NEW in SHOP!

Check out the latest goods in shop! Go on...you know you want to have a look. Here's a few new ones to pique your interest.

Of the Moment: Color

Since a majority of my free time is spent working on new necklace designs, color has become a predominant theme in my life as of late. I often feel as if I'm on an endless search to discover new-to-me color combinations. One advantage to this all consuming search, color seems to be the thing right now. Lucky for me, this means my search hasn't been too far or too wide because it's been popping up everywhere!

Here are a few colorful things that have been inspiring some of my latest necklaces:

Added bonus: this week's Creative Captures assignment is all about color and pattern! Stay tuned to see what kind of color story I end up capturing through my lens.

image credits: Georgia O’Keeffe’s collection of handmade pastels, Annie Leibovitz via Vogue; Open Window, 1914, Henri Matisse via SFMOMA; A Creative Mint via The Style Files; Cara Accessories, Striped Bangles via Madewell; Aix-en-Provence Market via BonParisian; Terra Necklace via Ship & Shape
               

NEW in SHOP!

I've been working hard this past week. Here's a peak at some of the fruits of my labor up in the shop now!

Inspiration: Come Alive

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive. Then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who come alive." - Howard Thurman

Much like the Dutch tulip fields that come alive with grand color in Spring, I too feel like I've come alive these past few months. I was telling N the other night that I haven't felt this *happy* in a very long time. Starting my little MGoO Shop has brought me much joy and the wonderful feeling of contentment. It has allowed me to be creatively driven and challenged on a daily basis, something my life was lacking for far too long. So for now, I'm going to revel in this feeling of coming alive because you just never know when it might end.

image credit: here via here
quote found here

Photography: Creative Captures Week 2

Week 2 of Souvenir Foto School was all about removing a distracting background, cropping in camera and directional light. I almost succeeded in getting all three done in this photo, but I needed to crop the image down a bit more in post editing than I had in camera. Oh well, there's always next time!

I also finally succeeded in capturing an image that captures my new found tea obsession. Little Dickens, I can't get enough of this stuff - it's just so very good!

NEW in SHOP!

New necklaces in the MGoO Shop! And lots of work this weekend means more necklaces with new designs coming soon. Until then, check out these latest pieces in the Shop.

Photography: Mount Bonnell Golden Hour

As promised, here are a few more photos from the Golden Hour at Mount Bonnell.

Announcing: Shop MGoO

After several month's of hard work and many years spent dreaming of this day, I'm happy to finally announce the opening of the My Grammar of Ornament Shop, handmade necklaces lovingly made one at a time by me! I've been painting beads, experimenting with all sorts materials and trying out different designs since the beginning of January and I finally got the operation off and running this past weekend. I went to sleep smiling Sunday night, the soft weight of accomplishment shutting my eyes and drifting me off to dreamland. Here's a peak at some of my favorite pieces:

I'm continually making new necklaces with different designs and colors, so be sure to visit often. Links to the store can always be found on the link bar above and in the sidebar. And if you like what you see, I'd be ever so grateful if you'd pass the link along to your friends and family. I'm thrilled to start this new chapter of My Grammar of Ornament and to share it with all of you!

Photography: Creative Captures Week 1

I signed up for my second session of Souvenir Foto School. Fortunately, this month's class, entitled Creative Captures, is one to two photos a week with more specific assignments - much less intense than the photo a day alphabet challenge. I submitted this photo for my first week's assignment: rule of thirds, focus points and the Golden Hour. N and I headed to our favorite sunset spot, Mt Bonnell, to capture some images in the Golden Hour (the hour before and after sunrise and sunset).

Of course I snapped a ton of photos (I'll be sharing more later this week) so it was hard to pick just one to submit. This second photo was the runner up, but I eventually went with the first photo because my focal point was more defined with the flower. I love them both, but then I guess I'm a bit biased :)

Classic Films: Gypsy

It's been such a long time since I did a Classic Films post, so after watching Gypsy last week, I decided it was time to finally do one. With Natalie Wood and Rosalind Russell, how could I not??! The costumes in this film were fabulous; especially once Lousie Hovick (Natalie Wood) finally takes on her persona of Gypsy Rose Lee.

However, Rose Hovick's (Rosalind Russell) style is not be overlooked. As a pushy showbiz mom, she knew she needed to dress the part and some of her outfits were total showstoppers. I also loved the tomboy style of Natalie's character as a young girl - so spot on, even today.

Here's a few things inspired by this movie that I'm wanting for Spring:

1.Blooming Whin Shift 2.Band Stand Chic Coat 3.Daffodil Voltaic Loafers 4.Cold Wave Scarf Necklace 5.Jet Set Slippers 6.Holding Horses Boyfriend Roll-Ups 7.Cropped Lace Blouse 8.Vintage Pajama Set 9.Page Girl Cap 10.Cow Bell

Happiness Is...

...a little dog soaking up the sun.

Spring...Just Can't Get Enough

There's a central road that runs up the middle of our neighborhood and its divided by north and south with a median. Come Spring, this median is a vast meadow of green spotted with bright pops of color from all the wildflowers. Lily and I couldn't resist taking a little stroll down it to photograph all the beautiful Spring flowers.

There were these cute little yellow butterflies floating around everywhere. I did my best to try to capture one and this last picture was the best I could do - kind of like a Where's Waldo picture, Where's the Yellow Butterfly?