This brown mirror now is this very very very light grey mirror.
Mirror was salvaged at a local thrift store and cost me $24.99. The paint, sandpaper, and primer cost me a total of another $24.
I know it looks white even when you have a pair of grey shoes next to it, but I promise it is grey. I promise!
xxx,
Kata
Post CommentEver since I have laid eyes on Ms. Sara’s (from High Fashion 4 Less) humble abode, I am OBSESSED with the idea of black wood floors and white walls. And obsessed is pretty much an understatement. I am constantly seeking design ideas that are the perfect mix of masculine and feminine. And as much as I would love to live in a house decorated like Rachel Roy’s, I know that it would just not feel as natural to Sam. So it is always a hunt to find something that feels right for the both of us (marriage is about compromise after all), and this whole black on white, white on black has struck the perfect chord for the two of us.
Image one from Dust Jacket Attic/Image two from Everyday Minerals
Image three from Style At Home/ Image four from Etsy store House That Lars Built.
Image five from here.
Image six from Miss Moss
Until we have our own place (this continues to be a repeated topic on this blog sorry!) this is how we are currently mixing both our personalities into our little apartment…
Our very geometric comforters.
We have a similar tangerine sofa bed like this that we re-upholstered at G Street Fabrics.
One giant gallery wall that displays personal pictures and this, this, and this art piece.
A book shelf overflowing with books of all sizes and kitchy statues like this.
An industrial mood board that Sam made himself.
Sam’s black standing piano.
And the perfect dark shaggy grey rug that is warm on our feet and has become Danny’s favorite place to nap.
xxx,
Katalina
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I have been pining for this industrial pipe bookshelf ($129/level three to be exact) by Stella Bleu Designs for awhile, but I have never made the splurge because we want to wait until we have a house of our own. Well when I went to go gawk at them again, this little beauty had been added to the storefront mix…..
WT Heck!! This is like my dream garment rack that I posted about almost a year ago!!! Holy moly… beautiful, just beautiful. I am really going to have to save for this…..
More later about home decorating and the challenge to balance a feminine and masculine mix (hermaphrodite mix of sorts) when you are pretty fem and your dude is pretty dudish. Do not worry, it does not resemble anything like this.
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(image via Fashion Gone Rogue)
It’s true. I care about the environment and climate change, so much so that I have dedicated my career to it. While the blogging world can sometimes seem very materialistic and just another outlet that is feeding into a consumer mentality, I think it is also important to recognize that every blogger has multidimensional interests that you might not fully get to see through their blog. I know that I struggle with this. I love to feature pretty things and pretty outfits, but how do I balance that with the true concern I have for the future of the world? I also like to keep my posts pretty up beat and positive, so how do I do that with a topic that is often doom and gloom?
If you think I am now going to answer those questions, I am sorry to disappoint, but I can’t. I don’t have the answers and I am trying to figure out a healthy balance myself. I know that I am trying to do my small part to make the world a better place, but I also recognize that I am just one person. Maybe I could be doing more? Actually, I know I could be doing more, and I am trying to.
Here are some of the ways I am trying to strike that balance in the blog and in my personal life:
1) Thrifting: I am a huge believer in recycled clothing and refurbished furniture. You can find incredible and unique pieces at often wallet friendly prices and you are not feeding into the horrible sweatshop system that you often hear about. I am definitely not sweatshop free by any means. I am far from that, but I am trying to be more supportive of systems that respect its workers and the environment around them. Some of my favorite stores in the city are Treasury and Goodwood for reused and stylish goods. I also love the girls of Ginger Root who take thrifted pieces and put their own stylish spin on it.
2) Buy local: Sam and I are huge supporters of Arganica. I talked about Arganica in this post, but all the food comes from local farms and vendors and is delivered straight to your door (do not think CSA). We are not only cutting down on our carbon footprint with our food miles, but we are supporting the local economy.
3) Beauty Regime: I love MAC. Love, love, love, love. Not only is their makeup great, but did you know if you return six of your old make up containers (foundations, powders, mascara, lipstick, etc) they will give you a MAC lipstick of your choice…free! It is called their Back To MAC Program. I can fully support any company that is incentivizing recycling of their packaging!
Like I said, I am trying to do my part, but I know I could do better. Writing this post made me realize that in my style boards I could be featuring a lot more fair trade and beautifully thrifted and curated items, that come from companies who are trying to do more than just make profit and satisfy the bottom line. I can feature more companies that truly believe in a better world and making a positive impact. It may take more time and effort, but it is definitely possible. So dear friends, expect to see more men shoes from here and clothing items from here.
In the mean time check out other bloggers who are dishing their confessions today over at Apollinas, High Fashion 4 Less, and Rosa Loves DC.
xxx,
Katalina
*Blogger Confessions is a new series that a few bloggers in the DC area have decided to participate in. It hopes to capture the multifacted lives that many bloggers live in, but sometimes is not highlighted in our blogs. In short we are trying to go beyond the pretty pink shoes and share a side of us that you often don’t see, and we do not want to start a whole new blog to share!
Post CommentI just wanted to share some fun shots from this weekend.
On Saturday I took some pics of the beautiful Sara from High Fashion 4 Less. You can check out the full outfit here . Though those Vince Camuto boots seems like hell to walk in, they are probably the most comfy shoes known to man kind. They are so comfy that I immediately decided to buy a pair after I felt like I could run a marathon in them. No joke and it should be noted that I wear heels close to never.
Sara took this photo of me.
And I took this photo of myself at Sara’s apartment. I was working on a TYF project (more to come soon) and she was kind enough to let me use her beautiful condo to take some pics. Her house is beautifully styled and I suggest you check out her home tour for visual overload. I am now dreaming of owning a house one day with black wood floors and brick walls painted white. 
On Sunday and Monday I was not feeling too well so I took several naps with this pooch and Sam. And when I stepped out of the house for a second I came back to this WONDERFUL mood board that Sam had created for me…. 
How did he bend metal you ask? No he is not super human. That is actually just some bright yellow bungee chords spray painted silver and hooks in the wall.
xxx,
Katalina
Post CommentSeveral margaritas later, our beach vacation came to an end and we unfortunately had to return home from Tulum. Now that we are back there are few items I highly recommend packing so that you do not end up paying a fortune when you are down there.
Bug Repellent ($8)/ Sandals ($245)/Evening Dress ($240)/ Magazines/ Beach Bag ($19)
Most important item to note is the bug spray. Bring plenty of bug spray and sunscreen. The only people that need either item down there are tourists. The local stores are well aware of that, so the the prices are jacked up by a lot. Depending where you are, you can pay up to $30 a bottle.
The above dress is silk and light. This is perfect for strolling the streets and bars at night, and not something you should wear to the ruins or the beach. Think major pit marks.
Magazines and fun reads are absolutely essential for the beach and the airplane ride. My book of choice was Bossypants, by Tina Fey. Entertaining. Hilarious. Women comedians ROCK.
And you will need a beach bag to carry snorkeling gear, large bottles of water, the inexpensive sunscreen you brought from home, and your fun reads.
Underwater Camera ($80)/ Sandals ($69)/ Linen Beach Dress ($245)/ Bangles ($66)/ Panama Hat ($58)
Bring an underwater digital camera! You will want to capture the photogenic giant sea turtles and sting rays. You can by one at the local grocery store for about $110, but it is so much cheaper to get it before you leave from Amazon.
You can never pack enough linen for a place like Tulum. Linen is the perfect material for the beach town, despite all the wrinkles it can easily get. When you are dealing with that type of heat you will be begging to be in something light and airy.
And of course here are some suggestions for the guys that have the same above motivations in mind.
Day Pack ($46)/ Boat Shoe ($80)/ Tank ($20)/ Swim Trunks($145)/ Amazon Kindle ($79-199)
Linen Shirt ($98)/ Linen Pants ($440)/Loafers ($99)
Some other points for traveling in Tulum and Latin America in general:
1) Toilet paper never goes in the toilet. The pipe and sewage system is much different and cannot handle an influx of toilet paper.
2) Don’t drink water from the tap. In order to avoid buying tons and tons of plastic bottles, buy one huge jug and keep filling your Nalgene or initial plastic bottle you used. In Tulum it is safe to assume that they use filtered walter to make juices and to wash veggies.
In any other place my general rule is if you cannot peel it, do not eat it. If you do not follow this rule it can lead to a nurse having to shoot something in your butt after a whole day of violent fits of nausea. Yes, I am talking from experience.
3) Also purchase snorkeling gear before you leave. You will be snorkeling a lot and daily rental fees are average $12 in Tulum.
Check out more beach style at our Beach/Desert Vacation Pinterest Board.
Katalina
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Greetings from the INCREDIBLE Tulum, Mexico! As a heads up, posts may be infrequent this week since most of us are on vacation and taking time to rest up for what is to be a very very busy and eventful year. That being said, I know that this is an important week of reflection for a lot of us, as we begin to think through our New Years resolutions, so this week I would like to provide some links to sources that you may find useful as you begin to hash out what you would like to accomplish in 2012.
Though 2011 has been pretty darn incredible, I am still excited to think through and write out what I hope to accomplish professionally, academically, personally, and with the blog this next year. Being a full time professional, part time student, avid blogger, and full time wife/daughter/sister/friend I have a lot that I hope to achieve. Some of my goals are more tangible then others and some are just about being more thoughtful in my daily actions. For example, professionally I want to read certain books on successful and inspiring leadership as I push forward with my career. Personally, I know that sometimes I have this habit of trying to articulate thoughts that are going through my head at 100 mph. What happens is that a lot of jumbled thoughts come out at once and I am not as clear as I would hope to be, and in turn I can get frustrated pretty easily. So one of my personal goals this year is to slow down and to better express myself despite the speed of my brain waves. Pretty simple, and I am not sure if I can really track this, but nonetheless it is something I hope I am better at in 2012.
One tool that I am pretty excited to try out as I move forward with all these goals is an app for the Ipad called UNSTUCK.
This video and the name says it all, but in short it is an app that helps you critically work through life decisions or problems that you are confronting by walking you through a series of questions which ends in a diagnosis and a list full of suggestions to help you move forward.
The team behind this, SYPartners, has worked with Starbucks, IBM, Facebook, Target, Ann Inc., GE, and lots of other iconic companies during serious times of transformation.
Seems pretty cool huh?
I would love it if you all shared some of your New Years resolutions with me and any tips on what you might be using or doing to help you accomplish your goals!
xxx,
Katalina
To learn more about Katalina click here.
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(image via Erstwhile Jewelry Co.)
It is the eve before Christmas eve and we wanted to leave you with some fun and informative links to carry you out through the holidays.
If you are gearing up for your review at work check out this article for some helpful tips on how to prepare.
This is pretty much the cutest video of a four year old with some shenanigans up her sleeve.
Free music from Lykke Li, The Lost Sessions!
Have you re-read Shel Silverstein poems as an adult? It is like reading a whole new poem. Blue has a whole new meaning in the poem Masks.
Cookie butter from Trader Joe’s might be the best invention EVER.
The perfect black boots.
Love,
The TYF Crew
Post CommentWhen I first stumbled upon the below apartment tour on Refinery29 I literally had to shut my own jaw. A few weeks later I still have the same awe struck reaction to this beauty. Naomi’s play on color, pattern, and fabric is genius. What is most amazing is that almost all the pieces were found for less than $250. With a little manipulation here and there, her budget friendly digs turned into unique statement pieces.
As Refinery29 so correctly titled their post, ” We Have Found The Home Of Our Dreams (& The Decor Tips To Go With It),”
Can you believe those are Ikea cabinets? These Palm Springs inspired pieces were lucky enough to get the magic design touch of Naomi.
The bold color combination of hot pink and blue was inspired by this picture.
I spy with my little eye… several reflections created by putting small mirrors in every cubby shelf of another Ikea piece.
Yah, and she picked up that Eames reproduction lounger on the side of the street. Jealous yet?
All I need to say is “wallpaper.”
If you cannot get enough (aka me), you can check out more pictures and design tips on DesignSponge!
What do you think? You dig?
Katalina
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My first post for this blog was as a guest almost a year ago. Kata asked me to write a gift guide for women on Valentine’s Day that didn’t know what to buy for a man they had been dating for a short period of time. Since I excel at dating women for a short period of time, the post came naturally to me. I avoided naming specific gifts and instead focused on two overarching principles: Show him you know what he likes and don’t scare him away. A V-Day gift is special because it is supposed to be romantic. Christmas, on the other hand, is all about pure American materialism. Thus, I am going to throw out some small, medium and big ticket items that have struck my fancy this winter and a link where they can be bought. To the gifts!
Stocking Stuffers
Staying Fresh Aid – Gentlemen like to remain neat and clean, especially on their cuffs and collars. Leave it to the English to invent a classy alternative to the Tide pen. The Laundress Wash and Stain bars are easy to use for spot cleaning and can be used on trips for quick stain removal. ($6)
Hood Coloring Book – Sometimes you want to see what Slick Rick would look like with a robin’s egg blue eye patch. Sometimes you want to memorialize Big L, 2Pac or Biggie Smalls. And sometimes you want to make up a crazy plaid to put on Andre 3000′s lapels. This cheap and awesome coloring book by Aye Jay is a must for that special hip hop lover in your life. ($9)
Rugged Booze Transporter – Don’t listen to your dirtbag little cousin: No one wants to carry around or drink booze out of a ziplock bag. I don’t care if you can put in between your cheeks when going through security and drink for cheap at the Lady Antebellum concert. This flask by Stanley is high quality stainless steel that looks awesome and carries just enough booze (8 oz.) to make sure you don’t lose your buzz or your cool. ($20)
Mid-Range Gifts
Proper Dress Shirts – As documented exquisitely by TheYouFinder’s Katalina, there is a conspicuous need for many gentlemen to wear appropriately fitting shirts for work and play. The average American man is fat, so men’s shirts are generally made for fat men. As a non-fat man, I settle for “fitted” and “slim cut” dress shirts often, but there is nothing like a personally tailored shirt. Hugh and Crye make excellent shirts and they are of a reasonable price. Spend a little extra to make him look like a million (or at least a thousand) bucks. ($85-$115)
Woody Apple Products – My coworker Kaitlin was sooooooooo excited when the iPhone 4S came out she had already purchased the carrying case. Her’s is a cute Kate Spade polka dotted affair, and it is appropriate for a lady. A gentleman, on the other hand, needs to project rugged individualism and a sense of style. These wooden iPhone, iPad and MacBook cases by Root Cases have clean lines, different wood grains and a look you don’t find on many city dwellers. ($59-$99)
Animal-Based Wall Hangings – Often, home decor that is a throwback to an earlier era makes a room look more homey and fun. In my bedroom, I have my hats hanging on a clothesline with clothespins. You know, a little tenement-housing-in-the-lower-east-side-turn-of-the-century thing. These antlers from antler & co. come with supplies to mount them on drywall: Hang ties, necklaces, lightweight hoodies, whatever seems right. Nothing like a little Americana to make a room pop. ($50-$130)
Fancy Pants Big Ass Presents
Big Old Box Sets – Television is generally a world of talent competitions featuring untalented people, reality shows featuring unreal people and sports. However, there are some excellent shows no longer on the air that can take up months of cold winter evenings snuggled up with a significant other or, if you want, a full-size body pillow. We have all had times, like James Franco, when we’ve been there, so no judgments. The Sopranos and The Wire are two of the best dramas to ever grace the boob tube and would be a great gift for any story lover. For the more adventurous, Lost is an excellent show that will keep you saying “WHAT THE F–K?!?!!?” for the entirety of the series. If you’re going to watch TV, do it without ads and don’t wait for next week. ($100-$200)
Unique Globe – A map is a great cultured conversation piece and people love to have them around. The ubiquity of Ork posters in the homes of young urbanites is testament to cartographical interest. This globe by Michele Varian has the outlines of the continents painted on matte metal and it can be drawn on with chalk. Thus, one can shape their world to their own geopolitical fancy, reality be damned. I would make Canada part of America (it’s our hat, after all) and reincorporate the village from where my great-grandparents were forced into Armenia proper. Take that, Turkish nationalists! ($450)
Ultimate Old Fashioned Accessory - I have a soft spot for classic cocktails, especially the old fashioned, the quintessential gentleman’s beverage. At some upscale speakeasies, the bartenders extract well-formed pieces of ice from giants blocks so they melt slowly in the cocktail for the ideal drinking experience. The folks at Drinksology have cut out the middleman with their Ice Ball Maker. This machine creates a perfect sphere of ice to fit inside an old fashioned glass. They even have a video of it in action! Yes, it’s messy, wasteful, decadent and cumbersome. But if you’re rich, who gives a s–t? (£595)
So there you have it, a few gift ideas from your old pal James. There are so many more things out there to show you care so don’t feel hemmed in by lists or society’s standards. Be creative, be thoughtful and have fun! It’s the American pastime, after all.
James
To learn more about James click here!
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