Work and Wallet Friendly

Good afternoon lovelies!I hope you all have had an amazing week and I hope that this one will be even better!

Today, as promised, I am going to bring you some fun and funky stuff. First though, I must bring to you this story that I saw online. I am officially in love with this woman and her creativity. I love it when people take something as old as crocheting and put a new spin on it.

Amazing Crochet

This woman crochets pretty much everything, including a bicycle! I WANT ONE!

http://crushable.com/style/crocheted-artist-olek-transforms-new-bike/gallery-page/4/#gallery

Next, I've recently come into a more corporate, office setting. I've worked in one before, but this one is a little bit more structured. Because of this new setting, I've noticed a fantastic trend that I believe everybody should do, no matter the setting that they're in.

Everybody brings in their water bottles and lunch bags. I still need to invest in a lunch bag, although me personally, I'm a bit old-school, so I'd love to go for a retro lunchbox, cause I'm just that awesome. I believe that the water bottles are necessary because then we're not wasting plastic every time we get to get a cup of water, and also the water bottles reflect each individual personality. It's really interesting to see the ones that people choose.

It's a bit more cut and dry with the lunch bags, but that's why I'm going to bring you guys some lunch boxes. I love the lunch bags because you're not wasting plastic bags every day and getting them all messy and then having to throw them away. Also, it's friendly on your wallet. A lot of my coworkers don't bring in their lunches but always talk about how they need to so they can save some money.

Bottles Up!



This is the one that I own. It was a gift from my mother, and honestly one of the best gifts because it is BPA-free and it's beautiful and stays cold FOREVER. I know that almost $20 may seem like a lot for a water bottle, but Klean Kanteen doesn't use any harmful chemicals. They're an amazing company, and their products and the best. My mother and I swear by our Klean Kanteens.

Klean Kanteen Classic: $17.95



This one I love, and I feel like this is definitely unisex; I could see my boyfriend using this, me using this, I love the design. I feel like this is just a really cool water bottle. This one is more pricey, but it has a really stunning design, and I'm going to go on a limb here and give Cafepress the benefit of the doubt and assume that this is also BPA and chemical-free.

Imagine Sigg Water Bottle: $28.00



I love the design of this one. I think it's absolutely beautiful, and Earthlust is another company who does BPA-free. They get my vote of approval!

Ikebana: $21.00

Baggin' Saggin' Bag





These are incredibly convenient just in case you want to put yours and your friends lunches in there just so there aren't random lunches scattered throughout the fridge. It gets really difficult having to dig through a sea of about a million bags trying to find yours. If you and your row's lunches are in one bag, cha-ching! Time saver!

Gourmet Getaway- Large Insulated Tote Bag: $22.00


Don't know if I've mentioned this before, Gone with the Wind is one of my favorite movies of all time. As I'm typing this I'm looking up at my Gone with the Wind wall clock and Gone with the wind poster. No one will ever mistake their lunch box for yours, unless they're just as awesome.

Gone with the Wind tote: $18.50




For those that want to get REALLY personalized to make sure nobody ever mistakes somebody's lunch for theirs, the personalized tote is here! How cute is this?? They come in all different initials. Love love LOVE.

Danielle Monogrammed Insulated Lunch Tote: $21.99

Final Showdown

Good evening lovelies! I hope everyone is well. Unfortunately, I can not post this evening. My final exam for training is tomorrow. I thought it would be Friday, but I was informed today it is actually tomorrow. Because of this, I'm going to be studying and trying to get some sleep!

I will post on Sunday though, and I promise it will be amazing and fun!


<3

Product Review: CSN.com

Good morning lovelies! I usually post at night, but since I am helping my friend style her photoshoot in a little while and I had some extra time, I figured i'd give you lovelies all day to see my product review and decide for yourselves.

As you all know, I have done a contest with CSN.com before, but this time I decided to review 2 of their AMAZING products offered on their website.

Product Review

$50 or Less



Clark and Mayfield Hawthorne Laptop Sleeve in Black: $14.99

This is absolutely AMAZING. I was very nervous at first because I thought it wouldn't fit my laptop and that I would have to send it back. PSYCH. It fit my baby (and I have a BIG baby) perfectly! It looks so beautiful and luxurious, I recommend it for everyone. It's made of a very strong yet cool-looking material, and the design is just stunning, it's not going to fall apart easily. I'm sooo happy I chose this one.

Rating: 5/5



Ducti Sail Women's Hobo Bag in Gold: $13.99

When I first saw this online, it intrigued me because of the design and I thought that this would be a very interesting buy. I got it, pulled it out of the package, and saw how small it actually is. My heart sunk immediately because the size of this purse is very deceiving. I saw it and thought "crap, i'll only be able to fit my cell phone and lip gloss in this tiny thing". Of course, as a good scientist, I pushed on and brought out my much larger tan shoulder purse that I've been using for over a year now ( this purse looks like a shrimp compared to my tan one just to paint a picture). I took out everything from my tan purse (which was bulging because I'm like a mini CVS; i carry everything) and i was able to fit EVERYTHING from my tan purse into this much smaller canvas one.

I'm not kidding, this purse holds EVERYTHING. What doesn't fit in the belly very easily fits into the side and front pockets.

For the construction of this purse, it is incredibly well-made. I demand a lot from my purses because I abuse them. I don't mean to, but being my purse means you better be able to be thrown around and stuffed and shoved, it's not pretty. I put this thing through some abuse. I brought it into work, threw it around, I brought it with me to Comi-con, still beautiful. The fact that it's made out of a very thick, durable canvas really makes it. The pockets are amazing. The two front ones have very heavy metal and rope attached, so they're not going to be flying up at the slightest breeze. I had very important things in the front, and they never once fell out.
The side pockets have magnets to keep the flaps down because they don't have anything else on them. In the front, there are little ring things, so you can attach your keys or whatever you want to the front if for some reason they can't fit inside the monster of the purse's belly.

As far as the appearance, this purse is not my style by any means. I ordered it because I wanted to go outside of my usual comfort zone. I love the hardware and the stitching detail. The overall canvas design is very very cool. I love the lettering on the inside of the strap, but i do wish it was on the outside so everyone else could see it. That would be really really cool.

I love the rope that holds down the front flaps on the inside, but I wish that they had somehow incorporated more rope on the outside of the purse somewhere. The duct tape thing down the front holding the rings; very convenient, but I wish that they had used a different material. The duct tape gives a very cheap feeling to it.

Aside from that, everything else about this purse is amazing. I asked the opinions of my coworkers and friends about this purse. Even though most of them said it wasn't there style, they were able to comment on the details and say how cool the pockets were, the stitching, the hardware, etc. The details in this purse are definitely appreciated.

Rating: 4/5

Comi-con

Good evening lovelies! I hope you all are having a lovely week so far and are super excited. What for you might ask? COMI-CONNNNNNNNNNNNN!

YEEEESSSS, Comi-con is finally here, again! It starts Thursday and goes until Sunday, and I am so very excited! I am going Saturday, and I can't wait to be surrounded by all my nerd brethren.

In honor of this amazing event, (and maybe I'll finally get to meet Olivia Munn and Kevin Perera this year) I've decided to put together an outfit that could be worn by either a guy or a girl. This outfit is a little more than $50, but I believe it's totally worth it! This also happens to be my favorite character from my favorite game of all time. That's right peeps, I'm old school.

Mario



$50 or Less

Shaun White Gridlock V-Neck Tee: $5.24



Maternity Denim Overalls: $18.00



Men's Bravo Shoes: $18.00


White Stitched Cotton Gloves: $2.95




Instant Mario: $6.95

Ok, now, I know this doesn't have the traditional "M" logo on it, but, instead of spending more on a hat that has the M, you can make your own! Get a circular top to something and then cover it in white tape. Once the top is completely covered, in the middle cut out an M with an exacto knife or whatever is available. Once the M is cut out and the white tape is removed from the center, take the exacto knife and, including the M in the middle, cut out a circle about a half an inch from the sides. Peel off the circle and stick to the front of the hat. This will give you the white circle, and because you cut out the M, the traditional red M will be in the middle. =D


Total: $51.14

Youth in Revolt

Good evening lovelies! Very exciting news, I will doing a product review for CSN.com. I will hopefully be able to do the review by next Sunday. If not a week from tonight, then it will have to be the following Wednesday.

Tonight though, I've decided to do something a bit different. When I was spending time with my friends earlier, we were watching "Hey, Arnold!" and "Rocko's Modern Life", and I was brought back to when I was a little kid. Thus, tonight, I've decided to put together a funky outfit for all the little funky girls out there!

I won't lie, I've always had a theory that little kids have the coolest clothes. Doing tonight's blog did nothing to prove me wrong. In fact, it only made me believe it even more.

Youth in Revolt
$50 or Less


Shirred U-Neck T: $9.99

Absolutely adorable and perfect for a little girl running around.



Denim Cut-off Shorts: $14.99

The perfect summer short.


Retro Bowling Shoes: $2.49

Adorable and a throwback to 1950's Rockabilly.


Trendy Little Girls Hot Pink Belt: $7.99

Adorable and adds a nice pop of color in the outfit.


Sterling Silver Child's Teddy Bear Earrings: $12.09

Adorable and very child-like while still working together perfectly with the other pieces.

Total: $47.55

Style Inspiration: Norah Jones

Good morning lovelies! I hope you all have had a cool and refreshing summer week thus far.

Just to let you all know, I am going to be doing a product review from the AMAZING CSN.com site. They are an amazing website that contain everything from home accessories such as throw pillows and rugs, all the way to fixtures such as wall sconces. This will be my first product review, so I'm very excited. It will either be Sunday or next Wednesday depending on when the product arrives in the mail. So look out lovelies, it's going to be awesome!



For today's post though, I want to bring to attention a particularly adorable and beautiful songstress, Norah Jones.

Norah Jones has been on the circuit since she was just 22 years old in 2002 with "Come Away With Me". This indie songstress darling has been haunting the airwaves with her beautiful voice and clever lyrics for nearly a decade, but not many know about her style. Truth be told, I didn't even know about her style until late November last year. I was up late one night (Thank you insomnia), and I happened upon a late-night show. I can't remember who it was, but i turned the channel just in time to see Norah Jones come on the stage to perform.

I hadn't seen her perform since "Come Away With Me" was released (one my favorite albums of all-time), and I saw her go on stage in a stunning dress and heels with shorter hair. I realized that Norah Jones had evolved from adorable, to a much more mature yet still aamazing style, thus I decided to look her up. Back with "Come Away With Me", her style was sweet, yet completely perfect and spot-on. Now, she has matured to this very beautiful, unique style. I feel as though she is eclectic without looking like she's trying too hard, or being costumey.


Below is the link for the "Chasing Pirates" video which I just discovered last night, and let me tell, I want everything she wears in that video, and she pulls everything off effortlessly. If you also look really closely in the video, she has a tat that says "Johnny Forever", a tribute to the coolest pirate of all-time, Mr. Johnny Depp! That makes her a million times cooler in my book.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTxythHY09k

Norah Jones

Retro Re-do

Good evening lovelies! About a week ago on livejournal.com, I joined a group called "vintagegroupies". Since then, I have seen so many beautiful, random photos of rock icons, their girlfriends, wives, friends, and family members. I love signing on and just looking through all of the photos.

As I'm sure most of you have noticed by now, the "retro" or "vintage" look is still very spot-on, even after being trendy for such a long period of time. I am so very inspired by the photos I've been seeing, that today, I am going to show you 3 key ways to go vintage, without having to re-vamp your entire wardrobe.

Mind you of course, it completely depends on the period you are going for, but I feel these 3 things sum up the "vintage" look quite nicely.

3 Easy Ways to go Retro

$50 or Less

#1. Big Floppy Hat

Floppy Lurex Hat: $34.00

For those who are like me and have rather puffy hair, a baret might be a better way to go for the baret (I've seen pictures of baret-esque hats dating as far back as the 1930's), but the floppy hat is synonomous with vintage chic, as well as protecting skin throughout the ages!

#2. Classic Sun Dress

Livia Floral Dress: $26.50

There is documentation as far back as the 1940's of the classic sun dress. Naturally of course, the lengths vary depending on the decade, but the shape has pretty much remained the same. The classic sun dress has always looked chic and been a cool way to pass the summer days.

#3. Straight-leg jeans rolled/cuffed at the bottom

Easy Straight Carpenter Jeans: $44.99

When Levi Strauss created the blue jeans back in the early 1900's, he not only created a product, he created an icon that would become synonomous with American living. While I understand the Straight Leg cut might not fit on everybody, the straight leg is one of the most popular cuts. I've seen pictures from the 1920's up until today of people wearing cuffed straight-leg jeans during their casual time. For those that can't wear straight leg, the more well-known vintage style of Bell-Bottoms is a good way to go for vintage denim.

Dress like Coldplay for $50

Good evening lovelies! For those that know me, the title of this post is a bit odd. This is because I can't stand Coldplay's music. I won't lie, Chris Martin's voice gives me a headache. Their music, not so hot. Their clothing, very hot.

While I may not enjoy their music, I can admit without hesitation that the boys know how to dress. They don't dress particularly richly. I'm certain they wear labels since they are a world-renowned band and have millions of dollars, but what I mean is that, even though I'm beyond positive they wear labels, they don't wear them in such a way that they feel unattainable. They wear their clothing in a way that is very approachable and low-key, which is a really nice thing to see, especially for such a famous band.

Tonight, I will be bringing you a collaborative Coldplay outfit, that captures the essence of Coldplay fashion.

Quintessential Coldplay

Lightweight Twill Shirt: $14.99

Notice the boys have a darker, more neutral color palette. Sometimes they will throw in accessories with brighter colors, but for the most part, they dress in a darker, more neutral color palette. Also, they love button-ups.

Marc Ecko Cut & Sew Jeans: $14.99

The boys love their dark-wash jeans. I can't blame them. Dark wash looks great on everyone, and they know it.


Hi-Top Woodland Camo Sneakers: $11.49

Don't know if anyone's noticed, the Coldplay boys like sneakers, but not just any sneakers, Converse-style sneakers. I think these camo are a fun and very low-key alternative to the standard black-and-white style.





Men's 1-inch leather wrist band: $9.79


I love the accessories i've seen them wear. I recommend this bracelet, and then taking some random yarn pieces and tying them around your wrists, as I've seen the boys wear in many a photos. Coupled with a bracelet like this, it will look very, very cool, like Coldplay cool.

Total: $51.26

Ok, yes, it is a little over $50, but since a large majority of men out there like Coldplay, I think the extra $1.26 is worth it. That's just me though.

4th Fashion

Good evening lovelies! I hope you all aren't sweltering in the heat and are under a tree somewhere enjoying some tasty bbq!

I had originally agreed to do tonight's post on some fun musician fashion, but I've decided to push that to Wednesday and celebrate red, white & blue today!

Instead of my usual finding outfits online for $50 or less, I've decided instead to pull from my own wardrobe and show you all 3 different ideas for whatever you might be up to for the rest of your fun day!

Whether it be a party, a cookout, a family gathering, I have devised 3 different outfits for you to look at, and hopefully be inspired by! You might notice some sailor-esque influences in these outfits. Even if it's not necessarily your typical style, it works perfectly for the 4th, and almost anyone can wear these styles.

My 3 outfits

$50 or less



Shoes: $1/Skirt: $7/Tank: $7/Belt: $5/Purse: Free/Ring: $15/ Total: $35

For those who are super confident that they won't spill anything on themselves, this all-white outfit is for you. I have, on one occasion, worn this outfit, with different accessories, but I made sure I went nowhere near food. Buuuuuuuut, all white is very fun and confident, and totally summer-appropriate, so I hope this inspires you!



Purse: $7/ Shoes: $2/Dress: $5/ Ring: $15/ Ring: $4/ Total: $33

I'm a bigger girl, but just because I'm bigger doesn't mean that stripes always work against me. Don't be afraid to try stripes!






Shoes: $2/ Jeans: $5/ Purse: $7/ Ring: $15/ Ring: $4/ Tank top: $3/ Polka Dot top: Free/ Necklace: Free/ Total: $36

This is more of my "want to look cute while feeling not so well" outfit. It also happens to work perfectly for the 4th. This might be more popular since it consists mostly of darker colors. I adore using accessories as my main way of making statements with the outfits. I've dressed this top in a very different way, but it works to go sailor/retro-esque with my pompadour, skinny jeans, retro purse and funky shoes. Don't be afraid to mix & match and try different things. Hence why I've posted these outfits, inspiration! You could be the most creative person in the world, but you can always learn something new from someone else!

And there you have it lovelies! This coming Wednesday, I will do a musician's look for $50 or less. You'll have to come back to read to find out who, =P.

Eclipse Wolf & Heart Bracelet

Good morning lovelies! I hope you all have enjoyed the new Twilight Saga movie: Eclipse. After watching it, I am proud to say that thus far, Summit has done an amazing job making sure that the movies follow the books, almost to a tee. Unlike Harry Potter and Blood & Chocolate, one can walk into a Twilight Saga movie and be quite pleased with how they've brought it to the big screen (given that you've read the books, of course)

Today, in celebration of the new Eclipse movie, I am bringing you the infamous wolf & heart bracelet for less than $50.

Jacob gives Bella a silver bracelet with a wolf charm on it as a graduation present. Later on in the book, Edwards adds a beautiful heart-shaped crystal to it; a reminder of his love for her, as well as a graduation present.

Bella's Charm Bracelet



Bella Carved Wood Wolf & Crystal Heart Bracelet: $45.00

This one is honestly my favorite one out of all the options that I saw. I love how striking the wooden wolf is against the silver bracelet and the crystal heart. I also love the design of the bracelet, it's really just a lovely piece, and any Twilight fan will squeel in delight when they see the gorgeous bracelet on your wrist!

Solid Sterling Silver bracelet - Swarovski Crystal Heart and wolf: $40.00

This one is my second favorite. I love the fact that the bracelet is sterling silver, and this wolf is actually more accurate to the book and movie because Jacob's wolf pendant he made himself from silver. I really love the heart pendant on this bracelet as well.

There you have it lovelies! Enjoy!