Last weekend, I was invited to participate in First Friday ART IN EAGLE, as Villa Decor & Design‘s in-store style consultant. I was very honored! This tiny boutique packs a shopping punch, above and beyond your typical home decor store! I enjoyed meandering through the store, meeting fabulous & friendly people, and letting my eyes absorb all the sumptuous paintings, giant candles, light-up bonsai trees, and unique wall-hangings.
Besides the unique & colorful home decor items, Villa’s owners Beth and Sandie have stocked the shelves with gorgeous purses, hats, scarves, jewelry, and shoes.
They are the exclusive carriers in this area of the amazing OneSole shoes, an item every oft-traveling woman should own! Click on my video below to see how amazing these shoes are!
In the wintertime, Villa carries designer “animal” hats; the same ones seen on celebrities in Hollywood, Sun Valley and Aspen!
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In the summertime, tempt your toes with sparkly BSU sandals, and shade your tresses with a tough-but-girly studded hat! Villa Decor also has your perfect purse, whether you crave rhinestones, logos, leather, or studs – they have styles in every color to suit your whimsy! They also carry a lovely, local jewelry line, called Arrista Accents – Jewelry For The Discerning Woman. Check out their website at www.arristaaccents.com, and stop by Villa Decor to see their fabulous jewelry pieces in person!
Villa Decor & Design has something for everyone – stop in, check it out, and be sure to sign up for email alerts of seasonal sales & special events!!!
Villa Decor & Design123 E. Aikens St, Ste 115, Eagle, ID 83616(208) 869-5055, Open Tues – Saturday, 10-4
Also check out First Friday ART IN EAGLE, a facebook page dedicated to Eagle’s monthly First Friday events!!
Your brave fashion sleuth, scouring the streets of Boise for local style, shopping secrets, and fabulous events!
StyleSpyGirl is Tanya Carnahan. I grew up in the Seattle area, where I developed a love for fashion, culture, and adventure. I walked my first fashion show with Nordstrom at age 4, and joined the Brass Plum Fashion Board my senior year of high school. From there followed many years in the retail & fashion world, learning the fine art of helping others develop their style through wardrobe assistance, makeup instruction, and personalized feedback. I enjoy shopping with my clients, and encouraging women to accept & embrace their own brand of beauty and style!
In In 2008 I moved to the Boise area with my family, and founded StyleSpyGirl, your personal shopper and style assistant! Click HEREto learn more about what I do!
Be sure to check out my first “press” article ~
Click HERE to view my Idaho Business Review Feature!!
Follow StyleSpyGirl on Facebook for fashion advice, shopping deals, & local fun!
In January 2010, the Idaho Business Review released an article about me, written by Gaye Bunderson, on the front page of their Leads section. She did such a great job, and I’m very thankful for her glowing review.
I’m posting a scan of the article here; click on the image below to view it in detail. I’m not sure if everyone will be able to read the words, but hopefully you can get the gist of it! 🙂
STEP ONE:Primer & Eye Shadow. Gently apply a small
amount of primer to the upper lid. I love Urban Decay’s Primer Potion, but there are a
lot of other great brands out there. Since this isn’t an eye shadow tutorial, I
applied a neutral shadow (instead of the more dramatic blending of colors &
drama I usually prefer!) Swipe on your shadow, and follow with a light dusting
of setting powder.
STEP TWO:Inner Eyeliner. Ok, this is one of those tricks
I mentioned before. I learned this while doing makeovers for photo sessions at
O2 Photography – it adds great length & drama to the lash line! But it
takes practice. GENTLY lift your upper lid so that you can GENTLY apply black
eyeliner to the inner ledge of your eyelid, focusing on pushing the liner into
the lash line as much as you can. Two VERY important tips for doing this are:
1) Only use waterproof eyeliner, never kohl or shadow! Believe me, you don’t
want all that black stuff running into your eyeball; waterproof stays on much
longer! 2) Don’t over-use this method; save it for evenings & special occasions.
Too much lash drama for Day is like wearing sparkly high heels & a prom
dress to work: overdone!!
A lot of gals wear eyeliner on the inner part of their lower
lid. This is a great way to add drama, too! Experiment with different looks,
until you find what works best for your eye shape.
Wow, my eyes look so green in these pictures (instead of blue!) My bathroom lighting must be pretty golden...
STEP THREE:Outer Eyeliner. Again, I prefer waterproof
eyeliner for staying power, but there are many methods of lining your eyes.
Pencils works great, as do gel pots and shadow with a flat eye-lining brush. Get the color as close to your lash line – and in it! – as you can. Build the color outward, but not too thickly, unless you are going for a certain “look,” like Marilyn Monroe or Bettie Page! Add a little extra at the outer corner, if your eyes are super-round (like mine!), and/or close-together. The lift at the corner can help them appear further apart.
STEP FOUR:Curling! Ok, there’s debate about this one. Some
gals curl their eyelashes all the time, others rarely. Some people believe over-curling can lead to lash loss & breakage. I believe they’re right, and prefer to only use a lash curler for special occasions. (I like to err on the side of long-term lash health over short-term drama.) Whatever you choose to do, the most important thing to remember is to NEVER, EVER curl your lashes AFTER you’ve applied mascara! That’s definitely a recipe for lash breakage, and eyelashes take much longer to grow back in than eyebrows or head hair! A few steps further down, and I’ll tell you another one of my special tricks for curling lashes SAFELY, post-mascara application! Read on…
STEP FIVE: Eyelash Primer. I love this stuff!! Again, there
are multiple brands of this, but I’ve tried a bunch, and one stands head & shoulders above the rest: Make Up For Ever’s “Lash Fibers”! It coats your lashes with actual fibers, to add both bulk and length. It also dries grey-to-clear, unlike some other lash primers that dry WHITE and show through your mascara – not pretty! Starting at about 1/3-up from the base of your lashes, coat and re-coat with the fiber, then let it dry for 1-2 minutes(about the time it takes to brush your teeth.)
STEP SIX:Mascara. I prefer a thickly-bristled mascara brush
that focuses on separation & definition. (My current fave is the new Volumnous Million Lashes in Blackest Black, from L’oreal.) Start super-close to your lash
line, lower than you coated with the Fiber. Work a good amount of mascara into
the base of your lashes, working outward with twists & turns of the brush,
focusing on separation rather than drama. Let a coat dry for a minute (not
completely dry), then follow with a second coat.
STEP SEVEN: Here is another trick, one that takes practice!
Believe me, when I first learned this from a model friend when I was a
teenager, I poked myself plenty of times. Nothing like jabbing your eye with a
pin to motivate a slow, steady hand! Please, please be careful with this.
Starting towards the base of your lashes and working outward, run a long safety
pin through any clumps that have formed. The goal is to separate each &
every lash, so we can add drama & volume later.
Now here comes that other trick I hinted at earlier! Ready for this? Go get a baby spoon, one of the metal ones with rubber coating on the part that goes into baby’s mouth. As your mascara is drying, you can gently press the back of the spoon against your lashes, curling them up. (If your mascara is already dry, exhale on the back of the spoon to add a little moisture, then press it against your lashes.) Bending lashes with baby spoons is a back-stage fashion show trick, and a great way to curl them post-mascara, without the breakage of an eyelash curler! Ta-da! 😀 Try it – you’ll love it!!!
STEP EIGHT: Adding mascara to your lower lashes is optional.
It depends on your taste, your time, and the shape of your eyes. Experiment
& practice to find what works best for you!
STEP NINE: Add Drama! I usually skip this last step, for “every-day”
makeup. But for evening and going-out, it’s a must-do! Now that your lashes are long & defined, go over them with a coat of your favorite volume mascara. (I like L’Oreal’s Volumnous Carbon Black or Cover Girl’s Lash Blast Volume.) They are not great for separation & definition, but they sure can pile on the drama!) Coat, coat, and re-coat!!! You may need to re-do the pin trick after this, if this step creates clumps. Clumps are not glamorous!
So there you have it, luscious lashes from beginning to end! Practice and experiment to find what works best for you. And, most importantly,
wash your mascara off EVERY night. Twisting your hair into a tight bun and sleeping on it would lead to wear, tear, and breakage; it’s the same with mascara & eyelashes! Sleeping in makeup has long-term repercussions. Don’t do it!!
Have any tips or tricks to share? Please feel free to post questions and comments!! 😀
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you seen “Black Swan“ yet? It’s definitely an intense film (parents, this one’s not for kids!!) I was blown away by the amazing performances, the brilliant plot, and of course, the fabulous costumes! 🙂 Ballerina style is fascinating and appealing, because it manages to be classic, restrained, elegant, and totally girly, all at the same time! The important thing to keep in mind is that a little goes a long way. Don’t add more than 2 ballet elements to your outfit – any more than that, and you look like you’re on your way to rehearsal!
The “ballerina” style of dress is already hitting the stores, so here’s a quick tutorial on How To Dress ballet-style, even if you’ve never worn a tutu! ;-D
Color pallet ~
White/cream, grey, black, pink (muted shades like champagne, pastel, peach, rose, and mauve), and sometimes purple.
Staples ~
Legwarmers! You’ll know if you can pull this off or not – it’s not for everyone. 😉 I happen to love legwarmers in the winter time, because they mean I can still wear dresses, skirts, and shorts despite the frigid cold! Layer over tights, leggings, or jeans.
Wrap weater. I already have one of these in my closet (from Target, years ago), and you might, too! They are a classic wardrobe staple. I was in the Gap yesterday, and their Gap Body section has these in a variety of colors! I like to layer mine over a tank/cami with jeans, or over a simple dress. With their snug wrap and bow, you feel like a sweet little present!
Tights & leggings. Sleek, fitted, and subtle, they keep you warm and slenderize your figure.
Skirts. Look for skirts that are fluffy, flouncy, and lightweight, without being too costumey. The point is to look like you could sweep into a pirouette at any time! I found this one at Forever 21 – isn’t it cute?? 🙂
Shrugs. In Black Swan, Nina’s shrugs hid her secret wounds. Look for shrugs in different shapes & fits; like legwarmers, shrugs aren’t for every body. Try things on until you decide what works for you!
Ballerina style is timeless and elegant. Straighten your shoulders, hold your head high, and twirl your way through this classic style!
(See you soon – I’ll be stalking the winter coat clearance racks for Natalie’s gorgeous pink coat…) ;-D
The biggest surprise was discovering the way down.
You can walk all the steps you climbed up, or you can get in a little personal toboggan and sled all the way to the bottom! (Yes, I screamed just a little bit! You would, too!) ;-D
What a beautiful city! The people are friendly, the food is good, the architecture is like nothing I’ve ever seen. Here’s a little video blog of my first day in this fabulous city! 🙂
Hello, friends! I’ve been working hard this past week to help makeover a fabulous restaurant in downtown Eagle. Here are the “Before” pictures. The dark walls reduced visibility and were a little outdated.
Front lobby
Left Wing of the Dining RoomDark Hallway to the Restrooms
Here’s a picture of me, using my powers of Style Fu to help transform Mai Thai Eagle into a new, exquisite Baan Thai restaurant! ;-D
Now, click on the video to view the final results of my Biggest Makeover Project Ever!
This was such a team effort – thank you to all the friends and family who worked together to transform this fantastic restaurant! You have to come down and check it out sometime; the staff is warm & friendly, and the food is absolutely wonderful!!
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Style Spy Girl 
