Penncroft Attic Photoshoot

Back in June of last year, sister-in-law, Emily, and myself started a vintage Etsy shop. After a few sales and a lot of New Years motivation we are kickstarting the shop! Today we took a little trip across the street to the State Park by my house. We wanted to showcase this beautiful fox fur collar coat we picked up at a vintage warehouse in Philly. A simple dress form didn't do this stylishly mod coat justice, but Emily is rockin' it!

Want it for yourself? Hurry up before it's gone! Penncroft Attic

My Nail Polish Dilemma

I have finally come to terms with my love of nail polish.

Even though the first time I ever got a manicure in a salon was for my wedding two years ago, that doesn't mean I don't do them myself at home on a regular basis. I have a fair amount of colorful little polishes lined up in the bathroom, and I'd wager that my toenails are lacquered 95% of the time. I'm sure a lot of girls can relate. After all the other natural options I've been switching to I've conveniently forgotten about the tiny bottles of formaldehyde I paint my nails with. There are no two ways about it, nail polish is little concoction of chemicals. Mother Nature doesn't have a way of adhering a glossy, metallic hued color on a surface for days at a time. So, okay, it's not that much, it's only on my nails? But there's also the environmental factor, tossing old nail polish bottles is just as bad as tossing out house paint, or batteries*. Great. 

Even "natural" nail polishes aren't one hundred percent natural, but they don't have the triple crown of chemicals: toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and formaldehyde. I guess that's a step in the right direction. But it begs the question, is it really worth it, do I need nail polish in my life? 

So, I've decided to go polish free for the summer and see what happens to me. (Or rather, see if I can stand my long toes baring it all.) Maybe it will be nice to not concern myself with chipping polish...

Here's where I'm getting my facts from:

Huffington Post

WebMD

The Daily Green

Some natural polish brands that are "Three free":

Priti

Zoya

Butter London

Sante

Nars

Rescue Beauty Lounge

Scotch Naturals

* To properly dispose of nail polish, uncap it in a well ventilated area and let it harden. Only then is it "acceptable" to throw out.

Thrifted Friday: Vintage Cowboy Boots

I have a new consignment shop favorite located in Manayunk, The Attic. I've always found fun, trendy items there, but only recently have I taken my own clothes there to consign. I like consigning with them mainly because they don't have a minimum amount of clothes that they will accept, which is great for someone like myself who cleans out their closet every season. They also offer 30% in cash of the consignment value of your items or 50% in store credit. I opted for store credit and went home with some great pieces, including these boots!

I don't think I can ever have enough boots, and I've been longing for a classic western pair. These fit the  bill perfectly, and my feet too! I fell in love with the warm tones and tooled details. 

Caring for leather is a bit tricky. Especially older worn items. The leather stiffens without wear and needs a little TLC to restore it's supple finish. I clean my leather items with some warm water and bit of Dr. Bronner's castile soap. It's super gentle and won't leave any residue. You can delicately wipe and spot clean the leather with that mixture and a soft cloth. Let the leather completely dry, then if it's stiff like these boots use a moisturizer, like Leather Honey. It's got a waxy consistency that you apply a thin coat of and let it sink in. It will completely transform tough leather, and will help maintain new leather. Now, these boots are ready for walkin'!

More Wrapped Jewelry

So easy I felt the photos explain all you need to know!

DIY Colorful Wrapped Hoop Earrings

I've been seeing these around, and thought, "I can do that!". I have a few pairs of hoops that I don't wear anyway. I wanted to try these first because the shape is a bit more interesting than regular hoops. They're a little rough at the ends, but I was happy with how they turned out for a first attempt.

1. Start with long lengths (2') of whatever colors you'd like to work with. (I wouldn't suggest any more than 3 colors because it will make your beginning knot too large). Put a the tiniest dab of hot glue at the top, just to hold 'em in place, then knot the threads at the top of the earring. 
2. Tuck the fringe and begin wrapping your first color around them tightly and evenly. You'll be wrapping around the other threads, but you won't see them because you're wrapping so evenly.
3. When you want to change colors just pick up the next color and begin wrapping. Remember to consistently wrap in the same direction. Work you way around the hoop.
4. When you get near the end put another teeny dab at the end and wrap it up before it dries. Tie another knot.
5. Use small sharp scissors or an Xacto knife to trim the fringe. 
6. Dab a little clear nail polish on the ends.
7. I used 2 coats of hairspray all over to keep the thread in place, and I think, to make them slightly more durable without messing with the color or texture of the thread.

Easy huh? I'm thinking of wrapping a plastic bangle next with some thicker thread.

Spring Ahead!

In honor of Daylight Savings Time here in the Eastern Standard part of the world, I thought I'd post some springy watches. Yay for more daylight!

Anne Klein, $65

Betsey Johnson, $95

Marc Jacobs, $200

Adidas, $93