pixiespace

One day I'll be as cool as this zebra.

2012-01-26T09:37:00.000-06:00

In my dreams.

You may have already seen this. It was new to me, but then again, we didn't see this until a year after everyone else, so it's possible we live in a cultural bubble.

How we celebrated Christmas all year.

2011-12-30T18:19:00.001-06:00

After putting up our tree this year, we realized it looked awfully sad without gifts under it.

We didn't really buy gifts this year, since we bought our first house this summer, not to mention lots of gorgeous furniture for it. We were also given some amazing mid-century furniture from Nathan's grandparents to help us furnish our new home. On top of that, we did tons of upgrades ourselves, including new drywall, paint, fixtures including lighting and ceiling fans, hardware like doorknobs, a new front door with a Crestview window and beautiful wood floors in Nathan's office, the dining room, the living room and the front hall.
Then, in October, Nathan was able to quit his job and go full time as a photographer. This has been a dream that we've believed in and worked towards the last three or four years. For us, Nathan going fulltime is in the realm of such important events as getting married, moving to Austin, and buying our home. We got married eleven years ago, moved to Austin ten years ago, but going fulltime and buying a home both happened within a few months of each other!
When I stopped to think about it, I realized we also got an amazing new scooter, a fabulous grill, and in February, I'll be going to the annual Austin SCBWI conference. (Ask me about it and I'll squeal like a tween at a Bieber concert.)

All that to say, we had many, many wonderful things that we were able to get and to do, and this was a HUGE year for us. So instead of no gifts under our tree, I wrapped empty boxes. On each tag, I wrote down something like "Happy House filled with Love!" and "Happy Fulltime Photography Business!" etc.

It's my way of counting our blessings, feeling grateful, and in a way, celebrating Christmas all year long.
Also, it looks way prettier.

Hope you all had wonderful holidays as well and that your New Years will be filled with Love and Happiness,
Amy

Being kind

2011-11-23T18:41:00.001-06:00

to others is the same thing as being kind to yourself.
This is what I mean: You'll feel better, lighter, more hopeful, more spirited, more grateful. In the end, you'll be less stressed and more content. I'll venture to say you'll even enjoy life more and live longer. The best and easiest way to treat yourself well is to treat everyone around you well. I only speak the truth.

Friday Favorites, vol. 66 (a day late)

2011-10-08T15:15:00.004-05:00

1. yarn bombs

2. reel-to-reel movies

BONUS: The Wonder Years is now on Netflix Watch Instantly! I happen to love that show, and something tells me you do, too.

3. glass doorknobs

And the infamous Anthro doorknob that was the most ridiculous, difficult thing to install because we had to pick up two other pieces online to make this silly thing work with a modern door. Still beautiful, but we've vowed never to buy Anthro hardware ever, ever again.

4. rainy afternoons
A girl can dream.

5. the modern gelatina
Her blog description is: boozy gelatin molds for foodies.
I'm so loving this '50s-style deliciousness. I'm so wanting to make one of these, but I don't have a gelatin mold. Think I'll try some of my favorite thrift shops with fingers crossed!

Friday Favorites, vol. 65

2011-09-30T21:21:00.000-05:00

Thank you, Friday Favorites.
Because you keep me blogging, even if it's only once a week. Or once every other week. Still. That's something.

1. pipe organs

2. aurora borealis

3. Carr's Rosemary Crackers

4. white subway tile

5. DIY

Friday Favorites, vol. 64 (a day late): Welcome, Fall!

2011-09-17T14:31:00.002-05:00

1. all things sherlock holmes

2. sofas with bolster pillows

3. tweed

4. pizza with cauliflower crust
gluten-free, mostly paleo and completely delicious!

5. jumping in leaves

Friday Favorites, vol. 63

2011-09-02T23:41:00.000-05:00

1. pocket squares

2. sangria

3. reading the paper

4. s'mores

5. outdoor movie screenings
I can't wait for the temps to drop so we can have movie screenings in our backyard. It's going to be AMAZING. Yes, s'mores will be involved. Probably also gourmet popcorn. You know, traditional movie food only fancied-up a bit.

Listen

2011-08-29T22:18:00.000-05:00

is my new watchword.

My fabulous blogger friend Tolly wrote about how she focused on a New Year's Word as opposed to a New Year's Resolution. I love this concept. Because of teaching, I often think of years as running with the school year-- from fall to the beginning of summer. So why not pick a New Year's Word now? Especially because I've really honed in on one: Listen.

The fact is, I love to talk. There's a reason that I'm a reading specialist and a writer. I love words! I process things by talking about them, and I even find myself saying things to people so they know I'm relating to them. So they know I'm listening and connecting. Instead of, um, you know. Just listening.

This year I want to:
Listen to those around me.
Listen to my body when it needs something.
Listen to nature and the sounds of the planet.
Listen to those who need help.
Listen to stories from the past.
Listen to ideas different than my own.
Listen to the unlistened-to.

Stop talking. And just listen.
I hope that in the end, I say fewer words.
But that they mean more.

Friday Favorites, vol. 62, a day late

2011-08-20T14:15:00.004-05:00

1. babies in sunnies

2. school supplies

I wish I loved organizing as much as I love school supplies.
This year, my goal is for my desk drawer to look like this:

3. happy hours

4. marathons
(You probably know that I'm not talking about this kind of marathon.) Living without cable is pretty great. Between Netflix, iTunes and the good old-fashioned library, we watch the shows we want instead of mindless noise.

5. board games
Sometimes I force my friends and family to play board games. Is that bad?

Friday Favorites, vol. 61

2011-08-12T12:36:00.001-05:00

1. old buses

BONUS: old double-decker buses

2. prep-school-inspired striped ties
Two school colors, horizontally striped.

3. black and white kitchen floors

4. raw honeycombs
One of the most delicious things I've ever tasted. from Savanna Bee

BONUS: Antonelli's Cheese Shop
A lovely local shop in Hyde Park, where you can also pick up Savanna Bee honeycombs to enjoy.
And BONUS: You can taste any cheese you want out of the case.

5. top knots
I've liked top knots for as long as they've been around, but I never imagined I could have one-- until now. (See video below.)

BONUS: the most amazing bun tutorial EVER
(Yes, she's using a sock. Yes, I've tried it and it actually works!)

Ira Glass on storytelling

2011-08-10T09:18:00.000-05:00

Ira Glass on Storytelling from David Shiyang Liu on Vimeo.

Friday Favorites, vol. 60

2011-08-05T22:10:00.000-05:00

1. windmills

2. birthmarks

3. flowers in teacups

4. chalkboard walls
Since our new kitchen is pretty small and we'll eventually be tearing down the wall in between the kitchen and dining room and then totally remodeling the kitchen, we couldn't resist....
We painted the walls above and around the cupboards in chalkboard paint! I think it turned out pretty fab, and I can't wait to show everyone! Here are some other chalkboard walls in the meantime.

5. coolhaus
We first enjoyed Coolhaus ice cream sandwiches at a wedding that we shot earlier this year. I'd already heard good things about Coolhaus (particularly the ginger cookie with lemon ice cream combo), and they definitely didn't disappoint. Whether you're in the mood for something classic (like chocolate cookies with peanut butter ice cream) or something surprising (like chocolate cookies with brown butter and candied bacon ice cream), you'll find something to like, I promise!

When I told Nathan I was going to make my summer reading list out of banned books,

2011-08-04T17:42:00.000-05:00

he looked at me kind of funny and said, "Band books?" What can I say? He knows me well. We both love music, but we both know books about bands are mainly crap written by superfans and are often subtitled, "The Unauthorized Biography" as in "Thom York Rocks: The Unauthorized Biography." Very meh.

What happened was this: As I was making my summer reading list, I realized that several of the titles I listed had been banned/censored/challenged over the years, so I thought... why not make my summer reading list of banned books? That could be interesting. Just to read and see what someone else might have found offensive or objectionable.

I started with Gone With the Wind, which I've always wanted to read. Which is 3000 pages long. So that was basically the only book I read this summer.

And without giving you any spoilers, I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Until the last fifteen pages. If you've read it and you want to chat about how infuriating and wrong the whole thing is, let me know. We can grab a cup of coffee and chat about how the ending goes down.

Anyway, I've decided to continue this reading of banned books for the year.
Right now I'm reading In Cold Blood and The Handmaid's Tale. Both fantastic so far.

In my searches for books that have been banned and/or challenged over the years, I found quite an extensive list:
The Color Purple
Little Women
Harry Potter (I read the first one years ago, so I think I'll continue with the second.)
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
East of Eden
July's People
America
Mockingjay
Flowers in the Attic
A Day No Pigs Would Die
Rabbit, Run
Invisible Man
Steal This Book
Running with Scissors
The Sun Also Rises
Dubliners
Catch-22
Slaughterhouse Five
Stranger in a Strange Land
Olive's Ocean
Speak
A Prayer for Owen Meany
Sophie's Choice
How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents
How to Eat Fried Worms
100 Years of Solitude
Then Again, Maybe I Won't
The Bean Trees
Cut
Carrie
Go Ask Alice
Pillars of the Earth
Doctor Zhivago
Crank
Harriet the Spy
Beloved
Native Son
A Series of Unfortunate Events
Grapes of Wrath

Have you read any of these titles? Which did you like?

Things...

2011-08-03T16:00:00.000-05:00

I want to do:
1. ride our new scooter.

2. watch marathons on Netflix.

3. read.

4. take an afternoon nap.

5. get a hammock and then hang it in the trees in the backyard. Read and/or take a nap in said hammock.

Things...
I don't want to do:
1. work.
2. organize the spare room.
3. go grocery shopping.
4. do laundry.

In fact, I don't want to do these things so much, that they don't even deserve pictures.

Friday Favorites, vol. 59

2011-07-08T20:45:00.003-05:00

1. pennant banners

BONUS: this pennant banner rug

2. bookends

BONUS: Bookends, Simon & Garfunkel

3. pound cake

BONUS: Janie's Cakes
Why make poundcake when you can just order it from Janie's? Every time we visit my family in East Texas, we stop by Janie's. She sells the most delicious pound cakes PLUS curds for her cake-- our favorite is the lemon. Which BONUS! you can now buy here in town at Central Market.

4. spinets

5. this poster
I bought this hilarious poster for Nathan after I saw it on Design Sponge last year. We're just now getting around to ordering a frame to fit it. But the good news is that we have the perfect spot for it in the new house. Next to the spinet.

Friday Favorites, Vol. 58 (one day late)

2011-07-02T17:05:00.000-05:00

Thanks to my friend Andrew, who gave me a kick in the pants for not blogging lately. I appreciate it. I really do.

1. pedicabs

2. cowhide rugs
Perhaps not that PC. Perhaps overdone by modern design. I don't care. I love the look of a cowhide rug and I think it's Texas chic on its very best day.

3. macaroons

4. puzzles
Anyone who knows me well will attest that I have no patience and therefore really suck at something like puzzles. However, I like the idea of puzzles. Especially with friends or family on a rainy day.

5. matching dogs

we maybe sort of live in a demolition zone

2011-06-20T14:27:00.000-05:00

But the good news is that Nathan is pretty handy. Which is fantastic, because I'm no Mrs. Fix-it.

(pictured: not me.)

We've been in our new house for ten days. Nathan's dad and granddad were here for six days, helping us get the major projects underway. They left this morning, but have promised to return at some point down the road to see how everything comes together.

We love the layout of our house. We love the outside. But this statement pretty much sums up our feelings about everything inside:

Nathan was feeling somewhat discouraged about the number of projects we've set out to do but have not yet completed. So I made a list of everything we've done so far, to show that yes!, we've totally finished some big projects. And even though it seems like we cross off one thing and add two more, we couldn't be happier.

1. Installed doggy doors
2. Took out carpet in front rooms (living/office/dining/front hall)
3. Took out tile that was underneath it
4. Power sanded everything
5. Took out wood paneling
6. Took out wallpaper that was underneath it
7. Drywalled weird doorway that was underneath it
8. Took out woodburning stove and stove pipe from ceiling
9. Drywalled hole in ceiling
10. Drywalled weird passthrough between living and kitchen
11. Textured all drywall
12. Installed cool new mailbox
13. Painted ceiling in guest room
14. Painted walls in guest room
15. Replaced doorknobs and hardware
16. Installed new front door
17. Installed new window in front door
18. Installed new ceiling fan in guest room
19. Connected bookcases in guest room
20. Installed robe hook in hall bath

This list doesn't include approximately 47 trips to the Home Depot, where we literally know people by name. Sort of like Cheers. Only the Cheers we prefer is Nomad, a great little bar in our new hood. Yup, we like the place. Think we'll stay awhile.

Friday Favorites, vol. 57 (one day late)

2011-06-04T21:08:00.000-05:00

1. froyo

2. hanging chairs

3. cute umbrellas

You probably already know this, but the MoMA Store has some fabulous umbrellas.

BONUS: this rainboot umbrella stand from Z Gallerie.

4. bamboo wind chimes (which are surprisingly hard to find)

BONUS: the bamboo wind chimes I'm ordering for our new house. And even cooler-- you can hear what the chimes sound like before you order!

5. postcards

BONUS: postcard carousels

Pottery Barn makes a photo carousel. I think it'd be lovely to use with actual postcards. (Especially old ones.)

BONUS Bonus: postcup!

design top 10: throw pillows

2011-05-21T20:54:00.001-05:00

I can't wait to share all the goodness that I've been working on for our new house. First up... throw pillows! We'll be picking three or so of these, along with a couple of solid color ones, most likely. Which ones do you like?

1. Buttons

2. Hello Sunshine

3. Mustard & white chevron stripe

4. Upcycled sail (with a #5)

5. Geometric leaves

6. Olive You

7. Light theory

8. Horizontal lines

9. Paint palate

10. Industrial design

Honorable mention (not pictured)
Comic book

Friday Favorites, vol. 56

2011-05-20T08:51:00.000-05:00

1. jellyfish

2. slats wallter wall art
Wallter makes a number of very cool three-dimensional shapes that you can paint and glue to your walls. Before we were allowed to paint or glue things to our walls, we made a fantastic art piece using their circles on a huge canvas in our living room. Right now my very favorite is their piece called "slats." I think it's super '50s, and it reminds of an impressionist sculpture of blades of grass. This is on the definite list for our new home decor!

3. hand mirrors

4. classic Nancy Drew mysteries

5. lemon bars

BONUS: To this date, I've never tasted a yummier lemon bar than the ones served at my lovely friend Kathryn's wedding on her family farm in Iowa, last spring.

This is going to be a killer week at work.

2011-05-16T10:31:00.000-05:00

This classic British sign has never seemed more appropriate.

Makes me breathe easier just looking at it.

Friday Favorites, vol. 55, a day and a half late

2011-05-14T22:10:00.000-05:00

Wow. Wondering if I should change the name of this blog to FridayFavoritespace, because that's what I've been blogging for weeks. Hmmmm. But if I did that, what about all the amazing future house before-and-after photos that I'll be blogging? See. I can't change the name. Or is that a circular argument? Not sure, since I never took Debate in high school.

1. black and cream chevron stripes
So classic and chic.

2. modular furniture
I believe that somewhere in the past, modular furniture had a bad rap, but now it's so modern and streamlined and let's face it, functional, that it hits the mark.

3. terrariums

4. velvet blazers
Especially on the boys. I realize it's already too hot for velvet, but perhaps that's why it seems so appealing. I'm already missing those cool spring evenings.

5. new music that sounds old

Fitz and the Tantrums

Adele

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings

Raphael Saadiq

Happy Birthday, Nathan!

2011-05-04T09:48:00.000-05:00

I love you.
I'm proud of you.
I can't wait to see what this year will bring.

*************

In case you haven't seen this, Nathan has decided to embark on a year-long photo challenge he's calling Project 35. You won't want to miss it.

Friday Favorites, vol. 54

2011-04-29T14:17:00.001-05:00

Disclaimer: Quite a lot of these Friday Favorites contain things related to interior design. In fact, you might as well know that for the next couple of weeks, that will be the case. I'm sort of house obsessed. OK, a lot house obsessed.

1. spine bookcases

2. diners

BONUS: coffee mugs from diners

3. pedestal sinks

4. malm woodburning stoves
Our (hopefully-soon-to-be new house) has a wood-burning stove in the living room, which is nice and homey. The thing is, the style of the stove is so rustic that it doesn't match our stuff AND it doesn't fit the time period of the house (1963). So, Nathan and I are planning to take out the old stove, pass it on to his folks who are building a cabin in Colorado (how perfect will that be?) and eventually maybe replace the stove with one of these amazing, modern Malm stoves.

5. food trailers

BONUS: Food Shark in Marfa, Texas. My favorite food trailer, ever.

BONUS BONUS: Marfalafel from Food Shark. I was never a huge falafel person, but I ordered this because it was one of their signature dishes. Now I find myself daydreaming from time to time, just wishing I had a Marfalafel. Or at least the recipe.

Friday Favorites, vol. 53, a day early

2011-04-21T09:53:00.001-05:00

1. outdoor dinner parties

2. English ivy
Yes, I know it's really, really bad for trees and walls. But isn't it beautiful?

English ivy AND red geraniums? Pretty sure this restaurant is heaven.

3. crestview doors
I had practically given up on the words "cool exterior door" going into the same sentence. Then, we found Crestview doors. Great mid-century design, easy to DIY and they're local! The only problem we're going to have is which design to pick.

4. Blue Q water bottles

5. red (or as it appears to me, pink) yucca

BONUS: fried yucca with queso
Decidedly not on our diet, but one of my favorite treats from Sao Paulos, which is on our list of places for fabulous cheat meals. If you're going there, kindly get yourself a basil mojito to go along with that fried yucca.

**********************

Amy and Nathan Buy a House! Update
(for those of you who aren't on Twitter, mainly)

In a whirlwind of events, we've made a offer on our favorite house and it went through inspection like a champ. Today we're in ESCROW. And before you know it, we'll be inviting all of you lovely people over for cocktails! Maybe even an outdoor dinner party (see above). Keep your fingers crossed for us!

Monday Dose of Cuteness, vol. 25, a day late

2011-04-19T18:21:00.000-05:00

Because penguins are cute. Baby penguins are ridiculously cute. And a baby penguin being tickled? That's so cute, it hurts.

lessons in contentment

2011-04-14T10:42:00.004-05:00

I'm going to do that ever-annoying blogger apology, you guys.

I'm sorry that I haven't blogged that much lately. Between my Friday Favorites and an occasional Monday Dose of Cuteness, you're probably like, What is going on with this girl?

Well. Let me tell you. Nathan and I are deep into a state of change. God, that sounds so dramatic. We're not molting.

This is how it started...

1. We're five weeks into working with a personal trainer and cracking down on our paleo diet. Seriously. Friday marks the five weeks mark, and the program is initially 12 weeks. Nearly halfway there! (Cue Bon Jovi "Livin on a Prayer") Not that we'll stop working out at 12 weeks, but we'll go into a sort of maintaining phase. At that point, Nathan and I should be able to do sweet jump kicks like this:

Kidding. Sort of.

I've noticed a huge difference in how I feel, how I look, what I'm able to do physically, how my clothes fit me, and how much money we're saving on eating out. (For the record, we are allowed one cheat meal a week, and so far, we've gone so overboard with carbs on the weekly cheat meal that we basically both enter a comatose state and soon after feel nauseous, followed by pangs of regret and shaking our fists to heaven saying, "It's not worth it!") All that to say, I don't really miss carbs or even sugar. I never would've thought a diet like this would have been balanced or healthy, but a couple months ago, our lives took a new course when Nathan's mother recommended he read this book. And if you get Nathan started, he will convert you within ten minutes. The last time I heard him speak this passionately was about a little band called Radiohead. That, and anything with the words "camera, photography, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Nikon, (and most recently) Mamiya" in the sentence. But I digress.

Between diabetes and high-blood pressure running in both our families, we decided to make a drastic change. And I can't tell you how much it's improved the way I feel on a daily basis. Couple that with the training with our good friend and Crossfit aficionado, Jeremiah, and we're entering this new path of change for the better. The irony is that to reach a place of contentment with my health/body/ability I really needed to make a change because I couldn't be content with where we were: eating crap food every night and acting lathargic. I hate to say this, but before this diet, I couldn't remember the last green vegetable I'd eaten. I was slowly but surely going from a skinny-fat to just plain fat, and every year I'd buy clothes in larger sizes. No good. Not content.

On to the next massive point of change:

2. We are househunting for our very first home! It's time. After nine years of living and renting in Austin, we love it and think we're here to stay. Sure, the summers are hot. Sure, the allergies are hideous. But there are SOOOO many other things to love that we are incredibly happy and want to build a home here.

We also believe that the right house will help grow our business, and I can't express in words how exciting that is! We've put all the details together, and when our lease is up at the end of summer, we may very well find ourselves in a house. To help get there, it's critical to crack down on our finances, so we've decided to become grown-ups and abide by a budget. Sounds terrifying, right?

Only this is part of where the contentment comes in as well. In thinking about a new home, and looking at homes with our realtor, I really see our future. But getting to that future means we both have to sacrifice and stop buying things we don't need, and put more in savings. I fully believe we have everything we need, and more. Months ago, I would obsessively scour Anthro online on the first day we were paid, to see what I wanted to buy that I didn't need. When my monthly mad money was gone, I would often sell books and movies back to Halfprice in desperation so I could buy a new pair of shoes that I didn't need. The theme here is that these are all possessions I don't need. I don't need lattes every morning from a coffeehouse. I don't need to stop by Specs and pick up cider three nights a week. And while it hurts me to say, I don't actually need new bags, shoes, and dresses. Even from Anthro. I simply don't need them. I can't tell you how liberating it is to say those words, and I think it's a big step for us toward our future. Which is far more exciting than anything I could buy in a store.

Friday Favorites, vol. 52

2011-04-08T21:27:00.000-05:00

1. tulips
Nathan surprised me with the most gorgeous tulips today at work!

*sigh* I love him. A lot.

2. cloches

3. ugly dolls
As a full-fledged adult, I no longer have any stuffed animals. But every now and then (OK, mainly when I'm sick or Nathan's out of town) I want to squeeze and cuddle a stuffed animal. I've loved Ugly Dolls ever since I first saw them at Bookpeople. It may be time to buy a stuffed animal.

4. porch swings
This week, we helped one of Nathan's most fabulous coworkers celebrate her birthday at Red House. It was so fun, and the perfect cheat meal for our week. Red House has a drink called a Porch Swing which is tea, lemon, Titos and peach nectar. It's so good, you guys. It's what an Arnold Palmer wants to be. How perfect would it be sip a Porch Swing while lounging on a porch swing?

5. mixed prints
Yes, it's been trendy for a while. Still hard for me to get my head around mixing prints, but I especially like florals or geometric prints with gondolier stripes. I think the reason it's hard for me to feel comfortable with this trend is I almost feel like it's what you would've worn in elementary school for Mismatch Day. You know?

I'm going to try mixing some prints this week. Just to try something new. Also to see how many people look at me funny at work.

Monday Dose of Cuteness, vol. 24

2011-04-04T22:56:00.000-05:00

Thanks, Cute Overload, one of my favorite sources of cuteness, ANY day of the week.

Friday Favorites, vol. 51

2011-04-01T21:03:00.002-05:00

1. wild flowers

2. cross timbers
By far the most beautiful cross timbers I've ever seen are in Germany. The ones in France aren't bad, either. As a certified Francophile, I normally think everything in France is superior, but not in this case. Germans have the French beat when it comes to beer, sausage, and cross timbers.

3. fabric napkins

4. floppy hats

5. lens flares

We're baking for Japan.

2011-03-28T20:11:00.003-05:00

Well, technically we aren't.

But lots of wonderful Austinites, including 50 local food bloggers and my good friend Stacy are baking up a storm for a city-wide bakesale this Saturday, organized by my lovely friend Kathryn that will help aid relief efforts in Japan. You can come out and show your support at any one of the locations all around Austin this Saturday, April 2, from 10- 2. Nathan and I are proud to announce that we've partnered with Austin Bakes for Japan and we'll be photographing the delicious, charitable event at Foreign & Domestic and the shops at Mira Vista on Saturday. We hope to see you there!

Visit the Austin Bakes for Japan blog for more details.

BONUS:
So Stacy is kind of famous for her rhubarb pie. She just baked one this past Sunday for a potluck, and rumor has it, she's making another one that will be on sale this Saturday. It could be all yours, and in return, your donation will go to Americares. What could be better?

Friday Favorites, vol. 50

2011-03-25T12:04:00.000-05:00

Wait a second. Volume 50? That's kind of nuts. And to think, I mainly started this little installation to help me post regularly. Which it has. To celebrate turning 50, I think I'ma fix my posts so that my images show up in Google Reader. I tried to fix it once before, but I'm not that tech-savvy. OK, tech-savvy is relative. I'm probably tech-savvy compared to most senior citizens. Not compared to most other early-thirties. Anyway, here's to pretty pictures in Google Reader! Happy Fiftieth, Friday Favorites!

1. boathouses

2. madras plaid

3. Just Dance 2 on wii
Because cardio should be fun. And because this game is so fun to play by yourself, with friends, or with your parents and extended family on New Year's Eve. Trust us on this one.

4. old-fashioned swimcaps

5. Frameworks posters by Moxy Creative

Why our mailman hates us.

2011-03-23T13:12:00.001-05:00

We once went so long without checking our mailbox that we received a large bundle of mail, rubberbanded on our doorstep with a sticky note attached that said, "Check your mail more."

Probably a good idea.

Friday Favorites, vol. 49

2011-03-18T16:27:00.000-05:00

1. cuffs

2. top knots

3. patchwork

4. petticoats

5. Laughing Cow Babybel mini cheese

This weekend Nathan and I photographed the first-ever Texas Style Council Conference,

2011-03-17T19:44:00.000-05:00

and may I just say, it was amazing?! We had a photobooth at the party on Saturday night at BoConcept. Plus, I provided event coverage for the entire weekend. It was fabulous to meet new friends and catch up with old ones.

I'll post soon (either here or on our photoblog) and tell you all about the weekend, but in the meantime, here's a shot I grabbed on Sunday afternoon, in between panels.

***********

Other things that are new with us:

1. We started working with a fantastic trainer on Monday, to begin what I'd like to call our 12-week Plan to Slammin. More on that later, too. I promise. In related news: I miss carbs, which is weird because apparently they're the devil?

2. I'm taking street style photos during SXSW for a NY company that does trendwatching. It's my first solo paid gig and I'm kind of loving it.

3. I have to take defensive driving, for a red light I ran because I was mesmerized by the car ahead of me, whose driver gave a loaf of bread to a homeless man. See? Carbs = my mortal enemy.

Friday Favorites, vol. 48

2011-03-11T15:07:00.001-06:00

1. dance parties Whether spontaneous or planned, the very best cure for the blues.

2. clothing swaps Simultaneously score fab new things and purge your closet. Win win.

3. composition books

4. street style blogs Some of my faves include Urban Weeds, The Sartorialist, and Copenhagen Street Style, which is now closed...(sniffle).

All of these inspirational sites made me want to start my own street style blog to showcase the unique style I see every single day in Austin.

5. fashion shows

You may have detected a theme here. This weekend is the first, fabulous Texas Style Council Conference, dreamt up and organized by my dear friends Indiana and Grechen. Nathan and I are proud sponsors of the event! We'll have a photobooth at the dance party on Saturday Night at Bo Concept on 2nd Street. The party is from 7-11 and open to the public! ($5 at door) On Sunday, there will be some amazing panels (featuring our lovely and beyond talented friends Kendi! and Bryan!) and I plan to take along my trusty comp book to take notes on everything the speakers have to share. The weekend kicks off with a clothing swap tonight and concludes with a fashion show on Sunday night. I can't wait to meet new friends and take lots of great shots for the Texas Style Council AND for my street style blog.

P.S. Next week we'll be shooting some street style coverage for SXSW so be warned. If you look fab, we'll find you. Threat or promise? You decide.

Everybody, Everywear: Polkadots (otherwise known as My Friend Linda is a Genius)

2011-03-09T19:12:00.001-06:00

You may already know my wonderful friend Linda from The Auspicious Life. She's not only terribly clever and cute, she's one badass teacher. I know firsthand. We were lucky to have her as a teacher at my school before she moved away to teach in Portlandia. Anyway, Linda emerged on the style blogger scene a while ago with her personal blog, and then she came up with this insanely good idea. What about a style blog that shows how everybody everywhere styles a specific piece of clothing? She calls it Everybody, Everywear. Genius, I tell you.

Well, this month's challenge is polka dots, which are near and dear to my heart. I realize I'm not a style blogger. But what the hell? Here's how I style polka dots. (Keep in mind this is only one of many polka-dotted skirts in my closet.) See how everyone else styled their polka dots on Everybody, Everywear.

P.S. The Texas Style Council Conference is THIS weekend! Who else is giddy as a bright-eyed tot on Christmas Eve?

Monday Dose of Cuteness, vol. 23

2011-03-07T22:33:00.000-06:00

You guys aren't going to believe what Nathan found. It's real.

Amazing. Magical. Perfect.

Friday Favorites, vol. 47

2011-03-04T20:03:00.002-06:00

1. clear plastic umbrellas

2. tulle
Just because we didn't all grow up to be ballerinas doesn't mean that we can't all enjoy tulle.

BONUS: I'm making some tutus this weekend using this tutorial. They aren't for me. I promise to explain more later.

Please pardon the cheesy opening music -- the tutorial is great!

3. fried pickles (Especially dipped in ranch dressing.)
And everyone knows that fried pickle spears > fried pickle chips. It all comes down to the pickle-to-breading-ratio.

4. herb gardens on windowsills
Which I know is oddly specific.

BONUS: Oddlyspecific.com Because I'm sort of over the whole "fail" thing, but these photos are hilarious.

5. Arcade Fire
My ever-talented, ever-marvelous husband picked up two of the ever-elusive Arcade Fire tickets today. The show is the EXACT same day as his birthday in two months. I couldn't have thought up a more perfect birthday present.

One of my favorite Arcade Fire songs of all time:

My favorite micro poem

2011-03-04T11:01:00.001-06:00

After Weeks of Watching the Roof Leak
by Gary Snyder

After weeks of watching the roof leak
I fixed it tonight
by moving a single board.

***************

I adore this poem because it's how I feel when I put things off. This morning I took care of a task I've been putting off for about month. It took less than twenty minutes. Does this ever happen to you?

All the Single Ladies Trifecta

2011-03-01T22:12:00.000-06:00

1. Thom Yorke

2. Baby Cory

3. Glee

Which is your favorite?

Monday Dose of Cuteness, vol. 22

2011-02-28T08:57:00.001-06:00

Cutest and by far the best acceptance speech of the Oscars last night.

Congratulations to Luke Matheny for winning the Academy Award for his brilliant short film God of Love.

********

P.S. Thanks to Joanna Goddard for the links.

girl crush: adele

2011-02-26T13:10:00.000-06:00

I know you already love Adele. I can't listen to her sing without getting goosebumps. Her voice is magic.

Did you buy her newest album which was just released this week? Because if not, kindly do so.

Poll: Do you think she'll continue to name her albums after her age? Because how cool would that be? (vote over on the right)

BONUS:

Friday Favorites, vol. 46

2011-02-25T09:28:00.006-06:00

1. sidewalk cafes

2. rolling bookshelf ladders

3. trapeze dresses or Twiggy, 2.0

4. long strings of pearls

5. Downton Abbey

You guys probably know that I'm a total tellie junkie. But this show.... well. You just have to see it. It's fabulously-written, beautiful, surprising and full of heart. And if you have Netflix Watch Instantly, you can watch it as soon as you'd like. Oh, and it has Maggie Smith. What's not to love?

What's in a name?

2011-02-24T13:00:00.001-06:00

When my mom was preggers with me, she and my dad didn't want to find out if I was a girl or a boy until I was born. (Some of our wonderful friends, Jess & B., recently did this, and I totally think I'd do it, too-- wait to find out the baby's gender on its birthday. The excitement and surprise would be fabulous, don't you think?)

Anyway, my mother liked the name Matthew. My dad liked the name Amy. So there you have it. Little Amy was born!

In 1977, the name Amy was the third most popular girl's name in America. In the year I was born, there were 16,257 Amys for every 1,000,000 girls born. That means 1 in 60 girls was an Amy. But it felt like so many more.

Thank you, babycenter.com

There were so many Amys. You probably still know a bunch of them. I had friends named Amy. I was called Amy P. in my most of my elementary school classes (not the coolest name, mind you). I even have an amazing sister-in-law who's name is not only Amy, it's Amy Elizabeth. It's true!

Every so often, someone would ask me if Amy was short for Amelia. It isn't. But that got me to thinking. I didn't (and still don't) know a single Amelia. What a unique, interesting name. For a brief time in college, I even considered legally changing my name to Amelia.

It would be perfect. I could still go by Amy. But by then, my teachers had moved on from calling me "Amy P." and it wasn't so bad. Amy means "beloved" and I do think it's a name that fits me. I always have felt incredibly loved by my family, friends, and husband. I'm not saying I'm going to get an Amy tat any time soon, but I like it. Besides, now I realize my name doesn't have to be unique for me to be unique.

How did you feel about your name growing up? Did you ever seriously consider changing it?

Promote literacy... give a book!

2011-02-22T14:49:00.001-06:00

An amazing friend and teacher at the amazing school where I've taught for the last eight years has (with the help of her husband and a couple of key local groups) organized a book drive called Roadrunner Reads. The impetus for the drive came from seeing so many children in our school who don't have books of their own at home. Approximately 80% of our students report fewer than four books in their home, and nearly half have never personally owned a book. Literacy is critical for academic success, and if you love reading as much as I do, you can probably remember a childhood filled with favorite books.

Learn more:

Even though we're officially past the dates of the drive, we're STILL collecting and gladly accepting books for our students! We would LOVE any books you can spare, and we're especially hoping to round up these titles to put in the hands of students. Help share the love of reading with a preteen by donating a book today!

Please contact Margaret and Adrian to donate.

Monday Dose of Cuteness, vol. 21

2011-02-21T17:41:00.000-06:00

This photo represents what the last couple weeks have been like for us. How are YOU doing?

Friday Favorites, vol. 45: one day late...

2011-02-19T15:15:00.001-06:00

1. snow days
In Austin, we don't so much get snow days as ice days. And since so many people here don't really know how to drive on it, we're guaranteed an ice day/day off from school every couple years. Even though you have to make up the days later in the year, I still think it's worth it. Nothing better than staying in, having a fire, making yummy food and having movie marathons.

2. fur hats

3. seychelles heels
My new favorite mustard-colored heels are by Seychelles. How did I not know about this shoe company before? All their shoes look like they're from 1920s Paris, I swear. I got these heels on discount from DSW, and although they're not listed online, you may still be able to find them in store.

4. twin sets

And by twin sets, I mean this kind:

Not this kind:

Although, technically, this would be twins... in twinsets?

5. date night

BONUS: pomsecco
My favorite drink from Blue Star Cafeteria, which is pomegranate juice and prosecco.
We just went there last night for date night/cheat meal of the week, and I got to enjoy this bubbly confection.

BONUS Bonus: Documentaries
After dinner, we watched this little film. If you know us, you pretty much know that we aren't planning to have children right now, but we really do adore children. And pretty photography. And pretty light. So this little documentary (which has almost no talking) along with its cultural contrasts was so fascinating.

Some of our other favorite documentaries:
Man on Wire

King of Kong

Spellbound

I also love Trekkies, Hands on a Hardbody and if you're up for some more serious fare, The Corporation, The Rape of Europa, and Seven Up (which is both hilarious and heartbreaking) are all amazing.

Do you have any documentaries you recommend?

Abazias diamond earring giveaway!

2011-02-11T08:42:00.003-06:00

I'm so excited to announce a fab giveaway sponsored by Abazias. Win these gorgeous, white gold, chandelier earrings! (valued at $445)

To enter for a chance to win these antique style diamond earrings, please:
1. Visit Abazias.

2. Leave a comment below telling me where you'd wear these beautiful earrings. If you don't have a blog where I can easily contact you, please also leave your email address.

3. Keep your fingers crossed until next week (Saturday, Feb 19), when I'll announce the lucky winner!

/Giveaway is open until Friday, February 18, 2011 at 12:00 midnight CST. Open to U.S. readers only. /

UPDATE:
Bonnie C. is our lucky winner!

Bonnie C.-- Congratulations! Look for an email from me today so I can get your address to mail you these sparkly beauties! :)

"And now here is my secret,

2011-02-09T17:56:00.000-06:00

a very simple secret; it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye."

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

it's all happening: the texas style council

2011-02-08T19:04:00.000-06:00

About a week ago, I blogged about how our little photography bizness is now a platinum sponsor of the 2011 Texas Style Council Conference, coming up here in Austin during SXSW! I figured I wouldn't have to tell you guys about it, since you all already know all about it. Then I thought, wait just a second.... What if there's still some fabulous blogger out there who hasn't yet heard about it? Well, this one's for you.

Go right this minute and find out about the first ever Texas Style Council Conference and how you can be a part of the fabulosity!

P.S. ooh, and stop by our photobooth during the dance party Saturday night and say hello!

Monday Dose of Cuteness, vol. 20

2011-02-07T12:28:00.000-06:00

Kinda cute. Kinda gross. Totally hilarious.

Trend or End: furry vests

2011-02-05T00:39:00.001-06:00

What is to be made of these furry vests that are popping up everywhere like groundhogs? Are they really a valid trend-- or do they need to just go back to the minks and foxes from whence they came?

[Comment below and/or place your vote on the right.]

Friday Favorites, vol. 44

2011-02-04T10:26:00.001-06:00

1. flannel pajamas
They may not be sexy, but in the winter months, they are like a warm hug. A warm hug of cocoa. With marshmallows.

2. things that look like other things

This iPhone cover which masquerades as a cassette tape.

These bacon bandaids.

This mighty wallet, which looks exactly like an international airmail envelope. My cousin-in-law has this wallet and I swear I thought it was an envelope! So cool.

3. pintucks

4. classic picture books

5. cider

Especially J.K. Scrumpy's Hard Cider, which tastes like candy and can be enjoyed with slices at House Pizzeria.

Yes.

2011-01-30T15:04:00.000-06:00

--created by spectacular artist Beverly Ealdama

*******
Thanks to sweetheart Anna, who posted it here.

Jewelry giveaway? Yes, please.

2011-01-29T09:01:00.001-06:00

I'm so excited to announce a giveaway coming soon from Abazias, a fabulous online jewelry store!

Abazias has everything from beautifully simple pearl earrings to simply beautiful diamond necklaces. Seriously. Enough goodness to fill up any girl's jewelry box and then some. If you're in the market for an engagement ring, they have a super easy-to-use tool for building your perfect engagement ring-- which is totally customizable. And because they have a ridiculous amount of loose diamonds (150,000 to be exact) it's not like shopping out of a display case. You can find a gorgeous, one-of-a-kind diamond and design your own unique ring. How cool is that? Abazias even posts a Deal of the Day, so you can always find amazing jewelry at prices that don't break the bank. I also love that you can browse by price so that no matter what your budget or what you're looking for, you can find the perfect piece.

One thing that sets Abazias apart from other jewelers is that they have a blog! Pretty jewelry AND something smart to say? I know the blogosphere is feeling the love on this one. Some of my favorite posts are the ones about famous diamonds in history (which are completely swoon-worthy) and thoughtful, informative posts on the diamond industry. A jewelry company that is committed to raising awareness is certainly a rare thing these days. So whether you're browsing engagement rings or looking for a fab new watch to spruce up your work wardrobe, Abazias will have it. Because as we all know, love is all you need. And a little gorgeous jewelry along the way is just a bonus!

Stay tuned until week, when I'll launch a giveaway for these white gold, chandelier earrings!

Friday Favorites, vol. 43

2011-01-28T14:20:00.000-06:00

1. cableknit sweaters

2. teapots

3. washlines (Despite my dislike of laundry!)

4. bookstores As much as I love Bookpeople, there's just something wonderful about an old, dusty, used bookstore.

5. sticky toffee pudding

My favorite sticky toffee pudding is made right here in Austin! You can buy it direct from the company or at Central Market.

I love you so much.

2011-01-26T19:47:00.001-06:00

Back in November, we were planning an engagement shoot with Diana + Steven. Nathan asked if I had any good ideas for locations, and I mentioned that I'd seen a lovely message written on the side wall at Jo's.
"Well, that's perfect," he said, "Because that was the very first place Diana mentioned!"

So we started at Jo's that day on South Congress.

Last July, that beautiful message was spontaneously written on the wall at Austin favorite, Jo's on South Congress. But, today at 4:00, the wall looked like this:

Why? Because some d-bag vandalized the message. Can you believe that?! It makes me FURIOUS. Our city is so full of compassionate, sensitive people that when something this atrocious happens, I just get so pissed. I say we de-d-bag the city immediately. What do you say?

In the meantime, Jo's has asked its patrons to share any lovely photos they have as a tribute to the wall. You can see them on Jo's FB wall. If you happen to have a photo of the "I love you so much" wall, please consider posting it.

Monday Dose of Cuteness, vol. 19

2011-01-24T19:47:00.000-06:00

It's been a little while since we've had a Monday Dose of Cuteness. But all the more reason to have one today. After all, it's a dreary Monday-- so let's give a listen to Tucker sing the blues.

Friday Favorites, vol. 42

2011-01-21T08:26:00.003-06:00

1. tomato soup (especially from La Madeleine)

(especially with grilled cheese sammies)

La Mad's basil tomato soup may or may not have had a buy-two-jars-get-one-free soup sale this past week. I may or may not have taken advantage of it.

2. technicolor bookcases

These bookshelves make me feel as happy as when you look at paint sample cards and you see all the gradients... The first person I saw who organized her bookshelves this way is my friend Sandhya. She didn't mind that I copied.
Ta da!

I need to set up a proper light if I want to take a decent shot. Maybe this weekend....

3. songs about snow

Especially Sarah McLachlan's In the Bleak Midwinter.

4. kelly green

5. car dancing

BONUS: A Cheeky Lemon.
A drink I accidentally invented when I threw together a few ingredients we had on hand: Simply Lemonade, Splash of vanilla-infused vodka, handful of tart red raspberries.

Voila! Cheeky Lemons for everybody!

Confessions of an over-thirty.

2011-01-11T20:35:00.000-06:00

1. I sometimes forget my age.

2. I love to knit.

3. I had to switch to Sensodyne.

4. I relish quiet.

and perhaps most horrifying of all:
5. Today my tights got a teeny bit droopy around the ankles.

Forget over-thirty. These sound like the confessions of a senior citizen. Doesn't that qualify me for a discount at Hill Country Weavers?

Friday Favorites, vol. 41

2011-01-07T07:49:00.000-06:00

Instead of listing my favorite things (like I normally do), I decided to celebrate the launch of our new really, really ridiculously good-looking website by posting a few of my favorite photos that Nathan and I have taken. See them all bigger and prettier (along with lots more!) here.

Stop by our new website and let me know what you think!

dreamy diana

2011-01-03T22:09:00.000-06:00

For my birthday last month, Nathan surprised me with this fun lens! I absolutely love the lo-fi look of this plastic lens. So vintage-looking, don't you think?

All of my Friday Favorites: 2010

2010-12-31T18:43:00.000-06:00

I started posting Friday Favorites early this spring for a couple of reasons. I wanted to post more compelling and artistic content (not to mention blog more frequently), and I liked the simplicity of listing things that inspired me. A couple of my favorite blogs list weekly favorites, and I loved the idea so much I copied it. Hey-- Oprah does it. Why shouldn't we?

A small caveat: I pull photos from everywhere online, with many from Nathan's photography blog (those are working beautifully) and the website Weheartit (quite a lot of these photos are already broken, because as we all know, online content often has the lifespan of a fruit fly).

Without further ado,
I give you the complete, unabridged list of my 2010 Friday Favorites, a year in review:

A
accordion pleated skirts
accordions
adirondack chairs
an Airstream as a guesthouse
all things Oz
almond milk
almond roca
American Tourister round luggage & traincases
Apples to Apples
aprons
argyle socks
Arnold Palmers
atlases
atriums
B
bare feet
baskets on bicycles
beaded handbags
belted dresses
belts over cardies
belts without tails
Benefit cosmetics
berets
berries
Big Chill fridge
Billie Holiday
birdcage veils
birdhouses
black and white houndstooth
The Blanton
BLATs
blonde braids
this blueberry pudding recipe
blue bonnets
bocce
Brand New Key (the rollerskaters' anthem)
bread pudding
brightly colored trenches
brushstroke florals
bubble wrap
bubble wrap app
busbarns
these button brooches
the buttonband by Bumble & Bumble
C
camera straps from Soldier
candy cane pens with ink that smells like peppermint
card catalogs
carousels
chaise lounges
Charlie Brown Christmas trees
chocolate milk
our Christmas card tree
Christmas movie marathons
circle skirts
coin purses
confetti
Converse All-Stars
this cool building
coupe champagne glasses
Crayola pens
creamy peanutbutter
cruiser bicycles
cumulous clouds
cute creamers
D
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
dark chocolate-dipped ginger Altoids
Degas ballet paintings
the most delicious jam known to man
disco balls
E
Eames chairs
the equestrian look
espadrilles
espresso over ice cream
exposed zippers
F
family!
fancy tub
finger waves
fingerless gloves
fireflies
firepits
fireplaces
Fitz and the Tantrums
fleur de lis
flip cocktails
Florence and the Machine
flutter sleeves
fog
funfetti
G
gaps between front teeth
garden gnomes
giant buttons
gigantic bubbles
gnarly gourds
gondolier stripes
gramophones
green amber
grilled cheese sammies
grosgrain ribbon
H
hammocks
hand-written letters
hazelnut lattes
hedges of rosemary
The Holiday
home delivery services
homemade cookies
homemade eggnog
honeycrisp apples
I
these ice cube trays
ice cubes tinkling in a glass
iced coffee
J
Jackie O sunglasses
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Justin's nut butters
K
kissing in taxis
knitting
L
ladylike vests
latte art
lattes in holiday flavors
laundromats
leather-bound books
Lego digital camera
lemon curd
the library
lockets
Lorina sparkling lemonade
lots of lashes
M
mailboxes
matchbooks
metallic flats
Michael Stars tanks, tees, dresses, etc.
mirror walls
Mr. Sketch scented markers
mixtapes
modern mobiles by Flensted
my new favorite necklace
N
nautical/navy
nude lips
The Nutcracker
nutcrackers
O
old jukeboxes
old luggage
orange soda
P
paper lanterns
pastel-colored houses
patent leather
peeptoe heels
picnic baskets
pink flamingos
pocketwatches
polaroids
polka dots
popping bubbles
Prada Marfa
pretty headbands
pretty flats
puffed sleeves
Pushing Daisies
Q
quilts
R
record players
record shops
rectangular swimming pools
red geraniums
red phonebooths
red plaid
red umbellas
retro rollerskates
retro swimsuits
rhubarb pie
riding boots
rompers
rotary phones
round windows
ruby slippers
S
sailboats
scarves worn bandana-style
seatbelt camera straps
seersucker
shandies
shepherd's pie
this skirt by Emersonmade
sleeping in
smocking
snowglobes
the sound of champagne corks popping
sparklers
stargazing
straight bangs
suspenders
sweater dresses
sweet tea vodka
T
my tailors
Tarte cheek stain
teacups with saucers
this rosemary hand soap
three-minute eggs
thrift stores
topiaries
trains
Twiggy
U
underwater photography
V
Vespas
vw beetles
vw vans
W
wall art decals
walls with ivy
watermelon
wayfarers
wellies
white shirts with black buttons
window boxes
winter white
woody station wagons
X
Y
Z
Zooey Deschanel

I wish I could publish an alphabet picture book with all these images (except that I don't have anything for X and Y). Here's to all entirely new, wonderful things listed every Friday in 2011!

Kathryn's 30 for 30

2010-12-29T18:04:00.006-06:00

One of my great friends, Kathryn, has a fantastic blog. While she mainly blogs about food, she decided to join in with hundreds of other stylish bloggers to take our amazing friend Kendi's 30 for 30 wardrobe challenge. When she mentioned that she would be taking the challenge, I offered to start taking her daily photos. We've had so much fun over the last month or so finding little spots here and there to shoot, chatting, documenting her outfits along the way. For me, I got some of the most valuable camera practice I could hope for, just learning what to do with my settings in different light/different situations--since I shoot in manual. I really considered it a project that we were both taking on, even though I wasn't participating in the 30 for 30 per se.
You can see Kathryn's 30 for 30 on her blog here and her first recap here. I wanted to feature some of my favorite shots from this project as well.

Friday Favorites, vol. 40: Happy Christmas!

2010-12-25T15:07:00.003-06:00

I love to say that because it makes me sound so British.

1. the sound of champagne corks popping

BONUS: coupe champagne glasses (also known as goblets or saucers-- they're the ones that Holly Golightly uses in Breakfast at Tiffany's)

2. this Christmas tree (which we realized we put together wrong, in case you notice that it's a tad uneven here. Don't worry-- we've since fixed it. I blame champagne?)

3. winter white

BONUS: this movie, one of my favorite guilty-pleasure chick-flicks-- just in time for Christmas! Add it to the list below.

4. Christmas movie marathons
We may or may not have watched each and every one of these in the last week.

5. nutcrackers

BONUS: The Nutcracker

BONUS BONUS: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy

Merry Christmas, everyone!

2010-12-24T14:59:00.000-06:00

(said in a Tiny Tim accent)

It's been an amazing year! We feel so lucky to have had such a fantastic year in our photography ventures, so many fun memories with wonderful friends and most of all, each other. Some things are the same for us this holiday (like watching Christmas movies, seeing friends and partaking of delicious food.) Some things are a bit different, like our unconventional Christmas tree.

Sending you lots of love and wishes of wonder and joy this Christmas.

And a Happy New Year!

Do you know about Pinterest?

2010-12-22T18:22:00.002-06:00

My lovely and talented cousin-in-law Julie and her hubs (Nathan's cousin, Jason) visited us all last week and we had such a marvelous time. We ate some amazing, delicious food, hung out and chatted, shopped, and had a spontaneous Just Dance tournament. Julie is a graphic designer and has fab taste. She introduced me to Pinterest, and now I'm just a tad obsessed.

It's like eye candy! And while I'm still a huge fan of Weheartit, I find that Pinterest is more clever in that you can categorize the photos. i.e. home, design, photography, style, etc.

If you're not yet on Pinterest, leave a comment below with your email address and I'll send you an invite to join! It's totally free and purely wonderful.
If you ARE on Pinterest, be sure to add me as a friend (I'm "theamyshow") so I can enjoy all your boards, as well.
Happy Pinning!

Monday Dose of Cuteness, vol. 18

2010-12-20T13:15:00.000-06:00

Secret hideouts made with blankets and/or couch cushions.

Friday Favorites, vol. 39

2010-12-17T15:09:00.000-06:00

1. fingerless gloves

2. stargazing

3. candy cane pens with ink that smells like peppermint

4. homemade eggnog
We make Alton Brown's recipe.

5. Charlie Brown Christmas trees

Tonight we watched Amelie.

2010-12-16T21:31:00.000-06:00

Truly one of my favorite films.

It's magical.

Monday Dose of Cuteness, vol. 17

2010-12-13T13:36:00.000-06:00

Because if this photo doesn't make you giggle, I don't know what will.

Friday Favorites, vol. 38

2010-12-10T18:06:00.000-06:00

1. the equestrian look
(as perfected by my ever-stylish friends: Kendi, Sydney and Becky)

2. fireplaces

3. bread pudding

4. white shirts with black buttons

5. snowglobes

Monday Dose of Cuteness, vol. 16

2010-12-06T18:11:00.000-06:00

This sleepy kitten:

Uhhhh. So cute, I can't take it.
Hope everyone survived their Mondays. I survived mine by the skin of my teeth. Weird saying, huh?

Friday Favorites, vol. 37 or Sears Wish Book*

2010-12-03T09:16:00.000-06:00

*my birthday/Christmas wishlist (not limited to this year, of course!)

1. 1955 Royal Deluxe Pink Typewriter
Super hard to find. This sweet little typewriter belongs in my typewriter collection (which currently only has two typewriters, but that's beside the point). I've fully accepted that it'll take a while to track down. One day it will be mine!

Pretty, no?

2. custom address stamp
I looooove stamps. As a teacher, I have tons of them. This little address stamp will add a special touch to cards and letters. Even business mail that we send out will be a little cuter!

3. fancy picnic basket
I've wanted a fancy picnic basket for a little while now. The best ones have a spot for bottle of wine (or two).

4. very boring, yet very useful milk frother
This little bugger represents the practical part of my wishlist. We have an amazing espresso machine, but the milk frother part is kind of messed up. But, it still makes the most incredible espresso I've ever had at home! So this little device is much more practical than buying an entire new espresso machine.

5. sequined tulle scarf (in pewter)
Because every winter you need scarves, and who said they shouldn't be sequined with tulle? Sounds like it might not be the most comfortable, but I'm willing to bet J. Crew thought of that, and used some kind of fairy dust to make it super comfortable. The perfect scarf to match my white OR my black coat.

6. a diana lens
This lens is a little bit of a novelty. But I can't get over the retro look it gives photos! How cool would it be to use
this lens on shoots with Nathan, and add to his shots?

7. this sky umbrella
My amazing mom bought me this cool umbrella about five years ago. Sadly, I took it to work all the time, and one of those times, I misplaced it and/or it was stolen. It's one of those things that I think of rebuying for myself sometimes.

As cool as it looks in this photo, it's even cooler in person. And on grey, rainy days, it really makes you smile!

What's in your Sears Wish Book* this year?

What the what?!

2010-11-30T19:27:00.001-06:00

I was having kind of a crap day when Nathan texted me that my street style blog (The Style Co-Op, the one that the ever-fabulous, ever-stylish Sandhya and I co-operate) was nominated for an Austin Blogger Award!

I seriously feel like one of those first-time actresses who says to the camera, "It's truly an honor just to be nominated. To be in the same category as these other amazing ladies..." etc, etc. Because the other style bloggers in our category have been doing this WAY longer than we have. We've been here since... well, October.

Good luck to everyone! And pssst, if you have a second, we'd love for you to vote for our little Style Co-Op. Well, OK. We'll love you either way.

Monday Dose of Cuteness, vol. 15

2010-11-29T22:45:00.000-06:00

These felt creations, ala Steff Bomb. Her shop is closed for just a bit longer while she's on vacay, but should be open in time for Christmas! Read the Modcloth feature on Steff Bomb here.

Friday Favorites, vol. 36 (a day late)

2010-11-27T15:03:00.001-06:00

1. black and white houndstooth
I happen to love houndstooth. Especially when it's black and white. Especially when it's giant black and white. I had in mind to find a green peacoat this winter, but now I'm considering a black and white houndstooth coat instead. Which would you pick?

2. old jukeboxes
How great are old jukeboxes? They're even better when they have amazing old music: Johnny Cash, Louis Armstrong, the Beatles. A couple of my favorite places in town that have delicious eats and jukeboxes w/ fantastic selections: The Good Knight and House Pizzeria.

BONUS: Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
I love rock n roll, so put another dime in the jukebox, baby.

3. green amber

4. round windows

5. flip cocktails
I knew I liked delicious, frothy drinks with egg and cream, I just didn't know they were called flips. My lovely friend Kathryn made us a pumpkin flip as the final treat to the delicious Thanksgiving meal she prepared on Thursday. Stay tuned for her to blog the recipe!

Things I fully believe.

2010-11-24T14:24:00.003-06:00

1. Fashion doesn't have to be painful.

(But sometimes it is, and that's a sacrifice every woman must make.)

2. Tailgating is dumb and it doesn't get you there any faster.

3. It's OK to call in sick.

Even if you're only sort of sick.

4. It's liberating to say no.

5. If you don't love something in the dressing room, chances are you won't love it in your closet.

6. In any situation, there's always a right thing to do.

7. Being a victim isn't a choice, but feeling sorry for yourself is.

Chin up.

8. Writers' block is a label for something else.

9. If you're not sure if something is too short or tight, just ask yourself if Grace Kelly would wear it.

Still not sure? Ask yourself if Audrey Hepburn would wear it.

10. Love is the most important thing on earth.

more photobooth goodness

2010-11-20T11:43:00.000-06:00

I took these shots at a recent wedding. So. Much. Fun! These are pretty tiny, but go see them big and beautiful on Nathan's photoblog.

The Ballerina Project

2010-11-16T08:39:00.020-06:00

Thanks so much to my lovely friend Diya for blogging The Ballerina Project. How sad it would've been to never see these gorgeous pieces of art. I'm in love with these photos!

Yuriko - Coney Island

Kate - Williamsburg

Megan - Brooklyn

Violeta - Williamsburg Bridge

Lauren & Pickles - Prospect Park

Katie - Hudson River

Brittany - 14th Street

Brittany - 14th Street

Kelsey - Boston

These and more at The Ballerina Project.

Friday Favorites, vol. 35

2010-11-12T08:47:00.000-06:00

1. retro rollerskates

BONUS:
I can't think about rollerskates without thinking about this song:

2. my tailors
I can't tell you how wonderful it is to have a tailor that you can trust to make your clothes perfect. One of my favorite things is to find unique pieces on the cheap at thrift shops and then have them taken in here, shortened there, and in the end: poof! Magic. So thank you, Ace Custom Tailors, for all the dresses, skirts, pants, and tops I've brought to you over the years. You also earned an A+ on Nathan's suit jacket!

3. camera straps from Souldier
Nathan has several of Souldier's seatbelt camera straps in different colors, and I recently ordered this little beauty, with a gold stripe. I already love it-- it fits Stella (my D90) just perfectly.

4. pink flamingos

5. lattes in holiday flavors: pumpkin spice, eggnog, gingerbread

What to Wear: Wedding Photographers Edition

2010-11-10T18:14:00.004-06:00

It's hard enough to find the right dress to wear to a wedding-- but what if you're shooting the wedding? This year in wedding photography has taught me a few things, friends.

The Do-Nots:
1. Do not wear white or a shade anywhere near it. I knew this rule long before we started shooting weddings and it should seem obvious, but you'd be surprised how many wedding guests ignore it.
2. Do not wear anything super sparkly or super shiny. You're celebrating, but you're also on the job.
3. Do not wear anything too short. You should be able to squat, lunge and bend to get those shots and no one wants to be flashed, especially at a wedding.
4. Do not wear anything too tight. You want to be able to move comfortably.
5. Do not wear super high-heels. They sink in the grass, get stuck in mud, and get jacked when they slip through those wooden slats on decks. They're also murder on the toes after eight hours, even with the best insoles.

The Do-s:
1. Wear a dress that has pockets. They're perfect for lens caps, etc.
2. Wear a dress that is made of a mid-weight material-- like jersey. Then you can shoot in a windstorm and not worry about having a Marilyn moment. (See #3 above.)
3. Wear a dress that's sleeveless. Avoid the strappy or strapless ones. They're too high maintenance. Plus, sleeveless dresses are excellent for covering up tattoos, if you happen to have any.
4. Wear a dress that breathes. Could be eight hours, baby.
5. Wear a print so you don't risk matching the color of the wedding, thus looking like a cast-off bridesmaid. (Even when we know the colors of the wedding ahead of time, this is still just a good idea.) Floral prints can look a tad casual and/or Laura Ashley, so go for a modern, geometric print. I like chevron stripes, polka dots, etc.

Finally, wear a dress that is machine-washable. Your dry-cleaning bill will thank you.

BONUS:
Here is my newest favorite dress to shoot weddings. It fits all my rules, AND it's even on sale right now. I wear it with a skinny black belt and patent leather, pointy flats.

Are there any rules you've learned when it comes to dressing for certain occasions?

fall mixtape

2010-11-09T08:46:00.002-06:00

Nathan and I have this thing with making mixtapes. OK, they're really mix CDs, but we like to remember the mixtapes of yesteryear. Wait a second-- did I just say "yesteryear"? Sorry bout that.

It's one of my traditions to make summer mixes and share them with friends. Nathan and I also make them every time we have a roadtrip. We like to keep our mixes a secret and then see if we repeated any songs. We usually have at least a couple songs that we both pick. For every song that we repeat, we both get to select a prize. All right, there are no prizes... but isn't that a good idea? I think I'll institute it immediately.

I give you... My fall mixtape:
1. Addicted to Love (Robert Palmer cover) - Florence + the Machine
2. Bag of Hammers - Thao (and the Get Down Stay Down)
3. Empire State of Mind (feat. Alicia Keys) - Jay-Z
4. Hello Tomorrow - Karen O. and Squeak E. Clean
5. Something in the Air - Thunderclap Newman
6. Songs We Used to Sing - Edie Brickell
7. Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - The Arcade Fire
8. King of Pain - The Police
9. St. Teresa - Joan Osborne
10. Seed of Wonder (acoustic) - Jesca Hoop
11. How Do You Do It - Quiet Company
12. Cherry, Cherry - Neil Diamond
13. Drumming Song - Florence + The Machine
14. World Outside - The Devlins
15. Staring at the Sun - TV on the Radio
16. Fix You - Coldplay
17. Imagine (remastered) - John Lennon
18. You! Me! Dancing - Los Campesinos!

Thanks to Grooveshark, my little dream of a mixtape club can be a reality-- and all without infringing on any copyright laws OR dealing with that pesky post office.
Listen to my fall mixtape* here on Grooveshark.
*It's missing the John Lennon song because of the Beatles and how all their songs are locked in the Disney Neverland Vault.

I would LOVE to hear a mixtape from you-- and all you have to do to share is sign up for Grooveshark and then friend me. (I'm theamyshow.)

BONUS:
You can even get my fall mixtape** from iTunes.
**It's missing the Police song and the Jesca Hoop song. Whaaa? You're dead to me, iTunes.

Friday Favorites, vol. 34

2010-11-05T08:14:00.001-05:00

1. polka dots
It seems like I MUST have already listed polkadots as one of my favorite things in the past, but if I did, I can't find it. So polkadots, reprise.

2. Justin's nut butters
Simple. I'm a peanutbutter girl. And since we've gone off sugar, I've developed an intense love affair with all-natural peanutbutter. But, the biggest problem with all-natural peanutbutter is that you have to refrigerate it! Luckily, you can buy these delicious, amazing little, single-serving packets of peanutbutter and almondbutter from Justin's. Perfect for yummy, room-temperature peanutbutter on apple slices. Celery. You name it.

3. Degas ballet paintings

4. my new favorite necklace

Thanks to Sydney for first introducing it to me!

This is one gorgeous, hard-to-find necklace. I found mine after scouring Ebay for weeks.
And what's this! Another one-- from the same seller. You're welcome.

5. all things Oz

A couple weeks ago, I started Wicked for the fourth time (a book I bought over ten years ago in college), and determinedly finished it, despite it being maybe one of the worst books I've ever read (flat tone, over-sexed, and the worst offense of all, Booooring with a capital B). All this from a book with such fantastic potential. I mean, the concept of a story written from the misunderstood antagonist isn't a new concept by any means. But the entire mythology of Oz is all right there, ready to go! The groundwork and backstory and language and setting and so much is perfect and already done. It's like this was waaaay too easy. And then the book just didn't deliver.

So I've decided to go back and read the original Oz books-- which I've never read. Have you?

P.S. Nathan and I watched Return to Oz over Halloween weekend. Looove.

BONUS:
Ruby Slippers AND polkadots!

Have you seen this?!

2010-11-04T10:47:00.005-05:00

This article about Nano will make you want to stand up and cheer.

It was written in response to this other article that will make you want to punch this woman in the ... well, you pick a place.

Jess and B are having a baby!

2010-11-03T08:54:00.000-05:00

Our wonderful friends Jess and B are having their first little one this December. We couldn't be happier for them! See these photos bigger and prettier on Nathan's blog.

When we talked about the look for the shoot, Jess and I went directly to one of the most talented photographers who brings an artistic and timeless look to the whole genre of maternity photography, Sophie Phillips. We decided on a lovely location, out in nature and long, flowy dresses for her wardrobe. For props, we went went with less-is-more. Jess brought a little leather-bound book of poems that B had given her as a gift. I also made a flowery garland that I thought would add to the look. She saw it and said, "I get it. Fertility goddess." I said, "Totally! Anthro just put out a maternity line. And today we're shooting their catalog." Which I think we basically did.

My favorite shot from the day:

Nathan also took his camera-- a film camera! All the black and whites are film, as well as some of these color shots. I couldn't be happier with these shots. And I couldn't be happier for Jess and B! We can't wait to meet your new little one. Something tells me Baby Archer will be one adorable and talented kiddo.

Nanowrimo: Day 1

2010-11-02T11:56:00.000-05:00

I signed up with Nanowrimo again this year. If you haven't heard about it, go here. If you're participating, and you'd like to add me a friend (I heart friends!), go here.

The beautiful thing about Nano is the freedom it gives writers to silence their inner editors. I tend to draft slowly and revise continually, so my inner editor is never silent. For me, this is the very best thing about Nano.

BONUS: The support and community! I ran into my neighbor, Marta, at a Nano write-in a few years ago, and I might never have known that she was such a talented, inspired and inspiring writer if not for Nano! I've also joined up with a bloggy friend, Andrea, who's organized a Nano group here.

I've met a number of writers who pull a face when I mention Nano. Why? I think maybe because lots of folks who participate in Nano may only write during November as opposed to all year long. And the nature of Nano is to focus on quantity, not quality. It may be counterintuitive for many writers, including myself. But it's also quite liberating.

In the spirit of literary liberation, I'd like to post one of my favorite poems by Shel Silverstein.

Introducing... Facebooth!

2010-10-29T22:45:00.002-05:00

You've probably noticed that we've been shooting TONS of weddings lately. Well, Nathan and I finally decided to jump on the bandwagon and set up a photobooth! My normal gig at weddings is making sure Nathan has everything he needs, plus taking detail shots, that sort of thing. Well, my NEW, amazing gig includes running the photobooth during the reception. Which we've dubbed our "Facebooth."

I just had to share some of the shots I took from Vicki and David's wedding, a few weeks back.

And you might be thinking,
this looks so fun...
I bet you and Nathan set one up in your own living room sometimes, don't you?

Why yes, we do!

The remarkable case of Anthropologie versus thrift shops everywhere.

2010-10-27T18:41:00.004-05:00

I think I may have been brainwashed. By the gorgeous fabulosity that is Anthropologie. How is that possible, you ask? I mean, Anthropologie is magical! Well, it's simple.

1. Anthro is indeed a magical place. So magical that you get price dysmorphia. You see something on sale for $99 and you're like, wait-- it's marked down from $250! That's a bargain! In a way, I'd actually be saving money. Right?

2. My friend Kathryn also pointed out that your life doesn't look like the front of the store. Meaning, you can also experience style dysmorphia. You might say to yourself, "Oooh, just what I need: a hunter green velvet dirdyl!" In that moment, you fully believe that Bavarian milkmaid is and always will be your personal style. Right?

3. When you buy a piece of clothing, you honestly don't know how that item will act long-term. (This is a universal truth not just pertaining to Anthro.) Will it wrinkle like crazy when you're sitting? Will it itch you within two hours of wearing? The dress you love in the serene light of the dressing room will stay exactly the same way it is now, right?

So I've experienced a revelation. I've gotten back to my roots. Thrift shops. Just because my style over the years has changed, that doesn't mean that I had to give up thrift shops. We have so many fabulous places to shop here in Austin! A few of my favorites:
1. Buffalo Exchange
2. Savers
3. My old standby: Goodwill
Get this-- there are 14 Goodwill locations in the Austin area!

There are some wonderful reasons to shop at thrift shops, including but not limited to:
1. You can find unique items at affordable prices.
2. You support charity.
3. It's like recycling (way better for the environment).
4. You don't have to worry about supporting designers who use overseas labor to produce clothing.
5. If you do need to have something tailored to fit perfectly, you can totally afford it because you may have only spent a few dollars on it in the first place.
6. The chances are far less that you'll show up somewhere with the exact same outfit as someone else (like an Anthro outfit. This has happened to me, by the way).
I mean, we're individuals, right? We can think for ourselves and put together our own outfits that are fabulous, right? Of course right!

(Friday Favorites, vol. 33)/Monday Favorites, vol. 1

2010-10-25T20:39:00.006-05:00

You may have noticed that I haven't been blogging that much recently. Nothing's wrong-- I promise. In fact, everything's going right! I've been busy with fun-work, which includes helping my mister shoot weddings nearly every weekend and beautiful friends in the meantime. Life's completely wonderful-- it just hasn't given me that much time for blogging. I foresee mucho blogging in my future. WAY more than once or twice a week!

1. giant buttons

2. nude lips

3. wayfarers

4. leather-bound books

BONUS: this building

5. almondmilk
(Since my hubs started on the Paleo diet several weeks ago, I've been participating at what I'd estimate 80% commitment. While I do still eat carbs every now and then, I have been able to cut out the sugar and half-and-half I used to put in my coffee every SINGLE day since the age of 17. Now I just use Silk Almondmilk.

You guys. It's super delicious and still naturally a little sweet. (I tried the vanilla kind, but my favorite is the original.) It also tastes delicious on its own. Like if you're craving a glass of chocolate milk and what you want is that creamy, cold, yummy goodness-- this will absolutely be a good alternative.

BONUS BONUS:
6. This song by my new favorite band, Fitz and the Tantrums.

Listen. Enjoy. Break out the awesome early '90s dance moves.

Nel vino, la verita.

2010-10-20T19:16:00.000-05:00

In wine, the truth.

Friday Favorites, vol. 32

2010-10-15T20:53:00.003-05:00

1. knitting
While not quite cold enough to wear my knitted items, it's not too soon to curl up and knit something gorgeous. Nothing fancy. Mainly just different types of scarves and beanies for Nathan using this remarkably easy pattern.

2. carousels

3. ice cubes tinkling in a glass

BONUS: these ice cube trays

4. billie holiday

5. mailboxes

BONUS: handwritten letters. especially...