Putting Down Roots

Outfit:

Tie Dye Print Dress - Missguided / Maroon Leggings - Zara

Cap Toe Flats - c/o Charlotte Russe / Black Satchel - Zara
 Round Frame Sunglasses - Urban Outfitters

Even though I'm only a 45 minute train ride away from New York City, I rarely venture there. It can be a tad tedious to get there sometimes, especially after a full work day.

But when I do go into New York, I'm always discovering something new. In this case, my best friend took me to Dumbo for Craftacular. I have to admit, Dumbo wasn't what I expected. It's artsy, it's got so much character, and I think it'd be a place I'd live if I was younger. 

And while New Jersey doesn't have the best reputation, it's always been my home, and I can't imagine leaving it, or my family.

Beyond The Blog: Bust Craftacular 2013 Dumbo, BK

Beyond The Blog (I hope) is a new series on House Of Jeffers that lets me talk about things other than fashion. For the first installment: Bust Craftacular!

I love for a solid craft fair and a handmade anything, especially jewelry and prints, and I've found some of my most coveted treasures at them.

For years, I've been attending Bust Magazine's Craftacular held twice a year in Manhattan and often, Brooklyn. But don't think of this as your average congregation of arts and crafts. Craftacular captures the true spirit of the hand-mand movement with all types of wares - jewelry, pottery, clothing, metalwork, knit work, food, accessories and anything that welcomes imagination - food and even workshops.

Last week, Spring Craftacular 2013 hit up Dumbo, Brooklyn - a place where I hear my people (hipsters) thrive, and the art culture is booming.

Ironically, I've only been to Brooklyn once, and never visited the Brooklyn Bridge. With the weather on point, and best friend in tow, we took the subway into Brooklyn, ready to get our crafts on.

  

Craftacular always has the most creative artists offering up some of the coolest stuff that you can't find just anywhere. But my bread and butter is jewelry. I managed to snag a personalized ID bracelet from Brooklyn Charm that you will definitely see on House Of Jeffers... A lot.

        

Shara Porter's printed leather goods were one of my favorites. I actually bought one of her hand-printed  wallets (below) at Craftacular in 2011, which I use to carry my business cards. 

L.A.B. by Laura Busony's copper Peter Pan collars featured tiny aluminum roses and hammered details. The black necklace (second from top) was actually featured in Lucky Magazine!

The best Pad Thai I've ever had came courtesy of Mamu Thai Noodle. Amazing! 

Check back Monday to see what I wore!

The Perils of Pink

Even though I do consider myself to be a girly girl, I think I still hold on to some tomboy tendencies. Don't get me wrong - on the outside, I'm a total pink-loving lady. But, that doesn't mean I don't know how to play with the boys... or curse like one. Sorry, mom.

Outfit:

Gnome Enterprises Bunnie Tee / BDG Jeans - Urban Outfitters / Tassel Smoking Flats - Nine West / Urban Expressions Handbag (purchased at South Moon Under) / Gold Knuckle Ring - Urban Outfitters / Gold Studded Bangles - Forever 21 

I wasn't always this into pink and whatnot. As a kid, I played softball and used to watch wrestling with my dad (and still do with my husband). I was absolutely more athletic then than I am now. I blame my bangs... I don't like to sweat, and I certainly don't like to go camping or be outdoors unless its surrounded by sand.

But I think holding on to some tomboy tendencies toughened me up. In elementary school, I was the shortest, tiniest girl in the class, which opened the door to some kids picking on me. Would I call it bullying - sometimes. I definitely had days when I faked an illness so I didn't have to go to school. But, I think for all the times I was picked on, now, as an adult, I've got a much thicker, more opinionated, stronger skin. It just happens to be dressed up in a bunnie t-shirt.

Mani Monday: Erdem Inspired Abstract Flowers

Partaking in my usual Sunday night ritual of painting a new mani for the week, I stared at my polishes and was uninspired. I'm always looking for new ideas for my diy manis, and usually, they come to me quickly. But, sick of my standard lines and dashes, I turned to one of my favorite nail blogs, Miss Ladyfingers, for inspiration.

If you don't know about her, then you are seriously sleeping on some sick nail art. She features DIY nail art inspired by fashion on the runway. 

After looking at her site, I decided to find some inspiration of my own. 

Erdem runway photos via Style.com

Eureka! Erdem's Spring RTW 2013 runway show, featuring uber bright florals with nods to the 70s. Described by Style.com as "nuclear orange" I immediately wanted to replicate the flowers on this dress.

The results:

To create the flowers, I simply dabbed a dot 3-4 times in clusters using Zoya's Heidi (orange) and Orly's Glowstick (a fluorescent yellow). The hints of light and dark purple on the petals were done using ultra thin Color Club polishes. And the base purple is Iris I Was from Sephora by OPI. 

Warby Parker Home Try-On Review

The speckled folks at Warby Parker invited me to check out their Home Try-On program on the road to channeling my inner Lisa Loeb. Always loved her glasses...

But Warby Parker isn't your ordinary eye wear company.

• While they are in the business of creating their own vintage-inspired glasses for a fraction of the cost (starting at $95 for a pair of prescription glasses), they contribute to a bigger picture.  
• For every pair of glasses sold, they provide a pair to someone in need. As of today, they've distributed more than 250,000 pairs.

Home Try-On Fun
The first part of my quest for fashionable specks started by visiting Warby Parker's website, and browsing their selection of eye wear and sunglasses.

The Home Try-On premise is simple:

• You select 5 pairs of glasses to try out at home for 5 days. 
• You're not obligated to buy.
• When you're done, ship em back with the pre-paid shipping label... Oh, and it's all completely free.

With my choices made, I received a snazzy box filled with my selections. Let the party begin.

Tenley

Mimicking a cat-eye shape, I loved the arch in the frame, but
felt they were a bit small for my face shape.  

Ainsley and Marshall

Since I don't wear prescription eye glasses, these two pairs were the ones I was most excited to try on. I love the look of glasses as a fashion accessory. To me, they're playful and an unexpected

 addition to your wardrobe.

And the geekier, the better.

Both the Ainsley and Marshall glasses felt lightweight, and gave me the nerd vibe I was going for. Ainsley had a round frame, while the Marshall's winged out arch and bridge played up my bangs. But, in the end, the purple and green framed Ainsley won my heart. 

 Jasper

Another round frame contender, the Jasper fit like a glove. This would be the perfect, every day pair of sunnies for someone like me. And, the fact that they're polarized is a major plus.

Madison

I can honestly say these shades are hipster approved. Loved the Rum Cherry color. 

In the end, my choice would be Jasper. Considering the cost and how easy they'd work with my style,   investing in a pair of quality sunglasses is a no-brainer!