MAB's notes on jewelry, life and ephemera

Fosse!

2011-07-13T13:32:00.003-04:00

Along with all of my other recent obsessions, I've been enjoying all things Bob Fosse. Fosse was an entertainment renaissance man who acted, danced, directed, won eight Tony awards for choreography, and one Academy Award for directing Cabaret. I am not a lover of musicals, but, my goodness, Bob Fosse musicals are an entirely different animal.

Fosse could take the most simple, focused motion and just make it the most sensual twitch ever seen. The emotion and passion he had for movement is visible in every single number he ever directed or choreographed.

If you want a Fosse fix, I can recommend two movies for you. Cabaret is the Liza Minelli and Joel Grey masterpiece, taken from the Broadway show which was adapted from the Christopher Isherwood stories. It captures the pre-World War II decadence of Berlin, Germany, and is still so fresh that it looks like it could have been released this year. Liza is just amazing in the movie. I so wanted to go out and buy bushels of false eyelashes after rewatching it a couple of weeks ago. My favorite number in the show is "Mein Herr," and it is all Fosse.

The second movie I would recommend is the autobiographical All That Jazz, with Roy Schieder in the Fosse role, and a gigantic cast with all sorts of stars. It's an amazing, exhausting film. Honestly, I would have cut about half an hour out of it, because the ending seems to go on and on and on. It's worth it for the musical opening to George Benson's "On Broadway," the choreography for "Take Off with Us" and the joy of "Everything Old Is New Again." Plus, Schieder is genius.

And, if you're just in the mood for flat out silliness, check out this Youtube video. Do not have liquids in your mouth when doing this!

Jazz hands!

snap snap snap

Treating the kittens badly

2011-07-12T17:16:00.003-04:00

Gus needs the air conditioning turned on! He has lots of fur and his belly fluff is starting to curl in this hot humdity!

And Franklin is not as amused as I am with the addition of Donald Trump's hair to his photograph, thank you very much.

He's going to fire me soon, I can just feel it.

The Casey Anthony Trial

2011-07-10T16:26:00.003-04:00

As you may know, oh great people of the blogosphere, I am nothing if not obsessive. When I develop an interest in something, it often becomes a focal point, and I let other things go while pursuing my obsession.

A few weeks ago, I started watching the Casey Anthony trial online while working. A TV station in Orlando was streaming it live. It started out innocently enough, and then, before I knew it, I was completely obsessed. I'm still trying to figure out why I developed this kind of macabre interest, along with millions of people all over the world.

It's the worst possible charge--murder one with the death penalty for killing your own child, in a state that is apt to deliver the death penalty and carry it out. Also, the mystery behind what happened to Caylee Anthony, along with the question mark that is Casey Anthony and the entire Anthony family, were all part of the fascination. For me, I also have an interest in the legal system, how lawyers work, and the mechanics of the trial.

I was sure that the prosecution had put on a solid case, and that we would see a guilty verdict. When the jurors went the other way, I was as shocked and outraged as the majority of others who had followed this trial from the beginning. It still breaks my heart to think that no one will ever serve a day in prison for the death of this child, and the way she was treated after her death.

Now, we have the after shocks, with jurors bargaining for the best interview fees, and attorneys hiring publicists, and all of that brouhaha. Casey will be out of jail a week from today. What happens to the Anthony family now? And where in the world can Casey Anthony go where she honestly won't be in mortal danger?

A lot of people took this case deeply to heart. I am one of them. I'm glad I live in a country where the citizens can see how their justice system works from the inside. I'm sad that this particular case didn't seem to end with the conviction that seemed so obvious to many of us.

Most of all, I'm broken hearted that this beautiful child is gone. Children go missing nearly every day. Let's focus our energy on those we can still help.

Hugs from
MAB

Movies! Over the Edge

2011-06-27T20:48:00.002-04:00

Over the Edge is my favorite "kids gone bad" movie of all time. Released in 1979, it was based on a newspaper story, and follows a group of teenagers growing up in a planned community where there is nothing for them to do. Being kids, they turn to all the kid-evils: Sex, drugs, rock'n'roll, vandalism, violence, and some fashion crimes that could be pardoned due to the era.

One of the teens is killed by a police officer. Then, things go from bad to worse, as the teen horde traps all of the parents and authorities in the school while they destroy and burn stuff.

Matt Dillon co-stars in his very first acting role, and he is so young that it's almost painful to look at him. Other than Matt, most of the other actors didn't go on to do much, and many of the extras are actually real local teens that the production crew found. There's an authenticity to the movie, and a deep and realistic nihilism and subversion, that I just love.

Also, this movie was the inspiration for Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" video. It doesn't get much cooler than that.

I need to go set a dumpster on fire.

The top five songs I sing to the cats

2011-06-24T17:42:00.003-04:00

5. Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd
4. Let It Be by the Beatles
3. Don't Cry for Me, Argentina, from the musical Evita
2. Danny's Song by Loggins & Messina
1. Get Happy by Judy Garland, with altered lyrics:
"Forget your troubles, 'cause you're a kitty.
You can sleep the whole day away.
Shout, Hallelujah, hey, you're a kitty.
It's great to be a kitty today."

Franklin loves my singing voice. You can tell by the photo above.

Books! The Psychopath Test

2011-06-21T16:33:00.003-04:00

I saw Jon Ronson interviewed on The Jon Stewart show, plugging this book, and immediately ordered it on my Kindle. It's a fantastic read, that begins with an international mystery, sails down the river of psychopathy, examines the murky waters of the profitability of mental illness for drug companies and the medical profession, and then brings us right back to the port where we started.

Enough of the sailing metaphors. If you are interested in psychology, crime or good nonfiction writing, this is a fab little book. I originally purchased it because Ronson was so personable on television while discussing it, and his writing style is just as conversational, charming and readable as he was during his interview, even when he discusses psychological diagnoses and the science behind them. The author as quirky, obsessive narrator carries the story.

He examines how psychopathic personalities affect our entire culture, not only in terms of crime, but in terms of politics and economics. Genius stuff. Psychopaths are often the ones in charge of closing manufacturing plants, forming public policy, and starting fatwas. There's more to the diagnosis than Ted Bundy. And can the diagnosis itself be trusted?

A good beach book, if you're a nerd girl like I am! And you live in Ohio, where there are no beaches.

Clarence Clemons

2011-06-20T15:33:00.002-04:00

Clarence "The Big Man" Clemons passed away Saturday at the too young age of 69. Since 1972, he was the saxophone player for Bruce Springsteen's amazing E Street Band. I first fell in love with Springsteen's music when I was ten years old. If you fall in love with Springsteen's music, you fall in love with Clarence Clemons. Onstage, Bruce and Clarence had amazing chemistry. The Springsteen concert I went to when I was sixteen is still the best live music I have ever seen, and part of that greatness was thanks to Clarence's musical abilities and charisma.

You can see Bruce introduce Clarence here, a beautiful thing. And for my favorite Clarence sax solo, check out "Jungleland," from the historic Born to Run album.

Rest in peace, Big Man.

Ultra-violence

2011-06-17T17:47:00.001-04:00

Blogger is psycho

2011-06-16T14:09:00.002-04:00

For the past few weeks, blogger has been tempermental, uncooperative, and downright weird. It's not allowing me to leave comments on other blogs--except sometimes it is--or sometimes I can leave an anonymous comment--or sometimes I just get caught up in an eternal sign in circle that gets me nowhere.
I am reading, for those of you who are missing my comments. I just can't leave any evidence.
Silly blogger.

Movies! Black Swan

2011-06-16T13:40:00.003-04:00

As usual, being a Netflix movie viewer, I'm a year late on this movie. Honestly, when I see a year's worth of hype before I can actually watch a movie, the movie itself then ends up being a disappointment. Black Swan had a ton of hype, and, you know what? It absolutely deserved it. One of the best movies I have seen in a long time.

Natalie Portman is Nina, a dedicated ballerina who wins the lead role in a new version of the classic ballet, Swan Lake. Nina will play the dual roles of the virginal white swan and the lusty black swan. While the white swan role is a cake walk for the innocent Nina, the black swan proves to be a bit more challenging. Barbara Hershey is Nina's over protective ex-dancer mother, who treats her as if she is still five years old, and contributes to Nina's prolonged naivete. But does her mother have reason to hover? Does Nina have issues that require this kind of attention?

Winona Ryder is the crazed, aged ballerina who Nina is replacing. Is this Nina's fate? Mila Kunis is delicious as the wild and free competing rival ballerina who embodies the black swan role. Is she trying to steal Nina's place? And Vincent Cassel is perfection as the ballet company leader who pushes and pushes Nina to find the dark side of herself. Is he forcing her beyond a psychological point of no return?

Beautifully shot, incredibly acted, fantastic costumes. Portman deserved every single award she picked up during award season. This film does what Inception wanted to do--makes you wonder what is real, and what is hallucination or nightmare. Black Swan left me shaken. That's a good thing.

Avast, Matey!

2011-06-15T17:46:00.001-04:00

Yo ho ho, and a bottle of nipnip!

Design inspiration from Parliament Funkadelic

2011-06-13T16:12:00.006-04:00

Have you been feeling uninspired lately? Blah? No fresh ideas? No lightning bolts or grand passions? No need to break out of the expected box and create something over the top, fresh and magical?

Then you need more Parliament Funkadelic in your life. Because the P-funk folks were not afraid to jump outside the expected norms. The P-funk people were pure theater. They will knock you out of that rut you're in!

My favorite is Bootsy Collins, and can you blame me? No! It's time to tear the roof off the sucker. Flashlight. Spotlight. It's time to get your funk on. Let these pictures inspire the next piece that you make!

OMGTV! Dark Shadows

2011-06-10T09:21:00.002-04:00

Dark Shadows was a daily gothic romance horror soap opera that ran from 1966-1971. Love, scandal, vampires, werewolves, rich people, drafty old houses, family drama, elaborate hairdos, annoying child actors, ghosts, trips through time. . . Dark Shadows had it all. It's amazingly campy, and amazingly addictive. Now on DVD, and available through Netflix, it's a great way to spend the summer. While it's blisteringly hot outside, you can escape into the cool and shadowy haunted hallways of Collinwood. With over a thousand episodes, this could take you well through September.

But, if a tall dark-haired man who only appears after sunset tries to give you an antique music box, it's best to say no.

Word of the day

2011-06-08T13:39:00.000-04:00

Weiner.

Carry on.

TV! Sister Wives

2011-06-07T10:43:00.003-04:00

Okay, I know I'm a little late to the show for this one, because it has been on for a year. I was making jewelry Sunday, and TLC was showing reruns of Sister Wives, so I ended up watching several episodes. The reality show follows Kody Brown and his four wives and many children in their daily lives. Kody is a Mormon who believes in polygamist relationships, which have a long history in the Mormon faith. Yes, these relationships are illegal, and Kody and his family agreed to do a TV show about essentially breaking the law.

I have to admit that before I watched the show, the idea of the multiple wife situation skeeved me out, and I had a negative opinion of Kody and his family. However, after watching a few episodes, I realized that all of the Browns, including the children, are fairly happy. Yes, there are some issues with jealousy, some issues with the kids, but any family has some issues. The Browns' issues really don't seem out of line.

The kids have multiple adult caretakers who are close to them and nurturing. The wives have each other to lean on. Kody seems to genuinely care for each individual and the family as a whole entity. Like I said earlier, this practice has longtime religious roots.

I guess what it comes down to is this: Who am I to judge these people and how they live and who they love? Why is this a legal issue? Why is it any of my business, in a moral sense? If they are happy and in no way harming one another or anyone else, why is this anyone's business at all? Yeah, I know it's because they're on television, but beyond that?

My big question is, how can they afford to house and feed that many people? My goodness. And what happens when you seriously need quiet time? And how would you ever set up a successful morning bathroom schedule?

My teeny tiny kitty obsession

2011-06-06T12:28:00.006-04:00

I collect teeny tiny vintage cat figurines. They make me happy. They're super cute and don't take up a lot of room. Most of them are on a metal scrolled etagere type stand in the MAB workshop, aka my living room. This little white crouched fellow is pre-WWI German, and the arched back guy was my mom's when she was little.

Most of these are Japanese. The pink kitten is also from my mom's childhood collection. I also have a thing for Fifties chrome serving trays and old old books. The happy portrait of my Gus cat was done by my friend moonstr. Take a look at moonstr's Etsy shop!

Here are some more little guys. The itsy bitsy green kitty up front is vintage English Wade. I use the gold scroll bookends and the little white vase as props in my shop photos. The bookends came from a sale at Lazarus when I worked there years ago, and they were selling off stuff they used in store displays. The Franklin portrait was also done by the wonderful moonstr.

Kittens in a shoe! The clear glass bank was my mom's, too, and she painted the bow with pink nail polish.

And here's a pair of winking green shakers and a teal cat planter. The yellow Egyptian looking cat is a mysterious guy. No marks on him, but I love him.

You can tell a lot about a person by what they collect.

I like teeny tiny kittens, books and chrome trays. Also, those glass cream containers from the 1930s-40s, little white vases, and shiny stuff.

Maybe, if I lived in a bigger place, I could collect bigger stuff!

Meow!

Crazy Etsyversary sale!

2011-06-05T07:00:00.000-04:00

My second anniversary on Etsy, or Etsyversary as the cool Etsy kids call it, is Tuesday, June 7th. I've had a great time selling on Etsy, met a whole bunch of wonderful customers and sellers, and am gleefully happy about the entire experience. In short, I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!

So, I thought we should celebrate with a big old sale! June 5th through the 12th, everything in my shop will be marked down 30%, including sale items. Stop in and get yourself some summertime bling! Here's the linkie just for you: MABjewelry on Etsy.

And thanks to everyone for all of your support and love and fun over the past couple of years. I wonder how many miles of Beadalon beading wire I've used during that time?

Now, we need some cake and a walk off!

Are you dating a cat?

2011-06-04T17:18:00.000-04:00

Get your domestic on with MeAndMySewingMachine

2011-06-03T09:57:00.008-04:00

My friend Gini has opened a fresh new Etsy shop, MeAndMySewingMachine, full of domestic goddess wear--the most fabulous aprons on earth. Here's her sexy little "Hotter than a pepper sprout" reversible cocktail apron.
And the retro pup cool of her "pampered pooches" half apron.

Dig this "rock tattoo" half apron! For the badass in you.

This coy little "corny picnic" apron is retro fab, with its ruffles and rickrack.

And this full "cherries jubilee" apron is classically ladylike.

Gini has a great eye for fabric, and everything she designs is perfectly made. It's time to fancy up your next dinner party or picnic, or pretty up your daily house happiness. The pocketed aprons would also be fantastic for craft shows, when you always need another pocket for money, pens, and other stuff.

Stop by Gini's bright and joyful shop. She's the hostess with the mostest.

MeAndMySewingMachine on Etsy.

Where's my foam?

2011-05-31T09:26:00.003-04:00

*Disclaimer: This is a review of a product that I did not receive for free. I didn't even have a coupon. Sad. I'm not getting any reimbursement for my review of this product. I would like to be reimbursed, though.*

I always say that women's love of new cosmetics is proof of their eternal optimism. "This hair product will finally make my hair do what I want." "This mascara will give me big, beautiful Tyra eyes." "This concealer will keep me from looking like a racoon who lost a heavyweight title bout." And so on. We want to believe, even after we have bought a cartload of crappy stuff.

I bought the Samy Fat Foam hair color, because it came in a cool package and it foams! Foaming hair color! It's like cold fusion! New and exciting! Mess free! Easy to apply!

Okay. . . here is my story.

So, I opened up the box, and there's a big plastic shaker, a little twin packet of shampoo and conditioner, two bottles of stuff that you mix together, and a pair of gloves. Really nice gloves, all folded neatly into a plastic Ziploc bag. Two thoughts: "Am I making salad dressing or a cocktail here?" and "Wow, this is a lot of packaging. There goes my carbon footprint."

I read the directions. Put on the gloves. Mix Bottle A Liquid with Bottle B Powder like a mad scientist in the plastic shaker. Put the lid on and shakey shake it for thirty seconds. I counted, one Mississippi, two Sugar Plum Fairy, all the way up to 45 Mississippi, just to be sure I shook long enough.

I took the lid off the shakie thingie. Not foamy, no. More like. . . spit bubbles. Maybe this is as foamy as it's supposed to get?

I began to apply it with my hands to my head. Kind of like applying. . . chilli to your head. Thick chilli. Or possibly tapioca pudding. Not foam, but runny frothy goo. Said goo proceeded to run down my forehead, in my ears, across my cheek, down my neck to my back and right bosom, down my arms, and to splatter onto the bathroom wall and floor.

I used black hair dye, by the way. Remember the BP oil spill footage? Yeah, it kinda looked like that, and I was the pelican that got caught in the goop. Not to make light of the BP oil spill. I almost called FEMA for help.

So, I let it set for the recommended thirty minutes, while it dripped all down my torso, and oozed down my forehead with permanent blackness.

The good news? The dye isn't stinky at all. The color took really well and covered my roots perfectly. The color is also rich and dark and lovely. I thought it left my hair a little dry, but I can condition the heck out of it and make it happy again. Not with that little puck of conditioner they gave me in a foil packet, though.

The bad news? The color took really well and covered much of my skin perfectly. Think Eddie Munster with blob-shaped random grayish neck, back, arm and boob tattoos. It also took really well on my bathroom tile.

Final results? Never, ever again. Maybe if it had foamed like it does in the picture up there, all would have gone well. Not what happened in my trial run. And by run I mean, run all over the dang place.

Do something nice today

2011-05-27T10:04:00.003-04:00

I have a challenge for you! Over the long Memorial Day weekend, try doing something randomly nice for someone, a stranger, a friend, a loved one. It doesn't have to be a big thing. Some little sweet act can make a huge impact on another person's day. It will make you feel good, too.

I live for random acts of kindness, even though I hate the phrase "random acts of kindness." I'd rather think of myself as a kindness ninja who likes presents. Positive energy makes the universe a better place for all of us.

Yes, I'm a goody two-shoes goofball. Now, come here and let me give you a hug. And wipe that look off your face.

Happy birthday, Bob Dylan!

2011-05-24T09:57:00.001-04:00

Bob Dylan is 70 years old today.

Treat yourself to cake and some Subterranean Homesick Blues.

It was a dark and stormy night

2011-05-23T21:54:00.004-04:00

And, while the tornado warnings were blaring, I was out in the yard, taking pictures of the magnificent clouds rolling in.

This was at about 7:30, so it was still daylight. This cloud bank looked like something out of a Hollywood movie, didn't it?

This is my favorite shot. There's damage to the north of me, damage to the south, and I really had to coax Franklin out of the closet when it was over. But all is well in MABland.
Maybe next time I'll have the sense to stay in out of the weather, huh?

Is rock music dead?

2011-05-23T12:54:00.003-04:00

The astounding longevity of Keith Richards aside, I'm starting to wonder if rock music is dead, or maybe just hibernating. Let me explain. . .

Last night, I watched the first couple of hours of the Billboard Music Awards. I love award shows, and I love to see live music performances, so this should have been a win-win situation. Rhianna opened the show, in some kind of white bondage suit and a pink grapefruit wig, gyrating on a floor where hands popped up and didn't grope her. All right. There was a performance by Beyonce that was pretty amazing from a dance perspective, but the song isn't much. There was urban music galore, including Keith Urban, and hip hop, and sort of pop. Bieber won some awards. Taylor Swift had on the same beige nude dress she always wears. No Gaga unfortunately.

Then, I noticed that I didn't see one single performance that could be considered rock and roll. Not one. Nada.

Now, I am a rock and roll based girl. I can appreciate good dance music, good R&B--I even kinda liked Keith Urban, and I'm not a modern country music lover. I think he spends a great deal of time on his hair, too.

No rock music.

Does this mean that rock music has become irrelevant in terms of the Billboard Charts? Has urban music taken over? Or is it pop music that's dominating? Pop music always charts better, because it appeals to pre-teens and teens, and they're the people most likely to buy music. But none of those same kids are listening to rock and roll today, huh? I couldn't have gotten through high school without rock and roll. How about you?

It's enough to make Keith Richards cry pirate tears.

Also, if "Hey, Soul Sister" by Train is considered rock music, maybe it's time to put the genre out of its misery.

TV! The Killing on AMC

2011-05-22T16:54:00.003-04:00

I have to admit that I've never watched an AMC series. Not Mad Men. Not Breaking Bad. I watched one episode of The Walking Dead, and never went back to it. I'm not a faithful TV person. There are very few shows that I fall in love with enough to watch them weekly. If I can get them later on DVD, and watch them in a crazy marathon, that works better for me. The last dramatic series that I watched faithfully was Lost.

But I love AMC's The Killing. It's the story of the murder of a Seattle high school girl, the effects of that killing on her family, friends and community, and the two police detectives investigating the case. It has a fantastic ensemble cast, is nicely written, and beautifully shot. For me, the show has several high points.

1. In most TV crime shows, a murder happens, you see the family for maybe two minutes, and then the detectives run all over town talking to possible perpetrators. The Killing shows you exactly what this kind of crime does to the family that is left behind. Michelle Forbes, the actress who plays the murdered girl's mother, is absolutely amazing week after week. Even when the show seems either slow or overly convuluted, the parts of the story focusing on the family are always so sincerely sad that they bring tears to my eyes.

2. Joel Kinnaman is the actor who plays Holder, one of the lead detectives on the case. The show is supposed to be about his partner, Sarah Linden, but I have fallen in love with Joel Kinnaman as the slightly scuzzy ex-narcotics officer with a thing for gray hooded sweatshirts. Kinnaman is actually a Swedish actor, hailing from Stockholm. I would love to see more of him. No, not like that--in movies, TV. . . more of him.

3. The story here is building across thirteen episodes, each one of them capturing a day in the investigation. This allows the plot to build slowly, the characters to develop different dimensions until they become fully realized, and a lot of rain to fall in Seattle. Does it really rain this much in Seattle? I mean, I love gray days, but it looks like they need to travel by canoe there if it rains this constantly.

The series is based on a Danish series of the same name. The original is not available on Netflix, but I would love to see it. The AMC version is currently in week eight. I hope someone else out there is tuning in, because it's unusually good TV. Catch it on Sunday nights, on AMC, at ten p.m. I'm sure, when it's over, they'll run it in a big long crazy marathon, if you've missed it up to this point. Worth investing thirteen hours in.

This will make your Friday better

2011-05-20T13:03:00.003-04:00

Gus has a fluffy butt.

And a magnificent orange racoon tail.
Gus loves you.
Happy Friday.

What's MAB making?

2011-05-18T11:49:00.009-04:00

Flaming heart necklace, turquoise and copper make me happy.

Skeleton key earrings, in gunmetal. I love gunmetal.

Geisha asymmetric bracelet, with fun sparkly dangles.

Bold art glass necklace, this focal bead is full of wow.

Vintage cage pendant with dice, can't you feel how lucky this little guy from the Forties is?

Asymmetric flower bracelet, so bright and springy.

Heart and keyhole earrings, and I used delicious vintage crystals.

Vintage skeleton key necklace, this is a Victorian door key, and it's huge!

Stink-eye

2011-05-17T16:56:00.001-04:00

Random stuff that makes me happy

2011-05-16T12:28:00.004-04:00

On a chilly, rainy Monday morning in Ohio, it's always nice to think about little things that make you happy, right? Like this make up primer from Sheer Envy. You can get it at Wal-Mart for eight bucks. It makes your skin a little glowier, and your make up goes on nice and smooth and stays put. Yeah, I was kind of unsure about the word "primer" in terms of my face, too, but this stuff is magical.

Wolfgang's Vault, a website that streams live concerts for free. They have everything. I spent the morning listening to Van Morrison from 1971, and it was transcendental. Oh, Van, how I love you. They have shows from back in the Fifties, all the way up to shows from 2011. You can also buy concerts, posters, t-shirts, and other fab stuff. This is a musical treasure trove.

Japanese Kawaii stationery. So very cute, and often so very weird. Dancing food, happy pandas, Hello Kitty, and some of the strangest translated to English phrases you will ever run across. Every sheet is a little piece of joy. And don't get me started on the stickers!

Lucky Charms cereal. Of course I pick out all of the marshmallows and eat them first. Nom.

Underrated actors: Frank Whaley

2011-05-15T17:00:00.002-04:00

Frank Whaley is one of those actors who has been in a lot of movies, some of them not great movies, and you always recognize his face, but often don't know his name. He's become a bit of a character actor, and shows up as one of the alternate Oswalds in JFK, as Robby Krieger in The Doors, and as Brett with the Big Kahuna burger in Pulp Fiction. He was in Field of Dreams and Born on the 4th of July and a fab little movie called Swimming with Sharks.

More recently, he was in the not so great Vacancy and World Trade Center and a truly awful little horror movie, Crazy Eights, that I watched the other night. Even though the horror movie was nearly unwatchable, I was glad to see Frank Whaley. Why? Because he's a heck of an actor. He can take a tiny role, or a bigger role in a bad movie, and make something wonderful out of it. He's one of those actors who is so talented that he should have had a bigger, more celebrated career.

Checking out his IMDB profile, I see that he directed three films: New York City Serenade, The Jimmy Show and Joe the King. I'm adding those to my Netflix queue now, because I'm sure the man can direct!

Frank Whaley, I salute you!

Why are we afraid of Friday the 13th?

2011-05-13T19:43:00.004-04:00

Jason slashing the heck out of people at Camp Crystal Lake aside, why are people superstitious about Friday the 13th? Any Friday is a good Friday, right? So why is this date so dang scary? Funny thing is, no one can agree.

This fear may have come from The Last Supper, where there were twelve apostles, plus Jesus, at the table, a total of thirteen guests. The Last Supper was on Thursday, and the Crucifixion happened on the following day, Friday. Friday the 13th? A bit of a stretch, yeah?

Or French King Philip IV ordered the Knights Templar arrested on Friday, October 13, 1307, spawning the start of conspiracy theories everywhere and this superstition. A little thin, huh?

Tupac died on Friday, September 13, 1996, but that's a little too recent to explain this fear.

Maybe it's because the ancient Norse folk (oh, those Norse folk) had a myth about the twelve gods hanging out at Valhalla, when the thirteenth trickster god, Loki, crashed the party, fooled one god into shooting and killing another god, and caused the whole world to go dark and black with mourning. We've all been to parties like that, but this also seems like inventing an explanation after the fact.

The truth is, no one really knows where the fear of Friday the 13th comes from, but millions of people won't travel, invest or do anything important on the date for fear of disaster. In 2011, with our Twittery tweets and our scientific brains and our technology and antibiotics, I find this kind of strong and lingering unexplained superstition wonderful.

I hope your day was lovely. And tomorrow, we can go outside again.

Oh, M. Night Shyamalan

2011-05-10T11:50:00.003-04:00

First of all, your name isn't really M. Night Shyamalan. It's M. Nelliyattu Shyamalan. Secondly, your movies make me yell. I have to tell you that I knew half an hour into The Sixth Sense that Bruce Willis was dead. I have to tell you that The Happening caused me to actually curse when I found out that plants, yes, plants, were causing the devastation. I have to tell you that your movies are so beautiful to look at, but your plot twists and outright cheating when it comes to basic story building cause me to become irrational and furious.

I have to tell you that I watched Devil last night, and, while you didn't actually direct this movie, it was definitely a product of your creative process. When the twist came down, I said words that I could never type in this blog. I enjoyed the movie up to the point where you blatantly broke the rules, and then I went psycho all over the living room.

My fury only increased when I tried to access the extras on the DVD, and was met with a notice that these extras are not included on DVDs sold for rental. What? You expect me to buy Devil on Blu-Ray? Are you trying to drive me mad?

M. Night Shyamalan, I realize that you don't know me, but I will be forgoing your movies from now on. While I believe that any piece of art--be it book, movie, painting or what the heck ever--that causes an extreme reaction has some sort of redeeming quality, I have to dismiss that belief when my reaction is one of unrelenting anger at being gypped.

Seriously. I haven't been this pissy since I threw Hannibal by Thomas Harris in the dumpster after finishing it.

"She never mentions the word addiction. . ."

2011-05-09T09:37:00.001-04:00

"In certain company." Do you know the song "She Talks to Angels" by The Black Crowes? Because I went bead shopping over the weekend, and I got a little wacky. But look! Look! Look! Look! Imagine all the possibilities from this new pile of swankiness! Sparklies!

Yes, I need a Twelve Step program. The first step is to admit you have a problem. The second step is to sit down and make stuff from all of this glimmering joy. After that, I kind of lose track of steps, because I'm in my happy, jewelry-making place.

Wishing you a sparkly week!

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T16:52:00.000-04:00

I hope it's full of hugs.

Fun with graphs!

2011-05-05T16:07:00.011-04:00

The absolute insanity of Extreme Couponing

2011-05-04T16:32:00.004-04:00

Have you guys seen this show on TLC? I kinda came across it over the weekend, and thought it might be interesting to see how people save such impressive amounts of money using coupons. Then, I became afraid, very afraid. Why, you may ask? Lemmee break it down.
1. One lady bought 63 bottles of French's mustard. How long will it take her to actually use 63 bottles of French's mustard?
2. It took another lady over two hours just to check out. Can you imagine being behind her in line? I can't stand to be in a grocery store for two hours total, much less just checking out.
3. One lady spends six hours a day--A DAY--working on her coupons and shopping plans. Six hours. A day.
4. Yes, they buy a thousand dollars worth of groceries of eight cents, but they buy huge quantities of the same thing, so much so that I don't even see how it is practical.
5. All of these people have giant store rooms full of the stuff they have bought. Seventy bottles of laundry detergent. 120 bottles of body wash. And the 63 mustard lady. It frightened me. They have grocery stores in their basements, essentially.

In conclusion, I respect these people for saving money at the grocery. However, I think there are some serious hoarding tendencies here. Very detailed, organized, intimidating hoarding. More stuff than they can use before it goes bad. Rows and shelves and baskets of stuff. Is that really thrifty or practical?

63 bottles of mustard.

Wow.

What's new? Youfamizm!

2011-05-03T17:43:00.009-04:00

I started a new Etsy shop a couple of weeks ago. Because I don't have enough going on. This little venture is called Youfamizm, and I'm selling happy hand embroidered stuff in hoops. So, I can express my love of Facebook.
My love of British and/or drag queen descriptive words.

My love of Seventies glam rock songs.

My love of Stephen King books.

My love of pithy come-backs.

My love of sunshine.

And my love of Eighties pop songs that are remakes of reggae songs about drugs!

I forgot how calming embroidery could be. And fun, too. Stop in and visit Youfamizm! And what little words or phrases would you like to see in a hoop? I'm making a list. It's a really long list. . .

Hi, did you miss me?

2011-05-02T16:15:00.006-04:00

I'm sorry. I took the month of April off to prepare for the royal wedding. I had to get a passport, and have an appropriate dress and coat made, not to mention order a classically beautiful hat that wouldn't cause a lot of undo attention. A royal wedding is no place to wear a wacky topper that draws attention from the bride. This is the bride's day, and we should behave like the royals, and understand our place, and dress accordingly.

Oh, wait. According to Princess Beatrice, I can wear a large, flesh colored O with a fairy tale bow on it. And, according to Princess Eugenie, I can wear skintight Vivienne Westwood and a bespackled boat on my head. Lord, I love these girls. And I love Beatrice's Philip Treacy hat. I want that hat! I want to wear it to Wal-Mart on Sunday morning.

Also, I think we've all learned some important life lessons from Pippa, Cate's younger sister. First of all, I want to change my name to Pippa, because it just does not get anymore British than Pippa. Secondly, even if your sister is marrying the future monarch of England, and you get stuck carrying her train and dilly-dallying with tiny flower girls all day, you do it with great grace and charm and a ring of flowers on your head. No scowl will ever be caught on camera. You are a lady in waiting. No, really. That's her new job title: Lady in Waiting. I would have hissed at least once in the carriage.

Okay, in all honesty, I took April off from the blogosphere, because things got really busy, and I wasn't getting here as regularly as I would have liked. Sometimes, you have to give yourself a break, you know, and not try to do everything all the time. Someone should tell Victoria Beckham this, so that she would stop wearing eight inch platform heels in her third trimester. Man, the girl has some gams.

So, I'm back! What did I miss?

I hate Facebook

2011-04-04T16:48:00.002-04:00

Let me start out by saying that I don't even have a Facebook account, not a personal one, not a business one, not one for the kittens. No Facebook for me. Why? I don't know. I'm kind of a hermit in real life. I'm a social introvert. There are many people I love and communicate with and even socialize with. I don't need to network socially. Something about Facebook just gives me a bad case of the nopes. Plus, the last thing I need is one more place to sign in every day and check to see what I'm missing. I can't keep up with everything now!

Then, I saw the movie The Social Network. It was a great movie. Beautifully written, sharply directed with great acting and fantastic music. But what a miserable bunch of people! Geez! To think that people with such terrible social skills created this social network that now connects millions of people. The only likeable character who seemed to be having fun was Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), and he was a paranoid charlatan, more or less.

I know, I'm the only person in America between the ages of eight and eighty-eight who doesn't have a Facebook page. And that's going to have to be okay. I don't answer my cell phone when I'm driving either.

Happy April Fool's Day Sale!

2011-04-01T11:03:00.002-04:00

In honor of April Fool's Day and the glory of Mr. T, I have a coupon code up in my shop through this Sunday, April 3rd. Use the coupon code APRIL25 at checkout, before paying, in my MABjewelry shop for 25% off your purchase. And today, please pity fools.

Thursday feline. . . thilliness

2011-03-31T11:08:00.000-04:00

Random things that are just a little too precious

2011-03-28T11:32:00.011-04:00

Hello Kitty high end cosmetics for adults by MAC --

I can appreciate the dollar Hello Kitty chapstick from Target, but this is a bit much. Littlest Pet Shop creatures -- Their oversized heads and large eyes haunt me. Darren Criss on Glee -- I'm glad Kurt finally got a love interest, but Darren Criss may be part of the Littlest Pet Shop brigade. Elmo -- His voice makes my Gus cat leap at the television in a homicidal fit. I can relate. The Olsen twins -- Still too precious, even if they dress like they're 85 year old spinsters. The bunny from the Hop movie -- So, he's a drum-playing, pervy, Easter bunny to be? Ew. Justin Bieber -- The picture does the talking for me. Gummy vitamins for adults -- If you're old enough to buy your own vitamins, you're old enough to swallow a proper pill. And, last but not least, Rachel Ray --

She makes me wonder if I can build a molotov cocktail with extra virgin olive oil.

Gus says

2011-03-27T17:53:00.001-04:00

"Hey! Whatcha doin'?"

Movies: Suddenly, Last Summer

2011-03-23T09:47:00.006-04:00

There are movies that you see when you're very young that stay with you throughout your life. Because I was kind of a strange child, none of mine were from Disney. My favorite childhood movies played on television on Sunday afternoons, and it just goes to show that some of your tastes develop early and stay with you throughout your life. I loved movies like Bonnie and Clyde. A strange little Rod Steiger serial killer movie. And Suddenly, Last Summer.

I saw Suddenly, Last Summer when I was about eight years old, and had no idea what the heck was going on. I didn't have to understand it to know that it was intense, interesting and mysterious. And to pick up on the personalities of three amazing actors at the tops of their games.

Katherine Hepburn, Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor. Seriously. In a Tennessee Williams play full of sexual tension. Here's the plot, without ruining anything. Monty plays a psychiatrist brought in by Hepburn to lobotomize her troubled niece, Liz. Why is Liz so troubled? Because suddenly, last summer, when she was on a vacation with Hepburn's son in Spain, Liz witnessed his tragic death. Only when I rewatched the movie years later did I finally understand what happened and why. It's still on my top twenty favorite movies of all time.

Liz Taylor passed away today. She was more than a style icon to me. She was the epitome of dark and glamorous beauty. Three of the movies that she made are some of my favorites of all time: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Suddenly, Last Summer. She took roles that were difficult and dangerous and made them her own. She lived her life the way she wanted to, even when it got messy. She gave time, energy and support to the charities that mattered to her. And she had violet eyes to die for.

"Truth is the one thing I've never resisted."

Thanks, Liz. You were an inspirational lady and a great broad.

Design inspiration from Lisa Frank

2011-03-21T15:40:00.005-04:00

When I was in college and took a lot of creative writing classes, my poetry professor asked me once what poet had the greatest influence on my writing. I immediately said, "Bob Dylan," and he had a nervous breakdown. Sure, I love Walt Whitman, Allen Ginsberg, Sylvia Plath, and a lot of others, but I was listening to Dylan in the womb. Of course he had more influence on me than Keats, right?

Before I knew anything about Gustav Klimt or Georges Seurat, I was a sticker and stationery fanatic. So, today I salute the colorful, rambuctious, slightly hallucinogenic joy that is The World of Lisa Frank! Lisa Frank is an American artist who creates cute and rainbow laden trippy art, transformed into stickers, binders, and all sorts of merchandise beloved by young girls, and we older girls, around the world. Lisa's art inspired me in my youth because, well, it was marketed directly at me. I still love her fiercely, with that nostalgic romantic love reserved for Eighties hair bands and the TV show Head of the Class.

What brought about this winsome longing for all things Lisa Frank you might ask? I had a not so great few days. I was walking through Wal-Mart, and what materialized before my weary eyes? A display of rainbowlicious Lisa Craft products. Yes, I bought the mega box of happy stickers! Yes, I will put them on the envelopes of MAB orders when I ship! I may even get them out tonight when I'm making jewelry, and let all of those candy colors just seep right into my creations.

Lisa Frank, I salute you and thank you for your candy colored kittens and unicorns of endless happiness. You have made my life a better place.

If you want a true Lisa Frank overdose, you can visit her website. Do not get out your credit card first, I'm warning you!

My thoughts are with Japan

2011-03-18T16:57:00.000-04:00

March Madness

2011-03-18T16:33:00.001-04:00

Someone dumped the toy box

2011-03-17T16:57:00.002-04:00

We may also need to call Hoarders soon for the disco glitter ball overflow.

Cooking with MAB, fingerling potatoes

2011-03-16T16:01:00.002-04:00

Okay, to say that I'm not much of a cook would be a drastic understatement. I have burned a can of soup and set pancakes on fire. I'm not good at paying attention to food while it's actually in the cooking process. The food often suffers because of this.

However, I have recently stumbled onto the easy joy of fingerling potatoes. I have made them twice, and they are delicious. Here's how you do it! And, if I can do it, anyone can do it!

Get a bag of fingerling potatoes. Yeah, I don't know how much the bag weighs or how many are in the bag. You get them at Wal-Mart for around three bucks. The potatoes are red, white and deep purple, and super cute. I thought I might varnish them and make a necklace, but I cooked them instead.

Turn on the oven to 400 degrees. Make sure you haven't stored anything in there before the oven preheats.

Scrub the potatoes like crazy and dry them off.

Get out your baking pan, the large one, like a brownie pan. You know what I mean. Line it with aluminum foil so it doesn't get all gross.

Throw the potatoes in there. Pour some olive oil over them. Add some salt and pepper.

Stir them around so all the taters are coated.

Throw them in the oven for fifteen minutes.

Get them out and stir them around again.

Bake them for another fifteen minutes.

Voila, you're done! Prepare for happy, potato joy! Seriously, these are some yummy little dudes. And easy. And not flammable!

Spotlight on metroretrovintage

2011-03-15T09:27:00.009-04:00

Vintage 1950's Reddy Kilowatt Electric Company mascot earrings

So, dear readers, I've been unrelentingly busy over the past couple of weeks, and my blog has been badly neglected. I've listed a ton of vintage jewelry in my GUSsupply shop on Etsy, and I've had a fantastic mentor in metroretrovintage, my kitten cousin. She knows everything about vintage treasures, and has come to my aid a hundred thousand times. That may be an overstatement, but it surely seems like a hundred thousand times.

Her Etsy shop is full of fantastic finds, and I thought it might be nice to make a killer stunning outfit from her listings!

Yes, I'm staring with Reddy Kilowatt earrings. Why? Because they are ultimately groovy.

Vintage 1930's-40's black bakelite bangle bracelets

Then, let's stack up these yummy bakelite bangles. Bakelite is delicious.

Vintage 1940's black felt sequin sculptural doll hat
We're going to need an appropriate hat.

Vintage 1940's black velvet swing opera wrap coat

And I have a weakness for opulet outerwear. Seriously, does it get any better than this velvet coat? I say, NO!

Vintage 1940's black crepe beaded cocktail dress and jacket

This frock should do the trick.

Victorian red bohemian garnet rose cut brooch
And the finishing touch, a sparkling pin. Our ability to accessorize is what differentiates us from the rest of the animal kingdom, you know.
Now, we are dressed to go to the grocery store. Huzzah!
Stop in and say hi to metroretrovintage on Etsy. She has great stuff, is full of fun, and knows the difference between bakelite and lucite. Plus, she's one of the sweetest kittens around.

Blue Moon ice cream: An ode

2011-03-07T12:32:00.002-05:00

Oh, blue moon ice cream,

You are packed with creamy sweet goodness.

I cannot decide exactly

What you taste like.

Whatever it is

It is full of blue winning,

Yes, in the Charlie Sheen

Sense of winning.

You make me stop

At United Dairy Farmers

Because I can find you nowhere else.

And if little nuggets of cookie dough

Are added. . .

Sublime.

Charlie Sheen quote funnier when said by a baby sloth

2011-03-04T17:24:00.000-05:00

Funny feline Frida

2011-03-04T13:30:00.002-05:00

Note: Okay, that should say "Friday," but the typo is too good to change it now.

Hoarders, MAB style

2011-03-03T16:27:00.004-05:00

Okay, I have a problem, and my problem is beading supplies. Here is part of my stash--toggles, metal findings and stuff, and my "special" glass beads. All of the baggies are full of brass and copper and metal pendants.

Yeah, it's like that.
Here are pearls, more metal findings, stone beads, and vintage. There are actually layers of little baggies under the baggies on top, but aren't they nicely organized?

There's some chain in there too, and lucite, and glass, and stuff.
Here's the true confession, though.
This is only about half of it.

I think there might be a TV show in this, huh?

Why I watch award shows, the bad

2011-03-02T11:28:00.010-05:00

In completely unrelated to awards show news, what the heck is going on with Charlie Sheen? "I'm on a drug called Charlie Sheen. It would be lethal to anyone else!"

Okay, then.

Onto dresses.

Jennifer Hudson in Versace
She looks lovely, this dress is great on her skin and I love her. So why is she in the bad category? Cleavage issues. This dress is bad bad bad for her boobs. I saw at least two clips where she had to reach INTO the dress and reposition her tatas. That makes it a bad dress. Trust me!

Gwenyth Paltrow in Calvin Klein
A lot of people liked this look. She is so flat and her hair is so straight. The dress is linear, with the rectangular cut out. It's like a foil shower curtain. Blah.

Mila Kunis in Elie Saab
A lot of people liked this as well. The color is fresh, the dress is feminine, with some interest built in with the sheer layers, and the shoes are nice. Those peek-a-boo lace things on her boobs remind me of the decals you can put on your bathroom window to make it opaque. Or possibly bathtub stickies.

I seem to be having a cleavage fixation thus far, huh?

Marisa Tomei in vintage Charles James
It doesn't fit. The sweetheart top comes up too high. The color is too heavy, when paired with that asymmetrical poof. The way she's standing, it looks like this dress is actually causing her pain. I love vintage, especially fifties vintage. This one, not so much.

Scarlett Johansson in Dolce and Gabanna
Oh, Scarlett. You are so gorgeous. This lace looks like bad mobile home curtains. The two tone effect is very home dyed. And what happened to your hair? No.

Florence Welch in Valentino
Holly Hobby hits the henna.

Or. . .

I see dead redheads.

Amy Adams in L'Wren Scott
Cap sleeves gone bad! Again, heavy, too enclosed around her neck. The necklace is gorgeous--it's a carved emerald from Cartier. If we could take the scissors to the top half of this gown, cut out some space for skin, and lose those sleeves, we might just have something. It's kind of like a long, bedazzled mock turtleneck. And not in a good way.

Sharon Stone in Dior
Please see the photo below.

Sharon went to the Oscars as Patsy from AbFab! She should have worn Lacroix, darling.
Sweetie darling.

Nicole Kidman in Dior, with Keith Urban
Oh, bloody hell. It's an altar cloth origami dress with unfinished hair and an Aussie metrosexual husband with gratuitous highlights.

Did that sound bitchy?

Melissa Leo in Marc Bower

I love this woman, and congratulations to her for winning that supporting actress Oscar and being so genuine and human.

The dress is Evil Knievel tats lace while crashing through the Golden Arches.

Why I watch award shows, the good

2011-03-01T15:30:00.010-05:00

Anne Hathaway in Oscar de la Renta

So, the Oscars were Sunday night, and some people won some awards. A lot of them were English or Scottish or something. I was watching for the dresses, you know. And the jewelry. And James Franco. I thought James and Anne did a nice job, although I may be in the minority there. I don't know much about Anne, because she doesn't make the kinds of movies that I usually watch, but she was an absolute doll throughout the show, and the girl wore some serious high fashion. James is just cute, and seemed a bit sleepy.

Trends were purples and reds and metallics. Also bob haircuts.

Can these women please put on a couple of necklaces? Seriously? I'm trying to sell some jewelry here.

Helen Mirren in Vivienne Westwood
Dame Helen pulls it off again. This woman is sixty-five years old, and she is smoking hot. Great color on her, her hair is perfect, and she is indeed wearing a necklace. An incredibly sparkly, gorgeous, diamond studded necklace. Thank you, Dame Helen.

Hailee Steinfeld in Marchessa
At the opposite end of the age spectrum, Hailee is fourteen years old, and absolutely adorable. The Gossip Girl headband is, in fact, from Fred Leighton and diamond studded. Take that, Blair Waldorf! The perfect Red Carpet look for a fourteen year old, right?

Michelle Williams in Chanel
Remember how she wore that wacky daisy dress to the Golden Globes? Bad. This look was incredible on her. She looks like a sparkly crocus, with that sweet pixie cut. There were a lot of these little cap sleeves on the Red Carpet last night. Not sure about the whole cap sleeve movement, although it does work here.

Helena Bonham Carter in Colleen Atwood
Oh, Helena, my love, this is fantastic. Colleen Atwood was the costume designer for Alice in Wonderland, and she made the dress for Helena for the Oscars. Helena said that she wears what she wants to wear, and basically doesn't give a damn if you like it or not. And that purse that looks like a fan? WANT!

Reese Witherspoon in Armani
She looks like Oscar Barbie Limited Collector's Edition 2011. I love that.

Hillary Swank in Gucci
Okay, I don't usually like what Hillary wears, because it's often not complimentary to her killer body. I usually don't like feathers either. This dress, with the ombre effect, is absolutely gorgeous, and it moved like a dream.

Jennifer Lawrence in Calvin Klein
Probably the simplest look on the Red Carpet, and the girl knocked it out of the park. Beautifully fitted, amazing color on her, gorgeous natural hair. Yum.

Natalie Portman in Rodarte
Okay, imagine this: You're seven and a half months pregnant, up for an Oscar that you're most likely going to win, and you've picked out your Oscar dress from Christian Dior. You're also Jewish. A couple of days before the Oscars, the man who designed your dress (John Galiano) is fired from Dior because he is caught on tape spewing really nasty anti-semitic slurs at people. What do you do? If you're Natalie, you get this gorgeous, rich, purple gown from Rodarte, the house that designed the costumes for Black Swan. You win the Oscar. You are gracious and glowing and happy. And glad that award season is over, so you can go home and take off those damn heels.

Halle Berry in Marchessa
Halle Berry may be the most gorgeous woman on Earth. This is poofier than I usually love, but she is so glowing and gorgeous, and her hair is amazing. I wish she'd worn a necklace.

Cate Blanchett in Givenchy couture
Best. Dress. Ever.
That is all.
It just is.

Stay tuned for the flip side, people!

Cute kitty pictures

2011-02-25T13:00:00.003-05:00

It's cold in Ohio! So we have to snuggle on a blankie in the chair. Sometimes, a kitten gets so desperate that he hides his head under his brother's huge fluffy body.

It gets hard to breathe in all that fluff though. Fluff can suffocate you.

Plus, Gus's ears are dirty, apparently.

Pantone color trends for spring

2011-02-23T08:51:00.006-05:00

Lavender and honeysuckle.
Beeswax and Regatta
Russet.

These are the colors that Pantone says are trending for spring.
Lavender like a bursting crocus emerging from the snow.
Honeysuckle like a beautiful candy-colored lipgloss.

Beeswax, mellow yellow, rich and sweet
Regatta, the purest ocean water.
Russet, vintage and warm.

I wonder what these trending colors say about our states of mind.
Our points of view.
The blue comes from Latin American textiles, the pink from New Wave French electronica.

The purple from a 50s garden party.
Bright and earthy, peaceful and cheery.
How can these colors inspire your creations?

Can you identify this piece of vintage jewelry?

2011-02-21T17:48:00.005-05:00

Yep, it's that time again. This jester fellow was in the big pile of vintage jewelry, and I have no idea where he came from.

My kitten friend at metroretrovintage thinks he is a fur clip, possibly from Boucher in the 1930s. He has a sort of scratched in mark that says "C351" and either "51 53" or "57 53."

He has two hinged pins on the back, one with sort of an old-fashioned stick pin stopper.

Any ideas?

Bueller?
Oh, and I've listed a bunch of stuff in my GUSsupply shop, with tons more to come.

Saturday morning

2011-02-19T10:29:00.003-05:00

Oh, Saturday morning, how I have needed you all week. How lovely to get up, putter around, drink some coffee, do some little chores.

Turn on the repeat of Tabatha's Salon Takeover.

Kiss the kittens. Enjoy the sunshine coming through the window.

Not much to do for a couple of hours, except get ready to go to my mom's.

No rushing. No thinking of the sixty thousand things I need to get done. Yes, they're still there, but not this morning.

Sigh. . . delicious. Come over. I have coffee left.

Random babbling and scary movies that aren't at all scary

2011-02-17T22:30:00.003-05:00

So, I've spent the last few days sorting through the boxes of vintage stuff. Lots of fun, and I find sorting stuff very calming because I am, after all, a Virgo. All kinds of groovy old jewelry in there, and I've just started listing it in my GUSsupply shop on Etsy. However, betwen this and work being super busy, I haven't had much time to do anything else. That includes making jewelry myself and attending to this poor, neglected blog. Unfortunately, it seems like when I get busy, this is the first thing to fall behind.

While playing in the giant pile of jewelry, I've been watching horror movies on DVD. I got Paranormal Activity 2 and The Last Exorcism. Both of these movies are supposed to be super scary. The Last Exorcism tried, but it made me laugh. I'm sorry. This genre really should have died after the original Exorcist. And I didn't like the first Paranormal Activity. The sequel didn't make me any happier. Both were entertaining enough background noise while I was putting jewelry into little plastic bags, though. Thank goodness I didn't pay to see them in a theater.

I promise to come back strong here soon. Until then, be happy!

The vintage jewelry mother lode

2011-02-14T22:39:00.009-05:00

So, I have a friend who has a ton (and by a ton, I may literally mean a ton) of vintage jewelry and doodads. His mom used to sell it at flea markets and such, and she passed away quite awhile ago. He's been bringing the stuff by so I can sell it in my GUSsupply shop on Etsy.

Today he brought over six boxes of stuff. Little bags inside little boxes inside bigger boxes, all full of shiny stuff.

It's like an archeological dig. I never have any idea what might be in the next layer. There are three copier paper boxes, one larger flatter box, a dvd player box, and a shoebox.

I started going through them tonight, but just got overwhelmed and closed everything back up. But before I started sorting and listing, I wanted to take pictures of the boxes as they showed up at my house.

Seriously brimming with mystery and possibility, huh? Who wants to come over and play?

Yeah, Franklin likes boxes. He's helping here.

Keep an eye on my GUSsupply shop. New vintage stuff coming as soon as I start my dig!

Happy Valentine's Day! And happy birthday!

2011-02-14T12:47:00.005-05:00

Team Bacon! had a Valentine card exchange, and I received the most beautiful handmade stuff. This embroidered patch and golden ACEO came from the lovely and talented moonstr.

I used sharp scissors AND a glue stick on mine, so my apologies to my valentine recipients. To say I'm not much of a card maker would be a huge understatement.
This sweet card full of hearts came from welchva.

This was such a great team activity, and it was wonderful getting little envelopes full of handmade loving in the mail.
This beautiful little masterpiece came from earthtogirl.

As if all of that wasn't enough to make this a magical day, it's also Franklin's birthday (more or less). The old boy is now a teenager, clocking in at thirteen years old.

How does a spoiled boy cat celebrate his birthday morning? Why, by sleeping in, all snuggled up in a pink fuzzy blanket with his tail wrapped around his nose!

Happy Valentine's Day to all!

Spotlight on poppyseedcats

2011-02-09T16:17:00.006-05:00

Poppyseedcats is an amazing, cat-centric artist on Etsy. She creates gorgeous aluminum wire cat sculptures in all sizes and personalities. I have honestly never seen anything quite like them. Aren't they unique and magical!

And the great news is that she just found out that three of her lifesized wire cat sculptures were accepted by judges for an exhibition at Hull's main art gallery in the United Kingdom. Those sculptures are pictured here, and I love them. An honor well-deserved, right?

Also, poppy just found out she's going to be an auntie, so it has been a great week for her.

Stop in for all of her fantastic feline creations (as well as other charming critters) at poppyseedcats on Etsy. But don't buy the one I want before I get to it, all right?

Etsian experiences terrible loss

2011-02-08T21:41:00.003-05:00

designedbylucinda, who has helped many Etsians through difficult times and laughed with us through the good times, had a house fire several days ago, and her son was killed. I can't think of more tragic news.

Please, read this thread over at the UEF boards for information on donations. Let's all pitch in however we can.

Peace.

Super Bowl Fashion Wrap Up

2011-02-07T14:53:00.003-05:00

Okay, as a fairly new football fan, I have to ask the teams a huge favor: You can't both wear uniforms that are predominantly yellow. It confuses me during the game. You both become Team Yellow Pants. Yellow is not flattering on everyone, especially yellow spandex. Try a nice royal blue or red. Also, black is always slimming. Maybe a print?! Football uniforms could use more prints! Paisley! Herringbone! Something Pucci-esque!

Christina, my love, you are a fantastic singer, but I have two tips for you:
You need to hire a new stylist, because in the past year, what you're doing isn't working.
If you're going to sing The Star Spangled Banner at the most important sports event of the year, please make sure you have all the words memorized.

You know what, I just don't get The Black Eyed Peas--not music-wise, not fashion-wise. Every song they performed sounded like it came from an iPhone commercial, and Tron couture is never the way to go.

Movies! Cape Fear

2011-02-06T13:22:00.006-05:00

It just keeps snowing here in Ohio, so I've been watching a lot of movies and sulking. It seems like the adult way to handle bad weather. Also, I'm not getting a lot done because I've been smashing ice with a snow shovel for hours, and I'd like to apologize for neglecting my blog for days at a time. Someday the sun will come out, and we will all be happy, well-adjusted people again, full of life and laughter and love. Until then. . .

Let's talk about Cape Fear. The original was released in 1962, and starred Gregory Peck as the upstanding lawyer who is terrorized by obsessed and clever recent parolee Robert Mitchum. There's something undeniably steamy about Mitchum, isn't there? I think it's the eyes, the drawl and the attitude. Even here, where he basically plays the scum of the earth, he's still hot. Mitchum as Max Cady attempts to completely destroy Peck's life by going after his career, his wife, his daughter and even his dog. I can't imagine how shocking this movie must have been fifty years ago. The censors were all over this movie at the time, because of the implications that Cady was going to attack Peck's young teenaged daughter. The closing scenes where Peck and Mitchum battle for Peck's family are suspenseful and harrowing. In the 1962 version, the lines between good and evil, upstanding and sleazy are clearly defined. Mitchum is bad. Peck is good. Peck's wife and daughter are innocent players in this game of wits and strength. As one of Cady's victims says, "You're just an animal--coarse, lustful, barbaric. Max Cady, what I like about you is you're rock bottom."

Now, if you want to talk about the modern version of "coarse, lustful and barbaric," let's talk about the 1991 remake of Cape Fear, directed by one of my favorites, Martin Scorsese. Here we have Nick Nolte as the not so upstanding lawyer who buried important information about his client, Robert Deniro as Max Cady, fourteen years before. Nolte is at least partly responsible for Cady spending that time in prison. Jessica Lange plays Nolte's disillusioned, gorgeous and high-strung wife with flighty hands and suspicions about her husband's fidelity. And the amazing Juliette Lewis plays the fifteen year old daugther, a much different character than the 1962 version. Lewis almost steals the film from all of these seriously hard hitting actors. She's the perfect combination of innocence, curiosity, world-weariness and naked emotion. Cady partially infiltrates the family by connecting with the troubled Lewis, something that never would have happened in the 1962 version. There is a scene when Lewis first meets Deniro on a high school drama stage that is one of the most uncomfortably effective scenes I have ever seen. Scorsese does some strange visual things in this movie that border on surreality sometimes, nearly making it a fable. It's brutal and gorgeous and epic, right up to the cataclysmic finale that crushes every character back to complete destruction and hopefully rebirth after the credits role. Well, almost everyone has a chance at rebirth, with Lewis' haunting closing lines, "Because if you hang onto the past, you die a little every day. As for myself, I know I'd rather live."

These two films are fascinating social commentary when watched back to back. How much did morals and the family unit change in the thirty years between the two versions? And how did entertainment change? I'm sure the 1962 censors would have had heart attacks over the more recent Cape Fear. To have such a morally ambiguous hero, not to mention a darker and much less innocent daughter character, would have outraged them. Both versions are beautifully written, beautifully acted, suspenseful, disturbing for their times, and great paranoid, claustrophobic thrillers. And both, in their own ways, are testaments to the bonds shared by family members, and how those bonds become stronger and more meaningful when tested by brilliant agents of vengeance and evil.

What's MAB making?

2011-02-02T16:05:00.009-05:00

Dichroic glass heart necklace

So shiny and pretty for Valentine's Day

Tudor style chandelier earrings

The vintage disk crystals are unbelievable.

Gustav Klimt two-sided portrait pendant

One of my favorite artists of all time

Red lampwork leafy bead necklace

These beads are gorgeous, with gold flecks.

Copper fleur de lys bracelet

The mossy beads make me happy.

Copper filigree earrings

So lacy and light

Steampunk pendant with vintage ladies watch

I couldn't bring myself to take this watch apart. It was just too pretty like it is.

Ice Ice Baby and required kitty pictures

2011-02-01T18:38:00.008-05:00

We're in the midst of The Monster Storm! Yes, we are. We already have at least half an inch of ice hanging everywhere. People are sliding and crashing all over the place out there.

My pictures aren't very good, because I didn't venture any further than my front stoop. Ice makes me wimpy. Dayton, Ohio was pretty much shut down today.

The good news is. . . um, yeah. There's no good news. The second wave started up about five tonight. The news people are talking about "cataclysmic events." I'm very lucky and thankful, because I work from home. The neighbor spent half an hour chipping away at her car this morning. Nasty stuff.

It's good to be a cat. He doesn't even know what ice is. Not really. You put ice in his water to make it extra watery.

Then you turn upside down like a fluff loaf so your speckled-y lips stick out.

Do you see a kitty in this picture?

Yeah, I didn't think so!

Meet Elvis!

2011-01-31T15:27:00.004-05:00

My mom found this gorgeous husky last week, and brought him home. Originally, she was going to try to find a home for him, because he's gigantic and my mom thought he would be too much dog for her. Now. . . I think he may have found his place in the world. He's a sweet old baby, full of love. Whoever had him before took terrible care of him. I won't get into the specifics, because they made me cry. Let's just say that he's still in good health and has no aggression for anyone despite the way he's been treated. Bless his wolfie heart.

So, here's Elvis!

Likes: Crab rangoons, scrambled eggs, snow, bedtime, hugs and kisses
Dislikes: The vacuum, Swiffer, regular dog food, and whoever owned him before

What a gorgeous, loving pup.

So. . .

2011-01-25T16:29:00.002-05:00

What do you blog about when you can't think of anything to blog about?
I think my brain is tired. I've been running around like a psycho the past few days, and I have no fresh ideas.
Movies? Feh. I watched Inception last week, and really didn't love it. Pretty movie, Leo was good, not worth the hype.
TV? Meh. The Fashion Show has its finale tonight. I actually forget to watch it sometimes.
Books? I'm reading In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, again. It's a great book.
Kitties? Cute and strange.
Jewelry? Lots of new jewelry. Maybe I'll post some tomorrow.
Current events? The world is a tumultous place.
Fashion? Pajamas are your friends.

Tomorrow I will dazzle you with brilliance.
Today, let's just take a nappy. What do you say?

It's a Gussy Supernova in the sky!

2011-01-23T17:47:00.001-05:00

I bet he would be pretty under a black light. . .

Etsy News Break: Death of the forums

2011-01-22T16:09:00.004-05:00

Etsy is closing the doors on most of its public forums. In an action they have coyly named "Forum Migration," all public forums, except for possibly Announcements, Site Help and Bugs, will be fractured into various teams, many without open memberships, all with Team Captains and Team Leaders. At present, these team forum boards are not searchable. What this means is this:

If you are a new Etsy member, either buyer or seller, and you have a question or run into a situation that you need help with, more than likely you are not going to be able to find an answer with a simple search or by opening a new thread.

If you are a longtime Etsy member who has developed friendships, mentorships and bonds with other Etsians, it will be much more difficult to maintain that community in such a fractured structure. True, at this point, we may just be going through a messy transition period. But I sincerely believe (along with at least 95% of the Etsians who have responded to this announcement) that this will kill the community that Etsy claims to love. I have seen people help each other, professionally and personally, in the forums every single day. Sometimes, the emotional connections have brought tears to my eyes. Yes, there's a lot of crap, bickering and uselessness, but I would say that the positives far, far outweigh the negatives.

If the collective community has a problem with an Etsy action, as they legitimately have in the past, the dissent will be compartmentalized into team forum boards that may not be visible in Google searches. And if Etsy is either preparing to go public or sell outright, it's in their best interests to clean up the joint. This is one way of cleaning up.

If you are on a team, you can be removed from the team and have your posts deleted and your threads closed by a Team Captain or Leader. Also, you can be denied membership to many teams. Not to mention that it's going to be difficult to find the teams that might best address your concerns, and to keep track of all of those teams. So much easier to just scan the forum page and see the news and group concerns of the day, right?

Etsians are acting--either by forming teams or setting up alternative meeting places, like the Unofficial Etsy Forums over on proboards. I'm still investigating these different options. Right now, it seems like a terrible mess to me. Today, for the first time in a year and a half, I had time to sit down and work on my shop for a few hours, and I didn't want to. That is just sad.

Those of you who use and love Etsy, how do you feel about these changes?

Signed--

Bereft and frozen in Ohio

Spotlight on zippityduda

2011-01-20T14:46:00.008-05:00

See the gorgeous banner up there with my shop name on it? Zippityduda made that especially for me, to use on my tables or tent at shows. It is one of the most beautifully crafted, professionally designed items I have bought off of Etsy, and I kinda want to hang it up in my living room year round.

Zippity is the Young Quiliting Phenom from Minneapolis. She can sew anything for you. Anything you want! She has a vast collection of fabrics, and a head full of fantastic ideas. If you can dream it, she can sew it up for you.

Coffee cozy sleeve - choose your fabrics

Q: What is your idea of earthly happiness?

A: Well-rested, well-fed, not too warm, not too cool, projects to complete but no panicky deadlines, and the company of good friends.

Q: The quality you most admire in a man?

A: Tenderness.

Q: The quality you most admire in a woman?

A: Certainty.

Be Mine bunting banner garland

Q: Your favorite virtue?

A: A sense of humor - If you can't laugh about what happens in life, it's a pretty long, sad trip.

Q: Your favorite occupation?

A: Anything that involves helping other people's lives run more smoothly.

Q: Your most marked characteristic?

A: Openness.

Groovy quilted wall hanging

Q: What are your favorite names?

A: Well, I'm partial to the two I gave my children: Harrison and Glory.

Q: Your favorite words:

A: I like words that sound like what they are. For example, "tintinabulation" is that delicious sound ice cubes make when bouncing off the side of a cocktail glass.

Q: Your favorite sound?

A: Laughter. Gut-busting, tears rolling, can't-catch-your-breath laughter.

Fresh fun Frankentote fabric shopping bag

Q: What natural gift would you most like to possess?

A: Musical ability.

Q: What is your motto?

A: The whole poem "Desiderata" sums up my outlook on life, but my favorite passage is this one:

"Beyond a wholesome discipline,

be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,

no less than the trees and stars;

you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you,

no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should."

Sweet Cherry Pie fabric jewelry roll

Q: Tell us about your Etsy shop and what you do there!

A: My Etsy shop, Zippityduda, is a place for me to hawk my wares which I obsessively create during my every spare moment. Even without the shop, I'd still spend an indordinate amount of time quilting and sewing, but we would have needed a bigger house by now to store it all. I am in love with fabric, and hoard it obsessively, which I maintain is still cheaper than drugs or therapy - it just requires more space in my home. I love a good challenge and find the most joy when creating a custom, one-of-a-kind piece for someone who thought they'd never be able to get exactly what they needed.

And that, dear readers, is exactly what Zip did for me. Stop by her Etsy shop and say howdy!

Why I watch awards shows, the bad

2011-01-19T10:58:00.012-05:00

Let's pause for a moment and look at the loveliness that is Johnny Depp. Yes, he wasn't wearing a tie and he had disheveled hair. Yes, I'm furthering a double standard here by not calling him on it. But he's Johnny Depp, and he's delicious, and I've had a crush on him since 21 Jump Street. I wanted to spend a quiet moment with him before we plumb the depths of what's to come. Yum. Johnny Depp.

Okay, shake off that warm feeling. It's time to plumb.

January Jones in Versace
Okay, I'm torn here. Half of me thinks she's a frightening, befringed cyborg mutant fembot from the future who has come here to wipe out the human race so her kind can take over. The other half of me loves her for just that reason. What do you think?

Michelle Williams in Valentino
Who knew daisies could get depressed?

Julianne Moore in Lanvin
Oh, damn. I love Julianne Moore, but this is just a disaster on eighty-seven levels. That weird giant sleeve that's attacking her head, the neon rollerblade pink, the way the satin wrinkled in the Prius on the ride over. I flinched when I saw this. You can't see it in this photo, but the sleeve-collar-goiter has actually eaten half of her diamond encrusted necklace, too. Tragic.

Jennifer Lopez in Zuhair Murad
Ponch-no! This looks like something Eva Gabor would wear while burning toast on Green Acres. Many have raved about it, but I don't get it. It's probably me. Plus, she had on silver eyeshadow. If you're going to go drag queen, go full out drag queen.

Leighton Meester in Burberry
Eeeeeeeeeek! Burberry is designing gowns for polygamist religious sects! Out of bedspreads from 1978!

Jennifer Love Hewitt in Romona Keveza
Why does J-Love always look like a bridesmaid? Or a prom queen runner up? I'd even give her a pass on the dress if her hair didn't look like she had it done at Nancy's Bridal Salon over on Kitteridge Road.

Megan Fox in Armani Prive
Yes, Megan Fox. You are a sex bomb. I get it. This dress appeared to be made of interwoven bedazzled Ace bandages. And, as Michael Kors would say, with that slit, you could see what she had for breakfast.

Lea Michelle in Oscar de la Renta
This was an odd one. Again, I really like Lea Michelle, but this dress was just huge and heavy. I saw photos of the gown at the de la Renta show, and the ruffles were a lot more structural and stiff. I'd imagine that this one didn't travel very well and wilted. Plus, she had to manuever it and hold parts of it up and down and sideways. Way too much work for a look that doesn't flatter her. She's a petite little thing, and this just looks like she's being attacked by strawberry marshmallow fluff.

Hallie Berry in Nina Ricci
Hello, Hallie! I dreamed I was Catwoman in my Maidenform bra!

Sandra Bullock in Jenny Packham
She just looks sad and defeated. That hair and that dress in no way relate to each other. Apparently, her hair kept catching on the beading of her gown. I love dramatic bangs, but not here. Compare it to her Oscar look from last year. The gown is similar to Scarlett Johansson's, only Scarlett owned it, and Sandra looks like a morose emo teen playing dress up against her will. Kind of interesting, considering all of the gossip surrounding Sandra and Scarlett's estranged husband.

Helena Bonham Carter in Vivienne Westwood
Yay! Yes yes yes! I love me some Helena Bonham Carter! Doesn't she look like Edina from Absolutely Fabulous? Okay, this is awful. The dress is weird and doesn't fit, her hair is out of control and looks like my hair when I first get out of bed in the high humidity in July, and she's wearing one red shoe and one green shoe! Yes, she is! I kind of love it because I expect her to spill a martini on me and call me sweetie darling. Maybe she should have gone with Lacroix instead? Lacroix, darling.

Why I watch awards shows, the good

2011-01-18T14:27:00.008-05:00

So, the Golden Globes were on Sunday night. Yes, Ricky Gervais was the host, and some people are arguing that his jokes were mean-spirited and not funny. I only had an issue when he called out Robert Downey, Jr.'s somewhat questionable past. Look, stars should be able to handle a little humor at their own expense. People should be able to laugh at themselves. I do it every single day. However, do not, I repeat, do not talk badly about RDJ. He is deliciousness personified, and there will be a rumble. Hands off.

Whew, I feel better. Let's look at some fashion, okay?

Heidi Klum in Marc Jacobs
This dress is getting a lot of grief from fashionistas, who say it looks more like Heidi was going to a beach party instead of a red carpet event. You know what? The colors are lovely on her, it looks easy and fresh, and I love it. Maybe I've been cooped up in the wintery house for too long, but she looks like a hothouse flower to me.

Claire Danes in Calvin Klein
Simple, clean, gorgeous color. If you had boobs, you couldn't wear this dress. Calvin designs for women who are built like boys. Claire rocked this, didn't she? This coral is divine on her. She looks like a starlet from her My So-Called Life days.

Eva Longoria-Parker in Zac Posen
She looks like a fabulous boudoir doll standing still in this gown, with the pool of lucious fabric at her feet. Unfortunately, this is a sample dress, designed for a 5'11" model, and Eva is about 5'3". She had some trouble walking in it, but didn't it do great things for her body? Her boobs look great, and I'm loving the pin on the hip.

Olivia Wilde in Marchessa
Gorgeous, big, sparkly princess dress! Magically over the top. I want to wear this to Wal-Mart! I also want to put her hair up.

Natalie Portman in Viktor & Rolf
Natalie looked so glowy and pregnant and in love. Delightful. Some think the flower was too much, but it's a sparkly, silky corsage. Adorable.

Scarlett Johansson in Elie Saab
This blush color is tough to wear, but Scarlett can do it. So rosy on her skin, and the sleeves are fluttery and feminine. Her hair was a little large in back, a la The Bride of Frankenstein. Other than that, sequined perfection. Such a beautiful woman.

Angelina Jolie in Versace
You can say what you want to about Angie, but the lady knows how to take over a red carpet. Sure, it never hurts to have Brad Pitt as your arm candy, but this emerald green Versace dress with the exaggerated shoulders makes her look like a 1940s goddess.
I do kinda want to feed her though, don't you?

Kyra Sedgwick in Emilio Pucci
Yes! Yes yes yes! I love Kyra! She always wears something unusual, a color no one else would consider, like this amazing goldenrod Pucci gown. Her hair is lovely. Plus, she's still married to Kevin Bacon, and they're my favorite red carpet couple. A risk taker who always works it out.

Anne Hathaway in Armani Prive
Best dressed for the night. The pailettes on this gown were amazing, with the wide shoulder and the scoop back. I'm not a huge Anne Hathaway fan, but there's no denying that this was the most polished, divine look of the night.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the bad. And there was some shockingly, despairingly bad. Yes, Helena Bonham Carter, I'm looking at you and your mismatched shoes.

Blue Monday

2011-01-17T12:54:00.002-05:00

So, today is the saddest day of the year, according to psychological experts and TV announcers. Why?

Winter weather blues

Christmas credit card blues

Failed New Year's resolution blues

Blah

You know what I say?

It's time to rise up and be happy. Ignore the trend! Spring is coming. Your bills are no worse than they always are this time every year. And you can accomplish anything, even that resolution that seems impossible.

Here's the good news. The happiest day of the year is June 17th, and that's only five months away. We can hang in there! We can be happy now, and happier then.

Actually, it is kind of a blah day. . .

Hey, Miss America!

2011-01-16T17:20:00.006-05:00

Snow Princess Disco Barbie is on the phone, and she wants her dress back!

So does Roller Skating Eighties Astronaut Barbie with the T-top Corvette!

Barbie isn't claiming this one though. This one looks like Tara's curtains with a boob shelf.

Where is Kayne Gillaspie when you need him? I'm sure she's a very talented, sweet, home loving girl, but these dresses are way bad.

I really just want to bring peace to the world and save it from bad dresses.

Snowy Ohio

2011-01-14T21:42:00.006-05:00

It has been a hectic week here in MABville. First off, we had all of this lovely snow the beginning of the week. We also had some the middle of the week, and flurries toward the end of the week. We're supposed to have more lovely snow tomorrow, and possible snow, sleet and freezing rain Monday and Tuesday. These photos are really pretty, because you can actually see the fluffy pretty snow falling. What you can't see is me cursing as I clean off my car, shovel the sidewalks, or drive on the slippery roads.

I do love the way the falling flakes are illuminated by the flash. It looks like the inside of a snow globe.

I'm not all that sure that I love living INSIDE the snow globe, though.

We haven't had it nearly as bad as lots of other places, I know.

Still, how far away is spring? Because springs sounds really good right now.

Spotlight on SquidBullySquid

2011-01-12T16:31:00.009-05:00

SquidBullySquid is a plush cephalopod designer with a happening and happy shop on Etsy. She's from Seattle. She rides her bike through all kinds of weather. She lived on a sailboat for three years and has a ball pit in her apartment. Oh, and she makes the coolest squids ever. I love me some Squiddy. Here's a list of random philosophical questions with her wonderful replies.

Q: What is your idea of earthly happiness?

A: Freedom, comfort, and a good smooth Scotch.

Q: The quality you most admire in a man?

A: I like it when men listen. Although, when I'm admiring them, I'm usually admiring their eyes, tattoos and ability to hold liquor.

Q: The quality you most admire in a woman?

A: Confidence, motivation, kindness and a healthy dose of adventure. A good figure never hurt either.

Squid in rust red and dark blue

Q: What is your favorite virtue?

A: Lust! No, patience? Crap, I misunderstood the question.

Q: Your favorite occupation?

A: I miss fixing boats. Classic wood boats have so much personality.

Q: Your most marked characteristic?

A: My skin! Ha! I have a bunch of tattoos!

Giant Super Squid

Q: What are your favorite names?

A: October, Lunchbox, Tiberius

Q: Your favorite words?

A: I love you.

Q: Your favorite sounds?

A: The wind in the rigging and the gentle waves lapping against the hull of a boat.

Q: What is your motto?

A: Be awesome, have fun, smile lots, be nice to people. Always ALWAYS tip the bartender.

Q: What natural gift would you most like to possess?

A: I wish I could sing! I even took vocal lessons for nearly a year. The vocal coach said, "I can't make you good. But I can make you better."

Baby Giant Squid in teal and pink

Tell us about your Etsy shop and what you do there!

SquidBullySquid is pretty self-explanatory, I'd think. I crochet cute, yet anatomically approximate squids, festoon them with buttons, and hope the public loves them as much as I do. I've been working on branching out to other cephalopods. I hope to introduce octopuses and cuttlefish into the shop this year. The whole endeavor started as a way to get rid of my acrylic yarn, so I had room for fancy wool and other fibers for knitting. I taught myself the amigurumi style crochet from the internet and made some blobby looking sea creatures. Now I have more acrylic yarn than I know what to do with. Boxes and boxes of it! After a full year, I finally settled on a design I like. I don't have any written pattern, so I freehand every squid with a loose idea of formula. My favorite part is choosing colors and putting all the little button suckers at the end.

My goal is to sell another thirty squids on Etsy this year. Really though? I'm here for the community. Team Bacon! is the sweetest group of crafty people I've ever met. I adore all of my friends in the Etc. Forum, and I have so much fun being a part of this site.

Hearts and stars and love and sharks!

Yours truly from the dinohouse,

Cass

Etsy is like old time, small town America, featuring Team Bacon!

2011-01-11T13:38:00.013-05:00

My mom always talks about small town America in the Fifties and Sixties, how everyone knew everyone, and Main Street was lined with charming individual shops for everything you needed. No Wal-Mart where you went and bought everything you needed from a huge, faceless corporation, but a bunch of individual shopkeepers who knew your name and cared about customers.

Etsy is a lot like that. A lovely batch of sellers where you can get great stuff you want and need from people who know you and want to make you happy.

Bacon from the butcher shop!

Bacon tags, from teambacon

Fresh veggies from the produce stand!

Garden peas pendant, from LonesomeRoadStudio2

Hot coffee from the corner cafe!

Coffee Fueled messenger bag, from gothicreations

Seafood from the fish monger!

Blue and pink squid, from SquidBullySquid

Sweet honey from the beekeeper!

Queen Bee milk and honey soap, from HelloCrafty

Brown eggs from the chicken keeper!

Fried Egg Smiling dish cloth, from kitchekitsch

An arranged marriage from the matchmaker!

Just Married bunting banner garland, from Zippityduda

A new sailboat from the boat maker!

Silver origami sailboat pendant, from AllegroArts

And of course gorgeous jewelry from the jeweler!

Let's Go Sterling Silver Necklace from ZestyB

Okay, maybe you couldn't get a sailboat and arranged marriage on Main Street in small town America, but you really can find anything you could possibly dream of on Etsy.
It's my happy small town.

The Pledge fabric sweeper for pet hair

2011-01-09T15:10:00.004-05:00

We have some shedding issues at my house. You see that large, fluffy cat butt up there, right? Gus sheds like it is his life's purpose to shed. He sheds in the fall, he sheds in the winter and he is a professonal, full time shedder in the spring and summer. Big tumble weeds of Gus hair blow through my house in July, let me tell you. I vacuum like a psycho. I have lint rollers strategically placed all over the MAB compound. It doesn't matter. Pet hair attacks me every single day. So, I picked up one of these fabric sweeper doohickeys from Pledge the other day. (Disclaimer: Pledge has not given me any free stuff or services or promises of services or stuff for this endorsement. However, if they want to send me a big old case of these babies, I will not say no.) It's a handheld. . . sweepy thing with a sort of double brush in a plastic case. I used it on my furniture today, and it magically picked up all of the cat hair. The fluffy, gossamer Gus hair. The little sharp Franklin hair. Even the long black MAB hair. It did a heck of a job, as well as my Dyson with the furniture attachment usually does. I love cleaning products, especially when they do what they're supposed to do.

If pet hair is attacking you, give this a go. Now if Pledge would just make something to magically repair my shredded couch.

Etsian's grandparents missing in western U.S.

2011-01-08T21:52:00.003-05:00

The following is from a forum thread from JudiPaintedit. Please read, forward, and let's try to find this lost couple. You can read the details here, because blogspot will not allow me to copy and paste.

They're missing in the California/Arizona/New Mexico area. If you know anything or can help in any way, you can contact Judi at her Etsy account. Send your good thoughts her way.

Update: The missing grandparents have been found, safe and sound. Here is the update in this forum thread. How scary, though.

Scary movies! A Nightmare on Elm Street

2011-01-06T16:27:00.005-05:00

In 2010, the 1984 classic A Nightmare on Elm Street was re-imagined and remade. Why? To completely drain the life and interest out of a horror movie classic. I'm not even saying that the original was a great movie. But it was a great horror movie. It had a spooky premise--if you go to sleep and dream, you can die in your dreams. It had a great villan--Robert Englund's Freddy Krueger of the first couple of movies, before he turned into a campy version of himself. It had teenaged victims--including the unbelievably yummy Johnny Depp. It was also a fairly low budget, grainy little movie, which added to its overall spookiness. And the original handled that "Is the character dreaming or is this real?" surreality very well.

The remake is bad. Truly, truly bad. I'm not sure why big studios keep remaking these low budget horror classics with huge slick budgets, because it completely sucks the soul out of the films. This version of Freddie Krueger has no personality, no sense of humor, and no charm, as strange as a word as that might be to use for Freddie. The remade Krueger's makeup pretty much renders him non-emotional, and he ends up being just a wooden villan with no personality. The dream sequences, and the idea of dreams and reality mixing and melding, are handled so badly in this version that the low budget original looks like Citizen Kane in comparison. Every scare in the remake is predictable and not scary, the acting is bad, the effects aren't convincing. . . I could go on and on.

I hated the remake of Halloween as well, not to mention all of the other "re-visioning" of horror classics that were originally made for twelve bucks. Here's a novel idea: How about we create and write new and fresh horror movies, and leave the classics alone? Because these kinds of movies really only scare you the first time.

Paranoia, or not

2011-01-05T12:58:00.004-05:00

"I am a kitty ninja. I'm working on an exact velocity formula on the mechanics of pouncing, taking into account the air temperature and how many whiskers I have. E=MEOWC squared. That orange cat will be mine. Mine, I say. Prepare to die, orange cat."

"If I close my eyes and stick out my tongue, it gets all dark and no one can see me."

Personal hero: Tabatha Coffey

2011-01-03T11:31:00.005-05:00

Tabatha Coffey is a New Jersey-based hairstylist who hosts the Bravo TV show Tabatha Coffey's Salon Takeover. On each episode, she comes into a struggling salon and makes changes in the staff and facility to make the salon a success.

Why is she a hero? Lots of reasons.

1. She is good at what she does, loves what she does, and is a huge success at what she does. She is an artist who is passionate about her art and makes a great living practicing that art. Isn't that the definition of a happy life?

2. She knows how to make a business a success, and devotes part of her life sharing that knowledge, not just on the show, but at additional hair shows and events. She shares her success with others in her field. Another definiton of a happy life.

3. She's not afraid to speak her mind, and she knows what she's talking about when she does that. If something isn't working, she will tell you why. Then she'll tell you how to fix it. Often with fantastically quotable one liners.

4. She inspires me to be a better business owner. It's one thing to truly love what you do, but quite another to build a profitable business from it. I admit that sometimes I forget the profit side of the books, and just buy beads and make stuff. I never thought I'd find such practical inspiration from a reality TV character.

Check out her show on Monday nights on Bravo. Let me know what you think. My New Year's resolution is to be more like Tabatha!

Scary movies! Triangle

2011-01-02T17:24:00.003-05:00

Well, this was a nice little surprise. Triangle is a 2009 Australian movie set in the US that examines time travel, or wormholes, or repetion as hell, or something.

Melissa George is Jess, a single-mom waitress with an autistic son, who decides to take a sailing trip with Greg and a group of his friends. While on this trip, an odd storm blows up, causing the boat to capsize, a ship arrives to apparently rescue the castaways, and things pretty much go to hell from there. Jess keeps having serious feelings of deja vu. The rescue ship seems to be haunted. There are seagulls everywhere. . .

A smart, unpredicatable little horror movie. I don't want to give away too much here, but the ending will surprise you. So will the middle for that matter. You may want to watch it twice, or just over and over in a circular fashion.

Happy 2011!

2011-01-01T15:21:00.001-05:00

It's the International Year of Chemistry!

Yeah, I'm not sure what that means either, so feel free to interpret it in your own way. I may try to cook.

Happy New Year's Eve, time to get all dressed up!

2010-12-31T10:17:00.013-05:00

I'm torn between the rainbow granny square knitted dress and Cher.

Nah, it's Cher, always Cher.

Have a safe and happy new year's! And 2011 is going to be the best year ever.

Love and spandex, from MAB

On the bipolar nature of holiday advertising

2010-12-30T16:41:00.004-05:00

Remember back to this time last week? When we were racing up on the fantastic, over the top explosion of cookies and presents that is Christmas? The television was telling us to spend money, and wrap up a Lexus in a big red bow! We needed huge TVs and battery-devouring toys and glittery lipgloss and possibly stuff we didn't even know about. We needed cakes and pies and cookies and hams and chip dips and a giant buffet of carbohydrates! It was time to spend and eat and make merry and spread the love, all wrapped up in foil paper! The commercials were screaming with capitalistic joy and refined sugar!

Yeah, well that's all over now. Those decadent commercials have been replaced with these not so joyful and merry ads: Debt consolidation. Jenny Craig. Gym memberships. Chantix. Is your New Year's resolution to lose a hundred pounds and stop those collection calls? Sigh.

I have whiplash over this sudden switcheroo. I haven't even gotten the ribbon off my Lexus yet. There are still Christmas cookies in the kitchen. I'm not ready for New Year's resolution reality. Can't we stay in the dessert line for a couple more days?

Sometimes. . .

2010-12-28T15:43:00.003-05:00

You just want to put jewelry in a big pile and take pictures of it.

Because it's all sparkly and happy and delicious in a massive ball.

I am a Kindle convert

2010-12-27T10:37:00.004-05:00

So, I babbled here awhile back about how Kindles were evil, because they were inferior to books. I love books, you see. I have a house full of yummy books, and I love the way they feel and smell and are made of paper and ink. Books are good.

So is Kindle. I got one for Christmas, and I was skeptical. I felt like I was betraying my books just by touching the Kindle. It's a gadget that wants to obliterate centuries of print and art and. . . whatever.

Here's the thing. No one makes such an argument about iPods or digital cameras or cars that have certainly made horses less essential for daily life. I jumped to an illogical conclusion without examining the evidence firsthand. I'm a book purist.

But the Kindle is also an amazing thing. You download a book (in my case, the complete works of Edith Wharton for $2.99) in a couple of minutes. The Kindle comes with an Oxford Dictionary of English, so when Edith uses words that are beyond my vocabulary, I can immediately define the word and look at its origin. The very definintion of joy for a word lover like me! I can highlight, take notes, and I'm sure a lot of other stuff that I haven't discovered yet. If I had had this little guy when I was in college, life would have been so much easier. Instead of six thousand index cards, I could have done it all with the Kindle.

I love my books. I love my Kindle. I have a lot of love to give.

Merry Christmas, may your New Year's dreams come true

2010-12-23T23:23:00.004-05:00

Thanks so much for reading, and I hope Santa is good to all of you.

Secret Santa gift plus a bonus star

2010-12-23T13:07:00.007-05:00

We had a Team Bacon! Secret Santa exchange, and got to open our gifts Tuesday night. foxysquirrel made me this amazing arrangement of origami flowers on wire stems, beautiful in a vintage planter. Isn't this the coolest gift?
She also sent noms and nip for the kittens. This explains why they wanted to claw open the box when it arrived and I had to store it in my car. MAB and the boys say thanks!

Speaking of the boys, Gus was helping me take photos this morning. He wasn't very awake, though, and the flash hurts his eyes sometimes.

Yes, he looks a little surly here, but I assure you that he would be the perfect shining star for the top of your Christmas tree.

Sketchy Santas

2010-12-22T16:18:00.012-05:00

I was always one of those little kids who had a crying meltdown over seeing Santa, and I love these pictures.

All courtesy of the Sketchy Santas website.

Ho ho ho.

Christmas thank you

2010-12-20T10:52:00.001-05:00

Dear inventor of the gift bag, oh person who first thought, "Wouldn't it be great to make tiny shopping bags for presents? No boxes, no tape. Just some tissue paper and cram that stuff in there." I heartily thank you! You make the season of giving so much easier.

Movies! Cashback

2010-12-18T17:38:00.003-05:00

Okay, don't let the poster deceive you. This is one of the sweetest, dreamiest movies I have ever seen. I'm not good at sweet movies. I tend to like dark movies that usually feature at least one dead body. So, if I like a sweet movie, it must be a pretty dang good sweet movie, right? Cashback, directed by Brit Sean Ellis, began as a 2004 short movie that won a bunch of independent film awards. Ellis then reimagined it as a full-length feature released two years later. The plot goes a little like this.

Ben is an art school student who experiences terrible insomnia after breaking up with his girlfriend. To pass his evening hours, he takes a job at a twenty-four hour grocery store with a motley group of co-workers. To escape the monotony of his job, Ben begins stopping time. Everyone and everything freezes while he is able to move about, sketching women in the aisles in various states of undress. This movie does have a great deal of female nudity, so if that offends you, this is a definite pass.

However, it's so romantic and beautifully shot. I just smiled while I was watching it. Plus, it has that English humor that always cracks me up. So, if you want to put the zombies and serial killers on hold for a night, check this one out. I think you might just fall in love with it.

Snakey Mice: A Christmas story with pictures

2010-12-17T16:28:00.010-05:00

Gus says, "Look! We got new snakey mice for Christmas!"

"We love the snakey mice so much, and we can smell the nip nip through the package, so there's no way Mama could hide them away for another week."

"Love! Love! Fluffy love!"

"I love them so much, my head disappeared!"

Franklin realizes there are snakey mice. A fight ensues. I had to break up the fight, so we have no photos of the fight. It was a slappy, smacky, bad fight.

Franklin says, "Look! New snakey mice! I'm gonna rub my lips aaaaaaaaaaaaalllll over it!"

"I am upside down, and I have lost my mind. Look at my ferrety face!"

"I'm going to kick them with my back feet, and smoosh the entire blankie up around the snakey mice."

"Whew, I'm exhausted. God bless us every one."

You can get your kitteh fantastic snakey mice from catcalls on Etsy. Trust me, they will love them to the point of waging war on one another to get custody of the snakey mice.

What's MAB making?

2010-12-16T17:21:00.010-05:00

My 20% off sale is up through December 31st.

Brass owl earrings in white and gold

Vintage rose locket in purple and gold

Dark tulip earrings in gunmetal and black

Bee necklace in silver and gold

Eiffel Tower earrings in pink and black

Steampunk necklace with graduated olive crystals

Dark wing necklace with spectrolite and black crystals

Vintage Catholic medal bracelet in pearls and blue

Stop in to my shop and get yourself something sparkly for the holidays.

Pick your favorite Franklin Christmas hat

2010-12-15T11:19:00.008-05:00

Reindeer antlers plus Santa hat

Christmas pudding

Hottie glam

Reindeer beanie

Classic Santa

Classic Santa with full beard