Completely Gratuitous Outfit Post

What I'm Wearing
* Army green wide-leg pants ...Gap, I got these so long ago I can't even remember ...maybe 2005?. But they're a great basic for when the wide-leg returns, which it has in a very 70's way with a modern twist. After one wash, however, they were too short {and I don't put them in the dryer}. Solution: take out the bottom hem. And in this case, leave it ragged.
* Cotton tank with tie I found at a thrift shop/brand new. I didn't even try it on. In fact, after a return from the dry-cleaners, this is the first time I've ever worn it. Tag says: John Paul Richard.
* Vintage Sasson striped blazer ....seen last May, here with yet another "Never Say Never" ...and the same shoes
* Vintage silk scarf I wore in my hair in my last outfit post
* Louis Vuitton Speedy
* Tom Ford "Yvette" sunglasses
* Pour La Victore "Fiona" platform

It was so ridiculously windy trying to snap these photos proved near impossible let alone get any details at all. I originally wore the scarf around my neck for warmth but after eyeing the first three shots, I realized in the photos, it looked like a neck brace. Hot. So I removed it and tied it on my bag.

This morning I opened my garage to get in my car and as usual, saw a little bitty critter. Many days it's a handful of crickets, sometimes a row of ants, today, it was a little baby lizard. Just two days ago I wondered where all the lizards had gone and then this morning a little guy startled me. I drove out of the garage very carefully as not to smush him, successfully. I thought about him on and off all day. When I returned home, I pressed the button in my car and opened the garage and pulled in as I normally would. As I walked around the back of my car, I realized I killed the little baby lizard. His tail was cut off and still wriggling and his body was upside down and I swear his tongue was hanging out. I immediately started crying. And could not stop. When I ran to my husband sobbing, he thought something terrible had happened. I told him it did. I killed the lizard. I think he was relieved ...and more upset to hear that I had also gotten my period today, two days early ...which probably explained the tears that came rushing on and off for the rest of the night when I thought about taking that poor little lizard's life. :(

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Outdoor Living Space Before & AfterProject: Backyard Garden Planter

When we moved into this house I noticed a pile of extra bricks placed neatly in a corner of our garage and immediately had the idea to use them to replace the ugly plastic border around the backyard garden planter. And every single time I look out the windows into the backyard I think about it. Last weekend, I finally decided to do it. It may have had something to do with purchasing our new patio furniture or the fact that Summer is right around the corner but either way, I love that it finally looks the way I imagined it would ...without too much back-breaking work and zero cost.









. . .are they level? ...not really, had to adjust for that



. . .husband relaxing in the sun



. . .doggie approval






While it's close, our backyard living space is still not entirely complete ...but as usual, my impatience forces me to share the process instead of the finished product.

Admittedly, we didn't want to spend an arm and a leg for patio furniture. We wanted a bit of a rustic but modern, spanish/vacation-ey feel and I think we achieved it. We purchased the love seat & two chairs at Osh {on no tax day for $380 by Pacific Bay "Cabrillo Collection"} which came with 4 throw pillows & a matching little coffee table {not shown}. I had planned on using the coffee table shown which was my husband's prior to me and really made for indoor use. I will use the matching table {that came with the set} on the pool side of our yard next to the loungers {not shown}. We have a matching dining room table we'll probably use out here as well ...and that little faded green wicker round table is from Ikea {came with a chair that I have since covered in leopard print upholstery} which I bought for my first apartment when I was 18. Who says Ikea furniture doesn't last? ;)


I am still on the hunt for an umbrella for shade, a few cute outdoor tchotchkes & potted plants, possibly a woven rug and a few more decorative pillows in different patterns and shades of blue to tie in the aqua in the pool and the royal in the random decorative tiles on the wall behind the pool {single matching tile on tabletop shown below}.






It's so nice to finally have a place to sit in our backyard while the weather is warming up but still breezy. We don't manually heat the pool so we're waiting for the temperature to warm up so we can swim ...and it's almost there. Oh how I love Summer ..and it's almost here too.

CLICK HERE to see our entire back yard + updated patio

Completely Gratuitous Outfit Post

{this one kills me} lolol!

What I'm Wearing
* Vintage Calvin Klein denim shirtdress, belted with vintage skinny gold belt ...seen here and I need to do something about the stiffness of this denim because not only is it uncomfortable, the buttons open all the live long day.
* TOMS Aira Cordones
* Vintage silk scarf tied around bun, gold hoops, D&G gold watch, gold wish bone necklace, Tom Ford "Yvette" sunglasses
* Louis Vuitton Speedy

Not sure why but I was hell-bent on wearing my new TOMS Aira Cordones today ...like hell-bent. However, I hadn't thought it out any further than that prior to putting them on this morning ...which meant, I went through at least 4 outfits before settling on this one ...that I must admit, is rather silly. But other than the clumsy morning I had, the rest of the day was rather silly indeed. And along with the latest Elle Decor issue {is it just me or is everything quite beachy and blue and white lately? ...so much inspiration for our master bedroom}, The Hills & The City premiers & the Lakers winning, the silliness makes me smile.

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Safety Pin Belt DIY or Necklace, Choker, or Cuff

Last week while rummaging through my fabric and notions closet I found this safety pin belt I created in November of 2009. I originally wanted the safety pins to go entirely around the waist and since I ran out of pins I left it unfinished ...or so I thought. When I found it the other day I decided to try it on to see how I felt about it and realized it actually was finished. I like it so much better this way ...being more versatile, you can wear all the pins together {see end of post} or spread out, like this



*Any size elastic will work, just find corresponding pins & sticky velcro. I used 1inch braid elastic {shown above -it's thicker and prettier than regular elastic} & 1-1/2inch pins.















. . .or wear it like this . . .

  

  

...make a short choker or bracelet cuff to match. Ridiculously easy.

Have Fun!

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Xbox 360 Project Natal Event+ What I Wore & Party Pics

Last Wednesday evening the husband and I went to an Xbox 360 event at The G2 Gallery {who donates all proceeds from art sales to environmental causes} on Abbot Kinney in Venice. We were so lucky to be invited to get a sneak peek at the new way of gaming with no controllers called Project Natal.

Last June, I posted about my excitement for Project Natal here and cannot believe just under a year later, I actually got to experience it before it's even released to the public ...which they're thinking will be around the holidays 2010. How exciting. We literally cannot wait to get one in our home!

Since Mondays are usually reserved for a Completely Gratuitous Outfit Post ...I'll start with what I wore . . .






Miguelina silk/crepe peach tunic tank from GILT worn over an old black slip dress seen here belted as a top with my favorite {and dying} little black blazer and Forever 21 black leggings with my new PRADA Chandelier Necklace {DIY here} and my Velvet Angels Naked Lunch Wedge Bootie



. . .in the car . . .on the way


the husband thought it would be appropriate to wear his Star Wars hoodie . . .and not remove his sunglasses the entire night because, as he put it, it was bright in there ....lol



...twas was gorgeous that night, cold, but gorgeous.



The swag . . .

As we walked in, they handed me a super awesome new minoHD FlipCam {with the Xbox 360 logo on the back} that I got to keep. I used up the entire battery at the event and came home with little great footage due to my unsteady hand.



. . .their profesh photographer snapped this as we walked in
{see all of their party photos here}










It wasn't long before we found the sofa and planted ourselves there for the remainder of the evening. We really had the perfect view

...but ended up the background of many photos ...oops ;)

A few shots of us playing


...did I mention um NO CONTROLLERS!!! ...and so much fun!





Here are a few short videos I took with my new FlipCam



. . .check the photographer's fancy footwork.




Thank you Xbox for our new FlipCam and allowing us to get a sneak peek at your latest and greatest, Project Natal ...we really cannot wait to get one in our home ...yeah, I already said that. To view all the Xbox 360 Project Natal photos from the event -click here

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