Photographer Feature: Nick Griffith

Nick Griffith and I went to high school together, and I think he's a very good photographer, as well as a great artist in other mediums!  He's been some places that I have never seen... including Hawaii!  I'd love to go there, and maybe I will one day.  But, in the meantime, I hope that you will join me in enjoying his photographs and dreaming about how beautiful it must be.

More of Nick's work can be found on his flickr account, The Next Big Thing.

Here are some more of Nick's awesome photos. These ones were all taken in Pearl Harbor.

Hawaii, USA

Lincoln Love

Who doesn't love Abraham Lincoln?

He made the Empancipation Proclamation, ending slavery in the United States of America.

He was president during the Civil War.  How cool is that?

He has an awesome beard.  And was really tall.

He also was basically not a politician until he was suddenly a politician.  Isn't that the best kind?

Oh, and he's the emblem and darling of nifty steampunkers everywhere. 

Could he be cooler?  

Oh, yes that's right... he became a martyr too.  Snazzy.

 Danny is a big fan of Lincoln's.  We've found all kinds of incarnations of this man, including an unbelievable comic series called Time Lincoln, where Lincoln starts to time travel just before getting shot, and must, with the help of Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein, use his new arm that has been crafted into a gun to defeat the evil Voic Stalin.  It's pretty incredible.  We framed it and hung it on the wall over our dresser in our steampunk-themed bedroom.

Lincoln has been popping up all over the place in pop culture.  He's even known now for being a vampire hunter.  Abraham Lincoln- Vampire Hunter.
It's real, and it's becoming a film. I swear.

However, where we did not expect to see him was... Disney World.  Walt. Disney. World.  Abraham.  Lincoln.  But, there he was.  Standing out from the crowd in the Hall of Presidents.  Every president got to nod as the announcer (which happened to be the voice of the excellent Morgan Freeman) called out their name.  There were only two presidents who actually spoke- Barack Obama, the current president, who is actually fantastic enough that it was indeed his own recorded voice in the Disney spectacular event, and, you guessed it: Mr. Abraham Lincoln. Disney just picked you and Obama, Mr. Lincoln. If that's not an ultimate win, I don't know what is.

Random side note: sorry about the terrible quality of some of the photographs in recent (and unfortunately a few upcoming) posts!  They are very pixelated.  There's this setting on my camera called "low light," which is meant to take, well, better photographs in places with not very much light.  What I didn't realize, because the screen on my camera is so small, is that this setting reduces the pixel quality by a lot.  Henceforth on this blog, this "low light" setting will be referenced as the "suck setting".  It'll be my excuse, a very true one, for any bad photo quality.

Walt Disney World, Florida, USA

So Many Updates

Happiness!  Yay!

Tomorrow is a post about Abraham Lincoln.

Thursday is a new Photographer Feature!

Friday is a new Inspiration Friday.

Everything is exciting.

Oh.  And I am actually tweeting. 

@travelntoile if you want to join in the party.

That's all for now.  Please, enjoy this photograph of fireworks over the Disney castle.

Also... no worries.  I'm done with the short little posts like this.  Substance, my friends.  It's coming your way full force!

Walt Disney World, Florida, USA

Terrific Tuesday Store Update

More new things!  Lots and lots of magnets available, including smaller, cheaper ones. 

You can now own some Travel and Toile gear for only $2! ($4 including shipping!)

Also- if you want to buy an item that I don't have for sale, I can make just about anything you want out of any photo you see here on the site.  

Want a small magnet?  Fantastic. 

Mug?  Marvelous.  

Print?  Perfect.  

Framed Print?  Peachy.

T-shirt?  Terrific... soon.  I'm actually planning to start making t-shirts, but I haven't done it yet.

But yeah, anything you want, I'll put it together for you.  Just email me at travelandtoile@gmail.com and we'll discuss pricing.  Then, I'll create the item and list it in my store, saying that it is reserved for you. 

After that, BAM!  

You buy it, I ship it to you, and everything is awesome.

Anyways, here are some things I listed earlier this afternoon.  I hope you like them!

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4" x 6" Magnet of "Castle on a Hill" Original Photograph of Bratislava Castle

From Travelandtoile

$4.00

Come along with me on a fairytale dream.

The castle is atop a jagged hill.

The sky is purple.

Everything is soft and pretty.

And you are the ruler of this magical land!

This can all be on your fridge. Or your desk. Get taken away to a magical place!

"Castle on a Hill" is an original film photograph of Bratislava Castle in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. This castle is actually under heavy renovations so that it can be open completely to the public, and I was lucky enough to visit it just before it temporarily closed. This photograph was taken from the bottom of the hill, and was developed in such a way that the colors became very vibrant. There has been no digital editing done to this photograph.

This order is for one 4"x6" magnet of the photograph. The front of the magnet shows the photograph, and the back is entirely covered in super strong magnet- there are no strips or anything. The magnet is fairly sturdy and clings to magnetic surfaces tightly, so it won't fall off easily at all. Your item shall be shipped in a padded envelope if ordered alone, or with other magnets or prints. If ordered with other items, such as cards, snowglobes or mugs, it will be shipped in a box. Just a reminder- second items only cost $1.00 for shipping!

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4" x 6" Magnet of "Lion" Original Photograph of New York Statue

From Travelandtoile

$4.00

Do you like adventure?

How about things that are lovely?

Are decaying statues your type of thing?

Then look no further than this one-of-a-kind magnet! Add some vintage feel to your fridge, desk, door, or whatever. Enjoy the shabby chic look of a lion too old and beautiful to cause any harm.

"Lion" is an original digital photograph taken outside of St. Marks Church in the East Village area of Manhattan, New York City. The East Village is known for its hippie past and hipster present, and this church and its outdoor statuary do not disappoint.

This order is for one 4"x6" magnet of the photograph. The front of the magnet shows the photograph, and the back is entirely covered in super strong magnet- there are no strips or anything. The magnet is fairly sturdy and clings to magnetic surfaces tightly, so it won't fall off easily at all. Your item shall be shipped in a padded envelope if ordered alone, or with other magnets or prints. If ordered with other items, such as cards, snowglobes or mugs, it will be shipped in a box. Just a reminder- second items only cost $1.00 for shipping!

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4" x 6" Magnet of "Enjoy the Ride" Original Coney Island Photograph

From Travelandtoile

$4.00

Ever dreamed of going to Coney Island?

Feel like you need a touch of New York City on your fridge?

Enjoy amusement park rides?

Want to feel a rush of a warm beach breeze?

This magnet is perfect for you!

"Enjoy the Ride" is an original photograph of an amusement park ride in Luna Park, in Coney Island, New York City, USA! This touch of Brooklyn Americana was actually taken on the Fourth of July, 2010. Imagine you are riding through the air with these people on this unbelievable, and very pretty looking ride.

This order is for one 4"x6" magnet of the photograph. The front of the magnet shows the photograph, and the back is entirely covered in super strong magnet- there are no strips or anything. The magnet is fairly sturdy and clings to magnetic surfaces tightly, so it won't fall off easily at all. Your item shall be shipped in a padded envelope if ordered alone, or with other magnets or prints. If ordered with other items, such as cards, snowglobes or mugs, it will be shipped in a box. Just a reminder- second items only cost $1.00 for shipping!

Thank you so much for your interest! If you like this item, please check out some of my other stuff for sale. I also have 2"x3" magnets available of this print- please see other listings for them.

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4" x 6" Magnet of "Chubby Buddha" Original Photograph

From Travelandtoile

$4.00

Ever wanted a little touch of Buddha in your home?

How about a bit of history?

Or, a bit of... London?

"Chubby Buddha" is an original photograph taken of an ancient Chinese statue of Buddha in the British Museum in London, England. The background is of a painted wall from a Chinese temple. The Buddha laughs happily, spreading wisdom and joy!

This order is for one 4"x6" magnet of the photograph. The front of the magnet shows the photograph, and the back is entirely covered in super strong magnet- there are no strips or anything. The magnet is fairly sturdy and clings to magnetic surfaces tightly, so it won't fall off easily at all. Your item shall be shipped in a padded envelope if ordered alone, or with other magnets or prints. If ordered with other items, such as cards, snowglobes or mugs, it will be shipped in a box. Just a reminder- second items only cost $1.00 for shipping!

Thank you so much for your interest! If you like this item, please check out some of my other stuff for sale. I also have 2"x3" magnets available of this print- please see other listings for them.

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2" x 3" Magnet of Travel and Toile Logo

From Travelandtoile

 

 $2.00

This is a magnet of the fantabulous Travel and Toile logo!! Straight from the front page of the Travel and Toile blog!

It's an original photograph of a bird flying over the Paris skyline called "Overhead," with the words Travel and Toile printed on. It was taken in front of the Sacre Couer in Montmartre, and you can see many famous Paris locations in the background. I titled the photograph "Overhead," because the bird is at least thirty feet above all of the people on the ground, and with the camera angle, it looks like an even greater distance.

Paris is a beautiful city, the City of Love, and having a piece of it in your home or office can brighten up your day with dreams of travel. This photograph was originally seen on my blog, http://travelandtoile.blogspot.com.

This order is for one 2"x3" magnet of the photograph. The front of the magnet shows the photograph, and the back is entirely covered in super strong magnet- there are no strips or anything. The magnet is fairly sturdy and clings to magnetic surfaces tightly, so it won't fall off easily at all.

Your item shall be shipped in an envelope if ordered alone, or with other magnets or prints. If ordered with other items, such as cards, snowglobes or mugs, it will be shipped in a box. Just a reminder- second items only cost $1.00 for shipping!

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2" x 3" Magnet of "Overhead," Original Photograph of Paris Skyline

From Travelandtoile

$2.00

This is an original photograph of a bird flying over the Paris skyline. It was taken in front of the Sacre Couer in Montmartre, and you can see many famous Paris locations in the background. I titled the photograph "Overhead," because the bird is at least thirty feet above all of the people on the ground, and with the camera angle, it looks like an even greater distance.

Paris is a beautiful city, the City of Love, and having a piece of it in your home or office can brighten up your day with dreams of travel. This photograph was originally seen on my blog, http://travelandtoile.blogspot.com.

This order is for one 2"x3" magnet of the photograph. The front of the magnet shows the photograph, and the back is entirely covered in super strong magnet- there are no strips or anything. The magnet is fairly sturdy and clings to magnetic surfaces tightly, so it won't fall off easily at all.

Your item shall be shipped in an envelope if ordered alone, or with other magnets or prints. If ordered with other items, such as cards, snowglobes or mugs, it will be shipped in a box. Just a reminder- second items only cost $1.00 for shipping!

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2" x 3" Magnet of "Beach Ninja" Original Photograph

From Travelandtoile

$2.00

Beach Ninja is out to serve justice in righteous and sandy kind of way.

Join him in this fun print as he sneaks around a park bench to defeat the mighty seagull Gulcor and his malicious minion T-ruck the truck. He must save New Jersey from their evil schemes!

This order is for one 2"x3" magnet of the photograph. The front of the magnet shows the photograph, and the back is entirely covered in super strong magnet- there are no strips or anything. The magnet is fairly sturdy and clings to magnetic surfaces tightly, so it won't fall off easily at all. Your item shall be shipped in an envelope if ordered alone, or with other magnets or prints. If ordered with other items, such as cards, snowglobes or mugs, it will be shipped in a padded envelope or box. Just a reminder- second items only cost $1.00 for shipping!

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Thank you so much everyone!

Happy Travels!

Vintage Splendor.

I just... I just wish that I could wear a corset all of the time.  I wish that this was socially acceptable.  I would flaunt my little corset up and down the street and feel so skinny and ladylike.  It would be awesome.

Part of me wishes that people still dressed like they did before the flappers.  That women had to wear giant bustle skirts, with hoops, corsets, high-necked frilly lace blouses and heeled, laced boots.  All of those pieces are so elegant and gorgeous.  They make you feel womanly.  Well, they at least make me feel womanly.  For my job, I'm an actor, I've gotten to wear some pretty authentic stuff, and I just love it.  Though I know we've moved forward, and that progress is wonderful and all that, I wish that I could just dress like that occassionally.  I mean, I could, but I'd probably get some odd looks.  Less here in New York than most other places, but still, some.

Some types of corsetry have become acceptable, and I couldn't be happier.  I've picked up some nice clubwear bustiers and a few corsets more acceptable for normal wear too.  I got a neat burgundy one from Forever21 about a year and a half ago that I sometimes incorporate into my ensemble.  However, I'm loving some of the stuff I'm seeing from Topshop and H&M for spring.  They make me want the warm springtime to come even sooner!  

If I do pick up some awesome near lingerie-as-clothing kind of stuff like that, I promise a fashion post.  That's too exciting to me not to merit one.

Photographs taken in Walt Disney World, Florida, USA

Back on Track

Back to Positivity. (I've been a bit negative lately it seems...)

Back to Good Health. (I've been sick...)

Back to Loveliness. (Hard to dress yourself up when you're sick...)

Back to Auditioning. (Hard to audition when you growl instead of talk...)

Back to Waking Up at a Normal Time. (Yeah... this just hasn't been happening...)

Back to Not Traveling. (Nothing is planned now!  I can stay home!)

Back to Lack of Sarcasm. (Apparently I've been a bit sarcastic lately too...)

Back to School.  (Well, not taking classes, but I am volunteering at my old school!)

Back to Life. (After being sick for a week it's easy to feel a bit dead...)

Back to Disney!  (Not really... I wish...)

Back to Travel and Toile. (It is what it is.  I like it.  You like it.  That's all that matters...)

All photographs were taken in The Magic Kingdom, mostly during the Block Party Bash Parade.

Walt Disney World, Florida, USA

Inspiration Fridays: I'm Just a Hopeless Romantic

I really am.  Give me a soft kiss, some light colors and low light, and I'll be happy forever.

Unknown Source

but it's Ichimaru Gin and Matsumoto Rangiku from Bleach

 

Portrait of Elsa- Frank Bernard Dicksee

Unknown

Dorothy Mackaill

by op

Dawanda

 Persuasion-Leonard Campbell Taylor

Unknown

Reverie- Francois Boucher

Unknown...

Dear Umi

Thankfully, I have a boyfriend who understands just what a romantic I am.  Sometimes, when I've had a bad day, he buys me roses.  Red roses.  Usually a dozen of them.  This cheers me right up- very few things make me happier than roses from my lover.  He buys me them for no reason a lot too!  But I must admit, the idea of spending my days lounging against crumbling statues in a field of flowers, wearing a corset and my hair up in a fancy do, reading poetry and sipping tea sounds amazing to me some days.  Honestly,  it sounds great most days.  I've been trying to take some time to do something like this, despite the cold.  In summer and spring and fall I will sit in parks to read while sipping coffee, but this winter I've been going to the library.  It's been quite nice.  I'll go and pick up some Lord Byron, Percy Shelley, Jane Austin, William Shakespeare, Fyodor Dostoeyevsky, or a recent favourite, Anthony Hope, and curl up in an armchair for hours.  Bliss.


What is not bliss is the number of unknown sources in this pos- if you know the sources for any of these beautiful pieces of artwork, please comment and let me know!  I'd like to give credit where credit is due.  If you own any of this art, and wish to have it removed, I will do so immediately.


Thanks!

I Love My Readers

Just in case you didn't get it from the last post, where I thought I made it incredibly clear, but I apparently did not...I love my readers.

I love you guys.  You're the reason I do this.

So, thank you.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

If you were offended or hurt by the last post, please don't be.  I love you guys.  I said that multiple times.  I mean it.  I really, really mean it.

I just wish there were even more of you :P

What IS Travel and Toile?

... I don't know.

Travel and Toile is currently having a bit of an identity crisis.   

What is it?  

It's not a fish...

It's not a fashion blog.  I don't show photographs of myself, or anyone else modeling cute outfits. It's not a lifestyle blog either.  Though it was a photography blog for awhile, it has morphed away from that.  I write too much to justify calling Travel and Toile a photoblog these days. Also, I sometimes sacrifice photographs of quality so that I can have something more interesting to say.  By that, I mean that I don't necessarily post my best shots, I post what I think will serve the overall entry.

Hmm... entry...Is it my diary?  No, I don't write what I do every day as it happens.  I kind of write what I'm thinking about and couple it with photographs I have taken, or pick out some photographs I have and come up with something to say that will weave it all together.

But, what is the classification for that?  Is there one?  I write a blog... blog.  Have I allowed myself to be so random that I defy classification?  I know I'm nerdy and let that show though, but have I only overextended myself by writing about what I'm thinking?

I keep coming back to the idea that I'm an awful photographer, a terrible writer, and an ugly, good-for-nothing, lousy web page designer and overall person.  But, I do have some readers, so that obviously isn't it. My readers are way too nice, classy and cultured to be reading a crappy blog.

  Maybe I don't advertise and put my blog out there enough?  I feel like I do though.

My conclusion... my skirt is in a bunch.

My actual conclusion:  I have no niche.  This blog is rather general haha. 

What is Travel and Toile?
 How can  I end this identity crisis?

Walt Disney World, Florida, USA
Photographs of me taken by Daniel Garrison.  As usual.