Just stop.

I interact with, and read, and see people everyday that try too hard to be someone they're not. It's easy to see and it frustrates me on far too many levels. Just stop. Be yourself, that's what your best at. Others will like you more.

Today and everyday.

"You, whose day it is, get out your rainbow colors and make it beautiful."
-Traditional Nootka Song

Sometimes he's a space alien.

Fall in the Botanical Gardens.

I went for a walk and stopped in at the Botanical Gardens today. I was really delighted to see that the water lillies were in full bloom. Such gorgeous colors.

Droopy eyelids.

I'm sleepy and the grey skies and listening to Adem make me want to curl up on the couch and take a nap.

Andrew Bird - Lull.

My eyes and ears are delighted.

Charles Basham.

I've been thinking more and more about creating a new painting. Especially after I took that photo of the flowers earlier this week. I'm always drawn to interesting interpretations of landscapes, which led me to think about a past professor of mine, Charles Basham, who's work I liked quite a bit.

Beautiful color. Beautiful mark making.

Charlene Kaye.

During the past couple of months, the other bears at Three Bears and I had been working with Charlene Kaye to create the artwork for her new cd, which is to be released on October 10th. I think it's a gorgeous final product. I'll probably post more pieces of it at a later time.

(linework by Adam Baker, typography by Charlie Wagers, watercolor by me.)

Lunchtime walks in the park.

(I think I may attempt to paint this.)

I won't miss writing research papers.

Free time.

I wonder what I would do with my free time if my creativity wasn't constantly filling it with various projects.
(My "to do" list always seems never ending.)

Ikea: Episode 1, Training Day.

Ikea, you are wonderful.
(JEFF GOLDBLUM is supposed to appear in future episodes!)

I Love You!

(Andrew snuck into my blog and put this post on here. I've decided to leave it because it makes me smile.)

Costumed kitties.

I just dropped these off at the Low Life gallery on Waterloo for a Halloween themed show starting on the 3rd. Also, picked up a Plushform at Shoparooni while we were there. I'm entering their Midwest Plushform Show (http://www.midwestplushformshow.com/).

Edward.

Edward always likes to talk. A lot. I wonder what he would say if he could blog.

Wellington.

Always a slew of mixed emotions here.

Kaori Miyayama.

http://www.studioetcetera.com/staff/kaori/index.html

"Soylent Green is CROCS!!!"

http://www.newsweek.com/id/150240?tid=relatedcl
This article just made my day. Now if only I could find something similar about UGG boots...

"Plop, plop, plop. Stuff, stuff, stuff. Yuck, yuck, yuck."

God'll Ne'er Let You Down.

Every day, He'll never let you down
Chase His name, He'll never let you down
When the black turns into a white
Never turn your back, the bowl is full of light

You are the ways to raise, He'll never let you down
You are the rays in His face, He'll never let you down

Planes will crash, He'll never let you down
So maybe there's a crash coming for the ground
Seek His face, He'll never let you down
Worship grace, He'll never let you down

Sufjan Stevens.

Anxiety.

nataliedee.com

This made me laugh, but at the same time I realized it's 100% me. Sometimes I wish I could stop worrying so much.

Paper clouds.

The sky this morning reminded me of our paper clouds.

And seeing my quilt like that reminds me of how much I want to make another. Soon.

Sipping on the Sweet Nectar.

Along with Adem, Jens Lekman is one of the musicians that my ears just yearn for when the cold weather arrives. The first two times I saw Jens preform were both in the fall. They were small and intimate and there were only a handful of us there that knew his music. The second time I saw him, after the show, he sat on the steps outside of the venue and took every and any request we had and sang along with his ukulele. He is an incredible musician. So honest and straightforward.

Oh Jens, you can fly your plane to Cleveland and sleep on my couch again anytime.

"...I can see a lot of bright in you..."

These Sufjan inspired prints are being sold here and all of the profits go directly towards helping the artist's sister and brother-in-law adopt a child from Ethiopia and to AHOPE (an orphanage in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, that cares for HIV+ children). Beautiful.

Cragislist: FREE COUCH.

FREE COZY COUCH. EARTH TONE COLORS.

PICK UP TODAY!
(Does the cat come with it?)

Dino kitty.

I'm working on some pieces for a Halloween themed gallery show I'm going to be in next month.

Charles Dana Gibson.

My "This Day in History" dashboard widget has notified me that Charles Dana Gibson was born on this day in 1867. I've always been fond of his illustrations. Especially the way he draws hair. I'd love to have hair like that.

You light up my world.

We got a globe lamp at the thrift store for $5. Take that Urban Outfitters.

Hotellounge.

It's getting colder. My ears want to hear Adem. I wish he would come back to the US and play in Cleveland.

Esteban was EATEN!

Where do I get in line for my Life Aquatic themed wedding cake?

Work.

I am constantly restless at work. My mind wants to be in my small space at home where I can sit and create as I please but my body is here at this ugly grey office desk. It's exhausting and leaves me feeling drained.

Tile geek.

My heart just fluttered a little. I need a home to put these in.
http://www.tetris-tiles.com

Before the iPod.

“This was a very typical time. I was single. All you needed was a cup of tea, a light, and your stereo, you know, and that’s what I had.”

I wish I could have known the young Steve Jobs.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes.

Inspiration: Tornado dreams. Bowie.

Accidental narwhal.

I was testing out some colors and a narwhal appeared.

Of Great and Mortal Men.

My dear friends at Standard Recording are releasing an amazing album today. Of Great and Mortal Men was put together by songwriters Christian Kiefer, Jefferson Pitcher and Matthew Gerken and features 43 songs, one about each president. Many guest muscians have taken part in this project including: Califone, Rosie Thomas, Bill Callahan (Smog), Alan Sparhawk (Low), Mark Kozelek (Red House Painters, Sun Kil Moon), Marla Hansen (Sufjan Stevens), Steve Dawson (Dolly Varden), Vince DiFiore (Cake), Monahans, James Jackson Toth (Wooden Wand), and Tom Carter (Charalambides). Accompanying the set of three CDs is a 108 page color book featuring 43 artist renditions of the various presidents. I've been listening to this album for a couple months now and I can say that it's absolutely wonderful. One of the top 10 albums of 2008 for sure.

(J. Matthew Gerken. Christian Kiefer, Jefferson Pitcher featuring Marla Hansen - The Last Cocked Hat)

http://ofgreatandmortalmen.wordpress.com/

Castle Oldchair.

Mmm. It's that time of the year.
(Castle Oldchair - Speaking of Diamonds)

I don't know where my musical tastes would have ever ended up without Standard Recording.

Hello fall.

Today is brisk, grey, rainy. I wanted to stay in bed longer and wrap up in my quilt until I didn't have to rely on my alarm to wake me up. I wanted to stay home, drink tea, and draw and paint all day.

Instead, I'm at work making Mother's Day cards for next year. Struggling to stay awake and sipping on a mocha.

I was disappointed that it didn't smell like fall when I walked outside today.

Broken Pop Cam.

I still have no idea what's wrong with this camera or why it seems to capture images that I never took...but it's wonderful.

INOON.

Andrew and I found a camera at Goodwill this past weekend called an INOON. It was cheap, never used (still in plastic shrink wrap), and looked like it would be fun so we bought it and shot a roll of film. The lens was pretty awful, barely anything was ever in focus. But these two images...mmm. I love the dreamy quality of them.

Weekend at the lake house.

Every weekend I get to spend with him is my favorite.