31 May 2012

What is the Bohemian Collective?

Have you heard of the Bohemian Collective?

The Bohemian Collective artists and organizations have joined together for the purpose of creating a place where they can inspire creativity and giving through their art and vision. From the BC online mission statement: "This rotating collaboration of artists will orchestrate inspiring, seasonal lookbooks featuring our handmade clothing, jewelry, and home accessories. Our desire is to share the love within our community as far as we can!"

According to the Bohemian Collective, this is where we can help out. Anyone can participate in the Collective via a donation in any amount to a specific charity each season.  All proceeds this summer will benefit To Write Love On Her Arms (I donated a small amount on BC's launch date!), a non-profit movement dedicated to helping people who struggle with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide.

{ Laura Mazurek }

The impressive roster of collaboration at the inception of the Bohemian Collective is enough to inspire a following; among the contributors are some of my favorites, including Laura Mazurek of Roots & Feathers and Violet Bella.

I'll be honest with you: because there isn't much else out there (at least not on my radar) comparable to the Bohemian Collective, I didn't know what to make of it.  It took me a little while to figure it out and understand what they were going for.  It sounds like its founding was driven by Laura's aspirations of owning a boutique that features all her favorite artists (the Bohemian Collective is, of course, the online version of said aspiration).

In Laura's words, the idea for a collaborative lookbook grew into a lovely blog (designed by Bohemian Collective artist Kelly Ann of The Flowerchild Dwelling) and it is, truly, a very calming space to visit.  The 93-page lookbook is a great accomplishment itself, too!  Laura herself models the gorgeous wares from the Collective's contributors and the whole thing is a feast for the eyes (and I'd love to know who their photographer is!).

Here is a teeny, tiny preview of summer 2012's contributors:



Be sure to cruise by the Bohemian Collective blog for the full collection and the gorgeous blog!


29 May 2012

weddings: Alex + Beau

Alex and Beau are two of the coolest, most down-to-earth, beautiful people I know.  I first met Beau as a neighbor in Huntington Beach, CA a few years ago, and along came Alex about a year later!  Being witness to their relationship as it grew and flourished, their engagement, and ultimately their wedding makes this a very special story for me to share!


Beau and Alex's engagement photos are what initially got me pumped on the idea of photography as a career; I didn't know it in those exact terms at the time, but the images of this gorgeous couple by the talented Mark Brooke REALLY inspired me.


Anyway, on to the actual wedding!  A TON of Alex and Beau's October wedding details were executed by the lovely Alex herself.  I remember being at her bridal shower and watching her squeal with joy as she opened a sewing machine as one of her gifts!  She had so many amazing ideas that contributed to a delightfully rustic, cottage-chic wedding ambiance.

Here are a few of my favorite Beau + Alex wedding highlights (in terms of Alex's DIY style):

1. Burlap.  Alex used that fancy new Singer she got at her shower to sew burlap table runners.  Combined with the soft peach of the flowers I think the color and texture of the burlap gave an exquisitely romantic vibe to the reception.


2. Scrabble tiles.  These wooden letters were a great theme throughout the reception: they served as table number markers, labels for the box for cards, and phrases spelled out on the wedding party "info" table, for lack of a better description.


3. Mason jars.  There were mason jars at each table with tealights that were lit once the reception progressed from afternoon to evening.  Short mason jars were also used for the wedding favors: take-home-and-bake-yourself individual apple pies!  They were DELISH, too!  :)


4. The bouquet.  Alex constructed a STUNNING (albeit heavy) bouquet of vintage brooches and miscellany jewels, many of which had some kind of significance to the bride and groom.  You can see the "A" and "B" Scrabble tiles, and there was also an American flag to symbolize Beau's service in the U.S. Marine Corps (and his tour of duty in Iraq).  It was a lovely arrangement that Alex can of course hold on to for a long time without worrying about drying flowers!


5. Lighting.  As the ceremony was held in the late afternoon, plus the day was a overcast, the decision for strings of white lights and paper lanterns was a winner!  As day turned into night, the combination of lanterns and exposed bulbs created a perfect, warm ambiance under the tent at the reception.

And before you wonder to yourself who the weirdo on the right is, with her little Olympus point-and-shoot, let me tell you: it's ME! Ha!


What a gorgeous event, right?  Made all the more lovely by Alex and Beau's crazy love for each other; they are seriously the sweetest little lovebirds I know.

Stay tuned in the next couple of weeks for more on these two; I have a photo shoot scheduled with them for early June and look forward to sharing the images with you here!


28 May 2012

PINspiration: mani Monday

Greeting, mani-party friends!  I'm currently in Las Vegas soaking up the sun and slurping down piƱa coladas, so unfortunately I didn't have the opportunity to create an earth-shattering manicure for you this week (like I normally do, ha!).

Instead, I've gathered all my favorite manicure looks, tutorials, and inspiration here for you to gawk at, all from my Pinterest board "Nail Polish Obsession."  Be careful you don't let these images get you too obsessed yourself -- it's a dangerous sickness, really.

Click on the images to be taken to the pin for the tutorial!


{ Psst... those last two images are from previous Mani Mondays right here on Anna Delores! }  :)

Happy Memorial Day!

26 May 2012

shoe sale Saturday!

As you are reading this blog post, I am off to Sin City!  That's right, friends: I'm spending Memorial Day weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada thanks to my friend Jennifer's upcoming nuptials -- bachelorette par-tay with some of my favorite people EVER!  Yay!


While I hopefully win some moolah at the slots (though I'm not REALLY a gambler, I like to goof around and last time I was in Vegas, I won $300!  Woo hoo!), I wanted to give y'all some money-saving inspiration (sort of related, no?): SHOE sales!

It seems all my favorite shoe e-tailers got together to host some great deals in honor of the Memorial Day holiday (which also signals the start of summer!).  Check. Them. OUT!



JustFab is having a Memorial Day Sale: Get two pairs of shoes for $39.95.  It's buy one, get one free!

Blowfish Shoes is also offering 25% off everything plus free shipping with promo code MEMORIAL.

Steve Madden has a ton of SUPER CUTE spring sandals and wedges on sale up to 50% off, plus get free shipping on all orders over $75 with code SMFREESHIP.  Also special for Memorial day: Spend $75 and get 20% off with code STOCK20, or spend $100 and get 25% off with code STOCK25.

I know you like FREE stuff just as much as you dig discounts, so remember to enter BOTH giveaways going on right now: "Paris in Color" and Rissy Roo's!

Happy shoe shopping, and wish me luck in Vegas!  :)

25 May 2012

Giveaway from Rissy Roo's!

I first discovered the adorable style of Rissy Roo's via Much Love Illy (thanks, Ilene!) and immediately purchased the adorable Minty Fresh rosette headband (LOVE!).  I love Larisa's fresh, sweet springtime creations; here is just a peek at the goodies in Rissy Roo's shop (and a bunch of it is on spring cleaning sale right now, too!):

       { shop } { twitter } { facebook }


 { shop } { twitter } { facebook }       

This week, Larisa of Rissy Roo's is giving Anna Delores readers a chance to score BIG TIME with a giveaway for a $50 shop credit!  SO generous and awesome of her, no?


To enter the giveaway, you must be a follower of {the Anna Delores blog} on either GFC, Hello Cotton, or Bloglovin!  You also must visit Rissy Roo's on Etsy and add to your favorite shops.  There are lots of opportunities for additional entries if you're game for stalking Larisa, too!  Use Rafflecopter below to enter.

Remember to enter the "Paris in Color" giveaway, too!  Going strong through June 15!

GOOD LUCK!
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

four things: Friday's letters.

I'm digging this "Friday's letters" feature/link party hosted by Ashley over at Adventures of Newlyweds.  Before we get started, how lovely is Ashley?  I'm also crushing on her photography and her website.


Okay, here we go... {short and sweet!} :: Four things Friday, Friday's Letters edition!

1. Dear pups: I promise to take you on more walks like I did last night.  You deserve it (and so do I!).

2. Dear weddings: I can't wait to start photographing you.  I hope I will be good at it.  I'm a little anxious, nervous, dubious.  What can I say?  You are kind of a big deal and it's a lot of pressure.  I hope these emotions are proven wrong and quickly dissipated in light of my own fabulousness.

3. Dear Lightroom: sit tight.  Next paycheck, it's happening: you and I will become friends.  Sorry Photoshop; it's not you, it's me.  Well, it's you a little.

4. Dear Rowan: I can't wait to take pictures of you and your mommy next weekend!  You are such a beautiful, beautiful girl and your smile makes me SO darn happy!

Over and out.  :)  Have a great weekend!

Photobucket

24 May 2012

sponsor call for June

I'm pretty excited to formally introduce the opportunity for sponsorship on {the Anna Delores blog}!  At only eight months old, Anna Delores has grown pretty quickly and I continue to promote and grow readership every. single. day. 

Anna Delores sponsor

X-Large sponsors (just $10, people!) also get the option to do a guest post, host a giveaway, or BOTH!  Woo hoo!  Large sponsors ($8) have the option to do one or the other (guest post OR giveaway).  And ALL sponsors get to share in the love in a featured post (maybe more than one, if I'm feeling especially inspired.  But at least one, guaranteed, for sure).

Seriously, what are you waiting for?  You can take care of business right now with checkout (payment + button image upload) via Passionfruit!  Sponsors who hook it up now while prices are low will ALWAYS, for the life of {the Anna Delores blog}, have these rates locked in, regardless of how big and magnificent it gets around here (and trust me, I have big plans).

So click here for a few additional details (including blog stats) and to submit your ad, and let's get the ball rolling.  Or, you can e-mail me if you have questions first.  Excited?  I am!  :)

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