Blah,Blah,Blahg

LE HIBOU

I absolutely ADORE seeing what people create with the downloads I have on the Blahg. This was an older download but worked for Tania of Wild@Heart so perfectly.  Thank you Tania for sharing this with me, it has made me all 21 kinds of smiley.  I also wanted to post her blog header because it's really beautiful and it's obvious that digital collage is a medium that suits this artist very well. I love the addition of the hand drawn heart. If you have made anything with the downloads please let me know because I can't tell you how thrilled I am to see your creative spark in action.

PROFESSIONAL DRESS CODE

This image was stolen from the bad postcards blog, such a fun site. Donovan (the genius behind the Letter Writers Alliance) told me about it (okay and 8 million others, but I can feel special right?) This postcard made me laugh since last week I was sent home to change because my dress was too short (for the record it wasn't AND I do happen to have long legs so it's a medical condition that things may appear shorter than they normally would). I wonder what this woman's boss thought of her outfit, "Yes, of course darling I will file your important papers, I can't read but I'll give it the old college try."

Lucky for you a very thoughtful company is going to give away one professional outfit to a reader so at least one of us will not have to show up to work dressed like Miss Kitten Heels above.  I will put up all the details on Friday!

MAIRA KALMAN::AN INTRODUCTION

Maira Kalman is another find that I have been keeping from you. She's MY find I say, even though she is prolific and works with a small publication called the NY Times. I really don't know what craziness goes through my thick head that I think I can keep these finds from the world when they are already out and about. I am like that kid that thinks if I close my eyes you won't be able to see me.  I am a genius, that much is obvious. Well, enough, I will share Maira with you, she is another illustrator that I revere (it seems I am always obsessed with some illustrator/artist or other). Maira has a sharp wit to compliment her effortless illustrations and I adore her hand lettering. Maira illustrated the grammar tome 'Elements of Style', a book that should be familiar with most anyone that has ever taken an English class in the U.S. and to those writers out there that most likely have a well thumbed copy on their desks. I want this book badly, maybe my grammar will even improve if I get my paws on a copy.

Of course Kate Spade loves her as well, (I told you Kate is great). Oh yeah, she's done a couple of cover illustrations for that magazine The New Yorker, are you familiar with that?  Only at the doctor's office? And your parent's house? Me too (I jest). I highly recommend you stop by the New York Times blog and read her illustrated + narrated columns/stories, they are magnificent. Just telling you about her work has made me feel smarter, now imagine how you will feel when you tell your friends and family that you 'discovered' the most delightful illustrator + writer on the New York Times blog?  Go on now Maira is waiting for you.

LAW OF ATTRACTION

I had a nice long chat with Whitney from Whisker Graphics on Friday night, she knows as do a lot of people who read this Blahg that new agey/metaphysical type stuff is not my cup of tea.  Whitney suggested hesitantly that I read some law of attraction books  (because of my current situation) and take what resonated with me and leave the rest.  Sounds reasonable I thought. Then I thought 'this is where the new-agey people come in and take over my brain (or is that the cult folk?)' because I am so down right now I am looking at anything to shine a light on my situation.  I figured I would start doing small things like what little Jessica does with her Daily dance + affirmations in the mirror.  The only thing I don't think I will be able to utter with conviction is that "I like my hair', that's basically lying to myself but I shall try.

P.S. For the record Whitney is not new-agey or with a cult (that I know of). She's just one smart cookie.

P.P.S. Thank you Mrs. Lemons for the link to the video!

EVEN A SQURRIEL NEEDS SOME R&R

I wasn't going to post today because I was in what can only be described as a sour mood(it is Monday and all).  For the heck of it I just put the word 'cute' in my Google search and I found this little guy. Looks like this squirrel was feeling a little sour as well.  Really a squirrel hanging out poolside drinking lemonade through a straw? Has the internet left no stone unturned? Because I feel like with this post I can say, "I've seen it all." I don't think it's Photoshopped but if it is don't tell me because I want to believe there are straw sucking squirrels in the world. That's just me.

PEARLS OF WISDOM

I think it's hard for people to believe that I actually read through all the answers on The Bright Side Project.  I get asked that question a lot whether or not I do, how long it takes? Why? Etc.  I don't read through the answers for any other reason than I enjoy reading them.  They always evoke an emotion--a laugh, a tear.  Today the question was 'What pearls of wisdom do you live by?' I came up with the question (as sometimes we have to do) because the giveaway was a tiny owl necklace (get it? Owl=wise?). What I didn't expect was how many of the answers would assist me with my current fragile state. I have included some of the pearls here that really resonated with me. For the record I won't be choosing a winner of the prize so these answers only 'won' my heart.

 

 

 

p.s. A thank you to everyone for your warm words yesterday, it means so much to me that people would care enough to leave a note, take time out of their busy days for lil 'ol me. I am honored to have you stop by, really I am.

MISS B. IS A CRY BABY

So, it is Thursday, yup.  I heard on talk radio this a.m. that research shows that people are in bad moods more on Thursday than any other day of the week.  For me I usually get into a bad mood on Sunday evening and it stays that way until 6:01p.m. Friday, but that's just me.

Yesterday, my boss screamed at me in front of the entire staff for wearing a dress that was too short and that it was unprofessional. Seriously?  I am a very modest girl I will have you know and I can assure you that dress was the shortest I owned which only went above my knee. His former showroom manager on the other hand wore flip flops, low cut and see-thru blouses and his assistant wears converse and shorts to work but I my friends am unprofessional?  Did I mention that the only time I don't wear tights with my dresses is almost um, never?

I just found out Monday that the boss's new assistant who has been working here for 3 months is pregnant, congrats to her right?  She will be working a 4 hour work day which means that I have to take up the slack with my cut salary and bad attitude. Did any of the above make me cry? No, it should have, I am moved to tears easily around here.  No, I cried like I have never cried before (even worse than my 12th grade summer vacation when I found out that my dog Otis committed suicide and ran into on coming traffic, you know how I feel about animals).  Last night I cried so hard and non-stop for hours that at one point my legs got cramps in them and I thought I was going into paralysis.  I was so freaked out I started to cry some more.  I was crying because I found out that the job I wanted and was so perfectly suited for and the interview that I thought went great, well that job went to another person.  A journalist.  The job was for online Marketing/Branding Director for a cosmetics company not just a writer.  Who knows more about cosmetics than I do?  I am their audience + consumer. Have you ever met a beauty editor?  They never wear makeup, ever.  Seriously.  I have owned my own PR/Branding/Marketing firm and I am currently a Brand Director for a luxury company (luxury is so much harder than cosmetics). I know on line, I do, I created The Bright Side Project.  I write every day. I created my own fragrance, I am a graphic designer, I am the whole enchilada. I wasn't even asking for much salary wise because I knew if I got my foot in the door that they would know that I could create successful campaigns across the board for their other divisions.  I honestly have never felt so dejected in my entire life.  How could I have failed at getting this job that I was so perfectly suited for? And why is it in my complete and utter melt down that I feel the need for vengeance to work for their competition and eclipse their efforts at any on line outreach? Seriously. Is that where my head is going? The dark side?  All I want to do is an 'I'll show you' but really I think I just need to take a breath here. Maybe that job with the perfect sounding fit, 401k, 3 weeks paid vacation, room for extreme advancement, working with products that I use and love, well maybe it wasn't for me. As hard as that is to accept, maybe just maybe there is something better for me somewhere else?  For now though it really felt good to cry my eyeballs out (although now my contacts have stuck to my eyes like miniature suction cups) and it also felt really good to have an outlet to tell my story.  I may not have a new job but I do have the Blahg, right?

GEORGE

Everyone always ask me why I named my little girl dog George. It's very hard to explain this to people that did not grow up on Bugs Bunny cartoons like myself. Thanks to Andree my very dedicated cyber pen pal and link sharer extraordinaire  I can now show you the episode which moved me to name my white 'bunny' dog George. I do hope this clarifies that I am not totally off my rocker and that contrary to the Fancy's belief I actually do have a sense of humor.

GOODY SPIN PIN::A REVIEW

I have mentioned many times about being easily influenced, when it comes to actually purchasing something it's a lot harder for me to part with my hard earned cash.  Thankfully the internet allows me to be as neurotic as possible and I can spend countless hours reading reviews, looking up how-to video's and the like until I feel that yes this just may be worth my while (this does not apply to Etsy as I feel somehow justified in my purchases helping another young business person out). So, back to the purchase.  I had been hearing about Goody's new Simple Styles offering and especially these 'Spin Pins' (shown above), I really, really didn't think they would work as I have been duped before by hair accessory companies (yes I am talking about you Bumpits).  The premise is simple, throw your hair in a loose bun and then twist these puppies in, to remove twist the opposite direction. I know what you are thinking, 'I can do that with bobby pins or a hair elastic', well the kicker here is the pins actually stay in your hair.  Go figure?  Really did it take hair accessory technology this long to invent this? All the way to the 21st century? I am speechless.  I am both elated and pissed. I am elated because it's so easy to throw my hair up in a decent hair-do for work or to walk the girls.  I am pissed that my hair has had to endure all these years without my new beloved Spin Pins. Well, I guess as the adage goes, better late than never. Do you have any hair accessory secrets you want to share with ol' Miss B.?

HOMEMADE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

I  discovered a new to me blog, perhaps it will be new to you as well?  Alisa Burke, is the author of the delightful blog 'Redefine Creativity' and the creator of the EASIEST recipe I have ever seen for homemade ice cream sandwiches. Look at the outcome above (she's a terrific photographer as well).  I am so excited to have found her little space on the web and can't wait to try these.  Cake mix to make cookies? Genius.

//photo by::alisa burke//