I apologize profusely for the delay in new posts to you, my two readers. I believe my tardiness stems from a prevailing sense of denial that I am actually one of those people, those people who blog. Also my camera charger was just returned to me this morning, which really helps. But the great thing about waiting to write is that now I have a whole slew of exciting news to throw at you at once!

First: NO BOXES! Creative way to store overflow of shoes to come.

Second, what a helpful little kitchen organizer! Elizabeth's momma came for a visit, saw the wreckage we called home and insisted upon finding something to bring some method to the mayhem. Thanks isn't enough for all she's done for our abode!

Also, three cheers for autumnal produce!

Third, how lovely is our bath mat? I think it complements our shower curtain quite nicely.

Just a quick shot of our former "bath mat." If you're thinking to yourself, "Wait, isn't that just a towel?" you're more or less correct. Whoever came up with the idea to market this item as a bath mat is a liar and a thief. But what it lacks in substance it makes up for in an ability to show dirt the moment you set a toe upon it. Good riddance, towel mat thing.

Elizabeth has really been laboring over her little retreat. The desk which is a true achievement (purchased from our neighborhood "Straight from the Crate," a fabulous little furniture store perfect for ladies on budgets), and came with the ottoman-like chair (featured below) which is presently hanging around in the common room, patiently awaiting a purpose. She also seems to have commandeered our lamp for her own purposes - we'll have words later.

just hangin.

The view from her window - the Interior Design Building which houses showrooms for a number of upscale design firms, always inspiring. Our other window provides a view of a brick wall. I didn't include a photo because I imagine you already know what a brick wall looks like. They look the same here as anywhere else.

I realize that I have not truly revealed my own oasis, which is really just a bed - but what a bed.

Here is a quick shot of my sheets - lovely no? I don't want to include a full shot of the bed until I get some appropriate throw pillow cases, because the ones I have now simply don't work at all. I just learned that despite my previously held opinion, pillow cases and pillows are actually sold separately at Pottery Barn. Due to this life-changing revelation, I will be purchasing some white cable knit pillow cases in the very near future, I just need to be sure of my measurements (and my bank account).

This wonderful news came with the purchase of this new basket for storing gym clothes, sweatshirts and other less aesthetically desirable items. There was only one in stock, and I must venture over to the West Side to find another, so it will probably be awhile. In my mind, traveling from the Upper East Side to the Upper West Side is something like machete-ing through the Amazon or setting forth to find the New World with an inadequate crew who all have scurvy. So basically I don't go over there very often. But when/if I ever do buy a friend for this "Harrison" basket as they like to call it over at PB, I plan to place them side by side at the foot of my bed with long, flat pillows on top for possible seating.

My initial purpose for venturing to Pottery Barn, other than the fact that I unapologetically love it, was to inquire about replacing some wine glasses. You may recall that Elizabeth was in ownership of some divine monogrammed wine glasses. Well, I broke them. I think I was trying to do something useful at the time, but really who knows. Join me in wishing the glasses a peaceful and eternal rest.

So lots of new things, hooray! I anticipate that once my next paycheck arrives, lots more new things will suddenly appear in our apartment and I cannot wait to share those items with you!

Also I was recently corresponding with a friend who is native to New York but presently abroad, and she wrote me something along the lines of how sure she was that my apartment was already meticulously decorated. HA. HA. Don't tell her what a mess I truly am!

My beloved roommate lent me her camera while I await my charger like an idiot, so I was able to document some of our apartment. While I am so eager to share the mess that is my life with you, I will warn you that you should probably not view this photos too close to your bedtime. TERRIFYING.

Decorating with cardboard boxes: so chic right now.

I truly abhor this shelving unit, but it was free which has been a big pull for us lately. To all of my similarly "funemployed" brethren, I think you'll agree that to call the free section on Craiglist "life-changing" is hardly hyperbole. In addition to this...thing, we also got the glass vase that sits upon it (now housing one of our two tiaras) and some curtains, which would be completely egregious hung over a window but may be craftily turned into some item of clothing later.

Another hot shopping spot: the trash. We found a set of little square mirrors in with the recycling outside of our building. Other friends have had similar success retrieving discarded items: I recently walked about two blocks in the rain with a friend (you know who you are) carrying a small side table to her apartment. I'm hoping that if we can just lie in wait long enough, we can furnish our entire apartment for the cost of free ninety-nine! Great price.

It's true that we don't have much in the way of functional furniture. It's also true that we have monogrammed wine glasses, presently stored in our sink. So that's a positive.

A close-up of our lovely shower curtain! We walked into Crate & Barrel, armed with a gift certificate (muchos besos to Elizabeth's aunt & uncle for proving that Christmas DOES come twice a year!) and bopped around the shop until we finally stumbled upon the shower curtains and general bath accessories division. E. took one look at their selection and knew which one I wanted. Me too. I'm beyond thrilled.

So this is the present that we are currently stumbling through. The future is much cleaner. Here are some sources of inspiration we hope to weave into our decor:

We had already discussed painting our ceiling some variety of robin's egg blue (although Moses only knows how), so seeing this photograph on the charmant blog "House of Turquoise" was a wonderful reaffirmation that we were on the right path. The ceiling is so lovely! As is the blog, it is entirely dedicated to shades of turquoise. I love people with passions, no matter what.

I also fell for the work of Anne Harwell, available on Etsy, and am inspired to work on my own decor-oriented creations.

Of course, I forgot my paints at home. Who's surprised? Not to mention where I forgot my talent. Nevertheless, I have a tube of the most parfait pink that I am longing to put on paper. If you've met me once or twice, you may know that I have a passing interest in pink. Now I suddenly realized that I should have named my blog "House of Pink...and sometimes also Green." You know, you live and you learn.

We were hoping to dedicate this Saturday to painting our ceiling and eating pizza, but as ever, our wild and exciting lives have gotten in the way. Someday when we're less popular and in demand, we'll begin to actually make our brilliant ideas a reality. I can't wait, and I'm sure you are also on the edge of your very seat.

Good Afternoon, and welcome to my world, such as it is! As I like to say: come on in, the water is FINE.

Today is my very first day of blogging and my fifteenth day of living my real life in New York City. I created this blog as a record for all of my little creative endeavors, the first being the urgently necessary organization and decoration of my baby-sized but lovely Upper East Side apartment.

While the city is always-fab-never-drab, I'm beginning to feel that I am living in a post-apocalyptic world as my apartment remains in a state of utter disarray. Boxes and cutlery everywhere. Any tips on cleverly hiding household items in itty-bitty spaces would be much appreciated!

I am thrilled to report, however, that I finally have a big-girl bed, complete with sheets! Bloomingdale's is having a phenomenal linens sale. Run, don't walk, over there. Considering that I slept on an air-mattress for a week (it's a sensitive subject, I'd rather not discuss it any further), my bed feels like a cloud. The cheerful, perfectly preppy, Ralph Lauren paisley sheets and crisp white comforter don't exactly hurt either.

And more good news, we picked up a wonderful Marimekko shower curtain from Crate & Barrel yesterday - life sans shower curtain was becoming increasingly strange. We had been restricted to baths for the past week and my love affair with the long soak has officially come to an end. It's a great green Tamara print - a 1960s design inspired by Eastern European wood-block prints. LOVE.

I wanted to capture images of the mayhem (horror?) that surrounds me at every moment. However, I of course forgot my digital camera's charger in Saint Louis, so my words will have to suffice for the time being. In considering my precious palais, the phrases "explosion of kitchen goods," "rolls of wild paper towels on the loose," and "general wreckage and debris" immediately leap to mind.

But everyday, it gets better.