charity: water bracelet

Saks Fifth Avenue is selling this little guy for a mere 5 bucks, and every single one that is bought ensures that one person in a developing nation will have fresh water for five whole years. Charity: water is an organization that builds fresh water wells around the world - even if you just put the bracelet on your keychain, the cause alone is worth your Starbucks money for today.

Lauren Merkin Love

I just can't get enough of designer Lauren Merkin's adorable clutches - my favorites in particular being the "Char" and the "Louise", both over-sized styles that my tall frame doesn't dwarf. Even better, I can throw my wallet, cell phone, and my "bar kit" (don't laugh, but it consists of a shout wipe, hand sanitizer, lip balm, disposable toilet covers, a pill box with advil and altoids, and a coozie) all in with no bulge.

Fab Zebra print "Louise" clutch will punch up any outfit

I love the unexpected plum color of this "Char" clutch. It matches nothing and therefore goes with everything!

Reader L♥VE: Magpies Cupcakes

Reader Meredith, of Countdown to Wedded Bliss, adores adorable bakery Magpies in downtown Knoxville. Their website is so cute, and the extensive photos of all their cupcakes and confections will leave your mouth watering. Plus, Meredith swears she is "pretty sure they have PERFECTED buttercream icing."

P.S. - Navigate to this post and leave a comment telling me what you love - it may end up on the blog!

Jack Cards

Jack Cards. The Netflix for greeting cards. I could go on and on about this fabulous service. All you do is set up your organizer with birthdays, anniversaries, etc, select and buy cards for them in advance (from an amazing selection of indie paperies), and then Jack Cards sends them out to you, stamped and addressed, a week before the event so all you have to do is write a note inside and lick it closed! LOVE it. I' m a total stickler for birthday cards, thank you notes, and the like, so this service has my name written all over it. Did I mention how great the cards are (like this one!) Why didn't I think of this?

Reader L♥VE: Trapp Candles

Reader NCButterfly recommends these quaint little candles from Trapp. Adorable packaging with a home-spun feel - and, the price is right.

Come on Out and Tell me What YOU Love!

The L♥ VE List wants to know... what do you love?

The Love List is all about the little things in life that bring us a little extra joy. I'm always sharing my daily discoveries in food, fashion, living, and more - but a smart girl knows that the real lowdown lies with the wisdom of fellow women. Lurkers (and of course, those of you who speak up regularly), this is your time to come out and play show and tell.

I want to know one thing that YOU love - a place to travel, a certain food, a pair of shoes, a place to shop, a song... whatever! Your recommendations may end up on the blog (with a link back to your blog, of course, if you have one), and in the meantime I'll get to meet some of my readers (there are thousands of you according to sitemeter) and get to read some of your blogs :)

(And hey, if you can't think of something you love, just leave your name and say hi.)

Fifi Lapin

Oh, who doesn’t love the fashionable Fifi? Not only is her wardrobe totally enviable but she hangs out right on your wall if you wish. I have Fifi in a cute purple frame wearing Gucci in my bathroom.

Beautiful Summer Clutches from Tory Burch

Adorable Tory Burch woven rattan clutches with a splash of patent in a selection of juicy colors (choose pansy pink, margarita yellow, tangerine, or turquoise trim) - perfect for summer evenings.

These are so fun, colorful, and summery! I want one in every color! Available at Nieman Marcus.

Gap Design Editions Today!

Today, Gap debuts new design editions by designers like Philip Lim, ThreeasFour, and Micheal Bastian. So exciting! Last year's Rodarte shirts were featured on the cover of Vogue, and its not everyday you can get a Philip Lim top for 78.00, so you know they will go fast!

L♥VE Quotes: Coco Chanel

"In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different." - Coco Chanel

L♥VE That Look Mondays: Beautiful Shop Windows

Part of Poppy Seed Design's small business services is designing shop windows for our boutique clients. I love looking at Simon Doonan's work for Barney's and various other shop window images I find while trolling Flickr. Below, a few of my favorites:

Fab whimsical springtime handbag display

A lovely, minimal shoe display

detail of a Chanel store window, Paris

“The Man Who Ate Everything”

If you read Vogue, you’re familiar with their illustrious food critic, Jeffrey Steingarten. (I know, ironic that Vogue has a food critic, right?) His brash style is always good for a giggle, but even better, the man knows what the heck he’s talking about.

A true lover of food with an acute sense of adventure, his book The Man Who Ate Everything chronicles some of his most memorable culinary trysts. You may have seen him as a judge on Iron Chef America, where he generally rips apart some of the most accomplished chefs in the country. He’s a bigger, meaner Bourdain, and I get a kick out of him and his totally blunt writing style. This book is a must read for any true foodie.

The MacBeth Collection

I needed a cute over sized bin to corral my endless amount of Jack Rogers and cute gladiator sandals (like these from rafe, below) in my closet, so I went out in search of something functional and durable but still appealing to the eye.



A friend’s Mom recommended the Macbeth collection – wow! From the trinket trays to the mail holders, this little company was founded with people like me in mind who need stylish storage. Everything they make is pretty much custom - you choose your pattern (they have tons), they even monogram if you so choose.

Have a look for yourself, and request a catalog while you’re at it. (By the way, I got my sandals at a boutique in Gainesville, but I found them on shoes.com for y'all - on sale!)

Work calls..

Poppy Seed's got me all tied up this week y'all, so I'll be back Monday. Some exciting announcements coming soon!

P.S. - we got our own domain! Now you can access The Love List from thelovelist.net!

A little Love note...

I'm alive, I promise :) Stay tuned for my favorite ebay finds and a little etiquette later on this evening.

L♥VE Quotes: Scarlett O'Hara

"Marriage, fun? Fiddle-dee-dee, fun for men, you mean." - Scarlett O'Hara