spin the roman candle

i think i miss this thing

2010-11-12T12:14:00.003-05:00

It has been quite some time and I can't be sure if I miss this because I miss being productive or if I miss vaguely whining and pretty pictures. Either way, I'm going to get this back in action. I have plenty of projects I have been working on for my sister's wedding that I will be posting after its all done. Cake toppers, photobooth props, buttons, and hair barrettes. Its been fun and I can't wait for the big day.

Isn't Tina Fey just the coolest?

2010-08-09T22:29:00.002-04:00

Before you know it, it will have been a whole year. One year of my life that I can easily say I have figured absolutely nothing out. Another year that I've consistently fucked up. A whole year to realize I am no better than I was before. Getting closer and closer to being an age that I can't get away with this shit anymore. But I am sure I will try.

it takes a lot of money to make someone look this cheap

2010-04-14T01:34:00.003-04:00

Thank you for existing, Dolly, and thank you for your amazing autobiography.

Can't wait to update on my future trip to Dollywood.

Oh chicken! I need you.

2010-03-18T12:49:00.003-04:00

2010-02-09T22:53:00.002-05:00

“I like to see people reunited, maybe that’s a silly thing, but what can I say, I like to see people run into each other, I like the kissing and the crying, I like the impatience, the stories that the mouth can’t tell fast enough, the ears that aren’t big enough, the eyes that can’t take in all of the change, I like the hugging, the bringing together, the end of missing someone…”
via bear

I hope that when I return from the travels I have planned over the next few months, something like this will be a part of my life. Whether romantic or friendly, I just hope that someone misses me. I also hope that, perhaps, I won't be so depressing all the time.

2010-02-08T14:13:00.000-05:00

i always loved big bird.

2010-02-08T14:12:00.000-05:00

2010-02-08T14:11:00.000-05:00

Nothing was beautiful, and everything hurt.

2010-02-08T14:07:00.002-05:00

I want to flip it back around but today it will stay this way. I don't mind the blasphemy.

every single day.

2010-01-28T12:03:00.003-05:00

places i wish i was; things i wish i was doing

2010-01-28T11:58:00.002-05:00

all pictures found at That Sounds Clever

2010-01-28T10:24:00.000-05:00

For such a loud mouth, I can never really express the way I feel.

2010-01-27T22:05:00.003-05:00

I've been really interested in dead trees lately. The way the branches actually make a real shape, be it round, oval, or spade-like. I don't really know if it is the fact that I live in Florida and barely get to see winter or if it is the angsty teenager inside me. Either way, they are so beautiful and make me feel oh so crazy.

repeat. forever.

2010-01-21T12:08:00.002-05:00

2009-12-30T09:26:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow night at midnight everyone will cheer and kiss while they believe its different than other days. They think there will be fresh starts and life changes. I wish it were true more than anything. I'm going to wake up just the same.

2009-12-28T11:09:00.000-05:00

Been wishing I had a pool.

2009-12-27T14:35:00.003-05:00

I was lying in bed the other morning, staring at the ceiling, when I noticed one little glow in the dark star in the corner of my bedroom. It doesn't glow at night so it has to have been there for quite some time. In fact, I remember that trend from when I was in elementary school, when I shared a room with my sister.
She started with the stickers, one package at a time. I followed suit, being five years younger I wanted to do everything like my older sister because being older automatically means being way cooler. It became an addiction, and both of us would get one new package every time we got to go to the mall. I was in love with the store they were in. It was all about the earth and science and had millions of fun gadgets that in whatever way related to either learning about science or were made to seem educational by brilliant marketing teams.
So eventually, virtually every inch of our ceiling was covered in these glow in the dark stars. There was no need for a night light in our room. In fact, you could probably see our bedroom window glowing in outer space. We made constellations over our beds and I even got a glow in the dark solar system to add to our collection. Nothing was more exciting than having friends over, bringing them into my room, turning off the lights and watching them stare at my ceiling in awe and of course, with jealousy.
Then I started thinking about how difficult it was to paint the one wall in my room and how I had set out to paint the whole room but gave up on that single wall. I had no patience that day. This got me to thinking about how difficult it must have been to get those stars down, which was probably why there was one left--someone had given up. I wasn't there when my dad decided to take the stars down. I know they had lost their glow for quite some time but I feel like I became consumed with some new pre-teen bullshit so I didn't even notice. It must have taken hours, though. He probably would have appreciated me noticing and probably would have appreciated a thank you, but at the same time he was my dad and he did anything for me, anything that would make me happy and that was within reason, of course.
It has taken me 25 years to truly grasp how selfless my dad is. I'm certain there are millions of other parents like him out there, my mom included. Not only are there selfless parents, but also people without kids. My concern is when and why a person develops this trait. I wonder if it is a natural progression, a chain of events, or one fateful moment. Is it having children? Falling in love? If you are not selfless, are you not in love? Or...are you a bad person if you are not selfless to those you care about?
I feel selfish. I feel as though the world is spinning so fast around me that I can't keep up. Things are falling down around me and I'm running as far as I can to avoid them. In the end, all I can ask for is happiness and love, but I'm not sure how to find it. I feel like when I do, I can finally be selfless like my dad.

2009-12-18T19:42:00.004-05:00

My cats lick everything. I mean, everything. It gets old. I wake up to them licking my toes and it feels a little pervy if you want to be honest. I don't enjoy it, that is not why it feels that way. I just want to make that clear.
Sometimes I can't control myself either. Sometimes I want to hug everyone in sight. Sometimes I want to punch every person I see. I'm allowed to do the first one, kind of, though it can get weird, but I learned to control the punching urge for the most part. I've learned to control my anger in general much more than in the past. Life is full of lessons and growing and in the end that is all it is. In every shape or form everything you do is learning. That stresses me out. Sometimes I want to be just here. Just floating along like a little fish. I just am not sure how much more my brain can handle.
Why do ferrets have to smell so bad? They are so cute.

2009-12-18T19:32:00.005-05:00

I've heard this from many friends. Or at least something like this. What is quite funny to me, though, is that they act very adamant about certain things, yet seem to have absolutely zero standards. Its interesting to watch. How the tugging of our animal instincts can tear the strings of our standards straight out from under us. Sometimes life feels like it could only be a few moments longer, while others its seems to be endless. Both feelings create recklessness if you ask me.

Gotta keep this head on straight, I've got some time to kill here on this earth.

2009-12-09T13:50:00.000-05:00

just a little bit of freedom

2009-11-19T09:53:00.003-05:00

beehives

Sometimes I feel so confined I want to run around in my yard sans clothing. It would be just enough to feel free again.

nerd gifts

2009-11-09T21:19:00.004-05:00

I picked my friend's name for our work secret santa gift exchange (early, i know) so I got to do a real fun gift since I know him well. He is a huge nerd and still has a Aquabats cadet card so I decided to make him something related to that. He likes basketball so a jersey made sense. Heres how it came out:

He picked my name too and I got a Lemonheads record out of it! Stoked!

sometimes i just can't help it

2009-10-28T11:09:00.003-04:00

Not many things compare to the feeling of a pet really loving you.

2009-10-22T07:09:00.003-04:00

Since coffee sucks when you are sick I've been on the tea train for the past week, so it seems reasonable that I feel the need to get these.

more crazy/cool/lovely ladies

2009-10-21T11:01:00.000-04:00

Exene Cervenka

kim warnick

courtney love

bikini kill

amelia earheart

zora neale hurston
gwen stefani

Some need no explanation, some need to beg for forgiveness due to more recent "identities" if you will, and some are just straight crazy but I like that. I think you can figure out who is who.

lovely lady #4

2009-10-19T08:54:00.001-04:00

Cliche, I know, but how can you resist her beautiful, stylish, adventurous spirit!

lovely lady #3

2009-10-16T09:11:00.000-04:00

I wish I could find more good quality pictures of her in the 60s and 70s but the internet is so full of crappy sorority girls and high school brats wearing her dresses that it makes it really hard to sort through.

The thing with Betsey Johnson isn't just her pretty dresses. Or the fact that she is so talented and strong and independent and everything I like in a lady. In high school just being able to go to her stores inspired me. The gals who worked there would always motivate me to keep making my clothes and not care about all of the stupid high school crap that I avoided. They were my friends and that made it so much easier to work hard when I wasn't there because I wasn't distracted by trying to make friends at school. I sometimes wish I could go back and hug them, if I knew where they were.

lovely lady #2

2009-10-15T09:43:00.001-04:00

Much harder to find pictures of Kim Shattuck on the internet. She was in The Muffs. Don't ask to listen to them at my house, you will find yourself in a world of trouble (unless you like listening to one band over and over again while I jump around and sing along).

I woke up this morning with what seems to be strep throat and was so overwhelmed with it that I almost forgot to post this. I've got ladies lined up for a week!

lovely lady #1

2009-10-14T09:31:00.000-04:00

I posted that last picture and decided I wanted more of Deb around today. I was absolutely in love with her in high school and still am today. Tomorrow I will post pictures of another lady I love(d).

Even disco debbie is cute.

oh deborah

2009-10-14T09:29:00.000-04:00

2009-10-08T10:44:00.000-04:00

This got me to thinking. There are so many people I have met in my lifetime who may have caught me at a bad time. Then again, there are so many people who have caught me at my highest moments.
I was recently sent an e-mail from an old friend who found me on facebook. He said "I don't know if you noticed but I was really going crazy when you knew me." My response in my head was "Holy shit, you don't have to tell me that, CRAZY!" but then I realized I really didn't know this person at all and it sucks so bad that I will always kind of think of them as kind of psycho based on those 6 months or so that we were acquainted.
Then I thought about the people who have treated me horribly for my bad times. Its so easy to do, write someone off because you are in a better place than them. We all want to be the one on top sometimes but the truth is, we are all human, and we all have our moments. I know my life is more of a roller coaster than others sometimes, at least more visably than others. I'm fucking passionate. And I have a feeling so is my old friend who e-mailed me. And so are so many other people out there and I'd rather go a little crazy sometimes than act like I'm better than other people because I "have it together."
I'll get it together when I'm dead?

where is tom hanks in this video?

2009-10-08T10:32:00.000-04:00

Its really weird that volkswagen did this. I am always a sucker for things like this, though. It reminds me of improv everywhere and I am not going to lie...sometimes that website makes me so happy I want to cry a little bit.

I have no clue what it is but to watch people be happy because of something really silly makes me feel all funny inside.

A purpose of human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be loved.

2009-10-07T09:04:00.000-04:00

i want to go to there

2009-10-06T18:32:00.001-04:00

2009-09-29T16:23:00.000-04:00

Since my project is done I decided for my day off I would relax. Then I decided swinging would be relaxing so I built a swing. This was the first ever skateboard I bought when I was 14 that I have managed to keep around since then. For memories sake? Probably just because I am a pack-rat.

project alchemy

2009-09-28T10:56:00.001-04:00

We had our presentations last night and it went great. A little champagne really loosened me up to be able to speak in front of my coworkers and their family and friends and my friends too. I went last so I got to watch everyone else and get some sort of clue as to what I was supposed to talk about. My sister, Lenna, who works as a graphic designer, printed the pictures for me in all different sizes on great paper (some were freaking HUGE). It was so necessary for the vision of my presentation (I was quite the diva? when it came to getting things done my way, though I learned that I had to give up on that at a point). It was also necessary due to the funding available to me as paying rent and power has been quite rough lately. I need glasses and pretty dresses more?

Okay, so anyways, here are some of my favorites:

hair & makeup by me, reconstructed, dyed slip also done by me, photos by stephanie lister.

hair & makeup by me, handmade dress by me, photos by stephanie lister .

hair&makeup by me, hair clip by me, photos by stephanie lister

then i took these pictures of the props and i like them a lot.

I wish Lindsay's had come out a little less wedding-y but what can you do? I am so proud of how these came out overall and how much I learned and how much better I will do next time I do something like this. Its so gratifying to work on something so hard and actually finish it!

GO!!!!!!!

2009-09-24T11:05:00.000-04:00

Kill me because everyone saw this months ago and I hate youtube videos and I watch this now 5 times a day. I might also constantly have it in my head and walk around humming it.

A little bit of insanity goes a long way

2009-09-24T10:43:00.000-04:00

In approximately four days I will be DONE with this project I have been grueling over for the past month. Two dresses, one head adornment (?), and three beautiful babes later (not to mention a little bit of my sanity) I hope to be presenting wonderful pictures to my work, family, and friends. I think I will be pleased with the outcome, I hope so at least. I never realized how crazy I could get about details until now. A supposed procrastinator, slacker, lackadaisical human does not get quite so crazy as I did. It made me want to work harder at my every day. Whatever it is that I do I know I'm not doing my best. Not after feeling the mental and physical stress and pain this really awesome, fun project caused me. It felt great. At the end of the day I felt no guilt when I made myself a GIANT plate of nachos, sat on the couch, put my feet up, and indulged a great little invention, netflix watch instantly.

So to sum things up, I am going to work harder. I am going to sew more, play guitar more, play piano more, make every moment of work count and not feel sorry for myself because I have to do someone else's dishes, because after all of that is done I can enjoy the easy moments so much more.

Also, Sunday night I will be displaying my work at Alchemy for anyone who wants to see. There will be drinks, musics, cupcakes, and an all around good time with great people. Friends are welcome and I would love to see them. 7pm. Alchemy.

Did this come off as inspirational? Let me go ahead and say I never meant it. ACAB and mini keg stands for all.

Three years ago at the fest I thought doing mini kegstands at leo's was a good idea. I might still think so.

hey girlfriend

2009-09-10T12:46:00.000-04:00

I just found this blog and though I have no clue what is written on it I have come to the conclusion that it is all free downloads of only girl bands. Stoked.

http://bluedatura.blogspot.com/

Maybe these other people will actually update regularly...

2009-09-08T11:29:00.000-04:00

Marky Boner, the boy who keeps me out of trouble and puts up with my crap, has also started a blog. His blog is much more focused than mine and is a place for his writing and I think it is really good so I thought I'd share it here. I hope he doesn't get mad at me...
Dead Worker

Also, our buddy Ryan started a wordpress blog as well where he is putting his short stories. He's a cool guy as well and his stories are pretty sweet so check him out too.
Ryan Seagrist

If you are ever in boston our buddy Jeff Poot just did a zine with writing from each of the above in it too so you should try and find him and get it. It rules. Its called wet cement and I guess you can find it in some comic book stores or at shows.

I am really busy working on this big project which has to be done by sept 27th so I will be busy but hopefully have something really awesome to show for it!

lydia deetz-y

2009-08-07T13:19:00.000-04:00

Kinda feel like I'm in Beetlejuice since I made this. It was going to be a necklace but as it turns out, I like it better as a sort of shoulder piece, if you will. Ibar here I come...

a (triumphant?) return

2009-08-06T11:11:00.000-04:00

Oh, hello blog, I had forgotten about you...
Sorry for being gone for so long. I've gotten a few questions about when I was going to do this again and I honestly have been wanting to but have not gotten around to it. I try to avoid being on the computer when I am at home. It sucks my time away and I really can't stand it. But here I am, bloggin' away.
Yesterday morning I woke up at 530 to go surfing in Cocoa. It was great. First time I've been out in, I'd say, a year or more! The waves were small, but perfect for a born-again surfer. By 8 I had been catching waves left and right, giggling at how much I had missed being in the water. By 10, my arms were so tired from paddling they were almost limp. It was great. I took some pictures and once I get them developed I will post them. A big thanks to Corrine for motivating me to go to the beach!
So speaking of being XTREME, I also went wake "skating" the other day, a first for me and a freaking blast. I may have been real sore the next day but I would have gone again and can't wait for my next chance to shred behind a boat (i'm funny.)

Getting to our destination with a rainbow

What a badass...

Aside from all these mtn dew sports I have been cooking ALOT lately. Its pretty gourmet around here every night and at sunday brunch. I will start posting more pictures of my creations and possibly be back with a bang here, blogging almost daily.

I shall leave you with two cats caught in a compromising position...

2009-06-30T13:03:00.000-04:00

I've been anxiously awaiting my vacation (three days off in a row...could've settled for even two off in a row...) so much that I think this past week I just went crazy, not being able to wait. Two nights I saw the clock hit 530 am while still sipping on a beer with friends. I tried to drag a friend to the beach to watch the sunrise, something we would often do when we were living in college apartments together, when every night was a 5am-er.

This past week I watched so many stupid bar fights, did a few too many (thats any, for me) shots, sang green day songs in front of a ton of kids i don't know, peed in a church parking lot giggling with my best friend like teenage girls and said goodbye to that same best friend after reminiscing over some leftover coors lights in her fridge. I also held her hair back while she puked in some bushes behind her house, but we'll pretend I didn't tell everyone that.

I know, I know, she'll be back, we will visit, etc. but I am allowed to be sad that I don't have her down the street when I need a friend or when she needs me. Or when I wanna act like a fool in downtown orlando and need a partner in crime, my partner in rhymes (we are real cool).

See you soon, buddy. Have fun in stupid brooklyn.

On the note of that last picture let's talk vacation!

I've mentioned the paradise I grew up in, I just wanna show off what its all about.

I found this picture of weird ass drunk people on anna maria via google image search and it really sums up what you will see at any bar there. Creepers and the mom dance. Everywhere.

This map only kind of gives it justice that almost anywhere you are at you are on the beach and that is not bad ever. It is hot in Florida and the gulf breeze makes it so much more bearable.This is it. Almost always that pretty. When its grey, you are just happy for the change.

Man oh man do I miss this place. I don't think this week could go by fast enough. Get me there now!

it's the absolute ultimate

2009-06-05T11:09:00.000-04:00

It took about 5 almost nervous breakdowns, almost swallowing a needle, a dozen cups of coffee and a lot of patience to make a rough version of the bottoms that I want to go with this swimsuit. This was also starting at ten o'clock at night after working a twelve hour shift.
Fuck determination, its tiring.

So without further ado, the very beginnings to my journey into the world of swimwear.

The bottoms don't look bloomer-y once worn. I used non swimsuit material that was not stretchy so they needed elastic to hold them on. Especially for once I get in the water and the fabric loosens a bit. I'm not even going to get into how gross a loose leg opening on a swimsuit would be.

I guess I'm going to start working on the next variation. Let's hope I live through this.

I also would like to add. If anyone decides to make a swimsuit who has never made one... or shorts or underwear before, get stretchy fabric and/or a goddamn pattern.

little girl with big ideas

2009-06-04T07:15:00.000-04:00

So I've been whining like a little baby about this swimsuit that I want online but can't afford.
I'm not even going to say I think that the cost is outrageous "for that little amount of fabric" blah blah. I want that shit but I don't have that money. So I decided I 'd make my own that would hopefully feel comparable and make me happy.
Finished the top last night. The bottoms are gonna be a whole 'nother ball game but we'll tackle that tonight. So here's the first half of the results...

I also have to connect the straps but you get the idea.

I have to say, in real life, not in the picture because the picture is bad, this is one of the best looking patterns/sew jobs that i have ever made. I must be getting more patient because normally have way through my stitching would have gone wild with impatience.
I feel quite proud of myself.

Update on the hell that is going to be the bottoms later.

an update

2009-05-29T10:34:00.000-04:00

I just remembered that kamikaze was one of my vocabulary words from story #1 on this blog.

Weird.

I think this kid would have been my buddy because I would have known what his halloween costume was and maybe he would have known that I was not Elvira, but Morticia Addams.

how now brown couch

2009-05-19T10:54:00.000-04:00

New house, new couch.
Cheapest at Ikea since we decided its really stupid of us to think about spending a ton of money on a freaking couch. I mean, our new house is real grown up and all but I'd like to think we can act like the kids we are as much as possible and spend our money on records and scooters and such.
So here is the couch we bought...

...and here is that couch after I got my paws on it with some rit dye and pillows. Much better I think...

Still really poor photo quality as this was taken with my cell phone.

updated

2009-05-13T08:18:00.000-04:00

I posted about a necklace I made a while back and now I have version 2.0 ready to go.

Here it is.

I really hate having to take pictures of myself and post them. Hopefully in this move I will find my camera charger and be able to start using it again. I don't think my dress form would be embarrassed if I put pictures of her on the internet.

Toodeloo!

bacon freaks

2009-05-12T12:36:00.000-04:00

I'm glad I made it just before a month since my last post to post again. I am really sad it has been this long, though! I've been at work so much lately and packing to move into our new house I haven't had much to share. Also, I don't have a working digital camera anymore so its hard to take quick pictures of things. So please don't mind all of my crappy MacBook photos.

My buddy Quilty had a birthday the other day so I decided I would surprise him with a batch of cupcakes. I surprised him and his girlfriend Tiffany real good when they saw me at the grocery store with ingredients and my vagueness regarding said ingredients caused them to believe I might be making him breakfast. Which would have been so amazingly awkward I kinda wish that had been the plan. They may have never talked to me again. I just show up at the front door with french toast and bacon in hand. WEIRRRRD.

So anyways, thats what I made for a late night snack. French toast with maple syrup frosting and bacon on top cupcakes. The cupcakes were vegan but since I had no time to get to the Foods I had to put morningstar on top which is by no means vegan. Its alright, though. No one eating them was vegan. How many times can I say vegan in this paragraph?

This is probably one of the least pretty ones because it was in the fridge overnight but you get my drift. They tasted real good and I totally made the recipes myself thanks to my basic knowledge of a cupcake from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. That link is to their blog. I have no clue what life would be like without these recipes. Boring, I presume.

bummer!

2009-04-17T12:58:00.000-04:00

I am so disappointed right now. This morning I woke up at 630 when Mark was getting ready for work. As much as I was not ready to be up sometimes its just hard to fall back asleep. So I put on a movie and eventually fell back asleep, in turn, sleeping way longer than I normally do.

This is only a little bit off topic. So when I sleep longer than usual, I am more tired than usual. Therefore when I awoke I made a huge ass pot of coffee. Gotta get ready to face the day!

Getting closer to the topic, I swear. I love typing after a few cups of coffee. I just can't stop. I haven't posted in days, but today I just feel like I could post 30 times. I HAD something I was excited to post about but stupid copyright laws have made the post almost pointless. I'll try to get the gist out anyways, though.

Sunday afternoon we were enjoying the weather sitting outside of Burton's with a few buddies when a homeless dude started talking to us. For some reason, Mark was intrigued by this man, who was selling his artwork on the street. All of a sudden I couldn't find Mark and then I look across the street and he is on a park bench with this guy. He really liked him. About 20 minutes later Mark comes strutting back across the street with a big piece of wood with a sharpie drawing on it. He had bought this man's artwork. I thought he was a little crazy but if he wanted to buy it then more power to him. Turns out the drawing is really cool and the guy has long stories to go with each one. Now, they all could be bullshit but if I'm gonna go ahead and believe in Andrew WK, it really doesn't hurt to believe that this is a sweet man.

There was a documentary that we found on him by a Full Sail student. Now there is no sound. What a bummer. This happened within 5 days. I'll go ahead and link to it. Maybe they will turn the sound back on eventually. I guess this is what I was so bummed about when I started writing this post, but now I am feeling better about it.

Here is the drawing Mark bought.

I think the video was just really sweet (in the loving/kind sort of way this time) and got the point across that this guy was nice. I don't know that I could get that point across otherwise.

since we're talking gifts

2009-04-17T12:38:00.000-04:00

Mark and I had this ongoing random records gift giving thing going on for a while. If either of us found a record the other would want we'd surprise eachother with it and a sweet wrap job since the wrapping makes the gift. See I don't even remember what I wrapped in this first one, but we still have the paper.

I used a photobooth picture and buttons I had lying around to show my loving thoughts (ha!)

I don't even know what Mark did to these pictures. Maybe transparencies had to do with it. Its sweet though (sweet as in awesome but, I mean, you know.)

This was the gift.
This was the paper. He knew what it was before he opened it.

Feel free to go vomit and have a lovely day.

better late than never

2009-04-17T12:11:00.000-04:00

I'm really bad at gift giving during holidays. Throughout the year if I see something really sweet that reminds me of someone I'll get it for them and feel good about it, but when I absolutely have to find something for them it just doesn't work out. Maybe because I am also a procastinator. Either way, I have a hard time with holidays but it seems to be just a part of life I'm learning to deal with. I decided this year the packaging would be what really mattered. What was inside it would be more exciting since it was so amazingly wrapped.

Not only did I create a pretty looking gift it was totally hip because boy oh boy was it green. Recycled shopping bags from Publix and Target. The holiday version even made it better. I got the idea for the Target bag thing somewhere on the internet.

What is up with my face here, I am not sure, but I certainly look special. I'm into that.

This one was given to my sister because she is the design nerd that I knew would appreciate it.

always a slacker

2009-04-10T11:02:00.000-04:00

I haven't been feeling much like posting lately. I guess i don't have a whole lot to share.

I did, however, make this necklace the other night while watching a skinhead documentary with Mark. I stole the idea from a necklace I saw at Etoile, though. Meh.

Jen at work started a new blog about all of us lil workers at Alchemy. Check it out.
I'll tell you one thing. I ain't no cop but I do love me some PIZZA! Was that two things?

Hopefully I will stop being a crappy waste of space and get some shit done to share with all of you nine people.

I should have taken a picture of the vegan philly cheesesteak I made yesterday. It was the greatest thing I have eaten since being forced to quit dairy. I also made split pea hummus which ruled so hard it was insane.
Quitting dairy is a bummer but at the same time I am stoked. I have been eating so much better and feeling so freaking great ALL THE TIME. Who knew? Hopefully Mark keeps bringing me home frozen pizzas without dairy from Whole Foods. Gotta satisfy the craving somehow.

Until next time...

summertimes we forget

2009-04-01T10:25:00.000-04:00

If I look back to only 5 years ago I can't even remember how it felt. I can remember the things I did but even looking at these pictures I don't feel anything. Why can't I remember that feeling? Was this just not an important part of my life? It was a big deal, but really, it didn't matter. I probably learned a bit but it didn't sink in until I fucked up in the same ways over and over again just closer to home. I want to feel this so bad.

I do remember AND feel the crap out of this and want it to be happening right now. Last summer we slacked on this stuff and I really don't want this one to be the same.

Get me out into the water and sun!

awk: actor? metalhead? alien? ghost??

2009-03-31T11:21:00.000-04:00

A few years back I read about all of the conspiracies about Andrew WK on the internet. For some reason people seemed to know about this but I had no clue at all. In my mind he was real, amazing, my "friend". I mean, how could I not believe in a guy who made one of the best shows I've been to in my whole entire life... happen. Everyone I know that was there agrees: The Social, 2003, AWK, AMAZING. I puked from exhaustion then ran and jumped off the stage again (and again, and again...). I saw every one of my friends smiling and running and jumping and freaking out all over every inch of that place. I saw at least 15 kids jump off the railings all at once like a group cannonball into a pool.

This isn't the point. The point is not to show how dumb we all could feel for being fooled. I mean, this guy is pretty much the same as the Backstreet Boys if you think about it. I'd like to believe there was someone in the early stages of planning this terrible false god for all of us to believe in that was real. Who, in reality, had songs that they just wanted to be played and maybe a really cool guy for kids to look up to. But then again, it seems that the whole "do-gooder" aspect was created later. Either way, none of this is the point.

The point is, I could be upset that I was fooled by the man. The shitty, money hungry, exploitative man. Too bad for him, though. I made copies of my friends cds. I got a free poster drawn for me by some guy who I thought was someone who I thought was really cool who in actuality could've been a real jerk but who freaking knows. All I know is that I am happy to think about the way these little moments can make me so happy and without letting all the shitty stuff in the world get to me, I can stare at it with childlike wonder and just enjoy it. I am not quite synical yet!

sorry for the bad picture. all i had was my computer.

Who is Andrew WK?

where the wild things are

2009-03-27T09:05:00.001-04:00

Yes, I saw the trailer. Yes, I think it looks good and yes, I did love this book as a child. Seriously, though, I have the feeling it is going to get to the point that I wish the stupid movie was never made. Its going to be like The Nightmare Before Christmas when it was re-released a few years back. This shit is going to be all over Hot Topic and don't even begin to forget about how many fucking Wild Things tattoos are going to start popping up all over the place. Now, I get that we like things from our childhood and all. I mean, when I saw this was coming out I was like "oh. cool." What I don't get is how people talk about this movie trailer and act like they are trying to out hip each other by talking about it the most. Is it the stupid music that is making it this way? The Arcade Fire and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs can suck it. BOOORRRRING!

No offense doods.

Don't forget, I admitted it looks good.

slingin' cupcakes

2009-03-23T17:47:00.000-04:00

Now that these cupcakes I've been making are turning out always tasty and always pretty I finally sold a few to make up for all the money I've been spending on ingredients. It was great. Tali and I took to the streets and set up a table at a local block party. If you've never had the pleasure of being forced to eat one of my cupcakes in front of me so that I can stare you down and watch to see how well you enjoy it like your grandma would then you wouldn't quite understand how excited I was to see strangers eat these babies. And they PAID for them! One man was midway through his first one and said, "I've gotta get another!" SWEET!

So, enough babble, on to the photographic evidence!

Pure bliss in a sea of flamingos.
Giggly grrls.

More photos to come when I am not on the work computer and I find some more on the 'net.
I'd also like to find a nice photo of the chalkboard that I made. Not only did I draw on it with the chalk, I actually made the chalkboard out of scrap wood. It was very exciting.

Thanks to Tali for bringing a camera!

ARGYRIA!

2009-03-17T15:13:00.000-04:00

Whilst pondering the important decision of how to make beautiful cupcakes I thought of balls.
Little silver balls!
I ran to the computer to research these little doozies. Google search: silver balls. Anyways, I discovered that these innocent looking cake decorations are ILLEGAL in California. Companies will get in trouble if they even ship them to California residents from their websites! Crazy! I had to know why so I kept looking. Apparently, they contain real silver and silver does not ever leave your body once ingested. Okay. So it seems too much silver in your body will MAKE YOU TURN BLUE???
Holy jeez I just wanna know why anyone would NOT want to look like this guy!
That man looks happy as a clam that he is now a freaking smurf. I'm gonna go ahead and say that if the only repercussion of eating balls (i can't stop) is turning blue then sign me up!
In all honesty, though, a few balls here and there on a sweet lil cupcake is never going to turn someone blue. But we can all have our dreams, right?

sibling love

2009-03-16T11:20:00.000-04:00

My sister, Lenna, recently received not only an addy award for this design, but also was selected by How Magazine for their annual design awards. How much does she rule?

This was used as the acceptance pack for Ringling this year.

She may be embarrassed but I am just so darn proud of her.

This sunday there is some sort of party going on behind the shops over at the "Milk District." All I know is that there is going to be a vegan hot dog eating contest. According to my calculations if you only eat two and a half you are going to be getting your money's worth. I might just enter so I can have a nice, filling lunch. Alchemy will have a booth there, giving out cheap haircuts. At this booth I will also be selling my ever so growing-in-popularity cupcakes. I'm really planning on pulling out the big guns for this one. It will be the first time they have been sold so I really need to. All you need to know is that they are going to be the most delicious and the most beautiful cupcakes you have ever had touch your lips! (Toot my own horn, much?) I am definitely kidding, but not. They'll be tasty. I got all excited with the typing I forgot to mention Tali will also be selling cupcakes and Dennis is making PIZZAS! WHOAAA! I'm not really a jerko.

So make your way to this thing, eat a shit-ton of food, get a damn haircut, and, if you are a lady, party with this guy:

On another note, someone should have a house show for us to play and Scotty should stop flaking out on practice.

too much life to be living

2009-03-14T18:55:00.001-04:00

I have been busy. Busy with really fun things that leave not much to show for but another great memory to have so I can laugh at all the normal people out there.
I would like to post the songs we finally finished recording the other day but Ryan is slacking on getting them ready to be listened to. I have to say, nervous sweating is bad. Worse than summer heat sweating. It was almost onion sweat. You could have almost called me Vidalia Sassoon. A little taste of my own medicine with the name calling.
Well, anyways, I really was very honest with these songs. I think this was a first for me. Being honest. Is it normal to not usually want to be honest? About anything? Nothing that matters really. Just little stuff. Weird stuff. Like, if someone was wondering why carrots were good for your eyes, say, I'd just make up a reason and go with it. They would probably believe me and then go on to tell others. Eventually, I would make someone look stupid in front of someone else. See what I'm saying? This isn't when it is bad, though. It is bad when I just can't tell people how I feel. I wish I could do that.
Today I was in a store and every dance poppy tune was so repetitive I could sing along with it by the end. Let me tell you, these songs were baaaad. So I was waiting for my slow friend to get a move on when I heard some guy waiting for who seemed to be his sister to get her move on sing along with one of the songs. I almost yelped out "I know! I can sing along after one verse too!" Glad I didn't. I'm sure he would have totally understood but whew, I hate accidentally shouting out whats on my mind.

Oh yeah, Mark and I got security called on us today. It was hilarious. I was literally shouting "Don't shop here they are crazy and a bunch of assholes!" It ruled.

Oh yeah, I threw a knife at a tree across my yard today and it stuck in. First try. Jillian wondered if I was supposed to be a boy.

Highlight of my week away from the internet:

Probably will end up being highlight of my month. I'm a nerd.

i know kewl people

2009-03-03T09:47:00.000-05:00

My buddy Michael Poopoopeepee made the cutest bear I have ever seen for a girl on Valentine's Day. Something like nine hours of hand stitching. Amazing. Michael rules.

Trish, Nicole, Ryan and the aforementioned Poopsy did a photo shoot the other day and these are the sweet results.

I was too busy eating breakfast to answer my phone and then forgot to call back, therefore spent the day on the couch instead of helping them out. Oops. There are more of these pictures on Ryan's blog.

I haven't left the couch in days, except for going to work. It is not supposed to be cold, seeing as it is March in Florida, but its freaking freezing. I cannot function anymore. It is killing me. I'd rather be sweating. I belong in the south, that is for sure. Soon I will be swimming in the springs and surfing at the beach. Its gonna be siqq. And that is all, my friends.

so many posts in one day!

2009-02-24T20:48:00.000-05:00

I am just so excited about the pictures I picked up today that I can't wait to share them. I'm getting better with this camera thing.

this is my new favorite place. our picnic table.

this is our new friend that has been living in our back yard.

this is one of the places dewey is not supposed to be.

seriously working hard.

favorite skirt.

vegan creme filled vanilla cupcakes with chocolate ganache topping.

my scooter.

maria y ricardo juegan el piano

this is a chicken.

lindsay is great

2009-02-24T20:35:00.001-05:00

I have been asking my buddy Lindsay to come see me on monday nights so that I can play with my favorite hair tool, the curling iron. These are last mondays results.

teased out marcel waves pinned up (photos taken with my lomo camera and the alchemy photobooth, obviously)

I am quite pleased with our first two sets. Let me know if you'd let me do this sort of thing to you. I'd like it.

best thing to happen all day

2009-02-24T14:58:00.000-05:00

[me: browsing the internet]

[*a stern knock at the door*]

[thinking, "i wonder who that could be!"]

"hello, young lady! are your parents home?"

[a burst of uncontrollable, INSANE laughter from the couch]

[confusion]

[hysterical laughter]

[trying to go along with it...]

"but seriously, no, my parents are not home...sorry! and no i do not want to buy any of your shit..."

grrrrr..."have a nice day" (bitch)

a quick play by play of a great moment in my life when mark thinks its hilarious that i look like i am in high school.

a brief yet annoying little blip to fill the space between the others

2009-02-23T22:23:00.000-05:00

The reason its so good to wake up in the morning.

jack of all trades, master of none

2009-02-20T10:17:00.000-05:00

A renaissance grrl, if you will.

Those who I call family tend to boast about my so-called "skills". "Skills," I say, because, well, I am not so great at any of them. Who knows how long I have been hopping from one interest to the next trying to learn as much as I can about it within the week or month or even year I find myself overwhelmed by the mystery of its ways and wondering how in the world am I going to be good at it. I've stuck with few, held quite a few close to my heart, dreamed of still enjoying some, and some have evolved into true passions of new forms.

Who knew that painting my room and hanging posters on the wall while my parents were supportive yet, I am sure, frightened/dreading the cover up, would result in me obsessing over blogs based on home design. One day, my friend, my home will be spotlighted in one.

Who knew that sewing the x-large band shirts that seemed to be the only ones sold by bands in my early teen years would result in a faltering yet long term desire to sew (a task I loathe completely) for hours until I have something I could only dream of but never find anywhere. If only fashion school hadn't set me on a four year bender trying to forget what seemed like a broken dream.

Things are really evolving right now. The things I want in "real life" are finally gaining more ground in my mind than the "fake life" things. I had forgotten what it was like to feel real life and damn, does it feel good.

this color everywhere.

walls of photos.

everything about this.

more walls of photos/frames.

indoor/outdoor space.

photos from designsponge and theselby.

taking baking to a whole 'nother level

2009-02-17T20:04:00.000-05:00

That's right, don't be jealous! I'm gaining more and more popularity amongst my friends every day. If it weren't for cupcakes I might have no friends but all these hungry hungry hipsters* want a piece of the action (or in my case, cake) and buddies are flocking from everywhere and popping up out of all sorts of woodwork. What they say is true, though, everything baked with one of these Kitchenaid mixers is better. I'm going to go ahead and say it might be even better when the mixer is a lovely little color entitled "Pistachio". So here it is. The beauty itself and the (cupcakes with) fruits of its labor (it does all the work for me!)...

*term used dually for mock alliteration and making fun of my friends.

a good morning

2009-02-06T13:36:00.000-05:00

The book i am currently reading is Bowl of Cherries by Millard Kaufman. I got it because it is a McSweeney's book. I will literally read almost anything McSweeney's puts out. They have never really steered me wrong. There have been a few that I didn't LOVE per say, but never a real shit bomb. So basically McSweeney's is to 24 year old me as Fat Records is to 14 year old me...in a sense.

How's about I go ahead and name a few of my favorites while we are here:
-Obviously, You Shall Know Our Velocity and How We Are Hungry. Dave Eggers is a genius.
-Lady Into Fox is a really great fable that reminded me of how awesome fables are.
-To Ruhleben and Back is good for geeks and war/history buffs.
-Um, Giraffes? Giraffes! rules.
-I still really want to get Everything That Rises: A Book of Convergences.

My real pride and joy, though, is this bad boy.

Those right there are the signatures of Dave Eggers AND Valentino Achak Deng. Boom.

mtn dewey

2009-02-03T15:00:00.000-05:00

I was recently given a diana camera as a present from my very hip mom. I had no clue how to use the thing. Just messing around with it is fun and some of the pictures came out alright. Since my hand mixer almost blew up while I was whipping up a batch of frosting last week I am having to find things to do other than making cupcakes in my spare time. Now that I said something about them I am craving them.

Anyways, with my first set of film I remembered what it was like to use film cameras instead of digital. Biggest lesson of all was in aiming high enough. I really think that my midget-like height, my tendency to overindulge in a certain hopsy substance when at social gatherings, and the fact that many of my friends are much taller than the average human are to blame for the innacurate aim of the photos. All in all I feel this was a reasonably adequate attempt at taking some sweet pictures for a first timer. I have decided that taking pictures while a band is playing makes me feel not very comfortable. Though my friends asked me to this time and I have once since, I really doubt I will ever do that again. Too weird. Too girl in high school who was annoying and slutty who always hung around--who slept with my friends--who my friends made fun of later.

I feel bad that I was probably not understanding of those girls. Maybe they just needed a real good friend. But hey, we all have our problems and we deal with them differently. Some ways are just more socially accepted. I hate that I agree with what is socially accepted. I just started a game of tug war that just may never end. Fuck it.

More pictures to pick up at four!

what to say

2009-01-28T21:30:00.000-05:00

i want to use this thing but keep forgetting about it.

last night a dog bit me. it was so angry and it just snapped and bit my nose. whenever animals are mean to me it makes me feel like they can see what people can't and that i am a terrible person. i really hate that.

at least i looked really tough for a while.

this picture kinda makes it not look as bad as it was but it wasn't that bad either.

the theocratic ruler of tibet

2008-12-10T09:21:00.000-05:00

When I was in elementary school I was the type of kid whose homework wasn't enough. I mean, I doubt I even did it. It was boring. So instead of whatever normal kids were doing to fill their time, television or video games i presume are big ones, I thought of a great new hobby to share with my dad.

Each week we would sit down with the ol' dictionary and as he would flip it open to a random page I would close my eyes and point to a word. I'm pretty sure we did about five a week. Nothing too major. Just enough to keep my little brain working.

It is strange to think, though, that if I look at a word in the dictionary now, I would probably forget it by tomorrow. Probably meaning most likely. To this day, though, if I see one of those words from my fun childhood game, the definition flies back into my brain.

1. vociferous - adjective - crying out noisily; clamorous.

2. loquacious - adjective - talking or tending to talk much or freely; talkative; chattering; babbling; garrulous. (When I studied this word I remembered it by relation to my pal, Genna Douglas. She was a chatterbox. Its surprising my dad didn't say to just relate it to myself.)

3. Dalai Lama - noun - (My dictionary said "the theocratic ruler of Tibet," which I would walk around stating day in and day out but I don't believe theocratic was one of my words, but maybe we did make it one, I'm not sure, but anyways, I didn't even know what the fuck I was saying. What a little brat.) (formerly) the ruler and chief monk of Tibet, believed to be a reincarnation of Avalokitesvara and sought for among newborn children after the death of the preceding Dalai Lama.

These are the only ones I can think of right now. I'm starting to get bored with it. As I did back then and this only lasted for a few weeks or so. I think I tried to be normal and play soccer or something but that didn't really work out. I doubt I completed the season on my team at the community center and I doubt they ever let me play in a game.

* I used definitions from dictionary.com because I didn't want to go through all the trouble of posting this and then be wrong in the definitions. I was right, though.