circle a line

LIST 200) My current inventory of Copic Sketch markers

2012-01-04T03:03:00.000-05:00

1. 0 Colorless Blender
2. C1 Cool Gray No. 1
3. W2 Warm Grey No. 2
4. YR01 Peach Puff

5. YR02 Light Orange

6. YR04 Chrome Orange

7. YR09 Chinese Orange

8. YR12 Loquat

9. YR24 Pale Sepia

10. Y00 Barium Yellow

11. Y15 Cadmium Yellow

12. Y35 Maize

13. YG05 Salad (one of my favorite names)

14. YG17 Grass Green

15. YG23 New Leaf (another great name)

16. YG45 Cobalt Green (acquired today!)

17. YG95 Pale Olive

18. G02 Spectrum Green

19. G03 Meadow Green

20. G07 Nile Green

21. BG78 Bronze

22. BG45 Nile Blue

23. BG72 Ice Ocean (acquired today, in part because I liked the name)

24. B00 Frost Blue
25. B18 Lapis Lazuli
26. B24 Sky
27. B34 Manganese Blue
28. B66 Clematis
29. B79 Iris
30. BV01 Viola
31. BV02 Prune
32. V17 Amethyst
33. RV04 Shock Pink

34. RV00 Water Lily

35. RV11 Pink

36. RV23 Pure Pink

37. RV25 Dog Rose Flower

38. RV69 Peony

39. R00 Pinkish White
40. R21 Sardonyx
41. R24 Prawn (also acquired today)
42. R27 Cadmium Red
43. R39 Garnet
44. E0000 Floral White
45. E01 Pink Flamingo

46. E17 Reddish Brass

47. E21 Baby Skin Pink (yuck, who named that one?)

48. E30 Bisque

49. E33 Sand

50. E42 Sand White

51. E47 Dark Brown

52. E51 Milky White

53. E70 Ash Rose

54. 100 Black

List 199) On a roll: kinds of tape

2011-10-21T14:31:00.001-04:00

All the kinds of tape I could think of in 3 minutes.

1. video
2. masking
3. artist's
4. scotch
5. audio
6. double-sided
7. removable
8. cellophane
9. measuring
10. ticker
11. bias
12. packing
13. floral
14. washi
15. invisible

By the way, one of my new favorite resources is cutetape.com.

List 198) Hold on, here are ten kinds of glue

2011-10-21T02:32:00.001-04:00

1. White
2. Super
3. School
4. Krazy
5. Gorilla
6. Washable
7. Glitter
8. Wood
9. Fabric
10. Multi-purpose

LIST 197) Know your chicken: Some notable people whose names work well for chickens

2011-10-12T21:13:00.000-04:00

1. Chick Corea

2. Henny Youngman

3. Nicole Eggert

4. Debra Winger

5. Gregory Peck

6. C. Everett Koop

7. Noel Coward

image via the graphics fairy

LIST 196) Hurricane prep school: inventory

2011-08-27T21:46:00.004-04:00

Things my friends and their friends have stocked in preparation for Hurricane Irene (culled from facebook):

1. chocolate, wine and knitting
2. jello shot desserts, pizza bread, candles
3. wine, chick flick, and oreo pie
4. four rental movies, Super Boggle, three seasons of Six Feet Under
5. Scrabble, a massive bag of M&M's, wine, ice cream
6. more than a gallon of vodka and a ton of red beans and rice
7. two pints of ice cream, a bunch of coffee, two bottles of makers mark, a witch's surplus of candles, and about eight pre-cooked meals
8. 3 L of red wine, squash, pasta, Men in Tights, a bible
9. buttermilk cake, corn relish with scallions and tomato, prepped leeks, fruit compote for cake, money, a case and a half of red wine, case of white, LOTS of beer, whiskey, vodka and soft drinks, cheese and crackers, water and two small white dogs
10. vitamin water, Froot Loops, Chef Boyardee beef ravioli, Cheez-Its
11. a freshly laundered shower curtain
12. Typhoon by Joseph Conrad
13. wine and a wine opener
14. the crappiest flashlight ever and 4 batteries
15. a toy for tomorrow and D batteries
16. red wine and kitty litter
17. nine boxes of Pop-Tarts
18. water, batteries, Hostess cupcakes
19. C batteries and devil dogs
20. white wine and Wheat Thins™ and spray cheese
21. an updated iPod
22. paint and rollers, gold taper candles ("you can still be glamourous in a power out!")

LIST 195) Vintage bicycle graphics

2011-08-09T00:29:00.009-04:00

Bit of trivia about me: I never learned how to ride a bike. My parents were overprotective and I was a prissy kid. Anyway... I suppose if you can't ride a bike for transportation, the next best thing is to use it for inspiration.

1. free spirit is a great bike name

3. some bike names are very optimistic, like Skyrocket

10.

11. vintage Schwinns win my vote for best graphics.

12. S is for springy seat

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22. I like the front emblem on this one a lot.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

31. didn't notice when I took the pic, but this bike has Hello Kitty tires.

32.

33.

Most of these bicycles were photographed

on the streets of NYC's East Village. Thank

you to the guys at Landmark Vintage Bicycles

for letting me photograph some of their inventory

to round out my list.

LIST 194) Retrofitting

2011-07-27T12:47:00.003-04:00

Presently, many tech devices are being designed without much regard to durability. Purchasing a separate protective case is practically mandatory. But I'm okay with that. One, because a new, diverse market has opened up. And two, because consumers rarely have the option to buy a product's innards and exterior separately. Picture yourself being given final say on the product's finished look. You've got to grab those opportunities whenever they present themselves.

Okay, enough rhapsodizing. Here are a few things I like, mostly because they play with form and function. There's something both funny and satisfying about dressing new technology in the garb of its predecessors.

1. Etch-a-Sketch iPad cover by Headcase

2. Fred and Friends Flashback iPhone Case on fredflare

3. Cassette Tape iPhone 4G case by kinggraphx on zazzle
save $5 with code PROTECTCASES through 8/31/11

4. Vintage Radio Face Speaker by KrisTeeShirts on zazzle
Why did we get rid of turn dials? I prefer them to buttons and certainly to touch screens.
save $5 with code PROTECTCASES through 8/31/11

5. Retro Turntable Vinyl Record DJ iPad Cover by cutencomfy on zazzle
save $5 with code PROTECTCASES through 8/31/11

6. Vintage Camera iPhone 4G Cover by ZunoDesign on zazzle
save $5 with code PROTECTCASES through 8/31/11

7. BookBook Case for MacBook by Twelve South

8. This hardbound book shaped hard-drive by Linus Berglund is exactly how I'd like to store hard drives on my bookshelf.

9. Vintage Marbled Paper Book Cover by debinSC on zazzle
save $5 with code PROTECTCASES through 8/31/11

10. While You Were Out Message Pad by circlealine on zazzle
Imagine Alexander Graham Bell returning to his desk to find a cell phone with this message attached to it. Of course, you can customize the text on this design as you please or opt to leave it blank.
save $5 with code PROTECTCASES through 8/31/11

11. Flat Light Switch iPhone Cover by CreativeCases on zazzle
save $5 with code PROTECTCASES through 8/31/11

12. and something anti-retrofitted: the iPaperPad

LIST 193) Party of fives

2011-07-23T16:35:00.001-04:00

As I mentioned in list 192, my friend and former classmate, Annie Wilson, is celebrating the 5th anniversary of her blog, poetic and chic. To commemorate this milestone, she called upon her readers to send in their fives. In other words, she put forth (fifth?) the kind of creative challenge I find irresistible. She posted my fives here. And, with her blessing, I'm reposting them here as well.

1. Take Five

2. Five stamps

3. Five rules

4. If I had a nickel...

5. Roll five

LIST 192) Five by five*, plus five

2011-07-15T18:23:00.003-04:00

Annie Wilson, a friend and former classmate, is celebrating the 5th anniversary of her blog, poetic and chic. I was inspired by her recent post to make a quick list of phrases, cultural items and other such things involving the number or ordinal 5.

1. the five senses
2. five-day forecast
3. five finger discount
4. five and dime
5. five-star rating
6. "five golden rings"
7. five alarm chili
8. "four out of five dentists"
9. Five Years
10. the five-second rule
11. the Jackson 5ive
12. Take Five
13. Slaughterhouse Five
14. to plead the 5th
15. gimme five
16. Working 9 to 5
17. "five dollar footlong"
18. Hawaii Five-O
19. 5 o'clock shadow
20. Five Easy Pieces
21. Saks Fifth Avenue
22. five year plan
23. five word stories
24. five card stud
25. "it's 5 o'clock somewhere"
26. Five Napkin Burger
27. Beethoven's Fifth
28. Henry V
29. "Number 5 is alive!!"
30. Five characters in search of an exit

*The saying "five by five" originated in radio communication but is now used in a more general sense to mean "hear you loud and clear."

LIST 191) I captured, you caption

2011-06-27T13:09:00.000-04:00

Below are a few photos I recently took. I'd love to hear how you'd caption these images. Hoping to use the captions as the basis for a future list.

1.

LIST 190) An addition to lists #164 and #159: I'm still making arrangements

2011-06-24T21:07:00.002-04:00

1. The super-bright red edges of these carnations inspired me. They reminded me of ripe strawberries, red and white gingham tablecloths and peppermint sticks.

2. Obviously, I was on a flower buying spree the week I took this photo. However, none of the individual arrangements were particularly as compelling as the lot of them together, thus the group photo.

3. This is a close-up of some of my favorite flowers from the group above.

4. When I buy flowers, I consider it such a bonus when the flowers are at various stages of maturity. For this arrangement, I wish I had had more of the buds (like the one seen on the left) to add in at varying heights.

5. This arrangement looks a little incomplete to me; it needed more orange flowers (asters?) and eucalyptus. Anyhow, I like how it looks sort of aquatic and other-worldly.

6. When we visit my boyfriend's parents, his mom lets me loose in her garden with a pair of clippers! My top picks: clover, young hydrangea, and of course the gorgeous peonies in bloom. Everything's a little wilted in the photo, but it perked up later.

7. This is also another bouquet from her garden. The best part of picking flowers straight from the yard is being able to choose greenery from improbable sources.

8. It's rare that I'm satisfied with an arrangement of a single type of flower, but this one looks like so much more. I buy one or two bunches of multicolored Sweet William, group stems with similar colored blossoms together, and arrange in a progression of color.

9. In general, I prefer to use the hand-tied bouquet method, but for this arrangement, I used floral foam. I started by placing the largest flowers, moving down in size, finally filling in with the smallest blooms.

LIST 189) Impromptu color palettes rendered in gummy bears

2011-06-03T23:12:00.001-04:00

1. I think this colorway is well suited to a paisley pattern.

2. This colorway evokes ice cream trucks and the 4th of July.

3. This one's my favorite. It looks delicious. And it was, by the way.

LIST 188) The best parts of "Baby Trashes Bar in Las Palmas"

2011-02-19T14:32:00.003-05:00

1. The scale.

In college, I was obsessed with the idea of "man-sized baby," and how differently buildings and furniture would be structured if we maintained our same proportions from birth. All my roommate had to do was whisper "man-sized baby" to send me into a fit of giggles.

2. The soundtrack.

3. When she coughs up the bean.

still from the short film "Las Palmas" by Johannes Nyholm

4. The falsies.

5. The fanny pack.

Worst part? I want to see the whole film now.

LIST 187) My favorite b mine valentines from kate spade, 2011

2011-02-14T00:50:00.004-05:00

1. I won't feign modesty here. I'm thrilled that my creation is included in this year's collection of free e-valentines at kate spade. To see the full animation, visit the b mine section of the site.

2. This one is by Dana Lucas.

3. And this one is by Allison Henry.

There are many more on the site that I like, but I limited myself to three for the purposes of this list... because I wouldn't know where to stop, and because it's late and time to go to bed.

Happy Valentine's Day all!

LIST 186) Enticing etsy photography

2011-01-22T16:55:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, the product photography on etsy is even more enticing than the product. As works of art, the titles are pretty neat too.

1. MISTO... mixed vintage colored flowers and Lucite beads (120 pcs.) 3 by Sleeping Dog Studio

2. Twenty Five Emerald XL Studio Dyed Goose Feathers No. 26 by PLUMULE

3. Autumn Shades by Mademoiselle Chipotte

4. Ykk Zippers 9 Inch Long Pull Purse Zippers LOT 2 goldenrod army green beige green khaki dark brown by zipit

5. Very vintage candle holders. So trendy. by Mademoiselle Chipotte

6. SALE 20 PERCENT OFF 25 Assorted 7 and 8 Inch YKK Zippers by zipit

7. Cocktail sticks fun and lovely series by Mademoiselle Chipotte

8. set of 4 vintage water faucet handles aluminum and steel by scrapyardgirl

9. Perfect little pink bathroom by Mademoiselle Chipotte

10. First on the left then second on the right by Mademoiselle Chipotte

11. Farm Fresh BAKERS TWINE (Licorice Twist Doubles) by Oh for Cute

12. foldable ruler by restlesshearts crafts

13. SALE 20 PERCENT OFF Wholesale 50 Assorted 12 Inch YKK Zippers by zipit

LIST 185) Four fine prints

2011-01-17T11:33:00.001-05:00

Conservatory Paisley by Lilly Pulitzer

French Dot by Nama Rococo

Thermidor by Astrid Sampe

Kumiseva by Katsuji Wakisaka

LIST 184) Three things for the record, just sayin'

2011-01-08T00:15:00.004-05:00

1. If I ran a psychic readings storefront, the sign would NOT say "walk-ins welcome, please ring bell." Rather, it would say "come on in, we've been expecting you," and the door would be unlocked.

2. If I had a line of nail polish colors*, the clear one would be named "Emperor's New Clothes."

3. I want to open a laundromat that allows customers to dye clothes in the washing machines. It would be named Dye-O-Rama. Other features would include a gallery of dioramas and a really really small section called the miniature shop.

*for some funny stuff, check out stupidnailpolishnames

LIST 183) Earning your stripes

2010-11-20T14:54:00.000-05:00

1. After inadvertently hosting an all-you-can-eat buffet for moths
this summer, I've been on the hunt for some new sweaters.
Striped ones especially. (by Milly)

2. I like an oversized striped sweater like this one
worn with a turtleneck underneath. (by Calypso)

3. So while I didn't earn my stripes, per se,
I will be wearing them. (via Urban Outfitters)

4. With stripes on the mind, I designed a striped stationery group. (via zazzle)

5. I've been inspired a lot lately by old fashioned lollipops
and candy in general. Good stripes.
Good colors. (Images from Hammond's Candies.)

6. So, I'm also offering a colorful striped frosty glass mug group. (via zazzle)

7. And this stripe generator tool is pretty nifty.

LIST 182) Addressing dressing

2010-10-24T16:15:00.001-04:00

I don't understand a lot of fashion rules. Vertical stripes are not always slimming. I think navy and black together look just fine... sometimes better than brown and navy. The whole wearing white after Labor Day thing... who cares?
That said, I do see some heinous things while walking around the city that make me want to publish a new set of rules. Here they are:

1. Your hemline should be a minimum of 2 inches below where your legs meet when you walk. If your thighs don't touch when you walk, then your hemline should extend a minimum of 2" beyond your crotch, but remember I said minimum. See Rule #2.

2. Just because you can doesn't mean you should. (Just because it fits doesn't mean you should wear it. Just because it's on sale, doesn't mean you should buy it. Just because it's designer doesn't mean it's well-designed. Etc. You can apply this rule to almost anything in life.)

3. If I can tell what kind of underwear you are wearing, you are either a) wearing the wrong kind of underwear, b) wearing something too insubstantial to be worn in public, and/or c) wearing clothes that are too small for you. Please go home and change, or at least don't walk in front of me.

4. If I can tell you are not wearing underwear, see Rule #3.

5. If I can see cellulite through your clothing, see Rule #3.

6. Shiny tights and leggings make even the most well-toned legs look like sausages. Try not to dress like a sausage.

7. A confident stride in sky-high heels is sexy. But, a confident stride in flats or moderate heels is far sexier than a pained hobble in the aforementioned sky-high heels.

8. Don't let the size on the label inform your choices. Pick clothes that fit well, and always try on the next larger size. See Rule #6 re: dressing like a sausage.

9. "Nice outfit. Did you make it yourself?" is not really a compliment. If you make your own clothes, take care to make them well.

10. Logos and or words across the seat of your pants should generally be avoided. They make your butt look like a billboard.

11. Dressing your entire family in matching outfits might seem like a fun idea, but think about it. Should you and your spouse really be dressed like a two-year old?

12. And, I'll end with a rule I like to call the Halloween Litmus Test. On Halloween Day, there are often moments when it's hard to tell if someone is in costume or regular attire. Year-round, ask yourself of your attire, "if I wore this on Halloween, might someone think I was in costume?"

Feel free to comment with your own fashion rules.

LIST 181) An alphabetized list of my current preoccupations

2010-10-03T02:24:00.002-04:00

A. Apple turnovers
B. Bookshelf Doors
C. Chores
D. Dreams
E. Ephemera
F. Five year diaries
G. Geometry
H. Halloween costumes
I. Illustration
J. Jars
K. Kitty kerfluffles
L. Lettering
M. Mad Men
N. Nail polish
O. Organization
P. Paisleys
Q. Quilling
R. Real Estate
S. Salad Spinners (for hand-washing laundry)
T. Terrariums
U. Umbrella etiquette
V. Video contests (see some of my entries here)
W. Water damage
X. X-ray specs (not really)
Y. Yakitori Taisho
Z. Zazzle

LIST 180) Eight en masse

2010-08-28T18:24:00.017-04:00

I was recently introduced to the blog, Things Organized Neatly, and was inspired to post these pics. I've been holding on to them for ages. I've got more pics on my studio computer (mostly from visits to factories) and was waiting to consolidate them... as is sort of appropriate to the theme of this list, but I think that this will just have to be a multi-part list or it could end up being nothing at all.

1. Pastels, Florence, Italy

2. Mini guitars, San Antonio, Texas

3. McNay Museum visitors' badges on a trash can near the exit, San Antonio, Texas

4. Spray paint cans, Florence, Italy

5. Belts, Florence, Italy

6. Candy, Rome, Italy

7. Straw garlands, San Antonio, Texas

8. Pinocchio magnets, Siena, Italy

LIST 179) An addition to lists #106 and #147: My favorite color is choice

2010-08-27T16:49:00.005-04:00

15. glassybaby offers an insane color range of glass votives.

16. I'm having an imaginary picnic. Everyone is invited.

17. I would be remiss if I didn't post this. The 500 colored pencil subscription from Felissimo.

LIST 178) A pair of one: things counted in pairs though they are single units

2010-08-07T15:33:00.003-04:00

1. devices that involve two lenses joined together... a pair of sunglasses, a pair of eyeglasses, goggles, binoculars, etc

2. things for the ears joined by a headband... a pair of headphones, a pair of earmuffs

3. things worn on the legs... a pair of pants, jeans, shorts, trousers

4. other legwear, as in pantyhose and tights

5. underwear... a pair of panties, boxers, briefs

6. suspenders

7. tools that hinge... a pair of scissors, tweezers, tongs, pliers

LIST 177) One step at a time... dance routines I want in my repertoire

2010-07-31T21:35:00.007-04:00

1. Beyoncé's Single Ladies. Check out Alex Wong in this one.

2. I'm well on my way with this one... Britney Spears' Oops! ... I Did It Again.

3. Janet Jackson's Control.

4. John Travolta's solo in Saturday Night Fever (not sure why all the videos of it on YouTube seem to be remixes).

5. And of course, no surprise... Michael Jackson's Thriller.

Happy National Dance Day!

6. Oh, and it's definitely worth mentioning, but not going into my repertoire at this age... Kitri's solo in Don Quixote.

(Note: I was looking for Leslie Browne's performance from The Turning Point, but couldn't find a video clip online. As amazing as Gelsey Kirkland is, I find it difficult to watch her emaciated lines in this performance.)

LIST 176) Bits of ephemera*

2010-01-24T23:50:00.009-05:00

*I went for a Sunday drive on the information super highway, and came across Sheaff : ephemera, a great site showcasing a bit of printed history. Listed below are my favorites (in no particular order), but please visit the site on your own as there are many great things to see. Don't miss The Book of "E"!

LIST 175) Writers who wrote about talking animals, went by their first two initials, and had a last name five letters long

2010-01-16T12:07:00.010-05:00

1. T.S. Eliot

2. A.A. Milne

3. E.B. White

4. C.S. Lewis

LIST 174) Twelve drummers drumming

2009-12-13T13:19:00.000-05:00

1. 2.

3. 4.

7. 8.

9. 10.

11. 12.

LIST 173) Unordinary ordinals

2009-12-09T04:02:00.011-05:00

I'm always looking for unusual ways to display/title/label things and have been focused on numbers lately. Here are a few of my finds:

1. plastic toy numbers

2. numbered map pins (one of my favorite finds)

3. vintage perpetual calendar tiles

4. dice

5. interchangeable signage numbers

6. numbered glassware

7. game pieces

8. engraved plaques

9. house numbers

10. number candles

11. old adding machine buttons

12. chocolate numbers

13. girl scout iron-on patches

14. medical chart numbers

15. table tents

16. number-shaped brads

17. number beads

18. mini golf flags

19. clockmaker's numerals

20. deli case price signs

21. key identification tags

22. numbered laundry pins (safety in numbers! and another favorite find)

23. numbered canisters

24. numbered labware

25. Bingo!

LIST 172) Ten good reasons I haven't done a blog post lately

2009-09-29T00:46:00.002-04:00

10.

LIST 171) Hello. My name is Alice, and I love to make things, AND I'd be honored if you'd vote for my video.

2009-09-01T13:58:00.000-04:00

1. Here's the video I entered into HP's You on You contest:

2. If you like the video, please go to www.youtube.com/hp and click on VIEW+VOTE.

3. Go to COMMUNITY AWARD.

4. Type in Hello My Name is Alice to access my entry.

5. Click on the thumbs up icon.

LIST 170) Eight illustrations by David Klein

2009-08-23T01:56:00.009-04:00

Thanks to grain edit, I discovered the work of David Klein. Went to his estate's website and here are some of my favorites.

1. I really like how Klein was able to incorporate pattern and color into his illustrations in improbable ways.

4. I also admire the composition of and the hand lettering in his posters.

5. This one may be a little bit of a style departure, but I really like how the boy is handing the girl a bouquet of carrots... and how happy she is to receive them.

6. I wish I could see a feature-length animated version of this Alice in Wonderland.

7. Klein is probably most well known for his TWA posters. This one makes me miss my old stomping grounds.

8. And finally, this poster may be my favorite, but it's really really hard to choose.

LIST 169) Staying cool during a heat wave without spending your cold, hard-earned cash

2009-08-15T20:43:00.002-04:00

1. Keep a can of frozen lemonade or limeade concentrate in the freezer. Stir a spoonful of the concentrate into a glass of seltzer whenever you want a delicious summer spritzer.

2. If you've got pets, you can turn the A/C off (or at least down) while you're not home and still ensure their comfort. Give them a bowl of ice cubes in a separate bowl from their regular water dish. As the ice melts, they'll have cool, fresh water all day.

3. Hang out at a museum. They have to keep the artwork from melting, so you'll be cool and cultured.

4. Get naked, put on a robe and flip flops, place some cucumber slices over your eyes, and pretend you're in a sauna at a very expensive spa. Remind yourself that people pay good money to sweat it out as much as you are sweating for free.

5. In a visualization similar to #4, put on yoga clothes and do your best tree pose. Chant, "I am in a bikram yoga studio. I am in a bikram yoga studio."

6. And my favorite tip: Put on your bathing suit, grab a cold beer, and kick back in a tub of cold water. No need to scrub the tub, because you're wearing a bathing suit and chances are (one hopes), your tub is cleaner than a swimming pool. Put some music on and invite a friend. Instant pool party.

LIST 168) Ten ways to get bento

2009-08-07T18:00:00.010-04:00

1. Comfort food.

2. Food fight!

3. Drive-thru.

4. Eat fattening foods.

5. Have a frog in your throat?

6. Cannibalism.

7. Have lunch with friends.

8. Make faces.

9. Keep your hat on.

10. Relax over a nice meal.

Add these to the growing list of reasons I love Japan. I found e-obento's site via Craftzine.

LIST 167) Things that confused me as a kid, and for the most part, still do...

2009-08-02T15:18:00.004-04:00

1. Why do the same people who think dark skin is inferior get so excited when they get a tan?

2. How can a piece of jewelry be worth more than a house?

3. What the hell is cream o f tartar? Besides the obvious fear/suspicion that it comes from people's teeth, how is it a cream? It looks like powder to me. And, how does all of this relate to tartar sauce (which appears to be a simple combo of mayo and relish)?! Furthermore, how does cream of mushroom soup factor into all this "cream of" this or that business? Does one get cream from mushrooms?

4. Why do bodily outbursts elicit such different responses? For example, it's always seemed to me that the person who survives a coughing fit deserves more blessings than the person who just sneezed. Sneezes are kind of fun.

5. You may try to comfort me by saying it was just a nightmare, but isn't it more frightening that I was the one who authored all that scary stuff up in the first place?

6. Why does my mom tell me not to go out in the rain with wet hair?

7. Why would anyone complain that a dessert is too rich?

LIST 166) Not to scale, but in working order

2009-07-29T15:18:00.001-04:00

Click on images for more information.

LIST 165) A dozen orange things I saw on the way to my studio

2009-07-15T14:54:00.000-04:00

1. 2.

3. 4.

5. 6.

7. 8.

9. 10.

11. 12.

LIST 164) An addition to list #159: I'm still making arrangements

2009-07-14T01:14:00.003-04:00

1. From my mom's garden in Texas

2. Ditto

3. Wildflowers in Tuscany

4. Deli flowers in NYC

5. Ditto

6. Selected stems from a flower shop in Southern California

LIST 163) The catalog game*: Herrschners Fall 2009

2009-07-03T20:50:00.003-04:00

If you are familiar with the Herrschners catalog, then you are familiar with their perennially saccharine offerings: kits for latch hook rugs featuring eagles and puppies, cross-stitched ballerinas and lighthouses, grandmotherly acrylic afghans, and things like "Dolphin Sequin Art Wall Hangings." So, I challenged myself to play the catalog game with the most recent Herrschners catalog, and it was surprisingly easy to find ten items I would happily own.

1. Easels are great for displaying stuff when not in use. This one is portable and looks great on a shelf.

2. Basically another easel, but for needlework.

3. You know how much I love an assortment of colors. How about 454 colors of embroidery floss?

4. I know I complained about saccharine imagery, but these 50's kitties are just sweet enough...

5. to embroider on these kitchen towels.

6. I also like to crochet dishtowels out of this yarn. I'm trying to achieve a white, yellow, and orange color scheme in the kitchen.

7. I've been covering one of our kitchen walls in decoupage and I could use more Mod Podge. I love looking at the Mod Podge label too.

8. My godfather's mom used to make these ornaments and send them to us every year. They remain my favorite ornaments on the tree. These seem so 1960's ecclesiastical / Good Housekeeping... in the best way possible.

9. Quilling reminds me very much of that 1960's craft / church bazaar era. I don't know how to describe it, but I also liked when I used to get greeting cards emblazoned with photo-realistic graphics of crafts like embroidery and quilling.

10. I can say without a doubt that this is the best quilled chess set I've ever seen.

*see LIST 154 for an explanation of the catalog game.

LIST 162) A guest list, by Brittany Watson: 10 Pops of & Facts About Yellow

2009-06-28T18:51:00.004-04:00

Brittany Watson, author of the blog, The House That Lars Built, writes:

I don't claim to have a favorite color--much too restricting. But, somehow, I can't deny a teeny, and sometimes huge, dash of yellow. Here's a collection of yellows I've been collecting for the past few years.

1. During Elizabethan times, English law dictated who could wear the color yellow.

{photo from Blueprint magazine. RIP}

2. Traditionally, yellow symbolizes renewal and hope...

{photo via Hygge & West}

3. ...although yellow is also associated with envy, greed, and treachery. Judas Iscariot is often portrayed wearing yellow.

{photo via Design*Sponge}

4. Yellow fever, yellow journalism, yellow streak down your back, yellow (cowardly).

{photo from Blueprint magazine}

5. Yellow is found in banana squashes, corn, yellow peppers, sweet potatoes, bananas, lemons, grapefruit, and pineapples.

{photo via Lacoste}

6. To the ancient Greeks, yellow denoted air.

{photo from Domino magazine. Also RIP.}

7. Leonardo da Vinci wrote that yellow represented earth.

{photo from the J. Crew catalog, 2006}

8. To the Navajo, the western mountains are yellow and bring the twilight. To the Hopi, yellow is north.

{photo from Domino magazine}

9. In India, yellow is the symbol of the merchant and farmer, although at one time it was considered the dress of the ascetic.

{Ingrid from Darling Clementine}

10. Pure, bright and sunny yellow is the easiest color to see. People who are blind to other colors can usually see yellow.

{photo from Oscar de la Renta, Spring Collection 2009}

LIST 161) Seven ways I'm feeling wired

2009-06-10T20:50:00.007-04:00

1. I've coveted this Warren Platner chair for years.

2. This planter from Heal's is modern, but I could see it fitting in in any kind of garden. And I could definitely see it fitting in my living room.

3. The Wire Pouf from Tucker Robbins is especially great because of the play on soft and hard in the name, and for its buoyant airy look.

4. The High-Wire Act Chair from Anthopologie is on sale! I wish it were yellow. I see yet another spray painting project in my future.

5. Though not technically made of wire, this CB2 bamboo pendant is kinda hot.

6. Ariel Levy's Wire Table for Zanotta is also compelling.

7. Something about all this wire construction makes me feel like a bird happy to stay in its cage...

...just as long as the door stays open.

LIST 160) A guest list, by Leigh Labbo*: The most ridiculous moments of motherhood

2009-06-10T00:01:00.004-04:00

1. Threatening to send my child to "time out" for beatboxing too loud at the dinner table.

2. Having a philosophical conversation with a four year old about the downfall of Anakin Skywalker and how he came to be Darth Vadar.

3. Saying lame things like, "When I was a kid we didn't even have Google. If I wanted to learn about something, I had to look it up in an encyclopedia."

4. Bribing my child with candy to try a bite of pizza.

5. Preparing dinner and setting up a place at the dinner table for my son's imaginary friend.

6. The fact that "family time" consists of all of us gathering around the television and playing Zelda for eight hours straight.

7. Allowing my son to blow $150 worth of Target gift cards on every single Star Wars action figure in the toy aisle. That should really teach him how to spend his money wisely.

8. It is staggering how many times a day I say the words, "get your hand out of your bottom."

*Leigh Labbo is the author of Leigh vs. Laundry, a blog about her misadventures in homemaking and her wonderful adventures in life. View my guest list "10 Things I Imagine About Motherhood" on her blog here.

LIST 159) I've been making arrangements

2009-06-09T00:02:00.002-04:00

LIST 158) A guest list, by Bryan Mealer*: Items on my desk: April 10, 2005; Kinshasa, Congo; 1:17 AM

2009-06-07T00:01:00.001-04:00

1. Stack of receipts (Feb-April expenses: Kin-London-Bunia-Kin)
2. Map, Cartographia: Democratic Republic of Congo
3. Map, United Nations issue: Ituri province
4. Two lamps
5. Bottle of water
6. Swiss Army knife
7. Studded bracelet
8. One ball point pen
9. Roll of toilet paper
10. Three spiral notebooks, used
11. Pack of cigarettes: Ambassade lights, three left
12. Pack of cigarettes: Camel lights, bought in London, two left
13. Headphones, earbud
14. Bottle of vitamin C
15. Tube of Airborne Formula
16. Antacid tablets, Rennies
17. Visine
18. Bottle ibuprofin
19. Insect repellent, spray
20. Anti-malarial tabs, Lariam, three
21. Roll of clear tape
22. One new lightbulb, 40 watt
23. Certs, three left, covered in crusted shampoo from bag
24. Saddle and leather dressing
25. Tube of Chapstick
26. VPN SecureID passwords
27. Silver dope tin
28. Hole puncher
29. Two candles, new
30. Two cellular phones: one local (Celtel), one roaming GSM (Thuraya)
31. List: bean yields for Djugu territory, Ituri – source: German Agro Action
32. Money: 9 GBPounds
33. Money: 25,600 CFA, West African States
34. Money: 20 Congolese francs
35. Business card: Emmanuel Bob-Akitani, opposition leader, Togo
36. Bill for dial-up internet service: $197.33
37. One glass tumbler
38. Press credential clamp, metal
39. Bag of raw peanuts, source: Bule, Congo
40. Book: Oxford French Dictionary
41. Book: Webster English Dictionary
42. Book: Roget’s International Thesaurus
43. Book: Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, by Dee Brown
44. Book: Bescherel book of French conjugations
45. Book: Allah n’est pas oblige, by Ahmadou Kourouma
46. Book: The African Stakes of the Congo War, edited by John F. Clark
47. Book: The Mosquito Coast, by Paul Theroux
48. Book: Traveller’s Guide to the Belgian Congo and the Ruanda Urundi, 2nd Edition
49. Book: The Great Lakes of Africa: Two-Thousand Years of History, by Jean-Pierre Chreitien

*Bryan Mealer, author of All Things Must Fight To Live, was the Associated Press staff correspondent in Kinshasa, Congo, and has reported from locations across the African continent, including Nairobi, Somalia, and Togo. His writing has appeared in Harper’s and Esquire, among others... including our high school literary magazine.

LIST 157) An ebay find: Modernism 101 Rare Design Books

2009-06-06T00:01:00.003-04:00

While visiting one of my favorite blogs, grain edit, I learned about photo lettering. That lead me to ebay (it's not difficult to lead me to ebay), where I found modernism 101, an ebay purveyor of rare design books. Here are some of my favorites:

1. I like how the lowercase "i" fits so well into the uppercase "I" on the cover. I also like how each of these brochures has the sales pitch, "26 good reasons to use..."

2. Love the colors and the composition of the cover. You can barely see it, but I also love the scrolly composition of the "Photo Lettering Incorporated" logo.

3. Great layout.

4. I think the Bauhaus typeface is great.

5. I chose this one for the fighting cat and dog and the toy soldiers discussing "More Business."

6. I wish I could order from this poster, at the original prices.

7. If only plastic were a more environmentally sound material, I'd gladly live in an all plastic Utopia.

8. I just think the Saarinen tulip base is super swell. Great "K" Knoll logo too.

9. Herman Miller sales materials are always outstanding. How terrific it would be to own this one, with the fabric swatches and all.

10. I'm intrigued by the layouts and colors shown in the interior pages of this magazine.

11. How great is this cover?

12. Fashion layouts and pussy galore. Hee hee.

13. Another great abstraction of a pencil.

14. Who doesn't love a mechanical bird?

Note: I'm only linking the books, magazines, etc. shown here back to the store, not to the individual items, due to the temporary nature of ebay listings.

LIST 156) Thirty things older than my youngest sister*

2009-06-05T00:01:00.002-04:00

1. E-mail

2. The Post-It

3. The 1979 Corvette

4. The Bicentennial quarter

5. The Heimlich Maneuver

6. The Sony Walkman

(depending on how you look at it... it was introduced to the public 17 days after my sister was born, but it already existed at the time of her birth)

7. Rollerblades

8. Saturday Night Live

9. Rubik's Cube

10. Test tube babies

11. Starbucks

12. The pocket calculator

13. Ben and Jerry's

14. Mobile Phones

15. Computer Spreadsheets

16. Pop Rocks

17. Jelly Belly jelly beans

18. Earth Day

19. The VCR

20. The floppy disk

21. Hacky Sack

22. Take Back the Night

23. Garfield

24. Grease

25. CBS News Sunday Morning

26. The Centre Georges Pompidou

27. Fiber optics

28. Pringles (click the image to see the commercial)

29. The Gap

30. Me!

*Happy 30th Birthday, Beckaboo!!!

LIST 155) The catalog game*: J.Crew June 2009

2009-05-29T15:16:00.003-04:00

J. Crew consistently make clothes in my favorite colors. Or, are my favorite colors the ones that J. Crew makes clothes in? Either way, here are my picks for this catalog game.

1. 2.

3. 4.

5. 6.

7. 8.

9. 10.

*see LIST 154 for an explanation of the catalog game

LIST 154) The catalog game*: Pottery Barn June 2009

2009-05-28T12:47:00.019-04:00

1. I can never have too many jars...

2. or places to store things...

3. or places to display things.

4. I like pieces that serve as both occasional tables and seating.

5. This chandelier is both vintage and modern.

6. I like these... nautical, Japanese, handcrafted-y.

7. Faux bamboo is good.

8. I've actually wanted these roman shades for a long time.

9. Very masculine, this trunk... industrial and tailored.

10. And I can always use a new towel. I choose the top color.

*When I was little, my sister and I used to play the catalog game. The rules varied, but more often than not, the goal was to choose one thing you wanted from each page. Sometimes, if it was a bad catalog, the challenge was to choose the thing you could live with even if you didn't like it. I still play this game in my mind every time I look through a catalog. It would be a little too tedious to list one item from every page in this instance, so I'm just going to show you my ten picks (in no particular order) from the most recent catalog I received, the June 2009 Pottery Barn.

LIST CLIII) Senatus Populusque Romanus*

2009-05-15T13:21:00.000-04:00

I-IV.

V-VIII.

IX-XII.

XIII-XVI.

XVII-XX.

XXI-XXIV.

XXV-XXVIII.

*SPQR stands for: The Senate and the People of Rome or Senatus Populusque Romanus. I took the photos for this visual list on a recent trip to Rome.

LIST 152) A dozen eggs

2009-05-13T13:39:00.000-04:00

1. Eggs are a symbol of birth and newness. Perhaps that's why the simple and pared-down form of the egg was such a powerful muse to designers in the modern age. It makes sense that an external womb makes a comfortable and comforting chair.

Arne Jacobsen's Egg Chair, 1958, is perhaps the most iconic, although there are many more variations on the egg chair than are listed here.

2. The hanging egg chair shown below has been made by many manufacturers. I'm not sure who originated it, but I like that the fabrication is woven and nest-like and that it is suspended above ground.

3. I think that the nourishing yolk of the egg was what inspired Peter Ghyczy in 1967-1968 to create the Garden Egg Chair.

4. The hard outer shell of Henrik Thor-Larson's Ovalia Chair, 1968, makes an appropriate refuge.

5. For centuries, the egg has also served as a canvas for decoration. Crazy Fabergé and his expensive eggs!

6. Pysanky!

7. This year for Spring, I marbleized eggs. I used the instructions from Martha Stewart, except I used hard-boiled eggs vs. blown out eggs. Also, rather than rolling the solid colored egg in the secondary marbleizing mixture, I recommend holding the egg with tongs and ladling the marbleizing mixture over it instead. I got more variation in the swirls that way.

8. One of my earliest memories involves an Easter egg hunt in our house with my cousin Kara and sister Dorothy. After the hunt, I remember sitting at the kitchen table while my mom peeled a hard-boiled egg for me. I devoured it, as I usually did, and then my mom peeled another egg for me. This one was wrapped in foil, had a brown shell, and was soft-boiled. She fed it to me with a spoon. It was the most magical-delicious egg I had ever tasted, and I wondered why anyone in their right mind would ever eat any other kind of egg.

(As you may have guessed already, and what I didn't realize until many years later was that the mysterious-magical-super-delicious egg was actually a Cadbury Creme Egg. It just isn't as memorable when you know it's a candy egg and you know what candy tastes like. When you are three years old and you are about to try a new kind of egg and discover that it tastes just like gooey candy and chocolate... and you barely know what candy and chocolate taste like... that's worth remembering!)

9. I dream about eggs. Jung said that eggs represent our captive souls. Some people believe that finding eggs means that you will find a fortune. In one of my earliest dreams, I realize that I am not white (more specifically that my butt is not white), and that not being white made me a commodity.

10. Whitechocolatespaceegg is a great, evocative title and a great album to boot. (Alligator boots, that is.)

11. L'eggs. Pantyhose in a plastic egg. A completely synthetic symbol of fertility. So wrong, but kinda so right.

12. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? I'm not sure I care as much which came first as which will come last, and I'm betting on the egg. I mean, Mork traveled in one through outer space, right?

LIST 151) Three Potato Four = stuff + more

2009-03-26T00:35:00.001-04:00

Five reasons why I enjoy Three Potato Four so much:

1. I like the stuff in the store, and I like the photographed vignettes even more. Each composition shows a real love for the object on display... something I strive to maintain when I arrange my belongings.

2. Each photo reminds me that it is possible to collect things without living in a space that looks like a flea market. It gets me thinking about all the stuff I own, and how it's important to curate constantly. When I binge-shop, I need to purge, too.

3. Their compositions play with scale and age: miniature and oversized, new and old.

4. Their merchandise selection shows that there is beauty and value in the mundane... and they've got a lot of what I love: vintage graphics and typography, packaging, plastic, miniatures, and stylized animals.

5. While browsing the Three Potato Four site, I am even more compelled to work on a book I've been drafting in my mind. The working title is Home Economics: Selling Your Home to Yourself. I'll publish some excerpts in a future list.

LIST 150) 150 little things (or, selections from my household inventory)

2009-03-18T15:37:00.001-04:00

1-10. matches

11-18. screws

19-30. pencil points

31-39. carpet yarn samples

40-55. cat whiskers

56-63. styrofoam packing peanuts

64-84. buttons

85-92. HO Scale miniature plastic women

93-99. plastic bread tab closures (I'm still actively collecting these, by the way.)

100-108. single serve pepper packets

109-114. stamps

115-116. bottle caps

117-122. bobby pins

123-127. zippers

128-138. game pieces

139-143. safety pins

144-148. bulbs

149-150. ampersand printer's blocks

LIST 149) A posthumous guest list, by Dr. Chevalier Jackson*: Foreign bodies removed from the air and food passages

2009-02-28T01:31:00.006-05:00

1. bones

2. peanuts

3. nuts

4. safety pins

5. hardware

6. pins

7. seeds

8. secretions

9. jewelry

10. coins

11. meat

12. teeth

13. dentures

14. bones

15. toys

16. medical instruments

17. bullets

18. buttons

*Compiled from records kept by the doctor, on display at The College of Physicians of Philadelphia's Mütter Museum.

LIST 148) Creative challenge: fake album covers created for a Facebook game*

2009-02-24T18:32:00.000-05:00

10.

*There's a game going around Facebook right now where you generate a band name, album title and cover using the following tools:

Band name = the first article you get by going to Wikipedia and hitting random.

Album title = last 4 or 5 words of the last quote on the page of the random quotes on the quotations page.

Cover Art = 3rd picture on Flickr's Explore the last 7 days page.

I enjoyed making my first one so much that I did nine more as a creative challenge. I tried not to spend more than 15 minutes on any one design. Some were good, some not, but it was an interesting creative challenge.

LIST 147) An addition to list #106: My favorite color is choice

2009-02-16T23:51:00.001-05:00

9. One of the things (and perhaps one of the only things) I miss about living in the suburbs is Michael's Art and Craft Store. Last time I was there, I picked up a pack of origami paper in 100 colors. What am I going to do with 100 different colors of paper!? My mind is still reeling. I am a dork for color.

10. I'm not huge on glitter, but if I had a palette of 24 colors like this one from Martha Stewart Crafts, I might be persuaded to find a way to use it.

11. My sister wanted visual inspiration to eat a colorful variety of fruits and veggies. I made these posters* for her as a gift.

* The one on the left is sorta a copyright violation, due to all the uncredited Google Images, so I'm only showing it extremely low-res here.

12. Look at all these tape colors at Indenti-Tape!

13. Here comes more dorky enthusiasm for color... by way of Maco color coding labels. I want 'em all.

14. I bought a set of gel food coloring awhile back but didn't think to mix up a whole palette of different colors for the same batch of frosting until after seeing this month's issue of Living.

Here are pics of the cupcakes I made for Valentine's Day...

Mmmmm.

LIST 146) My Nine Favorite New Yorker Caption Contest Winners

2009-02-06T13:28:00.002-05:00

Click here to go to the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest Site.

LIST 145) An addition to list #62: More postworthy posters

2009-01-27T05:42:00.002-05:00

6-9. I'm a big fan of Sanna Annukka's work. The purple print, The Magic Berry Bush, is my favorite, with its folk art mythology and the gold accent.

10. Gavin Potenza's tribute to the postage stamp (A Field Guide to: the Stamps of the World) is also on my wish list.

11. While visiting one of my new favorite blogs, grain edit, I fell in love with the Danny (a tribute to the Shining) by Tes One. The Shining is also one of my movie muses. Click here to read the stor y and for purchasing info.

12-15. Also featured on grain edit is the work of Max Dalton.

16. The unicorn illustration above reminds me of my most recent visit to the MoMA. This is the "don't touch" sign in the design wing. I love it. You've got to be tough when you're dealing with the public.

17. While I'm on the subject of amputation... I just bought this one from 826 Valencia's pirate store.

18-19. And though these aren't posters exactly, these ads for Maison 24 feature two of my favoritest people and could not be cuter. Definitely worth framing.

LIST 144) Bear market

2009-01-18T15:22:00.004-05:00

1. I spotted these boxing polar bears in the Bergdorf Men's Store holiday window.

2. Then I saw these bears in love in KG + AB's Etsy shop.

3. I remembered I'd forgotten how much adorable amigurumi there is on Etsy. Like this mouse/bear from ChimeraCrochet.

4. And this bear from the Etsy shop, Truly Outrageous.

5. And, the crochet pattern for this bear bowl from sweees' Etsy shop.

6. Which got me to thinking about bears as vessels and my fondness for containers like these honey bear bottles from Freund Container & Supply.

7. And then I got hungry and thought of the rice bear my friends saw on their gastronomical tour of South East Asia.

Mmm, rice bear.

8. And just now, I was reminded of the dream I had this summer about rare baby bear.

LIST 143) Five favorites of the day

2009-01-05T16:59:00.000-05:00

1. Color combo: chalkboard green, Advil orange, and Adderall blue

2. Flower: carnation

3. Food: spicy scallop roll

4. Recent purchase: Juicy Couture raincoat

5. Song: Rainy Days and Mondays

LIST 142) My favorite How It's Made segments

2008-11-28T19:45:00.012-05:00

1. pencils

2. artificial turf

3. zippers

4. aluminum screw caps

5. pantyhose (although the crotch assembly is a little disconcerting)

6. ballet slippers

7. push brooms and brushes

8. jawbreakers

9. plastic cups, cutlery, and straws

10. buttons

LIST 141) Hypothetical band names, song and album titles

2008-11-23T20:21:00.000-05:00

1. An Asian girl punk band named Sideways Box covers a Pixies' song titled, "Ra Ra Rove You" on their new record, The Yellow Album.

2. Anonymous Enema performs their hit single, "Dr. Strangeglove" from their eponymous album.

3. The Pez performs "I Want Candy" live on the bootleg album collected by many a Pezhead.

4. "The Ex-Wife's Shampoo" is the first song on emo boy band The Mistresses' album, A Wonderful Woman Named Dot Dot Dot.

LIST 140) Sometimes the world can be flat

2008-11-16T14:07:00.002-05:00

1. flat rates
2. flat tires
3. flat shoes
4. flat tax proposals
5. apartments in London
6. flat sales
7. flat-chested ballerina, I once was a
8. flat files
9. pancake, flat as a

10. falling flat
11. flat feet (the word platypus means "flat feet")
12. flat finish paint
13. flat screens
14. flat out denials
15. musical notes (When I played a B-flat, the critic said it sounded more like an A-sharp.)
16. flatirons

17. flat packaging
18. flat profiled appliances
19. flatworms
20. tortilla flats
21. flatbed trucks
22. flat abs, I wish I had
23. strawberries, my dad once dropped an entire flat of

24. flat broke
25. flatlining
26. flatbread
27. Flat Stanley
28. the Flat Fold Colander
29. in no time flat
30. flat fees
31. flattops
32. flat leaf parsley
33. tidal flats

34. flat bed scanners
35. Italian flat beans
36. affects (A neurologist said I had a flat affect.)
37. flat surfaces
38. flat refusals
39. soda (I used to like flat Pepsi with maraschino cherries.)
40. flat-felled seams
41. flat weave rugs
42. flat head screws
43. my face

LIST 139) Lists I've been meaning to write

2008-11-09T10:34:00.000-05:00

1. Hypothetical band names, song and album titles
2. I like shiny things
3. Places I dreamt about before I saw them in real life
4. What to do with an ugly bouquet of flowers
5. My favorite "How It's Made" episodes
6. I'm still a fool for tromp l'oeil
7. Phony, but funny faces
8. My favorite chairs
9. Movie set muses
10. Chapter titles for my memoirs
11. Halloween cookies
12. My summering wardrobe
13. ~~Lists I've been meaning to write~~

LIST 138) Divisive issues (and where I stand)

2008-10-04T18:50:00.002-04:00

I'm lucky enough to inhabit a circle of friends who share the same values and can generally engage in a reasonable discussion of the major issues. Here are the topics where we usually find ourselves at an impasse:

1. mayonnaise: delectable or disgusting (delectable)
2. cilantro: tastes like soap or tastes like heaven (soap)
3. Garden State: hated it or loved it (hated it)
4. Williamsburg: hipster-haven or just a neighborhood, get over yourself (just a neighborhood, get over yourself)
5. skinny jeans: awesome or gruesome (awesome)
6. wearing a thong: unbearable or comfortable (unbearable)
7. seeing a thong: off-putting or a turn-on (off-putting)
8. Facebook: a horrible invasion of privacy or a fun invasion of privacy (fun)
9. Ikea: good thing or bad thing (a good bad thing)
10. Milk chocolate or dark chocolate (fine, call me a Philistine. Milk!)

LIST 137) Advice for job seekers: Applying can be trying, but hiring can be tiring.

2008-09-21T20:24:00.003-04:00

I've happily hired two new designers recently, but the hiring process was not without its trials and tribulations. I thought there were several things that were common sense, but after sifting through hundreds of sub-par applications, I felt the need to write this list.

1. Check your spelling!!!!!!!! I've received tons of job applications from people who spelled the prospective employer's name incorrectly, from people who spelled their former employer's name incorrectly, from someone who spelled the phrase "attention to detail" incorrectly, and even from someone who spelled her own name incorrectly! It happens more often than you might imagine.

2. If you have the opportunity to do so, get the name of the person doing the hiring and address that person by name. I put my name as the contact in the last job I posted, and a majority of the people applying did not address me by name. I gave you my name; I made it easy; don't call me "to whom it may concern."

3. Read the job description. If I'm hiring for a product designer, I don't want applications for web designer positions.

4. Check the company's website before cold calling. Most companies list job opportunities on their website. Last time I was hiring, I got cold calls from people who were interested in a job without knowing it was posted on our website (complete with instructions for applying). I think it's fine to cold call if there's a company you really want to work for, but if the job is posted and you don't know about it, it shows that you didn't do your research.

5. Keep your Facebook, My Space, Friendster, etc. clean! Well, hmmm. I hesitate to post this tip. Investigating a prospective candidate via the Internet has saved me on several occasions from bringing a freakazoid into the office for an interview.

6. Take the time to write a targeted cover letter. I want to know why you want to work for my company, not why you want to work for the industry in general. I was spammed by many a mass-applicant.

7. If you list an objective on your resume, do not write, "to gain experience." That only tells me that you have no experience. Even if it is an entry level job, show me that you are ready to handle the responsibilities. Don't imply that your employer will need to teach you everything.

8. Your application should include everything requested in the job posting. If I ask for examples of your design work, include them and/or a link to a website where they are posted. Don't ask me to write you back for those examples. I don't have the time.

9. Pay attention to your file attachment names. I received a resume as an attachment with a file name something like "resume_draft_2006," and it was 2008.

10. Don't get too familiar. I don't want to read cover letters that resemble text messages to your buddies. If you are writing to confirm an interview time from your Blackberry, it still counts as business correspondence. Take the time to use correct grammar and punctuation. If you are going to be punchy and irreverent in your correspondence, you had better have the goods to back it up.

11. Your reply email address should also be workplace appropriate. Your prospective employer may not wish request an interview from thong_gurl2000@whatever.com, unless they are hiring thong models, exotic dancers, or... well, you get the idea.

12. Realize that hiring time can be a busy and stressful time for the people doing the hiring, especially in a small company. Hiring is almost always done when a company is short-staffed and overwhelmed with work. So, don't be surprised if your application doesn't get an acknowledgment. It does pay to follow up. Qualified applicants can often fall through the cracks. No response is not necessarily a rejection.

LIST 136) A visual list: Alphabet City

2008-09-14T01:14:00.000-04:00

LIST 135) A visual list: Eighty-eight photos about the figure 8

2008-08-08T08:08:00.005-04:00

All photos taken by Alice Lam, with the exception of photo #88... the inspiration for this list and one of my dad's favorite accomplishments: an odometer full of 8's. Happy 8/8/08 y'all.

LIST 134) Common things

2008-08-02T21:20:00.002-04:00

1. Vacuums, children, and e-mails can have attachments.
2. Gravity, a muscle and a drawer can all have a pull.
3. Rates and tires can both be flat, and are subject to inflation and deflation.
4. Books and monkeys have spines.
5. Knives, CB radio users, and purses have handles.
6. Lamps and tulips have bulbs.
7. Eyeglasses and movies have frames.
8. Blogs, earrings, and fences have posts.
9. Politicians and yogis have positions.
10. Jars and eyes have lids.
11. Buttons, pointe shoes and legs of lamb have shanks.
12. Without a point, both pencils and arguments are pretty dull.

LIST 133) Baskets of plastic

2008-07-13T23:08:00.000-04:00

1. I saw this basket at Urban Outfitters. I've always liked lattice-y things, and plastic just happens to be a great medium for it.

2. Marie-Louise Gustafsson's basket is available at one of my favorite LA stores, Plastica. I like the green one because it reminds me of strawberry baskets.

3. Speaking of strawberry baskets, I like how they have a picket fence-ish pattern to them. If you just can't get enough by buying berries, then click below for a source.

4. I like the brick pattern on these mini Easter baskets.

5. Perhaps my favorite thing about 99 cent stores is the wide variety of plastic baskets available. Orange is always a good color for plastic, I think.

6. This red one looks like a modernist structural model. I like that kind of thing, especially when its purpose is an everyday one.

7. This was my favorite laundry basket as a kid. I used to crawl around with it on my back pretending I was a turtle. My family and I recently found this picture of my sister (circa 1978) gleefully inhabiting said laundry basket. By the way, if you Google Image "plastic basket," you'll find that there is a long-standing tradition of kids (and pets) enjoying a good laundry basket.

LIST 132) Fifteen faces

2008-07-12T19:02:00.001-04:00

1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6.

7. 8. 9.

10. 11. 12.

13. 14. 15.

LIST 131) Members only

2008-06-29T02:24:00.001-04:00

1. Johnson
2. Dick
3. Floyd
4. Peter
5. Willy
6. Woody
7. Rod

LIST 130) A guest list, by Simon Doonan: My all time favorite LIVE PERFORMANCES (non-chronological)

2008-05-27T18:55:00.001-04:00

1. Lady Bunny being foul-mouthed at Wigstock in 1987.
2. Nina Hagen at the Whisky A Go Go in LA performing dressed as a nun with a giant rubber phallus sticking out of her back.
3. Jimi Hendrix in an orange feather boa performing at The Isle of Wight in 1970. (I'm so old!)
4. Liberace's last concert at Radio City in the early 90's. He was dangling from a wire in a huge feather cape.... and resembled a giant jelly fish.
5. David Bowie in 1970 at The Rainbow in Finsbury Park. He wore hot-pants. Roxy Music was the support act. Glamrock bonjour!
6. The Velvet Underground came to my college in 1970. The drummer nailed her drum-kit to the floor. They were HEAVY!
7. Yma Sumac at The Ballroom in the late 80's. If you don't know who I'm talking about then Google her...and die...of joy!
8. Grace Jones at Lion Country Safari in 1983... Nightclubbing, Warm Leatherette etc.
9. T-Rex at my hometown college in the late 1960's... Marc Bolan sat cross legged on an Indian carpet. They sang about wizards and fairies.
10. Shirley Bassey at Carnegie Hall in 1987. She loves only GOLD...... ONLY GOLD!!!!

Simon Doonan is one of my all time favorite people. Besides being married to my lovely boss, Simon writes books that even I, an admitted illiterate, cannot put down.

LIST 129) I find some fun in the mundane

2008-05-24T22:05:00.002-04:00

1. A spontaneous sneeze
2. Organizing things
3. Watching laundry swish around in the washing machine
4. Brushing my hair
5. Standing on tip-toe
6. Making that rattling vocal cord/ rubber band/ Japanese ghost noise in the morning
7. Stapling
8. Peeling a hard boiled egg
9. Untangling string
10. Writing lists

LIST 128) Fit to print

2008-05-22T21:13:00.002-04:00

1. The cherries on this J. Crew bikini remind me of the Beatles' Yellow Submarine... an illustration style that has been on my mind for some time.

2. The prints on these handbags are part of a Paule Marrot collection by Hayden-Harnett.

3. I like florals over geometrics like on this chemise by Lilka at anthropologie.

4. A tromp l'oeil printed tank by Rachel Pally at anthropologie

5. I'm also a big fan of prints that look like they've been rendered in marker, like on the J. Crew Antonia linen dress.

LIST 127) Oddly charming

2008-05-20T00:00:00.001-04:00

1. Rosemary's Baby has always been one of my favorite movies. This baby carriage charm is almost as ominous as the tannis root charm she wore during her pregnancy.

2. As long as we're on the horror movie theme, how about a chainsaw charm? Also perfect for the lumberjack who has everything.

3. It's kind of an overused theme these days, but here's a gun charm. You can put a new twist on it if you pair with other charms, like a rose.

4. They're always after me lucky charms. I like the number 13.

5. It's always such a challenge to find appropriate gifts for Father's Day. What dad wouldn't want to add this #1 Dad charm to his bracelet? Dad, if you're reading this... sorry to spoil the surprise. I know you can hardly wait.

LIST 126) A guest list, by Stephen Moss: 26 interesting things about the number 26

2008-05-18T02:06:00.000-04:00

Stephen Moss is a graphic designer who is OBSESSED with the number 26. So obsessed, that he tattooed it onto the back of his arm when he turned 26. Here's why:

1. I turned 26 on the 26th of February in 2006 (hence, the tattoo).
2. There are just over 26 miles (26.2) in a marathon. (I've run 2 marathons so far.)
3. Speaking of marathons, the longest word in the Italian language is precipitevolissimevolmente, which has 26 letters and means "as fast as possible."
4. 26 bones in the human foot
5. 26 vertebrae in the human body
6. 26 ganglions of the sympathetic system of the human body (they're what make you sweat)
7. December 26 is Boxing Day, and my parents' anniversary.
8. 26 is the only number directly between a square (25) and a cube (27), and as you will see, I'm fascinated by weird math phenomena.
9. 26 uppercase letters in the English alphabet (I'm a typography nerd as well)
10. 26 lowercase letters in the English alphabet
11. 26 paychecks in a year
12. 26 is the smallest number which is not a palindrome, but has a square that is (676).
13. Michigan is the 26th state (and the location of my college alma matter, go blue!)
14. Picasso was 26 when he painted Les Demoiselles d'Avignon.
15. Nelson Mandela spent 26 years in prison.
16. 26 main stars in the Sumerian zodiac
17. God created man in the 26th verse of the first book of Genesis.
18. A Rubik's cube can always be solved in 26 moves or less.
19. 26 visible cubies on a Rubik's cube (the 27th one is in the center).
20. Sum of faces, corners, and edges on a cube is 26 (6+8+12).
21. The error of the Gregorian Calendar is 26 seconds per solar year.
22. 5+6+7+8=26
23. 26 black cards in a deck of cards
24. 26 red cards in a deck of cards
25. The atomic number of iron is 26.
26. 26 is AWESOME, and I just needed a 26th item on my list of reasons why it's such an interesting number.

LIST 125) A guest list, by Dalton S. Helms: An unadulterated list

2008-05-17T12:11:00.003-04:00

1. Apt list
2. Sage
3. TP
4. Laundry
5. Pack for Grand Cayman
6. Caulking
7. Underwear
8. rue st denis?
9. Piano
10. Shoe polish