Babies & Books (aka Kate Middleton and Marisa become magazine BFFs)

So this happened... You know, me and Kate sharing the same gossip-y pages of Life & Style this week!!  I call it the "Babies & Books" issue!!

I was giddy with excitement to see the book featured in this issue - sandwiched between Kate Hudson's fave Edie Parker purses (which are oh, so dreamy) and Katrina Bowden's fave Dentyne Gum (well, "Sweet Breath" is a pretty fab headline...) with the Duchess herself on the cover.

Aside from the love from the weekly mag, I also got started on this holiday puppy...

It's a plaid and velvet party going on!!

I began working on this piece before (...and after) taking off for a lovely night in San Diego, crafting, meeting readers, and talking thrift stores, at the lovely Kettle Coffee & Tea in Escondido!  A full post featuring all the fun - a tutorial on the vintage fabric ornament we made and a ridiculously delish recipe for one of the treats we devoured - will be featured soon.

New remake comes tomorrow!

12.4.12 - $1 Remake

Well hello there yellow dress!!

I really liked the billowy sleeves and the shine in the fabric, but as a whole the dress just wasn't working.

To keep as a dress or not to keep as a dress...that is the question!!

I ended up making my Shakespearean choice - this dress wasn't meant to be one piece anymore!

I trimmed the piece in two, cutting over the elastic band at the waist!  I'll be using this remnant soon...

I went to my bag of tricks (it was ribbon friends, not really tricks!) and grabbed a bit of navy grosgrain ribbon...

...and pinned it around the edging of the new top!

I stitched the ribbon down...

...and paired the top with a vintage sweater with pastel flowers, a scarf turned into a turban, and a gold and pearlized costume necklace.

I was also playing with the shirt and ended up unbuttoning it down to the second to last button and folding the unbuttoned area under.  I created a makeshift V neck without any stitching at all!!

I felt kind of like Edie Beale wearing the scarf like so...

It's my new favorite way to wear a scarf and actually have it stay in place instead of creeping away from my hairline!!

PS, San Diego-ians...I'm coming your way tonight!!  Come and hang out with some crafts, some book chatter, and some delish pastries at Kettle Coffee & Tea in Escondido (119 East Grand Avenue)!!  We start crafting (making fun ornaments!!) at 6pm then book signing/vintage clothing consulting at 7pm...would love to see you there!  Check out the invite here!

Weekend Rundown!

Happy Monday friends!!  I hope everyone had a fab weekend! I spent the rainy west coast days getting crafty in the DIY Den at Unique LA (filled with 350 vendors selling their handmade/amazing/cool/delicious goods), making headbands (like the chic one below) and meeting tons of you guys!!

We went through hundreds of yards of ribbon...

...and everyone went home with a chic little 'band!  I'll give a full tutorial shortly as my feet are still on fire from standing all weekend and I'm currently in bed nursing a sore throat.

Let the new week commence!!