rebekah j. murray | » happy weekending

atlantic – pacific

Rebekah — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 13:29:12 +0000

Style blogs are the art galleries of fashion, and now (thanks to the other Rebecca J!) I’m quiiite in love with Atlantic-Pacific.

I’m convinced there’s nothing she can’t layer while still looking polished and natural…she even makes polka dots and leopard print match for crying out loud. Wouldn’t mind borrowing her closet and creativity for the rest of time : )

Sarah has been blogging more about her incredible trip around New Zealand/Fiji last fall, and I’m resorting to little gasps of incredulity at the possibilities of life. She was there mostly to teach missions photojournalism but their day of mangoes and snorkeling off their own private ISLAND will forever slay me. See more from her trip right over here.

happy weekending | of gifts & file formats

Rebekah — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 21:02:37 +0000

It’s a dismal March-like day and I’d like nothing better than to sit in one of these chairs with a book and a friend until spring was here for reals.

My birthday last weekend was a wonderful couple of days with people I love, gifts I liked (the playbutton for instance!) and a much-anticipated wedding at the Naval Academy. The bride and I actually share a birthday – same year and everything! We thought that was pretty shweet.

In other news I’d love one of these overpriced typewriters.

The have a USB connection so you can connect them to your computer or iPad, and actually type! Sure they’re the essence of postmodern technology crippling the simple goodness of yesteryear, but as someone who’s written stacks of letters on her own typewriter I think they’re pretty ingenious. (unless they’re a giant hoax that I’m the last to hear about… that happens pretty often.)

Photojojo wins again with file format necklaces! Now all photogs can show off our nerdulent love of NEFs, CRDs, and JPEGs.

On a less selfish note, I’d like to mention my friend Russell who’s leaving in 37 days, 7 hours, 31 minutes and a few seconds for a bike trip across America.

He’s doing it to raise funds and awareness for Young Life’s outreach to orphans in the Ukraine and I’m so impressed by the venture. If you’re able to donate anything towards his trip I know that’d be much appreciated.

Be safe & be courteous.

off again

Rebekah — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 04:43:17 +0000

I can’t help notice how strange it is to be snorkeling in a glowing turquoise sea one week, and packing WINTER CLOTHES to be off snowboarding the next.

(“strange” here referring to the most unique variety of awesome.)

It’s been hard to catch up on life lately, but that’s hardly surprising with trip after trip after trip. Wish I had time to organize my head and desk back into their neat little color-coded binders, but I can’t really complain. I know that the waterfalls of Tennessee and blue grasses of Kentucky REQUIRED exploring, as did the beaches of Tortola…and now apparently the streets and slopes of Vermont?

I’ll be gone tomorrow through the weekend at Mt. Snow, getting some quality snowboarding and face time with all sorts of swell people. (one in particular, but more on him later.) This is the first year in a lonnng time that I haven’t gotten a snowboarding pass, and that’s been sad. I’m hoping there’s enough legit snow left to make the most of getting to ride somewhere bigger than Pennsylvania. I was starting to feel guilty about taking so many VACATIONS, (the work-shunning scandal of it all) but decided since 83% of the rest of my weekends are tied to work, it’s simply my responsibility to live it up while I can. (And that’s a job I can take seriously.)

And for most heartwarming bit of awesome you’ve probably ever seen – National Geographic wins every game for bringing the Up! house to vibrant life.

Hope you’re well.

happy weekending | tortola!

Rebekah — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 23:02:21 +0000

( pc: limeberry )

I’m leaving tomorrow for a vacation in the stunning British Virgin Islands and am pretty ecstatic. I’ve never been anywhere Caribbean-ish so it’s kindof a big deal. My older brother’s been sailing there for the last week and I’m joining him for the second half of his trip. We’re getting to stay at two different houses on different sides of the island, and will spend our week swimming and freckling in SWEET SUMMERTIME GOODNESS. (I even found an affordable waterproof case for my real camera and I so cannot wait to try that out snorkeling.)

It’s another holiday at the sea for us (see our last one here and here) and I AM SO MUCH EXCITEMENT.

I’m treating it like a real vacation and not even bringing my computer. I’m supposed to wake up in 5 hours and packing but of course work

- EDIT -

I’m back home and just noticed this post. I guess publishing incoherent and unfinished blog posts is adequate proof of how scattered I am before traveling? Professionalism ftw!

xo.

Rebekah — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:36:56 +0000

“they came to sit & dangle their feet off the edge of the world & after awhile they forgot everything

but the good & true things they would do someday”

in Tennessee for a week with my chummiest of chums.

we climbed Lookout Mountain and saw 7 states and all is how it should be.

…

Rebekah — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 21:42:20 +0000

Well for starters, I love Carey Mulligan and everything about this outfit.

The skirt, the pleats, the pockets, the ruffles, THE SHOES…it’s just that perfect quirky + vintage pretty look. If you’ve ever noticed she has pretty amazing style in general, not to mention pulling it all off with a 3″ long pixie cut.

In other news and recent panic, I can’t believe The Journey Event starts in only SIX DAYS. It’s been much hoped-for and discussed since last fall when we first had the idea, but now that it’s here it’s basically too awesome to be real. (heh, kinda like some other things in life.) We have six talented girls committing a week to listen, learn, and share, and then a year dedicated to following up on their goals. I haven’t met any of them yet, but from conversations so far I know we’ll leave with some pretty solid friendships.

I have a thousand logistical things left to plan and figure out but more than anything I just can’t wait for them to fly in SO WE CAN START THE PAAAARTYYYY.

…and, I mean, learn stuff.

Right after that I’ll be gone for a bit – Nashville for chums and a wedding, British Virgin Islands for freckles and a nap and Vermont for snowboarding and more snowboarding. January was a great and all but I’m stoked to get back into weddings and travel and all exciting etceras.

The Loudoun Times-Mirror newspaper ran a story on our Wedgewood Collective and that was pretty cool. Seeing your work in print is awesome, but being interviewed and then seeing your face (and twerpy quotes. “unknown necessity?” really Becks?) is just crazy. A few friends wanted to read the article so here’s the link.

And finally, if you’re ever feeling overwhelmed by work or inadequacy, watch this piece about a photographer who can’t see a thing.

Amazing what a person can do without the crutch of excuses.

| Artists Wanted | In Focus : Pete Eckert (Lo-Speed) from Artists Wanted on Vimeo.

1.22.2011

Rebekah — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 05:24:44 +0000

Today was the open house at our studio and I can’t get over how perfect it was.

Maybe especially perfect since there was such a panic-stricken week of chaos as plans and reality collided and we were overwhelmed by an impossible number of last-minute projects. (like oh, getting the old furniture moved out yesterday and starting to frame and hang everything LAST NIGHT.) But some of the kindest hard-working friends came day after day to help arrange all our big ideas into an office-home, and we somehow finished, designing a place too whimsical and pretty to ever want to leave.

As you could imagine, the loveliness of success would be enough.

Except, then imagine 150 of the best people coming over all day for a hug and a tour, you being overwhelmed with happy as you introduced them to all your other best people and walk them through each room.

Imagine (as cliche as it sounds) something you never dared to hope for come true, (like oh, having an office and a shooting studio in an old Victorian home, in the the middle of a 250yr old town?) but resting in the quiet truth that while life may at times intimidate, all things are beautiful in His time. Imagine that, and you would have my today.

I’m amazed by my God’s blessing and provision, grateful for the self-sacrificing love of my friends, and excited out of my mind for all that comes next.

( you are all my collective. )

happy weekending | love from uganda

Rebekah — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 19:42:26 +0000

I know there’s been a buzz lately about horoscopes changing, (which I just find odd and amusing) and now I just have to wonder when they’ll discover that Fridays have fewer hours than the rest. What happens to all my tiiiiime?

I’d had plans for a super detailed post on all I’d like to do and see, but instead I’d like to share something far more important.

Andrew + Carissa Gallo are a wedding photography/video team called FYLM, (For You Love Me) and I adore their work. Even though they’re fairly newlyweds themselves, they’ve felt called by God to adopt a girl in Uganda they’d befriended and supported.

Adoption is an immensely expensive journey, and they’ve put together a video telling their story. I know we’re all busier and poorer than we’d like, but what we take for granted on a daily basis is truly staggering. And not that we should live in guilt for our blessings, but treat them like the gift they are by living a generous life.

They’ve made a website for their adoption story, and I’d invite you to go there, watch their beautiful story, and then consider supporting them in prayer, or even finances. It’s investments like this that last and matter most.

ADOPT RINAH

Much love.

happy weekending | junebug & etc

Rebekah — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 19:40:45 +0000

At the end of each year Junebug presents a “Best Of” collection, with 50 of the most stunning wedding images taken that year. Seeing the best of these world-famous artists is an overwhelming rush to my little aesthetic-driven heart and I flip through it over and over and over.

These are my favorites – the first because I’m obsessed with underwater portraiture and the second because the composition/location is just unreal.

When I was in Michigan I had a little extra time one night, and on a whim submitted a few of my favorite images. It’s a life goal of mine to someday make it on that list and was STUNNED with happy to be given an honorable mention!

(You can see the post over here.)

The picture they chose was of the lovely Shona walking on a rocky beach just outside of Edinburgh, and I’m so proud of this image I could cry. This shoot was right after I’d landed there and I was exhausted after two all-nighters and she was freezing as it started to rain at sunset, but we stuck it out and the results were magical.

It’s absolutely my self-defining image from 2010 so you can imagine how encouraging it was for that to be chosen.

(Waiting on that wedding to be published before I post it here, but can’t wait to share!)

On a slightly less life-erupting note, I quite loved The King’s Speech.

I had a terrible speech impediment growing up and I’m fascinated by stories of other people who overcame theirs. And while the script and filming were excellent, my favorite character was decidedly the wall in Lionel’s office. How delicious is that? So good of them not to settle for a dull room.

I was asked to blog this week (or was it last week? dear sick unfunctioning head) on the Etc Etc blog and it was fun to introduce myself and ramble a bit. It’s a playfully sarcastic “cure for the common wedding blog” and is always a delightful read. My post is over here.

And lastly, I just adore long skirts and think these outfits are beaut. (And while we know I’d never actually wear 4,200 sequins on my person, the pairing is still undeniably chic.)

( via Citizen Couture / J. Crew )

Hope you’re weekend is cozy and dear.

xo & etc.

happy weekending | te mata peak, new zealand

Rebekah — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 17:52:01 +0000

There’s a place in New Zealand, just by the sea, that’s second to see a day before the rest of the world.

It’s called Te Mata Peak, and during her month expedition through New Zealand and Fiji, my friend Sarah got to see it. She was there teaching photography with a program called IPS, and hearing her stories makes me want to drop everything in my life and move to a cottage in the shade of the Remarkables.

She just blogged about her best sunrise view and I fell madly in love.

Ahhhh can you just imagine?

She’s such an exceptional photographer, and shot so many with me this year. But as one of the most encouraging, whimsical dears I know, she wins everything as a blue-eyed, curly-haired, endlessly-hopeful, letter-writing friend. Suffice to say it’s been a memorable year.

Post-wedding shoot in a field of sprinklers? Of course.

She doesn’t live nearby, so whenever we hang out it’s almost always work-related. Except for this weekend! We somehow have the next few days dedicated to parties, shopping, ice skating and whatever other Christmastime shenanigans we can find. And I’m so excited! We love the beauty of our work, but we’re still JUST GIRLS WHO WANNA HAVE FU-UNNNN. (….someone’s been to a few too many wedding receptions.)

I’m about to post another favorite wedding from summer, so in the meantime go explore Sarah’s Ampersand Photography blog and fall in love with her heart, soul, and the other side of the world.