I know I have you mentioned several times about my friends the Getmans having a baby.. I am very excited about this baby; aside from my sister, these are my first close friends having a baby and I am already quite in love with Tess. She is due any day now!!!!!

I posted before about my contributions to the nursery area (aka the Tess Nest) – and just recently the mommy-to-be (aka Stephanie) called me over to help her with the last minute nursery area preparations. Daddy-to-be (aka David) is busting his ass trying to get a multitude of work projects done before the big birth, and my carpentry and installation skills got called into use!

They wanted a whimsical but not baby-ish baby area (the far end of their big master bedroom) that was not too gender specific, really functional and livable for everyone. So, besides giving a few gifts and being handy with a drill- I reiterate that this is all Stephanie and David’s doing- they have great taste!

First off- Stephanie is a knock out furniture refinisher. She wanted a combo vintage dresser/ changing table and (with a little inspiration from D*S) made this beauty come to life:

It has a beautiful antiqued gray painted finish was accented by this awesome paper top. Artwork above it is by a local houston artist.

and fun lined drawers!

check out the cute vintage blocks that spell "Tess"! A lot of the stuffed animals were Stephanie's or David's when they were kiddos. The books are held in baskets from walmart that I secured to the wall with anchored "L" screws.

Mr. Owl found a home under some neat name plaques that Steph's nieces made. And lookie! Something got festooned with my impromptu flower!

The flags that I made luckily span the entire length of the wall of Tess' Nest!

Don't you love the graphic bird organic bedding? And Stephanie's mom made the moses basket liner!

One of Stephanie's childhood Gunds in front on a bird pillow from Urban Outfitters.

I can’t wait to meet lil’ Tessie!

P.S. I know I need to work on this blurry picture business..  please bear with me while I try to figure out my camera! I am seriously anti-flash and have not figured out how to take the perfect indoor natural light photo… Lame.

Ohhh. This one is a doozy.

This Cocoon Bodyhose can be yours here. The listing says that ” are simply a 6′ multi-functional tube garment, made from very soft, seamless micro fiber nylon-spandex, similar to tights and pantyhose. there are so many things you can do with there cocoon bodyhose. many of our customers enjoy getting inside this to meditate, do yoga, play with a partner or simply sleep. especially on a cold nights. the most common description of how this amazing sensation feels is like being inside a warm safe womb. there also great for camping trips.”

The packaging exclaims “Love me no reason!” Available in white or black,

Brought to you by the ebay seller who also brings you the “tights for men-open crotch,ankle tights,sheer to waist” and “cool men trunk boxer“. Both hysterical!

Yesterday my friends Beth and Evan got married. I am normally not very “into” buying gifts off of a registry…. Yes I am that person. I try to be creative and original with all my gift giving. Several months ago at a rummage sale I came across a pretty neat mid-century Italian stainless 3pc. carving set. The hefty set has a fork and knives for beef and poultry with a lovely leaping oryx and curly cue motif. Price tag- $3. Moments later I found a Danish teak carving board- chipped and kinda- ewww- gooey. Price tag $1.  I immediately saw the potential for gift giving. Initially I had set out to give it to our recently engaged friends. They didn’t end up having  a wedding or a reception so I decided to save the gift for the friends who were actually hosting nuptials.

In order to get the carving set and board gift-ready I had some work cut out for me. To start: I hand refinished the cutting board sanding it in 5 layers from coarse to extra fine and then conditioned the wood. For the carving set- I designed and sewed a storage pouch for the knife set- lining the flap with vintage fabric from Mrs. T’s collection.

I honestly wanted to take the set to have it all resharpened, but I kinda ran out of time! Today while I have been recuperating from drinking too much champagne and wine I suddenly remembered back to my days at Williams-Sonoma helping hundreds of customers select wedding gifts and a memory flew through my mind that I hadn’t thought of in years – giving knives as a wedding gift is BAD LUCK. The belief is most prevalent in Latin American and Asian cultures (from which neither the Bride or the Groom hail) and the lore says that a gift of knives is equivalent to cutting off a friendship. The traditional folk lore continues  that the way around the severing is to have the recipient give you a penny – in essence “buying the knives” and then the taboo is moot. I had customers that would tape the penny onto the knife box prior to gift wrapping so the recipient would have a cent handy for instant repayment. Clamoring for self- justification in my hungover condition for giving knives without regard to bad mojo and with no penny for repayment I had a voila! moment.  While I was previously berating my poor time management skills and touches of laziness for not having the dull carving set sharpened, I decided that the dull knives were too dull to possibly severe any ties and my poor time management skills was somehow fortuitous. Long story short – people are so weird about their superstitions!

Without further adieu – here are the results of DIY wedding gift!

I have really been making an effort to learn more and more how to sew. I crafted this storage bag on the fly without a pattern. Every time I sew something and *think* I have thought through any construction issues- I inevitably realize that issues always pop up- always a learning experience. In this case- I line the top flap and then sewed the bottom pocket- and then they ended up being different widths- since I had used wonder-under to bond the lining to the canvas- I was able to pink the edges and sew a decorative zig-zag stich to secure it extra. I am pretty proud of the turn out and I can’t wait to hear if they like it! As the groom is a hard core foodie and they entertain a lot- I hope it gets a lot of wear and tear for another 60 years. Congrats Beth and Evan!

I love ebay. I mean I really really love it. Approximately 60% of my purchases come off of ebay. Seriously, from HDMI cables for my TV, to smoke detectors, to gifts and of course- shoes! . Occasionally I come across photos that cause me to have a major WTF moment. Pictures that are unabashedly posted on ebay to peddle their wares.  I have been debating about creating this post because I don’t know if  this mean-spirited ? However, I feel like this is my duty to relay these sartorial mishaps. and  I just can’t stand not sharing some of these examples of  hysterical DIY ebay- modeling. Let me know what you think!

The gnarliest toes in the world. gross. No wonder she is trying to sell thse shoes, and any other shoes that expose her toe knuckles and toenail claws.

From "Love me two times!" Vintage. and frankly... I'm not loving this once.

There is a slight Cruella quality to her photos. Like Evil on vacation.

Wow. That's all I really have to say.

All those hands on the rope swing is kinda complicated.

Basking in the glory of it all!

Just finished watching the first episode of Keith Johnson’s “Man Shops Globe”. Aside from all the jealousy that most of the ladies in my decosphere are feeling. I had a bunch of musings and recollections that I thought I would share…

* As an ex-home manager/merchandiser for Anthropologie, I worked in three different stores. Including opening one from the ground up. Of the truck-loads of antiques that got delivered to the empty space, one piece sticks out in my mind- a massive french postal cabinet. A black finish, glass vitrine sliding glass doors, lots of little dividers and drawers, and cabinets on the bottom. We decided on the wall which it would live. Had the movers put it there, I calculated and slapped a $15,000 price tag on it and it instantly became a part of the store. For sale of course. Though I will never know if it ever finds a home- it’s true home is in it’s store. The shock and awe of seeing and placing that beautiful piece was really outstanding. It was like Snuffleupagus moving into Big Bird’s Nest.  Aside from that- there were always so many different objets that the we the merchandisers had to try and work into the floor plan- those flower buckets on tonight’s show? (If they weren’t embedded in a table that is)- we would’ve probably laid them at jaunty angles full of straw and had mini latte bowls tumbling out or stacked them up into a tower and displayed fruit plates in the top. Those wine crates for 20 euros a piece from tonight’s show are standard Anthro fare, every store has a million. They retail for about $175. Perfect for stacking up soap. Seriously. Or dishes. Or monogrammed mugs.  There were also the random pieces that kind of “lived” in the stock room. Shhh! Don’t tell. But some of the stuff is just awkward and doesn’t always look so hot (or haute) juxtaposed against ruffled skirts and Josef Frank upholstery…

* I also had access to the corporate pricing screens. Where you can see the actually unit costs, how many of them live inside each store, how many have sold etc. Very eye opening.  The markup really is 200-300%. A lot even if you consider international and domestic transportation and any repairs or embellishments that occur. Not a shabby retail model. Anthro loyalists don’t realize how much stuff they recreate and produce themselves. The quality is terrible on most of it, which is why the price tags are really shameful. (Prior to Anthropologie I worked for William-Sonoma. We got highly educated on the manufacturing and production of even the most lowly plates and tools- only because they were proud of the quality and being able to justify to your customers what they were getting.) Anthropologie is all about aesthetics (as I type that I am thinking “but of course!” ). But really quality is a huge deal to me, which is why I buy so much used and vintage.

* The bureaus and cupboards were kind of a loss prevention nightmare. Lots of small spaces to store and hide ripped off security tags and stash empty Starbucks cups that shoppers were too asshole-ish to dispose of properly. As I watched the show I cringed at all the places shoplifters could affect a store’s bottom line and thus their management bonuses… One time, a pair of women came in and bought a high-dollar leather purse. A co-manager of mine commented to them that she hadn’t seen that purse in a while and she thought the purse had sold- “No!” one of them brightly replied- “we stashed it in the back of a drawer in one of the antiques until she could afford it!”  Crazy.

* When I lived in Philadelphia (I was no longer with the company- my future had gotten brighter working for an interior design firm), I lived next door to Keith Johnson’s own home store called Bruges. I don’t know how much involvement he still has with the store, but it is where I got familiar with BoBo Intriguing Objects. Keith’s whole store was hitting the Belgian/bohemian reproduction furniture and decor and suzani tip WAY ahead of the curve. Lots of Assouline books and knick knacks from Roost (aka- lots of overlap from Anthro). Before it was even announced that Keith Johnson  was doing “Man shops Globe”- I had been thinking about him and wondering what his thoughts were about Restoration Hardware partnering with BoBo for their new look.

* I am not a cheerleader for Anthropologie by any means- between working for the company for years at the store level and then knowing quite a few refugees and survivors of their corporate office culture – I have seen behind the curtain in Oz. Anthro creates a beautiful fantasy. Yellow brick roads and all- but once you see behind the curtain- you can’t go back… I know about the production issues of $100 bathmats made in Indian sweatshops, accessories designers who were forced by their management to poach designs directly from independent designers and also at the store level, having  to personally throw away semiprecious stones and expensive jewelry that was broken and irreparable, and knife-slashing returned clothing so no one could re use it.

*Watching the show tonight was a little redeeming as I got to see behind the other curtain of the buying and selection of antiques to be reproduced or to be used as the “found objects” (Anthro-speak for antiques and oddities). I really did enjoy his chase, the pace of the show, how many times he called for SERGE!, Keiths’ discerning “eye” and quick decision making skills and of course the follow ups at the end. Of course that job is amazing- but I kind of know in my heart of hearts that I could do that job equally well. I am on my own personal Woman Shops Globe mission. Between Houston and my international travels I trust my own eye, my own quick thinking, my own instincts, and as I am glad for my experiences at Anthropologie, I think it is the culmination of all my adventures that has given me that confidence that I often ignore.

P.S. Does anyone else think it’s kinda weird that Keith and Glenn Sank have been “together” since they were 9 & 12 years old?

I have been on a several month search for the perfect fall booties.

Requirements: Medium height heel, Versatile color, Slightly Western riding heel, rounded toe.

Aside from the bootie thing being pretty hot- the idea I had in mind was not exactly the prevalent design for this season.My mission originally began last spring when I borrowed my friend’s pair of Isabel Marant booties that started it all. I wore them for four days straight at SXSW in Austin. They were exceptionally comfortable in tan suede and I felt like such an understated class act rock star that week. Unfortunately, not only is an Isabel Marant Price tag WAAAAY out of my league, but in typical Marant fashion, the boots were sold.out.everywhere.

Above in tan suede (currently listed on Ebay here for a starting price of $600 used! Insane!) and in black leather a few weeks ago, also from the ‘bay. See the nice hints of western styling? The classic toe? The mid height heel? Perfection!

The hunt was still on… My next flash of excitement was when I had pre-ordered a very similar pair from the F/W09 Rachel Comey collection from a local boutique that I occasionally did some side work for.. I thought the midnight blue colored leather was lovely. With similar detailing as the Marants. I was happy to be doing some work for them in exchange for a close-to-wholesale discount! Unfortunately- the downturned economy has had it’s effect on many boutiques of it’s ilk and they shut their doors and canceled their fall orders. (also Available here at Gimmeshoes)  Side bar: at $338 the Comey boots ain’t that bad, but I have had SUCH a hard time with her other shoes falling apart, that it’s a bitter pill to swallow paying that much for shoes that are basically fragile and always getting repaired…

Moving forward- I have been doggedly pursuing my dream bootie amongst the throngs of studded ,stilettoed and bubble toed versions of this season glam-rock bootie bunches. And then I stumbled across this: The Nine West Gabble. A multi faceted taupey-brown leather. Zipped sides and a more au-courant fold-over detail- I struck the mother lode! Though they were obviously popular in the spring (and were featured in Elle and Lucky magazines), I found my pair on Overstock.com for $79! While they are sold-out there they are still available here, here, and a few pairs here. I am not completely enthralled with one detail- the goldenly gold zipper. But eh… it will probably tarnish soon or i can always attack the zippers with some rub ‘n buff to dull them out. Honestly, I haven’t bought a pair of Nine West’s in YEARS, and I am excited to have a pair that I can scuff, wear in the rain and kinda break-in unabashedly.

Some quick shots of my new booties! I love getting new shoes and wearing them around the house while doing my chores-  the cut off denim shorts would not be my  fashion M.O. with these boots. Since the weather has stayed warm in Houston, I am getting my last few wears out of my summer flats, platforms and wedges- hopefully transitioning some tights into the mix until it is closed toe-time for good…