Paper Dolls

My grandmother, Mary, had a collection of paper dolls with vintage clothes she had framed and hung in the guest bedroom I used to stay in as a child.

My sisters and I would fight over which doll was the prettiest and which one we’d play with if ever we were allowed to let them out of their framed home. We’d pick outfits out for them and create a life for them beyond the pane of glass.

My friend, Kenn, has a series of modern paper dolls. (Of course he does, he’s the most creatively brilliant person I know.) These hand-drawn beings complete with contemporary details like sleeve tattoos give Grandma Mary’s vintage ones an updated run for their money. I know many a kid who would love to get their hands on them. This site, minimepaperdolls.com, has a great collection, too.

I just might have to get a little Seith paper family made. It’ll be easy, as there are no inked-up arms among us.

Image: Courtesy of Mini Me Paper Dolls Boutique

The Pop Five

In the course of about three weeks I’ll have seen each of my siblings in the flesh, as well as my in-laws and mother. I saw my brother, David for a quick dinner on Wednesday while he’s in town on business, and my twin sister, Ann arrives tomorrow! In-between basking in family time, here are things I’ve stumbled upon this week.

The iconic designer Lilly Pulitzer passed away on Sunday. I love her famous quote, Life’s a party. Dress like it. The New York Times put together a great slideshow on her fabulous life.

Image: Courtesy of Howell Conant

This weekend will be abuzz with food writers and some of the best chefs in the country at the New South Family Supper this Sunday hosted by Atlanta’s Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison. One of my favorite writers to read, John T. Edge, talks about the event for the Southern Foodways Alliance, here.

Image: Courtesy of Yvonne Boyd

I love Drew Barrymore’s honest assessment of women and work that was published earlier this week. Bless her for actually saying out loud that something has to give.

Image: Courtesy of Donato Sardella for WWD

Next time I feel too tired to workout, I’ll think of Mike Fremont, the 91-year-old that ran (and finished) the Knoxville half-marathon last weekend. What an inspiration.

Image: Courtesy of Garrett Landers/Cincinnati Enquirer

Seeing Margaret in a swimsuit was absolutely adorable and watching her splash in the pool in Florida is such a great memory. However, it was just after this photo was taken that things abruptly went south. Major. Meltdown. (Not unlike, this.) But, before that, her smile was ear to ear.

Family Framed

It’s so very hard to capture the essence of family in an image. I’ve always loved this photo of Dan, Otis, and I. It was our holiday card from 2011, and I think I’ve always liked it because essentially it’s just us hanging out at home. Granted we’re posed, but it felt very natural, Dan and I laughing on the porch swing, Otis with favorite toy duck, Draper.

It helps when you’re married to someone who takes remarkably good photos, and that was one Dan took. That might be the reason why we rarely get professional shots taken. I just feel like they aren’t us. Even our wedding photos (which for most people are very posed shots) were done by a very good friend who captured the day more documentary-style than traditional.

But, once I had Margaret it made me want to document things beyond the digital world we live in. So, we jumped at the chance to have my friend Becky take photos of our family. She recently launched her portrait business, 2 Be Photography (she shoots everything from newborns to wedding day) and she captured us perfectly. Somehow, despite my usual kicking-and-screaming about posed photos, Becky made it really fun, even with a hangry (hungry + angry) baby who missed a nap, and a show-off Lab. Plus, she managed to make our house and backyard look really lovely.

I cannot wait to place some of these babies under some cellophane in an actual album for Margaret to sift through, one day, just like I did as a child. I particularly like the ones of sweet Margaret solo, and also, the last image at the end of this piece. It reminds me of those old Ralph Lauren ads — so Americana.

The Pop Five

Right now, I’m in Siesta Key, visiting my inlaws. Between now and Sunday, I have plans to dive into a plate of peel-and-eat shrimp, take oodles of photos of Margaret splashing in the pool, soak up as much sun and ocean air as possible, and get my first sip of a quality margarita since I had the baby. Here’s to a wonderful weekend!

Have you heard of Yogascapes? DailyCandy clued me in and oh-my-goodness, I must start saving for a trip!

Image: Courtesy of Bill Tipper / Yogascapes

This article, Drive-Thru Marketing: Bite-Sized Marketing for an Impatient World, is about how much information consumption has changed with social media and it’s worth a read (even though it’s more than 1,000 words).

Image: Courtesy of mlkshk.com

How cool does this project look? It gives me chills! Could you imagine?

I had such a social weekend last weekend (filled with really good food). On Saturday, we went here, and then the next night, feasted on roast chicken and banoffee pie over to friend’s house. At the Saturday dinner, I had cannelloni with Swiss chard and a mushroom ragout, which I must try to recreate at home. I’ll begin my attempt with this recipe.

Image: Courtesy of kitchenography.com

I’m reeling a bit in the family and friends I saw a couple of weeks ago when I went back home. My feelings of traveling home have changed a lot through the years. There was a long period where I didn’t love going home and the way it made me feel.

round my hometown, memories are fresh

I now know Leavenworth holds my roots, Atlanta, my wings.

Reel Life

The movie The Family Stone gets me bawling each time I watch it. I think it’s because my family could be the Stones. The first time I saw the movie, my sister Susan was pregnant with her first child, her daughter Marian, and my mom was just recovering from her first fight against non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

The three of us watched that movie in the dark theater, my sister pacing the aisles, totally uncomfortable, just days before Marian’s arrival, my mother and I sobbing when the dad crawls in bed with the mom and they discuss her illness. Dan and I watch the movie every year at the holidays and this past Christmas we watched it at mom’s house with her and my twin sister, Ann.

All of us decided the reason why we like the Stones so much is that every single one of us kids are one of those characters. Susan is Amy, the sister who grills outsiders. Ann is Ben, the San Fran kid who undoubtedly will miss a flight, but is also the absolute most fun. My brother, David, is Everett to a tee, trying very hard to please everyone involved. And, I, we decided, waffle between Susannah and Thad, the emotional voice of reason.

Whew, that’s a lot to live up to.

Image: © 2005 Twentieth Century Fox

The Pop Five

I’ve talked about my parents’ house on these pages before, but I’ve never fully explained their stellar taste in art. My mom often says that one of the only reasons she worked was to support their art habit. My parents’ taste is quite eclectic and ranges from their Oklahoma roots with a strong Native American influence, to surrealist and cubist works peppered throughout.

Here are my five (or more) favorite pieces of work found in their loft.

It’s really no wonder one of us would become an artist. This is a custom installation from my twin sister, Ann, who is an incredible ceramist. It’s a piece based off Leonard Peltier’s, Prison Writings, My Life is My Sun Dance, which she was reading at the time. For many years, Peltier was serving his two life-sentences in my hometown at the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas.

This is one of two art walls in my parents’ house. It has some of my favorite works including a framed Mola tapestry (hanging to the left of the car image in the center) they gifted relatives one Christmas while they were living in Panama. These gorgeous textiles are pretty enough to solicit a frame (as they did).

While this isn’t art, per se, this vintage brass diving helmet my dad scored in Korea is displayed as if it were a sculpture. It lives in my mom’s bedroom and is the one item I absolutely covet in that house.

Talk about a conversation piece … I’ve always loved the Catalan painter Joan Miró human rights poster that hangs in the kitchen. The Unesco poster commemorated the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Delaration of Human Rights. Ironic that this week, in 2013, we were awash in a sea of red for equality. Same message, different decade. Love is love. 

Their hallway makes a statement with this trio—a painting from Kansas-based David Melby hanging over a mechanical elephant that my brother and sister named Tony, sitting next to vessels by Ann. Tony was given to David and Susan as a Christmas gift one year and still gives rides.

Tiger in a Jar

I wish I could say my television background knows what makes good film, but I can’t. But, it is because of my TV news experience, which was classified as a “wham, bam, thank you ma’am” when it comes to making moving images, that I wholly appreciate something beautiful and that appears to have taken great care to make.

The shorts from Tiger in a Jar are like a visual daydream. Each time I pop on Matt and Julie Walker’s site, I lose hours in my day because I just keep clicking and watching and oohing and aahing. I could get lost here for days. I had a chance to talk with the married filmmakers about their little slice of the Internet.

danapop: How did the concept for Tiger in a Jar originate?

Tiger in a Jar: When we decided to start our company we wanted to dig deep within ourselves to find what drives us creatively. We wanted to be able to translate that passion into the films we make so there would be something more to experience when watching a film than to just be entertained.

The joy we find in simple, meaningful, and often day-to-day activities is what drives us creatively. The moments where our minds are freed from overwhelming concerns or to-do lists, where we can observe little details and interesting connections between what we see – that is when we discover the ideas we eventually end up sharing in our films. We try to capture the feeling of these moments so when someone is done watching a film they are inspired to see the world a little differently.

But if you’re looking for the concept of the name of our company, it came from the lyric of a song. Matt brought up a lyric that talks about a lion holding a tadpole in a jar and we worked with the phrasing until we ended up with something that felt right for us. (“Tiger in a Jar” felt right?! I know, its odd, but we really love it!)

danapop: How is it working with your spouse?

Tiger in a Jar: Working with your spouse is a unique experience to say the least. We realize we have spent far more time with each other in the few years we’ve had this business than most couples do in our stage of life. Learning to communicate is one of the first things we’ve had to figure out.

When you have two very passionate, creative people working together you are bound to have disagreements when decisions need to be made. The difference is that when it’s time to finish working, you have to let those moments stay in the “office” and become spouses again. Some days that can be hard, but drawing a line between personal and professional is what we are always working towards. Rules like not talking about work over dinner and having designated spots in the home just for working are ways we are trying to keep the two separate.

We feel very lucky to have been able to work together like we do. We’ve shared fantastic experiences and have met many wonderful people. When it’s all said and done, working together has the potential to really strengthen your relationship with each other.

danapop: How long does one minute of video take to make and what do you shoot with?

Tiger in a Jar: Depending on the video it can take a couple days or weeks of production time. We always tell people when making films to take your time. To make a good film it takes time and thought. Even though a one minute video seems short, it may take longer to make than a two minute film since edits need to be more precise. But typically from start to finish a one minute film probably would take a month or two.

We shoot on Canon DSLR cameras. We typically shoot on the fly and since these cameras are so portable it makes it easy to carry them wherever we go. Another great feature is the ability to change out lenses – we feel like we can really cater to each shot with this capability.

Baby Love

After Margaret was born, several people, including my favorite editor, offered me the perspective line that the days are long and the years are short. That certainly seems to be the case in our lives right now. There are some days when they truly feel like three rolled up in one (wait, did I REALLY go to yoga this morning and we’re just now making dinner–yoga felt like five days ago!).

There’s something special about every stage, this I already know. The dazed and confused, puffy-faced newborn when we’re looking at each other like, OK guess we’ll figure this out together, to now, an exploring, opinionated little being (all without uttering one word).

If Margaret were a cartoon right now, all you’d see is a light bulb above her head. It’s absolutely crazy to watch a baby start to connect the dots. She’s discovered her ears recently and will spend a fair amount of time flicking them back and forth, as if she’s checking to make sure they didn’t go anywhere without her. And her bottom lip, she is experimenting sucking on it and pursing it; it’s all so very cute. She opens her mouth wide, like a little trout when she’s hungry or wants her pacifier. Her methods of communication are very effective and her personality (so far) is quite calm.

Honestly, most days, I feel like she’s the smartest person in the room.

The Pop Five

Right now, I’m at my mom’s house in Kansas. I’m soaking up time with my sister, niece, nephew, dear friends, and of course, my mother. Here are five finds that made my week fabulous.

It’s spring break somewhere! Doesn’t this recipe for a spicy cucumber margarita sound delish?

My twin sister, Ann, booked a flight to Atlanta! She’s coming in less than a month and I’m bouncing off the walls. Cannot. Wait.

This dress just screams spring. Plus, I adore the danapop mint!

I made chocolate chip cookie bars recently and it reminds me that while my palate may sometimes gravitate towards more complex flavors, nothing beats a plate (or pan) of Nestlé Toll House cookies.

The ladies at Parents’ Morning Out told me that Miss Margaret is ready for a walker! She’s been using the one there and loves it. I’ve been researching ones to buy and think I’ve settled on this one. PS – why are baby toys so ridiculously bulky?

The Decline of the Essayist

To continue with the theme of last week’s post, lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about writing. When I was pregnant I thought about it a ton, too, trying to figure out ways to streamline my business—the old cliché of working smarter, not harder. I’d ask myself loads of questions about whether I should be taking on more corporate writing projects with fancy titles like Creative Director of Brand Copy with the hopes of bloated paychecks to match, or continue on my editorial path that I so do love from a creative standpoint, but often wouldn’t be associated with a lucrative salary.

It was also around this time when I was really trying to figure out what I was trying to say with the danapop space alongside my editorial assignments at paying publications. At its core, my writing has always been a series of personal essays. They say we read how we write, so I’ve always gravitated towards non-fiction writers. Right now, I’m finally reading this on my Kindle. It’s been a lovely escape, as good books always are. Which is what I’ve always wanted my site to be, a slice of life. My life.

Last month, I stumbled across this article in the New Republic about the essay as reality television. This is a topic of our generation and the piece is absolutely incredible. It’s essentially saying that today’s best writers are caught in the trap of embellishing true stories and some do it exceptionally well (David Sedaris), while others are far less believable (Davy Rothbart) in their writing. Even before I read the piece, I often thought of what writers of decades past would think of today’s business of writing. How would they feel about social media? Or self-publishing? The decline of the newspaper industry? The speed in which articles are written? The non-existent role of a fact-checker? The fluffing of reality for the sake of a better story?

What would Hemingway Do? #WWHD