smiten with saturday...halloween edition!

happy halloween!


1. masks!

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2. hocus pocus, a classic on halloween.

3. candy, but in particular...

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my favorite!

4. scary stories.  remember this book?

5. jack-o-lanterns.

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6. dogs in costume.

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7. pumpkin seeds!  here's a simple recipe that i want to try out tonight.

8. this show:

9. gorgeous autumn leaves.

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10.  ghosts!  but not in real life, ick.

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tonight, bryce and i are baking pumpkin muffins, pumpkin seeds, carving pumpkins, watching scary movies, and making masks.  what are your plans?

melisa

a little inspiration . . .

for your space:

source: we heart it via tumblr

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for your journal:

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for your mind:

"The power of finding beauty in the humblest things makes home happy and life lovely."

Louisa May Alcott

"Eventually I discovered for myself the utterly simple prescription for creativity.  Be intensely yourself.  Don't try to be outstanding, don't try to be a success, don't try to do pictures for others to look at—just please yourself."

Ralph Steiner

"The true work of improving things is in the little achievements of the day."

Before Sunset

xo melisa

my first-ever sewing project!

i've been daydreaming about making my own clothes since i can remember and i finally had an opportunity to learn when i started interning at DIY Hards.  for my first project, i wanted to do something simple to introduce me to the sewing machine so i chose to alter a plain XL white t-shirt into something i would actually wear.  i've been obsessed with peter pan collars so that was the main addition to the shirt, along with fitting it to my size, altering the neckline, & adding black piping along the sleeves and bottom edge.  i threw a few buttons on for good measure!

funny side note: i've been joking with sarah about the first time i wear it--that i'm almost sure to stain it beyond repair.  well, i wore it out to a nacho party a few nights ago and yes, managed to get a few specks of guacamole down my front.  thankfully it doesn't look too serious!

pffff.

melisa

smitten with saturday<3

1. just about anything that the Avett Brothers touch.  i don't know what it is about fall, but i just want to listen to their music nonstop.

2. garlands! i know i'm not alone with this, i've been seeing them ALL over the blog world lately.

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3. love those sequins. i want to do a DIY version on one of my old cardigans.

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4. this pretty embroidered cursive.

5. i ADORE this little teapot necklace.

6. redheads (real or imaginary.)

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7. i'm lusting after this gorgeous coat.

look at the detailing!

8. felt curtains tutorial featured on design sponge!  these will be perfect for our living room.

9. this beautiful laser cut image by julene.

10. how perfect is this bike?!

sorry the post was so late today!  having to work on saturdays screws me allll up.  enjoy!

PS: i'm excited to share with you a few projects that i've finished this past week once i get around to taking some decent pictures.  what have you been working on?

melisa

i turn my camera on.

something to show for my hours upon hours in the darkroom (in order from oldest to newest):

so, i think i've explained that this is my first year doing photography in a darkroom--doing everything by hand.  i shoot a roll of film on my old pentax k1000, develop the negatives, and then print the photos onto 8x10 paper.  every photo you see here has gone through that process and is a scanned image of my 8x10 print.  some photos are by assignment, some were just printed for fun.  regardless, here's what i've been up to when i'm not crafting and blogging!  this stuff takes forevvverrrr (try 45 minutes to develop a roll of film, and then around 45 minutes to perfect each print!), but is so rewarding when you finish with a print that you like.

all of these photos are available to be viewed larger on my flickr!

who are some photographers whose work you love?

<3melisa