Googling yourself

Have you ever googled yourself? Since I have an unusual name or at least it's spelling I entered it in [just my first name] to see what would come up. Apparently there are a couple others of us out there as well. Spelled with one I and two L's thank you very much.

Along with a couple other comrads...the Urban Dictionary also came up with something called

" A Richele"
descibed as this:

1)Being in a confusing situation
2)Having a confusing problem
3)Dealing with somthing that should work but for some reason refuses to work

which surprisingly describes myself and electronics to a "T" was someone watching me hook up my DVD player and named it that? I think big brother is watching me.

For the Art Damaged Designers in your life

This is a perfect gift for your graphic design buddies or yourself. I always get a little twitch when I see zip up sweatshirts with words across the chest.. the zipper mis-kern's the type. Some smarty pants decided to make it official with the kern sweatshirt. A little pricey at $69 but funny non-the-less.

Kern Sweatshirt $69

Being a Hysterical Girl--Not the Funny Hysterical Either

Last week lying in bed watching TV, I heard a sound. A sound similar to someone tripping over a cord. Now, I'm on the 3rd floor. There is 99.9% chance in hell that anyone can be up on my roof, next to my bedroom window. So I lay there and tell myself to calm down it's just a rat [those ARE on my roof]. I lay there for a few more minutes focusing on listening, not looking backwards of course. And then I hear it...a moan. Like someone is standing behind my window doing who-knows-what.

The fear starts to race through my brain and body at 500 mph. So once again I lay there shaking thinking I'm totally crazy it's probably part of a conversation from down below that I can hear. I lay still again listening for said conversation- no conversation. Total complete fear and panic sets in.

These are the thoughts that begin racing through my head:

1. I remember my land line doesn't work since the lovely Direct TV people came out to install.
2. My cell phone is downstairs.
3. I'm going to die
4. My roomie isn't home to hear me NOT scream...I'm in the state of being so scared no words will happen.
5. I'm not dressed.
6. Did I mention I'm going to die?


So I grab my clothes and run downstairs, grab my cell phone and stare at it. Do I call 911? I'm totally nuts-- there is no way someone is on my roof right? but what if there is? I can't go back up there to check. I stare at my phone some more. They are going to think I'm a total chick if I call and there's nothing there. Just then my girlfriend calls. I tell her the situation and she is yelling at me to call 911 and she's picking her husband up to come over. I hang up with her and dial 911.

I hear myself tell the dispatcher. "I'm sorry to bother you but I think someone is on my roof"--it's probably an animal but if you could send a patrol car over just to check I would greatly appreciate it. He's very kind...says he will...blah blah blah

So I go downstairs to wait for my friend and the police at the front door. She and her husband arrive with a sword...not joking here. I don't know what he thought he'd do with it but it's sweet he did. In the distance we hear a helicopter. We look at each other and say do you think that it's for this? Helicopter getting closer....it's now overhead with the lights on my roof circling once, twice, three times...and off it goes...The officers walk up the drive I tell them the situation they tell me the helicopter has infrared and has not detected anything but they can check the house out if I would like. Yes, please [under the bed would be a great place to start- I think to myself and don't forget all the closets!] My neighbors are all out side. The police pull there guns to enter. I continue to apoligize because I know there's nothing there --'I'm sure it's just an animal I'm just being a hysterical girl' They look at me like "lady, just shut up we get calls like this all night." ---Sorry!

what happened you ask?

Nothin'.. Nobody there, no sign of an animal, nothin'. I do appreciate the helicopter service and the two officers showing up though. It must have been a slow night for Long Beach's finest I didn't think they would respond in 5 minutes flat. I expected to wait 45 min for a car to show up.

I took a xanex so I could sleep [a couple of nights actually] because I still can't explain the moan and there just might be a boogie man under my bed.

a hysterical girl.

footed jammies

How awesome are footed jammies and why don't grown ups get to have them? Jake my nephew by friendship was the picture of cuteness on Thanksgiving. He figured out that he could cruise to the table get a bite of food then have enough time to go back to his favorite show for a moment before needing another snack. My kinda guy.

Hope everyone's Turkey Day was great fun

Bluetooth Headsets -- Are the New Fanny Pack

A friend and I were commenting on how foolish people look walking around with these things on their head ALL THE TIME. We can totally relate to the safety in the car but the folks who wear it non-stop are just annoying. She declaired them "the new fanny pack" and I couldn't stop myself from laughing.

Folks, take em' off outside the car, we're not sure if you missed your dose of Lithium or you are on your phone.

creative days

I am a lucky girl! I get to do the neatest creative stuff sometimes. A friend of mine asked me to do a styling job for him. He was just shooting for a portfolio piece, not a client so he allowed me to be in on most all of the creative process when he was setting the job up. We thought he would handle wardrobe by himself but at the last minute he asked me to help out. We were going for a tomboyish sexy thing and I think our casting was great. I'm sure we'll all see more of Allie in years to come.

It's just such a nice day when everyone on set gets to be there because they love the creative process rather than dealing with a client's needs, which i'm happy to do, but clients are generally forced to play it safe most of the time for whatever reason their bosses/ad budget ect. It was great fun to just do what we wanted and I got to take some snaps as well.

Like a Chanel Suit

"Ahhhhhh Clooney, Just like a Chanel suit, he never goes out of style"
-SJP Sex and the City

I couldn't help but recite this quote in my head as they unveiled People's Sexiest Man Alive. I'll second that thought

ode to the cupcake

The light in my apt is really beautiful this time of year. I happened to catch a moment with one of my favorite pieces of art on Saturday afternoon... my cupcake print from my friend Ted who so graceously gave me one in art class last year. A good cupcake is the MOST perfect dessert ever. Tons-o-butter required [Magnolia Bakery -- is the most perfect in the world]

funny thoughts on dental floss

I had a conversation with my friend Gary the other day about dental visits and flossing. I am a bad flosser I admit it! in fact, I hardly ever floss unless forced to. For this reason I go to my denist every 3-4 months to make him do the hard work. The reason I don't floss is because It feels violent to me like i'm assulting my teeth & gums. After MANY years of braces they are close together like they should be. Floss does not want to go in! and I don't want to force it.

the rest of our conversation went like this:

G: well you know what I equate not flossing to?
R: what?
G: it's about the same as not wiping your butt.
R: eeeewwwww! oh great, now I have to floss!

but then I had this thought over the weekend which I sent him this morning to make him laugh:

So what if I wear "butt floss" underwear? does that solve both issues?

happy monday

Beautiful Use Project

Last Month I signed up to do a fun project swap called "Beautiful Use Project" through a blog I frequent called Hoping for Happy Accidents [which is a brilliant name since my art is based on that frequently.]

The assignment:
participants are asked to send any three objects that are at once utilitarian, simple and beautiful to their partner. think about the beauty in the everyday...a packet of perfect new pencils, a white enamel bowl, handmade beeswax candles, a natural canvas tote with red stitching... these objects can be new, thrifted, vintage, handmade...just keep in mind that its probably best to send something that you'd be pleased to receive yourself.

I was assigned to Jen of the North in Portland, Maine. We were given a description of what the other person described her style to be as well as the link to their own blog...so that we would know what the other person might like. Interestingly enough, I found that something so incredibly simple 'the beauty in every day' was difficult to capture. I sort of choked really, on all the possiblities. what I really wanted to send was a grocery shopping cart! that's the ultimate in everyday beauty to me.

What I ended up sending since Jen said her taste was simple...were two lino prints I did during the summer. They were my two favorites and I thought she would like the simplicity of the drawings since she is an illustrator and artist herself. I find often with my art that I don't give it very much value, and as I was packing the prints up for her I suddenly got nervous that it wasn't "enough" that I was jipping her out of a real swap because I had made them. My insecurities with art still weigh heavy after all these years. I think alot of us discredit our gifts because they come so naturally to us--not everyone can do the things we do. It's hard to remember that sometimes. Anyway...I ended up packing up 5 items for her: a couple sets of note cards and a photograph, along with the prints I had recently taken. She said she like the prints the best...my first instinct was correct. Funny how that happens!

Jen sent me some pretty antique bottles with some illustrations she had done decoupaged on to them. Also she made me a beautiful card on yummy paper that was stitched on the sewing machine. They are all lovely, I think my favorite was the striped bottle and the card itself.

The project was a ton of fun, a great way to get to know another fellow blogger and think a little differently than I normally do in the creative process. I told my mom I had a "secret pal" which is something my grandma use to do with her garden/mother's clubs which I always thought was fun.

Hope I get to participate again with it.

Maira Kalman illustrator

Maira Kalman is a SWELL illustrator featured in the New Yorker as well as a children's book artist and a "galleried" artist. She has a number of her paintings posted on The New York Times site today. I like when people document the every day in quirky ways.

Sacramento pt.1

I love hanging out at my sister-in-law's day care. The place is generally chaotic and the noise level piercing...Still, she is amazing with them, generally on the floor with one or two in her lap, another hanging around her neck. She is an amazing giver and the children flock to her like 'the piper'.

Then of course there are my nephew[s] [the 13 yr old is boycotting photos currently] who I want to squeeze until they explode. I try and control myself most of the time but each time I leave I miss them horribly and I wonder how it is I love them the way I do...it feels odd, as they are not my own. I can't imagine being able to love someone more but I would guess it's different when they are yours [good and bad] The youngest [5] is has a very wicked since of humor with a flare for being a very elaborate story teller. It's funny how those things come out as they age. The 13 yr old...is a teenager. I wish I could tell him it will get better but it just sucks all the way around. It does get better around 23 I think? I'm a late bloomer so it was about 34 for me. sorry kiddo- I'm not much help in that department.

Sacramento pt 2

These munchkins are some of the day care kids.

still learning....

my good friend Kira called me on Sunday [actually I called her about something unrelated] and she asked me what I was doing on Monday morning...normally I go to the office like most of America but when she said she and Jonny were going to the courthouse to get hitched I had to take a 1/2 day off.

some photos...still getting the hang of this camera and realizing that even when the viewfinder looks like it's in focus...it may not be! rats!! still, some blur worked out on a few of the images like I did it on purpose.

congrats to them both