Saturday, September 11, 2010

The Mantis

A few days ago I looked out on the deck of my Patio and saw the largest Pray Mantis I have ever seen. As I watched it, it started walking up towards me. I bent down to take a better look at it (through the patio door). It was such a beautiful creature. It stood there, watching me, almost face to face, inches from one and another with nothing but the glass separating us. As I stood there, I felt my breath taken away. I just wanted to stand there in silence and watch it. The wind was blowing so hard that day and it swayed gently as it held onto the wood below it. It nodded it's head at me as I watched it. Suddenly, I watched it reach over and grab a spider between it's strong legs and eat it in front of me. It was a wondrous sight to behold.

I've always been interested in the secret meanings of Animal totems and I felt this was a sign from the Universe. It had to be. I've always felt as though spider was a totem for me -- I was raised in a very open minded family, I have part cherokee in me and was influenced by a lot of Native American friends. When I was younger, spiders kept finding me- I would constantly find them everywhere, in and on everything I was working on. Mind you, I'm not exactly fond of spiders. Then these huge blue and red weird spider's started to make webs outside the window of my patio door at my old house. I started dreaming of spiders every night. My friends and family warned me to read up on what spider totem meant because I was just going to keep running into spiders unless I listened to the message they had to teach me. One day I was laying in bed with my sky window open and one lone huge red and blue spider fell straight down from the window on a single line of web and stopped inches from my face.

That day I took out the Animal Speak by Ted Andrews book and read what spider meant. Spider means so much I would highly recommend reading about them. I won't go to much into detail because I feel a lot of the message is personal for me to look at within myself. In general though, spider is about teaching you to maintain a balance in your life -- your past and your future. It's about "weaving your web" to create your future. The web also symbolizes creative energies circling around you (the center point of a web). Spider in myths is known as the guardian of Languages -- another message is about using your creative energies to inspire others.

The Pray mantis teaches you about calming (stilling) the mind and going into your soul, being patient and waiting for the right moment to strike.

The following day after the first Pray mantis, I sat down to have dinner, and sitting on a piece of mail my mother had brought it was a little tiny baby Pray Mantis. How it got there, I have no idea - We carefully took it back outside, but to me it was  another sign to look deep inside myself.                                                                        

Are you "weaving your own web" and creating the kind of life you want for yourself? Change is upon us, I see it everywhere in every aspect of everyone's lives right now. Everything seems to be turning upside down - for better and for worse! Let's focus more on the earlier - take a step back and think about everything going on in your life; contemplate it -- and you'll see no matter what is going on right now, the universe won't throw more at you than you can handle and you will come out of it a much stronger individual!







Being that today is 9/11 I just wanted to add in -  Always Remember! RIP all those who passed on this day, years ago.. Look to the past for reminder and keep your chin up to the future. Even one person can make a change in our world for the better! 

Friday, September 10, 2010

Halloween Specials!

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays of all time! In days passed I would dress up the week before and the week of halloween, just because I could get away with wearing all the fun and outrageous costumes i'd collected over the years! 

I remember my first year of college -- it was a bit before halloween and I was driving 76 in Philadelphia under that tunnel sort of thing-- I got into my first accident. Those big huge airbags blew up into my face and bam, I was out of it -- seeing stars, chemical burns on my arms, completely loopy. So I start getting out of the car, big poofy tooling blue gown, bright blue makeup, and a huge white and gray fur cloak... out into the middle of the road on 76. Long story short, Can you imagine a blueberry cupcake wandering around in the middle of the road  in the middle of the day -- not on halloween? It was an interesting experience. 

This is what I looked like =X
Photo to the left by Randy Davis
Makeup/Styling/Model: Me.


Is Halloween your favorite Holiday? Do you have tons of costumes you are just itching to have photographed? Most people buy a new costume every year and only wear it once! Now is your chance to get to try them all back on! Whether your that  girl next door or an experienced model looking to build her portfolio, these are the perfect packages for a new sexy FB avatar, a pocketbook sized portfolio, or a private album for your honey! 

If you don't have costumes because you are one of those people that end up getting rid of them every year after halloween, don't fret! I have tons of pieces at the studio so we can mix and match =) Check out these fun images mixing cat eats and witch hats with a vintage lingerie!




Basic Halloween Pinup Session
- 1-2 hours shooting time
- 1 outfit change/look on solid colored background
- Consultation session to discuss look in studio, Skype, or on the phone
- Access to select costuming and props including but not limited to
Cat, Bunny, and Dalmatian ears, Nurse, Demon, Angel, Witch, Sexy Faerie, maid, Flapper, Belly dancer, and more Assortment of props, lingerie, and a few costumes!
- Select proofs in private web gallery for you to view or session at the studio to choose final images 
- 3 fully retouched 8x12 portraits on metallic or e-surface paper and web files emailed to you.

 $149  ($61 in savings) 
$139/ea for groups of 3 or more in the same day (So grab two or more friends and make it a fun day out!)

Makeup is additional $75 and is paid separately to artist
*Discounted Makeup for 3 or more in the same day : $60/ea

Deluxe Halloween Pinup "Little Black Book"
Half day Session
- 4-5 hours of shooting time 
- up to 3 outfit changes/ looks on variety of colored backdrops, faux fur, curtains, etc.
- Consultation session to discuss look in studio, Skype, or on the phone
- Access to select costuming and props including but not limited to
Cat, Bunny, and Dalmatian ears, Nurse, Demon, Angel, Witch, Sexy Faerie, maid, Vampire, Flapper, Belly dancer, and more Assortment of props, lingerie, and a few costumes!
- Select proofs in private web gallery for you to view or session at the studio to choose final images 
- The "Little Black Book" - 10 spread, 15 picture e-surface 4x6 custom designed album with Leather cover and web files for all images in the book

$449  ($96 in savings!)

Makeup is additional $125 and is paid separately to artist
(Only one booking per day as these are long days!)

*Must be halloween inspired looks!
*Custom Packages can be created upon request. Feel free to send me an email!
*Don't want prints? Just need web files? As about my discounted rate on the first package!
*add-ons and s/h fees additional
*Does not reflect final price after tax

Book now as slots are limited and October is already beginning to fill up! Sale ends October 29th!
www.Serena-Star.com > Fashion Side> Contact > and fill out the form!


_______________________________________________________

I wanted to leave you off with some inspirational cat girl images that i've found over the years online! I'm a huge anime fan =X I know it's a little dorky, but I made this little video clip thingy years ago for my personal myspace (back when I used the silly thing) -- Sorry about all the advertisements and the silly borders and everything =(!




Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Candyland

Who doesn't love Candyland, seriously? I mean, the old board -- the one where the princess and queen were beautiful pieces of art vs these cutsy things on the board right now. I think it was made sometime in the 80s but I could be wrong. I've never been a board game sort of person -- I am way to competitive, but the board alone on this game inspired me to want to play it. I've always wanted to do something candyland/uno/twister inspired. I am very inspired by my childhood. I think people forget that part of themselves when they get older -- The problems of the world sort of take over -- I know even I can be guilty of it at times! Finding that little piece of immaturity inside myself motivates me! I love the colors and childhood gaming aspects -- the games you would play rhyming and clapping your hands at summer school -- or making chalk games in the pavement.... all of those silly things are things we forget.



I feel like this video is someplace straight out of my head. I absolutely love it!!!! Apparently there is also some talk about there being a Candyland Movie in the process of being made.... Super excited!

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Scarlet Fairy in Blue!

We are working on so many great brand new outfits like the three you saw in my previous post for Scarlet Fairy! Right now, we have been working on some super cute blue toned outfits! In case you missed them, you can view that blog post by clicking here: http://serena-star.blogspot.com/2010/07/scarlet-fairy-designs.html

We create wardrobe for all shapes and sizes, many of these prototypes you see posted here are small because we are working on pieces for promotional work for models right now! If you see something you like here -- never hesitate to leave a comment and so we can whisk it away for you though =D!

Remember, these are just random sample pictures of pieces we are working on right now! (Hence the unfinished lace hanging everywhere and pins =X!) Sorry about the red mannequin! It sorta takes away from the blue =X Enjoy and let us know what you think! Feedback is always appreciated!



Saturday, August 28, 2010

Lily DeVille from Colorado







Lily Deville is a pinup girl from Colorado! She flew out to PA and during her trip, she worked with both Dave and me at the Studio! (Bad news is Dave broke up with me after 4 1/2 years =( so I won't be posting any of his images, but you can check them out on his page!)  It was a sort of chaotic event -- We were supposed to receive outfits from one designer after another and finally, Scarlet Bliss mailed us a piece of latex to shoot in... but I got it in the mail the day after we shot =( 



You might remember Scarlet Bliss as the designer that loaned us this piece for my photoshoot with Pinup Model and Burlesque dancer, Maria Bella. You will be seeing much much more of Maria very soon after a few magazine publications come out, and hopefully I will be able to work with Scarlet Bliss again!


Onto Lily Deville! She is a sweetheart and although I shot with her for half the time I normally spend with models because I was trading off back and forth, we got some awesome stuff! Makeup and Hair by Me! Styling was a collaborative mix between what she brought with her and what I had =)!



        










Friday, August 27, 2010

Raising Rates

Hey everyone! Just wanted to give everyone another reminder that my rates will be going up beginning of September!

Everything is going up a little bit, including albums, calendars, prints, gallery wraps, etc! 

Session fees will now be as follows:
Quickie Session (1 look): $60 (instead of $40)
Mini Session (2 looks): $120 (instead of $80)
Half Day Session (3 looks): $150 (instead of $100)
Full Day Session (up to 6 looks): $200 (Instead of $140)

The mini session will probably be phased out as well sometime this coming year!

If you want to catch my rates before prices go up, send me a message before September 5th and with a $50 deposit, I will hold a date at current prices! I book up to 1-2 months in advance =)


In other good news, getting Summer cleaning done right now! hehe. Out with the old and in with the new. Bought tons of brand new props and set design pieces so get ready for some specialty sets!

I'll leave everyone off with a portrait to get the juices started for Halloween Pinups! Start thinking about them now if you want them in time for Halloween!

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Home, Daily Deviations, and Speaking at Imaging USA

Finally home after a relaxing (hot) vacation in Slippery Rock, PA at Coopers Lake Campground for the Medieval reenactment event called Pennsic! I made a post about it in previous years a couple posts back so you can read more there! I have some photos and will be getting more from a friend to post up from our trip very soon! (I sort of kept my camera packed away for this one =X!)

I was super excited to see that my profile and class description was finally put up on the Imaging USA website! http://www.Imagingusa.org  There are so many amazingly talented people speaking this year so definitely check it out! The final name for the program I will be a part of is "GenNEXT: Rising Stars Share Ideas & Inspiration." Here are some clips I copied off the website -- but take a look yourself!





I was also surprised to come home and find I received a Daily Deviation for another image of mine in DeviantArt.com! This is the fourth one I've gotten! I like to credit where it is due, so:

Vulnerable
Christine Von Rose
Makeup/Hair/Styling: Serena Star

You can view the actual DD website by clicking here

Back to answering all the email I missed while I was gone!
xoxo