unlikely black pairings

It isn't intuitive to me to pair pastels with black - like seafoam green is effortlessly paired with black in Mango's January 2013 Lookbook. Even though Michelle Williams inspired me here, I still haven't been able to actually do it.

Moreso, spring floral prints. I've paired them with stripes (inspired by this), but not with black. Not yet.

Maybe I need these pieces the Prabal Gurung for Target Collection as my training wheels.

He incorporated black within the floral pieces - via the collar, neckline, arm & waist bands...

... so I don't need to struggle with breaking old design sensibilities by pairing a floral with a separate black piece.

Love this colorful print called Nolita with the black details! Gave the print an attractive edge.

Also love these shorts! 

It's funny that the very reason I struggle with pairing pastels or florals with black is precisely what makes the pairing so striking. While in my head, feminine, delicate colors & prints don't go with masculine, tough black, my heart says yes to the edginess that black gives the otherwise old and somewhat Stepford Wife feel of pastels & florals.

Okay, I resolve to try harder to break my ancient style sensibilities and mix my pastels and florals with black this week. Maybe I can start with pairing my florals with a small black piece - like a black belt?

Will you mix things up again with me?

Prabal Gurung for Target Collection will be out from February 10 to March 23, 2013. Hoping I can score these pieces via Target.com. View more of the collection with prices via nitrolicious.

Photos from nitrolicious.

Click on the following links for previous posts on breaking ancient fashion rules:

... mixing gold & silver and gray & brown

... mixing prints

... mixing glitter & knits or basics

... mixing gray & yellow

... mixing brown & black

... mixing florals & animal print

... mixing army green & feminine prints

... mixing stripes & florals

Lego Tales: Homemade Minifigs Part 2

As you know from here, 7-year-old Noah had been repurposing his old minifigures with paper, markers, crayons & double-sided tape to change them into the minifig characters he wanted to play with. Most of his homemade minifigs were limited to paper masks & shirts, so I was pleasantly surprised to see that he also "decorated" Wolverine's pants. I just love Wolverine's claws made out white cardboard!

It has become common for him to prepare his minifig artworks. See the shirts of the Spiderman characters he plans to make.

Though so far, all he's made is Spidey...

... and the Big Lizard - who he probably started to make as a minifig (see the cut-out shirt above?) but decided against due to the villain-minifig's inaccurate proportion vis-a-vis Spiderman.

Love the eyes he drew and glued onto his Lego creation!

While I prefer the shirts he draws himself, I eventually gave in and printed the Batman minifig characters he had been pining for. I used a black & white printer this time so he opted to color in the parts that needed color.

See how he used red & black markers on Harley Quinn and a green marker to color in Poison Ivy's bodysuit?

But even though I saw how he prepped for Harley Quinn, I did not imagine his finished creation would look like this!

He used red, white & black clay to fashion Harley Quinn's jester hat! I was so amazed!

He used clay too for Two-Face's wild hair...

And even on Catwoman's mask...

Notice how he used black clay to cover up her white arms - the only arm pieces he had left after making all the Batman characters (he ran out of hands & legs to finish Black Spiderman)? Here are the rest of the Batman characters...

Even mixed with the actual Batman minifigs he owned (Joker's a remnant of an old keychain, see the hook on his head?), I still think (warning: mommy-goggles on!) Noah's homemade ones look way better than the store-bought ones!

Noah, at 7 years old, had moved beyond just Lego & paper to create his minifig characters. He had evolved to using clay as well. A true artist using mixed media!

My Noah... His creativity never fails to amaze me!

Photos are all my own.

Click here for previous posts from the Lego Tales series. Click here for Part 1 of this Homemade Lego Minifig post.

Noah says...

We were talking about the sizes of beds.

I said, "Ours is a king. [Your sister] Isabella's is a queen..." Noah tried to finish my statement, "And mine is a servant?"

Photos from annnniegirl.

Click here for previous posts from the Noah says... series.

my week of cuteness

My whole week last week was a mishmash of the cutest, most adorable things that made my heart go pitter-patter!

Day 1:

My niece was in the hospital for dehydration. :( But when we visited her, she was quite smiley, playing games on her iPad. I myself couldn't help but smile at the wallpaper in her room! Isn't this wallpaper the cutest?

Glad you're all well now Denise! :)

Day 2:

I was delighted to discover that Saizen Galleria now has a whole shelf of Sanrio stuff! Yes, Sanrio knick-knacks for PhP88!

I was sooooo tempted to buy the Little Twin Stars bags (that I have absolutely no use for). Awww... Kiki and Lala... Memories of my childhood...

Day 3:

Such cute colors all in one bangle! Reminds me of these yummy colors.

PhP280 at the Greenhills tiangge.

Day 4:

Ate with my friends L & T at this cute little restaurant, Stacy's, in Capitol Greenstreet in Capitol Hills.

The interiors were sooooo adorable!

Notice the pink rotary phone & fridge, the chalkboard panels & matroyshka print? Oh, happiness!

They actually had me at hello because that pink polka-dotted mug with popcorn, strawberry pretzels & marshmallows is what they greet patrons with. I was late for our lunch date and L & T resisted eating the sweet table treats just so I could see the pretty mug when I arrived. Such sweet friends, right? :)

I was also delighted to see my heart-shaped rice. :) Too bad I forgot to take photos of the striped paper straws that the drinks came with and the butter ball candies that came with the receipt. They really paid attention to the littlest details... like these ones...

The servers actually wore Cath Kidston aprons like those. And that picket-fence area is actually a play area for kids - with a mini garden set and toy bread in a gingham-lined basket. Is it obvious I was smitten?

Day 5:

I was still gushing over Stacy's so I decided to write a post about it. But I couldn't remember the new name of the Capitol Hills complex where the resto belonged. So I googled it and stumbled upon Our Awesome Planet's review of Stacy's. He called the interiors "Heima-inspired" so naturally, I clicked on the link and found the website of the cutest store! Heima sells the most adorable things too (washi tapes included)!

I want the chalkboards in all colors (they also have it in a mustard-looking orange and a navy-looking blue gray)! And I loooove the subtle tiffany blue button-tufting & seat-piping peeking out from the gray T-shaped chair!

Day 6:

I trooped to Rustan's Shangri-la Tower for Dwell Studio's End of Season Sale.

I was never a big fan of pink, but I guess all the cute pinks this week got me so enamored by the pink version of my chocolate Madison Dots bag.

Day 7:

The Bitbit The Rabbit Plush Toys I ordered from Spinkie arrived! I bought them as gifts for 2 adorable babies.

But I secretly wanted to keep the plush toys for myself. Even through their plastic container, they looked so soft & cuddly.

Oh, it was such a delightful week! All these adorable things, as Heima perfectly put it, "made my senses smile & my heart flutter". Happiness!

Photos are my own and from Heima & Spinkie - edited on my iPhone with the free Instapic Frame/Collage app.

Oh, in case you didn't notice, the colored words throughout this post link to more happy, adorable things! Happy clicking! :)

Color Obsession: Tiffany blue

I know, I know. Emerald green is the pantone color of 2013. But I am still obsessed with the signature robin's-egg-blue that goes with a completely different gem from the emerald - the solitaire diamond. Even without the diamond, I am still smitten with Tiffany & Co's blue hue. Perhaps it is true that it is the color of dreams.

The color seems to promise something beautiful, making even a rotting, old door dreamy...

Am not sure I'd want to actually eat these macarons (what flavor could they be?!), but boy, are they pretty to look at!

I might taste a bit of this cake...

I'd even be tempted to buy this recipe box... which says a lot 'coz I don't even know how to cook!

Am allergic to nail polish here and even if I weren't, I'm not even sure I'd like Tifffany blue nails, but I can't stop looking at this Tiffany blue tiny bottle.

Even this bag lured me when it came out a couple of months ago... Even though I already have several blue bags and have sworn off buying bags here... Even though I know thebaghagdiaries is right that it is too delicate (prone to scratches & stains)... But it is just so darn pretty...

It's funny how my head sees the practical reasons I should say no to all the Tiffany blue finds above, and yet my heart is still entranced. I guess it's because there's something magical about the color... The promise of something wonderful from the iconic tiny, little T&Co blue box...

After all, T&Co has been doing this for over 175 years.

And while it could just be a dream or a fantasy...

... this Tiffany blue color certainly evokes real feelings of wonder & delight.

Photos from polkadotshoppingbag, americanhoney & thebaghagdiaries.

Click here for previous posts from the Color Obsession series. 

Today, I am loving...

The kids are back in school so my new year officially begins today. Am back to "work" on my errands & projects today. The date & days of the week are again important to note unlike during the Christmas break when it really didn't matter what day it was (it just seemed to be one loooong happy weekend!).

So today, I am loving... these free 2013-calendar printables! Just click on the colored links below...

Love the cheerful colors of the letters of each month, especially against the gray typography of the spelled-out 2013 of The Tomkat Studio.

These polka dot calendars from The Twinery are pretty too!

You can even download them in a mini-calendar size!

Here's a gray & yellow (remember this combo from here?) full-year calendar from L@u's Notebook.

Notice the washi tape holding up the calendar? :)

Here's a whimsical option from The Ink Nest.

If you adore owls, try this one from My Owl Barn. 

You can customize your calendar with artworks of owls from many different artists.

My favorite of all is this candy-themed mini-calendar from Eat Drink Chic. Of all the printable calendars in this post, I chose this set and had it printed at Kameraworld for PhP7.75 per sheet (you just need to convert the pdf file into jpg).

Am not really sure what I will use it for (Perhaps a desk calendar? Eeep! Should I have just printed the other polka dot calendar, the one from The Twinery? But...) I loooove the pretty striped & dotted patterns of this sweet calendar!

Plus, you know how I love candy here & here.

Isn't this the most adorable calendar set?

Today, I am loving... these free 2013-calendar printables all over the web. I am amazed at the generosity of the artists who designed these pretty calendars and made it available to everyone for free! 

Not all, but most of these, I found via deliciouslyorganized.

Click here for previous posts from the Today, I am loving... series.