"Misty of Chic-oteague": Coolest Bag Ever!

Being an animal lover at birth and having collected every hobby horse available by a very young age, it is no surprise that Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry was one of my early reading experiences.  Misty is from the wild pony herds of Assateague Island in Maryland and Virginia.

There is a whole series of books about Misty and other Assateague ponies.
 

So, imagine my amazement and wonder at this fascinating bag I found online at Modcloth.  It quite simply is the Best Bag Ever!

    

  

So cool!!  It's even a little steam-punk-y.  Look for some styling with this bag in future posts.  I just didn't want to take anything away from it and the story of Misty of Chincoteague.  Bag available at Modcloth.  Books available at Amazon.

Re-cut Vintage Tee: M.C. Escher

To continue my Re-Cut Tee series, here is my M.C. Escher tee.  The vintage tee shirt guy I bought these from told me that this shirt cost more because it's "Escher--very famous artist".  Like I wouldn't know who this fabulous, genius is!  Not to mention, surrealist art is being recognized again--probably thanks in part to films like Avatar and Alice in Wonderland.  I think I kept this Escher tee in character--Escherizing it!
 

Very cool graphic.
 

The shirt was XL, so I had some fabric to work with.
 

I folded it off-center in the front and drew on a sewing line with marking chalk.  I then sewed a running stitch down the line, starting an inch below the neckline and ending at the bottom hem.
 

I cut open the folded section that I had just sewed.  Then I cut both sleeves off, narrowing the shirt.  I re-sewed the sides to make it more fitted.
 

To finish, I added 5 inches of elastic to the inside side seams, holding it taut as I used a zigzag stitch to create a ruching effect.  I then turned the neck and sleeve seams over to finish the edges--also with a zigzag stitch.
 

And of course, styled it into a cute little outfit.  Jacket (my own) from Forever 21.  Shoes and shorts from Modcloth.  Vintage purse from Gumby Girl.  G-shock watch.  Carerra Sunglasses.

World Cup Soccer: Italy, In Memoriam

Oh, Italia...povere Italia....I'm so sorry for your loss.  I know you have a passionate, loyal relationship to futbol.  You're the reigning champions.  Your pride knows no bounds.  You bring a level of genius to the "you kicked me now I'm rolling around on the field in pain" move.  When you score it's like you found a free ticket to heaven.  Your players have a style like no other.  But while you may have scored high in looks, alas, you didn't score high.  So sorry.

While flipping through Italian Vogue (May 2010), I found this spread to celebrate Italy in the World Cup.  Now I'm posting it In Memoriam.

Look.  It's the Italian flag made out of facial products!
 

Where can I find the shirt on the upper left?
 

I don't know, I think the bottom pills look suspiciously American...

Love that teal Givenchy nail polish.

Ok, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico...don't make me post pages in your colors next!

I [heart] Tennis (part 2): Wimbledon

Probably the most famous of the Grand Slams, Wimbledon is all about tradition, pomp & circumstance, and white on white tennis outfits (not to mention those luscious berries and cream).  However, tennis whites have come a long way.  Sometimes it's not a horrible thing to have a set of guidelines to follow--it shows how creative people can be when they push those boundaries.  Besides, how beautiful does the white look floating across the green grass courts?

 

Check out all the action at the Wimbledon website.

Dad

This is just the second year that I haven't been able to call my Dad to wish him a Happy Father's Day.  He was a strong, confident man with an enormous heart.  He could fix anything.  He could remember details about vacations up to what he ate in any particular restaurant.  And he would tell every one of those details during long slide shows (usually after Thanksgiving dinners when we were all in Turkey comas!).  He had a great sense of humor and a greater sense of honor.  He could fix anything.  He encouraged, and provided the means for, me to travel widely--saying that "travel is the worst enemy of ignorance and narrow-mindedness".  I inherited his long skinny legs and bony fingers and toes.  He taught me "everything in moderation, including moderation"--which I practice moderately!  He was so very proud of me.  When I would have a bad day he would ask "other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?"  I think I mentioned he had a great sense of humor.  And that he could fix anything.

I love this picture of him, tape and all.  I see a lot of myself in him.  I miss him dearly.

Adult Beverage of the Month (A.B.O.M.): Rose Wine

My friend Sherri found this great Rose wine that is a perfect accompaniment to relaxed evenings sitting outside, enjoying the warmth of summer and the beautiful purple flowers blooming all over our yard.  This particular Rose is perfect--not too sweet or heavy, perfectly light and crisp.

 

 The Domaine Begude Pinot Rose is only available at K & L Wines.  As far as I know, they only have a store in LA, but you can visit their online store.
 

This is our first summer at our house, so we are learning the different plants that are blooming at different times of the year.  These are all over our front yard--and I have no idea what they are called.
 

We still have lots of yard work to do and having lived in NYC apartments for so many years it's a steep learning curve.  But for now we enjoy sitting outside enjoying a nice Rose, looking at our purple flowers.

The Lakertini

Not to be confused with A. B. O. M. (Adult Beverage of the Month), this is just a little celebratory cocktail my husband came up with for the Lakers win in the NBA finals (if the Celtics would have won I guess I'd be posting green beer?).

Muddle some blueberries in cranberry juice (red and blue making purple) and add vodka.  Shake it all up with ice and garnish with lemon slices.

This came from my husband's iPhone, so not the highest quality pic, but at least the purple and gold colors show!

Artist Series: Adam Baron HDR Photography

Although Adam Baron's "real job" is an attorney, his "real passion" is digital art and photography.

Adam uses HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography methods in much of his artwork, creating an idealized version of reality that enhances the context of his photos.

I was instantly captured by this vision of a world of intensified colors and augmented compositions.

 

The Path to Enlightenment

I love Chihuly glass sculptures--this captures not only his wonderful colors, but he makes the shapes appear to move.

Dorothy and the Tornado

 

 Like Night and Day

What brother and sister aren't?
 

The Great Protector

This captures the fierce protection a mother feels for her child and the lengths she would go to keep them safe.
 

Peacock

This is the only photo that isn't HDR, but it still has that beautiful glow of color.

Adam's work has appeared in publications including the Miami Herald and Western North Carolina Magazine.  He lives in Florida with his wife Sharon and two kids, Max and Brooke--who appear frequently as his muses.

View more on his Website: Adam Baron Photography

Jewels: [Grandma's] Vintage Glass Beads

Now that I'm back and somewhat recovered from my trip to Vegas, I can start posting again!  I remembered I had these gorgeous vintage glass beads that belonged to my grandmother.  I could post pages and pages about that remarkable woman, but instead I'll introduce glimpses of her here and there.  A part of her lies in all the creative work I do.  These beads were all originally necklaces, but some have unfortunately broken.  However, I don't think that takes away from their detail and intensity of color.  I created some watercolor backgrounds that hopefully compliment and enhance their color.

 

 

 

Viva Las Vegas

There's a city that emerges out of the desert whose glow can be seen for many miles before you see the actual lights.  The promise of that glow is the promise of what draws people there: glitz, entertainment and the possibility of great wealth.  For me, I usually go there to work, so I don't appreciate those other promises as much as most visitors.  What I do appreciate is when I open those curtains in the morning and see a mass of neon surrounded by beautiful mountains and the nothingness of rugged desert.

While it may drain my energy being inside of sterile air conditioning for so long, I do appreciate the people watching and all the characters that emerge.  And you gotta love the cocktail waitress outfits!

I'll be back posting when I return and recover.

LA Stories: Rose Bowl Flea Market, the Bizarre Bazaar

Continuing the Rose Bowl Flea Market series,  I'm in just the mood to post these oddities.  It's amazing how many curious and slightly disturbing vignettes are lurking among the booths.  Maybe a little inspiration for some Edgar Allen Poe-esque short stories?

The real question is where's his other leg and why is he wearing a Fez?
 

 Monkeys and clowns--and monkeys as clowns--are creepy.  I love the pattern combos here, though.

The bright floral fabric contrasts nicely with the gas mask and knives.
 

Interesting painting...and the ceramic bunny is a little too interested in the Aunt Jemima.

I wonder why this particular collection of objects.
 

This chair must have gotten caught in one of the Alien movies and threw up a fishing net.

It's like she's sitting there, judging us from The Beyond.

Boo?
 

That's gonna leave a mark.
 

This has to be my favorite.  Was he given a choice?  Is he just really mad his owners switched his food?  What is going through his head as he stares through the flowers at the gun?

Let me know if any of these give you an idea for a painting or story (or blog).