I was recently hired as a freelance blogger for a new eco-blog called EcoSalon.com. At EcoSalon I will be covering artisan, decor and fashion items, similar to the things you find here at Little Willow but with an eco-edge. The thing that sets EcoSalon apart is its authenticity. It’s real people sharing how to live an eco-friendly lifestyle without being preachy or crunchy. For example you can find out how to properly wash a pillow (which I am doing as I write this), where to buy stunning recycled glass carafes made from broken windshields or how to get a healthy high from herbal espresso. I am really excited for this opportunity to contribute to the rainbow of “green” knowledge available to women! Feel free to send me suggestions and if my Editor approves, (yes people I have an Editor now, it’s the big time), we’ll write about it!

I am dying for a beach vacation! We are going to Kauai for our 6 year anniversary but unfortunately I’ll have to wait until September for that. Until then I will fantasize about my outfits and add some gorgeous items like these Matt Bernson sandals from Urban Outfitters to my wish list.

It’s that time of year again, when I put together a list of things I want to buy with my year-end bonus! So far I’ve been eyeballing these fab Sigerson Morrison boots at ShopBop. I love the block heel, the height and the elastic smocking for a tight fit, which is so hard to find in tall boots. The price is ridiculous at $498 so I’m definitely going to shop around for a knock-off before committing. Let me know if anyone see’s anything like this out in shoeland.

I saw this picture of Jackie at a museum recently and it led me on a Google image hunt of photos of her. I think of all her styles I loved her Greek, Onassis period the best. I found these Bernardo sandals which would be the perfect place to start if you wanted to channel a little Jackie O. Legend has it she owned a pair of their Miami style in every color. You can purchase directly from Bernardo or Piperlime, my new favorite online shoe site.

A variety of cute wedges over at Flip Flop Trunkshow. Peruse for your pleasure.

This is random but I had to share. I have about 20 of these shoe boxes from the Container Store and they are the best way to store your shoes. You can buy a case of 20 for $30 or each for $1.79. They are clear so you can see your shoes easily and they stack nicely on top of each other. They have revolutionized my closet!

My Mom has always said Nordies had the best shoe selection and she’s right. I really like the patent leather offerings. They’re a great Spring style but I’m not sure how long this trend will last so get em while they’re hot!

Ballet flats have made a raging comeback in the last year and they appear to be the shoe for Spring or so says the tome of tomes the NYT (witness my recent purchase of the Tory Burch Reva ballerina). London Sole is on top of the trend with over 400 unique designs! The Valentine is my fave, check out their website or their boutique on Maiden Lane in San Francisco.

My latest covet is the Reva ballerina flat by Tory Burch. They are available in lots of colors with the gold or silver Tory Burch logo. I think I’ll mix it up and go with the orange, black is great but boring. I am very excited because there is a Tory Burch store in Atlanta and I had them put the orange on hold for me until tomorrow, woo hoo!

Some fashionable finds for a Monday morning. Le Train Bleu boutique is sort of Anthropologie with an edge and is one of my favorite spots for hard to find designers like Vena Cava, Erotokritos and Mint. They always have interesting shoe styles and if you check often enough they have great sales as well.

So in case you were wondering I finally bought some boots. The styles I had listed previously were either sold out or they didn’t have my size or they looked like crap-a-doodle-do when I tried them on. So I just bought these puppies from Zappos, they are Charles David so I figure they must be fairly nice. They arrive on Thursday, yeah!

So every year when I get my bonus I treat myself to fancy new shoes. This year apparently it will be new black boots since the heel just broke off my 2004 bonus boots.

This Saturday we went to see Garrison Keillor record A Prarie Home Companion in San Francisco with our friends Pappy (short for Shane Papatolicas) and his wife Maglie (short for My Australian Girlfriend Living in England aka Kelly Papatolicas). Afterwards we hit the Toronado in the Haight for beers and burgers. On the way back to the car I stumbled crossing the street and felt like I had a flat tire but being human that’s not possible! It was my heel cracking off my Italian boots, wicked bummer! I’ll probably just take them to a cobbler but here are some snazzy new boots I could buy in the meantime. Which do you like best? I think I’m leaning towards the top 2.

The Hunter Wellie is the original handmade rubber boot otherwise known as a gum boot in the UK. They are quite comfortable and quite practical (do I sound UK-ish?) and I suggest wearing yours for a walk on a Scottish moor, when hacking weeds in your backyard, taking in the patio furniture in a torrential downpour, wearing them in the mud at the Bonnaroo Music Festival or just out shopping in a cute skirt to make a fashion statement.

The Anna Corinna City Tote is smoking hot and way out of my price range therefore it shall be added to my “bonus items” list. This is the list that I create every year in anticipation of my December bonus. I put some in savings and then I treat myself and purchase one item I have coveted all year. The problem is the list has grown very large this year. So far I have this bag, a pair of Alberto Fermani boots, a new Jonathan Adler piece, plus practical items such as new patio doors for our house and a new coffee table to replace my BusVans for Bargains-early-20’s-first-apartment coffee table. The hubs jokes that the bonus gets bigger and bigger in my imagination every year.

I mean really, who doesn’t want rainbows and unicorns on their feet?! That is what is so great about Ashley Dearborn’s shoes, they are imaginative, colorful and funky as well as comfortable and stylish. You can buy her shoes on her website, or on the Revolve Clothing website, or if you’re really lucky Bluefly sometimes carries her shoe’s on sale. I think I might need the unicorn shoe for my dress-up box.