No, it's not Valentine's Day (yet) but here's to ringing in the new year with luck and prosperity - paint the town RED.  A powerful, bold color, red is also associated with good fortune in Chinese tradition. It wards off bad spirits and it's associated with celebrations of great joy. So for the first post of the new year, the Magpie says, ring it in with red. 

Are you ready to rumble for 2014?? It's a lot to think about, 2013: The Year that Was. There's so many notable moments, and it's been a busy year to say the least, but sometimes the best stuff is saved for last, which is a good thing, because that's what stays fresh in our mind and inspires us for the year ahead.

A very Jaunty friend mentioned the concept of Project 365 to me late in 2009, to take at least one photo a day for a single year. Fast forward three years and this crazy Bird has been taking and posting a photo a day on Flickr, which you can see on my account. The photo doesn't have to be a masterpiece, it can be done using a camera phone, it was a well-intentioned project to make participants be more aware of their present surroundings and capture a moment of their day. 

It's become a regular part of my behavior, making sure I took at least one photo -- which isn't difficult given what I do and the ease of a handy camera phone. The last year has moved so quickly -- the fastest yet, I feel. I didn't realize I'd even been doing this for three years until I stopped to take a look at my own album to see the date stamp from 2010. 

And that's when I made the decision: let Project 365 end for the Magpie. It's not because I don't enjoy it, or that it's lost its meaning. I continue to take photos and visually document things I love, but I felt like the exercise of documenting each day was something that wasn't as necessary anymore. I just had to look at my first photos taken in 2010 to go right back to what I was thinking and where I was in life. It was a big transitional period -- I was deciding to become a freelance everything -- graphic design, photography, illustration, writing. I didn't know how to go about anything, every day felt daunting and I had a surplus of time that quickly became filled with doubt and fear. But filling that space with beauty and inspiration helped remind me that the world will keep spinning through the good and bad days, so don't forget to take a moment to capture some part of that day.  I feel like that lesson has taken hold enough to where the exercise of documenting a day just becomes another to-do on my list, and that somewhat negates the purpose of Project 365. 

I looked through the last three years of daily photos and could remember something very specific about that day, something that could never have been completely captured in words. I can recall why each image was chosen and what I was doing, whether it was flying off on a trip or living in my own little world that day. There were bad days and good ones, even if the image didn't betray all the intimate details. It's a unique way to journal one's life by sharing everything, but keeping many things private. A picture tells a thousand words, and it will mean different things to people, so it tells its own story. I will still post images on the account periodically, it just won't be daily. It's just as meaningful to share one image that is significant, as it is to post hundreds that make up a whole year. I don't know if anyone else continues with Project 365, but I cheer you on if you're keeping up with it. I may return to it again, if the time feels right, but for now, I'm comfortable with taking 2013 one day at a time, photo or not.


Jaunty Fine Print: Photos by Denise Sakaki

Whew, let me catch my breath for a moment... Can you believe we've entered into another year? A fresh, shiny, new-car-smelling 2013 is upon us. And we're faced with an endless supply of options, adventures, decisions and promises for the next three-sixty-five and change. 

It's daunting to consider all these possibilities ahead, but I have one item in particular that I had the pleasure of admiring over the holidays that I think is both fitting and fetching for a year ready to take flight. I was very lucky to meet boutique owner, style influencer, and author, Cameron Silver, at an event at Tiffany and Co. in December, presenting his new book, Decades: A Century of Fashion.  He's the owner of a gorgeous boutique in Los Angeles, also called Decades, which speaks to his expertise and appreciation for mixing classic with modern. Vintage clothing paired with contemporary jewelry and accessories, ways to bring time periods together and reinvent new looks. Just because it's a new year doesn't mean we have to only look ahead -- sometimes a trip back in time will inspire where we will move forward. 

Cameron Silver's book is an outstanding collection of fashion photography and portraits. I misspent many productive workdays dreamily paging through the different eras and I was very much in love with the 20s and 30s pieces. Periods where photography wasn't as prevalent as now are particularly stunning because the photos are a rare, beautiful look at a time that seems both far away but very familiar. We can recognize dress styles and shapes, details and accessories that we still see today, and that speaks to the timelessness of true style. 

As you go through the the chronology of photographs, you start to see trends, like Hollywood stars becoming stylemakers, the evolution of silhouettes from pinched-in waists and full skirts, to more simplified, ultra-modern lines that almost erase gender. The book touches on the Reign of the Supermodel, hip-hop/street style -- many recent looks and trends that I definitely remember. And then it softly lands on present-day style, which is that many of the looks we find compelling now are ones that incorporate trends spanning those decades. Fashion is a form of history, one that we see every day and may not take the time to notice, but in the context of a book that views our wardrobe through a historic lens, an item that simply drapes on a hanger gains new relevance. So as we enter a new year, consider Decades a guide book to inspire for how we wish to present ourselves, moving forward.

Jaunty Fine Print: Photos from Cameron Silver's book, Decades: A Century of Fashion

Twas the week before 2012 and all through the house, not a creature was stirring... except everyone wondering what the heck this new year is going to bring! The Birdy has mentioned this before, but around New Year's, the anxiety level is up by a fair margin. The holiday is officially over and the real work needs to begin - hit the panic button!! We start thinking about all the things we wanted to do, our intentions start to build up like the clutter of a Hoarder-house, and we either put resolutions in front of us that are so insurmountable, we're destined for failure, or the list just seems too daunting, so we roll over on the couch, have another swig of that leftover eggnog and wait for the feeling to make a resolution to go away. I've been there, done that and my Jaunty Rebel Yell for 2012 is -- be the force for change, but make reasonable goals!

I know, it sounds pragmatic and boring, but it's amazing what little everyday things can do if you commit to small changes and it becomes a daily habit. That was my inspiration for this year's holiday card, which I'm sharing with all before we enter Ye New Year of Twenty-Twelve. I was particularly inspired by ABC News' "Made in America" segments, which went from a small news story and became a regular spot on their program -- they wanted to focus on American companies and how little acts of buying locally-made goods not only benefits the economy, but it secures and ensures more jobs for our fellow friends n' neighbors. And it doesn't always mean it costs more -- get into the habit of looking at your labels any time you buy something. It can be as simple as going to the grocery store and making sure you get fruit that only had to travel one state over (or less, if you can), versus a whole country away. You don't need fresh strawberries in the middle of January -- they probably won't taste that good anyways. But hey, get the frozen ones if they were harvested within the US and likely frozen at their seasonal peak.

This got me thinking about other things -- the fact that hunger still exists in this country, and if everyone just gave a little to programs designed to help and educate those in need, it would move us that much closer to eventually eradicating this need in our own cities and neighborhoods. And hey, don't slack on recycling or finding more ways to support eco-friendly/green initiatives -- the globe ain't gonna stop warming on its own. If you're thinking of adding a fuzzy friend to the household, choose adoption or breed-specific rescue groups, and don't get stuck on the pet being a kitten or puppy -- older pets are just as awesome and likely grown out of the annoying habits like potty-training, teething or learning what a scratching post is for. How often do you get to say you've saved a life? 

These are little, everyday things to consider. These are decisions we make in our daily lives. It won't solve the problems immediately, World Peace may not break out by the end of the week, but if we make the promise to at least do one, manageable thing and stick to it for a whole year, our collective acts work towards improving things and more importantly, improving ourselves and how we play a part in the world. And that is a Jaunty thing to consider, no?


Jaunty Fine Print:  design by Denise Sakaki

It sure sounded simple enough -- the challenge to take at least one photo a day, for a full year. It doesn't have to be a masterpiece, it doesn't have to be anything particularly dear or special, just a snapshot of a moment of your day, for the entire year. That was the initial gauntlet drop for 2010's Project 365.

This Bird was fairly sure she'd drop the ball and just let the camera gather dust, but surprisingly the little habit became as much a part of her day like brushing teeth or the necessary morning coffee. This was especially helpful in the beginning months of the year, when the Magpie was sort of floundering around, wondering what to do next. Having a creative must-do every day, even if it's as small as taking a photo, became a lesson in living in the moment, and finding beauty in small, insignificant details. The world didn't have to be about big adventures or grand, meaningful gestures, simply gaining a new appreciation for everyday observation. Plus, it's a great way to get to know your camera. You start to gain a feel for it, letting it become more of a creative appendage, rather than a tool to translate what the eye sees.

And so the Project 365 for 2010 is done, and this was the final photo of the year, on my Flickr account that I'm too cheap and lazy to upgrade to "Pro," hence the short queue of photos. It's a beautiful spice/coffee mill from Turkey that a friend brought back on her recent trip! But this Birdie ain't sad to say goodbye to a year gone by, she's invigorated for what the new year will bring, and taking a new creative twist over what 2011's Project 365 will be. A combination of photos and illustrations? Wait and see!


Jaunty Fine Print:  photograph by Denise Sakaki