Fashion by Hand: October 2012

Inspirational Style: Miroslava Duma

It's a boring Tuesday...

And I guess not just for me.

But let's make it more interesting.

If you are a true fashionista you must include Miroslava Duma on your top 10 inspirational fashion icons.

I think I am falling in love with her style.

Check out some of her most fashionable and stylish outfits and get inspired!

Miroslava simply rulezzzzz!!!

No more words, just photos...

Fashionably yours,

Despina

P.s The CHANEL GIVEAWAY was over a few days ago.

The winner is......

Jen Stone!!!

CONGRATULATIONS JEN!

Stay tuned for MORE GIVEAWAYS.

HandmadeMN Giveaway ~ SB Design

by Monique Parent, Glass Garden Designs

Congratulations to our latest giveaway winner! Thanks to all who entered and we wish you good luck with this week's giveaway!

This week's giveaway is from Sarah of SB Design. She is giving away this great snowflake necklace.

Just in time for winter! The winner of this giveaway will receive one of these 5 fabulous snowflake pendants. Each design features a shimmering snowflake on a background of vibrant blues and greens. Silver glitter adds a hint of sparkle. Pendant is silver-plated with a slight antique finish. Comes on an 18" sterling silver ball chain.

Open to US and International.

Contest ends Saturday, November 10th, at 12:00 noon Central. One winner will be chosen by Random.org.

How to Enter:

Visit SB Design, pick your favorite item and leave a comment on this post about it. (Scroll to bottom of post and click on Comments)

Please make sure you include your email address

so we have a way to contact the winner!

For Bonus Entries:

Please leave each in a separate comment, as each comment is an entry (To qualify for extra entries you must do step one above).

1. Visit other HandmadeMN team members shops (listed in the sidebar here) and leave a comment(s) here with your favorite pieces.

2. Blog about this giveaway with a visible link back to this posting and comment here with a link to your post.

3. Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment(s) with a link to your tweet(s).

4. Follow this blog (you want to do this anyway to learn about upcoming giveaways!). Leave a comment here letting us know you are a follower. If you are already a follower, leave a comment anyway, as each comment is an entry.

5. Follow HandmadeMN on twitter. Comment back here with your Twitter link. Existing followers just leave your Twitter link here.

6. Become a Facebook Fan of HandmadeMN. Comment back here with your Facebook name. Existing fans just leave your Facebook name here.

7. Become a Facebook Fan of SB Design. Comment back here with your Facebook name. Existing fans just leave your Facebook name here.

8. Follow Sarah's blog. Leave a comment here letting us know you are a follower. If you are already a follower, leave a comment anyway, as each comment is an entry.

Contest ends Saturday, November 10th, at 12:00 noon Central. One winner will be chosen by Random.org.

Good luck!

HandmadeMN members are not eligible to win.

Finding the right bra

What Bra Is Right For Me?

Choosing between bras is hard and it can often be a long and drawn out process. Of course, all this effort is worth it in the end – but how can you make sure you select the right bra for you?

If you’re small busted

If you have small boobs, you probably want to maximise what you have. In this situation, the push-up bra is your best friend. Choose an under-wired variety for maximum lift. Something padded will also help you feel as if your boobs are bigger than they are and so this would be a good option for you.

Smaller breasted women also have the option of wearing a bandeau bra without worrying about a lack of support, so if you fancy something different, a bandeau bra is a great option. There’s also the added advantage that you may even be able to get away without wearing a bra if you buy a supportive tee, not something that every woman can appreciate. If you really are trying to maximise your cleavage though, choosing a padded, push up bra with a halter neck will draw attention to your boobs, making them appear larger.

If you’re large busted

A big problem for larger busted women is the issue of support. You need to opt for an under-wired bra for maximum security, particularly if you are prone to back ache or shoulder pain. If you are worried about looking saggy, or about the shape of your boobs in general, you may be best to opt for a thinly padded bra. If the padding is thin, it will not make the bust appear larger, but padding can help improve shape which is always a plus. You may also want to look into a bra that helps to separate the breasts to try to avoid the cleavage looking too full.

If you’re athletic

If you’re sporty, then you’ll know that a good sports bra is essential to avoid days of back and breast pain afterwards. It has been proven that exercising without a sports bra can be damaging to breast tissue, so this is a choice that you definitely want to get right. Most sports bras tend to squash the boobs against the chest and these are often a good choice for people with smaller breasts. However, now there are also sports bras that lift, separate, and squash the boobs - specifically made for larger breasted ladies.

A Little Darling

Sometimes, a doll just touches your heart and won't let go. Dianna Effner's Little Darling dolls have done just that to me, and thanks to my dear friend Tomi, I have one I can call my own.

This doll is 13 inches tall, and has a beautifully proportioned and balanced body. The faces capture the innocence and wonder of childhood. Jennifer, my Little Darling, was painted by Helen Skinner.

And the other delightful thing about this doll is, she can wear many of the outfits already available on this blog!

Here she is wearing a nightgown, bed jacket, T-shirt and jumper designed for the Prairie Flower cloth doll.

And here she is wearing undies, hankie dress, and crochet collar designed for Bleuette.

Look on the left sidebar for Crochet Bleuette and Prairie Flower Cloth Dolls for simple patterns you can make for your Little Darling.