Arts and Crafts

As you know (if you're a regular reader) I moved into a new office a few months back (Read here about the original ideas).  I promptly had every intention to decorate and, well, it hasn't happened.  Since I travel often in my job, I can go for weeks at a time without seeing the inside of my office.  That unfortunately means that decorating has fallen to the back of the line of Very Important Things I need to do list.  I did go out and buy some picture frames when I first moved offices and had great intentions of painting them Gold.  This is kind of what I had in mind:

But all gold frames with black & white prints and white matting, and little more space between them, leaning more this direction:

This weekend I finally had the chance/time to paint the frames and I have to say, they came out very well. (Please note: I am by no means a DIYer, ask anyone who knows me. I'm very proud of these.) Also a thank you to Stef & Charles for providing the garage space to make it happen!

I used Rust-Oleum "Specialty Metallic" in Gold; just a few passes and it dried to the touch in less than 30 minutes.  The one at the top had been a dull gold, and the other a Mahogany color.  When I finally get the prints done I want to put in them I'll post a finished pic.  I'm actually looking for some much larger frames to do the same with (my office has very large walls) but but haven't found a frame that is both large and ornate enough to satisfy the look I want.

Golden Tidbit:

I just happened to be browsing at West Elm this week (I can't help it, it's only 4 blocks from my apartment!) and found these completely by accident and I'm so glad I did.  I'm in the place where I should be saying to myself "hey, you should just leave it there and register for this sort of thing" but I just can help myself.  Really, could you?  I didn't think so.  Only $29 at West Elm

Golden Quote: "The best decisions are always made at the last minute.  Just know what the last minute is." - Holly Hunt

Charming Charlie

My friend Becky asked me to go check out a new store that she'd heard about through a few friends - Charming Charlie.  So we dragged our friend Krystal with us and piled into the car for a short shopping road trip.  Think of a store that sells fashion jewelry. And handbags.  And some inexpensive fashion clothes.  And watches. Oh, I can't forget all the scarves.  All very, very affordable.  It's laid out in color groupings, which makes shopping for anything specific much easier.

Well Accessorized

An overview from the store

Game plans: Always good so you don't go crazy and blow too much money on all the gorgeous/fun/trendy stuff that catches your eye.  I wear a lot of black (and gold) so my main goal was to get pieces with color.  Krystal was looking for layering pieces and Becky wanted to update her professional look.  Jewelry really is a great way to change your look even if you wear a similar style during the week.  It's the best way to take a simple outfit to the next level.
Tip: Bring friends who will be honest with you and know your style & wardrobe preferences; this will help you slim down your purchases less painfully before you get to the register.
Bonus tip (courtesy of Krystal): When shopping for necklaces, wear a shirt that has a neckline similar to the majority of what you wear.  Try on ALL the necklaces in store. You'd hate to get your purchases home only to find out they don't work with your wardrobe!

Part of the haul before thinning to the final purchase (red tags are clearance!)

We spend almost 2 hours in this place, and I could have easily spent more. The only problem is it's in Puyallup, and its the only store in the state.  I hear that they are working on getting online ordering ability established, and hope they do soon because that's save me a trip back down to the south end.

Golden Tidbit:

Snagged these great gold earrings for just $8!! Ladies, I know it's a long way down (and for my PDX gals, there's one in Hillsboro!) but believe me, it's well worth the trip!

Golden Quote: "I don't understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little - if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that's the day she has a date with destiny. And it's best to be as pretty as possible for destiny." ― Coco Chanel

15 Must See Movies

There are some movies that you just think of as classics.  Not the Academy Award stuff (necessarily) but the movies that you feel everyone should see, probably has seen, and you are pretty much in disbelief if someone tells you they haven't.  The kind of movies that elicit the, "Oh my God, how have you not seen this before, you have to go watch it now" kind of movies. This happened to me today when my Fiance told me he had never seen "Close Encounters of the Third Kind".  I grew up with that movie, and consider it one of those movies that I assume everyone else watched too.  With this discovery comes a pressing desire to tell you what the other classic movies are that you might not have seen but absolutely should. (not included in this list are movies that I truly assume everyone on Earth has seen, like The Matrix, Top Gun, Back to the Future and Independence Day).

1. Fifth Element
2. Shawshank Redemption
3. Princess Bride
4. Four Weddings and a Funeral.
5. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
6. White Christmas
7. Michael
8. The Usual Suspects
9. Fried Green Tomatoes
10. Boiler Room
11. Ever After
12. A Beautiful Mind
13. The Never Ending Story
14. 12 Monkeys
15. Twister

*Honorable mention goes to Idiocracy and Sweet Home Alabama.

Golden Tidbit:

Obviously you are going to need some popcorn to go with your movie watching.  How about some Gold Mine Popcorn, available for $10 at Sun Snacks

Golden Quote: “The length of a film should be directly related to the endurance of the human bladder.” 

― Alfred Hitchcock

Engaged

Here I was thinking that my 33rd birthday I would just be another year older, and boy was I wrong.......

I got Engaged!

Yep, you heard that right.  It was a total surprise, and only in looking back did I realize I should have known.  He proposed on the way to my birthday dinner, in an Uber (how Seattle Metropolitan, right??) and when we got the the restaurant, a huge group of all our friends was waiting to surprise me!  We got to celebrate our engagement with our nearest and dearest friends and having everyone there just made for a night that I know we won't ever forget.
*Also a big THANK YOU to our friend Charles who took that amazing picture of us!

Golden Tidbit:

I'd like to thank the staff at E.E.Robbins in Belltown for making this absolutely gorgeous ring into a reality.  Sorry guys, this is a custom, one-of-a-kind and I'm the lucky gal who has the only one!
(Also, a ring box with an LED light in it to light up the ring? Amazing.)

Golden Quote: "I have an engagement ring, which is my favorite accessory." - Jules Asner

It's NSale Time!

In case you missed it, this is one of the busiest summer weekends Seattle has: Seafair, Torchlight Parade, Torchlight half & full marathons, Capitol Hill Block Party, UFC fight at Key Arena,and I'm pretty sure there was a Mariners game thrown in there somewhere too, just for good measure.

In other important Seattle news, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is happening now.

I went a few weeks ago during Preview and man was it worth it! A few classics, and some just for fun:

1. Halogen Back Zip Blouse in Ivory

2. Olivia Moon Reverse Collar Sleeveless Blouse

3. Halogen Stretch Poplin Shirt in White

4.  Wit & Wisdom Skinny Jeans

5. Enzo "Presley" Bootie

6. Wit & Wisdom Itty Bitty Bootcut Jeans

Prices don't go up until August 5th so get yourself over to the sale!!

Golden Tidbit:

I'll admit it, I'm not a huge hot sauce fan, but sometimes I need just a little Kick. I found this and couldn't resist (obvs). Get your own here for just $1.49

Golden Quote: "Shopping is a woman thing. It's a contact sport like football. Women enjoy the scrimmage, the noisy crowds, the danger of being trampled to death, and the ecstasy of the purchase." - Erma Bombeck

Awesome things you probably don't need

In browsing Pinterest earlier this week, I realized that there is a plethora of products that while useful, you probably don't need.  Some of them are pretty amazing and I'll say it; I wish I had thought of them.  So enjoy, and maybe you'll find a new gadget or product you don't really need but have to have. Kind of like reading SkyMall.

Egg Minder

Ever been shopping and thought, "gosh, I wonder how many eggs I have left; should I buy more now?" Thanks to GE, in partnership with Quirky Product, they have solved your problem.  The Egg Minder keeps track of how many eggs you have as well as when you put them in there (oldest egg and how long it's been there/how long until it's not fit to eat). It links to an app so you can check your egg status from anywhere. It's still in development, Price TBD.

Drumbrella

Next time it rains in Seattle, maybe you should pull out your Drumbrella. Oh yes, an Umbrella Rain Drum.  Each piece of canvas has a different elasticity that will produce a unique sound as the rain falls on it.  Also still in development, it's obviously geared towards the Seattle tourist market (Remember; Seattle natives never use umbrellas)

POP Retro Handset

Do you feel the need to take your Smartphone back into 1985?  Or are you afraid that your Smartphone is emitting radiation and you want to protect yourself? Then this Gold POP Hanset is perfect for you.  This Gold one is a limited edition and available for just $50

Portable Fireplace

In case you need to create a mood wherever you go, or if you are always a little chilly, I present to you a Portable Fireplace. Currently available on Overstock.com for $199

Golden Tidbit:

I know I can't be the only one who wants to cover my food in Edible Gold Spray Paint. The brand Ess Lack is featured in the pic above but it's not yet available in the US.  Instead, I'll recommend Chefmaster Edible Spray available from Amazon for $11.52

Golden Quote: "It costs a lot to build bad products." - Norman Ralph Augustine

Celebration packed weekend

As you may have noticed the Kitchen Sink didn't post this Sunday. I was lucky enough to be celebrating some pretty incredible events and the day got away (as it sometimes does). We celebrated my Boyfriend's 30th birthday and attended my good friend Paige's wedding. What a celebration filled weekend and we were so lucky to be surrounded by amazing friends and fantastic weather the whole time. Make sure you take the time to celebrate, both the big and small, because those are the times you truly will remember years from now!

Golden Tidbit:

When celebrating a birthday there is no better way than with golden taper candles. Elegant and.... Gold! A great way to start your celebration, available for only $4.00 (+ shipping)

Golden quote: "Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving, make every day a holiday and celebrate just living!" -Amanda Bradley