Moss y Mas

Bright green moss has to be one of my favorite plants in the world-- it just always looks so 'secret garden' to me. Most of the moss I see in Texas is that nasty, gray curly stuff that my Dad would put on his head (he's bald) and pretend he had a full head of wiry, curly hair. Love that man. Anyways, what I love about this particular green moss is that it gorgeous, but you can grow it any way you want!

Here's a recipe for moss graffiti:

1 can of beer
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Several clumps garden moss

You will also need a plastic container (with lid),
a blender and a paintbrush
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To begin the recipe, first of all gather together several clumps of moss (moss can usually be found in moist, shady places) and crumble them into a blender. Then add the beer and sugar and blend just long enough to create a smooth, creamy consistency. Now pour the mixture into a plastic container.

Find a suitable damp and shady wall on to which you can apply your moss milkshake. Paint your chosen design onto the wall (either free-hand or using a stencil). If possible try to return to the area over the following weeks to ensure that the mixture is kept moist. Soon the bits of blended moss should begin to re-couperate into a whole rooted plant – maintaining your chosen design before eventually colonizing the whole area.

From storiesfromspace.co.uk

Frock Your Closet

When I was in college, I came home one summer and worked at Frock Boutique in Houston. Frock carried pieces from smaller, foreign designers that became a huge hit with River Oaks ladies (both young and old). I LOVED working in such a calm space with the most friendly customers.

This past year, Frock closed it's doors but its owner, Marianne Mayeux has come up with a brilliant "GO GREEN!" idea for anyone who wants to keep up their look without spending a fortune.

Here's her new plan, straight from the horse's mouth:

Who says your wardrobe has to be in a recession, too?

Not I! Times are tough but we still want to look and feel great without breaking the bank. And those who really understand fashion know that a lot of money is not necessary for great style or an enviable closet.

Most of you know me from my boutique, Frock, which I closed recently. I am happy to announce that I'm venturing into personal styling and wardrobe/closet consulting. Although I'm no longer buying for a store, I'm now available to you personally and at an affordable hourly rate.

I started my first fashion business over 7 years ago, importing up-and-coming designer's creations from Milan and then in 2005 I opened Frock. These valuable endeavors, which taught me so much, along with my fashion expertise and organizational skills make this a natural fit.

In times like these it is ideal to optimize what you already own by repairing, altering or remaking garments, or by simply filling in some pieces to make your look current. Even adding a statement piece of jewelry may be all that's needed for a lift. You will be amazed at how far your wardrobe (and dollar) can stretch! But the absolute best thing about getting organized is how your mind also becomes clean; our closets and drawers can be symbolic of what's going on in our heads and in our lives.

I am pleased to offer the following services:

* Closet cleansing/wardrobe consultation
* Personal shopping
* Travel wardrobe shopping and/or packing
* Special event outfit coordination and/or shopping
* Outfit coordination

My fee for closet/drawer reorganization is $50 per hour with a 2 hour minimum. For all other services the fee is $40 per hour with a 1 hour minimum. I am flexible, with availability during the week and on weekends. Please feel free to pass this on to your friends and family.

Happy New Year-

Marianne Mayeux
Mobile: 713-412-7623
Email: mariannemayeux@yahoo.com

Reject, repair, recycle, renew!

Cool huh? I can tell you personally that she has a phenomenal sense of style and will make you flourish with your own.

It was Just a Paper Bag

I know the holidays are over, but here's a simple wrapping idea that can be used all year. I found it on the always inspring blog, An Apple A Day.

Wrap it Up

Hey-O. Christmas is over. Was yours good? Mine was great. Did the three Christmases thing and it went smoothly. Got to see tons of family, eat tons of goodies and get home at a decent hour so I could chill the eff out.

Just wanted to make a quick post about this bow-thing -- I saw it on some blog (don't remember) but it's obviously a recycled Target bag. Fun and silly.. just like my nephew Carter.

gah!!

I'm hungry and grouchy. Don't they go hand in hand?? This morning I found ants swimming in my cereal, so I threw out a brand new box of cereal and had to skip breakfast. I feel like there's ants crawling in my throat! Sigh.

Looks like I need to bust out cinnamon, talcum powder, vinegar, mint and pepper. (These were the "green" remedies I found to get rid of ants) or was it vampires???

Who rides thy bicycle?

Every month I have a meeting at Fluor Corporation, a huge engineering, procurement, construction and maintenance organization. That doesn't mean much to me, but the huge campus-like offices always seems so drab and impersonal. To my delight I saw this floral bike at the bike rack and it warmed my heart that some goof rode this to work everyday.

Plant Thereapy

Call me a nerd, but I was soo excited when I received a terrarium for my birthday. A couple months ago I saw something about the terrariums at the Ace Hotel lobby in Portland (ALL of its interiors are amazing).I'm out of town just about every weekend so I've had some trouble just keeping my mint leaves watered and alive, so this is perfect. I can't wait to add to it.. Thanks Chelsey :)