Thursday, October 23, 2008

Pink Inspiration~Caterpillar by day...Butterfly by night...~ Coco Chanel

about a month ago, my sweet sis, mary ann called me to tell me about a wonderful movie that was coming on. she knows how much i adore anything and everything French. she also knows that we're going through some hardtimes=esp. when you're trying to start a business venture.
well, lifetime aired that fabulous movie about the one and only 'coco chanel'. it was a phenomenal story about a poor French girl who through the hardship of life, never gave up on her dreams. Her passionate drive to be unique, simple and comfortable is one of the many qualities that have made her one of the most influential women in the world. coco's fantastic creativity have inspired so many people in the fashion industry but i also believe she had a huge part in molding the way we think not only about clothes but how women can think, do and be whatever they truly want to be, if they set their minds to it. i believe coco truly is an icon that will live on forever in many hearts.
just imagine, it all started when she was a little girl learning how to sew from her poor + sick/dying mother. this movie also touched on parts of learning about love, true love and being true to yourself about who you are and what you want to accomplish. this movie also showed how the struggles of your life can actually help you become successful.
i simply adored this movie.
coco's simple ideas transformed so many facets of the fashion industry and also the women's reformation movement. i can relate to so many parts of coco's life.
i adored her simple clothes, her simple hats, her taste in paint, furniture, simple ideas and her simple yet classy ways. even her very first shoppe was simply divine!
she truly didn't care what anyone thought. she was in a class all by herself.
her passionate drive to create comfort for women and her unwavering ambition to try, try, try again until you succeed, has fostered such magnificent determination to accomplish your dreams!
there are so many wonderful parts in the movie. but what helped me inspire my 'pink itty bitty page' (aside from my sister's recommendation to do this) was this one part where her neice (i think this was her best friend's daughter) had this gaudy black evening gown. coco looked at a window and saw cream/ivory curtains hanging on the window. she asked someone to bring it down and she draped it on her neice, tore off the sleeves off the gaudy designer dress and viola...coco said, " caterpillar by day...butterfly by night..." her niece looked exquisite with such a simple change of accessory. this is just one of the MANY quotes in the movie that inspire GREATNESS!!!
i wish i could've met coco.
what a teacher she's been for our world.
will there ever be someone like her again?
...maybe...
but for now...she's such a UNIQUE soule that will live on for eternity
in so many kindred spirits (esp. mine and my sis'!!!)
if you get a chance...go see this. rent it. buy it.
(when it comes out, i read somewhere by early next year...i was so fortunate to tape it!!! YAY!
i could watch + watch this continuously!!!)
thank you lifetime for airing this movie...
it is such a timeless story that can ring true for so many hearts in today's world.
anyway, whew...sorry for the long explanation...
these are my pink pages that i am contributing to my sis' flickr group.
made 26 lil' itty bitty pink pages.
because my love of France and the inspirational story of coco chanel (which has overwhelmed my heart + soule), i wanted to create a page that invokes hope, faith, the beauty of miracles and the endless possibilities of life.
October is the month designated to raise awareness for Breast Cancer. it just so happens that my sis' itty bitty book club was holding a 'pink' itty bitty book swap. coco's words just rang so true for me that this is what spoke to my heart:


the pink eiffel tower is one of my recent completed commissioned work and i mailed it off to the East Coast. it's for a lil' gal's b-day. they're going to put the eiffel tower on top of a cake...i'm hoping they send me a picture....to add to my scrapbook pages... it's a better design and i had fun creating it for my client. the box is a little gift box i made to slide open and you can put your card, a gift certificate or a lil' surprise in there for the celebrant.




recap:
~watch 'Coco Chanel' when it comes out on lifetime again
~never give up, always work hard and remember,
learn from your failures and success will be yours
~'caterpillar by day...butterfly by night...' (Coco Chanel)
bonne nuit
xoxo jo;)

2 comments:

mary ann mck said...

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo reya!

p.s., i need this post for the ZINE!!!!! call me in like 5!!!!

Stink Bone Jones said...

Yeah! You are up and running and selling! That little girl is going to have the most beautiful birthday cake ever! Love Love your contribution to the swap with your gorgeous pages inspired by that movie.

I don't get lifetime but I'm going to have to catch that movie!

My eiffel tower you made me is on top of my kitchen cabinents. I am making my kitchen all french. I think I might even handpaint that quote from Gloria Steinman (spelling) about the USA and Paris. Don't know it off hand.