auld lang syne

only success in 2012!

the city is my church

enjoy these prefall12 looks from Band of Outsiders.  the garments are reminiscent of my childhood catholic school wardrobe.   the only item missing is a pair of knickers (corduroy ones with a matching blazer).  oh, i get so sentimental and nostalgic sometimes, Winter.  also, enjoy the amazing video below as your soundtrack.  thank you. 

yes to jumpsuits. yes to polka dots.

i swear mom made me an orphan Annie dress like this.

zipper on that mini skirt! duh!

i'll bet that flannel is incredibly soft.  it is when i wear this dress in my dreams.

may giant buffalo checks be trendy for all of time.

*all images via vogue.com

you can't get mad at a volcano

post title is advice should your flight ever be diverted icelandic volcano style. beautiful photographs of volcanic lightening for you to enjoy.  these would be amazing digital prints for your textiles!

Chile

Iceland

NASA astronomy pic of the day

Japan

me party

my darklings and i went to see The Muppets yesterday.  i grew up watching The Muppet Show on our floor model tv and i've made sure that my kids have seen some of those original episodes.  i can't imagine a childhood (or adulthood) without the Muppets.  Fozzie's voice needed some work, in my opinion, but Rowlf is still trill as everrrrrr.  Amy Adams and Ryan Segal are prosh (short form of "precious").  including Amy's wardrobe styling.  basically, it was a circle skirt and blouse variation throughout.

my favorite was this mustard-y circle skirt and polka dot silk blouse.

   are those sleeves called "tulips"? seriously, i know there is a word for that sleeve style.

the print on this blouse was nice!  i will always love orange and brown together.

this was pretty cute too.  the flowers on the skirt look handpainted. 

and if you are interested, a song featuring the vocal styles of Amy Adams and Miss Piggy. 

 

and yes, i cried when Kermie and crew sang "The Rainbow Connection". 

wham! bam!...

thank you George Michael and Andrew Ridgely.

for drowning in your holiday sorrows:

from Hyde via Secret Forts

art. fiber.

Sheila Hicks, who refers to herself as an "heroic pirate" of fiber art, recalls one of her first exhibits:

“What is tapestry and what is not? And what should we squelch before it goes too far? I was moving around between different techniques — of stitching, wrapping, braiding, weaving, twining — exploring all these different thread languages. And tapestry was one of them, but traditionally the prestigious one. So my work was equated with a kind of graffiti.” 

long before "yarn bombing", Sheila Hicks was an outsider artist.  

from Weaving as a Metaphor

from here

 just fyi: this piece is 4" x 9"!  grabbed this on tumblr

knitwear designers take note!

Jenny Postle, keep it up!  i love your wack-a-doodle style.  stay an outsider.  your knitwear would look fantastic on a pirate.  take it from ms. Hicks.

Jenny Postle images via I'm Revolting

sweet Charlotte Taylor

i'm cray-cray for this amazing wrap dress from Charlotte Taylor's ss2012 collection.

and i'm a sucker for orange and this beautiful shape.

ms. Taylor's prints are colorful, youthful and so darn simple.  Enjoy this video released along with her ss2012 lookbook.


CHARLOTTE TAYLOR SPRING SUMMER 2012 COLLECTION from Ben Taylor on Vimeo.

*all images via Charlotte Taylor

i think i love you Amy Boone-McCreesh...

all images via Amy Boone-McCreesh.  a nice studio visit and interview from 2009 via we make it art.

***ALERT:  these beauties were created by Amy Boone-McCreesh and are not my own.  i sincerely apologize for not clarifying.***

on the rocks

Caitlyn Foster

for more stone inspiration and to keep my weather, night sky and seashell field guides company...

via push the movement

via ariel e.

...

wha?...oh...why aren't you drawing some rocks or something?  ...not convinced?...  well Shirley, you have the time to watch this short film.  it's totally off the hinges.  and if you don't step away feeling so refreshed and inspired...then...well Shirley...i don't know.  i will just be extremely disappointed.  let's leave it at that.

Jan Švankmajer's film "A Game with Stones".  thxoxo to pattern&shape.

hey 'rica! what's in your bag?!

this is the second installment in (what i hope to become) a series: the contents of bags toted by my friends and acquaintances.  thanks to my best homegirl, erica, for sharing her amazing bag and its contents with the internet.
this meticulously handpainted/collaged/assembled canvas bag was made by Chanda Helzer.  it features the lyrics of my #3 favorite Rolling Stones song, Shattered (following Paint It, Black and Moonlight Mile).
laughter joy and loneliness and sex and sex and sex and sex and look at me! i'm in tatters!
it's shameful, sinful even, but i covet 'rica's bag.  but just look at me! it!

i'm hungry for success!!!!

pride and joy and dirty dreams are still survivin' on these streets

this town is full of money grabbers! go 'head! shattered!

i mean, i'm really happy for erica.  it's beautiful.
okay.  now the good stuff!  what does she have lying around in there?

-- pencil sharpener
-- radio cab matches
-- red Bic lighter (made in france ;) )
-- JoAnn's coupon commotion circular valid sat. - sun., dec 17 - 24
-- Parcel cassette wallet
-- black plastic matchbox with owl by Albrecht Duhrer
-- Safeway brand "Redness Relief Eyedrops"
-- Nivea skin moisturizing creme, 1oz
-- black Bic ballpoint pen
-- blue BCT ballpoint pen
-- Burt's Bees wax lip balm, 0.3 oz.
-- Altoids Smalls "Simply Mint", tin of 50
-- 2 square mints
-- Fred Meyer receipt
-- 44 cents in loose change (4 pennies, 1 nickle, 1 dime, 1 quarter)
-- The Naked Bee lip balm, Orange Blossom Honey SPF 15
-- large black sunglasses
-- black hair elastic

oakland city reprezent

address me as your majesty....  Kreayshawn and Lil' Debbie are freakin' 'dorable.

some of you may know a bad bitch that doesn't need any official swag to look trill all the time.

this striped (i know!!! i'm obsessed wit stri-zipes) dress would look so fly with a dookie rope chain and other such accessoriezz, y'all.  squint your eyez and you'll be able to see it too.

milk from a thistle Hardy silk dress

what homegirl could resist this beauty of a pocket knife?

Self Edge Haught Inlaid pocketknife

i heard you like the bad girls, honey...

i'm not usually a fan of sexy baby attitudes, but Lana Del Rey is an exception.

what follows should be on her honey's holiday shopping list.  btw, i wouldn't mind having them either.

shark tights by Gal Stern!!! omfg. yes.

shark tights on etsy by galstern

this LRD!!! red knit dress with leather detail by Markus Lupfer

*whistle*

don't put me on display

amazing performance by Lesley Gore, 1964.

for xmas this girl needs:

Anglomania Skyscraper shoes by Vivian Westwood.

Vivian Westwood Skyscraper shoes

Beaded embellished top from Jacqueline Jablonski for J. Crew.

via fashiongonerogue.com

pockets full of stones

i'm in love with Florence Welch.  her style and voice and energy....*swooning*.
i can't get this song out of my head.

for the ladies that adore Ms. Welch, may I suggest a few xmas items to add to your wishlist?

this swords suit press sheet from Bea Nettles photographic tarot deck:

Original Mountain Dream Tarot Press Sheet: Swords

this Luv AJ spiked rose gold headpiece would look lovely on me....er...you:

Luv AJ

empty boxes and almost plaiting

i love the simplicity of Chanel's s2012 rtw.  the white ground with empty black squares engineered for the garments are simple, modern and loverly.  please check the show as my lack of technology at the present time prevents me from editing these photos so that one can appreciate the subtle textures of the garments.  

*all images from vogue.com