I love receiving REAL mail, and this Valentine’s Day, I wanted to send my snail mail friend something exceptionally neat. Admittedly, mailing a surprise-filled tiny box isn’t an original idea. Two Valentine’s Days ago, my sister (who is very crafty) sent me monkey heart socks in a jewelery box. I thought I’d spread the tiny box valentine cheer. To any males who found this/us in pursuit of girlfriend gift inspiration: YOU’RE WELCOME.
SUPPLIES:
Tiny box. You can easily get a 3 x 3 box at craft stores.
A charm + chain for charm + jump ring (if the charm hole won’t fit on the chain). I featured the above carousel in the last pocket-sized treasure post, and it is available at TheseNThose’s Etsy shop.
Card-friendly paper to make a tiny card for the inside of the box lid.
Kraft paper.
Tissue paper.
Three stamps. This is the lazy-Tricia route. I hate lining up at the post office to mail a package, so I’d rather send something by stamps whenever possible. Three stamps is probably excessive, however, I also HATE getting returned mail. I have successfully mailed the same sized box with three stamps, so that’s enough of a guarantee for me. If you have a heavy necklace, you might need more postage (and HAVE to visit the post office, because the box cover can only fit three stamps).
STEPS:
1. Assemble necklace. The carousel horses have manes!
2. Trace the box (length times two!) to make a card for the inside of the box lid.
4. Adhere your card to the inside of the box lid.
5. Tape the necklace to a side of the box so that the charm hangs.
6. Fold over the tissues paper, put lid on box.
7. Wrap box in kraft paper. Make sure you use packing tape, because the post office will reject your box if you use normal tape.
8. Mail!
So say you are sitting watching the news, and they drop a knowledge bomb on you about some historical figure having something to do with today’s troubles and tribulations. If you are like me 84% of the time you think “WHO in the WHERE did WHAT…WHEN? And WHY??” That is where Ms. Kate Beaton can set you straight, with JOKES and COMICS! This helps me, because I can usually only remember things that are funny.
All you ever need to know about Musashi.
Kate is a comic artist from Novia Scotia, currently livin’ it large in Ontario. She tempers her unfailing Canadian politeness by dropping the occasional f-bomb, not to mention the s-bomb and once even the ever-controversial x-bomb, but still does it so charmingly even the Queen Mother herself could not take offense.
Seriously, who doesn’t love the Queen Mum?
Subjects range from those crazy sexy Tudors to dirty old man James Joyce to sexy celibate science genius Nikola Tesla to Fat Ponies. While her usual medium is pencil and pen, recently more shaded comics and colors have been showing up. They’re all nicely rendered; it’s truly the expressions get you.
I normally do not like horses but I LOVE Fat Pony (Click to Embiggen)
Every once in a while we get very lucky, and Kate does some hourly comics. These provide an interesting look into her day-to-day life, which is just as fascinating and hilarious as her scripted comics. In the same vein are her “Younger Self” comics, where Little Kate comes back and has talks with today’s Kate. I’ve never read one where I didn’t laugh and tear up at the same time. Stupid Kate Beaton, making me feel my feelings.
Little Amber would not even talk to me, she’d just read a book (Click to Embiggen)
You can follow Kate all over the internet at her website (Hark! A Vagrant), Twitter and LiveJournal. If you live in Novia Scotia or New Brunswick you can catch Kate as the Ease On Down the Road Artist in Residence at her alma matter Mount Allison University from January 21 to February 18. Several items by Kate are available to clothe your body and smarten up your brain through Topatoco, an awesome online retailer.
I am going to do you a favor and warn you: DO NOT LOOK UP THESE LETTERS
(All images from Hark! A Vagrant’s archive: Musashi, Queen Mum, Pony Hitman, Younger Self Advent, James Joyce Is Going To Corrupt You All)
There’s only one more day until the premiere of the final season of LOST. My Chicago friends are behemothic LOST fans (one is even in a LOST novelty band, Sonic Weapon Fence). Consequently, my life has been bombarded with LOST anticipation. Gmail user images changed to both JACKFACE and Frank Lapidus a few days ago. But even before that, discussions in regards to a LOST party occurred. Well, “party” = “gathering to watch Lost,” because it’s a week night, and we are old kids with 9 to 5 jobs. I offered (via a Gmail chain of emails, and in broken English now that I’m rereading my email) to contribute beer, with possible “little dharma labels.”
Possible = Scared to commit to something I might not follow through with. OH but fear not, a day before the big PREMIERE, I have created my own Dharma Beer labels using this Dharma Initiative Logos font on dafont. And I am sharing it with you today, so you can create your own Dharma Beer.
Simply cut, and tape (or if you are well-stocked in office supplies, perhaps print a page on sticker paper?). There’s two labels per page, because there wasn’t enough room on a regular letter sized page for three labels. So, I guess you’ll have the bottom strip to doodle- hooray! Finally, I conceded that the labels aren’t authentic. There are some letters and numbers at the bottom of the label, but I have spent too long squinting at this screen capture, trying to figure out what the numbers are. While I’m confessing things, if you were wondering why I’d be drinking such unsightly beer, or, you know, were perceptive to notice the text “ALL NATURAL PURE FRUIT JUICE & SPARKLING WATER” at the top, IT’S NOT BEER. It’s Izze. I haven’t bought beer for tomorrow night’s festivities yet.
PS- Rabbit, rabbit! Happy February!
As I promised earlier this week, here is an extended ode to CAKESPY. Cakespy is a blog dedicated to all things SWEET. Headed by Jessie Oleson, a freelance writer and illustrator from Portland, Cakespy is especially delightful entertainment during droning afternoon work hours (close rival: finding pictures of cute puppies with my friend, Taylor). HERE ARE FIVE REASON WHY I LOVE CAKESPY:
1. Jessie is a fantastic illustrator.
Cakespy has a glorious shop, filled with Cuppie (that’s the cupcake’s name!)-plastered items. No situation is too scary for dear Cuppie- an incredible adventurer.
He is sometimes chased by zombies…
…or with his cupcake special friend in Chicago.
2. Cakespy is funny.
Cakespy’s posts are always wildly funny, including my favorite on 50 ways to destroy a twinkie. When I think of twinkie destruction, I always think about Michael Pollan’s reoccuring twinkie story that he mentions in interviews: he kept a twinkie in his office for years, and it always remained perfectly perky. Boring story, no? Cakespy’s twinkie saga is much more entertaining. Michael Pollan didn’t subject his twinkie to teddy graham death:
3. Cakespy shares yummy recipes.
Along with being a contributor to Serious Eats (this week she wrote about velveeta fudge!), Jessie shares enough recipes to keep your stomach content for eternity. My favorite section is the “unusual” recipes, which forces me to reevaluate things that I had previously deemed “gross”…like this corn dog dessert.
4. Cakespy has an appetite that spans the country. Yes, I am jealous.
5. Cakespy designed a mug/t-shirt/card for Bleeding Heart, my favorite bakery.
At this very moment, while I am spitting out all my love for cakespy, I am drinking out of my new Bleeding Heart mug. My second cup of polish camomile honey tea, to be exact. When I noticed Bleeding Heart’s twitter debut of the mug, I instantly longed to teleport to Roscoe Village and obtain my very cakespy own donuts vs. cupcakes mug. Why? Because I love cute things wielding weapons, Bleeding Heart (supplier of many vegan and non-vegan treats AND they have a Clash poster AND their tables are neon cupcakes), and cakespy.
If you’re curious what the entire image looks like, here’s a picture of a card that I bought for one lucky recipient.
Happy weekend!
1) For one of the world’s major cities London has a lot of green space! There is over 5,000 acres of parkland within central-ish London that makes up the eight Royal Parks! Although I love the parks in the summer months: picnics in Green Park, paddle boats on the Serpentine (a massive lake in of Hyde Park) and horse riding in Regent’s Park, they are way awesome in winter! Right now there is a massive Winter Wonderland fair in Hyde Park, with an outdoor ice skating rink, Ferris wheel, a German style Christmas Market and loads of other attractions. Its a GREAT day out!
2) Hampstead, a pretty posh area in North-West London, has an awesome High street with loads of lively bars, cafes and restaurants, but my favourite place is ‘La Crêperie de Hampstead’ - a small crepe stand that is open 365 days a year. Whatever time you go, there is always a massive queue waiting for thin, crispy crepes that are made for you on the spot (I like mine with the Banana and Honey fillings) by a friendly Frenchwoman/man.
Whenever you are in London, be sure to make your way to 77 Hampstead High Street, Hampstead, NW7 1RE for the best crepes in the world!
3) London has some of the best shopping districts in the world! There was no way for me to decide which is my favourite but right now I’m loving Carnaby Street which could not be in a better location: its only a couple of minutes walk from the world famous Oxford, Regent and Piccadilly Streets. I love the eclectic mix of cafe’s, nightclubs, vintage shops, with some of the cutest jewellery shops I’ve ever been to and of course Liberty, the famous Luxury store.
This year Carnaby also has in my opinion the best Christmas lights in all of London, in a homage to the 1960’s (when Carnaby Street become an iconic fashion destination) hanging above the street are huge, inflatable decorations singing the themes of peace, joy and love. (There are also HUGE inflatable pink unicorns!) These are definitely the most creative decorations in London and its worth visiting just to see them!
Some of my favourite shops to visit are: Muji, David and Goliath, Lazy Oaf (which is INCREDIBLE) and Playlounge!
4) Here in London we call the Subway the Tube or the Underground and to me thaticonic tube map represents London so well! I love the simplistic topological design that everyone can understand, I love how you can get pretty much anywhere in London within an hour by tube and I love people-watching on the tube. Its awesome, and it is most convenient way to travel around London.
Did I mention how well designed I think the map is?
5) London is a beautiful city with a rich history, you have to walk around the South Bank, Westminster, Embankment. Doing all the fun touristy stuff is fun! Visit Buckingham Palace, try to make on of the guards smile, tour the tower of London and clamber onto all the huge Lion statues in Trafalgar Square. And, take lots of photos! The museums are all worth a visit too, most of them are located in South Kensington and my favourite is definitely the Science Museum!
6) Call me crazy but I love have an ice cream in the snow as much as I love having it on a hot, summer’s day! Marine Ices is where you get the very best ice cream in London (trust me on this!). The restaurant, still run by the same family that opened it in 1947, sells home made ice cream in awesome flavours. I love their Honey and Ginger combination or the Ferrero Rocher ice cream which is just heavenly!
This list could be never ending, but I had to stop somewhere! Above are just a few things I love about winter in London! This time of year, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the World!
More than a year ago, I confessed my admiration for things that can fit into my pockets. Here’s another dizzying collection of pint-sized objects WHICH-ARE-MOSTLY-FRIVOLOUS-BUT-WORTHY-OF-DEEPLY-GRATIFYING-SHOULDER-SHRUGS-AND-“AWWs”.
PS- I must be obscuring some Star Wars passion, because I just realized that there are two Star Wars-related items. Oops and WEIRD.
1. I always wanted a fluffy animal as a child, like a guinea pig. I hear they smell, though. Miniature Funny Guinea Pig, psubio9 on Etsy, $20
2. A handy card in your pocket will prepare you for random declarations of love. COOL NOTE: These cards are by The Great Lakes, who made the infamous “Elementary Lovenote Set” featured in the previous pocket-sized treasures collection. A Roll in the Hay Card, thegreatlakes on Etsy, $4
3. A bike chain refashioned into a bottle opener! How ingenious! Recycled Bike Chain Bottle Opener Key Chain, Delight, $8.50
4. Admittedly, this will look rather awkward in your pocket, BUT IMAGINE YOUR FUTURE SELF + IMPROMPTU DANCE PARTIES = ASTRONOMICAL COOL POINTS. iLuv Mini Portable Speakers, Amazon, $21.50
5. In high school, my calculus teacher told us that derivatives are like matryoshka dolls. This excellent simile has stuck with me, despite not having taken the derivative of something in years. Thank you, Dr. Sloan. Hand Stamped Pocket Mirror Matryoshka Doll, TagsOnBags on Etsy, $4.50
6. My mom gave me a pair of these from her trip to Japan (practical gift giver, I guess). I learned, however, that disposable chopsticks are incredibly detrimental to the environment (WSJ claims that even Chinese pop stars carry their own chopsticks, so maybe I should too!). Second fun fact: I couldn’t use chopsticks until I was 21. I am asian. Yamazaki Stainless Steel chopsticks, Amazon, $12
7. After searching for mini screwdrivers that I could put in my ukulele bag, I came across this. Ridiculous! (But I secretly like the idea of using a grenade screwdriver on my ukulele) (Oh wait, not a secret anymore.) Grenade Screwdriver Set, Kikkerland, $5
8. There is a high possibility that if I owned this necklace, I would throw the tiny polymer clay candies at annoying people on the train. Yummy Candy Jar Necklace, Shanalogic, $16
9. I travel to NYC fairly regularly, and I think this journal would be perfect to record my favorite places and experiences. Like the time a synthesizer-playing scientologist gave me a map and directions to Bryant Park on the subway. New York City Mini Journal 6-Pack, Galison/Mudpuppy, $18
10. Although these *can* fit in your pocket, they reside in a freezer. Or, alternatively, you could transport them to a friend’s house in your pockets, and then place them in a freezer. These whiskey rocks will be like little chanteuses in your glass- chanteuses that don’t water down your drink. And, using them = WHISKEY LITERALLY ON THE ROCKS arharharharharhar. Whiskey Stones by Andrew Hellman, Unica Home, $20
11. Tiny bottle warmers to keep your hands warm! Mini Hottie Hand Warmer, Flight 001, $10
12. Oh, you already know my (and Minty Lewis’s) serious love of wombats. I had to include this. Wombat pendant, dragonwisper on Etsy, $1.50
13. Another miniature notebook for good ideas. I like the way “Think!” is hidden on the cover. Alphabet Writer’s Notepad, Galison/Mudpuppy, $5.50
14. This whistle necklace is by one of my favorite bloggers, oh, hello friend. It’s much lovelier than the THREE RAPE WHISTLES I received when I started college. Whistle necklace, ohhellofriend on Etsy, $24
15. According to several friends, George Lucas invented ewoks so people like me would want to watch Star Wars. You win, George Lucas. Star Wars Mimobot 2G Flash Drive, Delight, $32.50
MORE RAMBLING AFTER THE JUMP…
Two Penguin mentions in one week? Maria and Tricia, you both are BATTY.
Clockwise from top: The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus, Of the Abuse of Words by John Locke, A Confession by Leo Tolstoy, On Friendship by Michel de Montaigne, The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln, Where I Lived and What I Lived For by Henry Thoreau, On Natural Selection by Charles Darwin, Days of Reading by Marcel Proust
Last week, I was at The Book Cellar, passing time before a friendly dinner/ukulele and banjo lessons, and I noticed a glorious rack of Penguin Classics. The Penguin Classics Great Ideas series features ageless works that have inspired minds and provoked change. Although the collection includes ideas of questionable integrity (…The Communist Manifesto is not exactly exemplary…), the series heralds ideas of great influence.
There are currently four series of Great Ideas. Each series is composed of twenty works, and has a striking color scheme. My favorite aspect of Great Ideas is the brilliant typography and cover designs (that angled square in the cover to Camus’s The Myth of Sisyphus is THE BOULDER THAT SISYPHUS HAS TO PUSH UP THE MOUNTAIN – !!!). This might be a superficial declaration, but book covers this beautiful make even the most frighteningly heavy books exciting to read.
PS: HAPPY WEEKEND!
I decided to showcase another artist that I’ve recently been getting into, an American-born, Italian-raised textile designer by the name of Alexander Girard, 1907 – 1993.
Girard worked with Herman Miller, George Nelson and Charles and Ray Eames, and is best known for designing the La Fonda del Sol Restaurant in New York (1960) and the interiors, textiles and ephemera for Braniff Airlines (1965). With a penchant for folk art and a strong eye for colour, his work is still freshly contemporary despite having a distinctly quasi-psychedelic vibe. His palette, whilst seemingly full of clashing colours, has such a strength of character to it that it seems natural and right.
I love the simplicity and boldness of his graphic style and the sense of playfulness it imbues. Designers seemed to have so much more fun with their work in those halcyon days when experimentation was encouraged over mere productivity.
He’s definitely one to check out if you like a strong line and an adventurous palette!
More information about Girard at The Museum of International Folk Art
1. LADY GAGA’S BAD ROMANCE. I know, I know — and yet, she does write her own songs, and she has her own sense of style (the wheelchair/invalid dance in Paparazzi?!), and you can play this song over and over if you’re caught in a bad roma-roma-ramma… etc. Oh, and the monster dance moves? Go ahead, watch the video now. I’m breaking out my monster claws at the next party.
2. PRESIDENTIAL FLASHCARDS. Go to the “One Spot” at Target where everything is a dollar, and get this set of Presidential Flashcards with a prez portrait on the front and fun facts on the back. I spent yesterday memorizing all of the presidents in order. I’m sure that will come in handy… never. (Whose the dude with the cool hairdo in the pic above? ANSWER BELOW.)
4. PENGUIN DELUXE CLASSICS. The covers of the Penguin Deluxe Classics almost make we want to read books I loath, such as Ethan Frome
5. TRUE BLOOD (watch the trailer!). So, I was totally not on the vampire bandwagon until I watched the first season
ANSWER: William Henry Harrison! If you can’t remember anything about him, don’t worry, he was only president for thirty-two days!
I have to admit, I’m a big fan of TV series. It all started with Friends, which was a big part of my teenage years, and it got out of control this last few years with That’s 70s Show, Absolutly Fabulous, Spaced, The IT Crowd, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, Mad Men… The one think I really love about TV shows is that it’s like a almost never ending movie. You get to really know the characters, and they become part of your everyday life. The first time I went to NYC, I kept looking around, half-expecting to spot Phoebe playing guitar somewhere.
So, new year, new series.
Bored to Death is a quite young TV show, seeing that it started last September. There’s 8 episodes as of now, and it has been renewed by HBO for a second season. The pitch is pretty simple : Jonathan Ames is a writer struggling with his second novel who just got dumped by his girlfriend because he drinks too much white wine and smokes too many funny cigarettes. Now alone in his Brooklyn appartement, bored, he posts an ad on Craiglist proposing his services as a non-licensed private detective. The series then follows his cases, along with his pursuit of his ex, his relations with his editor boss and his comics illustrator friend.
Although the dialogues are really good, the characters interesting and the whole show very funny, the thing I like the most about it is it’s incredible inspiring effect on my own creativity. Proof:
1. The intro
The intro is VERY nice. It’s basically text in a book taking life and becoming characters. A picture is worth a thousand words, but this opening sequence is worth WAY more. Enjoy :
After seeing that, I just wanted to get a book and animate it. It reminded me of thoses fantasticboot cuts I saw a while back :
You can see many more inspirating boot cuts on Su Blackwell’s website. There’s also a TON of idead on this OffBeat Earth post. What was once nearly a sin (cutting a book) is now a very artistic activity. Go cut your books !
2. Comic book fun
In the show, Jonathan’s friend Ray is a comic book artist. He does various stories, mostly about his own life, but in a superhero way. The style is very Marvelish, but it’s so funny to see how Ray interprets his own life to turn it into comics.
After seeing Ray’s drawing, you can’t help but grab a notebook and try to sketch your friends comics-style. I did a drawing of myself actually, clicke HERE to see it. Haha ! You can see more drawings (all by Dean Haspiel) at HBO’s website.
3. Jason Schwartzman !
Jonathan is played by Jason Schwartzman. This is a good opportunity to look back on his carreer. This guy has been around for quite a while. I first saw him in Wes Anderson’s “Rushmore“. He then reappeared in Sofia Coppola’s “Marie-Antoinette” and again in Wes Anderson’s “Darjeeling Limited“.
This three movies are very different, but all are interesting and visually inspiring.
And, as if Jason couldn’t get any cooler, he’s also a musician, with a solo project named Coconut Records. He’s the one who wrote and performed on the opening song of the series. Is that cool, or what ? Go play that video again.
4. Brooklyn and NYC
To finish this post, a quick word on the settings of the show. Most of it is in Brooklyn, and HBO has put up an interactive map of the locations shown on the series (scroll down and click on the map). With every new episode, new places are added on the map. That way, next time you wander around Brooklyn, you can check out Bored To Death’s settings !
So, I hope you’ll check Bored To Death and use it to fuel your creativity !
