UPDATE! NEW HOMEe...

the blog is moving here. i hope y'all will join me in my new home!

moving...

hey y'all!

i'm taking a break from posting so i can move into my new studio space and work on getting my new site up and running! so many changes going on around My Favorite Color is Shiny. can't wait to see you when it's all fixed up! thanks for reading this up until now, and i've loved all the sweet emails y'all have sent. you darlings are the best!

xoxo,

GBS

moodboard: embroidered wallpaper...

{tapettitehdas wallpaper, claire coles, honeywell farm via amy merrick, claire coles}

claire coles has been a longstanding source of inspiration, ever since i learned about her back when i was at SCAD. her embroidered wallpaper is mindblowingly gorgeous. i am itching to give this a try over layers of peeled wallpaper. now all i'll have to do is dust off my sewing machine and give free-motion embroidery a go again.

also, have you seen amy osaba's installation she and her crew(erica and maria) created for the not wedding? their cut paper flowers deliver a similar look without the need of a sewing machine. inquiring minds should pop over to her blog!

moodboard: graphic love

{dana tanamachi chalkboard, swanson wines, letterology vintage office supplies, merchant and mills tape measure, momo living}

{photo by arthur elgort, chloe black ballet flats, BHLDN sash, coterie small gravity bowl, BHLDN top hat favor bags, vulture print(or stuffed one), merchant and mills buttons (cute escort cards)}

the work of dana tanamachi is super inspiring. we've all seen chalkboards used in every configuration, but her grand scale and use of old-timey, turn-of-the-century handlettering knocks my socks clean off. i started collecting items that i thought could compliment a wedding inspired by one of her pieces.

personally, i think the merchant and mills website is full of ways to incorporate graphic elements without it being overly designed. lots of potential escort cards, favor gifts, and bunting supplies. also a great source for any dressmakers or tailors who are getting married and want to bring in a few touches from their trade!

i also can not shake the idea of incorporating dark as night blooms into the mix. black hellebore? amazing. and that black magic elephant ear is delicious. throw in some black and white anemones, silver brunia, and dusty miller and call it a day!

white hot...

yes my friends, the time has come where i passive-aggressively gripe about the heat. in an effort to surround myself with all things soft and soothing, i have been seeking out light and airy imagery. i hope this little slice of white can bring some sort of cooling effect through the computer... is it working yet? here are the lovely white links...

*twigs & honey

*loup*charmant

*elephant ceramics

*momo living

*farrow and ball

wet your whistle...

{aran goya via design*sponge, haley harmon via halligan smith}

oh georgia, once again your summer heat is holding me hostage. i am practically hugging my little bedside fan, and imagining all sorts of different delicious cold libations. these two images will definitely be my jumping off points!

p.s how charming are haley's illustrations?? go check out her blog immediately for more watercolors of edibles and potables.

southern garden party...

{first three images: marcus hay, panteek, etsy}{all photos from simply buckhead taken by the talented renee brock}

here's a little entertaining story i styled for simply buckhead. under the themes "upscale garden party" "pool party" and "southern supper" i created three different tablescapes featuring items from local buckhead shops. i just wanted to mix up it up- elegant silver with vintage floral plates and terracotta accents.

the owners of owen lawrence kindly loaned me some of their utterly timeless silver. the floral plates and napkins are from this adorable shop, urban cottage and the little glass cloches are from hill street warehouse. a fun fact about this estate, pemberley, is that it once hosted a gone with the wind premier party in the 30s and clark gable was a guest!! Can't get more atlantan than that!

design*sponge book...

Design Sponge at Home (Official Book Trailer) from The Panic Room Videos on Vimeo.

i am dying for this book to come out which is now available for pre-order! and how cute is this video with d*s founder grace bonney???

andie's specialty sweets...

i stumbled upon andie's specialty sweets shop today via bonafide bride and fell in love! that candy necklace is such a clever twist on the traditional sugary circles on a string. and those candy buttons are faaaaaaar more charming than ripping bright colored dots off a strip of paper. don't miss her mushroom series either, totally perfect for a fall wedding!

pinning for raw color...

pinterest is a dangerous black hole for inspiration cataloguing. i find it to be one of the biggest blessings for keeping track of sources, but man it sucks me in! i recently discovered raw color and am absolutely smitten with their exploration of color. their homemade paint chips could be super cute for place card/escort cards. or a handmade solution for gift tags! i think it could be a fun way of making paint chips to send to your bridesmaids to let them know your color palette(if you are kind enough to let them choose their own dress).

moodboard: midnight in paris

{jenny packham bridal, kate spade charm shoes, vintage copy of the great gatsby, evolution taxidermy duckling, bando headpiece, montblanc fountain pen, evolution taxidermy bird, erie basin 1920s engagement ring, kat flower bouquet, kaufmann mercantile purse flask, kate spade champagne flutes, erie basin opal ring, evolution butterfy}

new favorite movie? midnight in paris. time travel. 1920s and turn of the century paris. f. scott and zelda and all the great artists of the 20s and belle epoque. secret parties at the deyrolle replete with dark, moody interiors and gorgeous taxidermy. a nostalgia store. beaded flappery goodness. i hope this film translates into some gorgeous real-life wedding... stuffed animals included ;)

moodboard: english garden bride

{first photo: jane campion's bright star}

{second photo: {monkey flower group, johnny miller, bright star film still, early 20th century camisole, enamel coffee pot and cup, weck canning jar, bright star valentine, 1st dibs straw hat, hunter boots, wildflower guide}

earlier this month i got to act out my fantasy of an english garden bride. drawing inspiration from equal measures bright star and i capture the castle( ok, maybe a little anne of green gables too). i tried to create a wild and rambling rose kind of a bride(two actually!). jeremy gave me a sneak peek from our shoot and i am itchin' to share, but i have to wait a leetle bit longer. here is a little moodboard i had drummed up for our shoot for the meanwhile...

ginny branch styling and designs...

so i started a facebook page with my styling portfolio while my website gets up and running, so pop on over when you get a chance! i have a lot more new work coming soon! in addition to prop and wardrobe styling, i am also available for creative consulting and personal shopping. email me for prices and rates or just to chat. my new work email is ginnybranchstylist(at)gmail(dot)com.

also, here is a glimpse of my first for realz business card. emma robertson is the talented graphic designer, not to mention rue magazine intern and knitter extraordinaire. oh, and just all-around adorable girl to boot!

1930s engagement shoot:katie and martin

so here is the engagement shoot with katie and martin! their chemistry is pretty electric, not to mention they both have pretty sharp senses of humor that kept us all in stitches throughout the day. for more pictures of this story, pop on over to the brides cafe!

thank you to all my favorite talented peeps on this shoot:

photography: jeremy harwell

prop, wardrobe, floral styling: me (ginny branch stelling)

hair and makeup: mara z

all jewelry featured: mucklow's fine jewelry

stylist assistant and talented merchandiser: brent gipson (he gets all the credit for the red and white cherry photo!)

moodboard: 1930s engagement shoot

{sources: film still from fried green tomatoes, butch anthony for the nyt by robert rausch, vintage crock, plant mister, 1st dibs straw hat, j peterman spectator shoes, bandana, bloom magazine, vads}

later today i am going to post the pictures from a shoot i styled for mucklows fine jewelry. we shot the engagement story in senoia, the town where part of fried green tomatoes was filmed. it truly is the town that time forgot. gorgeous 100 year old white farmhouses punctuate the charming historic community and every corner is marked by a variety of humble churches and chapels. my colors were totally plucked from the environment: the dusty blues of the cornflowers and sun-bleached denims; the whites of the houses and chapels; and the yellows of the shopfronts and wildflowers. and of course, i love me some 1930s influences.

artists j'adore: anandamayi arnold

sorry i've been absent around these here parts. weddin' season is in full-swing and i am a busy little bee! love business is no joke! i am currently taking a break from clipping tree limbs(don't ask) and i cracked open my newest world of interiors to find the most jaw-droppingly lovely creations from artist, anandamayi arnold. jordan ferney first alerted me to her work and it is so wonderful to see her crepe paper surprise balls being celebrated in such a highbrow editorial! the photos particularly remind me of mary delaney's paper cuttings, especially the way the photographer aya brackett shot the story! i'm adding one of miss arnold's breakfast radishes to my christmas wish list!

two households both alike...

i can't believe it is already time for a third stab (no pun intended) at romeo and juliet. my heart belonged to olivia hussey and leonard whiting until 97, and then i made room for my beloved claire danes and leonardo dicaprio. now carlo carlei has casted true gritness hailee steinfeld as juliet. while i truly believe that olivia hussey is one of the dreamiest gals to have ever graced the silver screen, i also believe hailee has some serious O.H potential. same baby face and moon goddess 70s center-parted hair and serious eyebrows. i dig it.

i am, however, hard-pressed to believe there is a romeo out there with the same hubba hubba quality as leonard whiting and leonardo dicaprio. seriously, who could hold a torch???

DESIGN LOVE FEST BLOGSHOP...

ATTENTION all y'all who live in the angel city... miss bri emery, rue magazine art director and DESIGN LOVE FEST blogstress is teaching her second blogshop class! i am so jealous and hope she brings her show on the road down south. bri is such a bright light in the blogosphere and i can't believe she is willing to give away some of her secrets! so, race your little mouse and send send an email to blogshopla@gmail.com and reserve a spot!

lucky...

my husband wakes me up with coffee every morning. this particular morning he woke me up with a pair of four-leaf clovers he found while walking our dogs. i am a lucky girl.

fabric of our lives...

i just saw this commercial for the first time yesterday. i think it's a pretty adorable ad for cotton and perfect for spring. i wish she & him would go on tour again this summer. and i wish i had my beloved pink bruiser bicycle. i really miss her.

across my heart...

so the lovely jay ( who has a delicious blog, by the way) tipped me off to this victorian love token on ebay and i instantly pulled the trigger. my husband's name is ed, but i have lovingly referred to him as "eddie" since the 8th grade. i am so smitten with this necklace and i think i will wear it for always. what a treasure... kind of like my husband himself.

the shape of spring...

spring has sprung in such a big way. my baby garden welcomed a few new ferns and a darling strawberry plant from the easter bunny(momma branch). the farmers markets are in full swing and the candy-colored radishes and nubby, gnarled carrots look like something from a children's book.

i have a crush on spring.

collectors edition...

{photos above by james mcdonald for world of interiors may 2011}

{photo by ricardo labougle for world of interiors may 2011}

world of interiors always brightens my day when i spy it in my mailbox. just when i start to have anxiety about my overwhelming collection of collections, this magazine bursts with likeminded homes. homes that are unabashedly overflowing with treasures coming out of every nook and cranny. i also appreciate the rawness of the spaces they feature. spaces that haven't been tricked out to make the readers believe that these people lead perfect lives without papers and files and messy piles.

i love imperfections and am thankful world of interiors celebrates the same sentiment. wabi sabi, folks. it's how i live my life...

sofia's choice...

{photos via sofia coppola tumblr and self service magazine}

thank you self service magazine for this little glimpse into sofia coppola's must haves. growing up a marc jacobs junkie, i naturally geeked out over anything sofia coppola. a few years ago a friend tipped me off that she was shopping at the little marc store, so i dashed over and pretended to flip through the racks of baby clothing... all the while conspicuously gawking.

i heart sofia coppola. now go enjoy her champagne-in-a-can in honor of this post ;)

blue jean baby...

{ via sanforized, that kind of woman, imkeklee}

{jak & jil, j.peterman, mister freedom, steven alan, bensimon plimsoles, chambray gradient via old chum}

so i mentioned my true grit look for spring earlier, and today i hit a jackpot thrifting in the denim and pinstripe department. this girl, lena dystant, is my current sartorial crush. i've seen pictures of her popping up and she also styled this amazing lookbook. it is definitely getting hotsy totsy in the south and i am rounding up my arsenal.

spring and summer= railroad stripes + pinstripes + sailor stripes + paperbag trousers + overalls + edwardian camisoles and lawn dresses+ chore jackets + straw hats+ loafers + ballet flats.

ancient industries...

there are certain "trends" i will happily wave goodbye to and there are some that i hope stick around forever and ever and ever. in the case of general stores and mercantiles, i never tire of seeing new ones crop up. the latest ancient industries is superb and supremely english country, which i adore! here is a roundup of some items i would( and lets face it-probably will) empty out my pockets for. i'm digging the dishcloths instead of sponges. sponges have always kind of skeeved me out, with the exception of the lovely expandable kind. oh, and anything seasponge-y.

*for my favorite general store of all time, go here. my heart belongs to brookfarm and their beagle, nutmeg.

tintype camp...

i believe i discovered this tintype camp via amy merrick and i have been jonesing to go ever since. i am in awe of the photos that are created under the guidance of photographer extraordinaire, john coffer. can you imaging spending a weekend camping and immersing yourself in old timey photography methods? i would give my eyeteeth to nab a spot in his class, wouldn't you?