I have a serious problem with hat hair in the winter. You pull on a warm, knitted hat to keep your ears from freezing off and when you remove it you look like a yeti. Well no more! I just got my fabu headwraps from 4 T Designs over at Etsy. These beauties cover most of your head and ears while leaving the majority of your hairdo free so it doesn't get all squashed and crazy looking. The underside has two buttons so they fit nearly any size head. I especially love the rose detail—a flight attendant even commented on how cool they were on my last trip back to California. It feels great as well to buy from an individual artisan instead of the big corporate stores.
Vintage Signs
I really dig old signs and here are a few of some recent ones snapped while tooling around CA. The Madonna Inn is this crazy conglomeration of motor inn, restaurant and bakery that's been around since the 50's. It looks like something out of Bavaria and has 110 rooms ALL with a completely different theme. You just have to see it to believe it.
Next is the Wayside Inn located in Mount Shasta. Don't you love the bubbly cocktail glass? Finally we have Mac's Smoke Shop in Palo Alto because I like the Art Deco font.
New Amy Sedaris Book
Amy Sedaris has done it again. I got my copy of the new book "Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People" earlier in the week and have been rolling around on the floor laughing since I cracked the cover. Speaking of the cover isn't the inside of the dust jacket fabu? Amy rocks pantyhose better than anyone except perhaps Joe Namath.
The intro explains "It's often been said that ugly people craft and attractive people have sex." It's all downhill (in a good way) from there. If you're easily offended or lack a sense of humor this is not the book for you.
I don't want to give away any more, so you'll have to buy your own copy. Just suffice it to say that Amy is a genius. Did anyone else follow her Comedy Central show "Strangers with Candy?"
Make your own custom ornaments
My favorite print on demand website added ornaments to the product range and I'm excited to be able to make some custom creations for friends and family this year. Monograms, names, baby's first Christmas—tons of ideas for a personalized keepsake. There are thousands of designs to choose from or if you're the artistic type you can design your own.
Poppies and The Wizard of Oz
The poppy at left was photographed in Mount Shasta earlier in the summer because it reminded me of the ones in the illustration of Ozma of Oz. This was the third book by L. Frank Baum in the Oz series and I was fascinated by the illustrations created by John R. Neill. I was particularly captivated by the poppies on either side of Ozma's golden circlet and probably spent more time fantasizing about wearing that rather than Dorothy's ruby slippers.
Blue satin heels painting of the day-ish
Well it's been over six weeks since I last completed a painting, so the title for these endeavors should probably be changed from painting of the day-ish to painting of the month-ish.
This new entry is blue satin heels with a sparkle embellishment on the toe. I've added this illustration to my fashion series of business cards in my shop. I'm really enjoying working with gouache again which I haven't touched since art school many, many moons ago.
The shoe series is almost exhausted and I'm thinking of moving on to candies and pastries next. I'd love to do an entire cupcake series.
Too cute for my own good
The title says it all. My best friend got a new puppy and this dog is so darn cute it makes you hurt inside. I mean c'mon—look at those expressive eyes just pleading with you for a treat, a tummy rub or whatever. This dog knows how to work it. Notice how he positioned himself on the carpet so it complements the pink of his ears?