Vintage is a word – Frursday is less so

Published by Celestyna Brozek on February 05, 2010

Okay, to be honest, I’m a fairly recent covert to vintage. It challenges me, which I love. It’s true that working a vintage piece, especially a semi-out-there one, into a cohesive look is not an easy task. I love how outrageous some of the pieces are, and how timeless others can be.

Sometimes, the best way to ease into vintage is with accessories. After shoes, my favorite accessory is a belt. It is unparallelled for tying a look together or for tweaking a silhouette. So today we explore belts. WIN ONE ON FACEBOOK!!!

An Upcycled Christmas

Published by Vanessa Brunner on December 17, 2009

Last night my boyfriend made me watch”National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” For the hundredth time…
One of my favorite characters is Clark’s kooky Aunt Bethany. The poor old lady has clearly lost her marbles–but she’s still fabulous. Not only does she still dress well, but she’s got the green gift giving down. Granted, I wouldn’t recommend wrapping your cat up in a box, but the upcycling gifts is definitely relevant. There’s a ton of great tips out there, but here’s what I’m planning on giving this Christmas.

Can Upcycling Go Too Far?

Published by Vanessa Brunner on December 07, 2009

With the increased popularity of upcycling, recycling, reusing, and restoring, it’s no surprise that the craft, cottage, and DIY industries have quickly risen to the top of the market.
However, there is a dark side to the craft world, which over-eager crafties can quickly turn to.

Reclaimed Riches

Published by Vanessa Brunner on November 20, 2009

I’ve been really into upcycled jewelry lately–and Etsy has been an excellent source of vintage, eco-finds. (I actually might do all my shopping on Etsy, and I encourage you to do the same! It makes it so easy to do all your shopping in one place AND be eco-friendly!) I think they’re perfect gifts for mothers, sisters, best friends, aunts, nieces, cousins..what have you!

What Does It Mean To Be A Green Designer? Thoughts From Desira Pesta

Published by Vanessa Brunner on November 02, 2009

Desira Pesta is one of the pioneers of the DIY movement. Based out of New York City, Desira fashions beautiful, smart, unique, and full on genius designs–all incorporating a model of reuse and recycle.
Working in this field since 2003, Desira’s clothing has been recognized for its innovation, and featured in publications such as Vogue’s Style.com, Bust Magazine, Martha Stewart Show, Lucky Magazine, VenusZine, DailyCandy, Styledash, Modish, & The Deal.
I was lucky enough to be able to interview this brilliant designer, who has such a special take on modern ecofashion.

Etsy: An Accessory Addict’s Paradise

Published by Vanessa Brunner on October 07, 2009

I am a total Etsy addict.
I spend far too much time perusing the hundreds of thousands of amazing, handmade goods (most of which are eco-friendly!) There are so many beautiful, creative goodies out there!
Here are a few of my favorites right now…

Making Mother’s Day a Little Greener

Published by Green by Design on April 30, 2009

Like many others, I’ve always had this sneaking suspicion that lots of holidays were created by greeting card companies and florists. Hallmark and FTD notwithstanding, it turns out that Mother’s Day is a real holiday with ancient origins.

Celebrating Etsy—Stoking Today’s Cottage Industries

Published by Green by Design on March 26, 2009

Working from home, doing what you love, and getting paid for it. Is this the new American Dream? We have heard the term cottage industry; but does it apply to our modern life?