Surprise Feature...

Yesterday I came home from work to a wonderful surprise: the lovely Dot, author of Scraps, had featured my work! She wrote such kind words, I am so grateful and honored to be among her curated collection of favorite things. Everyone be sure to check out her blog!

The week is half way over and I can hardly wait for the upcoming three day weekend. Some much needed relaxing and macaroon munching will ensue... have a happy rest of your week =)

Macarons Anyone...

The Upper East Side is a little sweeter, a bit fancier, and a lot more colorful thanks to the new Ladurée sweet shop that opened today on Madison Avenue between 71st & 72nd. Being that it's only a short walk from my apartment, I'll have to contain myself. But it certainly can't hurt to window gaze! The store is absolutely beautiful after studying these photos on StyleList. I know what I'll be doing this weekend!

p.s. This post is dedicated to the lovely Meagan of Travel Write Draw... a true Ladurée enthusiast =)

p.p.s. The girl in photo #10 is wearing a pink version of my coveted bag!!

Blogger Re - Inspired ...

This weekend was a total washout, literally. As hurricane Irene made her way up the east coast I was glued to every news station watching and waiting. We had prepared ahead of time in case we lost power and stockpiled water and food in case of emergency but nothing really happened. And I was so prepared! Slightly disappointing.

This feeling invaded my mood and I haven't been inspired to draw much of anything recently. I guess that's okay but today I just couldn't take it. It's been over a week since my last post which is unacceptable! 

I can always count on my favorite fashion blogs to inspire some sketching. I've already featured Blair Edie of Atlantic-Pacific before, but her outfits are just so amazing I had to draw her again. Hopefully this week of beautiful weather will cheer me up and get me thinking about fall again. How excited is everyone for Fashion Week?! 

Mesmerized...

Yesterday, I painted my nails with this lovely shade of blue. For some reason I can't stay away from the nail polish aisle. I just love looking at all those glossy, pretty, colors. I've been eyeing Essie's "Mezmerised" for a couple weeks now... I usually stick to reds and pinks but there was just something about that color! Turns out I have a marker in that exact shade so it must be fate.

It's the start of a new week and I'm craving some fall inspiration. I've already starting thinking about my potential purchases for the new season. With a limited budget, I put a lot of thought into new wardrobe additions... mood boards are involved. =)

I hope everyone has a great week, let's hope for cool weather and a healthy dose of sunshine!

Corner Studio...

At last, my own space. Here's a peak into my apartment and little studio that has taken over one corner in our living room. My goal was to create a fresh, clean space that would make me want to sit down and draw. It's nice and sunny by the window which provides great natural light for drawing. The fashion illustrations on the wall are from my previous street fair purchase... yes it's taken me this long to find a place for them!

I picked up this octagonal glass container at Housing Works and it's the perfect size to house all my markers. It's so nice to see all my colors at once instead of digging through a drawer to find the perfect color. I've started to collect vintage biscuit tins which happen to be great for hiding extra drawing supplies that don't have a home. I love that this one has little feet. I'm still in the market for a tray to keep my erasers and pencil sharpener... perhaps I'll save up for one of these. So that's my new studio, I hope you like it... back to the drawing board for me!

Fancy Flats...

I spend a lot of time drawing high heeled shoes... but the truth is I never wear them! I'm more in favor of ballet flats, and these lovelies from Anthropologie are a delight to gaze at. The most recent catalog is complete eye candy, you should definitely pick up a copy!

This weekend, I'm journeying home to Maryland one last time. My parents have finally sold my childhood home and it makes me so sad. While I'm happy that they have moved on and have built a beautiful house near the water in Virginia, a piece of me knows I'll never be able to go "home" again and I'm feeling awfully anxious about the trip.

I really hope by the time I come back to the city, I'll feel some sort of closure and be at peace with the whole thing. But until then, all I can think about is going home...

For the Love of J.Crew...

I have a special place in my heart for J.Crew, if you can't already tell from my previous posts. They were the first to hire me after graduating from design school when the economy had just tanked and there were no jobs for recent grads with little experience. I was eventually taken under the wing of the visual merchandiser at the collection boutique on Madison Avenue and learned the in's and out's of store displays. I learned so much during my time there, met some amazing people, and acquired a skill set that even comes in handy as an assistant designer.

This morning I was up bright and early searching the web and came across a recent announcement that made me so proud: J.Crew will be debuting a runway show this fall at Fashion Week! I can't wait to see what Jenna Lyons and Marissa Webb have in store for us.

So I think I've gushed enough. This has definitely made me start thinking about Fall Fashion Week and Fashion's Night Out... and wearing tights... and boots... and lovely scarves... and wool peacoats. I. Love. Fall.

Have a relaxing Sunday!

Blogger Inspired...

The newest edition to my 'chic reads' link list is none other than Blair Edie's beautiful blog, Atlantic-Pacific. I love her stunning collection of sunnies and bangles, charming dresses, and signature bouffant. 

Her dress in this post is gorgeous. The detail is amazing, I would snatch one up for myself if I had somewhere fancy to go!

There are so many blogs out there, I'm discovering new favorites everyday. It's a great way to get inspired, I nearly always find something that makes me want to draw. 

I hope everyone has a relaxing weekend. I'm going out for a walk in Central Park with the BF to enjoy this lovely NYC weather and then I'll be working on the studio!

Wednesday Wishlist...

It's the height of summer and all I can think about are bright colors and keeping cool. Milly makes an incredibly cute skirt that I've been pining after for awhile now. Throw in a pair of ballet flats and a ladylike satchel and I'm sold!

I'm proud to say that this sketch was created in my new make-shift studio on an actual (gasp!) desk. I can't tell you how happy it makes me to have a designated drawing space. Just a few more finishing touches and I'll reveal my project!

I hope everyone has a lovely week. It's been a bit quiet in the blogosphere... perhaps we're all too hot to type! Stay cool and happy August =)