(I looove these Saja wedding & bridesmaid dresses.)

Wow, thank you for all the sweet comments! They truly made (and continue to make) my day. I'm not going to turn this into a wedding blog, but I will definitely be including bits and pieces... and I know it's going to be that much more fun being able to share it with you all.

In other news...we're going to be dog-sitting for a few days right around New Year's. The dog's name is Max, and I haven't met him yet. But what I do know is that he shares many traits with Bodhi: he's a large dog, he stays close wherever you go, he's interested in cats but also a bit nervous around them, and (most importantly) he gets a big burst of energy every once in a while.

But instead of spinning in circles like Bodhi does, he runs around in straight lines.

So, one big dog spinning to and fro, plus one big dog darting around straight as an arrow, plus a cat that enjoys pushing things off countertops for no reason?

I can't wait for the chaos.

So...

after seven and a half years together...

we're engaged!

(My ring is from Erie Basin & I love it.)

(Love Terrain.)

I have some news, but I'm not allowed to blog about it quite yet.

Maybe-possibly-probably tomorrow I'll tell.

(Sweet things from Painted White by Alice W.)

(Love these favor ideas – succulents and sweets – from Inspire the Bride.)

Today's dose of irony: the woman who knocked over the 'REFRAIN FROM CELL PHONE USE IN THIS AREA' sign when swiveling around to make a phone call.

(Headbands are all the rage right now & quirkybeauty makes some awfully sweet ones.)

When I was in the grocery store the other morning, I glanced over to see a mother and young daughter (three, maybe four years old) by the bagel & pastries case. The mother was picking out bagels, putting them in a paper bag, writing the quantity down: you know, all that normal, boring stuff. The daughter had a different agenda. Bagels? Boring! She was reaching into the pastry side of the case and grabbing a big, delicious brownie.

"Oh, ahhno!" said her mother when she saw. "That's not...don't..." But since little miss sweetie tooth already had her hands all over it, there was no turning back.

I wish I had been that brave when I was little. Here I wasted all my time asking my parents to buy me sweets, when I could've just rolled up my sleeves and taken matters into my own little hands.

(From meredith fenwick, dolamakes, mr sköna, and yaelfran.)

(When I saw Emily and Jacob's house on Fee-AMore, I fell in love...)

(15% off at Ruche with code RUCHEBFCM!)

I don't know what took him so long, but Rufus finally discovered that Bodhi's water bowl is far larger than his own. It was, I imagine, the equivalent of if I'd been drinking out of coke cans my entire life and then discovered a two-liter bottle.

There is plenty of water for the both of them, but Bodhi doesn't care a bit about generosity. It's his water bowl, don't cha know, and nobody else is going to get any use out of it. So when Rufus sneaks over and dips his head over that vast, shiny pool, Bodhi runs right over and stands above him in disapproval.

Sometimes just his presence is enough to shoo Rufus away. Other times Rufus is feeling bold, and will actually swipe at Bodhi, as if it's "my bowl, you crazy dog!"

When they find themselves at an impasse, Bodhi tries his last technique. He starts drinking. It's a dangerous move, for lowering his head puts his face right into optimal range for Rufus's ninja-fast claws, but a necessary one. Because when he drinks, it's loud and splashy and sure to terrify a cat, no matter how fat and stubborn he may be.

(Prettiness from A Little Luster.)

A little peek at how our Thanksgiving tabletop turned out yesterday: I tried to keep it modern and simple, with a fall-inspired color palette: a winterberry centerpiece, felt table runner from Fitzfelt, ceramic owl from BROOKLYNRehab, gold napkins from Crate & Barrel tied with brown ribbon, mini dishes for salt & pepper from CB2.

Anyway, we had a good holiday. Hope yours was scrumptious & relaxing, as well.

I'm excited to be having my first sale since opening up my shop. Black Friday / Cyber Monday seemed like as good a time as any, don't you think?

From now through Monday, November 30th, get 20% off your order (applied before shipping). To get the discount, just enter "HOLIDAY09" in the message to seller when checking out, and I'll send you a refund via Paypal.

As always, if you like a piece but want a different length, metal, etc., just send me a quick note.

(So pretty... tinctory.)

As I think I mentioned before, we're hosting Thanksgiving this year. I'd probably be having a panic attack if not for our families offering to bring some of the dishes. Right after this, I'm going to bake some of the easiest, tastiest sugar cookies I've ever made and then make headway on some food prep. Those potatoes aren't going to peel themselves.

So, wishing you a happy Thanksgiving! (And to the rest of you: have a fantastic Thursday!) Like a lot of the blogosphere, I'm taking tomorrow off. See you Friday.

(And yes, I am doing a Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale. Stay tuned.)

(Beautiful ceramics by Nathalie Dérouet.)