December 22, 2008
This week’s master jammer is Andrew Bird. Local Chicago guy has got the music – in a phrase – goin’ on.
He’s a multi-instrumentalist. Great on the violin, and my favorite, he’s a fantastic whistler.
Bird popped up on my Pandora station months ago. I’ve been rockin out to his tunes for almost a year, but didn’t pay him too much attention until a friend of mine Jake-a-saurus Rex said, “Hey, check out Andrew Bird.”
And I was sold. I’ve been learning a little bit more about him and checking out his site – landed upon this GREAT video.
Bird and Yo-Yo
Anyone who can hold his own with Yo-Yo is alright with me.
Keep it up Birdman.
December 22, 2008
Wowza. The past month has been a little bit crazy ’round these parts. Family holiday gatherings and a massive rise in work at work, I have had no time to get all over this blog.
I will say this. I’m making MagNeatos like crazy and will be giving them out as wedding and Christmas gifts this year (as promised below). I’ll post pictures of the final produits later on. Rock it.
I’ll also get on my game with music… just a moment…
November 15, 2008
As I said, it’s Crafturday and I had two projects.
Here’s the second: MAGNETS!! NEATO! Magneatos!(R)
I found flat gems at Target and have been trying to find the time and the best paints to make magnets.
So really, this is simple – that’s about it. I decided I wanted an opaque matte paint, which I couldn’t find just for glass – all the glass paints I found were transparent.
After selected the colors I wanted, I got to tiny-tip brushes and began to design away.
TIPS:
- if you’re writing words, you have to paint the MIRROR image of each letter.
- if you’re layering colors, remember to paint the “top” color FIRST because you’re painting on the back of glass – it’s the same kind of rules as batik.
- just remember to do everything backwards and you should be fine. Kekekekeke
Check it out:
MagNEATOS!
I’m happy to take orders – no. I’m seriously taking orders.
For weddings:
monograms or individual initials - ”I love you” in eight different languages – hearts – lips – other romance words like “love” “kiss” “heart” “you + me = <3″ – rings
For babies:
initials – names – the alphabet – numbers 1 through 10 – sports – nature – bows and hearts
Random:
polka dots – art nouveau patters – stripes – squares – swirls
Pretty much anything that can fit on the back of the flat glass stones, I’m happy to do!!
-O
November 15, 2008
It’s CRAFTURDAY!! And I did two projects. Well, I guess three if you count the big pot of chili I’ve been waiting all summer to make.
Since getting my December issue of Country Living magazine (LOVE THIS MAG. Can’t get enough of CL), which was only like three days ago, I’ve had my mind set on making a wreath for this autumn Thanksgiving season. This issue talks about the Wreath Goddess and blogger extraordinaire Minna, who blogs hereand introduces wreath how-to’s and the best tips like using foliage and flowers from your own yard! I’m especially inspired by this because if you end up falling in love with a particular leaf or berry, but run out before you’ve finished your masterpiece, you can just run out back and grab some more – AND what you don’t use goes right back outside. Perfect.
Check it out:
I got a wire wreath form from Michael’s for $2.99 and some green floral wire for $1.99.
Then I took baby out back with my pruners and we went on a fallen leaf/pruning for art’s sake mission. He was very helpful.
With a box full of clippings from bushes and leaves from the ground, we took to the task.
Honestly it was so simple! I wove supple branches through the frame and anything that wouldn’t hold on its own, I wired. I stuffed any gaps with crisp fallen leaves or Spanish moss I also bought at Michael’s.
After adding a hook so I can position it on the front door, I hung it and voila! 
This is a great craft – I completed it during baby’s nap and it will last all season. I can easy shed the autumn leaves for a fresh new – and less dead – look for the spring if it lasts that long. Even if it doesn’t I can recycle the frame and put the dying foliage back out to mulch in the back. Green and greener. Fantastic.
Total cost: $7.47
November 12, 2008
M83!!!! Coming to Chicago NEXT WEEK.
Ok, talk about a great jam. Kim and Jessie is my fave pick of their latest album “Saturdays = Youth” because just that, it makes me think about being a kid in the eighties and being thrilled to shivers that Saturday morning was here. For me, Saturdays meant playing, cartoons, pancakes, playing, and wearing my pajamas for 30hours. THE BEST EVER.
So their jams put me in the mood for all things innocent and fun. Like art.
Enjoy!
- O
November 6, 2008
Stick it to it.
Yes, I was indeed a sticker collector as a child. I thought I had outgrown it until I realized, I hadn’t changed. My cello case is covered with stickers from world excursions and other bands or politicians I love. So while my stickers may have matured, I’m still a sticker-lovin’ gal.
You can imagine my glee when I learned about stickers for your walls!!
Yes, that’s right. Wall stickers.
What?
Wall stickers.
Say it again?
Wall stickers.
Shut yo mouf!!
Nope. Wall stickers.
Some of my favorite companies to feature wall stickers, rub-ons and decals are:
Harmonie-Interieure, which I mentioned earlier here.
Their stickers are GREAT for the artsy mom like me. I want to make more babies just to have more rooms to dec.
Blik- these decals are also very great. Theirs strike me as fitting for the young working person’s professional design office, or a video-game-crazed individual’s bachelor pad. Of course, knowing how much my brother loves video games, he might just line his loft with some of the Mario Bros. decals even though he is a husband and parent.
Wall Words – this company takes whatever phrase or words you wish and prints them in whatever colors, sizes and fonts you wish. I believe their specialty is wall rub-ons. They’ve recently added decor rub-ons in all different sizes and colors of art nouveau flora and fauna. This I love. The whole world should be draped in art nouveau.
I guess this is all the rage en France, parce que deux de mes quatres references ont des origines en France. Hyper cool! Check these folks out – also in France, like Harmonie – Rouge De Garance which I first heard of here.
So my advice to those blank-walled of you with little to no inspiration to order some unique and eye-catching decals
November 2, 2008
Growing up, my mom was sure to deck my room fit for a princess. We didn’t have a ton of money, so I know what a sacrifice it was for her to purchase the whole brand new Bassett bedroom furniture set with a full-size canopy bed, a dresser with vanity, a chest, a night stand and a desk and extension with bookcase hutches.
Naturally, it would have broken her heart if I a.) gave it away, b.) sold it, c.) put it in storage or d.) anything just to get rid of it because my darling MASCULINE husband would never use the princess bedroom set with me, and NEVER sleep in my frilly canopy bed.
So, while the bed IS in the attic, the night stand, dresser and chest are still being put to use. I tried to make the desk and hutch work in the living room as a real adult office desk, but that did NOT work. Let’s just say: Clutter. Distractions. Clutter. Crap.
So me says to meself, how does one recycle GREAT quality furniture without just getting rid of it thus insulting mommy dearest? That’s right my friends, I tried to think of the piece of furniture I was lacking and how I could make this function as such. I just happened to be missing a buffet and china cabinet. I had nowhere ideal for my wine glasses, vases and crystal.
Check it out. A snow white former desk glistening doorlessly with glasses all showing off their twinkly prettiness. Just heavenly.
This is the introduction to my project – I plan on replacing the handles with uber unique drawer pulls and knobs. For this, I’m looking to Te-Ma. You can count on me picking one of each – they’re all way too gorgeous to choose only one!
I’ll explore Te-Ma with its own post after I place the order for some knobs and see how they look on the ol’ girl.
-O
November 2, 2008
For an added touch of awesomeness to your anyroom, try a moulding disk around your ceiling light fixture. We saw this in our first apartment and when we bought a house and moved, I knew I wanted to replicate the look in our home.
They’re available at Home Depot, where we found ours a plain white 10″ rococo style dense foam placard. The simple white disk will naturally draw the eye up to your ceiling and fixture, for the coloring book lover in you (like the one in me), paint the background the color of your walls or the most prominent accent color of your anyroom.
Check it out. Great fun.
-O
October 28, 2008
My favorite band for the past six months has been Iron and Wine. A mellow-voiced bearded dreamer, Sam Beam records albums under this name. I first fell in love with Cinder and Smoke on Our Endless Numbered Days which popped up on my Beirut (the band) – themed Pandora radio station, and then bought the album. Then I realized he was coming here to Chicago and saw him at The Vic in April. Twas a great show.
Beam and band are as magical live as on the CDs – a peaceful, serene and sometimes haunting sound, many of his pieces are “staggeringly beautiful” as described in a Pandora review. My faves for getting into the crafty mood are Passing Afternoon, Flightless Bird American Mouth, Trapeze Swinger, Resurrection Fern and Dead Man’s Will.
His Endless Numbered Days album is a solid example of his sound – echo-y and soothing. His earlier albums are a little more raw but no less entrancing- The Creek Drank the Cradle was recorded in his home studio a few years ago and resonates humble character and pure talent with the closet studio feel. The Shepherd’s Dogalbum sneaks in glimpses of the dreamy sound, but clearly is much more produced than any other album, but still good jams. I can often be found rockin out to House by the Sea.
As an artist, I’m drawn to him even more because of the unique and personal self-portraits that illustrate his album covers. Variations of his beard-donning self laying in the grass with his eyes closed are so mystifying to me. It makes me want to paint to the tune of his southern anthems, move to Wyoming and become a rancher… ok, maybe not that far, but it at least makes me think about simpler lifestyles and the bliss of ‘illin in nature.
Now, I’m naturally indecisive, but I really love all of his albums and I can’t just pick one – go get any Iron and Wine album and you’ll be happy.
-O
