I have a new signature scent, and it’s all thanks to my mom! Christmas came a month early when she gave me Guerlain’s La Petite Robe Noir on Thanksgiving. I first smelled this deliciously beautiful fragrance in a Sephora catalog (where else?) and instantly fell head over heels in love. I’m quite certain I suffer from a smell and color-related form of synesthesia, and when I tried this perfume, my first thought was, “Black,” like the night sky.
The scent is very heavy, perfectly suited for colder months, and includes black cherries, red berries, licorice, and smoked black tea. This combination results in a wonderful, sweet and smoky fragrance that lasts all day long.
I’ve always been a fan of Guerlain, and wore their now discontinued scent, Meteorites, as well as their cosmetics, on my wedding day. And Insolence and My Insolence are among my most favorite perfumes.
But La Petite Robe Noir surpasses all three in quality and scent, and I am so thrilled with my new little black dress.
(The perfume and body milk, with their lovely packaging.)
(The road to Hell…)
After my day of crafting at Anthropologie, I felt inspired and wanted to make something else by hand again. Ryan’s mother is an expert knitter and makes the most beautiful blankets, and she always has stacks of cardboard yarn cones lying around once her projects are finished. The boys love playing with these at her house, and I realized that they could easily be transformed into whimsical little trees for Christmas and winter decorations.
My original thought was to spend a little craft time with my boys and cover the cones in glue and glitter. But I’m not really a glitter person (I bet that surprises you, doesn’t it?) and I don’t have any on hand. I have to be in the right mood to head to the craft store, and I’m just not in that place right now. Plus, I like the idea of using objects around the house, and I have plenty of yarn and felt left over from other failed craft attempts.
So, I spent one evening wrapping a soft-colored green yarn around a cone. Wrapping and wrapping and wrapping. And as I sat there doing it, I realized that these cones were once wrapped in yarn that became beautiful blankets, pieces that cover my boys and me as we read, snuggle up on the couch together, and dream softly at night.
My wrapped cone looks nothing like those lovely afghans, and honestly, I felt like I was wasting my time wrapping and wrapping and wrapping. And my cone looks nothing like a tree, but more like a cardboard cone wrapped in yarn, and I decided I didn’t want to spend time cutting out felt balls and shapes to glue on the trees once they were wrapped. I just didn’t. It wasn’t fun, and I didn’t see the point. So I went to the computer and worked on my blog. And that gives me endless amounts of joy.
I am not a crafter, and I’ve known this for many years. Sometimes I get a little urge to do something crafty, a funny, fleeting feeling in the pit of my stomach, and then, just as quickly as it appears, it is gone. I love handmade crafts and appreciate the time and effort that goes into them, but I just can’t do it myself.
Last summer, I made a trip to the local Hobby Lobby in search of fabric, needles, thread, a measuring tape, and that sticky tape stuff used for making a fake hem. I was hell-bent on making an easy ottoman cover, and when I brought the fabric home and tried it out on my couch, it wasn’t the right color. So you know what I did? I went right back to Hobby Lobby that same evening, dragging Ryan and the boys with me in the Texas heat, just so I could pick out another fabric that I liked better.
And then the very next day, I started a blogging class, which really changed how I view my writing and this blog, and that fabric is still sitting on a shelf in my utility room, waiting to be used. The ottoman cover was never made, and you know what’s covering my ottoman now?
A knitted afghan, created just for me, by someone I’ve never even met.
My boys play with it, dragging the blanket around the house and hiding under it, and when they are sick, it covers them and keeps them warm. It is beautiful, and I love seeing it every day, knowing that it was made by loving hands, by someone who enjoyed creating a little piece of beauty for others to enjoy, too.
And that’s why I write this blog. To share the things I love with you, with the hope that you might love them, too.
So the moral of this story is to do what you love, and what makes you happy, and don’t worry about those things you let fall by the wayside.
I might go back to that cardboard cone wrapped in yarn one evening when the house is quiet and I have some free time. I might sit and glue little decorations on it, to place on my mantle for the holidays. But, then again, I might not, and that’s okay, too.
Since I joined Twitter recently, I’ve had tremendous fun following and connecting with bloggers from all walks of life. It’s such a great way to find new blogs to read while engaging with people in different states and countries, most of whom I would normally never meet. One of these awesome bloggers is Lindsay, of Black & Blonde, a real-live fashion blogger from New York City. Lindsay and I just hit it off, and we often email each other throughout the day while she is at work and I’m busy chasing after my boys.
I appreciate Lindsay’s fashion sense, which is quite different from my own, and one day, we got to chatting about the new Narciso Rodriguez line for Kohl’s. While I was vaguely familiar with Narciso Rodriguez in passing, I didn’t know much about him, but Lindsay describes him as, “One of the few designers that really gets women and their bodies.” Since I had some free time, I checked out the collection, took a few pictures, and reported back to my blogger friend.
I never get too excited when well-known designers create lines for middle-of-the-road stores like Target, Macy’s, and Kohl’s, because I realize they are working with cheaper materials within the confines of the stores’ demographics. Still, it’s a fun way to try an affordable look inspired by a famous collection. And I’ve always had great luck with Vera Wang’s Kohl’s line, so I was anxious to try this one, too.
Narciso Rodriguez favors bold colors and strong, geometric lines, which don’t suit my style easily, but are still the basis for a classic wardrobe. I was prepared to find a lot of polyester and stretchy materials, staples for Kohl’s, and that’s exactly what Rodriguez used for most of his designs. Still, there were a few pieces that really stood out and are worth owning, in my opinion.
I tried on the Colorblock Ponte Sheath Dress in black and red, and it was extremely flattering and comfortable.
(My dressing room shot of the dress.)
In the end, I passed on the dress, only because it would require purchasing accessories that I don’t currently own, but I’m reconsidering that decision and might have to change my mind. I do think I could make it work for my everyday, casual style, and it would be a classic piece to have on hand. And I successfully talked Lindsay into purchasing this dress, which is, in my opinion, the standout piece of the entire collection. It is very modern and well-made, perfectly suited for a busy New York fashion blogger, don’t you think?
(Lindsay in her Narciso Rodriguez dress.)
(Love her curls and that necklace!)
I eventually decided to try this Tile Georgette Top and I think it will work well for colder weather, layered with a cardigan and chunky necklace.
Despite the polyester material, which I normally loathe because it makes me so hot, the blouse is fairly sheer and cool, and I think it would work as a casual outfit at Alt Summit, paired with dark jeans.
I especially love the deconstructed tile look, which reminds me of piano keys, and the satin detail on the sleeves and bottom hem, which adds a bit of formality to the look.
Even though I played it safe in my purchase, I think I’ll get a lot of wear from this Narciso Rodriguez blouse. I’m still tempted to purchase the sheath dress, and I’ll be sure to let you know if I do.
Lindsay and I are linking up today, and to read her take on our little long-distance fashion conversation, please check out her blog here.
