I hope that your weekend is full of sunshine and beauty my friends.  Happy Sunday!

my dreams are adrift

upon a warm, gentle breeze

come back to me

sweet reveries

a blissful reality.

Today, I have started tumbling on Tumblr.  I thought I'd give it a try.  It would remain mostly a photoblog.  Don't worry, my Reveries & Chai blog will continue on, although things have started to get a bit dusty and cob webs are taking over.  I decided to do away with my www.katevans.squarespace.com account, or my website.  After the 1st of next year, I hope to have things a little more organized and together with a better representation of who I am.  Honestly, I'm still trying to figure that one out myself.  

Just feeling a little out of sorts lately.  

But I shall be back.  I promise.

xo.kat

so I've been rather anti-social

Okay, so maybe the title to my post is just a little exaggerated, but from my lack of online presence both here and in my other social networking sites, you could say that I've been rather anti-social.  The reason is real simple:  my daughter.  As long as my little girl is awake, I've been ignoring my computer.  At first it was hard.  Real hard.  Once she would get preoccupied playing with her toys or with an episode of Spongebob, I'd sneak back upstairs to work on editing a few photos, checking up on Facebook updates, and trying to attempt a blog post only to have her pop up next to me with a look of utter distaste on her face.  "Checking your email again?!"  I have to pick my battles.  I've got just a little under a year left with her here with me at home before she goes off to kindergarten.  So I apologize that I haven't been cruising here in Bloglandia much lately.  I've also been working later hours every week so online time at night has been pretty minimal as well.  BUT, I'm here tonight, at midnight, hoping all of you are doing well!

Now since I'm on the subject of being social, I just wanted to say that I am still focusing on this Return to Real Mail Revolution.  I bought a box of cards that I thought were pretty cool.  Now, I admit that I've been a little slow going with it all, having just mailed a few cards earlier in the week. After hearing this bit of trivia, I am even more determined to put my mail box to good use.  Did you know that more than 75% of Americans under the age of 18 have NEVER touched a postage stamp?   Isn't that insane?!  I also heard earlier this week on CNN that there is a chance that the United States Postal Service may be closing its doors, if not laying off over a hundred thousand employees, by August of next year if budget reform has not been made.  Don't get me wrong, I think that there has been a lot of benefits that have come with the technological advances we have made, yet on the other hand, I'm watching people lose their jobs because we have moved so quickly into this digital age.  I'll be honest.  It's kinda terrifying.  I know that "going digital" has made things much more economical and perhaps even a little "greener" but when I think about the possibility of my local post office being  completely shut down,  it makes me awfully sad!  So, I will do my part to help keep my postal workers employed and send out more mail!  

Just out of curiosity, what are some of the things YOU have missed since we've gone digital?  

in the midst of a storm . . . a revolution was brewing

  

The weather is changing.  Thank goodness.  Cooler temperatures, I am hoping, are not too far away in our near future.  Hurricane Irene has come and gone and I am grateful that we were not caught in yet another natural disaster here at home.  That being said, my heart goes out to those who are still being challenged by the effects of this storm.  The winds were terrible, ripping branches off the pecan trees in our yard, but we were very fortunate.  It could have easily been much worse.  While cooped up in our home, as the storm raged on outside, I decided that it was a good time to bring out the craft supplies and make a few cards.  Recently, I had gone through the rest of the contents in my great-Grandmother's trunk, in it I found yet more photographs, some of them actual tintypes, and a few old letters.  These small treasures inspired me.  In this age of instant messaging, instant cereal, instant everything, just like analogue film, there is something magical about real mail.  Many of my friends have said that it would be rather exciting to receive something in the post other than bills.  Tell me about it.  So, I am starting a Return to Real Mail Revolution!

 

I used to write letters all the time.  To this day, I still have letters from my childhood best friend that I found when  I went through things I still had stored in my Grandpa's attic.  The envelopes were either decorated with drawings or made as collage pieces.  I remember that it was like Christmas time whenever I'd find a new letter in the mailbox.  And the moment I'd finish reading  the latest news about her life, I'd quickly grab an envelope and some paper because now, it was my turn to create.  It was as if we were playing some type of postal tag game and I think that that's what made it so much fun.  The creativity.  The anticipation.  The arrival!  It verifies the saying, Good things come to those who wait. 

 

 And so, I am getting reacquainted with decoupage glue, paper, scissors, oil pastels, postage stamps, my address book and the wonderful folks at my local post office!  Have a wonderful week friends!

good morning sunday :: n˚18

 So it's been a rather hectic week!  Car issues, scheduling issues, getting ready for a visit from my kid sis and her family.  You know, normal summer stuff.  Plus, it's been hotter than hades!  Monday's shoot went extremely well.  It was actually cool that day.  I spent a late afternoon with three beautiful and talented ladies who will be heading for the lights and action of Los Angeles in a few days.  The images above are just a few of the pictures I made that day.  I do have a few more on my flickr photostream.  More to come.  So all's good.  Okay, now a list.  A short one may I add. 

• So speaking of photostreams, I really like this Flickrite's photos.  
• I'm not too sure what I think of this new Blogger layout.  Wondering if it's me or my Mac that's freaking out on this thing.  
• This is such a neet magazine!
• Loving the new album by this talented gal!

And wow, yeah, I feel like there's definitely more to share with you but my brain is seriously having issues.  Thinking it's in need of some seriously defragging.  That is a word right?  Well friends, I hope you are going to have a fantastic week ahead.  If you've got some cool things to share with me today, let me hear about it!  

good morning sunday :: n˚17

Hello friends!  It is Sunday, not morning however, but still Sunday.  It's been a great day so far and I hope that yours is as well.  This last week started off rather slow, per usual, but the pace picked up during the weekend.  This week will be even busier.  Yay!  Ideas are flowing and I'm moving with it!  Okay, so on to the list!

• I'm enjoying this new to me wedding magazine from "down undah"!  It is chock full of lovely photographs, the kind that make you want to get remarried all over again just so you can recreate some of the beautiful decorations and celebrations featured on each page!  Neat thing is, they also have a blog!
• The research I did for my previous post about photographer Tim Walker has really helped to get me inspired!  I am seriously SERIOUSLY dying to get my hands on his book Pictures.  I know I've told you that already, but just in case you didn't know.  ;)
• Last Friday, I had the pleasure of working with a young model by the name of Marley.  We took a trip up to North Topsail on the northern most tip of Topsail Island here in North Carolina and all I can say is that it was gorgeous!  The above photos are just a few of the images I took that day.
• A new photo shoot again tomorrow!  More on that once I have pictures for you.
• I think it would be so neat to get one of these and see what kind of photos you can make with it. 
• Since we're talking about toys, I'd also love to get my hands on this camera too!  To view some photos taken with this adorable little toy cam, check out the Diana Mini Love flickr group.
• Can you believe it's already August.  Seriously, can you? 

Alright friends, there will be more to share with you this week, especially with fun projects in the works so. . . here's wishing all of you a creative and joy-filled week ahead!  'Til next time.

the inspiration that is tim walker

Fashion is the dream department of photography.

~Tim Walker

Extravagant sets.  Interesting characters.  Poetic imagery.

British fashion photographer, Tim Walker, has been wowing the readers of Vogue magazine, and the world around, with his dreamlike photographs for more than a decade.  A few years ago, I published a post here about Mr. Walker, and today I wanted to reintroduce him to you.  I find a lot of inspiration in hearing the processes in which artists create.  Recently, I came upon two interviews of Tim and thought that you may be interested in them as well.  Here is the first:

The second interview was done by Penny Martin for SHOWstudio's In Fashion series.  

Last year, the famed photographer has also taken on a new role:  director.  The Lost Explorer, his first film, is a 20 minute short based on the story of the same name by author Patrick McGrath.  The story tells of a girl who discovers a dying man, an anthropologist from Africa who has camped out behind her family's home in London, and the sequence of events that take place upon her discovery of him. Unfortunately, the film has only been seen here in the US in private screenings, mostly in New York.  However, should the film's trailer compel  you to see more, Tim has put together a book of stills from his movie.

With a newly revamped website, admirers of Tim's work will not be disappointed.  It features more galleries of his work, such as new projects and portraiture, as well as video.  A definite feast for the eyes!

Have a great weekend my friends!