Chicago, & a Confession

Labor Day weekend was full of fun, and void of any type of work. It was wonderful! Daniel and I were pretend-locals for a few days in Chicago. We walked and took in the neighborhoods, and ate and drank at our friends' favourite restaurants. Many slices of deep dish pizza were consumed. I am not even ashamed! (I did double time at the gym this week to make up for it, worth it.)

One of my goals for the weekend was to find a pair of rainboots. And I did, just in time for the rain! Another goal was to work on my photography. Honestly, I was too absorbed by my surroundings to commit to having my Canon hugging my neck (especially during the rainstorms). And that brings me to my confession. I went through a spell a couple years ago, when I either lost my Nikon, or simply was too busy. I started putting aged filters on my photos, not only because I liked it, but because it was easy, and covered flaws. I admit it. Hundreds of people are guilty of the same thing. But I'm dedicated to being a better photographer (when I studied photography in high school and college, it was all film! Not admitting to my age but... well... that does put some years on me) and I'm going to refrain from using those filter on this blog. That's my goal.

Here are a few photos of plants and flowers at the Lincoln Park Conservatory that I thought were sweet and pretty. It's free, conveniently located, and I believe it's open year-round!

And here are some really gorgeous bows, adorning the statue of one of my most favourite writers! Does anyone know who this is?

OOH! In new cities...

I've been running around lately, working on fun (semi) secret projects and making more, more more... and yet I'm still not able to create all my ideas! Pictures soon from the Niagara falls wedding I attended over the weekend, and made invitations for.

A recent trip to Chicago to visit my dear friend Chase resulted in Say Ooh in two great shops. A lovely high-end boutique, Soko, and a fun, eclectic vintage shop in Wicker Park, Lenny and Me. Also... be on the lookout for ooh accessories at Urban in Elmwood Village in Buffalo, NY. You might see Fairytale Land in the storefront display!

But for now, I'm about to start a 12 hour drive back to Nashville. My car holds a few typewriters, vintage Singer, and a big red British Airways suitcase FULL of old lingerie. Southern friends... I've missed you. See you soon.