Some things...

1.

I discovered two amazing new sources for home decor inspiration. I spent the better part of this morning ooohing and aaahing at creativity of these ladies.

 ivy style33's photostream & Simply Grove
2.

I somehow managed to piss off my coworker.

3.

I made my own series of mouse paths. Make your own brag-worthy cleverness, using this app found here. 

this was my Monday at work.

4.

I realized that perhaps I've been posting too many inspiration boards this week and perhaps there is such a thing as too much time on Etsy.

5.

A really bad day can be made good by a caring husband who listens to you over a feast of mexican food & sangria.

My heart is feeling a little heavy today, so I'm off for a couple of days of self-reflection & furniture shopping. I'll have a greater variety of posts next week. Promise.
Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Bike ride

There is something classic about the bicycle. A mode of transportation that is timeless and used worldwide. Whether for pleasure or to get from point A to B, you should ride in style.

lace baskets
aluminum bottles
bicycle bag
build a bike
vintage fabric accessories

And please, drink responsibly. SIGG offers so many adorable designs for their aluminum bottles. You can even create a custom one via Cafe Press. Not only is aluminum better for the environment, it's better for your health too.

Thursday link love

Okay, I know I'm married now, but these uber-glam dresses and hair accessories make me want to visit this dress designer's shop and play dress up. Just for a couple of hours.

Pretty please?

via Grey Likes Weddings

Lovely things: Urban Outfitters

I love Urban Outfitter's new selection. Soft pastels, knits and silks have me dreaming of a week abroad.

 ribbon hat. whipstitch belt. canvas pump. sunglasses. skirt. knits. chevron swimsuit.

Two beautified trends to try

 Have you had a chance to check out the March Issue of Glamour Magazine? Victoria Beckham is on the cover. Let me just say that I gained a tremendous amount of inspiration from this issue! I'll admit, I don't read magazines as much as I used to since I discovered blogs, but I sat there wide-eyed, flipping through the pages of scrumptious photographs.

So today, I thought I'd try two of the beauty trends featured in Glamour: Turquoise eye shadow & milk braids.

 Surprisingly, this was pretty quick & easy. I love the look of braids & my hair is finally long enough to try some of the styles. To get this look, simply divide your hair into 2 sections, braid, then fasten at the top with hairpins.

I was a little nervous about this eye shadow. I was scared of looking like Mimi from the Drew Carey show. I already had this shade in my make-up drawer. It's half of a duo palette from L'oreal. I applied with my finger, then blended upward past the lid with a brush. I skipped my usual dark eyeliner and just lined the bottom with an iridescent buff shadow. Then I finished with pink cheeks & a simple glossy lip.

What do you think?

Would you or have you ever tried bold colored shadows or wear braided styles (as an adult)?

haiku.

Moody hues, a blush -
Like cream made sweet by peaches.
Indigo, pewter.

swimsuit
bottle opener
love poems
pump
blouse

Lovely things: crepe paper

I really never gave crepe paper much thought until now. I think traditional party decoration items get a bad rap - they're just styled wrong. Instead of draping crepe like streamers, try one of these crafty projects instead.

flowers
ruffled garland
flower string lights
wall decoration

Style Parade 2.22.10

The weather is back to being cold again this week & I'm back to muted colors. I stocked up on some new nail polish colors. The first one I tried was Essie's Mink Muffs.

 source.

It's really complex - in bright light it looks like a dark taupe, but in other lighting it looks sort of gray or purplish. It's so unusual...I love it! I'm also sporting my new 'do. Nothing drastic - just a little texturing & layers. I'm attempting to continue to grow out my hair.

This is actually a color block dress that has a nice cowl neckline. I paired with this brown sateen cropped jacket, which is almost the same color as the Mink Muff polish. I added slate colored sheer tights & boots for warmth and these fabulous jeweled accessories. I love wearing big sparkly earrings in the day. Such a statement. This ensemble makes me feel very serious and grown up, although I'm not sure why exactly.

Dress: Forever 21; Jacket: Target; $24. Tights: Forever 21. Boots: Isaac for Target. Earrings: Forever 21; $1. Ribbon cuff bracelet: Gap.

Meet me by the sea, My Love

By the sea I see a vintage dress, flowing.

By the sea I see a candle stick weathered by the salted breeze.

By the sea I see a lattice mirror, reflecting golden wisps from the setting sun.

By the sea I see seersucker burlap flapping on the porch.
By the sea I see painted starfish on bags full of found treasures.

By the sea I see a bag with heart.

By the sea I see pearls strung on a fine golden string.

By the sea I see skin made smooth by sugar scrubs in sea glass.

Patina + rose

There is something lovely about aged metals & browns set against creamy neutrals with just a hint of sweet rose. The intricate detail. The lacy overlay of pattern. One could get hopelessly lost in the endless swirls of calligraphy.

skirt
beret
monogrammed tub
cake plate
belt
candlesticks

Plans for the closet door

When moving into a new place there's always a series of discoveries. For instance, we discovered that the previous owners liked to paint over wall paper, clean windows with brillo pads, store their porno mags under bathroom rugs that they leave behind (this one just makes me laugh) and steal random closet doors (me = ???) .

Case in point, behold!

Exhibit A: My office closet has 1 door...

Now, I'm not in love with mirror closet doors anyway. Yes, they kill 2 birds with a single stone, functionally speaking, but I find them kind of boring. I was reading this feature on Casa Sugar about sprucing up mirror doors, which got me thinking about design alternatives or "working with what you got" as opposed to spending lots of money on something new.

 source.

I came across this lovely DIY project a while back & filed it away in my Flickr albums.

Tangent: Flickr & Picasa are amazing tools for organizing craft and project ideas. It's so easy to save pics of things you like and organize them into albums & sets. Plus, you can keep track of where things come from; e.g. photo credits, links to DIY tutorials

So here's my idea: Use this doily mirror tutorial to transform my single mirrored closet door into something beautiful. Seems easy enough...what do you think?

Break it down: Layering

Layering, I'm finding out, really makes an outfit. It's taken some trial & error to really find what works best, but here's some quick styling tips:

1. Keep each layer thin

2. Mixing in textured pieces will add even more depth

3. Experiment with color

4. Keep it simple...don't mix patterns AND layers

5. Experimenting can be fun! 

Style Parade 2.19.10

Today I got my haircut. But this isn't it. This is pre-trim. After I saw my stylist I had lunch with my mom (french onion soup & crap cakes. Delish!) & took a trip to the nail emporium to stock up on some nail polish. A perfectly lovely day.

It was cold today, so I dressed in layers. I was feeling adventurous so I paired this crazy bright sweater with navy. Not something I normally pair, but I quite like like it! I love this blazer. It has the cutest pinstripe detail on the lapel. I got this bag at the Gap years ago. It was one of those pieces that I waited to go on sale & I finally snagged it. It's still one of my favorite bags; I can totally pack it full of stuff!

Blazer: Ann Taylor Loft; on sale; $35. White top: Kohl's. Orange cardigan: Banana Republic. Cropped jeans: Gap. Flats: Old Navy. Bag: Gap; on sale $40.

Dressing area

Perhaps you might recognize this space from some recent Style Parade posts. A reader recently asked me about this space, so I felt it would be nice to talk a little bit about it. This is my dressing area in our master bedroom. I had planned on hanging this massive mirror on the wall, but never really got around to it. Now, I kind of like how it casually rests against the wall.

The wall "art" is actually a curtain panel from Ikea. I first thought of this idea while we lived in our apartment. Our bedroom had this very high vaulted ceiling & our bed is very low, sort of a Japanese style bed without a box spring. Anyway, the bed looked really tiny in this giant room so I hung wall panels above the bed to sort of even out the space a bit. Here, I have the panel running the full height of the wall, which sort of sections off the space.

The pendant lantern is the product of this tutorial I shared with you all a while back. Basically I revamped my old paper lantern for $2 and 1 hour of my time. I intended to cover the entire light with flowers, but half way through I decided that I liked the scattered look. So I kept it. I love how it plays off the pattern of the wall panel.

 

 And lastly, continuing on with the natural wood accent theme for this room, I added this gorgeous hand-carved table. Another find from Home Goods. I just adore all the different heights. Overall, this piece is more decorative than functional. It's large enough to hold my little containers full of buttons, this little plant and a birch tree candle holder that I purchased from this etsy shop.

Black + Gold

There is something charming about black & gold. Timeless, whimsical and sometimes, a little decadent.

vintage balloons
milk glass urn
bird frames
bee necklace
vintage brooch

My wall ledges

I have these 2 wonderful ledges lining the staircase up to the second floor of our house. I've sort of been at a loss as to what I should put there. I mean, so many possibilities right? Then I came across these fantastic vases at Michael's.

I loved all the different heights, shapes and textures. I know... black & white again. But it works and I love it!

Personally, I think the idea of having faux fruit on display in your home is sort of silly. But I loved Emily's idea of painted pears. Genius. I  used matte white spray paint, then stacked them vertically in these sleek cylinder vases. Although in hindsight, I recommend painting by hand. I thought spray paint would be quicker, but I ended up having to hand paint some areas where the paint got smudged. The lightness in weight of the fruit & roundness made it difficult to keep them from rolling over long enough to dry. They literally rolled away from the force of the spray paint. Haha. I hope my neighbor wasn't watching me as I chased rolling plastic fruit across the yard.

The overall decor theme to our home is "vintage modern". The vases are very modern, and I'd love to mix them with some vintage pieces, perhaps playing off the same black & white tones. Then today, I saw these images over at Snippet & Ink from a vintage citrus themed wedding!

I love the idea of creating a little vignette, perhaps  on the 2nd staircase ledge. Now the hunt begins for the perfect vintage typewriter. I know if I go the online route, I'll get gouged on shipping. I'm thinking it might be fun to actually go antique shopping.

Style Parade 1.17.10

I'm super excited about this ensemble today... This dress was one of my sale rack finds from Ann Taylor Loft. I love anything with a bold print. The dress has such a ladylike cut and it's a thick woven material - like upholstery, yet so comfortable. I paired with this cream colored cardigan (again), black flats & this fabulous beret. I think the beret makes to outfit, really.

 There was a little chill in the air this morning, despite the 75 degree forecast, so I wore this oh-so-chic white coat. It's so rare that I get to wear it because I think it looks kind of weird paired with jeans and with its very wide collar it looks best fastened at the top.

I've been searching for the perfect pair of red frame sunglasses & found these at H&M. Aren't they fabulous? They make such a statement and I love that they are large & have gradient lenses - such vintage styling.

Dress: Ann Taylor Loft; on sale $34. Cardigan: Target. Beret: Isaac for Target. Coat: Target; $30ish. Sunglasses: H&M; $7.

Forgive me.

So, usually I like to include a book and music recommendation along with a recipe for these monthly posts, but to be honest, I can't really recommend anything book-wise that you all probably haven't already or are currently reading... e.g. Harry Potter series, Twilight novels. I haven't really been listening to any new music lately, so I'm feeling kind of uninspired to go into an in-depth share of an old favorite. But I will say this... I never grow tired of listening to Depeche Mode. They're the first band that I ever really got excited about and years later I still find myself singing along to Everything Counts in large amounts...

So this month, I will simply be sharing this recipe from REAL SIMPLE magazine that I modified. This was originally a vegetarian meal, which normally I love, but I need meat in my tacos! I also swapped out spinach for red onions to give it extra spiciness. These are by far, the most kick-ass tacos I've ever made. The twist...wait for it... Goat Cheese!

 

Time: 20 minutes. Makes 8 tacos

Ingredients
- 1lb ground turkey
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into slices lengthwise
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- flour tortillas (taco size)
- crumbled goat cheese
- olive oil

Instructions

- Place ground turkey in large saute pan. Brown meat until cooked through. Add taco seasoning & follow the instructions on packet.
- Meanwhile heat olive oil in a separate large frying pan. Add chopped onion, bell pepper and corn. Cook over medium heat until the corn is browned & veggies are tender.
- Serve cooked turkey, veggie mix and desired amount of crumbled goat cheese on individual flour tortillas.

Tuesday link love: Document it.

It's strange when there appears to be an unconscious trend in the blog world. Today I noticed a trend of documentation.

Design Mom featured this poster, where someone cataloged their belongings. Impressive. Although given the fact that I have moved recently, I already know that I own too many things. Evidence was our endless move last summer. What?! Another cabinet full of more stuff?! ...At 3 am

Elizabeth over at kiss the groom documented this hair cut. Who knew you could make something so simple, look so beautiful.

Sub-studio Design featured this personal annual report. Imagine... tracking your life and putting it into graphic art form. I would LOVE to do something like this, but I couldn't imagine having the patience. I mean, I haven't tracked of my finances since last year. Whoops.

And lastly, this lovely blogger from The Violet Hour posted her unique valentine; a list of everyday that she had known her sweetheart.

Kitchen artwork

I've really been into vintage illustrations lately. I find them so charming! So, naturally with our kitchen taking shape in the form of black, white & gray tones, I've been diligently looking for the perfect artwork to compliment the space. 

These prints are from Eva Juliet's etsy shop. I've purchased several of her prints. Perhaps you might remember some of her prints that I featured from my sewing space post. The top one is an illustration of spoons, in French: Les Cuilleres. Below that is Rosemary. I chose a simple silver gallery frame to give these prints a modern, clean feel.

This is actually a tea towel that I framed. It's from a 3-piece set from Wisteria. Framing napkins & towels is one of my favorite tricks. It mimics a canvas look without the expense.

 

Another great find from the dollar bin at Michael's - I used these metal letters to spell out E-A-T. I was going to hang them all in a straight vertical or horizontal line, but I thought having them oriented this way yielded more visual interest. The dessert prints are art cards from Ikea.

Style Parade 1.15.10

Did everyone have a good weekend?

My weekend was so uneventful that at some point, I was actually kind of bored. Haha that almost never happens! Sunday we spent the AM together, then I went shopping while Gary stayed home playing video games. But after all that walking around I was starving, so when I got home we munched on fried chicken then had a couple of beers and played Scrabble. Such an untraditional valentines day, but it was very enjoyable! That's what it's all about, right?

I really don't need anymore clothes, but I just couldn't help myself. I was returning a couple of things, and true to my own form I left with some new purchases. If it helps to justify, I did benefit from some 50% off items at Ann Taylor Loft. Now onto today's ensemble... I love how this came together. I can easily see the top part of this outfit paired with a pencil skirt for a fancy work outfit or a more casual warm weather look with shorts, a straw fedora & sandals.

This blouse is the most darling shade of pink. It's very flowy and feminine. I ended up getting it for 20% off because it was the last size 4, and it was missing the skinny black belt it was supposed to come with. I didn't mind because I like it without the belt and I have a similar one in my wardrobe that I could pair with it if I ever changed my mind. I paired the blouse with a light gray mini vest & this gorgeous summer scarf. It was a bit more than I usually spend on scarfs, but I just adore the print. It reminds me of a watercolor painting. It feels so nice to wear something other than layers of knits. It's like a breath of fresh air - literally. We're enjoying some nice temperate climates here in SoCal. It was actually 75 degrees yesterday, sun shining and everything.

Blouse: H&M; $24 (with 20% discount). Vest: H&M; $24. Scarf: Ann Taylor Loft; $34. Cropped jeans: Gap. Flats: Old Navy.

Tea station

I've been really into home accents & art lately, so this week I'll be highlighting some of the areas I've chosen to concentrate on around the house. Our home came with a new space we've never had before - a breakfast nook. At first I felt the need to put a bistro table in this space, but after talking with Gary we both felt it would be unnecessary. I mean, our dining room is right next to the nook.

So I decided to move the accent table that used to be in the dining room to the nook. I'm using the bottom of the table to hold my cookbooks, and for the top...a tea station!

 I found the T-E-A letters in the dollar bin at Michael's. My little alphabet tea tray is from Target. I found the teapot shaped spoon/teabag rests at Home Goods along with my demitasse spoons. The teacups & coffee cups (that I've used as mini flower pots) are from Anthropologie and the place mats are from Ikea.

This was my inspiration for the space - an image from CB2:

...Stay tuned for more details on our kitchen space!