Is it possible to wear your heart on your sleeve (or anywhere else) all year round? As you know, Valentine's Day is this week, although we've been inundated with heart-shaped Everything since January. Is there a way to celebrate the love without everything looking like a heart-shaped mess? The Magpie is here to save the day with some sweet, smart heart-themed jewelry that makes you feel like a Valentine 365 days a year.

Won't you be my Sweater Sweetheart Valentine? I know, it's not Valentine's Day anymore, but now that the flowers have wilted, the chocolate has been eaten (and regretted), where does that lovin' feeling go? How about something that's calorie-free and isn't shedding petals every ten seconds. I used to love patterned sweaters as a kid. Big shapes and patterns incorporated into the knitted weave -- loved 'em. And it wasn't even the Dr. Huxtable/insane pattern sweaters, I liked the simple, childish shapes of big hearts, stars and flowers, and I'm happy to say my childhood love has finally come 'round again! I've been admiring all the cute retro-styled sweaters, as well as ones with metallic threaded patterns. The look might be a little nerdy, but despite the Valentine sweetness, we're still in winter weather. Instead of being buried in drab, dark wool coats, put a little love in your heart... or just wear it on a sweater.

Here's some sweaters that are just a real sweetheart of a find: {1} Intarsia Dog Sweater by Boy. by Band of Outsiders, {2} White Label All Over Love Lennon Sweater by Wildfox Couture, {3} Sloane Dot Cashmere Sweater by Equipment, {4} Lurex Flame sweater by Lucca Couture, {5} Spray Paint Metallic Cable Knit by Christopher Fischer, {6} ASOS Cat Sweater, {7} Collection Handknit Fair Isle Sweater in navy hickory poppy by J. Crew



Jaunty Fine Print: Images from shops listed above

Film festival season in full swing, Oscars, Golden Globes, award shows I've never even heard of and even less likely to know who's voting -- tis the season for "real" movies, the serious message-laden ones that make us stop, think, and consider joining the Peace Corps or holing-up in an ashram somewhere to contemplate.  And what, pray tell, is this Birdy looking forward to? Girly/funny/silly popcorn movies and generally the stuff Mr. Magpie is conspicuously absent at, instead replaced by gal pals and a big ol' bucket of pocorn. No butter for me, thanks, just pour the weird greasy fake butter all over those popped kernels. No need to treat me special! It's cold outside, the weather is frightful, and I'm craving fun movies to just let me shut my brain off and turn the Happy on for a few hours. Come on, girls, I can't be the only one wanting to see these movies, right??  

It's the seasonal slow period, no blockbusters, just smaller movies are coming out, and usually perfect timing for chick-flickery movies. As much as I hate the hashed-out formula for romance, there were a couple of movies in particular that made my brain cells jump for joy -- my chick flick homegirl, Katherine Heigl is currently in a big screen remake of the Janet Evanovich book series about a down-on-her-luck gal becoming a bail bonds-person, in One for the Money, and I loved the Mr. and Mrs. Smith/Mystery Date vibe from This Means War, about dueling spies vying for the same girl. Rewatching Sweet Home Alabama for like, the millionth time, I am reminded again how incredibly charming Reese Witherspoon is. She could make a murderous crack-mom loveable, and she seems to have a knack for being in romantic comedies where she has to choose between two men. Chris Pine versus Tom Hardy? I admit, that's a hard choice. Captain Kirk vs Bane? Maybe that's too nerdy a reference. Either way, it sounds like a Manwich of good fun, the action is just enough to where maybe a few boyfriends/misters might get roped into seeing this with their girl, but the Birdy's Chick Flick Sense says, Total Girlie Movie. And that's fine, just give me a box of frozen Junior Mints to go with that popcorn, and I'm all good. 

My other movie craving is for W.E., chronicling the love affair between King Edward VIII and American (gasp!) divorcee (double-gasp!!), Wallis Simpson. I'm a Tootsie Pop sucker for period pieces, and this one looks stunning. There's actually two stories going on, the affair in the past is mirrored by a contemporary affair with modern, fictional characters, but I'm all about the Wallis/Edward story, as it really is something interesting with a wee bit of historic merit. This is also the Directed By Madonna movie, which is hard to ignore, since on the posters, the credit's font is quadruple-super-sized, but whatever, I'm all for Blond Ambition sitting in the director's chair. I'm more for seeing James D'arcy get all romantic-like, as he's another fellow who's easy on the eyes, and with blond hair, strikingly Ralph Fiennes-like. Not as Voldemort, mind you.

See you at the movies, kids!  

Jaunty Fine Print:  images IMDB.com