So after five years of living in NYC and never having visited the Hamptons, I finally decided to make it happen. (Kinda crucial now, since we’re leaving in a couple of weeks!) Mr. Lovely and I decided to get in just before the busy season starts, so here we are in Montauk, living the life!

We decided to come all the way out to Montauk because it’s a little more laid back, and so that we could toodle through the rest of the Hamptons on the way out. And let me tell ya — the toodling out here is to die for. Our recommendations so far? Stop in Hampton Bays and go to Orlando’s Cafe for a late breakfast; get the Huevos Rancheros. Mr. Lovely also highly recommends the Beso breakfast.

Then, on your way through East Hampton take a little detour (AKA drag your husband) down Lily Pond Lane to spy on Martha Stewart’s summer home. At the end of Lily Pond Lane, find 3 West End Road and gawk at the amazingness of the legendary Grey Gardens. Do your best Little Edie impression as you drive by.

Once you’re in Montauk, work up an appetite at the beach and then head to The Dock if you want some local flavor. The boys at the bar seem to always be having a good ol’ time, and the Montauk Chowder is to die for. (And if you stop by, bring cash and turn off your phone — the owner doesn’t like to spoil the atmosphere!)

We’ve still got a couple of days of heaven in the Hamptons, so stay tuned for more! xoxo

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Remember the kids’ activity book I designed for our wedding?  That little baby has taken off all over the internet, and I’m excited to see it most recently on Stylelist Home, the design and DIY branch of the Huffington Post!  Click here to see the post in action.  xoxo

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Remember how I said my sister came to town recently?  We had so much fun running around the city and finding new things to try.  She’s visited quite a few times before, but this time Mr. Lovely and I really tried to do some things that were totally new for her!

We started the weekend with brunch at the Ace Hotel, then went to see the new One World Trade (which was pretty incredible). There was a little shopping in Soho, where I introduced my sis to Madewell and she fell in love. We caught a couple of Broadway shows, and had another delicious brunch with some of our pals at Lido (get the baked eggs!). Finally, we took her to one of our favorite restaurants in our own neighborhood for a farewell dinner. What a weekend!  Here are a few snaps for ya.

Also, Mr. Lovely and I are taking a quick pre-weekend trip to Montauk! It’s our first time in the Hamptons, so I’m pretty stoked. If you have any recommendations for Montauk or the Hamptons in general, I’d love to know! xoxo

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So I definitely can’t take credit for this idea — I’ve seen these little cuties floating around the internet for some time now.  But when my brother-in-law mentioned that he might like some garden markers for the little vegetable garden he planted with my niece, these are what popped into my head.  So I got busy!

I didn’t take too many photos during the process, but it’s not too difficult to figure out.  You’ll need some cheap spoons (a dollar or thrift store would be perfect), a hammer, a towel, a sharpie, and metal letter stamps, which I ordered here.

For starters, flatten out your spoons.  You’ll need a really hard surface — think concrete.  I literally went outside and sat on the ground.  Lay down the towel, put a spoon on it face-down, and hammer away.  Maybe start with a test run, just to get the feel of things.

After the spoons are flattened, use the hammer to punch in your letters.  Again, do a test run first.  I found that one or two light taps followed by a few stronger hammer strikes worked well.  Don’t be bummed if a letter gets crooked or blurred — I think it kind of adds to the individuality of the piece.

Finally, take your Sharpie and color over each tiny letter.  Rub the excess Sharpie away with your finger or a towel.  The Sharpie will remain in the grooves from the letter stamps and make it just a bit more visible.

Way easier than you thought, right?!  Now go put ‘em in your garden!  They’d also make a super-cool gift for someone with a green thumb.  Maybe my bro-in-law will send us some pics of these little guys in action.  (Hint, hint…)  xoxo

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You guys! You know about our awesome sponsor Upper Metal Class, right? I’ve been clicking around their shop recently, and I basically want one of everything. Ever since my sister gave me this necklace last Christmas, I’ve been wearing it almost daily, and secretly wanting more of UMC’s goodies. I actually loved the necklace so much I wore it in my most recent acting headshots.

{Image by Murphy Made Photography.}

I think what I love so much is that the pieces are really delicate, but also kind of tough-looking. A nice juxtaposition. I’d love to get some of those sweet little earrings — the skulls and triangles have totally caught my eye. And the imperfection of the little faceted stones on both the earrings and the necklace are just too good. What are your faves? xoxo

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We’re dressing up for Monday this week, Lovelies! We’re getting all gilded and glamorous and going for the gold. (How’s that for some alliteration?) So put on some fancies (or at least comb your hair) and get a load of these gold goodies. I’m pretty sure there’s no way I could ever resist wearing that little bunny on my finger. And the rum drum? Who could turn down a drink from that majestic contraption?! Definitely not me. xoxo

Dog. Frame. Snap. Necklace. Bunny. Phone case. Fan. Rum.

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We’re trying something new this week! Instead of a Friday Faves, we’re test driving a new little column that I call “This Week.” It’ll give you the rundown of my week in a few quick words, and then you can share your week in the comment section!  If you’d like to play along, just comment and fill in the blanks for each question:

This Week Was…
This Week I…
Bummer of the Week:
Best of the Week:

I’d love to read your recaps, and I think it’ll be a cool way to get to know bits and pieces of each other’s lives. Let’s do it.  xoxo

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Now, I’m sure that you all have amazing mothers.  And I’m sure that those of you who are mothers are equally amazing.  But I’m pretty sure that I can say, unequivocally and without a doubt, that I have the best mom out of all the moms.

That’s her, circa 1974, when she was just a couple of years younger than I am now.  Crazy!  I love her little pixie cut and that shirt!  I mean, come on.  The cutest.

And she’s basically just gotten better.  So often, people tell me that I remind them of her either in looks or disposition, and I take it as the greatest compliment.  I could write you an essay on why my mom is so awesome, but I’ll spare you the deets.  Suffice it to say that she’s everything a mom should be and more, and I thank my lucky stars every day that we got paired up.

Don’t forget to tell every mom you come across this weekend thank you!  Seriously, I can’t think of a more difficult job than being a mother.

I love you mom!  Happy Mother’s Day!  xoxo

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Hey! Mother’s Day is this weekend, remember? If you’re scrambling for something to give to your ever lovin’ mama, scramble no longer. Just click here to go to The Sweetest Occasion and learn how you can make her a gorgeous, handmade watercolor Mother’s Day card.  She’s gonna love it. xoxo

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{Image by Creature Comforts.}

Recently, there’s been an amazing article posted by Jess Constable floating around in blogland. And that honest and beautiful post prompted a movement in the blogosphere that’s been wonderful, and is still gaining steam.  Ez from Creature Comforts, along with a few other of my very favorite bloggers, decided to get a little honest and tackle an issue that seems to plague many of us — they’re talking about the difference between true reality and the idea of “reality” that’s presented on a blog.

Now obviously, we’re all into blogs because we love sharing, and we love beautiful things. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But I myself have definitely had people ask me what my life is “really” like — do I wake up daily singing a sparkly little song while a birdie comes and sings harmony on my shoulder? Or do I grumble to life with bedhead and punch the little birdie in the face?

Obviously, what we as bloggers aim to provide our readers is beauty. Maybe it’s an escape, maybe it’s an inspiration, but it’s always beauty. The disconnect comes when our readers (or we ourselves) begin to think of this blogland perfection as the norm. It’s not. And it shouldn’t be. And so bloggers are getting brave, being real, and exposing some of the realities that they usually keep hidden. Because no one is perfect.

Truthfully, it’s a scary thing to do. But I was so inspired by the transparency of all of these women that I admire so greatly, I was encouraged and empowered to join the movement. So, cringing though I may be, I’m here joining the ranks and telling you some Things I’m Afraid to Tell You.

1.  I’m a jealous person. Super jealous. But not in a “Stop looking at my man” kind of jealous; it’s more like a “She got that role? Why not me? That blogger just got a huge sponsorship. I want that. Why is her picture in the paper and not mine?” kind of jealous. It’s ugly. And I let it out almost never because it’s just ridiculous, but that doesn’t mean the feeling’s not there. Usually when I get jealous, I know I’m not working hard enough, so I put my head down and live my own life.

2.  Sometimes I get secretly annoyed at having to document and photo all of my DIY projects. I love, love, love to share them here on Lovely Indeed. But sometimes I get annoyed at how difficult it is to do it all by yourself. The shutter button on my camera has a layer of glue and glitter on it. I’m not kidding.

3.  I’m very sensitive to other people’s perception of whether I’m succeeding or failing. I think that’s why I’m an overachiever. I need to constantly be in success mode. On a semi-related note, the opinions of the people closest to me matter a lot; maybe too much. I need to know that the people I love approve of my decisions. Sometimes I wish I was one of those people who just did what they knew they wanted, and everyone else could take a flying leap.

4.  I worry that splitting my life between acting and blogging is making me mediocre at both. (Eep. That was a scary one to get out.)

5.  There are pretty much always dishes in my sink. I hate that. And if I were left to my own devices, I would never put away my laundry. I would just pick new things to wear out of the clean pile of laundry on the floor. Thank goodness for Mr. Lovely.

6.  Sometimes I worry that Mr. Lovely and I are using up all of our happy. Like there’s a limit and our first few years together have been so lovely that something really awful is in store for us. Isn’t that terrible? It kind of sounds like a science-fiction movie, but it’s there in the back of my mind sometimes.

7.  Too often, I make myself responsible for everyone else’s happiness. That’s exhausting.

8.  I wonder all the time how the other bloggers I admire live such extravagant lives. As far as I can tell, blogging ain’t no gold mine. I know that you can make a pretty honest living, but I don’t know how you can buy $300 scarves every other day. And no, I’m certainly not doing any such thing.  My Pinterest may be full of Anthropologie, but my closet is full of Target. (Hey, maybe that’s their secret too! I just figured it out.)

Yikes. Not gonna lie — that was kind of scary. But also really wonderful to feel like a real person and know that there are other real people out there too! Thank you so much for being a reader and for creating a community here that is inspiring, positive, and supportive. If you’re a blogger and you’re inspired, you should share with us. It feels kind of nice.  xoxo

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