Paris in Springtime? Don't Mind if I Do!

Full disclosure: the closest I've come to Paris is a layover at Charles de Gaulle airport with my brother when I was 13.

But I *feeeeeel* like I've been there, or even like I am there, whenever I look at Nichole Robertson's photographs and her Paris Color Project (check it all out here).

I have been borderline obsessed with these photos for quite some time, and I'm not even sure I could recall how I found my way to them if you paid me with a trip to Paris, but I.Just.Love.Them. They even inspired my own very pathetic-by-comparison attempt at photographing our neighborhood by color (blerg).

I've hesitated to purchase anything, though, only because I haven't actually been to Paris myself, even if these photos evoke in me some sort of nostalgia for a trip long-forgotten. BUT. A clearance sale? I can't pass up a clearance sale! Get yourself over to TheParisPrintShop on Etsy and check out all of the beautiful photographs, including an insane clearance section thanks to prints already available on paper they've discontinued using. I mean, $8 8x10 prints?

I am just going to let these photos sweep me away to beautiful Paris this spring, in my mind at least. (There are a few images already in my Etsy cart!)

(Note: I did not receive anything - art- or compensation-wise - for this post. I just love these photos, so I thought I'd share the art/deal.)

What I'm Reading Now: February 2, 2012

Well, it took me the entire month of January to read The Marriage Plot, so according to Good Reads, I'm one book behind if I want to meet my goal of 25 for 2012. <shakes fist at The Marriage Plot>

Anyway, so now I'm reading two books, not because I'm forcing myself to catch up, but because I am. Bloodroot is for my online book group, and the other, is... just other. And also, Thank You Again, A. You rule.

And yes, I sure did get my nails did yesterday, thanks for noticing!

What are you reading now?

Photo Challenge Day 23

Sunflare.

(I didn't take this one today, though it is sunny, but it happened by accident one day when I was just enjoying the warmth from the sunlight seeping into the office, and I thought, I wonder if I could catch this sunlight in a photo? So I tried, and I did, and I liked it, so I saved it for today's post. A little self-indulgent, I know. But I was really enjoying the warm-up I was getting!)

All 30-Day Photography Challenge posts here.

Photo Challenge Day 22

Hands.

All 30-Day Photography Challenge posts here.

Photo Challenge Days 19 & 21

Delayed posting again - not photographing. Also... failure #1 on this assignment. I am not having success with day 20 - "Bokeh." However, I intend to eventually succeed, so I'll save Day 20 for the day I actually get the photo right, or close to right. I also plan to do this before the 30-day challenge is over. In the meantime, here are Saturday's and today's posts...

Day 19: Something orange.

Day 21: Faceless self-portrait.

(stupid busted finger)

All 30-Day Photography Challenge posts here.

Photo Challenge Day 18

Your shoes.

I took them off for maximum posing enjoyment...

(Nine West Gianne - I got them at DSW, but they're not on the DSW site for some reason)

(they're new and I already wore them three times this week... {love them})


All 30-Day Photography Challenge posts here.

Photo Challenge Day 17

(yesterday's) Technology.

(not the best photo, but I did get to work on time...)

All 30-Day Photography Challenge posts here.

Photo Challenge Day 16

Yesterday's photo... Long exposure.

All 30-Day Photography Challenge posts here.

Photo Challenge Day 15

Yesterday's photo... Silhouette.

All 30-Day Photography Challenge posts here.

Photo Challenge: Days 12, 13 & 14

Still having Internet issues at home, but I remembered to bring my cord with me today, so I can upload the photos from the last few days. I'll post today's a bit later. But here are the past three days' challenge photos:

Day 12: Sunset.

Day 13: Yourself with 13 things.

Day 14: Eyes.

All 30-Day Photography Challenge posts here.

Photo Challenge Day 11

Something blue.

Took a photo of this guy this summer and liked finding that he's still there, holding down the fort.

All 30-Day Photography Challenge posts here.

Photo Challenge Day 10

Childhood memory.

I fell off the monkey bars and broke my wrist in two places when I was four. They're less intimidating at night (not to mention years later) and when nobody's at the playground so there's no performance pressure.

The swings, on the other hand, are sad and lonely looking at night. That's basically the opposite of all of my swinging memories...

All 30-Day Photography Challenge posts here.

Photo Challenge Day 9

Someone you love. In this case TWO someones I love.

Irresistible.

All 30-Day Photography Challenge posts here.

Photo Challenge Day 8

A bad habit.

Let's call no judgment on this one, and chalk it up to accountability. If I put this out there publicly, I'll have to do something about it. Occasionally, during the week, and if something good's on TV, I will neither pile the dishes into the dishwasher nor wash them. Then, the following morning, I'll add my breakfast dishes to the mix. Then I'll come home ready to make dinner and feel ashamed and grossed out, not to mention annoyed, because I have to wash the pans in order to use them again.

For the record, due to the photographic evidence, tonight, in SPITE of good (alright, decent) TV, I dishwasher-ed or washed all dishes used for cooking our delicious dinner. (please don't judge me!)



All 30-Day Photography Challenge posts here.

Photo Challenge Day 7

Fruit.

(sliced mango + fresh squeezed lime juice + salt = delicious!)

All 30-Day Photography Challenge posts here.

Photo Challenge Day 6

From a low angle.

(sadly, a little fuzzy)


All 30-Day Photography Challenge posts here.

Photo Challenge Day 5

From a high angle.

All 30-Day Photography Challenge posts here.

Photo Challenge Day 4

Something green... (or some green things...) from my walk home...

All 30-Day Photography Challenge posts here.

Photo Challenge Day 3

Clouds.

It was Gloomy with a capital G here today... and when there was (barely) light, it was nearly impossible to discern clouds in the sky at all... just a cloak of sad gray doom and gloom hanging over us all day. And then, on my way home, driving north on Lake Shore Drive, the sky was beautiful. So when I got home, I hopped out onto our balcony and tried to grab some cloud photo love before it was too dark to see at all...

Have a good night.

All 30-Day Photography Challenge posts here.

Photo Challenge Day 2

What I wore today. This one's embarrassing. I forgot my camera today, so I could either wait until I got home from work (not the best option, since upon crossing the threshold into my home each day, I basically immediately transform into a sweatpants-clad slob), or use my iPhone camera, which is more challenging. Long story short, the only full-length mirror at my office is in the bathroom... so. Well, there it is. And here it is:

(so ashamed of photographing in the bathroom that I had to shield my face)

(okay, fine, now you know I'm in the bathroom... big deal!)

(and a better, though still slightly blurry, shot of the outfit)

Top: Old Navy chambray tuxedo top (last year)

Pants: Target (also old)

Mustard ruffle kitten heels: Target (old)

Belt: New! from Presence, a small store in the Andersonville neighborhood here in Chicago

(Hair: still kind of Richy Sambora-esque, alas)

It is what it is, I suppose. I'll try to use my real camera from now on. I'll also try not to take pictures in the ladies room.

All 30-Day Photography Challenge posts here.