Going live with some antlers...

Here it is finally. I've open up shop (again) with some antlers this time and as of now, I've got 6 to sell. For those of you wondering, these are naturally shed. No harm was done to the owners of these beautiful antlers. Hope you guys like them.



Here are a few of them with the back detail.

Creating Antlers....

More than a year ago, I bought a naturally shed antler. I had this idea that I was going to be making it into a jewelry stand or somehow attach it to the wall and be able to hang my necklaces from it. I had seen some on different websites and had pinned some on Pinterest as home decor. I loved the idea, but then it just laid there for a little while.

Once I finished working on the horsehair tassels, I started thinking that maybe I should just try and thread the antler that I had and just use it as a decoration since it was already sitting there on my table. When I was done with the threading, I thought I should hang it but I kept wondering if it was still missing something. That's when I came up with the idea of gilding it and I knew then that once I was done with the gilding, it would be complete. This was the final product. 

Antlers, the mighty thread and some amazing news..

Almost a year ago, I bought an antler at the Long Beach Flea Market with an idea in mind and unfortunately for it, it sat alone for a long big while...until I ended up threading it. Also almost a year ago, I bought horse hair and threaded my first tassel and ended up making some for friends. I got amazing comments on them and people asked me non-stop where I got mine or asked how I had done it. I let it be and never really did anything else with them until...

A while later, when I received a request from a store asking me if I would be willing to make some horse hair tassels for them. Today, I am happy to say that almost a year after the first one, this amazing store in San Diego decided to place an order for the horse hair tassels and now carries a few at both of their locations. Love and Aesthetics, thank you. 

Film...

A long long time ago, I took film pictures. I had two cameras that I use to carry with me everywhere. My Nikon and my Yashica, a 35mm and the other a medium format. I've added a few more film cameras through out the years; a Holga 120CFN that can take medium and 35mm film and a Lomography La Sardinia 35mm film. In the years that I've had my cameras, my daughters have taken over my toy cameras and I'm fine with that but the Nikon and the Yashica are my proud possession. I will never get rid of them and to this day, I still keep film in my fridge just in case. About two weeks ago, the Yashica came out to play and it made me so happy but it also scared me as I didn't know if the pictures I was taking would be any good. Film doesn't give you the same satisfaction as digital does where you see the result right away. With film, you have to send it away to get processed and hope for the best. Here's what came out of that film...part of it.

Lately...

These outfits have been happening...

A few of my favorite things...

I got a pair of black denim and for some reason I am having a really hard time wearing them. When I was younger, black was all I wore. Now I only wear it very sporadically and will always think twice before putting an outfit together with black. Strange isn't it? I asked a friend what she wears with her black denim and her answer was "everything but orange". Man, I wish I thought it was that easy.

AG Jeans are mostly what I wear. No matter how hard I tried to veer off them, I am always drawn back to the brand. I believe the quality is outstanding, the fit amazing and love that they are made in the USA, specifically in South Gate. That is a major plus for me. Although I have a pair of Citizens of Humanity who are becoming a staple in my denim rotation. The Avedon by CoH is hands down one of the best skinnies out there. I put my jeans through the ringer when it comes to washing them and they have held their own and kept their shape. Good job CoH! And my trustee Sam Edelman Petty boots. They are the most comfortable pair of boots I own (which I do in a few different colors). Especially for working on my feet all day long and not being able to wear sneakers.

Oh and yes, I do shop at Forever 21 from time to time. I have found a few gems in there that have not fallen into pieces like some of their counterparts that have cost me so much more..! Don't get me wrong, you have to be in the right set of mind to go in there and definitely not on a Saturday where the madness is at it's top peak. I always look for good stitching and proportions and can always leave with things that end up in my clothes for a good while.

Hope everyone is having a good week so far!

A.

A new kind of boyfriend jean....the drop crotch

Loving these right now...

Yep, I wore them for a week straight...this was taken at the end of the week.

Hat // The Hundreds

T-Shirt // Believe it or not but it's Forever 21

Jeans // Diesel but in a different wash

Boots // Rachel Comey

A skirt...two ways...

I love a great skirt. I love it even more when I know I'll be able to wear it more than one way. This must be my new favorite.

 With sneakers and a tee...

Or a denim shirt, some cute sandals and a fedora. PS...that's my bag...!! Not bad right?

Hope everyone is having a good Saturday!

T-Shirt // Free People

Sneakers // New Balance

Denim Shirt // Similar here

Hat // Similar here

Sandals // Some still available here

Skirt //Anthropologie

Lately working on...

School is out and it's been busy...But I finally got around to working on these little things I had lying around the house.

An antler I got at the Long Beach Flea Market. The threading is all done and now I have to decide if I'm going to mount it as a wall mount, a ring holder or hanging on leather string. Decisions, decisions...

A leather bag I finished a while bag ago. I just now finished it with a horsehair tassel and I have to say, this might be my favorite bag so far. The leather is so fantastic...! And I made it with a flat bottom which makes is somewhat easier to carry.

 Hope everyone is having a good Friday!

A.

Horse Hair Tassels...

A while back ago I saw a Baggu bag. Now this was not just any Baggu bag but a collaboration bag...with Fredericks and Mae. What came of that collaboration was these. I loved the bag but I really fell for the tassel. So much so that I set to find out what else they had and ended up here. The website is sublime and what they sell is amazing but oh so off my price point. Then I started thinking...maybe I could try and make some of those tassels for myself. I searched all over the internet for a place that would sell horse hair. I emailed some friends that are super crafty asking them if they knew where I could find horse hair and I even called my landlord who lives in an area that is surrounded by horses. Everybody gave me numbers to call and so I did but to no avail. Nobody was selling horse hair. I was bummed but figured somebody surely was selling some somewhere. I researched the internet a little bit more and found a link to a Martha Stewart DIY post regarding a horsehair tassel. Now this was not the kind of tassel I was looking to make but with the post came a link to where to buy horsehair and I happily clicked. I had finally found my horse hair which I happily bought. I made my first horse hair tassel and it looked ok but not amazing like I had dream of it being. So I put away everything and just kind of forgot about it until I showed the tassel to a friend at work two weeks ago. She told me it was nice and that she would buy one from me if I ever made more. Funny how things happen. I ended up picking back up my horse hair and trying to figure out how to make them look amazing. I even dyed one of them and in the process ended up with red fingers for a week. Since then I've had three friends ask me to make them one and I've happily obliged.

These are the ones I've made so far.

Making bags...

Here is the latest one to come out. Not sure on the name yet, so let's just called it The Splatter for now.

Look of the day..leather and boyfriend jeans

I don't think there's anything I wear more than jeans. They are my go to piece of clothing and I wear them with everything. Of course I've got my favorites but then again, who doesn't. This pair is probably my favorite. They are by AGJeans (similar here). I bought them years ago and absolutely love them. The holes are getting bigger and I'm thinking it will soon be time to consider getting them patched but for now, I'm ok with them. And my leather jacket. Man I love my leather jacket. I had been looking for one for years and never quite loved what I would fine. I just couldn't get myself to spend over $150 for a vegan one and just decided to keep looking. This one is from Zara (similar here) and I love that it fits like a glove. It's not over the top and I know I will be able to wear it for years to come which is what you want when you end up spending over a certain amount for it.

Hope everyone had a good Sunday.

A.

Oversized Leather Clutch

Another clutch done for The Shop. This is the Oversized Leather Clutch. It's made out of beautiful lambskin and lined with a natural color muslin. You can find it in The Shop ready to be scooped up by one lucky person.

Introducing...the Oversized Canvas Clutch

It's here! It's here! I've finally finished it. The Oversized Canvas Clutch is now available in The Shop.

In the shop.

I've started my shop and I'll be adding more things in days to come but I thought I might start with these for now: large leather tassels. These measure 7", approx. 8" with the swivel lobster clasp and they are made of recycled leather. I've tried to use only the best leather I could find so these are pretty sweet if you ask me. You can find them in my shop .

 They come in brown, red, blue, light brown and black. I've got 1 available for each color as I've sold a few already. I'll be making more but right now this is what I have. I'm also working on making another bird print bag and a few in leather. We'll see how those come out....

Loving...right now.

As I was ordering something on Urban Outfitters' website a while back ago, I saw this soap and had to order it. The reviews from the website as well as other site were glowing so I figured I would give it a try. As I was going through my blogs on Sunday, saw this on Garance Doré's website and thought that it was funny how things happen. Loving it. Packaging and all...

Sea Salt Soap // Urban Outfitters

Parenting can be hard...

I was told a very long time ago that I would never have children. That my best chance would be to have a surrogate because I had a one in a million chance of ever having children. Three years later, Maxine happened and five years after her, Sofia. I am a very lucky person. Those two are the light of my life...and the grey in my hair.

Nobody ever told me that parenting would be hard. That there would be up's, down's and in between's. That I would have to make decisions on the fly. That once they would start school, I would be starting school all over again, including homework. That sometimes I would have to fight for them because they are still too young to fight their own battles. That they could give me the best hugs ever. That when they would say "I love you," it would be the sweetest thing I would ever hear. That their kisses would be as sweet as they are. That a cuddle is really nice when you've had a bad day. That sometimes hearing "mommy" for the millionth time would make me want to run. Parenting is hard...hard for the mind, the body and every other way. Some parents drink a glass of wine (or two) at night to take the edge off. Some eat chocolates (me) and some, well some might just go to the gym a lot!

I wish I would have been told all of these things before hand or at least given a hint. Then I tell myself maybe the bad days would be easier to deal with but I'm not sure if I would have listened if someone would have taken the time to tell me everything. I've had a bad day and yes they happen. I get frustrated and in turn get frustrated with them. Hence I'm here writing about it. Being a parent is hard and it's ok. All the up's will make up for the down's and in between's. I just hope that at the end of the day, those two little girls will still love me and want to spend time with me when they are older and hopefully wiser than I will ever be.

Sometimes it's just hard to say no to a good deal...

Even though I work in retail, I always try not to buy things that are too trendy. Don't get me wrong, I love trendy things but most of the time I really don't think they are worth buying or more to the point paying full price for them. I usually always steer towards classic pieces that will last me a long time and not look last season. I am a huge believer in investing in a good, if not a few, pairs of jeans. And sometimes, you just end up finding a good deal in the sale rack and just can't say no even though you know it's a trendy piece. A very trendy piece that your husband will surely not approve. Like these jeans....

These are from Citizen of Humanity. The fit is amazing: skinny almost jegging type and low waisted. I don't know if they will be on the regular rotation jean pile but I think they might get close to it. 

T-Shirt // Free People

Chambray Shirt // Anthropologie

Boots // Rachel Comey

Overalls

Overalls: n. protective trousers, dungarees, usually with a bib, worn by workmen, etc. 

Now I am no workmen and these are not protective trousers but they do have a bib and are dungarees. For the longest time, I have had a love/hate relation with overalls. I love them but can't seem to find any that actually fit the way I would love them to fit or love the fit but can't get my head around to buy something ridiculously expensive. Well, I think my search is finally over. But then again I might be wrong but maybe just maybe this time I'm not. I'm trying to decide whether these are a keeper or not. I love them but I also wish they would fit a little tighter. The quality is fantastic. If anything, I will only change the size for a smaller one but overall...I am in love.

Revised...What to do when the husband doesn't like them?..

Free People Washed Denim Overall Brady Wash

Terranea Trails and The Huntington Library

The hiking trails next to the Terranea Resort are fantastic for kids. The terrain is easy for them to walk/run and they have markers along the way letting you know about the vegetation, wildlife and history. Maxine didn't want to go at first because she thought it was going to be really hard but she ended up loving it. They also have a tidal pool and although the tide was too high by the time we made it down, she still managed to run around with Sofia as they let dogs go down and there is a huge patch of sand. I can't say enough about how much the girls loved it.

The Huntington Library. What can I say but wow. This was our second time and our first with Sofia. I forced Kurt to bring the runner for her because I thought it might be too much walking and I was right. She was walking and running when she fell like it but going uphill was easier for her sitting down. The same can not be said about the rest of us and we were tired after 3 hours of walking. And we didn't get to see everything! They have a cafe which made it easy for us since I didn't want to carry to many things with us. It has such an amazing history and so much to see that it makes it worth the price. We will definitely have to go back again by the end of this year.

We finished the three day weekend by eating fried chicken and waffles at Roscoe's. Good fun, good food. 

Wreath making

I've wanted to make a wreath for a while now but have not really had the time to sit down to build one, until now. This is my Valentine's / Spring wreath. It's not what I had imagined but I think overall it came out better than expected. Keep reading more to find out how to make your own.