Jun 22, 2010 | From You
from formspring.me:
hi carly! it’s me judith chen 🙂 I have a plan to remake my bf’s Giordano plain tee with some patchwork.I have some black velvet leftofers I’d like to work with.do you have any ideas, and um..some kind of cat/wolf related design ideas, if possible. thanks
Hi Judith! Well…I have a FABULOUS idea that’s been sitting on my DIY’s To Do pile…how about a t-shirt with leopard “spots” that are cut out of black velvet? You could make each spot slightly abstract-shaped, and sew them onto the tee wherever you like (my choice would be on the shoulders or down one side).
It’s not *literally* a cat design…but somewhat “inspired by” if you will. If you want to go more literal, how about a silhouette of a wolf howling at the moon, done in black velvet a la Twilight?
 Anyone else have some ideas for Judith?
xoxox
Carly
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Jun 22, 2010 | Fashion, Score!
dress, earrings, and necklaces: courtesy of maurice’s
nautical sandals: Abaete for Payless
The kind folks over at maurices sent me a gift card a little while ago – and it was like my birthday in June! (My birthday’s in December…so half-birthday??)
I headed down to my local maurices to check it out – which means a drive down to the airport, since that’s the closest one.
It was somewhat deserted (being in a sort of remote location and all), but packed to the gills with affordable, trendy merchandise.
Though a lot of the styles and cuts were a little too young for me (but probably perfect for your average teen/college student!) I did find a number of items that would work on someone of my *ahem* somewhat advanced chronology. There was a super-friendly sales staff member who was so helpful…I tried on a pair of jeans, found them too big, and so she brought 7 different pairs in similar washes and fits for me to try on! And not even a frown when I finally decided to forgo the jeans and purchase the satin dress I had tried on instead. (I did find the jeans ran extremely large…I finally fit into the 1/2 in one cut, which is insane considering I’m closer to a 6 in most brands, [between a 5 and a 7 in Junior’s sizing], and a 4 in brands that skew large, like Gap, Old Navy, and White House/Black Market. In another cut I was a 3/4, which is still skewing waaaay to large – so ladies of smaller sizes be forewarned!)
Sorry – messy photos taken with my camera-phone.
I finally settled on this lovely white, black, and grey strapless number (I do love me some colorblocking!), and found the cutest wing-shaped earring set for a mere $1.99 on the sale rack.
I also saw a mannequin outfitted with two of their key necklaces around her neck – thought, “what a great idea!” and scooped up two necklaces for myself. (Buy one, get the other 50% off – SCORE!) I’m totally into layering necklaces this summer.
It’s a little wrinkly from being folded in my shopping bag. My real birthday wishlist item #1: a garment steamer!
I know these shoes don’t reeaaally match but I wanted something sandal-y and summer-y all the same.
Since it’s been unbearably cold here in Portland (it’s 51 degrees in June!!!! I’m still in my winter coat!!) I’ll probably wear the dress like this for now: over a long-sleeved top and boots to make it more casual. (Maybe over a tee shirt as it warms up.)
long-sleeved top & heeled boots: Forever 21
I love how this dress has this surprise edgy zipper detail up the back.
I don’t see any of the items I bought available on their website still, but you may find them at your local maurices…and here are a couple key necklaces they are selling that are similar to the ones I bought: here, here, and here.
Also, I am so excited to announce that maurices has partnered with me to do a giveaway here on Chic Steals! If any of you missed that promotion maurices was running over Memorial Day weekend [spend $60 and receive a free tote or sunglasses of your choice], well now here’s your chance to get a new tote…and just in time for the hot days of summer! (Even in Portland;-) Up for the giveaway is:
One patent-look white tote!
ARV: $14
Edit 6/29: Entry period is now over and winner has been chosen. Thank you!
How to Enter?
Leave a comment on this post with your EMAIL ADDRESS. (If your email address is linked to your Blogger profile – AND your Blogger profile allows all users to see it ****VERY IMPORTANT****, then you don’t need to leave your email address in your comment.)
That’s it!
*One comment per person, please. Multiple entries from the same person will be deleted.
*Contest open to residents of the U.S. only. (apologies to my international readers)
Winner will be chosen by Random.org.
Entry period is for 7 days only, ending Monday, June 28, 12 PM PST.
Good luck!
Yes, this is now de riguer for all my photoshoots – running rings around Mom.
Thank you so much, maurices – and happy start to the week to all!
xoxox
Carly
Disclosure: maurice’s furnished me a gift card, which partially covered my purchases with them above. They are also providing the tote, which will be given away to one lucky winner. For more information regarding my disclosure policy, go here.
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Jun 19, 2010 | Media
Awww, thanks! I’m sorry it’s taken me awhile to post them, but here they are:
from the amazing L ~DIY Diva~ at Avid Accents, the Versatile Blogger Award.
4 rules go along with this award:
Rule 1: Thank the person who gave you this award.Â
Done! Thanks L ~DIY Diva~!
Rule 2: Share 7 things about yourself.
Aren’t you gals sick of hearing about me yet???! 🙂
 1) One of my hobbies is filling my garden with unusual plants (as long as they don’t require too much upkeep), since I’ve always been bored by plain old red roses or white daisies. Hub has let me get away with blue roses and a sorbet peony so far, but has nixed the Dead Horsehead Lilies and Voodoo Lilies (I suggested planting them along the property line with our particular odious neighbors), and Venus Flytraps won’t grow wild in Oregon (who knew??). Hopefully my green Coneflowers will bloom soon and maybe this Fall I can sneak in an Arctic Kiwi and some black poppies.Â
(img of voodoo lilies from here)Â 2) I’ve never broken a bone, ever.
 Knock on wood! (img of cast from here) 3) I’ve kept every birthday card I’ve ever received – going back until the age of 2.
4) I’m a complete klutz and was never really “good” at any sport. I was passibly *okay* at volleyball, softball, and badminton, but that’s it!
5) I’ve always wished to be able to learn how to juggle, do an overhand serve in volleyball, ride a unicycle, and swim the crawl and backstroke properly. My greatest dream is to be able to get
en pointe (not necessarily dance in ballet, just do the exercises in pointe shoes), but at this point in my life that’s probably never going to happen.:-(
(pointe shoes img from here)Â 6) I have one brother who’s 2 years younger than me, who kind of looked like Brad Pitt when we were kids but now looks more like
Niels Bohr.Â
He was more popular with the ladies when he looked like Brad Pitt. (photo of Bohr from here)7) Whenever I fly, I actually read the safety information in the seat pocket in front of me, locate the nearest exits, memorize how many seats it is to the nearest exit, and watch the crew safety video. One time a man sitting next to me saw me reading the safety card, and said “In my 35 years of traveling on planes you’re the first person I’ve ever seen actually read that.” Hey, if the plane falls out of the sky, I at least want to know where the exit was. Just sayin.’
Rule 3. Pass the award along to 15 bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic!Â
(in no particular order)
4. Contact the bloggers you’ve picked and let them know about the award.
Will do! (though it may take me a little while…)
From the lovely Shabna of < a href=”http://shabsy.blogspot.com/”>SHABNA Speaks comes this award. I love her editorial eye and the items she picks to showcase on her blog.
I have to nominate 10 people to pass this award on to!
So here it goes:
Whew! Thank you so much for the awards! I truly appreciate it:-)
xoxo
Carly
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Jun 18, 2010 | From You
 Did it ever! I moved there when I was eleven, and just starting to get interested in clothes. It was very jarring, moving to a foreign country where all the nationals looked pretty much the same to my naive Western eyes, and the “trendy” kids also dressed very similarly. The Japanese kids as a whole looked much more “put-together” than their Western counterparts; outfits seemed to be coordinated down to their toes. The young women (even 20 to 30-year-olds) would coordinate their hair accessories and nails to match their outfits. Everyone looked so *clean* and *groomed* I pretty much felt like the sloppy, messy foreigner regardless of what I was wearing (even though I did try to emulate what the cool kids wore). It was most certainly that attention to detail and accessorizing that really influenced me, and continues to even today.
Thanks for your question!
xoxox
Carly
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