A Day at CHA...

I took a day trip on Saturday to see our booth, ILoveToCreate, and walk the CHA Winter 2011 Show. Tulip Fashion Body Art is just one of the many HOT craft happenings at CHA. The first thing we did was get a temporary tattoo at ILoveToCreate...

Just press on the sticky stencil and brush on paint.
Peel off the stencil and, Voila!

Add crystals, too. It's was so easy to get a beautiful temporary tattoo that lasts about a week! A professional body paint artist was on hand in the ILoveToCreate booth to place the stencil and paint wherever you wanted it. Seriously, this took about twenty seconds to go from bare skin to fashionably tattooed. Love it! It was great to walk the show and see so many people rocking it!

Glitter Shoes

One of our team members sent me this picture she took in Nordstrom's in Chicago. Looks like glitter shoes and accessories are stronger than ever! Here's more glittery footwear. And check this out if you want to save a wad and DIY!

Glitter Jelly Rainboots at Target

Keds Laceless Glitter Sneakers at Urban Outfitters

Steve Madden 'Caryssa' Pump at Nordstrom

Lauren Jones "Zinger' Pump at Nordstrom

Tory Burch 'Reva' Glitter Flat at Nordstrom

Blogging about blogging...

I just read a blog entry from a fellow blogger telling her readers the ten most important things she's learned about blogging. One of them was the importance of thanking her readers for reading her blog. To be honest with you, I have never done that. It never occurred to me because my blog seems very one-sided. I write and post and hardly ever get a comment from anyone. I know I have readers because I read my analytics, but I don't have interaction with you beyond what I write. I would love to know who some of you are, where you are from, and why you read my blog. (I am kind of scared to put that out there because what if no one responds?) Please take time to share with me so I can thank you more personally for reading my posts.

Here's me right now at my desk at ILoveToCreate. It's Friday morning and the day has started out differently than I expected. I got up extra early so I could arrive at work as soon as the doors opened. I wanted to get my day wrapped up because many of us are driving to the L.A. Convention Center on Saturday to attend the CHA Show for the day. But plans are made to be changed. My husband got sick this morning so I had to drive our boys to school, which meant I arrived at work an hour later than I planned. Oh well, that's life.

The Beauty of Block Printing

One of my favorite things is hand printed textiles and papers made from handmade wood block stamps. I have a collection of stamps I keep in a dish that I am planning to one day hang on my wall. I came across this video showing how these handcarved textile blocks from India are made and used while perusing a favorite home decor site, West Elm. I found it fascinating.

Here are some of my blocks. They are so beautiful, even as they are old and falling apart. They are pieces of history and small works of art. I love that they can be used to print on fabric, paper, wallpaper, and clay. I haven't printed with mine yet because I honestly love them just as they are. But I think I may have to try using some fabric paints or dyes with my blocks and do some printing.

Stylish Tech-cessories

iPad Bluetooth Keyboard Case, $60.

ILoveHandles Nano Watch Rubber Band, $10.
Kena Kai Italian Leather Inter-Departmental Mail Laptop Sleeve, $60.

Luxeed U7 Keyboard, $500.

Kena Kai Inter-Departmental Mail Laptop Sleeve, $60.

Blinged Out Wireless Mouse by Juicy Couture, $24.99

iPhone / iPod Docking Station by Woodtec, $108.

Flip video underwater case, $50.

Etch-A-Sketch iPad case, $39.

Decalgirl Kindle Skin, $20.Bright yellow tote to carry your laptop by Cambridge Satchel Company, $145.

Season 10: American Idol

I have been waiting all winter for tonight -- the return of the new and improved American Idol. It's one of my favorite shows, and I found myself not caring too much about it last season for all the same reasons everyone else was tuning out. But now that Steven Tyler and JLo are rockin' it, I am beyond excited to tune in. I hope Season 10 is more about the musical potential of the cast and less about the drama of the judges. Having said that, I think the new judges - along with old favorite Randy Jackson - will bring a heightened sense of expertise and validation to the table, as they give constructive advice to mentor and guide the contestants. Let's cross our fingers!

Did you know...?

I am sitting here at my desk, middle of the day - a bright, sunny day I might add (yesterday was extremely overcast and bleak) staring at this funny print I picked up in Chicago a few years ago. I'm feeling the need to blog, but I'm wondering which trend to blog about when it occurs to me that maybe some of you don't know that if you spend some time on our website at iLoveToCreate you will find new trend information each month, and numerous projects based on those trends. For more artistic inspiration, you can go to 'Blogs and Sites We Love' (under 'Community') to see the way our bloggers/artists/craft 'rock stars' are inspired by our products. Did you know we're seriously tight friends with craft goddesses like Alisa Burke, Kathy Cano-Murillo aka The Crafty Chica, Margot Potter, and Jennifer Perkins of the Naughty Secretary Club? Well, we are. These bloggers offer so much - from creating unique projects to advice on cooking, photography, sewing, to selling on Etsy - you name it. Plus, we have an additional fourteen bloggers at iLoveToCreate, and a huge list of 'Sites We Love' to keep you creatively giddy! And don't even get me started on all the cool products we offer....Visit us today. Put some sunshine in your bleak winter day.

Katy Perry Wears Betsey Johnson

Wow! Check out what Katy Perry wore to the 2011 Peoples Choice Awards last night. Looks like designer Betsey Johnson made this just for Katy! This strapless tulle dress has a full skirt and tea length hemline for a vintage vibe, but the color scheme screams youthful and fun. I love it! I bet Betsey Johnson got her inspiration from here.

Starbucks Wordless Logo

Starbucks apparently has so much brand clout that it has dropped the outer green circle that bares the Starbucks Coffee name. Enlarged is the green siren or sea nymph that represents Starbucks. According to the CEO this evolved, wordless logo allows Starbucks to "think beyond
coffee." What do you think? Me....it gets me thinking about a venti mocha. Yummy!

LADY-LIKE TREND

Huh-oh, seems a new fashion term is presenting itself -- Ladylike. If it keeps getting used (or overused), it may end up being on the list of 'worn-out' phrases that I just blogged about. At least we don't have to worry about that until next year! Whew!


A key look for spring 2011, is the '60s-inspired Ladylike Trend. The silhouettes of the 1950s and 1960s make a strong return, with shapes that accentuate curves and foster femininity. A hip-hugging sheath dress with a below-the-knee hem is the ultimate in hourglass dressing, while the full-circle skirt and dress remain at the core of the trend. (Source: Fashionising)

New Lady-Like Couture is the way Juicy is describing the Well-worn Feminine Utility look online. It features cargo pants, cuffed linen shorts, some denim - all softened with easy lines and fabrics.

WHO WHAT WEAR sent out this trend report today: Ladylike Jackets ...Coco Chanel once said that simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance. That's why today's Trend Report focuses on a classic and elegant piece--the ladylike jacket. Whether it's cropped and boxy or hip-length and snugly buttoned, this wardrobe essential has been a favorite of ladies-who-lunch since Mme. Chanel designed her first signature cardigan jacket in the 1920s. Since then, the typically tweed topper has been reinvented by countless fashion houses--just about every brand has created a version--demonstrating its truly timely appeal.

Fashion terms that are so last year!

The New York Times recently featured an article by Simone S. Oliver entitled, Worn-Out Fashion Terms. I wanted to share it (in case you missed it) because it's pretty true how often these fashion buzzwords pop up in so many of the articles and advertisements I read when trend hunting. Here are 5 of the 14 overly used, trendy terms the writer hopes will be put to rest:

Couture: Calling something "couture" doesn't make it hand-sewn or high class. Yet the word popped up everywhere last year, from discount Web sites to QVC.

Statement outfits: Does your outfit speak louder than words? That seemed to be the mantra chanted by fashion lemmings, who kept referring to attention-grabbing pieces as "statements."

Pop-up: Blame it on empty storefronts and skittish retailers, but the hit-and-run retail concept swept the world's fashion capitals, to the point of losing its novelty.

Fashionista: The word has gone from describing a class of urban style-conscientious sophisticates to becoming a lazy and cheap byword for anyone with a modicum of taste.

D.I.Y. fashion: It's not always necessary to knit your own mittens. And not everyone becomes a bestseller on Etsy.com. Save your sanity by going to Urban Outfitters and spending the $8.

Harsh? On target? For a complete list of the terms Ms. Oliver advises us to leave behind in 2010, click here.