Don't Leave Me Heather

Oh what am I going to do?? My so perfect assistant, Heather, of 1 year exactly has left to fly away to the real world. She has gone to college and is having the time of her life while I'm trying to readjust to my life before Heather!

She did everything for us from shipping boxes out, modeling, painting, making and sending press samples, producing thousands of headbands (we wish we took a count of how many she made but yes, thousands!), grocery store shopping, building pyramids of boxes for our viewing pleasure, pulling late nights and super early mornings and countless other to-do's!

[Posing as a TB model, she did this on many occasions]

[Heather up to her silliness, keeping us smiling during shipments with her artsy decor of turning boxes into a mini city!]

Good luck Heather, come back to me during your summer breaks girl!

xoxo

Heather

Be Your Own Fall Inspiration

Hey Birds!

I just saw a too fun and friendly fall fashion competition from Andrea Updike, the uber talented head designer at DownEast Basics.It makes me all grins for Fall, which is hard to do because I am such a Summer girl!

The rules are simple for you to have some fashion fun of your own and for your chance to win a $150 gift card from DownEast Basics:

Send a photo of yourself, wearing your favorite clothing and accessories from DownEast!

o Go for a layered fall look

o Be creative and show your best style

o Incorporate at least one DownEast clothing item or accessory – but the more the better!

More details here.

And Duh, we want to see them too, so leave a comment on the TB Blog when you share your fab starpower ideas with DownEast Basics so we can all fly over and see what your take on 2010 Fall Fashion is!

xo

Heather Bird

Nummy

Our sister Sandy is always so with it in the chef's department. She is famed for her talent of making delicious new combinations of dishes and she's also so good at digging into cookbooks and actually using them! I find myself getting stuck on a comfortable rotation of recipes, realizing it and buying cookbooks, dog earring the pages, making grocery lists for new recipes and yeah, it stops there.

She just had a baby and yet still whips up some gourmet tastes, even for herself when home during the day alone with 3 kids.

She says this:

"Lunch is my sanity time after my two little ones are asleep and my third child has her quiet time. I close my eyes and enjoy a moment of calm."

After seeing her divine picture of her sandwich today, she inspired me today to make a yummy toasted bagel sandwich with hummus, avocado, mozarella and garden tomateos topped with ground pepper and accompanied with raspberries on the side. I even put it on this funky yet lunchtime realistic plate. Usually I do this for my handsome and hungry husband but did it solely for my own self today thanks to her example. So, splurge on yourself, giving yourself a few extra minutes to make something pretty, fresh and delish!

I also added a side of savory thin crackers and tzatziki dip. I got introduced to Trader Joe's Tzatziki Dip last week in Laguna Beach from my dear friend and cousin who is also with it in the kitchen, April. This dip is also an excellent midnight snack!

Sandy's favorite summer sandwich is in the image above.

Her summer sandwich recipe is:

fresh tomatoes

feta cheese

yellow bell peppers drizzled with balsamic

wheat bread

*blueberries to accompany

I love that she thought to use bell peppers, a combo I would only learn from her!

Fresh Meals to you and yours!

xo

Heather Bird

Nordstrom South Coast Plaza Trunk Show

We had so much fun at the Southcoast Plaza Nordstrom Trunk Show!

The gals in their accessory department are razzling dazzling allstars, we love them and had a blast all day long visiting with customers and twisting up hair!

They even had some pretty pretty fresh flowers for us to enjoy!

Here's a couple photos and check out the other's with Jerell and customers on their facebook page here.

Tabletop with loads of new TB styles

Mother Daughter True Birds Twist Duo! These two shining stars are from Dubai.

Our youngest customer of the day, what a ham, love it!

Fab Jerell Scott for True Birds Designs: Star Power and She She La La proudly hanging!

xoxo

The Birds

Stomping Grounds

[gamble house, daily tours]

I'm in Pasadena this morning. My heart goes a flutter when I come here since I lived here 6 short months when I first moved to L.A.. I love Pasadena's charm, I love it's touch of big city on Colorado Blvd. that so dottingly reminds me of NYC. I love its diversity, its balance of city concrete and beautifully landscaped home gardens and parks, I love the streets lined with towering palm trees and I really love its unique home architecture. Do I miss living here? A most definite YES.

I found myself roaming the neighborhood streets as was once a plentiful past time for me. I love getting lost, especially when there is so much beauty and unique spirit to be found. Frank Lloyd Wright is greatly applauded with his architecture legacy in Pasadena which still echoes in current design today. This genius architect designed 1141 homes and buildings in his lifetime, talk about being major. Learn more about this design genius here.

xo
Heather Bird

Packing To St. Barts

Fashion Post by L.A. Stylist, C.G.

This summer I have an amazing opportunity to spend a week in St. Barts, one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean. What better way to organize my summer packing by creating a wish list of stylish things I would need for my exciting trip. If you’re like me and have a vacation or summer getaway planned, check out this list of must haves and essentials for your summer adventures.

SUMMER TIPS

Jewelry

Small girly designs or a classic pair of earrings are great accessories to have in our jewelry box. You can either keep it simple but sassy with a gold hoop earring or bring out your girliness with a small delicate design. #1 sterling silver bow earrings by Tiffany’s $125 #4 yellow gold hoop earrings by jules smith $110.

Makeup

Keep it soft and subtle. Benefit’s blush and powders give the extra smooth glow that you need #2 Georgia powder & #8 Dandelion blush by Benefit $28.

Accessories

Bring out the colors in your accessories. Whether they’re belts, or for your hair, make it your key piece to your outfit. Remember, it’s the little things in life that stand out! #3 soft flower hair band by Jerell Scott for True birds, also sold at Nordstrom starting next week, $48 at Nordstrom, $78 online/#7,16,17 trio neon belts by Madewell $19.99.

Apparel

Dresses should be flattering and comfortable. An a-line dress for the evening #19 jade & black shirred frock by Tracey Reese $148 or #20 plum chiffon dress by Forever21 $29.8 and a cotton tube dress for the beach #21 navy ruffle tube dress by American eagle $34.5. Kain tang tops are known for their style and comfort and can be worn night or day #11 grey pocket tang $85. Wear it with a boho lace skirt #14 or white denim jeans #9 both by Madewell (under $60) just add a canvas jacket and your ready for an adventure #10 by J.Crew $98.

Shoes

A girl’s favorite subject! Buy a chunky black sandal to show off your tan legs #18 by Michael Kors $140 and a very comfortable and stylishly improved Birkenstock for your “Out’s & about’s” #5 #6 (both under $60).

Get Em'

#1 Sterling silver bow earrings by Tiffany’s $125 www.tiffanys.com

#2 Georgia powder by Benefit $28 www.benefitcosmetics.com

#3 Turquoise soft flower band by Jerell Scott for true birds $78 www.truebirds.com (more colors)

#4 gold hoop earrings by Jules smith $110 www.shopbop.com

#5 Silver Sparta $ 59.99 www.piperlime.com

#6 Plum Madrid $49.95 www.birkenstockusa.com both by Birkenstock (more colors)

#7 Neon canary belt by Madewell $19.99 SALE www.madewell.com (more colors #16,17)

#8 Dandelion blush by Benefit $28

#9 denim white short’s by Madewell $59

#10 Canvas jacket by J. Crew $98 www.j.crew.com

#11 Kain label grey pocket tang $85 www.revolveclothing.com (more colors & styles)

#12 Valleta dress by Joie $90 www.shopbop.com

#13 Desert sun necklace $39.99

#14 Boho lace skirt $54 both by Madewell on SALE (more colors)

#15 Chambray shirt by j.crew $98

#16 and #17 Neon canary belt by Madewell $19.99 SALE www.madewell.com

#18 Black urban sandal by Michael Kors $140 www.cusp.com SALE

#19 Jade & black shirred frock by Tracey Reese $148 www.traceyreese.com SALE

#20 plum chiffon dress by Forever21 $29.80 www.forever21.com

#21 navy ruffle asymmetric tube dress by American eagle $34.5 www.ae.com (more colors).

xoxo

C.G.

Sunset Breather

The bird and I were doing some mega sourcing and designing all day in the fashion district, we decided to have a natural relaxer so we headed to Santa Monica Pier on our way home to catch the sunset, beach breeze, some cheese dogs and fresh squeezed lemonade, yum.

Take time to breathe.

Here's a tried and tested so yum lemonade recipe:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup sugar (can reduce to 3/4 cup)
• 1 cup water (for the simple syrup)
• 1 cup lemon juice
• 3 to 4 cups cold water (to dilute)

METHOD

1 Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely.

2 While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from 4 to 6 lemons, enough for one cup of juice.

3 Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water, more or less to the desired strength. Refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes. If the lemonade is a little sweet for your taste, add a little more straight lemon juice to it.

Serve with ice, sliced lemons.

Serves 6.

xo

Heather Bird

5 Rules In A Bedroom

Interior Design Post By: Caitlin Wilson for Caitlin Wilson Design

1.MAKE A STATEMENT~ ask yourself what you want to be the main feature of the room {the bed, the headboard, the pillows, the walls, the art, etc}...and then do something dramatic!

2. SYMMETRY~ i almost always use symmetrical bedside tables and matching lamps. I like how it makes it feel more organized.

3. LAYERED LINENS~ fold back your sheets if they're pretty and add texture and comfort by folding an extra down comforter or quilt at the end of the bed too.

4. PILLOW PERFECTION~ create a perfect setup by using 3 different fabrics from back to front... 2 Euros or kings shams in back, 2 Standards or Euros next, and then a rectangle or boudoir pillow in front, add even more for dimension.

5. FINISHING TOUCHES~ add some personal charm with a bedside tray, your favorite candle, fresh flowers and frames.

Why I Hate To Love Snooki's Poof

By Lauren Levinson, Time Out New York Magazine Fashion Editor

On July 29th MTV’s uber-popular reality show The Jersey Show returns (but this time the quirky cast will partying in Miami). Snooki’s signature hair poof gets my vote for most memorable style.

Before the Snookster rocked a bouffant, fashion icons such as Gwen Stefani and Mischa Barton teased their top tresses. And the hairdo was actually pretty cool. Snooki, and the style became associate with tanorexic types. But here’s why I’m still vibing on the proof:

A) it adds height for shorter gals (like Snooks);

B) it keeps bangs, flyaways and layers out of your face (a wonderful way to tackle summer humidity) and

C) it can actually look quite posh (just check out Stefani and Barton!).

To create this hairstyle, simply grab the front section of your mane and blow dry it using a giant roller brush, pulling the strands away from your face. Hairspray the top layer of the poof, add a bumpit and criss-cross two bobby pins at the crown of your head, holding the ’do in place. Voila, you’re ready for a fist-pumping night on the town.

xo

Lauren

Orange County Nordstrom Store Appearance

[Jerell, Heidi and I at Newport store opening, April]

Hey Birds!

We are headed to Orange County to South Coast Plaza's Nordstrom tomorrow from 10-4 with Jerell, Heidi and I to do a store appearance at the accessory counter. The sales team there loves the True Birds twist and wanted us to come and show their customers more ways to twist it up. We can't wait to have a hair party tomorrow!

[South Coast Sales Team with the True Birds Twist]

xo

Heather Bird

Genius Gems

This is beyond genius. Can you believe this quick fix? Hem Gems is on their A game with this innovative idea. See here for more.

loving this pyramid stud hem saver

Awesome idea!

xo

Heather Bird

NAUTICAL STRIPES

Hello bird readers,

I am sure you have all seen the nautical stripes have take the fashion industry by storm! It is hard to walk around and not see these beautiful bold stripes. Stripes are perfect for summer, whether you are at the beach, out on a date, or taking a stroll downtown.

So get your stripe on, you don't want to miss this boat.

You can find these great looks at Bloomingdales.com

Cheers!

Heidi Bird

White Wonder Look

This summer's wrist accessory, a thick white watch. I love this white wonder look.

Blake Lively wore it so well with her beachwear look on Moonlight Beach in Vogue's June issue and I'm on the hunt for one of my own!

Juicy Couture, Bloomingdale's, $195

Quartz Watch, Vixenchick.com, $24.99

The Debutant, Nixon.com, $1000

xo

The Birds

The Stylist Handbook

Devon Poer, genius stylist and savvy L.A. biz woman just came out with "The Stylist Handbook", a quarterly magazine that gives stylists all the ins and outs of fashion, hot spots to keep in mind and up and coming happenings and trends. It is the first magazine of its kind and I believe with originality comes longevity. Kudos to Devon and her fab mag.

We were fortunate enough to be on the cover of the magazine on their celebrity cover girl, Busy Phillips wearing the bellisima band.

Get your Stylist IQ here.

xo

Heather Bird

Mantle Madness--an Eclectic Fireplace Mantle

I have officially moved and am setting up house! I love being organic to one self when designing for me or anyone else's space or outfit and I also love story telling spaces. They act for great conversation options in community areas. This eclectic fireplace mantle is a gathering of old and new.

I wanted to change up something in the fireplace for a fresh take that blended with summer. The wood I dug out of there felt too Fall/Winter for me and my California sun so I brought in the potted grass my husband so dottingly takes care of. I also think this fireplace would look 100 times better if painted out white, that is definitely on the upcoming list of updates.I love accessorizing on home accessories. I added these denim broaches (denim broaches in Nordstrom next month, $32) to my iron eiffel tower (Ross, $12.99). I keep splashing these denim flowers everywhere in my home and then I clip them on me on my way out the door too! Very universal.
I love this vase, I got it at Portobellow Market while living in London for Study Abroad while in college. The orange glass starfish I picked up in Monterrey over my birthday weekend last year and this little baby blue damask cup I got at Trader Joe's for a steal. Oh, and the framed mirror Heidi bird gave me, she grabbed it at Home Goods for $19.
I wanted to mount this oil canvas simply and randomly but didn't want the nail head to take away from it so I hot glued this vintage button on top. I love how it adds some instant glam and it was so easy!
I always love adding books to any area. It adds some substance, felt knowledge and interest. I brought in a little asian influence on this side for my married name, Fujikawa, these asian roots I'm trying to represent in my home. I also love this anchor (TJMaxx, $14), anything sail worthy rings happiness to my soul! Naturally, I of course have birds landing in my home here and there. I just had to put one of my favorite necklaces on my pink bird. I took it off to wear it and my husband asked where it went, he said "Put it back on, it was so great up there", I love when he surprises me with design interest and takes note of spaces, so cute!

The LOVE typography print is from Fieldtrip and the AHOY wood chip is from Brooklyn Rehab. I love supporting Made in the US and handmade companies, both of these stores have so many original ideas!

xo

Heather Bird

Boho Chic for the Beach

Guest Blogger:

Becca Aronson, former Lucky Magazine Accessories Editor

Hi my name is Becca and I am addicted to hair accessories (Hi Becca!). No it's true! Rarely do I leave the house unadorned with headbands or clips or combs. I have even on many occasions been referred to as "that girl with the headband" but this is not a habit I am looking to kick any time soon. In fact, for the summer I am planning to turn it up a notch. Hair accessories meet beach, beach.. hair accessories! So let me take you on a little style journey into the head of the headband obsessed...

When planning out a look I like to start with one inspiration item. When Heather showed me some of the new flower bands for Nordstrom a boho chic beach outfit instantly began to form in my mind.

MUST HAVES

~A soft romantic ruffle bathing suit, Nordstrom.com

~Shiny gold boho sandals, Endless.com

~A sparkly sequin beach tote to hold my essentials (sun screen, ipod, water bottle, magazine), Kitson.com

~Fun purple shades, Bloomingdales.com

~And last but not least a rose print towel so I look extra chic lounging in the sun, Newportnews.com

I'll put my hair in a loose side braid and add 2 flower bands, one beaded and one not, with the flowers sitting just above the braid (why wear 1 when you can wear 2!). Get ready beaches of the world (or more accurately, the east coast), here I come! Feel free to follow suit, and I'll see you out there in the sun.

Love and barrettes,

Becca

Mirror, Mirror, On The Wall

Contributing blogger:

Interior Designer, Caitlin Wilson

interior design by caitlin wilson design, photo by ashlee raubach

When designing a room it's important to have a focal point. I love the way a starburst mirror creates a glamorous, dramatic focal point. You can put one above your couch, bed, dresser ~ it will work wonders!

Here are a few options that I love...

Williams Sonoma Home, Gold Leaf Mirror, $248

Williams Sonoma Home, Starburst Mirror, $395

Pottery Barn, Rhona Round Gilt Mirrors, $129

Crate and Barrel, Starburst Mirror, $199

To see more of this home I designed go here.

Upcoming Blog Daily's

The Lineup

Wednesday: Caitlin Wilson spills design secrets about Sunburst Mirror finds

Thursday's Post: Former Lucky Magazine Fashion Accessories Editor, Becca Aronson shares her finds for Summer

Friday's Post: Mantle Madness, accessorizing a fireplace mantle

Hair Mags

We are so excited to be in some great hair mags recently, we love our editors--you gals are the best!

xo

The Birds