what waldo wore

So I stayed up until midnight last night, working on this danged hat. And I threw in a picture of the cat, just 'cause.



shirt: goodwill
jeans: rugged wearhouse
belt: express
converse: gift from hubby
glasses: target (they came in a pack of four, so i was giving them away today)

Christmas present idea for the guys?

J is trying to cover wall space in his music room; I can see these working pretty well. All about $7, all from allposters.com. 

excuses, excuses

So this evening I'm rapidly knitting a hat for my waldo costume tomorrow. Hence, no posts. Pictures to come, I promise! 

the awesome polaroid-er

Since the film is no longer available, now there's this. Sadly it's currently only for macs, but the windows version is coming in November. Loves it! 

wednesday wonderfulness, volume 14

I know, it's late, and I didn't post yesterday, and life is crazy. But good! I'm doing 4 shoots this week, so I'm a little swamped on the editing. But in other, more exciting news, I'm trying out a new recipe for homemade chai, and if it works I'll be sure to pass it on. 

• free downloadable photoshop actions! I'm trying out a few of these. 
• a daily roller boogie email! How awesome is that. 
• personalized onesies--wouldn't this be a great shower gift? 
• If you're a PG Wodehouse fan, as I am, then I think you'll like these. They definitely capture the madcap comedy that I love about his writing. 

More later, I hope. 

ever feel like all you've done this weekend is take pictures?

Saturday morning we had the "for fun" photoshoot (pictures coming soon, I promise!), Sunday afternoon I had an engagement shoot, and this morning I did pictures of eight sisters that were fellow homeschoolers growing up.




Aren't they gorgeous?

a girl can dream

So Bluefly has an additional 30% off all clearance, today only. Droooool.


Originally $439, now $307

Originally $214, now $150


Originally $128, now $90


Originally $230, now $161.

sneak peek from today's photoshoot

Trust me: the photos are amazing! Even if it did rain.

living in fast-forward again

So tonight we're having the youth group over and there will be much shooting of potato guns and eating of s'mores, so I've spent the day cleaning (sort of--the teens don't care, but I do) and burning photo CDs for the shoots I need to deliver and sorting out the clothing for the shoot we're doing early tomorrow morning. My sister and a friend from church are modeling (is it bad that I picked her because of her hair color?), I'm shooting, and my other sister was supposed to be doing hair/makeup/styling, but her mother-in-law went into the hospital yesterday, so they had to drive up and be with her. I'm hoping things will be fine, but I'm SORELY going to miss her skillz--she's pretty amazing. 

So anyway, the above is what my office currently looks like. Yes, it's a mess, and yes, I hate it, but there are always about seventeen other things that are more important than cleaning it. Like editing photos. And going to the Salvation Army to find more fabulousity to use in photo shoots. And repainting my toenails. And developing the best oatmeal raisin cookies in the world. 

So anyway, the theme of tomorrow's shoot is plaids, gloves, hats, and spats. Lovely, no? We're shooting in a little downtown I've never used before, so I'm excited. 

Interesting details to note: technically, this photo qualifies as feline friday, because Lewis is in the shot. It will have to do, because I don't have time to take another. Also, he is angry at me for giving him a bath, so he's not into posing. Other details: the long blue dress hanging on the right is the bridesmaid's dress. The pink one behind it is the one for the art show. The heap on the bed/couch (ced? bouch?) is the clothing and accessories collection that I need to sort for tomorrow's shoot. No, this is not my whole wardrobe, not by a long shot. Much of it doesn't fit me, which is why it qualifies as "props." The books piled on the bench are my current library books. 

In other news: read the Wednesday Sisters. It is lovely, and might make you cry. Also, these pumpkin bars are delicious. Also, I am pathologically unable to resist buying a vintage hat if it costs less than $3. Hence I have some strange and not necessarily attractive hats. Also, I have only had one shot of espresso today. I have no idea if my manic energy is coming through in this post, but it's definitely present, and I'm bracing myself for the crash. 

fifty ways to say "i love you" to life

Inspired by GalaDarling, I submit my list. 

Wear something sparkly • Splash in puddles • Surround yourself with yummy-smelling-ness • Invent a word • Dance when you're all alone • Drink tea that blooms • Walk through the grocery like a robot and smile on the inside • Laugh wholeheartedly • Make a mixtape of songs that make you happy • Write down one thing, every day, that you're thankful for • Wear a tiara • Say "I love you" as often as you can • Wear something yellow • Discover a new sport • Defy expectations • Memorize one recipe that you can make without thinking • Talk in a different accent • Learn to say "I love you" in another language • Go to a pet store and cuddle a rodent • Wear a pair of scandalous undies • Tell a random stranger when you love her outfit • Wear false eyelashes • Organize your "junk drawer" • Sleep on fabulous sheets • Make yourself breakfast and eat it in bed • Acquire a roll of colored duct tape, just in case • Learn to change a tire • Pin your favorite pictures on the wall • Wear red lipstick • Learn a new instrument • Write a song • Play a kazoo • Walk around carrying a bunch of balloons and share them with strangers • Make up calling cards to share with friends • Reinvent the wheel • Ask an elderly person to tell you about their favorite birthday • Make earprints of all your friends and frame them • Try skipping instead of walking • Wear rainboots when it's not raining • Draw a mustache on your bathroom mirror • Paint your toenails your favorite color • Call someone you haven't talked to in a month • Write a letter on paper • Learn to raise one eyebrow • Develop an old roll of film • Jump on a trampoline in a fully petticoat • Watch the sunset in complete silence • Play a kazoo • Stretch like a cat • Dream impossible things. 

head to toe love

So one of the sisters and I were having a discussion about SATC: The Movie and she mentioned that, while she loved the outfit inspiration, rarely would she wear a whole outfit. I disagreed, and here's proof. I would wear any of these if I even thought I had the figure for them. (And most of them despite the fact that I'm not a well-tone SJP.)



The shoes that go with this one are AMAZING. I love the strong prints. (She has the BEST coat collection.) 

So this one you never get a really good full-length image, but it has this amazing bustle-y thing in the back. And isn't the fabric amazing? 

There's only a full shot of this from the back. 

Here's the front. Sexy librarian, anyone? 

You know, every time I try the "showing my bra" thing, it looks retarded. But I love the way it dresses down what is essentially a cocktail dress. 

A jumpsuit! Love! 

The awesome belt. Again. 

Knee socks + heels = awesomeness. 

Yummy. Also: isn't the redo of her apartment amazing? I think I need to paint my office that color. 

And, of course, the wedding dress with blue shoes. Perfect. 

wednesday wonderfulness, volume 13

This will be a short edition, I think. I've a trip to Ikea planned this evening, and since it's two hours away, that sort of cuts into things. But lots of super-helpful links this week. 

• painfully hip knows what to wear while losing weight. 
• If you've heard references to Edie Beale but have no idea what they're talking about, here's a brief overview. Of course, there's also this. 
• I love this: the seven days of red lipstick challenge and the verdict. 
• Already Pretty has great ideas on how to dress if you, like me, have a stomach that isn't flat. 
• 35 awesome photoshop tutorials. I'm going to try some of these as soon as I get time. 
• I think I've linked to this before, but in PDF form. Living a Life of Creativity. 

what to wear for your first "real" art show

Well, sort of. See, there's this Starbucks Art Show thing, and I submitted this photo, and it got in. And I'm quite terrified that it's because everything else was just terrible, but there you have it. So anyway, I just acquired a hot pink dress from JCrew, and I think it will be the perfect thing, and it made me think of this outfit from SATC: The Movie. 



Obviously I'm not going to be literal--my legs do not look like that!--but I liked the vibe, so here's what I've sort of come up with.


what to wear for your first art show by vintagechica

That is the exact dress from JCrew, and I want to look artsy but fabulous. Also, I cannot wear booties (although they would be fabulous) because I would then have cankles. So, no. Anyway, do you think I should add white gloves, or would that be over the top? (Also, if you're in the DC area that night, I would love it if you dropped by!) 

I wanna be a cowboy baby

So yesterday I found a pair of awesomely weathered cowboy boots at the thrift store, and I fell madly in love with them. When I got home to the freezing cold house, I immediately had to change so that I could wear them. They're a little big, so I may not end up keeping them, but they are strangely comfy. 

Also: I either need to run more or give up on the skinnies. I realize this. However, I shall probably not do either. :D

Shirt/boots/scarf: thrifted

jeans: stolen from sister

cat: everpresent (he's curled up on my lap as I type this)

shout-out to readers

So posting this week will probably not be as prolific as I'd like; I'm still adjusting to being back at Sbucks. Loving it, but that means a lot less time on the computer, and since I can't skimp on my photo editing time, I have to cut on the blogging. Tres sad. 

Anyway, if you've ever commented and left your blog address, I'm probably reading your blog, and loving it. But I know there are a lot more readers out there, so leave a comment on this post, and give me your address, and I'll so start reading. Please do, because I love adding to my current feeds! 

snapshots of a weekend

Last week le husband convinced me to take a day off, so we ended up doing that on Friday. We drove up to Annapolis, where we strolled about downtown and ate ice cream. We also stopped in an accessories store called Pinktini, and, while much of it was a little too over-the-top for me, there was some fabulous inspiration to be found. See also: I think I need to make myself a fascinator! We also checked out a couple of local thrift stores; reviews coming soon. 

Saturday we shot a wedding in Easton, and it was lovely. I'll try to get some of those up today. My favorite moment was the time the mother of the bride was trying to click her heels together, and, hampered by her pencil skirt, hiked it up until you could see the tops of her thigh-highs. Don't worry--I got a picture. 

Sunday we got to go to the local wine festival. Twas a gorgeous, sunny, windy day, perfect for tasting wine and mulled cider. Sadly, we only had about an hour and a half to spend there, so I tried to get as much tasting in as possible. Sad fact: I was wobbly. Also sad fact: le husband and I have exact opposite tastes in wines; I like the dry whites and very smooth reds (working on it!) where he prefers those reds that sort of kick you in the back of the throat. !!! 

So there you have it: ramblings, and an explanation of why I haven't posted in a while. I don't have pictures of any of the above, because when I'm not being paid to do it, sometimes I like to just not take pictures and instead enjoy life. 

Happy news: am doing a "just for fun" photo shoot this weekend, with a plaid, spats, hats, and tights vibe. So fun! 

re: the project runway finale

Am very glad LeeAnne won, despite her distressingly bad hair. (Seriously, darling, if it always looks that stringy, chop it off or pin it up.) She was the only person I saw bringing something new to the table and offering something we hadn't seen before, although all the collections were brilliantly executed. 

Also:: I heart Tim Gunn. 

the great purse pattern hunt

So I've decided that for my two sisters-in-law, instead of knitting scarves for Christmas, I'm going to sew purses. One seems more of a clutch type, while the other will like a tote, I think. The above is the style of clutch I think I'll make, and the pattern is found here. However, in the process I found a bunch of other super-lovely patterns, and decided to share. There's the rather cheeky wristlet, a simple velvet clutch, and a vintage crocheted clutch. Love that, rather. 

So I think is what I will make for the other sister-in-law, pattern found here. It's not exactly a tote, but I can so see her loving it. However, I found about a bazillion tote bag patterns, so here you go. There's a very sleek looking almost-messenger bag (make it in corduroy for a guy), a very basic tote that has those straps that go round, a one-yard, one hour tote (last-minute Christmas gifts, anyone?), a gorgeous beach bag, a reversible tote, and...a purse from a book. (Loves it!) That should keep us all sewing for a while. 

top five film soundtracks, your picks

So filmspotting did an episode and talked about their top five soundtracks of all time. Here are mine (it's hard, ok?), and nominate yours in the comments. I love soundtracks for their ability to expose me to artists I might not otherwise hear. 

• The Full Monty - it is hilarious, and that's just all there is to it.
• Drop Dead Gorgeous - I love this movie! And the songs are fantastic. Worth the purchase just for "Lost Picasso."
• Sleepless in Seattle. All around a good "date" mix.
• The Last Kiss. Probably my single favorite album of last year. Each song mixed with the others is so much greater than the songs on their own.
• High Fidelity. John Cusak films generally have good music, this one also features Jack Black singing "Let's Get it On." BRILLIANT. 

What are your faves?

wednesday wonderfulness, volume 12

So this will probably be short, but hopefully good. 

• Prim Magazine. Another online 'zine, this one put together by a 14-year-old. But good, really. 
• via gala: the selby. Photos inside the homes of amazing creatives. inspiration abounds. 
• gorgeous sisters in an awesome hat. 
• and a pattern to knit a similar hat. Also, an AMAZING mask. 
• I have no idea if these are for sale, but add them to the enchantingly lovely nursery art list. 
• this is why we love japanese craft mags. They know the value of whitespace. 
• and a dress that makes me think of a giant box of marzipan. I MUST make myself a tutu, pronto! 
• random: there's going to be a new character on Gossip Girl??? 

Ok lovies, must run. I've got to meet with a client and then go carve pumpkins. Lovely, no? 

an important announcement

I think I am tipsy. No, that's not the announcement, but if there are any egregious spelling errors, blame it on that. The announcement is: this is the year I am completing NaNoWriMo. It's like this: I'm only working 20 hours a week at Sbucks, I'm only have two weddings in the month of November, and I don't have any kids. If I can't do it now, if I can't produce 50,000 words of absolute drivel, if I can't check off this one thing, then I'll probably never get around to it. 

This has been a year of seizing the moment, and so far it's had an amazing payoff. I don't know iof this will bring that to a screeching halt, but it's worth a try. So, is anyone with me? (B, I'm looking at you. Also M. J, you are off the hook because of that wretched test. But Porkchop? Seriously, I will wet my pants laughing at anything you write.) 

Side note: I'll be blogging content (maybe) here. I will also turn off the comments, because trust me: I am a sucky writer. V. good editor, but writing is much more labored for me. 

In other news, I have watched SATC: the movie, for the fourth time, and now I want sparklies. But maybe not those shoes I posted earlier. 

the search for the silver shoes

So have I mentioned that I am in a wedding next year? My BIL is getting married, and his fiancee has asked me to be in it as well as shooting it. (It was my decision to try to do both, and I'm looking forward to the challenge.) So anyway, she has already picked out the dresses--they were being discontinued, so we got them for cheap, for which I am VERY grateful--and we get to pick our own shoes. They have to be silver, and here's the thing: I never wear silver shoes. So I'm trying to find something fabulous that I'll actually wear later. In addition, they have to be something easy to walk in so that I can I shoot at least the majority of the wedding in them. (That doesn't rule out heels at all, just anything that I can't get to stay on my feet.) So here are some ideas. 



So I love the retro vibe of these, and can totally see wearing them again later with tights. Buuuuut, they're more than $200. And maybe a little too chunky for the dress?


Simple, classic, ankle-strap means it will stay on. Good price, but maybe a little boring? 


Love the heel, love the funkier vibe, but would I rewear them? 

Totally re-wearable, but cankle-inducing? And again, too "street shoe" for a floor-length dress? $74 



I'm completely torn on these. In theory, they have a fabulous retro vibe, but in reality, I'm terrified that they would leave a trail of sparkles. $60. 


I love the slightly thirties vibe here, but mesh inserts? But then, very workable with the dress and totally rewearable later and super-comfy for the day. But mesh inserts? Hmmm. 


Yes, I know I have until July of next year for this, but you know I can't resist an excuse to drool over shoes. Anyway, this is quite the quandary. Suggestions?

wallpaper monday:: hinges

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::is tired::

Warning: pointless post ahead. 

So you know how most people get to relax on weekends? Yes, well, my schedule is sort of backwards. I typically shoot weddings on Saturday (yesterday we were there for 12 hours) and Sundays, if there are no engagement shoots or family pictures, are still full of youth group and usually an hour or two of photo editing. So basically I work 7 days a week or so at my business, and I started back at Sbucks this past week. I'm not whining, and I love my life, but right now I'm veryvery tired and wish there were room in my brain for a single creative thought. On the bright side, le husband has convinced me to take a day off this week! Thursday I shall not work. At all. Next thing you know I'll be ripping the tags off mattresses. 

In other news, I want to see this. It has my two most favorite actresses in it, and that's all I need to know. 

today I love: vintage jewelry

All from luVintage.

etsylove:: covet

Oh. My. Word. I want this bag with a passion normally reserved for shoes.
from Katie Mclellan. She also makes amazing little funny-looking-guys. 

wednesday wonderfulness, volume 11

• So these are pretty much the cutest baby shower decorations I've ever seen. I think I'm in love with the first picture, mainly. Such a great idea! 
• super awesome tips on becoming a morning person if you're not. (Of course, I prefer my solution: work for yourself so you don't have to BE a morning person.) 
• how to spice up a stretch of wall: add a moorish window. 
• a very awesome article on how to fail as a photographer. 
• Tyler Durden (brad pitt's character in Fight Club) eight rules of innovation. Love this. Think I may need to have it printed to hang on the wall. 
• Suddenly I desperately need a colored leather jacket. 
• a brief history of new york street fashion. Love this! Such awesome (and sometimes terrifying) trends. 
• Marlon Brando's hats. I'm trying bring back men wearing hats. Not being a man, it's rather difficult. 

strangely compelling

What's your color IQ? Mine is 15. 

want to whip up a batch of this

So olive oil is pretty much the best moisturizer ever, and I love using it on both my legs and face. However, it takes FOREVER to soak in, and in the meantime leaves a trail of oiliness wherever I touch fabric. Which is why this recipe sounds like such a brilliant idea. (via CRAFT)

truly, really, honestly

Inspiration is a wonderful thing, right? Well, I just counted, and I follow approx. 206 RSS feeds. Some are prolific, some not so much, and some sites I check on my blackberry so regularly I don't have to bookmark the feed. (Fug girls, anyone?) So in the interest of full disclosure, I'll share, for reals, the stuff I actually click on first. But only if you promise to 'fess up, too, in the comments. Deal? Warning: the first-click stuff isn't usually inspirational. It's probably going to be embarrassing to admit. 

• photoshop disasters. I know it's sad, but if there is something in the feed, I MUST READ IT. It's like an obsession. (Fact: jcrew is on there a LOT. Their photo editors need to get their act together.) 
• Gallery of the Absurd. This and Fug are the only celeb blogs that I read. (I was sucked into the black vortex for a while, but I got over it.) She's funny and witty and genuinely creative, so I kind of love her. 

Ok, so that's it for embarrassing. My next clicks are usually:

• gala darling - bubbling over with life, joy, and pink hair
• sea of shoes. Amazing shoes, amazing style, I want her shopping budget. Seriously. 
• avant-garde fashion photography. Love. this. Stream. 

So there you have it. My for-reals top five clicks of the day. Now, please fess up to yours! 

wallpaper monday

So as part of my ongoing challenge to push myself on the photographic front, I'm going to try to post a wallpaper-worthy photo every Monday. For me, this is tough because I hate taking pictures of anything that is not a person. I just feel so cliched. (Look at me! With my macro lens! Taking pictures of flowers! I so went through that phase when I was fifteen.) But I need to get out of my comfort zone, so this might help. Anyway, this pinecone was captured last Thursday, when I was doing a photo shoot of le sister and son. I love the rays of sun and the sparkly bokeh (that's the round, sequinny-looking bluriness in the background).


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y'know, if you want to store up ideas for christmas

Unfortunately, it's out of stock. But you get the idea. From Elum Stationery. 

why boys get married

So someone will take their wardrobe in hand.

This is from the first time we "hung out." Please note that I am drenched through, which explains the terrifying hair. It does not, however, explain the zip-front polarfleece or the white sneakers. Or the haircut.


Shortly after our engagement. This is the point at which we started to refer to him as "poolboy"


Two weekends ago. We pretty much have to color his hair in some way; it's baby fine, so coloring it gives it texture. Currently he's rocking the concept of not actually fixing his hair. I can dig that. Please also note that his eyebrows are no longer taking over the world.

what I wore on Thursday

military-style jacket, granny sweater: thrifted
blue tunic: deliasjeans: H&Mboots: ebaynecklace: swapped