andrew kolb adapted david bowie's space oddity into a children's book (no physical copies are available... yet, but you can download the full PDF here). does it work? if you're at all familiar with the song, you'll know the subject matter is a tad macabre for tots, but the illustrations are truly fantastic | via how to be a retronaut
from one oddity to another: willie nelson covers coldplay's the scientist for chipotle. the last headline you ever thought you'd hear? me, too. it's odd on so many levels, but one of those things you just have to see + hear | via stereogum
education first (ef) made a series of videos to encourage studying abroad. it works. i wish i was a student again | via uppercase
i've been poring over paint chips the past few weeks trying to choose colors for the rental house. now i know exactly what to do with them after i'm done | via how about orange
a nifty camera stabilizer for $1 - nice! | via doobybrain
eek! it's a bit short this time (and full of videos - now you know how i really spend my time on the internet), but i got it done within my dinner hour, so... yay?
back to work for me...
29 August 2011
i had a super awesome saturday night with my sister and niece at the dfw food truck festival. despite it being crazy hot (i think my right to complain about the heat, especially in texas, is just about revoked, but just know... HOT), it was so much fun and we got to try a lot of good grub.
chicken, pistachio & apricot, spicy rice & asparagus, beet, and pork tacos from three men and a taco.
grilled pork banh mi from nammi cruisin' vietnamese fusion. the pickled jalapenos were wicked spicy. also amazing? the basil mint lemonade. it made the 60+ minute wait totally worth it (yeah, it was crowded).
i was slightly obsessed with the trailercakes airstream trailer. it was adorable and it made bubbles. what more do you need?
the cupcakes were delicious - we actually started off with these!
one of the first things i'm going to do in my new place is set up a display wall for my paint by number collection. i have a modest start to a nicely varied collection, but i wanted to add something witty, vibrant, and a bit modern.
i'm a huge fan of trey speegle's paint by number art (i seriously want this pillow) and i was completely inspired by elsie's tutorial a few weeks ago, so when i came across a blank PBN canvas on etsy, i placed my order without skipping a beat. the fact that the canvas came without its paint set or any listing of its original colors did not faze me. the seller kindly linked to the paint by number museum, where i could see a completed canvas for reference.
if you ever come across a blank PBN canvas and want to give this project a whirl, here's what i used:
- ruler
- paintbrushes (use brushes with very fine tips - there are approximately threegazillion small areas to mess up!)
- toothpicks (for filling in extremely small spaces and details)
- water to clean your brushes (not pictured)
- paper towels to blot your brushes (not pictured)
- graphite paper
- pencil (not pictured)
- printout of words/lyrics/quotes sized according to your canvas (not pictured)
- paint tray
- acrylic paint* (be prepared to spend a fair bit of time at the craft store picking out suitable colors if you do not have a color reference chart or picture. even with a picture to reference, it took almost an hour to choose and sort 22 colors in my mind and in my cart)
*i chose acrylic paint instead of oil or enamel (model) paint because it was much more affordable for the amount i needed. it does cover in a matte finish, which i actually prefer, but you can always use a coat of protective gloss finish at the end. also? it takes a few coats for a full coverage, so patience and time are key!
on a flat surface, place your graphite paper over the canvas where you'd like your words to go. place your printed words on top of the graphite paper and use a small piece of low tack tape to secure it in place. i used a ruler to center my words because i'm a bit obsessive, but if you can eyeball it, awesome. with your pencil, trace an outline of the words. you can lift up the corner of the paper and graphite paper to check for correct pressure and placement.
now you should have your words on the canvas! i should have used a sharper pencil as my outlines were a bit thick, but it works. now the fun part: start painting! be sure to have access to hours and hours of movie and tv marathon goodness. trust me.
(gah! please excuse the oddly-angled gif here. i'm a dunce and didn't realize it wouldn't rotate. durrr.)
i read up a bit on painting PBNs and a few tips i picked up were to start with either the lightest or darkest color and work to the opposite end of the spectrum. did i do this? uh, no, but it's a good thought in theory. also remember to lightly dip your brushes into the paint - you need very little paint with each stroke. a big glob results in a big blob (like what i did there?).
this is what the original finished piece would have looked like had i bought it completed or used the original colors.
and here's my finished custom paint by number. to say i'm in love would be an understatement.
i still have that post-project glow where all i want to do is stare my creation with all its foibles and imperfections. is this normal? it sounds terribly narcissistic.
i seriously toyed with the idea of using a very fine-tip sharpie to outline the words for a bigger visual pop, but in the end, i kind of like that it takes a minute to register what's going on. it also helps that at the very end, i changed the color of what is now the lightest green. before, it was a khaki almost identical to the canvas color and the words were completely lost.
i almost forgot to share my inspiration for the words! i love, love, love midlake, especially their album the trials of van occupanther. the whole album is exceptional and it is definitely my go-to music for fall and winter. i could probably listen to all the songs on repeat, but one in particular will always be my favorite: chasing after deer.
it's the first day of school around here and you know what that means: no more kids hanging out at the library all. day. long... at least, not until after school hours. woo.
doesn't time go by crazy fast? i remember posing each year for my mom in front of my locker or classroom door and now i've been out of school for, uh, a long time. here's my favorite first-day-of-school shot. i was on my way to the third grade, where i would meet, in addition to my college freshman roommate, two of my best friends to this day. also notice the beginnings of a snarky personality and a love for black-and-white striped shirts.
so, whether you are sending off a little one to school or if the smell of school supplies just makes you happy, here are some great first-day-of-school photo memories.
*for the month of august, i'm participating in susannah conway'saugust break... with a slight twist. because i'm stuck in hot, hot texas with no vacation in sight, i thought it would be fun to take a virtual summer vacation by sharing photos of some of my favorite places and spaces from past travels. enjoy!
*for the month of august, i'm participating in susannah conway'saugust break... with a slight twist. because i'm stuck in hot, hot texas with no vacation in sight, i thought it would be fun to take a virtual summer vacation by sharing photos of some of my favorite places and spaces from past travels. enjoy!
*for the month of august, i'm participating in susannah conway'saugust break... with a slight twist. because i'm stuck in hot, hot texas with no vacation in sight, i thought it would be fun to take a virtual summer vacation by sharing photos of some of my favorite places and spaces from past travels. enjoy!
