Friday, December 9, 2016

Imagination

Never give up; and never, under any circumstances, no matter what - never face the facts.
Ruth Gordon, American actress (1896-1985)


Little snow that we got last night, melted quickly by early afternoon under the typical Northwest rain. With objectively cold and wet weather and objectively short days, it is more and more challenging to find time for outdoor photo shoots. And our facing north cottage is objectively dark and quite objectively cramped for glamorous photos. Those are just plain facts, right? Right. They are discouraging, but objective, right? Right. I must face them, right? Wrong. I'm definitely not the one who stares in the face of reality. 


Too often we hear the facts that are discouraging, gloomy and even depressing. We think, "But those are facts - we can't hide from them. We must be brave, and we must be smart, and we must face the facts. Our parents faced the facts, and their parents faced the facts, and their parents also faced the facts, so it must be the right thing to do." 


Says who?
I could write a long list of "objective facts" about my life that are discouraging, gloomy and even depressing. 
I wasn't born yesterday. I lived a little, I did stuff, I fell down a few times, I was laughed at a few times, and from time to time, for over a quarter of a century, I've been told how naive is my way of thinking. 


 Well, it works for me. I figured out a long time ago that if I don't like the facts, I can choose not to face them. And then I did just that. I've done it with so many things that I'd be writing for hours if I started listing all the times when I did not face the facts and just went on to do my own thing. 


I've done it with little things like getting the stuff I wanted, and with bigger things, like places to live, education, relationships, jobs, health, vocation. If I didn't like the facts, I just imagined something I would like.


So that day, when I wanted to have a photo shoot, but there were no preferable conditions available to me, I also did not face the facts. Why would I? Justin and Anya had just tided up our living room, and we decided to give it a try and use the little natural light that we get in the cottage for an improvised photo shoot.


And I love the result! 


I am wearing this imaginative dress by Beth Ditto that I recently purchased (on clearance) that is pure silk and made in the US. The dress has a fun bubble shape and can be worn with a belt, without one, and sort of half-way belted. They call this pattern "Eat Your Make-Up". I'll admit that I didn't eat mine - but I used sparkly green eye-shadow to emphasize the festive mood of the dress, and of course red lipstick, my best friend.


It is up to us to decide, whether to face the facts or not. If we insist on facing the facts, nothing would stop us from doing just that - not one force in the universe. But if the facts that we are asked to face don't bring joy to our heart, if they don't put our mind at ease, if they don't make us genuinely happy - then we can choose not to face them. We can choose to imagine something better and face it instead.


Dress - Beth Ditto
Pumps - Sam Edelman (old)
1st jewelry set (neutral) - gift from the sweet and stylish Elle
2nd set of jewelry (gold and blue glass) - Chico's (old)

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32 comments:

  1. This post is amazing. You decided well to shoot in your living room. The light is magic and you and the Ditto dress look stunning.I love your make up. Love the last picture, you are so beatyfull.
    I wish you a very nice weekend, many hugs Tina

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    1. Thank you so much, Tina, for your kind words! I am also very pleased with the way pictures turned out! It is challenging in our dark cottage.

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  2. Interesting. What then, exactly is a fact? Perhaps many things that are to be considered a fact is really a circumstance? Lovely dress-I've never owned anything silk.

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    1. Silk is wonderful!!! :) And yes, you got it. Circumstances that feel limiting. Obstacles that are turned into opportunities - it is the essence of creativity. It all starts with imagination. Artists and inventors do it intuitively.

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  3. ohhh natasha!! can´t explain how much i love this text!!!
    ist totally genius and its THE TEXT FOR ME!!
    <3 <3 <3
    thank you soul sister!
    on to your stunning dress!!! that print is so whimsical and lively yet elegant! and this balloon shape adds to the whimsical, lively elegance!!! chapeau to the designer! and silk!!!! awww....
    and perfekt styling - my dear - both statement necklaces are gorgeous and wearing this "almost not there shoes" is a cool trick!
    ignoring the "facts" and doing this indoor shoot was the best idea ever - the pictures have soooo much athmosphere!!! just magic! justin and you - you´r a fabulous team!! (and not to forget anya - who helped with the tiding up!) :-)
    love the dark green eyeshadow!!!
    much love and kisses and hugs!!! xxxxxxxx

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    1. Beate, and I can't express how happy I am that you get it, and that we found each other in this big waste internet world! Thank you for mentioning us as a team - yes, we really work well together! So does our team with you and Tina, yes? :)
      Lots of love!

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  4. Ahhhh....you're wearing it and it's just as gorgeous on you!!
    jodie
    www.jtouchofstyle.com

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  5. From one dreamer to another...bravo!
    I love the whymical feeling of the dress which will be amazing to wear. It particularly suited this post.
    Those lights added a nice touch.
    Keep on being the creative imaginer you are!
    Xo Jazzy Jack

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    1. I am sooo happy that we dreamers found each other! We need to start our own movement - Dreamers Unlimited! :)
      I agree about the lights! Lots of love!

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  6. I love Beth Ditto - whatever happened to Gossip? I saw them back at the tail end of the 1990s and loved them.
    The print of your dress is fabulous and the room is lovely. Photos are a pain at this time of year. xxx

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    1. Thank you, Vix! Can you believe I don't even know who Beth Ditto is? But I love lots of her designs!
      Hugses!

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  7. Such a rad dress and it has pockets! Love the colors! <3

    - Anna

    www.melodicthriftychic.com

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    1. It's probably the most eccentric dress in my wardrobe, but it feels very much like "me". Thank you, Anna!

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  8. Lovely dress, such an original shape and really bold beautiful colors!, and you look gorgeous!!. It makes me smile that I had to take my pics indoors too!
    besos

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    1. I'm going to visit and see your indoor pictures! Thank you, Monica!

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  9. I do so love that quote, this sums me up perfectly and obviously I am not alone in these feelings.So glad you tried indoors, the results are wonderful in that subdued light.Now onto that fun dress , the colours and shape are brilliant and it must be so much fun to wear.

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    1. My dearest Jill, I am so happy to know that this idea resonates with you! I was so excited to find out that this fantastic actress was also a very wise woman and "my kind of people". :)
      Thank you - I also think that indoor photos was a great experiment!

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  10. I usually am not happy with my indoors photoshoots. I guess I am a bad photographer, haha. Beautiful dress, Natalia, such a lovely print and shape. Love your eye make up too!

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    1. Olga, it takes Justin's professional skills to get decent photos in our extremely low light house, so don't feel bad about your photographic skills please. Your outdoor pics are always outstanding!

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  11. OK, face this fact. This shoot is spectacular and perhaps my favorite! I love your mosaic dress and your perfect radiant face ,framed by that gorgeous lit window! I like indoor shoots, if you can find some light, or imagine some!
    o;)
    xx, Elle
    http://www.theellediaries.com/blog/

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    1. You made me laugh! :) Thank you so much, it is a high praise, Elle! Sending love!

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  12. Beautiful photos of a lovely frock - and lovely woman too!

    Unlike you, I rather like facts and realities, and think we should face them, actually. I think I agree with Sam that some of the things you describe as facts are more a set of circumstances, and of course we can make choices to change those. I am not generally a fan of prayers of any kind, but the Serenity Prayer speaks sense to me; grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. xx

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    1. Thank you, Curtise! I understand what you mean, believe me! I think we all are able to see whatever we are able to see *now*, and it changes as we are changing, but I firmly believe that we all need to trust our instincts and follow whatever resonates with us strongly at any given period of our lives.
      Much love to you!

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  13. This silk dress is wonderful. I really like its pattern and I like how you accessorized it. I think that natural light makes this dress stand out even more. Why should we only take photos outside? I like indoor photos, especially in Winter...they can be so cozy.

    I know what you mean by choosing not to face facts. Sometimes we make our own facts and our own reality. We don't have to do what others have done. It is true that it is easier to take the path that has been already set, but taking a new path is so much more fun...even if we end up with a few scarves from the wild bushes and what not, taking a new path is always such an eye opening experience.

    Wonderful dress, photos and words:)

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    1. It easier in some fields, and more difficult in others, but we definitely all do it, we create our reality, otherwise life would freeze in one state.

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  14. Just stopped by to say hello from Tina's and Beate's post and to thank you for the lovely link-up idea. Happy blogging Natalia. Sabina

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  15. I absolutely love you in this dress. It really looks great on you!

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    1. Thank you so much, Buttercup! I have one more item from Beth Ditto, in very similar lines - it will be on my blog soon!

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