this is my house and life right now

vintage bowties, a dress we're recutting (wait till you see the before shots!), chiffon rosettes. And it's only getting awesomer from here. Think queen anne's lace and feathers.

sobering, but a good read

via galadarling

But the moment I put my very human craving for admiration in someone else's hands is the moment I lost what was worth admiring. -dirty pictures I didn't want taken

quote

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in everything,
That’s how the light gets in.
-Leonard Cohen

wednesday wonderfulness

well lovelies, I'm not sure exactly what I have for you this week, but I'll throw it at you nonetheless.

• long and super-interesting article on the creative process behind selfridge's windows.
• lovely flower headband how-to!
• if you don't understand them, this is a good breakdown of the five love languages. Understanding these has helped my communication SO MUCH. You have no idea.
• I'm loving this mix
• lady gaga cookies! FANTASTICO.
• how amazing is this tshirt refashion? complete adorbs!
• um, I love this jewelry, and I'm pretty sure it's DIY-able. Yes?
• wow. incredibly powerful. (warning, kind of... sensitive? I guess? maybe NSFW?)
• tips for flying and being fab all at the same time
• love this style profile of kelly wearstler
• hahahaha. SO SO TRUE.
• finance and the fashion blogger. Hmm. Some good thoughts here.
• these images immediately had me scurrying to ebay looking for jewel-toned suede heels. (No, I didn't buy anything!)
• can we all just pause and realize that naomi campbell is 40? Um, yeah.
• love the styling on this shoot
• I submitted one of my favorite ever photos for the cover of professional photographer magazine. Long shot, I know, but hey! It's good to challenge oneself.

That's all for now, lovelies!

the summer obsession starts again

So I may have purchased the pair of jeans in this image by pulling every pair of skinny white jeans I could find in Marshall's, trying them all on, and taking pictures of my butt in the mirror. I then flipped through and compared images, and the best butt won. Suffice it to say: these make my backside look FANtastic.

So. You already know how much I love wearing white in the summer, and regularly wear it head to toe. Well, I know it's not summer yet, but I'm loving putting my usual skinny jeans on the shelf and wearing white ones instead. They add a punch of freshness to all my outfits. Current favorite outfit: white jeans, turquoise three-quarter-sleeve tee, brown patent wedges. Comfy, flattering, springy, but not over the top.

How do you handle transition outfits, dear ones?

oh goodness

How much do I love every single swimsuit in this post? A lot, that's how much.

happy monday!

It's Mr. Snorts! And he was "helping" to paint and got paint all over his whiskers. And nothing makes a monday better than an adorable, smushable face like that. Amiright?

self-portrait sunday

I've decided that in an effort to continue to push myself out of my comfort zone, I'm going to do a self-portrait every week for the last year of my twenties. What's more, I'm actually publishing these efforts on my flickstream. I KNOW. So here's the second one; we're counting one from last week as my first.

family pictures

On my awesome couch that cost $10 at Salvation army. I've given up on the very idea of having nice furniture, at least for now. Because besides one dog, one cat, and one hedgehog, we have a houseful of teenage boys at least one night a week. And they are way more important than a nice--or even clean--house.


True confession: I should have been editing photos, but I didn't feel like it. So I dragged out the tripod and started taking pictures. ::ashamed panda::

adding a pop of awesome to any outfit

My current favorite online store is Karmaloop; I don't wear a lot of their style, but I am in mad mad love with their accessories. Much of their jewelry is really reasonably priced, so I had to share some of the pieces I'm loving.



Nom nom nom! Lunch! Fork & Knife necklace, $17.50
Look, it's a cupid's arrow! I love the idea of pairing this with some vintage brooches. Love Struck Charm Pin, $9.95


Camels! Rugs! Monies! What's not to love? Make a Wish Charm Necklace, $33.95


I've been macking on two-finger rings, and this one is particularly delicate and feminine, I think. Twig Ring, $24


It's a ring that SMILES at you! How better to cheer up on a grey day? Smiley World Double Ring, $10.95


Um, want. Knuckles Earrings, $30


It wibbles and wobbles but it doesn't fall down! Cluster Ring, $15.95


Bows were all over the runways, and this is a chic way to tie them into your look. Ocho Ring, $32


Get your tickets to the gun show! Bang Bang Chain, $24


More bows! With sparkles! In a necklace form! Beaded Bow Necklace, $23.95


It's glasses! It's a ring! Who cares: it's Betsey Johnson. Double Finger Sunglasses Ring, $34


I think I may need this. Camera Dangle Ring, $36

wednesday wonderfulness

Hullo lovelies! It looks like my week might slow down a teeny tiny bit after today, but the beginning of the week was BRUTAL. However, I seem to have survived. Yay! On to the good stuff.

• a rainbow birthday party! YES. (And she changed her clothes every hour to a different color.)
• mmm. lovely movies about design.
• also, 25 most fashionable movies. Have seen some, need to add others to the queue.
• I really kind of want this.
• octopus jewelry!
• you know, I thought these were the most beautiful family photos ever, until I saw these.
• omg. how to make the awesome shoes I've been massively coveting.
• um, the necklace? I WANT. Also, how simple would it be to do?
• thoughts on freelance life.
• how make cupcake pops! I want to do this.
• um, I love these shoes and think I've figured out a way to DIY a pair.

That's all for now, lovelies!

an awesome birthday surprise!

Remember how I loved this necklace? Well imagine my delight when a small, square package arrived on my birthday and I opened it to find this:

There was definitely sqee-ing. I can't wait to plan an outfit around it! See: my readers are officially The Coolest Ever. That is all.

an embarrassment of pugly awesome

Mr. Shorty had his first play date last week when a friend brought over his pug, So for a while the cuteness at our house was CUBED.

That's shorty on the left, elwood on the right.
Shorty looks alarmed!

Elwood likes to pose.

Pugs everywhere!

it's about to get crazy in here, people

Well, lovelies, I'm now into the last year of my twenties, and I'm determined to make it the most effective, exciting, and healthy of my life. I'm trying to build habits that I should have, get rid of ones that are slowing me down, and generally turn 30 not only looking better than I ever have before, but being healthy inside and out. In addition, this is going to be the year when I really push myself artistically and watch things happen.

Consider yourself warned, people. 'Cause this is still where I vent/try new stuff/throw things at the wall and see what sticks. It may get OUT OF CONTROL.

how to: throw a really simple and fun birthday celebration

Take cupcakes. Add champagne. Add good friends and family. ENJOY!

in which I get all introspective

Because I'm almost old, people! Last birthday in my twenties. But for all my whining, I'm actually super-excited about turning 30 next year: I've finally accepted the fact that no, I'll never have my life completely figured out. I'll never be exactly where I think I should be as an individual/artist/professional/sister/wife/whatever. But I will do my best to live in this moment, in this day, to take this opportunity and just love people as hard as I can.

So in the spirit of navel-gazing I went mucking about in my archives to see how I've spent previous birthdays, and I realized something shocking: I've been throwing my blather at the internets since 2003. Yikes. But anyway, it would appear that for previous birthdays I have:

eaten ice cream cake (2009)

done nothing noteworthy (2008)

hosted a slumber party? (2007)

gone shoe shopping (2006) and yes I still have the shoes

gotten engaged (2005)

made thai food (2004) (sorry the pictures don't work on that one)

And before that I have no idea.

Today I'm planning pedis with a dear friend, meeting someone re: an upcoming photo shoot, and a super-awesome edition of champagne Thursday tonight to celebrate with all the friends and family. Cupcakes will be involved. Don't worry: we'll take pictures. Until then, I have some celebrating to do.

happy birthday to me

yeahhhhh, so I stopped by Marshall's the other night looking for a new pair of shooting pants (mine are too big) and instead I left with this little gem. In my defense, I've been wanting a fantastic purse for a while, but I'm usually all picky about "must be REAL LEATHER." However, this looks really good, and OHMYWORD the studs.

There were a couple of other colors, but the white was decidedly the best. It's the perfect size, too: I can throw in everything I need PLUS a book.

A tassel you say? Why yes thank you!

I think the best part is the fact that this cost $30, and it really doesn't look like a thirty-dollar purse. (I ran it by the sisters to be sure.)

wednesday wonderfulness, colorful edition!

Hey lovelies! Um, so. Craziness? IT GOT SQUARED. In an awesome way. I really shouldn't even be typing this (I should be editing), but, um, I'm still awake, so what the hey. Ok, so. Good stuff.

• four day work week. Love this idea; would be happy if I could get down to a six-day work week. But fantastic concept, and one I'll mull.
• 12 things that make Katie smile. What makes YOU smile? My list might include: the glee soundtrack, Mr Shorty, and new shoes.
• I *heart* this photo montage. So much.
• I think I have my next tattoo figured out. This one will be white ink, contain an ee cummings reference, and maybe this constellation?
• thoughtful presents for your girlfriends! (also thoughtful: contaminating one's house with a Twilight tshirt because it's your friend's 21st birthday. I CAN FEEL IT SUCKING THE LIFEFORCE OUT OF ME.)
• I love these ads: hooray beer! says the beautiful man.
• how amazing is this photo project?
• um, pretty photos and pretty photos. yes please.
• ahhhhh! pretty soda pop!
• salted fudge brownies. UM, WANT.
• also, if you don't read my photography blog, I'm hosting my first photography workshop, and I only have two spots left.

Have an awesome week, darlings! Tomorrow is my birthday, and I'm having a champagne and cupcakes party. So hopefully I'll get some pictures of that for you all. Otherwise I'm going to be so absent it's not even funny.

meet mr. pugglesworth

This little charmer has arrived at our house as a kind of sort of not-really birthday surprise for me. His official name is Mr. Snorty, which I find slightly disturbing and cokehead-esqe. So far I keep managing to call him Mr. Shorty completely by accident.

He's very shy, a trait that he'll have to get over rather quickly, seeing as we ALWAYS have a houseful of people. Please note mollified expression. Also my very sexy glasses/converse combination.
He's three years old, so he is housebroken, which is lovely. I don't think I could handle puppy-training right now. He is pure-bred, and he's quite the cuddler. My husband is madly, deeply in love.

on being happy

So here's the thing: depression runs in my family. My mom is an undiagnosed bipolar, and several of my siblings struggle with depression to some degree. I'm not medicated, and there are days when I can feel myself sliding toward a black abyss, so I've learned to recognize those signs and control what I can to keep myself healthy. When I don't, when I let that chemical imbalance win, well, that's when I start losing sleep and throwing up my meals. So instead of that, here's what I do:

• exercise. Exercise releases endorphins, a known picker-upper. And when I'm stressed or down, a quick run or workout can sometimes be the trigger I need to get back into a healthy frame of mind.
• clean house. This one is tricky, because I hatehatehate cleaning. But I also hate a dirty house. So when I feel things starting to get dark, sometimes a quick scrub-up is all that's needed. Often rearranging furniture makes me happy, too.
• time alone. If you know me in person this might surprise you, but I am completely an introvert, in that I have to have time by myself to recharge. One of my favorite pick-me-ups is an evening spent browsing a bookstore all by myself, holding a cup of coffee, flicking through the latest in glossy magazines, rummaging through the shelves to discover new favorites. My husband graciously understands this need, and helps me schedule in those times of quiet as needed. Sometimes it means kicking everyone out of the house so that I can have peace and quiet, and he's awesome at that.
• surrounding myself with beauty. This may sound silly, but since I'm a very visual person, I MUST HAVE good wallpapers on my phone, and I have to have little spots of prettiness throughout my house. Even if the house is messy, every time I pick up my phone and see a gorgeous image, it makes my heart jump a little. I cannot recommend myxer highly enough, btw. I use it to convert my image of choice (currently this picture) and it makes getting those images properly sized and onto the phone so easy.
• personal grooming. Painting my toes, painting my nails, waxing my eyebrows. These things are time consuming and sometimes slip by the wayside, especially when I'm feeling down. But scrounging up the spare $20 to go and get a pedicure can make all the difference for me. If that's not an option, I gather up les girls and we plan a girly night to paint each other's toes. It works.
• happy music. I have terrible, awful taste in music, and love heinous pop tunes. However. Sometimes you just need a song that will make you shake your booty. At such times I throw together a playlist, crank it up on the sound system (or put it on the ipod) and dance around in my undies for a while. It helps.
• sleep. Yep. Good stuff.
• salad (and other assorted healthy things). Another no brainer, I know.

So. These may seem like small things, but it's the small things that seem to keep me going. Anyone else have suggestions or want to add?

wednesday wonderfulness

I've been wasting time quite diligently this week, so I have a bundle of linkage. Lovely!

• I'm sure you've already seen the peeps dioramas, but even so: AWESOME SQUARED.
• One of my favorite april fools jokes this year!
• I love this flickr group! I won't join, but it's amazing.
• also: this 365 set is beautiful.
• and if you're not reading indie fixx you should; I met the lady, and she's amazing.
• springtime wreath!
• more sober: equality myth. Yeah. Not as fun.
• Um, this alice in wonderland shoot? LOVE.
• also under LOVE: this photo project.
• advice to men: women will borrow your clothes, so keep some stuff there just for them. I approve this plan.
• super-interesting: can you read micro-expressions?
• ooo! attack cat did a redesign, and I love it.
• this made me laugh: a list of outdated words. I'm going to start calling people avatrols.
• Um, I want this jewelry.
• also almost everything on this page. (Sweet nothings necklace? PERFECT.)
• hahahaha. A giant penis parade. This is quite funny. (Yes, I have the humor level of a 15 year old boy. But I'm ok with that.)
• how to do two tone eyeliner. Love this!
• um, bunnies and floral skirts: I'm sold.
• how to make your own deodorant. I'm seriously considering trying this!
• make your own cartier-style bracelet. I love the idea of using this as a favor at a party.
• quite possibly the best business cards ever.

That's it for now, lovelies!

the latest batch of eye candy

Another round of awesome found at Vimeo.
Morphy line drawings and electronic tunes. I like.

Five Years Older – The City from Five Years Older on Vimeo.

I love their outfits!

The Hoof & The Heel - "Fireworks" (NSFW) from Bryan Schlam on Vimeo.

I didn't know math could be this pretty.

Nature by Numbers from Cristóbal Vila on Vimeo.

a whole weekend off? yes, please

So somehow the scheduling gods smiled upon me and I had Friday through Sunday off. I KNOW. (Of course, I may have earned favor with the scheduling gods: last weekend had three shoots, next weekend has two weddings and an engagement shoot as well as a Sunday morning open at Starbucks.) Anyway, a friend was going to be in DC from out of town, so Friday I got up there to spend some time with with them. We ate ice cream, talked shop, snapped a photo here and there, browsed bookstores, and generally had a good time.

Confession: nowadays when I see a book I want to remember in a bookstore, I just take a picture rather than writing down the info. I know. Odd.

Also filed under: mental note. I want some of this at the next bachelorette party I throw!


True facts: sprinkles make me happy. I need more of them in my everyday life.

One of about three shots I liked from the boudoir shoot. I didn't have my flashes and didn't have the lens I would want to use because I didn't know it was going to happen. FAIL. Haven't written off the whole concept, though.

Yeahhhh, Kat pretty much rocks the casbah. This is her looking all bamf and awesome while BEHIND THE CAMERA. Who does that? I ask you.

spring is so here