Today we are celebrating the Chinese New Year! So to everyone, Kung Hei Fat Choy! Joy and prosperity to you this Year of the Wooden Horse!
Images:
(1) Cute Stencils, (2) IDA Interior Lifestyle, (3) Barlow Reid, (4) via Pinterest, (5) A+B Kasha, (6) Home Design Decorating, (6) Storynory
Zara Home’s newest lookbook reminds me of marshmallows and cotton candy. Oh, the sweet pastel colors. And those tiles – I can’t get them out of my mind!
Read more about my love for pastels in this post or get some pastel-theme party ideas on my Facebook album. (That reminds me, I have yet to update it!)
Images: Zara Home
A beautiful plant is like having a friend around the house. – Beth Ditto
Images:
(1) Emmas DesignBlogg, (2) ideialareira.com, (3) Elizabeth Benotti, (4) Shelterness, (5) My Scandinavian Home, (6)Drawings under the Table, (7) Wacamole Ceramic
A while ago, I talked about the recent partnership between two Spanish manufacturers. Let’s head up north this time for a peek at another collaboration.
For Spring/Summer 2014, British brand Clarks turned to the Queen of Prints and acclaimed Irish designer, Orla Kiely to create a set of limited edition pumps, wedge heels and ballerinas. Presented during the London Fashion Week in September 2013, the collection consists of five styles in combinations of red, navy blue, mustard yellow, and cream.
The one that got my attention is the Orla Milly, a trendy summer ballerina with a cutaway heel. It has the “signature” floral print from Orla Kiely on the leather exterior, a buckle strap and a subtle 2 cm high heel.
As I mentioned in one of my older posts, searching for the perfect ballerinas for my odd sized feet is like finding a needle in a haystack. Since I always order the bigger size, I need to wear shoes with either laces or straps so that one shoe doesn’t slip off. Yet for some reason, ballerinas with straps are just hard to find! I owned one many years ago but I outgrew them and haven’t been able to replace them ever since. The Orla Milly would have been the answer to my prayers, if only it did not have an open heel (as it would make the size difference more pronounced). So yes, close but no cigar.
What about you, which of the five styles do you like best?
H&M may be known for collaborating with premier designers such as Jimmy Choo, Lanvin and only two months ago, Isabel Marant. But Spain’s very own Mango just raised the bar with a tie-up for, literally, its biggest piece on the market yet.
A car.
Yes, folks. Mango joined forces with Spanish car manufacturer SEAT to create a stylish urban car with a unique feminine touch. The SEAT Mii by MANGO is a city car with a special focus on design: fashionable on the inside and stylish on the outside. It is the ideal combination of fashion and efficiency in one compact city slicker.
I also received news by e-mail just this morning that a contest has been launched to mark the collaboration.
Artists, illustrators, fashion designers and creators from all over the world are invited to submit accessory designs based on the theme “An urban car for a city girl.” They must use the template provided to design a make-up bag and shoe bag.
Apart from the privilege of having his or her design go into production, the winner will also receive a brand new Mii by MANGO car! The judges will likewise choose five other designers who will each receive a MANGO wardrobe worth €500. Entries will be accepted until March 4. Visit Mango’s Facebook page to participate.
Yesterday was the Feast of the Epiphany, also known as the Day of the Three Kings.
Here in Spain, it is called El Día de los Reyes and is celebrated in a special way. Just like every year, there was a colorful parade in the town center which allowed the children to see the “arrival” of the Reyes Magos: Melchor who represents Arabia, Gaspar who represents the Orient, and Balthazar who represents Africa.
The Bible says that the three kings also gifted the baby Jesus with gold, frankincense and myrrh. Thus, it has a become a tradition for Spanish children (and many adults!) to receive gifts on this day as well.
Below is a picture of the Shrine of the Three Kings at the Cathedral in Cologne, Germany. The triple sarcophagus in gold and silver holds the bones of the Magi. It is located above and behind the Cathedral’s high altar (which is why it was difficult to take a front-view shot).
In the background: the shrine at the Cologne Cathedral which contains the remains of the Three Kings. According to records, the bones could be “assembled into nearly complete bodies: the one in his early youth, the second in his early manhood, the third was rather aged.”
The relics were originally kept in Constantinople but were moved to Milan in 344. Eight centuries later, in 1164, they were entrusted to the Archbishop of Cologne.
The shrine was built sometime in 1180 or 1181 and was completed circa 1225.
The exterior of the 12th century reliquary is covered with intricate representations of prophets and apostles. Work on the shrine was finished in a span of 45 years.
The remains of the Three Kings were deemed so important that the Cathedral was constructed in 1248 to house them. The shrine was opened in 1864, less than two decades before the Cathedral was finished in 1880. (Yes, the Cathedral took 632 years to build!)
The Cologne Cathedral is officially known as the High Cathedral of St. Peter. It is the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe.
Since I didn’t receive any gift yesterday, I’m thinking of buying one for myself today. A new font for my latest designs, perhaps?
In other news: The sale season has started. Oh boy.
Happy first day of 2014!!!
One of my readers noticed that I don’t feature enough bedroom designs on the blog which, in fact, is true. For some reason, I am always drawn to living rooms and especially dining rooms perhaps because these are the most used areas in my apartment. But that’s kind of selfish of me, right? And so for this year, I promise to post more inspiration photos not just for the bedroom but also for the other spaces at home.
I’m going to start with these colorful bedrooms for older kids and teenagers. They’re vibrant, fun and exciting – exactly how we want this year to be :)
Images:
1. hypevilla.com, 2. via Pinterest, 3. denoxa.com, 4-6. homelen.com
Whether you will remember 2013 with fondness or with tears, the New Year is here as an opportunity to turn what was bad into good, the good into something better, and the better into the best.
Cheers to new great beginnings!
I would also like to take this chance to thank those who have supported my blog for the past eight months. (I started this little corner of mine in April 2013.) Thank you for the love and the friendship! You motivate me to keep on blogging.
Happy New Year and see you all in 2014!!!
Red will bring in good luck this 2014, at least according to feng shui experts.
I’ve always felt that red isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s such a bold color that calls attention to itself wherever it is. But New Year is all about change. Since I’ve been wanting to wear red shoes for quite some time, maybe (just maybe!) I’ll take the plunge this 2014. It’s a real test of bravery. And hey, maybe they will indeed turn out to be lucky!
If they don’t, then at least I can pretend to be Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. I can always find my way home just by closing my eyes and tapping my heels three times :)
My second option: a red lipstick that goes well with a comfy, casual outfit. (But *gulp* it’s still too daring for me. The red lips, that is.)
Or I can invest in a red shoulder bag which, as Mandy Moore demonstrates, is gorgeous when paired with a gray jumper. Now that’s something that a novice like me can handle.
Finally, taking it from Famke Janssen aka Jean Grey, I can consider wearing a red scarf that breaks the monotony of a black-and-white ensemble. This is definitely the least scary of all four.
Lucky or not, red is a lovely color that instantly adds a special touch to any look. A friend of mine also believes that wearing something red makes a woman feel (more) beautiful and confident. (Trust me, she always looks both!) Let’s see if I can conquer my fear of red in 2014.
Are you afraid of wearing red, too?
Images:
1. via Pinterest, 2. justjared.com, 3. vanessajackman.blogspot.com, 4. wheretoget.it , 5. internationalstreetstyle.com, 6. justjared.com, 7. posh24.com
With Christmas already over, I’m sure that everyone’s eyes are now on the next big occasion: New Year. The coming year not only signifies the end of an old calendar but for most, it also marks the beginning of a new chapter in their lives: getting a different haircut for a new look or starting a new business venture or making a fresh set of resolutions, which I hope are not just this year’s resolutions unresolved :D
If you’re aiming for more style this 2014 but not at the expense of comfort, then Esprit’s trend guide is what you need.
First stop, blue jeans and winter white for that elegant, casual or sporty look.
But don’t limit yourself to blue jeans. Blue’s many shades give you a whole gamut of wchoices – from tops to dresses, trousers to accessories. Go ahead, experiment!
Finally, break the black habit! Bring soft hues of pink into your winter wardrobe. It’s sugar, spice and everything nice.
Do you like blue and pink in the winter too?
P.S. This post is not sponsored in any way by Esprit. I just happen to be a big fan of the brand :) Click on “Esprit” on the tag cloud to read some of its previous campaigns and trend guides.
Denim and Gray 