All Pretty Things

change of closet

Most of us go through some clothes change right when spring starts. Time to get rid of all that winter-looking wool!

However, only a few of us do that same thing for our homes. But really, we all should! In winter, your home should be warm and cozy, but when spring comes, you should feel fresh and energized! Even at home. After a good spring cleaning, I usually change things around at home, clean blankets and replace cushion covers welcoming spring into our home. I found some products at Zara Home that will help you get the spring look immediately! It is only six products, but trust me. Just by changing a couple of things, you will get a fresh and new feeling.

 

If you would like the change to be more dramatic, or you don't know where to start, you can always contact me at info@andreaibargutxi.com and I can help you style your home for the new season!

inspiration wednesday week 11

 

//no words//one image//every wednesday//

 

{Tajika Herb Shears}

...on my wishlist.

 

Alpaca cable knit dress from COS. I wonder when their Amsterdam store will finally open...

 

wedding gifts

My husband's parents are super nice and not only did they help us with the wedding costs, but they also gave us the starting pieces of our new cutlery. It's Pott's 25 and I love it. We got it from Vivian Hann, one of my favorite stores in Amsterdam. It's very exquisite and the eye for detail in the store is impressive.

 

I will take us a while to get all the pieces, but it's one of these things you buy with no rush and thinking that it's for 'forever'.

Have a lovely weekend!

latest acquisition at home

 

Hella Jongerius' B-series vase. One day I'd like to own all the series!

 

animal print

I love this paper from De Vlieger, mmm... I might have to get it! 

The problem is, there are many others I like too...that's so hard about going to paper stores, you want to have it all! Or at least, I do. ;)

 

shoe shopping

Wedding shoe shopping is not being very successful...but it has been super fun! I truly thought this would be the easy part, as I looove shoes; yes, I've been called Imelda. I guess I need to look further.

Anyway, in my search, I found these flats by Jenni Kayne. Oh how I love them. The nude pinkish suede, the 90's shape, lovely. I wish I needed flats. :) And I also used the image for a little nude color palette for myself.

 

Have a lovely Sunday!

 

xoxo

Loving...

...Herriott Grace's Cloud Cookie cutter.

 

inspiration wednesday week 49

//no words//one image//every wednesday//

{via Billet}

winter

I am considering getting one of these jackets for this winter. This one...

 

 or this other one....

 

 {both from Zara} 

Maybe I'll try them on this weekend. After years of avoiding 'beige', it's time to bring it back into my closet.

Happy weekend!

me want...

...this Ally Capellino bag. Thank you.

Accessories

I would love to own this Pomellato ring. Isn't it cute??

Last week a good friend of mine was visiting us in Amsterdam and while shopping with her we talked about accessories and I told her that I don't buy any ear-rings, necklaces or rings anymore as I used to ten years ago. Sometimes while I'm getting readu I feel like wearing some other jewelry than what I wear everyday, but that's where the thought stops. For some reason, the conversation has been in my head ever since.

And the truth is, I wasn't totally honest. True, I don't own many jewels nor I buy them, but the reason why I don't is not because I don't like half of the things I see (which is also a reason), but because the half I do like, I can't afford! And I don't want second bests. 

So for now, the only thing to do for me is dream! One day, one day...

Summer is not over

I know it's August, new collections in all places, days getting shorter... but I still feel like buying summer dresses and thinking of beach nights.

The fact that I discovered Ruche via Snippet&Ink is not really helping either...

Probably it's because I can't shop (due to lack of work) that I dream about shopping so much but I promised myself that once I get a normal full-time job, the first salary will be destined to shopping. I know I probably won't do it and will end up paying bills and saving the rest like I always do, but I love fantasizing about spending money on clothes and shoes right now.

Thursday

I keep thinking today it's Tuesday; where does time go? somewhere between homework and organizing trips days passed by without me realizing...

Within that lost time, I found some Etsy items that draw a smile on my Tuesday Thursday.

Pony, by donkeypony

Good morning valentine, by jodii

 

Blue Copco Dutch Oven by Michael Lax, TheWhiteMole

Wee bud vases by mudpuppy

Mod Plaid Oval Ottoman by Flipstudio

This morning...

...I was having toasts with coffee like every morning. I love breakfast. But I was also having a look at Toast. This is my wish list (a selection).

Work space

Hello.

Today I will talk about the recent changes in my life. Read further if you wish. :-)

Some time ago I told you I was very very busy and I couldn't post for a week (not that I post so often, but anyway). Well, the reason why I was so busy was because I was preparing an intake 'exam' for a school.

Almost 3 months ago I left my job, mainly because I was working on a field where my creativity and interests were being diminished to zero. And so I left, with no other job. I interviewed for a retail job, in fashion, where I was accepted. I thought I would be able to do some fashion styling, on a little scale, and see whether that was what I wanted to do with my life. And it was not. So I left that job as well. After that I told myself to hold on, slow down and enjoy the freedom of not having a job before I made another move. 

And so I did. It took me two months to finally decide that studying again was my best shot. The other thing I decided along the way is that fashion is not the field I want to work on for now. I want to leave fashion for me, for my free time, for my blog; not for work. So I will be studying an Interior Styling course, starting on September. I am so so HAPPY!!! I can't wait to start.

 

Because it's a part-time study program, I will need to spend many hours working on projects at home. And this requires a good working space, where I can be creative without destroying our dining table and where I can store all sorts of materials and have it all ordered. This is basically going to be an interior styling project before I start school. The room (pictured above) where I need to create this space is our guest-room/laundry-room/study-room. And it has to remain with these three functionalities.  Phew, this is going to be hard. The room is rather small, about 12 square meters and we don't want to spend much money either, so a lot of creativity needs to be put into practice. But I am sure I'll make a nice room out of it. After all, this is what I want to do.

Wish me luck!

Sales

You know I don't like sales. But sales are handy. 

 

Yesterday it rained like crazy in Amsterdam. Luckily not while I was shopping. I didn't really intend to go shopping but I needed to return some jeans I bought thinking they were so comfortable but then realizing they were just too big. I entered Zara hoping I'd find something I really wanted for like...10 euros? no such luck. But I did go up to Zara Home. And I ended up getting two of these 'tafellopers' (in Dutch). And I love them! It has taken me ages to find some I liked!! I am that picky. The pattern somehow reminds me of of this dress I also love from Mocium seen at (and owned by) Lena Corwin.

Here it is, this morning while having breakfast.

 

Still doubting

Yesterday I went shopping for a dress to wear to my friend's wedding. Entered Zara and came out with this gorgeous dress. I love it. And I wanted something like this, summery, flowery, not too formal. 

But I am still doubting. I have big well, breasts, and it's basically the only difficulty I have (meaning to write about this for ages) when buying clothes, especially dresses. Well, no, buying anything. And so, this dress has quite a big cleavage and that would been a small bra, and that means that I will be showing quite some flesh and I don't particularly like that. So, I don't know...I think I'll keep on searching...:-(

 

This post is dedicated to my friend Vicky

Hi Vicky,

Remember how we went to the market last Saturday and managed to NOT buy anything and talk about men and other well...subjects, the whole afternoon? and you know how I always listen to all your nightlife stories half-perplex-half-in-admiration and then I feel childish although I am older than you? well, that is because I AM childish. The difference is you bought your cover thingy for your i-pod and I nodded in total agreement that that was the best for i-pods to be protected. But see, then I go to H&M and I see a rabbit-wallet and I HAD TO buy it and use it as i-pod protection...it just makes me smile whenever I look at it...hihi..haha...hoho...oh, so funny...I thought I'd let you know...

xx Andrea

Another wedding

Do you also have weddings this year? I only have one actually. But since I have at least one per year, it does seem like yet another wedding in terms of dress finding/buying. Before I got to this age when friends start getting married I would dream of dresses I would wear to my friends' weddings. Now the whole fantasy has vanished and has been replaced by the horror of not finding what I want...it's not easy to shop for a party dress. 

 

I am looking for something easy to wear, elegant, and possibly NOT black. This YSL above could totally do it for instance. But I would also love to wear something more summery, more floral, like the Carolina Herrera below.

   

Moving to color, this Alberta Ferretti (below) wouldn't be a bad idea either...

 

Of course, the question is: how to find any of these in a cheaper version that I can afford? well, I will have to go and properly search. I wish we had a  J. Crew store in A'dam, cause any of these would be a possible and affordable solution to my wedding dilemmas..

Ah well, the search continues....

Keeping the receipt

Intelligent as I am, I always keep the receipt of whatever I buy. I am known to keep the card hanging from the dress I bought until the day I wear it. The same goes for everything else. And I did keep the receipt for my Castañer espadrilles. And yes, I did change them. Too many doubts. The girl at Pilar Chica must think I am insane, well, I am a bit, really. I went there asking if they had the same model but with the crossed canvas on the toes instead. She said she didn't, and I considered changing color to stone sandy, that much I liked the crossed canvas. (I think it was at this point that she thought I was crazy). Yet, I wondered about the round toe and checked all the espadrilles one by one again. And when I saw these pink salmony ones, I fell in love. So much, that the girl at the shop found the crossed canvas black ones and I still ended up going home with the pink ones. Oh, It feels so right when you have no doubts...and aren't they lovely??

You have probably noticed that the color between both shoes is a little different, but I got a discount, so that's fine. Oh, I am really happy.

On a more delicate subject and trying to keep the same theme up...I kind of kept my receipt for my retail job and I kind of returned it? So ignore my previous entry. I was totally wrong thinking I'd like it. I didn't at all and I am at a point when I want to have a job I really like and work hard for something I care for. You are thinking either a) get in the line or b) yeah! of course, just like me, it's so great. I want to belong to group b, cause I do like working and being responsible for things and thinking better ways, and negotiating, oh I love negotiating. Right now, I am considering everything, from freelancing to studying to doing it all together, because I would like to get it right. I know I'll get there, it's all a matter of time I am sure, right? right?

Shopping

This week I have been off but did not exactly go as I dreamed it would. I wish time was more flexible and stretchy... I imagined my days full of activities, baking, cooking...and did none of the planned things. One of the things on my To Do List was going shopping. Essentially, I really need(ed) shoes for my new job.

You guessed it, I found none. Well, I did find some and I also just bought them, but they don't fit in the category of 'standing-on-your feet-8-hours". What can I say? don't you just love them?

I wanted these Castañer espadrille wedges for around 3-4 years now but always found an excuse not to buy them... I just could not resist this time. I doubted between the satin version or the canvas, but then I figured that the canvas is the most original and the style I was looking for. Also doubted on the color, then decided black is always good and I can wear them forever (or, in my case, until they break). My last doubt while pressing my PIN code: toe. The toe is square this year and deep down, I like the round toe more. But I can buy the stone color ones with the round toe when they make them again (I am sure they will), right? Right.

Now I am waiting for the 25 ºC....

HEMA

I can't beleive I haven't written about Hema before. Hema is one of the most precious shops I know. If I ever moved away from Holland, I would terribly miss it.

How to define it...Hema has it all really, from food to clothes, to bike tires. And it's all lovely. It's one of these shops were you come in wanting to buy candles and you end up buying towels, candles, photo frames and a new baking dish. The price is wonderfully wonderful and I must say that the quality is good (in proportion to the price).

If you come to The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany or Luxemburg, visit Hema. I am sure you will love it!

Never ever again

Remember my doubt for Uggs? well, I thought I'd go for it and get them. After all, I think they are a classic. Coincidentally, I saw on the Betsy Palmer site that they were holding a Sample Sale for Uggs. I thought of going, then forgot. And then on Friday, a colleague tells me she is going. I couldn't resist and thought: what the heck, let's see how it is. I got up at 6:30, had a quick shower and took a tram to my colleague's place at 7:14. Eight in the morning we were there...with another 1000 million people, no, really, at least a thousand. The doors had not opened yet and since the place was an industrial building,we thought it would be able to host us all. I lost all hopes for buying anything, but wanted to see the Sample Sale. Well, the door opened and just as if your life depended on Uggs, girls started screaming. Children (yes, parents do these kind of crimes to their kids) were 'stage diving', people climbing cars.

I stood there for 10 minutes, I believe. I am a shoe lover, a fashion lover, I spend hours thinking, writing, talking about fashion. But this, never again. Seriously, it's shoes, just shoes. I think most of the sold shoes are now on Ebay. Sad, I rephrase, pathetic.

Maybe I should have thought about the kind of poeple that would kill for real Uggs at half price. I refuse to elbow for shoes. I even hate normal sales!!!

why did I go? I wonder...