I'm a little in over my head

see ya next week when I come up for air. Let me direct you to some fine folks who you may like as well

this is glamorous you know, because, glamour is my middle name

Garance the side kick to the Sartoralist if you don't know of her

Megan of Beach Bungalow 8? the best

my new obsession Teen Angster

Karey's recommend which is now mine Woolgathering and Miscellany she's spunky, that one! [sometimes nsfw btw]

Aubrey Road she's almost too cool for me to even read that's how cool she is.

and lastly I leave you with some bits of beauty I mean really could I let you go into the weekend without bits of beauty? no sirrreee.

Inspired

not often do you get to combine art, shoes and a good campaign. Cole Haan has something fun going on right now "what inspires you?". Photos by The Selby no less


From the conversation with James Bond
"When my wife and I first met we started collecting artwork. Then we started collecting kids. And when we recover from that we'll start collecting art for our kids"


I might recommend checking out the Johnny Knapp interview. Umm... because he's hot



Yes, these dear kids are Cole Hann's Nike Air no less too.

See the whole fab thing right here.

Anges and Julia Stone

I wish there was a You Tube video for the song I heard in the car this morning from this group Anges and Julia Stone this morning. I guess it's on it's way "Santa Monica Dreams" was the tune today.

She has the most perfect quiet-dusty quality to her voice I've fallen in love with. I found these two to tie us over till it shows up.
a little Kate Bush-ish no?

Golden Globes

last night while flipping through my new HOW International Design Annual I was thinking to myself I need to remind Kuro Collective to submit their Cowboy project to the next one. It was too good not to win awards.

I get to page 132 or something and there it is in all it's glory. Merit Mention for Identity and letterhead. Did you know getting into HOW Design Annual is like winning a Golden Globe in the design world? Ok, that's just my idea of it but it's a big deal I'm happy to say I got mentioned as the printer which I'm riding on their coattails of fame from but still.

super coolness, Congrats to Kuro and their team

Some Random Things for a Monday

Have I told you I've been pondering a pet? a small dog because I'm allergic to cats. But then I think about the vet visits, the walking, the pee breaks and it all sounds a little exhausting. I need a nap already. I might also mention my landlord who may not hold the same idea of small dog=cat idea I'm having.



The boyfriend's birthday this weekend. I say boyfriend because we are not married but we've been together nearly 6 years [this summer] and he is 45 so he is not a boy, and more than a friend for some time now. Although he is also my best friend so what do you do with that? We need a new name for this sort of thing don't you think? Lets work on that shall we? But back to his birthday. We had a lovely dinner, which he had to pay for [see note below] I kinda felt bad about that. But beyond that part what I can tell you is I had the most amazing martini. Salted Pear Martini made with pear vodka and St Germain [salted rim] awesome and dangerous all in one glass. I wanted a second and a third but refrained. Not to mention the butterscotch pudding with the salted caramel top via my friend Shelly Register amaze-balls.

click to enlarge receipe /I did not have spiced pear vodka but that's certainly an interesting take on the drink


onto the next bit of randomness...I'm seriously contemplating a part time job at Peet's my favorite coffee store. Reasons being: A. free coffee and you know what a whore I am for that, B. Some extra cash because well...I just used my last gift certificate to buy my said 45 year old boyfriend his birthday gift this weekend and made him pay for his own dinner -nice hu? C. did you know they offer full medical benefits to employees who work a minimum of 21 hrs a week? I'm also a whore for medical benefits if I haven't told you before. That whole metal in my spine thing. Insurance companies don't care for me much.



This is the part that I'm trying to sort out. I might have the opportunity to work at a real office again. I'm on round 500 of their interview process but I'm not sure I want to. I have my own thing going and it's getting busy although not making much money and I'm not sure mentally I'm ready to go back to the rat race just yet. Free coffee and the whole medical benefits...only 21 hrs a week so I can work on the things that I want to.

Have I officially lost my mind? please let me know inquiring minds want to know.


photo via>
cute dog

One day soon...

What's that bumper sticker saying? One day the defense department will hold a bake sale to fund their bombs and schools will have all the money they need.

My client's son, Adrian, who is as cute as a bug's ear has set out to save his elementary school's science lab.



It's not a secret that California schools are in a bad way, my community just announced several hundred layoffs of teachers this week in fact.

click here to see Adrian's Tumblr page including cute videos about his favorite snake. I'll see you at the lemonade stand this weekend.

I wonder, what Sacramento thinks will happen in 15 years when our children have had a subpar education and 1/3 are on welfare because they can't get a job. dunno, seems ass-friggin-backwards if you ask me.

printing is sexy

Is printing sexy? It might just be me. Regardless, this is one of the best videos I've seen about printmaking. I love how the guy is all dirty and has ink jammed up in his fingernails. I always say I look like a friggin' hippy 70's pottery mom in the garage while I'm working.

KLUGE from Northern Lights on Vimeo.

The chic girl in me gets very upset about that I might add. They don't like each other much, hippy side and chic side.

This is an automatic Kluge, mine is a manual Vandercook. this one prints about 1000+ pieces an hour. Me, I'm kicking butt at 125 pieces. But mine? something a little better if you ask me [and sometimes my clients]

thanks to one of my favorite font houses FontShop for the link today

of friendship and loss

Once, there were 4 friends. Like any group of women sometimes there were 3, sometimes one was too far away or in an emotional crisis to be near us physically or emotionally. But we were 4 regardless. I thought during that time we would be lifelong friends, friends that fly on a moments notice to where they were needed. Friends who loved each other without thought, friends who traveled during the summer and laughed about the good ol days.



A few years ago something happened. Something big and the four of us blew up into little bits, scattered around scrambling like ants trying to make sense of who was what, and who was where, who we could talk to about what and who we couldn't. It was a horrible time in my life of friendships, on par really with my legal divorce. I won't go into details about what happened because, well, that's our story but things fell apart and because I had been my helpful self I got blamed for something really bad that did not occur. It was so horrible it was the first time since Jr. High I pondered a fist fight with another girl.

The one who accused, she was under a great amount of stress and I had great empathy for her, probably more so than any but I could not go back to that place again without an apology that she was not able to give.



Then there were 3 and one outsider, which rotated depending on who was with whom. That's just the way it went, it was slightly uncomfortable but it worked because we didn't need to be in the same room with one another.

And then one became pregnant and she was our collective glue. I decided at that point to figure it out. We were all to be aunties and no one should be omitted or uncomfortable at showers and events. So I sucked it up and said lets talk. We agreed to disagree and were friendly but it was never quite the same. She didn't trust me and I didn't trust her but we made the best of everything considering and became friendly again.



A couple years passed of friendly and then it happened again. Things were said about myself and people I love and I rationalized her anger and meanness until one day I said wait a minute...why do I keep defending someone who continues to throw me under the bus? And I did something I've never done before, I "divorced" my friend.

I cut her out completely, deleted her from my facebook contacts, didn't return emails. It was one of the hardest, most painful decisions I've ever made in my adult life. I struggled with it for weeks before I pulled the trigger, but I divorced my friend completely. She was too toxic for me to keep.

And now we're just scattered because we're all different now. Everything is different now.

My friend, who I divorced, she was diagnosed with breast cancer a couple of weeks ago. I know this because one of the others told me. This morning I called the last of our 4 to make sure she had heard the news and I cried while I told her that one of our 4 was very ill. We both cried on a Tuesday morning. She in Vermont, me here in California – in my office looking out onto sunny skies. Just like that, life changes in an instant.

One of our 4 has breast cancer and she is 39. Because in my head we are still 4, even. if. we. are. not. it's just the way I am.


The loveliest of watercolors are by Amber Alexander on Etsy

fashion junky?

if you are you probably already know about these sites. If you don't, may I recommend some for you NYC fashion week coverage?

Fashionista daily read for me + their twitter updates are awesome.
style.com but you know what's better? their iphone app. Been watching the latest shows in line at the grocery or whenever I have a spare minute. *brilliant* [free app btw]
NY Times The Moment Blog daily read as well. I look forward to the end of the week when the recap the invites to the shows. I know, silly me.

photo? fashionista of course. Marc Jacobs don't cha know...white velvet in the line up apparently it looks like cotton candy. yum sign me up.

Right Now...

it's 80 degrees here in So Cal today. It's lovely but seems so odd since a second ago I was freezing.

I ate too much for lunch today. speaking of I'm ready to go back to the gym, the muffin top is expanding.

I may have figured out my mystery illness that keeps landing me in the hospital. Panic attacks that are shutting my system down... talk about an electrical overload.

Valentines was lovely. Saturday night fun instead of Sunday but it was just as good.

This week Chris has a big round of medical exams that he has to pass or won't go on to the next leg of training. Think good thoughts for him.

R+C

sidewalk art that I managed to squeeze by my fair city when they weren't looking. Happy Valentine's dolls hope your sweetheart and you have a lovely weekend. And if you're single? Girl, party it up with some champers and the girls anyway.

kick some serious baking bootie

We're going to kick some serious PTA, Martha Stewart ass with these cuties called Ticings




fun, funky edible frosting designs that you can apply yourself prices range from $15.95- $19.95 for a packet of 12. Essentially edible paper.

Of course the next question out of my art damaged mouth? Can I customize the designs myself? The answer is yes for a price. $100 set up fee plus a minimum order which they don't disclose on the site. Still how cool is that?

via> pixels and arrows

It's only exciting for me but...

That super cool printing project I worked on all summer? It got featured today on a very neat design blog. I'm just riding shotgun with the cool kids on this one.

Designed by Kuro Collective
printed by moi

Smarty Pants

TED. I love TED. not a man I might add, TED, but the conference which is happening 10 min from where I sit typing this. I can't get in, it's sold out I drove by the tents today and sort of pressed my lips against the window in ernest. Hello TED I mouthed.



You may know about TED and if you don't this is the what is:
TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader. Along with the annual TED Conference in Long Beach, California, and the TEDGlobal conference in Oxford UK, TED includes the award-winning TEDTalks video site, the Open Translation Program, the new TEDx community program, this year's TEDIndia Conference and the annual TED Prize.



essentially? all of the smartest, biggest thinkers and creators from music to food to science come together to talk about new stuff, to think about new stuff and hopefully generate new stuff from all sitting in one place. Brain power on crack.

It's a giant think tank. I love think tanks have I told you before? sitting and thinking of cool sh*t and getting paid for it. *Brilliant* Love it

Tomorrows sessions? Reason, Provocation, Invention, Breakthrough
Friday's? Boldness, Imagination and Play Bill Gates is in the boldness section. THE Bill Gates which impresses me and I don't even like PC's.

If you're curious you can sign up as a fan on Facebook and listen to lectures they post occassionally. Most of the time I have no idea what they're saying I just nod my head yes as I listen, like I did in school. Some of it's got to sink in by osmosis right?

Laura George

Jonathan lead me to the bestest girl ever





point taken, thank you.

The Amazing Laura George
girlfriend is busy, she's got tons of good stuff

DE - Rossi & Generes

It's not what you think that last post but I wish it was. My assistant and friend went to the taping of the Ellen show last week. He came in to tell me about it, cool I thought. And then he said have you ever been to the taping of a tv show? No, sure haven't and then he goes on to explain that usually on the tickets it says 'please don't bring gifts for the stars' blah blah blah.



ok, I think. makes sense.

but then Jeff said, Ellen's doesn't say that. In fact it says "bring whatever you want" and he got this little glimmer in his eye. What if I took her stationery?

me, rushed and not in the mood to design stationery in 24 hrs flat was amused and a little tickled but still grumpy about it. maybe, if I get something done in time, maybe if it works out, maybe if I have paper in the garage.

It obviously worked itself out. we printed it with the Super card in both yellow and this blue. The blue was Jeff's idea, he's a smart cookie like that.

So the verdict? He took the stationery but no word from our favorite lesbians....but maybe just maybe somewhere down the road ;)

chew on this for a minute

I'll be back in a minute to explain

click to enlarge

Hello, how are you?

It's a simple enough question in your day. How are you? I'm fine.



What happens when you're not so fine? No one really wants to know about those days do they? I don't even want to know about my not so fine days and I'm living them. These are the questions that I wonder about.

In the scheme of things am I fine? sure, I suppose. I woke up this morning so that's a plus, I'm upright which is another bonus. But in reality things are not fine.


I've had the most horrible week and I want it to end. I want it to wash away with our So Cal Rain's back into the ocean where it came. I want my bad mood to go with it. I want everything to return to it's happy shiny self. I would like me to return to my happy shiny self. It's hard to be your happy shiny self sometimes don't you agree? shake your head yes.



What could be so bad you are probably asking? Well, this whole emergency surgery no #456 to start. I go back on Wed to see if they found anything new. Going to the ER every 3-4 months is not on my agenda anymore. It needs to stop. I'm ok now but you know a rough few days.

The other things? marriages dissolving around me, information about a friend's diagnosis of breast cancer this weekend and then to top it all off? A woman I use to work with her 13 year old son choked on a hotdog and died last week. I mean really? really? this is not allowed. not ever

So to answer your question?
I'm fine. hoping to be "good to better" by the week's end.



cute art sometimes makes it better everything picturedthe cutest artwork via johnwgolden

Right Now...

I'm really loving this kitchen featured over on desire to inspire photo by Stuart McIntyre.

I'm not feeling so swell. that kidney/ureator thing again. not good
On the upside of that, My friend April sent me the loveliest flowers today after my surgery.

I'm going to attempt to color my own hair tonight. Cutting back and all...this could be ugly

looking forward tomorrow night when I get to see Chris. I haven't seen him in a while he was on call last weekend.

It's almost Valentine's Day - I know it's mushy but I just love that holiday.

Happy Friday all. hope you have a lovely weekend full of football and snacks [or just pretend to like the football for the snacks]

Artist David Weidman

I wish that these images did his artwork justice. They just don't.



I saw some of David Weidman's prints over the weekend at an open house and they stopped me dead in my tracks. He's a local LA man did you know? He also has a really swell book for sale bet you didn't know that either. He also has a show that's opening here in Los Angeles on Feb 6th. I bet you really didn't know that [I just learned it myself].



From the SGV Tribune

"Basically I'm a graphic artist who explored his talents to provide an income for my family and a lifestyle that was comfortable for me," he said. "I tried to avoid as much stress as I could, considering the path that I chose."



amen. I'm right there with you.

A different kind of Valentine's

not into candy hearts? fluffy sentiment? have I got the Valentine's for you.


My friends over at Kuro Interactive Agency [the same cool kids in charge of the design for A Cowboy's Dream project I printed] Have a fun Etsy shop that opened today.



They provided the wit, I printed. Six sassy cards to choose from, or buy all 6 to hand out to your friends. Valentine's will never be the same again.



Enlarge photos to see the blind impression they are pretty fantastic!