• Upside down Ns — they’re everywhere, gah!

• I love a good business card, don’t you? (p.s. My new cards still make me smile when I hand one out.)

• This photo series will blow you away.

• ZOMG. Can you imagine picking up a hitchhiking John Waters?

• Please let the new Mindy Kaling project be good.
  (I kind of love her.)

• My favorite indoor/outdoor rugs. I bought one for the basement and I’ll write about it here next week. Can you guess which one?
  not so subtle hint —————>

• An end table for geeks! I want one.

• Have you seen the new web series, Olive Us? It’s really sweet.

• The new Orla Kiely line for Bed, Bath & Beyond is out.

• I’ve started writing a column for Better Homes and Gardens’ new Style Spotters blog! My first post featured graphic flat-weave rugs.
  (I guess I’ve been on a rug kick this week?)

I write for Glidden’s My Colortopia, and right now they’re partnering with Circle of Moms for a Dream Nursery Giveaway inspired by What to Expect When You’re Expecting (only in theaters).

Check out the nursery I designed, and enter to win!

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• This is why you should have a life list, à la Maggie. (Here’s mine.)

• On business and motherhood.

• I wish this camera was real.

• The best take on a flying carpet ever.

• This font automatically makes different charts (pie charts, bar graphs, etc.) out of the numbers you type out. Makes me wish I had some infographics to prepare.

• Oh yeaahh!

• I suppose I should have posted this book on May the Fourth, eh?

• Now you’re cooking with gas charcoal! (Every year, I want this grill.)

• A whole bunch of cute, affordable ways to update your bathroom.

• Do you ever try to match shoes with your kids?

• Oooh, burn!

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• Editors vs. writers.
  (And a good excuse to use a Tim and Eric gif. Plus, you guys saw this bonanza, linked to in a post Honor Roll, right?)

• The song! The story!

• Adobe CS6 will be out soon. (Ouch, I got a bit of sticker shock when I saw it would take $750 to upgrade from CS5!). Here’s a look at what goes into the branding and packaging.

• Free Instagram filters as Photoshop actions. ‘Cause if you’ve ponied up for Photoshop, free feels good.

• Watch a tiny Rube Goldberg machine that makes postcards.

• A first look at the upcoming Nate Berkus collection for Target! Will you be waiting in line for his new line? Or shopping online? Or laying it all on the line?
  (OK, I don’t know what that last one is supposed to mean.)

• Such a pretty spring jacket.

• I rounded up the best clothespin and peg dolls. Some are just for inspiration, some are for sale, and all are pretty darn cute.

• 8 wardrobe pieces worth investing in. Agree? Disagree?

• Here’s how I kept the same paint color and turned a girl’s nursery into a boy’s.

We’re giving away a $30 credit for jewelry from Poshlocket. Enter to win on Making it Lovely’s Facebook page.

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• How Technicolor works (and how some silver shoes famously became ruby slippers).

• Want to be a writer? Or a blogger? Or pursue something of any sort, really? Here’s why more time isn’t always the answer.

• A closer look at font rendering.

• These two time-lapse videos of kids growing up (made by their dad) are amazing. Watching them made me a little teary, because seriously, it goes by so fast. Eleanor will be three this weekend already.

• This 17-year-old fashioned a handmade cardboard dress for prom? Awesome.

• Do you mostly follow people or brands on Pinterest? Or a combination? I put together a roundup of the 25 best brands to follow on Pinterest. Leave a comment on the post if I’ve missed any of your favorites!

• Whoa, stellar constellation embroidery kits. I want to make a million of them.

• Right after I make a million of these neon pink and gold notebooks.

• I’m digging Land of Nod’s newest collection, plus they’re offering free shipping on furniture.

• Bedding for kids obsessed with horses. Like Eleanor.

• For your alliterative/miniature/gardening enjoyment: Teeny Tiny Terrarium Tools at Terrain.

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• Would you break up with Facebook? (Or maybe you already have, or never joined in the first place?)

• PerchTastic. I think I need to spend a little more time in my perch.

• You know I’m a fan of Jenny Lind cribs and beds, but here are a couple of great high/low Jenny Lind bookcases.

• Rad iPhone covers.

• Woah, this this thread installation is amazing! The dust though — oh, the dust that would collect…

• This entire outfit is under $100!

• All right, you saved a bundle on that outfit, so let’s say you want to splurge on a pricey handbag. Which of these would you pick?

• August’s new shoes are the cutest. I’m not normally a fan of branded clothes and licensed characters, but for these, I made an exception.

• Psst: For the Mo Willems fans. (Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, and five other favorites, have been animated!)

Enter to win a custom decal of your choice from Cherry Walls over on Making it Lovely’s Facebook page.

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• His and hers houses. Could you live like that with your spouse? (The pink one is his, by the way. Love that.)

• An oldie, but a goodie. E-Mail auto response. (I’m working on keeping my inbox empty, but I’m not doing so well.)

• Super Morrissey Bros.

• These downloadable arrows for Photoshop are so cute.

• Creepy, creepy, creepy.

• “Inspiration is for Amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work.” (I love Chuck Close.)

• Wow. Philosophy explained through basic shapes.

• Have you heard of Creative Marketplace yet? They’ll be selling digital design elements, but everything is free right now for early adopters. These are my favorites from the site.

• “I can do it!” socks.

• If you were a fan blabla’s line of stuffed animals before, wait ’till you see them in adorable stop-animation form. Let the bunny magic show begin!

• Yep, they made a one-handed bottle opener.

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• This magical video made my night.

• But then, so did this one.

• Sometimes I like to geek out over things like the Periodic Table. It’s nice to know I’m not alone.

• Feel like playing matchmaker? And learning about fonts at the same time? Try the type connection.

• The cost of art school.

• I’m eager to get outside and do a little gardening. These kid-sized tools ought to be perfect for my little assistants.

• For Gus’ room?

• I thought these Earth blocks were props for a catalog shoot, but they’re real.

• Yay, Instagram is finally available for Android phones! It’s been fun to see so many new (but familiar) faces joining! (I’m “makingitlovely” on Instagram, if you’d like to follow me.)

Enter to win Tori Spelling’s new party planning book, Celebratori, over on Making it Lovely’s Facebook page.

p.s. I’m a big fan of Tori Spelling. Brandon doesn’t get it, but I like her. Her book just came out and she has a new craft show airing this summer, plus she’s expecting baby #4 already. Go, Tori!

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• I keep going back to look at this wallpaper mural. I wish I could think of a good place to use it.

• A fantastic post on privilege and “selling out.”

• Lots of great Chicago recommendations in the comments here.

• Why should kids get all the Easter basket fun?

• Hahahahaha!
  [via Joanna]

• Polaroid goes digital with its first digital instant camera. Awesome.

• I made my sister buy this cape. (Though Brandon informs me that it’s really more of a cloak.

• These giant foam dinosaur and dragon toys are popular in the Balch household.

• Can you imagine being the kid that gets to sleep in this bed? (Or the parent who has to change the sheets?)

• Turns out… I wear short shorts. I bought a pair in pink and coral.

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• These minimalist Lego ads are so good.

• Le Petit Prince.

• Star Wars meets high fashion. (It’s like Fifi Lapin for the geek set.)

• An impossible typeface.

• This beautiful wedding story had me in tears.

• There’s a Francesca Woodman showing at the the Guggenheim Museum.

• This balloon art series is so rad.

• Ombré tights!

• I know I said I didn’t like cheapie shoes, but at $39, these are tempting.

• My review of Dyson’s latest vacuum.

• I finally tried Draw Something and I’m hooked. (‘NicoleBalch’ if you want to play me.)

• So, you want to expand your toy train set…

• I shared my tips on decorative painting.

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• Genius. I love me some IKEA, but those clunky legs are a deal breaker. I’d happily swap them out for some of these!
  [via Design*Sponge]

• Julianne Moore has a pretty garden.

• And Steve McQueen at home is fascinating to me.

• I want one of these portrait stamps.
  [via Jordan]

• Breaking! More This American Life retractions.

• Sure, they’re just painted sticks, but they’re Swedish painted sticks, strung up as necklaces.

• It’s true. I was kind of a gemstone geek.

• The only baby clothes you need.

• These bracelets are so pretty, and exactly the kind of jewelry that I wear daily. I bought a set.

Enter to win these Moroccan Tea Lights on Making it Lovely’s Facebook page. Good luck!

© 2012, published by Making it Lovely as Honor Roll | 12 comments