Pix-elated! Giveaway Results

And the winner of the 8x10 Bird on a Wire print is ... comment No. 2. Congrats, bFlat! Your photo will be in the mail shortly. Check your email for details.

I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to enter the contest and who offered excellent advice on how to maximize traffic at my Etsy shop. It's always a bit of a risk to ask people to criticize you, especially in an anonymous environment like the Internet (which is sometimes akin to a written-upon stall in a public bathroom), but I was pleasantly surprised by the caring and thoughtful responses you left. I was also touched by those of you who took the time to blog about this giveaway and who left contact info for further networking; I'll be in touch soon! I can definitely say for a fact that I have the best readers in the blogosphere. Seriously, you are fantastic and I enjoy the rapport we have.

Some of the store suggestions I've taken to heart:

• More postcards and notecards. They're on their way.
• More giveaways. Stay tuned.
• A new avatar and shorter shop announcement. Done.
• Offer framing. I'm exploring options for this right now.
• Category restructuring. Most of my prints are available in all sizes, so no reason to organize by size. Genres (nature, abstract, etc.) are coming soon.

Design Dialogue: Magnetic Rows

New Wire by vee*

Myriad bloggers have harped the benefits of an inspiration wire to display images, simply strung up with clothespins along a string, thin wire or ribbon. The first time I remember using such a technique was at Christmastime when I was a child and we would showcase cards we received from friends and family. You can see more examples of inspiration wires on Apartment Therapy and Simply Photo.

So with inspiration wires getting all the love, what about magnetic rows?

Yes, I love The Beatles and, to a lesser extent, hula girls and haystacks.

For several years now, I've been a big fan of the magnetic row, or rather lining up several magnet strips in a row and hanging up postcards, clippings, etc., that I find interesting. The above photo is just a snippet from the row in my kitchen. Making your own magnetic row is just as simple as an inspiration wire.

1. Buy some magnetic strips (either at The Container Store or the more affordable IKEA)
2. Purchase some magnets to hold your inspiration up (like these tiny ones, these handmade ones, or, for the greenest option, repurpose your souvenir magnets and fridge magnets)
3. A few nails to anchor the strips into the wall

Voila! Your very own magnetic row.

Flickr Fridays #15

On what is turning out to be a gorgeous, hazy day in L.A., I'm sitting in the high-rise with a stuffy head, sore throat and a rotten attitude. T.G.I.F., I stick my tongue at you and the promise of a sickly weekend. Allow me to illustrate (via photos from Flickr) what I'd rather be doing right now instead of sitting at my cubicle.

This:

1. Flu, 2. Sick Sick Sick

And this:

1. {7/52} flu, 2. HBB

Oh, and don't forget to scroll down or click here for a chance to win a gorgeous 8x10 fine art photo by yours truly. There's still one whole day left. Tell your friends, and have a happy, sniffle-free Friday!

Written Word: An Empty Inbox

Yesterday I opened my personal email account and noticed something astonishing. In the upper righthand corner, Yahoo quietly reminded me (the type is super small, folks) that I was viewing messages 1-20 of ___. Guess the number. Seriously, just think of a number.

Were you guessing 100? Five hundred, perhaps? Because you'd be wrong. I had been hoarding nearly 1,000 emails in my Inbox. Any other day I'd stay in denial, read my new messages and leave them to rot in the Inbox, as well.

But something in me snapped. I started clicking my way through these purgatory messages, which were neither in the trash nor designated a proper folder. They were just sitting in Inbox, as if I would get back to responding to that email you sent me in February 2006 like no time had passed. "Dear Jane, Sorry it took so long to get back to you! I got sucked into a parallel universe time warp and ..."

I'm not the only one who is feeling the urge to keep their Inbox clean. Jena over at Bone and Branch did the same thing recently, noting that "it feels fantastic in a big fat way!" I concur, Jena, I concur.

As I hit "delete" on old travel plans, 2007 TurboTax receipts and expired coupons to the Moroccan restaurant, I imagined myself plucking weeds from my garden of correspondence. There are zero weeds now, so when you send me a flower I'll be more likely to see it.

Tune Time: Matt and Kim

Matt and Kim is Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino, a simplistic dance/punk duo from Brooklyn, N.Y. Beware sourpusses: They're a very if-your-happy-and-you-know-it-clap-your-hands kind of band. Maybe it's because I'm in need of a major attitude adjustment, but I find their brand of catchy melodies and huge smiles just the perfect medicine right now. And if their infectious energy gets on your nerves, well, just pretend you're the person throwing food at them in the "Yea Yeah" video below. Cathartic, I tell you! You'll have a smile on your face despite yourself.

Psst: You can download songs for free on their website.

Media Minded: Howl, The Movie, Starring James Franco

In just a few short weeks, the movie "Howl" will start filming in New York. The plot centers on the obscenity trial stemming from Allen Ginsberg's poem. There also will be an "animated reimagining" of the poem, which strikes me as bizarre, but in a good, I-sorta-want-to-see-that kind of way. Also bizarre in a good way? James Franco as Ginsberg. Discuss.

I've always had a fascination with the beats (evidence here and here), and this poem is no exception. It starts with one of the most perfect opening lines ever written: "I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness." It's my lifelong pursuit to match the brilliance of this line. My luck, the best I'll be able to come up with is "The night was dry, yet it was raining," a la "Don't Throw Mama From the Train."

Tonight was perfect for re-reading "Howl," drinking a glass of wine and -- wait for it -- wait for it -- baking cookies from scratch.




My cookie army is complete.

Pix-elated! A Giveaway

This is one of my favorite prints from my Etsy store. In fact, I like it so much I have a 5x7 print displayed in my own living room. It really brightens up the joint. I'm giving away an 8x10 in metallic finish -- truly, truly a gorgeous finish -- to one of my awesome readers as a thanks for helping make this blog a success.

To enter:
1. Go to my Etsy store and give me some constructive criticism. What can I do to bring more traffic to my store? Which prints do you like best/least?
--or--
2. Spread the word about this giveaway on your blog, then leave a link to your post in the comments.

I will choose a winner (entirely randomly) on Saturday, Feb. 28. Have fun, and good luck!

Fashion Forward: Angelina's Gems

The Oscarcast held many delights, for sure (Kate Winslet's best-actress win, the dominance of "Slumdog Millionaire"), but the best thing by far was Angelina Jolie's earrings. I was so green with envy I set out to find a similar pair. With the affordable handmade finds below, even those of us without an Academy Award nomination can have emerald dangling from our earlobes.

Sea Find Designs + Amber Sky + Jewels by L Designs

Photoshoot: Malibu, Part 1

We were on a Sunday drive, a leisurely jaunt along the Pacific Coast Highway. We stopped at inspiring quiet spots along the road, smelling the ocean air and rubbing our toes in the cool sand. Then I saw the starfish, a beautiful salmon color. It stood at the ready, as if to say, "I'm ready for my closeup." So I obliged.

Stay tuned for Part 2, more images from this road trip.

Design Dialogue: Starburst Mirror DIY

1. spanish 192o's hand-carved, gold-leafed starburst mirror, $449, ooak, j. peterman, 2. Starburst, 3. IMG_2352, 4. IMG_2354, 5. working out the new wall decor, 6. Starburst mirror, 7. starburst, 8. starburst, 9. Mirror, 10. Starburst, 11. French Starburst Gilt Mirror c1960, 12. starburst, 13. starburst mirror

I've mentioned before how much I love the mid-century modern starburst design. Luckily there are like-minded people on Flickr, hence the homage above to all things starburst. I'd love to take a pic of my own mirror, but the price tags on these beasts are high (up to $5,000!). Heck, even the modern reproductions from Crate & Barrel will set you back $200. So what can the thrifty starburst lover do? Make our own, of course!

These instructions are easy to understand and, best of all, include the use of inexpensive parts like skewers. Total cost? Somewhere around $25.

Flickr Fridays: #14

1. Calling New Orleans, 2. Calling Myrtle Beach, 3. Calling Charleston, 4. Calling Venice Beach, 5. Calling The Civic Center, 6. Calling Hawthorne Boulevard

For a period of about three years, circa 2002-05, I had a thing for taking pics of public telephones. Here are a few that made it onto my Flickr account. Does anyone else do that -- compulsively take photos of a certain object? -- or is it just me?

Oh, and happy Friday!

Photoshoot: La Brea Tar Pits

Skull + Bones

Woolly Bully

Snaggletooth

I get it, I get it. The Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits is meant to entertain children, which might be the reason Husband and I were the only two adults sans kids to enter the museum on a recent Saturday afternoon. Even the website makes it seem kid-friendly, luring parents in with a cuddly, cute, albeit entirely unrealistic story called Shasta's Sticky Situations.

But this Shasta story is a ruse, I tell you! Nothing but pure propaganda to get you to the museum, which is full of the bony carcasses of creatures that died in the tar pits long ago. In juxtaposition to Shasta's tale (about a dire wolf pup who makes fast friends with mastodons and bears twice his size), at the museum you can watch a violent 1960s-era cartoon in which animals feast upon one another willy-nilly while the narrator gets way too excited about the carnage. I found the video utterly horrifying, but I glanced around the room at the toddlers, none of whom looked even the slightest bit fazed. Later they ventured into the museum, oohing and ahhing while checking out evidence of these very real cartoon deaths.

Tune Time: Coconut Records

Maybe it's all the rain lately, but I've found I can't get enough of Jason Schwartzman's songwriting. The new Coconut Records CD, Davy, takes off right where Nighttiming left off, in this sort-of hazy dreamstate that lifts the spirits and soothes the soul. Beware the side effects, though. This music makes the listener want to watch "Shopgirl" and "I Heart Huckabees," or maybe that's just me.



Look! Design inspiration, too! Jason Schwartzman, you blow my mind!

Media Minded: The Mentalist

We almost went to a hypnotism show in Las Vegas last weekend, but ultimately we didn't. Can I tell you that I was secretly glad? I watch shows like "The Mentalist," thinking, "Oh, c'mon, no one could ever read my twisted mind, let alone hypnotize it!" But what if they could? What if I ended up on stage mooing like a cow or doing the Roger Rabbit like it was 1988? Worse yet, what if I ended up like the fool on the "CSI" episode who dove off the top of her high-rise apartment building because she was hypnotized into thinking she was diving into the ocean?

On a related topic, check out this list of the top mindfuck movies.

Fashion Forward: Swing Coat

Catalog finds: Newport News + Spiegel

I haven't purchased a winter coat in four years. In fact, the only coat to my name is parked in a hall closet at my dad's house halfway across the country in Clearwater, Kansas. This arrangement, coupled with my fondness of layering, suited me just fine ... till about a week ago.

That's when (a) the West decided to get cold, (b) I became a wimp or (c) some combination of (a) and (b). I shivered up and down Wilshire Boulevard, thinking that all these mild winters had finally spoiled me, that my California self had beaten my inner Kansan into submission. But when the cold breeze and dark skies followed me to Vegas over the weekend and my trusty layering failed miserably, I decided it must be time to give in and buy a coat. Not just any coat. One that is timeless, stylish (so I don't have to turn around and buy a new one in a matter of months).

Enter the swing coat, my favorite classic design. My biggest pet peeve with the majority of coat styles is that so many have tiny armholes. Sleeves bunching up inside? Not cute. Arms packed in like sausage? So not cute. Roomy armholes to accommodate layering and my non-toothpick arms? Totally cute.

Handmade finds: My Black Dress + Linsey Gordon

Design Dialogue: Be My Valentine

Earlier this week, I received a box of candy hearts from a colleague. They were filled with shoddily stamped sentiments like "URA 10" and "IM Me." Needless to say, they were promptly devoured ... this despite the fact that candy hearts always remind me of getting my teeth cleaned. The chalky texture is just like the dry pasty stuff in "minty flavors" that dentists cake on. I'm gagging just thinking about it. But the candy hearts taste vaguely delicious, and you can't beat a positive message like "Fax Me."



Wish you could send a candy heart with a personal message to a friend or loved one? You can here.

Happy V-Day!

Flickr Fridays: #13

1. Albrecht von Hershel - Plague Doctor, 2. there's a monster under my bed., 3. vandals, 4. Three rocks.Dedicated to Anne-Marie., 5. Dark Harvest, 6. Into the fog, 7. come and play with us...day 15 / year 2, 8. More ghosts in the woods, 9. Untitled, 10. The Eye, 11. Why Me, 12. Day 188: The coast is clear

It is Friday the 13th PLUS this is my 13th Flickr Fridays post. (Cue scary music.) Check out these spooky images from Flickr members, and have a great Freaky Friday!

Written Word: Shelfari

I present you with my latest obsession: Shelfari. It's like having my very own library record online, which makes my inner dork squee with delight. As you might've guessed, knowing my obsessive nature, I spent the better part of an hour cataloging all the books on my shelf. Then I tried to remember books I've borrowed from friends and the library, and books I've lent out, and books I've given away ... you see where this is headed.

My favorite thing about the site is that you can create a widget to add to your blog, telling people what you are reading or what's on your wish list. Seeing the widget on the side of this blog reminds me that I need to hurry up and finish that "Cocaine" book already!

Feel free to add me as a friend or send book recommendations. I'm always on the lookout for a good read.

Photoshoot: Las Vegas

The Strip at dusk, 2007

They call it Xanadu, 2007

Sunrise at the Stratosphere, 2008

We're heading off to Las Vegas today for a long weekend of well-deserved fun, penny slots and all-night benders. Wish me luck. I'd hate to lose all 2000 of my pennies.

Chic for Cheap: A Love Inspired Look

All from Modcloth

I love Modcloth, I love red and I love Creature Comforts' Chic for Cheap mission this week.

I went for mod romantic for the upcoming Valentine's Day. Did you notice the heart detail on the red booties? And no, I didn't add a bag. You can stuff some cash in your bra if you're concerned.

Thirty Years and Counting

Some highlights of the past 30 years:

• Sang at Carnegie Hall.
• Climbed a mountain in the pouring rain.
• Boogie-boarded for six straight hours.
• Got married in a garden on a beautiful summer day.
• Graduated magna cum laude from college.
• Snorkeled in 50-feet-deep waters in Hawaii.
• Performed at my brother's wedding.
• Visited Strawberry Fields in NYC, twice.
• Swam in Myrtle Beach by moonlight.
• Learned to play guitar.
• Moved to a big city.
• Worked in a high-rise building.
• Rode a horse in the Rocky Mountains.
• Ran on a white-sand beach.
• Witnessed a tornado pave a path through my town.
• Drank margaritas on Coronado Island.
• Managed an entire newspaper in college.
• Wrote my first novel.
• Co-wrote a screenplay.
• Celebrated 10 years of marriage.
• Saw five Broadway shows.
• Auditioned for 20+ plays.
• Attended an anti-war rally.
• Took advantage of many a last call.
• Was lead singer in a rock band.
• Partied on the Sunset Strip.
• Hiked in Big Sur.
• Camped several summers at a lake in East Texas.
• Opened a store on Etsy.
• Drank champagne at the Top of the World in Las Vegas.
• Gave my parents a 30th anniversary trip to San Diego.
• Voted in every election (local, state and national) since I was 18.
• Spent all but one Christmas with my family.
• Adopted a kitten from the animal shelter.
• Stood in line overnight to buy concert tickets.
• Shook hands with the singer of my favorite band.
• Lived on the East Coast ... and the West Coast.
• Rode the roller coaster at Joyland at least 50 times.
• Worked my first full-time job the summer I was 12.
  
• Woke up to watch the sun rise ... and stayed up to watch the sun rise.

Just like affix to the birthday song, there are "many more." I intended to do 30, but I had so much fun I hit 40. Here's hoping the next 10 years don't go by as fast as writing this list did.

*Thanks for the flowers, Chad and Kelly. They are beautiful!

Fashion Forward: Zig-Zag Prints

Zig zags. They've come a long way since Charlie Brown wore them on his chest, and miraculously they're making a comeback in home decor, jewelry and clothing that I find mighty appealing. Not that the Peanuts character wasn't fashionable with his nearly bald head and dorky shirt. I mean, am I the only person who found the entire sad-sack premise depressing? What kind of woe-is-me message was I being taught as a child, where my young mind was molded by a loser who never got valentines or Halloween candy? Not to mention the notion that all teachers spoke in a shoot-myself-in-the-head wah-wah voice. Maybe that's why the new incarnation of zig zags appeals to me. This time around zig zags are awesome, no suicide attempts attached. Check out these Etsy finds:

Vintage 60s Missoni esque Zig Zag Wool Cardigan by
Some Girls Vintage + Simple Silver ZigZags by Twisted Designs

Market Bag with Adjustable Strap - Spice it Up by Anny & Me

OMG Zig Zags Ring by You're a Dreamboat + The Beatles Zig Zag Love Print by Marco Art

Photoshoot: L.A. at Night

It was the first time I felt like a "real" photographer, carrying my tripod and camera bag across lanes of traffic in downtown Los Angeles, cars whizzing by as I framed the perfect shot. I had Husband by my side, playing the role of awesome assistant, bodyguard and UFO watchman*. We staked out a spot on 4th Street by the 110 Freeway, where there's a perfect unobstructed view of the high-rises.

The photoshoot idea came up in a conversation with my brother. He mentioned he'd like to buy some of my photography, and he went on to suggest a skyline shot. I'm very excited with the way this first corrected photo turned out. It makes me want to drive up to the Griffith Observatory to test the city from above so my bro can choose from a plethora of shots. I'd also like to purchase a wide-angle lens converter so I could retake these shots from 4th street, getting more buildings in a single frame.

*Husband always looks for UFOs. A few of the shots I took have a mysterious red light in the upper center ... more fuel for his extraterrestrial fire.

Design Dialogue: 1950s Fiction

There I was, just minding my own business, at the Salvation Army thrift on Artesia when I came across this shopping cart full of goodies. It was someone's entire collection of hardback 1950s-era fiction. I'm talking 40 books, at least. You better believe I dug in, admiring all the artwork. The designs on these vintage books are so inspired. Especially interesting: "A Scent of New Mown Hay." At first glance, its pastel glory looks enticing, peaceful, perhaps some abstract expressionist flowers; even the title evokes country scenery. Then I saw the fine print: "A novel of action, horror and emotion." Then it hit me. That's blood splatter on the cover. Artistic, pastel blood splatter circa mid-century.

A few of my other favorites:

I wanted to buy the entire lot, but I refrained, snapping crappy cellphone photos to remember the designs.

I brought home only one book: "Forbidden Area," a 1956 sci-fi novel. The jacket synopsis got me with this graph: "Set in Florida and Washington, in a world of supernuclear weapons and supersensitive emotion, Pat Frank's new novel is guaranteed to split the most obdurate atom of reader restraint and cause a nationwide fallout of enthusiasm."

How could I not buy a book with this premise?

Flickr Fridays: #12

1. walkaway, 2. Crimson and Clover - Over and Over, 3. Across the Field, 4. Lunar world

Happy Friday! I've been dreaming of springtime. Let's hope the groundhog was wrong. (Or is he ever right?)

Written Word: Art Journal

It's one of those rare rainy afternoons in Los Angeles. There's nothing like curling up with a good book by a window on a day like today, which I fully intend to do after sharing with you pictures I took of a relic resurrected from my arsenal of high school journals.

Last week, Decor8 posted about the importance of keeping a journal for inspiration, and one of the examples listed was an art journal. It compelled me to find the one I kept when I was a senior in high school ... and now I'm inspired to make a new one!

My 17-year-old self's art journal is full of magazine clippings, photos, doodles, poetry and lyrics I found meaningful at the time. On one page I clipped an ad that says "Your dream is to ____." I filled it in with: "achieve the goals I set out to accomplish." It's a good reminder, is it not? Even my 17-year-old self knew that dreams were 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration.


My 17-year-old self was also deeply involved in music. Here, what a "Simon & Garfunkel" song looked like in my mind.


Beatlemania.


Again.


And again. My obsession with the Fab Four transcends space and time.