Zzzzooming into August: High days & Holidays

I hope you've all had a terrific weekend! Am already wishing the weekends were just a wee bit longer. We're into a new month, just how is it that we're in August already???

This gorgeous image summarizes how I'm feeling today. Anyhoos, Happy Monday!

(Currently plagued by insomnia)

Photography by Serge Leblon For Harper's Bazaar Russia 2011
So loving this Belgian photographer's work.
via trendhunter

August is the month for holidays here in Greece, only i'm still working... :(
I guess I want to leave you all a little something from my little Fiesta of Happiness book by David Baird.

High Days & Holidays

"Happiness comes and goes
We all have periods of gloom.
When we wonder whether the good times will ever return.
Why do we limit our capacity for fun to just a few short seasons?
Why not instead make everyday a holiday and revel in living.
Celebrate your friends and the happiness they bring into your life.
Celebrate being a giving person.
Apply yourself to work that you enjoy and everyday can seem like a holiday.
But beware, none of us could stand a lifetime of unbroken ecstacy.
There will be downs, but with so much to look forward to.
We can learn to manage them a little better."

Steal of the century: The Ultimate Convertible dress!

It's miiiiiiiiiine! I repeat, I finally scored my dream dress.... I haven't bought anything this epic in ages. One seriously cool dress & 15 ways to wrap and wear it!

Ma-jor purchase in royal blue, one size fits all, talk about genius!

Most of you will know that when a special online sale is due to take place, you do not step away from the laptop. In my case, I dragged mine with me knowing that Cocosa (UK) was hosting the Two Birds designer sale, which was about to kick off in a mere few hours.

I swear I only react this insane when I want something reeeeally bad, ok, no that's probably an understatement. But since I missed out big time on the previous Two Birds sale, I told myself I would not be making such a rookie mistake again. Last time all the amazing dresses sold out like an hour and a half, and I was gutted to say the least. (The collection has sold out already at the time of writing this).

So let me relay how I very nearly did not get this dress.

• Cocosa emails me the day before with a preview of forthcoming sales, I see the Two Birds brand and a little birdie inside my head tells me that's the label I missed out on before.
• Eyes pretty much pop outta my head as I oogle all the fabulous dresses in a myriad of jewel colours. The dress I want was £250, now £119, i'm thinking, 'baaaaargain - I-must-have-it-now!!!!'. Really, this dress is going to get some serious wears.
  
• Set alarm to remember to go online at midday the next day.
• Today: Click on the page of the dress in the colour I want and close laptop set to that page.
• It's nearly midday UK time, need to find wifi connection, done, phew.
• Ok, it's 3 seconds gone and the sales are open, click on add to basket... noooooooo! The screen is blinking, and screaming 'checking availability' at me. Next thing I know it says someone else has put the item in their basket, should they not proceed with the purchase it will then be made available again. I click back to the Two Birds sale page (back and forth at least 5 times) and literally click 'add to basket' on 2 other dresses (held only for 7 minutes by Cocosa) - gotta have back up, know what I mean?
• So after a good 8 minutes of not being able to breathe properly I click back to the royal blue dress and find it's available again, breathe, click 'add to basket'. I had to uncheck the 2 other dresses I didn't want and finally, hoorah after filling in address and payment details it is MINE!

Honestly, I felt like tearing my hair out at one point (B if you're reading this, i'm sure you'll sympathize with me), especially when I kept clicking back and forth to the royal blue dress page (which loaded really slowly each time) & it kept telling me there was none available.... aaaagh!

So, why am I so kerrr-aaaaazy about this dress? Well, sometime last year I saw Vahni of Grit and Glamour in a stunning knot and tie dress, seriously V looked a million bucks (as she always does, see here) & the dress looked gloriously amazing. But for the life of me, I cannot find that particular post of her in that dress or who it was by again, all I knew was that I wanted a similar-ish dress.

The different ways to wrap/wear this dress

So what do you think? Score of the century or what?

Have any of you had any interesting or shall I say desperate, 'me-wants-now' online shopping attempts only to have someone (almost) beat you to it? Seriously, if this were in a shop and there were only one dress, i'd have versions of Rachel, Monica and Phoebe shopping (hunting) with me, whistles blowing all the way!

images via twobirds, edited by me
NB: twobirds is available in US, Canada, Australia and also the UK.

Sunday Catch Up, the bad the sad & the exciting

I'm pretty sure most of you have heard about the shocking tragedy in Norway, so first, let me say that I don't think there is anything I could possibly say that could express enough sincere condolences to all those affected by this terrible event, such a beautiful country and people. Our prayers & hearts go out to you.

I'm also shocked at the passing of such a talented if not troubled singer, Amy Winehouse, may you rest in peace. I always loved her music and her voice, my fave being the Mark Ronson collaboration & cover of 'Valerie'. (Live acoustic link)

This weekend has been a very sad weekend indeed. But I'd like to leave you all with some notes of sunshine if, at all possible.

Beyonce looks smoking hot in her promotional shoot for her album '4' by Greg Gex.

I hear that Christina Hendricks of Mad Men is designing her own swimwear range and is very close to signing a deal.
Also, a certain Harry Potter star is also considering becoming a fashion designer. I get why Christina is designing a range, but I do find it more and more ridiculous hearing that just because someone is famous and loves fashion, they have the necessary skills to become a talented designer. Ok, maybe i'm a little skeptical, but the starlet has done a fair amount of work for People Tree Foundation and worked on a capsule collection, which has been ethically produced, in collaboration with Alberta Ferretti. I guess we'll see if it's any good.

SKIP THIS PARAGRAPH IF NOT BASED IN GREECE

For everyone based in Greece, guess what? Make Up Guru and Ambassador of Max Factor Greece, Yiannis Marketakis (Γιάννης Μαρκετάκης) is launching Make Up Lab!
Having spent more than 15 years devoting his time and working on countless beauty and fashion editorials as well as making the gorgeous TV folks look, well even more gorgeous, Yiannis is going to share his secrets through his make up seminars. Is this not the most amazing news in beauty ever???

From September, you can learn all about Yiannis' trademark tips in various Make Up Lab seminars catering for beginners training to enter the professional Make Up world, Masterclass lessons for experienced make up graduates/artists who want to further develop their skills and learn about the hard to master techniques in the fashion/advertising world and finally beauty lessons for women who can learn to be their very own make up artist and accentuate their best features.

Make Up Lab info:
Louka Nika 11 & Ag. Anargyron 41 (Λουκά Νίκα 11 & Αγ. Αναργύρων 41 Ψυρρή)
Telephone for bookings and enquiries: 212 1029035 / 6944 888454
e-mail: info@makeuplab.gr
web: www.makeuplab.gr

Finally, if I ever win the lottery guys, I would take you all on this sweet ride of a vacation. This super yacht has it's very own heli-pad for ferrying you lovely readers to and fro, a huge bar, floating beach cabanas, a waterfall cascading down from a vaolcano plus cinema, library, games room, gym, spa and VIP suites! WOW! Full link and more 'blow you away' images here.

Right luvvies, I leave you with this:

"When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile. "
~ Unknown