and the sun was on the rise

Spring is in the air and it's wonderful! As the weather gets warmer, i can't help but let my mind wander towards new purchases for sunnier days, which results in little sketches like these.

What's on your spring wishlist?

instagram//etsy//twitter

The Sartorialist Book Signing, Boston Ma

crowd shot//my friends liz and nicole//all the pretty photographers//me and scott schuman

Earlier this week, I popped over to Wellesley College to hear Scott Schuman, of the Sartorialist, give a talk and get my book signed. It was very interesting and so nice to meet him! The people watching was absolutely fantastic as well.....

I've been a terrible blogger, and I apologize. But with classes over, and a month and a half of nothing, I should be able to pick up the slack :)

Mario Testino Exhibit Review

 Mario Testino Exhibit, at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

While beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, Testino's work doesn't really make you feel. It doesn't take your breath away and cause you to stop in wonder. It doesn't transport you to another plane, and once you leave the exhibit, you don't feel detached from the world and emotionally exhausted. However, it did make me think about the definition of art, and what it actually means to create a piece. After all, just because Testino hit the button on the camera does that make him the true artist? Because the pieces are mainly from magazines, you can't be sure who is actually thinking of the concept or doing the post shooting edits. How much can he actually be credited to? Going to the exhibit is essentially like flipping through pages in a magazine in the Classics section of the library. While beautiful, you soon become as disinterested as the models hanging on the walls and have to wonder why something, while pretty to look at, is located in somewhere that specializes in beautiful, timeless, challenging, thought provoking art.

sky.

I'm a  bad blogger. I apologize. I blame it on the gross weather-it's made me lazy, bored, uninspired. 

Ever since I read the Book Thief, I've found myself obsessed with skies. I made this little piece out of all the skies in my picture from my trip to Germany-appropriate, because that's where the novel is set. I'm quite happy with it, and strongly recommend the book to whoever hasn't read it. 

Playlist: Pretty Face, Soley//Skinny Love, Birdy//Youth, Daughter//He's not a boy, the Like

some thoughts.

self portrait, pentax k 1000, developed in darkroom

Photography, I've decided, is all about moments. 

It's those moments when the light is perfect, when you toss your head back laughing, when everything's  just so. Little seconds that are gone as soon as they appear, but are infinite. They're the little pieces that string together to make your life. Why wouldn't you want to capture them? 

Photographs prove you exist. 

thanks to Rose, Sarah P and Blue Rinse for following 

Playlist//Hallelujah, Rufus Wainwright//Soul meets Body, Death Cab for Cutie//Hopeless Wanderer, Mumford and Sons//Oblivion, Grimes//Modern Man, Arcade Fire//

summertime playlist

Threw together this little playlist to introduce you guys to my favorite music. I didn't realize how many songs I have that deal with California until I was typing them in the search box! But what better visual for summer than California, the land of sun and sand?

Still on Vacation, hope everyone's having a great week xx

blogger project thursday #2.2

Hey guys! I meant to do blogger project last Thursday, but was unable to post these....but without further ado, blogger project 2.2 :)

These two girls are Camilla, from Into The Fold , and Tori, from Tori West . I love Camilla's snappy style and witty commentary, and would just love to steal Tori's entire wardrobe-she's got this awesome, festival grungy style and a closet full of awesome thrift store finds. 

New year, new look, new blogger project. I decided to try something new here and use pencil/soft colors for a more detailed look. And while my illustrations may have changed, my apparent talent for awkward hand art has still persisted. (I'm working on it guys, I promise.) Like the blogger project? Feel free to request a piece by emailing me at athousandmillionwords@gmail.com


All right guys, now I've got a question for you! Have you ever been to Paris? What, in your opinion, are the things to see and do?

I was overwhelmed by recent followings I've been getting! I'm one away from forty :)Thanks so much to Justina and Katrina Bay for following 

twitter/photography/bloglovin' 

live fast, die young

I've always admired the "grunge girl." They have a certain careless, laid back attitude, and tend to seem like they swim the opposite way in a sea of conformity. Society dictates that you're not "supposed to" wear shredded tights and dye your hair purple, yet they do it anyways. 

  Four years of a school uniform-and two years of a work uniform too-left me with little time to build a wardrobe. And although my parents were cool with whatever I wore (barring special occasions), school  rules dictated that I never wore shorts, ripped apparel, or dye my hair. Instead, my wardrobe became a mish mash of american eagle cast offs, boho accessories, and "trendier" staples from H+M. Scrolling through the archives of my old blog, one can see that I dabbled in almost every sort of style-girly to boho, and everything in between-but kept a sort of tomboyish element in every look. And as senior year progressed, I stopped buying flowy skirts, instead lusting over granpa sweaters and nineties shorts.  I gave myself a pink streak and started breaking school dress code rules-sometimes breaking seven or eight on one day. I think that it's a surprise to a lot of people that I want to dress this way-I'm an obedient, 4.0 gpa, never getting into trouble kind of  girl. But dressing unconventionally is a way that I let my personality, and love for art, shine through. I'm excited to let my style evolve, and I like where it's going -kind of a mix of festival artsy grunge, different from the others yet totally my own. Its a great thing, and being able to show it off every.single.day. in college is so invigorating.

What would you consider your personal style to be?

Hopefully I'll be posting some photo diaries soon, once I get photoshop for my new laptop. Oh, and this cool guy John wrote this poem called a thousand million words, which caused him to stumble upon this blog, and he used some of my pics for the poem! check it out here, it's pretty sweet.

thanks to gem and annchica for following!
twitter/photography/bloglovin' 

blogger project thursday # 2.1

hello there everyone! for those who followed my previous blog, donewithconformity, you would know about a little thing I like to call the blogger project. Every Thursday during the summer, I showcase my favorite bloggers with a little watercolor piece I throw together that week. As well as hand choosing  some of my favorite lovelies out there, I also take requests, meaning that if you shoot me an email over at athousandmillionwords@gmail.com, I'll make you a painting as well!

My first victim blogger is Rebecca, from It's Cohen. I'm in love with her blog, which showcases a lovely mix of quirky fashion, pictures from disposable cameras, and the occasional art piece, all accompanied with witty prose. I've been reading her blog for quite a while now, and am excited to share it with you!

Want to see more Blogger Projects? Click here to see last year's selection.

on another note, I just wanted to touch upon something pretty quick. Almost 11 months ago, a lovely girl from Germany named K came to live with me and my family. Alhtough I had hoped that we would become close, I don't think I had any idea how close we would become, so quickly. K is my best friend, confidante, partner in crime, and most of all, my sister. She goes home tomorrow and I can't even think about how much I'm going to miss her, and I can't wait to go to Germany next month to see her. If any of you are thinking about ever hosting an exchange student, I can't recommend it strongly enough, because it's life changing and absolutely amazing. Ich leibe dich, kay, I love you so much <3

thanks to Carina for following!

twitter/photography/bloglovin' 

'cause in my head there's a greyhound station

edward weston

eleanor hardwick

caitlin teal price

julie de waroquier

lee grant

caitlin teal price

eleanor hardwick

andrew nuding

        *clink link for sources*

 these are some of my favorite photographers of the moment-I want to inhabit the worlds that they create. I'm always so impressed how some artists say so much with so little-I want to do the same, create these alternate realities to escape to, with both fantasy like conceptualism and bleak realism. I strongly suggest checking all of these artists out! Who's your favorite photographer?

I was overwhelmed by the response for the last post, glad to see everyone liked it! off up north for a while soon, and hopefully I'll be getting my new baby (macbook pro whaddup) when I return. A lovely week to everyone xx


thanks to ashley monique for following!


twitter/photography/bloglovin' 

for a minute though, I couldn't tell how to fall out

florence

                                

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

cinque terre                                                   

                  

                                     

   

  

                                        rome

a year ago, I went on the most amazingawesomespectacularbeautiful trip to Italy....two weeks in Tuscany, Florence, Cinque Terre and Rome. Not many people can say that they celebrated their seventeenth birthday with their first glass of wine, eh? Anyways, here's some polaroids to make the trip seem nostalgic....I can't wait to get back! What's the best trip you've been on?

Fighting my way through senioritis right now, it's like trying to run a marathon in molasses-a marathon that consists of AP tests, last minute assignments, and, yes....a pig dissection (rip timmy). Oh well, two weeks left, I can do this :)

thanks to emma, satin and souffles, and Ellie Burns for following!

flickr/bloglovin'/contact

The Return of Beautiful Bedrooms

If you followed my previous blog, you'd know that beautiful bedrooms is a feature in which I give the blogger world a view into some of my favorite blogger's bedrooms. After all, our rooms are our personal sanctuary and source of inspiration; seeing someone's room is like seeing into their soul. This room here belongs to the lovely Amanda of Teacups and Thoughts. I loved the creativity she displayed in taking these pictures; the color and tones of the shots were awesome. Check out Amanda's blog here, I strongly recommend it :)


had a good weekend full of male beauty pageants, the hunger games (ZOMG IT WAS AMAZING), work of course, and physical activities of which I am not used to (time to shape up for prom and shiz). I hope everyone has a fantastic week and, remember, only four days til friday!