bella vintage

NEW BLOG HOME!

2011-04-04T14:44:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday to you my blog friends! i am hoping you all are having a lovely start to your week! phase two of our transition is finally complete, our new blog home will remain on blogger not wordpress as i intended it to be. the url is giselaandzoe.blogspot.com

I felt i should stick to blogger because i knew all the in's and out's of it down to the html already. wordpress, although a really great blog home for business blogs deemed to complicated for me design wise, and was taking allot of precious time i need to concentrate on the restructuring of our brand.

I still am working out our logo and overall design aesthetic in my mind; but that will come after i've got everything up and running smoothly. one of my quirks that can be good and bad like most quirks can be is that of being a perfectionist. i've unfortunately handed this one down to Zoe. when it comes to my sketch's, design, sewing etc.. my perfectionism kicks and and i am too much!

Any-hoo please save our new blog home or follow us on any of the various blog readers. this one will stay up for a while until i know most of you have caught on to where our new blog home is now!

Thanks for reading and for following us through our transition and growth of our brand! I appreciate you all!

xoxo,

gisela

giselaandzoe.blogspot.com

MISHA LULU SPRING 11

2011-03-29T11:39:00.000-07:00

Misha LuLu's Spring 2011 look book is up! as always Karen takes you on a fantastic voyage with the prettiest prints in the softest fabrics and shows you the world through Misha LuLu's eyes.

It has been an amazing journey for me to see first hand how much hard work, creativity, and dedication that goes into the making of this unique and one of a kind brand. It makes you appreciate to buy from Independent Designers.

These are just a few favorites, i love the whole line!

And i spy some blogging mamma's adorable kids!

Penelope from Pippi Parade

Soul, True and Brave from Cakies

Jimena from Color Land

Greta from Hi Happy Panda

And of course beautiful Bela from Misha LuLu Blog

For stores and locations go to mishalulu.com

gisela.

CREATURE OF COMFORT

2011-03-28T14:35:00.000-07:00

I'm so tired of California weather. i'm done with the cold, i'm done with the rain, i'm done with it being over cast. these are the moments my Miami blood kicks in and my skin thirst sunshine!

So in these internal days of no sunshine, my dressing in cute girly dresses motivation is way down and i become a creature of comfort; throwing on my jeans and hoodie or sweater top.

In this case my newly bought vintage raglan mickey sweater has been on my back the whole weekend. i love how it's already very much broken into and it is so soft and comfortable to wear. i was going to add it to this weeks vintage pile to hit the store; but i decided it was a keeper since i had the same exact one when i was a little girl. here's hoping for more sunshine...pretty please.

SWEATER: vintage 1980's mickey raglan

JEANS: Gap bell bottoms. bought at thrift.

T-SHIRT: heather Alternative Apparel tee.

CLOGS: Mia

What's your favorite comfortable wear?

gisela

RACHEL ANTONOFF FOR BASS

2011-03-25T14:14:00.000-07:00

I am so loving the new collaboration between Bass and Rachel Antonoff! Bass was huge when i was in middle school and high school, basically late 80's early 90's. all my "preppy" friends had a pair and i always wanted a pair of the classic oxford in black and white. the price tag then was still hefty so momma could not spill those type of beans.

The great thing about Bass is that they've always stayed true to there designs, never changing them just tweaking them in color or slightly in design. they are a brand that has has stood the test of time.

I love the pink and white patent leather ones for Zoe. i would totally sport the pair with the little bow, so cute and girly! i think i may eventually get me those classic oxfords but now in the brown tones..

the classic oxfords in cocoa

gisela

A GIRL AND HER DOG

2011-03-24T00:41:00.000-07:00

How cute are they?! my favorite moments are at home hanging out with both of them; i cherish all those moments!

I just noticed Zoe's shoes matched Cody's sweater, a pretty coincidence. it's so nice to see her in girly flats besides her staple of sneakers on her feet. she looks so grown up! love you my sweet girl!

xoxo, mom

IN MEMORIAM

2011-03-23T22:16:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth Taylor truly was a stunning woman, just beautiful. Zoe, about a month ago watched the epic film Cleopatra for an english paper and project; so it was sad to get the news today. it is so hard to really know how a famous person truly is in character. sure you can see some behaviors and/or personalities through interviews but with all the gossip and rumors you can't honestly know them unless you personally know them.

Zoe asked me about her today and i can honestly say i was quick to talk about all the gossipy things about her. like how she was married 7 times with 1 husband stolen from Debbie Reynolds (although i did tell her she later apologized to Debbie). i also assumed she was very vain and conceded because of all the things i heard about her when she was a young working actress. but then i heard some stories on a talk radio show from a person who became her friend later on in her life (not a famous person); and they spoke about how down to earth she was, how much she did for others, what a good confidant she was and what an amazing mom she was to her kids. you know, the things tabloids never cover. that's why i hate how hung up we are on fame. they are people like anyone else, they are not built differently, they are not any better or worse they are just people who happen to have a career that unfortunately can carry so much ugliness. so next time i won't be so quick to point out the gossip. after all only those closest to her know the real Elizabeth.

She was a woman with a God given talent and i so enjoyed and will continue to enjoy her films.

In memoriam.

gisela

GETTING BACK TO BUSINESS

2011-03-19T14:00:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! working on getting back to business as usual. the curve balls of life keep coming at us but we are fighting and getting threw them with many dear friends helping us through it all. although Zoe and i have an upcoming trip to Miami in two weeks to visit family, i will be working hard to get back on schedule here on the blog and in the shop.

There are allot of exciting new things happening in growing our little business. when i say "our" i'm always talking about Zoe and I. my beautiful girl is as much part of my focus on being an entrepreneur, because as a single mom she has been by my side in making my goals a reality. it's as much hers as it is mine.

So with that i am happy to introduce the name of our new vintage shop and soon to be coming small clothing label, gisela&zoe! there are two reasons for the change in name of bella vintage. one, is because i wanted the brand to be under the same umbrella for business/tax, and branding purposes. and two, because their is nothing out there close to our name. it was easy to get our url and everything else that needs to be set up. unfortunately there are tons of things close to bella vintage and i wanted nothing to be confusing or to be similar to our name. in many ways it's been a long journey because i've changed my vintage shop name twice; this one being the 3rd but last for sure! it's been a learning experience in the last few years and i'm also learning from many past mistakes.

the name gisela&zoe also has so much personal meaning within it too and is why i also chose it as our clothing label name. my name is not such a common name and well i chased my career goals always conscious in never compromising in the raising of my daughter. it took a while getting to this point, because i never wanted to put my career ahead of her. thus came the creation of our label gisela&zoe and my dream of finally making clothes i love!

bella vintage will continue to operate as i transition into opening the new vintage shop and also try to sell most of the vintage out of the shop. but we will be transitioning not only the store but the blog too. i can't wait till we get to the final point of this particular goal!

You can click and favorite our new shop meanwhile it opens next week. i will have sooo many cute dresses stocked up for this beautiful spring! i also have acquired to new wholesale warehouse sources chuck full of yummy vintage and can't wait to see what treasures i dig up to bring to you. it's all very exciting for Zoe and I!

Thanks guys for all YOUR support! and i can't wait to start this new journey with you all!

xoxo, gisela

S IS FOR SPRING & SLIP DRESSES!

2011-03-09T14:55:00.000-08:00

Sorry guys for the long hiatus. i needed to take some time off from blogging and basically most social media. Zoe and I have been going through some tribulations both personal and financially, but i feel blessed to give my burdens and worries to God. i wouldn't know how to deal with everything coming at us at once if it wasn't for Jesus.

I'm grateful for all of you still reading my blog. and i hope your all good! we are going through some transitions with Bella Vintage and will be sharing as the changes come.

The heat has finally broken through the California sky and i am smitten in breaking out all the comfortable dresses.

There was still a chill in the air at the time i took these pictures; that's why i'm wearing the over-sized cardigan and am not over killing my self with heat, haha!

I have quickly fallen in love with this slip dress. i have always loved how vintage slip dresses can be easily worn as outer wear. all the detailing and craftsman-ship just can not be replicated in the mass retail market. my favorite slip dress era is the 1920's-1960's. with all the pretty pleating, contrast stitching, and laces.

This one has a pretty zig-zag stitch detailing on the front bodice. definitely comfortable wear for this spring / summer season. and so versatile too!

SLIP-DRESS: 1970's vintage, thrifted

OVER-SIZED CARDIGAN: 1980's vintage, thrifted

BOOTS: 1980's vintage 9 West, thrifted

MUSHROOM NECKLACE: fleamarketgirl

wearing easy hair, the messy bun and the red lips continue..

xoxo, gisela

FLORALS NEVER GET OLD

2011-02-27T10:54:00.000-08:00

A favorite since i saw those adorable ankle socks in the beginning screen shots in Pretty In Pink. i could wear them every season. and even better it goes beyond clothing! i love it on curtains, wall paper, kitchen-ware the list goes on and on. my bed sheets are floral. i love these florals too!

source.

If only i could paint my nails like so..

source.

I LOVE the decor in this living room!

gathering spriggs flicker stream

lovely 1950's vintage dish ware on etsy. vintage kitchen job.

wishing you a lovely sunday. gisela.

KISSING SWEATERS GOODBYE....

2011-02-26T18:06:00.000-08:00

But still want a few! this Manoush sweater is so pretty!

source

Currently working on my shop update! lots of cute spring dresses will be posted along with winter wear! it's still pretty darn cold out there!

gisela

RED LIPS

2011-02-25T20:06:00.000-08:00

The weeks literally have been flying by. when your so busy it feels as if your the one trying to keep up with the time. some days i don't even know what date it is. good or bad it always reminds me to appreciate life.

If you've been following my blog for a while then know i barely like wearing makeup. it's more because i'm lazy about putting it on then not liking how it makes me look. but there are the days i just want to whip out some color, and on those days it is either a bold lip color or a dash of bright color on the eye lids. i've had my Mac matte red lipstick for over 10 years. yeah, a little gross but i barely use it and it feels like a darn shame tossing it in the garbage even though many experts would say to do so. after all i dished out $16 bucks for it. but that's what i get for getting it and knowing i don't much like wearing lipstick.

These navy vintage 1970's Levi slacks have been part of my closet since i was 16. i love them so and most especially like that they are high waisted. for a few years now, you barely did see the shape of hips among a sea of under wear peek-a-boos when the waist line went way south.

At times i have been a bit self conscious since my hip line has grown but i feel that high waisted pants can be much more flattering for figures like mine.

TOP. Marc Jacobs

SLACKS. thrifted 1970's vintage Levis

SHOES. Mia clogs

BELT. thrifted 1980's vintage

I have a jammed pack weekend trying to focus on updating my poor shop. wishing you all a lovely one.

gisela.

p.s. i look so mad in the first picture. i wasn't ;)

INDIE LOVE

2011-02-18T14:46:00.000-08:00

Etsy just keeps getting better and better for me. i just keep finding the coolest shops of independent entrepreneurs. it excites me how Etsy has been such a great platform to launch a small independent companies. it's just great!

One such company just made it to my favorites folder when i saw their cute and affordable shoes on the Etsy front page. they are called Golden Ponies out of Guadalajara Mexico. I'm so glad i came across them because i've been wanting flats SO bad and have had such a hard time finding good leather ones in stores at a decent price.

These shoes are now on my radar and they are in all the perfect shades and fabrication i've been wanting!

I also love how you can pick out custom colors and fabrications:

And their satchel bags are just as cute; perfect for work!

Their shoes are all under $50 and their bags under $100. You can't beat buying from an independent company with real leather products at such great prices!

Check out their shop on Etsy at Golden Ponies.

source: all images from golden ponies store on Etsy.com

CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THE SWAN DRESS

2011-02-16T22:12:00.000-08:00

I'm SO in love with Givenchy's swan dress from their spring 11 collection. i know it's all over the internet after Florence Welch wore it at the Grammy's. but i am truly in love with everything about it. the colors, the details, the workman ship! just gorgeous.

It reminded me like many others of Bjork's swan dress. the caparisons have been made. i like both but this one is dreamy....sigh*

SPRING COLORS

2011-02-15T00:19:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines day! just when i thought the weather was turning for the best here in Los Angeles, it once again fooled us and brought in a cold front. i miss my sweaty hot days. i am saying this now that i'm cold but once the sweats come in i'm complaining it's to darn hot. or like Zoe would say "i'm blazin hot"!

I did a double whammy today. i wore this dress yesterday (pictured here), but oh so comfortable to wear today to work. i do that allot i'll wear the same outfit 2 maybe even 3 days in a row! do a any of you do that? it's like the new favorite song you have to hear 100 times in a day.

I found this cute 1960's yellow beauty in a vintage store trunk outside of a store with a big old $1 sign on it. i love rummaging through boxes or trunks with signs like those. you never know what deals you may find.

My favorite things about this dress besides the peter pan collar is that it is made out of silk. also love the vibrant colors. i've said it once and i'll say it again, i LOVE color. not all colors suit me, but yellow is a color which catches my eye and i don't see enough of; at least in a well made way.

I also almost cut it to give it a better length. but i opted not to because i did not want to mess with it being silk. either way tea length skirts and dresses are every where right now. and it's to delicate an old to start cutting it up.

I also finally got the clogs i've had my eye on for a while. i just was waiting for them to go down way on price. i can't dish $100 dollars for shoes right now. i'm happy to have bought them for $40! they are the original MIA's made in Sweden. Karen's been wearing her's in the cutest combinations. she's inspired me to want to wear mine all the time! they are so comfortable and so easy to throw on when you are walking out the door!

dress is an vintage 1960's peter pan collar tent dress bought for $1.

clogs are Mia's purchased for $40 on endless.com.

ring antique from friend.

bracelet is a F21 cuff.

MY 1990'S PLAYLIST

2011-02-13T00:20:00.000-08:00

Happy, happy friday all! i'm hoping you all are enjoying your weekend! i compiled a music playlist full of songs i heavily listened to in the early 90's. some of the songs on the list came out before the 90's but i wanted to include them since it was part of my teenage experience.

When i was putting it together soo many memories flooded my head and i can still recall where i was when i was listening to certain songs. Janes Addiction and the Beastie Boys were constantly jamming in a car full of my very close girlfriends; as we went off into the Miami night.

Pearl Jam, Radio Head, Hole and MANY more artist were red hot on the music scene at the time in high-school; between the years of 91 through 94. Peter Murphy, The Smiths, Depeche Mode, The Cure and Violent Femmes were some of the artist we were dancing to when we went to the now long gone South Beach alternative clubs (when they were good), in my opinion. it was all about the dancing, i liked that part, don't miss the rest.

And of course i had to throw in some Punk. Fugazi was my absolute favorite punk band at that time. and hole in the wall venues were our favorite spots to check out really great local bands in Miami. the best years for that were the 80's early 90's. i was only able to catch but a glimpse of it since by then i was a teen and most of all the cool local bands had broken up.

But enough on my reminiscing, i can get lost in it for hours....

Maybe this refreshes some of your memories and for those of you who were younger in the 90's this was what we grew up with if you were not into pop music back then. i do love my pop music now..

GALS OF THE 90'S!

2011-02-11T16:52:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday! today is Bieber fever here in my home..oh yeah i said it Bieber fever, it's the life of having a full fledge teenager at home who's goo-goo ga-ga over this boy! she already has her tickets ready for tonights film on him!

So with that segway i continue my 90's week with ladies that i loved both style wise and musically. as a teenager in the early 90's i was really into punk and rock music and totally loved seeing women in rock/punk bands and doing indie music! all of these ladies with the exception of a few i still love to listen too. and although i was already into fashion magazines, my style inspiration came more from them then they did from Vogue or Seventeen magazines. especially because some wore vintage and by that time i had discovered my love for it. oh how i miss those Sassy Magazine days where most of them appeared on their pages. Sassy was definitely the "punk" fashion magazine amongst the others!

Courtney Love. i just loved her vintage baby doll dresses worn with mary janes. she always had the coolest ones and i searched EVERY Miami, Florida thrift stores snapping up all in sight. i built quite the collection of them and SO regret giving most away! if only i new then i would be one day selling vintage!

Shirley Manson of Garbage. when their first album came out i worked at a music store which would play it over and over again, and i did not like them, not sure why. but they grew on me and i could not stop playing their album day and night. love her red hair, make up and rock style. she's so cute.

Bjork. i loved her in the The Sugarcubes, mostly obsessed over 1 song. then her first solo album came out in 93'' when i was in high school and i was immediately hooked. she had a very quirky style when she was in the The Sugarcubes which i appreciated; but in the 90's i was smitten with ALL she wore. i could never do the hair twist like in the picture below and always wanted to. my hair is way too thick! but i later was able to do it on Zoe, and i mostly styled her hair like that when she was a toddler instead of pony tails!

PJ Harvey. boy was she huge in the 90's. her songs were on rotation in my tape player. her voice so cool and her style very much her own. love her eye brows, makes me wish i never touched mine! she just looked like one tough chic!

Kim Gordon. talk about tough chic, she's definitely one. she at one time had her own clothing line and store called x-girl. i wanted a t-shirt but could not get my hands on one in Miami. Sonic Youth sounds like no other band out there, especially with Kim's melodic deep vocals.

Tori Amos. what beautiful music she makes with her pretty soft vocals and piano. i don't listen to her any more, but i was so enchanted then with her music. her style so simple and effortless, with the prettiest curly red hair, lips and porcelain skin.

Hope Sandoval. love, love, love Mazzy Star. and back in the early 90's Sandoval's natural beauty mixed with a vintage / bohemian style was ahead of her time. look at the times now, it's pretty much what you see left and right here in Los Angeles and everywhere.

source: all pictures taken from several google images and itsthe90s.tumbler.com

RACHEL ZOE COLLECTION

2011-02-10T11:44:00.000-08:00

Happy Thursday all! hope your all doing great today! i'm doing a little intermission from my 90's week blogging to do some fall 2011 collection blogging. as all you may know fall 2011 fashion week started today so i can't help but want to blog about it. so you'll see some random fashion blogging in between this week! just going to have fun with it and blog what ever fancies my interest..

I spotted some favorites among Rachel Zoe's new fall 11 collection. of course she drew heavily on 70's vintage inspiration. she also received some criticism on replicating a vintage dress exactly to the T from a Teen Vogue editorial she shot a while back. not sure if this is true because i have not seen them side by side. but this is always an issue in fashion and i understand where she is coming from. this is something me and Karen always discuss. the line between copying and/or bringing in your interpretation of design. so much information goes in the brain and sometimes things you do envision may be similar but really ALL has been done design silhouette wise. it's about bringing in your creative eye, the execution and the craftsmanship. it's also about making it better and bringing something new to it. it's what makes it yours. it's a very fine line and whether the criticism is right or not, pretty much all designers are influenced by the past. look at Marc Jacobs. he just does it soooo well, and you know it's him!

Any-hoo here are the favorites:

I agree with Vogue's review on the line, the outerwear are the stand out pieces. the faux fur coats look great! it's pretty much the reason why i wanted to blog about it, love the coats!

This top is great! it's a hard piece to find vintage wise, love bat wing tops!

Love the color, buttons and sleeve cuff detail in this one.

Ok toggle faux fur coats, yes please! i have a 70's vintage one in the SHOP right now. amazed it's not gone yet! check it out below!

Vintage 1970's faux fox fur toggle coat found HERE!

source: all rachel zoe collection pictures are from refinary29.com.

GRUNGE & GLORY

2011-02-09T01:10:00.000-08:00

Happy Wednesday! as many of you may recognize this is the famous Steven Meisel Vogue editorial called "grunge & glory" shot back in 1992. it brings back so many memories of my junior high / high school years. it was when grunge was at it's peak. it also is now the famous collection and last collection before parting ways of Marc Jacobs for Perry Ellis. so many in the industry knocked this collection at the time, and even in a 1996 issue of Vogue that i have; goes as far as to say that this was the worst trend of the 1990's!

It's funny now because the same who knocked it have now embraced it. the grunge movement is now considered classic. and as seen in the last few runway seasons it was heavily influenced by the grunge movement. everything truly does come back! and Marc Jacobs has always been a design genius!

I definitely appreciate the long floral maxi dresses, combat booties and the beanies. i would not have minded having an original Nirvana t-shirt, although i think i can do without the flannel. i did not wear it much then. Miami is not flannel friendly!

I also love seeing old faces like Kristen Mcmenamy, she was one of my favorite models then! oh how times flys, now 1992 is officially 20 years ago next year! crazy.

Editorial: Vogue 1992 "Grunge & Glory" Steven Meisel

BLACK VELVET DRESS

2011-02-06T14:17:00.000-08:00

Hello my lovely blog readers! i have been such a bad blogger these last few weeks..thanks for still being here and reading. this week promises to be a better blogging week! i'm working on it!

I am doing a 1990's week starting today, and ending it with a shop sale on Saturday! everything in the store that is from the 1990's will have a 25% off! i will also be adding new vintage 90's items through out the week!

So kicking it off is a "what i wore today" a 1990's black velvet dress..

This is a flash back for me of sorts. i mentioned before this is my teenage era, and i lived in baby doll dresses, maxi dresses, maxi skirts and combat boots. this dress is very similar to one i had back then and i still remember where i bought it; it was in Contempo Casuals. my favorite store besides the thrifts when i was a teen!

Here i've paired it with western clogs, which i love but my feet not too much. a good invention would be super high heels/clogs that never hurt! oh boy would those be a good seller!

It's funny that my era is now considered vintage. i now officially feel old, but not in spirit! everything really does come back in fashion, and i only thought this was true for the 70's and before but nope "hello 90's". i liked how i wore it then but i have to say that the way it's worn now i like it better! just like some items from the 80's.

dress is a velvet 1990's loose fitting empire waist maxi.

western blog vince camuto.

accessories 1 is a vintage pendant necklace with a G, found in a miami thrift and the other is a vintage skeleton key cascading necklace made by me. ring is F21.

What was your favorite 90's piece if any?

The 1990's week continues tomorrow with some editorials!

GOAL SETTING

2011-02-01T15:25:00.000-08:00

Happy February 1st! as i began this week i was feeling a little conquered. the juggling act of trying to accomplish has deemed itself to have run it's course in my life. I like many have started past years speaking of resolutions even writing them down to only forgetting or giving up on them by 1st months end. i was sick and tired of them for those reasons and started this year not even thinking about one! instead i thought i would set my mind on doing what i needed to get done and just getting it done; to only fizzing out in the same way as the former.

Then i listened to an encouraging series by Rick Warren (you can hear HERE) and it reminded me on two things A. Jesus B. accountability.

Listening to the series also pretty much summed up what i already felt was true in my opinion, that resolutions don't have much meaning. and learned, or more like it dawned on me that Goals have a much heavier weight.

The series is truly helpful to ALL even if your faith differs, you can learn allot from it.

So i set out what i new i should of done years ago:

write down clear goals you want to accomplish in every area of your life (career, family, hobbies etc.).
pray about it.
have some one you trust who can encourage and keep you accountable (basically help you stay on track).
make them realistic and manageable, with time limits.
start today NOT tomorrow.

Once you get your accountability partner:

be honest and truthful of short comings and face your pride
be humble and listen to constructive criticizem
track your progress, keep a log

And remember that it will end up paying off in the end with it becoming more of a habit then a forced action!

I have done all of the above as of today February 1st! i even have turned it in to my accountability partner! I am so looking forward to tracking my progress and sharing my journey with my accountability partner/great friend!

I also will share some of them to encourage those who have struggled with this. it will also serve as a double accountability for me by sharing it with you all!

Thanks for listening!

A MUCH NEEDED SHOP UPDATE!

2011-01-28T21:40:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday! woo-hoo, i'm looking forward to this much needed shop update!! it's been over a month since i've updated the shop and the clothes just keep piling up!

I am starting the new year with two new models. they both have the same name, Zoe! the first Zoe runs one of my favorite style blogs called Grand Theft Thrift. some of you might know her already! she puts together the cutest outfits all mostly vintage and bought at thrifts and spends literally under $20 to make it all happen! she also post different style shoots with several photographers that she works with.

I was more then thrilled that she was going to model for me and she is seriously super sweet (all three s's). she also was such a delight to work with!

I love her style and she has such a great look. i also love the post she does of reconstructed vintage and her anime art which she does. she is a women of many talents!

The 2nd Zoe is my Zoe! she will be modeling some of my more teen to early 20's vintage items; although these pieces are still for women of all ages!

Zoe did a great job for being her first modeling gig! i loved photographing her and seeing her in vintage! she wears it well.

All 14 items will be hitting the SHOP through out this weekend, with more to come. once i have them up i will be linking them to the shop. it's been so long, i feel a little rusty..

oh and so sorry i was gone for a week! Misha LuLu headquarters was crazy this past week. i kept plopping myself on the couch every night. it was nice getting a decent sleep.

Wishing you a lovely weekend!

OUR FAMILY HIKE

2011-01-23T23:55:00.000-08:00

Hi guys! hope your all good! this past Saturday Zoe, Cody, and I had a full family day, which we badly needed to take a whole day just to have fun! we decided on a family hike starting with going to eat Cuban pastries for breakfast, in the cutest town of Monrovia.

Zoe's dad side of the family is Cuban, and boy does she love her Cuban food. what she's devouring is a ham croquette while Cody watches hoping crumbs some fall out of her hand.

We went hiking in Eaton Canyon literally 5 minutes down the street of where we live. it's amazing having such beauty right behind your back yard to explore!

I am in love with nature, it's like a real life art canvas full of beautiful colors, lines, intricacy's and delicious smells. first spotted the wild daises.

I spotted this male deer way far on the other side of the mountain. we could not see his details but my trusty camera was able to zoom in and capture him. we later saw that he had antlers and saw that he was indeed a male deer. so beautiful!

Their are warning signs of poison oak and rattle snakes. we thought this might have been the oak, not sure if it was. do any of you know if it is?

How beautiful is this tree trunk?!

The snow was melting and the stream has started for the summer.

Zoe trying to cross over with Cody. poor Cody fell in, brrr the water is freezing!

How amazing is this path way? excuse my ooh's and ahh's but i am so blown away by all this natural beauty. this place would be perfect for an editorial photo-shoot.

Their are several water falls in the area! again amazing this is 5 minutes from the city!

This picture reminds me of a post card picture and a painting.

There are several fallen tree trunks every where. i told Zoe i was waiting for a hobbit or a fairy to pop out.

Getting deeper within the Canyon, going towards the waterfall.

You do not want to fall in here!

Cody was having so much fun!

I love my Zoe...

She wanted me to take a picture of her conquering the mountain. haha she's one silly girl.

Lots of wild cactus every where.

We did not end up going all the way to the waterfall because unfortunately falling rock fell on a girl. she was up high where more experienced hikers should only be. so it was swamped with medical team and they had to air lift her out of the canyon. we did not want to take any risk so we turned back and called it a day.

We went to go get chocolate dipped soft serve afterwards. i look like a crazy woman eating mine!

We got home and i made home made garlic buffalo wings and pizza from scratch...yummy! and watched Shutter Island all cozy on the couch. great way to finish the night.

Cody was pooped as well!

VINTAGE FINDS

2011-01-23T14:55:00.000-08:00

Happy Sunday all! i am hoping you are all having a blessed one. phew, what a week! i have allot of catching up to do and allot of shop updates to get going on! i apologize for the lack of updates both on the blog and the shop. i am not the best juggler when it comes to having two jobs; or maybe it's better to say that i need to hone in on time management skills much better in order to maximize my time.

I was on our daily dog walks yesterday morning when i saw a sign in our neighborhood for a yard sale. i had no cash on me and had no intention on going, but the curiosity got the best of me and i went!

Boy was i glad i went, because the person having the yard sale was an older fashion designer of hats. she was soo sweet and looked half her age! she had lots of goodies to sell on the cheap, since she was moving and wanted to get rid of allot of her stuff. i first nabbed a vintage 1970's faux fur rabbit bomber jacket. i did not picture it yet until it hits le shop! it was my first "oh yeah" of the moment. next i spotted a box full of old Vogue magazines. all September and March issues starting from 1996-2006, all for a $1.00! i have one or two of them, but this was such a thrill since i now have a reference of past collections for all these past! i also have an archive library of magazines and these are a welcome edition.

I also got a book on the history of fashion design from Egypt trough the 1970's. i LOVE fashion history so it was another score for $2.50! i also got vintage 1960's fairy tale books, orginally her's from her childhood. i did not picture these as well because it is a gift for two very special friends. the illustrations in them are amazing and the "aww" factor for me was buying them from the original owner!

Next were these two adorable vintage purses. her girlfriend was there selling her stuff too and these belonged to her grandmother, again i LOVE knowing that!

Next were vintage buttons to add to my vintage button collection. eventually i will use these for my future own clothing collection, which i am hoping to start working on this summer. the thought of using original vintage buttons on my designs has always been a goal. it will be very hard parting with them though!

how were your weekends? would love to hear and / or see it on your blogs. later on tonight i will be posting our family hiking pictures from yesterday!

ADVENTURES IN SAMPLE MAKING

2011-01-20T00:53:00.000-08:00

Hi Guys! it's been another emotionally exhausting and hectic week! besides what's going on in my family i have been hectic with samples. yesterday while putting samples in my back trunk, i did not realize that my keys slipped out of my hand. and "slam" i shut the door! it would not have been a big deal if my trunk lever in my car was working, which "ha" it's not. and the fact that it was night time in the middle of downtown, scary.

Luckily Karen (Misha LuLu) was in the area doing her errands, which i was suppose to meet up with her; so she was able to scoop me up to go ALL the way back home to get my spare keys. then Joe (Karen's husband and part of Team Misha LuLu) drove me all the way back. but alas my spare key is a valet key and was not able to open my truck. but Joe came to the rescue this morning by getting the trunk open and being able to get the samples and my keys, yay!

All of us at Team Misha LuLu have been pretty stressed trying to meet our deadline which was today. so my head has been pretty full of many things.

This picture reflects the type of room i would not mind being in right now. floral, cozy with a cup of tea in hand and a book in the other.

{don't remember source, if you know please let me know}

Great picture of Chloe, and love the outfit too! i'm off to rest, we have a full day tomorrow / exciting, because we get to see all of our samples!

night night..

A WORK DAY!

2011-01-18T09:08:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday guys! i want to start by saying THANK you for your prayers for my family, i feel so blessed to have such great blog reader friends who also sent me notes that they were! THANK you all!

Karen and I along with the rest of the Misha LuLu team have been craaazzy trying to get all our fall 2011 samples done by this Wednesday! we all have literally been driving all around downtown L.A. area picking up stuff, dropping off stuff, making sure everyone has what they need, cutting, making calls, remembering to eat, trying to stay calm and praying allot.

Days like these i need comfort. nothing speaks comfort to me like boyfriend jeans and t-shirt.

Downtown L.A. has the coolest architecture and the grittiest streets at the same time (i have to do a post on all the old buildings); so basically it's pretty and ugly. a very big contradiction, but that's the city for you.

Yeah i had a few minutes to spare between waiting for a pickup. i'm very silly, me and Zoe have lots of fun being weird. i'm also jumping with joy that the sun is finally out here in California. it's been raining and cold for weeks. it was nice really needing a pair of shades again. and here i borrowed Zoe's aviators from Vans. i quite like them allot; i like it better then the metal version personally.

Jeans: Levi's mens jeans.

T-shirt: heather Alternative Apparel, my favorite type of shirt.

Boots: my original combat boots from the 90's.

Necklace: silver horse charm, vintage bought from a thrift for $5 buckaroos.

Shades: borrowed from Zoe, Vans.

These two items are always in my hands. a bag full of paper work (this bag also borrowed from Zoe). and on the other hand my phone.

I'm off to work...

ANKLE CUTIES...

2011-01-15T02:56:00.000-08:00

Hi Guys! i'm going to start out by saying today was a rough day. our family is going through a really rough situation right now. it's been a sad an a clinging to God kind of day and i feel a little numb right now. your prayers would be much appreciated.

Me and Zoe went to hang out and i picked up the latest Urban Outfitters catalog. there is a few items i spied already which i have the vintage version in the shop. i'm going to do a caparison post later on this week, vintage vs. retail. so watch out for that!

I also spotted a look completely inspired from Pretty In Pink of course. who other then Andy wore this over 20 years ago. eeek can't believe the 80's seem so long ago now. it does not feel that way!

{source: UO early spring 11 catalog}

Can I actually get the original pair above. i like the design and colors much better. but i'm not complaining i'll take all the UO's ones too!

Favorite look in the movie is this one..

{source}

That vintage cardigan with the dragon design and lace peter pan collar, drool..

Wishing you all a lovely Saturday!

OH MY SILLY CHILD!

2011-01-12T00:03:00.000-08:00

My beautiful daughter agreed to model for me some vintage items that will soon hit le shop this week. i have been hesitate to use her because she's still young and was not sure how the clothes would translate on her. but i figured i could test out some items that would be more geared towards teens thru the early 20's, may even late 20's.

With my very busy week it's been hard to have the time to do any modeled photo-shoots; and i've been itching to photo on a live model and not only on the form. so my Zoe was more then happy to do it and is soo convenient for me. she also has been getting more into fashion lately!

She is 13 and at the moment is 5"5. she has been asking me now for a few years on doing some modeling for fun, not as a career. and now that she is officially a teenager she wants to do it even more then before. i have had the breaks on this for many years because that world is more then fun it's work and it can take it's toll on a child. so much to pray and think about. she also loves acting and wants to study it more and pursue it as a career. and as i mentioned at the moment i'm just praying about it all and truly want to know how the business works. i'm thankful i have some friends who are in the industry and have given me some good pointers. i feel waiting until your older is better, we'll see...

We had fun doing the photos. she looked so cute in everything. Zoe is notorious for making faces, these are the out-takes.

No one better to practice modeling with then with her mama!

MY RETRO OBSESSION

2011-01-11T21:38:00.000-08:00

"Oh Marc Jacobs" i never tire of seeing your prettiness season after season. he is my top 5 favorite designers to watch every runway show. and it amazes me how he can manage to always be so retro every season yet not be dated at all. he's soo darn good! the color pallete in this collection is so vibrant and beautiful. i am a very big color person and LOVE when designers use it. and the fabrics and prints, can we say perfect. slinky, soft, textured and pretty.

I'm sure you've seen his collection splashed on many blogs, but since my blog is like a journal of sorts, i just had to record this entry (i think i did an entry during fashion week). i am just smitten with this collection. oh and as a vintage seller, looks like the 1970's is still going strong this year. it's such a great decade to play around with style wise.

sigh*

source: all pictures from style.com and nymag.com

FEEL LIKE A SCHOOL GIRL

2011-01-10T21:35:00.000-08:00

Hello Monday! i struggled today to get out of bed, despite that i was looking forward to the morning. i was just meditating on how amazing God is and am so thankful for all the blessings i have big and small. i can easily be feeling overwhelmed just thinking on the amount of things that i need to get done this week, but i chose to focus on how i will work hard to get all done and what a blessing to have all the work i have.

I had been itching to wear this dress which i actually acquired for the store. but i loved it so and just wanted to wear it once to enjoy it before it heads out to a new home. it is still chilly here in Southern California so i paired it with my new favorite knubby sweater cardigan. the only reason the dress is going back into the store is that although i adore it, it just fits a little too snug. maybe one of you lovely readers love it! it will be there soon..

I also felt a bit of a school girl with the dress. i love the plaid which looks to be dyed in the fabric and the silhouette of the dress really fits any figure nicely. button up dresses are so comfortable and so chic at the same time. i wore my cow girl boots with le dress; can't get enough of boots and a dress. i could live in them!

I also like all the little details on the dress. the navy contrast stitching on the collar, the ruffled yoke detail in the front, and the slight puff on the sleeve. the details is what i tend to enjoy most in clothes, especially vintage.

dress: is a plaid vintage 1970's. (soon to be in shop)

boots: are vintage 1970's cow girl boots with cute stitching detail.

tights: fire red Target

cardigan: vintage 1980's knubby oh so soft cardigan

CAN I GET THIS IN MY SIZE PLEASE

2011-01-09T21:30:00.000-08:00

Happy Sunday all! i wanted to post my New Years Eve pictures tonight but i opted in giving myself more time to get this weeks vintage photographed and ready for a much needed shop update!

This week at Misha LuLu headquarters is going to be madness trying to get all the fall 11 samples done by this Friday! despite that i'm hoping to get back to a regular blog and shop update schedule once again. juggling work is definitely a discipline.

I've been collecting vintage for over 18 years now and have always kept my stash of kids vintage finds in storage. i never really have intended to sell kids vintage it was more about keeping it in my library. i have a vintage library that i keep for reference points, to look at construction and/or for fabric prints. as a designer vintage is a big source of inspiration. and as we all know all the greats before us have done it all in the sense of silhouettes but it's your own creative interpretation that makes it your own.

With that said i am in love with this Mod vintage 1960's mini plaid dress. how cute is this and i just imagine the little girl who once wore this. i love the wooden trim buttons on the placket and the plaid color combo, just perfect!

This is definitely one of my favorite vintage kids finds hands down! now i just need to find the vintage adult version please...

GYPSIES, BIKERS & VAMPIRES

2011-01-08T20:42:00.000-08:00

Happy Saturday all! so i was on one of my many nostalgic movie drives and watched The Lost Boys on Netflix instant several times this week; (im watching it now as i write this). there are so many movies that bring so many memories and that are part of my growing up, that i don't tire watching and this is one of them. i remember getting the soundtrack to it via now the non- existent tape and had endless nights of conversation about it with one of my childhood best friends Isis. all we spoke about was how good the music was, how cute Jason Patric, Kiefer Sutherland and Billy Wirth were. and how much i wanted to recreate Jami Gertz Gypsy look, down to the bustier, long maxi skirt, lots & lots of jewelry and her beautiful big curly hair. i wanted it all!

The costume design in this film was great. even at a young age i was attracted to the scruffy bad boy look and the wardrobe on the vampire gang i also admired. my favorites were the 1 earring look, motorcycle jackets, long trench coats and the recently trendy, band jackets which the mini vampire wore.

The costume designer of The Lost Boys, Susan Becker also gave the character Alabama Whiteman and Clarence Worley of the movie True Romance, really cool looks. also another cult favorite.

If i did not want to do my own designs so badly i think i would of been a costume designer. i admire how they manage to get the look SO right for several characters in a movie. i especially love when they have to recreate historical costumes and they get it right; like in the movie Gladiator.

Just another fun and hard working job in the fashion industry.

Oh and side note..this was another one of me and Zoe's movie nights. Zo Zo did not enjoy the film to much. but that's all right, she won't like them all!

source: imbd.com, google images

WHAT ZOE WORE ON NEW YEARS

2011-01-07T00:12:00.000-08:00

Awww my first official post of the new year. phew this week has been hectic guys. we are hard at work at Misha LuLu headquarters getting fall 11 samples done for several collections by the end of next week, Friday to be exact.

Zoe came along with me to work and we had allot of running around to do in down-town, getting fabrics which were not available and not told ahead of time. then running to see if i can source the fabric else where. then to the cutters. then to the screeners to cut what we call "blocks" to get our pretty samples printed. and to think that Miss Karen did ALL this on her own not to long ago! crazy, being an independent label is lotsa hard work and can be very stressful! but we love it and feel blessed to do it. can't wait to see all the samples once they are done!

At the end of it all i asked Zoe if she learned anything about my job. she said "it is allot harder then i thought it was". aww she learned well, and she is right Fashion is not what most young budding fashionistas in school think it may be. it is a business and the creative aspect of it is but a quarter of it.

It was nice to bring Zoe along with me today. so for my first post of the New Year it was only fitting to start with my beautiful daughter on what she wore on New Years Eve.

She did me proud when i asked what she was going to where this night when she said "well mom, i saw a cute vintage dress on your rack i think i like". the reason i was elated is 1. Zoe does not like wearing dress's and skirts. i haven't seen her in either in over 5 years. 2. she is not the biggest fan of vintage clothes.

ok this coming from a girl who's mommie is a fashion designer and loves vintage! my days where over when she turned 9 and i had ZERO influence on her wardrobe because "i know what i like, and i don't want to wear that". haha, i actually love that Zoe is her own person and not till recent has she gotten an interest in fashion.

She also told me how she wanted to wear her hair. she wanted a messy loose bun with a romantic feel. i tried my best and she looked gorgeous!

And in true Zoe style she had chucks on the feet. she is a jeans, sneakers and t-shirt type of gal. she pulled it off though and i LOVED how the dress looked on her!

dress: is a vintage 1980's strapless sweet heart dress complete with pockets (i love that).

coat: my furry gorilla coat bought at a thrift and is from forever 21.

wool cardigan: vintage 1960's

accessories: heart necklace is very old from Target. tights are from Target.

shoes: chucks on the feet.

Fin.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2010-12-31T20:01:00.000-08:00

Wanted to wish you all a Happy New Year from Zoe, Cody and I!

NEW MEMBER IN OUR FAMILY!

2010-12-31T17:37:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years eve all! i'm sure like many of you the end of the year is a reflection on how the year went. this year was a roller coaster ride for Zoe and I, with many new changes and many new blessings. i am very excited for the new goals and a new year to look forward to. and most of all i'm thankful to Jesus for all that i have!

so with that said one of our many blessings is our new family member in our home Cody!

He was our only Christmas present this year and we adopted him a few weeks before Christmas. he is a Jack Russel Terrier mix with Chihuahua. he has stolen both our hearts and has been Zoe's long awaited wish since she was 5!

With our new home, the fact that Zoe is older, countless prayers, and my flexible new schedule we were in a better position in adopting him. the best part about it was that our land lord does not allow dogs; but Zoe wrote him the most "melt your heart" letter on the top 3 reasons why he should consider letting her be able to have a dog. a few hours later a letter from him arrived, and what do you know; he said she convinced him and wished her a very merry Christmas!

So our prayers came true and Zoe (and I) got our dog! he has brought countless joy to our home. we love him so!

Wishing you all many blessings and a VERY Happy New Year!

BLOG CATCH UP 1: UNIQUE LA SNAP SHOTS

2010-12-29T08:35:00.000-08:00

Happy Wednesday all! i had to think there for a moment what day it was, because this last week of the year seems to be flying by!

I'm doing a little blog catch up. i have a few in my pending folder that i just did not get posted. so you will be seeing a few old post, such as some of my outings and "chick night", just feels wrong not to post them!

The following are snap shots of Unique L.A.. the event that Misha LuLu had a booth at a few weeks back.

Karen & Joe did such a great job at making the booth looking oh so cute and original! complete with a hand made banner from (i think) was a vintage bed sheet or curtain.

It was such a pleasure working the booth because i got to see first hand Misha LuLu fans! it was neat seeing how mom's were raging about the clothes, even some dad's too! i think the highlight for me was when a mom came looking for Karen to give her a Christmas card, which her beautiful daughter was wearing Misha LuLu and told Karen she pretty much only dresses her in Misha LuLu!

I also heard a story from the previous day on how one girl was so enthusiastic meeting Karen, it was as if she saw her favorite rock star! that just makes me all the more proud working for such a loved brand. there is truly allot of heart and soul poured into it and it's nice seeing how it pays off in the end when a customer lets you know how much they LOVE the clothing!

Misha LuLu girls! they are all sooo cute!

Karen and i.

Karen and Bela.

The most stylish 6 year old i know. Bela already has "her own style" sense. she knows what she likes and has an eye for wanting something unique and different, just like her mama.

How cute are her shoes. i want a pair! down to the cute ditzy socks..

Citlali of Color Land shared a booth with Misha LuLu there. she has a cute blog you can check out HERE.

Grandma Chol shared a booth too. so much lovely hand made items. she is such a talented crocheter. i bought the cutest beanie for a special girl from her. hand made make such a perfect gift!

Dainty June had a booth there. i saw a dress i wanted from their past collection at a bargain price, except i had no cash and that's all they were excepting...bummer.

Bela and her friends could not get enough of this button booth, they were repeat customers. i had to admit there buttons art was very cute. one of many booths i wanted to shop at!

Carolina from Flea Market Girl was selling their goods there too! they offer the best jewelry at amazing prices. they also carry a bag line designed by Carolina in great leathers, designs, and very well constructed too.

Flea Market Girl bags.

I want the animal skull necklaces and the feather ones. so many great designs to choose from! check out Flea Market Girl on-line shop HERE.

I definitely recommend going to Unique next year! it is well worth the $10 dollar admission fee to be able to buy from an array of very talented independent designers!

FUN THINGS FOR THE NEW YEAR!

2010-12-28T00:01:00.000-08:00

Happy Tuesday all! i wanted to share one of the things i will be participating in for the upcoming New Year. i have had so many d.i.y. and re-vamps on the back burner since early this year and i feel allot more pressed to start posting them now.

I also have been motivated by this great Flicker group started by Rachel of Smile and Wave and Elsie of A Beautiful Mess, two of my favorite bloggers! The group is called Project Restyle.

You'll notice the link button like this on the right side panel of my blog. you can click on it and get more details about the group, the mission statement, how to participate, or if you just want to browse entries by members for some cool revamp d.i.y. ideas.

I lOVE the concept of this group and the gals leading it too. vintage re-vamp has always been in the fore front of why i love fashion so much! it is one of the reasons i studied fashion design and is how i got into my first University; by presenting my own re-constructed vintage garments in my portfolio back in 1994.

So know i want to go back to my basics and get motivated on sharing ideas and start re-vamping the pile of neglected vintage garments in the corner of my room! i also love the idea of bringing a vintage garment back to life and/or giving it a new life; it's part of bella vintage's mission statement.

You can do soo much for a fraction of the price as well and as a single mom being able to do that helps! thank goodness i love wearing vintage!

Please do share in your comments if you join and any links to your own d.i.y.'s; i would love to read them!

I'll be back tomorrow with a "what i got for Christmas" post. not to many things, but things i sure do cherish!

source: link and picture from abeautifulmess.com

CRUSHED VELVET AND FLORALS

2010-12-27T02:09:00.000-08:00

Woo-Hoo Christmas has now past and gone and we are now looking forward for the new year! can you believe it?! my family has left and it looks like Zoe and I are spending New Years at home. we will be having a Sushi Dinner (Zoe's favorite) and watching the Rose Parade close by our home on the 1st. it was such a rainy week last week and i hoped to do allot more with my family then what we did. but it was definitely great to see them and i put blogging and Bella Vintage updates on the back burner while they were staying with us. my apologies, i will try my hardest not to get so behind in the New Year.

I LOVE blogging so much and have much creativity to pour into my blog in the coming New Year.

I will start this week with a "what i wore post" wearing one of the pieces from le Shop. this will be a new weekly post where i will take my perspective on how i wear vintage garments from my own Shop.

Unfortunately & fortunately due to a hectic weekly schedule i can't always do "modeled" photo shoots but i always want to show the item styled and not only on the model.

This has become my favorite new wall to shoot at. i am wearing what Zoe calls "my gorilla coat". i love how warm it keeps me, it works!

The heathered blue tights are another favorite. i purchased them at a thrift store over 15 years ago, can you believe they have lasted this long! i don't know the brand but boy i wish they made ALL tights this great quality, sniff*.

I love my flea market girl mushroom necklace. only $5 buckaroo's! you have to go check them out at the Melrose Flea Market or online at their Shop. This was a gift from Carolina owner of flea market girl whom she runs with her husband. i purchased a feather one i need to show with an outfit soon.

{vintage 90's crushed velvet floral dress, found here at le Shop. heathered blue tights purchased at thrift. my so called "gorilla coat" forever 21, thrift purchase. western studded clogs. flea market girl mushroom necklace.}

I hope you all had a blessed Christmas!

CHECKING IN

2010-12-22T02:13:00.000-08:00

Hi All!

I have been gone for a week, i hate when i go this long without blogging! i have so much to blog about and the post ideas just keep piling up. getting to the pile at this moment has been the challenge.

Production and sampling at Misha LuLu is on full force along with family coming in for Christmas and the endless rain that has been falling on California just makes things a little more hectic.

I will be working this week on trying to balance a better schedule.

Meanwhile I wanted to mention "My Christmas Wish List" i compiled for Karen on the Misha LuLu blog:

I love how she did this collage especially the way she cut me out and stuck me back in the 70's! check out the full post HERE and other "Christmas Wishlist" post series she's been doing on le Misha LuLu blog. their are some great list on there! an eclectic mix of wants!

Be back tomorrow on some of my catch up blogs!

WEEKEND IN PICTURES: LITTLE TOKYO

2010-12-15T12:23:00.000-08:00

On Saturday Zoe and I hung out with our friend Stephanie in Little Tokyo in L.A.. it ended up being a beautiful day with great weather which made the outing better.

I have to say one of the best things about L.A. is that there is a variety of cool neighborhoods to go explore in; and Little Tokyo is definitely on my top favorites!

It was nice to get some much needed girlfriend hang time for the both of us. Zoe, Stephanie and I could not be bigger weirdos together. yeah, we are full of silly!

It's pretty neat when my friends are also Zoe's friends I can't be blessed with a better array of girls like this in our lives! it's sooo great to go have fun time with them.

Stephanie is also an amazing voice teacher and is Zoe's voice teacher. Zoe soon will have some great pipes, although she had some pretty good ones to begin with. so if any of you are in need of a good voice teacher in L.A. let me know, I highly recommend her!

i love this picture it's so funny and telling at the same time, i am so petite next to this beautiful 6"1 woman. i look like a little girl next to her, she can crush me!

silliness.

Pop Killer is a cool shop full of kitschy items, oddities, vintage and local designers.

Our masked super hero Stephanie wearing a beanie from Pop Killer.

I'm sure the decor is nothing like Japan, but it's very pretty and full of great treasure seeking shops.

We were on the hunt for cute kawaii stickers, which we all love; your never to old for kawaii stickers! we also found new panda snack flavors, "double chocolate" mmm. and cappuccino sticks! we heart Japanese snacks, they are the best!

I love all the cuteness around. i wanted to take pictures inside some of the shops but sometimes the shop owners get a little crazy paranoid with the picture taking. next time i'll have to just take the risk getting yelled at.

Of course there has to be a Sanrio shop! the items here "seemed" better priced here then in the malls. f.y.i. if you live here or are in town.

Like i said, cuteness even on food machines!

We stepped into what was "makeup heaven" to me. Steph was telling me how great these NYX Cosmetics products are. they are professional quality at a fraction of department store brands price. she knew of no other place around that carried it but here. before she would have to order it on-line.

i am not a big makeup person but when i saw all the amazing colors and different types of makeup you can play around with at BARGAIN prices, i was officially sold on having some fun with it now!

Look at all the pretty eye shadow colors, sigh*. can't wait to come back and buy some.

I ended up getting a rose color lipstick for $3. it went on smooth and matte, great for $3 in my opinion!

We had so much fun!

XoXo

KARLA SPETIC

2010-12-13T14:57:00.000-08:00

Happy happy Monday all! this weekend felt like one of the fastest weekends in a while. we were very busy bodies this weekend and it was full of fun and friends!

Friday Zoe had a birthday party to go to of friends from school. i like the fact that most of the parents know each other so it's always nice to socialize with them when they stay at the parties. i feel it's very important knowing the kids parents and it breaks those barriers of not knowing your "neighbor" in a sense.

Then it was Little Tokyo Saturday and Unique L.A. on Sunday. blog post on both will follow for my "week in pictures" post.

I have a very busy next few weeks, not only with Bella Vintage but MUCH to do over at Misha LuLu world! i'm going to do my best to stay on track this week..

So these lovely garments by Australian Designer Karla Spetic caught my eye. i sooo love the print or more like photographic print on them. the color palette of her Spring / Summer 11 collection is so powdery and pretty.

They have a pretty hefty price tag on them, but it doesn't cost anything to admire..

Here are some closeups so you can view better:

{source}

from her runway show.

wishing you a lovely Monday,

MISHA LULU SALES!

2010-12-10T11:17:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday my blog friends! i've been away from the cyber world for the last two days and fell behind on my blogging. it's been quite a busy, busy, week and "woah" it literally flown by! i meant to mention two BIG sales Misha LuLu is having of past collections and surplus on Wednesday but i just found no time to do so.

First one is the Mini Social sale which is having a sale off 50% off and more on all past season collections!

Go to MiniSocial.com to take a sneak peak or to sign up for free and part-take on these great price's for Christmas!

Next is Unique at the California Mart this weekend! Misha LuLu will be there along with many other great local designers from California selling there goods at amazing slashed prices!

Not only can you do your Christmas shopping and get one of a kind items but you also support local Independent Designers which you just might fall in love with!

I'm also excited to see what Grandma Chol has knitted up. she will be there selling her amazing crochet designs like hats, accessories and more!

And see a friend from Flea Market Girl, which i haven't seen in ages and see what cool necklaces (I DON'T want to fall in love with, because i can't buy) has!

I'll be working the Misha LuLu booth on Sunday afternoon, so if you there come by and say hi!

source: uniquela.com, fleamarketgirl.com

DISCOVERING ETSY SHOPS

2010-12-07T06:39:00.000-08:00

Happy Tuesday! i really fall in love with Etsy more and more every time i go exploring new shops. I have two new shops i have added to my favorites list and easily can be on my "all i want for Christmas list".

The first store is call love mae store. they offer the cutest array of wall decals.

i love this vintage forest wall decor. i have always seen the solid color ones but this retro looking one is by far my FAVORITE!

And this dress up doll wall decal would be so much fun to have on the wall. love all the colors, outfits, and the concept itself.

Second store is sassy sadie lee. they offer a great assortment of one of a kind retro hang tags for any occasion. i always like bringing a touch of personalty to any gift be it a hand written card or one you designed yourself; these would make great additions to adding a kitschy vibe to the gift.

retro kitty gift tags

This one would be cute to give to mom as a Mother's Day card, retro mom / daughter time tag.

retro cute kitty birthday tags

I have many more i will be sharing, i'm also going to be doing a buy "Etsy" gift guide.

Wishing you a blessed afternoon!

source: etsy store's love mae store and sassy sadie lee.

PATCHWORK JUNGLE

2010-12-06T15:21:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday! i photographed in front of the lovely home of Mrs. Karen of Misha LuLu. they have the prettiest Mediterranean style home and these are the steps leading up to the house.

On this day i wore one of my favorite dress's which i have had in my vintage collection since high school. i have been wearing it for over 18 years now and two things come to mind; 1. vintage stands the test of time 2. i'm glad i still fit in it!

I really like jumper dress's, and this one is just constructed so well. the fabric is actually corduroy which i loved wearing allot of as a teen. especially in the 90's, corduroy was big. this patch work, ditzy floral retro print is so one of a kind. Karen and I wish we could find something like this now, it's to bad great fabrics like this are no longer made as so, only if you develop the print yourself. and that's big big money right there!

I feel like a kid every time i where this dress, not sure if it's because i've had it for so long or because jumpers just make me feel younger! oh i also cut my bangs once again. i was so trying hard to let them grow out, but that "in your face bang" just drives me nuts. so i caved and "snip" "snip" off they went. i've had bangs for 8 years now, you get so used to them. i also think this is what made me feel like a school girl too!

Dress, is from my vintage collection, in my vintage family for 18 years; it's 1970's corduroy patch work print jumper.

Black T-shirt, old Banana Republic bought at a thrift.

Boots, i soooo love them! they are my Mom's, which i stole 13 years ago, shhh don't tell her. they are vintage 1970's brown suede from OLD Miami high end department store Burdines, NOW a Macy's.

Ring, antique, given to me by a dear friend!

TEXTURED HUES

2010-12-03T15:03:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday!! i'm looking forward to a weekend full of cleaning and putting up our Christmas decorations! i'm excited because this year my mom and brother are coming from Vegas to celebrate. my niece and nephew are also flying in from Miami too, we are so excited!

I love the colors in these shots. the texture on the trees is so beautiful. nature never stops inspiring me and is like an art canvas displayed before my eyes.

I was on my way to work to Misha LuLu this day, it's pretty much when i do most of my style post. i love getting dressed up and then being surrounded by the cutest girls clothing. it never gets old, i LOVE designing. so thankful to God for the opportunities!

I also feel i got lucky on the lighting here. love the browns and greens captured. amateur photography is always a hit and miss type of thing. so i find myself doing high fives when i get it right. especially when there self timer shots.

It's a little unfortunate that you can't really see the detail on this adorable skirt. it has the cutest retro floral design with birds. and my favorite part is that it's velvet! the shirt was pretty much a throw away. i found it completely ripped on the bottom and because of it's delicate cotton it has holes all over. i still saw it fit to wear. i just did a little serging on the bottom to get rid of the ripped areas, an "wa la" like new again! i love the color and the fact that it is an vintage 70's Arpeja 100% organic cotton top. who would of thought years later organic would be all the rave and they were doing it since back then!

TOP: vintage 70's 100% organic cotton Arpeja
SKIRT: vintage 70's
BOOTS: vintage 70's (eBay)
RING: antique, gift from a friend.

Wishing you a lovely weekend!

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS....

2010-12-01T13:01:00.000-08:00

Is to go back in time! the 1960's to be exact. my three favorite vintage era's that i would go in a time machine for is the 20's, 60's & 70's. all era's are pretty much awesome but if i were only able to choose three those are it. so much design innovation went into those years as well as my favorite fabric prints.

These are my time machine wants, replica's just don't do it for me except in clothes..:

Either one of these in my kitchen. although i have a feeling Zoe would want the pink, but yellow is one of my favorite Mod colors in furniture!

The rounded floral seat cat and all. and isn't that swing seat in the corner amazing!

This living room! especially because of the skylight and it's flowy colors.

This ad is the best! pretty much what Mod space age design was all about. i just want the simple yet gorgeous dresses, glasses and helmet.

Ok have these Ray Bans ever been re-made? They have to but again would love this vintage pair.

I want all three patterns, oh especially the plaid ones. looks like i'm on a searching mission for them. i just might run into a pair, thrifting..if only.

Any cool vintage Christmas wants are your list? please do share link if you like!

source: 1960's Ad book

STYLE POST: KAREN OF MISHA LULU!

2010-11-30T14:06:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to do a style post on some of my friends for quite some time. even more so of Miss Karen here of Misha LuLu! i have always admired Karen's style even before we formerly met about 3 years ago. at the time we both worked for a fairly big fashion design company and she stood out to me. she was always wearing her great ensembles of mixed patterns, vintage pieces and some designer pieces all put together. at that point i new we would become fast friends because of our love of both design and of vintage.

i also admire Karen because of how humble she is and at the same time is such a creative genius just seeing her at work in the design process. i love her illustrations; the art she develops for Misha LuLu it comes so natural to her. she also has such a canny way of mixing patterns and making them work. i seriously feel blessed to be working with her and being part of the design team at Misha. she is also sweet as pie, has 100% integrity in the product we develop, and truly LOVES her customer.

i caught her here while she was running to a meeting. loved the saggy men's inspired twill pants she got in Japan (so much cool stuff there), a black and white striped dress she tucked in as a shirt, corduroy jacket, cute brown retro booties, the coolest velvet carpet deer messenger bag and of course "real" ray ban glasses on the eyes!

if she lets me, i will be posting other style pictures of her on my blog!

wishing you a nice afternoon,

A MEXICAN THANKSGIVING FIESTA!

2010-11-29T23:29:00.000-08:00

Happy after Thanksgiving! Zoe and I arrived very late last night 3 a.m. to be exact from Vegas and i am pooped. today has been a catching up and recovery day for me. the food coma has pretty much dragged on for the last 5 days. i self indulge at my mommies home!

but now it's back to the work grind and i am very much looking forward to it. i feel that i would love to get a better consistent work flow while away on holidays. i think it's one of the "self employed" aspects that is always behind the head, no work no salary. although i do have two jobs, my vintage shop is my baby i'm still trying to grow.

this GORGEOUS dress has been in my closet for a few months calling to me to be worn. i actually was contemplating on selling it, but some items you just have to keep it because it's truly one of a kind!

it's an amazing vintage 1970's maxi dress with embroidered cotton floral design panels, a panel of lace, ribbon, and super cute bell sleeve. i wanted to take the photos outside but it was way freezing and settled for mom's Christmas decorated hallway.

we had such a great meal and time celebrating as a small family (most of my family is in Miami & Honduras), despite missing my other half we made the most with our time together. being thankful for all we have and finished the night playing black jack and a movie!

DRESS: vintage 70's lace and embroidered maxi dress (found at a farmers market)

SHOES: vince camuto western clogs

ACCESSORIES: vintage 70's glass owl pendant (given to me by my best amiga)

How was your Thanksgiving? would love to hear your stories!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING BLACK FRIDAY SALE!

2010-11-25T16:31:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! i'll be coming back with our festivities post later! although we celebrate at moms home we still get all dressed up to make the evening fun and take lots of photos for memories!

i'm actually looking forward to the outfit i will be wearing because it's a dress that i just haven't had anywhere to wear it to and with the cold weather outside it's only fit to wear it in doors to our party!

i wanted to mention that our Etsy shop is having a Black Friday sale now through Friday till midnight. Etsy just keeps getting better adding new features and i am happy to announce we now can do coupons to make discounts so much easier to give!

just use coupon code "BLACKVINTAGE20" for a 20% discount on any item in the shop. oh and also just a reminder how great it is to buy local as well on blackfriday, it beats standing in line for hours, avoiding the crowds and the trade off is buying something one of a kind!

i will be adding more items way later in the evening, while i sip on wine and end the night with a movie!

wishing you all a blessed Thanksgiving!

blackfriday banner source: courtesy of abeautifulmess.com

MISHA LULU GIVEAWAY!

2010-11-23T23:30:00.000-08:00

Happy Tuesday! i am so stoked since Zoe and me are hitting the road in the very early a.m. towards Vegas. these road trips never get old with Zoe. my favorite is having a cup of coffee and driving in the a.m. dew while looking at all the dessert mountains, all time favorite!

well Misha LuLu is doing a great giveaway just in time for the Christmas holiday on Small Magazine's blog Smaller! the cutest outfit from our Fall 2010 line will be given away and it would be a perfect addition to any little girls closet!

the giveaway closes this Friday November 26th. go to Smaller blog for details and to enter.

to check out our complete look-book go to MishaLuLu.com and for stores near you.

wishing you a lovely evening!