Retro Trend at TARGET

Target is at it again, bringing style to the masses with four new designer collections. There is definitely a retro modern vibe at work, especially with the Route 66 inspiration byThe Curiosity Shoppe. Seems everyone - from Free People and Urban Outfitters Rookie Road Trip blog to Albertson's Best Road Trip Ever contest - has jumped on the 'Road Trip' trend this summer. 

And my personal fav....the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup can. Fifty years after the artist created one of the art world's most iconic images with his red and white painting of a tomato soup can, the company that inspired the work is selling limited-edition soup with designer labels. Campbell's Soup has launched a series of four canned tomato soups with labels that pay homage to Warhol's 1962 work of art '32 Campbell's Soup Cans'. Timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Warhol's first solo exhibition, about 1.2 million cans of the tomato soup will be sold in Target stores across the United States for 75 cents (S$0.90) each. The company's design team, working with The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, created four different labels in vibrant combinations such as pink and teal for the tomato soup that went on sale this month.

Star Gazing Tote Project!

Get inspired by the celestial trend and make a super easy, stylish tote that you can load up with your favorite summer must-haves and head out the door.

Here's what you need:

A tote. I picked up this canvas tote bag fully lined at Walmart for a mere $10.Tulip Fabric Sprays in several colors. I chose Sapphire, Dark Teal, Black, and Grape.

Tulip Glam-It-Up Crystals and cordless heat setting tool

Here's how you make it:

To create the look of a night sky, spray your tote with the Sapphire color first. Spray completely around the bottom of the tote.Next, spray the Dark Teal above the Sapphire color, letting the overspray blend the two colors.Spray Asphalt (black) on the bottom area of the bag. Be careful not to cover too much of the Sapphire and Dark Teal.Finally, spray on light touches of Grape here and there. Let dry.

To create twinkling lights in your sky, use the heat tool to randomly apply the crystals. It takes about 10 seconds per crystal. Use as many as you like.

Pack your tote and get going!Visit us on Facebook!
Craft on!Click here for today's daily giveaway!

TRENDSPOT: Antlers

You know how some blogs or fashion emails will send out a message saying, "Trend Alert!", followed by whatever it is they are trying to make you aware of....anyway, this is not one of those. This is more of a 'Hey, let's talk about this trendy thing I see happening...' So here I am talking about antlers. I've been noticing antlers in a peripheral kind of way for probably three years now. When I say 'noticing' I mean that they are showing up in places and in ways you wouldn't expect to see them. Here's some examples:

I was flipping through a catalog from Anthropologie and this chalk-drawn deer head on the blackboard caught my eye. I thought the blackboard as a background was fabulous, too. See more blackboard backgrounds here.Here's the always stylish Mary-Kate Olsen wearing antlers for her Marie Claire photo shoot. Could antlers be the next headband? Hair accessories are hotter than ever. Why not get nature-inspired and sport some antlers? Topshop also featured antlers as head gear in their fall runway collection.


This is actress Lea Michele of 'Glee' hanging onto an antler during a photo shoot.

I adore these paper deer heads by Ruby's Lounge on Etsy.

Looks like all I may need to DIY something similar to this is a paper mache deer head (those are just lying around!), some chic paper and some Tulip Collage Pauge glue.

And, of course, you can't have a fringe trend without Lady Gaga's participation. The is the antler wearing Gaga in London back in December 2009.

TRENDSPOT: Mermaid Glass

I love sea glass....I love wandering on the beach, looking intently for the sea's treasure, spotting little bits of colored glass and pocketing them as I go. Last Sunday I opened up the morning paper, savoring my cup of coffee and my 'alone' time before my boys and the dog wake up, and came across this article about sea glass in Parade Magazine. The writer, Stephen Fried, tells us that while there is less of it on beaches than ever before--because of recycling, sand replenishment, and rising water levels--interest in collecting "mermaid's tears" has only grown in intensity. To get to the best sites, extreme glassers will do whatever it takes--hike for hours, jet-ski long distances, even rappel down cliffs--to find the glass. Individual pieces may sell for several hundred dollars, and jewelry made from seaglass can fetch even more. I love my sea glass ring that I purchased when I was in Pacific Grove a few months ago.

Sea Glass Guide

* Greens and browns are common. * Blues are harder to find — but not impossible: Cobalt or cornflower blues crop up once in every 250–500 pieces. * Aqua and seafoam are rarer. * Most purples were originally clear; the manganese in them slowly oxidized into the rarer hue. * Glassing holy grails: true yellows, oranges, and the beloved — and ultra-scarce — red.

TRENDSPOT: Watercolors!

Donna Karan

Charlotte Russe

When I was in college as an art major I took many painting classes. By far my favorite painting style was watercolor. I loved it because it was so fluid, self-expressive and inspired by the mix of light and color and water. From a technique perspective I loved it because I could layer color, it dried fast and it was an easy clean up. I still love it today for the exact same reasons. Now that it's a fashion trend I can't wait to make my next watercolor painting on my wearables instead of on paper.

Farfetch.com

Clothes are now the best canvas for fashion designers who are offering inspiring and artistically creative wearables based on the water color prints trend for 2010. The technique is often impressionistic and dreamy, with vivid hues and ethereal palettes in florals and broad brushstroke patterns.

Cynthia Rowely

Above, from left: Peter Pilotto Tank, $495, available at Opening Ceremony; Urban Outfitters Watercolor Wayfarer, $4.99, available at Urban Outfitters; The Limited Watercolor Floral Scarf, $16.99, available at The Limited; Creatures of Comfort Stine Goya Simply Pants, $373, available at Creatures of Comfort.

For more creative ideas on this watercolor technique, click here and here.