set design: day one

This week at camp, I have a group of amazing girls and we are designing the set for the play that the theater department is putting on. It's a combination of many different Brothers Grimm fairy tales. 

We were told to make a magical forest.

The stage is set up in such a way that we have to make two backdrops: one for each side of the stage as the actors will be exiting through the center of the curtain.

I decided to create a limited color palette for us to work with. By using limited colors, the girls can go absolutely nuts and everything will still have a sense of consistency. I think it's going to turn out beautiful.

The forests will be painterly pine trees in varying shades of mint green with some birch trees mixed in (of course). All the accessories will be neon reds, pinks, and paler shades of the two. Today we made stars and birds that will float between the two forests and over the actors. 

Throughout the week, we'll be creating the green forests and some forest animals like deer and foxes (who will also be pink). I'm literally living out one of my lifelong dreams by designing a forest set for a play, even if it is at a camp with kids. I'm pretty sure that makes it even better. 

Have a wonderful evening! xo, Amanda

black and white photo of lovers #9

Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh

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I think I mentioned a post or two ago that the camp where I am teaching art for the summer is in an older school and has a lovely history. Today, a woman who graduated in 1949 came to visit with her son, and particularly to see the art room where we have our classes.

She loved her art classes at this high school. From what I've gathered, this school placed an enormous importance on art training, which, from my knowledge, is somewhat unusual. There is a gorgeous fragment of a mural framed in the front hall of the school. It was uncovered during recent renovations. During the 1929-1930 school year, students competed and entered sketches to win the chance to paint a mural within the school. The girl who won painted two women depicting Peace and Knowledge against a backdrop of pyramids, stonehenge, and skyscrapers, which, according to the plaque on the wall, represent "the accomplishments of man" and a serpent who represents the evil man has overcome.  The painting is incredible and clearly the girl who painted it had a strong background in art history and famous paintings and technical skill.

Anyway, I love how much this school loves art.

I hope you all have a lovely night!

xo, Amanda

red dress, black cat.

One week ago, I posted a giveaway for a Shabby Apple dress.

And the winner is......my friend Meghan Guidry!

Thank you so much to everyone who entered, and to Shabby Apple for asking me to give a beautiful dress to one of my friends. I felt pretty lucky.

I hope you all had an amazing fourth of July!

xoxo, Amanda

July begins with a red dress

I have some really exciting news for this first day of July.

Shabby Apple asked if I would like to do a giveaway of one of their dresses for my readers! I literally got to pick a dress from their beautiful vintage clothing section, which features a number of skirts and dresses that pay perfect tribute to the 40s and 50s.

I chose this absolutely gorgeous dress, sweetly named "Heart of Me," because I know it would look beautiful on all of you.

There are three ways to enter. 1) Leave a comment below (make sure to leave your name and email so I can reach you if I draw your name!) 2) Re-post this on facebook and tell me that you did so in a comment. 3) Re-blog about this and tell me that you did so in a comment. You'll receive an entry for each one of the three things you do. :)

Happy entering!!! I will pick a winner next Monday. I'll email the winner to get their name, address, and size, which I'll promptly email to the lovely ladies at Shabby Apple.