Rabu, 31 Maret 2010

Wednesday Giveaway!

Today's giveaway is from Portland artist Lisa Golightly of Kiki and Polly. She's offering a large print of the Girl in the Yellow Suit. How sweet is that? The print would add a pop of cheery color to any room, from a foyer to a living room to a nursery. (I'd love to hang it above my desk.)

For a chance to win, please visit Kiki and Polly's etsy shop and leave a comment below. Good luck! xo

Update: Parker is our lucky winner. Thanks for playing.

Espresso maker print

Sandra Juto's new coffeemaker print would look nice in a kitchen.

Baby profiles

German photographer Bettina von Zwehl took this photo series of one-year-old babies at an instant of total (rare) concentration. Aren't they gorgeous? Von Zwehl used toys, dvds and eye contact to get the little guys to stay still. "They sat on a table, looking at me, and I took the picture with a long cable release," she says. Since many of the babes were still too wriggly to photograph, it took more than a year to get six final portraits. And the goal of the project? "I was hoping to present each baby as an intelligent human being," she says.

P.S. Baby mouths are so adorable.

Gold shoes for piano recital

Last weekend my daughter had a piano recital and I needed to get her some new shoes. I really did not have time to shop around and went to the closest shoe shop which turned out to be John Lewis. My daughter, who is only 4 by the way, picked out a pair of gold shoes from the children’s wedding shoes section and wouldn’t take them off after trying them on. I got her a pair of bridal socks to go with her shoes but she was not interested in wearing any socks just her gold shoes. She wore a floral print dress and her gold shoes and won best dress at the recital. It just reminded me how versatile metallic gold is and made me think that I simply must get myself some gold sandals this summer.
gold shoes

My daughter played "Buttercup and Diasies" and "London Bridge".  And for those of you wondering how a child can be playing the piano at such a young age then check out the Suzuki Method.  The suzuki method is a method of teaching music by numbers developed by Shinichi Suzuki.  Following are some books on the subject you may find useful.

Studying Suzuki Piano: More Than Music - A Handbook for Teachers, Parents and Students (Suzuki Method International)

Ability Development from Age Zero (Suzuki Method International)

You know how sometimes you are concerned that children would grow out of clothes and shoes without having worn them much?  Well rest assured these gold shoes are being worn everyday as she jumps into them the moment she gets home and it does not matter where we are going these days, she puts them on.   Apart from the fact that they are gold, my daughter says they look like ballet shoes which is even more appealing I think.

Selasa, 30 Maret 2010

Fig wedding cake

I'm one of the few people out there who don't like regular cake (are you, too?), so I'm always secretly psyched when people serve alternative desserts at their weddings. Brooklyn couple Rae and Noah served a carrot cake with fresh figs! What a cool (and beautiful) idea, don't you think?

See more of their wedding here.

Nursery inspiration photos

These days, nurseries are looking so amazing! I've been flagging inspirational images, such as the nursery of J. Crew creative director Jenna Lyon's baby, above. Aren't the yellow stripes amazing, and who would think to paint a nursery wall black? (Classic crib from Oeuf; and orange Junior Panton chair from DWR.)
A polaroid heart from a grown-up bedroom in Paris...
And sweet details, like the knit blocks in the fireplace, love pillow and teeny yellow boots!
The giant giraffe is amazing, but my eye was immediately drawn to those red frames. What a great way to showcase artwork.
Decorating with maps = inexpensive and inspiring.
This photo is from Moomah's playspace. The white frames mimic a gallery wall, and that friendly bear print is totally amazing. (Does anyone know where to find it? Update: The Moomah bear print is by Jacqueline Schmidt of Screech Owl Design. Thank you, Sarah!)
The shades of blue in this room are lovely and calming, and the Tord Boontje hanging lamp looks magical. What nursery colors or special touches do you like? I'd love to hear... xoxo

(Photos from Domino Magazine, Cookie Magazine, Living Etc., Moomah, and others)

Graphic dress meets minimalist look

When you think of graphic dresses you usually imagine bold designs, retro prints and vintage dresses from the 1970’s. Here are some graphic dresses from Calvin Klein’s spring summer 2010 collection which are simple, minimalist and chic. These dresses remind me of the art of Batik which involves the use of wax and a dyeing process followed by the removal of the wax to reveal stunning designs and colours.


The organic shapes and light-reflecting neutrals are simply appealing and classic and are gorgeous summer dresses perfect for those summer barbecues and that exotic summer caribbean holiday. Complete the minimal look with Munique's handmade leather sandals.

Senin, 29 Maret 2010

A little love note.

Have you told bedtime stories lately? Pregnancy has made me super sleepy, and I've been conking out really early. So a little tradition has started, where Alex will put me to bed. After I brush my teeth, he'll say, “Ready for bed, baby?” and then come into the bedroom, lie down next to me (and my maternity pillow) and tell me funny stories about his childhood, early days in New York or old friends. I don't know how he comes up with them all (every single night!), but it's so cozy falling asleep listening to his deep voice and trying to stay awake to hear the ending. I love you, Alex.

(Photo by Max Wanger)

Choosing bridesmaid dresses

Gone are the days when bridesmaid dresses needed to look identical, which is great as your bridemaids will come in different shapes and sizes. Though I do know some people who factor in shape and size when choosing bridemaids as they want their bridemaids to fit into a certain dress.  But that is certainly not necessary these days.  Now bridemaids can wear different style dresses as well as different coloured dresses.  Here we see Carrie's bridemaids in Sex and the City all wearing different colour dresses and different style dresses with the only similarites being in the necklines and shoulders and sleeves to some extent.



So you can opt to go with a colour scheme for your bridemaids dresses or a style theme or neither just as long as your bridemaids are wearing dresses that flatter their bodyshape are looking radiant to be photographed.   It's easier when a bridesmaid feels that she is looking her best for her to smile for the camera.

For instance a floral theme for a spring /summer wedding can include a combination of skirt suits, strapless cocktail dresses and halterneck dresses.

floral print dresses


halter neck dress


floral skirt


floral bustier top

Be guided by bodyshape when choosing your bridesmaids dresses.  Remeber uniformity does not have to be same dresses but similar bridesmaids dresses along a unifying theme be it colour,  print or even floral or flower wedding necklaces. 

Tandem tee

This tandem T-shirt is cute (and true). I'm too pale and British to wear red, but someone should get this. :)

Wedding shrug

Getting married?  This ivory wedding shrug is the perfect cover up for your wedding dress if you do not wish to reveal too much skin at the altar or as an extra layer for those chilly spring summer weddings.  If you are attending a wedding, long sleeve shrugs are the ideal accompaniment to those strapless cocktail dresses or sleeveless cocktail dresses.  While this shrug looks like lace, it is actually a crochet shrug and is available in several colours making it ever so versatile to slip over your cocktail dresses and still look smashing.  Shrug is available in gold, silver, black and ivory.

Click here for the perfect wedding necklace.

Minggu, 28 Maret 2010

Wciąż w zimowym wydaniu, a więc wciąż czarno. Jak to często bywa biżuteria ratuje mój outfit - skradziony mamie naszyjnik z reserved jest chyba moim ulubionym motywem. Wraz z nadejściem wiosny mam zamiar wzbogacić swoją szafę o świeże kolory i może nawet etniczne elementy, na które ostatnio mam niesamowitą ochotę!









~paula

Jumat, 26 Maret 2010

Have a magical weekend.

My darlings, what are you doing this weekend? Alex and I are having a Greek dinner tonight (with extra grape leaves) and going to a party tomorrow. I'm excited to squeeze into a purple Gap dress that wraps around my giant belly. Hope you have a wonderful couple days, and here are a few great posts from around the web...

Teeny apartment? Make a Murphy nightstand!

I left my heart in ____.

A bookish laptop cover (via Oh Joy)

Nautical finds.

A dreamy wedding in Vancouver.

Well, doesn't that look fun?

Chefs pencil set.

The insta-pocket is hilarious.

Living in the Coal Miner's Daughter. Such a great movie.

Keith Davis Young makes pretty prints.

Obsolete jobs from yesteryear.

Emerson has the raddest (and most fully stocked!) kitchen.

Five spring outfits.

Engagement photos on a ferry. (I love the windy shots.)

Dress like Bonnie and Clyde.

My nursery picks on etsy. (So many cute things over there, it was impossible to choose!)

Plus, five Cup of Jo posts you may have missed:
* Gorgeous wedding veil.
* The ultimate door chain.
* Lemonade stand cuties.
* Awkward family photos.
* Lipstick on your wine glass.

(Photo via Snippet & Ink)

Magic juice

Mmm, this drink sounds so refreshing. (Also, cute hand-drawn font.)

Simple pleasures

This week has been really busy (as all weeks-after-vacations are), so let's talk about simple pleasures. What are a few of your favorite things? Mine are avocado toast, linen sheets, Alex Baldwin on 30 Rock, and reading magazines in bed. I would love to hear yours. xoxo

P.S. Awesome that this photo is named "hammock bum."

(Photos by Julia Stotz)

Kamis, 25 Maret 2010

Thursday Giveaway!

Today's giveaway is from Anna Bond from Rifle Paper Co., the amazing boutique stationery shop in Florida. She's offering a set of 50 personalized illustrated notes and calling cards. Get this: Anna will paint 1-2 whimsical portraits (in your likeness, and you can also add your fiance or puppy or whomever, if you'd like) and use hand-drawn lettering. How amazing would it be to have your own adorable cards and stationery?

For a chance to win, please visit Rifle Paper Co. and leave a comment below. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow. Good luck. xo

Update: Happenstance is our lucky winner. And a bonus for all readers: Rifle Design is offering 10% off the whole store from today until April 2nd. Enter the discount code CUPOFJO at checkout.

P.S. Anna designed our wedding program, too!

Wedding rings

Speaking of weddings, aren't the rings from Brooklyn shop St. Kilda absolutely beautiful? That pink color is A-OK!

Underwater wedding photos

These underwater photos of a bride and groom are so dreamy. They must have had an awesome time taking them (and be good at holding their breaths).

(By Jessica Peterson, via Abby Sharp)

Dressing for a job interview

What to wear for that all important job interview can be such a dilemna at times. But it needn't be if you follow a few simple guidelines. Keep it neat, simple and tailored and go for classic looks like this navy ladies pinstripe jacket which can easily be worn over a shift dress or with a crisp white shirt and knee length skirt or long trousers.
pinstripe jacket, navy pinstripe jacket, ladies pinstripe jacket
Pinstripe is a classic material that never goes out of fashion. Ralph Lauren as pictured below used pinstripe in his spring summer 2010 collection so this is a trend that never goes out of fashion but is constantly being re-invented.

ladies pinstripe trousers, ralph lauren spring summer 2010 collection
photo from http://www.style.com/

Certainly not suggesting that you wear this top on an interview but just making the point about the perpetual trendiness of pinstripe as you want to look current but not overly fashionista.

Dressing for an interview is probably one of the most important moments of power dressing that there is. Cliches like first impressions count, your first impression can be your last impressions, you have one chance to make a first impression are so appropriate to this moment when you first enter a room with an interview panel and they start assessing you even before you they start questioning you. Sad to say but the interview can be won or lost from this point and not because the panel is fickle but because the time and thought taken in putting yourself together for that interview is the first reflection of you the interview panel gets of your suitability for the job in terms of attention to detail, dress code and more importantly how serious you are about getting that job.

men's pinstripe suit, interview suit

men's navy pinstrip suit

Wear a simple crisp white shirt with your pinstrip suit or a another suitable plain coloured shirt.  If your jacket is already patterned like the pinstripe then stick to a plain shirt so that you are not wearing too much pattern to distract the interviewers from the job at hand which is to get to know you better and evaluate whether you are the best fit or one of the best fits for the job.  If they are distracted by your appearance it may be all they remember about you. 

red tie
red tie
wine tie, wine coloured tie
wine tie

Go for a red tie or wine coloured tie which many politians wear with a dark suit as red draws attention to the lips and they want people to listen to what they are saying so too you want your prospective employers to listen to what your have to say.

Power dressing for ladies
Ladies; to be taken seriously for the job especially when you are competing with male candidates, you must be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with them and be counted.  Don't over feminize your appearance by exposing cleavage, wearing short skirts or clothes that are obviously too tight.  Stick to knee length skirts or trousers.


jewellery pendant "mermaid"

You do not want to be wearing fashion accessories that dominant your outfit. Add a touch of femininity with unobstrusive stud earrings and simple pendant necklaces as shown above which are small and tasteful. Other feminine touches could be the use of a well matched scarf used as a belt in your trousers.   Choose fashion accessories that balances your interview outfit and do not overpower your look.

Personal grooming
Attention to detail from your head down to your socks, stocking and shoes is imporatnt.  Get a haircut, wash your hair, apply make up, wear shoes appropriate for the outfit in terms of colour and style. Avoid worn out shoes or get the heels or your shoes changed if they are worn out. There is nothing more annoying than the tick tock sound of ladies heels grating as they walk because the heel needs replacing.   These are the little things an interview panel remembers but you want them to remember the big things about you which relates to your qualifications, experience and suitability for the job.

brown leather handbag

Handbags and briefcases
Ensure that handbags and briefcases also look the part and are not suffering from wear and tear. Ladies no no animal print bags please!!!! While I love giraffe print handbags, the interview room is not the place to show off your keen fashion sense.  Keep it classic and conservative and go for quality leather handbags in black or dark brown.

brown leather briefcase

Dressing for a job interview is only half the battle, the other half is about what comes out of your mouth.  To help you plan, prepare and perform in the interview invest in books on interview questions and answers and search the internet for interview tips.


Knockout Interview Answers: 52 Brilliant Ideas to Clinch Your Dream Job (52 Brilliant Ideas)



You're Hired! Interview: Tips and techniques for a brilliant interview

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