a. t. whim

The year of the rat has officially kicked my butt!  I’ve never had a new year begin with so much turmoil.  But I’m happy to report that life is getting back to normal, and things are settling down.

I’m still having fun doing silhouettes, and I picked up a copy of Arthur Rackham’s  Sleeping Beauty which is completely illustrated with his amazing silhouettes.  I’ll have to show you some in my next blog.

It’s quiet around here.  Yesterday it was actually sunny, so I spent all day in the yard racking up HUGE piles of leaves and shooing the chickens away from my poor little plants they’ve been uprooting.  I got a fancy new fridge (I know it’s exciting!).  The freezer in the old one would decide to freeze one day, and not the next.  I’m happy that I can finally have ice cream again!  I’ll spare you a picture of it.  Though it’s the highlight of my week I’m sure you have better things to look at than my fridge!  Then last night August and I went to see Spiderwick, which was fun.  I haven’t read the books yet, but right afterwards we went to the bookstore and August picked up the entire series.

I haven’t been doing as much painting as I should be.  I’ve been catching up on some reading, which I’ve neglected for a year now!  And thinking about what I want my yard to look like this spring.  Next month I’m going to turn 30.  THIRTY.  I’ve decided to give up fast food and smoking, but as the deadline gets nearer…. I’m a little panicked.  I’ve got a whole month to come to terms with my decision.  It’s going to happen.  I should wean myself now so the shock isn’t so great.

I just saw Sweeney Todd last Tuesday. I loved it so much, I didn’t even mind the pretty boy who was suppose to be a *sailor* or the ear piercing voice of Johanna. Johnny and Helena were so perfect, I could sit and just watch them forever and ever. AND Alan Rickman was just the perfect creepy villain. Musical bloody brilliance. Tim Burton gives such visual eye candy with all his movies, I expected nothing less.

Unfortunately I couldn’t say I shared a love for The Golden Compass. Visually, yes, it was okay. But, for these books in which I hold so dear, I feel like they ripped them to shreds and glued it back together haphazardly. I was so disappointed with the whole film. There wasn’t any of the rank, nastiness that was Iofur’s palace. I didn’t feel the connection and importance of people’s daemons. The beautiful way the gyptians ran as a society was completely dismissed. SO upset by the whole film. I’m afraid of what they’re going to do to the other books. I don’t think I can bare to watch.

To put that film out of my mind, I’ve been rereading the series and appreciating Pullman’s beautiful writing all the more. So I guess I should thank the movie for making me love the books more than I had already. Oh please, if you haven’t read these books already, do so as soon as you can. It would be tragic if you only had the films to glimpse this trilogy’s brilliance.

I’ve painted a few little things. Two of which I finished today, that I love love love.

Mad Alice

Snow White on a pyre of roses…

Both of which I’ll be posting in my shop soon.

The following I did a little while ago.

A Horsey girl to ring in Chinese New Year!

And a girl who’s been shot by cupid so many times, she’s bleeding hearts… poor thing.

It’s still very very very cold here; colder than it has been all year. I think it’s so unfair that it isn’t snowing. Maybe if I wish hard enough….

xoxo

Two pieces done.  The first I finished today and the second finished last week, but I never got around to posting it…

entitled: It’s Quiet in the Middle

entitled: She’s a Birdhouse

Now I have to get started on a commissioned piece before I even think about working on anything else.  I’ve been putting it off for too long.

Look at what I bought myself!

It’s an amazing specks necklace made by Star Willow Studio . I got compliments on it everywhere I went.  It’s so freakin’ cute!

I just saw *28 weeks later* and it didn’t disappoint me.  Still bloody, gruesome, suspenseful… not as good as the first, but still a good sequel.  I just love horror movies! Of which I also watched *Cigarette Burns* a short John Carpenter horror flick.  Some of the imagery was body cringing, and gave me crazy dreams.  But overall I was a little disappointed.  It could’ve been really good, but it was missing depth and some of the subplots were unnecessary.  It did have Norman Reedus from Boondock Saints, and it was worth watching just for that.  mmm… he’s yummy.

*Extras* the newest book in the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld is out.  I think I’m going to recommend this series this holiday to all the silly teenage girls who think sci-fi books are so boring.   I’m almost done with *Extras* and I’ve really enjoyed all of them.

Okay, now I’m going to make some peanut curry with tofu.  Yum.

This is all I’ve got for you on new work. Sad isn’t it? I’ve got 2 paintings just sitting on my easel being completely neglected…

I look at them longingly, but I can’t seem to get to finishing them. Maybe this weekend. Right now I’m searching for something. Inspiration? Emotion? I don’t know. I’ve been going out with people, asking them questions, writing things down in my book; buying music, movies, books… I think I’m trying to get back in touch with the world. Sometimes I get so caught up in my own thoughts, and I forget there are things going on outside of my little world. I did just apply for the November Crafty Wonderland. I’ll know on the 22nd if I get in. It’ll be so nice to do a show!

I have been sick these last couple of weeks. My body is still tired and recovering from it. Of course it didn’t help that I wouldn’t slow down for it. So after a few days of denial, it finally knocked me out and forced me to stay in bed for a couple of days. I hate being sick. It wastes so much time.

Anyway, I’m getting back into the swing of things. Made myself happy by buying a whole bunch of stuff I didn’t need, but had to have…

The movies: Frida, Cry Baby, Naruto. Music: Mazzy Star, Helio Sequence, Tori. Books: I will never forget you, Angry Little Girls (the little angry Asian girl is just like me!), Frida’s Diary. and I still have a million more on my list.

One day I need to win the lottery.

My Heart is Flighty. That’s the name of this painting and that’s how I’m feeling these days! I’ve been seeking out inspiration so much lately, that I’m obsessing over any little thing that causes the slightest tug at my heart. Now, I’m so overwhelmed with these obsessions. I feel like my heart is being pulled in a million directions. Someone once asked me if I would rather be Harold or Maude. I said, “Harold. I want to be tragically beautiful.” Then I got all embarrassed and laughed nervously and loudly. I was born in the year of the Horse, and this is what “The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes” has to say about me: The unpredictable Horse will fall in love easily and fall out of love just as easily. So forgive me, friends, if I seem fickle… You see, I was just born this way. I’ve been reading a lot about my Horsey nature these last few years. It keeps me aware of my faults, it’s fixing those faults that’s the problem.
I’ve been enjoying little things these last few days. I bought the movies I Heart Huckabees, Romeo + Juliet, and Moulin Rouge. Went to the new IKEA here in Portland and sat on every couch and chair, opened every drawer, lusted after the bookshelves, and ate some Swedish meatballs. Almost cried when I heard Marcel Marceau died. Had a nice drink after work with some friends, and now I have just finished the painting above. I think I’ll go watch one of my movies. OH, and bake cookies…. yum.

I haven’t gotten many guesses for the little contest I had in my last post. My music isn’t that obscure, in fact… it’s not obscure at all! But maybe you don’t memorize lyrics as I do… So here’s what I’ll do, I name the song… you name the artist! Okay!

1. Spellbound, 2. Kissing Families, 3. Joga, 4. You said something, 5. Lips like sugar

Now, I’ve made it easy! bye lovelies.

Here’s my new ghostie painting for Halloween! It’s titled “Tale of Two Sisters”, named after the Japanese horror flick I saw not too long ago… {Oops! I made a mistake… it’s Korean!  I should have known that from the writing.  Sorry!}
it’s so subtly creepy and I don’t realize I’m terrified until it’s dark and everything is unusually silent.

Anyway, for Halloween I was thinking about spooking up my house. Maybe do a Tim Burton/ Edward Gorey kind of thing to my living room. It would be fun, if I could just get off my butt and start designing it. I’m a little burnt out with starting new projects. I wish my brain would just stop thinking of FUN NEW STUFF I can do. The last couple of days I decided to just take a break and do nothing artsy, but now I don’t know what to do with myself. I want to say I need a new hobby, but I think that’s where the trouble begins. So I’m going to sit here quietly and twiddle my thumbs, and maybe I’ll figure out what it is that people do when they’re not painting.

xoxo

I just came back from watching the first 2 Twin Peaks episodes at a friends house. SOOOO GOOD! I haven’t seen them in years, but they are still one of the best things that ever happened to television. My favorites are Agent Cooper, of course… damn I love that man, and Audrey is so beautiful!

I also did a little Esty shopping while I was in California, and I must share my new pretties. I’ve been eyeing this little lady’s jewelry for so long, and now I finally have 3 of my very own LuLu Sparkles originals!

They came in this lovely wrapping and I’m totally obsessing with them now. I am now in search for a jewelry box worthy to carry these babies.

I’m slowly getting my house organized. I desperately need my studio to not be in the kitchen and am dreaming of my garage being a work space one day…..