“SQUARE STAMP”

…finally!  Thank you, USPS.  Just in time for me to mail out my wedding invitations!

The first of a new series of postage stamps was unveiled recently for use on irregular-shaped envelopes.  Participating greeting card manufacturers will also start printing the butterfly silhouette on their greeting card envelopes so customers will know to use the butterfly stamp or equivalent postage.

For us brides – this will save us from many headaches since many invite envelopes are shaped irregularly.  This 64-cent stamp will help eliminate the need to purchase extra postage to mail them.

Yay to smart solution~

"BARBIE SUITE"

…at the Palms Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.  My Maid of Honor actually told me about this suite, and I must admit…I’m totally intrigued.  At $4,000 a night, the suite can accommodate up to 50 guests.  We have to have my Bachelorette Party there! *screams*

Designed by who else but my fave designer of all time, Jonathan Adler, the suite is actually a version of the Barbie’s Malibu Dream House.  Below are the images from the house in…hello, where else?  Malibu, CA.  

What?  Barbie Louboutins *double screams*!!!

Check out her shopping list…classic.

I mean…could you die?  I never even own a Barbie doll in my life, but I’m super thrilled about this place.  It screams “Adler” everywhere (in Pink!), and I think that makes me more excited than the fact that it’s Barbie’s house.  

So now I need to go find 50 girls to help me split the cost of the $4K suite, and then the party is on!

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY”

…to the love of my life.  Today is E’s birthday.  He wants a pair of black sneakers for the wedding.  Actually, he also wants many other things – an iPad, a new lens for his camera, a new camera for that matter, but I stuck with what I do best – food and fashion.  Since he’s obviously is much better at the former being a chef…I went with the latter.

I’ve searched everywhere for that perfect pair, and I found them.  They are black, patent leather, slim, sleek, not too fancy, and not too casual.  Perfect.  I just can’t seem to find a picture of them.  They are exactly like these ones but so much more awesome-r in black patent.

Happy Birthday my love~

"SOMETHING BLUE"

…what will yours be?

Could be the ever popular blue shoes like these…

Blue Louboutins

Or sexy underthings…

�

Panties from Hanky Panky

Panties from Elle & Cee

Agent Provocateur

How about a pretty blue garter?

Garters by The Garter Girl by Julianne Smith

This garter is by Florrie Mitton

Or beautiful blue jewelry?

Necklace by David Yurman

Necklace by Ranjana Khan

Earrings by Alexis Bittar

Earrings by Ippolita

Vera Wang Bracelet

Or you can be a little unconventional and try a cool blue polish…

Chanel Blue Satin

Dior Poison Blue…if you can get over the scary name…it really is a fabulous color

Do you dare to wear blue lip gloss?

Kevyn Aucoin The Liquid Cyber Lip Gloss in Alurabliss

Not Soap Radio Lip Gloss in Shimmering with Sharks

Oh get over it…it’s not that scary.  It helps cool down the shade of your lipstick, and it actually makes your teeth look whiter.  Not so crazy anymore, right?

Or how about a blue I Do Tattoo?

Check out the I DO rhinestone shoe applique from Mindy Weiss…

Oh that possibilities are endless…so choose wisely

"THROW PILLOWS" PART II

…finally!  This project is done, done, and DONE!  I’ve been procrastinating stuffing the pillows for the lounge at our wedding reception because:

a.) I had so many other things to do, and…

b.)  I haven’t had time to go to Downtown LA to buy to the stuffing.  It’s the cheapest at the Fashion District.  

But I really wanted to get this done so I decided that it might as well just go to the local Joanne’s or Michael’s and get this project done with.  I had several 40% off coupons from Michael’s so I called to see what they have in stock.  Sadly, they only have small bags of the stuffing, and it is quiet expensive $3.99-$9.99…even with my 40% off because I have to stuff 9 pillows!  Here are the 9 pillowcases that I made a while back.  I don’t know why I made so many…I guess I just had a lot of scrap fabrics leftover…

Then I remembered that I once saw some pillows on sale at IKEA so I looked into this, and what do you know, they have pillows on sale for $0.99 each!  Score!  I immediately went to IKEA and got these pillows, the GOSA SLAN for stomach sleeper.  

Apparently, most people don’t sleep on their stomach because there are a ton of these on sale.   

Anyways, I just cut them open and took the stuffing out and stuffed my pillowcases.

Super easy.  I even sewed on cute buttons that I have left over from my boutonnieres project on one of them.  How adorable, right?

Since I sewed all these pillowcases from the scrap fabrics I have left from my other projects (ring pillow and table runners), I really didn’t spend that much money on these pillows at all.  The cost of the stuffer is only about $8.00 so I got 9 pillows for less than $10 instead of buying them from the store for much more than that.  

Wedding Project #9 – Check (finally…yay!)

“FALLON CHRISTIAN CUFF”

…I wasn’t gonna show it to anyone, but I’m just so excited I just had to share!  I ordered this cuff for my wedding, and it just arrived today.  How outrageously rockin’ is it?  Heart, heart, heart!  I wasn’t gonna wear other jewelry other than my earrings, but then I stumbled upon this from Barneys CO-OP, and how could I not?  Wait ‘til you see the earrings I’m gonna wear this with.  Ooooooh so excited!

“ROLLEEZ”

…I heart genius invention, and this is definitely it.  If you’re shoe lover like me, you’ll appreciate the Rolleez.  How many times have you left the house wearing the hottest stilettos…then a couple hours later…not so hot anymore.  Oh, the pain!  The price we girls pay to look fabulous, right?  Not anymore!  Say hi to Rolleez, the rolled-up, life-saver, fabulous flats!  I’m so excited about them that I just ordered 2 pairs.  I would have ordered more, but that would be a bit out of control.  They come in 7 fabulous colors…and I may order more later on, but I’ll start off with 2 for now.  The Rolleez come with the cutest strawberry tote bag so you can safely stash your Louboutins away while you’re rocking your Rolleez comfortably.  They even come with hemming tape so you can adjust your pants length.  Genius, I’m telling you.

*UPDATE* I am super disappointed at the Rolleez maker!  They finally sent me my order after MONTHS of waiting, AND I did not get the cute strawberry bag!  They just gave me a plain, gray bag.  It’s too bad that this happened because I really do love the product.  Oh well.

"GOOP"

…don’t ask me what it stands for, but I can tell you it’s awesome!  It’s an online lifestyle newsletter created by Gwyneth Paltrow.  I totally heart it.  Check it out.

"THE BEST MASCARA EVER"

…at least according to me…is CHANEL Inimitable Mascara.  Just like any other girls (and brides-to-be), we all have searched high and low for the one mascara that goes on beautifully, lump-free, and smudge-free.  The one that extends, plump, defines, and beautifies your lashes AND can withstand the tears.  Well, ladies (and gentlemen…if you’re into this kind of thing), I am here to tell you that I’ve tried and tested them all, and I HEART HEART HEART the Inimitable.  

It has this awesome bristle brush that does it all: volumizes, lengthens, curls, and separates.  The mascara itself feels supple so your lashes don’t dry out.  And best of all, it comes in waterproof formula as well…not that you need it.  If you don’t know me, I will admit that I am a bit of a drama queen.  I get into fights sometimes with E for random stuff, and I always get teary eyes (tears come naturally, but they do emphasize the point(s) I’m trying to make).  Anyhow, I don’t use the waterproof formula because it is a bit drier than the regular formula, and I have to tell you that I’m always amazed that I always walk away looking just as the same as I didn’t cry.  The mascara somehow manages not to run, and my lashes still look fabulous despite the trauma I was just in (the fight).

If you’re not sold, here are some of the mascaras I’ve tested over years.  May be one of these might work better for you…

Maybeline Great Lash – a classic, but the brush just doesn’t compare to the Inimitable.

Dior Diorshow – fabulous mascara, I must admit, but the brush is a bit too big for my eyes, and it smudges.  The formula is a bit too thick for my liking because it’s supposed to volumize, but for me, it just has the tendency to create spider-y lash for me.

Clinique High Impact Mascara – the formula is a bit too thick for my liking, and the brush is too dense for me.  My friend, Amber, swears by it, but she has long, unbelievably beautiful lashes so the dense brush on this mascara probably works much better on hers than mine (thin, short lashes…sad).

Lastly, Chanel Exceptionnel Mascara.  I made the mistake of thinking that newer is better…not true.  This mascara was introduced after the Inimitable, and when I ran out of the Inimitable, I figured I would give it a try since it’s newer…it should be better.  Nope.  There’s nothing wrong with in in particular, but I just really have to watch out for volumizing mascara because it tends to go on much thicker and weighs my lash down.

So there you have it.  I will never buy another kind of mascara again (at least until a saleslady convinces me to try something else new).  I hope you give the Inimitable a try, and I’m sure you’ll love it as much as I do.  And if you did try something new and love it…please share it with me so I can give it a try, too.  

Cheers to beautiful (and smudge-free) lashes~

“ENGAGEMENT RING”

…my really good friend just got engaged tonight.  It got me thinking about all kind of pretty rings out there.  I’m so happy for her and brand-spanking new fiance.

Congrats, you two~