Monday Mix #21: Too tired to think of title

This drawing by my friend Kaycie pretty much sums up Thanksgiving. The only thing that would make it slightly more accurate to my break would be if the people had slightly deranged expressions due to sleep deprivation. End of semester, tis the season. Two more weeks and then I'm free!

GREG KIHN BAND

The Break-Up Song
I considered making a playlist of songs with catchy refrains that consist of random noises.

RUSH

The Spirit of Radio
The Rush fan in me wanted to make this entry SUPER BIG AND BOLD. But the designer in me won. I take the fact that this song was playing on the radio this morning as a sign that today is going to be super awesome.

JOEL PLASKETT

Work Out Fine
Title says it all.

ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA

Evil Woman
ELO makes good late night work music.

RENT (1996 BROADWAY CAST)

What You Own
I went to go see Rent over the weekend at the Marcus Center. Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal were part of the cast and it was amaaaaazing. You know how when you see one of your favourite bands in concert and then you keep listening to their CDs over and over for the next week? I've been listening to Rent for the past few days. This is my favourite song from Rent.

Happy Friday

Happy Friday! I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving yesterday. My roommate's family adopted me for the holiday. (Above is part of my contribution to the Thanksgiving table).

Going to see Men Who Stare At Goats tonight.


If anyone is in the Milwaukee area tomorrow, the ninth annual Art vs. Craft fair is being held at the Humphrey Scottish Rite Masonic Center. I went last year for the first time and there were tons of handmade goodies. A really great place to pick up some more personal gifts for the holidays or just to browse and be inspired!

The most wonderful time of the year

One of my favourite moments of every year is when the GIANT Christmas tree is put up in the square across the street from my school. I seriously jump up and down like a four-year-old when I see this tree. It has been decorated since I took this picture last week and next week is the official tree lighting ceremony.

Hello

I think this is such a cool idea. I found this book on a shelf while grocery shopping over the weekend. Another addition to my massive to-read pile.

(There is a small part of me that thinks this will turn out like the Ring and anyone who reads this book is cursed and will die seven days later).

Monday Mix #20: World Spins Madly

via ffffound

Oh man, one more crazy week down, three more to go. End of semester, please come faster.

Here are this week's songs of note (be sure to scroll down for song #5):

JOHN BUTLER TRIO

Better Than
Catchy little ditty.

THE FORMAT

She Doesn't Get It (Acoustic)
Love this song, acoustic or non.

JOSH RITTER

Open Doors
This song is from one of my favourite albums. All of his stuff is stellar.

THE WEEPIES

World Spins Madly
Sad but lovely song.

ADALINE

Whiter/Straighter
Playlist.com didn't have this track so have a listen here. Definitely one of my favourites for the Peak Performance Project.

Map Project

Our latest assignment was to create an illustrated map. I chose to illustrate the route for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games Torch Relay across Canada. I'm pretty happy with the outcome of mine. Although that might have something to do with the rocket powered two-man bobsleigh....

My Life is Average

Photo here

I have never really found FML to be very funny, so I was really pleased when I ran across My Life is Average this morning (or MLIA). Much more entertaining! Here are some of my favourites that I've read thus far:

"Today I saw these two girls acting suspiciously near a large Edward Cullen cut out at my work. They were whispering about something and kept looking over at the cut out. After I was finished selling tickets to a patron, I looked up and saw them putting a Hufflepuff scarf and cape on him. Good to know that they know who's more important! MLIA"


"Today, at work a little girl was running around. She ended up falling down and started crying. Her dad said "It's okay sweetie!! Take dragon breaths!!" She then took a deep breath, and as she was exhaling she went "ROARRRRRR!!!" just like a dragon. I love kids. MLIA"


"Today, my precal class was having a test on graphing functions. Thirteen minutes into the test a kid shouted out, “Holy shift! Look at the asymptote on that mother function.” This earned the kid extra credit and the math department now has new t-shirts. MLIA"


I NEED ONE OF THOSE T-SHIRTS!

It's elementary

I love the openness (is that a word?) of this redesigned elementary school posted on Design Sponge.

New York, You're Just Ok

I finally got to see this movie this afternoon and I have to say I'm a little bit lukewarm about the follow-up to Paris Je T'aime. I feel like the stories in Paris were more original. Although I did like the intersecting storylines in this movie. Here's hoping Shanghai is better!

Happy feet

The Look See featured these gorgeous fair-trade shoes from Osborn Design Studio the other day. I'd like one of each please.

Oh, if only.

I worship the style of Le Blog de Betty and yesterday she proved why. Any girl who can make sweats this fashionable deserves a giant trophy....or something more useful and pretty. Although, I don't think any pair of heels and patent leather coat could save my sweats and make them even remotely fashionable. Oh, if only.

Monday Mix #19: Cool your jets

It still looks like this here.

As much as I love the holiday season, it is too early (in my opinion) to start up with the Christmas carols! My favourite radio station switched over to holiday music 24/7 over the weekend. The laundromat was playing Christmas carols yesterday morning. It's not even Thanksgiving! I feel even worse for people who work in retail. (Although, I must say that all this holiday music is making really want to bake some Christmas cookies!)

Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas carols. Just let me polish off my plate of Thanksgiving turkey first. So, here is some non-Christmas music from my week.

EVERCLEAR

Santa Monica
Takin' it back a few years. Whatever happened to these guys? They were good!

PHOENIX

Lisztomania
As much as I love 1901, I'm getting a little tired of it being on my radio ALL the time. It's time for this song to take front seat. I like this Bratpack mash-up set very well to this song.

CHICAGO

If You Leave Me Now
My love for this song probably stems from the movie A Lot Like Love. There is just something so fun about singing "oo-ooooo-OOOOOO-0000-ooo baby pleeaaasssee don't go" as loudly and sappily as possible.

THE AVETT BROTHERS

I and Love and You
Ok, another song that has been overplayed as of late. But it is just so lovely!

THE WHITE STRIPES

We're Going to be Friends
This song is just so cute and hopeful.

FINALLY

I just checked the online listings and the theatre down the street from me is playing New York, I Love You! I'm going on Thursday and I'm so excited I could pee my pants. I have been waiting for this movie for at least two years.

P.S. If you have never seen Paris, Je T'aime you are missing out.

P.P.S. Made this for dinner. So good.

Two weeks too late

Note to self: remember this for next Hallowe'en.

I wish Jessica Biffi was my friend

My roommate and I spent about two days watching the entire second season of Project Runway Canada this past week. We are both pretty ho-hum about the current season of Project Runway and I must say that the only reason I keep watching is pretty much Tim Gunn. But we both found the latest season of Project Runway Canada to be infinitely better with much more creative designers (and the Canadian Tim Gunn isn't even that bad, either! But don't worry, original recipe Tim Gunn is still number one in my heart).

Jessica Biffi was definitely our favourite, not always for her designs (but usually) but always for her spirit! She is just cool and now I wish she was my friend.

If you are craving more Project Runway, I highly recommend checking out the Canadian version. All the episodes are on youtube.

Raphael Vicenzi

Sometimes I wish I had a cool name like Raphael—like Uma Thurman in that one movie.

Another awesomesauce illustrator's work to admire! I read about Belgian illustrator Raphael Vicenzi on Design Milk this morning. I am in love with his beautiful lines, colours, and use of type.

Today we remember.

Photo here

My dad alerted me to this article run in the Vancouver Sun this morning about a project that my high school art program undertook. The grade eleven art students and one of my old art teachers, Peter Sarganis, painted 36 beautiful oil portraits over the past semester—one to honour each of the fallen Canadian soldiers who have died while serving in Afghanistan over the past year. You can read the article here and be sure to go look at the online gallery here to see their amazing work. If you are in the Vancouver area, the portraits will be on display at the Langley Fine Arts School until December 7.

Atherton Lin

Lies, lies, filthy lies. No Monday Mix until next week, sorry!

I love the colour and whimsy in the work of design team Atherton Lin.

Acorns grow

Monday Mix postponed until tomorrow again, sorry!

I am loving this series of work I saw on flickr.

Another freakin' awesome illustrator: Brett Helquist

I have the same teacher for illustration and book illustration class, so we are doing presentations in both. The illustrator I picked for book illustration class is another one of my favourites: Brett Helquist.

If you're familiar with Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events book series, then you are familiar with the art of Brett Helquist. This is when I first fell in love with his art.

Every one of his pieces has an amazing sense of composition and I am in awe of his use of line in his pencil drawings. All of his characters have such personality. He is yet another one of those illustrators that simultaneously inspires me and makes me feel like I should just give up now because they are on a whole other level of unattainable awesomeness.

Shaun Tan, you blow my mind.

For my illustration class we have to give a presentation about an illustrator of our choice. I picked the incredible, incredible Australian illustrator Shaun Tan.

I first became acquainted with his work when I saw an exhibition at the McMichael Gallery showcasing the original artwork from the book Dream. This book features the artwork of fifteen different illustrators and I think I can say that this exhibition is what sparked my interest in book illustration.

My admiration for Shaun Tan has pretty much just grown from then. If he was a rock star, I would be a screaming fangirl. When looking at his work, I find myself feeling so inspired and yet at the same it is just so incredibly awesome that I feel I should just give up and become an accountant or something because my work will never ever be that amazing. The way he activates all spaces in his artwork, even the seemingly "negative" space, is just so beautiful. In my opinion, he is an illustration god.

I want to go to there: Atlantic Avenue Tunnel, NY

I learned about this very cool attraction over at Abbey Goes Design Scouting. The Atlantic Avenue Tunnel is the oldest subway tunnel in the world. Located in Brooklyn, the tunnel was built in 1844 and is a half-mile long. There are all sorts of stories about ghosts and other paranormal activities involving the tunnel and it even served as the inspiration for an HP Lovecraft short story! Nowadays, tours are offered and arts events are held in the tunnel.

Another music card + some self congratulations

Wanted to share another music flashcard from my series. This one didn't quite fit with yesterday's food theme so it gets a post all to itself today. I'm a tad obsessed with anglerfish.

On a super happy note, I was accepted to be part of my school's in-house design team next semester! It's going to be a lot of work but I'm super excited!