ART: Kevin Appel

   Samuel Freeman Gallery Installation

  "Salton Sea (glue)", 2012, Acrylic, Oil, and UV cured ink on paper, 65" x 44"

  Screen (swainson hawk), acrylic, screen ink, and UV cured print on canvas over panel, 2011, 72" x 60"

http://kevinappelstudio.com/

BEAUTY: Favorite body care products

It's been a stressful October in which I had to fight against a lot of head ache, fever and muscle pain. Spending a whole week at home trying to cure myself and to get well as fast as possible cost me a lot of power. It's not that I'm a weak person, it's just that I rarely get sick. But if it hits me, it hits me really bad. So therefor this month has been all about resting, taking care of myself and grappling with body care products I used to keep myself feel comfy and clean.
I love trying out natural products such as the ones with natural oils and vitamins to keep my skin away from dryness. After taking hot baths before going to bed I used the Nainsook Body Oil from & Other Stories which is enriched with cotton seed oil and vitamin E. I used it like a body lotion applying it all over my body after robbing a few drops between my hands. You really don't need much of it, so the 150ml bottle will last for at least this autumn. To keep my lips soft and smooth I used the L'Occitane Shea Butter which is pure shea butter without any chemical substances. Apply this on your lips before going to sleep and they will feel amazing the next morning. For showering I used the Dr. Bronners Baby Mild Magic Soap. This is definitely one of my favorite soaps. It's 100% organic and fair trade and can be used in many different ways e.g. as a shampoo, detergent, facial cleanser or make-up remover. It contains coconut, olive, hemp and jojoba oil and is enriched with vitamin E. And it's non-perfumed which keeps the scent natural and pure.
You probably know the feeling of looking awful when you're sick. To reduce this feeling and to gussy up yourself, use mascara which will make your eyes look awake. The Babydoll mascara by YSL is perfect for giving you the awake-effect. And just because it looks pretty and keeps yourself busy having nothing to do than lying in your bed feeling sick DO your nails! I used the Whipcord Beige nail polish by & Other Stories which leaves a slight metallic shimmer on your nails.
Before tugging myself under my blanket I spray a bit of Punk Bouquet body mist by & Other Stories in my room and on my pillow to make me fall a sleep. The scent of vanilla and rose smells cushy and makes you imagining you're sleeping in a bed full of rose leaves. Feeling sick is just all about making yourself feel comfy!
Whenever having the feeling your body needs more attention than usual e.g. when you're sick, when you feel lazy or if you're not in the mood then take your time and jazz up yourself with your favorite products and you'll feel so much better afterwards!

Take care and feel good,

PHOTO: Lola Guerrera - Nebula Humilis

The photographic series "Nebula Humilis" by the Spanish photographer Lola Guerrera immediately distracted me by the natural background and the contrasting colors.
It was taken in the Mexican desert and shows artificial colored clouds dissolving in the air in natural scenes. Her intention was to symbolize the exploitation of our natural sources through the world-wide society of materialsm, especially focused on the Mexican desert in which Lola Guerrer took these thrilling photos.
The artificial colors seem to show the human power trying to take over nature. This inattentive human behavior misleads to the result of nature's anger about the society's sustainability which is shown as an explosion of the colors. The vast nature scene in the background contrasts to the conspicuous bright colors. The sandy deserts and the enormous rocks overtake the color dust and indicates the strength of nature surmounting human's forces.
Today's art which symbolizes current environmental, political and economical problems are interpretable in many different ways which makes it interesting to explore and to refer it to several subject.

Enjoy discovering and always stay creative!

Love,

FASHION: Kate Bosworth for Topshop

Just a while after posting Isabel Marant for H&M I read about an other interesting design cooperation. There's not much news about it in the medias, actually there's almost nonthing. I got the info from the German Vogue November issue for , so I thought of sharing it with you.
Well, she's not only known for being a talented actress but she's also known for her great sense of fashion. Kate Bosworth was asked to launch a 2nd capsule collection for Topshop after the successful "Summer Festival Collection" this summer. As a design consultant for Topshop she shows us her talent and taste of fashion and represents her own style. Unfortunately there aren't any published photos of the collection yet. But according to what I've read so far it's rich in luxury and minimalism. The designs are a combination of both girly and boyish styles like leather with cashmere, over-sized silhouettes combined with tight cuts or heavy colors mixed with shimmery metallics.
She's not only the design consultant but the campaign model, as well. There definitely can't be someone who represents the collection better than the designer herself. online-shop or in their retails
The waiting will soon have an end. From the 24th of October you can finally purchase the collection on Topshop online-shop or in their retails.

Good night,

BEAUTY: Autumn's moisturizers

Autumn's come and the temperatures decrease, our skin becomes dry and irritable, so nowadays it's important to always protect our skin against the cold temperatures. Our skin needs to have enough moisture to keep our skin cells nourished with all the substances they need to be able to function   well.Our skin is the biggest organ of our human body and it protects us from our environmental conditions such as heat, cold or irritations. So here I listed some helpful products which will keep your skin moisturized for the coming freezy months.


1. Kiehl's Olive & Avocado Leave-In Oil-In-Cream
Helps dry and damaged hair. Enriched with avocado oil and olive fruit oil to smooth the cuticle. Make the hair more hydrated and elastic and reduces hair breakage up to 85%

2. Kiehl's Ultimate Hand Salve
Keeps you're hands protected against moisture loss by leaving a glove-like protection barrier, enriched with avocado and sesame oil.

3.L:A Bruket Lip Balm
Softening lip balm with pomegranate and coconut scent

4. Aesop-Marimekko Sauna Duet
This duet compromises a body scrub and a body balm which contain essential oil from fire needle, sage leaf and pine needle. Apply twice a week after baths or hot showers.

5. & Other Stories Cotton Care Nainsook Body Oil
A re-hydrating and fast-absorbing body oil with vitamin E and oil from cotton seeds. Fragranced with succulent peach, florals and plum. Use after baths or hot showers.

Keep yourself protected,

FASHION: Isabel Marant for H&M

In mid June it became public that the talented french designer Isabel Marant would start a design cooperation with H&M which will be launched on the 14th of November '13. The capsule collection will be sold in over 250 H&M retails. It's the first time for Isabel Marant to bring out a collection which is for men, as well. Her intention by bringing out a collection which is both for the young ladies and for the young men, too, was to make it possible to mix and match clothes from both genders. If a women wants to look more légère she can combine her silky dress with a wide boy friend coat from the men's line to make it all look a bit more casual. And if she just wants to stick to the tight leather pants and the silk blouses, she can do that as well. Isabel Marant's idea of style is to combine different pieces which create an own look all together. In this way the outfit, you wear, doesn't look too forced but relaxed and flamboyant instead but without looking like you're trying to catch somebody's attention.
Isabel Marant was in doubt about confirming a cooperation with H&M but after thinking through the whole idea she made the right decision and is happy about making it possible for her young fans, too, to be able to afford her designs. "The cooperation with H&M made a dream come true for many of her fans" (vogue).
The limited collection is full of heavy kints, booties with fringes, boho-jackets, boyfriend blazers, leather pants and accessories. The designs are from her former collection with tiny changes in them, such as different prints, cuts or fabrics, although some pieces for the capsule collection are also made of the original fabrics from her former collection. Beauties such as Mila Jovovich, Alek Wek and Daria Werbowy are the campaign models looking easy in the campaign video.
There for sure hasn't been an H&M-cooperation which was been longed for so much. I just can't wait to see the whole collection in the store and soon call myself a proud owner of  Isabel Marant's pieces, too.
Read more here about the campaing.

Can't wait to see it!!
Have a nice tuesday, love

RANDOM: How to pack for a weekend trip

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm heading off to Lübeck today to spend my weekend there. I actually got pretty sick this week but I just can't stand the thought of spending my whole free weekend being sick in Berlin so I rather suffer on the 4 hour train ride until I reach one of my lovely home towns where I definitely will feel better than here.
I just finished packing all my stuff. Well it wasn't a lot cause I'm only away for two nights and I've got towels, toothpaste, shampoo etc. over there. I only packed some few warm sweaters and a pair of jeans and some undies cause it will for sure be a bit colder up there than here.
I use my The North Face Flyweight Rucksack Travel Pack which I love so much. It's just the most practical rucksack ever for short weekend trips like this and I actually bought it after moving to Berlin cause I knew that I will be spending all my free weekends in Lübeck anyway.

It's my first time to take all my camera equipment with my so I was kind of frustrated cause I don't have a proper camera bag which doesn't look like a huge lunch box and I didn't know what to do. Then I remembered that I recently purchased a clutch from & other stories which was designed by Alyson Fox. It perfectly fits into my handbag and I can keep all my camera stuff in there.

So the packing is finally done and I'm now ready to go back to the north. Can't wait to reach home again and be fed my momma and dadda.
Have a nice weekend!
Love,