We Are Free

I know many people out there are frustrated with politicians and the overall state of our country. Independence Day doesn't seem to mean much to the citizens of the United States as it did when I was growing up and the years before me. In certain parts of the country you can feel more pride than others, but overall I feel as though the people in my generation aren't necessarily proud to be Americans. I do, however, think that almost everyone I know is thankful to live in the United States and have so much freedom to make a life for themselves and generations to come. I'm especially thankful for three things this 4th of July...

1. A country that continues to fight for equality among gender and race. I can't imagine what it would be like to be a woman in a society that views me as less, tells me what I have to wear and tells me that I can't think for myself.

2.  A country that gives me freedom of speech, so that I can write freely on my blog and I can read about anything. Taking time to imagine my voice censored and my creativity put into a box kills my heart.

3. A country that lets me worship my God out loud and publicly. There are people dying every day because of their belief in Christianity. Though I would be willing to die for my beliefs I'm thankful that I don't fear for my life as I worship.

What three things are you thankful for this Independence Day?

Photos by Gina Meola Styling by Alex Evjen Makeup & Hair by Sarah Hubbell and Jess Mangieri Modeling by Steve and Hannah Wright

Bright Florals

If you peeked inside my closet you would see a bunch of solid colored pieces with a sprinkle of pattern here and there. I generally stick to a fall color palette since those complement my skin well, but this season I have ventured out of my comfort zone by wearing pastels and brights. I would like to say this experiment with brights was completely my idea, but it was actually the Alt Summit garden party that forced my hand to choose this floral dress from Lulu*s. You see, Alt Summit plans fabulous parties around themes, and this year's was a garden party where every person was encouraged to wear a floral print. I didn't have a single floral dress in my closet, but I didn't really have a budget to buy new clothes. Thankfully, I had some clothing credit left at Lulu*s, so I searched and searched on their site for the dress that I thought would suit my style the best and I came up with this brightly colored, shift dress.

AltSummit-174web

It actually reminds me of a recent Ted Baker print. I love that the neckline was modest, but that it gave me a chance to show off my newly toned legs thanks the past two months of workouts at Mountainside Fitness. It was a lady like frock with a loud color palette - the perfect balance of edge and sophistication. I also wore my strappy black shoes from Lulu*s. They definitely gave my calves a workout!

AltSummit-177web

I just happened to have a florescent orange Cambridge Satchel that Glamour Magazine gifted me last year. It surprisingly goes with a lot of things. Paired with my loud orange red nails and chunky rings, it was the first time I really felt like my accessories truly added to the outfit. The best accessory of all was this beautiful beaded statement necklace that Frances Vintage lent me just for this special occasion. They are THE best!

AltSummit-176web

While at the garden party an amazing photographer and expert Instagrammer, Sarah Deragon, captured my ensemble like a pro. She is SO talented and I wish she lived in Phoenix. She noticed the details in my accessories right away and really appreciated all of the fashion people showcased at the event. If you are looking to learn more about building your IG following, go check out her recap here.

Thanks Alt Summit for pushing me out of my comfort zone, thanks Lulu*s and Frances Vintage for being such wonderful places to shop. and thank you, Sarah, for capturing my outfit so well.

Photos by Sarah Deragon

Styling & Art Direction for The Motion Workshop

The-Motion-Workshop-0007web

14 professional photographers in one room all learning and wanting to add motion to their skill set - that's why they came to Ale Vidal's Motion Workshop. When Ale asked me to style four different shoots for them to capture I thought, "14 photographers!? This HAS to be good!" Then I thought, "Wouldn't it be SO great to get some clothing brands involved? They would be getting all of this content for their social outlets!"

Years ago my mind wouldn't have gone to brand partnerships it just would have focused on how to execute the shoot well. What I have realized, however, is that executing these shoots well means partnering with brands. Access to clothing is the hardest part for a stylist, so if you can add value to the brands that you want to work with by providing quality content and social sharing then it's a win, win for all parties involved.

Screen Shot 2014-06-25 at 8.23.22 AM

So, before I approached brands to be a part of these shoots, Ale identified two high school senior themes, a bridal style and an engaged couple based on the background of her attendees. From there I started using secret Pinterest boards to solidify the mood, the style and the scenes with Ale. Then I was able to start dreaming about what brands would be a good fit for the different styles.

View More: http://imaginale.pass.us/themotionworkshop

Lulu*s sent us wardrobe for both high school senior shoots - a soft, natural prairie girl and a loud, bold, music lovin' girl. Lulu*s market is very young so they were a perfect match. Just one outfit was needed for both girls.

For the prairie girl we wanted a pastel palette, a dress that felt ultra feminine and innocent. We chose a blonde model with light eyes - Kacey from Agency AZ was amazing. Braids are a youthful hairstyle, as well as minimal makeup. Miriam Kenly and Stephanie are pros at bringing visions to life. For the scene, we thought about a basket of flowers for her to play with. I loved the idea of a clothes line with fabrics that would blow in the wind. Hilary Kram, a wonderful florist and creative, added some beautiful greens and floral to the clothes line to create more interest.

The-Motion-Workshop-0017web

For the music lovin' high school senior we wanted to portray a girl that loved NYLON magazine. I chose a bold color palette and stuck with the current fashion trends such as mini skirts and muscle tees. The bright lipstick Stephanie Neiheisel created from a MAC pigment was genius. It matched her skirt perfectly. We decided to keep her hair down so that it would move well for the camera as she jumped on the bed and whipped it back and forth. Teens love to listen to music and these gold Frends headphones were the perfect fashion accessory. There's nothing that reminds me of being a teenager more than flipping through magazine and filling out quizzes. Because our model, Emily of Agency AZ, was being put in a studio setting Ale loved the idea of having some cool floral elements to make it a bit more interesting. Hilary did a an amazing job with stringing some carnations. It was simple, but a powerful set element.

The-Motion-Workshop-0003web

We also had a young couple in their 20's who were pretending to be engaged who embodied a laid back, L.A. style. Lulus*s also outfitted the bride-to-be. Katherine Thornhill was our model and she is actually a wedding planner that helps brides prepare for their engagement shoots a lot. She and her boyfriend, Chris, were a real couple that could emote and express love on camera. I chose a maxi dress for her and layered a ton of jewelry on her hands to create interest for the camera. A center part with her long locks further ensured the boho vibe of their style. For Chris, we actually worked with a small budget and his wardrobe to come up with a simple, somewhat 'hipster' outfit. Simply peg rolling his pants and rolling his sleeves was a detail that took an easily preppy look to a more casual, west coast vibe. For the set we layered oriental carpets and pillows of different textures and colors. We also used a hammock that swung back and forth for motion purposes.

View More: http://imaginale.pass.us/themotionworkshop

For our sensual, moody, haunting bride we started looking at bridal boutique partnerships, but nothing seemed to fit the high fashion quality that was needed to make this bride different from the rest. I had recently done some Pinterest consulting for Fame & Partners and remembered that they make custom dresses. After falling in love with a black dress, I asked if they could design it in white...and they did! The silk chiffon material was PERFECT for movement. For the set, we chose to pose her by ivy and a beautiful water fountain filled with roses. The movement of the water was great for motion!

Check out the film Ale made here and to hear from Ale about why she held the motion workshop, visit her blog here.

All of this production wouldn't have been possible without a stellar team and wonderful brand partnerships. Please go follow all of these people and brands!

Event // www.themotionworkshop.com

Photos by Ale Vidal  & Mary Claire Photography // www.imaginaledesign.com // www. maryclaire-photography.com Styling and Art Direction by AVE Styles // www.avestyles.com

Bride: Madeleine Alexandra // alexandrafashionco.blogspot.com High school seniors // Kacey & Emily // www.theagencyaz.com Engaged couple // Katherine & Chris // www.luckyandinlove.com Make-up: SN Makeup // www.snmakeupartist.com Hair: Miriam Kenly // instagram.com/mirmaidkenl Florals: Hilary Lamb // hilarylambphoto.blogspot.com Wedding dress by Fame and Partners // www.fameandpartners.com Clothes by Lulu*s // www.lulus.com

A Film from The Motion Workshop

This face! Isn't Madeleine Alexandra gorgeous?! She is a fashion blogger with insane style and taste. She also is a dancer and moves and models like a pro. Ale Vidal of Imaginale Design hired to me to create beautiful vignettes for her workshop attendees to capture in motion. There is so much to share! I will be sharing the art direction and styling process tomorrow, but I wanted to just focus on this moment - this film that Ale made.

There was a whole team behind this vignette, but yet it seems so simple. One dress, some flowers, great hair and makeup...The planning for this simple moment started several months ago. Ale wanted a high-fashion bride that embodied a sensual and haunting quality. It might be a weird request, but that girl knows what works for the camera.

I'm so happy I get to work with such talented people. Enjoy the film and come back tomorrow to see how I translated her vision for not only this shoot, but three other ones in ONE DAY!

Madeleine Alexandra at The Motion Workshop from Ale Vidal - Imaginale on Vimeo.

The Motion Workshop - An event put on by cinematographer Alejandra Vidal to teach photographers and artists about direction in video, storyboarding, product creation, and the art of human connection through motion: www.themotionworkshop.com

Film by Ale Vidal // www.imaginaledesign.com

Styling and Art Direction by AVE Styles // www.avestyles.com

Dress by: Fame and Partners // www.fameandpartners.com Model: Madeleine Alexandra // alexandrafashionco.blogspot.com Make-up: SN Makeup // www.snmakeupartist.com Hair: Miriam Kenly // instagram.com/mirmaidkenl Florals: Hilary Lamb // hilarylambphoto.blogspot.com Assistant: Mary Claire // maryclaire-photography.com

Red Pepper Hummus Dip

When I started my 30 Thriving Challenge with Mountainside Fitness I committed to not only exercising regularly, but adopting better eating habits. I buy hummus every week to enjoy as a post-work out snack. It's a good source of protein, and I pair it with carrots or sugar snap peas rather than pita chips. Because I eat it so much I have been interested in creating my own hummus, but in my mind it seemed really hard. AVE Styles intern, Alyssa Hodson, equally enjoys hummus and decided to come up with a tasty and cost effective recipe. Not to mention, it's fast and easy to make. WINNER in my book!

RED PEPPER HUMMUS - Created and tested by Alyssa Hodson

Ingredients:

1 - 15 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed 2 cloves garlic 1/2 cup chopped roasted red bell pepper

3 Tablespoons of chopped purple onion

2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons Tahini Sauce 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste 1/8 teaspoon cumin

hummus

IMG_0170

IMG_0177

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Add water if it needs more liquid. Pour into a serving dish and pair it with fresh veggies, pretzels or pita chips.