Early Early Early Beautiful! Early

Come a.m., I'll be grabbing my coffee with pumpkin spice soy milk and rushing off to help bring together another senior fashion design project from the Art Institute of Portland. The designer Jasin has some pretty interesting ideas. (Like building a driftwood sculpture tomorrow onsite. This is why I love this job. People aren't afraid to dream crazy dreams!) His collection is loosely inspired by Don Quixote and will require some ethereal eyes and perfect skin, nothing too distracting. Here's the makeup inspiration Jasin sent:

As Jasin put it, we have some good news and some bad. The bad news: we are meeting at 5:45 a.m. for hair and makeup. The good news: We book it for the beach at 7:30 and will catch the light and play in the sand! I think you'll find me bundled up in my baby pink vintage Missoni puffy jacket and my little sister's fuchsia J.Crew earmuffs, keeping guard on the makeup...freezing in huddled stance. (Carrie, it is December 1st. We are hoping for an interesting sky, not tanning weather.)

Hello Birdy

On Erin's lips I used Clinique lip stick in Beach Coral (a personal favorite, a pink grapfruity color, very rich but wearable and young because the coral takes stage over the rosy undertones), and on her eyes Go MAC eyeshadow highlighted with Nylon. For her face I used Arbonne's super star cream concealer and the brand's pressed powders to even and contour. I've met few models I can't perfectly color match by blending those four powders ranging from Fair to Dark. I finished by lining with Arbonne black liquid liner, then MAC lash primer and Arbonne volumizing mascara.

Doesn't Erin look like a 50's NYC movie star detective here?

The Bird And The Canary

Isn't it amazing when everything that could possibly go right does? It is how life should be always, and is if you are aligned for it. Yesterday morning's shoot for Shwood glasses proved to be one of those deliciously aligned days when everything helpful to the success of our day happened (Gary and Stephen finding the mint condition forest green 1968 BMW randomly in Jantzen beach on Saturday, the owner being an awesome guy sticking around for the whole shoot, Erin's previous shoot being rescheduled, Shaun having time to come take pictures, American Apparel trusting us with gear... on and on) and there we all were, making beautiful pictures and shooting great footage. Sure, it was raining and freezing cold, and I felt so terrible for the sweet little stressed out birdy, but other than that it was perfect... We all collaborated on styling, and American Apparel loaned us some threads to round out the looks. The big silver dragonfly neckless Erin's wearing is my mom's. Erin, Chris and Austin rocked it on camera. I think our non-story line will be absolutely gripping. As with the last Shwood commercial, the story is basically this: PYTs, not much to do, relaxing, simply being beautiful and cool. Always the Portland attitude, definitely the Shwood attitude. Not cut throat. Just creative and cool.

Okay, okay, the story is a little more than that. Hot girl, with her hot forest green BMW, coming upon two dudes just havin' a good time hanging out on the hood with their tropical canary in its vintagey bird cage. They see her, duck and hide, and she's thinking, what are you doing putting a bird cage on my perfect car? They're thinking, dammnnn. Friendship ensues.

I took these pictures, but there will be more from Shaun, and the commercials will be out in December when the brand releases them. Much love!

Shwood Shop Shoot, Tomorrow

Tomorrow we are filming the second Shwood glasses commercial, and Erin Desiree Dierking is coming on as model. I figured she would be perfect for the brand, because like Heather and Jillian she has experience, plus a strong, beautiful face. Gary Tyler will be directing, and we will be up on a sky rise this time (no beach).

Australian Autobiographies

Model Mayhem inspiration... Does anyone know who this photographer is? I need to give her some proper credit (she's from Australia and only 17!), but in the mean time, can we just enjoy her style? Love the makeup, especially the black lips and bright pink raybans. I love the perspective in these photos, and the moody glamour.