it still has a long way to go but I’m enjoying this illustration a lot.

I’ve also been working on this!!!!!…..

the photo does it no justice but when I’m willing to leak better picks il update my post ))

There has been a. Few sewing commissions in progress. Being 3 vintage inspired brides maids dresses and a silk ball gown.

I am loving the challenge of the ball gown. I have never made anything like this.
Work in progress:

Keep watching as I will be working on all of these over the next 4 weeks. Xxxxgnight

Lets face it, while the final destination of a trip may be very exciting sometimes the haul over is less than glamourous. I personally hate looking unkempt when travelling and usually spend more time stressing about the perfect airport outfit rather than what I’m actually packing for the trip (after all, there will be shops and malls should I forget to pack something right?). This is what works best for me and heres the breakdown:

Loose, black tshirt paired with leggings or black skinnies. This is usually topped with a cozy wool-blend trench that doubles as a blanket and a large triple threat scarf – wrap, second blanket, or pillow in one. To get through security faster and not make enemies with fellow travellers by wearing shoes that take 739588 hours to take off or put on, try some ballet slippers.

I have a few products that I must carry with me at all times but especially while I travel, namely L’Occitane shea butter hand cream (lavender is equally yummy) and lipstick, colour of the moment is Casablanca by Nars but this changes quite frequently. I obviously never leave home without my iPhone, Moleskin notebook and gum. Lets not forget my makeup bag with the rest of my beauty goodies and a bottle of water. Some Purell hand sanitizer, and my passport to keep things copasetic at customs.  To avoid a nervous breakdown at the airport in the case of lost luggage, I always carry my beloved costume jewelry with me in an old makeup bag. I’d really appreciate suggestions on affordable jewelry travel cases!

Whats your travel outfit and on-board must haves? List them off in the comments section below!

xo

E

Hi readers,

This is the next post for “One of those days you don’t feel like waking up”.

One hand holding the phone to my ear, I scribbled the extension number on my moleskin. I hung up on voice mail and start dialing the extension number. I asked for the person who left me the voice mail and it was her speaking. So I asked what’s my application status?

‘Your application status is approved’ she said.

My heart skipped a beat. I acted cool and asked some question.

sentimental chronicles, moleskin entry (Photo credit: peregrine blue)

Then it was a few minutes of instruction from her. Basically it was a conditional offer and I had to follow a few more steps to get the real approval letter. And I had to come up with money.

I have saved for this day to happen. I’m prepared.

I checked my email to download some forms and get the checklist done by Friday.

I’ve never been so excited in my life. I refrained from mentioning it to my husband … only until he gets back over dinner… but I was very happy and I was kicking myself in my head why I didn’t pick up my calls.

illustrator + Photoshop

An art show that will travel to the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale this Fall will exhibit different works that are either made of wood or represent wooden objects. Dutch artist Maarten Baas takes iconic furniture pieces and torches them until they are charred and create a new piece of art. A British design duo that goes by the name of Yard Sale Project uses special computer technology to mimic the natural grooves and look of wood to create pixelated looking, yet smooth surfaces on furniture.

Christopher Bonanos has written a history of the Polaroid and its effect in the photography world. Instant: The Story of Polaroid displays Bonanos’ compilation of famous polaroid pictures along with the history behind them. He discusses how the Polaroid camera came about and how it affected photographer during the 20th century.

My favourite everyday journals are Moleskin  (A6 size for ease of carrying). I have a few on the go at any time. Currently I have a general notes one (for any thoughts, overheard conversations, impressions or any ideas that I have), a movie one (I stick in my cinema stubs, give it a score and write a couple of lines of review), a book one (keep a note of what I’ve read, what I want to read and any book recommendations) and a dream one (I keep it next to my bed and, when I remember, I note down dreams – this is something I do more when I am having a run of bad dreams because it seems to help ease the panic of them).

I also have some A5 sketchbooks that I call my inspirations book. Anytime I come across something in a magazine that catches my eye, whether it’s a photo, a headline or a piece of text I tear it out and stick it in. I copy in phrases and lines out of books, stick in postcards, stickers, promo cards. Anything that grabs my attention.

I also have some A3 Sketchbooks but I use those mostly for Photography inspiration.

When I first got my Moleskins I was terrified to write in them, they were so perfect and pretty and I felt my scruffy writing and not-exciting thoughts couldn’t possibly be worthy but once I got over the initial feeling (by leaving the first 5 pages blank to start with) and once I’d started filling it then it was easy to go back and fill the pages I’d missed. The film journal was easy I did a title page with the year on it and then started sticking in my tickets.

I hope to have some small sketchbooks to put actual sketches in soon too. I am signing up for a course on drawing later in the year, and can’t wait to be able to start drawing little sketches in my notebooks. At the moment I doodle badly as opposed to draw or sketch.

Do you have a journal? What sort do you prefer? Do you like blank or lined paper? Does the thickness or quality of the paper matter?

When we moved to Oregon, our lives were drastically different. We lived with Lori’s parents for a while, and had a baby. I was working a job I couldn’t stand, and even in a house as big as the one we were in, I could not seem to find space that felt like mine. I tried lots of different things, but to no avail, my morning routine was in utter disarray. At the time, I was taking a class on the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The first book we read was “Life Together.” An incredible read, one I would highly recommend. Anyway, the book is based on Bonhoeffer’s view of community. One part of his writing is centered on the value of time alone, especially in the morning. I was sure this was the answer to my prayers…”God, please help me find space to spend time with you.” Bonhoeffer talked about how his first words in the morning were always said to God, no one else. He described how he’d read a psalm each morning first, followed by other scripture. So what did I do? I jumped on the bandwagon. Honestly, Bonhoeffer didn’t have kids, and he didn’t live in a house with 6 other people. In fact, he lived in a seminary. Needless to say, it didn’t work, at least not for me. It’s been a long time since I felt comfortable in a morning routine, and you know what? I have missed out on months of communing with God because of a confused notion that things need to be just right. Well, yesterday was the beginning of taking back what is mine…time.

Slowly, I am relearning how to spend time in the word. I’ve spent so much time worrying about what I will drink, where I will sit, what scripture will impact me most (like I have a say in how God is going to speak through the text) and when I get extra anal retentive, what the weather should be like. Silly isn’t it? I have allowed myself to become so distracted by things that don’t matter that I have been missing it. I have forgotten how to be still. Because I no longer work in “ministry,” or am not actively pursuing seminary, apparently I have allowed myself to be deceived into thinking it will never be the same. I’ve forgotten that to truly develop my love and passion for this faith, I have to devote time. Someone told me recently that we will always make time for what we want, always. A truer word was never spoken. I spend a sickening amount of time plastered to my smart phone, and honestly, I could care less about the phone, its just convenient.

Well now is the time I wake up and realize that if I want to make time for something I will. I’ve been reading through the book of Romans. What an incredible letter. There is so much power in what Paul writes. Chapters 7 and 8 kill me and bring me back to life every time I read them. Here’s a quick synopsis. Chapter 7 talks about the law, and the fact that we humans find ourselves continually repeating things we wish we wouldn’t, but wishing we could do better. Then just when you’ve gotten to the point when you realize, “yeah, I’m pretty screwed up,” he hits you with chapter 8. When I read things like, “If God is for us, who can be against us,” I remember who my God is and I’m reminded that nothing can separate me from the love of my creator. I love thinking about Paul dictating the words of Roman’s to a scribe. I imagine that in a small room lit only by candles he paces back and forth, and with every word becomes more passionate and sure of the words he is saying. Do yourself a favor, and read chapter 8 right now, especially verses 31-39.

Who knows what I will read tomorrow morning, or what I will drink? What I do know is that I am carving time out of my day to pursue God, not because I have to, not because I want to even, but because I need to. I need to understand who I was created to be, and the very best way I know how to do that, is to meet with the creator.

And saying as it’s Andy Warhol season at The Mac at the mo, here’s a little play in Photoshop as a tribute.

As I mentioned earlier, the menu prototype I made was spectacularly awful.  After scrounging around at Michael’s, I finally found decent enough cardstock and reprinted them. I made little bows and glued them on to the top, and then I punched a heart shaped hole on the very bottom.

I also bought some items for the bathrooms at the venue.  Basically, just your normal products: ibuprofen, unscented lotion, hairspray, bobby pins, band-aids, tissues, and lint rollers.

Last up, I wanted to show you the final wedding program! I used the same hole punch from the menus and punched the middle panel, and I also added a pearl sticker on top of the ampersand (&) on the first panel. After folding 100 of these things, I will be happy to never fold anything ever again.

I wrapped the presents for the bridesmaids and our ring bearer, and I added moleskin to my wedding shoes so that they don’t rub my poor Achilles heel raw.

Love,

-N

I decided to indulge the idea. I bought a set of moleskin journals and went onto amazon.com to purchased as many books about the craft of writing as I could afford. I started reading and writing. Slowly applying what I was learning from the books to my own writing. In addition, I took a few online extension writing classes to help me with my writing.

So far it has been slow and fun. I’ve written two stories that I want to expand on. The other stories were learning experiences. Bottom line is I’m having fun writing.

The emotional side of writing? I will talk about tomorrow.

But I won’t. Instead I relish the parting of our ways, and like a thousand and one lovers before us, I am on the search for another. A newer model. A fresh start, new horizons, another one to call my ‘old faithful’.

The crux of this is I love stationery. I have what you might call ‘an insatiable appetite for stationery’. And that last word on that last page will be a reminder that I am doing what I love more than stationery. I am writing.

Moleskin notebooks – I buy mine from Nothing But Navy

Smythson Notebooks…my birthday is in June if anyone is asking!!!

African print Notebooks by Eva Sonaike 

Do you share my passion for stationery?