Whale Watching from our Lanai

Deep Sea by unitedthread on Etsy. (I own one of her prints and it is the most beautiful quality of any print I've purchased there. It has the richness of an original. )

It's Humpback whale season in Hawaii (It's the largest migration of mammals on the planet! The whales come to our warm island waters to have their babies where there are fewer predators.) and we Kazanas are short people. The railing on our lanai completely obscures my view when I am seated at our table, so I asked Eric for some chairs that would heighten our viewing experience!

As always, he came through for me. Can you believe he managed to get two massive bar chairs shipped to Hawaii for $88?! Some assembly required, but still. He's a wonder. (And so cute too!)

Voila! She can see! We've spotted four whales from our balcony. The trick is to watch for the white plumes of their spouts. Then, if you're lucky you might see a breach or even a tail, which usually means they are on their way down deep again. They need air about every 15 minutes or so.

Have you ever been whale watching? Were you lucky enough to spot one?

Valentine's Day Gifts She Isn't Expecting!

Rare is the dude who reads this blog. But this post is dedicated to dudes anyway. Valentine's Day is the most cliched holiday of all. Satin Heart Shaped Box of Chocolates, Flowers, Fondue Restaurant reservations and you're done. And your lady will be delighted. But why not go the extra mile and really surprise her with something frivolous and unexpected? After all, that's what Romance is all about; the passion that comes from veering off the beaten path. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Sparkly, neutral and ladylike all at once, these heels would be a killer addition to any wardrobe. Don't these remind you of Britney at the VMA's all those years ago?

I've heard that this is the best blush money can buy. (It better be at $30 a pop!) Are they charging extra for that cheeky name?


Lingerie gifts are tricky. They can easily end up feeling cheap and tawdry. These silk tap shorts from HoneyCoolerHandmade strike just the right note- luxurious, pretty and sexy too.

Love the way these Valentine's Day flowers avoid cliche by mixing hard and soft, modern and romantic. They are anything but the usual tired dozen red roses.

This Gil Elvgren Book is full of old fashioned paintings of pin up girls that have gone from racy to amusing in the last 50 years. I'd love to add it to my collection of beautifully printed Taschen coffee table books.

What is the most romantic surprise you've ever gotten? (In the unlikely case that you are a dude, what's the most romantic surprise you've ever executed?)

Valentine Crafternoon!

I hosted a Valentine's Day "crafternoon" for a few friends the other weekend. It was such fun! We had tea and sweets and gathered around the table to potter on our various Valentine's day projects. It was such a fun way to relax, make something pretty AND catch up on gossip that we may even turn it into a regular thing!

I used a regular yellow cake mix doctored with a tablespoon of hibiscus extract. The frosting is from scratch- a bit of sour cream and lime zest keep it interesting. The little candy roses are pressed sugar- I'll post a DIY soon!


These peanut butter and jelly thumbprints were a big hit. They are a cinch to make too (for a Martha recipe anyway!).

You know The Fab Miss B- Any excuse to break out my tea set and Bando sequin heart!
Here is the Valentine I made- feel free to download it to print your own! I used Paper Source 5X5 cardstock in blossom and made my own envelopes with vellum. It's a quote from the film Annie Hall. Have you ever seen it? I highly recommend it for Valentine's Day viewing, though you should know ahead of time that the boy does not get the girl in the end. (Thank goodness!)

Are you working on anything special for Valentine's Day?

Simple Pleasures: Vintage Egg Cups

I love soft boiled eggs. I feel quite British when breakfasting upon them. Eating a nice warm, gooey egg from these vintage egg cups shaped like human heads makes me feel a bit like a Zombie. The bloody aftermath of this photo made me laugh. BRAINS.

At the moment, I'm displaying my whole collection of vintage wooden egg cups on our stove. All their silly expressions make me smile. Do you have any collections?

Help Me Turn this Ponytail into a Wig for a Kid Fighting Cancer.

Help me turn this ponytail into a wig for a kid fighting cancer. Mr. Brown has promised to let me cut it if I can raise $2,000 for his student's High School Robotics team. So far, I've got $200. If you can make a contribution in any amount, please do. I'll also send you a tax receipt and a Becky Kazana greeting card if you include your mailing address with your donation. You can also "like" us on Facebook. Email me if you have questions: thefabulousmissbATgmailDOTcom

Who Doesn't Love Samples?

Have you heard of Birchbox? It's a subscription service and for $10 a month, you receive a box filled with luxury beauty samples based on your customized profile.

My first box arrived a few weeks ago, and I was delighted with the beautiful packaging and the great products inside. (You receive a selection of 5 products based on your preferences in your profile.) This Hypoallergenic Eye Syrum was definitely my favorite and it was fun way to try an expensive department store product without committing to the $80 pricetag.

I signed up for the one month at a time option so that I can cancel if my medicine cabinet begins to overflow, but I can't wait for next month's box! Sign up for yours here!

Have you ever tried a subscription service? I think they are so much fun. (Remember Panties by Post? I got six adorable silly ruffly pairs!)

Autobiographical CD 2011: Playlist & Cover Art

Want a sneak peek at my finished autobiographical CD for the year? This is one of my favorite creative exercises because it combines lots of different mediums. Choosing the songs is one of the most enjoyable parts, and it's gotten even easier thanks to Pandora. We have it on constantly at our house and it's easy to bookmark favorite songs for reference later. (Did you know it's only $30 to listen commercial free all year?) Throughout the year, I jot down titles that I think apply and then I comb through them to assemble into the finished mix. This year the theme and flow for ordering the songs came together in a single afternoon, but usually it's far more laborious.


I made these beautiful envelopes using templates from Paper Source and a beautiful Cavalini & Co wall calendar. The gorgeous antique botanical prints of butterflies on the outside inspired me to do some watercolor caterpillars for the CD booklet. Since this mix is all about admitting that you aren't quite where you thought you were and longing for transformation, the caterpillar seemed perfect. The heavy watercolor paper, saturated color, hand lettered interiors and fancy labels all make them feel special, unique and luxurious.

You can see and download the whole playlist on Amazon right here. My explanation for why I chose each song is there as well. What is the best mix you've ever given or received?

Two to Tango- Pearl Bailey
You Don't Know Me- Ben Folds
That's All- Clare & The Reasons
Kona Moon- Hui Ohana
So Sorry- Feist
'Deed I Do- Lena Horne
Chico Gospel- MaMuse
I want you Tonight- Sydney Bechet
I'm Lazy, That's All- Pearl Bailey
Why Worry- Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris
Sweet Pea- Jasper & Veronica
Home- Edward Sharp & the Magnetic Zeroes