friday faves: 9.23.11

helloooooo new format!!  i decided that friday faves should also be the friday FIVE.  so each friday i will highlight FIVE things i've loved.  just an idea - we'll see how it works out!  {but i'm going to keep the title friday faves, for continuity}

here it goes!

notes on the friday faves
1. DIY ruler-mirror frame - simple but awesome!  directions on design*sponge
2. hot pink grandfather clock painted on a door?  yes, please! via the office stylist
3. a field of balloons! as seen in montreal, where a field of 500 balloons went up for the "musée des possibles" or "museum of possibilities."  simply awesome.  see more pictures and an awesome video here.  {discovered on the blog happiness is...}
 4. absolutely killer outfit as worn by emma roberts at the marchesa fashion show in NY.  {note: dress designer unknown - everything i've found just calls it a "prom dress."  frustrating!} image credits --on left: from celebuzz; on right: from street fashion blog, first found on this pinterest board
5. an underwater park, complete with underwater bench!  oh boy, time to head out to green lake in tragoess, austria and experience it for myself!  apparently this is a usually a normal dry park in a valley next to snowy mountains.  but then when it begins to warm, all the snow melts and it is transformed into an underwater park.  seriously, time to go see it for myself!  found on the blog express-o where you can read more and take a video tour of the park.

p.s. all of these images, and much much more, can be found on my pinterest page.  and if you have a pinterest of your own, let me know!

friday faves: 9.2.11

ohhh my sweet friday faves feature, i have such a love/hate affair with you!  really, i LOVE these posts!  i love to highlight some of my fave things i've seen over the past week (or even longer) without putting together a "full post."  i love starting the weekend with some beautiful, inspiring images.  i love spreading the word about giveaways!  love, love.  so what is the "hate" bit?  i hate how i have not had the time or energy to do this feature regularly.  i hate how sometimes i even dread writing a post because it usually takes me significantly longer as i am such a perfectionist.  i hate how terrible i have been the past couple months at regular friday faves posts.  UGH.

so i've decided to take some of the pressure off myself.  i've been pretty good at consistency with the wedding wednesday feature so i guess i can be a little more lax with friday faves.  right?!  let's hope so.  i'll post when the inspiration strikes and schedule permits.  and hopefully you will enjoy what i share!  and without further ado, a few faves from the last few days of august ::

design/decor

comfy-cozy attic nook

want.this.space.  i want the chandelier, the white chest, the location -- the whole nook.  and we all know how i feel about nooks!  {via belle vivre}

fashion

a mint & rose outfit

as put together by lana over at lanalou style.  want it all... especially that dress!

etc

oscar de la renta ad campaign

came across this ad on one of my fave catch-all blogs, a spot of whimsy, and fell in love.  i have a little experience doing ad/marketing campaigns and understand how important an ad can be.  all you have is a picture.  one image and some text to show your brand and product.  but ODLR knocked it out of the ballpark with this ad for their new campaign.  i mean, who doesn't want to be an oscar's girl?!

personalized embosser for books

do i really need to explain why this is so stinkin' incredible?!  i'm pretty sure i need it...

{found on be merry, kate}

enjoy your labor day weekend!

xx, kait

p.s.  i'm actually at the lake right now on a full four day weekend of relaxation and fun so this post was written yesterday and scheduled for today.  i hate doing this and only do it once in a blue moon.  forgive me?

celeb style: kiernan skipka's chic LWD

image lately i've been trying to rock the LWD - little white dress.  i have two main ones and they both have virtually the same silhouette, 50's-esque with a form-fitting bodice and a-line skirt, with some sort of texture or subtle pattern throughout.  guess i have a very predictable style!  i love these two LWDs but would also love one with a little more flair - some touch of color or a more unique silhouette... and then i saw the precociously chic kiernan skipka at "glee: the 3D concert movie" LA premiere :

girl is ROCKING this!  and although i'm usually a big belt supporter, i love its omission here.  ohh kiernan, how are you so stinkin' adorable?!


via red carpet fashion awards

friday faves: 7.8.11

back to friday faves, my lovely readers!  and oh boy do i have some good ones this week!

design/decor

chic nook

this lil nook by designer melanie coddington is my idea of perfection - classy, simple, feminine, relaxing.  i could absolutely see myself curling up here and reading the day away...

 found on design*sponge

kitchen window nook

more nooks!  clearly i'm obsessed :)

that green color, the cream everything else, and that thick cushion that looks oh-so-comfy.  want.

from my home ideas

fashion

elle fanning in marc jacobs

the girl can pull off couture like no other youngin' and i just love her retro-pretty style.  plus she's just so pretty! {think if i compliment her enough she'll let me borrow this gorgeous dress?!  hey, worth a try!}

picture from getty images, via

SJP channels her animal side in D&G

at the 25th anniversary of "annie" where she presented an award

not always the biggest animal print fan, but when it's done right it's amazing.  and if anyone can "do it right," it's the superstar-fashionista sarah jessica parker herself!

{sorry, best pic i could find.  from rcfa}

p.s. the gown helen mirren wore a few months back was also animal print and also dolce + gabbana - they must be on a roll!

etc

le petit prince journals

all-time fave book in journal form = love

{you can buy it for me - and make my day!! - here}

i want to be a monkey

if i could be any animal, i'd be a monkey.  i would climb trees and enjoy still having fingers and show love by cleaning my friends... and hug little girls like this.  and be happy :)

i mean really, who wouldn't want to be a monkey?!

found on best week ever blog but first posted on cute overload
**correction: this is a sloth not a monkey!  but i would still be a monkey.  and i would still hug little girls and it would still probably be just as cute as this.

giveaways

i'm back to spreading the word about some GREAT giveaways in the bloggy world - whoo hoo!  here's a few ending soon soon soon, so get on it!

preppy personalized platters

 

by dani notes, selection found here.  the always fabulous kiki's list is offering up this giveaway.  if i were lucky enough to win, i would choose the prettypretty platter pictured above.  then again, i would be just as happy if one of my sweet readers one so head on over to enter for yourself :)

fabulous flower accessories

wild & precious always highlights the cutest things!  this time it is the etsy shop the lovely poppy, who makes truly lovely headbands and necklaces and other cute accessories with bright and pretty flower accents.  i definitely encourage you to check out this etsy site and to go to wild & precious to enter for the $20 gift certificate!

have a lovely lovely weekend!

i'll be spending it with my lovely friends downtown checking out a blues club i've never been to, then off to waverly island soaking up the sun.  oh, and then sunday at the office.  can't ever totally get away from my workaholic ways!

xx, kait

 

i want: perfectly preppy summer outfit

as seen on annalynne mccord ~

structured-feminine, my fave!  lovely floral, modest neckline, bright coral waist-cinching belt, nude pumps... want, want, want!

dress = alice + olivia puffy prom dress & shoes by none other than christian louboutin
images and info found on the vogue diaries

friday faves: 5.20.11

i was sick most of this week with what can pretty much be described as a non-stop migraine.  ugh.  when i wasn't drugged up, asleep, or whining in pain, i've been working on some long-term plans currently in the works.  lots of big life decisions coming up, to say the least....

but anywho, between all the researching and phone calls and hours spent in bed hurting, i did happen to find some fabulous pretty things to share ~

design/decor

~ a great diagram to help start your gallery wall staircase ~

as you may remember, i love me some stairwell gallery walls! but as incredible as i find these spaces, the work of actually creating such a masterpiece seems, well... daunting.  where to start, how to make it just right, try to balance the difference size frames... ugh.  but this post on everything fabulous, filled with lots of beautiful stairwell gallery walls, gave me this handy dandy diagram!  appareantly the trick is to: "measure the same distance from the collage to the stairs every second or third step, to keep the distance consistently."  not so daunting anymore!

~ surprisingly chic yellow striped walls ~

i never would have expected to like yellow striped walls anywhere other than a nursery, but man do i love the way the soft yellow pops in this living room!  absolutely lovely.  [via hooked on houses]

fashion

~ everything about this outfit/image ~

everything.  i love all of it, especially tiiu kuik's fabulous pose - & laughter! she is such a talented model [remember this editorial? and she was laughing in that one too!]  but it's not just the model/pose, it's the great outfit - especially those nude lace heels by azzedine alaïa - perfection ~

photo shoot from marie claire australia, march 2011, shot by walther chin [via]

~ fan bing bing in lavender ~

man i must really have a girl crush on fan bing bing!  or at least on her stunning fashion choices.  i love lavender, i love elie saab, i looooove fan bing bing in this gown!  stunning 

[image via red carpet fashion awards]

etc. 

101 followers of pretty things

 

 chicka-whaaa?!  

this is even better than a dalmatians!  

i started blogging about a year ago but kept it all to myself.  it wasn't until mid-june that i decided to do it "for real."  i created a new blog called pretty things and made it open to the public.  i didn't tell any of my friends and thought no one would ever find it - i just figured these pretty images would be out in the middle of nowhere, seen by no one but myself.  and really, that was fine with me, because the whole point of blogging for me was to create a virtual scrapbook where i could stow away all things i find beautiful for the one day i may need it.  but somehow you all found me!  and now, 101 followers?!  wow!  thank you to all you dear readers for making me feel so special today and every day :) 

link love 

 ~ gorgeous ladies in red [my faves = dianna agron in michael kors & brooklyn decker in escada] ~

~ speaking of red, a stunning ODLR dress that is exactly my style! ~

~ some beautiful beautiful mantles ~ 

~ the origin of the bathing suit ~

~ messy buns galore ~ 

xx, kait

fashion: chanel resort 2012 suits

chanel suits can be recognized a mile away - the trademark tweed, structure, lapel... everything.  i read an interesting article once about the intricate process that goes into making each and every suit - everything is done in a very particular manner and only with the most trained professionals.  wish i had the article to share or even just to provide more exact details, but suffice it to say that the detail with which each suit is constructed is just amazing!

but anyways... karl's take on the traditional chanel suit for the 2012 resort show = interesting.  i've decided to highlight just some of the suits for this post, although the collection is jam-packed with variety.  and there are many more blazers and tailored pieces than these i have included - these are just some key trends from the collection ~

yellow, yellow, yellow

dusty lavender suits

cream & tailored

(my fave parts of the collection)

blazers + swimwear

my all-time fave piece

 love, love, love... everything about this perfectly tailored jacket!

my wrap up...

all-in-all, i wasn't too impressed with this collection.  it's not really a good sign that the chanel looks worn by attendees at this show were far more interesting than the looks in the show itself.  i think that some i included here are kinda cute, and that last cream jacket really is amazing, but there were also a lot of awkward and even just sloppy looking pieces that i happily left out of this post.

i was also really not into the accessorizing.  what are those thigh-high sock things attached to the flip flops?  but wait... then there are sheer gloves with swimsuits?!  and top hats?!  come ON karl! 

more bizarre looks =  a funky shooting star fabric, random sheer fabric on otherwise decent outfits, and - in my opinion - awkwardly young-looking flower embellishments.  but to be honest, there's also some quite pretty sundresses, fabric choices, and interesting necklines.  so whether this sounds like your aesthetic or not, it is a collection definitely worth a peek. 

so go over to style.com to see the whole collection, and then come back here and tell me what YOU think!

celeb style: fan bing bing in atelier versace

yes, yes, yes, yes, YES!  i could not be happier right now!  okay that's a bit dramatic.  i could definitely be happier - if i weren't sick, if my dogs weren't barking, if i had complete faith the bulls would win this game... but anyways, as far as red carpet fashion goes, i couldn't be happier about this: the gorgeous and always fashion-forward actress fan bing bing stepping out at cannes wearing one of my fave gowns from the atelier versace ss 2011 collection.  it's even slightly altered to make it even more amazing than the original! 

not only did fan choose a breathtaking gown, but her beauty and poise really brings the dress to life.  stunning, stunning, stunning.

my love for ombre continues to grow...

[picture from red carpet fashion awards]

friday faves: 5.13.11

before going on to all the other pretty things i found this week, i must share how big & beautiful my tiger lillies have become!

last tuesday they had yet to bloom.  one week ago they were just starting.  and now?  they are the definition of full and vibrant.  by far the best thing about being cooped up in an office on these sunshiney days!

but anyways . . .  a few things that have caught my eye over the past seven days . . .

design/decor

~ perfect way to display coffee mug collection ~

pretty sure i need this type of storage in my life.  yup, definitely need! 

i love coffee mugs (and have a huge mis-matched and totally awesome collection myself!) but hate that they are typically stowed away in a traditional kitchen cabinet with - sigh - doors.  but this solution from a canadian quirky-candyland, a.k.a. amy and keith's fabulous home, is beyond perfect.

 fashion

~ my faves at cannes, thus far ~

karolina kurkova ~ shining in armani privè

salma hayek ~ gucci glam [première couture]

fan bing bing - atelier versace

diane kruger ~ calvin klein

gong li's purple perfection ~ roberto cavalli couture

uma thurman as the feather goddess in versace

can't wait for more!  all images from red carpet fashion awards

etc

~ but i like, really can't wait to see this movie ~

bridesmaids!  hopefully one day next week... pic from the super hilarious site, but you're like really pretty

lovely links

~ a super cool photo series of feet on vaycay [feet first]

~ tree branch + lace + wedding = simply love

~ can someone please buy me the dude's cardigan at this auction??!  if you do, i'll get you princess beatrice's fascinator in return...  deal?  deal.

a weekend reminder...

the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

- eleanor roosevelt

p.s.  sorry for no giveaway tips this week!  i'm sure there's some fab ones going on right now but i just haven't had the time to search around.  hopefully next week all will be back to normal :)

pretty pictures: one fine day

adore this 1960's-esque family themed photoshoot.  not just the styling, not just the background, not just the modeling or fantastic photography... but mostly because i see it & have MAJOR lifestyle envy!  i want to be the subject of the shoot - i want her life!  just take a look ::

fave fabulous photography:  pictures in the field - lovely; the title image by the pond - adore the wind effect
fave modeling:  that great pose against the red car where model eveline is putting on her shoe - great "caught in the act of something completely normal while looking completely glam" shot;
smiling, smiling, smiling!  we all know how i feel about models who are allowed to smile!! {exhibits: A, B, C, D ... wow my collection is growing!  awesome.}
fave fashion: long sleeve lace dress by lisa ho - in second pic (as well as the kissing-in-the-field one); unbelievably gorgeous burberry (obviously!) coat in that last image.
and... major lifestyle crush pics: well other than just saying "all," i suppose i can narrow it down to mostly the last two.  i'd love to be the lovely young model with the sweet husband, lil dog, and completely a-dor-a-ble daughter! 

all-in-all -- this photoshoot gets the "kait stamp of approval."  major time.


editorial published in madison magazine, april 2011.  photographer nick scott, styled by nicole bonython-hines.  models eveline & charlie. [via the always great dustjacket attic]