Powder Blue

Fields of Marigold

2010-07-13T19:39:00.000-07:00

Ode To Summer II

2010-07-10T12:53:00.000-07:00

Words

2010-07-07T19:55:00.000-07:00

Sometimes there are so many words inside of me
brewing like a dozen kettles of water in my veins
itching, struggling to be given life.
And it scares me so, so much
knowing that they might never reach a page.
Instead left to decompose in the obscure caves of my interiors
where nobody will ever get to see their scintillating magic.

Ode To Summer

2010-06-10T21:38:00.000-07:00

Unmade beds, lazy afternoons, ripe fruit and multi-colored sunsets.

It's A Photo Swap!

2010-06-07T15:12:00.000-07:00

Three seasons ago lovely blogger Rhianne from For the Easily Distracted came up with an amazing idea. One successful photo swap later, she is ready to host the second one. To view pictures from the 2009 swap, visit the photo swap blog.
Last year, my disposable camera traveled all the way from my little hometown in California to South Africa! Unfortunately, some things came up and I didn't receive pictures from my partner. In fact, I thought I wouldn't even get a chance to see the pictures that I had taken. Thankfully, with the help of my partner's brother, I was recently emailed all of them. It was such a lovely surprise. Below are a few of my favorites.

I can't wait to find out where my roll of film will travel to this year (especially since I won't have to settle for a disposable this time around. I have my own 35mm!) If you'd like to participate in this year's swap, you have until June 18th to sign up. Click on the icon below for more information.

The Gradual Workings Of A Seamstress

2010-06-02T01:27:00.000-07:00

To be whole.

It's a process. A damn tricky one.

What is this state of being whole? Is it being happy? That must be part of it. The acceptance of flaws? Both your own and the imperfections of life? Yes. The strength to keep positive energy, even when life presents you with its toughest moments? Definitely.
I suppose being whole feels different to everyone. After all, we are all different balances and we house different perspectives. For me being whole is somewhere nestled between the above. True happiness comes with acceptance and acceptance remains only with a positive mind. It all sounds so beautiful and smooth- but something like that is much easier said than achieved. Which makes me remember that I'm human. And then I remember again: I'm human. One who lets her emotions get the best of her and one who, unfortunately, is suffering from a terrible, terrible case of a broken heart. But no matter how messed up I am I've accepted the workings of life. It began with the earlier post (Breath Of Life) and even though I fight battles inside of myself every day I understand. I accept.

Life doesn’t stop. No matter how bruised up you are or what’s broken. It won’t wait for you to stop grieving the parts of you that you have lost.
You can hide all you want. Host a thousand funerals for yourself. But life will keep going.

I have yet to master the art of sewing. To me, being whole requires the workings of a seamstress. The pieces of me are continuously changing. I am susceptible to change, to growth and evolution. Whenever a part of me is unstitched, I must find the part that will take its place- the piece that will help me on my journey to being whole.

Like I mentioned before, this is so much easier said then done.
And I must admit that I'm crying. Crying because I’m not there yet. Because I know it is going to take a lot to get there.
But I will get there.
And when I get there I will probably cry too because I'm just that type of person. *Smiles*

It's gradual, this process. It takes some losses- probably a lot more then anyone would like to think about. But remember that you chose what to replace your loss with. If you chose wisely you will always gain. Always. Always.

(photo via)

Inked

2010-05-29T19:49:00.001-07:00

Photos via weheartit.com

So I've been thinking...

and thinking...

and thinking some more.

And I think, that maybe, most likely, I'm going to get inked.

Soon. Ish.

I have vague ideas about the ones I want. The problem is placing the correct one in the correct spot of my body.

I'll keep thinking.

Tumblr

2010-05-29T00:11:00.000-07:00

I can't help but notice how much time I've been spending on Tumblr blogs like Bunny Mitford and Blue Pony. I have a lot of quotes, poetry and photographs that I've been saving for months now and I think its about time I begin a little Tumblr of my own. Aside from featuring art from other poets, photographers and musicians, I will also share my photography and my poetry.
I'm by no means going to abandon this blog, I simply will be using Tumblr as an electronic diary of inspiration- a collection of things that I love. So if you'd like to follow me or view my Tumblr, click here.

P.S. A special little hello to all the new followers <3

I Thought She Was Her

2010-05-27T01:00:00.001-07:00

I thought she was her
and she is
but sometimes she forgets
and I wonder
and wander

-- Saul Williams

In The Dark

2010-05-26T01:06:00.001-07:00

The darkroom to be more specific.
It was my home for the last couple of months. My favorite place in my little college campus. Looking at the prints develop right before my eyes- true magic- dictated my belief that for three or four hours of the day I was somewhat of a sorceress. Don't get me wrong though- my magic failed me time and time again but overall I'm happy with what I accomplished.

(Some of these scanned terribly, so bear with me.)

Breath Of Life

2010-05-24T23:34:00.000-07:00

Things are changing. My love for words is sharpening- growing deeper. It must be the season. Summer brings many new breaths. My absence was much needed from this blog. I didn’t know what I was doing with it before and to some obtuse degree I still don’t. All I know is that this summer will be one of changes. Changes that will resonate in my interiors and some that will resonate externally. I will become an interior decorator and I will paint my walls the colors I chose- whatever feels right.

This year went by in high speed blinks. I fell in love with a soft skeleton and came to realize, foolishly, that skeletons don’t have hearts. But it was beautiful while it lasted. My breathing was sweeter and the moonless skies lit our skin with grace. I went for months without gifting my journal with a single verse and on many levels I have the skeleton to thank for bringing me back. I am flooded with words and thoughts that don’t die by the time they reach a page. They linger until I have caught them all and given them life. It’s strange and beautiful how one individual can give life to another. I hope my words will do the same.

I’m finding peace now. I’ve moved the furniture in my room and I’m in the process of moving the furniture of my body. I finally understood the beauty in emptiness and a couple nights ago had an eye-opening conversation with Alma. I cried at the terrible emptiness of grief. I cried but I accepted its beauty. She said failure is evolution and I realized my tears were not so heavy anymore. Ellie was in another room of my house, some high pitched conversation resonating around. I cried and she laughed- completely unaware of my epiphany. It was such a beautiful moment. Stimulating. I was surrounded by emotions and I never felt more alive in the smallness of my room. I was evolving- I am evolving. I am changing and growing and living.

I am my own antimatter. I chose what I will accept to be defeat and this summer I will rid myself of what no longer is a part of me and strive to pick up what will be. Good music will by my backdrop and art will fuel my desires. My symmetry is fading and I'm not scared. I'm embracing the possibilities of not being adhered to any mold and, ultimately, that is what I'm anticipating for this blog as well. Iron & Wine in the background and a lot of possibility in the air- I am so excited for this new breath of life.

The Nostalgic's Headquarters

2010-05-23T23:58:00.000-07:00

I’ve memorized this room
It’s perimeter
Each ridge of the cold floor
I’ve memorized it’s heartbeat
A soft beating, blood like milk that runs through the veins of the walls.

I’ve memorized this room
And all it’s widowed thoughts
Prolific beginnings but now disposed fetuses lying
To be forgotten in the deepness of the furniture.

I’ve memorized this room
And I’ve listened intently
To it’s chambered music that doesn’t disguise
The quiet pain that echoes in the unfanned air.

I’ve memorized this room
And all it’s terminology
There is blood in the walls and death in the sheets
My flaws hung like an item on display and grief like liquid gold
Glittering in the stillness.
I’ve memorized this room but all you see are painted walls and lack of space.

A Day In The City

2010-04-09T15:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday a couple friends and I took a trip up to San Francisco. We walked and took the bus to different stretches of the city and eventually made our way to Pier 39. Although I have been to the city my fair share of times, I had never seen Pier 39. I managed to take four rolls of film throughout the day with my Minolta before I accidentally dropped it on the concrete floor and shattered the inside mirror! I spoke to an employee of a photo shop up near Union Square and he said the repair might be pricey which is a complete bummer. Either way, I'm really excited to get the photographs developed and will be sharing those in a later post. I think that even if I were to accomplish my goal of moving there in two years time to attend a university, the tourist-y vibe will never fade away. Knowing myself I will probably never want to go outside without at least one camera in hand and generally it's the ones with the cameras who aren't natives.
I can't believe how quickly this week has gone by. Has it gone by just as quickly to you? Classes at my college will be resuming this Monday and I still feel like I have more to accomplish before Spring Break is officially over.
I will be hosting a little giveaway soon in appreciation of all you wonderful people who support my little blog. Have a lovely weekend and until then here is a preview of yesterday's wonderful trip.

Phantom

2010-04-05T19:33:00.001-07:00

Because there is a dark side to all of us.

Featured Photographer: Igor Drozdowski

2010-04-02T20:10:00.000-07:00

I am head over heels for Polish photographer Igor Drozdowski's work so I couldn't help but not feature him (her? I couldn't find anything on his/her biography anywhere and sadly I don't know whether this photographer is a he or she) as this week's featured photographer. The use of lighting to emphasize beauty is just the thing I want to master.

I'm finally on Spring Break and couldn't be happier. Is anybody else in Spring Break? Are you guys doing anything exciting?

Primavera

2010-03-26T19:17:00.001-07:00

One eight page essay, one presentation and response, two midterms down and spring break just a week away- I feel like I can finally take a breather. Today I indulged in some sleeping in and picture taking- pictures which I am very excited about and can't wait to share with you all next week. For now I will be sharing an older set that was taken while partnering with one of my lovely muses, Ellie.

I also have some really exciting news that I must share with you all. The receptionist that works at my brother's orthodontist office used to work with a wedding photographer but recently had a baby and can't anymore. Although I wasn't present, my dad took the kind liberty of talking to her about my love for photography and desire to want to pursue it as a career. So she gave him the photographer's number and said she would refer me!!

It turns out this wedding photographer is actually a husband & wife team (Amy & Jesse). I called and spoke to Amy, who has to be the sweetest person I have ever met in my life, and in little time we were well acquainted. And now I just might be landing a job as a part time wedding photographer assistant!!!! I was literally jumping up and down the entire time I was on the phone with her. Hopefully all goes well and I end up getting the job, even if it's just to help out once in a while. To see some of their work you can visit their website.

Oh and in other bright news, Monday I passed my DMV test. And you know what that means, right? I will be doing a lot more with my photography now that I have the opportunity to drive myself around. I can't wait!

Purposely Untitled

2010-03-20T16:35:00.000-07:00

My life has been so hectic lately. I have what seems like an endless amount of essays, presentations and midterms that don't seem to be completed no matter how many hours of the day I put into them. This, unfortunately, has left me with no time to blog. I'm barely just now catching a break from an eight page paper I've been working on since I woke up. Oh, poo indeed.
Hopefully with the end of this upcoming week I will be back on track with plenty of time to blog and most importantly to READ all of your blogs which I haven't done in so long! I truly miss it.

On brighter news, I did get a chance to take some pictures with my friend Ellie yesterday after class. Thank goodness for the beautiful weather! I'll be sharing those photographs later on next week. Until then, here are some things that are making me realy happy: my new UO shoes, charms I've recently purchased to make jewelry for my (neglected, woops) Etsy shop and the beautiful and soothing smell of rosemary.

P.S. I'd like to give a little shout-out to Rebecca Alvernaz because who doesn't like a half marathon-running, Beatles-loving, gooey yolk-eating English teacher? :)

A Spring Lookbook & Giveaway Winner!

2010-03-13T11:10:00.000-08:00

I literally gasped when I came across sarahseven's shop on Etsy. Her creations are probably the most romantic and beautifully feminine pieces I've ever laid eyes on. Although the weather has been rather bipolar lately, Spring surely is on it's way and having one, or two, or three (or all) garments from the shop would make for the perfect Spring lookbook.
The dresses look like something out of a fairytale- the pastel colors and soft fabrics are so dreamy and utterly perfect for Spring. And with lovely names like Rosalie's Lipstick and Summer Skin, it's hard not to swoon over them. The best part? Each purchase gives back an accumulated ten percent to three different charities! Now that's conscientious shopping.

P.S. A special thank you to everyone who supported the Interrobang zine giveaway!
I have randomly selected a winner through random.org so congratulations to Lizard! I will be contacting you shortly.

Featured Photographer: Cédric Bihr

2010-03-08T20:22:00.001-08:00

The affirmative decision of aiming for a photography degree on my part has recently been decided. Now more than ever I've been surrounding myself with different photographic inspiration in hope to feed my growing appetite for improvement. I've decided to start a little feature on Powder Blue where I feature a photographer every so often- preferably once a week. This will give me a more adamant reason to find more blogging time all the while expanding my photographic inspiration archives.
So who better to start with then the ridiculously talented French photographer Cedric Bihr? What I find so appealing about him is his range of aesthetic ability. His portfolio encompasses a wide range of subjects and his malleability is highly desirable.

If his photography hasn't won over your heart, then perhaps this encounter Garance Doré had with him will. I highly suggest you take a look!

P.S. I urge you to support independent art and enter the Interrobang giveaway that will end this weekend.

Interrobang Magazine: Interview & Giveaway

2010-02-27T11:04:00.000-08:00

I came across Interrobang, a bi-monthly zine created by Sarah Marshall and Lou Horvath, about a month ago while browsing through Etsy. When I read that they were taking poetry and short story submissions, I decided to give a shot. After exchanging a few emails with Sarah, it was decided that one of my short stories, Porcelain Girl, would be featured in issue five!
To learn more about Interrobang's creators and the zine itself, read the interview below.

What is Interrobang Magazine?
Interrobang is a self-published, bi-monthly online and print magazine that features poetry, short stories, art, and music.

Lou: In the title page for each zine, it says that Interrobang is a magazine established by Lou and Sarah. Sarah's choice of "established" is apt. One of its meanings is: "to introduce and cause to grow and multiply." That seems like a way forward.

When did Interrobang Magazine begin?
We began to work on the first issue in the summer of 2009.

What is some background information of the zine's creators?
Sarah: I am currently a senior in high school and will be moving to New York City in the fall to attend Parsons the New School for Design. At the time that Interrobang was established, I was primarily interested in fine art photography, which I had been doing for about three years. The zine has since piqued my interest in experimenting with other forms of art, including collage, mixed media work, and drawing.

Lou: Bachelor's degree in History, Master's in Counseling Psychology, recently retired after 15 years evaluating the work potential of people with disabilities. Lived, wrote, did odd jobs in Pittsburgh, California, the New York North Country, DelMarVa peninsula, Manhattan (1971-1989). Currently residing in hometown with 14 year-old son, Dante.

Published poems, prose, some collages and criticism in magazines such as: The Paris Review (first poem, 1972), Sun and Moon (Sun and Moon also published a chapbook of poems, VU), Telephone, Benzene, Smegma, Nice, La Bas, Truce, Ararat, Arete, Konglomerati, The Pittsburgh Quarterly (Print, and On-line, which serialized my novel, The Vulture and the Mother).

Why did you choose the name "Interrobang?"
Many different names were considered, but "Interrobang" seemed to work best. An interrobang is a punctuation mark that combines an exclamation point with a question mark. This symbol is used on the first page and back cover of every issue.

What is the process of developing and publishing a zine?
Sarah: We work on our projects individually and then decide what we feel should be included in the issue. When our ideas are in place, I begin to design the page layouts. We e-mail the spreads back and forth, offering feedback to one another, until the pages are complete. The issue is printed in relatively small quantities, and then bound, using either a sewing machine or binding it by hand. The zine is then listed on etsy and copies are distributed to a local bookstore. Recently we have created an online edition of Interrobang, so the final process of publishing an issue is uploading it to issuu.com and posting it to our blog.

Lou: Sarah is the driving force of Interrobang. Since she is the visual artist, she is the eye of the zine and gives it its look. She came up with the current format and she even has sewn the pages of the zine together with thread provided by her grandmother. With the introduction of the music playlists in issue two, she has provided our readers with a unique and interesting feature.

Where or from what do you gather inspiration for each issue?
Sarah: I generally don't obtain direct inspiration from anything in particular. Usually the inspiration stems from the medium itself when I'm creating work for the zine. Most of the processes (collage and mixed media) are new to me, so I really just experimenting most of the time.

Do you have any long term goals for Interrobang Magazine?
Lou: We haven't talked at all, about a "philosophy" of the zine. It's always been about the mutual admiration of each other’s work. We use what each of us comes up with, if we agree on it (including poems by Betsy Sherrier in issues one and two). I have had the opportunity of contributing poems, prose, translations from the Russian language, a chronology of my novel, The Vulture and the Mother. Currently working on a short story, Peck Slip Blues, which will be serialized beginning in I5. In future issues I’d like to turn a critical eye toward literature for which I have a high regard. With issue five, we will welcome two new writers (new for us) to the zine. I look forward to reading many more submissions as we continue.

Sarah: Interrobang has been a very interesting, rewarding project that I truly enjoy. I hope to continue to publish the zine for quite some time. It would be really great to continue to feature contributions from talented writers and artists and increase our readership with every issue as well.

The two lovely creators of Interrobang magazine are giving a free copy of issue five to one lucky reader.

How can you win?
Simply leave a comment below. If you don't have a blog then please leave an email address so you can be contacted if you are the winner. This giveaway is open to international readers.
To gain an extra entry, blog/tweet about this giveaway. Leave a link in a comment.
The giveaway will run for two weeks and a winner will be chosen randomly March 13th.

And remember to visit Interrobang's blog and Etsy shop to show your support for independent artists.

P.S. I also encourage you to visit Sarah's photostream. Aside from being a huge driving force behind the zine, she is also a very talented photographer.

Book Lovers Never Go To Bed Alone

2010-02-26T11:56:00.000-08:00

I have just sunk into book euphoria and I don't have any intentions of being pulled out.
I'm in my own personal utopia here, swimming among all of these books and all I can manage to say is thank you to this amazing Tumblr for providing a jaw dropping collection of beautiful and inspiring photographs of libraries big and small and everywhere in between. If you're a book lover like myself, I highly suggest you take a look but I must warn you: it's highly addicting.

"Here's to books, the cheapest vacation you can buy." — Charlaine Harris

Amen to that.

Hush Little Baby

2010-02-23T18:47:00.000-08:00

Baby, tiny as a handful

You fit so neatly in the palms of my hands
Doe eyes, porcelain skin and silken strands on your marshmallow top
That I admire each golden morning as it glistens near the rising tributary
Your eyes melt into the rippling water and glisten when the shoreline touches your delicate ankles

Between the fall of the moon and the rise of the sun
You effortlessly slid through my freckled arms and crawled somniferously to the ascending bank
Small body in a trance, curiosity glowing like the moonlight on your tender skin
And as I lay sleeping, dreaming of your warm breath on the curve of my breast
Your body, in rapid gulps, was swallowed by the speeding currents

I heard your weeping call and frantically ran to each corner of the house
Emptiness hung in each room and softly called out to the rising trickle of the river
So I ran to it unaware that my bare feet left droplets of blood on the sharpened twigs that lay fallen on the earth
And despite my rapid movements, I was too late for the river took your faster then it took my breath

Only the deer will see you now
As you travel down the muddy banks of the river
And although the river took you faster then it took my breath
It forgot to take my tears- my tears that are mine to drown in
Falling like waterfalls and causing currents to ride up my crimson-stained feet

I cry in deep torrents and watch the water ride up my shaken body
Engulfing my pores and restricting my limbs
Each tear that crashes around me another reminder that you're sailing further
I cry harder, deeper, stronger and the unrelenting current builds up and takes me away
As it follows the echos of your shaken cries

Now we're both sailing on the platform of our backs
Keep your head above the water for the deer will watch over you
And the water will cradle you and become my freckled arms
Sweet baby, wipe away the tears on your lashes
For I will be there to hum lullabies in your ear soon

The Final Pages

2010-02-20T15:27:00.000-08:00

I've been on a rather frenzied search across a good portion of the internet as well as local stores such as Borders & Barnes & Noble for a new journal. My recent journal is almost completely filled and has been with me for over four years. I purchased it with googly eyes and a gift card my Godmother had gifted me a couple months before my fourteenth year. I was so in love with this journal (considering it was one of the prettiest things I owned, so grown up looking and worth more money than I would have ever phantom spending at once on my own account) that it remained completely empty for nearly two years. I couldn't bear the thought of ruining its beauty with ugly handwriting or scribbles and adolescent thoughts.
When I finally got the courage to write in it, it became the bearer of the many layers of myself. I would write anything from quotes and ideas to lists and scratchy doodles. I suffered a long four years of an on again/off again love for it; going for periods of time were it would follow me wherever my destination was and other times when it would be forgotten in the shadows of my desk or between piles of paperbacks on my bookshelves. And now after the transformations it has endured with me, I am ready for a new one.
Surely you must see why it is so important that I chose the perfect journal. After all, it has to endure me more than I have to endure it. :)

Etsy has proved to be one of the best places, with the largest variety of journals that have caught my attention. Moleskines are sounding very appealing and although I was originally on the lookout for a larger journal, a smaller one that can be a lot easier to carry around sounds like a good candidate. And it doesn't hurt that they have beautifully illustrated covers, does it? Not one bit.

One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight

Do you have a journal?

A Sunny Appearance

2010-02-17T19:14:00.000-08:00

The sun has finally come out, the almond trees are blooming and the sunsets seem prolonged and warmer. Alma and I decided to make the most of the birth of an early Spring by taking a walk on a sunny Monday afternoon. While juggling a film camera, a digital camera and our bags, we stopped by two abandoned houses and explored the hidden beauties of the soiled carpet and shattered windows and all the remains of the people who once lived there.
I've lived in my hometown all my life and even I who carries her camera(s) practically everywhere and is personally trained to see what nobody else sees was at a loss for the beauty and the possibilities that every hidden and unhidden place revealed.

P.S.
If you have any questions about me or anything blog or photography related, you can ask me on my Formspring.

Incurable: Self Portraits

2010-02-12T21:07:00.000-08:00

Art by Catherine Campbell

2010-02-05T19:41:00.001-08:00

Saying Catherine Campbell has talent just might be an understatement. She must have something else, something that that enables her to produce an array of appealing and flawless prints by using watercolors and other media, such as paper in her Little Papercuts collection.

Visit her Etsy for a variety of artwork and her blog to be kept up to date with her artwork as well as be doused with plenty of links to other artists' work.

P.S. On more personal terms, I have opened up a Formspring so if any of you have questions feel free to ask.
And there is a sale going on in my little Etsy shop!

The City

2010-01-30T11:21:00.001-08:00

Here's a little secret: San Francisco is my default city on Yahoo Weather and I don't even live there. Not yet, at least (crosses fingers).
This weekend I took a trip to the beautiful city to photograph my friend, Eileen. I also rode BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit, for those who aren't familiar with it) for the first time and it was amazing. My other friend who, like me, is not a city girl, accompanied us. It was rather comical because Alma and I stuck out like sore thumbs with all the cameras and "oohs and aahs" and excited glances. But most apparent was the terrible balance we had while riding the buses. Our feet could not stay firmly planted on the ground whereas other people stood stiff as sticks as the bus gyrated sharply from destination to destination.
To be honest, I think that if I ever have the opportunity to move to San Francisco I will always have some tourist-like attitude about it. I've been to San Francisco a handful of times and for some reason I can't outgrow the love at first sight feeling.

The following pictures are a series of film photographs taken with my Minolta x-700. I've been losing my touch with digital and to be completely honest, I don't mind at all.
To view other photographs not featured here, visit my Flickr.

Salva López: Photographic Work

2010-01-30T11:16:00.000-08:00

A have a rather large collection of photographers from every corner of the world bookmarked on my laptop. Of them all, Salva López, a graphic student from Spain, speaks to me in the most raw and humanely beautiful way. It's hard to believe that it was only in 2007 when he purchased his first camera. Regardless, his work is a genuine testament to the poetics in life. His photographs leave the viewer with room to create his or her own image and to me, that always leaves room for a range of interesting and emotional attainability.
For more of Salva López's work, visit his photo-diary, his blog and his Flickr.

From Roig 26

From Women

From Pol

Land of Ice

2010-01-24T18:49:00.000-08:00

I have the deepest urge to travel to Iceland. Deep, deep, deep.
Although not the "traditional" travel destination, my strong fascination began when I caught a glimpse of a photograph of the grass houses. I could almost feel the crisp Iceland air turning my cheeks the softest shade of pink, tangling the ends of my hair.
I could just imagine the high I would get amid the glaciers, the grass houses, the rolling hills, the Northern Lights, the gorgeous azure skylines, the jaw-dropping waterfalls, the beautiful people.
My camera would be exhausted afterward. The pages in my journal would be, too.
I think my eyes would turn greener from all the beauty.
And the music? Well two of the most amazing bands share their roots in Iceland. Sigúr Ros and Múm would, without a doubt, be my soundtrack.

So to leave you with a little feel of my Icelandic love, I'm sharing just a few of the insanely gorgeous views and a little bit of what Iceland has to offer. If you would like to learn more, visit this Icelandic travel website.

All images via Google image search.

New in the Shop

2010-01-23T13:33:00.000-08:00

I just added a new addition to the shop.
A vintage inspired necklace with a very storybook feel.

The Alice Necklace

Spring Semester

2010-01-20T22:16:00.001-08:00

Film Series:

I started Spring semester two days ago and quite frankly I am really enjoying my classes. My schedule is packed with artsy classes that range from art history (with a 70 year old five foot tall potty mouthed professor who has already won my heart) to a poetry class filled with beautiful words and a colorful spectrum of people. My drama classes seem like they are going to be wildly entertaining (I got goosebumps walking into the auditorium and seeing the stage where I will hopefully be performing many times. It sure beats the old and rickety cafeteria stage that I performed in when I was in High School). And lastly, my photography class which is stressing me out because of all the supplies I have to purchase. Just the slightest thought of being inside a darkroom, however, puts me in a doze of blind amnesia so that every click of the "place order" button on different websites feels a lot less painful.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that being in such an artistic environment will not only make me a better writer/photographer/actress, but it will also help aid me to figure out a little more about myself, to give me a stronger feel for what it is I want to do with my knowledge, my thoughts, my dreams, my life.
Things are pretty hectic at the moment considering the semester has just begun. Everywhere I look I see long lines that remind me that I have an overwhelming amount of stuff to do. Once things settle down a bit and I get myself into the swing of things, I will hopefully be starting up a little feature I've had in mind for a while. I'm so excited- especially considering it involves a lot of the things I love the most.

P.S. If you shoot film what brand(s) is/are your favorite and/or where do you purchase your film?

Interview With Laura Brodie

2010-01-15T20:12:00.001-08:00

A few days ago a very excited me blogged about my experience with reading The Widow's Season and my unexpected response from the author of the novel, Laura Brodie, when I emailed her on a whim of reading high. She agreed to be interviewed by me- a very kind and unexpected surprise considering I have no professional interviewing experience and only a little blog to showcase the results.

You can purchase The Widow's Season at many retailers such as Borders, Barnes & Noble and Amazon. Also, be on the lookout for her upcoming memoir, Love in a Time of Homeschooling, which tells the story of her experience with homeschooling her daughter. You can read the first three pages on her website and I recommend this article which makes the upcoming memoir sound very promising.

1. It is an honor to be given the opportunity to interview you. Could you please give a little bit of background as to who you are?

I’m a writer, teacher and mother living near the Blue Ridge Mountains in southwest Virginia, and I divide my time between raising three lovely daughters, teaching English at Washington and Lee University, and writing all kinds of books—nonfiction, fiction and memoir.

2. Upon reading the biography on your website, I discovered that the protagonist, as well as other characters, shared a lot of details unique to you. Is it safe to say that events in your life or personal characteristics were used as inspiration?

Yes, that’s a fair statement. My mother and grandmother were widows, so I knew something about their experience before writing this book. Also, my main character is a part-time English professor just like me, who lives in a town called Jackson, Virginia, which is a thinly-veiled version of Lexington, VA, where I have resided for the past twenty years. I named my “fictional” town Jackson because Stonewall Jackson is a major figure in Lexington’s history.

Also, the husband in my book disappears in a kayaking accident, which was based on an event in my husband’s life. He once went solo-kayaking on a flooded river and realized half-a-mile downstream that the water was too dangerous to paddle. Luckily he was able to get off the water before reaching a life-threatening rapid like the one I describe in my book.

3. What inspired you to write The Widow’s Season?

When I was a graduate student at the University of Virginia, many years ago, I wrote a dissertation on the representation of widows in English literature. My favorite chapter from that project was on husbands who fake their deaths in order to spy on their wives—something that comes up a lot in seventeenth-century drama. I loved the voyeurism in those plays, and that got me thinking about works where a husband’s ghost watches his wife, or conduct books where widows were taught to imagine that their husband was watching. The idea behind those books was to inspire widows to behave, and not take new lovers who would gain control of the old husband’s money.

I wanted to write a modern variation on that old theme, but one where you couldn’t quite decide whether the spying husband had faked his death, was a real ghost, or was just a figment in a grieving woman’s mind.

4. Did you learn anything while writing The Widow’s Season? Perhaps about yourself or the people you relate with?

I learned how hard it is to write a complete novel, and then find a publisher. The Widow’s Season took about six years of part-time work to complete, with constant revision. Once I had a polished manuscript and found my wonderful agent, Gail Hochman, she still wanted me to revise for several more months. Then it took a year to find an editor who would take a chance on an unknown author in this terrible publishing market. Jackie Cantor, at Penguin’s Berkley Books, told me that she had planned to read two pages of the manuscript and reject it. She had no intention of buying the book—but the opening pages made her want to read more and more, until she was hooked. She’s turned out to be a great supporter of my writing.

5. Your novel has a lot of allegorical situations. How is this significant to the storyline?

I’m not sure which situations you have in mind, but my use of the holiday seasons is somewhat symbolic. Because the novel is partly a ghost story, it opens at Halloween, and the plot follows holiday themes. Events related to babies occur at Christmas, a key love scene takes place on Valentine’s Day, and the book closes near Easter, which plays with the idea of the widow resurrecting her own spirit.

6. What would be your advice to a writer trying to get published?

If you love writing, make time for it every day and keep working on your craft, regardless of whether you are having any luck getting published. It can take years and years of work before you’ll have a book that is ready for the world, or find an audience that is ready for you. (And it’s often not a matter of talent so much as marketability.) In the meantime, keep sending stories, essays or poems to magazines, journals, and contests—agents are always scanning those places for new writers.

I’m a believer in contests because The Widow’s Season won the Pirate’s Alley/Faulkner Society’s 2005 Award for Best-Novel-In-Progress, which gave my project a big boost. That big contest supports new writers, (even high-school aged) in all genres, so it’s worth checking out on Google. Also Poets and Writers magazine is a valuable resource for all writers because it includes contests and conferences in every issue, along with great articles about the profession.

7. What do you see yourself doing in 10 years? Do you have any short-term or long-term goals?

I hope to be writing novels for many years to come. Writing The Widow’s Season was a great imaginative pleasure, and readers have been very enthusiastic, so now I’m working on a second novel for Berkley. It’s in the early phase, and won’t be available for a another few years.

8. Can readers expect any new work by you?

Yes, I have a new memoir coming out this April with HarperCollins, called Love in a Time of Homeschooling. It’s the story of one year when I gave my ten-year-old daughter, Julia, a break from her public school routine. She was burnt out on all the homework, worksheets and desktime at school, so for one year we wanted to try something different. But there are a lot of emotional ups and downs that come when a mother and daughter are bound together at home for long time. The book is filled with funny stories and ugly moments, and provides information about homeschooling for readers who might want to try it. I admire lifelong homeschoolers, but I’ve never wanted to homeschool all my kids full-time. Still, I think a lot of parents in America dream of crafting an ideal education for their kids, if only for a year or two.

9. And lastly, do you believe in ghosts?

I’ve never seen a ghost and I’m not sure that they exist, but I think the world is full of possibilities, and what really happens after death is a great mystery. I will say this—my husband, who is a very pragmatic guy with no clear belief in ghosts, once saw something in our house that he could not explain. We live in a hundred-year-old farmhouse in a hilly, rural setting and one night my husband saw a white figure pass through the main hallway. It wasn’t scary, and it might have been a trick of the light, but he viewed it very clearly. When he shared what he’d seen, my first response was: “Why’d you have to tell me?” I’d rather not know if our house is haunted—fortunately the experience has never been repeated.

Help Haiti

2010-01-15T16:05:00.000-08:00

Watching the news has been incredibly heartbreaking lately. It's hard to escape the disastrous images, the distressed faces and the loss of hope that has swept over Haiti. My family has already done their part and donated and if you haven't please consider doing so.
Even as little as ten dollars can help bring medical supplies, food and hope to Haitians. Please donate and please spread the word to your family and friends.

American Red Cross
worldvision.org
William J. Clinton Foundation

Or send a text to 90999 and ten dollars will automatically be donated to the Red Cross to help Haiti in its time of definite need.

For Etsy lovers, here are a few shops that are participating in raising money for Haiti:

Debrosse Hardesty Gallery
PierogiPicnic
MeadowBelle Market
Bethany Lorelle

Remember, every dollar counts. You can help make a difference.

Powder Blue Etsy Shop

2010-01-13T15:17:00.001-08:00

Long time followers might recall that my dream is to live in San Francisco and study creative writing and photography. Long time followers might also recall that I've been wanting to open up my own Etsy shop for quite a while. Well it finally happened!
Powder Blue features a collection of vintage apparel (right now highly concentrated amounts of 1980s apparel) and will soon hopefully be featuring some of my photography as well as more handmade and decor items.
I'm extremely excited to finally be running my own little store. My main focus is to bring quality items all the while expanding my little bank account for the future.
I have a few ideas about handmade items I would like to work on but I would also like your personal opinion.
What items do you love to see in Etsy shops?

Click here to see the shop.

Nostalgia in Black & White

2010-01-13T00:13:00.000-08:00

I was sixteen when a camera became more then just a rectangular box of metal. I had been attracted to the concepts of photography before but for some reason I started to become more attached to photography and all the possibilities that tagged along with it during my sixteenth year of life. I was solely used to writing as a form of expression but I soon discovered that living behind a lens could be just as exhilarating.
Below are some scans from photos I took my junior year of high school. Looking at them gives me a subtle feeling of nostalgia. I've been away from a dark room for nearly two years now only fulfilling my cravings by shooting digital. And although it has been extremely rewarding, I firmly believe that shooting film is even more so. It's a good thing I will be in a dark room again once the new college semester begins.

Bleachers

Shoes

Lila

Yosemite National Park

The Widow's Season

2010-01-11T17:34:00.000-08:00

A couple months back while searching the many rows of fiction at Borders, I came across a paperback that robbed my attention at first glance: The Widow's Season. Do I judge book by their covers? You bet I do. I know it’s terrible but for this circumstance it proved to be a good thing (ahem, well it's proved to be a good thing more then once actually). I read the book’s summary and a content me purchased it and took it home and placed it on my bedside table. It’s blue tones on the newly fresh cover completely ironed of any damaged looked so pretty while illuminated by my nightstand table. After about a week I still had done very little but glance at the cover. When realizing that I was not going to read it with all the hustle and bustle going on in my life, I perched it atop one of my bookshelves, next to Collected Stories by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and The Mathematics of Love by Emma Darwin. And there it stood. For months.
The beginning of 2010 rolled around with much anticipation from my part and the book still stood untouched, gathering little particles of dust. I had gone without reading for such a long time and my mind craved a story of interweaved words and imagery. So I glanced up at my bookshelf and my eyes met the untouched paperback. I pulled it out, snuggled into my bed, broke into its sturdy binding and began reading.
I was spellbound.
I was not even three-fourths of the way through with it when my curiosity led me to Google Laura Brodie, the author of the book. I found her website, read her biography and was elated to connect many characteristics and facts about the characters in the novel to the biography of the woman who had created such beautiful prose. I then saw that her email address was provided and my mind surged at the possibilities.
So I emailed her with a rather unorganized account of how much I was in love with the book I was reading. I went on and on until I finally asked her if she would be willing to participate in an interview for my blog. I clicked the little send button and laughed at my naïveté. Why would a three-time published author take time to write back, let alone agree to be interviewed by an eighteen year old blogger with 100 plus followers?
So just imagine my surprise when the following morning she had replied stating that my email had made her morning. That alone was enough to make me wet my pants a little (which I came close to but I assure you I didn‘t actually wet my pants). Anxiously reading through her response I then came across these glorified words: “I'd be happy to answer your questions”.
Oh my goodness.
I spent the next two days trying not to rush and finish the novel. I wanted to slowly and surely absorb every detail, every beautiful connection and image that was written. And when I reached the end my heart was pumping like I just had a forty-five minute workout in the dead summer heat of July and my eyes were filled with tears to such an exxagerated level that I could barely even make out the last words of the novel. When I finally did reach the last sentence I was confused and then surprised and fulfilled. So yea, maybe I really get into the books I read but I assure you I had every excuse for this one.

If you get the opportunity I definitely recommend for you to pick up your own copy of The Widow's Season which you can do so here or here or here. And hopefully sooner then later the much awaited (by me, at least) interview will be posted!

Art By Rosiemusic

2010-01-09T20:58:00.000-08:00

Another collection from a very talented artist, Rosiemusic, has recently caught my attention. Her Etsy shop even includes printed t-shirts among a large variety of artwork printed on different materials. If you like what you see you might want to take a look at her photostream for a multitude of photos of her work.

Avec Alma

2010-01-05T19:19:00.001-08:00

Because sometimes all you need is a good friend, good food and some good shops.

Birds of Fether Stick Together

2010-01-01T14:04:00.000-08:00

Many of you might already be familiar with fashion designer Erin Fetherston due to her Target Holiday 2007 collection. Or perhaps you follow her creations on runways and fashion idols such as Zooey Deschannel or Kirsten Dunst. Regardless, I find her style very appealing. Her feminine silhouettes, soft fabrics and airy designs appeal to the romantic in me. And quite frankly, there is a lot of romantic in me. While looking through her website, I found her video projects to be most interesting. This propelled a more in depth search for other video projects. Below are a few of my favorites including one of her more famous productions, Wendybird.

Fall 2009

Spring 2010

A Voluntary Farewell

2009-12-31T13:12:00.000-08:00

I don't think that I have ever been more willing to bid farewell to a year then this one. 2009 was very significant in a multitude of ways but it brought me a lot of hurt and emotions that I don't want to come into contact with again. This post is not a melancholy tribute to the year that in many levels scarred different platforms of my life, on the contrary. It is a beautiful beginning both for me and my blog. It's too bad that I will be celebrating tonight with a yucky cold. Not the best way to start off the new year but I am very excited nonetheless.
I sincerely wish everybody a beautiful new year. May all your ambitions be projected and may all your goals be fulfilled. Happy New Year!

To finish off the year I am proud to complete the last of the December Photo Series.
A very special person in my life has purchased a a film camera for me (a Canon ae-1) which is on its way in the post as I type this. Assuming the camera works, I will be able to share with you a lot more of my work in film. Also, I have started an online portfolio which you can view here.
Until then, here is December Photo Series pt. 3:

Omar.

Melina.

A Little Bit of Magic

2009-12-26T16:06:00.000-08:00

I would love to be able to share a more detailed account of the beautiful Christmas I spent. Sadly, I won't be able to because I lost the memory card that I used to take pictures throughout most of the day. I had to switch to a spare one during the end of the day and somewhere along the way I lost the first.

Dress: H&M, Tights: Anthropologie, Shoes: Simply Vera for Kohls, Small cardigan: Mom's closet, Necklace: gift from many years ago.

And the surprise I was talking about? Christmas day my Grandma was given a little puppy. The next day, much to my disbelief, I had my very own.
So meet Harry Potter & Dumbledore.
Dumbledore is mine, he's the chubby one. Right now he's at my Grandma's playing with his little Potter. He'll hopefully be coming home soon so we can cuddle as I rub his belly and read him fairy tales.
He's going to be the coolest dog ever.

2009-12-25T20:11:00.001-08:00

I'm all smiles. Big, happy smiles.
It's a surprise which I hopefully will be sharing with all of you very, very soon (plus a Christmas wrap up).

Hoping you all had a beautiful and magical Christmas.

Empty Veins

2009-12-23T20:00:00.000-08:00

The paper thin walls could not hold the voices. They leaked out, as heavy ink tends to do, and clung to my bedroom walls. The warmth of the white comforter was not soothing but heavy and suffocating. I gripped it tight as I felt the first stages of perspiration form on the arch of my back. My body was tense, my shoulders, my feet, my thighs. My throat was, too, and it did not take long for me to realize that I was holding my breath. I released it in small exhales so soft and methodical that my lungs felt little comfort.
I could hear my name murmured, the featherlike cries of my mother. She could not explain herself well when she was filtered in anger. In my mind I did the arguing for her. You forgot to mention this and add that to make your point more clear. I was a fool to think she would somehow hear me, somehow grasp my aid through the dense air.
The first short silence came and lasted for an exaggeration of seconds. I thought about getting up; I could feel the impact of the cold wood floors hit my bear feet as I would walk the short distance to the other room where she stood amidst a fiery cloud of anger and hurt. But my body paralyzed and useless stayed in the small cocoon I was entangled in. While my limbs remained in a sort of self injected anesthesia, my doe eyes unthinkingly scanned the wall before me and blindly followed the sheer curtains that rested their ends on my bed.
I feigned sleep for a while longer, disregarded the realization of my eighteen year old body surrounded by immense heat. Still stiff, I closed my eyes and ignored the burning blood that ticked underneath the epidermis that I could not undress from. Ignored the ashen trails it would leave behind. Ignored my bitter breath. And for a moment my veins were empty. Drained out and flooded to fill the depths of the paper thin walls until I could no longer hear anything but the sizzling of my skin underneath the sheets.

{I finally broke out of my writer's block. Usually it feels good but I'm having a rather difficult time enjoying it due to the circumstances.}

December Photo Series pt. 2

2009-12-22T18:43:00.000-08:00

I've been a horrible blogger. I know, I know. Everything is all a jumbled mess. I need order in my life and that's what I've been striving for the past couple of days. I'll get better, just please bear with me. I have a lot in store for this blog and most of it will be taking place after the new year.
I've been strongly debating whether I should quit my Project 365. Although I've been taking a picture everyday, I'm very behind in uploading them onto my Three-Six-Five blog. I don't like to think of myself as a quitter but I just have no interest in it anymore. And not only is that affecting the outcome of the pictures I take when days are not the most fun-filled and photo opportunistic, it is also affecting my desire to upload the pictures at all. If anything, it's become stressful and just another thing to do and I never had the intentions of looking at it that way.
I really don't know what to do.
Please do give me your input.
I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season ♥.

Clare Owen's Ilustration

2009-12-17T19:42:00.000-08:00

There are many things I wish I had the ability to do beautifully. Illustration is among the top. Looking at the work of Clare Owen just intensifies my desire. Her delicate sketches and artwork are just the type that, If I ever got passed stick figurines, I'd love to master. I'd recommend you visit her blog and her Etsy shop where you can buy her artwork in many forms.

P.S. On a more personal note, I'm leaving to Riverside, California tomorrow to go visit my grandma who just underwent surgery. I've received a few packages in the mail recently and I'll be sharing them with you all once I get back.

December Photo Series pt. 1

2009-12-10T13:44:00.000-08:00

The First Frost

Drama Rehearsal

Christmas On Main St.

Self Portrait

Light That Blinds

Alexxis & Jose

Grandma's Vegetables

Farewell Dearest November

2009-11-30T23:02:00.001-08:00

November, you were beautiful with your golden leaves and your honey breezes. You made my fingertips and the tips of my nose cold. You broke my heart but gave me a sweet dose of what lies ahead.
The month of November for me was very... filling. Not necessarily fulfilling because I don't feel a sense of accomplishment. Although a little part of what I'm about to share is (# 7 down below). I recently won the beautiful blogger award from the sweethearted Kelly Ann. I'm supposed to share seven interesting facts about myself but I'm going to change that a little bit and share seven things that occurred during the month of November.

1. I went to San Francisco and my love for the city was renewed. Among the city lights and the busy streets I felt reassured that my desire to transfer there in less than two years was stronger than I thought.
2. Upon receiving some items I won from a giveaway, I realized just how wonderful blogging can be and how the friendships you form through the medium are very beautiful.
3. I cried and cried and cried.
4. I ordered a camera online. Nothing fancy but I'm really excited to begin shooting film!
5. I chose my classes for next semester and swooned over the fact that I will be having a very artistic schedule (photography, drama, a poetry class).
6. I drove on the freeway for the first time.
7. Perhaps my greatest accomplishment was finishing my novel. For those of you who read my blog you know I participated in Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month). For those of you who do not know what it is, it's a crazy event that occurs in the month of November where a person tries to write a 50,000+word novel during the span of that month. I completed my novel with a good hour and half to spare before the deadline. My word count was 50,143. This makes it the second time I've participated in Nanowrimo and the second time I've won as well.

I know part of the award is to tag seven other bloggers but I'm not big on tagging. You're welcome to tag yourself if you would like though. The pictures below were taken in two orchards near my house. I was pleasantly surprised when I came across the second orchard that was hidden behind the first. The trees covered in yellow leaves seemed endless. It was so beautiful.

Outfit details: Skirt & flannel shirt from F21, tights from Costco, bracelet from the King Tut gift shop at the De Young Museum, worker boots from a factory here in my town.

The Black Spot Books

2009-11-25T23:45:00.000-08:00

I've always loved Antler Magazine for its rich diversity of artists featured in each publication. While reading various interviews in the newest edition, Margaux Kent's quickly made its way to my favorites. Perhaps because I am an avid book/journal lover myself or a lover of things handmade, I decided I had to further my search. My first stop was her Etsy shop where she sells all her creations that range from journals to jewelery to photography.

I then visited Etsy's handmade blog, The Storque, where I stumbled upon a video about the process of her work (which is really neat). You can view the video here or you can watch the same video which I have provided below.
I was also very pleased to discover that, like me, she is a vegetarian. Thus, when she makes her leather bound journals she does not purchase new hides. Instead she hunts for old leather and personally, I think that makes her work even more profound.
Margaux also owns another Etsy shop where she sells vintage finds. I encourage you to visit Plundered to find a variety of vintage treasures.

P.S. Make sure to check out the short film she and her husband made entitled "An Ever-Sure Antidote To Despair". It is so good.

Baby Alexia

2009-11-21T18:23:00.001-08:00

Baby Alexia is three months old. She is sweet and delicate and likes to listen to keys jingle.
She will never see her father.
He was killed before she was born.

Today I had the pleasure of photographing her. I may not see her again but I hope she grows up healthy and happy and never, ever short of love.

It Felt Like Home

2009-11-12T23:27:00.001-08:00

My Veteran's Day was spent in San Francisco. I walked the city streets and was surrounded by art, by culture and in some instances by sewage odor. But with every step I took I remembered why I had fallen in love with the city years back when I first visited. I squeal just thinking of the possibility that in two years time I will be calling San Francisco home.

top: F21, skirt: TJ Maxx, leggings: ?, boots: my Mom's

P.S. As far as my novel writing for National Novel Writing Month goes, I am incredibly behind. I should be close to 25,000 and am slightly above 4,000. I have such a pessimistic attitude about finishing on time but I haven't given up yet. I have a feeling that I'm going to have some long nights of word pooping in the not so distant future. Although I will probably not be sharing too much of my writing (due to the fact that it's crap crap crap), I will share this:
The title of my novel is The Honey Tree. I am not fully sure why it is, but it is.
The main character thus far is Luz. She is a doctor in Chicago. She is depressed.
"But there was a body of water that attracted her, excited her and made her eyes glow the brightest shades of caramel. Because for Luz absolutely nothing made her happier then the thought of drowning in the deepest, darkest sea."
I always write about depressed people. Urgh.
But you see, it's Nanowrimo and it's my novel and I can do whatever I want. So if I want to add three little flying gnomes, I can. And since I have to write a full 50,000 word or more by midnight of the last day of November, I probably will add some flying gnomes. Or maybe an obnoxious talking broomstick. I like broomsticks.
Last year I had clones chasing a poor Indian geek-turned-pimp.
I know, I know.

Have a sweet weekend <3

Little Treasures

2009-11-09T20:29:00.001-08:00

There are few things as precious are receiving a gift by mail from a friend. Ever since I first came across Heather's poetry and photo blog, The Syntax of Things and later, The Mezzanine, I found yet another beautiful and caring friend in the world of blogging. Her thoughtful comments and warm concerns and advice always left me with a smile on my face. Perhaps that is why I was so happy to hear that I had won her first giveaway. Receiving the prize only intensified that happiness. The contents of the package that arrived at my doorstep were each little treasures delicately packaged with plenty of love. I think that I was meant to win this giveaway- everything was so distinctly me: the silver charms, the scented bar, love nest and banner. Even the striped ribbon and the feathery light tulle used to hold each little treasure in place was distinct to my likings. It felt so wrong to undo such delicate and beautiful wrappings but I found that among them there were treasures just as beautiful.

Thank you so much Heather. I appreciate the beautiful treasures that now beautifully warm up my room.
♥

The Ballerina & the Gentleman

2009-11-07T12:38:00.001-08:00

In the midst of the woods there lived a little ballerina. She dreamed among the trees and caught light with her grace.

Not very far away, there was a gentleman who wanted nothing more than to grace the world with his style. He dreamed of lighted runways and a special place in the world.

A Package from Budapest

2009-11-03T21:14:00.000-08:00

A sweet little package arrived in the mail yesterday all the way from Budapest. Inside was the prettiest shade of nail polish and a thoughtful little note.

Not too long after, my nails where coated with the soft color of Cool Reserve.

Thank you Susan ♥

Dearest November,

2009-11-01T17:03:00.001-08:00

I was amidst candy eating and picture editing at around 1 in the morning when I realized it was November 1st. Now not only did that signify that the end of the wonderful month of October had come to an end, it also meant that one of the craziest, most insane, most brilliant events was on the brink of unfolding: National Novel Writing Month. For those of you who are unaware of what NaNoWriMo is, I will quickly summarize that it is an event that takes place solely in the month of November where an individual writes a 50,000+ word novel in thirty days. The process is both joyful and painful. Watching your novel unfold at such a quick pace is exhilarating but when you hit the bumps of writer's block, joy and exhilaration are the furthest thing from your mind. I dunno how exactly but last year I somehow completed the task and won. I was one of only three people who were able to finish out of the handful that participated in my High School so this year should be a piece of cake, right? Wrong. So, so wrong. Because I was sick for the past week, I had absolutely no time to plan out anything. I woke up this morning with no plot, no character(s), absolutely nothing in mind. Thankfully I have more direction now that the day is almost over but I have only managed to write a few paragraphs. With my project 365 in full swing, school, blogging, the photo swap and the occasional photo shoot that I do as a part-time job, I can only imagine completing this year's quest to write a 50,000 word novel. But I am going to do it. No matter how many times I rant, I whine or I cry. I'm just going to need a lot of motivation and cheering on. Trust me, this month is going to be brutal.
If any of you are interested or are participating let me know so that I can support you. There is no fee to join. Simply go to the website and make an account where you can read the official rules and update your word count. The rest is all optional. (Another cool thing that I don't want to forget to mention is that you get "pep talks" or emails that different NaNoWriMo authors send so that you won't get discouraged throughout the process. There is a ton of cool features so make sure to check it out.)
I will have a small app that will be displaying my word count on my sidebar. Whenever I post, I will display the little fellow below along with my current writing mood.

Now before I wave a full-hearted hello to November, here are some of yesterday's photos. I was Little Red Riding Hood and I must say that I had a wonderful time in my long red cape. I'm very proud to say that my grandma constructed such a lovely outfit.

Outfit details:
Cape, apron & skirt made by my grandma, top is my mom's, white thights from Wal-Mart and Mary Janes are Candies for Kohls.

Halloween Treats!

2009-10-31T12:15:00.001-07:00

The agenda for today was off and spiraling quicker then I could say abra kadabra! I woke up and went straight to the making, baking and decorating of chocolate cupcakes. After I got ready, I took a trip with a friend to a forested area and we had a magical photo shoot. The rest of the day was spent with plenty of tricks, treats, and sugar.
I'll be sharing the photographs from the shoot later but for now here is a little preview of the set I took of Ellie:

And as promised I'm going to announce the lucky winner of the giveaway that I randomly drew today.

Sher of Beneath The Crystal Stars is the lucky winner!

Hoping everybody had a spooky Halloween!

2009-10-28T17:24:00.001-07:00

I feel like I've been on my deathbed the past couple of days. I unfortunately caught the swine flu and have been confined to a torture chamber of fever, body aches, cough, boogers and everything else that sounds unpleasant. To top it off, Mother Nature just didn't want to wait to deliver that monthly gift she so generously gives me every month.
Thankfully I'm feeling okay enough at the moment to take advantage and squeeze in a little blogging. My head is still a bit fuzzy and my stomach is still horribly unsettled. However, I cannot hide that I've started feeling the anticipation of Halloween which is a couple days away (I'm just hoping that I will be recovered enough to be able to enjoy Halloween for the wonderful holiday it is).
I've decided this year I'm going to be Little Red Riding Hood. Below is a little sneak peak of my costume that is almost entirely made by my grandma.

I've somehow failed to mention that I'm taking part in the photoswap hosted by the lovely Rhianne of For the easily distracted. My excitement increased when she recently emailed me to let me know that my photoswap partner is a fellow from South Africa! My mind is already bubbling with ideas of possible photos and I cannot wait to see what he has come up with.

Also thanks to Rhianne, I found out about another amazing swap going on in a girl and her blog. With Christmas in the distant future, what is sweeter then a gift swap? If you are interested, you can sign up here.

And just because Autumn is still is not over, here are a few Autumn inspired pieces that I've added to my covet list.

1*| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

*If anyone knows the Etsy shop these gloves are from, please let me know ASAP.

Lastly, if you haven't already noticed, I did change my blog title. That would make this the third time I've changed it since I first made a blog almost a year ago. I promised myself that this would be the last time and honestly, I think it will. I'm quite content with the name.

P.S. Remember that you have until Friday to enter the latest giveaway I'm hosting. If you haven't entered yet do so here.

A little adventure...

2009-10-23T19:38:00.000-07:00

One sunny day we went out for frozen yogurt

that magically turned your tongue bright red!

"C'mon James, get in the picture!"

Little James enjoyed the view while his uncle gave him a piggie back ride.

He then demonstrated his love for climbing chairs and benches. He did it all by himself!

Then we were off to Applegate Zoo. Angelina really liked the bears.

"Look!"

Time to feed the billy goats.

Don't cry baby James, we'll come back soon.

Bye little ones!
♥

© Crystal Ball

Interview & Giveaway: Jennifer Korff

2009-10-15T14:27:00.000-07:00

Ever since I caught a glimpse of the work from the talented Jennifer Korff I knew she possessed something special. Her photography created stories in the most beautiful poetic voices. Being an amateur photographer myself, I dazzled at her work and her ability to capture a moment in the most serene way.
Thus I was honored when she accepted to be interviewed by me. Her answers are rich in inspiration, especially to those who aspire to live their life (partially or fully) behind the lens of a camera.
To learn more about Jennifer and to follow her work, visit her blog, her Flickr, and her website.

1. Hello Jennifer. First of all, thank you so much for participating in this interview. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Well, hello! I am quite honored, thank you. A bit about myself, well, I am an artist living and working in Chicago, Illinois with my partner and our two monstrous kitties.

2. When did your love for photography begin?

I would say my love of photography began when I was quite young. My father has always had an affinity for the medium as well as an addiction to collecting and tinkering, so I would say it began when I was a little girl acting as model to my father's hobby and following him about with his equipment. My personal relationship with photography truly began when I entered college as an undergraduate. You can read a bit more about that here.

3. What subjects are your favorite to photograph. Why?
I love to capture people and am constantly chasing light. Though I suppose with a few more recent personal projects I have been engaged in lately, I have been drawn to capturing what is on my plate and soon to be in my belly.

4. Where do you find inspiration?
My partner is an incredible source of inspiration to me. Encouraging and challenging me all the same to think beyond the common aesthetic and conventional ways of thinking. I am also very drawn to books I am reading. The images they evoke in my mind... I try to make them a reality.

5. What camera(s) do you use?
I shoot with a mamiya c3, canon ae-1, yashica electro 35 gsn, polaroid sx-70, polaroid land camera and minolta xg-m.

6. The use of lighting in your photographs is magical. Is there a specific time of day you prefer to photograph in?
No specific time of day, really. I just prefer to photograph using what is naturally available to me.

7. You are soon releasing a book entitled We Never Really Knew What Time It Was. What does it include and what was your inspiration?
My book, We Never Really Knew What Time it Was, is a collection of images taken while camping on an island in Lake Michigan this past summer. I only shot two rolls of film while we were away, not quite two rolls in fact, and I was taken with how I was able to capture the island. I felt the images told a beautiful story and captured everything I personally love about a sojourn to the woods. I have been drawn to the idea of making books for quite some time and with the cohesiveness of these photographs, I thought it was an opportune time to give it a go.

8. Thank you so much for your time Jennifer. Do you have any advice for any aspiring photographers that might be reading this?
Persistence is the way to the heart of all aspirations and always come prepared. My favorite quote by Louis Pasteur, "Chance favors the prepared mind".

------------------------------------------------------

The Giveaway:

The winner will have a choice of selecting any one of the beautiful prints featured here:

one | two | three

Plus, they will receive a set of beautiful postcards!

Now for your chance to win:

Simply leave a comment below telling me why you would like to win.
If you are a follower you will receive two entries, just leave a separate comment stating "I am a follower".

I will randomly select a winner October 31st, Halloween.
Good luck!

2009-10-12T22:56:00.000-07:00

I hate how incredibly unorganized I've been lately. Because of this, I've failed to complete homework assignments on time, study for tests and quizzes adequately enough and I haven't had time to focus on blogging.
I'm trying to gather myself together and once again rely 100% on my trusty agenda as well as try to manage my time more efficiently.
Hopefully by the end of this week I will be on track once again so that I can devote more time to reading the blogs I love, discovering new ones and, of course, posting more on my own blog.

This first set of photographs was taken last Saturday during my cousin's eighteenth birthday party. We walked to a nearby field so that I could take pictures of her in her dress and she kindly agreed to take some of me as well.

Dress: Bloom, tights: Simply Vera for Kohls, headband & earrings: F21

This last set was yesterday's outfit.

Skirt: my mom's, top: Kohls, belt: vintage (also my mom's), tights: Wal-Mart, boots: Avon (my mom's)
*I wear a lot of my mom's clothes.

Lately I've been experiencing a sort of mumbo-jumbo of different thoughts about my future. The school I am interested in transferring to, California College of the Arts, is so out of my price range that it is discouraging me to even dream about attending one day. I know that there are a million sources for scholarships and financial aid but because the financial status of my family settles right in the middle (not too low to receive a good amount of financial aid but nowhere near high enough not to have to worry about it), it makes it so difficult to qualify.

I look forward to catching up on reading all my favorite blogs and coming across new ones this weekend. Also, there will be a surprise soon, so stay tuned!

Tagged & The Winner Of The Giveaway!

2009-10-09T22:59:00.001-07:00

Today is an incredibly busy day for me. I have cupcakes in the oven, I'm photographing my friend for her Senior portraits in about an hour and a half, and I still have to come home and get all dolled for a birthday party I'm going to at around three. But I'm squeezing in a little bit of blogging time to share with you a recent tag by the lovely Jayne of The Little Passenger.

Number 1:
I was on July 20, 1991 as a premature four pound baby. I had difficulty breathing on my own so I had to be connected to a machine that did the breathing for me.

Number 2:
I have a tendency to over analyze when I'm not supposed to and to under analyze when I should be looking deeper into a subject matter.

Number 3:
I love tea. Cold tea, hot tea and anything sweet should make me happy. Right now I'm drinking a cup of hot green tea passion fruit.

Number 4:
I'm really bad at saving money. I try to save as much as I can and when I do, I end up spending it on clothes or nights out with friends.

Number 5:
I never get enough sleep. Okay, sometimes I do over the weekend if I'm lucky. But even when I do, I never feel well rested.

Number 6:
Whenever I fill out surveys, I almost never fill them out in order. I usually skip around from question to question.

Number 7:
I used to have a crazy obsession for Britney Spears. As a child, whenever my parents or family bought me something Britney-related, I would scream.
Yes, scream.

Number 8:
Because of the obsession for Britney Spears for a good portion of my childhood and preteen life, I still know most of her songs by memory. It's quite a talent, actually ;).

Number 9:
The ideal career for me would include me owning a cozy cupcake shop filled with artwork and photography as well as tall bookshelves of books for a costumer to read, writing poetry, short stories and whatever else floats my boat on my own terms and having them published in various places up until one day when I could have an anthology of the best ones (I have a thing for anthologies), traveling the world and owning a badass collection of cameras and lenses (film & digital) to photograph the places, the people and my experiences through my eyes. Oh, and contiuning blogging of course. Oh, one more thing, I promise: being crafty and running my own Etsy shop!

Number 10:
I can sum the things I hate the most into three phrases: liars, dirty toilets and reality.

I don't have time to tag anyone, but anyone who is willing is welcome to tag themselves.

Oh, and thank you to everyone who entered the Shira Sela giveaway. This morning I randomly selected a winner through random.org. So congratulations to Gabbi from *Felinofelice!

Happy weekend to all!

Clementine

2009-10-08T11:13:00.001-07:00

There is no history between you and me
But a scribbled breath
A folded note
Tucked away between the cracks of my floorboards
sweet silver treasure.
I keep a strand of your hair in my locket
And the memory of your lit eyes brewing like grains of sand on my palms.
Clementine, I can hear your steady breaths when I walk between shadows.
I sleep in graveyards comforted by a decaying epitaph
that cradles what could have been,

what will never be.

The Floral Dress

2009-10-04T21:47:00.000-07:00

I think it's safe to say that most people have an item or two in their closet that they prefer over the rest. Without a doubt, one of mine is my little black floral dress. Not only do I love the print and the comfortable fabric but I love how extremely versatile it is. I've already shared these looks on my Chictopia and Weardrobe accounts, but have not had the time to properly show them here. So without putting it off any longer, here they are:

Dress: Forever 21
Long Sleeve: my mom's closet
Tights: Simply Vera
Boots: Target
Bag: Kohls

Cardigan: Forever 21
Shoes: from Mexico
Belt: Vintage

You can also view another way I wore this dress here.

Speaking of Chictopia and Weardrobe I was pleasantly surprised to see that after some time of steady activity both accounts went through two eruptions overnight. Literally. After uploading two of the pictures featured above last night, I logged in today to find that I climbed up to 117 chicpoints. To top it off, I am also on the featured page of Weardrobe!

Also, I'm quickly reminding you that I'm hosting a giveaway where a beautiful print is up for grabs. If you have not entered yet, make sure to do so here. The giveaway ends this Friday!

The Gray Coat & Stop Motion Photography

2009-10-01T21:27:00.001-07:00

I had such a wonderful time yesterday walking around in my long coat. Sometimes all it takes is a pretty outfit to boost confidence. While working at my Anthropology Club book sale fundraiser, I accidentally made a boo boo on my tights. At least now I have a liable excuse to purchase new ones.

Outfit details:

Coat- Piko 1988 via a boutique in Mexico
V-Neck- Local Clothing Boutique
Skirt- Bloom
Tights- Wal Mart
Shoes- Target

After reading an article on stop motion photography on Photojojo and browsing through some videos on YouTube, I came to the conclusion that sometime in the near future I would love to make my own short film using stop motion. I'm still unsure of the story line I want to aim for so I have some brainstorming to do. Out of the batch of videos I've seen, the ones featured below are the ones I find to be the most inspiring. I baffle every time I think about the ridiculously large amount of pictures required to fill in just one minute of a stop motion video. See for yourself...

Inspiration & Lack Thereof

2009-09-30T19:13:00.001-07:00

I've noticed that I've had very little inspiration when it comes to writing for quite some time now. When I go through periods of little or no writing my body literally responds so that I feel a sort of chaotic entropy due to lack of words flowing through me. If this makes any sense at all, when words, ideas and sequences of prose or poetry do floating through my insides I feel a different type of chaos. A heavy weight is carried through the deepest parts of me and I want nothing more then to release all the weight and feel light once again. When it gets to the point where I think it's as unbearable as ever, when I think that I will not be able to go on any second further without some form of release, it all flows. It flows out and everything is released as if it swam out through the fingertips of my hands. All the words, all the thoughts all the images that have been jumbled inside flow out through currents out of the tips of my fingers. They all come out and line themselves up so that I can order them onto lined paper, a scrap of paper, (any writable surface, really) or a blank document on a computer.
But you see, lately there has been no overflow of weight and especially no currents flooding out of my fingertips. There is a very subtle amount of poetry circulating in my head at the moment. I have little desire to devour a piece of paper with words, scribbles, images and whatever else wants to come out.
And this is scary. Terrifying, actually.
You see, for the longest time I knew that I was going to base my life on writing. I just knew it.
And ever since I started college it hit me... I mean it really, really hit me that I don't know if I want to major in creative writing anymore. Writing is my deepest love, my soul mate and the one thing that will never fail to take me to a place where I can be whatever the hell I want to with no restrictions. And when I really think of the careers I would be able to pursue with such degree I feel like they aren't right. I love teaching and so getting a Masters degree or higher in creative writing and then teaching at a university level is more than just a decent job, its one that I was able to see myself doing for the rest of my life. But now I ask myself if I really want that. I feel that if I go in that direction, the way I view writing will forever change. Sure, my capabilities will increase ten fold, I'll be exposed to different styles and the boundaries I live in now will all be diminished... but then writing will have to be something I have to do and maybe not something I want to do.
I'm so incredibly confused at this moment. I mentioned to a friend of mine that for once in my life I have no direction. Ever since I was young enough to dream, there was something I wanted to be when I grew up. Sure, a Spice Girl or Britney Spears aren't the most obtainable futures but at least I was set for a moment's time.
Knowing myself though I probably am just going through this stage because I haven't actually taken any creative writing courses in college yet. I'm hoping that once I do, my love for words will go through a sort of Renaissance.
On the other hand, what I have been having urges for is photography. I've been attached to my Canon Rebel ever since my Dad bought it for me back in June. I've considered studying photography but I know for a fact that I definitely don't want to make it my primary career.
Either way, the whole point of this post is to share some of what I think is my best work (okay so maybe that's not the whole point). I have so much to learn about the way a camera functions, after all virtually everything I know is self-taught.
If you would like to follow more of my future work and hopefully see it grow through the process, visit my flickr.

P.S.
I really want to begin posting more of my poetry and short stories here. So be expecting some in the near future.

Shira Sela: Giveaway

2009-09-25T16:42:00.001-07:00

I found the lovely Shira Sela via Etsy and was immediately drawn to her artwork. Her nostalgic sketches and use of ink, markers and digital color attracted me instantaneously. I found the brighter colors against more neutral backdrops to be very alluring. When I took a closer look at the prints, I noticed that they were not merely beautiful pieces of art but also frames that so graciously created a story through metaphorical detailing.

So I am more than pleased to partner with Shira and host my very first giveaway! Up for grabs is the beautiful print "Never Alone" featured below.

To enter simply visit Shira's shop on Etsy. Then leave a comment here mentioning which print you love the most. Just to keep comments a bit more interesting, please mention why you would like to win this print. This giveaway is open to international readers and a winner will be chosen randomly on Friday, October 9th.

To find more of Shira's work and learn more about her, visit her website.

Inspiration Blogger: Kira

2009-09-24T18:22:00.001-07:00

Kira is a twenty-something Brazilian who not only exudes exterior beauty, but also has a heart of gold. Her blog, KIRAFASHION, exhibits her style that includes but is not limited to: sleek black outfits, edgy accessories and bursts of classic femininity (always displayed with the utmost confidence). She epitomizes the super-sleek, polished woman and is an inspiration to any woman who loves fashion and everything that tags along with it. Each one of her posts features translations in English, Spanish and Portuguese so the wonderful Kira not only has looks but brains as well. Did I mention she has a heart of gold? Seriously, this blogger is one of the friendliest I’ve met. Perhaps that why I am not surprised that she enthusiastically agreed to be interviewed.

In the spirit of her trilingual blogging and because the three are also my native languages, I am going to have a trilingual interview.

1. Hello Kira, first of all thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Hola Kira, primeramente me gustaría agradecerte por participar en esta entrevista. Cuéntanos un poco de ti.

Ola Kira, em primeiro lugar queria agradecer a sua participação nesta entrevista. Conta-nos um pouquinho sobre ti.

I am from Brazil and I am a journalist. My passion for clothes and style started too long ago. Since I was 16, I used to play guitar and sing in a rock band with my male friends. Every concert we did, I had to think about the outfit. Now, I don’t play in concerts anymore. However, I think my passion for clothes and fashion started from that time.

Soy de Brazil y soy una periodista. Mi pasión por la ropa y la moda empezó hace mucho tiempo. Desde que tenia 16 años, yo tocaba la guitarra y cantava en un grupo de rock con mis amigos. Creo que mi pasión por la ropa empezó en esa época.

Sou do Brasil e sou jornalista. Minha paixão por roupas e estilo começou há muito tempo. Quando tinha 16 anos, costumava tocar guitarra e cantar numa banda de rock com os amigos. Todo show que fazíamos, tinha que pensar na roupa que ia vestir. Hoje, não faço mais shows. No entanto, a minha paixão por roupas e moda começou nesta época.

2. When did you start blogging? What inspired you?

¿Cuando empesastes blogging? Que te inspiró?

Quando começou blogging? Que te inspirou?

I started blogging about two and a half years ago. At the time, the blog used to be just an inspiration file for myself with pictures basically from the Olsens and Kate Moss. After a while, I decided to do something more personal and the blog changed.

Empezé blogging ace dos años y medio. En ese tiempo, mi blog nomas era una pagina de inspiración para mi misma con fotos de las Olsens y tambien de Kate Moss. Después decidí hacer algo más personal y mi blog cambio.

Começei a blogger há mais ou menos dois anos e meio. Na época, o blog era apenas uma página de inspiração para mim mesma com fotos basicamente das Olsens e de Kate Moss. Depois de um tempo, decidi tornar a página mais pessoal e o blog mudou.

3. What are some of your fashion inspirations?

¿Cuáles son unos de tus inspiraciónes de moda?

O que são algum de suas inspirações de moda?

I am truly inspired about the street style blogs today, as Garancé Dore and Jak and Jill, and I am also inspired for some catwalks I see at the internet.

Estoy muy inspirada de los blogs de street style, como Garancé Dora y Jak and Jill. Tambien me inspira los pistos de aterrizaje que veo en el internet.

Eu me inspire totalmente nos blogs de street style, como Garancé Dore and Jak and Jill. Eu também amo seguir tendências através dos desfiles que vejo na internet.

4. Describe your perfect outfit.

Describe su trajer perfecto.

Descreve o seu traje perfeito.

Amazing high heels, black tights, a perfect black dress and a great faux coat or vest above it!

Lindos pares de tacones, medias negras, un vestido negro y una jaqueta de animal falsa arriba.

Lindos pares de sapatos altos, meias pretas, um vestido preto e um casaco ou jaqueta em pele falsa por cima!

5. Several of your posts mention that you have a passion for travel. What are some of your favorite places that you’ve traveled to?

Varias veces hás mencionado en tu blog que tienes una pasión por viajar. ¿Cuales son unos de tus lugares favoritos para viajar?

Varias vezes mencionas no teu blog que gostas de viajar. O que são algum de seus lugares favoritos que você a viajado?

I think I have the urgency for knowing the world. I am always planning where is going to be the next spot which I will spend my vacation at. I think that every new place I visit has something unique and special. Although visiting New York City was something that I won’t forget. The town is the best place I have ever been! Now, I am so excited to visit London and Paris for the first time!

Creo que tengo una urgencia para conecer el mundo. Siempre estoy planeando mi próximo viaje. Creo que cada lugar nuevo que visito tienie algo especial. La ciudad de Nueva York fue algo que nunca me voy a olvidar. La ciudad es el mejor lugar que yo a viajado! Ahora, yo estoy super emocionada para visitar London y Paris por primera vez!

Eu acho que tenho uma urgência por conhecer o mundo. Estou sempre planejando aonde será o próximo lugar que vou passar as férias. Acho que em todos os lugares que fui há algo único e especial. No entanto, conhecer a cidade de Nova York foi algo que jamais vou esquecer. A cidade é o melhor lugar que já fui! Agora, estou super empolgada por conhecer Londres e Paris pela primeira vez!

6. What fashions are popular in the area of Brazil you live in?

¿Cuáles modas son populares en la area de Brazil en donde vives?

Que modas são populares na area em que vives no Brasil?

Here, the people don’t like to take a lot of risks. I think that Brazilian girls love a pair of heels and a denim pants. Nothing more daring than this…at the other hand, also there are girls who love flats and a dress. I wish people here take more fashion risks.

Aquí, las personas no le gusta tomar muchos riesgos. Creo que las mujers Brazileñas aman un par de tacones y los pantalones de mezclilla. Nada más atrevido que eso...por otro lado, ay mujeres que aman zapatos sin tacón y un vestido. Deseo que las personas aquí tomaran más riesgos.

Aqui, as garotas não gostam de corer muitos riscos. Vejo que as meninas brasileiras amam um par de saltos altos e calças jeans. Nada mais ousado que isso...do outro lado, há ainda meninas que amam uma sandália rasteira com vestido. Desejaria que as pessoas aqui fossem mais ousadas.

7. In your opinion, what are some key pieces that every woman should own?

¿En tu opinión, que son unos articilos clave que toda mujer debe tener?

Em sua opinião, o que são alguns articulos que cada mulher deve possuir?

A great pair of black heels, a beautiful bag and a good red lipstick.

Un buen par de tacónes negros, una hermosa bolsa y un buen pintalabios rojo.

Um bom salto alto preto, uma bela bolsa e um bom batom vermelho.

8. What is your advice to any woman who lacks confidence?

¿Que le consejarias a una mujer que le falta confidencia?

O que é seu conselho a qualquer mulher que falta confiança? em si mesma?

Try to be true to yourself. Don’t follow every trend that comes up, just pick the right tendency for your body and personality. Make a list of your likes (for example music, culture etc) and stick to it. There is no wrong of being you. After that, the confidence will come naturally.

Trata ser verdadera con ti misma. No sigas todas las tendecias pero si escoge la tendecias que son buenas para tu cuerpo y personalidad. Haz una lista de tus gustos (por ejemplo la música, cultura, etc) y siga la lista. No hay nada malo en ser tu. Después de eso, la confidencia vendrá naturalmente.

Tente ser você mesma. Não siga todas as tendências que aparecem, apenas escolha as que melhor se encaixam ao seu corpo e personalidade. Faça uma lista das coisas que você gosta (como, por exemplo, música, cultura etc) e siga o estilo. Não há nada de errado em ser você. Depois disso, a confiança virá naturalmente.

New Beginnings

2009-09-22T21:31:00.000-07:00

First, I decided I would open up my own Weardrobe account. After little contemplation I decided "What the heck" and opened up a Chictopia account as well. I'm really loving both and I think they are just what I need in terms of developing my clothing style. I know I have it in me to compose beautiful outfits (or at least those that I find beautiful) but in reality self-consciousness and plain old laziness sometimes get the best of me. I'm in the midst of a new chapter in my life and I want to work my way to becoming everything I know I am capable of and more. This blog has already helped me in endless ways and seeing such beautiful females of all ages, body shapes and ethnicities displaying their style and the bits and pieces of themselves is so inspiring. I can only hope that one day I will be as inspiring to other bloggers. But for now I'm growing- as a young woman and as a blogger. I don't mind it at all though because it's through this process that I will figure the routes necessary to one day reach all the destinations I dream of.

The next series of pictures were taken at a local mansion turned museum. The beautiful architecture caught my attention ever since I had first seen it so I was delighted to make it my backdrop for today.

shirt- Forever 21
skirt- local clothing store
tights- Target
faux leather boots- Ross
Jewelry- vintage

A Fall Dress & 13 Candles

2009-09-19T10:14:00.001-07:00

I'm pretending like it's not scorching outside. I'm ignoring the hot rays on my face and the horrible red sunburn on my chest. So although I've been saving this dress for more bearable weather, I decided that yesterday was a good day to pull it out of my closet since it was my brother and dad's birthday celebration. I plan on reinventing the dress later on in the cooler days of October but for the 95+ degree whether at the moment, this will have to do.

Dress: Forever 21
Jean Jacket: local clothing shop
Tights: Simply Vera for Kohls
Shoes: Target
Hidden earrings: gift from Brazil

My brother, Derek, officially turns thirteen today. Although we have our quarrels (like many other brothers and sisters) I think we are relatively close- well at least compared to other siblings I know. It's been a wonderful experience to see him grow up. Being five years older then him, I think I have somewhat of a good concept of all his years of life. I remember when my mom was in the hospital in labor: the waiting, the long hours, my grandma sitting next to me. What I don't remember too well but have the pictures and stories from my family to prove, is how I was infuriated that he was not a girl. I knew this ahead of time but for some reason when I saw him I grew angry. "Who would play barbies with me?", I thought. (It turns out he would play with me, just not in the manner I would have originally thought).
Growing up, I collected a number of beautiful memories surrounding my brother. Some of my favorites include:
1. Little Derek sitting on the kitchen floor taking pots and pans out of a bottom cupboard. I asked him what he was doing and he said, "I'm looking for myself."
2. Little Derek running out of the bathroom naked and trying to hide from Mom because he didn't want to take a shower.
3. Countless, and I mean countless hours of watching Telletubbies with him.
4. Trying to get semi trucks to honk their horn while signaling them with his broken arm in its bright red cast while we were on the freeway.
5. Not so little Derek wanting to let his hair grow out "skater style".
6. Waking up a couple weeks ago and being in shock of how it seemed he grew at least half an inch over night.
7. Derek going through loads of trouble to try and help me make origami paper cranes.
8. Appreciating my brother for the young man he is becoming and all the wonderful possibilities he has in front of him.

I realize I'm going on and on about my brother, but if any of you have siblings you dearly love I think you'll be able to relate. Either way, I just want to wish my brother a wonderful Happy Birthday and many, many more beautiful years of life.

Los Campesinos

2009-09-16T21:25:00.000-07:00

My current musical obsession at the moment, without a doubt, has to be Los Campesinos. They are a seven member indie pop group originated from Wales. They formed back in 2006 and in only a couple years time they have drawn their mark in the indie music scene.
I love them for their non-mainstream attitude, for their catchy beats and fun lyrics. Besides, there is just something about the English that make me think they are bloody amazing.

I love how they are malleable enough to be able to drift away from their usual mood and produce a wonderfully written song about a more touching aspect. This won me over even more profoundly after I heard The Sea Is a Good Place To Think About The Future.

If you like what you've heard, here is a list of other Los Campesinos songs that I believe are worth listening to:

1. You! Me! Dancing
2. Sweet Dreams Sweet Cheeks
3. Please Don't Tell Me To Do The Maths
4. This Is How You Spell "Hahaha"
5. Broken Heart Beats Sound Like Break Beats

If you know any bands, especially those that are from outside the United States, please do share. Most of my favorite music is foreign & I always love to discover knew bands I haven't heard of before.

Images via {here}& {here}.

A Half Of Me

2009-09-14T21:40:00.000-07:00

Sunday I went to an outdoor mall where dozens of stands were set up where you could find everything from food to jewelry to freebies. Music blared, delicious smells from the food stands circulated the walkways and people laughed and generally had a good time. The atmosphere brought me back to my visits of Mexico. My family and I usually go every December but we doubt we'll be going this upcoming December, a fact that makes me a bit sad because I was really looking forward to going this year (especially because I have a Canon Rebel now). So it was definitely nice to get a little dose of the experience so close to home. It's moments like these that make me so proud to be able to say that I am half Mexican.

For lunch I really enjoyed a veggie burrito with loads of límon y salsa.

Dress: Forever 21
Tights: Wal Mart
Boots: shoe boutique in Mexico,
Bag: street vendor in Mexico
Rings you cannot see: misc.

And That's A Wrap

2009-09-11T22:36:00.001-07:00

"It's what's on the inside that counts"- A good, solid quote that provides a positive basis to live your life. But is it always true? I don't think so. At least not when it comes to incredibly cute packaging!

With my upcoming etsy shop in the works, I am becoming even more fascinated with all aspects of creativity.
I know just how wonderful it feels to receive a package you are anxiously awaiting for. However I'm sure everyone can agree that receiving that said package in a lovely arrangement is truly the icing on the cake, the cherry on top. So I was delighted when I came across Utterly Engaged and the DIY Gift Wrapping Tutorial they featured in the third issue. For all you bloggers with your own etsy shop, or for anyone who just fancies creating dainty little packaging, this tutorial is worth taking a look at.

P.S. If you are wedding crazy (like me) or just like to look over different wedding related archives, then I highly recommend you check out Utterly Engaged for a multitude of different DIY projects and inspiration.

Arrivederci, Au Revoir, Adiós

2009-09-07T17:23:00.001-07:00

Although it's still well above the 90s here in Central California, I am ready to officially wave goodbye to Summer. I know I have been ranting bucketfuls about my itching anticipation for Autumn, but I have also realized that I haven't paid proper tribute to the beautiful season that Summer is. I couldn't think of a better way to do so then to, for the last time, admire some beautiful Summer fashion. One of my favorites is the Summer 2009 collection entitled "Some Other Time" by Juliette Hogan, a New Zealand based fashion designer who creates magic when it comes to designing effortless, wearable, feminine pieces.

5 X 5

2009-09-07T12:43:00.000-07:00

I recently reached fifty followers on this blog. As it turns out, I also reached my fiftieth post. So I'm celebrating with an outfit post.

P.S. I would like to thank all you wonderful bloggers who have been so supportive, especially with the last post I wrote. It's a beautiful feeling to know that I have a community of people who are so sincere and kind.

Stay tuned because I should be having a little surprise to share soon.
Have a wonderful day and happy blogging!

Vintage Blazer, Readers from UO, Headband is handmade, Earrings from F21, Top from Wet Seal, Legging are Misc.

Sunday's Best

2009-09-06T21:37:00.000-07:00

The area that I've lived in all my life- especially my hometown, is not one known for stylish people. Most of what you will find in the closets of the average teen or young adult will be mainstream brands, those that you can find at the nearest mall. Vintage style is especially not a common sight. I guess that's what would explain the rather rude comments I received while walking around in my Mom's old graduation dress today. "Look at that girl, it looks like she's going to church" (etc.) It's not necessarily the words that were rude because, quite frankly, the dress is modest and church-like (and that's what most vintage items are like), it was the connotation, the rude snickering that was unnecessary. And although I will admit that I felt the surge of red paint my cheeks, I quickly got over it when it crossed my mind just how naive those people were. And then it was I who was laughing because at least I have the broader perception of clothing, timeless vintage style and the understanding of the wonderful capability of being different.

Perfect example of how narrow minded my hometown is and perfect example of why I know I don't want to center my life around this area in the future.
So as "church going" as this makes me look, here is my Sunday's best.
And I couldn't be more proud.

Dress is vintage, earrings from F21, lace purse is vintage (won at a giveaway hosted by Love Charles Vintage), shoes from TJ Maxx, belt is vintage.

The Bohemian Couture

2009-09-03T22:56:00.000-07:00

The Vogue Italia September 1998 editorial by Peter Lindbergh radiates an almost Gothic vibe. There is something magnificent about the location- almost as if it were capable of revealing a story on its own. The gritty black and white and forest green shades create a flawless medium between the location and the nymph-like models.

Photos via livejournal.

September Lovin'

2009-09-02T19:01:00.000-07:00

Cardigan from Target, Urban Outfitters dress, Skirt (underneath dress) from local clothing store, belt is vintage & boots are from a shoe boutique in Mexico.

September is such a beautiful month. So many things happen: Autumn begins, my Dad & Brother grow a year older, a plethora of friends grow one year older as well, the weather begins to change, warmer, cozier fabrics begin to flood clothing stores and closets, hot tea begins to sound comforting once again, and darker colors gain a more alluring luminosity. So in respects to the beautiful month of September, I would love to share with you some things that are making me really happy at the moment (besides the obvious fact that it's September, of course).

Today I found a couple leaves that had fallen from the trees in my front and backyard. I picked the one in the picture above and relished one of the first signs of Autumn.
The simplicity of this drawing. It would make for a beautiful tattoo.
My anthropology professor who I respect deeply for his immense knowledge & light sense of humor.
The fact that my hair is noticeably longer.
The beautiful new Fall arrivals at Ruche.com & the gorgeous model who sports them so well.
The prospective news that I might be opening my own Etsy shop soon.
September skie s & this beautiful poetry/photo blog.

Objects Of My Affection

2009-08-30T21:48:00.001-07:00

If I thought I was unable to afford most of my online shopping cravings before, I don't even know what to think now that I've started college. It's not that I don't have enough money to buy a thing or two that I like once in a while, it's more that I know I shouldn't be spending that money. As of right now, I'm attending a community college and all I'm paying for are books and a small health fee. I should consider myself lucky (although books are ridiculously expensive) because I know that in a matter of two years books and a small health fee are what I'll be wishing I only have to pay. Either way, I have fortunately stumbled across some beautiful finds across a small spectrum of cyberspace that not only prove to be covetable but also affordable (all under $15!). From me to you here they are. Enjoy!

1. I just stumbled across August Lovers today and I am in awe of the cute little selection that is provided. The vintage pieces are not just beautiful, they are incredibly affordable. (Check out the blog, too!)

It's Not Easy Being Green Vintage Skirt, $8

Roxanne Vintage Clutch, $12

High Society Beige Head Piece, $12

2. Most bloggers already know about the Down and Out Chic's blog and etsy store. That didn't stop me form posting the two items that I am in love with. They're the the most beautiful shades of blue and can help rev up any outfit for a small price.

Sea foam Chrysanthemum Hair Pins, $9

Deep Navy Chrysanthemum Ring, $7.50

3. The lovely Amy from Caramelized Vintage has a cute little etsy store by the same name where I came across this adorable clutch.

Heart Purse, $10

4. Urban Outfitters can be quite pricey at times, but when they have sales, oh boy, they have good ones.

UO Opaque Tights, $2.99

Scallop Edge Footless Tights, $7.99

Nautical Studs, $9.99

5. Leproust Vintage's Kristin is an inspiration. Check out her blog for a multitude of vintage styling ideas and check out her etsy shop for an array of beautiful items.

Vintage 80s Polka Dot Secretary Blouse, $12

Oh, Deere

2009-08-29T14:01:00.001-07:00

One of Russia's most beautiful jewels, Doe Deere, is as colorful as the buildings in Moscow. Whenever I visit her blog, I fall in love with bright colors in a totally different way. Her space shoes might quite possibly be one of the most amazing pairs of shoes I have ever seen. If I owned a pair, I think I would put them on display in a glass case for fear of ruining them.

We Real Cool. We Left School.

2009-08-27T20:58:00.000-07:00

Today Lizbeth (my cousin/good friend) and I skipped our college class to do a mixture of exploration and relaxation. Our friend Luis was the chauffeur and constant comedian as we made our way through the day. I can't help but remember the poem "We Real Cool" by Gwendolyn Brooks. I think it's the perfect poetic soundtrack to what were today's adventures. In Three-Six-Five I wrote about how Lizbeth & I named today Operation Ditch. Not because it's a big deal or anything, but instead because Lizbeth & I like wasting a lot of what should be study time. Our destination was the downtown area of the city where my college is located. We like it because of its charm and the diverse selections of shops, restaurants and hang out spots.

What I'm wearing: tank belongs to my Mom, belt is miscellaneous, distressed boyfriend jeans from A&E, wedges from Payless, and the hidden earrings from F21.

We discovered one of the coolest hang out niches in the area. It's a small, environmentally friendly frozen yogurt place with a great open atmosphere. One of the owners was kind enough to give us a tour and explain how things worked. Oh, and those chairs not only looked cool, they are really comfortable.

Biodegradable spoons made out of potato!

My favorite wedges (just because).

The owner told us these were "for the kids and the kids at heart".

Almonds, cheesecake bites, and white peaches topped my frozen yogurt.

On our way to the next destination.

Below is the almost endless collection of incense at a shop called Strawberry Alarm Clock. Lizbeth & I bought our fair share and were even pleasantly surprised when the owner gave us a free strawberry stick (we had good luck with owners today).

The misfits and the driver who looks a bit wiped out. Poor guy, he endured all the waiting as Lizbeth & I went from clothing store to clothing store. Don't feel too bad for him though, he was rewarded with Taco Bell ;).

I fell in big fat LOVE with this dress.

But I didn't fall in love with the bit fat price tag.

All in all, today was very enjoyable. Tomorrow it's back to college classes and hour long lectures. I'm really looking forward to attending the Anthropology Club's first meeting of the semester though.
Hoping you had a lovely day,

Etsy Finds

2009-08-24T21:40:00.001-07:00

I quickly want to share some beautiful fabric finds from the lovely etsy store Ponder and Stitch. It is run by a really nice blogger named Amy who also has a dear little blog that is worth checking out. I think fabrics make for beautiful jewelry, as in the case of the bracelets featured in her shop. I'm also in love with the little pouches.
Well, I have my Spanish class in about an hour so I'm off to finish some reading. Have a lovely day!

Saturday Adventures

2009-08-23T19:58:00.001-07:00

I had my fair share of adventures this Saturday. I started my day with IHOP pancakes, as I previously mentioned in Three-Six-Five. My Goddaughter, Jenny and I then went to the downtown historic part of a nearby town and visited a couple thrift shoppes, vintage inspired decor shoppes, and a historic museum. She insisted on being my photographer & I wasn't about to complain. All in all, I think she did a wonderful job for a twelve year old.

What I'm wearing: Forever 21 top and sunglasses, AE boyfriend jeans, flats from Target

Old cameras = LOVE.

While waiting for the museum to open, the humid weather got the best of us. To cool off, I took Jenny to a lovely bistro I've visited before and we sipped some of the best lemonade I've ever had.

In the historical museum I spotted what looked like a torture device. A kind, older lady who volunteers at the museum told me that it was a perm machine! She said that her first perm was with one of these when she was just twelve years old.

Hopefully all you guys enjoyed your weekend.
What did you do this weekend?

Red Velvet

2009-08-21T19:49:00.000-07:00

Red Velvet Art is one of my absolute favorite artsy stores. It's run by three lovely gals who specialize in making beautiful, artsy things. The variety of different items they have for sale is amazing and I'm highly tempted to go on a serious shopping spree (If only I wasn't a broke college student, dang). I love the bright colors, the curly fonts and the girly sketches and accessories. The items are perfect for a crafty spirit or one who is attracted to bright color and sugary cute styles. Taken from around the site, here are some of my favorite items.

Make sure to check out their blog!

2009-08-18T18:03:00.000-07:00

Today was my second day of college and I already feel the load of pressure and the free time on my schedule being condensed with each passing hour. As I've mentioned in the past two posts of Three-Six-Five, I am enjoying the new experience and highly anticipating the Fall semester. Although it is too soon to tell, I seem to have an affinity for my anthropology class. The subject just seems to interest to me. Time will tell if I will grow to love it though.
I recently made up my mind that when I reach 100 followers I will have a giveaway. I am still a ways away, but I am determined to reach the 100th follower as soon as I possibly can. Speaking of giveaways, I recently won my first giveaway thanks to Love Charles Vintage. I won a really pretty lace purse. I love lace so I was exceptionally excited to win. I'm planning on posting pictures of the purse sometime after I receive it.
I would also like to thank Evelyn & Adin_22 for awarding me with two more awards to add on to my blog. They are both very sweet girls and I recommend you to check out their blogs.

Picture credit here.

The Beauty of Bare

2009-08-15T12:42:00.000-07:00

Nadia Auermann

Amber Valleta

Cindy Crawford

Claudia Schiffer

Harper's Bazaar recently did an article about top-notch supermodels sans makeup. It was both inspiring and beautiful to see familiar faces stripped away from layers of makeup that is usually painted on their face for editorials, the runway, etc. Check out the article to read their beauty secrets. Although I don't cover my face with loads of makeup, I honestly don't feel fully comfortable leaving my house without a bit of foundation covering the areas of my face that are prone to get red and a couple coats of mascara. That is something I need to work on getting over because I want to accept my self for who I am and dig for any natural beauty I might be blessed with. All this au naturel talk reminds me a lot of an older post that Ev'yan from apricot tea wrote. She linked The Demoiselles and a post they did about taking pictures of yourself makeup-less. It was so inspiring to see real women be fearless by taking pictures of their natural selves AND posting them up for the world to see. I think the female population could learn a thing or two from them.

Do you wear makeup? Do you feel beautiful without it? 

Le Cirque de Lumière

2009-08-14T16:28:00.000-07:00

I'm typically drawn to romantic editorials, those in which the exposures are soft and the models radiate a more dreamy mood. But there is something about Le Cirque de Lumière; the vibrant colors, the scenic location and the electric style the model exudes grasped me at first sight. The elements work together harmoniously to produce another brilliant editorial by Denise Boomkens. You can find more pictures from the editorial here.

The Lovely Bones

2009-08-12T23:06:00.000-07:00

It seems I'm on some sort of blogging frenzy considering this is my third post of the day but I couldn't help but want to share the AMAZING trailer for the upcoming movie The Lovely Bones. I came across it while reading Sweet Pea's blog (which is very sweet indeed). I love Alice Sebold, I automatically fell in love with her when I read her touching autobiographical book, Lucky. Plus, the amazing Peter Jackson is directing the movie. He was brilliant in Lord of the Rings so I can only imagine how wonderfully he'll bring this book to life.

Twenty One

2009-08-12T22:07:00.000-07:00

Today was an extremely good day shopping wise. As I already ranted about in Three-Six-Five, I went to a nearby mall and discovered that they had vastly expanded the existing Forever 21 store. Here are some of the items that are now nicely hung in my closet.

I've been coveting a bow like this for some time now. I was so happy when I saw it today.

I also received the three items I ordered from Urban Outfitters.com today. Although the dress is a small, it's still a bit loose (I was expecting it after reading the reviews) but it's nothing a belt & thread and needle can't fix.

The sunglasses and blue earrings are from F21, the lomography film and the readers are from UO.

P.S. How I wish I had a real Polaroid.
P.P.S. I'm debating whether or not I should change my blog name. I really like the color powder blue & I think that would make for a better Blog title.

Porcelain Girl

2009-08-12T17:34:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there lived a girl who could not feel. On winter days she could see the droplets of cerulean water fall from silver clouds, she could hear them falling on the pavement below her, on the tin roof of her house, and sometimes, when she was very quiet, she could hear the droplets landing on her skin. On Spring mornings she could see the breeze dance through the periwinkle blossoms. She could see how the tiny petals would sometimes dance away from their home and be carried to the currents of the rivers as they made their way out of sight. But she could not feel the breeze ride up her ankles or as it worked its way between each strand of her hair leaving it tangled and unruly. On summer afternoons she could see how everyone was affected by the sun. Skin became flushed, foreheads damp and layers of clothing were more often left at home. But she always wore a wool sweater completely unaffected by the sun’s rays. And on autumn nights she could see the slow procession of tarnished leaves swaying from the tips of prominent trees to the layer of dark earth below them. She could hear the dry leaves being crushed under her shoes as she walked under autumn moonlight but she could not feel the bits and pieces being crumbled with every step she took.
     Before falling asleep each night, she would run her hands over her shoulders, over her eyelids and on the insides of her thighs hoping to feel the slightest glimmer of warmth. But she felt nothing, not even the sting produced by unexpected tears she produced as a result of her repeated failure. Instead she heard only the soft whimpering of her breath as she cried herself to sleep.
      It happened one afternoon when the sky was overcast and the clouds threatened to release large doses of precipitation. She made her way out of her home and down the familiar path she took each morning. Just while turning the corner of her street, she came across an extremely old woman who sat under the shade of an almond tree. Each inch of her skin was wrinkled in tight, dry puckers and her nose protruded from her face and curved to the tip of her chin. Her long fingernails cracked at the tips and were blackened with earth that also clung to the crevices of her palms. Her back arched with age, with pain and with heavy burdens she carried with her over the years. The old woman looked up at the young girl approaching before her. She cleared her throat in a series of dry croaks.
    “It’s going to rain.”
    The girl was startled to hear the old woman speak.
    “I can feel it in my bones and veins.”
    The young girl wondered what it would feel like to have a current of rain flowing down her blood stream. She could only imagine it would feel as it sounded: turbulent and musical.
    “I’m old and dying. Every inch of my body aches with tumultuous pain. I don’t know how much time I have until I whither and rot like the leaves that have fallen on my lap but I wish I could not feel this anymore.”
    The young girl then whispered, “What would I give to feel.”
    The old woman, who was beginning to fall into one of her frequent trances of pain jerked her neck up and fixed her gaze at the girl standing before her.
    “What did you say?”
    The young girl lifted her palms and touched her rose cheeks, her plump lips and then rested them on the place where she often heard a heartbeat.
    “I cannot feel, Old Woman. Not a breeze, not a kiss, not even the splatter of rain landing on my skin.”
    The old woman’s eyes gawked at the girl and glued to her porcelain skin. Untouchable, she thought.
    “You are unbelievable! I’ve never met anyone of your kind.”
    “My kind?”
    “Never mind that. Now, you wish you could feel?”
    The young girl sighed.
    “With every part of me, Old Woman.”
    “Then come here, come closer to me. I can grant you that wish.”
    The young girl was startled at the old woman’s words. She immediately drew nearer to the Old Woman whose eyes had brightened.
    “It is a simple task: you must spill your blood by tearing one of the crevices of your palms. Once that is completed, you must drop three beads of blood on my chest. I will do the same.”
    The young girl was quick. She scanned the ground and found a broken twig and a triangular pebble jagged enough for the job. When the young girl and the old woman exchanged three droplets of blood, the sky broke with a solitary fracture and released a downpour of water.
      It was so sudden; she heard heavy rain fall from the clouds as one by one, like filed splinters, the raindrops landed on her skin. She watched the excess blood being washed away from her palm but it was not only her sight that took notice. She felt the heavy blood move away from her nervous skin. She felt her toes becoming cold, her head weak from much new found recognition. She then felt a slight burning across each of her eyes. The young girl lifted her hands and brought her fingertips to her cheeks. She gasped as she felt the warm trickle of teardrops fall from her eyelashes. It was all a blessing to her. She looked up at the sky and took in each raindrop that landed on her skin, each second of escalating chill that rode up her body.
     Behind her the old woman sat and gazed at the young girl as she felt for the first time. Feeling the rain on her skin, the movement of her breath, and feeling the drum of her heartbeat. She almost felt sorry for her, knowing that now she would feel the ache of loss, the bitterness of nostalgia, and the misery of heartache. She almost felt sorry for her but then she quickly understood that there was no way she could because she could not feel at all.

© Crystal Ball