Tis' the Season to be Jolly and Creative!

“Repurposing Furniture” gives your place a unique look as well as a fun crafts project if you’re into that kind of thing, which I SO am! Taking old things and making them into something new, creative, and innovative is key to achieving the look, which I was intrigued to find a blog last Sunday night on this topic. It was weird because that was exactly what I did this weekend! I was bored and wanted a change so I started rearranging and adding things here and there. Trying to mix it up in my place along with doing it on a cheap budget! Then, I started thinking of ideas that I’ve seen on DIY episodes that I liked and then started brainstorming what I wanted to add to give my living room a better taste of my personality. Friday, I was taking my dog for a walk and came across a garage sale down the street from my house. It couldn’t be more perfect! I bought a small bag, a beach tote, a silver tray, a yellow bohemian ash tray, and a rocking chair for my porch all for $25! Afterwards I went to Michael’s to buy 2 frames and went to Staples to get 2 photos printed that I liked. Then, I went home and started my project!

I went to a garage sale and got all of this for $25!

Small Bag $1 Rocking Chair $15 Beach Tote $2

Yellow Golden Ash Tray $2 Silver Tray $5

After going to the Garage Sale I went home and started rearranging things to make my place more related to my personality, It's kinda hard with light green walls but I tried making it work. I still have a few things I want to add and change, but I haven't completed it yet. It's on my to do list. I love this cheap chic shopping I can't get enough! Hope you enjoy my so far re-decorating, hopefully it'll inspire you.


First, I set up and rearranged my candles and essence differently on their stands
Secondly, Since I love my huge, old fashion inspired Marylin Monroe picture I wanted to add a little more old with the new. I went to Michael’s and bought 2 frames which were half off and printed out 2 photos at Staples that I love, which were of my Nani and Nano (Grandma & Grandpa) on their wedding day and the other one of my Nano leaning up against a car smoking a pipe. Classy and Chic!

Thirdly, I took a huge empty frame and added a bohemian print fabric that I was going to make a long skirt out of, but cut it up and put it in the frame instead. I learned this on DIY, which was the background for the lyrics I printed out by Frank Sinatra, My Way, which explained my Nano in a nutshell and since everyone says I’m just like him, it spoke out to me too.

Fourthly, Since I already had a bunch of throw pillows from my bed I took them and put a couple on my couch and a couple on my ottoman. My couch is a little boring so adding pillows and a shawl dressed it up a bit. On my ottoman I put my Rastafarian blanket I made over it and threw some different color pillows on it.

Fifthly, I took the silver circular tray I just bought and placed it on my coffee table with the yellow ash tray on top of it, and an elephant piece underneath filled with rocks, that use to have a plant in it.

Lastly, I took kitchen mates that I already had and decorative plates, which I put on my kitchen table with huge clear/golden wine glasses, along with a black/gold camel for the centerpiece, which tied well with my coffee table.

Although, I’m not quite done decorating I think I added a good and new vibe to my place, which so far I’m happy with. I do still want a long mirror and cool lamps, but haven’t gotten to it yet. Garage Sales are on top of my to do list this Spring because I can’t wait to find those random and interesting things that will excite me.

Let's Get RAW!

So I’ve been ichatting lately with one of my best friend’s from high school, Suzanne Sommerville, who always talks about the Retail Boutique she works at. So I wanted to know a little more by asking her a few questions that interested me to find out what’s going on in San Diego vs. LA style. Here’s some background first to get an idea of the store: Raw Clothing, is in Pacific Beach, a San Diego Retail Boutique that’s been around for 17 years and is all about gray walls, barbed racks, designer denim, and street style. Their Target Market is Men and Women ranging from the ages of 18-Mid 30’s. Compared to other boutiques this one has style alongside reasonable prices. The price ranges for the following: Men’s Wear: $25- $130, Women’s Wear: $25- $100, Men’s & Women’s Denim: $98- $280, Accessories: $45- $100 (Watches: $100- $400), and Sunglasses (Spy, Sabre, Von Zipper, Nixon): $75- $240. Carrying labels such as, Hudson, James, Paige, Frankie B, Willam Rast, 1921, 7 Diamonds, Ben Sherman, English Laundry, Aqua XI, Quilksilver, and much more. The clothing is known for being savvy, casual, and contemporary. So, Now to the questions!

1. Because your store’s location is in PB does that give you a lot of traffic?

• "Being in PB we do get a lot of traffic, the only hard part is most people when coming to PB aren't coming to shop, they are coming to either go to the bars or the beach, but being around for almost 18 years has given us an advantage, which has provided us with a pretty good list of loyal customers."

2. Who are your top three buyers that you purchase your merchandise from?

• "In Women's it's Frankie B, Eight Sixty and Hudson, and in Men's it's 7 Diamonds, Ben Sherman and Hudson."

3. What sizes does your store usually run out of first? And would you say those sizes fit true to the customer?

• "The sizes we run out of first in Women's is 23-25's in Jeans and XS and S in other items. In Men's it's 32/33 in Jeans and L and XL in Shirts. Our sizes fit true to the customer we have a lot of really small girls that come to us."

4. How is your store structured and What feeling or vibe is achieved while entering your store?

• "Our store has been around for almost 18 years, and not too much has changed. It's still owned by the same couple, who are such friendly people. We are very helpful and always determined to find something for anyone and everyone. Being located in PB we're surrounded by a ton of very cheap stores, which doesn't pay much attention to customer needs. We are the exact opposite, we sell quality clothes and provide quality service."

5. What Item or Trend has been popular in sales this past month?

• "In Women's our most popular right now I would say Skinny Jeans and Jeggings, and in Men's it'd probably be our dress shirts."

6. What would be one thing you would change or add to your store?

• "I would change the size of our store. I feel like we could offer a lot more if it was bigger, which would also give us more space to fill with more merchandise to sell."

I love how Raw Clothing is right on the Beach close to everything and has been around for 17 years, selling items that are perfect for when you need to buy some essentials, and how they meet their customer's needs as well as their wallets. I can't wait to hit up her store when I go to visit because it's hard for me to find items that are smaller than usual sizes, especially pants or jeans so having smaller sizes is great for someone like me. Fashion that fits, is stylish, and isn't too pricey, especially during this economy hiccup... Gets a pat on the back from me!

Photos derived from Erin Hall, Boutiquing - http://www.boutiquing.com/2010/03/raw-clothing-smooth-edge-established.html

Red Lips, Thin Hips, & Hollywood Beauty

Sunday, At the 82nd Annual Academy Awards, gave us some surprises in the fashion realm. The Red Carpet was filled with Colors and Structural Elegance, but it wasn't as colorful or daring as we're use to seeing on the carpet. Mostly, people played it safe, but their were some misfortunes, like Zoe Saldana's purple Givenchy gown, Penelope Cruz being washed up clashing with the Red Carpet in her Donna Karan gown, or the Repetitive fabric and similar structure in Jennifer Lopez's and Amanda Seyfried's Armani Prive gowns. However their were some percs, which were the Celebrities who showered their presence down the carpet in Nudes, Navys, Architectural Designs, Decorative Designs, and a touch of Abstract Art. What are you Colorful, Romantically Nude, Dark, Architectural, or a little bit Artistic?

A Layer of Skin

Anna Kendrick in Eli Saab Haute Couture Demi Moore

Crystalize My Soul

Cameron Diaz in Oscar De La Renta Sandra Bullock in Marchesa

Daring Darkness

Nicole Richie in Rema Acra Kristen Stewart in a custom Monique Lhuillier

Structural Elegance

Jennifer Lopez in Armani Prive Kate Winslet in Yves St. Laurent

Colorful Blends of Abstract

Rachel McAdams in Eli Saab Haute Couture Maggie Gyllenhal in Dries Van Noten

Culture Influences Fashion In Plain Sight

On " The Globalist" website I found a topic worth digging into regarding a book, Global Fashion Local Tradition: On the Globalization of Fashion, which sends a message that the world of fashion is reflected by the changeability of GLOBALIZATION. Not only do fashion designers turn to history or art for inspiration, but they are continually trying to expand their range for originality. An example from the book that was mentioned that I found truly intriguing was how a shredded T-Shirt on a poor child from New Guinea actually influenced fashion designers. Who would of thought that shredded, knotted, filthy t-shirts, would not only be seen as for what they appeared to be, but now they have made their way into the fashion world by hitting the runways in a more fashion chic kind of way. The book written by Jan Brand and Jose Teunissen has given the reader the interaction and connection between fashion and culture visually and creatively. Where do you get your original way of searching for inspiration from?

Written by Jan Brand and Jose Teunissen

Anastasia Keraw (poor girl in Papua New Guinea)

Fendi Bora Aksu Fall 2010 Rodarte