The Sahara.

Some entries don't need words.

-Angela

Mellah.

Happy Friday everyone! Wanted to share a couple more pictures from my trip last June.

This was from Mellah (ancient jewish quarter) in Marrakech. It was established in the 16th century and is now populated mainly by Muslims. The narrow streets call back to a time before roads were built for cars. It was one of my favorite areas of the city, other than avoiding the scooters whizzing by.

Is it obvious I am longing for my vacation time yet?...

Ok ok enough longing, my plans for the weekend are:

-Finish up a photo project I have been working on for a long while.

-See David Sedaris at Borders!

-Celebrate the birthdays of my friends.

-Attend a wedding

-Celebrate more birthdays

-Other things I am probably forgetting at the moment, my brain is a little spent today

How about you guys?

-Angela

Uh oh...

So I think I am starting to miss Morocco lately. It started becoming obvious to me when I saw it start to creep it's way into my inspiration folder. First in subtle ways and then later in more blatantly obvious photos being dragged into my folder I keep full of endless beautiful interiors. I have noticed they are starting to drift away from being purely American Mid-Century Modern to having bits of ethnic patterns and ornate lines finding their way in.

I guess it's true that travel does change us a bit and broadens our views of what we find beautiful or inspiring wether we like it or not. You can try to come back the same person and hold on to your old ideas with all your might but it you will find its a pointless effort. You are indeed changed. I think this goes for many life experiences but especially for seeing a part of the world that is so different from your own.

Or maybe this is all just a sign from the universe that I need a vacation...

Is it thanksgiving yet?

-Angela

Moroccan Inspiration.

I haven't posted anything about my trip to Morocco yet. But since the other day I posted some of my design work, I thought this would be all too appropriate.

This picture was snapped toward the end of my trip, we had just finished up a long trip to Erfoud, which is a several hour drive. I snapped hundreds of pictures but I kept being taken back by the creativity and art that was in the form of murals on school walls along the way.

When I saw the murals on this particular school, I made my boyfriend pull over so I could take a picture. I stealthily snapped some pictures and started walking back to the car when a small man walked over and started speaking Arabic to me, when it was clear I was not an Arabic speaker, he tried some French. But being the paranoid person I am, I tried to just hurry back to the car and ignored the man. I was in a hurry after all.

When I got back to the car he knocked on the car window and started speaking Moroccan Arabic to my boyfriend. I soon learned that he was the artist of the murals! All he wanted to do was sell me a drawing. Silly girl.

10 Dirhams (1 dollar) bought me this beautiful drawing. He said it was of a "shy woman" and an "emancipated woman" sharing peace together. I was so inspired by his persistence and the beauty of his work that I promised myself I was going to carry his message over to the states.

So when Islam Day came around at the University and I found out the panel was about women in Islam I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to reinterpret his message in the United States. The word in arabic there is "salam" which means peace.

It isn't hard to figure out why so many European artists spent years in Morocco to find inspiration. I wasn't even looking for it and it persistently managed to find me.

-Angela

Goodbye Oklahoma Summer...

I know summer has officially been gone for a few weeks now.

But I think today it finally really hit me.

When I woke this morning for work,

the sunlight that normally wakes me was just a little dimmer.

The sky is now overcast, and as I type I am glancing out my window to water droplets falling from gray clouds.

Looks like Ill be running in the gym today and not outside...

These photos are a couple weeks old, from the last actual weekend of summer. I was thinking I might go the whole summer without going to the lake, but at the last minute was invited to Lake Eufaula for a lovely weekend. We spent the whole day Saturday on the lake laughing and soaking up as many rays as we could, but were reminded of reality when Sunday morning we were greeted with jacket weather. We truly had enjoyed the last day of summer in the best way possible.

Well, I've never been good with goodbyes

so I just needed to say it one more time.

-Angela

Desktop Cleanup - Marrakech Inspiration

Lately I have been searching for images to see what I can expect photography wise in Morocco. These were a few of my favorites. Let's hope I can capture a few images a fraction as beautiful as these.

Expect more desktop cleanups in the future. :)

-Angela

What I found in my mailbox.

(Morocco is next.)

-Angela

Christin + Philip.

Yay! all done with the wedding photos!

The Ceremony was in Newport, Rhode Island at a little Methodist Church (one of the oldest in the country), from there we took the trolley back to the house in Middletown going down Ocean Drive. The party was catered at their house. :)

Since there are now 290 wedding photos on my Flickr account, (to go to my flickr set, click here.) From here Ill just let some snippets from the photos tell the story. 

Before the ceremony. 

The Church.

My Aunt Annie, Leon, And cousin Kyle.

The bride, Christin, and my Uncle Merle. 

The Ceremony

The new couple.

Fam and friends.

oh and kids too. I discovered this in the corner of one of my photos. lol.

The trolley/Champagne fest. :)

and then a stop on ocean drive for photos.

Leon, her son is inseparable with that puppy. It is like his security dog. :)

Then back on the trolley.

Then the Par Tay.

Soooo many photos of the party. Click to see more. 

Annnddd thennn It was bedtime. 

-Angela