Week 3

Here they are, week 3 from this closet. It's really amazing how many outfits you can get from a few key pieces.  I can't say it enough! Are your clothes this versatile?

Week 3 by mplsgirl

Vintage Finds

I hit up the vintage store this weekend and hit the jackpot. I found my leopard coat and it's perfect. Vintage Neiman Marcus. I'm going to change out the buttons and then it will be divine.

While shopping, I also found this little gem:

Can't wait to wear it. They say the weather is supposed to turn cold this week. Bring it! I'm ready. Hope you all had a great weekend!

Morning Glory

Friday mornings and team breakfasts - it's a great way to end the work week. Each week we rotate who's in charge of food, and my team's been quite creative- pancakes made fresh on a griddle, egg bake, breakfast pizzas, you get the idea. This week I'm up to bat and I decided to try my hand at morning glory muffins. I was first introduced to these wonderful gems at the Coffee Bean a few years ago. They are now my favorite muffin, but not easy to find, so I thought I'd bake them myself. I used this recipe, and they turned out great. My husband thought they were fantastic, so that means they must be good - he's a picky muffin guy. Happy Friday!!

Thanks J.Crew

The J.Crew staff

Last night's Shop and Share at J.Crew was a HUGE success. We had a blast and all the girls walked out with some great stuff. The staff at the store were amazing...dealing with 12 women going in all directions is no small feat, and they smiled through the whole event. I will definitely set another one up, so check back for the next event.

Designers for ipad

I have to admit, I'm a bit late to the ipad game. I was trying to hold out for the next version (you know the next version will come out next spring - hopefully with a camera!), but when Target announced they were selling them and I had a 10% off coupon burning a hole in my pocket, I cracked and bought one. Needless to say, I love it, but I'm not in love with the basic apple logo case I bought to protect it. You could say I'm on a mission to find the perfect case. Did you know there are literally hundreds of designs out there to chose from? Not to mention big names making them (Neiman's, Barneys, Gucci, Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, the list goes on). You would think I would find one that was perfect, but alas, the search goes on.  My friend Hadley sent me a link to this Oscar de la Renta cover, which is quite fab, but not the look I'm going for. My husband teased me that I should see if Louis Vuitton has one (I've been asking for a LV bag for a while now) - little did he know they do make one (and I really kinda like it!). Below are the one's I'm coveting most. For now I think I'll stick with my functional cover, but Christmas and my birthday are right around the corner and any of these would make great gifts.

Gucci ipad case ($230) from Gucci

Louis Vuitton ipad case ($390) from LV UK

Etch-a-Sketch case ($39) from headcase

And the Creme de la Creme....Chanel!  Weighing in at $1555, this one will set you back (it is a classic though, right?)

Chanel ipad case from Chanel (800-550-0005 to order)

How much would you spend on a case for your ipad? I know I'm not in the market for any of these (except maybe the etch-a-sketch - it's only $39!).

Week 2

Remember this closet? Last week I introduced to you week one outfits created from the closet. Now I've got week two's outfits and I think they're even better! It's amazing what a you can do with a few key pieces. I've re-worked three friend's closets in the past week, and I can attest that if you have basics in your closet, the possibilities are endless. All that's needed is a few key accessories and trend items. Each season, I recommend buying one or two trend items. Mix and match them with your basics and your wardrobe is complete. And, you don't need to go broke doing it! How do you get the most wear out of your clothes?

Week 2 by mplsgirl 

Candy Invite

A friend of mine's daughter is having a birthday party next month and she wants to make her own invites. The party is centered on candy making - all the girls will make various candies and get to take them home as favors. How unique is that? What a fun idea for a birthday party (not to mention easy on Mom because it's all done for her by the party consultant!) I immediately went to work to create something an 8 year old could assemble. It needed to be something simple, yet look fun and incorporate the theme. I really like the simplicity and think it turned out great. Hopefully she likes it!

Materials:
Paper: Sft White (Paper*Source), Green Card (DCWV Brights from Michaels),  Summer Sunrise (Papertrey Ink), Clear Cardstock (Papertrey Ink)
Stamps: Friendship Jar Fall Fillers (Papertrey Ink), Just the ticket (Papertrey Ink)
Dies: Friendship Jar (Papertrey Ink), Just the ticket border (Papertrey Ink)

Card-igan

After a quick trip to LA for work earlier this week, I'm back home working hard to get invites out for the Shop and Share event I'm hosting at J.Crew next week. I changed my design from the original sketches because as I was waiting to board the plane, I had an idea to use a sweater for the card. The card would be a cardigan opening where the buttons normally are. My inspiration was J.Crew's Infinity cardigan. I always travel with it. It's versatile in any temperature and great for layering. When I set out to make the cards, I decided to make each card different, but within the same color scheme of cream and black. I added a ribbon closure to keep the card shut. I think they turned out wonderful.  What do you think?

Shop and Share sample cards

Materials:

Paper: Sft White (Paper*Source), Black and cream printed paper asst (La Creme matstack by DCWV) Black Cardstock (Archivers)

Ribbon: Black  (Michaels)
Sweater pattern: drawn by hand and used as template

Shop and Share

While recently shopping at J crew, I found out about a cool new program they are offering. It's called Shop and Share. You pick the day and time (even when they aren't open), bring at least four of your friends and J crew makes sure they can devote themselves to you during that time - all while giving 20% off everything you buy! Can I tell you I almost died when I heard this? I've been shopping at J Crew since high school, and when Jenna Lyons took over as Creative Director, I became obsessed with them. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Jenna. Her sense of style is so effortless and chic and the same time. She has a way of mixing up the classics so they aren't so... well classic! I immediately worked with one of their shoppers to set up an event for my friends. And, you know that means I have to make invites for them. Here's a sneak peak at the sketches. I'll post pics later this week of the real deal. 

Shop and Share invite sketch

Want one? Hit me up and I'll make sure you get included in the event.

Week one

Don't you just dread when the alarm goes off on Monday? I find it the hardest day to get up. Most be all the fun from the weekend. Lately, I feel I need a weekend from my weekend. To take out the stress of "what the heck am I going to wear" on mornings like this, I've learned to plan ahead. Check out week one of outfits from this closet.  I hope you like them. This is the kind of planning that can save precious minutes in the a.m. (sometimes 15 extra snooze minutes!) Now, I know you're all thinking "I don't have time to do that!". That's where I can help. It doesn't take much to take stalk of what you have in your closet, put it together and identify what key pieces you're missing (see this post for the top items you should have). I was just at a friend's this weekend, and we created over 50 outfits from only half of what she had hanging in her closet. It's not the amount of clothes you have, it's the right pieces and how you put them together. Let me know what you think.  Do you like them? Would you wear them?

Week one by mplsgirl

Nuptials

Fall weddings. When the weather is as nice as it's been this past week, I think it's the perfect time of year to get married. We're going to a girlfriend's wedding this weekend, so of course I wanted to make a card for the momentous occasion.  The design I created was to be reminiscent of a bride sitting with her dress puffed up around her so you could see her fabulous shoes. My intent was to have the shoes as the focal. 

my sketches (if you can call them that!)

Once I started the card, it proved to be harder than anticipated. The effect I was going for wasn't translating well to paper.  To make it work,  I made the pouffy dress out of crumpled tissue paper.  Then, after MANY scratched shoe samples that i made, I resorted to scrap booking embellishments for the shoes. I did the same with the bodice, cutting it apart from a full dress embellishment. I think it turned out great. 

Inside of the card

                                              

Materials:

Paper: White (The Paper Company), Silver (Making Memories), Striped Silver/White/Black (Making Memories)

Embellishments: Bodice/Shoes (Jolee Boutique), Brads (Recollections)

Stamp(saying for inside of card): Inkadinkadoo

Ink: Concord Crush (Stampin' Up)

Work Wear

I've always been told you should dress for the job you want, not the job you have. How you dress says a lot about you, and quite frankly, not enough people invest in their own personal brand. In the corporate world, navigating the dress code can cause confusion. Throw in casual Friday and you get all out bedlam. When dress codes range from conservative (think Banking) to trendy (Fashion or Media related) and you work for a company in the middle, how do you get it right?  Using the clothes below, I'll show you how to make it work (love you Tim Gunn!).

Work Wear by mplsgirl on Polyvore.com

Every Closet should contain, at the very least, these basics:

• Dress Trousers
• Black Dress - one that can  be dressed up or down
• Skirt - figure flattering and appropriate length
• Go to sweater
• Casual Pant
• White Shirt
• Blazer
• Printed Shirt
• Jeans  - style that's best for your shape, not the latest trend
• Casual Dress
• Seasonal trend item - here its the fur vest and the sequin skirt

Check back weekly for outfit selections from the closet.

Un-sweats!

Un-sweats... is that even a word? I'm referring to the new trend of knit sweatpant style pants. When I first saw this trend, I thought to myself - never! Well, I should know better than to ever say never.  I recently invested in this pair from JCrew and I have to say that I've been living in them. They are so functional and comfortable, not to mention they look more like a pant than leggings. If you style them right, they can take you from day to night.  During the day, I wear them with a tee and flat boots, but I recently spiced it up with a sequin tank, chandelier gold earrings,a scarf and a leopard bag ~ voila - a chic, effortless outfit to hit the town in.

Un-sweats! by mplsgirl on Polyvore.com