never enough pretty lights

After nearly forgetting I shot these pics, I looked around and realized my floor is no longer crowded with 4 weird and wonderful nomad friends, a moon mat, (check these things out! most comfortable recycled item I've come across to date) countless tie-dyed shirts and the incessant sounds of electro music pumping out my front window.  I miss it all, but looking through these photos of galactic design I notice something totally organic about the forms and patterns of light which, to me, calms the inevitable passage of time.  Slinking snakes, skeletal ghosts and twisters of rainbow xylophones lit up our world as if the entire output of the Chinese New Year was crammed into a big screen TV box.  The contradiction I find in man-made objects, able to produce such cosmic whirlpools of lights with a simple human movement, reminds me that no matter how much alkaline, steel and petrol needed to create our world full of junk, all you have to do is have a little fun with it and the results will astound you in the most elementary ways.

full immersion

the master revealed

lets all live in the center

there are genies at the end of every light trail..

schizo

Take from them what you wish and if you get a chance to see Pretty Lights...do yourself a favor and GO.

Btw those luscious beats you're probably bobbing your head to right now are classic PL. 

Soak it in.

catch ya on the flip side,

-shane

red wall fall

on christen: odille blouse, urban outfitters skirt, h&m thigh highs, i.n.c. oxfords
on magic jake: vintage sears flannel circa 1877, griffith shorts 
on shane: billabong shirt, h&m pants, globe sneakers

If I had to guess, I'd say our sporadic style of posting isn't a mystery. My only alibi is this:  in a world full of junk, consumption and accumulation where does one stand out? Is uniqueness found in a flurry of pictures, thoughts, links, videos and commentary on everyday life? Maybe. But to me, pockets of distinguishability arise in the miniscule; in between the threads that we so artfully weave together to make up our own cultural understandings. So if you happen to give our link a clickity click, remember how you got here. What small inkling of fascination did you pursue to check out 2 fairly normal human's blog? I'm satisfied not knowing - I'm absorbed in the mysterious reasoning behind this postmodern trend of stumbling and discovering. Let us not fail to explore.

Our beguiling icon, Columbus, probably couldn't tell you what he was looking for when he set out across the big pond but he sure as hell found something worth discovering. Keep the receptors open at all times. You never know what delights lay around the corner. As summer turns its shoulder to us and the auburn winds of fall fill the city, go out and watch it breathe. Watch it spin and twist in our solar spiral of this magnificent universe. We're one among many but it's that invaluable solidarity that makes each day worth living. Tune in for more.  
-shane

one hand wonder.

Welp. I did it again. I managed to not only paint my nails, but to paint them pretty spiffy...spiff...uhh, spiffily? This is a new phenomenon. But of course I was hit with the age old question of, How on earth am I supposed to do this to the other hand?!! Perhaps a question she can answer. But not I.

Remember these faux hipster glasses? They're an instant intelligence booster. We couldn't figure out why people weren't taking advantage of this wonderful open space filled with wonderfully cushiony and perfectly green grass! Maybe if there were more out there who took that leap and slid some FH glasses behind their ears, they'd be granted with the smarts to grab a frisbee and scoot on over. Clearly they're what gave us the idea. Ah ha! That's it, I've decided I'm never letting these things go, ever again!

susana monaco dress, vintage hand-me-down necklace, kookai belt, i.n.c. oxfords

Anyways, I caught wind that September is National Be Kind to Writers & Editors Month, and I think that's just dandy! Sunflowers are my favorites, and I prefer dark chocolate - drizzled with a little white chocolate if you really wanna pamper me...just sayin'!


-christen

my 15 minutes.

Those of you who follow us on Twitter already know how I felt about this outfit at the time that I wore it (yesterday). But the truth is that I felt good in it. It was a very self-centered good feeling, I must confess, and let me take this as an opportunity to shamelessly gloat. FTW now presents you with...

modcloth sweater, f21 culottes, modcloth heels

The Christen Cardigan! (ooooh, ahhhh, ohhhh!)

Seem clown-ish to you? That's okay! You're not alone! In fact, the reason it's named after me is because, during one of the ModCloth Writing Team's daily product naming brainstorm sessions about a year ago, I was the only one of the bunch who didn't giggle at this sweater. I might've giggled, actually. But only in glee. 

The more I wear it, the more I like it! Especially now that everyone in the world who is wearing it...is basically wearing me. Which is a concept I never thought I'd desire, until the day came. And now, I must admit, I'm on a bit of a power trip. 


The I'm-a-celebrity-so-I-can-do-what-I-want type. Pretty soon you'll all be spotting pictures of me getting into trouble, on magazine covers as you check out at the grocery store. Oh, what a shame. I always thought she was such a nice girl, you'll say...and all this, because of the sweater. You go wild, too, if you were me.

It's good to be back 'n bloggin'. Love to all!

<3 christen

where did the wolves go?

Pinterest

Bloodthirsty for more fromthewoods posts? We'll be back after we've howled at several moons!

new digs, new kicks, no reason to stop singing

I'll never come out and say I spend too much time on my bike, but Friday I might have come close. I was all decked out in recent birthday presents (messenger bag, pants and shoes), and although it's rare for me to wear new clothes during a full day of heated up biking, a solid pair of shoes only last so long...so in my mind, you gotta blow em out doing things you enjoy. Some like their 'pumped up kicks' preserved and pristine, but I prefer mine weathered and beaten by the end of their days.

chrome messenger bag, uo pants, globe heathen shoes, specialized road racer

...what better way to remember the countless miles traveled than a visibly loved pair of kicks and a hardened set of legs? 
-shane

the gears are in motion, the sun's at our backs...oh the many surprises we have up our sleeves.  its just a tuesday, but so much more right?

transitions.

Well, old apartment, that was fun! I've officially moved back home and am living among boxes and bags that could potentially stay where they are for the remainder of my life. And somehow, that doesn't even bother me*! In the meantime, I'll just have to live vicariously through Shane, who inhabits a fresh apartment that's just waiting to be postered and partied in. That is my new photoshoot location for now..

*not at all true.

anthro top, anthro skirt, vintage belt, modcloth shoes (necklace broke before it made it into the pics!)

We're working on a video tribute to 515 Semple, by the way, so check back soon for that!

-christen

rocky mountain high

view atop St. Mary's glacier

 well it's been real Colorado, and I'm sorry to leave, but I guess this is more of a "goodday" than a "goodbye." it'll be awfully sad not waking up to snow-topped mammoth mountains rising grandly out my bedroom window--only the long open road between you and that next big feature. but I will return. for now, the action was radical and the excitement remained at a constant high. following a morning of ziplining and a delicious lunch of beef brisket sandwiches we hit the rapids along the Arkansas River and fought wall after wall of sheer white water force. only a handful of class 3 and 4 rapids stood between us and a safe trip home, but we battled strong and after a few mishaps, flip-outs and whoop-dee-doos we managed to keep her topside and find land just in time. this journey is a must for all you thrill seekers out there.  fast paced, wild and sweetest of all, the most refreshing thing to do on a hot day in Royal Gorge, Colorado.  so sit back and enjoy this fisheye view of rafting on the Arkansas from a safe and dry distance atop my ever-important helmet.  if you get a chance, go rafting and be free. or, go run up a hillside and see how cool the earth looks from just a few hundred (or thousand feet up). chances are you won't regret the decision. rafting is one hell of a liberation and you never know what you'll encounter along the shores of an ancient railway. it's a bone yard down there and you'll love every second of it. 

before packing it in and heading back to Denver we had a day on the road including a stop and short hike up St. Mary's Glacier where the snow is soft as powder and the views don't get any sweeter. just as lightning storm struck we crested the top and took in one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments before heading back down. at the base stood one of the many ghostly remains of a burned out dream of a quaint life in the desperate mountains of Colorado.

back on the road we hit up sulphur hot springs and soaked away any stress in 23 pools of element rich boiling hot water.  the sensation was incredible especially with a chicken sandwich from Mini's Restaurant.  2 spry old ladies manned the station cooking us up a great meal and sending us happily on our way.

i dug the original sign - most likely straight out of the 50's

Mini's was the spot to be with free Wi-Fi, $5 sack lunches and enough love to bring even the rockiest of folks together.

overall, a solid vacation in the books and I hope you all can enjoy a glimpse into a majestic land with endless boundaries.  i encourage all to get up, and explore. "you are now free to move about the country."  
-shane

your wild colorado

it seems like a lifetime since the family and i have made the trek to the rocky mountain state so, in a flash, we booked a flight, made a few room reservations and off we went! the second i stepped out of the Denver airport that rocky mountain high hit me like a breath of fresh O2; almost like it was hiding right below the surface of my brain... the crispy thin air, the looming mountain monuments and raging waters of the Arkansas River never skipped a beat. we were ready to hit the road. 

day 1 consisted of the usual arrival and seemingly mile long walk through Denver's maze of baggage claims and underground tram ways, then the car rental pickup (we scored a somewhat sporty chevy malibu but the pig takes, literally 10 seconds to hit 45 miles per..) and a departure South towards Colorado Springs.  we spent the remainder of the day at the Garden of the Gods and Seven Falls, which were both as epic as they sound. and let me tell you, there are mountains EVERYWHERE

base of Pike's Peak in Manitou Springs

snowcapped, evergreen topped and some just plain rocky! at Seven Falls you would have thought my hands were coated in squirrel food because the chipmunks and ground squirrels were friendlier than ever and the falls couldn't have been more radical.  after a 347 stair climb we were all feeling a bit woozy but one look out to the skyline and that calming sensation took over with awesome force. 

gnarly set of stairs leading to the top of seven falls 

incredible view from atop the falls

rumor has it small rodents are likely to carry the plague...these dudes were just too cute for me to care!

when you've lost all hope just remember the sky is endless and the sunset is the only the birth of a new dawn
Leadville, elevation: 10,200ft

friday we set out for Canon City and packed in a full day of ziplining and rafting.  here's a quick edit of our day in the mountain scrub sailing at speeds up to 45mph and lines longer than 1000ft.  twas quite an extreme experience but nothing compared to the afternoon's journey down the Arkansas.  let's just say we didn't stay safe and dry in the raft...helmet cam view of a wicked day in the depth's of Royal Gorge will have to wait till tomorrow.  until then, stay wet, stay wild and remember, out west there are no limits.
-shane

Talk to us.

pinterest

Hiya, folks! Have you noticed we added some tunage to serenade you during your stay? We think it's pretty dang cool, but in the end it's you who decides what's up to snuff, so let us know what you think! You can do this by voting in the nifty poll located over yonder, under our list of faithful followers. 


Oh, and by the way, if you have any suggestions for songs you'd like to hear instead (or just songs we should be putting on our real iPods), puhhlease let us know in a comment below! 


Thanks for your input!!


Poll is now closed.

22, woo!

Saturday was my birthday, and although it would've been really spectacular of me to eat 22 slices of birthday cake, or shoot 22 fireworks from between my teeth, or get 22 tattoos, I instead figured I'd just gather some friends together and make a mess in my apartment. A sober mess. A mess that I would later have to clean up myself. Thanks for your inspiration, Katie.

First, I grabbed some paper and arranged it rainbowfully (we've established in the past that the lighting in my apt. is weird, and that nobody knows how to use the settings on my camera, so just trust me that it looked pretty!).

 Then I stuffed it in the retro Osterizerrrr that Lacy's madre so kindly passed down to me, and blend, blend, blended that shiz up!

Cheers, m'dears!

This is where the mess was created. So messy your brain can't even comprehend it, and it's registering as a blurry image to your poor innocent eyes! But not as messy as if they were real drinks we were tossing in the air, so that's a bonus.

Birthday pic! One which portrays how I am truly a horrible model - constantly in motion - so let this be a tribute to Shane, for somehow using his camera to trick you into thinking I'm actually standing still most of the time. It's all a lie. But a good lie! Go Shane!

-christen


PS - Shane is on a trip to Colorado with his family (lucky dog), and will soon be posting exclusive footage of his travels on the very blog you're reading right now, taken from his new GoPro helmet cam! Stay tuned!