My Sister Is Rad///

My sister, Sarah Gahagan, is a costumer designer here in town.  Check out the rad bear head she created for a local dance company.

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Papa in his 20's

During a trip to Eugene a couple years ago my Dad passed these old photos on to me. The sweet boy in these photos is my Dad - he's in his early 20's and it's the 1970's.   The below shot sits on my shelf and I look at it every day ~ sometimes in amazement at how much my Dad could be any one of my guy friends today.  

We are all the same. 

Mt Hood/tall can/American Flag patch/mustache

My Dad and his bud while they lived in Hawaii.

Rusted car/no back window/palm trees...Hawaii life. 

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Love you Dad.

Electric

Life is electric and we are electricity. Such a rad day at OMSI avec ma famille.

A Shade of Red///

My Mom always wears red lipstick (maybe bright pink if she's feeling crazy).  It has always been the signal that it's time to leave the house whether it's just to run to the grocery store or head to the ballet. It's something that I will always love and will always make me think of her...that and Chanel No.5.

I love this series of photographs from the book, A Shade of Red, by photographer Alyson Fox. Women from all stages of life, all who I'm sure have their own love stories or stigmas associated with red lipstick.  It's something only girls (and drag queens) can understand.

LIFE///

My Mom sent me this the other day...words to live by.

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Seattle Weekend

Had a beautiful 2 1/2 day weekend in Seattle with my family: sisters, mom and pops and my little niece (who's really not so little anymore).  We drove up from Portland to watch the niece in her summer camp's play at ArtsWest - so great to see Once Upon An Island.

We had sleepovers//

checked out some record stores /// picked up Sly And The Family Stone for a buck. haha ///

 

ate the yummiest food and sipped tea from the Tuscan Tea Room in West Seattle ///

and hung out in the sun on Alkai...perfection. Sometimes family time and a step away is jsut what the doctor ordered.

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There were also some beautiful walls in Seattle...check em out here.

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Mother's Day

The perfect Mother's Day gift. 

1 bird, 2 birds, 3 birds or 4 - this sweet necklace has however many birds the mother in your life has. 

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HELLOvintage///The Inspiration Behind The Store

I've always wanted to start my own business. To be a creative and do what I love to pay the bills. I have nothing but amazing things to say about my amazing day job! I work for a company that is fully a part of American manufactured design. With rad business ethics and a killer aesthetic - this is where I want to be. But as an Aquarius I'm constantly dreaming. Dreaming of being an Interior Designer which I am slowly but surely making happen...dreaming of starting a vintage store which I'm slowly but surely making happen (WOOHOO)...dreaming of producing my own decorative designs...dreaming of traveling...dreaming of having my own store front by the time I'm 30... and UBER dreaming of going to the Ace Camp taught by the uber talented blogger Erin Loechner, the voice behind one of my favorite blogs, Design For Mankind. 

This camp focuses on wrangling your career aspirations and working towards a plan to bring them to fruition. 

It is this June and financially it's going to be tight to come up with the $359 needed to attend.  I want to make this happen - but while investing in starting a business doesn't leave funds for extra activities.  Even if they are the activities that help move a girl along her chosen path. But - invest in one's future, yes? It's important. 

So I'm rallying for support. I need to raise the $359 to go take part in this amazing opportunity. And I will be fully honest and say I could use all of the help I can get. My new vintage clothing and home goods shop, HELLOvintage opens in May. But if you are local I am more than happy to set up personal shopping experiences (and tea and cookies) for anyone in the area. 

For those out of the Portland area I the men's and ladies' clothing up on my Flickr NOW (and more and more all the time)! If you would like information on a specific item please contact me and I will give you measurements, price and shipping costs.

Your purchases will go towards me attending the Ace Camp this June (and help me follow my dreams). 

I truly appreciate all of the support received from family, friends and bloggers. This is an exciting time and I am thrilled to share it with you. 

Love, Katey

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPA

My Dad and I have a bond. We are strangely alike and opposite all at the same time.  We compliment and understand each other. Words are often unneccessary, but still said.  He loves me and shows it in a way that always seems to pull at my heart stings. He is a good Papa. Such a good Papa.

Me and the biggest Oregon Ducks fan I know a couple years back.

 Out of 4 girls - I'm the one who goes to games with him, even if it's only once a year these days. We love it. I love it mainly cause I really love him. I love seeing him really get excited and happy about stuff - football is definitely one of those things. I remember not knowing anything about football as a little girl.  I would just stand up when my Dad stood up, cheer when my Dad cheered. The smile he gave me and the way he'd yell "YEAH!!!" just made me keep doing it. That tradition started the day I started cheering and I'm not really planning on ever stopping.

Happy 59th Dad.

I Take Pictures///Hero On Film

Tristan

My old 35 mm Minolta needed to be brought out for little nephew, Hero (his real name is Tristan, but he came out like a super hero with one arm outstretch - instant nick name). I took some shots in the dim afternoon light of their hospital room.  Grainy love.

The beautiful new family.

Grandpa in awe of Momma and Baby

Grandma and Tristan while Mamma Sarah watches.

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A New Soul///

My amazing sister Sarah and brother in law Dave just had their baby boy this morning and I am overcome with JOY! After 31 hours of labor (OH MY GOD) they are happy and resting. 

He's the first boy in our family!  I have 3 sisters and a niece - needless to say we are EXCITED! Look at that full head of hair!  We all had that too, teehee.

I love you guys!

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Can't Get Enough of This

This painting is so beautiful. So beautiful. 

"Louis le Brocquy is one of the great modern Irish painters. Born in Dublin in 1916, he is a self-taught painter whose skill and versatility has established him as a predominant figure in Irish 20th century painting.

He is well known for his paintings of literary figures and fellow artists, including W.B. Yeats, James Joyce and his friends Samuel Beckett, Francis Bacon, Seamus Heaney and Bono. My favourites were these earlier works painted between 1939-1945." - Wolf Eyebrows

It makes me wish I was out at Sauvie Island doing photoshoots like this one from a few years ago with my sister and me.

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OLD FAMILY PHOTOS///my gorgeous grandparents

My uncle recently got on Facespace and with his joining a Pandora's box of family photos have emerged. Silly pictures of my Mom being grumpy as a ten year old (she always wondered where my little sisters got it) and black and white stills from generations past where names have been lost and only faces remain. 

The most wonderful photos he's posted though are of my grandparents. They have been married since they were teenagers. He moved from Arkansas and they've lived their entire lives together in southern California. Knowing they are getting more and more fragile every day, it makes me happy to see these photos of them, happy and healthy in their youth. Aren't they gorgeous and in love?

Happy Father's Day Papa///

You're the best Daddy 4 girls could ask for. I love you.

Look at My Garden Grow...

Barriers

Our backyard is constantly on my mind as of right now. We have been trying to come up with something to separate our porch from our neighbors side window and have a quite a few ideas: a trellis with grapes, a large vintage window pane...but I love the idea of using these beaded curtains. 

 My hippie aunt in Northern California even uses them as her shower curtain so you can see through the beads to the beautiful view outside of her bathroom. This will happen at some point, somewhere...it will.

via Bloesem

I ♥ Super 8

This makes me smile and cry. What a moment in time. This is such a time capsule...

Super 8 - 1974 from Jarbas Agnelli on Vimeo.

this reminds me to start making movies.