Notes On A Visual Life

Marbled

2012-02-09T22:38:00.000-08:00

Paper marbling is just so cool. It's one of those things I've always thought I could really get into but have just never gotten around to the finding all of the necessary supplies (and teaching myself). I love how random and somewhat unpredictable the results can be. Marbling can produce some very organic and complex images. It often ends up looking like something under a microscope. If I ever have a little studio space then I'll definitely be giving it a try.

Image by Lulu Wolf

Gone painting...

2012-02-07T22:24:00.000-08:00

I've been working on a little painting project lately. It's taking a lot longer than I planned (always does) but I hope it's worth it. It's a good practice in terms of meditation, patience, and letting go. Maybe I'll take a few pictures before my little paintings go through the mail...

Image by Suzanna Scott | Check out her shop!

Old School Alice

2012-02-06T20:08:00.000-08:00

I've been re-reading Alice in Wonderland lately and remembering how much I enjoy the humor. I'm thinking about going back and reading some of the novels I was assigned in high school as I know I'll have a completely different experience with them now. I came across this footage from the first film adaptation of Alice in Wonderland which was released in 1903. Time hasn't been good to the film but it has some pretty impressive (for the time) special effects when Alice shrinks and grows. If you're a fan of Alice then I'd say it's definitely worth a watch! Here's a bit more information on the history of this little film. I love how quirky it is!

Image by John Tenniel

Orange

2012-02-05T18:43:00.000-08:00

I was really drawn to bright oranges, yellows, and reds today for some reason (out of character for me).

1, 2, 3

1 Artist / 1 Piece: Helga Schmid

2012-02-03T14:08:00.000-08:00

This image caught my eye awhile back and after a little bit of searching I found the series to which it belongs. The piece was created by Helga Schmid (who is currently working on her MPhil/PhD in the Design Interactions Department at the Royal College of Art in London) as a part of her series Table and chair; pen and paper; text and time. The series explores handwriting, the passage of time, awareness, and accountability for daily actions. Head over to her site to see some videos of the project!

Image

Happy feet

2012-02-02T16:00:00.000-08:00

I'm really enjoying these posters designed by Amy Rodchester for the Newcastle Festival of Dance. Love the three dimensional quality and vintage vibe!

True words...

2012-02-01T20:19:00.000-08:00

I once had a therapist tell me that comparing myself to others was a sure path to misery. While I think it's human nature, I also think it's hugely important to recognize it, rationalize it, and then chill right on out. I, like most people (probably), struggle with it on a daily basis. However, the older I get, the less I seem to care and the more I focus on just doing whatever makes me happy. I guess this one can be filed under "Lifelong Journey" with all of the other tough stuff.

Image by Ryan Flynn

Broken Polaroids - Bill Miller

2012-01-31T22:40:00.000-08:00

I'm really loving these "failed" polaroids by Bill Miller. “It’s a camera, after all. Isn’t it?” I thought, even though it appeared to be totally indifferent to the objects I focused on. Maybe it’s a camera that was dropped on its head, got amnesia and became a photographic painting machine.
Random beauty!

Images

Charleston in September

2012-01-30T14:46:00.000-08:00

I flew home to South Carolina in September and we drove down to Charleston for a weekend to visit family and friends. I hadn't been to Charleston in several years. After living in Los Angeles for quite awhile it's refreshing to get away to a place with some serious history. My mom and I toured a few historic homes (Nathaniel Russell House and the Aiken-Rhett House) and I highly recommend both of them. We couldn't believe that we'd never explored the properties before this trip. We spent an afternoon just walking along The Battery. We also took a trip over to Wadmalaw Island to tour the tea plantation there. It's the only tea plantation in North America! Sometimes it feels good to go back to my roots (lots of Charleston in my blood). All in all, it was a lovely (and HOT) weekend escape.

All images by Maureen Price. Please do not use without permission.

An afternoon at Joshua Tree

2012-01-24T22:59:00.000-08:00

Just before Christmas, Luke and I made a quick trip over to Joshua Tree. I had been meaning to go for ages. We got a bit of a late start out of LA so we didn't have that much time to explore before we started losing light. I think we hit some of the main highlights though. We had a lot of fun climbing around on the rocks and exploring all the nooks and crannies. As the sun went down, we drove further into the park so I could try to take some pictures of the joshua trees against the sky. The moon was nearly full and it was amazing to see it way out in the desert! Once it was dark, we were making our way back to the park entrance and we passed someone slumped over on the side of the road. We immediately turned around and went back for them. We found a girl who had gotten separated from her friend and had been walking for miles and trying to find help. We took her to park entrance and left her with a ranger. I hope they found her friend.
On our way out, we stopped by the welcome center where they were doing a cool night sky talk. The ranger had a really great telescope that we were able to look through. It had a GPS so you could just input the coordinates and it would point itself in the right direction. Really interesting but it was so cold out there and we decided to move on. We stopped over in Palm Springs for dinner at The Ace. If you find yourself there then I would recommend the black bean burger! All in all, it was a fun little departure from the usual.

All images by Maureen Price. Please do not use without permission.

1 Artist / 1 Piece: Joseph Cornell

2011-09-02T22:43:00.000-07:00

Oh, Joseph Cornell. I've been an admirer of his since I was in high school. I actually went through a "Cornell Phase" which involved searching flea markets for vintage boxes and bits of interesting randomness to make pieces in a similar style. Those boxes are still taking up space in my parent's house. Cornell is a curious character. He never had any formal art training. He was more of a collector. A collector with a fantastic imagination and an eye for piecing together the most beautiful creations. Poems in a box.

Image

Sleek

2011-08-31T23:38:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to do a post on Joe Cariati's gorgeous hand-made glass. He had a booth at Dwell on Design so I got to see some of his work in person and let me tell you...it's stunning. The colors are so vibrant and the pieces have exquisite lines. Joe is based here in Los Angeles so it's nice to feature local folks. He makes every single piece by hand using a Venetian off-hand glassblowing technique. Joe says, "I'm not a 'fussy' glass blower, I cannot stand spending time on surface decoration or frilly techniques. For me, the purity and essence of the process of glassblowing is immediate, there is a sense of urgency, the glass must be blown while it's hot! There are no breaks, there is no time to rest, no lull. My approach is to craft the glass quickly and efficiently; clean, pure, simple and beautiful." Check out his website to see more and feel free to buy me a decanter while you're there. *Wink*

All images

1 Artist / 1 Piece: Raul Perdomo

2011-08-26T22:31:00.000-07:00

I was at the bookstore the other night and walked past a cover that really caught my eye and made me stop in my tracks. After about 2 seconds of investigating, I discovered that the cover was a painting by Raul Perdomo. I made sure to jot his name down. It was a total treat to look through his portfolio. It's filled with stunning, detailed paintings that are reminiscent of a microscopic world in a petri dish, aerial photographs, topographic maps, and space explosions. Go check it out now!

Image

Costume History: Disney Style

2011-08-24T16:31:00.000-07:00

Illustrator Claire Hummel has taken it upon herself to add a wee bit of historical accuracy to some of the most popular Disney heroines. Granted, many of the originals weren't too terribly far off the historical track in terms of costume design but there was definitely some room for improvement. I thought this was such a cool project but I'll fall all over myself for anything that glorifies historical accuracy. While Claire's renderings are still extremely stylized in that Disney sort of way (with a dash of artistic license), I think they are certainly more interesting than the originals.

Originally found here

Emerald City

2011-08-22T22:46:00.000-07:00

I've been on an emerald green kick lately. Anyone out there in the midst of a color obsession?
PS: I don't know about you, but I would definitely wear this cloche. Check out the millinery shop here!

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Guess where...

2011-08-19T14:00:00.000-07:00

As you read this, I'm probably floating down the lazy river at the Mandalay Bay. That's right! We're in Vegas...cha ching. Stay tuned for pictures from the Neon Museum!

Image by Jen Siska

1 Artist / 1 Piece: Lady Clementina Hawarden

2011-08-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

As a big early photography buff, I've been enamored of Lady Clementina's work for many years. She began experimenting with photography in the 1850s and is now one of the most well remembered Victorian photographers. I studied her work in college during a photography course in which we spent a lot of time focusing on capturing aspects of adolescence. She mainly photographed her daughters as children and teens and, in doing so, has given us an interesting look at upper class Victorian life for a teenage girl. Although most of her images are very stylized and posed (often portraying bits of Greek mythology), they still feel very real to me. This image is an albumen print from wet collodion-on-glass negative.

Image

1 Artist / 1 Piece: Alison Dunlop

2011-08-14T00:16:00.000-07:00

As a fan of abstract watercolor, I am completely drawn to Alison's Inner Sound series. She describes the series and her process on her website, "This series of watercolours, begun earlier this year in my new studio at the edge of the sea, is my attempt to find an equivalent in paint for the experience of looking out beyond my studio windows to the seas of the Inner Sound and the Minch. In all of these recent watercolours, with this new reality of sea and sky through my windows, the images are becoming more and more abstract, more pared-down, re-defined and it seems, paradoxically, more REAL. The process of pressing forward with this series, not knowing what the next piece will bring, where it will take me, has taken on an energy of its own. Each piece seems to grow out of the previous one(s), to teach the eye and the hand something new and to give a renewed sense of boldness and vigour. To let the hand, the pigment, the paper and the water act in unison, giving form to my inner experience of the drama unfolding
beyond my window...." I think that says it all! Beautiful. Have a look at the rest of the series and Alison's wonderful realism portfolio.

James Nares

2011-08-10T22:13:00.000-07:00

What can I say? I love the work of James Nares. I've included the picture of him working in his studio so you can see how he creates these paintings...suspended in mid air (!). Too cool...

Images 1, 2 and 3

Waiting for Autumn...

2011-08-09T11:58:00.000-07:00

I've been day dreaming about autumn a lot lately. It's my favorite season. I love the crispness of the air, the sense of anticipation about the holidays, the food, the clothing, the colors. I've always wanted to run off and spend the season somewhere in Vermont drinking apple cider, riding a bike on country roads, and building a fire every night. We don't get much of an experience here in LA. It goes from hot to sort of chilly...aaaaand that's about it. It's hard to get in the spirit of things when you're surrounded by palm trees and it's 82 degrees on Halloween. Certain seasons are just meant to be experienced in certain places.
Not being one for summer fashions, I can't wait to break out the scarves, boots, and jackets. One of the best moments of autumn? Seeing your breath for the first time. I used to get so excited about that as a kid. It meant change and excitement were on the horizon. Oh, to be a child (jumping in a pile of leaves) again...

Images 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

Letterpress class!

2011-08-08T15:32:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty excited to take my first letterpress class today! Just wanted to gather up a little inspiration and a few cool videos. I'll report back after the class tonight. I can't wait to see what we'll get to make!

Images 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

No clue what any of this is about? Here's a great instructional video from Naomie Ross:

Letterpress from Naomie Ross on Vimeo.

...and another fun one from Egg Press in Portland, OR:

Egg Press Letterpress Video from Pressing Letters on Vimeo.

1 Artist / 1 Piece: Vasily Kandinsky

2011-08-06T19:32:00.000-07:00

Ahh, I completely forgot that yesterday was Friday. I've had a weird schedule this week. So, here's 1 Artist / 1 Piece a wee bit late. Better late then never!

This is one of my favorite paintings by Kandinsky. At the Norton Simon Museum, they have his piece "Heavy Circles" which is from around the same time period. There's a wall plaque next to "Heavy Circles" which describes Kandinsky's thoughts on circles.
"Why does the circle fascinate me? It is:
1. the most modest form, but asserts itself unconditionally
2. a precise, but inexhaustible variable
3. simultaneously stable and unstable
4. simultaneously loud and soft
5. a single tension that carries countless tensions within it
The circle is the synthesis of the greatest oppositions. It combines the concentric and the eccentric in a single form and in equilibrium. Of the three primary forms, it points most clearly to the fourth dimension.”

Image

A spot of morning color...

2011-08-04T11:18:00.000-07:00

Here's a bit of bright color to liven things up a little.

Images by Jana Laurene and S. Hansen

Escape

2011-08-03T23:59:00.000-07:00

I've been dreaming of a bit of an escape. The world has been an especially nasty place of late. It's always difficult feeling like you have no control over the problems that surround us. I try to be a very "plugged in" person in terms of news and world events but it can really get to me at times. Like many people who aren't truly suffering (directly), I can be overwhelmed by sadness and frustration. Feeling the desire to run away, to let go, and to escape to a more simple place...it was meant to be that I came across these images by photographer Courtney Townsend. Courtney captures the beautiful and wild spirit of horses in such a stunning and timeless way. I love her use of color and texture within the images. They're so reminiscent of early photography in their rough and wonderfully imperfect nature. I definitely feel transported when I see these and I wish I could be out there running alongside the horses and sleeping under the stars completely away from it all. Keep up the lovely work, Courtney! So beautiful...

All images by Courtney Townsend

The Illustrations of Kay Nielsen

2011-08-01T19:03:00.000-07:00

Kay Nielsen (1886-1957) was a Danish illustrator who specialized in children's literature. He also worked for Disney in the 1940s. His work was used in the "Ave Maria" and "Night on Bald Mountain" sequences of Fantasia (one of my favorites). He also painted stage scenery for the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen. I love how elegant and rich these illustrations are. You don't see too many books for children illustrated like this anymore. It's clear that Nielsen was influenced by Aubrey Beardsley (another favorite of mine) but he takes his work to a much more vivid and textural place. So beautiful...I would love an early edition of one these books.

Images

1 Artist / 1 Piece: Britt Bass

2011-07-29T18:57:00.000-07:00

I spotted this mixed media piece a week or so ago and I was (and still am) smitten. The colors and movement make me think of summer and childhood. It's so vibrant and cheerful that I'm fairly sure I produce just a little bit more serotonin when I look at it. Britt is a very recent graduate of UGA with a BFA in art education (awesome). Head over to her website and pop in for a look at her Etsy shop!

Wow

2011-07-27T23:30:00.000-07:00

Who knew that every grain of sand on the planet is this stunning and unique?! Dr. Gary Greenburg did when he magnified grains of sand and fragments of shell 110-250 times. The grain in the first image (the blue piece in the center) is surrounded by bits of coral, a pink shell fragment, a foram (a type of protozoa) and volcanic material. The second image displays grains from a beach in Maui and the last pictures star shaped sand grains from Okinawa. I thought back to these pictures after seeing a show at the planetarium at Griffith Park about the universe. Carl Sagan said, "The total number of stars in the universe is greater than all the grains of sand on all the beaches on the planet Earth." Incredible. If you're as blown away by these images as I am, you can get Dr. Greenburg's photography book here.
PS: I had a great post written for this and then Safari went berserk. This is what materialized after a frustration fueled cookie binge.

All images by Dr. Gary Greenburg. Originally found on InspirationGreen.

Sneak Peek: Venice

2011-07-26T23:59:00.000-07:00

Here's a little peek from my Venice photo-escapades. Everything was shot with either my old polaroid camera or my Lensbaby pinhole optic. I love the results! Gotta get scanning on those polaroids...

Image by Maureen Price

Broome Street General Store

2011-07-25T23:59:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we discovered another little gem close to home. I'd been hearing some chatter within the blogosphere about Broome Street General Store and when I realized how close it is...well, no excuses not to visit. It's an absolutely charming little place tucked away on Rowena Avenue in Silverlake. I love the patio area out front complete with a white fence and lavender. Inside you'll find all kinds of goodies from tasty treats to vintage bits and pieces. Everything from old to new is so beautifully displayed that you just want to spend a good hour looking around the place. I was all over the vintage letterpress paraphernalia. We tried the verbena mint iced tea which was delightful and you shouldn't leave without one of their chocolate custards (with caramel on the bottom...ooo!). It's such a great place for a little summer gathering.

All images by Maureen Price

Proof Bakery

2011-07-23T00:12:00.000-07:00

How Luke and I had not eaten at Proof Bakery in Atwater Village is a real mystery. We're right down the road and it is seriously tasty. One bit of advice: go early in the day. We showed up a little late in the game so most of the goodness had already been snatched for the day. Fortunately, there were still a few goodies to be had! Luke got the lemon meringue cake and I got a little fruit tart. Mmm! The orange juice was also very delicious. We're going to head back over there one morning when the place is packed full of new treats.

All images by Maureen Price

1 Artist / 1 Piece: Alexander Calder

2011-07-22T19:29:00.000-07:00

Today is the birthday of Alexander Calder so it seems only fitting to feature him. Calder started out as an engineer and then made the switch to art in 1923. I think his background definitely shines through his work. This particular mobile was created out of scrap metal and piano wire. All of the shortages during World War II prompted Calder to use scrap metal and bits of wood for his work. Fun fact, Calder also worked with Martha Graham. He designed sets for her ballets and created a moving stage construction to accompany Eric Satie's Socrate in 1936. Want to learn more? Check out the Calder Foundation.

Image

Sad day...

2011-07-22T17:13:00.000-07:00

Such horrible news coming out of Norway. My heart goes out to the people who found themselves in a nightmare today. Here's to the beauty of Norway.

Images 1, 2, 3, 4

B/W

2011-07-21T23:01:00.000-07:00

Images 1, 2, 3

Long Beach Adventure

2011-07-20T23:59:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Luke and I took a little day trip down to Long Beach. I'd never been and I wanted to check out the Aquarium of the Pacific. We made our way there and walked along the coastline across from the Queen Mary. I want to go back and have afternoon tea and a walk around on the ship! It was interesting to see a Carnival ship boarding right next to the Queen Mary. After a stroll, we went in search of food and, of course, the one vegetarian place I wanted to try was randomly closed (??). We ended up at the aquarium later on which was a pretty big deal for me as I'm deathly afraid of certain marine life (the toothy, predatory variety). Going to the aquarium was a step towards facing my fear. I did better than I thought I would but I definitely had one minor freak out along the way. My favorite part of the aquarium...jellyfish! Having been brutally stung by one as a kid you'd think I'd want to nothing to do with them but they are fantastic to photograph! I hogged the prime real estate in front of the tanks to get some decent shots. Such amazing creatures. I was hoping to see the sea otters in action but they were totally not having it. Most incredible sight there? The weedy sea dragons! I have never seen anything quite like them. I didn't leave empty handed (I'm not usually a sucker for gift shops). I bought a great watercolor print of seahorse species. Lovely. All in all, it was a fun day. We'll have to head down there again for tea on the Queen Mary!

All images by Maureen Price. Please do not use without permission. Thanks!

Dwell on Design: 2

2011-07-19T00:25:00.000-07:00

...and we're back with more from Dwell on Design. This time I want to share one of my other favorite parts of the convention. Yolo Colorhouse had such a great interactive booth! Before I show and tell you about what I did at their booth, let's talk about their awesome paint. Yolo has created a line of paint with no carcinogens, reproductive toxins, mutagens, hazardous air pollutants, ozone depleting compounds, formaldehyde phthalates, or VOCs. They also use 100% recycled plastic containers and 100% PCW labels with soy based inks. Nice. They've also got some pretty great color palettes to choose from. Anywho, I loved the way Yolo made their product so much fun to experience at Dwell. They took a bicycle and added a tub to the front with a spinner inside. Then you just place a piece of paper on the spinner, have a helper start pedaling, and get to squirting the paint to create a cool design. I loved it and I will definitely be picking up some of their paint whenever the day comes that I can, umm, actually paint an apartment. I highly recommend it as VOCs and the like are not something you want to be inhaling. Check out these little masterpieces created by convention goers!

Images 1, 2, and animation by Maureen Price. All other images are from Yolo Colorhouse
PS: I wasn't perked in any way by Yolo. I just really enjoyed their booth (and they've got a great product)!

Color and texture

2011-07-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I snapped a few pictures of some of my favorite things around the apartment.

1. Detail of one of my watercolor paintings
2. Agate slice that I bought in Palm Springs
3. Geode agate pendant from Etsy
4. Detail of a vintage postcard

All images by Maureen Price

Dwell on Design: 1

2011-07-17T18:21:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to post my pictures from this year's Dwell on Design convention for a few weeks (yikes!). Here's a post from my adventure at last year's convention. It's always more fun to go with folks you know (last year I flew solo). This time around I met up with my friend Beth. She worked some magic on one of the exhibits and then we ran into Abby who had also been working behind the scenes. We had some champagne at the Miele booth, checked out some very modern chicken coops, toured a luxury Airstream trailer, and I got my heartbeat made into an air brush painting. Yep. One of my favorite parts of the convention was Sasaki's Heartbeat Drawing Project. He began the project in 1995 and now travels the world listening to and painting heartbeats. At the convention, the proceeds were going to Architecture for Humanity's rebuilding efforts in Japan. It was too cool for me not to participate. You sit in chair in front of the giant canvas and Sasaki places an electronic pulse monitor on your finger. The sound is then amplified and he paints based on the speed and rhythm of your pulse. It was kind of surreal to know that everyone in the convention hall was hearing your heartbeat in real time as you watched someone methodically paint to its sound. Stay tuned for a bit more from Dwell! I'll share my own painting project and some very cool, new, eco-friendly paint.

All images by Maureen Price

1 Artist / 1 Piece: Denise Nestor

2011-07-15T20:14:00.000-07:00

Denise Nestor's delicate and thoughtful portraits have such a quiet beauty to them. Denise is a Dublin based graphic designer and illustrator. Lepus is definitely one of my favorites. It goes beyond traditional portraiture and I see it as a melding of moments, multiple reflections. It's almost like stream of consciousness journaling...visualized. Be sure to have a look at Denise's website!

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

2011-07-14T23:17:00.000-07:00

How great are these envelopes?! I'm loving the illustrated return addresses for the different business. Stay tuned for some fun posts from the Dwell on Design convention and our Long Beach adventure (complete with very cool jellyfish pictures).

Images

One of those days...

2011-07-13T23:31:00.000-07:00

You know those days? When you wake up and just don't feel "right"? The not-feeling-right usually doesn't bode well for the rest of the day. I've been having one of those days today. You feel sort of fuzzy, like a shadow of your usually self. A weird blip on the radar and then the next day things feel normal again. An out of sorts day. A disconnect. A funny reflection. That's today. Dragging along. Need to eat lots of fruit and vegetables tomorrow. Things somehow sort themselves out overnight while you dream. Nothing terrible going on, no need to really complain but bits and pieces are out of place. A slow whirlwind. Tomorrow...

1, 2

Amazing!

2011-07-12T23:16:00.000-07:00

These two pieces are absolutely remarkable. I can't even imagine the time and effort that went into their creation. Both are by the artist BLU (with a collaboration with David Ellis on this first one). I don't really know what else I can say other than...watch them!

COMBO a collaborative animation by Blu and David Ellis (2 times loop) from blu on Vimeo.

BIG BANG BIG BOOM - the new wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

Pierluigi Maco

2011-07-11T00:01:00.000-07:00

I guess this week's 1 Artist / 1 Piece got me into a Renaissance mood. This fashion shoot by photographer Pierluigi Maco with model Vlada Roslyakova is one of my all time favorites. It was featured in Vogue China in January 2007. The mixture of period and modern is spot on and the styling is gorgeous. Roslyakova was a perfect choice as she really does look like she jumped out of a Botticelli painting. I wish we would see more fashion spreads like this one.

Originally found here

The world inside...

2011-07-09T17:05:00.000-07:00

These illustrations are stunning. I found them today and had to share. They are botanical microanatomy plates by Frederik Elfving. He was a professor of botany at the University of Helsinki. "Anatomia Vegetal" was published in 1929. I could spend so much time looking at the details of each plate. These really are a designer's dream. I find loads of inspiration for shape and pattern, line and scale. Beautiful and humbling.

Images

Adventure calls...

2011-07-09T16:17:00.000-07:00

I'm really itching to go on a smallish trip sometime soon. Feeling spontaneous. I need to get out of LA in a big way. Well, I guess there's still time to possibly book some train tickets out of town for the upcoming Traffic Armageddon (the 405 freeway will be closed next weekend and LA will come to a grinding and totally miserable halt...get out of town or stay home). There's so much I want to see in California and in the South West. Sometimes you just have to walk out of the front door and GO. I need to stop putting it off. Let's just go and figure it out!

Image

Photochrom Travel

2011-07-08T15:05:00.000-07:00

It's easy to spend a lot of time looking through the Library of Congress Flickr photostream. That's where I found my Rosie the Riveter pictures last week. Well, I couldn't help myself when I found their travel set with over 1,000 photochrom images. "Published primarily from the 1890s to 1910s, these prints were created by the Photoglob Company in Zürich, Switzerland, and the Detroit Publishing Company in Michigan. The richly colored images look like photographs but are actually ink-based photolithographs, usually 6.5 x 9 inches." The locations for three of my favorites here are Blue grotto, Capri Island, Italy, then Kongen og Dronningen, Bispen in Norway, and the pier and shore in Blankenberghe, Belgium. If you're a history of photography buff like me then you will go nuts over this collection on Flickr!

1 Artist / 1 Piece: Sofonisba Anguissola

2011-07-08T12:46:00.000-07:00

We're heading a wee bit further back in time with this week's artist. Sofonisba Anguissola (c. 1532 – November 16, 1625) was an Italian painter from Lombardy. She came from a family of seven children (six of whom were daughters). Her parents encouraged all of their children to develop their talents and four of their daughters became painters. Minerva, one of the girls pictured here, became a writer and a Latin scholar. When Sofonisba was 22, she went to Rome and met Michelangelo. Upon seeing her work, he recognized her talent and she was then informally trained by him. She was eventually invited to join the Spanish court to serve as painter and lady-in-waiting to the Queen. She lived to the remarkable age of 93. I chose this painting because I see it as a departure from her other work. There's a wonderful sense of whimsy and play between the sisters. She has translated the relationship between these girls in a charming way. This piece is also an excellent example of her skills as painter.

Image

Bright Spots

2011-07-07T23:54:00.000-07:00

How amazing is this first photo?! I found this today and immediately decided to design a post around it. That is some classic (and kind of treacherous looking) summer fun right there. Add in some roller skates and a cool pattern and we're off!

1. Vintage promotional photo for Cypress Gardens, Florida (original photographer unknown), 2, 3, 4

Ariko Inaoka

2011-07-06T23:26:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I found this first image and traced its roots back to photographer Ariko Inaoka. With this project, Ariko will travel to Iceland every year to photograph eleven year old identical twins Erna and Hrefna. The project will continue until the girls are 16. Ariko is interested in the relationship between identical twins and the period between childhood and adolescence. I focused on the subject of adolescence through photography quite a bit during college so these images really struck a chord with me. I love the combination of innocence and eeriness.

Simple

2011-07-05T23:30:00.000-07:00

My interior design principles usually consist of two quotes. "Simplicity is the key to successful living." and "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." The second is from William Morris...wise words. In the past three years of my life, I have done some major downsizing. I went from a storage-abundant apartment with a closet the size of a Manhattan bedroom to a 1920s apartment with 29" of closet rod space and NO other storage besides kitchen cabinets. Yeah, I had to get inventive and I had to make some epic trips to Goodwill. I donated boxes of books, 70% of my shoes, and bags and bags of clothing and various other bits and pieces. Yes, it helped that I was on a major minimalist kick (and still am just not to the same extent). I've been very happy with the reductions and I don't miss anything that I've given away. I'd like to take it even further when the time is right. So, yes, I guess I'm a rational, soft core minimalist at heart? I like it that way. I also like (ok, love) clean, simple, living spaces with clear surfaces, and concealed storage. Ahh, calm. I tend to get very uncomfortable and depressed in cluttered areas so these spaces are a true breath of fresh air. Many people may think these interiors are too cold or stark or bland but I would move in faster than you could bat an eye. Enjoy the breathing room.

1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, Unknown, 7, 8 and 9

Next year...

2011-07-04T22:53:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you but I've had a bit of a lonely holiday today. I spent most of the day inside and out of the heat. What I wouldn't give for a nice swimming pool. Like many people, I tend to get nostalgic on certain holidays and the 4th of July is usually one of them. Until I was in college, my family and I celebrated the 4th on the coast of South Carolina. We'd spend the day on the beach, walk home, have a summery dinner and a dessert that typically consisted of whipped cream and blueberries. Once the sun went down, we'd grab some chairs and head back to the beach for the fireworks. When my paternal grandfather was alive he was known for his impressive fireworks. It would be a huge show for everyone at the beach and all the kids would light up their sparklers and run around in the sand. I would always mentally "mark" 4 July as the half way point of my summer vacations and wish I could rewind back to June. I've been out of the loop when it comes to this holiday in recent years. I spent two 4th of July's in London which I always thought was ironic and I haven't really done much of anything for the day since moving to California. Oh well, maybe next year...

Image

Rosie

2011-07-02T14:25:00.000-07:00

How fantastic are these photographs? I found all of them through The Library of Congress flickr photostream.The original images are color transparencies ranging in size from 35 mm. to 4x5 inches. They complement the better-known black and white FSA/OWI photographs that were made during the same period. I love seeing color images from this time period. I somehow feel more connected to these folks. If you look around in this album you'll find that the photographers recorded the names of these women and what they were doing before working as mechanics and engineers and how old they were. Very inspiring. It's just too bad that most women weren't given the chance to continue working in these fields after the war.

Image

Have a safe and happy weekend!

2011-07-02T00:43:00.000-07:00

Image

1 ARTIST / 1 Piece: James Wainwright

2011-07-01T21:49:00.000-07:00

I discovered this image while I was looking around on Flickr awhile ago and I just stopped in my tracks. Mesmerizing. There's a beautiful painterly quality as well as a sense of timelessness. I feel so transported when I look at James Wainwright's photography. You must have a look at his work here. James is based in Cornwall, UK.

Image

Wish I could be there...

2011-06-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

My poor mom has had a terrible week. She's in agonizing pain in her lower back and leg. It's mostly likely a nerve problem and we're hoping to have some answers tomorrow. It's always hard when a family member is having troubles and I'm 2,500 miles away. Please send some good vibes, prayers, and happy thoughts her way! XOXO.

Drawing by Ana Montiel

Tasty

2011-06-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

The other day, Luke and I decided we wanted some treats so we made our way over to Le Pain Quotidien. They have the most delicious (and legit) Belgian waffles. Mmm! I always get their lightly sweetened lemonade with mint leaves. The tartine pictured below is also very tasty for summertime as it's served cold and it comes with a spicy tahini sauce that is glorious. Their desserts are pretty irresistible too. I'm partial to the fruit tarts but they also have cookies the size of my head. I kid you not. Luke and I tend to be creatures of habit when it comes to ordering at restaurants so we almost always get the same things here but there are lots of tasty-sounding options on the menu. I also love that LPQ labels their vegan/vegetarian option as SO many restaurants don't do this. Anyway, they have locations worldwide if you want to get in on some of the waffle goodness. How could you not!?

All images by Maureen Price

Art Smith

2011-06-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

These pieces by Art Smith are exquisite. The beauties seen here were created between 1946 and 1962. I love the mixture of silver, turquoise, amethyst, prase, and rhodonite. He crafted such fantastic movement with silver. Smith was inspired by surrealism, biomorphicism, primitivism, and even Alexander Calder. These live in the Brooklyn Museum but I definitely wouldn't mind having a replica of each. Want to learn more about Smith? Read up on him here.

Images
"Ellington" Necklace, circa 1962, "Half & Half" Necklace, designed by 1948, "Lava" Bracelet, circa 1946

It's enough...

2011-06-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

These are definitely some words by which to live. I need a lot of reminding in this area lately. The fact that nothing in the universe is perfect is relieving and a bit sad at the same time. I keep telling myself, "Do what you can with what you have." Also, don't forget to breathe (or eat your greens).

Poster design by Lisa Barbero

Monday Dose of Color

2011-06-27T14:41:00.000-07:00

I guess I'm still in a midcentury kind of mood after the Mark Shaw post yesterday. This morning I rounded up a few more of my favorite fashion/lifestyle images from the time. Get a load of that pink convertible! Of course she's dressed to match. Have a colorful week!

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Erin Jang's Stop Motion

2011-06-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

I'm really loving these little stop motions gems from Erin Jang. She created these for Martha Stewart Living. The photography is by Johnny Miller. You'll definitely want to have a look at her other design work for Martha Stewart Living and Esquire. She's also created some great letterpress wedding invitation suites for Bella Figura (one of my favorites).

Stunning

2011-06-26T13:55:00.000-07:00

I've had my eye on these fashion shots by Mark Shaw for a long time so I decided to put together a small sampling of his work. He's probably best known for his photographs of the Kennedys but he also worked for LIFE, Harper's Bazaar, and Mademoiselle. He was actually one of the first photographers to use color when shooting runways and backstage images. These gorgeous black and white shots are from a Vanity Fair ad campaign that took place over a ten year period. Stunning!

Images

Cool down

2011-06-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

And now it's hot. I've been burning up all day. Turning the window unit off and on. Working with a piping hot laptop on your body doesn't help either. I actually grabbed an ice pack from the freezer, wrapped it in a dish towel and laid it under my computer. Ahh, refreshing. This is only the beginning and I'm dreading the rising temperatures. Everyone thinks LA has marvelous weather year round but I'd prefer to head north in the summer. It gets pretty sweltering and the sun is merciless. It's no wonder we have so many yogurt shops everywhere. I'm craving nothing but cold foods. Sushi, sorbet, lemonade, potato salad. What are your summer weather cravings?

1,2, 3, 4

Sounds Like Summer

2011-06-25T13:25:00.000-07:00

I just discovered the site 8tracks via Anna of doorsixteen awesomeness and I love the idea of sharing little mixes with everyone. I whipped up this summer mix today and it's full of songs that really make me feel like it's July and I'm lying on an old dock at the lake with a mint julep. This is a pretty eclectic mix...Cat Stevens, Feist, Sinatra, The Rolling Stones, and more. I'll post any future mixes here and I hope you enjoy the tunes as much as I do! Is anyone else craving a mint julep now or is it just me?

Image

1 Artist / 1 Piece: Gustav Klimt

2011-06-24T22:24:00.000-07:00

I've decided to do some alternating with 1 Artist / 1 Piece. Contemporary artist then artists of the past. This week I chose Attersee by Gustav Klimt. I think every freshman art student at my school had a Klimt poster in their dorm room (myself included *cough*). Usually The Kiss or the portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer but this is my favorite of Klimt's. I'm immediately drawn to the color and feeling of calm. It seems like an early morning. I love that it's such a departure from Klimt's more well known pieces from his golden period (lots of gold leaf). I hope you enjoy it!

Image

My Malachite Box of Amazement

2011-06-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

When I posted the chalk festival pictures I mentioned that I found a little something special in the antique mall. Well, here she is. I scored this little malachite box. It's about the size of a standard business card and maybe an inch and a half tall. It's just the right size for holding everyday jewelry. I finally got around to taking a few glamour shots of it today and by that I mean I set up my ghetto-tastic white box made out of bristol board on the front steps of the apartment. Very professional. Anyway, they turned out decent enough for you to really see the detail. Malachite is one little piece of the natural world that blows me away. The shape and detail and color is stunning. If you look close enough, it almost looks like cells separating in their own little universe. Wow. Before you ask, yes, I am sober as I type this...I just really love malachite.

All images by Maureen Price

Hollie Chastain

2011-06-22T14:00:00.000-07:00

I recently came upon these mixed media illustrations by Chattanooga based artist Hollie Chastain. She writes, "I seem to be addicted to the most complicated form of recycling and in Tennessee you're never more than a few minutes from an antique store. On the best days I'm found up to my elbows in steamer trunks piled with scraps of crumbling paper, dusty, tattered books stacked to the ceiling. I bring it all back here and give it a second life. I always have the forest, fairy tales and music close to me so that comes out the most." I really love the layers and movement in these pieces. The characters seem to take charge of the page. Here are a few of my favorites! Be sure to check out Hollie's shop for more.

BLOGSHOP LA

2011-06-21T23:08:00.000-07:00

B L O G S H O P 2 - Los Angeles from Son of Shark Pig on Vimeo.

Last weekend I did the second BLOGSHOP with Bri and Angela! It was definitely the most fun I've had in a workshop in a looong time. Good food, good company, good goodies! If you want to learn more about designing in Photoshop then I would say this class is a huge leap in the right direction. I was already very familiar with Photoshop but I am thrilled to have learned so much. My confidence has really multiplied and now I just want to keep going!

Wanna see more? Check out the pics here and here!

First day of SUMMER

2011-06-21T22:45:00.000-07:00

Summer is upon us! So far, the air conditioner hasn't been used (really). We've had such a nice spring here in LA. Although I know the heat is coming. What are your summer plans? I'd love to take a trip or two. We'll see if that pans out. No matter what, lots of lemonade will be consumed!

Image

Double Merrick

2011-06-21T09:13:00.000-07:00

I've been loving these giclee prints from Double Merrick for awhile now. La Lune is definitely my favorite. The simplicity is beautiful.

Images

Monday morning

2011-06-20T12:25:00.000-07:00

I have been getting to bed way too late this weekend. It's good and bad. Lots of ideas and have been floating around in my head which is such a refreshing change of pace but can really keep me up at night. I've always had trouble getting to sleep because my brain just doesn't like to settle down when the rest of my body does. Without other distractions, my brain goes crazy with all of the attention. Anyway, what a groggy morning. I needed this waiting on the side of the bed for me when I woke up. Not just today but, um, everyday. Ok, thanks.

Image

Norton Simon Museum visit

2011-06-20T00:07:00.000-07:00

This weekend Luke and I also went over to the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena. They are having an exhibit on abstract and color field painting in the 60s. But I found myself drawn to my permanent collection favorites instead. I had my camera and my 50mm-f/1.4 lens (thus the really shallow depth of field) which is great for museums. I quickly snapped a few close ups of my favorites.

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T16:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Dad's Day to all of the dads, pops, grandpas, papas, etc... Thanks to my dad for always believing in me and for hot glueing the shingles to my doll house roof one by one at 3:00AM on that Christmas morning. They still look good 20-ish years later!
PS: We'd just made it out of the 80s in this picture so I'll pretend you're not smoking *wink*.

Pasadena Chalk Festival

2011-06-19T15:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I fought my way to the Pasadena Chalk Festival. Seriously, it took me almost an hour to turn off of Colorado Blvd. (which was completely closed), get on the detour, enter the parking deck, drive to the roof, wait for someone to leave, park, walk the 4 blocks to the Paseo area where the festival was going down. That should have taken 15 minutes tops. Nightmare. Anyway, I obviously made it! I really like going to this festival because it is so great for photography. Colors, texture, interesting looking people. There's also a really fun antique mall there and I can spend ages looking around at the crazy stuff they sell. I'll show you the little treasure I bought once I get a chance to take a good picture of it. Apparently this festival made it into the Guinness Book of World Records last year for the largest display of chalk art. Here are some of my favorite shots from yesterday.

All images by Maureen Price

Thanks for the advice...

2011-06-18T14:08:00.000-07:00

This is my new favorite thank you card from Greenwich Letterpress. If you're in the NYC area, they have a shop in the West Village full of cards and gifts (they also do wedding invitations). You can find a selection of their greeting cards at Urbanic in Venica, California as well! Now I just need an advice-giving-architect-friend to thank.

Images

1 Artist / 1 Piece: Martin Johansson

2011-06-17T23:10:00.000-07:00

I've decided to start a weekly column called 1 Artist / 1 Piece. Every Friday I will choose, you guessed it, one artist and one piece of their work. While I was laying out yesterday's color post, I came across that beautiful ocean image and during my search to credit the work I found the portfolio of Martin Johansson. My eye immediately went to this incredible illustration titled Fossil. It reminds me of the Umberto Boccioni sculpture, Unique Forms of Continuity in Space. There is so much movement and texture here. It's almost like a Rorschach test from nature. What do you see?
Martin is a photographer, illustrator, and graphic designer (triple threat). You can find him here.

Image

My favorites

2011-06-17T01:37:00.000-07:00

Sadly, I don't believe in magic. But if I did (and if it was a particular color) then I'm pretty sure I would see it as a stunning mixture of turquoise, teal, sea foam, aqua, and ultramarine. These colors have a real magnetism and I find that I surround myself with them. Art, clothing, oven mitts, and, umm, even my sofa.

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4 (unknown), 5, 6 (unknown), 7

...wandered lonely as a cloud

2011-06-16T00:15:00.000-07:00

Luke and I went to see The Trip tonight and it made me really nostalgic for the Lake District of the UK. I spent some time up there in 2006 and it's just a stunningly beautiful area. I stayed around Keswick, Braithwaite, Grasmere and Lorton and took a dip in the coldest water I've ever felt (and this was in July). If you're ever in England I highly recommend it. Enjoy some eye candy from the land of William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter.

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Steppin' Out

2011-06-15T14:57:00.000-07:00

Images: Angela Kohler, image 2

Krafty

2011-06-14T23:53:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love working with kraft paper. It's so versatile and it looks good with EVERYTHING. You really can't go wrong. Plus, it has plenty of uses outside the realm of gift wrapping. I did all of my Christmas gifts in found kraft paper (mainly from shipping packaging) that I ironed for crispness. It worked out really well and I didn't spend any $$$ on wrapping paper. Try it with twine or washi tape or old pictures. Send some love!

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7, 8

Working on it....

2011-06-13T19:21:00.001-07:00

Hi...
I'm currently working on some design elements within the blog. So, if anything looks wonky (or just plain awful), I'm on it!

Image

New VISUAL NOTES coming soon

2011-06-11T21:24:00.000-07:00

Some new VISUAL NOTES will be here shortly! Details to come...

The Amazing Work of John Frame

2011-06-01T22:36:00.000-07:00

Luke and I went to The Huntington last week and found a real gem in the John Frame exhibit. I couldn't believe I had never heard of him before this! He is a sculptor, animator, photographer and storyteller who has been working here in Southern California for decades. He meticulously carves figurative sculptures from wood, metal, fabrics, and various found materials. In 2006 he began to create moveable sculptures with articulated joints, eyes, fingers, etc. and placed them in stop motion short films. The concepts for these films originated in Frame's dreams. He explores "the meaning of life, the inevitability of death, and the nature of good and evil". You know, the basics... Anyhow, his current exhibit at The Huntington is comprised of the actual sculptures, films, and still photographs from the stop motion process. We were completely spellbound and extremely impressed and inspired! His work has such a timeless and theatrical feel to it. Eery and gorgeous. If you're in the Los Angeles area I highly recommend the exhibit. If you're not, then check out his website for some amazing work!

Here is the film that is showing at The Huntington, "Three Fragments of a Lost Tale". Stunning!

Three Fragments of a Lost Tale from John Frame on Vimeo.

Stills

Wonderfully Repurposed

2011-05-30T18:56:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this post is seriously long overdue but I definitely wanted to give some blog space to Will Holman and his awesome repurposed designs. Will is a young designer and architect in Alabama who builds furniture on the side. Pretty much everything he uses is found and repurposed. We're talking vintage license plates, pool noodles, six pack rings and traffic cones. Very cool. It's always amazing to me how the items we so often view as garbage or single purpose can be so visually appealing in a totally different application. Will currently has an etsy shop going and a website with some really interesting designs. Head on over and check 'em out. PS: This rubber hose chair is definitely my favorite and yes, that is a traffic cone lamp.

Source

Back in the (proverbial blogging) saddle again

2011-05-30T18:45:00.000-07:00

Hello to anyone still alive out there! I know, I know...it's been for flippin' ever since I've blogged. Believe me, I have seriously agonized over this. I've thought of about 17 different directions to go with it, whether or not to scrap it entirely, or to just pick up where I left off. I feel like I've been a total lame-head (that's definitely a word) about the whole thing. So, I've finally decided to give it a second hurrah and get back in the saddle. Aerosmith style AND Gene Autry style (because I like to keep things varied)!

Stay tunes, folks. Stay tuned.

Birthday Business

2010-10-02T22:29:00.000-07:00

Today is Luke's birthday so I thought I'd take a few pictures throughout the day. I whipped up this little Happy Birthday pennant bunting with some cardstock and jute twine and hung it in the office nook. I'm really happy with the outcome.

Because I'm "that person", I tried to coordinate my wrapping materials with the bunting. I have a thing for mini/baby envelopes and they are great for wrapping gift cards.

This little wooden card from Night Owl Paper Goods is really cool and made of eco-friendly sustainably harvested yellow birch.

We decided to grab some picnic supplies last night and make our way to The Getty Center this afternoon for a nice outdoor snack. Ok, so we totally binged on brie and French bread. We also had some raspberries and sparkling lemonade. Tasty!

Yes, we ate it all.

Our picnic view

The Agape Ape wishing Happy Birthday...

Have a graceful weekend!

2010-09-17T21:33:00.000-07:00

Another weekend, my friends. Have a graceful one...

Image via Jan Masny

Although it's not exactly a weekend for me as I'll be working and going to a meeting. I need to get my booty in gear and start training for my next distance. My run last Sunday was a lovely success. I set a PR, came in 7th in my age group, and my team raised over $28,000 for Run For Congo Women!
Here's an action shot from the run website.

Have amazing suitcase. Will travel.

2010-09-17T21:05:00.001-07:00

I saw this beauty of a piece of luggage over on Swiss Miss today. There are a few items in this world that I have quite the penchant for and they include luggage, office supplies, organizational tools, stationery, and things that happen to come in metallic silver. This bad boy makes it into THREE of those categories which means I could be in big trouble. This gem is called the Trip and I've decided to ignore the fact that it costs 595 Euros. It's a Dutch design (surprise, surprise) and it's small enough to fit into an overhead compartment of a plane "yet big enough to create the highest amount of comfort we could offer." For sure, my Dutch friends, for sure. It easily transforms into a chair for all those times when you'd love to be sitting in the airport, subway/train station, or park. I don't know about you, but whilst waiting in customs and check in lines for HOURS at the airport, I HAVE tried to sit on my big roller suitcase with disastrous and embarrassing consequences. Use your imagination here. No worries with THE TRIP though! I also like the fact that it would force me to travel super light (a new goal of mine). AND for a few Euros more you can get yourself a Trip Sound with a custom integrated sound system: top quality speakers that enable you to listen to your own music in the comfort of your hotel room. I'm not so interested in the speakers (which you can detach) but the overall design really rocks my socks and if I had a hefty luggage budget I'd totally buy this!

Wow...weave.

2010-09-10T21:51:00.000-07:00

Right, so, I had no intention of posting anything else today but then I stumbled upon this! This made the part of my brain devoted to typography light up like Vegas. It gets me all gooey inside when designers go to such great lengths to create typefaces. Glorious. You (and I ) can thank the French design duo Zim and Zou for this awesomeness.

Found at paper tastebuds. Images via Behance Network

Kicking it off with CLAYMATION!

2010-09-10T18:11:00.000-07:00

The weekend is here! I can't even tell you how excited I am. I've been working 6-7 days a week lately and it has been a trip to Crazytown. After all of my LONG work weeks I have 3 glorious days off (since I worked through this past holiday weekend)! My first official run in 8 years is going down at the crack of dawn on Sunday morning in Santa Monica. I'm still taking donations for the run. So if you're interested in contributing a buck or two, head over to my page! I'm determined to have some fun this weekend so let's kick things off with this awesome claymation short that I'm loving. If you follow the blog, you probably know about my love for stop motion photography and claymation. I'm always blown away by the time and care these artists give to their very tedious but rewarding work. Opera, claymation, and desserts...um, yes.

Swedish Stylin'

2010-09-09T00:07:00.000-07:00

So Lo Bjurulf's stunning work has been making its rounds through the blogosphere lately but I decided to whip up this post about her anyway! If you didn't notice the name, she's Swedish which means she's genetically predisposed to good design taste. Bjurulf uses IKEA items to style these gorgeous set ups which would make for some jaw dropping weddings and parties. Three cheers for budget friendly yet amazing style! All of her work (whether it be interior design, prop styling, or set design) has a warmth, softness, and simple feel to it that I really appreciate. Let's enjoy the eye candy now, shall we?

Lovely light!

Provence wedding?

*Swoon*

IKEA never looked so good.
All images via Agent Bauer

Boca Do Lobo

2010-08-25T21:03:00.000-07:00

Remember my post about my adventures at the Dwell on Design convention in June? Well, here is a follow up on one of my favorite vendors from the show. The Portuguese furniture design company Boca Do Lobo! I was immediately drawn to the intricate designs and mix of classic and modern elements. All of the designs are custom, hand made, and definitely one of a kind. In their own words: "BOCA DO LOBO furniture is an exclusive emotional experience, a sense of belonging and a state of mind. We strive to encourage sensational experiences by creating beautiful pieces which are passionately inspired and handcrafted in Portugal by a staff that loves what they do; experiences which pass on the feeling of exclusivity. Our designers possess an undeniable talent for composing pieces which stir emotion in their admirers. Our artisan’s wisdom, accumulated from years of experience, is instilled with love and dedication in the art that they perform. No detail or element is overlooked as we offer the best at the frontier between design and art. Each piece will bring you on a journey to sources of pleasure you may have forgotten, and take you to places you have never been before; a journey to BOCA DO LOBO world-a world of emotions." That being said, it's some pretty snazzy furniture. Take a look and check out their site for more cool images!

All images via Boca Do Lobo

Longing for a rainy day...

2010-08-16T11:44:00.000-07:00

I think it's pretty much official that we haven't had any legitimate rain in months. I am desperate for a thunderstorm and a good strong pour! Not only for the sake of my filthy car but for our desert, drought-ridden landscape as well. I remember last summer when I moved out here, I'd been here for weeks and nothing. Two more months went by and...nothing. Finally, one October afternoon it began to rain and I went crazy! I took pictures, I sat and looked out the window and I made a cup of tea.
Yes, we've been so fortunate to have a moderately cool and breezy summer here and I'm SO grateful for it as I certainly am not lucky enough to have central air conditioning. There have been a few times when the sky turned from a smoggy blue to a grey and formidable shade of, well, overcast. I got so excited and crossed my fingers for rain (to no avail). To make matters worse, rain is not in our foreseeable forecast either. So this morning, I decided to get some pictures of rainy goodness together in order to live through them vicariously.

Image via Dan Arsenault

Image via Rui Palha

Image via yoshiko314

Image via Tom Van Cleynenbreugel

Image via queen's lace

Image via Rui Palha

Image via NEWviews24

You made it to HUMP DAY!

2010-08-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

So close...just stay focused!

Yeah, seriously, you've got this.

Steady on! You're gonna make it! The light at the end of the tunnel should be coming up.....well, soon, anyway.

Images via CuteOverload

I'm Running for Congo Women!!

2010-08-09T11:10:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed my new little side image about Run for Congo Women, well...I'm going to do just that! Here's the scoop: I was reading the August issue of Runner's World and saw a story about the foundation Run for Congo Women and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I HAD to join their team for the run in Santa Monica on September 12th. With so many tragic places in the world, why the Democratic Republic of Congo you might ask. It has been called the worst place in the world to be a woman. Here's some info.:

• More than 5.4 million people have died in the conflict in the Congo since 1998.

• Half of these deaths are children under the age of five.

• For women in the Congo, brutal gang rape and torture are a daily reality. Rape is used as a weapon of war.

• The mission of Women for Women International is to help women survivors of war move from victim to survivor to active citizen.

• Women for Women International’s program in the Congo provides women survivors of war with direct financial assistance, job skills training, rights awareness education, trauma counseling and the opportunity to bond with other women who have endured similar violence and hardship.

• Women for Women International has served over 31,000 women in the Congo. Each woman is matched with a sponsor, who contributes $27/month and is encouraged to develop a one-on-one relationship with her “sister” through letter writing.

• Run for Congo Women was founded by Lisa Shannon, a supporter of Women for Women International. The initiative has grown from one woman in Portland, Oregon, to a global movement that has raised over $600,000 for Women for Women International’s Congo program and sponsored over 1,400 Congolese women… and counting!

• Women for Women International’s program in the Congo is working. In a survey conducted in 2008, 86% of program participants reported having improved their economic situation, 88% of women expressed increased self-confidence, and 83% reported having a greater knowledge of their rights. In a survey conducted in 2009, program graduates reported a monthly income of $33.84 whereas the non-participants groups’ income was recorded at $23.42.

The stories these women have shared about their lives are absolutely soul crushing. Here is a link to the original article that I read. It's astounding, horrific, inspiring, and deeply humbling. Please take a few minutes to read it if you can.
So, needless to say, I am fundraising for my run! It would mean so much to me if any readers would consider a donation to the cause. I have a page set up to make donating a SUPER easy process! Here's the link to my personal page. Thank you in advance for anyone who decides to make a contribution! Stay tuned for my race recap as well!

Renegade Craft Fair-Los Angeles!

2010-08-08T13:48:00.000-07:00

Ok, folks, I think we all know I've been super neglectful lately. I have been in a massive no-blogging-rut the past week and a half. Between my new jobs, running, personal projects, and general day-to-day business, my poor blog has been ending up at the bottom of the list. I'd get home feeling exhausted, make dinner, tidy up a bit, shower, and then think about posting and it just never happened. Sorry!!!!! I'm determined to get back on track and thanks to a lovely reader's request for me to get my bum in gear (haha, my words not her's) I'm bringing you a brand spankin' new post about the Renegade Craft Fair from two weekends ago. The fair was nestled between the Chinatown Metro station and Dodger Stadium in the lovely LA Historic Park. It was seriously toasty and seriously CROWDED. I can't really complain about the crowds as I'm glad people are so supportive of handmade goods and the artisans who craft them so lovingly. Although the big people-pet-stroller clusters made it hard to photograph the way I wanted to and I had Luke with me (and being the thoughtful partner that I am, I didn't want to make him spend 6 hours in July heat looking at letterpress cards and succulent terrariums). Therefore, to preface my images, I don't have the names/links of all of the vendors I photographed. So sorry! It was just too crazy to keep track. That being said, let's look at my highlights from the FAIR!!!

Here we go!

It looks a bit more like the owl is eating me and thumbing for a ride...no shame.

{paper & type} Display... Their designs are so sweet and basic.

Scarlett Garnet jewelry designs...lovely! They also win my Most Unique Business Card Award because their logo rocks my socks. I love the cool art nouveau design!!

Miniature Rhino had this cool message in a bottle display and their awesome embroidery (see their Etsy link).

Succulent Terrariums!! It took everything I had not to buy one of these. But I knew I probably kill it in a month.

Cool way to display these vials of seeds!

Another great display idea! This would be so easy to recreate at home too. Just find some interesting frames and a bit of mesh or a few pieces of pretty chain, add a few staples or nails and hang them in a cluster by your dresser or in the bathroom. Bonus point: arrange your earring collection by color or style *wink*.

Crafty and inexpensive and recycled display! I thought this was such a great way to house these earrings!

Yay! I can't wait to have my own Etsy shop.

Hah.

Poster Displays. I saw a few that were new to me. I feel like I've seen every poster design out there lately.

I loved this paper crane mobile. Another cool idea to make at home on the cheap!

Ok, now on to one of my favorite parts of the craft fair! Threadless Tees had an Airstream trailer you could go in and post your own shirt design on their templates. It was a really fun idea and there were some pretty funny ones in there.

T-Shirt designs EVERYWHERE!

My favorites:

This one summed up what I was thinking all day.

On a more serious design note, I really liked this one a lot.

So, there you have it! My experience of the Renegade Craft Fair! Oh, I was VERY good and bought one SMALL print from Honeylux (I was a bad photographer and totally blew out my image of her table)! This is the print I bought! If you're interested in attending a fair, the next stop is Chicago on September 11th and 12th. They are also having holiday events in Chicago and San Francisco. Check out their site for more information. Over and out! Thanks, special reader for throwing some accountability my way!

Biggest 365 Post Ever!

2010-07-25T20:34:00.000-07:00

I think it goes without saying that I've been neglecting my 365 posts. I really need to just start doing them once a week! That being said, here are almost all of my July shots! As usual, get ready to scroll!

Day 67--Wondering what this is? It's a vegan chocolate truffle!

Day 68--I don't know what these people who live down the street are doing to their succulents but it's definitely working!

Day 69--Looks appalling, tastes...ok. It's Amazing Grass powder.

Day 70--This was sitting up on the mail boxes in the building. Someone has a dentist appt.

Day 71--White tea action in the Sorapot!

Day 72--Near the neighborhood park...

Day 73--I have a weird thing for VERY small miniature animals. This gerbil, my Scottish terrier, and my Thai porcelain elephant live on a ledge in my kitchen.

Day 74--Haha, I had to laugh at this.

Day 75--This was on the side of a cafe. I thought it made for a cool image.

Day 76--Random picture but I had to show this. Iced tea is not supposed to be opaque! Ugh.

Day 77--New running shoes!

Day 78--Dirty park mosaic.

Day 79--Apparently cantaloupes need to be belted. This is funny to me for some reason.

Day 80

Day 81--Palm tree

Day 82--Luke likes pictures of graffiti for some reason so I took this one for him.

Day 83--Gorgeous orchids

Day 84--Let's hope so.

Day 85--Lovely sky...

Day 86--:-)

Day 87--One of these is different than the other.

Day 88--Nice moon last night.

Day 89--I got Luke to do shadow puppets in the park for me. Not quite sure what this one was supposed to be.

Food for Thought and 100 Posts

2010-07-23T22:17:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I've already hit the 100 posts mark! My 3 month "blogaversary" is a few days away and that's hard to believe as well. I was stuck in crazy, crazy traffic last night on my way home and my usual go-to radio stations were boring me out of my mind. I became desperate for something to take my mind off of the fact that it was taking me 2 hours to travel about 8 or 9 miles and there was nothing I could do about it. Nope, I did not have an iPod with me. I dug around in the compartment on the side of my door and found a "mix cd" I'd burned in 2005. Oh, mix cds...memories. Anyway, as I was listening to the questionable songs I'd chosen 5 years ago I came across a gem. Dave Matthews and Soulive did a cover of the Ani DiFranco song "Joyful Girl" and it is so lovely. To be honest, I've never even heard Ani's own version of the song (sorry) but her lyrics are wonderful. It was interesting to hear and relate her words to my own life now as opposed to how I felt about them 5 years ago. In 2005 I would NEVER have thought my life would be what it is now. My 2005 self would have laughed out loud. I think I would have expected A LOT more from myself. So, I thought I'd share these lyrics and maybe they'll get someone else thinking. Oh, stay tuned for pictures from the Renegade Craft Fair and a big old batch of 365 images!!

Here's the song if you're curious!!

"Joyful Girl"

I do it for the joy it brings
because I'm a joyful girl
because the world owes me nothing
and we owe each other the world
I do it because it's the least I can do
I do it because i learned it from you
I do it just because I want to
because I want to

everything I do is judged
and they mostly get it wrong
but oh well
'cuz the bathroom mirror has not budged
and the woman who lives there can tell
the truth from the stuff that they say
and she looks me in the eye
and says would you prefer the easy way?
no, well o.k. then
don't cry

and I wonder if everything I do
I do instead
of something I want to do more
the question fills my head
I know that there's no grand plan here
this is just the way it goes
and when everything else seems unclear
I guess at least I know

I do it for the joy it brings...

Friday Feature on Fantastic Spatula

2010-07-23T21:57:00.000-07:00

My friend Jenna who runs the lovely blog Fantastic Spatula kindly asked me to do a guest blogger post for their new feature and I jumped on it. To check out my post and the cool stuff over on Jenna's blog, head over to FANTASTIC SPATULA!

Have a mesmerizing weekend!

2010-07-22T10:45:00.000-07:00

Hello! Just want to say that I've been a terrible blogger this past week! However, I haven't just been sitting on my tush eating macaroons. I promise. This week has been nutso crazy times with some major life transitioning which has been demanding all of my attention. But I'm in the swing of most things now so I am back and.... it's that time again! After the craziness of my week I'm going to sleep, eat, and enjoy the craft fair (hopefully it isn't too painfully hot)! Does anyone else have fun plans for the weekend??

Image via Tourist Magazine

Musée Carnavalet and the Bijouterie of George Fouquet

2010-07-16T19:39:00.000-07:00

If this title sort of sounds like the 2nd film in some weird French trilogy, um, it's not. Now I love French films but this is soo much better! Musée Carnavalet is devoted to the history of Paris and they aren't kidding around. It's basically a renaissance jewel that became the home of writer Madame de Sévigné and if the names Catherine de Medici, Henry IV, Jacques-Louis David, Robespierre, Marie Antoinette, Émile Zola, Marcel Proust, and Henri Cartier-Bresson mean anything to you, you should probably high tail it over there next time you find yourself in Paris. Unfortunately, I never made it to Musée Carnavalet during my stay in Paris due to some unsavory and seriously questionable things that went down. I'm still amazed that I wasn't unknowingly cast as the lead in some wacky travel mishap movie with Chevy Chase or Steve Martin. It was that insane, folks. All in all, I had some lovely golden moments in Paris and I would love to go back. ANYWAY, that's not what I'm meant to be rambling about! I'm eager to share my favorite part of Musée Carnavalet! George Fouquet's jewelry shop! If you have a penchant for Art Nouveau then you will go nutso for this like I did. The shop was designed by the famous Alphonse Mucha (you know the posters) in 1901 and once resided on Rue Royale. It's a gorgeous concoction of flowing lines, flora, and peacocks. Mucha really outdid himself with this and I love every centimeter of it!

Image via Verhext

Image via Verhext

Image via www.linternaute.com

Main counter

Image via MollyGoLightly

Display case!

Image via MollyGoLightly

California Anniversary!

2010-07-13T12:50:00.000-07:00

Wow. Today marks the one year anniversary of my arrival in California in my giant Penske truck. While this year did move quickly, it certainly didn't fly by for me. I feel the need to stop and look back at the changes I've gone through in the past 365 days. There have seriously been moments of blood, sweat, and tears. Heh, as far as the blood goes, I'm considering that moment to be when my metal legged sofa was dropped on my face during the BRUTAL move in process of the first apartment out here. Awful, awful day. Since that nasty day I've explored loads of Southern California, my parallel parking skills have improved 10 fold, I've been interviewed on the Warner Bros. lot, I've tasted the sting of the lay-off like millions of others, and I've built my website and started this blog. Thousands of other little bits and pieces have happened along the way but it's been a year of immense growth and experience. It hasn't been easy but, then again, I typically don't make easy life choices for myself. Often times, I prefer to take the trickier and more difficult path and I'm usually glad I do (at the end after a lot of sleepless nights and whining). So, California, Happy One Year Anniversary, you've been an interesting, trying, polluted, rain-less, and sometimes beautiful companion and I hope my next year with you will bring about some great moments and accomplishments. Cheers.

A visual trip down memory lane...

Don't be jealous of how amazing I look in this picture. But seriously, it takes a lot of work to look like this.

Navigation is important. Sock monkeys are excellent cartographers.

This pretty much summed up the trip and the move in process for us.

Ugh...so close yet so far.

Yep, this happened.

...and this happened for what felt like 17 years (when you're only going 60 MPH). Is it just me or do the hills sort of look like herb encrusted salmon?

Finally! Oh, wait, we still have to navigate our way through the freeways of Los Angeles in a 16ft truck with an attached car on the back. Can't wait!