abt arcade

what to wear?, continued

2010-09-21T12:36:00.001-07:00

no, i still haven't found an outfit for my upcoming bachelorette party... but i have continued on the unintended path of finding perfect items completely out of budget. today's heart-breaker is a $195 paul & joe vintage inspired cocktail dress-

so yeah, it's $15 more than the melissa shoes i can't afford so why not add more to the list of can't haves?? i seriously love those sleeves!

it's always burger time!

2010-09-19T16:03:00.000-07:00

front door decoration i made for my "super burger time" hamburger party using construction paper. lightning bolts courtesy of my husband.

what to wear?

2010-09-17T11:34:00.000-07:00

some truly wonderful friends are throwing me a fancy dress bachelorette party in a few weeks and i am searching high and low for the perfect outfit- on a teeny weeny budget.

but wait a sec! hold the phone! aren't i already married?! yes, i am, happily so for nearly four years. so what's this business?? my wonderful friends, upon learning i never had a bachelorette party decided it was high time for one, belated or not. didn't i tell you these friends were wonderful?? well, it's completely true!

back to outfits... i found my dream outfit- but quelle horreur!- it's much, much too expensive for my saltines budget. why, the shoes alone are $180, more than twice the price of the dress! but see here-

bachelorette party dream outfit by arcader featuring opaque leggings

divine, right?? i am utterly obsessed with melissa shoes right now. sigh! it's, sadly, back to the drawing board for me.

new yelle single

2010-09-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

fashion is currently boring me and i find, i am all about music currently. so be it! i'm very excited about the new upcoming yelle album and decided to share her minimix of the first single, 'la musique', out soon. i also have some interior design and beauty inspirations to share and will do so once i have time to do some scans. ciao for now!

weekly inspiration

2010-09-11T12:19:00.000-07:00

i could totally explain my long absence and assure you it won't happen again, but who am i kidding? just thought i'd pop in and share what's inspired me this week- condensed into this lovely song and a wacky video from my favorite all-time french man.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x689m5_sebastien-tellier-divine_music

ta for now!

literary outfits: the grapes of wrath

2010-06-16T22:15:00.000-07:00

as promised, i am now introducing my new weekly feature, 'literary outfits'. i pick a book and find clothes that come pretty close to replicating the mood. please bear with me while i figure out this polyvore thing... i might even try and crawl out from under this rock of computer ineptitude that i live under to try and figure out how to do this in photoshop like a real person.

so without further ado, i present clothing inspired by a great work by what is very likely my number one favorite author, john steinbeck. you might have heard of it, a little book called 'the grapes of wrath'?

grapes of wrath w.1 by abt_arcade

garden of grace cardigan tank, $37
flowers from shakespeare's garden top, $39
life's a bowl of cherries top, $29
pastel houndstooth cropped mockneck coat, $30
floral lounge jumper romper, $39
let's get together rosy romper in white, $35
wonderfully rosy skirt by Delicia, $39
pedal pusher linen capris, $40
80%20 bonnie wedge sandals in brown, $110
Restricted "Scrabble" Oxfords in tan, $39
Nicole "Open Up" heeled oxford in velvet brown, $75
Restricted "Scrabble" Oxfords in green, $39
grapes of wrath

designer spotlight: bella sisters

2010-06-07T20:29:00.000-07:00

i think i mentioned that i volunteered for a local crafts organization's super sale back in early may?? yeah, totally did. anyway, i found a few crafter/artisans in attendance that really blew my socks off. one of which was bella sisters, makers of the most awesomely gorgeous jackets ever!

see?? didn't i tell ya, cute & awesomely awesome?! in person, i was blown away by the exceptional tailoring and quality of each jacket, something i don't see often in re-worked garments.

bella sisters use a minimum of 97% recycled materials in the construction of each jacket, making each piece wholly unique and eco-friendly. and did i mention the quality? a detail i totally loved was the insertion of hood and sleeve extensions, added in using pieces of old sweaters. as someone who is ALWAYS cold, those are features that will always come in handy for me. and honestly, i'm rarely an applique girl but bella sisters does them just right, using sweet organic shapes like birds and flowers in just the right way so they actually embellish instead of distract. not an easy feat, i'm guessing.

i am saving my pennies as we speak to add some bella sisters goodness to my wardrobe. pacific NW peeps, click here for a list of local retailers. everyone else, it may just be worth a trip to portland to snag one of these beauties!

this weeks inspiration: washi tape!

2010-05-28T13:24:00.000-07:00

i'm busy, busy, busy as usual but wanted to take a second to share with you what's been inspiring me this week... washi tape!

i used three different tapes, pictured at the right, to package this order

i know, i know- this stuff has been around for a while. a little late to the game, i bought my tapes during last month's crafty wonderland colossal sale from patty of tinted mint. you can see her entire selection by clicking here. well, better late than never!

made from rice paper, washi tape is an eco-friendly tape that is awesome because it is a) adorable! and b) so easy to work with... it sticks and unsticks sort of like a post-it note, leaving no residue, ready to stick again in case you messed up the first time. i chose all red & blue tapes to fit my abt arcade brand but the stuff comes in all colors and widths with quite a few prints too. definitely check it out!

have a great labor day weekend, all! i have some fun posts planned for next week so check back soon!

inspiring inspiration

2010-05-21T09:40:00.001-07:00

a few weeks ago i sat down and wrote out a huge, long draft for a post about combatting a lack of inspiration in one's life. i wrote it because i had been dealing with it myself these past five months.

as a creative individual, it's pretty lame and tiring to feel uninspired by anything because the norm, for me at least, is to find awesome inspiration most everywhere, most of the time. sure, you can't be surrounded by fantastically wonderful things 24/7, but to go through a months long slump is something i think most of us have endured and can agree really sucks.

i've decided to forgo my lengthy draft for this truncated version because for me it all boiled down to making time for things. yes, i blame a lot of my issue on how busy i've been lately with obligations i couldn't eschew. the problem is that i spent so much of my scant free time "recuperating" that i was missing out on prime inspiration!

as someone who viscously guards their free time, i instantly regretted signing up to volunteer a few hours at a local craft show recently, but i went and met some really cool people and had a really great time and reconnected with the craft community. it was just the shot in the arm i needed. now i want to volunteer ALL my free time! ok, ha ha, maybe not ALL of it, but i was really inspired by taking a peek at what i've been missing out on by staying home each spare moment i had.

so now that i'm all inspired again and working out new jewelry designs in my head, here are a few things i'm really into now-

HAND FASHION!

i started biting my nails, i don't even remember when! my mom started taking me for manicures around age six to inspire me to stop and take care of my nails but it didn't work. i was in my early twenties when i finally realized, i hate having long nails! and to me, "long" means they're approaching your finger tips. ew! it just feels wrong to me and i start gnawing on them like a wolf gnawing his leg out of a trap. terrible metaphor aside, once i started filing my nails regularly i realized, i didn't want to gnaw on them until my poor fingers were raw and practically bleeding anymore!

now i keep a file on hand and go to town once the urge to bite hits. a few years into having unbitten nails i found that they're actually a bit weak. so i started using sally hanson's hard as nails polish, which works like a charm. it occurred to me late last year however that if i'm going to make the effort to paint them with clear varnish, i might as well have fun with color! i am now OBSESSED with nail varnish. throw in this cute ladybug ring i received for my birthday and the HAND FASHION monster was born!

i'm wearing zoya varnish in 'pippa'

this is the next color i'm trying out

CORK CLUTCHES!

oh did i mention my recent birthday?? it was monday. anyhoozle, my husband's cousin gave me a fantastic gift as seen in the pages of instyle magazine- a sonia kashuk for target cosmetic brush set and- get this!- clutch purse made of CORK! how awesome & unique is that?? i love them!

not all brushes pictured, because i've used a few already

i mean seriously, a CORK clutch!

VOLUNTEERING!

one of the coolest perks of my recent volunteering stint was getting a goodie bag thank you at the end. one of the items inside was this cool badge set from bossa nova baby. as a vintage lover and cell phone hater, these badges just scream me.

thanks for thanking me!

so there you go. get out of the house and find ways to volunteer in fields you find interesting and the rest will just fall into place.

one to watch: grey anne

2010-05-03T10:36:00.000-07:00

today i want to share with you, dear readers, the portland treasure that is grey anne. it was my husband's co-worker (also named anne) who threw an easter party and brought in grey anne for dinosaur tarot readings. yup, you read that right- dinosaur tarot! or really, properly known as dino tarot.

yours truly choosing dinosaurs for my reading with grey anne

i have been an amateur tarot reader since i was 13, when a friend of my mom's gifted me a beginner's tarot deck. a few years later my grandmother got into tarot as well and has read for me on occasion. admittedly, my own delvings have been seldom and amateur but i was super impressed with my dino tarot reading! asking about my career prospects, grey anne had some surprisingly insightful meanings assigned to each dinosaur and in the end i felt she addressed all my concerns, leaving me feeling like i had clear directions for the next step in my professional life.

in talking with grey anne about how she found dino tarot, i learned that she invented it herself! now here's a seriously awesome and creative gal, i thought. i didn't even know the half of it! since researching grey anne further, i found that she writes and records achingly lovely psychedelic folk music, performing regularly around town. grey anne also helped kick-start pdx pop now!, a group dedicated to stimulating and expanding participation in portland music AND she worked as a production assistant to the art team on one of my favorite movies, coraline, which was filmed here in portland.

grey anne is definitely on my one to watch list and i am looking forward to catching one of her concerts soon. i highly suggest downloading her album 'facts n figurines' and checking out her blog, which i'm finding very inspiring right now. one recent entry introduced me to the gorgeous and surrealist art and fashion of chromium dumb belle, but really i just find it plain old inspiring to see such a creative and talented woman putting all that goodness to work.

grey anne - photo via grey anne on facebook

because we love animals!

2010-04-20T09:33:00.000-07:00

my friend bethany lives in california and is involved with a no cage, no kill six acre animal sanctuary and cat shelter in parlier, CA called The Cat House On The Kings. The Cat House has hit hard times and is in danger of being unable to provide veterinary care for their animals any longer.

to help out, i will donate 10% of all sales from my shop over the next 30 days to The Cat House On The Kings. how's that for a win-win?? score some lovely jewelry and help the animals all at once! awesome.

spring flower shop update

2010-04-13T14:56:00.000-07:00

check out my etsy shop for new spring cabbage rose & liberty rose accessories!

cabbage rose hair fascinator with lemon beads

cabbage rose hair fascinator with teal beads

liberty rose with baby blue reclaimed vintage beads - is it a brooch or hair fascinator?? buyer decides!

bandals?!

2010-03-24T09:17:00.000-07:00

i have been contemplating a post about these so-called "bandals" for a few weeks now and after my friend genevieve requested my opinion on them yesterday, i found i can no longer ignore this footwear crisis.

so just what is a bandal, you ask? it's a hybrid Boot and Sandal. silly, right?? i mean, how many times do you think to yourself, 'you know, my ankles are always so cold and yet, my toes are always so hot!' how about, oh, never!

bandals run the gamut from mild ridiculousness...

deena & ozzy, what were you thinking??

to extreme WTF-ery...

dolcetta, you should be ashamed of yourselves!

and if the fashion magazines are to be believed, this style here is the epitome of "it-girl" shoe style this spring...

madison harding , these are truly atrocious!

say it ain't so! not only do i hate the idea of ruining spring & summer looks with clunky footwear but do the fans of these shoes not see that wearing boots with peep toes and peep heels is beyond goofy?? it's like wearing sunglasses without the lenses or underwear without a crotch- oh wait, they make those even, don't they?! i think sometimes we fashion fans need to remind ourselves, just because they make it doesn't mean we need to wear it! remember ponchos?! egads! i sounded the alarms on that mess too.

my fashion motto has always been "form over function", meaning if it looks good then who cares if it's slightly uncomfortable?? well, bandals don't look good and i can't imagine grosser summer footwear because even with all that superfluous venting, i can only imagine what sort of swamp foot one will incur by the end of the day... and imagine all the stupid tans lines that will ensue!

no ladies, bandals are not cute and i can only recommend you just say no to them!!

the lie of perfumes

2010-03-19T09:50:00.001-07:00

for a good portion of my "grown up" life i have wished and wished for a signature scent. any of you who have ever picked up a fashion magazine will be all too familiar with that phrase as it's an idea that's been used to promote and push perfumes since the dawn of time... er, well, since the dawn of using magazines to market perfume anyway. the idea is this, there is a wonderful and unique scent out there for every lady and when she finds it, she will wear it every day leaving behind an ethereal scent cloud that will hypnotize men and draw the blind envy of every other lady and everyone will know she was present by the trace of lovely scents left behind. sounds awesome, right?! don't you totally want a signature scent now?! thought so.

the reality is that perfumes, for the most part, are disgusting! perhaps i have an unsophisticated nose but most perfumes- whether we're talking $10 cheapies from walgreens or $100+ decanters from posh department stores- all smell the same to me: like cloying old ladies. the alcohol base in all perfumes sizzles my nose hairs and causes immediate sinus pain which then turns into a dull headache and i don't care what notes are sworn to be in each fragrance, all i can smell is a totally pungent muddled mess that's slightly flowery, slightly soapy and close to migraine inducing. and when i say "soapy", i'm talking harsh cheap soap like irish spring or dial.

even so, every so often the marketers do their job and i think, 'oh maybe this one's different! maybe this one will be my signature scent!' most recently, i was drawn in by the charlotte gainsbourg fronted campaign for balenciaga paris. i read in vogue about how charlotte worked directly with the heads of balenciaga to create this wonderful elixir of violet and pepper notes. it sounded so rich and exotic! 'charlotte wouldn't develop and then lend her name to an inferior scent!', i delcared. i began scouring the web for info and happened upon a site that would sell me a sample for $4. i planned on buying before rushing off to an engagement. fate intervened however and i came home to my new issue of vanity fair- which upon casual flipping through, revealed a sample insert of BP! and there charlotte, looking sensual and demure all at once, worldly and smart... 'this is it', i thought, 'this is when it all changes for me!'

i opened the sample flap and rubbed that dry perfume all over my arms. was i more worldly, more chic?? i couldn't tell yet. what i could tell was that i didn't smell like violets or pepper, but like an old lady who'd be rolling around in a soapy flower garden all day. 'all hope is not lost', i thought, 'haven't i read countless times (in fashion magazines, of course) that everyone's unique body chemistry will, over time, mutate a scent into something that is their own?' yes, yes i had read that countless times! so i waited and snuck sniffs here and there and kept giving myself a pep talk, 'any time now, i'll smell lovely and will magically embody charlotte's effortless cool.' well, dear readers, it never happened. three hours later, having forgotten that i'd applied a perfume sample, i started to smell something altogether terrible and sadly realized, it was me.

in a last ditch attempt to claim BP as my signature scent, i went to my husband and instructed him to smell my arm. i thought, 'well if he likes it then it must have worked and i am just incapable of smelling my own awesomeness!' i held my breath as he sniffed and my heart sank as he reinforced what i already knew- i smelled like crappy, cheap perfume. so much so, that i pretty much immediately jumped into the shower right then and there to remove the offending odor. 'ce qui vous ont fait, charlotte?', i cried as i scrubbed.

so even though they don't come in iconic bottles to grace your bureau and impress house party looky-loos and aren't backed by reassuring marketing campaigns led by french it-girls, i think i'll stick to perfume oils as they actually smell like what they're supposed to smell like and can go on as lightly or heavily as one wishes. and most importantly, don't sizzle nostril hairs and induce head pains.

some of my favorite perfume oils can be found at sage jewelry (and honestly their vanity bottles ARE pretty lovely) and black phoenix alchemy lab.

sage jewelry roll on oil in 'onyx' - my signature scent for once and all

free nail varnish!

2010-03-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

my computer has been in and out of the shop all this month, and it's looking like it'll have to go back in on thursday so i thought i'd better update while i can!

one of my favorite nail varnish brands, zoya, is offering an awesome promotion in two free nail varnishes of your choice- you just pay the cost of shipping! use code FB7 at checkout. i ordered these two...

zoya varnish in pippa

zoya varnish in suvi

i figured i should round out my current collection of mint, teal and turquoise varnishes with some green & yellow. i was also finally able to order illamasqua's 'DWS', a true cement gray from sephora and am excitedly awaiting it's arrival.

also, if you find yourself at the mall anytime soon, stop by forever21 as they have the cutest reusable shopping bags for just $1.50! i picked this one up last week...

it's far more chic than schlepping bags with grocery store logos!

i am a trend master!

2010-02-24T19:08:00.001-08:00

just in case you doubted my trend calling abilities, see this article here sent to me by abtArcade friend and fan, ruth albert of indiana, about the macaroon.

photo by kyle samperton

not only have i been obsessed with macaroons for the last three years but they definitely overthrew cupcakes in the chambers of my heart devoted to pastry love- cupcakes being an obsession of mine long before 'sex and the city' and new york's magnolia bakery made them 'it' pastries on the scene.

so to those girls in my sophomore class who questioned my winged eyeliner and sanrio lunchbox cum purse looks only to adopt those looks themselves come junior year, i say I AM A TREND MASTER! heh.

spring 2010 trend predictions, pt. 2

2010-02-23T15:18:00.000-08:00

i'm back to wrap up my spring trend predictions. if you'll recall, yesterday i said it really boils down to two words: color and sparkle. well, i think you'll agree we covered color so let's move on to sparkle. first, let's define it: sometimes rhinestones are in, sometimes metallics, sometimes sequins and sometimes crystals... but this spring i think we'll be seeing all of it!

just like jewel tones, sparkle is usually reserved for the more somber fall and winter months, methinks to chase away gloom and liven the holiday party season. personally, i couldn't be happier to welcome some flash and sizzle to spring as well! gold, silver and bronze have got to be the prettiest neutrals around, going with literally anything. they're a nice addition to conservative outfits as well as bright spring looks.

here are some of my favorite finds...

how darling and sassy is this metallic gold bow skirt from shopruche.com?? very!

every girls needs a sequined shell like this one from jcrew.com right?!

how fun is the pink gold shade on this pencil skirt from jcrew.com?!

even small details on a conservative blouse like this one from armand basi available at theoutnet.com add some jazz

sequin detail from armand basi shirt pictured above

and how wonderful and versatile is this silver lame boat neck blouse from michael kors?? i can see it over a turtle neck & jeans or paired with a bright skirt in warmer weather - available at theoutnet.com

this lovely metallic silk blend dress from moschino cheap & chic is just crying out for a bright coral cardigan and the shoes below...

oh bright coral ribbon flats with rhinestone embellishing, how do i love thee? let me count the ways! from bodenusa.com

got an extra $2400 laying around?? i don't but that isn't stopping me from wanting this stella mccartney paillette embellished dress to wear over skinny jeans! available at theoutnet.com

these pumps from shopplasticland.com with their matte gold sheen and glass jewel detail embody it all for me!

these sandals from bodenusa.com are very similar to a pair i had years ago and i sure wore those things to death!

silver really livens up what would normally be a pretty staid driving shoe - jcrew.com

i'm really not a belt person but i would totally rock this one from shopruche.com!

yes, the headband trends is still in effect as seen here with this darling sequined bow from shopruche.com

so there you go, dear readers- the only trends that will matter this spring! sure there's some talk of military inspired garb but that's something that's been cycling through the fashion industry since the 90's (at least!) and frankly, i'm bored of it. sure, a nice napoleon jacket is always in style but dare i say, that makes it a classic and not a trend.

have fun playing with your bright colors and sparkles- i know i will!

spring 2010 trend predictions, pt. 1

2010-02-22T14:39:00.000-08:00

well life just keeps coming, keeping me mucho busy... but fear not, i haven't forgotten about you, dear readers! as promised, i am here to regale you with my trend predictions for spring 2010. in just two words here they are: color & sparkle.

let's focus on color today. traditionally spring sees a tide of baby soft shades and easter egg pastels, but not this year! and can i just tell you how happy i am for that??! happy like, whoa! never having been a fan of pastels, i predict that this year we'll see oodles of saturated berry pinks & reds, near neon blues & greens and sunny yellows. but it doesn't stop there, i've seen many a jewel tone as well! usually reserved for fall, i gladly welcome a little drama from concurrently bright and rich jewel tones. and dare i say, i want to mix them with the aforementioned near-neons!

color ho!

fuschia coat from shopplasticland.com - for those blustery spring days

available at shopplasticland.com

shopplasticland.com

lots of color and a pop of print to be found at bodenusa.com

bodenusa.com offers a gorgeous grassy green dress that would look great with either cardigan pictured below

more berry - bodenusa.com

i'm absolutely loving aqua now - bodenusa.com

sunny yellow flats are at the top of my must-have list right now - bodenusa.com

jcrew.com is big on the jewel tone berry, seen here and below

jcrew.com

shopruche.com has got a lot of jewel tone offerings, including this lovely rich citrine coat

shopruche.com

i love this rich coral skirt available at shopruche.com

these navy jewel tights will bring some gravity to an outfit of near-neons! shopruche.com

more sunny yellow at forever21.com

forever21.com

berry pink at delias.com

delias.com

bodenusa.com

so let us also discuss the trends i see related to color, namely color blocking, color mixing and pops of color as seen here...

i am totally lusting after this dress from kellylanedesign.com

kellylanedesign.com

candy pink pops on these wedges from shopplasticland.com

the red on these pumps from shopplasticland.com would look great mixed with other colors or on it's own in a purely black & white ensemble

i love the swirls of yellow in these navy sandals from shopruche.com

combo nautical / color blocked / color pop dress from delias.com

a unique take on color blocking from kellylanedesign.com

kellylanedesign.com

color blocking and pop of color at delias.com

and let us not forget this look from jcrew.com- it seems to be pretty indicative of their spring styling

and as far as i'm concerned, ballerina fashion is always in! :D

glad shopplasticland.com took this ballerina staple to color town!

lastly, in case you were wondering, plaid madness is here to stay!

another item sporting a color update from shopplasticland.com

how freaking adorable & flirty is this dress from delias.com?!

delias.com

delias.com - i am totally seeing this with a bright berry cardi!

stay tuned tomorrow for sparkle!

i'm back!

2010-02-12T14:15:00.000-08:00

wow, can it really be that i haven't had time to update at all this month?? quell horreur! i guess the saying "time flies when you're having fun" is true, though i would argue i've just been uber busy. i do have some upcoming posts planned that i'm pretty excited about, including my predictions for the upcoming spring trends, so do stayed tuned!

in the meantime, i'm overjoyed to announce that i have finally opened my etsy shop!

the main store is still up and totally operable, though my stock has been depleted somewhat due to xmas shopping and now valentines, however there are certainly still many choice goodies up for grabs! the new etsy shop will be my outlet for one-off re-stocks and items that i am compelled to make despite their not necessarily matching my seasonal collections. here's what you'll find there at the moment...

petite melange necklace

orange blossom fizz necklace

orange blossom fizz detail

creme de menthe earrings

creme de menthe detail

gumball earrings

fashion evolution: the poncho

2010-01-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

if there's one thing i will never understand or embrace, it's the poncho. poncho's have caused great consternation in my life and it's very heartening to me that they seem to have gone the way of the fashion dodo. so imagine my surprise at seeing- and LIKING- this knit cape from puma...

but you know what's going on with that cape that never is with ponchos?? proportion. proportion is key and here we see something that accents, instead of overwhelms. i like how it has been paired with a t-shirt and jeans in the pic and i can just as easily imagine it working in the work environment over slacks and blouse or cashmere sweater just as well. it serves a purpose in adding an extra layer for warmth- oh the times i've finagled my pashmina into just such a shape!- while also providing a view of the rest of the outfit in such a way that, dare i say it, creates an elongating effect. and don't even get me started on that flattering cowl neck!

so sorry ponchos, your frumpy lumpy days are over- you have evolved!

burger time!!

2010-01-18T13:31:00.000-08:00

OMG while looking up info for local burger joint, stanich's, i stumbled across the portland hamburger blog which is exactly what the name suggests. i have spent so much time drooling over the local finds as well as the burgers from faraway lands like chicago and tokyo...

just look at all these gorgeous burgers!

so i totally ate at arctic circle all the time as a kid & thought they were all extinct but apparently not! i am predicting a visit very soon!

and now penelope's getting in on the burger actions!

and after she destroyed her toy, i turned it into a burger hat that she LOVES to wear! can't you tell??

oh and if you're in portland do check out stanich's for some old time college sports decor, trivia questions on every table and delicious burgers!

sneak peek: zac posen for target

2010-01-16T11:31:00.000-08:00

via fashionista, here's a sneak peek of zac posen's upcoming collection for target, available april 25th...

elusive no more!

2010-01-15T11:52:00.000-08:00

well it only took three years of not so patient searching but yesterday the universe decided to grant me my wish for the perfect boot. perhaps you remember my criteria? while out and about i stopped into ped-x shoe shagri-la on NE alberta street on a total whim, noticing as i entered, a sign proclaiming all boots to be 20% off. awesome!

and then, there they were, the perfect boots...

i nervously picked them up and flipped them over for the price tag. and seriously, was i dreaming?! they were under $200! what's more, after the 20% discount i got my lovelies for $148 which is totally under my $150 limit. i haven't actually worn them yet (besides trying them on, of course), i'm still enthralled by their perfection and am more want to just stare at them and stroke them at this point...

...annnnd research their maker, gee wawa shoes. at first i thought, what an odd name. then i said it aloud and realized it's a play on the word chihuahua, which is apt as it seems to be an offshoot brand from one of the rocket dog founders. and while rocket dog designs are usually a bit chunky-clunky for my tastes, gee wawa footwear is much more artisanal in design and craftsmanship. i definitely recommend checking them out!

and if you're in portland, be sure to check out ped-x, it sounds like their boot sale will be going on for at least another week!

no psychedelic cheeseburgers- yet!

2010-01-12T14:16:00.000-08:00

earlier today i hit up michael's & bolt fabric boutique and got tons of ribbon. i'm currently playing with it to see what i can make for the shop while watching thu tran's psychedelically cuckoo bananas 'food party'....

'food party' is totally wacky & entertaining and is falling right in line with my current color inspirations- all of them & bright!

check it out!

designer spotlight: milly

2010-01-11T11:18:00.000-08:00

it has come to my attention that local portland boutique, mabel & zora, is expecting a shipment of milly clothing this week!

milly was launched in 2000 by FIT graduate and former hermes intern, michelle smith. milly's aesthetic is an eclectic take on elegant classics, mixing it up with color and unique details.

don't live in portland? selected milly items are available online as well (click 'go shopping').

outfit review

2010-01-08T11:09:00.001-08:00

romy sweater

gap shirt

paul & joe sister jeans

camper shoes

fugging it up??

2010-01-07T12:11:00.000-08:00

i'm a huge go fug yourself fan and i nearly always agree with heather and jessica's assessments of outfits gone terribly, terribly awry. today however, i completely disagree with their opinion of musician hayley williams' people's choice award outfit.

being completely unfamiliar with hayley, a quick google search has taught me that she's the 22 year old front lady of band paramore (& all-mighty.net favorite). i think the above look is cute, quirky & totally appropriate for her age and station. sure the shape isn't common, but it's fits her well and is a great example of modern & vintage styles coming together. it probably doesn't help that i'm a sucker for bows but guess what else? no nip slips, no crotch dangerously close to all-out exposure and her hair is clean! top that off with a classic red lip, sculpted brows and subtle jewelry and you've got a winning look!

ending the holiday hiatus

2010-01-06T10:13:00.000-08:00

it seems i've survived the holidays, i hope you have as well! i squeezed in a bit of jewelry making last month and have some new items that i'm going debut via etsy very soon... you may have noticed that my last batch of product photos were, well, awful. it's because my husband accidentally broke the bulb in one of my photo set-up lamps and i've had a bear of a time locating a replacement. i think i've cornered one though.

in the meantime, here's what i'm super excited about- the new UK based cosmetics range, illamasqua. i've never been a MAC girl, their products have always felt very poor in the quality department when i've tried them and i'm hoping illamasqua is able to meet my desire for fun, pigment rich cosmetics that wear well. i'm currently expecting a bottle of their nail varnish in 'MILF', "a vintage mint green".

photo via vampy varnish blog

the illamasqua range is currently available here and at sephora.

fascinating how-to

2009-12-24T07:18:00.000-08:00

by now i hope you're all caught up on your holiday chores. this year we've decided to stick to stocking stuffers, so very little shopping & nearly zero wrapping have been required. awesome, right? right! for me, it meant that much more time could be devoted to handmade presents (which i will post pics of once the recipients have received them).

speaking of handmade, i love love love this how-to posted over on design*sponge today- make your own hair fascinators!

fascinators are fairly easy to make- all you need are a few supplies and a decent sense of placement.

personally, i would opt for using a hair comb in most cases over a ribbon as it's more secure but i do love that hyacinth headband!

happy holidays everyone- see you next week!

my current preoccupation

2009-12-21T15:40:00.000-08:00

i heart jason segel

2009-12-16T21:06:00.001-08:00

i don't admit to it often, but one of my favorite films is jason segel's 'forgetting sarah marshall'. sure, i regularly list my favorite films as 'dear wendy', 'being there' and 'the shining'- all of which truly are favorites!- it's just that i tend to omit things like 'forgetting...' as well as films like 'teen witch' and the newest addition to my favorites list, 'caddyshack'. (as an aside, i just watched 'caddyshack' last week for the first time ever and am shocked that i managed to live up until now without seeing it. why didn't anyone tell me how good it is?!)

anyhow, not having tv, and not one to stay up late, i never catch the late late show with craig ferguson but the interwebs was all a-twitter yesterday over his 1000th episode and the fact that jason segel would be performing 'dracula's lament' (from the film 'forgetting sarah marshall' no less). fortunately, i didn't have to look too hard to find a clip of said performance and watching it just drove home the fact that i love jason segel. don't tell my husband but i'd let his dracula puppet sing to me any day. (whoa! is it just me or does that sounds kinda dirty?!)

my style hero: marissa de souza

2009-12-16T09:18:00.000-08:00

i have another super busy day ahead of me but i wanted to pop in and share one of my recent style inspirations with you. her name is marissa and she and i have been internet friends for a quite few years now. marissa hails from pennsylvania and now lives in virginia with her husband and two lovely children, annabel, 2, and leo, 5 months. i have enjoyed getting to know her, even just virtually, and being privy to her wonderful creativity and sense of style.

back when i "met" her, she was busy running a cookie club. her own invention, the cookie club entailed marissa baking a batch of cookies and sending them out to the first few email requesters. in return, the recipients would take a picture of themselves enjoying their cookies which she then posted on her blog (now defunct). it was a while ago so i can't recall just how far the cookie club reached but i do believe it went international.

her life as a wife and mother is keeping her busier than ever with no time for cookie clubs and the like but it hasn't stopped her from experimenting with style. lately i spied her boldly mixing prints & patterns, as seen here with her striped sock / leopard print flat combo...

i love it! marissa has also recently been sketching her daily outfits, as seen here...

again, she's mixing color, print & pattern in ways that would never occur to me (stripes, florals, leopard print, etc. in plums, blacks, pinks, etc) but i never the less find completely amazing. to me, it shows a real sense of humor and whimsy in her willingness to experiment and make seemingly incompatible things work together so well.

it's my opinion that marissa is an inspiration to moms everywhere- especially those who insist they can't dress well as they're too busy being moms. so while dealing with two small children (who were recently very sick!) as well as an upcoming move all while her husband was out of town, marissa is living proof that there is always time for style and self-expression. kudos marissa!

inspirations: femke hiemstra

2009-12-15T08:13:00.000-08:00

it's been a little while, huh? i've been super busy working on projects and dealing with family stuff so i haven't had time to write in what feels like forever! i'm pretty busy the rest of the week but will try to pop in with tidbits as much as i can.

today i wanted to share the work of one of my favorite contemporary artists, femke hiemstra. femke was born in the netherlands in 1974 and currently lives in amsterdam where she scours thrift shops for found objects to create her paintings on. my husband and i were lucky enough to purchase one of her prints a few years back at the roq la rue gallery in seattle. we have been obsessed with her art ever since.

i told my husband what i love most about her work is her ability to fit so much into each piece without it feeling crowded as she mixes imagery with type, as well as her ability to create such a wonderful, dreamy mood in the background landscapes with her use of colors.

'sonnambulo'

'harvester hare'

'l'arrive'

'das findling'

'the candy maker'

'death of a ghost'

'the collector'

all of these works and more can be seen with greater detail here.

roq la rue gallery is currently showing femke's work, i highly suggest checking it out if you'll be in the seattle area before the show closes january 30th.

winter warmer

2009-12-08T07:50:00.001-08:00

my husband reported for jury duty yesterday and took the bus home in the freezing cold & dark. knowing just how cold he'd be when he got home- nearly two hours later than usual- i set up a mini-bar to display the fact that i had earlier purchased all the ingredients necessary to mix up one of my favorite winter warmers.

i added a few snacks to the tray- fancy salted peanuts and sour gummy mushrooms (the gummies were a gelatin-free gift from my mom)- and voila! we had drinks and snacks while he thawed out and relaxed. all that was missing was a fire in our non-existent fireplace. it's good thing i chased away the wintery gloom with candles in each room.

allison's winter warmer

2 ounces bourbon (i use bulleit)

1.5 ounces of organic apple juice

2 ounces of ginger ale

pour into a cocktail tumbler in order listed and enjoy!

bah humbug, kinda

2009-12-07T13:58:00.000-08:00

i am very much not an xmas person. about a week before, i'll excitedly decorate the house (cos i love decorating the house!), bake some cookies, drink some cocoa made from actual milk (well, hemp milk anyway) and sometimes even send out cards. then i'm done! i don't want to hear any xmas music, i don't want to watch 'it's a wonderful life' (never seen it actually), and i certainly don't want to be wished a "happy xmas!" over and over. or at all.

that said, i'm really digging christina's creepy xmas display seen here on her blog, jamfancy.

monday musings

2009-12-07T09:45:00.000-08:00

i hope you all had a great weekend! here in portland, we've woken up to super frigid conditions. after driving my husband downtown for jury duty earlier this morning, i've yet to warm back up- even with these 20 layers i'm wearing and the heat blasting away. oh well, here's what's on my mind today...

the kids in the hall are coming back?! yes they are, and on the tail of scott thompson's cancer recovery. feel better soon, scott!!

this is an obsession totally limited to my house so until now only my husband has known how deep my love for sneaker socks runs! a gift from my aunt lucy in texas, these are the raddest, comfiest socks EVEH!

i can't wait to try this pasta with chard and chick peas recipe from the fat free vegan kitchen next week!

i watched the charlene yi and michael cera sorta documentary / sorta film 'paper heart' saturday night and was really disappointed. so far my exposure to charlene has been limited her teeny supporting role in 'knocked up' but i'm quite familiar with cera's work and thought he'd at least provide a bright spot. not so! last year's mediocre 'nick and nora's infinite playlist' is worlds better.

here's a new necklace i made for a soon to open etsy shop...

so many people have asked me if i sell on etsy or have suggested that i sell on etsy that i'm going to give it a shot. i'm making all new secondary stock and will be opening shop by the end of the week. don't worry, my current shop is still up and running!

and now i'm off to make some tea- i'm hoping that will warm me back up cos seriously, BRRR!

i heart: muse

2009-12-04T09:04:00.000-08:00

the year was 1997-ish and i was working at backstage music & video in seattle's ballard shopping district. if you're familiar with the area at all, it's back when ballard was home to elderly scandinavian people, a quiet berg with a church for each bar... and believe me, there were a lot of both!

it's a time i look back on fondly. it took me less than ten minutes to walk to work from my apartment which started it's life as a boarding house for swedish sailors at the turn of the century. i would walk past empty storefronts, artist's studios, bars and cool old apartment buildings (now all trendy boutiques, tattoo parlors and over-priced restaurants). once i clocked in, i got paid to hang out with cool people, listen to cool music and take new movie rentals home for free.

i discovered one of my all-time favorite musicians during this period and i love her just as much today as i did back then. i'm talking about takako minekawa.

takako was born in japan in 1969. she worked briefly as a child actor and developed a love of music through piano lessons and her mother's gift of a combination keyboard / calculator. after performing in a few different bands in the early 1990's (lolita, fancy face groovy name, L<->R), she released her first solo album 'chat chat' in 1994. 1997 was the year that her second solo effort, 'roomic cube' saw a US release.

it was 'roomic cube' that i found while browsing through cd's during one of my shifts. one listen was all it took to hook me- totally bass heavy, filled with sweet melodies and some of the best lyrical writing i've ever encountered. over the years i researched takako online (a new thing to me then!) and found that she was terminally adorable and cool too.

so i was listening to 'roomic cube' and 'maxi on!' yesterday when it occurred to me, 'maxi on!' was her last release and it came out in 2000. i googled her and did a lot of reading and as far as i can tell, she sort of dropped off the planet after 'maxi on!'.

i know that around that time, she married japanese electro-musician keigo oyamada, aka cornelius, with whom she has a child, named milo. so am i to assume that being a wife and mother is more than enough for our dear takako?? she is certainly entitled to be fulfilled and happy as such but it's a real loss to music lovers everywhere. what i loved about her so much was that each album she released was a new evolution of her genius. never one to rehash the old, her sound was always evolving and brilliantly so. i want to hear takako's musical vision NOW as we enter a new decade.

takako pictured with yumiko ohno of the band buffalo daughter

i haven't given up hope that someday we'll hear from her again. in the meantime i'm going to treasure my memories of discovering her music and all of the new doors it opened for me in the world of music.

takako minekawa namesake donut necklace, available here in my shop

'cloud cuckoo land' by takako minekawa

We are melting into the white cloud.

We are melting into the colors.

We are looking up the white cloud.

With white clothes and a pair of white socks on.

(Little fluffy clouds).

We are floating among the various colors.

(Little fluffy clouds).

We think about colors spending the day.

(Little fluffy clouds).

With white clothes and a pair of white socks on.

(Little fluffy clouds).

See, see, what can we see?

Beautiful colors?

We are melting into the white cloud.

We are melting into the colors.

Cloud is floating in white spectrum.

We are floating among the various colors.

(Sir Isaac Newton)"The rays are not colored."

(Thomas Merton)

"A daydream is an evasion."

(Johannes Itten)

"Objects are not colored.

(Little fluffy clouds).

The light creates the color."

"What were the skies like when we were young?"

The cloud cutting off the light is a crowd of colors.

But the cloud looks like white white white white white which means,

white is the greatest color of all!

White is the greatest color!

Greatest color!

We think about colors spending the day.

With white clothes and a pair of white socks on.

We think about philosophy of white.

But things in the head can't defeat the power of science.

We can see, it's cloudic non-sense.

See, see, what we can see?

Beautiful colors, beautiful...

OMG!

2009-12-03T09:25:00.000-08:00

on a whim just now i logged into an old email account that has been inaccessible to me for most of the year- for reasons completely unknown to me. lo and behold, it let me in! after slogging through my 189 emails, i found one from patch NYC that came two weeks ago...

they have teamed up with anthropologie to offer a small range of pillows, mugs, plus an awesome wallpaper. i can't even express how much i love these guys and what they do... but i suggest stocking up on their stuff as much as your budget allows. i know i'm now planning on winning the lottery so i can cover my entry hallway with their gorgeous wallpaper!

you can see their entire range for anthropologie here.

abt arcade holiday gift guide part 2

2009-12-02T08:45:00.000-08:00

i've only been married for three years but my husband and i dated for six years before tying the knot so i know how difficult it can be to shop for a male loved one. sometimes i think my husband is the pickiest guy alive, so stringent are his rules for just about everything he owns. i think my tales of his taking a year to research and buy a pair of shoes are now infamous within our family. so when special occasions roll around, i've got my work cut out for me. if you've got a similar man in your life, i hope my gift guide can offer some help. so here we go!

while snowboarding recently, my husband forgot to zip up his jacket pocket and whooops! found that he was down a wallet at the end of the day. taking said pickiness into account, i was shocked when he picked out a new wallet after just one visit to one store. well, not one day carrying the new wallet went by before he was complaining about it. if only he had waited, i would have gotten him this lovely from the moma store...

available here at momastore.org

my husband wouldn't be caught dead in a sweater like this but that doesn't mean you don't know anyone with a more adventurous sense of humor and style...

available here at fredflare.com

if there's one thing i know to be a universal male interest, it's gadgets. stuff this "ultimate geek pen" in your guy's stocking and soon you'll see him annoying the pets with the laser pointer and shining the light in everyone's eyes like a happy 12 year old.

available here at fredflare.com

to kill the practical and stylish with one stone, i suggest a backpack from mishkanyc which range from trendy neons to classic lumberjack plaids...

available here at mishkanyc.com

we all know someone who loves their toys just as much as when they were kids. surprise them with some vinyl kaiju action...

available here at super7store.com

a lot of the men in my life are nuts about authors dan simmons and george r. r. martin and their respective fantasy / sci-fi series. start your dad, brother, roommate or boyfriend on one or both and then tease them about reading "cat-fairy" books! at least, i tease my husband thusly- even though he swears up and down there are no fairies present, cat or otherwise.

available at amazon.com

looking to really splurge on someone special?? i love these watches at nixon and think they'd do the trick!

available here at nixonnow.com

it's my opinion that there is no better video game than super mario brothers. period. now it's true that i don't actually like video games- outside of the mario universe of course- but my opinion has been back-up by numerous hardcore gamers over the years. my husband and i got the new version just released for wii and i have to say, it may just be better than the original!

available here at barnesandnoble.com

i find that when in doubt, a nice bottle of alcohol makes a wonderful gift for those 21 and over. i recently surprised my husband with a bottle of dan aykroyd's crystal head vodka. he enjoyed a few weeks of vodka greyhounds and now we have a groovy bottle leftover.

where to purchase- as well as dan aykroyd's entertaining video explaining why he makes vodka- here

your guy not a vodka drinker? try these instead...

basil hayden bourbon, available at your local liquor store

milagro silver tequila, available at your local liquor store

hendrick's scottish gin, available at your local liquor store

arrogant bastard ale, available at most grocery stores in oregon & washington or scour your local grocery / liquor store for a fancy 22 ounce bottle of beer

back to stocking stuffers, who doesn't love mustaches these days?? regardless if the man in your life already has one or not, stick this multi-pack in his stocking for laughs.

available here at amazon.com

in my experience, men don't mind taking care of their skin, they just need a few hard nudges and some advice on the subject. i like how kiehl's recently teamed up with the artist, KAWS, to adorn their creme de corps body lotion with cool art. with 100% of the proceeds going to benefit RxART, it's an all around feel good gift.

available here at kiehls.com

when in doubt, i've found that most men are very open to receiving gift cards. try these retailers and let your dude's pick out their own gifts this year.

available at benshermanusa.com

other places to get gift cards:

that's it- happy shopping!

abt arcade holiday gift guide part 1

2009-12-01T08:26:00.000-08:00

everyone is posting gift guides lately and who am i to deny you my thoughts on the subject?? today i'm focusing on the ladies. below you will find my ideas ranging from practical to the not-so-practical and everything in between. yay!

i wanted to start off with this super economical and adorable earring multi-pack from crowded teeth. i mean, six pairs of adorable earrings for $16!! you can make one lucky girl super happy with all 6 pairs or split them up and make six girls happy to really get your moneys worth.

available here at fredflare.com

another great option for the lady in your life- be it sister, wife, girlfriend or bestie- is this whimsical kitty scarf. personally, i never wear pink and am not the biggest fan of cats BUT once i saw this scarf i fell in love: pink cats? yes please!

available here at fredflare.com

we all need to reduce our usage of plastic and what better way to help out a friend or loved one than with this lovely eco shopping bag and matching pouch??

available here at all-mighty.net

help your friend get her black forest on with this adorable suspender tee from dainty june!

available here at all-mighty.net

a quick, inexpensive and fun gift for art lovers? find a cool letterpress card and frame it using an inexpensive frame from a thrift or dollar store. viola! i love this card and envision in it a simple frame painted white- or lipstick red!

available here at all-mighty.net

why not stuff stockings with stockings?? as the weather turns colder, i find myself becoming obsessed with socks. i can just imagine the cheer this pair from betsey johnson will impart on a cold, dark day.

available here at shopruche.com

looking to spoil someone a little bit?? i can't think of anything more economically spoil-worthy than this cashmere hooded sweater scarf for only $46!

available here at shopruche.com

plaid is all the rage these days and i'm loving the many variations delia's is offering up now, all for under $30 a pop.

available here at delias.com

i guarantee the cooks in your life will love these gorgeous bowls, just right for cooking prep AND display.

available here at gleenashop

a splurge that's well worth it are candles from sage jewelry. i have had my onyx candle for three years now and still swoon whenever it's lit. in fact, it's lasted so long because often times i need only take the lid off to fill the room with it's heady and delicious black coconut, oak moss, tobacco leaf & vanilla scent.

available here at sagejewelry.com

how about an 80's movie night?? fill a box or basket with popcorn (or cornuts!), candy, TAB and a few of her favorite dvd's. some of my faves include...

all available on amazon.com

know a lady with a sweet tooth? you can try your hand at making some salted caramels or if you're short on time, pick up a box of these chocolate enrobed salted caramels by fran's.

available here at sur la table

what about lessons? has your lady friend been itching to sew, knit, cook, brush up on her french or learn to salsa?? cover her first lesson or two to get her started.

and finally, what better gift for the lady in your life than some gorgeous abt arcade jewelry?? earrings, bracelets and necklaces for every occasion- and reasonably priced! how can you beat that??

available here in my shop

stay tuned, tomorrow i'll tackle the guys!

discount!

2009-11-30T07:58:00.000-08:00

happy cyber monday- today only, use discount code "happy" at checkout to save 10% on your abt arcade jewelry purchase!

happy shopping!

getting ready to finish out a great holiday weekend

2009-11-27T20:06:00.000-08:00

i'm just back from my mom's in astoria, where we made a wonderfully moist turkey, coconut cinnamon sweet potatoes and broiled veggies with balsamic vinegar. i actually got up at 5:00 this morning and joined my mom in some doorbusters sale shopping. my first time ever! i'm kinda running on empty here but wanted to share a few things...

my current lust:

trina turk shiro jacket in abstract houndstooth

(discount code "monday" used at checkout earns you an additional 50% off sale items now through 12/2!)

art i'm looking forward to checking out tomorrow with my husband:

china design now at the portland art museum

the horror show at compound gallery

art i wish i could go see:

one of many of christina gordon's contributions to the luvable & hugable plush show at gallery hanahou in NYC

ok, that's it. have a great weekend!- and don't forget to check out the new items added to my shop just this last wednesday. toodles!

update done!

2009-11-25T12:02:00.000-08:00

just in time for pre- AND post-thanksgiving shopping, i have updated my shop with all new items!

the charlotte gainsbourg necklace

the rita hayworth bracelet

the zooey 2 necklace

the georgia o'keefe petite bracelet

plus macaroon necklaces are back!

all orders made between today and sunday will ship monday.

happy thanksgiving everyone!!

my all-time favorite jam sessions!

2009-11-23T07:27:00.001-08:00

i am still hard at work on new items for the shop and am aiming at updating wednesday AM. in the meantime, i decided to compile some of my recent all-time favorite jam sessions for you... and in case you were wondering, "all-time favorite jam session" is my expression for something that is awesome, ie. "that show 'parks & recreation' is my new all-time favorite jam session". so here we go!

via go fug yourself, some dude has turned his garage into a full on replica of a first-class pan am air cabin. my grandmother used to be a PR rep for pan am and they hold a special little place in my heart. good job, dude!

friday night i hit up local club rotture to see my favorite band with two of my favorite people. the band? glass candy. they and openers, boy joy, rocked the house and i left a very happy lady. click here to check out glass candy and here to check out boy joy.

me and my cousin-in-law, alyse, at rotture

ida no and johnny jewel of glass candy

continuing on the music theme, check out this week's allez allez mix, courtesy of rev milo speedwagon. featuring people, caravan, ennio morricone, led zeppelin and more, it's pretty awesome and was a great mellow-out after glass candy!

sadly, i gave up on marc jacobs clothing years ago, his accessories remain gorgeous sources of inspiration and lust... behold the gallery of "special items" for pops of color and whimsy.

while i rarely neglect my pedicure, i've never been much of a manicure girl. lately though, i've been painting my short nails and love it! it definitely cuts down on my nail biting and finger fidgets- i wouldn't want to ruin my paint job after all. the shade i'm totally obsessing over- and am wearing as i type- is OPI for sephora's 'ocean love potion'...

i've also got a bottle of OPI for sephora in 'dark room', a green so dark it's nearly black. given my penchant for wearing seasonal opposites, i think i'll save it for next spring...

and lastly, i am in love with my new GAP mixed stripe waffle-knit tees! i have one in red/white and one in grey/black and want to go back for one in navy/white. unfortunately, the website's photos are terrible and totally off on colors available in-store but trust me, these are the cutest, coziest tees eveh!

have a lovely week everyone, i hope to be posting once more on wednesday to let you know new lovelies are up in the shop. toodleooo!

busy week!!

2009-11-18T08:41:00.000-08:00

posting may be light the rest of the week, after a month of waiting on back-ordered supplies they've all come in at once and i'm busy making jewelry so i can update my shop in time for post-thanksgiving xmas shopping! in fact, i hope to make my update early next week. expect more macaroon necklaces, new bracelets and more!

so i'll just be sitting here, working away while i watch 'the riches' & 'parks & recreation' on hulu and break occasionally to play with my pup, penelope.

have a great week everyone!

style spotlight: anja verdugo of clever nettle vintage

2009-11-17T07:31:00.000-08:00

today i'm very excited to share my recent interview with anja verdugo of clever nettle vintage. anja has been an internet acquaintance of mine for a few years and i've watched as she moved here to portland, started her successful vintage clothing shop, clever nettle and everything in between.

aside from curating her ever-changing shop collection, anja is also a budding painter and illustrator, showing her nature and fashion inspired work in local galleries such as together gallery. she also produces zines about such topics as her trip to norway and her hilarious take on the b-grade horror flick, 'shrooms'. another current offering is the humorous and unique 'the billuminati - portraits of a secret society', nine portraits of well-known bill's & william's styled as secret society members.

'billuminati' member, bill murray, in progress

multi-media illustration

anja illustrates one of her favorite pastimes

being an ardent vintage fan myself, i recognized pretty early on that anja has a wonderful eye and consistently stocks her shop with unique and hard-to-find items. i wanted to know more about her aesthetic and her history of vintage love. here she answers my questions...

1. have you always been drawn to vintage fashion? when did you start to define your style using mostly vintage clothing?

I think my love for vintage clothing started as a love for things that were somewhat fantastical or out of this world. I was a kid who was really into my box of dress up clothing, and storybooks with fancy illustrations. My mom always took me to thrift stores when I was young, and vintage clothing always stood out as the unusual, magical items that came from another time and place.

2. what is your favorite era stylistically?

My preferences are often changing, but I think the 20's will always be my true favorite. If I had to pick a room full of a certain era of clothing to explore, I'd definitely pick the 20's leading into the 30's. The things they did with tiny pleats and stitches continues to blow my mind. I love art deco-inspired clothing design and weird patterns, which is why I also love the 60's. I just wish they didn't use so much polyester!

3. how has your style changed as you've gotten older? do you find that your taste in certain era's changes or has it always been pretty consistent for you?

It's not very common to run into 20's and 30's dresses in the thrift store, so if you're shopping more casually the vintage that you'll be seeing is usually from the 60's or newer (at least, in my experience!), so I used to wear a lot of those. I keep turning the clothing clock back more and more, trying to find wearable and awesome pieces from the early 1900's or even before if I can! I get kind of paranoid when wearing really old things since they can be so delicate, I don't want to spill anything on them or catch a thread because it's easy to ruin something that old. Right now I'm finding myself drawn to vintage that is durable, comfortable and soft, while still fitting into my style!

4. having grown up in canada, have you noticed much, if any, difference in style between canadian vintage vs. US vintage (or even norwegian... did you thrift at all when there)?

As far as I understand, second-hand stores don't really exist in Norway. I think my husband managed to find some second-hand pants somewhere, but I forget how that happened. I saw a few vintage dresses in a shop in Bergen but they were all over $100 each! And they weren't even that exciting, just normal vintage. The thrift scene in Canada is pretty similar to the one here in the states, but I'm still mourning a few garbage bags worth of Canadian vintage dresses that I lost when I moved to the US. I loved the Value Village out in Burnaby, but I think it closed down. I bought the most amazing couch there! It had a spinning liquor cabinet in the center.

5. does your affinity for vintage clothing impact your life in other ways beyond fashion (ie, home decor, special collections, activities, etc)?

Old things are pretty special to me. It's so weird to imagine the life of an object prior to finding it in a thrift store, because the possibilities are totally endless! It could have belonged to anyone, it could have seen anything. I have old paintings and photos of strangers in my home, old furniture and mugs and instruments. I want my home to be like a comfortable museum. I always feel so antsy in museums or estates that have all those incredible rooms roped off, I just want to hang out in there with all that awesome old stuff!

6. i know you also work on art projects such as paintings, illustrations and zines- how does vintage fashion inspire your art work?

I started a series of paintings that are very directly inspired by vintage fashion, because the paintings are all of dresses and other old clothing (mostly from the 20's - 30's) that I find on ebay but can't afford to bid on. They're fun to do, and it gives me a cool way to have the clothing without actually having to spend a dime. It also feels like a neat way to repurpose crappy quality ebay photos into something nicer.

7. what's your ultimate dream find?

Personal collections speak very loudly to me. In some ways, I've already found my ultimate dream find a few times! I went to an amazing estate sale at the home of a woman who was named Betty Jayne McIntosh, and they were selling bins of old photo albums and scrapbooks from her early days as a ballet dancer in the 20's. She was a professional ballerina and had this huge, amazing closet and all kinds of great things. I couldn't afford to buy the scrapbooks, but my friend Vivienne got them and she has many of them scanned on her flickr (http://flickr.com/photos/doublevivienne/). I bought a few dresses, a bookshelf and some photos (also scanned in!). I've been to other estate sales that had cool collections too, like a lady who owned tons of irons, drawers and drawers full of all different sizes of scissors, millions of cute little handkerchiefs... I suppose I could sum up this answer by saying that my ultimate dream find is getting to snoop around amazing houses full of vintage items that all belonged to one person or household. I have dreams about this too, sometimes I'll even discover entire empty towns of homes that are filled with cool old things, but often I will wake up before I get a chance to really explore.

anja modeling some of her recent stock

to check out anja's shop, blog and more, click here!

busy day!!

2009-11-16T12:35:00.001-08:00

unfortunately, i don't have much time to write today as i'm cooking a moroccan spiced chicken & sweet potato stew for my lunches this week as well as a lentil, kale & sausage soup for dinner tonight. annnnnd brownies (from scratch!) if i can fit them in.

after a full week of vegan lunches, it feels a little weird adding chicken back into the mix!

please check back late AM / early afternoon tomorrow as i have a rather large post coming up featuring local vintage maven, anja verdugo of clever nettle vintage!

kate spade works hand-in-hand with war survivors

2009-11-12T08:07:00.000-08:00

this year my favorite color combination has definitely been lipstick red & navy blue. in my recent search for new winter wear, i came across these gorgeous (and practical!) accessories over at kate spade...

honestly, the prices are a bit steep for my budget ($95 for mittens and $125 for scarves, respectively) but when i learned that they're the product of kate's partnership with women for women international, i decided they're worth it.

currently, kate employs 300 bosnian women who have survived the war but find their prospects grim. as kate spade employees, these women earn $7-$15 per item made, which is double normal comparable wages in the region. says the company, "we're proud to partner with women for women international, an extraordinary organization helping women in war-torn countries. through our hand-in-hand program, we offer employment to survivors of violence and conflict, providing direct aid as they work to rebuild their lives, taking their first steps toward a bright new future".

and just look, our pups can get in on the action too!

click here for more info and to shop kate's hand-in-hand collection.

holiday fabrics

2009-11-11T09:48:00.000-08:00

i know it's a bit early for holiday stuff... i am seriously one of those people that sees red when the halloween displays are crowded by xmas decorations before halloween has even come to pass. buuuut, i have come across some lovely holiday themed fabrics lately and just had to share. especially since some are on pre-holiday sale now!

first up is one of my favorites, marimekko, also 15% off at textile arts now through 11/22...

next up is olive manna by natalie jost. natalie's fabrics are something i discovered on twitter last week and i am loving her holiday appropriate prints right now...

and so we don't get too ahead of ourselves, olive manna also has some cute fall themed fabrics that would make wonderful thanksgiving table linens...

and lastly, but not leastly, amy butler's fabrics- new & old- are just screaming thanksgiving to me...

my favorite!

2009-11-09T08:10:00.000-08:00

if there were ever a time when i wished that i lived in tennessee, this is it. after re-launching this summer, clothing line, favorite, is debuting it's fall line november 12th in nashville. favorite is a line, so far, of lovely skirts and tee's created by genifer goodman sohr who previously led creative development for major retailers including victoria's secret, old navy & oilily.

check out these sneak peek fall shots and you'll know why i'm sad to be missing the party- and chance to snap up favorite's skirts & tees (very reasonably priced at $44 & $18).

so if you happen to be in nashville on the 12th, check it out! or if you have fashion savvy friends in nashville, spread the word! more details here.

in the meantime, i'll just have to hope that items will be available soon in favorite's etsy shop.

ein, zwei... die!

2009-11-05T15:34:00.000-08:00

holy moly! i just saw this trailer and had to come add it to my netflix queue ASAP. no word on when it'll be on DVD but i hope it's soon cos this looks like it might just be the best film of all time!

one of my many obsessions

2009-11-05T09:47:00.000-08:00

it was may 2007 when i left the continent for the first time, bound for europe. after long deliberation (i was married in october 2006) my husband and i decided on paris for our honeymoon destination. before we left, i asked a very worldly and well-traveled friend for things to check out while in the city of lights. on her list of must-sees was famed patisserie & tea house, laduree.

before we left, i looked up addresses for laduree and chose the location closest to where we were staying in the latin quarter. when we searched it out, it turned out it was not a shop but offices only. i was bummed all day! not yet aware of how prolific laduree is in paris, i was shocked and delighted to see a shop as we strolled the champs elysees.

upon entering, i felt i had died and gone to heaven itself. in fact, i recently told my husband that laduree is definitely where i want to spend my eternal afterlife. it was the most opulent, posh and colorfully fun place i've ever seen. one side was a patisserie overflowing with brioche, rainbow colored macaroons and elaborate pastries while the other side was a terrifically upscale tea room.

you might have noticed on that sidebar over there that i mention my penchant for psychedelic cheeseburger art and well, in my brain at least, macaroons resemble petite multi-hued cheeseburgers. obviously they don't taste a thing like cheeseburgers- they're even better! my eyes as large as saucers, i stocked up on a box full of rose and salted caramel macaroons, a religieuses de violette, a bollywood grenadine & box of truffles stamped with a portrait of a french bulldog who more than slightly resembles my own pup, penelope.

the religieuses de violette & bollywood grenadine after being carted in a box all day and nibbled upon

and there, is where my macaroon obsession began. thankfully, portland is home to the wonderful pix patisserie and they make macaroons nearly as delicious as those made by laduree. however, i do miss the exquisite packaging laduree is known for. remember my bulldog embossed truffle box? apparently they switch up themes depending on the season meaning i miss out on new editions such as this one (laduree also has a gorgeous and ever-changing line of accessories including things like brioche scented candles, macaroon printed tote bags, pastry printed umbrellas and more (and no, they don't offer mail order))...

really though, it all comes back to the macaroons. i want to surround myself with a rainbow of macaroons in every fantastic flavor (including but not limited to the aforementioned salted caramel & rose flavors, as well as pistachio, violet, whiskey, vanilla, orange blossom, licorice, mint and on and on). i want towers and bowls and plates of them on my every table, i want pop art posters of them on my walls AND i want lovely macaroon jewels i can wear around my neck.

oh wait, i took care of that last one!

made in an edition of one only, my julie budet necklace sold out of the shop quickly. immediately afterwards i received many emails proclaiming the need for more macaroon jewels! sadly, my charm source was out of macaroons... but at long last, i have a shipment of six charm sets on it's way to me now. soon you'll have the chance to have your macaroons and wear them too.

le sejour a accorde!

elusive boots

2009-11-04T11:13:00.000-08:00

the year before last i started what was to become one of the most frustrating and ultimately fruitless quests of my life. the goal? find black leather, flat-soled boots for winter. something i can wear dressed up with a skirt or dressed down with jeans while keeping my feet warm & dry in the rain. i hear you- not impossible at all, you're saying. here's the catch, for under $150. i'm on a serious budget peeps! and i know exactly what i want and it doesn't include chunky soles, pleather or bubble toes.

so imagine my heart break at finding these lovelies this morning... for $348.

and that's the issue. either heels are in and everything in my budget is a high-heeled boot, which i already own two pairs of (they're not good in slick rainy / icy conditions) or the toes & heels are encased in chunky, rounded-off rubber. to which i say, i am not four years old- i'd just like some simple, classic, sleek, real leather boots please. and not for $200+.

so the hunt continues...

last thursday art

2009-10-29T08:48:00.000-07:00

good morning all! i have a very busy day ahead of me today but i wanted to let you portlanders know about my friend anja's art show 'the mountains and hills will burst into song' tonight at the together gallery on 29th & alberta. other artists being shown are julianna swaney, rebecca artemisa and sarah mcneil. it starts at 6 pm so stop by and check it out!

reviewing my week as a vegan

2009-10-28T10:47:00.000-07:00

last thursday i committed myself to a vegan diet for one week. today is my last day in that week and i wanted to reflect on how it's all gone. as you may know i wrote about the first day, citing my health issues and desire to improve my diet. i had just had my vegan breakfast and loved it. so what's happened since then?

to start, i have been making and eating food made from recipes via naomi rose of the gluttonous vegan, supplementing here and there with vegan snacks from the store (mostly pita chips and hummus). i did eat out three times, two of those times to good results. all i can say about the third is, please avoid taco time if you're vegan. the veggie burrito minus cheese & sour cream is just just awful- goopy beans rolled up with iceberg lettuce and a smidge of diced tomatoes. oh and sunflower seeds! i mean, really? in a burrito?? i could barely choke it down. that said, i did learn that two of my favorite local haunts, dot's cafe & por que no taqueria, offer some really delicious vegan options.

my typical vegan lunch

back to the food i made with help from the gluttonous vegan- it was all really, really good! and very easy as well. in fact, some of the recipes were the quickest and simplest i've ever come across. i started with the beany stew over baked potatoes. i've made stews before, usually in my slow cooker and with beef and let me tell you, it's at least 30+ minutes of prep alone and then you have to stir everything constantly so that the beef doesn't sit against the hot cookery sides too long and burn, ruining the flavor. so i was shocked when TGV's stew had about 5 minutes of prep and was finished and ready to eat in only 45 minutes, with very little stirring. i was surprised that so simple a recipe could have such a wonderful flavor, but it did- much better than any of the beef stews i've made. i'll definitely be making it again.

the next recipe i tackled was TGV's sweet potato soup. honestly, i've only ever had sweet potatoes french fried before and was curious as to how such a soup would turn out. again, it was such an easy recipe! maybe 10 minutes of prep plus ten minutes of frying and fifteen minutes of simmering before throwing it in the blender and voila! soup! i've made soup before and the recipes i used then were two hour ordeals. two hour ordeals that usually ended with me adding heaps and heaps of salt to impart some flavor. the result of the sweet potato soup was wonderful. it was velvety, lightly spicy and had a wonderful slightly sweet (probably due to the cinnamon) but rich flavor. my husband, who normally doesn't like soups due to his lumberjack appetite, enjoyed it quite a bit and proclaimed he would probably like to have the left-overs, which truly shocked me. you should have seen his face when i informed him we were having vegan sweet potato soup for dinner- and here he is wanting more.

i guess i should have mentioned before that as i embarked on this journey, naomi rose was kind enough to listen to my concerns (i didn't want to eat margarine at all or soy products more than necessary) and tailor a shopping list and recipes for me. she listed a porridge recipe for my breakfasts which i love love love! and mentioned that i might want to grab some veggie burgers for lazy days. naomi rose also emailed me every few days to see how things were going and offer advice when i had any issue at all. she even customized a cake recipe for me when certain ingredients were out of stock at my grocery. i hate to admit that i never made the cake because i found some fantastic vegan mini-donuts at the store instead.

moving past the fact that vegan food can be easy to make and very yummy, how did i feel giving up the main items in my diet- meats, cheeses and eggs? physically, it's been great. another concern i had when starting this was that the food wouldn't be filling enough. as someone who suffers from hypoglycemia and sometimes anemia and who usually feels like she can't get enough protein from meat, i think my biggest concern was that i would be constantly starving. and the truth of it was, i wasn't. i'd say i felt just as full, if sometimes not more so, than when i'd eat a turkey sandwich with cheese or salmon on lightly buttered toast, or even a cheeseburger. i have to admit that i feel this diet kept my blood sugar levels much more constant and even than i've maybe ever experienced before. i think i also mentioned my sinus issues in my first post? well, i have noticed that my congestion has decreased quite a bit. in fact, i had two beers last night and have noticed this morning that my congestion is worse than it's been all week. i then realized that i must have been missing out on the inflammatory effects of meat & cheese. the result has been that i've been able to decrease the amount of medication i take to deal with my sinus congestion.

now how about the mental aspects of giving up meats, cheeses & eggs? i have to admit that i did struggle there. as someone who's mainstays have been meat, cheese & bread their entire life, my body is used to certain things, like beef tacos, chicken nachos & cheeseburgers. yes, i did crave all of these items. my third day in was especially hard and all i could think about were tacos and nachos and it was driving me crazy. not because i was hungry, but because my body is used to ingesting these items on a weekly basis and didn't understand why they weren't forthcoming. (this is why i ended up at taco time with the grossest burrito ever.) i pushed forward though. it took tremendous willpower as i did sit there thinking to myself, oh who cares! i'm a big girl, i can eat whatever i want! and i had to kick the willpower into over-drive when i decorated the house for halloween, part of which involved filling a glittered owl head with candy corns- one of my favorite candies. realizing they are probably made with gelatin, i crossed my fingers and read the ingredients list. my heart sank when i saw that yes, they do indeed contain gelatin. they've been sitting on my dining room table ever since, taunting me. i kept thinking, it's such a small thing! surely such a tiny thing won't matter. but i knew it would, at least in principal, and have stayed away.

the taunting owl head

lastly, the two things i was really looking for in this diet were weight loss and increased energy. so how has that been? it's a mixed bag. as of today, i haven't lost a single pound. even so, i FEEL lighter. perhaps i'm retaining less water than usual? regarding my energy levels, i've noticed that they have increased slightly. in fact, just enough so that i have begun exercising. this is actually pretty awesome as i've been a rather sedentary person my whole life and usually abhor exercise, even though the more i do it the better i feel. while i'm in a healthy weight range for my height and don't NEED to lose weight, i feel that dropping a few pounds would make me more comfortable and i've seen that continuing in this vein will probably lead me there over time.

in the end, i've learned first hand that a vegan diet can be extremely beneficial to one's health and not difficult to implement. while it's not something i am going to adopt full-time, i have decided to work towards eating vegan food the majority of the time, meaning vegan breakfasts, lunches, snacks and the occasional dinner will become part of my every day life. this will reduce my meat consumption to perhaps, 2-4 times a week instead of my normal 2-3 times a day. i gave up cow's milk and pork products as part of my diet 13 years ago and see this as the next step in my evolution towards becoming a healthier and more animal-friendly me.

thanks again to the awesome naomi rose!! you can visit her website, the gluttonous vegan, for many amazing recipes and how-to's.

closet confidential book launch party- and you're invited!

2009-10-27T07:10:00.000-07:00

perhaps you've heard already? my friend and fellow blogger, winona, of daddy likey has a new book out!

perhaps you haven't heard that there's going to be a book launch party extravaganza on thursday, november 5th at the mabel & zora boutique in the pearl district. but there is! and you should come!

word on the streets is, winona will be there signing books AND mabel & zora is offering 15% off any one item purchased during the event.

click here for details & to RSVP.

because it's been a while since my last musics post...

2009-10-26T13:42:00.000-07:00

... and because halloween is my favorite holiday EVER and because i'm like a giddy child this week, watching horror films- good and bad- and gorging on candy corn (well, i will be once thursday rolls around and my week as a vegan ends), i was delighted to find this awesome sleepy hollow themed song courtesy of mad decent and had to share...

click here to listen.

i also highly suggest mad decent's podcasts if you're at all into hip-hop and reggae. and when i say "hip-hop" & "reggae", i mean the really good stuff!!

now i'm off to the drug store to get me some fake blood.

indie designer spotlight: kate dolamore of pencilshavings.net

2009-10-26T09:40:00.000-07:00

i stumbled across kate dolamore & her work quite some time ago. i've been meaning to share her and am finally getting around to it. why should you check her out? her work spans paintings & crafts and is oh so charming. some of my favorites are her birds with found objects, rendered in prints, note cards & tote bags.

definitely check out kate's etsy shop this holiday season for prints, magnets, cards and more!

shop update!

2009-10-23T07:40:00.000-07:00

before i bid you all good weekend, i forgot to mention that i added three new items to my shop this week and more is coming soon! ok, have a good weekend everyone!

designer spotlight: eley kishimoto

2009-10-23T07:23:00.000-07:00

seems like it was ages ago when i first took notice of UK design team eley kishimoto. a quick look-up on wikipedia tells me they popped up in the early 90's and while i believe it, i can't believe a fashion house has kept my adoration for so long!

the fact is, i am LOVING their autumn/winter 2009-2010 collection, titled jet set masala. the season perfect colors, the indian influences (check out that sari inspired dress!), the wonderful prints they're famous for... and to round it out i've thrown in some of their drool-worthy shoes from a previous collection (all available on overstock.com). enjoy!

week long vegan: day one

2009-10-22T08:28:00.001-07:00

inspired by diana of our.city.lights and the recipes of naomi rose of thegluttonousvegan.com, i have decided to take the week long vegan diet challenge. i suppose you could say diana was the first to do it and her results were awe inspiring... no cheeseburger cravings? 8+ pound weight loss? more energy?? sign me up!

for the last, oh i dunno, 10 years of my life i've suffered from acne, chronic sinus issues, hypoglycemia and very low energy. i've always wondered if / suspected that maybe my diet was at least partially to blame. last year i began seeing a naturopathic doctor who had me try a dairy-free diet for three weeks. towards the end of the three weeks i thought that yes, perhaps my sinus congestion / pain had decreased a bit but i convinced myself it wasn't for lack of dairy and resumed my 1-4 dairy servings a day habit.

since then i've read many articles and books on the subject of modern diets & food production, including michael pollan's 'in defense of food', and have surmised that while i don't eat terribly, i really could make some improvements that just might affect my health for the better. after i read diana's account of her week as a vegan, i knew i had to give it a try.

with naomi rose's wonderful help, i set out yesterday with a meal plan and shopping list. everything she planned for me sounded great but the fast food addict in the back of my brain was skeptical. this morning i prepared my porridge thinking i'd have to keep adding more and more honey in order to just choke it down- my usual experience with oatmeals anyway- and was shocked when nope, one spoonful of honey was all it took for me to get on twitter and rave about my porridge. yes, porridge.

so here i am, just barely into day one and am already stuffed to the gills on porridge and looking forward to today's lunch of veggie burger & spinach salad and tonight's dinner of beany stew over baked potatoes!

winter brights

2009-10-20T09:43:00.000-07:00

due to my olive skin tone, under no circumstances can i wear yellow or orange. if i do, i instantly look like i'm on my death bed. it's a total shame because yellow and orange are two of my favorite colors.

so imagine my joy when i find bright citrus-hued accessories that need be no where near my face! i am loving j.crew's silk satin fiore clutch, which is currently on sale. i think it's the perfect pop of gorgeous color to brighten up gloomy winter evenings out.

in pictures: my october thus far

2009-10-16T11:55:00.000-07:00

a friendly chilling out on the side of my house

a super gorgeous fall sunset

artichokes left to flower

anniversary gift from my husband (of three years!)

fabric which i have since sewn into curtains

feeling lucky??

2009-10-16T09:36:00.000-07:00

in case you missed it, i have teamed up with my friend and fellow blogger, winona, of daddy likey blog to offer up some of my jewelry for a giveaway promotion for her new book, 'closet confidential'.

please head over to winona's blog for an exclusive excerpt from her book and the chance to win a necklace and earring set handmade by yours truly. better hurry, she's choosing a winner on monday!

ps. stay tuned next week as i'll be updating the shop with a few new pieces!

fashion love/hate

2009-10-14T09:49:00.000-07:00

ever since H&M hit US shores for the first time in new york city, i've had a love/hate relationship with the discount fashion chain. living in oregon, i wasn't able to experience H&M until i went on vacation to NYC. it was great: two stories of on-trend, affordable clothing. yay, right? well, it wasn't until i went to paris a few years later that i got to shop at H&M for a second time.

last year, a branch opened in seattle which i checked out while visiting family for the holidays. again, i found lots of cute pieces for very little cash. the complaint is, seattle is three hours from where i live in portland and i only got to shop at H&M for a third time while i was in europe this summer. not convenient at all!

and all the while, i've been checking out H&M's website, hoping for the ability to shop online- an ability europeans are given even though H&M is to europe and fashion as starbucks is to the US and coffee. not fair, H&M!

so imagine my delight- and dismay- at seeing this lovely H&M ballet inspired tutu dress in the closet of a fellow poupee girl today. ballet inspired clothing has been big for me this year, having seen me raid the local dance shop for shrugs & leggings. and let's not forget my years-long penchant for ballet flats. though completely fantastical for my lifestyle, i would love the opportunity to own this frothy little number.

well, i guess like in times past when H&M collaborated with big name fashion designers, i'll just have to turn the other way and forget about it.

interview and new book from winona of daddy likey blog

2009-10-13T12:27:00.000-07:00

hi all! sorry to be so light on the posting lately- my beloved grandfather very unexpectedly passed away last week and i am busy with family stuff.

in the meantime, please check out this interview with my friend and fellow blogger, winona dimeo-ediger, who also has a new style book out!

click here to check it out.

i heart: muse

2009-10-06T11:55:00.000-07:00

from 'maude' to 'the golden girls', everyone knows and loves bea arthur. to me, 'outspoken', 'strong', 'funny', 'intelligent' and 'stylish' are all words that not only describe bea's characters, but she herself.

like me, bea is a taurus, born may 13th, 1922. as i mentioned, she's best known for her tv work but she also sang and danced on broadway, earning herself a tony award in 1966. throughout her life, bea was an outspoken supporter of the LGTB community as well as a supporter of animal rights. a girl after my own heart truly!

bea passed earlier this year but the mark she made in both the performing arts and pop culture worlds will be everlasting.

while making her namesake necklace for my fall collection, i wasn't sure who to name it after. once i saw the finished product however, there was no doubt in my mind that the bold, retro/modern design could be named after no one but bea.

secret show!

2009-10-02T08:35:00.000-07:00

here in portland the time for everyone to show their fashion lines is upon us. i won't be making it to portland fashion week this year, however i have found there are extremely exciting alternatives coming up. one such show is 'the procession' presented by pinkham millinery.

pinkham millinery has definitely piqued my interest by keeping the show's location secret. in order to attend, you must RSVP to receive an email on october 7th, revealing the show's whereabouts. see below for details and get your RSVP in toot sweet!

and in the meantime, be sure to check out pinkham's website for some of the most gorgeous hats i've seen in a long while!

who doesn't love a giveaway??

2009-10-01T07:22:00.001-07:00

you could win these earrings!

abt Arcade jane birkin earrings

check out my facebook page for giveaway details.

my classic horror film recommendations

2009-09-30T11:53:00.000-07:00

it's no secret to anyone who knows me that i am a huge supernatural horror enthusiast. ever since the age of 13, when i convinced my parents i was old enough to watch scary movies, i have been enthralled by them. it's not quite october yet but as of yesterday there is a new, crisp chill in the air and that means one thing to me- bring on the horror! the spookier & creepier, the better.

and it's with that spirit that i've decided to compile a list of my all time favorite horror films for you. some are pretty well known, others maybe not so much...

i decided to start the list with 'phantasm' as it's one of the goofier films on my list. while it holds lots of creepy promise at the start, with otherworldly beings transporting corpses to their world, it quickly dissolves into a dis-jointed romp of occasional creepy images, hippy jam sessions and tall men staring at you menacingly from ice cream trucks. in other words, it's freaking awesome!

and on to john carpenter's 'halloween'. i consider it an all-time classic film in it's mysterious villain and spooky atmosphere building up to some fantastic slasher scenes at the end.

the original 'amittyville horror' is another of my favorites due to it's super creep-out atmosphere and great performances by james brolin & margot kidder. that and, i have a thing for haunted house stories and this one does not disappoint. (and though i decided not to officially include it in my list, the 2005 re-make is pretty decent too.)

dario argento's 'suspiria' is beloved by many and i'm sure on any self-respecting list of cult horror films. it's the story of suzy bannion, who has just arrived at an acclaimed german dance academy on the night of a terrific murder. while the pacing is slow and the characters are mostly annoying, the eye-candy by way of interior design and post-murder victim close-up is gorgeous and makes slogging through the many slow & tedious scenes worthwhile.

'the beyond' is another italian-directed horror, this time helmed by lucio fulci. i am ashamed to say i haven't checked out any of his other films, because 'the beyond' is so stellar. crumbling old louisiana house with a supernatural history? check! creepy characters probably from other dimensions? check! super gory deaths by way of zombies? check! allusions to satanic ritual? check! told you, stellar.

'session 9' was filmed in the danvers state mental hospital in danvers, massachusetts, which was demolished just 4 years later. the building itself is the star of this film, contributing to the uber-spooky atmosphere, but the story of a team of asbestos removers haunted by the spirits of the defunct mental hospital is well-written and uber-creepy in it's own right. to be honest, it took 2 viewings of this film for me to completely "get it" but once i did, i realized what a fantastic work of horror it truly is.

'the abandoned' is one of those films that sets up an intriguing and mysterious story (adopted woman inherits her secluded family estate in russia and travels from the US to check it out, learning some shocking truths in the process) and actually follows through to the end. no, they didn't just accidentally drop acid and no it wasn't just an axe-wielding maniac stalking them the whole time. this movie is scary and creepy and fully delivers at the end.

1980's 'the changeling' is supposedly based upon true events and follows a man living in a gorgeous manor of a house that holds supernatural secrets which it forces him to learn & reveal despite his initial resistance. so yeah... big gorgeous house? secret rooms? ghosts? that's the not-so-secret recipe to win my heart.

'wind chill' is one of the most recent films on this list as the current trend in horror seemingly turns more and more to what i dub 'torture porn'. still, i've found if you are patient and look hard enough there are some modern gems to be found. following two unlikely travel companions as they are snowed in on an abandoned road, there is plenty of supernatural action to indeed earn this film the title of "gem".

and lastly, i present 'communion'. so far in life, i find that i'm the only person who finds the idea of extra-terrestrial life to be terrifying but boy, do i. the purportedly true story of whitley strieber's abduction experiences always sends chills down my spine and is truly hard for me to watch, what with all the scaries!

so what do you think?? do you love supernatural horror as much as i do?? email me at abt.arcade{at}gmail{dot}com to let me know if i've missed any movies worth mention!

fall fashion: dainty june

2009-09-24T07:40:00.000-07:00

something about owning a boston terrier changes your life- their boundless energy, goofy senses of humor, pointy bat ears and snorgling little grunts as they hunt for crumbs on the floor... oh maybe that's just mine! still, each time i meet another boston buddy, i find that they all have the same unchecked affection for life that my penelope does. it's infectious!

i'm not usually one to show my love for something via t-shirts, accessories or knick-knacks, mostly given to the fact that a lot of said merchandise is usually well, gaudy. i should know, having been the recipient of many forms of awful BT merchandise over the years (switch plate covers, magnets, etc.). so imagine my surprise when i stumbled upon all-mighty, a clothing and accessory company launched in 2004 by sisters erica & jennifer daking, their motto being "for the love of boston terriers and all things cute". one peek at their goods and i was hooked- t-shirts with boston terriers peeking out from the middle of a cheeseburger?! so sold!

and so it was with great interest that i checked out the launch of their new label, dainty june, a few months ago. dainty june is a collaboration between the daking sisters and their friend, jennifer johnson. sadly, boston terriers are absent from the collection, but what you get in return makes up for it by way of versatile pieces that embody that vintage/modern aesthetic i gravitate towards. the obvious nods to the sixties modernized by color & cut are, i think, just what fall 2009 is calling out for.

and despite the absence of bostons, penelope has woken from her nap to give her seal of approval!

thank you gifts!

2009-09-19T12:48:00.000-07:00

as a thank you to all my wonderful customers, while supplies last, all orders will ship with a free & randomly selected first-prize ribbon handmade by me!

yay!

2009-09-16T07:32:00.000-07:00

check out the indieparade blog today- my sissy spacek necklace is currently featured!

designer spotlight: update!

2009-09-11T11:04:00.000-07:00

this just in! this week's spotlight designer, monica gutweis, is having a party on thursday, 9/17 from 5-9 to introduce her new fall line.

if you're in seattle, please join monica at her boutique, m. gutweis clothing, at 2405 first avenue. enjoy wine, appetizers and sale prices on both spring & summer stock as well as the new fall line. i wish i could make it up!

amy butler preview!

2009-09-11T09:11:00.000-07:00

one of my favorite fabric designers is at it again: amy butler is now previewing her new line of fabrics entitled 'love' on her site here. no word when they'll be available though.

as always, amy's current fabrics can be scored at my favorite local fabric shop, bolt.

designer spotlight: monica gutweis

2009-09-10T14:07:00.000-07:00

last month i attended the blue fashion event to support my friend tamara's new menswear line, defyance.

the show itself was mostly women's lines and of those, the definite stand-out of the evening was seattle based designer, monica gutweis. her dresses are fun, sexy and beautifully crafted with lovely pops of color here and there.

i tracked down monica, who is busy putting together her new fall line as i type. she was kind enough to grant me permission to share photos from the blue show, promising to send me more pics as her new line comes along. i, for one, can't wait!

{note: hats by lastwear hats of seattle}

i heart: muse

2009-09-09T10:06:00.000-07:00

when i'm making jewelry i always ask myself, who would wear this?? which is where my muses come in. typically they're celebrities who have inspired me over the years by way of their style and/or chutzpah. this week i want to focus on one of those muses, actress & singer/songwriter zooey deschanel.

i know, i know- who doesn't love zooey, right?? i've tried to dislike her, she's so cute & twee, but i just can't bring myself to toss her aside. she's so cute & twee! and talented- have you heard she & him, her musical collaboration with portland musician m. ward?? just gorgeous.

and in real life, zooey's style embodies so perfectly the aesthetic i model my jewelry after: vintage/modern.

and here are zooey's namesake necklace & earrings, now available in the shop-

as far as i'm concerned, her best performance is in the david gordon green film, all the real girls. check it out, check out she & him and i guarantee you'll love zooey just as much as i do. and now you know where to get the perfect accessories to embody her style.

new feature!

2009-09-07T13:01:00.001-07:00

Follow my blog with bloglovin

shop spotlight: ruche

2009-09-03T08:18:00.000-07:00

ruche is an online boutique that i fell in love with recently and knew i had to share. they describe themselves as a modern women's boutique with a vintage touch. and their prices are all so reasonable!

here's a fall look i made using all ruche items (save for the long-sleeved tee, also a bargain & the cosmetics)-

true ghost stories by arcader on Polyvore.com

{note: click the picture for item details}

you might notice something missing... jewelry! given the vintage/modern aesthetic, i chose some abt arcade items that would pair up beautifully.

well that's it for today. here's what awaits me in the kitchen (with more ready to be picked in the garden!)-

i'm off to make marinara sauce to freeze for winter. ciao!

fall finds & reading suggestions

2009-09-02T07:59:00.000-07:00

for the last few weeks i've been utilizing some other interweb sites to share sale finds & outfit stylings when it hit me yesterday- i should really be sharing that stuff here on my, ahem, fashion & lifestyle blog. novel idea, right?? so here we go!

yesterday i was snooping around trying to find cute stuff CHEAP, which i did, and then i began piecing together outfits, basing the looks on books... that's right, books. most of them i've read and love, some are on the to-read list.

we'll start off with 'amy's eyes' by richard kennedy, now out of print but available on amazon for as low as $6.25 for a used paperback. 'amy's eyes' was actually written for children but it's one of those reads that i think is just right for any age. it starts off with amy, a young girl in an orphanage, who accidentally brings her sailor doll to life- leading to all sorts of crazy adventures involving the high seas and stuffed animals. at any rate, everything in this outfit is under $100 and just right for the cooler days that lay not so far ahead.

amy's eyes II by arcader featuring Anthropologie shoes

orlee knit dress - $20 at delias.com

emma turtleneck sweater - $9.99 at delias.com

woodhull mary janes - $98 at anthropologie.com

silver lining cropped leggings - $53 at anthropologie.com

aqua braided knot bag - $44.99 at shopruche.com

ivory vintage style lily hair clip - $7 at mydivascloset.com

comptoir sud pacifique coeur de vahine perfume - $53 at drugstore.com

NARS nail varnish in hunger - $16 at drugstore.com

NARS eyeshadow compact in voyage - $22 at drugstore.com

and because fashion is nine tenths fantasy (sure, one might argue that's a mighty subjective statistic but really, am i so wrong??) here are some outfits i put together with not-so-cheap items (including an alternate version of 'amy's eyes'), all based on the books pictured within.

note: click the picture for item details

amy's eyes by arcader featuring Diane von Furstenberg

red&blue by arcader featuring Paul & Joe Sister dresses

fall forward by arcader featuring Moschino

autumn fantasy by arcader featuring Anthropologie

fall dressing by arcader featuring Marc by Marc Jacobs

coming soon- more cheap & chic finds!

fall forward

2009-09-01T12:55:00.000-07:00

reading about jena's end-of-summer slump over on her great indie shopping blog, modish, i can really relate. an uber-impatient person such as myself can get really bogged down when the end-game of a goal is longer coming than thought. not only that, but hello- waking up to dark mornings already?! seriously lame. that said, i love her idea to get on with things and set new goals for september. here are mine:

1. give the house a nice thorough cleaning & de-cluttering

2. write up a dang business plan already

3. get supplies & experiment with resin casting

4. increase my readership

they may seem simple(ish) but a great man once said that's the only way to start.

time to clean!

2009-08-31T12:45:00.000-07:00

perhaps it's a tad odd of me but each year i feel the need to clean my house top to bottom, a la spring cleaning, but seasonally. so as the weather turns cooler and cloudier seemingly each day, i feel fall approaching and am pushing up my sleeves to get to work.

i bet most people think of house cleaning as a necessity and chore, but not me! as someone very sensitive to her environment, i look at it as a chance to clear out the psychic cobwebs and bring some newfound sparkle & shine to each room.

currently on my clean house wish list-

mrs. meyer's clean day countertop spray in basil-

a practical substitute for the scent of my homegrown basil, now gone to seed.

mrs. meyer's clean day laundry detergent & dryer sheets in lavender-

how awesomely luxurious would it be to use these solely for washing bed linens & pajamas??

cath kidston printed cotton dusters-

i don't think i'd ever put off dusting again if i had rags this pretty!

magnoball lime descaler-

i have fairly soft water but eventually, lime builds up on my kettle and glassware- what better way to get it gone than the eco-friendly magnoball??

jennifer lyn deco print broom-

i dunno about you but i sweep A LOT and my old ladybug print broom is showing her age. i think it's time for her to take on porch duty while this lovely with a much more sophisticated print takes over.

dirt devil kone cordless hand vacuum-

this is one luxury item i've never owned: a hand vac! oh to really vacuum windowsills and the tiniest of nooks & crannies! well, a girl can dream...

claus porto cerina liquid hand soap-

a while back i splurged on some claus porto hand soap, which i save for company. i like to imagine a life where i use the stuff daily, changing scents out with each whim... though i think the cerina scent would a fave: apple, bergamot, sandalwood & vetiver.

pacifica perfumes mediterranean fig soy candle-

this is a candle i actually keep stocked up on year round as it lends a warm green scent to any room, though i tend to use them in the bathroom exclusively.

l'occitane candied fruit home perfume-

the colder the morning, the better for a rich, sweet scent like this one.

happy cleaning!

busy bee

2009-08-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

posting will be pretty light this week as i prepare to set up a table at this week's last thursday on NE alberta street here in portland. i hope you'll stop by & say hi if you're around!