you're a prize

Jessica Grindstaff Prize Ribbon

photo by Scott Irvine

competitive coping

I tend to think of myself as a free-spirit, a fairy-child who flutters about in a world of creativity and colors... This existence, albeit real at times, is in my head; sadly, my body has always existed on planet Earth where parents prod their children along like little cattle, tempting them to reach their dreams with licks of salt. I went to a fabulous and outrageously competitive prep school that taught its students how to succeed (or at the very least persevere) by ensuring that they regularly failed... a bit tough on the ego yet quite effective. With the help of Billy Ocean, I developed my own motto -- when the going gets tough, the tough get creative -- and my very own solution, the consolation prize. 

The consolation prize is a prize or celebratory act reserved for the most valiant failed attempts intended to momentarily lift the spirit of the devastated losing party. When executed properly, it is a beautiful, beautiful thing... and I honestly believe it may be the key ingredient to an eccentric's survival in a tailored world.

prize ribbons

Naturally, I love these clever prize ribbons by quirky New York artist Jessica Grindstaff. I think they are a hilarious and very attractive commentary on awards. Grindstaff began making the ribbons in 2006 and has officially awarded prizes to artists and individuals, including Yoko Ono and Bam Margera. They are available for sale in a rainbow of colors and featuring a variety of emblems (think bugs, anchors, cougars, skulls). This is one piece of flair I seriously must have... if not to parade around my bedroom in, then certainly for the next time I need some serious consoling. In the words of Grindstaff, "Everyone's a prize!"

Jessica Grindstaff Satin Prize Ribbons

$99.00-132.00

ravinstyle.com

vivre le siecle

set of six hand decoupaged, artist-signed animal plates

E 110 at siecle

for the love of découpage

The ancient art of decorating objects by applying layered cut-out paper and enamel or laquer, découpage got its first major recognition and name (découper = to cut out) in France during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Because there are no stead-fast rules of decoupage and because it does not require any specific equipment, it is viewed by many modernists as a hobby... they could not be more wrong. I attempted my first decoupaged jewelry box when I was in 8th grade, and it was tragic. The varnish I used (or the ill application) made the colored images bleed together in a muddled mess much to my dismay... I admitted defeat and have barely touched the beautiful medium since.

Mostly due to my own failed attempts, I have a weakness for the illusive art... so I could not be more thrilled that certain connoisseurs have started a revival. While in Paris, I stopped by Siecle, the wonderful atelier of Philippe Chupin and Marisa Osorio-Farinha in St. Germain des Pres. The store is an entertainer's paradise... a mix of fine embroidered linens, horned serving pieces, and one-of-a-kind hand crafted decoupage plates and platters. As I gazed admirably at each item, I realized that the congenial man keeping the shop that spring day was M. Chupin himself... only in Paris would you have such an opportunity!

Recently, he has been diligently working on setting up an international website for the wonderful company, so most of the design work is completed by his wife and business partner Marisa Osorio-Farinha, who he met at the Ecole du Louvre in Paris. The company's name, which means century in French, reflects Philippe and Marisa's "eclectic taste for different cultures and times" is reflected in the varied style of their products. It really is a must for any well-versed international shopper. I fell in love with the exquisite plates and pretty serving sets packaged in purple and green silk boxes...

Siecle Paris

24 Rue du Bac

Paris, France

www.siecle-paris.com

lacquer and horn salad set, $96 (tax free)

siecle paris

for the love of vivre

Vivre, a online and printed magazine of wonderful artisans, is the brainchild of "mail order magnate" Eva Jeanbart-Lorenzotti and the epitome of style. A unique selection of the finest in ready-to-wear, housewares, and fine art, Vivre redefines luxurious living purposeful shopping. There are no "filler" items... just pages and pages of unique and exquisite European luxury. A superb source of inspiration and wonder, even the Queen of England will wish she had a larger bank account while thumbing through the pages...

interview with Philppe Chupin in Vivre

beyond bangles

accessories & beyond braided cuff

accessories & beyond

I've already admitted my obsession with accessories, bangles in particular... so it's no surprise that I'm wild about these fun bracelets from Accessories & Beyond. They have a fabulous modern-vintage feel about them... lots of pretty colored leather, shiny metallic, and retro-fabulous charms.

And while I don't like to think of myself as high-maintenance, I'm kinda a prima donna when it comes to beachwear (I might be the only person in the world who'd wear a Pucci mini to a pool party)... the new elastic bangles are perfect for the summer girl on the go -- they're water-resistant so you can look effortlessly stylish while sipping mojitos in the cabana and splashing around in the pool.

Accessories & Beyond opened in 1997, bringing Italian bracelets to the United States and quickly became the ultimate destination for what's hot and new in fashion jewelry. The tradition of excellence from foreign locales continues, as Accessories & Beyond offers works by talented designers from Brazil, Italy, and France.

accessories & beyond elastic ink, $62 

shopbop

tray fabulous

faces tray 12" x 8.5", $28.00

www.spiralfoundation.org

shopping with a cause

My favorite home magazine by far was House and Garden, which bit the dust and was replaced by the younger Domino. It had a fabulous column called "At Home With," which featured cool nick-knacks from the houses of designers, artists, and stars. I saw these plexiglass serving trays when runway model Carolyn Murphy was featured and was absolutely smitten. They are bohemian cool and global fabulous. Each tray is an original work of a disabled child of the Future School in Hue, Vietnam and proceeds are used to fund medical programs in Vietnam via The SPIRAL Foundation. 

Since 2003 the purchase of these items produced at The SPIRAL Foundation Workshop in Hue has helped fund 230 heart surgeries of poor Vietnamese children affected by congenital heart disease.

At just under thirty dollars, I think it's money well spent!

ice cream dreams

image courtesy of  www.jenisicecreams.com

Signiture Nine $85.00

You Pick Six $70.00

Each extra pint $7.00

what says summer more than a good scoop of ice cream? 

I've been in love with ice cream for as long as I can remember, which is rather unfortunate for someone who has been lactose-intolerant since birth. I think it must have had something to do with my childhood friend Scoots who appeared to live off the gallons of "Lemon Custard" made by her family's boutique ice cream company. The basement of her house had an enormous industrial freezer that acted like a magic hat for the delicious icy confections. Sadly for us, her father sold the business to become a successful banker... 

We lived in a drought of decent ice cream until the discovery of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams. Jeni Britton, the Cincinnati-based ice cream aficionado hand crafts ice cream in small batches using only top quality ingredients while lending her own creative touch in flavor development. The result is stunning ice creams that range from traditional to outrageously inventive and tasty. I haven't come across one I dislike yet. They are the perfect WOW ending to a dinner party, a much better corporate gift than a basket of canned "gourmet" items, and a fabulous treat for any time you want to feel special. Here's just a few flavor options and suggestions:

• Queen City Cayenne: Condensed milk chocolate "Cincinnati style" with cayenne and cinnamon
• Gravel Road: Our Salty Caramel with coarsely chopped smoked almonds
• Maker's Mark Buttered Pecan: A big bourbon with toasted, buttered, and salted pecans
• Wild Berry Lavender: Cream steeped with lavender, orange zest, wild blueberries, and black currants
• Lemon and Blueberries: Fresh lemons and fresh yogurt with Jeni's handmade Ohio blueberry sauce
• Strawberry Buttermilk: The flavor of fresh strawberries and cream is highlighted by the addition of buttermilk
• Goat Cheese with a Red Cherry Compote: Fresh, slightly tart goat cheese with spiced Merello cherries

love bangles

calypso by christiane celle

bracelets by maison jaques, $95.00

I have a bangle obsession. It started small with a few thin bracelets but like any addiction, it quickly grew out of control. I recently saw a photo of myself from college where more of my arms were covered with Indian bangles than not... yikes! I think I'll file that with the picture of those turquoise jeans. I really do love all types of bangles and cuffs--metal, resin, ivory, glitter--I just try not to over accessorize. 

I'm crazy about these resin bracelets I found at Calypso by Christiane Celle in New York. Some are decorated with whimsy snakes and patterns while others read the sweet words "All you need is love." The perfect summer accessory, they're bold and colorful and oh so much fun... but I recommend wearing just one.

NOTE: Sometimes flair is not wired. I searched and searched but could not find any information about the genius behind these little gems, an illusive manufacturer or artist called Maison Jaques... I decided to feature them anyway with the hope that some day they will discover this little jewel called the internet.

green chic

image courtesy of inhabit.com

This is the perfect time to talk about the planet... right before Independence Day!  And, since I am celebrating instead of writing tomorrow, let's talk flair.

Green is here to stay.  Eco-friendly designs are showing up everywhere from recycled-wood furniture to water-based varnishes and dyes.  One of the latest trends is eco-apparel and reusable shopping totes. Thanks to British handbag designer Anya Hindmarch, being green can be chic. Her "I'm Not A Plastic Bag" tote has been spotted on celebrities and style icons across the globe.  

Our aim with this project has been to use our influence to make it fashionable not to use plastic bags. 'I'm Not A Plastic Bag' was designed as a stylish, practical, reusable bag that would raise awareness of this issue and spark debate. 

- Anna Hindmarch

Special people will be able to get their hands on the reissued tote this summer. Luckily, other designers have come out with fantastic totes that are easier to acquire.  Ahhh, saving the planet has never been so easy.  

Here are a few of my favorites:

left to right: Green Is In, Be Green. Not Mean., and It's Good To Be Green 

100% recycled canvas totes from Whimsy Press, $28.00 each

whimsypress.com

BCBG Be Chic Buy Green canvas tote

www.bcbg.com

Method Plastic Bag Rehab ripstop-nylon tote, $15.00

methodhome.com

Rebecca Minkoff's organic cotton The Bread & Wine Bag, $99.00

blue exclusive to shopbop.com

creative clutches

image courtesy of freddy & ma

creative clutches... freddy&ma

I've always been a fan of do-it-yourself projects that don't take a lot of energy. When I was sixteen, I used to drag my sweetheart to Wired & Fired, a paint-your-own-pottery place in Virginia Highlands, just to be different. He watched as I painstakingly applied glaze to create Madonna-inspired soy dishes... terrible right?

For people who like unique objects, Freddy & Ma is the latest and greatest. The web company, founded by a brother-sister team, allows individuals to create their own CUSTOM handbags and housewares with the click of a button! There are tons of printed fabrics and Italian lambskins to choose from, or you have the option of sending Freddy & Ma your favorite vintage print for truly fabulous arm candy!

The prices aren't exactly cheap, but it's worth it for a one-of-a-kind bag that matches your favorite ensemble perfectly. Fabric clutches range from $135.00-185.00, melamine plates are $15.00 each, and a personalized pillow is a mere $45.00.  

A set of melamine plates is the perfect summer gift for a hostess and a good alternative when the only thing left on the bride's registry list is ugly. Individual plates would also make a cheap and chic addition to a drab apartment bookcase. Prop one up on an acrylic plate stand and, viola, your old textbooks look like a work of art. 

Weekend challenge: get creative and go custom!

www.freddyandma.com

image courtesy of freddy & ma

friday flair

friday flair

Friday is such a great, unproductive day. Some people daydream about weekend plans instead of crunch numbers in their 2x3", three-walled cubical while other take extra long "lunch breaks"or relentlessly facebooking in hopes that something juicy will show up on the newsfeed. And then some people actually work on Fridays... hard... I guess. Either way, I feel quite unproductive so I have decided to dedicate Fridays to special items of flair - cool stuff to entertain bored minds and uplift spirits. 

bar fly & glitter bug

bar fly

A certain doctor once told me that Atlanta has the highest saturation of plastic surgeons due to its teaching hospitals.  I'm not arguing.  An excess of silicone showed up at East Andrews last night for the WNDC party.  

I did get to peak inside the new Stout Irish Sports Pub ...

image courtesy of stout irish pub

Formerly the beloved Buckhead hangout McDuffs, it did not look like much had changed except the crowd... there was none.  Several positive improvements were made.  The atmosphere is still dark and warm, but there are actual legitimate bathroom stalls and the floors are a nice pink brick that has been finished to make them easy to clean and, therefore, sterilize.  I think the small customer pool was due to a misunderstanding about where the entertainment is... the pool tables (yes, plural) and dart boards are located downstairs just steps away from the rambunctious East Andrews crowd.  In short, it is not as bad as everyone imagined.  There are no techno DJ's and Miller High Life is still $1.00.  It's no place for flair, but worth bopping by if you hang out in the area.

56 East Andrews Drive Suite 16

Atlanta, GA 30305

glitter bug 

There are few things in life I like more than shoes... especially ones that sparkle.  My friends laugh and hope I'm kidding when I say I would eat nothing but cup-o-noodles for a pair of fantastic stilettos.  And, obviously, I was most impressed by the new floors at Stout because I love ALL bars that don't destroy my precious babies.

Photo courtesy of the official Betsey Johnson website

click to buy

My all-time favorite (affordable) shoes are Betsey Johnson Glitter Polys.  They are absolutely outrageous and adorable.  One of my favorite "items of flair."  And the best part?  They are designed by a professional ballroom dancer, so while they may be sky-high they are perfectly padded and wonderful.  Like tiny glitter clouds floating below your feet.  My closet is covered with them, and I just got a new pair for my collection.  

A new pair of shoes and a new slush-free bar to break them in... how perfect!