Photoshoot: Sun & Sand

We found a parking spot on PCH that day. About halfway to the shore, we kicked off our flip-flops and let our toes sink into the sand.



We sat down, blanket-less. I made patterns in the sand as I watched the waves roll in. Specks sparkled in the sun as I filtered grains through my fingers.



We kicked around the soccer ball by the surf. Sometimes the ball hit the water, and we happily chased it, splashing our feet in the cold ocean. Our faces were hot, too, but the breeze kept us dry from sweat.

Driving away hours later, we realized we were sunkissed. I smiled my tired, content smile, and for the next few hours I saw nothing but beauty in the world.

Written Word: Book Nook?

My heart skipped a beat when I came across this photo on Apartment Therapy. Click here to see more angles.

When I was a preteen, I spent an entire weekend compartmentalizing my room. One corner was for watching TV, my bed was for looking at the NKOTB posters on the wall (ahh, Jordan), my desk was for typing my stories. Another space was for reading. I positioned two bookshelves so that they nearly cordoned off a corner. Inside I assembled a pile of pillows, where I sat, back against the wall, with a good book. It was my favorite compartment by far, like my own little library. My own book nook.

If I could create a grown-up book nook, it would look like the space above, only with books instead of DVDs. And to think it was created using Lack pieces from IKEA. I'd attempt it in a heartbeat if I were even the slightest bit handy. Unfortunately it took me the better part of a morning to put together an IKEA bookshelf, and that was with the oh-so-helpful instructions.

Design Dialogue: Luciano Marcato Pillows

Hello, friends. I absolutely adore these Luciano Marcato pillows, and I'm hoping you'll concur so we can swoon over them together.



Using Fornasetti designs, each one has an image on the flipside that plays off the front-side image. Clever.



OK, this is where we sigh, scroll back up and swoon some more.

Tune Time: War for Wilco Tickets

They were chewing gum for something to do ...

"Whistle it, then rip it!"

This was the overly enthusiastic and seemingly random cry from one of the fellow Wilco fans sitting in front of us back in 2001, the cry that forever settled into our collective memory as "the moment" of that show. "Whistle it, then rip it!" What does that even mean?

Fast forward to 2009. My concert buddy and I are reuniting in June. It's been a few years since we followed a band around, but we're picking up right where we left off. With two Wilco shows, two days in a row. I'm stoked because you never know what kind of crazy people you'll meet at their shows (example above). I'm ready, even though I was on the verge of a heart attack trying to buy tickets when they went on sale.

{Rant} Is it just me, or does a ticking clock as you're trying to fill out your credit card info seem a little much? It's like a countdown till the bomb goes off. A concert-goer doesn't really need this kind of pressure. It's not like the safety of the free world rests on your ability to buy already-inflated concert tickets in two minutes or less ... {/Rant}

And, finally, a really shoddy (but still awesome) Wilco video from the last show of theirs I saw, here in L.A. in 2007:

The Thriftster: Know When to Hold 'Em

Vintage poker chip set at antique mall: $9.
Beating him* at his own game: Priceless.



*Lady Luck was on my side, what can I say?

100 Movies: 8, 9

And the countdown continues in my quest to watch and find something inspiring in every single one of Yahoo's 100 Movies to See Before You Die...


Let's forget about the fact that this movie doesn't provide the most accurate representation of the U.S. legal system. It does take place in mostly one room, though, and that's pretty darn impressive. Now if only I could keep this in mind the next time it's my turn for napping in public (aka jury duty). At least the jury pool nowadays includes people of all colors and ages and genders, infinitely more exciting than a bunch of middle-aged white men wearing crisp white shirts and ties. Progress! Now that's inspiring.


This movie is a photographer's dream! Every scene is perfectly framed. The lighting is exquisite. As if one would expect less from Stanley Kubrick. It was difficult to choose just one still to share here; they're all fantastic. I eventually settled on this one because I've falling in love with these chairs and must declare it to the world.

Fashion Forward: Lucky Elephants

I've been noticing elephant pendants popping up all over the place and, as much as they remind me of a certain political party which shall go unnamed, I must begrudgingly admit that I like the look of them. The history of the lucky elephant symbol in Western culture is interesting. All the rage in the early 1900s, one of the popular beliefs was that only elephants with upturned trunks were lucky. Note how all these charms found on Etsy follow the same school of thought!

Who couldn't use a little luck right now?

Precious Charm

Jasmine Little Box

Austin Modern

Photoshoot: Easter Eggs

For mere pennies I scored a little egg-dyeing kit at the thrift on Easter weekend, so Husband and I had fun reverting to childhood for a few hours. We stopped short of hiding them for a hunt, but that was only because we were distracted with thoughts of how we were going to eat hard-boiled eggs for the next week.

The next time you find yourself with a salt shaker in one hand and a boiled egg in the other, you might want to try one of our culinary adventures, all of which we wholeheartedly vouch for.

BREAKFAST
Egg on English muffin
Exactly what it sounds like. Chop up a hardboiled egg, slather on some Laughing Cow cheese (the bee's knees!), salt + pepper, toss in toaster oven for a minute, and munch away.

LUNCH
Egg and guacamole on flaxseed bread
Pretty much the same as breakfast, only substitute the cheese with the guacamole. Add a little salsa, and you're good to go.

DINNER
Everything-in-the-pantry salad
Toss a chopped egg, almonds, red onion, corn, bell peppers, flaxseed and chickpeas (and whatever else you find in your fridge or pantry) with romaine lettuce and add some ranch dressing. So good you'd think you planned it!

100 Movies: 5, 6, 7

The Netflix envelopes were sitting there most of the week, untouched. Every time I saw them I thought, "Yes, I should follow through on my plan to see Yahoo's 100 Movies to See Before You Die ... just not tonight." Truth is, two of the movies seemed downright depressing, and it was a challenge just to put them in the DVD player. And even though I'm glad I eventually did, I was right. These movies are depressing. Inspiration can be found anywhere, though, right? Right.


About an unemployed man in post-WWII Italy who finally gets a job with one prerequisite: a bicycle. And what happens on the first day? His bicycle gets stolen. Another case of the poor man never getting a break. It would be all doom and gloom if it weren't for the man's young son, Bruno (Enzo Staiola), whose gumption far exceeds that of people twice his age. Bruno has a job of his own, a sense of style and he isn't afraid to stand up to his dad after being slapped. Way to go, kid!


Honestly, I'm hard-pressed to think of a more depressing film. You've got the French occupation and the Algerian revolution. And they fight. A lot. And not fairly. You hate both sides, in fact. But I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. If that's not quality movie-making, I don't know what is. I think anyone watching this movie can easily see that neither side wins when using tit-for-tat and terror warfare. The hippie inside me was inspired to jump up and say, "Dammit everyone! Just give peace a chance!"


Finally, some (very dated) comic relief. I wanted to LOL, but instead I found myself OMG-ing, and in an uncomfortable "this is so wrong" kind of way. Definitely a movie of its time, I think the time has passed. The best part was when the sheriff came to town on his beautiful horse and wearing designer Western duds. Now that's an inspiring image!

Design Dialogue: Earthspheres

Friends, these wayward "earthspheres" by Spherical Concepts deserve a good home. And by good home I mean my home. I must adopt* them. Please excuse me while I roll my tongue back into my mouth now.

*With a pricetag of $295, I'm actually contemplating kidnapping instead.

Etsy Day is Every Day

In honor of Etsy Day (that's today, my friends), I have a little treat for you. Here are a few of the very many bad-ass items filling up my favorites list right now, all perfect for year-round gift-giving. My birthday's a little less than a year away, but every day is my Unbirthday (hint, hint).

Luckalilly

Sweetshorn Vintage

Jewelry by Jennifer Casaday

Sincear Jewelry

Nowvember
(check out vampire kitten, too)

Green Chic Boutique

Which Goose

Vital

And what would you think of me if I didn't mention my own Etsy store, Little Gray Pixel. Stop by for some great fine art photography, illustrations and cards. And free shipping! Yay!

Must Be Blood ... Must Be Fresh!

A few weeks ago, we went on a mission to find friends for the hearty succulents hanging out in our barren garden. I'd like to report the names of all these flowers and plants, but I'm not really a gardener, I just pose as one on the weekends.




See? That's better. Some colorful plantlife makes our garden look less like it belongs on the set of "Little Shop of Horrors."



I fear the day one of those succulents starts singing.



Feed me Seymour ...



Feed me all night long ...

Written Word: Holy Hogwarts, Harry!

I can't get enough of M.S. Corley's re-imagining of the Harry Potter books. If the series were published using these covers I wouldn't hesitate to buy the whole thing again.

He's also redesigned the Spiderwick Chronicles and The Series of Unfortunate Events to look like classic Penguin Books. Prepare to gawk.

Photoshoot: Very Vegas Night

Hi friends! Finally I'm sharing with you the last of my photos from Las Vegas in February. I know, it's shameful that it took so long for me to post them all. What if this were a dinner party, and you were all sipping on your cocktails waiting for me to get all my slides together before the finger foods were served? You'd be all drunk and fainting on the floor from lack of food, that's what! (Please note that, in my mind, this dinner party is occurring in 1954.)

About the photo ...

We've been staying at the Stratosphere the last few Vegas trips because it's young, fun and has a VTT (very tall tower). On this VTT there are some rides. I have always been game for them because I fancy myself an adventure seeker in the same vein as Indiana Jones. My companions have always been less than enthused about the prospect, so in the past I've just mocked them for being fuddy duddies. Well, ladies and gents, I at last witnessed one of these insane rides in action from the observation deck and I've changed my mind. Not to mention my underwear.

Chic for Cheap: An Art Inspired Look

Rehoboth Beach, Idletype, $20

This is one of my favorites on Etsy. The photographer, Troy, says that a few hours before he took this shot on a cold March day he fell into the ocean along with his equipment. From one photographer to another, that's heart-stopping excitement. Will the camera work? Yes! Off to take brilliant long exposure ...



And even though the image itself was captured on a cold day, every time I look at it I'm reminded of East Coast summer nights. Stealing off for a midnight stroll, bandanna holding your hair back, cardigan to stave off a chilly ocean breeze, sandals easily discardable so you can squish your toes into the moist sand. All this for less than $100.

As always, check out Creature Comforts' look here.

The Thriftster: Dress to Impress

Happy Earth Day, everyone. In my small effort to reduce, reuse, recycle, I've been scoring some amazing dresses at the thrift lately.



Thanks are owed to thrifter extraordinaire Sara, who spotted these gems with her eagle eye. I think she should be a personal shopper. Check out her eBay store for some great deals!



How much do you think I shelled out for these two dresses?



If you guessed less than $20, you're right! Super thrift!

One to Watch: Big Mention

I haven't been sitting on the couch as much since acquiring this rad piece of art. Nope, I've taken to perching on a chair across the room just so I can fully admire it. The art soothes me, calms my ever-frenetic soul.

Awesome, right? And it's all thanks to my old pal Ian Walker Stewart, whose work can be found in his Etsy store, Big Mention. I was lucky enough to procure this large piece, called "It's the Nature of Such Things (Get Over It)," which is from his first solo exhibit a few years back.



Ian's mixed media work is collage-based, wherein he collects images, then draws, then paints, then crumples, then scans it in, prints it out and does it all over again. His influences include graffiti, design, poster and American folk art. The intricate nature of his work and the relationship with color (something I'm extremely fascinated with) is amazing, and I can't say enough about the quality.



Here are a few items I'm loving in his store right now. Check them out!

Media Minded: Polaroid PoGo

Meet the latest gadget on my wishlist. Polaroid PoGo, it has my heart. I can't tell you how often I've thought, "If only I had an instant camera that printed tiny 2x3 prints on inkless paper." Let's not forget the times I thought, "And if only those tiny prints came with an adhesive back so I could litter the city with my captures of whimsy!"

What, are you telling me these thoughts haven't once crossed your mind?

Of course, the best spot to display these precious moments would be on or inside a locker door. Welcome the other new gadget on my wishlist: the IKEA PS cabinet.

And here, for those of you who are acting all blase about the PoGo but who are secretly dying to watch it in action (yes, you):

Fashion Forward: Black & White

Did I ever tell you about the geometric black-and-white minidress I had in junior high? This was modern art on knit! I wore it with stirrup leggings and granny boots, which featured metal hooks that perfectly matched my braces. Oh those were the days. Before Invisalign. I'm so over stirrup leggings, but that dress! I wish I still had it.

Lucky for me, these talented Etsy sellers have some modern B&W to click on:

Courtney Courtney


My Black Dress


Thimble and Acorn


I'm Your Present


Pretty Raccoon


Rock Al Designs


Cyberoptix Tie Lab


Flutter