A Holiday & Thank You Giveaway!

Happy Holidays!

As many of you know I'll be moving to India in the New Year (in March to be exact) and have started a new blog From India. With Love. You also may have noticed that postings on this blog have subsequently become a bit....slow and at the end of the year Apt.#412 will be going on temporary hiatus. Come January I'll be in full pre-departure mode for India, throwing my pregnant sister's baby shower (my first niece/nephew!), and just getting a lot of stuff ready and in order.....to be honest maintaining two blogs is the last thing I want to do. I decided to start From India. With Love. to document all of the adventures I will have in India and as sort of a resource for anyone thinking of moving to India (especially women or people of colour) or people who simply plan on visiting India. I'd love for you to join me on my new blog.....

Which leads me to my final Apt.#412 Giveaway which is also a THANK YOU for reading along for the past....15 months.

I'm a huge lover of books - not just novels but books about design (hence this blog)...about travel (hence my new blog)...about photography (which there will be lots of on the new blog)...as well as books that are inspirational...and many other kinds...

SO my giveaway is for ONE WINNER to receive ONE of the following books (winner chooses which book they would like to receive). The books with an asterisk I have read/own (and in the case of the DVD also seen) and 100% vouch for. The others are ones that I would love to own. I think they are all great and would be a great addition to your bookshelf or coffee table....

Domino's Book Of Decorating*

If you're a design blogger or read Domino then you've heard all about this book...

Within The Frame by David DuChemin*

This is not a technical book per say - what it is is a book about how to make meaningful photos...

especially those of the travel kind - and to help you with your photographic vision...

Who Will Cry When You Die*

I've often quoted this book in posts...little short thoughts/lessons that inspire...

Lonely Planet India

Lonely Planet guidebooks are amongst the most popular....

Just in case you're planning on visiting India...

on Happy Chic Colors

I LOVE colour in homes but for a lot of people it's tough knowing how to inject colour into your space...get tips and ideas from the master of colourful, playful, quirky design...

Eat, Pray, Love DVD*

Most people have heard of this book/dvd...watched the movie this weekend - 

the scenery and colours are stunning...

Secret Daughter*

A really touching book that goes back and forth between India and America.... 

Lauren Conrad Style

I'm not a fashion blogger or the type that reads fashion...guidebooks...but I flipped through this one at the bookstore and it's one fashion book I'd really like to own.

1,000 Places To See Before You Die*

The new 2010 updated version - filled with inspiring places and things to see...

Now here's how you can win:

- Visit my NEW blog From India. With Love. and comment on ANY POST. Be sure to include: (Apt.412 giveaway some place in your comment) so I know you're entering the draw.

- For a ANOTHER chance to win become a follower of From India. With Love. - scroll to the bottom of the main page and you'll see the widget thingy. (sorry if you already follow you don't get a second entry!)

- For yet ANOTHER chance to win tweet or do a quick post (even a sentence or two) on your blog about this giveaway (and let me know at imnotreallyadiva[at]gmail.com). In the tweet be sure to include @kayinto and a link (http://bit.ly/fcVAQd) back to this post so I know you've tweeted.

And that's it. A few ways to win one of these fantastic books (or DVD)!

The giveaway closes on December 8, 11:59 p.m. EST and the winner will be announced here on Apartment #412 on December 9, 2010.

Hope you enter and good luck!

DIY Celeb Artwork

Before I get into this post I'll preface this by saying I've had this post saved in my draft for over 2.5 years. Yes, you read right and I didn't make a mistake. 2.5 YEARS. Actually, 2 years 7 months to be exact.

Not cool.

It's a good post I think and it should have been posted a long time ago...so since Apartment #412 will be going on a hiatus very soon I decided now is as good a time as any to get this up. Some of the reference might be a bit...old (like me watching Real World Hollywood)...but other than that it's all good.

Now, on to the post.

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Frank Sinatra

First - doesn't Frank Sinatra look cute in that mugshot? Okay, now that I've got that out of the way.

I remember reading about this idea in a magazine a few years ago but was reminded of it recently when I was watching The Real World Hollywood. If you look closely in their main living area you will see artwork using celeb mugshots.

I thought this would be a fun simple DIY to bring the look into your own space. A quick google search found TONS of pics and here, for whatever reason, are a few that caught my eye:

Jane Fonda

Jimi Hendrix

Bill Gates

I myself prefer the old-school mug shots with the numbers in them. But if you do a simple google search you can find tons of celeb mugshots. Everyone from Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan to Michael Jackson....and basically 99% of Hollywood. Look. 


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Updated to add:


I think this would look pretty cool hung either gallery style or the exact opposite - very structured. I'm not sure it would work in every decor but I think it would be quite fun in most...you could even use black and white pics to make it a bit more understated or do the pop art look as above in the RW house.

You could even have a bit of a theme...one I thought of would be prominent figures from the civil rights movement including Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Malcom X - I can totally see that being a conversation starter. Or if you're into young Hollywood you could do Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, and Nicole Ritchie...that would be a bit funny.

There are even books filled with celeb mugshots like this one and this one. They are paperback so I'm not sure the pics from it would work to be framed but it's still kinda cool. (Wait, this one is hardcover...)

money green leather sofa

click to see larger

coolest. leather. sofa. ever.

with lyrics from one of my favourite hip-hop songs ever.

i know like 98% of the lyrics by heart.

that's pretty darn accurate if you ask me.

+seen in The Selby Book

Apartment #412 Etsy Store Update

Just wanted to pop in quickly to let you all know that I'm working really hard to get my Apartment #412 Etsy Shop opened for next week. I've picked up some more amazing finds (vintage housewares) and can't wait to share them all with you - I may even have a little giveaway to celebrate its opening.

You can read this post about my plans for the Apartment #412 Etsy Shop.

Also, if you'd like, pop over to my travelogue and give me your input/suggestions on the dreaded travel sandal......the search has begun!

Tears + Warm and Fuzzy Feelings

I wanted to share a blog post that almost had me in tears and a newly discovered blog with all of you....

Jason, who I've mentioned before, of the blog These Roving Eyes is one of my favourite bloggers. His pictures and breathtaking and literally blow my mind (seriously Jason, can we please have a quick photography teaching session before I go to India...I'm SO serious?!) but even more beautiful, if that's possible, is Jason's writing.

He is, plain and simple, an amazing writer. A few weeks ago Jason wrote one of the most truthful, honest, and moving posts I have ever read on any blog. Ever. It was his coming out story. I read it with tears in my eyes. Not sad tears but hopeful tears. Because with all of the.....bullying going on with teens afraid to come out (and teens committing suicide because of this) I wished that each and everyone of them could read his post and know that things would be okay and things would get better. That one day the weight would be lifted and they too would take root. If you have a minute or two please give his post a read because it really is beautiful.

My next find is a wonderful new blog that when I stop by gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling. Lurve You is, in the authors own words, "a blog dedicated to love - fleeting love, true love, and everything in between." 

The posts are short & sweet and I can't stop by Lurve You and read a couple of posts without saying "awwwww." Who doesn't like getting that warm & fuzzy feeling?

Well, there they are folks. If you stop by either I'd love to know what you think!



(oh, and I recently did a post over on FIWL about why I'm going to India, what I'll be doing while I'm there & why India...if you're curious about the full story pop over and give it a read :)

Film and Digital [+ come visit my new blog!]

I picked up some film from the lab that I should have picked up.........back in September. That's one of the fun things about film - sometimes you forget what you took pictures of so when you get it back it's like a surprise! In this case it was shots I took when I was in Ottawa for my volunteer training back at the end of August and despite my shutter button acting up and not always working when I wanted it to - I'm really pleased with the outcome. Some of them are slightly over/underexposed and some of them are not quite in focus (because of the fidgety shutter button) - but, for some of them, it adds to the picture I think.

I remembered that some of the shots I captured on film I also captured, albeit a slightly different view/angle, on digital. I thought it would be fun to post both so, hopefully, you guys can see the difference that I see between the two formats.

Digital.

Film.

Film

Digital

Film (underexposed)

Digital. (underexposed)

Film. (overexposed)

This isn't meant to be scientific or anything like that - I just thought since I had both I'd share both. In all fairness I had just received my new digital camera and was still getting the hang of it - so I used it in 'auto' for most of my trip. But, regardless, I think the differences are evident - no? Also - despite the difference I still adore my new digital camera...especially now that I'm shooting in manual with it.

So - to be clear - I love my digital AND film camera but they do give different results.

To see more of my shots on film click here.

P.S. I know I've been bad with updating this blog. Remember, you can always find me blogging here. Would love to see you over there - stop by and say "hi" or "follow" me there (scroll down to the bottom for the follow widget).

Have a great weekend!