AlleyKat's's Blog (18)

Road Trips well what can I say other then my boyfriend and I are the kind of obsessed with them. In the last year we have driven to the Figure Lakes in New Year State where we drank some great local wine, made our way to Providence, R.I. for a nice weekend get away by the sea, spent the new year in Boston and went to New York in the fall to see the leaves change color in Central Park.

And this weekend my boyfriend and I are going…

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First things first! I would like to say thank you! to AlleyKat’s for the lovely welcome and introduction to their blog. I am so excited and thrilled to be a part of the creative team. Since we are coming into the holiday season at full force speed. I decided that my first few fashion posts were going to be in relation to, getting us in the mood for dressing; “tis the season!” Since Thanksgiving is the next holiday celebration. I have… Continue

Hello again, lovely readers! Last week we covered blush and contouring, and this week we’ll move to the eyes. I’ll break up this topic into two parts: eye shadow, and liner/brows.







Popular shades of the day run the gamut from clean and neutral, to soft pastels, including blues, greens, and orchids. The look of the 20s was smoldering, and women used shades ranging from black to turquoise or green. Daytime eyes in the 1930s often entailed a light application of… Continue

Those of us that adore vintage items have reasons for it. Some of us are fond of the designs, or the patterns and fabrics used. Some of us enjoy having something with imaginable rich histories. Personally I have several reasons for preferring vintage pieces to the modern day mass marketed threads.

I support the “reuse, reduce, recycle” campaign whole heartedly. Even to the point that I, a city dweller, have free ranging chickens in the backyard. Yep. I asked my hubby one day to build me a… Continue

Last week’s installment discussed the creation of your makeup canvas, and this week we’ll take a look at the next layer of color: Blush and contouring!



I’ll start with a little history on the concept of contouring. This method uses light and dark to shade the planes of the face, adding depth to bring out the various features of one’s face. It is this subtle depth that prevents your makeup from looking flat. The famous Westmores invented the concept of contouring; this family team of… Continue

And now you’re mine….at least for the duration of this blog that is.



Here we are, one week out from the magical holiday known as Halloween. Since the first of October my kids have been asking, “Is it time yet? Is it Halloween yet?”. While I do share in their excitement, I think there is a certain anticipation and joy surrounding holidays that only children possess. I can’t help but relate to Halloween thru music. I am a huge music buff, and my all time favorite genre is Blues.… Continue

Well I do not feel the need to introduce myself since Alley Kat did such a great job! But here is a bit about me, my name is Crystal and I am the women behind The House Of Hearts. I started selling vintage clothing after some encouragement from my boyfriend Paul and not feeling full satisfied working full time P.R. for a web development company. So The House of Hearts was created!



I do a weekly blog called Vintage Fashion Friday’s where I pick a theme that has inspired me through out… Continue

One of our favorite times of the year is Halloween. There is something magical about the imagination surrounded by the children frequently seen parading the streets. Personally I have run the gamut of possible costumes..ranging from Cinderella to a Pirate Queen. Now that I have my own children the holiday has taken on a new meaning.



At our house we tend to have certain seasonal rituals. Before the start of school we make entirely too large pots of chocolate pudding. During the… Continue

Welcome to Makeup Mondays! Here you will find a weekly guide to retro makeup, with application guides and my favorite product recommendations.



I’ll start by introducing myself—my name is Amanda Lee, and I am a makeup-aholic! My obsession started at an early age, and I have to say that it has grown over the years—



To start our application series, I will begin with a brief guide to foundation—after all, foundation prepares and perfects your canvas for the flawless… Continue

The high today is a mere 50 degrees. Warmer than some areas, cooler than others. For us, it is the typical Fall weather. A colorful assortment of reds, yellows and oranges blossoming in their own rite in every direction. I am a gardener by hobby and like others thoroughly enjoy the Spring season and all it’s offering of home grown bounty. But, unlike some I know, I enjoy the blossoms of Fall just as much and perhaps even more so. I realize that the assortment of shapes and sizes admired in… Continue

Most people that know me, know that I am NOT a technology person. While I like what I like..that being Apple computers and iPods, I am new to the constant online chatter. I am not a Facebook, Twitter, Myspace or Chat junkie..although given the right topic could probably be easily converted..say gardening, vintage shopping, or McDreamy and you are certain to get my attention.



Luckily for me, I have a friend that is a guru when it comes to all things graphic. Not only can she make… Continue

We have all heard it. “In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue”. It is engrained in our minds from a very early age. And rather catchy I must add. It certainly comes to me easier than geometry equations. I never was one for math. With the upcoming holiday I thought I would do a little research on Columbus Day and find out why it is that only banks get the day off.



What is the deal with that? So apparently Columbus and his discovery is important enough to have his very own dedicated… Continue

It’s official. Even I, myself and me have bounderies. Of course I have always had personal bounderies..I am talking about shopping bounderies. I am a pro shopper. I know what I want and can scan a room faster than most people can walk in and walk out. What can I say, I have been doing it for a long time. I have acquired personal favorite stores that I stop in and check weekly, and others that are only on the once a month list. In my neck of the woods (yes, I did just say neck of the woods.) I… Continue

The statistics are alarming. It is estimated that 192,370 women will be diagnosed with and 40, 170 women will die of breast cancer in 2009 alone. Aside from non-melanoma skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women. The chances are good that breast cancer will touch you, or someone you know. Statistics alone prove that.



Age is a woman’s single most important risk factor for developing breast cancer. Statistics show a woman living in the United States has a… Continue

Oh, how I love packages. There is something about them that gets me all giddy. Don't laugh at me, I'm serious. Honestly you could practically wrap up a box of red clay and leave it for me and I would be downright ecstatic.



I don't know what it is. Maybe it is the curiousity that kills the Kat cause it never fails. I can't contain myself. As the holidays roll around it takes more strength than I have to not open packages that show up on MY front door, but are addressed to the hubby. I… Continue

Like most people I have an addiction. I don’t speak of it often, nor do I feel the need to express a disdain for it and others that share similar trials. Great strides have been taken recently to limit exposure to it and for a while, I am happy to say, it was working. But now that the seasons have changed there is a new aroma in the air. A scent I know well. I could literally sniff a source out from miles away. My number one vice, my now exposed addiction is Starbucks. Specifically the Pumpkin… Continue

I have a vast assortment of Disney movies. Some are "vintage", some are more recent. One of the running faves at our house is "Cars" and of course more recently "Bolt". But one I tend to go back to time and time again is "Pocahontas".



Now if you had to make me narrow it down to a complete favorite, it would most certainly be "Beauty and the Beast". Not that I am a beauty that married a beast..there are some out there that may think I am a beast that married a beauty..guess it depends… Continue

I was out and about the other day treasure hunting for all things wonderful when I came across a new store. There aren’t many stores in the area that I haven’t been to..since I am after all, best at the shopping part of what I do. I stopped and went in to see if I should add the store to my must frequently visit list. Upon entering I discovered a plethora of racks chalk full of sweaters, jackets, blazers, dresses and shoes galore.



Quietly I began sorting through the racks. It only… Continue