frivolous and fickle trimmings.

"The girls trod absent-mindedly on the bright shreds of material, wading carelessly in the rubbish of a possible carnival, in the storeroom for some great unrealized masquerade. They disentangled themselves with nervous giggles from the trimmings, their eyes laugh into the mirrors. 

Their hearts, the quick magic of their fingers were not in the boring [outcome] which remained on the table, but in the thousand scraps, the frivolous and fickle trimmings, with the  colorful fantastic snowstorm with which they could smother the whole city"

Bruno Schulz, The Street of Crocodiles

this passage - the girls and the giggling and the rubbish - reminded me of the {frolic!} flower class I photographed last summer. you can see more photos on Chelsea Fuss' flickr. 

A {frolic!} Flower Class at Summer School PDX

I had the pleasure of photographing Chelsea's summer flower class at Summer School PDX. It was the first time I've ever done work for somebody else and - I'll be honest - the few hours that the film was at the processor were nerve racking! I couldn't be happier with the way the photos turned out. Luckily, it's pretty hard to take a bad picture of a flower.

It was such an amazing, creative atmosphere. We shared a space with Lisa Warninger (of Urban Weeds fame). My friend, Lauren (who assists Lisa and is a talent in her own right) styled  the photo-class sets. And, best of all, even the students were the kind of creative girls you'd love to meet over tea. Like Lillian (of Unstitched) who is the sweetest girl ever and Grace (of Design*Sponge), though I was too shy to say much to her.

Today, the pictures are featured on Chelsea's blog {frolic!}. You can view the series of portraits and bouquets from her students on her flickr. Chelsea is a fantastic teacher - each and every bouquet is gorgeous.

[ (1) on film, at the summer {frolic!} flower class. You view out-takes and photo's from the spring flower class on my flickr.]

An Inspiring Weekend Ahead

This should be a very fun weekend here in Portland!

On Saturday I’ll be at Summer School Portland taking film pictures for Chelsea’s flower class. I just refurbished my Pentax k1000 at Blue Moon – so I can't wait to use it. I went to her class this spring and it was such lovely time. I’m especially excited because I hear there might be Peonies, my favorites! Are any of you going to one of the classes?

Sunday I’ll be going to Joy’s second section of her Blogging and Social Media class. I’m a little nervous to talk with everyone (I am so not a networker), but I think it will be fun and help me focus my writing voice.

 And, of course there is Father’s day too, and my sister is moving to Portland. It will be a real whirlwind. I’m sure next week will be full of show-and-tell.

[ (1) on film with Pentax k1000. More of the flower class on Flickr, and shared by Chelsea on {frolic!} ]

A {frolic} Flower Class

I recently had the pleasure of attending Chelsea's first official {frolic!} flower class. 

She taught us how to make a 'french bouquet'; which we learned means the steams are tight and crossed and the overall shape is rounded. (Although, you could probably sell me anything with 'french' in the title. See me, buying the can of french cut greenbeans at the grocery store)

Chelsea was a fantastic teacher; sharing with us the history of the 'nose-gay' and encouraging all of our individual styles. The combination of her past life as a flower shop owner, and current career as a prop stylist make her a real pro!

I used shocking pink ranunculus, purple lilacs and white freesias, which smelled absolutely heavenly. Chelsea also suggested we use greenery in our bouquet, which I had never really though of. It gave them shape, and made them looked fuller and more finished at the end.

And, it was an added plus that the class was full of fun ladies like Lauren (of The Little Things We Do), Laura (a letter designer) and Jenn (an event planner at Bowtie and Bustle)

 It was such a great, girly morning and I had a beautiful bouquet to bring home to wish my sister good luck on her marthon. I always get a little sad when it's time to toss them - but as Chelsea pointed out ...

"That's the beauty of flowers. They aren't permanent. They're fleeting"

You can read more about the class from Lauren and Jenn and professor Chelsea, herself ( ... where you can also see a picture of me, my bouquet, and a very bad hairday).  

 

and there are more of  film pictures of the {frolic!} flower class at my flickr.

 

(p.s.) If this sounds like something you'd like to do, she'll be teaching another flower class at Summer School Portland!

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* as many of you know, blogger (the publisher I use) was being a real butt-head and, because of a glitch, removed many recent posts from around blog-land. Luckily, this post wasn't gone for good - but some of the comments are. I promise I didn't delete them. I love every word you write to me.

A Declaration of Inspiration

This week I met a lot of people whose work I love; first at a reading at Powell's and then at Little Winter this weekend. Of course, it was awkward at first. Knowing someone who doesn't know you is humbling. I always have to fight the urge to play it cool, like a real hip art chick, and not say anything.

But, it is so important to tell people how they inspire you. I think, at the base of it all, connecting with people is why we all started doing this.

It was important to tell Stephanie Cogdon-Barnes (half of the team that published of A Year of Mornings: 3191 miles apart) that I sent her book to my best friend who lives in a different city.

... to tell Abby Powell-Thompson (the photographer behind Abby Try Again) that her pictures helped me see all the beauty in Portland when I first moved here and didn't really feel like this was my home.

... to tell Lauren (at the little things we do) that she's encouraged me to pair black and brown more adventurously in my wardrobe.

... & hardest of all, to tell Nicole Krauss that her book helped me in a time when I felt like no one else understood the kind of deep sadness that accompanies an otherwise happy existence. To tell her "that part of me is made of glass" too, even if it was through tears.

So, I hope you all make a point today to tell someone who may not know you that they are important to your life, none the less. Write an e-mail to an author, or comment on a blog you read anonymously.

If writing teaches us anything, it's that we have an infinite amount of power in our words, if we can just be brave enough to use them

(photo) from sally of Shim + Sons, who I had the pleasure of sharing a few good laughs with as she greeted at the market. Yet another person who inspires me, especially with her sparkling, news-anchor worthy, personality

The Morning After

 It's no secret that I am unwaveringly sentimental - so I'm always a little sad the morning after a big event. It kind of feels like the day after Christmas, everything unwrapped and all the anticipation behind you.

The branches in this photo, on my bedside table, were some of the styling elements Chelsea used for little winter and I brought them home hoping it would make the feeling last just a little bit longer

I'll be sure to share some amazing little tid bits from the weekend, but until then : happy monday! There is a whole week ahead of us full of possibility and new projects. 

(photo) poloroid 600 film, which has obviously expired.

Little Love Note for Little Winter

Dear people coming for Little Winter,
I'm so excited to get to meet everyone. I'm going to try my best to act like an upstanding intern, and not a super fan. It's been so beautiful this week, it's like the whole city is waiting to wow you (look!). But coming to Portland when the sun in shining is dangerous, you will want to live here.

(1 and 2) pentax k1000, on 400 iso film. (fyi) little winter is the project I've been interning on. If you live in Portland I hope you will come!

Forever Young : Eternally Interning

By now, all you daily readers here at Unconventionally Beautiful have determined that I don't exactly have a little thing called a career. How do I tell people ...

"Organized, overly-enthusiastic, young lady seeks position to orchestrate large scale projects with small scale details. Position must be creative, and craft/caffeine driven. Skills include: bow tying, rubber cementing, typewriting to rival Joan Holloway?"

Who knew all of these 'skills' would help me land a perfect little dream internship with Chelsea Fuss at Frolic!, one of The Times' top 20 design blogs in the world. It involves literally everything i love: ribbons, weddings, flowers, glue-sticks, streamers, everything.

   

here are two of the project's I've worked on:

(1) a paperwhite bulb kit and (2) a confetti systems inspired latern. 

Both are for Project Wedding

Even before I started interning, I was a daily reader of {Frolic!}. Her aesthetic has a simplicity usually reserved for minimalism, but maintains every personal and natural touch. Working with her has been so humbling, but so inspiring. I thought I'd share her work with the few of you who aren't familiar already, and clue you into what I've been up to the last month. Knowing her, you will be fans with the first click-through.

(images 1 & 2) creative commons copywrited to {frolic} (p.s) even Joanna at cup of jo is a fan.

Sloane Crosley | Resume

"A basic affinity for office work may appear expendable to most. But I was a good girl from the suburbs, where self-worth was color-coded and bound and crazy-glued into a diorama. "

I Was Told There'd Be Cake

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* this is me. in a statement. Starting a new internship next week, and bringing my grade A color coding/diorama making skills with me.