kittens, it's been a fabulous week.  the "name the muse" contest is still going strong and the entries are ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!  the best names in the history of names!  a handful of readers have even submitted biographies and back stories.  be sure to enter (if you haven't already), and peruse through the truly creative and inspired submissions.  who knows...you may even find the perfect name for your future child, pet, or alter ego!!!

on that note, i'm off to the slopes.  yep, i'm grabbing my butterfly-covered snowboard and heading for mammoth.

however, before i pack my suitcase, i wanted to share my weekend winter fashions with you.  i've selected the following outfits, which should technically last me through sunday.

hope you approve!

above:  ruby bikini with matching booties;  emerald everyday jumpers;  winter white camouflage couture.

above:  his & her frocks.  perfect for the slopes or chalet.

above:  and finally...my reliable, everyday, go-to hoodie.

have a wonderful weekend, bunnies!  your hair looks marvelous...

xoxo,

tula

{images via the selvedge yard, sisters in black frocks, and lee sutton.}

i never thought i'd say this...but, that spaniel has a great ass.

{graham samuels illustrations for whyred denim.  via the amazing uncle beefy, of course!}

vladimir, a portland based filmmaker & visual artist, crafts fabulous, multi-sensory experiences using one of my fave childhood toys:  the viewmaster.

in 2003, vladmir began designing, photographing, and hand-assembling her own "vladmaster" disks to be viewed via the viewmaster toy.  her deliciously illustrated disks feature textured and moody 3D photographs of subjects such as vintage game pieces, neglected household objects, and one inch high dioramas.

each vladmaster series tells a unique 28-picture story.  for example:

above: "fear & trembling" documents a dinner party as seen through the eyes of someone who probably should not have attended.

above:  "franz kafka's parable" pays homage to traditional mythic and historic figures such as a poseidon and alexander the great.

above: "italo calvino's invisible cities" -- marco polo tells tales of his travels to an aging kubla khan.

above:  "acteon at home" tells the story of actaeon -- a hunter unlucky enough to catch a glimpse of artemis bathing naked amongst her nymphs. as a result, actaeon was transformed into a stag.

did i mention most vladmaster series include an original soundtrack?  a soundtrack, kittens!

so, make a playdate, slip in a disk, turn up the music, and get ready experience the view-master with a whole new perspective.

 
hold onto your mittens, kittens, because we're in for a fun ride!

john tusher, the dashing and debonair owner of velocity art & design, recently acquired this gorgeous, vintage painting (above) from white sage studio in seattle's ballard neighborhood.  isn't she fabulous?  this lovely lady is so superbly special that she will provide the decor inspiration for john's latest interior endeavor.  however, the only problem is...she needs a name.

and, that's where you come in...YOU GET TO NAME HER!

yes, mr. tusher has asked the readers of WHORANGE to name his muse. john describes his painted lady as "sexy, sophisticated, a little rough around the edges, and very well traveled."  rumor is she hails from buenos aires, but the year of her birth is unknown.

but, wait, there's more!  not only is john a modern-living savant, father of one, hero to many, and inspiration to all, he is also ridiculously kind and offering a fab prize to one lucky participant:  a limited edition, signed, matte stephens print entitled "Alfred was obviously underdressed for his induction into the Adventurers Hall of Fame."

love. this. print.  click here for more details.

TO WIN:  simply enter a name for the muse in the comment section of this post.  how easy is that?  be inspired, be creative, and be fabulous!  you may enter three times, but you must nominate a different name each time.  this will increase your chances of winning, poodles, so hop to it!

the muse name that receives the most nominations wins the title.  so, feel free to review what other people have written and rally behind the same name if you desire.

please note, you don't have to pick the winning name in order to be eligible for the prize.  simply nominating a name puts you in the running.  i will pick one winner at random on monday, february 1st, at 9:00 pm PST.

and, finally, can we just take a moment to admire her stunning coiffure...

...talk about an inspiration.

good luck, everybody!  and thank you, john, for entrusting us with such an important decision.  we love her, we love velocity, and we love you!

UPDATE!  due to the overwhelmingly amazing entries thus far, john tusher has added FOUR MORE PRIZES!  yep, five winners total will receive prints!  how fabulous is that?  thank you, john!!!!!

while cruising jenn ski's delicious blog, i came across these iddy biddy, mini modern homes constructed by dwell living enthusiast, LBrand Terraria.  the small-scale shelters feature floor-to-ceiling windows, indoor/outdoor living, clean lines, green landscapes, and not a neighbor in site. 

now all i need is a mini me to move into one of these tiny creations and i will be living large.

just remember...at WHORANGE, every day is sunday.

have a wonderful weekend, darlings!

{via the delightful june craft.}

it's no secret that squirrels and deer get plenty of play at WHORANGE.  however, believe it or not, these cuddly creatures were not my critters of choice as a young lass.

when i was little, i wanted to be a paleontologist.

that's right. i dug dinosaurs and flipped for fossils.  at the age of seven, i could name over 100 dinosaurs, including their food preferences and predators.  my favorite dino was the styracosaurus because it had six gloriously long horns extending from its bony neck frill.  it looked like a prehistoric drag queen.

however, my paleontology dreams ended one fateful summer when i visited a dig site and discovered not only would i be getting incredibly dirty, but the standard uniform was head-to-toe khakis.  at age ten, i knew it was never going to happen.

true story.  the rest, as they say, was history.

{"vintage curiosities" polaroid photography by elizabeth soule.}

conversation skirts.

filling awkward silences never looked better.

{nina leen photography.  via playfast.}

the lovely miss holly becker of decor8 recently created a flickr group called "interior styling", which invites readers to submit purty pix of their hottie homes.  holly carefully curates each submission and the results are quite craveable.

rules for submissions include "no flash photography," "no gratuitous product placement," and the one that disqualifies me completely -- "no porn."

here are a few of my faves from the group.  turquoise theme was not intended -- must be pantone's brainwashing taking effect.  damn you, #15-5519!

{above:  "the map" by ethanollie;  "redecorating" by candi mandi;  "morning ritual" by the gorgeous miss paola thomas of mirror, mirror.}

{above:  "boyhood fun" by trisha brink design;  "polished candlesticks" by rearranged design.

{above:  "piles of pity" by ninainvorm;  "some people..." by kari bombari;  "display love" by ninainvorm.

thank you, holly, for the inspiration!

"almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better."

-- martin luther king, jr.

{illustration by matt dorfman.}