A Lady Needs a Flask

As the Muses have mentioned before, we are two creative, right-brain girls that have both somehow landed among scientists for our 9-5.

Generally this is a good thing. When our beloved nerd co-workers spend their days at the bench pipetting or doing data analysis they lose touch with the real world. So the Muses love to bring some real world to their lives. A splash of leopard print here, taste testing chocolates and cupcakes, encouragement to think outside the box. We do what we do well.

BUT occasionally the paper work, the grants, the meeting planning, the abstract collecting erodes a creative girl’s mind/soul. Is that over dramatic? Mmm? No I don’t think so...grants, are soul sucking.

And the best thing to do when life starts to wear on you...is drink. So here is a collection of in vogue flasks that are great for all sorts of events - outdoor concerts, the ballet, lunch dates with that super high stress friend, and of course, your desk drawer.

Light Pink Faux Alligator Skin Flask

Leopard Print Glitter Flask

Love Birds Chicks Peacocks Flask

Golly! Liquor is Quicker! by Anne Taintor

Muse Help: Office Redecorating

One FM reader writes:

Alright my favorite muses, I have a query for you. These are tough economic times, so instead of holiday bonuses, the CEO of my company is giving everyone $250 to spend on our office environment. We can buy anything we want that will make us happier in our workplace: misc computer software, a rug, a new chair, a new lamp, oversized map of California, whatevs. I know: perfect muse project, right?

I am much more practical than aesthetically minded, hence why I wouldn't mind some inspiration!

On the one hand, awesome that you get to redecorate your office! On the other hand, we would probably prefer $250 in cash...but whatev.The Muses definitely believe in being practical (except when it comes to high heels) but you can easily be practical and fill your office with beauty.

We would suggest:

• lighting
• art
• organizing items

One of the Muses' Lovers is of the firm belief that overhead industrial lighting makes people anxious (the Muses don't need any help there!). He thinks that soft lighting around a room makes a world of a difference. We agree! That said - we suggest either a tall lamp to stand beside your desk or a lamp to sit on the desk. Pottery Barn has a great tutorial on picking workspace lighting.

You could go modern with something from IKEA

Ljusås Salbo

Kulla

or go vintage and grab an amaaaazing Edison lamp (so hot right now!)

Instead of just hanging a giant map of California, try honoring your home state with some cool art.

Copper Bay Area Map

Dark City No. 7

Lastly, get organized! Check out some Muse suggestion about great filing options. BUT if you have some extra bucks to spend, buy a Franklin Covey planning systems. Oh. My. Goodness. One little Muse would just die without its amazing ability to organize the 10,003 tasks that need to be done. This is not a calendar. Say it with me, "Franklin Covey is not a calendar." It is an organizing system. See basic how-tos here.

New Product Review: L’Oreal Infallible Never Fail Lipcolour

There are so many new products out there it is hard to tell what's great and what's a dud. Which is why the Muses compiled a big list of great products for you not too long ago.

Add this one to the list girls! It is Muse tested and approved!

L’Oreal Infallible Never Fail Lipcolour

This product lives up to its claims. Beautiful lip color that lasts for hours and hours. While you are jamming down Luna Bars and lattes and politely dabbing your lips after lunch meetings it stays in place! Maybe more importantly, it will hold beautiful color through glasses of wine, dinner... and a little smooching. Also, it comes with a moisturizing stick that keeps your lips soft and nourished.

Go. Buy. Now.

Muse Quick Trick: Save that Manicure!

Can we get a raise of hands from our girls who love getting manicures?

Can we get a raise of hands from our ladies who are saddened when the lovely manicure only lasts 4 days? ...or 3 days if you don’t have a dishwasher. That’s right girls, raise those chipped fingernails.

We feel ya girls, we feel ya. We all want to touch up, but who has bottles of "You Don’t Know Jacques" laying around? The Muses are here to tell you that you can keep those nails in tip top shape longer. You’ll feel adorable for more than 4 days and you won’t feel like you’re wasting your money on manicures that don’t last...

The Trick: After about 2-3 days or whenever you notice the manicure is wearing, slap on a coat of clear polish, making sure to really cover the ends. It lacquers everything back in place and keeps the polish from chipping off. You can do this every couple days. The color will last 2-3 times as long.

Now go treat yourself to a manicure and give it a try!

Finding a City Hat

Let’s get something straight. Both your Muses are City Girls. We like to be surrounded by 101 good restaurant choices, we get jazzed by the hustle generated by crowds of people, we enjoy walking to our fave coffee shops and gelaterias, and we love public transit (well, one of us does, the other tolerates it). But even City Girls need to get some space every now and again. Which is why the pretty little West Coast Muse headed out of the big City with a couple good friends so they could all try to catch their breath and get some space.

Originally the plan was to become one with nature and hike around. But seriously, who can do that all day? So instead the three ladies became one with the Outlets and rejoiced in the glory of creation via vineyard hopping. People never think of enjoying the fall colors in Napa, but they are spectacular! And so California!

On this little excursion, one of the lovely adventurers mentioned she wanted to find a great hat. Maybe like the typical driver’s cap. An adorable hat seems like something every City Girl should have....very Mary Tyler Moore-esque. Here are some great options for a ladies stylish city hat that could be worn window shopping downtown, out to dinner, to the cigar bar...or even if you venture outside of the sometimes-suffocating City.

Catarzi Felt Riding Hat

Helen Kaminski Nureen Cap

Coal

Nobis "Yager" Patchwork Newsboy Cap

Lauterbrunnen Bowler

Wool Floppy Hat

A Girl's Gotta Stay Organized

Let's talk about the office. Seriously, can we do away with those black plastic-y or fake woodgrain in-out boxes? ::cringe:: But the real issue is file folders. Manilla folders are great for huge filing projects that are stored away, hidden for no eyes to see. But the bland folders (or worse yet, those primary color folders that remind us of a kindergarten classroom) just will not do for desktop filing.

So here is the Muse Round-Up of Cute, Stylish File Folders.

Simple

Mod Chic (one little Muse just bought these...thank you, purchasing card)

Classic Black and White

Frouffy

Check out these great finds from Etsy. Visit Tabitha's shop and use the code "muse" to get $1 off anything in her gorgeous collection!

Because everyone loves birds right now

Yummy

Sukkah Decorating Inspirations

I am celebrating Sukkot this year and would love some Freelance Muse suggestions for how to decorate a Sukkah! Some friends that are coming have a lot of leftover paint from when they painted their apartment that they are happy to donate to the cause, and I have a whole bunch of awesome African cloth that we can hang. I'm still trying to figure out the lighting situation. My architect friend camps a lot, so I know she has at least two camping lanterns (I know, because I gave them to her for her birthday!). Any other inspiration? Still not sure how to get my hands on branches, since my town isn't exactly replete with trees.. Maybe bamboo mats instead.... Hmm....

Let's explain first what Sukkot is (besides a favorite Muse-y holiday!) This is so not a kosher description but we're going to go with it anyway - Sukkot is basically Jewish Thanksgiving. It's a seven dayfeast where people celebrate the harvest. Like any Jewish holiday, you eat and drink a lot. Wait wait, we missed a key step. You eat and drink a lot in a SUKKAH.

Now what is a sukkah you ask? Families build small huts in their back yards (enclosed on three sides and topped with branches) and they enjoy their feasts there. Some people even sleep in the sukkahs.

So how does one decorate such a place?

Lighting: You are totally right, girl. Lighting is key, especially if you are celebrating at night. Globe lights would be fantastic and easy to find. You could pick those up at a local hardware or party supply store.

Or, like you suggested, lanterns. Terrain (the home goods store run by Anthropologie) has some great and fairly inexpensive lanterns. Marshall's and Ross also always have great items like this.

Oval Hurricane by Terrain

Hanging Lantern from Ikea

Linens: You can decorate sooo easily with some great napkins. One option is to grab some great fall fabric and make your own napkins. That is a fairly simple project -

check out some DIY instructions from Skip to My Lou.

OR, if you are going to buy, World Market always has fabulous table linens and then, of course, there is Williams-Sonoma.

Andes Highland Tapestry Napkins

Chantal Floral Napkins

Wandering Vines Napkins

Frouffy Extras

: Ok the Mu

ses do NOT like stupid knick-knacks that clutter your house a

nd overflow your storage bins but seriously, Terrain has some awesome, classy extras that the M

uses can't get enough of.

How fantastic are these pumpkins?

Wire Pumpkin

Apricot Pumpkin

Nugget Pumpkin

Another great idea is to make some decorations out of things that are edible (read: reusable, not wasteful, or space consuming).

Fig and Grape Centerpiece by Martha Stewart

Kumquat Garland