In the Garden

I have a tiny container garden that sits on a little roof outside my living room window. I know I'm not supposed to go out there, and I rarely do. But, just knowing it's there, and that I am growing little onions and basil and lavender, well, it makes all the difference.

Summer is finally here.

It's hot outside. Just writing those words makes me smile.
The hot days lead to warm balmy evenings. Each is an opportunity to spend time outdoors. One of my favorite summer activities is an impromptu picnic.
Just grab:
a checkered table cloth (mine was a gift from my Aunt Maria...it has little roosters on it!!)
a baguette
some good stinky cheese
a book (about Paris, of course)
a sundress
and of course
a pair of aviators.

It's almost like being in Paris...
Where is your favorite picnic spot? I'd love to hear!

You know it's been a hectic morning when...

...your freshly ironed white linen ends up playing with the colored pencils.

One pair of jeans.

It's your favorite pair.
It's the pair you thought you would have forever.
It's the pair that always helps you remember.
It's the pair that never lets you forget.

If I were a French Girl...

Getting dressing in the morning is a daily ritual for us all. It's that moment in the day you decided how the world will see you for the next 24 hours. On most mornings it's a relatively easy task. I pick out a good pair of jeans and the rest just comes together. But on other days I stare at my closet for what seems like an eternity wondering why it feels like i have nothing to wear when there is a closet full of clothes right in front of me.
On those days I have a little trick I use to get me going. I ask myself, "If I were a French Girl, what would I wear?".  Voila! I've just reframed the problem, and given it context. It's like the "blank canvas" in art. Once you make the first stroke, the rest comes much more easily.
So, what would a French Girl wear, anyway... It's subjective, I imagine, but if you need a starting point, her's my list! What's on your list of go to items when your in a dressing pinch... I'd love to know! Leave a comment below!

1. Jeans, jeans, jeans
2. flats in the summer, booties in the winter
3. Iron it!
4. Always add a scarf
5. Sometimes add a broach
6. When in doubt, STRIPES!
7......and above all an AMAZING COAT!

Done! Happy dressing.

1. Flared jeans are always very chic (via The Sartorialist)

2. flats! (via Zappos)

3. I want this iron (via Panasonic)

4. This is good scarf. (via A Ride A Day)

5. I have one of these. I'm wearing it in the image at the start of the post... and I love everything EmmersonMade.  (via EmersonMade)

6. There is nothing easier than a striped top! Maybe a little cliche, but it works! (via Petit Bateau)

7. Love this coat from French Connection!

One drawing at a time

Last night I wanted more than anything to pick up a paint brush, a pencil, charcoal anything and just draw. Sometimes it happens like that.
So I pulled out the pastels and started.

Finding a summer sun, somewhere

This New England winter has been relentless. It seems every week the sky turns icy gray before opening up and dumping heaping piles of white fluffiness on our already snow filled corner of the world.
All I can think of is spring and warmer, brighter, more colorful skies. I find myself searching my photo database for memories of warmer times. Ahhh, the glow of a bright summer sun filtering through the lush leaves of a tree in full bloom.  It's my way of coping. What little things are you doing to get through the mid winter blues?

Paper and pink thread.

My morning's experiment...playing with paper and pink thread.
What do you see?

Girl Evolving

I believe you can tell a lot about a girl by what she does with her hair.

This belief may come from my own lifelong fascination and experimentation with hair styles. I'm the type who never holds on to a particular style, or color for that matter, for very long. I get bored. What does that say about me? Hmmm, years of therapy and I still don't really know. 

But let's speculate, shall we.

1.  I get bored. (I think I just said that)

2.  My hair is the outward expression of where I am in life

3. My hair in no way defines me, it's more like an accessory, changes with my mood.

4. I'm an undercover agent and always need to be evolving my look as to not get "made" (this one is not likely, by the way :)

5. I like to annoy my mom.

6. I have multiple personality disorder (my therapist has ruled this one out)

7. I'm incredibly impulsive

8. I'm a dedicated fashionista. (,or I like using the word fashionista as often as possible)

9. I long to be someone else (hmmm....therapist input here _____________________)

10. "Why the hell not, it's only hair, it will grow back!" (that's the one I tell my girlfriends when they are considering a drastic change)

Anyway, those of you out there who know me may have your own thoughts on why I'm always changing my hair...I'd love to hear them!!! After all, it is only hair, right?
OH, and if any of you have photos of some of my more drastic styles...please share! 

A girl, some bags, a camera, and her dog.

Good morning dear readers.  If you have been wondering where I have been, wonder no longer. I'm back!
It has been a hectic couple of weeks with Holiday Markets to attend, student work to grade and a giant pile of laundry to wash...oops, that one still needs work, but it's on the list for this afternoon. But, first things, first. Blogging!
I had planned to blog about all the markets from these past weeks and showing you yet another photo of my lovely, ever evolving booth. But I decided you may have had enough of that.
So instead, as the title suggests, I'm taking you behind the scenes to my latest photo shoot.
After all the selling was done this past weekend at SOWA Holiday Market I had a few lovely bags still hanging on the rack. A photo shoot was in order.
Now, understand, during daylight hours on most days it's just me and the dog working away in my little home studio. So when I decide it's a good day to shoot some photos of bags, I have an instant problem on my hands. Who will model? Well, the dog isn't much help in that category, nor is she particularly agile with a camera. No opposable thumbs, you know. So, it's all me. I'm the photographer, the stylist, the model, the editor, the lighting director, wardrobe coordinator, the caterer, and yes even the one in charge of lint brushing the bags so they don't appear all speckled in the photos.
You are starting to get the picture. (Pun intended).
You will find the refined fruit of my labor on my updated website and online shop. But, I thought I would share a few of the more humorous moments of the day. Enjoy!

 I'm not entirely sure what happened in the shot above, but I suspect the next two shots may explain something...

 This one was getting close...

And, finally, this sums up the day. Lot's of shots where the timer went off before I was able to reach the designated location. Ugh, models, they just don't move fast enough.

So-Not-Russian Nesting Gourds

I have a confession to make. I have always wanted a set of Russian Nesting Dolls. Why, you ask? Well, I can't remember when the obsession started, but I do know it goes way back. I can't remember a time when I didn't love these cute little pieces of carved wood that, when opened, revealed a smaller replica of itself inside. I think it's the genius design that gets me. The adage "form follows function" comes to mind, except they are completely useless aside from being decorative. None the less, I have lusted after what I see as an object that still stands today as an example of great design.
So why I have never bought myself a set is perplexing. Perhaps I have been waiting for a trip to Russian to treat myself to an "authentic" one.
Well, my wait ended when my girlfriend Rebecca, upon discovering this obsession, took it upon herself to end my wait. Brilliantly, she opted for a modern, abstracted version of the classics. I call them my So-Not-Russian Nesting Gourds. My favorite is No.2, with it's pretty little polka dots. Which is your favorite?

A new camera to see the world with

The Blackbird Fly 35mm TLR Twin Lens Reflex Camera is the latest little gadget to catch my fancy. You may remember at the beginning of this year I got the gift of a lovely Lumix LX3. A wonderful digital camera that is not only intuitive to use, it takes great pictures without much effort. I use it to take all the photos for this blog.

What it can't do is replicate the feel of a photo taken on film. This beauty promises atmospheric photos bursting with color and character. It also has a few super cool features; square format capability, double exposure option and the ability to expose the entire film to the edge! (check out these results!) I'm in love! Of course there is human factor to consider, and with my photographic abilities being limited at best, I'm wondering if the results would be worth the investment. For now I'll remain content to look at the gorgeous photos that others have taken with this bold looking little camera. Have you ever used one of these?...do you love it?

(Images from Amazon.com)

An evening of handmade art at West Elm

Last night I ventured up to the Fenway area to attend the West Elm Handmade Art Event. This pop up shop featured local artists showing their wears among the loveliness of the West Elm Collection. I was greeted at the door with a Boston Iced Tea and 20% off card to use on a later purchase. I was smiling already.
As I strolled sipping my tea, already being familiar with West Elm's products, I search and searched for the artists who's work I had excitedly come to see. It took a while to find the first, and this a while longer to find the second. In total, there were about 9 artists present with a small, but lovely selection of work on display. There were stationers, printmakers, a soap maker and jewelry designers. But it wasn't until I arrived at artist Alli Herrmann's table that I got really excited.

(Golden Glow2010encaustic4"x4")

Her beautiful and tiny little gems of layered seeds and wax are lovely in their translucent, almost underwater quality. I bought one of these encaustic pieces immediately for fear of the few that were left would be gone by the time I made the rounds.

Another favorite of the night was the fellow Jamaica Plain-er rennes. The designer's sensibility to line and detail was spot on and her use of bright color was something I identified with.
I spent a fun few hours chatting and browsing and eating mini crab cakes that were too delicious. It's nice to see handmade goods coming so far as to gain the attention of a design giant like West Elm. The future is looking bright for the handmade nation and I'm so glad I get to be a part of it!

Is that me in the window?

A couple of days ago, strolling down Center Street, window shopping my favorite spots, I look up and see my Saddle Bag perched on a "man"-equin's hip, peeking out from under a very cool jacket! Of course, I know my bags are at Salmagundi, my favorite shop in JP, but seeing one there in the window was unexpected and so exciting!

If your wondering, 02130 is the zip code in JP! Fun and graphically cool too.