Featured in Muses Magazine

Anna Delores Photography is featured on the COVER of Muses Magazine this weekend!  I think it looks pretty good, don't you?  ;)

Muses Magazine :: Anna Delores Photography

myan soffia ROCKS my SOCKS off!

I just couldn't resist sharing with you my awesome buying + swapping experience with Myan of Sixth & Main + Myan Soffia Photography.  Myan and I have been "online pals" for a few months, sharing Etsy adventure stories and our love of Los Angeles.  When I came up with the idea of doing an Angeleno feature series, Myan was at the top of my list!

I snagged this print, one of my faves, plus boy-friendly for my new home.

After featuring her here last week, I noticed Myan was having a sweet 50% off sale on some of her 5x5" and 5x7" prints, so I decided to snag some of the images of hers I've been coveting for weeks.  Turns out she had her eye on a couple of my prints as well (um, FLATTERED!) so we ended up doing a little swap!

I got my package from Myan in the mail today.  Oh. My. God.  She totally spoiled me.  It's like Christmas all over again!

My prints were packaged so beautifully, I almost didn't want to open them!  ALMOST.

First of all, the prints I ordered are SIMPLY. GORGEOUS.  I adore them and I can't wait to find places for them in my new home!

"Ink Slinger no. 1" is definitely going in my new home office.  :)

I also got a sweet, personalized note from Myan on the back of one of her lovely photo postcards.  The whole presentation was just so lovely, I had to share my delight!

My goodies from Myan Soffia!

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU, Myan!  I love it all and you made my day with your thoughtful delivery. ♥

Myan is still having her sale on 5x5" and 5x7" prints!  They're only $5.00 -- a total steal!  Check out her shops for yourself and scoop up some lovely art to refresh your winter walls, now through the holiday weekend (sale ends January 16).

 :: Myan Soffia | Sixth & Main :: 

♥ ♥ ♥ 

go GREEN this valentine's day!

Flower necklace made from recycled fabrics!  Go green!

Next up in the Angeleno Feature Series is Go Green Treasures, a lovely Etsy shop headed by LA resident Rebecca Leon.  Go Green has a great assortment of goodies with one very important thing in common: they're all green (and by green, we mean the eco movement, not the color).

Rebecca traces the foundations of her shop name to her time in college, learning about sustainable building practices.  "I was in college learning to build design and structures; we learned a lot about the wastefulness of building materials and the many new incentives to 'go green.'  In my designs I would always incorporate recycled hardwood or energy efficient electronics -- small things that add up to make a big difference. This practice stuck with me and the desire to help sustain our natural resources and not be wasteful. So I thought, why not do this with my art as well? I started asking friends if they had any broken jewelry or an earring that didn’t have a match or just stuff they never wore and would throw out. I grew a large collection of unwanted items and started designing from there. If I needed something particular I would go to garage sales and find hidden 'treasures' amongst the junk."

Super-cute custom wreaths from Go Green Treasures by Rebecca Leon on Etsy!

And there you have it!  A shop name is born.

Rebecca is further inspired by her education in the sense that she "went to school to study interior design and architecture. I think Frank Lloyd Wright probably had an impact in my design style: clean lines, modern style, taking an old traditional design and giving it a modern twist."

MY personal favorite from Rebecca's shop (and hers too!)

Los Angeles is definitely a great place to study and learn architecture and modern design, but maybe not the best for having an expansive studio space!  "I live in a tiny apartment in LA so my workspace is somewhat spread throughout my house," Rebecca told me.  "I turned my current shop items into art themselves in my house... I separate all of my knicknacks in cute little photoboxes and decorate my bookshelves with them. I work on my dining room table, but if you came and visited me you would have no idea."

Rebecca's personal favorite in her shop is a newbie and won't be sticking around for long: "It’s my custom color and design Valentine’s day wreath ... I like to make [custom] things for people, and knowing my customers are getting exactly what they want makes me happy!

I bugged Rebecca about some of the more personal components of her life as well:

Go Green earrings!

What is your most cherished possession?
I don’t know if this is a politically correct answer, but my three-month-old son! He’s not technically a possession, but he does belong to me!  I love him so much and it makes my heart happy to see him enjoying me making art!

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you like to see cast in the lead role as you?
For no particular reason but that I think she is such a doll, Jennifer Aniston.

What would I find in your refrigerator right now?
Not a whole lot! Amongst the random items, brown eggs, almond milk, acai juice, string cheese, oranges, chicken, and a huge box of chocolates -- yum!

Where would you like to be in five years? Ten years?
I want to be right when I am. I don't aspire to be a huge business women or live in some mansion. I love my hubby and my baby boy and I am fully content staying home with my little man, taking care of my family, making art, listening to music, and loving life.

Many thanks to Rebecca for sharing her shop and self with me!  Be sure to check out Go Green Treasures on Etsy for a Valentine's day gift that keeps on giving: recycled materials (plus felt flowers that won't perish!).

Go Green Treasures on Etsy

moving on up... and over to monterey park.

A glimpse into my very exciting personal life... early alert, this also means I might go through a period of "missing in action" as we're packing and moving our sh!t in mid-to-late January, so bear with me.  :)

Also a great excuse for a MOVING SALE at Anna Delores Photography!  The entire shop is 25% off.

lost angeles: Took a big step yesterday, so big it hasn't hit me yet: I signed a lease on a house I'll be moving into with my boyfriend. Yikes!

Not much to look at... yet...

julie ann art

Stylish Julie gets her brunch on!

The lovely and inspiring Julie Ann is another fellow resident of Los Angeles who rocks my Etsy socks off.  I *think* I first happened upon Julie Ann Art via Heartsy last year (that Heartsy has managed to introduce me to a LOT of my favorite shops!). 

I'll jump right into this interview without too much fanfare, though Julie certainly deserves all the fanfare I could possibly muster: her work is adorable, her blog is addictive, and I totally covet her delightful sense of style.  Which brings us to Julie's response to my first question...

What has been your biggest inspiration as an artist?
Other artist and crafters! There are so many amazing, creative people out there. I find a new shop or a new blog every day that I fall in love with. It constantly inspires me to try to become to others what they are to me.

A peek into Julie Ann's office & workspace!

Can you describe your work space and process?
One of the rooms in our house is used as the office/studio space for Julie Ann Art. I always start my work process there, working on my computer and printing out card.  Once I have my cards printed I tend to bring my supplies to the living room so I can package my orders next to my boyfriend on the couch.

Who would you say influences you the most?
Elsie Larson of A Beautiful Mess. I'm sure most of you know of her. I started following Elsie's blog a very long time ago. Watching her transition from quitting her job to pursuing her Red Velvet business full-time has been very inspiring.

How did you come up with the name of your business?
It was the first thing that came to mind and honestly, I'd like to change it. Unfortunately that comes with a large overhaul of "branding" and I'm not quite ready to take that step yet. I'm dealing for now.

Charming Valentine cards by Julie Ann Art

What is your favorite item in your shop?
My favorite card is probably the one that says "Home Is Wherever I'm With You." It's how I feel about my relationship.

What is your most cherished possession?
My first thought was my dog. As far as material things, I would probably have a heart attack if I lost my computer. It has all my artwork on it, and I'm not the *best* at staying on top of backing it all up. 

If Hollywood made a movie about you, who would you like to see in the lead role?
People have told me that I look like Rachel McAdams (I don't see it but I'm flattered) so I'll say her. She seems real, and I've watched The Notebook about 100 times.

"Hello" greeting card by Julie Ann Art (my personal favorite).

What's in your refrigerator right now?
Ha! Not much! It's hard to find time to grocery shop when I'm juggling my shop, my blog, and a full-time job. I actually am hoping to get to the grocery store by tomorrow. When we actually have ingredients for dinner some of our favorites are asparagus, artichokes, salmon, and tacos. (And I LOVE olives!)

Where would you like to be in five years? Ten years?
In five years I hope to be a full-time indie business owner. I am not quite there yet and I dream of the day that I can devote more time to what I want to do for Julie Ann Art. In ten years, same thing, but with a couple kids running around.

The lovely Julie!

Many thanks to Julie Ann Art for the guest appearance on Anna Delores!  Be sure to stop by Julie's shop for all your Valentines' Day card needs!

More places to find Julie Ann Art ::

* Blog :: www.julieannart.com
* Etsy :: www.etsy.com/shop/JulieAnnArt
* Facebook :: www.facebook.com/JulieAnnaEtsy
* Twitter :: http://twitter.com/julieannart
* Pinterest :: http://pinterest.com/julieannart