Home Tour: A Chicago Apartment with Rustic Touches

Surprise! Today's home decor feature is my apartment! I was inspired by Compass, a real estate website in NYC, and their Starter Stories project to share with you my new apartment and all the work that my boyfriend and I have put into making it home. Since it's our first apartment together, it's most definitely been a learning process that has involved a lot of compromise. We've only been in the space for about 6 months, so there are still a lot of things that we're figuring out how to make work, but I am finally ready to do a little unveiling and let you all into my world! Especially since I've been talking about this new apartment constantly (like here and here and here, for example).

Interior Photography: Lucas Allen

As you can probably infer from this blog, I am a lover of interior design and spend much of my free time admiring beautifully designed spaces on sites like ELLE Decor and Country Living (yes, Country Living. Don't knock it 'til you try it). Of course, a huge part of the reason that these spaces are so drool worthy is the photography (Don't act like you've never salivated over a living room before. Oh, no? Just me?). Having a gorgeously designed space is obviously key, but it's really the eye of the photographer that can take something from being pretty to phenomenal. That's why I also browse the work of photographers that do interior photography too. You'll be amazed at the spaces you can find in some of these collections.

Photo Friday: Colorize Me

I love seeing old photos colorized, mainly because I don't understand the process. I never was a very good artist, so the idea of doing these by hand baffles me. Still, I love vintage photographs and seeing them in color just makes them seem so much more alive - like you could jump into them and across time like Doctor Who. This collection of vintage photographs is particularly interesting because it doesn't focus on a specific subject matter. The subject is people, yes, but people from across different ages, classes, races, and cultures. For a girl who can't get her head out of the past, it's really fun to see this kind of range of vintage photography!

Photo Friday: Self Examination

You guys, 2013 is almost over. How did that happen? It's so weird how time just seems to go by faster and faster as you get older. No one really warns you about that when you're growing up. Soon I'll blink and a year will pass me by. Actually, I think that just happened.

With the year ending, I though this was a perfect time to share this photography series by a very talented young photographer and his collection of self-portraits. To combat his social anxieties, Kyle Thompson started experimenting with photography and used the only subject he had around - himself. The result is something fantastic that shows his tremendous talent.

Photo Friday: Secret Paper Adventures

I don't think it's a secret that I'm a daydreamer. And an introvert. (But I guess all creative people are? Amirite?) Often times, I'll be out with friends and get quiet - not because I have nothing to add to the conversation, but because someone said something that sent my brain spiraling down some secret, imaginary adventure that no one else can see. It's a blessing and a cruse. Mostly, I find it to be a curse. It means I can't focus on a damn thing for longer than 20 minutes.

This awesome photography piece by Japanese photographer Kouichi Chiba is the best way that I could have ever found to explain to someone how my brain works.

Photo Friday: Intimate

I love Elle magazine. I don't know if I've mentioned that before, but I feel it's worth mentioning now. Unlike some of the other women's fashion magazine out there, Elle has never struck me as trivial. Even though there are articles about life, beauty, and sex (of course!) they never seem trashy or unwelcome. Mostly what I'm always excited to see first are the fashion editorials (of course!). Elle magazine always seems to have their finger on the pulse of fashion and knows how to artfully display it. The editorials always seem to focus on the photography first and the fashion second. Something a photography loving gal like myself really appreciates.

What I Wore: California Livin'

Take me back to the west. The sun is finally starting to show a little today after days of stormy weather and it's making me wonder why I ever flew back from California in the first place. Anyway, my little road trip out there was amazing and I finally got around to uploading the photos from the trip to my desktop. Meaning I'll hopefully get to share those memories on here soon!

Moving on to the more important question: what does a Chicago girl, used to frigid weather, wear in California? Something that makes her look very confused as to what season we're in.

Photo Friday: California Dreamin

I've been a little M.I.A. this last week because I was on a cross country road trip to California with a friend of mine. I, of course, took a zillion pictures while we were making the drive, but Chicago decided to give me a big F-U on my trip back. Needless to say, I haven't even gotten to moving my photos from my camera to my computer yet. Hopefully I can have some pretty shots to share next week!

In the meantime, I found some gorgeous California shots on Flickr for us to enjoy today. And yes, I've only been back to the great city of Chicago for two days and I'm already missing Cali. Who wants to move there with me?

Photo Friday: It's Spring, Right?

I'm writing this today on the third official day of spring under three blankets. Why? Because it is 30 degrees in Chicago. Happy Spring! I feel like I don't even remember what it's like to be warm anymore.  Although I'm tired of the winter and the snow and the cold, these amazing cinemagraphs capture Lake Michigan beautifully.

What I Wore: The Patterned Tights Edition

I love patterned tights. Always have and probably always will, unfortunately. The problem is that after years of buying leopard print, floral, and geometric print tights, I still have no idea how to wear them. Especially now as an adult.

What I Wore: The Leather Vest Edition

Am I cool enough to rocka leather vest? No. Just by asking myself that question it's obvious I'm not. But, damnit, I'm going to try! So I went with my go-to outfit option when trying a trend that I think is too "tough" for me, I mixed it in with something sweet. Balance  as always, is important in any outfit or else you start looking like you're wearing a costume if you're too "biker chic" or too sweet or too rocker, etc.

What I Wore: Beaded Vintage Sweaters Edition

Hello, my name is Maggie and I am a hoarder. It's been about two days since I've kept something that I probably won't ever need. It's a problem. I am looking into support groups and trying to throw little things away here and there. Of course, it's so handy, what if I need that thing in the next 5 to 10 years?!!? Ugh, ok, so I'm not making wonderful progress in my hoarder-ism. However, it does sometimes have it's upsides - like when thrifting. Having a hoarder's eye makes for great finds when vintage shopping, which is why I started my Etsy shop.

I just had to buy cool things I found, whether they fit me or not. Eventually I had too many vintage pieces and not enough room. I put up a lot of pieces in the Etsy store that I would like to keep, but I just don't have the room, every once in a while though I find piece that I just can't give up (sorry world!).

Photo Friday: Grainy and Grimy

I don't remember how I stumbled across Jem Goulding's work, but I do know that I was instantly mesmerized. Something about the raw images and blurry shots brought me back to my punk rock days in high school where a little chaos made for a perfect day.

Photo Friday: Let's Find Momo!

This is probably the cutest photo project I've seen in a while. Have you found Momo yet? Sometimes it's easier than other to spot him, but I love looking anyway. I wasted more time than I should have looking for him when I first ran across the site.

Photo Friday: Wanderlust

It's freezing here in Chicago. Beyond freezing. Like negative degrees freezing. All this cold is doing to me is making me catch the travel bug. Unfortunately, since I have neither money or a buddy to travel with, I have to settle for living vicariously through the interwebs, which is how I found Lukas Kozmus.

Photo Friday: The Daydreamer's World

I keep it no secret that I'm a book nerd. I have nothing to be ashamed of! Well, and it's really hard to keep secret as I gush over everything book related. Naturally this photography series by Joel Robison caught my attention right away.

Photo Friday: Darkened Cities

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2013. Good news is, I'm not dead. Bad news is, I still feel like death. It's been a rough start for me in 2013 since it seems like I've caught the plague and have had to maintain blogging silence for a bit. I hope no one noticed or missed me too much. ;)

Now I'm that I'm recuperating, it's back to business as usual. So what do you say we start of 2013 with some pretty pictures of the world's biggest cities without any electricity?

Photo Friday: Up Close

When it comes to photography, interior design or otherwise, I'm obsessed with color composition and details. Just like many of the shots by photographer Brett Stevens. Or rather, almost all of the shots. I can't accurately describe how gorgeous all of these shots are. The color composition is absolutely beautiful. I love how many of the shots are photographed with one color scheme in mind. Enough blabber, just look at this photography...

Photo Friday: Bathed in Light

It's been a long week. Err, I guess when isn't it a long week? With the holidays on my tail, most days are spent juggling several to do lists. But I'm sure you're feeling a whole lot of the same right now. In a blur of Christmas ornaments and tree farms, I found this gorgeous set of photos of forests bathed in sunlight and fog by Boguslaw Strempel and all of them seemed oddly calming so I had to share them with you all.

Photo Friday: Wrap Me Up

It's getting chilly out there. Although we enjoyed a balmy Thanksgiving here in Chicago, I can feel a turn coming. It just makes me think that I need to buy more sweaters and more big jackets. How else do you survive the freezing Chicago winds, right? I love this fashion editorial from the November 2012 UK Harper's Bazaar, it makes me think about just that. All those long warm coats and chunky sweaters. This fashion spread knows what's coming. Good thing I just picked up a couple new coasts from ASOS. We'll see if I'll be as warm as this model looks.