BIG REVEAL: The Everygirl 2.0 and Shop!

For the past few months, we've been working on a "top secret project." We can be dramatic.

Today - it's here!

A fully redesigned The Everygirl site and Shop!

We teamed up with a small group of web designers and developers here in Chicago, and we are so thrilled with what they put together for us. There's a new fancy navigation, sorting by cities, filters, a lot more articles on the homepage, related articles within stories... basically all the practical functionality we never thought to add to the original design seeing as we are not UX experts and just cared about it looking great. Now that's all fixed! Not to mention it's FAST FAST FAST! No 5 second load time. 

You can read more of the details on what the new site offers here.

Or click over to The Everygirl Shop to snatch up stocking stuffers for all your loved ones and girlfriends!

Coming Soon: The Everygirl Shop

The Everygirl Shop and product line officially launches tomorrow, Wednesday, November 20th! Prices range from $12-$35, making them the perfect stocking stuffers for the inspiring, kick-ass ladies in your life!

More details here.

When you think about what they went through for us to be here...

...the least we could do is remember their day. Of course, I'm talking about Mother's Day. And forget about the generic card you grab last minute at the grocery store, and put those $4 toward something she actually wants. Something that will make her smile. I think the best gifts are the little luxuries people would like to have but would never buy for themselves. New accessories for an otherwise never-changing wardrobe, luxurious bath and body products, something unique, something gold. Here's my quick, fool-proof round-up of gift ideas to get mom this year. Because let's be honest, if anyone deserves it, it's a mom.

1. *family birth stone necklace // Kindred Stones $70 and up
2. hand-dyed throw // Jayson Home and Garden $135
3. python clutch // Lauren Merkin $200
4. **tuberose soy candle // Archipelago $30
5. postcard set // Alicia Bock $8
6. vintage brooch // Aly's Beads and Vintage Jewelry $14
7. **pistachio body crème // Laura Mercier $55
8. white lacquer tray // West Elm $29

* The Kindred Stones necklace allows you to choose different gemstones to coincide with the birth stones of your family members. Unique, beautiful, and sentimental, it's perfect for mothers everywhere.
** I have both of these products and cannot emphasize how fantastic they are. The clean-burning Archipelago candle leaves a refreshing, spring scent throughout my apartment long after I've blown it out, essential considering I live with two dogs.  And the lotion has transformed my skin to baby-like buttery softness. Not to mention it too smells fantastic.

Christmas Treats in Three Parts

It's true what they say: some of the best gifts are homemade. Here I present a trio of Christmas sweet treats that I helped my mom gift wrap last week. The gift consists of equal parts homemade candied pecans, Williams-Sonoma Peppermint Bark (although this can easily be made at home), and homemade English toffee that my mom purchases from a woman in the town. It is hands down the best English toffee you've ever had, and Rebecca, the woman who makes it, will gladly ship it anywhere (see pricing below).

We purchased the plastic bags from the Container Store, divvied the candy up evenly, and tied them with green ribbon. One of each treat went into a gift bag, and voila! Christmas Cheer served up right.

As I mentioned above, I highly recommend ordering Rebecca's Toffee. It is a family favorite of ours, and my mom has to order an additional small box to prevent us from eating the toffee that's meant for gifts. It makes an excellent hostess gift or a tasty party favor. As I mentioned earlier, she ships anywhere.

You can also email Rebecca at rebeccastoffee@att.net

Two-pound box: $44

One-pound box: $22

Half-pound box: $12

Quarter-pound box: $9

*Small party favors: $5

*great for dinner parties or bridal and baby showers

New Column: Stylish with Pets

I've been asked by Canadian-based Animality Pet Magazine to write a monthly column on living stylishly with pets. I'm so excited to let you know that the first post is up today. Entitled A Tartan Holiday, I've compiled a product round-up featuring some of my favorite pet products for the cold wintery months, including these custom ceramic ornaments that sell for a mere $4 a piece! Please show your support and check out the post; you just may find something for the furry friend in your life.

LCY Shops: West Elm Porcelain Kitchenware

It doesn't get much cuter than this porcelain kitchenware from West Elm. Replace those disposable paper and plastic containers with these longer-lasting and prettier porcelain lookalikes. A few of these items would also make a great gift to anyone who's starting out on their own and probably lives off actual paper plates. I'm guessing we all know someone like that (aka that was me last Christmas).

1. Petit four tray | 2. Canister jars | 3. Egg carton | 4. Serving trays | 5. Salt + pepper cellars | 6. Plates and bowls

Sweet Tee's

via

Jessica of Front Porch Studio included this cheeky grey tee in her gift guide, and I'm quite smitten with it. I'm not usually one to don message tee's, but I think I could make an exception here given the $20 price point. Paired with a navy blazer, jeans, and tall brown boots, this could make one sweet getup.

The House that Words Built

Graphic designers Michael Fusco and Emma Straub of M+E have sketched the homes of four renowned writers, listed below. Any of these limited addition screen prints would make a great gift for the literary buff in your life. Each print is 12.5x19", screen printed in two colors, and costs $20 plus shipping. If you purchase all four, you are given a $5 discount. Not too shabby.

1. Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia | 2. Edward Gorey's House

3. Edgar Allen Poe's Cottage | 4. Emily Dickenson's Homestead

And a big thanks to Jess of Makeunder My Life and JessLC jewelry for inviting me to share my 5 most important life intentions with everyone today! Please click on over and check it out!

I *Heart* My Talented Readers: DIY Letterpress notecards

The list of advantages that come along with being apart of the blogosphere continues to grow. Last night, I added three new reasons why I love this lil crafty community:

1. inspiring readers to try their own craft projects at home
2. finding readers who send in photographical footage of their amazing DIY projects
3. being inspired by said reader's photographs to try and recreate the project on my own (to be completed at a later date)

Whatever am I talking about, you ask?

A DC reader wrote:

"There's a man at Eastern Market [a market in DC's Capitol Hill neighborhood] that sells these old printing press letters in all shapes and sizes. I think they're so cool but didn't know what I could do with them (except maybe buy the huge ones to hang up somewhere), and then thought of buying little ones and making stationary. So with Christmas coming up, I thought I would try my hand at being crafty. I think my sister is really going to like them though! I tried a bunch of different ways of setting the letters, but she's 20, so I thought she'd like 'funky' stationary the best."

I think your sister will love them! I know I would.

Ta-da!

Couldn't agree more that the raffia gives it that little something extra.

Have a project or redesign you've recently completed? Prove it!

E-mail photos to alaina.lcy@gmail.com.

Where the Ork are we?

I absolutely love these city borough posters by Ork Posters! They make great gifts for loyal city dwellers and/or folks who have just relocated and could use a hand learning the neighborhoods. A number of U.S. cities are available and a Toronto poster is coming soon. Each city is available in a variety of color schemes and can be purchased as a poster ($22) or a screen print ($35). Dimensions vary but most are between 18" and 24" - square or rectangular, depending on the city.

**Note: Ork World Headquarters are open in Chicago through Wednesday, December 23 at 3759 N. Ravenswood Ave., Suite 133. Other store locations are shown here.

Ork Posters' newest items include a map of the heart and brain. Kinda weird, I know, unless you have any med students in your midst. I actually love the brain poster - neuroscience was one of my favorite classes in college (shocking, I know). This little guy would help keep me sharp on some of what I learned that semester.

Anthropological inspiration

While perusing the Anthropologie website, these little glass jars caught my eye. I clicked on the image, interested in purchasing the tiny snow globe, only to realize I was fooled by one of their brilliant and beautiful marketing techniques. It was actually jewelry being sold, not snow globes; earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and vintage watches glittered among the mini winter wonderland displays. And while I love Anthro's jewelry, I am tempted to try and make a handful of these magical, tiny snow globes myself...

I think I'll make a quick trip to Michael's later today to see what I can find. Stay tuned for how this turns out...

Any recommendations for the fake snow?

On another note, I did buy these bone china geese measuring cups for half off the original price (dishwasher and microwave save). I think they'll look adorable on the countertop at my new apartment. This set would also be a great gift for the holidays!

*all images from anthropologie.com*

Artist Snapshot: Donna Geissler photography

Cote d'Azur

If you're still undecided on those hard-to-shop-for friends this holiday season, I've saved you all the trouble of running out to shops, incessantly searching only to come up empty-handed, and ending with another Starbucks gift card. Photographer Donna Geissler is having a sale on her photographic prints: $20 (usually $35) if you buy before December 15! One, two, three, even four of these would make a great gift for the new homeowner or apartment-dweller, sibling, parent, cousin, or college student in desperate need of prettying up those dreary dorm rooms.

Geissler's ethereal prints exude a relaxing and happy mood, putting a smile on the viewer's face while recalling memories of summer vacation: swimming with friends, walking the beach, sipping iced tea... just grab a few cheap frames and you've got a beautiful, affordable, unique and most importantly, thoughtful gift. OR if you're anything like me, you're just about done with holiday shopping and you'll buy some as a gift to yourself!

Geissler's print matted and framed (matting costs an additional $20 and fits into an 11x14 frame which I've seen at Target for $14 in black, white, and dark brown)

Surprise, surprise. I absolutely ADORE the dog series...

Isn't this the best?

Doggy paddle!

You'll notice these next two prints have a textured effect. Geissler explains: "My latest art includes digitally painted and handpainted photos. The textured European photos were taken in the early 90s so my memory of it all was very vague. I felt the need to dab areas with various digital paint brushes and colors just so I saw it as I remembered it - kind of as a dream (just as in Someday I'll Return- Gondolas). I loved the look, but really wanted stronger paint strokes, so I painted my own strokes on paper with real paint and digitally mixed it with my photograph. (as in Waiting). I love this look and plan to continue in this direction."

Yes, I'd like to be sitting there right now... with hot tea and a croissant, writing in a journal rather than typing on a keyboard.

And if a matted and framed print is above your budget, grab this 2010 calendar for just $20!

**On a final note, Geissler has a beautiful collection of black and white prints that I didn't feature along with many other photos of Europe, the waterfront, flowers... So browse around her Etsy shop until you find something you like. It's sure to impress.

*all photos by Donna Geissler*