state art from etsy

When we found out we weren't moving last winter I promptly purchased a piece of Virginia state art from Etsy as a sort of present to myself for being put through the agony of uncertainty. Jokes on me, 'cuz we moved to Maryland! As soon as we moved in I ordered another print.

I finally got around to finding frames and hung the prints last weekend. I wonder if any other states or countries will join them in the future? I don't know what I'll do if we end up moving to another part of Virginia or Maryland... oh well, these work for now! I love seeing them on the wall.

The prints are from this shop.
The frames are from Michaels and were buy one get one free!

art love

illustration by Clare Owen

the julie project

photographer Darcy Padilla chronicled the poverty-stricken life of 19 year old Julie, a young mother with AIDS and history of physical and sexual abuse.

her project (click for link) will be on my mind for a long, long time. sit down with a box of tissues and prepare to be feel enthralled, angry, disgusted, sympathetic and heartbroken.warning: contains graphic images. don't let that stop you- this is truly a must see/read. Padilla's other work (click on her home page to view) is astounding as well.

photo by Darcy Padilla

art on the cheap

!!!!
frames: all are the same dark brown frame.
free for me. bought in Korea by my brother
art: I asked for a charley harper calendar for my birthday last year
so that I could one day frame the art
I hope to use them in our future nursery
b/c not only are they amazingly colorful and graphic,
but each print shows a mother with her baby(ies).

frame: free, from grandma's old apt. is not this bright in person.
art: a hand-painted postcard from an antique mall
I think it was two or three dollars.

OK, so it's ugly. I know.
I am kicking myself for putting these stickers on
such an ugly background. I don't know what to do.
frame: cheap poster frame
art: vintage luggage stickers that I bought years ago
for under $10

my favorite sticker
but they are all amazing
sniff. now they're ruined.

je t'aime

this is the piece of art I blogged about last month. Isn't it perfect?

a room with a view

Our front bay window looks out on to...more townhouses. Yuck.

Thank goodness for an incredible piece of art given to me by the owners of The Corner in Dayton. The painting is mostly a grayish blue and is quite large- about 24x48 inches. It's of a river in Italy with a low bridge, gondolas, people, trees and tall buildings, and it resides on a wall in our living room. It is the best view in the house.

As Liz Lemon would say, I want to go to there.

I'm warning you, Etsy.

"Alfred was obviously underdressed for his induction into the Adventurers Hall of Fame."

I die.

honestly...Etsy needs to stop being so amazing. I can spend hours browsing people's shops and spending loads of money in my head.

The artist's shop includes some incredible street scenes and adorable animal prints. I know I'm buying one but I haven't decided which yet.

This is what you do with your life when your body is glued to a sofa and every time you think "but I feel so much better" you begin coughing up a lung and then fall asleep for hours. And then you wake up and eat toast and watch SNL videos on Hulu. Zach Galifianakis anyone?

I was disappointed by the Oscars last night. I adore Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin and frankly, I expected more from them. I wish they had done the song instead of Neil Patrick Harris, and wish it had been less of a production and more of a cutesy song and dance like last year's Hugh Jackman skit. I did love the silly Nazi references and Ben Stiller's avatar costume. My Netflix list is loaded with Oscar films.

Considering I woke up at 11:40 today, it is now my lunch time. I will eat, shower, walk the dog and make banana chocolate chip muffins. Now that's productivity.

Stop whatever you're doing and look at this!

How cute is this print?  Check out the artist's other work on Etsy.  Already picturing this in my future nursery.