Beginning Boutique Lookbook

Man, if I were  a little a lot more flat chested, I would totally wear the white and black mesh dress above.  The new lookbook from Beginning Boutique makes me wish it were Summer in Seattle asap!  We had a few moments of sunshine yesterday and I was able to wear light sweater and blazer outside.  That's a step up from the huge poofy parka I have been wearing for the past month.  It is coooold here in Seattle.  Give me sunshine and short dresses now please!

Balue / Co. // A Fellow Seattle Designer!

Meet a fellow Seattlite jewelry designer, Lauren from Balue / Co!

Balue/Co. is a handmade jewelry shop and blog, created by me, Lauren Wallace in beautiful Seattle, Washington. I'm a graphic designer by trade, but after a few years of working in a corporate design atmosphere, I found myself starting to dream more and more about moving back towards a more hands-on, handmade design aesthetic. That desire, combined with my love of well made and well designed jewelry, led to a natural progression to begin designing jewelry of my own, initially just for myself. I was having a lot of fun learning about the different techniques behind creating new designs, and I really enjoyed the immediate satisfaction of wearing one of my original creations. Amazingly, people soon started asking where I got some of my jewelry, and the thought arose that hey, maybe I should open a little online shop and see where this might take me. With that, Balue/Co. was born!

As a longtime Seattleite, this city and the Pacific Northwest is a big part of my design inspiration. I love elegant, subtle pieces that you can put on and complete any outfit, and that look just as good at a music event downtown as they do peeking out of a sweater after a day on the mountain. My goal is to walk that line with all of my designs: cool, versatile, well made jewelry that you'll love to live in.

1. When did you start your shop and how long have you been designing jewelry? 
I opened Balue/Co. in September of 2011, after many months of brainstorming and working on the vision I had in my head for the brand of my shop. I began designing jewelry about a year before opening Balue/Co., and it really was just a natural progression of a new interest of mine (I had dabbled in just about every art form EXCEPT jewelry making before that!), and luckily I had great support from the start from family and friends, and new friends I've met through the amazing Etsy community and blogging!

2. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep designing? 
I am fully addicted to reading a handful of design blogs each and every day, which always helps keep my creative drive current and relevant. Seeing all of the amazing work others are doing charges me up to create my own best work, and I love the community of artists and bloggers that exists through design blogs, social media, sites such as Pinterest, and selling platforms like Etsy. It's all one big interconnected circle of inspiration!

3. Do you have any hobbies outside of designing jewelry? 
As a graphic designer, I've always got to have some kind of creative outlet, which Balue/Co. really provides for me. My vision for my shop and brand is always evolving, and I'm currently working on expanding into new areas, such as card design and a collection of curated paper goods. I also blog daily on my Balue/Co. blog, which has been really rewarding creatively. When I need a break from my laptop, I love to get out and enjoy my beautiful hometown of Seattle. Catching a local music show at Columbia City Theater (my favorite venue in town) or visiting one of my favorite restaurants (Boat Street Cafe, Quinn's, The Tin Hat, etc. etc. etc.!), or buying fresh produce every Sunday at the Ballard outdoor market reminds me why I love to call this place home.

4. Where do you hope to be in 5 years? 
I would love to be driving my own creative endeavor with Balue/Co. – be that through blogging, designing, my shop, or some combination of the three. I love that this project is never ending, the constant evolution is exhilarating and continuously inspiring. I love being in charge of my own success or failure, there is no better way to learn and grow!

My Scent // Narciso Rodriguez

This is my most favorite scent, well, specifically the middle dark bottle.  Narciso Rodriguez for Her has been my favorite scent since college.  It is so delicious.  It's notes are, "A blend of floral, amber and woody pulsations. The essence of modern sophistication and femininity. A subtle, delicate and luminous fragrance," and, "Pink Pepper, Lavender, Patchouli, Violet, Amber, Woody Accord," and lastly, "At the source of for her is the essence of Egyptian Musk—a warm, silky oil, blended with top notes revealing a solar musk refreshed by orange blossoms and osmanthus. In the middle note, the musk moves into a more abstract mood of enveloping, impalpable softness. Here, the musk is luminous but retains its creamy richness in the presence of amberlyn and vanilla. The bottom note unveils the sensorial, voluptuous dimension of musk with vetiver, taking on feminine accents while the sensuality of the wooden notes are magnified."
I love it because it feels feminine and sexy, not too sweet, not too floral, deep, a little bit dark, if it were a color in my mind, it would be a deep purple/red.  I don't like most perfumes because many just smell too overpowering.  I don't like tangy, citrus, sweet, or crisp scents when it comes to perfumes.  I usually don't dig perfumes that come in bottles that are brightly colored or are bottled in cutesy adorable girly girl bottles like a bottle shaped like an apple or a bottle with a big bow on it.  I like something with a bit of sophistication and subtle sexiness.   I usually like perfumes that come in dark color bottles.  Narciso Rodriguez reminds me of a magical scent you would find hidden somewhere in the woods in a treasure chest glowing in dark purple light, or maybe found in a silver vile in an Egyptian pyramid, or in an antique perfume bottle in Morocco.

I haven't bought any perfume in about 3 years just because, once my college loan payments kicked in after college, I just couldn't justify buying a fancy bottle of perfume once or twice a year.  But after a successful holiday sales season this year, I just had to indulge myself and I bought the smallest sized bottle I could find online... with coupon codes.  :)  I like nice things but I'm thrifty!  When my perfume arrived, I realized I must has bought the set of Eau de Toilette, Body Mist, and Iridescent Fragrance as a set.  I just wanted the Eau de Toilette, but the 2 other bottles are interesting and actually are perfect for wearing the scent at different times of the day and to different occasions.  The body mist (the pale pink creamy colored bottle) is more of a creamy spray with more amber notes.  And the iridescent fragrance (the brighter peach colored bottle) is slightly stronger smelling than the body mist, and a little more flowery scented.  The Eau de Toilette is the strongest of the three and has the most complex notes.  Yum yum yum.

WHAT ARE NOTES:
Fragrances are comprised of many different scents, these scents are called "notes."
Top notes are very light and last just a few minutes (5-10 minutes). Middle notes become apparent in about 15 minutes after application. These can last up to an hour or more. Bottom notes are the heavier ingredients. These last the longest, usually for several hours.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PERFUME, EAU DE TOILETTE, EAU DE PARFUM AND AU DE COLOGNE:
The differences are simply a matter of the amount or concentration of oils in the fragrance. These oils are called "juice." The highest concentration of "juice" is in perfume (or parfum). Next would be Eau de Parfum, then Eau de Toilette, and finally Eau de Cologne.
Actually, Eau de Toilette and Eau de Cologne are generally interchangeable, particularly in Men's fragrances. After Shave has the least amount of oils. The higher the concentration of "juice" the longer your fragrance will last, and the less you need to apply.
WHY DO SOME FRAGRANCES LAST LONGER THAN OTHERS:
People with dry skin usually find their fragrance holding time shorter than those with oily skin because oily skin has more natural moisture to hold in the fragrance.
PH levels (amount of acidity in our skin) also varies slightly from person to person. Our individual levels of PH will determine how each ingredient in a fragrance will react.

HOW TO STORE YOUR FRAGRANCE:

Keep all fragrance in a cool, dry area, and away from windows as sunlight can unbalance the various ingredients. An opened bottle should be kept in its box to insure a longer shelf life.

HOW TO MAKE THE SCENT LAST LONGER:

Fragrance lasts longer on some people than on others because of differences in our skin (oily or dry) and in our PH levels. To achieve a longer effect, try layering your fragrance. Using the fragrance bath gel, (if the company offers one), then the moisturizer or powder, and then the Eau de Toilette, Eau de Parfum or Eau de Cologne, will usually have a longer lasting effect.
Also, apply your fragrance low on the body, as well as behind your ears and on your neck, so that the scent rises and you won't lose it as quickly. A light spray on the hair can last all day.

FUN FACT:

A fragrance may smell slightly different on different people due to the natural oils in your skin, your body's PH balance, and the natural scent your body gives off combined with the fragrance.  Every scent becomes unique to you with how it reacts with your body!
(info from fragrance.net)

I highly recommend going to the perfume counters at Nordstrom to have a consultation with one of the scent experts there to find your perfect scent.  No joke, the perfume ladies there can just talk to you for a minute and almost immediately know the perfect scent to match your personality.  Plus, it is just fun to smell lots of different kinds of scents.  I am really sensitive to smells so when I find a beautiful scent, it seriously morphs my mood!

*This post was not sponsored by any fragrance companies, I just really love scents :)  What's your fragrance?

Giveaway Winner!

Congrats Stacey from Gray Skies!  You've won the Evidence Jewelry giveaway!  Please email me at mooreaseal{at}gmail.com to claim your prize :)

What I Wore // Bright as a Bumble Bee

I'm trying my best to bring some color into my dark and neutral wardrobe.  Every few years I look at my closet and it is all brights, so then the next few years I work towards toning down the color and then all of a sudden my closet is full of only black, white, grey, and neutrals.  Right now it is in the black, white, grey and neutrals zone.  And as much as I love my neutral tones, I need to spice it up at least a little!  So while Modcloth was having their super 70% off sale, I grabbed this yellow coat and a red skirt.  I really dig this coat.  I was thinking that it might not work super well with a curvy figure but I was thankfully wrong.  It is nice and elongating and fits just perfectly!  It has a hint of military styling with the brass buttons down the front but for the most part stays heavily in the girly zone.  Score.  I also am in loooove with my new ring from Beginning Boutique.  So badass.  And I've been wearing these shoes from Blowfish shoes just about everyday since they arrived on my doorstep.

Coat // Modcloth

Glasses // c/o Glasses USA

Scarf // My grandmothers

Shoes // c/o Blowfish Shoes

Faux Leather Leggings // Asos

Ring // c/o Beginning Boutique

Lines, Stripes + Neon

Asos Stripe Top  //  via Pinterest  //  Kubista  //  Bona Drag Swimsuit  //  Rugs USA  //  via F Yeah Cartography  //  Free People Dress  //  via Design Leaks  //  Claire Vivier  //  Neon Top from Tobi  //  Ace Hotel Packaging  //  Whit & Whistle

Guess what I am most excited about for Spring... Stripes and Lines and Stripes + neon!

Braids & Chevrons

My ears usually don't like big earrings, but wow do they love these earrings from Evidence Jewelry.  I'm totally obsessed.  The brass and stainless steel go well with everything I own, clean, chic, kind of tribal, a little rough around the edges but still feminine, perfect.

Featured In // The Violet Online Magazine

I'm really honored to be featured in the online magazine The Violet alongside my friend Molly from Vividot and Kelli Murray!  I am lucky enough to be friends with Molly here in Seattle.  Last year we lived just a few blocks away from each other!  And I have been a fan of Kelli Murray's illustrations for a few years now.  I feel so lucky when I get paired up next to women like this for articles having to do with art, craft, creativity, and small business.  Thank you so much Ashlee for featuring us, our work, and our words in The Violet.  Click the image above to start flipping through the pages of the magazine!

National Handwriting Day // My Scribble

What does your handwriting look like?  Post about it and leave a link in the comment section below!

Promote Yourself on Moorea-Seal.com in February

Would you like to be a sponsor in February?  Shoot me an email at mooreaseal{at}gmail.com or just click here to get in contact!  My blog currently receives an average of 2,000 hits a day with a high of 2,585 in last month.  I love being able to promote small businesses, crafters, artists, makers, bloggers, musicians and more on my blog.  I have 4 different sizes and prices available just click here to check out the sizes and rates!