Tuesday, December 27, 2011

New favorite thing to eat :)

Turkish delights!!!


Oh my goodness, my parents brought some back for me when they went to Istanbul back in November...they're so delicious! And so addicting! But be sure to try the ones covered in coconut, not powdered sugar. 

And now that I've gotten all this eating sweets business out of my system, time to go back to being healthy!! Hope everyone had a delicious holiday! :)

Sorry for not blogging like...at all. Haha. I've actually been really busy even after finals were over. I'll make a post explaining why later! 

Sunday, December 4, 2011

review: Youniquely Chic

Since I'm starting to buy a lot of cosmetics, jewelry and accessories from small businesses, mainly on etsy, I've decided that I am going to start writing reviews for some of them. Small businesses need more love! To my followers, I will try and keep these review posts few and far between. X)

Note: I am not being paid or compensated in any way to write any of these. The opinions expressed here are complete, honest, and 100% unsponsored. I am doing this purely on my own accord :)

~~~

I thought that I could escape the Cyber Monday rush. Honestly, I did. My Black Friday shopping was minimal and generally within the boundaries of sanity (aka, during daylight hours), and I was mostly working during the day anyway. By the time the weekend was over, I thought I had most of my Christmas shopping done. But being a chronic resident of the Internet, Cyber Monday turned out to be  another obstacle that I could not just gracefully jump over.

I don't remember how or when I managed to stumble upon YouniquelyChic's etsy shop, but rest assured, I have been generally stalking the shop in between homework and readings ever since. These pieces of jewelry were unlike anything I had ever seen before--intricately put together, well designed, and completely unique. The source of inspiration behind these creations tickled my inner geek--Greek/Roman mythology, planets, moons, and other cosmic phenomena. What's more, for Cyber Monday, Tara, the shop owner, was having a buy one get one free deal. That's right. Free. Not 50% off, or whatever nonsense other stores will do. Free.

So after much cringing, thumb-twiddling, rocking back and forth, muttering to myself, and sleepless nights, I caved in and made a purchase.

I am now a proud owner of this gorgeous thing.

(c) Tara Wood 2011

And this as well. 

(c) Tara Wood 2011

Design and quality: Contrary to what you may think, these are actually not bulky, large, or heavy at all. I confess, I was a little worried that they would either end up looking very strange on my neck, or I wouldn't be able to wear them except for special occasions. Wrong and wrong. They are just the right size, and are incredibly light weight. They fit beautifully, and frankly, regardless of occasion or outfit, I'm going to wear these all the time! The crystals capture and reflect any light in the room, they look just as beautiful in real life as in the photos. Everything is very sturdy and secure; I have no worries whatsoever of these randomly falling apart on me. 

Price: These necklaces were both $39 each, but of course, this time one of them was free. Even for one individual necklace, I personally think that this price is completely reasonable for the amount of work put into the design, and materials used (clock parts, Swarovski crystals, etc). These easily could've been way more expensive, but they're not. Not to mention that shipping is free for all U.S. orders! 

Customer service: Tara was incredibly nice, friendly, and shipped my stuff out early the next day. She sent me personal e-mail updates, and even upgraded me to priority shipping for free! 

Packaging/shipping: I ordered my necklaces on November 29th. They were delivered and in my hands by December 2nd, although this is mainly because we are actually both living in western Washington (you hear that, Seattle? Buy local!) Everything was packed neatly and securely, and included a nice little thank you note. No complaints whatsoever. :) 

Overall: 5 stars! *****

Would I recommend to anyone? Yes! :) 








Thursday, December 1, 2011

obsession #2:

Polka dots!
Some may think it's tacky and childish, I personally think it's very retro!




Happy December everyone! :)


all I want for christmas is...

...a new pair of combat boots.


My old ones broke :( 

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

obsession #1:

...anything with a nebula print on it.
Or outer space inspired, pretty much. Channeling my inner nerd ♥







Links: 

Support small businesses! 




Monday, October 24, 2011

what I wore o5

Now that the first wave of midterms has passed, I've got some catching up to do! D8
Why yes, I still do wear shorts even in the middle of fall. 


o1. Boots-- Nordstrom
o2. Socks-- Nordstrom Rack
o3. Shirt-- Gilly Hicks (I still work there, if anyone's wondering haha)
o4. Shorts-- Deb
o5. Scarf-- gifted (Burberry)
o6. Eyeshadow-- Riche Cosmetics (FAVORITE color ever! It's like a bold coppery red, perfect for fall!)

Saturday, September 24, 2011

The lacey shoelace

I replaced these on my oxford heels, wow! What a difference it made!
$8 at American Apparel

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

what I wore o4

It's starting to get chilly outside!




cardigan: Plato's Closet
tank top: Hollister
shorts: DEB
boots: gifted
watch: gifted
necklace: Lucky Brand 

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

TheEarringChest on Etsy

These. Look. Amazing!!!
I've always thought about stretching my ears, but I don't like not having the option of wearing normal earrings whenever I want. But I LOOOOVE seeing wooden/horn tribal designs on people with stretched ears. They're just so outlandish and eye-catching! But all this time I was unable to find any of that stuff for regular pierced ears. Luckily, I found an amazing shop on etsy, based in Thailand (no worries, shipping is $3.50 worldwide!) called The Earring Chest, that sells tons of these things. They're all made of organic materials, either recycled bone, horn, or various woods, which is awesome if you have metal allergies. AND, they don't cost an arm and leg. Yes!!! They do also sell stuff for stretched folk as well :)

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Friday, August 12, 2011

Plumes perles et dentelles

Another favorite artist of mine, Lady Sybile of Belgium :)
Her art is beautiful. And all traditional medium, too!


Artist website: sybile.net
Image found via here.

Image found here.

I'm not really a huge follower of trends, but I seriously love all the cute, lacey stuff that I see in stores nowadays. I adore lace. I always have. Especially anything that's kind of sheer. It's the perfect blend of pretty and sexy. Sophisticated yet flirty. 

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Reese push-up bra, Gilly Hicks

One of my all-time favorite bras :) 
$39.50 or 2 for $40 at Gilly Hicks

what I wore o3

A nice summer outfit :)


Top: abercrombie kids (WHY are they trying to sell tube tops to 7 through 14 year olds??)
Shorts: Wet Seal
Necklace: Charlotte Russe
Sandals: Sears XD 

Art (c) me, as always.

Friday, August 5, 2011

Guess what's playing in Seattle this month :)


August 9-27
5th Avenue Theater

Can't wait! 

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

How-to: Mascara for Asian eyelashes

So, if you're like me, you're Asian. And if you're Asian, you have ridiculously short eyelashes that are invisible to the naked eye. Furthermore, the grow downward instead of up, like they're supposed to. If you're also like me, you also don't want to resort to wearing fake eyelashes, because they're itchy, evil, and look garishly unnatural.

At my work, I'm not allowed to wear any makeup except for mascara, so I had to find some sort of solution to my dumb eyelash problem. Obviously, us Asians just can't just resort to sticking on some random cheap mascara in 10 seconds and be on our merry way. No. For us, we've gotta work. We've gotta strategize. And after lots of research and experimentation, I've finally figured out how.

What you'll need
Eyelash curler
Waterproof mascara
A blowdryer (optional) Yes, a blowdryer.

First of all, invest in a good eyelash curler. Make sure that it's one that can really grip each and every one of your lashes. My suggestion is to go to your nearest Sephora and ask a sales associate (preferably one that is Asian :) ).

Secondly, be sure to use a good waterproof mascara. I'm very specific on waterproof. Waterproof, while not too good for your eyelashes, are best in helping them stay up. I've experimented with different brands, and I've had most success with Maybelline's Falsies Volum' Express and Covergirl LashBlast.


The Falsies definitely gave me length, but not so much with volume like they claim they do. When applying, my lashes end up looking like...spider legs. I'm not quite sure how to describe it, but it isn't as gross as it sounds XD It doesn't clump, but it definitely makes your eyelashes look like falsies, except less extreme. If you're looking for length, definitely get this. It cost me about $7.50 and can be found at most drugstores.



CG LashBlast definitely provides more volume, and less drama. From my personal experience, my lashes weren't as long as they were with the Falsies, but it was also a more natural look (instead of...spider legs. XD) It definitely doesn't clump, and cost about $9 at most drugstores. 

These are just my personal picks, feel free to explore different brands! There are plenty of reviews online, especially on YouTube. The Asian eyelash pandemic is common enough that you'll have plenty of resources to pick from! 

Now, onto business. First of all, you want to curl your lashes. But before you do that (this is optional, but it definitely helps), heat up your eyelash curler with the blow dryer. Make sure it's not too hot! Just set it to the lowest heat and blast at it for about 10-15 secs. Wait for it to cool down if necessary. It'll be like a mini curling iron! (duh....) 

Start curling your lashes. If you don't have a monolid like me (I have Asian eyelashes, not Asian eyes :) ), the best way to get a good grip of the hairs is to tilt the curler outward, by resting the top of the curler into the your eyelid crease. Try to get as near to the roots as possible, but be careful not to pinch any skin. Clamp down on the lashes, and give them a tight squeeze. Also pay attention to the lashes on the outer edge of your eyes. 

Next, apply whatever mascara you've decided to choose. Tilt your chin upwards, and start applying the brush starting near the roots. Work your way up the top of the lashes, wriggling the brush side by side as you go. Apply several coats, and wait to dry. Another extra thing that I like to do is to wait until the mascara is almost dry, then use my finger to push the eyelashes up even more. That will definitely help them stay up. You could also try using the curler as well at this point. Apply a coat on the lower lashes if you wish, but otherwise you are done :) hope this helps! 

Saturday, July 30, 2011

what I wore: spring

Better late than never! :)


Top: Dorothy Perkins
Pants: Hot Topic
Boots: Nordstrom 


Dress: Gilly Hicks 
Boots: Nordstrom Rack


Top: H&M
Scarf: Christmas present
Boots: Nordstrom
Socks/legwarmers: eBay


Sweater: Gilly Hicks
Shorts: Nordstrom Rack
Thigh-high socks: Nordstrom Rack
Converse: DSW


Necklace: etsy
Blouse: Macy's 
Pants: gifted (purchased in Japan) 
Boots: Nordstrom


Shrug cardigan: purchased in Singapore
Top: purchased in Hong Kong
Shorts: Hollister
Thigh high socks: Nordstrom
Boots: Nordstrom 
Necklace: H&M


Top: Charlotte Russe
Flower pin: Murasaki Boutique
Skirt: Forever21
Belt: H&M
Boots: Nordstrom Rack 



art (c) me :)





Sunday, July 17, 2011

Mademoiselle Colombe

by French artist by the online alias of kmye-chan. Love the mood of this piece and the shading. I've been a huge fan of her work for years. Plus it's been a while since I've shared some of my favorite artists on this blog :)

Click for full view.


Serotonin--online website
Image found via deviantART

Saturday, July 16, 2011

foot fetish

I loooove socks. They're so much fun!

Now that stores everywhere are starting to release clothing for the fall season, I've been starting my collection of nice, thick, comfy and cozy socks. My preferences are over-the-knees or thigh highs, because they're incredibly cute, warm, and sexy. Plus they look quite nice with shorts or a mini skirt. Pair them with some boots and you've got a perfect combination for fall! They're also fun to lounge around in at home :)

(Gosh, I can't believe I'm already talking about fall. It's only July! Oh, capitalism.)

Btw, when I mean thigh high stockings, I don't mean the thin, lacy ones that you wear with a garter belt that you surprise your significant other with when they come home from work, I mean these:


These are new arrivals at Gilly Hicks, where I work (I start Tuesday!!!) I want them in every color! :D 

For fall, I recommend warm colors:





I am also quite a fan of legwarmers. Some may say that they're such an 80s thing that's completely out of style, but frankly, I don't give a damn! They were pretty much the staple of my wardrobe during the colder months. Plus they're absolutely adorable underneath knee-high boots.


I have a pair similar to these, except in a darker brown color and they're much longer (they hit just below the knee). I get tons of compliments when I wear them!

Personally, I feel that long socks are so underrated. Where I live, girls tend to rock the dreaded leggings-as-pants trend (along with their North Face jackets and Ugg boots...oh, Seattle), and it's getting boring! Ladies, if you're reading this, I dare you to try these out ;) If you feel like you don't have the legs, you could try layering with wearing nude colored tights underneath. Tights act kind of as a control top, making your legs look slimmer. Plus it keeps you warm when it gets colder!

Places to get awesome socks:

Sock Theory (online)
Sock Dreams (online)
The Sock Monster (local Seattle store, located in Wallingford)
Modcloth (online)

(I don't have a foot fetish, by the way. Haha)


Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Emma Stone for Elle magazine, July 2011

LOVE the styling! So chic. Reminds me of Cruella DeVil :P



I kind of reaaally want that sheer polka-dotted top.

And those shoes.




Thursday, July 7, 2011

Amalfi, Italy

During my trip to the Mediterranean, I fell in love with a city.



I would love to spend a summer here! It was exactly what it looks like in the photos. Incredibly peaceful, picturesque, and breathtakingly beautiful.
(Photos not mine)


Also, about my travel blog...I'll update it...one day... lol


Sunday, June 5, 2011

Shadowplay

Aren't these pretty?
Find them here.





required reading

(^yes, Gordey, I got this idea from you :P)