{Etsy Spotlight} Jenn Lee Design

I love Etsy.
I have purchased everything there from a bird wing fascinator to custom clothing to craft supplies and more. I have the most fun though hunting for show stopping jewelry pieces. You can find great buys from talented and emerging otherwise unknown designers there. A favorite Etsy shop of mine is Jenn Lee Design. Her pieces are characterized by bold chunky glamorous stones in their own naturally outrageous colors set in 18k dipped gold or a vibrant colored Tagua nut band.  So Earthy-Glam!

www.etsy.com/shop/jennleedesign

www.etsy.com/shop/jennleedesign

www.etsy.com/shop/jennleedesign

www.etsy.com/shop/jennleedesign

www.etsy.com/shop/jennleedesign

{Back to school} {redux}

Jil Sander introduced a much talked about accessory for the 2012 Fall/Winter collection: a black leather lunch sack. At Butter we love a good mix of high and low-brow--but even I draw the line at a $630 price tag.

It got me thinking...I could probably whip up my own lunch sack with an even more glamorous aesthetic: gold pleather.  Read on for a Butter DIY...

I went to a local fabric store and bought a half yard of supple gold pleather and a fairly large gold snap. Everything else (pinking shears, scissors, glue, thread and mini sewing machine) I had around the house. 

Step 1. Fold your rich gold pleather with the good sides touching. 

Step 2. Sew two sides so that you have an inside-out pouch. 

Step 3. Use some pinking shears (aka zig zag scissors) and cut off the top for that 'lunch bag' effect

Step 4.  Turn it inside out, add a big gold snap and voila! You have a 

glamorous gold lunch sack suitable for carrying essentials for a night out OR a tuna on rye to the office.

{the cupcake wars} {redux}

There are so many specialty shops in Oakland one of them being the delicious neighborhood cupcakery, James and the Giant Cupcake.

A nice way to ease into a Sunday morning is to grab a cup of coffee and your favorite flavor of the day. This morning mine was BANANARAMA: a chocolate cupcake covered with fresh banana slices and topped with peanut butter & milk chocolate swirled buttercream and chocolate sprinkles. Another good cupcake choice for a Sunday morning? FRENCH TOAST & MAPLE BACON. This is a buttermilk cupcake flavored with cinnamon & nutmeg, topped with maple buttercream frosting and a cut of maple bacon. WHAT?? Sunday morning heaven.

{Back to school}

When I was little I used to love back-to-school shopping. Light blue chinos, Bass brown leather wedge shoes, and a stick-pin in my turtle neck. (...anyone?)

I also loved filling my navy blue L.L. Bean backpack with school supplies: Trapper Keeper, Pee Chee folders and new no. 2 pencils.
I still use pencils during every workday. Presently it's the Mirado Black Warrior. I like these not only because of their sophisticated chic aesthetic but also because of their trustworthy erasers that don't dry out and just smear graphite all over the place. Now, however I may need to gently ask our mailroom guy, Stevie if he can place an order from Dallas based company, One Up Designs. After looking through their catalog of pencils I do believe there is one set for everyone.
Personally I'm especially partial to the Hipster Bingo and the Classic Rap sets. Of course I'm also automatically drawn (no pun intended) to the fuchsia Reasons I Love You Pink set as well.
What's your pencil saying about you today?

www.oneupdesigns.com

www.oneupdesigns.com

www.oneupdesigns.com

{Golden toes}

Earthy-Glam footwear for Fall

www.chineselaundry.com