The Little Hen Rescue

Oh my lordy, did you guys see this on the Craft blog yesterday? You can knit a sweater to keep a poor featherless chicken warm.

all images via Little Hen Rescue

The website for Little Hen Rescue says they have plenty right now and if you're interested in contributing, there is an email list you need to sign up for. Seriously considering it. Ahhh chickens in sweaters!

Handmade Challenge: Day 55

Forgive me for the lens flare shot. I know they're overdone, but I still kind of love them. Plus this one is totally real. 

necklace: made by me

top: Nordstrom

skirt: made by me

Summer finally came to Seattle for a couple of days, so obviously I had to go super girly in celebration. I'm not sure what kind of logic that is, but there you have it. This skirt is kind of a cheat because I actually made it a couple of years ago (I was even photographed by It's My Darlin wearing it! Which, by the way if you're not following that blog, you need to)

People of Seattle love to complain about the weather and even though we've had like three days this summer that cracked 80 I'm already hearing complaints about how hot and muggy it is. Personally, I am thanking whatever weird weather pattern it was that saved us from the ridiculous heat wave that hit the rest of the country. Plus, for a girl who grew up in Florida, 80 is not hot.

New Drawings

Scape #1

Scape #2

A couple of drawings I recently finished. They are drawn in graphite on grey paper (which made them kind of hard to photograph). They are actually meant to hang next to each other as a diptych. As usual you can read more about my work here.

Mid-Week Masters: Laura Letinsky's Still Life

Untitled #115 (pomegranate)

2003

Untitled #33

2001

Untitled #80 (apricot)

2003

Untitled #49

2002

Laura Letinsky's still life work proves that a talented artist can breathe new life into the most well-worn genre.

More images of her work here and here

DIY Inspiration: Miss G in Cracks

I recently watched the movie Cracks and it was absolutely GORGEOUS. Everything about the movie was stunningly beautiful. The set design, the cinematography, the costume design, and the actresses all beautiful. Whenever Eva Green or Maria Valverde's face would be on screen I think I blacked out for a second because I couldn't process how someone could be so pretty.

Eva Green is Miss G, the diving instructor, who all the girls love and admire. She is bold and strong and inspires her girls with her worldliness. But, in the end Miss G turns out to be someone not so deserving of such adoration.

Each girl has a strong sense of style that helps define them as a character. There are the modest cotton dresses and long flannel night gowns of Di and the other School girls, the soft pastel velvets and silks of the aristocratic Fiamma, and the bold patterns and fashionable cuts of Miss G. 

I particularly loved one of Miss G's hats. It's a knitted red slouchy cloche she wore in the first scene you start to suspect Miss G isn't quite as perfect as the girls think she is.

She didn't wear it for very long and there weren't any good shots of it from behind, but I'm pretty sure I can recreate the pattern and have a little of my own Miss G style. I just have to find a yarn that gorgeous shade of red first.

Handmade Challenge: Day 43

 top: designed and made by me

white lace dress: H&M

shoes: MIA

sunglasses: H&M

I found the fabric I used to make this top at the back of my local JoAnns in the red tag section, which is usually full of cheap prints half falling off the bolt that look like they've been run over by shopping carts. But occasionally if you dig through all the duds you're rewarded with something cheap and awesome, like this orange bird print knit. When I got it I was stoked because I knew exactly what I wanted to make with it. I designed my pattern and started cutting out the fabric. Everything seemed to be going according to plan. Then I did a major face palm when I realized I cut out one of the back pieces backwards and I didn't have any more fabric because I had bought the last of the bolt! I couldn't believe I made such a rookie mistake. So I hid it from the world for over a year out of embarrassment and frustration. But my love of the fabric overcame eventually and with some adjustments I finally finished it.

Also, I apologize for the pastiness of my legs. I hope the glare didn't blind anyone.

Mid-Week Masters: Damien Hirst's Butterflies

Tranquility

91 x 127 in

2008

In all honesty I'm ambivalent about Damien Hirst's work in general. Don't get me wrong, his influence on contemporary art is huge, especially his earlier work a la The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living. Lately I think his work has been influenced by how rich he has become. There's a lot of flash and some shock value, but not a huge amount of substance (don't shoot me art gods, it's just my personal opinion!) Even still, sometimes I like to look at art that is just plain pretty and his butterfly mandalas are really pretty. I know, I know, sometimes in the art world saying something is pretty is worse than saying it's ugly. But they are pretty aren't they?

Bringing Forth the Fruits of Righteousness from Darkness

2008

I am Become Death, Shatterer of Worlds

84 x 210 in 

2006

detail I am Become Death, Shatterer of Worlds

Like most of his work, they explore concepts of death. Also, like most of his work, if you are easily offended by the display of dead animals as art, it's not for you. The butterflies in this painting are real, encased in gloss paint on canvas. Pretty, but is it worth it? Like I said before, I'm ambivalent.

A-frames

image source unknown

image source unknown

image via

A-frame cabins have been catching my eye lately. Some people dream of big houses, I dream of little homes tucked away in isolation.

The dog named Fluffy who isn't very fluffy

I didn't mean to take a week off from the blog, but sometimes things happen in real life that have to be dealt with. Blech. Believe me, I would rather be editing photos and writing posts for the blog than what I've been doing for the last week. Maybe I'll bore you with what's been going on a little later, but for now I'll focus on the good things in my life. You know, the little things that keep you sane when what you really want to do is run away and change your name so no one can find you. So let me introduce you to Fluffy.

I don't want to be one of those people that goes on and on about how their pets are their "children" because, no. But, I do love my Fluffy dog. When I was growing up we never had dogs or cats, the occasional bird or fish sometimes, but nothing that wasn't kept contained. When I was away at college my mom started having problems with a creeper outside the house. The police were supremely unhelpful and their only advice was to move or get a dog. After much debate and consideration, my mom and my sister went to the Humane Society to look at dogs. As they walked by the kennels all the dogs were jumping and barking, except for one who was quietly standing on her hind legs, almost like she was dancing. When you're considering a dog for adoption they put you in a room and let the dog in to see if it's a compatible match. Before they let the dancing dog in the room with my mom and my sister, they were told they shouldn't be disappointed if this dog didn't warm up to them, that she had been there for over six months and was very skittish around people. When the dog was let into the room, she sniffed around, went over to my mom, who was sitting on the floor, and promptly tried to climb into her lap. That sealed the deal, she decided she was ours.

She came with the name. I don't know why she was named Fluffy because she isn't. A bunch of people tried to tell us we should change it, but it seemed kind of mean. She knows her name and she didn't need any more confusion when she was trying to settle into a new home with new people. Plus, it fits in with our family's sense of humor. A Fluffy dog who isn't fluffy fits in perfectly with us.

These photos were taken when she was wrapped up in her favorite ratty pink blanket. She loves that blanket. When she's cold or tired, she loves to be wrapped up in it and fall asleep in a little ball. She even sticks her nose in so only her ears hang out.

When I took these photos she must have been very tired because most of the time if you get anywhere near her (with or without a camera) she wakes up so she can lick you to death. Which is why I love her. Even when I'm stressed out, even when I'm in a bad mood and I've managed to alienate everyone else, this silly little dog doesn't care, all she wants to do is lick me to death.