{with open eyes, so we could see}

Unicorns are real- National Geographic says so

I'm not a big News gal-

in fact I hate watching the News.

but- FlipBoard is my JAM. 

They found a Unicorn (deer) in Slovenia..

say what!?

best.news.ever.

read the full story via Nat Geo here.

guys.

Halloweeeeeeen

Guys- I LOVE Halloween.

I mean, love.

how totally fun to have an excuse to dress up and play?!

As a kid I was everything under the sun:

pumpkin,

ghost,

bride of frankenstein,

gypsy,

flapper,

princess (several)

pirate,

tinker-belle,

countless animals,

belly dancer,

etc. etc.

As an adult, I still get sooo excited every year when it's Halloweentime.

Here is a Halloween recap from the last few years.

2013

They don't celebrate Halloween in Paris.

But we do ;) 

People were talking our photos on the metro,

and one guy offered to tip us

(as is polite behavior in Paris when you take a stranger's photograph)

also- you should google what sound a zebra makes.

houuuurs of entertainment.

2012

I got to be a part of an annual Masquerade tradition,

and it was a hoot!

we hand glued every bead/sequin on..

it took forever, but it was worth it-

our masks were bomb!

obligatory pre-dance photo, HS style

2011

At work, the Leadership all went as a circus.

There was a bearded lady,

a clown,

a mime,

a ring master,

and I drew 'trapeze swinger'

My Case Managers elected to go as 'KISS'

They looked awesome! 

Everything was hand made & they won the costume contest!!

After work, was a Halloween party-

of which I wore my best and favorite costume to date.

Luckily for me, one of my best buddies had the same idea 

& we matched!

so fun!

you can't see the dirt and moss I glued to my face,
or the spider earrings I made,
but they're there.
I don't mess around when it comes to detail.


2010

We decided to go as Rock Stars:
me as Lady Gaga (obviously),
and Ian as Jonsi
(it was his first time EVER dressing up for Halloween)
I was SO stoked!
People asked for our autographs & we laughed.

Oliver also loves Halloween:

land shark

hottt doggg

This year I get to take my adorable Nephew Trick-or-Treating
& I could burst I'm so excited.

I will also be attending some grown-up parties,
where I will be paying homage to my name sake
& a famous pop culture artist from the 60s.

stay tuned....


also, ladies-
you can be slutty any day of the year if you want,
Halloween is for the theatrical!
Love yourself & play dress up.
be safe & have fun, babies

xo

{I swear I'll find your smile..}

I caught this song in the background of a show I

was watching last night.

This morning, I still couldn't get it out of my head

so I looked it up.

oof- this video can make a grown gal cry.

.:always a good choice:.

saturday vibes.

all things bright, all things new

i started this painting about 2 years ago,

and within the last month, i came back to it & i finished it.

in my room, it feels so bright and cheery and commands all your attention when you walk in.

feeling proud about how 'bold' it was, i went to post it on instagram.

in doing so, i felt like i was looking at a completely different painting. 

this painting was sad and tortured and a bit unsure of everything.

it was kind of scary and dark to me.

isn't that the crazy, beautiful thing about art?!

the expression,

the feelings it generates.

maybe i felt (feel) such joy around it because it took all those feelings out of me,

and put them permanently on a canvas.

they weren't gone,

they were still being honored,

but they certainly were no longer inside me.

(i also am very hesitant and shy to share my emotive, not perfectly refined part of my creativity so this is a big deal to me)- you want to see my branding projects & graphic designs & collection concepts- you got it! you want to see my sketchbook? i'd rather throw it in the ocean.

i'm trying to be braver about this.

i made this, and i like it, and if you don't- well, i don't really care. 

24x24 Mixed media on organic canvas: Krink, Molotow, paint sticks, spray paint & acrylic

do good & make stuff

may we all be braver!

xo babies

something big

lately i've been ADDICTED to color.

this is not something overly new for me,

as many of you know.

but i mean- C.O.L.O.R

the WHOLE rainbow,

neon everything,

metals, gold, spray paint.

and if i don't make something daily that is a color explosion,

i feel like my soul is dying of thirst.

i'm not sure what that means exactly,

but i'm hoping it means: 

 that i'm sitting on the edge of something

really, really big.

wishing you a bright & colorful weekend!

xo

F U N N Y B O N E

hi guys!

i know i've blogged about this before,

back when she flew to Paris and took the MOST adorable pics of me and Oliver

(see case in point below)

but you SERIOUSLY need to check out this gal's work. 

she recently finished a calendar photo-shoot & i can't. get. enough. 

i mean, just look at these:

she also has her own little cutie, who make a regular appearance on her site/blog:

plus- she does a variety of 'studio-esque' portraits and action shots, like these:

if you love animals & want some killer pics of your pet

(or just want a great blog/site to follow), you need to check her out for sure.

W E B S I T E

B L O G

soooo many cute lil guys on there!

go.

like now.

go.

.: hapy monday :.

smoking hot

puss

i'm not a big lover of the feline kind,

but this photo is too good not to share.

kate's cat was so excited to see her, that she jumped like a lemur to her arms.

Andy Prokh is a super talented B&W photographer,

based in Russia.

(featured above is his cat & lil lady)

i encourage you to check out his work. 

{on seeing the 100% perfect girl one beautiful April morning..}

She’s walking east to west, and I west to east. It’s a really nice April morning.

Oh, well. It would have started “Once upon a time” and ended “A sad story, don’t you think?”

(full story by Haruki Murakami here)

but yer booty don't need esplainn'in

music videos like this,

make me miss dance sooo bad.

(i may have missed my calling as a backup dancer.)

happy monday!

shake yer groove thang.

P A R I S proud :: P O R T LAND positive vibes

so!

the last week I was in Paris,

I had the incredible opportunity and honor to work as a Photography Assistant to the great Fine Art Photographer, William Furniss..

ANNNND 

to do some on-location styling for the press-release, photo-shoot for the Peninsula Paris.

they just had their (soft) Grand Opening & are open for business!

the hotel is literally breathtaking.

it is off the Champs Elyseés with a view of the Eiffel from the rooftop garden & private dining area. 

if you're headed to Paris during Fashion Week, stay here. 

you won't regret it.

the photos from our shoot are up on the website 

& I feel so SO proud of all of our work!

I could not be more thankful for the crazy, beautiful, opportunistic life I lead!

{happy, thankyou, more please}

check out some pics here & be sure to click around the whole website.

cheers!

{thoughts on a saturday}

Whenever your perspective on something creates emotional pain, 

it is always because your perspective is still so narrow that you've yet to see all the good it will make possible.

((..because it will..))

send them love.

wish them peace.

see them happy.

everyone.

always, forever. 

open all the doors,

throw up all shades, 

let in all the light.

love begets love. 

good reminders.

lately i've gone through a lot of transitions.

lately i've had to let go of hopes or expectations of others.

lately i've been disappointed by people who i thought had deeper character.

i've swallowed some big hurts.

but isn't that everyone's story?

isn't that exactly enough reason alone to be kind to everyone you meet.

to just always love.

to not be jealous or sad or angry.

(easier said then done).

in my head i believe & mean all those things 110%.

my heart, sometimes acts less responsibly.

this beautiful quote by Maya Angelou keeps showing up these days,

via random encounters & kindred spirits.

it's such a simple and lovely reminder of the life i hope i'm living,

at least most of the time:

“I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life. I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life." I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one. I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” 

love the ones you've got.

all the babies

i feel like the only person without a baby.

ok, there's like 3 of us..

and i'm not 'baby-crazy' or anything like that,

i just don't want to be left out.

which i realize sounds so, so stupid.

they aren't a group on social media,

they are a living, breathing,

life-forever-altered responsibility.

i think i'm just very aware that i may never have my own,

and if i do, they'll be in diapers while my friend's kids are off to college.

oh well, live and let live!

i have a great life in front of me that may or may not involve (my own) babies,

but it certainly will not be short of baby snuggles and bday parties and dress up.

(which, let's be honest are the best parts- 

you all can keep the dirty diapers and crying all night and tantrums in target).

one of the funnest things about having so many babies/toddlers around,

is all the different sizes of tiny.

two of my galpals are pregnant right now,

one's baby is the size of a blueberry & the other a lemon.

(how cute!)

and this lil one is not even a week old and he fits in my elbow.

*

i was still fully able to do dishes and make dinner for a 4year old and a 1&ahalf year old like this. 

he just slept like that for two hours while i went about other things.

so tiny, and so cute. 

i can see why people make these. 

it's also so crazy to me that they will never be smaller than they were the day before.

the miracle of life really is something to marvel over.

*(not pictured is my neon purple, pink and blue hair as styled by his big sis and hair chalk).

auntie life is the best life- bring on all the babies!

taking advantage

when I was in Paris,

I took advantage of everything.

every walk,

every sip,

every morning and evening.

I've never had my eyes open so wide. 

and I so loved it.

so, upon returning home,

I can either miss Paris so (which I do)- or...

I can take advantage of my city, too.

and so, I did.

I spent my weekend thrifting,

going to all my old favorite graffiti yards

to check out the beautiful street art that's gone up since I've been gone,

and sketching, reflecting, planning and dreaming 

at my favorite, hipster coffee house. 

it was so lovely.

it felt right.

(I also learned that I'm terrible at flirting, like the worst.)

I hate the idea of dating.

I don't know how to respond to handsome guys who are hitting on me,

or asking me out to dinner.

I'm a doofus.

it's embarrassing.

c'est la vie.

but look at my otherwise colorful life.

isn't it beautiful.