ModCloth - Vintage-inspired Fashion & Home Shopping

Founded by high school sweethearts – Susan Gregg Koger and Eric Koger; ModCloth is a vintage-inspired shopping site that features clothes, shoes, accessories and cool things for the home. 

Silverware from ModCloth - The Marin Scoop

Their mission is to empower their customers and readers by joining their ModCloth community  flipping through their stylebooks, products and find one-of-a-kind designs. You can even be a virtual buyer for Modcloth with Be the Buyer and help what designs get made!

Dress from ModCloth - The Marin Scoop

Flat pumps from ModCloth - The Marin Scoop

I particularly enjoy following their blog Modcloth Blog inspired by fashion, art and culture. They recently posted a great entry about Business Savvy Site for the Business Savvy Girl and the Best Jobs Ever. Read about the working life of a floral designer, writer, veterinarian, vintage clothing store owner, interior designer or the costume designer for the cult TV show Mad Men...an inspiring read! 

Teaset from ModCloth - The Marin Scoop

You can follow ModCloth on Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest

Yarn Cake Topper - ModCloth on Pinterest 

If you like this, you may also like to read:

Mom Inc: The Essential Guide to Running a Successful Business Close to Home

On-line Shopping for Charity & Schools with Treehouse Tykes

Renegade Craft Fair in San Francisco

British Food & Drink for the Jubilee & Olympic Games

Celebrating the Queen’s Jubilee wouldn’t be complete without the British food and drink!

Our family celebrated yesterday with some roast lamb and roast potatoes, but you can also use these ideas during the Olympic Games taking place in London in July!

Fill a pitcher of Pimms (available at Bevmo) filled with slices of cucumber, strawberries, orange and fresh mint… of and course some sweet treats for dessert!

Queen's Jubilee dessert table - The Marin Scoop

For dessert we make “Eton Mess”, which is a really easy summer pudding to make. Just fill a glass (or plastic cup for a BBQ) with chopped up summer berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries etc) and crumbled meringue. Then pour some cream on top and a couple of scoops of ice cream. You could grate some dark chocolate on top, add a strawberry or sprig of mint for decorate.

Pimms and Eton Mess

On the dessert table I laid out fruit scones with a pot of double cream and strawberry jam.

British food for the Olympic Games - The Marin Scoop

Also some cupcakes that I decorated with a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee cake topper, which I found at Lakeland when I went back to London a few weeks ago.

Queen cake topper used on cupcakes - The Marin Scoop

I also found the Jubilee flag bunting there too, I was so inspired by how the British stores were gearing up for a summer of celebrations (Olympics next), and how the nation is embracing its Union Jack flag and rich heritage!

British dessert table - The Marin Scoop

God save the Queen and go UK team this summer! 

Best of British – Magazines, tea and cake

This Emma Bridgewater tea towel sums up my happiness during quiet time perfectly. I love to sit down, once the kids are asleep, and open my favorite magazine with a nice cup of tea, some chocolate or a cake…heaven!

As I am sharing my favorite British things leading up to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee this weekend, I thought I would recommend a couple of British magazines:

Red Magazine

My favorite women’s fashion and beauty magazine is Red magazine full of great “wearable fashion” , beauty and home décor but also interesting articles on subjects smart women want to read. After 5 years away from the UK this title still remains my favorite magazine and one I still collect.

The Marin Best of Brits - Red magazine

Living etc.

I also collect the British home magazine Living etc. a popular title with those interested in inspiring interior design. It gives me lots of ideas and keeps me up-to-date with what’s going on in the design world. You can find both in Barnes and Noble.

The Marin Scoop Best of Brits- Living etc. mag

B for British by Josie Jo

Now for the teas and cake bit…I had to share this wonderful print called "B for British by Josie Jo". It features illustrations of all things British; a London Bus, a London telephone box, British bull dog, and of course tea and cake. You can buy it on Unlimited Editions and at only 40 pounds, it’s a steal! 

B for British by Josie Jo on The Marin Scoop

Best of British - Banksy Street Art

Street artist Banksy is one of my favorite artists, I appreciate his style and how he likes to push people’s buttons; like this recent piece that appeared in East London. It is depicting a child laborer sewing British flag bunting, and was coyly placed on the side of Poundland (the UK version of Dollar Tree). 

Find out more about the artist and similar street artists in the documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop. I also feature Banksy’s work in my “Modern Art” board on Pinterest

Best of British in Design - Anne Carrington

To celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee taking place in the UK this weekend, I am sharing my favorite British things and today it’s all about design.

One of my favorite British artists is Anne Carrington, a sculptor that uses large amounts of common objects like buttons, flags, bottle tops, nuts, bolts, scraps of vintage fabric, and creates masterpieces out of them. I love her Pearly Queen made of pearl and shell buttons commissioned in celebration of the Queen’s diamond jubilee, a piece used by The Novogratz @ Sixx Design in their home and design projects.

Anne Carrington's Pearly Queen in Bungalow Hotel 

I also adore Anne Carrington’s “Crown Jewels” made of pearl buttons on canvas.

Anne Carrington's Crown Jewels

Anne has made a 9 ft velvet banner sewn with half a million gold buttons to decorate the stern of the Royal Barge, Spirit of Chartwell. It will be at the front of the Diamond Jubilee pageant running along the River Thames on June 3^rd. 

Anne Carrington's Royal Banner

You can buy a print version of it and her other work on her Website