caffeine!!!

Do you ever think about a scenario in which you only have five minutes to grab your most beloved possessions from your house before everything is destroyed?  These thoughts run through my mind sometimes (it's always good to be prepared), and my espresso machine seems to pop up on that list every time.  Maybe it's an addiction, but I don't think I can live without my Francis Francis machine.  Is that bad?

velocipede gifts

Do you have a bike enthusiast in your life?  Check out these mugs from Magenta.  Each one has a bike image on the front and a cycle-worthy word on the back.  The shape is slightly organic and unfinished, making it even cooler.

ahhh eucalyptus

Although my love of candles has not been an inexpensive journey, I have been able to narrow down all of the choices to just my absolute favorites, and Archipelago's eucalyptus soy candle is VERY high on the list.

The eucalyptus scent has just the right amount of clean earthiness to satisfy even the pickiest of candle lovers.  When I worked in Cocoon, if I suggested this candle to a customer, they bought it and continued to come back for it time after time.  It feels good to spread a little knowledge.  It also helps that I've burned this candle during some of my happiest moments so that every time I have it lit, it takes me back to good music blasting out of my ipod while the needle on my sewing machine punches steadily through perfectly ironed fabric.  Imagine what memories will be summoned in the future by the candle you're burning right now.  

trendy vs. classic

To get this bag, you'll have to go to Urban Outfitters, but I would hunt down this Cooperative Mixed Media Bag to put in my boutique.

I love the trendy neon offset by sturdy, classic canvas.  The only problem is that it only comes in two colors and the other is not neon :(  What we need is a shocking pink and a bright orange...

another color conundrum

Every generation of Scandinavian Kids have worn Fjällräven's Kanken daypack since it debuted in 1978.  They make them for adults too!  So many colors to choose from!  In Imagined Boutique, all of the colors will be displayed against a brick wall as high up as possible so that it's one of the first things you see when you look up.  

I'll be wearing one in frost green when I ride my bike across town.  Where will you wear yours? 

double walled glass

Bodum makes the best double walled glasses.  They keep hot drinks hot longer and cold drinks cold.  Every morning I make myself a latte in a 12 oz Pavina glass and I wouldn't trade it for the world.  Well... maybe for the world, but I certainly wouldn't trade it for any other glass!

bobble jug

Okay, let's get the kitchen section filled up in this "boutique".  I keep seeing this bobble jug filtration system in magazines and on other blogs.  It uses an activated carbon filter to hold 64 ounces of clean, purified drinking water and doesn't hog a bunch of space in your fridge.  So although I have not tried it, I'm including it because it's cute!

What color would you pick?

penny pinching princess

Yes, we could all feel ashamed of the amount of money that we've spent on clothing throughout our lives, but there are great affordable options out there that ease the pain a little bit.  Tulle is this great company that specializes in young contemporary pieces.  I first noticed them on www.modcloth.com (one of my favorite websites to browse through) with their fun, vintage-inspired dresses.

Believe it or not, this sweet little double cross strap dress retails for as little as $70.  Think of all the Summer parties this dress would work for.  Really you could throw any little strappy sandal or flip flop on as long as your manicure looks as cute as this dress!

D*S BS @ B&N

An obvious source of inspiration, but D*S has been part of my life for so long. Today I realized that I never bought Grace Bonney's book!  So I went to Barnes and Noble and found that they did have it in stock, but they were selling it on their website for $12 less...  With no price matching, I walked out empty handed.  I do love B&N, but they can't match their own online price?  That seems like an odd business practice.

TOMS!!!

TOMS

I know that they seem to be everywhere, but I can't get enough of these comfortable espadrilles.

I've been hooked on my red pair for the past couple of years, but this Spring will be the season for me to venture into the artist series.  Tyler Ramsey designs these killer, Jackson Pollack-ish versions that have me drooling a little.

Imagine these with the perfect pair of cropped boyfriend jeans and a graphic tee from Out of Print.

OUT OF PRINT

Thank god I don't work in a stuffy office environment so I can wear stuff like this every day!

premium denim

From a buyer's perspective, the choices of premium denim are endless.  How will I ever be able to choose?  Luckily, this is just an experiment, so even if I change my mind and decide to go with another brand, I won't lose any revenue.  After much research, I've decided to go with Citizens of Humanity.  I like their story and the lines that they refuse to cross in business and design, but mostly I love some of the easy styles that I've tried recently.

For Spring 2012, I'm all about cropped boyfriend and skinny jeans.  Paired with a sweet little flat, a graphic pair of Tom's or a simple black heel... the results are always a perfect mix of homemade tailoring (rolled cuff) and casual chic.  Actually, that gives me an idea...

keeping it clean

Tokyo Milk's woman with music soap.  Great product, perfect packaging and another item to add to the aroma of the shop.  But since I don't have an actual shop yet, in the meantime you can check it out at Tokyo Milk's website.

in the beginning...

Where to begin?

Let's begin with candles.  Every boutique needs a few collections of candles that enhance the atmosphere.  Candles and soap are what make customers say, "Oh, it smells sooo good in here."  In my opinion there is no better candle for the price than Votivo.  Every scent is uncomplicated and just fragrant enough to fill up a large room.  These little gems burn evenly with very little smoke every time.  Although there are always new scents added each season, some of the classics remain my favorite.  Black Ginger, Red Currant, Teak, Deep Clover Moroccan Fig, Honeysuckle...  The list goes on and on.

another saturday morning

Awoken by my usually lazy husband making breakfast and coffee, it occurs to me that he's motivated and excited about the day ahead of him, while I was dreaming of staying in bed to avoid the whole thing.  The early hours of a sunny day are my best.  I'm productive, relaxed and inspired, but something has been sucking the life out of me lately and I'm determined to turn things around.

My dream is to open up a small boutique filled with clothing and baubles of my choosing.  I want exposed brick walls and enormous windows filled with colored glass vases...

Hopefully this will be a blog that follows that dream.  So before I get started (and while I'm waiting for some magical lump sum of cash), I will build my dream boutique here.