Today is Valentine's Day, but is also a day like any other... when we share our love and our appreciation, when a treat or a gift is an awesome surprise and not expected, when we bust an impromptu dance move in the middle of the living room, when a kiss still makes your belly flip, and when a beautiful bouquet is a field of wildflowers- still growing, drenched in sunshine.
I like a life like this, not just a day like this.
I hope you enjoy much love in your own life, friends.
It's super warm and sunshiny here and so I think my weekend will be marked with a visit with a friend outdoors and this drink (blueberry vodka lemonade!).
Hope you will be enjoying something particularly fun and relaxing.
Oh, I just think these hearts are so foxy and clever. I'm going to pop them onto the one of two pairs of jeans I own. Want to find out how to make them yourself? (It's super easy.) A Beautiful Mess is a happy and colorful blog that I frequently visit throughout the week. I think you'll love it,too. Hop on over HERE for the DIY project for these jeans...
Want a peek into a few behind the scenes photos from Monday's shoot?
(hair and makeup room + and filming by Hilary from Modern Day Films)
I loved the way everyone was so considerate of each other during this whole process... you just never know how a new group of people will get along and work together on a creative project. You just don't. But I'm happy to report that all went well and I am darn happy with how kind everyone was- even toward the end when it was the classic "crunch time" overwhelment.
(here I am working with the model, Erin, on a simplified editorial)
Yay for good times and a successful photoshoot. Everyone worked so flipping hard and I am so proud of them all.
Photographer: Chris Lang
Model: Erin Kiniry
Hair: Myriah Bujak
Make-up: Lauren Pitts
Assistant to photographer: Chris Christian
(...and a big thanks to Erin's sister, Cody, for lending a hand throughout the shoot.)
Spring/Summer collection set to launch in two weeks!
For more behind the scenes photos + other good stuff in the next week or two, stop over at the Ciara Obscura Facebook page to have a peek, if you'd like...
{All photos in this post were taken by me or Myriah}
This will be the kind of weekend wherein no downtime will be had, BUT it's all good uptime... so no matter. It's my incredibly talented friend, Stephanie's birthday and we'll be all over town celebrating. Here's the two of us closing down an event last year:
and then it's all about photoshoot prep for the big collection shoot on Monday. Busy. But a big gust of a happy + completely motivated sort of busy.
I hope you have a vibrant, lively and stunning weekend, friends.
Another geek lovefest (this is a good thing, mind you) from Brian. Ready? Go!
Do You Want To Play A Game?
Oh hello there! Let me just get to the next save point and... I'll...be... right... with... (beeep boop bop) .. you.
There!
I've always been into playing games. Who hasn't? Well, maybe some people aren't but they can't be much fun to hang out with. The first game I can remember being really into was Candyland. I was obsessed with it.
Of course, I was also obsessed with actual *candy*, so maybe this was not a good game for me to play, as perhaps it led to my childhood obesity issues. I still have nightmares about drowning in a molasses swamp.
I still enjoy games (and candy. send candy), and one of the best card type games I've played lately has been Fluxx. There are lots of different Fluxx decks, but the basic rule is that the rules keep changing. It's a little confusing at first, but each card is printed with a new rule. The payers lay down their cards, adapting the goal of the game with every round. It's a bit crazy, but lots of fun as you realize that you might've been sooo close to winning just to watch your opponent lay down a card which changes the whole game.
Last Night on Earth is one of my new favorite board games. The board is a map of a small town, and there are dozens of tiny plastic zombies scattered around. You play as a survivor character, traveling through town trying to find supplies, weapons, and an escape route. I love horror movies, and this does a great job of converting those zombie apocalypse movies into board game form. And yes, when I play, I always play as the "sexy farmer's daughter".
I absolutely admit that I love videogames. As a kid, I had the Atari, and I worked at a game studio for a bit and got hooked on a few games. I'm not really into "shooter" games (though there are a couple I loooove), I am mostly drawn to games that have engrossing storylines. The first one I can think of that I would consider "art" is Ico. It was released for the Playstation 2, but there is a new updated version for PS3. You play as a small boy guiding a blind princess through a crumbling castle. There's very little dialog, just the sound of the wind blowing through overgrown courtyards. It's surprisingly beautiful, and many were shocked at the emotional impact the game brought.
On the flip side, Katamari Damacy is just goofy bubblegum (caaaandy) blissful fun. You play as a teeny tiny Prince, tasked by your strangely emotionally abusive father The King Of the Universe to roll up items from Earth in order to create stars. As you progress, the objects you roll up get bigger and bigger. It's a surreal way to pass an afternoon. Maybe I was a bit too competitive playing this against my 2 year old niece, as I crushed her over and over and caused her to swear and throw her controller to the floor. But then I played the theme song to her and we were friends again.
On the third flip side, I have a weakness for really batshit scary games.
I've been hooked on the Silent Hill games since the first one. Each one has gotten progressively worse, but I have hopes the upcoming chapter will be back to "normal". The whole game series centers around a cursed town filled with monstrous creatures you must bludgeon with pipes/bats/axes. My wife likes to sit behind me and navigate, as I tend to react in games the same way I would react in real life to a gibbering, shambling toothy hot dog on legs- I run the hell out of there. These games are pretty gory, so I wouldn't suggest playing them unless you have the stomach for things like that.
There is an amazing amount of wonderful and creative online indie games that are NOT FARMVILLE. THAT IS NOT A GAME. Tonight I Die is a great short indie game that starts you out, with no explanation, as a girl drowning at the bottom of a dark lake. Click around and see what happens. It's really neat and I keep wishing I had the time and knowledge to put together something like this.
So that's it for now! I hope you have fun! As for me, a father of a 2 year old, my new favorite game is "Shhhh, Don't Wake The Daddy"
"Always onwards, ever upwards and forever twirling, twirling, twirling."
Thanks, Brian!
{Most photos found HERE... if we are missing a source, please feel free to let us know.}
With all the blogs out there featuring weddings displaying fancy this or that, I couldn't help but share these photos from this couple's wedding. They celebrated out of their home and, boy oh boy, it must have been such an intimate and perfect gathering. There's something extraordinary to be said for the beauty of simplicity. I'm totally enamored with this...
This is what I'd love to be doing this weekend, but maybe I'll just wander around town instead. The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is in full force so I'm sure things will be nutty in these parts. Maybe I'll sneak a peek and then meander along on my own adventure.
First though, it'll have to be me fine tuning the construction of Spring/Summer designs and getting the kitchen back in order after a week of having it all painted. We chose these knobs (in Sky for the kitchen and in Black for the washer/dryer + bathroom area) from this post to prettily accent an all ivory cream paint base with just a really really subtle hint of a gold undertone. If you're interested in seeing the final look, I'll be sure to post some photos next week.
Are you all over Pinterest? That place is an insane burst of online connectivity... what a genius idea. Really. And I'm just in the beginning-ish stages of succumbing to the mad rush of visual imagery. Here are some of my latest favorites, by way of my own personal style...
fitted dresses... (and sometimes sun protection for my pale skin)
red dress, little socks + red shoes
sexy little things...
bold pops of floral (in a comfy dress... although, it is likely I'd trip while walking in this.)
Sometimes the only thing that sets me straight, knocks me back into shape, and (for extra emphasis) gets my noodles back in order is the sight of a pack of polka dots. Instant mood elevator.
So much to come for the Spring/Summer 2012 collection and mid-season launches... I'm ready.
This will be a weekend filled with a little bit of new and different and a little bit of the same. I think that's a good recipe for something fun to happen... catching up and visting with friends- including one from college (who I don't think I've seen since college... that's facebook for ya.), a long walk, a bike ride, a hug, a kiss, a belly flip + a leaping of the heart + a whole lot of seeing only what's uplifting and beautiful. That's the plan.
Have a lovely one, friends.
Cath
