My So Called “Burb-Life”

So I’ll admit it, I lost a little blogging steam as of late. If you haven’t noticed the massive dry spells between postings. Oh you did? Well then you know or could at least tell I have been low on inspiration. Well, not exactly, but my move from downtown to Aurora, Colorado has nothing to do with it really. In fact just the opposite.
For those of you Coloradans, would you even consider Aurora a suburb? I mean, it’s like half the State, and it’s more multicultural and ethnically diverse than Denver; honestly. I researched the demographics before our home search. Anyway, I am finding that I have really taken to this home ownership thing, like a fish to water! My inspiration now involves home decor, and filling empty rooms and learning to use tools, well I just ended up hammering the screws in because I had no idea how to use the drill, and nesting, nesting, shopping and nesting.
Last Friday I stopped at a local french bakery, Daniel’s of Paris, for pastries for family guests. Yes, seriously, there is a french bakery, actually going on 20 years this year, just down the street from me! I also repaired a pair of BCBG boots last week at a local shoe repair. Yes, a fabulous shoe repair shop less than a mile from the new digs. He did a fabulous job and it cost me $10.80. I have also, proudly, already received a free coffee, after ten punches on my frequency card at a local coffee shop, Bean Tree Coffee, which brews up local Coda coffee. What?! They have all these things in Aurora and I am not stranded on an SUV filled, culture lacking, baby breeding island?! Nope…I am livin’ life in a new zip, and having a ball!
You see, you can maintain the same lifestyle, or whatever lifestyle you wish to have, wherever you plant roots. What you do with your days, where you shop, events you wish to attend, shows you choose to see, lattes you ingest, what you wish to open your eyes to and discover in your own back yard is really, well, up to you, er, me in this case. All of the hesitancy and resistance I had felt prior to finalizing the closing on this house has vanished. Poof! In it’s place, I have found creative projects around the house to keep busy with, and found that deep cleaning bathrooms and scrubbing grout between tiles is actually quite therapeutic.
So, have my priorities shifted? Most definitely. Do I still have my old habits and haunts? Well, yes, as they say, old habits do die hard. You know what else? I am still Glo Bug, and I am still in love with the city of Denver, but I have discovered that a new piece of me has a new love for my new hood, and there’s room in my heart for both!
I still attend University downtown two days a week to get my Market and Tattered Cover fixes in, but my Ross, TJ Maxx and Home Goods fixes are actually better met in Aurora, where I can actually find parking and be able to load up a mirror or a rug if I wanted. (Not so doable on a bike.)
I also have a love- STILL- for thrifting, finding treasure and let me tell you folks- Mississippi is loaded with them- can’t wait to thrift hop! I am LOVING our new neighbors and have already been acquainted with them on Christmas Day, for a glass of wine, on New Years’ Day for an open house with the whole street, and upcoming we have a progressive dinner planned for six homes (where you do a course at each home and travel to the next. We volunteered dessert.)
I also recently visited my momma. She lives in Keenesburg, Colorado, about 20 minutes north of Brighton, and believe it or not there are 2 AMAZING antique shops up there! I found special pieces for the home. (I have a thing for hand embroidered tea towels which I use for drying dishes.)
So, here are a few pics I snapped of the things in my world lately. Whether they are inspiring to you or not, they are what have had me away from blogging; that, and the five classes I now have on my plate this semester, plus work, and being a new wife and trying to be a better sister/friend/student and figuring out how to balance it all. These are also the things that have me smiling.
Guilty pleasures I have also been relishing in is It’s a Brad Brad World on Bravo, and divulging in daily reads on fun sites like: The Coveteur, The Glow, Elizabeth Street, Refinery 29, Alice + Olivia, and Tory Burch.

1. My birdie printed Milly dress from A. Line Boutique in Landmark- minutes from my new casa! I’ve worn it twice already and feel so ladylike every time I do!

2. These quirky little brass mice/robot salt and pepper shakers from the antique shop in Keenesburg. Not sure I’ll actually use them to spice food, but they look at home chilling on the ledge of my splash back. What do you think- mice or robot? My momma hates them…

3. An awesome antique buffet table that perfectly fit my dining room! It was spray painting black and gold- perfect for moi- and found in Keenesburg at one of the shops for $139. True story.

4. These awesome Marni-esque silk pillow covers from West Elm. They were on sale for $14.99 on Christmas Eve.

5. A sweet, sweet, little porcelain Cinderella nighty-night light found at the antique shop in Keenesburg for $15 buckaroonies.

6. My enormous walk in closet, the left side is mine, is somewhat organized, but not really. It’s like the last thing I need to really organize.

7. Baby fashion. These little sports are from Zara online- I die.

8. My love of patterns and color is apparent in this well lit, easily maneuverable closet.

9. My husband does his own laundry. This is him hanging his damp shirt and NOT drying it. Sooo goooood….and he looks hot in this sweater.

10. I was on a mission to find new jeans this year. Well, this has been on my “to-do” list since last year, but I actually found two pairs this year, and ON SALE at a boutique in Cherry Creek North called Alicia. They both fit amazing! Tory Burch skinnies, and Habitual flares and my favorite Hudson’s. All great fits for a curvy bootie.

11. A perfect pillow for our cozy bed. Pillow from Wordshop in the Highlands (no longer there.)

12. Clutches. A girl can never have too many. and my mother in law took notice and recently gifted me a great black beaded one.

13. THE PERFECT pair of lamps for our night stands! A llitle brass, a little edge, perfectly modern. Found at Homegoods.

14. Finally a perfect spot for this little jewelry tree.

15. Classic toys never go out of style. I love my old toys! Now that I have my own house, I finally picked up my old, salvaged toys from my momma’s house, including this Fisher Price vacuum. My nieces loved it too.

A Landmark Boutique with A Line-Up-of-a-Sale

Happy New Year everyone!
I have been a busy, busy blogger bee…and I apologize for the long hiatus…
After an intense winter semester, I did not finish my strongest sadly, and a nail biting wait to hear about a big move, and then finally ending 2011 with a big bang, my husband and I closed on our first home, I am finally, back to the blog!
It has been a whirlwind holiday season and I received only one of my wishlist items, a pair of snazzy Sorel snow boots, but something so unbelievably perfect and wonderful, a home! My husband and I could not wait to move and as soon as we got the keys we had a truck booked and were elbow deep in soapy water at the new abode! Husband has been this incredible handy man I never knew I married, spackling and cocking and hooking up a washing machine- yes, I can finally do laundry in my place! He’s amazing….I have finally busted out some of my wedding gifts and even made a beef pot pie from scratch tonight! A little dry, but pretty good my first go around.
So, starting of 2012, I have a HUGE sale to report to you all! Now is THE time to hit sales and score deals…keep your eyes peeled and you can get great discounts on past season items, which still work nicely into your winter wardrobe well into March here in Colroado.
I stopped in one of my favorite boutiques recently, A-Line in Landmark in DTC and stumbled upon a sale! Mayra and Sarah are the nicest shop managers you will ever come across, pinky swear, not to mention fashion literate! These two have styling, trends and lines down pat, and they can show you how to piece any look or item together proper. If they can’t verbalize it, check out their handy dandy look book on their cash wrap which I couldn’t stop flipping through. I tried on a few things myself, and even took a special something home! Hello birdie printed Milly dress…
As they say, timing is EVERYTHING! Starting tomorrow, January 10th, through January 30th, they are having a winter sale! Half the store will be priced 40-70% off! Tomorrow night, from 5-7 pm, stop in to kick the sale off right and enjoy a happy hour complete with hors d’oeuvres, champagne and wine.
You can expect to find leopard print skinny jeans from Current Elliot, and a leopard printed dress from Rebecca Taylor. Jewelry from DaniJo, handbags from Jerome Dreyfuss, as well as other amazing pieces from Helmut Lang, Rag & Bone, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Haute Hippie, and a few pieces from Isabel Marant (they no longer carry this line.)
Here’s a taste of what you can expect to see at A.Line, and don’t forget the sales starts tomorrow, so grab a gal pal and head over there straight after work before the good stuff gets gone…

Killer boots!

Hello perfect hell in the perfect shade of blush that will go with everything...

Um...so good...you can never have too many little jackets in Colorado.

Bazooka Bubble gum pink pants- a Definite DO!

A sexy hitch hiker boot- YES

And lastly, a touch of animal print in a perfect little handbag...Major YES!

Silver Bells n’ Wishing Wells: Christmas List and Gift 2011

Image above found on an amazing site called SantaLetterss.com

***Disclosure- Before reading this, you must be a jaded adult who has realized by now that the Big Man in Red is…well…you. Guard this from believers and babes.

I think adults miss that magic and mystery of writing a list to Santa Clause. Don’t you you? At least I know that I still wish there was an elusive wish grantor out there that we could send letters to once a year in hopes of just one of those wishes being granted; no Oprah and Ellen, you do not count. I’ll never forget how I discovered that there was no Santa. I saw the tube of “special” wrapping paper in the back of the coat closet, halfway through the year, probably looking for my other shoe or this big green bowling bag I remember being into; ball was still in bag sadly, otherwise I could say I was hip and way ahead of the trend. I remember not telling my momma, because I wanted to hold onto that spirit of Christmas, and I didn’t want her to know I knew. Maybe I was secretly afraid, like any normal kid, that I might get jipped on “Santa” gifts if I fessed up that I knew he wasn’t real. You know because Santa wrapped his gifts at the North Pole and would never, ever, leave behind a roll of paper! (Parents don’t make this mistake.)

To resuscitate that lost spirit of yesteryear I typed up a wishlist, major emphasis on wish, back in 2009, right here on Fashion Folio. Needless to say, the letter must have got lost in cyber space or sent to Santa’s spam box because Chloe boots and bag I did not receive, BUT…I did get a MAJOR L.O.V.E. and Nutcracker Prince since then, so I can live with my very loved and worn handbags and plastic knee high boots.

Photo above from PearsonProPhoto.com

Despite the come-to-Christmas moment in the closet, the days of my youth, being dropped off at the Buell Theater downtown to paint up as a rat, a toy soldier and an Arabian attendant in Colorado Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker, have forever instilled the blissful wonders of Christmas in me. The smells, the lights, the candy, watching the Sugar Plum Fairy from the wings….sneaking behind the giant stage Christmas tree before our big debut…even the bad Secret Santa gifts, they are all incredible memories I replay in my head this time of year. By bad Secret Santa gifts I would say the ginger flavored candy canes and old lady bath beads made that list.

My momma, Mother Gingerbread herself, also brought me and my three siblings up in a home where Christmas filled the home to make it this perfect, cozy and warm place. A gingerbread house in the cold frosty window sill, and the lights on the tree hitting the colored ornaments creating our own version of a stained glass window, that site always welcomed me home from a long day of school and dance. We used to get a box of amazing pears from her best friend in Seattle every year- the kind you have to wear a bib to eat because they’re so juicy. My grandmother would send a box of gifts, and she never used boxes to wrap clothes, so I could feel the squishiness of clothes through the wrapping paper. We would get so excited when that box arrived! Momma would read us The Night Before Christmas and we would all camp out together in the basement family room because the excitement was too much to handle if we were to sleep in our beds all alone!

Enough nostalgia…my point is I LOVE Christmas and I love making memories and traditions so I decided I should make a new tradition of doing an annual, extravagant wish list on this ole blog. I do want to say that I truly do love gifting gifts more than getting- in fact, when I was little I would go around the house and wrap up items that already belonged to my family, just because I wanted that feeling of giving! True story, ask my momma. I also want to say, that what I REALLY love receiving are the sorts of gifts that really show thought, the kind that make you say, “WOW, this was so thoughtful and they know me sooo well!” For example, my husband is THE best gift giver- the most thoughtful. last year he gave me a pink Schwinn and I have rode the hell out of it this past year! Great gift! And our first Christmas he paid my outstanding bill to school so I could register for the Spring session….um…yes, I cried.

On this list, there’s a little bit of everything from the practical and affordable, to the “As you wish upon a star,” yeah right, sorts of things that I have filed away in my moleskin journals all year long. Other incredible gifts are tickets to shows, concerts, and events that you know someone is a fan of and if they recently got married, say within the last 2 years, check and see if their wedding registries are active and surprise them with a gift from that! They usually stay active forever unless the bride took it down or they, lucky them, received everything! I would also HIGHLY SUGGEST finding something totally unique and LOCAL at a craft fair or bazaar!!! There are loads of Holiday craft shows going on this time of year including, PLUG- The Fancy Tiger Holiday Handmade Craft Fair happening this Friday and Saturday at the Sherman Event Center! Do. Not. Miss. This. Really good gifts…You can also show off your creative talents and gift a framed photo, LOVE, or a piece of original art, PRICELESS. Enjoy and happy shopping!!!! If there are any secret Santa’s or admirers out there, I am currently accepting packages!

Without further ado, here’s my extravagant, way-out-there, wish list to cyber Santa for 2011!!! Of course, feel free to utilize this as suggestions for any of your fashionable lady loves in your life too!

Stocking Stuffers

1. Aquiesse mini candles. They smell great, last a while, and they’re only $6 each. You can find them at Perfect Petal or Posh boutiques.

2. Essie nail polish. Always perfectly current color palette. LOVE this greenish-gray color- “School of Hard Rocks” Winter 2011- $5.99 at drug stores.

3. Hue tights. I can never have enough tights. Black and brown are staples, but I would like to get into more colors and patterns. Affordable and you can find them anywhere from Macy’s to TJ Maxx.

4. Chanel Lip Gloss. Because every girl should have a piece of Chanel and since I can’t afford a tweed blazer, I go for their amazingly un-sticky, long lasting, lipstick like glosses. $27-$30 at fine department stores.

5. Bond No 9 Parfume Petits bon Bons. Mini Luxury. You can purchase 6 sample size viles for $15, when you purchase a bottle of parfume. I am a total parfume gal! Actually, I am a Nuits de Noho gal!

Bondno9.com

6. Novo Coffee. I am very much a coffee-evry-morning gal, and this is yet another affordable luxury. AND LOCAL!!!

A Pound of Novo Coffee, a local Roaster, is always welcome in my stocking!

7. Fun napkin rings like these gold starbursts found on OneKingsLane.com- $25 for 4

8. Earrings. Earrings. EARRINGS! I can not have too many earrings! And GOLD! I love this pair by Miguel Ases on Gilt.com right now- $112.

9. Fuzzy. Warm. Anything from Wooden Ships. I am out in the elements a LOT so I have a basket full of scarves, hats and gloves sitting by my front door. I love Wooden Ships bohemian and girly flair! I do not have a pair of these “Texting Gloves,” Yet…

10. Fruit ornaments. I collect them! This lemon lovely would be nice! Photo from TrendyTree.com

For Under the Tree:

Practical and Somewhat Affordable

Fuji Film for my Instax Mini Polaroid Camera

An internal battery for my Sony Vaio Laptop

A fun and fashionable case for my new I Phone 4- Maybe a "Blingy" one like this!

A Monthly Unlimited pass to try Pure Barre classes!

Target Mossimo Kendal Bootie- Online Clearance for $25

A purple velour Juicy Couture track suit. Yes, for real. I love to sleep in them and wear them around the house- the only place they should be worn.

More 5 Piece Sets of my Mikasa Pure Red wedding China! Hoping to get at least 12 collected before the pattern retires! Now on Amazon for $59.99 each- also seen at Bed, Bath and Beyond and Macy's

A new pair of Oliver Peoples! My favorite, and only, line of sunnies! Love the cat eye shape on theis Daddy-B pair- $325.00 on OliverPeoples.com

Pushing It…

A great, structured, lady-like, leather handbag! The "Pippa Middleton" Modalu London Bag....

Or...another Rebecca Minkoff Bag- Like this "Cupid" version in Copper. Structured Carry All

The orange and silver glitter booties by Miu Miu! With jeans, with dresses, with me under my tree!

No words. Burberry Prorsum trench coat with leather sleeves.

A gorgeous statement necklace by Philip Crangi! DIe!!!! So rocker chic!

Any piece of bangin' jewelry from Solange Azagury...killer, love the quirkiness of her...

A mirrored vanity. I first saw this photo in Domino Mag, and have kept that issue because I loved this NYC bedroom so much. Mirrored dresser, mirrored night stand...those will work too!

And…because I’ve been a REALLY good girl and I have been riding public transportation most of my adult life….THIS…which will almost fit in my stocking!

The Gucci Fiat 500....

Stars of Wonder, Stars of Light…

Photo via Auxilary Magazine

I have blogged about both before; Goldyn boutique and non-profit One of 99, but not in the same post until now. These two shiny bursts of awesomeness are teaming up this Thursday December 1, 2011, 5:30-9:00 pm, to give you “A Starry Night Affair.”
This is definitely time to break out the plastic, and for a great cause. With two shopping time sets, VIP from 5:30-7:00 ($20) and Savvy from 7-9:00 ($10), there are no excuses that you can’t make it! Both time sets give jams from DJ Neon Knights, hors d’oeuvres from the hippest resti in town Linger, which is next door neighbor to Goldyn, Starry Night & Vin Robles wines, sippy sippy, VAD vodka neat drinks, Crema coffee from our pal Noah, Sweet Tooth cocktail cupcakes, YUMMY, andddd……both entrance tickets get you gift bags and door prize swagg- ooh la la.
All ticket sales benefit the after-school art education programs One of 99 provides to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver. Goldyn is also contributing 20% of sales during the event to One of 99. If this doesn’t make you feel all warm n’ fuzzy inside…well you’re cold hearted. No. But, you too shall receive plenty when you come Thursday night. Get $50 in door prize swag for every $100 spent. The more you spend the more you earn in gift certificates to swanky restaurants, salons, shops, services, and more. Limited quantities available. Bonus door prize swag for the top nine big spenders!
Get your tickets ahead of time here…or at the door. For more details and to see the guest list click here. Oooh ooh and don’t forget that tomorrow is Cyber Monday, so for all of you out of towners reading this who won’t make the Starry Night event in Denver, you just might want to put a reminder in your phone to check Goldyn’s online site for some sweet savings tomorrow!!!

Goldyn Address: 2040 W. 30th Ave., Denver, Colorado

Nesting for Baby

Nest Boutique

So as most close friends of mine know, I have a thing for for fashion, and that my passion for style has now extended beyond the realm of big people and into baby style! Yes, it is true, I love collecting baby clothing. It started with a blanket when I worked at Tallulah Jones years ago on 17th and Downing, and the collection has grown from there. I find things to put into my “Hope” chest, special items, designer lines on sale, things I find on sale that are too cute to resist, and some day, it will all be put to good use. Or…a very large E-bay sale!

Now that I am putting some thought into where the fascination came with, it could be my blogging which leads me to discover and read so many others, including baby style bloggers like Lila Was Here and The Baby Blackbird, two of my favorites. Regardless, it’s a thing…

So I found myself last Saturday on Larimer Square on a break from Geology class, getting a coffee, and stumbling upon a new boutique in the space next to Goorin Hats! They weren’t quite ready for opening yet, so yesterday, on my lunch break between classes, I meandered over to see if they were open for browsing- and much to my delight- they were! A brand, spankin’ new children’s boutique is ready for business, Nest Denver! What a perfect location for them too! All those urban mommies pushing strollers around the hip square can now find nesting items in their hood!

Walking into Nest boutique, my initial judgement was telling me that this might just be another “baby boutique,” but I was pleasantly surprised at the merchandise, customer service, and discovery of several new lines! This the second location (the first store is on 6th Ave.) and the product being stocked at each store will be different, and geared towards different customer bases. This will be discovered as they gather clientele on Larimer. So, if you’re in the Larimer location, and don’t see a size, or even a line, don’t hesitate to ask because I guarantee it will be at the 6th Ave. store, or Caroline will make it a point to get it. I had asked about Egg by Susan Lazar and Elephantito and found out bother lines were carried at the 6th Ave. store.

I had the pleasure of meeting the shop owner, Caroline, who manages to balance boutique ownership, of two shops, and motherhood, of three little ones, and all the while looking fabulous and taking the time to share with me, as well as another customer in the shop, about all the different lines we happened to pick up or show an interest in. They even re-dressed a tiny mannequin for me so I could style it in an outfit I just had to photograph for the blog! If that’s not customer service, I don’t know what is!

The mannequin on the right is the one they so kindly let me dress!

Te Collection Blazer, with a Black Kite button down and Ryder & James Tee

Nest even has a section of shelving devoted to local Colorado lines, items and goods! That said, they are always looking for local designers and talent in the children’s arena to foster, support and SELL in their shop! The cutest, and softest, little CU Buffs tee was calling my name! Well, you know, I can justify that right? Me being a CU buffs student and all…no??

Come on...

I also discovered a super talented local Denver label, Black Kite, Ltd.! DIE! The most BEAUTIFUL fabrics I have seen for kiddos. Tiny little button down shirts for little mister, misters! So CUTE! The fabrics are actually designed by the designer’s mother in law! Don’t worry, I have pics below.

I also discovered Chewbeads! What are these and why should you care? Well, they are rubber, gummified, beads strung as a necklace or bracelet, ideal for mommies who want to be fashionable and accessorize, but also don’t want to scratch the heck out of their baby, or have them choke on a bead! SMART & STYLISH! Rachel Zoe, a new celebrity mom has even said that she has had to adjust her accessorizing due to baby Skyler. I see a product placement plug here between Rachel Zoe and Chewbeads…okay just posted a link on Rachel Zoe’s Facebook page, yes I am a major connector that way…

Chewbeads! A set is going in my "Hope" Chest!

Caroline, shop owner, wearing her Chewbeads- she says her 9 month old sits on her hip and chews on them all day!

Other lines I discovered and FELL for were…Anthem of the Ants, (an adorable Tory Burch-esque tunic caught my eye),

imoga,

imoga leggings...

Mimi & Magpie,

Finn & Emma (100% organic and impeccable attention to details like their miniature wooden snaps with storks carved into them),

siaomimi (I saw a mini plaid button down with tie dye burnout detailing, and it was SOFT!)

I also saw favorites like Splendid peppered in and a full range of the Tea Collection.

They had more than clothing stocked- rattles, books, blankets and even an i-Pod doll?! Yes, you jack your i-pod into this sweet little thing!

I definitely encourage you to stop in and make your own sweet discoveries, and what a perfect day to come down next Saturday- November 26th is Small Business Saturday! Shop local! Pick up a special gift for that new mommy friend, or perhaps, an item or two for your own “Hope” chest…

You Win Some, You Lose Some: First Clothing Swap Experience

Photo Booth provided by Anna Newell Jones Photography left to right (Me, Megan Brehman, Kristen Glenn

So last Saturday, November 12th, I attended my first ever clothing swap! The Swapaholics came through last year, they are an organization that hosts clothing swaps in cities across the U.S., but I missed it. I also think that my missing it could have been due to an entrance fee, maybe $25 if I remember right, and maybe stricter guidelines on the clothing. Regardless, my first clothing swap was a great experience and a lot of F.U.N. Tran Wills of Super Ordinary Art Gallery, and Anna Newell Jones, of “And Then She Saved” blogging fame, and a super talented wedding photographer, Newell Jones & Jones Photography…check it OUT were the hostesses with the mostest!

Anna Newell Jones of And Then She Saved_Photo Credit from Her!

I first heard about Anna a couple years ago on 850 KOA on the morning talk radio segment. RARE and weird because I was driving my husband to work that day, and was in the car, which is random because I commute by train and bus and he takes the car. Mrs. Jones is the gal who paid off her debt by going on a spending fast and on a meager State employee salary! Disciplined, yes. Strong and frugal, yes. Inspiring, heck yeah! Stylish…YES! She is all of the above and sweet to boot! Damn… if there were more gals out there like her….It was so great to get to meet this busy body in person! Check out her blog, And Then She Saved, on tips, ideas and inspiration on how you can pinch pennies in this tough economy, and still maintain your cuteness!

Tran Wills with her hand up on her hip!

So Tran Wills is super creative and everywhere and anywhere in Denver, and runs a gallery out of her live/work space off 31st and Larimer in a very cool area that borders Five Points and TAXI district. She was also the one who organized the Project Runway weekly showings at Beauty Bar, back when Mondo Guerra was on. She has four kiddos and manages to stay involved in so many creative and fashionable Denver projects, including last week’s H&M opening with the YSL Sewing Challenge, and more! She used to head up the Fabric Lab, R.I.P., and also has a hand in styling for 303 Magazine, check out the latest issue, AND, if that’s not enough to make you want to redo your resume, she also recently landed a gig at locally based, E-Bags as a Social Media Director for Handbags.com!!!! Where does she find the time?! It was my first time at the gallery, and I can’t wait to go for another show. What a cool space! Tran knows how to throw a good party, free wine and PBR, and delicious red velvet and pumpkin spice cupcakes by Pastel! Look ‘em up guys, here on Facebook!

All photos were taken by me, so please give credit or link to this blog if you wish to share. give credit where credit is due. don’t steal man! Also, A couple of the photos here were by Newell Jones & Jones Photography, obvioulsy it’s the good ones. They are not to be copied, or shared. Thanks!

The criterion to participate in the clothing swap was EASY, and the invitation was addressed to “If you are a lady in Denver…” but there were a few guidelines that were strongly encouraged to follow, even though there were some people who clearly interpreted this differently- to the person who hand wrote on college ruled paper, “Missing Buttons,” and “I Need to be Hemed,” yes, “hemed,” not “hemmed,” this means you. Guests were also asked to bring a small clothing rack to display items. I found mine the same day at Family Dollar for $10!!! My husband has already adopted it for his school soccer uniforms, so I’ll be back to get another!

Yummy cupcakes by Pastel- cool name too

Setting Up…

Scoping out the goods…

Sadly I was not quick enough to get this great wrap dress... but it went to a cute girl!

And let the swapping begin!!!

No! Bad Swapper..

CUTE Swapper!

uh boy...this swapper brought us another gem...

But wait...an adorable swapper! Loved her outfit!

Cute swappers in a row! The girl on the far right picked up that blouse, brought by mois!

She also grabbed the camoflauge skirt I brought! Hey, it was Da'Nang...

Left overs…

Really?

The children's skirt! Anything with an "x" after the size number means children's folks!

And what I scored…

These were the logistics:

- Bring 10 clean women’s clothing items (no shoes or accessories) and then you get to take home 10 items. (sorry guys, this swap is for women only)
I only wound up with 6 pieces, one of which is too small. I brought 10 items, but I didn’t manage to scoop 10 pieces I liked. I think I was too slow as I was mingling, eating cupcakes and drinking wine, and taking pics for this here blog post! Oops!

- Bring GOOD things that you would give to your sister or best friend after you’ve gotten sick of them (please don’t bring crap)
Some people missed this bullet point.

- Bring things that you’ll be okay with parting with as it will be an honor system swapping method

Last, all of the items that weren’t swapped at 9 pm, were put in garbage bags and hauled off to donate to Safehouse Denver, a women’s domestic violence shelter.

So upon arrival, Anna took my items and started hanging them on the empty racks. As people started to arrive, racks were built, pants were folded and placed on tables, and hangers were flying as all items were placed and mixed in with everyone’s swap collateral. Some were smart and scoped out the pieces they wanted before it started, 7:30 on the dot, and I was busy stuffing a cupcake in my mouth. I did scope out a colorful orange and gray, silky tunic from Forever 21, and a black strapless dress, that felt heavy, and seemed interestingly constructed, I later scored it and discovered it was an original design by the local designer Tricia Hoke!!! At 7:30, I went straight for the tunic which was folded on a table, and grabbed the dress, in the far corner, then I took my time, taking photos for the blog, and taking my picture at the photo booth provided by Anna Newell Jones and her artsy hubby, hence the collab photog company they started, Newell Jones & Jones, LOOK at what they do!

I had a lot of laughs with a couple friends. We were laughing about a teeny tiny plaid skirt that was a size 6X! Did someone bring a children’s skirt?! it turned out to be our friend who brought it! Hysterical! No worries, Tran scored it for her daughter! LOL! I ended up scoring the items mentioned above, as well as a mustard yellow knit vest from Forever 21, a good layering piece, and a great white angora sweater by Ideology, and a evergreen hued silk tank from Nine West, which still had the tags on it! At the end of the night, I was scrounging for 10 items, and my friend reminded me that I didn’t HAVE to have 10 items, but wouldn’t you? So I found this pair of brown corduroy pants, super in right now, from J.Crew and still had the tags, too bad they were a size 2 Tall! I took them home thinking they were a size 12! No wonder they were sitting there! Needless to say, they did not fit! Buffalo Exchange?

It was really interesting to see everyone and what they picked out, and it was even more fascinating to see someone else trying on what you brought, and…liking it! Swapping for your castaways! pretty cool feeling to know it is recycled back into the world. In fact, one gal, she had three of my items! Put a smile on my face!

Overall it was a fun night, so worth it and I can’t wait for the next one. Some friends even showed up without swapping threads just to scope it out and see what all the buzz was about; now they’ll be prepped for the next one! A BIG THANKS to Tran Wills and Anna Newell Jones for organizing this. SUCCESS! You can also read more coverage of the event on Westowrd in an article by Susan Froyd.

If you were there and want to see and purchase your photo booth pics, here’s what you do:

- Go to www.newelljonesandjones.com

- Click on: The Site

- Click on: Client Proofing

- Enter password (all caps): SWAP

Labels at Wholesale Prices

Hey everyone! Can you believe Thanksgiving is next week?! Insane….
So here’s a bit of news, my sister in law told me about her friend’s site, Social Plaza that ended up, unfortunately, not making it in this thing we are calling an economy. He had intended his site to be like a social networking site, with shopping thrown in, but the investors just weren’t there. He has since moved to San Francisco, but he has some product left over that he is selling for near wholesale prices on a WordPress blog. You can see all of the product here, including a list of sizes and available quantities, and prices. If you would like to purchase anything, you will need to e-mail him from the site. Tell Nick Bear I sent you from my blog!
All of the goods are for Fall 2011. He has items from these designers: Aryn K., Corey Lynn Calter, Hype and t.l.h., Kristin Hassan, Love, Zooey, handbags from Melie Bianco, Seychelles shoes (some of the most comfortable shoes I own have been Seychelles,) and Suzabelle.
Here are a few of my favorite pieces…

Push Pin Your Town: Highlands

Highlands Square
One of the reasons I started this blog was to expose Denverites and Coloradans to the retail treasures and unique shopping opportunities available right here in our own back yard. As a Denver native, my pride for my home state shines bright and I love to play tour guide to visitors and even more so to locals just looking to change up their scene.
This is my first, of a hopeful series, called “Push Pin Your Town.” I plan to do more, so if you visit back, search this category over on the right hand side for other shopping area guides.
Today Nov.12th, from 10 am to 7 pm, you will want to head over to the Highlands for the annual Holiday Open House of one of my all time favorite boutiques, The Perfect Petal! This years’ theme is school book inspired, “Holiday Prep School,” and will be chalk full, pun intended, of tutorials, decor ideas and inspiration, ways to incorporate whimsy into your home this season, and how to create an atmosphere to highlight all the best aspects of the holidays.
Perfect Petal is dot # 10 on Colorado Local First’s very useful Local Flavor Guide of the Highlands Square Neighborhood, as linked above. I will use this as a reference, but interject my personal thoughts, opinions and suggestions on where to go and what to see. I should preface by mentioning that I used to live on 32nd and Wolf, just up the street, when I was 18-21!!! I lived with my amazing Great Aunt, but at 21, restless like most early twenty-somethings, I yearned for my own place. So I headed down the street and rented my first studio apartment on 32nd and Lowell, just above what is now Strut Boutique; dot # 9 on the map below.
Whenever I visit the Highlands I reminisce about those times at my very first apartment! I used to go to Swim Club 32, now El Camino Tavern, for night cap drinks and girls night outs! Did you know that the huge mirror behind the bar is actually handmade and the frame is painted Styrofoam?!
I digress. It was at the Perfect Petal that I remember buying some of my first Christmas ornaments which I hung on my aluminum tree that sat in my one window facing 32nd! I used to see the lights and folly going on across the street at Perfect Petal and prance over for trunk shows. Many numerous pieces of jewelry, bags, candles and cards were purchased here. You will undoubtedly find a thing or two!
As for me, I’m looking forward to adding to my ornament collection!
Here’s how I typically play out my day on 32nd…

1. I love to start with coffee at Generous Servings Cooking Classes and Cafe on the West end of the stretch, at the corner if 32nd & Osceola St., or #28 on the map above.
They give you a perfect little diamond shaped cookie when you get your drink and the coffee cake is delicious!

2. Then I like to head to my favorite paperie and greeting card store, Wordshop on Newton, just South of 32nd, or #3 on the map. It’s here that I find my best snail mail pieces like a card that says, “E-mail is for suckers.” I always spend at least $20 and stock up on wedding cards, baby cards and thank you notes.

3. Then I like to pop in Kismet, #2 on map, next door to Wordshop. They have fun, affordable accessories.

4. Then I usually love to stop in Real Baby! #8 on the map, this is a great boutique for pampered babies and tots! I love their stock of Petunia Picklebottom diaper bags, and cute clothing. They also have modern cribs, carriers and strollers. I love their selection of wooden toys by Melissa and Doug. This is a great place to spoil a new mom!
5. Then I stop in Perfect Petal! I spend most of my time here, looking at all the jewelry, smelling all the Tokyo Milk and Lollia products, FLOWERS, and looking at all the home items like pillows and frames. My favorite!

6. By this time I’m getting hungry, so I stop for lunch. You can do Chipotle, #34, or Heidi’s Brooklyn Deli, #35 for quick bites, or if you want to be leisurely, have tacos at El Camino, #31, or yummy Italian at Trattoria Stella, #39 (may be better for dinner) or have an amazing burger and beer at Mead Street Station, #30.

7.Then I usually head to the North side of the street, stopping in Strut, #9, mostly shoes, and the connecting Dragonfly, #7, where they have Free People, Michael Stars and one of my favorite jewelry lines from SOHO, NYC, called By Boe!

8.Then I head next door to Babareeba! #6 This is a consignment shop where I’ve seen Diane Von Furstenberg and vintage and everything in between!

9. Sometimes I pop into Garnet Gecko, #5, where they have gorgeous imports like tapestries from India.

10. Winding up my day, I might get a pick me up cupcake from Happy Cakes, #20. Finally, I usually end my day at Starlet, #18, where they gave really great clothes, accessories and girly tidbits. All within a gear price range!

I hope you enjoy your trip to the Highlands! Feel free to comment here on your favorite stores and stops! This is certainly not the only shops u have been into of shopped, but the major ones. Mondo Vino, St. Killian’s Cheese shop, Denver Bread Company and West Side Books are also great, great places! See you down there!

Goldyn Pick

Hey!
My friends over at Goldyn wanted to know what my day to night look was from their fall merch and this is what I picked out- cyber shopping….If you haven’t been in their bricks and mortar shop yet, now is a great time! They are over in the lower Highlands area, right next to the hottest resti in town…Linger.

Peter Piper Picked a Prada Pocketbook: I Picked A Few

I had a great sushi dinner date with husband tonight at a place in the burbs. It was actually really good, yes you can get sushi in land-locked Denver and it is pretty damn good, and this place was “all you can eat,” which made it even better. Not a night I should have been wearing my tight double button Diesel jeans…oi vey… I got really wired for some reason and here I am blogging at 2:30 am. Yeah me! I found myself actually READING my e-mail subscriptions! You know all those sites you give your e-mail address to, because you were lured into their trap with their devilish and enticing use of the word “giveaway.” Or, worse, you actually fooled yourself into thinking you would have time every morning to sit down and have coffee and read all these great newsletters, blogs, and news, and look at me I’m so smart now I have an inbox full of crap!
I digress. This nugget from Fashionista titled, “Here Are 10 Great Bags That Cost Less Than $300 (We Even Found an Alexander Wang)” sucked me into opening it, but served nothing more than a great inspiration piece for my own post on my handbag picks. Let’s face it, who has $300 to plop down on a purse? Not I said the student/admin/blogger/wife/potential homeowner…
I’m sure you are all in a similar spot, so I wanted to surf the net for you all and share with you some of MY favorite handbag picks that I scrummed up. Some were VERY familiar to me as I have one, used to have one, or used to sell them either at my time at Nordstrom or a local boutique somewhere, and some were NEW labels to me that I discovered just tonight with a few key strokes in the ol’ Google Search bar. I tried to challenge myself to handbags DEFINITELY under $200, and HOPEFULLY under $100. Some are leather, some are pleather, or vegan, some are basic black and some are sorbet green, but they’re all GOOD! I think anyway…
Some are available at stores in town, some you can get right online, I suggest going to local boutiques and retailers first before doing a click-click on the e-basket, but I’ll guide you through. There’s a hobo, a satchel, a tote, a shoulder bag with chain, a clutch…and if nothing else, you’ll at least be inspired to clean out your own very loved handbag and give her a good dusting off. For goodness sake, at least dump out the crumbs and throw away the gum wrappers and random pen caps!

Here goes, and in no particular order:

From our awesome, punky girl Gwen Stefani, comes one from her line L.A.M.B. Oh, also a side note on Gweni- she’s launching a kiddie line in collaboration with Target mid November called Mini Harajuku! Be sure to check it out! Ilove the edginess of this bag, and the shape. A hobo/bucket bag has been on my list for a while.
L.A.M.B. Lucille hobo in Vetiver. On SALE on Zappos.com for $207.99 for more details click here… L.A.M.B. is also sold at Nordstrom.

A new line I discovered on BlueFly tonight, and I believe is also available at Nordstrom, is a line called Deux Lux. Another bag on my list has been the basket weave. Since I can’t afford the Bottega Venetta…this one fits the bill; pun intended.

Deux Lux Bowery Hobo in Black. Available on Deux Lux for $143, and in other colors. See more details and buy here.

Another newbie line to me, also discovered on BlueFly, was Miss Gustto. Love the name, and really cute designs- GREAT prices! A quilted number is yet another bag on my wishlist. This one is adorable in mint green!

Miss Gustto MG Bonnie Quilted- $116. Available to purchase on Miss Gustto’s site.

Ahhh…one of my favorites…Big Buddha! I first saw this line at the Perfect Petal in the Highlands, where I purchased my first bag. Now the line is carried then at their sister store Posh on Larimer. Also, I have seen them recently, like a month ago, at TJ Maxx! The one downtown… Also sold at Macy’s. I love the structured, half moon shape of this guy. The color is different, can go for fall or spring and put a little pop into an otherwise drab outfit. I especially love that you can wear this one on your wrist or your shoulder!

Big Buddha Juptown in “Green” (I think it’s more yellow) $105.00 Available on the Big Buddha website here. Remember to look for them in town though!

YES! Another favorite of mine…a Canadian, and vegan line, called Matt & Nat. I first heard of them about ten years ago working for local boutiques Miss Talullah’s and then Red Door Swingin’. Now I hear that they pulled out of the boutique market and are on to bigger fish- i.e. Nordstrom. So buy direct online, or check Nordi’s. I love the daity envelope shape, and the chain strap. So feminine! You can wear this for day ladies, just take out all that extra crap!!!

Matt & Nat Santogold in Beige $185- Available online at Matt & Nat

Really?! Rachel Roy the high end NYC designer has collaborated with Macy’s and her satchel here was featured on Refinery 29′s list of the Top 5 Handbags under $100! After hopping over to Macy’s to have a closer look, I conquer. I also love the blue bucket bag.

Rachel Roy Large Satchel $99- Available at Macy’s

And after looking more at Macy’s vast collection of handbag designers I discovered Olivia & Joy. I really liked several of their bags, all under $100 mind you, but this one was my fave. I like the large square shape and the one lonely, crooked zipper pocket. I like things a little off, unexpected.

Olivia & Joy Key Note Tote on Sale on Macy’s site for $65.99!!!!

Last…I could go on forever, but I must SLEEP…I couldn’t end without hitting Piperlime’s Bags Under $100 List! Wow, what great source! I really need to check Piperlime more often. I knew Rachel Zoe was a guest editor, offering up her favorites on the site, but i didn’t realize some of my other favorite stylish muses like Rachel Bilson, Olivia Palermo and Birdie Bell were also contributors! Tag, bookmark, coming back. So many lines to choose from, but one that stood out was Melie Bianco. I really liked a lot of their bags, very minimalist…but also, unfortunately a little too similar to designers Chloe, Celine and Proenza Schouler. they may be possibly trying to duplicate without outright stealing designs, but they are more affordable certainly!

Melie Bianco Ariana in Wine- $99 Available online at Piperlime

Hope this list served as a helpful guide, or at least a start! I know it can be overwhelming, but once you find a style and possibly a label you like, you’ll know it’s the right one when you see it, or simply when it fits all your necessities to get you through your day and fits snug on your shoulder. Either way..keep some pennies in the pouch and start here.