Blah,Blah,Blahg

SUPER CANDY!

In what seems like a former lifetime ago  I was a hot shot, bi-coastal fashion publicist.  I started work on the West Coast every morning at 4a.m. so I could get ready for the NYC crush. One of my last (and most favorite clients) Candace Ang was the person that saw that I was much more than a PR flak, that I was a Creative. Even though it would stop the PR machine that I was, she sat me down and taught me how to use Photoshop (not an easy endeavor when you are working with a stubborn geriatric), she quickly became my first graphic design client when she hired me to create the collateral for an event she hosted at a posh L.A. boutique. The next thing I knew I was closing shop on the only business I had ever known (and which had long lost its luster) and with a wing and a prayer opened up my little stationery business The Bella Bella co. Candace never blinked or questioned, only supported. That's the one thing I love the most about Candace, everything is possible. Whenever we are together we spend hours brainstorming and coming up with grand plans and I feel in my element with a like mind. Besides Whale Gate 2009, she has been nothing but awesome. So much so that the last time we were together I let her know that if I ever have a daughter I hope she turns out as fab as her--Smart, beautiful, creative, just a bit goofy. (and excellent with her finances). Candace is giving away a $500USD gift certificate to her shop on The Bright Side Project and if you read this Blahg on a regular basis I think you will find her question very, very easy to answer...

P.S. My other favorite lil' lady Ariel Gordon is giving away one of her pretty pretties today too!

THE GRADUATES:: SOUVENIR FOTO SCHOOL

{photo's by creatocrat}

Ace and I like to go around the house and tell each other how lucky we are, it goes like this:

Miss B: "I'm lucky.'

Ace: "No I'm lucky".

Miss B. "I'm so lucky".

Ace: "I'm luckier".

And so on...It's totally lame but it always makes me happy. We just wrapped up another six weeks of Souvenir Foto School and all I can say is I feel like I am the luckiest girl in the world. Truly. This class we focused on one subject for six weeks.  I wanted us to choose subjects that would be changing during this time period so we could document the progress, this may have been my favorite Souvenir Foto School session yet. I wish I could post everyone's images but for the sake of not bombarding your eyeballs off I chose just a couple that I felt reflected the study. I know I am being biased but my students are incredibly talented, creative and just all around nice peeps. I can't wait to get started on the next session!

The first image above is from Michelle of Creatocrat, she has such a way with light I want her to show me how she does it (Michelle also created a tute for you that I will upload Friday).  Most of her images are s.o.o.c. (straight out of camera) and that light is just creamy and rich (if you can describe light as such.)

Leonie is a new student and is an excellent photographer and just really creative. Just look what she uploaded for her last assignment.  I was flabbergasted (and whenever I can work that word into a post I am stoked!)

And lastly is my study.  As you can see even though I am an in-demand Brand Director,/jedi, I have not developed my own/brand style as of yet.  Sigh, all in due time. I can tell you that I really didn't like week 3 or 5 but heck we can't hit it out of the park like Creatocrat or Leonie every time now can we?

And if you feel like exploring a little more, our class is private but some of the images are available for viewing via these links:

Jules of Pancakes and French Fries

KristineNoel

LushBella

Pooler Peach Monique was the class cheerleader and I Ioved having her in class so mcuh I asked her to be the teacher's assistant next session.

Carte Postale (Kate is a SFS alumni and works her kit lens like nobody's business)

LynnBonnie-For everyone that is not joining in because you don't have a camera, please check out what Lynn took with her Iphone--stunning!

Okay, I am getting lazy now (surprise surprise), but I will be back and update more links later because let's face it, my class rules! Thank you to everyone that participated and I am hoping that the images inspire you all to join in next session it's going to be a blast.

BABY CHICKENS IN THE MAIL? YES PLEASE...

Ely let me know about her friend who received her chicks in the mail the other day (go on brag Ely, I don't have any friends that got chicks in the mail this week). Ely shot the above photo and many more chick candids on her blog Ely Fair. I can't wait to have my own little chick-lette's one day, they look quite kissable don't they? The only thing is those feet (is that correct? Do chickens have feet?) are quite disturbing.  Nothing worse than bird feet, am I right?

PROGRESS REPORT ON THE EXIT PLAN

Happy Monday!  As promised, I am going to keep you in the loop of my exit plan and progress.  I haven't written a 'plan' per se, which I will. I am going by the 'to-do' list in my brain.  I know that's not as reliable as pen to paper but baby steps here. If you are trying to create your own exit plan--write it down.  I am going to start a new category called 'do as I say, not as I do'.  You'll get much farther, trust me.

EXIT PLAN: I know I have a few things that can help with said exit:

• The Bright Side Project
• Besotted Brand LLC
  
• The top secret blog re-design. 

My personality does not allow me to focus on one thing (it's obvious I should be on medication) and if you are like me and can multi-task like a mother f'r than I say don't focus (why limit yourself?).  I get easily bored and distracted so I need to do more than one thing at a time, but note all of my projects can work together. I figure the Bright Side Project satisfies my inner publicist and editor, the blahg allows me to connect with like minds (hello baby animal lovers) and Besotted Brand justifies my design obsession. These are what I will be working on to assist with my escape from what seems like an impossible situation.  I want you to know one thing if you take 'impossible' apart it reads- I'm possible.  Just sayin'.

This weekend I worked on putting together thank you packages for former Bright Side Project contributors.  This is something I said I wanted to do in the past and it never happened.  It sucks when you are both a perfectionist and world class procrastinator. My goal with this project was to complete something I said I would. I had letterpress printed the cards weeks ago, ordered the lemonhead candy, boxes, and tissue paper. Armed with a goal and a design I went to work. By Sunday I had a boat load of packages complete and ready to send. I figure this is not only good manners but good practice for the future press kit send outs. Bonus, I felt like I really accomplished something.

By the time you read this, I will be at work and in a meeting with my boss and that can never be good, no matter how much positive energy I put into the thought.  I am NOT in a position to just fly my birds and walk out.  I have people that I am responsible for financially.  I want you to know that if you are in the same situation, don't let people make you feel worse by your refusal to leave (I know you want to go).  I am not a door mat and gosh only knows not the most pragmatic person in the world but I don't want to get another j-o-b.  The next move I want to make is working for myself again, doing what I want to do, something that makes me not  want to go to sleep at night because I can't wait to start the next day and get back to work.  I had that once before and I shall again. Now go get 'em tiger, I believe in you!

HAPPY MONDAY!

It was 80+ degree's this weekend.  We don't have air-conditioning but we do own a fan...

FILM FOR MY SX70

Do you here that?  You don't?  Well you should, it's me screaming and jumping up and down and screaming again.  The Impossible Project is releasing its first instant film offering--px silver shade (see above).  The film is to be used with my SX70, okay, not just my SX70 but maybe yours too?  I am so excited I may implode. If you were as sad as the rest of us Polaroid freaks about the demise of Polaroid'ss instant films than this should be an angel singing moment.  Hallelujah!

//photo via the impossible project//

BOSTON TERRIERS ARE TOO CUTE.

{photo via the auburn & ivory}

Oh gosh is this not the cutest thing you saw all week?  Alex had mentioned in the comments the other day about making Bella a shirt with stripes but Bella would never let me put clothes on her. After I saw this photo I am considering all the possibilities of forcing her into a wardrobe (if the photo op's are as good as the one above...).  It's sewing class tonight and all I have on my mind besides doggie clothes is this sweet dress (she made it from her husbands button down!):

{photo + tutorial on chic steals here}

Doesn't it all look like fun?!  I can't wait until the weekend so I can procrastinate a little more and instead of working on building my empire try to sew myself a new wardrobe from common items found around the house. You?

EVA JULIET

One day I hope:

-I can draw better (much better).

-I can create my own beautiful hand lettering/calligraphy.

-Grow my own herb garden.

I guess, when I grow up I want to be more like Eva Juliet. I love everything about this series. Sigh...

COTTON CANDY COLORED BAKERS TWINE!!!!

Now if this isn't the most exciting thing to happen on a Wednesday since I don't know when!  Oh, gosh, pretty, pretty pink + white bakers twine by Divine Twine.  The genius behind this amazing invention--Whitney Beard of Whisker graphics. 

It just makes me giddy, it's such a perfect pink Whitney. I can't wait to get a hold of my very own.  I do have to admit that I have been loathe to use my existing Divine Twine stash (the lemon was my fave, until the pink came on the scene).  It's just so pretty!  I will use it soon, yes Mame but for now I guess I will just keep it on display...Congrats to Miss Whitney (and all us baker's twine addicts).

SEW U HOME STRETCH REVIEW

I try to accomplish one thing each day.  When I was an athlete and in training this was easy to do--one more mile, one more lap, one more whatever painful, body aching thing I could do.  Now that I am a sloth, I find it harder to to find things to get done that I can feel swell about in a 24 hour period.  I accomplish a lot of food related things like cooking the PERFECT hard-boiled egg (I shall teach you one day) but I haven't accomplished anything lately that I could get excited about (you can only get so excited about an egg ya know?) 

I have been taking sewing classes, two to be exact.  We are in the middle of making a tote-ish bag and the week before we made a coin purse with zipper.  After having some modicum of success I decided that even though I haven't finished my tote I would move on to wardrobe.  So on Sunday I decided to make a top. I had the Built by Wendy Sew U Home Stretch book which is a guide to sewing knits (lt-shirt type knits not chunky sweaters). Knits are supposed to be notoriously difficult but I had a goal in mind and Wendy on my side.  I bought my supplies. Knit jersey is relatively inexpensive (my navy striped number was $8/yard!) Wendy's book in hand and a whole lotta determination.

Wendy's description on how to transfer your useless and totally infuriating tissue pattern to thick banner cardstock is priceless. Her basic tee has multiple variations and since I wouldn't be caught dead in a ribbed crew neck I tried her Scoop neck variation. If you have body issues may I suggest never sewing?  If you are a 2-4 in 'real' life in sewing patterns you would be a 6-8, you can see where this gets tricky? I wasn't sure if I was really a medium or if I needed extra, extra large (I have a Dolly Parton-esque chest). Based on my measurements in Wendy's book I was a small. I wasn't convinced but I was trying to follow directions.

When it stated in the book to drop the neckline 5 inches from the basic tee pattern I thought it was bordering indecent but what do I know? She mentioned adding elastic to the neckline I thought that it was a design detail and left it out.  Afterward I realized it may have something to do with keeping you from flashing the public. Why on earth would I think I knew better than the person writing the book? I've never sewn a garment before in my life and I  questioned the master? Go figure. When she goes over the directions to sew the sides, for the life of me I couldn't find where I needed to stop for arm holes, so I threw  the shirt on and pinned it where I thought the seams should stop and armholes begin. Please don't do this unless you want to try to prick your eyeballs out taking the shirt off.

I was right about indecent for the neckline but I did leave out the elastic so I can't blame Wendy.  I found a tutorial for making ruffles here and saved the t-shirt from infamy. It only took me 16 hours to make and my mother proudly let me know, "not too bad,". I wore my shirt to work today and got a compliment at 8a.m. which made me as proud as a peacock.  I highly recommend Wendy's book, heck all her books are aces (if this dummy can follow them, you should be in GREAT shape). I am so all about the knits and want to make this into a cute dress next but I think I better finish my tote-ish bag first.  I can still collect tutorials if you have the hankering to link to any in the comments, just sayin'