Keaney

I wanted to dedicate a post to the "sad eye" paintings/prints that my family likes to collect. They're also known as Keane paintings (after the artist, Margaret Keane, who was a pioneer of this style) and apparently are also called "waifs." Many of my friends just call them "creepy."
Haha, they are creepy, but that's part of their charm.
There are all different kinds, done by different artists around the 60s.

The first two here are Justine's. She says that the girl in the rocking chair looks like me. In the second one, the girl is crying!! Aw. So sad, so cute.



















These two are hanging in my room. I love the ones of girls and their pets. I always tell Ivan that he needs to paint a Keane portrait of Tubby and I! That poodle's eyes are pretty creepy..
I'm pretty sure I got all of mine from my parents' collection.


















These elf ones are also pretty common. These used to be hanging in my room, but now they're sitting in my closet. Not sure if I'm going to hang them back up,


The rest here are ones I found online. I love the boy & girl 60s dancing ones. They're usually dressed mod-style and sometimes have a record player. Justine and I should do an album cover like this!! haha!

Found these two on this blog: http://fasterkittykill.blogspot.com
What an amazing collection! I think Justine should do something like that in her room; she has so much wall space.
I want this girl-painting-the-kitty-one! So cute!







Some more cute pets ones I found online.
I've heard of a Keane sailor girl out there; I would die to have that one!

Not only do these paintings have a sort-of underground following, but I think it's fair to say that they've influenced some great contemporary artists.
Lot's of Mark Ryden's weird "low-bro" surrealist art features those big, sad eyes:



Sorry the layout for this post is kinda weird! It took me a long time just to get it somewhat normal. I think I'm going to switch to Tumblr soon..

Very Merry Unbirthday

Why does it seem like everyone's birthday is in March?! (Mine is too!)
I've been into the idea of alternatives crafts for birthday cards--like the ribbon birthday pendant I made for Hanie.

Marvin's birthday was last week, so I decided to make him some kind of card. I was looking at this small, cyclindrical container, when I got the idea for a birthday message in a bottle.

I got really excited and headed down to a local antique store to find an old glass bottle.
I also have to mention that I just saw Alice in Wonderland, and my results sort of resemble the little bottle she drinks from to shrink; maybe there is some connection there!

This is kind of funny, but I included some tweezers in a little handmade felt pouch. How else will he get the message out?

I used some old sheet music for the message

I also threw in a dried flower, a small key, and a small cross, to make it more treasure-like.


Happy Birthday Marvin!

Oh yeah, and suspenders:

Justine gave me this shirt and I love it! I has little cats and dogs on it and says "Friends." One of the cats totally looks like Tubby.

Sunny Wednesday

I was lurking other blogs and decided to make a random post.

I came across these photos from the Sublet Fall 2010 collection (http://www.subletclothing.com/) from this blog: http://forme-foryou.com/
WOW.
I LOVE this skirt:

I also LOVE the last outfit here. So into those shorts and I love suspenders on girls.


Lovely piece of furniture that caught my eye from this blog: http://aestheteslament.blogspot.com/
I like the pink fabric and I think this would be a good idea to embellish some boring piece of furniture. Maybe I'll do something like that on my bed..

From the other day, mixing polka dots with stripes..

I look kinda spaced out..
Anyway, blazer from Goodwill, shirt is H&M from Deelux, skirt and belt from Forever 21.

For me, for you (blog) also posted this video from the Morning Benders. It's really nice and inspiring:

Yours Truly Presents: The Morning Benders "Excuses" from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

You can also stream their whole album on their website:
http://themorningbenders.com/

Happy Birthday Hanie!

Yesterday was Hanie's birthday, so I made her a little pendant. We sold these cupcakes mugs at Dee-lux, so I snatched one of the boxes for the cardboard cupcake picture. Also used: typewriter on tissue paper, tacky glue and mica flakes, pink fabric & felt, lots of ribbon, glue gun, and a safety pin.
I bought this bathing suit off of modcloth. I decided to get it last minute, since it was the only one left. I hope it fits me!

What else...
I'm super into the new Beach House album, Teen Dream. I find the songwriting really inspiring and it's even giving me a new appreciation for their previous album.
Plus, they have great style. Victoria Legrand always looks amazing




I downloaded this album, but I need to go buy it because it comes with a DVD with a video for each song! So sweet. Justine and I have talked about doing that.

I am in love with the song "Used to Be." Here is a nice acoustic version, PLUS a TLC cover! Enjoy: