Blah,Blah,Blahg

JUST BUCK IT....

Oh Bucky, I am officially your biggest fan (next to your Mommy of course).  Yes, this a fab model but please give the photographer credit for knowing just when to click the shutter...Happy Monday!!! Or would that be Bun Day?

 

 

 

{bucky bunny by mv0168}

For all you office workers that are stuck working for the 'man', stuck in utility closets-slash-"office's", this Bucks for you....

HAPPINESS IS....

'happiness is', what an incredibly, incredible name for a blog, for an anything, don't you think?

I am definitely more of an information treasure hunt type blog reader (I feel like it justifies my procrastination problem) but every once in a while I can be veered off my track my some eye candy, this blog has plenty of it....

{lovin' the red}

{Is that down pipe the most popular paint color on earth right now?}

{vintage bond book covers--too, too cool!}

Visit Shannon, she's sure to tempt you with somethin'...

I HEART BONNIE TSANG

I can't believe I was in NYC last week and I failed to get myself to this pretty place:

 

{photo's by Bonnie Tsang}

The photo's above are by a new to me, and a new fave of mine, wedding photographer Bonnie Tsang. Her wedding images feel very editorial to me like flipping through the pages of your fave lifestyle magazine. I took some pics in NYC, nowhere near as inspired as Ms. Tsang, in fact I would go so far as say I bombed.  Even the Fancy who is usually filled with gushing praise said he was disappointed in the pics, that they could have been taken in Los Angeles, there was no real essence of New York.  I told you I was feeling stuck y'all!  When I finish editing the images (there's not many) I will put them up on the Blahg for your 2 cents.  I did get to indulge in something super special and that was meeting one of my students, Alicia, from Souvenir Foto School for a late afternoon stroll and photo meet-up in Central Park.  Wow, I do love the internet! I really enjoyed myself and saw my very first raccoon, scared the bejeezus out of me at first, looked like a cross between a live teddy bear and cat. I think with my rut spilling over into my creative life, I may be starting up the next session of Souvenir Foto sooner than I anticipated.  I just have some renovating to do to the Blahg first and I finally have come up with the concept, I have a logo and new name and EVERYTHING!  Yes, it will not be the same ol' Blahg, it was very important to me that when the time came to start showing more Besotted Brand projects that I took a tad more "professional" approach. Don't worry, it won't be too professional after all look who will be authoring the thing?  Sheesh.  Yes, there will still be cute animals but they will have their own section as will my blah, blah, blatherings....

GRANOLA-GATE

I am in LOVE with the library. I go about once a week even though I could never go through my giant, leaning tower of random books I checked out just the week before.  I am especially partial to cook books. I like to try before I buy.  I checked out Ina Garten's (the Barefoot Contessa) , 'Back to Basics', and Martha Stewart's Cooking School.  Both I believe I will be adding to my own library very soon. I am very bad at following any sort of direction thus I love a pretty picture to accompany my recipe to help me visualize the end result.  I saw the homemade granola bar recipe in Miss Ina's tome and knew that I was going to be whipping up some of those bad boys.  I don't like commercial granola bars they are always so teethe chipping hard, or too soft, too sweet, too blah, you get the picture. I of course didn't follow Ina's recipe perfectly. I omitted a lot and added my own take. I am pretty good at the ol' cooking improv but this is where I went awry---Listening to a BOY, not just any boy my Fancy!  I was all ready to spread these beauties out on my cookie sheet and had visions of how I would package them, dole them out at the office and to complete strangers, they were to look like this:

{not a photo of my granola bars by sf appeal}

Humph, well I listened to the Fancy who stopped me and suggested I put the granola mix in our square casserole thus creating a thicker granola bar.  I considered this and then shrugged, 'why not?'.  I will tell you why not!  The casserole is too deep to cut these suckers out.  They weren't coming out for nada. After trying for 15 minutes of sawing at the bars, the Fancy asked "Should I put them in the microwave?"   "Do whatever you want!" I pouted.  I went to work and about 2 hours later got this text, "the granola bars are FREAKIN' AWESOME!"  I knew they would be if we could only get them out of the casserole thing. I didn't even want to know what he had to do to get them out but hoped that the damage wasn't too bad when I got home.

These bars are super easy to make and when you figure out the cost to make them it is soooo much more cost effective than buying those yucky commercial versions.  They could change your life, people will be in awe of your cooking prowess and you will be in awe of your prowess because it is very, very difficult to mess up this recipe, unless you are me and thank your lucky stars you are not...

LEST YOU THINK I FORGOT IT WAS MONDAY...

Is this how you feel today as well?

{photo submitted by sue chavez}

WHITNEY BEARD IS A GENIUS.

I should have known something was different about Whitney.  Really. I think I may have mentioned one of my most popular searches to find the ol' Blah , Blah, Blahg is: "My Beard", that being the title I gave to Whitney Beard of Whisker Graphics download she created for us.  Well it seems Whitney's creativity didn't just extend to downloads and sweet lil' stationery nope.  Miss Whitney turned up the creative heat and went and produced herself some prototypes of only the most awesome-est baker's twine--EVER.  Black licorice--check, Green apple-dbl check, orange, lemon???  AQUA!!!!  Yes, I am screaming!  Who thinks to re-invent the wheel and make it better?  I am too stoked to be envious.  I want and I want now Miss Whitney!!! I feel like this is a bajillion dollar idea, how can it not be?  I am already thinking of a zillion projects to create with the lemon yellow twine (my personal fave).  Whitney hints that they will be ready for sale soon and I will be here with bated breath...

{photo of the world's greatest baker's twine by whitney beard}

FRANKIE--CREATIVE PHOTO INSPIRATION + AN EXTRA DOSE

Those Aussies are kickin' some creative arse!  Just when You think there can't be yet another bit of high style from the land down under they go and serve up a veritable buffet of visual loveliness.  One of my fave mags 'frankie' has taken the trend in indie photography and curated a collection of visual inspiration for us to peruse at our leisure in a book they have dubbed--'The Photo Album', they are a little more articulate than myself on the subject, so I'll let them give you the 411:

The creative team behind Australia’s frankie magazine are delighted to announce the release of their limited edition photo book, titled simply, the photo album. The photo album features the work of more than 100 amateur and professional photographers from around the world. We think (and hope!) it will  inspire anyone who’s ever picked up a camera and delight those who just like looking at pretty pictures.  At least one will make you feel like running away, another like falling in love. One will make you feel like climbing under the blankets and another like having an impromptu house party. They make us think or feel differently, if only for a moment. 

Sounds like my kinda book.  Maybe next time they will come on over to lil' Miss B's casa and get some of my pics to add to their collection? Some of the photographers may be familiar to you such as the ever lovely + talented Susannah Conway.

{photo by susannah conway}

{photo by katherine squier}

Just click on the images if you would like more info or are interested in supporting this very cool project.  Congrats to all the photographers, your place in the frankie Photo Album was well earned.  If this doesn't drive you to pick up your camera and shoot away and you need some more 'how-to' I got these suggestions in my inbox from O'Reilly  that I promptly wish listed on Amazon that might be helpful.  This book reads 'A Disciplined Approach to Creativity', sheesh if you tried everything else and are still falling short why not try a little discipline?  Heck, why not ? Can't hurt, might help.

For those that love post processing (like myself) this book looks very interesting and a wee bit challenging:

Still feeling out of sorts on your Photo mojo?  Well there's a fab place on the internet called I heart faces and there's some great contributors (hint hint) that can walk you through some processes that may help with your technique...

PYGMY HIPPOS & VIAGRA SOLICITATIONS

Whilst I was away I received an email from my Fancy that I didn't get because of my evil spam filter that sucks up all my 'good' emails and allows pyramid schemes, requests for fund transfers from Nigerian royalty and Viagra solicitations into my inbox.  Go figure?  When I opened his email yesterday and clicked the link I was reminded of why I fell in love with this individual in the first place. Even though he's a jock he knows that his bride-to-be is a sucker for miniature animals.  I am positive that before I came on the scene he wouldn't have looked at these images twice.  I promise this Blahg will not turn into a shrine to the cute but today with my bad attitude (thank you corporate America!) I think I could use an extra dose of cute cute, and you?

{images via the huffington post}

I know this look all too well....

Sigh, I will be happy for the day when I can just spend my days taking care of baby animals (hopefully of the human variety too). Stay in school young folk, heck go back to school old folk.  Whatever you do, don't do like your "aunt' Miss B and sell your soul to pay the rent/mortgage.  Save your pennies, nickels and dimes (this is vedy importante) and if you are stuck in a soul sucking position make sure you do something that makes you happy (like write a Blahg, take photo's, bake,squeeze puppies, etc.).  Just my unsolicited advice to ya'all...

PUG LOVE + AN APOLOGY

I don't usually like to apologize for not writing my Blahg  because I get so frustrated visiting a blog and seeing' sorry, sorry, sorry, my life is busy, couldn't check in, blah, blah, blah...' Also, if I apologize it means I didn't write and that means I haven't been disciplined and that just opens up a whole can of crazy for moi.  I have been away in a far off land called New York City.  Not for pleasure but bid'ness.  I just assumed that I was super Blahger and would have the energy to type my evenings away and share with you all the trials and tribulations I go through to bring home the bacon, but instead I was comatose after running around the city in six inch heels, rolling a 100lb bag and being 'on' for 10 hours straight.  I almost couldn't get this post done because of sheer exhaustion but knew that if you had to stop by and stare at a tube of purple mascara one more time it could get messy.  I decided to give you this image sent to me by the ever lovely Maguelonne.  Please note that I LOVE getting these emails, please keep them coming, you know how lazy busy I am and when I get these bits of cuteness in my inbox I am overwhelmed with joy.  Since this Wednesday is really my, 'Monday' I give you this...

{pug love photo from little bits and blogs}

This photo had me at hello....

LIGHTS, CAMERA , LASHES!

This was the other mascara that was part of my birthday booty from my bestie Jules. You know her as Miss K on the Bright Side Project or as uhm, Jules on Pancakes & French Fries.  Not only is she an amazing wordsmith and is funny as all get out, she is as thoughtful as the days are long.  Seriously two expensive mascara's in one fell swoop?  I don't even treat myself this good. I really wanted to try this and was seduced by the Buxom mascara so this laid in waiting.  Honestly both Jules and I didn't think this wand looked like anything special, but people were giving it rave reviews but what do they know from mascara? Jules and I are experts after all not just any ol' mascara will past the test.  Are you ready for my review? Can you hear that noise?  Shhh, lean in closer...It's the sound of my VERY, LONG, LUSCIOUS LASHES FLUTTERING COYLY IN THE ETHER, that's right I am screaming!  This stuff ROCKS! It's all natural to boot! My lashes are jet black, long, thick and fabulous.  Really I didn't care about thickness with the length as astonishing as it was but it was there for sure and I couldn't be happier. There is not a whole lot that can make me grin all day like the discovery of mascara mecca but I have found it (for now) and I am going to revel in this moment...