2014 Countdown till christmas: Day 1

December 5, 2014

December is here, and that means it's time for an Xmas countdown! I'll be posting an illustrated advent calendar every day in the month of December. Hope you enjoy!

Hi! I'm Sarah.

This blog is where I share inspiration for creating an oasis for body, mind, spirit & space.

It's an extension of Very Sarie- my creative studio that combines Design, Art Direction, Illustration, Styling & Content Creation.

I'm thrilled you're along for the ride.

ARE YOU A KINDRED SPIRIT? Then we should definitely get to know each other.

Hit me up your favorite way below.

MY ADVENTURES ON iNSTAGRAM

Time for another #30days30flatlays tip: Let’s talk about props. Props can make or break your flat lay. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I like to think of them like accessories to an outfit. Sometimes you just need a little sparkle, sometimes you want to pile both arms high with bangle bracelets. The key- just like in fashion- is to have balance.
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Coco Chanel was said to advise with the following when dressing with accessories: “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off”
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As much as I love them, I feel the same way about props. Look over your scene and ask yourself “is this (x,y,z thing) helping or distracting from the story I’m trying to tell?” And if it’s not helping- as beautiful as it may be - kick that darn thing to the curb!
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Show us all your favorite props in a scene! Tag me and #30days30flatlays.
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#storyofmytable #thechalkboardeats #f52 #foodphotographyprops #losangelesphotographer #foodstylist #feedfeed #foodfluffer #onthetableproject

(Scroll down for #30days30flatlays tip.) Happy Friday loves! Hope you have some special time planned with friends and family this weekend. I have a couple of different dates with girlfriends this weekend and I’m really looking forward to catching up. AND we have some family in town staying with us- so it’ll be a full schedule.
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Wanted to leave you with one last #30days30lays tip for the week. This one is all about white space- something I LOVE playing with (I think it’s my graphic design background 😊.)
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Don’t feel like you have to fill the whole frame. Where can you find pause or space for the eye? By doing this, you actually draw more attention to the area you want the viewer to focus on.
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Let me know in the comments if white space is something you’ve ever played with before. Or you know, just tell me what you’re up to this weekend. That works too. 😊💖

I’m not much a a Valentine’s Day celebrator, but seeing everyone’s posts today has made me a bit sappy I suppose.
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My valentine. He keeps me (and everyone else) in a lot of laughs. And doesn’t bat an eye when I request photos outside during a snow storm.
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Today I want to talk about SIMPLICITY for our #30days30flatlays challenge.
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One of the reasons I love shooting smoothie bowls is because I can let the food be the star. You see, sometimes you don’t need a bunch of props to create a compelling flat lay. (And trust me, I LOVE me some props. It’s a borderline hoarder situation at times 😬)
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Take a moment to think about the STAR of your flat lay. Is it a dish/food item like this? A product you sell, or project you’re working on? How can you strip it down to its bare elements and let that single thing tell the whole story?
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CAN’T WAIT to see what you come up with! And don’t forget to tag me and #30days30flatlays so we can cheer each other on!

I present to you blue moon mylk. (See my stories for the dramatic pour shot 😂)
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When I found out today’s theme for @thelittleplantation winter food photography challenge was blue, I was scratching my head. My images tend to be on the warmer side, so I don’t even have any backgrounds, etc that are blue.
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But THEN I remembered I had some butterfly pea tea in the pantry and everything started to come together.
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First- the recipe: steep the pea tea in hot water. Pour into mug and add a little honey and an herb/adaptagen of your choice. (I used ashwagandha.) Top with warm, frothed milk of your choosing. I use oat milk cause me and almonds don’t get along, plus Oatly milk froths BEAUTIFULLY.
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Now, for the photo. After I decided on the recipe, I actually realized I had several things around the house with blue in them that could be used in the photo. I had just never considered them for food photography before 🤷‍♀️.
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Thanks Kimberly for helping me see things in a new light!!
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#eatcaptureshare

I snuck in and grabbed this shot on my iPhone during @barij book shoot while @carlaypage was getting the profesh shots. 😊
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#30days30flatlays tip #1 today is just that- use your iPhone!! Don’t be discouraged if all you have to shoot with is a camera phone. They’re actually REALLY good for flat lays because they keep everything evenly in focus.
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Tip #2, is more of a style observation. Bari is a bit of a maximalist, and that’s exactly what this table scene I styled was showing off. So we really wanted to fill the scene. Notice we chose repeating colors so it didn’t get completely cray. 😜
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I know this is a trickier look to pull off, but don’t be afraid to experiment with going over the top- edible flowers and layers of place settings included! Just practice practice practice. You’ll get better, I promise!

Playing along again with @thelittleplantation winter food photography challenge- and today’s theme is “white.” When I put this scene together, I realized I don’t have very many interesting white/cream colored plates and bowls... Normally, I would have put this soup in one of my (many) vintage crocks. But this is why we play with challenges like this, no? To push ourselves to do things we wouldn’t normally do. And I’m so happy to have created something a little bit different than normal. 💖😊 I’m also starting to experiment with flash! 😱 This was shot with a set up I learned from @we.eat.together_ . Super inspired by him and @thebiteshot when it comes to branching out with different techniques!

AND in case you’re wondering, this is a paleo cauliflower soup recipe from @theendlessmeal. SO YUMMY! (I added some sprinkles of @traderjoes everything but the bagel seasoning on top because it’s pure magic. 😛)
#eatcaptureshare

In today’s #30days30flatlays tip we’re talking about BACKGROUNDS. Or rather... the lack of them, I guess.
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If you’re new to flat lays, or struggling with composition, etc., it’s helpful to remove an element and simplify. And the easiest one to remove is the background!
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Of course every flat lay OBVIOUSLY has a background, but I’m just talking about shooting your scene on white.
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And you don’t need a fancy schmancy, pristine white counter or table top either. Wanna know what this was shot on? Cheap white poster board. That’s right. The stuff you pick up at the craft store- several sheets for a couple of bucks.
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It’s easy to move around, and if it gets messed up or spilled on WHO CARES! C’est la vie!! It’s also easy to stash in a closet or under the bed if you’re short on space. And BONUS: white reflects and bounces around light, so it actually helps your scene look better.
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So go ahead- show me your very best flat lays on white! Be sure to tag me and #30days30flatlays

I’ve fallen behind on posting images for @thelittleplantation winter food photography challenge. (This one was supposed to go live on Saturday 🤷‍♀️)
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It’s the last of my recent experiments with mood though, so I still wanted to share it.
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Also- am I the only one who’s tickled pink when they have citrus with the leaves still on them? One of the reasons I love having citrus trees in the back yard. Although, the “critters” have not been kind to our harvests the last couple of years. These ones were “harvested” from @wholefoods 😂🍊🐀
#eatcaptureshare

Shot this mug wall a couple of years back at @ojairanchoinn and I’m still as obsessed as ever.
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Those mugs by @katandroger gah! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
That lettering by- eeek! (If anyone knows the artist, let me know!)
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How badly does this make you want a neighborhood joint nearby that keeps your very own mug at the ready??? 🙋🏼‍♀️

My second entry for @thelittleplantation winter food photography challenge: Still playing with the dark side.
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I jumped on the celery juice thing long before it was a trend when I read about it in @medicalmedium book. At the time, instead of thinking it was healthy and chic, most people thought it was disgusting and weird. Wasn’t the first time that happened to me...pretty sure it won’t be the last. 🤣
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I’m also taking this opportunity to play along with @twolovesstudio minimalist challenge. Swipe right to see my celery all alone in its (pre-juiced) glory.

#eatcaptureshare

Spoiler alert- totally inspired by @dennistheprescott with this shot.
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Love that this little ol platform can bring so many creative voices together under one umbrella. A place to inspire and be inspired.
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Developing my food photography skillz has been such a fun journey, and I 100% credit the talented photographers I’ve discovered here for helping me hone my craft.
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And here’s a fun fact you may not know- I originally got interested in food photography through my work as a graphic designer and creative director (which I still do BTW!!) Years ago, I was on a grocery store account and there were LOADS of food images and time spent on set.
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Then, I started working with an agency that specializes in consumer packaged goods clients as a packaging designer, creative director and strategist (everything from General Mills to MillerCoors) and again, SO MUCH food photography. And I discovered I LOVED it. I mean, I loved cooking and food already, but peaking behind the curtain with these brands cemented it for me. I didn’t realize all that time with other photographers and stylists was a classroom of sorts for me.
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I never dreamed I would pick up the camera myself, but it’s all felt very natural and organic. Plus, it lets me combine my love of design WITH my love of photography. Visual storytelling at its best!
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For today’s #30days30flatlays tip jump down to the comments.

It is full-on THUNDERSTORMING today in LA. If you’re not familiar, that never happens here. Rain, yes. But thunder and lightning- heck no.
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Takes me back to my midwestern roots. I’ll be snuggled in right here in this spot getting some work done while simultaneously soothing a very confused and freaked out pup.
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(Also- 1000x better than the sun-zero temps my midwestern friends/family are experiencing. That’s a big ol’ HECK NO from this gal 😂🙅‍♀️)
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Challenge alert!!
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If you’ve followed along with my work, you’ve probably noticed that I LOVE a flat lay. Hands down my favorite way to capture visual stories through photography. If I had to guess, it probably has something to do with my graphic design & art background. Flat lays, you see, tap into a lot of the same principles. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
So I thought it might be fun to do a little challenge together here on IG: #30days30flatlays. Today is 02/30. (Did you see I snuck one in yesterday??)
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I know I won’t post them 30 consecutive days in a row- hey, my idea, so my own rules, k? 😂 But I do promise to keep them coming consistently.
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And BTW, this is not me using this to show off my skills (although, anytime you practice something over and over, you’re bound to get better).
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After a marathon day styling 25 flat lays for @barij new book (coming out next year!) I got to thinking I may have a lot to teach when it comes to banging flat lays. So that’s what this challenge is- a chance to practice, yes, but also a chance to teach and share what I know on each post- so you can take some of my knowledge and practice too!
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If you’re into that sort of thing, follow along and use the tag #30days30flatlays. And it doesn’t have to be food. Flat lays are great for visual storytelling in ALL forms of creative entrepreneurship.
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Post as little or as much as you like- let’s cheer each other on!!
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Here’s today’s tip: utilize repetition and geometry. The banana slices here had such a nice repeating circular shape, I decided to repeat that with the 3 bowls. Then, the bowls have a triangular placement so that your eye moves around (in a circle!) but never leaves the image- always being drawn to the next shape.

Yeah, yeah, I’m double posting today, but @thelittleplantation is running a food photography challenge right now so I thought- what the heck, I’ll play along. (And I almost forgot today was the first day to post!)
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Creating work like this for IG reminds me of the early early days on this platform when it was ALL about creative playtime and experimentation.
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This first prompt was for onions and leeks, but for some reason garlic stuck in my head and when I saw this black garlic it made me giddy. (Guess I’m already breaking the rules in the first prompt 🤷‍♀️) Thought it was an excellent opportunity to experiment with some moody lighting. Whatcha think? Should I keep playing with “the dark side”?? #eatcaptureshare

Looking back on some work I created last year. This was from a series centered around natural skincare (something near and dear to my heart.)
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It was a personal project and one of the first ambitious visual storytelling collections I created. It was a project that helped me realize photography had become more than just a hobby for me.
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It’s so fun for me to look back and see how my curiosity continues to unfold into new skills and creative pursuits.
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I used to think it meant I might be a bit of a flake. Now I know all of it weaves itself into a tapestry that is uniquely me. Designer ✅ creative director ✅ stylist ✅ photographer ✅ strategist ✅.
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I don’t have to choose anymore, because all of them together make me the powerful visual storyteller that I am.
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What truth can you own about yourself today??

Are you a “woo?” I totally am. But this photo makes it look like I’m way more “woo” than I am- in regards to cards and crystals, that is. (I mean, I’m still pretty woo.)
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While I do use them, I don’t pull cards frequently. And when I do, it’s more about giving myself a different perspective or something to ponder/meditate on that I may not have thought about on my own.
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The reality is, I’m drawn to cards, crystals and stones like this because I love their intrinsic and artistic beauty. Recognizing, celebrating and surrounding myself with beautiful things is super important to me, and in its own way has become part of my spirituality.
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I used to think that was superficial, but the more I practice the appreciation of beauty, the more I see beauty in just about every thing + situation in my life- Even the “bad” and “ugly” stuff.
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It’s given renewed meaning and understanding to what I do for a living. I create beauty. I help people bring their visions to life. I turn ideas, notions and possibilities into stories and brands that bring people, products and businesses together in ways that wouldn’t have otherwise happened. I create connection.
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Beauty/ design / art- whatever you want to call it... doesn’t sound so frivolous when you think about it that way, no?

Mr Gooder and I were talking this morning about spending more time in nature. The tendency is to think we need to travel long distances to make that happen. And while that can certainly be the case, this view of the Malibu coast (one of my favorites) is just a short drive away and we rarely make it there.
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... just pondering some changes I’d like to make in 2019.
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Ps- while I love the view, one of my favorite parts of this image is the woman quietly contemplating the majesty of mama earth & ocean. Do you see her??

Kinda wishing I had a big ol’ plate of these right now:
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Soy chorizo sweet potato fries with @Davesgourmetinc creamy roasted jalapeño hot sauce. I was kinda just winging it with this recipe, but it may just find it’s way into regular rotation! It’s like being naughty without actually having to be naughty.
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I used @gimmesomeoven recipe for perfect sweet potato fries, topped with @the_tofurky_company soy chorizo, feta, and cilantro, and then drizzled and dipped with Dave’s hot sauce. Sups easy!

Planning out my rainy day menu. This curry salt edamame will do the trick. Next up is a big pot of stew I think.
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#beautifulfood #damnthatsdelish #artofplating #saveurmag #thatsgoodhousekeeping #feedfeed #feedfeedvegan #tastingtable #food52grams #foodiefeature #foodislove #hocsupperclub #foreverfaffing #thesimpleeveryday #thesimplethings