Friday, January 7, 2011

Post-Holiday DIY project!

Magnetic Chalk Board Mirror

So there I was in front of my google search engine. Thinking to myself that I wanted to buy a magnetic chalkboard. When low and behold what comes up in the listing? The always inspiring Design*Sponge of course! Why would I buy one when I have a tutorial on how to make a unique one myself? pfft. What a no brainer.

You ever have one of those "why the heck didn't I think of that" moments? This was definitely one of them. This brilliant DIY project was sent in to Design*Sponge by a reader a little less than a year ago (don't you just love looking through the archives of your favorite blogs?). But the idea isn't old at all, and I plan to try my hand at it.

So here goes my first DIY project of the 2011! I already have a gorgeous vintage mirror that would be great for this but it is too pretty to paint. So now I have a great excuse to make a trip to the junk store.

Let's hope I don't kill myself trying to cut the sheet metal. Maybe I'll just pay someone handy to do that part for me.

You guys find/do any good DIY projects lately?

-Angela

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

New Years + Old Years

Where do I begin? So many things to say about ringing in this new year.
I don't think I've ever been this excited. This is going to be a bit of a long post...
Happy New Year!
This year I got to spend yet another New Year's with one of my very best friends, Chenoa.
Our third New Year's together in fact.

3rd New Year's Togetha!
We have changed hairstyles, apartments, significant others, and Flaming Lips show seating arrangments...but our friendship still remains the same. She is one of those friends you can spend months away from but then when you see eachother again it's like no time has passed at all. I hope we get to ring in more years together.

Happy New Year!Oh hai!
This year we got all gussied up for our 3rd Lip's show in a row.
But this year was a special show.

WayneWaynes laser hands!Waynes laser hands!Beautiful.
This year the Lip's played "The Soft Bulletin" in it's entirety after midnight.
If you aren't familiar with that record, I recommend you go buy it now.

The record is one of the very few that will always touch me, there are songs about the fragile nature of life, overcoming adversity, dealing with losing someone you love, and maintaining your sanity through all the insanity that life has to throw at you.
And even with all those subjects, it makes you want to move on and conquer the world.

Happy New Year!
The show moved me to tears.

<3
And even in spending time with old friends,
I got to spend time with a special new friend as well.

You might notice that all these pictures were all taken with an Iphone. Let me first apologize for the quality, but I also want to say that because the record and the entire night was so special to me, I decided not to bring my camera.

Some might think that decision was absolute madness considering how many photo-ops would be available at such a show. But I really just wanted to lay back and enjoy the show through my very own eyes and senses and not through those of my camera lens. I also got floor tickets and decided not to chase down VIP passes through friends or friends-of-friends or my old bosses at my internship. I just wanted to be a fan in the audience with nothing between me but people I love and gorgeous life changing music.

With all this being said. It is time for the good stuff... resolutions. And since I have this oldyear/newyear theme going here I might as well revisit some old resolutions. I was shocked at how uncanny some of them had become fulfilled... without being realized.

My resolutions from last year included:
Invest in more camera equipment. Check. Bought 2 lenses and a flash.
Journal everyday. Made some improvement but trying again.
Blog more often. ;) The quality of my posts have gone up.
Take pictures everyday. Trying this again one but once a week. Everyday is a lot of editing!
Get faster at editing photos. Check!
Don't settle for less than I deserve. In all matters of life. Oh man did I fulfill this one.
Explore doing freelance photography and design work more often. Check! Did my first weddings and other freelance.
Travel somewhere entirely new. DING DING DING! When I wrote this I think I had somewhere like San Francisco in mind. If only I knew what was in store...

My resolutions for 2011:
Write/Journal at least once a week.
Blog more often.
Get better/faster at web design.
Do more freelance work.
Cook more and shop locally more often. (maybe join a co op)
Run/do Yoga more often.
Save up for a new camera.
TRAVEL!
Spend more time with my grandfather.
Take pictures at least once a week.
Meditate meditate meditate.
Be in the present moment.

Last year was my first year to make any resolutions. And it worked out beautifully. I dont feel that resolutions are meant to be broken anymore. Or meant to be harshly followed. But can serve as a loose guideline for goals you want to at least come close to touching. Wish me luck!

A very Happy 2011 to all of you!

-Angela

What is the light?

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Season Spirit.

Has it really been over two weeks since I updated? This month has really flown by.
Well since this is the day before my 12 day weekend, I wanted to share some holiday festivities and some recent picture snapping.

Vintage Ornament BoxChristmas 2010Christmas 2010Baked apples.Christmas 2010Christmas 2010
Christmas 2010Christmas 2010

After receiving my Grandmother's ornament collection from my Grandfather last year, I was all too eager to break out my tree and decorations again this year. So I dug out the charming boxes from the back of my closet, put on the cheesy christmas music, warmed up eggnog and got to decorating. I even baked some apples for the occasion. Not to mention I got to put up a new special ornament from my favorite non-christmas-celebrating person. (his first experience ever making a Christmas ornament). <3

The further I get away from my many years I worked in retail through college, the more I am becoming ok with kind of loving this time of year. I still hate the consumer over-spending side of the holiday. But I can't help but secretly love the warm drinks, fuzzy socks, time with family, oh and the food...cant forget the food. And I suppose I don't really celebrate the holiday in a traditional way but more in a cultural way.

Last year Oklahoma City got hit by the worst ice/snow storm so I didn't get to spend any time with my family because the roads were so bad. After being trapped in my car for several hours, I ended up spending the holiday with friends and friend-of-friends and making the best of it with Wii and wine. It was actually a great time, but I have to say I really missed having that time to goof off with my nieces and nephews and watch holiday movies with them. It's just not the same exchanging gifts in the summer that you didn't have the opportunity to give them at Christmas.

Well here is to hoping for drivable weather and good times with family and friends. I hope you all have a lovely holiday.

-Angela

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Wednesday Inspiration.

Inspiration
Inspiration
Inspiration
Inspiration
Inspiration

Just some lovely images to help you through the post-vacation mid-week.

a. I love brights that are appropriately integrated into fall. The brown belt is perfect.
b. Im pretty sure those are men's dress shoes. I'll take every pair anyway. Thanks.
c. Never ending style inspiration.
d. Taken from the adorable gal at Kansas Couture. A fellow bargain hunting thrifter.
e. After this busy week. I just want to curl up in a cozy chair just like that one and read.

-Angela

Monday, November 29, 2010

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Turkey Dai!

Turkay Dai!

Hope you have a great holiday!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

The Sahara.

The Sahara
The SaharaThe SaharaThe Sahara.The Sahara.The Sahara.

Some entries don't need words.

-Angela

Monday, November 22, 2010

E+K

E+KE+KE+KE+KDSC_0185EE+KE+KE+KE+KE+K

Remember that wedding I said I was going to in the last post?
Well I never ended up posting these, but I took their engagement pictures last spring.

They were such a fun couple to shoot! They met at Oklahoma City University and their wedding was set at the OCU chapel. So naturally we had to get some fun pictures there with sidewalk chalk. After that we headed to the Paseo Arts district where we found that fantastic pink wall and played around with more sidewalk chalk. Last but not least they wanted to get the feel of Oklahoma City downtown, so instead of just walking around and taking pictures, they were good sports and let me take them atop a parking garage for some extremely romantic shots. She might have even overcome her fear of heights that day!... yeah maybe not. :)

Anyway they are a fun couple with a great sense of adventure so I am sure they have a fun-filled future ahead of them. Congrats guys!

-Angela
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