Tag Archives: Consumption

Hello, Yellow: Poppin For the Holidays!

Poppin Holiday Gift Set

Two weeks ago, I was waxing poetic about Poppin and their rad, brightly colored office accouterments. I’m a firm believer that a clean workspace translates to a less cluttered mind and was over the moon when Poppin reached out and let me pick out one of their holiday gift sets.

Poppin Holiday Gift Set

I was in need of some brightening up in my very black and white office so I chose the Pencils of Promise Pack which is named after the organization Poppin works with to build schools for children living in poverty. I love that they give back to educational institutions. There are lots of other brightly colored bundles to choose from as well.

Poppin Holiday Gift Set

Poppin Holiday Gift Set

As a native Portlander, I’m accustomed to the six months of overcast drizzle we’re in the midst of but at the same time, it does get old fast. Being surrounded by all these bright colored accessories is making me feel way better and I feel so grown up at 31 finally having a matching pencil cup, tape dispenser and stapler!

Poppin Holiday Gift Set

I always feel like I’m lacking in the basics — my favorite part of the bundle is the ruler. It’s thick, weighty and the numbers are massive. I can’t seem to draw a straight line to save my life so I see it getting a lot of use.

Poppin Holiday Gift Set


If you’re seeking a more organized, color coordinated office space as well, I’ve joined up with Poppin to share the holiday cheer with you! Receive $25 off orders $50 or more on Poppin.com + free shipping sitewide! To activate this discount, simply enter the coupon code HappyHoliday during checkout on Poppin.com and start off the new year in style!

What I Wore: 11.18.12 | Back To The Future

What I Wore: Back To The Future

Over the weekend I visited H&M to see the Maison Martin Margiela collaboration for myself and it rekindled my love affair for all things avant garde. Though I’m drawn to pretty much anything with extra flaps and zippers, I still want it to be relatively comfortable. I found this Rick Owens jacket on Ebay a few years back and it’s got some built-in hips and a zip-in center panel. Oh, and a strange black cape that zipped on (removed that)! Definitely weird but still fairly wearable. I always think of it as urban armor.

What I Wore: Back To The Future

I picked up these shoes from Solestruck last year — they’re by a German brand called Trippen. Even though they’re fairly level, they can still take some time to getting used to walking in.

What I Wore: Back To The Future

Pinkyotto sent this cotton blend dress my way and it’s a bit dressy for Portland so I layered it up with the Rick Owens jacket and opaque tights. The layers kept me warm but are still really easy to move around in.

What I Wore: Back To The Future

My friend Star added this Helvetica necklace to her jewelry line a few years ago and it’s been my constant companion since.


I Wore:

Jacket, Rick Owens
Dress ,℅ Pinkyotto
Tights, H&M
Shoes, Trippen
Necklace, Star


This would be my ideal holiday look because it could work seamlessly between parties, meetings and nights out.

What I Wore: Back To The Future

1. KaufmanFranco Asymmetric Wool-Blend Dress, 2. Martin Margiela Collapsible Satchel, 3. Martin Margiela Multi-Strand Belt, 4. Topshop AMAZE2 Eva Stripe Wedge Boots and 5. Rick Owens Cashmere and Wool Blend Jacket.


Have a great Monday! I’m anxiously counting down the days till Thanksgiving…break time and visiting with my grandparents. Sounds perfect to me.

Latest & Greatest #13: Poppin Office Supplies

Latest and Greatest


Being a self-proclaimed office supplies junkie, I took notice when I saw a feature on Poppin last year in Lucky magazine. At that time, the site hadn’t officially launched yet and I remember filling out a form that promised a free gift. Sure enough, a few weeks later a pack of shiny black pens and a handwritten note showed up in my mailbox. Nothing entices me like a handwritten note! Poppin has grown significantly since then, outfitting all the cool kids with their clean-lined, brightly hued products.

I’m a very visual person so I love the Design a Desk feature, which allows you to pick and choose your perfect color combinations for the must-have basics. And if you’re very particular about the palette of your office, this is your place because you can shop by color.


Poppin Office Supplies


Some of my desktop favorites: 01. Medium Spiral Notebook, 02. Stapler, 03. Ruler, 04. Pen Cup, 05. Signature Ballpoints, 06. Eco Calculator, 07. Tape Dispenser, 08. Map Tacks and 09. Inboxes.

I applaud companies like Poppin who strive to turn typically mundane items into an inspiring, colorful, well-designed experience and believe in giving back.

Poppin Office Supplies

What I Wore: 11.11.12 | Sweater Season

What I Wore: Sweater Season

Fall crept up on us quite quickly, didn’t it? I’m embracing lots of layers and mixing in new silhouettes this season — last week I wore a midi-length skirt for one of the first times ever and here’s another from my friends at Pinkyotto. I’ve been really influenced by 90s Prada lately and looking through the work of photographer Glen Luchford from this era and this outfit is definitely influenced by that.

What I Wore: Sweater Season

With this skirt, the look could have gone quite dressy but I wanted to make it more Fall appropriate and layer it up instead. For my birthday, my dad gave me an H&M gift card and I picked up this necklace and sweater and they’ve served me well. I have the gold version of this necklace too and wear them constantly — best jewelry investment I’ve made in ages.

What I Wore: Sweater Season

Remember when these wedges came out in Fall 2007? I finally found some on sale in 2008 and they were such a big deal at the time! People were constantly stopping me, wondering what they were. Airport security in Hawaii wanted to check them out to make sure they didn’t have any hidden compartments (seriously!) and even with all the other sneaker wedge options out there these days, I still love them so much.

What I Wore: Sweater Season

Digging these new sunglasses that RAEN Optics sent my way — totally different from my usual style and I love the sea glass color.


I Wore:

Skirt, ℅ Pinkyotto
Sweater, H&M
Necklace, H&M
Tights, H&M
Breslin Sunglasses, ℅ RAEN Optics
Bag, Versus
Wedges, Dries van Noten

What I Wore: Sweater Season

All of us Portlanders know that realistically, it’s doom and gloom for the next few months. Until the sun comes back out, my glass head gets to rock the RAEN glasses…in case you’re wondering, I’ve had this head forever but Pier 1 still sells them!

The Week In Pictures: 11.10.12

Nubby Twiglet The Week In Pictures

Sometimes the shoes of your dreams appear when you least expect them to. Let’s back up a few weeks. After I returned home from New York, I was feeling stressed about having too much clutter so I went on a mad closet cleaning spree. The piles quickly grew as I made a pact with myself to choose quality over quantity and whittled my possessions down to only the things I loved or wore constantly.

With bags in hand, Joey & I headed to Buffalo Exchange last weekend to trade it all in. With a quick $100.00+ in trade, I circled the store and found nothing I wanted in return (which is rare for me). We got in line to cash out my ticket and as I made my way to the register, I spotted some white buckled heels way up on a crowded shelf. Intrigued, I asked to see them.

Nubby Twiglet The Week In Pictures

Louboutins! Wow. I didn’t own any of those. I’d tried some studded boots on in Vegas with Kat & Gala by my side but though they were beautiful, they were just too expensive. These shoes were amazing…I flipped over the tag and they were a 36. I usually wear a 37. Joey encouraged me to slip them on. They fit. I checked the price. $82.00! For Louboutins in mint condition! These shoes must have easily retailed for $800.00 to $1000.00 and now they were within reach — my trade-in amount was enough to cover them. So the cashier rings them up and they come up at $41.00. Another 50% off! I walked out on clouds, scoring my first pair of Louboutins for a mere $41.00 which I paid for in trade. When the style, size and price all align, that’s shoe karma, I tell you. Totally made my week.

Nubby Twiglet The Week In Pictures

With all the Blogcademy madness and additional projects I’ve been working on, I haven’t gotten away to spend as much time with friends and family as I’d like. On Thursday I caught up with my Aunt Shannon (Auntie Nubs!) and we had dinner at our favorite thai place, laughing, gossiping and just getting away from it all. It’s so important to have that away time from work, get a reality check and just exist away from our professions. I need to take that break more often because with creative fields, it’s so easy to get wrapped up in our own worlds and the smallest of details instead of focusing on the big picture.

Nubby Twiglet The Week In Pictures

I’ve been working on a lot of projects (I probably have at least 10 finished ones stockpiled to share!) and this week, my focus was split between two I really, really love. Both have a high abundance of pink accents. More soon!

Nubby Twiglet The Week In Pictures

I really wish this was another weekend of playing tourist around my hometown (I forgot how fun that is!) but instead it’s back to work and time to focus on some personal projects as well as some sweet new Blogcademy graphics for our announcement on Wednesday. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Instant Gratification

Fuji Instax Instant Gratification

It all began when I was in Santa Monica with Made U Look earlier this year. They did a shoot with a collection of vintage cameras and when I saw the outcomes from one of their Polaroids, it made me miss mine. Over my last few trips with Gala, she’s packed along her Fuji Instax (I like the Instax because the film is widely available)but every time I thought about getting one, I reminded myself that I was already carrying my iPhone and Nikon D40 everywhere in my purse…how many cameras did I really need to lug around?!


Fuji Instax Instant Gratification

Well, that spark of the instant photo gratification struck again when I was at The Ace Palm Springs last month — the lobby had a photo booth and I went overboard putting it to use with some Design Life friends. I was still missing the aspect of having photos I could hold.


Fuji Instax Instant Gratification


Over the weekend, I finally picked up an Instax for my New York trip. It’s been years since I’ve had an instant camera and I can’t wait to put it to use. Do any of you have one? What do you think?

Latest & Greatest #10: Teenage Engineering

Olle Eksell

Teenage Engineering

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I came across the site of Swedish inventors and synth-makers Teenage Engineering. The modern yet toy-like styling of their OP-1 Portable Synthesizer and the aesthetic of their overall site was an oddly enticing mix of 80s-infused design and Japanese pop culture.

Teenage Engineering

Though the company’s inventions feature a toy-like appearance, they are actually quite advanced; beneath the candy colored buttons and bold type on the OP-1 is a professional grade synth.

Teenage Engineering

You can also add a number of accessories to your synth, from cranks to carrying cases, all available in the store! If your mind isn’t blown yet, check out their other inventions, most notably the Absolut Choir below, which features a 22 piece robotic singing choir!

Teenage Engineering

The Hair Dryer Diaries

The Hair Dryer Diaries

I’m one of those girls who admires fancy beauty tools from afar but I always question if they’re really any better than the basics. Will they really improve my life in some way? I tend to mix up my beauty products fairly equally between the high-end and low-end but when it comes to hair, to me it’s just hair. My hair has always been long and straight and it grows really fast. I don’t do a whole lot to it (but let’s be real — if I had the time and funds, I’d get it styled all fancy once a week). For the last five years, I’ve used a basic Conair hair dryer that probably cost a max of $25.00. It does the job but admittedly, it’s not great.

That’s where the Super Solano 232X hair dryer comes in. When Beauty Supply Online offered to let me try one out, I thought sure, why not — it’s a splurge I probably wouldn’t normally invest in on my own and I was really curious. Was it actually superior to my standard-issue dryer?

The Hair Dryer Diaries

After trying it out for a few weeks, the consensus is a resounding yes. Let’s start with the superficial — this is a hair dryer I’m talking about, after all! The Solano is way better looking than a standard-issue dryer. It’s sleek, all black, imprinted with a gold coat of arms logo and not too bulky. But beyond that, it’s way quiet, which I love. The Italians sure know what’s up when building anything with a motor, that’s for sure. The first time I turned it on, I was a bit blown away (haha). Imagine starting up a Ford. And then a Ferrari. One sounds like a basic car, the other one purrs.

A bit embarrassingly, my Conair can overheat big time. I often feel the back of my neck burning and if I get it too close to my hair, this weird clearish smoke comes out in plumes. Kind of scary! The Solano has more precise, dialed settings (it’s not just ice cold air or third degree burn hot) and even on the highest setting, I don’t get that dreaded scorched hair smell. Yet, my hair dried about five minutes faster. The time savings was by far the biggest selling point for me. Finally, I should mention that the cord is super heavy duty which has led to a lot less tangles. The OCD Virgo in me loves that big time.

The Hair Dryer Diaries

In closing: This hair dryer is the equivalent of a luxurious Italian sports car. It probably won’t change your life but it will definitely make your hair drying experience much more enjoyable. I like using a hair dryer that leaves me feeling like I’m in a fancy salon. The sad reality is that I step foot in a salon perhaps every six months so it’s nice to have a pro quality dryer. While your current hair dryer might work perfectly fine, if you can step it up down the road, consider treating yourself.

Readers, I have a question for you: Do you have any extravagant, pricey beauty product or tool that you absolutely swear by? I’ve always had the mindset of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” but in my older, wiser age, I’m starting to see that there often is a difference.


* Special thanks to Beauty Stop Online for providing me with the Solano Dryer for review.