Author: Kimberli Simon

I love to take a photograph….

Kimberli Simon2 Comments

 

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Imagine if you can

Lately I’ve really been into staging our living room mantle.  For years its primary purpose has been to showcase an ever-changing homage to birthday cards, athletic awards, professional recognitions, flowers, books, special pictures, academic achievements and the like.   My first attempt at a creating a mantle ‘look’ was this past Halloween and I was so happy with the results (see my dream and reality here) that I am attempting a Thanksgiving look next.

The hanging rectangles (pictured above) represent photos of special people, places and things near and dear to my family’s heart. I’ve got to look through TONS of physical and digital pictures which might take some time since it’s hard for me not to get lost down memory lane when I look at the captured moments of our lives.  Once I have enough images then I will mount each one on cardstock and hang from the ceiling using white and gold ribbons.

A quick trip to JoAnn for paper mache letters, primer, and metallic gold paint should translate to a shiny ‘thankful’, which may (or may not) end up nested in fresh magnolia greens. Candles? Again, I am not sure.  My way is to dive into the making of a thing and see what happens.  Once I begin to hang our thankful photos the final design will suggest itself (or at least I hope so).

Check back next Monday to see how it all comes together…I’d be thankful if you let me know what you think of the outcome.

 

 

How much should we give…

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Remember

I spent my afternoon walking through the Field of Honor at The Hermitage.  The exhibit features 50 rows of 20 flags each, many sponsored by local businesses and proud families, all standing in tribute to our veterans past and present.  The display overlooks the graves of Civil War soldiers from both sides and taken together make for a somber and reflective experience.  If our veterans and their families hadn’t made the sacrifices they did (and do) I would not have the freedoms I so often take for granted.  My sincerest hope is that everyone take a moment on Veteran’s Day to remember our military men and women, and if you happen to see a soldier say ‘thanks’.  It’s the least any of us can do.

 

Ain’t nobody’s business but my own…

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I am beyond excited to be attending Christy Wright’s Business Boutique event this weekend.  I’ll be joined by 2,999 other dreamers, starters, and builders as we learn to take our business games to the next level.  I am really interested in the marketing and social media talks, as well as the breakout session focused on how to make your product stand out on Etsy.  Since this will be my first opportunity to showcase ‘The Grey Goddess’ since its inception a year ago I want to make a good impression by wearing the following outfits.

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Biz Boutique Day 1 – Pumpkin Spice
BP Knit Bell Sleeve Pullover  |  ASOS Curve Maxi Skirt with Front Layer Panel  | Mock Croc Structured Tote  |  Opaque Tights  |  Vagabond Mandy Western Chelsea Boots  |  Patricia Nash Vintage Scarf  |  Kate Spade ‘Burst Into Bloom’ earrings |  lip gloss  |  leather journal  |   my new business card
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Biz Boutique Day 2 – Checks and Balances
Melissa McCarthy Seven7 Flannel Shirt   |  Calvin Klein Ultra Suede Leggings  |  Silver Hoops  |  ASOS Metallic Tote |  Sephora Ultra Shine Lip Gloss  |  Opaque Tights   |  Chance Perfume  |  Marc Fisher Nellien Pointy-Toe Block-Heel Booties

I’ll let you know how the weekend goes so stay tuned…

 

Fire, I bring you to burn…

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cityonfire
Big city, big stories

I just finished my last ‘summer stack’ book (see the other books here) and it turns out I saved the best for last.  Have  you had a chance to read ‘City on Fire‘ by Garth Risk Hallberg? I can’t recommend it enough.  It’s a big, juicy book that jumps from the 50’s to the 90’s with much of the action happening in the 70’s when parts of New York really were burning.  The plot deftly weaves 15+ characters story arcs between each other, with some of the stories told via a book within a book (think fanzine, diary entries, and a manuscript).  This is  Mr. Hallberg’s first novel and he has set the bar high for future writings. If his next book is as good as his first I will be in for another highly enjoyable read.  How about you?  Have you read any good books lately?  I’d love to know what’s on your ‘must read’ list…

Dress it up…

Kimberli Simon4 Comments
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Part 1: A DIY take on A Detacher Fall 2016 – Florals

In the past few weeks I’ve featured my DIY take on leopard and velvet, two of the hot fashion trends for Fall 2016. Another trend I love is wintery florals, especially when used in a dress. My closet already contains every style dress from A-line to wrap that range from casual to formal for every season imaginable.   I’ve always loved the ease of a dress and how it can camouflage real (or imagined) flaws. All that’s needed to complete your look are killer shoes and sparkly bling before you head out the door for whatever adventure awaits.  While I try to ‘recreate the runway’ look as closely as possible who says you need to do the same? Half the fun is finding the right floral fabric – not to mention shoes and accessories – for your own runway recreation!

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Part 2: A DIY take on Temperly London Fall 2016  – Florals

Sprinklin’ the oogly all under my bed..

Kimberli Simon3 Comments
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My mantle come 10/31…or sooner

Now that my children are old enough to make their own costumes I can focus on decorating our house (or at least one room of it).  It’s time I retired the plastic skeletons and stuffed witch I’ve been using for decades and adopted a new look for Halloween (which signals the start of the holiday season for me).

Should I focus on inside-only decorations? Or go for the yard display instead?  I know I don’t want to go ‘all out’ because come November 1st I’ll have to take everything down and pack it up (plus find a place to store it for another year).  That means inside-only but what theme should I adopt? Cutesy? Gory?  Classy fright?  After searching West Elm, Pier 1, Target, Hobby Lobby, Joann, Williams & Sonoma, Restoration Hardware, Anthropologie, Nordstrom’s and Neiman Marcus for inspiration I’ve come up with a black/creme/silver mantle idea that will look pretty freakin’ cool if I pull it off.

To do so, I could buy everything and finish the mantle in a day but where’s the fun in that? Instead, I’m budgeting $40 for supplies and will attempt to make the twig wreath, pumpkins, signage, books and apothecary jars (although I’ll definitely buy the birds – there’s a limit to my crafting abilities).  Follow me over the upcoming weeks and see how I’m progressing – hopefully I’ll be able to show you how closely I came to creating my original idea (and sticking to my budget) before October 31st!

Velvet if you please…

Kimberli Simon4 Comments

Last week I featured my first Fall 2016 Trends – ‘Recreating the Runway’ looks, which focused on leopard.  Next up…velvet.

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Part 1: a DIY take on Elie Saab Fall 2016 – the Skirt

Models who walked Elie Saab’s Fall 2016 show looked like groupies on their way to an exclusive after-party, decked out in their finest laces, leathers and velvets.  The outfit pictured above could work for any age or size and would be very easy to make. Start with any basic full skit pattern, extending  the length and adding pockets if necessary. Use a burnout velvet for the skirt and a sheer black fabric for the lining. Make a full-sleeved turtleneck blouse in a rich organza or a lightweight knit or skip this step and use a turtleneck you already have.  Finish recreating the look with lace-up pumps, a wide western belt, chandelier earrings, and a few tassel or lariat necklaces.

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Part 2: a DIY take on A.L.C Fall 2016 – the Coat/Dress Ensemble

I did not technically see this A.L.C. look stroll down the runway. Instead, I stumbled upon this coat and dress at the Neiman Marcus site while searching for shoes. A google search later and I had discovered designer Andrea Lieberman’s richly colored, elegantly simple creations.  To recreate this look I’d make the Burda trenchcoat in a silk velvet with a satin lining, leaving off the front pockets and transferring the right flap to the left.  I’ve opted for a simple sheath dress pattern made from a stretch velvet in the same color as the coat fabric. Since it’s important that the coat and dress are the exact same color you might need to choose one fabric to make both.  Complete the look with a great pair of gold heels (the higher the better), some simple gold jewelry, and a deep red lipstick…and an after-party or two!