A Personal Touch

I’ve decided to attempt to do all of my Christmas shopping on Etsy this year. The idea of supporting talented and creative individuals selling handmade and vintage goods lends a personal touch to the season. The problem I run into is the ‘one for you, and one for me’ issue (as my stylish friend Courtney puts it). My husband says that my gifting habits tend towards the aspirational, but when you’re smitten with something, don’t you want to give it to someone you adore?

This sweater wrap would keep your dearest friends pretty and warm on cold winter mornings.

I like the way these Rosaline Czech glass earrings glimmer in the sun. And seriously; eight dollars?

This mother of pearl inlay bowl would look stunning in any home.

And for the shutterbug in your life, how about a classic Polaroid land camera? (hint, hint)

The romantic gal in your life needs one of these. Truly, she does.

My Other Life

You know when you have those brief fantasies that you're living this completely different life, doing something entirely different in a place far away? It's not one of those, "My life is miserable and I wish it was different" fantasies. It's just a fanciful play with what might have been. For me, it's living on the West Bank in Paris in an apartment painted varying shades of blue. I ride my red bike to work every day to a jazz radio station. This song is one of those fantasies, which is a celebration of the imagination.

Faces

I've been pouring all of my productivity into my day job these days, and I'm actually quite lucky with the project I've been working on. Me and my partner have been taking pictures of every. single. employee. This is no small task, since it involves actual thousands of people. But what has fascinated me about it is how, when people submit themselves for a brief head shot, you get so much information from their faces; what they're wearing, whether they smile, if they look straight into the camera. It's a fleeting moment, but I've noticed how varied and beautiful the human race is. As many of these people are relative strangers, you begin to wonder how well they slept last night, if they listen to jazz, classical, or indie music, whether they have some serious chocolate addiction. It's endlessly fascinating. I can't share them with you, of course, because they are not my pictures. But I recommend you take pictures of strangers and learn something for yourself.