Perennial Vintage

They say it takes three weeks to make or break a habit. I say it's a lie. Because really, you have to desire the change (more than not changing) if you want the habit to stay or leave.Three weeks has nothing to do with it. I say this because I was reminded this morning while running how much I dislike it. True, I've come to love (okay, maybe like ) running more every day. Again, that may be because I've forced myself. Made myself keep this habit. But, running is still annoying. It hurts. And I marvel at the people who run marathons, or ultra marathons --and love it. Yet, over this last year (almost two), I have come to depend on running. My six a.m. wake up call --stumbling out of bed into the dark room, trying to put my pants on the right way, hating the cold or the heat depending on the season-- none of that matters once I have music in my ears and I'm out in the cool. Running allows me to filter out the details and dilemnas, desires a

Have you ever come across clothing, or home goods, or accessories (or even people) that are above and beyond what you expected? And after marveling at their awesomeness, you quip the obvious and inevitable question, "Where have you been all my life?" and then " Why haven't I known about you?" Yeah, well this just happened to me with these gorgeous blankets and throws, by Unity Alley . I'm literally in awe at their beauty. And that they're made right here in the USA is the icing on the cake. Plus, these throws are made of organic and/or  recycled cotton-acrylic yarns.Absolutely gorgeous texture and feel. Very soft, very quality-made, very unique. The size is perfect, too. Great as a throw for the sofa or chair, and works equally well for a twin, double and even a queen bed. It's on our bed right now and matches perfectly. This pattern is called Two Twirls. Honestly, I want more of these blankets. I can't get over the American made quality be

I found this adorable vintage embroidered bohemian blouse last winter and couldn't wait to wear it. Apparently, Winter in California means "Spring." So today, with a high of 82 degrees, this top is perfect. The vintage cut and style is one of my favorites and pairs exceptionally well with distressed jeans. Happy Sprinter everyone in California! Jeans: Target ◄ Top: Vintage Thrifted find Anchor Necklace: Candy Couture Shop ◄ Applicable Song: Pretty Little Thing , Fink

You have heard of Etsy, right? They're the online site that hosts thousands of small companies who sell hand made items or vintage items.  I sell on Etsy (vintage) and I know how amazing Etsy and all the shops and stores are. There's a lot of hard work and love that go into running one of these stores. So, imagine my joy when I stumbled upon this little shop called Sweet Water Decor. Sweet Water Decor creates hand designed wedding invitations, coffee mugs, stamps and wall art. And when I saw these adorable designs -- ones that fit perfectly in my son's bedroom -- I had to have them. This is what Sweet Water Decor says about their prints. "Our printable art is a great way to have an inexpensive print that is a final touch to a desk, bedroom, kid's room, nursery, or anywhere around the house. It's a constant motivational pick-me-up every time you look at it. What's great about our print art is that you can purchase it today and print it out, add a f

Therapist: "We've talked about this before." Heather : "I know. But, I just couldn't help myself. There it was." Therapist: "Again, we went through this, Heather. No more cardigans for you." Me: " I know, but ..." Therapist: "You know how these get you bent out of shape, you end up keeping every one, and this latest one," he looks at his notepad and shakes his head, "This one is Alpaca. This is the absolute worst. The most addictive kind. I thought you had gotten through this? I though you had this beat." Heather: "But, the color! And the texture. Oh my gosh. The texture. You don't understand." Therapist: "But I do. You've only told me a thousand times," his eyes widening in exasperation. "I -" Heather: "And this one," she interrupts, not waiting for him to finish, "this one, was for a store HERE in Sacramento, about fifty years ago." A tear ro

I finally made it to Temple Coffee Roasters, If you live in the Sacramento area (or even if you don't) and you haven't been, and love coffee, you absolutely need to go. There are three locations. I went to the midtown location. Just beautiful. And for my tea lovers, they have tea! Temple knows what they're doing. Voted last year by Coffee Review (the world's leading coffee guide), Temple was listed as one of the top 17 in the US. ◄ Click to read Wow.  And yes, their coffee is that good. Strong, but not to where you can't taste the coffee. And the variety of coffees is extensive. I took a bunch of pictures, but I only liked a couple of them. This is the other one that made the cut. For obvious reasons. Look at his face? If that doesn't say, "Mom ..." from a 14-year-old boy,  then I don't know what does. My sweet son, enduring me and my pictures. All for the sake of coffee and photography. Good things, albe

♦Disclaimer: I don't usually wear my heart on my sleeve. Or preach. Today, you get both.♦ Life isn't clean. It's messy. It's ugly. It's downright painful. And distressed beyond belief sometimes. But, without the pain, you'd never know the pleasure. And going through "stuff" is essential for growing. Growing up. Which, I'm finding, we all have a natural tendency to not want. Because, good heavens, that means we have to be accountable, right? Accountable to truth. That actions speak louder than words. That we can't do whatever we want without it leading to something that could be good ... or bad. That what we do, everyday, affects everyone around us and ultimately, our selves. Even if it's not visible to others, we all live distressed lives. But this distress is normal. And it's tough. And sometimes this distress is in a form of loss, or hurting, or pain, or grief. Some of this is inflicted on us without our choice, and other times we