Lilac Saloon

Icelandic Fairytale

I think that everyone has that one special place in the world that they dream of going.  This place and all of its wonder and beauty and character becomes a sort of Fairytale land where everything is different from the reality of life and the grass is absolutely greener.  Do you have a Fairytale land that you dream of visiting?  Or not just visiting - but hopping on a plane one day and starting a new life that consists merely of traveling the land, collecting treasures, dining on their finest cuisines, shopping their amazing fashions, and admiring their beautiful architecture? 

I have that place.

 

It is cold.

 

It is unique.

 

It has fashion.

 

It has character.

 

It has natural beauty.

 

I C E L A N D.

Isn't it just so mysterious and exciting and different??  I just can't stop thinking of how badly I want to explore it!!  Especially Reykjavik, which is their largest city and holds 2/3 of their population. 

I want to shop for new music here.

I want to have a nice dinner after a long day of exploring here and here.

I want to stay here.

What more can I say?  I need to go there!
My Icelandic Fairytale.

Where is yours?

 

Side Project: Felt Embellished Cards

I've been busy.  I had two days off of work to go to a wedding in Alpena, MI.  Now I'm back and we're even busier than ever at work.  I worked from 9-8 yesterday and it feels like I barely scratched the surface of finishing what I need to get finished! 

After work and on the weekends here and there, I've been working too... but with something more fun :)

I have much bigger, cooler side projects going on too but I can't post on those yet until they're finished!!

Me, playing with felt - for cards!

What do you think?  Fun, right?  I like playing with the color combinations (82 felt color choices!!).  Also, they really come to life the most once interesting stitch techniques are added.

These will be for sale soon when I open up my Etsy shop - as soon as fall arrives and things start to calm down a little more.  Then I'll hibernate all winter, creating fun and beautiful things to share with the world.

I can't wait :)

Fun Bits of Inspiration

I have a lot of catching up to do with posting.  Haven't had time really - or been tired/lazy a bit over the weekend.  But I thought I'd just share a few inspirational things I have saved aside.

Natalia Vodianova (my FAVORITE model) in a photo shoot "Alice in Wonderland" for W Magazine:

Natalia in another W Magazine photo shoot - another one of my absolute favorites.

Found this picture on Google when I searched "1950's Engagement Pictures" because I wanted to get ideas for my own engagement photos.

I love her skirt!!

Project Ridiculous

I'm in the fashion industry.  I went to school for Fashion Design.  Clearly, I'm a natural obsessive fan of Project Runway.  I do not answer my phone or do any other activities while it is on.  I own all the seasons on DVD.  I'm not a PR hater...

Until today.

HAS ANYONE SEEN TODAY'S EPISODE?!

A bunch of co-workers and I are playing a little sort of betting game, picking our top 3 to go to Fashion Week.  Whoever has the most right at the end wins.  We've got money on it.

Today, I lost my homegirl.... a fellow Columbus resident, lover of skin ink, anti-labels, and non-conformity.  She's super talented and has the business mindedness needed to take a win on Project Runway and actually run with it.  Unlike a lot of the other jerks still on the show.

Kelli, I'm still supporting you even though your time on PR is over.  I'm going to your store this weekend and BUYING STUFF because you and your store deserve to grow.  I want you to succeed.  I want good things to happen to good people.

I'm really annoyed at the show, the judges, the producers - whoever - at making their decisions based on ratings and dramatic personalities and not talent.  In the little world I live in inside my head... the best people win.

Care-Free Weekends of Summer

This weekend I feel accomplished.  Sometimes they seem to slip by so fast.  This time, I feel like I actually got to do some things that I wanted to do without feeling rushed to cram it all in.  It was a perfect care-free weekend!

Friday night, after dance lessons with Evan, we came home with some pizza from a little local pizza shop.  We devoured it and then we stitched away together into the night.  Late into the night - until about 2:45 a.m. or so. 

We slept in late on Saturday - waking up without an alarm is SO amazing!!! We went to see our ring designer and figured out what we're doing for Evan's ring. We'll see sketches for both rings next week.  Then Heidi came over and we started designing my dress!  Messes happen when we're together.  At least they're productive messes.

Our bridal brainstorming session came to a halt because it was time to go to Jackie's apartment downtown for "Cupcakes & Cocktails"!

On our way, we even picked up Peter!  We brought a bottle of wine and an appetizer - Deli Rye Triscits with cream cheese and smoked salmon.  It's SO good.  Everyone ate them right up.  And don't you LOVE how super cute this little party is?!

After some deep conversations (lighting things on fire as a child, the difference between Hershey and Cadbury, etc.) while stuffing our faces with yummy puffy cupcakes - we walked a few blocks to the Short North district of Columbus for the monthly summer Gallery Hop!

It's warm and very crowded but it's oh so hip.  Art galleries and bars along the street are all open late for us to walk in and out of and enjoy the warm summer air.  I will have to admit that THAT was the best part.  That warm summer air with the gentle cool breeze.  I can't get enough of that!  Like I'm addicted!  It's like CRACK.  Well, actually I dont know cuz I've never tried THAT... but, I'm just guessing it's like it but without the whole 'bad for you, and illegal' part.  You go too long without warm summer air and you still get withdrawl symptoms you know.

On to part 2 of our perfect summer night.  We're old enough as adults now that we can do whatever we want.  But we're young enough as adults that we can do whatever we want.  We'll remember these nights forever as those "best days of our lives".

We went to Peter's apartment for some live music (Evan!), more wine, and a friendship bond inducing game...

Oh and Sunday?  Waking up again without an alarm.  Yesssssssss.  Then CLEANING to get ready for Jane (living in Atlanta) and Astrid (living in Michigan) to come visit me for our reunion!!!  We've been friends for about 13 years.

And can you tell... I GOT A NEW CAMERA!!!  It's a Cannon PowerShot SD950 IS 12.1 Sexy Mega Pixels!!!  It's going to take a while to figure out all the features... but once I do... more amazing pictures of creations will come :D.