L'épine dans le coeur


If you know me, you'll also know that I adore Michel Gondry. Joseph alerted me of his new film, L'épine dans le coeur (The Thorn in the Heart), about his aunt who is also a teacher. Watch the French clip here.

Michel Gondry chronicles the life of Gondry family matriarch, his aunt Suzette Gondry, and her relationship with her son, Jean-Yves.

photographie



I'm completely excited about shooting our graduation this Saturday with Jon! Joseph is off the hook this time - he is scheduled to open in the AM. We'll still miss him though...

I pick up the photography equipment tomorrow directly after work. I'm a little apprehensive about diving into the world of studio lighting. College was a long time ago and we always used natural lighting in my classes. At least I have Friday night to experiment with the light kit before the big event.

We are hoping for nice weather, but as Denver has been dark and stormy, it is difficult to predict at this juncture. Keep your fingers crossed and I'll keep mine crossed too.

I still haven't had the steam to make the s.pings blog look finished and working well, or finish the last page on s.pings studio.com. I am so focused on work, exams, reflections, etc. that when I get home I zone out. Blogging about nothing in particular makes me unwind and the last thing I want to do is stress about the details and fix problems {or have Joseph do that for me, hehe}.

I am currently using Blogger as my main outlet now, although not really the best blogging system, it is used by so many in the design and photo blogging realms. I think I've tried them all, Wordpress, Blogger, Tumblr, my own domain, and whatever else is out there. We already know I have a complex about switching blog formats {again and again and again} so I am kind of tired of all that and want my old blog back. But it is too late now! Blogger it remains for the day.

Big weekend coming up! Wish us luck and I'll be sure to post our photos ASAP! Enjoy you Friday!

en plein air; balloons


from photobiblioteck.ch

London Block by Block


i couldn't resist sharing this toy that every Anglophile must have for their young ones...
From Mulberry Bush via Black Eiffel

My Message to Me {and you}

STAY AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER


from Ashkahn Shahparnia

Arctic Adventures



Now is not the time to be thinking of the frigid temperatures, but on this chilly rainy night, why not?

See the Arctic Noel here on Flickr.

My New Logo

Happy Birthday joseph!


Happy Birthday joseph!
Originally uploaded by neuf francs

Cake


photo.jpg
Originally uploaded by neuf francs

What's Your Bag


Joseph's early birthday gift from Patagonia...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!





HAPPY BIRTHDAY FIDDLE FLUFF!

Bree is celebrating 28 today!

Tips on what to get Bree for her b-day:
  1. Anything from MOMA's gift store
  2. Charlie Harper book
  3. A nice digital camera for her trips around the globe
  4. High school-style mix tape {CD, let's be current}
  5. Trip to San Francisco
Happy birthday Bree - we love you and wish you the best!

photo.jpg


photo.jpg
Originally uploaded by neuf francs

Flying Fish


Flying Fish
Originally uploaded by neuf francs

Birthday breakfast @ City

Friday Night



Marc, Jess, Erin, me, and Joe at our friend's house enjoying some drinks and food.

Happy Friday




It's a music-filled night for yours truly.

I chaperoned our school's Battle of the Bands {as per request from a dear student}. Cory and I enjoyed the ever so popular and very cool 60's Cali Cali Beach Boy sound played by the winning band, Gypsy Cab Company and runner up Sam & Dan. They covered songs from Donovan and the Birds, the same songs that inspired Jason Schwartzman's band, Coconut Records.

If mom and Bree were there I think they would have liked what they heard :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!






Happy Birthday Da!
We love you!
Some special things about father on his birthday:
  1. He will probably go to Montgomery Inn twice today in order to get his fill of yummy food.
  2. Ice cream of any kind will be on the list of birthday-must-dos.
  3. He will enjoy the ultimate indulgence in relaxation and happiness on May 22 {and future birthdays for that matter}.
  4. Color, color, color! His roses match the constant desire for saturated colors.
  5. Da loves quirky animal postcards by Rudi Harzlmeier from Talulah Jones {and so do I}.
  6. You will hear him singing {anything} today as he goes about his birthday.

Paper Art


Mom and I are big fans of cut paper as art. This little village looks pretty cozy to me :)
FFFFound!

New Summer Staple


Very good on ice, a perfect summer tea.

Es tut mir leid...

Relaxing Room


I always wish our bedroom invited mornings like this one, but unfortunately we don't have a naturally bright bedroom, or room for that matter! {image via FFFFOUND!}

This Week Is


{image via 365 Drawings}

I'm not sure where these weeks are going to actually...

Joseph and I are looking forward to the weekend! We have tickets to the museum, it is a holiday weekend (3 days!), and it's Dad's, Bree's, and Joseph's BIRTHDAY!!! (my cards will be a little late - sorry guys)

Enjoy your Thursday - one day closer to Friday!

Field Day


(Emma, Emma, Jess, Kristen, Nandi, Thailia, and Katie)

FIELD DAY! Alright, normally I don't get excited about running around in 90* heat, but this year I had fun with my girls - they really gave it their all and won first place in almost everything we did! We even cheered "Don't Trash the Nati!" and it seemed to work! I didn't run, but I took a few photographs with the new camera.

Summer Travel NYT


Always a happy Sunday when the new summer travel magazine is tucked into the Sunday NY Times!

V at the Vet; Update


V at the Vet; Update
Originally uploaded by neuf francs
Feeling better and looking stronger today :)

Gestalten ~ Beachlife




I saw the image of Senja, Norway in this coffee table book (via Gestalten) that everyone should have for the season, Beachlife.

If you are looking for hours of entertainment, check out the rest of Gestalten's goodies and get inspired!

"Gestalten specializes in developing content for aficionados of cutting-edge visual culture worldwide.

The company is best known for the more than three hundred books we have published that document and anticipate vital design movements for our own title list as well as customer publishing projects. Gestalten also provides Curation, Art Direction, Consulting, Production, Distribution and Design Services to international clients such as Volkswagen and Diesel.

Always working directly with talented young designers and artists, Gestalten brings a deep understanding of visual culture on a global level to whatever we do and remains firmly committed to presenting visual trends with timeless substance. The company has 40 staff members through offices in Berlin, London, New York and Tokyo."

I Dream of Senja



"The Tungeneset-project is part of the Norwegian National tourist routes project; unique drives through the most spectacular countryside Norway has to offer."


I know this sounds strange to say that I've dreamed several times of this "place" that I've never been before, but know fondly in my dreams. This "place" looks like Senja, Norway and it has been beautifully architecturally designed and photographed here. Multiple views and the details also on this website.

Maybe this was my home in a past life... thanks Oprah.

And You Smell Like One Too


Happy Birthday to everyone! Almost everyone I know was born in the summer, specifically the merry, merry month of MAY. This means lots of birthday cake! You can smell like one too if you are fond of the vanilla standard, Vanilla Birthday Cake lip balm from Philosophy (via Sephora).

Weekend Come and Go





1. and 2. Jess & Me at Wash Park watching the wedding
3. Joseph and Jess enjoying the weather at Wash Park
4. Irish dancing girls after the show


This weekend seemed to fly by a little faster than usual. I can't even begin to tell you how fast things are winding down now that the end of the school year is in sight!

Friday night Erin, Marc, Joseph and I devoured coal-fire pizza and beers at Marco's, walking down to Larimer Square for tasty gelato to finish full-circle our Italian inspired night of indulgence. If that wasn't enough we met Cory for after dinner drinks at Herb's for some late-night jazz and gin. Yum! The boys caught their second wind, directly causing me to catch mine (although maybe forced) so we had a sports-filled conversation at Charlie Brown's. I feel old saying this now, but I stayed up so late, way past our normal bedtimes ;)

As you can see above, we got up early to dance with Anne, Emily, Mary, and Kris (among our other dancing friends) at a retirement home. The show went by fast and I think everyone enjoyed watching Mary perform her insanely fast feet! I was too busy trying to work my new camera and lens. The pictures aren't the best (I didn't use flash and it was combination lighting), but at least you can get a feel for what keeps me busy and entertained on the weekends!

Our favorite activity as of late (since the weather has been BEAUTIFUL!) is picnicking at Wash Park with friends. Twice this week we've thrown out the blanket, opened a beer or two, snacked on some yummy munchies, and watched people and dogs do their thing at the park. Saturday night we were lucky enough to spy on a wedding! Jess and I were trying our best to catch all the bride's details, while Joseph identified all the local trees using his new iPhone app... or was that Flight Control??? (BTW - Joseph's newest score is 155 - Cory and Marc will be envious)! Cory joined us just in time to discuss exciting wedding topics and a round of Gin Rummy (I won).

Alas, it is Sunday and I'm not quite ready to return to work, but I have the incentive of two weeks and then the hard stuff is over. Break it down to 9 days and I'm even happier! Let's hope for a happy Monday!

London


London
Originally uploaded by neuf francs

Construction Cont.


Construction Cont.
Originally uploaded by neuf francs

Missing Mad Men


As depressing as that sounds I really miss the smoke-fill emotional despair and drunkenness that is Mad Men. And I really want to see Don Draper again, sigh...

Return to Sender


I totally dig Black Eiffel's style and these royal stamps new from the USPS! I've blogged about stamps many a times, but it's always exciting to see a new pack of postage (even if it does go up in price from time to time).

I just watched an episode of Giada at Home, where she prepares a Fun & Food party for all her friends to eat great food and play cards. I would LOVE to have friends over again for a game night! My grandmothers used to have the girls over for cards, which I romanticize in my mind from time to time. Maybe I'll put a card party on my list of summer activities!

Make your own card table cover by watching this video from Martha Stewart