Deco Nails

1. ***, 2. ★Polka Dot Nails and Bows★, 3. ***, 4. Sweets Deco Parts / Fruit Tips For Decorating Cell Phone, Nails, Strap, Sweets Clay Crafts and etc

Getting my nails done is one of my favorite indulgences. I love the feel of acrylic nails (and the tapping sound they make when I type). I love experimenting with different colors, I'm sporting hot pink at the moment. Recently though I discovered that I was only scratching the surface of decorative nails. There are endless varieties of charms and patterns one can try from the demure and girly to the vibrant and outrageous. I would love to teach myself how to be more creative with my designs. I am not even close to being ambidextrous so this will be a challenge.

With this I've been up a little over 24-hours. My energy is renewed slightly as the end is so close. I hope you're all holding up alright during this last hour.

Song of the Half Hour: The Boys are Back - Zac Efron & Corbin Bleu

Charms

1. PINK and NANA VINTAGE FLORAL CHARM BRACELET BY STELLA., 2. Hanging charm - Cherry blossom4, 3. Juicy Couture ballet shoe charm, 4. Lucky Cat Cellphone Charm

I am a big fan of charms, especially in the form of charm bracelets. Keeping a charm bracelet is such a personal experience with each charm representing a special memory or person. I was given my charm bracelet as a combined gift from my grandmother and aunts and it is one of my most treasured possessions. I've received charms as gifts that will forever remind me of those special people. I've also collected charms representing trips I've taken and personal symbols that I hold dear. I'm looking forward to continuing to add to the bracelet throughout my life so I can pass it on to future generations. I was the one to inherit my great grandmother's and when I hold it I feel such a special connection to her and her life. I hope one day my descendants can say that about mine.

Do you have any special charm-related memories?

I spent the past half hour sitting on my bed singing along to the songs playing on the computer as my back has officially rebelled against this chair. Despite some physical signs of tiredness I'm surprisingly alert. Thank goodness for spellcheck though, I have completely lost the ability to spell even simple words. Two more hours, the end is in sight!

Song of the Half Hour: I'm Coming - Rain

Beading

1. 86 Vintage Summer Sorbet Lucite, Flower and Glass Bead Mix, 2. Czech Glass Beads: Pinks, 3. Tiny Beaded Birthday Party Cuppycakes, 4. bead table

Beading is something I've been interested in for years, but have only recently gotten around to trying. My love of beads comes from my mom. As a little girl I could spend hours sorting through her array of colors and shapes. I loved the tiny and colorful seed beads best. Now I collect beads wherever I can. The variety available is astounding as is the history and culture behind many of the styles. Right now I work predominantly with bracelets, but I'm working to learn more and expand my repertoire.

Including this post there are only nine to go, we're definitely getting there. This is the hard part though, I can't seem to focus on much of anything right now. I think I'll get up and stretch for a little while to see if that helps.

Song of the Half Hour: Cellogic - 김영민

Colorful Scarves

1. Violon Melancolique - Casol square silk scarf - Carré Foulard soie, 2. Fabric Scarf Holder, 3. Scarf, 4. [MCCALL'S MAGAZINE COVER, WOMAN WEARING SCARF]

As with hair accessories, colorful scarves are some of my favorite fashion accents. While I love fuzzy knit scarves, this post is going to focus on summer accents. My favorite in this category would have to be the beautiful printed silk ones that my mom has had since I was a young girl. I love to use those as head scarves and neckerchiefs depending on the length and print. Lately I've also been loving the long, light cotton choices from shops like H&M (and at those prices, who can resist?). For me color is still key in my scarf choice, for summer teal and hot pink have been my shades of choice. Are you a scarf person? What's your favorite way to wear a scarf?

Hanging out with my mom and a big glass of iced tea. What could be better?

Song of the Half Hour: If I Never See Your Face Again - Maroon 5

Steampunk

1. Steampunk brass wire ring - Genuine Baltic Amber - 8 , 2. The Witch, 3. Instructions de machine SteamPunk, 4. Steampunk Makers at the Contraptors Lounge Maker Faire May 4 2008 l

Steampunk is something I was introduced to by a friend a little over a year ago and I remain absolutely fascinated. I am completely in love with the aesthetic, particularly the clothing styles. For those not familiar with the term:

Steampunk is a sub-genre of fantasy and speculative fiction that came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often Victorian era England—but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date. Other examples of steampunk contain alternate history-style presentations of "the path not taken" of such technology as dirigibles, analog computers, or digital mechanical computers (such as Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine); these frequently are presented in an idealized light, or with a presumption of functionality. - Wikipedia

For some examples of the genre that you might be familiar with (as well as some of my favorites: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Laputa: Castle in the Sky, and Treasure Planet to name a few. Do you have a particular favorite in the Steampunk genre?

I wish I could find my copy of Laputa: Castle in the Sky, but it's gone missing. A shame too as it would be fun to watch about now. I'm still watching the match which continues to be good (putting the commentary aside). I also have a Japanese Cherry Green Tea and a Hazelnut Blended Coffee on the way. I am a happy camper.

Polka Dots

1. Bella Earrings in Teacher's Pet, 2. P is for Polka Dot, 3. polka dots 2 sides shoulderbag, 4. Project.

I alluded to this in an earlier post, but polka dots are by far my favorite design motif. I use polka dot prints for everything from clothing to accessories to home decor to web design. I love it all. Do you have a favorite print that you keep returning to?

One of my shorter posts, but I've been up stretching this past half hour. I'm feeling much more awake for it though so it was worth it. Time for my first tea/coffee run of the day (I'm surprised I made it this long...).

Hair Accessories

1. Anna Posy Garland Headband , 2. Cherry POP Headband, 3. Headband detail, 4. New Feather Headbands!

This ties in with my post on personal style, but as hair accessories are a key part of my wardrobe I thought they deserved a post of their own. Hair accessories were key for me from a young age. I remember as a little girl sitting on the stool in my grandma's bathroom as she would put my hair in twin braids with a variety of different clips (my favorites were of little poodles). Then there were the ribbons she would weave into my styles or the giant head bows that I would wear. Then as I got older I opted more often for a ponytail or bun, to keep my hair off of my face and nothing else. All of this changed last November when I cut my hair to an asymmetrical chin-length cut (my hair was down to my waist at this point) the made it impossible to pull my hair back. Now I have amassed quite the collection of headbands (I'm particularly partial to large side-bows or flowers) and cute barrettes. How do you wear your hair? Have you ever made a drastic change that made you reevaluate the way you style it?

Munching on a slice of BBQ pizza and working on some miscellaneous layout stuff I'm feeling a lot more productive. Hopefully that feeling will stick around.

Song of the Half Hour: Rain (Oh-chan) - Arashi

Personal Style

1. rva project 19., 2. Cute Dresses at DelilaH in Shibuya, 3. poodle dots, 4. Rustic Country Dress

Ever since I can remember I have been fascinated by clothes. From finding quirky ways to put outfits together to learning the history behind a certain type of garment to learning how to make my own. I love fashion-related shows like Project Runway and lately I've found myself spending hours going through fashion books (especially period pieces). My personal style is a huge mix ranging from classic lines to edgy prints to cute lolita details. I am drawn to bold black&white and colors both of the vibrant and pastel varieties. I would definitely my personal style as quirky romantic. I adore throwing in fun accessories and trying new things with my hair and makeup. I am fair at sewing/knitting/beadwork, but now my goal is to improve my skills so I can create a wardrobe uniquely my own. What's your personal style? Are there any pieces or styles that you find yourself typically drawn to?

I've been kind of spacey this past half hour, but I feel mentally refreshed. It's like my brain took a mental nap while I was still awake. Odd, but nifty. I think I might open up my bottle of French Berry Lemonade soon, it's getting warm and that sounds refreshing.

Song of the Half Hour: Hadashi no CINDERELLA BOY - NewS

Betsey Johnson

1. Betsey Johnson's Apartment 5, 2. Viva la Betsey!, 3. Betsey Johnson, 4. Betsey Johnson Makeup Bag

This is a more recent love for me. I saw a piece of her jewelry on a blog a little over a year ago and I've been hooked ever since. I adore her charming and whimsical motifs (my favorite are definitely those related to tea). I love her use of vibrant colors and bold patterns. I especially love her use of polka dots. It's rare that I find a designer that really captures my aesthetic, but Betsey Johnson definitely fits that bill. I received my first piece from her line (a black and white floral bangle) a couple of weeks ago and I can't wait to add to the collection.

Talking about designers, who are your favorites?

Since I'm not likely to be doing anything interesting today I think I'll start sharing some of the music that I'm listening to. Each post I'll link the song I'm currently listening to via imeem: Sayaendou - NewS

A Love of Necklaces

I've always been a fan of jewelry. When I was a little girl my mom would give me her old pieces to play dress-up with. I kept them in a small plastic box and I treasured those pieces as though they were diamonds instead of wooden beads and costume clip earrings (some of which I still own and wear). When I was old enough to start shoping for and making my own pieces it was a whole new world. While clothes were expensive I could find a pretty trinket or two for a couple of dollars. The rainbows of colors were breathtaking. I could express myself in so many different ways, perfect at the age when I was still figuring out who I was. Now I have several boxes filled with earrings, rings, and bracelets, but my favorite is by far my necklace wall in my closet (I'll be sure to take some photos soon). I love the spice a necklace can add to an outfit. One simple accessory can make everything come together.

In that vein I've been feeling drawn to necklaces lately. I've purchased a few new pieces from chain stores and artisans alike and I've seen dozens more that I love on Etsy. I would love to share a few of my favorites at the moment with you (and I would love it if you would share you favorites via comments):

Summer Gingham

Summer Gingham by QuirkyCharm

I've been seeing gingham everywhere lately (a sure sign of summer) and I've been feeling so inspired by it. For me gingham evokes images of picnics in the park, the cool summer breeze at twilight, fun memories at the beach, sweet afternoons in the orchard, and summers spent with family as a little girl (gingham was a wardrobe staple for me at the time). Sadly I've come to notice that I no longer own anything gingham besides the interior of my picnic basket.

When I saw these shoes on the pages of a magazine it was love at first sight. It got me thinking, what other cute gingham pieces are out there? With that in mind I remembered stumbling across Polyvore months ago though I had promptly forgot about my account at the time. I had a lot of fun searching out some cute pieces to put together in a virtual inspiration board of sorts (this is something I will most likely be doing more often). I fell in love with frilly tops and sweet details. Unfortunately I can't afford any new pieces right now, but I can live vicariously through looking at the pretty pictures. If you're curious about any of the above pieces, click the image for their prices/sources.

What are the styles of summer that give you fond memories?