The Girl

I'm such a sucker for a melancholy love song. You too? Then we're a pair.

Film Preview

I recently started shooting film again. It's just so darn rich and dreamy and detailed in a way that digital just can't be. Here are a few sneak peeks at some upcoming film photo shoots on my photo blog. You're going to LOVE them as much as I did.

These photos are unedited. Untouched. Taken with my very cheap canon and with no lens of any merit. And yet, I think I love them

Desperately Seeking Blue

In an earlier post about my journey to San Fran, I mentioned that I found an awesome vintage shop and I bought two awesome vintage pieces. Please forgive the AWFUL photos...really, it pains my artistic soul that I don't have better photos to post for this, but it's really snowy and dark outside and the dress is wrinkled and I'm not in the mood to iron.

Ok.

The first dress is the one featured here. Made by a very popular San Fran designer it dates back to 1951. 

It's make by Nelly Gaffney and is in FLAWLESS condition. Just perfect for me and my complexion and for just under $100--truly a steal. Have you seen the prices at Anthropologie these days?

This is a delicate little nighty circa 1955 from Saks Fifth Avenue. I got it for $40.00. Which, in my mind, is less than what you would spend at Victoria Secret for something not quite as charming or delicate or finely detailed.

The neckline is what sold me. And the blue.

I found this little number while thrifting with one of my dear friends. We popped into Savers and found this dress in about five minutes. It was $7.99.

Seriously. Could my love affair with powder blue be indulged any better than this?!

What color are you pining for these days?

Wallpaper. Decided.

After a week of pouring over every kind of wallpaper (I know, I know, you've been waiting with baited breath, haven't you?)--I have to go with my gut here. I found two that I love. They are expensive. I've never spent this much on anything having to deal with decoration because I've always rented. For the price of this wallpaper I could buy an original Amanda Blake piece of art (which is on my wish list of things for my new home.)

I can only afford to paper one wall in the two rooms I am choosing--but these two walls will pop like you can't believe.

Drum roll please:

Opinion Needed.

What are your thoughts on decals....specifically--this one--say if I were to put this in my blue bedroom. Trendy? Tasteful? Tasteless? Ideas. I'd like your opinion.

I Will

And I'll do it EVERY DAY.

Who you callin' Yella?

I have a small back bedroom that I have to figure out how to convert into my office AND a guest room. It's small. It's only 9 x 14. It's narrow. It's got three doors to deal with--entrance, closet, and bathroom.

I've not really ever thought of doing much with yellow, but lately, I'm liking it. My two main rooms will be a neutral gray. My bedroom will be a blue. The kitchen will be white. The bathrooms will be a neutral hue as well...so the back bedroom, I'd like to make it a bit more fun. I googled yellow rooms and REALLY loved these ones. I just need to decide how to fit a desk, bookshelves, a spare bed, a dresser, and a chair into such a small space.

Suggestions?

Every day I write the book.

Legs. I like them.

I also love these looks from j.crew.

Carrie Saxl

Last Saturday I hit a local market right around Pier 1 in San Francisco. I was drawn to a small arts fair and especially to the booth of Carrie Saxl. Her jewelry is so beautiful, delicate, and amazing in real life (and in these photos!) She had a sale, and then she offered 20% off the sale price for pre-Holiday shopping. Needless to say, it was hard for me to keep my purchase price down. I wish I could have bought a necklace for ALL of my friends. I, however, selfishly bought myself an awesome creation. I couldn't find a photo of it, but I'll try and take one and post it later. It ROCKS!

I don't do much Christmas shopping. However, I would highly recommend this delicate treasures. I love meeting and supporting people who love what they do, work hard at doing it, and go home tired and happy.

Check out Carrie's website here.

Wallpaper

This is the photo that started the search for the perfect wallpaper.

It's ALMOST official! I'm ALMOST a home owner! I went through the house again yesterday as I was getting it inspected. I measured rooms and checked windows. The whole house is white--ready and waiting for some touches and flares. So, if this blog becomes house obsessed the next few weeks, please indulge.

That's where you come in. I want your ideas--and Rowena and Jo, I am talking specifically to you two-- I want any and all things and colors and places and to consider before I make final decisions. I don't have a lot of money, but I have a little to play with. I wish I didn't have such expensive taste! The wallpaper I want alone is, of course, designer and a bit expensive, but SO SO lovely and so perfectly me! I want colors, but not too bright. I like whites and neutrals and softs, but want to spice it up a bit too.


HERE IS WHAT I HAVE TO WORK WITH:
The kitchen has white cabinets and emerald green tile countertops.
Both bathrooms have neutral tile.
The main room is large, spacious, and completely white with bamboo flooring.


WHAT I'VE ALREADY DECIDED ON:


My bedroom:  I'll be painting it blue and having it various shades of blues and whites.


And the dining room....well, I have white bookshelves already owned. A vintage old wood table, a red little settee to read books on, and this awesomely amazing ROMO wallpaper on one wall. It's just like the yellow in the photo, but a red/neutral color. SHAZAM! To see how the wallpaper looks in a room...click here!






Ideas! Please! Send!

So Blue...

I finally splurged....Pottery Barn had the sale that I wanted, and so I just bought everything you see pictured here for my new bed in my new house. My room is going to be all about the blue, blue, blue.

Real Couture

There were many amazing moments that happened as I strolled San Fran's many piers on Saturday. I shot about 6 rolls of film and will have to wait a few weeks to get them back and post all my photos here. Yep. You heard right. Not a digital image in the bunch. I have gotten so used to shooting digital lately that I feel sloppy, like it doesn't matter if each shot counts because I'll just take another if I don't like it.

That's not how I become a better photographer.

So, I took my Nikon F100 and my 85mm lens I wanted to try out, and I shot film for about 8 hours straight.

Can't wait.

I also met the lady featured in this photo. She is FANTASTIC and owns this shop. It's all charity based and her store was vintage heaven. I bought a blue, 1950s Saks Fifth avenue nighty for about $60.00 (cheaper than Victoria Secret!) and--the best piece ever, a blue dress that I will feature here on the blog in a post all of it's own.

Joy circa 1966

Joy and her store will be featured in Harper's Bazaar next month. Look for her there. Although, to really recognize her you'll have to picture her with very large, very round, very black glasses, a cashmere sweater, sweat pants, old man boots, and a beehive hair style. At least, that's what she was wearing on Saturday when I met her.

She invited me back to San Fran to see a private showing of ALL her vintage pieces, a few Dior gowns in the $2,000 range, Oscar de la Renta and etc. If any of you want to join me for a piece of artistic heaven, let me know. I'll probably be going back in the Spring. You can read another cool piece about her (as well as see some of the great clothes that are donated to her)  here.

Joy featured with her favorite YSL dress

Pam and Jim, Jim and Pam

Small Town

Well, I was born in a small town. I was raised in a small town. I go back to that small town and visit every so often. I stayed at my parents this weekend because I had a wedding reception to go to for an old high school friend. I went to go rent a video after the festivities. Blockbuster was having a sale, so I bought several movies from documentaries (Chalk and No Impact) to an awesome foreign film featuring Gael Garcia Bernal (whom I love and adore) 


Video Guy: You know this film is in Spanish, like right?
Me: Yes.
Video Guy: Cause people like bring it back and get mad that it's in Spanish.
Me: I like Spanish.


ringing up my movies....


Video Guy: Would you like me to like put these in a bag for you?
Me: Oh, I have my own. 


pulling out my reusable awesome bag that I always have on hand.


Video Guy: Awesome! This is like SO SO European! Dude!
Me: We should totally make them American. Don' you think.
Video Guy: Totally.
Me: Totally.