Happy Halloween!!

Happy Halloween from the Curtsy Family.

(Curtsy Mama not pictured due to the fact that she HATES having her picture taken and it's her turn to write the blog :) )

Tomorrow all Halloween Items will be 50% off.

XOXO
Curtsy Mama
Mary Jo

Happy Halloween Eve!!

I put the finishing touches on my costume today......tomorrow I will officially be the solar system. Well......technically speaking I am dark matter......and the solar system exists around my hips.....and I will be twinkling with stars. Will be sure to post some pics of myself & Curtsy Mama & the Curtsy Dog. We were delighted to be visited by our favorite little munchkin from Unleashed Pawsabilities today. Her mom bought her one of our adorable new leopard tutus that comes with a matching headband & kitty mask. She looked soooooooooooooooo stinking cute!!!






We received a new shipment of the absolutely gorgeous Gold Rush Candles today. They have changed the look of them a bit.....instead of looking like a typical beeswax candle with the honeycomb shapes, they look pinstriped.....and divine! I have never seen such pretty, glittery, sparkly candles. Curtsy Mama & I couldn't take our eyes off of them.....and cursing ourselves for not ordering enough to take home! Unfortunately the new style is so new that I am not able to find a picture of them online. I will be sure to take a pic tomorrow and post it. All the new colors are perfect for fall & winter.....ruby & emerald, platinum & gunmetal, gold & copper.

xxxx

Is that your costume?

I spent yesterday looking for a costume. Not the one that I'll be wearing to the store on Friday, but one for a party that I'm going to Saturday night. A group that I belong to is having a Prom Night Do Over, for anyone who wished they could go back and do it again, a little differently. Word is that a bunch of my pals are dressing in various prom dresses and that was what was on my radar yesterday. After hitting many, many vintage stores and trying on way too many outfits, I didn't find exactly a traditional prom dress,but then again, I was never really much of a traditional girl. I grew up in the 60's & 70's and remember when mini-skirts first came on the scene. I happened to find the perfect black mini dress at Red Light Boutique on the Ave. I look oh so much better in it than the floor length white gown my grandmother graciously bought me for the occassion. It's short (really, really short) but it fits me like a glove and I have the perfect go go boots to complete the outfit.


If you want to be in the holiday spirit, but aren't so in to dressing up, Curtsyland has a couple of great options. Dress in all black and throw on our Trick or Treat Prize Ribbon Pin and you're set. Maybe you prefer the whole mysterious stranger route. Our Pumpkin or Black Cat Masquerade Masks will help you maintain that glamorous mysterious aura without much costume commitment.


What do you do with the kids when they're waiting for it to get dark enough out to go Trick or Treating? Keep them occupied - right? Put on some music, grab some of these Halloween Maracas and help them burn up some of that energy! Don't you wish you could somehow channel their excess energy to you, someone who really need it?

XOXO
Curtsy Mama
Mary Jo

That tickles

Oodles of wonderful presents for those hard-to-shop-for gentlemen arrived today. Chloe Isabella is a new collection from Metal Morphosis, Inc. The collection includes fabulous mousepads and bookmarks with some lovely ladies on them that are sure to entice the gents to sit down for a read or a surf on the web. Ramona remarks on how ticklish she is when the mouse gets going....Anna has an itch that needs scratching.....Olivia has been lonely......and Morgan shows you where to click for a good time! A few of the ladies can be found on the bookmarks......ready to hear a story. Other guy goodies from Metal Morphosis that arrived include new flasks.....one says "Boobs Rock".....the other reads "Daddy Juice."



Off to dive into my new book that I have been anxiously awaiting.......Influence by Mary Kate & Ashley Oslen. It is said to include interviews and never-before-seen materials from the twins personal collections....covering designers, photographers & artist. I have also been uber enjoying The Goddess Guide which we carry at Curtsyland now........it is absolutely packed full of essential information that every chic Curtsy Girl should know!

xxxx

It's Time to Party!

With all the crap going on in the world right now, it's time for a diversion!! Halloween is the perfect time to indulge in a bit of harmless fantasy. Grab a few great props and you can set the stage for an evening full of spooky fun. Mix up a batch of punch, throw it into our Skull Punch Bowl with a hunk of dry ice and watch the fog settle into the room.

Keep each party-goer's drink cold with Bone Chiller ice cubes. The skulls and crossed bones are just such a chilling touch.




I love the retro looking Midnight Madness Cocktail Napkins. Perfect for those who believe that Halloween is as much fun for adults as it is for kids.

Every good witch knows that you must have bottles of the right ingredients on hand for your potions. Of course Curtsyland has what you need - bottles of Shrunken Heads, Scaredy Cats and Bat Wings . These versions are more for decoration that adding to punch, but sprinkled over the table they add just the right touch.


Don't forget to bring the little ones in on Halloween! Both of the Curtsy Girls and Snickers will be dressed up (we're such kids...) and passing out treats all day long!

XOXO,

Curtsy Mama

Mary Jo

Special Weekend Edition Blog

Our mail lady just brought us the sweetest surprise......a Halloween Hello Kitty card from one of our favorite customers......the divine Megan Tucker! Megan moved to Colorado recently and we miss her oodles ;-( Thank you thank you thank you Megan for sending us a Swello!.....it made our day!

In the Black

Let's face it - shopping for guys is always hard. Hard to find great stuff that they will like and actually use. A dark & mysterious shot glass with an animal head as a base. How very cool is that?? The artist states that it can also be used as a candle holder or to stash a supply of paper clips on his desk. Hey! It can then serve multiple purposes at work - by day a sleek paperclip holder, by night - awesome shot glass - really - who else has one of those?

Keeping with the whole dark/mysterious theme, he'll impress the hell out of his buddies at the next poker night with these slick black playing cards. Non-traditional designs on the jokers, kings, queens and jacks make these truly wild cards.

I went to see a new dentist today, usually not one of my favorite tasks. My son had been to see Dr. Emily Shakleton at Wedgewood Dental Center last week and really liked the entire staff and suggested I give them a try. I too, am a convert and that's saying quite a bit. Her hygienist, Jen is absolutely passionate about educating her patients and Dr. Shakleton herself is very thorough. If you're in need, I highly recommend these ladies.
XOXO
Curtsy Mama
Mary Jo

Fancy Necks

Quick love note for you tonight......just returned from ballet (my class is much later this fall semester) & my tivo is finally hooked up at my new place & it is recording a new Office & there is an Always Sunny in Philadelphia waiting for me.....priorities;-) We received some AMAZING new ties from Cyberoptix Tie Lab today. My favorite is titled Fool's Gold......it is a black or white tie loaded with bling.....sure to bring out your inner Mr. T. It is also available with silver bling.....in case you aren't a gold digger.





All you fashionable nerds will appreciate a few of the new designs......Haute Math & Lorem Ipsum. The Haute Math tie features a repeated & overlapped pattern based on the image of "Metatron's Cube" a.k.a. "The Flower of Life." The Lorem Ipsum tie is visually one of my favs but I must plead ignorance on the basis of the design....I will let the designer explain: "The excerpt from Cicero's original passage began: Neque porro quisquam est qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit (Translation: "Neither is there anyone who loves grief itself since it is grief and thus wants to obtain it"). It's petty darned dark for graphic designer's dummy text! In publishing and graphic design, "Lorem ipsum" is common placeholder text used to demonstrate the graphic elements of a document without adding implied meaning of words the reader could understand. "



We also have the Ex Libris tie back in stock which is always a favorite....it features a sixteenth century book imprint with skull, hourglass and intertwined snakes. And a simple. but regal new design......Oak Tree. It comes in a yummy fall color of dark brown with copper ink......sure not to scare away your relatives at the Thanksgiving Day table.

xxxx

Time to Get Spooky!

Halloween is next week and it's time to get into the spirit of things. Whether or not you're hosting a Halloween bash, you can do little things around the house to get everyone in the mood. Try replacing your kids regular bathtub soap with these cool Skull Soaps. You're sure to hear shrieks of delight when they're discovered.

Use this awesome Skull & Bones Tray to serve the muffins in the morning or after school snack. Sure to capture the attention and imagination of everyone!



In Halloween at the Zoo Pop Up Book, exotic animals dressed in fantastic costumes enjoy a magical night trick or treating at the zoo. Elephants in skeleton costumes, ballerina hippos and kangaroo pirates are just some of the characters scouting for candy.

Speaking of Halloween, if you're planning on taking your little ones to U-Village for trick or treating, be sure to stop by Curtsyland. Even though it's usually a pretty slow day for us, Danielle, Snickers and I always dress for the occasion and love nothing more than handing out candy to anyone who asks!

XOXO

Curtsy Mama

Mary Jo

New Booty

My new apartment building has a pool.......and yesterday morning I got an urge to swim instead of run for my morning exercise. After swimming I went in to the sauna for 20 minutes......completely enjoying the relaxing start to my day off. I made my way back to my apartment excited to get ready and head out. I was just about to climb into the shower when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My hair was neon green. I shampooed and used a special clearing rinse right away. Got out of the shower and found I still looked like a leprechaun. I sent my fabulous hair dresser (Maria from Swoop Salon.....the best!!) a 911 text......"What the f*@! do I do??!?" She told me to get a special chlorine removal shampoo and keep washing it. So I put on my biggest Jackie O sunglasses and headed out to get the shampoo. I washed my hair three more times yesterday and the green stayed mean. I was starting to think I would have no choice but to be a green Treasure Troll for Halloween.
By some wonderful twist of fate....I had a hair appointment scheduled for today. Maria warned me that they were going to try to rinse it with some low volume bleach...but if that didn't work....I may have to be strawberry blond for a bit.....as red counteracts green. Better than green....but I didn't fancy being Strawberry Shortcake for Halloween. The hair gods must have been feeling sorry for me....the rinse worked and my platinum life can continue. I have no desire to ever swim again though ;)

We received the perfect present for those pirates in your life.......Pirate's Booty Beer Mugs by Santa Barbara Design Studio. Each mug comes in its own treasure chest with a coordinating image from the front of the mug. There are four styles......and they are rather funny.......my fav reads "Ye can have me booty.....but leave me chest alone!" And we all know that pirates can be rather messy....so be sure to grab a set of the matching coasters so their frosty brew doesn't damage your pretty things. The coasters come in a box of 24....eight different designs.....and are made of super absorbent paperboard. Sure to keep your Roger jolly!



xxxx

I have a confession to make. I'm a relentless tag cutter! Practically every piece of clothing I own is tag-less as the itchy little things drive me insane! I've tried to be organized enough to put the tags in a little book (worked for about 5 minutes) but really, who has the time? I was ecstatic, I tell you, completely and totally ECSTATIC when we spied these Tag Tamers from Hollywood Fashion Tape. Instead of cutting out the annoying little buggers, you simply take one of these pieces of brillance and cover them up! No more playing guess the fabric at the dry cleaners! In the name of research, I think it's my duty to go shopping tonight and buy something with a big old tag and then cover it up! As long as we were in their booth at the gift show, we decided to order some of the original Hollywood Fashion Tape. It comes in this nifty little tin that is tiny enough to fit in your purse and is sure to save you from those embarrassing fashion emergencies that always seem to pop up at the worst times!

With more of us entertaining friends at home these days, we love something that promises an inexpensive and creative way to entertain guests. The Parlor Games Deck contains 50 amusements and entertainments for everyone. According to the manufacturer, "The only apparatus required in the Parlor Games Deck is good temper, good spirits and gentleness, so that at any moment amusement for an evening can be obtained by anybody who wills it." Kinda makes you want to gather around the fireplace with a hot buttered rum and your best pals.


XOXO
Curtsy Mama
Mary Jo

Paris is my favorite city in the world. Wandering through the arrondissements, soaking up the brilliance at the Louve and most fun of all, spotting the newest fashions on the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honor. One of the new collections from Rosanna is La Soiree Parisienne. Accented with platinum and pearlized pinks, the dessert plates, mugs and tea for one will bring home the romance and glamour of Paris fashion week. Tres Chic, Oui?

XOXO
Curtsy Mama
Mary Jo

Mirror Mirror

Oy vey!! I have been in & out of Curtsyland over the last week.....and today found myself completely overwhelmed by how good the UPS man has been to us lately. Sooooooo many new goodies to play with!! First things first......new Tarina arrived......can't do anything until I fall head over heels for every new piece we received. The catalog and internet never quite do her jewels justice......so breathtaking in person! I love love love the new earrings from the Floriculture collection.....the vintage resin flowers are so gorgeous and just what a drab winter outfit needs. I also adore the new lucite jeweled butterfly pieces.....we have the butterflies adorning a long necklace and an elastic ribbon headband.

I have fallen behind on watching my normal tv shows this past week. But my BFF was in town and we are both addicted to the Rachel Zoe Project so we made time. For those of you who aren't familiar....Rachel Zoe is best known as a stylist to the stars. Long before stylists were the norm for celebrities.....the legendary costume designer Edith Head was dressing Hollywoods most fashionable women & men on screen & off. During her forty-four years at Paramount Pictures (1923-1967), she dressed Hollywood's biggest stars and created some of the most iconic fashion images on film. She won eight Oscars and was nominated thirty-four times for the award during her career. In 1959, she published a best-selling memoir and style guide....The Dress Doctor....in which she shared tips on style and dozens of entertaining anecdotes on Hollywood's A-list with her fans. We just received a special edition of the original volume.....filled with Head's timeless tips on the art of getting dressed.

We also received a new jewelry line that I was uber excited to play with....Mirror Mirror on the Wall. The line includes gorgeous pins, earrings & necklaces with pretty images adorned with glitter and usually surrounded by jewels or pearls. I love the "Life is Good" pin.....it features the silhouette of a lovely surrounded by blue jewels. I also love the pearl Paris bracelet. It features five black & white images of The City of Light.....each surrounded by clear jewels & pearls.

xxxx

Dead Sexy

It's getting to be that crazy time of year at Curtsy Bella. Danielle was so busy yesterday that she forgot about the blog until late last night. She was without Internet access at home yesterday, so a thousand apologies for no Curtsy news. While she was slaving, I had my first real day off in a long time and it ended up being one of those perfect days. I flew through all my chores in the morning, had a fabulous massage in the afternoon and then danced my butt off at my Nia class. The day ended with dinner with both of my kids at Taste, the amazingly delicious restaurant at the Seattle Art Museum. If you haven't tried it, I can't recommend it highly enough - the food is soooo good and beautiful!

When we were at the gift show this summer, we were so excited by our discovery of the Tokyomilk Parfumarie Curositie line. The scents have names like Poe's Tobacco, Let Them Eat Cake, Gin & Rosewater and Dead Sexy. Each scent is a delicious blend of exotic ingredients like vanilla & exotic wood, or tobac, tea leaves & amberwood. I was spraying each tester as I unwrapped them today and loved each one more than the last! Can;t beat the adorable bottles they come in either.

Zanzibar, the word conjures up exotic images. Located off the west coast of Tanzania, it's main industries are spices, raffia and tourism. Our newest collection from Toss Designs is named for this interesting place. The Zanzibar Travel Jewelry Holder and Zanzibar Playing Card Set will make you long to pack your bags and head for ADVENTURE! There is even a Zanzibar Leopard who traveled to the island from the African mainland during the last ice age. It's critically endangered and possibly extinct. Learn something new every day - right?

XOXO

Curtsy Mama

Mary Jo

Sweet Monday

Sweet things came in today's UPS shipments! A new supply of chocolate from Bloomsberry always makes us happy. Invisible Chocolate is pretty amazing, it will disappear before your very eyes :). Seriously, this company from New Zealand makes some truly delicious chocolate, that they happen to package in adorable ways. Great gift idea when you want just a little something.

Grey is a hot hue this fall. I was doing some clothes shopping this weekend and noticed so many variations of the color. These new Tarina Tarantino Baroque Skull Earrings are the perfect finishing touch for the new fall wardrobe. I'm kicking myself that I didn't order more than one pair for the store as they would be perfect with the new pants I found.

One last note - we have to say a big Happy Birthday to store dog Snickers. Today is his 13th b-day! As you can tell by the picture, he's been partying it up and is pretty exhausted. Seems like just yesterday we were bringing him home, so little and cute and all ears. He was so excited to meet Danielle that he peed in her lap on the way home (tee hee!).
XOXO
Curtsy Mama
Mary Jo

Slave to the Bottle

Curtsy Girl Danielle has taken some much deserved time off this week and I've been kept quite busy in the store today. Lots of customers requesting our gorgeous complimentary gift wrap, oodles of UPS boxes to try to check in and the mountain of paperwork that piled up while I've been out of town. No complaints though, I like it when I have too much to do - keeps things interesting. I will tell you about a recent discovery that has made standing on my feet all day a pleasure. Superfeet Dressfit high Heel Insoles are available in the shoe department at Nordstrom stores and if you haven't tried them, drop what you're doing....right now...and BUY A PAIR!! Your feet will thank you forever! These nifty little arch supports can be moved to whatever shoe you're wearing and it is un-believable how comfortable they will make your poor tired tootsies feel!


One of the boxes that I got un-packed today was full of cuteness from those crazy folks at Baby Gags. One of my favorites is the Slave to the Bottle onesie. Made from 100% super soft cotton, with lap sleeves that make it a snap to put on

Also in the box, for the baby who plans on spending his free time on the beach, we have the Babewatch Beanie.....nice.

XOXO

Curtsy Mama

Mary Jo

Shuella

Shuella....what the heck is a Shuella? It's an umbrella for your shoes! How many times have you been caught out in the rain with your cute new strappy sandals, or suede heels etc... only to find yourself having to slosh down the street. Designer, Rebecca Miller, got fed up with ruined shoes and designed Shuella to solve the problem. The PVC slip-free soles go right over those new Jimmy Choo's and then fold up into their cute pouch when you and your dry shoes have arrived at your destination. They even come with a little towel to dry them before returning to the pouch. Can we say Ingenious?

What is Bliss? Is it finding the perfect job, the perfect house, the perfect shoes for that new holiday outfit? Maybe it's just being aware of the little joys hidden in every minute of every day. The Bliss Pop Open Card Collection is a set of cards designed to remind you to appreciate those moments. There's a months worth in the box, open one each day or just when you need a reminder that it's not all that bad.

XOXO

Curtsy Mama

Mary Jo