October 15, 2009

Life + Atelier Swarovski by Stephen Webster

It's about 4:30AM, I'm just awake being a night owl because I have no special plans tomorrow. Minh's went on a business trip to Vancouver, WA (his hometown actually). He'll be gone until Monday. So it's just Steph in Bellevue, WA...alone! Well..I do have 2 other roomies, but they're working professionals who have 8-5 jobs, and pretty aren't ever home after work. lol.
So in our kinda big house lives 4 roomies, about 10 gold fish, and 1 hamster.
We all came to the conclusion that this house is too big for all of us...we don't even use all the freaking space. Utility bills suck..living at home fo' free is the best deal ever.

lol

I guess tomorrow will be my first taste of independence. I'm done with college (which was only an hour away from my parents), I just live in Washington now. lol
It's not like I can go visit my parents over the weekend like Minh can anymore.

So..a lot is new with me! But I can't show you all tonight.
I have a new pet ^_~ her name is Winkie! She's a fancy bear hamster (she's grey & white with a spot of grey in her white fur)

I just thought Winkie is the cutest name, and she's definitely my cuteness inspiration for my Everything Charm Bracelets


I'm currently into the Almond gelatin, you know that asian kind..where they put in fruit cocktail? lol basically I just ate a whole tray of that tonight. Yum!

I don't cook much..so being now that I'm a "grown up," I really have to learn to fend for myself!
Minh & I made a huge pot of Spaghetti the other night and ate that this week. It turned out delicious!

I can't wait to try my hand at a few more simple dishes. If you have simple recipes you'd like to share, please let me know!

My skill level is weak, lol I can boil water, cook rice, fry and egg. Make a mean bowl of ramen, and delicious cereal! I'm pretty good at making tea too. : )

I'm so inspired by all of you ladies who blog food! Everything looks so delicious!
Eating out was starting to get expensive!
Minh & I spent a daily average of $75/day out and about eating. Sometimes more sometimes less. It is a pretty bad habit.
That's breakfast, lunch, dinner...frozen yogurt, etc. Kettle Popcorn at the marketplace too!
It gets pretty expensive in restaurants. Ice tea $3.50? Seriously?

Minh can cook too, it's just we're still adjusting to the new house.
We don't have the pots and pans that I like to use.
I think I have to visit Macy's tomorrow, or somewhere I can buy quality kitchen gear.

I've tried buying from TJ Maxx & Marshalls, but there seems to always be a flaw in their product. I bought a wok..and it tips backwards because the handle is too heavy!
Basically, a safety hazard. Minh said we could legally blah blah blah b/c of the danger risk. lol

My bf is so funny sometimes, and I just learned that he doesn't like hamsters..or rodents. I've always thought he was joking. haha Back in MI he wouldn't get one because we'd be moving soon..and now that we've moved... he got really upset at me for bringing home a pet..........

Oops!

lol.

Ok..I'm talking about random stuff since I haven't blogged in so long. Who even reads a blog without pictures??? Seriously. Time to show you what I really had in mind for this blog post!

I was browsing Crystallized, Swarovski's "other" store (more affordable I guess).
I came across the collection Atelier Swarovski by Stephen Webster (click to visit the website)

It's called Le Petit Chaperon Rouge Bracelet $1300

It really wow-ed me. The price tag also really wow-ed me too since it's Crystallized Modular Swarovski Crystals he's using. But I think the value comes in the design & the fox skull.
I've attached a photo of the beauty.

I really felt that this piece is genius, it's simple yet intricate. or I'm just a sucker for coppery/smokey Swarovski Crystals.

OOh, I also went to a Jewelry Fair in Vancouver, WA last weekend, I left with 5 pieces of jewelry by Shiva. I'll have to post them for you to see : )

Her jewelry was really Indian inspired, as in India : )

I basically bought a lot of Smokey Topaz jewelry lol, and some AB pieces.

I'll show ya tomorrow!

Also, on the Crystallized site, they had a new piece using the new Swarovski Crystallized Mosaic Crystal Pacific Opal (also comes in White Opal).

I thought that they marked up this bracelet by $150 because $230 is pushing it especially since it's silver-plated, not rhodium (which is in the platinum family) like they have in the Swarovski Stores..well maybe that's why this is a Crystallized piece. Anyhow, I thought it's beautiful that they used crystal cubes, those have always been one of my favorites.

LOL, I hope you liked my jewelry analysis!

So basically, I bought the 4 disc set of Planet Earth for Blu-Ray..and I plan to spend the next few days watching that, and cleaning my work area : )

d
s
k

j
e
w
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RANDOM MUCH STEPH?

I'm also dying my hair black black tomorrow.
I'm using a Japanese hair dye, I'll definitely take pics.
It will be my first time experimenting with hair dye from Japan!

Later!

Steph


10 comments:

  1. Hey Steph! Try the 30 minute cookbooks by Rachael Ray -- they are life savers!! Recipes are fast and yummy!

    Seattle is a very expensive place to eat out--you will bankrupt yourself!!

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  2. I am just like you when it comes to cooking!! Im just learning now, I love allrecipes.com Everything I search for, I just add easy to the search term haha
    "easy chili", "easy meatloaf", "easy alfredo" they have thousands of recipes with minimal ingredients!
    love love all your new stuff- Im saving up so i can order a few things at once! :) cant wait to see the new site!
    ooh and keep an eye out for when Macy's has their home sale- I agree that its better just to get a good set for a one time investment, than to keep having to replace cheap pieces! Good luck cooking!! :)

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  3. Check out university district or international district for cheap eats in Seattle! There's this place called Pacfic Cafe HK kitchen. They have amazing smoothies. I often go with the bf to lunch for $12+tip!

    Have fun at macys =)

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  4. awww.you have to post a pic of winkie.....and I know what you mean...I got married & have no idea with cooking....but now I got to learn a little cooking but I still suck at cooking eggs...lol

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  5. Go to yama at the galleria, its in the same building as la fitness, in Bellevue. They have great sushi and during happy hour its half price!! Even cheaper would be pho, Pho than brother in redmond is really popular and good, So is What the pho in Bellevue.

    I just moved here too and I almost went crazy wen my boyfriend left for a week, no car = no life here :( I hope this helps!!

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  6. get a food steamer - seriously one of the easiest ways to make a meal! you just chop up some veggies & put em in a tray, season your protein (chicken/fish/etc) and put it in another tray, and set the time to steam everything - healthy, cheap, and done in about 30 minutes!

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  7. Ohh do let us know how the Japanese hair dye works!

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  8. Hi steph, how are you?nice to read your updates, I love random updates X) fo you know a cookbook called "4 ingredients"?it's written by two australian housewives (can't remember the name), that book rocks coz it teaches you how to cook simple using 4 or less ingredients :D I think you should try it. It's a bestseller in australia n uk I believe.. :D

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  9. Awww Steph you'll be fine! Minh will be back before you know it! And Planet Earth is a great way to kill some time! LOL! Winkie!! How cute is that name! So he really doesn't like hammies huh?! It'll grow on him just wait and see. Pics soon pls!!

    And can't wait to see how your hair's gonna turn out! :) UM you know I can't cook for shizz so I'm no help there... Bet I could make a better bowl of cereal then you! O_O LOL! Yeah I tend to eat out too much too.

    TJ Maxx & Marshalls huh? I thought they're supposed to carry pretty good stuff? We have the ROSS'S down here, and you KNOW that's defect stuff. But soo nice & cheap! I don't care! LOL!

    Whooo pretty bracelets... but I like DSK better! ;)

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  10. Oooh, the cubey bracelet is so pretty! I was looking around the swarovski website the other day and I saw those mosaic crystals. SO COOL!

    Oh, and my easy awesome recipe is to buy some italian dressing and marinate chicken breasts in it with some onion slivers. Then you just cook all of that on the stovetop on medium heat until it gets a little crispy and it is SOOOOO GOOD! Oh, and buy those microwave steamer bags. Easy steamed veggies using those with some olive oil, soy sauce, and random other ingredients you want throw in there. Shake the bag and nuke it for 4 minutes. Perfection!

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Thank you for your comments!