Happy Anti-Holidays!

Gary Baseman

Dame Darcy

Mark Ryden

Happy Holidays

This is my Christmas card for this year, drawn and designed by Andrea Gutierrez, the lovely artist behind Little Bighead. (I love this image in particular because the two characters look a bit like me and my husband!) Andrea's quickly become one of my favorite artists. Here's her Etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=101351.

I hope anyone who reads this is having a joyful and stress-free holiday season. :)

Barking at the Moon...

On Saturday I saw the new Disney computer animated movie Bolt with JT and his 12-year-old brother. For a family pic I really enjoyed it (and laughed my ass off at the quixotic, somewhat insane hamster), but I was surprised to hear what sounded like a Jenny Lewis song playing under a montage about halfway through the movie. JT thought it might be Jewel, but I wasn't convinced. Sure enough, after checking the credits at the end I was able to confirm that it was Jenny. (After constantly playing "Under the Blacklight" all spring and summer, her beautiful little trill is ingrained in my brain.) The track is called "Barking at the Moon" and it's lovely, as her music tends to be. Kudos to the Disney people who asked her to perform on the soundtrack - an unexpectedly cool choice.

Dead Men Tell No Tales

Ahoy, mateys! In honor of "Talk Like a Pirate Day," below is a picture taken by me'self of Cap'n Jack Sparrow at The Land O' Disney with an arrrrrdorable little samurai. "Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me!"

Autumn

Pumpkin Spice lattes are back at Starbucks, as is Pumpkin Ale at Rutabagorz in Tustin. Yay, pumpkins! Simple minds...simple pleasures. :) Fall just might be my favorite season. I wish I could visit NYC this year.

V for Vendetta

I saw it for the first time this weekend and can't stop thinking about it...

Nerd Love

"Well, we are technically engaged..."

Green Tea Pancakes

I think I'll try fixin' this for my fella. Mmm...

1/2 lb. pancake mix
2 tbsps. Matcha (powdered green tea)
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 tbsp. butter

1. Mix pancake mix and powdered green tea.

2. Add eggs and milk and mix well.

3. Melt butter in a pan and make pancakes.

Sassy Crutches?

Since I'm currently hobbling around on a sprained ankle, I was researching ideas for customizing my brand-spanking-new crutches and ran across Lemon Aid. The woman who crafts them spent a couple of years on crutches due to a plane crash that took the lives of her husband and son, and she decided to make a living out of helping others feel a little more chipper about having to use these clunky, awkward contraptions. And 50% of the proceeds go to Step with Hope (stepwithhope.org), a nonprofit foundation she established herself.

Though they're too pricey for me ($100 - $175), I loved these designs (l to r: Hollywood, Vegas, Sudan, Taipei):

Little Bighead

A few weeks ago I purchased this original drawing ("Tea Girl"), along with some mini-buttons, from my lovely friend, Andrea. She is just the right combination of talented, warm, creative and down-to-earth. Her product line name is Little Bighead, and her art is childlike, feminine and a bit surreal. For her Etsy store, go here: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=101351.

Kick-Ass Party Theme: Day of the Dead!

Dame Darcy! Storybook Paintings!

I heart Dame Darcy! Since discovering her during my underground/alternative comics kick in 2005, I've been a huge fan and even bought one of her illustrations at an art show (among various other books and crafts over the last few years). She's an artist/comic book creator/filmmaker/musician/crafty chica, and the loveliest Victorian/goth/pseudo-mermaid/fairy tale princess I've ever encountered.

She's cool because she:

• is from Idaho and is now NYLA bicoastal


• plays the banjo and writes eerie, silly, ethereal songs, both as a solo artist and with her band, Death by Doll


• writes and illustrates "Meatcake" (my favorite comic book)


• features awesome characters in her comics, such as mermaids, pirates, Siamese twins, a girl who has a head like a Pez dispenser, a wolf-man and a talking shellfish
  cites Sir John Tenniel and Edward Gorey as artistic influences


• made a giant fabric picture of the Last Supper starring characters from Alice in Wonderland (which I would buy if I could afford it)


• re-works, alters and sells vintage clothing, sometimes with her illustrations on the pieces, and has unique, lovely personal style


• makes tiny, delicate dolls


• will soon be releasing Gasoline, an "Environmentally-Conscientious Rock and Roll Post-Apocalyptic Fairy Tale of Witches and Family," which will take the form of a graphic novel, a film and an album
  
• read Heath Ledger's palm
  
• painted a mural in Margaret Cho's house
  
• had her own nutty New York Public Access show called "Turn of the Century," which featured guests like Courtney Love and Thurston Moore
  
• goes on dating shows like "Blind Date," "Third Wheel" and "Flavor of Love" seemingly just to get publicity and mess with the contestants, and even turned the typical hot tub scene on its head by singing and splashing in the water while dressed as a mermaid


• ...oh, just go see for yourself at http://www.damedarcy.com/

She will having an art opening TONIGHT, from 5:00 - 9:00 PM at the Clair Obscur Gallery - 453 S. Spring Street, L.A. 90013 - http://www.clairobscurgallery.com/. I would go if I could, but a sprained ankle is now making it difficult for me to even walk over to the printer at work. Urgh.

Here's the flyer:

Type B

I bought this shirt yesterday at http://www.lookforfiddleheads.etsy.com/. I couldn't resist.

TYPE B. Type B is for creativity, imagination, and a philosophical look on life. A type B is a joy to live with as long as you don't tell them what to do. How do I know this?

Women's short sleeve, super soft 100% organic cotton. Pre-washed, Pre-shrunk.

Also, my favorite magazine:

Belle Epoque

I recently thought of the phrase "Belle Epoque" and was wondering what exactly it meant and why I was thinking of it now. It turns out it represents, at least in its idealized sense, a kind of beauty, innocence and time of social change that I'm seeking now.

In doing a bit of online research, I stumbled upon this website of photo collages and other creative projects:

http://www.artchixstudio.com/index.htm

Here are some of my favorites:

"Wings of Fancy"

"Saucy Showgirls"

"The Heart of Paris"

"Seaside Cuties"

"La Belle Epoque"

From Wikipedia:

Belle Epoque (French for "Beautiful Era")

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belle_epoque

Wall-E

Sweet, satirical, foreboding, visually-compelling, mysterious, and childlike...a surprisingly subversive call to action and a summer must-see.

Leisure

It's amazing what good company, good food and a little browsing will do for my outlook on life.

Sunday: Lunch with Mr. G. Stomp at The Filling Station in Orange - fun conversation, laughs, fries, fruit, etc., then browsing antique stores, looking at furniture and jewelry I couldn't possibly afford. Fell in love with a 1940s mahogany and pink velour (?) couch and chair set. Pristine condition - comfortable, elegant...aaah...even dreaming about it is nice. Of course, I would need my own apartment to truly enjoy it...details, schmeetails! But, I ask you (whoever you are), is it possible to fall in love at first sight with an inanimate object? Yes, yes, I think it is. I also tried on a $2,000 art deco diamond ring and spied a $100 pink 1950s chiffon prom dress at the same store. (Yes, I love pink. I am a girl. Fuck off.) Oh, how I long for more disposable income! But Mr. Stomp was a great browsing companion, so that made all the longing worthwhile. He's always drawn to the most unusual things...like a giant "Dutchboy" head that could be used as a footstool...which I find to be quite entertaining.

Last night: Douglas asked me to dinner at the Gypsy Den at The Lab in Costa Mesa after a frustrating day at work. He entertained me with his impression of his idea of a French Canadian hipster, which turned out to be more like, as he said, "Bruce Springsteen doing a French Cheech Marin." I had a delicious plate of nachos, then we browsed Urban Outfitters. I know the company is run by conservative Republicans, which baffles me when I look at their imitation-bohemian merchandise, but I can't resist the pull of the store. I mean where else can I get Miranda July's Learning to Love You More, a plastic Hello-Kitty-in-a-box (Which one will I get? Surprise!), a unicorn necklace, a pair of cowboy boots, and a one-of-a-kind pinafore all in one place? Nowhere else I know of, aside from my imaginary Princess Town store (which would also have a puppy play area/petting zone). I do find it amusing that the Barack Obama mugs and t-shirts they're shilling will indirectly fund the Republican party, but it's amusing in a "Ha, ha! The world sucks!" kind of way.

I did buy a book last night, which is The Cheap Date Guide to Style. It's so fun to read, and has interviews with Vivienne Westwood, Chloe Sevigny, Dita Von Teese and more. With how much I've been thinking about fashion lately, it's great to come across a publication (Cheap Date is a British mag) that encourages thrift store shopping and developing your own style, rather than trying to live above your means. (NOTE: It was also featured in the latest issue of Bust.)

Distracting myself with beautiful things and nice people makes me feel like there's more order and sweetness in my life. I don't think that's necessarily the healthiest way to cope with stress or dissatisfaction with my present circumstances, but it's better than drinking myself into oblivion (however fun that may be). My roommate, Dahlia, does crafts, puts together gorgeous outfits and choreographs burlesque routines to add more beauty to her life. She inspires me to be more productive.

Rilo Kiley at the Greek Theater in L.A. - 6/18/08:

Jenny: tousled red hair - sexy & charismatic

Blake & Jenny = Similar style to Douglas and me? (according to him)

Singing along - just like summer camp - Oh, happiness!

Jealous of Jenny's looks/style/voice/strut/guitar skills

Guy in a giant fish costume running on stage during "Silver Lining" - plus huge, clear balloons filled with silver confetti

Pine trees

Holding his hand

Dahlia & MQ dancing and singing

RK t-shirt (gray w/crashing cars) & yellow possum beach towel

Zooey Deschanel(!) milling after concert - turquoise and white polka dot dress/huge eyes/perfect white skin/dainty/loveable/shy - Courageous Drea gets her picture with her!

Walking to car: bliss, palms, full moon, clutching the towel & tee, beautiful homes, thick tree roots, friends...