You're Killing Me, Smalls.

musical robots

2010-08-25T16:55:00.006-05:00

Lesson 1. when it comes to doing commission work: get paid up front. At least a portion of the price. Like a fool I jumped at the opportunity when a web dealer selling art for kids asked me to design some work for them. I would get paid a certain amount per print sold. Awesome! Except that after I had drawn all the designs, they backed out, saying they were under new direction and now selling work only by artists who have gallery representation. Lame.

But anyway, here are the music-themed robots they requested. I'll make prints of them myself eventually.

I did actually get paid to do this drummerbot, but thought it fit in with the theme and should be included.

more plates

2010-07-08T21:56:00.005-05:00

Here are some more plates I made. Tom drew the fox and the cat, I drew the planes. These are small, sandwich size, but I'd like to make bigger ones.

As far as using pots as canvas goes, plates are ideal since they are flat, but then the question of usability comes into play- would you want to eat off a plate with a cat on it? Where do you place the food? How do the colors correlate with most food colors? Should they just be decoration? These are all things I need to experiment with.

And, for the technical details: Cone 10 Stoneware, clear and white glaze, black stain, and orange underglazes.

Sad Clown

2010-06-25T11:08:00.005-05:00

Here's one of my favorite New Yorker cartoons. It was on my fridge, and I wanted to post it in case it gets lost during my move.

Read in style

2010-06-21T14:02:00.003-05:00

If you find your book accessory assortment lacking, head on over to etsy to spice it up with handmade bookmarks, covers, bookends or vintage reading lamps. Typically I use gum wrappers, receipts or plane tickets to mark my page, but I was given an adorable robot bookmark as a gift, which I have been diligent about not losing.

Since I tend to have several books in progress at once, I decided to get another bookmark and found this dino marker for only a buck!

And on my "Favorites" page, I've had these bookends saved for a while. Nonchalant cowboys love holding up books! Also by the same artist: t-rex, "fancy horses," cats and sewing machine bookends.

Minnesota tees

2010-05-10T13:31:00.007-05:00

MFM Apparel is a t-shirt company started by some cool peeps I know, Saman and Erica. Saman designed a threadless tee, which instantly gives him all sorts of art cred. On top of that, he makes cool designs related to Minneapolis and Minnesota- so if you want to represent, check out their website or etsy store. I've got the blue one above and would happily be twinsies. Oh yeah, and they'll be at Uptown Market this year, so look for 'em there!

quilt madness

2010-04-21T21:16:00.008-05:00

I'm in Paducah, KY, during Quilt Week, where some 35-40,000 quilters invade the town. I'm with my mom, debuting her newest book, Nickel Quilts and Borders. She is also doing a series of benefit lectures for Habitat for Humanity, which is pretty cool. The vendors market is new, and needs help getting publicity, so spread the word about Two Hearts Quilt Market. It's in the old Gore's grocery store, which is a little bit out of the way, but completely worth the stop! We plan on coming back next year.

Here is a pic of the new book. I did the graphics. Tell your quilting relatives about it.
Nickel Quilts & Borders by Pat Speth

And! The Best In Show award went to a quilt based on Lord of the Rings.
Tribute to Tolkien by Sue McCarty

plates and drawings

2010-04-02T17:18:00.004-05:00

I've been working with surface textures treatments lately, specifically with various methods of applying stain. Typically stain is applied after a piece has been fired once, bisqued, but with these plates I added stain while they were still greenware. First coating them in wax, then carving away the wax where I wanted the stain to be, I was able to use the clay as a canvas. I was a little nervous about messing up the drawings, so I had Tom draw some as well.

Glazing the plates I also used a completely new-to-me method: coating areas in liquid latex. Layering glazes can be tricky, especially if you want a crisp line, around a drawn image for example, and liquid latex can be applied with a brush and peeled off after you dip the piece in glaze. It was messy, smelly, and I ruined a couple of brushes, but I like the way the plates turned out and will probably use the latex some more.

nerdy embroidery and cross stitch

2010-03-12T12:02:00.005-06:00

These pieces by Joanna are embroidered versions of Kurt Vonnegut's sketches. His self-portrait, the cover of Look at the Birdie, and what you might initially think is an asterisk, is in fact Vonnegut's drawing of an asshole. Awesome.
(via the Magers & Quinn blog)

And then! Cross stitched robots by Krupp. The argyle shirt is made out of recycled material (for curious nerds, binary can be decoded here), and I love the concept of the photobooth bots. Patterns available on etsy.

viewer participation photocomics

2010-02-18T11:12:00.007-06:00

Comics with pictures instead of drawings are called fumetti; the wiki article references A Softer World as well as a series about zombies in a post-apocalyptic world called Night Zero and a self-explanatory spoof comic, Alien Loves Predator.

I've already expressed my love for A Softer World, and word art in general, so I took this one step further and created interactive fumetti to hang in my bathroom. The idea is that anyone can change the words whenever they feel particularly inspired.

I looked through my photos for a series of shots that could easily be edited into three pictures with people interacting, then cropped them as 5x7s and arranged them accordingly. I added white boxes for text, put them in a frame with a glass cover and then taped a dry-erase marker on a string to the frame. I added the initial text to give people ideas, but am happy to say they seem to change fairly frequently. I'm working on my next photo selection (probably something with cats) and plan to change them every few months.

lines, cubes & blues

2010-02-06T14:35:00.010-06:00

Blue is a well-loved color, potters often joke (lamely) about blue glazes being called "cash money blue." The fondness is translated into paintings and drawings as well, for myself at least. I am attracted to two qualities in these artists' work: their color choices and their use of lines. The thick, sketchy linearity alludes to cubism, and they have a solidity to them not easy to create in two-dimensions. Makes me want to grab a sharpie.

Kevan Murray:

Beka Goedde:

Erik Otto:

Foot in the Door @ the MIA

2010-02-03T13:20:00.005-06:00

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts (MIA) is having their fourth Foot in the Door Exhibition, which happens only once a decade, featuring any Minnesota resident that enters a piece. It runs Friday, February 19, 2010 - Sunday, June 13, 2010, with an opening reception on February18th.

The only requirements for the art is that it be smaller than one cubed foot, under 80 seconds if it's a video, and it mustn't contain any liquids, live animals or infestations (dang). So, if you fancy yourself an artist, enter something! I'm submitting the mustache mug shown below and Tom is entering his short film, Call of the Wildman. Pretty rad to say you've got artwork at the MIA!

string dance, human skateboard and opposite art wall

2010-02-01T16:07:00.003-06:00

In honor of Conan I think we should all make flip books. Or just watch this one that someone else already made:

And, sort of like a flip book, but otherwise unrelated, check out this awesome stop-motion video by PES. (Thanks, Tom.)

Finally, here is a minimalist, opposite version of an art wall, which I rather enjoy.

art wall

2010-01-23T11:04:00.010-06:00

Jess and I had piles of art sitting around the apartment with seemingly not enough wall space to properly display it all. Then we realized this was not true. Instead of one or two pieces of art per room, we decided to cover one wall floor-to-ceiling in a collage of art.

The Walker currently has an exhibit, Benches and Binoculars, displayed in a similar fashion, referencing 19th and early-20th century salon-style installations.

The first step to creating an art wall is simply deciding which pieces to include. With the help of friends and cats, the floor was sectioned off in the same dimensions as the wall. We then played a gravity-free version of tetris with the various prints, making sure to have a even spread of size and color.Next, we painted the wall a deep gray, a color that would compliment the art. Possibly the hardest task was finding inexpensive frames for all the non-standard prints.

Finally, an art wall! Most of the pieces are done by local artists, a lot of gig posters as well as purchases from the annual MCAD Art Sale. Some of the prints are by pal Paul Gardner, and some are from other friends' rock shows.

To create a variety of depth and texture we included a few non-traditional art pieces, including a spray painted Minnesota-shaped basket (thrift store find) and Jess's Where the Wild Things Are toilet-paper-roll craft project.

I also filled an IKEA spice rack with gradients of paint and a Lego Indiana Jones. Just because. And to round things off, I used a shadowbox frame for an unfinished sweater from my childhood, which is topped by little robots.

Art walls: attractive, practical and meaningful!

Mikey Burton

2010-01-17T19:30:00.006-06:00

I've been on a gig poster kick lately. Maybe because I finally got around to framing and hanging all of the prints I had lying around. Anyway, Mikey Burton has some sweet designs. Bands I enjoy, books, beer and plaid: what's not to love??

watch out for hop-ons...

2010-01-04T19:02:00.005-06:00

...there's gonna be some hop-ons.

Camper bike by Kevin Cyr.

this year I...

2009-12-26T12:15:00.006-06:00

- drove to both coasts and into Canada.
- started the Uptown Market, with help of friends.
- became a professional artist.
- loved the color purple.
- got my dream guitar.
- started writing songs.
- lost a grandma.
- began calling Minneapolis "home."
- rode a tandem, flew a kite, went to a monster truck show, roller skated.
- won a backyard kubb tournament.
- bought a blue bike.
- had many a drunken, beautiful nighttime rides on said bike.
- went to a lot of amazing concerts, including two in-studio performances (A. Bird & Metric).
- was constantly reminded of how great my friends are, new and old.
- watched movies on the side of a garage.
- made pizza on the grill.
- frequented the beach.
- met a neat guy, who makes me happy.
- found a new favorite author (Murakami).
- painted my face like a cat.
- saw a moose in the wild.
- tried something new, whenever I could.

Pic taken on my Portland road trip, in Gresham, OR.
Idea for this post by Sam, whom I don't really know, but probably should.

fox is the new owl

2009-12-05T11:00:00.006-06:00

I've always been a fan of foxes, growing up with Disney's Robin Hood (oodelally!) and a name that lends itself to easy rhyme association. Maybe we have Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox to thank, but foxes seem to be cropping up more often in arts and crafts as a trendy subject matter. But I suppose they've been popular for a while; Threadless printed their "Foxy" shirt some years ago (which naturally I purchased). And Fuck You, Penguin has been ripping on foxes for some time, which helps their street cred. Anyway. Foxes are neat, and here are a few of my favorite recent images.

Pietari Posti's "Giants" series

Ashley G's Masquerade

Print by Pamela Michelle

And, for "awww" factor:

Books!

2009-11-19T19:37:00.003-06:00

I rearranged my books. Kept the colour-coordination, but decided not to go true ROYGBIV. By adding a couple of floating shelves from IKEA, covering the exposed wall, I was able to place all my books in one spot, rather than on shelves in seperate rooms. Taste the rainbow. Sort of.

flora fauna

2009-11-15T10:12:00.005-06:00

Mr. Paul Gardner knows how to make one snazzy gig poster- check out the entire collection (most available for purchase) at the flora fauna site. The designs are imaginative and uncluttered, with organic, naturalistic subject matter and color schemes. Not only can you show off your excellent taste in music and brag about the the live concerts you've attended, you can also obtain an actual piece of fine, handcrafted artwork. Maybe I'm a little biased as a friend, but I can't wait to hang some on my wall.

and more mugs... with mustaches!

2009-11-04T11:23:00.003-06:00

mugs, mugs, mugs.

2009-11-02T16:31:00.004-06:00

Been spending a lot of time in the studio making mugs. The ravens are custom order, using a method called scraffito, carving away a layer of black slip to create an image. The others are variations on my monster mugs theme.

books! art!

2009-10-26T17:25:00.004-05:00

Mike Stilkey combines some of my favorite things in his work: books and art. Old, decrepit, books. Dark, whimsical, Tim Burton-esque drawings. Some even have cats and bikes; what's not to love?

I have been wanting to combine literature and painting for some time now and have sort of been struggling with the logistics. Tearing out pages of a book and painting over them is my thought, with patches of text showing through, but then do I need to worry about copyrights? Stilkey's solution to incorporating books is simple and the new canvas creates a wonderfully diverse starting point. He also does larger installation pieces, made up of hundreds or thousands of books. Here, he's coated a piano with book covers giving it a collage feel.

pull on the cord, let it take us away.

2009-10-20T21:46:00.009-05:00

I'm currently en route to Portland, and the drive westward reminds me of my road trip with Jess a couple years ago to Albuquerque's Hot Air Balloon Fiesta. I'm not sure how I developed an obsession with hot air balloons, but there is something about them I completely adore. The simplicity of their design. The freedom. The adventure.

Some day, watch for a The Kid Detective's song about their allure.

Here are some of my old photographs from the fiesta as well as some other illustrations and photographs of hot air balloons I find enchanting.

I wanted to hug it.

Watercolour by Raquel Aparicio. The point of view on this piece is absolutely brilliant, as well as the soft colors and use of white space. The balloon is simply part of the flock.
An event poster designed by Minneapolis Fallout Gallery.

Watercolour available for purchase by babouche rouge on etsy.

Jim Datz drawing including hot air balloon and mustaches! win, win.

Dazzling photo on weheartit. I want to go to there.

Wanderlust staitionery by two guitars on etsy.

paper art

2009-10-18T22:22:00.004-05:00

magazine cut-out art by nate page. spooky, no?

Paper Plates. Hah! By Joshua Gajownik. Can't beat nerdy, pun-filled dishes.

Rules, by Laser Bread. Simple, and effective. Makes me want to use thread in more projects.

crossword art

2009-10-14T12:05:00.009-05:00

I mentioned my first attempts at crossword art poems a while back, but have since realized that individual pieces are more coherent. The first step is combining trendy nouns (pirate, t-rex, zombie) with appropriate pairings (arrgh, rawr, brains). Then I digitally design a crossword to fit and finish each one with a small sketch to keep them unique. To stay hip, my next series is going to have to include vampires, narwhals, and maybe bacon...

tetris in our lives

2009-10-11T12:24:00.005-05:00

We all need a little tetris in our lives. With Halloween right around the corner, I am reminded of how amazing a group costume of tetris pieces would be. But impracticality rules it out; how would we dance? How would we drink? I've got another full year to work out these logistics. I still have hope. Photograph above by Patrick Runte- check out his other game inspired works.

A great example of tetris functionality-based designs are shelves. Lauren recieved a birthday gift of tetris shelves similar to the ones below from her new fiancé (congrats)! For those lacking carpentry skills but with ample cash to spend, they are available through Brave Space Design.

And for those without cash or carpentry skills, I urge you to graffiti sketchy neighborhoods with nerdy game references and consider tetris shapes when breaking out windows.

one classy gent

2009-10-06T22:18:00.006-05:00

Probably everyone has seen these college pictures of Obama taken by Lisa Frank in 1980, but I'm quite fond of them so I felt like posting regardless. Also, it makes me want to take more photo shoots of my friends. In black and white. With cigarettes and silly hats.

The intimacy and insights of portraits gets lost with our saturation of photographs on sites like facebook, something that an intentional photo shoot brings about. And besides, you never know who will rise to fame in a few decades.

dreams of flying

2009-10-01T19:02:00.003-05:00

Jan von Holleben is a German photographer, and as seen in his Dreams of Flying series, has been doing the lay-on-the-ground-sideways-so-it-looks-like-you're-upright thing for quite some time. In fact, so confident is Holleben that he originated this idea that he has a "tribute" section on his website, divided into two catergories. "Greetings" are obvious flattery via imitation, including some great fan photos, and "Finds," which might as well read, "I did it first."

Holleben even turned his still photographs into video form, maybe to compete with imitators? Whatever the reason, I think the outcome lovely.

Bell X1 - The Ribs of a Broken Umbrella.

to be young

2009-09-26T12:19:00.005-05:00

My friends just had twins, a boy and a girl. They are beautiful and amazing; I can't wait to watch them grow up. And, admittedly, I'm looking forward to playing with their toys.

Here is a series of creative Lego advertisements.

periodic table of typefaces

2009-09-22T09:13:00.005-05:00

Purchasable formats here, from prints and tees to vinyl wall decals.

things upon which I would like to place my books

2009-09-18T11:42:00.008-05:00

Purple miscellaneous tables and desks on ffffound.

Staircase bookshelves by Tom Sloan at Levitate Architecture.

United States shelves by Ron Arad.

Parentheses shelf by Marcus Breder.

Tree bookcase by Christophe Delcourt.

Painted chest from ffffound.

i'll be home in time for dinner

2009-09-14T10:55:00.004-05:00

Kate Bernauer is an Australian photographer and video artist. Her work is often based on dreams or myths and contains somewhat dark subject matter. I enjoy the dramatic, theatrical lighting and whimsical, though mildly frightening feel it creates.

From her website: The series ‘I’ll be home in time for dinner’ explores the ridiculous and often tragic nature of human experience through the staging of people engaged in strange and often futile activities.

what terrible yellow eyes you have

2009-09-08T09:47:00.004-05:00

Fans of Where the Wild Things Are can enjoy dozens of works of art inspired by Maurice Sendak's book at Terrible Yellow Eyes.

The variety in both style and mediums of contributed work is incredible, ranging from simple sketches to elaborately detailed woodcuts or paintings.

From creator and contributor Corey Godbey:
I have been taken in by Maurice Sendak’s terrible and wonderful monsters.
I love the anger, and the frightfulness, and the joy I find there.
I hope you will find something here as well.

street art by banksy

2009-09-04T10:36:00.005-05:00

Banksy is an English graffiti artist known for his elaborate, detailed stencil designs. His most recognizable works tend to be satirical, critiquing politics and popular culture. He also brilliantly incorporates part of his "canvas" structure or other pre-existing entities into his designs. See more of his work here, along with his vague manifesto.

the texture. the color.

2009-09-01T23:34:00.006-05:00

Andrew Bannecker does prints I simply adore. He's well known, does national advertising, gig and event posters, and is asked to special exhibits at galleries. But maybe you don't know him, and so I would like to share a few of my favorites.

everything's better, down where it's wetter.

2009-08-26T17:31:00.003-05:00

Under the Sea photography by Dustin Humphrey. He's known for his action surf shots, so Insight hired him to do a line of artsy underwater photos. Brilliant.

64 Luft Balloons

2009-08-21T10:31:00.005-05:00

Ze Germans love their balloons. And art. ATOM is a performance by Â Monolake and Christopher Bauder for a matrix of 64 gas balloons, lights, and sound. From the website:

A room is filled with deep, evolving noises from a four-channel sound system. An eight-by-eight array of white, self-illuminated spheres floats in space like the atoms of a complex molecule.

Through variable positioning and illumination of each atom, a dynamic display sculpture comes into being, composed of physical objects, patterns of light, and synchronous rhythmic and textural sonic events. Change, sound, and movement converge into a larger form.

ffffound

2009-08-13T21:10:00.004-05:00

FFFFOUND is my new obsession, a website for image sharing. The catch: you have to be invited. Designers and artsy folk post their favorite images, so the quality is top-notch. I don't really care about posting images, I simply want to be able to save them to put in my "inspiration" file, which is why I'd like to figure out exactly who I need to harass to become a member.

Here are some things I've ffffound:
Collages by Eleanor Wood

Take Me With You, a Polaroid photo exchange. Graphics by James Joyce at One Fine Day.

Other random goodies:

i can read

2009-07-23T10:29:00.004-05:00

I'm just discovering tumblr blogs, where you can repost images on your own blog, assuming it's also a tumblr. It's an easy way of keeping track of things you like and sharing them; I may have to tumbl.

One such blog, i can read, features images with text. Some images are great, others not so much. They tend to lean a little to the overly romantic/mushy side, or even akin to inspirational posters you might find in a guidance councelor's office. Nevertheless, I submitted my Say Anything robot with text and it's getting loads of comments and re-posts. There are enough interesting images to keep me checking, anyway.

uptown market photos (july)

2009-07-22T12:27:00.003-05:00

The second Market was a huge success; thanks to all those who helped out and attended. Here is the link to the Flickr photostream. More images to come.

I was too busy manning my booth and painting ironic mustaches to go shopping, but I definitely plan to make some purchases in August.

wordsmithing

2009-07-12T23:48:00.008-05:00

I've been meaning to incorporate text into my art for some time now. After a failed attempt to use letterpress text on ceramic tiles (which I eventually will retry), I've decided to try out some digital wordsmithing. To get started I did some images in the style of A Softer World. Then I tried adding text to images I've already created, which gives them a greeting card feel. Now I've just got to come up with a new concept. Turn gears, turn.

dancing robots & spoonbridge cherry

2009-07-10T13:20:00.004-05:00

new work. available @ the july 19th Uptown Market.

chalk animation stop motion

2009-07-07T11:07:00.001-05:00

Firekites - AUTUMN STORY - chalk animation from Lucinda Schreiber on Vimeo.

Thanks for the link, Amber.

ceramic decals

2009-06-29T12:15:00.005-05:00

I've been working on ways to combine my illustrations with pottery, and it seems decals are the obvious answer. Though there are many methods of making decals for ceramics, from screen printing glazes to ordering online, the easiest method is simply using a laser printer and special decal paper. The iron oxide in the ink fuses with the glaze during an additional firing at a low temperature, essentially making every piece a blank canvas. Oh, the possibilities.

one down, three to go.

2009-06-23T17:17:00.005-05:00

The first Uptown Market was last Sunday, and I think a successful first event. The weather could have been better, all the people that signed up could have shown up, but nevertheless I was happy with the turnout. There were some great vendors and a steady flow of traffic despite the drizzle and competing Stone Arch Festival. Check out the photostream here.

Highlights were the MagicBus Cafe, a blue grass band, Andy Schmidt's ability to make it rain, artwork falling to the ground on Carissa's watch, and my tent almost flying over the fence and onto the Greenway. Next Market is July 19th. We hope to have more produce vendors and will make other general improvements.

Thanks to all those who helped make the Uptown Market happen. I like blog writer Carrie Obry's grasp of what we want the market to become, and how amazing it is that we have come this far being completely volunteer based. It's a learning experience, to be sure. Baby steps, Bob. Baby steps.

wild things

2009-06-15T10:37:00.006-05:00

My two favorite childhood books, Bill Pete's Cowardly Clyde and Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, feature rather large monsters; I'm not sure what this says about me. But I do know that pretending to be a fierce creature is fun, which is why I want these reversible bandannas, which are temporarily out of stock from their etsy store.

And also, you should probably watch this trailer again, just because.

the bean bag predicament

2009-05-29T09:21:00.006-05:00

I've been slacking, I know. Here's one I started a while back.

Lawn games are tough on the equipment, to be sure, which leads me to the predicament of figuring out how to make durable, washable bean bags. The material is easy enough, upholstery fabric should do the trick. But the guts? Previously I used popcorn, but I was worried that they would rot or pop during washing. Beads? Beans could rot too? Tough. Store-bought bags are filled with sand, and aside from the "free sand" aspect, they leave something to be desired. So I went with Stensby's idea of varnishing the popcorn, hopefully sealing it. Any other suggestions are welcome...

My bean bag recipe:
6 inch squares upholstery fabric
Double stitched, 1/4" inseams
Just shy of 1 cup varnished beans per bag

A bean bag that has it figured out: Mean Bags. Embroidered with insults, you simply throw the Mean Bag at the offender. Brilliant.

faux vintage

2009-05-05T19:28:00.005-05:00

I've been really jealous of Sarah and her old-timey camera (this one or something similar), so I decided how to learn how to make digital pictures look old. Turns out it's pretty easy. Assuming you have Photoshop, that is. You can mess around with the filters, softening the image and changing the hue/saturation OR you can download an action file, which I didn't know existed until yesterday. Someone else does all the work; all you have to do is press "Play." Then you can add layers of actual lenses- people take pictures of their dirty lenses so you can use them in Photoshop. Pretty rad.

craftstravaganza

2009-05-04T11:55:00.004-05:00

St. Paul's Craftstravaganza was held this past Saturday, which myself and a carload of crafty friends attendend. I was somewhat underwhelmed, there were no useful wooden items afterall, but it was good to do some Uptown Market promotion. I finally met Adam Turman, who is designing a promotional poster for the market. Other highlights included: learning what a Chupacabra is, neat designs by Michelle Brusegaard, driving around the empty fairgrounds, stopping at Eden Pizza, and of course, Stensby's ensemble of bedazzled glasses, capuccino, and American Apparel Scarf.

like a cowgirl, baby

2009-04-27T11:11:00.003-05:00

Last week I bought a new-to-me guitar. I'm searching for a truck. And since I already have the boots, I opted for shiny new high-tops.

The guitar is a '97 Gibson Les Paul double-cut studio edition. And, also important, it's a rockin' sun-burst red. The truck is going to be tiny and adorable, for hauling art stuffs. Probably a Ford Ranger. And the shoes... well I've already mentioned those. And now they are mine, and every bit as gnarly as I'd hoped. I've also recently brought the viola back from retirement, and I've got about a thousand vintage western shirts, so all I really need now is a horse.

there will be snacks, there will

2009-04-13T23:52:00.003-05:00

Through some sort of birthday karma, Jess won tickets to see Andrew Bird in-studio at the Current. Lucky me, I was her plus one. It was pretty amazing getting to be so up close and personal with mr. bird and his minneapolis accompaniment. He rocked out in argyle socks. And he uses the same looping box that I got for christmas, so it's high time I learned how to use it.

I haven't posted nearly enough about quilts.

2009-04-06T12:01:00.005-05:00

So, here is a new quilt, named "Hopscotch" for obvious reasons, that will be featured in the next Nickel Quilts book. Momma Speth and I just placed the fabric today, these are two lines from Moda Fabrics that I picked out (since I'm getting the quilt). Typically my mom uses all sorts of random, scrappy fabrics, but Moda gave her a bunch of fabric to use since it's free promotion for them. And I dig it. Butterflies! Scissors! There will be a pieced border and teal sashing, if that means anything to you.

uptown market fancypants website

2009-04-04T14:19:00.003-05:00

www.uptownmarket.org has taken shape, and now holds a lot of info. So start telling your friends & family, artists, farmers, anyone that might be interested. There is a vendor sign-up form and everything.

And if you want to help out promoting this thing, posting flyers, wearing a sandwich board etc. just let me know.

when you commission art

2009-03-29T18:58:00.002-05:00

Maybe wait until the artist has graduated from college until you commission art from them. I'm not saying I don't like the painting, I do, but it's quite a ways off from what I requested. Not the same colors, or the same size. Not the same all-over intricate detailing that drew me to the original piece that I based my commission on. And it took a solid two months longer than it was supposed to. Luckily, I'm an easy going gal, and appreciative of most art. At least she remembered that I wanted a whale.

RAWR.

2009-03-17T11:51:00.003-05:00

Monster mugs. More to come.

want. want. want.

2009-03-12T20:22:00.004-05:00

When I was in middle school I wanted to be a shoe designer. True story. I had sketch books full of shoes, mostly resembling Vans and Airwalks. I'm not sure how one becomes a shoe designer, so I settled for being an avid shoe purchaser. But now you can do both! Nike and Puma, and I'm sure every other brand has their own design program. I'll hopefully be purchasing these gnarly purple & lime kicks in the not-so-distant future. (Thanks, xian).

Uptown Market

2009-03-09T23:05:00.017-05:00

I've chatted many a ear off about the Minneapolis Uptown Market that I'm organizing, and now I'm writing about it. The first of many entries, to be sure. Deal with it.

Inspired largely by Seattle's Fremont Market, here is our Mission Statement:

The Uptown Market is a venue to enhance the quality of life for the community through the gathering of local artisans, craftspeople, small business owners, area farmers, and neighbors. A place where small vendors can come and sell their goods to the public, the Uptown Market unites the community. The Uptown Market will offer an opportunity for community organizations to outreach to the public.

Progress is being made! We've decided on a location pending approval: 29th street between Lyndale and Dupont. I've also designed a logo (that may be replaced by a contest winner at some point), and the most excellent mr. freeberg has put together www.uptownmarket.org, which will no doubt be amazing as we progress. Details as they occur.

comic art-eth!

2009-03-03T22:56:00.006-06:00

I've been working on digital collages of comics, both classics and webcomics, and then using them as a background for word bubbles, painting a light coat over all but the text. Classic comics include words like Kapow! Zing! and Thwip! while the webcomic pieces include Gah! OMG! and Blurg! I'm on a continual hunt for interesting words to turn into painted, action-bubble art. Jeff G. found a link showing all the action words on the original Batman television series, my favorites are the ones with "eth" as a suffix. Ouch-eth. Whack-eth.

stop motion amazingness

2009-02-25T09:54:00.001-06:00

Recycled, Useful Art

2009-02-23T23:14:00.008-06:00

Circuit board book ends. Beer can belt buckles. Coasters made of vinyl records. Cufflinks made from Lego pieces. It seems like everyone on etsy is doing their part to be green, and it's got me thinking... what can I make? I definitely have enough crap laying around, not to mention the neglected piles of goodies from my deceased landlord in the basement. I am particularly fond of these bags made out of old suits, and plan on purchasing one. Time to get the creative gears a'turnin.

The Print Gocco ship has sailed.

2009-02-19T22:25:00.008-06:00

I'm totally bummed I didn't know about the Print Gocco until it was too late. A small do-it-yourself screen printing system with endless possibilities. An estimated 1/3 of Japanese households have them, mainly to design New Year's cards. I want to start using stencils/decals on my pottery, and of course would want to make t-shirts, totes, cards etc. Unfortunately it's not being produced any longer, and the only place to find them is on ebay for a couple hundred dollars. Gah. I guess I'll have to settle for the less-cool, squeegee kits that you can find at Urban Outfitters.

Pride & Prejudice & Zombies

2009-02-14T11:13:00.004-06:00

You've probably already heard about this book a million times, but I just wanted to make a post on the slim chance that you hadn't. I am ridiculously excited about it (release date April 15) and can't wait for the BBC movie adaptation.

From the Publisher:
"Pride and Prejudice and Zombies features the original text of Jane Austen’s beloved novel with all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie action. As our story opens, a mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton—and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she’s soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy. What ensues is a delightful comedy of manners with plenty of civilized sparring between the two young lovers—and even more violent sparring on the blood-soaked battlefield as Elizabeth wages war against hordes of flesh-eating undead."

Nickel Quilt Love

2009-02-12T15:18:00.006-06:00

Amazing Nickel Quilts has been a constant best-seller for the largest quilting distributor, Checker, for the past couple months, but has recently taken over spot number one. This makes me happy. Way to go, Momma Speth. Round two of printing, here we come.

crafty chic

2009-02-03T07:44:00.004-06:00

Recycled ties as a dress? Brilliant. It's crafty, sexy, and green. Available on etsy, at a shop named Glamarita.

Robots

2009-02-01T08:37:00.007-06:00

Everybody loves robots. Affirmative. So why not draw some? I sketched this guy doing various human-like activities, gave him a smirk and named him Charlie. Voila. Adorable, forlorn robot.

Suggestions of things you'd like to see Charlie doing?

a new kind of cover art

2009-01-22T16:41:00.003-06:00

Maybe you should judge a book by its cover. Or at least take creative photos with it. I came across Corpus Libris, a blog dedicated to such photos, while reading the Magers and Quinn blog. There are other sites like Toxel.com that have similar photo essays. I might have to see if any of my books have inspirational covers.

tonight, we dance.

2009-01-18T11:17:00.004-06:00

Two words: Equalizer t-shirt.
It actually works, lights jumping along with your thumping tunes. But I'm torn. Naturally I want one, as it is both nerdy and a t-shirt, but I can't decide if it's simply amazing or amazingly annoying?

It would have to be a special occasion item, but I'm not sure what occasions since my days of going to raves are, well, nonexistent. Or could it be utilized on a regular day? Perhaps at a stoplight when someone else pulls up next to me with their bass blaring; or at the mall, while walking by Abercrombie.

Big decisions, indeed.

current projects part deux

2009-01-13T11:08:00.016-06:00

I really liked the idea of crossword poetry, so I'm working on a way to make individual crossword pieces with just one word that can be part of a larger group. I painted one set and did the other in Illustrator, still trying to decide which I like better. Each panel is zoomed in differently, so the entire puzzle is typically not showing.

One reads: Monkey. Knife. Fight. (A Minus the Bear song title that I really enjoy.) And the other is:
I saw a
kite in a tree
it made me
think of you.

Have something you'd like as a crossword poem?

I have also been working on a commissioned "Defeated Lion" series, the idea focusing on the loser of a battle instead of the glorified king of the jungle. An interesting concept, though I can't take credit for it. So I found pictures of lions and edited them in both Photoshop and Illustrator. Then I printed the image, attached it to a canvas, painted over it with oils, and finished them with a thick epoxy varnish.

current projects

2009-01-06T18:34:00.011-06:00

Lately I've been feeling like a genuine artist, getting paid to make art, go figure. I made this painting for a friend whose only requirements were: abstract, soft, pink and gray. This friend is rather "girly," so I went for abstract flower things with a stenciled background, using acrylics and resin for a slightly glossy finish. 36" x 48" on canvas.

Then I wanted to paint something for myself, so I decided to make a series of vinyl record paintings, each on a different colored background with embroidered stitching to give it a crafty feel, inspired by a Threadless tee. I'm mildly obsessed with the four-color combo I've chosen, but agree with Christian about CMYK, and plan to do a series in that as well. 12" x 12" on canvas. Acrylic, thread, ink, paper. Naturally available on my etsy store, but currently hanging on my wall since I'm so fond of them.

an experiment

2009-01-02T15:47:00.006-06:00

My book club book this month is No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July. It is dark, funny and lovely. She has a website for the book where she writes on kitchen appliances.

A quote from Mr. Kurt Vonnegut

2009-01-01T22:47:00.005-06:00

"Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something."

-Vonnegut, A Man Without A Country

A lousy poem:

Remember that time
I thought narwhals were fiction?
Thanks for not laughing.

Schadenfreude

2008-12-29T22:04:00.004-06:00

Have you seen these inbred rolling pigeons? It makes me sad. And yet, it makes me laugh. Hard.

Let the right one in.

2008-12-19T20:57:00.005-06:00

Michael Scott: A woman shouldn't have to be hit by a car to learn that she has rabies.

There was a bat in our house, which Jake caught with a blanket and released outside, breaking all the rules printed on the neon orange flyer given to me by a nurse from the Department of Health and Human Services. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention you're supposed to wear thick rubber gloves and capture the bat in a plastic tub of some sort, since their teeth can pierce through cloth. Then you're supposed to bring the bat in and have it tested for rabies. Oops. Who has the control to think logically when there is a bat in the house?

Recently I listened to an episode of This American Life, the Halloween program in fact, where Ira Glass takes a moment to make a public service announcement about how imperceptible bat bites are, how you can actually sleep through them. This got me (and some concerned friends) in a bit of a panic, but after doing a little more reading I realized this warning was mostly for sound-sleeping young children. I like to think that if a bat bit my face, which was my only exposed skin, that I would feel it. And so that's what I'm going with. No rabies shots for me. The animal control guy (who happened to be at the house replacing squirrel traps) agreed, as did a nurse and my mom. Good enough for me. I'll report back if I feel any numbness, tingling or strange afflictions to sunlight, cats and garlic.

And while I'm on vampires, check out this trailer for an amazing Swedish film, Let the Right One In. A love story with vampires = winning combo.

My top 10 albums of 2008

2008-12-16T23:36:00.004-06:00

10. Fleet Foxes - Self titled

9. Okkervil River - The Stand-Ins

8. Conor Oberst - Self titled

7. Girl Talk - Feed the Animals

6. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

5. The Black Keys - Attack & Release

4. DeVotchka - A Mad & Faithful Telling

3. Noah & the Whale - Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down

2. The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely

1. Mates of State - Re-arrange Us

This is based mostly on my itunes playcount. Honorable mentions go to Ryan Adams & The Cardinals, Dr. Dog, Black Kids and Vampire Weekend.

stuff catz like

2008-12-14T22:41:00.004-06:00

So maybe you heard me mention this other blog I was starting, www.stuffcatzlike.com. I'm finally putting up the link; I wanted to wait until I had a couple entries. If you don't like cats and painfully obvious "it's funny because it's true" humor, then maybe you don't want to check it out. And thanks to Jake for getting me set up.

Some Rad Vids

2008-12-11T12:27:00.001-06:00

Maria Bamford's version of Old McDonald

pterodactyl

Mario Kart Love Song

Chickens Break up a rabbit fight

This hat is awesome.

2008-12-07T13:22:00.003-06:00

I have to figure out to make these. Apparently you have to jump through hoops to order them, and at $135 each it definitely qualifies as a worthwhile "I could make that" project. Plus I could alter the pattern and color- Sam Elliot, Charlie Chaplin, French guy, scarves, neck warmers etc. I foresee a mustached winter ahead.

Christmas Wishlist

2008-12-04T14:19:00.035-06:00

Hirst's Skull - A diamond encrusted human skull valued around 100 million dollars, making it the most expensive piece of contemporary art to date.

Roxie and the Hooligans - The tale of a brave young girl facing a gang of hooligans. I would like it better if Roxie was a hooligan, though I do like it as a potential band name.

Slave Monkey - Monkeys trained to do simple tasks for the physically impaired. Laziness counts as a disability, right?

And A Bottle of Rum - A slightly more accurate Drunk History in book form. History and booze just go together so well.

Tetris Magnets- Or pretty much anything from this site.

Pirate Toast Stamper - Life isn't complete without one.

Exploding Dog "I Hate Technology" laptop skin. Because when your computer crashes or you download a virus you can be reminded of how you really feel about technology as you slam the lid shut.

A Giant Pen

"Mixed Up" Clock - The numbers are rearranged and I find this far more amusing than it actually is.

Melodica - Awesome instrument on which I would assuredly play that Michael Jackson Free Willy song.

Home Laser Tag set - Think of the possibilities.

Rock Band 2 - Along with the game system since I am still rocking the N64.

Tandem Bike - Oh the places we would go.

The Clapper - As seen on TV.

This adorable little French Girl- Maybe I could just borrow her?

Once upon a time... from Capucha on Vimeo.

Friendsgivings

2008-12-03T14:20:00.004-06:00

Two Thanksgivings. Two Turkeys. No family. I love my family, but I have to admit spending this past holiday with friends was a fine time. I indulged in being carefree and acting like a kid, something I can't do when I'm visiting home. Rollerskating. Ouija. Airplanes and card tricks. We even set up a video camera in a "confessional" room à la MTV's Real World. It makes me want to pack up a carload of my friends and bring them to Iowa this Christmas, though I'm not sure how the Grandmas would cope with DVD Power Hour and the "Guess which state I'm thinking of" game.

I've been on a nostalgic activities kick lately, and I'm not sure exactly what that means. Laser tag was every bit as fun last week as it was 10 years ago, although admittedly I don't think I got winded after playing two games as a teenager. And rollerskating brought back fond memories of awkward middle school dates and my dad chaperoning a van-full of my friends. I've always acted like a kid and figure I always will, and it makes me happy that I'm surrounded by people who feel the same.

Some people are thankful for their families, some for their toy soldiers and grass; I'm thankful for those things as well as lobster-shaped Jell-o, grandma chairs and Friendsgivings.

Ovaltina My Goat* I Have an Addiction

2008-11-23T01:17:00.006-06:00

It could be worse. I could be like Ed Norton's character in Rounders, or Fight Club, for that matter. Or I could be that addict who steals their mom's television for drug money only to have their arm infected and amputated. So all things considered, it's not so bad.

T-shirts. Ahhh I love them. So soft. So colorful. I think I've already mentioned the Stuff White People Like article about t-shirts, which pretty much sums up my love for them. Between Woot and Threadless I'm covered... and then some. But seriously, $5 sales or $10 American Apparel tees with no shipping, you can't beat that. And later on maybe I'll turn them into a quilt. So, not only do I have an addiction, I'm also trying to justify it. Great.

*On Woot forums they fill in overused phrases like "OMG" with funny substitutions, Ovaltina My Goat being one. It made me laugh for a long time once I figured out what the hell was happening.

On Air

2008-11-15T11:52:00.006-06:00

Live streaming videos of anything and everything can be found on the interweb, puppies doing puppy things to name one. Jake in all his glory to name another (I'll let him post the website at his discretion). Don't we have better things to do beside watch puppies licking each others' nether regions or witnessing Jake's first attempt to make oatmeal cookies? No, no we don't.

To be fair, most of us are capable of multitasking; I was continually flipping between Jake's cooking show and updating my etsy store. But there is something magical about seeing things on the internet that I just can't explain. When Cole and Cecilia made an appearance it was honestly like watching a tv show with guests. And the best part was that after the cookies were done I was able to drive over and test them out. Quite delicious, if you were wondering.

So now I'm thinking of things in terms of how entertaining they would be via streaming video. For instance, I presently have a squirrel trapped in a cage on my window ledge and two cats eagerly watching its every move. And the day before the same squirrel was inside my wall, scratching and thumping around to the point where I honestly thought it might come bursting into my living room. Would these make good videos? Probably not. While intense situations, (for me anyway), it's just not the same as being able to tell Jake to take his shirt off and have him giggle in response.

Free Puppies For Everyone!

2008-11-09T08:05:00.004-06:00

I'm a little sad Tina Fey won't be making an appearance on SNL every week as Sarah Palin, but mostly I'm happy. Very happy.

Even my dad voted for Obama. My dad! This is a guy that watches Bill O'Riley religiously and whose beliefs aren't exactly progressive. Whatever his reasons, (I'm pretty sure he is now expecting free health care,) it's still a big step for my dad. Huge. Like when my brother and I showed him how to email. I guess everyone can change; yes, they can.

Barack the Vote.

2008-11-04T11:05:00.006-06:00

It will be interesting to see the numbers for voting turnout; I honestly can't believe there are people out there who don't vote. Man.

I have seen some pretty funny public service announcements encouraging people to vote, and I particularly like this one, where Colin Meloy (The Decemberists) borrows an audience member's camera during a show.

Happy Halloween.

2008-10-31T09:49:00.002-05:00

Here's my Trogdor jack-o-lanter; check out its majesty and consummate Vs. Burninating all the people and the pumpkin paaaaaaatches!

Some of the other pumpkins we carved; I think they turned out pretty well. Stay positive. Drink Summit. Too bad squirrels ate them...

Quiltmania

2008-10-29T14:36:00.004-05:00

Oct. 23-28, Houston, TX. International Quilt Market, followed by the International Quilt Festival, is annually the largest convention center event in Houston, with over 53,000 quilters in attendance. I arrived for the business part of it, to debut Amazing Nickel Quilts.

The book was well received; when informed that a new Nickel Quilt book was available, reactions ranged from squeals of delight, declarations of "God bless" and "About time," to spontaneous hugs. Literally, hugs were given because my mom had written another book.

To catch the attention of store owners as they zipped up and down the aisle we asked if they were familiar with the Nickel Quilts books. The majority said yes, but some new store owners understandably didn't know about the books. After one such quilter admitted her lack of Nickel Quilt knowledge, a woman in our booth actually scolded her and I was afraid a brawl might break out. I could just imagine the carnage of broken hips and loose dentures. Luckily, it didn't come to that; Momma Speth was happy to educate everyone about Nickel Quilts with an ingenious marketing ploy of giving out free copies of the book to store owners. Hopefully everyone will fall in love with the book, I mean, how could they not?

Nickel Quilts booth- Pat Speth center, quilting buddy June on left and me.

Almost Famous

2008-10-20T16:48:00.000-05:00

On Friday morning I used the delay on my coffee maker for the first time, set at the completely ridiculous brew-time of 4:15am. The pitch-black drive on an empty interstate and overwhelming feeling of excitement and nervousness added to the surrealness of the experience; it felt more like I was headed to the airport, about to depart on a month-long European adventure, than what I was really doing, driving to St. Olaf to be an extra in A Serious Man.

At the exit for Northfield there was a bizarre mimicking of the scene in Field of Dreams, with a line of hundreds of cars all driving toward the same place, headlights cutting through the dark in perfect unison. Once parked in a far-away lot, all the extras were shuttled to the abandoned science building where the day's scene was to be shot. We were ushered into a large lecture hall, "Extras Holding" posted above the entrance. After being divvied into groups we were sent to get our wardrobes, change, and come back for hair and make-up. This took approximately three hours.

There were roughly 120 "physics students" lounging about the lecture hall, all with extremely high-waisted pants and skirts. Lots of plaid and yellow ochre. Nerds galore. Big hair caused the place to reek of hairspray. I snuck out of "holding" as much as possible to snoop around, checking out the adjacent lecture hall where we would actually be shooting the scene. The Coen brothers were wandering around as well; I went in the breakfast buffet line behind Joel.

The actual shooting finally began around noon. We lined up and were assigned seats as we came down the center staircase in a smaller classroom. I was put in the third row, maybe four seats from the center, a good location. In the front of the classroom a chalkboard spanned from floor to ceiling, every inch covered in equations and theories. The scene is this: the main character, a college professor, is having a dream about teaching a large lecture and amongst the students is his nemesis. As he finishes giving the lecture the students leave and the seated man stays behind; they have a conversation and ultimately the main character gets his head smashed into the chalkboard. Unfortunately the head-smashing took place after we, the students, left, so we didn't get to see any action shots.

I was amazed at how much went into one scene. Fourteen hours, and they weren't even done shooting the parts that didn't need extras when we were cut. They shot the scene about a dozen times from the back and again from the front. I won't get to be in the shot from the front, they did a narrower view and I wasn't so lucky to be seated in the front row. Too bad, since I'm sure I wouldn't have to have been told by Ethan Coen twice to avoid looking at the camera like some other kid.

It was great fun though; a once-in-a-life-time experience, trite but true. And I know the scene won't get cut because it has the line, "I'm a serious man."

I wasn't supposed to take pictures, but luckily I'm sly.

Lecture Hall filled with extras, lined up the aisles to get their hair and makeup retouched.

Uber nerdy outfit. They added the horn-rimmed glasses last-minute.

I could have stolen Joel Coen's jacket!

My New Toy

2008-10-16T17:16:00.000-05:00

I recently bought a DSLR, a Canon Rebel XSi, and finally took it out for a shoot around town. I had the same manual camera model and thought most of the features would translate, which of course they don't. But I am happy with the camera so far, and definitely need to spend some quality time with the user manual. Anyway it's good to feel motivated to take pictures again; somehow my old digital which requires me to manually pry open the shutter before using it (and getting fingerprint smudges on the lens) didn't provide a great deal of inspiration.

More "artsy" photos to follow, but here are some standard pics of Minneapolis landmarks.

When Shipping Embryos

2008-10-10T14:12:00.000-05:00

I was on the FedEx website, looking up rates to send a small package to Mexico. To make sure no restrictions apply you are required to select what type of item you are sending. Scrolling down to find "electronics" I noticed one had the option of selecting "embryos." Unfortunately it states, "Embryos: FedEx prohibits the international shipment of human or animal embryos."

This begs the question though, what is their policy on the domestic shipment of embryos?

Slapping Infants

2008-10-08T12:43:00.000-05:00

I was out drinking the other night when one of my friends noticed an origami fortune teller wedged behind the drink specials. This immediately cheered me up, bringing back memories of junior high, at least until the fortune I picked predicted that I would commit suicide. Needless to say I gave it another go, this time the paper seer suggesting I ought to find some infants to slap. Much better.

I like this idea though, of planting fortune tellers. They are hilariously entertaining, and how often can you tell a stranger that they should commit suicide, never wear that hideous top, or reconsider their mustache without facing negative repercussions? It could be a public service, like those guys that traveled across America fixing typos, we could start a movement leaving advice-filled fortune tellers wherever we go. Now all I've got to do is think of a catchy acronym. That and avoid defacing national monuments.

I'll Dream I'm Flying Tonight

2008-10-06T16:49:00.001-05:00

www.explodingdog.com

Mates of State T-T-Tonight!

2008-09-29T12:21:00.000-05:00

Mates of State is playing tonight at the Fine Line, touring for their most recent album, Re-arrange Us, probably my favorite record this year. Come wearing a mildly creepy animal costume and be ready to sing and dance your heart out. Doors at 7:00.

Thinking of You.

2008-09-26T10:18:00.000-05:00

My mom forwarded me an email with the photo below, saying it made her think of me. Sweet, right? Surely the picture would be one of me when I was a toddler, making a ridiculous mess with paints or a chocolate cake, or something along those lines. Nope.

Behold: people drinking from gynormous cups.

Thanks, Mom.

And you better believe I googled "giant plastic cups" only to discover they are hard to find and uber expensive. Bummer. Imagine the flippy cup possibilities.

Everyone is Becoming Actors

2008-09-22T11:00:00.000-05:00

We Became Actors played a last-minute show this weekend at the Nomad, finding a drummer in a matter of days. It was fun to finally see the guys play; after a few months with no shows I was beginning to wonder if all of this "We're in a band" business was just a ruse to attract the ladies. But turns out they are a real, performing band, even one that brings in more than half the crowd. Nicely done, gents.

But enough about them, on to other big news... I'm going to be in a movie!!! The next Coen brothers' film, A Serious Man, is being shot presently in a Minneapolis suburb. Auditions for extras were about a month ago, and after not hearing back from them I assumed I didn't make the cut. But last Friday I got a call informing me that I was picked to be in a classroom scene that shoots on October 20th. And in a few weeks I'll go in for hair and costume consultation; since it's set in the 1960s everyone gets a custom-made outfit, bullet-bra included.

Now I'm not expecting much, especially after watching the BBC show Extras, I'll be lucky to have my arm in a shot for a couple seconds. Mostly I'm excited to see the behind-the-scenes action. At the audition we were given guidlines telling us we couldn't bother other cast or crew members, but I can't help hoping that one of the Coens will spot me doing something ridiculous and develop an immediate fondness for me, like Kramer and his Woody Allen movie: These pretzels are making me thirsty.

Best of Craigslist

2008-09-18T11:31:00.000-05:00

Wow. Christian just rocked my world by introducing me to the Best of Craigslist. Enjoy.

Oh Craigslist, you've done it again.

2008-09-17T17:21:00.000-05:00

A month or two ago one of my friends came across a Craigslist post offering a single Chumbawamba CD, and several of us emailed the poster, feigning interest in the album. Maybe this was cruel, but surely the woman had to have a sense of humor about it? After all, she took the effort to post a CD that peaked over 10 years ago and that you can find at most Goodwills for 75cents.

Well ladies and gents, Craigslist has delivered again. Kate found this post and thoughtfully informed me, maybe hoping I could round up a bunch of sarcastic jerks to torment this poster. And clearly, they deserve it. $20 for a chip?? The thing doesn't even have Florida.

It's Done! It's Done! (Amazing Nickel Quilts).

2008-09-15T11:06:00.000-05:00

Nine months in the making, the third installment of Nickel Quilts is complete. Introducing: Amazing Nickel Quilts.

Am I a quilter? No. But I stare at little quilt blocks on my computer all day and design page layout and other miscellaneous graphics. So, search your mind for any quilters in your family that might be interested in an (Amazing Nickel) quilt book and send them to patspeth.com. The official release date is going to be October 23rd at the International Quilt Market in Houston, TX, but will be available a few weeks earlier through the website.

The idea is to make an alphabet of books, "A" is for "Amazing, "B" is going to be "Borders" etc. So... one down, twenty five to go. Wowza.

The thing about renting.

2008-09-12T13:45:00.000-05:00

The thing about renting is that you have no say in the matter. Any matter. When creepy painter guys start putting up ladders to redo your window frames at 9:00am you can't tell them to go away, that you want to shower without having someone on the other side of the not-blurred-enough glass. Or when you complain about the low water pressure, that when any other faucet is turned on in the house while you are all sudsed-up in the shower that the water turns off indefinitely, and all you get for an explanation is, "That's old houses for you."

Old house or no, if you were living here, Mister Landlord, you wouldn't tolerate these things. Oh, none of your cupboards shut? You have unfinished, sharp-edged countertops too? Most of your doors don't stay properly shut (which allows one's cats to become quite the escape artists)? Whatever. But you'll shovel and mow the lawn? No? What the hell kind of operation is this? What's that? No, I'm not yelling. Please, please don't kick me out. You what? Found some pipes that were about to explode and they're being redone and my shower will now actually operate like a normal shower? Alright, I'll put up with all that other shit, I guess.

Highbrow vs. Nerdy

2008-09-08T16:35:00.000-05:00

I came across this image while shopping for t-shirts online. It's entitled "Who vs. Whom" and appears in the "Highbrow" section of One Horse Shy. Now I find the fact that they have highbrow and lowbrow categories for t-shirts quite amusing, but I don't think any actual highbrow individuals would be caught dead in this t-shirt. Me? I want it as a tattoo. Or I suppose a tote bag might suffice. So I'm thinking they need to change their "Highbrow" classification to "Nerds Would Love These."

And seriously, dibs on this merch.

Newsies

2008-09-07T10:49:00.000-05:00

Not the Christian Bale variety; the WCCO Channel 4 kind. Jess is quite the celebrity, interviewed last Thursday whilst waiting in line to see The Daily Show. Sadly her standby status failed to get her into the show, but got her on the news instead. I can't figure out how to embed this video, so if you want to watch you'll have to follow this link. Make sure to take notice of Jake in the background, casually ignoring the camera. I might need to get some autographs.

Lawn Games Galore

2008-09-03T15:28:00.000-05:00

The jokes just write themselves. A game named Cornhole? What were people thinking? Most of the time I simply call it "bags," but admittedly "cornhole" is funnier. I suppose some of the bags are filled with corn, and the board has a hole in it, but still. Then again, I would hate to miss out on questions like, "If I get it in the cornhole am I fucked?" (Jake).

Since making a set of cornhole boards this year and keeping them in my trunk, the amount of lawn game playage is at an all time high. I scoff at other people's boards- they are too bouncy or slick, clearly not regulation. There is plenty of room for rivalry and shit talking in this game. And dirty, dirty jokes.

Recently I was also introduced to a Swedish lawn game called Kubb, where you throw sticks at blocks, trying to knock them over. Not as easy as it sounds. Add silly rules that have you bending over, tossing a stick between your legs, along with Socialist ideals that give the losing team an advantage at the end, and you have a hell of a game. And if a player is wearing a dress (Jess), Kubb also lends itself to bawdy hilarity.

Setting up Kubb.