HOW I KNOW I'M HOME

Exhibit A: Snowy Mt. Rainier out the window of a jet plane. At one point I could see Rainier, St. Helens, Adams and even a tiny speck I'm sure was Mt. Hood off in the distance, all at once. Sound the trumpets in my heart!

Exhibit B: The first little bouquet from my parent's garden up in my attic room: Buff Beauty, honeysuckle, lavender, oregano flowers. Grandma's silver teapot. Many more to follow.

READY TO GO

In just a few short hours, I'll be boarding a big hunk of steel and going up into the air and, eventually, winding up on the other side of the country. Here is my travel outfit, carefully selected this afternoon. The only bummer about wearing sandals to the airport is having to walk barefoot through the security gate (gross I know, but I buy and wear second hand shoes on a regular basis so really, how much worse could it be??) but, even at 2:03am, it is is still TOO HOT to wear anything else. Although it will probably be raining when we touch down in the PNW and I'll have to change into boots. With pleasure.

Thankfully I am NOT bringing my computer, but I will be keeping in touch and probably even posting now and then. See you all on the flip side (of the continent!) Stay cool!
♥
s

UPSTATE + OF A KIND

One of the (many) things I'm most looking forward to this time back home is getting down to some serious arts & crafts with my best friend (or as Alan Shemper used to call it, arts and farts and crafts!) I started doing a bit of experimenting with very basic shibori techniques last summer, and I'm definitely looking forward to learning more this year. So I was excited when Kalen, one of the designers behind Upstate, got in touch to let me know about this little collaboration with Of A Kind. The beautifully dyed crop top, pictured above, is limited to a run of only 30 pieces will be available starting tomorrow morning.

Read more about Upstate here and watch a great little video right here.

NORGE

It's been hard for me over the last 48 hours to process what's happened in Norway. On the one hand, I have to admit to being frustrated by the lack of acknowledgment of the tragedy in the non-Scandinavian blogosphere--BUT that said, I also understand that not everyone feels like a blog is the ideal platform for expressing these kinds of sentiments. I guess I just feel weird not talking about it here when it's affected every other part of my life.

I've never been to Norway, but I have strong Swedish and Norwegian ties on my father's side (the marriage of a Thorson and an Almqvist.) I'm also supposed to be in Oslo for a day during the upcoming Øya festival. I'm still incredibly excited to finally be visiting one of the places I've wanted to travel to for as long as I can remember, but now my mind is also heavy thinking of the shock and sadness that this country, this city, and these people have undergone. My ♥ for all of you.

(photo found via Vanilla Scented)

DIP ME IN THE WATER

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I never understood how anyone could profess to "hate summer" until I moved to New York. Brooklyn is baking. There's no other word for it. I'm lucky in that I've been primarily in either an air conditioned office building or a cool, cave-like basement apartment for the last few days, but the train trips in between, walking the dog I'm looking after, going to the corner to restock on watermelon and down the street for groceries? Hellish. Hell-esque.

All I can think about right now is water. Cool, crisp, sparkling water from the sea. Looking at the top photo, I can actually feel the shock of dipping my feet in that icy northwest current, the numbness as it slowly sets in, and finally my toes like little ice cubes when I pull them back out and rest them on the hot rock beneath me. I crave it, I need it. I've dreamed about it for the last week, at night and in the day. GET ME OUTTA HERE.

(All photos taken by me on a Canon AE-1 Program)

FADE TO PINK

How long has it been now since we first set eyes on Dree here and her cotton-candy ombré mane? I left New York for the West Coast last summer determined to return with pink tips. Bought the Manic Panic and everything. But somewhere along the way I lazied out and slunk back east still not having lived my thirteen-year-old dream. A year later and first Kate Foley, now Lauren Conrad (ha!) are in on it again and I've got rainbows on the brain...

It's no coincidence that I've also had this ombré dyed sweater by Tara Lynn on my mind since she launched her beautiful new shop, Goodnight, Day. It's so chunky and tactile that I'm literally aching to touch it. Come to think of it--the last time I went home this past winter, I also vowed to learn how to knit beyond the confines of the ubiquitous, endless scarf. Ha!

In six days and counting I'll be home once more, and this time the tips are HAPPENING. If I end up feeling more like a six year old who got crazy with the Kool Aid than a rebel without a cause, I'll just lop 'em off and start fresh. I might have to wait until winter to figure out the whole knitting thing, but in the meantime, Tara-Lynn is providing me with wishlist-worthy inspiration.

(Photos of Dree Hemingway by Craig Arend for Altamira)

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

Photography: Charlie Rubin
Styling: Siri Thorson
Model: Lydia Carron (NEXT)

Long story short: a few weeks ago, my friend Charlie and I were asked to put together a photo shoot for an online magazine that, ahem, shall remain nameless. After an enthusiastic initial review, they proceeded to sit on our images for several weeks, only to drop us last minute due to unclear and, frankly, lame reasons. We were both looking forward to having our work "published", albeit in a looser sense of the term, but finally we decided: screw it. This blog is as good a place as any to publish them, and I think you guys will appreciate them more anyways, gall darn it.

I think I can speak for both Charlie and I when I say how proud we are of the way the story turned out. Lydia was an exceptionally adventurous and patient model, crashing around my corner of Brooklyn and braving allergy-inducing dandelions all for the sake of her art. A big thanks is also due to Hannah for letting me raid her hat stash. I'm really, truly happy with the work we all put in, and I hope you feel the same way!

If you're feelin' it like we're feelin' it, both Charlie and I would love to encourage you to reblog and spread 'em around--we only ask that you provide credit and link back to our sites and/or this post. ♥♥♥

THE BODY

The band is STILL on tour. Which is ridiculous, I know. I KNOW. But just when I was starting to forget what Alex's face looks like (there's some brownish bits...and a mouth, yeah I think there's a mouth...), the powers that be dropped this painfully adorable new video in my lap. Considering that they had all of one afternoon with the band to shoot this thing, I'm really impressed with how pro it came out. And also: the children. I'm generally not so jazzed when it comes to the small people, but man, if I could have beautiful children that only came out at magic hour and only moved in slow motion...The worst part? Little Alex was EVEN CUTER in real life. I'd show you a photo but you might just spew all over your monitor.

So anyways, I hope you guys are having a great weekend, and I hope you too get a chance to go out and run around and bash things with sticks. Why should all these professionally-good-looking kids have all the fun right? Just promise me you wont wear your glasses in the water--those things don't grow on trees mister!

THESE GUYS

I have no idea who they are (do you??), but I ♥ them very, very much. All photos by HB Nam for STREETFSN.

Edit: Aha! Mystery somewhat solved! According to a comment on this post by Nik of Onions and Garlic:

Regarding the duo... They're from London (I like to think they're my big brothers.) The shorter one is associated with saville row designer ozwald boateng his name is Sam Lambert. The taller is Shaka Maidoh and an IT guy, sometimes model and maybe biz partner with Sam Lambert.

See her post on the duo here, and another amazing photo of Sam here. (Thanks Andrea!)

GARNETT JEWELRY GIVEAWAY

It's been a while since I hosted a good ol' fashioned giveaway, so today I'm very excited to offer up the chance for one of you to win this beautiful necklace from Garnett Jewelry. Designer Aimee Munford's line of earrings, necklaces and bracelets is a gorgeously eclectic mix of vintage and new, charms and pendants, glass beads and semi-precious stones. And while every piece is handmade with care by Aimee herself in her Richmond, VA studio, she still manages to keep her price points gratifyingly reasonable, which I both appreciate and respect.

All you need do to win this double-pointed crystal necklace, strung on sterling silver chain, is "Like" Garnett Jewelry on Facebook, then leave a little comment here letting me know you've entered. This giveaway is open worldwide, and the winner will be notified on Monday, July 11th. Very best of luck to all!

EDIT: And the winner is...Kallie of Happy, Honey and Lark! Congrats Kallie, your necklace will be on its way in no time. And thank you SO MUCH to all who entered and checked out Aimee's gorgeous jewelry.

BOWS & BANDITS SUMMER LOOKBOOK

Back in May, I got to spend yet another beautiful day with my friend Eva from Bows & Bandits Vintage shooting another little look book for her site. Little did we know when we set out to the Brooklyn Botanic gardens that no less than 40,000 bluebells in full bloom were waiting for us. Bluebells almost as far as they eye could see! It was pretty incredible, and played right into my pastoral English countryside dreams. You can visit Bows & Bandits on facebook to see the rest of the photos, taken on a Fuji Instax camera (jealousss) by Mr. George Denison.

I really feel like I earned this weekend, and I plan on spending it lounging, reading, buying flowers and avoiding anything that even so much as resembles a garment bag. Hope you have a good great one!

All photos by George Denison for Bows& Bandits, feel free to repost as long as you provide proper credit :n )