INSTAMATIC

i found this amazing piece of dried tree bark in the shape of a perfect 'tiara'!! i put it on my head and my husband snapped this photo. now the tree bark tiara is on our bookshelf and every time i see this symmetrical, elegant 'tiara' i am reminded of the beauty and creativity of nature. blessings. xo, am

A NEW MOON

i came across this designer sunjoo moon and her new line, of two minds on the blog le catch, and immediately fell in love! sunjoo's clothes are intricate and chic and effortless, all the things that make clothes(and art) interesting. i've picked my favorites and when the line launches this year miss moon and of two minds will probably be very successful, very soon. let's hope so!  xoxo, annette

LOVING COUPLE

mildred and richard loving(yes, their last name was loving) were an interracial couple living in virginia when interracial marriage was banned by the racial integrity act of 1924. i love that a statute banning two people from marrying even dares to use the word 'integrity' in it's title, but there it is. so mildred and richard fell in love, began dating and in 1958 traveled to washington, DC to legally marry.

when they returned to virginia they were arrested at 2am by the county sheriff and were charged under virginia's anti-miscegenation law with "cohabiting as man and wife, against the peace and dignity of the commonwealth."

mildred and richard pled guilty and here's the deal....they were convicted! then sentenced to one year in prison! i can't help but think about their struggles and the pain of not being able to visit their family in virginia once they left the state. i also can't help but think about this debate, ridiculous as it is, over same-sex marriage. it's the same prejudice all over again.

the lovings decided to take their case to court and in 1967, Loving v. Virginia was decided unanimously in their favor!  "We loved each other and got married. We are not marrying the state. The law should allow a person to marry anyone he wants."

on the 40th anniversary of the Loving v. Virginia supreme court decision, in 2007, mildred loving issued this statement:

Surrounded as I am now by wonderful children and grandchildren, not a day goes by that I don’t think of Richard and our love, our right to marry, and how much it meant to me to have that freedom to marry the person precious to me, even if others thought he was the “wrong kind of person” for me to marry. I believe all Americans, no matter their race, no matter their sex, no matter their sexual orientation, should have that same freedom to marry. Government has no business imposing some people’s religious beliefs over others. Especially if it denies people’s civil rights. I am still not a political person, but I am proud that Richard’s and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That’s what Loving, and loving, are all about.

bravo for two people willing to take a chance, to challenge the system, to say no to the status quo. two people who faced enormous prejudices and hardships and despite it all, at least as recorded by history, loved each other through it. through thick and thin they raised a family and with their love changed the course of history and paved the way for others to marry whomever they wanted, despite the color of their skin.

trailer from HBO doc, amazing archival footage of mildred and richard
facebook page to HBO documentary 'the loving story'
the lovings 
twitter the loving movie