Upcycle– verb: to process (used goods or waste material) so as to produce something that is often better than the original.

I have recently been introduced to a line called Retro Remix Pass It On.

A very talented artist, Dawn Lipman, has been “upcycling” vintage handbags and belt buckles. She combs through flea markets and thrift stores to collect vintage “treasures”. Dawn started RETRO REMIX in 2014.  Her studio is filled with vintage handbags, vintage jewelry , remnant trims, ribbons, tassels and lace. She creates original artwork and photo montages for the handbags on the computer. Then they are printed to paper and run through a laminating/adhesive machine.  These graphis are applied to the bags and she finishes the edges with vintage trim remnants. Dawn also crafts one of a kind belt buckles.  The blank buckle bases are filled with vintage jewelry, skeleton keys, and watch parts and watch bands. Each buckle is sold with a snap on leather belt.

The result is nothing short of spectacular. Barbara Lattoz is the sales consultant for the line. When I recently had a house party for Touchstone Crystal Barbara also brought a representation of the RETRO REMIX line. The women attending my party were so excited with what they saw and many went home with a new “old” bag!!!

The concept is just so great! The styles are very glamorous and some are kitsch. There are hollywood icons laminated on bags as well as cartoon super heros!! The entire thing just generates energy and individuality. And in addition to your upcylced product, you can create your own story about the original owner of the bag.  The bag I purchased was made in France! I have been having fun wondering about the original owner.

Dawn will be on LBI , NJ 5/29/16 at the Viking Village Art & Craft Show. She will also be at the Spring Chester Craft Show and in September on the 4th back on LBI at the Viking Village Art & Craft Show and then on 9/18 she will be at The Fall Crafts & Art Street Fair in Ridgewood, NJ.

Barbara Lattoz can be reached at barbaralattoz@aol.com. Her # is 908-963-1654.

Parties are a natural for these products. Enjoy!

Here are a few of styles:

A friend of mine has recently become an Independent Consultant for Swarovski’s direct selling division, Touchstone Crystal. Of course, as any good friend and fellow jewelry lover would do, I hosted a party.

There is something to be said for how far social selling has advanced since Tupperware! My party was “Crystals and Cocktails”. And we sure had both going on at my home and as my guests arrived I could see that they were ready for both.

Barbara had transformed my dining room table into a sea of sparkle. The merchandise exceeded my expectations and my guests were thrilled with what they saw and heard about the product. Imagine…a 90 day product guarantee and lifetime warranty. Where do you see that? And the personal connection of social selling  guarantees the guarantee!

Each woman reviewed the catalog  and then approached the table “store” that Barbara had arranged. You could see the sparkle jump up off of the table and and start dancing in everyone’s eyes. Pens fast and furiously started to write down numbers. Cell phone calculators were assessing the damage. One by one we sat with Barbara to place an order. One of my friends said it is like we are lining up for confession!! But, the beauty of this line is that it is affordable…and sooooo glamorous…and sooooo sparkly that it does not require asking for forgiveness to make the purchase. The phenomenon about social selling is that one has a captive audience. An audience that is focused AND socializing at the same time. You don’t find that in a department store.

The evening eventually wrapped up with a bunch of happy people  heading home to think about what they will be wearing with their new purchases and oh, how fabulous they will look.

If you would like to know more about this product and would like to shop my party go to Barbara Baselice-Lattoz’s site:  https://sites.touchstonecrystal.com/barblattoz/myevent?e=52274

You will not be disappointed…and you might even consider joining Barbara’s team. Then you can help to bring “sparkle” into the lives of many people.

SPRING 2016! For someone who loves fashion there is nothing better than the season changing. At the same time one sees what is in the stores to wear for the season we are also hearing about the next season’s runway shows in NY, Paris, London and Milan. Makes you feel like a kid in a candy store. For now, let’s look at the trends for this spring season and I’ll share some what-was-seen-on-the-street at the fall 2016 shows.

The freshest look right now is the COLD SHOULDER and off the shoulder dressing.  This is seen in tops and dresses.  Seeing the shoulder peak out gives a very sexy, flirty look and a confidant attitude. Styles are being seen that are simple for daytime dressing and of course lavishly done for evening. WIDE LEG PANTS  AND PAPER BAG WAISTS for pants and skirts are also on trend. To carry this off, it is best to pair the pant with a slim top to balance the look. Pants and skirts are also being seen low slung, resting on the hip with wide legs.  A must have is an ANKLE LENGTH PANT.  So, let your ankle flash as well as your shoulder!  BOMBER STYLE JACKETS are being joined by more TRADITIONAL BLAZERS as well as TRENCH COATS.  More of this will be seen for Fall 2016. PONCHOS AND KIMONO TOPS continue this season in sheer fabrications as well as lacy looks. FRINGE also continues. So, if you stepped out last spring/summer and added these looks to your wardrobe, it is still very visible for 2016. MICRO PLEATING is also a hot look for this season. You will see this in skirts and dresses as well as sections of tops- perhaps in sleeves or the back. RUFFLES ARE IN! You will see lots of cascading tiers on tops and dresses.  DENIM is also trending…as if anyone ever lets it go.  It is a little more “done up” in prints as well as acid wash and embroidered and in eyelet textures. SEQUINS AND SPARKLE are everywhere! And it is in colors burgundy, green, navy and not just black.

STRIPES AND PRINTS: There are stripes everywhere. Stripes are in tops, vertically and   horizontal. Many are trimmed with lace.  You will also see tops in stripes that are done in sequins for both day and evening.  The stripes done in skirts are usually on the bias and look fabulous with an asymmetric hem.  In PRINTS you will see that GINGHAM  has grown up and is seen in a variety of sizes. PATTERNED PATCHWORK combines ditsy floral prints in bold color combinations.  You will see this in tops and dresses as well as skirts. BEAUTIFUL FLORAL PRINTS are everywhere including shoes!!    

SHOES: on the street at the runway shows the top look was ankle boots. NY is partial to the moto boot. London seemed to favor a higher strapped sandal as did Paris. Milan liked a heeled ankle boot.  Lots of ankle straps on high and low heels and wedges. But the best thing seen was low white sneakers in Paris!! These sneakers were worn with dresses and midi skirts!  Now they won’t be able to say that you can tell who is an American Tourist because they are in sneakers !! I love it.    

That sums up my HAUTE POPS for Spring 2016.                                                                                                      

Has anyone ever asked you “Are you happy?” We were sitting with my mother this weekend at her residence waiting for the afternoon musical entertainment and she turned to my husband and asked him that question. Without hesitation he said “Yes” and looked at me. I thought my heart would burst.

Happiness is not something to take for granted. Happiness is a process. Happiness is a gift. It is a gift we give ourselves. It is a gift we hope we share with our friends and family. I read an article in Elephant Journal “40 Life-Changing Quotes on Happiness”  (by Francesca Biller) and there were some great quotes in the article.

“The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things.” (Henry Ward Beecher). This is mastered by young children and the elderly and they don’t even realize they are doing it! It does not take much to make a child happy. Sometimes it is the box that a gift comes in that brings them pure joy. And it dos not take much to make an elderly person happy. Sometimes it is as simple as seeing you walk into a room and take the time to have a cup of coffee with them.

“When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” (Helen Keller). In my opinion, this really speaks to relationships. The obvious being when you have a loss in love either through a break up or death of a loved one.  But this is also true when a friendship is broken. Sometimes you do not even know what went wrong and often it is caused by other peoples’ drama which impacts on your relationship. Sometimes it cannot be fixed and one needs to stop looking at the closed door and be ready for what is beyond the open door.

“Sing like no one’s listening, love like you’ve never been hurt, dance like nobody’s watching, and live like it is heaven on earth.” (Mark Twain). That should be everyone’s mantra. Happiness comes from within. Make it happen.

I hope that each of you can experience the feeling of hearing someone say they are happy and know that you have contributed to their happiness.

 

Well, it has been quite a weekend for snow on the east coast! I know…it’s winter why do we act surprised? As I sit here looking out at about 2 feet of snow my thoughts turn to Spring 2016 and the colors we can look forward to.

The color experts at Pantone selected the “color of the year” for 2016 in December 2015.

They stepped out of the box by picking TWO colors. Both of the colors are as tame as you can get. They are Rose Quartz and Serenity. These two colors are also known as pastel pink and pastel blue. Story goes that they were chosen to breakdown stereotypes and promote gender equality. I do believe that color is a form of expression. The color pink reflects well being and blue reflects tranquility and is very soothing. I think that both of these colors will be big in home decor. With so much turbulence in an election year I think that many people will be looking to decorate their homes in colors that will be soothing and relaxing when they are at home.  Both of these colors mix beautifully with gray.

From here the color experts and designers expand the color palette. Quiet colors do prevail, but there are exciting brights added for optimism. There are no real distinctions made in color choices being made for men and women.

Here is the PANTONE palette for Spring 2016.

The color palette starts with Rose Quartz. This is soft and soothing like a blushing cheek! This color is followed by Peach Echo which is friendly and warm. There has been lots of orange going on lately and it will continue for spring and this peach is a complement. Next comes Serenity. This blue is restful and soothing like looking up at the blue sky. This color is followed by Snorkel Blue which is in the navy family but it is happier and more energetic. Doesn’t the name conjure up thoughts of vacations?  The center color on the palette is Buttercup. This color definitely makes the wearer feel like they are in a happy, summer place. Next comes Limpet Shell. This is a shade of aqua which is clear and crisp. Next in line is Lilac Gray. This is a basic which gives a little edge to a classic gray shade. Pump up the energy with the next color which is Fiesta. This is a yellow based red that is vivid, exciting and very free spirited. This is quite the contrast to the softer shades on this palette. Next is a beautiful neutral labeled Iced Coffee. This color is earthy and soft and is a foundation for the other colors. The last color in the palette is Green Flash. This color “calls on the wearer to explore, push the envelop and escape the mundane”. Wow…that is asking a lot of this beautiful shade of green! This is the basic palette for Spring 2016.

Fashion Snoops‘ color forecast is for 5 key palettes for spring. They are: SEASIDE which is vibrant mid tones which cover the pinks, coral and melon. They say Orchid and Aqua are emerging colors.  Custard (shade of yellow) is “lively” and Chartreuse is introduced as a new lime. HEIRLOOM is the jewel tone palette. Red and green continue as well as dark burgundy and brighter Ruby. They say  “Green becomes more influenced by blues with Evergreen and Dark Teal colors. While Navy progresses as an influential base color, Indigo offers a new alternative. Grape purple is featured as a new fashion color”. DESERT BLOOM is a neutral palette. This palette is earthy. Moonstone blue is an exciting new fashion color in this palette.  SOFT NOSTALGIA is a pastel palette lead by Blue Hydrangea. Pink is a focus in this group. There is also Chambray, Wisteria Purple, Lemon Chiffon and Sea Glass green. Neutrals here are Buff, Ecru, and Bone. Dust is the season’s gray. BACKYARD is the bright palette. Green shades are pivotal and Canary is a saturated yellow. Candy Apple is the red. Electric Blue is in this palette too and Periwinkle is new as an alternative to Electric Blue for summer. Clementine (orange) remains.

Colors are always so much fun to play with in your wardrobe. Each color can play to a distinct mood. Enjoy it!

 

In the fall I saw an adult education class titled “The Mindfulness Side of Meditation”. The description read that the course teaches mindfulness based practices that will reduce stress, develop a calm relaxed attitude and a sense of well being intentionally bringing awareness to your daily experiences.  I AM IN!! It went on to say that Mindfulness is “the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose in the present moment, non-judgementally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment” (Jon Kabat-Zinn). It said that Mindfulness is an excellent practice for teahers and parents to practice and it helps to develop a sense of calmness and awareness and focus in children. I thought, perhaps this would be good me to practice and bring some of this to my mother since we are now the parent to her and it might help with her anxiety. I have to say, it has helped me and I plan on taking another class in the spring.

The biggest thing I got out of this so far is the meditaion. I have been able to focus my thoughts and stay a bit more calm, breathing and allowing space for emotion. Recognizing what you are feeling is such a good feeling . I am learning to accept how I feel in that moment without judging it or needing to change it.  It teaches us to understand that you can’t fix an emotion, just be with it.

I think it is important to start each day with gratitude. It is important to bring awareness to your speech and interaction with others. Mindfulness is non-judgementally experiencing what IS. It would be a much more pleasant way to spend your day if you are not judgemental. You can not change another’s behavior but you can change how it affects you. Be kind to yourself.

I leave you with a thought from my teacher that made us all laugh.   The author of this quote is unknown. “Spiritual Fitness:  If you can start the day without caffeine or pep pills, If you can be cheerful of aches and pains, If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles, If you can take criticism and blame without resentment, If you can face the world without lies and deceit, If you can relax without liquor, If you can sleep without the aid of drugs, Then you are probably a dog.”

Be kind to yourself and that kindness will overflow.

Happy New Year.

It’s that time of year again…time to rack your brain for the perfect gift for someone on your list.

For that special woman on your list, diamond anything is always a spectacular option...but not always in the budget.

May I make a few suggestions?

Gifts for someone who has a trip planned: There are two new  items this year which I think are great items for someone on the go. The first is a leather portfolio from GILI on QVC. They combined a fashionable pebble leather clutch with the technology from Halo. It is lined with Haloguard for shock absorption and water resistance and RFID technology which guards against identity theft. You can fit your tablet as well as cell phones and credit cards in the portfolio. If it falls on the ground there is no damage to your  devices! And then, you can empty it and use it as a clutch. The portfolio size is A274050 and sells for $91.32.  There is also a smaller version, A274053, which sells for $69.50. The second item is a unisex item that comes from LUG. It is available at QVC and other retailers. The one I like the best is the overnight “puddle jumper”.  It is a quilted water repellent material and has great organization. At QVC it is F11647 and retails at $86.00.

A gift for the whole family: Vinyl is making a comeback and many of us surrendered our turntables years ago. The two most popular companies supplying these item are Aviator and Crosley. They can be found at QVC and HSN and I also saw the Crosley item on sale at JCPenney for $129. The one I liked best is the Aviator which plays 33 1/3, 45 and 78 RPM and plays cassettes and CDs, and has an AM/FM radio. The best part is that you can record CDs from vinyl or cassettes!!

For the home:  In my 7/29/15 blog I talked about a “shabby chic” home accessory- rustic wooden/metal marquee letters with LED lights. This item got bigger as the season progressed. Look for this at QVC from the Ellen De Generes line and also at JCPenney and Nordstrom.   Another great         cozy gift is a velvet plush throw. Perfect for getting comfortable watching TV. A great selection can be found at JCPenney.

For the women on your list: A gift of beauty is always welcomed. WEN hair products are always popular with the women I know. I love the Mandarin Italian Fig fragrance which is made with rice protein and helps to strengthen and restore elasticity. Six Thirteen is also a great cleanser.  I found a gift at Sephora which is good for all ages. It is called “Color Around the World” and has 4 palettes of color for the eyes and face…Paris, New York, Rome, Rio. Great set for the “20 somethings” on your list as well as yourself!

For the always impossible to buy for men on your list:           Guys usually buy things on an “as needed” basis so this becomes a real challenge at Christmas. You can’t go wrong with food and alcohol!! Specialty items put together at this time of year are usually good. For the beer drinkers there is so much available in craft beers and you can make your own assortment at Total Wine. There are also beer making kits out his year. These can be found in many retailers including Nordstrom for about $40.00. Wine is always a favorite…you can put together something from a vineyard that is from an area you have visited or plan to visit. It is always good to go with music, tickets to an upcoming event or favorite books to include crosswords and other word games.

Good luck with your holiday shopping. Gifts are great, but remember that love and friendship are the best gifts to give and receive.

Comes a time in everyone’s life when you have to say goodbye to your childhood home.  It was time to put  my parents’ house up for sale since Dad has passed away and Mom is in assisted living near me. The Home of Bob and Alice will be changing hands. At first I had no interest in knowing anything about the people who were buying my family home, but when I came to find out they had a child who is about the same age I was when we moved in I started to feel a little bit better about handing over the keys. Another family will now get to make more memories in our house.

How do you say goodbye to a house that you have known for 60 years? Believe me, it is not easy. First of all I had to get my  head around the fact that my brother and I were making all decisions on the house for my mother. I had to get over feeling that I was invading her privacy and I wanted us to do everything the way I thought she would like it to be. I think we did a good job. My brother was outstanding as point man and organizing it all and the official get-it-out-to-the-curb-for-garbage-pick-up man!! He and my sister-in-law were there for every garbage pick up and more.

We sold the house rather quickly which meant we had to really hustle to get it cleared out.  What to keep?  Who wanted what? What to donate? Of course I have a hard time giving away anything that  “has meaning”.  This translated to every piece of art, every piece of silver, every piece of china and forget about the number of photographs!! We decided that in the interest of time I would pack up a lot of what I wanted to go through and bring it back to our house. That way no one had to hear me saying “wow, look at this” over and over. The easiest way to take care of photographs was to fill a couple of suitcases and cartons and just put them in the car. Of course, our den now looks like a storage unit, but winter is coming and there will be time to get it all organized.  I am now doing some redecorating to accommodate a lot of paintings that were in their home. My brother took ones he was interested in having, and I took everything else! Some of the silver pieces I now own can be used the next time royalty visits.  But what treasures they are!!

Packing up all of this stuff brought back so many wonderful memories of my parents entertaining over the years. There was a bar in the playroom that witnessed many, many parties. Looking at the silver pieces I was thinking about the dinner parties and Sunday dinners with flaming Cherries Jubilee!!  Mom and Dad both enjoyed nice dinners and entertaining.

Going through my mother’s handbag collection was really fun for me.  I now have many additions to my collection. The shapes and sizes of many of these bags are right up there with what is being shown today. Many are in really good condition.  Since we both share a love of handbags she too has lots of them! There is a small metallic evening bag that has a built-in cigarette case and lipstick holder!   I hate to think of smoking as glamorous, but can you just picture an evening bag being opened and there are your cigarettes?

The hardest thing for me was seeing all of the notes and cards that both of my parents saved for so many years. The love that the two of them shared was palpable. Such beautiful notes to each other. I am happy to say that I now have this kind of love too and it is evident that my brother and his wife do too.

Now that is it all done we can laugh about some of the stuff we saw.  There were 12 bottles of cinnamon in the spice cabinet.  I guess they would need it for something and standing in  the store would say “do we have any cinnamon?”  And then there were the many years of cancelled checks that Dad saved very neatly and well organized  for who knows what. But, it was their house!!

On the last day I was there I took more pictures and kept saying to myself  “a house is not a home”. Home is where you and your family are.  It is true that home is where your heart is. I am so grateful that there was so much love in that house when it was my home.

I am a really big fan of accessories in every shape and form.  But the biggie for me is handbags! My thought is that your handbag should “lead” you into a room.. It makes a statement. It can create the mood for your outfit. I have been collecting handbags since I was a child. I can give the blame or credit for that to my Dad. When I was a little girl one of his buying assignments was kids handbags. Needless to say, I was right in step with whatever the the fashionable thing was for little girls. And it stuck with me.

In a Harper’s Bazaar article I read “collecting bags, when well done, can arguably be an art form…” I agree 100%!!  There are so many varieties of handbags (aka purse, pocketbook) to choose from. Here are a few categories that should be part of your dream collection, or should I say your art collection!!

Every collector needs 1) a classic black day bag. This is a bag that can be with you through all parts of the day and would not be out of place in the evening. 2) a neutral tote. Since I am a big-bag-girl totes are more than just having a neutral one for me. I need several!   3) a day clutch- a great look, but I find I always need to be carrying more things and a bulging clutch looks ridiculous. Diane von Furstenberg came out with a great idea the DVF Secret Agent Bag…a large leather tote with a zipped on detachable clutch on the outside. Fabulous idea if you want to part with $498.00.  4) Metallic Minaudiere is  must for every woman. Does not matter if you only use it twice a year it is a must have. 5) a weekend casual bag. Once you hit retirement this becomes a major staple. This category includes shoulder bags, bucket bags, satchels, hobo bags.  6) cross body bag. This is a bag on the small side that you can wear cross body and be able to get up and dance without worrying about your bag being on the table or use on a day when you need both hands free. It can either be something in color or classic. These are incredibly versatile. 7) a weekender. This can either be for a long weekend or as a carry-on when traveling. There are fabulous weekenders out there. Everything from designer duffle bags in leather, or faux leathers or a printed Vera Bradley bag. 8) a just-for-fun bag. Fringe, plaids whatever is of the moment. One of these can be purchased without breaking the bank and it can add some fun to your outfit. 9) a pop of color. This can be  seasonal addition. Color does add a lot to an outfit. 10) a structured lady-like bag. Adds polish…always looks neat. Think Heritage bags. Maybe you are lucky and have gotten a hand-me-down Hermes!!

You do not need to spend a zillion dollars on a bag. There are fabulous on trend bags in every retailers’ private label lines. Regardless of leather versus man made, there are things to look for when making a purchase. Examine the hue of the material. You want to make sure the color is saturated so that it is not just painted onto the surface rather than dyed. Check the seams of a bag around the edges. Look for loose threads or cracking of the leather or the faux leather.

I think that collecting bags can become an addiction. But keep in mind, bags can last almost forever and the styles are reinvented as years pass. I have some some bags that are 40 years old and are still looking good! I have just gone through all of my mother’s collection and have found some wonderful truly vintage bags that I will treasure and enjoy for a very long time.

Today is a day for reflection.  It is a day when all Americans and others around the world remember exactly where they were on 9-11-01.

I was on my way to the office. I had just stopped for my coffee and was waiting at a traffic light to cross.  I saw a very low flying plane and thought oh my God that plane is going to crash.  I got to the office and minutes later the news started coming through. At first we thought it was a horrible accident and then it just got worse and worse. For hours we were glued to radios and screens trying to understand all that was going on. Phone service was not great and everyone was trying to contact someone.

After several hours we were told that there would be ferry service going back and forth to NJ. Aside from that there was no train or bus service and the bridges were closed. My friend Julie and I decided to start walking to the river to get a ferry. It was so surreal since it was such a beautiful September day and here we are trying to deal with the world we knew being changed forever. The smell of smoke was in the air.

Everyone in the streets was exceptionally friendly. Everyone was glad to see the police. Everyone was trying to help other people.  Manhattan was one big neighborhood.

When we got to the West Side Highway we did not know what to expect next. Lines of people were snaking all around queuing up for the ferries. Many people were dust covered and most of us had shocked looks on our faces. We were told that there were decontamination stations set up on the Jersey side for those coming from downtown. We were lucky to bump into Julie’s cousins who had parked at the ferry that morning. We now had a ride home!!  New York Waterways did a sensational job of getting all of us safely to NJ.  That evening my neighbors and I gathered in the front of our townhouses to share in conversation and wine and think about all of those who were not as fortunate as we were that night.

We must never forget what happened to our country that day.

And we must never forget to tell people that we love them because one never knows what can happen.

And to this day 14 years later, I never leave the house without a bottle of water in my bag and shoes that I know I can go any distance in.