Collaboration Celebration

I've noticed more and more collaborations that I've been loving - especially because for the most part they make something MORE affordable! Target comes to mind first as it seems like they're really pioneered this whole movement with designers like Zac Posen, Cynthia Vincent, and Rodarte to name a few recently.

Obviously paint has been top of mind and beyond the color I chose for my room I've been obsessing over all of Martha Stewart for Home Depot's colors...


I'm not usually very into light pinks, but I think this color (Ballet Slipper) would be so pretty for a Powder Room or maybe a big closet or dressing room (if you were lucky enough to have one!)

Another collaboration that I just came across was Mike Miller for West Elm. I first fell in love with Mike Miller's silhouettes through the John Derian website and have been pining away for one ever since - now they are in my reach! There's a whole serious of prints and pillows but I'm really loving the larger sized print - especially at a $79 price point for a framed print!


Last but certainly not least - I know it's not exactly news but I'm still obsessing over FENTONFALLON for JCrew. I drool over the cases with Fallon jewelry at Barney's and while the price-points haven't changed much they have edited their look a little to fit more into JCrew's repertoire - I mean, adding pearls to anything means it could be sold at JCrew I guess.

Sneak Peak

After starting to clean my apartment in preparation for my upcoming move (more on that to come!) I spent a good portion of the night laying on my bed on the phone like in the movie Bye Bye Birdie staring out my window, kicking my legs in the air, and watching them set up for Urban Showcase!! (see previous post below for details)

Lucky me can see right into all levels of the house from my bedroom and I tried to creep and get some good pictures but they didn't turn out well except this little guy in the basement window....

...don't you think there should be a little sign hanging that says "Jonathan Adler was here!?"

Karen Walker (not that Karen Walker)

Although I do covet her collection of Hermes and tolerance for Gin I am not currently referring to the Karen Walker of Will & Grace but instead the eye wear designer. Fashion is fun and should be treated as such which is a huge reason I love Barney's and Fred Segal...they don't take themselves too seriously. I've noticed Karen Walker's stuff popping up in magazines and I've seen it on a few blogs but I just finally got around to checking out her website and now I'm totally sold!

I mean, her logo was enough to get me excited...


Then once you actually get into her site this amazing pattern scrolls through different styles of her newest line of sunglasses. This is from her 2010 collection...


She also keeps her past collections up on kind of an archive of sites for each year. Here is 2009...


See what I mean about keeping it fun? I've tried a pair on and they are definitely a good quality so I'm thinking I might have to buy myself a pair. They're all pretty much under $200, not to say that's cheap but all the sunglasses I've wanted recently have been north of $300 which is just getting silly. This rain (in Boston) is supposed to clear out tomorrow so some nice weather this weekend might call for a new pair of sunglasses!

Lizzie Love

Look at these beautiful necklaces for Spring that I got in a Charm & Chain email yesterday! I die.

New Dawn Fades necklace

Frivolous Tonight necklace

Eclectic and Reckless necklace

Palace in Pondicherry necklace

Chanel Ink

Generally speaking I live my life with the belief that Chanel can do no wrong - speaking of which the new consignment store in the South End, Boomerangs, has a Chanel suit in the window if anyone who hasn't give up shopping for lent is interested!

Anyway, after this spring's fashion show and their recent announcement to actually make them available I can't say I'm totally sold on their new temporary tattoos. First of all, if I'm going to buy anything Chanel I don't want it to be temporary!

Even so, I just overall don't think it's really my cup of tea, what do you think?

Haberdash Vintage

I've actually been meaning to post about this since the summer when I saw the adorable trailer at SOWA but I didn't have my camera that day and then couldn't remember what it was called. I almost wanted to be a total creep and put it in Missed Connections in the Improper Bostonian or something! But low-and-behold they Haberdash Vintage was featured in the February issue of Boston Magazine...
The more and more I read, the more and more I love! Punky's blog, PunkyStyle is amazing, and you can even get a peak at her impeccably picked inventory on her site. Almost better than her taste, are the prices! The awesome line-up of boots they showed in Boston Magazine were $20-$60 which is perfect - the bargain is half the fun of vintage anyway.
Her blog says that The Haberdash is hibernating for the winter so I guess I'll have to hang on tight until summer comes around and the market opens again. In the meantime I'll just have to continue to peruse her website - check it out, I loved her most recent post about capes!

Close, but no cigar...

I only recently noticed how much I use cigar boxes for everything throughout my apartment. They are the perfect size for storing notes, pictures, stationery, etc. and can be really interesting with all the different brands and labels. Lucky me has a cigar-smoking father so I can get all his left overs and put them to use!


I love putting them on bookshelves especially, stacked like they're books...this one looks great because it's bigger and has nice clasp


I use this one instead of a jewelry box, it has all little separate boxes in it with earrings so they don't' get all tangled up and lost in a bowl or tray

Light up my Life, please

AH! What a craze the last week or so has been, I've been super busy and unable to do what I do best...browse, shop, read, etc. But alas, I had to share this beautiful lamp I'm obsessing over from Modern Dose. Blue and white porcelain PLUS lucite? How can I resist this??

Bootights!

I got so excited when I saw these in Lucky Magazine last night...usually my daily footwear November-February consists of black opaque tights and American Apparel knee-high gym socks under my boots. This causes 2 problems; 1. sometimes the socks pill onto my tights 2. it prevents me from going to shoe shopping after work (sometimes I do that on purpose though, like my own electrical-fence)
But now there are Bootights! It's one of those 'why didn't I think of that' things but I'm glad someone did.


You can read the story on her website, but founder Shelby Mason came up with the idea after an embarrassing incident taking her boots off in line at the airport...something I've become far too familiar with myself.

They come in different heights for knee-high boots or shorter booties and are available at Dillards.

"Hand Printed fine Found Objects"

When I saw Shara Porter's work at the SOWA market over the summer I fell in love with it, and like I always do forgot to follow up and investigate it more. So when I saw her again last weekend at the SOWA Holiday Market I was so excited. I was even more interested when I asked her where she gets most of her 'found items' and she said that a lot come from the great state of Ohio! What music to my ears!

Shara uses vintage leather bags, clutches, wallets, coinpurses, etc and then prints them with unique designs - anything from ships, to animals, to trees. She also has new merchandise like wallets and coasters available and was nice enough to email over some images of her new cardholders made from recycled leather that will be available to buy off ehr website very soon.
Here are some of my favorite images from her site of selected works she has done...they make great gifts and are sure to start conversation.

I can't get over that clutch with the owl on it.

There is a list of retailers that carry Shara's work on her website...