I have been working tirelessly on my product shots for the shop launch. I’m not very good at it.  I really should have used my lights and not relied so much on natural light.  It’s hard to get consistent natural light, it’s not just a matter of the same time each day, because light really changes from day to day.  These are some of the things I have learned the hard way.  I will have a few Photoshop actions I created for download hopefully this week that have saved me from ripping all my hair out. If anyone has any tips on getting consistent product shots I am all ears. This has definitely been a huge learning curve for me.  I am shaking in my ballerina flats to see how I am ever going to pull off shooting the jewelry that will be in the shop.  Jewelry?  Yes, jewelry, the real stuff, the kind you want to wear every day and never take off.  Once I have everything in the shop it might make more sense why this launch has taken so long. I don’t plan to launch all the products at once either. Let’s just say that I will be offering a few of my favorite things. So what are you waiting for?  Sign up to be the first one on your block to know when I open my virtual doors for business…

I don’t think it would come as a surprise to anyone reading this blog that I am a neat-freak.  I like things airy, bright and clean, very clean. If you were to open my closet door you would see rows upon rows of color coordinated shoes lined up like little soldiers, every shoe exactly half an inch apart from its neighbor. I clean everyday, but please take into consideration my flat is the size of a postage stamp so it is both easy to keep tidy and on the reverse side just as easy for my Fancy to mess up. I make a lot of my own cleaning products not because it’s the green thing to do, but it’s how my family has been obsessively cleaning for generations.  You would be amazed at the power of lemon, baking soda and vinegar.  With the same passion I reserve for my cleaning I also have an equal  adoration for pretty packaging.  Clean Peace thoughtfully has packed two of my favorite things together.  Please note, if I had an unlimited budget I would happily hand my cleaning duties off to a professional, but of course I might have to let them know the shoes were placed a quarter inch too close to each other but I could live with that.

A couple of weeks ago I was asked to create a guest post for the delightful Yellow Brick Home.  I gratefully accepted and of course I immediately went into a tail spin.  I have been asked to do a guest post before from one of my favorite blogs, no less, what did I do?  I promptly forgot.  Forgot?! I don’t know how that was possible, but in my excited state I lost track of time and responsibility. I have hung my head in shame ever since. So, when Kim asked me to write a guest post I was on it.  To a degree that I am sure she only wishes she hadn’t asked me.  

The YBH is filled with creative home projects and plenty of cute animal photos, so I was truly at a loss of what I could contribute being that my flat looks like we just moved in, (since I am a pro-level procrastinator) and it looked like they were set in the fur baby department.  I know that Kim + Scott love vintage so I pulled out some of my Paris postcards and created these Photoshop stamps (brushes) to download.  I also included the texture of the postcard and all the files with transparent backgrounds (.pngs) so you can even use them in Word.  I have you covered (and me).  Now go over there and say hello and get your download on.

Today is Bella’s 6th birthday.  I can not believe that she has been in my life nearly as long.  We adopted our naughty Frenchie when she was six months old and were smug with our altruistic ways, until Bella humbled us–completely. It is hard to be smug when your dog audibly passes gas when you walk down the street.  It’s futile to try to explain to strangers that it wasn’t you, your professions of innocence only make you look guiltier. This dog has been nothing but trouble since the day after her trial period with us was up.  I swear she was on her best behavior and when she knew we were her forever home she let her true colors shine.  There was the time she ate an entire tube of A & D ointment, to this day she starts salivating if you get any ointment type product within a few yards of her. Bella also loves  to eat paper, any kind of paper will do. Or the time I almost left her father because of how she redecorated our apartment. Then of course the court ordered muzzle. Sigh. She is the world’s naughtiest Frenchie, if there is havoc to be had she will be causing it, today on her 6th birthday I will let her (as long as it doesn’t involve cleaning up anything). Today I will give her a free pass to hang out on the furniture, maybe even go for a car ride with the window down and of course she’ll get plenty of tummy rubs, because she loves that the most.

I love the blogosphere, I do.  I would marry it if it would have me (and if marrying my Fancy as well wouldn’t make me polygamous). I wanted this post to convey my deep appreciation and heartfelt thanks to Miss Ez of Creature Comforts for her generosity.  Ez has been so supportive of my many endeavors–my photography, graphic design, my new blog, etc, etc.  In fact, Ez’s blog was one of the very first I read on a regular basis. I loved her authentic voice which hooked me and was over the moon for her when she blossomed into the groove she is in now (which has kept me coming back for more).  It is such an inspiration to be able to see an individual overcome adversity and turn it into a creative fount, which she certainly has. It’s one of the things I love the most about the internet that we can revel in eachother’s successes.  I feel so lucky when someone that I admire, well, admires me back.  I don’t know of a more eloquent way to word it, but I am truly grateful.  I am also thankful for all of you that stop by and visit, it amazes me everyday that anyone finds this little neck of the internet woods and when you leave a note I am happier than a bird with a french fry.