Illustrated Packing List: London & Paris

Hello Lovelies!!

I can't believe HOW quickly my trip crept up on me and now I'm manically packing for my getaway to London and Paris tomorrow. I have so many people and places to see, I'm beyond excited. Of course, the fun can't begin until the obligatory suitcase styling commences. On second thought, that is actually where the fun starts!! What's on my packing list for Labor Day in London and Paris?! Check out my illustrated essentials to see:

Annabelle Dexter-Jones Denim Flat Cap - Faith Connexion

Anabela Asymmetric Leather Biker Jacket - IRO

Honey Lip Lacquer in Aurora Apple Red - Bite Beauty

Bachelor Round Toe Flat - Sigerson Morrison

Two-Tone Stretch-Jersey Contour Dress - Stella McCartney

Covent Garden Clutch - BODHI

Deluxe Hand Me Down Stack Ring - Henri Bendel

Where are you all spending this fabulous Labor Day weekend and what's on your packing list?! Can't wait to bring back loads of pics and inspiration galore. See you all soon.

Much love,

Meag xx

Mary Katrantzou Illustration Competition

UPDATE: I MADE TOP 10 VOTED BY YOU!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone for showing your support. I'm unbelievably touched and grateful for all the reposts on facebook and words of encouragement.

To check out the TOP 10 VOTED BY YOU click here!!

Hello Loves,

I hope you had a fabulous weekend!! I finally managed to illustrate my submission for the Mary Katrantzou Illustration Competition. Only one day shy of the competition deadline (I work best under pressure ;). The entries thus far have been absolutely mind blowing. Check them out for yourself here on their facebook page and wish me luck!!

Much love,
Meag xx

New York - London - Paris!!

Hello Again Darlings,

I'm so excited firstly to be posting twice in one weekend, and secondly to be announcing my imminent travels to EUROPE. August 29th I will be zipping off for an extended labor day weekend to visit not one, but two, of my favorite cities in the WHOLE world. London, Paris, London, Paris, oh my where do I even begin?! The vibe, the sweets, the art, the fashion, I'm bursting at the seams with excitement. It's been five years since I was last in Paris and my heart aches thinking of all the things I miss so dearly. Laduree I'm giving you ample warning!!

Before I sign off I would love to ask you, my beautiful readers, what you would like to see more of from my upcoming travels? In the past I've blogged massive postcards but I'm thinking of breaking it up. I want to be able to cover more individual moments, special happenings, amazing street style, cool on site sketches?! What do you all think? Travel is after all at the forefront of my inspiration here on TWD, so why not delve a little deeper into my getaways across the globe?! Let me read your thoughts below...

Bisous Bisous,
Meag

Camel Riding in Luxor

Photo by Adam Heisler

Happy Saturday Lovelies!!

I hope you all had a fantastic week. My life has been so crazy as per usual and to be honest this is my first Saturday in three weeks that I'm not spending in the office HALLELUJAH. Yes...true story. So where do I even begin? I guess with a camel ride in Luxor, Egypt?! Just go with it. I returned from my trip to Egypt almost exactly 4 months ago and my life has not been the same since. Every uncertainty, every lingering unanswered question, somehow miraculously came to light and now here I am finally at peace.

I lost old friends and made new ones. I finally landed a creative corporate fashion job in July, and got my visa to stay in New York. I pushed myself further and further out of my comfort zone to the point that I don't even recognize my own life anymore. And even though I continue to walk the same streets, nothing feels the same.

So what does this all have to do with a camel ride in Luxor you ask?! Well I'll tell you. My trip to Egypt was prompted by a longing for control in an otherwise very uncertain life. I wanted to be shaken out of my perpetual state of anxiety, and reminded of the thrill of discovering something new. Riding on that camel through a local village in Luxor, just days before returning to New York, I can remember still thinking of all the unanswered questions that lay ahead, but finally feeling strong enough to face the truth.

Now when I look back at this photo I see all the things I didn't in that moment and I'm happy. I'm not who I was then, but I'm remarkably proud of everything I've accomplished since. So here I am today, thinking of my travel plans for the end of the month, the exciting new illustration opportunities on my plate, the direction I want my blog to go in, the creative challenges I'm thrilled by at work, and I'm more excited than I've ever been. I realize and accept that the most important things in life are almost always worth the wait.

Wishing you a beautiful weekend ahead and the courage to keep believing in your dreams.

Much love,
Meag xx

REDHOT

Girl who loves to dream,

Lives her life to the extreme,
With adrenaline....

Girl who longs to explore,
With the fruit down to the core,
Because she wanted more,
Yes she wanted more....

If you're gonna crash and burn,
Be prepared to take your turn,
In the game of up & down,
Yeah up & down...

(Scent - Up & Down Lyrics)

Hello My Lovelies!!!!

Hope you're soaking up this REDHOT summer to the maximum. Just wanted to blog a quick post before heading to sleep. Too many new, fun, and exciting things happening at the moment to even begin formulating sentences right now. Instead I present you with this Dolce & Gabbana SS12 earring inspired piece. Can't get enough of their almost edible collection. And speaking of jewelry, shout-out to my talented blogger friend/follower Cindy Moniz and her beautiful Etsy Shop. Check her work out for super cute summer finds.

Can't wait to update you all with my new adventures. G night until then.

Much love,
Meag xx

I scream, you scream...

My iPhone Case Designs

New Popsicle Party Print

SHOP - My Society6 Boutique

we all scream for...iPhone cases!! Well, probably not, but I certainly had a blast putting these designs together for my Society6 Shop.

Oh my darlings, I'm ashamed it has once again taken me a decade to post something new on my beloved blog. But, as I'm sure you know, so much has (and continues) to go on behind the scenes. I don't want to disclose anything just yet, but I will say that after three very lonnnggg years of working my a$$ off in New York, things are finally starting to payoff. I'm having one of the most exciting and rewarding summers yet. There are still a few hoops to jump through to get to my next move but at least I'm having an absolute blast in NYC along the way.

So apart from promoting my new iPhone case designs I also wanted to propose just how important it is to never stop believing in yourself. Having hope and perseverance is 90% of the battle. Odds are, if you don't stop trying, something is eventually going to click ;)!! Wishing you all a beautiful sun-kissed week!!

Much love,
Meag xx

Food & Fashion

Karlie Kloss in Dolce & Gabbana - VOGUE Korea

Hello Hello Hello!!!!

My goodness it has been such a long time since I've been on my little blog. How have you all been? I'm not going to lie, apart from being crazy busy with work, I've definitely been soaking up my fav city during its greatest season. Last weekend alone I managed my way through four NY exhibitions: The Met's Schiaparelli and Prada - Impossible Conversations, James Franco's film launch at the New Museum, Cindy Sherman at the MoMA, and Chanel's Little Black Jacket in Soho. Alas, I couldn't get this post up sooner with all my gallery scouring and such.

Anyway, I'm super excited to be posting today's illustration since it was inspired by my beautiful brainiac bestie Emma Kadar-Penner and her thesis topic Food Motifs in Fashion and Textile Design. Miss K.P. just recently returned from a conference in Atlanta where she presented her genius thesis. From the second I caught a glimpse of her exhibit booth, I knew I found inspiration for my next blog post. Suddenly my desire to paint something from Dolce & Gabbana's SS12 collection fit within a food and fashion historical context.

Emma's abstract details:

"Louis XIV understood the economic possibilities of both fashion and food, capitalizing on these industries to synonymize France with luxury. By the end of the seventeenth-century, concepts of haute cuisine and haute couture came to define France's identity as an international arbiter of taste...the oddness of this pairing is why designers have chosen to incorporate food motifs into their designs - the surreal absurdity, playful humor, and unlikely juxtaposition create appealing and commercial fashion moments."

For those of you who have followed my blog for a while, you might remember my posts Living Laduree or Macaron Marie where I advocated that food and fashion are not separate but the same in a life of style. I think Emma does an amazing job supporting this argument with countless examples throughout history where designers have used food as their primary source of inspiration. It is clear in Dolce and Gabbana's SS12 collection that they too understand how food can be both luxurious and every bit surreal/humorous when sent down the runway.

If any of you are interested in delving further into the topic of food and fashion, feel free to email Emma at emmakpenner@gmail.com!!

Wishing you all a beautiful week ahead.

Lots of love,

Meag xx