Color Photo Final!

So I just realized that I never posted the photographs that I turned in for my final project in my Color Photography class. So, without further ado, here they are:

Apologies for the poor scan job...I realize you can see the white borders of the prints, and also, the colors are not up to snuff. Just imagine them as real prints on matte paper, and nicer.

I took these during my Thanksgiving break when I went to visit my relatives in Pennsylvania. I really had no strong idea of what I wanted to shoot, so I just took pictures of images, patterns, colors, whatever I found to be visually interesting. I had no real "concept" behind these, but they are inherently very domestic and William Eggleston-esque, I suppose you could say. Maybe I was inspired by his work because I had just been shown some of it in class several weeks before...Anyways, I'd love to hear your opinions on these. You can click them and go to my Flickr to see them larger. The lace shot works better in large format, for example.

In other news, I just dusted off the industrial sewing machines here in the sewing room and the one that I got up and running works like a charm! Hurray!

(Also, I'm killing Mid Week Magic Hour, because, honestly, it's just embarrassing).

Until next time!

Cold Today

I wish it was this warm in Manhattan...

(More of this series of photos to come)

MWMH :: Gone Pro, Chocolate too

Remember when I used to update my blog? Good stuff.

Anyways, I'm going to be able to do just that again, because I bit the bullet and went pro on Flickr. Check out my photostream, if you feel so inclined. One day, when I have lots of time (which is actually right now, during winter break, so maybe I should get around to doing this) I will merge my old Flickr account with the new pro one so all my photos are in one spot.

Anyways, today I am making Challah for a friend's party. It's a themed party (as all of ours are) and her theme is a children's tea party, so I am going to make the challah look like this! I'll post pictures of the final result when finished. In the meantime, here are some photos from my early birthday party at Max Brenner (Chocolate by the Bald Man) in Manhattan.

It was really fun, in my opinion, but some people were less than thrilled at the prices. Yeah, it's absurdly expensive, but equally absurdly delicious. OK, maybe I'm exaggerating, but the hot cocoa and desserts are sooooo good. The dessert on the top right, the cookie, was $7. Yeah. And we chose to split it, in order to get the cost down, thinking that there would be, oh, three cookies, or something. Not one! Ah, whatever, it was excellent.

Yum yum yum. Today I am also making lacey curtains for our foyer, as my father requested. Doesn't that sound fancy? Yeah!

Hope you had a very nice New Year and Holiday or whatever. Until later!

MWMH :: Gingerbread Teeth

This time tomorrow I will be landing in Lala Land!! I can't wait! But I will admit, today was a rather fine day in New York City, what with the snow and all. I had planned that this day would be devoted to two very important things: 1) packing & 2) making gingerbread cookies with the new cookie cutters that my friends bought me as an early birthday present. Fortunately, I accomplished both things!

On the walk around the corner to the grocery store, I made a mental comment on what lovely weather we were having, what with the sky being so grey and bleached out, and the temperature being so nice and crisp. Little did I know it would only get better!

Within 30 minutes after I had returned from the grocery store, I notice a facebook status update commenting about "snow." So, obviously, I rush to the window and see not just little white flakes, but huge white fluffs coming down, and rather fast too. I flipped out a little, or a lot. Furthermore, it snowed for the rest of the day and it's still going now, at 10:25. OOO!! The flakes just now got really big again! Ahhh this is so exciting for me! I've been pressing my forehead to my window for at least half the day today just watching the snow fall, but when I look at the windows of the apartment complex across the street from me, I realize that I'm the only person doing this. Everyone else's window is devoid of a nose squashed against the glass and mouth breathing a big circle of condensation on it. Ah, oh well.

Anyways, I won't bore you anymore with my weather naïvete. (Oh but it's so pretty!) So what would make a snowy evening at home even better? Filling the dorm with the smell of freshly baked gingerbread cookies! Exactly. So I busted out my new cookie cutters--which are the most random, amazing amalgamation of shapes: a banana, a tooth, a carrot, a toothbrush, and a lobster.

I got to work, made the dough, chilled it for a while, and then baked batches and batches of cookies. The first batch I tried out each of the cookie cutters, but soon found out that their sizes varied so much that the baking time would never be right for all of them. Since the carrot is ridiculously gigantic, I only made one of those. See, I'm taking these cookies to class tomorrow, since it's our last class of the semester, and our final critique in sculpture (and yes, I realize that I'm turning into Maggie Gyllenhaal's character in Stranger Than Fiction, I know...).

I made mostly teeth and lobsters because they were a good size and that way I would have plenty for everyone in class. I think they came out pretty tasty, and if you would like the recipe, you can find it over at No Special Effects. They didn't come out quite as chewy as the recipe said, but maybe it's because I rolled the dough out too thin. But then again, this did yield more cookies, so I guess it works out. They still are quite tasty and adorable, I think.

Sigh. I love nights like these, when I can integrate my hobbies with the forecast...

Until I reach the land of sand and ill earthquakes, adieu!

MWMH :: Frozen Toes and Nose, You Knows?

So it turns out that New York City gets cold in the winter. Colder than, say, Los Angeles.

Yes, it's true! As of today, I think we have entered winter. I now don my new long down parka, which makes me look like an commercialized, capitalist Eskimo, nearly every day in order to fight off the lower-than-40-degrees weather. Now, I am sure that some more seasoned New Yorkers will laugh at me for quivering at the thought of temperatures that aren't even below freezing, but let's just say I know I'm naive, and I realize that it's only just begun, but I plan on complaining and whining all the way through April.

One nice aspect however is that when I look out of my window from my bed, I see the orange and yellow leaves on the tree right outside, and as a form of procrastination, I can watch them float to the pavement below. I can't wait until it snows (this Friday they say!) and I can look out and see a tree naked of it's leaves but outlined in a fine powder of snow! Okay, so I know that also sounds ridiculously idealistic, and that in actuality the city rarely gets these perfect Aspen-like snow storms, but I can hope, right?

Until then, I shall continue my work on a watercolor I am painting for my drawing class. I just have to work on making it less corny. It's seeming a little tacky right now...pictures to come!

Stay warm!

(P.S. I have begun reading Jane Eyre, Anne, and I love it!)

MWMH :: Stuffed Acorn Squash!

Did you know: I love autumn foods? If you read this "blog" at all, the answer should be yes. Also, I love it when I go to the super market and end up having leftover money from last week's allowance and then I can buy things I don't need. Such as Peppermint Hot Cocoa Mix!

Anyways, TANGENT! Here's the deal. This stuffed squash was really delish and very easy and you should make it tonight! I got the recipe from Elana's Pantry via TasteSpotting. I hope she won't mind if I post the recipe here for all my lovely friends and comrades to try.

Acorn Squash with Cranberry Apple Stuffing

You need:
~2 acorn squash
~boiling water
~2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
~1/2 cup dried cranberries (I used golden raisins...)
~1 teaspoon cinnamon
~2 tablespoons butter (She says grapeseed oil, but she cooks gluten free, dairy free, etc.)

1. Cut squash in half and with a spoon, remove pulp and seeds
2. In a large pyrex baking dish place squash cut-side down
3. Pour ¼-inch boiling water into pyrex dish (or use 1/4 inch room temperature apple juice for extra sweetness)
4. Place dish in oven and bake squash for 30 minutes at 350°
5. In a large bowl, combine apples, cranberries and cinnamon and grapeseed oil to make stuffing
6. Remove squash from the oven after the 30 minutes
7. Turn halves over and stuff center of each squash half with apple mixture
8. Return to oven and bake for 30-35 minutes (or longer) until squash and apples are tender

Serves 4 lucky ladies or gents

Now do it! Make it! Have a lovely mid-week feast. Until next time...

MWMH :: Hallowe'en in 2 days!

Hey Team! How's it goin'? Good, I should hope, because in two days time it will be Hallowe'en. And then it will be November and doesn't that just blow your mind? Yep.

Anyways, here are some pictures from the Union Square Farmer's Market that I contacted ages ago. I finally got around to scanning them, so yeah, check that out.

In other news, I updated my etsy shop! Crazy!! I just put up a couple of photos for sale (literally two), but there will be more to come. Be sure to check it out and tell your friends, because I sorta let the shop die. In December, the studio art department here at school has something called ArtMart where we can sell our work, so hopefully I'll do that.

Anyways, tonight I'm making pesto and stuffed acorn squash with a friend, so that should be fun. Yummmm I love stuffed squash! And Jurassic 5, which I am listening to right now. Gettin' all funky over here, watch out.

Next post: Photos of my completed slipcase/soft sculpture project! Photos from the Hallowe'en Parade in the Village! (If you are going to that, please check this out!!!) And much, much more. Check back soon, lovely(-ies).

MWMH :: Cop out!

Hello! So, I wish I could make this Mid Week Magic Hour a little more magical, but I'm pressed for time, you see. I have a drawing due tomorrow...boo. I have to pick an artist and copy a drawing, which is very boring, but I like rendering things, so it should be fun. Here is the painting I intend to copy in drawing form:Yeah, yeah, maybe too ambitious, whatever. I feel like whatever I pick will be doing that artist's work a complete injustice because a) they are much more talented than I, and b) I am going to spend about 1/1000th of the amount of time on it as they did. Regardless, it's work, and I actually look forward to copying something in a style that's completely different than that of my own.

Oh, and if I get a bad crit:


I will cry. Actually, not at all. Plus, it is impossible to get a bad critique in that class because my teacher LIKES EVERYTHING. I hate critiques. I wish people would give me some GOOD constructive CRITICISM. Whatever. I need a Halloween costume. Maybe I can go back in time and still the one that I was wearing in the picture above.

Ciao! I will post again before Sunday I believe....

Mid-Week Magic Hour Gets Organized!

Salut! I found something pretty neat on the interweb the other day. So, in the name of Mid-Week Magic Hour, let me share it with you:

It's a vintage office organizer! Little places for everything! Amazing! It's from mushroom & moss and super cool. There's even a compartment for "whatnot"!

So, dans ma vie (a last grasp at retaining my four years of French education?), my dad visited me here in the city for the past two days. He was on his way back from a conference in Brussels so he made a pitstop to spend some time with me! Aww! We went out to dinner and lunch and breakfast and dessert and food food food! I love eating good food...I miss it. Living on a budget here means that super tasty food, and going out to eat altogether, is the first thing to get cut. So when visitors come, I milk it for all it's worth. Oh, and Chocolate by the Bald Man....OH MY GOD! Just kill me now. Actually, my dad got me some fancy chocolate from Belgium, but I have yet to photograph it. Just wait until my next update; you will be drooling.

Until next time, mes amis.

(P.S. Am I the only person who thinks that Top Design is a really terrible show?)
(P.P.S. PROJECT RUNWAY IS OVER [don't worry, I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen the finale] AHHHH)

MWMH :: Cerise, baby

It's Wednesday! And that means it's time for some Mid-Week Magic, in the time span of one hour or less. So here's what's up: Red Shoes. I might have red (haha pun intended) this on some blog, or maybe I overheard it, but nevertheless, I have been enlightened: Red shoes go with nearly everything. Even if the rest of the outfit is of a color that usually doesn't look too hot with red, red shoes will probably still look quite foxy.

It's true! I need a pair, and I would like them to be suede, since I am currently in love with suede pumps.

What's up there::
Nº1 ~ Franco Sarto Amenity
Nº2 ~ Fitzwell Carlina
Nº3 ~ Nazer Heel by Toast [£165.00]

Oh yes, foxy indeed.

Anyways, I am fast approaching a 5 day weekend!!! Holy cow. I am excited!

Here's what it (my weekend) hopefully will involve: cupcake party, visiting a friend, renting the 4x5 large format camera with a friend, buying stuff for my upcoming sewing-related sculpture project, dinner with my dad, and homework. This last item is not so great. Oh well.

By the way, this is who I am going to be for Hallowe'en:

Jean Seberg in Breathless/A Bout de Souffle!
I'm cutting my hair short again!

A Successful MWMH!

Okay, I think this is the first legit Mid-Week Magic Hour! I beginning to think this is just an incredibly dorky idea, but I'm going to go through with it until someone tells me so to my face. (Please, I won't be offended.)

Anyways, I just need to express my love of autumn once again. Right now, the weather is just perfect, more or less, here in the city. It's breezy, 70 degrees, perfect. I can wear a coat or a scarf or a sweater or a t-shirt or a dress (although the latter might blow up due to the gusty winds) and I'll feel great. And in the evening it gets cool and perhaps, dare I say it, cold. So, what better way to celebrate devastatingly perfect evening weather than by curling up in the perfect P.J.s and tea and everything like that? I will choose a coziness over mayhem any day:

What's up there::
~Tregaron Blanket by Toast [£95.00]
~Wool Felt Slippers by Toast [£49.00]
~Dhuggie by Toast [£45.00]
~Cashmere Bedsocks by Toast [£39.00]
~Betty Teapot by Toast [£25.00]
~Lavender and Peppermint Body Lotion by C.O. Bigelow Chemists [$4.00]
~Marvis Classic Mint Toothpaste by C.O. Bigelow Chemists [$10.50]

Yeah, so you can definitely see that I'm on a little Toast kick, to say the least. Seriously, if I had lots of money, that would be one of the stores very high on my list to shop at. But in case you hadn't noticed, there is not a way in the world that I could afford that stuff. Because the prices are in British pounds mind you. Ugh, oh woe.

Yep, that's that! Go MWMH! I don't know if I will be able to post on Saturday exactly because I am going to my cousin's wedding, but I will probably be able to on the bus ride back, because the bus has WiFi and I have a surprisingly small amount of work to do. Oh, I am quite excited to go to this wedding because not only will I get to see a lot of extended family, but I will get to see my mom and dad and brothers too, whom I miss lots! I've only been away for a month, which at some points seems like not very long at all, but at other points seems like an age.

I hope that at the wedding I will get to take some really great pictures because I am renting out a large format 4x5 field camera! I am so excited, I can't even tell you, but I'm pretty sure that my first round will not turn out because the camera is quite cumbersome and difficult to use. And the film costs $2 per frame, so it's not like this is going to be a common thing. But I have high hopes and am feeling quite inspired. More to come, to be sure!!

Until next time...

Oops!

Uh...I don't know what happened, but it seems that I sort of missed Mid-Week Magic Hour!! Ahh!! I'm so terrible. I posted on Monday, and I was thinking, hey I'm so ahead of it that I don't have to worry about MWMH for a while, but how wrong I was. It's still kind of this middle of the week, right? Maybe?

OK, well I'll give it a go anyways. So I was browsing around the internet for neat finds, and I came across this fantastically multi-use super cool way of relaxing...TO THE EXTREME.

So get this: it's a candle, right, but you can use the warm wax for massage oil. Oh my god, is that neat or what?? It even has a low melting temperature (thanks to some physicist no doubt!) so you don't have to worry about scalding hot wax. It's sexy...possibly.

Yeah, I had to share that with you all. (All=?? how many of "you" are there? 2?) Anyways, I feel like sharing.

In other news, it is blustery and cold today, and it's supposed to start raining in the evening and not stop until Sunday! So I simply must go out and buy some wellies. Oh, and I ordered the umbrella that I've wanted for a while:

It's one of those darling clear bubble umbrellas! I am so very excited, but unfortunately it won't arrive until after this weekends approaching rainstorm. Oh well, I am sure this won't be the last that I will be seeing of Mr. Rain. Since I've arrived in NY it has already rained like 5 or 6 times, which is completely incredible to me, since it rains about that much for the entire year in California.

So, until a later date, I bid you adieu.

Wednesday...?

Okay, I think it's still Wednesday, so this still counts as me updating my blog on Sundays and Wednesdays. Yesss! Okay, so I think that Wednesdays should be special days here at my blog...days that revolve around me sharing cool things that I've found on the interweb during the past week. Yes, that sounds like a good idea. So, what shall these Wednesdays be called?

• Wednesday Wonders?
• Wonderful Wednesdays?
• Mid-week Magic?
  

I like Mid-week Magic. Or what about Mid-week Magic Hour? Yeah!

Okay, so here is our very first Mid-week Magic Hour, or MWMH for short. If you don't like this name, gimme a new one. I want your thoughts...

So, what shall I post about for this fine Mid-week Magic Hour? I know! A SUGAR SHAKER!

As of right now, my roommates and I are keeping our sugar in its normal paper bag inside of a ziploc bag. Not only is that super inconvenient, but its ugly too! No good! So maybe I will buy this darling little sugar shaker from Happy Day Vintage. I think that would be a good idea.

I other news, I tried to make cookies tonight, but I over did them and they became hard as bricks. Quelle tragédie! And now I'm sure that my friend thinks I am a terrible baker, because she has never tried anything else that I have made, except for some brownies. I need to redeem myself!! Fast! Perhaps I will make those Maple Walnut Cupcakes I mentioned in my last post. Or maybe some Apple Pie Cupcakes! Yeah! I just don't know...the oven that we have is microscopic and it is devilishly inconsistent, which was why I thought the cookies should be cooked for an extra 10 minutes, which caused the terrible burning disaster. Oh well, another time then...

So, I hope this is a start to something supremely fabulous, these Mid-week Magic Hours. Until we meet again, my friends (which will be on Saturday, FYI!)