Summer Breezed By.

Well my darlings, the summer is quickly coming to a close, at least the more relaxing portion is, but I wanted to give you an update on how my goals for the summer panned out. I did in fact accomplish most of what I set out to do, and for the things I did not finish, I certainly gave them a whirl. So here is the list and I hope that you all got to fulfill your wishes for the summer as well. xoxo

1. Sew Aprons.

This one took a while, but was certainly the most fulfilling. I made them for three of my sweet friends who just moved into a beautiful blue house together. They made a nice pancake and waffle breakfast the other day for our friends and they wore their aprons, so cute.

2. Go to Labels Frequently.

For those of you that live in the Atlanta area who have not heard of Labels and I have not told you about it, I am deeply sorry I have wronged you. I am sorry because this is the best designer consignment shop in Buckhead. I have found so many great things at Labels since I heard about it in January and it is definitely a shop worth exploring. Since going there, my sister has found a pair of Salvatore Ferragamo shoes for next to nothing and I have found a handmade Kimono in the sale section and a Yves Saint Laurent couture gown (which I kick myself for not getting) for a mere $300. Straight from the runway in Paris. Crazy. So these are two of my finds. The top shoes hold a striking resemblance to my beloved Stubbs so I felt obliged to buy them.

Just go. That is all I have to say.

3. Read like Mad.

Okay. This one I have a good excuse for. I began to read these fantastic classics with every intention of finishing them, but they were just soooo booring. F. Scott has written much better stories than This Side of Paradise. The Great Gatsby I could handle, but other than the ivy league life that awaited Amory Blaine, there were no redeeming qualities in the book to keep me awake. Brave New World, a little too much like all of the other futuristic books written in the first half of the 20th century. It just reeked of thoughts about a dim future and I am already reminded of that in the news as it is. As for you Mr. Joyce, another day my friend, we shall meet another day and I am sure you will not daunt me so. Also in the stack pictured above is the Diving Bell and the Butterfly. That one I liked. The story was compelling and the imagery was fantastic. Bravo, Monsieur Bauby, you are remembered and loved.

4. Learn to play these instruments: Harmonica, guitar, banjo.

This one I did not take advantage of as much as the others. I did try my hand at the harmonica and can play a mean solo of "Piano Man" and also some bluesy tunes, but that is the extent of it. I didn't learn the other two, but I did find a really cool looking banjo pin in my mom's jewelry box and I consider that an accomplishment in and of itself. This is just a picture of me in Charleston serenading a bird with my harp.

5. Be employed.

I had the grand opportunity to work at J. Crew this summer. My coworkers were fantastic as was my manager Terry pictured above. He is a perfect example of a refined modern gentleman and I am so honored to be a part of the J. Crew family.

6. Grow Longer Hair by eating peanut butter (protein!).

Well, fortunately even without gorging myself on peanut butter, my hair did grow. Hooray!

7. Take more pictures and make a movie.

I did take a LOT of pictures and boy was it fun to take them! I went on loads of adventures with family and friends and I couldn't ask for more. Here are the videos I made this summer and there are more to come so stay tuned!

Well, that concludes the list and I suppose this post concludes the summer. I start my fall classes tomorrow and I am onto a whole new list of goals to accomplish. Here's to starting fresh and accomplishing dreams.

'S Wonderul 's Marvelous.

I just love the look of these wedding/engagement pictures. I'm a sucker for the hipstery touches like the turntable and I am loving that the guy is wearing an original penguin shirt! Every aspect is spot on and properly evokes that throwback element with a modern twist. Thank you Sloan Photography for such fine, inspirational photos and thank you Stacie and Geoff Temple for being so effortlessly cool. (Her dress reminded me of the one in Funny Face, so I just had to post this song.)

Transitioning into Fall.

It may only be the tail-end of July, but according to the world of Vogue, preparations for the incoming fall are well underway. There are so many lovely options that are starting to come out and I simply must share my favorites. Right now I'm obsessed with riding pants, like these from J. Crew that I just got, and lovely simplistic neutrals. The other day I completely streamlined my closet and I am left with the uniform palate of navy, light blue, khaki, black, and white. This pink shirt will probably be the only pop of color I wear for the rest of the year other than a pair of citrine woolen ankle socks! Golly, don't you just love fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send all of you a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils if I had your name and address. So have a great weekend everyone! xx -Jo

Kip is Hip.

I surprisingly have a new found appreciation for, of all things, Napoleon Dynamite. Granted, it is a rather slow film and the humor is extremely dry, but the visuals for the opening credits are fresh and stunning. That is because Napoleon's own Aaron Ruell who played Kip did the photography for the movie. His subtle humor and attention to simplicity in color set the tone for the film and he uses similar elements in his own photographs and commercials. It's a very distinct kind of funny which taps into the drabber looks of the 70s and 80s and is saturated with such banal that you can't help but give a chuckle, just a little one. So be sure to give his portfolio a looksy, this guy has some great skills.

Beachy Keen.

Nothing quite beats a good day at the beach. I have gotten to spend this week with my family in Seaside and Destin, Florida and boy is it lovely! There are so many brightly clad children and everything seems to be cast in hues of blue and tan. One place that is especially fun to visit is Modica's Market, which has to-die-for red velvet cake and was frequently featured in the movie the Truman Show. Next door to the market is the quaint Sundog Books which is one of my favorite parts of Seaside, and upstairs is the extensive record library of Central Square Records. There were hundreds of gems like the latest from Coconut Records, good stuff. Overall, you simply must visit this part of Florida, just prepare your eyes for the perfection of what will be your new favorite sea haven.

Old, New, Borrowed, Pink.

The summer is here and that means one thing, time to redecorate. I've been hanging pictures, draping my dress form, and viewing various sites to determine what direction to go in for my room. One in particular is a shoe company called Keller whose spring/summer shoot drove me to minimize and streamline to a color palette that is understated and cohesive. The mood of Django Reinhardt's music contributed to the overall look as well as the items I salvaged from my sister's room like the bibb necklace and her barnacle inspired lamp which she made (bravo, sis). All of these things come together to form a space that finally has a homey, eclectic feel. Welcome home, Jo, welcome home.

Keller shoes

81, 83, 85.

My vintage Minolta

I have recently grown a liking for the 80s. I didn't see that one coming, at all. It all started when I began my search for a new camera, happy times! I got a Nikon Coolpix P100 and it is a pretty advanced little thing. When I got home, that's when the magic happened. I was in a camera craze and I remembered that I had an old broken one sitting in my closet that I got from my yearbook adviser, but I had not really looked at it since. I bring it out and it is OH SO spectacular. It is a Minolta XG-M which I found out was made in 1981. The after-market zoom lens is extremely large and probably takes some really incredible distance shots. The only downside, it's broken. It's okay though, I am thoroughly willing to have it fixed.

Then the next discovery one of my friends told me about, the musical stylings of Daniel Johnston. He was quite an unusual chap, staying in his basement studio for hours upon hours making up songs and creating lots of short films. He released his first cassette tape Hi, How Are You? in 1983, having to rerecord his music every time he wanted to get a new tape to a record label. He was first truly discovered when he appeared on MTV in 1985 and from there received high regards for his soul stirring songs. Despite many personal battles, his fans have remained loyal and other artists continue to cover his work, from the Karen O and the Kid version of Worried Shoes, to Bright Eyes' rendition of Devil Town. Just phenomenal.

Molly Ringwald in The Breakfast Club
Also for the year 1985, the movie the Breakfast Club. Now I know it's a little cliché to like this, but I just recently watched this movie and I really admire the work of John Hughes. He connected to teenagers in a way that few adults had done before and he highlighted a time in aperson's life that most film makers choose to skip over. He is a legend.
So because of cameras, quirky music, and certain teen flicks, I have decided the 80s were not so bad. If I can just get over the shoulder pads...
Photo

Hearts Twined.

Weddings and Martha Stewart are always a great combination. Look for yourself on her website and you will see what I'm talking about. My very favorite wedding of all time that she has posted is of a couple named Lena and Joshua. Needless to say, they are a very fun, creative sort of pair. Lena had a collection of older fabrics and got a lot of inspiration from mixing prints. They also both loved the outdoors so they combined their two favorite things to make an eclectic, woodsy, vintage inspired wedding in Twain Harte, California. Every detail was effected from the stamps on their invitations to the groom's boutonniere. This wedding is something of a dream and definitely reflects how down to earth this couple is.

Photos