New Summer Purchases and Some News Too!

Hello! I have a few lovely finds to share today!

This is my new dress from Forever 21, which I am desperately in love with...

This is a new high waisted skirt, also from Forever 21, with covered buttons on the front.

My cousin laughed at me when I bought this fringed vest at Target (it was on sale for ten dollars! How could I not buy it?)

And these are my new shoes! The sea green sneakers are from Urban Outfitters, and the black heels are (sigh) vintage Ferragamos, which I purchased for twenty dollars at Buffalo Exchange. A total steal, and I am in L O V E.

And here's the bow...

I also got a stack of skinny glittery headbands at Forever 21 ($1.50 for three)

And in other news...

My mom and I are going into production!
We have decided to participate in the upcoming Sugarplum craft show, which is in early October. It takes place at the Orange County fairgrounds, so if anyone is in the Southern California area, please come and see us!

I just finished making some little circlet tiaras, inspired Marie Antoinette...

The circular head-pieces are made from silver and pink sparkly garland, and the back is trimmed with flowers, rhinestones, glittery butterflies, and bow tied in French ribbon.

I hope you like them! I would love some feedback, as well :)

chanel number five

"A woman who doesn't wear perfume has no future."

-Coco Chanel

Hope everyone is having a lovely summer! Took a few pictures of these Chanel perfumes the other day in a department store, and thought I would share... I will be posting soon with some of my recent purchases!

great finds

Hello everyone! It's been a good week and half for excellent finds, vintage and new alike!Found a lovely new green wool sweater for $5, a pair of high-waisted jean shorts (which my mother swears she had in the '90s) for $3, and the tapesty handbag is my favorite! It was a steal at only $2.

My new waist-high skirt from the designer line at Target, which I got for $8. I wore it out tonight, since the weather is so warm, to get dessert with some girlfriends.
My new teal wedges, which were only $9 at Payless, go great with the above mentioned skirt...

My new men's flannel shirt, which I found for $5. This is my fifth mens plaid shirt that I have purchased; they are so incredibly comfortable, and look cute with jeans or belted over a plain black dress.

My new hippie-esque look! The shirt is a men's Yves Saint Laurent silk number (for only $2! I about died with happiness right there in Goodwill). Paired with my new feather headband ($8 at Target), It looks like I'm ready to hit an outdoor concert.The silk shirt is delicately monogrammed with the YSL logo...I also found a black silk cummerbund for $2 and two bow-ties for a dollar each.My pretty mauve-pink bow tie... I wish I had an event to wear it to!The black bow-tie makes a cute headband.

The little deer was a gift from my dearest mother; I absolutely love it! She just has the sweetest expression on her face...

I also discovered what may be my new favorite band, called Owl City. For those who are not yet blessed with this musical presence in their lives, please go check out "Fireflies", "The Saltwater Room", and "Rainbow Veins"!

oh my goodness

I want a Teacup Yorkie soooo bad!! They're precious...

summer days

Hello from Long Beach, where the weather is glorious today! Some friends and I went and visited my dear friend Lizzy on her lunch break today; we brought yummy Chinese food and picnicked under a large tree not far from her building... quite lovely! I decided to come home and take some pictures of my "new" dress; I bought it two summers ago but I never wore it because it went past my knees (an awkward length on someone short like me!), but my mommy helped me hem it yesterday...
dress: Angie
shoes: Payless
glasses: Nordstrom

necklaces: leather leaves: Forever 21
faux pearls: vintage
gold chain: my grandmother's

I also had a lovely Fourth of July (it's one of my favorite holidays); it was a simple affair, barbeque with some close friends and attending the local fireworks show...
Hope everyone's summer is going well also! Must be going now, I'm going to go over to a friend's house where we're doing an exercise program that she ordered on television... I have a feeling I'm going to be awfully tired tomorrow!

light up my heart

"I'm moving on,

I hope you're coming with me,

'Cause I'm not strong, without you.

Don't blame it on your shadow,

'Cause I'm alone,

without you."

-"Shadows" by Au Revoir Simone

But trust me, I'm learning

Day in LA

My mother and I went on a shopping trip to Downtown Los Angeles last Friday; she was in search for some fabrics and trim, and I happily joined her (I was also in desperate need of a new pair of sunglasses, and the Fashion District isn't far from where we were going). While we were at Berger's beads and trims I took some photos. The store is so interesting with pink walls and boxes of beads and sequins up to the ceiling, with one corner just stuffed with all sorts of sewing notions... There are just rolls upon rolls of sequins piled up in a ramshackle order, so sparkly and appealing under the bright lights, along with huge winding cards of decadent ribbons and trims.

Three lovely bolts of goregous pink sequins

Sequins on strings, instead of bolts, and all seperated by color

A box full of tiny suede bows

little beads that looked like faces!

Then we were off to another trim store! We were actually quite frightened, considering that damage that would be done during an earthquake! The boxes were stacked so high they often blocked the lights on the ceiling.

But, it was all worth it when we discovered a 100 yard bolt of vintage French grosgrain ribbon in a perfect delicate pink, and a 50 yard bolt of double-backed satin ribbon in aqua that was labeled 1983.... and all for only $16!

This was some of our haul when we got home: different trims, ribbons, and zippers, along with a ginormous ivory hair bow that I purchased for $2.

Here are all of the things that I brought home: my hairbow, new sunglasses (which my mother swears that her mother owned), and all the things needed to construct 2 bead and charm bracelets.

Before we went into Los Angeles, we went to an estate sale where mother purchased a plethora of vintage postcards. I love the delicate star edging on this one; it is a happy birthday card, with two beautifully bold roses.

I love bluebirds, and these cards are so very sweet.

Here are the bracelets I made with the beads and trimmings I purchased; the lighting is poor so you can't see what a lovely shade of aqua the beads are. My favorite parts are the wishbone and love token charms.

I hope everyone has an equally inspiring week ahead!

Into the light

"Yes, the Gorgon has dried your tears," he said.
"Well, she opened my eyes too; it's a delusion to say that she blinds people. What she does is just the contrary-- she fastens their eyelids open, so that they're never again in the blessed darkness."

The quote is from The Age of Innocence, which is an excellent book if you have the patience for the slow methodical potrayel of peoples lives and deepest fears (fans of F. Scott Fitzgerald would enjoy it).

The photograph is mine. If you are interested in seeing all of the photos of the peonies, visit my flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thecupcakecrusader/sets/72157618945018656/

Had a wonderful day and have many photos to post, so expect a nice long addition in the coming days! Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

fireflies

It was in moments like this that she missed him. In the quiet times, when she sat alone, were the times when she wished the most that he was only a phone call away. She didn't miss the cold stare of his disengaged eyes, or the swelling insecurity that seemed to strangle her in those last days; but she missed the tone of his voice over the tiny speaker when they were apart, his hand over hers when they were together.
What lingered even more, however, was the hurt and resentment which settled over her memories like a fine layer of dust. She could no longer even be certain of those fleeting, happy moments; she couldn't be sure how far is his lies had infiltrated into his actions, words, kisses.

Everything seemed like a lie now, and she missed when he was everything. She missed when he was anything...

Belated May Day

I wanted to post something yesterday in honor of May Day, but it was cloudy and I was sick, so there was no posting to be done. But today I am feeling better and the weather is a little nicer, and more appropriate for some flower posting, so I'm having a little belated May Day celebration!The goregous white roses that are blooming in the front yard right now...

The Proust Questionnaire

So in French today, my teacher had us fill out The Proust Questionnaire (I'm really not sure why... she had us do it in English...), and I decided to go ahead and post it as a little get-to-know the cupcakekiddo!

Your favorite virtue: Compassion

Your favorite qualities in a man: Sense of humor, attentiveness, fun-loving, strength (not just physically), and the ability to effectively communicate.

Your favorite qualities in a woman: Fun-loving, spontaneity, sense of humor, and the ability to be classy while not being stuffy.

Your favorite occupation: Anything involving art or fashion

Your chief characteristic: An over-active imagination

Your idea of happiness: Being with friends

Your idea of misery: Being seasick on a boat with about 100 retching fourth graders. I speak from experience.

Your favorite color and flower: Pink, double-delight roses

If not yourself, who would you be? Betty Broadbent, who is generally regarded as the first fully tatooed woman to perform as a sideshow in a circus. I can only imagine the life that she led.

Where would you like to live? Somewhere in the county, in a little house with an orchard and with a group of close friends. My friend and I want to start a commune :)

Your favorite prose authors: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Your favorite poets: unknown young adults, without training or pretensions

Your favorite painters and composers: Degas, Monet, Lautrec. Sorry composers...

Your favorite heroes in real life: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln

Your favorite heroines in real life: My mom, Coco Chanel, Susan B. Anthony, Audrey Hepburn

Your favorite heroes in fiction: Rick Blaine, the nameless narrator in 'Invisible Man', Nick from 'The Great Gatsby', Nawat Crow, Edward Cullen

Your favorite heroines in fiction: Alice in Wonderland, Lux Lisbon, Aly Cooper

Your favorite food and drink: Mom's Chinese Chicken Salad and cherry coke. Or mimosas.

Your favorite names: Jordan, Emerson, and Lola for girls. Kennedy for a boy.

Your pet aversion: Self-centered people

What is your present state of mind? Acceptance of imperfections

For what fault do you have the most tolerations? Forgetfulness

Your favorite motto: Live fast, Dress pretty, Die Young

Harlequin Girl

"So testosterone boys and harlequin girls

Will you dance to this beat

and hold a lover close?"

-Panic at the Disco, "Lying is the most fun a girl can have without taking her clothes off"I was inspired to have a mini portrait photo-shoot this afternoon with some costume-esque makeup... these are my favorites!

status: I don't think I've ever hated anyone like I hate you now

"Counting down all the hours I've spent here

Drowning in all of your lies dear

I wish I could have been warned"

-The Scene Aesthetic, "The Alamo Is No Place For Dancing"

something to slip into

Yesterday was another glorious day of vintage finds! This time I went to my favorite thrift shop called 'Value Village", which is basically the same thing as a Goodwill, but I always seem to have better luck there. And I was not disappointed!I found this adorable sleep top for eight dollars! It's a beautiful pink with polka-dot lace across the front and sleeves, and rosettes on the collar and on each hip. The bottom is ruffled and rises higher on each side. I belted with my skinny pink leather belt that clasps with a bow.My other fabulous find, a slip for 2 dollars! I love it, though I must admit that I'm not planning on wearing just that alone! Far too scandalous!It's a beautiful whisper pink, silky, and has a pretty overall detail of tiny x's... This is what I bought the slip to go with... I only had a navy blue slip to go underneath it, which goes great with my brown boots and navy blue blazer for a more autumn look, but I wanted something nice and light for spring and summer.

Hope everyone had an equally exquisite weekend!