ouchy!

so i’ve been sitting in front of the computer for too long doing the usual, post processing, designing, blog snooping, shopping, blah blah blah… and now, my back, my back, MY BACK!!!  this is the not the first time my back went into crazy pain after sitting in front of the computer for too long.  i think it’s finally time for me to plunge down the money and get me self a CUTE, ergonomic chair.

let’s meet some of the contestants.

aeron chair $949 ~ $979 – the one, the original.  can’t help but feel well supported.  my back pain will be substituted with the new wallet pain.

chadwick chair $586 – from the same designer as the aeron, don chadwick.  simple and discrete, i actually like the look of chadwick more than the aeron.  the price also makes it more attractive.  however, it still screams OFFICE chair to me.

eames aluminum management chair $1,075 ~ $1,998 - this one is a looker.  it’s simple, it’s classic, and it doesn’t scream office.  the drawback is the obvious crazy price tag, and the support doesn’t even come close to a chair you would find at your local office depot.

mirra task chair $799 – this one might be my favorite so far.  it comes in a few variety of colors, and the support is actually even better than the aeron.  not to mention cheaper too (ok, not by much).  the chair really molds and contours to the shape of the human body.  i’m not too crazy with its aesthetic, but i guess it’s a bit quirky and unique.  a serious contender.

so far i’ve only checked out dwr.  if you know any other cute and comfy chairs, please share with me and my back.

all images by dwr

still modern?

sorry people, i’ve been bad.  i haven’t been on wordpress in so long that it took me a few times to try to log in.  i’ve been really busy with my new photography business.  things are moving fast, and i’m loving every moment of it!  i will try to post as much as time allows me to think about interior decorating, fashion, makeup, and all the finer things in life. 

in the meanwhile, come check out my photography website:  Yvonne Wong Photography

and my photography blog

50% goth, 50% drama, 100% chic

it’s official, black is the new black.

 i have been obsessed with the color black for interior decor for the longest time.  i love colors, but when it comes to interior design, i am a simple girl.  it’s black + white all the way for me. 

b+w is such a great combo.  you can’t really go wrong and it goes with everthing!  the latest and hottest accent color is bright lime yellow.  my other favorite accent color is purple.  i am so inspired. . . i am painting this weekend!

image via Kenneth Brown Design

the ultimate black interior by the apartment . . . breath taking

image via the apartment

the new essential

it’s official, leather jackets are making a big comeback.  they always look great with a pair of jeans, but i love the contrast and hardness it brings to the look when paired outside of a soft dress or make it sexy with a cute mini skirt.  i am especially fascinated with the hotness that is mike & chris “clark” leather hoodie.  not only is the distressed look super bad-ass, but their signature jumbo buttons and hoodie really add a hint of cuteness to the whole biker chick look.  but can someone please tell me, why is it not on sale yet???  i can’t afford the $876 price tag!!!

mike & chris “clark” leather hoodie

everything they do is beautiful

jessica and ryan was the definition of the beautiful couple.  they got their beautiful faces, beautiful bodies, beautiful hair, beautiful clothes, beautiful house… even their damn cats are so beautiful.  if they weren’t so funny and nice, i would have hated them.  the best part about them, their passion for each other was so great, it was contagious.  seeing the adoring way they kiss and look at each other, almost made me want to drop my camera and dive right towards dave.  don’t worry, i was professional!

i think this shoot turned out to be very different from jon and melisa’s session, which is so great because it really shows my versatility.  of course this is just me tooting my own horn.  why don’t you take a look at the slideshow and see for yourself.

click here to view the slideshow

the best is yet to come

last weekend, my college buddy flew me down to cali for an engagement shoot with his fiance.  i don’t know if it was bad luck or something, but the usually sunny and nice weathered san jose was showering.  i am still getting blamed for bring the rain with me from seattle down there.  fortunately, we were able to get a few breaks of sunshine during the day to get some cute, sunny shots.  too bad by the afternoon, when we finally get to downtown san fran, it was pouring.  my poor camera was drenched in the rain.  sorry d200, gotta get the shots.  this also might be the reason why i got a bad case of cold when i got home.  what can i say, i’ll do it all over again for the love of photography.

congrats on your engagement, jon and melisa!

click here for the slideshow of some of my favorite shots.

a few of you readers are asking what kind of camera am i using.  i am currently using the nikon d200.  it’s a great semi-pro/pro camera for anyone on a budget.  i am still getting used to it, but so far, so good.

mom-ma!

beautiful girls

ok so this is my first post on my own work, let’s be kind . . .

for as long as i could remember, i’ve loved beautiful girls.  whether it’s creating them or enhancing them, i just love working on them.  when i was little, i’d be obsessed with drawing them, and now, i use a different medium to portray them, my camera.  lucky for me, all my wonderful friends are gorgeous, so i have pretty much unlimited resources to practice my skills on.  here is a shoot i did over the weekend of my stunning friends, sharon and katy.  enjoy!

clutch onto your favorite photos

it’s a clutch, it’s a photo album.  no, it’s a photo album that looks like a clutch!  here’s a hip and new way of showing off your photos to friends and random strangers on the bus. this stylish travel size photo album from urban outfitters, makes it easy to carry your favorite photos with you everywhere you go and looking fabulous doing so.  also adding a little extra oomph to your photos. this will definitely make a cute and affordable xmas present . . . to myself.

“Choose from floral canvas or iridescent mock-croc clutches, both lined in satin and ready to hold up to 16 of your favorite 4×6 photos in a foldout sleeve. Imported.
* Holds 16 4×6 photos
* 4.5″l, 6.5″w, .25″h
* Cotton, PVC, mixed metal
* Holds photos only”

 

 photo clutch – $16

have a very tord holiday!

ever since the news of tord boontje collabrating with target broke out, i have been tirelessly stalking target.  by stalking, i mean visiting my local target store every other day.  today was no different.  i dragged david down to a neighbor target store, thinking that maybe this target will be more lucky.  i was right!  there they were, on the shelves was my dear tord boontje dinnerware collection.  people walked by must have thought those plates were free from the way i was piling them up in the cart.  we must have gotten there early because we were able to obtain most of the multi-color dinnerware collection.

now i know you probably think i’m crazy for buying a whole new set of dinnerware that is specifically made for the holidays.  i agree, how practical is that?  i can only use the damn thing for a couple of months at most!  but did i mention these were designed by the great TORD BOONTJE!!!??  i mean, i love the man so much i already have two of his famous garland lights (i had to combine two to make one big one because one was just way too small), and his new icarus light, even though i can’t find a place to put it!  also, the price is so good, i almost feel that i owe target my first born.  ok, that’s a little scary.

oh come on.  i know you’ve seen these plates on 791591324641648913212 other blogs, but let’s marvel at these beauties once more… 

tord multi-color dinnerware collection – these are my fav

tord gold dinnerware collection – these are simple, but still tord!

tord red dinnerware collection – these are very target-esque

decorate with the kid in you

my style when it comes to interior design is definitely modern, contemporary and MINIMAL.  minimalism although seems simple is actually quite difficult.  i am always struggling between the fine line of minimalist and looking unfinished.  in our house, our furnishings tend to have very clean lines and in the most basic colors of b/w, which can look quite boring, so it’s really up to the decoration we have to break this unison.  i love vases, but that seems to be the typical decoration. 

then a few weeks ago, when i visited my best friend in SF, i came upon this cute little shop in castro that sells toy collectibles.  the graphic and colors on these figurines are so adorable and fun that i knew it will definitely add that extra hint of oomph i was looking for to our house.  the silliness that these toys bring, broke the stiff and seriousness to the room.  there were many choices, but i was particularly drawn to the dunny collection.  each dunny is designed by different artists, so even though they are the same figurines, they all look so different.  unfortunately, since these are collectibles, each dunny is only released in limited quantity, so i have missed out a few good ones that are now marked up super high on ebay.

love dunny by tado

redrum dunny by frank kozik

a sneak preview

my brilliant wedding photographer/mentor never ceases to amaze me.  just as i thought he couldn’t peak his already superior skills, he dropped off a few teaser shots from my wedding.  i was stunned by the quality of these pictures!  breathtaking, glorious, magnificent, whatever else words i can’t think of right now.  it’s all that and a bag of extra large costco size chips.  i asked for innovative and unique photos, and he delivered more than i had even imagined.  i can’t wait to see the rest of them.

seeing an already talented photographer can still improve, makes me realize that it’s important to strive for better and never be too satisfied with where you are right now because you can always get better and better and better…

teacher says that shallow depths of field will really make a photo POP!

even though i look super bridezilla here, i still love this photo.  makes me laugh everytime.

also the lighting contrast can add much needed drama to the image

a new direction in life… well, at least on this blog

this blog is basically a reflection of me.  as my interest and life goal takes a turn, so is the direction of this blog.  recently, i’ve decided to take my passion for photography into a more serious and hopeful path.  now i know it’s a bit early to make any new year resolutions, but i’m definitely starting early with working towards mine.  i want to (will) become a great photographer.  my first step is starting photography lessons with my wedding photographer, john.  next step is to surround myself with inspirations, which is where this blog will come into play.  i will start to post more photography related posts, including, but not limited to, works from other photographers and my own works.

this is not to say i will not post anymore on the subjects of fashion, beauty, interior design and so forth.  those are still apart of my interest, so i will definitely be bringing my findings to you.

i hope you will enjoy taking this new route with me, and watch me grow into a better photographer and a person.

married = fat and lazy

I’ve heard somewhere that after you get married, you gain weight like crazy.  Like 15 lb or 20 lb in the course of a year.  If it were only true in my case…  No, I didn’t gain 20 lb in a year… I gained it in a month!!!  Now to be fair, I did go on the Lemonade Diet before the wedding to lose some pounds (Yes, I am one of those brides), but 20 lb in a month??!!  Now I look and feel fat and ugly, and hence am not in the mood to even look at fashion.  Sigh…  All I can say now is that I’m glad that baggy clothes are in this year.

better together

now i usually have a rule of not posting pictures of myself on this blog due to the sheer fact of low self-esteem, but i will make an exception today.  i finally received my engagement photos, and they are looking fantastic!  although i’ve had a lot of faith in my photographer, john, i was still quite worried about how they would turn out, just because i’m such a photo snob.  i’m glad to learn that my worrying was for nothing. 

the photo shoot concept was simple.  we picked the playground of our old elementary school, since that’s where we first met…  6th grade, mrs. price’s class.  things didn’t get started until college, but the location was sentimental to us.  to maintain the fresh and relaxing summer feeling, i picked white for our outfits.  i wanted the theme to be dreamy and romantic, so i picked an a-line eyelet dress from bcbg, that’s almost unrealistically girly.  in reflection of the location, and the innocent children we once were, i tied my hair up in a loose pony tail.  i also prepared a few props, including my adorable dogs.  yes, i took the engagement shoot as an artistic project.

here’s a little preview:

 

for optimal experience and to view the rest of the shoot, visit this slide show i created.

…

…

ok people, i apologize for the lack of posting.  my laziness is only half the reason.  but mostly, it’s because my wedding is just a month away, and everything seems to be heading towards hell, so i am busy trying to survive through this nightmare.  yes, my wedding has officially gone from a fairytale celebration to a dreadful ordeal.  maybe when it’s all over, i’ll look back with dave and laugh at how stupid everything and everyone is, but at this moment, i just want to hop into my time machine and fast forward to hawaii. 

i did it! i did it! i’ve achieved the j. lo glow!

for months now, i have been in search for the perfect foundation to give me that glow that made j. lo synonymous with beautiful skin and complexion.  as it turns out, the perfect glow does not lie within the perfect foundation, but the perfect highlighter!  now that i know this, i must spread the word~!  when it comes to highlighter, it’s a whole another topic that i must dissect for you today.

first, if you have dry skin like me, then my current favorite highlighter would be the fluid sheer line from giorgio armani makeup collection.  this baby comes in variety of shades, some for highlighting, some for liquid blush, and some for the bronzer effect.  the great thing is it’s up to you and your skin tone on how you want to use it.  my 2 favorite shades for highlighting are #2, which is a more pale-peachy-champagne shade with visible sparkles if you get really close, and the #10, which is a golden-champagne shade with finer sparkles.  due to my super dry skin nature, i like to mix it with my foundation to achieve an all over glow, but if your skin is not that dry and it might look too shiny for you, then you can also just tap it lightly on top of your cheek bones, on your nose, and on your chin for more of a subtle highlight.  the key to any armani fluid application is the armani blending brush, which can be easily found on ebay for much less than the department stores.  its claim:

“Fluid sheer dresses skin in an illuminating veil of radiance. This unique, translucent formula is available in a range of versatile hues including makeup base shades, correcting shades, and radiance boosting shades. Blend your favorite fluid sheer with foundation to add radiance, polish and sculpting definition to your complexion. Or use it alone as a makeup base. All skin types. Perfects, sculpts and illuminates skin Complete and versatile shade range Sheer, lightweight texture and coverage

application techniques Application techniques: Wear alone as a makeup base. Mix with moisturizer for a boost of radiance and color. Blend Fluid sheers with foundation to achieve a limitless range of looks. Or use on top of foundation for added highlighting and contouring.”

giorgio armani fluid sheer - $55 is a bit steep, but it’s a pretty decent size bottle compare to other liquid highlighters i’ve seen.  also, do not trust the swatch on the website.  they do not even come close to the real shades.

people with oilier skin might want to stick with powder form highlighters, since it absorbs oil and won’t melt off as easily.  a trick i’ve learned from the shu uemura makeup artist on how to apply powder highlighters.  first dab a little powder on a soft blush brush.  then take a tissue and rub the hair of the brush into the tissue (i tried it with toilet paper, and the fiber in the paper just gets into the brush, so use something with fine fiber weaving).  next turn the brush upside down, so the hair is facing upwards, and tap the bottom of your brush against your wrist to work the powder into your brush.  now, you should barely seen any powder on the brush.  blow off any excess tissue fiber or powder.  after that, lightly brush it onto the top of your cheek bones, chin, and nose.  i especially love shu uemura’s face powder sheer in pearl.  the powder is really finely milled, so the texture is very smooth and not too glittery, and is easier to slowly built to the effect you want.

    “Loose powder that leaves skin luminous and glowing with vitality. Sheer & transparent finish. Good for highlighting facial structure & shape. Packaged with a velvet-textured puff designed specifically for sheer powder application. An InStyle Best Beauty Buy and awarded as one of Town & Country’s ‘Top 150 Best Beauty Product’.”

shu uemura face powder sheer in pearl - $32 is still a little pricey, but again they give you a good amount and still cheaper than giorgrio armani.

shameless ebay promotion time …

up for bid is a lot of 9 like new forever 21 and arden b tops.  each individual pieces have unique details that are flattering and beautiful.  whether it’s clubbing with your girlfriends or going on a date, these tops will for sure make you stand out from the crowd.  all have been worn at most twice or new without tags and in excellent conditions.

lot of 9 forever 21 & arden b tops sz. small & medium – starting bid at only $9.99

this top is definitely the quintessential sexy top that defines bebe, and its ever so seductive style.  the sheerness of the top will make you look sexy without looking like you’re trying to hard, and the sequins will add instant glamour to your outfit.

new bebe cream sheer sequin dress top - bidding only starts at $9.99

the sheer ruffles on the straps of this flirty bcbg top are so sweet, people will be instantly attracted to your angelic charms.  it is stretchy and comes with the convenience of built-in bra.  this fun top is the perfect combination of cute and sexy.

new bcbg feather top sz. m - bidding starts at $9.99

droooooooooooooool

miu miu soft frame bag – frame bag style, check.  double straps, check.  big enough to carry everything, check.  cutie cute cute, check!  i must have it now!!!

i’m not even going to try and butcher her name

but doutzen kroes is just too beautiful to ignore.  i first noticed doutzen in bazaar.  out of the hundreds of gorgeous models in the magazine, she immediately grabbed my attention.  a few more glimpses of her was enough to make me to actually look up her name.  maybe it’s the unique combination of sultry full lips and innocent big blue eyes, but this girl is becoming my #1 model to look out for in the future.