Saturday, November 22, 2008

Documentaries For A Rainy Day

So I'm a huge documentary film lover. In my opinion, documentaries have evolved for the better over the past few years to cater to the ADD culture of today. Firstly, they are usually a lot shorter than regular films. They usually run from 60 to 90 minutes, which produces a tight little ball of excitement, never boring. 

Another benefit is that with the current film industry getting a little repetitive, documentaries tend to focus on the obscure facets of life. Watching just one can provide you with great "awkward-moments-of-silence" fillers. 

Basically, this post is designed to introduce you to the documentary genre if you're not already familiar. I hope to overthrow the stereotypes associated with them and just maybe you'll be as in love with them as I am!

Films I've seen and recommend (just top 5 otherwise list would be too long:

1. The Great Happiness Space *only available on Netflix*

2. Protagonist 

3. Kicking It

4. Born Into Brothels

5. Wordplay

Films currently in my Netflix queue or I'm waiting to be released:

1. Please Vote For Me


2. To Be And To Have

3. Confessions of a Superhero

4. Blindsight


5. Beautiful Losers

Friday, November 21, 2008

DIY Faery Flower Crown

Never has a post been so right on like the one that The Cherry Blossom Girl just posted. If you're like us, you've been on the hunt for a lasting crown of flowers for ages. There are some very beautiful ones on the internet but prices run oh so high it sort of ruins the point. 

There are the daisy crowns we've all made in the summer time. But no matter how beautiful, they're shriveled up messes by the end of the day...

Although it's the only the beginning of winter, flower crowns are always in season I say. So check out how to make your own (flower crown) and let the magic begin...

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Etsy Find: Unicorns

I love unicorns. I'm not a horsey girl either (aka the girls who always played horses at recess) so don't think I love them just because its a horse with a horn. 

Unicorns have very practical uses such as counteracting poisons and curing epilepsy. They are also saviors for only children with vivid imaginations like me. 

All of the below items are found on Etsy ...

-Unicorn Print, Studio Lyon



-Unicorn Cat Horn, Bridget 85

WWWD: Harold and Maude

Who What Wear Daily recently made a post channeling the fashion of our beloved Maude from one of my favorite films Harold and Maude. 

If you'd like to look a little less...well...age 79...then check out some of their affordable fashion choices to still look cute. Oh and don't forget the braids!

Magical Piles of Trash!

Artists Tim Nobel and Sue Webster have to have the steadiest hands and the most patience in the entire world. Their junk pile silhouettes are the most incredible pieces of art I've ever seen. 

If only I could get myself to NY to experience the exhibit in person...I never thought trash could be so magical.


Sunday, November 16, 2008

My Bedroom: Wall Art

I've been really pleased with some of the wall art I've been finding lately for my room. So I thought I would share with you some of my favorite pieces.

Keep in mind that I'm not exactly the best photographer so just know that most of the pieces look better in real life. 

1. Cross stitch duck art on muslin, found at Goodwill


2. Cuckoo clock wall decal, found on Etsy- see past post


3. Ancient Egyptian art my boyfriend brought me back from Cairo


4. Hippie folk art, found at the Fremont Sunday Market (Seattle)


5. Tree fort photo, frame found at an estate sale and picture from random magazine


6. Little banjo painting, found at Value Village


7. Rainbow Unicorn painting on velvet, found at Space Oddity (Ballard, Seattle)

Husbands, Love Your Wives

Last night at the Tractor Tavern in Ballard, I saw the cutest girl of my life! Jamie Spiess from Husbands, Love Your Wives performed the most poetic, heartbreaking, and magical music I've heard in a long time. 

She recently got out of the hospital, for what I'm not sure, so on Tuesday at the Sunset Tavern there is a benefit show to help raise money to pay her medical bills. Anyone who sees this girl will want to do whatever they can to help her. It's only $8 and a bunch of bands including The Maldives and Grand Hallway are playing so come enjoy yourself for a good cause okay?

So here's a photo of Jamie Spiess from her last.fm page on which she wrote, 

"Husbands, love your wives is a big fan of anything tiny and magical. Like miniature horses by the bundle, or tiny babies floating in seashells on the sea. She really enjoys sleeping, and baking little cakes,, or writing songs about her hair."


Saturday, November 15, 2008

Demons, Yarn, & Tales

For the past 3 years, 15 artists from around the world have been designing tapestries for a London exhibition, "Demons, Yarn, & Tales" each commissioned to add their unique styles to an age old art form that's over the centuries withered away. 

None of the participating artists had prior experience working with this uncommon medium, but that was part of the fun. How would the artists translate their styles of art whether three-dimensional or watercolor, into a woven design?
Here are just a few the beautiful pieces created for you to enjoy but be sure to check out the Banners of Persuasion to see all the tapestries. 

Julie Verhoeven, Far From the Maddening Crowd

Kara Walker, A Warm Summer Evening in 1863

Ghada Amer & Reza Farkhondeh, The Bugs and the Lovers

Wallpaper also posted a quick little video of the construction of the exhibition space that's pretty interesting. 

Monday, November 10, 2008

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Thursday, November 6, 2008

"Wonderland" - Yeondoo Jung

Yenodoo Jung is brilliant. First of all, translating kid scribbles is an intimidating thought...children intend their drawings to be very specific...they know what they mean but do we? Never. 
"Is it a....puppy?" "A person walking on a rainbow?" "No? Um....what is it exactly?"

Jung collected more than 1,000 drawings from South Korean children between the ages of 5-7, narrowed it down to a few favorites and then brought the drawings to life sized proportions in his elaborate photographs.



 

Found via Design*Sponge

Actor Timeline: Gad Elmaleh

Alright...so he's only been in two films so far (well at least only two films on Netflix), but he has the most magnetic onscreen personality I've witnessed in a long time. Gad Elmaleh is a goofy french comedian whose film The Valet, I just bought...

Oh! before I forget...Netflix has decided to stop selling their previously viewed DVDs so they've all been marked down! Get them while you can!

...so yeah don't really finish like finishing that thought anymore. Anyways, enjoy the trailers including Priceless, a Breakfast At Tiffany's semi-remake starring Audrey Tautou! I recommend watching these on a night when you need some cheering up. Ta Da!

Priceless (2006)- comes out on DVD Nov. 18th


The Visitor (2006)

Umbrella Today?

It's raining sooooooooo hard outside in Ballard right now! While Seattle has been continually drenched for the past two days, you might find this site helpful for future, less predictable weather....
Umbrella Today? will be there for you on those cloudy days when you can't tell whether its going to be a rainy day or just a depressingly dark one. Simply type in your code and you've got a simply yes or no answer to "umbrella today?"

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Bookshop Cats





Down below is my FAVORITE little kitten from Twice Sold Tales in Cap Hill!





Sorry to any of you whose pictures I have used in this post...I lost track of what I was doing and where I was doing this bookshop cat excursion. If you see that I've used your photo please let me know and I'll be sure to acknowledge you. Thank you!

Shop Ban.do


These headbands from Ban.do are so ethereal and magical don't you think? Just the right combination of sparkle and natural elements plus lots of vintage pieces are used. 

If you ever want to stand out in just the right way, these are the perfect accessories for the job. Mmmm...if only I could afford one for myself....

Why Would You Knit That?

Wow...this is an amazing blog! I've never seen anything like it and I'm almost hoping I never will again. It's Why Would You Knit That? a blog about all the weird and terribly ugly things people knit when they are alone or old. Here are a few of my favorites but there are so many more that you'll have to check it out in order to get the full sense of embarrassment you feel for the people who were involved...it's painful

Nothing says sexy like knit candy corn pasties

I could see this on some little raver kid but a jeans over boots lady? Wtf?


This has to be the most unflattering dress I've seen in my entire life......yummy, knit belly rolls and look at her left breast!

Found via the ReadyMade blog

NY Times Electoral Map

This is sooooo hilarious! I love Washington..."Fed up with the whole mess; switched over to Canada"

Make sure to check it out here so that you can actually read the map key...

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Obama Wins!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fireworks are going off, people are singing in the streets........I'm so happy. Yay Barack Obama!