Poetry Man

I was sad to hear that singer Phoebe Snow passed away on Tuesday. One of my favorite songs from the 1970's is her song, "Poetry Man." She was gifted with a four-octave voice that will give you goosebumps. Listen and enjoy.

Casey

Well, my pick for the winner of American Idol just sang his swan song tonight. I LOVE Casey Abrams!!! His individuality, his style, his mega talent, and yes, even his growling. And although I will miss him when I tune in next week, I am not sad for him. No.......He probably has a line outside his door of people who want to take him to the next level. I look forward to following his long and awesome career. Plus, he had the best 'leaving the show' performance ever! Casey, you put a spell on me!

Typography Project

Typography-inspired pieces are hot for home decor and in fashion. It's easy to make your statement with a little creativity and the right products.

Sources: Top - Design Sponge; Middle - Urban Outfitters; Bottom - Dolce & Gabbana FW 2011

I'm a big believer in using what you have to make stuff. So as I was wondering how to create a low-budget typography project I looked around my cubicle for some spark of inspiration so I could make this project my own. I attend numerous craft and trade shows each year and many of the vendors put out bowls full of buttons to advertise their booths or products, and I've gotten into the habit of picking up these buttons. I keep them stuck on the fabric wall of my cube. So as I was letting my eyes wander, hoping for inspiration, I thought to myself, hmmmm.......finally a cool use for these random ornaments! Here's what I gathered:An old frame that I've had forever, that I bought at a yard sale because I liked its unusual shape

A fabric remnant (make sure your remnant is at least a couple of inches longer and wider than your cardboard backing)

A piece of matboard to fit in the frame

Some batting or felt (cut to fit the opening of the frame)

Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Spray

Funky buttons, enough to make your initial

Here's how I made this:

Spray Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Spray on one side of the cardboard. Press the felt to the sticky side of the cardboard.

Wrap the fabric remnant over the felt. Secure the extra fabric to the back of the cardboard with Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Spray.

If you are using an open frame (no backing) like mine, you will need to secure your project to the frame. I took mine to Michael's and for $3.00 they added the necessary hardware to hold my project in place.

Once your board is constructed and placed in your frame you can begin adding your buttons to make your own initial. I placed mine down to make a "B" and kept moving them around until I was happy with the look. Then I stuck them in.Voila! A very cool interpretation of this typography trend. This is a really fun project and if you don't have buttons like mine you can always use old brooches, earrings, or really anything you can think of. Use your imagination, and get creative!

Doodle Car!

Just last Thursday I blogged about the hot trend in fashion--doodling. A colleague of mine was outside of the Jo-Ann's Fabric and Crafts store in north Fresno over the weekend and when she came out to the parking lot, this is what she saw........Does this person know how trendy he or she is???

Let's Create LIVE

Coming up on April 28th, iLoveToCreate is hosting an online crafting party, Let's Create LIVE, that will be live on the Internet via the iLoveToCreate Ustream channel. Tune in from 9am to 11am (Pacific time) for two-hours of crafty ideas, tips and techniques with six star designers using our Tulip and Aleene's products! Hosted by Pattie Wilkinson a.k.a. Pattiewack! There will be prizes, shared live demos and more. Don't miss this!

Just Doodle-de-do it!

I am a doodler. I will draw on napkins, handouts, brochures, you name it--I will draw a picture on it. I find that some of my best ideas come from my random doodling. It's a creative outlet that frees up my mind. I am a right-brained woman who uses doodling to escape (if only in my mind) from the left-brained world. Studies have found that doodling may not only ease your boredom if you are stuck in a dull meeting, it may also increase your ability to recall snippets of key information mentioned. So, to those who doodle, I salute you!

Anthropologie has these super cool placemat books --Doodles at Lunch, and Doodles at Breakfast-- so you can tear off a paper placemat and do a step-by-step doodle, or use the placemat for some free-form drawing.

For those of you who prefer a designer doodle, pick up this Fendi bag for a mere two hundred dollars plus change.

Members-Only Accessories

Exclusivity........we all want to belong and yet be set apart at the same time. Have you noticed how these online 'members-only' clubs are popping up with more regularity? They appeal to the desire to belong, to be special. I want to share a couple of very cool sites with you in case you haven't heard of them. They are members-only accessories sites. Similar to Groupon, you join for free and then view the special offers chosen for you based on your fashion profile.

Send the Trend is a monthly accessories service featuring Christian Serriano of Project runway fame, giving fashion advice and choosing custom accessories offerings based on your personal fashion profile. JewelMint works the same way: actress Kate Bosworth and Cher Coulter recommend personalized jewelry for you based on a style quiz you take. It's fun and trendy and you can get some great jewelry and accessories for less than the retail price. Check them out!

Rodarte's Upcycled Bag

Check out the upcycled Cylinder Belt bags from Rodarte's latest spring collection for Opening Ceremony. Inspired by the 70's, these bags have a comfortable and sturdy feel to them. While I was at Sourcing at MAGIC last August, I actually purchased a bag from a company that was selling fabulous leather purses with vintage belts you could buy to add to the bag as a strap. The used leather belt made the bag feel vintage and cutting edge at the same time. Upcycling can be so inspiring!

New Chews for Gum Lovers

Designer Belma Arnautovic's Candy Shop On Heels/Trend Hunter

You have to hand it to gum manufacturers to take an ordinary, everyday product like gum and change it up with new flavors and packaging to make it irresistible. Stride gum has created a flavor changing gum that goes from citrus to mint. Very Willy Wonka-ish, don't you think? Stride Shift gum's tag line is Change your flavor, Change your life. Wow, I guess I better run out right now and get some of this! I could use a life change right about now.

Wrigley's recently debuted dessert-inspired gums that are meant to replace those high calorie sweets we all crave with a 5-calorie stick. Flavors include Key Lime Pie, Mint Chocolate Chip and Strawberry Shortcake. Is there an M&M flavored one? Or a Mocha Frappuccino flavor? Yum!Here's a gum that is resonating with wellness seekers. Offered in three 'feel-good' flavors, Trident Vitality adds a piece of delicious well-being to the gum chewing experience. Rejuve is a flavorful blend of mint and white tea, Vigorate tastes like citrus and strawberries and is infused with Vitamin C, and Awaken has a peppermint flavor with a hint of ginseng. I think I shall try Awaken after lunch. There are some afternoons when I am thisclose to having a George Costanza moment of crawling under my desk for a quick nap! Just kidding. Really.

Free People Body Art

Yesterday I received my Free People April catalog in the mail. It's a great trend resource as it shows a meshing of many trends within a collection or even a single outfit for that matter. The April catalog offers a blend of tribal, boho and prairie looks. What caught my eye was the body paint that was on one of the models. It wasn't featured on her in every shot, but when it was on her it complimented her clothing ensembles in a very tribal, artful way. I first saw this happening when I attended Sourcing At MAGIC in late summer of last year. Body art is such a playful extension of fashion. I like it because it's temporary and you can change it to fit your mood and your outfit. Experiment with it and see what your inner artist creates!

Macrame & Crochet Fashion S/S 2011

I remember as a kid creating macrame plant holders while attending summer school. My poor mother had so many of these hanging on her patio and in her windows as my sister and I continued to weave macrame hangings for any potted plant we could find. Here is a much more sophisticated interpretation of the macrame trend for spring/summer 2011. It includes long fringe, tassels, nautical-inspired twists of rope and even the look of your grandmother's Afghan.

Macrame beachwear by Gucci; Boho fringing Roberto Cavalli; 70's-inspired dress and granny square bag by Ferragamo; Malandrino's macrame sandals; Nautical-inspired macrame by Dior. Read more at Fashionising.

The Stuff of Royals

I got married fifteen years ago on a Saturday in April. Do you think I am thinking about THAT this morning? No. I am actually a lot more focused and excited about the nuptials of Prince William and Kate. It's a big deal for Americans who have paid attention to the lives of the British royal family since Diana Spencer gave us a reason to. Now it's William's turn. What a marketing frenzy these weddings can be! Have you seen all the souvenir stuff that is being manufactured to commemorate their wedding?! It always amazes me what people will make - and buy! - for these grand occasions. There are even stores dedicated to providing fans with all kinds of royal goodies. This store provides a live countdown to the 11am wedding. Here are some rather strange items I found. I can't help thinking about what Kate and William think when they see their images marketed this way. And yes, I will watch the royal wedding. I watched William's mother, Diana, marry Prince Charles in 1981. The wedding of Kate and William is a huge pop culture event and I wouldn't miss it!