful, like eternal gratification useful!

Oh and one last thing to mention, these images are extremely high quality! I think that may be the most impressive part. Those are hard to come by in the design world at such a reasonable price.

I hope today's post has inspired you to check out Pugly Pixel, you will not regret the time spent there.

*This is not a sponsored post, and I am in no way affiliated with Pugly Pixel I am just a happy customer sharing!

{image cred: Pugly Pixel}

Punctuate away,

Jessie-Lee