Dream Summer Wear

I spent an embarrassingly large portion of my day (after catching up on last night's True Blood with my neighbors) lounging about the house on Style.com checking out all the Resort 2011 shows that I missed. Dudes, after checking out Alice + Olivia's, I want to dress like this for the rest of the summer. The line is full of urbanized retro glamour, bold colors, head scarves and turbans, funky sunglasses and bold lip color. It's basically a line of everything that I love. I have yet to wear a turban Sunset Boulevard style in my lifetime but now I'm seriously considering hunting one down. I mean, I am living in L.A. after all!

 

Reupholstering Frenzy

Around the time I moved into my new place I scored two free futons (one off the street, the other from a friend) that were begging for a makeover. The upholstering was super easy as they were essentially big pillows and only required some measuring, machine sewing three sides then hand stitching the fourth.

BTW, Ikea sells upholstery weight fabrics at great prices (I just discovered this last month!). Plus, they have really great big prints. I went to a bunch of fabric stores looking for fabrics, but I ended up loving Ikea's selection over everything else I saw. I went safe and got 7 yards for each futon but ended up only using 6.

The back piece is a foam roll. I covered it by making drawstring edges on each side using cords created from leftover fabric.

While I was waiting for the fabric on the above futon to be cut I talked a bit with two guys who were buying the same fabric. It turns out that they owned an independent record studio and were going to line the studio's walls with this print....Bold move gentlemen, bold move.

Man Shops Globe Pt.2

In the first episode of Man Shops Globe Keith Johnson goes to France and finds a antique gorgeous bed frame that Anthro is now reproducing. This may shock you, but I don't have a spare $2,498 to put towards a bed frame (or for furnishing the entire apartment for that matter). However I did buy a bed that's not as whimsical but in a similar style about a month ago at Ikea for $89 so I feel pretty fancy right now.

{Calligraphy Bed via Anthropologie.com }

Man Shops Globe

{Image via Sundance Channel }

I just recently discovered Man Shops Globe, a show that follows the buyer-at-large for Anthropologie as he shops around the globe, and it couldn't come at a better timing. Having just moved into my new apartment I've got a lot of decorating and revamping to do.  I watched the whole first season in two days while intermittently working on projects. The show is amazing and gives you the creative bug. I dare you to watch it and not immediately have an urge to rearrange your furniture.

Oh, and of course it makes you want to go to Anthropologie.com and ogle thing. These are things I would kill to have around the house.

 {Images via Anthropologie.com }

Behold: Truly Hideous Pants

Images via Style.com

These wondrous pants are courtesy of Givenchy Resort 2011.
The worst part about them is how they sneak up on you. Scrolling down on the image everything looks fine as the red is camouflaging. Only when you look a bit closer does the horror become clear and then you can't look away!

Summer Project

School's out and my completely non-costume related project is about to begin: decorating my new apartment! Right now I'm super excited about weeks of reupholstering, creating sewing nooks and most importantly Ikea trips.

Aaarg!

 Woohoo! Zombie finals! Want to look like a frozen zombie? Here's what you need:

• Water-based make-up palette
• Cotton batting
• Gelatin
• Fake snow crystals
• Epsom Salt
• KY Jelly

All of the coloring is just face paint. The growths are the cotton batting dipped in warm liquid gelatin with paint and snow crystals or Epsom salt on top. The KY jelly is for the hair and for a glistening effect.

The costume consists of items I found at a thrift shop that are ripped and distressed. Epsom salt and sugar are applied with Elmer glue and corn syrup. It is gross, sticky and uncomfortable but it was easy to apply and only had to last for a couple hours.

I know what I'm doing for Halloween!

Break Your Heart

Western Costume is a big costume rental place here in LA. They rent to all the movies studios, independent films, theatre designers, etc. Well, a couple of weeks ago they had a huge sale so naturally I was there at 8am to participate. While I got some great things for ridiculously cheap I saw the above dress. It didn't fit me so I put it down.

It turns out it was Betty Draper's dress from Mad Men! I'm re-watching season 1 and noticed it.
Why didn't I hold onto the dress?!?! I could never fit into it, but I still could have held it up to me and pretended I was a discontent housewife with a misogynistic husband. Blerg!

micmacs

So I'm just finding out about this movie but it just shot to the top of my must-see list. And it's by Jean-Pierre Jeunet?!?!!? Sold! It's written and directed by the man for Amelie so how could it not be wonderful?? Plus the posters and stills are sooo pretty.

Sadly, it's so close to finals that I'm going to have to wait a couple of weeks before I can see it. =*( I guess I'll just have to watch Amelie for the millionth time while I work on projects...

zombie makeover

My first three frozen zombie attempts

Zombie Makeover

Because we're working on zombies for our class, we also got a crazy fun makeup demo. He mainly used water based colors, corn syrup, gelatin, bread crumbs and cereal to get the effects.

Anthony never looked better, no?