Odelma Vintage

BRB.

2011-05-14T15:00:00.000-05:00

Taking a break from blogging for a while. Have you noticed?
After getting the news of my summer plans, ending the school semester, trying to get my life organized and packed in just three days for NY and San Francisco, and reading Katrina's Letter to a New Blogger, I've decided to step back and reevaluate some things for Odelma. There are a lot of things I have to consider and take into account for where I want this little blog to go. AND I obviously can't keep the shop open while I'm away. So we'll see where things go in the next few weeks. Here's to a beautiful summer of awesome!!! Talk to you soon.

P.S. Bangs are back.

2011-04-29T15:57:00.000-05:00

Craved them. Got them.

HAPPY FRIDAY! Any fun plans for the weekend? I'll be finishing my final collection for my apparel design class as well as frantically searching for places to live in San Fran over the summer.

x.o. Mattie

Pretty Pastels

2011-04-29T15:37:00.002-05:00

Drama On My Feet

2011-04-28T20:43:00.000-05:00

Dramatic wedges have been catching my eye lately. I've never really been one for drawing attention to my feet, but these little pretties are doing a great job of convincing!

NEWS. A Very Mod Summer.

2011-04-25T23:02:00.000-05:00

Well, it's official. Not only did I finally land an internship, but I definitely got the internship of my dreams!!!! Over the weekend I received the best news ever -- I'll be working with MODCLOTH over the summer in San Francisco! Can you believe it?! I still can't.

I've been working on trying to score this internship for a while now. Back and forth e-mails have been sent since about January. I've had to participate in a skills test, a Skype interview, and many phone interviews. And let me tell you, the ModCloth team is as sweet as you can imagine them to be. They were all a delight to work with during the selection process. Always so polite, helpful and encouraging. You wouldn't expect any less from ModCloth though would you? Well, I finally got the news on Friday and I have been on cloud nine since. Now let me share with you my ModCloth love story.

When I sometimes get stuck trying to find my place in this huge apparel industry, I always get drawn back to ModCloth, the company that restored my passion for apparel merchandising. The fashion world can be intimidating and sometimes exudes the impression that fashion can only be executed and enjoyed by an elite few. ModCloth removes that intimidation factor, creates an atmosphere that is fun and engaging, and promotes a message that I stand behind, one that states that fashion can be enjoyed and perfected by all, no matter what your background, style, or self expression ("wear watcha want and work watcha got," remember?). ModCloth's customers feel appreciated and celebrated, which in return results in loyalty and sales. The entire democratic process is brilliant, and creates a complete win-win situation for the customer and the retailer. These characteristics are what I believe in fashion for. This is what it's supposed to be about!

A little more details on the gig:
I'll be working with the merchandising team. Some of my duties will include merchandise categorization (putting items together like this), inventory monitoring, sample management, and pricing.
I will be return from my field study in New York on May 28 and have to be in San Francisco on May 30th! I'll be there until August 12th. There are so many things I have to do until then, and I am in complete overdrive! I catch myself on Craigslist 10x a day trying to find a place to stay for the time I'm there. If any of you San Francisco locals or experts have any advice on where I should be looking, please let me know!! I am a mess.

Thank you so much for sharing the excitement with me, and I can't wait to see what's next. I am anxiously awaiting May 30th. That date can't get here soon enough!!

So please, if you have any advice, tips, or tricks for living in San Francisco for 3 months over the summer, don't hesitate to throw them my way! I will be ever so grateful. :)

EEK! I can't stop smiling.

x.o. Mattie

Ruffian Swap

2011-04-21T15:25:00.000-05:00

Now you know where I'll be Thursday, April 28th. If you are in the area, you should think about coming out! This will be my very first swap event, and I'm pumped! For more information visit Ruffian Swap.

Do any of you have any experiences with clothing swaps? I'd love to know!

x.o.

Pool Day With The Boone Dog

2011-04-20T22:35:00.000-05:00

This week is spring break for me. I'm using this week to take a breath from all of the projects and tests I've had the past month and trying to gear up to finishing the semester off in the next few weeks. It's nice to just catch up. I snapped these pictures of Boone yesterday while I was hanging by our pool. He loves the water. He didn't always though. Last summer my family, Luke, and I went to our friend's fishing camp for a few days. It was the first time Boone had ever been around a big body of water. He would tip toe as far out as he could without letting his feet slip, and then quickly turn around for the bank. Luke ended up getting this blow up floatie and convincing Boone to sit on it and let us drift him out into the water while he was on the float. It was quite hilarious seeing him sitting up on that floatie. Once he fell off the float and realized it was all ok, we couldn't keep him out of the water! I have some pics on my other blog (that I hardly update anymore) if you want to check it out. The pics of Boone on the floatie are so precious.

Hope you're having a great week!

x.o.

Zhang Jinga--Fashion Photographer

2011-04-17T23:54:00.001-05:00

Most of you know by now that I am a college student studying apparel merchandising. I sometimes am a little ashamed to tell people that ask me what I'm school for. Apparel merchandising ("fashion merchandising" as some like to call it -- even though that's not what it's called (at LSU at least)) is often viewed as a bunch of materialistic girls that like clothes and shopping. Yes, we like clothes. Yes, we like shopping, but that isn't what all it's about. One of my professors refers to us as dirty little mechanics that keep the glamorous car running. Our job is sometimes far from glamorous. We have our good times, but most of the time it's the hard work, behind the scenes stuff that people don't realize.

Which leads me to my next idea. I hope to find people in the fashion biz, and highlight them here on Odelma. Expose to you their behind the scenes job, and give you just a little insight into what they do and what it takes to produce the fabulous fashion you love. Meet Zhang Jinga.

Zhang Jinga is a photography from Singapore. Her work is breath taking and I can't wait for you to see more of her pictures. I'll let her about me (taken from her site) tell you a little more about her background and who she works with.

"At only 22, her portfolio has expanded to include names like MontBlanc, Canon, Lancôme, Pond's, Wacom, Random House Publishing, as well as Elle and many other international publications.

The success of her work has brought her to shoot in Paris, London, New York and Tokyo in just the short span of three years since turning professional.

In April 2010, in conjunction with the annual fashion festival and supported by Canon, 50 of Jingna's works were displayed in a large-scale street exhibition in Singapore's premium shopping district—Orchard Road. The exclusive showcase marked the first of its kind in Singapore."

Bravo!

Find more of Zhang Jinga's work on her site, facebook, blog, and twitter

TGIF & Resolutions

2011-04-16T00:17:00.000-05:00

I'm not one for new year resolutions. I love reading everyone else's and getting inspired, but I've never had a list of goals to accomplish within the year. New year resolutions have a bad rep of being broken too often. I knew giving myself a big timeline (like a year) to accomplish my small goals would be overwhelming. Besides, I never can think of any really good ones whenever January 1st rolls around.
But recently I have been getting small desires to live out in real time. Not within a year, not within a month. No specific date in mind actually. I just want to live them out on my own time, in real time. Who needs new years? Here are just a couple of simple goals I want to keep reminding myself to pursue. Let's see if it works!

I want to take more pictures of my every day life. Not posed, not planned. Just take out the camera and snap some pictures. I don't take as many as I used to and this makes me sad.

Simple enough, right? Wrong. Well, lately for me it hasn't been very simple. I want to challenge myself to step away from the online world more (if you know me, you know this is hard!) and draw more inspiration from things around me in the offline world. I have let myself become too attached to seeking inspiration from others online. That is totally fine and I am such a believer in seeking inspiration from others, the blogging world, pinterest, etc, but lately I have become trapped by those only avenues to inspiration. I want to be inspired by the raw stuff. I want to get my own ideas from my surroundings. I want to come up with my own DiYs instead of just forwarding someone else's. I just really want my own ideas back. Does that mean I'm going to stop looking online for ideas? NO. I just don't want to be dependent on it.

Does that even make sense? If you guys have any real time resolutions that you are wanting to work on in your life please let me know! Maybe we could encourage each other along the way. :)

On another note, I hope you guys have a happy weekend! Yesterday was my last day of school before Easter break. I'm definitely looking forward to the time off. Tomorrow I'll be heading to New Orleans to meet up with the lovely ladies of the Southern Fashion Bloggers. As always, I'll be tweeting the details so if you're interested in getting a peek into one of our little meet ups follow me there.

Any special weekend plans?

// thank you, puglypixel, for the blog bling.

Vintage Seventeen Magazine Covers

2011-04-12T23:09:00.000-05:00

I love a good vintage magazine cover. Seventeen Magazine has an entire collection on their site.

Swoon.

x.o.

// found via @susangkoger

Color Crave: Orange

2011-04-10T01:15:00.000-05:00

// Moro Orange Wedge, Ruby Mimosa Dress \\// Leaf Catching Scarf, Surf Competition Skirt, Sanguinelli Cardigan \\

You guys know that I am a big fan of incorporating COLOR into your outfit. You also know that I always try to be honest with you, so I refuse to sit here and tell you orange is the most flattering color and can be pulled off by any shape, size, or color. We all know that's not true! As much as I love the cheerful hue, It's not the ever popular and slimming black. I mean come on.

BUT! (Yes, there's a but) Despite the bad rep orange has gotten over the years, you can't deny the power it displayed on the runways of Spring 2011. It is pretty infectious isn't it? You can all start exhaling a big breath of relief because I am hear to tell you that's it's not impossible. It really, really isn't.

Although it might be difficult and intimidating to some, it definitely doesn't give off those effects on everybody. Check out the girls on the street that ModCloth blogger, Erin, rounded up. They pull it off pretty well don't you think?

Well, so can you! If you aren't ready to dress head to toe in the hue, try mixing in small pieces of orange through accessories and shoes. Here's another secret, take a darker colored dress that is super slimming on you and pair it with a colorful orange cardigan. Your problem areas are camouflaged by the darker garment, but you are also adding a hint of the trendy color to the mix. That's what I like to do anyway.

Have you thought about donning a fun orange wedge? Another thoughtful trick. Just add the color to your feet! If you're feeling super fun and confident, try pairing the color with it's complement - blue. (P.S. After putting up that post on orange & blue, I totally bought an orange maxi skirt that weekend and put it with a blue tank. So proud of myself for sticking to my spring wardrobe goals. Thanks for the help!)

So tell me, would you wear it? I've put together a little poll just to hear your responses. I love hearing from you guys, my friends. If you are reading this in Google Reader, you have to pop out to take the poll. Thanks and ever so much love to you all!

x.o. Mattie

Would you wear orange this spring/summer?survey software

p.s. Tory Burch, I always believed you!

Let's Talk: Purses

2011-04-08T10:14:00.001-05:00

Handbags. Bags. Purses. How many do you really wear?As I was walking to class yesterday, I took a look at the straps of my purse. They are one string away from ripping right off. Then it got me thinking, "Why haven't I switched out purses in over a YEAR?"It's true. I've been carrying around the same big, floppy, magenta purse for a over a year. It's not because I don't have other bags (too many to name) hanging around my closet. It's not because this one is so perfect that I can't bare to part ways. I think it's just because I'm too lazy to actually transfer all of the items inside of my bag from one to another. And I won't even mention the last time I bought one.
Then I started thinking about the last time we sold a purse at the local boutique that I work at once a week. I've been there for about 2-3 years now. I can't tell you the last bag we sold. I really cannot remember the last time someone even came in and took a second look at our purse shelves.
I love the idea of coordinating my bag with my outfit. But let's be honest here, there is just no way I could do that with school. Because I am stubborn and refuse to wear a booksack (they are complete outfit messer-uppers), I have to have an oversized bag to fit all of my school stuff in. I just can't realistically switch bags up every day. But I wish I could!
Here is what I want to know. How many of you shop for handbags on a regular occasion? When's the last time you bought one? How often do you shop for purses? How often to switch out and change up your bag to coordinate with your outfit? Do people still do this? Surely they do.
I want to know! Let's talk.

Bags Above: Top row // ShopRouche, LeMode, ModClothBottom row // SpottedMoth, NeedSupply, NeedSupply, Accessorize
p.s. can you tell i'm into short, boxy bags right now? didn't even mean to do that.

Etsies.

2011-04-06T21:01:00.000-05:00

Some leather pretties from Ele I found on Etsy today.

Glad to be back blogging! Glad to be away from the projects and tests for at least a week.

x.o.

DiY Watercolor Petal Necklace

2011-04-04T12:48:00.000-05:00

Head over to Stud and Pearls to find the tutorial on how to make this little beauty. Don't forget to check out her other DiY projects while you're there. Love.

x.o.

Project Runway 9 Casting Call

2011-04-01T22:45:00.000-05:00

Popping in from Dallas to share this opportunity with you talented design gurus out there. I got this information the exact moment that I was watching design students' work walk across the competition runways at Dallas Career Day. Ironic.

x.o. Happy Friday!

so long.

2011-03-30T20:34:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow I head to Dallas Career Day. I'll be listening to seminars given by pros in the apparel industry all day as well as getting to watch fashion shows with designs from apparel majors all around the country. I'm excited.

I didn't get all professional and have scheduled posts while I'm gone, so I'll won't be blogging until next week. Hopefully I'll get a post up about my NOLA Fashion Week experience and maybe some snapshots from Dallas. Fingers crossed. Have a lovely rest of the week and exciting weekend. As always, I'll be tweeting away. :D

x.o.

Color Crave: 03-28-2011

2011-03-28T22:42:00.000-05:00

In attempt to appease my addiction to color, I hope to continue this Color Crave series on the blog at least once a week.

DESKTOP by 76SPREAD

DiY Striped Sunnies

2011-03-28T18:55:00.000-05:00

Adorable, right? Want to find out how to make your own? Sure you do.

whoa.

2011-03-27T23:01:00.000-05:00

This is a pillow blanket. And this might be the best thing you ever laid eyes on.

Joon & Jung via pinterest

TGIF

2011-03-25T22:54:00.000-05:00

Sad news. I got stuck in traffic for over an hour before even hitting the interstate last night. After being in almost a stand still for so long, in tears, and after a major melt down, I ended up just turning around and heading home. My GPS had me getting into New Orleans an hour & a half after the event started, and that didn't count for traffic or finding a parking spot. I was super bummed, but I'm just even more excited to be in New Orleans (ON TIME) for NOLAFW all day tomorrow soaking up all the talent and energy. Can't wait.

Luke and I are thinking about going camping over spring break. I've seen this picture floating around Pinterest. So daring! I never could do it, but it is dreamy, no? Photographer Louie Psihoyos/Crobis in California coast near Elk, California. Found here.

Any camping recommendations? We're looking for a spot in the Louisiana/Mississippi area.

Happy weekend, lovelies. Enjoy where you are and what you're doing. It seems these days are flying by!

knives on my kneck.

2011-03-24T22:00:00.000-05:00

If I had a tiny knife around my neck, I'd feel pretty bad ass.
Tiny Pen Knife Necklace. $45. Spartan.

Headed to NOLA.

2011-03-24T15:04:00.000-05:00

I'm totally a fall/winter girl, but I have to admit that this photo is making me crave all things spring related just a bit. Check out more beautiful photography by Alexander Sophie on her site, blog, and facebook.

I'm headed to the NOLAFW Bloggers' Panel tonight. I plan on covering the event on twitter, so follow me there for a peak inside of the workshop as well as thoughts and tid bits from the minds of well known fashion bloggers Keiko Lynn, Saucy Glossie, This Fellow, and My Style Pill.

x.o.

Let's Talk: Cameras

2011-03-22T17:14:00.001-05:00

For my birthday, Luke ordered me the Nikon S8100 point & shoot which is scheduled to arrive on my doorstep tomorrow! I thought I'd share the other cameras that I enjoy as well as get your feedback on some you think I should try out. I am no photographer! I like to take pictures, but I've never had any training other than free tutorials here and there online. And to be honest, with all of the photo editing apps on the iPhone now, I tend to get lazy and only grab my phone when I leave the house. I hope to cut that habit and work on taking and sharing prettier pictures!

Nikon S8100: Luke and I will be sharing this camera, but one of the big reasons he purchased it was for my trip to New York in May. I wanted a better camera that I could carry around in my purse. We played with this one in Best Buy over the weekend, and really enjoyed the features. I'm excited for it to come in tomorrow!!

Canon Rebel XTi: This was my frist SLR camera. My parents bought it for me in high school back before everyone and their mommas had SLRs. I use it for all of my product photography in the shop, and haven't been dissatisfied with it yet. It gets the job done although it is fairly old and had to be fixed earlier this year.

Holga Red: Ok, confession. I own this camera, but I have yet to develop a roll from this camera. I couldn't figure out how to do it correctly, damaged the only film I had, and then never picked it back up. I hope to someday fix this little treasure piece and dive deep into figuring out how to work it. I love the look of a holga photo!

iPhone Lenses: I received both the micro/macro combination lens and the fish eye lens at Christmas of this year. I LOVE THEM! The only disadvantage is that if you have an iPhone 4, the piece you connect the lenses to covers up the flash. I don't care for the flash on the phone too much anyway, so it doesn't bother me. These little lenses have been so much fun to experiment with. I recently uploaded a pic to instagram using the micro lens. Check it here. I'd highly recommend these lenses! They are a lot of fun.

I came across this site today. I'd love to start a collection of unique cameras and actually learn how to use them all. I'm inspired by Katrina's camera collection and Kyla's Analog 52 project. I have a collection of old polaroid cameras that I've picked up over the years, but again, never learned how to use them properly. I'm hoping my next camera will be an instant camera of some sorts. Fuji Instax Mini, perhaps?

Which cameras do you use or hope to purchase? I'd LOVE to know!

x.o.

Incorporating Color

2011-03-22T01:12:00.003-05:00

These colors appear opposite each other on the color wheel. Pairing these colors can sometimes make your outfit too intense and look like a page right out of a color book. Use them sparingly to pull together an outfit of color unless you are looking for a dramatic effect. Below are examples of the complements blue and orange used both subtly and with more of an impact.

{one. two.}
{three. four.}

Any particular colors that you love to wear?

x.o.

How to Repair Broken Eyeshadow

2011-03-21T00:33:00.002-05:00

One of the worst feelings is when you are getting dressed, grab your favorite eyeshadow, and open it only to notice that it is shattered to pieces. UGH! I figured I wasn't the only one, so when I found this tutorial on Petit Elefant (who got the idea from Kandee Johnson) on how to repair your broken eyeshadow using the ingredients below, I knew I had to share.

For the full tutorial with complete instructions, head over to Allison's original post.

Happy Monday!

x.o.

Friend Over For The Weekend - Aunt Nancy

2011-03-19T17:11:00.001-05:00

Hi Everybody! I'm Nancy, Mattie's aunt...my mother was the "Odell" part of "Odelma". I am THRILLED to be here! Thank you Mattie for inviting me!!! (I just wish I was really there for the weekend!)

I have a blog that I call "My Legacy" (aka Classes With Nancy)...There are two names because I keep changing my focus! I'm 57 years old but I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up! But, no matter what it is called I have spent almost every day of the last two years learning and then showing what I have learned on my blog. I finally gave up trying to have a cool background and header... I was changing every week! So, I have landed on the name "My Legacy" because that is really what it is ... me, trying to leave what I have learned through my many years to my six nieces.

I have done videos from making "air dry clay", something I learned YEARS and YEARS ago

to something I just figured out week before last, how to intertwine my monogram.

When Mattie first asked me to be a guest I had a little panicky feeling (resulting in the need for a Smoothie.... THEN!)...What in the world to "talk" about? I tend to live one day at a time and usually wake up with the question, "I Wonder If... this or that will work?" (another possible name for the blog!) So, I did what comes naturally and said... "I'll think about that tomorrow!" And guess what! When tomorrow came I got THE idea! YES!

We'll call this... "The Evolution of An Idea" ... because this really is how I get most of my ideas!...and why I think its silly to have a clean house! (that was for Lin, my brother, Mattie's dad)

And it all started with this....

Yup, that's right, I dropped the whole thing on the floor! OH JOY! Yet another mess that needs cleaning up! As I was sweeping and about to dump it in the trash I had the thought... "WAIT, you can use it in a can to hold up pencils!" So I grabbed the ever-ready can and filled it up.

I looked at it and just had a "ho-hum" feeling about it at which point I looked down and saw a jar ....

And EUREKA! My idea was born! I would make a "Hidden Treasure Container!" Cool!

To work!

I've never made one, or seen one made so it took 3 times videoing the steps because I was just "winging it".

Here is what we will be making:

A place to hide your treasures!

(Important note! REMEMBER where you hide it!!! I honestly lost all of my diamond jewelry for TWELVE years by hiding it when we went on vacation! It took a fire gutting my house and the Holy Spirit directing my steps to find it! Talk about a God story! I'll have to write about that on my other blog: Life Lessons)

Anyway, anyway...seeeeee.... FOCUS!

What you will need:

A Jar
Popcorn or Beans or Rice
A container that will fit inside your jar (I used a Dr Pepper can)..it could be a paper/plastic cup, a toilet paper roll, whatever.
Glue
Scissors (NOT your momma's fabric scissors!!!)
A label (Included as a FREEBIE! click HERE)
Something to pour with
Something pointed if you are using a can (missing from picture)

Now, go make you some popcorn, grab a Dr Pepper .... sit back and relax ... I'll do the work for you now...

Enjoy the show!

What I did next, after my battery died, was add a few more kernels in the wet glue..so that even if it turns over nothing but the treasure is going to fall out.

OH! And I added the label... I printed mine on 8.5" x 11" label paper, but you can print on regular paper and use your favorite glue to glue it down.

Lessons learned....(and the reason I had to tape 3 times):

The first time I opened a can that I had not washed out as soon as I finished drinking it...you can't tell that until you have cut the can open, so be sure and wash your can out ASAP if you think you may use it. (I have a few more ideas for drink cans coming up so you may want to start your collection now.) Yes, you can wash it after its open but there is a little groove in the bottom that catches all the sticky, that groove is hard to get that clean, especially with the sharp edges of the cut can.
The second time I had to stop because I had not made the can short enough...That's what happens when you don't measure first. You want the can to be just below the neck of the jar.

OK then, I hope you enjoyed watching me learn and an idea evolve. That was fun! Please join me over at my blog and see what is next! I NEVER KNOW! www.nancybabb-classes.blogspot.com

OH! And I have a few things listed on Etsy..(you can get there from the blog) I don't have a whole lot listed now, but if there is ANYTHING you want, ASK, I bet I have at least one I'm willing to sell to you! And if I don't have it, odds are good I can make it :-)

That's it! If you have any question, please feel free to email me at nancybabb@clear.net.

Love you Mattie!

NOLAFW

2011-03-17T14:36:00.000-05:00

NOLA Fashion Week - Promo #1 from Joseph Miner on Vimeo.

NOLA FASHION WEEK. It's almost here!

As most of you remember, I attended the NOLA Fashion Week preview party back in February. Since then, I've kept up with the #LAisthenewLA crew and all of their efforts leading up to the big week. And I have to say "Bravo!" to Rachael, Andi, and Nick for not only getting such a great thing going, but for doing it right. All runway shows are invitation only, but that doesn't mean you can't get your NOLA Fashion Week fix! They've put together a slew of events that you can participate in. Get incites and know-hows from the pros at the various educational workshops, network your fanny off at the nightly soirées scheduled, hear from a group of prestigious bloggers at the Bloggers Panel (including KEIKO LYNN!), and you can take a Night on the Town to support the local apparel industry and the New Orleans community! (See the entire events schedule.)

I'll be attending all of the Saturday runway shows scheduled, and will be covering on twitter if you're interested in getting some peaks. I'm super excited, and I can't wait to see the #LAisthenewLA gang's work into fruition. It's going to be a spectacular week, and I hope some of you local friends get to participate in the first year of NOLA Fashion Week in some way.

And to top it off, #LAisthenewLA will be donating $1 from every event ticket sold through out the week to relief efforts in Japan and areas affected by tsunamis.

Sigh. ...I just love those guys!

"The talent is here, it's a matter of creating a venue to showcase it. So many southern-based artists stay true to their roots and work so hard to perfect their craft in their own communities. Without a network to bridge the gap between them and the media, buyers, bloggers and influencers, skilled and visionary southern designers remain a well-kept secret." -Andi Eaton, CoFounder, from New Orleans Online

x.o.

p.s. FYI's. Did you guys know that Nick even went to New York Fashion Week to bring home ideas for NOLAFW? If you follow them on twitter, you might have gotten the news that they've gone international after having interviews with Ella Canada and UK Press. Yeah, doing it right.

NOLA Fashion Week

Website x Twitter x Facebook

Japanese Streets

2011-03-15T16:40:00.000-05:00

I've always been inspired by Japanese street style.

I thought now is better time than ever to share with you Japanese Streets.

So bold. So confident. So intriguing.

I can tell you one thing, these people "wear what they want and work what they got."

Browse around. Get inspired. Pray for these faces.

x.o.

Recent Pics from Instagram

2011-03-12T11:03:00.000-06:00

Anyone have an Instagram account?

I'd love to follow you!

Search "mattiebabb" to find me.

TGIF

2011-03-11T15:34:00.002-06:00

"Don't look back all you'll ever get is the dust from the steps before." - She & Him

The weather is gorgeous here in Baton Rouge today! Not too chilly, not too hot. I took that picture on a road I travel on every single day. It was one of those moments where I wanted to just keep on driving. Ever have those moments?

This week was a breeze! Considering I was off of school for Mardi Gras until Thursday. :D

Did I forget to tell you guys I'm going on a field study to New York for a week at the end of May? I'm super excited! We had a meeting on Thursday and got some details down. We'll have 3-4 appointments a day, but have all afternoons entirely to ourselves. So, friends, any suggestions on what I just HAVE to do while I'm in New York City?? I'd love to hear from you! I'm kind of overwhelmed, but in the best possible way to be overwhelmed.

x.o.

This weekend is pretty slow for me. Getting together with Luke's family to celebrate our birthdays on Saturday. What about you? Big plans?

styling sources courtesy of puglypixel and mellowmint

Clothes That Catch My Attention -- The High Waist Skirt

2011-03-10T05:04:00.004-06:00

{one. two. three. four.}

I'm on the hunt for the perfect skirt (for me) for spring. I'd like it to be high waisted, a longer length, full(ish), and feminine! Problem is my hips are very much large and in charge! I typically can disguise them best with empire waist dresses. I have yet to find a skirt that is flattering, but I got to thinking that I could create an empire waist dress look with a high waist skirt, no? Now I've just got to find that skirt. Here are some inspirational images that I'm using for the hunt. Any up your sleeve that you'd like to share?

x.o.

{thanks to dear katrina for the styling sources.}

Mardi Gras 2011 -- From My Phone

2011-03-09T14:34:00.000-06:00

Traffic was crazy. We had to park and walk 3 miles to our spot. At some point my sweet boyfriend hooked my purse to his booksack so it wouldn't hurt my back anymore. We made it just in time to see Britt's dad ride by in Thoth with my sweet birthday sign. I found Andi and Nick on the way! We caught lots of beads. We stayed at Britt's sister's place. I forgot my toothbrush, so we had to buy one at Walgreens and I brushed my teeth in the car. And we went shopping on Lundi Gras. Fun times!

More pics coming from my camera later. Did you guys have an eventful weekend?

Southern Fashion Bloggers Group Post: Mardi Gras

2011-03-07T00:09:00.000-06:00

As I've said before, Mardi Gras is a time for the extravagant, the loud, and the easy. Anything goes. There are no rules. You can dress up, you can dress down, full costume, no costume. It's totally up to you! I tend to go for the glamorously comfortable look, if there is such a thing. And I usually don't wear that many accessories to make room for the beads. For this Southern Fashion Bloggers group post, I thought I'd focus on the essential Mardi Gras colors -- purple, green, and gold.

Purple Dress: Looks lightweight and easy to move in. Perfect Mardi Gras combination for me!
Color Block Booties: Could they be any more perfect for Mardi Gras?
Purple Shorts: Perfect little dash of color if you're going for a more subtle look. Add some flashy green or gold to stand out a little more.
Purple Top: Sweet and simple and saving room for beads.
Suede Brogues: Another simple purple color addition to any easy outfit.

Dazzle Earrings: Dress it up with these pretties.
Tights: A funkier way to add a Mardi Gras color to your outfit. Save these for the St. Patty's Day Parade soon approaching. ;)
Maxi Dress: Another dressier look that stands out.
Paisley Tunic: I actually will be wearing this exact piece on Sunday except in gold instead of green. Found it at a local boutique. Extremely comfortable and can easily be dress up for night time.
Sequin Bag: I mean come on, sequins pretty much always = Mardi Gras.

Sequin Top: Darn those Tumblrs and their crappy crediting. I can't find the original source to this picture, but it was too good to pass up. If you know the origin, please give me a shout. LOVE this pic. Perfect for Mardi Gras in my opinion.
Leggings: Fun way to add some color.
Nail Polish: Glittery nails. The best. Mine are currently a glittery gold.
TOMS: Comfortable and sassy. Perfect.

And one more color combo just for lagniappe -- black & gold!

Alice+Olivia Top: Too fun.
Glitter Shoes: If you know the credit to these, please let me know! I love these feet. The black socks are a perfect Who Dat touch.
Feathers, and Backless, and Sequins, OH MY! I can just see her walking down the streets of New Orleans. And to be completely honest, I wish I was her! So perfect.
Dress: Very appropriate.
Feather Shoes: Wow. If these don't scream New Orleans, I don't know what does!

If you're visiting for the first time, thanks for stopping by! See what the other Southern Fashion Bloggers had to say about Mardi Gras.

Stylish 3 - The Blonde

UNMADE

If you are a blogger located in the south and are interested in joining our group check us out here:

Site x Facebook

Friend Over For The Weekend - Megan from Lilac Saloon

2011-03-05T00:48:00.001-06:00

10 Reasons Why I Love Being My Own Boss

by Megan of Lilac Saloon

1.) Not Dreading Mondays

You know that feeling. That very specific heavy, horrible feeling of dread on Sunday night. You just really, really do not want to go to sleep because you know that when you wake up...it is Monday and it is time to go back to work. You don’t feel in control. You have to go. What other choice do you have? One of the unexpected side effects of running my own little business is that I no longer have that well-known feeling of Monday Morning Dread. It just doesn’t exist! I wake up every morning with a totally new feeling...looking forward to sipping coffee with my husband while reading a book or flipping through the news on our phones. And then I start my day. I don’t feel like I’m being forced to do anything and I don’t feel out of control in my own life. Empowering!

2.) Thinking Outside The Schedule

It’s a definite shift in thinking when you are the one deciding when and how much you will work. It was hard for me to let myself feel like it was ok to work differently than the normal corporate hours. I had to let go of that in order to adopt new standards. I let life into my schedule, and really, broke free from a schedule. Going to the grocery store in the middle of the day and starting up a new embroidery at 8pm is all ok when you are owning your day. As long as I know what I need to get done, and do it!

3.) Personal Growth

Having to do every job in your own little business means that you have to use all the parts of your brain...the creative, the problem solving, the analytical, the intuitive. Having to decide when to do things, how to do things and even just what to do at any given moment definitely has you thinking, constantly! All this responsibility really creates opportunity for personal growth. Owning all of my actions gives me a new perspective on what I’m capable of, what I need to work on, and how I set and accomplish goals. You can grow at your own pace and achieve the goals that YOU want to achieve, which is the best!

4.) Spontaneous Thrift Store trips & Coffee Breaks (guilt free)

I love being able to act on a whim! I’m a planner, but I do enjoy bouts of spontaneity because it keeps things fresh! Breaking up the work day with a browse through the thrift shop or a trip to buy some new thread colors really does keep the inspiration flowing. Having a day that is too predictable gets so stale. I love being able to decide to change it up whenever I want to!

5.) Taking Photos, Reading Blogs, Browsing Etsy, Bike Riding (are part of the job)

I am not getting paid by the hour. My work day isn’t a day of getting paid. I browse Etsy, take a little bike ride, read blogs and take photos of my studio or brush my cat. These things make me happy and I believe that the happiness translates into the things I create. That’s important!! Allowing myself to enjoy those "job perks" refreshes me for when it's time to dig back into the work!

6.) Cultivating My Perfect Work Environment (surrounding myself with things I love!)

Does anyone like working in a gray cubicle? How much do you love being surrounded by the noise of phones ringing off the hook, printers printing, people gossiping and paper being shredded? Oh and how about those fluorescent lights! Being in an environment that is calming, beautiful and inspiring has a tremendous effect on your mood and your outlook. I love being able to create the little world around me to be inspiring to ME. I’ve got natural light filtering in through white curtains, fresh color on the walls, piles of materials just begging to be made into something and music playing at just the right volume - or even just silence, at my choosing. It’s comfortable and less distracting to have my surroundings fit my needs. I spend way less time being annoyed!

7.) Direct Feedback

When I sell something, I know that someone likes it. It is a pat on the back and it is encouragement to move forward in that direction. If something sits and sits and sits in the shop - it is a subtle gesture saying “move on!”. Making decisions and then being able to directly see the results of those decisions means that I learn much more quickly. I learn what is going right and what is going wrong - rather than just handing the work over to my boss and never seeing it again - or waiting a whole year for that good old Employee Review.

8.) Self Expression and Making Connections

When you’re in the handmade business, you are truly expressing yourself through what you make. It is not about moving product and it is not about profit margins - it’s about connecting with people. There’s a really special thing that happens when you make something from your heart, with your hands, and someone else feels that it was made just for them. WalMart can never, ever, compete with that. Every person that reaches out to me to ask for a custom order - in a tiny way - becomes my friend. We talk about their wedding, their home, their newborn baby...and we connect. It’s more enriching than your average trip to the mall. It feels good to be working toward a goal to make someone happy, make a connection with them and express my ideas through my work all at the same time!

9.) Best Work Uniform Ever

I can dress up fancy. I can wear sweatpants. I can wrap a scarf around my head. I can go all day without putting socks and shoes on. I can wear make-up, or not. I can match, or not! I can wear crazy layers like an Olsen Twin/Bag Lady, or jeans and a tee. It never matters, unless I want it to!! Pretty nice perk, right?!

10.) Being In Charge of my Goals

In a job where someone else is your boss, you are always working to achieve the goals that they have set for you. Those goals may not be in line with the direction that you want to lead yourself in. I love being able to make my own goals and then strive to reach them! In this way, I know that I’m going my own direction in life. Maybe this makes me a stubborn person - like a 3 year old who yells “I can do it myself!!” - because that is basically what this is all about! I can do it myself - watch me! ;) If you want to try to “find” happiness...try reaching a difficult goal that you’ve set for yourself. Take a leap and make it happen! You will totally not regret it.

Megan

www.lilacsaloon.com

www.etsy.com/shop/lilacsaloon

TGIF

2011-03-04T16:43:00.004-06:00

{original photo source}

It's that time of year again. Time for the parades, the music, the lights, the colors, the beads, the extravagant, the loud, and the easy. The time when everything goes, spirits are free, and everyone's your friend. It's a time when my Louisiana pride swells up. Where I look around at the families, the friends, the neighbors, and the out of towners all movin' with the spirit of the times, with their hands flyin', bodies groovin', and all screamin' the same thing-- "THROW ME SOMETHIN', MISTER!" These are the times I look around, sit back, and take in where I'm from, where I've grown up, and where I call home. It's the Mardi Gras, y'all.

{this past weekend at the Orion parade in Baton Rouge}

And this year is super special. I turn 21 on Sunday! Luke and I are headed down to New Orleans on Sunday morning and staying until Monday night. I'm hoping to do some shopping and use some of my gift certificates from the #SFBtea on Lundi Gras. What about you? Anything special this weekend? Wishin' you were in New Orleans??

Happy Mardi Gras. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

x.o. Mattie

If you're a Google reader, pop out to listen to the playlist.

P.S. If you want a taste of what I'll be doing, seeing, and experiencing at Mardi Gras this year, follow me on Twitter. I plan on tweetin' pics all weekend!

Neet Magazine March 2011 Issue

2011-03-02T19:18:00.000-06:00

Have you checked out the latest issue of Neet Magazine?

I have to say this is my favorite spread this month.

Featuring Kumiko Watari's S/S 11 Collection with prints inspired by airmail.

Read the rest here.

Poured Paintings by Holton Rower

2011-03-02T09:56:00.000-06:00

Just some inspiration for your Wednesday.Rather amazing, isn't it? So simple and so genius.I kind of just sat in awe after I watched in for the first time.

{Found via Devour}

Noelie Harmon

2011-03-01T08:50:00.000-06:00

I don't know what took me so long, but on Saturday I finally checked out a local store that I have heard so many good things about. Noelie Harmon is a quaint boutique in Baton Rouge that describes themselves as "A lover of Mother Earth and all of her treasures - especially vintage fashion!!" Can you say right up my alley? Since I decided to start focusing on more vintage jewelry in Odelma shop, I haven't been getting my vintage clothing fix lately and oh my, I think I found just where I can fill that need!!

I walked in on Saturday, expecting just to glance around and be on my way, but ended up spending over an hour in the shop. At some point, I called Luke who happened to be down the road and made him come marvel with me at all the goodies in the shop. I mean my birthday IS coming up. I thought I'd drop a few things in his ear--or obnoxiously OOH and AHHH over everything I liked. Let's hope he get's the point ;)

Anyway, I found this dress that I fell in love with, but couldn't decide on in the amount of time I had. Now that I've had time to think about it, well I just can't stop. But I'd like a second opinion. What do you guys think?? Too much for Spring? Not my color or fit? This is a judgement free zone, you guys! Let me have it.

Find Noelie Harmon Here

Shop x Twitter x Blog

Diy Braided Hex Nut Bracelet

2011-02-28T17:31:00.000-06:00

Wanted to share this easy DiY bracelet tutorial with you guys from Honestly...WTF.

{Click here for the full how-to}

Happy Monday.

Friend Over For The Weekend - Ashley from ASH Interiors

2011-02-26T01:10:00.004-06:00

Well hello there! I am Ashley Sullivan Hawthorne of ASH Interiors. I am very excited to be guest blogging for Mattie! She and I have been friends for a good little while, and have always connected over anything creative. She’s got a good thing goin’ on this blog at the etsy store, so keep your eyes on her! I am an interior designer by trade, along with being a mom, a wife, a friend, a sister, a daughter, a Christian, a painter, a blogger, an amateur chef, and several other random things such as a magazine addict, a social networking junkie, a follower of more blogs than I can count, and an honorary member of the paparazzi (can I say star struck?).

Enough of this chit-chat, let’s get down to business! I’ll be highlighting three trends that I am seeing EVERYWHERE for spring home interiors. Keep up with me at the ASH Interiors blog if you would like, because we do this kind of stuff all the time!

#1: Mellow Yellow. Yellow is the color of happiness and Joy! Just think- sunflowers, Easter dresses, frozen lemonade, Ronald McDonald’s jumpsuit, and rubber duckies. Don’t all of those things make you smile? Well maybe RM’s jumpsuit makes you shiver in terror, but you get the point. Yellow is always in but the shades and tones vary from season to season. This year is all about mellow yellow.

a. Spiral Vine Curtains from Anthropologie – ($88-$108) I have some curtains from Anthropologie, and can confidently recommend them based on style and quality. They are wonderful! Watch their site, because they have wonderful sales on everything, especially window treatments! These are a beautiful shade of yellow- sort of an ochre. The purple accents work really well because purple and yellow are complimentary colors, meaning they are across from each other on the color wheel.

b. West Elm Hive Vase – ($24) These are so precious! I love vases, and these are just so perfect for a few twigs of green picked straight from your yard! How about snapping off a twig from a crepe myrtle, or a few sprigs of fern? This is cheaper than buying flowers, and most certainly are available outside almost any house or apartment.

c. Chiasso Chroma Pillow in Yellow – ($38) These pillows work so well because the colors are fresh and new but the rich natural texture of the weave grounds them in contrast! I love all the colors on their site, but this one is especially spunky!

d. Yellow Mugs – A fun way to implement yellow, or any other hot new color, into your life is by small items that you use frequently. They are inexpensive, and able to used over and over and over, unlike a vase on a shelf. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some vases on shelves, but utilitarian items such as coffee cups are often neglected as a way to spice things up and keep from getting bored with your surroundings. The two featured are the Pantone Mug (love the whole series! $12.99) and the CB2 Beam Mug ($2.95).

e. Knoll Spark Lounge Chair – ($247) When it comes to classic, long lasting furniture, you can never go wrong with Knoll. I absolutely love this lounge chair. It is a classic design in a fresh fun color!

f. Bird Stuf at Pop Deluxe – ($24.99) This adorable little guy is sort of throw pillow, sort of toy! If you shake it, it tweets! I love it! They have other bird species, by the way.

g. Mellow Yellow Collection from Calico Corners – This new collection is just so pretty. I love the patters and shades offered. Check them out for all your fabric needs (and wants!). Maybe you can cover some cork squares and hang on the wall for pin up space? Maybe you should make a throw pillow? Maybe glue it on an old coffee can and make a vase? Limitless options exist!

h. Chiasso Maze Rug – $298 Chiasso has some wonderful rugs in contemporary colors and patterns. I especially love this yellow and white one! It is perfect and will not go out of style anytime soon.

#2: Natural Textures. Natural textures are hotter than ever! They are not showing up at all of the big box stores yet, but they are making their presence known and will soon be everywhere!

a. Crate and Barrel Rattan Dining Chair ($71.95) This is a great little chair for a great little price! The rattan texture works great with the slim chrome legs to look both warm and contemporary.

b. David Stark Zebra Rug from West Elm ($179) Everyone loves zebra rugs! This one is a new take on an old favorite. Made of jute, it is durable and strong.

c. Room and Board Open Stool ($349) This little guy works as both an occasional table or a stool. I love versatile pieces like this. The beautiful wood grain will never go out of style!

d. Anthropologie’s Washed Ashore Lamp ($225) What a beauty! Enough said.

e. Calico Corners Natural Beauty Fabric Collection These fabrics would be beautiful made into curtains or pillows. Try thinking outside of the box as well and cover a bulletin board or an old paint can to make a planter! The possibilities are endless!

f. West Elm Curved Basket Collection ($29-$54) Baskets are baaaaaack! These are great handy ones that will last for a long time. West Elm has wonderful quality accessories, and these baskets are no exception.

#3: Gold is Back! Here is an example of how interiors follow fashion. Remember when everyone started wearing gold jewelry and purses and shoes again? For awhile, everyone was replacing everything in their wardrobes and houses with bronze, and then it was brushed nickel and chrome and silver. Now, it is gold! This time, though, it is not as extreme. Rather than taking out everything of another metal, just add a few touches of gold here and there! I am about to liberate you. Are you ready??? METALS CAN BE MISMATCHED IN THE SAME ROOM!!! Whew. Now that we got that straight, you can feel free to throw in a few gold accents – just like a gold watch with other silver jewelry. Don’t be scared!

a. Z Gallerie Borghese Mirrored End Table ($349) What a precious little table! This would be fabulous in almost any living room- even on that had a more simple Pottery Barn-ish look. It would also be great in a powder room or a bedroom.

b. Antique Door Knob ($14) This is a great way to add something special in place of an ordinary door knob. How about using this on your master bedroom door and closets?

c. Anthropologie Whistling Thorn Wallpaper ($88/roll) I love wallpaper! If you missed the memo, it made a HUGE comeback a year or so ago. This one is absolutely great. The pattern is more traditional, but if you hang a contemporary piece of art on it, or even some casual framed artwork by your kids, this will work just right! Try not to make the room too serious or it will feel like a hotel. Use it somewhere unexpected!

d. Gilded Grasscloth Pillow Cover ($39) Aw I love this! I just ordered 2 gold pillows for my red/orange sofas or I would get this! Kyle, my husband, hates pillows so I try to restrain ☺ He hates very little things, so this one is pretty easy to comply with!

e. Z Gallerie Kemp Vase ($99.95) Beautiful! This vase is tall. Use it in the center of your table if you don’t have a chandelier. If you cannot do that, it would be great on a dresser in the bedroom, a console table, or just about anywhere! You will keep this forever! If you get sick of it one day, spray paint it something funky and keep on going!

Well guys and gals, this has been fun! Thank you for reading and I hope you learned a little bit more about what is around the corner in home fashions! Hop on over to ASH Interiors anytime!

-Ash

#SFBTea

2011-02-24T15:43:00.001-06:00

I had the pleasure of meeting a few weekends ago with a bunch of lovely ladies from the Southern Fashion Bloggers group for our first event, the #SFBTea, held at the beautiful Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans. I had such a great time meeting some of my favorites from the world wide web, sipping on earl grey tea, eating delicate finger sandwiches, swapping blog stories, and getting some exciting scoop on NOLA Fashion week.

Our seats held the best goodies bags a fashionable Nola girl could ever ask for. Although I'm a BR girl, Luke and I are taking a special trip to New Orleans just to shop this Saturday!

-Cosmetic bag from Hot Tin Roof

-Gift cards to Fairy, Buffalo Exchange, Heather Elizabeth Designs,

Hemline, Lia Molly, and Pixie Cosmetics

-Lip balm & the cutest hair pins from my friend,

Mallory, from Miss Malaprop

-Bracelet from Jean Therapy

-3 yoga sessions to Life Yoga

I left feeling so inspired! We each got to share our stories, our passions, and our interests with the Southern Fashion Bloggers group. It was so nice to sit in a room of people that spoke my language. It's sometimes hard to find such company!

Thanks so much to Leslie & Christy for hosting such a great event. I can't wait for round two!
And special thanks to Sam Gregory Photography for capturing our first event in photos. Such a treat.

If you are a blogger located in the south and are interested in joining our group check us out here:

Site x Facebook

Something Old AND Something Blue

2011-02-22T16:11:00.000-06:00

all available in the shop.

x.o.

vintage photo booth

2011-02-22T05:07:00.000-06:00

Vintage Photo Booth Flickr Group
Most awesome! I thoroughly enjoyed flipping through the pages of this site.
You should definitely check it out!!

{found via Kyla's blog}

Guest Post: Date Ideas with Jessica from Blueheart II

2011-02-21T18:14:00.001-06:00

Hey friends, it's Jessica again from blueheart and I'm here to share some more date ideas with you. Sometimes we tend to get stuck in the same routine, doing the same things for date nights over and over again. That's when it comes time to get creative and show your significant other just how much you care, and how important they are to you. It's time to think outside the box.

Last time I visited Mattie's blog, I gave some ideas for different takes on the traditional movie night. This time I have complied a list of some inexpensive dates, that just focus on spending time together.

{source}

01. Build a fort in your living room and watch a movie, the fort building will definitely be the funnest part, you will have to get creative and work together.

02. Work a puzzle together. You can even spend the morning browsing yard sales for one that you love, which can be a lot of fun.

03. Decorate a cake together. You can get really creative and make fun shapes like a heart, or even a cheeseburger (which your guy will love).

{source}

04. Visit the library in the home decor section, flip through the books looking at pictures and find ideas for your dream home.

05. Write out your love story together.

06. Decorate t-shirts together, you can use an older one and some fabric paint and get creative. Write your favorite love quote out, make a list of reasons you love each other, or try to draw the other person.

{source}

07. Visit a museum together, sometimes they even have nights when you can get in for free.

08.Take your laptop and drive out into the country and have your own 'drive-in' movie on a picnic blanket, or a truck bed if you can. (make sure the laptop battery is fully charged!)

09. Start a small garden in your backyard.

{source}

10. Give them a gift, a huge box, full of things you would need for a date; spaghetti and other dinner ingredients, a coupon book for things like one free back rub, a movie, a blanket to cuddle with, and whatever else you can think of.

11. Buy a paint by numbers set, they are very inexpensive and can be found at most all craft stores and in toy sections.

12. Pretend you have no more electricity, light some candles and come up with fun games to play or things to talk about.

{source}

What's your favorite way to spend time with your loved one?

TGIF? Ok, Monday.

2011-02-21T10:17:00.000-06:00

Hey there!

Just popping in to say a quick hello since I didn't get to chat on Friday. I helped host a couples shower and was running around all day Thursday and Friday.

Did you guys have a good week last week? How about Valentine's Day? Everything go smoothly?
Luke and I got to exchange our cheesy gifts. It was quite hilarious. He ended up getting me this huge and obnoxious card and wrote cliche things on the inside. I will treasure it forever. ;)

Last week I spent a lot of time in my Intro to Design class trying to perfect the fashion figure. I swear these images are going to haunt me in my sleep for days to come -- oh my those grasshopper legs!

This weekend was slow and steady. Getting ready for a mega week ahead. A few tests in between and the week ends with Luke's birthday on Friday. Many great surprises in store! Can't wait to share with you guys.

Have a great week!!

Friend Over For The Weekend - Blake from Love, Lace, & Life Changes

2011-02-19T10:34:00.000-06:00

Hey y'all! Blake here! Southerner, writer, and wedding enthusiast. I got so excited when Mattie asked me to come over, and then realized I had a million and one things I wanted to talk about. Sooo, in typical me fashion, this post has multiple facets. So bear with me, I think you'll enjoy it.

First up, trends! And not just regular trends, I'm talking about a couple of old wedding trends that are making an awesome come-back!

Dresses! I have to admit that I kind of love tulle. I know everyone doesn't, but after 13 years of wearing it on ballet recital costumes, I'm kind of partial. And it's so whimsical and flowy! Definitely not for every bride, but I know a few that could certainly pull it off.

Old Hollywood glamor. I love it too much. Men were so dashing in Gable's day, because they actually put some effort into the way they looked! I love the suspenders and the fedora, who says only the bride gets to be fashionable on the big day?! I think this comeback is so wonderful.

Cakes. Fondant is nice and all, but I love the texture and taste of butter cream, don't you?? I feel like it gives the cake a more personal touch...

And there's definitely some wedding trends that I'm glad have gone to the nuptial grave yard.

If I never see these things, I'll be perfectly happy. No bride should be putting her bridesmaids in anything that...mean. And it's your wedding day! Quit looking so stiff! The best wedding pictures are always the ones where everyone is cracking up laughing... And oh ma gah. Those trains! No woman should have to try and wrangle one of those things on one of the happiest days of her life!

In closing, I just wanted to highlight three of my most favorite brides ever. Ever ever ever.

1. Grace Kelly. I mean, the woman was flawless. That dress, that veil, that hair, she was the epitome of grace. I remember being a little girl and drooling over wedding stuff, she was usually my focus. Love.
2. Priscilla Presley. I was a big Elvis fan as a little girl. I get that it kind of looks like she's wearing a sheet, but she works it! I wouldn't be caught dead in that veil, but it was the look of the time. And her makeup is so 60s...I can barely stand it.
3. Jessica Simpson. Stop laughing. She looked so beautiful and radiant on her wedding day! That Vera Wang dress is to die for. Her hair was so lovely! And she was just so happy. {Sad day that they didn't last.}

So there it is. My favorite new old trends, the ones I'm glad didn't make it, and the women who made weddings wonderful to me. I'm so honored that Mattie let me share my wedding chatter with y'all, I hope you enjoyed.

Longer Lengths

2011-02-17T14:13:00.000-06:00

{one. two.}

{three. four.}

Maxi skirts. Can I pull them off for Spring?

I just don't know, but I'm going to sure as heck try!!

Wear Palettes

2011-02-16T05:00:00.000-06:00

My eyes have seen nothing but color palettes for the past two days after finally combing through one of my favorite blogs, Wear Palettes, over the weekend. In my opinion, this is so very much genius. And I so very much love it. Did you know color is the first thing your eyes notice about a garment? Color sells.

Hair Crave: Ribbons?

2011-02-14T23:41:00.001-06:00

I'm kind of on the fence with this one. I can't decide if ribbons in the hair are delicately pretty and whimsical, or just little girl cute. Either way, makes for pretty pictures!

Happy Tuesday.

{source}

2-14-2011

2011-02-14T16:47:00.000-06:00

Happy day, love birds.
x.o.

{images via kissssing}

Friend Over For The Weekend - Jenny

2011-02-12T09:17:00.003-06:00

Hey Odelma readers!

This is Jenny visiting for the day over from my blog, the Gilberts (original, I know)! I was so excited when Mattie asked me over the weekend that I decided to do something that I've never done before. I mainly blog about everyday things that me and my husband do, DIY projects I create, other blogs I enjoy, fun things I find online, and occasionally my design work that I do as a side gig (jen & ink). However, for this post, I thought it'd be fun to give away a freebie!

This freebie stemmed from me and my husband's grocery shopping habits. We both can't stand the grocery store and try to spend the smallest amount of time there possible. Before we shop, I create my list (which is usually the things needed for cooking and meals) and Joel creates his list (which usually consists of a large stash of mountain dew, chips, an the occasional honey bun).

Before we start, we make sure our lists are balanced, tear the sheet in half, and then race to see who finishes first. Sometimes we make it interesting with a foot rub for the winner--but to us, just getting in and out of the store quickly is plenty of a reward!

To model this new freebie, we used it in our last shopping trip (turns out it's much better than a ripped piece of loose leaf we normally use):

Sometimes I see him wandering around lost trying to find something--but in this case, he was wandering around and dancing as he found what he was looking for.

I can never pass this fridge where the side dips in without making faces--it never gets old.

After I finished my list, I found him still shopping, which meant...

Winner!!

Loser. :( whomp. whomp.

Time spent in grocery store: 20 minutes!

And no list is complete without returning your grocery cart to make the workers' jobs a little easier.

So if you are anything like us, then I hope you'll enjoy this download! I also included a generic one too if you prefer shopping alone--which is cool too. :) Just open the link, go to "file" and download the pdf, print out the page you want, and follow the crop marks to cut. You can even go one step further and make it into a pad if you get the urge. Enjoy!

[Click here to download!]

Thanks again for letting me stop by! It's no secret that I'm a big, big fan of Odelma, but I'm an even bigger fan of Mattie--so it was my pleasure! :)

Coral Pants

2011-02-11T23:22:00.000-06:00

over at Totokaelo.
what do you think? i've never been one for bright pants, but oh my these are changing my tune quickly.

TGIF

2011-02-11T15:42:00.000-06:00

Well, guys, we made it to Friday! This past week was challenging and I'm very relieved to see it end. I have to get an internship this summer for school, and things were just not lining up this week. It did, however, turn around yesterday and start looking positive. I also had a pretty big project due Thursday in my Introduction to Design class. I plan on sharing more about my days as an apparel merch. student here on the blog. Hope you don't mind. ;)

This weekend I plan on hitting up my nephew's basketball game (he's in 3rd grade and he and his friends are so stinkin' cute in their uniforms) on Saturday, but Sunday is going to be jammed pack with goodness. The Southern Fashion Bloggers are finally having a meetup!! We plan on meeting in New Orleans for a fun tea party. I can't wait to put faces to so many of the women I already call friends on the world wide web. Then that night my church is celebrating it's 5th birthday! Nothing too extravagant, just getting together to acknowledge what the Lord has done in our time together.

And who could forget about Valentine's Day on Monday?! ME! That's who. Luke and I try not to make a fuss over the day. Some years we get awesome ideas, some years we don't. This is one of those chill years. We've never celebrated Valentine's Day the cheesy way. Never been interested. But this year, I think we'll probably just go to Walmart, set a budget and a shopping time limit, and just see what kind of ridiculous, cliche crap we can find each other, but still make it personal. Quite the challenge! But we are totally up for it, and hopefully it'll bring some laughs. See how we celebrated years before here, here, and here. What about you? Big plans this weekend or Monday?

HAPPY FRIDAY!

x.o.

(p.s. Pic above is what I looked like on Tuesday. Don't know what the heck I'm talking about? Read about it here.)

Beautiful Batwings

2011-02-10T22:55:00.002-06:00

Dearest Batwing, oh how I love thee...

{one. two. three. four.}

p.s. shame on Anthro for referring to top left blouse as a dolman sleeve. most certainly batwing, beautiful batwing.

Southern Fashion Bloggers Group Post: Valentine's Day Accessories

2011-02-10T00:00:00.002-06:00

Dolce Vita Strappy Platform Wedge // Affair in Red Square Fingernail Polish // Heart Headband

Rose Headband // Arrow Lariat Necklace // Red Watch // Heart Necklace // Heart Pin

I'm not one to get super decked out on Valentine's Day. Here are some accessories that I wouldn't be too embarrassed to wear on that special day, but also wouldn't feel like a complete fun-sucker for avoiding the look all together. Any of these picks I'd definitely sport on February 14.

Do any of you like to dress up on holidays?

Be sure to stroll over to the other Southern Fashion Bloggers joining in on the group post for February!

Miss Malaprop
No(la) More Chains
Penny Loves Charlie
Prototype Mama
Slow Southern Style
Southern Belles and Beignets
Style Cakes
Work With What You've Got
Trashy Diva Clothing

x.o.

8 Pixie Market Looks

2011-02-09T03:48:00.002-06:00

....that I would love to have in my closet right now.

All items from Pixie Market.

At Home: Hanging Beds

2011-02-08T01:30:00.000-06:00

{All images found via Pinterest}

These beds are almost magical. Such a cool idea to have a hanging bed in your house. I love how all of these are alike, but so different. My favorite has to be the hanging bassinet. Lovely.

What do you think of hanging beds? A little too out there?

2011-02-07T00:15:00.000-06:00

{all images found via pinterest}

I just wanted to share with you some images that literally took my breath away this weekend. If there is one thing that excites me more than clothing inspired by past decades, it would be clothing inspired by Earth. Earth, cultures, areas of the world, religion, customs, etc. etc. I am SO intrigued by different parts of the world and their form of dress and adornment. I also love apparel inspired by different areas of the world. A post the ModCloth blog did about the Pacific Northwest reminded me of this desire, and got me searching for beautiful images. I love getting clothing inspiration from mother nature. One day I'm going to put together ensembles based off of pages out of a National Geographic mag. One day.

This world and the people in it are so beautiful, y'all. So, so beautiful.

x.o.

TGIF

2011-02-04T16:44:00.000-06:00

Hey, friends!
Has it already been a week since I last did a TGIF post? Wow.
This week was...cold! And I loved it. LSU kept us on edge all Wednesday night waiting to see if they would close school Thursday due to a "Winter Storm Warning." They didn't, even though practically every other school in the state did. I was ok with it though. I had a paper and homework due which I was eager to get off my hands! We did, however, get today off. We were supposed to get freezing rain and possibly snow. If we got either of those, I must have been asleep and missed it.

This week was also filled with great food! If you didn't know already, I'm vegan -- well on most days. And what I mean by that is: I started a vegan diet to lose weight three years ago. I didn't cheat ONCE (not a single bite of anything non organic, dairy, or animal product) and lost about 40 lbs. in 5 months! It was definitely a life change. Unfortunately, Baton Rouge doesn't have much to offer to us vegans, and I live about 40 minutes away from the closest Whole Foods. After that 5 months and 40 lbs., I stopped being so strict with my diet. I go through stages of doing REALLY well, and not very well at all. I've never cheated on meat though! But sometimes when I go out to eat, I don't ask the waiter the 100 questions it takes to figure out what they're cooking your food with. I try as best as possible, but sometimes I just don't worry with the ounce of dairy that might be in my cooked with my steamed veggies at dinner. Anyway, this week I tried out a few recipes I found on the Oh She Glows blog and they were...AMAZING! Ok, well I cooked the bell peppers and zucchini and Luke did the macaroni and cheese. There is also one precious little cafe downtown that is completely dairy and gluten free and offer a bunch of options for those with a strict dietary condition. That picture in the middle is of their dairy free Whoopi Pie, or "Snooki Pie" as Luke likes to call it. YUM!

This weekend is full of studying, school projects, and a bridal shower. My church is having our normally night service on Sunday morning because of the Super Bowl, so I'm excited to go to church early for a change. I love our night service, but doing the morning thing is fun. Might even get all fancy. ;)

What are your plans for the weekend?

p.s. top pictures are what I looked like on Tuesday and Wednesday ;). Don't know what I'm talking about? Read about it in this post. Is it a little scary that they were all taken in the car when I was driving?

Pins of the Week

2011-02-04T14:53:00.001-06:00

Some of my favorites from the Pinterest world this week. Enjoy!

{Beautiful Tattoo}

{Polaroid Coasters}

{Framed Photobooth Pics}
(Great Valentine's Day Gift)

{Paper Flowers on a Mirror}

{HA!}

{Kit Kat Cake}

{Amen.}

See my favorite pins from past weeks here.

NOLAFW Preview Party Review

2011-02-03T15:43:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned last week, I got invited to attend the New Orleans Fashion Week Preview Party last Friday night at the Republic. I ended up getting to go and having a great time. I unfortunately left my camera back home (2 hours away), but was able to snap a few pictures on my phone. I'm happy to share with you some of the great talent that was given as a sneak peak as to what's to come at NOLA Fashion Week!

The stage held the DJ and a funky setup including a dress form, a pile of coat hangers, and a saran wrapped couch. This top photo is of cofounders Andi Eaton and Nick Landry announcing the location for NOLAFW, the Ogden Museum of Art.

There was also a photo booth set up, which you know I'm a big fan of! Each designer's piece would grace the stage for a song or two, then hed to the photo booth for some quick shots.

Sophomore by Chrissie Miller and Madeline Von Froomer

Varela + Brooks by Isabela Varela

Amanda deLeon

Jolie & Elizabeth by Jolie Benson

and Sarah Elizabeth Dewey

Matthew Arthur Apparel Architecture

by Matthew Arthur

Other designers that presented, but aren't pictured are listed on the NOLAFW website.

Other highlights of the night included running into some of my favorite southern fashion bloggers, Christy from Slow Southern Style and Dorothy from No(la) More Chains, as well as Susan from Nola.com.

For more information on NOLA Fashion Week remember to check the website and follow on twitter. There will also be workshops that you can attend. The first one has been announced, a chance to work with the designers behind Jolie & Elizabeth as they give their insight and wisdom on launching your own line. Tickets can be purchased here and space is limited.

I'll be anxiously awaiting for the week to come, but in the mean time, what do you think so far? Like any of these designs pictured? Interested in attending any of the workshops?

Guest Post: Date Ideas with Jessica from Blueheart

2011-02-03T09:03:00.000-06:00

Hi, I'm Jessica from Blueheart and I'm visiting Mattie's blog for the day. We are going to be doing a series of fun posts on each other's blogs and for the month of February we are posting about date night ideas. The point is to give you some inspiration for Valentine's Day, but don't forget that its important to celebrate your relationship throughout the year, it doesn't have to wait for a special day. It could even be every day.

Sometimes Ryan and I go through these stages where we just have like a mental block, and completely lack creative ideas for dates. With Valentine's coming up, I've been trying to think of a cute idea for a date night and I ended up making quite a long list (I know, he's a lucky guy, what can I say). The dates actually have nothing to do with Valentine's day, so you could easily make mental note of these and use them all year long.

I started thinking about movie nights, first of all. Usually that consists of staying in and watching a rental, or going out to eat dinner and then going to the theater (um, hello, that gets expensive after a while!). So I came up with some different ideas that are basically 'redefining' what I think of as a 'movie night' and definitely won't break your wallet.

{source}

one. be the stars in your own romantic comedy
Instead of sitting on the couch and watching a movie, get out your video camera and write, produce, and star in your own movie. You can always just record yourselves talking about why you love each other, describing each other, or answering fun questions about the other one. Or if you and your lover are really creative, come up with your own story line and create your own scenes to put together and make your own short film! These videos will not only be something fun for the date night, but will be a keepsake memory for you to watch (and laugh at, or cry) years down the road.

{source}

two. watch a cheesy movie.
This one is definitely one of mine and Ryan's favorites. We love finding scary movies (on tv or rentals) that are so 'cheesy' that it's impossible to find them scary. It's so much fun to watch them together and laugh at how bad some of the acting or special effects are (and it's good for me because I usually can't sleep after watching 'real' horror movies). They are usually older movies, so sometimes they are harder to find but it's definitely worth it. The latest one we watch was something like 'Malibu Shark Attack' and it actually is from 2009, but it just didn't turn out that good, although it's great for this purpose, and for laughing at. We've also watched 'the Poltergeist' and then some movie about aliens that look like humans, but I can't remember the name of it.

{source}

three. have a memory movie night.
Dig through all your old boxes and bring out the old videos from when the two of you were kids growing up, or even movies from when you first started dating if you have been together long enough. It's really fun to take a trip down memory lane and you will be able to share stories and memories with each other about your lives. Did I mention that this movie night can cost relatively nothing? Unless of course, you have to search to find a VHS player, which is somewhat difficult these days! But it will definitely make for an unforgettable night, and it's a great way for the two of you to become closer.

Do you have any 'redefined' takes on movie nights? Or have you ever done any of these I mentioned?

The Written Wardrobe

2011-02-02T22:37:00.002-06:00

ModCloth's The Written Wardrobe

Brilliant.

At Home: Stairs Space

2011-02-02T22:31:00.000-06:00

{photo sources}

Neat ideas showcasing ways to put that space under the stairway to good use! Awesome.

Hair Crave

2011-02-01T17:49:00.000-06:00

{one. two.}

{three.}

{four. five.}

The messy bun. There is something so wrong and so right about this style. I feel as if you have to get it JUST right. Although, getting it just right (for me) = not trying to get it just right. When I don't try, it works. When I do, I'm late for school trying to get the darn bun to sit right on my head.
Love this look! What do you think? Like the slightly unkempt look?

Pre-Fall 2011

2011-01-31T21:35:00.000-06:00

Gucci Pre-Fall 2011. Drooling. x.o.

Friend Over For The Weekend - LolaDee

2011-01-29T10:21:00.001-06:00

Hello there, friends of Mattie!
I'm LolaDee and I'm delighted that Mattie invited me over for the weekend :)

Since all I've been doing this week is working and drowning in a sea of craft supplies trying to tidy my studio, I figured I would share a little 'day in the life' picture post with you.

7:30am; Find something fun to wear.

9:00am; Arrive at the radio station I'm currently on work placement in.

Make myself a cup of tea.

Search online for interesting content for the show.

Read the luffly Russel Brand's Booky Wook 2.

10:00am; Sit myself at my little work station in the studio, where I research for the show.

2:00pm; Finish the show, go out and get some vox pops from the public for the sports show.

3:30pm; Come home, greeted by my insanely messy craft studio. Decide it needs tidying before I can do anything!

7:30pm; Get distracted by shiny vintage buttons. Make some brooches.

11:30pm; FINALLY finished. Super excited at how nice it looks and suddenly feel 100% more motivated to get working. The Tour???

My Desk (it NEVER looks this organised, I promise)

This is a journal that I like to write down little goals in.

These are some photos of my parents from the 70's. They always make me smile :)

Here is my large work-table with my sewing machine.

I'm ashamed to say I've had this sewing machine since the summer

and I still haven't really used it. It's my new years resolution, though! Watch this space ;)

My shelves where I keep fabric, felt and other bits n pieces.

My button collection. A little obsessed to be honest!

I love this vintage glass bowl and it works a treat for keeping small balls of yarn in.

And this is a vintage picnic basket I found at a carboot sale for €2 that I like to keep my finished products in as it makes it easy to carry them around to fairs and markets. And it looks cute :)

Well, that's basically a day in my life. It's a little deceiving because my studio is usually a mess when I'm actually working in it. I guess you caught me on a good day! :)

Have a great weekend and thanks to Mattie for having me over!

LolaDee xoxo

You can find me here...

www.loladee.com

www.loladee.etsy.com

www.twitter.com/lola_dee

TGIF

2011-01-28T17:33:00.002-06:00

Hi, friends!

TGIF, indeed. This week was a doozy. I love my major. I really do. I hate to complain about school because some people have pretty hard curriculums. My, how we can get wrapped up in our own little world sometimes, eh?

When Luke was in Mexico over Christmas break, I'd send him a photo of myself everyday with the tagline "This is what I look like today incase you forgot." That was almost a month ago, and I'm still sending him pics with the same tagline every day. If you were to look at the photo album on my phone, you'd be quick to think I'm really into myself. Ha.
Anyway, this picture is what I looked like on Monday. ;)

I hope you guys have a fantastic weekend. Some of us Southern Fashion Bloggers were featured on the New Orleans Times Picayune's website, Nola.com. I then got invited by Rachael of #LAisthenewLA to attend the New Orleans Fashion Week Preview Party Saturday night. So that's where I'll be this weekend!! So excited.

I'm having a friend over for the weekend on the blog again. I can't wait for you to meet her.

x.o.
LOVE.

Top Pins of the Week

2011-01-28T10:33:00.001-06:00

{Adorable Finger Tattoos}

{Beautiful & Unique Family Portrait}

{Cookies for Breakfast!}

{Always Lovely, Zooey}

{Love.}

Lori's Shoes

2011-01-27T17:49:00.000-06:00

More where these came from.

Marie Claire Italia: Trama Dark

2011-01-26T13:07:00.002-06:00

Auguste Abeliunaite by Taki Bibelas for Marie Claire Italia January 2011.

Styled by: Ivana Spernicelli

Shop Update: Rings

2011-01-26T10:15:00.001-06:00

Newest rings in the shop

{one. two.}

Southern Fashion Bloggers Group Post: The Coat

2011-01-25T00:01:00.003-06:00

{Top: one. two. three.}

{Middle: one. two. three.}

{Bottom: one. two. three.}

I thought I'd feature a few of my fellow Etsians on the southern fashion bloggers group post about the coat. The handmade work of these beautiful coats is really unbelievable. I'm also around a lot of apparel designers at school and see the hard work they put into their pieces. I'm always in awe of design work. So talented!! I hope you enjoy these coats as much as I do. Go support independent designers on Etsy! Also, check out Garmz, a website that features submitted design work that you can vote on.

And don't forget to stop by and check out the other southern fashion bloggers participating in the group post!

At Home: Organize

2011-01-24T11:14:00.001-06:00

{one. two.}

{three. four.}

{one. two.}

{three. four.}

Friend Over For The Weekend - Lauren from Loho Design Co.

2011-01-22T11:15:00.001-06:00

okay ladies, you know you've said it before. i certainly have, too many times. "i don't want to be that girl, but...". it's like the guy's girl version of "no homo." nobody wants to be that girl. but who the heck is that girl anyway? she's me. she's you. she's everywoman and no woman all at the same time. i'm not one for starting revolutions, but i think it's time we all cut each other a little slack. you don't get to be the cool, laid-back girl who eats everything she wants, doesn't give a flip about her appearance and vehemently opposes drama ALL the time. i know haters gonna hate. but for now, just enjoy the following "that girl"s and laugh at yourself a little.

xxxo,

loho

Updates.

2011-01-21T16:11:00.002-06:00

Well, school is in full swing. One week down, many more to go! Luke and I have been snapping pics of ourselves on special days. This is our first day back pic sent to a friend that requests pictures of everyone's first day. This was also the first week I got to put my new Odelma agenda book to good use (you can find some here). Let me tell you, I don't know how I ever lived without this little book. Amazing. I'll be taking some time to catch up on school and personal time on the weekends. To keep the blog going, I'm going to be having some friends over for the weekend! First one visits tomorrow. I can't wait. Have a great weekend!

Pins of the Week

2011-01-21T14:51:00.001-06:00

Here are some of my favorite pins on my Pinterest from the week.

{A handful of owls}
{UO Ruffle Curtain}

{Fur Vest Tutorial}

Scout and Catalogue

2011-01-19T19:04:00.001-06:00

Sounds dreamy, huh? Yeah, I thought so too.{Scout & Catalogue}

Floral Pretties

2011-01-19T17:54:00.001-06:00

Just some new little pretties in the shop.

{one. two.}

Lovely Timepieces

2011-01-18T17:54:00.001-06:00

Luke has a thing for watches. He's got quite a nice collection actually. I have one watch that I bought on a whim last year. It was super trendy at the time, and also really cheap, and I'm completely over it. Inspired by the Clock Brooch up today in the shop, I started to research some watches that caught my attention. I keep coming back to these watches that do magical wrappy actions around your wrist. So lovely! I was first introduced the the Triple Time Watch on Danni's blog, Oh Hello Friend. Then I remembered a guy version Burberry UK put out a while back. LOVE! Even if these aren't new, I like 'em!

Do any of you know where I can find some more?

{other watch pictured}

Hair Crave

2011-01-14T12:07:00.001-06:00

{one. two. three.}

I wish I could change my hairstyle every single day.
Today, I'm craving bangs. I had them before,
and I can't shake the idea of chopping them again. Thoughts?

instagr.am?

2011-01-12T14:57:00.002-06:00

Does anyone have an instagram account? I was a bit of a skeptic at first, but now I'm wishing more of my friends had the app. It's a great way to snap and share photos quickly and easily. There are a few editing filters to make your pics look awesome. There is also a feed that brings up your friend's pics in real time as they post them. People can like your pictures and comment on them. You can also make your pictures private, and have a request sent to you when someone wants to follow your pictures. That might not be your kind of thing, but I enjoy it! (p.s. my account is mattiebabb)

{1} Luke's nephew, Jack. {2} My niece, Kamryn.

{3} Handmade shoes Luke bought me from a man in Mexico.

{4} What tennis ball? {5} Man, that's one poached egg.

{6} Goofy beard my mom crocheted Luke. We call it "The Christmas Beard."

{7}. Crane Crossing {8} Let me out.

{9} Drove up to Luke like this in my driveway. :)

Updates

2011-01-08T12:39:00.001-06:00

Hi there!!

Yes, it's me. I actually haven't gone anywhere. I took a much needed winter break. Finals were tough, and I needed time to recoup. Now I'm here to tell you what's new with my life & Odelma.

New Space. Truth be told, I haven't had a desire to update the blog because I don't like working in a space that doesn't inspire me. I am over the layout of this blog. I am currently searching for designers that I can afford to give Odelma Blog a new look. I will also be digging into the design next week to see if I can come up with something pretty and fresh myself before I return to school. I have, though, updated the about me section with some new pictures. Have a looksy. Also, if you know any great blog designers, send them my way!

Sales. I actually was extremely busy during the Christmas season. Odelma did well! Especially since I wasn't promoting or adding new items to the shop (boo on school again here!). So I'm very pleased with the extra sales I ended up with. It actually got me in the mood to list items again!

Spring Semester. With the way my school schedule works out this semester, I'll only be getting in around 4-10 hours a week at my current place of employment. Sort of a bummer, but it gives me a lot more time to work on Odelma during the school semester! I fought with the decision to give Odelma up this semester because I don't like doing things unless I can give my 100%, but since time has opened up this semester that just wasn't there last semester, I've decided to keep Odelma running. WOO! HOO! My parents also bought me a new photo light box. I take my pictures outside, and during school it was hard to make it home in time when there was still daylight, but the new light box allows me to take photos inside. I'm excited! Let's go, 2011!!

So those are the plans. Again, next week my big goal is to organize and implement some sort of plan for Spring 2011 & Odelma. I'm looking into planners, cutesy calendars, inspiration sources, and whatnot to keep me inspired and Odelma fresh. I'll be improving the look, getting back on twitter, and trying to come up with some regular posts on the blog. I've also made a promise to myself to take more pictures, so with the help of my newest gadget (iphone4), I hope to make this happen! So expect more pictures and a personal voice coming through the Odelma blog.

In the meantime, you can follow me on my newest obession - Pinterest.
And tell me, what would you like to see on the Odelma blog? I'm open for suggestions!

LOVE.

the 100th Sale Sale

2010-11-11T13:59:00.001-06:00

Last night I finally made my 100th sale!
As a little celebration for the 100th sale and for breaking away from clothing to focus on jewelry, Odelma is having a big sale. Tons of low prices and goodies left. Check it out and buy some cheap stuff! I'm ready to start fresh with a new sections and new jewelry.I'll be adding things to the sale section all day.

Thanks for all of your support! Love.

New Anthropologie

2010-11-05T09:54:00.001-05:00

Everyone's favorite, Anthropologie, opened their very first shoes and accessories boutique last friday in Chevy Chase, MD. The whole atmosphere is as cozy as always with perfectly down home, yet glamourous styling. Although in my opinion, the Etsy and craft show world of styling is wearing off on the retail giants of the world, no? I feel like I'm looking at a big tent at Renegade. Beautiful.

{Pictures via Anthropologie Facebook}

Rainy Days

2010-11-02T13:48:00.001-05:00

It's been raining all day here in Baton Rouge.
You don't hear my complaining though. I love it.
I wish I was at home snuggled up on the couch and watching sappy love movies.
Are any of you like me and don't spend money on rain day clothing? I have one rain jacket friends gifted to me on my birthday. I never can justify spending money on rainy weather clothes because I probably won't wear it that often, but then when the day comes that it's pouring out I always find myself really aggravated that I don't have anything to prance around in the rain in. So, today I went browsing the web, looking for outfits to wear in the rain. I found some great things out there and thought I'd share with you my favorite.

{Rain Coat}

{Boots}

{Umbrella}

I'd also throw on these earrings or

maybe this necklace because I'm cheesy like that.

And rainy days also make for cute, hooded babies.

(Luke's nephew, Jack, visiting me at work)

Do you have any cute rain day outfits to share? I'm currently in the market for some. :)Happy Tuesday.

Vintage Halloween

2010-10-25T10:49:00.002-05:00

Halloween is right around the corner. One day I will throw a halloween party, and it will be the best halloween party around, and it would be a vintage halloween party, of course. And I would use these sources for inspiration, decoration, games, and goodies. Enjoy!

{Vintage Skeleton Clip Art}

{Vintage Potion Labels}{More Labels: here}

{Vintage Spirit Photography}(most awesome! these freak me out and i love it)

Other vintage halloween goodies around the web //Vintage Holiday CraftsLove ManorVintage Whirl Halloween Game and ImagesHalloween FontsVintage Halloween Flickr Set
Happy Halloween!

Kyla Roma Feature

2010-10-22T22:44:00.002-05:00

Everyone meet Kyla.

If you don't know her already, she is a blogger from Canada, and another favorite of mine (and she's GORGEOUS!). Her blog is always chock-a-block full of inspiration, pretties, and wonderfully personal (but not too personal) stories that really let you see the heart befind the blogger voice. Always a favorite blogger quality of mine. I have had the privilege to sponsor her blog this October, and she kindly gave her October sponsors a big shout out yesterday. This is such a big deal to me when bloggers give their sponsors separate shout out posts. They don't have to do it, yet they give back to those who support them. Such a kind gesture, and I'm honored to be one of the one's mentioned in Kyla's post yesterday. So check it out, leave her some love, check out her Etsy, and save her in your blog list!

p.s. i'll be doing a little layout tweaking in the next few weeks, so pardon the mess!

Odelma News

2010-10-21T12:33:00.000-05:00

Keeping Up. I'm sure you've all noticed that I'm having a hard time keeping up with my shop.
Reason I don't get to list as many things as I'd like in a week is first and foremost because of school.
Although school isn't necessarily difficult, it's just time consuming. I vowed to never make Odelma a chore when I first opened it, and I cling very closely to that promise. When I spend so much time schooling, I usually am too worn out to get to Odelma, and I know that if I push on and update the shop or the blog when I'm worn out, I'll end up dreading it. And besides, this is a hobby. I can't make it more than that right now. If the Lord has it being something else in the future, well then I'll take that route, but for now this is all I have, and all I will make of Odelma until there is just simply more time. I want Odelma to be fun, an escape, and a creative outlet that connects me with people. Not something that I stress over.

Jewelry. Another thing you might have noticed is that Odelma has shifted to mostly jewelry. My vintage penchant started with jewelry a long tine ago. It's my favorite. I found myself getting very excited to take pictures of my Odelma jewelry, and procrastinating day after day to take pictures of my Odelma clothing. So what does that mean? Scratch the clothing. I'm super sad about the decision, but I think it's a productive one. Clothing will stay an option for the future when I'm not juggling school, but for now I'm sticking to what I love.

Shows. After the Fall into Shopping event I noticed I have probably twice as much jewelry not listed on etsy than I do listed. I also found out that I love doing shows. I loved every minute of it. So my next quest will be to find as many local (+surrounding areas) shows as possible that I can fit into my schedule. It was so much fun, and I'd really love to go that direction with Odelma.

So that's all I have for now. Just wanted to clear some things up. If you have any questions, please contact me! I'd love to chat. Also, if you're a new follower heading over from Kyla's blog (or anywhere else), leave a comment and tell me hello. I'd love to meet you and check out your blog!!

x.o.
Mattie

odelma shop x odelma twitter

10 Pretty Things

2010-10-14T10:54:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite bloggers, Katrina, has a blog called 10 Pretty Things. It is rather genius, to be honest.
Katrina's blogs are my first to check every morning on my bloglist. Her work is amazing and I'm a huge fan. 10 Pretty Things is a blog where Katrina simply updates with 10 of her favorite things at the moment. Sounds pretty simple, but her selections are always perfect and I find myself wanting every single thing on her list. If you haven't checked it our already, you should really get on it and add it to your faves!
Here are a few of my favorite top 10's.

10 Pretty Socks

10 Pretty Oxfords

10 Pretty Fabric Tapes

Fabric Pumpkin Tutorial

2010-10-13T09:50:00.002-05:00

Loving these fabric pumpkins for fall! Check out the full tutorial on Danielle's blog.

If you make some, send me your pics and I'll post them up.

Happy Fall!

Fall into Shopping Recap

2010-10-12T11:25:00.001-05:00

Well, Fall into Shopping has come and gone! Although it wasn't a big show, I'd still consider it a huge success for my first one. I had a ton of family and friends stop by. So many kind words, texts, calls, all day. I sure do love my support system. Here are a few pics from the day.

Floating Sign!

We were asked to decorate our booth for fall.

Pinecones, Woodsy, Leaves, Pumpkins

Luke's sisters have recently started a cupcake business, Crazy for Cupcakes.
I'm so proud of them! This was their first show and they sold out.
Now they have even more orders to work on. Love you guys!

My Luke working his tail off trying to get the floating sign to work. :)

Eliz! Love her. Couldn't have gotten through the day without her.

And my sweet family!!!

I love shows. I want to do more!

My life was a crazy cluster before the show. Trying to manage school and Odelma is not my fave, but it's one I'm willing to work on to make it happen. I'm in the process of looking for more shows around here and seeing if I can work them into my schedule. I'm excited! Unfortunately, I had to push some things aside (like blogging). Now that Fall into Shopping is over, I can hopefully blog more and regularly. Thanks for everyone who came out and who are always supporting Odelma and me! LOVE YOU.

Fall into Shopping

2010-09-27T18:12:00.003-05:00

Odelma Vintage will have a booth in Fall into Shopping!! Everyone please save the date and come out to see us! Luke's sisters are going to be there selling cupcakes as well as the Ditzy Daizy, so make sure to stop by their booths also. I can't wait!! It was a very last minute decision and I have 3 tests from now until then, so I'll definitely have to break out my balancing act to squeeze it all in without going crazy. I'm still excited, though!
See you there!

La Tigre Fashionista

2010-09-23T12:10:00.004-05:00

If you don't know already, I am a full time student at Louisiana State University.
I spend a lot of time on campus. I'm also an avid people watcher, and because my major is apparel merchandising, it's naturally in me to notice people. And not only people, but what people choose to adorn their bodies. I agree 100% that clothing is more than just a way to cover up. You make a conscience decision to pick out what you wear. Why that shirt? Why jeans? Why THAT print? There are so many questions and so much psychology that goes into what you decide to spend money on and put on your body in the morning. It's completely fascinating to me.

On the other hand, I dislike when someone does something for the sake of "well, everyone else is doing it." Trends. Yes, I've clearly spoken my opinion on trends before, so I won't go into it again, but I'll just remind you that I'm not a fan of not being your own person.

There is a trend around my college campus and it's an unfortunate one in my opinion.
Most girls look as if they have literally woken up, rolled out of bed, and kept on rolling on to class.
I'm all for comfort! Don't get me wrong. I also don't despise a good t-shirt and gym shorts. And I don't necessarily disagree that class isn't a place for those to be worn, but I'm definitely against wearing it because everyone else is. Be your own person! Stand out! If you want to wear a t-shirt and shorts, wear them! But don't pick out that outfit just because you feel like you have to to fit in.
Sad. Sad.

So in an desperate effort to prove that there still are individuals at LSU that try to stand out, I'm going to start featuring some stylish cuties on Odelma blog! This is by no means making fun, putting down, or telling you what you should or shouldn't wear. I'm here to celebrate individuality and those exceptional and rare girls that walk around campus and serve as inspiration to me, and other ladies out there. I'll tell you their name, give a little background info, and highlight their outfit and style.

I'm calling the series Le Tigre Fashionista. And because I always love a good meaning behind a name, here is why I chose this title. Louisiana, specifically Baton Rouge, is filled with French culture and history. The name, Baton Rouge, alone is french for "The Red Stick." From our cousine to our vocabulary, French influence was and still is very strong throughout our city and state.
Le Tigre is french for Tiger. LSU's mascot is none other than a tiger. And well, fashionista rhymes with "le tigre" (tee-gruh) and just puts a smile on my face. Voila!

Anyway, on to the first fashionista! I'm featuring two this week because it's our very first feature!! Meet Kelsi.

Kelsi caught our eye not once, but twice. I saw her before one class, and my friend Justin (who helps out by stopping girls to tell them they look good for me. Yes, he loves his contribution to Odelma) noticed her outfit when I wasn't around. So bright and cheerful! And well, isn't she beautiful? If I could pull off blonde and curls, I'd carry this pic with me to my stylist.

Name: Kelsi

Major: English Lit.

What are you wearing?
Top: Forever 21
Skirt: Walmart
Belt: Thrift Store
Sandals: DSW Shoes

Favorite Shops: Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and Forever 21.

How would you describe your style? "I go for the deals. I love pastels, florals, and spring."

You can find Kelsi on her tumblr, Kelsicakes.

Elizabeth is actually the very first Le Tigre Fashionista we stopped. My "team" and I were sitting down at lunch going over Le Tigre Fashionista when Elizabeth walked by. Perfect timing! You couldn't miss her. I mean, check out those colors in her outfit. Love!
Name: Elizabeth
Major: Latin and English Secondary Education
What are you wearing?Top: TargetBelt: "Found it"Skirt: Urban OutfittersSandals: Urban Outfitters (on sale!)
Style: Love colors and anything that's not dreary

A big THANK YOU to Kelsi and Elizabeth for letting us stop them and ask questions about their style. They were perfect for the series. Did you see how much we all have in common? Thrift stores, sales, deals, "found it", colors. These girls definitely know how to "wear whatcha want, and work whatcha got!" I'm excited for this series and I hope you are, too! Now I'm off to make little silly buttons.

{tape strips via Pugly Pixel}{all photos taken on the iPhone. my apologies for poor quality}

CD Swap Instructions

2010-09-22T15:22:00.000-05:00

Well, sign ups have officially ended for 2010 CD Swap! People from all over will be swapping awesome music within the next week. I can't wait!
Tricia and I will be sitting down this week to pair up names and addresses. If you're looking for what to do in the mean time, here are a few suggestions for your CD that you can start preparing.
Remember to include:

A proper numerical list of which songs you have included on your CD (name + artist) so the person receiving your CD can then look up more info on the artist if they're interested.
Your return address on the outside package.

Check here if you're looking for some ideas and inspiration for packaging your CD.

Other suggestions for a perfect mix CD to be swapped:

Try to make your CD as eclectic as possible. Of course, still add songs that are YOUR favorite, but the more genres you have, the more likely the person receiving your CD will find a song they love.
Try to add artists or songs that you don't think a lot of people know. Again, still put your favorites.
Name your mix

Those last few are just suggestions.

If it's been a while, and you haven't received a CD, just email us and we'll check on it for you. No one will go without receiving a CD, so just let us know and we'll make it happen.

If you can't hold up your end of the deal, it's no problem! We can at any time take your name out of the hat and fix the gap. No harm done. We understand that life gets in the way.

If it is after Monday, September 21, 2010, and you haven't gotten an email from us with an address to send your CD to, then let us know and we'll correct it!

Always remember that you are more than welcome to send us any special requests you have. Example: you hate country music, you'd like to send out more than one CD, you'd like to receive more than one CD, you'd like to receive music from a guy/girl, etc. We're very flexible.

If you are reading this, didn't sign up before sign ups ended, and would like to, email us and we might can still work something out. No promises, but we'll definitely try.

Well, that's all I can think of at the moment. Be expecting an email with an address within the next few days and get excited for new music!!!!

-Mattie

odelmavintage@gmail.com

Last Day of Sign Ups: 2010 CD Swap

2010-09-20T08:32:00.001-05:00

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO SIGN UP FOR CD SWAP!!

People from all over have signed up.

Louisiana, Utah, Hawaii, North Carolina, Texas, Australia, Canada.

(just to name a few)

If you're interested, check THIS POST for more details.

Shop Update: Earrings

2010-09-16T11:50:00.000-05:00

Some of the newest jewels in the shop.

Crowns

3 Flowers

Black & Silver Filigree

Pale Rose

I haven't been listing as many items as I normally do in a week. Unfortunately, it might stay this way until I'm out of school. :(

I try to get at least 1 item listed a day. Sometimes that doesn't work out and I'm ok with that! Again, don't want Odelma to be a chore. I have so much in inventory, so don't think I'm going anywhere!! Keep checking back. Also, I have big events coming this fall I can't wait to tell you guys about.

p.s. Don't forget to sign up for CD SWAP. Registration ends Monday, September 20th! We have a lot of people signed up. From Louisiana, Utah, Hawaii, North Carolina, Texas, and Australia. Help us get the word out!

CD Cover Round Up

2010-09-12T23:17:00.000-05:00

A few CD Printables/Tutorials from the blog world.
These would be great on your CD for CD Swap.

Free CD Template from Benign Objects

Printable CD Cases via How About Orange

DIY: Indie Mix Tape Project via A Beautiful Mess

Paper Flower CD Case via Curbly

One more week to sign up for CD Swap! Help us spread the word.
Do you have your songs picked out? I don't!

Spotted Moth

2010-09-09T18:41:00.000-05:00

Hello!

I've been super busy with school. I have two tests tomorrow, so I've been taking a little break from Odelma for the past few days. I had to stop studying for a second to show you guys this online shop.

{SPOTTED MOTH}

Ok, confession time!

Who has known about this fabulous shop and has been keeping it from me?

Fess up!

Is this place for real?? Someone hurry and buy me a giftcard!

They have apparel, accessories, home goodies,

and even a handmade section!!

A+

Go see for yourself.

♥ shop, blog, twitter ♥

{Found via Bonjour, Bbydoll}

P.S. Don't forget to sign up for CD SWAP!

Calling all music lovers!

2010-09-06T13:15:00.001-05:00

My friend, Tricia, introduced me to the idea of a CD swap a little while ago. A few of her friends put together CDs of their favorite tunes and swapped them! I thought it was such a great idea! So now I'm opening up the swap party to even more people. Here's what will happen.

1. Sign up! Sign ups will last until Monday, September 20, 2010. If you are interested in the participating in the CD Swap, e-mail your name and mailing address to odelmavintage@gmail.com.
With the request of my boyfriend, if you are a guy and would like to be paired with another guy, just say so in the email. Or if you have any other special requests, just let us know!

2. Start thinking of your favorite songs to put on a CD!

3. Once the sign up period is closed, Tricia and I will send you an email with another participant's name and address.

4. Send your CD to the name and address provided!!

Simple, simple! Who doesn't love new music and receiving goodies in the mail?

I made a few silly buttons to put on your blog to spread the word. The more people, the more music to be shared!

<center><a href="http://odelmavintage.blogspot.com/2010/09/calling-all-music-lovers.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Odelma Vintage Blog" src="http://i53.tinypic.com/4n9kz.jpg" /></a></center>

<center><a href="http://odelmavintage.blogspot.com/2010/09/calling-all-music-lovers.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Odelma Vintage Blog" src="http://i55.tinypic.com/ivcthj.jpg" /></a></center>

What do you guys think?? Let us know if you have any questions.
{p.s. yes, i'm fully aware that is a mixtape graphic and not a CD :) }