FabSugar

Glitterati: UnEarthed

FabSugar — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 03:30:33 PDT

UnEarthed, by sisters Gina and Karen Koenig, is a result of a mutual love of fashion, art and leathercraft. All three elements are evidenced in the sophisticated-cum-edgy collection of cuffs, earrings and bangles. The duo vowed never to use embossed leathers and imitation skins, so everything you see is made of real crocodile, alligator and snake skin, even this Plum Snakeskin Silver Cuff, $33. The color is obtained by a dye and the slick sheen by hand polishing. Just the perfect accessories for a Wild Thing!

To see more animalistic designs,

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10 Online Boutiques You Should Know About - and Shop

Marisa Tom — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:15:45 PST

The World Wide Web can be a daunting place and with so much clicking at our fingertips, it's easy to overlook some pretty amazing e-finds. After a bit of cyber roaming and unearthing a whole lot of covet-worthy designer lineups, we've got 10 ultracool online boutiques you may not know about and most definitely should be shopping at already. From a one-of-a-kind curation site and a chic jewelry resource, to a superluxe London-based shopping destination and a Japanese designer-filled mecca, there's an online outlet for every kind of trend and fashion fancy. Click through to see our latest online boutique obsessions - and if you have an under-the-radar favorite to share, leave a comment below!

Casa Capsule: Decorating Tips from Oscar-Nominated Films, Super Bowl Party Seating, Celebrity Bedrooms, and More!

Angela Swinderman Elias — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:00:59 PST

Steal decorating tips from these oscar-nominated films.
See which cable knit-inspired goods we unearthed at Etsy.
Planning a Super Bowl party? Don't miss our picks for easy extra seating.
Add retro style with these vintage typewriter vignettes.
Trick out boring furniture with super chic O'verlays.
Check out these adorable new Valentine's Day cards from Hello!Lucky.
Find out how to create the illusion of a sky-high headboard.
Save space with stylish banquettes.
Get 10 cozy bedroom decorating ideas from celebrity bedrooms.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: I Spy a Masterpiece

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 08:00:00 PST

The fact that Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a well-crafted mystery that allows you to play detective yourself would be enough for me to say it's good, but the fact that it's so superbly acted makes it great. In the 1970s-set film, Gary Oldman plays George Smiley, a former intelligence officer who's summoned out of retirement to help root out a mole in Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, AKA "the Circus." Oldman leads an ensemble of incredible actors like Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Mark Strong, Toby Jones, and up-and-comers like Benedict Cumberbatch.

The men play British agents in the Circus devoted to monitoring the intelligence between Russia, Britain, and the US during the Cold War. The agents have a long history of working together, but each one is potentially the double agent working for the Soviets. As Smiley unearths clues to reveal the identity of the mole, the film makes you trust and doubt each of the suspects equally with an absorbing story that's worthy of its fine cast. To find out why I enjoyed the film, just keep reading.

One-Minute Makeover Tip: Add a Bit of Flare

Marisa Tom — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:30:39 PST

Curb unwanted "I have nothing to wear" anxiety before it flares up. By employing your sartorial prowess and unearthing tucked-away wardrobe treasures, you can update and transform any outfit in 60 seconds flat. We've tapped into the chicest of resources - our stylish community and fashionable Fab editors - for simple styling tricks to instantly breathe new life into the back of your closet. For today's tip, just go with the flow: rock a wide-leg silhouette.

Embrace the effortlessly casual and cool 70s-inspired style staple. Let your flare or wide-leg jeans (we accept both styles in this makeover edition) make a statement. The exaggerated shape on bottom allows for a plethora of styling options on top; from oversize layers to bold necklaces, the flared look has an inherently bohemian vibe.
The wider the style, the more creative license you have. Add other '70s-reminiscent prints, patterns, and textures to polish off the throwback look. We love the idea of pairing a thrifted fur collar over a striped turtleneck or mixing a loose-fitting silk button-up with long gold chains for nostalgia.
Don't forget to throw on some killer platforms. The wider silhouette may fool you into thinking that shoes are an accessorizing afterthought, but think again. Add length to your flares to keep from falling prey to a frumpy silhouette. Try a chunky flatform, wedge Mary Jane, or stacked heel for spot-on styling.

Photos courtesy of Megan Zietz, BrittandWhit, and Thriftjuice

The Vampire Diaries "Ordinary People": The Good, the Bad, and the Bloody

Marisa Tom — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 07:46:06 PDT

On this week's episode of The Vampire Diaries, we pick up where we left off - perplexed by the mysterious writings on the cave walls beneath the Lockwood property. It's imperative that Alaric, Elena, and Damon unearth the meaning behind these ancient cryptic inscriptions, for better or for worse. With Stefan locked up, Rebekah basking in her new-found high school popularity, Klaus nowhere to be found, and Katherine stirring up trouble with Mikael (we presume), it'll take more than a little luck for the motley trio to decipher the cave code.

For Elena that means making nice with Barbie Klaus in order to press her for information about her past, while Damon tests out a riskier method of research, and Alaric continues to work tirelessly to crack the "vampire Pictionary" messages the old-school way. If you're ready to dive right into the good, the bad, and the bloody, just keep reading.

Sneak Peek: Rue Magazine Issue 5!

Julia Walsh — Tue, 17 May 2011 12:45:00 PDT

Rue Magazine issue five hits virtual newsstands on Monday, May 23, and I am pleased to share an exclusive sneak peek with you! Featured in the upcoming issue is a budget-friendly project from design and developer duo Robert and Cortney Novogratz, of 9 by Design fame. Their firm Sixx Design was hired by a young couple just starting their lives in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and you'll see the evolution of this project on their upcoming HGTV show, Home by Novogratz, which premieres this Summer.

I love how they've given what seems like a cookie-cutter modern kitchen (with gorgeous zebrawood cabinets) a much more lived-in and historical look with vintage furnishings. The colorful, worn, industrial metal stools and bar cart juxtapose beautifully with the shiny new modern appliances, and the delicate, crystal chandelier lends a feminine style to the masculine interior.

The deity artwork above this white cabinet has an eccentric, thrifted look that's quintessential to the Novogratz style; I can just imagine them unearthing it in a Manhattan flea market. The only thing that puzzles me is this mauve appliance - is that a bread box? I guess we'll find out when the issue goes live on Monday! Can't wait to flip through the whole magazine!

Photos by Emily Anderson and Matthew Williams

Show Me Your Casa!

CasaSugar — Sun, 15 May 2011 05:30:00 PDT

Have you done any decorating in your home lately? Picked up a new Damien Hirst painting? Unearthed a vintage rug in your attic? Bought a groovy coffee table for your living room? Whatever it is, I want to see it!

Show off all of your shots of your home, both interior and exterior, in my group Su Casa, where readers can share snapshots and stories related to home decorating, crafts, organizing, and gardening. A Su Casa post could be anything from a photo of a loved one's home to a before-and-after project you've been working on. Think of it as a lookbook for home style. If I see something I like in Su Casa, I might ask you if I can feature it on CasaSugar.

To learn how to post in the group,

How to Cash in on Spring Cleaning

Kiplinger — Mon, 09 May 2011 10:10:28 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

After about a year and a half of marriage, my husband and I have finally unpacked the boxes of his stuff and our wedding gifts that had piled up in every corner of our apartment. In doing so, we organized the whole place - finding a home within our home for all our "new" things while purging the old.

Through the whole process, we've unearthed a veritable trove of potential income sources littering our former wasteland. If you invest some time in spring cleaning, be sure to take stock of these six possible treasures disguised as trash:

1) Receipts

My level-one hoarding issues have finally paid off… big time. (Kiplinger’s does not encourage or condone hoarding in any way.) Shuffled amid our apartment’s piles and piles of papers, we located receipts we were able to use for Flexible Spending Account claims amounting to nearly $2,000.

You just missed most employers’ March 15 deadline by which you needed to spend 2010 FSA funds. But you may still have time to file your claims: My company, for example, gives participating employees until June 15, as long as the receipts show services were rendered or purchases were made before March 15. If you don’t drain the account in time, you’ll have to kiss that cash goodbye. (See ASK KIM: Make the Most of the New Flex-Account Rules for more about how FSAs work.)

Also keep an eye out for receipts you can use to claim tax deductions, such as for charitable donations or job-hunting expenses, if you itemize. For more write-offs you may have forgotten, check out our slide show: The Most-Overlooked Tax Deductions.

2) Gift Cards

Be sure to sift through your clutter for unused gift cards. Even if you don’t care to use them yourself, you can still gain value from them before they expire. Exchange sites such as Gift Card Granny or Plastic Jungle will buy gift cards for a portion of their value (see KIP TIP: Get Cash Fast for more information).

Read on to find out how to deal with your electronics.

10 of Today's Hottest Jobs

Kiplinger — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 00:15:12 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

Believe it or not, even with the unemployment rate stubbornly high and many industries reluctant to staff up, there are employers out there who still can’t find enough qualified applicants. Some are offering six-figure salaries to the right job seekers. The trick, of course, is unearthing these hidden opportunities.

We started by asking CareerBuilder to mine its vast employment database to identify promising occupations that are experiencing an under-supply of qualified applicants relative to the number of available jobs. The resulting ratio is a good indicator of hiring demand - the lower the ratio, the greater the need for applicants. A ratio of 10.0, for example, means there are ten job seekers for every open position. A ratio of 0.5 means there are two open positions for every job seeker.

We also took a hard look at pay and growth prospects, based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Annual salary ranges reflect the rates in the 25th and 75th percentiles. Ten-year growth projections are based on BLS's expected change in the number of positions between 2008 and 2018. Finally, we filtered our choices to represent a range of industries and educational requirements. Check out our list of ten of today’s hottest jobs.

1. Nurse Practitioner

Hiring demand: 0.25 active job seekers for every open position

Annual salary range: $52,980-$79,020

10-year growth projection: 22%

Job description: A picture of health. The first baby-boomers are reaching retirement age at a time when there’s a shortage of primary-care physicians. Nurses are needed to close the gap. They perform many duties, from medical histories to disease management, previously handled by doctors. While hospitals are the largest employers of nurses, the fastest growth - and best pay - can be found in physicians’ offices. At minimum, you’ll need to complete a formal training program. Some nursing positions call for an associate’s, bachelor’s or even master’s degree.

Read on for more hot jobs.