oh. my . goodness

so busy these days... lots of art show organization and illustration work... lots of homework! trips to michaels are very tempting but i've got my long list of specific things i MUST buy and the coupon system that will help me save money for it all! oh, all the things i want to craft... you shall have to wait until i am an old lady in the dessert or living in front of a lake in Alaska or something!
seeing this totally makes me feel comforted and rested!


i use to LOVE this little cut in one of my Disney Sing Along Songs videos!

PS- ponyo came out today!

pps- i think AWAY WE GO is cute! and i want to see 500 days of summer.


AND ALSO!
one of the most amazing books i ever saw as a child and admired has FINALLY been found. i collected lots of picture books -mainly little golden books- that my nanny would give me. this one was not a little golden book, and like many of the books, i can still picture many spreads. i remember the smell of the book, the cover textures... i remember how gingerly i treated it- it was a treasure! i remember the story line pretty well, too. and i would search for it sometimes by keywords over and over. It's been years. I finally found it!

whats more...
I FOUND AN OPEN SOURCE PDF OF IT.

by JO FARMAYAN and illustrated by Harriet Sherman
THE WONDERFUL LAMP FROM ISFAHAN
http://www.archive.org/details/TheWonderfulLampFromIsfahan

My Ness

This is my Ness, so far. I love love love her. I loved her so much that I felt happier about having to gesso over the smaller painting I did of her last month. I gesso-ed over that last one because I was not proud of the quality. With this one, I feel I've found a really expressive brush technique. I don't know if I'm adding more to her. She's one of 4 large new canvases that will join several print sets and smaller 5 new smaller canvases I am working on for 2 shows, next month.


I really loved reading these GOOD READS when I was waiting for my photo homework to print!:

New Vintage Type by Steven Heller
I have always loved this one since when I first came across it and sometimes like to revisit it when I feel I want to handletter more type in my sketch book. Such fun ways to harken upon nostalgic type!
The Cute Book by Aranzi Aronzo
This little book lives up to it's name. It's sweet and simple design reflects exactly what it offers. Inside are patterns and easy-to-follow instructional pictures and tutorial steps to making little felt characters that would make your heart melt! There are also fun suggestions on how to add them to clothes, backpacks and other apparel to make yourself look sweet and sassy! I can't wait to try one! I've got all the material except felt in my possession, already.
Treasure of Decorative Floral Designs by Dover
This short paperback is definetly not short on inspiration! I was looking for some ornamentals to infuse an ancient-early civilization feel to my upcoming painting ideas. I have been searching through archives of cultural ornamentals and feeling more like I wanted to go towards the floral ones. This book was a perfect anecdote to my craving! Each panel was brimming with different ways to use line and shape to show create floral designs, patterns, and ornamentals. I was rushing to go get my photos I was waiting to develop and thought I would sit and flip through this one, but I actually spent about half an hour taking photos of different pages (because I can't afford copies).

THE RETURN OF GREMLINS 2!

I would watch Gremlins 2 over and over, as a kid. I was in love with Gizmo, the little, cute, cuddly furball of uber high maintenance. Also, I wanted to look just like Phoebe Cates, someday! I LOVE MY GIZMO PLUSH! I got him, last night. I saw him from across a store and literally stopped mid-sentence and ran to him and picked him up. The toy immediately started singing and dancing! ... It was love...

Thanks, babe for getting him for me! To this day, he has been on my wish lisht.This makes me super happy and giddy, although he has no real use value.
Now, I can trash my very very worn out Gizmo t-shirt that I kept only because he was on it.

Also, I made the president's list for the fifth time, last quarter. At the luncheon I was sad there was no cake. I feel like there should be. I told the President but I think he thought I meant only for me when I hit my sixth quarter but I really meant for everyone. We must celebrate!

One more thing! I currently would trade all my jeans in my wardrobe right now for all dresses, skirts and shorts. Beautiful weather, outside! Super hot, though!

QUICK UPDATE

been doing a lot of school work, lately. but im sketching some new stuff. been loving me some old things. vintage valentines are so in for me right now! as are polaroids, art that resembles doodles, collages, explosions in marker on a teenager's diary pages, embroidery, whatever reminds me of geisha and marie antoinette (sofia copola) and retro 80s type nostalgia... i have been putting together collages of these images to help me get a feel of the emotions i want the viewer to come across in my upcoming work...


LOVING
via TokyoBunnie's blog, this artist's illustrations are so refreshing and full of energy that they make me super excited to look at! BABYC.

COME HOME WITH ME: oh lovely wall art from neawear's etsy!

COOL BLOG: STUDIOFOLK.

GOOD READS
for Valentines day:

Love Is In Bloom by Kim Casali
When I first saw Casali's characters, it did take some time to get use to the nakedness. however, after seeing this book and giving it a run through, i am now a fan! her illustrations remind me of the kind of free spirit of the 60s through the 80s. yes, it's a bit odd to see the two naked, baby-faced lovers on every page, doing ordinary things, sometimes including their children. but, i appreciate this as a testament on the power of love... the universality of the way it accepts the beloved at all moments as their bare self... and the fact that it reduces the biggest of adults to the smallest of beings- with yet so much to learn. also, each little caption was full of experience, wisdom, warmth and humor! What a perfect Valentines day present.


Audrey Style by Pamela Clarke Keogh and Hubert de Givenchy
i am enamored with portraits of Audrey Hepburn, especially in black and white. i usually fall in love the moment i spot one, even before close examination. something about that classic face... looking through this book was so inspiring!


Hello, Please! Very Helpful Super Kawaii Characters from Japan by Matt Alt and Hiroko Yoda
This is a must have book for those who gush over all things kawaii and the intrigue of it's significance to Japan culture- (aka: me). The little characters are all so fun to look at and read about! Always heard of it but never had the chance to sit down with it until recently. Wished I could walk away with it!

AWESOME WOMAN OF THE WEEK



RETURN OF

LOVING chanel couture 09 headdresses

sleep hasnt been comin very easy, lately... SO here is the result!:

CHANEL couture 09, by Karl Lagerfeld, is headlining this LOVING entry. paper headdresses... delicate and amazingly detailed/realistic. everything awash in pure white! beautiful. a show to remember! PICS FROM STYLE.COM


Close behind, the sneak peeks at FIFI LAPIN's LeSportsac bags! o lala... i was so excited when i saw these! i would own them all if i could!BIG fan of fifi. very sweet bags and very fifi lapin! my fave is the first one, below- COME HOME WITH ME, MY LOVELY!


Petra Storr's creative direction. her portfolio is a feast for the eyes ... she's living one of my creative dreams! wonderful shape, form, colors and stories! very vibrant.



GRAPHIC DESIGN

I do not read Japanese characters. But the design that Shinmura Design Office did in their portfolio floored me. Amazing ablitiy for type to transcend cultural boundaries!K.O.!

CRAFTERS & ILLUSTRATOR
COME HOME WITH ME!

Ayelet Iontef's debut for GOLF&CO Ceramics AND Embroidery by Joetta Maue

these pieces stole my heart and i would love for them to COME HOME WITH ME, as well!!! they are by Ashley Goldberg of Kitty Genius, and will be entering her ETSY store, framed, soon!

PHOTOGRAPHS

Macaroons pic by Canelle et Vaneille (THEIR BLOG MAKES ME MELT! -pun intended)
a sunset in Florida, source unknownn
A teapot owned by Smosch's Sandra Juto.
Girl in field with paper planes pic by Asaf Einy
Sold out Shadow box creation by The Black Apple, etsy
Bambi and girls pic by Stephanie Fuller
Sunglasses pic from The What-If Waltz, Flickr
Socks and Planets pic by Eric Zunkley
Bruno Frisoni shoes with gold dipped birds.
Clock with bunnies pic by Cherry Blossom girl.
Heads on display, Alexander Ford.
*parasol pic and doll shoes pic, homeless.


HOMELESS PICS
(help us find our homes!)

muled over these pics for a while. lots of inspiration!


DREAM CLOSET additions

leather fox pouches by PRINCESS TINA at chocosho.
Bracelets: Sabrina Dehoff, Cecille Boccara, Daydream Nation.
Kenneth Jay Lane ring.

THE RETURN OF
(personal, nostalgic inspiration)

Shirley Climo Cinderella-type folk tales.