Lana Red

Inspirational Tuesday

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:22:00 +0200

This Inspirational Tuesday post will also be in the theme of my New York adventure! Yesterday I was talking about that there are not many Carrie Bradshaw fashionistas here in New York. But after I publishing the post I realized that one of my favorite photographers has been capturing a lot of those fun dressed people for a while now!

The Sartorialist is a website filled with pictures of fashionable people on the street, photographed by the amazing Scott Schuman.

I can say a lot about the great concept of his work and his taste of fashion, but I think it’s best that you just visit thewebsite and see for yourself:)

So for today I selected a view of his photos of pretty people in New York!

Have an inspirational week everybody!

NYC Diary

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:20:50 +0200

New York is just getting better and better! I am having such a great time and I am meeting all these nice and fun people!

It is getting busier at my job as a costume designer and photographer but it’s a good busy:)

I kept thinking that I wasn’t doing enough while I am here and there was this pressure to always go out, but then I realized that the best way to feel at home in a new city is to do just the things that you enjoy. And that’s exactly what I have been doing! So the pressure isn’t always there any more and I am feeling much more relaxed:)

Now, just a few fun facts about this incredible place called New York City that I have experienced so far:

- Not everybody is dressed as Carrie Bradshaw! I was so surprised to see that most of the woman are dressing themselves in pretty plain clothes. A bit of a disappointment there, but on the other hand, when I do see a Carrie I am very excited about it:-)

- So many people! I guess everybody already knew that one, but there really are always so many people out on the street and I just love it! It’s so lively!

- New York Cheesecake really is the best:) (and also the pizzas, brownies, cookies….)

- There are many stores that hire people to just stand at the door and welcome you. I just love this and I am amazed at how New Yorkers are already used to this, while I have never experienced it before:)

- Walking shoes are really necessary in this city, or you do what every fashionista does and wear you flats, change into heels outside the door of you destination and hide your flats in your bag!

Taking and editing pictures for my work

Discovering all the fun neighborhoods of New York

For more NYC Diary pictures go to my instagram page!

SUITCASE OUTFITS | Little Black Dress

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:20:05 +0200

Today it’s time for the second Suitcase Outfits post: the little Black Dress!

My guess is that almost every woman owns a (little) black dress, or something very similar. But what a lot of women don’t realize is that there are many ways to wear that particular dress.

So today I want to show you my ways of wearing this iconic piece of clothing and how to style it for different occasions and body types.

CASUAL- One way to wear this dress is to add more layers. There are many ways to do this, one is to add a peplum top to create a sophisticated look. Another one is to add a print top and make it more casual. I also added a waist belt to show my figure, or else it would have made me look bigger then I actually am:)

Dress by Primark | Top by Primark | Sunglasses by Flyingtiger | Belt is Vintage | Shoes by Vanharen

CLASSIC- There is also of course the classical way to way the dress and that is to simply accesories. Wear your up and use a statement necklace to add a little wow-factor to your look. And try to play a little bit with color accents, like I did with the belt and the necklace. There is just no way of going wrong here!

Dress by Primark | Necklace by Lana Red Studio | Belt is Vintage | Shoes by Vanharen

COLORFUL- The best thing about having black as your basic color is that you can add a fun color to your outfit! I choose to go bold here and experiment with yellow! Be careful though, you don’t want to go overboard, just pick one or two colors and add those to your look. Tip: instead of wearing a colorful pair of tights, choose some bold colored killer heels!

Dress by Primark | Blazer by Primark | Tights by Forever21 | Shoes by Vanharen

DIY | Upcycled Tights Necklace

Sat, 18 May 2013 01:10:40 +0200

I own a lot of tights as you may already know from my Tidy Tights post :) It’s because I almost always wear skirts or dresses. This means that I am constantly looking for new ones because they tend to rip pretty fast, as tights often do:)

It just felt so wasteful to throw the ripped ones out, so I decided to turn them into a necklace! The fabric is just perfect for DIY-ing and it’s so multifunctional! I also just another easy to use material: aluminum foil.

The necklace might not sound so fancy by hearing the materials, but it will look trendy, trust me!

Here’s how:

Supplies:

- Aluminum foil

- A pair of old tights

(- a piece of ribbon for the decoration)

1. Make tiny balls out of the Aluminum foil.

2. Take your old tights and cut the foot of.

3. Cut the fabric in long strips.

4. Tie a knot at the end of of the fabric.

5. Place your aluminum ball against the knot and fold the fabric around it.

6. Tie a knot on the other side of the ball.

7. Repeat these steps for as long as you want the necklace to be.

8. If you have multiple strings, tie them together with a simple knot and cut of the excessive fabric.

Inspirational Tuesday

Wed, 15 May 2013 05:33:41 +0200

I have been wanting to start a photography series for a while now and I have been doing a lot of research on portrait photography lately. There are just so many amazing portrait photography series out there and they are all very inspiring!

One of my favorite so far is ‘Switcheroo’. A series that captures couples in each others outfits.

It is so much fun to look at all the pictures and study the couples and their changed ‘looks’!

The photos are taken by Hana Pesut, a self-taught photographer from Canada. You can see more of her work on her website sincerelyhana and there is also a book coming out soon with a collection of Switcheroo photos!

Today is Just Perfectly Quiet

Tue, 14 May 2013 01:42:24 +0200

I think that many people don’t realize that being a blogger and photographer means that it involves a lot of sitting behind the computer. I am constantly editing photos, writing, and just browsing for inspiration on my precious laptop. And when I am not doing that, you can find me being artsy and crafty in my house:)

And I am just one of those people that really don’t mind all this ‘staying at home work’. I actually really enjoy spending my time with some good music in the background and crafting and editing away!

Don’t get me wrong I also love to go out, but I guess I am just more of a ‘home’ person sometimes(even in the beautiful NYC).

So today I didn’t go to central park or walked on the Highline Park, I just stayed at home and it was just perfectly quiet!

Here are some peeks into my perfectly quiet day:

Editing photos for my internship

New tutorials coming up!

Well, nail polish with a diamond on the top just can never be wrong!

Scheduling my life:)

NYC Diary

Tue, 14 May 2013 01:41:29 +0200

Things have changed a little bit in the last week, because I finally officially started my internship and job as a costume designer and photographer for the HERE theater company!

I am very excited about it (and a bit nervous:)) but it as all been great so far!

You can see the rehearsal space in the picture above, and everybody is so nice, it’s a great team!

(Oh, and apologies for the blurry pics, I really need to get a new phone:)

I also attended a press party at a new Pop-Up store in Brooklyn and they had a nice DIY table, so I went all cafty! And the weather was great, so I (finally) visited the amazing high line park!

I did my hair for free at The Dollhouse in Grand Central Station with Jenny, and it was finally time to take the stockings of this spring, woohoo!

And there was obviously some shopping and crafting going on: I walked a lot to see the famous NYC views and to discover the best stores for the styling of the theaterplay. And I have been making my hair longer yesterday! Yes, longer! So pretty great new craft coming up soon!

I hope you also had a lovely week!

DIY - Beehive Hairdo

Sat, 11 May 2013 02:12:57 +0200

I always love to experiment with new hairstyles! Especially the ones that make you hair look bigger, since my hair is pretty thin.

Today I will show you how to make an easy and fast version of the Beehive hairdo. I usually use this trick when I have to go out in a hurry and want to add a vintage vibe to my looks:)

Here’s how:

Supplies:

SUITCASE OUTFITS | Vintage Lace Dress

Fri, 10 May 2013 00:48:30 +0200

Moving to another country is one of the most amazing things to do! But one thing that I really did not realize was that a crafty (fashion)blogger and a tiny suitcase do not match well:)

I really had a very hard time selecting the items I wanted to bring, and while I was leaving Holland I didn’t just say goodbye to my boyfriend and cats, but also to all my pretty dresses:)

So now that I am in New York, I have decided to embrace the limited options in my wardrobe and start a mix and match game!

For today I am using my vintage lace dress and turn it into three different outfits!

FANCY- I really love this dress, because it can be worn in so many different ways! I am actually wearing the dress backwards in this picture! Because the back of the dress is very high, I decided to wear it backwards and only wear a black bra underneath it. The bold blue jacket makes it fancy and not to revealing;)

dress is Vintage | bra by Forever21 | blazer by Forever21 | belt by Primark | Shoes by Vanharen

CASUAL- The front of the dress is actually pretty low, so I am combining it here with a high floral top.

And I (almost) always wear something around my waist to accentuate and highlight my figure, so I added a black ribbon to the look.

top by Primark | Headband by Primark | | Shoes by Vanharen

RETRO- Why only wear dresses as a dress? You can also use the length to create the look of a high waisted skirt! Just add a top and a waist belt to your dress and you are good to go!

top by Rainbow | belt by Primark | Shoes by Vanharen | Sunglasses by Flyingtiger

Inspirational Tuesday

Wed, 08 May 2013 18:13:09 +0200

Victoria Campillo is an artist that creates series of photographs that number in the hundreds. In many of her series, she combines the style of important modern artists and everyday objects in an almost schizophrenic way.

I discovered her work when I was at the press launch of The Green Touch of Spain Pop-Up Shop. And I was surprised that a pair of boxer shorts reminded me of the famous artist Rothko:)

It is amazing how she can make a pair of boxers, pig statues or even a man dressed in pink, be in the style of these famous artists.

There is something that’s a bit unusual about her work, but I just find her amazing!

Carrot Cake Recipe

Mon, 06 May 2013 03:42:14 +0200

Today I want to show you one of my favorite recipes: my Carrot Cake Recipe!

I am a big fan of carrot cake, with it’s creamy frosting and original spices. I just love making it and it’s just so easy to do!

here’s how:

Ingredients for the cake:

330 g Grated Carrots

100 g chopped walnuts (or almonds or pecans)

300 ml Vegetable Oil

400 g White Sugar

250 g Flour

9 g Baking Powder

9 g Baking Soda

4 Eggs

10 ml Vanilla Extract

10 g Cinnamon Powder

5 g Nutmeg

3 g Salt

Ingredients for the frosting:

115 g Butter

225 g Cream Cheese

300 g Sugar

5 ml Vanilla Extract

Directions:

- Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius.

- Butter a 9 inch pan

- Stir everything except the carrots and nuts into a bowl. When stirred together, add the carrots and nuts and gently keep stirring for 1 minute.

- Pour the batter into the pan and place in the over for 50-70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

- Let the cake cool of.

For the frosting:

- Stir all of the ingredients in a big bowl. Mix until it’s smooth and let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours before decorating the cake.

All done!

Enjoy!

Spring Craft Music

Sun, 05 May 2013 01:52:38 +0200

I don’t know about you, but I just can’t craft or create something without some good tunes:)

Music can really make my mood and that is why I always make sure that I have some fun and upbeat music on the background to create a nice crafty atmosphere.

So today I want to share some of my favorite artists and songs with you!

I created a playlist to help you get in the ‘DIY mood’ for this spring!

Enjoy! And please let me know what your favorite tunes are!

Image found here

Mothers Day Crafts Roundup

Fri, 03 May 2013 02:33:17 +0200

Mothers day is coming up and that means that it’s time to get some crafting inspiration!

I found so many lovely and original Mothers day crafts online and thought it would be nice to have a little roundup!

So here are some of my favorite mothers day crafts:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Phone Cover DIY

Thu, 02 May 2013 05:59:23 +0200

Use your phone for storing romantic memorabilia!

My boyfriend gave me these beautiful roses the week before I left to New York. And I really felt like it was the perfect gift to bring with me on my trip. So I decided to use it as decoration for my phone:)

Here’s how:

Supplies: Rose Petals | Clear plastic phone cover

1. Place the rose petals in a thick and heavy book and let them dry.

2. Get a clear phonecover en place the rose petals in the cover.

You can also use many different flowers and mix them to create a new color palette.

All done!

Inspirational Tuesday

Wed, 01 May 2013 05:02:14 +0200

I stumbled across this sculpture on Pinterest and I just loved the idea! It is made by wonderful artist Jeff Koons.

I wish I could see this amazing sculpture painting on the buildings behind it!

For more of his work visit his website.

Queensday

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 02:44:40 +0200

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Tonight it’s Queensnight in Holland and tomorrow it will be Queensday!

This means that everybody in Holland (well, almost everybody) will be dressed in orange and celebrate the birthday over our queen.

And since orange is one of my favorite colors, I thought I’d match the current street style of the Netherlands with some fun orange home decor pieces!

Have a wonderful (Queens)day everybody!

NYC Diary

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 02:28:31 +0200

Today is Part 2 of my NYC Diary series! I’ve had a wonderful second week and I am still in love with this beautiful city!

Here’s just a peek into my daily life in New York. Check out my Instagram for more NYC adventures!

Crafting Event, which included shopping at the Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market!

Photographing for Jenni from I Spy DIY

Having a mani-padi.

Discovering the city bit by bit :)

I hope you had a lovely weekend!

Screen Printing DIY

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 02:39:56 +0200

I have been seeing a lot of screen printing tutorials online, but never tried it myself. So this might not be the most original DIY ever, but I still wanted to share my experience about this method with you:)

Screen printing is a very easy way of ‘printing’ the same design many times on a variety of surfaces. This home made version also allows you to use different paints. So you can print on fabric with fabric paint or just use regular acrylic paint for other surfaces.

I really had fun doing it, and it was incredibly easy! I did decide to make my logo, which required a very tiny brush, but with patience it eventually worked out.

So now all I have to do is cover everything I own with my logo;)

Supplies: Embroidery hoop | old tights (or a similar fabric) | Mod Podge & small brush) | Paint | Small piece of cardboard

1. Take a sheer fabric or some old tights and place it in the embroidery hoop.

2. Print out, or draw your design on a piece of paper.

3. Place your embroidery hoop over the design. Now use the Mod Podge & brush to fill in everything except the design. Make sure you use a think layer!

Let the Mod Podge dry overnight.

4. Take something that you would like to screen print on and place it under the hoop.

Take your small piece of cardboard and put a line of paint on the end. Now swoop over the fabric like in picture number 4.

Take the hoop of your surface and see your design!

Clean the hoop by washing it with water.

All done!

Perfect Purse Quest

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 00:37:26 +0200

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

When I moved to New York, I could only bring so much because of the size of my suitcase. So I decided to leave my favorite purses at home in Holland and search for a new one while I’m here:)

So let the searching begin! There are so many cute bags and purses nowadays, that I am having a really hard time to decide! I made a selection of color, style and size but still can’t make up my mind:)

Which style do you prefer? Let me know!

Inspirational Tuesday

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 01:35:14 +0200

These pictures are from Vogue Russia and I just love the styling!

I know that it’s spring and I keep seeing everyone getting ready for the flowy summer dresses, but there’s just something about these outfits that make me want to stick to black and white today :)

Have a lovely tuesday everyone!