Missoni for Target finally released to the public

Yes, it is true.  Bargain hunting, wheeling, and dealing fashionistas have gathered from a far to grab (what is left) of the highly anticipated fashions, accessories, and home goods made by the high-end brand Missoni and sold at Target for reasonable prices!  These adorably colorful items, ranging from scarves to bikes and everything in between, have the perfect hues and classic print to mix into upcoming potentially drab fall wardrobes.

I will provide you the link to the Missoni for Target site, but I will also warn you that CNN reported earlier that traffic to the website, because of this product launch, has temporarily crashed it!  I have already tried twice with no luck :(

Cheers! and Happy Shopping!

Click HERE to view Missoni for Target
 
Click HERE for the CNN article 

Has anyone been able to nab anything from this line?  I'd love to hear about what you found!

IMAGES: 
Bike - RedGlassesblog.com
Model and Scarf -LATimes.com

"Wing House" takes repurposing to new heights

When you think of repurposed items what do you see? Hand made beauties like barn door desks or mason jar lamps? what the powerful trend of repurposing and an age of environmentally smart thinkers has shown us is that interesting and good looking projects have been reaching new heights, and I am talking sky high!

This beautifully designed home in Malibu was made almost entirely out of a 747 airplane's 4.5 million parts. The home features architectural wonders stemming from the use of the tail and wings, hence it's name Wing House, to construct the roof. The home also contains an art studio, animal barn, and guest house constructed from the plane's fuselage.

To read more about this repurposed wonder check out Design Milk's article, here!

Cheers!

"Secrets of a Stylist" Host Does It Again!

Howdy! That's right, I have just arrived in Texas and have yet to venture out of my mom's house to brave the heat. Getting off the plane at 2 a.m. felt like exiting into a sauna fully clothed; I can't imagine 2 p.m. out on the tennis courts later. But what I can imagine, rather what I have been daydreaming about is the map bfm printed out for me outlineing detailed routes to all of the best vintage and antique stores in Downtown Austin. I know it is a far cry from the antique marvel of Canton, but it will just have to do! :) In the mean time, while I wait for my chance to hit the streets, I have found some superb design inspiration to tide me over.

I have been known to watch a few HGTV shows in my time; Color Splash, House Hunters, House Hunters International, Income Property, Design Star, and of course Divine Design with Candace Olsen, just to name a few.

My newest tele addiction has to be designer Emily Henderson's show "Secerts of a Stylist". Emily blends client's tastes to make an entirely unique living space that suits the lot of them. My enjoyment comes in watching her seamlessly blend vintage, re-worked, and new pieces to make a new space feel collected over time.

Check out the stunner she designed and posted on her blog, here!

Polynesian Kitsch, whoddathunkit!

Cheers Ya'll!

Side Note: This is the correct spelling of Ya'll, not Y'all as previously posted. As stated by a true Texan :)

Feeling Crafty? CORK IT!

I try to reuse as much as I can and re-purpose everyday items into cool crafty projects. 

With all of this wine I have been sampling I've acquired a nice little collection of wine corks. Even bfm has started saving her wine corks for my new venture.
My glass bowl of corks looks interesting, but seeing as it has been steadily growing I have begun looking for ideas for what to do with them.  I have seen them cut in half with an opening made on the top and used as place-card holders at a wedding, but with no major event like that on the horizon, I am looking for something else to do.

Makezine.com had a super cute idea on their blog that is definitely share worthy.

 
It is a wine cork trivet!  This is not only adorable and useful,  but made entirely out of a product that would have otherwise ended up in the trash. 

What other projects have you tried or are thinking about trying with corks?  I'd love to hear!
Cheers!

Decorating Trends: Vintage Wedding

Reaching this level of vintage perfection is hard.  From the decor to the guests attire, this at home wedding is the perfect example of someone knowing, when it comes to vintage, it is all in the details.

Vintage Wedding Inspiration - www.iamkristenmarie.com

The beautiful photos of this wedding capture an exquisitely designed home with well upholstered wingback chairs in  modern prints, walls full of vintage frames, and rustic touches of natural wood and antlers.  The bride and groom, the wedding party, and even the guests are wearing vintage clothes making the event seem like a warm memory in a digital frame.  The house and wedding on their own look cozy and impeccably put together, but the photos are truly spectacular.

Check out the rest of Kristen Marie's photos from this wedding and her other photos, here!  They are totally inspiring and this wedding album is jam packed with great vintage decorating ideas!

My personal favorite, the mason jar cups!  Mason jars can be both useful and a nice decorative elemnet.  Using them to serve drinks is a smart idea because once you have your drink in hand, you become part of the vintage setting.  They help set the mood giving your event a down-home comfortable feeling.

Vintage Wedding Inspiration - www.iamkristenmarie.com

Try This at Home:  want to try this awesome idea for your own wedding or even an end of summer party?  If you are like me and are already a mason jar fanatic, then you know some of the coolest vintage jars are from companies like Kerr, Ball, and Atlas.  If you are looking for the real thing you will be able to find them at vintage and antique stores, but if you are up for it, try estate and garage sales for better prices, I have been able to pick up large mixed batches for around $15.  I try to do a little pre-sale research online via craigslist; sometimes people will advertise specific items for sale, like jars.  If you have a larger event coming up on the calender and need a lot of jars you can mix in less expensive reproductions which will still give you the same warm vintage country feel. I have seen reproductions at craft stores like Michael's. 



The key to using these fun jars as drink wear?  Look for jars that have the words "Wide Mouth Mason" on them.  This means they have a larger diameter at the top as opposed to regular mason jars that taper in at the mouth.  This makes them much easier to hold and drink from because they resemble regular glasses. 

Cheers!

Life Lessons: When you bite off more then you can chew, it can take a bite out of you

I had the brilliant idea to switch bf and myself's bedroom with my office.  This seemed like the Tomas Edison of ideas because seeing as we don't spend a ton of time in the bedroom, sorry bf it's true,  it has the largest square footage and the smallest closet.  On the other hand I spend quite a bit of time working on projects in my office where I have the most physical furniture but the least square footage, however it has the BIGGEST closet space.  My clothes needed a bigger home; it was like a constant flood of hoodies, denim, and heels spilling over a failing dam.  Bf said, no.  But, why? Couldn't he see it made sense?  I mean duh, right?  I couldn't live in this disorganized clutter of crap piling on crap piling on stuff that I didn't even know was there half the time.  There just simply wasn't enough closet space, and the extra floor space we had in the bedroom, was tragically being put to bad use by me and my spill over.  So I took matters into my own hands.  I said, "you wont have to help me do any thing except move the beds, I'll do the rest."  I got my yes, but I got the biggest pain in my ass along with it. 

Sometimes we think we are super woman and no task is too big for us.  I struggle with this way of thinking to a fault.  When I do a project I want to plan it, buy the materials, start it, change it, fix it, start it over, and finish it all in one day.  Whatever it takes to get it done nothing can stand in my way.  I am learning that while it is good to be motivated, sometimes pushing yourself too hard can make experiences in life seem less rewarding and even painful.  Is it about getting it done, or is it about enjoying what you are doing?  Yesterday while switching the rooms, I became exhausted after finally completing  just the movement of items from room to room.  Everything still needed to be put away, hung up, organized, and moved to the right places. As I started to move things around in the new office I could really feel the fatigue in my muscles.  In order to put stuff away I needed to move the bed around so I could put the desk and the book case where it needed to go.  I didn't want to waste time so I didn't wait for bf to get home from work, I just muscled my way through each task banging a lip here and a shin there.  I don't know why I am like this, and maybe you can relate, but I am one of those people who doesn't like to wait around for help.  Knowing this, I could feel this task start to get more and more daunting as it got later in the day but giving up felt like a failure to me for some reason.  This was a wrong feeling to ignore.  As I went to move a bookcase the shelves dropped off, hit the bottom level and broke the whole thing into two.  I had no book shelf and I had no where to put this clutter that had manifested on top of my guest bed.  I choked back a break down.  So, then I managed to carry my giant Ikea desk, by myself, through  two doors and into my office, an action deemed "HULK-ing it" by the guy who carries my Goodwill donations in for me.  Thanks bro.  And as I tried to push the desk into the corner to meet it's final resting place, I heard a deafening crack and then a boom.  Me and the desk both hit the floor, and at that moment I couldn't tell which one of us was in more pieces.  While the entire left side of the desk had snapped off in such an aggressive manner that the interior particle board was showing and it resembled the bite of a great white shark,  I  on the other hand was trying to hold back tears of frustration and whimpers of disappointment because my ego had been shattered.  I still couldn't just walk away. I tried to remove the broken desk from the room so I could keep working and in doing so I sliced my finger on the jagged edge of the desk.  I hit my wall.  I was tired, frustrated, and as I got more tired and more frustrated things kept getting worse.  I finally realized I am not super woman, and maybe I had bitten of more then I could chew, and some proverbial "it" decided to start biting back.  This was supposed to be fun and when it stopped being fun I should have stopped.   I am slowly learning, especially when it comes to matters of the home, that no one and nothing is perfect, everyone needs help sometimes, and that it is just the way it is.   

Cheers!
 

Graphic Design: Now in Production - and now I need to get to Michigan.

The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis is showcasing an international exhibition discussing the way graphic design has evolved over the last decade and it will be available for onlooker's thirsty eyeballs from  October 22, 2011–January 22, 2012.

Now, this is cool.  This is relevant.  This gets me excited.  Will this get me to Michigan?  We will see.  But if this description of the exhibit from the Walker Art Center's website doesn't bite you right in the design juggular, I don't know what does.

"Featuring work produced since 2000 in the most vital sectors of communication design, Graphic Design: Now in Production explores design-driven magazines, newspapers, books, and posters as well as branding programs for corporations, subcultures, and nations. It also showcases a series of developments over the past decade, such as the entrepreneurial nature of designer-produced goods; the renaissance in digital typeface design; the storytelling potential of titling sequences for film and television; and the transformation of raw data into compelling information narratives."

Sarah Illenberger, information graphics for "The Truth about Sex,” in Neon magazine, 2008

These examples are just a taste  of what you will see at the exhibition, however these images, regardless of their subject matter resonate with me and bring me back to my childhood.  My dad worked as a buyer for an art store for over 15 years and over that time he made some amazing personal and professional relationships.  This effected the types of things that I did in my childhood because play time was often creative time for me.  My dad saw potential for creativity and art in everything, whether that meant building sand "castles" at the beach, school projects turned masterpieces, or the potential for a broken store display to liven up the house.  I think it was this mind set that I have carried with me most through out the years, that things can be molded, rescued, and seen differently.  But back to graphic design and my childhood.  My dad would bring home these giant  design books from work filled with image after image, categorized by style and subject matter and in the white margins which types of mediums and materials were used to create these pieces.  I think they were used to learn what was new and innovative in the art world so they new what to stock on their shelves.  I would spend hours flipping through the brightly colored pages trying to decipher why the chicken was pink, or why the woman would be made entirely out of dots.  Then I'd quietly sneak a pair of "no-no scissors" of the table, or if I had been watching a lot of GI-Joe that day I would go on a re-con mission for an exact-o knife.  Then I would cut them out and glue them together to make an entirely new image that told a brand new story.  I look at these few images from this exhibit as an adult and I realize the importance graphic design is playing today, reaching an entirely new generation of adults that thrive on an abundance of media and innovation to keep us interested.  We want to see things differently and what I also love so much about our generation today is that we are beginning to see how old things can become new again, and that is where I believe my dad was well ahead of the generational curve.

Daniel Eatock - Pantone Pen Print, 2006 

This image is especially relevant for me.  My dad specialized in buying pens, so Monte Blanc graphics and 1/2 used tester pads were something that were brought home for my re-use on the regular.

Christopher Doyle, Christopher Doyle Identity Guidelines 2008

License Plate Bowls via blogger Design Fetish

I found this post from one of my new fav bloggers, Design Fetish. This makes my obsession with old rusty license plates and the pile that has been accumulating in my closet seem not so pointless anymore. There is something about the colors, the age, the different fonts and graphics, and the fact that this piece of metal, worn like jewelry on a traveling hunk of steel, represents an evolution in the personal experience of movement across America.  They were once part of giant memory makers and the nostalgia involved in them is hard to pass up.  I like picking one, or two, up when I am in a new city or if the plate has a significant year or state that represents something special for me or my family; it is also a way to mark the creation of new memories.  On my first trip to New York this last spring, while visiting my older brother I found one in a vintage shop that read, "NY Worlds Fair 64" underneath the plate numbers. It is a simple plate with yellow lettering and a black background but that memory of shopping in Brooklyn with my brother will forever be attached to it.  I have always wanted to find a way to bring my plates back to life and these bowls are a great example of something useful and beautiful.

 Read the full post from Design Fetish here,  Licensed Plate Bowls

Weekend Away: Tahoe & Truckee - good food, great drinks, and much needed vintage inspiration!

This was a much needed weekend away that bf and I had been looking forward to for a while.  It was nothing crazy, just two days, but it can be so refreshing to have a change of scenery from your normal everyday life and Lake Tahoe has become one of our favorite place to go and just soak up that scenery.  I am not much for winter sports, so summer in Tahoe is really my favorite time, but bf and his family have been renting cabins, and in fact owned one a while back, since he was a baby.  This past weekend me, bf, and bfm (boyfrend's mom) stayed in a quaint cabin with rustic finishes and true cabin qualities; a cast iron fire place, antlers on the wall, and just enough technical modernity (fridge, stove, toilet, and shower) to function for our generation.  We were even able to nab a lil' wireless from the cabin next door; although unreliable, it was enough to feed bf's addiction to twitter and give us up to the minute news on the U.S.'s  freedom fighter's hunt for Gaddafi.  The cabin was tucked away in the woods but within walking distance to the lake and the famous Obexer's, a food and general store celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.  We were able to get our coffee fix and bf's paper while squeezing in some much needed exercise and lake time.  We were actually able to get up early like we planned, thanks to a bed that felt like it was chiseled by hand in the stone age, and drive to what has become known as "our fishing spot" for some over due summertime fishing.  This worked out nicely.  I like fishing but bf LOVES fishing, so we knocked off a few early hours of what he loves out of the way which cleared the rest of the day to do what I love, sans complaints.  The rest of the day consisted of a combination of hitting some favorite shopping spots, discovering new ones, and mixing in delicious food and drinks along the way, which made all of us very happy.  I have put together a list of the places we went and what we found, and if you make it to Tahoe before the summer is over, I highly suggest them all!

1.  Brunch at Fire Sign: This is a popular spot, but with the use of a take away buzzer system, we were able to walk around to the back where there was a cafe to sit and wait, oh but we did none of that.  Right next to the cafe is a little shop that has become a favorite stop whenever we come to Tahoe.  It is run by an older woman who sells her own Tahoe themed paintings, shabby cottage antiques, and summer home decor.  This year, her hand painted watermelons on natural wood slices were a hit and and she even custom made one for bfm.  All before brunch I got an aged boat ore and vintage pudding tin for $10. Back to brunch, Fire Sign has a large menu with options that could satisfy an array of tastes.  I had the tuna sandwich and bf had the french dip which both come with house made chips and salsa, and both were very delicious!  Bfm had one of the best and hardiest looking caprese salads and she was very happy with the half she could finish.  In all honesty the food was a close second to the drinks.  The pitcher of mimosas we shared was phenomenal!  Apparently, fresh squeezed oranges and champagne are a winning duo.


2.  The Alpine Antiquer: This is a true vintage and antique store with reasonably priced items, for Lake Tahoe.  I was able to find some really fun stuff on this trip.  An old metal milk carrier from Walnut Creek, CA., the book "Camp Fire Girls Trip Up the River" copyright 1918 with a cute inscription in the cover dated Christmas 1931, a "don't mess with Texas" fly swatter, and four cork floats, currently used as an escape from vase rocks.  I love the natural earthy look to them and at 4 bucks a pop I am wishing I bought the whole lot.  They would be really nice in a bowl of water with a flower or two in the center or a tea light.



3.  Morning Glory:  The very well decorated and designed shabby chic shop was a new place we decided to check out.  Although it's items were slightly over priced, in my opinion, there were a handful of things I wanted to take home with me.








 4.  We moved onto an art fair which was a nice surprise.  I picked up some earrings, bf got a great hand printed shirt with our favorite Lagunitas beer's image of a dog head on it and we shopped around the mall next door where we spotted some hilarious Ts. 

His and Hers

5.  Dinner and Drinks at Jason's on the Lake: This was a simple yet winning combo.  A full bar with the Giants game on, a stocked salad bar, and a large patio with lake views, all with fair prices and an array of options.  The highlight of the night for me came when I was struggling to choose between the highest priced glass of chardonnay, that was getting rave reviews from bfm, or the cheap glass that I am used to ordering.  Then bf stepped in, the chivalrous man he is and said, "Go for it babe, you deserve it!", Awwww, right?  Then after the waitress walked away he mumbled under his breath to me, "Now, I don't fee so bad for ordering the prime rib".  Oh bf.  You have to laugh.

WINE REC. - Either way, I was glad I order it.  It was delicious and I could taste the difference in smoothness and buttery flavor compared to the cheaper glass of chardonnay offered.  If you are willing to shell out the $10 a glass, I would definitely recommend the La Crema Chardonnay 2009. "The 2009 vintage of Sonoma coast Chardonnay opens with an intriguing interplay of lively citrus and subtle toasted  oak, laced with just a kiss of butterscotch."  Bevmo offers it by the bottle for $15.99.  Hmm, good to know!

recycled wine bottle cups

re-purposed wood table and chairs

  6.  Truckee:  The next day, on the way home, we stopped in Truckee for some lunch and shopping.  I didn't end up buying anything, except some really cool recycled wine bottle cups, but I received some much needed visual inspiration which will definitely come in handy later.

Table and "wine glasses" at Tahoe Blu in Truckee, Ca.

paint chipped light blue picket fence

   

Decorating Trends: ABC's and 123's

I found an article on PrettySouthern.com called "Decorating with Vintage Letters".  This is one of my favorite trends in the vintage re-purposing and decorating world right now.  Using old letters, numbers, and symbols as wall art, to add whimsy, and even to enhance pieces and add utility is a relatively affordable (depending on size and age of items) way to transform a room. They are a wonderfully stylish and personal way to reuse materials and make something your own.  click on the PrettySouthern.com link to view the article, more images, and smart ideas!

house numbers, painters stencils, rustic old wood coffee table, Photo:BWA

I recently bought old house numbers in "1" and "2" and plan on using them on a  hanging cubby organizer design.  They are thick metal in a traditional style with a matte black finish which I think would really pop against a brightly painted rustic style wood.  The over all piece would be great for his and hers organization, order of importance mail organizing, or if you have kids who need help remebering to a)Put things away and b)keep their hands off of each others things.   In the image you see the numbers, an example of what I'm thinking for wood (currently my coffee table) and some old painters stencils I picked up at an antique fair.  Stencils are a cheaper and more rustic alternative to using actual letters or numbers.  I haven't decided if I want to use them as stencils or actually adhere them somewhere.  I love finding things that give you multiple creative options to work with, let those juices flow people!

Check out this similar organizer idea already for sale at the Etsy store,
 Deer Stop Vintage.

vintage re-purposed wall organizer, Photo:Deer Stop Vintage

 It's industrial, it's purposeful, and the numbers give it an extra layer of artistic organization.  Oh mylanta! don't even get me started on the hooks, so many uses so little time!  In a mudroom, next to a front door, this thing could stylishly hang coats and dog leashes, hold purses, and even rock a decorative bowl for keys.  If you haven't picked up on my love for attractive yet useful things yet, oh you will.  You could bet your first born child a hooks and wall hangers post will be coming soon.

Last, I found these vintage highway letters in different shapes and sizes and was able to spell out the word "Garden".  They add a fun, decorative element to our large, square backyard by better defining the space, literally.  The wood was already there so I just tacked the letters to it with nails and they instantly created an artistic fencing that pulled your eye away from the not so attractive parts of the garden.  Yes, it is a less then prize winning garden, but it is my garden and I want everyone to know it.

vintage highway letters "garden", Photo:BWA

Design&Wine, Period. Not Quite...

I know what you are thinking. Vintage design and wine, how do those mix?  For me, it is an experiment in aging, which translates into a discovery of the self.  Why do we like the things we like? why do we choose the things we choose?  Why are we considered modern or contemporary while another is old-world or traditional?  Why do I hate Moscatos but you love them; better yet, why do I generally love Cabs but hate the one I drank last night?  I thrive on creativity, have a deeply seeded love for figuring out how to fix things, I see potential in things that are old, dirty, and weathered beyond use, and I am addicted to finding the next best thing.  Hmmmm, why does this sound more like a laundry list of issues to discuss with a therapist than reasons why I like vintage re-purposing?   I mean, who wouldn't need a glass of wine, right? Sheesh. Do I detect a hint of childhood divorce, a peppering of inability to let things go, and a slight aroma of control freak? and this is what it's all about!  For the past five years I have struggled with the whos, whats, whens, wheres, whys, and hows of life, and as I round out the last few unemployed months of what my older brother aptly deemed "the quarter-life crisis", I am attempting to learn more about me now, and worry less about me-future.  I am not and will never claim to be an expert at anything but being me.  This is about enjoying life, experimenting, sharing,  and like a fine wine (that is probably too pricey for me to try), getting better with age.