13 Ways of Looking at a Magpie

Antique Shop

2012-02-12T14:17:00.001-06:00

Antique Shop, a set on Flickr.

Last month, my husband showed up to visit me at work, extremely excited. He'd bought me a gift...a beautiful Canon A-1 camera with a 50mm 1.4 lens. I shot and shot and shot with that thing and when the first roll of Kodak Tri-X film came back, I couldn't have been happier with the results! Such amazing tones! I've finally gotten around to scanning them in, and will be uploading them in themed batches. The first batch--scenes from my favorite antique shop!

Fundamentals

2011-04-03T14:24:00.002-05:00

Joe Hill, an amazing author (read his novels "Heart-Shaped Box" if you want to be scared to death or "Horns" if you want to look at the devil in a whole new way) who is very active on Twitter, has started a hashtag meme: #fundamentals. He's given several explanations of just what he means by this...I'll paraphrase them here rather than just copying and pasting. A fundamental is something that serves as a foundation for how you understand the world, a touch-stone you go back to over and over, a directional sign on your personal road map. It isn't necessarily your favorite song, but it's the song that defines how you go about understanding all songs. It isn't necessarily your favorite book, but it's the book that serves as a foundation for all books of that type. Etc. I'm very much enjoying reading over the answers other people have given, and also with really looking at my own life and my own fundamentals! It's a good thing to do, I think...to understand how you understand the world.

The answers I've given so far include:

For sci-fi/fantasy novels: "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman; "The Book of the New Sun" series by Gene Wolfe; "The Telling" by Ursula K. LeGuin; "The Orphan's Tales" by Catherynne Valente.

For poetry: "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot; "13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird" by Wallace Stevens; "Instructions" by Neil Gaiman; "Howl" by Allen Ginsberg.

For caffeinated beverages: English Breakfast tea with sugar and milk; southern-style sweet iced tea; jasmine green tea; French roast coffee, black.

For the simple pleasures in life: A new book; an empty highway in the sunlight; warm fingers; a purring cat; socks hot from the dryer; the first crocus of spring.

For comfort food: Hot, salty miso soup; grilled cheese; mashed potatoes with butter; pasta with cream sauce; chocolate milk shakes.

For desserts: Lemon sorbet; nutella crepes; chocolate chip cookies; apple pie; mochi.

For Japan

2011-03-16T15:19:00.005-05:00

Save Libraries!

2011-02-05T13:01:00.000-06:00

I probably don't talk about it too terribly much around these parts, but I am a librarian. I'm a librarian in a time when a lot of people are making noises about libraries no longer being relevant, or being replaced by Google and its ilk. Now, I don't happen to believe any of that is really true; at least in the community in which I work, the library is still a vibrant, thriving part of the community. But we, too, are facing budget cut-backs, as are all our sibling libraries across the state and the country. And isn't that a foolish thing? In these awful economic times, what is more important than a place open to all, where the unemployed and underprivileged can come and read for free, use the internet to search for a job, or just get in out of the cold for a while?

And a lot of people agree with me. Flickr user and librarian Phil Bradley has reached into the annals of propaganda history and repurposed some kitschy old war-time posters to support the #SaveLibraries Twitter campaign. He has a whole set of them in his 'stream, but I thought I'd post some of the gems here. Please, spread this around if you care about libraries! (And if you don't care about libraries, spread this around anyway!)

Oh, dear!

2011-02-05T09:13:00.003-06:00

I can't believe it's been over a month since I updated here! I started using Tumblr more (Leather and Denim is my blog there, if you want to check it out!) and recently joined Pinterest (me), and have been trying to be more active in my groups on Flickr (my 'stream), not to mention the normal Facebook and Twitter song-and-dance....so I guess Blogger fell through the cracks. Too many sites to check; too little time in the day! :-O

Otherwise, not much going on. We recently experiencesd Snowpocalypse 2011...or, as I'm calling it, Mega-Snow vs Snowctopus...so I just got back to work from enjoying three whole snow days in a row. I felt like a little kid, all excited! My husband and I spent our time on the couch, watching "Monster Quest" episodes and working our way through the complete DVD set of "Daria" I got for Christmas.

Man, that show takes me back! But I've realized something, watching it...I'm so much happier with my own identity now than in high school. I'm genuinely secure in who and what I am now, and I feel no need to prove anything to anyone. If someone likes me, great! If they don't, oh well! It's very liberating. :-D

Collaborate and Listen

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-23T19:53:00.002-06:00

Oh, Deer

And a happy New Year!

Wishlist Wednesday

2010-12-15T10:23:00.007-06:00

It's Wednesday, and I'm doing a wishlist. I may never do a wishlist on a Wednesday again, though. This isn't a feature. I'm not organized enough for features. Ha!

So. Stuff I heart. (Clicky the images for direct links!)

These fabulous feather-and-stone earrings from FeatherWitch

A "regular" size scarf in Dusk or Wedgewood from SCARFSHOP

A recycled canvas bag from Forestbound (Particularly like
the ones made from feedsacks!)

One (or two!) of these Starlette Sparkler bobbies from GiantDwarf

This cozy fleece Freya dress from gaiaconceptions

And finally, this rockin' gunmetal raven skull necklace from mrd74

Winter Wonderland

2010-12-13T14:01:00.005-06:00

The local Cuneo Museum sets up a Winter Wonderland every year on their grounds. And every year since we started dating, my husband says, as we drive by, "Oh, we should go to that!" And every year since we started dating...we haven't gone! Ha! Well, this year, for the first time ever, we actually managed to pack ourselves into the car along with our cameras and drive over there.

You drive through the grounds slowly, looping in and out among the trees and buildings. It's really amazing. Every tree is wrapped in lights. Lights are strung overhead, across the road and between the trees. And everywhere you look, there are sculptures made of lights on frames. Animals, cartoon characters, trees (palm and pine, ha!), and even whole scenes! Some of them flash on and off in a way that makes them seem to move! One of my favorites was the reindeer that "leaps" across the road. :-D

I had a lot of fun playing with the manual focus on my camera. I had my 50mm lens on, set to 1.8 the whole time, and I deliberately took out of focus shots to turn the bulbs into balls of pure light...light ball bokeh is the best thing about winter, photographically speaking. Lol! Almost makes me forget it's 8 freakin-degrees Fahrenheit out there right now! :-O

On Art and Creativity...

2010-12-09T18:39:00.001-06:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about creativity and art. Specifically, about why I, personally, choose to create. And you know, I still don't really have a good answer.

I'll say, for one thing, that I don't create art out of some desire to change the world, to make people feel or believe something I believe. Art as activism is not my bag. If it's yours, more power to ya. But me, no.

I would say that I do it for myself, because I enjoy it. But is that enough? Lately, I've really been wondering. I haven't felt very...inspired? Motivated? I've been wondering, really, truly...What is the point? What does art accomplish if I'm only doing it for myself? Is that selfish or solipsistic? Does art NEED a point other than the creator's pleasure? Am I just wasting my time, clicking a camera shutter, when I could be doing something more practical?

So maybe art DOES need an outsider's gaze...a viewer, an appreciator...to keep it from being a waste of time or an exercise in solipsism. Because making something beautiful or meaningful that makes someone else happy...that has to be a good, worthwhile thing to do, right? Not art as activism so much as art as...gift? As generosity?

Ugh. I think I'm just going around in circles, here, and getting no closer to the truth.

Fashion Obsessions

2010-11-27T15:49:00.003-06:00

I don't know about the rest of you, but I tend to go through stages with minor fashion obsessions. I'll spend days or weeks looking for the perfect iteration of a particular item of clothing until either A) I find it or B) I give up and move on to the next thing.

My last fashion obsession was the perfect ankle-length hippie skirt. Long ago...all the way back in high school, ha...I had this great chocolate brown embroidered hippie skirt...it was full and heavy and swirled around my ankles most delightfully. And for some reason, a little while ago, I became obsessed with finding something similar. That one was a success...my husband remembered a local hippie clothing shop a few suburbs over and we headed out on a mission! This time, I went with deep blue instead of chocolate brown, but otherwise, the skirts are almost the same. It's too cold out to wear my skirt much yet, but I've worn it around the house and felt like a goddess as it swirled and clung. Love it.

My current obsession is finding the perfect cape. It has to be long enough, but not TOO long (I don't want a cloak!) It has to be warm wool with a lining so I can wear it into the coldest days of fall and even into early winter with layers underneath. It has to button up the front all...or at least most...of the way up--no single clasps or two-button closures! It has to have arm holes...I want a cape, not a poncho! And preferably, it should be a funky-yet-classic plaid, or, barring that, a nice bright red or blue or other jewel tone. Vintage is preferable, but new will do as long as it's quality!

I'm not too picky, am I?!? ;-)

At the House on the Rock

2010-11-09T17:49:00.004-06:00

About a week ago, my husband and I went to the House on the Rock in Wisconsin. They had a special event going on; part of Neil Gaiman's wonderful novel "American Gods" takes place inside the House on the Rock, so when it came time for their anniversary celebration, they invited Neil and his fans to come wander their hallways, listen to Neil reading, and attend a Costume Ball, among other fun events. It was really wonderful, but that place would be wonderful even without all the added shenanigans!

Starting in the 1940s, a man named Alex Jordan began building a home (designed by Frank Lloyd Wrong, as the joke goes!) on a large outcropping of rock. When people starting coming to see the house's unique architecture, Jordan began charging them a nominal fee. And that was the beginning. Now, his original 14-room house is only the base for a larger, sprawling museum of sorts. An eccentric and a collector, Jordan filled his museum with bizarre things, many of which have to be seen to be believed! Dolls, carousels (including the world's largest carousel!), replicas of shops and streets, a giant whale, fortune-telling machines, various automata and music-makers, glassware, antiques, dragons and Buddhas, pipe organs, replica crown jewels and suits of armor...and that's just a taste.

There is more there than I can ever hope to describe in just one blog post! Sheer craziness on an epic scale...we were in photographic heaven! Between us, my husband and I took quite literally hundreds of photos of the place!

If you live anywhere in the Midwest, or are even planning on coming to the area for any reason, I highly recommend taking a little day trip over to the House on the Rock. It might just blow your mind!

All the Pretty Horses

Welcome to Your Nightmare

Soul of Music

Polaroid Week, Day Four

2010-11-04T11:09:00.002-05:00

Low Rates

Polaroid Week, Day Three

2010-11-04T11:07:00.004-05:00

Trees

Sorry! Posting this one a day late! Completely forgot yesterday. :-)

Polaroid Week, Day Two

2010-11-02T18:00:00.000-05:00

Come As You Are

A perfect sentiment for a week dedicated to low-fi, analog, instant photography...a style that celebrates imperfection and unpredictability...mais non?

So, what do you DO?

2010-11-02T14:30:00.002-05:00

Over at the Mocking Bird blog today, there's a bit of discussion about how, when one is asked "What do you do?" it's not really sufficient to just tell them how you make money. In a lot of cases, that really doesn't necessarily say anything much at all about who you really are as a person. I'm lucky enough to have a job doing something I love...I've always been a bibliophile, and now, as a librarian, I'm PAID to be a bibliophile! But not everyone is so lucky. And even though telling people I'm a librarian really does tell them something about my soul and my self, it's not everything I am. It's not my be-all and end-all. There are other parts. So, Amanda at Mocking Bird tells us who she is...what she does. And here's who I am, and what I do:

I am

a photographer;
a writer;
a wife;
his Queen;
a baker of cookies;
a cat-belly-scratcher;
a Polaroid-shooter;
a drinker of coffee;
a wearer of boots;
an embroiderer;
a miso soup eater;
a lover of the ocean and the beach;
a collector;
a Rat Pack music listener;
a cartoon watcher;
a sometimes couch potato;
a paleontology geek;
a feeder of squirrels;
a hater of spiders but lover of cicadas;

and so many more wonderful and weird things.

And what do YOU do?

Polaroid Week, Day One

2010-11-01T13:23:00.004-05:00

Hey, it's that wonderful time of year again...Polaroid Week! There are always some amazing photos posted to the Flickr group during this lovely celebration of all things instant film, so head on over to check them out. And here's MY first submission for your viewing pleasure, as well. ;-)

At the Pier

Comfort AND Style

2010-10-28T12:35:00.004-05:00

Okay, so one more post. I was browsing my blogroll just a bit ago and ran across the most recent post by The Sartorialist. I enjoy his blog, even when I don't particularly like the style of the folks he features...which is frequently, to be honest. But it's because of the wide variety of style he features that I keep coming back. There's often some little element of an outfit that I find I can apply to my own closet contents. However, I find it ironic, given the preponderance of "haute couture" and highly polished, sleek looks to be found in most fashion blogs, The Sartorialist included, that the outfit I find myself drawn to is this one...so simple, so comfortable, so much the opposite of "haute couture," and yet so, so stylish as well.

Personally, I would apply this look in tones of navy, rather than brown. A long, soft navy dress or skirt, possibly in jersey, topped with a similarly-toned navy corduroy blazer with grey elbow patches. And since it's a fall look, I'd switch out the sandals for grey suede boots. Perfection. Comfort AND style, all in one simple outfit. Elements both of bohemian ease and scholarly disregard. Love it.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-28T11:48:00.003-05:00

All right, I know I'm a little early with the Halloween wishes, but the husband and I are heading out of town tomorrow for an event at the House on the Rock in Wisconsin. Neil Gaiman's book "American Gods" had some scenes set there, and the House on the Rock folk decided to throw an American Gods-themed bash for the fans. And, of course, what better time of year than Halloween? Since I've been wanting to visit House on the Rock for some time, and since I'm a huge squeeing Gaiman fan-girl, and since our wedding anniversary is in October, it seemed like a great idea for a little get-away. But because of all that, I also won't be near a computer much over the next three days...thus the early Halloweeny post.

A favorite thing to do when it hits this time of the year is try to scare the bejeezus outta myself, to recapture the thrill that was trick-or-treating after dark on the night when ghosts and demons walked. I watch whatever scary movies I can find on tv, certainly, but I also like to read some scary stories! In case you're looking for a bit of a thrill and "Leprechaun in Space" (yes, it's a real movie!) just ain't cutting it, here's a handful of my personal favorite (truly creepy!) Halloween-ready tales!

"October in the Chair" by Neil Gaiman. (short story, collected in Fragile Things) -- A truly classic scary story, where what you DON'T see is far, far scarier than what you do.

"Heart-Shaped Box" by Joe Hill. -- Oh, man. I almost drove off the road one night while listening to the audio of this one!

"We Have Always Lived in the Castle" by Shirley Jackson. -- The truly disturbing nature of what's going on here really creeps up on you slowly. Delicous.

"The Bone Key" by Sarah Monette. -- A collection of short stories starring a character named Kyle Murchison Booth, some scarier than others...and some that made me jump out of my chair!

Caveat Emptor, or, How to Buy a Polaroid Camera

2010-10-20T12:16:00.007-05:00

All right. I shoot Polaroid cameras. I use expired film actually produced by Polaroid when I can find it, and I use the new films from the Impossible Project. Also, I collect the cameras. Not excessively (though I don't know if my husband would agree about that!) but I do enjoy having different models, even though many of them do basically the same thing. And so, I scour vintage/thrift shops and scan eBay and Etsy listings.

It's much easier to shop in person when you can look at the items yourself, of course. When you're looking online, you have to rely on the seller's description. And, quite frankly, a lot of sellers either clearly don't know what they're talking about--which is fine, because they usually sell a lot of different stuff and can't be experts on ALL of it--or are outright lying. Yes, lying. I've caught many a seller in a claim that just can't possibly be true.

And that just ticks me off! I mean, at this point, I know enough to catch those lies and avoid those sellers, but I sure didn't back when I started out! So I thought I'd list some of the dishonest claims I've seen in various Polaroid listings and explain just why those claims are ridiculous, in the hopes of educating those of you who might be out there looking for a camera and not sure what to watch out for.

Example 1: An Etsy seller claimed to have film-tested an SX-70 Polaroid camera with both 600 film (an integral film) AND Fuji FP-100 (a pack film). That's patently, blatantly a lie. While it's definitely possible to use 600 film in an SX-70 camera with a few minor modifications, it is NOT even remotely possible to use Fuji FP-100 type films. Those films are designed for an entirely different type of camera and they are NOT interchangable. There definitely are Polaroid cameras that will take Fuji FP-100 film (see the Land List for those models) but there is no camera in existence that takes both integral film AND pack film...though it would be pretty awesome if there was! (Impossible Project, you should get on top of this one! Ha!)

Example 2: An Etsy seller claimed to have tested the battery in an SX-70 camera and gotten it to make the "picture-taking noises," etc, but not to have film tested that camera. Well, that, too, is pretty impossible. Neither the SX-70 cameras nor the 600 cameras HAVE internal batteries. With both of those lines, the batteries are contained in the film packs. Without a film pack, there's no battery and no way to induce the "picture-taking noise."

Now, it IS possible to take an empty film pack and insert it into the camera to test the internal mechanisms, but you still won't be 100% certain that you'll get the sort of image you expect. I use this method myself when I go out to the thrift shops, however, and I have yet to buy a camera that responded to the batteries in an empty film pack but wouldn't produce a good image...so it's a pretty safe bet, all things considered. But if someone tells you they tested the batteries IN THE CAMERA, they're lying!

Example 3: Related to example 2. An eBay seller claimed to have no film with which to test the camera, but to have taken an empty 600 cartridge, MODIFIED the cartridge to take AAA batteries, and gotten the shutter of an SX-70 to fire and the motor to whir. Okay, so, as discussed above, the batteries are always in the film pack. They're designed that way. Why in the Sam-Hell would you need to modify those existing batteries to get the film pack to work? You wouldn't, that's why. There is no good reason to even think about altering the batteries in a film pack.

That about covers the more egregious examples of dishonest sellers I've seen lately. I'll be keeping an eye on the listings as usual, however, so this might turn into a repeating feature depending on how many more liars I run across! Ha! I hope this helped!

Style Sunday: Newsie Caps

2010-10-17T14:49:00.006-05:00

I recently cut all my hair off. I went from "flowing raven locks" (my husband's description) to a cute little pixie cut barely an inch long. I love it, though, don't get me wrong! I'm having a lot of fun accessorizing and dressing for my new hair, ha! But I recently discovered, while pulling out my winter gear to get ready for the cold, that my beloved cloche hats now look...well...ridiculous on me. They cover my whole head and you can't see any of my hair, so it just looks WRONG. So, it's time for a replacement! In my initial perusal of the hat racks at Target last night, it seems that the style most suited to my current crop is the newsboy cap. This boyish style sits just far enough back on my head to reveal the spiky bangs at the front, while not covering the entire sides. I didn't purchase anything last night...I'm picky about hats, and it has to be JUST the right one...but I found a few interesting options browsing Etsy today!

These two are a little more traditional and slightly more masculine in style, which isn't a bad thing! A little gender-ambiguity can be a very sexy thing in style, after all!

M Newsie by jonboy

Mickey Cap by EarthWhirled

These two hats, though, are slightly more feminized in shape, color, and detailing, which offers its own appeal!

Shadow hat by BKMHattitude

Etta Hat in Pink Linen by piperandpaisley

So many choices out there! I'll have a lot of fun browsing the hat sections of stores for a while to come, I'm sure, until I'm able to find the perfect hat for my new hair!

New Items in my Vintage Shop!

2010-10-17T14:24:00.001-05:00

Well, I finally got off my tucus and listed some great new items in my Etsy vintage shop, Retail Therapy Retro! Please, go check 'em out!

What I'm Wearing: Americana

2010-09-30T09:58:00.002-05:00

Okay, I totally didn't have time to take an outfit photo this morning before I left, and I'm pretty happy with my outfit today! So what's a blogger to do? Why, turn to Polyvore, of course!

Americana 1 by ladymaze

Now, this is partly an approximation. The dress, watch, and the boots are exactly what I'm wearing. The shirt is very similar, but the one I'm wearing is actually from the H&M men's department, and I'm wearing it unbuttoned with the sleeves rolled up. The bangle bracelets are similar, but mine are vintage and much less expensive, ha! And the belt, too, is just similar...but a skinny black belt is a skinny black belt, right? ;-)

Book Review: "Zero History" by William Gibson

2010-09-23T10:00:00.004-05:00

Whew. I just spent three days doing my civic duty by serving on a jury. Three days with almost no internet access! And let me tell you, it was exhausting. (The jury duty, not the lack of internet access, which was kind of refreshing in a way.) What that means is that, while I have some ideas for blog posts, I don't really have the energy to write them. So, instead, you're going to get a book review. I actually wrote this up last week for the blog we maintain at work...yes, that's right: Librarians know how to blog!...so it doesn't take much effort to repost it!

But first, I have a story to tell you...my mother went to high school with the author of the book, William Gibson. (And now he's famous and very influential in the sci-fi genre! Very cool.) A few years back, when his book "Pattern Recognition" came out, my mother and I went to a book reading/signing in downtown Chicago. She brought her high school yearbook with her, and when we got up to his table for the signing, she put it down in front of him opened to the page he'd signed way back when. His reaction was priceless. He just sort of stared at it, then at her, clearly thinking, "Who are you and how did you GET this?" Whereupon she introduced herself and they chatted a bit...and then he signed, not only copies of his book for me, my mother, and another couple of former classmates with whom my mother is still friends...but the yearbook! Right beside his original signature and a little drawing, he placed a new signature, a new little drawing, and the date. Isn't that cool??

--------------------------------------

Review: "Zero History" by William Gibson

After finishing a job investigating the rise of underground “locative art” for Hubertus Bigend in Spook Country, former rock star Hollis Henry once again finds herself coming to the attention of the mysterious marketing mogul and head of the trend-forecasting firm Blue Ant. Despite her initial reservations about working for the slightly amoral and driven exec, Hollis gets roped into tracking down the designer of an obscure, highly collectible, and extremely exclusive “secret brand” of clothing, Gabriel Hounds. Bigend is, on the one hand, concerned that the Gabriel Hounds designer is beating him at his own marketing game. On the other hand, the clothing Hounds produces is instantly crave-worthy; all the pieces are well-made, deceptively simple, and completely trend-immune, and Bigend wants to recruit the designer for a project of his own. He’s decided to slip through a legal loophole and into the lucrative business of designing clothing for the American military.

Meanwhile, Bigend has sent another of his employees, the recently-recovered former drug addict Milgrim, on a little industrial espionage trip to check out the competition. Milgrim, who has basically missed most of the last ten years, is one of Bigend’s current favorite projects. For one thing, he wanted to see if an experimental drug rehab project would actually work. For another, Milgrim’s tabula rasa state when it comes to pop culture makes him invaluable to someone like Bigend. However, Milgrim is balanced very carefully on a razor’s edge between complete stability and a slow slide back into his former habits, and his unpredictable nature coupled with the fact that the “competition” he checked out happened to be a former American Special Ops soldier turned arms dealer throw more than a few monkey wrenches into the plans of both Bigend and Hollis.

"Zero History" is fast-paced, edgy, and written in Gibson's characteristically spare, concentrated style. The time period is deliberately vague, though evidently somewhat contemporary. (The characters have iPhones, but not iPads.) Using Milgrim as a lens, Gibson is able to focus all the more clearly on just how strange and frightening it is to be living in the future, and just how common and unremarkable the miraculous has become for most of us. Consequently, the time and place manage to feel both completely familiar and utterly alien and strange for the reader. Highly recommended for those both science fiction and thriller fans looking for something a little bit different than their usual fare.

The Elements of Style

2010-09-15T10:21:00.004-05:00

I don't read many "style" or "fashion" blogs. A few, here and there...those that, for one reason or another, grab my attention fairly consistently. I'm more interested in personal style than in fashion, you see, and a lot of those kinds of blogs are more about trends and couture. I firmly believe that while fashion is transient, true personal style can see one throughout one's life. As Oscar Wilde had it, "Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months." Which isn't to say, of course, that I never find myself trying out something that's a current hot item or fashion. But only if I feel that it meshes well with what I consider to be my own "look" or style identity.

And here's another quote for you, one that I actually ran across while reading Scott Shuman's blog, The Sartorialist: "...I am realizing that great personal style is made up of a certain percentage of "always" items and methods, mixed with a certain percentage of "sometimes" fashions, and a certain percentage of "nevers."

And that really resonated with my own thoughts on the subject. There are definitely things that I consider my "always" or my staple style elements, some few things that I mix in as fashion comes and goes, and a whole heaping pile of things I'd never consider. (Hello, peep-toe boots? I'm looking at you! And Uggs, you're on my sh*tlist, too!)

It inspired me to really think about my own personal style and to discover what I consider to be my "always" staple items or elements. It was kind of fun and illuminating, and I think it will be useful, too! With a list of my "style rules" well defined, I will (hopefully!) be less inclined toward impulse buys that don't really go with my wardrobe and will be worn once and then gather dust at the closet's back.

My "Always" Style Staple Elements

Multiple pieces of heavy/chunky silver jewelry all worn together (at least 6 rings at a time, often paired with dangling earrings and a pile of bangle bracelets or a thick cuff.)
Chunky leather boots such as: motorcycle harness boots, cowboy boots, and combat boots.
Well-made leather purses/messenger bags in brightly saturated colors.
Clean-lined, unfussy dresses, shirts, and skirts in natural fibers (cotton, linen) and jersey.
Dark denim.
Black leather jackets.
"Americana" styles...that is, worn-in jeans, soft flannel workshirts, cotton chambray shirts, and simple white v-neck tees or ribbed white tank tops.
Punk detailing such as studs and heavy metal hardware.
Structured blazers and classic cardigans in bright colors
Simple and comfortable ballet flats and sandals.
A few versatile pairs of what I think of as "dangerously impractical heels."
Aviator style sunglasses

And there you have it! There are certainly items in my closet that don't really fall into any of those categories, of course. Those would be the "sometimes" fashion items, or just the "occasion" stuff...you know, the fancy dresses you just don't have a reason to wear very often. But mixing and matching from that list encompasses the majority of what I consider to be "my look." It really covers my personal sense of style...in just 12 basic style elements. Admittedly, some of those elements encompass multiple actual items (the various types of boots, the "Americana" section), but still...it's more a general philosophy than a list of specific things, I suppose!

What are your "always" style elements? Do you have a philosophy of personal style?

Camera Love

2010-09-10T10:51:00.005-05:00

Some time ago now, I was strolling the aisles at a local antique show held periodically at the country fairgrounds. My husband and I were tired, probably hungry, and were almost done, having peeked into all of the booths in which we were interested and not found much. And then, right near the very end of the last aisle, I saw her. A beautiful black TLR camera. Approaching, I realized it was, in fact, the camera I'd had a mental eye on for some time but could never afford on eBay: a Yashica Mat 124G.

Lifting it and looking it over, I determined two things: 1) It seemed to be in pretty good condition and 2) There was no price tag. So, on the off-chance I could actually afford it, I asked, "How much for the camera?" She glanced up, seeming disinterested. "Twenty bucks." My response was an immediate "SOLD!" Yashica Mat 124 G cameras regularly go for at least $200 online, and sometimes upwards of $400! Thank Hera for antique sellers who don't do their research, eh?? Whether the camera worked or not, I figured, this was the deal of a lifetime and I could probably still get it fixed for less than buying one on eBay would have cost me.

Here she is, my baby:

However, I purchased this camera in November. I don't personally do a lot of shooting in the colder months of the year...on the one hand, I have a weird phobia about taking my expensive, delicate gear out into the kind of brutally cold temperatures we get here in Chicagoland, and on the other, I'm generally just so depressed by the grey and the cold that I just don't feel like shooting. So my prize sat in a place of honor on my "camera" shelf, unused and untested, waiting...like me!...for spring. But spring came and went without her being used, either...around that time, I was much too wrapped up in the wild wonderful world of Polaroids and The Impossible Project film to want to lug one more camera along with me...especially one I was just testing.

And then, finally, in July, I got off my behind and went for it. I located a manual online, printed it out, and poured over it. I acquired and installed a new battery and loaded some Kodak T-Max 400 b&w film. And then...I shot. A few images at a time, here and there, over the next couple of months. (If the camera worked, I didn't want to waste the film on crappy photo subjects, now did I?) Then, once the roll was spent, I sent it off to Dwayne's Photo for processing, on a recommendation I found online.

It came back a few days ago. SUCCESS! My darlin' works! Other than a few double exposures near the beginning of the roll, when I was still figuring out just how the darned thing worked, everything came out crisp and lovely. I just love it when a plan comes together. :-D

On "Stuff" and the stories we tell ourselves

2010-09-09T10:07:00.004-05:00

So, there's this Target commercial on right now. A woman picks up a hat and asks herself if she's a hat person...then proceeds to enter a lovely daydream of the kind of life she'd have if she were a hat person. She's strolling in an orchard, has a handsome husband and perfect children. Then she snaps back to reality, checks the price on the hat, and decides she's totally a hat person.

I love this commercial, because it really does just point out and make obvious what most commercials only hint at or even try to disguise under marketing jargon...when we shop, what we're really buying isn't the hat, or the shoes, or the expensive cast-iron cookware. What we're buying is the story we tell ourselves about what our lives would be like if we were the sort of people who owned that retro-style red cloche or those fashionista heels or that dutch oven in the perfect shade of peacock blue.

And as much as I realize how silly it is to fill our lives with useless junk in the pursuit of some idealized vision of ourselves...instead of, you know, actually working on ACHIEVING that vision the hard way, through introspection, personal challenges, and a willingness to take risks...I'm just as guilty of it myself.

In, yes, Target, just the other day, I picked up a grey-and-black woolly shawl decorated with a swirling pattern reminiscent of paisley. I put it on, marveling at the sheer coziness...and was immediately swept into a vision of myself, wrapped in the shawl to ward off the crisp chill of fall, wandering through a local harvest festival with the smell of woodsmoke and dried leaves in the air and a mug of hot apple cider wrapped between my hands. It was a perfect vision of all that is best about autumn, all things considered. And in that vision, I was lovely and bohemian in my warm and cozy shawl, a vintage film camera hanging from my neck and my handsome husband at my side. I snapped back to reality and checked the price tag.

And yes, reader. I decided I'm totally a shawl person. Touché , Target. Touché.

The August Break, Day Twenty-Six

2010-08-26T10:59:00.001-05:00

Walking the Fences

The August Break, Day Twenty-Five

2010-08-25T10:41:00.002-05:00

Bumble Bird

My grandfather always called these large moths "bumble birds" because they look like a cross between a bumblebee and a hummingbird. This type of moth is actually referred to colloquially as a "hummingbird moth," and I've narrowed the species down to either Hemaris thysbe or Hemaris gracilis. Any lepidopterists out there in the blogosphere able to help me out?

The August Break, Day Twenty-Four

2010-08-24T18:58:00.000-05:00

Camouflage

The August Break, Day Twenty-Three

2010-08-23T10:24:00.000-05:00

Rhymes with Orange

The August Break, Day Twenty-Two

2010-08-23T10:23:00.000-05:00

BFFs

The August Break, Day Twenty-One

2010-08-21T17:11:00.000-05:00

Busy Busy

The August Break, Day Twenty

2010-08-20T22:38:00.002-05:00

Swan Song

The August Break, Day Nineteen

2010-08-19T09:59:00.001-05:00

Sunshine and Wine

Grape vines always make me think of my grandfather. He had a garden that he maintained well into his late 80s, and at the bottom of that garden was a trellised grape vine that made everything smell lush and drunken and sweet in the sun.

The August Break, Day Eighteen

2010-08-19T09:52:00.002-05:00

Happy Face

Uploaded a day late. Sorry! :-)

The August Break, Day Seventeen

2010-08-17T18:12:00.002-05:00

Wheeled

The August Break, Day Sixteen

2010-08-16T19:01:00.002-05:00

Row Your Boat

The August Break, Day Fifteen

2010-08-15T15:41:00.001-05:00

Summer's End

The August Break, Day Fourteen

2010-08-14T19:02:00.002-05:00

Under My Umbrella

The August Break, Day Thirteen

2010-08-13T14:44:00.001-05:00

Dream of White Wings

The August Break, Day 12

2010-08-12T12:20:00.002-05:00

Hum

The August Break, Day 11

2010-08-11T09:17:00.000-05:00

La Lavande

The August Break, Day Ten

2010-08-10T10:56:00.000-05:00

Duck Butt

The August Break, Day Nine

2010-08-09T11:06:00.000-05:00

Pier

The August Break, Day Eight

2010-08-08T12:12:00.002-05:00

Double Image

The August Break, Day Seven

2010-08-07T20:53:00.001-05:00

Flutter

The August Break, Day Six

2010-08-06T19:14:00.000-05:00

Elegant

The August Break, Day Five

2010-08-05T15:31:00.001-05:00

Cicada

Right after I took this photo, a curious squirrel came over...and ate the cicada. Cycle of life, I suppose.

The August Break, Day 4

2010-08-04T10:18:00.000-05:00

Like a Dream

The August Break, Day Three

2010-08-03T10:39:00.003-05:00

ROYGBIV

The August Break, Day Two

2010-08-02T10:22:00.000-05:00

Dream

August Break, Day One

2010-08-01T19:29:00.002-05:00

A Banner Day

An Unintentional Break

2010-07-29T11:57:00.003-05:00

Okay. So I haven't posted anything here since the end of 'Roid Week, back in May. It's been an over-two-month-long break from blogging. It wasn't entirely an intentional one, either. It started out with not having time or energy and just sort of became a habit.

So to get myself back into the swing of things slowly, I've decided to participate in Susannah Conway's August Break project. The project is very basic and easy... just one photo a day for the month of August. No text necessary. Just sweet and simple. The world through your eyes, for one month of summer.

Now...Let's see if I can keep up with it!

Polaroid Week, Part 5.1

2010-05-07T14:48:00.001-05:00

"Stop and Sit a Spell"

Polaroid Week, Part 4.2

2010-05-07T14:47:00.000-05:00

"A Haunting in the Garden"

Polaroid Week, 4.1

2010-05-06T09:31:00.001-05:00

"Wrong Side of the Tracks"

Polaroid Week, 3.2

2010-05-06T09:30:00.001-05:00

"Window Light"

Polaroid Week, 3.1

2010-05-06T09:29:00.001-05:00

"Gnome Alone"

Polaroid Week, 2.2

2010-05-06T09:25:00.000-05:00

"First National"

Polaroid Week, Part 2.1

2010-05-04T17:58:00.002-05:00

Don't Fence Me In

Polaroid Week, Part 1.2

2010-05-04T11:41:00.002-05:00

Polaroid Week, Part 1.1

2010-05-03T15:40:00.002-05:00

It's that time of year again, everyone! 'Roid Week! Whoooo! I'll be posting my favorites over on Flickr, but also some of them here, as well! I love 'Roid Week, and Polaroids in general!!

"Café"

New Etsy Items!!

2010-05-02T14:48:00.003-05:00

I finally got off my lazy behind and uploaded some new prints to my Etsy shop today! All square format, some of them Polaroids. Go check 'em out! I sure like them, anyway! ;-)

Bowl Full of Sky

2010-04-15T11:52:00.003-05:00

Shake it!

2010-03-28T16:20:00.002-05:00

I love Modcloth! Look at this wonderful necklace! Looks just like a Polaroid 600 camera, and it actually opens and closes, too! So fun!

In Living Color

2010-03-24T14:32:00.002-05:00

Highland Park Theatre, Highland Park, IL

Just thought I'd upload a little bit (or a lot bit, ha) of color to brighten up the mid-week doldrums! As soon as I saw the bright, multi-colored facade of this movie theatre, I knew I had to take a shot with my Polaroid! Came out wonderfully, if I do say so myself.

Not So Impossible After All!

2010-03-22T19:18:00.003-05:00

Well, they've done it! The masterminds behind the Impossible Project have made the impossible possible...they have officially succeeded in bringing back instant film! No, they're not making the same old Polaroid film...they've actually created their very own version, which will be available for sale on March 25. You'd better believe I'll be lining up (virtually, of course!) to buy some! Right off the bat, they're starting with a wonderful monochrome film in 2 versions, one compatible with 600 cameras and one compatible with SX-70s. I've seen some of the test shots, and they're...well, just amazing. If you haven't checked out the Impossible Project's new site, I highly recommend doing so!

And, in honor of the continued life of instant photography as a valid...and thriving!...artform, here is a little mosaic of some of my very favorite Polaroid photos from Flickr. Enjoy!

1. An Open Chrysanthemum, 2. lumwinkle on film, 3. and sometimes y, 4. ., 5. no. 2, 6. Untitled, 7. five vintage keys., 8. looking up, 9. pumpkin pola : 322.365 gratitude, 10. Day 154/Explored, 11. flatiron (formula 43 test film), 12. Waiting for the sun, 13. Untitled, 14. Untitled, 15. Untitled, 16. Living Color

Dreaming of spring!

2010-03-18T09:49:00.003-05:00

The new spring items from Ruche have me dreaming of spring and, perhaps even more so, dreaming of summer! Lovely light dresses paired with bold accessories...right up my alley! If you haven't yet, do yourself a favor and give a gander at their spring lookbook!

But perhaps my favorite item is this fabulous pair of Kate Spade slides. Canvas upper, wooden sole, and that lovely bright green button and ribbon detail...easy, cheerful, and versatile! I can see slipping these on with almost any of the spring/summer dresses and skirts already in my closet!

Kate Spade "Toby" natural canvas sandal

She's A Rainbow

2010-03-17T12:19:00.002-05:00

Last year I joined a wonderful Etsy group called the Female Photographers of Etsy. It's a lovely, helpful, and supportive group of other female artists, and I'm happy and proud to be part of it.

Well, one of the members came up with the idea to put together a book of our work. We tossed around a lot of ideas and finally settled on doing a color-themed book. Each photographer who wanted to participate picked their top colors and then either shot new photos or found older shots from the archives to contribute. A cover was picked, the layout was completed, and now, finally, our book, titled "She's a Rainbow," is available for purchase right here on Blurb.com!! (Shout out to the ladies who did the hard work! Thanks, ladies!)

It features the work of 58 female photographers, and is 256 pages long. The price is a bit high, but we're only selling for cost at this point, not making any profit. It costs a lot of money in quality paper and ink to reproduce our photographs well!

I have 4 images in the book. So go buy it!

Fabulous Camera Bag!

2010-03-16T18:45:00.003-05:00

Okay, so I'm a woman. I'm a woman who enjoys looking stylish, and has developed a deep and abiding love for the perfect purse. (Or a collection of perfect purses.) And I'm also a photographer. So all those terribly ugly, utilitarian, personality-free camera bags on the market...well, to put it bluntly, they bum me out, man! Why can't I look cute AND tote around all my gear at the same time, I wondered?

Well, now I can! I recently discovered these wonderful camera bags from Kelly Moore! Let's see. They come in a range of cute colors, including hot pink, jade green, and purple, but also in basics like black and grey. From the outside, they look like fabulously elegant purses, but on the inside, there are customizable padded pockets for lenses and camera bodies. There are also two outside snap pockets and a back zipper pocket for other incidentals, meaning I could in fact pack the inside with my camera gear and slip my wallet, phone, and a tube of lipstick into one of the outside pockets and head out...with only one bag! The top of the bag is closed using a series of small magnets, making it easy to get in and out of it without fumbling with a zipper. And, as far as I'm concerned, the piece de resistance...the strap can be extended for cross-body wear! I LOVE cross-body purses, because I can sling them on and get them out of my way while I'm shooting. Nothing encumbers my shootin' arm worse than fumbling with a purse over my shoulder.

In fact, I love this bag so much, I MAY have just splurged a bit and purchased one in jade croc!

Spring is on the way!

2010-03-11T10:07:00.004-06:00

The temperatures are rising, the snow is melting, and I'm happy! I've seen 10 robins so far (yes, I keep count!) and have noticed a few little green shoots poking their heads out of the wet earth. I even saw a fly the other day! Now, I don't love flies, per se, but if it's warm enough for them to hatch, that must be a good sign, right?

I keep scanning the ground, looking for the first flowers. Nothing yet, but I can't wait! I go completely photo-happy in the spring, taking my camera with me everywhere and drinking in the light and warmth and color.

That's one reason I love this print by dkim art so much...it really captures my favorite way to spend a spring day: surrounded by green and blossoms with a camera in my hands!

"Making Pictures" by dkim art
(Note: the listing linked to is sold out, but it's possible dkim would post more if asked, I'm sure.)

Retail Therapy Retro Shop updated!!

2010-03-06T09:44:00.002-06:00

My husband and I have listed some lovely new items in our vintage shop! I actually wish I could keep all of them! Though, I must admit, the longer I look at it, the more the adorable wooden chicken bowl becomes my favorite! (I also love the distressed wooden candle holder, and the bluebird dish, and...well, all of it!)

We spent a couple of lovely days poking around in the deepest, darkest corners of the antique shops and thrift stores to come up with these treasures, and time like that is never time wasted, in my ever-humble opinion! Enjoy!

(Clicky on the pics to go to the Etsy listings!)

Black and white all over!

2010-02-04T12:24:00.004-06:00

From Anthropologie, Feb. 2010

Why hello there, world's most perfect pair of black-and-white striped wedges! Would you like to come home and live with me? Yes, I think you might!

Golden Hours

2010-01-23T11:26:00.002-06:00

One of the benefits of having an Etsy vintage shop is that it gives me an excuse to style lots of wonderful still-life product shots. One of my favorite things to do right now is to arrange a piece of jewelry on a vintage book. Case in point:

"You must have been warned against letting the golden hours slip by; but some of them are golden only because we let them slip by." --J M Barrie

Oh, and, that watch is for sale here, if you like it!

Infinitely Gentle

2010-01-09T11:55:00.001-06:00

“I am moved by fancies that are curled
Around these images, and cling:
The notion of some infinitely gentle,
Infinitely suffering thing.”

--TS Eliot

Funktastic!

2010-01-07T10:14:00.003-06:00

I may have already mentioned, but my new keeping-my-hands-busy hobby is teaching myself to embroider. I haven't done much yet; in my sparse free time I'm always pulled between errands/chores, keeping up on my reading (that whole "librarian" thing, ha), and doing the embroidery, and embroidery doesn't usually win, sadly. But I still love it, and I love seeing what other people have done and thinking, "I could do that, and maybe someday I will!" I pore over blogs and Flickr groups featuring embroidery, both patterns and completed projects, adding things to my inspiration folders and just exclaiming over the colors and the details!

So imagine my delight when I saw this post on the Sublime Stitching blog today, about two vintage embroidery books featuring insanely detailed and extensive folk-art/ethnic/hippy embroidery on denim and other clothing. I mean, just LOOK at this shirt:

From American Denim: A New Folk Art
(image from Knitsquirrel's blog)

Amazing. It makes me want to run right out to a thrift shop and find a beat-up chambray denim shirt and embroider the heck out of it!! I'm a real sucker for that kind of all-American, Southwestern, cowboy kind of style, ha! Can't you just see pairing this shirt with big silver bangle bracelets, black skinnies, and a pair of cowboy boots? I SURE CAN.

And luckily for me...the library where I work owns American Denim: A New Folk Art! You'd better believe I've already checked it out!

Sadly, the second book mentioned in the blog post, "Native Funk and Flash" is not in our holdings. Maybe I'll ILL it at some point, but in the meantime, I'm sure I'll be adding any number of images from American Denim to my inspiration folders!

Farewell, 2009!

2009-12-31T10:42:00.004-06:00

Well, somehow, it's the last day of 2009 already. How did that get here so fast?? I'm not usually one for making New Year's Resolutions...it seems like such an arbitrary way to change one's life, and everyone knows that no one keeps them, anyway! But this year, I'm finding myself unhappy with a few aspects of my life and self, so I think I might break my usual pattern and try this whole resolution jazz!

So, over the next year, I have three main resolutions...I hate that word, actually...let's call them goals instead, shall we? So three main goals.

New Year's Goal the First: Purchase and wear more vintage/thrifted clothing and accessories. It is often (though not always) cheaper, you are certainly more assured of having unique items in your closet, and it's greener! Reduce, reuse, recycle, and all that!

New Year's Goal the Second: Spend less money on frivolous things. Now, in some ways, this is related to the first goal. Instead of contemplating spending hundreds of dollars on a pair of boots or shoes that I don't really need, maybe I could spend less on something more useful? And while I've always been one to enjoy the aesthetics of controlled clutter and knick-knacks, I've come to see the beauty of simplicity as well, and it's something I think I need more of. So do I really need that new tsotchke? Very likely, the answer is no!

New Year's Goal the Third: Get into shape! I'm tempted, here, to write something like "lose 30 lbs," but that's not really what it's all about. Yes, I have gained a lot of weight (about 30 lbs, ha) over the last few years. Yes, I hate seeing my jiggly belly in the mirror. But really, I don't need to "lose weight," per se, so much as I need to tone up and get healthy! My husband and I are lazy-butts who spend way too much time on the couch and way too little time doing anything active. And that's what really needs to change. If I lose weight while I'm shaping up, so much the better!

And that's it! Not so difficult to achieve, really! I just have to spend more time in the clothing sections of thrift stores and less time in the junk sections; and I have to get off the couch and swim a few laps a week. Not too hard, is it?

"Why can't I see them now?"

2009-12-29T13:24:00.002-06:00

A coworker posted a link to this article on her Facebook page and I was hooked. It's a very interesting discussion of Polaroid photography as art, or as anti-art, as photography, and as a different sort of "now" than is offered by digital.

And while you're at it, go check out the Impossible Project if you haven't yet...or even if you have! Exciting things are happening in the world of Pola!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-26T10:16:00.001-06:00

I hope your holidays sparkled!

An apple a day....

2009-12-23T10:35:00.002-06:00

Isn't this Apple a Day calendar by VikDesign the best idea? Basically, the idea is to peel off the sticker from your apple each day and affix it to the calendar...there are enough spaces for a whole year's worth of apple-eating. I've known people who put the apple or banana stickers on the inside of a cabinet door, or on the side of the fridge...but this is even better, because it helps you keep track of just how healthy (or not!) you've been over the year! Very, very clever.

So if one of your New Year's Resolutions is going to be eating healthy, this calendar might just been a good idea for you!

A photograher's wish-list: The Dreamy Diana Lens

2009-12-02T10:36:00.003-06:00

Wow...I might need one of these! I love the idea of shooting with a Diana camera, but when it comes right down to it, I think I'm an instant gratification kind of gal. The fact that I can't snap a shot and instantly see how it turned out always bothers me when I shoot film, ha! I keep meaning to make myself learn to shoot film...but in the meantime, this lens might be a good substitute. It gives the same or similar effect to your digital photos that a Diana camera's optics would give to your film photos, and it's one of the cheaper lenses out there, making it affordable enough for a sometimes-toy.

Neil Gaiman: Novelist, screenwriter, director, producer...photographer?

2009-11-30T14:16:00.004-06:00

Okay, anyone who is around me for any length of time will quickly learn that I have a wee crush on Neil Gaiman. He writes books that speak to my sense that myth hides just behind the most quotidian of things and my belief in the power of story, and he always has very good (believable, and strong both) female characters...important, that. I read more than just his books and graphic novels...I enjoy his style and wit enough that I also read his blog and his Twitter feed. And now, apparently, I look at his photos. Lomography gave Neil an LC-A+ camera and some film to play with, then interviewed him about the experience and uploaded a gallery of his shots. And many of them are actually very good, especially for someone who admits that he's new to this whole thing! Of course it helps that he's often around photogenically interesting people and travels a lot, so therefore has some good subjects...and it also helps that the qualities of the Lomo camera and film themselves add something special to any mundane subject. But I guess I shouldn't be surprised that a man as creative in so many media as Neil is creative in one more!

Check out the photos and interview here. I doubt you'll be disappointed!

A teaser...Neil's lomo shot of his rock star girlfriend, Amanda Palmer

Waiting for Turkey

2009-11-28T10:45:00.001-06:00

Don't let her dejected expression fool you; she had more than her fair share of turkey! She just thought she needed more, the little glutton!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T09:17:00.001-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving, all!

Bird's Eye View Shirt

2009-11-20T12:35:00.002-06:00

How cute is this "Bird's Eye View" shirt from ModCloth?!

The boatneck, the 3/4 sleeves...and oh, yeah, the adorable print of birds perching on a Polaroid camera! Love it! Perfect for throwing on with jeans and kickin' around on a weekend!

Big Shop Update

2009-11-19T10:53:00.002-06:00

I've been lazy the past few months...taking photos, editing them, sure...but not adding them into the Etsy shop! Well, I've remedied that! I uploaded a bunch of new photo prints to my shop, including the image above, and some recent Polaroids that I've been particularly proud of! Enjoy!

Smile! It's the weekend!

2009-11-14T14:18:00.003-06:00

I've always loved this letterpress poster by rollandtumblepress, and it seemed appropriate for a sunny Saturday!

Wouldn't it look lovely hung on the wall near a display of vintage cameras? I think so! Smile! It's the weekend!

Poppies for Remembrance

2009-11-11T10:58:00.002-06:00

A huge thank you to all our veterans...one of whom is my father, and another of whom is my husband...for everything they've done to serve and protect our country and rights over the many long years. It is appreciated. Hoo yah and semper fi!!

New blog

2009-11-09T11:05:00.003-06:00

Okay, I decided that rather than just trying to shoehorn in all the posts about my Etsy vintage shop into this blog, I should start a new blog just for the shop! I hope to make it a celebration of all things vintage, not just a repetitive listing of everything we put in our shop...so please, go check it out here!

(Oh, and, btw...I also did list some new items in the shop, too!)

'Roid Week, Day Four

2009-11-06T11:00:00.002-06:00

~~The Lost Garden~~

This shot overexposed a bit because I was shooting in direct sunlight, but I really love the way the overexposure gives the shot a washed out, dreamy look. Yay for Polaroids!

Perfect purses

2009-11-06T09:00:00.000-06:00

Curse you, Morelle! Curse you and your wonderful, gorgeous, perfect leather purses!

Morelle's winter line is being posted, and they are just amazing. Rich, saturated colors...my favorites are the cobalt blue and the forest green, though the burnt red is up there, too!...and two new styles, the Patchwork and Patchwork Mini, both of which look like perfect everyday bags. And having purchased from Morelle before, I know that the workmanship and leather are absolutely top-notch and truly luxe.

Oh, dear. My poor credit card might not survive this...

Poor, neglected little brooch!

2009-11-05T12:00:00.000-06:00

For some reason, one of the items posted in our Etsy vintage shop has exactly ZERO views. I don't understand it! It's a lovely vintage brooch...petal pink enamel, rhinestone, chain, and a pink pearl drop. Very feminine, very delicate, very lovely! I feel sad for the poor thing, getting no attention. Perhaps those who run across this blog post might consider clicking the link and giving the poor pink brooch some love?

'Roid Week, Days 2 and 3

2009-11-05T10:16:00.001-06:00

A bit late uploading these, but here are my 'Roid Week shots from Tuesday and Wednesday!

Tuesday: Hello!

Wednesday: In the Stacks

New hobby

2009-11-05T09:45:00.004-06:00

Once upon a time, many years ago, my aunt tried to teach me to cross-stitch. Under her tutelage, I successfully stitched several flowers and leaves and part of a word on the pattern she'd provided me with...and then our vacation was over, I returned to my daily life, and the pattern and the cross-stitching was all forgotten. I never got rid of that pattern and those childish stitches, though. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I always intended to pick it up again and embroider my way to a lovely, and finished, sampler.

Well, recently, I decided that now was the time. I've always wished I knew how to knit, or crochet, or embroider...but my mother had been the sort who rejected that kind of craft as old-fashioned and so never learned and couldn't teach me, and I just have never been able to find the time/money to take classes. But embroidery, now...that seemed like something I could learn myself a bit more easily. Having seen people mention the book Embroidered Effects by Jenny Hart recently, I investigated the author and ended up purchasing her Stitch-It Kit. And boy, am I glad I did! The instructions for basic stitches were easy to understand, even for a complete amateur like myself, and the patterns are fun and cute! After successfully completing a tea towel with embroidery of a tea pot and tea cup, I turned my eyes back towards that long-neglected cross-stitch pattern my aunt picked out for me so many years ago.

After picking out all the stitches I'd completed as a child (due to the fact that I don't have floss in those exact colors anymore!) I began anew. I WILL finish that darned thing! And it's very pleasant, really, to have something productive to do with my hands while I sit on the couch in the evening watching NCIS with my husband. This could be a hobby that lasts me, I think! It's no wonder women have done this for so many years, in so many cultures. It is soothing, simple, but creative and productive as well.

^My current work in progress^

Oh, and, I also checked out Embroidered Effects from the library...I think I might have to purchase it, too! Very informative and engagingly written.

Polaroid Love

2009-11-04T11:31:00.003-06:00

Polaroid love is a deep and abiding love, I've found. Most Pola shooters are at least slightly on the obsessive side when it comes to the cameras and the film. Many name their cameras. Many have more than one Pola camera. Personally, I have two that I shoot with: a One Step 600 and a Pronto B. The Pronto B shoots SX-70 film and I use the Artistic TZ from Polapremium in it, with unpredictable and therefore very fun results.

But what I have yet to find is the holy grail of Pola shooting...a working SX-70. (I have a broken one that sits around looking pretty, but I want to SHOOT with one, too!) There are several different models of SX-70, but what I really lust for is one of the folding models with the leather inserts on the case. There are brown leather and black leather models and I don't really care which...as long as it works! I'm adding that to my must-find list, but in the meantime and in honor of 'Roid Week on Flickr, here's a lovely mosaic of my favorite shots of Sx-70s and their partners in crime!

1. polaroid, 2. Day 127: Shooting me, shooting myself, 3. come hither, 4. Untitled, 5. Me and Bear, 6. Day 120: So Sexy, 7. Polaroid SX-70 Love ♥, 8. Broken SX-70, 9. SX-70_creamy_SX-70_model, 10. SX-70 is my co-pilot, 11. SX-70, 12. So I got an SX-70

Happy 'Roid Week!

2009-11-03T10:54:00.002-06:00

It's 'Roid Week on Flickr again! For those who haven't heard, it's a week celebrating everyone's favorite instant gratification...Polaroids! So for the week, I'll be hauling both my Polas with me wherever I go, and shooting up a storm

The above is actually my Roid Week shot from yesterday, but I only just scanned it and uploaded.

It was shot using a Polaroid Pronto B and Artistic TZ film from Polapremium. I think I got a pack of film on its last legs, though. Nothing really seems to be coming out too well...but I guess that's part of the fun!

What I Wore--Breton Stripes and Cobalt

2009-11-03T09:56:00.002-06:00

Shirt: Perfect Breton Tee handmade by Abi Bansal Design
Cobalt cardigan: Anthropologie
Black straight-leg jeans: Levis
Blank ankle boots: Indigo by Clarks
Cobalt bead bracelet: vintage, thrifted
Lapis lazuli necklace: gift from my mother

I really loved this outfit when I put it together! First of all, the Breton shirt really is perfect! It was custom-made to my size by a great Etsy seller...I highly recommend her if you're looking for a great Breton or fisherman tee, at a great price! The straight-leg black jeans go well under the loose-fitting top. And the cobalt sweater makes me happy because that's my favorite shade of blue! It's wonderful.

New Vintage Shop Items

2009-11-01T21:12:00.002-06:00

I've uploaded a whole bunch of great new items to our vintage shop! You should go check them out!

Purses, Bags, and Totes, Oh My!

2009-10-30T11:45:00.003-05:00

When I was growing up, my mother had a little obsession with purses. Okay, scratch that. She had a BIG obsession with purses. I would roll my eyes every time we walked past the purses section in stores, because she would be magnetically drawn towards the racks and racks of bags and purses and totes. I never understood why! Who would possibly need that many purses??

Well...I think I understand a bit better now. I'm still not nearly as obsessed as she was (okay, as she IS) but I've started crushing on individual bags the way I only ever crushed on particular pairs of boots before. (No, boots, I have not forsaken you...you are still my first and truest love!)

My favorite yellow purse from Anthropologie still holds a very special place in my heart, indeed. Added to that now is the orange clutch I purchased from Morelle. But still...I have yet to own the perfect black bag. That doesn't stop me from looking, though!

Currently, I have two black purse crushes. The first is a bag from Anthropologie that is identical to the yellow bag I already love...except in black leather! They call it the Clouded Moon bag. I already know I love the style, and that the leather is so, so soft, and that the bag is well-made. So that's a plus! It's not the most inexpensive leather confection, however....

The second is this beauty:

{pyramid satchel}

This one is a little bit more on the edgy side. The double-row of pyramid studs adds a bit of tough-girl to the chic, and I always approve of tough-girl. In this case, the studding doesn't overwhelm the bag. I could still wear this to work. It has handles, but also a detachable shoulder strap, which is important! I prefer bags with the shoulder-strap option. Leaves the hands free for operating a camera, don't ya know. And the polka-dotted lining is so, so cute! But I don't personally have experience with the brand, and I haven't seen the bag in person or felt the leather. Hhhmmm.

Hhhmmm....decisions, decisions....

Camera Camera Bag

2009-10-28T15:44:00.004-05:00

Wow. Now THIS is a freaking awesome camera bag! It's SHAPED LIKE A CAMERA! How can you go wrong?? I'd think it would be a great conversation-starter, too.

The website seems to be Japanese-run, though it's all in English...but you can pick the US Dollar from a currency drop-down menu on the left, which I assume means they will ship to the US. So all of you camera-philes out there...and I know you're out there!...take note! Now you can carry your camera IN a camera! How very meta.