So, every new year I like to revamp & reorganize. I look over my buget for the year, get a new desktop wallpaper, put up ny new calendar, and, of course, get an entire new icon pack. Of course, this little event takes FOREVER, because there are 10 billion adorable icons across the internet. I was so freaking excited when I found these Cupcake Icons for macs! I know they aren’t donuts, but I’ve always lamented the fact that I didn’t call this website Stickers and Cupcakes. Although, maybe that would have been too girly, like calling it Unicorns and Rainbows or Twinkley Stars and Pink High Heels.
Anyway, the ultimate truth is this: I have no control over how many cupcakes I would eat this year if these were actually my icons, so I went with some nice antiquey looking icons and one special donut icon from a Simpson’s set for my Stickers & Donuts folder.
Ahhhh! I love American Apparel for making so many fabulously cool, semi-ugly clothes that can become a billion different outfits! I just discovered this Circle Scarf ($28), which comes in ten colors and can be worn at least thirteen different ways. This makes me want to get my Bandeu Dress out of the archives, and I still want the Le Sac Dress. Le Sigh.
Happy Saturday! I hope you all had a lovely new year’s eve/day. Yesterday, I sifted through my neglected Reader, and saw something on Pikaland that warmed my geeky little heart.
!@$%&!!! Designed by illustrator Mithila Shafiq, this font was featured in the October issue of Neo2. Organic chemistry was one of my favorite college classes, and I remember playing with my little molecular building kit. I only tried making critters, and never anything THIS neat. Ho hum. Neo2 has a whole collection of free fonts, and I am particularly fond of this one as well:
WASH TYPE by Emilia Bertola Longhi. And the little tilda’d n? So precious. One last note: All of these fonts are only available as a package of jpeg images of each letter- NOT as a TrueType font file.
Yesterday, Maria shared her Christmas loot. Past-Tricia thought, “Gee… I guess it would be appropriate to share what I received this holiday season as well.” Below is a selection of items that present-Tricia is currently enjoying.
Saucony Jazz sneakers - I’ve never owned Saucony sneakers, or worn sneakers with thumb-size soles. The soles honestly frighten me. I’m already not very graceful, and I forsee a lot of awkward plummets. I like these sneakers, though, and I’m going to test them out/power through the gigantic soles.
Imperfect Articles T-shirt (Mine is by Rob Davis and Michael Langlois) - This is the best T-shirt I have ever owned. Based in Chicago, Imperfect Articles is an exceptional shirt company that amalgamates fine art and fashion. The shirts feature the designs of upcoming and established artists, and are incredibly limited edition (only 30-50 pressings!!!). Given that each shirt is hand-dyed, screen-printed, and numbered, these shirts are truly works of art. I love how each shirt has a background story and is so unique. The work on my shirt (19/50!) is Teenagers from Mars, which features the lyrics to the Misfits song “Teenagers from Mars” in ARABIC!
Tea Forte - I’ve always admired the design of Tea Forte bags. They’re too perfect!
The Forever War by Dexter Filkins - Ever since my nectar-sweet friend Tina told me about Dexter Filkins, I’ve wanted to read The Forever War. Not only did I receive a copy, but it is signed by Dexter Filkins! And he wishes me good luck in the future. At the pace I’m going, I need a lot of luck. VERDICT: this is a wonderful gift.
Saraid Oxford by Jeffrey Campbell - My first pair of Jeffrey Campbell shoes! I have a wee penchant for Jeffrey Campbell shoes, because they are really neat. The designs are impeccably detailed and fun. One of my closest friends wore a splendid pair at graduation, which provoked me to more seriously consider getting a pair. I’m not sure where you can get mine, but I’ve provided a link of the shoes in black & white.
DeLonghi Espresso machine - I used to be a barista, and one of my favorite aspects of the job was the opportunity to practice making latte designs. I’m rather excited about this espresso machine, however, I’ve already invested a few hours in trying to figure it out, only leading to my FAILURE. I’m horrible at reading directions. In this particular case, when I start reading, I get too excited and can’t focus on the directions!
Snowshowers Jelly and Solid Perfume - I easily get sick of scents, but I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of Lush’s Snowshowers. I am currently, and forever more, obsessed with the scent. A blend of champagne, orange, and cognac, Snowshowers is extremely refreshing! And I’ve recently learned that Lush Jellys are great. You can put them in the freezer to make them wobble like firm tofu, and pinch off a corner when you’re in the shower. I am new to Lush. I wonder if this enthusiasm is normal to a new Lush convert.
Hey, what did YOU get for the holidays? Here are some presents I received that I thought you might enjoy!
Original Snow White Poster — I love Disney’s Snow White for three reasons: (1) it was start of animated full-length movies, (2) they drew everything by hand, not computer, (3) Dopey. Anyway, this poster commemorates the film as it was viewed at its release. I love the way the characters are drawn on this poster, though it strikes me as a bit odd that they are drawn differently in the film than the original poster.
Assorted Artist Trading Card Pack — I haven’t had much experience with ATCs (Artist Trading Cards), but this little 12 pack of ATC paper is lovely. I am sure I will just use each little 2.5 x 2.5 card as a canvas. I also love that there are several different paper types for different mediums (bristol, watercolor paper, etc).
Assorted COPA Soaps — Specialty soaps to the rescue! I received these last year, and was so sad when they ran out. It’s nice to make showers a special time rather than using $2 America’s Choice soaps. These are so soft & smell so good & wholesome.
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation
Lingonberry Preserves — The Dane in me loves such eccentric (at least to most Americans, unless they live near an Ikea) preserves. Tastes great on waffles or pancakes.
Cable Knit Hobo (Pink Purse) — I love bags made of unique material, and this one looks just like it could be part of your sweater or part of your purse.
Moleskin Mini Notebooks — I love these Moleskin notebooks because they are so tiny! They’ll fit in a pocket or a purse very easily, and you can use it to keep lists or doodles or story ideas.
My cousin Lena (age 14) & I are hotly (or coldy, har har) debating our winter favorites. So, we thought we’d do a Winter War Post! : )
Winter Sweet
Lena: “Pecan Crescent Cookies because they’re yummy & crumbly.”
Maria: “Chocolate Chip Cookies when they are soft and the chocolate is melty!” (I go with the Nestle’s recipe.)
Winter-Wear
Lena: “Not all winter boots have to be bulky, especially when you spend most of your days wandering the city streets.” [Shown here: Canvas Cuff Boot, Urban Outfitters, $68]
Maria: “Fuzzy socks, because I spend my days wandering the living room. And it’s cold in here.”
Snowy Outdoor Activity
Lena: “I’ve always liked making little houses, things I could go inside of, out of snow.”
Maria: “I love making very creative snow structures, such as these Calvin & Hobbes-style snowmen. Freshman year of college, I made a snowman that looked like it was impaled by a tree.”
Winter Hats
Lena: “I am hopelessly devoted to 1920s style hats. It’s a strange obsession, I know.” [Shown here: Crocheted Flapper Cloche Hat, FlapperDashery on Etsy, $98]
Maria: “I know that at my age maybe I shouldn’t wear animal hats, and when I searched for them on Etsy I got mostly baby hats, to which my cousin promptly said, ‘Maybe they don’t make them for adults.’ But they do, because I have a knitted Monkey Hat with Monkey Gloves!” [Shown here: Grey Fox Hat, QuteWear on Etsy, $25]
Winter Drinks
Lena: “Okay, I never actually tried this, but I can imagine it tastes delicious. Anything with chocolate & coffee HAS to be good! It should be against the law if it isn’t.” [Starbuck's Espress Truffle]
Maria: “Combining alcohol and chocolate seems like the most brilliant idea since combining chocolate and coffee! (Seriously, these are super good! There’s actual liquid hard liquor inside the chocolate!)” [Liqueur Chocolates]
It’s almost 2009, so I thought I’d review some stats for 2008. Those of you who are new readers might enjoying kicking back & looking at some old faves.
5 of the Most Viewed Posts on Stickers & Donuts in 2008
(5) Erase your mistakes with donuts.
I loveeee these erasers from JetPens, and so did StumbleUponers, who couldn’t seem to get enough of the cute little munchies (including a donut)!
Apparently, I’m not the only fan of AMC’s hit show Mad Men, or at least that early 1960s style. People loved reading about contemporary merchandise that looks like it could be from the show, and the post even helped prompt communication with Dyna Moe, who let me interview her about her Mad Men desktop wallpapers!
(3) 2008 Election Collection (Over 100 Obama & Internet Finds!) Part I
Thank god this collection of Presidential Election (mostly Obama) links made the list, it only took me about TEN HOURS to compile. As people came to view the post, they sent me more and more links, until Wordpress became overwhelmed and I had to create an Election Collection Part II.
(2) We Love School Supplies: Pens & Pencils
Tricia’s inaugural post was widely popular, and not just among those who were going back to school. Lesson learned: Even adults like their pens to be FUN. In fact, I got a Number-8-esque pen for Xmas — you can use to write or make Play Dough Spaghetti.
(1) Threadless: Not Just a Tube
There are many posts I’ve spent hours and hours on. This is not one of them. I emailed threadless, asked for permission to post their tube insert on my blog, and they kindly agreed. StumbleUpon and NotCot users were thrilled at Threadless’ little joke!
While you artsy kids are sipping egg nog and marshmallow-bombarded cocoa, here’s a lovely contest to think about. Our friend, Atequah, of the American Civil League Union (ACLU) would like YOU to enter the ACLU’s Restoration of America poster contest.
We are asking artist and designers to “join the socially conscious design community in creating a poster that depicts the transformation of America into a country that holds its leaders accountable; that strives to restore eroded civil liberties; that works to change policies that are unconstitutional.”- Atequah
The winner’s design will be featured in a national ACLU campaign, and the winner will receive $500! The deadline is January 18th, so start designing!
Just a little fun for the holiday season… The LeeVee’s “How do you spell Channukkahh?” The video is funny, & I think the art is great, too!
Here they are, on the busiest shopping day of the year (I just made that up), all of the Stickers & Donuts Gift Guides in one nifty place. A big theme in this years gift guides seems to be immaturity. I’m okay with that.
You can use these guides for all the birthdays, Christmases, and Hanukkahs to come (also, good for stocking up during after xmas sales, you just never know when you’re going to need to catapult a baby*). Until the internet explodes, we’re your own personal shoppers.
So, click on each image to be joyously swept away to the appropriate gift guide. If all of this linking bothers you, just visit the Gift Guide 2008 tag and scroll away.
*See Gift Guide for the one with the maturity level of Michael Scott for more information.
We’re not sure when we’ll return, but we imagine we could have a few more posts pre-2009, so check back! Otherwise, we’ll see you in January! Enjoy the holidays! xoxo
My name is Tricia, and I think Britney Spears is superb. Perhaps I am biased (B and I are birthday twins), but Britney rarely fails at executing handsomely exhilarating pop songs. “Toxic“? Glorious. This gift guide is full of exceptional things for the pretentious Britney Spears hater, the Britney Spears supporter, and anyone else who obsesses over iTunes genre classification (like me!). Hopefully, you’ll find something here that will make your wee music lover’s heart flutter. Remember! You can go straight to the appropriate vendor by clicking on the products above!
1. What distinguishes Newbury Comics from other music retailers is its impressive selection of autographed CDs. Incredibly affordable, these CDs are dosed with exclusiveness, and are perfect for the music collector.
2. One of the best movies I have seen recently is Control. Based on the life of Ian Curtis, this film masterfully captures the turbulent, charred life of the Joy Division-frontman. Sam Riley is an impeccable Ian- he timidly swaggers at the right moments, and illustrates both Ian’s mental discord and ceaseless struggle between youth and adulthood.
3. I used to be a headphone killer. Well, I might still be a headphone killer…I’m not sure. Prior to getting a quality set of headphones, the maximum lifespan of any headphones I owned was THREE months. As always anticipated, the sound would only come out of one ear, which beckoned a final era of complete silence. I’ve had my current headphones for two years, and am now convinced that headphones are worth investing in. Especially noise canceling ones.
4. What is a stylophone? A magical pocket-sized synthesizer! The extraterrestrial pings in David Bowie’s “Space Oddity”?! STYLOPHONE! If I haven’t convinced you yet, please watch the video below of a stylophone medly. (For the last ten minutes, I have been joyously giggling in response to this kid’s YouTube videos.)
5. SCENARIO!
Friend: I want to listen to Lil’ Mama “Lip Gloss”!
Me: I want to listen to MIA “Paper Planes”! But we don’t own DJ Million Dollar Snake Babies’ Lipgloss + Paper Planes mix!
Friend: Well, thank goodness you gave me this tight iPod DJ Mixer.
END SCENE.
6. Music sharing, FIVE ways!
7. Devoted S&D readers already know that I am a huge fan of silkscreened music posters. An additional reminder! S&D previously featured artists, The Bubble Process, is still having their poster sale. $10 for every poster! They’re going quick, so buy now for the best selection! Go!
8. My headphones cord is excessively long. *So* long, that I always get caught in the door. If only I had this cute monster to gobble up the cord.
9. In high school, I loved Phantom Planet (RIP). Fourteen year old me (past Tricia) spent A LOT of time sifting through the band’s website pictures. Pictures which frequently featured the band and their lovely Orange amp. As a result, my teenage behavior has trained me (present Tricia) to associate Orange amps with Phantom Planet. These miniature Orange amps are perfect for the traveling entertainer.
10. This little Volkswagon bus is a RECORD PLAYER in disguise. Underneath the bus is a needle, which helps guide the bus around the record. The speaker is built into the bus! The sound quality may be tepid, but the whole set-up is incredibly adorable. Kitties.
11. Perfect for the music and design lover, Cover Art By: New Music Graphics explores the CD/album art industry.
Alright, in usual Friday-fashion, go see all of the fab Gift Guides we posted this week. Next week, we’ll have a nice summary page so you can shop on easy street.
Now, here is a special feature for this Friday, because it’s the holiday season. You get a sneak-peek into some of my favorite holiday media (okay, I know the graphic is semi-lame). Believe me, it was hard to choose favorites. I have a box full of xmas books in my mom’s attic that I drag out every year, risking death on those rickety pull-down stairs. I am ashamed that I have left off such favorites as Eloise at Christmastime
10. The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming by Lemony Snicket ($9) I don’t even OWN this book yet, but I found it at a bookstore and think it’s hysterical. It’s written by the author of the Series of Unfortunate Events, and published by McSweeney’s, which means it has fabulous illustrations.
9. Auntie Claus 
8. This classic 1964 movie of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
7. How can a movie buff like myself watch Home Alone
6. I did not expect to like Elf (2-Disc Set, w/Special Features)
5. As far as I’m concerned, if you like the Jim Carey version of this story, you are a traitor to humanity. The cartoon version, based directly off of Dr. Seuss’ classic tale, is wonderful, if not just for the song You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch. Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (50th Birthday Edition) ($13)
3. Imagine my college roommate’s delight freshman year when she realized that to the start of the Xmas season was only complete after I replayed Raffi’s Christmas Album
2. Love Actually ($9) is an amazing movie not just for the holiday season, but since some of its main scenes take place around Christmas, I try to wait until December to watch. One of the few xmas movies that I think can stand alone as a film, not just a holiday film. Heartwarming, but not so heartwarming that you want to puke.
1. Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters (various prices at half.com, some less than $1) is perhaps my favorite holiday book. How it can possibly be out of print, I have no idea. It’s a children’s mini-chapter book with plenty of beautiful, full-color illustrations. Historically accurate, it tells the story of Southern Christmases, both in the slave quarters and in the master’s house. Inside the cover, my mom inscribed it for me, saying something like “I hope your Christmas is always wonderful, no matter if it is in the Big House, or in the Quarters.” Definitely one of those “true meaning of christmas” books without hitting you over the head. For some close up pictures, go over the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
(Remember, you can click on the different knick knacks to learn about each item.)
Shop all the Gift Guides: Shop for Woody Allen, Michael Scott, the domestically disabled, and more!
Everyone thinks I’m younger than I actually am. I don’t know if it’s my dashing good looks (ha!), the bright colors I wear, the ridiculous accessories (bright blue and pink heart necklaces, pink paisley rainboots, two colored stockings), or the toys I own. Probably, it’s the toys.
I enjoy toys a lot, all the better if they serve some other adult function, like erasing or holding cotton swabs. Of course, good vs. evil unicorns may serve no extra purpose, but they are ironic in a +10 kind of way. For those who enjoy them, toys also make great stocking stuffers!
CLICK on this gift guide to see more about each product!
(Pages open in new window.)
Writers use everything from paper to pens to keyboards to typewriters, which is why it’s so much fun to get them gifts: there’s so much to choose from. They usually love irony and sarcastic humor, which makes them prime targets for gifts like shot glasses containing the faces and quotes of alcoholic writers. They’re usually quirky and unique, so it’s not weird to get them a USB drive or pencil sharpener with a face on it.
What are some of my favorites from the above list?
I love the NaNoWriMo Merit Badges (if you don’t know about National Novel Writing Month, check out the web-site! it’s a super-fun way to spend the month of November, and at the end you can proudly say: I wrote a novel!).
I also love the story wallet, a collaboration between Poketo and McSweeney’s 826 writing centers for kids. (The kids made the stories, Poketo made the wallets.)
If you want to get the writer in your life actual books, especially if they are an artsily-inclined writer, try Penguin’s Book Sets or McSweeney’s literary magazine subscription.
I found this today, and have been considering posting all day. Whether it’s just application-fatigue and procrastination or true love leading the way, it is hard to tell.
I know that typography in video is popular nowadays, but I still enjoy when words move around in pretty ways and their size and location on screen have an emotional effect on me. (The music & speed of the words also helps.)
Also, among the gift-giving, it’s important to remember the ultimate holiday message. Hopefully you have someone on your list who you don’t know that could use your help. And don’t send them World Map Dinner Mats, no matter how cute they may be.
(By the way, the site that put out this video is girleffect.org and you can give directly by going here.)
