I graduated college 5 years ago, but I still troll the back-to-school aisles every August without fail.
Why? For a simple reason. Well, two reasons, actually. One, I now work as a college newspaper adviser and love stocking my office with goodies. And two, I just love office supplies. Some might say it’s bordering on an addiction, but I call it a healthy addiction. It’s a love affair, really.

Check out some of my favorite picks. It just might get you in the spirit!

1. Pens and pencils
I’ve always said that a pen or pencil can make or break the writing experience. Last year, I fell in love with Sharpie’s first-ever pen and have used them ever since. Sure, lots of people use computers for most things these days, but you can never go wrong with having some pens and pencils on your desk. Plus, am I the only one who finds it incredibly calming to write with one of those pens that’s so smooth the ink just glides across the paper?


2. Journals/notebooks
As a writer, I’ve made it a habit to always carry a notebook with me for when ideas strike. I’m in love with these colorful ones. You could also keep one on your desk for making to-do lists.


3. Stapler
For a long time, there was never a stapler in sight when I needed one, so I
finally got one for my desk. I’m partial to the Swingline brand, mostly because of the movie Office Space.

4. Decorative jar
Now, I’ll admit I don’t have one of these on my desk, but I thought of this idea a few days ago. How awesome would it be to put a jar like these on your desk, and then put a folded-up piece of paper or a penny in it every time you checked something off your to-do list? You could set an amount (say 15 pieces of paper or 15 pennies), and when you’ve reached those numbers, you reward yourself with a little shopping or something else that makes you happy!


5. Paper clips
Everyone needs paper clips, right? Why not use cute ones like these?

So…what is on your Essential Office Supply List? Happy shopping!

xoxo,
Melissa Blake
So About What I Said…

Last week my favorite food blog, Sunday Suppers, posted a mouthwatering recipe for a chilled corn soup. Being in the heat of summer, this sounded amazing to me! One of the great things about their site, aside from the stellar photography and incredible recipes, is that they actually have downloadable recipe cards. Now, I’m an amateur cook, so when ham hocks came up on the recipe sheet, I was a little fearful… But, it went off without a hitch! And, moreover, it was delicious. Here’s a little walk through my attempt in the kitchen…

One of my dearest friends, Michelle of Studio Surface, who lives out in sunny San Diego, is hosting a progressive Meet & Greet! It’s designed for you to stop by some new blogs and meet new people.

So… Welcome to Hello, Splendor! Nice to meet you, if I haven’t already. Hello, Splendor is all about splendid modern living. And, more importantly it’s about community… So, come and be a part of our little family! Post a comment, introduce yourself, and post a link to your blog or site. We want to meet you!

Thanks to Kristen from Candidly Red for pitching the Meet & Greet my way. And, please stop by {me}longings to meet Chanee and read her musings about home & style.

1. Did you get a chance to enter the giveaway for my favorite Typestache poster from Old Tom Foolery?? I loved it so much, I got one for myself, too… You have the rest of the weekend to enter and I’ll announce the winner on Monday! Good luck!

2. Kevin and I finished watching season 2 of Mad Men this week and I can’t wait to start season 3 this weekend! I hear it gets off to a good start. Speaking of Mad Men… did you see my guest post?

3. I’ve continued my Thirty Before 30 journey with more time donated to Dwell With Dignity. Love that organization and the ladies who run it. I’d like to give a huge thanks to Dragon Street Storage & Glasshouse for their donations this week!

4. Due to my utterly insane schedule, I totally forgot to do a guest post this week for my friends at Something Legit. So, in penance, I’m posting a link to their site! Go visit them… for me. Please.

5. I am working on something super fun for the blogosphere and can’t wait to share all about it next Friday! I’ve got some great bloggers participating already! If you’re an intrigued blogger and want to be a part… email me! beth [at] bethdotolo [dot] com

Two pretty amazing women, Christine & Joslyn, are co-hosting a party next Friday, September 3rd, to celebrate Little Bean turning one!

Let’s talk about the reasons why this is something worth celebrating…

1. Little Bean is a super cool small business that believes in independent designers.
2. Little Bean has some amazing pieces perfect for your little one, which you can see Maxton in quite frequently.
3. If you’re in Dallas, you can drink bubbly on a Friday night and tote your kids along.
4. If it’s anything like their last party, it’s sure to be amazing!

Even if you’re not in Dallas, you can still shop! Check out Little Bean’s website for some amazing pieces from independent artists.

Hope to see you there…

Hop on over to So about what I said… I’m guest posting & sharing the 5 myths about women that I learned from the ladies of Mad Men!! It’s a fun post, so I’d love to hear what you think!!

Did I mention that my dear friend Aspiring Kennedy is moving to England today?? *sigh*

I wish my dear friend all the best! Lauren and Tyler deserve all the happiness in the world and I couldn’t be more jealous happier for them. Love you guys and will miss you something terrible!

Now, help me torture this girl for leaving me!!

I want everyone to enter a completely random topic below and I’m going to make her blog about it. I can’t wait to see where this goes…

The top 5 most horribly random topics will be chosen… by me… and blogged about on Aspiring Kennedy.

Cheerio, my lady!

After weeks of tripple digit temperatures here in Dallas… we finally have some rain showers. It got me so excited, and so very unprepared fashion-wise, that I thought I’d pull together some ensembles of my favorite rainy-day accessories!

Umbrellas from left to right: 1, 2, 3, 4 & rain boots from Hunter.