Dressing for blacklight is out of the norm. Sure, order the neon eyeshadows, lipsticks and nail polish that will glow. Tie up your hair with neon bands. Wear white…? Stop there. Let’s speak on some bulleted points as to what we discovered upon bringing a blacklight into my closet, then shooting in our home studio that which stood out. Learn from my vested time:

-Prioritize your time to polish your white shoes, if nothing else.
-White is nice, but neons really stands out as well.
-Leather does not pick up the blacklight, think about this with your shoes as well.
-Beware of dark colors, as you may not blend into the dark; detergent residue glows. Blacklight is an awesome way to discover stains in your fabrics as well, so test it out or bring a change and have a buddy look you over at the venue.
-Accessorize with bloomers, slips, socks and head scarfs/handkerchiefs that will glow as well. Again, whites and neons.
-White print on a dark background can look cool, but it can also fade and not pick up the light, depending upon how well lit the venue is.
-Super white top/bottom with the opposite bottom/top on the dark side looks a little funny. (dancing pants ??)
-My favorite looks of the day were the dresses: consistent top and bottom brightness.
-Tore up denim actually looks good! Especially with a white wife beater. Everybody can wear that!

Beware underwear may show through your clothes, and so may tags. Careful to dress all layers mindfully.

Don’t have all white? Patterns with flowers and such glow nicely as well, though all white will guarantee you are more visible perchance the lighting is not as sufficient as in the photo studio.

Light colored dresses, such as pale yellow and pale blue glow brightly.

Neon top stands out swimmingly, as does my nylon slip. Again, careful of undergarments and beware your teeth may also glow.

Who doesn’t own some tore up jeans? They glow like a charm! Head scarves and other hair accessories may also add a nice touch.

I love this vintage dress Megan found at her local thrift shop! Beautiful white glows!

More black light

Speakeasy Photos

We have a black light Fusion dance approaching this weekend. The question to every themed dance: whatever will I wear? Clothing excites me. I can spend hours looking at clothes and dreaming up outfits in person or on the interwebs. I enjoy this work. The ensemble seen here I threw together in a matter of minutes, poking about my closet and popping the tags on a pair of fishnets I received as a consolation prize for participating in the Miss Billietproof contest. The underwear garter belonged to my mom, also an enthusiastic wardrobe procurer, purchased in the 1980s she handed down to me tags still attached. I keep a box of ill-fitting bras, which is rather abundantly supplied these five years of constant pregnancy and breast feeding, where I found the bra. My head piece and gloves were purchased from the Sacramento Antique Faire months ago, the dance shoes I found at a store closing sale. Total cost to me for all I am wearing: less than $30. That’s neither here nor there, I think it looks amazing under the black lights. All that being said, I am not about to wear it to a dance. My next post I will reveal what I learned during our experiment dressing under the black light. The first cool thing about this shoot? MUAH was running a brush through it. We shot this just before bedtime, clean face is my personal favorite just as we did with this Raw Boudoir Practice a few months ago.

Speakeasy Photos

Time has been spent in the garage. The problems have been diagnosed, now time to get to work. Life work can be personal, but much of it seems to go better when we have awesome people in our lives working alongside. Community is powerful. Especially when we break down.

Speakeasy Photos
Model: Rachel Anne Taylor
Hair: Jacqueline Driver
Makeup: self
Wardrobe: my personal collection, hair scarves from Rachel Taylor

Breaking down means time for experimentation and diagnostics to discover the root of the issue then work toward solutions. Experimenting can be a time suck, but can also be fun and rewarding with loads of learning opportunities.

This shoot with Matt a few months ago was such a fun and varied day!

More from this shoot:
Grave Digger
What Oil?
Engine Work
Hott Rodd

Speakeasy Photos
MUAH: Danyelle “The Hair Maverick” Johnson
Model: Matt Martin
Wardrobe:Top by Ains & Elke Style Haus, shoes by Irregular choice, jeans by Guess. Grabbed these low riders by mistake, never meant to show my post-baby belly, but there it us without photo shop, because we know not how to use it! Ha!

Do you ever feel life has left you broke down? Again? We break down, take inventory, assert the problem, then set to work at fixing it. Sometimes the work is life-long. Sometimes the work is ending a relationship, be it a job, a role we are playing, or a habit formed. Change is perceived as loss and is painful, but without pain we will not change and grow. Careful as to the type of pain you allow to continue in your life. Is it change to grow you for the better? Or the kind that needs to be cut off? If you find yourself broke down, take that inventory seriously. Speak with people who genuinely care for your well-being, and consider reading some books.
Recommended reading: Changes that Heal; Daring Greatly
Seek other reading material specific to your current battles. We have a library of relationship books on how to make marriage work. I’ve invested hours, dollars, and self-searching only to learn last month that Shane has Aspergers Syndrome. Traditional marriage counseling and advice will not work for us. We need very specific help and are seeking it. Do I regret the time I put into building relationship tools and self-awareness? Not at all. Work on yourself is always worth the returns.

Last time we broke down.
More Star High Beauty

Speakeasy Photos
Model: Rachel Taylor
“The Rachels”
MUAH: Star High Beauty
Vanity dictates I must state that Shane parked the car while I was getting my hair done. I generally back in better than that.

This bustier was procured on OLL Facebook community of vintage clothes enthusiasts 11,000+ strong the world over. I picked up this darling pink slip from the same local friends as the girdle. Shoes by Poetic License.

I’ve had these pantyhose on long enough, time to come off! This scene from Dirty Dancing…

More vintage undergarments
Speakeasy Photos
Hair: Danyelle “The Hair Maverick” Johnson

Game of Thrones is one of very few shows I enjoy. I’ll stick to the North for sayings related to dressing for winter. Real fur on this collar, this is the second of three jackets I purchased from the same estate. This is a new year. Six months previous has been loaded with growth and understanding. I feel honed and ready for so much more.



First Jacket: Winter is Coming
This song: Take Me to Church “I’ll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife.”
Speakeasy Photos
MUAH: Danyelle “The Hair Maverick” Johnson

May your New Year’s Eve be all the coziness and pleasantness you long to experience. May your life’s inventory be found less wanting and more measuring according to expectations and desires as to the life you want. My hope for that which is unfulfilled rests in a Warrior King and an ultimate day of reckoning then celebration of Life. Meanwhile, provide and find comfort where we may. *Love*

Would you believe I found this at my favorite thrift store in town, Savers?! $3 is all I paid, thanks to 50% off Veterans Day sale last month!

Speakeasy Photos
MUAH: Danyelle “The Hair Maverick” Johnson
Mind you these photos were taken after a long day of shooting in Old Town Sac with photographer Chris Kisela. Images coming soon!

New Years in my life lend themselves as a time for taking stock of my choices and finding new directions, or rather embracing what is, and going from there. Shane and I have been married seven years January 12. We felt to be representing our genuine and true selves every step of our fast-moving relationship, but to marry truly was a clear look in the mirror with many hours and dollars vested in counseling. Having children has been another dead reflection of who we are, providing clues to how we may want to change. Parents may testify that rearing children pushes a person to the outer limits of self. A recent six months in counseling and working out relationship issues land us on a road to even further discovering the depths of our souls and how we function in the world. I hope to share more of our journey as we continue to write our own story of how we make life work while remaining genuine, and discovering ourselves more authentically.

Own vulnerabilities and cultivate relationship with true lovers, for this has the power of life.

Love the beats in this song.
Faith disclaimer: no truer lover than Creator God, Savior and King
Speakeasy Photos
Model: Rachel Anne Taylor
Hair: Jacqueline Driver
Makeup: self
Wardrobe: my personal collection

Presenting my hair a mess after a full day of shooting in Old Sac. My present from Shane this Christmas, a lovely red home made Bernie Dexter cast off: reuse! No time such as the present to be thankful. What did you present your loved ones to enjoy this year? I hand wrote notes to each one, stating what they mean to me and how I want to treat them the coming months. I cannot make a surprise purchase for Shane, as he knows each dollar which passes my fingers, so I create presents which cannot be bought: words from my heart and offering acts of service on cards. Which brings us to being present. Let us be present in the moment to enjoy its gifts: love, togetherness…presence is powerful. Where is your energy? In a fantasy? Some far off place? The inter webs? Then you’re not here, offering your presence to yourself and those who surround you. Your thoughts, feelings, emotions, intentions, purposeful actions, are of highest value. For this is life, this is giving the greatest gift both to yourself and others. Presence, value yourself and those around you. Presence, a rare gift which cannot be bought. Presence, a gift only the giver has the power to offer. None can coax it out of another, for presence is our very being which dwells within. Get in touch with yourself, be present in your life. To draw from words out of Justin Riley’s mouth: No other way to dance more beautifully than being present to the music, to the floor, to yourself, and to your dance partner.

Speakeasy Photos
MUAH: Danyelle “The Hair Maverick” Johnson
Excuse the frizz. These were taken after a day in Old Town Sac shooting with Chris Kisela. Images from that coming soon!