This Old Lunch

I love antiquing. And I'm going to say this right here, right now, I loved antiquing before vintage chic was a design trend. I was probably the only 16-year-old (in a '90s world) that thought old Nehi bottles made cool vases.

One of my very first antique purchases was from an amazing antique mall in Bay City, Michigan. It was a tin Muppets lunchbox (with Animal on the back) from 1979. I still have it. In college I used it to carry my drawing supplies too and from the studio, and not so long ago, I used it to carry my lunch to work.

You can actually see it in this fun little vimeo from Cool Hunting: The World's Largest Lunchbox Museum. (close-up at 2:41).

I love all these metal lunchboxes. I think my first lunch pail was a pink plastic box with a Minnie Mouse sticker on it. I found it interesting that metal lunchboxes were eliminated because were using them as weapons, one would think plastic could do similar physical damage!!

Anyway, take a little look at the video and see if you can spot any that strike up memories!

Getting Ink Done

So I was browsing these Geometric Tattoo Designs—a lot of which i think are fairly interesting, and I was quite taken with the clean use of clean black and white.

And I was suddenly struck with a thought.... Spirograph tattoos!? Certainly this has been a thing. I turned to Google.

If you're not familiar with Spirographs they are a geometrical drawings of symmetrical curve patterns. And i was right in assuming they'd make lovely tattoos. It most definitely is a thing in the tattoo world, perhaps not quite up to I [heart] mom standards but a thing nonetheless. I think this pattern would be intriguing on a joint, say like a shoulder or an elbow. 

 

All that said, I am also quite taken with several of the lace tattoo designs you can see on this Tattoo Inspiration Pinterest board (much more so by the lace than all the butterflies!). The intricacy of the pattern detailing is so delicate and beautiful, it makes a tattoo suddenly seem much more feminine. 

And no mom, I'm not currently planning my next tattoo. Just admiring. 

So Long Happy Ending

The cynical side of me is comforted by these images...

Dina Goldstein's Fallen Princess series shows us familiar princesses in somewhat bleak circumstances, the future that may have been. It's the classic fairy tale with the modern day ending. 

A domesticated, Snow White handles a new family of nightmare dwarves; a captured Ariel is peered at from behind glass; Little Red Riding Hood.... isn't so little anymore.


Fairy Tales didn't originally end with sunshine and unicorns. The Brothers Grimm initially depicted a much bleaker outcome. 

So the question remains... is it damaging to young girls to teach Disneified endings to the legendary tales? Is it better to set forth a more realistic example of the challenges in the real world?

Personally, I think there's no harm letting kids imagine that anything's possible. Let's have optimistic children who aren't yet jaded by the reality around them. There's plenty of time for them to have their hearts broken and dreams dashed. While they are still young enough to enjoy the sing-song, fantastical world of Disney, I say we let them. God knows they'll outgrow it soon enough. 

Besides, chances are, they haven't yet read Jane Austen, and Mr. Darcy is just waiting to set an unattainable standard. Let's leave Pocahontas be. 

You can read further discussion with the artist, Dina Goldstein here.

Burger of the Week #124

Some rather different animated McDonalds ads from a firm in Helsinki, Poland. An artistic take that's a whole new way to sell burgers. Read more and see the the other animations here.

Drop In, Drop Out

Ever since the Freaks of Mckinley High went to see Pink Floyd at the Planetarium, I've been eager to experience a laser light show. And good ol' Grand Rapids has not denied me that opportunity!

This passed Friday, I caught Led Zeppelin's Greatest Hits at the Chaffee Planetarium at the GR Public Museum. Now there is a certain cheese factor to be sure, but the show was quite transcendent, throwing you into different dimensions, spinning you around and dropping you back down. And yet, though it was Zeppelln, there were parts that were quite peaceful. 

It was a new way to take in music—songs you're familiar with taken to a whole new level. It's a complete visual interaction and it's impossible to ignore the interplay of sight and sound.  

It may be an outdated technology and notion of entertainment, but not unlike cosmic bowling... it's worth checking out at least once!

The Planetarium is going to close September 14th temporarily to undergo renovations (hopefully this includes replacing the chairs, they were wildly uncomfortable!), but you still have a little time to check out a light show. The Planetarium will reopen in February 2014. 

Go To Snickerdoodles

Thank you to Pinterest for this new Go To for Snickerdoodles.

From Lovin' From the Oven, these are buttery, soft and amazing. Two swings at this recipe and two homeruns!

From Lovin' From the Oven

Baked, tasted and approved! Click here for the full recipe.

Burger of the Week #123

Following the craze of the cronut, it's the latest food trend... the Ramen Burger. This just looks Salty.... eck, salty. 

Here it is... the latest Internet Superstar.

The Shining Brow

Last week I took a bus and a train and car just to get to Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin (population 1,628!). Taliesin was the summer home and studio of architect, Frank Lloyd Wright 

 

My interest in the estate was piqued while reading Nancy Horan's Loving Frank. I was familiar with Wright, his work and even the estate, but when I read that his mistress and her children were murdered in an arson on the property in 1914, I was became fascinated. (There was actually a second electrical fire on the property in 1925, so the house has been rebuilt several times.) 

Taliesin was constantly evolving, because of reconstruction, expansion, and because, over time, there was two different wives and a mistress that maintained the estate. (Now I'm reading TC Boyle's The Women which fictionalizes Wright's relationship with his three wives and Mamah Cheney.) Touring the estate you can see the transformation over time, though they are trying to restore it to it's condition in 1959, the time of Wright's death. 

The estate is in need of some extensive repairs, the degree of which was actually shocking. But the integrity of the home and Wright's vision of working it into the landscape, the shining brow* within the hillside, remains true. I love the way the indoor and outdoor meld into one space, and all the natural elements are inspiring. There is an obvious respect and awe for the environment within which it sits.

Having seen Taliesin, has fired us up to finally get to Wright's infamous Fallingwater and also, to make the trek to Arizona to see Taliesin West, Wright's winter home and school. 

Wright may not have been of questionable character, but he was an amazing architect, designer and visionary.  He designed buildings to live in harmony with their environment, giving thought to every detail of the interior and exterior. I admire his versatility and the enduring values of his work. If you have any interest in space and structures, I highly suggest investigating Wright further.


*Taliesin means shining brow in Welsh.

Burger of the Week #122

What a delightful set of 7 crocheted burger coasters from Stringgle on Etsy. I almost think if I reaquaint myself with my crocheting needle, I may be able to handle this.... the cheese layer at least.....

Nashville Nightlights

On a recent trip to Nashville, I was quite taken with the vinntage signs along Broadway. They proved to be a visual highlight, during both day and night. 

They are functioning artifacts— Samples of a lost aesthetic that creates a mesmerizing visual landscape, I loved the combination of actual painted signs and neon lights. Who needs disposable vinyl signs, when these will make a statement that can last decades?

Interested in the classic hand-painted signs? Check out the documentary Sign Painters, which is an interesting look into an original art form. 

Burger of the Week #121

This slimy looking slider is actually a cleverly disguised bar of soap from LoveLeeSoaps on Etsy. I wonder if it's scented! Can you imagine bathing with greasy beef scent!?

Breathin' Brushed Pigskin

Spent a delightful weekend in Nashville last week and stopped by Nashville's oldest, All-Vintage shop, The Hip Zipper. Of course I went straight for the shoes, where I found these two vintage Hush Puppies boxes. (the shoes inside were not Hush Puppies). 

 Super fun finds. I love having something specific and fun to look for when I shop!