Wishlist 10.24.10 + Housekeeping

I hope you're enjoying your weekend.  I normally don't blog on Sundays but company with three dogs and no husband has left me feeling kind of bored AND I couldn't wait to share my latest wish list item. These folding Pantone chairs would be perfect for an outdoor patio or to bring out when needed for extra seating at a dinner party.   At $69 a piece, buying a set hardly seems daunting.

Now the the general housekeeping I wanted to mention- in an attempt to clean up the layout of D&OC, I've simplified the content on the sidebars.  You can now find the ever growing blogroll on it's own page.  I also wanted to mention that I'm regularly updating (a few times a day) my tumblr with lots of inspiring interiors.  I hope you'll check it out! 

images: heliotrope (via how about orange)

D&OC Turns One!

Ok, so it's not technically this blog's one year anniversary- it's actually on Saturday BUT we have a really great giveaway coming up tomorrow and I don't blog on Saturday so I figured today was the best day to celebrate!

{via Jane Heller Photography}
I really just want to take a moment to be thankful for a few things concerning this blog.
So, THANK YOU to:
-My dear friend, designer, and monthly man blogger, Keith Rein b/c without you, I wouldn't have a banner, a button, or snazzy business cards. You're amazing.
-Anyone and everyone who has mentioned D&OC, linked to this blog, linked to the shop, tweeted about giveaways, retweeted my blabbering, or said a kind word concerning D&OC. Your support means everything.
-My sponsors past and present. Your financial support has allowed me one day off a week so I'm no longer a crazy woman (well, at least not as crazy).
-All of the many giveaway sponsors who have so generously offered your goodies for FREE! Thank you for putting yourself out there. I wish I could have won everything myself.
-Other bloggers who have answered my silly questions about navigating this online community. Your experience and willingness to share is invaluable to the rest of us.
-Last and MOST importantly, to the readers of this blog. Some of you have hung in since day one (literally). Some of you have come and gone, many of you I don't even know about. Without you, I'd simply be talking to myself and that would get really boring. You are the butter to this blog's toast and the your comments and emails constantly make me smile and wonder how I got so damn lucky.

poll by twiigs.com

In an effort to streamline things here at D&OC I'm going to ask you to help me by taking this easy-peasy little poll. I understand that I'm a bit flighty and jump from topic to topic and if you love that great but, if there's something more that you'd like to see, I'd really like to know (you can vote for more than one). If you're fine with how things are, there's an option for that too!
THANK YOU.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo,
Christina

Heart to Heart: Where did you go?

Dearest Peer Bloggers,
So, every couple of months I try to "clean house" here on Down and Out Chic. I update my blog roll and re-evaluate sites I'm following and just generally try to get my bearings. I try not to spread myself to thin as I really do enjoy reading other blogs and leaving comments and I can't do that if I follow a bazillion blogs. Well, yesterday, much to my surprise, I realized that a few of the regular blogs that I frequent (not one, or two, a few!) have either:
a) deleted their blog
b) not posted in over a month w/no explanation
c) said a half hearted, "see you later."
What happened? Did you burn out? Do you not have time to update? Did you get into blogging and realize it wasn't for you ? Did you start blogging to make money and realize it's not EASY??? All of these are valid reasons and I'm not judging, however, you could have at least said "goodbye." I worry that you could be hurt or worse, not with us anymore.
So I'm asking you, fellow bloggers/readers/friends that if you're going to stop blogging, please give your readers the respect they deserve and say "good bye."
There are some of you (you know who you are) that I would probably start crying over if I clicked on your blog to find out that you deleted it. Don't you dare do that to me. I will find you.
Having a readership, whether it be 5 readers or 5,000 is a privilege and should not be taken lightly.
I promise you that I won't simply disappear without an explanation. I've even discussed with B, that in the unfortunate event that something happened to me, that he would log into my account and explain things to you. Believe me, I don't have an inflated sense of SELF when it comes to this blog- I know some of you might not care, but I also know that some of you would. The fact that you stop by here everyday, and whether you leave a comment or not is irrelevant because I know you're there (thank you sitemeter) is a humbling thing for me. I realize there are thousands of other places in cyberspace you could be, but you choose to be here and I'm truly honored to have you.
With that said, dearest friends, please don't leave without saying "bye." Let me wish you luck, let me say "thank you" for your posts, let me congratulate you on your new endeavors.
Because, believe it or not, I DO care.
xo,
Christina

Kind Acknowledgments and a Winner

Being a creature of habit, perhaps to a fault, I have a pretty strict morning routine. This morning, however, I noticed something which brought about this post. Bella and Kya (my lovingly montrous dogs) are crated, so every morning before I rush out the door I give them a treat and coerce them into their crates. They go willingly (mostly) because they get a treat almost every time. So, I got out two plain dog biscuits and offered one to Kya (or Fluff, yes my dogs have pet names). Kya cautiously sniffed around the treat with her wet black nose...sniff, sniff...and I thought to myself and probably said aloud, "what, you don't trust me, I give you the same treat every single day."

Then I thought, huh, as much as I hate to compare myself to my dog, isn't it like me to sniff around whenever someone offers me a kind word, a bit of encouragement, or even a gift? Aren't I always second guessing people's kindness, wondering what the ulterior motive might be? Then I thought, part of being a graceful person is being open to receive goodness. Part of being a person of gratitude is to acknowledge those nice thoughts, words, and offerings with a thank you. So I'm back, to thank more kind bloggers for mentioning the shop, whether it be a full post, or a simple mention, I appreciate your kindness.
Homemade Grits


A Perfect Peach

My Teacups in Peony


Red Otter


From the Right Bank to the Left Coast


Grayson: A Different Shade of Grey

Bailey, Meister & Co. Through the Looking Glass


Click Clack


While We're Waiting


Nonpareil


Magchunk

Sweetie Pie Pumpkin Noodle


Blog Goggles

{If you've written about something from the shop, please let me know so I can thank you properly!}
~
Now for the winner of the Pixel Wild Child Giveaway according to Random.org is...
#17! That would be the lovely Erin from House of Turquoise!
Huge THANK YOU to Pixel Wild Child for your generous giveaway. Please make sure to visit her...
**Shop
**Blog
**Twitter
...for all the newest on her amazing prints!

I'm being serious so listen up!

I won't bore you with sentiments although I'm tempted to gush over how lucky I feel to be part of a strong, loving, supportive community of bloggers. I don't want to sound cliche although I can't help but say, it's nice to have someone to lean on, to be pushed and encouraged towards bigger and better things by like minded individuals.
I hate to sound dramatic, but I need to mention that I'm still confused about how I can feel so loved by people I've never met.

The blogging community isn't all sugar and spice...sure there's plagiarism, and manipulation, attention seeking behavior and bad mouthing, there's gossip, cruel comments, quick severing of relationships, and jealousy. Sure, there's all that, but I choose to focus on THIS... the goodness, the POSITIVE comments, the cheering on when someone has a success, the applaud when a new shop is opened or a new endeavor sought.

I want to sincerely thank these bloggers that have mentioned my new shop and I hope you'll take the time to go visit them. Each of these blogs is incredibly unique and run by wonderful women that have a story to share and many posts worth reading.

Thank you...
The Cottage Cheese


La Marquis de Anges


Our City Lights


Felinofelice


Dalipstickbandit


Lovely Clusters


Kotori


Thank you to the rest of you that consistently leave uplifting comments. If you're new here and you haven't heard from me, I'm not ignoring you. I will be by for a visit soon. I know I'm blessed with unbelievably wonderful readers so THANK YOU.
Group hug anyone?
{if you've mentioned my shop and I'm not aware of it, please let me know so I can thank you properly!}

Office face lift

My office/desk/little cubie home is boring, boring, boring, bleh, boring. Granted, if I'm going to spend money on something, I don't really want to spend it on sprucing up the office, but let's just pretend that I did...

Have adventures. Take note. $7.50
Be Creative. The good stuff. $2.95
Giraffe Nature's Hope Notebook $5.95
via Compendium Incorporated
I'm loving this "Live Inspired" line by Compendium Incorporated. Pretty and positive.

On another note, for all you crafty guys and gals, you might want to check out Magchunk's craft swap...

It sounds like a fun idea (swapping fun crafty things with other bloggers). If I wasn't so completely busy, I would definitely participate myself.
{If you haven't already, make sure to enter this weekend's giveaway! Winner will be drawn tonight}

A bloggie gift exchange...

So, I participated in a "simple delights swap" recently held by Ms. Less is Always More of The Good Life for Less (a blog you must check out if you haven't already!)

Basically, it's a sort of gift exchange between randomly paired bloggers. Since I rarely turn down the opportunity to receive a gift I knew I had to be part of it. Here's some of what roped me in:

"I will pair you up with another lovely blogger and you guys/gals will exchange contact info and within the next week or so will put together a small package containing a simple pleasure. It could be gourmet candy, some flower seed packets, some silly postcards, a sweet little trinket, etc - don't spend a lot of money - it's more about the thoughtfulness and the simplicity - finding joy in ordinary places. A nice handwritten note would be a great addition."

I wasn't worried about who my partner in crime would be, but I was pleasantly surprised when I was paired with PS~Erin from Perfect Sentiment.
Here's what I received (pre-opening). I think one of my favorite things is receiving packages in the mail; I may just have to start sending them to myself. It was like Christmas morning without all the green and red.
The point of the Simple Delights gift exchange was to NOT spend a lot of money and it was a great reminder that some of the best gifts come straight from the heart, not the wallet.
Here's what Erin gave me:
1) Three of her own "Happy Birthday" cards. You can visit her shop here. I'm so excited to use them...why the heck did everyone have to be born in May?!
2) Two mini nail polishes, one of which is already on my toes.
3) Quite possibly the yummiest gum ever. (They have a cooling sensation, it's true!)
4) A set of Burt's Bees Lip Balm which satisfies my lip balm addiction.
5) A handwritten note, from Erin, which put a huge smile on my face.
I don't know if The Good Life for Less will be holding any more of these, but if you have the opportunity to participate, I encourage you to do so. If you're interested in seeing what I put together for the lovely Erin, you can see it on Perfect Sentiment...