friday faves: 6.17.11

i'm back!  and as weird as it may sound, i really missed blogging/reading blogs.  definitely didn't expect that, but regardless, true story.

so here is my first friday faves post in two weeks but i'm going to make it short & sweet, just five faves from my work trip to mainland china . . .

1. giant stone sculptures

please excuse the tired eyes and no-makeup!  these pictures were taken outside of factories where i worked long days looking at samples, photographing them, and notating all details and intended changes.  still, as tired as i was, i loved these stone sculptures and insisted on taking pictures with them - regardless of how i looked!

2. sparkly sparkles everywhere

one thing i learned about china - there are sparkles everywhere!  it can be a pretty depressing landscape, filled with dust and dirt, but by adding glitter and sequins to everything, people make it even just slightly prettier.  this building is just one example.  [one of the business owners i was with wanted me to take a picture so she could possibly make her storefront look like this too.  how cool is that?!] *picture taken in guangzhou

3. interesting vehicles

no idea what this thing is exactly, but i'm sort of in love with it.  driving around china we saw the most interesting vehicles all over, this is just one that i was able to snap a pic of.  side note: driving in china is completely terrifying.  driving on the opposite side of the road, straddling the center traffic line, and going right towards oncoming traffic (including child bicyclists) without any intent of swerving is all completely acceptable.  t-e-r-r-i-f-y-i-n-g.

4. heineken in china

... in the tiny lil airport.  baller!  i kinda wished the can looked a little more "chinese" but really, i was just crazy happy to enjoy a cold beer after a long morning.  of course, then there was 3 hours of traveling and then back to work.  sigh.

5. ocean views

planes have to land on this tiny strip of land in the middle of the ocean

view of macau

pretty pretty ocean

loved all these little islands

due to the nature of my trip (work, work, work... & more work), i didn't get to see the beauty of mainland china.  the one time i really did get to see some was on our ferry ride from hong kong to zhongshan.  the ocean was just beautiful.  i wished so badly to be out there actually experiencing it rather than in a bumpy ferry, but i was still lucky to have seen it at all.

okay, now back to the office!  time to type up notes and prepare our line for the wholesale show in only one month.  and i thought work would slow down once the store closed.  silly, silly me!

{more pictures and stories from china still to come}
~all pictures taken by me, on my junky little nikon

a personal post: photo challenge - 14

Day 14 - a picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently

it's weird but...

magazines

especially ...

in order to stay "in" with what's going on with teenagers, i read all of the teen-targeted mags.  the others are a little more for me and my own interest in fashion.  and all of the pretty magazines give me inspiration for photo shoots, designing dresses, and even helping shoppers accessorize in the store.  there are stacks and stacks of new and old magazines pretty much everywhere i look - whether i'm in the office, at home, or even in my car!  not a day goes by without me scanning through at least one or two magazines.

note: this is just a small sampling of the mags i read.  like i said, i read all the teen ones, including anything that has to do with prom, pageant, or quinceañeras.  then there's the stack of bridal focused ones!  and last, many more "big kid" magazines than just vogue and marie claire.  wow this is pretty lame to admit.  then again, it's mostly for work -- even the subscriptions are paid for by my company! :)

decor: work hard & be nice to people

 

this framed print desperately needs to be above my desk at work.  well... if only my desk were against a wall.  but perhaps a smaller version framed on my filing cabinet.  or even better, a journal with it on the cover, so when i carry it around when the store is open, and i want to yell at nearly everyone... i don't.

"work hard & be nice to people"

nice & pithy & incredibly important to remember when times get rough.

in a home office -

via

 

yes, i definitely need this.

print by anthony burrill