forgetting sarah marshall

FYI my pade vavra shark tooth necklace is in the movie "forgetting sarah marshall"..... thats pretty much why i bought it

Elephants on Parade

i made this caftan dress thingie this weekend and I am really proud of it. I stenciled elephants along the border and they are so cute. However, my face in this photo looked fug, so I photoshopped Ashlee Simpson's onto mine. Now the photo looks like a becky-ashley hybrib; I'm sure Scott has a boner

Bling Bling my jewelry box is calling

I wanted to show you my new jewelry. I just bought this Pade Vavra shark tooth necklace that I've been wanting for a while. And then I found my leopard ring in the couch yesterday. Its vintage, but they have an even better leopard ring at Old Navy. I know these photos don't do any justice, but I couldn't find the cord to my camera or a picture on the ON website. So here is a picture of me taken on photobooth inspired by kimora lee.

Black Sheep & Prodigal Sons

I saw this "Claws for Alarm" neck piece at the blog.mode: addressing fashion exhibit at the Met a few months back. It was so much cooler in real life than in this picture. But anyway, it reminded me how fascinated I am with momento-mori type things especially of the Victorian era when they made jewelry from hair of the deceased.

Today i stumbled across the website for Black Sheep & Prodigal Sons. They have some really beautiful hand crafted momento-mori inspired jewelry. I especially love all the scrimshaw vintage piano key necklaces.

take note

one thing i love are notebooks. They're something I buy tons of whenever I travel because they are so cheap and cute and fit right in my purse. I recently bought this alice in wonderland, nancy drew, and wizard of oz notebooks while at strawberry jam in new hope. But I also wanted to mention my laughing elephant sketchbooks which are replicas of old french notebooks. And, I picked up some spiral bound sketchbooks whilst in LA last year; they are remade from old library books (later, i saw the same concept at several different craft fairs). My all time favorite notebooks are this Japanese kind.....I couldn't find a pic of them on the web, and was too lazy to scan a pic in.

I see a coffee table in my future

i went to New Hope, PA to my favorite shop, Strawberry Jam. I went to pay for some notebooks, and these Edward Gorey tarot cards were at the counter. I couldn't pass them up as I thought they would be great for my non-existent coffee table.

Fend for yourself, bitch

while I am experiencing some remorse over the $27 worth of food i just bought at Whole foods, i am at the same time remembering a young college age lady who came in the the boutique the other day who obviously had no remorse over anything she purchases. at least not the $1300 Fendi bag so nonchalantly slouched over her shoulder. it must be easy to live guilt free when you're obviously not the one footing the bill. or when you're not equating the cost of goods with the number of hours worked. all I can say is:
bitch.
i can spot these over indulged college girls a mile away....and i am obviously color blocked with envy

Good Leather Goods

Scott and I are saving to go to Europe this summer. So while my $20 old navy bag will have to suffice for a (long) while, I can at least do some window shopping for a nicer one (I've accepted the camoscio will never be mine). While doing some virtual window shopping this morning, I came across Knox, a line of handbags designed by a girl and her dad, who makes the custom hardware. I'm hoping the carriage bag will still be around next year which is how long it will take me to save enough money for it.
I also stopped by FreePeople.com, who has their new March catalog items up. I absolutely love these embossed leather belts. I love the ring closure on the floral one, but Scott was in a band called "and so it begins..." when he was in high school; I think I have to go with the embossed "so it goes" belt...

Ga-Ga for Galliano

A few weeks ago, the Philadelphia Museum of Art (I work there) gave me some literature on their library at the new Perelman Building. The little brochure had a beautiful illustration of Paul Poiret's from the museums collection...it was really inspiring and I thought I had to get to the library to discover some more from Poiret. But, it looks like John Galliano beat me to it. I normally don't care for his over the top, gimicky fashion shows, but I was in awe of his latest collection for F'08. Obviously inspired by Paul Poirets 1910ish illustrations of woman donning some fine chinoiserie, the collection had some pieces I thought were actually very wearable, like the studded chiffon dress above. I loved everything from this collection from the color palatte to the prints, and also the jewelry and shoes. I totally love the look of the rabbit fur coat with the tiny ruffle detail, and I know it was a big thing in the 1910s-20s, but almost a century later, I wish he used a better alternative.

lieu-OW!

I just did my taxes and realized that in '07 I made half of what I made at my former job in '06, though my standard of living hasn't changed (if anything, its improved :) Strangely, my credit card debt has gone up significantly. And while I really think I'm at the point in my life where I should have my three favorite pieces from Emma Cook's f08 line and the Miu Miu Comoscio bag to go with it, most of the time I have to settle for some simpler things (and still manage to dig the financial hole deeper). The nice thing about working retail are the steep discounts (that i get way to carried away with). So, i recently splurged on this easy dress from Philip Lim with an exposed zipper...you can by it in the near future at petuliasfolly.com. Then we recieved some Rachel Comey shoes, which were amazing. Fate would have it that the company sent us one pair of shoes in the wrong color that just happened to be my size. Instead of hassling with sending them back, my boss said I could have them at cost. A girl can't argue with fate, so I bought those too. And, when I woke up this morning, Old Navy updated their website with new items, and they had this really cool tie-dyed canvas bag, so I went to the store and the visual merchandisers where just putting them out. This is what I have in lieu of my beloved Comoscio at an unbelievable 1.5% of the cost (seriously, you do the math). I also picked up this dress for a mere $25; I am completely in love with the ambiguously-ethnic print. Even though I swear I'm a smart shopper and only buy things at a discount, my bank account is still screamin' "ow!" with every transaction....

Fashion Weak

just when i need inspiration the most (sketching some ideas for my imaginary spring 2009 line) Fall 2008 fashion shows have left me more or less uninspired. so much blah blah black and not enough new. Now, some bloggers have been discussing the return of boho, and even my friend, Heather said to me last night on the phone "i'm not just imagining it, am I? the boho look is returning." Is it me, or has this ethnic meets boho meets whatever look never left?
While nothing involved was a new concept in my opinion, the only collection that left me absolutely lusting was Emma Cook's concoction of black and white tie-dyes mixed with frilly lace and latex leggings. I want I want I want.
see my next post for a list of things I bought in lieu of tie-died pretty things I can't afford

The Face of Influenza

did you know that the flu is deadly in .1% of those affected by it? For the past three days, I honestly believed I would be among that tenth of a percent. I have never felt this sick in my life. Make sure to get vaccinated..and thats all i have to say because I am far too weak to write anymore...

Fashion Synchronicity

Do you believe in synchronicity? (c.g jung, not the police) I was just thinking how i really want to make a cool verison of those Ts i made as a girl where you cut the sleeves into strips of fringe then string on the plastic pony beads....later that day, Agathe over at stylebytes did just that. She beat me to my brilliant idea....if i haven't mentioned it before, laziness is my biggest downfall.
I'd love to think of myself as ahead of the trends, but this is not synchronicity at all....this ethnic meets boho meets whatever has been around for quite some time (boho tech as topshop is calling their take on this trend) and I am absolutely loving it. While browsing Style.com I adored the dress Kate Hudson wore to the SAG awards. I've never really paid attention to Balmain, but loved the way they mixed soft floral prints with native american motifs, as in the beaded eagle dress worn by KH.
Since I can't afford a fringed miu-miu bag, anything Balmain, or the shipping charge from the UK, I may just have to commit to making that T shirt or splurging on these beaded earrings from ebay (by way of stylebytes)

Dexter Eggs

first of all, I have decided not to sell my eggs. there is a slight risk of death do to all of the crazy hormones and medical stuff you have to do. amazingly, I still am not deterred by the fact that could have been a smaller version of myself running around this crazy world. Anyway, speaking of eggs, Scott and I are OBSESSED with the Showtime series, Dexter. We started watching Season 2 when I moved in with my sister who isn't too cheap to pay for cable. Needless to say, I am that cheap and completely missed out on Season1 of Dexter. Now, I am backtracking and downloading the first 12 episodes from itunes. I have to limit myself to 2 episodes a night, otherwise I know I'd get too overzealous and watch the entire season in one night, not knowing what to do for entertainment the next day because of the writers strike.
Anyway, back to the eggs. I love the opening credits, which inadvertently has inspired my everyday breakfast- fried eggs on an english muffin with heaps of Frank's Buffalo sauce; "dexter eggs" as I call them- in the credits the eggs with hot sauce is supposed to make you think of blood, but i just get hungry. Then again, I started eating McDonalds again after 2 years of abstinence because of reading Fast Food Nation...

Harvest Moon

Even though I am in some major credit card debt from my last trip with Skottles, we really want to take a trip on the trans siberian railroad in August. I have no idea how i am going to pay down this debt and save some cash at the same time. I am seriously considering harvesting my eggs. It would pay down my debt in one fell crane's swoop, but it requires five weeks of injecting myself with hormones and some minor surgery. I really really want to take this trip in August, and it makes me think how there is probably a loving couple out there who really really wants a baby....I really feel for them. I can't tell if i am just so money hungry right now that I am overlooking the weird fact that there could be several mini-mes crawling around. Or is it really not that big of a deal?

lost wax casting

scott bought me erica weiner's porcupine quill necklace which I am in love with, but I am equally as intriqued by her cast animal bones such as this snake vertebrae. Anyway, between her items and pyrhha's cast wax stamps, I have been really itching to learn how to cast things all by myself. So, I searched Tyler School of Art's site and found a continuing ed class for this spring on Lost Wax casting...I don't know much about the process, but it looks like I'll learn how to make some jewelry and I am super excited. Now, if only I could figure out how to download the registration form as its due in about three days.

what i want to buy today

while web surfing for some info on candles today at work, I came across the website for one of my favorite stores in New Hope, PA, called Strawberry Jam. I've always loved their jewelry selection and in fact my sister bought me a ring there over 10 years ago and I still wear it. Anyway, I loved the line of jewelry by Pyrrha design studios. The "seals" serious are peices cast from antique wax seals. I love the anchor, but they also have a bee i wouldn't mind owning since my name starts with a "B"

party on

this kids an asshole, but somehow i think the interviewer is an even bigger one....anyway, it made my day so i thought i'd share

Thai Idol

tonight is the season premiere of american idol. No, i am not desperate to find something on TV due to the writer's strike....its just a guilty pleasure. A couple of years ago, my then roommate and I would have a tradition of eating Herr's sour cream and onion chips during. Even though we don't live together anymore, we still get together for the premier and the finale. I had off today so I prepared some thai food for a little get together. I found a recipe for mango summer rolls here and curry meatballs here and also whipped up some peanut sauce to go along. Then I followed the direction on a box of pad thai. I am also making some key lime martinis to go with. And of course I remembered to make Herr's mine with a big ol' family sized bag of sour cream and onion.

White Elephant

I want this necklace from Jcrew, but I just bought a pair of harness boots, a pair of clogs, two 3.1 Phillip Lim tops, found Odeur 53 and bought that too, and went on a road trip with Scott so I probably shouldn't buy it even though it looks well worth the $55....and brings good luck, which means it could help me to win the lottery

Same Shit. Different Year.

Happy New Year.
Scott and I are off to New England for a short road trip. We will hit NYC, Providence, and Boston. We don't really know what we're doing there yet. I'll let all of you imaginary readers know next week
love
beebs

The Ubiquitous Arab Scarf (T-form)

I know a fashion trend is soooo overdone when i see some random person I went to junior high with trying to pull it off at the annual thanksgiving hometown bar crawl. I was surprised that the whole Balenciaga Arabic scarf thing hit the mainstream so fast.
While having this same conversation with my good friend, Ann, she commented "you know who started this whole trend, you know?! Besides the Arabs, I mean..........were the Libertines" (ie pete doherty not the marqui de sade)
Anyway....most likely a knockoff itself, I like Topshop's satirical take on the scarf with this T-shirt. I really want it, but its already sold out....

View Master

If you haven't noticed I'm kind of lazy. The thing about being lazy is that other people beat you to your brilliant ideas. I had the idea a few years ago (at the brink of graduation college) that I would make my porfolio into my very own viewmaster slide. Interactive and compact...how clever. That never happened, but I managed to collect a few viewmaster slides over the years and was especially happy to find viewmasters and viewmaster slides available at nearly every historical landmark while on my road trip this summer.
Anyway, three years later I wasn't too surprised while recently surfing some boutique sites on the web. I came across some handmade viewmaster slides at http://www.bonadrag.com. There are several in the series made by some artists I never heard of. My favorite is the one written and photographed by some guy named Vladimir...it comes with a CD of a band I never heard of. It goes for $24 and is on my list of things I want but won't get for christmas.

Divinity

Ugh. You know when you just get so full of regret you just want to scream? I was amazed at the pictures Skottles took when he snuck into the Divine Lorrainne Hotel here in Philadelphia long before we were Scott & Becky. I always loved the building from the outside and wondered how weird it was something so cool looking was smack dab in the middle of that slightly ghetto corner of north philly. The when Scott showed me his pictures, i realized the inside was even better and the hotel must have been amazing in its hay-day. Recently, it has been undergoing renovation and I am sure it will not live up to its former diviness. A few months ago, someone posted something on myspace about some dude selling furniture and stuff that was once in the hotel. I regret so much that I didn't at least check this sale out. fuck. i wish i could turn back time. if i could find a way..i'd take back all the words that would hurt you....

sorry, back to my post
anyway, I was really happy to find that this photographer dude, Jeffrey Stockbridge, is showing his series of photographs taken of the abandoned building at the Center for Emerging Visual Artists on Rittenhouse Sq. Luckily, I was able to satisfy my immediate gratification compulsion by going to http://www.jeffreystockbridge.com/index.html

above is my favorite shot from his series. This room is perfect for a big pile of puppies as promised to Zoe if I ever acquire the Divine Lorraine for myself

getting new things is just like starting over

do you ever go through droughts where you can't find anything on the market that you want to buy? Like even if you had an extra thousand dollars you wouldn't buy anythign cause it all sucks? I do. amazingly.
I am a having a moment that is completly opposite of that right now. There are so many things I want right now. Besides the cowboy boots and bedframe the list is as follows:

Cherry Blossoms cowboy boots from Caboots
LAMB hand drawn herringbone leggings
and possibly the herringbone coat
Rachel Comey ryder clog available at Vagabond
Commes des Garcon Odeur 53 perfume and liquid soap (this is my signature scent!!! and seems to be either sold old everywhere including the old standbys Barneys and Sephora which leads me to believe it is goign to be discontinued :( will i have no scentual identity? Maybe not if i order it from a boutique in the UK)
John Derian "Dirty Rose mini tray and "Liberetto" tray (think i am purchasing these tomorrow)
Music by the flaming lips and also John Lennon (going to do a search right after i post this)

even if i had an extra thousand i dont think it would be anough to cover all of the above. in fact, I am sure it would take at least three thousand.

as Scott says "you're so cute when you dream"

and then i tell him "you make me feel like this (i make squashing-a-gnat-instantly-with-swift-clap-of-hands motion)"

christmas wish list

in addition to some custom made boots, i have been eyeing this bedframe from brocade home. i can get two pairs of custom made boots or this bedframe, but I am sure santa won't be as generous as he was last year when he bought me this very laptop I am typing on right now.

New Boots (and panties)

i was surfing the net to find some cutom made boots for my fat 18" calfs. I came across caboots.com and really liked all the inlay retro cowboy boots (see bottom pics..cant decide if i want the bird or the butterflies) and also the hair-on boots. you can customize them anyway you want, including changing the height, width, toe shape, heel height, inlay colors, the list goes on. Unfotunatly, they're gonna set me back about $650 per pair, but i think they are totally worth it.

puppy

i was really pissed when my sister bought a new puppy without asking me. no consideration for the fact that i would be cleaning up its pee and poop, taking it for long walks on my days off, and listening to it howl when i go to bed and when i wake up. at least this is what was already heappening with dog #1 . anyway, phinn (scott and I call him Vinny), is actually really cute. However, I am cleaning up its pee and poop, taking it for long walks on my days off, and listening to it howl when i am trying to sleep.

Old Fashioned Beauties

I found my new favorite blog http://vintagepulchritude.blogspot.com/ when typing "vintage photographs" into google images. I still don't really know what the word pulchritude is or how to pronounce it, but I love this collection of old fashion nudes. Even though they aren't wearing any clothes, you can tell so much about the time period and setting. Skottles just likes the boobs.

Vacation

Skottles and I went on a great vacation. We flew into San Francisco on a beautiful day and stayed around until the next. Then we slept over my best friend in the whole wide world's house in Stockton. She made us a really cool fort to sleep in. Then we drove into Yosemite and camped & hiked there for a couple days....it was my favorite part of the trip. Next, Skottles drove us through the desert where we took photos of ghost towns and went to the lunar crater where we got a flat tire and another one that was leeking. I was scared we were going to have to wait for a tow truck, but a nice polygamist family of 25 or so stopped to help us. We made it to the nearest town of Ely, Nevada which was only about 90 miles away. That ended up being a great part of the trip also; I love surprises. After that, we headed to Las Vegas by way of the Extraterestrial Highway...stopped at the Little Ale'Inn and ate alien burgers. Area 51 was not to far away, so we drove down an 11 mile dirt road to see signs that said no trespassing. After that, we headed to LV and relaxed by the pool, cut in line at a buffet, and went to a funny burlesque show, but didn't get married at a drive in chapel like I've always wanted to do.