Merry Christmas

Best Wishes to all my friends and family!

this is the view from Nick's parents house. What a white Christmas!

Birds of a Feather

Feathers made a huge impression in fashion this fall, and expect to see them through the winter and into the warmer seasons. According to sources, head pieces with feathers will grow brighter, more noticeable with a flare of vintage.

For new ideas to wear this trend, think past outerwear and show off your unmentionables. A customer of mine told me about Your slip is showing.com, a line of slips designed to be shown with embellishments of feathers, sequins, pleats and tulle. With each style, photos are shown of the slip alone and how it would look under a skirt or dress.

If skirts and layers aren't your thing (I only wear them ALL the time because of my work's dress code), earrings are a more subtle way to wear this fashion. A coworker pointed me to LA based designer Sheila B., part of the duo behind the fabulous fashions at Kucoon Designs.

Earrings can be drastic

or glamorous

All That Glitters

If I ever open a shop of my own, it would look something like the Beauty Bar, a club in downtown Austin. I drive by it almost everyday and last weekend, we finally made it inside.

The windows outside

It's a pink glitter wonderland!

And speaking of sparkles, there is a local artist who is well represented at restaurants around town. Sue Zola, aka the "Glitter Diva" works solely with glitter on canvas. Last night at the Keep Christmas Bizarre, I finally found her contact information to order a piece of her work. She makes both original pieces and reproductions of famous works. LOVE it!

Homemade Holidays

In addition to giving a scarf from Natalie, and some fabulous jewelry from Lindsay, I've collected some other unique ideas to give the usual ho hum gifts a kick in the pants.

A calendar may be played out, but doesn't everyone need one at least once a year? This time, skip the kiosk in mall. You print and arrange these yourself,

The Women's Calendar

And for the guys

Give your happy Democrat something stylish to wear for Inauguration Day

A tie for the gentlemen is so outdated (save it for Father's Day ;) Perhaps an ascot instead? Tell him your "very fashionable friend" Carina forecasted it to be huge in 09~

Last, every pet deserves a gift at Christmas too. Make your furry friend the cutest on the block

When in doubt, shop local!

Designer Spotlight: Love Natalie

Just in time for Christmas, I'm posting a spotlight on a friend from Seattle who creates wonderful (and warm) gifts for all. Back in my Washington days, Natalie designed for the well-known tableware company Rosanna. As we became friends, she was also one of the main people to encourage me to apply to FIDM. Where would I be without that entire piece of my life (thanks Nat!)

Natalie used to host some great seasonal parties... SeaFair, Super Sangria, Fourth of July bbqs, and St. Patrick's Day.
At Christmas time she and her roommate would decorate with the most random items: Plastic outdoor lit candy canes, silver painted roosters, and over-sized ornaments. Somehow it looks fabulous, chic, and original in the way you wished you had thought of the idea first.

This was a "bad Christmas sweater/ dress" party at a local Renton watering hole, Bergies where the Karaoke was terrible but good times were always had by all. Natalie is right in the middle wearing the green puffy-sleeved wonder (you should see this girl two step;)


Natalie is now living in Bellingham, designing her own line of delightful purses, scarves, baby wear and play mats.

I love the contrast of lining in this purse




This scarf makes me wish for colder weather in Austin

Handmade gifts are the best way to go for gift giving. They are much more unique, and you're supporting small business owners.

Check out Natalie's blog, and of course shop her Etsy site!

All About "Trimming" Trees

We have our Christmas tree up and decorated. I have to admit, getting it at a nursery was no comparison to cutting down my own tree at Thornton's Tree Land while eating candy canes, sipping hot cocoa, and feeding the barnyard sheep and goats. Sometimes Texas just can't hold a candle to Washington.

It's a modest effort with traditional large white lights, and red ornaments.

I used the extra bows to decorate the living room lights and my bookshelf.

I found these fun trees online. I think I may try to make this 2 dimensional tree in the bedroom

A Sex and the City themed tree! Too perfect!

And finally, a Parisian nights tree with feathers and adornments galore. This is definitely a tree to aspire to next year.

Tis the Season to Add Poundage

And how can I resist? It all looks so delicious. All that lost summer weight is finding its way back to me...

Out of Thanksgiving leftovers? Take a Stove Top single serving of stuffing to work for lunch

These might be too cute to eat! Ralphie cookies from A Christmas Story. Found on Etsy

Texas brewery Shiner has a great seasonal selection, Holiday Cheer which tastes like peaches and nutmeg. I made an ice cream float with one last night. So good... but what a calorie overload

Nick's brother also brought about three pounds of their mom's homemade granola when he visited over Thanksgiving. Since Nick isn't a fan of the cereal (and I am), I've been munching on it for breakfast every morning since. I'm pretty sure it's no Special K.

Heat Wave

According to my car, it's 82 degrees here in Austin today. I admit I'm not a cold weather fan, but the traditionalist in me is craving some white for Christmas!

Austin's weather has been a bit schizophrenic lately. It was cold during my mom's visit, and I just about boiled running errands today in a fleece and Uggs.

I suppose I'll settle for a Christmas movie and dream of snow.

More Guests

My mom was in town last weekend. She spoke at a conference in San Antonio which is about an hour away. Luckily, she finagled her trip to come through Austin so she could stay with me a couple nights.

Since this was her first time to Austin, we took her out to BBQ (well, Lamberts, which is "fancy" barbecue). We decided to wait on the official city tour until both my parents visit in January.

Instead, we did the "girly" things, like shop and catch up over coffee. She also brought some of my Christmas decorations from home. Yay!

The shopping tree (a collaboration of boxes, vintage dolls, and shopping themed ornaments) recently received a huge upgrade to a 4 ft pink tree. Thanks mum for hauling this thing all the way from Washington :)

Now Hiring: PA

I recently came up with what I considered a brilliant idea.

I would love to have a personal assistant (really, who wouldn't). Someone to take care of all the pesky things I forget to do in a week: Keep me organized, make the morning coffee, tell me my outfit looks cute, blog when I'm too tired to, etc. I am obviously in no position to hire such a person. However, I've decided free labor is available to anyone clever enough to seek it, through a sneaky little word: Internship. I understand that an accredited collegiate school needs to approve of my "program," but I'm pretty sure I could achieve this through the University of Pheonix or Devry, or any college who advertises during midday soap operas.

I think I'd be a great boss, with better Christmas bonuses than Tyra Banks, fantastic end of semester recommendations, and even potential full time employment as a real PA when I become wildly successful and can afford to do so.

On the First Day of Christmas...

Despite the Scrooge I have grumbling around my house, the Christmas season has begun!

Last year's efforts were pretty minimal (this is exactly what I did for a tree). I was more consumed with going to the beach and soaking up as much LA as I possibly could before the impending move arrived.

THIS YEAR: I'm settled into a house that deserves a proper tree and tons of outdoor lights. I'll post more pictures once my crappy camera decides to start working again. This will also buy me time to rent a ladder for hanging the higher icicle lights. Hmmm, if only I had an "elf" to help me... Instead, I'll smother the Nick Grinch with merriment until he joins in ;)