December 16, 2014 In Fashion, Things

Gift Guide | For the Boyz 2 Men

xmas-gift-guide-menz

Now it’s time to get something for the guys in our lives. Personally, I love shopping for menswear, some might say a little too much. I just think that most mens accessories and gifts are so well designed; simple and elegant, I often find myself wanting to keep the ‘boy’ gifts I buy, even more so than the pretty things I buy for my girlfriends! Go figure!

From the boyz to the manliest of men, here are my picks for every gentleman in your life. (I’ll try to keep my hands to myself!)

For the Stylish Fellow: Not many guys can pull off a hat, but for those who can, this Trilby is super fly!
For the Hipster: If your hipster BF doesn’t love this wood finish Radio,  I’ll totally take it off your hands!
For a Tropical Holiday : Everyone looks good in a pair of  wayfarers, they’re just so timeless!
For the Music Lover: A good pair of Headphones are a must have for the fellow who is always jammin’ out!
For the Adventurer: That guy who is always on exciting adventures totally needs this dreamy backpack.
For the Business man: Keep your career man on time with this simple and striking watch.
For the Gym Junkie: If there’s one thing an exercise enthusiast always needs, its a good water bottle.
For the Foodie: For the fan of finer things, grab a set of whiskey stones so he can enjoy them ice cold!
For a Stocking Stuffer: - in the most literal sense of the term, adorable winter socks to keep his feet warm.

December 6, 2014 In Fashion, Things

Christmas Gift Guide | for the Color Addict

Christmas Gift Guide: for the Color Addict! Hav eyou completed your Christmas shopping yet? Only 19 days until Christmas! AAAAHHH!!!! Don’t worry if you’re stuck for ideas; you can have some of mine: this time, for a lady who loves a bit of color!

1  | Any color lover would be stoked to store their change in this painted coin purse.
2  | This striking mini-pendant light fitting comes in so many colors, but this turquoise version is my favourite!
3  | These gold heeled shoes are a two-fer: Color lovers AND citrus lovers will be all over these bad boys!
4  | It’s a 2-way tie for what I’m crushing on the most: the patterns or color combo on this pretty serving tray.
5  | Who wouldn’t want to rock this bead necklace on the daily? (I know I would!)
6  | Nobody ever said  holiday card‘s had to  relegate themselves to the traditional red and green palette.
7  | Just think how supa fly you (or a loved one) would look in some delightful sea foam green sunglasses!
8  | A vibrant  teacup set to brighten up any tea time, even on the rainiest of days.
9  | Match your watch with your outfit or visa-versa!
10 | A gift for the color addict in the most literal sense of the term: a color wheel necklace!

June 6, 2014 In Fashion, Things

SHOP | Print All Over Me

print-all-over-me Raise your hand if you have heard of Print All Over Me? I came across the site a few months ago but it was only this week that I actually sat down and had a look at what it has to offer.

It’s a simple yet brilliant concept: You can print whatever you like onto your choice of clothing style, for a limited time. Every three months new objects to print on are released meaning there is always an ever changing collection to browse. How cool is that?! I love it because it’s not just your basic Tshirt and mug combo you usually get from these kinds of services. There are some actual nice styles to choose from (the bomber jacket is probably my favourite)

Being a user submission service, let’s be honest – the vast majority of what I found was psychedelic stoner patterns, blown up photos of celebrities (SO much Beyonce and Miley!) and of course, random internet memes. But among all the craziness there are some real gems to be found! There is only a few days left on the current edition, so check it out!

sweatshirt | back pack | shift dress | polo shirt

May 30, 2014 In Fashion, Things, things i want

This & That: Sunglasses & Clutches

Sunglasses & Clutch combo from The Iconic | www.highwallsblog.com

I have never had any luck finding sun glasses that suit my face. No matter what shape or size, they never seem to sit quite right, you know? Usually I look for aviator’s, because - well- you can’t beat a classic! But even then they have to be the perfect pair, which I will inevitably break or lose within days of buying.

What I need is a timeless pair of chic oversized sunglasses, like these. While I’m at it, why not pick up an equally stylin’ giraffe print clutch. (Giraffe print is the grown up older cousin of leopard print and therefore obviously superior.) Am I  the only one who has issues with sunglasses? Does buying them with pretty bags help to solve the problem in any way? (please say yes!)

[images via The Iconic]

February 7, 2014 In Things

Je t’amie

valentine

Are we all feeling loved up? Everywhere I look, all I see is Valentines Day themed photos and projects and content. You might think that this post is jumping on the bandwagon, but it’s more because I really dig things with hearts ;)

Card | Phone Case | Water Bottle | Necklace

June 19, 2012 In Things

Birthday Wish List Revisited (Part 2)

Continuing on from yesterday’s post, I wanted to share some more of the wooden treasures I have come into possession of since sharing my birthday wish list last year.

After the fun I had at the Autumn/Winter Finders Keepers Markets, I naturally couldn’t wait to head over to the Spring/Summer event at the end of last year. This time I was lucky enough to come across the stall of bRainbow the creators of 2 of the items in my birthday wish list!

After hovering around the stall trying to decide what I wanted to buy (for what I’m sure seemed an awkwardly long time to anyone paying attention), I overheard that the items I was looking at were all on sale… so really I was saving money by purchasing all three…

The 3D Wooden Camera was what drew me to their products in the first place, and with my love for photography there was no way I was going home without this little baby. It is without a doubt, my favourite of the set. Everything about it from the little face inside the lens to the lovely leather ‘strap’ is just perfection. I have to be careful whenever I wear it out as people are always trying to play with it and take it off me!
The old SMPTE colour bars on this teeny TV were what won me over in the end. The TV Screen Test Necklace was on my Birthday wish list, but I have to admit I’ve never actually worn it as a necklace. Instead it sits on my desk, cheering me up with its bright colours and adorable size.
Okay, so the Birdhouse Necklace wasn’t on my birthday wish list but c’mon. Look at that little owly face peeking out from inside his awesome house! Could you say no to that face?!Originally I thought I could justify buying all three, as I had intended on giving at least one away as a birthday gift. However when the time came to package one up and send it off, I just couldn’t part with any of them…

The problem I have created for myself now is that, while writing this post I have become aware of new products in the bRainbow store that I hadn’t seen before! I feel another wish list coming on….

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Psst… here’s a Bonus behind the scenes photo of what happens every time I try to photograph anything inside my house….
A week after I bought these, Loki ate (yes… he ate, swallowed and digested) the leather necklace from the birdhouse necklace. This is the closest he has been allowed to any of these items since then. About 30 seconds after I took this photo he was trying to chew on the camera strap and was therefore booted out of the room….
June 19, 2012 In Art & Design, Things

Birthday Wish List Revisted (Part 1)

Never let it be said that I don’t share things I truly love with you guys! If you’ve been reading kittenbear for a while, you may remember last year I shared my birthday wish list full of wooden beauties. While I didn’t receive any of said items last year, I thought I would revisit this list as a few months on, I have managed to secure a few on my own…

The first treasure from my list is the brooch by the ever so talented Lauren Carney. My love affair with Ms Carney’s work has been mentioned again and again and again on this blog. I had been lusting after the Shiphead Wooden Brooch ever since I missed out on getting one at Finders Keepers last year. I had it sitting in my Etsy shopping cart, just waiting for the day that I would treat myself to it. Of course, something as lovely as this didn’t stay in there for long and one day I logged in to find the dreaded message ‘Darn! This item can’t be purchased right now.‘ In a flurry of panic I sped over to the wonderful Made by White website where I had seen some of her brooches in stock previously and snapped one up as quick as I could!

When it arrived (in the cutest packaging ever!) I have to admit… I’m not really sure why I didn’t purchase it sooner! It is beautiful quality and the quirky illustration never fails to start and conversation (and gain me some lovely compliments) whenever I wear it. I’m so very tempted to get the Rabbit Mask Brooch and make it a set. My favourite thing about this brooch is that it upon first glance it comes across as a simple, elegant brooch but when you look at it properly you see that it actually is much more interesting and whimsical than you ever realised!

May 15, 2012 In Fashion, Things

Adventures in Online Shopping: Shoes

It is abundantly clear in these photos that my latest obsession is brown leather shoes. In all honesty, I didn’t even know this until I started to edit these photos. With winter all but here I have been on the lookout for pretty enclosed shoes and one of the benefits of shopping online is the ridiculous sales that are around from mainly US stores trying to clear out for their summer.

It’s safe to say that I have been doing a little too much shoe shopping online over the last few weeks.  I thought it was about time to share my successes ( and failures) and some of the lessons I have learned:

1. Product Photos can be misleading!
These Deena & Ozzy oxfords and dark brown ankle boots both came from Urban Outfitters. They both fit perfectly and are super comfy. The oxfords turned out to be a little longer in real life than the product photo displayed. I have decided that I still love them, but when I first opened them up I was so disappointed. It took me a few wears around the house and constant reassurance from my housemates that it didn’t look like I was wearing clown shoes before I warmed to them.
Lesson Learned: Don’t rely on the product to be exactly as the promotional photos, things always look a little different in the ‘flesh’.

2. Sizes can differ depending on the brand

You may remember these Macau Suede Slippers from this post a few weeks ago. I had really wanted them in the grey, but they didn’t have them in my size. I settled for this lovely brown and eagarly waited for their arrival only to find they are too small! Nooooo! They are apparently my size, but even though I can actually fit my feet in them it’s physically painful for me. They are lovely in every other way so I’m going to see if I can get them stretched at the cobbler. Fingers crossed!

On the flip side I have these Yellow Cap Toe Canvas Ballet Flats that I posted about back in February I agonized over whether or not to get them as the international postage was INSANE. Turns out they are actually a touch too big which means they rub on my heel and give me blisters whenever I wear them.  It was disappointing, inserts didn’t help me either, but love is about compromise. I wear them all the time, along with many, many bandaids….
Lesson Learned: If available, always cross check your measurements with those listed on your size. Brands can differ in their sizing, do not assume that because you have purchased your ‘normal size’ it will fit!

3. You can’t test for comfort

My most recent purchase are these ASOS ankle boots which are probably my new favourites. The only problem with these beauties is that they have a little built in pad inside on the heel that I’m assuming is for comfort and support. It sticks into the arch of my foot when I walk making it difficult to wear them for extended periods. It’s one of those things that could only have been picked up by trying on before purchasing.
Lesson Learned: Nothing can replace actually trying something on in a store.

Online shopping is so hit and miss, I’m really impressed with my success rate so far, especially for items as difficult to shop for as shoes. Do you shop online for shoes? How do you find a pair that fits just right?

March 26, 2012 In Personal, Things

Mailbox Love

I won’t be offended if you don’t remember my Mailbox Love posts. I think its been at least a year since the last time I posted one… I should explain:

Mailbox Love was a term I coined a few years ago. I was trying to explain to one of my friends that they should send me physical mail when I moved interstate because ‘I love receiving mailbox love’. It ended up being a term I use a lot once I started shopping online and eventually became a semi-regular feature when I first started Kittenbear, where I would share items I bought as I received them.

Anyway, over the weekend I received a little ‘mailbox love’ so I thought it might just be time to start sharing my purchases again.

This beautiful necklace from Plastique arrived a few days ago. If you’ve been paying attention you’ll know, a couple of weeks ago I shared this ring in this collection. I bought this necklace around then, I couldn’t help but snap up a bargain while so many of the amazing designs were on sale. In my usual fashion, I had forgotten that it was coming so I was super stoked when it arrived.

The necklace is everything I hoped it would be. It’s a great statement piece but it’s not too overstated that it dominates the outfit. I can’t wait to wear it out so I can snap a couple of photos to show you.

I love receiving an item and finding that it is great quality and beautifully packaged, as this one was. Especially with online shopping, there’s nothing worse than receiving your purchase and feeling disappointed with the product you receive.

PS. As I was setting up to take these photos, Loki came over and sat down in my shots- obviously fascinated by my actions. I didn’t have the heart to move the inquisitive little guy.

February 20, 2012 In Things

I Like Stuff (3)

Over the last week I have found a whole bunch of new things to love (including how to make animated GIF’s in photoshop!) I’ve probably ruined the whole simple effect I was going for by animating this picture, but I am ever so proud
of myself!
While it makes me feel ever so important to have my own office at work, it can be a little quiet and lonely. I’ve been on the hunt for an affordable radio to pop on my desk and I came across this little cutie. Not only is it small enough to fit in my hand, it lights up when you turn it on! How could I not share the adorableness with you guys?!
Hilariously, this teeny tiny radio is actually a little too loud for my office, even on the lowest setting!
Moving on from animations and radios, Valentines day brought me two beautiful gifts from my boy; the first was this Apothecary Bottle. A short 5 minute walk from my house, there is the loveliest gift store full to the brim of stylish homewares. The boy chose this bottle for me (he knows me so well) and gave it to me complete with a white rose. He also surprised me with this adorable Message in a Bottle, complete with three hand written notes on little scrolls.  Aw :)

The last thing I wanted to share was my old-new mug. I’m not a coffee or tea drinker so when I bought this mug (Purely because it reminded me of the huge mugs they had at Central Perk in Friends), I never really had a plan for it and it ended up collecting dust in my cupboard. However last weekend I gave it a mini makeover and wouldn’t you know; our love has been rekindled! I’ve been using it for everything ever since! (Stay tuned for the full DIY Later this week!)