Have a wonderful weekend!

Happy (almost) Halloween! What are your plans for the weekend? We're going out for Italian food with some friends tonight, so I'm saving my appetite for a giant piece of lasagna. And I'm excited for the Halloween parade this weekend! Toby's going to be either a wolf or a tourist. Hope you have a good one, and here are a few great posts from around the web...

Pumpkin chocolate-chip cookies? Yes, please!

Alphabet bookcase.

Let's go backyard camping.

Love this wedding dress.

Do you think this ponytail styling lotion really works? If so, that's genius.

Awww, such a cute print.

Rethinking sweatpants.

What a lovely wintery shot.

Ooh, I want to go on a photography getaway.

40 clever advertisements.

This beautiful bride wore this beautiful gown!

Kate Spade's adorable inspirations.

Have a good one! xo

(Photo from the new 3191 Quarterly)

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Friday giveaway!

Today's giveaway is from Penelope's, a wonderful Chicago-based boutique. They're offering one lucky reader a $200 gift certificate. They carry pieces by Built by Wendy, A.P.C. Sessun, Rachel Comey, and other amazing lines, so you could get some really fabulous pieces. (I'd go for this adorable dress and some "very tight" jeans:)

For a chance to win, please visit Penelope's and leave a comment below. A winner will be chosen at random on Monday. Good luck! xo

Update: Liza is our lucky winner. Thanks for playing.

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Two pretty things

This agate locket.
This woven wrap.

Both for carrying your loved ones close to your heart.

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Van Gogh tilt-shift

Have you guys ever seen tilt-shift photography? By playing with depth of field, it makes real cities look like miniature models (see examples here and here). Well, Serena Malyon, an art student, used Photoshop to give the same effect to Van Gogh paintings. Aren't these beautiful? See more here.

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Toby in a swing

Last weekend, Toby went on a swing for the first time! He was pretty nonchalant, but Alex and I were totally into it. So sweet to see his little leg warmers sticking out; and the swing was almost as big as he was. We also thought he looked hilarious in Alex's glasses, although when we got home, I suddenly realized that we had inadvertently made him look just like the kid from The Hangover. :)

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Emersonmade

Emersonmade's clothes keep getting better and better. And she's making shoes now, too. P.S. The striped sleeves sticking out of the trench coat are so cute!

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Wednesday giveaway!

Today's giveaway is from Ruth Barzel, a fabulous jewelry designer in Washington D.C. She's offering one lucky winner a $100 gift certificate to her shop. She has lots of pretty pieces under $50; my favorite is this gray shell pearl necklace, which would look good with everything. Her pieces would also make great holiday gifts!

For a chance to win, please visit Ruth Barzel's shop and leave a comment below. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow. Good luck! xo

Update: Sarah Wondering is our winner. Thanks for playing.

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Missing phone?

Whoa, this is genius! You know when you lose your phone, and you have to ask a friend to call it for you? Well, if no one's around to help, you can go to this clever website, enter your number, and it will call your phone for you. Ha, I just tried it; it really works!

(Via Swissmiss)

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Mabo

Oh my goodness, how cute are these striped clothes? They're from Mabo, a new children's collection made in the USA. Love.

P.S. If Toby wore these pants, I think I might have to eat him.

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Birthday dinner

Thanks for all the sweet birthday wishes for Alex! Last night, to celebrate, we went to Recette, an amazing little West Village restaurant. We had a lovely table right next to an open window, so we could feel the crisp fall breeze as we ate. We toasted with Champagne and then shared lots of small plates, including sunchoke soup, beef carpaccio with burrata cheese, and salt cod fritters with lamb ragu (they had such cool combinations of ingredients). It felt so magical to dress up and go out on the town, just the two of us. xoxo

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The Smiths

When Alex and I first started dating, I'd go over to his Brooklyn apartment and we'd drink wine and order dinner. (I remember always getting insane butterflies when I walked up the stairs to apartment! He would lean over the banister to say hello, and I would get all heart-pound-y.) Anyway, he'd usually put on music by The Zombies, Love and The Smiths, so I thought he might appreciate these clever limited-edition prints.

(Via Mixed Plate)

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Happy birthday, Alex!

Dear Alex,

Happy birthday! We love you to pieces! You make us laugh, give pitch-perfect advice, and cook up the most delicious pasta Bolognese (with capers!). You're hilarious to gossip with and such a joy to confide in. It's awesome that every TV show you watch includes the words "Mega Disaster" or "Haunted History," and I know that you secretly want to shave your beard sometimes but I love that you never do (thank you).

We feel so lucky to be your family.

Joanna + Toby
P.S. See you tonight!

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Puppy!

Oh my goodness, what a shot!

(By Tim Flach, via Swissmiss)

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Choppy haircuts

Want to hear a weird secret? When you're pregnant, your hair gets thick and glossy, but a few months after your baby is born, it starts to fall out! It's crazy; I'm officially balding with a full-on receding hairline. Apparently it does grow back, but in the meantime, I'm thinking of getting a choppy haircut to make it look thicker.

Anyway, aren't these two pretty? Perfectly easy and messy.

(Photos from J. Crew and Elle Canada, via Kate Arends)

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Baby cousins

This weekend, Toby and I had a Skype date with my cousin Olivia and her daughter Bo. We were in New York, and they were in England, but we felt like we were in the same room. (Skyping is so amazing; I'd never really done it before.) It was awesome to have the babies meet face-to-face (even though Toby was a little cranky), and breastfeed simultaneously across the Atlantic. :)

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Have a good weekend.

My sweets, what are your plans for the weekend? Alex's mom is visiting from California. The last time she was here, Toby was miniature and couldn't smile or make eye contact. Now he's fat and can roll, laugh, and hug his favorite octopus. I can't wait for her to see! Also, Alex's birthday's coming up (a hem, it's a big one), so we're going here for dinner. (Pumpkin bisque, I'm looking at you.) Anyway, hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and here are a few great posts from around the web...

Commission your very own painting for $200. Amazing.

Funny pet peeves.

Plaid business cards.

Matching mama + baby.

A Parisian apartment untouched for 70 years. (Via Lori)

A spooky bat cake.

Ahoy! A laid-back Montauk wedding. (Thumbs up for their invitations.)

These notecards made me smile.

Stylish record albums.

Goofy public art.

Olden Days, you were insane!

Finally, Portland readers, save the date for Little Winter Market. Wish I could beam myself there!

Plus, three Cup of Jo posts you may have missed:
* Home inspiration: Plant table.
* Father and son.
* Genius wedding invitations.

Have a good one. xoxo

(Photo of the dashing Paul Newman)

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Friday giveaway!

Today's giveaway is from Chocomize, a seriously rad shop that lets you build your own chocolate bars. You can choose your favorite toppings, like nuts, fruit, tons of candy--and even weird herbs, like basil and oregano. (My personal favorite has toffee, cookie dough and peanut butter chips.) Isn't this the coolest company?!

They're offering one lucky reader a whopping $100 gift certificate. For a chance to win, please visit Chocomize and leave a comment below with your favorite combination of toppings. A winner will be chosen at random on Monday. Good luck! xo

(Plus, a bonus for all readers: Get 10 percent off your order for the rest of October by entering the code "ACUPOFJO" at checkout.)

Update: Holly K. is our lucky winner. Thanks for playing.

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Redesigned movie posters

Moxy Creative House redesigned 10 classic movie posters, focusing on each film's signature style. (You can also buy them for $30.)

P.S. I secretly thought Dumb and Dumber was totally hilarious.
P.P.S. The Shining still gives me chills!

(Via DesignLoveFest)

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Thursday giveaway!

Today's giveaway is from etsy shop Annily Green. The designer Annie makes fantastic fabric prints, pillows and clutches, and she's offering one lucky reader a $50 gift certificate to her shop. (I adore this print, don't you?)

For a chance to win, please visit Annily Green and leave a comment below. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow. Good luck! xo

Update: Stephanie S. is our lucky winner. Thanks for playing.

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Sweater

I love a good elbow patch.

P.S. How to sew them on yourself.

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1010 Project

Victoria Hannan had a brilliant idea: She asked 10 photographers around the world (herself included) to take 10 photographs on 10/10/10.

The result is 100 photos that represent a single day.

See the whole 1010 Project here.

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Wednesday giveaway!

Today's giveaway is from My Rocking Wardrobe, a fabulous women's and kids' boutique with a love for Japanese and Korean style. One lucky winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to spend on fun things like Red Riding Hood socks, grown-up striped dresses and alphabet cups (which would be great for parties)!

For a chance to win, please visit My Rocking Wardrobe and leave a comment below. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow. Good luck! xo

(Plus, a bonus for all readers: Get 10 percent off from now until October 27th by entering "MRW" at checkout.)


Update: Kira Lynn is our lucky winner. Thanks for playing.

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Amy Claire dresses

So, so pretty.

(Via Greedy Girl)

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My Dog Tulip

Have you seen this trailer? My Dog Tulip is a sixty-minute animated film about a curmudgeonly English man and his surprising friendship with a German Shepherd. I can't decide if it looks boring or not (is there an actual plot?), but the animation is beautiful.

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10 things to wear as a nursing mother

A few readers have requested a post about nursing wear, so I thought I'd share my ten favorite things from the past five months, in hopes that it might be helpful...

Clockwise from top left:

1. Not to sound like a broken record, but I am in love with Gap skinny jeans. They're flattering, not-too-expensive and perfect for new moms. (And if you don't believe me, take it from Jenny and Abbey, too!)

2. When carrying a baby around town, I've been surprised how tricky it is to juggle a regular diaper bag and balance it over one shoulder. So instead I've gotten hooked on backpacks. At first I figured that I'd look like a dorky seventh grader, but I love the backpacks from etsy shop LetsPlayAllDay. She even makes them in stripes and polka dots!

3. The Ergo is the comfiest baby carrier I've used, by far. It's easy to put on, and Toby can cuddle up against my chest as we walk around the city.

4. Ray-Bans somehow miraculously manage to make you feel cool even when you're covered in spit-up.

5. Stud earrings, like these stars, are pretty and can't be grabbed and pulled by little hands.

6. Boob nursing wear is, hands down, the best nursing wear I've found. The Swedish brand makes adorable, uber-flattering T-shirts, tank tops, dresses, and even hoodie sweatshirts with a subtle fold-over flap that you just lift up a little when you want to breastfeed. I wear these all around New York City and feel very comfortable and modest when feeding Toby, even as countless strangers walk right by us. It's surprisingly hard to find Boob designs in the U.S., but thankfully Due Maternity (and the Upper Breast Side, if you live in New York) carry some of their pieces. (Update: Erica let me know you can order from Stockholm Objects, too. Yay!)

7. With a baby in your arms (or in the Ergo), it's hard to bend over to tie your shoes. So slip-on shoes come in handy! French Bensimon shoes are cute and comfy, and Minnetonka moccasins and striped espadrilles would work well, too.

8. Nursing bras can be hideously functional, but Elle Macpherson nursing bras are (surprise!) super sexy. When the lace at the top peeks out under your a V-neck tee, it looks like a flirty camisole.

9. These days, many people use their cell phones to check the time, but when I have Toby in my arms, it's not always easy to grab around for my phone. So I've started wearing a cheap Timex men's watch, which I really like.

10. Finally, as a nursing mom, your breasts might leak milk. (We were at brunch with friends a few months ago, and milk literally started dripping through my T-shirt onto the table. Awkward!) But if you tuck Lansinoh nursing pads into your bra, they absorb the milk and prevent leaking. Now I wear them night and day. (Bonus: They also make your boobs look bigger :)

Hope this helps -- and huge congratulations to all you new moms and moms-to-be out there!

P.S. Breastfeeding in public.

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Painted people

Twenty-four-year-old artist Alexa Meade paints portraits on people. She puts acrylic paint directly on live models, so they appear to be two-dimensional paintings of themselves. These blow my mind!

(Via The Senses Five)

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