CasaSugar

The Card Shop: Boxed Historic Patterns Notecards

CasaSugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:00:56 -0700

Since most of my correspondence occurs via email, I want my notecards to be timeless and versatile. It's always nice to bring a smile to a friend's face with humor, but when I buy a box of notecards I want them to be appropriate for more than one person, and not to lose timeliness like the set you picked up at the Musée D'Orsay on your most recent trip to Paris might. B Designs Boxed Historic Patterns Notecards ($12 for six cards) fit the bill with their decorative floral and classic patterns with a contemporary color palette. With 13 choices like Hollyhock, Chains, and Mums letterpress printed on cream-colored recycled card stock, in a variety of colors,
you're bound to find a card that's right up your alley. And when you do, address it to CasaSugar: I can guarantee you it's right up my alley, too.

New! Get Bike Directions on Google Maps

GeekSugar — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:15:54 -0800

When the weather gets nice, I love riding my bike everywhere: to work, to meet friends, around the neighborhood. And I always feel a surge of excitement when I find a new, easier, or faster route to my destination. Now, it's going to get a whole lot easier. Today, Google announced it's added biking as a mode of transportation on Google Maps. The feature allows bikers to find the best, safest, and if you aren't looking for a major workout, least hilly route from point A to point B. I've used Google Maps in the past to plan running routes and even to figure out public transportation, so I'm pretty excited about this addition.

Travel time is calculated by the type of road you're riding on, the terrain, number of hills, and other bike-specific factors. Maps also include color-coded lines to show which trails are bike-only (dark green), which roads have designated bike lanes, and which roads are preferred for cycling but may not have designated lanes. To find biking directions in Google Maps, select "Bicycling" from the drop-down menu or visit maps.google.com/biking.

Children's Sample Sale Sites Feed Moms' Shopping Needs

babysugar — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:00:22 -0800

Mamas who love spending dough on their lil ones know how quickly a barrette here and shoes there can add up. While some save cash by shopping at discount or consignment shops, others can't give up their love of designer duds for their tots. Over the past year several online sample sale sites have set up shop offering significant price reductions on clothing and gear for expectant moms and tots.

The Mini Social, bTrendie and Zulily all send daily emails to members, informing them of the one or two sales they are hosting that day. Sale products tend to focus on boutique brands – such as celeb baby favorite Splendid Littles, eco-friendly toy company Plan Toys and baby gear giant Graco to name a few – and prices can be as much as 50 percent off of retail stores. But interested buyers have to act fast and be willing to compromise. The sites tend to only have a limited supply of the goods that can sell out in a matter of minutes, and the available colors and patterns may not be the most current.

Do you shop the children's sample sale sites?

Urban Outfitters Ties the Knot

FabSugar — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:50:22 -0800

While we usually associate Urban Outfitters with hipsters, its parent brand, Urban Outfitters Inc., is ready to commit to a totally new concept: wedding. The Philly-based company - which also houses Free People, Anthropologie, and Leifsdottir - has announced it will be launching a yet-to-be-named wedding brand in Spring 2011. The collection will be designed by UO's Anthropologie team and will include attire for the whole wedding party: wedding dresses, bridesmaid gowns, occasion dresses, jewelry, and accessories.

"We have found that many brides-to-be are inspired by our aesthetic," said Anthropologie's co-president, Wendy B. McDevitt. "Of course, this means something different bride to bride, but essentially she's telling us that she wants a certain product edit that only we can provide."

Prices will range from $200 for an occasion dress and $750 to $5,000 for a wedding gown. The collection will be available online and at select stores in the US. Cool, right?

Fab Exclusive! Gwen Stefani Talks L.A.M.B, Trends, Trousers

FabSugar — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:46:14 -0800

Gwen Stefani left her LA life behind temporarily to attend the Fall presentation of L.A.M.B. at New York Fashion Week. How cool is this shot of her with her models? But before we check out her latest rockin' chic designs, let's hear what one of the coolest mommies in Hollywood said about her Fall inspirations, her favorite trends, and design aspirations. Be sure to also hear Gwen's thoughts on red lipstick and her new fragrance.

Her design aspirations:
I just want to make stuff that I want to wear . . . Stuff I want to wear every day that's to the left enough that it makes you feel unique and individual, but also you can wear it. That's my ultimate goal . . . I think the collection has a lot of that in it . . . That's the hardest thing to do. It's easy to make some glamorous dress and put all of your energy into that. To make that T-shirt that you just throw on that's actually cool and funky and makes people go, "Whoa!" When they're jealous, that's what I want to do.

To hear what else Gwen said and to see her Fall '10 line, read more.

On the Fall collection:
The collection is kind of based on this vintage, naughty Hollywood girl - starlet girl, and then a little bit of a modern, futuristic girl, and a little bit of a soldier girl . . . What I've learned is that you kind of have the inspiration, you have the picture, you have an idea, and what I love about fashion and about doing it is that it just sort of evolves into whatever it's going to be . . . A lot of things drop out, a lot of things don't make it, but at the end of the day it's like the creative process of that picture and that drama that makes you very creative and come up with things that you wouldn't. And some of my favorite looks of the show are things where we were like, "There's nothing on this rack!" And then you put it together, and there is actually something on the rack. I can't wait to see it all together, with the music, and the girls, and the girls look so beautiful. They blow my mind.

On trend she's looking forward to:
I just love when things that I love come back into trend. It's funny because it does recycle, doesn't it? I don't really know what the trends, are; obviously my team kind of does that thing and I listen, whatever I like I just kind of go for.

Current trends she's loving:
My whole life I always wore men's pants, trousers, and would be that look. And I had to fight for years to try to get people to like want me to - and now they're in. They're gonna always be in for me. Like when they're out, I'll still wear trousers.

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Gwen Talks to Us and Brings the Red Lips Gavin Loves to Her Fall L.A.M.B. Show

PopSugar — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 10:00:00 -0800

Gwen Stefani braved the snow and ice yesterday to present her Fall collection for L.A.M.B. during New York Fashion Week. Kingston Rossdale was back in LA enjoying a playdate with his nanny and Ruby Maguire, but Zuma was right there in his leather jacket with Gwen, getting a little attention from his mom's hair and makeup team. We were able to catch up with Gwen before the show started, with her opening up about the loss of Alexander McQueen, her design aspirations, and favorite trends - check out what she had to say! Gwen also told us about how Gavin is a big fan of her iconic red lips and that she was impressed to pull things together despite the challenges of, "A blizzard, a baby with an ear infection, what else . . . Chinese New Year, and let's see, Federal Express!"

To see more of Gwen and her boys, just read more.

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Kylie Joins A Fashionable Crowd in Paris For A Single Man

PopSugarUK — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 03:06:03 -0800

Kylie Minogue joined the fashion set for the Paris premiere of A Single Man at Cinema UGC Normandie last night. Director Tom Ford posed with stars of the film Julianne Moore and Colin Firth, who also brought his wife Livia to the City of Love after sticking by her side at last week's London premiere too. Designers like Karl Lagerfeld, Jean Paul Gaultier and Sonia Rykiel supported their fashionable friend Tom, as did editor of French Vogue Carine Roitfeld. Colin has a BAFTA nomination and Oscar nomination for his work in the movie, so we'll see him walk more red carpets as award season continues. Do you think he'll win?

To see clips from the film plus more pictures of the fashionable set at the premiere, including Jean Paul Gaultier, Carine Roitfeld and Sonia Rykiel, just read more.

George and Carlos

George and Charley

George and Jim

George and Kenny

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Images include: Kylie Minogue, Tom Ford, Julianne Moore, Colin Firth, Farida Khelfa, Carine Roitfeld, Lola Rykiel, Nathalie Rykiel, Sonia Rykiel, Alain Terzian, Livia Giuggioli

Bravo Signs Up Shear Genius, Top Design, Hey B*tches!

BuzzSugar — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 12:29:14 -0800

From Top Chef to The Real Housewives of Orange County to Project Runway, reality programming has been Bravo's strong suit of late. The network just announced a winter lineup chock full of what it does best, and it's also bringing back two of its attempts to clone Runway - Top Design and Shear Genius - for another round. Some of the highlights:

Top Design, the seriously lackluster interior design show that I watched faithfully every week despite its mediocrity, is getting another chance - but not without a makeover of its own. Magical Elves, the folks behind Runway, are taking over the production on the show. No word on whether Todd Oldham and Jonathan Adler are returning.
Shear Genuis, on the other hand, doesn't seem to be getting any major changes for its second season, and that's just fine with me. Despite my initial resistance, I loved this show's over-the-top craziness, not to mention Dr. Boogie's booties.
Bravo has two new reality shows scheduled to start in January: Millionaire Matchmaker, a Flipping Out-style show focusing on high-end matchmaker Patti Stanger, and Make Me a Supermodel, a modeling competition hosted by Niki Taylor and Tyson Beckford. Supermodel will air Thursdays at 10, while Matchmaker will take over the Real Housewives time slot after its season finale.
Bravo also has a pilot in the works for Hey B*tches!, a show based on YouTube video blogger William Sledd and his "Ask a Gay Man" show. The potential show would focus on his move from Kentucky to New York City.

Want to know what Sledd's all about? You can watch a clip of his YouTube show if you read more

Photos courtesy of Bravo

Gwen's Back at the Park and in the Studio With Her Boys

PopSugar — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:30:00 -0800

It was another fun afternoon at the park for Gwen Stefani, Zuma, and Kingston in LA yesterday. Gwen makes time for adventures with her little guys, but she's also getting back to work in the studio with her other band of boys, No Doubt. They're currently working on a new album and staying connected with the fans by sharing a few behind the scenes studio pics on Twitter. As for Gwen's flourishing design career, seems like she might need to add a new size to her L.A.M.B. Apple accessory collection after this week's big iPad announcement.

For more of Gwen with the kids, just read more.

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San Francisco Fashion Week Designer: Kelly B

FabSugar — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 18:12:53 -0700

It's telling that San Francisco-based designer Kelly Barry started out as an environmental science major at the University of Colorado. Her Kelly B clothing line, featured at San Francisco Fashion Week, is made entirely from organic cotton and other organic fibers. (To learn more about organic cotton, read here.)

Kelly B's comfy, casual knits mix a trendy '80s vibe with playful nautical accents. Black capri leggings are lined with brass buttons, while anchor embroidery adorns the back pockets of a miniskirt. To see some of the highlights from her Spring/Summer 2007 runway collection, read more

Racerback Dress With Contrasting Rouched Panel, $150 suggested retail

Wide-Leg Sailor Pant and Cropped Coat With Quilted Collar, each $164 suggested retail

Cowl-Neck Sleeveless Dress, $134 suggested retail

Tune in tomorrow to read about another up-and-coming designer from SF Fashion Week.