ARTLIFE

Pinback Buttons and Fridge Magnets make great stocking stuffers! . . .

2011-10-29T18:04:00.000-07:00

The more you buy the more you SAVE!!

- - - - - - Pinbacks:- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Five PACKAGED – (Save $3.50)

Five UNPACKAGED – (Save $3.25)

Ten PACKAGED – (Save $6.00)

Ten UNPACKAGED – (Save $5.50)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - Fridge Magnets:- - - - - - - - - - - -
Three PACKAGED - (Save $1.75)

Three UNPACKAGED - (Save $1.50)

Five PACKAGED - (Save $4.00)

Five UNPACKAGED - (Save $3.50)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Occupy Wall Street Pinback Button Set of 4 . . .

2011-10-13T14:44:00.000-07:00

I've been so inspired by the Occupy Wall Street protests at Zuccotti Park in New York City and around the world. History is happening RIGHT NOW!! These four buttons are inspired by pictures of protesters signs during various marches in NYC and around the world. Available at my Etsy Shop Artlife.

Pin It

Tom Waits . . . Rain Dogs Video. . .

2011-08-13T13:47:00.000-07:00

To continue the Tom Waits theme, here is he who is so cool doing a lively (live) version of RAIN DOGS. I loved this album when it came out so many years ago.

The Laughing Heart by Charles Bukowski . . .

2011-07-28T07:59:00.000-07:00

Tom Waits reading Charles Bukowski's great poem The Laughing Heart

your life is your life
don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is a light somewhere.
it may not be much light but
it beats the darkness.
be on the watch.
the gods will offer you chances.
know them.
take them.
you can’t beat death but
you can beat death in life, sometimes.
and the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
your life is your life.
know it while you have it.
you are marvelous
the gods wait to delight
in you.

- Charles Bukowski

Tibetan Medical Paintings . . .

2011-07-21T04:57:00.001-07:00

A friend visited New York City last week and was able to catch a show of Tibetan Medical Paintings (also known as tangkas) at the American Museum of Natural History. She told me about it and of course I had to google for images! Here are a couple of the odd and beautiful images I found:

Machine that destroys everything video . . .

2011-07-07T05:51:00.000-07:00

Are you bored at work? . . . This video of a kick-ass machine that crushes, crunches and practically destroys anything you put into it will take you away from the mundane for a few minutes! What fun to watch!!: (Thanks kottke.org)

“Haboob” (dust storm) video . . .

2011-07-06T10:11:00.000-07:00

Eerie video of the first “haboob” (dust storm) of the monsoon season from the Phoenix area:

Bike cog love pin-back design used as tattoo design . . .

2011-06-17T08:58:00.000-07:00

A wonderful gentleman contacted me today on Etsy to let me know he got my Bike Cog Love design tattooed on his arm!:

Here is the pin-back design:

I think his tattoo came out GREAT!!

LOVE-BIKE-COG-LOVE!!

Marcel Duchamp quote about the word art . . .

2011-05-13T16:20:00.000-07:00

Arnold Newman, Marcel Duchamp, 1942. Philadelphia Museum of Art

The word 'art' interests me very much. If it comes from Sanskrit, as I've heard, it signifies 'making'.

- Marcel Duchamp

James Franco Interviews Artist Marina Abramovic . . .

2011-05-10T09:51:00.000-07:00

General Hospital Quote . . .

2011-05-10T07:51:00.000-07:00

“Believe what you want. But here’s a clue. The secret to life: Anyone can die at any time.”
“So what do we do about it?”
“Amuse ourselves. Don’t live by rules or boundaries. And take what you want, when you want.”

—Franco and Maxie, General Hospital, November 24, 2009

Sexting Pinback Button is here! . . .

2011-03-16T20:31:00.000-07:00

TDTM!!

Yeah, well, That's just how I roll . . .

2011-03-12T18:21:00.001-08:00

I've been wanting to design a pinback button with a rolling pin and this saying on it for awhile. I finally got around to it (hey, that's just how I roll!) and am really pleased with how it turned out. It is available packaged or unpackaged, and of course you can also get it made into a fridge magnet.

Moving and shaking over at Etsy! . . .

2011-03-11T08:09:00.000-08:00

I am in the middle (well closer to the end now) of doing a massive shop overhall at my Etsy shop Artlife so that I can offer my pinback buttons and fridge magnets packaged and unpackaged.

I've been wanting to do this for awhile now because I know some people want to give my pin-back buttons and fridge magnets as gifts and therefore want the packaging, but others just want the button for themselves, and don't really need the packaging.

I'm pretty pleased with my progress and slowing getting all of my listings up to snuff!

Another Etsy Treasury . . . Craftcult widget this time . . .

2011-01-19T07:53:00.000-08:00

I'm going to start posting my Etsy treasuries . . .

2011-01-17T11:16:00.000-08:00

Just Chillin' . . .

2010-12-08T10:57:00.000-08:00

This is my new favorite design...I still love the NINJA button, but right now I'm just chillin on this one!! . . . click the image to buy at my Etsy Shop Artlife

Crazy Coupon Lady and I'm a Garden Ho . . .

2010-11-30T04:04:00.002-08:00

Fun new pin-back button designs at my Etsy shop Artlife. Click on either image to buy!

my night job is NINJA . . .

2010-11-19T07:57:00.000-08:00

My boyfriend says every time he looks over at me at night I'm awake and my eyes are open (not true). And sometimes I wear black to bed so he calls me a Ninja. This was the inspiration for my new favorite pin-back button at my etsy shop artlife!

I'm addicted to Celebrity Rehab . . .

2010-11-17T18:11:00.000-08:00

New pin-back buttons starting to go up at my etsy shop artlife.

I've heard the new season starts Dec. 1st!!

Mad Men Barbie Dolls! . . .

2010-03-10T20:44:00.000-08:00

Left to right: Joan Holloway, Roger Sterling, Don Draper, and Betty Draper

Letters from the future . . .

2010-01-02T18:11:00.000-08:00

It's January 1, 2010 and my Mom and I are sitting at the kitchen table. There's a large lit candle in the middle of the table. We each have mugs of hot tea as we write our letters from the future...

Here's how it works:

- Date the letter a year from today
- Write your letter as if 2010 has already happened
- Chronicle the accomplishments and successes of the year
- Be as specific or as general as you wish (there really aren't any rules!)
- Let your imagination and dreams become real in the words you write
- When you have finished writing the letter, read it aloud
- At some point in the future (3 months, 6 months or whenever you'd like) re-read your letter and evaluate your projections compared to what has taken place
- If you aren't satisfied, make adjustments in how you are working toward your goals
- A year from now, re-read your letter again and write another letter from 2012

Whether or not your goals and dreams for the year will materialize remains to be seen. My Mom and I both felt like the act of writing these letters and then reading them aloud brought us energy, motivation and new ideas for the year to come. We were both surprised by some of the things we came up with and interestingly, the word "magic" came up early on in significant ways in both of our letters. Give this a try and see what comes up for you.

May your New Year be filled with abundance and joy!

A Beautiful Video about a man and a dog . . .

2009-12-19T20:02:00.000-08:00

Last Minutes with ODEN from phos pictures on Vimeo.

Craft Show and sticking with it . . .

2009-11-23T20:47:00.000-08:00

I took two well deserved days off after a very successful craft show (my first in years) on Saturday! It was so fun to talk to people all day about building my business and why I love creating designs for note cards, notebooks, fridge magnets etc. It was helpful for me to clarify for myself that as long as I'm making images (it doesn't really matter in what medium) I'm happy...and also that I'm in it for the long hall this time.

I've had several businesses over the years (jewelry design, graphic design) but I always ended up abandoning these businesses after a year or two and that was always the reason they failed...because I got bored and/or impatient and wanted things to move faster or something (?). This time I feel like I'm mature enough and I've been on this entrepreneurial ride enough times to know that sticking with it was always the part of the formula I left out and the one that I'm willing and able to give my business this time around!!

300,000 birds . . .

2009-11-15T19:42:00.000-08:00

I was thinking the other day how humans can work together to make beautiful things much like the birds in this video do, but we haven't (all) figured out how to yet.

Douglas Coupland quote . . .

2009-11-13T20:37:00.000-08:00

“We are confronted with a bombardment of information and the only tactic for survival is pattern recognition, connecting the dots or whatever – but refusing to be overwhelmed by it.”

— Douglas Coupland

New Gift Tags {Thimble, Geek Glasses, Fingerprint} . . .

2009-10-24T23:13:00.000-07:00

All of these new gift tags are available at my etsy shop Artlife:!

Geek Glasses : Pin-Back Buttons & Fridge Magnets . . .

2009-10-19T22:04:00.000-07:00

Geek Glasses Fridge Magnets

Geek Glasses Pin-Back Buttons

Guess it's enough of a reason as any to show a picture of Ryan Adams:

Fingerprint notebook and Hemingway kicking a can . . .

2009-10-18T20:13:00.000-07:00

Click here to buy this notebook at Etsy.

2009-10-17T19:45:00.000-07:00

The really important kind of freedom involves attention, and awareness, and discipline, and effort, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them, over and over, in myriad petty little unsexy ways, every day. That is real freedom. The alternative is unconsciousness, the default-setting, the “rat race” — the constant gnawing sense of having had and lost some infinite thing. ~ David Foster Wallace

Butterfly Notebook - Love, joy, peace, Bliss, Hope . . .

2009-10-16T20:17:00.000-07:00

One of my new notebooks on Etsy:

Adding New Fridge Magnet Sets to Etsy! . . .

2009-10-09T14:37:00.001-07:00

I've been quiet lately but busy . . . It is Christmas Present Time again!!

This set of fridge magnets has sewing spools on them in different bright colors!

Doctor is walking from Chicago to DC for Health Care . . .

2009-07-20T11:04:00.000-07:00

Dr. Ogan Gurel is walking 700 miles from Chicago to DC aiming to draw attention to the very real stories of hardship and inequity that persist in our health care system. He arrives in DC on 7/26/09. Please show your support in any way you can; spread the word on twitter, facebook, write a letter to the editor of your local paper, call your Representative or Senator and ask them to meet with Ogan when he reaches DC, help with donations or a place to sleep along his route or anything else you can think of to help spread the word about what Ogan is doing!

Here is a good story and video about Dr. Ogan Gurel's walk.

Thai Coconut Milk with Chickpea Soup - Easy Recipe . . .

2009-07-19T22:54:00.000-07:00

Here is another delicious and pretty easy recipe:

~ 2 1/2 Tbsp. Coconut Oil (you can also use Canola or Olive Oil)
~ 1 Med/Large Onion - chopped
~ 1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
~ 4-5 large Cloves Garlic - finely chopped
~ 2 cups Chicken Broth
~ 1 (14 oz.) can Chickpeas - rinsed and drained
~ 1 (8 oz.) can Diced Tomatoes - drained (add liquid to the soup at the end)
~ 1 tsp. Curry Powder
~ 1/2 tsp. Salt
~ Freshly Ground Black Pepper - to your liking, or 4-5 grinds
~ 1 (14 oz.) can Light Coconut Milk
~ 1 cup Cooked Brown Rice
~ 2 Tbsp. Parsley - chopped

Preparation

Begin by preparing your rice which you will add in at the end. In a good sturdy Soup Pot, heat the Coconut Oil over medium heat. Add the Onion, Garlic and Cayenne Pepper - cook, stirring about 6 minutes. Add the Chicken Broth, Chickpeas, Tomatoes, Curry Powder, Salt and Pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated thoroughly, about 5 minutes. Serve warm. Yummy. Enjoy!

"Every American should be able to get the same treatment that U.S. senators are entitled to." --Ted Kennedy . . .

2009-07-18T19:48:00.001-07:00

I'll repeat that:

"Every American should be able to get the same treatment that U.S. senators are entitled to." -- Ted Kennedy

No pretty picture. No links.

No wonder senators want to put Health Care Reform off again because THEY have excellent health care from a large-pool public exchange model.

A few statistics about the "gang of six" senators who want to delay action on health care reform:

Sen. Susan Collins raised $1,559,446 from the health and insurance sectors over the course of her career.

Sen. Mary Landrieu raised $1,676,353 from the health and insurance sectors over the course of her career.

Sen. Joe Lieberman raised $3,593,771 from the health and insurance sectors over the course of his career.

Sen. Ben Nelson raised $2,257,165 from the health and insurance sectors over the course of his career.

Sen. Olympia Snowe raised $1,147,630 from the health and insurance sectors over the course of her career.

Sen. Ron Wyden raised $1,414,911 from the health and insurance sectors over the course of his career.

And last but not least:

The health sector is spending $1.4 million a day on lobbying.

One of our Magnetic Bookmarks from booklife . . .

2009-07-17T18:14:00.000-07:00

See more at www.booklife.etsy.com!

"I just got out of the hospital. I was in a speed-reading accident. I hit a bookmark."
~ Steven Wright

Turmeric and Ginger Tea Easy Recipe . . .

2009-07-16T19:26:00.000-07:00

Turmeric and Ginger Tea

~ Boil two cups of water in a saucepan
~ Add 3/4 teaspoon powdered turmeric
~ Add 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
~ Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

While you are waiting, add into your mug:

~ juice of half a lemon (1 Tbsp. lemon juice concentrate is ok too)
~ 1 tsp. honey (more if you want it sweeter)

Strain the liquid from the saucepan into your mug and stir until the honey melts. Drink warm.

Turmeric is said to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, detoxification, and cleansing properties and may even protect against cancer. Do some research and consider adding turmeric into your daily health ritual! I have.

Artlife and Booklife are now advertising! . . .

2009-07-15T13:12:00.001-07:00

"There is no one giant step that does it. It’s a lot of little steps."~ Peter A. Cohen

It seems like a small step, but for me it is huge! I'm now advertising my Etsy shops artlife and booklife! The ad for artlife is on the glass artist Joseph Cuevas's blog and the booklife ad is on adelle.com.au!

Yoko Ono - Dream Billboard - Yoko Ono Dream 2009

2009-07-14T19:11:00.000-07:00

"A dream you dream alone is only a dream
A dream you dream together is reality."
- yoko ono

© Yoko Ono 2009
Over 1000 Billboards have been installed in Italy (in Milan, Rome, Venice, Florence, Bologna, Mestre, Padova & Verona.) to celebrate Yoko Ono's receiving the 2009 Venice Biennale Lifetime Achievement Golden Lion!

Follow Yoko on twitter -- she was twittering WAY before there was twitter!!

More Bacon Please: Francis Bacon @ the Met . . .

2009-07-13T19:13:00.000-07:00

I was joking about bacon yesterday and guess what show is at the Metropolitan Museum of Art through August 16 -- Francis Bacon: A Centenary Retrospective -- 65 paintings along with 65 archival items. This is the first major exhibition of Bacon's work to be shown in New York in 20 years.

Damien Hirst bought this 14" by 12" self-portrait for $33 million

Need more bacon on your site? - Try bacolicio.us . . .

2009-07-12T18:17:00.000-07:00

Feel like you need a side of bacon with your blog some days? Well, bacolicio.us delivers -- Here is mysillyartlife with bacon. Just follow the simple directions on http://bacolicio.us/ and your site can have bacon too! ♥

The big print giveth and the small print taketh away . . .

2009-07-11T21:05:00.001-07:00

"The big print giveth

&

the small print taketh away" ~ Tom Waits

My favorite Etsy Admin is . . .

2009-07-10T19:23:00.000-07:00

Photo by Anda at Etsy
Here is a special Etsy Storque article where you can find out many strange and beautiful facts about Matt such as:

~ Matt paces around when he's on the phone. Adam adds that when he paces around, he often picks things up and then leaves them elsewhere.

Thanks for being so rad Matt!

UPDATE: My impression of Matt - Wes Anderson movie character. Someone should let Wes know!

My new favorite blog is . . .

2009-07-09T20:42:00.000-07:00

JAK & JILL BLOG

Jak & Jill Blog has lots of pictures of fancy looking people in fancy looking fashion clothes...and lots of pictures of fancy looking people in fancy looking SHOES!!

© Annejet Kosters

Ernest Hemingway quote about being drunk . . .

2009-07-08T21:16:00.000-07:00

Ernest Hemingway's 1923 passport
"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut."- Ernest Hemingway

Sour's 'Hibi no Neiro' music video . . .

2009-07-07T20:40:00.000-07:00

This is a wonderful music video for Sour's 'Hibi no Neiro' (Tone of everyday) from their first mini album 'Water Flavor EP':

Click the hearts picture to go to the video!
The cast are actual Sour fan's, from all around the world. Each person and scene was filmed via webcam.

The Amazing Sophie Calle . . .

2009-07-06T19:03:00.000-07:00

A Meditation for the Imagination: Eating the White Apple . . .

2009-07-05T20:18:00.000-07:00

1. Visualize a white apple. Hold it so that you can see it, feel the sensations of touch, even smell it.

2. Take a bite from the apple. Not only should you experience the sensation of eating it, but the image should adjust with where you took a bite.

3. Repeat this process until the image degrades. This happens when you can’t keep track of where and how you ate the apple. I can usually go about ten bites before the mental image gets fuzzy.
From: Reboot Your Brain With Practical Meditation by Scott H Young

Holi: Festival of Colors in India . . .

2009-07-04T16:23:00.000-07:00

Photo: FaceMePLS - Flickr
Holi, also called the Festival of Colors, is a popular Hindu spring festival observed in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and countries with large Hindu populations. The main day of the festival is celebrated by people throwing colored powder and colored water at each other. Here are some amazing photos from the festival.

Sewing Girl Clip Board . . .

2009-07-03T11:16:00.001-07:00

A new clip board up on my Artlife Etsy shop -- the Sewing Girl themes are back!!!

Pink and Blue House . . .

2009-07-02T20:25:00.000-07:00

This is a photo I took years ago - with some painterly accents added in Photoshop.

Quick, Easy, Yummy Hummus Recipe . . .

2009-07-01T19:40:00.000-07:00

It is so easy to make Hummus! Here is a good, quick, easy recipe:

~ 1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas) - drained (save the drained liquid)

~ 4 cloves garlic - crushed (if you aren't a huge garlic lover, use 2 cloves)

~ 2 tsp. ground cumin

~ 1/2 tsp. salt

~ juice of half of a large lemon

~ 2 Tbsp. olive oil

~ a shake or 2 of cayenne pepper

Blend on low in a blender and gradually add the reserved liquid from the can of garbanzo beans until you reach the desired consistancy. Blend on medium or high as needed to mix entirely. I added all of the liquid and rather than being spreadable hummus it worked better as a dip, so if you would like it to be spreadable, add less liquid. Yummy -- it tastes wonderful!! Enjoy!

Blog every day for a month month . . .

2009-06-30T17:34:00.000-07:00

Oh Blog, Oh Blog, I have been ignoring you. Therefore I am committing to blog every day for a month just to show you I still care. Yay...July IS Artlife Blog Every Day For A Month Month!!

Photo: Helen Levitt

Giant Size $1.57 Each . . . Andy Warhol album cover . . .

2009-05-26T17:56:00.000-07:00

This album was released on the occasion of Popular Image Exhibition in the Washington Gallery of Modern Art, April - June 1963 and included interviews with the artists in the exhibition - Roy Lichtenstein, Jim Dine, George Brecht, Jasper Johns, John Wesley, and Robert Watts.

Bookmark making process . . .

2009-05-13T21:28:00.000-07:00

2 pictures from today's bookmark making process. . .
fabric on the magnets before the paper is added. . .after the paper is on . . .

Magnetic Bookmarks - New Etsy Shop - booklife.etsy.com . . .

2009-05-12T20:12:00.000-07:00

I'm excited about my new Etsy shop that my Mom and I are working on together! It is called booklife and we sell Magnetic Bookmarks which we build ourselves from scratch! Our first order today was for a set: you buy 3 and get one free; so a set of 4 for the price of 3. One thing I like about these are the color possibilities -- Endless! If you know my blog you know that I love color! And I love the different fabrics and papers I get to work with to create these. Check out booklife and let me know what you think.

I'm twittering . . .

2009-05-05T08:03:00.000-07:00

I've done it -- I've joined twitter! So far I like it. It is much quicker than creating a blog post which I like a lot. And I was checking out some celebrity twitter pages on a regular basis, so it is easier to have that all on one page now. I guess if you are going to fake twitter, you might as well real twitter.

Awesome to me . . .

2009-04-27T10:16:00.000-07:00

Photo: isgreaterthan.net
Tao Lin is selling his myspace page! I don't know why this seems so awesome to me. He talks about it here on his blog. I interviewed him in what is my most retarted and only published interview.

Update: I forgot to mention that there are 12 bids and the highest bid is $51.00 / 4 days 21 hours left in the auction

Update: Kevin Chen an investment banker at JP Morgan bought Tao Lin's Myspace page for $8,100.00 read about it here.

Natural Fashion: Tribal Decoration From Africa . . .

2009-04-23T16:57:00.000-07:00

From Natural Fashion: Tribal Decoration From Africa by Hans Sylvester / Thames & Hudson 2009

(Thanks Eddie Peters!)

Fake Twitter Post

2009-04-21T21:00:00.000-07:00

don’t want to join twitter but like it- been reading Courtney Loves twits & like the way sentences stop abruptly when she gets to 140 charac

Tulip Fields In the Netherlands . . . Happy Spring! . . .

2009-04-02T14:24:00.000-07:00

These pictures are from the Netherlands in the middle of tulip season:

Dancing pictures . . .

2009-03-14T19:58:00.000-07:00

I've been into animated gifs lately. This is from square america where 28 slides from a stereo slide collection taken in the 1950's were animated to give a weird 3-D effect. Click HERE to see all of the moving pictures in this series The Bar Mitzvah and Other Tales of Living in Stereo. This one is my favorite:

Photo: From square america -- the series "The bar mitzvah and other tales of living in stereo"

Update: Here is a great blog post with some very cool animated gifs!

The yoga of objects . . .

2009-03-10T16:24:00.000-07:00

Here is a stapler doing yoga:

Photo: Daniel Manrique

Here is edamame doing yoga:

Here is a yoga mat doing yoga:

UPDATE: Flatchestemama's stapler started doing yoga too!

The Limits of Control . . .

2009-03-05T20:51:00.000-08:00

This is a good line from the trailer for Jim Jarmusch's new film The Limits of Control:

“Sometimes the reflection is far more present than the thing being reflected"

You can see the trailer at Apple.

Battle In Seattle . . .

2009-02-26T15:09:00.000-08:00

I was going to post about Edamame but then this came up about the "Battle in Seattle" movie. Can't wait to see it and yes, I was there:

Battle In Seattle (Behind-the-Scenes) Part 2

Robyn Hitchcock & Another Giveaway ! ! ! . . .

2009-02-24T09:57:00.001-08:00

I've got another feature and giveaway going on over at woolies-woolies. This one goes on until Saturday, February 28th and the competition is mightly; 37 comments so far! The gift is your choice of one of my note card sets.

I'm really into sending out packages these days!

Here's a little tidbit from a Robyn Hitchcock song I love:

".....And things came through the letterbox thick and fast
It's in the past
It's in the bracken
Did something happen? The sky just blackened
Now there's a butterfly on my face
And I'm a number in a drawer...."

from "No, I Don't Remember Guildford" on Jewels for Sophiawhich also has the great "The Cheese Alarm" and "Viva! Sea-Tac"

Sekka Kamisaka (1866-1942) . . .

2009-02-21T19:21:00.000-08:00

Flowers of a Hundred Generations (Momoyogusa) 1909

From New York Public Library Digital Gallery.

Green Eggs and Ham . . .

2009-02-21T08:58:00.000-08:00

Dr. Seuss bet his publisher that he could write a book using only 50 words and he won!

Here are the 50 words in Green Eggs and Ham:

a am and anywhere are be boat box car could dark do eat eggs fox goat good green ham here house I if in let like may me mouse not on or rain Sam say see so thank that the them there they train tree try will with would you

Thanks kottke.org

Giveaways!!! . . .

2009-02-18T17:50:00.001-08:00

About a week ago I wasn't even aware that people are doing "giveaways" on their blogs to promote their product/etsy shop. I guess this week I'm getting up to speed on it all . . .

First, I'd like to mention that sweet simplyserra has a feature of my etsy shop (Artlife) on her blog The Etsians. As part of it, we are doing a giveaway of these:

Second, this is another great giveaway out there this week from rikrak:

Rikrak's ends on Tues. Feb. 24th, 2009 and I believe mine ends Monday the 23rd! So don't forget to enter both giveaways and the many more out there in etsy/blogland and good luck!

Craisin White Chocolate Chip Bars . . .

2009-02-14T12:59:00.000-08:00

For my Valentine's Day post I thought I'd share a recipe for Craisin White Chocolate Chip Bars which are simply to die for! . . .

Use a large sized saucepan to melt on the stovetop:

2/3 cups butter

then remove from stove and add:

2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup quick oats
1 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup Craisins (dried cranberries)

Spread into a greased 9" x 13" pan.
Bake 25 mins at 350 degrees.

Take out and let cool for about an hour before cutting.

Enjoy!!

Holy * * * * . . .

2009-02-12T20:04:00.000-08:00

I got my six hundred sixty sixth (666) heart today on Etsy!

And tomorrow is Friday the 13th!!!

Wyeth and Warhol . . .

2009-02-10T09:52:00.000-08:00

I love this portrait of Andy Warhol by Jamie Wyeth (son of the painter Andrew Wyeth). Andy's death was the only time I've cried when a celebrity died. The two (Andy and Jamie) were friends and Andy painted Jamie as well . . .

This sucks . . . Shepard Fairey Arrested . . .

2009-02-07T14:22:00.000-08:00

Shepard Fairey was arrested in Boston on Friday night. Two warrants were issued on Jan. 24th, 2009 for his alleged tagging of property. I'm sure it is all related to the fact that The Associated Press wants reimbursement and or credit for usage of their copyrighted photo used in the famous Obama Hope Poster.

Charlie Rose just had him on the other night!

image from www.kopenhagen.dk

UPDATE: Here is a great update on this story from Gawker.

Jim Jarmusch Quote . . .

2009-02-05T09:10:00.000-08:00

In keeping with the quote, I stole the above word/picture from ellenfrances who stole it from yay!everyday.

Great idea for a blog / great blog . . .

2009-02-03T16:59:00.000-08:00

press here

This invite is for: Ylva Ogland "Snöfrid vid sina speglar med The Oracle & Fruit and Flower Deli, - This is the Beginning of an Odyssey in Vodka" @ Brandstrom, Stockholm

Hand-sewn napkins with tea bag bag . . .

2008-11-08T10:15:00.000-08:00

New on my Etsy shop Artlife!

WoW ! ! ! . . .

2008-04-24T18:12:00.000-07:00

"Let the beauty we love be what we do" -- Rumi

To Do x's 5,600 . . .

2008-04-01T21:37:00.000-07:00

A group called Illegal Artists used 5,600 post-it notes to cover two windows of 70 Washington St. in Brooklyn to create this interactive piece. People walking by were encouraged to write their "to do" tasks on the yellow and pink sheets of paper.

Something to see . . .

2008-03-23T16:22:00.000-07:00

If you have never seen this commercial for Sony Bravia now is your chance! It is quite a San Francisco happening.

Untitled photograph 2007 by: Anouk Kruithof, from the series: We Are The Blue People

2008-03-22T14:57:00.001-07:00

I adore this photo.

I heart sewing and handmade! . . .

2008-03-19T19:08:00.000-07:00

My "i heart sewing" note cards where featured today on heart handmade!

Dear Dr. Laura . . .

2008-03-19T18:16:00.000-07:00

Someone sent this to the nutty right-wing talk show host who claimed that homosexuality was, according to the bible, an abomination.

Dear Dr. Laura,

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind him that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states homosexuality to be an abomination. End of debate.

I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the specific laws and how to best follow them.

a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

f) A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an Abomination (Lev 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

g) Lev 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev 19:27. How should
they die?

i) I know from Lev 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev 24:10-16) Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help.

Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Your devoted disciple and adoring fan.

David Axl Foster Rose Wallace . . .

2008-03-18T18:21:00.001-07:00

Brian Michael Hansen . . .

2008-03-07T02:41:00.000-08:00

RIP

Brian Michael Hansen

March 25, 1979 - February 17, 2008

Bridgman, Michigan

Superstar Rock Star Junkie Priest - lead singer and guitarist for

Teriyaki Kitten

aka Lucy's Fur

aka Lucy's Kitten

Many many many people loved Brian. He spoke and sang what was on his mind. His soul burned too close to the fire. Those who knew him, knew Brian hurt horribly, but we didn't have the formula to ease his suffering. He gave freely of a love that was so intense and he needed a love like that mirrored back at him, a love that we catch glimpses of now and again in this world, but a love that is, as of now, to strong for this world. The love he needed was too immense, to pure - maybe the kind of love I'm trying to describe will be what inevitably enables this planet to survive. Brian's was the voice of the suffering diary. A daily document of what this world is without the love he knew in his heart to be true.

Peace Tower Iceland . . .

2008-03-03T01:20:00.001-08:00

Yoko Ono unveiled The Imagine Peace Tower in Reykjavik, Iceland on October 9th, 2007. It will shine nightly every year from October 9th (John Lennon's birthday) through December 8th, the anniversary of Lennon's death in 1980. This is a great interview with Yoko from Democracy NOW in which Yoko speaks about the tower and many other current topics.

Jaime Pitarch -- "Cyclops", 2002, Modified glasses, 3.5" x 2.75" x 6"

2007-12-19T07:38:00.000-08:00

Wasabi Noodles with Greens . . .

2007-12-18T06:44:00.000-08:00

I made this great soup last night from a recipe I found on Paper Menagerie's blog.

Here is a link. I highly recommend it! The few changes I made were as follows:

- I didn't have bok choy, so I used mushrooms instead
- I used Udon noodles instead of Soba noodles
- I didn't have liquid vegetable stock, so I used 1 and a 1/2 cubes of Knorr Chicken Bouillon
- I had some ginger and turmeric mixed in water on the stove for the tea I drink every day so I added in a little of that!

Oh and I forgot to add the wasabi paste (the best part!!) until the soup was already in the bowls...so I added in a big squirt of paste to both bowls which we stirred in.

Thanks for the great recipe suggestion Angela! I'll definitely be making this one again! : )

Cubist Literature . . .

2007-12-17T00:57:00.000-08:00

I don't know how to describe why you should buy from Craig Hunter's shop on etsy called CubistLiterature. He is like the rock star of etsy. I don't think he wants to be but he just is.
He knits:
and takes a lot of self portraits:
and makes girl germ protectors:and he gets to sign his posts C.Lit

Art in action . . .

2007-12-16T23:38:00.000-08:00

This is pretty genius! It's an ad campaign for
World Wildlife Fund from Saatchi and Saatchi, Copenhagen, Denmark.

The Motel Life - One of the best books of 2007 . . .

2007-12-15T18:46:00.000-08:00

I got an email from friend Willy Vlautin of the band Richmond Fontaine. Turns out his first novel, "The Motel Life" was named one of the best 25 books of 2007 by the Washington Post. I didn't read too many books in 2007 but I did read this one. It made my list as well. Way to go Willy!

I Heart Sewing Note Card Set . . .

2007-12-14T08:59:00.000-08:00

These are my latest note cards on etsy. Lots of sewing themes going on -- buttons, scissors, patterns, embroidery, hearts, and needles. I use to do small sewing related pen and ink drawings to sell on etsy and these cards utilize a lot of the designs I created in those drawings.

Progress on etsy . . .

2007-12-13T23:43:00.000-08:00

I still want to change out the "love birds" and the "thank you" note cards to a darker background. It is so much better than where I was about a week ago, trying to photograph rather than scan my note cards. With this present solution, I scan the cards, replace the white background with a colorful one and then add a bit of a drop shadow for depth. What do you think? (I'd love some comments on how you think I'm doing!)

Another photo from my San Francisco trip . . .

2007-12-13T22:59:00.000-08:00

A nice quote by Anais Nin . . .

2007-12-13T04:19:00.000-08:00

"We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are."
-- Anais Nin

Help Moveon.org run this full-page ad in the New York Times! . . .

2007-12-12T21:09:00.000-08:00

Click on the cartoon to contribute!

2 blurry photos . . .

2007-12-11T23:04:00.000-08:00

I'm a big fan of blurry. Painters like Ross Bleckner and Gerhard Richter. Here are two blurry photos of mine:

Origami with Money . . .

2007-12-11T00:39:00.000-08:00

The Art of Moneygami -- Origami with Money

Thanks swiss miss

Artist collaboration - Josh Greene and Sophie Calle . . .

2007-12-09T23:48:00.000-08:00

Above is a picture of the French artist Sophie Calle's bed. San Franciso artist Josh Greene wrote to Ms. Calle after his long time girlfriend had broken up with him. In the letter, he expresses his wish to sleep in her bed during his period of grief over the end of the relationship. A month later, Josh received Sophie's bed in the mail. Read more about the interchange here.

War is over If you want it . . .

2007-12-08T23:02:00.000-08:00

http://www.imaginepeace.com/

Books arranged by color . . .

2007-12-07T23:02:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of the Adobe Bookstore in San Francisco after artist Chris Cobb and a crew of 20 helpers rearranged all of the books by color. After the week long project was over, they returned the books to their original locations.

Here is an interview with Chris about the project.