Friday, October 25, 2013

My Literary Lark Inspired Halloween Costume!


After recently finishing my dear cousin Erica Cope's newly released Lark sequel book "In the Shadows" from the Lark Trilogy series, I was so inspired by the tale that there was no question about what costume theme I would go with this Halloween...a Lark character! In hopes that I intrigue new readers without revealing any spoilers of the book, this character's name will remain a secret...but I will say that she is a new character discovered in the latest novel "In the Shadows"! If you have read Erica's newest tale, you will know who I'm portraying...I'll give you a hint, it's not the main heroine character Mia; although she is my favorite. ;-)

Going by her description in the book: "Her hair and her eyes (are) as dark as charcoal. She's wearing a dress not unlike the style typical of the Light elf with the long flowing skirts and bell sleeves. It's silvery in color, adorned with dark colored gems and matches the crown resting on top of her intricately styled hair." I found a long silver vintage dress and paired it with a black lace sheath jacket with notable elvish style bell sleeves. Since I didn't have a "dark as charcoal" wig and my hair is naturally strawberry blonde, I covered my hair with a heavy black velvet brocade scarf and adorned it with the character's crown on top (which happens to be a sentimental vintage treasure of mine as it was my mother's tiara). The lovely brocade design on the black velvet head scarf symbolizes the "intricately styled hair"!


This beautiful and mysterious Lark character can be found in the depths of the shadowy Underworld where the sky is a stunning shade of lavender. Since this literary lady is "adorned with dark colored gems", I figured that the best embellishment to add to this ensemble would be my beloved antique amulet necklace handcrafted by my great-GREAT grandmother Erma (yes, this is a nostalgic piece too!), which captures the beauty of the underworld's lavender sky in which this character resides. If you notice, I even added some "night bloom" high heels to the costume representing the flowers found in this ominous realm.


After the Halloween costume party that I will attend this weekend with my darling husband Joe, this vintage silver dress will be for sale among the other mystical treasures found in my sister Andrea's Etsy shop "Storybook Artifact". In the dress's item listing, Erica's book "In the Shadows" will remain promoted there as this vintage dress beautifully embodies this character who is first introduced in this sequel novel! You can view this elegant vintage silver dress now, by clicking on the dress images provided in this blog article.


Inspired by the Lark Trilogy Series, I wanted to put together another Etsy treasury collection, to hopefully encourage fellow Etsyians to check out this awesome book series! So sit back, relax, and enjoy this whimsical and warm toned visually stimulating treasury that I hope will get you thinking about cozying up with this epic book series this approaching chilly winter season!


For all you Lark fans out there, I consider this my Team Jacoby treasury and the "In the Shadows Treasury" that I made a couple weeks back was my Team Grey treasury! *wink wink!* ;-) Can you see the influence of the Lark book cover in the glowing colors of this latest treasury?!

Saturday, October 19, 2013

A Cocktail Dress That Looks...Like a Cocktail!


I am a lover of vintage sixties cocktail dresses, but I never thought that the look of a Dirty Martini or Bloody Mary would make a stylish fashion design; however, all of my preconceived notions were flipped once I laid eyes on this retro chic beauty! When I first saw this 1960s Mollie Parnis maxi dress, I immediately thought, "This reminds me of a colorful layered cocktail!"...A "Rio de Janerio" to be precise! 

The bright, tropical colors of sunny yellow and aqua teal blue is stunningly delightful! To view this refreshing, exotic "Rio de Janerio" cocktail recipe, click on the picture above! This vintage 1960s two tone Mollie Parnis maxi cocktail dress reminds me of a mid century and mah-velous ensemble that Mad Men's Megan Draper would wear!


Let's pull out our cocktail glasses, put on our cocktail party hostess smiles and celebrate this retro chic Hollywood glamorous find! Please check out our sister shop "LaOohLaLa Boutique" to view this vintage maxi cocktail dress that shares an intoxicating resemblance to this colorful mixed drink!


Are you looking for cocktail inspired ladies' clothing?! Etsy is a great place to find it! Check out these vintage and handmade lovelies featuring the "spirit" of alcoholic beverages. Let's get this party started and kick it off with a multicolored "1980s Happy Hour Blouse" from my Etsy shop Eco-Friendly Freckles...Cheers!

 



Monday, October 14, 2013

"In the Shadows": A Lark Novel by Erica Cope - My Book Review


"In the Shadows": A Lark Novel by Erica Cope

I am absolutely captivated by the tale hidden "In the Shadows"; a novel written my by whimsical and witty cousin Erica Cope! Unveiling the secrets secluded in the depths of the shadows was so very enthralling and mystifying! After reading Erica's first book "Lark", I was eagerly looking forward to this sequel novel "In the Shadows"; both books are major page turners with gripping stories! The plot thickens quickly with so many twists and turns and unexpected surprises that have you on the edge of your seat excited to see what happens next! The fascinating relationships develop further between the main characters in this novel (which takes my emotions on a joyride!), and intriguing, new characters are also introduced. Many readers and Lark fans like myself are thrilled to follow the adventures of the main character and heroine "Mia" and discover how her juicy love triangle unfolds!!! LOVE IT!

I would highly recommend the Lark trilogy series to fantasy romance-loving ladies that are twenty-somethings like myself! I am very much looking forward to the upcoming third novel in the series! If you have not read the first book in the series "Lark"; you should check it out and delve into a fanciful world full of elven romance, elemental magic, woodland alchemy, and the sorcerous dark ones residing in the vastness of the underworld!

"Lark": A Novel by Erica Cope

After I read the first book "Lark" in the Lark Trilogy Series (I can't wait for the third book to come out!), I wrote a blog review titled "Lark: A Novel by Erica Cope - My Book Review". Along with my initial feelings and thoughts of praise after just completing this remarkable tale, I shared an Etsy treasury collection that I had created that was solely inspired and based on my memories of the book! "A visual stimulant" I call it for encouraging Etsyians to read this awesome book series, I have naturally put together another treasury to promote Erica's latest addition to the series; a collection that visually presents some of my favorite moments in Lark #2 "In the Shadows"! Please check it out, peek at the Etsy items, and discover this spectacular series for yourself...or buy it as a gift for your favorite fantasy romantic! Christmas is coming!


Since there were only sixteen slots available for featuring Etsy items that convey the message of my vision for this incredibly dynamic fable, there are a few handmade jewelry items that I want to spotlight here since they didn't make it in the treasury but certainly fit the ambiance and storyline of "In the Shadows":




Among the mysterious and revealing gems featured in the treasury, I have featured an item from my sister Andrea's Etsy shop "Storybook Artifact" as well as an item from our "sister shop" LaOohLaLa Boutique...both of which express the mystical mood of "In the Shadows"!




Now make yourself a strong, hot cup of coffee (author Erica Cope's favorite beverage of choice), get yourself a copy of Lark and In the Shadows, and follow along the dark and mysterious Olfossá river that takes you along a journey that will have you under-a-spell fascinated to be lurking In the Shadows! This is the perfect book series to cozy up with during this approaching chilly winter season! You'll want to check back soon as I share my Halloween costume; I will be dressing up as one of the characters from "In the Shadows"!

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Think Eco…Eco-Friendly that is…for the Holidays


I recently got the pleasure of speaking with Jules Lavallee; she and Brian Behncke, owner of Briven Construction, are the Founders of ThinkEco2. Brian and Jules share a passion for helping the community while building jobs locally. They donate their rustic handmade wine racks to many charities to help fundraise. They believe it is important to be eco-conscious and to give back. Please take a moment to check out their beautiful handmade gifts for the upcoming holiday season and see what Jules has to share with us!
 

I love giving handmade eco-friendly gifts. Handmade gifts come from the heart and are truly appreciated. ThinkEco² is making good use from aged, weathered, and rustic fence by handcrafting 100% recycled gifts including cedar wine racks, wine gift boxes and garden planters.

Brian Behncke, Founder of ThinkEco² owns and operates Briven Construction during the day and builds creative eco-chic products at night with his crew. Their eco-friendly products are built from scrap cedar taken from Behncke’s fence job sites. He disassembles the fence panels, remills the sides of each fence board so they are straight. He then planes down both sides of each board to clean them up and to get the desired thickness. He then cuts the wood into pieces to make the products. Cedar is a great choice for wine racks and garden planters, since it is naturally resistant to pets and rot.


ThinkEco² wine racks are reclaimed and upcycled. They are offered rustic or in a variety of color frames include black, green, white, and red. They fit nicely onto a countertop or small space pantry.
ThinkEco² products can be found at http://www.etsy.com/shop/thinkeco2.
In addition to creative gifts, ThinkEco² offers a whole line of original wedding products. With a steady stream of material from city and state organizations including CalRecyle, ThinkEco² will continue to grow and build beautiful handmade products in the USA.

For more information contact Jules Lavallee jules@thinkeco2