Monday, September 22, 2008
Welcome to the Dollhouse
As I promised yesterday, here's my newest doll! Her name is Lula, and she's best friends with Betsey, whom you got to meet last week. I'm scouting out a boxed home for the two of them so that they can be safely delivered to wherever they need to go. I might try out the downtown L.A. Flower District next weekend, if I can wait that long. Thank you for all your wonderful encouragement when I shared Betsey last week; I hope you'll warm up to Lula the same.
Happy Monday, friends.Labels: arts+crafts
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Dollhouse
So the embroidery I gave you a peek at last week was just phase one of the work on this little doll that I finally finished tonight. I'm quite happy with the way she turned out for my first doll! It was also a great challenge to think my way through developing a soft sculpture/3d version of one my sketches.Labels: arts+crafts
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Pause & Rebunny
This last week really kicked my ass at work, so I spent the weekend just buckling up at home, napping and making to recuperate. There's nothing that recharges me more than going grocery shopping and painting/sewing/making at home.
Last night, I pulled out this bunny pattern from Wee Wonderfuls to make a little present for my friend's new baby. They had a very lovely Jewish Naming Ceremony for the baby girl this morning, which is where I brought the wrapped up bun and a clever little onesie. I definitely not one of her practical, experienced mommy friends.
I'm also working on a new series of paintings for my portfolio -- entitled "Circus Girls". I'll be back a little later this week with some sketches and progress. In the meantime, I'm going to get back to watching Next Food Network Star and baking some Lemon Buttermilk cookies to bring the new mum + baby tomorrow. Just wanted to poke my head in and say hope you had a happy weekend!Labels: arts+crafts
Friday, June 06, 2008
A Work On Progress, Kara Walker
In the vein of my last entry, I'm going to try and catch Kara Walker's show at the Hammer before it closes this weekend. Her paper cut out silhouettes are amazing, and the movement! Oh the incredible life in her figures!
Have a delightful weekend, friends.Labels: arts+crafts, losangeles
Monday, April 28, 2008
Vampire Squids for a Golden Birthday
Today is Ryan's birthday. I got the idea for painting the wrapping paper for his gifts when all the paper I found at Target was totally lame, and then stumbled across a roll of plain brown paper. Like most of the time, I get my best ideas at the last minute (Saturday). Since he has a penchant for Vampyroteuthis Infernalis, aka Vampire Squid from Hell, I painted a few on. I really love the way they turned out. Now I can't wait to go out to dinner tonight!Labels: arts+crafts, holidays
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Chicken Little
So I made the Foxy Boxers from Diana Rupp's Sew Everything Workshop tonight, while half-watching 1408 (my way of dealing with scary movies at home is half-listening while working on something else). They turned out pretty well if I do say so myself! Ryan picked out the chicken fabric & art directed the fact that it should have black stitching.
It was especially fun to make now that we have our (half) studio set up along one wall of the dining nook in our small apartment. This really means that we spent a lot of the day reorganizing bookshelves after Ryan put together a large flat table for a permanent sewing station (me) and permanent animation lightbox (him). I spent a large part of yesterday bitching and in a foul mood because I couldn't get around everything that was just left haphazardly around the apartment since the holidays. Now I'm happy as a bee!
I can't stress how much having space makes space in your life and time for doing the things you want to do. Even if having a clear, organized, shared table space in a corner is the closest you can get to a room of one's own.
Savor your Sunday nights, friends.Labels: arts+crafts, fashion love, sewing
Saturday, January 05, 2008
All the inspiration a girl could ask for...
I received a bunch of wonderful books for Christmas, that will keep my fingers busy, my writing evolving and my heart swelling. The sweetest present was when my mom pulled out a box filled old Baby-Sitter's Club books that she found at the library sale; you can see two of them peeking out in the corner of the first photograph. Oh childhood memories that have been evoked by sites like What Claudia Wore and BSC Headquarters. I had no idea that they were ghostwritten, but it makes so much sense now.
We took a trip to the fabric store today and stashed up with some really lovely yards of prints to make projects out of another book I got with a Christmas gift card to the bookstore: Sew Everything Workshop. I'm looking forward to trying out making boxers and the secretary skirt.
Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend and making good progress on your 2008 goals & resolutions! Can't wait to show you more of what's cooking over here.Labels: arts+crafts, books
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Crafty in the New Year
I got this lovely book at MOCA yesterday, which you can actually find on Amazon. What really sold me were the fantastic shot-by-shot instructions -- I can't wait to get started on all the warm and cozy crochet projects in yummy yarns. Yes, I'm 60.Labels: arts+crafts
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Holiday Cards!
So the holiday cards have been written, addressed, stamped and sent as of last Saturday. I realized I never mentioned them again after the initial post in November, so I wanted to address the questions about where I got them made now that I know the quality. I used Overnight Prints, and they were fast, reasonable, fairly simple and reliable in quality. I would use them again if I ever decide to release a small series of birthday cards, or for next year's holiday cards!
As for Project Runway recaps, I'll let Fashionista speak for us all this week.Labels: arts+crafts
Monday, December 03, 2007
Some people do arts & crafts. We judge.
Ironically on the coattails of my last entry, I'm already overwhelmed by the holidays. Among all the wonderful tutorial and crafty idea websites (i.e. Craftzine's blog & burdastyle.com), I'm already feeling behind and it's December 4. So I think it's time to prioritize crafting, painting, and writing duties for December (are you smelling another list? Because here it comes). Realistically, there is only so much time & energy I have after a full time job to focus on all the crafting & art-making I'd like to do.
For the season:
1. Write & send out holiday cards.
2. Make/find a garland.
3. Buy a tree skirt.
4. Buy stockings.
5. Spend a weekend decorating a gingerbread house.
6. Spend time drinking cocoa and/or eggnog while curling up with good books -- or guilty pleasure style books.
7. Finish online shopping for presents.
8. Design & send holiday party invites, plan menu.
9. Finished Top Secret planned paintings.
10. Finish NaNoWriMo novel, 1,379 words a day.
11. Prepare submissions to literary magazines (far & wide).
Must find inspiration again. Inspiration I can feel in my hands or see my impact. Let me take this moment to proudly announce that the wardrobe/clothing blog I'm co-authoring with the impeccable Miss Annie has gone live! You can follow our (almost) daily wardrobe posts at Things We Wore. (It works best on Firefox, and c'mon why are you on IE still?) This is helping me rediscover my closet and curb my clothing addiction, though I must confess that I can't help meandering over to Anthropologie daily.
Happy December, friends. Be decadent.Labels: arts+crafts, lists
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Ornament Swaps Tied Up with String
The winter holidays are swiftly underway here in my little corner of the world. I officially kicked it off with stitching up these holiday ornaments for the Holiday Ornament Swap 2007. You should see the Flickr pool, I'm incredibly impressed with the ornaments people are coming up with! Since I was accidentally placed in two groups and thus have 17 ornaments to make, I stuck with a simple homemade/folksy style felt ornament in my favorite colors for the holidays: red & turquoise. One group is almost done, packaged in pink tissue and tied up with baker's twine. (Side note: let this be a cautionary tale of online shopping, how am I ever going to use 2 pounds of baker's twine?)
I bought a gumdrop wreath ornament and hung that on the front door instead of a gaudy faux evergreen wreath -- it just felt more appropriate. I'm crazy about it so I'll have to take a picture to share. More holiday activities will be in motion this weekend as I head to a Goodwill to find sweaters to felt & make into stockings, and perhaps some cute, cheap, kitschy Christmas decorations. All ornaments are also scheduled to drop this weekend, and I should get a start on holiday cards. Oh boy, I'm suddenly feeling like spending the whole weekend on the couch curled up with magazines and a good book.Labels: arts+crafts, holidays
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
A Completely Non Sequitur Entry on Moving, Accountability, and Jim Halpert
I've been completely remiss in providing any insight to creative pursuits of my own lately; mostly because I am guilty of NOT doing anything during the move. Even with the scanner set up and the kitchen/crafting table bought off Craigslist, there's still the little problem of the internet not getting installed until September 11. Do I complain about this enough? I should probably channel the energy into pummeling the cable company with calls. Gees, what did the world do before the internet?
For your visual pleasure, here are a few things I recently bought off of Etsy:
I'll post the shops once I receive the items, so that I feel assured in recommending these amazing shops.
Here's something I've wanted to write about for quite some time: independent crafters/artists accountability. There's an understood but unspoken rule of trust and solidarity among crafters and DIY-ers, especially on the blog circuit. But I was sorely disappointed by one person when I ordered two art pieces last October, and to this day still haven't received anything. I don't anticipate that I'll ever receive anything at this point, but after several, really-awkward-to-write emails from me (why is it so hard to stand up for yourself?) and uncomfortable but unfortunately empty promises from her, this whole experience has left a really sour taste in my mouth for independent designers. Which is really unfortunate, because I know many of you really rely on the internet to sell your wares. It makes me much more cautious to ever buy something from an independent source (the aforementioned blogger/seller had been a girl I've read and known of through friends for at least 5 years); and though Etsy has been a great, other people who want to be completely DIY are also feeling the repercussions of irresponsible "independent designers".
How do you regulate something like that so that other people don't have the same terrible experience with that crafter/artist? And why would it feel terrible to call that person out on it publicly when it was that person's fault in the first place?
To completely digress to a better story, via Craft Magazine's blog, I spied this adorable remixed old shapeless cardigan to a pretty swingy sweater. It's the perfect project for when I get my sewing machine back from my mom and figure out a serger is find a serger/substitute for a serger. (Thank you, glorious resource of the internet).
And happily, finally, tonight I get to see my friend Monica and we're going to see this guy:
 Labels: 826LA, arts+crafts, covet, things i hate
Monday, July 30, 2007
Lace & Letters
Last week I finally set up the sewing machine my parents gave me for Christmas. It's a bit of a toy machine, which I totally love, though it has all the serious parts (quilting foot, button foot!). I sewed up two 32" x 32" pillowcases for the mismatching pillows on the futon. They were a hand-me-down from Ryan's old apartment, and no longer matched our new combined furniture -- so they needed new outfits! I was so happy to find this pale blue lace patterned fabric at JoAnn's! As much as I love pouring over the fabrics at ReproDepot, there is a pleasure in the tactile experience of shopping (and not paying shipping!).
Another great pleasure, a nice big stack of library books -- mostly children's books and two novels by two of my favorite authors (Francesca Lia Block & Aimee Bender). It feels like shopping, but then I get to take them back when I'm done. You see the genius in that? It means I don't have to move them. Ahhh, luxury.Labels: arts+crafts, books
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Little Red Riding Hood <3s UFO Books
Finished up this painting on Friday night while waiting to go to the HP midnight release -- I call it Little Red Riding Hood Loves UFO Books.Labels: arts+crafts, artsy girl
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Sew Excited!
Here is some of my loot from Felt Club today, a combination of purchased goods & goody bag treats. I was so excited about the event that last night I had not one, but THREE, dreams about going. Every time I fell asleep I had another dream, so I finally got up at 8:30am and spent some time apartment hunting online. We got there early enough to get one of the goody bags, and they did not disappoint. The morning was terribly crowded and hot, but by afternoon (we came back after some lunch plans with my family), it was manageable. I picked up some stationary and pins from BoyGirlParty and that adorable felt owl pin from Dandy Brand. The best part might be talking to all the artists and crafters about their lifestyle and educational backgrounds. I'm so on the fence between doing the art/illustration thing on my own and going to art school. The best advice was probably from Jordan Crane (who majored in Engineering at USC, btw) -- he said that the best kept secret about art is "to just keep doing it."
I came home, inspired and tired and sweaty, and attempted to "just keep doing it" but it wasn't happening. Do you ever have those days where nothing is turning out right? Maybe I need these days so that I can just read, and absorb, and be passive and let the creativity and art work itself out subconsciously. What do you do when you have creative off days?Labels: arts+crafts
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Not Quite Orange
So I'll be the first to say this isn't quite orange, especially when the color on the pencil read "Poppy Red". But I wanted to share this little card I drew up to send to my aunt for her birthday. I've been drawing a lot of girls like this lately in my moleskine, girls with great hair and sweet treats. Partly because I made an appointment for an informational interview with an admissions officer at Art Center and they told me to bring along my work. Since I have no body of work to speak of, I started a sketchbook of cohesive drawings that reflected my current skill level. But mostly because they're cute and I'm obsessed with thinking about all the different ways I can dress them. It's like an adult way of playing with dolls. That sounds dirty, so I'll stop now.
How are your summers going, friends?Labels: arts+crafts, color week
Friday, June 29, 2007
Zen & the Art of Sea Life
I'm smitten with sea life right now. Maybe it's the summer, maybe it's living in Los Angeles, maybe it's the straight forward beauty and intricacy. I'm almost finished with the octopus painting, and hopefully I will get to go to the aquarium this weekend so that I can sketch and photograph some from life. When I used to work at an aquarium, I would sit in the tunnels on my breaks and watch the oversized kelp tank brimming with phosphorescent light and zen life. That must be it, my romance with sea life: the zen of it all.Labels: arts+crafts
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Projects
More for my own purposes than for your readership, but I'm always inspired by other people's working projects.
- writing: 30 stories in 30 days @ Anthologie
- The Story of Shoes
- redesigning this site
- developing a portfolio for either school admission or professional use
- one-line/ink drawings everyday
- paintings
- reading 8 books this summer
- making skirts with my friend Alanna (the fabrics below from ReproDepot make this project even more enticing)
- a hexagonal afghan inspired by this one that I'm over the moon for
   Labels: arts+crafts, lists
In A Teacup
I really hate it when I go home after work and spend the rest of my day vegged out in front of the TV eating. So I never do this; instead, I line up evening classes and most recently have been creating a multitude of personal projects to move towards the creative life and careers I want. Last night, after Ryan & I took our first evening walk around the neighborhood like the geriatrics that we are, we put on Barbarella (which I found out to my dismay and amusement, is a Jane Fonda sci-fi erotica) and I set up to paint. I've been so inspired by all the fabulous fairytale art on Etsy, and have been itching to start painting again. I finished an octopus painting that I might still put a few touches on after the oil dries for a bit, and started my first acrylic painting -- which is what you see above. I've been painting with oil since well before I could drive, but this was my first time making a painting out of acrylic. I loved it for its ease and opacity, but it does NOT like to blend well. It's definitely been fun though, and I am itching to get home today and continue working on this piece. I'm looking forward to churning out quite a few, so friends might as well start expecting art for their birthdays.
I also watched all of Amelie again for what seems like a century. Suddenly, I realized not only had I forgotten all the nuances of my favorite film -- I had left all the magic and baggage tied up with this time and this experience. As the opening sequence rolled, I remembered seeing it for the first time in the small arts theater with my best friend Cathy and her boyfriend at the time. She let me play with her high-tech-at-the-time 2 megapixel camera and I took these pictures of the red ruched curtains inside. Overwhelmed with emotions and memories stirring, then I remembered each of the subsequent times I saw it in the theaters (I believe 4 total), and how each time I shared it with a different friend like a secret hiding place (since it was very under-the-radar at the time). And OH the nostalgia of my senior year of high school - the romantic parts of course - all the potential of applying to college, and being in love for the first time, and the years to come and the time to be and choose anything you wanted to be!
Not only was Amelie a transformative film in my life, it's a time capsule of a transformative time in my life. What's funny is that I always write off high school as a miserable time, oppressive and repressive, a time to hold it inside how much you terribly hated the politics and the people who won the most votes and adoration. It's nice to remember that there were actually moments where I felt infinite.Labels: arts+crafts, films
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Bloom Where You're Planted
On top of all my summer goals (including 30 stories in 30 days on Anthologie), I'm also starting my first sketchbook series. Since I suck at drawing feet and shoes, I'm going to draw all my shoes and write each one's brief history. The project will be called "The Story of Shoes" and documented here.
Lately I've just been so inspired by all the great blogs and resources by (and for) illustrators out there. Check out DrawAnyway.com and the Illustration Friday Blog for some inspiration.
Now I've got to delve into the deliciously thick pile of books I checked out from the library today, including Jeffrey Yamaguchi's 52 Projects. Reviews soon. Or join me on GoodReads.Labels: arts+crafts, books, photolog, the story of shoes
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Anthologie
Psst...you can see my current public writing project with one of my best friends, Gina, at Anthologie. Don't forget to write!
Also, coming up will be a new and freshly updated art portfolio including photo series from my last year in school. Since the photos and drawings up now are from when I was in middle school through high school, which was almost 10 years ago. Which is sad.Labels: arts+crafts, writing craft
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Art Boot Camp
I signed myself up for three art classes over the summer including: an Adobe Illustrator class, Introduction to Letterpress, and another intensive life drawing class. Balancing 4 days of class a week and a full time job sure will be interesting.
But if not now, then when?Labels: arts+crafts, career jar
Thursday, May 24, 2007
FP Travel Swap!
Crafting after work helps me feel sane and relevant. Eiffel Tower cards made for the Free People Travel Swap.Labels: arts+crafts
Monday, May 21, 2007
Overcast mornings, sunny by the afternoon.
I find the weather forecast metaphorical for mood shifts throughout the day.
The weekend was overwhelming, tense, and relaxing. Most of it was spent indoors nursing a post-surgery pup back to health as she lounged in her patient bed aka my futon. I'll save the unsavory details of how hard a rear-end region surgery is on passing excretory motions, but I will relinquish the fact that she wore on me with her onset of nighttime anxiety. She mostly slept or lounged about on the futon during the day, being her adorable fuzzy petable self while I watched a marathon of Sex and the City and sewed a felt cozy for Ryan's new camera, but come bedtime, she sits up and is absolutely convinced that she just cannot lay down or she will die. Leading to about 2-3 hours of pitiful whining and gazing woefully at us in bed before she finally lies down and resigns to sleeping since she no longer has our conscious attention.
Unfortunately the poor pup doesn't get the drain out of her bottom until Wednesday morning, but hopefully that will cheer her up immensely. And by then we should get news that her biopsy came back uncancerous, which will cheer me up immensely. I've been less than sunny lately, if not just an utter rain-heavy cloud, which makes me feel terrible for Ryan. Once we're out of the thick of dog health drama, I promise that I'll be 100 degrees sunnier and ennui-free.
Speaking of ennui, yesterday at Otis' Open House, I only wanted to sign up for the Adobe Illustrator and Silkscreening class. Of course the Silkscreening class was full, throwing me into an indecisive tizzy. I'm so indecisive. So badly indecisive. Especially inflicted with such apathy for art and disinterest in, well, quite honestly disinterested instructors. Now I'm leaning towards taking Letterpress since it sounds really fun despite the lackluster instructor, and Annie will be taking it too! Always need that extra dose of estrogen and kvetching.
Which leads me to this interesting MSN article about the five girlfriends every girl should have.
1. The Uplifter
This woman's favorite word: yes. You could tell her you're trading your six-figure income for a career in offtrack betting, and she'd barely pause before yelping "Go for it!" Don't you need someone who looks past the love handles to notice the extraordinarily gorgeous you?
2. The Travel Buddy
When the hotel in St. Lucia is a bust, one characteristic becomes all-important: flexibility. This agreeable companion need not be the girl you traded pinkie swears with on the playground; it's enough that she's comfortable with quiet (between gabfests) and is a teensy bit mischievous (as in tequila after midnight).
3. The Truth Teller
Intent is what separates the constructive from the abusive. Once you've established that the hard news is spoken in love (not in jealousy or malice), you'd be smart to seek out this woman's perspective.
4. The Girl Who Just Wants to Have Fun
One Saturday a pal and I—and yes, we're both over age 12—pored over every glitter lip gloss in a drugstore aisle for an entire 45 minutes. Forget the crisis download (for that, see the Uplifter); this partnership is about spontaneous good times.
5. The Unlikely Friend
"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive," Anaïs Nin wrote. My friends—some twice my age, others half, some rich, others homeless, some black like me, others Korean, Mexican, Caucasian—have added richness to my life that only variety can bring.
Now the only question is, my friends, which girl are you?Labels: arts+crafts, daily
Thursday, May 10, 2007
I like my coffee to taste like a milkshake too.
Those are the delicious Apricot-Glazed Almond Cupcakes I made from a recipe straight out of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World tonight. I'm obsessed with this book; it has incredible, creative recipes that are so basic to make. For this recipe, I swapped out almond meal with 1/2 cup of ground flaxseed; both because (a) I didn't have almond meal and (b) I like to pretend my sweets are healthy for me. Eat your fiber and stay regular! Also, I used about half a cup of whole wheat flour and the rest in unbleached all purpose flour and I didn't notice a difference in the rise or crumb. Finally, the apricot preserves are not just pure apricot but the Organic Apricot Orange Preserves from Trader Joe's (grocery store of my heart). This weekend I'll be making the Lychee Cupcakes with Coconut Glaze for the Mother's Day bbq at my parents house.
I also crocheted a pretty blue scarf tonight for my friend Daniel, who is moving back to South Korea at the end of the month. He loves scarves and almost bought one at the Rose Bowl Flea Market that I could have easily made, so I did. Tied up with a matching turquoise yarn bow!
Baking, crafting, and the new issue of Bust is what keeps me sane at the end of the day. Oh and a few good food blogs help me through the day! Who knew there were so many variations of cupcakes? Makes a girl want to throw a stylish dinner party soon, complete with almond champagne.
P.S. I've been collecting hilarious quotes; the title of the entry below was said by my sewing teacher yesterday, and the one above is one of my coworkers remarking on my equal parts coffee-and-cream-and-sugar caffeine fix.Labels: arts+crafts, foodie call, photolog
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Maximalist Merriment
"Get rid of all your boring, tiresome friends. Make friends with cabaret stars, exotic dancers, and down-on-their-luck royalty instead."
-- Jonathan Adler
A few of my fashion illustrations for my final project; they're framed in black wood and ready to go up in my walk-through closet.Labels: arts+crafts, quotes
Monday, April 09, 2007
Ready, Set, Spring!
I feel a little overwhelmed, mostly in a positive way, lately. I don't know if it's all this peek-a-boo spring weather and my growing anxiety for warm summer days, or if it is the feeling of Friggin'-Finally!-a-job-I-like! and the exciting influx of ideas that come with routine. I don't know if this makes any sense, but it all comes down to the quote about commitment I posted a few days ago. Even though I found it on a Starbucks cup (how LA am I now), this quote only makes more sense every time I read it. Now that I'm happy where I rest my feet from 9-to-5, I've started to dream about all the projects I want to embark on with my free time.
Among these is starting the 3AM Epiphany writing group up again, based on the book of the same name. Please join me if you're a writer or if you dabble in writing for fun!
I'm also starting a short story anthology project entitled Anthologie with my talented friend Gina, participating in two more swaps (including Marta's mellow+yellow swap) and developing a new photography&illustration portfolio website for my work. And speaking of such, can anyone recommend a decent-to-good scanner for artwork?
Along with thinking up too many ways to spend my time, I've also been having fun exploring more of LA. This past weekend, I explored a terrible karaoke place (Karaoke Bleu on Sawtelle, do NOT go here unless you want to live by rules that dictate how you spend your money there) and one really great bar (Cha Cha Lounge in Silverlake, progeny of the one in Seattle). Cha Cha had a photobooth (with unfortunately bad chemical fix, so your photos will come out yellowed BUT STILL WORTH IT) and two foosball tables, along with fantastically gaudy decorations and red lighting. What more could your little hipster heart want? Oh yeah and after having so many hit-or-misses in my misadventures around LA in just the past seven months, I'm going to start tracking and reviewing the places I (a) am mad about spending money at, or (b) will make a new staple in my life.
So far:
Karaoke Bleu: F
Cha Cha Lounge: A-Labels: arts+crafts, losangeles, spring, twentysomething
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Roadside Dinosaurs
Don't mean to be so quiet lately, but so much has been going on. How do people balance whole families and houses and mortgages with full time jobs and lives? Of all the life lessons I'm learning this first year out of school, I think the most important and pleasurable one I've learned so far is that it's important to HAVE FUN and play hooky once in awhile. Be a little reckless in your twenties; I know I'm having fun being rebellious.
Went on a road trip to Arizona for a wedding this past weekend; it was so much fun. Especially the ride home, where we meandered through the California stateside and pulled over whenever we saw something bizarre and kitschy (although we realize that this is how most horror films start). But when else are you going to experience dinosaurs on the road side or the General Patton Memorial Museum?
Last night I saw Zodiac, which turned out to be better than other friends had been suggesting. But how can you go wrong with Jake Gyllenhaal for me?
And even though I should have been cleaning my apartment, I made a bigger mess by making my first ATC (Artist Trading Card) for the ATC & Teabag swap on SwapBot. It was so much fun; I want to make many more soon.
I'm also so excited about TV on the Radio later this month and Wicked in May!
My life is perfect, even when it's not.Labels: arts+crafts, photolog, twentysomething
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Love-centric
The world is smaller than you think, and the people on it are more beautiful than you think.
-- Bertram van Munster
I'm so Valentine-minded right now, finding myself drawn to cute vintage valentines even though I've yet to send all my Christmas cards still (I know, sick!), sweet Valentine's mixes at the local five Starbucks (the cover is so charming!), a tiny pink hyacinth plant that's now sitting on my windowsill. Participating in Free People's Valentine swap is also helping me get into the mood. I'll take pictures of the scarf I'm crocheting once I finish! I even made a themed soundtrack for this month, to your left, and am reading The History of Love (so good so far).
Valentine's Day is one of the craftiest holidays around, and so I've found myself reveling in all the pink and red and lace instead of rebuking the commercialism of the holiday. It's all in how you celebrate! And this year I'm especially grateful of all the love I've received from all my friends and family this year. My life is perfect, even when it's not.
On another note, because of the stress of job-hunting and growing up and all matters of that sort, I've taken to baking again. I found this adorable vegan cupcake website: Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World from the people who brought you the book of the same name.Labels: arts+crafts, quotes
Monday, January 29, 2007
Golden Rules
I am LOVING art classes; I had my first life drawing class tonight. Pictured above is the set up for my still life for Marker Rendering, but it's also my favorite new workspace. My sewing machine is sitting on the other side of this corner table.
What is your favorite work space/situation?
On a completely unrelated note, speaking with my friend Laura who is doing the Vagina Monologues again this year makes me miss all those Sunday mornings of check-ins. In my perfect world, all my friends would sit in a circle on late Sunday mornings and check in with each other. We all need a context, community, of people. I know the only thing that has gotten me through these past very difficult months were my incredible friends who have shared precious, embarrassing pieces of themselves to help me understand and accept myself in all my ugly moments.Labels: arts+crafts, growing up, photolog
Sunday, January 28, 2007
All Happy Couples Are Alike, It's the Unhappy Ones Who Create The Stories
This past week has been pretty insane. All I know is that more changes are bound to be afoot very very soon.
I started art classes at Otis this weekend. The Marker Rendering Class turned out even better than I had hoped. I've been wanting to take a perspective class even though Otis doesn't offer one, but the instructor for this class is not only teaches marker rendering techniques, he teaches and emphasizes perspective! I'm so excited to become a better drawer in these next few months. Tomorrow I start Life Drawing at night, and the best part will be Ryan taking the class with me!
I've also watched Charade & An American In Paris this weekend, which are both really good (despite the extremely drawn out dance sequences in the latter). I'm almost done with Feast of Love by Charles Baxter, FINALLY. It's rich with beautiful passages, but also skillfully nuanced in how well Baxter captures the individual voice of each character. The novel shifts first person POVs between the few main characters in the book who are only loosely related to each other, and does it so well. I highly recommend it. I plan on digging into The Alchemist, The History of Love and Jane Eyre next, I really need to step up my reading goals for this year.
Thursday was our one year anniversary and I handmade a reconstructed sketchbook for Ryan. I don't think I want to say much else about it all except that I revel every day in how incredibly lucky I am.
I'll leave you with this short excerpt from Feast of Love:
People don't go to psychiatrists and pay good money to talk at length about how happy they are. Talking can spoil it. As a rule you don't settle down at the end of the day with a beer and tell your friend the particulars of how you lucked out and how well the day and the week and the year went, unless you're the gloating type. You just don't do that. It's provocation. You find some other neutral ground. If you're smart, you keep happiness to yourself.Labels: arts+crafts, books, films, photolog, quotes
Sunday, January 21, 2007
The Rememberlings and Things.
I'm becoming so obsessed with my new Pro Flickr account. Which definitely means good things for my photo year resolution.
Today I finally got to eat at Real Food Daily, which was so good. We went to the one in West Hollywood, so of course our waiter was adorably gay. It's a good Sunday for me when it starts with a vegan brunch and a pretty gay boy. It was our goal to go to Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School today, but we missed it because I forgot how addicting Paper Source can be! I bought many beautiful papers for a top secret project I'm working on, along with finding some presents for Lacey with Ryan.
To make up for missing our dose of art for the day, we stopped by the ThinkSpace gallery to see Lola's new show, The Rememberlings. Not only is the work charming, the titles are especially clever.
Now that I'm flexing my photography skills, I've just got to up the ante on my writing practice. For now, I'm nervous about starting my new job tomorrow and the 6 million hours of commuting that will come with it. But as the wise little owl on the chalkboard in my kitchen says, "Que Sera, Sera."
Wish me luck.Labels: arts+crafts, losangeles, photolog
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
The Year of More
Happy New Year! I am more excited for the developments of this year than I have been for any other year before; maybe because the most liberating thing about being out of school is the possibility that anything can change in a second.
A few more things to wrap up here from last year, and I'll move into the New Year. Pictured above is the Tiramisu Baby Blanket I crocheted from Alicia's test pattern. I didn't weave a ribbon around the scalloped edge because it was for a one month old baby boy. The night before Ryan went up to San Francisco for Christmas, I madly dashed to finish the blanket while he was creating a frame for a painting he did for his new nephew.
I'm really pleased with the way it came out, it was my first crocheted blanket and first time following a pattern! Alright, slide into the senior center over.
Here are some of my New Year's Resolutions; I'll keep it brief because I didn't realize until now that people only made one or two? I usually make twelve. And instead of doing things "less" like common resolutions seem to be, this is going to be my year of MORE. My year of excess and decadence in being good to myself and those whom I love. MORE LAUGHING. MORE TALKING. MORE LETTERS. MORE 'I LOVE YOU's. MORE THANK YOUs. MORE LOVE. MORE VEGETABLES AND FRUITS. MORE YOGA. MORE TIME STARING AT THE SKY. MORE GUILTY PLEASURES. MORE CUPCAKES. MORE PHOTOGRAPHS. MORE GIVING. MORE KISSES. I want more more more of life. And these:
1) Learn to sew; collect vintage fabrics and make own clothes!
2) Lose 10 lbs.
3) Continue yoga practice.
4) Eat healthier; learn more recipes; cook more.
5) Finish a draft of my novel.
6) Be well onto an illustration track.
7) Find a new job.
8) Manage stress better.
9) Maintain good correspondence and relationships with friends far and near.
10) Read 22 books.
11) Create an online photography/art portfolio.
12) Discover LA, and make it my home.Labels: arts+crafts, lists
Friday, December 22, 2006
Countdown to Christmas
Half an hour of work left before I get the whole next week off to enjoy with family, Christmas, many friends, and some time to take an inventory of my life and grasp all the thoughts swirling around my brain from all that's happened in the past year. I'm not (for once!) going to make a list of the amazing things that have happened to me in the last year, nor my New Year's Resolutions just yet. Taking things one holiday at a time.
After the holiday bbq at work (yes, I know, only in California!), I plan to go home and stuff my laundry, bags of presents, and bag for the weekend in my car and drive to my parents to RELAX. Last night's yoga class really kicked my ass, but talking with a good friend who really understands the stage of life I'm struggling through right now helped stretch and relax my state of mind. I'm so scared of making the wrong choices and needlessly dwell that I'm forgetting to enjoy the moment of it all, enjoy being 22 and the enormous wealth of love, creativity, and support in my life.
P.S. I am LOVING the new blogger labels. That was the one thing I was missing in my life and made me consider switching over to either typepad or moveable type. But Blogger, my one true love, you have come through for me once again.Labels: arts+crafts, photolog
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Doomcave Daydreams and Square Foot by Foot
Last night Ryan and I went to Camille Rose Garcia's show at the Merry Karnowsky Gallery yesterday, and it was full of bright, adorably grotesque creatures.
Then this afternoon we went to the Sq. Ft. show at ThinkSpace Gallery, full of more amazing hip young artists. Going to galleries inspires me to start pursuing my own art education; without the weight of tuition or homework at the moment.
We also stopped by Madame Matisse, and although I wanted to stop by the Reform School since we were at Sunset Junction, we didn't get a chance after driving through Griffith Park (yay picnics and pony drawings and merry-go-rounds and light festival trips to come). I had an incredible beet and apple salad, Ryan had their famous blueberry pancakes, and it was an adorable atmosphere as we sat among cattails out in the sidewalk dining area.
Tonight, we're going to make tacos, watch more Season 6 of Gilmore Girls and I'm going to do some paintings. FINALLY. Hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving Weekend as well!Labels: arts+crafts, losangeles, photolog
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Thankful
You've truly made it into the clear with vegetarianism when seeing all the uncooked turkey carcasses flashing around on television ads, billboards, and print ads makes you physically ill. ICK! How can people eat meat when it still resembles the animal?
However you celebrate, paying tribute to a turkey on your dinner table or divulging in a meat-free feast, I hope that you feel truly lucky from the top of your head to the wiggles in your toes.
Despite all my mucky depression and unrest lately, I am so so grateful for so many things this year:
1) My health
2) The health and happiness of those I love
3) Being so truly and healthily in love with the most amazing boy in the world
4) My family
5) My friends
6) All the factors that have converged in achieving my goals
7) Graduating college
8) All the amazing professors and teachers and students I've worked with this year
9) Peace in my heart
10) Beautiful additions to my family
11) Starting a yoga practice and a writing practice
12) Moleskine journals
13) Drawing and having the courage to take a risk
14) The journey itself
Thank you for reading, day after day. I am so thankful for you.Labels: arts+crafts, photolog, twentysomething
Monday, November 20, 2006
To the left, to the left...
The results of Day 1, Tiramisu Blanket
I am really obsessed with Beyonce's Irreplaceable song right now. It's so goddamn catchy and I'm such a sucker for I-Don't-Need-A-Man-I'm-Gonna-Be-My-Own-Best-Friend type songs, and she's getting the best ones lately. Need I remind you of Me, Myself, & I of '05?
Too bad she, as a human, is terribly boring and all gloss and perfectionsim. Bah.
In other news, I started the Tiramisu blanket pattern I'm testing out from Alicia's site. I just realized it was a baby blanket pattern today; no wonder it was much narrower than most blankets.Labels: arts+crafts, photolog
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Flea Markets & Bird Calls
Ryan and I went to the Melrose Trading Post this morning, which is way sweeter than the Rose Bowl Flea Market. Entrance is $1 (show your student ID) and some proceeds go to the school.
Overall everything is cheaper and more open to bargaining, though I didn't partake in much of it (I'm such a chicken).
I'm collecting frames and art for my walls, and though I decided to try and cluster black frames, I couldn't turn down that really lovely olive and gold frame for $1, or that Art Nouveau print of Sarah Bernhardt for $10. Mostly I'm trying to collect meaningful/favorite prints/drawings/paintings or doing my own or framing Ryan's. I'll take a picture when more things go up on my wall. I also bought two boxes with tiny paintings of zebras, deers, and tigers, one to use as a sewing box.
The picture of the horses through the frame is actually the cover of a book called The Personality Of the Horse (also $1!) which Ryan is using as a sketchbook, despite discovering it is an amazing collection of stories about horses, including The Red Pony by John Steinbeck. Now he feels guilty because he always makes fun of me for cutting up old books and reconstructing them into journals/using them for art.
After the flea market, we also dropped by Giant Robot 2 to take a peek at Susie Ghahremani's show Bird Call. I can't believe how small some of her pieces are, and they look even more charming and endearing in person.
It's my goal in the next four years here in LA to develop a life as an artist and have my own shows in one of the little galleries that line this city.
Oh! I almost forgot -- I also cut all my hair off again. Sooo much more liberating. That's it, have a splendid rest of your Sunday!Labels: arts+crafts, losangeles, photolog
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