Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Favorite Shot of 2012/ January Photo Challenge

     For Rock The Shot's January photo challenge, I chose this photo as my favorite that I took while I was away in Italy this summer. When I was a little girl I would climb up the stairs of my grandparents' home and would try to sit up on the roof, but since the wall was a bit too high I would just sit on the balcony and watch the sunset from there instead.
     When I went back this summer, I decided to finally climb up on the roof and take the photograph I saw in my mind. And so I waited for the right time and sunset, climbed up and walked (slowly) back and forth on the terracotta tiles, rushing to get in and shoot as many photos as I could with my self-timer. This photograph now holds a memory of one of my favorite places at my grandparents' home in Italy, and sweeps me right back on that rooftop every time I take a look at it. Enjoy!


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Saturday, January 19, 2013

A Taste to See

     The manner in which food is presented to us can truly change the way we think of it, without having ever even tried it. For that matter, the way anything is presented to us can change how we feel about it. Here the quote "Don't judge a book by its cover" is truly put to the test. We might not give it much thought, but almost everything today is presented to us with some sort of message. The lighting, composition, background, and colors are all key factors of how an image comes together. 
     It's incredible how certain things in an image can appeal to one person, but not so much to another. Whenever I go to a restaurant I'm immediately drawn to the dessert menu that's placed on a little plastic crate on the table. To tell you the truth I don't even look at the description sometimes---I make my decision solely on the beautiful photograph that is presented to me. If it looks good to my eyes, then it must certainly taste good! Of course this isn't always the case, but just like with food many of us make selections on clothing, fashion, décor, and toys, based on simply one thing----a beautifully presented photograph. Here are some photos of a few things I put together this weekend...Enjoy and Happy Saturday!! =)

Breakfast toast anyone?
Homemade Chocolate Lava cake...okay now who would say no to this?!? ;)
Plain but oh so pretty eggs.

Friday, January 11, 2013

Lucky 5/ Love Does

      My love for magazines began at a young age. 12 and ambitious, I would lock myself in my grandparent's bedroom with phone in hand, eager to dial the 10 digit number displayed on my purple sparkly notebook---adorned with Lisa Frank stickers. I would wait a few seconds until I heard a representative on the other line, 'American Girl Magazine, how can I help you today?'. In my best big girl voice I'd bravely answer, 'Yes hello, I would like to subscribe to the American Girl magazine please." Silence. 'Oh ok, Miss are you over 18 years old?' Darn it. I'd hang up politely only to return the next day with my mother by my side to give consent. No matter, in the meantime I would simply call Limited Too next for their Catazine, which was totally free so it was no prob. 
      Looking back I laugh at the extent I would go to get something I really loved, considering I was a pretty shy person. My mom didn't speak English too well and so anytime I really wanted something even as silly as a magazine, I would go and call or look online myself. My mom totally trusted me with her credit card, but no worries I never did anything without telling her (unless it was like ordering flowers for her birthday, which I totally paid her back for.) =)
      I loved the way everything was presented in magazines. I loved the fonts, colors, writing, fashion, and photographs. Everything was so crisp and clean, and super pretty. I would be so inspired by the pages that I began making my own "magazine" filled with printouts and silly writings printed from my first Print Shop software. I'd set up photo shoots with, hold your laughter here---fans that would blow through our hair. Yes, fans. And then would come the disappointment at how the photos never seemed to look as great as they did in the magazines. Sigh. But even so I would doll up my sister and cousins, add a blanket for a background annnnnd volia!! Insta-photoshoot! ;)
      On another note, I recently finished reading a wonderful book. Love Does by Bob Goff was so incredibly inspiring that I purposely would not read it all at once because I didn't want it to end. Unfortunately that didn't last too long because I simply couldn't put it down. I won't tell you too much since it would spoil it, but I will say that it gave a beautiful perspective on life. I loved it so much that I contacted the author and wanted to tell him myself. Crazy right? To my surprise I received a call back, and was able to do so! It was really cool to actually speak to Bob Goff, and be able to put a voice behind his words. Here are a few photos I took this week...Enjoy and Happy Friday! =) 

Stack of new magazines= Pure Bliss 
Pretty ankle strap heels I wore to ring in the New Year
Festive Nails
A wonderfully inspiring novel by Bob Goff

Monday, January 7, 2013

Happy Findings: Daydreams

     I tend to daydream a lot. I can spend an entire day just looking through beautiful images and dreaming, brewing up a storm of ideas and inspiration of what to do next. I believe a single photo has the power to inspire, motivate someone to do something they have always wanted to do. Perhaps that's why I love photography so much. The beautiful thing about photography is that anything is possible, really anything you see in your mind can be created. Being able to see something in your mind, and then taking those few things you have to make it come together in a photograph, to me is one of the most wonderful feelings. I love that certain images can convey an emotion without the single use of any words. Here are a few beautiful photos I have found through Pinterest and We Heart It. Enjoy and Happy Monday!

Beautiful Lights in Santorini, Greece. 
Still one of my favorite Disney actresses: Hilary Duff. 
The legendary and stunning Marilyn Monroe. 
Because of the movie Tangled, I must now do this one day. 
What is not to love about macaroons? They are yummy and pretty!