i can find cool things too!

i have to admit to being mildly envious of all the bloggers who seem to stumble upon the coolest things. i lacked all ability to do so...except for the cool things i find on other people's blogs. well *finally* i bring to you--courtesy of the magazines i allowed myself to splurge on--"dawn can find cool stuff too!". i don't have a snazzy title for my cool finds. nope.
just gonna share.


Orly Nail Lacquer in Bump, Set, Spike which i have to tell you i think would look great on summer feet in sandals. so pretty & vibrant & happy & innately SUMMER. *and* bonus: did you know that orange is the color of optimism? yep! sure is! how great would it be to look down anytime you want to see a little bit of optimism peering back up at you!





now how freaking cool are these?! i mean really! not so much just ice in your drink right? i am thinking of that episode of Friends where Monica leaves Phoebe in charge of ice...so she buys every kind she can find just to "show Monica": crushed, cubed, shaved & *dry* (lol!!!)...well how rockin' would THIS have been as an ice option?! no need to say more.






you just don't even know how these cutting boards bring me back to my childhood. especially the watermelon & the orange. my gram had these old vinyl placemats that she used all summer that were different fruits & vegetables: lemon, watermelon, orange, bunch of grapes, corn on the cob...i see something like this and i go right back to being 8 & setting the picnic table, carefully matching up each placemat to the proper person.



i am normally a prefer a bic velocity retractable ballpoint pen in black and i have a definite aversion to gel pens which write like a silky dream but always seem to end up smudged when you write or they spring a leak when you're not paying attention or some other means of ultimately finding their way onto my clothing. but this little writing untensil known as the uni-ball 207 gel pen has a special ink that is touted to "become trapped in paper, thus making check washing virtually impossible & helping to prevent check fraud!" nifty...



i may well be the least accessorized woman in the USA (well of those who live at least semi-comfortably anyway). i should probably have my "woman card" revoked at this point. i own exactly 8 pairs of shoes. and one purse. minimal jewlery. but i have to tell you that this little gem is so cute even *I* could be easily convinced to buy her! they claim it can be purchased at TJ Maxx which may or may not be true--i couldn't find this exact one online. it's a Donna Dixon Bermuda Bag with a turtle print. i found a variety of other prints but none as adorable as this one--only this exact little bag (no substitutions please!) called my name from the pages of a magazine as i sat in Bradley International Airport waiting for my plane to arrive & take me back to FL a little less than 2 weeks ago.


and finally there is what the magazine editors call "create a graphic wallscape". we all know that wallpaper is out--waaaaaay out--and paint is in. but i love the peaceful look, the movement, the little touch of personality that these wall decals by Blik bring to this room! not at all overbearing, just enough quirk & supposedly "very easy to remove". i am intrigued...