With the Montreal Gift Show just one week away, and with so many things left to be done, this past weekend was all work and no play. You know what my house needs for me to unwind and relax? A slide!
Japanese studio Level Architects actually designed a three-story house in Tokyo with a staircase on one side and a slide on the other... A THREE-STORY SLIDE! Oh how my productivity would suffer...
That's the name of the new album from alt-rock darlings Radiohead. Almost four years after their critically-acclaimed In Rainbows, the British quintet is back with a short, eight-track offering.
(a bit creepy, no?)
The band is a big favorite of the husband, and while it's not exactly my type of music, they were the first band I ever saw live, so they hold a special place in my heart (how nostalgic!). The pace of this album is much slower, much dreamier than earlier efforts - it matches perfectly with the cloudy, gloomy weather of the last few days up here.
The video for the first single, Lotus Flower, features singer Thom Yorke singing, doing interpretive dancing, and just going crazy!
A few times per season, there'll be collections that will catch your eye - could be the colors, could be the style, could be the eccentricity. But once in a while, there's one collection that gets everything right, that just makes you go WOW!
Frida Giannini's Fall/Winter 2011 collection for Gucci has me going wow wow wow. I haven't seen a collection that I've loved so much in a long time, if ever.
The big fox fur collars, the straight-leg pants, the coats and jackets, the fedora hats, the purples and teals and pinks... I WANT IT ALL! I still have a few months before it comes out, so plenty of time for me to win the lottery ;)
For real vintage lovers, Mascara Jones is an absolute must. The L.A.-based online store focuses on mid-century upscale jewelry and home decor, with the odd 80s piece here and there.
It has an amazing selection of Italian glassware and 50s-60s necklaces and earrings. I love that everything in there is authentic - no fakes, only the good stuff! (and the price reflects that authenticity...)
If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind vintage piece that will wow the gallery, you'd be wise to check out Mascara Jones ;)
1960s 18k Gold Snake Ring with Rubies and Turquoise
With over 10 millions hits on YouTube for her cover Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way', 10-year old Maria Aragon from Winnipeg, Manitoba, is the hottest young sensation currently on the web.
She was a guest on Virgin Radio in her hometown to talk about her internet fame when Lady Gaga called in to chat. She even invited Maria to perform a duet of the song on stage when her tour hits Toronto in March; not surprisingly, the young girl quickly accepted!
(I could've done without Gaga's rant, but Maria's reaction is so genuine)
Who knows, she might just be the next Justin Bieber (not sure if that's good or bad...)
Is it still too early to talk about upcoming Spring fashion? I think NOT!
After a winter full of blacks and blues and grays, I can't wait for springtime to come around so everyone goes back to wearing fun, bright, colorful outfits.
Prabal Gurung's 2011 Spring/Summer collection is full of sparkly oranges and yellows, electric blues, and eye-popping reds. Looking at these skirts and dresses, I can't help thinking of sunny weather, beaches and a nice tall piña colada! (the perfect opposite to the -20 degree Celsius temperatures I faced this morning :/)
On top of my never ending preparation for the upcoming Montreal Gift Show (only two weeks away!), brunching with my parents and shopping for house decorations (that's always fun), I took a few minutes out of my hectic schedule this weekend to tinker with my blog and (finally!) add a new section: Sassy Sponsors!
Not only is Rachael's blog It's Simple Love full of fabulous finds, great giveaways and pretty posts, her online Etsy shop Ande Mönster is a vintage lover's best friend. Jackets, skirts, shoes, shirts - tons of stuff for all sorts of tastes and budgets!
'Francis Ford Coppola can lay claim to the war movie. Ernest Hemingway the war novel. Polly Jean Harvey, a 41-year-old from Dorset, has claimed the war album' - NME's Mike Williams
PJ Harvey's released her eight studio album Let England Shake on Valentine's Day. Inspired by the history of conflict and modern-day testimonies from civilians and soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, she lets her powerful lyrics fly over the album's etheral and moody instrumental arrangements, like bombers over the battlefield.
It's an album full of fear, pain, loss and melancholy. It's an exceptional piece of work; she's alway been one of my favorite female artist, and this one of her best effort of her 18-year solo career.
Video for the first single The Words That Maketh Murder
Three rows of pavé diamonds, electric green chrysoprase stones, 18K yellow-gold... what more can you ask for? This stunning cuff from California's Irene Neuwirth is my WOW piece of February - I can definitely see myself rocking it this Spring!
Now, about that 57,000$ price tag - think I can pay in 5,700 easy monthly installments of 10$?
Reading Erica Wark's post on her second day at the New York Fashion show, I was reminded how fabulous Rebecca Minkoff apparel can be; I definitely need more of her pieces in my wardrobe!
Her first four years in the fashion industry saw her gain success with her I love New York tee, but it's really her handbags that made Minkoff a household name in 2005 - the iconic Morning After Bag has been seen everywhere ever since.
The New York-based designer plunged back into the ready-to-wear universe in 2009, with great success. Her upcoming 2011 Fall/Winter collection is amazing, and I love just about everything in it: the cuts, the colors, and I love the fact that it's not too much out there - I can see myself wearing most of these pieces at work or for a night out with the girls.
The results are in for the first Mizdragonfly giveaway...
And the winner is...
Julie from Pop Champagne! She's the lucky winner of a pair of Mirlo Fox earrings! Julie, it's up to you to pick the colors of the crystal - black, purple, opal or hot pink - and then just send me an email (or leave a comment on this post) with your choice :)
Thank you all for entering the giveaway! We should do this again soon, no? ;)
I decided last Fall that I wanted a dog - more specifically, a Boston Terrier. I bought books, read tons of forums and sites online, and I've been driving my husband mad with my excitement!
As quickly mentioned in my previous post, we dedicated part of our VDay weekend to visit a certified Boston Terrier breeder. We spent two hours with Denise and Dave talking about dogs, training, breeding - I had so many questions, and they had the patience to answer them all.
One of their bitches had recently given birth to a single puppy - Gizmo, five weeks old. Isn't he the CUTEST thing ever?!
We also spent lost of time with Carmina, a very social Boston - she was very, very pleased to have visitors!
Before we left, I gave my deposit, and I must now wait for the next litter... it won't be soon enough!
My husband and I spent the weekend in Montreal and the Laurentides for Valentine's. There was a lot of shopping, a crazy snowstorm and the cutest puppies you'll ever see (more on that in my next post).
On Saturday night, we spent an amazing evening at Toqué!, one of our favorite restaurants, for a fabulous dinner experience. The eight courses, with wine pairings, took us on a unique culinary adventure - scallops in pineapple water with fresh basil and ginger, local 1608 cheese with Parmesan cream and olive caramel, wild deer with fresh elderberries and black garlic purée... so delicious! (but definitely not good for the diet :p)
If you're ever in Montreal, and you like good food, and you want to treat yourself, you can be sure that Toqué! will not disappoint!
This weekend, fellow blogger Sam from Love Never Fails is leaving for Australia for a few months, so to celebrate her exciting Aussie adventure, I'm showcasing one of my favorite bands from Down Under, Cut Copy.
What started as a small project by future frontman Dan Whitford in 2001 has since become a critically acclaimed international band. They've even toured with dance superstars Daft Punk during the Alive 2007 tour.
They mix guitars and synths seamlessly, resulting in upbeat, danceable tracks that are sure to get your feet moving. They've just released their third studio album, Zonoscope - it has a definite pop flavor with a breezy summer feel (after all, it is currently summer in Australia). It's a nice sound to escape the freezing temperatures of our current winter!
Video for Lights and Music, off their 2008 album In Ghost Colours
Luxury can be found everywhere - even in one's lipstick!
Just in time for Valentine's Day, Chanel is offering its new Boy shade from its upcoming Rouge Coco Shine lineup - a glossy light pink lipstick perfect for smooches and kisses.
While the complete Rouge Coco Shine lineup (all 25 colors) will be available in April, you can get your hands on this shade right now - but you have to hurry up, this pre-sale is on only until February 13th!
I think everyone can agree - the weather's been all over the place lately. It's warm one day, freezing cold the other; I have five layers on one day, and I'm unzipping my coat the other. And all that weather flip-flopping makes my throat sore and itchy. I'm definitely in need of a new scarf for my precious neck and throat.
Everyone around here has a boring gray or black scarf; how about trying to spice it up a bit? A colorful scarf can be a great accent to any outfit, and it's fun to match you other accessories (purse, jewelry, etc.) with it. Here are five scarves from current Fall/Winter collections that have caught my eye - away with the boring monochrome scarves!
1. Miu Miu Polka-dot silk crepe de Chine scarf
2. Eribé Scottish Fairisle Scarf
3. Autumn Cashmere Scarf
4. Boden Printed Silk Scarf
5. Vera Wang Mariko Bloom Floral Scarf
After 4 years of indie craft fairs and fashion shows, I received last fall an invitation to attend the Montreal Gift Show. So from March 6 to 9, for the first time, I will be selling my peerless one-of-a-kind designs at wholesale price to over 8,000 retailers!
Although this is quite exciting, I must say that the preperations are quite overwhelming. What dimensions are the walls of my booth? Can I paint them? Is my booth canope included? What accessories do I bring to spice up my decor? The questions never end!
(I WISH my booth was that big!)
Money's also another key player in making this show a reality. Registration fees, decor, supplies, transportation, hotels, meals and everything else in between... it all adds up very quickly! With these four days in Montreal costing me over 5K, all my energies are focused on putting this show together and creating the Mizdragonfly wow factor for booth 1013!
If you need more info on the show, I'd be glad to share, just shoot me an email. Has anyone attended gift shows/wholesale shows? I'd love to hear tips, tricks and stories :)
Government job by day, jewelry designer by night, I blog about stuff I find, fashion I love, places I'd like to visit, and music I listen to. You can reach me by email at mizdragonflyjewellery@gmail.com
Enjoy!
