PLACEMAT LOVE

My Co-worker Wendi showed me these placemats the other day. They are so pretty. It's a shame they are thrown away after the meal.

BASECAMP

Sometimes it's fun to daydream about things you don't need and could really never afford. This beautiful design by Airstream makes you want a trailer when you've never wanted a trailer before.

OCTOPI LOVE

This beautiful image from Oktapodi

belongs to this wonderful short film. I love it!

YOU CAN TELL A BOOK BY IT'S COVER

I'm a sucker for a good book cover and I'm a sucker for good design. I truely love this design by the art director John Gall. It says so much in such a simple way.


Then we have the following image. It's kind of suggestive. Kind of funny. Doesn't make you feel good like the first book cover, but I don't think it's supposed to. Kind of intriguing.

DISGUISE

I came across this funny idea tonight on the Kieutie Pie Etsy shop, accessories for your inner robot. (Great tag line.) I think I need to get one for all of my coworkers because sometimes you just need to disguise yourself. I do have a Kristina head on a Popsicle stick, but a good spy has more than one mask.


I also think that Kieu's robot magnets are pretty cool.

GROSS

I'm grossed out by this woman's legs. She seriously needs to put on some weight. But it is off this cool website called True Jeans. The website helps you find the perfect fit of jeans. Seriously though, this woman needs to try on something else, cuz this website sho' ain't workin' for her.

LOSES BY A NOSE

This last week I went home for a holiday and my high school reunion. I had a blast, but I'm not sure Jasper did. When he wasn't being attacked by mosquitoes he was being savagely beaten by my nieces cats.

It only took a day for a couple scabs to show up on his poor nose and I'm pretty sure there are puncture marks on his back from where the cat jumped on and rode him bareback. They are just covered by fur.


I think we need a close up.


He's actually looking much better than a couple days ago.

Oh Jasper . . . I think his love of cats may be over; they scared the hell out of him.

STICKS

There is nothing more to say than I love this short film. Some people are so clever. It reminds me of a film that I made back when I was sixteen. Not that I'm saying I'm clever. OK, yes I am, who am I kidding.

CHILDREN'S IMAGINATION

There have been a lot of ugly monsters out there lately. Ugly but strangely cute. My coworker made a couple very adorable ugly monsters that we all oohed an awed over. I came across Lizette Greco's toys on the drawn blog today. So awesome. She creates the monsters from kids drawings.

PAPER TOYS

A while back I made some really cute paper toys at work. I can't find the woman's web site where I found them, but in searching I came across these. They are kind of cute, in a creepy, inventive way.

BETTER BAKERS

At work there are some great bakers. I fail to be one of them. My mom has this amazing chocolate sour cream cake she makes with boiled fudge frosting. So yummy. I told Andrea and Kristina I would make it for their birthdays.

It starts our looking good...

And ends up looking pretty bad...

Apparently I need more instructions than "heat to just below soft ball" on the candy thermometer. It turned into none spreadable fudge right when I place it on the cake. But I thought, I'm going to spread this, damn it, even if it kills me. Well, it didn't kill me, but I think it killed the cake.

I went to bed laughing, because I'm still taking it to work and it's going to be so sad. There are lots of great cooks at work and they are just going to look at poor sad Patti's cake.

It still tastes good. I had a bite just to make sure. Happy Birthday Andrea and Kristina!


In other news, I cut some lilacs for Charlotte. She gave me a bunch of dirt a few weeks ago and I'm finally getting around to thanking her. I want to post the flowers here just in case they get decimated in the car on my way to work this morning. I'm thinking chances are good this might happen. Thanks Charlotte.

WHO DOESN'T NEED ONE OF THESE

Holy cow, I need one of these for work.

COOL JEANS

Seriously, I need to get some current post ideas . . . but moving on.

These are jeans I painted for my very cute niece Jackie over Christmas. It was her mom's idea and they took an incredible amount of time to finish. It stretched into the wee hours of Christmas morning. But totally worth it. On the back of her leg it says Britain, for Great Britain.

MADE IN TAIWAN

I came across this video I made last summer of my childhood friend while visiting her in Taiwan. She is teaching English there and these kids were crazy adorable.

There is this cool, inspiring website, I love Typography with a game for all of my designer friends. Good luck, your reputation may be left hanging by a thread.

MAY DAY BIRTHDAY

Today is my birthday, and it is also a communist holiday. Who knew. Well actually I did because I worked for some Russian Scientists years ago and they informed me. Unite my Commy brothers and celebrate the 8 hour work day and me.


This piece of gorgeousness is my birthday card created by the incomparable Kristina. To celebrate my birthday I decided not to work tonight and instead I hung out with my coworkers. I believe in bringing some kind of work home with me artwork, people, whatever it takes.


These blurry girls are some of the 17 people who showed up for a card club/birthday event tonight. Look at that FOOD. Yum. I ate till I was sick. Lasagna, homemade salsa, salad, dips, breads and chips, Italian sodas, all topped off with chocolate bar cakes cooked for 1 minute in the microwave. Don't knock it till you try it. Awesome! (I think it is funny that Annie is blurry in all the pictures I have of her. She's a woman on a mission.)

I think everyone should have card club on their birthday. It's an instant party and these girls are really fun. These are the cards we made. I requested gift card holders and Kristina came up with some gorgeous designs.



It was a good day. Thanks girls.

MAD SKILZ

This guy Gradus...what else can I say, completely impressive. The kid is adorable. We were laughing pretty hard at work watching him write the letters.



Yes Andrea, I know how to spell and say skills. C'est la vie baby, c'est la vie.

THE NEW YORKER

One reason I love The New Yorker is because they keep illustration alive. So many magazines have done away with illustration in favor of photos or clip art which has led to a real shortage of a meaningful, thoughtful images such as this...


It makes my heart happy to see Peter de Séve's artwork. He's clever while sending a message. And how can you not love this image titled Local Hero's. Painted after 9/11 it's a great commentary on the tragedy...


Anita Kunz is also a really amazing and thoughtful illustrator. I find one of her latest covers for the New Yorker profoundly funny...


I don't know why, but it makes me think of the Hutterites at home. I used to always wonder if they envied us when we wore shorts in the hot summer. This illustration makes me doubt it for some reason. These Hutterite kids are cute aren't they...

CHILLED TO THE BONE

I'm so tired of being cold. I've decided I would rather the earth move towards the sun and not away. Remember this from the Twilight Zone.

FELT FLOWERS FOR SPRING

This last Christmas I seemed to be juggling a lot of craft projects. None of which are completed. As part of a bigger idea I started these felt flowers which were heavily inspired by a very cool felt flower on Heather Bailey's blog. I think now that I have a new niece I should finish the project (to be revealed at a later time) and give it to her.

Here is a close up. I used a running stitch in the pink felt and a blanket stitch in the beige. And don't you just love the covered button? Killer fabric.

I felted (fulled) the beige felt myself from an old wool sweater. What a process that was. Energy efficient washers just don't felt like a good old fashioned water waster.

I'm thinking I should make some kits out there for people to make their own flowers. It really was a good project to keep your hands busy while watching TV. I'll have to mull that idea over.