DC Temporium

Fellow DC-ers, check out DC Temporium on H St. NE July 23rd - Aug 15th.  Local artists and designers are showcasing their works (different designers each week).  I bought a really comfy scarf by DeNada and a cool T-shirt from Jon Wye.

Happy Shopping!

Spruced Up

In my continuous effort to furnish my new house, I found this great website and blog called Spruce.  Spruce is based in Austin and they re-upholster furniture using great fabrics.  These ladies have a great eye for design and patterns.  I would love to splurge to have one of their pieces in my home.  And yes Virginia, they do ship outside of Texas.  Here's what I'm drooling over right now, check them out...

http://www.spruceaustin.com/

Steal vs Splurge

It's been a while since the last post, it's mainly due to work and the purchase of a new home!  With a purchase comes more shopping but different shopping, home decor shopping.  Who would have known that accessories and furniture could be so expensive. I find myself looking for more opportunities to get great deals and find those affordable furniture and home decor stores.  From a national chain perspective, the big ones I thought were great to shop at were Room & Board, CB2, and West Elm. 

Room and Board just opened a new fabulous store on the corner of 14th St NW and T St NW in Washington, DC.  I call this place an Ikea for grown-ups.  It's a large four story building with eye candy for the home decorating fiend.  It even has a roof-top to showcase all their wonderful outdoor furniture.  The place is great for inspiration but I have to say is way too expensive.  They had a throw pillow for $119.  Seriously?!  $119 for one 18 x 18 pillow.

I love CB2's catchy tag line - "Affordable Modern" - and that is exactly what it is.  If you are ever looking for something in orange, this store will have it.  They are expanding stores throughout the US so hopefully they will make it to DC soon.

West Elm is the bomb.  I bought a sectional couch that retails for $2500+ for $520.  The store location in downtown DC was closing and I got a fabulous deal on the floor display.  When I see things in other stores and get over the sticker shocked, I am pleasantly surprised to find something similar there for much less.  I love their bedding and throw pillows, they always have such colorful prints and great textured fabrics.

So it goes without saying that when I found some beautiful pieces, however; they were a little pricey.  But I never let a price tag get me down...below are a couple of examples of the inspiration (and much pricier) item and then execution at a lower price so I can save the ka-ching for jewelry!  Can you tell the difference?


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Above: Room and Board Natual Steel Box Frame 5x7 ($89)

Below: CB2 Oxide Frame 5x7 ($29.95)

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Above: Room and Board Louis Ghost Chair - Phillip Starck ($410)

Below: Ezmodfurniture.com Ghost Chair replica ($165)

Boot Envy

We had our second snowfall for this winter this past weekend.  Refusing to be defeated by the weather and the road conditions, I set out for the gym in my new "rain" boots.  I call them rain boots but they are good for the snow and slush as well.  My trusty new Tretorn Plask boots was a purchase made on Gilt Fuse. 

These boots are fashionable and functional.  I have worn them only a few times but I have received so many compliments - at the gym, yoga studio, airport, just walking in the street - that it warranted a plug.  So ladies out there in the urban jungle, Tretorn Plask fits the bill.

Ring in the New Year Part II

I pulled the trigger, happy sparkly birthday to me!

Ring in the New Year

Happy 2010!!!  The new year always brings mixed emotions...excitement for what's to come and some sadness since the holidays are over.  No more vacation or holidays to look forward to until Memorial Day!  Fortunately for me, my "holiday" is always extended due to my birthday.  Yes, yours truly is a Type-A Capricorn and with a January birthday, it means the shopping season extends an extra month.

This year I am contemplating a gift to myself from David Yurman and never mind the fact that I started buying things for myself and called them early birthday presents starting in November.  Bailey Banks and Biddle was having a going-out-of-business sale and I scored a pair of real diamond earrings (my first pair) in late November at 40% off.  That, I said to myself, was going to be my birthday present.  Then, I bought myself a new coat with Thinsulate from J. Crew during one of their online "additional 25% plus free shipping" promotions and called that a "must-have" for the cold weather ahead of us.  Lastly, I scored a pair of earrings on Etsy that are similar to the Me & Ro pair that I had been eyeing for a couple of years at a lower price (skull studs with diamond eyes by Michelle Chang) calling them a nice weekend alternative to the diamond studs.

But a month and a half has past and I forgot about all those other self gifts when I saw some of the really cute David Yurman crossover and confetti rings.  I have the DY petite albion with a prasiolite stone that I wear on my right hand.  I thought a bigger ring on my middle left finger would be a nice complement.   The question is which one?  Surely I am worth it right???

(starting from the left - four row confetti ice ring, large pave crossover ring, pave crossover double x ring)

Scottish Charm

Rowallan of Scotland is an awesome site.  I found this through my trusty Lucky At Your Service iPhone app.  Everyday they post a new daily lucky break deal.  Today's deal was for this awesome travel jewelry roll.  I put in the code to get 50% off and after I submitted my payment information, the amount grossed up to the original.  I quickly called the site's customer service number and a charming Scottish woman answered the phone and double-checked my order and confirmed that my card was not charged the full price.  I may call back just to hear her accent "...over and over and over and over again..." [excerpt from Camera Obscura's Honey in the Sun].