The Craft Begins

Apparently, I’m into passing my blog bookmarks along…

1.  The thing that I like most about Black*Eiffel is the fact that I think she and I have almost the exact same taste.  At least, I always really like the things she posts, whatever that means.

2.  Reading the Rockstar Diaries always makes me happy.  Taza and her husband always seem to be having so much fun and getting everything they can out of life, and taking fantastic pictures along the way.  A really uplifting read.

3.  La Marquise Des Anges is always filled with pretty, colorful and feminine finds.

4.  If you ever find yourself lost in the maze that is Etsy nowadays, Simply Designed and Etsy Finds takes a lot of the guesswork out of the process.  Great items, talented sellers, and everything is pulled together by color or theme beautifully.

5.  If you still long for the days of your 35mm camera, I Heart Film is the blog for you.  Constantly rounding up excellent photographs, all taken with analog tools.s, i

I’ve always loved taking pictures.  I started with photography when I was very young, before there were digital cameras of any kind.  I used to be really frustrated by film – you’d never know if something turned out or if you accidentally exposed the whole roll.  When digital came along, I happily jumped on the bandwagon.

Then I started to miss film.  The colors that can be achieved with film just aren’t present in digital cameras, no matter how fancy.  And there’s something to be said for holding the actual physical product in your hand instead of just looking at it on a screen.

My film camera that I use right now has a great history.  In college, I went garage saleing a lot.  There was an estate sale right by my house one day, and I couldn’t help but stop by.  There I met a man named Dennis, who had been married to his wife for over 50 years (and who had just passed).   They bought a camera when they first got married and had used it ever since.  That was the camera that ended up coming home with me.  I always think about their story every time I use it, and it makes me happy that this little 35mm camera documented someone else’s life for all of those years, and now has a second chance in mine.

It’s not fancy.  It doesn’t zoom, and the only focus guide is roughly 3 ft., 6 ft., 10 ft., and infinity.  I like that if I have to get up close to something, I have to physically get up close to it.  The camera sees exactly what I see.  It’s great to take on vacation because it’s not bulky and it would never get stolen.  And the pictures – oh, the pictures!

Does anyone else still use film?

Here’s a list of favorites for this week!

1.  I’ve always admired the work of Feaverish.   A welcome sight in the age of digital everything, his photographs are taken with various old formats of cameras – 35mm, polaroid, and the like.  I’ve taken a lot of photographs with an old 35mm camera that I love and there’s just no creating the sort of exposure that you can get with a real camera.  A collection of whimsical and everyday photographs mean that there’s something for everyone.

2.  I read about Who Made It on someone’s blog (I can’t remember, sorry) but I was instantly struck by the originality of their products and the clever re-use of a material that we see everyday.  Their jewelry stands are the pinnacle of pretty shabby chic (I could see Anthropologie jumping all over this idea).  Since all of my jewelry ends up finding itself in containers all over the house, this makes clutter look classy.

3.  I’ve been following Modesign since I first signed up for Etsy.  I love the interesting re-use of vintage lace.  The dye jobs are gorgeous and the interesting lace patterns are always paired with beautiful stones.  I think this would be great for someone who liked feminine things with a little bit of spunk.

4.   Atelier BB has recently come to my attention.  I love handmade ceramics, and I love color, and she combines the two oh-so-well.  All sorts of cute little plates and interesting patterns and bright, happy colors.  This would be the ideal accessory for any kitchen (all of my plates and kitchenware is white and wood for a reason).