bohemian chic

Also known as boho-chic, the bohemian style seems to cycle in and out of fashion pretty regularly. I remember it being trendy with broomstick skirts and peasant blouses. Then, caftans and fringe were the thing. And, all of this was just in the last 10 years. That’s not to mention the 60’s and 70’s when this look was super popular. Except then, the look was referred to as ‘hippie style’. So, why do we call the style ‘bohemian’?

Bohemianism first emerged in the early 19th century when artists began to move into gypsy neighborhoods in Europe. The term ‘bohemian’ refers to untraditional, antiestablishment lifestyles. For clothing, dressing bohemian means expressing your creativity and individuality. The look can be quite messy with its many layers and accessories. Some fashionistas have claimed that to pull off this look, you have to perfect that messiness by maintaining an overall balance. In other words, don’t overdo it.

Peasant Girl
Peasant girl boho is the ultra feminine version of this style. Long, flowing skirts, angelic headbands, lace and embroidery characterize this style. Go for lighter colors and floral patterns.
Rugged Bohemian
The rugged boho style often includes distressed denim cutoffs, cowboy boots and a tunic of some sort.
Bohemian Luxe
The super chic version of the bohemian trend is the luxe look. Basically a glammed up version of the basic boho style, bohemian luxe includes maxi dresses, a mix of more modern heels and accessories and darker colors.

Personally I like the 'Rugged Boho' look...it's comfy and fits my personality. Never could pull off the long skirts and dresses....I guess it's too feminine for me. So I've posted photos of some of my favorite items...again, I don't care for the caftans or super bright colors so there are no photos of them here.

the universe has a way of balancing @#*% out

*WARNING this is a somewhat long post*

~ oh, and look to your right...see anything missing from my shop? yeah, that's right, i sold a bag! yay!

so let me fill you in on what happened last wednesday and the 24hrs that followed. after a long day at work, i was hoping to get into the tub for a quiet bubble bath when the doorbell rings. it's my neighbors from across the street and their kids. they look worried and proceed to tell me about the folks that lived at the end of our street who have disappeared/moved out and left their dogs behind. they then tell me how they've been feeding them for the last week hoping their owners would come back for them but now they're not sure what to do. since i used to work at the humane society and i still work with animals, my neighbors often come to me when there's a lost dog, trapped cat, whatever. anywhoo, i told them that we should take them to the shelter in the morning. the kids then asked me, "what about the guinea pigs?".  "oh, great, how many are there and where are they?" one kid said 4 the other said maybe 6 but they all said that they're loose in the back yard. so, i grabbed a dog kennel and headed over there. the 3 dogs were very happy to have company and were sort of helpful in helping me find 2 guinea pigs. while the kids kept looking for the other piggies, i went into the house (door was unlocked). completely empty except for a random chair, box, etc. kind of weird cause their cars are still parked in the driveway. so i left a note on the front door that i was taking the dogs to the shelter, fed the dogs and i brought the gpigs to my house. when morning arrived i took the 3 dogs and 2 gpigs to the shelter in my tiny vw beetle. the dogs, i'm confident will get adopted because they've all got great personalities and for the time being they will be kept together. i also filled out a report with animal control and they will notify the police or whatever it is they do. however, i didn't leave the gpigs because i was told they don't have adoption fees for them and they usually get taken by folks who feed them to their snakes. so, yup, you can add 2 gpigs to my menagerie. but wait, that's not all. so i go about my day, a little stressed, but looking forward to the monotonix show at the VaC. until i get to my last petsitting appointment....jessie the great dane is laying on her side in the middle of her yard...on closer inspection, she's barely breathing and half her head is very swollen!! i've got to get her to an emergency vet but....i'm driving my vw beetle and she's not going to fit!!!! thank god their neighbors were home! they had a truck and i needed help carrying what i'm guessing is a good 150+ pound dog. i won't go into the details of the er visit but by the end of it i was so pooped!! there was no way i was going to make it to the show. plus, i had my own animals i needed to tend to. can you hear the tiny violin? poor pixie, huh? oh, and i forgot to add that i got ring worm on my thigh from the gpigs.

so here they are - howard moon on your left and vince noir to your right.

the neighborhood kids camped out in the vacant yard for a day or two but no signs of the other gpigs...if there were others.

and you know what...the little violin stopped playing and the gifts started flowing in! the 2 gpigs for starters are cute cuddly gifts. AND look what i got from my friend grant olsen -----

isn't it cool?!! it's made from a windbreaker jacket and has a very groovy interior lining. all my stuff fits in it - it's sturdy and i like that i can wear it while riding my bike. it's also very marvel comic like which makes me feel like a super hero when wearing it! hee-hee. to see more of grants creations :
http://www.facebook.com/samuel.pony?ref=ts  or his etsy shop http://www.SamuelPony.etsy.com

i also got a surprise package from kambuchick with more tea and spiced sugar!!!! AND my kinies ruffled waist purse (a.k.a. fannypack) came in the mail!!!

.

it's a very versatile piece...you can throw it over your shoulder like a purse or have it in the front, back (looks like a bussell), side, etc... you can get yours at the kinies etsy shop .

wrapping it all up, i'd say it was a pretty eventful few days!

kombucha-cha-cha!

**Kombucha is being removed from various supermarket chains because of alcohol content that may not match what the label says. "No, Lindsay Lohan is not the cause", Millennium Products founder G.T. Dave, creator of Synergy Kombucha.

though available commercially, kombucha has been consumed by homebrewers long before it hit capitalist markets. there is limited scientific evidence and no affirmative FDA reports about the actual benefits of kombucha, but it has been consumed for centuries by people from around the world for it's medicinal effects. some say it originated in China around 212BC[1], while others believe it to have originated in late- 19th century Russia[2].


kombucha is made up of amino acids, yeasts, lactic acids, and other compounds of bacterial strains; the primary component being acetobacter. to make your own, most brewers start their kombucha with a SCOBY mat (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) along with some pre-exixting kombucha tea.


"Kombucha is not a supplement, drug, or medicine... it is simply a super healthy food that helps the body to find (or regain) its natural balance in the body, which promotes overall well being. Just like regular exercise, Kombucha is something that supports a healthy lifestyle. When the body is healthier, its natural defenses are stronger.Kombucha has an “adaptogenic” ability that gives it a reputation for its widespread health properties. Its adaptogen effect is seen mostly through its influence on the liver, the blood and the digestive system, where it normalizes the acidity or pH. Metabolic balancing and detoxification is perhaps the most important function of Kombucha. To put it in simple terms, Kombucha will make you feel good." ~ http://www.synergydrinks.com/faq.html

since it's been yanked from the shelves here in boise....i have decided to brew some myself (photo was taken in my kitchen). i got myself a great starter kit from Kombuchick - http://www.etsy.com/shop/kombuchick which has everything you need (you have to supply your own glassware) to get started plus a guide to homebrewery AND 50% off your next purchase of spiced sugar!! the one i'm using here is lemon/ginger...yumm! i'll post back in a couple of weeks and let you know how it turns out.


[1] Kombucha History: The History of Kombucha Tea. http://www.kombuchacultures.com/kombucha_history.html


[2] Kombucha. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kombucha

hhhhmmmmm.......

i'm not usually attracted to stuff like louis vuitton but this bag in their new collection has a "hhhhhhhmmmmm....i think i like this" factor. it has to be that i'm in a huge damask phase right now. currently that pattern makes an appearance in almost every room of my house. how about you? do you like this bag? would you pay $3270.00 for it?




or what about this shoulder bag for $2420. not sure why it's called raindrop but out of the whole spring/summer collection this is my soup du jour.

i can't wait to see these waiting out for the garbage man on my street! (that's never going to happen) anywhoo, this trash bag is made available through the lv disposable household items collection. i'm sure there's a huge wait list for these but maybe if you say you're lindsey lohan's publicist they might bump you up a notch...ha!

the re:use market - a great source of materials and inspiration

as i state on quite a few of my etsy listings - most of my materials come from friends, family, thrift stores AND the re:use market here in boise.

thanks to tracy cochran, the reuse market is a local nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization that collects clean, reusable art and craft materials that might otherwise end up in a landfill. the market makes all these things available on a donation-payment basis to teachers, artists, crafters, and the general public for their creative reuse. they are staffed by volunteers, so the market usually opens just two days a month (afternoons on a friday and saturday). you have to check our their website for the next “open house” dates. for now, the dates are on hold because they are looking for another location and all the goods are in storage until then. i for one am very sad about this news...so, if you live in boise, idaho and know of a space that they could set up camp in, please don't hesitate to contact tracy (contact info to follow). i truly appreciate the re:use market as does the environment since the market's goal is to divert 10,000 pounds of scrap materials from the landfill per year.

i will keep you posted on where/when they will be setting up shop - in the meantime, keep your fingers crossed that something comes up soon.

do you have something like the re:use market in your area? post here about it and their links...i love to support the people and places that give a hoot.

to contact the re:use market:

Tracy Cochran, executive director
Gina Lauer, assistant director
208.794.9661

black bean brownies

alright...who doesn't like brownies?! well, i came across this interesting recipe online. i was actually searching for a yummy gluten free recipe but this one totally grabbed my attention. seriously...black beans? in a brownie? i've gotta try this! i, of course, will substitute where i have to with gluten free ingredients. so here's the recipe off of the weight watchers website:

POINTS® Value: 3 Servings: 24 Preparation Time: 7 min Cooking Time: 33 min Level of Difficulty: Easy

Black beans add fiber and moisture to this lightened up treat. They're rich and delicious, full of chocolaty goodness.

ingredients:

2 spray(s) cooking spray, flour-variety recommended 1/2 cup(s) canned black beans, rinsed and drained 1/4 cup(s) black coffee, strong 1/2 cup(s) unsalted butter 4 oz bittersweet chocolate 4 large egg(s) 1 1/4 cup(s) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/8 tsp table salt 1 cup(s) all-purpose flour Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 9- X 13-inch pan with cooking spray; line with aluminum foil and coat foil with cooking spray. In a blender or mini food processor, process beans with coffee until smooth; set aside. In a double boiler over very low heat, melt butter and chocolate. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer on low speed, add melted chocolate to eggs; incorporate well. Add black bean mixture, vanilla and salt; mix well. Add flour; combine thoroughly on low speed. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a tester inserted in center of brownies comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove pan to a cooling rack. After 10 minutes, remove brownies from pan by pulling up on foil and placing brownies on cooling rack to cool more. Cut into 24 pieces and serve. Yields 1 piece per serving. **Customize this basic recipe with instant espresso, a teaspoon of cinnamon or 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Great served with whipped cream or powdered sugar, or topped with walnuts I will report back later to let you know if i give this brownie a yay or nay vote.