a perfect ten
If you told us one year ago that we’d spend as much time as we do now contemplating polish colors or having our little piggies forgo roast beef and trips to the market in lieu of a visit to the nail salon, we would have thought you were crazy. Sure, we would get the occasional mani or pedi for a special occasion, but other than that our finger- and toenails were just twenty little, insignificant details that did not fit on our to-do list.
Fast forward a few months and we’re nearing the point of needing an intervention for our polish addiction. Since bringing in butter London into Oxford Hall last July, our formally neglected fingers and toes have been getting a lot more attention in the form of the company’s “3 Free” nail lacquers and treatments. And what’s not to love? Slip into your favorite neighborhood salon with a bottle or two of butter’s top notch product and an hour later you’ve gotten some much deserved “me” time and your nails are cuter to boot. It’s a win/win situation.
So, after some weekend blog surfing on one of our favorite web reads inspired us to new heights of fabulous nails, we thought we’d share some of our current mani/pedi-related daydreams with you {the mood board format is a direct result of our new obsession with pinterest – yes, we jumped on that train}. We like how this red/pink/white palette is crisp and seasonal while the glitter keeps it feeling whimsical and fresh {plus, with these stripes the colors remind us of those old fashioned carnival candy and popcorn bags – how fun!}. All of these butter London colors and more are available in store now – happy painting!
{Author’s note: all nail images are via Cupcakes and Cashmere. We’d highly recommend author Emily Schuman’s blog – it’s food and fashion 24/7 – another win/win}.
1. butter London Cream Tea; 2. butter London Rosie Lee (left) and Pink Ribbon (right); 3. butter London Saucy Jack. All $14/ea.
weekend warriors
Oh, Friday. As our UPS driver always says, it’s his {and our} favorite time of the week. After all, there is nothing quite like those last few hours at the close of a long work week. For us 9 to 5ers, the prospect of 48 hours of freedom makes for an anticipatory buzz that is deadened only by the deafening sound of our alarm clocks Monday morning. The possibilities seem endless – our DVRs are full of trashy reality shows, primed for a Sunday afternoon of marathon couch potato-ing, lazy Saturday brunches beckon with the siren song of butter-laden French toast and seasonal vegetable scrambles and, if the weather agrees, the sunshine demands that we must bask in its rays in any and all manners of outdoor activity. {Our recommendation? Not that you asked, but nothing tastes better with early spring weather than two fish tacos from the Cholita Linda taco stand at the Jack London Square Farmer’s Market followed by a catnap on the grassy area conveniently located twenty feet away from the aforementioned tacos. Just sayin’.}
But, just before we turn our weekend daydreams into a reality, we must admit it hasn’t been that shabby of a week. Valentines Day was a complete and total success – we sent many a significant other home toting treats of edible and inedible natures to make their counterparts have a sweet February 14th. We enjoyed a few treats of our own from our very own sweeties, and we are wrapping up this delightfully warm Friday with a fabulous Viv&Ingrid feature in the March 2012 Self and some cupcakes.
Not a bad way to end a work week, if you ask us. Now we’re off to conquer the weekend. ‘Til next time.
Katharine McPhee {star of the new show, Smash} wearing our Large Skinny Wrap Hoops with Sleeping Beauty Turquoise in the March 2012 Self!
The skinny wrap hoops from the March issue of Self. We fell in love with these all over again.
Mmmmm cupcakes. And tacos. And cupcakes and tacos. We know what we're doing this weekend.
when in rome
According to our trusted google sources, every chocolate/shiny object/Hallmark card-toting significant other out there can partially thank the Romans for the now infamous holiday on February 14th. Though the exact origin of Valentines Day is somewhat murky, it is thought to have its roots in the ancient celebration of Lupercalia. Between February 13th and 15th Romans partook in this feast, which {among other things} included widespread drunkenness, animal sacrifice and the subsequent beating of the local women with the aforementioned slain animals’ hides. The festivities were topped off with a charming little matchmaking lottery where men would select the name of a lucky lady – the two were then paired for the duration of the feast {and, fingers crossed! sometimes longer}. And you thought being a woman in the 21st century was tough.
Luckily for us modern women, our biggest worry on Valentines Day is {a} being single or {b} being presented with a gift so heinous that, well-intentioned though it may be, we haven’t the strength to summon the appropriate surprise and delight our eager mates are anxiously expecting. Unfortunately, we do not sell significant others {though on certain days we’d consider giving you ours – just sayin’}, but we can help with the latter issue. Simply point your misguided sweetheart in the direction of our shop and we’ll promise we’ll send them home toting a treat that won’t send you running for the hills {or land them in the doghouse}. And if you’re unattached, might we suggest some retail therapy to soothe those less-than-sunny feelings that Singles Awareness Day can sometimes stir up? They might not keep you warm at night, but a new pair of earrings has a certain way of putting some pep in a girl’s step that might just make you forget your lack of a beaux.
So for a happy, stress- {and animal hide-} free Valentines Day, hop, skip and jump down to Oxford Hall – we’ll handle the rest. To get you started, here are just a few of our favorite gift ideas ideas that will make any sweetie swoon come the 14th. And stay tuned – on Monday we’ll be showing off some classic V&I options that are the perfect way to you say “I love you” in jewelry!
1. Bon Bon Cupcake Keepsake Box – $22; 2. Barnier Lollipops - $2.50.; 3. JPT Heart Paperclips - $10; 4. Rifle Paper Co. Valentines Day cards - $5.50; 5. Maison Bouche seasonal mini-bar set – includes fleur de sel, pomme d’amour and fruit de la passion {available in milk or dark} – $18
spring has sprung
Add making paper dahlias garland to our list of semi-useless but mostly endearing traits – we succeeded! And just in time for the sky to open up and drop a fresh batch of early spring showers down upon us. All is well – these tissue flowers are bright enough to cheer us up through any bout of less than sunny weather, and they’re a cinch to make!
Garland
The tutorial can be found here, but a few cautionary notes:
1. There is absolutely no need to go out and procure floral wire for this project. We used monofilament {translation: fishing line} for tying the accordion folds in half as well as connecting each flower and it worked just fine.
2. The recommended sizing of 20″ by 30″ pieces of tissue paper will produce gargantuan results. We did three sizes: 5″ by 7″ (red), 6″ by 9″ (pink) and 8″ by 12″ (orange) and it worked out just fine. Martha also suggests eight sheets per flower – we found this worked nicely for the two smaller sizes, but 12 sheets made a more attractive large flower {we imagine even more would be appropriate if you went the full 20″ by 30″).
3. Martha also fails to discuss the tediousness that is fluffing these little puffballs. You imagine each sheet will lift away from its mates easily and retain its perfectly folded shape . Erroneous. When you start, it will look like a craft a five-year-old gave up on during art time in kindergarten. Persevere! In the end, the scalloped or pointed edges will fan out enough to cover the crinkled interior and in no time you will have a beautiful end result!
Once we finished making about a bazillion of these little guys, we tied them all together using pieces of monofilament {we hid the knots in their fluff} and then strung them up on our window. Festive!
Ahh weddings. The romance. The whimsy. The cake! What is there really not to love? Alright, so we know that planning one can be a bit of a nightmare. From convincing your best friend/newly crowned maid-of-honor that a strapless dress doesn’t make her shoulders look like Michael Phelps’ to deciding what table to put your crazy favorite Aunt Mildred at, the devil is lurking in the details. Luckily, devilish detail-taming is our M.O. here at Viv&Ingrid, and there is no one we like to do it more for than a bride. Read More
Resolutions
It happens every year – we begin the first of January bright-eyed and bushy-tailed with the intentions to reinvent ourselves. We will be more active! We will eat local, sustainable, raw vegan diets – that is right after we finish a 10 day juice cleanse and return from a yoga/meditation retreat where cell phones, processed foods and poly-blends are prohibited! We will not curse the sun, moon and the entirety of the solar system when we’re cut off in traffic and occasionally pay for the person behind us when we’re crossing the toll plaza on the Bay Bridge. Then, inevitably, the third week of January rolls around and we’ve rediscovered our love for our sofas, medium-rare cheeseburgers and profanity-ridden commutes over bridges where our Fast Trak makes it impossible to pay for anyone but ourselves. Sigh. You know what they say about good intentions.
So this year we decided to start small. Not baby steps, but perhaps bitty baby, Polly Pocket-sized steps. Maybe not go vegan, but try a meatless Monday, or at least eat a few more green things here and there {happy mom?}. Not run another marathon {Ingrid’s calves are still protesting} but take on a 5- and maybe a 10K every now and then. And limit it to one swear word per thoughtless driver on Highway 80. We’re feeling better already.
What else is on our list? In our lifelong quest to make Emily Post proud {did anyone else read Etiquette just for fun growing up? no? anyone?} we have resolved to make 2012 one dedicated to the details – like the sweetest thank you note we received last week from one of our favorites over at Ruby Press, Miss Becca Blanco {check out her fabulous blog over here!}. Opening the card, we were totally struck by the impact a small gesture could have. From the beautiful card and it’s scalloped envelope, to the impeccable address stamp {we’re officially obsessed – check them out from locally-based Linea Carta here}, we were totally taken. And we loved that something as small as a thank you could make us feel so special. This is just one of the reasons we opened Oxford Hall – we wanted to have a place where you can buy a gift that makes everyone feel just like that. And so we resolved {a bit late on the new year’s end, but it still counts} to take that feeling with us in 2012 – to make the small things count, because in the end, something like a beautifully-crafted, lady-like card or thoughtfully-written note can make someone’s day. Oh yes, and we also need to be better about writing aforementioned thank you notes.
So that’s our resolution. That, and to put more mini-pigs on the blog. Because those are small and can make someone’s day a bit better too.
Til next time!
We are convinced everything Kimberly Austin of Austin Press touches turns to gold. And gorgeous paper goods.
hello 2012
There is no time like the new year that makes you want to reflect on time past while simultaneously looking forward. In the final hours of 2011, we could not help but feel like we were ending the year as some very lucky ladies. As we’ve mentioned in the past, we have not been immune to the effects of the recession. No small business can truthfully say the past few years have been an easy time to maintain, let alone build, a small business. And yet we have persevered, continuing to find new ways to keep bringing happy little luxuries to all of our loyal customers.
So we’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. 2011 was a blessed year for us, and we have no one to thank but all of you. We were truly thrilled to see all of your positive reactions to our Fall 2011 collection as well as to the opening of Viv&Ingrid at Oxford Hall. And so it is with this momentum that we’ve turned toward 2012 with a renewed energy in designing and seeking out new and unique lines for the store in hopes that we can continue to delight each and every one of you that has helped to make our company a success.
So sit tight – we’ve got a big year coming up and we couldn’t help but plan a few surprises for all of you. From our travels over vacation we’ve found some treasures that we can’t wait to debut in Oxford Hall, and we’re already busy dreaming up new collections inspired by the art and architecture of our holiday vacation destinations. We’ve also always found working with our bridal customers to be one of our favorite parts of designing jewelry, so we went ahead and put together some new special services just for V&I brides. But more on both of these things later. In the meantime, we thank you again. And we wish you and yours success and health and, most importantly, happiness in the new year.
But before we sign off, we can’t help but share this little tidbit. Late last night we were neglecting our bedtime and doing some online shopping/watching our DVR’d episode of Top Chef {is there really anything better than Restaurant Wars?} when we stumbled upon the trailer for the new film, Friends with Kids. Last January, we were contacted by the film’s costume designer and asked to lend some pieces for filming – and how could we refuse? With a line up including Maya Rudolph, Kristen Wiig and writer/director/star Jennifer Westfeldt {we love all of these ladies} there was really no saying no. Fast forward to this January and we nearly rolled off the couch when in the first few seconds of the trailer we were hit with some V&I jewelry – and the cameos kept coming! If the trailer is any indication our lovely little baubles got some serious screen time in this film and we could not be happier. We are thrilled to be a part of a project helmed by and cast with such smart and talented women. Not to mention that the film looks incredible – we can’t wait to take an office trip to see it in theaters next month!
We could not think of a better way to start 2012. Cheers!
Courtesy of Ingrid all the way from Spain, we can't stop daydreaming about these colorful lamps and the Moorish district in Granada where this snapshot was taken.
And you still have shopping to do?
Don’t worry, we’re not here to judge. But we are here to help! For all you local late birds we are opening the shop tomorrow from 11 AM to 2 PM so you can scoop up some last minute baubles to please even the most discerning on your gift list. So come one, come all and shop with us tomorrow morning! We’ll even wrap it up for you so you can get on your merry little way in no time!
And to dangle the proverbial carrot, here are a few last minute gift ideas that we have in stock and ready to go.
Make it a white Christmas with these freshwater pearl "Peacock" chandeliers. We love them, she'll love them. Done and done.
These are the perfect minimalist nod to the classic pearl with a touch of toughness. And they're light as a feather, so even her ear lobes will approve.
There is nothing more timeless than a strand of pearls, and nothing more fabulous than a few strands layered together. And she'll even ooh and ahh over the cute drawstring pouch we cooked up for these to get wrapped up in!
Questions? Need directions? Give us a ring at 510-524-0662. We’ll handle the rest when you see us in store.
And an important after-Christmas note, we will be closed from Monday, December 26th to Monday, January 2, and will reopen with normal hours on Tuesday, January 3rd. We’ve enjoyed such a busy first holiday we decided we needed to give our gift wrapping fingers a little rest and relaxation {and get a few dozen manicures with all the Butter London we’ve amassed since bringing the line into the store}. We hate to burst your post-holiday shopping bubble, but we’ll be back {and better than ever} with a bunch of new merchandise in January!
Until then, do have another cookie, open your gifts early and enjoy a very merry holiday. Our best to you and yours for the winter season!
Of the laundry list of impractical skills we’ve garnered over the years, gift wrapping is among those at the top {right next to Irish step dancing – yes, it was during the River Dance craze and no we don’t want to talk about it}. From gently coaxing paper into neatly folded corners to tying elaborate bows, you name it and we can do it. And since we’ve been doing so much of it lately, we thought we’d take a quick break and give all of you a step-by-step guide on one of our more fancy looking bows. We know, not the most riveting read for a Friday afternoon, but there’s pictures and we promise in the end that it’s entirely worth the effort. Don this bow on any funny paper-wrapped gift and you’ll go from a wannabe to a bonafide gift wrap goddess {or god, for all you gents} in no time.
Before we get to the nitty gritty, a few preparatory notes:
-we suggest using a wider, more substantial ribbon for this bow. We are big fans of the skinny, double-faced satin stuff {male translation: the skinny, shiny material one}, but unless you’re willing to start with about 50 loops, in the end the finished product will look a little less than festive.
-the final product will be about as wide as the flattened set of loops you make to begin the project. Want a big bow? Make big loops {and vice-versa}.
OK, let’s begin.
1. What you’ll need: hands {and a spiffy manicure replete with a “party nail” a la this blog and via Miss Monica, one of our polish-obsessed Oxford Hall girls}, a spool of suitable ribbon and scissors.
Note: the labeling of our ribbon scissors may sound a little {OK a lot} obsessive, but try cutting this bow with that dull pair of Fiskars your mom saved from Kindergarten and you'll understand why we designate a special pair just for these purposes.
2. Without cutting off a predetermined length, begin wrapping loops of ribbon around one hand {see notes before beginning to determine the proper size for your loops}. Keep the ribbon as aligned as possible while wrapping, and aim for evenly-sized loops. For a good bow, we recommend around 15 to 20 loops.
Have you figured out yet that this is just a shameless excuse to show off our manicure?
3. When you’re done, the finished product should look something like this. Voilà!
4. When cutting the end of the ribbon, aim for have it to end right around where the ribbon begins. This will make any loose ends disappear once you fluff the finished bow.
5. Once you’re done, pinch the bow in half so that the end and the beginning of the ribbon are under your fingers.
Yes, this is only step five of a twelve step process. Hang in there!
6. Fold the ribbon in half at the pinched point. Then, grab your trusty ribbon scissors and use them to cut off small triangles off each side at the bended portion of the ribbon. Careful not too cut to much – you want to leave enough ribbon behind as a sturdy center for the bow.
Don't aim to make a point of the ribbon when cutting. Instead, aim to leave about half of the ribbon's width when trimming off the sides.
7. This is what the end result should look like. If your ribbon is cut too skinny in the middle, it will be a weak foundation for the rest of your bow and, depending on the fragility of your ribbon, could lead to breakage.
As Goldilocks would say, this is juuuuuuust right.
8. Unfold the cut ribbon. It should slightly resemble a figure 8 {tapered in the middle and wider on the ends}. NOTE: From here you can proceed in one of two ways. You can either cut a short length of ribbon to make a stand alone bow {which can always later be attached to a box using adhesive or another ribbon}, or cut a longer length of ribbon that will fit around whatever package you are wrapping and also secure this bow. For a stand alone bow, cut a short length of ribbon – approximately two to three inches – and position it around the tapered middle of your loops. For a bow that you will immediately attach to a package, cut a length of ribbon that will fit around your parcel with a little leeway and position it around the middle of your loops as well. For either option, then carefully tie a single, tight knot around the center of your loops.
Almost there!
9. For a stand alone bow, carefully trim the ends off the short ribbon you used to make a knot around your loops {if you leave them long you risk them showing in the finished bow}. For a bow that you will attach to your parcel, leave the ends as they are. You can trim them as need be once you ribbon your package.
10. Begin to slowly pull each loop of ribbon out of alignment with the rest. It is easiest to pull the outermost loop to the furthest outside position, so that it is almost perpendicular to the rest of the loops. Continue with the next loop and so on and so on.
We'll call this the pull and fluff step.
11. Once you’ve finished one side of your loops, it will look something like this. Repeat the same steps on the next side. Once you’ve finished pulling and fluffing, you’ll need to continue fluffing a bit, so that the loops spread in all vertical and horizontal directions and form a pretty pouf. Height is your friend here, so make like a pageant queen from Texas and tease that bow!
Pull, fluff and repeat.
12. From here, you can either affix the bow to your package using the long lengths of ribbon {if you chose that route} or simply enjoy the pretty, fluffy thing you just made on its own {if you did a stand alone bow}. And that’s fancy bow 101.
Ta-daaaaa! We're fancy, huh?
Decking Oxford Hall
It’s official – the countdown to Christmas has begun. And if the three advent calendars we bought weren’t good enough reminders {two of them have had 25 days of milk chocolate-y goodness}, the piles of ribbon, wrappings and gift boxes that have begun to form around the office certainly are. But before we are totally consumed by the trappings of the biggest gift-giving holiday of the year, we wanted to send out a quick reminder about some of the fabulous holiday events we are hosting here at Viv&Ingrid at Oxford Hall!
Our infamous annual sample sale is underway right now, and there are some fabulous deals to be had! As an added bonus, we have some Sunday hours in store so you can come and shop with us both weekend days! Make sure to catch the sale before it’s gone this weekend – we will be here on Saturday, December 10 from 11 AM to 6 PM and Sunday, December 11 from 12 PM to 5 PM.
If you’ve ever skimmed this blog or our facebook page, our love for the locally-based chocolate company, Maison Bouche, is more than evident. We immediately fell for the inventive flavor combinations {rose with candied mint leaves, delicately crispy crepes and her classic fleur de sel} but became even more loyal customers once we met owner Diane Beaty. Her passion for her craft is evident in even the quickest of conversations, and she goes out of her way every two weeks and braves parking in downtown Berkeley to hand deliver each order to us in store. With Christmas rolling around {and with her confections flying even more quickly off our shelves}, we figured what better time than now to share the woman behind the delicately-wrapped bars? And so, this Saturday, December 10, we are hosting Diane Beaty of Maison Bouche in store from 1 PM to 2 PM for a holiday chocolate tasting {and yes, there will be samples – let the preemptive drooling commence}. Come meet Beaty in person, try some of her delicious seasonal treats and enjoy 10% off any Maison Bouche purchase!
Finally, for all you last minute shoppers {cough cough 98.99% of the male species cough cough}, we’re also offering some limited Christmas Eve hours. Join us from 11 AM to 2 PM on Saturday, December 24th and we’ll help you cross off anyone still lingering on that Christmas list of yours. We’ve got gift ideas galore and with our complimentary gift wrapping, we’ll get you out the door to fulfill those Santa duties {sorry, red hat and itchy fake beard not included} in no time.
That’s all for now folks – but stay tuned! We’re planning on post on some holiday wrapping tips, some exciting things we have in the works for all of our bridal customers and much, much more!
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