The Craft Begins

I have a sort of love/hate relationship with jellyfish, in that I love them and think they’re fascinating and beautiful to watch but I hate them because I am really allergic and thus terribly afraid of them.  I’ve had my fair share of encounters with the squiggly beasts out there in the wilderness, but I think that I would prefer them in a lovely enclosed container on my desk.

This amazing tank is specially designed to hold jellyfish, which would get sucked up into the water intake of a normal fishtank.  Thanks to great success on kickstarter, you can preorder your tank right now!

I know, I know.  Masterpiece Theater, British TV show, etc., BUT – have you seen the costuming?  It’s exquisite.  I love all of the small details – the patterns, the lace, the beadwork, and oh, the hats.

The show itself is actually quite compelling and I think the acting is amazing – subtle, but well-rounded, and the characters are much more dignified and realistic than I think your typical tv character is.  They do an amazing job of not stereotyping male and female characters, which shouldn’t be a revelation, but really is.

Who knew the early turn of the century was quite so stylish?  I think I might have next year’s Halloween costume in the bag!

Who knew that this classic American standby could be so chic?

Though I think that men find a lot more on offer when it comes to really well made American sportswear classics, this is still a great find.  And I’ve always lamented the lack of the same for women, but it seems that L. L. Bean could be really fitting the bill here.  A tweet jacket with elbow patches?  I’ll take one in every color, thank you!  And with luggage like that, you’d have to try hard not to want to take it on an adventure every weekend.

You can find some amazingly well-designed and hilarious stereotype maps over at Alpha Designer – I’ve just showcased perspectives of the world according to Americans but there’s a whole variety of stereotypes to be had.  Click here to see just how many ways you can view the world!

Photographer Irina Werning has accomplished an amazing project – before and after photos that not only recreate a pose and a feeling but the exposure and texture of the photographs themselves!  Some are beautiful, some are poignant and sweet, and some are just downright funny, but they are all extremely charming and her talent is quite obvious.  Make sure to check out both series one and two.

It’s a wee bit after the fact now, but as I’ve been bad with blogging I figure it’s never too late to share.  Some of my very good friends got married this summer up in the beautiful mountains of Estes Park, Colorado, and I was honored not only to be part of the wedding party but to be able to share in creating some of the memorable details.  Some of my favorites included birch branches that were cut down and turned into tea light holders by the groom, and a wide variety of hand-picked pinecones decorating the tables that I spent months digging for, looking for only the most perfect ones!

They wanted an affair that was rustic, vintage, chic, mountain-y, and somehow highlighted their western spirit (the bride rides rodeo, and the groom’s family is in buffalo ranching).  The challenge was to do so without breaking out the hay bales and the red bandanas.  I loved the way that everything came together visually, and it was an amazing party as well.  Nothing like two-stepping the night away to a killer country band!

If you’ve ever discovered a lost roll of film, forgotten in a box somewhere, and thrilled at the possibilities that it contains, this project is for you.  Brendan Corrigan captured amazing images of cameras that he purchased secondhand containing undiscovered treasures in the films inside.  He displays these alongside the actual photographs that came out of the camera.  It’s an amazing look into small moments in total strangers lives.  There’s something so endearing and yet totally voyeuristic about it.  It’s almost like looking at memories that someone else has forgotten, or that have disappeared into the haze of time.

Hello to anyone still reading – it’s been a while since I’ve posted (which should be obvious); funny how you get busy living and things get away from you.  I’ll be trying to keep this updated going forward, so wish me luck!

How’s everyone doing?

I’d like to introduce my sister, Chelsea, who will be popping in from time to time with a few fashion-related posts.  I’ll fully admit that she’s a lot more stylish than I am so I pressed her to share some of that insight with my readers!  Without further ado:

Wearing statement jewelry was always something I did for myself. Be it as a distraction from under eye bags, or to jazz up an otherwise boring outfit, but as of late I have been pleasantly surprised by the breadth of people who appreciate a great piece of statement jewelry. At the college bookstore my first day on campus I saw a class ring that I coveted all four years. By the time graduation rolled around it felt like that ring was my reward rather than the diploma I had been allegedly working towards. Since that day I have yet to take it off, and am constantly surprised by how many comments I receive about it on a daily basis. My advice is to find a signature piece to make your own, one that reflects your own personal style, but that incorporates some spunk into your Monday at work.

1.  Signature earrings are a great way to bring some sparkle to your face, and they also save time getting ready in the morning.

2.  My always thoughtful Mom got this funky ring for me for Valentines Day – even my straight male Starbucks barrista commented on it.

3.  This large resin and gold tusk necklace by Kenneth Jay Lane is a playful spin on Urban Safari (it’s also stunning in jade).

I wanted to share these colorful, whimsical, and a little bit sinister illustrations with ya’ll.

If you want to see more, you can check out an interview here, and check out his whole portfolio here.

I saw these works in a gallery recently and was totally charmed by these colorful, playful little birds.

The good news is that you can get your own!  How fabulous would they look in a little grouping on your wall?  I like grouping small works like this vertically in those little spaces on the wall that seem to not be a fit for anything else.  Find these and more at Bird Babble.

This program is a really awesome way of taking low-res files and blowing them up as big as you could ever imagine!  It’s also just fun to play with.  Here’s my test image:

And here is just one panel of what would eventually be a giant poster that you can print out from a .pdf and tape together:

Kind of cool, no?  Just a warning, it’s an excellent time waster.  Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

How clever and amazingly detailed are these photographs?

The crab is my personal favorite.  Check out Paige Thompson’s portfolio for more adorable painted images!

On the first Friday of every month, Denver hosts an event called “First Fridays”, where all of the art galleries throw open their doors and crack open the booze and everyone has a great time drinking and looking at great art. It’s become increasingly popular over the years, which is great, as the lineup of galleries is only expanding.  I usually try to get down for every one but it doesn’t always happen.  Most of the time the art that I see seems to be pretty amateur hour, but every great once in a while I see some amazing things.  Here’s a roundup of the best finds from this month’s art walk.

1.  Beautiful landscapes with unexpected figural images really caught my imagination.  Allen Birnbach is an amazingly technically skilled photographer with a beautiful vision.

2.  Something about these tiny geographical sculptures from John Solo really struck me.  I think it might be my affection for miniatures, but perhaps its just the unexpected nature of their containers.

3.  I like the colorful, gestural qualities of Laura Moretz’s work – to me, it looks like an emotion rendered in paint.

4.  It’s rare that I see something that I covet and would hang on my wall for all eternity, but this painting specifically (and the rest of her work generally) I would put up in a heartbeat.  Check out Mai Wyn Schantz’s portfolio for more amazing landscape images.  Also, she paints them on aluminum and stainless panels – genius!

Some of you may remember the post I did about Nan Whitney’s amazing styling work – if not, you can check it out here.  Nan has graciously submitted herself to my questioning and I’m really excited to share her answers with you!

1.  What did you have for breakfast?

This morning, fried chicken and prosecco…not my usual!  (normally Marriage Freres French Breakfast tea…so delicious).
2.  How did you first get started in photo styling?

Literally bumped into it.  I was a clothing designer, selling to Henri Bendel, and Bergdorf Goodman and befriended an assistant, that had too bad a cold to work on a clothing shoot, so I took her place, loved it and changed careers.

3.  Do you do photography as well, or are you just purely doing styling work?

4.  Do you think that an understanding of photography is important for what you do?

I think an understanding of looking through a lens, the mystery of the unsaid and the beauty of light are important to any picture.

5.  Did you grow up in a creative household?

Definitely.  My Grandmother was a clothing designer with Hattie Carnegie, my mother was a fashion fit model, and my grandfather was an architect involved with the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and many other buildings in NYC.

6.  Was there a really important creative influence in your life?

hmmm….the force of life.

7.  If you weren’t a stylist, what do you think you would be doing?

Painting.

8.  What is your best garage sale find?

9.  What’s another super-secret skill of yours?

Cooking.
10.  What would you eat for your last meal?

An endless supply of sushi.
11.  What is something that you think everyone should know about?

12.  What kind of music have you been listening to lately?

Benjamin Biolay, Le Trio Joubran, Checkers , and John Lee Hooker.
13.  What do you like most about where you live?

I live in Harlem, and love the kindness and the morning conversations with the “older” residents in my neighborhood.  I also love the architecture of the old brownstones.

14.  If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

15.  Do you have any pets?

16.  What is your favorite color?

17.  What’s the best advice you could give someone wanting to start out in your field?

18.  If you could give a child just getting started in the world three personality traits, what would they be and why?

19.  What is your most precious possession?

20.  What projects should we be looking forward to from you next?