Tuesday Jar

An ink drawing of a mason jar... related to the current project at hand.  More details to follow in the days ahead.  

Monday Morning... if it was all I hoped it would be.

I would be waking up to one of these in my kitchen...

Here's to the week ahead.

Espresso Machine by Yavin Berg found here.

Speaking of Handbags...

or clutches, rather.  This jazzy little number by Orciani Leather is available at Moulé.  The downside?  Christmas and my birthday are both 11 months away.   

Finger Waves

First of all, allow me to apologize for the lack of a post yesterday.  I had such a bustling Wednesday.  One of those oops, "now it is 8pm and we better organize something for dinner" sort of days.  Yesterday, I did, however, have the chance while at the grocery to pick up a few hair clips.  Thats right I want to style my very own finger waves.  As my pixie cut is growing out, I am constantly on the search for a hairstyle that is practical, feminine and glamourous.  I am convinced this is it.  Oh, I also found this YouTube video extremely helpful and this one to be really cute.

Image Sources: pedalmovement.com, barbietcholic.blogspot.com, reVamvintage.com  

Tuesday Late Morning

When the weather seems to be extra soggy outside it can be incredibly difficult to peel the covers off in the morning.  My secret- the warmth and solace of the Americano from the coffee shop on the corner.  Preferably in 12 ounces.  

(Just a little ink doodle I put together this morning)

Monday Work Wear

What I wish I was wearing today.

The Pharo Dress By Diane Von Furstenberg.

However the weather would also need to cooperate.

Good luck this week. xx

Friday is for Listening

Just wanted to share with you a recent drawing of my earbuds, which seemed well overdue.  I have a bit of work to catch up on this weekend - so I better start working on a few fun playlists.  Hope you enjoy your weekend. xoxo

Wednesday- Warm Weather Dreaming

As the snow drifts down and the sidewalks freeze... I have been pining for a little bit of sun bathing or maybe even a game of bocce ball or badminton.

Tuesday Collage

One last page from my portfolio that will be retired soon.  xoxo

Portfolio Overhaul

Before these collages had disappeared completely from the pages of my portfolio in the latest overhaul, I thought I would share them with you.  Hope you are all enjoying the long weekend.  xx

In the mood for... Wong Kar Wai

Images Sources 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

American Girl in Paris...à la Jason Wu

 Yesterday afternoon, I came across this post on Fashion Gone Rogue, featuring images of Jason Wu's collection for target.  The inspiration: an American girl in Paris.  So, I thought I would compile a few collages to convey my interpretation of the ensembles.

 The collection is refined, feminine and minimal with a most supple color palette.  For more details about the collection go here or here.

Tuesday Hair

I am caught in the awkward pixie-transforming-into-some-other-hairstyle stage.  Too long to be cute and too short to be anything short of troublesome.  Waiting for these locks to grow out is truly a test of my patience.  While aiming for more length up top, I have my sights set on a style a bit more reminiscent of the page boy or the flapper.  What do you think?

Image Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Downton Abbey Inspiration

I was utterly giddy last night when I returned from work, anxious to indulge in Season 2 of Downton Abbey.  Therefore, this Monday you are to be left with silhouettes and styles of the mid to late 1910s.

One of those...

Some days have all the luck.  Here's to a weekend!

Images taken with my Instagram.  

Into the New Year

As the first few days of 2012 have come and gone, I have been thinking about the direction this year is taking.  More accurately the direction I want it to go.  For clarity sake, no, I did not make any resolutions.  And, yes, I did partake in some bubbly at the stroke of midnight.  A toast to the year ahead: A year of quality. 

Maybe I am getting older, maybe my tastes have changed, maybe it is just maturity sinking in, or maybe it is a need to simplify.  The holidays can be a time of unwarranted stress, shiny objects and hangovers.  January signifies a new beginning.  A mark in time, a turning point when putting my finger on my personal goals seems critical to my mental and physical survival.  The ultimate goal: To incite beauty in daily life.  A beauty that is elegant and refined, but most importantly simple and clean.

With those ideals in mind, 2012 will be the year of finer fabrics, home cooking, ink drawings, quality ingredients, and Parisian style baguettes.  That’s right you heard me: Gluten is totally a part of this year.  I want less to be more. And I want to enforce the sophistication of less.  Downsize.  Less possessions cluttering the apartment and the brimming closets.  In place of the mess, I want worthwhile endeavors, productive, creative and pleasurable.  Savoring the nap of a beautiful sweater, the aroma of an Americano, the luxury of a manicure and the art of spending quality time in dreamland.  Asleep or awake, I want to make the action valuable.

A year ago I was delighted to see the influence of the 70s pushed forward on the runway and the street.  I am ever so grateful to the powers that be for high-waisted pants, silk blouses and Peter Pan inspired collars.  Yet, the over styling, the gigantic wedges (cute but impractical for a gal who lives life on foot), dolman style sleeves, the amount of sequins and hardware strikes me as frivolous.  Frankly, it bores me.  Gaudy has become dull.  It weakens the integrity of a piece.

I am entering the realm of over decorating snobbery.  The toggles that look like disheveled teeth, the feathers, the ruffles, and the fringe. My god, the fringe.  This has to be stopped.  Turning little princesses into something that jumped out of a cake covered in silly string is no way to look at life.  Just let the knit top be a knit top.  Concentrate the design on the drape of the fabric, the cut of the silhouette, the integrity of the construction.

At home, my closet is ready for an overhaul.  Ok, overhaul is too strong a verb -- but a makeover. Nothing extremely drastic, just a streamlining and minimizing of my color pallet.  The time has come to do away with those items that are unflattering, unfeminine, those ones that never looked good with my complexion, but being a young and demanding slave to fashion I gobbled up at various retailers around town.  The shoes that give me blisters, those are gone too.  Versatile pieces with strong construction and neutral or achromatic colors will remain.  I’m focusing on the accessories.  Silk scarves, handbags, hats, glasses, the right necklace, or earrings, can help differentiate an ensemble from day to night.  The excess junk that keeps rolling around the bottom of my purse -- that also has to go.  Life, simplified.

Bon Voyage!

Images (from left to right, top to bottom): outdoor shower from say la vee, Renee Perle Photo from nivaldo de lima, washing her hair print from ioffer,  canvas tote bag diy project from design sponge, picardie glass from style hive

The Art of Design Production...

The results of a Google image search... and my inspiration for today.

From top to bottom:  Twolight Films, enzo mari- the art of design from designboom, Sustainable Art from inhabitat.com, David Derksen Design from The Daylight, How to Buy Your First Motorcycle from The Art of Manliness 

Roasted Root Vegetables...