Little Crafty Gifts

I should have started my Christmas shopping a long time ago. In fact, I still haven't started, but here are some ideas.

Crafty little things are definitely something I'm a fan of. Handmade? Good quality? Yes, please! Check out these little finds of mine on Etsy. Etsy is so fantastic, you support people who create their own things and you always find awesome and wonderful creations. What better than to give a gift that's made with a lot of love? Not only is it unique and fun, it's something to remember you by!

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Luella

Love love love love love love love love LOVE .
LOVE JEWELRY.

Add one of these gigantic string of pearls, and you churn out a piece of art - YOU!

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More Sweaters

As I'm virtually filling up my shopping cart (it is SO much fun), I realized how everything I choose was either a dress a cute delicate top or a cardigan. Nothing practical that I can wear on a daily basis (besides maybe the cardigans). This is probably why my winter wardrobe is so monotonous year after year. It occurs to me that maybe I should change my approach a bit and focus instead the basics- like sweaters!

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Pull Yourself Up By Your Boot Straps

I own a pair of 2 year old Seychelles boots. They're absolutely brilliant in the sense of comfort, practicality and style. I'm so attached that I refuse to believe that the sole is slowly wearing away, that there is hardly any grip left, or that the zipper is removing itself from the actual boot.

But in these harsh winter months (HELLO, yesterday was frigid!) we need to make sure our feet are warm and that we don't slip (that is, if you are fortunate enough to live in a place with the joys of black ice, hail and snow... If not, I apologise for my not-applicable-to-life post).

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All Bundled Up - Literally

I love bundling up to keep warm. It's cozy and makes me happy. What I love a lot right now are cowl neck scarves! I'm such a fan! I knitted my sister a burgundy/mauve/maroon cowl neck scarf that she can wrap around her head, shoulders and neck about 20 times over. I then went onto Etsy to discover that they were all over the place!

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FW08: Fancy Tights

Luckily for me, this trend finally made it to high street. Urban Outfitters have almost the same contrasting colored ones (left: and it's not true what they say on the website about it being online only. I just got mine from the store today!). They are also just simple enough that you can wear it with almost anything.

Urban Outfitters also offer a bit of variation with the bold black/gray stripes (right), which are still cool and slimming. But since this one is so much more striking than the other one, I'd be much more careful matching this one because these ARE the statement.

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Ctrl BG: A Shortcut to Financial News 12/14

It's been a stressful few weeks for US auto makers. Last week, they handed in their proposals to be reviewed by Congress. I'm not sure about the details, but it was along the lines of major cut backs, and the Ford CEO vowing to work for $1 a year if Ford had to take money from the government (they are currently only asking for a loan line for emergency). At the beginning of the week, the senate approved a bailout. On Thursday, it was blocked by opposing Republicans, who thinks that it will be better for the big 3 to pursue a prearranged bankruptcy instead and also because the Unions wouldn't back down from a wage cut (beggars really can't be choosers...). Supporters argue that no one wants to buy cars from a bankrupt car company, which is a very valid point (think of the warranty/repair issues!). On Friday, Bush had to step in vowing to save the automakers from collapsing, with the TARP money (which they originally didn't want to do). A lot is at stake. The automakers claim that 1 out of 10 jobs in the US is connected to the auto industry. That would be devastating to the already weak economy.

A very good example of this trickling effect, would be GMAC the auto financier, which just got approved to become a bank holding company last week. Unfortunately, becoming a bank holding company is not as easy as GS and MS makes it out to be and they're struggling to raise the capital needed to do so. They are trying to renegotiate with debt holders to swap the debt for a smaller amount of debt, cash and preferred shares. If this doesn't work then they are highly likely to go into bankruptcy.

The other big news this week was Bernie Madoff $50 billion fraud. This former chairman of the NASDAQ stock market and Wall Street legend, is allegedly the perpetrator of a $50 billion giant ponzi scheme. According to Wiki, a ponzie scheme is a fraudalent investment operation that pays abnormally high returns to investors using the money coming in from subsequent investors. Apparently lots of the super wealthy have been fooled by this scheme. It is amazing how much you can get away with, with a good reputation and an affable character!

It appears though that the markets is already immune to these scandals, because the markets ended (by a tiny bit) up this week!
posted by Barneys Girl at 9:06 AM

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Little Frivolous Somethings

When I was a kid, Christmas was about finally getting that one toy I've wanted all year long. When I grew older, it was about finally getting that one big fashion item that I've been craving for since all season. Now that I'm a bit older and (hopefully) wiser, I'm beginning to think that maybe that perfect Christmas gift is not about getting that big ticket item, but about getting that little frivolous something that will make you smile. Because really, I'd like to be present when a big ticket item is bought for me- just in case anything goes wrong. Besides, you'd be really broke if you bought something big for everyone you loved!

When I say frivolous, I do not mean something completely useless. It has got to be something that I would actually use, that little something that I've been meaning/wanting to buy but have put it on the backlog because there are more practical things on my list (like toothpaste, vacuum cleaners and Tweezerman tweezers- though if all else fails, these would not be a bad idea. At least they're useful!). Here are a few things on my backlog:

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The Girl With The Short Hair

Last year I went from that was down below the middle of my back, to a really bad short japanese-boy-rockstar cut. My hair grows fast so while I was mortified & stuck with pinning it back and trying to tie it up in all sorts of ways, with ribbons and clips, it eventually grew back to past my shoulders by September of this year. Being stuck with thick, thick hair I got fed up and went to go get it cut again into a straight across, above the shoulders/longish bob.

Then, I went home and chopped it all off to have it super short in the back, with an A-line cut in the front. Kind of like Victoria Beckham, but less extreme and shorter. How does it feel? Totally awesome. Here are some cuties that might inspire you to cut it short.

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Ctrl BG: A Shortcut to Financial News 12/21

After MUCH drama, the fall of the auto industry in the US has finally been avoided- at least temporarily anyway. In the end, Bush signed over $17.4 to Chrysler and GM on Friday in return for non voting warrants and more oversight on executive pay etc. In the end, they made a full circle and the money will be coming from the TARP fund, which brings up the really intriguing question of whether the government has opened the pandora box and now other industries will be lining up to get a share of the rest of the TARP fund. Paulson has already asked Congress to release the rest of the $350 billion TARP fund early, when just a few days ago he said that it will not be necessary. Just when we thought we figured out how the TARP is going to work, they change their minds. This does not bode well for the government, because it makes them look like they have no idea what they're doing. Maybe they don't! On the other hand, the wider purpose of TARP is to support the financial market stability, and I daresay, it will probably not be very stable if the auto industry went bankrupt!

On the sidelines, the Madoff scandal continues to unfold, revealing many influential individuals exposed to this fraud. The S&P cut the rating of 11 US and EU banks, including Bank of America, Barclays Bank, Citibank, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase Bank, Morgan Stanley, Royal Bank of Scotland, UBS and Wells Fargo Bank. I guess if ratings must be cut, at least there is safety in numbers. What are you going to do when everyone goes down?

Outside of the States, it looks like the land of chocolate and waffles is not doing very well. Belgium's attempt to bailout Fortis got frozen as Prime Minister Yves Leterme tendered his resignation after having reportedly politically meddling to sway a court ruling. Apparently this is the third time their government collapsed. I had no idea.
posted by Barneys Girl at 3:37 PM

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