Feeling Lands' End Right Now!

I am loving this pattern...can you believe it's the patter of a bathing suit over at Lands' End??

I am also digging this Lands' End tote, not that I need another one!  It is on sale for $21.99.  Hmmm...

And last but not least, this cover-up is pretty cute.  I have this same one in solid blue and can attest, it's really comfortable and cute!

Since it's practically summer year-round here in the British Virgin Islands, I'm hoping to take advantage of the late summer sales.  

Birthday in the BVI

Unlike the Highballs and Hydrangeas - the theme of last year's birthday celebration - this year was more like Brut and Bougainvillea in the BVI.  The champagne flowed and the bright pinks and purples of the blooming bougainvillea made for a colorful backdrop.

Despite being away from family and old friends, my first birthday in the BVI was splendid actually.  I did a recap over on my other blog, OurBVIAdventure.

Mr. SDP is such a sweetheart and went to great lengths to make sure it was special!  Great lengths included a day at the spa on a nearby private island!

Oh My Mogg!

Are you reading Moggit???  If not, you need to start.  These hilarious and snarky bloggers are to interior design what Go Fug Yourself is to celebrity fashion. 

And these girls are making waves!  They recently tweeted Nate Berkus, product of Oprah, you know the one.   Well, he's about to have his own television show, as I'm sure you read here and here.  The girls at the Mogg Blog told him he should do a show about interior design blogs!  He responded and the show is now in the works!  HUGE, right???

Blogs everywhere are talking about Nate and the show, all because of Moggit!  Mrs. Limestone has a long list of bloggers who are taking part in what is being dubbed as "Nate Day!"

His show premiers in September.  Can't wait!

Tiny Chairs

Mrs. Limestone recently did a recap of Brooklyn's Renegade Craft Fair - her post was almost as good as being there in person...almost!  She spotted these Colleen Heineman's chair necklaces - aren't they wonderful?

From left, they are "sitting pretty", "lawnchair", "kitchen chair" and "folding chair."  I think my favorite is the kitchen chair... 

Colleen also has a series of necklaces with nautical knot pendants, for the sailor in all of us.

Pillows with a Message

Where was Pottery Barn Teen when I was growing up?  You don't necessarily have to have to be a teen to appreciate these bright and friendly pillows, do you? 

Maybe it's living in the Caribbean, but I'm really drawn to these colors, even if they are designed for a less sophisticated audience.  I could see them atop twin beds in a guest bedroom with all white linens. 

For our living room here our house in the BVI, I made some pillows with a bit of a message.  Leontine Linens was my inspiration for the turquoise and orange pillows...

This one bears our monogram:

And what house in the British Virgin Islands doesn't need a Jolly Roger?

The blue and white fabric is from a set of napkins.  And the orange and white fabric is from Pottery Barn.  I bought a pair of euro shams, and cut them up which yielded six pillows!  (Only the front is orange and white - I used a thick navy linen for the reverse side.)

Check out these pillows with a message from Etsy shop, idotakeu:

Blogger Crush

So, I've been blogging on and off for a little more than a year now, and while my posting may range from regular to sporadic, depending on the month (and the country for that matter!), my blog reading has been daily.

Here's one of the reason's why:  Caitlin Creer 

 
I think I've developed my first full-fledged blogger crush!  Ha!  No seriously, Caitlin is a talented interior designer, based in Utah.  I've never met her,  never even been to Utah!  But after you read her blog, you feel like you know her.  She would be one heck of a friend to go shopping with!

Caitlin has fresh ideas and she packages them so perfectly in her posts.  She dishes about where she finds her deals and steals, and fills her posts with eye candy, photographing the shops she peruses for her latest project and photos of the rooms she's designed herself!

This is one of my favorite posts - it is bursting with tips on choosing the right color palette!  Like this one by Palmer Weiss:

Be sure to check out Caitlin's portfolio.

Who are you crushing on?  Anyone I should be reading???

Morocco???

Did you know that's where Sex & The City 2 was filmed? 

I thought for sure - with Abu Dhabi being the fifth character - the movie would actually be shot there!  I first read of the location in US Weekly (May 31st version) and after further research, it totally makes sense.  Even Dubai turned down SATC2's requests to film there, according to reports.

Regardless of where it was filmed, I really enjoyed the movie.  The first SATC movie was going to be hard to top, but I thought the storyline held up.  I loved that Miranda's character was put in a position to help Charlotte through her tough times and watching all that was the Samantha menopause meltdown was hilarious! 

A few fashion trends that I will be taking from the movie...

Maxi dresses and more maxi dresses!  I was worried this trend was only going to last a summer or two, but I think this movie will keep it around a bit longer.

Chunky necklaces and sparkly bangles.  Love them!  

A few trends that I will not be following...

The pants - all of them, especially the harem pants.  I've worn them once in my life and that was back in 1993 when I played Jasmine in my school's production of the musical, Aladdin.

Charlotte's suits/dresses that are straight out of Bette Midler's costume closet from Big Business.

I absolutely appreciated her outfits when I saw them on the big screen - I just knew it wasn't anything that I would be running out to get myself!

What scene made you laugh out loud?  or squeal with delight?  Carrie's closet?  The four machbachs?

For me, it was the flashback scene and the Lilly Pulitzer sighting!!!

Nordstrom does New York

Nordstrom is opening it's discounted offspring, Nordstrom Rack in NYC proper.  According to the NY Times article, this will be the first Nordstrom of any kind in Manhattan.  Apparently, Nordstrom hasn't been able to find a space large enough for the regular department store, so Manhattanites will have to settles for deals and steals on high fashion.

I went to a Nordstrom Rack over the weekend on our trip to Ft. Lauderdale - there is one at Sawgrass Mills.  It was great, but I have to say...between the Rack, Off 5th and Neiman's Last Call, Neiman's was my favorite.  It had the best selection of dresses, which is admittedly my weakness.

Top That Wednesday!

My friend Sarah, who I've blogged about before, is back at the sewing machine stitching her way into the finals of another competition in this wonderful blogosphere!  {Her blog is 2 Giggle Boxes, a must read if you're into sewing...}

How cute is this top???

I can't resist a bow...never have, never will.  And this particular bow is so flattering!  Sarah designed the top, selected the fabric and put her sewing machine to work!!!  So flirty!  Look at the detail at the neck:

If you would like to see the other tops and better yet, vote for "in full bloom" by 2 Giggle Boxes (Sarah's blog) head on over to Made by Rae.  {The poll is on the bottom right of the blog - each day is a new set of entries, so hurry up!  Wednesday only lasts all day!}

Rachel Roy-alty

I am loving this Rachel Roy dress that Mrs. O recently rocked on her recent tour of Mexico City.

It's just a cool $1,500 over at Bergdorf's.  Thankfully, Rachel Roy isn't soley creating clothes for American royalty, like the First Lady.  She had a much more affordable line of clothing, called Rachel. 

Maybe I'll find a dress of hers on my shopping excursion in Florida!  We leave tomorrow!  Can't wait - getting a little island-feverish...

Best. App. Ever.

Many many thanks to Style Court for the heads up on Gadabout's new app for the iPhone! 

I've blogged about Gadabout's smart stationery and personalized notecards, but who knew her work was going to be accessible on the iPhone???  And for only $0.99! 

Here's a glimpse into how it works...

In just a matter of minutes, without a tutorial or anything of the sort, I created a few notes...

Once I selected the design - which had to be the toughest part because there were so many adorable designs - typed the message, placed, sized, and alignined the text, I was able to send this to a group of friends via email! What a lovely way to brighten up someone's inbox.

There are a bunch of other uses.  Maybe create a quick invitation to a last-minute party?  They have birthday themes, even a crab boil!  Be still my heart!

Las Olas Bound

Mr. SDP and I are headed to Ft. Lauderdale in a week or two.  He will be there on business and I get to tag along.  I am so looking forward to this little trip, as I have not been back to the states since we moved to the BVI in December.  As I've mentioned before, the shopping here leaves much to be desired and I'm showing symptoms of retail-withdrawal.

While I grew up in North Florida and have been to Ft. Lauderdale many times, I'm in need of some shopping advice.  I'm planning on hitting Las Olas Boulevard, where many of the boutiques are located. 

The Galleria is on my radar as well, but I'm wondering if there's anything else I'm missing.

I will definitely need an hour at a Sephora.  I also need to stock up on hair products.  {Pantene is about as "luxurious" as it gets here on the island.}  But what I'm most excited about is shopping for clothes, clothes and more clothes.  And shoes.  How could I forget shoes?

"Like Jasmine and Aladdin?"

"Yes sweetie, but with cocktails!"  - Carrie Bradshaw

Have you seen it yet???  The trailer for Sex & the City 2???   I'm sooooooooo  looking forward to the release of this movie!!!  I'm not sure if our movie theatre here on Tortola will have it on opening night, but I'm going to begin my lobbying now. 



We do have a store called "Radio Doctor" that sells DVDs of new releases long before they're supposed to, but I would really like to see this moving in the theatre!  I want to wear high heels and make sure my mascara is working overtime...

Echo revisited

I'm absolutely loving this beach towel, by Echo Design.

I love how Echo divides their product offerings with categories like: beach, rain, etc.  Of course living in the British Virgin Islands means I head straight for the beach offerings.  We need a few more beach towels, especially with all of the company we've been having. 

Check out this really cute dress - I got it in green and turquoise.  After organizing my closet tonight, I realized I don't have much green.  A lot of orange, blue, black...

Speaking of green - I really like this purse.  I don't really have a need for it.  My off-white Lilly bag is serving me well.

Happy Shopping!

A Little More Preppy Than That

Have you heard the #1 country song by Easton Corbin?  It's called "A little more country than that."  Well, there's a preppy version thanks to Lady Antebellum.  This first one is the music video for the original song...



Now check out the version that Charles and Dave (from Lady Antebellum) put together.  They just released it yesterday and they already have more than 3,000 views...



Here are the lyrics...
Take you some duckheads and some izods
with your laptops and your ipods,
and drinking a mocha non-fat.
Well, I'm a little more preppy than that...

Hit you a three-wood on the tee box
with argyle checkered socks,
just like my dad.
Well, I'm a little more preppy than that...

Well, I just want to be sure that you 
know just what you're getting,
under this golf hat.
Well, I'm a little more preppy than that...

Think of a pink shirt, with a collar popped,
in a new car your rich pa bought,
and he still buys your gas.
Well, I'm a little more preppy than that...

I'm a little more preppy than that.   
See you on the first tee!

Thanks for the laugh boys!  (And to my friend Travis who alerted me to this video!)

And I have to say, I think I am a little more preppy than that!

Preppy Handbook Revisited!

Have you heard?  Your copy of "The Official Preppy Handbook" will soon have some company on your bookshelf.  Come September, "True Prep" co-authored by the one-and-only Lisa Birnbach and her new pal, Chip Kidd will be available for prep consumption, along with our Triscuits. 

According to Motoko Rich, the NYTimes reporter who authored the article, "True Prep" will 'reignite preppy fervor.'  I'm not sure it's possible to reignite something that still burns, is it?   

{photo credit: Fred R. Conrad, NYTimes}

On a personal note, The Official Preppy Handbook was the first gift I ever gave Mr. SDP.  We had been dating just a few short weeks when he sent me the text "Sweet Dreams Preppy."  I remember the feeling of delight when I found one single used copy in McKay's.  It was the perfect book for us to read and re-read together that summer. 

Drip, drip, drip

My candle burns at both ends; 
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends,
It gives a lovely light!

- Edna St. Vincent Millay

This is the poem I included in my mother's birthday card - she is 67 today!  It's so fitting for her because she's always on the go, doing things for everyone else, and as the phrase goes "burning the candle at both ends."  While I'm sure the candles on her cake were lovely, she's the real light and I'm grateful for Millay's words to put it just so.

FOLO: Around My Neck

Apparently starfish are everywhere this season. 

Check out this beauty from Stella & Dot!  At $98, it's more expensive than its Target counterpart, but there's something very fresh here with the colors and the turquoise silk knotting.

What do you think?  Spend the $40 or $50 for the Target piece or the $100 for Stella & Dot's starfish?  Technically, this is rhetorial since I already own two of the Target pieces...

Around My Neck

I have a wonderful sister.  Her name is Whitney - she's the one who threw me the amazing Highballs & Hydrangeas 30th birthday party.  She came to visit us in the BVI for her Spring Break.  She knows how much I've been missing shopping, so she brought me a few things, including this necklace:

I love it!!!  I almost fell on the floor when she told me where it was from!  TARGET!  I just couldn't believe it.  I wore it the very next night and received numerous compliments on it.  This is how the first conversation went:

Friend:  "Oh, I just love that necklace. It is stunning!"
SDP:  "Thanks!  My sister gave it to me and you'll never believe where she got it???  Target!"
Friend:  "No way! I thought you got it on St. Thomas.  If I were you, I wouldn't give that little secret away - you can say it's a gift, but don't offer up where it's from...keep 'em guessing." 

She makes a good point.  I've even blogged about how I usually dodge the question "Where did you get that?"  So, why did I offer it up so freely?  I guess I was just overcome with excitement and proud of Whitney's find.  My friend set me straight and for the rest of the night, I stopped after the "sister gave it to me" part. 

I am loving this pendant, also in the Vintage Sea Life line at Target. 

 
And for full disclosure, a friend of mine just bought it for me today and will be sending it with another friend who's coming down here in three weeks.  {I know, I'm obsessed!}

You can't get too much of a good thing, right?

Chicken Nuggets Needs YOU!

One of my best friends Sarah recently started blogging over at 2 Giggle Boxes.  She's not only an incredible mom to her two beautiful daughters Carson and Clara, but quite the seamstress, making custom creations for her girls!  You have to see what she can do with one of her husband's old golf shirts!
 
Sarah finds inspiration for her children's clothing from fellow bloggers, like Lil Blue Boo.  And in a design challenge - happening now at Lil Blue Boo and Dharma Trading - Sarah is a Top 15 Finalist and she needs your help.

From now until March 9th, you can cast your vote for your favorite design on Lil Blue Boo's homepage.  Sarah's design is Chicken Nuggets, after their pet fish with the same name.

Sarah's creations can be purchased at our friend Laura's online store:  Lily's Laundry Boutique.  We all went to college together and I'm loving that the blogging community is bringing us back together in this way!!!

Off to vote!      

Bless Her Heart!

As you southerners know, "Bless her heart" is what you say following the verbal recognition of another's unfortunate circumstances...  Out of curiosity, I checked Urban Dictionary to see if they shared our definition and they do!  Check it out:

"Bless her heart"
1: phrase used by Southern women to excuse themselves for speaking ill of someone else.

Okay, now that we're all in agreement, who's heart are we blessing? 

Her name is Janell Wheeler and she's a contenstant on American Idol - a top 24 finalist in fact!  Janell is one of my favorites, so it pains me to show you this photo of her first performance on the live show Tuesday night. 

{photo credit: FOX}

She is beautiful!  Love that shirt!  She looks great!  That is, from the waist up.  Don't get me wrong - her legs are amazing, but faux snake skin leggings?  Look closely.  They're not the most flattering, particularly in the crotch region...  They look like something Steven Tyler would wear back when he was making love in an elevator. 

{photo credit: INFDaily.com}

I get that leggings are hot right now, but maybe pair them with a shirt that extends to the thigh???  {Where is Stacy London when you need her?  Apparently, not back stage at Idol.}

To end on a positive note:

Janell, you are a great singer!  I loved your performance and I didn't notice the aforementioned faux snake skin leggings while watching the show on television.  They just looked like really really tight black skinny jeans.  And goodness knows, you can rock some skinny jeans with those legs!  Or maybe you'll go with a dress next time?  Either way, here's to you, Janell!  Mr. SDP and I are hoping you make it into the top 12!

Fashion Week in the Nude!

I imagine it's hard to keep your eyes on the runway when attending a fashion show at Bryant Park.  (I'm imagining because this is something I've never done - but it's on the bucket list!) 

There are really two fashion shows going on at once, aren't there?  Of course, there are the models on the runway, but then there are the celebrities in the audience!

InStyle recently profiled the hottest celebrity trends from Fashion Week.  Of the six they selected, I think this is the one I'm going to try...Layered Neutrals.

While life in the BVI doesn't necessary lend itself to thigh-high suede boots like the ones Ms. Zoe is rocking, I think I might be able to use an open-toe wedge to achieve the look. 

This is such a departure for me because black is usually the predominant color in my wardrobe, and accents are usually bold colorful patterns. 

I've been secretly mad a JCrew for all of their neutrals lately but maybe they were onto something...

KJL on QVC? Really?

Kenneth Jay Lane is in fact on QVC - where have I been???   I have been a fan of KJL since received this gift a few years ago.  I was searching online for some new jewelry last night, when I stumbled upon these:

For a reasonable $36.00, these baubles made it into my shopping cart.  I don't believe QVC ships to the British Virgin Islands so I'll have to send them to our next visitor...they can bring them down in their suitcase!

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaack!

Back to blogging on Sweet Dreams Preppy, that is!  We're still living in the British Virgin Islands, and loving it.  In fact, I started a blog when we moved here so our family and friends could join us on our adventure.  But as with any blog, it can be enjoyed by anyone out there, and we've already experienced some of that.

It's OurBVIAdventure.blogspot.com if you're interested.  So, this two-blog thing means that no longer am I anonymous here on SDP.  I feel as though an re-introduction is now necessary, don't you?  {Here's our moving announcement!}

Hello! My name is Amelia and I am the sweet dreaming preppy of SDP.  I will still refer to my husband, Michael as Mr. SDP for consistency's sake.

While OurBVIAdventure is all about life in the islands, SDP will continue to focus on what's in my shopping cart, latest sewing projects, and musings from our new life here not quite fit for the "other" audience.

So, why the comeback?  (As if I'm Brett Favre...)  As you know it was Fashion Week last week and it just made me realize how much I miss the American shopping experience....how you watch what comes down the runway and then a few short months later, those trends pop up in the stores...stores, I might add that are not on the beautiful island of Tortola.   

Living on an island doesn't mean that I'm completely unplugged, but not being able to SEE it, TOUCH it, FEEL it makes a difference.  Bottom line: I'm having withdrawls.  Not just from shopping but other things, so I'm reconnecting with SDP in an attempt to fill this void.

A heartfelt "thank you" to the many bloggers out there who share what inspires you on a daily basis...your words and photos mean more to me now than ever before!