This week: Impromptu fun + adornments...

Have I shared with you the part of me that always feels like I need to work work work?  That if I don't work work work then I'm slacking and if I'm slacking I'm not contributing and if I'm not contributing then I'm failing.  Well, now you know.  I'm a freak about having a work ethic.  BUT... I've more recently discovered the value in having some down-time.  It's changed me considerably and, I have to say, I really really love it.

This week I had some much beloved time off- just for a couple of afternoons but it was enough to relax and focus on what I love about life.  Stuff like this...

We had an impromptu road trip about an hour or so up the coast to Santa Ynez and wandered around with no direction.  First ended up discovering this lovely lavender farm (I bought locally made lavender honey + lavender lip balm.)

We kicked back with a bite to eat.

Here's a really good example of how incapable I am of posing like a normal person.  I'm always in the middle of an animated somethingorother and often lack the ability to sit still and smile into the camera.  Silliness.

Anyhow, the food was delicious.  Then we found a country road and took a walk along it.

The day was warm and sunshiny.  Perfect.

Earlier in the week Sebastian's mom and her sweet friend came into town to take us out for a belated birthday lunch for Sebastian.  We tried out a new pizzeria.  It was so tasty; all of it.

(very very good cappuccinos + espressos)

But, naturally, I got some work done.  Still building up that collaborative project- it's coming along beautifully!  Designing + constructing a batch of neat custom orders and completed a new shop site .

Plus, a few great links from around the web:

I've always been fixated with paper art, but feel I'm just plain lazy (and not as skilled) to just do some like these myself.

Good tips for bloggers.

 Tavi Gevinson on The Colbert Report.  Happy to see she is a sweet + good humored person.

And this photo.

Enjoy a nice weekend, friends.

Love,

Cath

This week: inner workings

Looking back through my camera files from this past week, I realized that I didn't really take any sharable photos.  The week was jam packed with all things work-related, but the photos I did snap were of things that I still need to keep in collaborative project secrecy or custom consultation privacy.  It was just one of those weeks... lots happening; mostly inner workings.

I do want to share this photo of these incredibly beautiful apple blossoms given to me by my friend, Kerstin.  They make the home happy.

More to come next week, I promise.

Enjoy your Sunday and the extra dose of daylight it will bring... Yay!

Love,

Cath

This week: creative meetings and pretty things...



I snapped these photos (above) of one of my favorite spaces in town.  As far as I can tell, they're a collection of art + design studios.  I've long dreamed of having a one here for my company.  Maybe maybe... someday.

A good chunk of my week was spent on custom orders and (I'm so excited about this...) on a collorative project with a friend of mine.  My mind has been filled with huge creative possibilities on career expansion.  I'm really thrilled and cannot wait to share it all with you in the coming months.  Below are my journals/ notebooks of custom work, lists, and creative ideas- all with me at my meetings this past week (plus a delicious hot ginger dragon drink from Coffee Cat)



Here's a peek at a pearl beaded vintage lace veil for a customer (it's for this design)...



And then some pretty pieces of nature in my home.  See that adorable bay leaf pocket?  It is a handmade gift from this recent DIY from Rebecca, the wonderful + talented mother of Erin + Cody- both models for a couple of my collections and a photography assist on my last photoshoot.  She is a kind and thoughful woman and I feel so thankful for her sweet gesture (plus... who doesn't love receiving a lovely piece of mail like this?!)

Behind the scenes of all of this is our house in the process of a major de-cluttering + clearing out.  We are needing more productive and efficient use of our studio and storage spaces, so I hopped on the chance to have a yard sale yesterday.  I thought, in between the rummagers stopping by and collecting new purchases, I'd kick back and enjoy the warm sunshine (it got really hot, so I had to crack out the umbrella) and a book I've been trying to finish (it's kind of dense, so it's taken me longer than it probably should.).  Plus a cup of coffee.  It was a nice + successful morning...

Enjoy a great Sunday, friends.
Love,
Cath

This week: parties, babies, friends...

This was a week of gatherings, meetings, a party, and many many babies.

It was our friend's birthday and we went to his surprise party.  Todd's a kind and sweet person and we were glad to be a part of celebrating a milestone birthday with him.  Here I am- wearing new bangs!- with both Todd and his wife, Kita...

   

Then I had a lovely and inspiring creative meeting with friend, Kerstin, who also happens to be the insanely talented floral designer behind Blue Magnolia ...

A pretty photo of a lace blouse.  I love this top but it takes me forever to button it!

Plus an emerald green hair comb, out for a customer.  This color flips me out...

And then the babies... lots of 'em.  Friends, Laura and Paul, had their baby shower last weekend.  They are an adorable couple, as you can clearly see...

At the baby shower, Becca + Ralph and Amy + Sean, with their uniquely lovable little ones...

Gah, they were cute.

Plus, some great links from around the web:

Ombre stairs. Would you do it?

I'd wear these as bikini bottoms, but I don't think I'd feel too comfortable wearing them as shorts.

How true. 

Enjoy a happy weekend, friends.

Love,

Cath

This week: old friends, headpieces, tattoos...

Been a loopy week.  It's the sort of passing of time that makes me feel that, for sure, it must have been longer.  But no, I packed a whole bunch of different stuff into the past several days and still managed to make a lot of headway with shop work.  A fulfilling week, all in all, I think.

First, here's Mars in his Sunday morning sunshine...

Some publications I'm working with for press (fingers crossed!)...

I'm enjoying taking these details shots of headpieces for customers' orders...

On Valentine's day (which we don't typically really get wrapped up in), Sebastian tattooed me.  Here I am  working through the pain in my head.  It's kind of empowering...

 and here's the spot he just tattooed (the snake's body is still in progress)

And then this.  A yummy meal...

...with these two wonderful people, on a visit the three of us shared.  Laurie is a beautiful friend, met after I first moved to town while I was working with children (her three included).  Noah, now 13 (14?), is the exact sort of son I would love to have... sweet, personable, smart, adorable, funny, witty, and socially aware (just like his mom).  

I really really adore them... (much like these two)

And then a few links from around the web that you might enjoy:

How to match the music you're listening to with its respective drink.

I can't get over this piglet in a wheelchair.

Which definition of love do you most relate to? 

This Calexico song.

Enjoy a great weekend, friends.

Love,

Cath

Once Upon a Time / 34

I had some nice down-time this past week; not a whole day off but enough snippets of calm, hanging out, and relaxation to instill me with enough clarity and motivation to move along to my next stage of work. 

I like times like these because I get to have much needed time with friends and it also gets my creative ideas a space to thrive- which is always great.  I came up with a few new concepts for the business, including collaborative projects.  More on that in the coming months.

Anyhow, here is my week in pictures; give or take...

An afternoon at the beach after a tasty meal at one of my favorite lunch spots  (such a beautiful day).

Hair accessories for customers (these materials are so flipping lovely).

Grabbing a drink and chips with my peoples.

I stopped by a Valentine's bake sale at a preschool where some friends' children go.  This was my stash.  (those Unicorn Poop sugar cookies were insanely tasty.)

And some really wonderful links gathered this week from around the web...

This video is all you need to bring you to your happy place.  Watch it all the way through.  I promise it'll make you smile.

I think this is accurate (and so uplifting, when you think about it.)

One night last week, I decided it would be a really good idea to start a facebook page for Mars the dog.  It's ridiculous, but you're welcome to join in on the ridiculousness HERE.

This song is dreamy.

Enjoy a relaxing weekend, friends.

Love, 

Cath

Once Upon a Time / 33

I've started to say, "Why the heck not?" to exploring and this is what resulted of it this past week...

A reminder.

 Tons of color + material to gawk at and to do everything in my power to refrain from fondling. 

(The photos above and below I took while shopping for a friend's birthday gift at B. On Main in Ventura)

     

 

I also drank probably too much coffee.

This one at Palermo in Ventura.

See the little heart + feather in the one below? Such a pretty surprise.

(thank you very much, nice barista at Cafe Luna in Summerland.)

And then back at home, stuff being worked on in our studio space like Sebastian painting these watercolor sketches for a tattoo client

A popular new shop necklace, getting wrapped to ship out...

new packaging I've been tinkering with...

And, finally, this.

This came to me late one night so I had to write it down here.  I find this to be true.  

Slow down, observe, follow the details.

Also, some links from around the web:

I love dogs.

The universe conspires in favor of love.

This song is stuck in my head.

Have a lovely weekend, friends.

Love,

Cath