Sugar & Cloth

Summer is the perfect time to justify the need for a quality, oversized bag. From beach trips, long weekends, picnics, trips to the market, to pool parties, I can think of at least 10 ways to plead my case on this topic.

Plus, Red Envelope sent me the sweetest leather Baggu tote from their Gifts For Her collection and I needed a reason to show it off. Don’t judge me, you know how it goes! It basically hasn’t left my side since I opened it up!

photos by Brooke Schwab Photography

1 Baggu leather tote from Red Envelope, $159 // 2 Zara shopper, $149 // 3 Zara suede combination shopper, $89 // 4 Kate Spade Stripe Alicia tote, $298 // 5 Kate Spade Love is in the Air tote, $198 // 6  Zara leather bowling bag, $159 // 7 Anthro Nantucket weekender, $298 // 8 Zara bowling bag with zips, $189

I’m 99% certain that whoever is in charge of shoes over at Madewell is blessed from heaven with a special ability to make me melt. Seriously, I don’t think there is a single shoe that I wouldn’t wear.

Also, I feel the need to confess that I put this post together just so my mom would know what to get me for my birthday in May… and I wear a size 6… don’t judge me.

What’s you favorite pick? I would definitely have to say the tan leather wedges, so in love with them!

Find all of these styles, right here.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I feel like summer essentials are just one of those things that change every year. I almost never wear the same bathing suit two years in a row, and my beach bag almost always looks like it’s been through a tsunami at the end of just one season, let alone trying to make it through two. Granted, this could have something to do with my getting bored easily, but it is what it is.

Am I the only one that trades everything out each year? Please say you do too so that I feel a little less shamed. Nonetheless, this my current summer wish list. Also I should add that my summer wish lists never actually fully purchased (if at all) so don’t think of me as too fancy, we’re just wishing here.

P.s.- My little summer secret is to buy multiple tops to mix and match with basic bottoms, which makes it easy to switch it up without the extra cost. Do you have any summer essential secrets of your own to share?

1 Urban Outfitters donut pool float, $18 // 2 Zara women’s leather sandals, $59 // 3 Anthro maajii bikini top, $65 // 4 Bumble & Bumble surf spray // 5 Latitude blue striped beach towel, $45 // 6 Topshop polka dot strappy cover up // 7 J. Crew anchor bikini top, $54

In case the title didn’t fully explain it, I want everything in the 2013 Chinti and Parker Spring/Summer collection. Polka dots? Stripes? Colorblock? It just has a my name all over it! I’d wear it all.. at once. Okay not really all at once, that would be too much awesome for one person to handle.

What’s your favorite piece? To be honest, I buy things that I love and then wear the crap out of them until they look like colorful trash bags. Am I the only one?

Checkprint skirt // heart sweaters // polka dot sweaters // one pocket sweater // striped breton dress

I’ve been meaning to share the DIY necklaces that we made at the Langford Market event for a few weeks now, but as I’ve whined about already, it’s been a crazy few weeks. I’ll spare you the rest of my sob stories that accompany them, and announce these sweet little tassel necklaces. Better late than never, right?

Materials:

• Embroidery floss
• Necklace chain
• 8mm jump ring
• 12 mm jump ring
• Round nose pliers
• Scissors
• Bristle brush
• Ball bottom pendant clamps (online or at JoAnn Fabric)

1 // Lay an entire folded strand of embroidery floss flat on your work surface.

2 // Cut a 5 inch strand of floss and insert it into the bottom of the bead clamp, and then close the clamp tight around the strand.

3 // Wrap your strand of floss and bead clamp around the middle of your chunk of floss and tie it in a tight knot.

4 // Now your clamp and chunk of floss should be tightly connected, and you can fold the floss all to one side making the tassel.

5 // Use scissors to cut the bottom of the tassel straight across to clean up the edges.

6 // Use a bristled brush to brush out the tassel. This will fluff it and make it much fuller.

7 // Using round nose pliers, bend the ball hook into a loop if it isn't one already.

8 // Attach the 12 mm jump ring to the ball loop by gently twisting the jump ring open. Then attach the smaller sized jump ring to the larger one.

9 // Slip your finished pendant onto your necklace chain and your finished!

You can cut the tassels as long as short as you’d like but I really prefer the short fat ones, much how I like my pets to be.
And you can group multiple tassels onto one loop for a fuller look or to mix and match with your outfits. Doesn’t get much better than that!