Quoi de neuf? Tu me manques beaucoup…

About a year ago I bought a shopping tote at a dollar store with that printed on it. I sent a photo of it to my friend in Midi-Pyrénées and asked him to translate for me (my French is horrible). He translated, laughed and asked why I’d bought it if I didn’t know what it said? Obviously I told him because it’s in French and the colors, brown and teal, go really well together and also because it was only $1. I’m very thrifty. So having just given such a long story about a tote I now have to tell you that I’m going to be away till the 12th of April. Nothing bad (thankfully) just some things I need to do and will most likely be unable to sign-on during that time. I anticipate missing the blog world quite a bit.

But before I go, some favorites...!

‘New York, NY’, ‘Mont Saint-Michel’ and ‘Venice Beach, CA’ from the (Life with) Maggie Project by New York based photographer Ofer Wolberger:



‘Maggie has a unique style and personality. She travels around the contemporary world, but is attracted to sites with a slippery sense of time. Like the typical tourist, Maggie poses in front of objects and environments that suit her temperament, befriends the local people and visits iconic historical sites. Throughout her journey, Maggie collects memorable snapshots for her archive, in a sense constructing an identity through the photographs. At a time when so many people are obsessed with constructing online identities through social networks like MySpace and Facebook, Maggie is out in the physical world attempting to understand how and where she fits in.’





‘Complications’, ‘Collection from nature’ and 'It's not me, it's you' by Swedish artist Camilla Engman:



‘Often through animals or people, Camilla’s pictures inspire their audience with a wide range of feelings. Her work has a knack of allowing you to grasp a notion without robbing you of your personal interpretation, regardless of whether it’s an acrylic painting, paper-on-paper or mixed media.’





‘On the Lounge’, ‘The Coming Darkness’ and ‘Away From The Big House’ by California artist Marci Washington:



‘Currently I am interested in building a fictional narrative with connections to history as well as to the present. It's like I'm illustrating a novel that doesn't exist. If it did, it would probably be a lot like Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, or Turn of the Screw- novels which function as social commentary as well as haunting epics of supernatural romanticism.’





Lastly, do you love ‘free’ music as much as I do? Shameless, I know. Nevertheless, here’s a happy pretty song: ‘Benton Harbor Blues’ by the Fiery Furnaces. Please visit *HERE* to download or just play… *Bises*

Read more...

Friends and violets

My tocaya (spanish for person having the same name) and friend Gaby recently sent me this lovely photo of herself wearing one of my necklaces. Isn’t she gorgeous? It was great seeing something I made being worn…

¡Gracias tocaya!



• :: GIVEAWAY ALERT :: •

Also wanted to share that Tina of LuphiaLoves is having a fabulous giveaway now through Friday on Paul and Joe beauty products. As some of you might remember from a December post of mine, I’m a huge fan of Paul and Joe pattern designs and wallpapers (though I’ve never tried the products). Tina is asking that along with your comment that you please list a favorite blog of yours in order to enter the giveaway.

Wishing everyone much luck!

Read more...

Saturday

Did you have a nice weekend? Mine was good despite having a cold, I’d managed to dodge it all season till now. But although sick I went out yesterday in search of vintage treasure at the Pomona Antique Mart, located in the Antique Row area of Pomona. At first impression the shop appears very white and windowless (lots of florescent lighting) with everything in glass cases. I think the first floor is where the longtime vendors have their booths set up. It’s a decent enough floor, once you get past the light and the cases there's some really nice things to be found. But the second floor is where the real fun is; where the newer vendors have their finds. Hardly any glass cases, with the exception of some jewelry, each booth is uniquely decorated and prices are reasonable. I get such sensory overload whenever I visit, it's what I imagine going back in time and then rummaging though someone’s bedroom or closet would feel like... :)











These pretty bangles were my big find for the day. I think they might be made of brass or silver? Not sure to be honest, but I loved the little seashell details on the ends:

Read more...

Vintage Pretties

Waking up late on a Saturday morning and then spending hours walking around tables and displays of mishmashes at thrift stores in search of vintage treasures is my idea of heaven. Unfortunately I don't always get a chance to do it, but luckily these places offer very much the next best thing...



Perfect strangers, Chatham Ho Treasures:





Ghostly dress, My Favorite Vintage:





Bird and botanical Illustrations, Slinky Malinki Cat:



This weekend I hope to get some secondhand shopping in, wish me luck and hope you have a great weekend also! :)

Read more...

Beasts of Seasons

I was really happy to discover today that Laura Gibson’s new album ‘Beasts of Seasons’ (set to be released February 24th) is currently being previewed on NPR.org, you can visit *HERE* to listen to the new album in its entirety. For those who may not be familiar with her songs you can go *HERE* to download one of my favorites, ‘Hands in Pockets’.



This is her performing ‘Funeral Song’ from the new album. I’ve never seen her in concert before but I love how she sings and plays the guitar in the video. It’s interesting to hear her speak on Portland's Lone Fir Pioneer Cemetery (where the video is filmed) and to hear a little about where she was while creating the new album.

Read more...

Knit-picking

(Gina Lollobrigida Knits)

I don’t knit; I crochet and can make a scarf if I have to (like if George’s life depended on it). But I don’t really have the patience for it as a pastime. I have a hard time keeping track of what I’m making and things tend to come out a little lopsided. But my sister Anna, as many of you might already know is a knitter supreme. Especially when she’s stressed out, you should have seen the poncho she made in the months leading up to her wedding! It could have easily been used as a blanket. But well this post isn’t about us. It’s really about the cold weather we’ve been having here lately and all these pretty knits and crochets that have never looked more appealing to me than now…



Silvia66, crocheted lariat necklace and cowl:



Sashetta, crocheted ring:



Irregular Expressions, freeform crochet scarflette:



Huismus, neckwarmer (all ages):





Do you remember the scene when Holly Golightly is knitting a humongous red dress for herself in ‘Breakfast at Tiffanys’? How about that awesome blue night mask she’s wearing the first time she opens the door for Fred? Well, I can’t pretend to be able to make it, but for those of you who are actually good at crocheting, you can buy this pretty pattern at mmm-fruit:

Read more...

Love Love Love

Had the idea of making a mixed tape for Valentine’s Day, I thought maybe the best way to express love would be with music. But rather than making it myself I asked some of my favorite people for help in compiling a small mix of songs to share on the theme: the requited, unrequited and somewhere in the middle variety. Hope you’ll enjoy reading the few words they wrote on their song choices. Please remember to download the mixed tape at the end of the post!


Track 1: ‘Love Love Love’ by the Mountain Goats

Luis Romero, Lion Hunts Rabbit: Here's the thing about The Mountain Goats: When they take a stab on the topic of love they don't come in the front door. Hell, they don't even come in the back door. They smash a window open and dive in. "Love Love Love" avoids the familiar terrain of love songs in lieu of a song about love itself. The wild, ferocious force that it is. We like to treat it as a lovable, loyal pet but the song warns us otherwise. And worse, the song seems to imply that the desire for it is inherit to us. We are predisposed to it. We will, be sure of it, behave foolishly and think we understand it. We will lose our kingdom for it, betray our family for it, gamble our reputation on it, feel above everyone as a result of it, and even kill ourselves for what we think we know, but do not.

This is all handled with a guitar and an array of studio effects that makes the song come at you like a dream. A peaceful, happy dream that feels familiar enough to easily doze away into it. I love this song because it lulls me into it every time, but as with any other dream, danger always lurks.


Tracks 2 and 3: Mozart’s ‘Voi Che Sapete’ sung by Cecilia Bartoli and ‘I just want to make love to you’ by Etta James.

Michiko, Things of Beauty: Here I send you two completely different love songs, I really could not choose which one I like better, because, well, they are just too different for comparison. The first one is a very popular song from Mozart's opera ‘Le Nozze di Figaro’ called ‘Voi Che Sapete’, sang by the wonderful Cecilia Bartoli. I picked this song for several reasons, firstly because I've been so familiar with this song since I was little (my father is a huge Mozart lover), secondly because I personally think this is one of the loveliest opera songs by Mozart, and one of the most delightful love songs ever.

The song lyrics (translated):
You ladies
Who know what love is,
See if it is
What I have in my heart.
All that I feel
I will explain;
Since it is new to me,
I don't understand it.
I have a feeling
Full of desire,
Which now is pleasure,
Now is torment.
I freeze, then I feel
My spirit all ablaze,
And the next moment
Turn again to ice.
I seek for a treasure
Outside of myself;
I know not who holds it
Nor what it is.
I sigh and I groan
Without wishing to,
I flutter and tremble
Without knowing why.
I find no peace
By night or day,
But yet to languish thus
Is sheer delight.
You ladies
Who know what love is,
See if it is
What I have in my heart.

The second song is "I just want to make love to you" by Etta James. She has an incredible voice and this song is dead hot, I had goose bumps the first time I heard it when I was 14.


Track 4: ‘I gave you’ from Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy

Renaud, Backspace Century: It's the last song of ‘Superwolf’, the record that Will Oldham made with guitarist Matt Sweeney. Actually, I think you should post it with the video; it's quite special for me. Every time I watch it, I feel haunted, probably because of its smell of blood and murder.




Track 5: Luz Casal, ‘Un año de amor’

Stefhany Yepes, Stefhany Yepes Photostream: Al pensar en una canción de amor que mejor que la selección de Pedro Almodóvar para sus peliculas, esta canción: 'Un año de amor' de Luz Casal, usada en 'Tacones lejanos', aqui el video y el original de Mina.

When thinking of a love song what better selection than those of Pedro Almodóvar for his films, the song: 'A year of love' by Luz Casal, used in 'Tacones lejanos', here is the video and the original by Mina.




Tracks 6, 7 and 8: ‘Consequence’ by the Notwist, ‘Forever’ from Siouxsie & the Banshees and ‘Look to me’ by Azure Ray

Thomas Schärer, Staub fänger: I have chosen these songs because I think in their unearthly beauty of music and meaning of text they express like no others the feeling of having found something very precious and fragile and the fear of losing it again, while the lyrics suggest that it is already lost, not stopping the music from repeating the love drunken melodies again and again... when I had to choose only one it would be 'consequence'. More explanations (that go too far probably to use them in the blog but here they are):

'Consequence', the chorus and ending words 'leave me paralyzed love' contrast the sentence 'you're not in this movie, you're not in this song'. I believe it's about not wanting let go the feeling of love (to stay paralyzed), when it's already too late.

'Forever', about something that should not have ended, but also about cutting the connection intentionally. 'This could have lost forever. This is the last string to sever'.

‘Look to me’, in the lyrics of the Azure Ray song there's maybe a glimpse of hope ('you will return'). This song I guess is about a long lasting relationship that has gone slightly off-road. The others are more about an unrequited/impossible/short love, as I understand them.


Track 9: 'Just a girl' by the Pale Fountains

Billie, Life with Maggie: Here is a romantic and completely over the top song: if this music was food, it would be a pink pastry with lots of cream on the top. The arrangements are pretty heavy and baroque yet there's something quite aerial about the whole thing. To me, its' girly music at its best. I love this song because it makes me feel like walking on clouds, it's refreshing, it lifts me up and makes me tremendously happy whenever I hear it.




Please go *HERE* to download the mixed tape.
Thank you to everyone who contributed and those who meant to.

Happy Valentine’s day!

Read more...

Tag à la mode

This week I received a new-to-me assignment tag by the infinitely stylish Agnes of ‘the Deer Girl’. The assignment is a series of fashion, beauty and style related questions… bit of a challenge since I’m really sort of behind when it comes to fashion and trends. But I'm honored by the tag, thank you Agnes!



Describe your style:

Feminine and casual for the most part.

What are the staples in your wardrobe?

In the winter: dark jeans, frye boots and my favorite scarfette that my sister made for me a year ago. Skirts and flats when things get warmer.



What's your signature look?

I like layering sweaters and vests and collar blouses.

What inspires you?

When it comes to dress I get my inspiration from friends, my sister, films, magazines and most recently by fashion blogs.

Who is your fashion muse?

I’m a big style fan of certain actresses from the 30’s 40’s and 50’s, yéyé girls of the 60’s and some rather famous women in photography:



(Bette Davis, Elizabeth Taylor, Gene Tierney, Anna Karina, Françoise Hardy, Rita Hayworth, Sylvie Vartan, Renée Perle, Louise Brooks, Maria Felix, Claudia Cardinale and Cindy Sherman)

Favorite purchase of all time?

This light pink blouse from French Connection. I bought it about 4 years ago and I absolutely love it. It’s a soft lightweight knit and has gold stitch detailing all along the collar and the back (shown here). I like little feminine touches in clothing.



Biggest splurge?

I think it was a J.Crew wool coat I bought about 6 years ago. It’s chocolate brown and long. I don’t wear it very often but it's one of my favorite articles of clothing. Think it might have cost a little over $300?

What's your beauty routine?

Don’t really have a beauty routine, but I use Cetaphil whenever I wash my face and moisturize daily with Lancome’s Bienfait Multi-Vital Spf 30 Lotion. It can get pretty sunny here so Spf is a must.

What jewelry do you never take off?

Like Agnes I don’t have any jewelry that I don’t take off. But whenever I go out I try to wear earrings and some small gold rings that I like stacking up. I love tiny stackable rings.

What are you wishing for?

New favorite jeans. I have a pair of DKNY’s that I wear all the time and though I buy new ones none compare to them. Once I find something I absolutely adore it’s hard putting it aside.

What are your obsessions?

Beads and vintage jewelry. I honestly have more beads and vintage findings than I should probably confess to. Many which I still haven’t had the opportunity to use or wear. But I can’t help myself.



Thank you again Agnes!

I’d like to pass the tag along now to Michiko of Things of Beauty, Mary-Laure of Aurea, the Asherette of the Asherette, Sam of Matou en Peluche and Francesca of Certain Creatures!

*JUST ADDED*
Sam, one of my favorite artists and blog friends, of Matou en Peluche has an interview up on her blog on yours truly... my ego is huge today! Thank you Sam, this was incredibly nice of you.

Read more...

Anna

Recently I was sent a rather scary assignment tag by Sam of the gorgeous Matou en Peluche. It was to go to the 6th folder of where you keep your photos, pick the 6th photograph, post and write about it. I knew that half the fun was following the rules so I decided no matter what it was I would post it. Turned out to be the place where I keep scans of old family photos and the 6th was one of my sister dancing at a family party. Though the photo is cute, I wasn’t sure what to write about since I was too little at the time to have any memories of it and I wasn’t even sure who the man standing next to her was? I had to call on my mom for help, I took the photo to her and started out by casually asking her what dance Anna, my sister, was doing? Apparently my sister was doing a Mexican folk dance called ‘el Jarabe tapatío’. ‘¡Cómo le gustaba bailar!’ It was really nice having to ask her for help, she took a small journey down memory lane as she told me about how Anna loved to dance. Apparently all they had to do was ask and she'd break into her Jarabe tapatío. The man next to her is Jose Luis, my Aunt Patty's husband. Below is a video of the Mexican folk dance, Anna would do the boy’s part…



Greatly appreciate the tag dear Sam, potentially scary assignment became a really nice moment for my mom and me. I’d like to pass the tag along now to Mary-Laure of Aurea, Michiko of Things of Beauty, the Asherette, Agnes of the Deer Girl, CC of Courture Carrie and Renaud of Backspace Centrury!

Read more...

The photography of Nicola Kuperus

...where bad ends befall beautiful women.



Dark, mysterious and pretty. I'm slightly horrified and my imagination races at what might have happened to the women in her photographs, then slowly I find myself distracted from what the photograph is portraying and begin to think how nicely the candy apple red shoes match the candy apple red car:





Very Hitchcock'esque isn't it? Especially this photo that completely brings 'North by Northwest' to mind:







Nicola Kuperus is also in the electro band ‘Adult’, you can visit *Here* for their most recent music video.

Read more...