Free background from VintageMadeForYou

Monday, December 31, 2012

Another Talented Etsian - Arturo Rios




If you are looking for a really fun and unique shopping experience then I highly recommend heading on over to ArturoRios on Etsy.com

Arturo is a hat designer in Los Angeles, CA who has been designing for about 6 years now.  His signature style is high fashion, avant garde.  He really just considers himself an ordinary guy who happens to make out of the ordinary hats.  You will love feasting your eyes on his magnificent creations and I think you will agree that his hats are anything but ordinary!  Take a look at some of these works of art below....








All of Arturo’s hats are hand-made, one at a time.  He uses only the finest quality fabrics such as silks, taffetas, satins, etc. along with exotic and flexible feathers.  He tries to incorporate fantastic fashion into his hats, combining modern looks with vintage veils for example.  He is a master at using antique materials and combining them with modern ideas to create one of a kind fashion headpieces.
Several of his hats have been featured in high fashion magazines around the world and he has quite a number of famous clients under his belt including Daisy Fuentes, Paris Hilton, Cheril Burke, Lindsay Lohan, Julliets Lewis and Kelly Rowland, to name a few.

Arturo's inspiration comes from ordinary things he sees on a daily basis which he then transforms into totally out of the ordinary headpieces.
He is a nature fan, loves bright colors and also loves birds.  His love of birds is translated in his work by using decorative birds and feathers in his designs.

All of these hats are incredible and so much fun to look at, my absolute favorites are his Derby hats, makes me wish there was a horse race coming up!










Sunday, December 30, 2012

Glamarella Junk




One of the most beautiful blogs I have ever laid eyes on is Glamarella Junk.  http://glamarellajunk.blogspot.com/
Don't let the name fool you, these items are hardly junk!
If you are looking for some really unique pieces to add to your wardrobe, home,or just want to look at beautiful photos and get some inspiration of your own then you won't want to miss this site.
I have bought a slip dress and some vintage beads through her and love them both.
The photography on the blog is spectacular and a pleasure to look at.
I hope you enjoy this blog as much as I do.http://glamarellajunk.blogspot.com/








Saturday, December 29, 2012




Here is a great site for all you handmade lovers out there!  Check out tryhandmade.com
I love browsing through their gallery, I have come across some amazingly beautiful handmade works. I highly recommend heading over and checking it out, you never know what might spark your interest.
For all you indie artists out there, submit your best work and see what happens.  I wound up getting my Om Yoga belt buckle featured from my other etsy shop, Uniquely You,  who doesn't love free advertising!
Check it out   http://gallery.tryhandmade.com/belt-buckle-turquoise-om-yoga-symbol/
Enjoy :)

The BEST Shrimp Scampi Recipe, quick and easy too!




O.k., really, this is THE best shrimp scampi I have ever tasted!  This recipe if a combination of my shrimp scampi recipe that I have tweaked over the years plus my Italian mother in laws recipe.  This is a no brainer but will taste like you slaved away in the kitchen!
Ingredients
1 lb. pasta  (I prefer linguini but use whatever you like)
1 lb. shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1 -2 shallots (chopped)
8-9 cloves garlic (minced) Use fresh garlic, not jarred, for better flavor.
3/4 cup white wine (drinking wine, not cooking wine)
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil (I prefer the extra virgin kind)
2 Tbsp. butter or butter substitute ( I use "I can't believe it's not butter" when making this just for us, real butter for company)
Salt and pepper to taste.
LOTS of Parmesan cheese ( I prefer Locatella, it has a great, sharp flavor)  I probably use almost a cup of cheese.
Directions
Cook pasta, SAVE about 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining, this is really important as the starch in the pasta water is what you are wanting.
In another pan heat up the olive oil and add the chopped shallots and garlic. You want to lightly brown or caramelize the shallots and garlic.  When you are about halfway through cooking them add the shrimp to the pan.
When the shallot and garlic are caramelized add the wine, you can adjust the amount to your liking.
Next add the butter and the reserved pasta water.  Bring this to a good simmer as you want the wine to burn off.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
I then add the drained pasta directly to my sauté pan in order to really coat it well.  You want to stir this around really good so that the pasta gets coated with the scampi.

Next add cheese to taste and serve!  If you have fresh parsley you can add that to this dish as well.  I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Friday, December 28, 2012




One of the joys of having a solid fragrance is that you can easily carry it with you, or even wear it on your body in a locket, without worrying about it spilling. 
I love creating beautiful and unique scents and then putting them into wearable containers for beauty and ease of use.
You can enjoy the experience of applying a solid perfume unobtrusively throughout the day in an earthy and sensual ritual that is quite different from dabbing on a liquid perfume. Another benefit is that solid perfume will scent only you, not the environment around you.

Solid perfume is an easy and practical way to indulge in your fravorite fragrance anytime, anywhere.
Not only is solid perfume easily portable but it is also so much better for you and the environment. 
Why, you might ask?  Take a look at the information below.
 Synthetic fragrances containe hormone (endocrine) disruptors that can lead to a whole host of medical problems, including hormone imbalance, thyroid issues and cancer.
Synthetic fragrances kick allergic reactions into high gear for many people, leading to headaches, respiratory issues and other disorders.
Millions of people suffer from sensitivities to synthetic fragrance, so that sexy scent you think you’re blessing the world with is actually making life harder for people around you.

So why not start off the New Year in a new way and try experimenting with solid perfumes, you, and everyone around you, won't regret it :)

My vintage inspired creations are a beautiful and discreet way to indulge in your favorite fragrance, any time, anywhere. 

I love creating unique and interesting pieces for my customers to enjoy. Creating solid perfumes to go into my work has added a delightful element to the creative process. Experimenting with different fragrance combinations is endless and you never know what fabulous new scent is just around the corner!