Style Lush

Happy Desk Accessories

By Leah

Let's face it, even if you LOVE your desk job, you probably don't LOVE every second of it--endless conference calls, meetings about meetings, getting cornered in the lunchroom by the close-talker, post-tuna sandwich.... But sometimes all it takes is a little pick-me-up to lighten the mood, and that's why the goddess of office supplies invented tabletop accessories that aren't just practical but also pretty and fun. I'm not afraid to admit that, more than once, sharpening my pencil in the business end of a hand-painted vintage canary has been the highlight of my workday. So, desk jockeys, this one's for you.

 
Chicken Tape Dispenser from Pylones, $12.50. A distant cousin of my beloved pencil sharpener. Have you ever met a chicken so helpful?

 
Midori D-Clips from Hanko Designs, $7.25. Choose your favorite animal! (Note: Every office has a cat lady. If you don't know who it is, it's YOU!)

 
Yellow Spiraling Inversion Bowl from the French Curves shop on Etsy, $40.00. Use it to store your cat-shaped paperclips or to liven up a stack of invoices. 

 
DIY paperweight kit via Amazon, $20.00. Customize it with a personal photo, a vintage postcard, your monogram, a favorite quote, pressed posies, or just a sheet of pretty patterned paper.

 
Alligator Stapler from Catching Fireflies, $16.95. Because it just makes sense. (And because you probably don't want to spend $125 on this heavy-duty pewter shark stapler from Plantation Designs. ZOMG!)

 
Amigos Recycled Leather Kangaroo via Celebrate Life Gifts, $59.95. According to the web copy, these desktop friends, handcrafted from reconstituted leather, are the result of a symbolic design experiment in techno-morphology. I can describe it in fewer words, though: just plain cute. 

 
Bird Scissors from Pylones, $36.00. Don't get carried away. 

And now your (accidental!) office menagerie is complete.

Save the Dates

By Leah

Did you hear about the STD that went viral (ha!) on YouTube a few months ago? This fake movie trailer for Jeff and Erin Wong's wedding was as elaborate a Save the Date announcement as I've ever seen, and although I could let it get me down, because there is NO WAY anyone can compete with that--least of all me, who has been engaged for more than a year and still hasn't even set a date for anyone to save (because that's what happens when you decide to have the baby before the wedding), instead I'm going to use it as a pressure-release valve: if I can't outdo Jeff and Erin, I won't even try. I'll just do something sweet and small and us, and that will be its own perfection. Phew, I feel better already.

 

So, last week, my benevolent Style Lush overlord Jennie sent out a link to the adorable STDs above, which she caught from Say Yes to Hoboken, which she caught from Martha Stewart Weddings. (Man, those STDs get around, don't they? HAR.) My own juvenile nature aside, I found this design so simple and lovely that I immediately took to the web for more ideas, and now I'm spreading my best finds to you. A good handful of what follows are DIY projects (some more complex than others), and they range from the supah cheap to the elaborate; hopefully there's something here to inspire you (and me, because, good god, woman, get married already!).  

First up, for movie buffs who don't have the skills or bank account to do what Jeff and Erin did (although check out the "Related Videos" sidebar on their YouTube page for some modest, homemade STD trailers), these personalized movie tickets get the same basic point across (come to our wedding!) but for a lot less work.

 
Image credit: Bridepop.com

Everyone loves movies, but you know what else everyone loves? Cookies.

 
You'll want to find a custom cookiemaker in your area, or shop around for the design and price package that fits your wedding, but for a taste of the different looks out there, these examples are, left to right, courtesy of Gracious Bridal, Celebrity Wedding Buzz, and My Wedding Market. (Just make sure you also print the info on an insert in case the cookie gets eaten before the date is marked on your guests' inedible calendars.) 

A few years ago, we attended a wedding in Puerto Vallarta, and part of the pre-wedding swag the bride and groom sent their guests was a mix CD of Mexican love songs to set the mood for the getaway. Add to this a trip to the office supply store and a little time spent designing CD labels and case inserts, and you'd have a rockin' Save the Date just like that.

Image credit: SmartBride.com.au

Blogger Chirky announced her baby's due date last year with Scrabble tiles and customized racks, and this idea could be easily customized for a wedding--just use the letters to spell "Wedding" instead of "Baby" (duh), unless there's something you're not telling me...

 

Judging by the number of examples I found on the Internet, sending out a photobooth Save the Date may not be the best choice if you're going for "original," but darn it if they aren't adorable. If someone gives you the stink-eye about them being sooo 2000 and LATE, explain that they're not "cliche," they're "classic." 

  
  
Image credit: MakeYourOwnInvitations.com 

Here's your regular-old paper invitation, but this time with a TMI twist, for those of us (ahem, bloggers) who like to overshare:

 
Via iDIY, via Wedding Wire (and check out that second link for more superb STD ideas) 

Feeling extra-crafty? Handy with an Xacto knife? Check out this step-by-step reveal of a chic pop-up card from Buried Sunshine (on hiatus).
 

Now this? This is cool:

 
If you were really crazy, I bet you could even find plain nesting dolls somewhere and custom paint them in your wedding colors. Or paint them to look like your guests! Or...maybe not.

Image credit: Ceci New York

You may have noticed we Style Lushers love our champagne, which means we'd RSVP a resounding Y-E-S to any couple who sent their Save the Dates via custom champagne labels (or etching, as below). Each (mini-?)bottle of bubbly could be either boxed and shipped in its own crate or hand-delivered by the bride and groom with champagne flutes in tow. Now everyone's ready to celebrate.

 
Image credit: Etched Expressions

Now it's your turn. Do you have any links to add to the list? What are the best Save the Dates you've sent/received?

Free Music for Entertaining

By Leah

Whenever we have people over in the evening to play grown-ups (you know, dinner, drinks, sitting in chairs with our legs crossed demurely, like mature people do), I never know what to put on for background music. My iPod simply can't be trusted on shuffle (read: too many showtunes and songs that are hopelessly lame by anyone's standards), and most of the albums I know well enough to trust I also know well enough that to play them would risk my singing along when I should be enjoying the cheese plate and my company. I don't know about you, but I'm a pretty bad conversationalist with "Jessie's Girl" blaring from the stereo, so for these types of get-togethers, I try to put on songs that won't be too distracting. 

Enter Jamendo, a site full of free and legal music downloads. That's right: free, free, free!

Most of the content is uploaded by the musicians themselves, and most of them are European (with France most heavily represented), meaning most of the music will be new to you and your guests, which, in this age of everyone trying to out-indie everyone else, also means you'll get major coolness points--bonus if the lyrics are in a foreign language.   

Be warned, however: Because a lot of the music is by amateurs, the quality (both music-related and production-related) can be a little iffy. Surf around, though, because there are some real gems out there that you'll never find on iTunes or even in your best uber-indie record store.  

The site's a little hard to navigate at first, so for starters, use the "tags" page to select artists by genre/instrumentation, and the Top 100 Tracks page to see the week's most popular clicks. Then download, donate (if you can), and create the ultimate dinner party playlist.    

Vintagey T-strap Shoes

By Leah

I saw (500) Days of Summer a few weeks ago, and while I wasn't prepared to fall a little in love with Joseph Gordon-Levitt the way I did, I fully expected to fall head over heels for the wardrobe of the title character, and I wasn't disappointed. Granted, it's easy to look great when you're as stinkin' cute as Zooey Deschanel, and I'm still crushing hard on her ability to make vintage style feel fresh as the first day of spring.

One of the things that stopped my heart in the movie were a perfect pair of peep-toe Oxfords that I can't for the life of me find a photo of online. They were low-heeled, open-toed, laced over the arch, and simply sweet as can be. A shallow search for "peep-toe Oxfords" online only called up a horrifying gallery of shiny lace-up stilettos less at home in a speakeasy as in a strip club--not really what I was going for. 

After a Twitter friend sent me to Endless.com, though, I discovered that the magic search term was not "peep-toe Oxford" but "T-strap," and that's how I found not exactly what I was looking for but a handful of close-enough options, each lovely in its own right. Now my only problem is choosing just one.

 
1. Madden Girl Update T-Strap Pump in Gray, $54.95

2. Perlina Pebbles Pump in Red, $52.77 (on sale from $95.95)

3. indigo by Clarks Sylvie Pump in Purple, $99.95

4. Naturalizer Vamoose Strappy T-Strap in Violet, $79.95

5. J. Shoes Domino Pump in Emerald, $66.52 (on sale from $120.95)

Yes, it would take a special person to pull off these shoes, but they also come in solid black if that's more your speed (as it is mine).

6. Naturalizer Janison T-Strap in Taupe/Bisque, $73.07

Which ones are calling your name?

{Photo credit: Endless.com}

Triple-barrel Curling Iron

By Leah

In honor of the Winter Olympics, I bring you the ancient tradition of curling! Hair curling! With a curling iron! To curl your hair! (Ha...ha?)

 
As you can see, though, it ain't your mama's curling iron. This triple-barrel beauty by Revlon ($25.26 through Amazon) won't afflict you with a head of sproingy ringlets or turn your Flip into a Flop like every other traditional curling iron out there, in part because it's not so much a "curling" iron as it is a "waver." This smart little gadget is designed to give you those beautiful, flowy mermaid-hair waves without the trouble of sleeping on curlers, the expense of hiring a team of stylists, or the inconvenience of growing two extra, double-jointed arms. That's win-win-win for the triple-barrel. 

There are a bunch of similar wavers out there, and for a range of prices, but this is the one I can personally vouch for as being super awesome. It warms up in a snap, has a wide range of heat settings, and, most importantly, does exactly what it says it will. It boosts the body of straight hair, evens out naturally wavy hair, and is also a great way to quickly texture clean hair for an up-do, if that's your thing. For anyone into the vintage look who is also steady of hand and strong of heart, you could probably also pull off some pretty pretty finger curls too. Anyone up to the challenge?  

{Photo credit: Amazon}

Valentine's Day Breakfast

By Leah

So...I don't think anyone at my house has had the wherewithal to plan a romantic night on the town for Valentine's Day (COUPLEHOOD FAIL), but since the big event is on a Sunday this year, I'm going to make a few V-Day modifications to a beloved Sunday tradition and cook a big yummy breakfast for the whole family, Cupid-style. Here's how I'ma gonna do it:

Behold! My mom's favorite go-to wedding gift. Because nothing says "I love you, now please pass the butter" like waffles, am I right? ($22.99 at Target.)

 

I use these pancake molds to form my eggs--either fried or scrambled--and I bet you could use them to cut sausage patties too. ($5.65 at Amazon).

 
Here's a pewter pierced-heart tea strainer that's to die for ($60.00 at Beehive Kitchenware)...

 

...and here's a simpler one for a fraction of the price. ($6.95 at Cooking.com)

 

There are a lot of way-too-cutesy Valentine-themed mugs out there (Ziggy? Is that you?), but I really like the subtlety of this one, which looks normal from the outside but reveals a heart-shaped interior when you fill it with your life-giving substance of choice. ($16.00 at Uncommon Goods)

 

Serve it all up with a hug and a kiss, then let the family reciprocate the love by cleaning the kitchen while you daydream of John Cusak circa Say Anything...

{Photo credits: Target, Amazon, Beehive Kitchenware, Cooking.com, Uncommon Goods}

Port Sippers

By Leah

As if wrapping up the evening with a swirl of port weren't fancy enough, how about taking it a step further with these fanciful port sippers?

Amazon sells sets of four sippers for as low as $19.99, or the set plus a decanter for $39.99. (If you want to support a smaller business instead of the Big Guy, surf around; everyone seems to be selling one of two major brands.)

These make fun and unusual birthday or wedding gifts for oenophiles, or perhaps for the Valentine who has everything else, sohelpmeCupid. Just throw in a bottle of port--but gently! the sippers are tiny (about 3 inches tall) and made of delicate handblown glass--and you're good to go.

{photo: Amazon}

Naughty Jenga!

By Leah

Remember Jenga?

Time to dig it out, dust it off, and get down and dirty for this cheap and easy Valentiney makeover for your sweetheart. All you need is Jenga, a permanent marker, and your filthy, filthy mind. 

What to do: Simply spice up 1/3 to 1/2 of the wooden blocks (about twenty) by adding "instructions" for what one player must do to the other player. Use your imagination and your own personal turn-ons to make this a game that everybody wins. 

Suggestions? "Nibble your opponent's ear." "Give you opponent a foot massage for two minutes." "Spank your opponent." "Take off an article of your opponent's clothing." Don't forget to alter the instruction manual too ("for 2 players only"; "must be 18 or older"), and definitely don't put this back in the closet near the Hungry Hungry Hippos.

(Various Jenga-type sets are available through Amazon, and Hasbro markets a similar readymade version called Jenga Truth or Dare, but although it's described as the "adult" variant of the classic, it's labeled for ages 12 and older, and the Amazon description makes me think you can do better. I mean, "Slow dance with a broom"? My grandma could do better.)

{photo credit:  amazon.com}

Smock Bibs

By Leah

Dudes. I've been holding out on you. The only baby bib you'll ever need? I HAZ IT.

 

These smocks from Ikea are pretty much the best non-alcoholic sanity-saving parenting tool we own. The sleeves and lap pocket keep self-feeders from fingerpainting their clothes with sweet potato mash, and the water-resistant polyester means they're not only wipeable but machine washable. We're saved the hassle of grody, stained cloth bibs, and the handwringing over the chemicals that may or may not be leaching out of those vintage vinyl and oilcloth bibs. Plus, these are only $3.99. For a two-pack!

Okay, sure, maybe they're not the most fashionable things around, but consider this not a style statement in and of itself but rather an investment in all the stylish clothes they'll save from tragic stains. RIP white onesie with the monkey on the pocket; we hardly knew ye.

{photo credit: Ikea}

Berets: In or Out?

By Leah

Remember how cool those Roots berets were during the 2002 Winter Olympics? People stood in line for hours and paid three times the selling price to get their hands on those babies and then poof, in the fortnight it took the Games to come and go, the berets were old news. Last night, while stoking my personal Olympic flame, I pulled out an old beret--a no-name raspberry one I bought at least eight years ago--and I couldn't decided if it was already cool again or needed to go back in the closet for another four years. Then I took a spin around the old Internet to see if anyone else was wondering the same thing.

Here are just a few of the berets I found (verdict: cool again!), from classic to custom, and even two free patterns for all you knitters out there.  

1. Classic black from J. Crew; on sale for $24.50

2. Ivory cashmere from BlueFly; $27

3. Handknit with removable felted rose from Crafts2Cherish; $45

4. One-of-a-kind handmade with beading from ElviraDesign; $212  

5. Pattern (knit) from Wooly Wormhead; free!

6. Pattern (knit) from Sweet Sassafras; free!