How to be smart and charming

I came upon this great set of vintage etiquette books entitled How To Be Smart and Charming by Alma Archer. I just adore the cover and the topics are ever so curious. No doubt some of the lessons are laughable by today's standards, but I think some still ring true. Some advice from 1941...

Book two had some great scribbles in it...

I wonder if Marian ever charmed her way into Johnny's heart.

365 project: 2/20-2/26

Auditioning this sheepskin on the chair in my office. Hmmm...It's a fine line between glamorous & auto seat cover.

I had a total "case of the Mondays". Sat in my jammies, read blogs & ate oatmeal. Side note: How does one still get a "case of the Mondays" while unemployed?

I finally found cute, inexpensive storage for my hat collection. Yay Tuesday Morning.

Created a little photo studio in my office today. Ghetto, but it totally worked.

Meet Mr. White Pillow. He sleeps with me when Gary is away on trips. I'm a big baby when it comes to sleeping alone.

Today was so cold. I was outside sweeping up the pine needles before the next storm hit and noticed my neighbor's cherry blossom tree.

These jeans were a no-go, but at least they had a well-designed label.

Style Parade 2.25.11

Brrrr...this week has been chilly. Not as cold as Mammoth Lakes though, which is where my husband is right now. He drove up with friends for their annual snowboarding trip. I haven't been snowboarding since I broke my ass a couple of years back. Let me tell you, a broken tailbone hurts and doesn't stop hurting for about 8 months.

Today's look is all about layering. How do you feel about ponchos? I love them. It's a socially acceptable way to wear a blanket outside. I've had this leather skirt for years and if I had followed the whole "toss it if you haven't worn it in over a year" rule I would have kicked myself. There was a short period of time when Old Navy sold suede & leather mini skirts. I know, weird right? Aren't they the fleece experts? Their buyers & I were kindred spirits for awhile. Now I hardly visit.

Poncho: Kenneth Cole outlet; $40. Sweater & skirt: Old Navy. Knee high socks: H&M. Faux fur wrap: Forever 21. Tights: ??? Boots: Mervyns.

Inspired by PB teen

There's something lovely about white textured items in the home. I was browsing the PB teen catalog, surprised to find some items that are less kiddie and more sophisticated. Doesn't the fab floral chandelier seem like a more improved version of the Tord Bootje infamous garland light? And while we're on the topic, do you get decorating ideas from catalogs? Seriously, just look at these ideas...

Ideas to steal

- Rip pages from a novel & make a tree shape on your wall. Finish with small tissue paper pom poms as seen here by Martha Stewart.

- Make your own custom colored chalkboard wall with monogram letter magnets for holding pretty notes & pictures. Martha Stewart gives a pretty good how-to for mixing your own colors.

- You know those wood bird houses in craft stores? Get a couple of different styles, paint & hang on the wall as they've done here. Instant Anthropologie chic.

Style Parade 2.22.11

I've had this dress since 2009 but for some reason I'm just getting around to wearing it. My friend Lisa actually has the same one. When we went up to the Bay Area for my bachelorette weekend she was describing this dress she packed. I knew it was the same one before she pulled it out of her bag. I also have this dress in white, which I wore to my bridal shower.

I sort of feel like Carrie Bradshaw in Paris with the giant flower on the bodice and vibrant colors. haha...remember when Sex and the City didn't suck? I refuse to watch the sequel after the terrible let down from the first film.

Dress: Anthropologie. Cardigan: Target. Tights: Kohl's. Shoes: some store at the mall. Feather brooch: Like it? Available to purchase from my etsy shop very soon!

A few things...

Happy Monday.

A little while back I won a giveaway over at Sary's blog for this awesome Thomas Paul tray. I finally got around to doing something with it. Its new home is on the gallery wall in the dining room.

By the way, check out Sary's blog, Urban by Design...it's fabulous. If you're a foodie, definitely take a stab at her mom's pork spare ribs recipe. I made them last week and they were fantastic!

Also - Thanks everyone for the beauty tips for achieving fabulous cat-eyes. I realized that I needed to invest in some extra tools to get the right look and ended up purchasing Sonia Kashuk's gel liner & precision eyeliner brush.

Not bad for my first try, yes? I'm sure I'll get better with practice. There are so many great tutorials on the internet. Let me just say that the precision brush is amazing, especially for $10. It's incredibly easy to use and fits comfortably in my hand.

365 project: 2/13-2/19

My homemade valentine to Gary this year. We celebrated at home with leftover mexican food & watched Netflix streaming on the couch. It was perfection.

Valentine flowers from Gary. Classic.

I was spoiled with chocolates as well. My favorite so far is the lemon creme. To die for!

Gary gave me a Target giftcard he got from work. It was burning a hole in my pocket so I came home with this rug for the front entryway. I think it makes a bold statement.

Crafting more goodies for my shop. Things are progressing nicely.

Girls night in at Britni's house. She made sangria and some truly amazing food. We talked shop while playing 'What's a Dame to Do?'

DIY felt & leather cell sleeve

I have a confession...my new Samsung Captivate that Gary got me for Christmas has been naked all this time. Gasp! It's been making me nervous to put it in my purse for fear of getting scratched. Since there's not too many non-iPhone case options out there, I decided to make my own.

Supplies
1 sheet of felt
1 piece of leather
snaps or velcro
hot glue gun
scissors
ruler
needle & thread
pins
marking pen

Instructions
1. Place your phone on the felt sheet and measure 1 inch from the bottom of your phone. Mark a line across the entire sheet of felt, then trim with scissors.

2. Hem the bottom portion (the part you just cut) with pins. The hem should be just under 1/2 an inch. Using your glue gun, slowly glue down the entire length of the hem. It's best to work in sections, removing the pins as needed. Press firmly to seal.

3. For the next part you'll need to place your cellphone on the felt to get the sizing correct. Essentially you'll be hemming the sides just as in step 2. Just remember, the sleeve should be snug but not too tight. After you glue down the side hems, trim the excess felt with scissors. It should look like the right pic when you're finished.

4. For the strap, measure out a 5 1/2 x 1 inch strip on the backside of your leather piece and cut with scissors. Cut the same sized piece from your remaining felt sheet. Attach the 2 pieces with hot glue, trimming the excess with scissors.

5. Fold your hemmed felt piece in half. Using your needle & thread, sew the strap to the back side of the hemmed felt. Cut additional felt squares and attach the snap (or velcro) to the front side of the folded hemmed felt.

6. Using your glue gun, seal the bottom and sides of the folded felt so that it makes a pocket (pictured right)

All done! Believe it or not the hot glue creates a pretty strong bond. Your sleeve won't be coming apart anytime soon. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! 

Jewelry organizing

I picked up some more bowls & trays at Target yesterday and revamped my jewelry storage. I've mentioned before that I'm the type that likes everything out in the open. It's all about making it look like a store to shop in. Anyway...here's a few shots. Click here for the full set on my flickr.

Style Parade 2.14.11

First off...Happy Valentines Day.

Secondly, I'm feeling a little overexposed in these photos. I have to tell you - this outfit was dynamite and these photos really aren't doing it justice. It was a very bright morning on Saturday and my husband was sweet enough to snap them for me so I can't complain too much. Okay, enough with the excuses already...

Isn't this trench fabulous? I splurged on it years ago from the Gap. Speaking of splurges, I don't normally buy designer items or spend much on handbags with the exception of this one. Even though I found it discounted at TJ Maxx, I was shocked that I bought it. Although I'm glad that I did because I've used it quite a bit over the years at it matches this dress perfectly. I found this gem on the clearance rack at Target, but it instantly reminds me of Kate Spade. She's using a lot of this bright orange-red in her collections.

I stepped outside my normal beauty regimen and tried my hand at some cat eyes & a mini beehive ponytail. I think I need a little more practice with the cat eyes though. Any tips for a shaky-handed Stephanie?

Dress: Target; $27. Trench: Gap; $70.
Necklace: Forever 21. Earrings: Etsy.
Flats: Old Navy. Bag: Dooney & Bourke; $90

365 project: 2/6-2/12

Came home with the most gorgeous vintage bracelet after spending the day with Melinda at the Antique Market.

I installed a spice rack in the kitchen. It adds such a nice aesthetic over the stove. Writing the little note on the shelf was an afterthought.

I can sketch stuff. Who knew?

Spent most the day designing business cards & taking product photos for the shop.

Cracked open the last of my spoils from the tomato festival trip. This is Thumbprint's cab franc.

Pageant reception craft-mania at my parent's house. My mom let me try on one of the tiaras for fun. Don't worry...I gave it back.

Late afternoon visit to Malibu Wines with Melinda. It was a long ordeal to get there but so worth it after 2 flights of wine. We followed it up with dinner at La Scala in Brentwood and a glass of port & chocolate at Wine Expo.