Beautiful Beaded Purses for a Good Cause

Everyone asks me about where I got my little beaded wallet, and I love telling the story.


This is me with the purse

It comes from a women's collective called Friends of Maiti Nepal that helps stop sex trafficking and trains the young women they rescue to be able to work and make a living in crafts, carpentry, food service, etc.
My sister went there and worked with them to get some grants, and brought me back my beaded pouch.


I use my beaded pouch as a wallet to hold my credit cards. I love the wavy pattern and the iridescent purple.

Right now, Friends of Maiti Nepal is having a special sale on their beaded purses and they will only be available until Feb 15!

Go to their website or their facebook page and click on the SHOP link.

They also gave me a special code to share with my readers, so when you check out, enter REBECCA and you'll get free shipping and insurance!

Here are some of the beautiful bags you can buy:

 

 $135 Lalita large oval bag and $49 Saheli bag

 $49 Saheli bag

The color is so bright, and the beaded strap will pop against your clothes.

 $49 Saheli bag

The circles on this one are pretty, they remind me of roses.

 $49 Saheli bag

This one is my favorite! I'm going to get it. The leaves are awesome.

$135 Lalita bag

See how intricate and cool the patterns are, even on a single color bag?
I think they are great.

Buy one for your ladyfriend/sister/mother/cousin etc for Valetine's Day! And don't forget the REBECCA code at checkout for free shipping.

This is a picture of the women making the bags:

Get the purses! Help the women! Cross a gift off your list!
It's the only nice thing you have to do all year. Promise.

Etsy find of the day: Beryl ring

$5,300 Beryl artifact ring

The setting on this is really interesting.
I like the detail work around the diamonds, and the side view is cool too

See how there are openings in the sides?
It looks neat and lets light in, and also keeps the ring from weighing more and being more expensive.

I don't know how secure that beryl is, though! I hope it's jammed in there pretty well.

I like how it's a raw crystal and not cut or polished.

Turn a tangerine into a candle

Tutorial here

I've heard about these in a few different places now and I really have to try them.
In another tutorial I saw, you use both halves of the peel and make  globe with a hole cut out at the top for air.

Also, someone found out that they float in the bath which is awesome.

Get ready for Valentines: Worst Underwear Set Ever

In the next few weeks, you are bound to see a whole lot of ads for sexy Valentine's lingerie and what to wear for romance tips and stuff.

What you probably won't be seeing is what incredibly trashy people wear for a "special lingerie occasion."

I present you with these, the worst underwear ever that is actually trying to be cute underwear:

$8.99 Faux denim printed bra in turquoise.

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT'S ONLY $9????

Don't forget the undies:

$2.99 Denim printed boyshort in pink

ONLY $3??? ARE THEY NUTS? GET SOME WHILE YOU CAN.

What I would really love is if someone in a new relationship who has only been on a few dates would buy these and wear them on V day. Then, after a nice dinner, you go back to their house, make them close their eyes, and strip down to this set.
And look at them expectantly like "you liiiiike?" Blink blink.
And then they have to pretend you chose some excellent underwear and that cheap pastel colored faux denim is totally your turn on and how could she have known?

Please someone make it happen.

Vinyl Chalkboard

$11.49 Vinyl Chalkboard
For those of us who don't own our places, it's nice to be able to put something on the walls without painting or making holes in it.
The vinyl decals that are popular now are great, and this one takes the concept a step further.

It's chalkboard vinyl so you can just slap it up on your wall and then write on it!
So much easier than hanging a real board or painting with chalkboard paint.

Clearly they want you to use it for phone messages, but don't feel pressured. You can use it for grocery lists, date reminders, or even death threats!
Up to you.

Blanket sweater on the cheap

Don't you love the look of those Pendleton blanket sweaters with the fun patterns and colors?

I do except that
1. They are wool and itchy
2. They cost sooooo much

This is a cool Pendleton sweater for $148

$148 Pendleton Southwest stripe cardigan

Luckily, you can get the look for less in 2 ways.

First, Pendleton has great sales when the items are just past the season, like this:

$85 Pendleton Waterfall cardigan (down from $170)

The second is that you don't really need to buy from Pendleton at all!

This Old Navy sweater has all the look and style but is so much cheaper.

$38 Printed blanket-wrap cardigan

It also comes in brown and tan if you are into that

$38 Printed blanket-wrap cardigan

Butter London 2012 nail collection

Butter has come out with a bunch of new nail polish colors. I like Slapper and Knackered.
What do you think?

The teal of the Slapper color reminds me of my Bat Mitzvah theme color in 1994. I knew it would make a comeback!

I am not sold on Bossy Boots because I think green or whitish polish makes people' hands look weird. I have a lot of colors already like Disco Biscuit and Trout Pout, but those are fun names.

Butter- feel free to send me some to review!

Brass business card case

$30 (normally $60) Brass Business Card Case from In God We Trust

You can get this engraved with your initials, or your favorite word, or something totally inappropriate.
Then you will look all organized and cool when you pull out your card.
Would also be a great gift.

To get the discount, enter "luckydaily5" at checkout.

Etsy find of the day: Creepy Light

$1,350 art chandelier by electric eye design

The different pieces articulate, which means that you can bend it around and make it into whatever shape you want.


Doesn't it remind you of the scary claw machine things from the Chemical Brothers "Believe" music video?

Watch the vid here:




The seller also makes other cool light fixtures like this one:

$1,400 Umbrella chandelier

Glass Beverage dispenser

E and I bought a giant glass drink dispenser at the Film Biz Prop Shop which I mentioned yesterday, but unfortunately it isn't sealed right so it leaks all over the place through the spigot.
Did you think spigot had two gs? I did until spellcheck right now.

Anyway, almost having a glass drink dispenser made me really want a real one.
They're great for parties- I can mix up my insane cocktails in huge batches and not use all the pitchers in the house, or for keeping cold water or iced tea on tap in the fridge.

This one is on sale and looks great:

$19.99 Norfolk glass beverage dispenser

It also holds a much more reasonable amount of liquid than the giant non-functioning one we bought.

The capacity is 169 oz which to normal people means 5 liters or 21 cups, so perfect for a small party.

Film Biz Prop Shop Sale this weekend!

The Film Biz Prop Shop is what it sounds like- a place where you can rent or buy items for a movie set or for your own home.

They have furniture, rugs, fabric, fake tvs, and lots of real appliances.

Then they also have tons of bins containing extra themed items such as "architect desk," "vintage cosmetics" etc.

I love digging through their store and finding fun things for my house. I got a giant piece of fabric which I made into my bedroom curtains, and some gift wrap and some glassware there before.

When you go in, it feels like you have stumbled upon some great secret because you buzz your way through a gate into a parking lot with a warehouse entrance, and then have to follow signs through snaking hallways to get to the store itself.

Check it out this weekend while the sale is on:

WHEN: Fri, Sat Sun
WHERE: Film Biz Prop Shop
ADDRESS: 540 President Street, Gowanus, Brooklyn, NY 11215
WEBSITE: http://www.filmbizrecycling.org/shop

Etsy Finds of the Day: Patterned yellow saucepans

$245 Set of 5 vintage French saucepans

These would look so nice all lined up on a shelf, but I bet you don't need all 5 since they are somewhat similar sizes.

What I'd recommend is that you buy the set, keep 2 or 3 like the largest and the second smallest, and then give the rest to MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! (or I guess someone else, as a gift, but really you should give them to me since I showed them to you--you owe me)

The pattern is fun and they are enamel ware which means they can go from stovetop to oven.

Anthropologie Staggered Gleam top

$58 Staggered Gleam top
I love this top from Anthro.
It's geometric on top but flowy and feminine on the sides.
It's probably not practical for someone who needs to wear a bra because it looks like it goes too low for one in the middle, and then the later top is problematic. But it's so nice!

The back is cool too, see?

The mesh is sexy!

This is definitely one of those "If only I was born with a different body" items.

If you get it, go for the white. The mesh on the navy makes it look cheap for some reason.

Built by Wendy sale

Hey ladies, up for a sale this week?
It may be worth going out to Wburg for~

It's the Built by Wendy sale and you get an additional 50% off the outlet prices.
46 N 6th st

$104 Geometric cardigan (already on sale from $260)

Thanks to Chelsea for the heads up about this sale!!

Etsy Finds of the Day: Lights!

$220 Danish modern tulip lamps
I love the elegant art nouveau shape of these wood lamps. I've been looking for matching lamps for me and E's bedside tables, but these might be a little pricey.

$100 Ceiling lamp
This one has a very different, industrial feel. I like it when you don't have to look up and see a bare bulb underneath whatever fixture you have.
In this photo, it looks like metal but it's actually pegboard like from a garage toolboard.

Fabric on sale

$12.49/yard Richloom Lucy heavy weight fabric

This fabric is now half-off (used to be $24.98) and is 100% cotton.
The print is really large so it wouldn't look old and fusty if you made something out of it.

I really like the colors and the large scale of the print.
It would be great for making cushions or recovering a chair or something.

Awesome turquoise settee for less

On Urban Outfitters, you might see the Antoinette sofa in Caribbean and decide that it is very cute.

$579 Antoinette Fainting Sofa in Caribbean

You're right! this little velvet loveseat is totally adorable.
But what would happen if we just click on over to Target for a minute....

$399 Button Tufted Settee in Peacock

Yes! It is the same sofa.
Save yourself the $179.

According to reviews on both sites, it's not the most solid piece of furniture and you have to put the legs on yourself, but it is so pretty!

If I had a boutique, I would want this in it.

Etsy Find of the Day: Duct Tape Rose ring

$11 Blue duct tape rose ring

These come in a lot of colors, and originally I liked the lime green best, but now I am into the blue.
Don't they remind you of romanesco cauliflower?

Fractaliscious.
The rings are handmade and you can even buy the pattern from the seller if you want to make your own, but it looks like a lot of work.

Fairisle tights

Have you seen those idiots walking around with tights on that they are pretending are pants?
There is a whole new batch of them because now this fairisle trend is migrating south from our sweaters to our legs.

The good news is that if you want to be one of them, there are some tights on sale now at Claire's.

You should wear something over them, though. Please.

$6.25 Fairisle tights (down from $11)
Are those skull and crossbone images at the ankles? I can't quite tell.

$6.25 Digital Fairisle tights (down from $11)
These have a more pixellated and larger print than the colored ones above.

Or you could look even worse and wear legwarmers.
Here's an idea: let's take the narrowest part of a woman's body and make it lumpy and fat. You in? Cool! let's all get legwarmers!

$4 Fantastic Fairisle leg warmers (down from $16)
Whaaaaa?
These claim to be fairisle print, but since when has waves and triangles been fairisle?
I wonder why they are 75% off. Could it be that no one wanted them or their knee-goiter pom-poms?

$4 Ski chalet leg warmers (down from $14)
These are slightly more palatable, if you still must wear legwarmers for some reason.

Pastels are in for Spring

Well, we just had our first snow since October. Are you ready for Spring yet?

I am, but maybe not if it means pastels are back.
Pastels are gross.
The end.

Especially on clothing. Nails and bags, maybe.

Anyway, the Zoya Feel collection is out:

$8 each Zoya nail polish
(That's a link from Birchbox, which is how I tried my first Zoya. If you want to sign up for Birchbox please use this link and I might get some credit!)

Out of this collection, I really like the grayish color called Carey and the lavender one called Megan. The one I tried was the blue one, Kristen.

Topshop is also going pastel with their Spring Equinox Collection.

BARFFFFFF

Look how unhappy this model is to be wearing this narsty mullet dress in washed-out neon.

Fashionista collected a bunch of pastel runway looks for Spring as well:

The Guardian spotted a few more:

So you might be seeing more of this coming up soon.

I'm not happy about it.

When I heard that the color for 2012 was "tangerine tango," I was excited because I like saturated colors and bright bold statements. So far, there is none of that yet.

Etsy Find of the Day: Victorian mourning brooch

$75 Victorian Mourning brooch
Simple and elegant with a pretty floral design. The flowers are forget-me-nots, as in "don't forget me now that I'm dead" because the Victorians were some morbid mofos.
It's made of enamel and plated metal.

Gossip Girl stylist interview

One of the best things to talk about after watching GG is what everyone was wearing.
Eric Daman is the costumer for Gossip Girl and Refinery29 interviews him in this article about the fashion seen in the show.

Can you believe it's going to be 100 episodes?
That's 100 hours of our lives, people. You can't get it back. But you probably don't want to.

The bridesmaids dresses in that picture are from David's Bridal. Whaaa?
Yes.
Of course, it's Vera Wang's line for David's Bridal, but still.
Whenever I hear that store name, I picture the Framingham location I grew up near, under the highway overpass all dusty and pathetic looking.

Anyway, you can have these dresses for $198.
If you feel like copying GG, making your bridesmaids look incredibly bottom-heavy, and still asking them to spend a lot, they would be a great option!

Here's the link to the bridesmaid dresses. I think they look nice on the site, but it's hard to have a waist as tiny as that model in real life and the dresses don't look as good on real people.