20 Cloves

similarities

2011-08-16T12:56:00.000-07:00

kate moss and lila grace look so much alike it's astounding!

accents

2011-08-12T13:12:00.000-07:00

i feel like i shouldn't like these as much as i do...after all, they do get kind of repetitive. but the little pops of color are just so fun!

floris

2011-08-12T12:59:00.000-07:00

fatima siad for arise; another absolutely stunning editorial...her skin is glowing, i love how they used flowers, and she looks like iman!

via.

karmen for interview

2011-08-12T12:47:00.001-07:00

FANTASTIC. you always hear about how the best models are the ones who in editorials can convince you you've been transported to another place, another world even; well this is the most convinced i've ever been.

h&m does good

2011-08-12T12:20:00.000-07:00

h&m's fall 2011 lookbook is fantastic! everything's pretty much what i look for in fashion: simple, colorful, fun, unpredictable, and full of luxurious, quality fabrics.

pinecone love

2011-08-12T11:12:00.000-07:00

cute pen and ink pinecone drawing! via.

masquerade

2011-08-12T11:10:00.000-07:00

something about this photo is just perfect.

via.

mandarin oriental

2011-08-12T09:41:00.000-07:00

mandarin oriental hotel, barcelona; looks simply amazing to stay in!

sunning

2011-08-11T12:56:00.000-07:00

oldschool kate

2011-08-11T12:54:00.001-07:00

just fabulous.

via.

100 most beautiful english words

2011-08-11T11:35:00.000-07:00

Ailurophile A cat-lover.
Assemblage A gathering.
Becoming Attractive.
Beleaguer To exhaust with attacks.
Brood To think alone.
Bucolic In a lovely rural setting.
Bungalow A small, cozy cottage.
Chatoyant Like a cat’s eye.
Comely Attractive.
Conflate To blend together.
Cynosure A focal point of admiration.
Dalliance A brief love affair.
Demesne Dominion, territory.
Demure Shy and reserved.
Denouement The resolution of a mystery.
Desuetude Disuse.
Desultory Slow, sluggish.
Diaphanous Filmy.
Dissemble Deceive.
Dulcet Sweet, sugary.
Ebullience Bubbling enthusiasm.
Effervescent Bubbly.
Efflorescence Flowering, blooming.
Elision Dropping a sound or syllable in a word.
Elixir A good potion.
Eloquence Beauty and persuasion in speech.
Embrocation Rubbing on a lotion.
Emollient A softener.
Ephemeral Short-lived.
Epiphany A sudden revelation.
Erstwhile At one time, for a time.
Ethereal Gaseous, invisible but detectable.
Evanescent Vanishing quickly, lasting a very short time.
Evocative Suggestive.
Fetching Pretty.
Felicity Pleasantness.
Forbearance Withholding response to provocation.
Fugacious Fleeting.
Furtive Shifty, sneaky.
Gambol To skip or leap about joyfully.
Glamour Beauty.
Gossamer The finest piece of thread, a spider’s silk.
Halcyon Happy, sunny, care-free.
Harbinger Messenger with news of the future.
Imbrication Overlapping and forming a regular pattern.
Imbroglio An altercation or complicated situation.
Imbue To infuse, instill.
Incipient Beginning, in an early stage.
Ineffable Unutterable, inexpressible.
Ingénue A naïve young woman.
Inglenook A cozy nook by the hearth.
Insouciance Blithe nonchalance.
Inure To become jaded.
Labyrinthine Twisting and turning.
Lagniappe A special kind of gift.
Lagoon A small gulf or inlet.
Languor Listlessness, inactivity.
Lassitude Weariness, listlessness.
Leisure Free time.
Lilt To move musically or lively.
Lissome Slender and graceful.
Lithe Slender and flexible.
Love Deep affection.
Mellifluous Sweet sounding.
Moiety One of two equal parts.
Mondegreen A slip of the ear.
Murmurous Murmuring.
Nemesis An unconquerable archenemy.
Offing The sea between the horizon and the offshore.
Onomatopoeia A word that sounds like its meaning.
Opulent Lush, luxuriant.
Palimpsest A manuscript written over earlier ones.
Panacea A solution for all problems
Panoply A complete set.
Pastiche An art work combining materials from various sources.
Penumbra A half-shadow.
Petrichor The smell of earth after rain.
Plethora A large quantity.
Propinquity An inclination.
Pyrrhic Successful with heavy losses.
Quintessential Most essential.
Ratatouille A spicy French stew.
Ravel To knit or unknit.
Redolent Fragrant.
Riparian By the bank of a stream.
Ripple A very small wave.
Scintilla A spark or very small thing.
Sempiternal Eternal.
Seraglio Rich, luxurious oriental palace or harem.
Serendipity Finding something nice while looking for something else.
Summery Light, delicate or warm and sunny.
Sumptuous Lush, luxurious.
Surreptitious Secretive, sneaky.
Susquehanna A river in Pennsylvania.
Susurrous Whispering, hissing.
Talisman A good luck charm.
Tintinnabulation Tinkling.
Umbrella Protection from sun or rain.
Untoward Unseemly, inappropriate.
Vestigial In trace amounts.
Wafture Waving.
Wherewithal The means.
Woebegone Sorrowful, downcast.

my favorites are assemblage, dalliance, diaphanous, dulcet, ebullience, efflorescence, elixir, ephemeral, ethereal, gossamer, halcyon, labyrinthine, lithe, murmurous, and pyrrhic - a lot of them! but they are pretty.

although i have to wonder, are these words beautiful solely based on how they sound, or do their meanings also affect how we view them? because many of these words have beautiful, dreamy meanings as well.

leprechaun feet

2011-08-11T11:17:00.001-07:00

these green boots are pure love! i want a pair!

social etiquette

2011-08-11T11:13:00.000-07:00

hahaha these social etiquette graphics are awesome.

indigo&leather

2011-08-11T11:05:00.000-07:00

let us just take a moment to admire natasha's amazing leather jacket and dark indigo pants.

via.

rainbow

2011-08-11T11:03:00.000-07:00

GORGEOUS.

via.

burgundy

2011-08-11T10:48:00.000-07:00

sometimes, i feel like i can't post what i want even on my own tumblr. things like typography, design...they don't really have a place on tumblr, i feel like, and that's when coming back to blogger is such a relief.

this outfit is also pretty much perfect.

via.

pretty plates

2011-08-11T09:21:00.001-07:00

via.

moving icebergs

2011-08-10T13:44:00.000-07:00

i totally thought this was a real photograph at first! but it turns out it's just amazing art instead :)

but there's more behind this post than just cool art. georges mougin, a french engineer, has plans of going to antarctica, roping up a 6 million ton iceberg, and dragging it all the way back to africa to melt into fresh, drinkable water.

it sounds absolutely crazy! and at the same time - completely possible! there's actually talk of giving this a try in 2012 or 2013...a lot sooner than i expected!

you can read more about this amazing idea here.

son of a sailor

2011-08-10T13:34:00.000-07:00

if i had these i'd never want to take them off!

love mag

2011-08-10T13:22:00.000-07:00

love these new love magazine covers.

thank you!

2009-04-14T14:46:00.000-07:00

I'm excited - I won a $20 Target egiftcard! A giant thank you to the blog Stuff Under Twenty for the giveaway! I will probably be buying shoes with it :)

project etsy: photography

2009-04-09T14:30:00.000-07:00

Especially loving Charlie and the Eiffel Tower.

<3

<3

<3

project etsy: food

2009-04-08T14:25:00.000-07:00

Why yes, my stomach is growling like a mad thing. How did you ever guess!

project etsy: ceramics

2009-04-07T14:19:00.000-07:00

What would the world be like without Etsy? A heck of a lot less amazing, that's for sure! Etsy never fails to astonish me with its creators' talents! Over the next several posts I'm going to be putting up items that just leave me drooling after them...

polly mellen

2009-04-07T14:14:00.000-07:00

Polly Mellen is such an inspiring lady. I find it amazing that even at 84, she's healthier and more energetic than women decades younger than her! Vogue has a new article out on her that you can read here.

an illustrated life

2009-04-06T14:38:00.000-07:00

via Yes Please Mademoiselle

I have a mad crush on this children's book. The pictures and colors are so whimsical and appealing, and I'm definitely a bird lover! The thing is, this book costs - wait for it - $200! I'm kind of really flabbergasted at the price, but I'd buy it in a heartbeat if my budget allowed me to.

tgif!

2009-04-03T18:57:00.000-07:00

Have a lovely weekend!

caught my eye

2009-04-03T18:11:00.000-07:00

A few things that caught my eye today...

via The Morale Agency

via unruly things

via Ill Seen, Ill Said

via Stuff Under Twenty

broken africa

2009-04-03T17:44:00.000-07:00

I came across the article Aiding Is Abetting by Dambisa Moyo today, and it gave me a completely new outlook on the a possible source of some problems in Africa. Moyo is a Harvard graduate, and she writes about how, ironically, all the aid that we send to the region might actually be hurting its economy more than helping it; "tyrants like Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe (three hundred million dollars in foreign aid was sent to Mugabe in 2006 alone) often pilfer the money and buy foreign goods, or stow it in foreign bank accounts where it does nothing to help the country". Systematic western aid, she argues, has essentially turned Africa into one giant welfare state, and she gives the following example: if we send over 100,000 mosquito nets, this act of generosity could actually put a prospective mosquito net seller/maker out of business.

Surprisingly, she also adds that her view is actually very common in Africa...while we've heard nothing about it in the West. If we reduce the amount of aid we give to Africa, will its development and economy suddenly spike up, or is the process more complicated than just that?

stuff under twenty

2009-04-01T15:26:00.000-07:00

I've been checking Stuff Under Twenty nearly every day since I started following a few months ago - it's an amazing blog! They (N and S) update several times a day on different things you can buy for under $20, and post great deals on houseware, and clothing!

happy april fools!

2009-04-01T14:30:00.000-07:00

Hope you all had a fun day! :)

I'm taking a French course right now, and in France their April Fools' custom is called Poisson d'Avril - people try to tape paper cutouts of fish on the backs of unsuspecting people!

crazy elegant

2009-03-28T17:13:00.000-07:00

via Garance Dore

if you're looking for post-winter sales...

2009-03-27T21:30:00.000-07:00

...go to Forever21! They're having a massive sale on cold-weather clothing, especially sweaters and outerwear - everything below is $5.99!

ethereal beauty

2009-03-23T20:11:00.000-07:00

Gemma Ward has this indescribably ethereal allure about her. Overflood of pictures of her above, but as you can probably tell, I absolutely love her :)

spring florals

2009-03-23T14:37:00.000-07:00

Some fabulous floral dresses from Charlotte Russe:

$24.99

$26.99

$28.99

$32.99

adorable cupcakes

2009-03-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

Photo via Cake Wrecks

Photo via The Morale Agency

The first photo from Cake Wrecks (a hilarious blog - check it out!) was used as an inspiration for the adorable less-looks-like-it's-choking second picture.

HelloVictory

2009-03-21T22:26:00.000-07:00

HelloVictory has some wonderful items in her Etsy shop!

You can see more here.

soaps abound

2009-03-20T22:23:00.001-07:00

Look at these amazing soaps! They have an unbelievable amount of detailing they have, and some of these appear absolutely mouthwatering! If I didn't know these were soaps I'd think several of them were delicious looking cakes ;)

See more soaps here.

happy first day of spring!

2009-03-20T20:16:00.000-07:00

Recently I've been feeling like the days have really just been passing at full speed. It's almost the end of March - spring is here! - and yet I still remember the New Years' parties like they happened yesterday. Hoping time will slow down some, so we can all enjoy the days more!

natasha richardson

2009-03-18T21:27:00.000-07:00

I can't believe this beautiful lady is no longer with us! I remember watching Asylum a few years back and being completely fixated by it. For those who haven't heard yet, Natasha was in a skiing accident in Quebec, and died from a head injury. She was certainly a stunning 45-year-old though, and I'm sure the acting world will feel her loss :( Rest in peace, Natasha!

ugly dolls

2009-03-18T08:48:00.000-07:00

I've been hearing about Ugly Dolls lately! I think the real rage started when Sasha Obama was seen carrying one of them, but I can't decide if these plushies are just plain hideous, or so hideous they're cute.

the discovery of polyvore

2009-03-16T21:41:00.000-07:00

I have two "Wow"'s to state: 1. I haven't posted in a while! I had a busy bout at work, but it should be better now, although I will probably post less. And 2. I can't believe I just discovered Polyvore! I'd heard about it before, but I'd thought it was a site where you bought things...I was very wrong! I finally went to the website though, and I am so glad I did. I have a feeling collages will be popping up on the blog more often now :) My username is sunnyxshiine.

Here's a collage that totally caught my eye:

Is this a kite I see before me? ~ for N-A-N-A - by Apokalipstick on Polyvore.com

addicted to online shopping

2009-02-14T21:03:00.000-08:00

I seem to have a love for shopping online - don't worry though, I didn't buy all of these!

Vince Camuto Peep Toes: $26.99

MIA Over-the-Knee Boots: $38.99

Coffee Shop Belted Coat: $55.99

Italian Portolano Gloves: $25

Vince Camuto Bellai Pumps: $25

See more here.

happy valentine's day!

2009-02-14T17:19:00.000-08:00

This is a late post, but Happy Valentine's Day anyway! I've had a fabulous day meeting up with some friends, and I wore this top from Forever21. It's not exactly the most Valentine-sy, but it made me feel really bright and cheery, especially since today was rather gray and rainy outside.

Hope your day was great as well!

in which spring arrives

2009-02-11T13:55:00.000-08:00

From Old Navy.

Ruffle Trim Shirt: $24.50

Pleated Canvas Hobo Bag: $16.50

Braided Wedges: $34.50

Belted Twill Trench Coat: $49.50

Shirred Tube Top: $14.50

Ankle Strap Platforms: $24.50

Braided Sandals: $12.50

Strappy Thong Sandals: $19.50

les fleurs

2009-02-10T22:04:00.000-08:00

Here are some beautiful Valentine's Day bouquets:

See more.

edition outerwear

2009-02-09T13:59:00.000-08:00

I'm starting to get into this look (picture by Rag&Bone):

Skinny or straight jeans with solid-colored heels and a vest thrown on top. I think the vest does it for me. They can be added to nearly any outfit, but make you look pulled together and completely different when they are.

So as a short tribute to vests:

Forever21: $15.99

American Apparel: $36

And let's not forget cardigans!

American Apparel: $42. There're like 10 other colors too.

Also, although I'm not a fan of Paris, I have to say she looked quite dazzling at the Grammys last night. Look at that purple dress!

ooh la la

2009-02-08T09:24:00.000-08:00

Look how gorgeous and glam Blake Lively looks in her Vogue photoshoot!

I am absolutely loving the curls. So much volume! I adore her usual loose waves too, but these curls are definitely a welcome change that fit her.

This picture sends me a Hollywood-esque vibe.

intro

2009-02-07T21:49:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my new blog! I'm Sunny, and I'll be writing about a mix of things, from beauty to music to headlines that spark my interest.

First off, let me just say I adore Forever21 and Charlotte Russe. I don't exactly have the biggest budget, and stores like these are havens to me. They have tons of cute things, and it's all pretty afforadable.

Charlotte Russe:

Pleated Satin Dress: $26.99

Peacock Feather Bangle: $4

Forever21:

Candy Pump: $8.99

Satin and Chiffon Dress: $15.50

Studded Bracelet: $5.80

Chevelle Satin Ruffle Blouse: $15.99

---

I've also been getting some dry skin lately, and my friend suggested using Aveeno Stress Relief Moisturizing Lotion. It's amazing! The dry skin vanished, it's not greasy, and it smells like lavender too. And at only $8.50 a bottle, it's not bad pricing either ;)