Happy weekend!

I'm very excited that we are off to the races for a birthday party tomorrow. What are you doing? whatever it may be... I hope it is splendid!!

**photo/drawing credit from "horse-centric" collection HERE**

Mod Monday- Vidal Sassoon on the watch list

I spotted the trailer for this movie over HERE. They did a pretty awesome synopsis and made me want to get a super mod haircut via Vidal Sasson.
Have you seen the movie? Did you like it?

A few things I would buy today if I had an extra $2000

OK, let me start off this post with a disclaimer that if I had an extra $2000 I would probably not buy all of these things... I would pay off a couple bills then put the rest in the wedding fund. This is more of a "loving list" and swoon-worthy objects. Disclaimer aside, here we go:
1. Prada Baroque sunglasses, I saw these in People magazine a few weeks ago and even went into the Prada store in NYC and tried them on (they looked fabulous on me, just sayin') I am seriously in love with them. But I lose things....
2. Trina Turk Graciella dress, I stalk the Trina Turk website about 4 times a week, but have never had an extra few hundred laying around to buy one of these fabulous dresses. Lucky for me, Banana Republic has just launched a capsule collection, but go fast cause since this morning there are already things they are sold out of. Including a fab pair of orange shorts I was gonna buy tonight... GONE. blast.
3. A Stand Up Paddle Board (SUP), preferably one built for water yoga. Ben and I went out last weekend on White Rock Lake, I rented the SUP and Ben the kayak. It was seriously so much fun that I came home and started googling prices for SUPs. Then I found out you can do water yoga (what?!?! awesome) and I became even more obsessed. Seriously obsessed. If anyone has a used board they are willing to sell me, let me know. Otherwise I'm holding out for that extra $2000.

Book Report & Summer Reading

I have gotten a lot of reading in lately, some are time passers (entertaining but not ground breaking) and a couple really inspiring ones. Here's the breakdown:

• Trouble in Mudbug-  A pretty cute murder mystery and it was on the Kindle Free list!! I found this Listmania on Amazon that has more cheap murder mysteries
• The Fifty Shades Trilogy- yes.. I went there... and read ALL THREE in a week. it kinda consumed me in a Harry Potter/ Twilight kinda way. Only raunchier and more adult (duh.) I think that they totally coulda wrapped up the whole thing in 1 book if they took out all the unneccessary sex scenes. haha. 
• Imagine: How Creativity Works- This book was pretty amazing. And my redeeming book for the before mentioned trilogy. It was engaging and thoughtful and I highly recommend it.
• The Cat Manual- If you have a 2 hour flight and you wanna get through an entire book, this is the perfect time waster. Its cute... but only to a cat owner. It is written by a cat, for a cat. 
• Untold Story- This is about what "would have" happened if Princess Diana's murder was all a rouse. It is pretty entertaining and an interesting look into psyche. 
• The Magicians and The Magician King- As far as novels go, these two were my favorite that I have read in the last few months. But I love a good fantasy, mystery element to my books. And these deliver.\

 I went back to my summer reading list from last year, and it seems as though I only finished a few. I did purchase these 2 books yesterday on Amazon:

Mrs. Lilien's Cocktail Swatchbook

American Grown

I also have a list from Facebook that people have recommended:

• Neva Warnock-well, just random great reads: Killer Angels, 1632, the Beekeeper's Apprentice, Songlines 
• Whitney Ashton-Swanson Great murder mystery called Perfume. About a killer who picks his victims by their sent. Giving me chills right now. 
• Kara Brock Schectman-Divergent  
• Erin Grubbs- I love the Wideacre trilogy from Phillippa Gregory, very saucy for historical fiction 
• Crystal Ashley-  Devil in the White City. It's About the making of the 1893 worlds fair in Chicago following the architects struggles to complete AND follows a serial killer during the same time. It's non-fiction and pretty interesting. It bounces between both stories every couple chapters
• Maggie Quinn-I'm reading Indomitable Will about LBJ and loving it! I second Devil in the White City, but Erik Larson's newer book In the Garden of the Beasts (about Americans living in Germany during Hitler's rise to power) is NOT good. The Glass Castle is a favorite. 
• Adam Huckel- Touching From a Distance. 

**If i didn't put your recommendation on her, It's because I already read it... but THANK YOU!!** 

Any other good ones we need to know about??

Mod Monday- Marilyn on the movie Que

Have you been watching SMASH on NBC? Well I have! And I am really looking forward to tonight's episode where it all comes to a culmination. Karen or Ivy? In the meantime, to educate myself on the Bombshell,  my Netflix Que has started to collect many a Marilyn movies. Which one is your favorite?

In need of a little motivation

I have an ongoing board on Pinterest that is full of quotes, people and motivation that inspire me. If I have a down day or need to put a little pep in my step I just pull up that board. The above ones are in the current reminder.motivation list.
What gets you going? Do you have a similar Pinterest board? Leave me a link!
The above quote art are from here, here, here and here.

Hula mania

My mom, My cousin, and This girl on Hello Giggles are all hoopin' their way to a better bod. Clearly I need to get out in my backyard and use mine more often. Or maybe this hoop would fit my traveling lifestyle a little better.
We did see some amazing hoppers at the Arts Factory last time we were in Vegas.

Are you in? What's your hula opinion?

Photo montage by my lovely friend Sandra.

Mod Monday- Tips for buying vintage clothing

I am pretty comfortable buying a antique/vintage piece of furniture. I got the mad skills/tips/insight handed down to me from generations of women in my family. My aunt is an antique dealer after all. But one thing I have never felt terribly comfortable buying is clothing. Don't get me wrong, I can pick out a gem, but sometimes I am a little rushed and can't try something on so I hold it up, and go "yea, I'm that size" then I get it home and WRONG, it is not the right size.
That is where my friend Angelica comes in (that's her up there in the vintage Pucci, jealous?). She is a master at buying vintage clothing and the last couple outings I have gone on with her, she has taught me some tremendous tips. So I asked Angelica to pass this knowledge on to you.

Without further ado... Angelica's tips:

Vintage shopping can be quite an ordeal for some of us. How many times have we vintage fashionistas uttered the phrase, "That would never fit me...women were just much smaller back then!" Well, women back then used cinchers, corsets, cone bras, and other undergarments meant to tuck and nip every little flaw. Now, let's be reasonable. Most of us simply don't find practicality in these things anymore. With fashion being more comfort-oriented these days, the vintage clothing can be constricting, matronly, gaudy, and really hard to shop for. So, I am offering a few tips to help make it easier!

1. A good seamstress is everything! Take the time to find yourself a trustworthy seamstress. Most vintage clothes can be altered to fit well, but it is essential that you find someone who has experience with vintage fabric and clothing, and can help you get the most out of your purchases. Often, a simple hem, shortening of sleeves, or widening of a neckline is all you need to modernize and freshen up a vintage frock. Which brings me to my next tip...

2. Use your imagination! Sometimes, vintage shopping requires you to think outside the box. Long, bulky dresses can be shortened, necklines can be altered, stains can be removed, buttons can be replaced, and rips in seams can be repaired. Re-styling is also an option for the more matronly, outdated vintage pieces. Again, a good seamstress can help in this department. If you love the fabric or pattern on a piece that is unwearable, it can be re-used to make something new, like a headband, a belt, jewelry...there are lots of possibilities!

3. Know your measurements! Vintage clothing sizes don't run the way modern sizes do. In fact, just ignore the sizes on the tags. Often, they don't reflect current sizing standards. It's essential to know your measurements (bust, waist, and hip), and to carry a tape measure with you when going shopping (this works great at estate sales, where there is no dressing room). This way, you can measure the garment, and know whether or not it will likely fit, saving you time in the dressing room. You can allow a little leeway for the more stretchy fabrics.

4. Bring a Good Friend! This is one of my favorite tips. Shopping with an extra set of eyes can be both useful and fun. You can give each other honest opinions on the fit and look of a garment, and advise each other on those super-hard decisions. Having a gal (or guy) pal with you that knows your style and dress habits can increase your chances of walking away with some great pieces, as well as walking away from a potentially unwise purchase!

So, what are your tips? Please share!

photo above taken by Rachael Laine 

I'm spinning for joy cause it's Friday!

It's been a long productive week, but I am ready for the weekend. Since it has been a bit of a nutty week, I am looking forward to the Big Folkin Fest tomorrow, spending some time outdoors and catching up on a few of my fave blogs, old and new.

If you are into clickin' around on the web this weekend, may I suggest a few of my new TXSC friends?
Cardigan Junkie
Triple Max Tons/ (and be totally jealous of her weekend)
Cactus Collective
Those Tricks
Dress with Courage
Greetings from Texas
The Bolder The Better
Uncharted Style

 Happy Weekend!
xx

Some other rad booths at the Vintage Show

Vintage Junkys, these girls had a super fun booth to shop and had that 50's high waisted bikini they suggested I try on fit me, I totally woulda bought it. Something tells me these chicks with style are gonna find another one for me soon. Their Etsy shop is here.

Janet at Skip to my Lou was blowing my mind with her jewelry creations. Each piece is handmade by her from vintage pieces. Her merchandising on vintage photos was pretty cool too. On the back of each photo it tells the story of each item that went into the piece, plus a story about the photo... Art all around. Skip to my Lou isn't on the webs but you can call Janet at 903-825-3757

  Beads by Sandy was like a candy store for jewelry makers. Old keys.. Check. Colorful beads... Check. Bracelets with bugs in them? Check. Hilary and I both got bug bracelets and joked they were our "grown-up" friendship bracelets. Nothing says BFF like dead bugs captured in lucite.

 Nova at Collective Nest, had some really great items including some lovely vintage lingerie and get a load of that blue dress!! And her Etsy shop is open all the time. Vintage shopping at 2 am? Sure!

What do I do with my hands?! Oh, there. And the jumpsuit I never bought. But I did get that cutie citron 60's dress. Vintage Martini had the mother load of any vintage brand you have ever heard of including the Pucci dress none of us got. Oh well. Check out the Dallas Vintage Jewelry Show homepage for all the vendors. So worth it.

Mod Monday- Countess Mara

"Tell a man you like his necktie and you will see his personality unfold like a flower"- Countess Mara. I was a total newbie to Countess Mara neckties before this weekend. I attended the VintageJewelry and Clothing showin Grapevine over the weekend and saw some pretty amazing local vendors. I was pretty excited about a lot of them, but today for Mod Monday I am featuring Bess & Evie's Vintage Kalen old me all about the Countess Mara ties and although she started designing men's neckwear in the mid 30's the 50's designs are obviously pretty mod. I picked up that navy blue one with the carriage design and skyscrapers for Ben. Bess & Evie's also has those awesome cuffs made out of vintage teacups... So cool

Modern day Polaroid... Instaprint

If you are as addicted to Instagram as I am... YOU WILL LOVE THIS. Kickstarter just put up a new product called the Instaprint, you can go check it out on their page for all the info. But in a nutshell, it is a modern day polaroid in which you snap a photo with your Instagram app, set a # for your Instaprint machine and anytime anyone on Instagram uses that hashtag... IT PRINTS TO YOUR MACHINE. What the what?! so flipping cool.

On their site right now, you can tag an existing Instagram photo with #instaprint and you can watch your photo print live. That's my photo!
Of course I thought this would be the perfect thing for Ben and I's wedding, so I went ahead and backed the project. You should too. Let's make it happen.

Sometimes I pretend I live in So. California, today I really wish I did

Because if I did live in Southern California, aside from the proximity to beaches and awesome weather, I could pop over to UC Santa Barbara's AD & A Museum to see the current exhibit "Carefree California: Cliff May and the Romance of the Ranch House".  
I could read the books and surf the net all day but there is something about going to an actual exhibit to learn about a topic. I mean... hello? I am a visual person. And although I live in a perfect case study for Cliff May, I want to know more.

So, if you are in or near the Santa Barbara area in the next couple months, pop into the exhibit for me and tell me all about it.
**our neighbor Vanessa (who also lives in a Cliff May) sent this awesome link with more photos and a recap**

A colorful outdoor weekend

Among other things, Ben and I worked out in the yard Saturday, getting our backyard in order. I think it is coming together rather nice. Imagine white rocks around the bottoms of the teal planters and the benches on the table being painted the same color as the Moroso Supernatural chairs we scored a couple weekends ago. **note, the top left photo has been filtered on Instagram It's not that bright. :) see Ben's post for accuracy. Ben is also pretty handy and whipped out some planters for our garden

I also went by the Hoopty Sale at Mary's Finds and got that cute little lamp and dress. Sunday we had a fun outdoor brunch in which my friend, Nico took me out on his Vespa for a spin around the hood. It was an amazing weekend. How was yours?

Vegas via Instagram

I have been entirely reliant on my Instagram app to document this trip to Vegas (especially after my Rebel battery died during the Chinese New Year celebration). I feel like it gives the perfect vintage funk to this city... don't you agree? Here are some of my faves. If you have seen these already, my apologies.

Chinese New Year Celebration at the Bellagio

You can follow me on Instagram @little_ekd

Registered!! SO excited for the Texas Style Council

Thanks to Hilary, for gettin me on board. Countin' down til March, Austin here we come!

ToDo:: Some of My Lives

After hearing THIS interview on NPR yesterday, with Rosamond Bernier, her book Some of My Lives has shot to the top of my list of books to read.

2012... Day 3

It is Day 3 of 2012 and I am just starting to regroup a little bit. December was Crazytown busy, with a trip to the UK, home a couple days then to NC for Christmas and although I am now in Atlanta for work, I have had some time to flip through photos and relive and breath a little bit.

Here are just a few resolutions/goals I have for the year:

• Unplug, especially to be with the people you are in the moment with. I am normally pretty good at this, but we always have room to grow, right?
• To supplement the previous statement, meditate more... or be less of a Go-er every once in a while
• Get our Wedding planned and set a date!! (Ben.... this one will be a joint effort. love you!)
• Exercise more... even if it is just to get out to take a walk. 
• make more things... for fun. 

So what are your resolutions? Any similar to mine?
oh, and... HAPPY NEW YEAR! Here's to hoping it is fabulous for all of us.

Handmade this Holiday

Ok, so this isn't my pledge to make ALL my presents handmade... BUT I am trying to give a little homemade/handmade vibe to my gifts this season. Even if is is made by someone else [local]. That counts too... right?!

Hilary getting a pretty groovy dress herself

 I started my quest with Hilary [inspired] with a jaunt over to the Dallas Flea on Saturday. Keepin it local, y'all. We had a blast talking to artists and collectors and merry handmakers. I was especially impressed with:

I bought the necklace on the top left... serious outfit gamechanger

• Dora [who makes AMAZING clothing and jewelry] from d.p.c.
• F. is for Frank [cute and totally swoon-worthy jewels] 
• Ida [extraordinary repurposer of vintage furniture] from  the urban cottage
• leah duncan
• Sofia [carefully crafted eye for lovely vintage clothes] from The Lovely Hunter
• Holly from Jarma
• Michelle [who would be an incredible asset for thrifting cause of her awesome taste] from Pocket Full of Pearls

Dress [top left] from Sofia Lovely Hunter [top right] makes it's debut at vintage Christmas Party [photo by Andrew Balwin]

I was feeling so crafty and inspired that Sunday, I made a batch of sugar scrub found on Pinterest for my homegirls at work.
Since I was on a role, I went ahead and made washi tape gift tags for all my gifts to give them a lil handmade flair.

So what are you doing for gifts this holiday? Making anything good i need to know about?!

Sample Sale in Dallas this weekend!! Do NOT miss this

I am very excited for this Sample sale at Market Hall put on by the DMC. Every year there are a ton of good booths including: The ART booth with samples from all over the wholesale decorative accessory industry, A very cool booth with cowhides (where I got one of mine) and a million ideas for the upcoming Holiday season. I always do partial Christmas shopping at this sale.
Global Views is even setting up a booth with a ton of samples fresh off the truck from High Point!

For more info, go to the Dallas Market Center Website!