Category Archives: charity

do-gooder: alicia marilyn designs & SMC for farm sanctuary

Friends, I’m so excited to tell you about a little collaboration I’ve cooked up with jewelry designer Alicia Marilyn. It turns out we both have a serious soft spot for furry creatures, and thought it would be fun to team up to try to raise some dough for an animal charity Alicia particularly loves.

I got to peruse Alicia’s entire collection, and – because I couldn’t narrow it down to one – I picked my two favorite pieces:

Filigree Cuff, $165 / Interwoven Cuff, $260

Aren’t they beautiful? As pretty as they are in pictures, they’re even better in person: detailed, dimensional and substantial. I love that they’re statement pieces, but still incredibly versatile. I’ve tried them with everything from jeans to work wear to wedding-guest attire, and they’re flawless.

(How do you like my modeling technique? I know, I could totally be a professional bracelet model.)

If you love them as much as I do, buy the Filigree Cuff or the Interwoven Cuff between now and August 15, and 20% of the purchase price will go straight to Farm Sanctuary, a fantastic non-profit that rescues abused farm animals.

(Okay, don’t look too closely at Farm Sanctuary’s website…it will make you sad very quickly. Just trust me when I tell you they’re doing good things for cute little furries.)

Everyone wins! You get a bracelet you’ll wear with absolutely everything (I haven’t been able to take the samples off since they arrived…), and the smug satisfaction of having helped some very deserving sheep and ducklings get a good home. I can’t think of a better way to treat yourself.

So, I’m dying to know: do you have a favorite? Now that I’ve tried them out, I might love one slightly more than the other, though it’s still a very tight race. How about you?

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oh, sandy

{Satellite image of Hurricane Sandy, via NASA}

My email inbox is eerily quiet this morning, missing all of its usual hustle and bustle from my PR friends, readers and even stores. And I’ve spent most of the last 12 hours glued to the news to watch out for all of my friends and readers on the East Coast.

Somehow, shopping doesn’t seem like the thing today. Instead, perhaps we can all send a little something to the Red Cross (text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation, or go online to do more), or make a phone call to check on a friend.

Don’t worry, I’ll have plenty of distracting fun for you tomorrow. But for now, please stay safe, friends.

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friday finds

Happy Friday, friends! It’s been a busy week at SMC HQ…want to see what I’ve been up to?

Earlier this week, I got a note that Urban Waxx, my favorite waxing spot in Portland, is hosting a 24-hour Waxx-a-Thon this Saturday, 10/6, starting at 9 am. Yep, you can get your bikini line tidied up at 2 am, friends! Details are over here, but the jist is this: appointments are good, but walk-ins are welcome, and all of the proceeds go to two excellent charities – one for nature, and one for the LGBT community. There will also be food, booze and donuts! If you’re in town, I hope you’ll stop by and groom in the name of charity.

My poor nails haven’t seen the inside of a mani/pedi shop in…well, in so long I’m not willing to admit it. That all ends today. I just got my samples of OPI’s new Germany collection, and will be beelining to my friendly neighborhood salon to try them out this afternoon. Can’t even tell you how excited I am about these colors…I’m going for “My Very First Knockwurst” or “Don’t Pretzel My Buttons” for my fingers, and for the toes, it’s got to be “Suzi & the 7 Düsseldorfs”.

Crimson Mim, a sweet little shop in Palo Alto, just launched its e-commerce site, which is big news. They have a tightly-edited collection of just about every name I know and love, including Rachel Comey, Philip Lim, Velvet and Loeffler Randall. I’m in love already. Now, where did I put that AmEx?

Oh! And speaking of great stores, before I forget, there are a couple of fantastic sales to be had this weekend. Take 30% off the fall collection at Diane von Furstenburg with code FALL30. Also, it’s Friends & Family time at Tory Burch, which means that code TBFRIENDS gets you 25% off sitewide. Go forth and shop!

Last but not least, it’s time for my weekly Pinterest pick. I keep going back to this crazy versatile Jerome Dreyfuss bag I spotted at Saks a while back, and pinning images of it in various colors and states. I am pretty much hypnotized by the fact that these two photos are the same bag (albeit in different colors, obvi). Can’t get over it, and kind of think I have to have it.

Have a wonderful weekend…I’ll be here slaving away on that massive project I keep mentioning. Wish me luck, and have a relaxing weekend on my behalf, won’t you?

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friday finds

Oh, I have some good, good finds for you this week, friends. Shall we dive right in?

I spotted this little polka-dot baby over at Oh Joy, and fell for almost everything Made by Hank has to offer. If you’re in the market for a crossbody bag on a budget, look no further.

I nabbed this sweet little Lulu Frost tortoise bracelet during J.Crew’s last 25% off special (not to be confused with their current 25% off special – code STYLE25 works on orders of $150+ through Sunday). When I got it, it was even more wonderful than I’d expected. This bad boy’s going to get some serious fall mileage.

I read about this over at Creature Comforts: looks like artist Hannah Evelyn Rowlands is doing some serious good for a puppy shelter in her area. For just under $20 (USD), she’ll sketch your dog, and all of the proceeds go to her local dog shelter. What are you waiting for?

A dear friend of mine is a human rights attorney who’s chosen to spend her life living in some very raw corners of the world, protecting people who sorely need protection. She just left Cambodia to start a new position in Thailand. In addition to being an amazing human being, she is a fantastic photographer and has some serious style. If you’re into the colors and flavors of exotic travel, you’d do well to follow her amazing blog, Anchors Adrift.

And of course, I can’t go without leaving you my Pinterest pick of the week. It’s been a busy week of pinning for me, so this was no easy feat. But I think my favorite of the week is this amazing shot of someone who’s styled oxblood so perfectly, there’s literally no room for improvement. I want every single thing on her bod.

Have a wonderful weekend, friends! I’ll see you back here next week.

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get gifting: stuff that stocking

It’s that time – our last gift guide of the season! Whether you’re stuffing a stocking or scrambling to gather enough gifts for eight crazy nights, this list of my favorite under-$15 finds is sure to make gifting on the cheap a cinch.

Keel’s Simple Diary Vol. 2, $12
MintFusion lip balm with SPF 30, Supergoop, $9
Ottoman Iznik tile notecards, Metropolitan Museum of Art, $15
Felt keyfob, Graf + Lantz, $8
Christmas scratchers and Hanukkah scratchers, Chronicle Books, $10 each
Liam’s Robot letterpress cards, Satsuma Press, $10 (all proceeds to go sweet Liam’s special needs trust)
Leather tape measure, Swing Designs, $10
Salted caramel hot chocolate on a stick, Ticket Chocolate, $15 for 4
Glitter in my Stocking and Orna-ment For Each Other, Nicole by OPI, $8 each

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shop for a cause: wantworthy x SMC

I very nearly skipped my annual Breast Cancer Awareness feature this year, friends…it all just felt so “been there, done that.” But then the lovely ladies behind Wantworthy reached out and asked me to curate a list of my favorite pink products, which they’d feature on their site and use the proceeds to raise money for BCA. Being invited to shop for all things pink? And for a good cause? Sign me up!

And so they did.

To find yourself a little something pink, check out my list and shop ’til you drop!

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friday finds

Happy Friday, all! It’s supposed to be sunny here in Portland this weekend, thank the good lord…we’ve earned it! So, let’s get right to the point so that I can head off and meet a friend for brunch (ah, the perks of working from home).

I’ve been loving Rebecca Minkoff’s new shoe collection…particularly these flats, which I very nearly bought last night. Should I have splurged?

And I’m pretty much completely in love with Kate Spade’s enamel bracelets this season, made even better by the cheeky little sayings engraved inside. We’ve officially passed “want” and are dangerously close to “need.”

Trouser jeans are everywhere this time of year, but face it – it’s going to be too hot very soon. When that day finally arrives, these chic inky linen trousers from Max Studio are going to be a stand-up stand-in. True, linen is awfully high-maintenance…but I think these might be just as pretty in their raw, wrinkled state as they are all pressed and perfect. What do you think?

And last up, if you’re in a do-gooder mood this weekend, stop by your local Kiehl’s on Saturday. They’re partnering with Share Our Strength, an organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger in America, for an event that benefits everyone. Just for stopping in the store, you’ll get a 10-day sample of their Powerful Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate, and they’ll donate $1.50 per person to Share Our Strength. Plus, a few of the stores are hosting bake sales. Cupcakes, no wrinkles, and you get to feel good about your day.