Red Carpet Recap: Grammys

Last night was the 54th Grammy awards, and with the news of Whitney Houston's sudden passing, this years awards took on a more in memoriam feel. There were some great performances throughout the night, the ones that stood out were Bruno Mars, Adele's amazing return, the Beach Boys with Foster the people, and of course, Jennifer Hudson's tribute to Whitney. I had joked about how the Grammy's could have a Whitney Houston drinking game (drink at every mention), but I would like to add that despite the appearance of some of my tweets, I was not participating. (On that note, does anyone else have an incredible that changes words to the plural or select a word that you in fact, did not select? It is so annoying!) It was touching to see how the artists influenced by Whitney's talent paid tribute to her.

Anyway, on to the Red Carpet. A lot of my hits and misses are people who I had no idea who they were.

Hits:

Sera, Tamara Braun, Jessie J

I have no idea who this Sera is, but her top knot bun, gorgeous soft blue pleated dress and punch of color belt, had me loving whoever it is she may be. Next, Tamara Braun, I hadn't heard of her either, but I guess she's a Soap Opera actress, I loved her dress, too. The color was fantastic. And Jessie J, I loved J.Lo last year in her  Pucci disco ball mini, and this Julien MacDonald is just as gorgeous.

Kate Beckinsale, Kelly Rowland

Kate Beckinsale's Zuhair Murad dress was so flattering on her, I love beige-y nudes and black together, and this was just such a great pick for her. Similarly, Kelly Rowland's Alberta Ferretti was stunning, but I also loved how her hair, makeup, and accessories complimented everything so well. And lets talk about those arms, with arms like that, you need to be wearing a dress that shows them off!

And my pick for best dressed:

Adele

Let's face it, this was Adele's year.This sparkling dress is perfect for her, and I loved the red lip. I didn't care much for the dress she sang in, but the nude lip there was to die for. And really, suck it, Lagerfeld for your comments. I love me some Chanel, but you went too far.

Misses:

Bonnie McKee, Fergie, Rhianna

 Okay, for starters, I had never heard of Bonnie McKee. No clue who she was, whatsoever. Apparently, she sings. And from my Google search, she appeared on Jimmy Kimmel back in like 2009. A lot of help that gave her. Next, we have Fergie, in her Jean Paul Gaultier Couture. I believe I tweeted "Oh Fergie...no..." and that's still what I think. Sure Tangerine Tango is Pantone's color of the year, but no. And Rhianna. I have to admit, the dress, and the shoes and clutch I love. It's the hair that absolutely kills it.

Robyn

All I have to say is that this whole "flatform" trend needs to go. Frankenstein-esque feet do nothing for the figure. Not to mention the FUPA of that high waisted mini-mullet-like-skirt.

Lastly, remember back when Gaga tweeted a tease about her modeling in Thierry Mugler's fashion show last Spring? She was unveiling one of her new songs while she walked the catwalk? No? Well she said this (again, Google saves, you can find anything. I'd like to thank whoever it was that took this screenshot).

I'd like to think that maybe it wasn't the Mugler show she was teasing. It was this.

Sasha Grandiva

 Because I'm pretty sure that's what Gaga gave birth to. Congrats, Gaga, it's a girl! I will give both Bonnie and Sasha credit, we may not have known who they were before last night, but we all do now!

Lastly, I decided I would do a best/worst dressed men's pick because let me tell you, I was pretty much obsessed with this look:

David Guetta

 I want that jacket! For serious, I spy a DIY here.

And then there's this, it breaks my heart.

Val Kilmer, believe it or not

Remember when he was hot?

Spring Collection

Just a peek at what is coming this week as the start of my Spring collection. Next week will include even more, but I don't want to give away all the looks at once!

And, for the next two weeks, use the code "FreeShip" at checkout to receive free shipping!

DIY: Ribbon and Pearl Necklace

I love that on Pinterest you can get all sorts of DIY inspiration. On a whim last week, I suddenly had the DIY urge and I decided that I'd rope my friend Diana in on it. She and I already had plans for the weekend and if getting crafty is awesome alone, then it is way more awesome with a friend.

Thing is, Di isn't much of a DIY'er. She's a smarty-pants...but not the type to get her craft on. I may have scared her when I told her I was roping her in on my weekend plan. (I received an email saying "What craft?") I scanned Pinterest and found one that I had marked that didn't require too much time or for supplies and decided this would be the one. It was perfect for a lazy Sunday.

Here's how I made my own ribbon and pearl cluster necklace

Supplies: Ribbon, Cheapy necklace(s), Scissors, Lighter, Ruler

I bought 2 Opera length faux-pearl necklaces from Forever 21 ($6.80 each). I tried other discount-style stores (Five Below, Claire's, Temptations) but F21 was the cheapest. You could also buy regular 16-18inch necklaces like the Mardi Gras style beads for this too, just use more. (You could even use a spray paint and turn the cheap Mardi Gras ones into any color!)

Fold long necklaces, get length

Once you figure out how long your necklaces are, figure out how long you want your necklace. I cut 15 inches of ribbon, I wanted to tie a bow in the back, this will make my necklace shorter from the bow...plan accordingly.

Tie ribbon to necklace. Knot tightly. Burn edges of ribbon

Gather your necklaces and knot one side of the ribbon. Be sure to squish (why yes, that is a technical term) the ribbon in between the beads so they don't shift. Repeat on other side. (Tip: I gently brush the ribbon along a flame to melt the ends and prevent fraying. Di on the other hand, lit hers on fire by sticking her ribbon directly into the flame. Luckily, my apartment is still standing.)

Find mid point of ribbon, cut, burn edges again (thanks Di for holding the ribbon so I could get the picture!)

Find the middle where you'll be cutting your ribbon, cut and again burn the edges to prevent fraying. You can skip this step for a long style, or you can cut closer to one of the sides and tie the bow there so you have that showing--just keep in mind, if that's what you do, it will be your only option for tying. Your necklace is now ready to wear!

Please pardon my deer in the headlights look, I just took this picture as I was working on this post.

So I browsed the Internet to see if I could find some currently for sale necklaces similar to this, you know...for comparison. Here's what I found:

Endless, Endless, Limited

The Limited one is the least expensive, and has not only pearl, but chain...but still costs more than mine. My version got a ton of compliments at work, and really added a lot to my rather boring, uninspired outfit.

If you make this yourself, I'd love to see your creation!

Red Carpet Recap: Golden Globes

Last night was the 69th annual Golden Globe awards, and once again I was barely aware of the shows/movies nominated, but highly aware of the fashions. So lets just jump right in to the hits, misses and trends.

Hits:

Berenice Bejo, Clare Danes, Salma Hayek

Berenice Bejo? Who? That's exactly what I said when I saw her name pop up. She's in "The Artist", and this blue dress is gorgeous. There's really gorgeous knife pleating on this dress, that you cannot really grasp in the picture. The way the dress moved, perfection. Clare Danes, the dress flattered, but the detailing on the back was the real stunner. Salma Hayek's Gucci number was beautiful, and lets admit it, I'm a sucker for sparkle.

Honorable Mentions:

Emma Stone, Diana Aragon

Emma Stone's burgundy and fuchsia panel dress was unique and certainly flattering for her figure. She seemed most excited for the eagle on the belt...a great standout piece. Diana Aragon's dress was falling flat from the looks of the twitter-verse last night, but I loved the laser cut details, and again this was a dress that moved gorgeously. I think this red number is just like that hot red number January Jones wore last year. You either hated it, or loved it. There was no in between.

Misses:

Angelina Jolie, Meryl Streep, Mila Kunis

Angelina Jolie's attempt at punching up a washed out color was reminiscent of last year's pregnant Natalie Portman dress with the red floral detail. Meryl Streep looks like she forgot that she was not only attending the awards show, but also nominated and cut her trip to the Grand Ole Opry short. Mila Kunis...well she wasn't going to top last year so she set the bar low. I expect a comeback.

Juliane Moore, Sarah Michelle Gellar

Julianne Moore looked like she took an 80's prom dress and threw it over a gown. Peplum and Mermaid tail styles should never go together. SMG's look from head to toe was a disaster. Well, maybe not all the way to toe, but even the most rockin' shoes couldn't save this dress. I thought it was tie-dyed. It's worse. It's what happens when you drip dye into water and swirl it around.

Trending:

Nude, Nude, Nude

Julie Bowen, Amy Poehler, Heidi Klum

Sarah Hyland, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel

There was a whole lot of nude dresses going on. If it wasn't a nude dress, it was a nude face/hair look (Reese Witherspoon let her natural beauty show, it made up for her less than flattering red dress).

Even though there was a sea of nudes, and black and grey, if people were going for a color, they went big.

Missi Pyle, Maria Menunos, Paula Patton, Mireille Enos

Also not pictured was Emily Blunts gorgeous yellow gown.  Not only were these ladies bold in the yellow, they happened to perfectly match the floral centerpieces at the tables. I give all of them credit--being photographed in a yellow dress on the red carpet is a bit McDonald-y.

Did you watch the Red Carpet? What were your thoughts? To see some last year's recap, clickity-click yo'self here.

Reason I love pinterest # 39291

Alright, I'm a Pinterest addict. I'm okay with this. The day I found out there was an app for Droid (finally) was a great day. Now, I can browse while I wait for the train, or any other reason. I pinned this, because Gerard Butler and beading? I'm in heaven. Which lead me to this Tumblr that is filled with awesome AND Ryan Gosling. What?

Check out Handmade Ryan Gosling. Just a little bit more dreamy. Although, there needs to be a Bradley Cooper one...while he's talking in French. *le swoon*

Jason Wu for Target

Another lookbook for a Target collaboration has been released. This upcoming collab is with Jason Wu, and is slated for release on February 5. Wu was sprung into fame when he designed First Lady Michelle Obama's Inaugural gown (remember that gorgeous white, one shoulder number that started many women's arm envy--her arms are hot!).

After the Missoni for Target disaster, I'm apprehensive about this launch. The Versace for H&M was greeted similarly, and I think that this has the same potential outcome. Especially since prices are reasonable, ranging from $19.99-$59.99. I've got my eye on 3 pieces, so I'm hoping it isn't. But hopes aside, lets take a look.

L-R: Shift dress-$40, Poplin Navy dress-$40, Pale Blue cardigan- $40 w/Dot dress $40

 

L-R: Sheer blouse- $35, Blue stripe skirt- $30, Yellow sleeveless blouse- $33, Black pleat skirt- $30

My Picks, L-R: Sleeveless top- $27, Pleated Floral skirt- $30, Cream Dress- $60

What are your thoughts on another Target collaboration? Has the hype faded, or has the lack of Missoni only added fuel to the fashionista-on-a-budget fire?

My 12 in 12

I know I'm a little tardy for the party, but I was having a nice little 2 week break from work, and since I was placed in an Air Cast boot to heal a serious sprain in my ankle, I was forced to take it easy. The horror! I'm back at work now, and it's...chaotic. Nothing like jumping right back into it!

2011 was a good year for me. I made a new friend (and she will totally catch a reference in the above paragraph), worked on growing petal & pink, joined IFB, was smarter with my shopping, ate better, and overall improved just about all aspects of my life. I also turned 30. When I was 25-26, 30 seemed so scary to me, I dare even say I thought it was old. As I turned 29, I had a more "bring it on attitude", and now that it's here, I'm bringing it. I'm excited at all the things I have planned, and hope to grow and take in so much more than that.

I'm not one for resolutions. So, instead of making those, I'm making a list of things I'm looking forward to, and even sharing here on this blog. I'm calling it "12 in 12", because I like to give things corn-ball titles. So here goes:

12. Run an uninjured 5k (see air cast mention above).
11. Take in more outdoor activity. 2011 was marred by a rained out camping trip, too few hikes, and even less bike rides.
10. Expand petal & pink. Big plans you guys, stay tuned!
9. Take a photography class. To be honest, I use my camera so much on jewelry pictures, I haven't even scratched the surface of what it can do. I will learn more!
8. Build quality into my wardrobe. I have a good functioning closet now. It's time to up the ante and start investing! (I'm looking at you, coveted MBMJ bag)
7. Start a garden. Okay, so this will probably be husband's doing, but I will contribute by picking veggies.
6. Get 100 more Etsy sales. I hit 100 sales this holiday season* and now I want to bust my booty to carry on the momentum!
5. Celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary with a grilled dinner at our house.
4. Buy a house. (Which is why a lovely grilled by husband dinner would be amazing. We miss charcoal grilling.)
3. Get a dog!
2. Visit Paris (and London, too).
1. Be more open to where this year will take me! I've got such big plans in 2012, I don't want to over look the smaller things, those can turn into the big memories of life.

*to celebrate my 100 sales, I'm running a 10% off promo in my Etsy shop. Enter "Happy12" at checkout! Ends January 10th.

Zoya's doing it again!

Just a little FYI.

Zoya is once again offering free nail polish! This time, it's 2 free polishes, you just pay shipping ($6.95 for regular shipping, $8.95 for expedited). I'm guessing that once again, this render a huge response and shipping times will be delayed while they fulfill the orders. Just enter the code "Zoya2012" at checkout.

My picks:

Laurie

Kristen

So, if you're a nail polish fiend like I am, go and enjoy! And, Zoya is "Big 3 free" which means it's better for you. I am a big fan of their polishes, and the base coat and top coat work so well (although I do find they don't get along with Essie). Offer ends on January 9th, see here for details.