Celebrity Watch - February 2010

Kate Winslet - the beauty in black

The always gorgeous Kate Winslet has been favouring black this season. At the Golden Globe Awards function, she wore a one shoulder black dress from Atelier Yves Saint Laurent that perfetly accentuated her perfect figure.

She highlighted the design's pearl and crystal embroidery with diamonds from Tiffany & Co and wore her hair in a chignon that looked just perfect with the dress. She looked every inch glamorous and classy.
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Kate Winslet at 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards

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How to create a chignon like Kate Winslet?
From her hair dresser: "I wanted Kate Winslet to look like a glamorous woman with a slightly undone style," said Frederic Fekkai celebrity hairstylist Renato Campora, who created the look. He mixed mousse with glossing cream to rough-up the hair, then set the entire head in pin curls. After the curls had set, he gathered all the hair at the back of the neck, set it with bobby pins, and added a touch of shine serum. The final touch? "I bent the ends with a one-inch curling iron to make them pretty," he said.

(Source)

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At the British Academy Film Awards 2010, Kate Winslet wore a sexy black Stella McCartney gown with Stella McCartney sandals and Tiffany & Co. jewelry. She showed off her svelte shape in a peek-a-boo gown with lace insets.
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Kate Winslet at British Academy Film Awards 2010

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Colour Popping

Jennifer Garner attended the 12th Annual "I have a Dream" Foundation's Gospel Brunch in Los Angeles. Jennifer wore a brilliant fuchsia Dior minidress; she paired the dress with cork-soled wedges.

Jennifer Garner
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The French actress Audrey Tautou looked totally chic at the BAFTA Awards in London. Tautou wore a lovely cocktail-length coral Lanvin dress, which she accessorized with pops of red: lipstick, pumps and clutch included. The red looked lovely with the dress, loving this shade of red.

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Audrey Tautou

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Doing the Bling

Kate Hudson attended the Burberry Prorsum 2010 Autumn/Winter fashion show during London Fashion Week clad in a Buberry Prorsum emerald mini dress and shoes from the same designer house.

At the show, Kate stole the spotlight in an ultra-short sequined green design. She wore sky high black platform heels with the dress and paired a chunky ring in black.
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Kate Hudson

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Taking shimmer tip from Kate: When wearing shimmer all over, take a tip from Hudson and add chunky accessories in a neutral hue that would add glam to the dress at the same time tone down the shimmer.

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At the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards in California, Taylor Swift had heads turned when she arrived in a sequinned blue off-the-shoulder sparkly gown by Kaufman Franco. Her sheath dress fitted impeccably ang her hair and makeup were a perfection. Authentic as usual. She did an updo style with wavy hair, her signature (she later opened her hair that looked equally lovely).


She accessorised her down with diamond bracelets, diamond teardrop danglers and matching blue sandals. Totally loved her long dropped diamond earrings. She looks fab!
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Taylor Swift at 52nd Grammy Awards

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Glowing in Gold was none other than the fashion forward Sarah Jessica Parker at the Halston Fashion Show in NYC. Ms Parker led the Fashion Week in a pleated gold top by Halston and cropped black pants. For accessories, she added extra shine via a sparkling statement necklace, structured thorn clutch by Cassandra LA (love the clutch, isn't it gorgeous?), and Prada studded sandals. Chain wrap bracelets and a square-cut ring complete her fashion fire.

Despite going on too much on accesories on a gold top, the black pants and sandals perfectly added the just required balance to the blingy look. While leaving the show, Sarah wore a pretty pink and bloe brocade jacket.
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Sarah Jessica Parker at the Halston Fashion Show

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Get Sarah Jessica Parker's look by adding eye-popping jewelry to a metallic blouse—just pair with a pencil skirt or slim trousers for an understated finish.
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Anne Hathaway glowed in a sequined bronze Vivienne Westwood dress at the Alice in Wonderland London Premiere. She paired her dress with gold heels and red nails. She was every inch the siren in a figure-flaunting bustier dress glowing in gold.
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Anne Hathaway at the Alice in Wonderland London Premiere

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{Weekly Giveaway}: Bird in Flight

This week's giveaway is from the lovely shop Bird in Flight Boutique, where you can find feminine pieces of handmade jewelry!

You have the next 7 days to enter to WIN the lovely necklace ABOVE or this or even this one!

Terms and Conditions as usual, Now to last week's winner... Congratulation to Post 2 Comment 7, that's you AdoreVintage!! I will contact you shortly for delivery address :)xx

fail and pass

Yesterday I walked into my studio to find Bethanie, the kiln, flashing “FAIL” on her control panel. Not a good way to start the day especially since the kiln was filled with orders that were in their glaze firing. The pieces did not reach the necessary high temperature, and look all shriveled up and color-less.

Bethanie’s “fail” message pretty much summed up the day to follow: I had another failure casting the large boat vases I have been working on for months. Huge cracks formed on the sides, as the porcelain was not shrinking off the mold evenly. Sigh. That was my fourth attempt. Coincidentally, a potter from Austen, TX wrote me asking for my advice on her plate molds. Her pieces were forming huge cracks as they dried in the molds, too. Needless to say, I did not have a solution for her, but wait, maybe I do now...

Today I walked into my studio to find the vases dried off the mold perfectly! Tears of relief welled up as I popped open the molds. Here is the result, next to it’s wooden original. Whew.

How did I finally achieve this, you are asking? Simply by dusting the mold with a light coating of Nepheline Syenite (no, it’s not something you find on the ingredient list of Twinkies, but a genuine mineral). This trick was suggested by my former professor at RISD, Larry Bush, so I can’t take the credit. My somewhat uneducated guess is that the fine particles of Neph Sy allow the porcelain to slide along unhindered as it dries and shrinks in the mold. Oh happy day.

As for Bethanie’s “fail” message, once I stopped hyperventilating, I looked it up in the manual. It meant that I needed to replace the thermocouple. All that drama for a simple fix. If any Skutt Kiln techs read this, please consider programming something like “time to change that pesky thermocouple, don’t panic” instead of “FAIL” into the control panel. Gentler wording might prevent a heart attack... just puttin’ it out there.

Spring Candy

Finding myself drawn to the soft pastel spring colours recently...

{via Hello, Lolla}

{Topshop}

{alljoboninternet.co.uk}

Spring by the Lake

Wishing spring would hurry its footsteps...

I never thought the combination of swimsuit + chunky knit would be a great look, but this editorial proved me wrong! However to make it just a little more practical without loosing the relaxed chic factor, how about adding an extra layer in the sense of a cotton dress?

{All from Net-a-porter.com } Editorial by Nicholas Routzen

A Navy Coat

Hello my dears! I'm back from my holidays (photos to follow) and right now the UK seems extremely cold to me... all I want right now is a lovely warm navy coat with faux fur collars...

{images by Simon Filip}

thank you Apartment Therapy!

This week is DIY week at Apartment Therapy, and I am grateful that my dessert plate process (shown below) was featured. Thank you Sarah Rainwater, our very own Providence correspondent for AT!

Designer to watch out for: Peter Pilotto

Peter Pilotto, the new name in th fasion industry that has caught the attention of some o the biggest fashionistas including Jessica Alba and The First Lady Ms Michelle Obama, is surely a brand to watch out for. Their collection embraces both new and classic perspectives on elegance.

There are two individuals and four cultures behind the Peter Pilotto collection. Peter Pilotto is half Austrian, half Italian and his partner Christopher De Vos is half Belgian, half Peruvian. The former is the textile expert while De Vos concentrates on the silhouette and draping. The result is a collection that embodies otherwordly prints combined with soft sculptural shapes. The team describes their design process as being very organic and their fascination with a scientific view of nature is reflected in the stunning hyper real prints found in the collection.

Peter Pilotto Spring/Summer 2010 Collection

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Peter Pilotto in Celebs Wardrobes

The ever chic lady Jessica Alba was spotted at The Beverly Hilton Hotel to promote the new movie “Valentine’s Day”, in a beautiful Peter Pilotto Spring 2010 mini dress. Love the mix of colours which look like a moody sunset, blush and deep blue in mettalic painted over the faint snakeskin pattern.

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Jessica Alba
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Model Claudia Schiffer wore a printed red and black Peter Pilotto drape dress at the British Fashion Awards at Royal Courts of Justice.

Claudia Schiffer

Where to buy Peter Pilotto's outfits?
http://www.feathersfashion.com/
http://www.mytheresa.com/
http://www.net-a-porter.com/Shop/Designers/Peter_Pilotto

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Updates on Posts

Updated: Best Vegetarian Beauty and Cosmetic Brands Directory

New brands added in the makeup and skin care:

1. Bioéthique - Bioéthique is a premium skin and body care brand that is absolutely cruelty-free and eco-friendly. All of their products are made in France, are Third Party Certified Organic (they have created the world's first and only lines of Third Party Certified Organic skin and body care products), natural & plant-based, cruelty-free & vegan. As they say, 'Our skin and body care is carefully crafted in small batches in the heart of Provence, France where ........

2. Chritopher Drummond - Drummond is a luxury line of vegan makeup brand made from 100% natural, organic ingredients. With over 15 years of experience in the cosmetic industry, Drummond knows exactly what women want when it comes to their makeup. The ingredients used in each product contain soothing and healing properties, natural sunscreen and potent antioxidants. Christopher Drummond's client list includes Jennifer Lopez, Paula Patton, January Jones. Their makeup products are ........

3. DermaQuest's DermaBrush - DermaBrush collection offers naturally antimicrobial, environmentally friendly and vegan luxury makeup brushes. They are created by a panel of top makeup artists. The entire line is made of high-quality, synthetic fibers. The non-shedding brush styles include: kabuki, .........
Note: DermaBrush is a vegan line, however not all products of DermaQuest are vegan, so check their website before buying.

4. Green and Spring - Green & Spring offers bath and body range of products which captures the spirit of the British countryside by blending herbs, flowers and plants native to the British Isles. The Company is 100% vegetarian and uses 100% natural botanical materials. You can buy their products online from Liberty.co.uk or Asos.com (asos ships worldwide). A list of their other ...........

5. Naturacare - Natracare has feminine hygiene products for all the vegan ladies. They manufacture organic cotton tampons, wipes, pads, liners, incontinence pads, maternity products, toiletries and baby wipes. The comfort of certified organic, 100% cotton next to the skin together with the totally chlorine-free, plastic free biodegradable materials, means that Natracare is not only cruelty-free female hygience brand but ........

For more information, click here (complete list with details and reviews)





Updated: In spot: Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga makes an impression at Brit Awards 2010 in her white lacy body suit and at another event, she's in an unusual getup (which is actually not unusual when it comes to Gaga), where she has pearls glued on her face.

For more pictures and details, click here.


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Spring/Summer 2010 Trends and Must Haves

The chill is getting sub-dued. And the warmer and fun season would start. The Spring/Summer Collection is hitting the stores now, so before you head for shopping, just check the Spring/Summer 2010 trends.

The strong woman is swept aside and a more feminine, flirty and fun is in. Tulle, ruffles, ribbons, florals, pastels, patterned skirts, delicate fabrics and bows dominated Spring 2010 runways.

Simple and clear cut shapes, elegance, fresh pastel colours, flirty dresses, clean white silhouettes, electric blue, supercool sneakers, ultra short (dresses, skirts and pants) are the key trends of this Spring/Summer.


Patterns and Prints

This spring/summer is rich in prints, especially patterened skirts. The big fashion houses that displayed this tend in their shows include Annua Sui, Etro, Balenciaga, Luella and Betsey Johnson.

Floral is huge, but there are many other varieties in patterns to choose from including graphic prints, abstract shapes, tribal-infused patterns, polka dots, plaids and stripes. Floral pantsuits were also quie popular with the designers.
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Pick a smart short and sleeveless dresses in closely gathered prints, you can easily wear them from a morning at the farmer's market to an evening out with friends. Prints and patterns also present a perfect opportunity to showcase color. Go natural with a fresh citrus scheme or think pretty with pinks and pastels. A more fun and feminine look would be wearing a floral dress with lace tights.

Like a patterened skirt? Wear a flowy, solid-colored top to go with patterned pencil skirts and a tailored, feminine blouse for fuller styles. Nice platform pumps would be perfect to complete the look.

You can always temper with a black belt and a black jacket. The possibilities are endless!

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Sneakers

Supercool sneakers are in this spring/summer. Wear these gorgeous pairs with boyfriend jeans and a fine-knit sweater to lend your daywear sparkle. Or pair them with leggings and a blazer to work urban cool with a feminine edge.

To add a more feminine touh to the look, wear a lacey camisole with slim trousers and a nice girly sneakers. They're fun.
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Lanvin floral Sneakers for $620, DKNY Moore Sequined Sneakers for $98 (top right), River Island pink sneakers for £13 and Pink Studded Sneakers for £25.

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Electric Blue

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Electric blue hue is hot this season. The colour looks fresh and suits every skin tone. In fact, this colour has ben showcased in even the Fall/Winter 2010-2011 lines. So girls on budget can add this colour in the wardrobe to be sure it takes you through the Winter, and to make a statement.

You can wear the colour with whites, blacks. If a dress or a top would be bit much, then just add a pop of colour with nice pair of blue shoes or a stylish blue bag or a scarf. Love the Ossie Clark blue scarf (below). Its stylish and smart, and the pop of blue looks perfect.

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Ossie Clark scarf for £56, Catherine Malandrino ruffle top for £271 and Chloé clogs (£83) in electric blue

Spring Summer 2010 Beauty Trends

Natural an playful is the trend this spring summer. Neon brights fade away this summer while pastels are injected with just enough pigment for the drama. Complexions are fresh with a flawless finish; whatever foundation you wear make sure it's light and natural this season. Lips are in a word, pink.

Go nude, nude tones created an effortless on-the-go look, with flawless skin being the focus. Barely there makeup was ubiquitous on the runways of Gucci, Chloe, Balmain and Burberry.

Nudes and pinks to rein the lips this summer. Models at Stella McCartney, Gucci, and Burberry wore nudes and sheer pinks on the lips, keeping warm weather beauty simple and chic. Slick on a pale pink gloss or dot a beige lipstick on your pout for the hottest beauty trend this season. The closer your lipstick colour is to your natural lip colour, the trendier it is.

Purple your eyes this spring/summer, it's Hot and really makes the eye pop. From soft lilac to stronger blocked purples, whatever suits your skin tone best. From runways to celebs, everyone is loving this season's purple eye trend. It goes great with the nude faces.

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Dazzling party pieces for Spring/Summer 2010

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Spring Bling, crystals, gold and glitters are high in this season's party trend, but in soft hues. Chic but not loud, these party pieces have an elegance and glamour that offsets the glitz.
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Lipsy Brocade Prom Dress for £65 and Oasis Sequin Crop Top for £38

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Karen Millen Sequined Knitted Jacket (left) for £135 and Alice + Olivia 'Casey' Sequin Dress (right) for $495

Remember the rule when you wear the bling: be chic, not showy.

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Running through Autumn

Gorgeous autumn forest...

{photos by Lauren Withrow}

Daydreaming...

Currently relaxing and daydreaming in Sanya...

{photos by Yuli Sato}

small swirl plates

For the past few months I have been working on a new shape of plate. A small plate that can be used for a salad or dessert. I was motivated by a client who liked the swirl plates, but requested a set of eight slightly smaller and the swirl in a variety of bright colors. A good challenge, making a new plate shape from scratch is time-consuming.

First step is to pour a block of plaster, and carve it to the shape I want. I use stainless steel sheeting due to its bend-ability. It works well to create round shapes.

After the original is carved, I make a set of casting molds, or negatives of the original shape. Before I can start pouring in the porcelain, the molds have to dry, which takes a few weeks.

When the porcelain is poured, the sides are always a mess and need cleaning. I don’t mind this step as it gives me the opportunity to create a variety of edges, making each plate unique.

The cast porcelain takes a few days to dry out before it can be fired for the first time.

The swirl is painted on during the "green" stage, when the plate is dry, but not yet fired. The color appears dull at this phase, but that will change in the firings: a bisque followed by a high-fire glaze.

In the glaze firing, the porcelain turns white, and the swirls brighten to their true color. I’m happy the way this particular clear glaze retains the color’s juiciness and makes it look like watercolor.

The final plates are a handy 7" in diameter, perfect for a slice of cake or cookies. Click here for ordering information.