Maybe it’s something in the air all these amazing talents willing to share their knowledge and expertise; whatever it is I am feeling so lucky and grateful, you? The sharing of knowledge and “secrets” seems to be more prevalent in the photography industry but I do hope other creative industries catch on and it becomes more and more accessible to learn from individuals that are at the top of their craft. I would put Meg Fish at the top of hers, she’s an amazing photographer specializing in pregnancy and baby. The light she captures is just so beautiful, soft and ethereal.  I love that her photos are never contrived and the tones are perfect for a baby–buttery soft and filled with love. When she mentioned she was coming out with a book, (soon to be series!), I knew that it was something that I must spread the word on. I have poured over the first one in the series–‘Portrait’ several times now.  I love that it is written in Meg’s voice, it’s as if she is there teaching you, it’s very easy to comprehend and I loved all her tips (especially her posing guide). You will need a basic knowledge of Photoshop to follow her very easy + effective editing steps and of course your camera. With her soft reassuring tone, I am sure you will be able to create some beautiful images of your own. It is geared towards newborns, but I am a fan of Meg’s photography in general and feel like the tips could translate to other subjects pretty seamlessly. If you are looking for a photo 101 course this is not your book, but if you are like me always looking to enhance your skills and learn from someone who’s work you admire than I think you will be thrilled to add this to your photography library!

P.S. She offers both a PDF version (for those that can’t wait) and a hardcopy, you can find it here.

P.P.S. Meg generously has put together a mini mag/tutorial called ‘Finding the light’ it’s free!

P.P.P. S. She also offers a template for baby’s first year photo book, which is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen!

I have some pretty lofty plans for the shop , even though they are temporarily on hold my enthusiasm can’t be dampened. A few months ago one of my suppliers developed an even better ink for fabric (and wood and clay, oh my!) I am always up for testing new products but I am super picky and not all new items get to come on board. This new ink delivered in spades! I am beyond impressed and couldn’t wait until it was available so I could offer it to my clients.  I love the current ink I carry (I think on fabric it gives a nice rustic/worn look) but this new ink works especially well on fabric as you can see from the before and after image above. The stamped impression is so nice, crisp and the color is so concentrated. A little tip here, no matter what ink you use you should put a piece of cardstock behind your fabric so the ink doesn’t bleed to the other side. If you want the stamped impression to last you need to set it with an iron on low heat (no steam). The only current drawback right now is the color options are limited and as mentioned it is concentrated so if you aren’t inking your stamps like I taught you, you could find yourself with an awful mess on your hands (literally). I’ve tried it on wood with great results (use a heat gun to set) and am anxious to try it on clay.  I know that the options of stamp ink can get confusing and the pigment inks I always carry are great for all sorts of uses (fabric included), but sometimes if you find something better it’s just too good not to share.

It’s been a little slow around here on my sofa, but I have tried not to be idle while trying to get myself through this odd time in my life. I have done a ton of research on line on anything and everything and have even taken some classes.  I am listing some of the places & things I have found along the way that I thought maybe you might be interested in as well!

Creative Bug is a destination to take all kinds of self-paced crafty classes via video by experts in their field/craft. They recently have made their classes available ala carte which means you don’t need to have a monthly subscription in order to partake in the fun. I took this jewelry class and want to take this one next. I also have hopes to one day break out my sewing machine again and this whole cloth quilt by Ana Maria Horner looks like a project even this sewing novice could tackle. Did I mention Heather Ross teaches a classes?! I love her to pieces and this sundress couldn’t be easier.

I haven’t been eating much but I have been gearing up for the day when I will be able to. I have been voraciously consuming food blogs and reading cookbooks. I ordered Meatless, Martha Stewart’s new vegetarian cook book. I love Martha but I admit that a lot of the recipes have multiple ingredients for one meal and a fair share are very caloric, so they will need to be adjusted accordingly. I don’t want to deter you, there are a ton of recipes to choose from, beautiful photographs (of course) and lot’s of recipes that look like total winners. On the opposite end of the spectrum I also purchased Homemade with Love by Jennifer Perillo, it is in the same vein as Jam it, Pickle it, Can it by Karen Solomon which is one of my favorite books for making almost any of the things you would normally buy off the shelf (like condiments or crackers) from scratch. I have just started flipping through Jennifer’s book and love the idea of her all-purpose baking mix which is the basis/shortcut to make everything from pancakes and waffles to muffins. The mix does include sugar, which I don’t really eat so I would like to see if this would work with a natural sugar substitute. I am up for experimentation though, I’ll keep you posted.

Some of the food blogs or blogs with a food category I have found that I have enjoyed are Skinny Taste, these mini omlettes look perfect for on-the-go breakfasts.  Kris Carr’s Crazy Sexy Wellness has some great plant based recipes and I have tried some modified versions of her smoothies with great results. One of my latest obsessions is The Chalkboard Mag by the Pressed Juicery, it’s not just food but great wellness tips on everything from food to cosmetics presented for the modern bohemian, it’s very well put together and a wealth of health information, check out their Guest Editors & Experts (very impressive!)

I know this a lot for today. I have also been researching budgeting/financial planning and even though it’s not the most exciting subject I will try to do a round-up next week of some resources I have found useful that might be of use to you as well.

Have a wonderful weekend!

photo & rosemary print by eva juliet

Maybelle Imasa-Stukuls is not only one of my favorite calligraphers but one of my favorite people as well. I am delighted to share her calligraphy kit with you today as a resource for anyone getting started, or those like me that love to have a collection of their fave calligraphers handpick supplies and also include their letterforms to practice.  I have received parcels from Miss Maybelle in the past and I can attest to the quality and sheer delight you will receive upon opening.

Currently Maybelle is at the IAMPETH convention, something I am completely envious about (and any budding calligrapher should consider for the future), but she will be back soon and will be shipping her kits out. If a kit won’t do Maybelle has been teaching around the world so I am sure their will be a live workshop in or near your neck of the woods soon.

For those of you that have started their lettering journey how has it been for you? Found any favorite supplies you would like to share? Any tips you have learned?  I haven’t practiced since before we moved and I am aching to get back to it, I love the meditative state it puts me in, even though I can be very hard on myself if things aren’t going as planned. I can’t wait to get back to it though and hopefully I can find a calligraphy class locally because I do love to learn from individuals that have mastered their craft. I highly recommend taking a formal calligraphy class even if you want to pursue more modern calligraphy styles, it really helps to understand the formations and how you can make them your own.

I don’t spend my budget on many ‘things’ anymore. When I ran my bi-coastal fashion PR/lifestyle firm all I did was collect the latest shoes, bags, accessories, etc.  I felt like I needed these things to be able to do my job and that was partly true (fashion can be cut throat), but even though I loved helping individuals build their dreams, I felt lacking in the fulfillment department. By nature I am a minimalist and all the ‘stuff’ eventually weighed me down. I left that life behind for a more calm less ‘stuff’ driven me. I hardly shop at all now and when I do I feel like I invest rather than buy things that won’t enhance my life and I can enjoy for years to come (I am always up for a bargain though).  One of my major shifts is what I spend on is investing in my continuing education–I love to take classes, workshops and buy books on whatever subject of the month I have an interest in. It’s a lot less expensive than designer shoes (more comfortable as well) and I never feel buyers remorse like I used to. A few months ago, I had the opportunity and great pleasure to attend photographer Jen Huang’s film photography workshop in Santa Barbara. It was pure bliss for me; I loved the location, the people I met both the behind the scene players (make-up, artists, stylists, etc.), my fellow participants and of course learning from a talent I truly admire. I learned so much in such a short amount of time and will always cherish the experience. Many of you emailed me and asked about the class and wished you could have attended/afforded it especially those overseas. Lucky for us Jen has decided to package her workshop up at a fraction of the price of her live workshops. You can learn all her ‘secrets’  like where she develops her film, what film she prefers, cameras, lenses, and much more.

The workshop-in-a-box comes with a 200 page book filled with beautiful images like the one above, indicating all the settings Jen used to create her beautiful images. If you have been wanting to delve deeper into fine art photography and film than this is a tool I highly recommend to assist you getting to the next level. If you have looked into film photography workshops, you’ll know that they are a pricey investment, this is a true gift to be able to take this workshop from your own home, anywhere in the world at a price that you can most likely recoup in your first client film session!

Let me know if you have any questions about her live workshops, I am happy to answer. Are you taking any classes/workshops this summer? Have you learned something new lately? Read a book on how-to do something? I am always curious about so many subjects and I figure that you are too!