Hello Little World

New post

2012-02-10T17:03:00.000-08:00

I´ve taken a long long time to write again. In fact, this blog was closed for a while.

Today, January ...9th? 10?... I am back, well I think I am anyhow

I just needed to pop back to say hi, and thank you, my small group of followers, because you were really important for my soul and heart at some points of desperation and gloominess.

Now I have a new life. It´s safe to say that I am adjusting well to this big fat city (Mexico City).

A lot has happened in the last… 13… 14? Months… and I hope you give me the chance to slowly explain.

Somehow I closed my eyes for more than a year, but I am ready for the alarm clock to sound.

Bip, bip, bip!

Hello, there!

Cendrine Rovini's Girls

2010-12-16T14:45:00.000-08:00

Well, in the blogger sense, this day has been rather prolific. Now I present you with the post about Cendrine Rovini's work.

Cendrine Rovini is an artist from France that does beautiful, graceful and soft illustrations of women and girls. Her drawings are filled with magical hints and calm gazes, her subjects always seem right out of a fairytale or a captivating poem.

Here are my five faves from her work, but I must admit that it took me quite a while to reduce the number of favorites to just five; I urge you to have a look at her pages (links below) because I am pretty sure you will like many of them.

Fileuse


Camille Chaudelarme

La poussée des fleurs de son ventre

L'esprit cerf

For more of her lovely work, you can visit her Flickr Photostream (here), her online portfolio (here), her blog (here) or her Etsy shop (here).

Echappée, Pan est mon père

The Fantastic Work of Natalia Milosz-Piekarska

2010-12-16T12:18:00.000-08:00

Continuing on my free day I kept on searching around the web for interesting things I could blog about, and I think I just found something worth writing about. I am referring to the work of Natalia Milosz-Piekarska a jewelry designer from Australia. Now, I have to admit that I have no idea of how to describe her pieces; I just know that I love them, and that I need to have fewer days without work and more money to get myself some of her pieces.

Have a look at some of my 5 picks, and yeah, I did kind of cheat, because I chose some pictures that contain many of her accessories.

Aren’t they the most amazing accessories ever?! You have to look around her blog (here) and Flickr Photostream (here), because I tell you, she has tons more of exciting and stunning necklaces and earrings, all of them with that playful and rough feel to them.

Les Monstris!!!!

2010-12-16T10:54:00.000-08:00

Hello there!

Today I had the day off from work, and I am really enjoying it. Finally there are no mails to send, letters to reply, or important files to print, so, I get to stay home and spend my time as I wish. It’s bliss.

To tell the truth, it took me a while to understand that I needed to fill my morning with personal activities, yes, I must fess up; I did spend more time than what I would care to admit sitting in front of the computer doing nothing. Just waiting. Luckily my loyal camera, Lolita, was there to snap me out of my haze just in time to make good use of the sun.

After an hour or so of pictures, I decided that it was a perfect time to take a break and do some blogging. So, here I am.

And today, I have a really nice artist to feature! I just found her and I am so in love with her pieces. Her name is Ninon and she is from Berlin, Germany and she is the creator and crafter of Les Monstris. And just what are Les Monstris? Well!!!! Look!

Rutger Baauwulf and Edweeno Windowdeen!

Grenoble Bykovsky

Nestor Von Racletten

The Twin Sisters: Norma and Loretta Springbud

I think they are some of the most incredibly cute and amazing plush toys I have seen in a long time! Each little doll is unique and magnificent; I want so many of them!! I love that many of them seem sad or are actually crying. Ninon has great imagination and adds details to her dolls with a lot of care and humor. Love!

Take your time and browse her Flickr Photostream (Here) you will not regret it, or you can visit her blog (Here). And!! If you are as in love as I am and ready to get your own little monster then go to her Etsy shop (Here), right now she is having a sale!

Laughlin Antjesund

White Lies; Fever, and a Song.

2010-12-13T18:18:00.000-08:00

So, I am sick and I probably shouldn’t be writing because I feel like only one quarter of my brain is awake, but I needed to do something. I have been in bed for most of the last 72 hours and, well, I am bored.

Since the fever is now gone and the medication finally seems to be doing its job, I decided to do mine and make a little post. I feel so weird; I think I hadn’t been this sick since I was twelve or something like that, not in my adult life had I ever being asleep for so many straight hours, on Saturday I think I was only awake for 5 or 6 hours.

Yeah, it was not fun. Plus, well, when you are out of your parents’ and single… being sick bring no type of luxury whatsoever. When you have someone who cares, you might get something special like a meal made just for you, juice in the morning, a massage, a movie and popcorn… whatever. When you are basically alone you get water so you won’t die and as many issues of The Walking Dead (by Robert Kirkman) as you can read.

I can’t complain much though, I mean, I am still alive and getting better, and The Walking Dead is a really interesting read, I am in issue 42, now. Besides, in a week I'll be at my parents' for the holidays and I'll make sure to get enough love and yummy food to last the whole year.

So! I found a song for today, but I cannot place it on the blog! But it’s just too perfect, it’s called Death and it’s by White Lies, and since I am writing about not dying and zombies, it’s has to be today’s song, so here is the link (HERE). Don’t worry, it goes to the official Youtube site of Polydor (the group’s record label).

Enjoy!

Yeah, I know, I weird post... I told you only 25% of my brain was awake... sorry.
Much love!

Life through the Lens

2010-12-05T20:42:00.000-08:00

So, it’s been a long time since I last featured a photographer, but yesterday (lucky me) I happened to find the work of Kristi from Life through the Lens and I thought that her pieces were just perfect for a new post.

Then! After spying a little on her, I came upon her Etsy shop (Here) and!! She is having a sale that runs until the twelve of December! That just sealed the deal: A new post had to be done. Only one thing better than a good picture: Two for the same price.

Here are five of her pictures that I fell for, but do visit her Flickr Photostream (Here) or blog (Here) to have a look of more of her images

the desire to create...

Happiness is a butterfly...

journey

A quiet mind cureth all.

We cannot live only for ourselves...

The Temper Trap with Love Lost (and My Holliday Spirit Found)

2010-12-02T19:15:00.000-08:00

Hello there! How are you!?

Today I am extremely happy. I don’t know, I had kind of a rough day, yesterday my night was full of the most awful nightmares and today’s work load was rather tedious, however after 6 pm things started to look up, I had the opportunity to assist to a radio show taping and I got some really nice news.

I am really a nerd, so going to a radio station and all those types of things always cheer me up; I studied communications because I am completely in love with all the “behind the scene” parts of making a play, a program or a movie; I love to see people of the Media hard at work, so yeah, that part was cool.

But!!! The coolest part was that I got told that I would, in fact, make it home for Christmas! Yay December!

I must admit I am not the most filled-with-Holliday-joy person in the world, I love the food, and I don’t hate presents, but the reality is that, normally, I don’t mind being far away from home on the celebrations. I don’t think that Family is a one or two day event, I love my relatives the same the whole year round, and sometimes, I do believe, that the craziness of the Holidays bring out a rather nasty side in people, especially when they are trapped on the same house for more than a week.

But, well, this year, it has been a really weird and hard one. I started off in Florida, happy and eating tons of seafood, then not so happy because my visa was about to expire, later came Baja (Mexico) and I was not so optimistic about the future, but 3 months of friends and über fun weekends shook off the “not so” out of “not so optimistic” and, I came content to Mexico City, to look for whatever I am supposed to find in life.

Yeah, after twelve months of that, I can say that going home for the Holidays sounds like a nice and calm way of ending 2010 and starting 2011; a year that I imagine will be just as hectic as this one. So, I am happy!

I do hope that in your life, your December plans are also starting to take a joyful form!

After all of that… I have a song with and amazing video! Hope you love it!

This is The Temper Trap with Love Lost (Directed by Dougal Wilson)

Mike Mitchell Brought Me Back.

2010-11-20T15:48:00.000-08:00

Hi, I have been gone for a long time haven’t I? I am sorry, it’s just that I do have a lot of work lately (which is good, only I don’t get paid that much, which it not so good, but just how things are), also I have been writing my novel for the National Novel Writing Month (I have 34,479, of the 50,000, words down).

So, yeah, sorry, being a professional blogger has turned into a being a casual and messy blogger.
Anyways, I am here and I brought an artist with me!! Isn’t that fun?!

I was clicking around in the web, resting my brain after editing some texts, and! There he was!!!
His name is Mike Mitchell, he lives in Los Angeles (USA) and has a weird sense of humor. I liked his illustrations because most of them have a hint (or a big splash) of pop culture references and right now I am kind of missing my geeky group of friends, from back home.

Ok, this guy is no new face; he has worked for various, big, companies, and I do understand why, his pieces are just fun and chaotic, I am sure, that many of you, like me, will love them.
I picked my fave 5 from his collections, but do drop bye his website (here) to have a look at more of his work.

Fantastic Journey

Self Portrait

Mr. Bunners the Rabbit Master

Balloon Boy

Also! if you have some money to spend, you can visit his shop! (Here) And get yourself a lovely print, a t-shirt or, maybe, buy your tired-and-overworked favorite blogger something special for Christmas (It's never too early to start your holiday shopping!).

Death of Neon

Alphabeat and The Downside of Work.

2010-11-16T16:51:00.000-08:00

I am so sorry, I have being out of home working and then in home writing the novel that I am supposed to finish in November. So yeah, I have been a really awful blogger and I am sorry.

Here is a song so you might forgive me.

This is Alphabeat with What Is Happening.

I hope to be back soon with brand new posts!

Mumford and Sons and Death and a Novel.

2010-11-08T17:41:00.000-08:00

Hi there!! This is just a fast post; I am busy with that novel thing I entered (this).

Yesterday I killed the main character! So things are starting to get messy and fun!

...Not really, I am somewhat stuck, really (REALLY) stuck, that is why I am using my free time to a do post, otherwise I would be glued to my writing.

But, they say, nothing cures writer's block, like doing something nice for others; again, a lie...

Anyhootirú (yes, now I am making up words), a friend just sent me the link to this song and thought it nice to share. Here it is:

Little Lion Man by Mumford and Sons

Roadside Projects and Some of My Own Projects

2010-11-04T15:30:00.000-07:00

Hi, there!
No, I did not die! I was just busy.

I took some pictures and video for an aunt, and well, it was important to do the job right, not waste time writing and having fun; that is why, all the end of October, I was out and about, stressing over lighting issues and sound problems, not here blogging.

Plus, yesterday my BFF sent me a link to the National Novel Writing Month Organization, apparently November is the international month to write a novel and I got into the mood to do it… so, yesterday, all my writing was done in the form of a bad novel. And yes, probably this whole month I will be an extremely unprofessional blogger. I am so sorry.

The goal is to reach 50,000 words by the end of November, and I must try and finish the task. If I don’t, well, I will have to add it to my (everyday-longer) list of things unaccomplished, and I just don’t want to do that.

OK, so. To the post! Let’s go! (Yes, that was done in a bad imitation of Batman).

Before I got lost in things that resembled a job, I had done a selection of some magnificent pieces done by Jayme McGowan (Roadside Projects) a 3D Illustrator from California (USA) that works, magnificently, with paper. She has done various expositions and has been featured in many magazines (both web and print).

I am so jealous, of her. I wish I had the talent to do paper art as work. To sit all afternoon, tracing, cutting and gluing things, what an incredible happy existence! Not that I think she has an easy job, that’s the thing! You need serious talent to be able to do so many subjects and to take commissions, to express all you have to say with paper. You have to have patience (which I don’t), steady hands (which I don’t), an eye for color and dimensions, a sense of humor and talent (which I don’t, don’t, don’t and sure don’t). She is really good (I do envy her).

Have a look at her work:

Oscar's Accidental Adventure

The Trapeze Twins

Birthday (accordion)

The Yellow Chute

Lovely pieces, aren’t they?
For more form Jayme McGowan and her Roadside Projects you can visit the official web Site (here), the blog (here) or her Flickr Photostream (here). You might also like to check out her Etsy shop (here), maybe you’ll be lucky and find something nice for you home.

Illustration for New Scientist Magazine article

Alma and a Nice Friend.

2010-10-27T17:27:00.000-07:00

Today, I am having, not a super productive, but a really nice day; I got this link from a friend… not only that, I got it with a little dedication: “(This is like you) super cute but with something (dark) as substructure that makes it interesting” … well he said it in Spanish, but that’s basically what he meant to say.

And it is a sinister and beautiful short film! (and yes, I do think it is a lovely honor to be compared to it!!). It’s called Alma and it is directed by Rodrigo Blaas, produced by Cecile Hokes and Nina Rowan, with music by Mastretta (more info in the end credits).

Irma Gruenholz and Some Wisdom.

2010-10-27T15:23:00.000-07:00

I have something amazing to share with you! Here!

frogwoman

when nighttime came

window

cooking

birds on the head

Are they not incredible! They are the clay illustrations of Irma Gruenholz; a talented artist from Spain.

For me it is astonishing how people take what they love to do (and are able to do rather well) and make it into their jobs. Yeah, I know it’s called a career and that it has been going on like that for ages, but when I look at work like this, I get it; we are not meant to fake life.

People are born with aptitudes and defects. Somehow, in the first two or three decades after birth, we are supposed to figure out which are which, in order to become useful members of society (Use your aptitudes for a job, turns some defects into productive hobbies, hide the fruitless flaws and go easy on the cholesterol). Irma Gruenholz understood this a long time ago; there is no doubt that she is doing what she was born to do and that shows on her end products.

For more of her incredible and sweet sculptures you can visit her official Web page (here), her blog (here) or her Flickr Photostream (here).

... And for more of my discoveries of simple and elemental truths of the universe, stay tuned to this blog.

God Help The Girl (and all of us).

2010-10-27T12:46:00.000-07:00

Well, hi, there.

How are you? That’s nice (… or that’s too bad).

I am doing fine, thanks for asking. Yeah, I have little trips planned out; something like a job, taking photographs, and so… that’s good.

What? You did not ask? You don’t really care that much about my life?! Why are you here?!

Oh… yeah, the song thingy. OK. Here goes: This is God Help The Girl with Funny Little Frog

Elin Thomas and Her Lovely Accessories.

2010-10-25T14:47:00.000-07:00

I have not expanded a lot in my life lately, well, I still have no regular form of income, so I can’t go around town buying all the things that I desire and if you have read this blog, you can get an idea that I tend to crave many things.

How do I manage? You ask. How can a girl be in a new town and not go crazy with the shopping? Well, because I allow myself a luxury every so often and that luxury is, usually, a pair of cheap earrings (I must make clear: cheap, not ugly). This is my, fantastic, way of staying clear of debt.

Since I have been admiring so many accessories around Mexico City, I wanted to do a post related to that, so I went in search of a cool crafter. I was lucky enough to find the work of Elin Thomas. Her pieces are incredible; soft and bright, with and organic feel and beautifully made. I want them (I fancy, at least, 6 of them in my wardrobe), and I will be sure to remember that as soon as I get a proper job.

Anyway, here are 5 things that you will probably want as well:

Crochet brooch

Fiber art brooch

Barbarella crochet ring

Crochet necklace

Elin Thomas is from the UK and you can find more of her work on her blog (here) her Flickr Photostream (here), and you already have a nice job and some savings, she has a shop en Etsy (here) and another one on Big Cartel (here).

Pixie cups pincushion!

Camera Obscura and Not a Rant, but Rather an Explanation.

2010-10-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

It’s been quite some time since I have done a music post. I am sorry.

Today, since I have no concrete plans for the day (except for writing) I decided to take the time and look for a song. It’s not a quick task, I must admit; I have to go around skipping from video to video, listening and analyzing whether I like the song and video or not. Plus since it looks like I am only browsing the Web and hearing music (which, coincidentally, I am doingo nly with a professional and serious purpose) other people tend to ask me questions or, simply, start chatting with me (that makes it even a longer mission).

I know that around the world right now there are people hard at work, while I sit here in search of music and words to describe this (and other) moments and I just want to make clear that I am not complaining about my duty; I am simply stating the fact that it takes longer than what others might think.

Anyway I found this song; first lines and I was ready to post it. The lyrics go:

“A half full moon in Mexico City I think of you
And when I saw the Southern Cross I wished you had too
I wish my heart was as cold as the morning dew
But it's as warm as saxophones and honey in the sun for you…”

Then it goes and turns itself into a cute love song and I am pretty much OK with cute love songs right now. So here is that lovely number and I’ll be back soon with another post. Oh, yeah, and in case you forgot, I now live in Mexico City, that is why the song made me smile.

The song is called Honey In The Sun and it's by Camera Obscura. Here goes:

Ericka Lugo and a Post I Wrote Friday Night.

2010-10-24T21:53:00.000-07:00

Being Friday and having no plans of going out, I felt it was a great day to post about a little crush I have; this is of course a professional infatuation, from a blogger to an artist. Otherwise it would be somewhat of a lesbian affair, because the artist I am talking about is Ericka Lugo (a gal).

Some time ago I happened to stumble upon her Flickr Photostream and I completely fell for most of her pieces, but I decided to wait a little to do her post, because she did not have a lot of personal information on her profile.

Today, since I was free, I decided to search de Web (the World Wide Web that is) for more info on her… and! I was lucky to find her blog! (Well, it was more like the magic of Google than luck). Now, I can do her post; because I have done my proper research/stalking.

She is a freelance illustrator from Puerto Rico and here are my five picks of her pieces:

Days

twenties

Fall into the rythm

You may say anything

And here are links to her Flickr Photostream (here) and blog (here); where you will find more of her great work.

Vanity Fair

Lili Scratchy and the Downfall of Moving Around.

2010-10-19T10:42:00.000-07:00

I hate that, now, because of my constant moving around I am truly hesitant of buying anything that might break if you carry it around on a suitcase or that weights too much to mail forward to a new destination. I have learned my lesson; I have left behind too many fantastic ceramic toys and figurines to not get it: Until I have a place to call my home I won’t be doing any major shopping.

That is why this post is so hard to write, because it is about a shop of incredibly cute and out of the ordinary things that I just can’t buy! Not only because I am extremely poor, but because if I was to save money, order what I want and then fracture it on a future move: I would be crushed.

However, I am here as a blogger and not a shopper, and hopefully you have a stable life and will be able to take advantage of your money and invariable mailing address to order a little something special.

The store is called Lili Scratchy; their home base is in France but you can order their pieces on Big Cartel (Here) and, also, if you are interested, they are represented by Costume 3 Pièces (here).

timide

cuillère double face

tasses bouboules

goutte ours

You can have a look at more of Lili Scratchy’s work at their Flickr Photostream (here) and their blog (here)

(I need a home… fast!)

coffee spoon

Good Morning!

2010-10-13T07:39:00.000-07:00

How are you today? I hope that just dandy, I am OK. I need to get find a job and write a book; yes, I decided that those are today’s tasks! (Of course, I am allowing myself some room for failure, a little bit).

I have much to do and a lot to write, so I better get started. For you, some music: This is Céu with Roda

Collin van der Sluijs and Deep Thoughts

2010-10-12T20:39:00.000-07:00

Lately (I think because of all the changes in my life) I have been experiencing really interesting flashbacks of people and places (remembering the things that were meaningful). It’s not nostalgia, not that I want to go back, I love my new present; I think it is more of an acknowledgement that many events and individuals have had a major influence in the making of who I am.

As I was looking at the work of Collin van der Sluijs those ideas came back to me, I am loving his pieces. Looking at his portraits I was wondering if maybe he was thinking the same thing; how we are a mix of places, ideas and things from our past.

I don’t know! I have no proper Art Appreciation degree! I am just a simple blogger!

Collin van der Sluijs is from the Netherlands and has merely 30 years, a baby! (Yes, at my 28 years of age; 30-year olds are starting to look younger and younger). He has had a great deal of exhibitions and looking at his pieces it is easy to understand why. Here you go:

Portrait 3 (mixed-media on canvas)

Selfportrait (mixed-media on canvas)

Icolated (mixed-media on 300gr. paper)

TRY (mixed-media on 300 grams paper)

For more of his work you can visit his official web page (here), his blog (here), his work page (here) or his Flickr Photostream (here)

Le Secret Derriere Les Yeux (mixed-media on canvas)

I kinder blogger, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

2010-10-12T17:45:00.000-07:00

Hello! Hello!

A little music for you!

Linking away I found this video of Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros singing 40 Day Dream (live)… I don’t know; they look like people that I would normally hate (my lovely followers, you probably don’t know this, but I do tend to be a hater), but! They are having so much fun, I just had to share it!

I’ll be back with another post soon!

Mercedes Helnwein and a coffee-filled blogger.

2010-10-11T19:20:00.000-07:00

New life, new rhythm.

I am sure that this blog will have to become one of those two or three posts a week kind of places, because (no matter how much caffeine I pump into my body) I am yet to get accustomed to being out and about all day and writing at night. Plus, now, about 95% of all my friends live in a different city, so, when I do get to turning on the computer, most of my writing is done in the form of chatting and Facebook commenting (yeah, I know, really crummy priorities).

Anyway, I am here now, you have my full attention. Well, actually not you, but rather, the work of Mercedes Helnwein. With links and luck I was able to find her web page, and now, I want to have her talent. I am truly in love; her pieces are so funny and unconventional and I want most of them hanging on my walls.

Mercedes Helnwein is a talented (and beautiful) fine artist and writer, that was born in Austria and now lives in Ireland and Los Angeles. I refuse to make an educated post about her written work because, well, I just can’t find it quickly enough (living in Mexico, sometimes means that, one must go without the words of many creative authors, simply because there are no efficient ways of getting your hands on them; “them” meaning their work not the authors), but if you allow me I will do a little review on her drawings, here goes: They are crazy amazing! And you must have a look at them!

(There! this blog is going down the drain)

Love is a Dog from Hell

Toy Bear

Jeff (Pride)

Wilma (Envy)

Are they not incredible?! I just adore them, she stole my little Mexican heart.

You must (MUST!) have a look at her work gallery on her official web page (here), because there are so many other drawings that you will probably love.
If you want more links of her work you can visit her DeviantART page (here) and her MySpace page (here)

Tropical Penguin

My dear 38 followers:

2010-10-09T20:13:00.000-07:00

I am writing this on a little coffee shop (on a note pad, because I am yet to have the guts to travel around with my laptop). As I had warned you on past posts I have moved to a new town, I am now another human living in Mexico City (not that this city needs any more individuals). I think it is going to take me several posts to articulate, just how different life around here is from what I would have called normal a few months back, and how outstandingly different it has to be from what you might call your conventional (this city is a mix of so many good and not-so-good things that it is hard to capture in words).

I am writing this post in an awful little place, our sad version of Denny’s; this place serves lousy Mexican food and even worst international, but it has been around for so long that people have a nostalgic devotion to it. I am here because it is opened all day and they serve never-ending cups of bad coffee (and bad coffee makes me feel like a writer).

I arrived to my new life on Monday. Tuesday I spent recovering from the trip. On Wednesday I had committed myself to a little job helping out my cousin’s girlfriend; the job was to get props for a commercial, that same day we were already shopping for random things. Thursday I spent going around town buying, renting, borrowing and picking up all types of furniture, mugs, toys, etc. Friday was the shoot (I didn’t get to go, instead I got to go feed the cat of someone how was on the set, yay!) and today I have the task of returning all props to their assigned storage place.

Sounds fun, no? At least on my third day on the city I was already getting acquainted with some really cool shops (oh, yeah, don’t worry; all of my work I did with a driver, so I never got lost in the city).

So, for today’s work, I got up really early to meet up with my cousin and his girlfriend at 10 am; since I don’t know the city I was out of my home (in a cab) at about 8:05 because normally the commute can be a pain… I got there at 8:30; I forgot that today is a Saturday! There was no traffic! That’s why I am here on a coffee shop, writing a post.

Anyway, I know this text is kind of a ramble, but I guess I am the most tired I have been on a long time…
Here is a song for all of you.

This is Local Natives with World News (video directed by Matthew Lessner)

Hi, there!

2010-10-08T20:32:00.001-07:00

I am so sorry, no I have not forgotten about this blog.
Life has been extremely crazy lately, and when (if) I get home, my brain is numb and tired.
I hope tomorrow I will get some time to post.
Thanks!

Anathallo for Wednesday, September 29, 2010.

2010-09-29T15:57:00.000-07:00

Hello there! Guess what!? Today is my last day as a 27-year old!!!

I know, completely irrelevant information for you but, I must admit, somewhat meaningful for me.

I am in the middle of packing for the big move on Monday, although, in fact, I have little things to pack, because most of my belongings are scattered across Baja California and Florida and they have no plans of coming back to me. My so-called packing consists in taking pictures of my parents’ house, scanning old photographs, leaving little comments on Facebook (telling some friends ,that I am moving faraway; others, that I am moving closer to them) and assigning places in the bookshelves for notebooks and papers that I am leaving behind.

I think it is a nice way of spending the day before my birthday; doing things to prepare myself for what is coming. I have no idea for how long I will stay in Mexico City, but ever since I turned 20 it seems that most chapters in my life last, at least, a year; I will give myself that amount of time to get an idea of where I am going (or if I am staying).

So, anyway, I am sorry to say that I don’t have much mind left to post today, I am just too preoccupied deciding what to do with my Radiohead poster and my Comic-Con freebies, saying goodbye to t-shits that are way too old to take along to a new city and wondering whether I should go right now to get a yogurt ice cream, or wait, and ask a friend along.

But I will leave you a song, because if you read this silly post you deserve one!

Here is Anathallo with Bells (video by Israel Vasquez and Daniel Bracken)

I am sorry.

2010-09-28T17:12:00.001-07:00

I tried to post, but this house has been hectic all day long. I just have been bombarded with all types of silly questions and nagging requests. I hope I get some calm later on, at night, but if I can’t, well, I’ll make it up to you some other day.

Thank you!

Fanfarlo and a One out of Three.

2010-09-28T12:40:00.000-07:00

I guess if one must find happy thoughts in unhappy moments: Breaking up makes you lose weight.

Yes, somehow, I have lost some of that Crème brûlée ice cream that got comfy in my thighs and arms. I didn’t notice it. Actually, lately I was thinking that my body was looking rather awful, but, yesterday three guys told me that I had lost some pound. Two of them sounded alarmed and worried, the third seemed to like it; one out of three, not bad.

I don’t really care. I mean, it’s nice to not be on a diet and lose some pounds, but it’s just weight; Skin, fat and numbers. Sure, maybe, once I get the courage to date, it will feel nice to fit into something Small, but right now, well, it’s non-important.

Also, if you think about it; two thirds of the guys that noticed my change in size, were concerned about my health, so I probably don’t look that sexy: dark circles around the eyes, pale and dry skin, etc… maybe that third guy has some issues.

Now I song for you! And I will go and have lunch!

This is Fanfarlo with Harold T. Wilkins (video directed by Stachemou)

Monday!!

2010-09-27T12:46:00.000-07:00

Well, hello! And how are you today?

I need to do a fast recap so you will get the importance of today’s news. Here I go: so, I was living in Florida; that is where this blog started (because I was bored and somewhat alone). I am Mexican so staying in the USA involved a wedding… I am now in Mexico… yeah, no wedding (thank the Lord!).

After 18 months of dreamlike life (writing, swimming, taking pictures, baking cupcakes), I was rudely awakened by reality: No job, no home, no real plans, no man, two blogs and a silly tourist camera.

The camera thing got solved with a super sweet gift by my mother (now I have Lolita!); The two blogs continue (only both will possibly suffer a little in the next few months, sorry). The no-man thing well I just have to be OK with that, not much I can do about it.

But! (And these are today’s news!) For the No job, no home, no real plans part of the dilemma! I now have an exit rout! I am moving to Mexico City!!

I know this probably means nothing to you, but it is a big deal for me. Mexico City is a huge (HUGE) metropolitan area where fun and exciting things happen, and where I might be able to get my life together. I am moving with and Aunt and an Uncle that live there, I love their home (they are ultra funny, interesting and lovely people) and well, of course, I always had a major crush with the city itself (I spent some fantastic vacations, in my youth, there).

So, how about that?! In about a week this blog will be done from a new town!! Isn’t that fun?

Here is a promotional video of the city that one of my best friends sent me (to get me in the moving groove). It was directed by Luis Mandoki and Mariana Rodríguez, with music by Alejandro Castaños).

The Nerdmigos by IAMO

2010-09-24T19:19:00.000-07:00

I am in a writing funk; I think the day entered in a dark moment when I realized that I needed plans for tonight and I have absolutely no idea what to do. So, to get out of this funk I decided to do a post about the work of a friend… well I think he is a friend…

Lately my definition of Friend is somewhat jaded, I don’t know if Friend is someone you like, or to, officially, become your Friend that person has to like you back and, if that is so, how can I tell if I am liked back?! (Ahh!)

I believe Facebook is at fault for my dilemma, because, a few months back I accepted a “Friend Request” from a lady that used to babysit me, and somehow managed to find me! She is not my friend and yet, there she is! She comments on my pictures, sends greetings to my parents, “Likes” my silly status updates; she acts like a friend but I don’t even remember her!

So, needless to say, I am utterly confused on the formal definition of Friendship, but I will take my chances with him; after all, I have seen him in more than four parties, I know where he lives (it’s sound creepy, but I am saying it in a casual way; I do know where he lives) and he is a follower of this blog (he is right there, the little drawn sad face; you see him?). His name is Ismael Alejandro Moreno Ozuna* (IAMO for his initials, of course; Isma to his friends) and the reason he can be featured in this blog is because he makes a webcomic! Fun, no?

His webcomic is called Nerdmigos; it is actually based on his and his friends’ nerdy life style. Before coming back from Florida I was only acquainted with half of them, but I made it my goal to meet all eight. Sure enough, last weekend, I concluded the task (yay! Complete set of Nerdmigos!)**

They are a lovable bunch of guys. They are geeky, yes; about 80% of their jokes come from obscure pop culture references, they take their comic-to-film adaptations rather seriously, adore The Big Bang Theory and hate most signs of mediocrity in other individuals. They are by no means a bland group; each one comes with a different set of quirks and talents.

There is the funny-misanthropic duo (Lerms and Errez), Ben; who will probably never know love, Gelipe; the adorable formally-trained killing machine, Tony; sweet innocent Tony, Roy… Roy is, simply, Roy (no point in trying to describe him, because I will just fail), Erick; I met him last Friday so I don’t really know him that well, but he was super nice and funny and, of course, Isma himself (the nerdy version of a cool writer).

Now that you have an idea of who they are, you might understand why a webcomic about them is a rather interesting thing; they are not the typical nerds that have no life and never go out, they are more like a pack of nerdy wolfs that decided to run wild, and Isma is right in the middle of all the action, documenting it.

Sure some things you might have to know them to understand why they are hilarious, but most speak the universal language of funny. Have a look (click on them, if you need a larger view):

Guitar Heroes

Free Hugs

Geek Joy

To find more of the Nerdmigos go (Here)
To read Isma's blog go (Here) and Isma's DeviantArt profile is (Here)

Also, below, on their names there are links to the web sites of the other Nerdmigos

Gratitude (From left to right: Ben, Tony, Isma, Gelipe, Lerms, Roy, Erick and Errez)

Wow, this post took me a lot of time to finish. I think I got really nervous knowing that the Nerdmigos, and their known associates, might actually read this. It took me so long to write, that I have an update: I have plans for tonight! Coffee, and possible drinks, with one of my best of friends, yay!

* Such a proper Latin boy! Using both his last names; We Mexicans have two last names, one from our father’s side of the family, one from our mother’s, but, normally, we ignore the second one to be cool like the Americans.
** Thanks to this post, I can call that “research” and feel good about my impractical ambition.

Blind Pilot and a Friday.

2010-09-24T12:11:00.000-07:00

Well, so it’s Friday, what a lovely surprise. No wonder, yesterday, a friend was nagging about making plans for the weekend. I am such a bad friend! I told him to chill and take it easy (thinking he was asking me on a Wednesday); no need for plans, I said (If he dies, he dies*).

Well now I get the urgency in his petition for an answer, problem is, I still have no idea what I want to do at night. I just don’t feel like going out to a club or a bar… OK, I have not officially told you (followers and random Web people) but I am, for the time being (and probably the rest of my life): single.

Yes, yes, yes. Single. Again.

And so, the going out to bars takes on another meaning. When you go with friends and somewhere in the world you have a boyfriend, well then you go, have a few drinks, chat, laugh and, eventually, return home (joyful and relaxed).

When you go as a single person, it is just a mess, even when you don’t really want to meet someone. You worry about makeup and looking nice, putting perfume on. You are aware of those extra pounds; feel bad about eating cake the day before. You regret never learning to do those nice hair braids. You compare yourself to other single women, you count the possible single men in there; you imagine what it would be like to be dating them and, when you realize that you don’t feel like dating anyone of them, a little panic creeps into your bloodstream. All of this, of course, is happening, while a friend is telling you random events about his day, so, you have to pretend to not be having a crisis (of the I-am-never-going-to-be-in-a-relationship-again type) and to be listening. It’s exhausting.

But then, sure, if you are single and home on a Friday night another kind of crisis comes along. So, I guess, Fridays are meant to be suffered by single people everywhere; unless, yeah, you challenge all odds and sanity and find yourself a date. But that is not going to happen. Not for me. Not tonight. It's madness and I am not ready for it.

I am ready for a song.

This is Blind Pilot with Go On Say It (video directed by Wyatt Garfield)

* Sorry, couldn’t help it, yes, I cited Ivan Drago (from Rocky IV; written by, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone). There is a long background story to why that phrase is in my mind (that involves my BFF, his odd memory and weird sense of humor), but this blog is not ready for such epic recount. Anyway, it’s Friday! Perfect day for a silly quote!

Hello!!

2010-09-24T09:57:00.000-07:00

Good Morning! It’s Friday, and again, I had no idea! Something is really wrong in my life, but let’s not worry too much about it. Here are some giveaways to get your minds off my problems:

- You can wind one of two Gocco PikaPackages at Pikaland --> HERE
- Also at Pikaland you can wind a print by Zookimono --> HERE
- You can wind a pair of earrings from 3squares Shop at The Rikrak Studio --> HERE
- You can wind $20 in store credit fro Mary Kate McDevitt at The Ardent Sparrow --> HERE
- Win a clutch from Proud Mary at I art U --> HERE
- You can win one of three gift certificates ($25, $50 or $75), at My Girl Thursday --> HERE

Michael Shapcott's Paintings and Some Chitchat about Michael Shapcott

2010-09-23T20:08:00.000-07:00

Nop, I did not forget about you guys, I just had a three-hour-long headache and well, writing is never good when you head is full of ache. It is ending right now and that is just perfect, because about four minutes ago I found the work of Michael Shapcott and I am ready to commit to it.

I truly believe that you will find his work to be astonishing; such serious faces with a splash of funky colors, you’ll feel hunted and happy at the same time. You will want to talk with the girls and boys from his paintings, wrap a little blanket around them, give them some hot cocoa with tiny marshmallows in it and, then, you’ll want to go and kiss the painter, to tell him that, if he so desires, you will stay by his side forever (and ever)…

No? You don’t feel that last part? Well, silly you and your sane mind… anyway, about the painter:

Michael Shapcott was born in 1982 in Hartford, Connecticut (USA). He is, of course, a gifted painter and has had many solo and group exhibitions, plus, right now he is making me rather uncomfortable about being his same age; too much talent for a mere 28 years of living (but I will have to get over that, just as I will, eventually, get over wanting to live with him).

His web page (here) is amazing because, in it, there is useful information on his creative process and painting stile; I like that, I like that he is not mysterious and secretive about his work or thoughts. He even has an Ask Me Anything page (here), nice, no? Available to fans and stalkers (like yours truly).

I was only able to post images from his Flickr Photostream (here), where there is a small selection of his work, but if you go to the portfolio on his web page (here) you will find and endearing assortment of paintings and drawings, that I am sure you will love.

OK, so, enough with the teasing and let’s get to the good stuff:

Pele (Graphite / Oil on Canvas)

Tea Sketch No. 1 (Carbon, Acrylic, and Ink on tea stained paper)

Seaweed (Acrylic and Ink on Paper)

Jane (Acrylic and Graphite on Canvas)

And if you are lucky to have, both, money and good taste you can visit his shop section (here) and shop! ... by the way, my birthday is in a week; just saying.

Dahlia (Colored Pencil and Acrylic on Illustration Board)

Noah and the Whale/Grandma and the Fruits.

2010-09-23T14:13:00.000-07:00

So, Facebook is down, isn’t that magical? Is like when power goes out and you are forced to spend time around a candle talking with your family or friends (cheesy-cute life moments). Only, different, because my friends are in Facebook and at home I am surrounded by nurses, grandma (who is ill and has no idea who I am) and the noise of the television (it has to be on the highest volume levels because grandma can’t, otherwise, hear it).

By the way (funny), the show that they are watching is the Mexican version of Family Feud, so as I am writing this, grandma and one of the nurses are screaming random names of fruits to the television (Name the firsts fruits babies can eat) and discussing whether they had thought of a word before the contestants or if someone’s answer was silly or stupid. Now they have moved on to another question; it’s the same scene only different a subject.

So, since there is, truly, nothing outside the Web for me (besides joining the screaming squad), I decided to stop being lazy and do some posts.

To start, her is song and I’ll be back with an artist.
This is Noah and the Whale with Shape of My Heart

Miki Sato and her lovely work.

2010-09-22T19:01:00.000-07:00

For today I needed something relaxing; nice, charming art that I could simply love and desire. So I went it search for it, because that is how life works (I am starting to get it).

It was not so hard to find, I must say; I guess it’s was part of today's luck. I have been in a weird type of day; those in which you sort of wonder if something terrible is going to happen at the end, because things have been running extra smoothly. Sure, I had to admit my unemployment and lack of (mainstream’s version of) life to some ex classroom friends, but aside from that, things have been going just dandy. After a few clicking around I entered into Miki Sato’s web site, I was delighted.

Miki Sato is from Canada and in her work she layers various types of fabrics and materials to give her pieces depth and warmth. I think you will find her to be rather talented, have a look:

migrate

jackalope

"I'm sorry to say"

jelly

Lovely is it not? If you fancy more of her work you can visit her web site (here), her Flickr Photostream (here), her blog (here).
And if you feel like spending some money you can visit her Etsy shop (here).

mouse and cheese

Slow Club and a Facebook anecdote.

2010-09-22T14:57:00.000-07:00

Hello there!
Something funny happened today. I have a Facebook account and in it I have a class picture from way back when all of my classmates and I were about 14 or 15 years old, so an approximately 13 year-old picture. In it I had tagged about 8 friends that I still, kind of, keep in contact with.

A few weeks back, someone tagged another one of the faces in it, then days later one more was tagged. You know how it works: I kept in contact with eight, one of them kept in contact with a ninth and tagged him, then that guy tagged two more… a little domino effect was put into motion.

I was in a public school, which means that in the picture there are about 50 adolescent and joyful individuals (Yes, about 50, you read right; don’t ask me why, ask the Secretaria de Educación Pública, SEP), and today, in about one hour, the number of tagged people went up to 20! (21, Rodrigo was just added), So, OK, four things:

1. Nobody really goes to work and works, Right?! I mean, I am unemployed and ashamed of it, but if I had work, would I be tagging people on Facebook, commenting on a picture and then collecting my check? I think not!

2. I believe I just lost about two hours of my day, reading silly comments and answering questions; I am not so happy about that.

3. Is it not just my luck, that when my life is completely upside down is when a massive tagging and wave of new-friend-adding comes along!!?? New Facebook friend, that once were old classroom buddies, ask obvious questions!!!

─ So, where do you work?
─ Humm, I am unemployed right now.
─ Facebook friend And where do you live?
─ Well, I am staying with my parents for a while…
─ Oh, so, not married? No children?
─ Nop, nop.

Nobody ask: “Are you happy? Fulfilled with your life?” And I am not, by any means, but I could answer those questions with lies (it's harder to pretend that I have a husband, that I am somebody's boss or to come up with an apartment they could visit).

4. I hope nobody else is tagged until I get something I can brag about (come on life! give me something!)

A song!
Slow Club with Giving Up On Love (Video directed by Lucy Needs).

Edward Kwong

2010-09-21T13:00:00.001-07:00

Before noticing that I was a sexist reader I was really worried that I had not done a post featuring a guy in quite some time. I decided to look for a little research note that I had saved a few months ago; way back in my Florida days I asked two talented male friends to do a lists of their favorite artists (because I thought my tastes were too biased, I needed a manly outlook on art). From one of those lists came the post about Dave Mckean (Top artist for Errez) and now, from the other, comes the post of Edward Kwong (one of Lerms top 5).

Edward Kwong was born in Vancouver, now lives in Montreal and that is basically all the personal information I have of him. There is a nice, small, interview on Ape on the Moon --> Here, where he talks a little more on how he decided to become an illustrator and about his creative process.

The first time I entered his web page I knew I wanted to post about him, but of course I felt completely overwhelmed, it was clear, from the get-go, that my lack of formal art training prevented me from truly enjoying and comprehending his work (therefore, hindering my chances of doing a proper post in his honor).

Still, I wanted to feature him on this blog and today was the right day for it, because yesterday as I was recapping about good books, I remembered the short story by Murakami called Super-Frog Saves Tokyo and Edward Kwong did an amazing illustration for it. Coincidence? I think not! more like a sign, from the Great Blogger above, telling me to have courage and write.

So I did.

Of course I get the Art Deco references on his pieces, my brain can go that far: Such clean lines and symmetric structures, geometric shapes used as textures. However there are still many other components that my eyes and heart obviously enjoy, but that my mind is unable to name or even pinpoint. I can tell you this: I find his pieces to be exquisite, sharp and elegant. I love the fluidity of his work and I adore the amazing way in which he incorporates Ben-Day dots* on some of his illustrations.

Have a look:

Superfrog Save Tokyo (Pi Theatre)
Poster for H. Murakami adaptation

Siren Whisper Sweet (Personal)
Mythos Project

Sniff Sniff (Personal)
Olfactory first impressions

Owl Requiem (Personal)

If you want more of his work (and I am sure you will) you can visit his Web Site (here) his DeviantART profile (here) or his blog (here).
You can also buy some of his prints at inPRNT (here).

Sis! Boom! Bah! (fanfare)
Daredevil Copyright Marvel Comics

* Ben-Day dots are the little, same diameter, dots used in print, to either create a secondary color out of primary ones or to generate shadows and textures. Made rather popular by the Pop Art artist Roy Lichtenstein.

Humm… shock.

2010-09-20T21:38:00.000-07:00

Well, I was about to start a post telling you how worried I was that suddenly I had become a men hater because lately all my post have featured gals and no guys, but suddenly I remembered that some of the authors of the books in the last post are or were men… I when back to check and… oh my… if you scroll down, you might be shocked (like I, certainly, was) to notice that all of them are men (what is wrong with me?!).

I am somewhat alarmed, because, I am a woman! And I want to be a writer! So it is almost the worst joke on me that I happen to casually adore only male authors!!

Well… so, OK, I will look for female writers to love (I promise!) …

That’s it; I just needed to formally apologize for my inadvertent favoritism.

Books!!!

2010-09-20T18:33:00.000-07:00

I don’t know if you have ever read Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity or have seen the movie based on it, if you have done either of these things, you probably remember that in the book and the movie, Rob (the main character) and his two buddies spend the time making top five lists of random subjects: Top 5 episodes of Cheers, Top Five Dream Jobs, Top Five Bands or Musicians Who Will Have To Be Shot Come the Musical Revolution, Top Five Films, etc. If you did not read it or saw the movie, well, now you know something new!

I just finished the book some weeks ago and I have, since, been unable to shake off the need to make my own listings of things; I sit around thinking about whether my love for Crème brûlée is higher or lower than my love of flan, if rice pudding should even make the cut. I consider many facts: my sentimental connection with them, how many times in the last year I have gone out of my way (or diet) to eat them, if I have ever (out of pure craving) have attempted to make them, etc… It’s a serious thing for my mind, as if my final list of top 5 deserts will change the future of some small country.

For today, however the listing needs has been, in a way, productive, at least now I think it can make a nice little post, something to consider if you were thinking of going to the bookstore. I love to read and I wanted to do top five lists of books… so I did:

Top 5 books that have amazing characters:
5- The Gorgeous Habour, Mr. Clement (the main character is called Astrolapin, do I need to say more?)
4- Watchmen, Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons (The Comedian makes mean look cool, Rorschach makes crazy look heroic and Doctor Manhattan makes blue and naked look rather blue and rather naked)
3- The Story of Mr. Sommer, Patrick Suskind.
2- The Neverending Story, Michael Ende (well, just about every character one could want to meet is in this book)
1- Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, Lewis Carroll (and about every character that one should runaway from in this one).

Top 5 books with beautiful ideas or literary images:
5- Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury
4- Snow, Orhan Pamuk
3- 1984, George Orwell
2- The Stranger, Albert Camus
1- Twelve Pilgrim Tales, Gabriel García Márquez (specially in Light is Like Water)

Top 5 books that are perfect and that I wish I had written:
5- Olivia, Ian Falconer
4- Memoirs of a Geisha, Arthur Golden.
3- After the Quake: Stories, Haruki Murakami (specially Super-Frog Saves Tokyo)
2- Survivor, Chuck Palahniuk
1- One Hundred Years of Solitud, Grabriel García Márquez

Top 5 books that made me the crazy girl I am.
5- Silence of the Lambs, Thomas Harris
4- Terrors anthology by Charles L. Grant (mention of honor to the short story Survivor Type by Stephen King)
3- The Joke, Milan Kundera
2- Stories of Love, Madness, and Death, Horacio Quiroga.
1- The Perfume, Patrick Suskind.

Top 5 books that wonderfully depict sad or low moments.
5- A Long Way Down, Nick Hornby (rather simple and concrete thoughts on suicide and depression, lovely)
4- The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka
3- Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov
2- Down and out in Paris and London, George Orwell (so sad and beautiful)
1- Blindness, José Saramago.

…By the way, top 5 desserts:
5- Cherry pie
4- Flan
3- Crème brûlée
2- Cactus fig (also called: cactus fruit) sorbet (I am Mexican, remember!?)
1- Pavlova (sans fruit)

Marina Bychkova’s Enchanted Dolls

2010-09-17T11:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I wanted to do another post, but then I found a Web Site that took my mind off of everything; I spent about an hour browsing the images and feeling sort of weird. The page was for Enchanted Dolls, ceramic dolls done by Marina Bychkova.

I don’t know what it is about dolls but they tend to fascinate me (in a rather eerie way), I guess it is because they are supposed to look human and at the same time have obvious signs of being artificial. The dolls Marina makes are unbelievable; I can’t believe that someone has the talent to make them out of raw materials, plus the accessories she creates for them are perfect and out of this world.

Have a look at my top five:

Noire

Beauty and the Beast

Rococo Triptych

You should visit her web site (here), specially the Doll Process tab, where you can have a peek at how she does her dolls (it is really incredible). In her site you can shop for dolls if you want, and you can even customize them to you likings and desires.

You can also find her dolls on Flickr (here), on DeviantART (here) and on her blog (here)

Edie and her fancy hat

Ana Bidart’s cool work.

2010-09-16T21:50:00.000-07:00

Hello there.

Well, I have no idea what happened, I did not go out yesterday (I was a complete nerd and stayed to online-chat the night away), but still somehow I needed part of the day off, today. Maybe I am hormonal (blame it on being a girl! Ha ha ha it’s always a nice exit!). It might be depression, sure, I guess, but nothing that needs medication, for today I was good with two cups of coffee, a gyro, a trip to the book fair (with my BFF) and a nap (not with my BFF). Good as new!!! (nop, not really, but at least ready to post)

A lot of parenthesis in the last paragraph, no?

OK, I decided to not do the music part today because, to tell the truth, yesterday I got completely frustrated with the lack of permissions to embed videos; I felt like such a creep wanting to place them on my blog and then realizing that such actions were considered unneeded and unwanted (we don’t have that kind of relationship, kid).
So, Mexican singers and groups you lose! Instead I will post this!

Iceberg

Bang!
Is that not one of the coolest things ever?! I found it some days ago as I was doing my daily spying. I want it so bad!
The gal that made it is called Ana Bidart and she is from Uruguay, I picked more of her images, but you can also go to her Flickr Photostream where you can find more of her work --> HERE

goma eva

El humo II

Hongo

estrellitas

The Yummy Poems of Ana C.

2010-09-15T17:18:00.000-07:00

Today I want to feature a gal I know, a really talented poet and a too-cool-for-school kind of girl. Her name is Ana C. (The “C” stands for Carrete, but let’s keep that hush because otherwise her father might find her web site, and if he does she is going to have a lot of explaining to do).

I know her just because, it’s not that we grew up together or somehow we have lived spectacular adventures. She goes to some parties, I got some parties*, the meeting was casual… only it was not so casual because both of us had read each other’s blog before the official meeting and, for me, it was more like an amazing groupie moment (I got to meet that cool chick from the web! And she kind of knew about me!).

Now that I have seen her around in various events I can (if I have a few drinks) chat with her and be cool about it, but I have to watch myself, too many drinks and I end up telling her the usual “I adore your words, all you do, be my friend, hold my hand” nonsense (I turn into a total dork)...

So anyway, as I sort of hinted, she has this blog called I do not have penis envy and in it she usually posts rather revealing and fun poetry; some is naughty and sexual while other things turn out rather strong but sweet. She has a really unconventional point of view and such a natural flow of words, normally I could just hate her forever (envy, envy, envy), but I don’t, because actually she is an immensely nice, creative and rather hard to dislike person.

She is slowly turning into some pop web cult phenomenon (yes, I am nerd, I don’t know how to describe cool things) and I am really happy for her, I think her amazing brain deserves as many followers as it can get, because she writes with real honesty and ease about lots of hard topics and she is always mixing a little Mexican flare and culture to her work (love that, represent!).

I picked 3 of her poems, have a read and I do hope you like her.

-----------------------------------------------

panicky little bitch
I
rubbing your grandma's stomach
will always make you cry
try it if you don't believe me

II
you'll never stop feeling afraid
everyone dies when they stop

III
i'm alone when you stop me

IV
when you write something
and title it panicky little bitch
your heart beats faster

V
i tried to run away from home once
i was going to run away with a piece of fabric
attached to a stick because
that's how it works when you're seven

-----------------------------------------------

two babies holding hands in a third world country
two boys holding hands sucking the same lollipop
two girls holding hands staring at each other
two grandpas holding hands masturbating
two grandmas holding hands peeing in public
two teenagers holding hands eating a cheeseburger
two toddlers holding hands being cute
two mothers holding hands smoking a cigarette
two sisters holding hands licking their shoulders
two brothers holding hands walking home from school
two cousins holding hands feeling insecure about their sexuality
two classmates holding hands wanting to hold someone else's hand
two sluts holding hands flirting with the same boy at the same time
two transvestites holding hands looking manly
two hipsters holding hands winking at boys with ironic mustaches
two emo boys holding hands wearing i'm with stupid t-shirts
two prostitutes holding hands looking hip with wayfarers
two hippies holding hands looking hip with leather vests
two dudes holding hands hating each other
two bros holding hands acting like assholes
two chicks holding hands not giving a shit
two cry babies holding hands wanting to cut their wrists
two gangsters holding hands experiencing sexual harassment
two soldiers holding hands thinking anorexia is awesome
two racists holding hands feeling like pigs
two waiters holding hands wishing they could buy expensive makeup
two babies holding hands in a third world country
two fathers holding hands being unemployed

-----------------------------------------------

grandma is downstairs eating salmon
grandma is downstairs eating salmon. her eyes are blue but used to be dark. she says things like
"this food is delicious. are we in a garden? i like these huge trees" but we're inside the house and

my mom tells her there's some plants outside and she just says "oh"

our plates are full. there's salmon and salad and rice with almonds and other vegetables are on the side.
i grab a piece of baguette and spread butter on it. i chew and feel like crying. everything is delicious and i think

"this isn't a beautiful garden
grandma" only i never call her
grandma
i call her by her first name (elia)
in its diminutive form (eliquita)

i stretch and she asks if i'm tired. i tell her i am and she just stares
out the window.

i go up the stairs
into my room
i lock it.

carmen helps her eat. she asks what she's giving her next. carmen asks
"well do you want rice or salmon or salad?" grandma says salmon. carmen gives it to her.

she asks me the same thing 3 times in a row. i feel unkind
the third time i say things. i wish i could only say sweet things
three times in a row and i wish she could hear me say these things
three times in a row and i wish the third time sounded sweeter than the first time.

-----------------------------------------------

For more of her scrumptious poems go to her Web Site (here); there you can buy her chapbook called make-believe love-making (I have it, and it’s great!).

* Yes, I am sure she goes to much more parties that I do, but I was trying to sound nonchalant about the whole thing.

Representing Spain: Alejandro Sanz

2010-09-15T13:24:00.000-07:00

Today is the day. The day when we as Mexicans come together drink, eat and dance celebrating that many years ago we (no literally) started the independence fight against Spain. Well, it’s not today, more like early morning tomorrow, but today at night is when the celebration takes place.

I am not a big fan of the formal part of the celebration; I used to be, because as a kid it was a perfect pretext to stay up late, but then in my teens when I was too old to get excited about staying up and too young to enjoy the intense flow of alcohol, well it lost some meaning. I know, I know, I sound like the worst Mexican, but I am not; I assure you, the worst Mexicans can do really awful things, I? Well, I just did not make plans for tonight.

So, I was going to post a song from a Mexican artists (because of the date), but then I just did not find any videos that I could add here (embedding enable by request; my nemesis), so I decided, that, since 200 years ago (today) we were still under Spaniard government, well, I can get away with posting a song by someone from Spain (plus, he is really hot, so no real harm done)… I will deal with Mexican artists tomorrow.

This is (the charming) Alejandro Sanz with Quisiera Ser.

Serendipity and Melissa Haslam

2010-09-14T09:59:00.001-07:00

Serendipity is finding something when you originally where looking for something else. Now that we have that clear, we can begin…

I was in Facebook looking around for gossip, weekend events and funny comments, but instead I found the work of a rather interesting artist. It turns out that I have friends that instead of posting about how much the hate their work/lives/boss/ex partners/the global economy/the killing of pandas/etc. they take their time to post about the artist they adore.

This one comes from the files of my brother’s girlfriend. Her name is Melissa Haslam (I am now talking about the painter, not my brother’s girlfriend) she is from (or at least lives now in) Melbourne Australia. Here I have selected a few paintings and drawings that I could steal from her Flickr Photostream (this one), but I do encourage you to visit her blog (here) because there you will find a wider variety of her work, and she does have some really beautiful pieces.

Here are my picks:

Cat and Mouse (oil on canvas)

art_honey_hive (graphite, tea, watercolour)

Finding a pink rabbit inthe flowering undergrowth (oil on wood)

Moths (oil on canvas)

You can also visit her official web site (here)

Nymphs (graphite on paper)

Hi.

2010-09-13T21:40:00.000-07:00

Sorry, I wanted to post today, but many things went wrong and I don’t want to fake it.
Tomorrow, I promise. Tomorrow things will be better (probably) and I will write.

My long lost love: James Jean

2010-09-08T17:23:00.000-07:00

The other day, after I posted about a certain painter a friend wrote me a little message on Messenger (go figure!): “If you liked him, look for James Jean, you are sure to love him” (or something like that, I don’t have the greatest memory), I, like a snooty girl answered: “Yeah, I know who James Jean is and I DO love him”. I was not intending to sound harsh, it just came out that way. The truth is that every time a friend recommends something concerning books, art, movies, etc. my heart melts a little and I feel completely blessed to have them around.

Truly I believe that nothing tops a friend lending you a book because he or she thinks you will love it or telling you to look for someone’s work, it speak volumes of how much they have been paying attention and in a way it allows you to share a more of the world with them (plus it reminds you that you are not hanging around with dummies, which is always a good thing).

The reason that I had, if any, to answer so swiftly and (what could very well be read as) snobby was that I do, with all my heart, love the work of James Jean, but before, I was unable to post about him because I had so many professional blogger rules and that frustrated me.

Yeah, silly me, when I started this blog I kind of promised to never steal images, so I swore to every time ask for permission or at least tell the artist about my handling of his or her images or pictures, that is why I do the whole “can I post about you?” or the “I have posted about you, sorry and thanks” e-mail thing… of course about 99% of the time people answer “sure!” or “Thank you so much!” (the other 1% mostly do not answer), so with time I did become more relax on that process, because nobody, but I, seems to really mind.

So at the beginning (of this blog) I was annoyed with big-time illustrators and painters because reaching them was not that easy, most of my favorite artists were crossed off the Possible-Post list because they were already too well know… James Jean included.

And that is why, I was a little beach towel when I answered my friend’s comment, because I did (and do) want to tell the world about my love for him, only I couldn’t (like a little high school girl forever in love with her best friend, unable to kiss him). Luckily I started to care less and less about the rules; all this lack of sleep and Mexican food is making me a rebel. I finally came to the conclusion that I am not doing something wrong when I post about someone’s work, and so!!! With that! I give you! In honor of my good friend! My favorite five from James Jean!!! Ta-da!!

Hare (Oil on Rives BFK)

Nun (Acrylic on Rives BFK)

Liber Novice (Mixed Media on Canvas)

SKRWL Bubble Boy cover + spine with metallic overlay (acrylic and digital)

James Jean was born in 1979 in Taiwan and lives in California (USA); you can find plenty more of his art, his blog and shop on his official web site (Here), it is a must! I tell you!

Maze (Mixed Media on Rives BFK)

Bonde do Rolê Because I Am at Ease (or something like that).

2010-09-07T16:07:00.000-07:00

If you had asked me about 3 or 4 months ago, what was the worst thing that was going to happen this year, I would have, without a doubt, answered: ¨Going back to Mexico¨. It was my reality then; I had a comfy life filled with time, money, fancy dates and road trips (lacking most worries); understandably, I loved that life and leaving it made no sense at all. It hurt like hell to be standing on the airport entrance and to know that I had no real way of staying.

For a few days after my arrival I was in complete agony, coming back to Mexico was finally waking up and discovering that in fact I possessed none of the things I had become accustomed to (an apartment, a kitchen filled with food, a bed, a purpose in life, etc); I had lived someone else’s life for more than a year and now I had to, in some way, pay the price.

And yes, I was (and I am) paying many overdue Karma bills; I get it, it’s OK, I am the closest to a woman that I have ever been, irony and cosmic justice are not lost on me. However, I no longer feel that coming back was the worst ending; it is hard, to basically have nothing of my own, but that, somehow, has helped; a little life do-over before turning 28.

Sometimes you are in the middle of writing an assay, a post, whatever and your computer goes crazy for a minute or you hit the wrong button and you erase it all; your file is gone, your precious words and metaphors dead. You can give up and go watch TV, but if it was somewhat important you start again and, for some reason, the losing of the first draft makes your second version better. You touch areas that were not accessible to your brain before, you clean up some ideas, span on subjects, add little jokes or remember relevant quotes; at the end you still kind of hate your computer (or your clumsy hands), but you have to admit to yourself that things went wrong in the best of ways.

This is me now, admitting that maybe I am OK. That perhaps, good (better) things will come out of this mess. That in a really odd way I am truly happy to be back, to have lost it all.

There, I said it, and now here is another song (to make up for all the days of no posts)… It has nothing to do with Mexico or coming back, but I think that when I am content my brain sings in Portuguese, so it is fitting.

The song was Solta O Frango (Translation by Google: Unleash the Chicken) by Bonde do Rolê

Inca Pan as an Offering.

2010-09-07T14:23:00.000-07:00

For many months now I have been spying on Inca Pan, why did I not post about him before? Well, I have no clue, I think that before he had little information about himself and so posting seemed really intrusive… or I was being egocentric and I wanted to keep his pieces for myself (and anyone that was lucky to find his Flickr Photostream).

But since I have been a terrible blogger lately I thought it was time to share him. Still, he has little info on his profile and not so much available on the Web; he is an illustrator and painter from Taiwan and he is good, there! All we need for and intro!

Enjoy!

Don't cut my ears ! Mr.Moon

If you want more of him you can visit his Flickr Photostream (Here)

Fan Death and... My Life?

2010-09-07T11:00:00.000-07:00

And so I am back!
Yes, I know, you didn’t even notice that I was gone! But I was (gone) and I really missed blogging,

My computer is still not ready, but it is on its way back! Funny no know that something you own is traveling around California all by itself.

I don’t think I commented this before, but the guy at BestBuy was super sweet and helpful, I was considering telling him to give me a call if he ever came back to Mexico (because he told me about little trips he made, here, to my hometown), but then I thought that that would probably be considered hitting on him and I didn’t go for it.

Yeah, I know! Crazy life! How did you ever manage without my adventures!?

I am sorry, I am ultra sleepy, I can’t think straight; let me get some coffee, and I will be back.

Here is Fan Death with Reunited (video directed by Directed by Dandilion Wind Opaine)

Astrid Yskout for a Driven Thursday.

2010-09-02T17:18:00.000-07:00

For today I knew exactly what I wanted and I woke up willing to search the whole Web in order to find it, sure I am posting late in the afternoon, but well, sometimes things take longer than expected… so, what I wanted was simple, no so much simple as well defined: rough lines, odd characters, a sense of humor, dark colors and beauty; there, that was it.

I turned the computer on and with all my knowledge in stalking and spying, armed with coffee and time I searched (and searched, and searched) until! Voilà! Astrid Yskout from Belgium!

Now, I don’t have much information on her, I did look around the Web and she has been featured in many other blogs and online magazines (I guess many others woke up one day wanting rough lines, odd characters, a sense of humor... etc, etc), but there was little extra information on her life or work. However you can, and should, go to her Flickr Photostream (here) to browse around and love her pieces, because you will, love them, I know.

A Thank-You Post and a Link to a Song.

2010-09-02T13:47:00.000-07:00

I have to admit it, this week has been really hard on me and, at the same time, really special. I have been writing little stories since Monday, I am up to 21 right now, and sure not all of them are good but I figure that even if one out of five is, I still have made real progress on my writing; four good/acceptable stories in one week is better than none or just one (or two, or three; if you want to be specific).

I have no idea how it works, to be a writer; I write, that is as far as I go, still somehow I feel that these stories are different. People always tell me “write about what you know” and until Monday I sincerely felt that I knew nothing about any specific thing.

And then on Monday, my hand searched for a pencil and for my notebook, and words started to empty out. I don’t know if you have read Snow by Orhan Pamuk, well it is basically a long and lovely novel that explains two things: 1) That a friendship based on the shared genuine love of one simple thing will go far, and 2) that writing for some individuals comes from a seemingly outside force, in one moment you are a normal human being going about your day and in the next you are a writer dealing with an uncontrollable pouring of words. It’s a good novel. Maybe not for all, but if you have ever felt that urge to just sit and write (or draw, or compose music, or whatever) you will probably like it. Anyway, it happened like that, going about my day, no computer, sad, unsatisfied with life; the hand went to the pencil, the pencil to the sheet and it has not stopped since.

Turns out, I do know some things about some matters, I have in fact been living for 27 years and eleven months, and that makes a difference. Maybe at 16 I was not quite there, or 22 or 26... and I am not saying I am ready for the Nobel prize, but I think, finally after all these years I understood what writing about what you know meant. It was never about science and facts, it was about my mind. I know my thoughts; everything else is relative to them. I know exactly how I feel about coffee, and milk, and cows and well suicide, pedophilia and death. I have grown into those thoughts; at 18, I believed that the French guy was cool and now I know for a fact that he was (and probably still is) a jerk. At 21, I assumed one could run away and never look back, but you always look back and miss something. I thought love was easy at 24, and it isn’t and is not even that big of a deal that it’s not; it’s actually better that way.

I will never be Stephen King I am sure of it, because his writings make me want to cry. The one little story I wrote about flesh being cut by a medical saw almost made me want to faint, and it’s OK. That is why Stephen Kind is Stephen King, so nobody else has to deal with being him, we can all carry on with our vanilla writings, knowing that someone else is doing the stuff about amputations and skin burning.

Write about what you know and know who you are, they came together on Monday. Thanks to this blog, I have actually started to acknowledge who I really am, if you think about it, I post most days about the art I love, the music I like and my take on my own life. I write knowing that at least two people that know me will read it, so I have to be honest and clear, I can’t fool them. To not lie everyday is really an interesting experiment; I am a liar, I have always been. My family is the Big Fish* kind of family: if the story is kind of boring, well, add a little extra to make it fit into the reality you want. Sure enough the family tree is filled with amazing adventures and incredible oddities (read One Hundred Years of Solitude, by García Márquez, to get an idea).

And maybe that was what I was doing wrong, I wanted to make my stories sound better; I was lying, and of course they never were good enough, because if you are going to lie on a piece of paper you have to go all the way and compete with astoundingly dishonest people. Then my lies were never big enough, they were like throwing a firecracker into Hiroshima (or Nagasaki), because I was raised to tell believable lies, that is the whole point in adding things to an anecdote, nothing about dead people walking or surviving the attack of a serial killer, just your ordinary “...and then, you are not going to believed what happened, bla bla” stuff.

However on Monday, I wrote a simple 50 word note on envying talented people, just that, my true envy of them and the fear of being a nobody. Then came 40 words on knowing that I had made a mistake long ago (I had not thought enough before accepting a proposal) followed by 70 words on missing grandpa and 130 on the strange feeling of taking care of grandma; that was it, 120 here, 60 there, 150, all about real moments, all about things I knew. I love it. To be honest and finally write down what I think about eloping, bulimia and dreams; face the fact that I am probably a little jaded and mostly confused.

It has been incredible, and yes, as I told you in the first line of this post, it has also been hard, because part of accepting who I am is accepting who I never was and who I will never be, and sometimes that type of honesty can break your heart, but writing is worth it; I have also come to learn in my years alive, that the heart heals quite rapidly and that dealing with a broken heart is easier than facing a writer’s block (the first one only needs obscene amounts of chocolate and ice cream, the second one a bizarre mixture of substances and experiences that I have yet to master).

So, anyway, thanks, because if you are reading this you are part of all of it, and if we were ever to meet, I would gladly buy you a drink (a cheap one of course because I am poor).

Now, a song!!!

Oh, OK, this is perfect, remember that I can’t ask this computer to play videos, and well that means that I can’t actually go and search the Web (the World Wide Web) for a new song, but!! I have been loving a song that I cannot post because Embedding was Disabled by Request... so instead of going in search for a new video and kill my computer in the process, I will just add a little link here --> The song is called The Comeback and it's by Shout Out Louds, listen to it and have a nice day!!!

* Directed by Tim Burton, 2003.

A post of Simona Cordero from Writer's Boot Camp

2010-09-01T14:28:00.000-07:00

Well now I am writing from a really old computer; the one I bought for my trip to Uruguay, about seven years ago and let me tell you something, maybe seven years for a couch or, I don't know, a volcano is not much, but for a laptop, like for a puppy, is a lot. Specially when for the whole time I lived in Montevideo it was used by most of my friends for homework, entertainment and as the official party-jukebox.

But at least it still has Notepad and access to the Internet; that is pretty much all I need from it, anyway. Sure it is slow and really noisy but, for today, it's home.

So, forgive me a little if this post is more of a mess than usual, it is rather hard to concentrate under such circumstances (the computer having its issues, the mouse acting up, the cat jumping on me...), plus I think I am in the middle of a life crisis, a mental breakdown, a mental breakthrough, a caffeine overdose and a super fine day; I am not sure how I can manage to have all of those at the same time, but I am making it work (and making it look sexy).

Today I thought I would do first the featured artist and later the song part, why? because I am feeling that crazy*, no rules for this Wednesday!
So hold on, 'cause here we go!!

As I was writing this intro I had no idea who to post about, but I think I just found her; her name Simona Codero (a lovely and elegant name for a classy lady) she is from Italy and does incredible paintings. That is pretty much all the information I could gather of her, remember that today I am dealing with several handicaps to do my usual stalking and spying.

But I think we can manage with little info on her, as long as I tell you that you can (and that you probably should) visit her Flickr Photostream (here) because it is filled with a rather amazing collection of painting, some of them inspired by classic novels and tales like Peter and the Wolf, The Little Match Seller, Hansel and Gretel, etc. (so you might find a great piece inspired by one of you favorite stories).

In the meantime have a look at my favorite ones from her:

red medals

Chaise longue

carosello

cinderella

daylight bat

* And because if I ask this computer to play music it will probably die on me.

Amy Millan for a Tuesday

2010-08-31T08:56:00.000-07:00

Hello there!
Well no, I did not fall into a coma nor I am dead; my computer however kind of is, and around this house getting Internet time has been a pain (I am at the moment stealing some time on my father’s computer)

Sorry for not posting for so long, you guys have no idea how annoying it’s for me to be unable to do the research and writing necessary everyday. I hope the shop tells me it’s no big deal and that within a week things will be fine and back to normal… however of course this is my life, and in my life things tend to not go according to my hopeful plans.

We will have to see.

Oh! I didn’t tell you, I have my camera! It is amazingly beautiful, the pictures it takes are breathtaking and I am über in love with it; She (my camera is a girl) has been helpful these days of no computer.

Now a song, this is Amy Millan with Bury This (video directed by Anthony Seck)

I must go now! They want me to evacuate this computer!

Rob Dobi and The Lovely Old House

2010-08-26T11:15:00.000-07:00

When my grandfather died, I was unable to go to his funeral because I had to stay back in my hometown; my brother had been just diagnosed with bipolar disorder and things around the house were, to put it simple: havoc (denial, pills, fear, tears, books, doctors and studies where all part of the family daily routine). For my mother to travel to the city where grandpa (her father) was going to be buried in, she needed the ease of knowing that I was back home taking care of our family.

I was OK with it, I had to be, I guess. However the thing that really got to me (and that until this day, more than three years later, I can’t recover from) was that I was unable to visit for one last time my grandparents’ home. They had a lovely huge house; clean cut architectural designs with ultra funky furniture (the sixties at their best), that house even had a small Japanese garden (something that in Mexico is not common at all). I loved that place, if I ever get to build a house of my own, I will sure base it on my memories of it.

At the end of his years, grandpa had turned into something of a hoarder. Mom told me, when she got back, that they had found all kinds of little treasures and knick-knacks in his house; between mom, three uncles, my aunt, and four cousins it took them about 5 days to clean the place up. The house was so big that, until he died, nobody had noticed that grandpa bought all kinds of silly things… and on bulk! Mom still recounts about the bag full of unused pairs of socks (There were about 50! Who needs 50 pairs of socks!? She screams in laughter) and about the collections of perfumes, wristwatches, bags of sugar and dirty Kleenex.

I wanted to go, take pictures of the house; Mom doesn’t get it, she thinks it is some ill morbid thought, that I would have been disgusted with the state of the house, that I was better off never seeing the place again. Of course, it would have hurt, a lot, but it would have been the greatest gift (at least for me) to capture the spirit of the home one last time, to capture all that grandpa left behind.

I am sure Rob Dobi, could understand my wishes; as I was browsing his pictures I could not stop thinking about that house; how does it look now? Could I still go, sneak in, and steal some quiet moments?

There is something really special about his picture of abandoned buildings, they all tell really strong stories and they speak as much of who we are, as the lovely images on Architecture and Design magazines. He has quite an eye for finding magnificence were other might only see garbage and old paint. It is good that there are people like Rob Dobi taking chances in photography with unconventional places, bringing the sad and neglected parts of our world back to the light (giving them a little extra time to shine).

Have a look:

recovery

Rob Dobi is a illustrator, t-shit designer and photographer from the United States (of course, I only posted about his work as photographer, but all the things he does are great), for more of his work you can visit his official web site (here), to look at and/or buy some of his photos you can go to his web page (here) or his Flickr Photostream (here)

Sink

Marina and the Diamonds and the Apprehension

2010-08-26T09:36:00.000-07:00

Good Morning my 36 followers, I do hope you are having a nice day.

I am still completely anxious about picking up my camera today, what happens if after this amazing gift, it turns out that I have no talent whatsoever as a photographer? Accounting school, that’s what, and the sad reality of failure; All right, I have weird issues, I know.

But guess what? I am not a robot! I am allowed to feel distressed and worried about my future! Don't judge me!

Yes, that was a lame attempt to connect what I was thinking with my pick for today’s song. Sorry I can’t think, I am too happy and exited.

This is Marina & the Diamonds with I Am Not a Robot (video directed by Rankin & Chris Cottam)

A Little Post about the Work of Nicole Gastonguay

2010-08-25T17:43:00.001-07:00

Well, I have been meaning to post about (indeed) the work of Nicole Gastonguay for quite some time now, the only thing is that somehow I never get the intro to sound right, but since today I already did a fast post I guessed it was the perfect time to do another one and feature her pieces.

I really don’t think her work need much explanation; they are fun and delightful handmade accessories; when you see them you can’t help but smile (at least I can’t), and it’s charming that her collection includes a variety of unusual and common objects. Have a look (and love them like I do!):

Robot

TV Dinner

Cheeseburger

OMG!!!

Nicole Gastonguay is a graphic designer and she lives in NY; her official web site is (here), there you can look at more of her work or (if you live in the US) buy her pieces. She says she uses no patterns so all of her little characters are unique.
You can also go to her Flickr Photostream to have an eyeful of cuteness (here).

Sardines

Paloma Faith for a Joyous and Restless day!

2010-08-25T13:34:00.000-07:00

Ah! I am ultra happy!

Tomorrow I am getting my camera; I am super anxious and restless, but the good kind of anxious and restless, like Christmas for a five-year old or first time in Vegas for a twenty one-year old.

Yesterday I couldn’t post because I was so tired, but concerning my mood: It did eventually get better I had an improvised lunch date with two friends (with ice cream for dessert!!) and that for me is always a good way of getting over silly depressions.

So for now I leave you with a happy song, this is Paloma Faith with Upside Down

I am Thief and Bea Szenfeld is an Artist.

2010-08-25T10:23:00.000-07:00

I kind of stole this link from an article in Craft (this one) so I will not make a big fuss on the intro, because it feels somehow dirty. I just wanted to show you the amazing creations of Bea Szenfeld. This designer does incredibly beautiful and wearable Prêt-à-Porter pieces, but her Haute Couture is an astonishing collection of dream-like construction.

Since her collection “Paper Dolls” of 2006 she has been experimenting with ways to make exciting garments out of paper; In her collections “Whatever Forever” (2008) and “Sur la Plage” (2010) she followed and mastered this idea. Have a look:

From: Paper Dolls

From: Whatever Forever

From: Whatever Forever

From: Sur la Plage

For more of Bea Szenfeld visit her official web site (here)

From: Sur la Plage

First Aid Kit for a Too Much Information Post (sorry guys)

2010-08-24T13:23:00.000-07:00

I am in the middle of a hormonally-induced depression or maybe I am just hormonal and feeling that my life is kind of a waste, either way I am in the midst of a rather annoying day.

I really hate it when I lose my no-need-for-a-basis optimism; you know, the one that keeps repeating in my head: “it’s ok, if you don’t have a job, you are doing something with your life”, “at least you are writing almost every day and that is helping you understand your writing process” and my favorite: “it takes time and bad periods to bring out the creative best of people”

I am normally my own best fortune-cookie fortune writer, but not today, for this Tuesday I am ultra down and unhappy with my life choices.

…At least a friend is coming to visit my town and I think we are going to eat some nice seafood... I might get to take some pictures… and yes, there are other nice things in my life, it’s only that these natural chemicals have me high on emo mode.

For now I leave you with a little song I was lucky to find; First Aid Kit with Hard Believer (Video directed by Nicholas Wakeham)

Oh, yeah and I did also found another cool giveaway:
- You can win a 1940s sweetheart locket from Jean Jean Vintage at Huzzah! Vintage --> HERE

Some Giveaways you might like

2010-08-24T09:24:00.000-07:00

- You can win one original artwork piece at Feeling Inspired --> HERE
- You can win a super cool package filled with goodies at Inkling --> HERE
- You can win an amazing Camera Bag fromo JoTotes at The Thompson Family Life --> HERE
- You can win some Too Cool For School products at Anke Weckmann's blog --> HERE
- You can win one of two prints from Lee Arthaus at My Owl Barn --> HERE

Lorissa Shepstone on the Best Monday in 10 years!

2010-08-23T17:28:00.000-07:00

I guess I can now officially tell you all that... My mother is giving me a digital SLR camera for my birthday!!! and that can be considered the best gift anyone has given me in about 10 years!!! (I just ordered it!!!!).

I love photography; for about two years now, I have been experimenting with little touristy digital cameras and although they now have a fond place in my heart, they truly don’t allow for much decision making in concerns of time of exposure, focus and other variables. So, a better camera has been on my wish list for quite some time.

Of course, since I have been poor for almost all my adult life, well, buying a nice anything was out of the question, getting it from my parents feels somehow dirty, I am too old for such gifts, but I must admit I didn’t argue with them for much time before saying “OK, OK, you can buy it for me, thanks”; I don’t think I deserve the camera, I don’t know if my talent as a photographer warrants it, but still, I will take it and try to make my mom proud.

So, because I have been day dreaming with my new camera for about a week, I have been also spying on many photographers to get an idea, of what I am supposed to do once I have my hands dirty hands on it. And well, as I was using StumbleUpon to browse everything under the Photography tag, I was lucky to find Lorissa Shepstone’s Web Site: Apparently Nothing.

There was something about her photography that instantly attracted me; if you have ever used StumbleUpon you know how easily one can get jaded and keep on clicking the Stumble button to skip to the next site, without much care for the page one just visited, so it’s a great feat for an image to not only capture your attention but also get you to start wondering and caring about the photographer responsible for it. Well, her first picture did that for me and by the second I was ready to post about her.

I started to spy more of her pages and to look for info on her. Turns out she is originally from Durban, South Africa and now lives in the UK. She is a web designer and the co-founder of Being Wicked (a web design and development studio).

I love that she takes pictures of so many things and with different cameras, she keeps experimenting with whatever calls her attention, plus all her images are so distinct one from another, she creates a whole new tone and experience for each of them, I am truly in love with her taste. I find her images to be so soft and beautiful, I ultra love them, have a look:

the baker

urban swan

dusty rose

pears from above

If you like her work just as I did and you want some more of her, you can visit her photography web site (here), her blog (here) and/or her Flickr Photostream (here).

to defend

A Song by Matt and Kim after a Nice Weekend

2010-08-23T13:54:00.000-07:00

Good Monday!

How was your weekend?
I do hope it was fun and exciting!

Mine? well mine was rather enjoyable, I had a weekend in San Diego, California; I went to an almost-free Weezer concert with my best friend and her boyfriend, it was really cool, a different thing to do on a Saturday (at leas for me); the following day us girls did a lazy Sunday morning of watching wedding related shows on TV (and thanking life for our sanity and freedom), some bathing suit shopping followed by the obvious hanging by the pool and swimming (good times).

Dinner was some delicious Pho and dessert frozen yogurt. A perfect Sunday; well at least until I got back to Mexico and all hell broke loose, I had a panicky hour straight out from Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (directed by Chris Columbus) only I was lost in Tijuana and there was no cheery Christmas theme on the background.

At the end it all worked out fine and I got a really funny story out of it (I cannot tell you the story, because that would be exposing a friend and his actions, but it was funny).

Now! Some music to start the week!

This are Matt and Kim with Lessons Learned (Directed by Taylor Cohen and Otto Arsenault)

Four Yip is Cool

2010-08-20T14:17:00.000-07:00

I cannot assure you all that what I am about to post is 100% truth, because Four Yip is so cool that her information is scattered across all around the web in tiny reviews; I am pretty sure other cool people in the world know her story well, but unfortunately for you, you are not reading the blog of a cool person.

Legend has it that Four Yip is a gal from the Netherlands, that she started to paint portraits based on avatars from Second Life; you know, that online game where you can make your own little character (either based on your real self or, more likely, your alter ego) and meet other people.

Because her images were so incredible, she started to become really famous amongst Second Lifesters (I have no idea how they are usually called) and then her popularity grew all around the Web. She has done exhibitions in many galleries, so yeah, I guess she is not so underground (I am just extremely un-hip)

Rumor has it that she usually doesn’t sell her images that she gives them away (lucky friends of her), but I did find this place where you can buy things with her illustrations (here).

I adore the textures of her images and the super strong expression on all her subjects, she is incredible. I hope I didn't do such a bad job on the info in this post, because she does deserve a super nice text.

Have a look at what I loved from her:

Y-17

Y-19

Y-25

Y-14

For more of this super chic artists, you can go to her Flickr Photostream (here)

Y-01

Where I got most of the info:
New World Notes article (here)
Rezzable article (here)
Virtual Art Initiative article (here)

The Drums and a Post about Something that I Don’t Necessarily Love

2010-08-20T10:49:00.000-07:00

If you are ever considering dating a surfer (and you don’t surf) before making anything official go and watch Point Break (directed by Kathryn Bigelow), then consider other non-surfer dating options; if all fails in convincing your heart to go on another route, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Sure, surfers are nice overall, I get it, they do have incredible bodies, messy wet hair and amazing tanned and salty skin; they are nature lovers, know about meteorological events happening all around the world and do plan vacations to exotic places... but believe me, if you are not a morning person, no into surfing yourself and not crazy about ignoring all plans and events just because there are good waves somewhere near; you have no business dating a surfer.

You will only end up bitter, frustrated and doing useless posts trying to warn others about the surfer-dating dilemma; Useless because, let’s face it, tanned and salty will beat your sanity and knowledge any day of the week (twice on a lazy Sunday)…

Yeah, surfers… they are nice…

So here is to all those lovely surfers out there, you keep doing your thing! Keep being cool with your aloof attitude towards all things non-surfing related and your golden remarkable bodies; we will keep lusting over you from a far (unless… you allow us to come near).

That song was by The Drums and it’s is called Let's Go Surfing (video directed by David Fishel)

Noferin for a Good Thursday

2010-08-19T17:20:00.001-07:00

Today I am having the worst writer’s block; it’s almost official my mother might give me the best present EVER and all the happiness that this even is producing is making me unable to think straight.

Whenever I am hazy like this I get really frustrated because finding someone new to post about is really hard; I look around Etsy, the Web and Flickr and I do like many things, but nothing makes the wheels spin, no words come to me. It is a really horrible feeling, I start to feel dumb, to doubt my future in the writing business* and to understand my parent’s disappointment.

But then! After various random and clumsy drafts, I remembered that just because an artist is not new to me it doesn’t mean I can’t post about him or her! Plus! If I have previously enjoyed his or her art, most likely, I already have a little review of it inside my head!

So with that! I give you! The post about Noferin!!

Noferin is the teamwork of husband Nick (writer and sculptor) and wife Candy (graphic designer). When I first saw a painting by them I was lost; it was love, no need for names, no need for formalities, I was theirs. I think that was about 3 years ago, and from that day onward I have been adoring all of their work.

They have a combination of wooden toys, plush dolls and ultra lovely paintings and drawings; if I had all the money I needed I would buy every single piece and object I could get my hand on.

I did a selection of only their paintings, because I hate to mix art and pictures of objects in the same post (I am picky that way), but of course you must (must!) visit their links so you can enjoy the full spectrum of their work.

Here are 5 of my faves:

In which Pandacake learns to swing

In which Milo feels the sand between his toes

In which the forest gets a spring clean

In which the peak is in view

I am completely bananas for their new wooden toys Jibibuts; to have a look at them and other ultra cute toys, go (here).
And for more of their art and products you can go to their official web site (here) and/or to their their Flickr Photostream (here)

In which Fanelli soars through the petals

* Yes, yes, as dorky as it sounds, I do tend to believe there is a small future in it for me; obviously not in the money part of the business, more in the sense of making a difference in two or three lives (most likely family members) and publish at least 3 things.

Two Door Cinema Club on a Good Thursday.

2010-08-19T10:12:00.000-07:00

Hello there!
How are my 35 followers this morning?
I hope you are all well, dandy and in the start (or middle) of a grand day; yes, you guessed it, I am in a good mood.
No, still no work.
Nop, no prima novella being finished.
No hazy poem being published.
But still, I am in a great mood, my mind is filled with various ideas for personal projects and that always makes me happy.

Now, cue the music!

I found this today, it is the group Two Door Cinema Club with the song Undercover Martyn (video directed by James Lees)

A little post for Lun Chang

2010-08-18T16:50:00.001-07:00

I just found the illustrations of Lun Chang, she is a freelancer from Taiwan and has the most amazing sweet, beautiful and simple pieces, I am in complete love; the downside is that she has little personal information on her Flickr profile and I was unable to find more about her on the web, but still, she is ultra worth the post:

不要聽信你所聽見的不要相信你所看見的
,除非証劇歷歷在目

飛起來給我飛!!

狐狸不是好惹的

I want my walls, well the walls of my future home to be filled with her work! I am crazy for the bright colors, the super cute girls and the little hints of humor (LOVE!!). She is really good.
You MUST visit her Flickr Photostream to have a look at her images, go (here) and have fun!

Chew Lips, get married and adopt!

2010-08-18T10:53:00.000-07:00

So I found this song, and I am loving it (only the girl in the video makes me feel so uncool), I am so happy that the song is called Karen, because Karen is the name of a good friend. One of those girls that truly only brings joy to my life and no drama, and at 27 I have come to learn that those friends (especially if talking about a gal) are really to be cherished.

(so here is to you, lovely, Karen!)

The first time I saw the video I thought that the boy was actually a flat-chested girl and that this was the hippest thing around, so European! Go lesbian love! But no, it’s a guy (go non-lesbian love!); Still is a super cool video.

…By the way, I don’t usually go political on this blog, but I just wanted to comment that Mexico recently legally accepted same-sex marriages and their rights to adopt, and this makes me, and many others, really happy. Sure there has been chaos around the law and a lot of nasty public comments, and I am sure that many will continue to discriminate and hate on homosexuals, bisexuals and their families, but at least now we have good laws to protect their civil rights and liberties (and that can only be a good thing).

So yes, the song is named Karen and it’s from Chew Lips (video directed by Tabitha Denholm and Tom Beard)

Sorry if you don’t share my feelings on this gay marriage and adoption issue; I never want to push my ideas on someone (you are free to think and believe whatever you want, this blog is not about legal or moral stands), but this was something that made me really cheerful and I wanted to let the Web* know.

* The World Wide Web (www).

João Ruas (Feral Kid) a New Guy to Love.

2010-08-17T18:24:00.000-07:00

I have no idea if it’s due to the fact that I have been hanging with mostly boys (well, men, intrepid manly men) or because I no longer live in a cute apartment filled with ceramic squirrels and plastic pandas but lately I have been enjoying darker and edgier pieces, because of it I have been posting more art from guys.

I am still a girl (woman, sophisticated woman) at heart, so surly cute big eyed images will soon appear in a future posts; meanwhile this new taste in illustrations and paintings will hopefully do some good in balancing the female to male ratio of featured artists, that is somewhat skewed in this blog (as we stand is about 2 to 1).

Back to the post: I found him today and I am in love (in really professional love); his name is João Ruas (Feral Kid) and he is from São Paulo, Brazil. He does really beautifully detailed drawings; most of them with a dream like (maybe more like nightmarish) theme. He has had many exhibitions in the USA, in fact he just had a show in Thinkspace Art Gallery and some of his pieces are still available (here).

For my five I picked many featuring girls; I guess I am just crazy about the softness he adds to their faces and how it contrasts with their surroundings, but his work includes all types of subjects and more somber motifs.

By the way picking only five was really hard, I still feel that I left our amazing ones so I do encourage you to visit one, or many, of his links, because he has so many incredible and, yes, sexy pieces (I did again the whole G rated post thing, but there are many nipples to be found in his art, so if you fancy something more "adult", click away my friend!).

Have a look at what I adored from him:

Dawn I

Beggar

Catch

Untitled

To enjoy more of his pieces you can go to his official web site (here), his blog (here) and his Flickr Photostream (here).

Procession I

Nervous System and the Full Post it Deserves.

2010-08-17T11:35:00.001-07:00

Sometime ago I did a top 5 cool necklaces that I am no cool enough to wear post and in it I featured a piece by Nervous System (Jessica Rosenkrantz and Jesse Louis-Rosenberg); It was not lost on me that to feature just one piece of their jewelry was a cruel thing to do, because they have such an incredible collection of different accessories. So I always keep them in mind, remembering that to make things right I had to come back and do a full post of their work.

So here it is, to make Karma happy with me:

Nervous System
They base their designs in the patterns and textures of nature; well, this is really an understatement, if you enter their official web site and go to the About Us tag you can read a full and more complex of description what their motives, inspirations, processes and goals are, but basically, yeah, they are trying to reproduce the geometry that exists in the natural world.

They select inexpensive and durable materials, most of them not normally used for jewelry, but it works perfect for them, because the marriage of these materials with their soft and airy designs creates an enigmatic look and feel; feminine, simple and strong.

Both designers that form Nervous System are ultra qualified, holding degrees from MIT; Jessica Rosenkrantz in Architecture and Biology and Jesse Louis-Rosenberg in Mathematics, and both did extra studies or work in rather interesting areas. So it is fitting and understandable that they are the ones generating such intricate and fascinating pieces.

Have a look! And love!

black chromium

cell cycle | Interstice bracelet

Coral Brooch: gold plated

orchid necklace - stainless steel

For more of their design you can go to their official web site (here), their blog (here) or Jessica Rosenkrantz’s Flickr Photostream (here)
And if you are ready you can go to their shop!!! and shop!!! (here)

One super fun thing, is that in their store you can make your own necklace, with a little program you add forces to a simulated mess to create your unique design and then! Buy it! Go (here) for that.

Xylem - sneak peak

People Eating People (It's not what you are thinking)

2010-08-17T10:41:00.000-07:00

(Sorry, yesterday I guess I was too happy to write, but I’ll make up for it today; I promise)

Wow, those new hip indie groups really like their control. I have been trying to post a new song and Embedding disabled by request keeps showing up wherever I look, I have tried with about 9 different groups! Come on! I get that you are cool and want to feel as underground as possible! But come on!!! What is the point of making a video if you don’t want it to be published!? I am sure there are legal issues that concern record companies, but come on!!!

Well it’s your lost!

Luckily, after being denied a few more times, I was able to find the People Eating People’s first video Rain Rain (video by Nouela Johnston), it was just a lucky click.

* Funny how sometimes I am in such a professional blogger state of mind that I don’t realize that if I search in Google “People Eating People” I could probably get links and images that could forever deny me the pleasure of eating a hamburger or ribs; oh thank you Google censors!! You have saved me once again! (I can keep on munching on veal and little bunnies).

Noisettes and the best Monday!!!

2010-08-16T13:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday to all!!

Well I must tell you, I had probably the best weekend ever! Well, no, not really I am sure there are more amazing and exiting weekends in my past, but this was really good; pretty sure it was the best weekend since I got back from Florida.

Movie night on Friday was great, I rediscovered my love for Watchmen (and beer); I was kind of nervous before going to my friend’s house because I had been warned that I was not to ruin the movie by making silly comments and jokes (which, if you have read more than one of my post, you can understand it's kind of expected from me), but I think I did OK, I mean at least I was not the one talking during the intro…

Then on Saturday a fun family dinner, I had forgotten that my relatives are actually pretty cool. No, nobody asked about my job, about the current status of my relationship, about when I am going to get married and have children or about my take on abortion; my family, I came to remember, cares little about any of those things. Grandpa, before dying, left a really relaxed attitude in our little group: If you are happy, eating well and learning about the important things in life* you are doing just fine and nobody should be bothering you. So it was a rather fun night of recalling stupid things we used to do as children.

And Sunday! Oh my sweet Sunday! I woke up to my father cooking breakfast (always a good sing) and my mother announcing that she was decided on my birthday present; now, I can’t tell you what it is just yet, because I am really scared of jinxing it, but! If indeed she gives me that present, it will be THE BEST birthday present of the last 10 years!!!!

I am sure I don’t deserve it, but I really do want it.
Anyway, if it happens I will tell you about it.

Now! Some music! Let’s dance!
Noisettes with Never Forget You

* Visual Arts, Aerodynamics, Photography, Physics, Engineering, Technology, Music (especially Blues), Literature, History, Biology and all the areas of this world that meant something for el abuelo Arturo.

Daniel Mendoza and my Trouble-Free Day.

2010-08-13T16:41:00.000-07:00

Funny how some days are a mess (a big chaotic make-you-want-to-cry-and-hit-someone mess) and then, other days thing happen without any great distress. Some days things are simply happy and normal; compared to yesterday, today is pure gold. Today, most things have gone according to plan; a pandemonium free Friday. I guess it’s life’s way of saying “I know you are not the best, but I understand you are not the worst, so for today I will back off, after all, this is not a Chuck Palahniuk novel”

And so, in this Friday, things have been going smoothly; for example, in less than 30 minutes of searching around the web and spying on Facebook I had already found an artist to feature. Other things happened, but as I was writing them down, I realized that well: my life is kind of a bore… so I will not waste your time with my recount of a simple day.

Let’s go to today’s post:

When I saw Daniel Mendoza’s drawings at first I thought they were images from a storyboard, because they all seem to show just a glimpse of some bigger, strange and amazing story, but no, that is just how he likes to draw; he exposes isolated moments of interesting characters, which I find to be charming and captivating.

I can give you little information on him, besides this: He is from (or at least, lives in) Canada, he is male, he draws and he has a Flickr account. I tried cheating this shy guy’s system by searching the web for more info of him, but!! Do you have any idea how many Daniel Mendozas there are in the world?!! I now I do: Many!

Have a look at what made me skip the crazy line and Google his name:

A Loving Embrace

Hermit Blues

Do visit his Flickr Photostream (Here) to look at more of his great pieces.

Dntel on a sneaky Friday!

2010-08-13T13:46:00.000-07:00

It’s Friday!!

I didn’t know! I have no idea how I lost a whole day of my life… but I think since Tuesday I have been off about what day I was in; I know, It speaks really ill of my life style, but well, finding out on a Thursday night that you are about to enter into a fantastic new Friday, it’s not so bad.

Plans for the weekend? Yes, sure. Probably a movie night, maybe a family meal (The Mexican way; which means most of my uncles, aunts and cousins will be there, fun!*) and peut-être un wedding (sadly not mine, but still; free drinks and food! Yay!).

Hope you have happy plans for the days to come, if not**, well at least for now you will have a cute song!

Here is Dntel ft. Arthur & Yu with The Distance (video directed by Adam Bizanski)

* The only bad thing is that I have to come up with a proper response to: "So Amaranta, what are you doing with your life?" … "Being a blogger and forgetting what day it is" as an answer would probably break grandma’s heart.

**And make plans! Go out! Take the dog out! Don’t have a dog? Well go buy one! Rent a good movie! Or a bad one and get drunk before hitting Play! Write me a comment! Read all my old posts (super fun!!) and send me and e-mail to let me know how much you like me, Or buy me a gift! or buy the girl/boy you like a gift! Have fun! It’s Friday!

A few giveaways

2010-08-12T21:49:00.000-07:00

- You can win a lovely handmade bunny at Red Red Completely Red --> HERE
- You can win a pair of lovely blue lamps at Arianna Belle Organized Interiors --> HERE
- You can win one of many sets of ultra cool crafting accessories at Lindamade --> HERE

Ken Garduno and the Ups and Downs of Love

2010-08-12T20:13:00.000-07:00

Sometime ago I had this amazing postcard that I had taken from some Comic Con stand, I decided to send it to my best friend because it was so amazingly good and she, upon receiving it, added it to her crazy wall of cool inspiration (my friend has the blessing of being both spiritual and hip, so she can get away with having a motivational wall)

Because I had thought that the postcard was exceptional, this year at Comic Con I was searching for the artist that made it; of course since I am horrible with names and the event is massive, the battle was lost before it could even begin.

However!! after a brief inspection of my freebie’s bag days later I realized that in fact I had a new little postcard from the same artist! Fancy that!*

His name is Ken Garduno; he is from L.A. his work has been in many publication and it’s no wonder, his images are super fun and elaborated, filled with pop culture references, humor and skin (he does a lot of naked girls and even I, such a prude lady, adore them).

I picked only G rated because I am a goody two-shoes, but I do encourage you to go and click on his links (below) to browse his full collections:

dosuno

eclipse

l'amour

For more of Ken Garduno you can visit his Web site (here), his Flickr Photostream (here), his blog (here) or his Etsy shop (here)… please do visit any or all of them, his pieces are truly incredible you will not regret you double clicking.

Oh, yeah, and about the ups and downs of love: I hate them.

tendencies

* Since The Dark Night (Christopher Nolan) this is my favorite expression but I hardly ever get to use it (because, my life is mostly in Spanish and without much surprise).

St. Vincent might help.

2010-08-12T19:09:00.000-07:00

I don’t want to talk about it.
Well, I guess the right way is: I don’t want to write about it.
Is that OK? Can we have secrets?
It’s going to have to be OK, because I refuse to write it down… And so, today was a bad day, a really bad day. I am sad and confused; I ate as many calories as I could find, I took a nap and now I am not feeling better at all.

So, I guess I need a song.

The song has nothing to do with my mood, it is not a clue. I just really love the song and the video and I needed something lovely in my day.

St. Vincent with Jesus Saves, I Spend*

* Video directed by Andy Bruntel

5 books I love.

2010-08-11T13:38:00.001-07:00

Well today is a special day for me, because today is the day that I am going to start writing, but you write almost every day!? – You cry out...

Yes, I know. But today is the day that I will start to write, match those writings to an online magazine, send those writings and wait 3 to 15 weeks to have my heart broken… fun!

Yesterday between a coffee break and a crisis I decided that it was time to try my luck in the real world of writing; After all I am still without a job, I am not getting any younger and well, I guess, aiming for a publication it’s the natural evolution of a so-called writer.

It only took me 10 years of wanting to be a writer to understand this, face it and do something about it. Now, don’t get all teary eyed and sentimental. Fact is, I am most definitely going to get rejected and nothing will become out of this ultra grownup thing to do, but it’s how it has to be. No other way around it, I have to send things out and wait to get them back with the “No, thank you” stamp on them, so I can face reality and get a job at McDonalds.

So, because it is such a special day, I decided to wear my “Where the Wild Things Are” T-shirt; yes, I am taking this step really seriously.

And! Since I was wearing the shirt I was thinking about the book, and so I decided to do a little 5 books for children (and adults) that I super love (none of them related to my actually infancy). I am sure I am not making any great discoveries, if you have children or love illustrations you probably have already heard about all of them, but every once in a while an homage post is accepted (I believe).

Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka, illustrations: Lane Smith

This was the book that started my collection (yes, I have a small collection of children’s books); I was in my early twenties in a mall (the holidays, waiting for all my relatives to get their shopping done), I decided to enter into a book store to browse around; I soon found myself in the children’s section… since I was going to wait for hours I got myself in a comfortable position and started to review books.

Stinky Cheese Man stole my heart, it is the kind of book that I would have loved as a kid and the kind that I can still read and have fun with; it’s witty but not stupid and I love the textures that all the illustrations have. I am sure you have had some type of encounter with it, but for me that first time ever with it in my hands was heaven. I bought it; I was kind of poor that day and still I could not walk out without it.

More on Jon Scieszka (Here)
More on Lane Smith (Here)

Olivia by Ian Falconer

That same day, poor as I was, I decided to take a chance and buy a second book. Yes, the first time I entered the book store I got out with Stinky Cheese Man and a rush of adrenaline, after lunch in the food court I decided to go back… I wanted another book, I needed another book.

Olivia was so different from Stinky Cheese Man, and so lovely in its own way. Clean illustrations in black, grays and red, the cutest little pig as the main character; a lively, headstrong and happy piggy-girl (my mom says she is just like me, I hope not in the piggy part). I still think Olivia is onthe cutest book around, and I am really happy I spent those few dollars on it.

More on Olivia the pig (here)

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

I don’t think I need to review this one, it’s a great book, really dark and no moral lesson within; but a fabulous little read. I am not sure if children get it, I quite convinced mine will, because they are going to be ultra philosophical and well read… but who cares about children!? I don’t! Not yet anyway! And I love this book!

Miffy goes to the Zoo by Dick Bruna

Miffy, sweet Miffy, without you life would be a non-eternal sequence of dull days. Dick Bruna does the best illustrations of animals and in Miffy goes to the Zoo you get plenty of them. LOVE!

Minus the Bear, plus new friends.

2010-08-11T11:45:00.000-07:00

So, since I got back to Mexico I have been hanging with a rather nerdy bunch (hahaha, sorry, it’s the truth). Well, they are nerdy but all-around happy and talented individuals, it's fun to be around them. Yesterday I posted something on Facebook (nothing ultra special) and within 5 minutes I had had 4 different funny comments as answers; I girl can only be so lucky.

I don’t know if they realize how much happiness they have introduced to a rather sad moment in my life; I think they do, nerdy guys a softer (hahahaha), yes, I am such a jock! (hahaha).

Anyway, yesterday I saw this video and thought of them and their un-cool/coolness factor.

That was Minus the Bear with My Time
(video directed by Michael Mohan)

Jeremiah Ketner and those tags on Facebook.

2010-08-10T16:49:00.001-07:00

Lately something odd has been happening to me: when I am alone trying clothes for a party or an outing I feel great, beautiful, feminine and cute; a few days later, when pictures of that day are uploaded to Facebook and I am being tagged, I realize that I looked like a mess (a chubby, clumsy, crude mess).

What the funky bananas is that about? Is it a disorder? Is it an ego thing? Some type of reverse anorexia?

I have no idea, but it keeps happening. It used to be the opposite, when I was younger I hated how I looked in the mirror and then it turned out that I was actually a cute sixteen-year-old (most sixteen-year-olds are anyway). But it is completely disorienting when it’s the other way around; at sixteen I was surprised when ever some boy liked me, because I felt like a beast (hahaha). But now, I am the beast of the party, only I don’t know it!!

At least I am a happy beast… maybe that is it; as one get older (and in my case uglier) perception shifts and one can be whatever one wishes to be. Too bad for heartbreaking Facebook tags, they don’t keep up the lies.

Anyway, I was remembering all of this, because I saw a gorgeous painting by Jeremiah Ketner (Small and Round). I was amazed at how soft and calm the girl in the image looks, and it made me wonder about beauty; what it really means and if you could have it both ways: be attractive for yourself and a beast to Facebook, or if ever someone else saw me as I see myself in the mirror… then I decided to stop thinking about such fruitless things an just do a post about his work.

Here is the piece that started my nonsense trip down vanity lane:

Parlay of flowers

The Pairing

Autumn Slumber

soft tones

Jeremiah Ketner lives in Chicago (USA), is male and taken. He has been part of many (MANY) shows, so it’s not like I made a super underground discovery… but I needed to post his things! They are so lovely and perfect!

If you want more of his paintings you can visit his official website (here), his blog (here) or his Flickr Photostream (here).
Or! Buy me something! (or yourself...whatever) at his shop (Here)

Swoon

About writing, grandma, Delphic and Dave Ma.

2010-08-10T11:35:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know, I am sorry, yesterday I wrote the smallest post in the history of post (not really, I just wanted to make a point); well it was because I was writing something else (yes, I was cheating on you). That something else might make into publishing so it was important for me (a little introduction for a book, if it happens I will tell you about it later, if it doesn’t just forget I ever mentioned it).

My other writing went nicely; I got all my neurons high with caffeine, exercise and vitamin C (no idea if the vitamin C works in any important way in the brain, but still, I gave it a go; I am that type of professional); I think it all went OK.

I was given this little tasks a week ago, and finally on Sunday the first lines came to me (that is normally how it happens: for 5 days I fill my mind with relevant information, followed by a day of movies and beer, one day of rest, and then the first lines come to my brain! It’s weird, no?

So anyway, I was doing that and then grandma had a little emergency with her blood sugar levels, and no mental space was left to post. She is well now, she had to spend some time in the hospital to get an IV drip but she did come back home to sleep; today she is a little tired but fine.
We are all a little tired, but fine.

Now, some music (I am ULTRA in love with the video); it’s Delphic with This Momentary*

* Directed by Dave Ma