fantasy monday: kookie from death by platforms

One of my favorite fashionistas in the blogosphere has long been Kookie, a twenty-something girl from the Philippines. I'm a huge fan of her funky headpieces, love of color, patterns, and texture, and, of course, her killer collection of heels. Read on to learn more!

I am a kid-at-heart shoe magpie who is obsessed with magical platforms. I love foot massages, manicures and pedicures, hearing babies laugh, home-cooked meals, lying down on surfboard while staring at sky, star-gazing, traipsing beautiful beaches, and spending good time with friends.

Where do you wish you could vacation next?

Greece

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What is your dream job?

To be a host of a travel show featuring the world’s most beautiful beaches

If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

I have no specific city or country in mind but I would be at my happiest if I could wake up in the morning everyday to the sound of gushing waves in a beautiful and pristine beach.

What keeps you grounded?

This is most definitely a cliché answer already (and I think most people would share the same answer) but friends and family are the best people who could give you comfort and love and nudge you back into reality when you’re drifting way too much on Neverland already.

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Kookie blogs about her life, outfits, and amazing shoes on Death by Platforms. Visit her blog for more!

fantasy monday: daniella from dress design & decor

Daniella's been a favorite blogger of mine since I returned to the blogosphere. I just love her serene posts and infallible taste on everything from fashion to interior design to the perfect photos! Read on to learn more about her.

I'm a graphic designer from Canada, with a love for all things french... I'm addicted to magazines, love reading, and have an on-going collection of J.Crew items... and I of course love spending time with my wonderful boyfriend and my adorable, little siamese kitty!

If you were a millionaire... what would your dream closet look like?

It would definitely resemble something like Jenna Lyon's closet. I just love everything J.Crew, and their brand just gets better and better... with shoes to die for! Have you seen the latest swede wedges!?

Show us a photo of your dream home or home decor.

It's so hard to settle on one palette... but I love rooms with a sort of all white glow about them... light and bright, decorated with creamy pastels and blush pinks. There's just something about a white room that's just so soothing.

Where do you wish you could vacation next?

I would absolutely love to go back to France to see Versailles, specifically Marie Antoinette's little country cottage. I never made it on my last trip to Paris, and one of days I will see it. It's a must!

Name one thing that keeps you grounded.

I love that I can just come home to a quiet place, read a book and sip on a good cup of coffee... it's all about the simple things right?

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Daniella blogs about, well, dress design & decor. Visit her at DD&D to learn even more! You can also find her at the bicyclette blog and inspiration for wellbeing.

fantasy monday: looks good to me

Today's exciting Fantasy Monday post is a blogger I've featured before and adore even more now. Not only is Caroline clearly a fabulous illustrator, she really loves what she does--what an inspiration! Read on to learn more about her..

I am a textile designer and illustrator blogging about things that I love. I like to share my personal style through things I am coveting and images that inspire me. I am also planning my wedding for next year so lately I have been tossing some wedding-planning inspiration into the mix as well.

What is your dream job?

I think what I am doing now is pretty dreamy actually. I love it!

When you "grow up" [when does that happen, anyway?] where do you see yourself?

Honestly, I hope to keep growing into what I am already doing. I don't see my job ever getting boring to me. I just hope to get better and better at it.

If you were a millionaire... what would your dream closet look like?

Eek! Marni, Lanvin, Miu Miu & vintage Halston for dressing up. Probably the same casual, relaxed stuff I wear for every day though!

Where do you wish you could vacation next?

Spain for my honeymoon!!

If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

Barcelona! (I would probably have to learn to speak Spanish first though...there's still time before the wedding)

If you could spend one day with someone who inspires you, who would it be and what would you do?

Either touring an Italian farmer's market with someone like Mario Batali or sitting quietly in Miuccia Prada's studio just watching.

Show us a photo of your dream home or home decor.

Deanne Cheuk's studio (via Style Files), the wishbone chair is one of my all-time favorite design pieces! I hope to have a table just like hers someday.

What keeps you grounded?

My fiancé, Andy and our pup Marlow.

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Caroline blogs at It Looks Good to Me--highlighting her awesome illustrations like the one pictured above, fabulous object/outfit posts, and more!

fantasy monday: design darling on her birthday

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for the birthday wishes. It was a long, relaxing weekend--hope yours was, too! The celebrating continues, though, for my Fantasy Monday feature who happens to be turning 21 today. What perfect timing; every girl should get to dream big on her birthday! So without further ado, meet Mackenzie:

Show us your dream home.

My dream home is spacious and definitely has room for a pool out back...

With decor that's equally comfy and chic...

And a closet that looks something like this: organized and overflowing with pretty things.

Where do you wish you could vacation next?

After spending the past six months traveling through Europe, I'm more than happy to hang at home for now. Eventually I'll get the travel bug again though so I'm thinking I'd like to plan a jaunt up north to Montreal.

What is your dream job?

I wish I knew! I can see myself doing any number of things after graduation this spring. I entertain notions of designing a clothing line, becoming a stylist, selling real estate, decorating interiors, producing paper goods, writing about any one of those things... I'm all over the place!

If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

My freshman roommate and I have lived together all four years of college and we are hoping to move to New York together after graduation. It's so close to home and I've loved interning there the past two summers (currently for Jonathan Adler and last year for Ralph Lauren). It might take a few months of commuting from home in Connecticut and saving up for astronomical rent costs but that's definitely where I envision myself living for whatever the next few years have in store for me.

Thank you so much, Laura, for having me here today! It's been a pleasure.

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Mackenzie is a design blogger and intern extraordinaire. Visit her at Design Darling for posts on fabulous interiors, amazing DIYs, and her favorite weekly finds.

fantasy monday: queen for a day

I love this weekly feature because it allows me to become more familiar with my favorite bloggers. Wangari is an almost-25-year-old dreamer from Norway. Until she became my latest fantasy feature, I had no idea we shared more than just a love of fashion and "lazing around": we're both self-described writers, have an indescribable fondness for trees, and a desire for a California adventure. So without further ado...

What is your dream job?

If you would have asked me this question a couple of years ago I would have said journalist (that is what I studied at university) but right now, I have no idea. I know that I want to work within a creative field, but can't seem to narrow it down from film (and tv), fashion or publishing. All those areas have a special place in my heart so if I ended up in one of them I would be more than content.

Show us a photo of your dream home.

If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

I think it would be London. After spending three years of university there, I just fell in love with the city, it really felt like home. But I also would love to live in New York and San Francisco just to see if they could be the place that I feel more at home than London.

Name one thing that keeps you grounded.

A good book. I know it sounds weird, but sometimes my family and friends can be just as demanding and stressful as all the craziness that surrounds me, so being able to escape into a well-crafted book is my saviour.

Where do you wish you could vacation next?

I would love to holiday in California. My dream would be to fly to San Francisco, spend some time there, and then hire a car and drive all the way down the state. Dream stops: Napa Valley, Redwood forest, LA, San Diego, and other small cities along the way. If I could take a small trip to Las Vegas as well that would be amazing.

When you "grow up" [when does that happen, anyway?] where do you see yourself?

I see myself (if I can get over my fears) being a full time author. I love, love to write and if I can make my living doing it I would be so happy and proud of myself. I have written some short stories and poems but nothing extensive (yet) and haven't really tried to get some of my creative writing published (unlike my articles etc). So if I can be that person when I "grow up" that would be beyond amazing.

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Wangari is the blogger behind Queen of my Playground. Visit her for great outfit posts, music recommendations, and style inspiration.

fantasy monday: a semi-fab kind of life

Happy Monday everyone! I had a great weekend in the 'burbs with some college friends...made me miss non-city life a bit, but I'm glad to be back. Now for this week's fantasy Monday interview with fellow blogger, Alison, from Life in the Semi-Fab Lane.

I'm a Chicago native and love all things related to fashion, food and interior design. I've been married to my best friend, Dan, for almost 6 years and have a 2 year old son, Jaxon. I've been fortunate enough to remain working in the fashion industry part-time and spending the rest of my time with my family and friends.

Sarah Jessica Parker inspires my fashion choices {to a certain point}. I love accessorizing with strong pieces, as she often does, like shoes or jewelry.

If you were a millionaire... what would your dream closet look like?

I would probably have a closet similar to Olivia Palermo--I love her wide range of style and designers she wears... And she's a millionaire, so how fitting. [Is she really??]

Show us a photo of your dream home.

This is hard because I have a split personality when it comes to design. For today, this would be my dream home. It's so sophisticated and classic with modern elements and I'm really feeling a modern house at the moment.

What is your dream job?

To be able to blog and earn a nice paycheck along the way. It would be a perfect way for me to do what I love as well as spend time with my little one. There's also the important fact that I would not have a boss!

If you could spend one day with someone who inspires you, who would it be and what would you do?

I know this sounds kind of lame, but Kelly Ripa really inspires me. She works hard and seems to manage her work time and family time so well. Plus she has a gorgeous husband and a rockin' body. In fact, if i had to choose a person to switch lives with - it would be her. Great family, awesome job, she's so adorable and she makes tons of money, and the fact that they have a house in the Hamptons and the city! For sure. I would probably just want to spend the day seeing how she lives her life, from the beginning to the end.

Name one thing that keeps you grounded.

My son, Jaxon, period. If I am stressing over something with work or the hassles of everyday nonsense, I just look at him a think "he's all that really matters!" and everything else just seems so less important.

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Alison blogs primarily about interior design, with sprinkles of other pretty fabulous things, at Life in the Semi-Fab Lane.

fantasy monday: hellooo lyndseyyy!

One day, Lyndsey from Hello Lyndsey tweeted that some days she wished she could jump into the lives of other bloggers. I knew what she meant, so I decided to start a new feature where my favorite bloggers/Etsyers/etc could spill their biggest fantasies. Obviously, I had to start with the girl who inspired me... and it was pretty surprising! Take a look:

My name is Lyndsey Meaghan. I grew up in Barnesville, Georgia with my mom and older brother. When I was younger, I had a hard time making friends because I was so different--out of all my classes I was the tallest and the whitest. While working at my grandparents' flea market, I learned a lot about appreciating all the things you have..and appreciating yourself the way God made you.

If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

Paris or New York. I want to move to a more fashionable and fast paced environment.

If you could spend one day with someone who inspires you, who would it be and what would you do?

Rebecca Roe of The Clothes Horse or Kelly Lauren of Kellyshoestrings. I would love to do a photoshoot and share fashion secrets/tips, or have lunch and learn about their lives and the places they live, too!

If you were a millionaire... what would your dream closet look like?

I wouldn't have a dream closet! I'd take the money and pay off my mom's debt and my grandaddy's medical bills. I'd give 10% to my church, donate a percentage to cancer research, buy a small house for my brother, and put the rest into savings.

What keeps you grounded?

God and my mom are the two things that keep me grounded... I have faith that is so strong I can move mountains and a family so loving they could kill.

Sounds like you wouldn't change much about your life, after all!

I said I wished I could trade lives with a fellow blogger because their lives seem perfect, but then I started thinking..in the 18 and a half years I've been alive, I have been through more than anyone else will EVER go through. I have a story to tell. I have seen the worst and the best sides of everything..I would never change my life for anything.

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Lyndsey blogs about plus-size and cheap/chic fashion at Hello Lyndseyyy... and is proud to say, "I am still the tallest and whitest girl in my class!"