Fall Crafting Time

This wreath kit by Martha Stewart Crafts was only $5 at AC Moore! All the leaf shapes are pre-cut, you just glitter them and wrap them around the wreath form. An easy (and budget-minded) way to decorate for October! I'm actually making this wreath for my office.

p.s. Shopping Tip: stock up on crafty goodness at marthastewartcrafts.com - spend $60 and get a free Martha Stewart Living magazine subscription!

Twitter

When I'm not posting, find me on Twitter now! I'm still getting the hang of all things Twitter, but please come join the fun :)

p.s. I've also added a Twitter widget here (look in the right column), so you can follow my "tweets" without leaving my blog!

Finally!

The Eden Blazer at J Crew is now $30 off, so two weekends ago, I decided it was time to make it mine! Back in August I posted about how this velvet blazer was one of my favorite fall items. I love a blazer that can be dressed up for work with black pants or a skirt AND dressed down for the weekend with jeans and boots.

p.s. I decided to try Twitter again! I had signed up last spring and probably tweeted 3 times at most - but I'm going to give it a go again.

NYC Recap and Hotels - what makes a great one?

I promise I haven't forgotten about my blog! Daily life has been busy. I'll be back to posting regularly soon.

In the meantime, a quick recap of my Labor Day weekend trip to New York City:

Mamma Mia was fantastic! Such a fun show.

I went to TOPSHOP for the first time. Can you say "mega trendy"!!?? Definitely a great store for party clothes - there were sequined dresses and jackets galore, huge earrings, necklaces so big they would make your neck hurt - I did manage to find one item for myself: a cute (and small) pair of owl earrings in bronzy gold with a small green rhinestone.

My hotel was just a couple of blocks from the Empire State Building, so I got to see it dazzling in patriotic red, white, and blue at night.

And speaking of hotels, I stayed at the Hotel Roger Williams - a charming boutique hotel on Madison Avenue at 31st Street. I first discovered the Roger Williams after staying at their sister hotel: Hotel Oceana in Santa Monica, California. For me, what makes the difference in a hotel is great service: when my mother and I checked in we were pleasantly surprised that they remembered that we liked the corner room we had on a prior stay and had booked us in another corner room. They also have a delicious brunch! I must confess though, I enjoy a bit of variety on my weekends in NYC so I tend to alternate between the Hotel Roger Williams and the Omni Berkshire Place on Madison Ave at 52nd Street. The Omni is a more traditional Manhattan hotel - more refined and classic. Again though, what draws me each time is the impeccable service. (I've tried others: the Hilton (too corporate convention-y), the W in Times Square (too crazy a neighborhood), and the Parker Meridien (lousy service) - but after finding two hotels that never disappoint I haven't tried any others in a few years).

Do you have a favorite hotel in Manhattan?? What makes you give a hotel a "thumbs up"?

We interrupt this blog break . . .

for a Very Important Shopping Message: Costco is currently selling Tall Shearling Boots that are really similar to Ugg's at . . . $34.99! Made from Australian sheepskin they are perfectly soft and comfy and come in black, gray, chocolate, and chestnut. I have a chestnut pair already that kept up quite well through the last New England winter and bought a black pair this year. So, find a Costco member and run to your nearest store: they won't last long as the store I was in was already running low on black in popular shoe sizes. Happy shopping :)

Design Wednesday is back!

Well, it's been quite a while, but I finally have an appropriate post for "Design Wednesday" here at Pink Maple! I have been eying Fifi Flower's gorgeous paintings and prints for quite some time. They would add a touch of fun and flair to any room.

This is one of my favorites, Pink Trees Along the Seine:

And wouldn't this desktop view of Paris make a great gift for a student heading back to school? Dream Studio in Paris:

This collection of 8 notecards would be so pretty tacked on a bulletin board or framed in small frames. Perfect portable art for a dorm room. Chaise Collection:

With this post, I'm taking a brief hiatus to recharge my creative blogging batteries! I think a fresh start and a mini blog makeover for fall is order. I'll be back in a week and a half or so with lots of new posts (including a full recap of my upcoming Manhattan shopping adventures). Have a fun and fabulous Labor Day weekend, take advantage of the last days of summer!