Balloon Fest 2011
We had a great time! Check out more pictures on Flickr.
As much as I was excited for the Halloween Sally Hansen Salon Effects, I’m even MORE SO about the Holiday 2011 designs.
I went into Target over the weekend and, as I turned the corner, I found they had them out and I knew instantly that I would have to get them. There is no waiting on these limited edition designs. If you see them, get them for yourself!
I got four out of the five designs.
The reds – Plaid About You, Peppermint Twist and Snow Bunny – go with everything I’m wearing, from pleated skirts and velvet blazers to Fair Isle Sweaters and tights.
I loved the black and metallic silver Prep’s Cool but held off on the Winter Fun-derland as I have so many glitter polishes I should use.
These colors and designs are perfect with my Fall-Winter 2011 Themes but would go great for anyone. Who isn’t wearing a bit of red or some snuggly tights during the season?
UPDATED: Images 1, 3 and 4 are via Nouveau Cheap and her reader Christina of “and all things girly”.
It’s been a busy few weeks around here. Furniture Market for my clients, a trip to New York to work with some blogger friends, a brief bout with a cold, opening our pub, backyard movie nights and spending time getting ready for the cooler seasons while finding them already upon us.
In the midst of that are, of course, shoes!
From my copper Marc Jacobs’ oxfords…
Candy colored Converse….
Acquisitions over the last few months required a reworking of the shoe cabinets. Only the extra special ones get prime placement…
While giving the cabinets a reshuffle, I played with some old friends, including Fendi’s Cinderellas…
Louboutin…
YSL…
A random Tuesday needed some sparkle…
And then there were two pairs that I’ve been pining for. First, the super shiny Alexander Wang tasseled pumps…
And then the over-the-top glitter Miu Miu sneakers….
Did the whole Seasonal Swap of clothes where I realize I have way too many grey and black sweaters.
Oh, yeah, my other obsession nail polish.
China Glaze’s Phat Santa is my new favorite red.
Sally Hansen’s Halloween designs are so fun. This is Numbskull…
To match my new glitter sneakers I wore black matte tips and black shatter over China Glaze’s Midnight Kiss.
In between all the hubbub, I found a few moments to nap in the hammock.
While others hogged the heated bed on a chilly night.
Oh yeah, I found this guy – a stapleless stapler!
Fall is starting off amazing!
I am SO EXCITED to share my latest project with you. It’s been in the works for ages and it’s finally, finally done!
As you may have seen from previous “home tour” posts, I have an old home that is fairly streamlined and not very girly. I love our decor but I’ve always wanted a pretty dressing room. I’ve been sort of adding elements, such as my shoe cabinets, to our guest room but I am loathe to take over the whole space completely. I also, didn’t really have a place that would be safe for a delicate dressing table or all the perfumes, puffs and crystal that I would want to be there.
But that doesn’t mean that I haven’t dreamed of a pretty space all my own…
Then I realized I did have one small space that I could repurpose into a bijou dressing table. I started making plans and lists…
In my funky old home I have a funny closet-in-a-closet space in the guest room.
You open the outer door and you see this rectangular space that has a clothes rod on the left, a window on the right and another deep cabinet straight ahead.
The inner cabinet holds the guest room blankets and pillows, hat boxes and craft supplies. I keep some shoes in here as well as my off season clothes.
I drew up plans for a shelf that would be hinged under the window which would be supported by a shelf bracket for a brace and two decorative chains on each side. The bracket would be hinged to lie flat against the wall and then the table part, also hinged would be able to be lowered down so I could open the inner cabinet doors.
Once I decided on a plan, I started to plan my furnishings – vintage dressing table linens…
A Ghost chair to sit on… I thought and searched for ages on what chair to have in the space. It need to be high enough but small in width. I looked at all kinds of chairs and stools from new Pottery Barn to vintage vanity stools. In the end, I’ve always loved the Ghost chairs and the clear will keep the small space airy.
With a color scheme of crystal, pinks soft and bright, gold and small touches of black, a sari was the perfect fabric to act as a cover for the clothing section and a window shade.
A gilded shelf for accessories…
Antique tassels…
The project has been on hold for a while but know that I’m back in town, the pub is done and I’m done being sick this week, it has all come together.
The outer door now has a small sign warning of the girly space inside.
Yes, I have a Keep Calm poster, but now it’s hidden inside the “fourth wall” of the room. The sari was long enough to cover the clothes still on the left, drape across the ceiling and down, suspended from chain, to cover and decorate the window.
Isn’t it ADORABLE????
I’ve decorated it with some of my existing pieces as well. A Waterford crystal sugar sifter for powder, a Caron puff, my Chanel and Chloe perfumes and Waterford clock (the first piece I ever bought from when I was 17) on a Waterford tray. A glove hand and small boxes for jewelry.
The most crucial piece I invested in and that I was very specific about was the mirror. I knew from the start that I wanted a vintage Murano dressing mirror and this one with it’s gilding and pale pink glass flowers was everything I dreamed of.
The Ghost chair and my tuffet fit perfectly too. I’m going to get a faux flokati to cushion and protect the chair. That’s the last detail.
The last details are these amazing antique hand-cut paper cuts I had framed. With their fairy tale themes they are perfect for my new space.
Since we’re in a glitter state of mind over here, I had to make sure you were aware of the be be Ophelia glitter wedges by our friend, The Shoe Girl.
I’ve had my eyes out for these for several months, and now the Miu Miu glitter sneakers are mine mine mine!
I actually went and got them when I was in New York last week. I mainly worked but I allotted myself an hour to go to the store before my plane and make sure to get them. As sparkly as they look in the picture, they are a thousand times more sparkly and crazy in person. I may need to take a video to really show how crazy they are.
Of course, I love the crazy!
And if you don’t have the opportunity to grab a pair, make a pair! I was about to do this if I couldn’t get them. Honestly… WTF has the best DIYs around.
…. off to leave trails of gold glitter everywhere….
I should clarify that this still isn’t light. My purse is filled with stuff and my little case isn’t that little, especially when I’ll need to carry it rather than roll it. While I have a bunch of luggage, I don’t have the perfect small carry on. Either it’s too big, and I don’t want to check this trip, or it’s too small or it’s too nice!
Darn overhead restrictions!
It’s been a crazy week with work and I’m not looking forward to all the rain this trip. I’ve finished packing and charging all my electronics up, now all I need to do is my nails and get some sleep!
See you in the City…
Poochie
I am a BIG fan of glitter and have to admit, I’m a sucker for glitter nail polishes. So, when I was in ULTA the other day and saw the display for the new Revlon Expressionists collection, I had to grab a few of the polishes.
And they are stunning. There are 4 colors in the nail collection: Smoky Canvas, Facets of Fuchsia, Blue Mosaic and Starry Pink. I got all but Smoky Canvas.
The colors are stunning. Jelly base polishes with small round and large hex glitters. I can’t wait to try these two.
What I’m wearing right now is Facets of Fuchsia – a sheer black base with purple glitter. This color is elegant, subtle and stunning.
Deborah Lippmann has made glitter polish upscale and classy, but Revlon (especially with this near dupe of DL’s Bad Romance) is hot on her heels. I was is love with this polish from the first brush stroke.
If you can find these polishes, get them. The price is great and the colors will totally impress you.
I also bought one of the eyeshadows. I’m less thrilled with this, as I find glittery shadows to be too “chunky” but the colors are cute too.
Pinterest is getting to be deadly. I keep seeing images like these and deciding that I must go out and grab these items myself. I need gold for Fall.
I’ve been off gold for a while but this season, it just seems right. As real gold shoots up, I find myself wanting to add it back in. But not real gold… I want burnished vintage warm old gold.
I want to wear gold with red, with black, with navy and brown and especially leopard print and tortoiseshell.
So my first and best bargain was this leopard print clutch from ASOS. With a coupon code, I nabbed it for about $25 (it’s only $35 now) and have received tons of compliments on it. I’ve been searching for a clutch that grabbed my attention, was the right size and price and this is it. I’ve been wearing it to work the past few days and it’s funny how a clutch makes you feel instantly more put together.
This even has great metal accents and, on the upside, I don’t have to worry about it getting ruined!
I have to admit, I’ve been wanting this watch for over 4 years. I finally found a good price on Amazon ($50 off!) and caved. I love a chunky watch and Michael Kors created the perfect one. It’s acrylic tortoiseshell and just dreamy.
But then Pinterest and my sucker-ness for sequins got me again…
Zara got me with this sequin “wallet” clutch. (They also got me to get this polka-dot jacket but sadly it didn’t fit right and had to go back. Sad face.)
So yes, me and chunk watch-clutch-magic-time is going to be happening all winter long.
To add to my clutch-bracelet soiree, I found some great pieces at my favorite antiques fair.
Not the hex nut bracelet, of course. I made that during my big craft weekend. It’s amazing how photogenic these are.
Nope, my two vintage pieces were these great mesh bracelets. They are so comfy to wear.
The teal accent is going to go perfectly with my new mary janes.
Little mesh bracelet… just as sweet.
And my favorite finds were these Volupte cigarette case and compact with a gorgeous Persian enameled motif.
The case is tiny but I’m going to use it as a clutch. Just pop my cards and id and that’s it for a night out. No keys carrying that night. Or I can pop it into one my my new clutches instead of my overstuffed wallet.
I usually default to silver, but this season, it’s all about gold.
A few weeks ago I was sighing over these Manolo Blahnik “Erratic” mary janes. The color. The scalloping. The mary jane-ness. And of course the spiky heel.
I loved the stacked wood skinny heel. Heel shape is kind of my “thing”.
So I was kind of surprised when, after tracking them down with the help of my friends at Bergdorf Goodman, that they came with a covered, thicker heel… um, what?!?
I looked back at the product description and it said that it was a stacked heel too. Strange.
So I considered not keeping them, but they are still pretty stunning shoes…
Shoe Daydreams 