Karl Lagerfeld

"I’m very much down to earth,
just not this earth.”

Yes, you may have worked hard to get where you are - consider it a gift anyway. Because the second you feel entitled to something, it will lose it's purpose of happiness.

If your whole life up until now felt like preparation and planning, chances are, the rest of your entire life will feel the same. What'cha up to?

Be Alive

There is far too much real love in this world to pretend, and there are far too many good people in this world to defend - the bad ones. True passion is rare, protect it, don't neglect it, don't infect it and don't inspect it. There are only two things to trust, your intuition and your kindness, that's why you must, overcome the blindness. There is nothing more tender than the simplicity of living, we are given our gifts, but what have we been giving? Are we taking more than we deserve, using more than we preserve? Did we forget to say our daily grace, to say hello world, thank you for letting me face, another morning. Have we thanked the day for letting us see, another you and another me?

- MF

If you don't mind the silence,
you can silence the mind.

Mick and Bianca Jagger

Anything worth doing is worth overdoing!

They met side of stage, and tied the knot in St Tropez. Rock royalty – holding hands, leaning close – in broad-brimmed hats and three-piece suits, and in the Paris of ‘71 they had Jade Sheena Jezabel Jagger. They split in ‘78; later, he said “a good thing never ends”, she that her marriage ended her wedding day. “The past,” he said, “is a great place.”

Drive, He Said

My favourite movie of the year...


Ok – not only am I obsessed with Ryan Gosling, but his mysterious, dangerous and seductive acting in this movie is just incredible. The 80s theme of this film was captured perfectly (soundtrack, filming, timing and all). The whole idea about it is a mystery in itself, which makes it so much more suspenseful. He is a stunt driver, stuck in the violet ideas of his mind that the only way to deal with real life threat is to hammer nails to a head or drive dangerously – I mean, does it get any sexier and disturbing?

Master of Potential

"There is only one cause of unhappiness: the false beliefs you have in your head, beliefs so widespread, so commonly held, that it never occurs to you to question them." Until you finally do. And it hits you like a ton of bricks. It’s okay to misjudge a friend and feel fooled after. Learn to forgive yourself, appreciate yourself for coming to your senses, and most importantly – forgive them too. You can only go on so long coming up with excuses for someone else’s behavior, until it comes to a point where you’ve become too stubborn to admit your own poor judgment in someone. Or maybe it’s the false hope that there is a better person, deep down, stuck within them. Hidden behind their selfishness, pain and insecurity. You’re trying so hard to pull out a better version of them that you’re willing to feel their pain, convincing yourself that you’re meant to fix them. You forget who you are in the midst of protecting and nurturing another damaged person. You blame yourself for not being able to help them, and ultimately “cure” them. During this whole state of great disturbance and uncertainty (that we've caused all by ourselves), we lose touch with where true happiness lies. We're so driven by this project, and we are determined to see happiness there waiting for us when we finally "cure" this other person. When the reality of it is, there is no such thing as a finish line, there will be nothing waiting for us on this path. Nothing but destruction, disappointment and a big sign that you'll soon run into that looks something like DEAD END.

So, why do we do this?

Maybe it’s the satisfaction of possibly causing positive change, or the subconscious feeling of control. Maybe it’s the false love we feel when we’re busy betting on potential. Are we seeking to validate these people - or even seeking validation from them? Either way, it’s harming us more than anyone. Everyone else will be who they are, with or without you and every lesson you claim to bring along. Everyone has their own schedule, their own destiny. As do we. We are constantly looking outwards, trying to help heal the world and change the people in it. When will we learn to look within ourselves, and believe in our own ability? Before you try and make anyone else’s world a better place, you need to surf your inner waves, and master your own potential. Take care of your senses, and watch how everything else will take care of itself.

Let it go. Your wings are only strong enough to carry yourself. So look for the people who can fly beside you, not beneath you.

- MF

You’ll meet her, she’s very pretty, even though sometimes she’s sad for many days at a time. You’ll see, when she smiles, you’ll love her.

~ Pan’s Labyrinth

Instant of Affection

I thought I knew you.

I thought I had memorized your smell and finally felt comfort with your warmth. You offered me your story and in exchange I had given you my heart, my trust, my tears, and my laughter. I thought time would attach our souls and let us dance forever. Forever had turned into an era – and it lasted for what only seemed a minute. I can no longer close my eyes and feel your breath against my skin. I can no longer trust you to put colour in my life, for the picture has become black and white. I can no longer let myself melt into you, and hope that you won’t crackle my shell. I have grown to you, with you, and now will grow apart from you.

So until we meet again, Summer,
you were the greatest friend.

- MF

The 7 Chakras

Each of your Chakras has its own unique “personality”, each controlling a specific aspect of your life. So if you’re experiencing any form of physical or mental shortcomings, limitations or challenges in your life, there’s a high chance one of your Chakras is weak or closed.

1. The Root Chakra influences your career and money mindset.
Location: Base of the spine
Primarily influences your career, money mindset and sense of belonging.
Energies: Earth, grounding, focusing, centering

2. The Sacral Chakra influences your sexuality.
Location: Lower abdomen
The energy center of sexuality and pleasure.
Energies: Fire, energizing, charging

3. The Personal Power Chakra influences your self-esteem.
Location:Above the navel
Influences your personal power/ability to channel this power into the world.
Energies:Fire, energizing, charging, lends energy

4. The Heart Chakra influences your relationships.
Location:Center of the chest
The Chakra for love, relationships and self-acceptance.
Energies:Water, calming, soothes, relaxes

5. The Throat Chakra influences your self-expression.
Location: Throat
The Chakra of your “true voice”.
Energies: Water, calming, soothes, relaxes

6. The Intuitive Chakra influences your intuition.
Location: Center of the forehead
This Chakra acts as your inner compass.
Energies: Air, meditative, intuition, promotes thought

7. The Crown Chakra influences your connection to source.
Location: Top of the head
The Chakra of divine consciousness.
Energies: Air, meditative, intuition, promotes thought

Source: chakrahealing.com

So Totally Relaxed

Resting at my open window
I gaze out at mountains
A thousand peaks of blue and purple
Rise above the pines
Without a thought or care
... White clouds
Come and go
So utterly accepting
So totally relaxed.

~ Han-shan Te-ch'ing (1546-1623)

My Essie

My favourite colours for Fall :)

Bobbing for Baubles

School of Hard Rocks

Case Study

Russian Roulette

Sew Physched

Angora Cardi

click to visit Essie website

Jason Wu Fall/Winter 2011

Jason Wu revealed his elegant Fall/Winter 2011 collection at the Old Dia Center on 22nd Street. It was a gorgeously polished collection comprised of immaculate tailoring, exquisite lace detailing, and Baroque inspired ladylike class.

Orly Genger for Jaclyn Mayer

Artist Orly Genger’s Fall 2011 collection for Jaclyn Mayer. Inspiration: the juxtaposition of the hard metal with the soft jerseys and ropes, wrapping of Egyptian Mummies to the colors of African Safaris.

Magic

If we keep focusing on the troubles of the world, we will surely continue to miss out on the beauty, art and magic around us. We were given eyes to see colour, choose not to see smoke. We were given ears to hear music, choose not to hear screams. We were given lips to speak kindness, choose not to speak pain. We were given hearts to feel passion, choose not to miss out.

- MF

"That is the hardest thing of all.
It is much harder to judge yourself
than to judge others.
If you succeed in judging yourself,
it's because you're truly a wise man."

~ the little prince, antoine de saint exupery

My Space

Home is a place not only of strong affections, but of entire unreserve; it is life's undress rehearsal, its backroom, its dressing room.
~ Harriet Beecher Stowe

Thought I would share a couple snap shots of my bedroom & living room... Nothing too personal. That's for the very few ;)


Curtains and long wool sweaters...well, Autumn has sure arrived. A lot of my inspiration is taken from Anthropology, Urban Outfitters, Tricia Guild and simply going to Indigo to find new ideas.


A small preview of my book/magazine corner. Constantly collecting, always reading. I keep most of my books in my living area however my current read (The Creative Life) is by my bed.


Buddha rests in both rooms. Always. On my night table sits my smiling Buddha, there to tell me good morning and good night and to remind me to BREATHE.


2 of my favourite candles, paired up like a perfect match. Every evening after work I always light a candle or two.


Hung above my bed, the main art piece of my bedroom. I try to separate my "retro" side in my living room and keep my other my sanctuary, where I find it easier to reflect and rest.


Audrey Hepburn, my love. You will hear about her a lot from me.


My fathers art work, a Patrick Nagel painting from '83. He's a talented guy. This is a huge piece hanging over my leather sofa. The colours used to be quite brighter but from facing sunlight it has faded. The blue and red are to die for.


Pillows! and lots of 'em. Different patterns for different moods.


With love
- MF

Temporary Madness

"Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are.

Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two."

~ Captain Corelli's Mandolin

RIP Steve Jobs

“That’s been one of my mantras — focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”

Genius!