Happy Valentines Day!

image via Vanity Fair

Julia and Paul Child really new how to keep the romance alive!  Cheers to all! 

photo credit

Just Clowning Around - I'll pass thanks!

Clown Art, creepy or awesome? I am fascinated by all the clown art I have been coming across.  But I really find most of it very creepy.  

And these were just a sampling of the best stuff I saw. Creepy Right?   Anyway onto better posts I promise.

LOVE me Some Pillow

I love me some crisp new pillows! Not as much as James Franco on 30 Rock does but I do get excited when I make a custom pillow for zero dollars and zero sewing. This project was so quick and easy!

The project was free to me because I had all the supplies on hand but here are the supplies you need to complete the project.

The Pillow Case is from ikea. I used AINA in white, $6.00 but there doesn't seem to be white online. The RITVA look similar and are a $1 more. I bought mine 2 or three 3 years ago for another project that never happened. I also used a FJADRAR pillow (20"x20") to fill the case which cost about $7.99.

The LOVE stencil comes from The Street Art Stencil Book from On Studio, and it was created by street artist Eine, Ben Flynn. The fabric markers I used were Sharpie's Stained collection and Tee Juice fabric makers. Both can be found at craft stores like Joanns or Michaels. I had these items as wells a pretty good supply of fabric paint left over from hosting 2 baby Shower where we did decorated onesies. I also used a bit of cardboard to prevent any bleed through to the other side of the pillow case.

I didn't take a picture of the stenciling but here is the process in a nutshell. Place the cardboard in side the pillow case under the area you wish to paint. The prevents bleed through to the other side. Then attach the stencil to the pillow case, I usually use tape. This is important because you don't want any movement once you start stenciling so you can get a crisp image. If you are nervous about this part I would do a practice run on a paper towel. Once your image is attached start filling in your stencil. What I like about the Tee Juice markers is that you can use a blotting technique which is really easy and effective. The Sharpies have some benefits too, they have little to no bleeding. So they are great for crisp lines but not as fast for filling in large areas. They both have uses. The L & V are in sharpie and the O&E are Tee Juice.

Once the paint is dry remove the stencil and cardboard. And marvel at your awesomeness! But you aren't done yet. Lastly you need to heat set the image so it will last.

Turn the pillowcase inside out and iron over the image. In my case the whole pillow case was pretty wrinkled from being in my fabric bin. So I went ahead and ironed both sides. But I did give the painted bits a little extra attention.

Once that is done put your insert in and you have your new custom pillow!

So crisp and Poppy! So Free! I have one more case to play with. So I am off to pick another stencil!

Goodwill Haul

So now that I have lots of Free Time (aka unemployed) I can actually go to Thrift Stores during the middle of the day. This is when the real finds are available. A couple of observations about Goodwill that I have gathered over the last couple weeks.

1. people will ram you with their shopping cart instead of using their words and saying "excuse me may I pass through". Every time it happens I am simply amazed.

2. When in doubt about an unique item, if its under $10 just buy it. You can always return it or donate it back if it doesn't work. Because if you think oh I will think about it and come back later... guaranty it is gone. If the item was good enough to give you pause at least 10 other people will want it that day too.

3. You know you have a good find when people start stalking your cart in Goodwill.

Which brings me to yesterday's haul. First of all i am helping my friend Stephanie with a decor project. She wants to make the entry wall of her house like this:

image via pinterest

So she has been on the hunt for empty gold frames. Or rather I have been hunting for her since I have the time to burn. (More on that project in other post if she lets me.) Here are the most recent frames I found for her wall:

Bonus 2 were already gold so only the one needed to be painted. They cost a total of $11. I also found this adorable little cross stitch for $1.

I am not sure where this well end up but see tip #2 above. I might give the frame to Steph for her chalk board wall, because it would make a great Tic Tac Toe grid for games at parties. Then reframe the cross stitch. Because cross stitch is HIP!

My third find was three 24x36 blank canvases, for $9 each. I grabbed them up because they would cost at least $20 each on sale at the art supply store and Stephanie (she has featured heavily in the post hasn't she) would probably take one off my hands and paint me up a gorgeous koi painting. I have a couple of her koi paintings already but I really want a large scale one.

In case anyone is reading this that I don't know personally here is one of her smaller koi paintings:

The minute I grabbed those canvases the Goodwillians descended upon me. One lady, who had bumped me with her cart earlier BTW, sidled up me and said "Good Find!! You better not leave your stuff unattended because I might swipe those." She was joking.... i hope. But I did take care to keep my stuff close at hand just in case. Seriously Goodwill shopping is cut throat. Another guy saw my cart full of canvases and asked where i got them. When I told him I grabbed them all he asked if he could have one of mine... which really is better than threatening to steal them. At this point I decided I better just go check out before I got jumped.

Ok lets try this again

Well a 3 + year break from blogging ends today. Why not I have the time to devote to this now that I am unemployed. So what to blog about ... I will be refocusing the blog on my day to day. Which will include recipes, DIY projects, Decorating, fashion etc. While I am putting together some posts feel free to follow me on Pinterest my current obsession.

http://pinterest.com/erika_mcclain2/

Off to craft!

Project Runway!

The new season premiers tonight on Bravo! Make sure to set those DVR's! Its the last season on Bravo before moving to the Lifetime network. So far the scuttle butt on the internetz is not so hot for this season. But I love Project Runway so much I probably won't care.

Botkeir For Target!

Target has come out with there new guest designer line and this time it is Botkier. As in the Botkier that makes drool worthy bags sold at Neiman Marcus and other fine retailers for prices more than I can currently afford. I think Target Read my Diary because the Botkier line for Target is just as adorable and fashionable as the ones found at Neiman Marcus. I was at Target the other night just as they were stalking the accessories area with these bags and I picked up the Satchel in Gunmetal. We will see how the quality holds up since I am pretty hard on my handbags. But for $39.99 it wasn't a bad deal. I will let you know how it does. I am tempted to go back for this one as well.

That Marc Jacob's is Cheeky!

Aren't these Mouse flats from Marc by Marc Jacobs so adorable! If they weren't $250 a pair I would snap up a pair of Red Ones right now! Alas my Mexico Vacation has left me Shoe Poor. So I will just have to admire from afar. So cute though! Available at Pimperlime.

More gifty Ideas.

This morning on Design Sponge I saw these placemats and doilies from Modern Twist! Love them. Especially the doilies. They would be perfect for my cake platter, and transferring the cake from the decorating turntable to the cake stand. So cute!

Discount Thursdays!

Today's post is more like a "Sale Alert Thursday" but saving money is saving money so lets not dicker over semantics. I have three great sales for my darling readers to check out. First of all its the yearly IKEA sale. I recommend going to check it out on a weekday. My friend M and I went on a Thursday night and felt like we had the place all to ourselves. It was glorious. I got a potting bench which I will be converting into a Bar/prep area for the BBQ area on my deck.

Another great sale going on is the Lime Tage Sale over at Pimperlime. Enjoy up to 40% off on many many cute shoes. Like these cute Pink Numbers from Charles and David.

only $39.99!

The Last sale I am going to mention is the seasonal clearance sale over at West Elm. They are items up to 65% off! And there is a butch of great stuff. Browse through the lighting section for some great stuff!

Happy Shopping!

Gift Ideas For ME!

Ok so this is a shameless self promotion. But what good is a blog about things you love if you can't make a list of good gifts for the blog owner so that she will get some awesome Birthday Gifts. And Since this Birthday is going to be a Dark Dark Day the presents better be good.Everyone says I am hard to shop for. I always find that very surprising. Mostly because I am a consumer. I love stuff. I think perhaps the problem lies in the fact that everyone things I like expensive stuff. Which is true but I can't afford a lot of expensive luxury items and I figure out how to get a lot of things that are great deals. I know when to stretch my dollar. Also I am pretty picky about my clothing and I am a plus size girl so buying clothes for me that I will like is pretty much out of the question for most gifts unless I go shopping with you. But there are still so many gifts out there I would love.

Hence this post. I will list several gift ideas for me in a wide range of prices. For all you readers out there that do not know me personally you can send gifts to PO Box.. HA just kidding. But really this is a good look at gifts for any stylish Lady.

Lets Start with the more expensive treats!!! After a quick browse over at eLuxury and I have found this adorable shoulder bag from my favorite designer Marc Jacobs. But at $550 I don't think I will be getting it this year. Mostly because Mr. Delusional and I have decided in lieu of Birthday Gifts this year we bought ourselves a new flat screen TV. $550 at eLuxury

A more economical bag would be this cutie by Kate Spade from Nordstrom's for $245. Its in thesame color scheme as the Marc Jacobs but in a hobo bag. Adorable. Also Kate always puts the cutest lining in her bags.$245 Nordstroms

I know I said buying me clothes it out of the question unless you want to pick me up something from the Rachel Pally collection at Nordstrom's. Like this dress:

Rachel Pally Nordstroms $234

Ok lets bring this down to the less than $200 range.

Lets start with Sunglasses. I love designer sunglasses almost as much as a status bag. How about these cuties from Marc Jacobs. I might not be able to wait until my Birthday for these lovelies. Look at the cute side detail and the great shape of the lenses.

Marc by Marc Jacobs $115

Or these cute Sunglasses from Betsey Johnson at Nordstrom for only $75!Betsey Johnson $75

They have a great classic aviator shape that looks good on many face types.

There also a ton of gifts out there under $50. First of all I am on a total Old Navy Kick. So a gift card to old navy would be fine if you feel really lazy. But for more personal gifts I am also wanting a few pairs of brightly colored Havaiana's Flip Flops. Which can be found at many many places. Another great gift is jewelry from local crafters. I really like Talia Serinese Designs at Saturday market. She also has an Etsy shop with a smaller selection of her work. Etsy in general is a great place to find gifts for people for great deals. I recommend browsing the vast listings even just to get gift ideas.

Ok I am loosing blogging steam but I will end with these are just suggestions. Also I by no means expect to get gifts for my birthday. This is merely a list of suggestions for things I like for people who were planning on buying me gifts but get hung up on what to get me and then ask me what I want. Other things that make great gifts: books or movies that make you laugh and will probably make me laugh as well, concert tickets, bottle of wine that you like.. chances are I will like it too! Art that strikes you as beautiful will probably strike me as beautiful. Flowers are always a wonderful surprise, potted or cut. Honestly I am easy. I love everything that is pretty or shiny or thoughtful. And I know on my Dark Dark Day that is my Birthday this year anything that will make me laugh will be much appreciated as I say good by to my youth.

Sex and the City Movie

While I was in Mexico I had the pleasure of seeing the Sex and the City Movie. I know there were mixed reviews of the movie, but if you enjoyed the show you will like the movie. It was basically like watching an entire season of Sex and the City in one siting. For me the best part of the movie was the clothing. Patricia Fields knows how to dress a movie. I, like probably every other woman who has seen the movie, am currently coveting Carrie's Dior Cutout sandals! I love that she pairs them with the soft floral dress and jacket. The juxtaposition's of the soft and hard is great. What's not great is the $780 price tag associated with the shoes.Also if we are being realistic (I know... who wants to be realistic about shoes?) the heel on those Dior's is a bit terrifying for me. So even if I won the lotto and could afford them I probably couldn't walk very far in them. This Delusional Fashionista knows her limits with Stilettos and she is no Carrie Bradshaw. So I set out to find a similar pair for much less $ and a more comfortable shoe for walking in. Here is what I have come up with so far.

Steve Madden Max II on Zappo's for $115

This pair is a pretty good knock off of the original Dior pair. The grommets are a bit different but I am pretty impressed with how similar they are.

I also found this pair from BCBG:

BCBG Nickole on Zappos for $99

This pair is more inpired by the Dior shoes. I like them because they are under $100 (just barely) But they also dip down lower in the front creating a more elongated look for your leg, rather than chopping you off at the ankle. It is a good option for those thicker legged ladies out there like myself. It does have staggering 4" heel making it almost as high as the original Dior.

Lastly I found these Nine West for $93. This pair a sturdier looking heal and a similar shape minus the grommeting. I miss the grommets though, don't you?

Nine West Zanja on Zappos for $93

Discount Thursdays!

So I am back from Not so Sunny Mexico! Turns out I do like Pina Colada's and getting Caught in the rain. And its a good thing I like getting caught in the rain because it happened quite a few times! But I had a wonderful time non the less and managed to get a bit of a tan!

Anyway back to the real non-vacation world. And with that I have a great Discount Thursday Post. KATE SPADE CLEARANCE!!!

Wellesley medium shopper Original Price $425 on Sale for $229!
Katy Cyril continental wallet Original Price $195 on Sale for $99!

The sale ends tomorrow so get your credit cards out girls and take advantage of this great sale!

If You Like Piña Coladas...

I am off to beautiful Mexico! I may have time to update while I am gone. If not have a lovely week! I know I will. Ok off to pack like a crazy person.

Discount Thursdays!

15% off everything at AE with code: 33189247 or print and use in-store!

Chanel your inner teen and enjoy my lovelies.

Wheel o' Shoes!

We all know I have a die hard love for all things shoe related, so it goes without saying that I have a large collection of shoes. Perhaps I will get some pictures up of my favorites to the blog one day soon. As a result of my Imelda like collection I am always looking for great Shoe Storage solutions for my house. Right now I have a few of these Trones bins from IKEA that are great and look much better in person. Today while perusing the internet I came across a new way to store your shoes I don't know how well it works but it sure does look efficient.

The Shoe Wheel by Rakku Designs for $65. It holds 30 pairs of Woman's Shoes. As you can see it is made to hold high heals. Which is great I had seeing Shoe storage that is clearly designed for flat shoes aka men's shoes. I mean if your are in need of major shoe storage options you are probably a woman. Even the dandiest of Man doesn't have as many shoes as most woman, (I am sure there are a few exceptions to the rule out there). I could go on and on...

Anyway the Shoe Wheel is looks pretty cool and doesn't seem to take up much precious real estate in your closet. It is mobile and adjustable and expandable. Think of the fun games you can play like Spin the Shoe Wheel! Ok maybe I am reaching there... But it does look like a great find. I wonder if they would send me a free one for promoting it on my site? hmm....

Ooo and it comes in pink!

YSL- 1936-2008

"The most consistently celebrated and influential designer of the past twenty-five years, Yves Saint Laurent can be credited with both spurring the couture's rise from its Sixties ashes and with finally rendering ready to wear reputable," (Caroline Rennolds Milbank's, Couture: The Great Fashion Designers). Yves Saint Laurent brought pants to the female wardrobe, made pea coats and safari style mainstream. He brought Paris street style to couture. He has influenced generations with his style, saved Dior from ruin at the age of 21 and created his own fashion house by the time he was 30.

If you want to read more about Yves Saint Laurent I recommend checking out "The Beautiful Fall." I bought the book recently and reading it now seems very appropriate. Yves Saint Laurent ones said "Fashion dies, but style remains." Sir your Style will remain an imprint on womens lives for eternity.

Discount Thursdays!

Check out the sale section over at eLuxury for up to 40% off designer goods!

Look Marc Jacobs for $139!
Look a Derek Lam Clutch for almost 50% off!
and Finally the OMG I have to have. Mr. Delusional this would be a good gift for me HINT HINT this stunning Luella by Goldenbleu for only $389!!!