YAY

Once again, I find myself relying on Teen Vogue for fashion inspiration.  And I have no plans to stop.  Look at these awesome outfits from BOY by Band of Outsiders.  Kirsten Dunst is so cute.

 

Chandeliers

I LOVE crystal chandeliers in any room- bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, office.  It is so chic and spans so many styles.  But the problem is that I cannot afford any (of course)... UNTIL I found gallery803.com.  So many to choose from, and so many affordable ones, too (under $200!).  They really do look like the higher end options.  I'm going to put one in my bedroom.  (Will have to get rid of those flame bulbs though)

Spin Art

One of my all time favorite Domino spreads was this, from September 2007:

This is the apartment of the people behind Libertine.  While the entire space was pretty much perfect, the best part is that Damien Hirst spin art in the background.  

Then, today, I was looking for ideas for my annual Halloween cards and I found this great DIY project on Etsy.com:

Then it was clear: I had to buy a Spin Art set.  So I purchased this one on Amazon.  Expect great things from me soon.

Top Design

Wednesdays are my favorite for TV because Project Runway and Top Design come on (although Mad Men is some serious competition).  I love Kelly Wearstler's style, but only on her and on TV.  She has inspired me, though, to buy a feather headband.  Maybe it's not as outrageous as some of her outfits, but it's a start.   Urban Outfitters has some great options, as does Vie Moderne on Etsy.  Also would be a really fun and easy DIY project.  

Color code

After college, I quickly became obsessed with organization.  In part due to the fact that my life is and was constant chaos and visual organization is become necessary, even therapeutic.  One of my favorite (yet pointless) organizational tools is color coding.  I always have done my closet this way, and I just reorganized about 50 DVD's by color.  While there is no real purpose of this, it looks so good, as seen by these photos from Domino. Makes me want to get a new bookshelf just for colored books. 

Conundrum

Ah! The white jean conundrum!  Can I wear them after Labor Day?  It's still so hot in Atlanta, and Atlanta is still so stuck in it's rule-abiding ways.  But Rachel Bilson looks SO cute here, and the outfit is so easy to recreate.  What to do. What to do.

New Interiors

I just discovered M. Design Interiors in LA.  Designer Molly Luetkemeyer worked for KWID when Kelly Wearstler was just starting, and you can definitely see the influence, but Molly has such a unique look.  I love everything she does, and she has tons her pictures on her website for inspiration.  Although I don't think I'm cool enough to pull of her insanely chic retro look.

Messenger Bag

After a week of traveling it has become clear that I need a messenger bag. Here are the ones that would be great.

I love the color of this saddle bag from Cole Haan.

A little different look for a messenger bag from Knox Verata. Sort of retro flight attendant.

This one from Forzieri says serious traveller.

I like the boho look of this Tory Burch bag.

But after a week of traveling, I'm also low on funding. Luckily, eBay has TONS of cool, well priced options.

Idea

I stole this photo from the Material Girls blog, which they took from Domino.  What a great, inexpensive art idea.  Just print huge numbers that go in order of the date.  Take them to Kinko's and get them bound, and each day roll back the number.  I can never remember what day it is anyway, so a huge reminder in the kitchen would be stylish and practical.  Love this idea and I'm going to do it on Monday.  

A Well Dressed Man

Andre (3000) Benjamin is always so well dressed as seen on the Sartorialist. The Sartorialist blog truly defines today's style around the world.

On another note, I saw Andre Benjamin walking at Chastain Park in Atlanta. He was dressed in a trademark preppy suit.... even when exercising! So it's not just for show.

Retro Etsy

Not only does Etsy have every handmade item I can imagine, but the vintage housewares are so well priced and perfect for my apartment. Here are some of the finds, but the choices really are endless. It's fun just to browse.

If I had more time, I'd collect all the awesome thriftstore finds from Atlanta and sell them on Etsy. But I don't have time. So I'll just buy these:

8 Vintage Blue Glasses from Moxie Thrift.

Retro Owls from The Runny Bunny.

Vintage Double Sided Gas Station Sign from Blue Belle Bazaar.

Vintage Sindhi Ralli Quilt from Pakistan or India from Rayela.

Sidenote: My love for quilts is a love for quilts as wall decor. Not beds, because I think quilts are art.... although most people think they are tacky.

These would look great all together. Vintage Bird Prints from Emily Lynch Vintage.

GoGo

I first heard of Gogo Jewelry years ago from my friends from South Georgia and people with ties to St. Simons, GA. Turns out, they were on to something, because Gogo Jewelry is going to be on display at the High Museum of Art sometime in November (more to come when I know more, I'm so excited!) I wish I had bought some of her work when it was less expensive.

The owner, Gogo Ferguson, makes her jewelry out of anything from seemingly odd material such as rattlesnake jawbones and ribs, alligator scute (apparently part of the skin) to real starfish. She casts them in 14k gold or silver to preserve the fragile item.

Rattlesnake ribs

Rattlesnake ribs

Alligator scute

Last night I was reading Garden and Gun magazine, which is a really great magazine that covers a weird, yet appropriate for the South, combination of clothes, hunting, art and alcohol. Every issue of Garden and Gun features Southern artists, which I love. In this most recent issue, I read a great article on artist John Alexander, who was born in Beaumont, TX and went to SMU (now lives in NYC and Amagansett but clearly influenced by the South). I've noticed his work before, and liked, but admittedly hadn't paid that much attention. But after reading this article, I really have a new appreciation (the article is definitely worth reading). Just as strange yet fitting the articles are in Garden and Gun, so too are John Alexander's subjects, which range from beautiful depictions of wild life to eerie, skeletal figurative paintings.


Proud
Charcoal, 25 x 19

Oil on Canvas, 2008, 76 x 84 (I actually would love this above a mantel...)

Class Reunion
Oil on Paper 2008 10 x 10"

John Alexander

The artist's studio

Works from studio

Oil on canvas, 90 x 100, 1986

(images from Garden and Gun and John Alexander Studio website)