Style 18 / Red Kimono Dress

Here's a little costumey Halloweeny style post for ya.  I love this kimono dress, but feel it's a little too racy to wear out in the real world without maybe a pair of leggings or thick tights underneath.  I found it in a vintage shop years ago and it fit me perfectly.  Just now bringing it out into the light of a crisp Autumn day...

 

... and my trusty, very keen assistant Sir Matthew making me look a bit more put-together.  He's a keeper.

I rarely dress up for Halloween, but am feeling the itch this year.  How about you?

[ photography credit Myriah Bujak ]

Elizabeth Messina / Take Three

I'll share this excerpt from what I wrote earlier today on Instagram because it best describes how I feel about the image above, and really every photograph in this series:

"Another in a series with Elizabeth Messina. I showed her my favorite picture of my mother and she integrated it into the photoshoot. And I'm so glad she thought of this too because, even after the 1000th time I stare at this image, I still tear up. My family has shared how similar my mother and I are; and if only I could be a tiny bit like her I will have done something right in my life. She was so funny and so loving and I'll forever feel thankful for the few years I did have with her. Thank you, again and again, Elizabeth. This is quite a gift. And to all... I hope you really love the people you love, and really live the life you live..."

 

 

Those antique tea cups were from my mother's side of the family.  I think they're divine (I don't think I've ever used that word to describe anything; so there's a first.)

Happy weekend ahead... I'll be heading down to the Primer Nationals in Ventura on Saturday afternoon and will be keeping an eye out for a light blue '57 t bird... my mom's first car.

[more from the Elizabeth Messina photoshoot here, here, and here!] 

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Elizabeth Messina / Take Two

She stepped into my home and her eyes scanned for the light... here, in my living room, the late morning sun beamed through the window... we cleared out all furniture and left the curtain to play around with.  I got to delve back into my years of dance with purposeful and held positions, inside my own quiet and peaceful world behind the lacey fabric; light pouring over me... stillness, strength, surrender.  It was another transcending moment with Elizabeth Messina orchestrating the magic... (these are just a few from this series; the others reveal more than I think I should share on social media, so they stay tucked away, for certain eyes, only in my home:)

Otherworldly, ghostly, luminous.  And all captured with film photography.  I'll say it again... isn't she a gifted photographer?  I think so.

Also... Take One in the series.

Elizabeth Messina / Take One

Alrighty friends, here's the first in a series from my photoshoot with Elizabeth Messina.  If you'd like to follow along, I'll be sharing each storied set of images once a week over the next month...

 

What I love about this particular grouping of photographs is that they were unplanned.  I wasn't even expecting to use this outfit for any part of the actual shoot; we were getting acquainted in my kitchen... Elizabeth scoped out my home for good lighting and backdrops while I hung around and drank my coffee; nervous, excited, calm, anxious, surrendering, offering help that I'm sure wasn't very helpful (i.e. learning to let go of control and trust the intensely gifted photographer that she is...)  All of this led to these images, fueled by the artistic insight and deeply rooted knowing of Elizabeth's eye for all things lovely and authentic.

 

I do love my aprons.  And these gold slippers... I really do wear them around the house.  They especially add a boost of sunshine on cloudier days.

Thanks for looking!  Until next time...

[ Elizabeth Messina's website + instagram ]

Pop-Up Shop + Garden Party

This happened today.  A sweet gathering of some of my very favorite people for a vintage pop-up shop and garden party.  All the beautiful pieces you see are from Poppyfrock Vintage.  Man, does she have an eye for the good stuff.

 

 

Don't get me going on how much I love baby Leo.  What a darling... (his mom, Nancy, is a keeper too.)

 

This picture came out blurry, but it stays because I adore every single one of the people in it.

I caught a lucky break when Erin started modeling my collections... I think her family is my long lost tribe from a past life.  I could laugh with them incessantly.

And then Deja of Poppyfrock, me, and the ominous Matt who worked his butt off for us and charmed the ladies all afternoon.

And, yes, a bubble gum machine...

A good day.
 

Style 17 / Carousel

I like carousels.  It's oddly comforting to go around in circles, predictably, many many times.  I also like the slow movement.  It relaxes me, especially if I close my eyes, and pay no attention to the outside world.  Peaceful.

The nekkid truth behind this shoot is that poor Myriah got nauseous from taking pictures on the moving carousel; and then I got nauseous watching her get nauseous.  It was a hysterical mess... I couldn't stop laughing.  But these shots came before we got queezy, so ...

But the colors and my shoes!  My friend told me it's like I'm walking on rainbows; I'd like to think he's right.

[All photos by Myriah Bujak]

Style 16 / Hula Hoop!

So here's something... I love the hula hoop but (and here's something else...) I'm not nearly as exceptional at it as I should be given the amount of times I've tried it.  Really I just kind of fall right below average and I don't imagine I'll improve much, but the fun... oh my gosh, the fun!  Myriah snapped some shots while I embarrassed myself, all the while hoping the colorful outfit distracted enough to make me look like a hula hoop champ.

Nailed it.

See?  It was like this last photo half the time.  Though being the optimist I am, the other half of the time was smooth and I was off in dreamland.  Also I got some exercise, so there's that.

I'll be back tomorrow with a weekend wrap up...

[photos / myriah bujak]