your own words are the bricks and mortar of the dreams you want to realize.  your words are the greatest power you have.  the words you choose and use establish the life you experience               

                                                                                                                                              sonia choquette

sorry for the funky blog loading the last couple of days.  newbie here; didn’t realize picture sizes were bogging the blog. funny the terms we use today. fraps, tweets, IM’s, flickr, etsy, DM’s,  blip, um, what? 

today’s visual is my apology. i added a thought about words.  oh, and remember to smile. someone once said smiling adds days, weeks, months, years to our lifespan. at a minimum, it makes each moment a bit brighter. your smile, it makes me smile.

image by fritz henle via luminouslint.com

Today’s photography is care of Robbie Powell.  His photography is not as stylized as some of the work I have recently featured.

I appreciate the simplicity, the negative space, the absence of color…it’s a nice departure from previous posts.

 I originally found his work via Form Fifty Five.  In reviewing Robbie’s website, I learned that he was recently interviewed by It’s Nice That; a nice read, check it out here.  

Robbie is Australian, a recent graduate of Billy Blue College, a working Graphic Designer, with an impressive portfolio and respect in his field.  

I just thoroughly enjoyed soaking in each and every visual, the quiet, the sexy, the angles, the texture, the materials, the beauty of space filled and space negative.

This has been a week of photography features. There are so many topics and ideas that I want to share with you about what I do and how I work, and the field of interior design.

I’d like to learn how to illustrate my design process virtually..show paint color, material blending, space planning, structural concepts..I think it would be fun to share more about that here.  The process of creating interiors is very rewarding for me.  I take each and every element, aspect and decision on a project seriously and to heart.  I treat each space as if it was my own.  

I thought about this weeks posts and the meaning behind what I am choosing to share.  I guess what I am doing is sharing what my eye appreciates, what feeds me, what launches my creativity.  It all does relate to ‘my day job’ in one way or another.

I also sprinkle in a few bits and pieces from my family life, something I enjoy sharing and appreciate documenting for memories sake.  

As I often say..having you here, means everything to me…learning about what you’re drawn to, love that. Hearing suggestions on content for future posts, I’d thoroughly appreciate that.

I am open to learn and to grow and to improve each and every day. This blog is one layer of my life that I appreciate. Your presence makes it richer and more rewarding.

Today I’m featuring the work of Italian photographer and photo stylist Vanessa Levis.  The composition. the lighting. Inspiring, yes.  I combined images that seem to pair well, that had a commonality somehow.

comfortable. calm. sunlit.

longevity. balance. unexpected goodness. 

crisp. weathered. snap fresh.

vintage. reminiscent. memory ridden.

retro. stylish. well composed.

Please share any thoughts.  Thank you for being here.

sexy lines. perfect movement. quiet, balanced color palette.

vintage. cozy. worn in. lovey.

rustic. handmade. warm. textural.

cool. crisp. delicate. paired. whistle thin.

quiet. thinking. tone on tone. raw. rural.

wise. vivid. childlike. proven. safe

classic. sign of spring. sun drenched richness.

Bea’s work, everything about it. amazing. soft. feminine. expressive. evocative. Where do you go for visual poetry?  I’d love to know.

AJ is doing well.  She has an ear infection.  G thought we were going to see Dr. Seuss; he was very excited and I played along, until his sister told him Dr Seuss was a cat.  They love the fish tank in the waiting room…AJ told G that Nemo and his dad were there.  

When I stop and take in their preciousness, I am amazed at the blessings I have been given.  The daily grind of ‘doing’ sometimes blocks my view of the gifts that each day holds for me.  If I remember to take in each moment, each baby phrase, with an quiet, open heart, I am aware of God’s grace.

‘We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.’  The Talmud

photo by:  jana

Here is a taste of the studio, via shannonkelli’s wonderful eye on the camera.  Please take a walk over to her photostream, she is incredibly talented.  She shot photos (twice I might ad), as a friend, as a gift.  I feel like one very lucky girl.  Pssst, we had a really fun time as well….it was one of those precious reconnection opportunities.

I have two lil sick babies this morning.  We’re headed into the doctor as AJ is saying that her ears really hurt.   I look forward to returning here….to show you more visuals.  I compiled a few of the before shots last nite…it really is amazing how much of a dirty boy gun shop the space once was.

Thank you for stopping by.  I really do enjoy you.

This week has been chalk full of design work, which is really good for my soul.  I haven’t had a chance to post any of the ideas that are jotted down neatly in my mind, which by the way, is a very orderly place……… April fools (better late than never).  I found myself wanting to be here nonetheless. Here a little photo I took on my walk back from a design consult in the city.  I love the look of the old, especially when it’s well preserved, made with leather and metal.  Oh, and anything with a basket deserves a second glance. I adore teal and burnt orange in combination, and the polished chrome frame adorns these colors well. This lil guy resting against the warm copper seemed to have a story to tell, a story I wanted to hear.

I’d love to hear what you are drawn to? Please share, if you are so inclined.  It really does brighten my day to have you share with me…here.

image by:  jana

Just popping in briefly to share a thought for the day.  I hope to feature some new work this week.  My design business has me running around a bit, so here’s to finding some quiet time to devote to you.  

image by:  jana

This week, I’ll be featuring a few artists whose work is so breathtaking, really.  I find myself gasping with joy each time I review the visuals.  I hit the ground running this morning with client work and didn’t get a chance to draft any posts. Please come back for a visit in the next couple of days, will you?  There will be exquisite, unique, bar raising pretties.

Here’s a couple of pictures I snapped today in San Rafael, after a client meeting. The air has been so crisp and clear with brisk, sunny skies.  My eyes are drawn to the balance between color and neutral, the sleek and textural, in life and in nature.  I’d love to hear what your eye is drawn to, what you enjoy gazing at or photographing.

images by:  jana

I frequent fashion blogs to keep my visual inspiration library freshly replenished.  Recently, I visited Fashion Moment, a blog chock full of gorgeous fashion visuals.  I was nearly at the end of the post entitled,  Some gorgeous gowns when a designer, Antonio Marras, caught my eye.

The runway visual below, intrigued me for a variety of reasons.  I wanted more.

I was off to visit his website.  I may not be a fashion lingo girl, but I know what pretty is (channeling Mr. Gump).

What about his work drew my attention?

• • fabric combinations
  • vintage interpretation
  • softness
  • applique and ornamentation
  • minimal use of lace, metal, other raw materials
  • blend of constructed and deconstructed shapes
  • tone on tone
  • the lines his pieces create

I selected pieces from several collections to give you an overall feel of his work.

I reviewed many of his current and past collections, dating back to 2001.  These are a few of my favorites.

Antonio is primarily a self taught designer, beginning his career as a fashion designer in the late 1980′s. His first haute and ready to wear collections followed in the mid to latter 1990′s.  The website houses generous illustrations of his showroom, three retail shops, and many photo shoots supporting past collections.  His company maintains a loyalty to his roots, annually supporting artisans from in and around his home country of Alghero, Italy.

So, what about his surroundings, interior expressions impresses me the most?

• • Use of refined and raw elements
  • washed brick, worn wood, discolored concrete, rusty elements
  • light, tone on tone palette, textured fabrics
  • incorporating raw elements, wool, wheels, open frames
  • blending elegance with crystal chandeliers, crushed velvets
  • lover of decay depicted as beauty
  • feminine floral handpainted/embroidered decor
  • inlighting, unexpected lighting
  • decor in unlikely locations/directions
  • classy use of a funk factor
  • smart use of negative space
  • accessing both the inside and outside of a space
  • simple vignettes that communicate his taste

I’m off to make good use of this new found inspiration.  Peace to you all.  I’d love to hear what inspires you, visually or otherwise.  Thank you for being here with me, really, it makes me happy.

p.s.  I couldn’t get the bullet points/indention to work right on my two lists above, so bear with me; I will figure this out as I go, and wanted to share his work today.