I'm back!

Hey friends, I feel like I've been away from the blogosphere for so long...I was in a bit of a personal rut and lacked all inspiration. I'm battling the bad vibes and trying to get back to a good, creative, motivated place.

As Flaubert so brilliantly put it, one should "be regular and orderly in your life, so you be violent and original in your work."

So I am resuming painting regularly--a goal perhaps of one painting every week?
I have taken up playing the bass guitar. My dear friend, Greg, loaned me his extra bass that was laying around the studio and showed me all the notes last night. I cut my nails and cowgirled up, noodling through all the initial bad notes and new fingertip callouses.

I set up my actual office/studio at our house, which mean every morning I can come back here and have some sort of creative space to start my day.

And I am trying to start dragging myself to the gym again (and REALLY trying to convince myself I love it.)


So today...a little shopping!
There are two things I want really, really, badly right now and both are jackets. The first is a studded leather jacket. I'm not really one for the punk aesthetic, but I think there is something so sexy and, bear with, refined about a well-fitted, tastefully designed leather jacket with a few embellishments. I personally prefer the large, flat studs because they're the ironic, "softer" sisters of the stud family, but a well-proportioned pyramid stud would work for me, too.

left: Jacket by Religion. Photo from Stellar Magazine.
right: Jacket by Topshop. Image from Fashionista At Play.

And, this, the greatest studded jacket in the land---Karen O's (of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs) leather jacket, designed by Christian Joy. Revel in its awesomeness. Seriously. (Image from ArchiveVintage.)






The second thing I want is a military, Sgt. Pepper-style jacket. It's kind of snarky and incredibly chic.

left: Balmain Military Style Denim Jacket. From net-a-porter.
right: Another Balmain. Image from Jewel-And-Jewel.


All right people. That's it for this morning. See you tomorrow! (And it's good to be back!!)

Bag fiend.

I love vintage leather purses as much as I love boots. At the request of a friend, here are some awesome purses from eBay.


left: leather purse, from sixd3.
right: wicker, leather, gold hardware purse, from vintage*pippi.


left: leather diamond attache/purse, from fauxbazaar.
right: large leather saddle/messenger purse, from ragevogue.



left: handmade leather vintage purse, from bidfamous.
right: 60s patent leather tote/purse, from preserveboutique.



left: oversize doctor-style purse, from indierockvintage.
right: MY FAVORITE!! Indian woven and leather bag, from deja-blues.


left: (Love this one, too) hobo, from indiecultvintage.
right: vintage Etienne Aigner ox blood purse, from myweescotties.

Going along on a shoot.

I'm so excited! Today I get to go assist on a couple photo shoots, and I am so thrilled. So since I've got cameras on the brain, here are some fun Etsy camera-themed finds!


left: Shutterbug necklace from Crumpetcake.
right: Eco-friendly tote bag from The Craft Pantry.


left: Working lamp and 1934 Cine Kodak Model 25 8mm camera, so cool. From Litterlamps85.
right: Canon SLR parts shirt, from shopshopdesigns.


I also collect old cameras, mostly things I come across at thrift stores and estate sales--35mm, medium format, even old 8mm. Shocking, I know. Anyway, here are some cool old cameras for sale on Etsy.

left: 50s Mansfield Holiday II 8mm, from Gaze of Orpheus.
right: Exacta Varex IIa, from Zortose.


left: 60s TDC Stereo Colorist Camera for taking 3-D pictures, from Nostalgic Meditations.
right: Yashica-Mat TLR twin lens reflex, from Supply Fascination.

Etsy Spotlight: Johnnyvintage

So I was just visiting one of my favorite blog's, sfgirlbybay, and she posted the most fabulous sofa I have ever seen. Ever. So I followed her link to johnnyvintage's Etsy shop, and I think I've found a new favorite vintage vendor!

Here are some of my favorite items he has for sale...

This is the mid-century sofa that sfgirlbybay had posted on blog. Lust. Lust. Lust.

I'm not really a doll person, but these are just really fun! I always liked the Blythe dolls, and these share the same feel but without the whole immediate icon recognition thing.


We've established my wild boot fetish...and these are really kind of fabulous. It all lies in the stitching, of course. I'm not usually wild about platforms, but the costume-y feel of these boots makes it a great accessory to a really simple, well-made A-line minidress. I would even go so far to say you should wear the boots with a black wool A-line and black opaque tights. If you're bold enough to wear these boots, go all out.

Happy shopping (or lusting after turquoise sofas...)

A curious thing to wake up to this morning.

I woke up early-ish on this chilly Saturday morning. I made coffee. I showered. When I was drying myself off, I noticed this crazy looking bite on my shoulder! It looked like a hefty mosquito bite surrounded by this crazy red, oblong ring. It doesn't itch, just burns a little and freaks me out A LOT.

So as I sit here waiting for this thing to either grow or go away (I'm praying for the latter), I figured I'd explore some great spider accessories. My theory is that if you're wearing/carrying a spider piece, you're showing support to the spider cause--and maybe this gesture will move the spiders so as not to bite Curious People all over the world!

A nontraditional pincushion, by GaileBertham and a spider locket from edmdesigns.


Sterling silver earrings by BeadsInTheBelfry and loteria pillowed ornaments by missbutler.


14k gold, pearl, and diamond stick pin from Master68uk and a Native American old fire agate brooch from FireAgateFreak.

And this last spider find is probably my favorite spider piece of all time. It also comes from Master68uk's Etsy shop and costs a pretty penny. But it's 14k gold and diamonds. It's handmade, and the details are incredible!

Raindrops keep fallin'...

It feels like it's just never going to stop raining around here. Yeah, we are now out of our two year draught here in Alabama, but this dreariness is really bringing me down.  What do I do when I get down?? I go SHOPPING.  

Here are some great rain-themed buys...

It's a ferret holding an umbrella!  

by Automaton

Photograph of Banksy's Umbrella Girl, taken in New Orleans in Aug. 2008

by visualcreatures.

Rainstorm necklace by freeforged.

Gorgeous photograph of Rome, taken with SX-70 film

by starrybluesky.

 This necklace says "Let Love Rain" on a well-sized locket (and I think the little dangling umbrella and raindrop are witty and adorable). By paladesign.