This Memorial Day weekend was also The Smiths/Morrissey weekend for me. Just thought I’d share some choice songs and videos with y’all.

Arm in Arm

a collection of connections
endless tales
reiterations
and other echolalia

by Remy Charlip
…..

An absurd, beautiful, free-form, and frequently psychedelic children’s book I found at a thrift store the other day. Remy Charlip is a very interesting and talented jack-of-all-trades: a teacher, theater director, choreographer, costume and set designer, the head of the Children’s Literature and Theater department at Sarah Lawrence College, and founder of the New York Children’s Theater (to name a few).  I took some photos of the crazy layouts in this book but none of them turned out that great, so here are some cover and detail shots.

So I finally found a hand-engraver. Most of you don’t know that I’ve been looking for one, but remember this vintage signet ring that I got for Christmas in 2009? Well I’ve been wearing it everyday for two years, blank, until this week! I decided it was time to complete this incomplete ring. The difference between hand and machine engraving is quite significant, in my opinion. Machine engraving has absolutely no grace to it- the lines are too heavy, too perfect, and you are limited to a few boring styles. I’d worked with hand engravers at a previous job with a designer, and there I developed a real admiration and appreciation for their precise art. I have such a love and respect for this old-world craft, which to me, is still relevant.  Hopefully it doesn’t fade into oblivion like so many other skilled trades.

I found a fellow who is a very sweet, talented, older gentleman who’s been in the same location for 31 years, and has lovely old hand-engraving booklets that must date back to at least the 1920’s.  He also has a case full of more complex pieces that he has made for people in the past and is very proud of- wax impressions of super complex carved signet images, carvings and cut-outs of faces, and much more.

Most monograms are too florid for me, and the square signet called for something more delicate and simple, especially because of all the subtle exisiting engraved filigree.  I found a deco style that seemed to suit the era of the ring, was not too masculine or feminine, and had a small amount of shading.  I am very pleased with the outcome.

Romano Gabriel was folk artist in Eureka, CA who once said Eureka was “a bad place for flowers” and crafted a fantastical wooden garden out of fruit and vegetable crates over the span of thirty years.   I only just found out about him, and look forward to seeing the garden some day. His devotion to the creation of this garden (that is now recognized as a substantial, inspiring folk art project) reminds me a bit of Salvation Mountain.

(photos via here + quote via here)

So I admittedly hate the way I look in most earrings, but this photo on Face Hunter the other day made me want to reconsider my accessories.  How rad are these?!

Lincoln Heights- Mexican restaurant

Glendale- Backdoor of Piano Shop

I really need to start a new Flickr account.  Los Angeles can be so beautiful sometimes.

In the span of a couple months my crescent Opuntia (which I posted about in February) has gone from this:

To this:

Check out the shop!  Some new goodies for you.

“I’ll tell you what freedom is to me… NO FEAR!”

My friend Audrey posted this excerpt from an interview with Nina Simone and I just love it.

You may remember my post about Makelike’s Cactus collection (which is still my favorite).  Well I just noticed that they have a forest collection as well which documents flora of the forest, including weird and wonderful fungi.  Love these dishtowels! Even more here including some lovely wallpaper.