impromptu headshots, successful quests+ a sneak peak, too

ODE TO (come now, hum ode to joy* will ye??)
ODE TO (THE QUEST for) the perfect . . . .

~ shoes

~ bag

~ lipgloss

~ watch

~ couch

can men relate to this? 

though maybe um girly? one (endearing?) trait kim + i share is that we're often on a quest for the perfect __________.  

through years of trial + error or just crazy vision (?), we tend to figure out JUST what we want, but then must figure out WHERE to find it or HOW to make it.

now solidly in my 30s, i've actually FOUND some of the above 

[ shoes:  earth, but a style now discontinued...aargh ]

[ bag ~ at least a bag for camera LENSES, see:  www.shootsac.com;]

[ couch:  paul + i stumbled upon it HERE in tower grove -- it's a custom-made modern-design piece clearly crafted-per-client request in the 1960s.  the-future's-antiques-store uncovered it at an estate sale, and we LOVE it. It's an L-shaped sectional made from 7 subtlely different sun + foliage shades of genuine Naugahyde; you've gotta see it to believe just how great it is!]

[ wristwatch -- found!!! -- for our 15th wedding anniversary, paul gave me the MOST FABULOUS watch with a card reading "had a feeling this would be just PERFECT" ~ his insight especially right-on since i'd sent him THIS LINK ] 

yoga starts soon; here's the abbreviated version:

silly me, racing out the door last week DROPPED my wonderful still-pretty-new seaglass watch on the cement floor of my office ~well the seaglass survived PERFECTLY (b/c in the course of its life has endured much greater force), the watch face, however c-r-a-c-k-e-d. 

well god-bless-google; found the artist (jessica lee); sent her an email with the story and she responded (no kidding, though it sounds to good to be true)

"You can return the watch and I will replace the face - no charge! 

Just send it to the studio..."

followed by her shipping address:  in PORTLAND. 

(where i would by flying into a mere two days later!) 

well that 15th anniversary watch is now one of my most favorite things. 

so OF COURSE i wanted to meet the artist and, fingers-crossed, get it repaired in time for scott + candy's wedding on the coast. so yep, you guessed it, i dropped in. and LOOK who i found:

this is jessica, jewelry designer extraordinaire:

and office assistant and aspiring-photographer michelle (who answered the door with close-to-my-dream shoes and the most adorable haircut):

how fun is this!

i was THERE, my cameras + lenses were in the trunk of the rental car just outside and i've yet to meet an artist who isn't in need of an updated head-shot. PLUS, i got to look through mountains of the most amazing, hand-made jewelry you've ever seen. OMG

the beauty of jessica lee's pieces. her jewelry is created from reclaimed items ~ seaglass, old buttons, vintage pottery. the word perfect comes to mind. perfect as in quest-ending-perfection. 

my advice:  jot down your x-mas list and head straight over to this website.

or click here for a list of boutiques carrying the jl925 line near you.

~amy enderle, just hours away from having elizabeth + matthew images to share, and what fun they are!

and i'm equally ecstatic for you to see meet candy + scott, in full force

and whewwwwww THESE NOT-YET-PROCESSED images are breathtaking. . . keep in touch / check back soon!

* one of my favorite versions of this, (and yes, these are the results of another quest . . . i think i was making a mix CD for zoe several years ago):  LOVE sally harmon's Jump For Joy rendition click here, then scroll down to the PIROUETTE album. click and play. (and smile! -- life is good!!)