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| Source: Looking4Lilly |
Monday, March 5, 2012
Lilly Pulitzer Fun
I made this comic last week (on someecards.com) when I was thinking about the fact that Lilly always lifts my spirits. It kind of sums things up for me.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Punk Rock Prep
I grew up in California in the 80s. My friends and I were a suburban dwelling wanna-be-rebellious lot. We sported asymmetrical hair styles and loved punk rock skater boys (think Nicolas Cage in Valley Girl). While I never wore Doc Martens, I had a crush on many a boy who did. As a result, I've always had a penchant for these utilitarian, steel toed boots. They just remind me of the crazy times we had as teenagers.
So, when I saw these in my daughter's size, I had to buy them. But, even with that cute floral pattern, I haven't been able to get her to wear them. She thought they still looked like "boys boots". So yesterday, I took out the black laces and made these with Lilly fabric, in the 'Monkey Trouble' pattern.
I used electrical heat shrink tubing for the aglets (those little plastic ends on shoe laces).
How fun are they? She wore them today. Success.
I'm working on a few pairs right now to add to the etsy shop.
~Kristina
So, when I saw these in my daughter's size, I had to buy them. But, even with that cute floral pattern, I haven't been able to get her to wear them. She thought they still looked like "boys boots". So yesterday, I took out the black laces and made these with Lilly fabric, in the 'Monkey Trouble' pattern.
I used electrical heat shrink tubing for the aglets (those little plastic ends on shoe laces).
How fun are they? She wore them today. Success.
I'm working on a few pairs right now to add to the etsy shop.
 |
| Lilly Pulitzer Fabric laces |
Monday, February 27, 2012
I've got the Pinterest Bug. Bad.
Of course you are familiar with Pinterest, the following is simply my take on it and yes, I'm a little late to the party.
.................................................................................................
If the internet is anything, it's vast. You can find anything and everything you might possibly need on the internet. Keeping your findings organized can be troublesome. If you're like me, you have about five-hundred bookmarks and no idea what those things are when you go back and read the tiny drop down descriptions.
I wish there was a visual way to keep it all organized. And wouldn't it be great if rather than only depending on those search engine spiders, I could see what other women, women just like me, have already found during their searches, after they filtered out the other junk? I mean, how cool would it be if I could see the things that other people have found, including the items, ideas, recipes and projects that I was never looking for in the first place? Basically, I'd like an organizing internet filter. Is there such a thing?
Truth is, I never thought beyond the book marks and text results from search engines. But thankfully, someone else did.
And then there was Pinterest.
....................................................................................................
My sweet friend Kristin, asked me to join Pinterest about six months ago. Kristin happens to be one of the funniest and coolest people I've ever known (we've been friends since high school). I completely trust her judgement. And oh, she's pretty and skinny too- always has been. But, I love her anyways.
Even so, my attitude was sort of along the lines of:
"Eh, not sure that I have time for that."
She said, "Noooo, it's so fun. You'll love it, there's all these boards and tons of cool stuff!"
She sent the invite.
Once I got over the fact that I had to be invited, I took a look around and thought it was okay (actually "okay" is a bit of a stretch). I didn't really get what all the fuss was about. I pinned a few things and left my account unvisited for a while. Then later I went back and took another look, and another, and another...
At this point, I can't walk by my computer without taking a peek at Pinterest. I'm a sick crafting-cooking-sewing-party planning fool who's finally learned the proper technique for applying eye shadow and using the white balance settings for my digital camera, all thanks to Pinterest.
I'm obsessed with the DIY pins. Let me just say this: People are brilliant! Things that sound like they would be really silly, are so freaking cool, like lamp shades made with vintage doilies using the old paper mache technique and DIY yourself beaded chandeliers made with hanging baskets from the dollar store that look amazing. Are you kidding me?!
There's also a lot on there about fitness, but I just tend to look the other way. And it's so easy to look the other way, because you can bet that next to that "Ten things to Make you Love Running Even More!" pin, there's an awesome "Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge Recipe" pin (leaving me with little choice).
What's better? I can quickly 'like' the running pin and save it for I when start running, ya know, later down the road. Because sure, I definitely plan on becoming a runner some day. And, I know it's going to be smooth sailing because Pinterest has all those great running tips wedged in between the fudge recipes just waiting for me. There's also tons of great 'cleaning tip' pins that I've liked and might put into use after my jog. But for now...
I find that Pinterest is like facebook in the sense that some people pin A LOT, others just tend to follow and look around, maybe adding an occasional pin. There are times when I see people pin about fifty original pins at once. I'm surprised that they are capable of moving from site to site that quickly. But, everyone can use the site as they choose and people choose to use it differently. It's an organizational tool and some people just have more to organize than others. I know if I were planning a wedding, my Pinterest boards would be crazy! Pinterest boards completely beat the big fat bridal binder that I had in 2001.
~kristina
.................................................................................................
If the internet is anything, it's vast. You can find anything and everything you might possibly need on the internet. Keeping your findings organized can be troublesome. If you're like me, you have about five-hundred bookmarks and no idea what those things are when you go back and read the tiny drop down descriptions.
I wish there was a visual way to keep it all organized. And wouldn't it be great if rather than only depending on those search engine spiders, I could see what other women, women just like me, have already found during their searches, after they filtered out the other junk? I mean, how cool would it be if I could see the things that other people have found, including the items, ideas, recipes and projects that I was never looking for in the first place? Basically, I'd like an organizing internet filter. Is there such a thing?
Truth is, I never thought beyond the book marks and text results from search engines. But thankfully, someone else did.
And then there was Pinterest.
....................................................................................................
My sweet friend Kristin, asked me to join Pinterest about six months ago. Kristin happens to be one of the funniest and coolest people I've ever known (we've been friends since high school). I completely trust her judgement. And oh, she's pretty and skinny too- always has been. But, I love her anyways.
Even so, my attitude was sort of along the lines of:
"Eh, not sure that I have time for that."
She said, "Noooo, it's so fun. You'll love it, there's all these boards and tons of cool stuff!"
She sent the invite.
Once I got over the fact that I had to be invited, I took a look around and thought it was okay (actually "okay" is a bit of a stretch). I didn't really get what all the fuss was about. I pinned a few things and left my account unvisited for a while. Then later I went back and took another look, and another, and another...
At this point, I can't walk by my computer without taking a peek at Pinterest. I'm a sick crafting-cooking-sewing-party planning fool who's finally learned the proper technique for applying eye shadow and using the white balance settings for my digital camera, all thanks to Pinterest.
 |
| My money says she made that apron. |
I'm obsessed with the DIY pins. Let me just say this: People are brilliant! Things that sound like they would be really silly, are so freaking cool, like lamp shades made with vintage doilies using the old paper mache technique and DIY yourself beaded chandeliers made with hanging baskets from the dollar store that look amazing. Are you kidding me?!
There's also a lot on there about fitness, but I just tend to look the other way. And it's so easy to look the other way, because you can bet that next to that "Ten things to Make you Love Running Even More!" pin, there's an awesome "Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge Recipe" pin (leaving me with little choice).
What's better? I can quickly 'like' the running pin and save it for I when start running, ya know, later down the road. Because sure, I definitely plan on becoming a runner some day. And, I know it's going to be smooth sailing because Pinterest has all those great running tips wedged in between the fudge recipes just waiting for me. There's also tons of great 'cleaning tip' pins that I've liked and might put into use after my jog. But for now...
 |
| Saw it on Pinterest (someecards.com) |
I find that Pinterest is like facebook in the sense that some people pin A LOT, others just tend to follow and look around, maybe adding an occasional pin. There are times when I see people pin about fifty original pins at once. I'm surprised that they are capable of moving from site to site that quickly. But, everyone can use the site as they choose and people choose to use it differently. It's an organizational tool and some people just have more to organize than others. I know if I were planning a wedding, my Pinterest boards would be crazy! Pinterest boards completely beat the big fat bridal binder that I had in 2001.
 |
| Not the goal, but knock yourself out. |
But other than the time vacuum aspect, Pinterest is completely different than facebook. Facebook is all about people, Pinterest is all about stuff. They're two different animals. But for conversations sake, if given a choice between spending a free moment on facebook or Pinterest, I'd choose Pinterest.
Truth be known, I'm not really all that interested in hearing about some one's morning (pretty sure they're not remotely interested in my mornings either because I can promise you, they are always the same), but I totally want to see what kind of sink they'd love to have in their dream kitchen- or any one's dream kitchen for that matter.
I mean let's face it, there's always the possibility that their dream kitchen is better than mine and if that's the case, I need to make some adjustments and quickly- but, you can bet that I'll be crafting, sewing, cooking and party planning along the way.
Truth be known, I'm not really all that interested in hearing about some one's morning (pretty sure they're not remotely interested in my mornings either because I can promise you, they are always the same), but I totally want to see what kind of sink they'd love to have in their dream kitchen- or any one's dream kitchen for that matter.
I mean let's face it, there's always the possibility that their dream kitchen is better than mine and if that's the case, I need to make some adjustments and quickly- but, you can bet that I'll be crafting, sewing, cooking and party planning along the way.
I love it. I really love it.
~kristina
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Lilly Book
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| Release date: July 24, 2012- source Amazon.com |
I just ran across this book this evening here. It's scheduled for release this summer. For now, I'll just leave it at that.
Here's the description (source Amazon):
"Publication Date: July 24, 2012
The real story behind a very private American fashion icon—Lilly Pulitzer
Today, Lilly Pulitzer's iconic brand of clean-cut, vibrantly printed clothes called "Lillys" can be spotted everywhere. What began decades ago as a snob uniform in Palm Beach became a general fashion craze and, later, an American classic. In contrast to the high visibility of her brand, Lilly Pulitzer has largely kept her tumultuous personal story to herself. Bursting forth into glossy fame from a protected low-key world of great wealth and high society, through heartbreaks, treacheries, scandals, and losses, her life, told in detail here for the first time, is every bit as colorful and exciting as her designs.
Offers a close-up of Palm Beach society, replete with tropical mischief, reckless indulgences and blatant infidelities as well as fascinating stories about the Pulitzer and Phipps families and their world of eccentrics, high achievers, intermarriages, and glamorous trendsetters
Takes a fresh look at the Roxanne Pulitzer scandal and the atmosphere that fed it, and other episodes involving Lilly Pulitzer's family and social circle
Traces the many ups-and-downs in Lilly Pulitzer's personal life as well as her business, which suffered a decline in the 1980s before its resurgent transformation into the thriving success it is today
Includes 25 black-and-white photographs that bring Lilly Pulitzer's world to life
Lilly of Paradise is must reading not only for fans of Lilly Pulitzer and her Lilly brand, but for anyone interested in a journey through the world of privilege and the life of a true American original."
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Time to Order Mantis Eggs
Warning: if insects bother you, you might want to skip this post!
Every year around this time I order about five praying mantis eggs (I really want to cap. 'praying mantis', but it's the common name so apparently I'm not supposed to-still bugs me though). Regardless, I buy the eggs. People often buy them for garden pest control. I mainly buy them because they're just really cool. The girls get a huge kick out of it and so do I.
Every egg yields about two-hundred teeny tiny praying mantises (or 'mantids'). I know, that's a lotta babies. We leave the eggs inside, where they are protected from the weather in one of those butterfly pop-up mesh containers. It takes a few weeks or more after they arrive before they hatch. It's the warm temperatures inside that stimulate the hatching process.
-On a side note, I've read that sometimes people find hundreds of baby praying mantises in their house during the holidays. Turns out, they purchased a Chritmas tree with an egg attached to it unknowingly and then the inside temp. kicked the egg into hatching mode. Kind of sad, huh?
Our eggs usually hatch at night while we are sleeping. But last year I happened to look at the eggs as I was about to go to bed and saw that the very first mantis had just hatched. They have a domino effect on each other during the hatching process- one hatches, which disturbs the one next to it and also gives it a little wiggle room so it hatches as well. The process repeats until they've all hatched. So, I was able to observe the entire two-hundred or so baby mantises emerge from the egg over a forty-five minute period. I admit, there's kind of an 'Oh gross!' gut reaction, but once you get over it, it's really quite beautiful.
We keep the nymphs indoors and feed them aphids, ants and like until they are about an inch long and we feel that the worst of the weather is behind us (usually around mid April). Then, we release them all over our property.
Every spring we'll receive a visitor or two from the previous year. Usually we'll see one hanging around our deck lights at night where they are looking for a meal. One of the girls will say, "Oh look, one of our praying mantises!"
Hatching mantis eggs has become a spring tradition in our house. If you haven't tried this and want to give it a go, you can find eggs here!
Finally, I want to share a few spectacular praying mantis images that I ran across. These were taken by Igor Siwanowicz. He's a photographer who studies the habits and physiology of the praying mantis. Wow.
Every year around this time I order about five praying mantis eggs (I really want to cap. 'praying mantis', but it's the common name so apparently I'm not supposed to-still bugs me though). Regardless, I buy the eggs. People often buy them for garden pest control. I mainly buy them because they're just really cool. The girls get a huge kick out of it and so do I.
 |
| Praying Mantis Egg |
Every egg yields about two-hundred teeny tiny praying mantises (or 'mantids'). I know, that's a lotta babies. We leave the eggs inside, where they are protected from the weather in one of those butterfly pop-up mesh containers. It takes a few weeks or more after they arrive before they hatch. It's the warm temperatures inside that stimulate the hatching process.
-On a side note, I've read that sometimes people find hundreds of baby praying mantises in their house during the holidays. Turns out, they purchased a Chritmas tree with an egg attached to it unknowingly and then the inside temp. kicked the egg into hatching mode. Kind of sad, huh?
Our eggs usually hatch at night while we are sleeping. But last year I happened to look at the eggs as I was about to go to bed and saw that the very first mantis had just hatched. They have a domino effect on each other during the hatching process- one hatches, which disturbs the one next to it and also gives it a little wiggle room so it hatches as well. The process repeats until they've all hatched. So, I was able to observe the entire two-hundred or so baby mantises emerge from the egg over a forty-five minute period. I admit, there's kind of an 'Oh gross!' gut reaction, but once you get over it, it's really quite beautiful.
 |
Praying Mantises Hatching (image from Agrihunt) |
Every spring we'll receive a visitor or two from the previous year. Usually we'll see one hanging around our deck lights at night where they are looking for a meal. One of the girls will say, "Oh look, one of our praying mantises!"
Hatching mantis eggs has become a spring tradition in our house. If you haven't tried this and want to give it a go, you can find eggs here!
Finally, I want to share a few spectacular praying mantis images that I ran across. These were taken by Igor Siwanowicz. He's a photographer who studies the habits and physiology of the praying mantis. Wow.
 |
Image by: Igor Siwanowicz   |
Friday, February 24, 2012
Vintage Lilly Pulitzer Fabric Pincushions
Oh hi, remember me? Yes, it's been far too long. But I'm here and all motivated to blog and share because Pinterest has my creative side in an uproar. Seriously, the project list is getting a little ridiculous. I spent yesterday afternoon blowing on eggs so the girls can dye them and insert secret messages inside to send to their cousin as an Easter gift. Yes, I realize that Easter is more than a month away. Thank you Pinterest. Meanwhile the laundry (or as we call it: 'Mt. Apparel'*) continues to reach new altitudes and I'm completely fine with it. Happiness is really all about acceptance. Keeping that in mind...
Today I made these little pincushions. Lately I've been obsessed with them. Perhaps because I've been sewing more often these days. Regardless, I got busy while the girls were at school and here are the results. I added them to the etsy shop.
They are all made with vintage Lilly Pulitzer fabric. Most of the patterns were designed by Suzie Zuzek. One was designed by Amy dePoo (Suzie's daughter) and another by Peter Pell (he was a co-owner of Key West Hand Print Fabrics and did Lilly's print coloration for many years).
Today I made these little pincushions. Lately I've been obsessed with them. Perhaps because I've been sewing more often these days. Regardless, I got busy while the girls were at school and here are the results. I added them to the etsy shop.
They are all made with vintage Lilly Pulitzer fabric. Most of the patterns were designed by Suzie Zuzek. One was designed by Amy dePoo (Suzie's daughter) and another by Peter Pell (he was a co-owner of Key West Hand Print Fabrics and did Lilly's print coloration for many years).
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Wednesday, August 31, 2011
The Whimsey Chronicles - A Must See!
Recently, I was searching for vintage fabric on Etsy and I stumbled on the most amazing textile and wallpaper designer. Her name is Meredith, she owns and operates The Whimsey Chronicles. I'm going to let her explain the rest...
"A little background - I've practiced commercial interior design for a dozen years and have always had a strong interest in fabric and fashion. I decided to redefine my career path upon re-examining what my true design passions and aspirations were ... textiles and wallpaper! I use Autocad to sketch out my designs and I look for color and image inspiration everywhere: in architecture, signage, fashion, vintage illustrations, to name a few. Every collection begins as a story in my head, with characters and actions, so that I simply feel like I am bringing those things to life as I meticulously place them in a pattern. In fact, a story is included with each pattern to explain how the pattern was designed which truly makes them "storybook textiles & wallpapers." ~Meredith- The Whimsey Chronicles
Here are some example of patterns and products that can be found in her shop:
The photo above is an image of The Whimsey Chronicles newest collection. Do you "sea" the seahorse? Please visit The Whimsey Chronicles website to view the entire collection. If you take the time to look at her collection, I believe you'll fall in love just as I did (if you haven't already). I would have to guess that we'll be seeing a lot more of The Whimsey Chronicles in the future, so I'm happy that I've had the chance to share it with you here today.
Hope to see you soon,
Kristina
Additional Links:
The Whinsey Chronicles Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Whimsey-Chronicles/131110010256271
Blog: http://whimseychronicles.com/my-chronicles/
"A little background - I've practiced commercial interior design for a dozen years and have always had a strong interest in fabric and fashion. I decided to redefine my career path upon re-examining what my true design passions and aspirations were ... textiles and wallpaper! I use Autocad to sketch out my designs and I look for color and image inspiration everywhere: in architecture, signage, fashion, vintage illustrations, to name a few. Every collection begins as a story in my head, with characters and actions, so that I simply feel like I am bringing those things to life as I meticulously place them in a pattern. In fact, a story is included with each pattern to explain how the pattern was designed which truly makes them "storybook textiles & wallpapers." ~Meredith- The Whimsey Chronicles
Here are some example of patterns and products that can be found in her shop:
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| African Cuff In Tourmaline- Click here to View |
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| Foxtrot- Click Here to view |
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| Brella's Wallpaper- View Listing Here |
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| African Cuff Wallpaper- Click Here to Veiw Listing |
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| Not Yet Released, but coming soon as announced in her blog post today! |
Hope to see you soon,
Kristina
Additional Links:
The Whinsey Chronicles Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Whimsey-Chronicles/131110010256271
Blog: http://whimseychronicles.com/my-chronicles/
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