Hot Sun, Cold Showers...

Hello Lovelies!

Well, I have returned from a wonderful, warm and rejuvenating week in Florida with my Sweetie and my best friend. We stayed in Sarasota and there was tons to do. We of course visited the Ringling Circus Museum which has a bunch of old circus stuff as well as an entire art museum and mansion tour, it was amazing. We also visited various beaches and wildlife parks, but the 70 degree weather would have made even just sitting there fun. Below are some shots I took. I have some beautiful photos that I will be adding to the shop in the coming weeks, so keep an eye out for those!

In other news, I am getting ready to do a huge painting for the art co-op of which I am a part. It will measure 2' x 3', the biggest piece I've ever attempted and the subject will revolve around Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde because our theme is Ugly/Beautiful. It's going to be good and crazy and will most likely involve glitter. What it won't involve is a Hyde that looks like he belongs in Planet of the Apes or a Hyde that is smiling like he's happy and sane. (Please refer to below photo for reference...?) Yeah. Not sure what that's about.

I have discovered a person that I would like to share with you all, Ben Mounsey is an artist and illustrator whose work is more whimsical than I usually like. However, his black and white drawings below caught my eye and I fell for his clean accomplished technique as well as his sweet-faced subjects. Most of his prints are also available for purchase so jog on by and check him out.

Being a designer, I am a sucker for fonts and well-designed store windows. I also love old techniques and old aesthetics, so I about fainted away when I stumbled across the work John Downer did for Reserve Clothing. John is a sign painter and master typographer and he is one of the few remaining people in the United States who can do a gilded window. The video on the process is fascinating and his work is impeccable. I want a storefront window just so he can paint it...

Let's wrap it up with some nutso news, shall we? I have a doozy this week. Did you Lovelies read about the Russian circus chimp who was addicted to booze and cigarettes? He was apparently so addicted, he started pestering zoo visitors (where he was placed upon leaving the circus for aggression, he had aggression, it wasn't a circus of aggression) for booze. He has been sent to rehab. What the?! Really?! That's both sad and disturbing Folks... Poor chimp. Dang.

Until next time: unpleasant dreams...

Red Lobster, Pink Cupcakes...

Hello Lovelies!

I hope those of you in the US, had a good three day weekend and an excellent Valentine's Day! I played cupid a little this year and set flowers all around the house and baked some delicious chocolate cupcakes. In return, my Sweetie brought home a lobster for dinner... which was delicious!

I mentioned last week that I was going to see Garrison Keillor. I did. And I loved the show. He talked for an hour and 45 minutes straight, no break, no water, no faltering. I would recommend it to anyone who has the chance.

I recently found a wonderful photo stream on Flickr. The illustrator's name is Gemma Quevedo and I fell in love specifically with her Carnaval poster for a local competition. The rest of her work is equally charming, bright and contemporary. Oh, and she has an Etsy shop!

Another artist I found recently really moved me. His work is beautiful and dark and a bit lonely and mysterious. I look at his pieces (created in Photoshop to look like scratchboard, which is amazing), and it reminds me of Ray Bradbury, one of my favorite authors. Daniel Danger of Tiny Media Empire does posters and work for galleries and his prints sell out in minutes... maybe one day I'll be lucky enough to land one. Love his work.

I have found a store that I'm sure most of you will love. The Evolution Store has taxidermy, botanical posters, and all other manner of neat scientific tools and specimens that can make that house or apartment into a museum of dark things... which we love, don't we? Look at this stuff...

Okay Lovelies, I will be in Florida all next week, taking pictures of the old stuff, digging through the junk and wrestling alligators... I will have much to share upon my return!

(Me, next week...)

Until next time... unpleasant dreams.

Macabit...

Hello Lovelies!

Things are busy as usual here my friends. I have just completed another piece in the Cigar, Creeper & Dark Circus and Sideshow series entitled: Macabit the Sideshow Barker. A little bit of trivia for you faithful followers out there, Macabit is actually French Victorian slang for the bodies they found floating in rivers. A bit morbid, yes, but the name is beautiful if you don't know that and he's a little scandalous so it works out. More to come very soon with this series...

I have also recently procured a pair of lamps that are pretty much awesome. The detail? The great figural quality and the jewels? Needless to say... They are going to need a whole lot of work to get them to their former glory, but I'm just the woman for the job. I'll keep you apprised of my progress on them. It should be fun!

And random, I found this picture the other day and I thought it was really neat and needed to be shared. Those swim caps? The colors? I love everything about this shot. Perhaps it should be replicated with a Polaroid camera? Only time will tell...

I recently found a wonderful site for a design company and I thought I would share. Angel Bomb has some great work, they combine both design and letterpress capabilities and I'm a sucker for their letterpress in particular... see some of their work below.

I also found a wonderful artist that I wanted to share. Miss Mindy's work is a combination of Glen Barr and cartoon imagery and features little ladies and mermaids and whimsy carnival and I love it. All of it. It's cute and mischievous. Check it out.

Oh! I am so excited, this Thursday, I have tickets to see Garrison Keillor here in town for a sold out show. I grew up listening to Lake Wobegon and Prairie Home Companion and I am also a huge dork so basically I'm in bliss. I'll let you know how it is.

Until next time: unpleasant dreams...

Cold Days...

Hello Lovelies!

I hope those of you in the Northern Hemisphere are staying warm. It's been cold here at the Mill for sure. I have so much to share as usual! First, my Time print was featured in a beautiful Treasury by a fellow Maine Team member. Great items here. Thank you!

And, since you all seem to like my tales of junking and salvage, I wanted to show you the cutest cocktail picks I found the other day. I really like vintage barware and the occasional cocktail pick or swizzle makes it in if it's especially unique. Look at these little guys! I believe these were made by Carstairs White Seal Whiskey, a brand that I think is still being made? I love the peppermint striped string on that one. Neat stuff.

While we're on the subject of salvage, I found the neatest salvage site the other day. Agent Gallery Chicago, is a high-end salvage shop that makes even everyday objects look like works of art. They have some dental/optometry items that are wonderful. Oh, I wish things like this were in my budget...

I have found a wonderful newish shop on Etsy recently that I wanted to share. Ghosthaus sells one-of-a-kind art pieces that combine conduit boxes, lights and old slides to create warm little vintage vignettes. I think these are wonderful and I plan on purchasing one soon. In fact, the shop owner is very sweet and said he would set aside any carnival/circus slides he happens upon and make one especially for me! Love it.

Totally random, I know Christmas is behind us, but I was on the Twig and Thistle blog the other day (which is wonderful), and I happened upon a circus-themed Christmas... Needless to say that's what I'll be doing next year. Aren't these ornaments the bees knees?

And finally, the whole Alice in Wonderland craze has everyone getting into the act and my favorite artist Camille Rose Garcia is no exception. She has illustrated a brand new version of Alice and it comes out tomorrow! I have already pre-ordered mine via Amazon. Wonderful things here...

Until next time: unpleasant dreams...