Busy Working

So I must apologize again for not spending much time in blogland, and the web in general, but I have a good reason :)

I've actually been busy with a few projects. First, I designed a website for my dear friend Dvora, who's a fellow photographer. She focuses mainly on wedding photography. We created her site using Wix.com (the same site I used in creating my own website). Click here to visit her site.

The front page of her site

I have also been busy working on a few wedding albums. Most of the albums I design are referred to me by  photographer Liron Breier, a wedding photographer I've been working with, designing wedding albums for the couples she shoots. The other albums I get are usually through word of mouth. The couple in the album below was referred to me by a friend. Their wedding was shot by Adi Eyal Photographers.
Check out these pages from the album.

So what's next on my busy plate?
Well, next week I have two new albums I need to get a start on, and on Thursday I'll be 2nd photographer at a wedding, shooting along side Liron Breier. This will be my first wedding shoot in Israel. I must say I have some jitters in my stomach just thinking about it!
I will update you guys after the wedding :)

Weekend Favorites- Vancouver, BC

It's funny how things can flip in a second.... Why, only last weekend it was as sunny as it ever was, and hot like mid summer, and then with the strike of a lightening (really!) it turned cold, wet, and gray. We were still wearing shorts and sandals yesterday, but today it's all about covering up with long sleeves, and coats, and hats, and umbrellas. One day it's Summer, the next it's Winter- Skip Fall, here's Winter on a silver cold gray platter.
So in the midst of all this rain, I got a little nostalgic and home sick for Vancouver BC. (Once upon a time I lived there) where the rain is something of a normalcy. In fact, Vancouver is where I learned to love the rain- since it rains a lot, you can either be mad/sad/down about it, or see the good in it, and be glad about it.
For my weekend favorites this week, I chose to focus on the great artists of Vancouver, BC and the area. There are plenty more, so be sure to look for all the rest, but for now, these are my 12 favorite Etsy shops.

1. Davie & Chiyo - Customized clutch & purse design
2. Bliss in a teacup- A collection of treasures
3. Fight Path- Handmade leather: Belt buckles, pendants, bags
4. Salts- Hemp, Organic Cotton, Bamboo- Eco Fashion
5. Crush Jewels - Jewelry Store
6. downhomeamy - Handmade housewares
7. Meowza- Illustrations
8. Twin Syndrome- Sexy High Rise Panties
9. Lockette- Paper+Fabric
10. Nicole Ginsberg- Handmade jewelry featuring semi precious stones
11. Snappy fish vintage- Vintage clothing
12. Quotes & Notes- Simple, reusable everyday accessories

Great Weather + Good Friends = Great Full Weekend

I know I've been absent from blogland for a little longer than I usually am, it's just been a busy busy week.
I do want to share with you some glimps of happiness though. This is a bit inspired by a blog I follow called A Great Full Day. Every Friday, this blogger (I wish I knew her name...) writes a post entitled Great Full Friday, where she displays some photos and writes a few lines of what she is grateful for that week. She ends each time with the question to her readers: What are you grateful for this week?
So, in the midst of all this busy life I'm leading at the moment, I am SO grateful for this great summery weather we still have here; for my great camera I was able to buy a few months ago; for my wonderful close friends; and for being able to take time off every now and then.
This past weekend my friends and I took a short road trip to a coastal National Park in the Sharon area of Israel. Here's a montage of images of my friends & I, and what we saw.

Improv Everywhere

Have you heard of Improv Everywhere?
If you haven't, you're missing out on something spectacular!
I recently stumbled upon one of their videos on YouTube. A friend wanted to show me this funny video, and somehow it turned into an afternoon of videos that simply make you smile and feel good.
Improv Everywhere was formed by Charlie Todd in August of 2001. According to Todd, a comedian who acts and teaches long-form improv comedy, Improv Everywhere is a group that pulls off huge pranks at the streets of NY, while documenting it all. On their website, they simply write "we cause scenes", and indeed, since they began "pranking" they have completed 85 missions, or more accurately, caused 85 scenes.
Be sure to check them out, and if you are one of the lucky residents of NYC, be sure to look for their pranks, for they might be just around the corner :)

Here are a few of my favorites:

Invisible Dogs

Hug Patrol

Frozen Grand Central

Welcome Back

There are many many more, so just go find the rest yourselves ;)

Inspiration Avenue's Weekly Challenge - Pink

This week at Inspiration Avenue I was the honorable chooser of the word for the challenge (hurray!). I thought long and hard (meaning 10 minutes) and decided that in honor of October being the month to fight, spread the word, cure breast Cancer, the word should be PINK.
There's still time to submit a photo for this challenge, and you could still Go Pink For October along with me and Inspiration Ave. Just create, then click here and post a comment with the link to your creation. You must do that by Sunday at 5pm EST (so I can collect all your photos and post them back on the Team's blog)

For my creation I took one of my most recent photos, shot in the Yarkon Park in Tel Aviv, I've tweaked it a bit, added some pink, and cut it up to pieces. Then pieced it back together in small Polaroid images. Having it cut up to pieces and then put back together in a not so perfect way, but certainly unique and interesting, reminded me of all those women who have fought through Breast Cancer and came through different, but strong, alive, and happy.

 Polaroid Composite in Pink

Tagged... Twice!

I have been tagged twice now in the same chain of tags, so I guess I should play nice and follow along :P
My first tagger is Andrea of May I Take Your Picture, and the second tagger is Pam of Always Artistic

What are the rules you ask? Well, I am supposed to let you in on 10 things about me, and then pass on the torch, or tag stick, or finger point at 7 other bloggers who will then post a blogpost similar to this one, and in the end point out 7 more bloggers... You get the gist of it, right?

So shall we? what would you like to know about me... hmmmm

1. I have a picture of me when I was 2 years old, that I once brought with me to school and everyone thought that was my (cute) little brother... Mom loved to get my hair cut short in those years...
2. My fingers are kinda' crooked but I sort of like that imperfection.
3. I need to have the toilet paper put on the handle with the paper rolling from up top front (try to picture it...) rather then rolling from the back bottom. If it's not that way, I will first flip it and then use it, even if it's not my house... Yeah, that's my one OCD... lol
4. If I talk to a person with a British accent I immediately adapt the accent myself and start talking British... I can't help it.
5. There are three places in my body where I've had stitches.
6. I almost always get my hair cut at the spur of a moment, and I almost always come home after and hate what they've done!
7. I'm a hopeless romantic, and no matter what I believe in the happily ever after! (EVEN now!)
8. I drink my coffee in the morning before I even get dressed or wash my face.
9. As much as I love dresses and skirts, I am more of a jeans & T-shirt kinda' girl.
10. I sing in the shower, in the car, and when I ride my bicycle. I truly believe the music world is missing out on me... lol

ok, so before I tag the next group of bloggers, I will say to these magnificent seven that by no means do you HAVE TO follow along. Only if you feel like it ;)  But be sure to come back and let me know if you did, so I can read all about it!
And here they are in no particular order:
1. Ellie of Mint
2. Stacey of Stacey Winters
3. Amy of Old Sweet Song
4. Amy of Ponder & Stitch
5. Catherine of Coral Seas
6. Danni of Oh, Hello Friend
7. Andrea of Musings Of An Urban 30 Something

Street Walkers + Photography = Fashion

I have recently come across a few interesting blogs and bloggers who focus mainly on fashion. But not fashion in the sense of runways, designers, models, and such. Nope. These bloggers focus on real people creating their own fashion, which then creates what's called "street fashion".
One of my latest addictions is a blog called "The Street Walker" by a fellow Israeli Yael Sloma. Yael photographs the people in the streets of Tel-Aviv, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, and more. She simply approaches people that catch her eye on the street, introduces herself and then photographs them. Apart from posting her 'findings' on her blog, her street people images often show up in local magazines and newspapers.

from the Street Walker blog

Through the Street Walker I found out about "Afoona-pea" which is a blog written by another Israeli fashionista, Dar Mashiah. Her blog is mostly written in Hebrew, but I'm sure you can run it through the translator, and it is well worth it. Dar focuses more on her own daily fashion, and brings images of herself in her different attires, photographed in the streets of her home town of Haifa, Israel.

from Afoona-pea blog

Another blogger that likes to document her daily wear is Whitney Deal, of "Darling Dexter". Whitney's blog isn't all about fashion, or street fashion, or daily wear. It's a mix of design, fashion, photography, and her life, and it is one of my favorite reads. But Whitney also maintains an open Flickr Photostream on which she posts a photo a day of what she is wearing. It is so inspiring!

from Darling Dexter Flickr Photostream

What do you think about street fashion where you live? Is it worth photographing?

Till I Find Somebody New

They say it takes 21 days to break a habit. According to Dr. Maxwell Maltz it has to do with brain activities.
"Brain circuits take engrams (memory traces), and produce neuroconnections and neuropathways only if they are bombarded for 21 days in a row. This means that our brain does not accept ‘new’ data for a change of habit unless it is repeated each day for 21 days (without missing a day)."

Of course, if there is a replacement habit to take the old one's place, then the "breaking the habit" task is much easier!

I was in the process of my 21 days. I was determined to break the habit of wanting/needing to speak with my soon-to-be-ex-husband. I was actually doing so well. And then he called. Of course when I saw the number on the screen I froze for a sec, realizing I am recognizing those digits. In thinking he is finally missing me, I answered the phone, only to find out all he needed was for us to tie up some loose ends regarding our final separation.

Darn it. Not just that he didn't miss me, but now I am back to the beginning in my efforts to break the habit.  

After that call, I needed a little fresh air break, and I strolled over to my local coffee joint, to sit in the sun & read the paper. They had the radio playing, when I heard this song. I know this song very well and am very fond of it, but today, at that moment, it was like it was meant for me and for where I am currently at. 

"I can't take my mind off of you.......... Till I find somebody new"

Weekend Favorites- Creative Storage

I have never been much of a collector, far from ever being a pack rat, and since I started moving around in the world the amount of stuff I keep with me is always kept to the bare minimum. But I do have stuff, and what I have needs to be kept somewhere, and ever since I've moved in with roommates I am struggling to find space & storage to what little I've got.
For this week's favorites I have decided to focus exactly on that- Storage. But not any kind of storage, oh no, Creative storage, multi-functional storage, storage you get more than one benefit from. I'm sure there are many more where these 12 came from. Just click here and browse for more :)

1. Clemence Cocquet - Versatile origami organizer/storage

2. Nestings - Three Lovely Fabric Storage Bins

3. Knotty Knotty - Rustic spice/storage rack- recycled timber

4. Paper Doll Wood Shop - M is for magazine

5. Jenn Maruska Design - Mini Matryoshka-Doll Basket

6. Jupita - tic tac toe

7. Teal Stripes - So little time- hollow book

8. Gneiss Spice - Save space in your kitchen (set of 6)

9. Giftz By David - Children's race car display shelf

10. Rosey Corner Creations - Plastic bag holder

11. Primary Redux - Hanging Jar, repurposed machinery for storage

12. Remnants - Spot, the RoboPup

Friday Blog Love- To Be Inspired

This morning, as I was browsing my usual blog roll, sipping my coffee, and trying to hold time before I have to head to work, I stumbled across this amazing blog. It's called To Be Inspired. The creators of the blog are Ryan and Naomi and they are based out of Vancouver, BC, which is my second home  :)

In their 'about' page they write 

"Through this blog we hope to interact with like minded people who share our passion for photography, thrifting, vintage decor, flea market adventures, letterpress printing, old cameras and camera parts, travel and refinishing the salvaged treasures we find."