Merry Christmas!

Well, it is finally here..Christmas is in 2 days! I think this will be our last post until next week, as I can forsee a lot going on tomorrow! Just so you know, we will be closed the day after Christmas. But we will reopen on Saturday the 27th and we will be open for the last Sunday of the year from 1-4. I hope you all have a great holiday!

Love,
Betsy and Emily

Heavenly

Color stories make my hear skip a beat. Hmm, this pictures is a little too small to get the full scope of it's wonder. Go here to see it big--and thanks to Adrian Briscoe for stopping my heart with his picture.

chilly pup

So, I was looking through more of Mr. Everard's photos and found this one. Can I have this dog please?

Pilfered Posts

Poor Citysage, I bet she is tired of me pilfering her posts. Is it my fault that she has such good taste and I feel I have to share it? But really, everyone should see these images--they are just so happy.




Way to go Chris Everard--aren't you quite the photographer extraordinaire?

Garland please,

Don't these make you want to have a party?
lizziebean makes these. I bet she has a lot of fun parties and a really bright house.

Stock your library..

New books, new books! Here are three of the titles we got in. The French General and the Apartment therapy books are new so I will report back on them, after I spend all afternoon reading! Or you could just come and get one for yourself...that might be more fun for you. (there are other new books too, so you really should come in!)

E's Birthday!

Happy Birthday E! and ole'!

Thrifty Thursday 6

In honor of the fact that is is exactly one week until Christmas, and there are probably a fair few of you doing some frantic last minute shopping, I bring to you--Thrifty Thursday 6!
This week, everything that has been on sale before (Loop wallets, Irregular Choice shoes, Kitsch'n glam aprons, MOR beauty products, & handknit items) will all be on bonus sale for 15% off! And, all of Emily's jewelry will also be on sale for 15% off! Doesn't this just blow your mind and fill you with holiday spirit? I thought so!

Anna French

I have to say Kudos, to you Anna French! I've seen your work before, it's always been nice--pretty-but never so good that I coveted it. Now, you have reached that pinnacle of, Oh! I want that in my house right now! Well done. Way to bring in the reflective surface and pair it with florals that are sweet, but not in a sickly (or worse) country sort of way. If I had the money, you would be on my walls.

Thanks to Decor8 for posting these lovelies!

Home at Christmas

I really like decorating for Christmas. I think I get it from my mom, who is a Christmas fanatic and used to go all out in decorating. However, working in retail kind of dampens down the enthusiasm somewhat when you have to break out your Holiday store in early November. By the time Thanksgiving comes around, you've already been holiday'd up for a month and it's not quite as fun to decorate at home. Not that I would ever let that stop me!

Here are a couple pics of some of the decorations going on at the homestead. It's certainly no Better Homes & Gardens vignette, but I like them!
This is my much longed-for aluminum tree. It's kind of short, so I put it on a stand to give it a little height. The color wheel was just changing to red when the pic was taken. It's nice to see from the outside when the curtains are open-The colors flashing from the wheel makes it look like there is some sort of disco going on in our living room!

Here are my favorite houses, normally I have them all grouped together in a neighborhood, but this year I decided to split them up (there is one more hot pink house) J has promised me that someday we can live in a glitter covered house, but I think that he was just saying that to placate me, so I will have to make do with these! I really cannot get enough of the glitter Christmas decorations-- at Anthropologie the other day there was a glittery velvet mushroom ornament, that was awesome! I'm going back after the holiday, when it will hopefully be way on sale.

Anyway, how do you all decorate for the holidays? Send me pictures, and I'll put them up for the next week!

Hooola Hooop!

First may I say that I am totally digging the snow-o-rama that is falling outside right now. (If not the 13 degree weather) The snow mixed with hearing the Chipmunk Christmas song at the bank has brought out my holiday spirit. Which means I really need to get going on all the partially made gifts sitting around! So, there will only be one post today as I need to get to sewing. Isn't this the cutest Christmas tree ever? You could really do anything that way and it would look awesome.

Thanks Once Wed!

I Love You Neil!

I get to go see Neil Diamond tonight (w/ my mom and sistah). I love him. My mom loves him more. She once drove 6 hours each way in one night to go to his show. Although she never met him, back in the day, I think she somehow was in (through other people) with the drummer and got to go to an afterparty? Or something. I didn't ask too many questions, you never know what goes on at things like that.
Anyway, love of the Neil must be genetic as now my sistah and I love him. I hope he sings Shiloh! And Kentucky Woman! If you are in KC, go get tickets--I promise you he is awesome!

Benetton

So, I was thinking about Benetton today. When we were growing up there was a totally random Benetton store next to a movie theater (and next to Nothing Else!). It was like a dark little cave and when you went it it was all Shazam with color. I never understood why it was in that particular area of town, but I dug it. A lot. I remember when E got some Kelly green leather fold up ballerina flats that came in a matching bag and I coveted. A lot.

Anyway, I had kind of forgotten about Benetton until I lived in London where, loe and behold there was a Giant store filled with a bazillion colors. I pondered, hesitated, went back and forth and finally came out with an egg blue turtleneck sweater, and a pea green sweater. (i don't know about the whole turtleneck thing, I think it was super cold that day) Today I dug out the green sweater and paired it with: red boots, blue tights, multicolored red patterned skirt, and a yellow/green neckerchief. Yowza, I look like a Benetton store! Hence the thinking about them.

So, I went to the Benetton website and they have Homeware! I didn't know this! It's a weird array of stuff, but i like where they are going with it. Keep on keeping on Benetton! ooh, pretty tiles mmm, soft blankies mmm, more soft blankies

And they have bedding, paint, towels, garden chairs--like I said it's a weird array, but they could make a super cool housewares department if they take it all the way.

bon bon pop up

Look at this food cart I saw on {frolic!} I have a soft spot for any cart with a stripey awning. I would love to have one for the store and we could take it around town and set it up like a little pop-up shop. I think that would be really cool to have for First Fridays. (For those of you not from KC, the first Friday of every month turns into an art gallery-o-rama in downtown KC.)

Or we could do bon bon event parties--the ideas are endless!

Luella Love

I feel like I have posted about Luella's Spring 09 collection before..only because I know I spent a whole afternoon drooling over it one day, so it stands to reason that I posted--but I don't see it, so here it is! I love it. A whole lot. It's pastell-y like the video I blogged about earlier, and I must be going through a phase because I just painted my bathroom a pink that would perfectly match this collection (and that video)! Anyway, enjoy more here.
I love the crazy floppy bow-hats she did with everything, and the gloves are great, I often wish that women still had matching gloves for all their outfits. There is something about wearing them that makes me feel so ladylike (which, we all know is so not true!)

I love the cascade of pearls out of this coat, but in this outfit I think the sea foam shoes are the real winners!

This dress is sweet, it makes me think of Betsey Johnson.

I bet this dress twirls like a dream.

If I thought I would look like that in those pants, I would never take them off. That stripe is so Mary Poppin's carousel.

Tiny stripy jacket? Sign me up!

Love the super stiff skirt. I have a dress I made like that--it's a bitch to sit down it, but looks awesome!

I'm not going to lie--purple and orange makes me so happy!
Also, the shoes in this show are fantastic. A round of applause to you, Luella!

Thrifty Thursday 5

Hiya, This week's thrifty Thursday deal is 10% off all handknit items! Neckwarmers, armwarmers and some super cute hats to keep you cozy and warm this winter!

Pastel Love

Thank you Susie Bubble for showing me a video that I would never otherwise see, and there I have found the world that I want to live in. Err, without James Blunt however..

A huge round of applause to Kinga Burza for directing this video, James D Kelly for taking lovely pictures of the shoot and most especially to Claire of Enchant and Doom for her pastel candy styling!

Because I am a total dink and can't make the video go on the blog, here is a link to the loveliness! By the by, look out for the purple shoes at the beginning...I Want Them!

Paper cut

Bitchin' --I love paper installations! This one was done by the incredibly talented Elina Minn. Thanks to Oh Joy for finding it!

And the winner is..

Natasha! You are the winner of the secret bon bon gift box o' fun!

Natasha wrote: My favorite holiday moment is driving through the Plaza at 2 or 3 in the morning while it's snowing. The lights and the snow are SO pretty and you don't have to hassle with the pedestrian traffic or other cars.

Thanks to all our lovely comments, it was fun to read all of your fun holiday moments! Those who didn't win, don't despair I think there will be more contests soon!

Lovely Natasha, please email me for delivery of your box o' fun!

Today is the day!

Today is the day that we will announce the winner of the secret bonbon box of fun! However, I have to get a 3rd party to draw a name (for fairness' sake!) so, until I do that, here are some storefront pictures from the London Shop fronts project to amuse you...

Christmas Cookies

I would love to tell you that I spent all weekend slaving away making these mouthwatering cookies...

But that would be a lie.
Nicky from Delicious Days made them and I thought they looked good. There is a recipe with the picture though, so I might slave away over them this week. Although maybe with a wee bit of cream cheese icing on them...

Mark. Cosmetics party!

Don't forget that tomorrow from 12-5 Megan will be here with her Mark. cosmetics giving makeovers (& some samples) to all our lovely customers. I will undoubtedly buy a whole lot of lipstick and lip gloss as it is my weakness, and we've had some of the lip gloss samples here and it is Awesome!

Come to our party!!

E, this one's for you!

Look at the size of those needles! Yowza! I bet someone I know, who I happened to be related to will now be on a a pilgrimage for giant needles and carpet knitting.

Thanks, Darling Dexter!

Hairy beast

This is a public cry for help. I've been growing out my hair, using the wedding next year as an excuse, but really I just want to see what it would look like. So far? It looks like ass. ASS people! Something has to be done, and I am publicly asking Amber (hair-cutter extraordinaire and one of my best friends) to give me a reprieve from the hair growing and give me a trim. Please! If you don't, one of two things might happen,:I will cut it myself or keep letting it grow and it will turn out like this....

Is that what you want?

(When Amber is not being a stern taskmaster for growing out hair, she cuts it beautifully at her salon The Darling Room. I highly recommend her.)

Thrifty Thursday 4

This week's Thrifty Thursday is....20% off MOR products! Delicious lotions, bath teas, soaps and lip gloss! Who wouldn't appreciate the gift of soft hands and yummy smelling skin? (And the packaging is awesome!)

Lab Partners

These retro inspired prints are adorable and would look lovely in my someday-to-be finished pink bathroom! Hmm, I don't know if J would dig them though. Oh well, he'll live.

Made by lab partners, who are out of San Francisco.

Kate Spade ad

I wish I looked like this whilst wrapping presents. Actually, now that I think about it I don't care--as long as I can have yards and yards of that ribbon! Anybody know where I can get pink/red stripy ribbon like that?

Thanks, Kate Spade!

Welcome Home

Apartment Therapy really made my day today when I found this series of pictures from Life magazine that showed 70's rock stars at home with their parents. My favorite is the David Crosby--although I do like that Elton's mom is rocking the knee-high boots.

If you really love these pics you can buy them framed from the Life Picture Collection.

Russian Vogue

Russian Vogue certainly gets the award for cutest 10th anniversary plug. They had designers re-imagine the beloved matrioshkas into fashion savvy nesting dolls. I would like these dolls for Christmas please!

Jitrois

Blumarine

Marni

Pucci & Dries Van Noten

Marc Jacobs

Maison Martin Margiela

YSL

Burberry

More at Vogue.co.uk