Check them out...2 New Favorite Blogs!

As you already know, I love reading blogs. If you read a few each day, it's like having a mini-magazine right at your fingertips. It's a quick getaway from your day, a fun way to get inspired, and an easy way to stay up to date on trends in the design / fashion world. And it's free!

Here are two blogs that I've recently added to my favorites:

The Zhush...daily inspiration for everything stylish.

Coco & Kelley...a beautifully designed blog featuring tons of inspiration on design and fashion.

Fun Streamer Ideas!

Do you have a party to plan in the next few months? I found these fun and colorful streamer ideas on Oh Happy Day. Aren't they cute? They create a lot of color and texture, and are completely inexpensive to make!

All photos and ideas are credited to Oh Happy Day.



Monday's Blog/Runway/Contest Links

You know how I know it's November? I'm sitting here in the office with a steaming mug of hot chocolate, and I'm looking out the window at my neighbors hanging their Christmas lights. There's no snow on the ground, but I can tell it's freezing out there. The trees are rattling with the wind, and I can see my neighbors' breath in the air. It's scenes like these that get me buzzing and excited for the Holiday season.

Today's post is inspired by the spirit of the season: happy faces, Christmas parties, glitter, presents, and cheer.

RUNWAY

I absolutely love the Oscar de la Renta Fall 2010 show. It's full of color and sparkle...perfect for the holidays.



BLOG

Check out this fun Christmas wreath! It's made entirely out of felt balls. I would love one of these for my front door.

Instructions and photos were found on Oh Happy Day (yet another of my favorite blogs).

CONTEST

Through Canadian Living, you can enter once per day, until December 5th, for a chance to win a daily prize. The prizes are all part of their Holiday Gift Guide for 2010.

Blog Discovery: Windlost

I just came across this blog, Windlost, and it is fabulous! It's mainly home decorating / design inspired, which is a perfect fit with my daily reads. AND, to all of my Calgary friends....the writer lives in Calgary!

Monday's Blog/Runway/Contest Links

Happy Monday friends! I hope that you all enjoyed your weekends. It was beautiful and sunny in Ottawa this weekend, and I did try to get out a few times to enjoy it. Unfortunately, it's taking longer than I thought to recover from my tonsils surgery. I still am unable to eat anything, so I have hardly any energy.

On the positive side of things, I did get a week off work to lie around and recover! I spent the majority of my time watching various seasons of Californication, Weeds, True Blood, and Project Runway. Luckily enough, the reality TV station had Project Runway marathons for a couple of days! The episodes that I watched last night featured tons of cozy knitwear and layered looks, and that is what inspired today's Runway/Blog/Contest links!

Here are a few of my fave knitwear / cozy / layered looks from the Fall 2010 runways:

ADAM


Michael Kors


Gucci


Dolce & Gabbana

BLOG

Check out this cozy and inviting living room! Jordan Ferney, of Oh Happy Day (one of my favorite blogs), has managed to create a welcoming space that is both eclectic and contemporary at the same time. And she's incorporated numerous colors into the room (something that I fear I will never get quite right in my own house).



CONTEST

Enter to win a $1000 Crate & Barrel gift certificate through Canadian House & Home! Here's the link!

http://www.houseandhome.com/crateandbarrel/?utm_source=houseandhome&utm_medium=large-promo&utm_campaign=crate-and-barrel



Monday's Blog/Runway/Contest Links

Happy Monday friends! It's a happy one for me anyway, because I'm still enjoying my weekend! I had three days off for the first time in a while, and I'm enjoying every minute of it. Next Monday I'm getting my tonsils removed, so that will clearly be a less enjoyable Monday. I'll be sure to whine about it all week :)

This week's runway link is Herve Leger by Max Azria's Fall 2010 show. I adore their form-fitting, curve-loving, super tight cocktail dresses. I recently spotted one at Simon's in Montreal, but I couldn't bear to try it on. (I knew I couldn't get it) I will make the investment one day, and maybe buy myself a little black one! These looks were my favorite:

   

BLOG

Design*Sponge is one of my daily reads. The site is full of creative and beautiful ideas for the home, parties, and life in general. Check out the Before&After section for some great reno and DIY projects! I really like what they did with this boring cabinet. Love the yellow!

CONTEST

Ultimate Shopping Spree contest: Enter to win a $1000 Club Monaco gift certificate, a $1000 Shopbop gift certificate and a style consultation with a Fashion editor. Contest through Fashion Magazine!
http://www.fashionmagazine.com/contests/33/shop-pros/

Monday's Blog/Runway/Contest Links

I know that all of the Resort and Spring 2011 shows have come and gone, and we will definitely talk about them soon, but I'm just enjoying this gorgeous Fall season so much! Plus, the holidays are coming soon, and there is an abundance of fresh ideas for holiday evening wear in the Fall shows.
So for now, let's sit back and take in the treat that is 3.1 Phillip Lim Fall 2010. I love the large graphic prints, trousers/suspenders, and asymetrical dresses. Here are my favorites:



BLOG

I love the Sartorialist...I even received the book as a gift this year! Here are a few recent shots that I loved.



Photos from The Sartorialist.


CONTEST

Enter to win a bundle of Peace Love & Juicy Couture fragrance products by Juicy Couture.
http://www.fashionmagazine.com/contests/32/peace-love-and-juicy-couture-contest/


Monday's Blog/Runway/Contest Links

You know the people who take "smoke breaks"? You may even be one of them. Well, I don't smoke so I find it unfair that these people get quick 5 minute breaks 3 times a day, and I don't! To compensate, I take "blog breaks", "fashion breaks", and "contest breaks". Basically, throughout my days at work when I need a little pick me up, I depend on my favorite blogs, websites and magazines to give me a little escape from my day of banking. I'm going to share my favorites with you each Monday.

One of my favorite things to do, is head over to style.com and watch slideshows of runway shows. It's 5 minutes of creativity and inspiration that I desperately need to keep my pupils from turning to dollar signs or my bank's logo. My favorite this Fall is the Ralph Lauren Fall 2010 show. I love the warm brown palette and soft floral accents.

Here are a few of my favorite images from the show:



BLOG

I'm loving the images in this post at apartment therapy. Ikat is one of my all time favorite patterns/fabric. This picture is my favorite of the bunch:



CONTEST

Enter to win a limited edition Marc by Marc Jacobs tote at http://www.ellecanada.com/contests/879!!