Blog it Forward: What Inspires Me?

French fashion bloggers! Pandora and The Cherry Blossom Girl use fashion as an expression of their love of history, art, and their beautiful city -- Paris.

It's time for the "Blog it Foward Mashup." This project was started by the talented San Francisco Girl by the Bay as a way for bloggers to share what inspires them. It's a bit like a chain letter for blogs, and today it's my turn. Check out the links at the end of this post to see who is coming up next...I'm pretty sure you'll be addicted {like I am!}. Or, you can find your favorite bloggers on the full schedule here.

Traveling to strange, out-of-the-way destinations. I've visited some bizarre places, like the Surrealist Folly Gardens in Xilitla, Mexico, and the desert art communes in Marfa, Texas, but there are so many unusual spots I'm dying to explore: the Absinthe Museum in New Orleans and the Seti satellites in Puerto Rico are at the top of my list.

Strong, eccentric women with a flare for the dramatic. Tilda Swinton is always unflinchingly original {left, dressed as the Marchessa Casati}, and Anais Nin lived a life more fascinating than even her books reveal.

Art, both new and old. The brilliant Hayv Kahraman is a recent discovery {left} and decadent artist Aubrey Beardsley is an obsession that will never fade...

Books that move, challenge, disgust, and inspire in equal parts... these are two books that changed my perception of literature forever.

Eating...and cooking: the ultimate creative act. It inspires and nourishes. Since discovering my love for cooking, I have come to realize that making food can be as fulfilling {and filling} as making art...corny but true. {Images via Canelle et Vanille}.

Vintage magazines and vintage advertising. I would wallpaper my apartment with vintage ads if I could! I think vintage ad designers are truly forgotten artistic geniuses...

What inspires you, dear readers??

And coming up in the Blog it Forward Mash-up:

• not your average ordinary 3/3 • occupation housewife 3/4 • oh hello! 3/5

• oh, hey great 3/8 • oh, mishka 3/9 • oh so beautiful paper 3/10

• old sweet song 3/11

Blog It Forward...

Hello, my peaches. I wanted to let you all know about a fun project I will be participating in -- and you should, too! The Blog It Forward Mashup is headed up by the talented lady behind sfgirlbybay. Check out the details on her site, and drop Victoria a line if you want to take part. We’re going to share a connected stream of blogger posts on ‘what inspires us the most’ on our individual blogs, but link back & forward to the other blogs participating, a bit like a chain letter (but, hopefully a lot less annoying!).

This should be fun...

The List: 20 Things to Do When You're Snowed-In and Stir Crazy

{Photo via DeZeen}

Readers, we've been attacked with a bad case of winter weather here again. There is slushy, icy yuckiness as far as the eye can see. This has me wondering how much of this I can take before moving my frozen butt to a tropical island. But, in the attempt to see the positive in this situation, I asked myself: what are some creative things to do when you're stuck inside and waiting for the first bloom of spring? Aside from the usual napping and eating, I think these activities might actually stave off wintry boredom:

1. Go through your magazines or the photos on your computer and make a fashion inspiration folder/file.
2. Update and add to your Netflix queue or Amazon book wishlist.
3. Look through your cookbooks or look online for recipes you would love to try and make a recipes-to-make list.
4. Play a drinking game. So what if it's the middle of the day?
5. Rakata. My mother learned this word from her Puerto Rican boyfriend. If you don't speak Spanish, look it up.
6. Finish a book. I have at least 7 books around here that I've started...
7. Play dress-up, then clean out your closet.
8. Organize/digitize your photos.
9. Play cards. Canasta is a favorite. And no, I'm not elderly.
10. Get busy with that label-maker. Nothing makes you feel more organized that labeling everything.
11. Download new music, or make themed playlists, such as: "Music to Rakata To," or "Music for a Snowy Day When You're Pissed Off and Stuck Inside."
12. Discover new blogs -- play "follow the blue links" and see where it leads you. I've found some of my favorite blogs this way.
13. Mani/Pedi/Facial. 'Nuff said.
14. Call an old friend. You actually have time to chat!
15. Read some poetry, and then try writing one of your own. But, don't ask people to read it -- that's just awkward.
16. E-mail 5 people you love and tell them you're thinking about them.
17. Balance your budget. Well, when are you going to do it otherwise?
18. Get out the Ouija board!
19. Listen to an audio book: a method I discovered for being lazy AND literary.
20. Sell stuff on Ebay. Make some money to put toward a one-way ticket to a tropical island.

::What are your secrets for surviving winter weather??

Blogger Manifesto Project, Part I.

"In the old times men carried out their rights for themselves as they lived, but nowadays every baby seems born with a social manifesto in its mouth much bigger than itself.” ~Oscar Wilde

{The Zurich Dada group at Cafe Voltaire...marching to the absurd beat of their own manifesto}.

Though Wilde obviously thought the practice of manifesto-writing was getting out of hand at the time he wrote those words {and little did he know, the trend would continue to spread rampantly into the early 20th century}, today the manifesto continues to be a fascinating, witty, perplexing, and often infuriating form of expression...

I became interested in manifestos as a genre several years ago, after reading many of the famous artistic manifestos. The manifestos for art movements such as Vorticism, Surrealism, Futurism, and Symbolism made me feel equal parts fascinated and infuriated -- they were so staunch and irrational in their opinions! What drew me to these raucous, outspoken documents was their nerve, their sheer audacity. I'm not what you might call an audacious or even stubbornly opinionated person {though I've been working on finding that side of myself}, but for some reason, the notion of writing a manifesto of my own has nagged me for some time now. This obsession with manifestos has also turned into a deeper curiosity about the role of manifestos in today's world: particularly in the blog world.

Manifestos are defined as: "a public declaration of the purpose, principles, or plan of action of a group or individual." While manifestos were originally political in nature, they have since addressed issues spanning topics from parenting and gardening, to technology and fashion. A manifesto can be as much about lifestyle convictions as social and political convictions. I have come to believe that the creative exercise of writing a manifesto can teach us a lot about ourselves, our beliefs, and our priorities. I think in some ways that our blogs are like subtle, unspoken manifestos of what we love, what we are drawn to, and what we find of value. And I can't help but wonder: what would your manifesto say if you could narrow your convictions and passions into one, condensed package of words?

• Would it be funny and cheeky?
• Serious and somber?
• Eclectic or pointed?
• Beautiful or ugly?
• Poetic or pragmatic?
• Political or aesthetic?
• Youthful or wise?

All of these thoughts have brought me to start a new series of posts that I'm calling the "Blogger Manifesto Project." I imagine this project to grow beyond me and this blog, because I think with the contribution of other bloggers, it has the potential to be amazing! So, over the next few weeks and months, I will be gathering together a group of bloggers that I feel have a distinctive voice and style, and challenge them to write their own manifesto to share here on Nothing Elegant. The range will be broad and the topics will vary. It is my dream to gather a group of talented voices in many categories: interior design, photography, fashion, shopping, music, crafting, feminism, inspiration, art, cooking, etc.

Thanks for bearing with me on this long post, and I hope you will stick around for this exciting project. I challenge each and every one of you to try your hand at writing a manifesto for your life, your loves, or your blog -- I did, and I will be sharing mine next Monday!

::Follow this link for a huge list of other manifestos through history :: These are some of my favorites: BLAST, A Cyborg Manifesto, and The Humanist Manifesto.

Next Stop: Rabbit Hole

This week has been altogether crap-tastic, if you ask me. The holidays are over and real life has started again. I have a student in the class I am teaching who seems unable to hide his disgust at having to be there {and tripping me up during lectures when I catch him rolling his eyes}. And the situation in Haiti is saddening and terrible. It's times like this that I feel a little like falling down a rabbit hole and getting lost somewhere for a while...

::On the upside {and speaking of rabbit holes} Alice in Wonderland comes out in March.

{photos via FFFound}

List Love!

List-making is like a glorious disease: you are compelled, driven mad by the gnawing desire to makes lists for everything from "All the Food I Still Need to Eat Before I Die" to "Movies I Have Seen That Made Me Want to Remove My Eyeballs." I make lists for the esoteric, the inspirational, the everyday, and the mundane. One of my favorite newer features on this blog is...you guessed it: "The List."

What kind of lists would you like to see more of here on Nothing Elegant? Personal, art-related, books, fashion-focused, local tid-bits?

...stay tuned for lists I already have up my sleeve, such as: my favorite dirty poetry; the best stop-motion animation films; women rockers whose style I want to steal; weird vacation spots; concerts to put on your calendar this year...and more.


::More links for the list-related: A place to indulge your addiction / Airam also shares my penchant for lists / List-makers with a twist / A secret society / My all-time favorite place to buy list-making materials.

Okie Blog Award Nominations.

I feel a bit like I'm running for office {which is ironic, because I hate politics}, but I would like to make a self-serving request: if you enjoy my blog, and you have a moment...or the inclination, I would be honored if you sent a quick e-mail nominating me for the Okie Blog Awards {this is Oklahoma's annual blog recognition awards}. Just go to this link, choose a category {the best match might be "culture blog"} and send an e-mail with the category, name and link to my blog.

Also, if you are a follower of other inspirational and hard-working Oklahoma bloggers, like the ladies behind Progress on the Prairie, Greedy Girl, or Design Crush, you might consider giving them a nod in the nominations, as well!!

**The deadline for nominations is Feb. 3rd! A warm thank-you in advance!

Happy New Year: Bonne Année 2010!

This year, in the tradition of the French, I am going to make a wish or two {a voeu} instead of the usual stringent resolutions I have made...and often broken...in years past. Doesn't it just seem more romantic and less puritan to send a wish out into the universe, rather than setting yourself up for punishment when you fail? Author Debra Ollivier says:

"...a wish is a mutable thing that can be blown away by the wind. A wish is like a cloud that might drift your way but cannot be forced to do so. It is langurous and fanciful and who knows where it will end up. A resolution, on the other hand, is a firm, concise obligation. It's a contract between you and your conscious that is deep-fried in moral values. A resolution has edges and they will menace you forever if you don't pay attention to them. A resolution, in short, can become one of those deadly virtues if it conspires too radically against the Gods of Pleasure."

This year, despite loads of work and obligations, I wish for the "Gods of Pleasure" to stay front and center in my life...good food, good drink, good books, good love, good adventures, good growth, good living.

** Happy New Year, Mes Amies!!! May pleasure visit you often this year...

Merry Christmas!

I want to wish everyone a wonderful holiday with friends and family! I will be leaving tomorrow for Tennessee, and posting will probably be spotty for a week or so...hope you'll stick with me.

I look forward to the upcoming year, and I'm already pondering new posts and projects for this blog. I have one particular project in the works that I'm excited about...more info soon.

Have a beautiful holiday, my wonderful readers!!!

Calendar Giveaway!

Just a quick reminder: don't forget to enter my holiday giveaway for a chance to get your hands on a fabulous, limited edition, hand printed calendar by artist Jen Hewitt. The deadline is tonight at midnight: click here for entry rules. Best of luck!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today, I just want to take the opportunity to say "thank you" to all of my wonderful, kind, intelligent readers who keep this blog fun and always inspire and challenge me! If you are celebrating Thanksgiving today, I hope you have a wonderful day with family and friends, plenty of yummy food, and lots of laughs. What are you thankful for today??

{To see more of Benny Horne's Pilgrim-inspired photo shoot, visit Foto Decadent}

Calling Cards.

Do you use calling cards to promote your blog...or yourself? I have this nagging feeling that I should get calling cards, but I'm not even sure where to begin. Of course, the first place that came to mind was Etsy, and I do love this very simple, bold version by Modern Motive {I would get red type}. If you use cards, who do you give them to? When? Why? Wow, I'm just full of questions today, but self-promotion is rather new to me.

Any advice, my clever readers?

::By the way, I have a fantastic guest post from Heidi at Loose Leaf Tigers lined up for tomorrow...stay tuned!

Modcloth: Winston the Pug

There are some days when all you need is a cute picture of a pug wearing nerdy glasses to make you happy. Winston is Modcloth's sunglasses model -- he pretty much raises this already-awesome vintage/indie design shopping site to the next level for me. I'm thoroughly determined to arrange a meeting between my pug Gidget and the fetching, clever Winston...you know, just to see if there's any chemistry...

On another topic entirely, I'm going to be signing off for the rest of the week, which means I won't have my regular Friday post. I'm heading out for an overnight trip to stay at Frank Lloyd Wright's Price Tower, and then to Woolaroc {a quirky museum of sorts, filled with taxidermy and shrunken heads}. After that, my mom will be visiting from Texas, and I'll be hanging out with her. I will definitely try to get some good photos!

::I am going be taking some breaks here and there until December; my dissertation prospectus deadline is coming up in mid December, and I am going to need to simplify some of my obligations {though my blog is the most enjoyable "obligation" of all...damn}. I know you all totally understand, and I hope you'll stick with me despite the breaks in regular programming!

Have a stellar rest of the week,

xoxo

Tara

Makeover Complete!

{via Will Bryant}

I am so happy to be premiering my new blog header today -- In fact, I'm practically bursting with joy!!! My beautiful friend/sister's Brooklyn roommate/talented artist/designer extraordinaire, Lola Serrano kindly re-designed my somewhat pitiful-looking header and {in my humble estimation} turned it into A MASTERPIECE. I really loved my Lee Miller fallout masks too much to let them go, so she helped me spruce them up and added a bit of color and interest, and now they seem a smidge less intimidating ;) I also think she did a great job fitting the aesthetic of the blog!

Nothing Elegant's facelift is finally done for now...Whew! It was quite an endeavor!

*Thanks for being a nice person who makes cool things, Lola!

xoxo,

Tara

Working a New Look

{image via fffound}

This is how I've felt all week:: A bit like a cyborg, connected to endless streams of html code...

I certainly hope it has paid off! I made some major adjustments to my blog. It has been over a year now, and I figured it was time for a bit of nip-n-tuck! You might have noticed these new links:

• A new "About" link at the top, with more info on little 'ole me.
• My "List": a to-do list for life {very fun, you should make one, too!}
• An RSS subscription link.
• A link for all my beloved blogs and the sites I visit often {don't worry, if your link seems to have disappeared from the main page, it should be here!}

I also cleared out and organized my categories [and added a few new ones].

I'm going to be making some changes in the content of the blog, as well. I plan on expanding my repertoire a bit to reflect a broader array of my interests. For example, I hope to be able to include more film, music, food, and local interest stuff. Don't worry, there will still be plenty of art and fashion history!

**Aside from tweaking my header a bit and trying to get rid of the "stretch" {any advice?}, I am almost done with the re-design. I would love to hear what you think. I would also love to hear about your experiences re-designing your blogs -- if you've ever done it, did it make a difference in your overall readership?

P.S. The above image is from the Metropolis, a stunningly beautiful sci-fi film from 1927...definitely worth seeing if you haven't already!

Pardon the Mess.

Pardon the mess this week, my dears readers. I'm attempting to do a bit of a design overhaul, and it might get a little chaotic...

[::photo via flickr]

Update:: Still working on it! The header is next. I promise to get back to my regular posting soon...

Update2: Finished the header! {with boyfriend help}, now I'm trying to organize my overwhelming blogroll...also added new links at top. What do you think so far???

Honest Scrap

Happy [albeit sleepy] Monday! Wow...I am so behind on my comments, my tags, and my awards. I am going to try and catch up starting NOW. The beautiful and always-eloquent Ana at On Dressing Up gave me 3 [!!!!!!] awards and a tag. I really hit the jackpot on this one...and I've posted my five choices of bloggers to pass the "Honest Scrap" award on to below...

10 Things You Might Not Know about Me:

1. I used to teach English to Disney executives at the Disney headquarters in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
2. After undergrad [long ago], I traveled alone to Europe for a month.
3. One of my favorite meals is: chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, and fried okra. Healthy!!
4. When I was little, I collected locust shells [or cicada shells, according to where you live]. I had a bucket to put them in and would go around in the summertime, looking for them on trees and fences. I still can't help picking them up when I see them.
5. In my younger days, I was completely gothed-out: Black everything, pale makeup, fishnets, vinyl, lots of piercings...you get the picture. Though I'm not quite that extreme these days, there are remnants: I'm still obsessed with Joy Division and I still love black [though just not head-to-toe].
6. My first "grown-up" job was in NY -- I used to work as an indexer for the Modern Language Association. I wrote key-word summaries for academic texts; sometimes I would skim through as many as 30 books a day...it really took all the fun out of reading.
7. I am a hopeless romantic, with a pessimistic streak. Needless to say, I often feel confused. Don't we all?
8. I used to be married. And now I'm not. I feel very mature admitting to that.
9. I really think it would be fun to be either a cabaret performer or a geisha...just for a week, to see what it would be like.
10. I know all of the words to the songs from the musical "Oklahoma!"

Now, let's hear your honest scrap: Camp Comfort, Dramatis Personae, Into the Fray, Oh, Mishka, Cazimi Vintage.

Confessions of an [Imperfect] Fashionista

This was a fun tag that Airam at Lost in a Spotless Mind challenged me [and you] to do. So I'm passing it on and challenging you to write eight fashionable confessions of your own, put them in a post and dare to be imperfect -- I tag every single person who’s read this post! Let me know if ye be cowards or heroes!

♥ I will often buy cheap accessories and undergarments just so I can spend more money on clothes and shoes. Forever 21, here I come...
♥ I am not high-maintenance when it comes to my hair! I often procrastinate when it comes to cutting and coloring it.

♥ I get so tired of my clothes, so quickly! Even if I splurge on a designer piece...I still get tired of it!

♥ The recession has definitely made me more cautious about spending money...so, I've become a little addicted to shopping on auction sites for good deals.


♥ I rarely use sunscreen on a day-to-day basis...I know it is bad, because I have pale skin, but I just can't get over the smell and greasy feel.


♥ For some reason I really hate it when people wear running shoes [unless they are getting ready to run or just back from a run]. Ok, I WILL admit that these vintage Nike's are kinda-sorta cute...


♥ I love over-the-top, glamorous, fanciful, eccentric fashion...but most of the time, I just stick with the basics. Though I wouldn't mind sporting this Christian Dior to the next party I attend...


♥ I tend to use a lot of perfume. I guess I'm not very sensitive to other people's noses -- I figure if it smells good to me, everyone must want to smell it!

Monday Mischief: A Big Hug and Kiss

I promise to resume my normal blogging tomorrow and cease with the spilling-of-my-guts! But, today I just wanted to send out a big hug and kiss to all of my friends and readers who did not take my "fishing" for feedback as a sign of weakness, but rather took it as an opportunity to share our experiences as bloggers and fellow humans -- both the pitfalls and the fulfilling bits! I am feeling very at peace today about the whole thing, and feel much more connected and in-tune with my readers and fellow bloggers.

xoxo

I rarely allow myself to indulge or pay attention to negative emotions relating to my blog [it's supposed to be fun, right?]. But, what I found is that with the freedom and creativity that blogging brings you, a certain sense of ownership and dedication follows. It is this sense of passion and ownership that is often not translated to those outside of the blog-world. What results can often be a feeling of alienation or a sense that other people around us don't care or understand what an important part of our lives blogging is -- we work hard to create, research, organize, compile, collect, think, ponder, search, and explore -- but for those who do not read or write blogs, this does not necessarily come across or make sense. I have had so much excellent, productive feedback over the past few days, and I just wanted to share some suggestions people have given for how to deal with this issue of our blog-lives not interacting harmoniously with our real-lives:

• Other folks talk about their lives, their interests, and their work, so when people ask about us about ourselves, we should talk about what we have been working on, blog included [seems obvious, right?].

• When we write something that we think someone we know might find interesting, instead of waiting for them to read it on the blog and give feedback [which I've learned lots of people hate to do], e-mail them the link -- this makes it feel more personal anyway.

• Just try to remember that for every one person who leaves a comment, there are probably a hundred who do not...but that doesn't mean there aren't people out there who didn't get something meaningful from a post.

• Learn to appreciate the anonymity that blogging can provide -- it is a platform to share another part of ourselves that we might keep hidden away otherwise; this can be very cathartic and fulfilling.

• Or on the other hand, just tell friends and family how important your blog is to you! They might not realize it unless you explain it. If you are kind enough to ask them about their jobs, their child, their hobby, their work, then they should be polite enough to ask about or check in on your blog every now and again!

• Remember why you started your blog to begin with -- was it for personal fulfillment? To create a new community? Sometimes we just have to remember that not everyone in our lives can be there for us in every way...different people fulfill different needs, and just because they don't "get" what you blog about doesn't mean they don't love you!

• Reach out to people [I'm so happy that I did]. This can actually draw you closer -- sharing your feelings and your anxieties makes you more human and creates a sense of intimacy. You discover that other people deal with many of the same issues and difficulties...and it makes you feel less alienated.

• Follow the "do unto others" motto: the more you share, comment, conversate, show interest, and give feedback to others [both in blogging and in life], the more you will receive.

• Lastly, remember that your blog is not "you." This constructed identity [no matter how honest we are on our blogs] is not the real YOU. It is only one fragment of us and our complexities as people. Do not allow the constructed "you" to stand in or represent your true self.

Well loves, here's to many more years of blogging to come...

A Conundrum...and an [Embarrassing] Plea for Feedback

This post might seem a little strange since I always try keep this blog positive and to leave out my personal problems. I started this blog with the intention of finding a platform for my passions and creative curiosities and not as a place to complain, whine, vent, or divulge [though those type of blogs have their place as well]. However, recently I have found myself feeling strangely sad and alienated, and I was hoping to get some feedback from my wonderful readers, because I know many of you are also bloggers, writers, researchers, artists, and aesthetes...and maybe some of you have had similar issues or thoughts?

When I first started this blog [a year ago!] it was an experiment. I had no idea how long it would last or how devoted I would become. As it turns out, it has been amazing, inspiring, fun, enlightening...and tons and tons of work! I have made friends with so many interesting and talented people from around the world. Sometimes I wish I had a magic wand and could make all of my incredible blog-friends appear right here, all at once, and that we could all sit around drinking tea and chatting about strange, beautiful things!

I guess that is kind of where the alienating part comes in though: while I have so many fellow "virtual" compatriots, I don't actually feel like I have anyone in my life to share many of my interests with. Now don't get me wrong, I have a wonderful boyfriend and fantastic friends, but very few people I actually know look at or give me feedback on my blog. So, I often feel like I have this separate little box that I keep my passions in, and when I'm around friends or family, I just set it aside, because I sense that it is not of interest to them.

My boyfriend reminded me the other day that I did not start this blog in order to create a stronger bond between myself and the people already in my life, but rather as a way to cultivate a new community of people out in the world that have similar interests. While he has a good point, I guess I just assumed subconsciously that the people I am close to would automatically take interest, because it was something that was important to me. What I did not foresee happening was that I would become so passionately attached and serious [in a good way] about the work and ideas I share here every week or that my blog would become such an important part of me, my daily life, and my self-perception. Because of that, I find myself taking it personally that no one I know seems 'impressed' or 'interested' by what I do [this is a Leo trait, LOL!]. While that is slightly embarrassing for me to admit, I feel that it is a legitimate feeling and I have to at least acknowledge that it is there [if not, at least, to overcome it].

So, I guess my question begins here: have any of you had these same issues or these same confusing feelings of fulfillment on the one hand mixed with alienation on the other? Is it reasonable to want the people close to me to take interest and give feedback or should I just come to peace with the idea that this project is a separate endeavor from my day-to-day life?

I feel as if on one end, if I continue to maintain this blog and delve deeper and deeper into my particular interests, that I will just feel more and more sad that I don't have a person in my life to appreciate and share my ideas with, but on the other hand, I feel as if I ignore this part of myself that I will just become disconnected, fake, boring, and unfulfilled. What a ridiculous conundrum!

Thanks so much for your kindness if you read this...I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Cheers,
Tara