stuff i want... tree rings paintings

i have to share these amazing tree rings paintings from focus line art on etsy.  they come in sets of three, each one of a kind and painted on slices cut from dead red and white elm trees.  

i think they look fantastic as a large group for serious impact, or mixed in randomly with other art pieces for a unique arrangement.  they are super affordable too... definitely at the top of my "stuff i want" list!

xoxo,

lesley

fashion finds... going green

my latest fashion finds are up over at papernstitch... this time with an eco-friendly theme!  click here to check them out.

xoxo,

lesley

giveaway @ down and out chic!

christina of down and out chic is running a fantastic giveaway on her blog... which means that you could be the lucky winner of a sketchbook and a set of gift tags from my shop!  click here to find out how you can enter to win.

xoxo,

lesley

iconic.

i still can't believe michael jackson is dead.  it just doesn't seem possible.  "the king of pop" was, and always will be, iconic. 

even though the final years of his life were surrounded by controversy, no one can deny his incredible talent and innovation in music, dance, and performance.  michael was a true performer, one of those rare talents... he was just captivating when her performed, ever since he was a little kid in the jackson 5.

i've been watching the nonstop MJ music marathon on mtv and vh1 since late last night, and after seeing the "thriller" video for what must be the hundredth time, i'm still totally in love with it.  it will never, ever get old.  the song itself is amazing, the choreography is brilliant, and the video itself is totally epic. it also brings to mind so many great memories of my younger years... from crowding around the tv as a scared little kid watching it for the first time, to dressing up like a zombie and trying my best to pull off some of MJ's most famous moves for a high school dance performance.

the point is... even though he's gone, michael jackson will continue to live on in the minds, hearts, and memories of anyone who has ever heard his music... and that's pretty much everyone in the world :)  

we love you MJ, rest in peace.

xoxo,

lesley

ebay score

if you've been reading my guest posts at papernstitch blog, you may remember these amazing vintage shoes from the vintage lace finds.  they've sold out now, but at a size 6 and $75, they fit neither my shoe size nor my budget.  

so i went on a hunt for a similar pair, and amazingly, i was able to find the exact same style on ebay uk... in my size!  i ended up being the only bidder, and picked these babies up for under $15 - including shipping.  what a score!  ebay, i love you.

now, does anyone have any suggestions of what to wear them with?

xoxo,

lesley

flickr favorites... bird in the hand

how amazing is this wall of plates from lisa congdon of bird in the hand? i really, really need a dining room...

xoxo,
lesley

alexandre herchcovitch for band-aid

why, oh why didn't i hear about this last summer? 

i was looking for cute band-aids this weekend (don't ask...) and i came across this amazing collaboration between johnson & johnson and brazilian designer alexandre herchcovitch. his designer band-aids were sold in stores throughtout brazil and at manhattan and los angeles boutiques for $10 a box.

i'm am especially fond of the plaid and floral designs.  soooo much cuter than the standard issue "flesh" colored band-aid.  too bad they're long gone now, and not even available on ebay... sigh. i guess i'll just have to be happy with my hello kitty band-aids for now!

xoxo,
lesley

fashion finds... nautical theme

it's that time again... my weekly fashion finds are up over at papernstitch blog.  this week's finds were inspired by a nautical theme.

xoxo,

lesley

charlotte gainsbourg photos

i have no idea where these photos came from, but i love them so much i just had to share them.  charlotte is one of my favorite actresses and singers, and a huge style icon of mine.  these photos, particularly the second one, also remind me of one of my absolute favorite etsy photographers, the amazing erin tyner.

xoxo,

lesley

what i'm listening to... "spit it out" remix

i've heard a lot of hype about this song, but this is the first time i've head the full version... it's a remix of iamx's song "spit it out" by the lovely imogen heap.  i love the original (i even had it as my ringtone for a while!), but imogen worked her magic and the remix is really something special.

happy weekend everyone!

xoxo,

lesley

inspired by... marquis & camus

you might remember this post from a couple months ago about the amazing jewelry of marquis & camus.  i haven't been able to stop thinking about the gorgeous pieces, but they aren't exactly in my price range (even though many of the pieces are marked down 30% - 50%)... so i decided to DIY it!  

as many of you probably already know, i used to create and sell jewelry made from vintage components... so i had tons of little bits of chain in different sizes and colors to work with.  i started with a length of heavy silver chain, then knotted and twisted a bunch of different chains into it for a freeform, layered look.  

i love the way it turned out, and i think it will complement both the romantic/victorian and punk/grunge looks i've been into lately.  what do you think?  i'd love to hear your opinions in the comments section!

xoxo,

lesley

colour lovers... here comes the sun

i haven't gotten around to doing another colour lovers feature since i first came up with the idea... but i was so inspired by this palette that i just couldn't help myself!  the palette is called here comes the sun, and i think everything about it just screams summer.  

here's my interpretation: a bright, sunny outfit with vintage-inspired details... perfect for a lazy summer day!

i love the floaty shape and unique pattern (and of course the colors!) of this silk top.  from anthropologie, $98.

a pair of stellar two-tone shoes pull the whole look together.  from mod cloth, $149.99

sunglasses are essential for any summer day... i'm loving this retro teal pair with gold accents.  from miss selfridge, about $20 (prices are in british pounds).

bright yellow shorts are so unexpected and fun!  from new york & company, $22.95.

little yellow earrings look like two miniature canaries dangling from your ears!  from anthropologie, $18.

throw on a simple shrug when the hot summer day turns into a breezy summer night.  from topshop (unfortunately, this exact style is no longer available).

show your style with a funky painted bracelet paired with a stack of gold bangles.  bracelet from wet seal, $7.  bangles from miss selfridge, about $8.

a stylish, neutral bag looks great without competing with the rest of the look.  from miss selfridge, on clearance for about $11.50.

xoxo,

lesley

polyvore

i'd heard a lot about polyvore (both positive and negative), but i'd never actually tried using it until recently.  while i'm not quite sure about all of the possibilities yet, it is definitely a fun tool for mixing and matching different images from the internet into "sets"... i think it is especially useful for making fashion inspiration boards.  check out the fun heart-shaped set i created yesterday!

xoxo,

lesley

my latest obsession... gilles nouailhac chairs

i am seriously in love with gilles nouailhac's amazing upholstered chairs.  they are handmade in france and are currently only available at a handful of showrooms in europe, but an online shop is opening soon (yay!).

i am imagining a dining room table surrounded by a bunch of mix and match pieces from his collection, or a couple of chairs clustered together in a sitting room or library... to die for!  if only i had more space in my apartment... and a bigger decorating budget...

xoxo,

lesley

fashion finds @ papernstitch... black & white

my latest fashion finds are up over at papernstitch... check them out here.

xoxo,

lesley

p.s. sorry i've been m.i.a. lately... things have been crazy around here! hopefully i'll be able to spend a lot more time blogging this week.

fashion finds @ papernstitch... ocean inspired

as the weather begins to heat up, cool down your wardrobe with calming hues of blue and green inspired by the colors of the ocean... check out my latest fashion finds over at papernstitch!

xoxo,

lesley

happy weekend!

{photo from ucb411 on flickr}

the weekend is finally here... yay! my husband and i are headed off to cincinnati for a friend's wedding. it's about a ten hour drive from here, but we're going to try to make it into a fun little road trip. anyone know of any interesting/silly attractions off the pennsylvania turnpike?

have a great weekend everyone... i'll be back on monday!

xoxo,
lesley

etsy finds... louche lab

i am seriously digging these hand painted ceramics from louche lab. the pretty animal and insect motifs and dreamy, watercolor-like colors are right up my alley. i'll take one of each, please!

xoxo,

lesley

flickr favorites... the cherry blossom girl

alix, also known as the cherry blossom girl, is my latest flickr inspiration.  she is a fashion designer with the most amazing style ever who lives in paris (which, as anyone who knows me will tell you is my favorite city in the world)... and she also happens to be an absolutely brilliant photographer.  every image in her photostream is just stunning, with soft lighting and gorgeous colors... i don't know how she does it!

jealous?  definitely.  but at least i can live vicariously through the lovely photographs she shares of her every day life, wardrobe, and travels.  don't miss the rest of alix's photostream here, and her blog (in french and english) here.

xoxo,

lesley

what i'm listening to... rabbit heart (raise it up) by florence + the machine

i am loving this new song from florence and the machine... such a unique sound that kind of combines qualities from some of my favorite musicians and styles.  a strong, smoky voice like adele, with electronic influences and haunting melodies reminiscent of imogen heap, a little bjork thrown in for good measure, and a quirky indie rock sound throughout.  have a listen!

xoxo,

lesley

fashion finds @ papernstitch... grunge revival

{photo from tiffyd via chictopia}

check out my latest finds over at papernstitch... this one was a lot of fun for me.  it's all about a style from my youth that's making a huge comeback... grunge!

i'm curious to know, since i've been seeing this trend everywhere lately... would you wear the grunge look?  how would you make this style your own?  which pieces do you think are cool and which are just too... well, grungy for you?

xoxo,

lesley