Saturday, March 31, 2012

pinterest. cookies and OCD.

i am an artist, 
and while it took me years to claim that, 
it fits me, and i now own the title proudly.  
i am also an 
avid artist supporter. 
i love handmade works 
and i am totally stoked 
that i am fortunate enough 
to go online everyday and see, and be, 
inspired by the amazing works of art of others.


having said that, 
pinterest became the perfect place 
to collect, support, share and build inspiration boards. 
perfect, until i caught wind that maybe what i was doing 
wasn't the coolest thing to do {for artists or for legal reasons}, 
so, without much real thought 
{but lots of obsessive, i.e. worried thoughts}, 
i flew the coop. 
{that's the OCD in me, i am proud to claim that title, too}.
i missed pinterest terribly...like really, really bad. 
at first, i thought being free 
was going to give me more time for creative endeavors,
and i felt i was doing the 'right' thing, but i missed it. truly,
so i kept checking back to see what others were posting.
that's when i found two fantastic things:


and now, i'm back
it will take me a long time 
to get back to where i was 
and i miss my old boards, 
but i hope you will follow me 
as i pin thoughtfully and supportively 
in support of the community 
that i love so much!


oh, and i made the cookies in aqua, 
because i love 
pink 
as much as the next girl, 
but i kinda have this thing for aqua.
{but, you already knew that}.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

a blissful weekend.

i love my week days. 
yoga, work, school, 
family dinners, 
Monday night; Hawaii Five-0, 
Wednesday; Survivor, 
Thursday; Two and a Half Men, Person of Interest, 
The Food Network, Bravo, etc.,
but i love, love, love 
my weekends, 
because weekends are made for fun.
here a few snapshots from this weekend.


Peace. Love. Om.
i saw this in a cool studio downtown.
this just says it all for me.
{this is my current lockscreen phone photo}.


Lucky Buddha Beer.
{i don't drink beer, 
but these make the coolest vases, 
so someone else drinks the beer 
and i collect the bottles}.


Lion Coffee from Hawaii.
{cool cafe. delicious coffee.
Toasted Coconut is my favorite, 
brought a bag home}.


give.
bird feeder on an 
historic house downtown.


made this friday 
and it's been hanging around my neck
since then. 


these are a new favorite to hang from my ears.
{my favorite number is five, 
so i've always loved Hamsa as a lucky amulet}.


a late lunch at


yoga in the rain.
{please disregard my messy house,
weekends are made for fun, 
not housework}.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

raspberry oatmeal bars.


raspberry oatmeal bars.
easy. delicious. 
and i think they're sweetness 
just might make up for 
my lack of blog love lately.


Raspberry Oatmeal Bars


1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup rolled oats1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 
Grease one 8 inch square pan, and line with greased foil.
Combine brown sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and rolled oats. 
Rub in the butter using your hands or a pastry blender to form a crumbly mixture. 
Press 2 cups of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. 
Spread the jam to within 1/4 inch of the edge. 
Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the top, and lightly press it into the jam.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly browned. 
Allow to cool before cutting into bars.

recipe from allrecipes.com

of course, you could use other types of jam in these babies, 
if you'd prefer.


Monday, March 19, 2012


I
just
tweeted
to
let
you
know
I
blogged.

Friday, March 16, 2012

thoughts about Lucy's cloud.


i started my friday this morning with 
an Ashtanga Yoga class. 
it was challenging and i loved every minute.
after practicing asanas, 
we meditated, and then went into Savasana
{in Savansana, 
you are to relax
clear your mind
be aware of your body
stay alert,
and be a a witness to yourself}. 

today in Savasana, 
my instructor told us that 
when thoughts come into our minds 
to simply see them as a cloud 
moving through the sky 
and not to let the thoughts remain, 
but to stay focused on relaxing.

this is all good and fine, Yogi Indian man,
except for your comment about the cloud. 
the comment about the cloud
made me immediately think of this beautiful photo 
from my friend Lucy Snowe
{i love you Lucy, but you already know that}
so, while in Savasana, i started composing 
this blog post in my mind. 

as i did, 
i thought about what a perfect image 
her cloud is, 
for a yoga studio, for a meditation space, 
for a bedroom, for a nursery. 
i thought about how perfect it would be 
to have this image as a reminder 
to let thoughts 
drift by like a cloud 
when you are relaxing.

after my experience today, 
from now on, when i am in Savasana
i will try to remain thought-free 
imagining my thoughts
drifting through the sky 
like Lucy Snowe's cloud.

please visit Lucy's shop
for this and many, 
many other gorgeous
images.
all
thought provoking,
i must say.

myan soffia captures the city of angels.

i was born in L.A., 
Hollywood, actually.



and while i have lived in, and have loved, 
San Diego for most of my life,
i get this amazing feeling 
whenever we drive past
Orange County 
on the 5 Freeway
and someone in the car announces
"now we're in L.A."




a sort of inner smile,
i can't say exactly what it is,
but L.A. has 
a very special 
place in my heart.

i love you L.A. 




captures it for me with her images.
she too, loves L.A. 










Myan has two etsy shops.
and

enter code 
TENFOR10
at checkout 
for a 
10% discount. 

all photographs are captured & processed by Myan Soffia.
© 2008-2012 Myan Soffia Photography {www.myanartstudio.com}

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

forty-seven.

at 47 {i turned forty-seven in february}, 

i have decided a few things...

a little make-up looks best {which is a total drag because i love products}, 
wearing Covergirl Simply Ageless Foundation, doesn't make me ageless {i wish}, 
but does shave off a year or two, 
filling in my brows takes off a few more, 
now i'm down to 42 {hah!}  
using no lipstick, {just Burt's Bees Acai Lip Balm}, looks the best 
{i have a lot of pigment naturally, 
so lip color, i think looks clown-ish on me}, 
wearing a good mascara {Great Lash Lots of Lashes is my current favorite}, 
and a little gel liner - at night only - looks like i put a little time into my look, 
choosing a shimmer-y neutral eye shadow 
{i like Summer from bare Minerals or Maybelline 
Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze} is all i need to dress up my eyes. 
i love a smoky eye. love. love, but it doesn't suit me.

lastly, using Clinique Gel Blush gives that youthful pop of color
that we all want.

so, as much as i obsess over and buy beauty products, 

i look best pretty natural
{oh, and in sepia tones}. 






a few more things, 
i also decided that i better stick to role models like
cindy joseph and stop comparing 
myself to elle macpherson.

oh and

they say a smile always makes a girl look pretty, 
so i smile A LOT
{it also makes strangers wonder 
if you're crazy 
or something 
and i kinda like that}.


being in love doesn't hurt either. 
if you're happy on the inside,
 it shows on the outside.

so, as i struggle a bit with this getting older thing,
i keep these few things in mind
and this:

just because she's pretty 
doesn't mean that i'm not. 

{i saw this posted recently and really liked the idea}.

so tell me, 
what makes you feel beautiful?

Monday, March 12, 2012

sadly, i deleted my beautiful pin boards from Pinterest today. 
after learning of their terms this past friday, i have decided not to support their current business model, policies or practices. 
if you'd like to learn more, there are well-written posts 
here and here on Pinterest and copyright law. 

i do plan to share many of the inspiring images here in future posts, 
making sure that each and every image 
has appropriate links to the owner of such images. 

Sunday, March 4, 2012

freida. me and pinterest.






shot by me.

i feel so bad. i've been neglecting my blog again.
it's not that i don't love my blog. 
i still do. 



me shot by andrew reilly.

it's just that i've fallen in love 
with something else.

i lovvvvvvve pinterest.

the colors, the inspiration, 
the beauty, the wisdom.

i spend a little time there everyday.

it's like sitting with a cup of tea
and opening a favorite magazine
and thinking 'this is such a great issue'.

yep. that's just what it's like.

so, if anyone is looking for me,
or wondering what i'm up to,
head over to  pinterest 
you'll find me there.