Photography by Marcus Ohlsson
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{letting the cat out of the bag}
You may have noticed random absences in the past month. Some of you already know, but the rest of you have only been given hints. Now, you all know I’ve given in to creativity this month. I signed up for NaNoWriMo. I’ve failed miserably at hitting the 50,000 word mark, but with good reason. Back in October, I was contracted to find photos for and author a book entitled Historic Photos of Cuban Miami. It’s definitely one of the more interesting bits of freelance/contract work I’ve picked up. It has kept me incredibly busy, but it also lead to quite a bit of research that will help me in writing my novel for next year. The folks over at NaNoWriMo suggest you have a solid outline and idea of characters before you begin the challenge; I didn’t have that. I do now.
What else has come of this? My little one asked me to write him a book. I’ve got the story for that finished. Now, I’m going to dig up my old art supplies and have a go at illustrating it. I haven’t drawn in years, but it can’t hurt to try. Besides, I know some fabulous bloggers who happen to be artists. If all else fails, I’ll beg them to help!
Photo by simpleeffulgence
{bit of wisdom: say grace}
You say grace before meals. All right.
But I say grace before the concert
and the opera,
and grace before the play
and pantomime,
and grace before I open a book,
and grace before sketching,
painting,
swimming,
fencing,
boxing,
walking,
playing,
dancing,
and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.
– G. K. Chesterton
Image {via} weheartit
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{bit of beauty: kat macleod}
{fa la la la la la…}
For a child, or an adult, an Advent calendar filled with little treats brings a bit of joy each day. I remember getting one as a kid with chocolates from Germany. I didn’t know what it was at the time, but I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. I keep the tradition with my little one. I think it would be a great thing to do with friends or roomates. Or, better yet, using one to propose? Anyone know a poor chap that’s stumped? Help him out!
Don’t have one? The advent calendar pictured up top is from Align with Design. If you order one before Thanksgiving, you’ll get it before December 1st! {Only if you live in the U.S.}
And, as an added surprise, one lucky reader will get a set of 10 gift tags, pictured above. Just leave a comment on this post by November 25th at midnight EST. The winner will be announced on Thanksgiving.
Good luck!
{prettiest beer commercial ever}
Ok, now who wants a Stella? Seriously, who cares if it’s 6 a.m. after such a pretty clip?
{gift guides + giveaways}
Hello gorgeous readers! As previously mentioned, I love the holidays, almost to the point of insanity.
For example, most people hate holiday shopping. I, on the other hand, thrill in it. I love hunting down great gifts for different people. Which makes most people think I’m nuts. Being Santa’s helper, I like to make your life easier. So, I’ll be sharing some gift suggestions in the next few weeks.
With all the holiday shopping you’ll be doing, don’t you want something, too?
Yea, I figured as much. That’s why I’ve partnered up with some of my favorites to bring you a giveaway on every odd day of December, starting December 1st, 2009. Each giveaway will have it’s own instructions, so stay tuned!
{p.s. If you just can’t stand holiday shopping and need a personal shopper, shoot me an e-mail.}
photo by chris everard
{rise and shine…}
annemarieke van drimmelen
{nine}
Well, since I was unexpectedly absent yesterday, I owe you some posts. I want to know who doesn’t want to look like the lovely ladies from Nine? Where’s my rattail comb? Be right back, I need to tease my hair…
{everyday beautiful life: little pink book}
Today I have a special treat. Our guest happens to be one of the most passionate PR ladies around, who is also one of my besties. Sasha Muradali (@SashaHalima)is the author of the Little Pink Book PR blogzine, which you should visit regular since I post on fashion there every Friday. This is her {Little Pink Beautiful Life}.
Something {Audrey}:- I love Audrey Hepburn… like a lot. I have never owned a pair of sunglasses (after my first pair ever) that did not resemble the big, black ones Audrey Hepburn wore. I did ballet, I model part of my clothing style after her, I am obsessed with ‘Moonriver’ and I want my wedding dress to look like her ballgown from My Fair Lady. For me, Audrey Hepburn isn’t something to be like, or model yourself after, it’s a way of being, it’s a way of life. Period.
Something {Bookworm-esque}:- I love books. I love literature. I love to write. I love reading. I love Harry Potter. I wish Jane Austen were still alive so I could speak to her. I want to travel back in time to see a show at the Globe Theatre. The man I marry has to be a cross between North & South‘s Thornton and Pride & Prejudice‘s Darcy; perhaps with a tad of Severus Snape in there for good measure.
Something {Chocolat!}:- creamy, decadent and heaven in a mouthful. Spiced, melted, hot or liquored up — I love it.
Something {iDance}:- I love to dance. I think Isadora Duncan said it best, “The Dance – it is the rhythm of all that dies in order to live again; it is the eternal rising of the sun.”
Something {Girly, Pearly & Everything Nice}:- I’m a girly (with a mental masculine streak) and I act like one. I love my pearls that my mother gave me and my Laura Ashely bedroom set that hangs sweetly upon my real wood bedroom set that I’ve had since I was girl. There is something sacred about the traditional, the simple and the classic.
Something {Makeup Me Pretty}:- My first real job, ever, was with MAC Cosmetics as a makeup artist. I love makeup. I love wearing it, playing with it and putting it on other people. I love shopping for it, playing around with colours and testing out different textures. Vibrant pigments make my day; shimmering shadows make my life.
Something {Musical}:- There is something ethereal about listening to Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard illustrate the ‘Tears of the Sun.’ There is something intoxicating about ‘The Music of the Night.’ There is something alluring about Michael Buble’s ‘Feeling Good’. There is something sexy about ‘Ojos Asi.’ There is something regal and damn near perfect about Clarke’s trills in ‘Trumpet Voluntary,’ Pachabel’s polyphonic delays in ‘Canon in D’ and Sarah Brightman with Andrea Bocelli pouring their hearts out in ‘Time To Say Goodbye.’ Most of all, there is something human about harmonious notes written on paper and spoken to the world through lifeless instruments. I can’t live without music.
Something {Pinkalicious}:- I have a real Little Pink Book; in fact, I have two. My Petal Pink Vera Bradley wallet goes everywhere with me. My airplane pillow is pink. My favourite lipglass is from MAC and it’s a golden pink little number called Nymphette. I have a collection of Barbie Dolls from all over the world and my favourite doll ever is an original from 1989 called SuperStar Barbie. I had my fondest moments as a kid with her. Heck, when I joined my sorority, people told me it must have been fate because their colours were pink (rose) and white. Go figure.
Something {Sparkly}:- I have this strange obsession with bokeh. I don’t know why. I don’t own anything with glitter on it because I find items like that to be tacky and tasteless. I am not a fan of overtly sequined things that look like the 1980s vomited them back up again. I don’t care who is wearing it or how in style it is. I loathe sequined-glitter object. But there is something to be said about bokeh. In photography, as a stock image, as a texture for editing in Photoshop or Illustrator — even manipulating in Coral Painter. I {heart} bokeh.
Something {Teaful}:- I have a cuppa tea every afternoon. There isn’t much more to be said about it. My favourite brand of china is Spode and my favourite print is the (Blue) Willow. Not sure if it’s exciting or sad, when you go into Harrod’s looking for pieces for your mummy and you happen to know more about the China than the expert trying to sell you some. Like I said, at Harrod’s no less. At my house, we have the Christmas set too. I guess I am my mummy’s daughter.
Something {Tech Geeky Girl}:- I’m a geek girl. I admit this. I love Adobe Photoshop, I can’t live without it or my Wacom and I don’t want to know how life would be different without them. I am Twitter obsessed, I’ve been on Facebook since 2004. I own the geeky phone from Nokia known to man (currently) and yes, I even have the Spock 2009 Ken Doll from Mattel.