Remember how I said I'd make the new crop top in other patterns? I did & they match some old high waisted booty shorts I made a while ago.
Sweet shit right? I'm not sure if I should sell this as a one-off sample, make some more or if I should just keep it for myself, like a greedy ho.
We're gonna try to continue to post over the long weekend but for now--
Canadians, have a great Canada Day long weekend & enjoy your cottages! :)
Americans, happy fourth of July!
xoxo
[ETA]
PS: BUY IT HERE
Thursday, June 30, 2011
168: livin just as free as my hair
I just wanna be myself & I want you to love me for who I am,
I just wanna be myself & I want you to know that I am my hair
A couple of weeks ago, Sam sent me a photo of Gaga at the Toronto airport... I was oh-so-tickled to see that she was rocking teal hair with black roots! It's a good look for everyone really ;)
xoxo
PS, I wanted to mention that although I (Syl) do about 75% of the blogging here, Sam is still doing blog posts! So pay attention to who wrote the entry when you're reading... Sam's the one with the shoe collection that everyone is dying for ;)
I just wanna be myself & I want you to know that I am my hair
A couple of weeks ago, Sam sent me a photo of Gaga at the Toronto airport... I was oh-so-tickled to see that she was rocking teal hair with black roots! It's a good look for everyone really ;)
xoxo
PS, I wanted to mention that although I (Syl) do about 75% of the blogging here, Sam is still doing blog posts! So pay attention to who wrote the entry when you're reading... Sam's the one with the shoe collection that everyone is dying for ;)
Labels:
365 challenge,
hair
167: tutorial - slashed jeans
Recently, we asked our fans on our facebook page to tell us what tutorials they wanted to see next! So we were asked for a torn up skinny jeans look. I'm assuming you guys meant a balmain-esque slashed up look... Really, it's easy to destroy jeans, so I'm keeping this pretty simple! Here we go!
grab your denims, a pair of scissors & some measuring tape if you're precise like that.
presuming you're slashing the front panels of your jeans, fold your jeans with the side seams meeting
I've decided that for this pair of jeans, I'll be slashing them in equal increments along the front from thigh to ankle. So with that style, decide your ho-factor & slash them not-too-high. I figure starting just below the pocket is safe for undies not to show.
It's up to you where you want to slash... but I've gone with 2 inch increments.
When you're done cutting, you'll notice that your jeans are super clean-cut looking. Typically if you're going for a destroyed look, you want them to look more like they were "naturally" worn down....
If you throw your jeans in for a wash & dry cycle, the fibres should loosen up a bit & show a bit more "wear" to them.
Voila!
MORE TIPS:
- With more regular wear and more washes & dries, the slashes should wear themselves in some more. The slashes at the knees will always tend to rip further when you move around in them.
- The look of the slashes on these jeans are a bit "clean" because the denim has a bit of spandex in them. You'll notice that with a greater cotton content, the denim will have a better shredded look.
- If you want more a more intensely worn down look, (like on the shorts on the left)
you can make the slashes closer & pull out all the fibres between the slashes.
It's pretty simple in general, but let me know if you have any questions or need any further tips!
xoxo
grab your denims, a pair of scissors & some measuring tape if you're precise like that.
presuming you're slashing the front panels of your jeans, fold your jeans with the side seams meeting
I've decided that for this pair of jeans, I'll be slashing them in equal increments along the front from thigh to ankle. So with that style, decide your ho-factor & slash them not-too-high. I figure starting just below the pocket is safe for undies not to show.
It's up to you where you want to slash... but I've gone with 2 inch increments.
When you're done cutting, you'll notice that your jeans are super clean-cut looking. Typically if you're going for a destroyed look, you want them to look more like they were "naturally" worn down....
If you throw your jeans in for a wash & dry cycle, the fibres should loosen up a bit & show a bit more "wear" to them.
Voila!
MORE TIPS:
- With more regular wear and more washes & dries, the slashes should wear themselves in some more. The slashes at the knees will always tend to rip further when you move around in them.
- The look of the slashes on these jeans are a bit "clean" because the denim has a bit of spandex in them. You'll notice that with a greater cotton content, the denim will have a better shredded look.
- If you want more a more intensely worn down look, (like on the shorts on the left)
you can make the slashes closer & pull out all the fibres between the slashes.
It's pretty simple in general, but let me know if you have any questions or need any further tips!
xoxo
Labels:
365 challenge,
fashion,
tutorial
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
166: bohemia
Recently, we had an interviewer named Holly contact us from a new online publication called Bohemia Magazine. She wanted to have an interview with us in person, so we were excited to have her & a photographer come to our new studio for a quick chat & some photos.
Check us out-- TOTALLY hard at work even while people were trying to interview us. hahah
photos by Kalynn Friesen
The interview turned out really cute & I loved it... but maybe that's because it was about me, lol. Take a look at the full article here! Shout outs in the article to our LJ & myspace peeps from back in the day! ;)
ps, I've finished my antibiotics & my sinus cold is pretty much gone now! I feel good as new! thanks for asking, you wonderful angels!!! ;)
Check us out-- TOTALLY hard at work even while people were trying to interview us. hahah
photos by Kalynn Friesen
The interview turned out really cute & I loved it... but maybe that's because it was about me, lol. Take a look at the full article here! Shout outs in the article to our LJ & myspace peeps from back in the day! ;)
ps, I've finished my antibiotics & my sinus cold is pretty much gone now! I feel good as new! thanks for asking, you wonderful angels!!! ;)
Labels:
365 challenge,
lipglossandblack,
press
165: cropped
Today I whipped up a new crop top pattern-- it's like a comfy little bustier style!
I'm kinda love/hate with it right now because I'm not sure if I like the cup shape very much... I may or may not change the pattern up & then I'm gonna make the same top in a bunch of different mix & match fabrics :)
So on our facebook, I did a quick poll on your favourite posts on our blog. DIY tutorials were by far the winner so I asked you guys to tell me what type of tuts you wanted me to do next! I only got a couple of requests, so I'll be posting one tomorrow (yay!) & hopefully the other in the next couple of days!
xoxo
I'm kinda love/hate with it right now because I'm not sure if I like the cup shape very much... I may or may not change the pattern up & then I'm gonna make the same top in a bunch of different mix & match fabrics :)
So on our facebook, I did a quick poll on your favourite posts on our blog. DIY tutorials were by far the winner so I asked you guys to tell me what type of tuts you wanted me to do next! I only got a couple of requests, so I'll be posting one tomorrow (yay!) & hopefully the other in the next couple of days!
xoxo
Labels:
365 challenge,
fashion,
lipglossandblack
Monday, June 27, 2011
164: i'll have what she's having
This weekend we had a few friends over for a casual housewarming party. As hosts, we tried our best to be hospitable, offering some snacks, some beers & a couple of drinks. We had some stuff ready for mixing & specifically had all the ingredients ready for my drink of choice-- caesars!
If you don't know, Caesars are amazing savoury drinks & my typical recipe goes like this:
- rim the glass with a lime & celery salt
- add 2 ice cubes + a shot of vodka
- add freshly ground pepper & a generous dash of Worcestershire sauce
- add an optional dash of tabasco & fill the glass with clamato juice
- garnish with a pickle or celery stalk!
Now, I have heard that Caesars are pretty much a Canadian thing! Most of the world is familiar with Bloody Marys, but those are made with just tomato juice & not the clam+tomato mix. It sounds so gross but it's soo soo delicious.
I just love opening up the discussion on things that are unique to certain countries or regions! Like, how ketchup chips are only really found in Canada and very select parts of the States. So where are you from & have you tried a Caesar before? If you have, are you a fan? What about ketchup chips? haha
xoxo
If you don't know, Caesars are amazing savoury drinks & my typical recipe goes like this:
- rim the glass with a lime & celery salt
- add 2 ice cubes + a shot of vodka
- add freshly ground pepper & a generous dash of Worcestershire sauce
- add an optional dash of tabasco & fill the glass with clamato juice
- garnish with a pickle or celery stalk!
Now, I have heard that Caesars are pretty much a Canadian thing! Most of the world is familiar with Bloody Marys, but those are made with just tomato juice & not the clam+tomato mix. It sounds so gross but it's soo soo delicious.
I just love opening up the discussion on things that are unique to certain countries or regions! Like, how ketchup chips are only really found in Canada and very select parts of the States. So where are you from & have you tried a Caesar before? If you have, are you a fan? What about ketchup chips? haha
xoxo
Labels:
365 challenge,
food
Sunday, June 26, 2011
163: goodbye shoeboxes
Since I've been keeping my pretty shoes stored in shoeboxes all Winter - I've decided to finally sort them out. I don't have many options so I decided to store them on a shelf of mine. I'm not completely sure if I will just leave them on the shelf or if I should figure something else out. Whatever...I'm pretty happy with set-up...for now =)
Labels:
365 challenge,
shoes
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
162: my treat
I've been sick for about a month now with a cold that transformed itself from some common cold to a painful sinus cold, to a sinus infection & now I'm wheezing with asthma! I'd been reluctant to go to the doctor because I've been worried about the cost of medications to cure my horrible ailments :( After getting checked out, I was prescribed to antibiotics & two puffers. I was super upset at myself for letting myself get so sick & then having to spend $130 to feel better.
Whenever I'm paying for something that's over $100, for some reason I start to think about how many pairs of shoes I could have bought with that much needed money. I think about how if I had not needed to waste that money, how fabulous my new shoes would have been... but my question is, why in the hell would I consider shoes to be a "treat" or a way of "spoiling myself" moreso than medication?
Am I really so vain as to hold my vanity over my health? I've been trying SO hard to think that my $130 wasn't just wasted but it's so hard! what the hell self-employment... why don't you come with a drug plan?!?
BOOHOO. Anyways, my sinuses are clearing up, I can smell again (although I can't hear out of one ear) & I hope to do a tutorial post soon. OOOOH! AHHHHH! :)
xoxo
Whenever I'm paying for something that's over $100, for some reason I start to think about how many pairs of shoes I could have bought with that much needed money. I think about how if I had not needed to waste that money, how fabulous my new shoes would have been... but my question is, why in the hell would I consider shoes to be a "treat" or a way of "spoiling myself" moreso than medication?
Am I really so vain as to hold my vanity over my health? I've been trying SO hard to think that my $130 wasn't just wasted but it's so hard! what the hell self-employment... why don't you come with a drug plan?!?
BOOHOO. Anyways, my sinuses are clearing up, I can smell again (although I can't hear out of one ear) & I hope to do a tutorial post soon. OOOOH! AHHHHH! :)
xoxo
Labels:
365 challenge
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
161: garden fresh
My friends & family sometimes laugh at me because I have the very grandmotherly hobby of gardening in the summer. I'm not the greatest with flowers and landscaping, I'm really talking about vegetable gardening. I find the greatest satisfaction in growing my own vegetables and herbs & then cooking up awesome meals with my organic goods :) When you know just a couple of tricks on pruning, fertilizing & when to water, you can really end up with a great yield in the late summer & into the fall!
This year Matt & I started up a mini garden patch in our backyard. In it, we're growing some different tomatoes (cherry, yellow pear, & beefsteak) and some brussel sprouts. And on our porch we have pots with some hot peppers (jalapenos, cayennes & habaneros) and some herbs (basil, chives & parsley). We don't get a ton of sun because of some mature trees covering our yard but we're still hopeful.
So after a late spring planting, here are some pics of how things look on the first day of summer! I'm not sure how interesting this is to other people... but for me, it's amazing just watching how my food grows :)
basil grown from seed! Smells SO good :)
cayennes starting to show up!
yellow pear tomatoes on the vine
We just transplanted this raspberry plant from my old garden & I really didn't expect any fruits this year, but I'm so happy to see that they're coming back! As long as the squirrels don't get to them first.
Do you garden in the summer?! What's your favourite easy-to-grow plant? (Mine's raspberry!)
xoxo
ps, a happy birthday to my bff Jenn!!! It's always easy to remember her big day cause it's the first day of summer & the longest day of the year! Enjoy all the sunlight lovelies!
This year Matt & I started up a mini garden patch in our backyard. In it, we're growing some different tomatoes (cherry, yellow pear, & beefsteak) and some brussel sprouts. And on our porch we have pots with some hot peppers (jalapenos, cayennes & habaneros) and some herbs (basil, chives & parsley). We don't get a ton of sun because of some mature trees covering our yard but we're still hopeful.
So after a late spring planting, here are some pics of how things look on the first day of summer! I'm not sure how interesting this is to other people... but for me, it's amazing just watching how my food grows :)
basil grown from seed! Smells SO good :)
cayennes starting to show up!
yellow pear tomatoes on the vine
We just transplanted this raspberry plant from my old garden & I really didn't expect any fruits this year, but I'm so happy to see that they're coming back! As long as the squirrels don't get to them first.
Do you garden in the summer?! What's your favourite easy-to-grow plant? (Mine's raspberry!)
xoxo
ps, a happy birthday to my bff Jenn!!! It's always easy to remember her big day cause it's the first day of summer & the longest day of the year! Enjoy all the sunlight lovelies!
Labels:
365 challenge,
gardening
Monday, June 20, 2011
160: fathers day weekend
As Syl mentioned, we were home for the weekend so here's my outfit:
LBD from Sirens
Jeffrey Campbell Black Suede Mary Roks
Last night was the MMVAs! Did you catch it and see Gaga? City and Colour? Loved it.
As for tv tonight...in about an hour and a half; I'm going to watch Hoarders and Intervention on A&E
LBD from Sirens
Jeffrey Campbell Black Suede Mary Roks
Last night was the MMVAs! Did you catch it and see Gaga? City and Colour? Loved it.
As for tv tonight...in about an hour and a half; I'm going to watch Hoarders and Intervention on A&E
Labels:
365 challenge,
sams outfits
159: homecoming
Ever since we've moved, we haven't done any outfit posts! I'm sure you guys have seen that they've been missing. It's been partially because we've been being a bit bummy at home lately & partially because it's kinda weird trying to figure out where to take pictures in our super close-quartered suburban area. We're gonna have to eventually get over being watched by strangers while taking pics-- I think that's something all style bloggers need to face at some point though ;)
This weekend we were home for father's day & so we got to take some good ol' outfit pics back in the yard again. I was so happy to see the garden had filled out entirely-- in the summers, I loved to spend hours watering the flowers, photographing them & just spending time sitting in my parents yard enjoying the sun.
a peony :)
sun hat from ardene, prescription sunglasses from zenni, jumpsuit from h&m, shoes from jessica simpson.
Let's hope that this is the start to some summer outfit posts again!
Cheers,
This weekend we were home for father's day & so we got to take some good ol' outfit pics back in the yard again. I was so happy to see the garden had filled out entirely-- in the summers, I loved to spend hours watering the flowers, photographing them & just spending time sitting in my parents yard enjoying the sun.
a peony :)
sun hat from ardene, prescription sunglasses from zenni, jumpsuit from h&m, shoes from jessica simpson.
Let's hope that this is the start to some summer outfit posts again!
Cheers,
Labels:
365 challenge,
syls outfits
Friday, June 17, 2011
158: friday friday
It's Friday!
Maybe a month or two ago, it would make NO difference to us whether it was Friday or Monday because Sam & I hardly had "working hours". We would just work whenever we wanted & way into the wee hours of the night... I used to joke that "everyday is the weekend when you don't have a job!", haha. Now that we're in our new studio, we're trying REALLY hard to stick to a 9-5 schedule & only doing some work after hours if we had non-productive days.
Finally setting up a schedule for ourselves has helped us to have more consistent meal times & bedtimes... which hopefully means the hours we spend working end up being more productive. We're still trying to find a balance between housework & business stuff though! It's like when you have to study & you NEED to clean your room before you start. Yeah, that's us.
So nowadays, I can get excited about weekends too!
Today, our mom came over to take us out for a quick dimsum lunch. It was awesome & delicious, but I quickly got back to work when we returned.
A couple months ago, I bought this amazing vintage lace duster robe & I've been obsessed with it. It doesn't serve much of a purpose to keep you warm or covered up, but I love the drama of sweeping around in it like Mrs. Roper from Three's Company. hahaha.
look at this douche, missing the self timer. lol
Anyway, I spent today working out a similar pattern so I can make a couple of duster robes from this gorgeous floral chiffon. Our shop is still closed because of the Postal workers strike but I'm hoping that I have a slew of fancy new rompers & summery treats for when we reopen!
Happy Friday, lovelies!
xoxo
Maybe a month or two ago, it would make NO difference to us whether it was Friday or Monday because Sam & I hardly had "working hours". We would just work whenever we wanted & way into the wee hours of the night... I used to joke that "everyday is the weekend when you don't have a job!", haha. Now that we're in our new studio, we're trying REALLY hard to stick to a 9-5 schedule & only doing some work after hours if we had non-productive days.
Finally setting up a schedule for ourselves has helped us to have more consistent meal times & bedtimes... which hopefully means the hours we spend working end up being more productive. We're still trying to find a balance between housework & business stuff though! It's like when you have to study & you NEED to clean your room before you start. Yeah, that's us.
So nowadays, I can get excited about weekends too!
Today, our mom came over to take us out for a quick dimsum lunch. It was awesome & delicious, but I quickly got back to work when we returned.
A couple months ago, I bought this amazing vintage lace duster robe & I've been obsessed with it. It doesn't serve much of a purpose to keep you warm or covered up, but I love the drama of sweeping around in it like Mrs. Roper from Three's Company. hahaha.
look at this douche, missing the self timer. lol
Anyway, I spent today working out a similar pattern so I can make a couple of duster robes from this gorgeous floral chiffon. Our shop is still closed because of the Postal workers strike but I'm hoping that I have a slew of fancy new rompers & summery treats for when we reopen!
Happy Friday, lovelies!
xoxo
Labels:
365 challenge,
fashion,
lipglossandblack,
studio,
syls outfits