harsh truth of the camera

newlywed

2007-09-18T02:38:00.000-05:00

So much has happened in the last few months that i do not know where to begin! i need to do a serious update as well as a new layout since i feel like my life has changed and therefore my blog needs a change.

the biggest change of all is my new family. on 09.08.07 i married mr. joseph brook. i am now rachel sarah brook (offically!!) and will do a proper update about one of the most amazing days of my life. here is a picture from my wedding day that i absolutely love.

more to come soon. the fall will turn to winter and blogging and crafting will become second nature again.

i'm back :)
xoxo
-rachel.

euro trekking: an update

2007-06-03T08:46:00.001-05:00

i usually hate rainbows. i saw this one the other day and there was something about it that was real beautiful. joe and were walking though downtown halifax, getting drinks and saw this above the buildings. it was just too perfect. i took all these pictures with my moms little cybershot point and shoot and i couldnt be happier with the quality. okay so i know... rainbows are cheesy... but i liked this one. a lot.

in barcelona we stumbled upon this amazing yet horrifically expensive tattoo parlor. we each got bird tattoos on our wrists. mines the one with just the outline. i love it sooo much. ive wanted my wrist done for a long long time and this just was the perfect thing.

this is joe and i. we took this picture in a club in halifax. i really love it. he's my new boyfriend. yes thats right, boyfriend! he's english and he's amazing. hes moving to newburyport as soon as he can afford it. i couldn't be happier. now... who wants to help me plan a wedding? no... really!

yeah, another update

2007-05-21T01:56:00.000-05:00

things have been crazy. i have not had a chance to update or even blog!! so here in an update...

+ jw and i broke up for good. i moved out of tewksbury

+ i'm living in newburyport. at my parents! ahhhhhh. its actually not that bad...

+ i am happy for the first time in a lonnnnng time

+ on tuesday, i am leaving for europe for 16 days. cameras in hand... ready to rule the world.

+ i have a new new bff. his name is joseph. he lives in the u.k. and hes the best person i have met in a long time.

+ i'm getting my wrist tattooed while i'm europe. i've wanted to for a very long time. its finally happening! its the outline of a bird. its too cute for words.

+ when i get home, i get to set up my own studio in the room across from my bedroom. i will have all of my things organized and i have tons of space. its awesome!!!

+ i get to go to barcelona on thursday. i'm thrillllllllled!!! i love barcelona. duh.

i'm sure there is a ton more i could add. i just don't know where to begin!

i'll be back on june 7th. i'll have my computer and sidekick too.. just so i can do photo blogs as i travel around europe. i can't wait!!!!!

Spring has finally sprung!

2007-04-21T01:56:00.000-05:00

It is actually suppose to be 80 degrees on Monday. I am thrilled. The warm(er) weather is such a nice change. I found this picture in my iPhoto library. I took it back in the summer of 2005 while I was home visiting my parents house from Manhattan. It was the first picture I took with my Canon 10D. There isn't anything incredibly amazing about this picture but it makes me think of the days yet to come. Running around the yard with the dogs and sitting on the patio and drinking wine. My parent's backyard is a true oasis and I just can't wait for it to be warm enough for me to enjoy it. Azim and Mateo love to use the circle in the sunken part of the garden as a race track and chasing each other til they drop from exhaustion. But soon enough it will be warm enough for those days and I can go visit the koi fish and feed them food. I love summer.

obsession: customized google

2007-04-21T01:30:00.000-05:00

It isn't often that something on the web excites me but recently google introduced a theme for the top of your google homepage. I chose one that has a little fox on it. He apparently lives in Japan somewhere and the screen changes as the time of day changes according to where you live by simply putting in your zip code. The little fox is so cute. He even goes to sleep in a sleeping bag on the dock. And maybe the customizable google homepage isn't new but I recently just started using it. If you haven't already, you should too. It allows you to add searchable fields for site that you use often including youtube, wikipedia, mapquest and information like your gmail inbox, bbcnews, and your weather forecast.

I also recently updated my firefox browser and the thing has spell check now!! I cannot spell to save my life so having this little option when I post on newsgroups or send someone a myspace message is invaluable. I used to hate firefox but now I use it all the time instead of safari. Now I know none of this is news but I love that fox so much! He even looks like Azim a tiny bit.

finally!

2007-04-06T00:54:00.001-05:00

IMG_7586.jpg
Originally uploaded by rah rah!.

i updated my flickr account. its been months. take a look. its not all that exciting, but it's something. the snow is making my hands hurt worse than ever and for the first time, i really do feel like i have arthritis and not just back pain. ughhhhhhhh

about body image.

2007-04-04T16:38:00.000-05:00

For the first time since I believe 10th grade, I am under 130 lbs. I think for most people this issue would be inconsequential but it's a big deal to me. Why? well, if you don't know me or haven't seen me in a long time I will explain. I was what I would consider thin until the age of 19 when my obsession with terrible fatty foods caught up with me and I spent half of my twenties round and chubby. For the most part I wasn't completely bothered by my extra weight. I actually kind of enjoyed it. But with my back pain it really made sense to get rid of the extra weight that could possibly be making my back pain worse. This time last year I was at my heaviest, 164 lbs. Since August I have lost about 35lbs. I never imagined that just eating well would cause me to lose this much. I still eat everything that I loved before but just in smaller amounts. It's an odd thing to go from wearing an large/size 12 to a small/size 4-6. I do really feel good about myself again and it isnt just because of my weight loss. As a teenager, I never thought I was skinny enough. I was often told I was fat or that I needed to lose weight when I was tiny (see photo of me at age 15 with my bff at that time, ariana) For me this is a do over. I want to enjoy the work I have done and I want to love my body because it is mine. Even when I was this size before, I was so self conscience that I never enjoyed it. I was so concerned with being thinner that my size and my looks were never good enough. These days, I am just glad that I can leave the house in jeans and a t-shirt and feel totally comfortable. I no longer look in the mirror and see millions of flaws. I do not care if 10 lbs comes back on or if I never lose another pound. I am just happy to be me.

thank god its spring, right?

2007-04-04T16:09:00.000-05:00

Enough already!!! I am ready for spring. I can't deal with the damn snow any longer! My birthday is in two weeks and I would love to not wear a winter coat that day. It is weather like this that makes me wish I lived someplace where the weather wasn't so unpredictable that its 60 degrees one day and a major snow storm the next. California is looking better and better everyday...

new website! ooooooooooh!

2007-03-18T18:04:00.000-05:00

A new Macbook Pro, a new website! My friend teri told me that my lovely new machine had a program on it called iWeb and a few hours later, a new site! My other site (harsh-truth.com) was build all in dreamweaver and while i love that site so much, i lost all the files, don't have the password for my account on the server and i REALLY needed to update. This new site isn't at all about my personal work (just a heads up) but all about my business. Yes, I have a job! I needed a site just for my virtual tour business. It has become really lucrative but as always, I could use more clients. I mean, who couldn't. For now, the web address is rachelpersonphotography.com which, is a bit long and only redirects you to the .mac server its on. i am in love with the ease of iWeb, i would just like to have my own url at the top. its a start for now and the site name may change to rachelperson.com. who knows! So take a look and let me know what you think. really... any and all critiques welcome!

next on the list, business cards. thats right, i don't have any!!

Mexico: One Adventure at a Time

2007-03-05T23:03:00.000-05:00

So I have a slight obsession. His name is Rick Bayless. I have a series recording of his show "Mexico One Plate at a Time" and love his frozen pizzas which are inspired by the tastes and smells of Oaxaca. Why do I adore Rick so much? Well, WHERE DO I START? I think JW put it best when he said "Wow, he really is the only other person besides you that is that obsessed with Mexico" Hmm... Maybe so. I have contemplated going to Chicago to visit my best friend Kerry with the real plan of going to both of his restaurants. That website right there gave me some of the best suggestions on places to try in Oaxaca and even convinced me to suck it up and brave the consequences and try agua fresca. On my quest to find out all things about Rick and his culinary obsession with Mexico, I found out that he does culinary tours of Mexico. WHAT?! The man who lived in Oaxaca and inspired me to cook Mexican (everyday) is giving a culinary tour of Mexico in September. Wasn't I suppose to go to Oaxaca for Dia de Los Muertos in November for a reunion? OH YEAH.... Who says I can't do both? This year has been pretty lucrative so far. But lets just see what this magical trip in tales!!!

MEXICO: PUEBLA, TLAXCALA, AND MEXICO CITY

Experience the culinary and cultural riches of Central Mexico, from the magnificent colonial city of Puebla to the high energy � and art and culinary landscape � of Mexico City. The emphasis of this trip is on the foods of Mexico City, Tlaxcala, and the surrounding areas. It promises to be a unique and exciting opportunity to explore these culinary traditions �on location� in the culture and subcultures in which they evolved. The food found today in Mexico City still reflects its origins; enormous varieties of the centuries-old masa snacks can be found in the city�s markets and from street vendors. Then there are the traditional dishes, such as moles and pipianes, as well as the exciting dishes that are being created by chefs using traditional Mexican ingredients in new ways.

Discover these riches with chef, author, and PBS series host Rick Bayless, one of America's foremost practitioners of Mexican cooking. This program is limited to culinary professionals only.

WHAT?! Okay, I can make a mean guacamole and so pretty good Mexican got chocolate, but I'm a photographer, not a chef. But I emailed the woman who sets these things up and you know what, there might just be a spot for me on the trip after all. This may be my very first time traveling on my own UNLESS SOMEONE WANTS TO COME WITH ME!!!!

Check out the info here, and come with me!!!

...and we have winner

2007-02-23T22:58:00.000-05:00

After a few weeks of research and a ton of test drives, I've decided on a new car. A 2007 Mini Cooper!!! The '07 is completely redesigned (the first time since they came out). This car is so smart that I can't believe its actually a car!! My phone somehow (well, via bluetooth) is connected to my car which mutes my music and rings out of the speaker if someone is calling me with the phone number showing up on my screen and the accept call on my steering wheel. The car also tells me how many miles until I need to get gas, if I have a flat tire (wtf?!), when its time to bring my car in for service and it also has a place to my iPod in the glove box where its hidden away. All the controls from artists to playlists are controlled from the little computer or steering wheel. Who thinks of these things? I am so amazed that things like this exist and better yet, that I have the opportunity to take advantage of it. I am going to the dealership to sign my life away (along with my first born) and in a few days, I will have my adult go-kart. And to my baby Jetta, I will miss you so! We have been through so much together and you are like a disfunctional part of my family. Haha! I'll miss you little vdub.

If you are in the market for a new car seriously think about getting a Mini. They get 37mpg! For a non hybrid, thats pretty damn good. If you aren't just go to the website, no really, do it! Building your own Mini Cooper is like being a kid in a candy shop.

shes my ray of...

2007-02-17T16:22:00.000-05:00

So I am getting sick again and it sucks. I had a crappy cold two weeks ago and I visited my dad and it seems like he had the same thing I had and has somehow passed it back to me. Gee, thanks dad. Along with being sick, I am completely backed up in my work log and I have a million craft projects started and a bunch to start and complete but the office is a mess and its so time to get organized. I REALLY don't want to get sick sick again and I really want to get organized. But instead, I am going to attempt to watch Little Miss Sunshine without puking from its over-the-top indie quarkiness. Who knows, I might actually like it. I do like Steve Carell.

Bill, Please.

2007-02-08T23:06:00.000-05:00

Anna Nicole Smith died today. Of course its been all over the news. I'm sure you already know this. I watch the O'Reilly Factor from time to time to listen to the nonsense that this idiot spouts nightly. While I waited for J.W. to join me to watch The Daily Show, I put on the "factor" to see what ridiculousness was going to be featured on the show this evening. The topic of course was the death of Anna Nicole. Bill spent most of the time berating her lifestyle, celebrity status and stating over and over again about how little he cared about her or her life. Since I didn't have my reporter pad in front of me, I'll summarize. Apparently, Mr. O'Reilly felt as though she had no place being in the public eye. That her lifestyle and choice were amoral and her death was neither a surprise or something we as the public, should care little about. Then why is it, O'Reilly, that you felt the need to spend over 75% of your hour long talk show devoted to her life, death and drug use? And as his guest pointed out, Bill certainly knew a lot about someone he really had no interest in at all. I am not one for glossing over the truth or reality of a persons life after death. Many people tend to make the recently dead into something they were not, hoping their memory will be preserved in a better and cleaner fashion than the life they led. I do not, however, find it acceptable to totally bash someones life and choices on national television not even 24 hours after their passing. I am not a huge Anna Nicole Smith fan but her life seemed incredibly tragic and sad. I do not see her death as a surprise but the loss of a life so young with a brand new child is never an easy thing. I will also say I am NOT a fan of Bill O'Reilly's (if that wasn't already obvious from the above statements). I find him incredibly crass and tactless. Clearly he stood up to both of those lovely traits this evening. Congrats!

As for Anna, I think I'll go out and buy some fresh pickles and enjoy them in her memory ;)

whats (really) wrong with me.

2007-02-02T00:40:00.000-05:00

It's more than obvious that I haven't been blogging lately. I also haven't been crafting or going out or spending much time online. I think I've said before how I like to keep things light and fun on my blog instead of highly personal and journal-like. That just is not me. However, after 2 years of chronic pain, I have finally gotten a diagnosis that actually makes sense. It is no secret that I have S.A.D. and that winter makes me miserable and i find winter itself miserable. I am not one to be depressed tho. It's just a lack of sunshine that makes me so sad. A bit poetic don't you think? Nonetheless, I usually spend all winter crafting, knitting, and working on my photo portfolio and my yearly website update. This year is different though. The pain has become so overwhelming that regardless of how excited I am by my numerous projects, my poor back just won't allow me to do the things I would like to do. I have everything I need to complete this quilt (this one was made by someone I found on flickr) but my back will simply not allow me to sit in front of my sewing machine for that long. So, what the hell is actually wrong with me? It's odd, random, and makes a ton of sense. Most likely, you've never heard of it before.

To put it simply, I have arthritis. But you know, not your typical type. NOPE! I have one of the more rare forms. Psoratic Arthritis. Most people know what psoriasis is. Psoriasis is a skin condition that makes you look like a red scaly dinosaur. I however, have a mild mild form which is only on my elbow and is very receptive to topical treatment. Thank god, I am a little too vein to have something horrid like that be out of control. So for those of you that know me well, know there is nothing wrong with my hands or feet or knees. Then how is it that I have arthritis?! Well here's how. It's in my spine. Yeah... spine. Is it degenerative? It can be. They don't know about mine yet though. What does that mean for me long term? Well, my joints could fall to bits and I could end up getting unsuccessful back surgery. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. What the hell is this anyway? I'll tell you. I have Spondylitis, a form of PA that is the pretty rare and often times misdiagnosed as simply back pain since in order to be diagnosed with this type of PA, you do not have to have pain or swelling in the joints in your hands. Many lazy doctors who do not want to put any effort into trying to figure out a difficult diagnosis often chalk it up to fibromyalgia. It's a bucket diagnosis and requires few tests and hype new drugs that most likely paid for doctors trips to various golf courses. But hey, these drugs are safe right? But back to the point. What is spondylitis?

"Spondylitis is inflammation of the the spinal column. In about 5 percent of individuals with psoriatic arthritis, spondylitis is the predominant symptom. Inflammation with stiffness of the neck, lower back, sacroiliac or spinal vertebrae are common symptoms in a larger number of patients, making motion painful and difficult. Peripheral disease can be present in the hands, arms, hips, legs and feet."

Yup, its real. I plan on writing a letter to that primary care doctor of mine. The one I saw in Nov '05 that looked at me and told me that there was nothing wrong with me and that I was lying about my pain. He made me cry and also made me feel like maybe I was crazy and the pain wasn't real. Screaming at him made no difference. Please take a few seconds and read this article that Teri left for me on my del.icio.us. It is heart breaking (and not to mention long) But the end is terribly sad. Please be aware that those with chronic pain suffer more than you know.

I miss you all. I'm not hiding on purpose.

Here in my car.

2007-02-01T23:03:00.000-05:00

Okay, I have a lot to catch up on. One, I'm looking to buy a new car although my parents said it makes more sense to drive it into the ground first (how's that AWESOME yellow porche doing dad?) Okay... I'm a bit of a car freak. I am also a bit of a German car freak. I wonder where I got that from. In particular, I love Volkswagens, new and old. Oh yeah, and the occasional BMW. But let's face it. The little VW is the car of the people (no, literally). So let's just focus on that. Two cars. Two obsessions.

Volkswagen Karmann Ghia
"The Karmann Ghia was a two-seater sports car marketed by Volkswagen, designed by the Italian firm Ghia, and built by German coach builder Karmann. Over 445,000 Karmann Ghias were produced between 1955 and 1974" oh and pretty much British spy car and sex on wheels. I have been eBay searching and looking at various VW enthusiasts websites to find the perfect one. But let's be honest, does someone like me need this completely adorable but yet probably totally unsafe death machine? Okay so it is probably not a death machine but buying a vintage restored car isn't always smart economically. Maybe when I am in a position to have more than one car I'll buy a fully restored, low mileage, and automatic transmission gem of a car. Even though the mere thought of having two cars is kind of absurd.

Volkswagen 2007 GTI
Named Automobile Magazine's 2007 Car of The Year, the newly redesigned GTI is sexy, sleek and so fast you'll be surprised your not driving a $90,000 + super sports car. The GTI
has long been the #1 street racing car for those who love to do so. I, am not a street racer nor would I ever become one but I will say I do enjoy my German engineering and a car that hauls and hugs the road and takes those turns like its nothing. You can add an iPod adaptor to your package, touch screen navigation, steering wheel hand controls and not to mention the interior is a hott plaid fabric. Oh and the grill is a contrasting red color (I want the "Candy White" by the way). Did I mention that I did a test drive of this car in July? I still can't stop thinking about it. I don't think its normal to get so excited about something as simple as a car but hey, you haven't driven one have you?! Well go to your local Volkswagen dealership, pretend like you have the money to buy one and drive the shit out of it. No, really... do it. It's worth it.

In conclusion, I have no money, my car is falling apart and my love and obsession for the two above cars is making my head spin. Yeah.

woah

2007-01-10T18:36:00.000-05:00

I think this is the longest I have gone without blogging. The holidays were pretty much stress free. I have a million things to blog about and I will get to that ASAP. No, really.

upheavel.

2006-12-11T15:52:00.000-05:00

My office is a mess. Well, my office really isn't much of an office anymore. We are in the process of putting the bed back together and swapping the office for the guestroom. As soon as that's done... I PROMISE that I'm going to redo my website. Its been over a year since I did any work on it and this is just unacceptable. I just saw Ferris Caldwell's new website (thanks to Abby) and found it truly inspiring. In case you didn't know, the amazing Ferris went to AIB and graduated from the same program I did. Not that I got the same thing out of it, ha! I have so many negatives to scan and many new design projects to upload. Changing the name of my site my help people remember it too. But, since my computer was stolen and the entire website was on that computer, it is time time to start from scratch anyway... so no time like the present.

duh!

2006-12-02T00:10:00.000-05:00

I just had the biggest "duh" moment. After the mess below (my film was ruined - fuck you Hunts!) and the only reason I used it to begin with was because Campus "mediocre" Camera closed months ago and that was my place to get all film developed. Sure, there was dust on my film now and then but besides that it was good old reliable. Well that and I could literally run out the door from my school to their store during break and pick up my film just in time for the printing part of our class as if I had it all along. YOU KNOW YOU'VE ALL DONE IT AIB-ERS! So I googled them and yeah, there is a location right near South Station. So go to Colortek and support a great lab (even if the parking is a total hassle)

simple things.

2006-11-29T22:21:00.000-05:00

I've had two pretty shitty days in a row. Yesterday I learned that Hunt's ruined my film. Let's talk about this for a second. In all the years that i have been getting my film developed by other people NOT ONCE has this ever happened to me. The manager on the phone called me to tell me it was a new employees fault. Am I suppose to believe that? Am I a total moron? She said the young lady did not mark it as b&w and therefore it got processed as color. Now Hunt's is a serious place. About as serious as it gets (besides B&H and that other place in the south that I can never remember the name of). They have a professional photo lab there. When lets just say the idiot trainee mismarked the envelope you WOULD THINK the smart, photo savvy girl working the machine would realize it was black and white film BC it says BLACK AND WHITE on the side. But no... and now my film is blank. I am investigating tomorrow and throwing a fuss. I re shot today and it was actually a lot of fun. Things came up tho... and what turned out to be a simple agreement has turned into a walking on eggshells nightmare. fuck me. So as I prepared my bag last night for my shoot today, I came across the very few Polaroids I took while in Oaxaca the last time. This one was my favorite. The lady was so sweet. All she wanted was a photo of her daughter in exchange for a bracelet. She then let me take a picture for myself and she gave everyone in my family a handmade bracelet. To this day, I have two purple ones on. I love her. I miss her country. This photo made my night or what is salvagable of it.

target: i love you.

2006-11-26T17:13:00.000-05:00

Since I graduated from college, I haven't had insurance. I've always been a freelancer and of course, insurance does not come with the job. I also never had the money to provide my own. Because of this, I have paid thousands of dollars over the past two years for my prescription medication. Until now. I dropped off a prescription at target one day since I did not feel like driving o multiple locations in order to do all my errands. When I picked my my Rx and the pharmacist rang me up, my prescription was $25 less than I regularly paid. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! This week, my prescription went from $54 to $23 just because Target wanted to lower their prices. They have also instituted this unreal $4 Generic Prescription Drug program. This was started out by Walmart in Florida but my general disdain and boycotting of that company wouldn't drive me to buy prescription there even if they were giving them away. The woman at the pharmacy actually said to me she was happy that I discovered their pharmacy and was happy that they could make a difference in my life. Oh hell yes! All my photographer/artist friends with no insurance, hit up target. They want to make a difference no just make money. What a refreshing change.

PS: Their overhaul of the basic prescription bottle is so well designed. Each family member gets their own different colored ring around the bottle of their prescription so you can tell without reading the label who's Rx is who's! Also, the name of the drug and dose is written in huge letters on the top of the bottle so there is no confusing or eye straining to see which medication you need. Good design for all indeed!

crafting, baking and cameras.

2006-11-25T00:30:00.000-05:00

So I wrote this long post about various things but for some reason it was not saved (even tho I double checked) as a draft. Thanksgiving this year was actually pretty relaxed. For once, it was just me and my family. Usually, my family has many friends over and they often drink to much and dance around. It isn't too homey and definitely doesn't feel like the holidays. I asked if I could make something for dinner this year and my mom told me to bake something. I have a love hate relationship with baking. Mainly, I always forget to put things into the mixture or my measures are off by just a bit and the entire thing gets ruined. I cook much better than I bake. But I do make a mean cupcake from the very amazing Buttercup Bakeshop Cookbook. My mom has this amazing cookbook called The Nantucket Holiday Table which I have cooked from before and adore for its amazing New England flavors and local ingredients. The pumpkin lasagna is amazing which I often make with squash instead. This year I decided on a Cranberry Beach Plum Cheesecake. Beach Plum is a local beach fruit and the jelly they suggest using is difficult to find accept in some cute little speciality shops. We don't have those around here really so I went with the other suggestion, red currant. It was my first cheesecake ever (besides the pumpkin cheesecake I attempted to make for JW in fall 2003 without a spring form pan but failed miserably so let's just say that doesn't count) The end product was unreal. It was incredibly simple to make and just what I wanted it to be. JW told me that it was the best cheesecake he had every had before which is a huge honor being as it was my real first try and he is a huge critic (in only the best way of course) You can see a little picture of it on the top left corner of the book picture above but before I finish the last slice tonight, I will take a picture and post my creation online!

In other news (yes, actually crafting news) Denyse Schmidt has inspired me to attempt a quilt this winter. Her designs are so amazing and the idea that quilts can be modern like she makes them really impressed and inspired me. I have no idea how to quilt or even how it to actually go about doing it but I love the all American idea of quilting and making something so warm and cozy from scratch. If you don't want to make one by hand you can always buy one from her less expensive line from Pillows & Throws.

As an update to my post below, I am having a horrible time trying to get my 120 and 220 black and white film developed. I've always done my black and white by hand and when I couldn't I lived in New York City, so finding some place to process the film for me was never a problem. Campus camera, for all their downfalls was my old standby. Its been closed for months now since BU priced them out ot the area (along with burrito max and other long lost establishments). Even Hunt's Photo in Melrose which is a superstore of film, cameras and everything photography no longer develops their own black and white film. It is sent out and developed far away. What is the world coming too? So my final attempt in not having to wait a week plus for the film to come back was going to AIB to do it myself (with the Abby's help of course!) but realized holiday traffic would be horrific and that there were unfortunately, no development tanks for 220 film. So I am back to going to Hunt's to send my film god knows where to develop my film. Analog is really dying, isn't is? I never thought I would see the day. I really never did. But along with my research I found this. I guess development for people has become such a problem that these cute little prepaid evelopes get you shipping back and forth to the lab, processing, and contact sheets, all for about $17.

Another thing I have been thinking about a lot lately is lens quality. I know its a rather boring supject for most of you out there but after getting back to using my Mamiya 645 I missed a high quality lens like the one that is on my treasured Medium format camera. Zeiss has come out with a line of digital lenses called the ZF Lenses which are for Nikon's and not Canons. While the idea that high quality European lenses are starting to be made for digital SLR cameras, even if I had the money their are for Nikon mounts only. Unfortunate. Zeiss, help a girl out! Maybe that's why I am such a huge fan of the Sony Cybershot line of cameras. They are all equipped with Zeiss lenses and the new models have huge crystal clear screens in the back. I'm a big fan of the Cybershot DSC-T10 which is pictured above. It's 7.2 megapixels very slim and compact and oh yeah, COMES IN PINK! I'm not a huge pink fan but I like the idea that this great little camera isn't just a stock grey like all the others on the market. It also comes in black, white and of course silver. Abby has a similar model which has as of seen on her flickr account, takes some pretty amazing photos. I have an older and extremely bulky version of the cybershot which was a christmas gift in 2004 I believe. It is time for an upgrade however. Putting a Canon 10d in your bag to go out with friends makes little sense. It would be nice to have something super slick to play around with. Whynot right?

Photos of cheesecake and the portraits taken are coming soon. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Three little O'Connell's.

2006-11-12T22:52:00.001-05:00

I took this picture today during a portrait session with Tina & Tim O'Connell's amazing three girls today. These young ladies are simply adorable and so creative. I had so much fun doing some actually creative photography instead of what I do day to day. I used my Holga, the Mamiya 645AFD as well as my Canon 10d. I'm hoping that the holga images come out the best. It was really odd using an ultra expensive camera like the Mamiya again. I put on my macro lens to do close up portraits of the girls and the difference in the lens quality to that of my Quantary on my Canon is so unreal. Using my Mamiya and looking through that viewfinder make every single frame seem like a masterpiece. I cannot wait to develope the three rolls of black and white film I shot today. The wait will kill me! In the meantime, go to my flickr account and look at the shots I got of the girls with my Canon.

2006-11-09T03:49:00.000-05:00

I don't know how to put this. Words aren't my thing, photographs are. I attempt to explain my disdain here sometimes for the things I read or hear. It is rarely well written and I am sure does my argument a disservice but I suppose I will just gave to live with that. I read on a blog today that mentioned Oaxaca and my face nearly turned bright red from the ignorance it displayed. There are a few things some of you out there should know about Oaxaca (since you care ever so much). First of all, it has long been considered the culinary soul of Mexico. It is also one of the centers of not only folk art, but contemporary art in Mexico as well. The population is largely native and this beautiful state and its capital city has worked hard to preserve its roots and beauty. Recently however, there has been political turmoil and violence having to do with a teachers strike and the a call for the resignation of the Governor of the state, Ruiz. Everyone knows the Mexican government to be corrupt and there has been a long tradition of political activism in Oaxaca. The heart that the city and its people have is truly inspiring. Poverty is all over Mexico, most rural places of course have it the worst as is true in most of the world. But don't be fooled. Oaxaca doesn't need your money so that the poor little Indians can buy some beans and clean water. This just isn't the case. What needs to happen is an end to the violence and for the voice of the people of Oaxaca to be heard. What is going on there has drove me to tears and sadden a large number of my close friends as Oaxaca is like a second home to us all. I am glad people are taking an interest in Oaxaca and in the injustice that is being done. But this has been going on for months now. It just wasn't interesting to you until Noam Chomsky and Michael Moore got on board, right?

wanted: maid of all trades

2006-11-04T07:07:00.000-05:00

I am exhausted both mentally and physically. Mostly mentally. The house in shambles as the kitchen is half gutted, half the cabinets are put together and the other half of JW's home gym is set to arrive on Tuesday while the other half is in our living room. Once the kitchen is finish and installed (most of which will take place on Sunday) and the garage is cleaned out and the gym set up, I will feel maybe slightly more sane. I'm picking up my parents SUV tomorrow as my car is falling to bits and needs to go into the shop. It will be nice to roll around in something fancy for a little bit to maybe lift my spirits. Its a lame attempt, I know. Which brings me to my next and final point. If you would like to live in a rather large finished basement for free in exchange for cleaning and cooking... well, let me know (being rad, is a must). I don't think I can do it on my own anymore. You will have your own wood burning stove and adorable animals that most likely will be yr BFF forever. Wow, even that offer sounds lame. Can you tell I'm exhausted?

A goodbye party for Mike

2006-10-30T19:41:00.000-05:00

On Saturday night my friend Mike had a going away celebration at the Hotel Commonwealth's Eastern Standard Apparently, its a bit of an after work hang out for people working in the restaurants business. My friend Mike is leaving behind a lovely job at No. 9 Park, one of my favorite restaurants in Boston (Barbara, your a genius!). So I started of the night with a lovely glass of Cava which has become one of my favorite drinks as of late. I got a little curious when my glass just continued to be refilled without my knowing. I joked and said, I really hope he didn't think I ordered the entire bottle! As the night continued I learned that the sous chef was the boyfriend of the bartender at No. 9 Park and that we were most likely in for a night of treats. The kitchen sent us out what I'd like to think were little tapas (as they were little bites) of maple flavored bratwurst and chrizo in cider (btw, this is my favorite meat dish of all times so yes, I literally jumped up and down as the little pieces were passed out.) Then then came to our table with three huge plates of oysters on a half shell for our party. I was in shock! I have become obsessed with raw oysters lately and theirs happen to be amazing and super fresh. Along with our lovely little bites we got a number of lovely shots that were divine!! The night was one of the best nights out I have had in the longest time and I would like to thank the lovely staff of Eastern Standard for making Mike's going away party to the west coast an amazing one. I am going to miss Mike so much (my friend of 10 years!) but it will be one hell of a time when I go visit him in SF and drag him to Napa for tour of the vineyards and so much good food our bellies will burst.

kitchen remodel: before

2006-10-28T04:27:00.000-05:00

In a weeks time, we will have a brand new kitchen in our house. I could'nt be more thrilled. Here is what we have now and the very exciting, new plans! I will post the finished kitchen next Monday or Tuesday. Yayaya for new kitchens! I ordered them so you can see the exsisting space and then an image of what it will look like. Oh and that big white missing space is our lazy susan! haha I never thought I would be so excited to have a lazy fucking susan. Woooo!

i love fall!

2006-10-13T22:21:00.000-05:00

i went to cider hill and bought donuts, apples and cider today. im buying my kitchen cabinets on monday. i took a ton of pictures today that i need to add. did i mention i have lost a total of 15 lbs? i have not weighed less than 145lbs since 1999. my parents want to go somewhere warm right before christmas as a family gift. i have a goal. bikini by dec. its not that far off. about 10 lbs off. i havent worn a bikini since 8th grade. you should be excited. i am.

holla!

halloween for azim

2006-10-11T21:11:00.000-05:00

I brought Azim to the groomer today for his first haircut (with me, that is). He was starting to look like a long haired chiauaua and nothing like a pom which was hammered home when a small child on the street asked if he was in fact a chi. NO, HES A GODDAMNIT FANTASTIC PERSIAN DREAM. Okay, I didn't get that mad. I knew he looked crappy. So here is a little halloween type of picture i took of my little prince. I have a whole set that I will add to flickr once I get on my mac. I just had to share this like, now.

blogging, fall and my days as a candy striper.

2006-10-11T03:12:00.000-05:00

JW said something to me the other day about blogging. Something which I always thought was very true but always gave little thought to. I was never a fan of livejournal as I am not a journal keeper nor do I care to share my personal business with the entire world. I started this blog last November in order to share my photographs (mainly with friends) and if someone else saw them as well, that was fine with me. I was incredibly productive last winter. I printed half of a new portfolio, updated my website and kept myself pretty busy knitting and sewing and the like. The spring was a sad and frustrating time. I abandoned all my fun activities and moved to the suburbs. I no longer had cute photos to share or little pictures of scarves I had knit. I was (gasp!) depressed. So I started to blog about other things, mainly fashion since its vapid and takes little time or effort. And hey, lets face it, I cannot spell and writting is not my strong suit, so why try? This brings me to my point...

Blogs have become this soap box for those not intelligent enough to become actual journalists. I am not saying that blogs have not made a huge impact on society (i love you Arianna Huffington!!) but I do think it is a space for those who want their egos stroked and their thoughts to sound prolific go. This is the thought JW shared with me. It couldn't be more spot on. There are some particular blogs out there (i will not name names, ha!) that just make my head want to explode. You are not talented, interesting or for that matter RIGHT about anything. I like my blogs simple. I take photos, I have some cute dogs, and I like to share those things with my friends, especially those I rarely get to see and miss sorely. So with that being said.. I will continue to fill my blog with cute little pictures and hopefully bags and projects I have created. At least, thats the plan. Because let's face it, you don't need me to tell you why the president sucks, thats what the New York Times is for.

On another note, blogging in general has become a little bit too time consuming for me as of late. I have been busier than ever working this fall and with JW's pain back, my duties have doubled around the house. Seeing someone you care about suffer that much is draining and frustrating. So bare with me while I attempt to enjoy my fall, support my boy, and take some damn photos.

Oh yes, and these photos were taken on my camera phone while at the mall. the little one to the left is a mini american eskimo dog puppy that was in a store at the mall. I was obsessed with holding her. One day I hope one day she has a lovely little life instead of the hell that is the pet store where she now resides.

the first chilly night.

2006-10-05T22:13:00.000-05:00

It's finally cold enough outside to truly feel like fall. It's also October and every night til halloween, there is an amazing movie on at 8pm on the Disney Channel. We just had our chimney's serviced and cleaned and have the OK to use the one upstairs as it has not been used in at least 6 years. I was told it was my job to make the fire (a test if you will) It started out okay and then I ruined it and J.W. had to step in and salvage the embers. The results were so pretty. I haven't had a working fireplace in my primary residence since my apartment in Swampscott which was almost 4 years ago now. My parents house has a fireplace in literally every room (except on here and there) and when its cold enough out, my dad takes it apon himself to have a raging fire going in the front "parlor" at all times. Last Thanksgiving myself, mateo and my family sat quietly in the parlor with chest warming red wine sitting on the floor just watching it glow. Mateo layed half asleep on the rug with his plaid coat on having his tummy gently rubbed my my dad. It was one night with my parents that wasn't so bad. So this year has come and with that a working fireplace, a house on the edge of the woods and plenty of kids to come to the house and trick or treat. I was so struck by the brillance of the fire and the smell that picked up my camera for once and took some pictures. I hope you like them as much as I do. The leaves are really starting to turn and as cheesy as it is to take autumnal photos, I want to do very little else lately.

mihos. woah.

2006-09-28T22:34:00.000-05:00

so in case you had'nt noticed, there is a race for govenor going on right now in MA. i am voting for mr deval patrick, but I would like to say, this guy has got SOME BALLS.

really.

its fall!

2006-09-22T16:06:00.000-05:00

I would like to report that it is now offically fall. I am trying hard not to go to target and spend tons of money on their halloween decorations now that I have a house to decorate. They always run out super early but I always do things last minute so I should probably go in a week or two and try not to spend too much. My mom being an art school drop out, always made sure to decorate the house to the 9's. We always had scary music, spider webs, an outline of a witch in the top window etc etc... So my natural feeling is to go all out. I have to remember however, I do not have $300 for decorations, but $300 total. Hahaha. Another fall obsession is my favorite apple farm, Cider Hill Farms in Amesbury, MA. They have the worlds best cider and apple cider donuts. In case you aren't from New England (or you live in a cave) an apple cider donut is a donut made with a spicy cider tasting dough and they are either plain or rolled hot in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. At Cider Hill, their donuts are so popluar that during the fall months people stand in line and wait for them to come hot off the line and the soft and still warm donuts melt in your mouth. They are truly a fall tradition for me. The farm itself is also pretty amazing. You can take a hay cart up the hill to go pick apple or simply pick up a bunch in the shop. They also have pies and other baked goods and fruits and vegtables. I just hope you all can enjoy it as much as I do. My list of cute halloween decorations is to the side of this blog. Kaboodble is such a great way to keep track of all the cute things you want to buy.

PS: I just lost 12lbs. What?!

Spotted: paper denim and cloth

2006-09-18T16:18:00.000-05:00

Okay okay, all i have been doing lately is posting about fall fashion. I get it, I'll shut it soon. For the last few weeks I've been scowering the internet for the fall collection of Paper Denim & Cloth and found that not one single website that previously carried the brand is carrying them now. Shopbop, Neiman Marcus, Saks, Barney's etc all stopped carrying the line after the summer collection. These jeans are my absolute favorite and when I can afford them, I spend the ridiculous amount of money for what I think is, the best pair of jeans money can buy. After weeks of looking I started thinking that this was the end of PD&C, until Saturday. I was at the Burlington Mall and walked through Macy's I looked through some of the cute stuff they had like the fall Free People collection and found myself in front of a rack of my favorite jeans. The best part was, the revamped PD&C styles are more than $100 less than any of their previous styles. The have slashed their prices and all their jeans now will be two prices $88.00 and $98.00. I was blown away that now I could afford (well, sort of) my favorite jeans. These new lower priced styles did not seem nearly as high quality as the older, more expensive styles but the cuts are still excellent. When I get the $88, I hope the quality is what I have come to love and adore about these simple jeans. Time will tell, no?

blogger beta

2006-09-12T00:35:00.000-05:00

in the process of upgrading to blogger beta, i seem to have lost my heading! i am working at changing this and making this blog pretty again. sit tight. it wont be long now!!!

2006-09-07T01:27:00.000-05:00

Here is a photo I thought I would share. Two weeks ago Azim shed his coat and after finding clumps all over the house I decided it was time I brushed it all out. I have a similar photo somewhere of the larger than life pile that came from Mateo's twice a year shedding. Unfortunately, now Azim's hair is rather long and he is starting to look like a long haired chiuaua instead of a pomeranian. He will be off to the groomers soon and will look like the little ball of puff that he really is. I am currently in the process of rescanning all of my negatives and polaroids to redo my website. It will be a while before I relaunch but it is in the works. I am also going to be sewing up a storm soon as long as my back cooperates. That means, the site Vanessa and I share will also be updated with lovely new bags and and other goodies (dog beds and ipod cases to name a few). Hopefully though, I will be spending the weekend enjoying the last two days of summer heat. There are actual photographs in this blogs future. Oh yeah... and some crafts too. Duh!

Oaxaca, sad but true.

2006-09-03T21:37:00.000-05:00

I was in Oaxaca in March. The city was its happy and spirted self. But since May, the city has been in a state of civil unrest because of a teachers protest. I have been thinking a lot about Oaxaca lately. As fall arrives and I am financial forced to stay in the states for Day of the Dead, I realize no money could get me their right now. Its an odd feeling. This is a place I have come to love and it most certainly feels like a second home. Mexico is one of those places that just captures your heart and I feel a sense of heartbreak and sadness when I think of what is going on there. The Washington Post artical about the situation is pretty complete. The polaroid to the left is from Fall 2004 when Remi and I went to Oaxaca for our second Day of the Dead trip in a row. We met up with Jane Tuckerman, our teacher and her class. Pictured is a photography student (Chad) from the Art Institute of Boston and a local villager in Teotitlan del Valle during their day of the dead celebration. We drank way too much home made Mezcal and coronitas and sat in the dirt next to buried bodies. I am sadden that this year Nov 1st, I will be here in the states instead of drinking with the people and photographing everything in sight. I miss you Oaxaca. Good Luck.

PS: for a complete list of articals and some youtube videos of Oaxaca, check out my del.icio.us account

Forever 21! Woooo

2006-09-01T22:08:00.000-05:00

I've been troubled lately. well not troubled troubled. More like, ANNOYED with the current state of my wardobe, bank account, and the lack of affordable yet well designed clothing. I was hoping H&M would be able to help me in this department. While I am bothered by the fact that the clothing at H&M must so clearly be made in sweatshops, I sometimes splurge and spend $15 in there. I walked into the store in The Rockingham Park Mall in Salem, NH hoping they would have some colorful and cute tops to add to my everyday denim. I couldn't find a thing. Sure there were things I liked here and there like a cute brown and cream polkadot dress but at $40 bucks, I knew it wasn't worth the price. I wandered around the mall, bored by The Gap but still buying my favorite undies at their back to school price of $5 a pop. I then went into American Eagle Outfitters. I often shop on ae.com which seems to always have cute things. Then I get to the stores and everything is tiny or has some lame logo on it. I was just about to give in and drop $400 in J Crew and guy a few boring pieces like I do every fall when a store with no name out front caught my eye. I walked inside and realized I was in Forever 21. When I lived in New York City I passed their store in Union Square everyday on the M14 or on my bike. I figured it was just another lame Strawberry's-esq NYC chain of trashy clothing. A few days before New Years '05, stoned and silly, my roommate Adam pulled Kerry and myself into Forever 21 claiming it was a young new york girls best kept secret. He wasn't kidding. I am a bit of a snob when it comes to discount clothing. I am a sucker for good quality and often times would rather spend $60 on a good sweater from J Crew or elsewhere than buy 3 trendy ones from some place like Target or H&M. But there seems to a recent trend in retail, HIGHER PRICES. Anthropolgie has always been the more expensive sophisticated older sister store to Urban Outfitters. Since the opening of the Boston store (about 10 years or so ago) I have always admired their clothing. Lately however, their price points have sky rocketed. I feel like I am at Barney's Co-Op not Anthropolgie. If I am going to spend $300 on a dress I am going to buy something fancy like Marc by Marc Jacobs. Sorry Anthropologie. I have also noticed this trend at J Crew which is now offering the J Crew Collection that includes items like $400 handbags, $250 Shoes and my favorite, a $1,600 winter jacket (pictured right). With these trends on the rise and the current state of my wallet, finding anything remotely cute has be incredibly difficult. Feeling defeated and poor, I made my way to Forever 21. What I found blew me away. The mall was closing in 15 minutes and I didn't even know where to look. My eyes grew big, everything was cute, fashion forward, good quality and cheaper than you could possibly imagine! I picked up a light cotton cami in a rust orange and white bold print that hit at the top of my thigh and three white buttons in the middle. It reminded me of something Marc Jacobs would have designed but oh yes, $15.30! I continued to frantically go through the racks picking up everything in sight. What I ended up with, 5 shirts, 1 dress, 3 headbands and a red plastic bangle all for $135 and change. Everything adorable and most of the shirts cost around $15. Unfortunately, the website doesn't have any of the adorable things I bought on it. I will update this later with pictures of the stuff I bought. You MUST check out forever 21 in person. Be aware of one thing though, they have a very strange return policy. You only have 21 days to return your items for store credit only. All accessories are final sale. I tried on 8 things in 3 minutes since the store was closing. So, as long as you try on beforehand, it shouldn't be an issue. And really, if a $15 shirt doesn't last, is it the biggest deal?

I have a million other things to blog about and photos to upload. I hope my new found love for Forever 21 has motivated you to go to the store and spend barely any money for a million little things. Now all I need is a pair of those skinny jeans and a new pair of flats. (yeah, Azim chewed the bow right off my favorite purple marc by marc flats. i love having a puppy)

Any advice on skinny jeans for girls who aren't so skinny?

solitude.

2006-08-25T20:38:00.000-05:00

There are certain moments in your life that you never forget for one reason or another. I've been thinking about one of those a lot lately. Mainly, because I've been listening to a lot of M83 recently.

In April 2005, I packed my bags and flew from JFK to Madrid for two lovely weeks with my best friend in the whole world, Kerry. She had been living there since Feb. and with a ticket only costing $375.00 on airfrance, there was no way I could pass up a trip to my favorite country in the world (besides Los Estados Unidos Mexicanas). We spent la Semana Santa in Cuenca in Castilla la Mancha and Easter Sunday in a deserted Madrid. We ate like kings, making a roasted veggie pasta with fresh cheese and a not so great bottle of Spanish white wine. It was a great night.

There is nothing I enjoy more than long train trips. Not Amtrak, but real european long distance train travel. The first time I went to Spain, Kerry and I took an overnight train from Sevilla to Barcelona (about an 11 hour or so ride) and decided to spend the extra $30 bucks each and split a private car with beds. Our seats turned into two bunk beds with red plaid blankets and a sink. We spent the evening giggling and drinking little bottles of wine from the cafe car. A sleepover on the rails. Amazing! So when it came time for me to get back to Marid for my flight at the end of my trip in Spain. I was in the tiny town of Palau, a village close to Figurese on the Costa Brava and about 20 km from the French boarder. My only choice? An overnight train from the North of Cataluna to Madrid. My eurorail pass only allowed me to sleep in a 6 person couchette where you must spoon your backpack and there is so little room to move that no one sleeps. What a horrific way to end my trip! So at the last minute and a tiny bit of luck, I landed the last private car on the train for an additional 65 euro ($90 usd) which, at the end of the trip was difficult (yeah, thanks mom!) When I got to my private car which was pretty much the same set up as the one I shared with Kerry, but with one difference. I had a shower! And a towel! WOAH! And There was a train person for just our section that would wake us up in the morning, lock our doors for us when we got up and was only a little phone call away (that is, if you spoke Spanish).

It was 14 hours from Figures to Madrid. I pondered what I was going to do with my time. I got a Jamon Serrano sandwich con queso and two little bottles of wine. I put on my pajamas and my ipod and sat quietly next to the window, watching the towns whiz by at dusk. The song "Slowly" by M83 played on my iPod and for some reason the scene was just perfect. The music synced to the scene out the window and the way I felt in my tiny train car. I spent the rest of the night, chilled out, with my little bottles of red wine, some pills, and the book "Ignorance" by Milan Kundera. That night, I never felt so alone but yet so liberated. I was as far away from anyone I knew on a train in a foreign country, traveling through the night to my destination. I woke up in the morning to the sound of my in car phone ringing, telling me we would be at the station in 1 hour. I took a shower, did my makeup and repacked my bag. My flight wasn't for hours so I headed to the airport and dropped off my luggage and headed into Madrid via subway to see the sun come up on Plaza Mayor. I sat in the corner of a cafe on the Plaza, ordered a cafe con leche and a croissant while trying to ignore the large table of German teenage tourists making a racket and annoying everyone within earshot. I am not sure what I want to tell you with this story. I have never felt so alone but yet so safe and happy. The solitude that I had in that 12-16 hours was unlike any other time I have had in my life. The quietness, the lack of human communication. It was stunning. I did not want to go home. I wanted to take another overnight train with nothing but a change of clothing, my cameras and a few dollars to my name. One day, maybe I will have the guts to plan a trip alone and travel to unknown places and learn about them and learn about myself.

photo note: i only took the first photo on this post. since my computer was stolen in feb, all of the digital images i took while i was in spain are gone. i had photos of my cute sleeper car and my morning on the plaza major. maybe ill find copies one day...

Early fall: always a tease.

2006-08-25T00:29:00.000-05:00

Autumn is my favorite season, hands down. This love affair with fall came from an early age and for years has ruined every summer for as long as I remember. I hate horrible heat and humidity but summer is a great relief to the horrid winters we have in New England over and over again. Only in the last few years have I come to enjoy summertime and not sit indoors all summer, waiting and praying for autumn to begin. September has always been a tease for me too. I always expect that once September comes, the weather will become cool and crisp and my favorite sweaters can come out of the closet. But of course, its not cool enough for me until at least the middle of October and by the end of December, I am ready for winter to be over already. Today was the perfect example. It was unusually cool (around 69 degrees) with a cool breeze and I left my house in my favorite pair of jeans, t-shirt and a nice brown long sleeved waffle henley. It was such a nice change. Tonight was even better. It got nice and crisp and I broke out my new favorite hoodie and scowered Tewksbury for a pack of cloves, the perfect fall indulgence (okay, besides apple cider donuts). Now its raining and cool. My windows are open and the rain is so calming. I always forget tho... A week from now, its going to be 85 again, and I'm going to pout and wish it was the end of September.

I have a lot to do tomorrow, hopefully REALLY updating this blog will be one of them. I plan on going to Johnny's Lebanese Market in Tewksbury for some fresh hummus and olives, take J.W. on a date to see Pirates of The Caribbean and hopefully a bite to eat, a quick trip to target, and of course, the new season of Real Time with Bill Maher tomorrow night which I have been waiting for FOR MONTHS. What a good day its going to be. Yaya!

For fall: the rain boot.

2006-08-23T23:27:00.000-05:00

On my search for the perfect army green rainboots, I found three different choices, all of them cute and big price gaps between them. I thought I would do what most fashion magazines do and make a list, featuring one style of boot in three different price ranges. Here we goooooo..

On the cheap: I'm a huge fan of l.l. bean. There is something so classic new England about them tho, I probably wouldn't buy my wardrobe from there I would buy a camo tote bag OR a classic pair of dark green wellies. These L.L.bean classic wellies have an adjustable strap on calf for a perfect fit and the price couldn't be better at $49.50

The classic: Hunter's is the original wellie and made in Scotland. It has that English countryside vibe because yes, that's what they were originally made for. They also come in 9 colors including light pink, yellow, powder blue, pumpkin and of course the "classic green". They also have an adjustable calf strap on the side for the perfect fit and the very cute, hunters label right on the front. The best thing about these boots? You can buy wellies warmers for inside that coordinate with all the colors the boots come in that make these boots a great transition from rainy autumn days into cold and stormy winter days. You can get them at wellie-boots.com for $98.00. The warmers are $30.00.

Go for broke: my favorite designer Marc Jacobs has done it again with these amazing forest green wellies. While they don't have the adjustable calf strap that the other two do, these look a little more form fitting and I'm sure, fashionable, then the two listed above. This pair also has a slight sheen to them that set them apart as well as a little black tag on the side that says "Marc by Marc Jacobs" in white writing. At $154.00, these aren't outrageously priced but a little steep for a pair of rain boots. Regardless, they are adorable. Available at zappos.com.

finally! i felt left out...

2006-08-23T15:15:00.000-05:00

today, i recieved my first african money scam email. some how it was linked to my kaboodle account, don't know how... but the whole thing is just too funny. i have a few things to post about today, but i thought i would put this up there to share with you all for a giggle.

Dearest One
I am writting this letter with due respect and heartful of tears since we have not known or met ourselves previously. I am asking for your assistance to lead me to the right channel towards to be out of the critical situation i am now I went through your profile and i found you as some one whom ican trust and pray for God to give me a trustwhardy person who can allow and lead me to the right channel . I will make my proposal well known if I am given the opportunity.
I am introducing my self as Ms. Natasha Daniella , the only Dauther of late Chief and Mrs Desmond Yana Andani , I wish to request for your assistance in a financial assistance. , And I wish to invest in Manufacturing and real estate management in your country. E.t.c

I have sixteen Million Five hundred thousand united states dollars.USD($16.500,000) to invest in your country, and I will require your assistance in clearing the consignment Out from security company here in Cote Di Voire ( Ivory Coast ) / west africa, I will be gladly to give you 15% out of the total sum of the money for your kind assistance.

please it is very important you contact me immediately on my private email address:(natasha_dane209@yahoo.com) for further explanation on how we will proceed.

Awaiting your immediate response
Thanks and God bless.
Best Regards
Natasha

sew somthing!

2006-08-17T18:29:00.000-05:00

I got a random e-mail today for the new sew-u book by built by wendy. as i was scowering the website, I found that she is now making patterns put out by Simplicity. They are so adorable. There are only a few of them, but between the book and the patterns, I am excited about the prospects of making some of my own things. That is, if i can start sewing a straight line...

check out the built by wendy patterns. the book is also cool. and if i every played guitar or bass for long enough, i would have especially loved one of her guitar straps circa 1995. so cute.

an announcement.

2006-08-16T20:02:00.000-05:00

i am no longer crazy, sad, depressed or feeling pointless, hopeless or anything else that sounds shitty. i am thrilled to finally be feeling better after months of feeling less than okay. my back still SUCKS and i'm going to the brigham and womans fancy pain managment center tomorrow for treatment. woooo.

i want to go out and do stuff before summer is over. abby owes me a swim at the"club" asap. i think i also need to hit salisbury beach too. i also have the desire to take pictures again. thank god.

its been a bad few weeks but i have never felt better.

on the ny post tip...

2006-08-13T19:13:00.000-05:00

i found this picture in our system one fine day. it is wonderful. i am not sure who took it but just the idea of him walking around, slinging those leicas makes my little heart sing. in case you don't know who the hell this is, its henri cartier bresson ps, if anyone can get me a copy of the The Decisive Moment, I might just die. and speaking of leica's. ive always wanted the above, herme's edition leica. how adorable is it? okay so it just has some "hermes" leather on the body and it comes in a pretty box and for only $10k, its a bargin right? ha! a girl can dream...

a year later, sort of...

2006-08-13T18:45:00.000-05:00

as summer seems to come to a close (maybe its just this fall weather we are having) it is making me think last summer and my departure from the lovely photo cave that was the new york post some pervese part of me misses it. the people i worked with were great and i have to admit, having free reign to search the system for pictures of tara reid with her tit showing and then importing them into photoshop and blowing them up to 3200% was indeed, too much fun for one office job. as i mentioned before, we sat in a cave. 3 girl photo editors and our perky summer intern jen who i miss dearly. we had a tv with cable so whenever evelyn didn't come to work and make us watch cnn, we spent the afternoons watching oprah and all sorts of other nonsense. the cave used to be the darkroom. we had a drain on the floor, grey concreat floors (the very same kind my old photo lab had... ahhh) and an industral sink. it was an odd set up. we had no neighbors except the photo studio and they were just as isolated and loud as us so it worked out. i got to watch the boys from murder ball wheel by my office and the cast of the fantastic 4. (anthony tells me her skin sucks in person btw...) so the perks were plentful. the pay UNREAL and the owner moral OBJECTIONABLE. having only had odd jobs here and there since my arrival in nyc, i knew i couldn't turn down a sick job like this, even tho rupert murdock pretty much signed my paycheck (and once said hi to me in the elevator). oh yeah, and i saw geraldo carrying a fruit basket out of the building one fine afternoon which for so odd reason made me laugh for a good half hour. upsetting that i never saw o'reilly tho. i think that would have REALLY made my summer. but its been a year since i got fired/hired/quit (dont ask, my employer was kinda nuts) and almost a year since i left new york itself. its an odd feeling. that city had so much potential for me. too bad i hated it. well okay, its a love hate. i now live in a suburban house with dogs and plenty of space and no rent. what a contrast. i was hoping for a middle ground. but city life isnt really in me anymore... but i suppose neither is suburban. maybe i just need to move to bacelona, sit in cafe's and enjoy what is left of my life. who knows. what will this post say next year?

jagshemash!

2006-08-10T14:35:00.000-05:00

I am so excited about the new Sacha Baron Cohen movie, Borat the movie. As part of the Ali G show, it is by far always my favorite part. if you go to apple.com you can watch the trailer. its too much for me to handle. i cant wait to see it! you should also go to the borat website. the shit on there is too funny. view the long trailer here, but just viewing the youtube video

on a lighter note...

2006-08-10T14:25:00.000-05:00

i need to talk about leggings. you know... the ones that are in every store right now. i have a pair of footless tights i bought years ago and loved to wear around with my little denim skirt while riding a bike (you know, dont want to give a show for free!). my boyfriend and best friend told me how horrible they looked. i havent worn them since. i was crushed! they were kinda shiny and in retrospect, kinda didn't flatter me. but a year later, they are everywhere. okay and lets face it, practical! all those summer skirts and dressses you want to wear in the fall but its just a little too cold, you can. i thought i would throw caution to the wind and buy a pair at target for $5.99 that were a little bit longer and i thought, a little bit more flattering. i wore them to bed with my huge tunic sweatshirt (seen on the right - from free people) and not only was it cute, they were so comfortable. so then i wore them with my denim skirt. okay so i get it, this is this falls "trend" but i adore them. they are so soft, i dont want to take them off!! but i do have to say, these lace one and stripped ones, give me a break. who the fuck would wear that? maybe for halloween as pippie longstocking. who knows...

my vote is yes tho. im into it. like it or not. haha

P.L.O.? maybe

2006-08-08T12:40:00.001-05:00

I've gotten some flak for sporting my very favorite scarf called a shemagh (or keffiyeh) over the past several months. Since it's summer, I'm not really wearing it much, tho it is meant for the hot desert weather and to prevent sand in the face. it is wearable in both hot and cold weather. It's huge and bulky and suprisingly incredbily warm and cozy during the winter months. And hey, it looks cool so why not right? I first saw some young european travelers wearing them in the spring of '05 in Barcelona. I had never seen them worn in a fashionable way before and was struck by the idea. And apparently im not the only one! I've seen various finnish youngins sporting them on hel-looks.com as well. It seems to be quite popular with the kids in europe and now I guess with the grossters in billyburg too. Maybe I should be sensitive about where I wear my symbolic scarf. You should have seen the looks i got as I shopped at Trader Joe's on Brookline ave. I know what they were thinking. Is it true? Hmm.. maybe. I have sorted views about the conflict between Palestine and Israel and tend to lean toward the injustice done to palestines. My views are most similar to and heavily influenced by Noam Chomsky who I think is brilliant and zionist think is anti-semitic (even tho he's jewish. hmm...). So for now, I'm sticking with style over political protest. That chick did, right?

A salaam aleikom

2006-08-07T20:19:00.000-05:00

I just started reading No God But God:Origins, Evolution, and Future of IslamThe The by Reza Aslan. This book is truly amazing. I learned a little bit about Islam during my worlds religion class but just the basics. This book truly delves into the problems facing modern Islam as well as the very important history which divideds the more moderate Shi'a and the "orthodox" in a sense Sunni groups. The writing is incredibly bright and gripping. I always have a problem reading non-fiction books like the ones assigned in school. I think that those huge art history books really ruined it for me, and now I'm affraid to get into Diane Arbus: A Biography given to me by my grandfather because I am so affraid I will hate it simply because it is non-fiction. But the writing in this book keeps me wanting more. I am also deeply impressed by the knowledge of such a young person. If you are interested in this book or in Reza himself, check out this interview about his book on Fresh Air with Terry Gross which gives you a preview of the book amongst other things.

"Hezbollywood"?

2006-08-07T17:22:00.000-05:00

I had a friend that was quite the extremist. I can't really deal with radicalism of any form, be it liberal or conservative or what have you.... But this article makes me sick. During the entire war between Hezbollah and Israel, Israelis and Jewish Americans have made a huge deal over how all these deaths were staged, 600 people were not really killed al-Reuters is reporting it wrong. If you notice, the only new organizations that focus on these radical views are Jewish ones, not non bias groups like the BBC. This is the BBC article this is what the Israeli insider thinks "really happened". I really don't want to say who is wrong or right but Israel's handling of the entire war has been gross. This blog examines "some" of the photographs taken while bodies were removed from the rubble. While some appear "staged" it seems to me the more important point would be to show how the conflict is really affecting the people who have to live through these bombings. Is a dead body held up? Yes. Does it make for a better shot. Yes. Death is real. And showing it by showing a limp body, I don't think is so unprofessional. Come to your own conclusions tho. View the "evidence" here. But let's not also forget the really wonderful gift summer camp children in Israel have given to the Lebanese. Nothing personal right?

the death of izone.

2006-08-07T02:04:00.000-05:00

i was recently at walmart (don't ask, i hate that place...) and noticed that all izone film was 50% off. WHAT?! 3 packs for 5 bucks? no way. yes way. and i guess polaroid is discontinuing its line. why? because digital sucks. izones make perfect, cute, and memories that are pocket sized and often times come with a sticky back. i like to use mine to make cards. but as for the sale.. is stacked up. and instead of bring my bulky digital with me to my friends going away party i brought my tiny little izone, complete with a wrist strap that matche pefectly with that of the strap on my tangerine epi leather clutch. here is the product of that evening. there should be one of abby housing someone instead of just chugging that beer. too bad!

reDesign

2006-08-07T00:03:00.000-05:00

so i decided to redo my blog. personalize it a bit. vanessa said she was sick of the dots herself and having to learn basic CSS and html with our shop, i figured i could make it work. it was a little bit more difficult that i thought and the end result isnt totally what i wanted it to be, but i will work on it bit by bit.

redesigning isn't the only thing i am doing! as much as i craft and photograph, i have many other things to add to the little online blog so i thought i would expand a bit. books, great online finds, politics and other odds and sods. so there will be a lot more babble coming from this little blog over here. LIKE IT OR NOT.

but i do hope you like it. and my lack of proper grammer and capitalization.

-rachel

what a mess!

2006-08-06T05:11:00.000-05:00

this is all under construction all over again... and i really dont know what i am doing in terms of html... so sit tight. it will be fixed soon.

deadly squire, you!

2006-08-05T20:35:00.000-05:00

i discovered this fantastic fabric in the seconds section of the home decor part of the fabric place the other day that has crows all over it. it reminds me of alfred hitchcock. so as i was searching the web i came across this website that uses there fabrics on a lot of the same projects i would! designpublic.com has some pretty cool stuff! but what caught my eye, was that big white dog! how cute! he is either a very fat (or big american eskimo dog) or a saymoyan. either way, he is just like my little mateo and i adore him. hes guarding the picasso. WATCH OUT!

materialism, in lists

2006-08-05T04:22:00.000-05:00

so i discovered

kaboodle.com. its like del.icio.us and my amazon wishlist in one. since i cant seem to keep track of the things i cannot afford or buy... i thought i would make a list! woohoo. its not even close to done as there is too much useless stuff i want. so check it out, and make your own kaboodle account.

Feeling pointless

2006-08-02T16:49:00.000-05:00

Lately, I've been looking around at my accomplishments (or lack there of). Some of my peers have been so successful. And where the fuck am I? I never wanted to be mediocre. I never wanted to lose passion. But what passion do I have? I lack basic knowledge and intelligence. I'm doing a job that is going to get me absolutely nowhere. While I don't hate it, what the fuck is the point? I don't take pictures anymore.

its 100 degrees outside. I'm miserable. I want to escape to some place beautiful. I'm sick of always being sad and always being in pain.

this is no life. It's pointless.

going broke: beauty style

2006-08-01T21:18:00.000-05:00

my recent lack of funds has lead me out to various pharmacys to find products for cheap. ive never been able to buy makeup from the CVS or other places like that since I am so fair. Finding high end makeup in a color that is light enough is difficult enough. There are only 3 colors in all the makeup lines that match me. they all cost serious bucks. i dont have ANY of that. so here is a list of things that i have discovered that work just as well, if not better and cost SO little.

foundation:
this is my new favorite foundation. i usually use a tinted moisturizer (stila to be exact) but this is half the price at around $7.50 and worth every penny. They actually have an even lighter one which i will probably which to when winter comes. i use the covergirl fresh look oil control makeup in classic ivory

powder:
this powder is a dream. sonia kashuk barely there loose powder the whole line of sonia products at target is really amazing. i use one that has a little color to it but there is also a translusent one as well. before i used powder, my makeup used to just drip off my face in the summer. this way it stays on for once and makes my skin look nice and even! and a bargin at $8.99.

skincare:
my best friend in the whole world introduced me to these two products. we were in mexico and my very expensive fresh milk cleanser and soy face cream were on the mia... so i started using kerrys drugstore bought products. within days of using both of these products my skin had never looked better (and it wasn't that great oaxaca air either) johnson & johnson's purpose moisturizer comes with built in spf 30 and redness reducer. its also the best thing i have ever used for my sensitive skin. the best best part? its around $10 bucks. the other amazing product is cetaphils gentle skin cleanser has been a dream for me. it is so gentle and actually keeps the moisture in.

last but not least three things i cannot live without:
one item i usually dont leave the house without is blush. im trying to maintain my young, youthful glow (ha!) my favorite of all favorites is nars blush "deep throat". ill admit, the nasty name is the reason i bought it in the first place and it does give you that flushed, just finished with oral sex glow so many girls desire. but at $25, its just not in my budget and i thought i should try something different. This Covergirl Bronzer in "Golden Tan" is suprisingly high quality despite the $3.49 price tag. Just don't use the brush that comes with it. Which leads me to my next item i cannot live without. a good set of brushes! I bought my Sonia Kashuk™ Ultimate Brush Set a few years ago and still use all of them today. i have to say i like this one much better than my own, since this one comes in a cute hott pink carrying case. And for $29.99, its money worth spent. You won't need to replace these brushes unless you happen to lose them!
last, maybelline great lash mascara has been in my makeup bag for years. every now and then i get suckered into buying some expensive $18 to $30 mascara from some counter person that never is as good as this. and apparently, im not the only one who thinks so. i guess it has been a makeup artists favorite for years as well. i usually go for the non waterproof one in soft black. and at around $5 bucks, the best money can buy.

so, dont be so affraid of your local cvs as i have been. tho i will say, just do it at target. it makes the whole experience feel a bit more posh. ha!

oh, summer...

2006-07-28T13:47:00.000-05:00

ive been thinking a lot about summer this week. and about how i feel like im really missing out. ive wanted so very much to be productive with sewing that ive spent most of my time indoors trying to hurry along and finish my bag collection. but its summer... and maybe when it thunders i will resume my sewing. i most likely keep the windows open, lay in my bed and listen to the rain. a good storm is one of few things that actually relaxes me.

i had a whole summertime project planned. i was going to take a class with jack booth, my favorite professor in the world and perhaps my mentor (even tho i dont think he knows it) but the class was canceled and $1800... so either way, that wasnt going to happen. so i could do this project on my own. making magic realism stories into photographs. in my mind i see mateo dressed up in a suit talking to someone. i dunno if borges ever wrote about a dog in a suit... lets hope he did. but then there is the film. i have en entire bag of 220 film sitting in the garage that wasn't used in mexico. but i didn't put it in the refrigerator and the mold from "the floods of '06" probably ruined it anyway. i dont want to look. ill probably throw the bag at the wall with disappointment. using digital is always an option. but when i print, bigger is better and i adore my mamyia 645 afd. it was my graduation present. the pictures always amaze me. i have to use it. the canon 10d is okay. but really, is it there yet? who knows...

then their is polaroiding. i suppose the thing i am most often remembered by photographically. its such a simple simple joy and i suppose my ADD is obsessed with the idea of instant gratification. but again... the lack of money think is kinda of a n issue when trying to buy film.

ive really cooped myself up this summer. badly. im not enjoying it. the thing i enjoy most about summer is midnight bike rides. all alone, quiet empty streets and my ipod. the summer of '04 on my bianchi in the south end were some of the most peaceful nights of my life. i miss it. last summer too.. even tho new york never really gets quiet, i found little streets which seemed dark and calm and i pretended like i was the only one in the whole city. but there is no city in my life this summer. only torn up suburban streets. my bike is sitting in my parents garage. its pretty there. i road my bike there as a kid... it would be the best place to ride at this point. smooth roads... pretty quiet streets. but...

i have Myofascial Pain Syndrome
or fibromyalgia, depending on which doctor you ask... either way, there is pain and riding a bike is about the worst thing for it. i cant even drive my car without feeling like shit. so what does that leave?

ahhhh swimming! amazing for the back, gentle and summertime. but the only pool i have access to is at the parents country club. i hate even the sound of that word. ew. its filled with brats and Lily Pulitzer clad moms. its a sickening sight.

so... summer is slipping away and i am bored. and house season 2 isn't out on dvd yet to amuse me and bit torrent SUCKS.

this isn't a political blog, but...

2006-07-22T15:24:00.000-05:00

whats going on is upsetting me too muc not to talk about it.
watching fox news cover the conflict is so funny and shocking that i do not even know how to explain it here.

the quote i heard from the commentator was "Israel's plan is to wipe Hezbollah off the map" hmm... interesting that that can be said about Hezbollah but not about other places (ie Israel). Most networks won't call Hezbollah terrorist, the simply say they are a militant group which is the appropriate and non bias word to use. check the bbc guidelines for non bias reporting and language.

i dont even know what else to say from here. im saddened by it all. but fox... you make me sick.

Up and running!

2006-07-15T23:10:00.000-05:00

After the recommendation of a friend, I decided to set up a shopify.com shop. It sounded so easy! Well... it wasn't THAT easy (since of course I wanted it to look a certain way!!) but after some work, Vanessa and I have our bags for sale on shoot-and-stitch.myshopify.com. While the extention leaves something to be desired, it will sooon just be www.shoot-and-stitch.com instead.

I have sooooo much more to add as I am sewing my entire collection right now. Vanessa also has not put her bags up on the site yet so it is still a work in progress. BUT you can shop and purchase and pay all on this site. So its a real, working, online store!

Please check it out and support us. We worked hard, alright? ;)

refocus: its a good thing.

2006-07-06T20:07:00.000-05:00

this blog is about totes and photography. nothing else!
so lets keep it that way.

while living in the suburbs it seems that i have had way to much time on my hands and not enough money to work on the projects i care about. the internet can suck you in. and drama is lame. i think i am easily misread too. so i am keeping to what i know. martha stewart like projects, photography, time with my dogs and bike rides. and also, its a good thing project runway is starting soon! vanessa is having a weekly crafts/beer/pr night at her house starting soon. i am thinking about making the trip. it will be good for me!

in the spirit of photography and crafts, heres azim. the little love of my life.

Frames Galore!

2006-07-06T04:15:00.000-05:00

It just started pouring here. The perfect cue that its time for bed. I have been frustrated and bored lately and my promise last month of polaroids to come has to be postponed. While at Walmart today (I only went for the doggy pee pad's its the only place in town that carries them!) I came across two 600 backs for $19. It was so tempting but with only around $30 in my account... not practical.

Instead I have been gathering up all of JW's mothers old frames to redo them. Most of which have ugly pictures of roses in them and are from home goods or who knows where else. I bought a can of spray paint and painted them all silver and they look AMAZING! Most of them are going to be used empty. I am painting our foyer "Cherry Cobbler" aka cranberry and since they are all different I thought I would just add them to the wall frame only since many are missing glass. One of them happened to be 16x20!!! so I used it to put a picture of Reilly laying on my bed in boston on a pile of records during a photoshoot that I have been dying to buy a frame for but never had the money. Here are the results. The quality sucks obviously because I'm photographing glass.

I also have new bags coming soon! I need double sided fusiable interfacing to make them and bought the sew-in kind instead so that is going to have to wait just a little bit.

totally off topic, but...

2006-07-02T21:01:00.000-05:00

i cleaned my room today and put up some pictures.
it was fun.
and i made a little accessory wall.

woohoo.

whoo whoo

2006-07-01T02:43:00.000-05:00

i bought this owl fabric a while ago from www.fabrictales.com for kerry since i know how much she adores owls. i first made her a tote bag with my prefabricated tote bags and made a little k on the outside and then lined it with the fabric. while it was cute... i knew i could do much better with this fabric. since i got the swing bag pattern by amy butler, ive been making a few with that pattern to get used to working with patterns and making things from scratch since i really have no idea what i am doing.

the end result of this little japanese owl tote is very cute. i am sending it to my bff in chicago tomorrow along with a few cute other things. i miss her so much. i hope she enjoys the bag!

oh yes, another one!

2006-06-25T02:43:00.000-05:00

so i have been a bit productive and made another tote.
it is ADORABLE if i do say so myself. the lining is a pumpkin color and while all of these style bags are reversable, i think of the colors inside as more of an accent.

the price as of now is $45. it might go up, it might go down.. depending on how much it is going to cost me in fabric in the future.

please send me an email if you are interested.
rachel.person@gmail.com

first new tote!

2006-06-23T12:45:00.000-05:00

I just finished my first handmade tote! the pattern was great and the fabric looks really cool. this one took me around 3-4 hours or more but i have never worked with patterns before and i dont know what i am doing. BUT i suspect the next one with take no time at all. they are going to be in both green and pink and in the garden scene (shown) or pokadot with bugs (pictures to come soon) of course as always, totes can be customized with your own choice of fabric for a small charge. i have not figured out pricing for these totes yet since the first one took me so long and the fabric was expensive. please feel free to leave price ideas!

oh yeah, its reversable too! the inside is chocolate brown with white "freckles"

not the greatest day

2006-06-21T17:29:00.000-05:00

the good news: i got my new fabric in the mail. how exciting! its more amazing than i could have imagined. i cannot wait to create things!

the bad news: my dad ended up in the hospital and had emergency surgury because his appendix burst. he didnt do so hott with the anesthesia and spent the entire afternoon getting sick. hopefully he will be better soon.

maybe i should make some bags to keep my mind off of things :(

who needs totes when you have cupcakes?

2006-06-20T23:17:00.000-05:00

i have an obesession.the buttercup bakeshop. after trying to add as many links as possible to my new del.icio.us account, i ran across the need for new franchises of my favorite bakery. if only i had the money, i know the perfect spot for one in newburyport!

a girl can dream tho. hey, if anyone wants a cupcake business partner, let me know!

how delicious!

2006-06-19T23:03:00.000-05:00

after months and months i gave in and created a del.icio.us account.
its not much right now, but check it out. my del.icio.us account

ive been in a blogging mood lately. i haven't been feeling so great lately and its hot as hell out, so i figured i'd do something constructive with my time. yeah, blogging is constructive! ha! well, until i get my fabric in the mail.

speaking of fabric, toni turned me onto this great website called j caroline creative. they have some great fabric and more importantly, so basic heavy cotton canvas some i can make my own totes instead of buying pre-made ones and then lining them. (i said this yesterday didn't i?)

well, here are a few swatches of the fabric i picked out. i cant wait to start working!

new bags, new site.

2006-06-18T21:34:00.000-05:00

so vanessa and i are starting a new website.
we have been playing with the idea for months but i think this summer is finally the time to make it happen.
we havent cemented a name yet, but it is going to be something like needle and camera. or lens and needle or something. the idea being that we are both photographers and craft makers.

i order a few hundred dollars worth of fabric lastnight(with the help of jw of course) from reprodepoti got some rad fabrics and some of them are pretty heavy weight so i should be able to make totes from the directly instead of lining bought totes with fabric. i am also make a few dog beds. with the recent addition of azim to our household, ive had dog accessories heavily on my mind. once i get the building or regular bags under my belt, i will probably experiment with doggy bags. azim on the other hand, could care less about being in a bag so i dont know why i care either.

in PHOTOGRAPHY related news...im not poor anymore so i think i need to go out and do some polaroiding. it is time for a little analog fun. maybe holgaroids? tho driving into cambridge to calumet just to buy holgaroid film really sounds like a waste of time to me. it will probably be just polaroid 600. but it needs to be film and it needs to be instant. i will post the results soon. maybe it will be some bike riding pictures after i pick up buckleys pinarello from the bike shop on monday. ive never ridden it before and there are no breaks.. so i need to be careful. this pinarello is very similar but blue. buckleys is red. what hott bikes!

polaroids to come... and new bags as well!!

just a little rain.

2006-06-15T00:22:00.000-05:00

last month it rained.
our basement flooded a little.
all of the bags i made this winter were ruined with mold.

so im starting all over again...

ill be ordering a bunch of fabric from reprodepot.com soon.
if you want a bag... let me know.

:(

Blooowing my mind.

2006-05-04T13:27:00.000-05:00

Vanessa recently showed me this: Digital Holga Hack
I can't wait to try it on my 10d. project #1 now that I'm settled!

ps... i didnt take this picture! check the link for samples.

really, im not dead.

2006-04-21T21:49:00.000-05:00

im just in the process of moving.
in the next few days im leaving boston for good and going off to suburbia.
i am so thrilled to have a house to live in and to garden and work on my various projects in my cute new office (painted in aged mint and old violin) im not sure if i want city life again in the states. i would have no problem living in an apartment again in some other country (oaxaca is calling me... for real) or of course barcelona. but for now, im taking it slow in the merrimac valley.

i cant wait to break out my garden golshes. before and after home pics to come sooooon!

i'd like to say...

2006-03-18T23:20:00.000-05:00

i took a lot of pictures on my last trip, but i didnt.
on my second day in mexico i got news of a death. the rest of the trip was okay but i just felt that my head couldnt get around taking pictures. im certainly not one of those dark and brooding photographers. news like that only makes me feel terrible. not creative. with that being said.. here is some digital stuff i did whist away. shooting some place like this using digital was interesting. i enjoyed it but the joy i had taking polaroids of little girls and their moms selling braceletts was way more entertaining. i guess i am just more of an analog type girl.

so here are some photos.

viva mexico!

2006-03-15T02:43:00.000-05:00

im back...

ill be posting some pictures soon.

something new...

2006-03-02T04:09:00.000-05:00

so now that i have gotten a pretty good hold on my sewing machine i tried something new. a lined little wallet/change purse with a zipper. it came out okay for just learning to use a sewing machine and with no pattern and no idea what i am doing. but it is far from perfect.

it is however, CUTE. so i am keeping for myself.

more to come...

giddy up!

2006-03-01T16:19:00.000-05:00

available in pink and black.

barn yard love!

2006-03-01T15:46:00.000-05:00

my new favorite! comes in pink and black.

animal tote!

2006-03-01T06:04:00.000-05:00

yes... another one.
there are actually a few new ones.
pictures of those later....

oh yes. and my totes now have a name! roundabout totes!

a tote for toni...

2006-02-24T05:07:00.001-05:00

so my friend toni wanted a spring tote in purple and brown. i bought this great fabric from buyfabricsonline.com and came up with this super cute tote!! i have extra fabric so i am making a little change purse to go with it. i love the tote so much i am adding it to my line!

wooo!

next... the yoga bags!

ps... the tote is reversable. hence the two views.

The Craft Collective!

2006-01-31T22:44:00.000-05:00

hello!
i am in the process of building the online store for what i am calling the "The Craft Collective" if you are interested, please send me a picture of yourself, along with a bio to my email address: rachel.person@gmail.com. i am going to build the site with sections according to the person who made the products. this may change if this gets really popular and there are a lot of different people contributing. we will see.

also: if you have a band or you make tshirts or have ANYTHING worth selling, please contact me, i would love to include you. if you have a website, i would like to also cross promote so we can exchange banners if you are interested.

the launch date for the new site is going to be march 1. i will need pictures and prices of all of your products by then. you can keep your products where you are or you can bring them by my house were i am setting up a little stock room closet. :)

email me also if you want to be a part of the mailing list. thanks!

PLEASE REPOST OR FORWARD TO ANY ONE YOU THINK WOULD BE INTERESTED.

thank youuuu!
-rachel.

itty bitty!

2006-01-17T22:48:00.000-05:00

this is my new favorite picture.
i took it tonight when j.w. was using his book light.
i think its adorable.

bike tote

2006-01-17T01:30:00.000-05:00

okay.. i finished another skull tote. this one is red..

and then this is the new one..

its hott pink altho it looks kinda red from the picture.

the next one is of guadalupe and the other has cowgirls on it! im trying to make one of each first and then i will continue to make duplicates after that.

totes!

2006-01-15T20:14:00.001-05:00

first tote down!
i got my fabric the other day from reprodepot.com and starting sewing my totes! i first started with the dia de los muertos fabric. its adorable!
i dont have a sewing machine yet (im buying one within the week, its a mini one from sears and its PINK!) so i did the first one by hand. i am going to add some red trim to the top of the bag to hide my terrible stitches but the ones after this are going to be machine done so it will look fine. this is basically a prototype. i'm also going to add some gold glitter around the edges of the skulls for a little sparkle.

on to the next one!

the mules

2006-01-02T23:50:00.000-05:00

ive been really into my canon 10d lately. ive also really been into the photo filter option in photoshop cs which i just got. so i can shoot in my house and then just add the 80b or 82 filter to the pictures. so i took a picture of the animals just for fun. yayaya animules!

mateo hangin on the bed.

reilly is a zen buddhist. (just in case you didn't know)

pipkin likes to get into things he shouldn't be in. all the time.

again!

2005-12-30T03:18:00.000-05:00

so again i find the same subject of mine in another place.
this time on a oaxaca myspace group.
i adore this picture of these three boys i took in nov '04

here is the one i found on myspace.
it is obviously not the same picture.. just same subject.
but i thought it was cute none the less.

how funny!

2005-12-22T22:52:00.000-05:00

i took this picture in barcelona.

but i was in barnes and noble today and saw this!
i think its so funny... but it made me happy.

party!

2005-12-20T00:27:00.001-05:00

here are some pictures i took at cate and ferris's party. cute!

oh christmas tree!

2005-12-14T04:30:00.000-05:00

i just put up my tree.
tomorrow it will be bread pudding and low christmas album.

oh yes... and maybe some hot cocoa (probably even mexican)

ooooh.

2005-12-10T00:27:00.000-05:00

i like this.. but im not sure its portfolio worthy. the detail isnt there in the figure to lighten it properly... and i cannot tell if it is an eye sore or perfect... you decide.

yaya!

2005-12-09T22:13:00.000-05:00

i just ordered a new portolio from house of portfolios. its chocolate brown and fabric and has my name in lower case on the front. i made it 12x9... so i can put all these landscape shots in it that i really want to work on but wont work in my current portfolio which is 11x14. i will now have two printed portfolios... one all about mexico and spain and the other all city scapes. please support house of portfolios. they make amazing products and the prices are really fair.

reunion! (part 2)

2005-12-09T02:25:00.000-05:00

these are the black and white ones i took.
i need to go back to intro to photo.
i made the mistake of using 3200 iso with a flash.
yeah... not bright.

here are the ones that arent totally blown out.

reunion! (part 1)

2005-12-09T01:01:00.000-05:00

so the sat. after thanksgiving i went to my 5 year high school renunion. i decided to take along my holga instead of anything fancy. this is the results.

2005-12-01T23:57:00.002-05:00

i found this while scanning in my contacts... i love it.

people are strange

2005-11-30T13:34:00.000-05:00

i always find it so interesting when people dont like to share their contact sheets. i was thinking about this the other day when my little brother didnt want to tell me what his short film for school was about. he was in the middle of the "process" and would rather me just see the final product. i also went to school with some people that would freak if you looked at their contact sheets in the bath or after it came out of the machine. someone actually yelled at me once. why are people so scared to share there work before its done? i love my contact sheets. here is one of them...

cuenca!

2005-11-30T01:34:00.000-05:00

i took these polaroids in cuenca, a small town in castilla la mancha. i have a whole box full of polaroids left from spain to scan... eventually.

barcelona: the streets

2005-11-17T02:40:00.002-05:00

these are some of the pictures i took while in barcelona.. im working on putting them into my book. we'll see...

my best friend: in photos.

2005-11-15T22:39:00.002-05:00

these are some pictues of my best friend kerry that i took in may at her sisters wedding. while the bride and bridesmaids were getting ready i took pictures. these pictures are some of the best pictures i have taken of her ever. she photographs so well and HATES getting her picture taken. unfortunately for her.. she had to let me get in her face this day (for her sisters sake) the results were great so i thought i would post them here. (i hope she doesnt kill me)

(this first picture is probably only funny to people that know kerry.. she went to make me a drink and instead spilled it all over the kitchen floor.. this is what makes me lover her so!)

why having a dog sucks: volume 1.

2005-11-14T04:11:00.000-05:00

so. i have a dog. his name is mateo. hes a 2 1/2 year old american eskimo dog and cute as a button. but tonight... was a disaster. now i know i made this blog to be about photos..so i took one of this shitty experience.
a few months back, when i first got him, he developed a habit of chewing on my down comforter (while the duvet was still on it mind you...) creating huge holes in the corners of it. well... i tied up the holes to make it so the feathers wouldnt go absolutely everywhere and completely forgot about it. then last week...out of the blue, feathers started appearing out of nowwhere from inside the duvet cover. perplexed i decided to investigate and sew up those holes made by mr. mateo a few months back. well... one of my rubberbands had come completely off and as i slowly pulled the comforter out of the cover feathers flew absolutely everywhere... the entire living room floor was covered and it took us the last hour to properly clean up (thanks to the help of robot..yes thats right, we have a roomba discovery se!!)
(this is the evil guy himself)
so now im itchy, annoyed, and covered with feathers. and my poor comforter is the the trashy. welcome to the joys of having a dog...oh yeah, and he likes to chew on my underware and socks too.. and only the dirty ones. fantastic.

re: scanning

2005-11-13T03:52:00.001-05:00

i would like to thank my friend vanessa for pointing out the obvious to me.
putting my 120 (or 220 for that matter) negatives on my scanner and just scan them in.
it has cut down my scanning time in half.
oh yeah and i really like the way it looks! you know... like real contact sheets!