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MY FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPHS...

When I was 16 (many, many, many moons ago) I worked at a gallery in Venice that sold prints of famous photographs.  They did not sell this print but they did sell many Avedon's which made me fall madly in love with the photographers work and started me on my obsessive research.  *Note* This was before the invention of the internet so research was laborious.  I saw the above photo session on my Avedon stalking studying and was instantly smitten.  What's not to love for me? Animals?--Check.  Iconic fashion house?--Check? Genius photographer?-Check. A circus vibe-Check. Complicated simplicity (Come on, this must have been a bear, ur, an elephant to execute)-Check.  To me this is perfection. I would love to recreate this image one day, no seriously, I have wanted that since I saw it and I have never had an aspiration to be a model nor do I even like to have my photograph taken.  This is the pull of this image for me. Avedon is said to never have been satisfied with his most famous photograph (the first one) but if he were still alive and we were pals I would have assured him, "Nope you're wrong it's perfect.'

Love this photo too? Duly inspired?  Need to know more?  Here's some links just for you...

-Richard Avedon Foundation

-The above print is available here.

-Love elephants + fashion photographs?  Here's another one that I was introduced to by Victoria at SFGIRLYBYBAY (thank you sweet Victoria for your keen eye).

Wishing you a Happy New Year!  Thank you for all your visits and helping me remain semi-sane whilst I labored at a job that tested both my patience and mental stability.  Without your support this year it would have been much more head in the oven inducing but because of you I have discovered that I can actually accomplish what I set out to do no matter how ridiculous my goal may be.  Mondays filled with cute baby animals?  Why yes, you have indulged me.  I am grateful and hope that this new year brings you as much joy, laughter and thoughtfulness as you have brought me. 

Thank you for being so pretty. I mean that.  I like that word if you haven't noticed. Pretty.  You are, yes you.

xo,

Miss B.

MONIQUE KEEGAN PLEASE BE MY FRIEND....

Sigh, I truly am trying hard to be a better 'blogger'.  Oh how I despise that word (not the meaning mind you), sounds like a bored jogger or how my Mother Marie might say the slang for mucus in her thick, lisping, Spanglish accent if she would EVER say that word (she would not). I want to share my excitement with a new find but still find myself reluctant to share my treasures. It's like middle child syndrome where you need to have something that you can claim is yours and yours alone that nobody has.  With the information super highway I can't keep too many things to myself (try as hard as I may) and when I start seeing my 'secret' plastered EVERYWHERE my heart breaks and I wish upon more stars in the sky that it was I that would have shared with you the treasure but alas sigh I am obviously information stingy.  My resolution for the new decade is to be more forthcoming with my finds.  It will take practice but practice I shall. I did send these images to my cyber bestie Julieta because I love her dearly and trust that she will tell me whether or not I have lost my marbles.  I sent her the below images with the subject:: MY FUTURE STUDIO/LAB:

{photos hijacked from country living.com}

Jules sent me back this response--LOVE!  (But of course. Jules has great taste in both friends and furniture....).  Monique Keegan is a stylist, master renovator, friend of the lovely (and talented) Amy Butler (she was at their 'Wrecking Ball" so I assume they are pals). She is also the proprietress of a store that I wish was closer to the left coast--Enjoy Co.  I LOVE. LOVE, LOVE any business that has 'Co.' in it's name, I have had four businesses with this addition, so 18th-early 19th century. I do wish Monique great success and hope that her business becomes virtual as well so we can all do a little reno 'Keegan' style. 

For my resolution I will add some handy dandy links to help you get started on your own little vintage lab/studio makeover, gasp, resources, here I go....

-Need some labware?  Of course you do!  Perfect for pencil holders, vases and light reflection.  I have an affinity for this shop--Cheap + Cool. I am hoping that Jules allows me a 'Miscellanea' section for Besotted  Brand LLC so we can offer some of the apothecary glass I have collected over the many years on this planet.  I do think labels and apothecary/science ware are a perfect coupling for our label offerings, no?

-Interested in some anatomical charts? Ones like Monique has can be a bit spendy in the big city, so you can try an equally interesting effect by grouping some smaller prints on the wall.  I am addicted to Etsy for these finds, originals! This seller here has some beauties.

-If you are in Los Angeles and have saved up some  $$$ this is one of my very favorite stores, I could move in, it's so perfect.

That should get you both inspired + started.  If you have any resources that you are willing to part with and share I will be happy to collect and when the new blog is revealed I will be sure to add a resource section because sharing is caring....

THE LOOT...

Even in a recession I must say that my friends and family did right by me and lavished me with gifts that I ADORE. Totally bragging but also sharing because I was thinking maybe you might like some of the things I received and can now spend that gift certificate that is burning a hole in your pocket.

Being a former fashion publicist in NYC and Los Angeles, you could say that fashion is my passion.  Well, was my passion, now I enjoy poking fun at it and some of my (many) mishaps--over the knee boots that look like fishing waders? Did that the first time round, yup, totally ridiculous unless you are Captain Jack Sparrow or uhm, a fisherman. Jules got me this book which satisfied both my love for fashion-y illustration (LOVE me some Kat Macleod) and indulged me in some snarky fashion observations.  A winning combo...Yes, I am seriously inspired by these seemingly effortless drawings with washes of watercolor. Just lovely. I hope that one day I can sketch and paint beauties like these-sigh.

{photos via jacky winters}

As the world knows I had a calligraphy class gone awry.  It was more like a lesson in tolerance and I failed miserably.  I have no patience for crazy or messy.  I still haven't found a teacher but that's okay since in the interim Ace bought me a DVD that I can watch and practice in the privacy of my own (clean) and relatively non-insane (okay little insane) home. Michael Sull is supposed to be the preeminent expert on Spencerian script. I chose to learn this style first because the script was created for everyday use and I like the idea of having handwriting that is inordinately beautiful.  Why not?  It's the little triumphs and pleasures in life that keep me going. Of course I will give you the full review as soon as I get it and try it.  I hope it is good because Ace really wanted to get me this DVD because it had a better looking cover.  I hope this is one case that we can't judge a DVD by it's cover...

It's extremely difficult to buy things for me since I make everything and I mean everything.  In our last apartment I made nearly all the furniture and even re-crystalled the vintage chandelier (a lot easier than you may think).  I did get an 'A' in wood shop after all. Really I make my own jewelry, fragrance, candles, clothes, stationery, journals ,boxes, artwork, etc, etc.  But you can be safe with books and classes because I usually want to learn how to make new things.  Oh how I am aching to take a letterpress class, just aching!  Although I do have a short attention span which the word on the street is not conducive to letterpress printing unless you are interested in losing or maiming an appendage (which I am not). I also wouldn't mind taking a pottery class, I think it would be fun to have a set of dinnerware that I made and my favorite type of pottery is just a little left of wonky not perfect, this set would be a little 'wild' for moi but I still love the vibe.

Marie my eccentric "mother" (using the term loosely) enrolled me in a class for making your own photo album.  I am pretty excited about that.  I did take an afternoon bookbinding class a couple years ago and really enjoyed it and have been wanting to learn more techniques, so the photo album class should prove to be a winner.  Also, I think it was a not so subtle hint to print out all those photo's I have stored on my hard drive. For those no where near a place that will teach such a skill, Paper-Source sells kits with directions (which I can not follow), maybe you are more adept?  I never read directions, okay I did break down and read my camera manual but that was after months and months of fumbling.

Well that's enough bragging for this a.m., I do want to share a couple more classes I will be taking and books that I have been devouring but I will do that another day.  And you?  Did you get anything I should know about?  Please don't say a pony, puppy or miniature pig because I will just drop from envy!

A KISS...

{photo via jacqueleen bleu}

Happy Monday!!!!!  Love me some hippo kisses, you?

UNDERCOVER...

Hello everyone meet my new best friend--One Base.  I know a strange name for a bestie, but well, when your friend is this amazing who cares what their name is, no?  I have never until I met 'One Base' understood those beauty articles which read that the model or actress just wore concealer and no foundation and they could go out in public.  What the heck does that mean anyway?  That meant nothing to moi and my hyper-pigmentation cheeks (if you squinted we could pretend they were freckles). The dark circles from working over-time were not helping which is why I sought out a concealer with ninja like capabilities enter my new bestie--sorry Jules, love ya but you can't make me look flawless, when you can we will re-evaluate and see who is higher on the bestie hierarchy.  For the record, I didn't get my new bestie a Christmas present, nor do I send One Base daily emails about nada, does that help? Okay back to One Base which deserves so much more attention than a mere mortal can bestow.  I know, there are people out there that proclaim 'Cle de peu' as the best concealer ever, well they have moist skin (b*&tches) and well, my skin is like the Sahara.  Dry, dry and grainy--pretty.  One Base which the teenage salesgirl at Sephora successfully matched to my translucent/pallid complexion (kudos) covers all the gross pigmentation, one rogue broken capillary (GASP!) and my deep dark circles from working for a man that we describe affectionately (not) as El Diablo. LOVE this stuff and at a fraction of the price of Cle de peau, I am hoping for a long, and lovely best friendship...You? Do you have any beauty secrets you want to reveal to me? Go ahead, don't be shy, I am easily influenced and will try most anything that claims results...Happy Monday, sorry this wasn't cute but definitely I felt it was important.

PANDAS IN THE SNOW........

It's been in nearly the 80's here in LaLa land, not very Christmas-y, or if you are Ace and family not very Hanukkah-ish if you catch my drift.  I have been in a Grinchy, Scroogey mood, okay I am not stingy, I have just been ornery . My boss hates me, which makes me want to put my head in the oven.  I know work isn't everything but when it's your livelihood and there's not a whole lot of other people knocking down your door with job offers you find you can put up with a whole lot more than you EVER thought possible. It is at times like these that strangers, well kinda strangers kinda friends, okay more friends than strangers, well when these strange friend type people send you something like below, you know that there is good in the world and that everything is going to be all right.  Thank you Miss Amy for this incredibly thoughtful email, now everyone you may not hear from me for a couple days because I will be in a cute induced coma, thank you very much.....GAH! Put me out of my misery, this is painful how flippin' CUTE these photo's are! Wishing you all a merry & bright holiday!

This one below is one of my faves because it looks like it could be on a holiday card! Or like one of those funny, family portraits you take at Kmart or Sears...

{photos via reverto (obviously the worlds greatest blog}

COUPLES THAT LOOK LIKE SIBLINGS...

So wrong, yet so right.  The blog 'Couples that look like siblings' blog had me entranced, especially since Ace and I always get told we look like we could be brother and sister--EEK!  I don't know how that's possible, yes we are both Latin, but he has tawny skin from hours of tennis each week and I am so fair skinned that I am basically translucent. These are some of the best ones, really this is wrong how much they look like they could be siblings, just wrong, I hope none of these couples were adopted and didn't know they had a long lost brother or sister, now that wouldn't be comfortable would it?...

IT'S MONDAY I'M IN LOVE....

I love how certain animals look like they are smiling. With dogs it's when they lose their teethe and it's so gosh darn cute.  I mean I don't wish a dog to lose it's teethe for the sake of cute, oh no.  I just think when it happens naturally it's cute, but I urge you to take good care of your dogs dents,  Anyway, I love how these manatee's look like they are in love + smiling.

{photo from the website of everything}

Evidently photographer Tony Northrup is concocting an atomic bomb of cute. This will be a doozy what happens when you photograph the already cute Beluga whale? You get some grins.  How about make that whale smile? Annihilation. Proof:

{photo by tony northrup}

This little guy isn't smiling but he sure looks like he's having a fun. Who says rhino's can't be cute?

{photo via the baltimore sun}

Welcome to Monday!  So happy to be back and share the cute with you. Next week we'll be back to the furry friends.  In fact I am planning on leaving you this weekend with a cute marathon because well, I am good like that...

EDWARD GOREY TYPE FONT--FREE!

I checked this out at the library last week. It appeals to my Victorian sensibilities.  I can't get enough of it.  I am especially crushing on all Gorey's hand drawn lettering--LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.  The perfect amount of imperfection. You can only imagine my delight when I found a FREE font that was inspired by the legend.  You can download it here. If you know any other hand lettering specimens that are delightful please give me a link to them in the comments, nothing too whimsical, I don't like whimsical (demanding, huh?). Part of my drawing and handwriting training is to copy as much as I can and it always helps if I find the subject inspiring.  I am going to try to work on holiday cards this weekend--I hope, maybe. Friends and family may be getting New Year's cards instead. It's been a killer work week I may only have energy for puppy snuggling.  I hope you all have a great weekend!

GIVE SOME LOVE, GET SOME LOVE....

Shameless, (okay little shame), plug here...Over a year ago we took most of The Bella Bella co. designs off of Etsy and the dedicated site down as well so we could regroup with our new venture Besotted Brand LLC.  BTW not to get crazy or anything but it looks like the Besotted site will launch end of January 2010,! What? Only a million years later (totally stop by and make sure you sign up for the launch!). During this period of insanity (aka starting a new business) we quietly put up a small Bella Bella co. Zazzle shop (cringe) 'Zazzle', that name just makes me think of jazz hands, picture it--"ZAZZLE!".  I digress...We put up the most popular prints which allows the client to add the artwork to whatever they like-stamps, mugs, t-shirts, buttons, ties, bumper stickers and other useless items, on and on.  Hands down (or is that jazz hands down?) our best seller is LOVE.  In all its incarnations either our 'grunge love' or our 'love is a circus' print.  The word on the street is Zazzle does a great job printing on items and their pricing is pretty fair.  So if you were looking for LOVE that's where you'll find it...