The wizardry of John R. Neill

I have always adored the beautiful and whimsical images of Oz illustrator John R. Neill. Not only are they colorful and quite delightful, but they perfectly compliment the writings of L. Frank Baum. A definite sense of the era from when the stories are based (early 1900s) is evident in the dainty girls, rosy-cheeked boys, and flowing skirts, tassels, and ribbons of many of the characters. Neill definitely had a touch for rendering animals in a sweetly humorous way, and they are major players in the Oz series.



I think my favorite of all time is the sawhorse.

The books are absolutely wonderful, too. Don't think that they're just for kids or young adults. Once I start reading one, I can't put it down til it's finished, and I immediately want to start another. I only read the first two of the fourteen books in the Oz series, and have had trouble since then finding the other twelve books. I'm still looking for a source for the awesome Del Ray series of paperbacks, which feature Neill's fabulous illustrations. And it's been so long since I read the first two books, I've forgotten what I've read. No matter, it'll be fun to read them again.

I plan on getting some colorful Neill prints in the near future, and would love to cover my walls in this happy little world called Oz.

Abstraction via Camera Bag

These images were created with my iPhone and a great new app I downloaded called Camera Bag. I used the Lolo effect on these, but there's a bunch of other cool affects you can apply to your photos too, including Helga and 1974. I think the camera on the iPhone isn't as good as it could be—hello, no zooming capabilities? But with this app you can play around with what you've got and make something kinda cool. Very highly recommended app by this satisfied customer!

Can you tell what these are photos of?

Daisy chain

Does anyone have any ideas on how to use these daisies for a mobile project for a baby's room? Sam is having a baby girl (Jane) in January, and I thought it'd be neat to convert this daisy garland into a mobile of some sort. I was thinking of maybe adding other flowers or bugs or something to it. Georgia put these daisies on my desk to welcome me back to work after my honeymoon in August, and I definitely want to use them for something cool. Ideas?

And by the way, I was taking pix of the daisies with my iPhone, and for some reason it freaked out and took this weird divided image with the different angles and such. I thought the image was really cool and decided to use it for this post. I wish I could make another photo effect like that again on purpose, but I can't get it to work. I've heard of some neat apps for the camera on the iPhones, but I haven't downloaded any yet. Any suggestions?

(Photo via my iPhone)

Chilly weather wear

Today I paired these...



With one of these...



...but in argyle...



It's freezing here this morning! So out come the sweaters, even for my feet. Brrr!

A mod little camera: the Fujifilm Z200fd

Love the styling on this hip little camera from Fujifilm. Functionality and design combine with a laundry list of features in a stylish little compact camera anyone can use.

And best of all?



It also comes in red.

A lovely peacock ornament from Georgia

Georgia was kind enough yesterday to give me this beautiful peacock ornament she got at World Market. I was thrilled beyond belief. I've been collecting bird ornaments for the last several years now, and I'm always looking for new and interesting additions for my collection. This one will be showcased in the best spot on my Christmas tree this coming holiday season. Thanks, Georgia!

Benefit at the Towne Tap

On Sunday there was a benefit hosted at the Towne Tap for Ken, Pete's stepbrother, who has been battling a brain tumor for a while now. It was originally supposed to be on September 14, but that's when the bad floods hit the Chicago area, and it had to be postponed. Well, this time it went off without a hitch. And it seems like most of Warrenville showed up, and everyone had a great time. There were raffles, food, drinks, a band, and lots of good conversation. I'm sure lots of money was raised to help with Ken's bills. Here are some scenes from the benefit (and boy, did we luck out on weather!):

View of the event


Pete by the DuPage River, which is now rather tame (the river, that is, not Pete)


Isabelle, Karly, Olivia, and Otto


Nic, Jim, Amelia, Jill, Kathy, and Jeanette


Kari, Joanie, and Rich


A view of some choppers lined up at the Tap


The festivities underway


My shoes, of course (sorry about the wrapper that got in that shot)


Blue skies above the Tap


A full crowd at the event


Ken and Chrissy giving a speech


Pete talking with my mom and dad, who had just visited a pumpkin farm with Sam, Mani, and Henry and stopped by to say hi (we got some free cider and donuts—yum!)


Gas tank lid on a cool bike at the Tap



(Photos via my iPhone)

Some pretty things seen at J. Crew

Just got the new catalog in the mail...

Does this outfit work?

Have you ever checked out the Lucky Magazine feature, "Does this outfit work?"? I think sometimes the fashion editors at Lucky have some really good ideas (great boots in the last image), but most of the time they seem to just swap out one or two items and call it a makeover.

And their choices range from blah to bizarre. I don't think any of these "after" pictures are that big of an improvement over the originals, and the last image looked better before, in my opinion (besides the boots and bag). I think the problem is that the fashion editors miss the point of these makeovers. It's not just to change out a purse or a scarf, but perhaps suggest clothes that are better fitting for the woman, better styled, or even just a bit punchier and more fun.

Now mind you, I wore yellow shoes to work yesterday, so although I'm happy with my style, I can't say that I'm a fashion guru. But I can tell when a petite woman is wearing the wrong skirt for her body (first image) or when a woman's outfit is almost totally all wrong (third image). I think the fashion editors are missing out on a great opportunity to show us devoted Lucky readers how the latest trends, styles, and colors can look great on the average woman, and more importantly, how to pull it off!

Nonetheless, it's still interesting checking out these before and after stories out. I love a good makeover, and I love seeing what even subtle changes can do for the look of an outfit. And if you haven't subscribed to Lucky yet, what are you waiting for? It's chock full of the latest shoes, purses, accessories, and more, and a rainbow of selections are always shown. Best of all, it's dirt cheap at $15 for 24 issues, and you get a free bag in the deal, too!

It's here, lovelies!

What a way to turn a gray, cold, and rainy day into a bright and happy one. ShoeLove has officially started up, and Georgia and I are both very excited to get things underway. Take some time to check it out in the next several days, as we begin posting everything shoe related. Yay!

(P.S. Be sure to check out our very first post, which features an exceptionally written ode to shoe love by Jessi of Dancing in the Moonlight.)

Photo(s) of the Week: "Random Smiley Faces"

Smiley face in gravel


Smiley face in pudding lid


Smiley face on counter (?)


Smiley face on wall in Hawaii (obviously someone made this one, but still...)


Smiley face in tub after washing boots



Well, it's been a rough few weeks for me at work, and I needed a smile today. So I thought I'd share some of the random smiley faces I have found in my travels. I started seeing them a few years ago just out of the blue. I would look down while walking on a path and boom! there was a smiley face grinning up at me. Then I started seeing them quite a bit, and I always managed to capture a photo or two. Lately I haven't seen as many, which makes me sad, but I know that has a lot to do with my frame of mind. But I never alter the photos or the subjects in order to make a smiley face. If it's there, it's there.

Anyhow, I plan on making a Flickr set for these soon. Many come from my cell phone or other cameras, and many are on my computer at work, so I have to gather them all up in one folder. I really get a kick out of seeing these, so I hope to see some more soon to keep me smiling.

Enjoy!