Shout Out: Claudia Pink & Silver Birch

In my last post about Liverpool I noted a great little shop named after it's owners/ designers, Claudia Pink & Silver Birch. Claudia is the mastermind behind the jewelry, and Silver has the magic touch with the sewing machine. Together the girls have created a store that can't be described with any word except fabulous. I wanted to make this shout out about their store as I am seriously inspired by their success (and hope to be on the same page as them one day!) and want to spread the know about the gorgeous pieces they're creating. I've included their personal websites as well as a couple that sell their stuff, as well as a few pictures from their sites so you can see how funky and chic their style is. I hope you find them as marvelous as I do!
*most photos from this post were found on the websites below or Google images

A body chain in the shop that I absolutely fell in love with... if I had £40, it would be mine!

In the store...

 In the store...

The best part about my purchase: she wrapped it up for me in this cute, personalized box. 

Such a small detail but it made an impression. 

The earrings I bought...  So fab!

Online references:

Claudia Pink - Silver Birch - Asos  - Blogspot

The Back Burner

The following are just a few pictures that have been piling up on my desktop or images that have been relevant to my life lately. Research for my halloween costume, research for assessments, and just some random things I've stumbled upon. Welcome to the inside of my head...
*all photos from this post were found on the internet

Inspirational Environments

In the tradition of most summers thus far, I have the luxury of being able to escape from the hot and sweaty streets of New York to my parents' house in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Being home truly lets me unwind and enables me work on projects I've been meaning all year to complete, and to enjoy other things I've had to put on the back burner. Not to mention, I actually get a REAL CLOSET (ask any New York girl how important this is)! I only get to be home for a short time this year, it's my first stop before 5 months overseas (which is sure to bring many more excellent posts!) so I think that's why I've been appreciating it so much more this summer. This posting is a celebration of being one of the lucky ones that have a safe and inspiring home base... I hope it inspires you too!

Beauty of the Self

Long time no see blogging world... I took off in a zeppelin and the rest is history (if only). No, to be perfectly frank I've been exploring myself in the wondrous city that is New York. To slip back into the blogging coterie, I thought I'd honor this process by presenting some of my absolute favorite self portraits and some of my favorite people. I've chosen them mostly off of personal relevance or conceptual brilliance... bonsoir!
*all photos from this post were found on Google images

Chuck Close (1967)

Frida Kahlo (1943)

Andy Warhol (1967)

Stephen Colbert - this one is not a self portrait, but I thought 

I'd include it as it just recently was hung in the Smithsonian Museum.

M.C. Escher 

Rene Magritte 

Helmut Newton - I chose this for multiple reasons... one, the woman in this

 picture is absolutely stunning, and she just so happens to be his wife. Secondly, 

it is considered a "self portrait" although he clearly is not the main focus of the shot. 

And lastly, it completely reflects the raw beauty of the rest of his works.

John Lennon 

Pablo Picasso 

Van Gogh

Irving Penn (in my opinion, whose self portrait evokes 

but doesn't justify the beauty of his photography)

Portrait of Giselle Bundchen by Irving Penn

Harlequin Dress by Irving Penn

 (as with Newton, the model is Penn's wife!)