A simple linen bag

A simple linen bag:



Could it get any simpler?
Plain oatmeal colored linen, herringbone woolen twill tape (I wish I had bought more of it...) and linen woven tape for the handles. No lining. All inner seems are finished the French way. And there are two inner side pockets as well. One and the same pattern as this one and this one.

I got one remark, though, from K. and the girls: where's the decoration? Where's the little square? I wasn't intending on adding one - but what do you think? To square or not to square?

Note: I know some of you were interested in finding a copy of the book in English. The title of the book in English is: Linen & Cotton Natural Clothes - Japanese Sewing Pattern Book for Women - and it's written by Kyoko Sakauchi. I found one available here...

Diorskin Icône Makeup Look

Diorskin Icône Makeup Look:

Sometimes it is good to give a second chance...

I bought Diorskin Icône foundation focusing on the "Photo Perfect Creme-to-Powder Makeup" legend and I was disappointed for ages. My skin just did not like it. It looked cakey and emphasized the drier patches on my skin. It remained untouched for some months till I decided to give it another opportunity some weeks ago, after my encounter witth Estee Lauder Double Wear. I tried a couple of tools and I liked how after all I managed to make it work. Both using a wet sponge and a stippling brush, it looked quite polished and luminous and with a medium to high coverage. So what happened, then? Well, I must admit there is something else. I have been using it over Skin79 Dream Girls BB cream and the combination is marvellous. I think the BB cream evens out my skin tone and it also adds extra moisture so the Dior foundation fits better.

A veces merece la pena dar una segunda oportunidad...

Compré la base Diorskin Icône centrándome en la inscripción "Maquillaje crema-polvo de acabado perfecto para fotografía" y la tuve aparcada durante mucho tiempo. A mi piel no le iba nada bien, quedaba a parches y marcaba mucho las zonas más secas de la piel. Hace algunas semanas decidí darle otra oportunidad, tras mi desencuentro con la Double Wear de Lauder. Tanto con una esponjita húmeda como con una brocha mofeta, conseguí que quedase mejor en la piel. Al final, resultó dejar un acabado muy pulido y luminoso, con una cobertura media-alta. ¿Qué pasó, entonces? Debo admitir que hay algo más... El hecho de que la utilizara sobre la BB cream de Skin79 "Dream Girls" produjo este cambio a mejor. Creo que la BB cream iguala previamente el tono de la piel y le aporta más hidratación y por todo ello la base de Dior sienta mejor.

(Especial para Paola, para que se anime con la aplicación de maquillaje con brocha) Texture: very thick and concentrated. Coverage: medium to high. It is really buildable and it blends easily onto the skin. Finish: incredibly lightweight on the skin, it finishes to a powder effect. Shades: I use it in 020 Beige Clair which I believe will work for NC15 and NC20 alike. Bonus: great for photography, makes skin look flawless. Textura: muy densa y concentrada. Cobertura: media-alta. Es muy modulable y se extiende fácilmente. Acabado: se siente muy ligera en la piel y deja un acabado aterciopelado. Tonos: la utilizo en el tono 020 Beige Clair que creo que podría irle bien a NC15 y NC20. Extra: queda especialmente bonita en fotografía, pues hace que la piel quede muy uniforme.

Ingredients:



♥ Skin79 Dream Girls BB Cream

♥ Diorskin Icône Foundation in the shade 020 Beige Clair

♥ Nars Copacabana Liquid Illuminator

♥ Nars Orgasm blush

♥ Nars Orgasm lipgloss

♥ Urban Decay Primer Potion

♥ Urban Decay Half Baked eyeshadow

♥ Urban Decay Smog eyeshadow

♥ YSL L'eyeliner noir

♥ Dior Extase mascara

Special Events and Holiday Shops

Special Events and Holiday Shops: Hi all! With so many things going on this holiday season, I thought I'd share a schedule of special events and holiday shops coming up. The first two events are today and tonight even! Hope to see you out and about at one or more of these… merry, merry, merry!

ANN ARBOR ART CENTER

Celebrate the Season: Shop, Savor, Celebrate

Thursday, November 17

5 – 8 p.m.

Kick off the holiday season in style with a preview of the Art Center's expanded holiday inventory—including a selection from yours truly. I'll be there from 5 to 7 p.m. enjoying some live music and refreshments. Stop by and say hello and merry, merry! The Art Center will continue to stock a variety of SGF cards and calendars throughout the holidays.

POT & BOX

Open Studio and Holiday Happening

Thursday, November 17

11 a.m. – 11 p.m.

pot & box, along with their neighbors at METAL, welcome you to stop down to 220 felch street in Ann Arbor for shopping, nibbles & sips, and creative possibilities. A variety of holiday decor and local artisans' items fill this welcoming space to get you in the seasonal spirit. p&b will continue to carry a selection of SGF items throughout the holiday season.

BLUE HOUSE

Handmade Holiday Workshop

hosted by Maker Works

Sunday, November 27

1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Relax and take a break from the holiday craziness with a festive afternoon of creativity and craft. I'll be teaming up with Blue House to host this afternoon workshop at the Maker Works in Ann Arbor. We'll be leading you through a variety of holiday make-and-take projects to spruce up your home and give as gifts. Pre-registration is required. Visit www.bluehouseannarbor.com for more information and to reserve your spot now!

NAKA

Ornamentacular

Thursday, December 8

Come experience the spirit of the season in Ferndale with a tree decked out in a variety of crafty ornaments made by eleven local artists and crafters, including SGF handmade paper ornaments made from recycled misprints. This is the only venue other than the holiday shows (listed at right) that will carry my paper ornaments. There will be warm drinks, tasty nibbles and plenty of crafty goodness throughout the evening. As always, Naka will stock a variety of SGF items throughout the holiday season and all year long.

TWO TWELVE ARTS CENTER

Holiday Art Sale

Saturday, Dec 10 through Saturday, Dec 17

10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Opening Reception

Friday, December 9

7 – 9 p.m.

Located in the heart of Saline, this is a truly local holiday sale featuring all works handcrafted by local artists. Drop in for the opening reception for snacks and an abundance of liveliness—or any time during the course of the one-week sale.

BIRMINGHAM BLOOMFIELD ARTS CENTER

Holiday Shop

Dec 2 through Dec 17

Shop & Champagne preview

Wednesday, November 30

6:30 – 9 p.m.

Featuring an enticing array of gift-giving creations by more than 100 artists, the BBAC annual holiday shop benefits educational and community programming at the BBAC. Tickets are required for the preview. Visit www.bbac.org for more information.

Styling the Bookcases

Styling the Bookcases: What an exciting post this will be, huh? I have to be honest here, I do NOT like styling things.... This part of home decor usually stresses me out when it comes to bookcases. I don't know why.... I think because it is not natural for me. I can pick out colors and textiles, and put them together easily, but setting up the little vignettes has always been harder for me. So bear with me, because I did my best!

You may remember I showed you the bookcases I finished for our living room. After letting the paint set for several days, I got to work styling them. Of course, we needed a place for our books, though we had already put some in the guest room. So that was the first thing I pulled out to use. I also had a bunch of milk glass sitting around that I thought would pop nicely against the orange. I gathered some meaningful photos and other meaningful pieces, like the artwork Sawyer made me for Valentine's Day last year and the horse I inherited from my grandmother. And I added in a couple of goodwill paintings I had found and fell in love with. Lastly, I added in some glittered pinecones leftover from an upcoming project- they give a little seasonal touch. And here they are, styled and prettied up! Oh, and this room has no overhead light and it is rainy here today, so I apologize for the not-so-great photos!

And there you have it. There is only so much I can say about bookcase styling.