Busy Bee...

Hello Lovelies~

I hope this week finds you all doing well out there! Things here are turning quite cold almost overnight and I had to actually get out a winter coat this morning. It won't be long before the snow starts falling (which I actually enjoy). I mean, if it has to be cold, it might as well be pretty, right? But the cold doesn't keep me from cranking on projects, so here goes!

First off, I have just listed more great items over at STAG and I'm going to keep them coming. Items perfect for gift-giving and I'm going make it even easier for you because I am also offering gift wrap services during the holiday season! For $10, I will wrap your gift using all vintage wrapping and trim. That's right... all manly, all vintage. You will have the best looking present under the tree, guaranteed.

What else? Oh, I just completed a really fun commission for a client's parent's 50th wedding anniversary! Her Dad is a really big car nut and he's owned classic cars throughout her parent's marriage. So, I did a timeline/collage using photos from each decade of their marriage, combined with the cars her Dad owned in each decade and then I had it printed on a large canvas for them. It made it there just in time for the party, and they loved it! (Is there anything I won't do for a client? Nope, not really.) Take a look:

Oh! And I picked the winner for the Monster Card Promo I had going over on my Facebook page, yesterday! Leslie Stair was our big winner, so she's the new Monster Mommy! I will be sending those cards out to her shortly. This promo was so fun (and successful, many new followers to join the madness over there!), I think I'll do something again very soon, so stay tuned. You could be the next winner.

I am in the process of moving (gross) and so I have been sorting through a ton of things, cleaning things and getting rid of a lot. I was pleasantly surprised when I found this old shot I took of my sister back in a college photography class. Ah, the good old days, when I used an actual film camera and an actual dark room to produce my work. I miss it sometimes.

I have found the most amazing design house that I have to share it with you Kiddies. Invisible Creature. Heard of them? Well, their work is bright, and funny and edgy and also distinctly vintage and clever. (Can you tell I'm in love?) Here are just a couple pieces of their work. (That Whino the Clown print is available in their shop and it will be mine... oh yes.)

And let's wrap up with this amazing photo I found recently. I think it's for a car ad? (And if you look closely, they didn't actually bang these cars up, they're just parked really close together.) But, what was the copy, I wonder? I mean... that chick looks like she's lost her mind and that doesn't sell cars the last time I checked...

Until next time: unpleasant dreams...

Beaches, Zombies & Pretty Summer Dresses

Hello Lovelies~

I hope this week finds you all doing well out there. Things have been very busy over here in the Mill and I have a lot to share with you as usual! To start, I am finally done with my most recent client work entitled Beach Blanket Brain-Eating. What a great project! I was told to combine the Coppertone Girl with a pinup and to add a twist, like maybe instead of a dog, we could do a zombie. Well, I took that direction and ran with it and the results are below! I like to say it's The Birds meets Beach Blanket Bingo, meets Night of the Living Dead all in BRIGHT! VIBRANT! Technicolor! Haha. More shots can be seen here and some behind the scenes shots are here and the company that made the prosthetic we used featured one of my photos on their website HERE. Good stuff.

And here's your weekly reminder regarding my CLUE opening at the Masonic Lodge in Portland, Maine. Here's a link to the open and public event on Facebook, and here are the details: Friday, September 7th 5-8pm 415 Congress Street. Be there, or be square! (More importantly, I think there may be food...)

Over the weekend, I went out junking to get fresh things for the STAG shop (because things are literally selling left and right over there) and I scored some great man-related items that I will be listing very soon. Including one of these; a vintage leather fly lure case with some vintage flies inside. Pretty neat stuff.

But while I was out and about, I stopped by a new vintage clothing store in town and picked up a couple of things! Including the two vintage dresses below, a couple of other vintage dresses and a blouse, a couple of things for Stag and best of all, a pair of wing earrings that I adore (modeled by my Sweetie in this pic).

We rounded the weekend off with ice cream in the sun, Amy in one of her new dresses + an old classic truck, a visit to the local cigar shop and a cigar at dusk and best of all, my Monster Old Maid cards came in the mail! I love them. So fun and weird. I adore summer, don't you?

Here's to long days and hot nights.

Until next time: unpleasant dreams...

Beach Blanket Brain-eating...

Hello Lovelies!

I hope this week finds you all doing well out there! My have I been busy lately. A ton of new work has been shot and is waiting for the editing part. But, I have finished the beauty queen project! I've decided to call it Beauty is the Beast on account of the cat-fighting. I did some normal shots too, but the fight ones really still make me laugh a lot. You can see all 8 final images here.

What else? Oh! I had a friend visiting over the weekend and I did a shoot for her that I am really, really excited about. She came up with a really original idea and I was able to pull it off, which is always nice. Here are some behind the scene candids of her getting into makeup and a sneak peek of her undead counterpart also getting into makeup (I don't want to spoil that AAAAAH! moment, so no face shots yet). I should be posting those shots next week!

And while my friend was visiting we all got together for a BBQ one night out in the garden. Our friends have a beautiful house and garden in the country and it was truly a great night. Here are some shots from that. I wanted to steal her Alice in Wonderland shoes... so cute.

One of my favorite blogs She Walks Softly (which is a constant source of great photos, artwork and miscellany to ogle), recently had a little post about the Milton Bradley Monster Old Maid card game. It's basically Old Maid featuring all of the Universal Monsters. And we're not talking some generic knock-off of Dracula spelled Drakula or anything, these cards have actual photos of the actors who played them, like Bela Lugosi. Yep, it's amazing alright. I immediately fell in love and decided to get a set which was I lucky enough to find on Ebay. I'll take some pics when I get them, the deck is in rough shape, but considering I got the entire game for $30 and replacement cards can cost that much apiece, I think I scored.

And speaking of vintage playing cards (I can't get enough of them, the art is just amazing), the online store Present & Correct is selling sets of Mixies Cards for framing and display. These are obviously repros of the 1956 cards, but who cares? As you can see below, that's 50's cartooning at its best, you guys. Unfortunately, it appears most of them have sold out as only the Cheerleader and Cop appear to be for sale. But, I bet you could find a deck on Ebay. I'm looking...

Let's wrap up with a movie recommendation, shall we? Of course we shall. So, I love the idea of the 1960's era beach movies and having recently done a beach blanket bingo-inspired shoot, I decided to check out one of those flicks and see what all the fuss was about. I watched Bikini Beach starring Anette Funicello, Frankie Avalon and a chick named Candy Johnson, whose dancing is ridiculous but apparently she had a whole side thing going on with records and whatnot. I was not disappointed, what a feast for the eyes if you love bright color and vintage! The plot and music really sucked, but the outfits and the cars were great. Oh, and there was a cameo by Lon Chaney who looked ancient and a cameo by a very young Stevie Wonder. Mind blowing, you guys. Check it out on a summery night and get into the beach zone!

Until next time: unpleasant dreams...