Matters of the Heart

Funnovation Friday Finds 4

I'm assuming many of you out there are enjoying having your home feel cozy and smell like the holidays. Usually I just go for the sugar cookies fragrance or classic cinnamon, but with today's FFF Etsy shop Huntley & Fox I can have fun with these additional scents.

These pure soy candles are the perfect countdown to Christmas in their numbered tin containers. Each day or night can be something different. Number 22 scent being Sugar Pumpkin, number 23 Gingerbread House, number 24 Winter Berry and number 25 scent being Christmas Hearth. These candles can burn for up to 40 hours.

This can make for a great gift to teachers, hostess, last minute gift for a special girlfriend with a card so it doesn't seem last minute (hint hint to fellas). Even a nice anniversary gift. It will be my parents 24th anniversary on Christmas Eve, so I'm sending an early HAPPY 24TH ANNIVERSARY shout-out to them! Lol

What smells remind you of the holidays?

Funnovation Friday Finds 3

You can completely avoid being the one in the fugly holiday sweater with today's FFF. Just simply adorn yourself with the accessories of warmth as jewelry with the help of Etsy shop blockpartypress! Hey, there's even FREE shipping til the New Year!

I really like all of the items from blockpartypress

Not having to deface a tree
in the name of love can be achieved!

There's even more where that came from, so check it out!

Funnovation Friday Finds 2

That's right, today is FFF! Today's Etsy shop is The Monkey Cannon. I saw this shop on my search for quirky-cute things. They sell 100% handmade beard and mustache hats for boys and men. They are made out of soft yarn. Perfect gift for the father and son duo or even include a Grandpa with a sense of humor to the fun! Or at least have fun mimicking Grandpa!

The Professor

The Full Beard

The Monkey Cannon uses this quote, "He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man." -William Shakespeare

Dreaming of a White Christmas

It just so happened to snow for a little bit here after I made this treasury list five days ago. Though, it wasn't the type of snow that sticks around. In fact, it was barely noticeable unless you watched the weather report on the news early in the morning then you would've just missed it. You would've just woke up and thought the street was wet because of rain. Yesterday it left that ashy residue on cars. In Saint Louis,MO, we don't typically get real heavy duty snow until it's already in the month February. I think it was last year the very first day of snow was right on Valentine's Day. I like the look of snow. Not so fond on the functionality of it. Like I think it was the year before last year that we had a huge snowstorm. There was a HUGE power outage for a good chunk of the winter in St. Louis. Ice was underneath knees height snow, then it snowed again on top of that for a week straight. The weight of it all made trees snap on power lines. The power was out in my home for almost five weeks! Then when summer rolled around the same thing happened again. Everyone went all crazy on the hunt for ice and regenerators! I think the state even sent out the National Guards for the innercity [SMH]. At least during the winter it was cold enough to just take the food (including milk) from the fridge out into coolers in the shed. Yes, it did stay fresh. That's how freezing it was! Not looking forward to freezing and having snow related issues. However, I think this etsy treasury list is very soft and gives the fuzzy nostalgic feeling of seeing the first heavy duty snow of the season!

Can't view board? CLICK HERE.

Peppermint Land

This is by far, the most viewed and commented on Etsy Treasury List I've ever curated! I actually helped get some items sold too! Enjoy this festive holiday-spirited list as much as I have!



If you can't view board, CLICK HERE.

Funnovation Friday Find(s)

Today is the start of what I call Funnovation Friday Find(s). I don't usually do the cutesy titles for certain days of the week thing, but here you have it (for right now)! This is when I will be posting fun items I find from Etsy shops. It could be one or more items from a shop being showcased. Could be items for kids or right down to a pet, basically, for anyone.

Today's Etsy shop is Oh Dier. This shop makes wood signs, wooden toys and photo prints. Each item is lovingly made by hand.

Here's what I love:



Camera Bots! These robots are made from reclaimed oak.
If you don't have any kids
 this will still be great as home decor.

Yo Gabba Gabba and Money Mark - Robo Dancing
Yo Gabba Gabba and Datarock - Smile for the Camera

Sweater Queens and Kings

Etsy shop NanLawson

Day 1 of December!

With the first of December comes the countdown to Christmas!

Calling All Hopeless Romantics: Twilight

The latest installment of the Twilight Saga has a really lovely style, then again, there was a wedding to be had! There was a huge build-up over the top secret wedding dress. 

The official replica of Bella Swan's gown.

The official replica gown is designed by Alfred Angelo. He has worked exclusively with Summit Entertainment since May to get the gown out in time for the premiere. Dresses were available since Monday at Alfred Angelo stores nationwide, priced at $799. The onscreen dress is designed by Carolina Herrera. She will be selling her dresses at the CHNY boutique starting next year. I like this gown, but I would add more pizazz to it somewhere. It is however, very much a gown for Bella, simple, very innocent, and sweet with lace.

One thing I can say is that each soundtrack does a great job in capturing the overall essence of each movie, but with just a few odd ball fill-ins thrown into the mix.

Tracks I adore on The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Pt. 1 [Original Soundtrack] are:
(in the order of CD)

1. Endtapes - Joy Formidable
2. Love Will Take You - Angus & Julia Stone
4. Turning Page
6. A Thousand Years - Christina Perri
10. Northern Lights - Cider Sky
11. Flightless Bird, American Mouth (Wedding Version) - Iron & Wine

Iron & Wine's track ties Edward and Bella's dance at prom and their wedding together. I think when you actually listen to the lyrics instead of just the melody they're quite strange. So Turning Page is my absolute favorite, (not by default) just can't get enough of it. The lyrics fit the melody so well. It just oozes honey! Needless to say, hopefully some day this will be part of my own wedding playlist.

Turning Page  

 Performed by Sleeping at Last

Written by: Ryan O'Neal (of Sleeping At Last)

I've waited a hundred years

But I'd wait a million more for you

Nothing prepared me for

What the privilege of being yours would do

If I had only felt the warmth within your touch

If I had only seen how you smile when you blush

Or how you curl your lip when you concentrate enough

I would have known what I was living for all along.

What I've been living for

Your love is my turning page

Where only the sweetest words remain

Every kiss is a cursive line

Every touch is a redefining phrase

I surrender who I've been for who you are

For nothing makes me stronger than your fragile heart

If I had only felt how it feels to be yours

Well, I would have known what I've been living for all along

What I've been living for

Though we're tethered to the story we must tell

When I saw you, well, I knew we'd tell it well

With a whisper we will tame the vicious seas

Like a feather bringing kingdoms to their knees

Etsy shop CarolinePhotographie

Hostess With the Mostess!

It seems like everyone has completely forgotten about Thanksgiving Day and intentionally skipped to Christmas (including me) since the day after Halloween. Actually I was so ready for the Christmas holiday season in mid October! Weirdly enough, the only holiday I can fully enjoy is Halloween. The rest of the cold weather holidays kinda suck on the actual day of because it requires a loved one (besides your own nana, mom, kid) or spending major money. But by the time you get to the actual day of Halloween you feel like you've already celebrated it early from all of the build up. Especially with all of the outdoor activities you can do in the beginning of autumn. Just so we don't completely throw away this upcoming holiday, I've curated a Thanksgiving Day hostess Shopping Guide!

Hold On To Your Pumpkins Folks!

Got pumpkin leftovers? Just because Halloween is over doesn't mean you have to waste a perfectly good pumpkin. But, how do you use the leftovers from your pumpkin? I found this great website! It has 23 different ways to use up the last bits of your pumpkins, recipes included!

You know me, I had to throw in some awesome Etsy finds.

Roasted pumpkin seed spices, Etsy shop GustoSpice.

You can also use popcorn seasonings,
Etsy shop cookoutsidethebox.

Spa pumpkin face mask, Etsy shop CrowleyManor.

Pumpkin body scrub for a nice healthy glow,
and unclogged pores.
Etsy shop DressGreen.

And of course, there's a plethora of organic pumpkin bar soap available for our pleasure!

Additional Magic With A Cause

On Saturday, Rally Squirrel announced that he would like his recent fame and notoriety to stand for something. Naturally his first choice is for kids. Anheuser Busch has covered all of the costs for manufacturing the Rally Squirrel Charity Apparel. Apparel include t-shirts for a $15 donation, hats for a $25 donation (complete with a Squirrel tail in the back), Rally Squirrel trading cards for any amount donation (green and silver recommended, copper not advised). It all goes to help kids at SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center. My own child has been to this particular hospital before. They hold the reputation of being the best care for children in the St. Louis region.

A twelve year old girl, Lauren Lee, is the spokesperson of Rally's charity. Lauren is a survivor of  Hodgkin's lymphoma, her life was saved at SSM Cardinal Glennon. She and Rally held a conference yesterday to announce their intentions and sell merchandise. You know what happened after that? Cardinals won game two against the Brewers (just sayin' LOL)! Just to reiterate, all proceeds will go towards the Cardinal Glennon kids.

Merchandise available today! Call: 314.577.5605 for more information.

T-Shirt

Trading card

Merchandise available at these locations:

Anheuser-Busch Tour Center
One Busch Place
Sportsprint
6197 Bermuda Road
Ferguson, MO 63135
Sportsprint
211 S. Main
O'Fallon, MO 63366
Syberg's
2430 Old Dorsett Road
Maryland Heights, MO 63043
Syberg's
7802 Gravois Road
St. Louis, Mo 63123
Syberg's
2211 Market
St. Louis, MO 63103
Syberg's
17392 Chesterfield Airport Road
Chesterfield, MO 63005
Helen Fitzgerald's
3650 S. Lindbergh
St. Louis, MO 63127

.....

Buffalo Wild Wings
(the following locations)

Wentzville
1285 West Pearce Blvd
Wentzville, MO 63385
St. Charles
1465 Bass Pro Dr
St. Charles, MO 63301
Brentwood
1210 Strassner Dr
Brentwood, MO 63144
Edwardsville
249 Harvard Dr
Edwardsville, IL 62025
Ballwin
15240 Manchester Rd
Ballwin, MO 63021

For The Love of The Game

Joining Circles!

Yipee! I love that scene. That's how I feel about my approval to 20 Something Bloggers (20SB). Sorry if I'm over zealous LOL. I've been wanting and waiting to join for a very long time! Now it finally became a reality I can mark off of the lifetime list. I can't wait to connect to even more people. I enjoy reading and commenting on new blogs, and hopefully will be discovered as well. What I've been up to for the past few days? Mingling in the blogosphere! I've also had a field day at Etsy. Like everyone else, I've figured out that once you've checked out Etsy, you'll be back for more. Two words: automatically hooked! I have been a member of Etsy for a while, but really haven't put it to use until this year. You remember that day I had the super caffeine energy? There was a marathon of treasury lists and joining circles going on. LOL "joining circles" sounds like a hippies type of thing or cult doesn't it? Nothing wrong with social networking for the greater good though.

Some of my Etsy Treasury Lists from that hyper day include:

Deer, I wood never leaf you?

After 500 Days of Summer, Finally Heres Autumn!

You are BEARY good to me!

BEEware


Hope you enjoy!

Feelings And Caffeine = Insomniac Mess

Le Cafe tote bag at Etsy Shop Apseed

Apparently, strong emotions and drinking coffee doesn't mix well with me! I'm already an night owl and I finally went to sleep around 1AM, until my body decided to still wake up right before 3:30AM. It was clear that I wasn't going back to sleep no matter how hard I tried to fake sleep my way back into dreamland. I did what any normal person would do, go fix themself a warm drink. It just happened to be coffee. Well, okay, it wasn't a coincidence that the drink was coffee because I love it! I'm an admitted coffee fiend. 

I hadn't had a strong cup in a really long time either. By the time it was 6:45AM I was like this:

Photo of band: Mutemath - Blood Pressure (video)

Even though I felt like this at the same time:

I kind of wanted to do this to someone in particular :

Or even do this:

(Sigh) I need some serious tension release. Looks like I have no other choice but to rock out!

Christina Aguilera - Candyman

The fashion in this Christina Aguilera video is that of a young 1940's USO woman!

Rationing of fabrics made women focus on their looks even more. The goal: to still look and feel gloriously feminine and beautiful. The good news is that we all can recreate this style today!

Besame Cosmetics is a must-have for achieving your 1940's look, especially, for in the boudoir! I first discovered this company from a very helpful website. They have the best victory red lipstick, which is a true classic red. It comes in a velvet cover-slip!  There are more brands out there cheaper and readily available at any local drugstore, of course, it won't come in fancy vintage packaging.



Model: Bernie Dexter
This is in her actual boudoir!

Eyebrows were shaped natural, but stray hairs were tweezed to have clean arches. Like in today's fashion world, false lashes and mascara were used. Eyeshadow was more of nude and grey hues. Nails were worn short to mid-length.

Actress, singer, dancer, Betty Grable,
the famous pin-up girl of the 1940's.

Hair, very important. The 1940's hairstyles are ultra glamorous and more importantly timeless!

Women sporting their "Victory Rolls" at the beach.

One of the carefully crafted hairstyles of the forties is the "Victory Roll" aka the "Side Reverse Roll", named after a combat air maneuver. To set hair women used either rollers or pinned curls at night, and then slept on them to produce curls in the morning. When the rollers or pins came out, hair was given a minimum of brushing, not to remove the curls but make them softer towards the ends. Hair near the crown was sectioned on each side and pinned up, off the face.

How-to Video:

Back seam hosiery was more likely to be in rayon fabric, since real silk went toward use in parachutes for troops.

Etsy Shop Sissales

There are different types of dresses, as well as hats, for different occasions in this era.

Popular shoes were wedges and round toe pumps.

Etsy Shop vintagediva60

Together we can encompass the classy romance of yesteryear!

Playlist: Destination Hawaii

Etsy Shop beyonddesign

1. Animal Collective - Daily Routine
2. Friendly Fires - Hawaiian Air
3. Vampire Weekend - Diplomat's Son
4. Local Natives - Wide Eyes
5. Tune-Yards - Bizness
6. GIVERS - Up Up Up
7. Cults - You Know What I Mean
8. Vampire Weekend - Oxford Comma
9. Fool's Gold - The Dive
10. Mister Heavenly - Pineapple Girl
11. Fleets Foxes - Lorelai
12. Radiohead - House of Cards
13. Animal Collective - Bluish



Etsy Shop LetterParade



Etsy Shop LianeMarguerite

In my opinion it's kind of a difference between island style music, beachy surfer music, and dreamy sleeper tunes.



ALL ABOARD! Pt. 2

Here's another vintage train case of my own. I've attained this one when I was 15 years old. It's still in perfect condition!

Where you're sure to find some vintage train cases or whatever type of case that delights your heart:

Bowling case Etsy shop jetsetvintage

Vintage train case painted by judythejazzcat

Jewelry music box Etsy shop vintagebyalexkeller

60's Hat box Etsy shop robinseggbleunest

Diana Ross & The Supremes

Two more shops I love, but are on break right now: GetReadySetGO and bluebernice

ALL ABOARD!



My Grandmother


When my Grandmother gifted to me a pink train case with light blue interior at the age of nine, the admiration and obsession of vintage train cases began! I would use it as a bed for baby dolls or put my sewing materials into the case. Yes, at age nine I was already sewing and making doll clothes with my older cousin. My Grandmother also gave my cousin a train case at the same time, which was the same burnt orange color as the She & Him album cover art (Volume Two album) with a blue interior. Til this day I still have the first one I ever had. However, now it just carries an Besame Cosmetics catalougue and a picture of my daughter.

It has old water marks now. In used condition.

From band She & Him album Volume Two.
 I love this album cover art and the album
has that great vintage sound! Available on vinyl also.

De-Tec-Tip

Around these parts we love monkey's, but we really love one in particular, SOCK MONKEY! The Nelson Knitting Mills of Rockford, Illinois, produced the first red heel socks. Crafters were turning the "De-Tec-Tip" socks into stuffed animals. In 1951, the company started putting sock monkey instructions with each pair of socks sold. The Fox River Mills, in Osage, Iowa, took over the Nelson Knitting Mills in 1992. However, they continued the tradition by enclosing instructions for sock elephants. Fox Rivers best seller to date are still the Rockford Red Heels. There's an array of animals, facial expressions, colors and sizes to choose from when making your own creation!


The best sock monkeys I've seen so far are from Etsy sellers, of course!

Etsy shop TerraceHill ,
which also sell vintage inspired aprons!

Personalized tattoo for sock monkey
Etsy shop sewwoman