sketchy

Wednesdays are always super boring for me, so last week I decided to go with my mom to her art class on Wednesday nights. I've been sketching and drawing for a few years now, but this whole painting thing is entirely foreign to me. So far all I have completed is the blocking of the figures on the canvas--and even that needs some serious editing. It'll be interesting to see how things start to unfold once I add a bit of color and paint into the mix! I'm one of those ridiculous people that want to be good at something from the start  and dive right into the deep end. I get the feeling I have a harsh reality check coming my way... Wish me luck! Here's the photograph I'm going to paint. And continue on to see some of my old sketches. :)

Happy Sunday!

-S.

Ornamentation

My adventures into the wonderland of dress-up and costumes always starts out so innocent... and it always ends up infinitely more involved. Such was the case last night. My mom has begun her annual holiday decorating craze. As she decked the windows in the kitchen with little glass ornaments, I picked up the pretty yellow star and told her I wanted to wear it in my hair. One thing led to another, and before I knew it she and I were conducting a full blown photo shoot. What began as a request for her to take a picture of the simple starred style rapidly progressed into various contortions of my hair, decorated with bits of holiday ornamentation I would spot around the house , and a messy slew of outfit changes. Somehow, from a sickening cloud of hairspray and abundant layers of silk satin gowns tossed haphazardly around my room, a spread of some cool photos emerged....


-S.

Bookworm

I just picked up The Sartorialist, by Scott Schuman, and NYLON magazine's Street View, at Barnes & Noble! I am so excited to dig into these. I've always wanted to do something like this. Maybe that will be my new pet project for my Canon. Austin is undoubtedly a great place to be to spot crazy and unique fashion. I'll report back after I've done a little more skimming and maybe a bit of shutterbugging... Oh and if you don't already have these fabulous books (honestly, I'm surprised I am just now making the purchase), you can get them at Barnes & Noble online. Both books are discounted by 28% online from the in-store listed price! And free shipping if you spend just $25! I wish I had known this before I impulsively bought them during one of my entirely uncontrollable bookstore adventures. But hey, can you blame me? It was raining outside on a Sunday afternoon and the cozy inside of a Barnes & Noble, paired with a yummy cup of chai tea, was all too appropriate!

S.

My Fair Lady

    

Please pardon the delay in posting... I suppose it does not speak well of my commitment to my baby blog but I assure you it is justified! I have been in New York for less than a week and spent the majority of my time mapping out my academic and professional career plan for the next five years. It has been a struggle lately to establish a clear path for myself. Taking this break in New York has allowed my thoughts to sort themselves out and I have officially created a plan!  I'm excited to move forward now, which hasn't been the case in a while. Things are going to get busy in the near future so I hope I manage to keep on top of things. Wish me luck!

During one of the few moments I was able to drag myself away from my to-do list, I went to the Dutchess County Fair in Rhinebeck, New York with my parents. Normally I would be a very cranky camper waking up after an hour of sleep for the hour and a half car ride to the fairgrounds. Lucky for me the weather was absolutely brilliant. I have forgotten what the Northeast is like in the fall. Right around my birthday there is a noticeable shift in temperature, coupled with a pleasant drop in humidity. It's like the air is whispering sweet nothings into your ear every time it breezes by, letting you know that sweaters and apple picking and newly-sharpened pencils are right around the corner. I love county fairs in the autumn. They are the perfect farewell to summer, and the Dutchess County Fair in particular was quite exceptional. We weaved our way through barns of livestock and plants, into a sea of people pausing to watch a thin German man juggle with fire, and continued into row after row of craft booths and vendors. The air was ripe with the warm aroma of fried dough and grilled hotdogs and the growing lights of the carnival rides were brilliant against the fiery sunset backdrop as evening neared.

 

I had the chance to get a little snap happy with my camera while I was there. The content of my photographs is poorly balanced though as I became increasingly fatigued and took fewer and fewer pictures into the evening. Looking back through my photos and my memories a couple days later now, I was inspired by the unusual mix of sweet nature and glitz that exist in the county fair setting. There is something quirky and fresh about playing with demure laces, distressed fabrics and pastel florals added to bold colors, sequins, and graphic prints. It'a almost Lolita-esque: a youthful, feminine tomboy quality, sexed up with a racy, more daring edge. Stick to letting one style or the other dominate the look to avoid appearing overdone and conflicted. The alternate look can complement the main theme through accessories and touches of adornment.