Wood tie? Yup

$39.99 upcycled wood tie

These ties are made from wood from demolished barns. How cool is that?

They are flexible and come as slats on elastic cord so you can get it over your head and it can move with your body.

Totally awesome and unique, and a great gift.

Revlon Whimsical looks just like Deborah Lippman's nail polish

Looks like the Revlon one is a little more sheer, so maybe doing a more opaque light blue creme base coat under it would achieve the best results.
I have been wanting a polish with flakies in it for a while, so I might put this one on my list.

$17 Deborah Lippman Glitter in the air

compare that to

$3.99 Revlon Whimsical

Read the full review here on Fabfatale

Cute suitcase on sale at Urban Outfitters

$59.99 (was $149) Cooperative Artisan rolling suitcase

Good for easy recognition in baggage claim, and has the old-fashioned appeal of the belts and hard casing.
An added bonus is that you can do that thing in the movies where you sit on the overstuffed suitcase to close it.

It's 23" so it fits in most overhead compartments on the plane, and won't let your stuff get squished and crumpled by another heavy bag pressed against it.

Etsy Find of the Day: Freaky Finger Mug

$50 Porcelain cup with fingers

Who would want this looking at them, trying to touch them early in the morning?
I think the idea is that you interlace your finger's with the mug's fingers (that was weird to type). Creepy!
And what if that top finger brushed your lip? I'm grossed out.

Lego soap set

$5.99 Building block soaps

You get 6 Lego-shaped soaps, 2 of each color.
These would be really cute in a kid's bathroom.
I don't think they stack though :(

Etsy Find of the Day: Owl Jar

$45 Owl and Moon ceramic jar

The painting on this jar is done very nicely. I like the autumnal neutral colors.
It holds 1.5 qt and it's 6" high.

I'd probably use it to hold bags of nuts.

Shopping the Craigslist Free section

Why go to a store when you can get...uhhh....so much great stuff for free?

A small selection of NYC's current offerings:

Crutches!

Blank VHS tapes!

"one candle that I had used once... and decided that I don't want anymore"!

Left over Dwarf Hamster food!

Empty baby food jars!

Nicotine patches!

And so much more

Mermaid Nails

Over the weekend I was experimenting with my China Glaze crackles and I came up with a combo that I like a lot.

I'm calling it "mermaid nails" since the colors remind me of the ocean and the crackle looks like scales.

I used Sally Hansen HD Wavelength as the base coat (I did 2 coats which made the polish color even but not completely opaque) and then China Glaze oxidized aquamarine metallic crackle on top.
Finished it all with CND super shiny topcoat.

What do you think?

How about the other hand?

Etsy Find of the Day: Candy bracelets

These are so much fun!
They make me want to be 13.
I think an adult could pull them off with a crazy color block outfit, or a sleek all black one.
Not just with jeans and a tee though, because then people might think you are immature for real.

$18 candy crunch resin bangle

$18 Sprinkles resin bangle

$15 Jimmies resin bangle

$18 Red rush resin bangle
Tic Tacs!

Barney's Warehouse Sale starts today

UPDATE:
Word on the street is that the sale isn't worth going to, the merch is sparse and stained and the prices haven't dropped enough yet.

Are you going to go?
I went once, and it was fun but too crazy. I'll stick with sample sales the rest of the year.

Barney's Warehouse Sale
Feb 16-26
255 w 17th st between 7 and 8 aves
10am-9pm

Colored Pencil set

$4.66 Set of colored pencils

They live in a pencil!

Excellent for not getting lost.
There are 12 pencils and they are all natural wood.

This would be a great children's gift, or adult gift for that matter.

Etsy Find of the Day: Porcelain votive and DIY option

$15.95 Porcelain votive holder
This candle holder is a replica of the classic Ball canning jars.
It's pretty and quaint.
I think it would make a cool gift if you got a few of them.

But why spend $16 each when you can DIY?

1. Get a real Ball jar (if you don't have one in your cabinet already, you can get 4 here at Lowe's for $4)

2. Spray paint the outside with flat white paint (get some for $5 here)

3. There is no 3 because you are done.

DIY ipod or phone charger holder

You know how you are always letting your phone hang from the charger or sit on the floor or something?
Cut a holder out of an old lotion or shampoo or whatever bottle and cover it with fabric to make a nifty holder.

See the tutorial

Vintage shopping in the Berkshires

Over the weekend, we went up to the Berkshires to relax.
on the way up we stopped at a few great antique stores.

I ended up getting this watch with clear scarabs on it that I thought was pretty awesome.
I hardly ever like watches, and I hadn't seen one like this.
It reminded me of these amethyst scarab earrings that my grandfather made when he was a jeweler.



Paid $36 for it (on sale from $45)

Then I saw this same design and maker on Etsy for $88! Now I feel like I got an even better deal.
I can't find any other clear crystal scarabs, though. I do see a lot of other multi-colored gemstone scarab bracelets and watches online though if you want one.

 $88 1950s Pedre gold filled scarab stone watch

While in the antique stores, I was also tempted by these:


$95 magazine rack table


$200 Moschino bag

Etsy Find of the Day: Men's Fork Tee

$22 Men's fork tee
What better way to fork him on Valentine's Day?

OMG it's Valentine's Day-- better make something FAST

Did you forget? Are you broker than a joker?
It's ok.

Here are some quick things you can make:

1. A jar with things you like about the person written on scraps of paper.
No jar? Go buy a Snapple and peel off the label.

2.  Decorate a mug with hearts or your+their initials.
Go to an office supply store or a Walmart or Staples or something and get an enamel paint marker (Sharpie and Elmers both make some for about $2 each). Just make sure you get a paint marker and not a regular Sharpie. Pick out a mug and write.

3. Apple cutouts. Get a green apple, a red apple, and a small heart cookie cutter (they should have this in the supermarket). cut a heart out of each, use a knife to pry them out, and swap.

 4. Sugar packet card. Go to the break room, grab a bunch of sugar packs, glue them to a folded piece of paper. It's a card!

YOU ARE SO THOUGHTFUL!!!

Grammy's Worst Dressed

And now the real fun begins...

Fergie

Nope. You don't have the figure for it, it's the wrong color, and you look like a neckless traffic cone beast.

Also, the underwear choice? 

WORST.

Mayra Veronica

It's sad because she looks so happy. Like when a new mother is covered with vomit but holding her child so proudly. You almost don't want to tell her.

Laurieann Gibson

Is she the Cruella deVil of cattle?

We get it, you hate cows and you want to kill and wear them all.

$20 says she has a leather bra on too.

Adele

You don't have to wear black up to your chin! You aren't Amish or Hasidic. 

You have a normal body and you deserve pretty things!

Taraji P. Henson

The too-loose halter top is making your boobs look saggy and gross.

Also, the proportions of the color blocks are wrong and create a faux dropped-waist that makes your belly look big and your torso look like a shapeless refrigerator.

Kelly Rowland

Bad prom dress. Crappy color, boring design....zzzz....

Cyndi Lauper

Looks like Kelly Osbourne in her yucky goth phase. Take a cue from her current style and class it up. You aren't an angsty teen.

Grammy's Best Dressed

Did you catch the Grammy's? Have opinions about what people wore? Don't hold back.

I thought most people were REALLY BORING.
Thank God for Nicki Minaj and that random chick with the gun arm who at least has some sense of showmanship and ceremony.

Here are my top looks:

Paris Hilton

Her? Yeah. I think the dress is awesome and goddess-like without being too traditional.

The gold embellishments in the center create a great column.

Katy Perry

The ribbon at the waist is Cinderella perfect. 

The train is over the top, just like the flowers and her hair.

Go for it, girl!

Esperanza Spalding

It's flowy, easy, and different. I like the watercolor effect and the choice of colors.

Kelly Osbourne

Let's just ignore the hair color.

The dress shape and draping makes her body look amazing, 

and the color makes her looks alive and not pasty!

David Guetta

The French DJ brought the bling,and I feel like this is what everyone should be wearing. 

Something classic but with a twist and sometime extra to make it rock.

Corinne Bailey Rae

The proportions of this dress make her looks so pretty and girlish.

rops to Christian Siriano on the awesome ruffled flounce on the bottom.

Etsy Find of the Day: Model T Brass Horn

$25 Antique brass bugle horn
I like the look of this thing.
Don't know where I would put it or what I would use it for, but the shape is so nice!
It's about 9 inches wide.

Where to get Flowers for V Day

There was just a roundup of the best florists in NYC (for some reason they are very Brooklyn-centryic), and here are the winners:

DAVID SHANNON NURSERY AND FLORIST
3380 Fort Hamilton Parkway, Kensington; (718) 436-4521

ZUZU’S PETALS
374 Fifth Ave., Park Slope; (718) 638-0918

13TH AVENUE FLORISTS
7101 13th Ave., Dyker Heights; (718) 236-9088

BEN’S FLORIST
9518 Fourth Ave., Bay Ridge; (718) 833-3606
COLUMBIA FLORIST
210 W. 231st St., Kingsbridge; (718) 548-4226