Butterick & Vogue Patterns Sale!

There is a on going sale on the Butterick, McCall's, Vogue and Kwik Sew Pattern website!

Butterick's patterns are on sale for 2,99$ each, Vogue and McCall are at 3,99$ and Kwik Sew are at 6,99$. The sale is going to last until Wednesday.

There are a lot of patterns that I've being eyeing for quite some time, but apparently, when I show up to my local Fabricville they never have them in stock. And oh boy, 2,99$ patterns? I won't let that chance slip way! So, I ordered 7 patterns today! :)

 

Vogue V2787

 

Vogue V8811

Butterick B5556

I hope I can move my sewing machine into the room I'll be renting during the next semester and start working on some this!

Weekend in Tyrol ~ Innsbruck (part 5) - Swarovski's Kristallwelten

Our last destination, which was also included in that 24h pass, Swarovski's Kristallwelten (Crystal World). There is a shuttle bus that takes you there every hours from the information centre in Innsbruck. I'm personally not a fan of their little crystal shape animals, or other shiny jewelries and memorabilia, but my friends are. So, I though, why not giving it a try. I love museums in general and I even might just learn something. Maybe, they will explain us the science behind crystal cutting, light reflection, gemology?

Well, no. Swarovski's Kristallwelten, is somekind of over the top experiment, where fashion designers (like Alexander McQueen) and musicians (like Brian Eno) makes installations revolving around, glamour, shiny things, censorial experiences and general craziness. I just loved it! It's hard to describe the museum itself as it's composed of around 20 different rooms, all created by different artists from different backgrounds.

Like in a modern art museum, not much explanation is given to the visitors about what the hell is going on. But I think that's part of the whole experience. Sometime, you just have to switch your brain off, and just enjoy running around in that geodesic sphere made of 590 mirrors. Hell yeah.

The visit end on the biggest Swarovski store I could have imagine. Just to see the side of the thing is worth the bus ride!

See, my friend are big fans for Swarovski and I'm not. In the end, I enjoyed the museum more than they did. In the end, I think the visits is worth it. Give it a try!

 

This was the last part of my trip to Innsbruck. I will probably start new post about Switzerland soon! Also, in about 2 weeks, my student exchange here will be over. I'll go back to Canada and move into an apartment, this is going to be exciting too! :)

Weekend in Tyrol ~ Innsbruck (part 4) - The Volkskunstmuseum

Note: I took a little break from writing about Innsbruck as a friend of mine came all the way from London to visit Switzerland. I'll post about our adventure a little bit later! :)

After seeing really good review on a travel site, we decided to go the Volkskunstmuseum (folk art museum). I was surprised at how modern it was! They had really interesting exhibits about decorative arts and folklore. They even had replicates of old Austrian houses to visit!

My favourite part, of course, was about needle arts and historical costumes. Here’s some pictures I took:

 

That's a traditional wedding attire, I love it! :)

To preserve the integrity of the costumes, flash wasn't allowed. 

Resulting in terribly blurry pictures, I'm sorry.

These picture aren't doing justice to the costumes.

They are are all so detailed with intricate embroideries, beads and ribbons, it's incredible!

Truly "vintage" cross-stitch patterns

Weekend in Tyrol ~ Innsbruck (part 3) - Up the mountain

We headed to town early on Sunday to start the real exploring. At the information centre, we found that card that enable you to visit as much museums and attractions in Innsbruck 24h as you want in 24 hours, and that includes public transportation too! That's a really good deal (buses also run all night in Innsbruck! Heaven!).

The center of the town

My nose caught something,... Lush Store I found you!!!

With our 24h card, we were able to take the funicular from the centre of the town and then take the two gondola lift to go up the Hafelekar. On the top of that 2256 meter mountain, the ground was covered in snow and it was very windy. This was perfect weather for me!... but not so much for my friends from Spain.

 

It's impressive to see the city in the valley on one side of the mountain,...

And on the other side, it's complete wilderness!

 

(Next post will be about traditional costumes again! :))

Weekend in Tyrol ~ Innsbruck (part 2) - Night walk downtown

Innsbruck was a surprisingly quiet city during the evening. We just walked around for an hour, window shopping and looking a cheap place to eat.

I was pleasantly surprised to see how many store had such elegant and traditional inspired garments. I’ve encountered many of these small workshops where seamstress and designers take traditional Austrian garments and make modern versions of it. I totally fell in love with that look; it’s so stylish without being over the top. I tried to take some pictures, but they turned out to be a blurry has hell, oh well.

Store front of Inga Bayer "Mode mit Tradition" 

Similar jacket, different style

You would probably ask yourself: “who would wear that on a everyday basis?” I asked myself that too but, I didn’t have to wait for long to get my answer. I saw many couple walking though Innsbruck on that Saturday night, dressed in a modern take on the traditional Austrian costume. Young women in luxurious silk Dirndls, their men in velvet jackets, they were all so elegant! 

 

Innsbruck famous Goldenes Dachl (golden roof)

(Next part will have less blurry pictures, I promise!)

Weekend in Tyrol ~ Innsbruck (part 1) - Getting there!

In the beginning of November, we left the comfort of our student residence in Neuchatel to go visits Innsbruck, in Austria. I was very excited by this little weekend trip as I never went in Austria before and I love the Alps,… and I’m an Olympics fans! I’m becoming a typical Swiss, eh? 

We didn’t really took the time to plan this trip, but just booked three bed at the Youth Hostel the night before and went to get tickets at the train station the same day.

 

Quiet Neuchâtel, on an early Saturday

We had to take the train from Neuchatel to Zurich, and then jump on the Jet Rail that stops in Innsbruck. That same train actually goes all way the Budapest! In total, it took us around 5 hours to get there. We made it all the way to the Youth Hostel by bus, thanks to my limited German skills (important fact people: Jungenherberge = Youth Hostel ;) ).

 

Lodging for the athletes of the1976 Winter Olympics were transformed in a Youth Hostel

View from our room, MOUNTAINS!!! You are actually surrounded, 360 degrees, by mountains in Innsbruck, it's beautiful

It was my first experience with Youth Hostels; I should have planned this better. Neither of us had brought flip-flops, and since the showers are shared with the whole floor, it’s a bit gross. But hey, we are intelligent, creative students right? We just used a grocery bag as some kind of mat for the bottom of that ugly shower, ahahaha!

Okay so, what you should bring when going to a Youth Hostel (for future reference or of anyone who reads this!)

• Towels (I know, Hitchhiker’s Guide To the Galaxy anyone? Well, that’s what it was all about!)
• Soap
• Flip-flops
• Lock (to keep your stuff safe during the day)
• Ear-buds (it get noisy in these places!)

Am I forgetting anything important in that list? If so let me know, I want to make sure I'm ready next time!

 Previous people left us a little something to celebrate outside our window, Kirsch!

 

We were dead tired for the rest of the evening. So, we just went downtown to get something to eat and when to look around.

(More coming soon! With actually nice pictures this time)

Julep's Maven Nail Polish Monthly Box (also referral link and code!)

Though the BPAL forum I discovered this monthly subscription box from Julep, a nail polish company based in the US. It had some positive feedback over there, it caught my attention.

I love polishes,… and mystery boxes,… I had to give it a try!

The box itself cost 19,99$ per month and that includes shipping. It usually holds 2 to 3 nail polish and a skin/cuticle treatment. The nail polish colors are chosen for you though a little survey and categorize you in a “style”. The awesome thing in that? You can switch “style” whenever you want if you don’t like that nail polish selection for a certain month. So, you get to keep a control on what you get anyway!

They ship in both US and Canada, which is awesome and a first for me. As most nail polish mystery boxes I found before wouldn’t ship outside of the US. So, I had mine shipped back home in Canada, so, I have to wait a couple more months before being able to review them on my blog. ;)

Also, very important, I nonchalantly searched the interwebz for a coupon to use at the checkout. I was very excited to find a coupon that enable you to get your first monthly box for 0,01$ (the code is COLOR2012, let’s all say a big thanks you to Retailme not!) Seriously! Why not try it for one month at that (non-existent) price!

I browsed through their collection also, and totally fell in love with their O Canada polish (Shiny red glitters AND patriotism? SOLD!). It’s normally priced at 11,20$ but for the holiday season, it is sold in duo with another hue called Lucy (a nice dark burgundy) for 12,99$.

 

Their "Faboulous Fête" duo, how pretty is that!

So, total of the operation, 5 nail polishes for 13$, including shipping. 2,60$ each! Yay yay yay!!!

It feels like it’s already Christmas! 

If you, dear blog reader, wish to use a referral code here is mine: 6957489 (or you can copy/paste this referral link http://www.julep.com/rewardsref/index/refer/id/90357/ )

Tschüß and long live pretty nails!

Edit!!!
Also, Margaret from Maggie's Reviews is my Julep fairy godmother! :) Go check out her blog, it has reviews of everyday use products (hair care, beauty, etc!).

BPAL Review Challenge: Event Horizon

My BPAL review challenge: Science theme! (#1 out of 10)

I went to post this on the BPAL.org review section first. So, here goes my first review of this very first (deliciously smelly) challenge!

The lab's description: A disconcerting scent, heavy and oppressive, through which no light, no matter, and no spirit can escape. Black opium, labdanum, opoponax, black orchid, and benzoin.

I haven’t been very lucky with any of the opium notes I’ve tried so far. But, let's give it a try! I got this as a frimp from the lab, and being a major science geek, I loved the name!

In the bottle: Smoky amber (benzoin I guess) and... cherry?!

Wet on skin: Homemade spicy cherry alcohol. Yummy! (It might be my imagination but, that’s really what it smells like to me!)

Dry down: Sophisticated patchouli and musk (which might be the opium note I smell here). With incense smoke, a hint of spices, dark florals notes in the background. And my imaginary cherry is still there!

It’s truly dark and seductive scent. I can't stop smelling my wrist! I get inevitably attracted to it, like a black hole. I cannot escape its gravitation!

I will definitely order a big bottle of this! A big thank you to Lab to make me discover this one. Just by the scent description, it's not a scent I would have tried on my own.

I was also feeling rather creative so I did a bunch of icons too! :)