Lulus Fashion Lounge - Blog - A La Mode

Site to See: Hello Giggles

Posted by: Laurie Hartt

April
17
2012

If you love Zooey Deschanel, then you are going to swoooon over this site:

"Founded by actress/musician ZOOEY DESCHANEL, producer SOPHIA ROSSI and writer/Internet Sensation MOLLY MCALEER, hellogiggles.com is the ultimate entertainment destination for smart, independent and creative females. Everything hosted on the site will be lady-friendly, so visitors need not worry about finding the standard Boys Club content that makes many entertainment sites unappealing to so many of us."

This site has articles on pretty much everything you could ever want, from awesome recipes to outfit inspirations, to video games, art, and work-related topics. I seriously can (okay, fine, have) spent hours perusing everything on here, and I love the quirky off-beat humor that threads through every article and has Zooey and her friends written all over it.

In addition to music, videos, shopping, and discussion forums, the individual categories include Entertainment, Treats, Beauty, Fresh Giggles, Cuteness, Home, Social Studies, Rants, Raves, How-Tos, Hot Moms, Hee Haw, and the Daily. You need it, they have it!

Intrigued yet? Head on over to Hello Giggles to check it out for yourself, or find them on Facebook and YouTube!
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Enchanting Wisteria Tunnel of Kawachi Fuji Gardens, Japan

Posted by: Tegan Silva

April
13
2012

No, these aren’t paintings you’re looking at! These are the totally unreal photos taken of the Wisteria Tunnel at Kawachi Fuji Gardens in Kitakyushu, Japan. From April to May, this beautiful tunnel explodes with magnificent color and look as if it was taken from some fairytale fantasy.

Imagine yourself walking through this lush wonderland of beautiful flowers . . . absolutely breathtaking.

I really need to book a trip to Japan, ASAP! Who's coming with me?!

(All photos courtesy of JeannieJeannie.com)
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Interior Motives: How To Decorate Antique Eclectic

Posted by: Sienna Orlando

April
2
2012

This week I'm celebrating my favorite style of interior design, Antique Eclectic, where vintage furniture and knick-knacks are mixed with modern pieces, and textures and color abound. One of the best things about this style is you can do it on a budget. Second-hand pieces can be brought to their full glory, and if you are at all crafty, you'll have fun repainting furniture or making your own throw pillows or curtains.

Pick a Color, Any Color: Like any space, you'll want to start by picking a color that is interesting but not overwhelming for you. You can take inspiration from a piece of art or decor that you already own. Below is a great example of working around an aqua blue. The color shows up on an accent wall, as well is in the painting, vase and throw pillows.

Create Space: You'll want to start by adding interesting shelves and tables in solid colors. Feel free to choose interesting colors that tie into the room, maybe mint, red or cream. If you're not sure, brown or white is a perfectly acceptable and neutral way to begin.

Containers and Trays: Now that you've got the big surfaces taken care of, you can start filling them in. Vintage apothecary jars and painted trays are great for storage as well as "layering" the eclectic appeal of your space.

Add a Granny Square!: Use the vintage color palettes in your favorite afghan to pull out other colors in your space, and don't forget to add plenty of throw pillows!

(images courtesy of etsy, slantedmansion, alkemie.blogspot, apartmenttherapy, designsponge)
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Get Your Nom On: Cake in a Mug

Posted by: Laurie Hartt

March
26
2012

I love cake.

Sprinkle cake, vanilla cake, lemon cake, chocolate cake, strawberry cake, butter cake, red velvet cake . . . deep breath . . . banana cake, poppyseed cake, rum cake, cheesecake, crumble cake, almond cake, layer cake, and well, pretty much any cake I can get my hands on.

I love cake so much that waiting the hour it takes to make it is just painful...or so I thought. That's what I thought until I discovered the

CAKE IN A MUG

And it takes no more than five minutes. Yeah, you heard me. Five minutes. All that deliciousness you see up there . . . you can make it and be eating it on the couch in the time it cakes for the commercials to be over. I'm pretty sure this stops just short of magic in my book.

Now, there are about a billion recipes for mug cake floating around the internet, and I've tried several at home in attempts to create the perfect one. While many were delicious and all were eaten, this recipe by Laine of It's Just Laine has found its way into my mug and my mouth forever:

What You Need

1 box angel food cake mix

1 box cake mix

2 boxes instant pudding mix

What You Do

1) Mix cake mixes and pudding together in a bowl until well blended. (Store unused mix in an airtight container...it's a lot, so you'll have dessert on standby for a while!)

2) Add 3 tbsp. mix to a cup and 2-3 tbsp. of desired liquid. Mix well.

3) Microwave for 1 minute and let cool.

4) Top with whipped cream, ice cream, fruit, caramel, chocolate syrup . . .use your imagination!

The great thing about this recipe is that you can really play around with ingredients to create whatever kind of cake you like and add any toppings you want. If you're feeling really domestic, you can even make a different flavor for all your friends or your family!

Tip for the lazy like me: If your cake cravings are sometimes so intense that ripping open the plastic on the mix seems like an eternity, try this: mix all the dry ingredients in a large Ziplock and store in your freezer. Whenever you feel the urge, simply pull out your favorite mug, add water, milk, coffee, etc., and cook! Ta-da!

P.S. Here are two more great recipes for cake in a mug:

Strawberries and Cream Cake

Coffee Cake

(Pics courtesy of Babble, iVillage, Kirbie Cravings, and The Hidden Pantry.)
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Interior Motives: Decorating with Live Plants

Posted by: Sienna Orlando

March
12
2012

The quickest way to liven up your living space is to add a little greenery. But where to begin? In general, you'll want to start by choosing the sunniest locations in your house and attaining healthy plants, know that the most common death for houseplants is overwatering, and (since plants need to eat too) be sure to fertilize at least once a year. Now let's start designing!

Work with the height of your windows: The tall plants pictured below work beautifully against the sparse white walls and lengthy windows. Smaller windows can be treated with a row of low-growing plants.

Clusters: Because one really IS the loneliest number, you'll probably gravitate towards clustering your indoor plants. You can choose a variety of sizes and textures, or find a nice repetition with similarly sized pots filled with the same species. A healthy plant will often reach a point when it needs to be divided; an opportune time to create this look!

Non-Traditional Looks: Sure succulents are an all-time favorite for indoors, but this colorful succulent wreath adds a new shape and allows you to hang it in a variety of places. Below is an apartment windowsill with a few potted plants, a sprouting pineapple and a cluster of dried chili peppers. The casual assortment adds an interesting personal touch.

Add a Terrarium: You need absolutely NO green thumb to care for a terrarium, just be sure to buy or make one that has a lid, and the atmosphere will recycle its own moisture. If it ever seems too dry, give it a quick spritz with a spray bottle. Mosses are the hardiest, and require very little light, making them perfect for the office, or any non-sunny location.

(images courtesy of craftzine, freundevonfreunden, moss terrariums)

Share YOUR best tips in the comments below!
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Site to See: Cookie Boy!

Posted by: Sienna Orlando

February
28
2012

Images of the elusive Cookie Boy have been trickling into the Western hemisphere, but his confectionary magic remains largely a mystery, due to the fact the entire site is in Japanese. What we CAN gather is that the intricately iced art of this man/boy/team? stirs something in all of us. From individual cutouts to highly involved installations, it's easy to obsess over this site, and I DEFINITELY recommend perusing his blog!

(photos courtesy of cookieboy.net)
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Dear Followers: What Would You Like to See?

Posted by: Cara Fox-Galassi

February
27
2012

Here at Lulu*s, we have some serious love for every one of our customers and fans. We're crushin', hard. So all us bloggers decided to ask you, our readers, what you want to see. Do you want more DIY? Beauty Tutorials? How-tos? We aren't just looking for your insight on our blog, but on all our platforms. So be sure to mention anything you like, or want to see more of on our Tumblr, Pintrest, or Instagram!

We can't wait to see your comments and suggestions below, thanks ladies!

xoxo
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What's Your Type? Cats as Fonts

Posted by: Laurie Hartt

February
24
2012

If there is anything I love almost as much as extra frosting, it's an excuse to look at cute pictures of cats on the internet. I love cute cat pictures. I mean looooove. In fact, I'm pretty sure my fellow bloggers are about ready to block me if I send another kitten email to their inboxes.

But NOW, I have a reason to peruse photos of those fuzzy felines: it's academic!

See?!

Now I know where all those weird font names come from - clearly, there was a paw in the process!

Psssst . . .Want more? See the rest of the Cats as Fonts here!

(Pics courtesy of buzzfeed.com.)
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Hotel Everland: Elegant Luxury on the Go

Posted by: Laurie Hartt

February
16
2012

Need to get away?

How about to the dazzling lights of Paris?

Or the peaceful lakes of Switzerland?

How about the lovely architecture of Germany?

Built by the talented design team L/B (Sabina Lang and Daniel Baumann), the Hotel Everland was created for the 2002 Swiss National Exhibition. With just one room, a bathroom, and a lounge, this innovative hotel is elegant simplicity at its best. And, let's be honest: it's just rad!

Additional ammenities include a fully stocked mini bar, a record player, and breakfast delivered to the door!

Constructed in Burgdorf, Switzerland, the Everland made its way to Lake Neuchatel, the the roof-deck of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Leipzig, Germany, and finally to the the roof of the Palais de Tokyo in Paris. Guests could book it for only one night, but visitors were encouraged to stop by during the day.

Sadly, the hotel is now closed, but you can subscribe to the newsletter or check out the website in case it reopens...fingers crossed! (P.S. Make sure you check out the sweet panorama!)

(Pics courtesy of Hotel Everland.)
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Interior Motives: Color Trend Forecasts for 2012

Posted by: Sienna Orlando

February
16
2012

You don't have to be an interior designer to be interested in what's going on in the world of interior colors. Color trends change just like fashion trends do, and thanks to companies like Farrow & Ball and Benjamin Moore, you can find out what's hot (or in this case, neutral) for 2012.

My biggest surprise is how common grey is in these color schemes. Paired with warm neutrals and shades of seafoam green, grey and greyish-purple seem to be a recurring theme. I'm thinking about grey in a whole new way!

What is your interior color forecast for 2012?

What colors are your favs?

(images courtesy of trendland, redoitdesign.wordpress.com, benjamin moore)
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