Pinhole Press vacation book

My darlings, we love taking vacation photos (who doesn't?) but then we never really look at them again. They're just stuck on our computers. So! We decided to make a Pinhole Press photo book with our England vacation snapshots, and I love love love the way it turned out. The paper is really soft, the photos look gorgeous, and it's amazing to have a little book of our vacation. Alex and I have read through it like fifty times. :) Here are a few of the pages...
Anyway, it was easy to make and it's so wonderful to have; now I'm dying to make litte photo books for all our vacations and events, including every Christmas break and our wedding and honeymoon. Thought I'd share! xoxo
P.S. Inspired, I also made some thank-you notes to have on hand at home, using a photo Amy Merrick emailed me of her flowers. :)

A new bike

My old bike got stolen a few weeks ago (even though it had the baby seat on it, harrumph!). It was a rusty Schwinn that I'd had for five years, and I figured it was now finally time to get a grown-up bike.

After researching online, I decided to get one of the PUBLIC bikes, which are incredible Dutch-inspired city bikes made in San Francisco. The best part is, they mail the bike right to your door, and you just have to put the final pieces together (they send you tools and easy instructions). I'm thrilled with the bike, which is cute, comfy and smooth to ride.

The models, above, look gorgeous, and here's me, below, during a recent date night with Alex. (We rode to Brooklyn for dinner.)
Riding in Manhattan...
Over the Brooklyn Bridge...
Fast...
But not as fast as Alex.

Do you have a bike? Which kind? I'd recommend a PUBLIC bike if you are in the market! They also have great bike gear. UPDATE! PUBLIC says they're happy to offer a 10% discount to Cup of Jo readers with the code CUPOFJO. Good until the end of August.

Fresh flowers

Amy Merrick arranges the most gorgeous flowers. Here are a few photos to add some beauty to your morning. Don't you love how wild they look? xo

P.S. Motherhood Monday post coming up...

United States pillows

Oh. My. Goodness. I adore these hand-embroidered United States pillows, which feature cities, states, countries, regions and national parks. Aren't they fantastic? Which would you get? Where are you from?

P.S. State cheeseboards and city prints.

(Via Lucky Magazine)

Terrain

Yesterday I went to Terrain, the gorgeous home and garden shop in Pennsylvania, after being a fan for years. The grounds are stunning, and I learned that people spend an average of TWO HOURS browsing the shop! (On average!) But I wasn't surprised: The flowers, linens, mustards, cookbooks, everything are so beautiful. Here are the two things I splurged on:
A velvet pumpkin (with a real gourd stem) to put on our mantle this fall.
Black sea salt. Wouldn't it look cool on baked potatoes?

Check out their online shop here, and thanks for the inspiration, Terrain!

Dutch subway slide

Leave it to the Dutch to install a slide in a subway station. Commuters are encouraged to use it if they're running late, and the official name is a "transfer accelerator." At night they play Bach. How rad is that?!

P.S. How long is your commute?

(Via Pop-Up City)

Fun wine labels

Alex and I had a few people over for wine and cheese last night, and, just as a twist, we made personal wine labels from Pinhole Press. I used a photo of Paris and the words, "Have a magical evening."

P.S. I'd also love to make this next time, haha :)

Eight cool backpacks

When I was in college, I wore a nerdy green backpack, but ten years later, backpacks are back! They're actually considered cool in New York right now (for real), and they're comfy and perfect for bike rides, laptops, weekend trips, and baby stuff. What do you think? Would you wear a backpack?

1. Farm rucksack, $160.
2. Canoe pack, $195. (More on amazon.)
3. Striped fleece backpack, $58.
4. Classic backpack, $85.
5. Leather backpack, $450.
6. Tie-dyed backpack, $58.
7. Laptop bag, $110. (Cool in Sweden.)
8. Heritage backpack, $55.

Thoughts? xo

(Graphic design by Jennifer Hagler for Cup of Jo)

Temporary tattoos!

These days, I'm smitten with all the clever tattoos out there, but I'm too wussy to get a permanent one. So I was THRILLED to discover tatt.ly, a new online shop offering awesome, designy temporary tattoos.

Which would you wear?

What's your secret to a great bed?

Many people I know are smitten with their beds, but I've never loved the beds I've had. My beds have just felt like places to sleep (and/or lie awake obsessing about something random:). So, I'd love to ask: What's the secret? Flannel sheets? Two pillows per person? Or something more abstract, like banning work from the bedroom or having a nightstand full of favorite books?

We're giving our bedroom a makeover, so I'd love to hear any tips!

(Photos by Richard Powers and Cassandra)

Father's Day gift guide

My darlings, I'd love to share a Father's Day gift guide in honor of all the amazing dads out there. First up: The exact sunglasses that worked for Steve McQueen, $310.
Duluth backpack, $135. (Get 10% off with the discount code THANKSDAD)
Dog collar bottle opener, $20. Now he can teach the dog to fetch a beer!
Wooden tie (for real), $34.
Two lobsters delivered to his door, $35.
Kiehl's Facial Fuel with sunscreen, $35, because you feel protective of him, too.
A sticker to make his iPhone look like a Leica camera, $9.
Artwork for his house, $20-$50. (P.S. I love the description of this boxing print.)
Lego Falling Water, $99.99, to make him feel like a kid again.
BBQ Fish basket, $18, for grilling perfectly crispy fish on the deck.
Desk blotter with twelve of his all-time favorite family photos, $29.99.
Chocolate sardines, $9.95, straight from France.
Striped camera strap, $138.
Bike glow safety light, $19, for midnight rides.
Luggage tag to inspire wanderlust.
A note telling him how much you love him, $4.50, since that's what he really wants anyway.

What are you going to get your dad? xo

P.S. More gift ideas for guys...

(Wooden tie via Honestly WTF; chocolates via Refinery 29)