As many dedicated Stickers and Donuts readers know, we are quite particular about our writing implements.  We even created a Stickers and Donuts Writing Implement Test Sheet-a true testament to our love!  Thanks to JetPens.com, here is YOUR opportunity to win a set of the most beloved pen model in Asia: The Hi-Tec-C!

The Hi-Tec-C is known for its incredibly precise tip, and non-bleed ink.  The pen also comes in a ridiculous number of colors (I own a “Beni Fuji Sunset Red” Hi-Tec-C“!).  The Hello Kitty and friends that sit atop these Hi-Tec-Cs make them extra special!  Even after you’ve written up a storm and used all of the ink, you can transfer the Hello Kitty caps to normal Hi-Tec-C pens.

One lucky winner will the set of 10 Hello Kitty 0.3mm Hi-Tec-C pens above!  To win, leave a friendly (or non-friendly?) comment below by June 12th! We will select the winner by a random number generator, and announce the winner on June 15th!

GOOD LUCK!

I’ll be first to admit it: I have hardly helped the economy for months. The items on this page, while under the category of “What I Bought” are mostly things I did not actually buy — belated xmas presents, free books, and the like. I am as frugal as they come (though recently, you’ll be happy to hear, I’ve made long strides in becoming less of a tightwad).  Still, I am excited about all of my recent acquisitions:

1. Mickey & Minnie Sweater, H&M. This is one thing I DID buy. I have been stalking it in H&M’s ever since the beginning of the season when it was priced at an unaffordable $40. But recently, all the knits went down to FIVE DOLLARS, so I had to snatch this up.
2. Doodle Heart Glass, Urban Outfitters. HOW CUTE. I had no glassware until two weeks ago (but an inordinate amount of thrift-store tea cups.)
3. Piccadilly Notebook, Borders. These are now about $4 at Borders and Buy 2 Get 1 Free. Since I am reading the dictionary right now, I thought it would be cool to take all my notes in some nice notebooks, but Moleskins were just too expensive! If you don’t think Picadilly has anything on Moleskin, just ask The Pen Addict.
4. The Synonym Finder, Amazon.com. This guy was super-cheap in the used section (like <$6 with shipping!). Apparently, it’s the best “thesaurus” because it’s set up like a dictionary (so you don’t have to go on hunts for words) and it lists not just straight synonyms, but related words so you can find not just “another word” but “the” word you want.
5. Cute Notebook, Urban Outfitters. That’s how I imagine I look on the subway, even though I don’t have black hair or high boots. And the notebook is college-ruled — the only rule I can handle.
6. The Heart of Darkness & The Secret Sharer, A Box. Two people have mentioned Conrad to me very recently, and I’ve been thinking of taking him out of the library (and maybe even on a date, har har), but — luck to me! — I found a free copy in a giveaway box! I’m excited because the cover is vintage-cool. (I read both stories in high school, but my mind was dull back then.)

The fonts used in this post are 3Dumb and 2Dumb, availible free at DaFont.com.

BELOW IS A LIST OF KEY POINTS REGARDING THE ABOVE IMAGE.  I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE THEM SUCCINCT.  AFTER ALL, WHO FEELS LIKE READING COLOSSAL BLOCKS OF TEXT ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON?<EXPECTATION=SILENCE!>

• Tad Carpenter is a rad illustrator/designer based in Kansas City, Missouri.
• Frequently, Tad draws monsters.
• I INTERVIEWED THE AFOREMENTIONED TAD in September 2008.
• Stickers & Donuts readers learned that Tad is very nice.
• Tad designed a Dunny as part of kidrobot‘s “Dunny Endangered!” collection.  It is an owl, and HAS GLOW IN THE DARK EYES.
• I love things that glow in the dark.
• The Dunny collection was released on Thursday, May 11th.  It is already sold out online, but is STILL AVAILABLE IN STORES.
• Tad’s Dunny also appears on a shirt!  The shirt owl glows in the dark too!  Furthermore, it’s still available online!

If you are still unconvinced that…

finding and purchasing this Dunny and shirt > putting pants on + emerging outside of the confines of your home + transporting yourself to Kid Robot

…watch this video!

Hello, friends.  During the month we’ve been apart, I (unfortunately) have not been feeling well.  I wish I could report back with grand adventures to account for my absence, BUT I CAN’T!  Tragic.  Here’s a list of things that have been helping me maintain my sanity.

1.  I recently spent a delightful Sunday at Art Chicago/NEXT with my dear college/barista compatriot, Susanna Crum.  Overwhelmed by the amazing amount of work showcased by galleries from around the world,  I learned about many new artists that I had never heard of, including Edmund Law.

Based out of Toronto, Edmund’s never never land (shown above) is the most memorable piece I saw that day.  The sculpture features four pairs of joined fly wings that are arrested in a ceaseless flutter (thank you, wind tunnels).  And yes, they are real fly wings.  Edmund has a penchant for organic material such as his own sweat, and skin.

2. I adore clothing that is structurally eccentric, like Anthropologie’s Knotty Pine sweater (one of the best sweaters I have ever owned).  It’s no surprise that I love the chenin grape scarf from Ruche.

3.  In college, my friend Ali would occasionally play Miss Lily Allen at our gatherings, but apparently I wasn’t paying enough attention to the music.  During the past month, I have have been listening to her incessantly.  I even saw her live (Alone!  I stood in the back, sandwiched between prepubescents armed with PowerShots, and sorority girls!  Lily’s pretty and sings well in person!)  I’m convinced that no one else can mobilize an entire audience to wave double middle fingers, while melodically singing “Fuck You”s.  Her slow songs are okay, but her BOYS-ARE-FAILURES songs are superior.  Of course.  Oh, and I really like refried beans.  Which, I think, she’s eating in the picture above.

4. Due to recent health problems, I’m not really supposed to have normal coffee anymore!   TRAGIQUE!  “But, Tricia! Weren’t you a barista?!”  Yes (sad face).  Although it’s been a year since I last prepared a dry soy cappuccino, I could never ignore my visceral barista.  Thankfully, Intelligentsia offers a delicious decaf blend: Librarian’s blend!  This is the official Intelligentsia description:

A flavorful blend of Indonesian, African, and Central American beans, the Librarian’s Blend is named for that person who always told you to keep quiet when you were studying. This blend is representative of the soul of the librarian: steady, reassuring, and always there with that slight edge of eccentricity. It has a bold base with a bit of sparkle. Here’s to good reading.

How cute.  Testament to my love: I bought an airtight canister SOLELY for my bag of Librarian’s Blend.

5. Another singer I hadn’t listened to extensively until recently: Devendra Banhart.  OH, Devendra.  Devendra is an enchanting singer.  I normally possess a short attention span, and even though his albums are epically long, I find them both engaging and consoling.  He released his last album in 2007, however, he recently covered a cover of Kath Bloom’s “Forget About Him.”  It’s a lot of fun; you can listen to it here.

6.  I’m pretty late to declare my support for Mona and Holly‘s Spring 2009 line, but it’s glorious.  The collection is based on “smart and tidy service uniforms of decades past.”  The entire line is impeccably bright and well-tailored, and reminds me of the pleasant aspects of Spring.  Tulips.  Just tulips.  No allergies.

7.  I received my new issue of O magazine, and I haven’t flipped through it all, but I did spot these neon Sperry Top-Siders.  I have normal Sebago Dock Siders, but you know, Oprah wants me to get neon boat shoes.  And of course I have to do whatever Oprah says.  Of course.

1. DIY Recycled Plate Cake Stand; 2. Tea’s Me Tea Set, from Rosana (which has more yummy yummy cups & things); 3. The Sweet Tooth Tunic from Mod Cloth (on sale!); 4. Kesera Tablecloth from Anthropolgie; 5. Girly Girl Gloves in Peach (not even $15! though you can only wear these types of gloves to: weddings, proms, tea parties) from Mod Cloth; 6. Alice & Friends All Dressed in Red & Ready to Mail, 10 folded notecards w/handmade envelopes from Time2Cr8 on Etsy; 7. Gourmet Tea from Tea Forte

Ah, I could not resist my cutsie title, I apologize! I love tea parties. You can have scones, cupcakes, little sandwiches without crusts, and at the same time wear ridiculously frilly dresses. As Napoleon said, “From the sublime to the ridiculous is only a step” and thanks to Alice in Wonderland, I think you can take that step while drinking tea.

To highlight two of my faves from the group above:

Why I like: Vintage Alice & Wonderland! Each card is different! Space for your thoughts, such as: “COME TO MY TEA PARTY OR I’LL CHOP OFF YOUR HEAD!”

WHY I LIKE: Vintage-y; contains cupcakes; has sleeves for those of us worried about the visual attractiveness of our upper arms; on sale; unquie; sweeeet!

A while back, one of my fellow AIGA board members noticed my blog post on a tea towel I had just finished embroidering and quickly recommended this great new book that local KC publisher, Andrews McMeel, just released. So for the past month and a half, I have been leisurely enjoying The Kitchen Linens Book by EllynAnne Geisel.

Personally, I think I was born in the wrong decade. I absolutely LOVE vintage clothes, home décor, and especially vintage handicrafts. So I am of the opinion that this book was pretty much written just for me. For the novice vintage kitchen linens collector, this book should be your bible. Not only does Geisel give excellent suggestions on collecting and shopping for vintage tablecloths, tea towels and napkins, but she also gives you the history of their use. For those of us who missed out on home ec classes in high school, Geisel explains the difference between various fabric fibers and weaves, and embellishment techniques. Her how-to’s include a handful of fun recipes (I’m rather partial to the recipe for Quiche Lorraine), directions for using iron-on embroidery patterns (there’s one included in the back of the book), step-by-step instructions for making hot pads, and tips on keeping your vintage finds in tip top shape.

Geisel gives some tips on shopping for and re-purposing vintage linens, but here are a few of mine.

1. Aside from flea markets and antique stores, look for vintage doilies, tablecloths, and tea towels at garage sales in more established neighborhoods. Often, older women are ready to part with their “old” decorations for cheap prices.
2. Look for pieces that may have a small stain or tear away from the design. You can always launder or hide the flaw and might get a cheaper price.
3. Hang embroidered doilies on your wall next to antique keys strung up with ribbon; complete the look with antique doorknobs used as curtain hangers or vintage photographs and postcards.
4. Don’t be afraid to mix-match vintage with newer, modern pieces: contrast is necessary in design!
5. Search etsy for vintage and modern pieces to complete your look. How cute are these aprons (as seen above) by KC designer, dirtylaundry??

PS: the font in today’s college is Argent by my friend, Ryan Baker, if you were curious

I don’t really know what kind of pun, if any, my title is, but it is supposed to relate to Earth Day and maybe the phrase “in the pink”. Alright, fine. Title fail.

Anyway, here are ten things you can purchase today without feeling like a total non-environmental consumer whore:

1. May Flowers Umbrella (ModCloth, $30) 10% of today’s sales go to a green project!
2. Animal Balance Erasers (MOMA, $15) A toy + erasers + animal-oriented. (more…)

Can we talk about this?!

Inspired by Maria’s previous “What I Bought” post, and Mindy Ephron’s blog (things i bought that i love) (which is just as funny as the Office episodes she has written), I’ve created a post of things that I have recently purchased.  No, I’m not substantially aiding the economy with 25 cent animal figurines, but they make me happy.

• Mock me all you want, but I love Gossip Girl.  The dialogue is gelastic and completely delightful.  I could be in a foul mood, but then the lovely Veronica Mars will say something ridiculous like, “Hey Upper East Siders. We hear that World War III just broke out. And it’s wearing kneesocks. Choose your side or run and hide. We have a feeling this one’s to the death.” Harhar.  I can even determine if my Monday will be bearable, based on whether or not there will be a new episode.  The blitheness trickles throughout the week.  Tuesday mornings, I dash to NY Mag’s Daily Intel to read their episode recaps (Gossip Girl Reality Index!).  I piss away the rest of the week until Friday, when Daily Intel releases a list of the best viewer assessments OF the recaps.  I’ve been considering purchasing Season One since August, and when a couple of my friends promised to watch the show if I shared Gossip Girl DVDs with them, I concluded that this would be an excellent time to purchase the set.  Gossip Girl- The Complete First Season from Amazon, $24
• “Yo, us bears totally have to stick together to battle vegetarian dinosaurs,” exclaimed Poppy the polar bear.  Uncle Fun, a neat toy/knick-knack store in Lakeview, has card catalog drawers FILLED with magical little toys- perfect for setting up battles.  Plastic Critter Figurines from Uncle Fun, $0.25!
• I went through an entire tub of Trader Joe’s Mini Cafe Twists in less than a week.  And then, I bought a new tub.  Each twist is a puff pastry chunk, coated in cinnamon sugar.  Plus, they’re vegan!  Mini Cafe Twists from Trader Joe’s, $2.29
• THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING CARDS I HAVE EVER SEEN.  Everytime I see a picture of William Shatner, I can’t help but giggle.  A little.  Did you know he has a self-reflective album produced by Ben Folds? (totally a Pitchfork 7.5, yo).  I bought this card from one of my favorite stories in Chicago, Paper Boy, which is a member of the Uncle Fun empire.  Designed by Sara Hernandez (who works at Paper Boy!), this card is part of a glorious Gocco-screenprinted line.  I highly recommend that you take a peek at her Etsy: Give your thanks with T(om) Hanks, In love?, Smitten?  Amor?  Sara’s card line is available for purchase at Paper Boy ($3.00 a card), or HER ETSY- PAPERTIGERCARDS! ($3.50 a card).
• My fridge is spoiled.  There are two new additions to the mess of concert posters and pictures of my friends that hang precariously on my fridge.  Item One- A 1983 postcard that features the Beach Boys singing to their “number one fans,” President and Mrs. Reagan.  Yes, this picture is taken right before Dennis Wilson drowned (the postcard morbidly includes this fact).  Item Two- A silly “telegram” from summer squash.  Tragic vegetable love.  Both from Uncle Fun, $0.75

I have no idea why I felt compelled to construct two sentences with “yo,” but I’M NOT GOING TO DELETE THEM.

even the ones that are publicly declared as cute.  My hatred stems from many negative experiences with birds.  After a bird-poop-on-head incident three years ago, I cower whenever a pigeon gets within five feet of me.  Every time a pigeon disturbs my space, I contort my face in unsightly ways, and scurry towards the other direction.  My mother also cared for a ridiculous number of birds, which always smelled incredibly foul.  The bird odors did not dissipate until a raccoon mama and two raccoon babies got into the cages, and murdered the trapped birds.  Blood. Bath.

Despite my hatred towards birds, I seem to enjoy bird OBJECTS.
RECENT BIRD-THEMED ACTIVITIES IN THE LIFE OF TRICIA:

• I recently purchased this bird cage necklace from H&M.  It’s perfect, and I’m surprised that I’ve never seen anyone else have it since it is from H&M (Well, semi-falsitude.  Two weeks ago, a waitress on the Upper West Side told me she had the same necklace. poo poo.)  The best part?  The cage door opens!!!

• Furthermore, I’ve been making peacock headbands!  Above is my first more-than-three-feather creation.  It turned out okay; I think I need to figure out how to make the feathers more flat!

Inspired by my recent behavior, up-up-up above are bird objects that I, a bird hater, enjoy.

1. Poetic Home is one of my favorite blogs.  Run by Grace Light, a photo stylist (!), Poetic Home features perfect vintage and vintage-inspired treasures that all have a twinkle of grandeur.  (Grace has impeccable taste!  Look at her antique library card catalog!)  In January, she suggested turning old bird cages into lamps (GO LOOK!) The birdcage curtain is as adorable as baby bunnies.  Frolicking in a meadow. With chicks and tulips.

2. Good Morning! Vintage Bird Hairpins from Hella Good, $6

3. A CAST-IRON bird bottle opener.  What a whimsical way to open a 40.  I keed… Wonder Wings Bottle Opener, $9.99

4. For some reason, this cute bird reminds me of an old man who buys a ridiculous car…like a ferrari (I know nothing about cars), just to feel young again.  Apologies, I have a weird little mind.  barkingbirdart’s Etsy shop is adorable, and full with limited edition (numbered!) prints.  Bird Dressed As A Superhero print from barkingbirdart’s Etsy, $18

5. I want to be best friends with ohhellofriend.  First, my default phrase when I see a friend is…”hello friend.”  Cosmic?  Serendipitous? “FORESHADOWFORESHADOWFORESHADOW!!(?) I can imagine our (me and ohhelofriend) meeting; we would both say “hello, friend,” AT THE SAME TIME.  Second, she runs one of my favorite (no HYPERBOLE here).  Third, her blog is glorious. owl stud earrings from ohhellofriend’s Etsy, $3.50 (I would get these myself, but my ears not pierced.  I am afraid of pain. Womp womp.)

6. Early Bird Sugar dispenser from Anthropologie, $14.  There is also a matching birdie that doles creamer, but no thank you.  I drink my coffee black.  It reflects my soul.

7. Owl Warm and Cozy Mug, $15.99

8. My friend, Angelica, frequently wears a really lovely felt bird pin, and I’ve always wanted one for myself.  These pins come in three colors, which translates to three different ways you can present yourself to the world.  “I’m feeling romantically delusional today, I will wear my red bird pin.”  Little Bird Pins from Threekeys’ Etsy, $3

*For the purposes of this post, “birds” =  “the (prolonged) flyers of the aves class.”  I support penguins.