Experimenting with french manicure

Check this out: I've got a beauty channel now, xoxo!
And the new video is a nail tutorial with rich gold and dark green colors, inspired by Chanel 2011 makeup collection.
At the end of the video I'm sporting the Green Earth Earrings, so if you were wondering how they look in person, check them out too!;)

Monday mornings

This morning was late and pleasant. How was yours?:)

Dangerous liaisons

People and situations are starting to have a stronger influence on me that before. Though it may be just a stressful state of affairs around me, recent changes in life and jiggling bunch of tasks around.
Nevertheless I bought 4 dresses and some other clothing right before going to bed on Saturday. And not just some dresses, I shoped at a expensive luxury online store. No kidding, that order was out of my budget. Not dept creating purchase, but definitely zero savings kinda purchase.
How did that happen? - I asked myself on Sunday. The term "emotional shopping" sounded like a joke for me till that weekend. It felt daunting, but it was necessary to rationalize how things like that can happen without internal error message popping up "getting out of controool! Slow down, Lady!"
We talked with a friend about shopping that evening, we shared our views on "beautiful" vs "functional" dresses, exchanged links for shopping, and.. oh yeah,meanwhile we rewatched 6 episodes of SATC !..
Guilty pleasure leads to guilty behavior, ha...
I guess it gets comical before it gets scary. Maybe that's why I am a bit afraid of clowns, the exaggerated colorful smiling faces, that are fixed with elusive real persona hiding behind all that paint. Looks flashy and funny, but you feel there is something not that smiley and very different secluded in there. I guess not being able to critically see the dynamics of one's environment should feel similar.

The good thing is I learned a lesson: never combine all guilty pleasures in one night, especially after tiresome day.
The bad things is... I got my dresses today.
and I love every single one of them....
I hoped so much some of them wouldn't fit or would be not as shown online, or the wrong size, or cheap fabric or etc. Actually they are very much what I expected. So luxury shopping experience is sort of addictive, now I see why.

The best small to medium size dogs is..

..Swedish Vollhand!
Ok, I am obsessing a little bit, but look at it!.. isn't this the most real yet cute dog breed ever?
It is no toy-lap-couch-potato, it is not crazy as some hyperactive breeds. It's just..smart, active, friendly, healthy, balanced, playful and.. ahh....
It reminds me of german shepherd a lot. it's like a big dog in a small body.
However, and here the dramatic point. Swedish vollhands are so rare in united states and oh-so expensive!

I wish I could get one some time in future, because it's such a wonderful...ok,ok. I shut up :) 

Happy Valentine's Day from me!

Oh Dear!
This time it is the best V-Day so far! I've got a huge bouquet of fresh red roses delivered right to my work!
I got a sale!
And I got a Fame Gallery opening!
Now I'm going to post photo collages of the fabulous girls who wear my jewelry!
And first and very pretty one is devoted to the Day of all lovers;))

Model: Tatiana
Photographer: genious
Jewelry: custom by Two's Ruse

Harry Potter sorrow

Not that I always loved Harry Potter. To be honest at first I wasn't even interested, to be frank not at all.
Looking at the bits of HP movies here and there I got an impression these are kids books, little boys and girls running around with wonds in a whimsical world with white and black characters.
Then my good friend who happens to be fond of HP gave me a whole lecture on how many personal, psychological and moral themes these books raise. 
And there it started...
First we watched all the movies one by one, then when many details still appeared to unclear, I got all 7 books in audible format. This was the best audiobook listening experience I have EVER EVER had!
Stephen Fry is genious in impersonating and creating a flowing narration that is impossible to pause.
However I know I would not be able to read all those books, i would get too bored and tired of sitting. And also these books are more about action and themes than exemplary or stylistically elaborated literature.
So I lived with these audiobooks and Stephen Fry's voice for two months. Harry Potter world entered my own, and any spare time I spent hugging my mp3 player and listening to some more Harry Potter.
Happy, dreamy times...

And now it's over. I have to confess I am suffering a painful Harry Potter withdrawal. 
It feels like some big part of my life was cut out or a family member died.
Movies, other books, internet surfing - nothing is as interesting as those audio books were.
A week passed and I feel no better. 
Ahh...Harry Potter world...will I ever get over your wonderful so welcoming presence?...

P.S.: aaand yeah...I did develop a little crush on Snape..))

It's a rainy day up here

And the silver threads of melancholy hug and kiss softly..

There is one thing that I have to say about Tim Gunn

... and his new book.

It is not that much about the scandal and fashion dirty laundry. It is about ethics, including work ethics. It is about good yet warm manners and graceful approach to handle conflicts and difficult relationships.

I do not know another public person in the fashion industry right now who would be that polite and candid as he is. So this war and persecution of him for mentioning a couple of outrageous acts some of the fashion celebs have done is very surprising and upsetting.

Another thing is that he is a well-spoken person, and his writing is actually very eloquent and elegant as well (I especially love this manner of his to sometimes use very old-school almost antiquated structures and words = so classy!). I’ve got two of his books, and it’s a true pleasure to read.

I recommend them both to everybody, because it is not about clothes, it is about the beauty of your appearance, language and thoughts.

Viva festivals! Indulge in the book world where writers read and readers write!

This is the third design of a bookmark I made recently.
All three cuties are going to Ashe county at North Carolina to be donated to the "On the Same Page" Literary Festival!
You haven't heard of it?!
Come on, you still have time to register!
Join the festival's page to read about the program and see the list of events: www.onthesamepagefestival.org
Daniel Wallace (Yep, so notoriously famous "Big Fish", it's his!) will be there, so why won't you? ;)

 

Crazy money manners

I am really puzzled, really. I could not believe that this kind of ideas really come to people’s minds! Apparently this activity is so popular that it made its way to the good money manners advice In the Daily Worth News Feed:

"
Le Gaffe: Giving to charity in someone else's name, instead of a gift.

Le Fixe: It sounds high-minded, but giving to a cause in the name of a friend or relative isn't a gift for them. It's a donation by you. Before going philanthropic, inquire whether there's something the person really wants—or needs.
"

Maybe I just don’t have that cultural background, but I’m seriously struggling to imagine that any of my friends would congratulate me with my Bday by giving money to a charity “from me”. What kind of weird creativity is this?....
I’m confused. Puzzled...Puzzzzzzzzled... * somebody, push the Reset button!* :)