Into the weekend...

I'm learning a lesson in patience and going with the flow over here this week.  So to encourage myself further into this letting go, I'll be dreaming of this and trusting that everything comes at the right time.

 Enjoy a lovely weekend, friends.

Love,

Cath

Photo from Honey Tree

So close...

Final website designing is still in the works, which means it'll just be a little bit longer until I can share the new line with all of you.  Almost there.  In the meantime... hope this photo makes you as happy as it does me.

(photo from The Sartorialist via Cup of Jo)

Sponsor Appreciation...

It's my pleasure to spotlight the artists and businesses you see along the side of this blog.  They're all pretty great people with something pretty special to offer.  Interested in advertising on this blog?  Email me for details: info@CiaraObscura.com

Here's a peek at some of my favorites from each...

Vintage Trunk Show...

and from Otherworld Tattoo...

 good, solid, flippin' awesome tattoos and prints:

Plus you can keep up with their latest on their Facebook page

and then Blue Magnolia...

 this from a previous post on Blue Magnolia's owner/designer Kerstin Horneman:

And then some treasures from Bocage...

From Popko Studio... marketing services for small businesses :

and photographer Kiel Rucker... this series, alone, on puppy dog Tera is so, SO awesome. Here are some more photos:

Aren't they great?

Into the Weekend...

 Need a little pick-me-up?  I sure do.  And I think this super fun balloon ensemble from Geronimo Balloon Trooper on 100 Layer Cake should do the trick...

Hope you have some good old fashioned fun this weekend.  I'm working on the final details for the collection launch next week, but am also going to spend some time with a friend, make some yummy food, listen to good music and dance around with reckless abandon..

Love,

Cath

A Lookbook sneak peek

 Just a couple of images from many that will be launched with the upcoming collection.  Some bridal, some just for fun.  I'm pretty happy with this round of designs and am excited to share more with you within the week (Intended launch date is Monday... fingers crossed.)

 

There will be a few more scarf designs, as well.  I'll give you the scoop on how these came to fruition soon!

(Photographer: Erica Urech; Model: Emilie Tyler)

Last day for the GIVEAWAY.  Enter HERE.

Top Five Tuesday: Chrystal Shop

All I can say is that this little dress shop might get me into some seriously beautiful trouble.
It'll be totally worth it, though.

 

Have a great suggestion for Top Five Tuesday?  Email me! -> info[at]CiaraObscura[dot]com

Pssst... stop by  to enter the Giveaway HERE.

GIVEAWAY!

Happy Monday, peeps.  Things are underway for the next collection launch, so I thought- in the meantime- it would be nice to offer a giveaway .  It's kind of been a while. A sparkly and luminous Things Behind the Sun charm of your choice (seen hanging in a bundle of TBS charms on the necklace in the photo above) will be given to one lucky winner. 
Here are the rules: (Deadline is Thursday, July 28th at 11:59 PST)
+ Hop over to the Ciara Obscura Facebook page and share what you love best about wearing hair adornments, jewelry, or scarves: LINK HERE.  If you do not have a FB account, feel free to email me your pick at info[at] CiaraObscura [dot]com (the comment section in this blog has behaved wonky and so I've closed it down, for now.)
+ Extra credit: Invite your friends to join (and yourself, if you haven't already) the Ciara Obscura Facebook page... art, design, collections, giveaways..) LINK HERE
+ More extra credit (Honor system, friends.): Tell someone special that you love them and tell them why.  This stuff makes a difference, don't you think?

Good luck!  The winner will be announced on Friday, July 29th.

(photo by Kiel Rucker)

Into the weekend...

 

One of my brothers made a mixed cd for me a while back and I've been listening to it a lot lately.  It's got Ben Folds, The Decemberists, Elliott Smith, Smoking Popes, Brian Eno, Flight of the Conchords, and some other music that takes me back to this or that time in my life.  It also has REM's Night Swimming.  And, I'll tell ya, holy smokes, this song makes me weepy every single time.  I just want to propel myself back to being a teenager (for this and only this reason...) making out with my boyfriend in the Summer night by the lake. It's dreamy and orchestral and forces nostalgia in your face.  I have no choice but to dive in and feel it all... the possibilities and dreams that sprung from that time in my life.  

I'm happy to report that my life these days has far exceeded my hopes.

Wishing you a dreamy weekend filled with moments you will carry with you for many many years.

Love,

Cath

(Photo via Miss Moss)

SAWEEEEET.

I might have to buy this book, just so I can stare at this photo and others like it. It makes me feel like home.

Behind the design...

 

This is a great styling image from the photoshoot last weekend.  Make up artist, Lauren Pitts.  Hair styling, Kita Macomber .  Model, Emilie Tyler.  They worked especially well together and it'll be a fantastic treat to see the final edits from the range of pieces and looks.  Cannot wait.

More behind the scenes images for your viewing pleasure available on the Facebook page and Flickr.

(photo credit: Erica Urech)

Top Five Tuesday: Go Go Snap

Were I to have the off handed opportunity to recreate parts of our wedding,  I'd most definitely consider having these save the dates, wedding invitations, and correspondences as part of the deal.  Go Go Snap has beautifully captured the vintage inspiration that I get loony over.  Here are five of my picks from their cute shop...

 

Have any suggestions for shops or artists or concepts for a future Top Five Tuesday?  I'd love to hear from you!  Feel free to email me with your ideas: info[at]CiaraObscura.com

Intermission. Again.

 

Photoshoot complete.  Photographer, Erica Urech, was the gal on the job for this collection and I cannot even wait to see the final edits for the collection and website launch in August.  I'll show little bits and tease with behind the scene photos up until then, but do feel free to join the Ciara Obscura fan page here to see more photos and get more updates along the way.

 I thought the photo above (from The Sartorialist ) nicely captured all the elements of the shoot... vintage styling, soft colors, a kick of modern edge and , of course, a camera in hand. 
 Now it's time I take a much needed rest and so today I'm putting aside work to take a nice long walk with the dog and enjoy the summer sunshine.  This will be nice.

Into the Weekend...

 

This weekend will be a packed one.  Lots and lots of prep for the Autumn/Winter photoshoot on Sunday... last minute wardrobe, staging and props, crew details, and collection product readying.  But, and most importantly, it's really about the refreshments like champagne and tasty treats that may just be the vital ingredients to the whole shoot.   On another note, we are,sadly, missing our friends' wedding in LA today - given our work schedules. They are both musicians and she a writer/teacher... both smart cookies.  I'm betting this celebration is going to be a fun one.  So really bummed to be missing it. One of the designs in this upcoming collection is inspired from a piece I made for the bride for this day.  More on that soon...

Happy weekend, friends.

Love,

Cath

(photo source)

Oh!

How sweet!

(photos in Karen Magazine by Amanda Pratt)

Top Five Tuesday: Sapling Press

Those who know me well know that I'm a big fan of the fine art of writing letters and sending cards.  I'm an unexpected mix of very unconventional and oddly traditional and enjoy exploring life maintaining a nice balance of both.  I love the tradition of paper craft and letterpress (and wonder if I can, technically, group the two together in this way- but for today's illustrative purposes, I will.).  A few days ago, I came across this shop on Etsy.  And, holy geez, I think these cards are pretty humorous.  Here are five picks to entice you over to choose your own favorites (CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE)...

 

Neat, huh?

Straws

Pal Meaghan suggested this really fun site recently... OneWord.  Once you click on, a random word is presented and you are free to write anything that comes to mind for sixty seconds, then you can publish it on their site.  I published only one word and noticed that there is another "Cath" on there so I stopped publishing because I thought two Cath's would only confuse matters.  So I just type for sixty seconds and move along.  I love it.  It's almost therapeutic, like automatic writing, and always gets the brain unstuck.  You should totally try it out.  My first word was, "Fail" which was interesting.  Then my second word was, "Lust"- which was awesome.  Today's word: Straw.  Here's my submission:
"Bendy. But mostly any straw will do, especially...ESPECIALLY in the summertime when an iced vanilla latte requires such things.  Sometimes I need that fix and it does me some good and so I continue finding great joy and calm in biting and sucking on straws. It sounds sort of perverse, but I'm just fine with that."

I'm a slow typist with multiple typos ( I make myself go back and correct things), comparatively, so that's all I wrote in the 60 seconds.  Not particularly exciting, but it does make me want a straw right now. 

(photo from Dear Machine)