Friday's Showcase: ...Since '86

Today's Showcase: ... Since '86
Name: Courtney
Blog: ...Since '86
Twitter: @courtkett

Courtney is my newest blogging friend, I love how personal her blog is...


Hi Readers! I am so happy to be here on Niki’s blog today and for the opportunity to share a little more about myself and my little blog.  Niki and I connected through Twitter and when she announced she wanted to have guest bloggers I jumped at the chance.

Anyways, my name is Courtney and I write ‘since 86 a lifestyle blog that includes fun times with friends, new recipes, and sights around my city, San Francisco.  I started blogging over a year ago as a way to stay in touch with friends but also as an online journal for me to look back on in years to come.  Blogging is such an interesting world and I am thankful to have met {in cyberspace} some really cool and gifted bloggers.
For this guest post I wanted to share a little snippet of my blog and the recent happenings.  Below are some of my current most favorite things:

Delicious Breakfasts at a corner café

Friends at dinner

Beautiful new dishes since I just moved

View of the City

Thank you to Niki for letting me post! I hope to see some of you at ‘since 86 soon.  And of course, I’d love to check out your blogs too.  Link me.

Thursday's Showcase: Penny Pincher Fashionista

Today's Showcase: Penny Pincher Fashionista
Name: Kimberly
Blog: Penny Pincher Fashionista
Twitter: PPFGirl 

I wish I could find bargains like Kimberly, go visit her blog for more fab, fashionable finds...

The Classic Pencil Skirt

Similar to my blazer addiction (discussed here), I have a new-found affinity for the pencil skirt.  There is something about this straight, narrow cut that makes me feel sophisticated and instantly pulled together.  And they are so flattering - it can create an hourglass shape for boyish figures or enhance curves for those who were blessed with them.

   

Remember with this tailored of a silhouette, fit is extremely important.  So, if it doesn't work right off the rack, consider having it altered for a custom-made look.  Length can also vary, but I prefer one that hits right at the knee or just slightly above.  Some examples:

The best part is they will NEVER go out of style.  And even on days when I'd rather stay in loose-fitting frocks, putting on a pencil skirt always makes me feel better and helps me appreciate the curves I was given!  Some budget-friendly options:

Dorothy Perkins Brick Belted Pencil Skirt - £28.00
H&M Belted Pencil Skirt - $24.95
AB Studio Shirred Pencil Skirt - $29.99

Wednesday's Showcase: Hazel and Mare

Today's Showcase: Hazel and Mare

Name: Katie Naugle

Blog: Hazel and Mare
Twitter: @HazelandMare

Thanks for your post Katie, I love this girls quirky style...


Hi everyone!

I know that Niki is from England, which I think is one of the coolest and most interesting countries in the world! When I was little I thought everyone in England lived in a castle. I was sort of mad at our American forefathers for taking us away from a land where could all live in castles and wear beautiful princess dresses. I didn’t pay very good attention in history classes, obviously. I have since been to London a few times, and I can see that I was a little off-track, but I still love its vibrancy, pizzazz, and razzle-dazzle.

On my blog, I write little daily poems about the strange, wacky, and adorable things in life. So, as I’m guest posting on the blog of my favorite little English crumpet, I felt it would be appropriate to write a few haikus about some of my favorite places in London to visit. If you haven’t been, you should jump on a plane right this second! Some of your favorite people are from there: Sherlock Holmes, Harry Potter, and Paddington Bear. They also have delicious tea. And beer.

The Tate Modern Art Museum: my favorite thing to do here is to analyze the works of art and try to figure out when the artist was trying to say with each piece. This is much easier with modern art than with, say, royal portraits. In those, you can pretty much just assume he is some sort of nobleman and enjoys fox-hunting.

A lone water cup
is social commentary
or maybe garbage

Notting Hill: This is a really cute neighborhood, with cute houses, and cute people walking cute dogs. It’s all-around cuteness here, folks. I can see why they made a movie about Notting Hill. If I were in that movie, I’d say to Hugh Grant, “I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to buy her a house in Notting Hill”.

Went for one reason
I wanted to see Hugh Grant
I guess he was out

Camden Market: This is the type of place where you can go to buy great unusual souvenirs for your friends back home, like handmade yarn spun from a dog’s fur, some vintage postcards from Soviet Russia, or bicycle helmet painted with the houses of Parliament.

Weird, cool stuff to buy
I almost got my nose pierced
Saw cat on a leash

Tate Modern Art Museum Photo via: http://www.senseslost.com/
Notting Hill Photo via: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/
Camden Market Photo via: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ 

Tuesday's Showcase: The Outfit Diaries

Today's Showcase: The Outfit Diaries
Name: Cecilia Oviedo
Blog: The Outfit Diaries
Twitter: @CessOviedo

Thanks for this amazing crafty post Cess, no one can deny this ladies talent...

Hi there! This is Cess from The Outfit diaries and I was asked by Niki to be a guest on her lovely blog today! I'm bringing you one of my latest and probably favorite diy project of mine, I made this leopard and leather clutch for my birthday party last month, and it was a total hit, everyone was asking me about it, and girls on my blog loved it too, so are you ready? ... You'll need:

You can find these materials at fabric stores, you can usea leather or vinyl and it can be easily find at furniture or decoration stores.

Cut both the leather and satin fabric that will work as the inside of the clutch, fold it right in the middle and sew, if you don't have a sewing machine you can stitch it carefully.

Once you've cut the leopard and the satin to the size, sew together from the inside, then turn it around and sew to the back part of the clutch.

The velcro can be glued or sew, just make sure is perfectly placed so it won't come off, for the tassel use pliers to make a little hole on the bag and then attach it right in the middle.

and voila, you have your brand new and hot clutch! ;)

Monday's Showcase: Simply Harmony

Today's Showcase: Simply Harmony

Name: Harmony Mcguire

Blog: Simply Harmony

Twitter: @SimplyHarmony

Harmony is so inspiring, reading her blog makes you feel great...

I love journals, I absolutely do. When I was a teenager I would write in my little key lock diary all the time. It was a place where I felt comfortable sharing all of my secrets - anything from the tragic girly girl stuff to every little lovely thing that inspired me to dream.

Sadly, the habit of keeping up a journal fell by the wayside for several years and didn't get picked up again until I was in my very early twenties only to fall by the wayside once more just to repeat the sad little cycle year after year.

As a young woman moving through my 20s, journal writing often came in second to my fast-paced and busy lifestyle. I've often regretted that those years were sporadically documented.

Now as a newlywed in my 30s, I am falling back in love with the idea of journal writing. And to help me stay inspired, I recently started collecting photos of beautiful journals that I would find online and tucking them away in a folder on my computer. Here are a few of my favorites that keep me writing. Don't you just love them?

Oh pretty nails

I found these nail art images on macy_love's Polyvore page - and I love them all! I do have quite a delicate hand although I don't think I would be able to create anything like these on my own nails.

They make me want to grab all my girl friends, have a sleepover, and paint each others nails pretty all night long!

My favourites are the bumble bee ones, they're just too cute. What are your favourites?

Flower kissing balls

Look at these GORGEOUS decorations for parties, weddings or even your home.

With a few basic tools you can make these fairly easily - I absolutely adore them and will definitely be trying my hand at them soon!

All you will need:

- 4" white styrofoam ball

- 90-100 pearl tipped corsage pins

- 2 sheets of scrapbook paper

- flower shaped cutter/punch

Follow this link to find the tutorial which I sourced these images from! Happy crafting.

Giving World Online

Before the job I have now, I worked volunteering with a charity called 'Giving World Online' who specialise in linking businesses surplus stock to people in need. Not only does this benefit the individuals receiving the goods, and the businesses freeing up space, it is also environmentally friendly and saves 'waste' from piling up in landfill.

The image at the top is of GWO's 10th anniversary publication which I project managed and put together. It is something I am incredibly proud of and a lot of time, hard work, and effort went in to organising this by the whole GWO team.

They have had so much success of late, they have now even got an advert airing on The Discovery Channel!

Please find out more by visiting the link I have provided, and if you think you can help then get in touch!

Cupcake in a jar

My best friend last year treated me to a day at the Britain's Next Top Model show for my birthday, and they had the most wonderful stalls full of makeup, clothing, and sweet treats. 3 other of my friends have birthdays around the same time as mine, and I had been searching for a little something extra to give them whilst at the show...

...that's when I discovered GDesserts Cupcakes in a Jar!

What a perfect gift, so cute and I would expect delicious (the reason I only 'expect' them to be delicious is because my friends liked them so much they didn't want to eat them - they are still displaying on thier shelves. This is now nearly a year ago... Eww!)

How great would these be as favours for a wedding?! If you're interested click on the link and explore the wonders of; Cupcakes in a Jar.



Easy DIY bracelets

I love to stack bracelets on my wrist, especially fabric ones when I'm on holiday - mainly because you can even swim with them on!

I will certainly be creating my own before my holiday this year! How simple is this step by step picture guide? I think it is pretty self explanatory but if you require instructions you can find them here.

Happy crafting!

Showcase Week - Starts on Monday

Next week is 'Showcase Week' where each day I will get a different blogger friend to guest post and showcase what they do, whether this be blogging, designing, selling handmade goods, or just being pretty darn cool!

If you would like to be a part of this and showcase what you do best on my blog please leave me a comment below; I'm sure I can squeeze you in somewhere!

The image of this beautifully showcased butterfly collection can be found here!

Neat!

I found a new favourite blog to follow today - Things Organized Neatly. It is a collection of images and photographs from around the world where the subject matter has been ordered neatly. What an imaginative idea and a wonderful collection of images.

If you visit the blog you can find reference to where each of these images, the stories behind some of them are great! For instance; the photograph with the chair in the centre was an advertising agencies way of expressing the personality of the furniture!