Mar 23, 2013 | Fashion
I am so excited to announce to you my newest sponsor for March: el.inspired!
Emma makes pretty, sparkly bracelets adorned with chunky chains and Swarovski crystal, chic leather tassels, elastic hair tie sets, and tiny leather coin purses. She writes:
I have been making Jewellery for years along with some sewing here and there but never thought about turning it into a business until a couple of years ago when I stumbled upon Etsy & fell in love!! Being a stay at home Mum I was looking for something that I could do for myself while still being at home with my kids, so I decided to take the plunge and in June 2012 I opened el.inspired. I want my store to be a ‘Boutique Accessories’ Store with a main focus on Jewellery. As well as bracelets I am currently working on necklaces, which I hope to add to my collection soon. I love the creativity my business allows me to have and I am so exited for the future!!
Here are some of my favorite pieces from her shop:
1. Gold Chain and Clear AB Crystal Bracelet, $18.95 / 2. Silver Chain and Azure Crystal Bracelet, (sold now, but similar here), $17.06 / 3. Gold Chain Emerald Cut Crystal Bracelet, (sold now, but similar here) $27.85 / 4. Lilac Leather Tassel Keyring Keychain, $14.97
Thank you, Emma, for your sponsorship this month! If you have a chance, visit her shop and browse all her lovely offerings: great for stacking bracelets and arm adornment! I’m lusting after that emerald cut crystal bracelet like crazy, especially since she has one in my favorite color blue here!
And if any of you are interested in sponsoring Chic Steals, there are still sponsorships open. If you are a seller of DIY supplies, crafty goods, sewing books, jewelry, clothing, beauty products, or home wares that are chic, affordable, and on-trend, then you would be a perfect fit for my readers! You can purchase an ad here on my site through Passionfruit’s integrated ad system, or email me if you’d like more information, including current stats.
Thank you!
xo
Carly
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Mar 22, 2013 | Fashion
Geometric Metal “Gem” Earrings: ? (recent HauteLook purchase). Tiny Star Necklace: from Japan, similar here or here. Neon Sweatshirt: Forever 21 (similar here
). DIY Chanel Leather Perforated Butterfly Bag: my DIY (tutorial here). Chain and Chiffon-trim Jacket: White House Black Market (from Ebay). D-Signed Girls’ Skirt: Target (from the Girls’ Department). Turquoise Spike Heels: Frederick’s of Hollywood (old); similar here.
On this day, Brooke and I headed out to the South Waterfront Park Garden to shoot near the Newport Seafood Grill (Portland’s Only Floating Restaurant! the sign proclaimed).
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Mar 19, 2013 | DIY
I am collaborating with the amazing team at Free People to lead a DIY Event at the Portland store!
DIY Quartz Necklace Event
Saturday, March 23
2 PM – 4 PM
Free People Portland, 817 NW 23rd Ave, Portland, OR 97210
RSVP by calling 503-226-8099 – but hurry, there are only 30 spots available to participate!
Hope to see you guys there!!
xo
Carly
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Mar 18, 2013 | DIY
I am the only one drooling over completely-coordinated office accessories? I have most certainly fallen into the rabbit-hole of inspiration with Pinterest’s never-ending supply of inspirational office environments…and my own home office re-do that has been months in the making. I finally settled on a palette of white with pops of gold and cobalt blue for my office makeover, and to follow my own rules of things being easy on the eye and in a coordinating color palette I decided the pushpins for my inspiration corkboard desperately needed a facelift. I know, it’s total obsessing over the details. But it’s these details that can turn something run-of-the-mill into a statement. AND they make a great gift for a special someone. Here’s how to make your own:
You Need: (more…)
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Mar 14, 2013 | Blogging, DIY
So everyone pinned, you voted, and we all DIY’d!
7 DIY bloggers, 7 projects – I think they all look amazing! Which ones will you try? Which ones will you DIY?
So, without further ado, the 7 DIY tutorials you asked for:
DIY Pom-Pom Shoes 
D&G DIY Raffia Dress
DIY Chanel Butterfly Bag
DIY Charlotte Olympia Kiss Shoes
DIY Ruche Bow Bag
DIY Phoenix Necklace
DIY Cross Back Top
Thanks to everyone (Donatella, Alessia, Charley, Cat, Sylvia and Auna) for including me in this super-fun collaboration!
Everyone, please keep pinning to the Pick Your DIY board so we can repeat this wonderful week again!
xo
Carly
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Mar 13, 2013 | Fashion
Sequin bomber jacket: H&M, similar
here. Speckled Quartz in Bullet Shell Necklace:
anotherfeather’s Etsy shop (similar
here). Double Triangle Pendants: H&M. Glitter Tanktop: Old Navy (old). Burgundy
Wallet Clutch: LagunaMoon (from Japan). Distressed boyfriend jeans (with my DIY patches): Kitson, a
HauteLook purchase. Red Suede Peeptoe Heels: DbDb Fashion (thrifted).
No, this is not today’s outfit, nor yesterday’s outfit, but last week’s outfit. Other content had to be pushed out first so I put this outfit on the back burner til today…but decided to share it anyway! (more…)
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Mar 11, 2013 | DIY
For Spring 2013 Chanel showed a number of butterfly motifs on their accessories: and this sweet quilted leather bag was no exception. 
From the Pick Your DIY pinboard that we set up for the Pick Your DIY Bloggers Collaboration Week, the Chanel butterfly bag image (pictured above) received a ton of likes and repins. So here is how to make an approximation of it:
You Need: (more…)
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Mar 10, 2013 | Fashion
Today is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Every 47 minutes, a woman will be diagnosed with HIV in the United States. This day is about showing support for all women afflicted by HIV or AIDS, and helping to encourage the spread of awareness.
While rocking red pumps may seem like an attempt to make a simple fashion statement, we can promise you that it is much more than that. We #RockTheRedPump as a symbol of solidarity, of boldness, and of power. This epidemic started one person at a time and that is the same way that it will end.
Today I #RocktheRedPump not just on my feet, but also on my blog and on Twitter and Facebook, helping to spread the message that those affected by this disease are not alone.
To all of our sisters living with HIV/AIDS, we stand with you.
To all of our sisters affected by HIV/AIDS, we stand with you.
I am proud to #RockTheRedPump with everyone today! This year is the 5th annual Rock the Red Pump Project. While great progress has been made in the area of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, women still represent 27% of all new AIDS diagnoses, with African-American women accounting for 66% of that group. I encourage all of you to talk about this disease within your networks, locate your nearest testing center, get involved with an AIDS service organization near you, share a Facebook update, or dedicate a tweet. There are so many ways that we can all make a difference. Check out the Facebook page to join in the conversation, and see how many others are also rocking their red pumps today. You can also upload an Instagram photo of you wearing red pumps with the official hashtag: #RocktheRedPump, or tweet some info or a photo with the same hashtag to @RedPumpProj.
Help spread the word!
xo
Carly
All photos by the incomparable Brooke Morse. Send her some love visting her website!
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Mar 7, 2013 | Fashion
Spring is just around the corner! I am so excited to leave Winter’s grip once and for all…and hope that the rainy weather here in Portland will soon give rise to beautiful bursts of flowers (especially in my garden: my black tulips are beginning to show!!)
Along with a change in season comes a change in makeup colors: hues become softer and more pastel…or brighter and more neon. The Pantone Color Report for Spring 2013 includes citrus hues of nectarine, lemon, and spring green, along with violet, emerald, cobalt blue, and robin’s egg.
In addition to these colors, old-school 1980’s holographic silvers, as well as clear and neon plastic, are all over the accessory collections this season. Here are the 8 must-have colors to play with in your makeup for the coming season…
1. Nail Foil on a Roll in Ice-Blue Crush, $1 per 5 ft. roll / 2. CoverGirl Smoky ShadowBlast in Intense Blue, $6.94 / 3. Astrogirl Prismatic Eyeshadow Quad, $35 / 4. BareMinerals Blush in Vintage Peach, $19 / 5. Makeup For Ever Rouge Artist Intense in 42, $19
6. Sephora + Pantone Universe Lightspeed Glitter Dust in Emerald, $14 / 7. Sultra Hair Extensions in Cyprus Lilac Solid, $9 / 8. LimeCrime Opaque Lipstick in My Beautiful Rocket, $15.99
What do you guys think? Is color something you’re going to play with in your makeup this season?
xo
Carly
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Mar 5, 2013 | DIY
On the Spring/Summer 2013 runways, wrap skirts (a.k.a “split skirts”) showed up repeatedly in collections such as those from Rag & Bone, Tommy Hilfiger, and Proenza Schouler.
Lucky Magazine also did a short feature on the wrap skirt (calling it the “Envelope Skirt” in their February 2013 issue), and I was immediately taken with how easy it seemed to make.
This type of wrap skirt is hardly different from a single piece of fabric, wrapped around your waist like a simple toga-cloth, but you can add a few details to make it looked more finished and less like a scrap from the fabric store. Add a small bit of tailoring so it sits better, and an adjustable closure to allow movement, and you have a versatile bottom that is ready to usher in Spring. Here’s how:
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