Have . the . Happiest . of . Halloweens!!!

Design . Envy

Recently Holly Becker - you might be familiar with her design blog, Decor8 - was the featured buyer for ETSY. She showed off her charming apartment, which features a number of ETSY finds. I must say, I'm quite taken with her chic style:





While a lot of white can sometimes look too "don't touch anything," her place seems so warm, cozy, and pretty! Thoughts?

October

This past Saturday was filled up with so many things, all of them lovely fall activities:


^^Antiquing at a wonderful local shop, Lamb's Gate Antiques...


...and finding all sorts of fabulously cool things, such as the vintage surgeon's cart, shown above!


^^I also encountered some cute little Mallard Ducks...


...and some cute little, well, Chicken Ducks???


^^And last but certainly not least, a brilliant fire-red fall tree!

Pinwheel

Anthropologie Chair Set by PrettyLittleWorld

Have a dazzlingly beautiful weekend!

Shopping

I have long ago come to terms with the fact that I am a shopper. I say that both proudly, and sometimes in the way that makes it sound as though I have an addiction: "I have a shopping problem."

Either way, I've had a case of "blands" (not blahs) lately, because some of the stores that I go into have clothing that is indistinguishable from the clothing in the other stores I go into. Everything looks so much the same.

So of course, ETSY is there to provide the cure for my blands. Sellers have both great crops of handmade and vintage garments that you're sure not to see on anyone else:

Vintage:


From Top Left: Pretty Little World; Persephone Vintage; Shop Good Grace; My Favorite Vintage

Handmade:


From Top Left: Erina Wang; Idea 2 Lifestyle; Mary & Angelika; Dottie Angel

Pretty . In . Pink

From Top Left: Hot Pink Bird Pillow at Joom; Pink Floral Print, Signed, at Alicia Bock; Ceramic Owl Planter, at Fruit Fly Pie; Vintage Clutch from OurLadyOfTheUnderPas

Pretty . Little . Art

Amy Rice and Terrence Payne Nest Installation:


More images from artist Amy Rice:

P.S.

You can see my newest ETSY Treasury, "Loveliest of Trees," here


Okay, NOW have a great weekend ;)

Have . a . Fantastical . Weekend

I feel almost embarrassed to say this, but it's really unfair that a 22 year old (Robert Pattinson, for those who don't know) can look this good:


Oh, to be just a few years younger....

Have a wonderful weekend!

I . Heart . Your . Bag

While there's no question that I have a place in my heart for designer bags, my newest fall obsession is to find a bag that has four qualities: (1) It's gorgeous (2) It stands out (3) It doesn't have logos slapped all over it (4) It goes with lots of things

So where to find such a bag? Well ETSY of course!


The first bag is from Ilemi, a Paris-based designer whose bags I just couldn't stop staring at. They're intricate, but not overdone: no piles of hardware and zippers, or loads of ruffles; just simple, stunning craftsmanship. Her pieces don't come cheap, but one of her bags is something that is classic and that you would use forever.


The second two bags are from ValHallaBrooklyn. This artisan creates bags in a variety of designs and they all come in the loveliest of colors. Need something slouchy? Check. Something structured? Check. Need a travel bag? Check. Wallet? Check. You could do your bag and accessory shopping all in one place and have others drooling over your new finds!

Couture . Halloween

Why not let "dressing up" mean something a smidge different this year?



From the Fall 09 Couture Collections; Top Row: Chanel, Valentino, Givenchy; Bottom Row: Elie Saab, Christian Lacroix, Anne Valerie Hash

Why . I . Love . Fendi . Today

I love Fendi everyday, actually, but today Bergdorfs released items from their Resort 09 collection:




From top: Zig Zag Zucca Hobo, $2710; Dr. B Leather Hobo, $1560; Spy Bag in Pomegranate, $2250

Yes . I . Would

While people often share similar aesthetics, very few people have exactly the same idea about what their living space should look like. But every now and then I come across a home that I could move into and not want to change a single thing.

Such is the case with actress Rashida Jones' NY apartment that Domino recently featured:

Having . a . Smashing . Fall . Weekend

(1) Pretty Little World Vintage is featured in ETSY Vintage Friday and in Sweet Figments. A big "Thank You!!" to Joanna and Caroline!

(2) Check out this amazing piece, Dividing Screen, Botanical, Four Panels by artist Claire Coleman:


(3) Who wants to send me all of the goodies from the Hermes SS 09 collection?


(and no worries - if more than one person wants to, I'll take multiples of anything!)

Have a smashing weekend everyone!!

Halloween . on . ETSY

From Top Left: (1) Paper Doll Witches from AlissaStudio; (2) A Dark Secret Greeting Card from TheSpottedSparrow; (3) Little Miss Magic Pocket Mirror from DarklingWoods; (4) Happy Halloween Vintage Lot from InWithTheOld; (5) Dia De Los Muertos Earrings from GrigioDesign; (6) Blown Glass Pumpkin from Oberini; (7) You Spook Me Postcard from SarahJaneStudios; (8) Trick or Treat Tickets" from ALittleMuch; (9) Soft Sculpture Pumpkin from HandMadeByTammy

Remodeling

An unfortunate thing about living in a rental is that, for the most part, you're stuck with the features of the house. Very few landlords are willing to let tenants do much beyond a coat of "will-please-everyone" paint here and there. (And also, why put all of that work into a house that isn't really yours?)

So with my limited amounted of wiggle room, I had to take on the space that mattered most to me but looked the worst: my bathroom.

For the first year in our rental, my bathroom wasn't exactly unpleasant, but it was a not-so-attractive (okay, downright hideous) brown/rust color. So with a budget of $200, I set out to make my bathroom a bit more liveable (you'll have to excuse the limited angle photos, as my bathroom is also the size of a small closet):





(1) Paint in Cucumber Green (+ primer): $30.00
(2) Paint roller & accessories: $15.00
(3) Lightswitch Plate from The Robot Candy on ETSY: $10.00
(4) Sundew Shower Curtain from Anthropologie: $88.00
(5) Two cute ring dishes, from Eaton Pottery on ETSY: $10.00 each
(6) Rose-colored Hand Towel, from Target: $4.00

Total: $167.00!!!

Zucca

The most complicated pants I've ever seen:


(And expensive: these babies ring up at $502.00!! From Zucca, available at La Garconne)

Hope you have a less complicated weekend!!

My . Favorite . Time . of . Year

It Started Out with a Kiss...


Well, it's that time of year again: Halloween Month. Yes, month.

I love Halloween. Love/Adore/Cherish/Worship/Obsess Over/Giggle About/etc. If I could, I would turn Halloween into a year-long holiday. And it's not the dressing up part that gets me. Sure, that's fun, but it's more about the way Halloween feels: the leaves turning color, the smell of fall, the lush-colored lights that people put up, the pumpkins, the cooler weather, the shorter days and longer nights...

so in honor of the start of Halloween month, the cutest pumpkin photo I could find ;)

Bliss

Well, I can't think of one reason not to be bubbling over with envy today. Not only does the owner of Blissful Images take some of the loveliest photography ever, she has an amazingly charming blog, Bliss, she has impeccable fashion taste, and she gets to call Portland, Oregon her home.

But at least there's some reprieve for us envious folk - we can adorn our walls we her pretty little images that start at just $14.