Friday Fascination

What I'm obsessed with today:  glitter swizzle sticks.  Ok I'm obsessed with glitter most days but today it is particular to glitter swizzle sticks - watching the premiere of Mad Men the other day (Zoobie Zoobie Zoo) got me in the mood for some retro bar ware - which apparently glitter swizzle sticks are (now you know). 

I found a few options (but not many) online.  The ones I liked the best were from Daisy Chain Vintage  -  two unopened boxes of multicolor Glittertone stirrers (if I ever have a record label I think I would call it Glittertone).  Two packs were around $12.00 (notice the original price of 39 cents - oh to have access to a time machine) and I kind of liked the fact that they were still in the box. 

Image via Daisy Chain Vintage

These will soon be part of my collection of bar ware! Happy Friday!

The Year of Snow White

I have been a Snow White fan since forever.  One of my first memories of seeing a movie was watching the classic Disney Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.  I have an obscene collection of Snow White collectibles, art and I still take my picture with Snow White at Disneyland.  I was obviously years ahead of my time because this is the year that Snow White is making her comeback. 

First the show Once Upon a Time which I never miss features Ginnifer Goodwin's Snow White as a major character and now not one but two movies are to be released.  I'm sure my weekend plans will include a trip to see Mirror, Mirror and come June I will be watching Snow White and the Huntsman.  I also love that these new versions of Snow White are a little edgier and not so damsel in distress.  Lest I forget it is also the 75th Anniversary of the release of the original animated movie so that means lots of fun stuff from Disney - can't wait.

In honor of my favorite Princess I thought I would share some of my recent favorite Snow White art and accessories that are more on par with her new attitude.

This is one of my personal favorites - I found it a few years ago in a shop in San Francisco and it doesn't seem to be sold in stores anymore -  the Fairest of the Them All necklace that is part of the  Disney Couture line.  I wear it to work, to meetings, out for drinks - it's red and gold so it goes with everything.  And its a little pick me up too because who doesn't want to be fairest of them all?

A necklace that you can still find, however, is the Heart and Dagger - also by Disney Couture - and one I think I must have for all my Snow White viewing this year.

Image via asos

A few years ago Disney released a book called The Art of the Disney Princess which has portraits and photographs of so many of the princesses like you've never imagined before.  They also made prints and canvases of some of the art work including my absolute favorite - Pop Snow White by Jenny Chung.  I have both a print (in my office) and the canvas version as well (in my home).  If Snow White is not your favorite there are also versions of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and the Little Mermaid and more to come.




Image via Acme Archives Direct

 If you're in the mood for any Disney princess paraphernalia today is a good day to check out the Disney Store website as the whole site is 25% off with the code HAPPY25 for today only - they have more traditional Snow White merchandise and some more modern items like this sequin shirt.

Rare Indeed

Who remembers shrinky dinks?  I remember coloring in My Little Ponies on the plastic and then baking them.  My mom let us turn the light on the stove so we could see them shrink.  But I don't remember them having a purpose - half the fund was shrinking them.   A few years ago I came across the shrinking baking plastic that made up shrinky dinks and wondered what you could do with it - well Tiff of Rare Indeed has found many wonderful uses.

Rare Indeed offers up a large selection of jewelry made from "durable shrink plastic" that is hand drawn on by the artist.  It is awesome for so many reasons that I can't begin to explain.

The earrings are darling and so many options from cupcakes to a pair inspired by Belgian surreal artist Rene Magritte.  And at only $8.00 a pair they would make great presents for your friends (or yourself).

Perfect for an art history buff (image via Rare Indeed)

 My absolute favorite however has to be the banner brooches that exclaim you are either "Marvellous" (note the Australian spelling) or "Not Bad."  I'd love to have an arsenal of them to bestow upon friends and co-workers but it would be hard to explain the choice of who got which one.

My personal favorite (image via Rare Indeed)



The shop is definitely worth a visit.

Tied Up in Pink Tape

During a semester in London and a tour of the Inns of Court I learned that the "red tape" idiom referring to bureaucracies and government shenanigans had its origins in documents being bound in red ribbons or tape and that English lawyers, or solicitors as they like to call them, still use red ribbon to tie up documents.  I much prefer pink, however, and was on a quest to find some neon pink tape to use for whatever purposes I saw fit (probably not for tying up documents however).

But neon pink washi tape seemed to be out of stock all over the web.  And if it was in stock it ran about $4.00 a roll for something like 11 yards which wasn't going to get me very far (and I'm always looking for a cheaper option).  Then I came across Find Tape, and, as their name implies, they have lots of tape.  Notably neon pink artist's tape that was just around $6.00 for 60 yards!  They also had green, yellow and orange.  Well it doesn't take a scientist to figure out that I ordered one in each color and now that's its here I can't quite decide what to cover in tape (I ruled out the dog as he is too wiggly and would probably just pull it off and eat it). What I didn't order was the dispenser that would hold up to 3 rolls of the tape (and I wish I had). 

Image via Find Tape


Speaking of dispensers, however, I did find a dispenser that would hold all the rolls of that Japanese masking tape at happytape on Etsy.  I tried switching out the rolls on my regular old tape dispenser but I kept losing rolls of tape behind the couch in the process.  And before I thought of that I spent one night using scissors to cut even lengths of tape for a project which made me very grouchy - but this little device eliminates all of that.  The best part is that they are made of wood (it smelled like a wood shop when I took it out of the box) and you can choose what color stain you want it to have.  Personally I couldn't decide so I went with the natural stain and figured I could stain it later if I wanted.  Also it holds a ridiculous amount of tape so you don't have to keep switching it out when you need to use a new color.



Image via happytape

Now as long as I can keep the dispenser away from the dog who has a penchant for chewing wood (his favorites are pencils but he also chewed a wooden Pinocchio sign I brought back from Italy) I think this will serve its purpose for a long time.

A Very Merry Unbirthday!

Yesterday was my birthday and not a big one in terms of numbers or anything and just having got back from vacation I was keen on keeping it low key this year.   A friend took me to a painting class with wine and cheese last night in Santa Monica at the Paint Lab which was fun.   There are plans to go to brunch this weekend at the Parker in Palm Springs with some friends so I'm a happy camper.

I also decided that I needed to get myself a little present so I headed over to Bauble Bar in between reviewing client files and got myself a little pink neon pick-me-up.  It doesn't ship until May but I am okay with extending my birthday celebration indefinitely (at least a little).

Image via Bauble Bar

Now I have at least a month to figure out the best outfit to wear with it!

Domino Coming Back . . . .Well Sort Of!

I am not sure how I did not know about this sooner as it seems to have been announced in early February on Domino's Facebook and twitter accounts.  It is a special edition entitled Domino Quick Fixes and according to a press release from Condé Nast it "will be full of Domino’s best home decorating stories, focusing on easy, often inexpensive changes that make a big difference – from quick spruce-ups of dowdy furniture to more involved DIY projects like painting stairs or reorganizing a home office."  This edition hits newsstands April 17 and will be available through July 16, 2012 at a cost of $10.99.  There are also plans for a second special edition in the fall. 

I can't wait and will be marking it on my calendar right now!

The Sunshine State

Much to my dismay California is not the Sunshine State - that nickname belongs to Florida where I spent almost the last two weeks eating seafood (including stone crab at Joe's Stone Crab),  sampling too much key lime pie, enjoying warm weather and getting my fix of Florida amusement parks. (There was also some interesting misadventures on a mini road trip between Miami and Orlando that involved New York style Chinese food, giant birds, a Publix grocery store and too little sleep which may not be suitable for sharing at this time.)  I have returned to temperatures in the 40s and 50s which is a bit unusual for a few days before Spring here in southern California and I'm not dealing well with it. 

In an effort to extend my vacation (and remember the warm weather) a tad longer I went trolling for a few reminders of my most recent vacation.

I've been a fan of Bird Ave and their skyline prints for some time now.  I was first drawn to the skyline print of my beloved San Francisco but they have some Florida cities that are also endearing as well and would be a nice reminder of the last few weeks.



Bird Ave Miami Print (Image via Bird Ave)

I would love to have one of these pinned on a bulletin board with some fun photo reminders and silly souvenirs from the trip - a sort of mini art installation that I could change out until I go on my next vacation.  
While I am not ready to fully exclaim my love for Florida yet (I was there in September as well and the humidity indirectly resulted in me almost losing a toe) I still find this necklace from Truche endearing. (Personally I would go for this one.)

Image via Truche

 While I am clearly a California girl I can appreciate the rest of the country (in small doses) now and then for vacationing and shopping and other amusements and I do hope to get back to Florida again soon.

Pillow Talk

I am obsessed with pillows or more specifically cushion covers.  I am planning to finally bite the bullet this year and get a new couch and am 98% certain I am going for gray.  To spruce up the neutral color I am planning on going crazy bright with cushion covers and maybe even changing them out once in awhile.  To that end I have spent countless hours trolling through Etsy looking for covers.  Just the other day I came upon Festive Home Decor.  There are lots of options and all the current trends - ikat, chevron and suzani prints - and the best part is they are in BRIGHT colors too. 

Given the gray couch and my penchant for all thinks pink I am thinking about getting  a pair of the sherbert collection suzani cushion covers and the pink chevron/ikat combo covers pictured below. 



Image via Festive Home Decor




Image via Festive Home Decor


The best part is that the prices are fairly reasonable.  For about $28 you can get two 16 inch covers and $35 for two 20 inch covers.  You provide the pillows which cuts down on shipping and handling and makes it easier to get different types and switch out for the seasons (I spotted some fun Christmas inspired cushions in her shop).

Another favorite shop on Etsy is Aqua Door Designs out of Australia.  These are a little pricier but the material is screen printed by hand.  Not surprisingly my favorites are the fluorescent pink designs. I love the rich colors.  One of these cushion covers would be a splurge and I'd have to think about where it would not become a head rest for the dog (who is not allowed on the furniture but is one sneaky guy when it comes to couches). 



Image via Aqua Door Designs



Image via Aqua Door Designs

Then again a whole collection of these cushion covers looks awesome together.  Maybe I could keep them hidden away until someone important came over and there was no chance of red wine getting on them (i.e., my mother).

Middle School Fad Gone Glam

One of my favorite new accessories is the bfrend bracelets by Monika Hibbs of the Doctor's Closet.  I have a few and am hoping to get more!  I fondly remember days of making friendship bracelets back in elementary school.  My sister was always much better at it than me - mine were crooked and fairly unattractive.  Now I can buy fancy ones for myself with gold accents and not have to worry about how many knots I made or what not.



The pink cobra bfrend - my favorite.

 You can get the cobra in pink, turquoise, white, black and glittery gold to name a few.  There are also ones made with pearls, one with tiny tassels and one with fancy crystals (a bit more pricey).  I have a few and will stack them with some cheap bangles and my favorite Kate Spade bangles. 

Wear them stacked!

I also love the photos and the branding that this shop have done over the last few months.  Obviously Monika has great style (her home was featured on Glitter Guide not too long ago) which is evident in the branding and attention to detail on her site and her etsy shop.  I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

Something Sparkly

I love sparkly little accessories as much as the next girl - to put on me, to put on the dog, to put on the wall or in a vase - I am non-discriminatory when it comes to sparkly and glittery goodness.  So I was thrilled to discover ban.do and there wonderful little sequin hearts.  I recently ordered some for myself and some for presents (that way I don't feel guilty about splurging).  The mini ban.do hearts make great presents and I've used my gold one numerous times since ordering.  The best part is that it has a clip for your hair or a pin for your clothes - two accessories in one.



I love wearing the gold mini heart with pink!

 In addition to their signature hearts they have headbands, shoe clips and other assorted accessories.  I didn't even know my shoes needed clips but now that I do I may need to get them some - the pom poms are just so darn fluffy (note to self to keep away from the dog) that I can't imagine feeling blue if you have those on your shoes! 



On my wishlist - a neon pink and gold headwrap.



A few of their shoe clips.

 Beyond the fact that I love their products they also have great styling and a little gem of a blog.  Even their offices are shiny and sparkly.  



All images via ban.do.

My Dream Bar

I've been thinking about a new couch for some time now - like a few years some time but I keep changing my mind so I haven't been able to bite the bullet.  The problem is that I have been putting off other furniture changes until I get the elusive new couch.  One item I have put off is a bar cart.  The thought of finding a bar cart on Craigslist seems exciting until you have to go through all the ads that aren't real and the people tha think their dirty AV cart is a bar cart.  So I was thrilled when I learned about Society Social. They make bar carts in every color of the rainbow and then some and gold and silver. The only problem is choosing which color and which of the six models I want.  Right now the Double is winning out but by the time I get that darn couch who knows.



The Double (Image via Society Social)

Plus the brand keeps expanding - they have custom made couches, pillows, chairs and tables to name a few and more on the horizon.  I can't wait to see what's next.

Beyond the bar cart itself I have also been obsessing over what to put on the bar cart (in addition to the beverages).  So far I have cocktail napkins (courtesy of my mother who seemed to be hoarding piles of cute ones from sale bins for the last few decades), a Trina Turk ice bucket, paper striped straws, little pink elephants that go on your drink and Trina Turk ping pong paddles. The ping pong paddles were purchased shortly after I became obsessed with this picture:

I am uncertain of where this picture orginated but I found it on Pinterest but something about it made me want ping pong paddles for my bar cart too (I don't have  ping pong table but I have plan for that).





Trina Turk Ping Pong Paddles from Alice Supply Co. They also sell the matching Ice Bucket  (Image via Alice Supply Co.)



Pink Elephants from Keg Works


I got 50 elephants for $7.50 from Keg Works and they have flamingo cocktail stirrers if that's more your style.  I'm still on the hunt for some vintage glassware that I like that's affordable with gold accents. 

Then I have to stock the bar and all that is left to have a party - woo hoo!

Dream in Plastic

One of my favorite things is to find quirky little shops or online stores by accident.  For me it usually happens when I am looking for something I saw in a magazine or in a picture somewhere that I am trying to track down.  A few years ago I saw some great vinyl place mats that looked like lace in Domino magazine.  I had originally tracked down the black version from the magazine somewhere and then lo and behold I found a site for Dream in Plastic that had them in numerous colors and at a great price as well.

Pink vinyl placemat (Image via Dream in Plastic)

 They don't have the black ones but they do have them in pink, blue, green, orange, red and white so you can probably find at least one color you like.  They are only $1.49 each and you can order as many or as few as you want.  The shop also has lot of other fun little quirky things that work great as gifts or little pick me ups for yourself like a Bert and Ernie belt buckle or Star Wars or Hello Kitty flash drives.  I have fun just poking around the website once in awhile to see what's new.



Bert and Ernie - on your belt (Image via Dream in Plastic)



Flavor Paper

I've never been a fan of the Willy Wonka movies - orange oompa loompas and I think Willy Wonka has crazy eyes.  But there's a scene where the kids are licking wallpaper which I always think of when I think of Flavor Paper.  Flavor Paper is a company based out of Brooklyn that makes hand screened wallpaper and fabrics and digital wallpaper.


Sassy Toile in Electric Raspberry via Flavor Paper

 I fell in love with the Sassy Toile when I first saw it - especially in Electric Raspberry and Pearl Gold.  There are birds, bikinis, butterflies, horses and beach balls - something for everyone. You can even customize the colors of the wallpaper.  City Park is another fun toile design that incorporates fire hydrants and pigeons.  If the dog had his own bedroom I think I would wallpaper it in that (hopefully he wouldn't try and pee on it though). I am also liking Sharp Descent. I think these would work great for an accent wall in a room (it might be a little overwhelming on all four walls) especially the ones that seem more traditional at first glance and then are quite funky when you get up close.

Sipping Jars: A True Story of Cheapness

The weekend of the Royal Wedding I was in San Francisco and ended up in Palo Alto at this party store - Acme Party Box Company - and my sister bought these mason jars with daisy lids that you could put a straw in and use for glasses.  I hated her - mainly because I had no room to get them home in my luggage.  Also apparently they usually only sell them in sets of twelve but they let her only by four.  I thought about those glasses a lot and wanted them.  Now honestly until I sat down to write this I didn't even think to check if this place had an online store but they do and they are available for purchase there for $45 (and I'm not sure what the shipping and handling is).  Even if I had know this this story would have had the same outcome.

Image via Candle Soylution

Anyway - a few months later I came across Green Party Goods while searching for festoon (which I am still trying to figure out how to use). They had the sipping jars and the $28 price tag seemed fairly reasonable.  But I didn't buy them.  A few weeks ago I decided I really wanted those sipping jars so I went back to Green Party Goods but the shipping and handling were almost the same price as the jars.  Bloody hell.  I like to shop online but I will not buy something if the shipping is too much or I will keep looking - which I did.

Next I went to my trusted Etsy.  I found I could buy the tops separately at some stores there but they were still pricey ($18 at one site for 12 lids plus shipping) and if I wanted the jars too I would have to fork over even more.  I didn't happen to have 12 mason jars sitting around so the jars were kind of important too.  What I did discover through Etsy search was that those daisy jar tops are used for candles or air fresheners - to diffuse smells basically and not originally for those fancy paper striped straws we all love so much.

One google search later and I was at Candle Soylutions - where I found the lids in gold and pewter for 35 and 38 cents per lid (when you buy a dozen).  Also the shipping was almost the same if you bought the jars there too (a dozen for $7.50) - so I went ahead and got those too.  With the cheapest shipping option the whole thing was just over $30 - and the shipping was actually super fast and now I have a set of gold lids when I want those and pewter when I want those.  So if you decide you need those jars too I would recommend Candle Soylutions and then just pick up some straws somewhere else (I like Hey Yo Yo  on Etsy for straws and cupcake toppers).

Both Acme Party Box Company and Green Party Goods have great websites with lots of fun stuff and are definitely worth checking out. 

Tea at Crown and Crumpet

One of my favorite cities is San Francisco.  I grew up there and still get back regularly to see family.  One of my favorite places - Crown and Crumpet an adorable tea room in Ghiradelli Square-  was not there when I was growing up but I try and get there every time I go home now - either for tea or just to look in the attached shop which has the most adorable tea sets and other tea related items.

First off the place is adorable - if I could I would move in or at least buy the couch (and the paintings, the lamps, and the shades - you get the idea). I have even been able to find some of the items used in the decor.  The pillows are from Karen Hilton Designs and are so fun.  She even makes tea cozies now some fun pin cushions.  There are also these great dolls they have around the tea room and sometimes have for sale as well which I found at The Doll Farm - they are all handmade and works of art.  I love the Marie Antoinette dolls and I was able to get one to have in my home.



The couch at Crown and Crumpet.




The interior of Crown and Crumpet

 Then to have the chance of sitting down for a few hours and enjoying tea with some friends or my sister or my mom feels so luxurious.  They have a wide selection of teas to choose from and lots of different goodies as well.  I would highly recommend making a reservation especially if you're going on a weekend - we've had to leave without getting to have tea at least once.



The shop at Crown and Crumpet

Even if you don't get to have tea and scones there is always the shop.  I was there around Christmas last time and they had trees full of ornaments.  You can buy tea pots and cups and saucers and a host of other tableware with their logo on it.  They also have these "tea charms" which are colored sugar cubes in different shapes - stars, flowers, hearts. They mix them in with the sugar in the sugar bowls and it is fun to find them while you are adding sugar to your tea.  They have jewelery and fun art - I could spend a lot of time and a lot of money in this store - I almost always come home with something. You can even buy some tea to take home.

I would highly recommend this tea room if you like tea or anything whimsical.  (It is also very kid friendly - at least I've seen quite a few little girls in there and they seem to be having as much fun as me.)

(All images via Crown and Crumpet.)

Banter Banner

I love throwing a party - having friends over, stressing over whether I have enough food (I always have too much), coming up with a theme when it is warranted.  But the main reason is I love decorating for a party. I will regularly volunteer to help a friend decorate for a party and even hand make decorations - tissue paper, glitter, paint and some fancy paper and I'm set to go. And I hate to take down decorations - the house isn't just as cheery but I don't want to be that weird person that leaves her Christmas tree up until St. Patrick's day. In any case, when I saw these banners from Banter Banners which are non-holiday related and therefore meant to be put whenever you want and can stay up year round I was sold.

This one is my favorite - maybe because I remember watching the 80s sitcom of the same name or because it is gold - either way it will soon be displayed proudly in my home.

This one would be darling in a baby's room.

I loved them so much I ordered four right off the bat.  I narrowed it down to Good Times, Summertime, No Place Like and Cheers.  The last one will go to the collection of bar accessories I am collecting in preparation for the bar cart that I am coveting. And the No Place Like banner is begging for a pair of ruby slippers or at the very least blasting the Wicked soundtrack. 
The next time I am in need of some retail therapy the company also has a collection of rosettes that I have my eye on.

All images via Banter Banner.

Travel Goodies

I'm off to Florida tomorrow for almost two weeks.  A few days in Miami at work-related conference and board meetings and then off to Orlando for a week. I will be busy packing late into the night (for myself and also making sure the dog has what he needs for his staycation at the kennel) and wish I had the foresight to have ordered some of these goodies to make my life a little easier.

Flight 001 has almost anything you might need for traveling. Their website is organized by type of item or by when you need it - so you can browse pre-flight, in-flight or arrival.  I visited their store in San Francisco a few years ago and now there is one in Los Angeles that I might need to get to sooner rather than later.  Personally I never leave for a vacation without a luggage scale - the money spent on one is worth any stress that you can have about repacking your bags at the airport or having to mail your stuff back or worse pay the ridiculous fees (I came to this conclusion after a night spent being almost hysterical about the weight of my luggage when I was packing canned soup requested by my mother).  Flight 001 has one you can buy.

They also have a pretty good selection of brightly colored luggage which I think is a huge necessary.  I like having a pink or polka dot luggage so you know which one is yours. Nothing is worse then taking off 10 black suitcases before you find the one that belongs to you.  If you already have the black luggage though you might want to check out some of their fun luggage tags.

This Pez Girl Luggage Tag ($12) will make it easy to find your luggage (Image via Flight 001).

What I really want though is this carry-on bottle set.  I hate having creams and shampoos I don't like simply because that's the sample size that Target had that day.  This way you can have exactly what you want and with 15 bottles you probably will have enough and this is approved carry-on size so you don't show up wherever you are going looking like a wreck.


Carry-on bottle set $15 (Image via Flight 001)

But if you use of the brands carried by 3floz.com you won't need that. This company specializes in providing products that meet TSA guidelines!!!  The great thing about this is that even with the correctly sized bottles you sometimes get harassed if they can't identify the liquid (a security guard at Heathrow took my mini bottle of saline solution which meant I couldn't get my contacts in until hours later when I got to my hotel in Rome) but this eliminates that problem as they are all clearly marked.  They have even pre-packaged some of the products in themed kits to help you out.

Even if you're not traveling soon you can get the Gym Kit (Image via 3floz.com)


Maybe next time I travel I will have planned better and will be able to bring some of these goodies with me.  Either way I'm sure I will have fun!

Design Darling

Lifestyle blogger Mackenzie Horan just launched a new online boutique Design Darling on March 1.  Design Darling has a carefully curated collection of art, accessories, and decorative items.  The best part is that there is a fairly nice selection of items for $20 and under.

Some of my favorite under $20 items are the desk accessories.  I love the What We Love pencils.  There are also a number of pretty matches that are classier than the ones you picked up on your last trip to Vegas. 
  

What We Love Pencils



Bee Matches for $7.00 per box


If your budget is a little bigger go for some of the baubles or a cute pillow.  I like the Coral Turquoise studs ($32) and the pink Greek Key pillow cover in pink ($52).

 I am currently deciding what Design Darling goodies are going to be coming home to stay with me (it's a toss up between the gold lacquer tray and the monogrammed business card holder right now).   The shop is definitely worth checking out the next time you need a present or a pick me up for yourself.

Mandyland

After thinking about writing a blog related to all the things I love - decorating, entertaining, shopping, accessories, baking, crafting, painting and a host of other fun topics - I decided to bite the bullet and just do it. 

So here is Mandyland - a concept born in a dorm room more years ago than I will admit to by one of my best friends that even came with its own slogan - a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there.  Well I apparently do and it is just too much fun to keep it all to myself anymore!