A Good Woman

It's no secret...I love Oscar Wilde. The tales of decadence and delight, overindulgence and iniquity. They are fascinating! Who wants to read tales about perfect people, beautiful people, who never have troubles? I'd rather hear tales of beautiful people who do beautiful things and disgraceful things all at once. Stories where people suffer and struggle and fear, while enjoying life and being beautiful on the surface.

I watched A Good Woman this past week. The film features two favorite actors: Stephen Campbell Moore and Charlize Theron, but it also features two terrible actors: Helen Hunt and whoever plays Lord Windermere.

The story is minimal, covering only a little piece of a story, and as a viewer, I find myself cheering for Lord Darlington, the charming playboy, more than for Lord Windermere. It's folly of course, to want the lovely bride to leave the man she married, but that's merely the film. Now I intend to read the play Lady Windermere's Fan. I know I've begun it, but it didn't strike me quite the same way without the understanding that Lord Darlington was playing by Stephen Campbell Moore. That helps everything along quite nicely.

This film is on Netflix if anyone is interested in checking it out!

Our Next Trip

Can you guess where we're going?

Fun Quick Manicure

 I love pretty nails! Sometimes I just want something pretty and creative, but quick! I recently did this very simple manicure. What do you think?

Projects in Progress

With my big photo shoot with Michelle Cox Photography and a group of very lovely models coming up in only one week, I am working like crazy to my production off the ground! I have so many new items already made, and so many being "drafted."

Side note: Sorry, I am a writer. I think of unfinished, in-the-works projects as "drafts." It's just part of my nature!

Anyway, there are so many things to prepare for the shoot as well...props and displays for photographs, outfits for models, and inspirations for the shoot, not to mention finishing touches on the designs!

Oh, I have been and will be a busy woman this week!

Home Decor, Wedding Decor, Same Thing

Brides, do you struggle with buying expensive wedding decorations that you will never use again? I had this problem when I was planning my wedding, so I quickly sought to remedy the problem. I decorated my wedding and reception with items that I could use again in my own home afterward. From sparkling lighted topiaries to cut crystal glasses, and from elegant treasure chests to vintage pitchers that made lovely vases, my mom and I chose items that would be useful for future uses as well as current ones.

When choosing the decor for your wedding, be wise! Decorate your wedding in your own taste so that it will be pleasant to bring these same pieces into your home afterwards. Besides, your wallet will thank you.

Past brides, what parts of your weddings have you brought home with you and reused?

Also...
Stay tuned for another post about repurposing wedding items for creative decorative projects in your home!

Millinery Experimentation

Today I created my first hand-pressed millinery flower. This is destined to become a creative love affair.

I can't wait to post more about how I did it, and some new creative items that I make. Keep an eye out for more interesting developments in the flower-making department.

Would you ever try s project like this? I've always wanted to, and now that I've done it, I can't wait to do more. 

New Tools

I am officially a crafting nerd. I get so excited about the simplest new toys. I purchased this new friend of mine this past week and I'm extremely excited to get started on using it! I'm waiting on the edge of my seat until its arrival and cannot wait to try my hand at a few crafty projects I have in mind.

What crafty supplies get you excited? 

Inspiration in the Woods

The fall season is the most inspirational for my creativity. While summer is a beautiful season of brilliant greens and and beautiful blues, I am more inspired by the golden hues of fall. There's nothing like a walk in the woods to awaken new ideas in my soul!

Have you ever walked along the trail and imagined yourself to be a fairy creature, only a few inches tall? From that vantage point, the woods are a treasure trove of inspirations! Autumn leaves which may appear just brown on the trail before you, cobwebs strung between dried stalks may appear to be a mere white film, even those dry stalk themselves look flat and wan standing there where they once bore flowers.

But look closer at these intricacies and you will see brilliance. Veins of color bursting forth on the surface of dead leaves, drops of dew like natural jewels clinging to the weaves of a cobweb, gold glitter like fairy-dust gleaming on the surface of dried stalks. Each of these details natural, adornments of nature herself.

When I walk through the woods, inspiration takes hold on me and I create something new soon after. Have you seen a wedding veil with jewels in its white fluff, or golden hues in the stems of a white flower? Have you seen fairy wreaths wrapped with gold leaves and tiny gems like drops of dew?

This is where I get my ideas...how about you?

Atonement

As a great lover of film as well as history, I am very inspired by period films, when it comes to making my designs and when it comes simply to daydreaming.

I also love stories that are about stories, possibly because I can relate to storytelling more than nearly any other concept. How many stories I've read and films I've enjoyed! As a writer and lover of tales, how could I do differently?

A couple of years ago I first read and watched Atonement. It is a story of a story, a lovely and haunting tale. If you have not yet enjoyed this story, you should do so soon. 

The Titanic

I have always enjoyed history and stories from before my time. The dreadful tale of the Titanic is no exception. It's been depicted in many ways in many different adaptations, including as a family tale, a love story, and lately as a historical depiction.

As a longtime fan of Downton Abbey, I was excited to hear about the release of "Titanic," the Julian Fellowes penned miniseries. I have recently begun watching it and while I am only part of the way through, I am excited to continue. With us poor Americans sitting idly by waiting for season three of Downton Abbey to cross the pond, this miniseries is a perfect way to get your fix. Best of all, it's in its entirety on Netflix.

And Stephen Campbell Moore is in it. But maybe that little detail is less exciting to others than myself.

Do you like historical dramas? Which is your favorite?

Downton fans, how are you occupying your time in wait? 

TreasuredDetails New Bridal Line

I am excited to announce the coming of TreasuredDetails' new bridal line. Busy fingers have been creating new items for sale for several months, and my workspace is filled with sketches, bits of lace, trailing lengths of ribbon, and pins and needles of all sorts.

For those of you not aware of the changes on hand, I wanted to make sure you knew that the line is coming! Photography, completed by Michelle Cox Photography, is scheduled to take place on November 3rd.


2013 is going to be a big and exciting year for TreasuredDetails! I look forward to sharing all things new with you. Thanks for your support!

Cinematic Inspiration

Have you ever watched a certain movie and been entirely absorbed by something you saw there? When I watch Bright Young Things, that's exactly how I feel! I am always inspired by scenes of decadence and beauty, and films that portray accessorized young ladies often make me feel that way. I am always thrilled to check out the costumes and accessories worn in various period films.

If you have never watched this film, I highly recommend it! Especially if you love the classic style, including shows like Downton Abbey and the literature of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Oscar Wilde.

And if nothing else convinces you, perhaps it will help if I assure you that the handsome Stephen Campbell Moore should captivate your attention for the duration of your movie viewing!

If you watch the film, let me know what you think! 

Fabric Hair Bows Giveaway!

We're doing a giveaway! I've actually never done one of these before, but think they're so fun! I love to enter giveaways all the time myself, and I've won some great things through them. If you guys would be interested in entering more giveaways, make sure you participate and share this one. Let's get as many people to check it out as possible :)

You can win this set of fabric hair bow clips from TreasuredDetails! These cuties are handmade and can be used by adults or children. How would you like to add these three bows to your hair accessory collection, for free?

Contact me if you have questions!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Great Lake Swimmers

This song is my anthem. I adore it.

Dryer Hedgehogs

As a new housewife, I spend a lot of time figuring out how to save time doing housework. (Ironic, isn't it? I assume it will pay off in the future.) I'm also determined to find ways to save steps! I have a full time job, and although I work from home, I don't have time to stop working throughout the day to do housework. In fact, the only times I have tried to "kill two birds with one stone," so to speak, have resulted in disaster. (Once I tried to boil a toothbrush... I figured I'd get the water boiling at least and then the phone rang and I forgot about it. The result? A small kitchen fire. No big deal. Except I'm still scraping black plastic-dust off the blinds and vents. It just never goes away!)

Yeah, I'm woman enough to admit that I make mistakes. After all, making mistakes is often the best way to figure out the worst, and subsequently the best, way of doing things in your home!

So, housekeeping takes place between the hours of 6pm and 12am now. It's fine. I'm a night person, and I'm much more motivated to do laundry, wash the toilet, and make dinner when I can put my whole heart into it. (Yeah, I'm one of those women. It's a genetic disorder. Just ask my mom.)


My most recent housekeeping-corner-cutting attempt was really not corner cutting so much as budget-cutting. I bought these cute "dryer hedgehogs" from ModCloth, because they're supposed to soften fabric while cutting cost and eliminating allergy symptoms caused by fabric softeners. So, I tried them!

My testing environment wasn’t controlled enough, I don’t think, because our apartment is very dry during the cooler months of the year. I tossed the hedgehogs into the dryer instead of a dryer sheet and the blankets were so staticky that they sparked when I tried to pull them out! I couldn’t tell if they were soft or not. I ended up throwing a dryer sheet into the wash and starting over. It’s not urgent for me since I don’t have allergies to fabric softener, although the liquid kind is really concentrated and does give me itchy skin.

Conclusion: Another test must be done when it’s humid outside in order for me to determine an official “yea” or “nay.”

Has anyone else ever tried these? Leave a comment and let me know what your experience was!

Black and Blue French Manicure

This fancy black & blue French Manicure is easy and fun to do! As a first step to any manicure, it's important to file your nails smooth along the edges, and rough-up the tops of your nails just a little bit to ensure the polish sticks as it's intended to do. It's important to always use great care when prepping the nails for a manicure, to ensure that the nails aren't damaged or broken before the nail polish is applied. Nothing feels worse than a broken nail under your polish!

The second step is, in my opinion, non-negotiable! This fantastic L'oreal base coat is the best base coat I've ever tried, and believe me, I've tried many. Manicures are notoriously short-lived for me. I've tried all kinds of "long-lasting" polish, even the guaranteed no-chip that you get from the salon. Even that is really pushing the limit if it lasts ten days. And the down side to the no-chip Gelish nails is that they aren't that much fun! You can try to paint nail art on those, but they naturally repel it. 

When you apply this Quick Dry Base Coat, you only need one coat. It feels like it takes a while to dry, but the truth is, it remains a tad bit tacky to the touch, with an almost gritty undertone to it. This is intentional, and the reason this base coat is so good. It's designed to keep the manicure and the nail bonded to each other, and believe me, it does the job. Like any manicure that is not well-cared-for, the final design may wear and chip after while, but this base coat does a better job of keeping the bond strong than most other base coats do.

The next step to this manicure is to gather the tools and colors that you want to use. I wanted to use a light baby blue and black, for sharpest contrast. The tools I needed were masking tape and zig-zag scrapbooking scissors. I used Sally Hansen Pure + Smooth nail color. As a personal note, I generally prefer Essie colors, but every time I go to the store in search of this sweet baby blue, the Essie version is sold out. So

Once your base coat is to your preference (with Essie, it takes approximately two coats, while with this Sally Hansen color, it takes about three), you should begin preparing your masking tape for the French tip. Again, I chose the black color to have the crispest contrast, but when you're working with such opposing colors, you do have to be very careful to not feather the colors under the tape. There's a delicate balance because pressing the tape down on your nail too hard can cause the base color to come up. I usually wait at least 30 minutes before applying the sticky tape to my base color, just to be on the safe side. This can give you time to experiment with your tape pieces.

Once you're ready to start applying the guides to your nails and painting the tips, you can either apply the tips to one hand at a time, or if you have some time to spare, one nail at a time. I like to do one nail at a time myself because then I can be sure that each one is perfect. I do often apply the guide all at once though. Painting the tip is actually quite simple. You can apply as much polish as needed in the first coat, and often subsequent coats are not necessary. Just remember to double check that before removing the guide because it will be really hard to try and tape the guide back on once you've removed it! Don't forget to remove the tape VERY gently so as not to pull off the base color beneath, or the French tip where it overlaps the tape slightly. 

When the French tip is complete, you can double check any lines that need to be fixed or made more defined, because sometimes those lines can feather a little with the removal of the tape. This is also a good time to work on the retouching that may be required wherever the masking tape has pulled up some base color.

If you want to do a cute design like the one I chose for my accent nail, you can either mask out the main line of the ribbon and free-hand paint the bow with an art brush, or you can free-hand it with a nail art pen. I've done both. I love these nail art pens! They came out this year though, and they're quite expensive. I suspect they're being discontinued already because I can seldom find them anymore. I got this one at Target where it had been reduced to $7 (yes, reduced!) and there were only a few color options available where they used to be pretty extensive. Let me know if you find them for sale anywhere! I'd love to know if they're still around! They make painting designs a lot easier for those with an unsteady hand or those who are in a big hurry. 

Before you can call this manicure "complete," you need to add your topcoat! This is especially important if you're using the nail art pen, because the texture of the polish is a little different from the rest of the nail. Also, where you've removed the masking tape, your French tip may peel away slightly, and this top coat is the perfect way to keep it secure. (Remember your French tip doesn't have that added protection of the base coat like the rest of the nail. I have considered trying to do a base coat under the tip as well, but haven't yet. I will let you know when I do!)

Here is the finished product! Let me know if you try this design, or if you have your own cool  design you'd like to share on my blog! Contact me at treasureddetails@gmail.com to contribute, or leave a comment below. I'd love to see your own fancy manicure creations. 

1970s Sweater Vest from New Old Fashion Vintage

I love vintage clothing, but I hate going to look for it! I am hypersensitive to dust, itchy, and easily annoyed when I'm antique shopping. That's the very reason Etsy is awesome! I can still get the cute vintage clothing without doing the dirty work!

My most recent purchase was from one of my favorite shops on Etsy, New Old Fashion Vintage. The shop owner Amelia is super awesome to work with and she really knows her stuff! If you have any questions about shopping vintage, or if you're like me and want to avoid doing the dirty work yourself, I would definitely recommend her. She is always honest about the condition of her goods and is very helpful throughout the process.

Let her know Crystal sent you! And that I give this sweater vest a big thumbs up!

Apple Crisp: A Fall Delight

My favorite treat in the fall is apple crisp. It's harvestime flavors and just the right blend if sweet and tart make it a great comfort food. I made my first batch of these season just after the start of fall last week, and it was a big hit with my husband.

Interested in the recipe I use? I'll be sharing it soon! My recipe was handed down from my mom and I love making it because it reminds me of home. So glad to hear that the next time I come home for a visit, she's going to make a batch just for me!