Fashion Sense

The following are some amazing photos that I got off of The Sartorialist. I really love the girl in the first photo; her outfit is so chic and fashionable!

This is a fine example of how EVERY guy should dress. Why are guys so scared of casual suits? This guy looks fabulous, and very "manly" all at the same time.

I love the emerald tone of this dress!

Now, this guy does have an interesting look, but I actually posted this pic because of the awesome couch behind him! I love the rattan look in the back, and the white cushions look very comfortable.

Oddities

This is an exact (to scale) replica of the home of Homer and Marge Simpson from the tv show The Simpsons. In a way, this is very neat. However, it might be taking an obsession a bit far, no?

Fashion Sense

ELLE Magazine's Creative Director, Joe Zee, recently used an unconventional tool to inspire design: Barbie doll! Who is more of a fashionista than Barbie?
The first is Fashion Editor Barbie:
This is Supermodel Sporty Barbie:

This is Nightlife Barbie:

And this is Boho Barbie:

All of these lovely photos can be found at ELLE.

Oddities

I found the cutest dish at Marshall's today for only $3!

Here's a close-up of the print.

I used the tray for some of my favorite, everyday jewelry.

Oddities

I LOVE old alarm clocks, and recently won this one off of eBay. It's a Westclox Big Ben wind-up alarm clock. How cool is this?!

Inspired Design

I set out to find some design with character and this is what I've come up with! The following pics are from Better Homes and Garden. I especially like the blue tile in the second photo and the neat doorknobs in the third.

Song of the Moment

My newest SOM (song of the moment) is I Gotta Feelin' by Black Eyed Peas. I can't stop listening to it, over and over and over again, and it never gets old. AND it's such a great workout song. This morning I cranked it up and did some freestyle dancing around the living room and truely felt like I had just gotten back from an intense workout and the gym. Ch-ch-ch-check it out!

Art Wishlist

Yay! I'm really excited about finding awesome new art. I found the following pieces at Biltmore.com. They're pieces from the Biltmore Art collection.

This first piece is called Dining Chair Snow Sky.

And this second piece is called Lion du Senegal.

Good Reads

Dearest Readers, I haven't posted in two whole days (!!) and for that I do apologize. However, I promise to make it up to you by posting several times today.

Today I would like to recommend a few good books. The first is Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. The book is about a guy named Jacob Jankowski who is now an old man living in a Elderly home. He spends his time reminiscing about his days as a veterinarian for a major circus. It artfully combines the not-so-pleasant, behind-the-scenes side of a circus with the empathy that the reader feels for the aging hero and his life, which has gone from training elephants to worrying about the solidarity of his dinner.

The second book that I would like to recommend, and one that I am currently reading, is Miss Invisible by Laura Jensen Walker. The main character, Freddi (short for Fredrika) is a slightly overweight girl who works in a bakery and feels invisible to the world. She has always been a bit self-conscious due to her size, and feels as if she will never find love or get to experience life the way the size two girl's around her do. Then she makes a new friend, a larger-than-life (in more ways than one) black woman who seems to love life and color and (dare she say it?!) food! Her new friend helps her come out of her shell and begin to love herself just the way she is. It's a great read that makes you feel good about life and people and every insecurity you've ever had, no matter what size you are! :)

Inspired Design

I went to a local flea market a while back and found this great wooden Coca-Cola carton with metal brackets for only $5.

You can even see the faint print on the inside of the carton that says Property of Coca-Cola Bottling Company. Kinda cool, huh

I love decorating with unexpected elements and finding new uses for old items. I used this particular crate to display some of my jewelry.

Inspired Design

Color = Good. These are just a few examples from My Home Ideas of how to use color effectively, whether it be a pop of color in the form of a bright pillow or a freshly painted wall. Enjoy!

Inspired Design

Most of my decor is in darker, richer colors like red, but lately I've considered switching to something lighter. I really like the Beach themes that are mostly made up of blues and greens and when a friend mentioned that she would like to have a beach themed home, I set out to find sophisticated examples of seaside design.

The below examples are from Daniel Hurst Photography and can be found here.

And here are some fabulous examples from Martha Stewart.

Oddities

I got an e-mail from Bath & Body Works a few days ago that had a coupon for a free lip gloss with any purchase. Ever the savvy shopper, I printed two, called up a friend and we set off to find the cheapest item in the store. :) We purchased anti-bacterial gel for $1, but not before we scoured the shelves for our pick of the free lip glosses.

I settled on the C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Tint in Magenta Mint. It is valued at $7.50, but we got ours for free with the measly dollar purchase. I would say that was a successful shopping trip! In similar news, I am now addicted to my fabulous new lip gloss.

Oddities

Ever fall in love with something you thought you would hate? I was shopping at a local thrift store the other day when I stumbled across this little oddity.






I picked it up, not really sure what it was (as it was taped shut), looked at it, walked away, came back and looked at it some more, and finally decided to investigate. After I pulled it apart I realized that it's a set of coasters!




My first thought was to poke fun at it and comment on the fact that it belonged in some outdated rental condo on the beach, but I slowly began to like it....and then I fell in love with it.


In conclusion: I love my new woven coaster set. I'm still not sure why, but I am glad I gave this unique little find a second chance.

Art Wishlist: Update

Hold on to your boots people, 'cause I have big news! Yesterday, after I posted some of the pieces of art that I am currently admiring, I went shopping with my friend Melina. We happened to swing by Kirkland's (for their big sale) when we found THIS.

That's right! I found a framed print of Kohler's Pig by Michael Sowa at Kirkland's for $20 (regularly $39.99). I think it was fate. :)

P.S. Please excuse my silly expression. I was wayyy too excited at the time of the photo.

Art Wishlist

In my opinion, art is a very personal thing. When purchasing art, the only thing that matters is: Do you love it? I LOVE Michael Sowa's art.

Father, Third from Left

Bunny Dressing
Kohler's Pig

And here's a print by Isiah Lane called Ballooning Over Paris.


While the above prints are simply on my wishlist....here's a print that I actually own. It's a canvas print that I got for $14.99 at a local shop. Definitely one of my favorite art purchases!