The Olivers

love the chandelier, headboard, and touches of glam

D Home Magazine recently featured the lovely home of Jamie Laubhan-Oliver and Larry Oliver located in the historic Cedars neighborhood of Dallas.  To read the whole story go here! All photography–the amazing Manny Rodriguez.

black ceiling??! YES!

i SO want a wood-planked wall!

there's something about pretty metal wastebaskets

Thanks to Rue magazine Issue 2 for showcasing the home of Dallas blogger, Atlantis Home, whose way eccentric home deserves a post of its own!  Perusing her site, led me to uncover how un-cookie-cutter DHome really is!  I've always admired their covers, but felt it was too uppity for me to ever buy, but it really is a great resource for getting to know a little more about how suburban areas can throw caution to the wind and thrive on uniqueness and local shops.

I'm looking forward to getting to know my area better!  A budding "designer" has got to have her little black book of resources and here's an easy, risk-free start.  I even looked at their job opening/internships to see if they could use a photographer =).  They have a listing, but they don't recommend full-timers to go for it. Maybe I'll try for it in the summer!  (I have GOT to stop making excuses and just GO for it, sacrifices and all!)


xoxo, isabel

heart skips for:

ok.  I WANT TO BE A PHOTOGRAPHER and stylist.  It doesn't matter what I'm looking at - food, interiors, products, babies, weddings, animals...it all comes down to the photography and styling for me.

 

here 

 

here

  

here

  

here

  

here

[emersonmade, prettygoodmary, emyah, ohhellofriend, joylicious]

I love all the tiny details that others regard as silly but can actually *make* the shot.  Get off my back if I want my cupcake wrapper folded neatly down as a doily for my cupcake!  Save your comment if you're about to tell me that the blanket I'm about to drape over this chair is pointless.  Forget rolling your eyes at me as I position my favorite bowl in the background. Stand back yee negativitors! yes, i know that's not a word, spell check.

I NEED to make use of my cameras better.  Yes, I have more than one great camera.  But what is there to take pictures of?!  Bah, humbug - NOTHING!  Seriously!!!  I want to photograph things of mine, but I don't make/design/do anything.  I spend 95% my summer days browsing the blog-o-sphere, falling in love with what other people do.  Quite depressing.  So I'm starting a list; an A-Z list which I often use in my 3rd grade classroom :)  The theme is: "style-able".  Leaving it open to interpretation.  We'll see how that goes...with that big, broad theme...check back in a few days when I start shooting!

An easy "style-able" is food.  I love food styling as mentioned here.  I don't cook a lot though I enjoy it; I have been known to make something, just so I can style it and photograph it! 

[ hummingbird cake by yourstruly-100% film]

the print is STUNNING; ignore the scanned res. & too thin icing layer in the middle

 

It's the most accessible thing to me!  Food changes daily, has many components to it, it's colorful, straight from nature, and makes people salivate even if the photography isn't great.  Sharing a meal together is beautiful!  Preparing it - fun, a labor of love.  I do feel wonderful when someone says, "oh-my-god, this is soo good; the best you ever made".  Cooking is soo much easier to not mess up than decorating a room. :)

I love the feeling of giving something that I made, to somebody and bringing them some sort of happy sustenance. 

 If it's cooking, a gift, decorating, a wow picture of them, whatever! 

Food, is not my passion though; however I think that if I had more friends and threw more get-togethers as well as my $ out the window, it could possibly get high up there.  Anybody in?

Back to photography, I would REALLy like to stick with film because I want to KNOW the technicalities of a camera and know them well.  It will distinguish me from my friends who, are obviously great, but are editing their photos.  I want to not edit :D  Film slows me down to think about the shot instead of taking 100 nasty digital pictures to get one that's decent and manipulatable (sp:?).  However, I can't get past the convenience , free-ness (so easy to just delete), and speediness of a digital file...

[film master: Jonathan Canlas]

Thoughts, anybody?

Sorry for the semi-giddy with excitement yet debbie-downer post.  In the meantime, check out a friend from college who is working that camera!  I have quite a few photo talented friends like Jason Huang of Table4Photography and my bestie, Elaine :)  Joy though, she's something!  Check her out and bring a napkin to dab away your drool!

http://joylicious.net/

xoxo, isabel

photo of the day series

Dear 25 year old Isabel,

Today, it is Saturday, July 3, 2010 around 10:43 pm.  You just spent your 8th day in a row on your computer from rise-time to bed-time.  You were inspired, you liked a lot of things you perused, your heart strings got pulled on.  You pissed off your boyfriend by saying "coming from you who slept all day" when really you're just pissed at your own valiant efforts at wasting time and life.  Then you decided to vacuum cat fur off couches while revisiting a quote that said "A clean house is a sign of a wasted life", and said, "Damn it, I'm going to finish covering my kitchen chairs" to come back from buying staples to realize the staple gun's jammed and no efforts of will cure it.  So you got back on your lovely Macbook Pro and again were inspired, tugged on, decided to go comment crazy on Facebook to feel like you had a life and friends, found Joy "Jangles" Zhang doing awesome things and then you got majorly defeated. 

Well, you have 28 days before your summer ends with a trip to Hawaii!  You just made an A-Z list of things you'd like to style and photograph until that glorious trip to paradise.  Put the "non.cookie.cutter" interiors stuff on hold and pick up that camera.  You've got a daily project to wake up to now :)  Make paper flowers, pick up pretty tea cups and towels, order b/w film, wake up early to use daylight - you've got a photoshoot to style!

Don't forget to post your pictures to ffffound, tastespotting, http://foodgawker.com/, craftgawker, and weddinggawker

And then later, if you're REALLY conceptual, you can try a 365 self-portrait project like this amazing girl 7 years YOUNGER and better than you!  You really like her outfits and find her to be extremely gorge

xoxo, isabel

Lonny - June/July 2010

Lonny is a relatively new magazine designed out of necessity from all the shelter mags folding (aka Domino).  Instead of being a glossy, it's a screeny published online beautifully!  Michelle Adams and Patrick Cline (can I be your FRIEND?!) founded it together and it is AMAZING!  Every product in the magazine is provided with DIRECT links to their source - you can't do THAT with print!  What a lot of work and love they put into that.  Patrick does all the photography - sigh - I'll work for you!  Plus he shoots film!  Michelle is an inspiring organic textile designer who started her own line, Rubie Green, before starting Lonny.  WOW, WOW, WOW.  I had been following her blog, MA Belle, for some time now, and LOVED her apartment featured in Real Living.  I wish I could be that talented and successful as her and him!  I think they are a couple now after he shot her place for Real Living?

I read the first issue and waited in anticipation for it to come out and then unfortunately didn't keep up with the next couple issues.  But I'm back and determined not to miss a single issue after learning my mistake with Domino!!  (I only have maybe 2 issues of D?)  Here's what I loved!

 beautiful photographs, yummy creations

Dominique Browning, ex-editor in chief of House and Garden Mag

GREAT article on her!

great outdoor seating!  comfy yet stylish!

Jayson Home and Garden

so true, Bunny Williams!

hey, we have that art book!

love the punchy flowers, interesting table

the Iconic Bunny Williams

i gotta have that mirror with wall color and floor combo!

keep an eye out for those chairs at thrift stores!

Lee Kleinhelter, owner of Pieces

what a BEAUTIFUL, classy, unique changing table!!!  I love the grasscloth wallpaper and the paneling on the piece!  sigh-natural textures + white = one happy girl!

Lee Kleinhelter, owner of Pieces

um, yes, I agree 1000% with that statement! 

(i want a LIL more color though in this room)

Lee Kleinhelter, owner of Pieces

not entirely a fan of this, but I've been seeing this table everywhere from magazines to stores to thrifting...

Elizabeth Bauer

wowzers, patterns and graphics all pulled together in one small studio!

I'm debating on shades like these or curtains for my living room...

love the wallpaper, the mirror, the pink touches, and the sea of white :)

couldn't live too long with that wall though =/

Elizabeth Bauer's Grammercy studio

yes, i need this how-to badly. thank you, Liz

oh, crisp color palette how i adore you!

i'll take the greek key towels with the green drum and the b/w beach photos

I also needed this!  Thanks Ethan and Ari!

 

taped wallpaper in a rental - clever! go Editorial Assistant to Lonny, Ellie Somerville!

i want the closet curtains!

Ellie Somerville

*gasp* stunning against the white wainscoting!

Dolby and Frist Hamptons House

I was thinking of going navy curtains after seeing this...

this screams "jump on me and chill!" and totally reflects the above quote about walking into a space and feeling comfortable.

Dolby and Frist

hmm, good use of crazy ceiling angles!  I like the grayblue paneling, the lighting ON the mirror, and the seemingly easy to DIY mirror framing.  I've had "frame mirrors" on my project list for awhile now and was looking at all this ornate molding at Lowes, but now I think I just want flat like this for the time being!  That is, until I find some awesome mirrors with character at some beautiful parisian market.  

p.s. i really like the balled tree that i can't remember the name of...

i started writing a bunch about this kitchen, but decided it was meant to have only one response:

*sigh*

Dolby and Frist, designer: Cafiero

 

tufted ottoman in my fave color! Here's an example of how Lonny LINKS to EVERYTHING!!!!

Deborah Lloyd's home - co pres. of Kate Spade

I would move here in a heartbeat with friends living around the corner.  I love coastal houses that utilize shingles!!!!!

Dolby and Frist

pretty styling.  i love the left side more.  How about the RANGE?!!  and the beadboard paneled doors with the very black granite.  yummy!  I'd cook all-day in here!

Deborah Lloyd

Now, go check out the full issue yourself, here! 

Other features i liked:

* Rickshaw Designs has a spread!

*Jayson Home and Garden

* Bunny Williams' beachy Boys' Room

* Lee Kleinhelter's spaces

* ikea shelves as a closet

* Deborah Lloyd's Highland Lake house - this house is perfectly not.so.cookie.cutter!

i heart EmersonMade.

sigh, i heaaaaart emersonmade!  I love the clothes, i love the styling, i love the photography, i love their font and colors, i love the blog style, i love their farm, i love how the two of them look together!  my heart literally skips a beat every time i visit!  even years later - i've been following for awhile.  did i mention that i love the clothes?  and you have got to check out their house.  i want to be as creative and handy as they are!  what a power couple!

i want.

all images via emersonmade.com

xoxo, isabel

Stealing Headboards

ok, not really stealing them, but stealing the look and construction of headboards because I want to make my own!  I'm not willing to shell out $400+ for headboard and another $400+ for the rest of the frame.  No thanks.

I used to think I would go for an ornate, loopy shape like these:

 all via Beach Bungalow 8

 * I really like the naked one! Hmmm...plus the J.Adler and Nate Berkus'...sigh!

Design*Sponge

*Grace, you are amazing, can I be you?

*sigh, i adore this room every time! 

House Beautiful

House Beautiful

Apartment Therapy

Room Service

 Drapery Design blog

 Nate Berkus found @  So Haute

I also like rectangular frames - but not as much.

one headboard, three bedding styles

 Country Bed Shop

*Good templates to try yourself!

But then I found THIS - yeah, take a moment - and I LOVE!  

Drapery Showcase 

: tufting : check!
: shapely : check!
: plushy : check!
: stylish : check!
: feminine : check!
: unique : check!
: neutral : check!
: flexible : check!:
: and a major dose of masculine for the man : check!
: diy-able? : chhhheck?

How would you even make this?!? I'm thinking do the border and tufting portion first as one piece and have it stapled where the scrollwork is.  I would take out foam/batting where the scrollwork is.  Add buttons for tufting, then place the scrollwork on to cover the staples and use the nailheads to cover scrollwork messiness.  Corners will take some work! 

I still love those ornate headboard shapes - I can't decide!