Saturday, December 29, 2012

LAseph

I am currently in LA visiting friends for the new year. Here a few pictures from my adventure.

We went to a bar called the Big Lodge Inn, which is where you will find a flannel husby. There were a mix of hipsters and punks among the log-adorned walls. The DJ was good, playing a mix of retro and the Cardigans "Lovefool." Beer selection, meh.

We also had a visit to the LACMA Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Which was awesome because they had a STANLEY KUBRICK exhibit and you know how I love me some Stanley Kubrick. And if you didn't, you do NOW. They had the original twin dresses from The Shining.


Script excerpts from the Stanley Kubrick's Lolita. Of course it's pink. :)

The Shining labrynth model

Twin girls' original costumes
Did you know that in Stephen King's "the Shining," the ghost girls are sisters (not twins)? Then, Kubrick modeled them after his close friends Diane Arbus' famous twin girls photograph. I didn't know that.
Diane Arbus
Identical Twins, c. 1967
Also, I share a strange resemblance with the 13 yr old Sue Lyon that played Lolita in obviously - Lolita, or so my friend Christina said (below).

Sue Lyon in Lolita

So, I will share more photos when I return... Have a happy new year!

Love,
Kelly

Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange exhibit at LACMA. These are replicas of the statues from the film's famous milk bar scene.

 
My idea of the epitome of an LA scene - in Melrose - great shopping BTW !

The Big Lodge Inn - Interior is a log cabin and all the bartenders are in flannel..nice :)
Preparations for the 2012 Rose Parade

Friday, December 21, 2012

Christmas in Chicago

The last two years, I have not been able to make it back to Michigan for Christmas. Sad, I know. My family comes to Chicago! I like it this way, because my Christmas decorations get to be appreciated and there are lots of fun holiday events in Chicago!


http://www.conciergepreferred.com/media/k2/items/cache/58fbd8eea8a0a9c83a231534e6edc699_XL.jpg
Millenium Park Ice Skating
     One of the things I love about Chicago is you can share all your favorite seasonal activities with a beautiful cityscape. Going to the beach in the summer or like above, ice skating right downtown in Millenium Park. Free admission and skate rentals are just $10. November 17, 2012 through January 8, 2013.



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Christkindlmarket
     German? No? Fan of Cuckoo clocks? I almost got one last year. They were adorable. Cuckoo clocks, that is. Not a German. The Christkindlmarket is a good place to find both though! Open from November 20-December 24th, this market is a must-see for the holidays. The perfect place to find a gift for your favorite craft-lover; nearly all items are handmade! The market features traditional German toys and ornaments to food and drink. Admission is FREE and located in Daley Plaza.



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Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago
     The Renegade Craft Fair travels all over the country to bring handmade and vintage goods twice a year. Each December, the holiday craft fair is held at the Pulaski Park Fieldhouse in Chicago. This is the essential shopping destination for the hipster crafter you know. I also found many things for myself, including burgundy geometric earrings similar to the great necklace shown above. Etsy store: thislovesthat



http://www.hogsalt.com/wp-hogsalt/2011/06/eat-drink-and-sleep-at-longman-eagle/
Longman and Eagle
     And if you're coming from out of town, staying downtown is nice, but I know something better. In the Northwest neighborhood of Logan Square about a 15 minute ride on the blue line, you'll come to the best B&B style hotel ever. At least that I've seen. Downstairs, an award-winning restaurant and bar (below).

http://www.archpaper.com/uploads/image/L&E4.jpg


Merry Xmas,
Kelly

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Brownies in a Jar

It's Christmas time and that means it's a super stressful time of year when you have to try to figure out what the Hell to get people for the holidays. I loathe this part of the holiday season. It is great if I know exactly what I want to get someone, but when I don't, or can't find what I want, boy does it suck. So this year I am making some of my gifts and I thought I would share one really quick, easy gift that is great for relatives, coworkers or even the in-laws.

Mason Jar Brownies!


2/3 t. salt
1 1/8 c. flour, divided
1/3 c. cocoa powder
2/3 c. brown sugar
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. white chocolate chips
Please note this makes one jar

Also 1 quart size Mason jar (I suggest the widemouth kind...I did not use this and it made pouring ingredients in a bit more of a challenge).
And a ribbon or decorative top for the jar

Instructions:

In  a clean, dry canning jar, layer the ingredients as follows:
2/3 t. salt
5/8 c. flour
1/3 c. cocoa powder
1/2 c. flour
2/3 c. brown sugar
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. white chocolate chips


I have a problem following directions, so mine is not in this order and therefore my colors are a little off...it doesn't matter in the sense of making the brownies, just in presentation, so I suggest following the order listed above.


Close jar and wrap the ribbon around the top. Include the following instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 9x9 baking pan.
2. Pour the contents of the jar into a large bowl and mix well.
3. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2/3 cup vegetable oil and 3 eggs. Beat until just combined.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool and enjoy!


Ta-da! You're done! You may also add 1/2 a cup of walnuts or pecans to the top of this as well, I personally have family with nut allergies, so I decided to forgo that ingredient.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Ideas for designing your own wall collage

Wall collages have been prevalent among many design blogs in the past couple years. They need a makeover. How about doing one specific theme? Currently, I have a color themed collage in my living room. It is all black and white, which I chose because I have a tendency to decorate in too many colors at once...  


You can compose a collage around:






Content, like the sailboat collage above.






Color,  like I have in my apartment..






Or even a looser theme, where this person used neutrals and large mattings. 


I think these make even more of a statement than a regular collage and are also easier on the eye. It's also important to note that if you want a more cohesive look, be aware of the medium in which the art was created. If you are creating a family collage, are you using a collection of photographs and drawings? Maybe it could be more interesting if you only did all pencil drawings by your child, rather than to combine it with photography. Like most things, simpler is better, even with collages. :)

Love, 
Kelly



Graphic Designer's Gift Guide

Aaaand one last gift guide, this one for the graphic designer in your life.



Designers are creative and silly. We tend to be procrastinators and therefore spend a lot of nights up late working on projects (that and for some reason the best ideas seem to come at 3 am). And at least most of us hold a special place in our hearts for typography as well as photography. So these gifts cater to these traits.

1. An ampersand bottle opener...need I say more?
3. Typography Sketchbooks by Steven Heller and Lita Talarico
4. Super cute USB Toaster Hub and thumb drives
5. Moleskine notebooks
6. Biggby giftcards

~Jessica

Friday, December 7, 2012

Vintage-Lover's Gift Guide

Having trouble finding a gift for your favorite vintage lover or thrifter?  I have hand picked items from the internet for your convenience. Something for all budgets. Take a look:




Happy Gifting!

Love, 
Kelly

Friday, November 30, 2012

Create Your Own Ornaments


Well Thanksgiving is over so on to Christmas! I love decorating for Christmas, it's one of my favorite things to do. But sometimes buying decorations can be pricey, so I enjoy making my own. Plus it is a great way to add a personal touch to your holiday decor. So I thought I would share some quick and easy ways to make your own ornaments.

Here's what you'll need:

1. Clear glass ornaments
2. Glitter (I used fine glitter, but you could use the bigger kind if you so desire)
3. Ribbon
4. Fake berries (like what you would put in a fake bouquet)
5. Pledge
6. Wire cutters or scissors

First off, take the metal top off of your ornament as you will be putting things inside it. Just set it aside for the time being.

We will be making two different ornaments. The first one being a glitter ornament. For this one, take the Pledge and spray it on the inside of the ornament. Try not to spray TOO much, but coat the inside. I actually ended up using a napkin and a pen to fully coat the inside. Then pour a decent amount of glitter into the ornament and swish it around...dump out the excess glitter. The Pledge will help the glitter stick to the sides of the ornament. That's pretty much it for this one, set it aside for the moment.

 For the second ornament you will need the berries and wire cutters.

 
Snip the berries off of the stems with the wire cutters. You can use scissors for this as well, but if you have wire cutters, I recommend using them as it is much easier. Just be careful as the berries may fly across the room, and then your cat will chase after them and shove them under the china cabinet (or at least that's what happened to me...but I digress)

Put the berries inside the second ornament.


Please note that since glitter is the herpes of the craft world, I ended up with glitter in both ornaments, even though that was not my intent. And the same may happen to you. But I think it worked out anyway.

Put the top of the ornaments back on them. Cut two pieces of ribbon off and tie them around the top of the ornaments.

 
That's it! Your very own ornaments. You could obviously substitute many different things on these and even add to them. I thought about doing one with fake snow on the inside and going from there. So feel free to play around with these. I'd love to see what you come up with!

~Jessica





Thursday, November 29, 2012

Covered in Christmas

I found these great vintage Christmas cards on an Etsy shop called Pumpkin Truck. They're too cute to send out and never see again, so I chose to display them as art. I just popped it in a frame that I had tucked away and I'm decorating for Christmas on the cheap!




I always want my home to be covered in Christmas...but in a classy way. I got this paper angel at a garage sale. Last year, I just placed it on the wall. I currently have a black and white collage in my living room, so I added some Jesus flair to it by taping the angel to one of the pictures... I really like the way it looks! 


Love you,
Kelly

Friday, November 23, 2012

Cardigan DIY

With the weather now seemingly permanently chilly, I am constantly cold. Therefore feel the need to stock up on sweaters and the like and in the process rid myself on old sweaters that no longer fit. If you're like me, you may have a few of these lying around but just don't want to give them up. Here is an idea for a way to recycle an old sweater, or even long sleeve shirt.

Sweater to Cardigan:


What you'll need:
1. A sweater 
2. Hem tape (I used Stitch Witchery and it worked great)
3. Scissors
4. An iron
5. A button and thread (optional)

And here we go! First, lay the sweater flat and cut down the middle of the front of the sweater (this is the opening of the cardigan)


Next fold over where you have cut and determine how much of a seam you will want. I folded it over about and inch. Place the hem tape on the inside part of the sweater's hem. Fold the remaining fabric over on top of the tape and follow the instructions on your hem tape.


My instructions say to put a damp cloth over fabric and iron taped area. It is important to not drag the iron, rather press bit by bit.


Find a button of your choosing and sew it on wherever you like. I made mine just for show, but if you're real ambitious you could add a hole on the other side and make the button functional.


 Thats it! You're done, now go wear your "new" cardigan and try to stay warm this winter!


~Jessica




Thursday, November 22, 2012

Professionally Recycle

The other day my co-worker brought in a small box of unwanted dishes because she is moving in with her boyfriend. What a blessing for me. I never thought I'd find my ceramic soulmate.




Instead of saving your unwanted stuff in an unsightly heap until garage sale season, why not try this? Bring in a small bag or box of clean unwanted items to work. You might find this strange, that's okay. I think it's great ;)

Happy Thanksgiving y'all! Here's how I spent my day. Waiting in line for Golden Corral in Port Huron, MI. I wouldn't expect anything less.

Love,
Kelly




Thursday, November 15, 2012

Surprise!

Hanging doily globe. Been wanting to make it for some time now. 



Supplies: 
  • Wallpaper Paste
  • Doilies
  • Round balloon
  • Newspaper to cover work surface
  • Paint brush





Blow the balloon up. Brush a little glue over small surface of balloon enough to keep the doily on it. Then, liberally brush glue over doily.


Dry for about a day.

Then, pop!




Love,
Kelly

Friday, November 9, 2012

Music Friday

I have an amazing talent for throwing myself into deep depressions, and today is no exception; therefore all I really want to do is sit in my room, by myself and listen to music. With that being said, I thought I would give you all a taste of some of the tunes, yeah, I said it, "tunes" that I am currently listening to, and frankly think you should check out, if you haven't already.

First on the list is my current obsession, a little band from the UK by the name of ∆ (thats Alt-J). I love them, for real. I suggest listening to their single Tessellate:


This is the song that got me hooked on them, but their whole album is awesome. I currently have their song Matilda on repeat.

Next up is Laurie Levine. I subscribe to the Communion newsletter (an excellent way to hear new music BTW, I suggest signing up) and their free download last week was from this lady. I absolutely love her single Oh, Brother, it has a bluesy feel that I just die for:


A couple weeks back a coworker asked me if I wanted to go to a show; a band by the name of The Octopus Project. Frankly I was not too familiar with them, but I am always up for hearing new music, so I said okay. And I'm glad I did. The show was awesome, the company great and I kind of fell in love with the band.  I was actually unable to embed their stuff here, but you can check out their YouTube channel here. It's all great.

Lastly, I can't end a music post without mentioning my loves; Mumford and Sons. That's right. They just released a video for my current favorite (it changes weekly) song off their new album Babel by the name of Lover of the Light. I'm actually not too terribly thrilled with the video, but check it out and make your own decisions there.


Enjoy!

~Jessica

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

burgundy, burgundy everywhere


The 90s are back y'all. If you look anywhere recently, you will have a 90s flashback - and I am loving it. I was never a big fan of this color, but it seems so refreshing recently. Burgundy is everywhere. On nails, shoes, pants, lips, and hair. 






I am currently crocheting a cowl inspired by the picture above...to match my new lipstick of course. Refer to the series of pictures below on how to apply burgundy or other dark lipsticks.




1. Using the side of the liner, line your lips. I start on the bottom lip because it's easier. It is okay to draw "slightly" outside of your natural lip line.. I emphasize the word "slightly."
2. Line your upper lip carefully.
3. Blend the line you have made by coloring in the parts of your lips near the line you made. This will prevent the cholo effect. 
4. Add lipstick and blot on your nearest checkbook or junk mail.


*TRICKS*  - CONCEAL any and all blemishes around your mouth. Sometimes, placing a subtle line of a sheer white powder or eyeshadow will help highlight and define the shape of your mouth.

Do you like my scary 60s anatomical lipstick diagram?



wearing M.A.C. "Dark Side" lipstick with "Burgundy" liner

Please be sure to wear a light BRONZER as a blush. This shade can really wash white girls out. I would also be interested to see this lipstick shade with a light pink blush...


Lovvvv
Kelly