The Surreal Photography of Silvia Grav

Upon viewing Silvia Grav's black and white photography, one might ponder am I in a dream or a nightmare? Breaths of light and projections of the soul into blackness gives birth to the darkness; in some cases I am afraid for the subject. Black and whites merge with super imposing and multiple exposure taking the viewer into a dream state of the mind. 

FAB: 1960s Makeup

Over at Juxtapoz magazine their current issue is looking back at how the magazine was born out of the 1960s Psychedelic age. This got me thinking and also on a pinning quest of makeup from that era. The 1960s marked a combination of the ladylike style of Mad Men and the free spirit of the '70s. Mod was all the rage in the early to mid '60s which brought on more bold use of color. Also born out of the '60s was voluminous hair and lots of eyeliner, I mean lots. Going retro is still cool to this day, the '60s brought on the liberation of women and a style of their own. I find much inspiration from of Veruschka, Nina Simone, Mia Farrow and Bridgitte Bardot to name a few. Check out these quick makeup styles from this era with companion modern cosmetics that will help achieve these looks. 

Blue eye shadow is back - don't be afraid to saturate those eyes. Left: SHISEIDO Luminizing Satin Serpent Eye Color,  Right: Hourglass Visionair Eye Shadow Prism Duo

Make those lips kissable with bold color in corals and peaches with TARTE's Amazonian Pink Peony Blushing Pink Lipstick

STILAS's Stay All Day Jet Black Waterproof Liquid Liner is my go to get that suburb dramatic look in winged blackness. If you want to go Twiggy all the way, dot under your bottom lashes.

For the full eye treatment you got to get those creases, Coastal Scents Revealed Palette comes in 20 eye shadow colors of warm browns to get every inch of those lids. 

Go naked, not literally, but in this case you want those eyes to do the talking. Matte our your lips in pleasant nudes. Left: SEPHORA's Color Lip Last's Oh My Beige!, Right: YVES SAINT LAURENT's ROUGE PUR COUTURE Rebel Nude Provocateus Rosy Nude

Check out CouponMate - (the web's fastest growing coupon database) and wouldn't you know you can find Sephora discount coupon codes HERE.

Fall For These Looks

These are some of my most adored autumn makeup trends this season. 

The cat-eye has been refreshed this season. 

Left ~ wear full lashes with two arched lines mirrored from each other like Ingrid Pitt from the Vampire Lovers. Right ~ apply with a liquid liner arched up similar to Anna Sui from the runway. 

Lips with a bite with the Best Bite Set ~ apply your darker shade of lipstick all over your lips. Use a lip brush to apply a lighter shade to the center of your pout, blend them gently with you finger and add gloss for a little shine. 

Prune eyes bring out the palest iris, this plum color was seen by Gucci on the runway. You can get this look with Kat Von D's Shade Shifter eyeshadow.

Oxblood is the new black; let blood drip from your fingers. Other nail trends this fall include metallics, applied lace to pale nails and 3D accents. View more nails trends »

To Dye For ~ warmer colors are in the air. I recently just lightened to Strawberry Gold and I love it. View more hair trends »

March Medical Madness - BLOODS

A vampires dream. I'm seduced by the blood portraits from London photographer John Ross. The 'Bloods' series breathes new life for my love of anatomy. These are just to die for.

The Illusionist

I am madly drawn to this floating fabric series by Vinicius Costa, I'm swept into another dimension as if a magic was happening before my eyes, a magician pulling away his scarf in slow motion, or the pendulum that puts me into a trance of each jaw-dropping crafted world.

Melt With Me

Melt. Relax. Let it go. I sink into my flesh, melting away at the visual explosions of artist and creative director Leif Podhajsky who explores the relevance of nature and the psychedelic experience. I find myself getting lost in each piece and matching the mazes with the sounds of newly discovered Blood Ceremony, whose Sabbath like drones are fused with distinguished singer Alia O'Brien's alluring flute solos and contrasted organs.

Tiny Ghost Stories

These are the places of ultimate exploration, the search for perfect haunted house and unveiling of the supernatural…Tiny Ghost Stories is the center of imagination from artist Sara L. Turner, her recent body of work consists of comics, paintings and sketches that hold the world of storytelling and ghosts. Her work comes to life and I imagine myself in each colorful world, flashlights twinkling, shivering in the cold, with whispers and shadows dancing.
~ First image: “Take a Walk with Me to the Edge.” 10" x 10" painting.

~ Second image: “Simon Says.” 4-color screenprint - "16 x 20".

Eye of the Beholder

Thought I'd share this simple chart of ways to wear eyeliner. In the New Year I'm want to get my hands on an old vanity and set it up in the corner of my bedroom. I'll be an old Hollywood star in my own light. I'm planning on spending my week vacation going antiquing with my girlfriend. I also have my eye on this Lori Greiner makeup organizer from QVC, it's like a lazy Susan for makeup. To many dreams of pink rouge and soft lips.

Painted Black

I cannot get enough of black liners that make the eyes super bold, especially for the fall season, match with a pale lipstick or a punch of red and you are ready to go. My friend and I were going through page by page of the fall issue of InStyle and next week the bible issue of Vogue, I wanted to share a feature on my fav eyeliner styles that are in and certainly fierce.


~ NEO-ROCKER: With the wing open just a smudge, the iconic cat eye gets an edgy, new vibe.

~ PUNK HARLEQUIN: Flat solid cat eye line that accentuates the shape of the eye and worn by '70s cult band Siouxsie and the Banshees.

I also want to get my hands on Sephora's Brush Wand, a stackable four brush set that come together magnetically to form a wand for creating your fav painted black eyes.

In Sleep I Dream of This

From within intergalactic space to the intimate resting in the woodlands, Francisca Pageo collages are what dreams are made of. I feel calmed looking at them, I remember one of my first design classes in school, our assignment for a semester was to make a collage everyday. I would cut porcelain faces from magazines, match them with torn fabrics and dried rose petals. I adored the quick hand-made sessions; I cherished that time of my life.

Overdue Books Discovery

Ever wonder what happens to forgotten books from the library? Well last year I ventured to the Art Star Craft Bazaar in Philly and stumbled upon Overdue Industries, who create journals from recycled books, most include the original stamped library card and the original pages are spotted throughout making each journal one of a kind. At the time I was so overwhelmed with happiness, because I wanted to buy so many of my childhood favorites. I ended buying only one, called Rip Van Winkle & the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I bought it for one reason, an illustration of a man wearing a pumpkin as a head. This drawing is going to be the an inspiration for a new tattoo, I've always wanted something related to Halloween, due to the fact I was born on mischief night and drawn to the dark and dreary. With added touches of skeleton hands, glowing lantern and webbing, this will make the perfect piece.

Falling for Pink

I never can get enough pink in my life, seeing pink rouge makes my heart melt and sweet pink sunsets are to die for. I thought I'd share some pink favs, my studio and pink in the shop.

Photos from top to bottom:

~ In Love - I adore the simplicity of this photo, nothing is more important in my life than my companion. By Selena Vallejo.

~ Insouciant - Worry surrounded by sherbert colors and brilliant paint splashes. By Jlk Design.

~ My STUDIO, you can check out more pics over at mah flickr.

~ Flying Home - Vintage earrings which were inspired by my dreams of flying.

Nebula of Life

I love the tone of this collage portrait by Sara Hogren, the inked webbing of hair is like a growing nebula tangled with fear and things made of nightmares. There is a hint of whimsy and connection between the children, as if their childhood is deteriorating. As we age our purity becomes diluted as we become sucked into society like machines.

Paper Cuts

I remember when I was little, it was the first time I had been to Disney World, as one of the souvenirs my brother and I both got Victorian inspired silhouettes hand-cut with precise edges, they hung in tiny frames on the walls of my childhood home for years.

This timeless art form is very much still alive! A recent discovery is artist Olly Moss, who worked many months for her exhibition "Cut Out Show" at Gallery 1988, where the walls exploded with paper-cut silhouettes of pop-culture icons. I'd especially love to collage my walls with many of these, as an nod to my childhood, teen years and love for movies.

See if you can figure out these and most on her blog!