More Mini Mall Gems....

Little Miss Sarah Sunshine.....

Soooo for my best friend's birthday, I geeked out a little bit making presents.  In keeping with the "cheerfully domestic" theme, I sewed a bright floral apron.  Then I thought "How can I make this as obnoxiously sunny-happy-go-lucky as possible?"  Bright flowers, of course!  But I didn't want them to wilt and die.....so, I created a mini garden out of melted crayons.  

My mind works in tangents.....anyway, pictures are below.

The birthday girl

Atlanta, TX......

Pictures from the road trip Sarah and I took to visit her ma-maw and pa-paw (I'm pretty sure I spelled both of those endearments incorrectly).  A relaxing weekend with no cell phone service, but plenty of domino games (of which I lost all) and hiking at Atlanta State Park.  All pictures were taken with my Diana+ camera.

Hot Fun in the Summertime.....

Soooo 6 months after my last post, and over a month after the actual trip, I'm finally getting around to posting some pictures from my June visit to New York.  I don't know if I'm really cut out for this blogging thing....but I digress.

The pics below are some highlights of the trip.  I took far fewer pictures than when I visited in October/November, mainly because I wanted to experience more.  Plus, my SD card was corrupted, which was awesome to find out post-trip.  Default filter I suppose. ✄

My thanks go out again to Lauren and Matt for being such great hosts.  Thanks to Anastasia as well for the post-picnic overnight crash.  Hope you enjoy.... ♥

2nd floor view from Lauren's Brooklyn studio

Brunch at Bondi Road with the Quik crew....Aussies make the best Bloody Marys

Alvin Ailey performance of "Revelations" at BAM

Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum

Guggenheim

Anastasia lounging outside Acme Bar

Fennel and Citrus salad at L'asso Pizza (best pizza I've had in NY)

Michelle and Anastasia at Prospect Park

Chicago-style hot dogs at the Prospect Park picnic.  Matt's friend

Adam baked the poppyseed buns--delicious!

Me and Anastasia at Prospect Park

Lipppzzzz tote for Anastasia's birthday

Warhol exhibit at Brooklyn Museum

Warhol exhibit at Brooklyn Museum

Schiaparelli jewelry at Brooklyn Museum

Aztec apron for Lauren's birthday

Lauren and Matt's map/card/ticket door

Until next time NY!

Mini Mall....

"Wonders of the mini mall,

Have I time to name them all?"

Lame rhyming aside, the Denton Mini Mall is one of my favorite places in North Texas.  Overflowing with equal parts rare finds and useless knick-knacks, one could wander around the place for hours.  Copious amounts of records, old cameras, clothing, accordions, costume jewelry....the list goes on and on.  I myself hope to one day inhabit the mini mall, skulking around at all hours of the night, Phantom-of-the-Opera style.  But I digress....

Today's visit was particularly interesting because of my extended conversation with the cashier.  Anyone who knows me well knows that I don't generally strike up conversations (or engage in prolonged eye contact) with random strangers.  I tend to attract the crazies, especially older crazies (this gentleman was definitely in his 50s)....Anyway, as I approached the counter to pay for my records (one a compilation of 70's love ballads, the other Cuban music as orchestrated by Percy Faith), I inadvertently overheard the tail-end of his phone conversation:

"Well, if she ever talked to me like that, I'd get behind her and push her down some stairs."

Hmm.  Already off to a good start.  I guessed, by the smell of cheap vodka emanating from his pores, that his advice was probably just the alcohol talking.  I hoped anyway.  As I edged closer to the counter (slower and with added caution, not wanting to make any sudden movements) the cashier excused himself from his rant session.  If I hadn't just heard the guy threaten someone's life, and he didn't smell like a dirty martini, I would have thought him to be a completely different person.  All smiles, he asked if I'd found what I was looking for.  I tentatively mumbled a "Yes, thank you" as I started to pull out my wallet.  After looking over my choices, he told me I should visit his friend next door (at Mini Mall II--yes, there are two of them!!) to look through his collection of rare 70s and 80s rock and soul records.  Then he explained the reason the vendor I bought my records from owned a ridiculous amount of records (he was amazingly lucid for consuming what I'm pretty sure was a profuse amount of alcohol at 10:45 am).  Apparently, the person that owes the vendor money is paying her in records--10,000 records over time, to be exact.  Interesting.  I knew the section grew larger every time I browsed through it, but the story is classic mini mall.

I can't wait to visit you again mini mall.... ♥

Fashion....

Is it odd that I find Tanya Gold's recent article in The Guardian (Why I Hate Fashion) both hilarious and familiar in sentiment?  As a designer, my immediate instinct upon seeing the article title is to chalk Gold's title up to ignorance or maybe even bitterness.  But after reading the whole article, which does occasionally steer towards the dramatic, I found that the message was one that so many women I know can relate to: exclusion.  Even those deeply involved in the industry often feel that they have to become someone else in order to fit in....

Anyway, the link for the article, and my favorite snippet from the piece, are below.

Why I hate fashion


"The goods lay unwrapped on my ordinary bed. They looked odd there. They didn't fit. The marketing doesn't follow you home."

Retro?

Ummm....is it still okay for people to wear leather pants?

How about a leather pant suit? With ruffles. To an online college graduation ceremony.

Just wondering.