Archive for the ‘Quotes’ Category

There’s something different about Italian-made fabric…

Tuesday, April 19th, 2011

“You can tell there’s something different about Italian-made fabric as soon as you touch it. It’s like you can actually feel the GENERATIONS OF CRAFTMANSHIP AND KNOWLEDGE that go into making it.”

-Frank Muytjens

- xo, Julie

Julie Brown is Assistant Creative Director of LIV by Au Lit and Au Lit Fine Linens. Designing, buying and visual merchandising with latte in hand.

An experience of luxury

Friday, July 30th, 2010

I’d like to believe that our beds at LIV are the most luxurious and not to mention cozy beds that can be found in the Greater Toronto Area.


Bella Notte bedding is gorgeous looking. It’s available in many colours and fabrics. Bedding that your heart desires.


Our very own Lavato line mixed in with Chelsea Stripe. Casual, livable luxury.


For a natural color and comfort go with natural linen.

“Nobody minds having what is too good for them” Jane Austin knew what she was talking about. And when it comes to bedding, so do we!
Oh and last but not least, our summer sale is in full swing. Our bedding is now at 20% off!

- xo, Joanna

Joanna Goodman is Co-Owner and Creative Director of LIV by Au Lit and Au Lit Fine Linens. Joanna is also an accomplished author.

Happy Headband Customer!

Saturday, July 10th, 2010

We love when customers share their shopping experiences with us. Catherine from princessavalon.blogspot.com recently purchased these lovely headbands from us and shared it on her blog. Here’s what she said:

… I bought these two headbands from Liv by Au Lit… They are a Toronto-based store, with the prettiest things. (Thank you to Marta for introducing her readers to them!) I have been looking for a long while for whimsical, and high quality hair accessories, and the ‘Tai’ headbands that LIV carries did not disappoint me. :) So very pretty, and so very meticulously made! I feel quite fairy-ish when I wear them.

Of course I had to buy two of them!! lol (Thank you, Zoey! You are a darling!!)

Thanks Catherine, happy you’re loving them!

- xo, Julie

Julie Brown is Assistant Creative Director of LIV by Au Lit and Au Lit Fine Linens. Designing, buying and visual merchandising with latte in hand.

Happy Mother’s Day from Liv by Au Lit…

Sunday, May 9th, 2010

It is as simple as THANK YOU!!! Happy Mother’s Day :)

“A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us when troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.”

- William Irving

“A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.”

- Tenneva Jordan

When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts.  A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.”

- Sophia Loren, Women and Beauty

“A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest.”

-Irish Proverb

“Are we not like two volumes of one book?”

-Marceline Desbordes-Valmore

“You don’t really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around – and why his parents will always wave back. ”

- William D. Tammeus

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY  FROM LIV BY AU LIT!!!

Until the next post….toodles!


Source: Vogue 2008

- xo, Joanna

Joanna Goodman is Co-Owner and Creative Director of LIV by Au Lit and Au Lit Fine Linens. Joanna is also an accomplished author.

From the Streets of Toronto…

Sunday, April 25th, 2010

The city of Toronto is filled with people of great taste and fascinating personalities.Toronto’s street style is the reflection of how awesome Torontonians really are. Amongst many, my favorite images are snapped by the amazing photographers behind Fashion Magazine, Elle Canada, Textstyles, and TorontoVerve. Their work reflects the true essence of our city’s style.

Dressing well is a way of integrating and expressing your personality; it’s a way of finding out about yourself and expressing the knowledge to the world at large. It may not be as complex or revelatory as making a painting or writing a book, but it’s an honest, meaningful method of distinguishing yourself from the pack. And when you’re heading out on your own, it’s always best to carry a map.”

- The Handbook of Style

” What you wear is how you present yourself to the world, especially today, when human contacts are so quick. Fashion is instant language.”

- Miuccia Prada

” Clothes make the ma. Naked people have little or no influence on society.”

- Mark Twain

(more…)

- xo, Joanna

Joanna Goodman is Co-Owner and Creative Director of LIV by Au Lit and Au Lit Fine Linens. Joanna is also an accomplished author.

Elizabeth Gilbert Quote

Friday, April 23rd, 2010

Let’s just anticipate that we (all of us) will disappoint ourselves somehow in the decade to come. Go ahead and let it happen. Let somebody else be a better mother than you for one afternoon. Let somebody else go to art school. Let somebody else have a happy marriage, while you foolishly pick the wrong guy. (Hell, I’ve done it; it’s survivable.) While you’re at it, take the wrong job. Move to the wrong city. Lose your temper in front of the boss, quit training for that marathon, wolf down a truckload of cupcakes the day after you start your diet. Blow it all catastrophically, in fact, and then start over with good cheer. This is what we all must learn to do, for this is how maps get charted—by taking wrong turns that lead to surprising passageways that open into spectacularly unexpected new worlds. So just march on. Future generations will thank you—trust me—for showing the way…

- Elizabeth Gilbert, in O Magazine

Quote via Rants, Raves and Recommendations.

PS. If you haven’t read “Eat, Pray, Love” you can pick up a copy at LIV.

- xo, Julie

Julie Brown is Assistant Creative Director of LIV by Au Lit and Au Lit Fine Linens. Designing, buying and visual merchandising with latte in hand.

Classic Trench…from WWI to Spring 2010!

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

Spring time would not be spring time without a beautiful trench coat…

For me a  classic trench is one of the most important pieces in the closet. It goes with everything and could be worn during any season. It is an “investment” that is worth making.

The trench coat was first created by Thomas Burberry for the British army officers in World War I. It was designed to keep them warm and dry in the trenches (hence the name), and every element of the coat had  a purpose. The waterproof fabric and removable wool lining made it serviceable in all weather; the epaulettes were originally used to hold gloves or service hats; the D-rings on the belt were made to secure grenades; the huge pockets were meant to hold maps and extra ammo. And through unnecessary today, these utilitarian details are maintained in the modern coat.

I am wearing: Ben Sherman Trench;442 McAdam Leather Purse; Part Two Scarf; Tai Headband (everything available at Liv by Au Lit)

From it’s humble beginnings with the officers to the glitz and glam of fashion royalty, Burberry trend is iconic!. With every season new designs and interpretations of this classic are available on the market…

…and these are my favorite from Spring 2010 runways!

  • Fresh and Fun at Marc by Marc Jacobs.
  • Romantic and Charming at Cynthia Steffe.
  • Daring and Bold at  3.1. Philip Lim.
  • Simple and Casual at Milly.
  • Classic re-invented at Burberry Prorsum.

From casual to evening wear a trench coat will keep you looking mysterious and classic!

IMG_6825

Until the Next Post…. Toodles!!!


Source: style.com; Nina Garcia " Little Black Book of Style" ( available at Liv by Au Lit)
- xo, Joanna

Joanna Goodman is Co-Owner and Creative Director of LIV by Au Lit and Au Lit Fine Linens. Joanna is also an accomplished author.

“Winter Rut”…. Nonsense!

Sunday, January 17th, 2010

“Winter Rut”…I say nonsense! Ladies, cheer up! Winter really isn’t all that bad… and although the majority of our fashion choices are a reflection of our state of mind (such as feeling down), it is actually quite easy to spark that creative note. I promise! Yes, winter is cold. And yes, you can still look fabulous throughout it. All you need is a little inspiration and a positive outlook.

Think of it as a challenge… a possibility to further develop your own personal style. Plus, I think that winter is the time to stand out and not blend it. It is your chance to be fabulous and shine, while everyone else is complaining about how cold it is and how hard it is to wear anything other than Uggs and thermal hoodies. It’s time for us to embrace the beauty of Canadian winters and put our best (and warmest!) foot forward!!!!

Here are some things to look forward to and to be inspired by….WHY NOT BE FABULOUS??? Inspire and Be Inspired!!!!

When Feeling Down Think of Shoes!

♥ Put Your Best Foot Forward

♥ Play Dress-up with Your Man – take him shopping, make it all about him. Spoil your man ( think of the many times, he has spoiled you). It is a very rewarding experience.

Create a Cozy Nook … where you can catch up on your reading, or just relax over a cup of tea while.

( Furniture available at LIV by Au Lit)

Prada Spring 2010

♥  Find  a Perfect Pair of Jeans - the hardest challenge, but with the greatest reward.

( such as this pair of fabulous Black Orchid skinnies, available at Liv by Au Lit)

Have Fun with Accessories

Cozy Up in a Super Warm Sweater Dress

Wear Your Favorite Coat

♥ Burberry Spring 2010

♥ Embrace the Beauty of Winter… it is actually quite beautiful!!!

” FASHION CAN BE BOUGHT. STYLE ONE MUST POSSESS.”

- Edna Woolman Chase

P.S. Always remember that you’re fabulous!!!

Until the next post.. toodles!


Sources: fashion gone rogue; fashion spot; google images; jak&jil; the sartorialist; sea of shoes
- xo, Joanna

Joanna Goodman is Co-Owner and Creative Director of LIV by Au Lit and Au Lit Fine Linens. Joanna is also an accomplished author.

Book It…

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

BOOKS…some will cringe at the thought, but most are delighted by their beauty and charm.

“Reading is one of  life’s greatest  pleasures, affording  us the opportunity  to immerse ourselves in different places, events and lives…As referring sources they satisfy our curiosity, answer questions, and offer the perfect recipe.”

LOVING BOOKS

A book can take you on an emotional roller-coaster ride, to a different universe, inside Coco Chanel’s studio, teach you the latest in Italian cuisine, or break down the basics of a perfect outfit.  There is a book for everyone… and that, I am convinced of! Personally, I love all kinds of books… but my absolute favorite are classic novels, the ones that withstood the test of time, the ones that are a part of  history. However, I am always reading something on art or architecture…at times for joy, but mostly for university. And of course, on the other side of  the spectrum are my other favorites: fashion and lifestyle books!!! Easy to read…easy to enjoy…and always offer something new to learn!

Here are some of my favorites lifestyle and fashion books…to add a touch of fabulous to your life.

The Little Black Book of Style by Nina Garcia ( available at Liv for $25.99)

♥  The Style Strategy by Nina Garcia ( available at Liv for $27.99)

That Extra Half and Inch by Victoria Beckham

The Lucky  Shopping Manual by  Kim France and  Andrea Linett ( available at Liv for $33)

The Lucky Guide to  Mastering Any Style by  Kim France and  Andrea Linett ( available at Liv for $33)

The Gospel According to Coco Chanel by  Karen Karbo

♥  Secrets of  Gorgeous by Esther Blum (available at Liv for $16.95)

Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style by Tim Gunn

♥  Style by Kate Spade ( available at Liv for $30)

The Sartorialist by  Scott Schuman  ( available at Liv for $31)

Vintage Shopping by  Melody Fortier ( available at Liv for $24.95)

LIVING WITH BOOKS

If you’re a book lover and a collector ( like me) this book will make your day… Living with Books by Alan Powers ( available at Liv for $25.95)! The book is fantastic, filled with many ways to incorporate books into your home décor. I honesty freaked out when I saw it… I’ve always love to display my books as they add that perfect touch of personality to any space; but this book just takes it to a whole new level.

♥   In  a home library, form meets function. Shelves with grid of multi-sized compartments  are appealing architectural elements that are also  hardworking. Take advantage of horizontal  surfaces such as tables, to display  striking  covers and binding.

♥ To enhance a stunning contemporary living room, a collection of beautiful volumes is neatly tucked into a sleek paneled wall unit. Here, their bright colors add vibrant note without disturbing  the overall harmony  of the setting.

♥ Don’t forget to make good use of odd spaces, from stairs and landings to hallways. Try mixing  books with other objects, such as collectibles and pottery,  to create character, charm  and interest.

♥ A  wrought iron stand in the kitchen is a lovely and  effective  solution for storing cookbooks alongside bottles, plants and other knick and knacks. Under the  counter space is another great option.

All  that I can say now… is have fun!

Until the next post…toodles!!!


Souces: fashion gone rogue; fashion spot; sarah klassen; this is glamorous.
- xo, Joanna

Joanna Goodman is Co-Owner and Creative Director of LIV by Au Lit and Au Lit Fine Linens. Joanna is also an accomplished author.

On fashion:

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”

- Coco Chanel (as stolen from Susie Bubble’s fabulous Homepage)

www.stylebubble.co.uk

- xo, Joanna

Joanna Goodman is Co-Owner and Creative Director of LIV by Au Lit and Au Lit Fine Linens. Joanna is also an accomplished author.