Blah,Blah,Blahg

"DAHL-ING.."

    I just finished the Harry Potter book, the first one-- the Sorcerers Stone.  Yes, it was exciting and yes, I agree JK Rowling  has  a ton of talent BUT what I can't figure out is the phenomena.  I was in marketing/branding for many moons and the Potter hysteria is something that impresses me to no end.  I LOVE that she got kids to read, I LOVE it, really I do.  What I am having problems with is why wasn't Roald Dahl welcomed with this Beatlemania fervor?  The book to the left is part of my Top 10 list.  I first read it when I was 12 and 26 years later it still is relevant.  It is engrossing, smart and above all imaginative.  I started re-reading last night and 6 pages in I was brought to tears--that touching.  I am not one to be emotional although I do have a propensity to guffaw, yes, guffaw, not giggle, lady-like laughter, but side-splitting, rib breaking, laughter.  I can't help it and I never know what will trigger it(people dancing funny is one trigger)--I digress... 
    If you like to read, this is a book that should be in your arsenal, if you have kids, this is a great book to read them (a lot less scary than the Potter series, sheesh, I would have slept with the light on into my late 20's if I was a kid when HP came out)  Isn't that what a good book is supposed to do?  Incite a reaction/emotion good or bad?   
    Back to 'Sugar'--I would love to be in charge of re-releasing the 'The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six more'.  First of all I think the branding is all off, even though the Illustrator Quentin Blake is one of my very favourite (I prefer the queens English, I am effected just like Madonna).   I would market it to Peter Pan types, but I would make it a leather bound edition with debossed gold foil lettering and gold leafed pages.  It's such a special book it shouldn't be in paperback, it should feel special, come in a crate or something exotic, a faux shageen box perhaps?   I think everyone should have series of leather-bound or 'pleather'-bound editions in their home library and this my friends should be one of them. 

OOH LA LA...

    I usually try not to get too antique-esqe with my designs, but I recently found a a few resources, a virtual treasure trove of French antique ephemera that I fell madly in love with.  The images are stunning and some quite amuse me (I am hoping they'll amuse my clients as well).  I have almost a complete (okay, I am exaggerating) early 19th century French dictionary that will be working it's way into the Bella Bella co. ephemera collection. it's all so very exciting. 
    I am showing a couple sneak peeks here even before I put up anything in the Etsy shoppe . I do want to have a little bit of a theme going not just a hodge podge.  Don't worry I haven't gotten all grandma on you guys, there will be plenty of modern additions as well and once the site is complete it will be easy to find what you are looking for.
    Oh yes, another new development is the FSC certified paper I will be using for the new cards--recycled, chlorine-free, eco- friendly like you can't believe!   I have been going hog wild testing out new papers to find the best fit for Bella Bella AND I am trying out a new fold, these will open like a wallet I don't know if there's a proper name, but I am dubbing it the billfold. I can't wait for everyone to see the new site, I have added a billion new categories- D.I.Y. Invite kits, Letterpress (by a master letterpress artiste), custom pencils, paperweights, journals, labels, bookplates and supplies for all the 'Craftista's' out there.  My fiancee, whom my girlfriends have dubbed 'Larry' since he is soooo like Larry David said "I don't understand what the heck a craft whatever is?"  Well, it's the new generation of creative crafter that's not relegated to gluing macaroni on things, this is for the creative whom likes to craft in style a fashionista + crafter=Craftista!

I'M SO EXCITED I JUST CAN'T HIDE IT...

    I am so excited, I decided that it just may be time to throw in the towel on my old life as a PR maven.  I still have 2 lone clients BUT I have a super great publicist in NYC assisting on those accounts which leaves me free to step back and wonder how the heck am I going to pay my rent?
    I decided that I would go to a temp agency, mind you I have never really had a job before, yes I have slung hash, and I did work at the 'Gift and Gadget nook' one summer in junior high but other than that I don't know what to do.  I don't want a taxing job, I want a job like the receptionist on 'The Office' where she gets to spend a fair amount of time drawing all day. I've had many assistants I know they spend about 80% on the internet. I want to join those ranks, for now, where I don't have to chase clients to get paid, I am sooooo tired of it!  Yes, of course Bella Bella co. will still be and hopefully not having to baby sit clients and chase my fee's will allow me to get REALLY creative. 
    I have the interview tomorrow, I bought something like the jacket on the left for the occasion at my favorite store.  I wanted to show you the shoes, they are insane, but alas they didn't have any images. Wish me luck! 

WE INTERRUPT YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAM FOR...

I could not resist the sheer irresistibleness of this bunny.  Yes, I am a crazy animal person.  I even went to school at the zoo, this is no lie and no hyperbole, I had 4 classes at the zoo a day.  It was blissful (well as blissful as being a teenager can be...)

Now back to our regulalrly scheduled program...

FORTY IS THE NEW TEN....

    I have been wanting to call attention to this for awhile, being in my not so former life I found ways to promote things I thought this needed to be addressed out loud and in a public forum.  I hear so much propaganda about childhood--how blissful it was, better times, things were great, no responsibilities and on and on... I on the other hand find being a grown-up to be everything I imagined it to be and then some!  So in that vein I want to give you a list of things I love about being a grown-up:

• I get to sleep with puppies in my bed!  This is awesome! 
• I can stay up as long as I want. In fact I don't have to go to bed at all if I don't want to.
• I can eat as many or as little vegetables as I please.
• Yes I have bills BUT I can choose where I want to live and how to spend my money.
• I can drive a car (this I looked forward to for many moons).
• If I am in school I can take any class that I fancy, now that is the way to learn.
• I can wear make-up and dye my hair any color under the rainbow if I wanted.
• I can dress the way I want to.
• I can see any movie I want to, any rating.
• I can be whatever I want, at any point, I could change careers mid-life and see where that takes me.

    Yes, I have responsibilities but with responsibilities come so many more freedoms that I think it balances itself out.  I think it's hard to appreciate what you have when your in the mire of stress and life but sometimes if you stand back, your life is a lot better than you think.  If you don't believe me, do a daily appreciation list (it's not new-agey, trust me, it's pragmatic).  Just write down all the things you appreciate about your life, if you feel that you can't come up with something start very basic, like-- "I appreciate that I can make this list and I am not in Africa starving". Or I appreciate that I can see, if you can't see than you appreciate what you can-- hear, smell, taste, or whatever.. start basic if you need to so that you will realize that bills, responsibilities aside your life may be a whole lot better than it may sometimes seem.      
    Jules of the amusing Pancake and Fries blog started this little Flickr pool which makes you stop and appreciate the little things in your life.  She's obviously brilliant and besides that this is a little exercise in being a little more observant of your world, plus it's fun!

HOW TO BUILD YOUR EMPIRE..

    Oh how I wish I could navigate my blog like all the other blogettes out there...Sigh, if you haven't noticed yet I am missing quite a few images which pisses me off to no end (this my friends is very hard to do).  Also I have 7, yes '7' comments and I don't know how to add my own little witty repertoire to them...I am not ignoring you, I am just a little slow (so it seems)...For those of you that are more visual learners I did find some links for video tutorials for this blasted typepad! 

    On another note, I was asked the other day about how to start a stationery company.******GASP******-- people are actually looking to moi for information about this?  How very exciting!  I am the last person to give advice on something that I no nothing about (I am on a wing and prayer mode) but I did run across a couple of informative leads that may be of service to all those creative people that are interested.  I picked up a copy of Craft Inc. 
It's written very well, it answers a lot of the basics and bonus it looks good as well in your library!       
    I ran across this blog (info on a craft business) in an attempt to find something else, I love the serendipity of web searches you never know what perfect information you'll find, it's like informational roulette.
The Paper Peeps forum, run by Dawn Viola is quite fun to learn more about the paper biz, it's designed beautifully, which is a plus for people like myself that are easily swayed/distracted by visual stimuli. Plus Dawn offers very nicely priced consulting which is great if you can afford and want more one-on-one treatment. Also, I found this seemingly bit of random info, how to say 'Welcome' in many languages, I don't know why it came up in my search but I will be using it for the new improved Bella Bella co. website which is starting to feel like Sistine chapels challenging, but then again, it seems I am a little slower than the other kids, so cross your fingers that I can get through this process before there's web 5.0, or whatever...

A BOX WRAPPED UP IN AN ENIGMA, INSIDE A...

This was in my new Martha Stewart Feb. '08 mag and I was thrilled!  I so want to paper boxes and make them look like beautiful little treasure chests, but sigh, alas I couldn't figure out the darn directions!  Am I that dense?  So it seems...I tried it several times to horrendous results,  granted their boxes were rectangle and mine square that shouldn't have been a problem, right?

So I did what any good Craftista would do I searched for more clear directions for the papered box challenged, perhaps a crafty crafter had made some that would help my cause.  I didn't find what I was looking for BUT I did find some other exciting paper related crafts that you might like.  This is an amazing tutorial on how to make your own paperhow-to fold your own paper box, I tried with results that would make you blush.  I also found this great site called EvilMadScientist, looks like a tutorial mecca! with common household items and this little tutorial is

ARE YOUR LASHES LONGER, OR ARE YOU JUST HAPPY TO SEE ME...?

This blog isn't really a beauty blog per se, I mean we don't know what this blog really is anyway, it's an opportunity for me to get some things out of my brain and share with you my vast knowledge of nothing in particular.  So, even though I am officially considered one of America's 'working poor' (ouch) I do have my grubby little mitts on a product that is nearly a car payment and the worse part about it is I think this product really works!   

Yes, I have lush lashes now, long, thick and dark.  I haven't worn mascara in weeks and when I do people always ask me if my eyelashes are extensions!  I'm not saying you'll get the same results but if you were lucky enough to get this as a gift (as I was) then by all means try it!  If for some reason you have a couple hundred dollars to spend you can pick it up here.   If you are a Beauty junkie and need further reason to procrastinate or ways to spend your hard earned or inherited dollars check out Miss Kelleys blog...

SO YOU THOUGHT YOU COULDN'T DRAW...

     One of my resolutions/wish list for '08 is to draw better.  I am under the impression that the more one draws the better your drawings get.  I picked up this little workbook last year since I felt I could use some sort of assistance in this arena.  If you follow the workbook I can't see how you can't improve--REALLY!  I on the other hand got sucked into the author Sandra Angelo's world of master selling.  I am convinced I can not finish the workbook without buying everything she recommends (she's a really good salesperson) and since I can't afford the recommended pencils or the battery operated eraser I have put the workbook on hold BUT I have not stopped my incessant doodling and I do feel that because of my time with Sandra my doodling has improved ten fold.  Give her a try if you want  to improve your drawing, just make sure that your credit card is under lock and key because believe me you too will be impervious to her selling wileys...

RESOLUTIONS

                                                
    Well a Happy New Year to you!  I know it's been nearly three months from my last post but I checked my stats and people are still stopping by which means that they may actually want me to update this thing.  I have 2--count 'em TWO, comments!!!  (and neither of them are related to me). This in and of itself is tremendous, so I shall persevere here in the blogasphere and add to your procrastinating ways...

    That being said on to my pressing topic--I am not much for resolutions, at least not the traditional kind so I shall let you in on what I do, I sort of give myself a 'Wish list'.  It's more fun that way and I am all about good times.  So here's my Wish List/Resolution '08, (note these can change at any moment, per my whim, so feel free to be as flexible with your own).

• Change the name of blog, I did!  'Blah, Blah, Blahg' it is!   I know someone else has this URL but it's a boy and I do think he shouldn't have gotten that creative before I could think of it.  So maybe we can trade and he can have the 'Everything' which is what his blog is about anyway.
• Actually develop some of the digital pictures on my computer or do SOMETHING  with them.
• Take that darn calligraphy class, it is calling my name..
• Finish the Bella Bella co, website already!
• Paint the atelier it's looking pretty worn down.
• Get married.  Don't worry, I've been asked...
  
• Read Harry Potter series, sheesh it has sold only a little less than the bible, I should find out what the darn hype is about, eh?
• Make plans with friends (if I still have any), I really don't leave the studio, I could do so at least once a quarter.
• Get Bella a meeting with 'The Dog Whisperer', she is rather naughty and I REALLY don't have anything to do with it.
• Actually make something from my subscription to Everyday Food
  
• Leave comments on blogs I adore
• Learn how to photograph my line better
  

Okay, that's all I can think of for now but this will be on going so don't dismay.  I have a laundry load of Wishes and um, yeah:

• Do laundry on a regular basis AND put it away...