Obsessions #2: The Weekend...

Happy Friday everyone! Even though I am on a little staycation, this week had me longing for the weekend. Really it can't get here fast enough. These are the things would make my weekend pretty delightful!

1 Shirt:: Archer Button Up Shirt from Grainline Studio (I must make it stat-like) / 2 Shoes:: Accona Desert Lace up Wedges from Ruche / 3 Jeans:: 1969 Curvy Skinny Jeans from Gap / 4 Watch:: AEO Studded Wrap Watch from American Eagle / 5 Drink:: Whiskey Lemonade with Honey by A Beautiful Mess / 6 Vases:: Lina Vases from Crate & Barrel / 7 Notebook:: Moleskine Audio Cassette Ruled Pocket Notebook / 8 DIY:: String Art from Vintage Revivals

What are some of your favorite weekend things?

Obsessions #1: Thinking of spring...

It seems yet another winter storm has hit (not as bad as it was supposed to be which in one way is awesome, but in another way, I was really hoping for a good hibernation day! I am still going to stay in and putter around since it is insanely windy outside.) This year I am really looking forward to spring, warmer weather, planting a garden, making new project lists, and moving forward with some of my goals for the year. 

Since I have been feeling so inspired lately, I decided to bring back one of my favorite features: Obsessions (basically the things I am crushing on as of late). This week, I was feeling inspired by the transition time between winter and spring. It's always so fickle in the weather around here. One day it is sunny and warm and you are breaking out the spring dresses and the next day your standing in a few inches of snow still wanting to curl up under a cozy quilt and read (I'm almost always cold at night, so I can never have to many blankets). These were some of my favorite finds for the week!

1 Dress:: Know Every Angle Dress from Modcloth / 2 Sunglasses:: Wood Veneer Classic Sunglasses / 3 Nail Polish:: Power Clutch by Essie / 4 Ring:: Water Ring from Topshop / 5 Sandals:: AEO Beaded T-Strap from American Eagle / 6 Drink:: The Scarlett O'Hara from Key Lime Weddings / 7 Quilt:: Kaleidoscope Patchwork Quilt from Urban Outfitters / 8 Book:: Home Made by Yvette van Boven / 9 DIY:: Wood Chalkboards from Megan Brooke Handmade

Spring/Summer Beauty Obsessions

It has been awhile since I have wrote up one of my Obsessions lists, but I am bringing back the series. It probably won't be weekly but more of a random kind of series. So I thought I would start with a few things that I am loving for the warmer months:

Going clockwise: TRESemme Fresh start dry shampoo, Jergens Shea Butter lotion, AE Bohemian Summer perfume (roll-on), Olay Complete moisturizer, Almay get up & grow mascara in blackest black, AE nail polish in a coral and clay color.

Obsessions: My favorite Things for Pattern Drafting

When designing clothing or other various things, pattern making becomes a huge part of my creative/necessary process. I generally start with a sketch (not always, sometimes I just go with what I visualize in my head), then it is either time for draping or drafting patterns using a basic. Even though pattern making is pretty technical, I think it is still a lot of fun even though it can be a little frustrating at times. Over time, I found my favorite things for drafting patterns:

French Curves (I have several but I really only use these two metal ones- they work for most projects)

Paper Mate Clear Point 0.5mm mechanical pencil (seriously, I love these pencils! I have them all over the place and as a side note they have awesome erasers!) 

Ultra Fine Point Sharpies (I get the 12 pack because I love to use one color for tracing lines, one color for adjustments, and different colors when grading. I am also just plain addicted to them!)

Large art roll of white paper (about 48.5" wide; used for drafting and as patterns), tissue paper (36" wide, I use this for tracing off patterns generally for clothing), and a roll of freezer paper (18" wide; a must for drafting or tracing smaller patterns). 

2" x 18" clear gridded ruler (I can't live without this- I use it for drafting all parts of the patterns and adding seam allowances, they also make a 1" x 6" that is really useful, too) and a t-square

Tape (I use regular scotch tape, I keep several rolls on hand and use it to help manipulate darts, fix patterns, and tape pdf patterns together) and paper scissors (a pair of scissors that is for paper only, strict rule about that because I hate when my paper scissors get used for fabric or fabric scissors used for paper, it just can't happen, I guess that is one of my wacky pet peeves).

The Basics (these are all from school and are on tag board. a: they speed up the process b: I only have women's sizes in these c: I have basics for children but I have yet to make them on tag... d: I like the way they hang in the closet...

This is the book I used in school and still reference for pattern making.They are on the fifth edition now for the most current.

There are tons of other things that I might occasionally use for drafting patterns (like tracing paper, yardstick, pattern notcher, etc.) but the above items are the things I wouldn't want to live without.

Obsessions: Nail Polish

I love it, I collect it, I love how having a toddler around increases the amount of time it takes to complete the task (about twice as long plus he is a great helper for picking out the colors)! My general colors:

Fingers- Dark most of the time (typically on the black based side, but I might branch out occasionally into brighter colors) 

from left to right
#1- Pat on the Black by Sally Hansen (I think it is discontinued though, not sure) all time favorite- it is a really deep purple based black *as a crazy sidenote: my hair is also dyed this color, which just happened accidentally one time and now it has stuck with me)

#2- Charcoal Cheer Maybelline Express Finish gray black with a hint of shimmer 

 Toes- almost always bright and tend to go towards the bright red/orange/pink area....

from left to right

#1-Speedy Hot Tamale by Maybelline Express Finish- really love this red-orange it always seems to go with everything

#2- Wonder Melon by Maybelline foreverstrong- when I feel more hot pink this is my go-to

#3- Shrimply Divine by Sally Hansen- a bright light pink that is about as girly as I get

#4- Rocker by Mac- has a lot of shimmer and is a great deep red, love it!

 For the topcoat I always use this: 

 Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear

Since I strive on routine (yeah, that really never happens), but laundry day almost always occurs on Monday, so I thought it would be logical to paint my nails every Monday. Mainly, so I could not leave the polish on there forever and wait for it to disappear while looking ugly switch up colors and start the week with fresh polish. Do you have any favorite nail polishes that I should add to my collection?

Today was spent in the studio sewing (I made a small dent in my project list) a full recap will be in the works for tomorrow. I am also working on a new Friday feature that will be a mix of fashion, styling, tutorials (like taking the lace trend and making a clutch or accessory), etc. starting next week. ~kz

Obsessions: TV shows

Okay, I am bringing back the weekly obsessions feature, the last few weeks were pretty busy so it kind of fell by the wayside. Right now, I am in love with the following shows: (okay the first four never really change)

1. Golden Girls (I have all seven seasons on dvd and watch them all the time)

2. Criminal Minds (this is the only current show I must not miss every week at the time it actually comes on) 

3. Murder, She Wrote (still working on my collection of dvds for this one but I have seasons 1-3 and they are rotated out between the golden girls)

4. The Real Housewives (all of them and I tend to watch them over and over and over, also pretty much anything on Bravo works well)

5. Law & Order (again I enjoy all of them)

6. The Big Bang Theory (super funny)

7. Covert Affairs (great summer show)

I am totally a tv junkie, but I don't really listen to music that much, so tv is sort of like my radio. One reason that I enjoy watching certain shows over and over again is that I don't have to pay super attention to what is going on while working on things. Do you have any favorite shows right now? 

Obsessions: Summer 2010

Okay, so I actually really love all of the seasons, but each season has different things that I become obsessed with. Summer 2010 has become defined by these:

• HOT weather- it's no secret, I really dislike being cold. I would much rather be warm.

•Swimming lessons- it's so fun to watch x learn to swim, while I get to sit in the warm sun and capture all the swimming action on camera.

• Painting my nails bright colors- right there are a bright pink on my fingers and a super awesome aqua on my toes 

• Fresh Lemonade mixed with sparkling water

• Longer days- I always feel like I get more done during the summertime

• Fresh salads and produce- I really can't wait until the garden starts producing yummy things.
• Spending more time outside whether on picnics, at the playground or just watering all the plants, it just feels really great and relaxing.
• Taking photos- almost everyday

I hope summer stays for awhile! 

Obsessions: Magazines

I love them, literally I collect them like crazy.... I always need them, I can never get enough, they are one of my many addictions. I enjoy reading a variety of magazines, here are some of my current faves: Martha Stewart Living, Food & Wine, Lucky, W, Us Weekly, Vogue, Shape, Quilts & More, Threads, Food Network, and anything else I can get my hands on. Do you have any must read magazines?

Obsessions

So, I tend to fall in love with all kinds of things or rather I get obsessed in a good way with them (I figure its just the way I am, so I roll with it!) Anyways, I thought it would be fun to share some of the things I am  currently obsessed with as a regular Thursday feature on the blog (kind of like Tuesdays in the Garden). Now my obsessions can be anything from fashion to food to books to pet peeves to fabric, I think you get the idea, anything goes! 

It was tough picking what my first Obsession list would be, so here it goes: My absolute must haves to make it through the day, beauty wise that is! (I have actually been using things daily for over a year, I am a sucker for routine) 

Dior Addict perfume (this is my go to scent and I only switch it out with Chanel No. 5), Great lash mascara in Blackest Black (must, must, must have), Black eyeliner (this one is by wet'n'wild but I like them to lean on the creamy side to blend), Eye lash curler (really it makes your eyes look so much better and more awake), Garnier Anti Puff roller (I find this helps a lot under my eyes) and finally the Dior eyeshadow palette. Let's take a look at that a little closer:

Mainly I use this for black eyeshadow (<3 this it is the best black I have found, applied with an angle brush) I tend to use white when I need to look awake and refreshed, the rest are kind of when the mood strikes kind of things. Are there any things that you can't live with out everyday or what are you obsessed with this week?