Vogue Looks without the cost

How frustrating it is when your flipping through fashion magazines such as Vogue, finding gorgeous dresses, shorts, swimsuits that you adore, only to glance down at were to buy them and see that the hat you fell in love with is $700. You know that feeling?

While some people might be able to afford vogue fashions, most of us shy away from prices such as those. However, here are some tips on getting the bang for your buck while still looking Vogue ready.

1) Look through your favorite fashion magazines and blogs (Sarah Klassen's blog is amazing) and upon coming to a look that you love, take a moment and stare at it......

Are you staring?

2) Ask yourself, what do you like about it? Is it right for your body type?

Now as you have answered those questions, do you still want it? If yes, that's great!

3) If you still love the outfit, and wish you were wearing it at the moment, take another look. Look at the lines, the design. Many times, the designs are actually quite simple and basic, made to look fabulous by the uber slim models and the gorgeous photos. The good thing about that? It's easy to find very similar pieces at much cheaper stores, such as Urban Outfitters, GAP, or Anthropologie. While the quality might not be as great as the $700 piece and it might not be "exactly" the same, you will be coming out way ahead when you pair it with the right pieces to get the spreads look.

4) Take inspiration from the spread. Maybe you have a skirt that is very similar as the pleated golden one above, but you can never seem to find anything that looks right with out - or you pair the wrong things with it and you feel like your personal style is being thwarted. Do you love the outfit above with the three quarter length sweater paired with the skirt? Since you already have the skirt, it's easy to find a similar sweater for cheap, even if it's not 3 quarter length! You can use this trick for any outfit!

5) The last idea is one of my favorites. Sew it! If you know how to sew, it is so easy to re create many expensive pieces that you love. Sometimes it can be hard to find the right material, but now with Spoonflower you can design your own which really helps give you more options. Don't know how to sew? Now would be the perfect time to start!

Will you be using any of these ideas? Or have any to throw in? I'd love to hear them!

Images: Julianne Moore for Talbots

Photoshoot Background Inspiration ~ FACSY Retreat

Geronimo

I am helping coordinate a huge Family Consumer Science retreat in our tri-county's 4H program. There are going to be a handful of wonderful classes on great topics held by our Ambassadors to help teach our Youth new skills and grow the ones that they already have - while inspiring them to create!

The problem in our county is the lack of participation in youth, as it's a newer event and not very well known yet. It's hard to get the word out, and when it is, people tend to forget about it quickly. If we want FACSY to work, we need a lot of kids to sign up (at least 50+). Do you have any ideas on getting the word out and making it stick?

Any who, I've been working hard to prepare the Fashion Revue course, however, I'm also bursting at my seems with ideas for the Photography session!

Ruche - Sarah Seven - Ruche

1) To start the session of, I would teach about the basics - correct exposure, focusing, shutter speeds, aperture, etc.

2) For the next part, we would get much more hands on and we would play with the already set up backgrounds. I would love to recreate the ones above to use!

3) Taking pictures of classmates would help them learn how to set up a backdrop, implement the technical skills they learned, styling, posing models, as well as how to work the camera themselves!

Writing out my ideas for the Photography class that I would love to teach, is giving me a crazy amount of inspiration for the Fashion Revue class that I am thrilled to be teaching! Booklets on styling, fashion for different shapes, different activities we could do, and so much more is floating around in my head right now!

Do you have any ideas on the classes, or on how to get a larger response?

Windy, Rainy, and Riding on top of a Tow Truck.

Gingerlillytea

Have you ever realized you were in such a crazy, wild, quite original situation that you have two options in? Cry. Or laugh your head off from the belly up.

When you go on a trip in a camper for a couple of months with your family, situations like this tend to happen quite frequently.

Take the other day for an example.

We were staying way up in the mountains, and decided to head into town to use some wifi and get our mail. Driving up the mountains is a beautiful drive and car sickness inducing. Worth it though. Unless you don't have a full tank of gas. Up the hills we trekked, and then, one mile from the town we were headed to....

......Our diesel truck quit.

No matter that we had gas in the tank. The mountains were swishing it around into a place where it wouldn't reach the fuel lines! So here we were, stuck, in the mountains, no gas.

Thanks to triple A, they came and saved us in a matter of minutes (love those guys!). Now, second problem of the day - California is not big on diesel. The triple A guy's diesel was 6 years old and disgusting - not gas tank healthy. So, he loaded us on onto his tow truck - with us inside! And we were off! Elevated into the air, swerving around the mountains, looking down to see over a thousand foot drop.

The best roller coaster ride of my life.

What will happen next?

Also - I need your help! We are off to San Francisco, any places we should visit before leaving?

San Francisco

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After spending the day in Yosemite (gorgeous, you must visit it!) and heading out before the huge snow storm hits, we are off to San Francisco. I am so excited! I've heard nothing but good things about it! Lovely.


Arthur Elgort

I really would have loved to go see the San Francisco ballet, however, I think that the dates are off and we will be missing it! (sigh.)

What are your favorite places in San Francisco? Where should I go? Any upcoming artsy events I should know? Anything dearies, I would love to know about!

Also, congratulations to Lauri for winning the Votre Vu giveaway! Hope you enjoy your product!

More Anthro Goodness - Wallpaper!

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I have been drooling over Anthropologies new wedding line, BEHOLDEN, and just today I found out that they also have a wallpaper line! Double love!!

Can you see yourself using any of Anthropologies wallpapers?

I also love Amy Butlers wallpapers! Gorgeous!


Found

Which are your favorites?

Alison Sudol and Rue

Alison Sudol, my favorite singer, can most recently be found in the wonderful RUE magazine, full of inspiration everywhere.

I find Alison so inspiring! Her style, and her songs are just amazing.



I was thrilled to find out that she has written a childrens book (400 pages) and is coming out with a new album this Summer!

Be sure to check out her story in the RUE online magazine! And, I also find this behind the scenes video of the shoot great!

Piano Phone: Alison Sudol & Rue Magazine from Shark Pig on Vimeo.

Some previous pictures of Alison from Ban.DO

And enjoy this cheery song, "Blow Away" by her!

Birthday Wishes

Cupcake - Starbucks

Ahhh, I'm sitting in Starbucks right now, using free wifi, drinking my also free Rasberry Hot Cocoa (yum!). My birthday has been great, Mexican food, haircut, and now Starbucks. We are camping in the middle of the mountains and there's not to much to do around here! Ahhh well, a day "partying" with family is lots of fun!

A little list I have going of thinks I would love as a birthday gift....





1) Oh goodness these wall decals! Love! So different than any others I've seen! And so much more magical! 2) Where do I begin? This ring flower is handmade out of paper! Isn't it stunning? And, in one of my favorite colors! 3) Love this flower, perfect hair accessory! And the color - my favorite!

And, I just wanted to say, thanks to all my wonderful readers who comment and keep me going! I appreciate everything you read, every email you send, and every comment you write! Thank you! And here's to another year!

Anthropologies Stunning Wedding Line

How was your Valentines day? My favorite part was the launching of BHLDN - Anthropologies new wedding line! It is as lovely, if not more so, than imagined and has so many little details that make their pieces perfect. I love everything, the boleros, the dresses, the stunning gowns, accessories, and of course, shoes. There is inspiration seeping out of every click you make on the BHLDN website! Fall in love

Vintage Swimsuit

Don't forget to enter the great Votre Vu giveaway, valued at $58! Only 14 entries so far! Click here to enter!







I always have found vintage swimsuits darling and such a fashion icon! Don't you think? With there sweet cuts and simple colors, they have a sophisticated feeling to them, do they not? I came across a great blue vintage swim suit at an antique store today! It was in perfect condition, and I could imagine wearing it strolling on the beach with the waves crashing at my feet, rocks and sea glass tumbling harshly against them, making them soft as baby bottoms!

Are you feeling Springy yet? I can hardly wait for Spring and Summer to hit, though we are in California right now, there's a certain novelty about spending the summer in Minnesota, swimming in our dirt lake with friends, sometimes while the stars are shining bright overhead, spending hours biking, and of course, strolling the county fairgrounds over and over again.


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Votre Vu {Giveaway}

With the Wintery weather, it's important to not forget about your skin. The cold, dry weather is harsh on your skin and with Valentines day coming up, it's a perfect time to give it that extra glow! Have you ever noticed how the French always have the most beautiful skin? When I was able to try out a few samples of Votre Vu's skin care, I could easily see why.

Royal Treatment Gentle Pearl Scrub - Restores and helps dry skin (perfect for Winter!)

Since I started using Votre Vu, it has been my favorite skin care product, and I've tried many! It really gives your skin a soft glowy look!

Votre Vu's skin care products are botanically based and has received many awards, including the Davey Award. Voture Vu has many different products to suit every type of skin. Careful detail, craftmanship and years of studying is put into every Votre Vu product, making it truly outstanding.



One of the great products that they have is the Ma-Ligne. It has a wonderful blend of antioxidents and botanical ingredients, among others! The Ma-Ligne gives your skin a firming, moisturized, glowing look to it, and at the same time, helping wrinkles disappear!

Enter to win Ma-Ligne Wrinkle Eraser Votre Vu product!

Mandatory entry:
Visit Votre Vu and let me know one other product you would love to try!

+1: Subscribe to this blog

Giveaway ends February 18th!

*Please do not include your contact information unless it cannot be found on your blog or profile page!

Please email me at countrystars95@yahoo.com if you would like to receive a sample!

*Thank you to Traci for providing me samples of Votre Vu, it has been a great experience!

Image 1 Rest of images courtesy of Votre Vu

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Monsoon

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Be seen by thousands of creative readers that love shopping vintage, clothing, Etsy, and paper goods! With your button directly under the header, your shop will be one of the first things that readers see when they come!

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"I shouldn't be Alive" - My Story

Image source Unknown

Have you ever watched the show "I shouldn't be Alive?" My little brother loves everything outdoors, hiking, fishing, geocashing - so even though I've never watched a full episode, I've seen parts of it and have heard from Adam the terrors that people have faced.

Setting out exploring, rather than watching the superbowl, we decided to go to Joshua Tree Park. Remember how I blogged earlier about how I was in the mood for another ghost town? My Dad and brother also seemed to have the same thoughts. My Dads friend told him about a ghost town up in the mountains a few miles out of Joshua Park.

The Portrait

Having a big 4Wheel drive truck, my Dads friend, who had been up there many times, told us that he thought we could make it fine. Well, after driving miles through extremely bumpy, rocky, and jagged road, with the cliff on one side about not barely a foot away from our tire and rock on the other side, we came to a curve. However, with our truck, we couldn't fit! So, we backed out and headed along our way. (Don't ask how we backed out!)

Road that we couldn't fit through...and sign before we left the park!

Dad having a book on ghost towns in California, found that there was one listed not far from where we were, so we decided to try that one. The road leading up to it was a bit ragged, but it was fine, though rocky, still easy enough to get through. Once we reached the ghost town and walked a ways, we found out that the town itself wasn't much of anything, other than a few wood tracks left over. So we were off, with daylight dwindling because of the walk that we had to take.

The Wheat Field

Everything was going good, we were almost out of the BLM land before darkness hit in the mountains. However, somewhere along the way, we happened to take a wrong turn on the unmarked roads. A few minutes down, we knew that it wasn't the same road that we had taken before. With huge rocks everywhere, we knew we couldn't go much further. However, the road was so skinny that it was impossible to turn around in. Finally we reached the end and there was a sort of turn around there, however, the wheels started spinning and we were stuck in a matter of seconds. Dad after feeling the tires spinning, immediately stopped and grabbed a shovel with Adam. It was starting to get darker and we were in the middle of no mans land, with rocky boulders everywhere and on top of that, stuck in the patch of soft sand.

Field

Well, lucky enough, Dad and Adam managed to finally get the truck unstuck by digging it out and maneuvering our way around the huge rocks all around. Like Adam said, if it had been in the Summer with the atrocious dessert heat - in the middle of no where without anyone around - we could have faced an entirely different outcome. When you find yourself in a situation like this, you begin to look at things in a new perspective.

Please remember...to count your blessings! And here's to more adventures to come!

Ghost Town Fashion Inspiration

Jill Stuart

This Spring fashion campaign by Jill Stuart has me dreaming of two things...Spring and a ghost town fashion shoot!

My family and I camped at a ghost town a few weeks ago and it was so much fun. The stores looked very much likes these, if not more rustic (especially the barber shop!). It was an old mining town and still had many of the original buildings! After looking at this Spring fashion campaign, I'm dreaming of finding another ghost town!

Flapper Inspiration and FLapper Doodle

Image found Source Uknown

One of my favorite eras to look for fashion inspiration are the 1920's. Flapper dresses, glittery dresses, shorter cuts, beaded purses, and feather hairpieces! The fashion style was taking a turn forever, expressing the freedom and breaking out that girls everywhere wanted to feel themselves!

I love to incorporate 1920's fashions into my wardrobe but I think that using the inspiration in paper goods is also adorable!

Let me introduce Flapper Doodle....

When I found out about Flapper Doodle and their absolutely adorable flapper fashion inspired pieces, I had to share!

Do you take inspiration from the Flapper era?

Also, be sure to enter my great Me and Goji giveaway!

Also, be sure to enter my great Me and Goji giveaway!