Q&A with the haystack needle

I recently did a Q&A with Jen from the haystack needle as part of her Green Swap series. Check it out here.

Many thanks to Jen for having me!

Show Time!

I'm off to PA today for a three day shopping event. If you're in the Philadelphia area, check out the schedule and stop on by!

Be back on Monday. Have a great weekend.

New Shop: mac & murphy

I have only been to Charleston, South Carolina once when I was little - but I have been craving a visit down south these days. Maybe it's really a craving for warmer weather. (What is going on with this cold?!) Anyway - mac & murphy is a new stationery store that just opened in Charleston and looks pretty darn cute. I especially love the little back patio where you can sit and write letters. Such a great idea! Grab a friend, buy some cards, sit in a nice setting and write thank yous til your hand hurts. Sounds perfect.

Entrepreneur Week in NYC

I just heard about this great series, Entrepreneur Week NYC, that I thought I'd mention here in case anyone's interested. It looks like most of the events are free, you just need to register. I like the sound of these: Survival Strategies in a Bust, The Importance of Public Relations in Early-Stage Organizations and Founding a Business During or Right Out of College. Check out the lineup and register here.

Hello, Steven Alan

I have fallen for Stevan Alan. I bought a skirt there last fall and wear it constantly. I doubt I'm fooling anyone by switching up its counterparts - it's the same outfit - but I can't give it up. I popped in there over the weekend and am completely in love with what they have in for spring. Shirts with Liberty of London fabric? Who wouldn't love that?! I didn't come out with anything, but I can't stop thinking about these shirts. I'll give it the two-week waiting period test and go back:)

Easter

My brother-in-law has sent this around the last couple of years and it makes me chuckle every time. Happy Friday, Happy Easter.

SJP: Why Don't You...

I recently read Sarah Jessica Parker's "Why Don't You..." list in last month's Harper's Bazaar magazine and loved what she had to say, so I thought I'd share them here. I particularly love her first one:) Okay, her first and second.

• Try, for every 20 e-mails you send, to write a letter, an old-fashioned letter, and post it. Remember how it felt to receive an actual letter or postcard in the mail?

• Keep a bucket filled with candy. Cheap, good candy. From butterscotch hard candies to Bulls-Eyes to spice drops. Pretty cheap per pound, low calorie, and great late at night while working or staying up too late reading or watching television. It will scratch the itch.

• Use your local library. So few people do anymore. And if you are a parent, introduce your children to their neighborhood library. It will give them a real sense of independence to have their own library card and enjoy borrowing books.

• Empty out your purse twice a week, tossing all coins into a mason jar, an old coffee can, or a strange-shaped and not particularly practical porcelain jar. It’s wonderfully surprising to discover what can accumulate. You can give the money to charity (always feels good), and it’s grand to do in the spring when charities are not on people’s minds.

• Cook or bake something outrageous that you are convinced will be impossible. The advantage of this endeavor is that it can actually get you cooking more meals at home. Once you are triumphant with the absurdly difficult, a meal for yourself or your family will seem like a cakewalk (so to say). And it can be a great money saver.

• Walk more. It simply feels great. And for those who have an “allergy” to working out, it’s a great way to get the blood moving. If you are feeling extra adventurous, try putting some speed into that walk.

• Read the editorial page of your local paper. It introduces you to opinion and can be terrifically provocative and perhaps a great motivating force for you to get involved in your community, regardless of your political ideology.

• Get eight hours of sleep, though I never do.

[image and copy from harpersbazaar.com]