Features

Latest Posts

Outfit details:

  • Jumpsuit/dress - Vintage
  • Sunglasses - Brooks Brothers
  • Shoes - BCBG
  • Bag - Vintage
  • Necklace - a jumbled mix of my mom's wedding band, a locket I got for myself years ago in NYC, and a wee St. Christopher charm I got when I was born from my godparents. I guess it's vintage :)

DIY Jumpsuit Dress:

Recreate the look with Marisa's Jumpsuit Dress tutorial:



How would you describe your style?

My personal style is a modern bohemian mix of flowy dresses and whimsical bows, sparkles, and head scarves.

What's your favourite piece in your wardrobe?

Ooh, I think that would be one of my first vintage scores that I found when I was in college here in Los Angeles.  It's a black halter dress with a crocheted circle panel in the center that I dressed up as Morticia Addams in.  It's 70s and so rad - totally perfect for a costume party or a black tie affair, depending on whether you pair skates or a dangling Lulu Frost sparkler around the neck. 

Who are your style icons?

From the past, I love 70s Ali MacGraw, Marisa Berenson, Jane Birkin, and Catherine Deneuve and my current celebrity style crushes include Zooey Deschanel, Zoe Saldana, Florence Welch, Olivia Wilde, and Kate Hudson, I get absorbed watching movies on Turner Classics and will take screenshots of outfits that I see on Lana Turner, Doris Day, or Lauren Hutton... Yep, I'm the weirdo taking inspirations photos on her TV.

Do you have any favourite designers?

Ooh, I could watch runway shows all day long. Chloe, Marc Jacobs, Jenni Kayne, Kate Spade, and Stella McCartney all have a special place in my heart.  I love online shopping and can spend hours on TopShop, and ASOS looking at everything. 

Where are your favourite places to shop for new clothes?

I spend lots of time flea marketing and shopping at vintage stores for secondhand pieces in Los Angeles, so my fave stops are the Melrose Trading Post, Wasteland, and Goodwill, but you can find me perusing the racks at TJ Maxx, Target, or Marshalls on the regular. Love designer pieces on a budget! 

Do you make or customise your outfits?

Yes! I make most of the pieces that I feature on my blog, but love pairing vintage with current pieces.  A fun and on trend top from H&M paired with a vintage high waisted skirt, a fabulous and bold Tatty Devine necklace, a pair of ASOS ankle boots, and a vintage clutch makes for a chic ensemble! 

Do you have any great tips for mixing up and personalising an outfit?

I love wearing the same pieces over and over again in different ways, so one of my biggest tips for mixing it up/personalizing is on the styling front.  Add a skirt on top of a dress to give it a two-piece look or toss a knit vest and skinny belt on top of a blouse to make it office chic.  Also, to infuse a little DIY into your wardrobe, put a pin back onto a patch for an insta-pin or take a vintage brooch and clasp it to a chain to create a statement necklace. There are so many fun ways to reinvent the wardrobe.

Which other fashion blogs do you love to read?

I love Man Repeller, Atlantic-Pacific, Fashion Toast, Stripes & Sequins, Love Maegan, Penny Chic, Sea of Shoes...the list goes on and on.


I'm lolle (Lorenza) and I'm a freelance illustrator and artist based in Italy. I have been drawing since I was 5 years old. I always loved to draw, to paint, to create objects, plush and clothes and I can't imagine my life without pencils, markers, brushes, acrylics...
I use my illustrations to describe my world, a messy and pinky world populated by furry monsters, bizarre plushies, spooky dolls, cats, stylish babes, cosmic mermaids, pastel unicorns, colorful toys, ghost stories, flying bats, fairytales, striking clothes, pop culture, candies, cakes, dreamlike movies, fantasy books, and more...


Paris, France •

It’s Paris! The best thing about living here, is that it’s Paris. It’s a wonderful city and it’s certainly not a cliché. It’s inspiring with all its beautiful spots, its cultural and historical identity. What can I say? It’s frenchy in all the best aspects. It isn’t Tokyo nor New York but it definitely learn you elegance.




We head behind the scenes at Dream Quilt Create to tour Cynthia's amazing craft room in Sacramento, California which her husband made as a Christmas present.


"My favorite thing about my space is the table.  It is sturdy and rustic and I just love it!!!!  It makes a beautiful background when I photograph my work for my blog."




Tell us about your space?
My craft room is in the Sacramento area, northern Califonia.  I have lived here almost 3 years. My craft space is in a spare bedroom on the second floor of our house.  It has a big picture window looking out on the street and another window on the side, allowing for a lot of natural light during the day.  I have the room all to myself.  The room is 10 feet by 10 feet, with no room to spread out on the floor.  If I need to, I can use the hall floor. I use this space for a sewing room.

What have you done to make your space cosy, beautiful or inspiring?
My husband designed the space for me as a surprise and it was my Christmas gift.  He bought all the furniture and a few decor pieces to make it extra cozy and cute.  I can see some of my favorite fabric collections and my favorite things such as twine, washi tape, buttons, a sculpture my mother made, some family photos, etc.

How do you keep organized?
I have little bins and containers to keep me organized, and some red and some white Ikea boxes.

Which are your favourite possessions and are there any of your own creations on display?
The Union Jack quilt behind my sewing table is one of my creations.

Where do you look for inspiration?
For inspiration, I have a blog roll on my blog and I follow some other blogs on Blogsy.  I look to other quilters for inspiration, and some of my quilt books.

If you had three wishes, what would you do to make it the dream space?
My craft room is my dream craft space.  Not only did my husband design it and surprise me with it at Christmas, but he bought me a dream machine Bernina 750 QE which has made my sewing experiences so much better :)

This week Saran from Cinnamon Springs recreates the chic feminine style of actress Lucy Liu:

Lucy Liu is a stunning beauty who exudes sophistication and knows how to have fun. She has a great sense of style and knows what works best for her. Paired with a great smile, she is definitely one classic beauty!



Outfit details:

  • Care Bears Shirt - Uniqlo
  • Rainbow Tutu - RTBU
  • Tetris Tights - Black Milk
  • Rainbow Sneakers - Department store in Japan
  • All Jewellery and Care Bears Hair bow - Nerd Burger Jewellery
  • Lego Knuckle Duster - DIY (See below)

DIY Lego Knuckle Duster

Recreate the look with Nerd Burger's Lego knuckle duster tutorial:



How would you describe your style?

My day to day style really depends on what mood I’m in, I’ve found that I enjoy the spontaneity of life and I like to express myself as such. From a dreary winters Pastel goth, to bubbly summertime fairy kei outfit, I’ve always found fashion to be the ultimate form of expression. I always like to experiment and mix ‘n’ matching my geeky sides with different nostalgia and fandoms (not limited to, but generally limited to 80’s and 90’s).

What's your favourite piece in your wardrobe?

My Snow White kitty dress. This is not your normal Snow White Dress oh no, this is a very special dress as all the faces have been photo-shopped to feature various adorable kittens in all their purry glory. This is a dress that never ceases to draw smiles in even the most depressing of days.

Who are your style icons?

I have always looked up to Cyndi Lauper and Molly Ringwald for their exciting and unique fashion. I also get a lot of inspiration from Japanese street fashion. The louder and brighter the better, as I’ve never been one for subtleties.

Do you have any favourite designers?

Jeremy Scott, Spank, Black Milk and 6% Dokidoki are all among my favourites but there are also a lot of independent designers on Etsy and around my home city that I cannot help but to swoon over. I really like bright colourful clothing with big statement pieces choc full of geek and nostalgia. You throw some pixels on it, maybe a feature a cartoon from my childhood or comic book character? You bet I’ll throw money all over it.

Where are your favourite places to shop for new clothes clothes?

I love to support handmade and local crafters so I buy a lot from independent designers I find and though Etsy and social media. I also really enjoy second hand shopping and to go rummaging at markets every week for rad toys and clothing. I’m a big supporter of shopping local, as I know how hard it is as a struggling jewellery maker to complete with the online market.

Do you make or customise your outfits?

Every outfit I wear has something created by me. I love to make geek and kawaii themed jewellery and accessories to match outfits. I have recently started learning to sew clothing and cannot wait to buy vintage Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles bed sheets to turn into skirts. In the last few years I have dived head first into the cosplay scene too, enjoying the atmosphere and the looks on peoples faces when they realise that their favourite comic book character has come to life.

Do you have any great tips for mixing up and personalising an outfit?   

You never know how much awesome can come from wearing an outfit that you thought you’d never wear. There is no greater thrill than wearing an 80’s prom dress to the grocery store and then sitting on a tram surrounded by strangers as your skirt takes up multiple seats. Though regularly I’ve been drawn to the old staples (ie: leggings and a t-shirt), there is never any reason you can’t add a little flair to even the most basic outfits. By customising your look by adding a necklace made from a vintage toy or a brooch of your favourite movie, it shows people that this is not only an outfit but part of who you are and what you represent. Fashion should always be as such, a reflection of who you are on the inside and thus in being true to yourself, you are never truly out of place.  

Which other fashion blogs do you love to read?

I love to read a huge range of blogs of all different types of fashion to give me ideas. I love the 70’s rock vibe of Lark And Lace, the crochet kawaii of Twinkie Chan and the huge range of street fashion from Tokyo Fashion.


Mab Graves is a Contemporary Pop-Surrealist artist and illustrator living and painting in a converted 1800’s tavern in a small corner of the dusty Midwest.

Her work is inspired deeply by fairy tales and old classic literature. She adores narrative.  She blames this on her parents who unrelentingly read aloud to her and her three sisters as small, impressionable children. Mab’s passion for creation has been an overwhelming obsession since she could grip a crayon, at about the age of 6 months. She spent her childhood and teen years adoring graphite and pen mediums (but being very suspicious of paints) until she discovered painting in early 2009, and then it was all over. 

A self-taught artist, Mab’s work has been shown is galleries both nationally and internationally. Her work has been sold in more than 56 countries. Mab’s art has appeared in many print articles in books and magazines and in 2013 she published her first book of paper dolls with Dover Publishing.  She currently lives, works and dreams in Indianapolis, IN.


Have you always been creative and artistic?

Oh yes! I have been obsessed with drawing ever since I could grip a crayon. It utterly fascinated me as a child and has stayed with me my whole life - but it’s constantly evolving. I didn't start painting till about 5 years ago.

How would you describe the style of your work?

My style is affectionately called “Lowbrow” or “Pop Surrealism”. It’s a very classical, detailed painting style with dashes of 60’s “big eyes” culture, cartoons, anime and j-pop in here and there.

What’s in your pencil case and what’s your favorite tool?

My pencil case has mostly Alvin Draft/Matic 0.3 pencils and Pentel brush pens. My work usually involves more wet mediums than dry ones though! For instance the Crafterella piece I made for you guys contained graphite, ink, art marker, watercolor, gouache and acrylic. I love to mix mediums because each one does something special ^_^

Who is your favorite superhero?

I have to say I’m a pretty big fan of Hellboy. I love the anti-heroes and I LOVE Mike Mignola’s illustrations!

If you could have one super power what would it be?

The power to heal people ^_^

Where do you look for inspiration?

It hugely depends on the project I’m working on. I love to look to books, fables, and old manga for inspiration in my downtime though ^_^

Who are your favorite artists or comic book authors?

Can I choose comic book Illustrators? James Jean is tops for me. Also Yoshitaka Amano and Clamp. Other non-comic book illustrators I love are Gennady Spirin, Iassen Ghiuselev, Olga Dugina, and Kinuko Craft!  

Tampa, Florida •

Tampa has an amazing and extremely diverse culture, kind of like a melting pot of different ethnicities. You can see the diversity in the architecture, the restaurants, museums, theatres, musical venues, and the different Ethnic Society Clubs with in the Bay Area.




We head to Auckland, New Zealand to explore Harri's adorable craft room in her bedroom.


"I love that it is very spacious but still a very big desk and workspace. I recently just bought a trestle table for a bigger desk space and I’m loving the space I have to spread out a project (or a few) as well as display my favourite things like my ever growing magazine collection and millions of pens and pencils."




Tell us about your space?
My craft room is in my house is a urban suburb of waterfront city Auckland - known as the City of Sails in New Zealand. I’ve lived here for about 2 years but i’ve lived in Auckland my whole life. My craft space is actually my bedroom in my family’s home. I don’t think that it doubles as anything because my bed is equally important for my crafty/blogging space because it’s sometimes the best place for inspiration…..dreaming!! It’s also lovely to curl up on with my laptop to plan out a new craft or blog post. This is my room, where I do everything! I do all my crafts in here unless it’s a building project or painting because my room is carpeted and we don’t want the carpet changing colour.

What have you done to make your space cosy, beautiful or inspiring?
I have a cosy colour theme of white and wooden and let my belongings give colour because i’m a stationery fanatic and it’s always very colourful.

How do you keep organized?
I guess it’s comes quite naturally but lots of boxes and pretty belongings make it easy. I guess the things that I buy are always suited to my theme and are quite tidy but I love looking at ‘stuff’ and i would die if I went minimalistic. I just love designs and colour and prettiness to much. I’m just a lover of pretty things.

Any tips & tricks for organising supplies?
Go have a look on my blog, it’s full of it but using nice storage boxes or covering shoe boxes makes so much of a difference. But using lots of pen cups, and pretty things to organise your supplies makes you proud to show them off to your room to give it personality

Which are your favourite possessions and are there any of your own creations on display?
My favourite possession is probably either my DSLR camera or my pens and pencils collection. I have some of my creations on display like my instagram grid wall, sewing machine restyle and diy chalkboard cat.

How do you organise your inspiration and ideas?
My ideas and inspiration are kept in a big journal full of cut outs, prints, messy scrawl and colour but I also do lots of organising on my laptop and on pinterest. I have a list of ideas in my journal as well as in random places in my head and on notepads throughout my room

Where do you look for inspiration?
Well a go to place is always my pinterest but these ideas have always been used so usually my blog’s ideas just come from inspiration around my room and just from other books, magazines and sometimes someone else’s idea morphed into something of no similarity but to me they remind me of each other because they sparked the idea.

If you had three wishes, what would you do to make it the dream space?
hmmmm….I would love to have more wardrobe storage for my stuff. I’ve got lots of space for clothes but I have limited space for stuff so I have to cut down on it and have it on display. Other than that it’s pretty much my dream space anyway.

This week Eleanor recreates the look of the dashing time-travelling Time Lord Doctor Who:

Although each of the 12 regenerations the of Doctor has come with their own signature look, one thing that remains constant is his sharp fashion sense, from bow-ties to trainers his look is always well put together and timeless - as it sort of has to be for a time traveller.



Archive

Recent Comments