Star Crafty

Work with me here, guys, I'm trying to be poetic, but the exhaustion this weekend brought on to me has drained my brain of any words past four letters. Scrabble is hard when you're tired, I've noticed.

Anyways, the purpose of this post is to present to you some lovely images that I have fallen in love with. Shot yesterday, after a challenging day at work, enjoying the sunshine that zig-zagged through the clouds before the late February moon marched in.

I am going to do product photography (see how I almost typed want to do?), so I am getting a little bit more elaborate with how I want these images to look like. Though, the images below probably aren't the best examples, but they're still pretty and that's the point of showing them. Okay? Good.

Please click to view bigger!



So yes, the Kodak Duaflex is my new baby, purchased to capture Through the Viewfinder images.

Today, a most wonderful thing happened. Not life-altering by any means, but images of peaceful moments came back to me. I will share with y'all shortly. I can't believe I never printed these pictures until now.

I haven't been this in love with photography since...2004.

I'm unbearably happy.

^_^

There are certain things in life I hold dearly, certain values, characteristics, so on. I like charm. I like to be greeted warmly as I walk into a store. I like the rain (can't say the same for the overcast days that preceed it, though). I like to care. I like people that care. I like being laid-back. I like sweet tea. Oh how I learned to love sweet tea. I moved to Vegas knowing full well I would not find these things because Vegas is what it is and that's allright.

After I graduated SCAD in August '06, I had decided to forgo my plans of New York City and instead cultivate the seeds for a life in Savannah. A charming, pleasant, relaxing life in Savannah, where in years from then I would have a little boutique full of handmade arts and crafts from all across the world, sort of like an extension of my Mutation Craft Fair. I had the name, I had the logo, I had all the ideas (minus the supreme business skills, but that can be acquired). Somewhere down the road, I became restless, feeling the need to jump** somewhere again (I've been moving all my life, it's like in my blood).

But now that I've jumped, I long to go back and...settle down. Expand my photography business and complement it with my Star Magnolia, maybe even continue Mutation. Work from my own little studio home somewhere in Ardsley Park, perhaps.

Sadly, I know it's not the right time. There's money to be made here in Vegas, and I guess that's why I moved. At least we have crazyawesome mountains here. And desert bunnies. And coyotes. Saw a dead one on the street today. Sad.

In a failed attempt to end this ridiculous quarter-life drama, I share with you glimpses of my past, a past seen through the speeding eyes of a girl riding a bike all around the Victorian streets of Savannah, Georgia .

One of my favorite streets, Habersham.

Ohhhh that purple house, so cute.

Jones Street/ The Gingerbread house on Bull Street (by the library).

Loove that entry way on the right.

Turquoise house on left was probably my fave in all Savannah. My friend lived on the apt on the right (I think). Pretty garden.

I lived in this apartment right before leaving Savannah (well, before I became a bum at Ness and Brandon's apartment). Three very bright bedrooms, a cute kitchen, separate dining room, living room AND my own 14x20 studio!!! all for $1100. A steal. I miss it so.

Um, can you say friggin' adorable?!

That is exactly how I felt this first great weekend of 2008, because I became a hermit as I redesigned, rather extravagantly, my professional portfolio. Gone are the distracting bold colors and patterns. Instead, this new design reflects my current school of sophistication. Besides, my images are obnoxiously bright and colorful enough. They speak a thousands loud songs by themselves.

Secondly, I'd like to share with y'all this most fantabulous video my good friend Jo sent my way, a friend in need of a sign, of inspiration, of excitement. So many of my friends, including yours truly, are riding this unstable wave of utter confusion. Quarter-life crisis, they call it, those other friends who discuss life's issues around the watercooler or over Grey's Anatomy while sitting in the sofa with their spouse. Those friends who seem to have it all figured out.

We don't have it all figured out because we have so many darn options, and the notion of chilling in bed seems more appealing than thinking, that we don't exactly know where the times will take us next. So we appear to be in limbo. We ain't. We're here. We're just different.

Wouldn't it be marvelous to pack two pairs of jeans, four or five t-shirts, good shoes, deodorant, toothbrush, underwear, a jacket, a journal, a camera, a wallet with ID, passport, some money and whatever other essentials you might need and just...GO. Where? Who knows. But just GO. I'm still fuming about my car having died before embarking on my super road trip from good ol Georgia to exciting Vegas last summer, leaving me no option but to fly out here. Ugh. I wanted to see Graceland!

When 2008 began (and I'm sorry I'm babbling by this point), I said this would be my JUST DO IT year. The emoness and insecurity of 2007 are buried and I learned from them. To my surprise, I've already DONE IT. There are photographic opportunities happening in the next few months, am improving my health and beauty (yay for laser hair removal and learning how to put eyeliner on!), my kindred spirit Sarita from Canada and I are starting an Earth-shattering zine (we're also musing the idea of a road trip. I say, begone with musing! Let's do it!). And who knows... maybe this will be the year of Star Magnolia, who knows.

About 8-ish months ago, my ex-roommate and I moved away from Savannah, Georgia to our respective destinations. We took baby steps. Scary and relieving baby steps. This year, we will run. Hopefully, won't trip along the way, we're kinda clumsy like that. And hopefully there will be lots of cupcakes along the way, too mmmm cupcakes.

But yeah, this is to my Tamara, to my Janice, to my Sarita, to my Jo, to my Rafa, to my Gregory Harold, to my Agmar, to my Siegfried (love how I've mentioned two ex-boyfriends of mine), to my Heather, to my Tuberculosis Brennan... heck, I dunno, who else is lost and confused and so happy to not fall prey to life's monotony? lol Well join me as I raise my... bottle of Arrowhead water (where's my damn whisky at) in honor of our respective quarter-life crisis and all the stories we shall tell to our grandchildren (or nephews for those of us who cringe at the thought of children).

ROCK ON.

A few weeks ago (or months, can't remember) I began to sketch a series featuring a very sophisticated Victorian bird in her meanderings around the world. This... is The Bird and her Headdress.

I kid, I kid.

Anyways, been learning more about textile design. So I decided to give one of my patterns a try on actual fabric. And here it is. I missed block printing so bad.

I'm not a big fan of red, but I couldn't help it this time. The pattern is inspired by my love of heirloom tomatos :D