Oh yeah? You know who else did?   Designer Chris Adkins.

Working as a professional poker player in Vegas (and all over the world), Chris tells me that the tourneys were as much about the clothes as they were about the cards and nothing he found seemed fit his unique personal style: extremely edgy yet EXTREMELY luxe.   (Think: Prada opening a tattoo parlor.)  But the difference between Chris and yours truly is that homeboy decided to take matters into his own hands and design his own clothes.  His own accessories.  His own shoes!  (Needless to say, I love this man.)  

Luckily for us, Chris decided to ditch the chips for a while and start his own line of jewelry right here in Atlanta, Thirteen Crowns.  

It is AMAZING.  Made with high-end materials and gemstones, every piece is hand made by darling Chris.  Check out some of his pieces:

(For more styles, please visit his website HERE)

You can also visit Polished and Primped (If you haven’t been to P+P – you must.  It’s on the bottom floor of the Plaza Midtown building and it’s SO cute) where Chris has a 13 Crowns shop-in-shop.  

Newsflash: Chris will also do custom orders for you.  He tells me “If you can dream it, I can make it.”  This got the wheels turning in my head a little bit…could he be the answer to my aforementioned problem?

Also a marvelous idea: BRIDESMAIDS or HOSTESS gifts.  How cool would it be to have custom jewelry created for the lovely ladies (or gentlemen!) in your life?  Chris will work with you to ensure your vision is realized in the most beautiful way possible.  

I really and truly love his pieces – I was interested in meeting him before I knew how amazing he is personally, I think his work speaks for itself.  But I must tell you, I absolutely ADORED Chris.

For me, the best part of all of this is that when you talk to Chris, you can tell that this is his art and it MEANS something to him.  I don’t want to get too touchy-feely on you guys, but I get the sense that each piece of jewelry comes with some pretty awesome energy as well.  

So, get crowned with Thirteen Crowns A-SNAP, ladies.  (It’s only fitting – you’re princesses, after all, right?)

xx, L

Without further ado, here are the loves of my life right now:

Brightly Twisted Scarves

Check out these gorgeous one of a kind hand tie-dyed summer scarves:

I am obsessed. Gus has an amazing supply, but you can get also these darlings at Intermix or Tootsie’s here in Atlanta.

Oribe Hair Products

Ok I have blogged about the Anti-Humidity spray before (check it) and I still swear by it… I just picked up some “beautiful color” shampoo and conditioner and it’s amazing.

My color looks great, my hair feels super healthy and This. Stuff. Smells. Incredible.

Shoes!: I am the proud new owner of a couple of pairs of fantastic wedges for summer!

First, to continue the tie dye trend – I scooped a pair of these bad boys by Bacio 61:

Bacoli Tie Dye Wedge in Lily Purple

I happened to wear a pair of white pants and a black top Saturday when I spotted these and they complimented my outfit so much – I asked Katie to box up my Torys so I could wear them out! Who (past the age of 6) does that?

I also scored super cute pair of black and raffia Franco Sartos I plan to LIVE in this summer:

Trish Beauty Booster Cream with SPF15

I’ve officially replaced my regular SPF15 moisturizer with this marvelous “Anti-Fatigue” cream, which acts as a moisturizer and primer while brightening and firming… and protecting you from the sun’s harmful rays. Talk about a bang for your buck!

(Helpful hint for Alabamians: All of the above can be found at Gus Mayer at the Summit in Birmingham!)

Other recent MVPs:

The gorgeous and perfectly neutral Kendra Scott earrings I wore with my watercolor Halston Heritage dress to Camp Dance:

(Scored them at Nordy's)

My new Laura Mercier lipstick/gloss combo:

Hibiscus Bloom Gel Lip Color/ Bellini Lip Glace

and the Triple Oxygen facial at Bliss Spa.

I’ve blogged about it before, and I’ll blog about it again. Go to the midtown location inside the W Hotel.  Ask for Anila. Tell her I sent you.  You can thank me later.

And that, as they say, is that!

Enjoy!

xx, L

]]> http://thequickanddirtydirty.com/2011/05/10/a-few-of-my-favorite-things/feed/ 4 http://thequickanddirtydirty.com/2011/04/08/kendra-scott-i-love-you-really-i-do/ http://thequickanddirtydirty.com/2011/04/08/kendra-scott-i-love-you-really-i-do/#comments Fri, 08 Apr 2011 14:17:10 +0000 Lindsay http://thequickanddirtydirty.com/?p=13632 Allow me to introduce you to one of my new favorite Texans, Kendra Scott.

She’s an Austin-based jewelry designer + retailer who I’ve recently become obsessed with.  Please see how gorgeous her designs are… 

She specializes in colorful cuff bracelets, cocktail rings, bib necklaces, chandelier earrings + bridal jewelry.

If Kendra sounds familiar, it’s probably because you’ve seen her stuff featured in InStyle, Lucky, Real Simple, Allure, People, Martha Stewart Weddings or US Weekly – just to name of few of the publications she’s been in thanks to her celebrity clientele.  (I believe that I’ve also seen her on Gilt Groupe before…)

She has her only retail store on South Congress in Austin, and (fun fact), it was recently voted one of the “Top Ten Places to Work in Central Texas.”  When I was visiting Austin last weekend, I stopped by her boutique with my girlfriends to check it out.

Here’s a peek inside:

It’s a really energizing space + makes you want to spend lots of $$$.  (Go w/ your girls…)

Anyway, one of the coolest things about her store is that there’s a color bar for you to design your very own customized jewelry.  You can also do this online on her website, but I thought it was so much fun to do it live when you could actually hold the various settings + stones up to you.  After much consideration, I selected a pair of teardrop earring settings + iolite quartz stones for my creation.  Within ten minutes, one of the colorists put them together for me + I was able to wear them right out of the store! 

Soooooooo…what do you think?!

my customized earrings

If you have a classic solid color dress to wear but you still want to make a statement, check out Kendra Scott Jewelry online.  Her stuff is so amazing - I want it ALL.  (Just another reason to love Texas, if you ask me…)

xx, L

She suggested jewelry bureaus or perhaps a jewelry board so I immediately went to work researching.  I was getting very frustrated trying to find the perfect piece – something that fit my needs, style, AND my budget when I found…drumroll please…

ArranGEM!
(Actually, luckily, owner Tiffany Huff found me.  How’s THAT for perfect timing?)

I love the idea of jewelry boards, but usually I find they’re are a little kitschy and D-I-Y for my taste.  Not these.  These are GORGEOUS and very chic.  Check it:

To die for, right?

These babies sell for a mere $60! You can (and should) also purchase an earring mesh for $15 to go with it.

Now, I’m a total costume jewelry collector, so I’d need about 3 ArranGEMs to hold ALL of my jewelry…but I have all my favorite baubles on it and its incredibly functional and looks precious in my room!

The good news is – all those “statement necklaces” I collected over the last few seasons can now do double duty as wall art on these posh little pieces!

Win/Win!

xx, L

ArranGEM by Tiffany Huff
404.447.6255
tiffanyhuff@arrangem.com

I’m sure “I Will Survive” if I don’t get them, but wouldn’t I be “Hot Stuff” if I did?

Click HERE to order them on CoutureCandy.com! (Use promo code “LUST” for 20% off!)

xx, L

Michael Kors’ message is loud + clear.  Large watches are in.  Every fashion-conscious girl + her mom + her grandma are wearing oversized watches these days.  I am guilty of loving this trend, too.  Every. single. one. of my watches are oversized. 

Now, there’s a company who is taking this trend and turing it green.  WEWOOD makes watches out of wood + will plant a tree for every watch sold.  (Kind of like a watch version of TOMS shoes.)

Touchy-feely stuff that we kinda dig from the WEWOOD website:

WEWOOD emerged out of Italy as an emblem of eco-luxury and design, committed to the health of our planet.  It is the avant-garde approach to sophisticated sustainability.  WEWOOD lets us rediscover nature in its beauty, its simplicity and inspired design.  It reminds us of a tree’s powerful way of life; rooted, yet reaching.

Completely absent of artificial and toxic materials, the WEWOOD timepiece is as natural as your wrist.  It respects your skin as you respect nature by choosing it.  Your WEWOOD watch breathes the same air that you breathe and may awaken memories from another time and place. Your WEWOOD watch records your sensations and shares your experiences as the perfect natural mate, whose story also becomes yours to wear, smell + feel.

When you get your WEWOOD timepiece, you can feel confident you’re making a difference.  One timepiece plants one tree + together we help to ensure the health and survival of the natural world.

Here are a few of their watches for your viewing pleasure:

WEWOOD Catalog: http://we-wood.us/collections/best-seller
Or, try on before you buy @ Squash Blossom in Decatur, GA!

One Watch  – One Tree – One Planet 

“The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.”

P.S. Thanks for bringing this to my attention J. Chait!

xx, L

Please add one of these to my holiday wish list:

I’m obsessed. 

P.S.  In case you were wondering, I am positive that a Chan Luu bracelet will make my season merry + bright.  I’ve been an exceptionally good girl this year…

Warmest Regards,

Lindsay

xx, L

on the road, again...

Well, guess what?!  The day I’ve been waiting for has FINALLY arrived!! 

According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, Forever 21 is opening in Lenox Mall in winter 2011!  It will be located next to Urban Outfitters, and will be the largest Forever 21 in Georgia.  Lenox’s F21 will carry clothing, accessories, active wear, intimates + a maternity line!

i love you

This is the best day of my life. 

xx, L

I’m certainly not talking about the Mr. T look, either…

I’m talking about more like the Tracy DiMarco from Jerseylicious look…

(Close up on Tracy’s hand from an event she recently attended…)

I never thought that double finger rings could actually be cute or feminine, but just look @ these!

And these!

And also these!! 

I really think that they are kind of precious.  Apparently, Lauren Conrad rocks them, too:

She’s a bit annoying, but I definitely like her style + trust it way more than T. DiMarc’s from Jerseylicious – although credit where credit is due – Tracy is the reason I noticed these rings in the first place. 

Anywhoo, I decided to start small – so I ventured OTP to Perimeter Mall this weekend to see if I could pick up a double finger ring @ my beloved Forever 21, and came home w/ THIS bad boy:

So, we’ll see how it goes.  I love the ring - but def. want to make sure that my fingers don’t feel like I’ve trapped them in a cage before I spend more than $8 on a fancier one.

P.S. Forever 21 had a really impressive selection of rings:  http://ow.ly/2RZk3

Just sayin’…  If you need some big bling or want to try out a new trend you aren’t so sure about yet (i.e. double finger rings) – Forever 21 is the place to hit!  Love, love, LOVE you, F21!  I do.

xx, L

well hello, darling!

We went on a big trip over Labor Day, and my beloved pristine white MK accompanied us.  However, when the trip was over, the watch somehow looked more like this…

I’m not kidding.  It was disgusting.  I tried to clean it with various combinations of water, rubbing alcohol, bleach and toothpaste (last resort), but NOTHING worked.  Light brown is not my color at all, so we ended up taking it back to trade it in for a new one. 

PSA:  Folks w/ adorable white watches – they are next to impossible to clean!  Proceed w/ caution…

Anyway, so I’m kinda into these colored watches now that I’m seeing everywhere, and since I’m hesitant to wear my replacement white MK as much as I used to before its predecessor got all quick + dirty dirty, I’ve been shopping around for some fillers.

Well, I found the cutest one this weekend @ Macy’s!  Keeping in mind that I am making an appearance at the FL vs. GA game in Jacksonville over Halloween, I decided that a fun orange watch might be in order.

gooooooo gators!

So w/o further adieu, here’s my newest addition:

hi. i love you.

I haven’t bought a Fossil watch since I was 16, but they really have some adorable ones now + they are relatively cheap!  I love my MK, but honestly you could get three Fossils for the price of one MK. 

See for yourself!  http://ow.ly/2LVtw

Now that funky watch colors are in style, it might be worth considering quantity over quality…particularly if you get them quick + dirty dirty like me! 

xx, L