Aloha mermaids (and merMEN),

 

Yesterday Clarissa and I were off and went on our last adventure! Yesterday was her last full day as her flight back to the mainland is 6pm today...super sad about it. Anyways, we started yesterday by going to Baby Beach and picking up some rays before the Tamara Catz photoshoot! The sky was really milky and had a light breeze which was super unusual for the typical weather here. The sun tends to be so brilliant and strong on the beach but with the clouds, it created a sort of light box for us which is exactly what is needed to shoot my skin because I'm of medium-dark complexion. Anyways, it was as if the stars were aligned and created this perfect day with the perfect clouds and perfect wind to capture the exact shot that Tamara had sent us in the inspiration mood board. We were pumped!

 

 I don't know how I got THIS sandy lying down. I was literally was only reading. Actually, I finished reading The 4 Agreements. Woohoo. Onto my next beach read. If anyone has any suggestions, send them my way!

 

 Clarissa was creepin' on me. The Hamptons Hat made it to Hawai'i!

Hi Sarah, Jeff, Tati, Sean and Will. I know how much you LOVE my hat. Come visit and surround me with "good friends...and company".

 

OH MY GOODNESS. I saw a "real" Maui Mermaid on the beach! She had long brown hair, brought a hula hoop (not joking) and had flippers that were in the shape of a mermaid fin. These women are ridiculous. According to Cindy, "it's a culture here". Whatever. Weird mermaids.

 

 After a quick lunch at Colleens, we went back to the Mill to shower and get ready to meet up with Tamara. Our meet time was at 4pm but we got there at 3:20 so that we could go over all the details, etc. Lucky we did because Tamara ended up changing some of the outfits and working on accessories for me. The shoot was just for fun, as its not her new collection or anything, so it was really laid back. They wanted my hair as big as possible which I've never really done or actively attempted (besides the couple times I combed it out dry), so it was super new for me. Anyways, at about 4:45 we headed to Spreckelsville Beach and set up for our little photoshoot. They had me in 4 looks (really 3, and one kind of improvised), an assistant stylist called Bethany, tons of different accessories and two shooters...one being Clarissa and the other being Tamara. It was SO much fun and the sky was perfect! Clarissa shot me in digital and FILM (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and I can't wait to see how the pictures turned out. Tamara was head over heels by the end and we all had a really good time. I'm so happy that this was able to happen. If Tamara likes the shots I might even help her shoot her next collection as the pieces should be coming in November. She's actually a pretty big deal designer which I didn't know. Her clothes lend itself to the resort-y, island-y, MauiLAHamptonsMiami scene. Check out her site: www.tamaracatz.com. Way sweet and SO exciting!!

 

 "Photoshoot fresh, lookin' like wealth"

yo. my hair is SO curly. It was still a little (A LOT) bit wet here.

 

 Two bouquets that Steph made for me!

 Tamara on the right and Bethany on the left with the garments and accessories bags.

This actually looks a lot different on, and when they finished doing my hair and jewelry and such. REALLY bright and REALLY heavy.

Snap Snap. Hair is getting bigger aka it's drying haha. I wasn't just wearing this yellow under-strapless dress. I have this tunic type flowy thing over it. Obviously I have no idea what these articles of clothing are called. ahah. I look pretty good though, no?

I was holding my hair while Bethany was doing jewelry and such

Just for fun! I took this one for my blog. Everytime we went to change I would toss my phone and say, "Wait! I need one for my blog!"

 Flow-y thing over the yellow under-strapless thing. How did I get only my hands to do that? What was I doing with my hands? Maybe waving to my blog readers...totes not sure.

 Tamara throwing up the Shaka with me! I have some headband thing and look really 60's slash 70's slash MAUI MERMAID here. I kind of like it?

Bethany, Me, Tamara

After the shoot, we met Cindy at Des Amies for some crepes and margaritas. Really low key, nothing too fancy but an excellent time all around. We got back to the Mill at quarter of nine and no joke I was asleep by 10:15pm. I am a grandma! 

 Cindy and Clarissa

Aw!

 

We also spoke about doing a morning shoot on Baldwin Beach in the morning to get some boudoir shots in. I had a couple I reeeeeeally liked that I wanted to recreate and Clarissa was more than happy to do it with me! Anywho, this morning we left at 6:45 am and got my beach photoshoot in. The sky was crazy milky again (thank you Milky Sky Gods!) and we got a good hour of shooting film (!!!!!) and digital again. I think those ones are going to be awesome. I can't wait to see how those turn out. I can't believe she shot me in film! There's a huge difference in quality and it's not really cheap at all to shoot in film. I feel so special and unbelievably grateful that she would do that for me. When Clarissa shot me in the vine (after we couldn't find the Princess Pools), she told me there was one image that she caught that "captured me as the woman I will grow up to be." I can't wait. That's a huge compliment. I'm so happy and feel so lucky to have been able to have three photoshoots from a professional photographer for free! How unreal. Uncanny good fortune...I can hear Renee now...

 

 This morning's location.

"Who would have thought that you'd be rolling around in the sand half naked at 7am in the Pacific Ocean?"- Clarissa

 

Perfect morning inspiration from graffiti on Baldwin.

Clarissa and I! I felt so comfortable in red lipstick I forgot I had it on. How is this the only picture I took myself of the two of us? The only other pictures I have are from that Pacific Weddings party. Humpfh.

 

 

With warmest aloha,
MJ

 

 

 

Also, in other news...

 I got this in an email sent to all my friends obviously from Sarah. It says Molly Jensen and underneath, I love you. LOOOOOL.

Also, why is this so funny? It's really awful. hahahaha