Tale as Old as Time.

The Home Library

When I was two, Disney released The Beauty and The Beast. Every little girl wanted to be Belle simply because she was a princess. I wanted to be Belle because the Beast gifted her with a massive library to die for. I have always been a fan of reading and made a mission to create my very own library. Although I do love to visit the public library, I have always insisted on only buying books to read. How else will I collect enough books to start a library?? Two years ago I worked at a used bookstore where I was paid in ... BOOKS!!! To this day, it is the best salary I have ever had. Everyday I would work four hours and leave with half a shelf of books. My mother was not too happy when she walked into my room and realized that my two bookshelves were over flowing and that I was now using my floor as a storage unit. My mother was especially not a happy camper when I refused to donate some books (or worse, throw out old magazines, I shudder just thinking about this.) It goes without saying, I will be purchasing some new shelves for my condo.

I love how these books were shelved according to spectrum, I have been looking for new ways to shelve my books (alphabetically is so last year) and this is perfect.

I also love this random assortment of shelves, I will definitely be begging M.O.D. (my other dad~AKA Mr. Decor~my handy dandy stepfather in shining armour) to install a wall of shelves like these somewhere around my condo. I do not know if there is room but rest assured I will make room.
Side note: love love love the built in log holder. Umm, MOD? I need that for my fireplace.
(I found both these photo's on my new favourite website Apartment Therapy.)


My Top Five Favourite Books

The Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger

If you are a boy and your name is Holden or if you are a boy and you know who Holden is and have always said you would name your first child Holden ... call me!!!

The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chobsky

I first heard about this book from a one Brandon Jordan (this is a whole other post in the making) and I have since passed it on to several other people. It is a compelling story, that I believe everyone should read once in their life (although I can guarantee you will read it more than once, I am about to go on my tenth reading.)

A Separate Peace - John Knowles
I don't know, are you catching a pattern? I love a good "coming of age" tale. If you know any others, please, pass them on!
Edie - Jean Stein
My favourite biography for my favourite girl! Another great biography (well autobiography) is D.V. by Diana Vreeland, they both lived fantastic, enviable lives! Maybe not so much Edie but I think you get what I am saying...
The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
My mom came home with this novel one day and handed it to me. She told me I would love it. She was right. Some days I can totally relate to this novel. I am not saying I am going to have a mental breakdown or make like Sylvia herself, and kill myself, I am not saying that at all. I just have days where I totally get it.

My Top Five Authors
JD Salinger
I am completely smitten with Salinger's writing style.
Chuck Palahniuk
I've never met a Palahniuk I didn't love.
Augusten Burroughs
My new favorite author. He's a little too out there for my mother though.
Jacqueline Susann
Last summer I went on a Jacqueline Susann binge, it was amazing!
Stephen Chobsky
I am 172% sure Chobsky is a genius. If only he would write another book (he wrote one book, 10 years ago.) I hope he doesn't pull a Salinger. Sigh.

Speaking of books, I recently read Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. I am going to need to read it again. This has been the most amazing story I have ever read. Christopher McCandles has to be one of the most intriguing human beings I have ever come across. I am in awe in all that he accomplished in his short life. He has done everything I want to do, and everything I am afraid to do. He lived.

a boy named alice.

Schools Out for the Summer

School has been out for about a month now and I am still not caught up. I do not know if I will ever get caught up in life. I only have more to add to my plate now - packing to move into my new Condo!

I think it is about time I post my final school projects.

The Never Ending Blazer pt. Dos

(yes, there is a first blazer)

Fabric

Blazer: Burn Out Tweed 100% Wool

Lining: Floral Satin

Hand stitched tailored collar.



Hand stitched tailored lapel.


The finished Product! It only took me forever (it is not called the "Never Ending Blazer" for nothing.) I gave the jacket to my mother for mothers day but I find myself wearing it more than her. I have paired it with a striped tank, ripped boyfriend jeans (rolled up of course) and platforms. I have also paired the blazer with a men's Hanes tee shirt (my signature of course) and grey knee high boots. Maybe I'll allow for pictures one day...

Detail

Three gold bees, a wing, a coin, and a cross.

Gold top stitching.

I tried, but failed at a close up of the clock button.





Edith



This is my Portfolio! Illustration has always been my favorite subject so this was more of a treat, rather than a hindrance. I first thought about doing a collection based off various story book characters. This switched to writing my own story and doing a collection based off my two main characters. I have undiagnosed ADD and take frequent breaks from working, so as I took a break to cruise thecobrasnake I found a picture of a girl who I thought to resemble a modern day Edie Sedgwick. This changed everything and last minute I decided to create a collection based off Edie if she were living in 2009. I started sketching and could not for the life of me cease. Before I knew it I was over my head and created more sketches than I needed (of course most of them ended up in the trash can.) The final product ended up being 5 parts Edie, 3 parts Michael Jackson circa 1993, and 2 parts Bohemian.





Three Page Mood Board

(yeah duh I created a playlist!)



Ta-Da!

(you will not believe how long it took to do those feathers)

I am pretty happy with how this semester turned out (well, these two classes at least.) Next semester I am taking two general education classes along with Pattern Design II and Computer Aided Design. I have also signed up to take an Introduction to Graphic Design class and a Creative Writing class. I cannot wait!

I also wanted to blog about my new glasses!

Are they not gorgeous?? They are Dolce & Gabbana. I fancy myself Corey Feldman in them!

This week has been the worst of the year but there has been one silver lining! On Wednesday I started my internship at a fabulous store known for their innovative displays. I know many companies now have a blogging policy so I do not want to go into details but I am having the time of my life! It is going great and it feels so nice to find a niche!

The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest.

Bob Dylan

This is possibly one of my favorite photographs of all time.

Oh, Bob Dylan, how I love thee! I am pretty sure Bob Dylan is the coolest human being walking around on Earth. That curly spout of hair on top his head, his brooding good looks, his mysterious charm - oh how I swoon over Bob Dylan. I do not care that he is a mere 48 years my senior. All those boys I see on the street mimicking his mop of curls, hiding behind those oh so cool Wayfarers, struggling to fit into those tiny drainpipes, walking around in their Carnaby Street boots - you mean nothing to me. No one can ever compare to the great Robert Allen Zimmerman (Bob's real name for those who are unaware.)

For five decades Bob has been projecting out folk songs left and right. He has released albums almost consecutively year after year. Dylan is more of a poet rather than a lyricist. It is because of these meaningful words he became the poster boy for civil rights. Many times Dylan coloured outside the lines - he left his folk roots to dabble in a variety of genres including blues, gospel, rock & roll, and jazz. Not to mention, he does all of these well. Frankly, I believe Bob Dylan is a Midas type, anything he touches, well, it turns to gold. Dylan also proved his musical genius by playing a multitude of instruments including the guitar, piano, and the reason I first fell in love with him - the harmonica. Oh how I could listen to him wail on the harmonica day in and day out. But of course, Dylan's most famous instrument is his voice. You could pinpoint his nasally crooning anywhere, it is just so distinctive. I actually have a list of voices I would die for, guess who rings in at number one?? I spend hours with Hannah trying to perfect our Dylan accents. For me, it is just Heaven. For others (like my mom) will agree with Joyce Carol Oates in describing his voice "as if sandpaper could sing." Now that I think about it, it does sound like sandpaper, but more like diamondpaper.

My top five essential Dylan tunes

Dark Eyes

This is the song that essentially caused me to fall in love.

I Want You

I want you too Bob Dylan, I want you too. For the sole reason of how you pronounce "flute."

Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat

I am 93.7% sure this song was written for Edie Sedgwick. Which is only another reason to add to my list of why he is just so damn cool

All I Really Want To Do

The diamondpaper crooning at it's best!

Like A Rolling Stone

My best friend recently got this tattooed on her arm. I am not jealous or anything...

Dylan once said of his mentor, Woody Guthrie, "You could listen to his song and actually learn how to live." Well, I wonder if he knows that many a kids these days are saying the very same thing of him.

Handle with Care.

Road Trips

Oh the beloved road trip. What is more fun than driving in the car with your friends? Nothing, is the answer. Lately, I have taken to road trips just around Phoenix. This takes about an hour and a half and I typically prefer the company of myself. It is a great way to escape from the outside world and relax. I favour driving at night. It is nice to trade city lights for star lights, city scapes for desert scapes. There is nothing like looking up through your moon roof and being surrounded by the unworldly night sky. It is during these moments I feel most infinite. I will confess I love road trips for the pure reason of gas station food (I would literally die without QT, where else am I able to find banana mocha's that only cost me 89 cents?) The best reason for driving long distances, of course, would be the music. I do not understand why, but, listening to music in the car is a totally different experience from any other forms of music. Maybe it is because you can scream along without anyone hearing you.

Top 10 Essential Road Trip Songs

1. Here Comes the Sun - the Beatles

2. Title and Registration - Death Cab for Cutie

3. I Must Belong Somewhere - Bright Eyes

4. Steal My Sunshine - Len

5. Execution Of All Things - Rilo Kiley

6. Lake Michigan - Rogue Wave

7. Time to Pretend - MGMT

8. Loro - Pinback

9. Go Your Own Way - Fleetwood Mac

10. Hoppipolla - Sigur Rós

My biggest dream in life is to own a VW Bus and travel across America, just like Kerouac's journey from On the Road. The ultimate road trip.

Journals

A girl can never keep too many journals (or as my good friend Tangelo calls them, Books of Feelings.) I keep a journal for just about everything. I have everyday journals filled with quotes, thoughts, poems, and short stories. I have several journals dedicated to fashion (these also include tabs on the latest beauty trends, as well as diy projects.) I even have a journal dedicated to deciphering the Catcher in the Rye. My absolute favorite place to purchase journals is Frances, which is located right here in Phoenix. If you are not a resident of Arizona, I suggest heading over to fredflare.com or your nearest Urban Outfitters for yummy paper goods.

Lists

You can't tell that I enjoy making lists right? Stepgirlfriend first got me into list making. I marveled at her mass amounts of lists and I knew I just needed to start my own collection. I started with a bucket list of sorts (although, I would rather die than actually coin it a bucket list.) I then went list crazy and making lists for everything! To-Do lists, books to buy, magazine articles worth reading again, and dumb things boys say to me. I have Post-Its scattered around my room, half of the storage on my iPhone is probably lists on the notepad, and my favourites list on my Internet toolbar is getting slightly out of hand. Thank Budah for Stepgirlfriend, who recently bought me a book of various Post-It sizes, (Alice themed of course) now I will never lose my lists. I should also invest in a Listography profile too...

The Daisy

The daisy has always been my favourite flower. I am not sure if this has anything to do with the fact that the Daisy is my birth month flower or not. They are so pretty and delicate. Not to mention, they can grow in a array of intense pigments. I am excited to move into my new place and grow my own daisy garden. If it turns out I do not have a green thumb, I am more than happy to fill my abode with carefree imitation daisies. My infatuation does not end with flowers though. I am a fan of daisy dukes, which in my opinion are the only acceptable bottoms, if bottoms MUST be worn at all. My first jewelery set was a sterling silver necklace, bracelet, and earrings that resembled a chain of daisies. Daisy duck has always been my favorite Disney character. I named my phone Daisy, and yes, my perfume of choice is Daisy by Marc by Marc Jacobs.

School Supplies

I have a strange infatuation with school supplies. Every September I get an itch and insist on buying new supplies, although my need for them went away several years ago. Every time I am in Target, I find myself migrating towards the supply sections. There is just something about an adorable writing instrument. Jars filled with coloured pencils and marker pens sprawl across my desk. Boxes of crayons find themselves tucked into every crook and nanny my room will possibly allow. I have a hard time fitting novels onto my bookcases, due to the fact that notebooks and 3-ring binders tend to take up most of the space on the shelves. I have an entire drawer filled to the brim with pens and pencils (not a small drawer either, might I add.) I am sure I could supply a school with scissors and tape...for five years. It is an illness, an illness I refuse to recover from. My all time favorite? The Crayola box of 48 crayons.


I think I am caught up. Next week I can start going back to one item. On Friday I actually wanted to blog about the projects that took up my time, but I had a misshape. Hopefully by this Friday everything will be squared away!

I am really excited for this week. My mother and I are changing our lives! I have pulled her over to the dark side of vegetarianism (well, for the most part, I have caught her eating a few hamburgers. For shame!) I guess I should say we are practicing more healthy eating habits. Tonight for dinner I cooked pasta with sauteed garlic veggies. Delish! I am getting quite accustomed to this domestic thing! We also are working on bettering our selves! Stay tuned for details.


I took this picture last Wednesday (I believe, I could be wrong) and I wanted to share it with you. I took it with my iPhone from Tempe Beach Park.




Today my sister and I went to Two Hippies. I cannot even describe this place, it is just so neat. We are going back for dinner on Friday and I will be sure to take pictures for you! I had a Desert Pear Lemonade and for my refill I decided on a Blueberry Lemonade. Hannah tried the Rasberry and Acai flavours. If you live in Phoenix I would highly recommend giving Two Hippies a try!

ugly shy girl.

Kate Nash

Several months ago, I had to come to the conclusion that Kate Nash is my musical soul mate. Every time I listen to her album Made of Bricks (which is many a time, side note: this album cover is one of my favourites of all time, too cute!) I have to stop and think because I swear on my life that she wrote these songs for me. I get the spooks. I keep listening though because I have her voice and majestical piano skills. Basically, Kate Nash is everything I want to be. Not only am I green with jealousy over her musical abilities, she is cute as a button with the best vintage wardrobe ever. EVER. Oh I forgot, she's from England so she gets to have a really charming accent.

Made of Bricks
Foundations
Okay technically, I have never been in this situation. I wish, but no. I should grow a back bone.

Just look how cute she is!
Mouthwash
Spoken like a true old fashioned girl.
Dickhead
This song has been dedicated to a plentiful amount of boys. That's all.
Birds
I know I have mentioned this song before. I just love it. I spend hours fantasizing the events in this song coming to life. I cannot tell you how much I would love for a boy to say "birds can fly so high and s*** on your head yeah they can almost fly into your eye and make you feel so scared but when you look at them and you see that their beautiful that's how I feel about you" as a means of trying to tell me he likes me. Oh boy, where art thou?
We Get On
I tend to flip head over heels in a highly unhealthy way for boys. I come up with a million ways to talk to them in my head, yet I can never seem to bring myself to bring these plans to action. So I usually resort to day dreaming in class. I swear I have never felt anything for any of them, but truthfully it is all the same. Then they usually chose the girls that are not so, I am going to say nice, but that is probably too polite of a term. Then I wallow in self-despair for a few days or so until I can find a new boy to swoon over.
Mariella
This is for all the girls who never fit in and never thought twice about it.
Skeleton Song
This song hits close to home. It is definitely the song I most identify with.
Nicest Thing
This has to be the sweetest "love you from afar" song ever written. Countless times I have claimed this song to be for one boy or another. Although, it is usually a short time period before I am dedicating "dickhead" for these so said boys. Although there is one boy I have dedicated this song to that I have never gone back on my word. He also happens to be the first boy to receive the honour of having me dedicate such a beautiful song to. Not that he would ever know, or anything...
Merry Happy
It is very hard not to be "merry happy" when you listen to this song. Come on, who doesn't like dancing at discos and eating cheese on toast??

twice is nice, five times is better.

Where the Wild Things Are

Much like the rest of the world at this moment - Where the Wild Things Are is one of my favourite books of all time. I remember reading it over and over as a child. The children's book written by Maurice Sendak (a favourite author too) perfectly captures the heart of imagination. It is a sweet story with kooky characters - just the way I like my modern fairy tales. It goes without saying that I am wound up over the live action movie coming out in October. With all the recent hoopla regarding the movie, I have been able to rediscover a childhood nostalgia. It has vastly inspired me - including a feathered dress and a Polaroid project. I also just saw a pack of little boys briefs with the characters on them, I need to hunt these down.

Deer

I have a crazy hippy friend. I mean this with love, and I know she would take this as a compliment. So my dear crazy hippy friend believes that everyone has an animal spirit. She herself is a raccoon, and after months of speculation she decided that I was a deer. I have always been a fan of this whimsical creature (note all the deer references in my profile) but as of late, I would say I have jumped aboard a crazy train. I have found myself having to tear myself away from various deer objects. Sometimes I am not so successful, and at this rate I am fairly certain that soon I will be able to gather enough memorabilia to fill my enchanted forest that will one day be my home. Right now I am on the look out for a faux deer head or an antler chandelier (although an Adam Wallcavage octopus chandelier is my first choice.) And of course looking back at my mother's deer post, I must have all of that too.

Photobooths

There is something about a photobooth that I cannot quite put my finger on. They are the most intimate look into a persons life. I try to hop in one every chance I get, and every time I look back I can pinpoint the day the photo was taken. My fondest memory of the photobooth is from my fifteenth birthday. My beloved Auntie Tara took me to an upscale restaurant in Philadelphia. I cannot remember the name (I am also too lazy to text her and ask) but it is probably the best Mexican cuisine I have ever put in my mouth. Not only did they have killer guacamole but in the center of the dining facility was an old school photobooth. As you can see my Auntie and I had some difficulties with it, but five years later it is my most treasured possession.

Vegetarianism

This picture is too funny, also I have an obsession with Lady Madonna so it fits. The point of this story though is that during my senior year I made the transformation to being a vegan. A close friend of mine had gotten me into it, and I spent most of my meals at Taco Bell. Of course this caused health issues and I had to give it up. A few years and quite some research later I decided to give it another whirl. There is just one problem - cheese. I do not consume much food but these are my staples: pizza, quesadilla, macaroni and cheese (stouffer's please), and grilled cheese sandwiches. I do not know if you see a common ingredient or not... So, I have settled for vegetarianism. Eventually, yes, I think I would like to be a complete vegan. It is not something I am passionate about. Yes, I do believe in animal rights (no fur or leather for me!) I cannot pinpoint an exact cause for my choice but nonetheless it is part of who I am.

The Mix Tape

If you have not noticed by now, I am a fan of the mix tape. I guess technically in today's world it would be the mix CD. I suppose this love affair began around the time I read The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chobsky. The mix tape was a focal in the protagonist Charlie's life. It was around this time that I began to perfect the art of mixing. If you have ever received a mix from me, well, you should be honoured. I save these objects for those I care most about (or those I know will truly cherish them.) I start with a theme or at least a specific individual in mind. Then begins the search process to finding songs catered to the mix. I like to leave booklets in the case. The cover could be precisely detailed or simple enough to get the job done. I leave a track listing on the inside and the last page is most often covered with a doodle or note. It takes time but it is time I do not mind spending.

I must get back to downloading all of my Bob Dylan albums into my iTunes. It may take awhile, hah. Today I am making lunch for my sister and I (veggie cheese burgers, fruit, macaroni salad, and lemonade!) After, we are going downtown to scour the vintage stores for furniture.