Have a fun, fun, fun weekend!

Hello my lovelies! It seems like the week just started and now it's in it's end. Not that I'm complaining of course. So what will you be doing over the weekend? I plan to have a short Saturday morning run (I so need exercise!), a little valentine DIY (this first before the dress), some relaxing and a short trip to visit my itsy-bitsy cousins (those are not them in the photo, but they are definitely as cute!)

Enjoy the weekend my sweet readers!

xoxo,
andy

(photo via fastenyourseatbelt)

Loving this dress

Saw this Spring 2010 Erdem dress from My Life in Style and I immediately fell in love with it. I just love florals and this dress gave a new meaning to detailing. I wish I could find a version for less, because this one's too pricey for me. There's a nearby store though that sells those types of applique so i think a little DIY is possible. I've done this before, but not on a whole dress, just around the collar of this plain white top to give it some color. I still have it, but it has already turned off-white, so I don't wear it much.

What do you think of this dress? Are you lovin' it too? Also, have you done any fashion DIY lately?

(via My Life in Style)

Books on display

I just love books on display. Of course I buy to read not to display, but there is something about shelves and shelves of books that make me swoon and feel warm inside. Whenever I visit a friend's house and am allowed to look around a bit, I go straight to the hallway or living room bookshelf and check out what they have in there; from first editions to tattered collector's items to atlases to untouched chick lits. Even my boyfriend has this lovely collection of books (well, he's a professor) that I always browse through.

These book storage and display ideas from Design 3000 are of course not quite like the shelves-and-shelves that I adore, but I can't deny that these are really nice ways to display your books. I especially love the third one, and the first one is genius because it also acts as bookmark. Oh, and check out these brilliant book lights that I've posted a few weeks ago.

So my lovelies, do you adore books as decor/display like I do or am I being too nerdy? What do you think of these designs? Sound off below!

Personal valentine coupons

We've talked about valentines and how most of you love doing it yourself. And I just have to share this amazingly sweet DIY gift that my boyfriend gave me a few years back. I got to use it for a whole year and I secretly wish I have more of them. So what is it? Personal coupons.

He gave me this strange envelope with an accompanying letter saying:

"Ms. Andy Tan, Congratulations!! You have just been given a set of Jay (boyfriend) cards. This entitles the bearer to use the cards to make Jay do things, which involve hugs, shopping, baking, cooking, cleaning and more. However, these cards will only be valid a year from receipt. Enjoy and use your cards well. The use of the cards is subject to terms and agreement and not valid for exchange or monetary equivalent. One card per transaction. From, Jay Enterprises"

Inside the envelope are around fifty small pink coupons with handwritten notes like "buy me that," "cook me lunch," "buy me ice cream," "bake me cookies," "buy me flowers," "shop for a day (Jay's treat)," "give me a hug," "clean the floor," and more sweet stuff.

It was so much fun to use and whenever he gets a bit upset with me, I pull out one give me a hug card and well, he mellows down. And I so enjoyed the shopping and cleaning cards too! And though I don't necessarily need a coupon to have him do all those things, it was just so cute and sweet to use.

What do you think, dolls? What's the sweetest or most unique valentines gift you've ever received? Share, share, share!

(pretty love notes from Quail Creative)

Tea submarine

Monkey Business has a huge collection of fun and functional products, and this little silicone tea submarine is one of their cutest ever! I'm not too sure if I would really want to use it, but It's just so fun to have!

What do you lovelies think?

February giveaway!

This month of love, Sogni E Sorrisi will be giving away this Oenophilia Bali 12-Bottle Wine Rack! Oooh, this would look so good at our place! Head over there now to see how to win this fab prize!

Valentine stamp

Valentine's day is just around the corner so everyone's busy looking around for the perfect cards. Last week, I posted these romantic handmade valentines and I was thinking, if I'm buying handmade, why don't I just hand-make it myself! It's tough work but I think that's what makes it more special. Although having a little assistant, like this cute handmade heart balloon rubber stamp from Cupcake Tree, does not hurt!

Do you make your own valentines or do you just leave it to the experts?

Oh, and check out these lovely printables from The English Muffin.

Happy weekend!

Happy weekend everyone! I have no plans yet, but I think I will just be resting all weekend, watching reruns of my favorite shows; or probably watch a movie with my sisters. Do you have any plans for the break? Hope you have lots of fun! Oh, and isn't that such a cute photo?

(Photo via DailySquee)

Lacy not racy

I heard that lingerie will be huge this spring 2010 (see that little slip showing in Marion Cotillard's Globes 2009 dress) and though such trend is quite in the danger zone for me, I have to take my hat off to this lovely lady (Heather of The Sound of Lace) for rocking this look:
See those lacy bloomers she wore over her tights; smartly paired with a loose top and crisp blazer. What a pretty way to add a feminine touch. She just really pulled it off! So chic!

(via The Sound of Lace)

Handmade valentines

Hello Handmade is offering these Jane Austen-inspired handwritten/painted valentines, complete with wax seal! Lovely!

Plus 10 percent of each sale go to the American Red Cross Relief in Haiti. Check it out here.

(via Design is Mine)

Pretty: recycled light bulbs

planter

mini terrarium

What a pretty (and brilliant!) way of reusing light bulbs, don't you think. It would look lovely on my desk, I want!

Instruction in making one here.

(via BB-Blog)

Crazy for bangles

As you know, I recently went thrifting (mostly for accessories) and I am loving these bangles in pink and blue. See it after the jump... and some more I've thrifted in the past.

My latest addition. I wear it separately or together.

Vintage linked brass bangles

Glass bangles thrifted (a whole bag of it!) in India. Love that clinking sound!

Gold plated and jeweled also from India

And check these vintage ones I got last December.

Printable Parisian calling cards

This Printable Parisian Calling Card by Three Kisses Studio is just lovely. Wouldn't you want to have your name printed in these? I know I do.

(via Love. Obsess. Inspire)

Doggy bag

Saw this food bag for dogs at Cure Thrift Shop. Too cute, don't you think?

(via Cure Thrift Shop)

Ruffles, ruffles

Everybody's probably blogging about their favorite look of the night from the Golden Globes. I couldn't decide which look I liked best. But as a fan of ruffles, I'm quite happy to see lots of it on the red carpet. Check some of them out:
Ruffles, so feminine and timeless. Love!

Oh, and did you see Robert Downey's speech? So funny! Love him!

Sunday thrifting

As you know, I still have some pendant hunting to do and for a second straight weekend, I came home empty-handed... well, not really. Instead of going to the mall to find myself some nice pendant, my sister and I ended up thrifting! Just small things. Here are some of the stuff I bought:

vintage clutch

vintage jeweled hair clamp

silver stud earrings with faux diamond

...and more that I have yet to take photos of. Will post them soon. Also, I don't think I have to specify how much for each. Just take my word for it: UBER CHEAP!

Been thrifting lately? What are you latest buys?

Caramelized Pear and Gorgonzola Omelette with Bacon and Pecans

I haven't had breakfast yet, so naturally, all I can think of at the moment is food. And I just so have to try this Caramelized Pear and Gorgonzola Omelette with Bacon and Pecans by Kevin of Closet Cooking. He is simply creative! Check out the recipe here.

Cant quite make one today so I'd probably just run downstairs for a bit to get some breakfast. Happy Monday everyone!

Update: I had cream cheese bagel...probably not as good as this omelette, but good enough :)

(via Closet Cooking)

Have a lovely weekend!

Happy weekend, everyone! What are you up to during the two-day break? Saw this photo on Tricia's blog the other day and I immediately had that "warm-am-I-happy-or-sad?" feeling inside. I just love this movie so much, so I uploaded it in my Ipod and am planning to watch it during the weekend!

(Photo via Tricia Will Go Places, from Movie Of The Day)

Shoe Trolley

I am so loving this vintage shoe trolley! I would really want to have one of these, first because it's gorge, and second because my shoes are getting out of hand-- they're everywhere (still getting that new pair of flats though)! I can see myself already, pushing the trolley, picking up shoes here and there, and tidying up the house along the way! Nice!

(via What Anna Loves, from From The Right Bank)

Going a little flat

I'm looking for a new pair of flats, and though I love shoes and shopping, this one is kind of forced (well, he sort of pleaded with puppy eyes) on me by my boyfriend Jay. And I thought guys love girls in high heels! He's been adorably bugging me for a while now to ditch my heels for some time in change of flats. Why, you ask? Well, he's been seeing me trip a lot lately and of course he blames the towering shoes. He said that though he loves me in heels, and in anything, I'd be quite safer with flats.

Funny story that totally killed my argument: Last week after work, while walking down the street to the mall and discussing my favorite pair of pumps (which I was wearing), I was telling him that I can't ditch the certain pair because it's my favorite. He was like, "but you always trip on those and what if you get hurt?" I laughed it off and said matter-of-factly, "But these are soo comfortab...aah!" Bam, I tripped big time! Like really almost fell to my butt on the ground! He immediately helped me up, staring at me with worried eyes, "are you okay, hon?" My answer? A loud, crazy laugh!! After a full minute of laughing, I said "and I was trying to make a point!"

Oh, I know he only means well... so let the search begin! I have my fair share of flats at home, but I haven't bought one for quite some time now. A new lovely pair just like these three (the two have little wedges, yay!) from Anthropologie would be perfect.

Any suggestions, my dears?

Lovely curvy models

These women are totally gorgeous and absolutely sexy! I was so at awe when I saw these photos in Cocamia, I just had to post it here. I so love V Magazine for featuring these amazing models in its January edition. What a fresh of breath air seeing these beautiful, plus size/sexy women feel so confident about themselves. Just lovely. Oh, and the issue will be on stands today!

(via Cocamia)

Bookshop inn

Isn't this one lovely bookstore/inn? It's the Shakespeare and Company, an independent bookstore in Paris that features beds to accommodate travelers and young writers. I just adore its messiness and I would definitely want to stay here. Oh, and those notes on the board (thank you's for George the owner) are from the travelers that have stayed there.

(via ArrangingConstellations)

Lost and now found

Hey everyone! Remember the missing earring I told you about ages ago? Well, I have found the other pair! I found it stuck in between my desk and my closet this morning while, oddly enough, I was retrieving another pair of earring (which I was gonna wear) that fell off. I cant believe I never tried looking there! The lock is broken though, but I think I can fix it easily.

Fab giveaway!

Thrifted Treasure is celebrating its first year in the blogging world by giving away a copy of "Flea Market Style" book, which features tips on how to use your vintage / market finds to create your own unique fab interior. Hurry up and click here to join!

(Photo via Thrifted Treasure)