SOCIAL MEDIA

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

A Shiny, New, Ramped Up Blog!

So I went to Etsy and scoured all kinds of designers and blog templates until I found just the right fit for  P and P! I came across Lisa's Menagerie where I became mesmerized not just by her blog templates but also by her mixed media art pieces. Lisa has been amazing! She is very professional and knowledgable and even though I know this process has been frustrating for both of us, she kept both of us on the steady. For more information visit her Etsy store or at Pixel Anthology which provides a much more comprehensive view of the things she does. Thank you, Lisa!
Friday, April 25, 2014

WARNING - EXPLICIT - Fun, Exciting, and Unusual for Poppies

But I had to share this. It's a music video some friends shared on Facebook and while I am not on Facebook (I have an account but can't be bothered to engage), my husband often shares things with me, especially when it might evoke a giggle. He showed this to me just this morning and giggle I did! It involves a party. It starts with a tiny earthquake which rolls into a full out emotional, rageful, sexy romp coupled with a catchy beat. The video/song is DJ Snake and Lil Jon, "Turn Down for What."

I'm not heavy into rap per se, but every once in a while, something turns up which becomes (to quote German phraseology) an ear worm. This is one such "song." And the video is how I feel inside sometimes. I hope lots of people feel this way otherwise (and unfortunately) I suspect I may be certifiable.

Enjoy!


Monday, February 10, 2014

Adrien Broom - Surprise!

I have seen a few things. Not tons of stuff, mind you - a few things - more than the average Joe...well, Josephine in my case, I suppose.

I've been to a few other countries. I speak (albeit marginally) another language, I can cook world cuisine and I married a Mediterranean man. At this point, I feel like I've been surprised, titillated, hypnotized, mesmerized, wowed, and awed as much as I can be. It's disconcerting to walk into middle age thinking this.

I went to art school knowing full well that I need - no, thirst for - stimulation; that's just me. As, I've grown older, I find that it is harder for me to feel viscerally stimulated. And then there was today...

Today, I searched #somethingnew. And what came up was a world of color by Adrien Broom. She is a Connecticut artist whose imagination matches that of Erin Morgenstern in The Night Circus. Her creativity and vision is captivating at the least.

She has started "The Color Project" which I found on My Modern Metropolis. Her art is nothing short of genius. As I look at my Art History background, I remember studying artistic movements. We are in a new movement currently but which lacks a name. In a world where Dystopic novels are translated to the screen and where electronics have taken the place of relationships, it is comforting to see that imagination and expressiveness still win out. Enjoy this part of her series but please follow the links above so you can see more of Adrien's fascinating virtuosity.














You also know how much I love Vimeo. So here is a film that chronicles a behind the scenes look at this artist and her art.



Behind the Scenes of Orange from Adrien Broom on Vimeo.
Thursday, January 23, 2014

Minted


There are hundreds of ways to announce your new baby's arrival. You can text it, email it, tweet it, Facebook it, Instagram it or e-card it. My favorite way to announce anything whether it's a birth announcement or a birthday celebration is the old fashioned way. Get a beautiful card customized for a reasonable fee and send it by snail mail!

Minted has literally hundreds of options for birth announcements and celebrations to fit any taste and most budgets!

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, it dawned on me that with all the holiday hullabaloo, perhaps a great idea next year, instead of Christmas cards how about Valentine's cards? Why not? Who says we have to stick with the Christmas card?






Or, if you sort of a stickler for tradition, how about a New Year's card? Check these little sweeties out! I especially love the Roman Numerals!




Just go see Minted. You can live chat if you need help. And there are plenty of possibilities not just with cards and stationery. You can also get party decorations like bunting flags and art prints too!





I can't say enough about he goodness that is this company! They have an affiliate program which helps launch living, breathing real people to artistic success. And a separate affiliate program for photographers as well. It's a savvy company for savvy customers.

Monday, January 20, 2014

DIY Lace Resin Cuff Bracelet


Oh this is a fun one. I feel like I haven't done an in depth post about anything arty or do-it-yourself-ish for a while. As today is  free day from work (thank God), I decided to go for it. Not without some trial and error, such is experimentation.

A cuff is my favorite kind of body embellishment. It is a statement without being IN YOUR FACE. I like a statement necklace as well, but since I am petite I often feel like the necklace swallows me. A cuff bracelet is more subtle but just as statement making.

This one happens to be made of Shrinky-Dink resin paper. You can get it at Michaels or any comparable craft store.

Your materials:

1 sheet shrinky dink matte sided 'paper.'
1 pair scissors
1 design you like (I used an image of lace)
1 oven

Directions:

  1. Print the design you've chosen onto the sheet of Shrinky-Dink paper (make sure your printer can handle it and that the color will not rub off on your skin - if you're so inclined, you can buy special printable Shrinky-Dink paper but it's a bit dear for the wallet).
  2. Pre-heat the oven to 325,
  3. You'll use the entire length of the paper but the width is up to you. If your paper is 8x10, use all 10 inches, but you may want to trim the 8 inch width down to 6 or 7 inches - I trimmed it to 6 inches.
  4. Punch holes on either end of your shrink paper. These are where you'll add the leather or wire or whatever element you'll use to close the cuff (that which will keep it on your arm).
  5. Lay the prepared piece on a parchment lined cookie sheet printed side up.
  6. Put the cookie sheet in the oven and check your design after about a minute. *when you check the piece it will look curled in the oven - don't fret - remove it, wrap it around a glass or anything of similar size to your wrist - and put it back in the oven to remove bumps and blemishes.
  7. After you've removed your piece, move quickly and re-shape it if you've put it in the oven for a second go 'round.
  8. Let it cool and add your leather. The closure type is up to you. I originally did a double slide knot but the leather kept breaking so I didn't use that type of thing, instead I wove the leather.
  9. Voila! You have an enviable cuff. If you can find Shrinky paper that is longer than 10 inches you could forgo the leather part altogether.
  10. NOTE: Using this medium is trial an error. It can be a frustrating material to work with but hang in there. The end product is worth the trouble.





This was my first attempt. You can see the break in the plastic on the upper right part of the bracelet.




I should've re-though the wearer; my arm renders as if I am an 80 year old. But you get the idea.



Sunday, January 5, 2014

"The Salt" - There's Talk

I love to give a shout out to my local peeps. I've loved this San Francisco trio - "There's Talk" - for a little while and I am so happy they are growing. I saw them at Bottom of the Hill back in November and I was hooked. I visit their website from time to time and since they are now releasing their first EP - "Tiny Strands" - I thought I'd give a look see! And voila - A simply stunning video of "The Salt," on the front page of Vimeo.

They are a folk/electronic band, fully listenable by anyone at anytime. They are fronted by Olivia Lee whose vocals carry you to other lands much like your favorite book - both angelic and haunting. Her range is amazing and the bands lyrics are ethereal and prophetic.

This beautiful art piece supports the fact that often times we don't know we are incomplete until we meet a complementary counter-piece. I could bathe in the sound of this for days - the visual makes the lyricism all the more sumptuous.

Enjoy!



THERE'S TALK : THE SALT from marta m. m. dymek on Vimeo.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013

He's Crafty, Too! And All Mine! Caution: Bad Language.

My husband is one of these fellas that works very hard but somehow he makes everything look effortless. This quality is something I both admire and envy. I always feel very lucky that he picked me to walk with him through this crazy human adventure.

He recently built a new fence outside the house. It's gorgeous. Redwood paneling, dog ear fence slats, steel pipes for sturdiness and excellent craftsmanship (he never half asses an engineering project)!

The fence was up for about two day when some little shit came in the wee hours of the night and made some 'art' on his beautiful fence.

When we returned from the Pancake Circus after a delightful greasy spoon breakfast, we were met with a cartoon hand "flipping the bird" at us; spray painted right on the fence. I FREAKED!

My husband in a way that only he can, calmed me down and said it would be easily removed. I relaxed and went on my day while my husband set on his course to fixing the fence.

He would not stop at fixing the fence. He knew instinctively that the same thing would happen again unless measures were taken. So, he (from scratch) made a street light all our own. He is truly a craftsman. And no punk will brave the 100 watt metal halide lamp we have out there as a new security system!

Before: Our super surprise! I was livid. But my sweet husband calm as a cucumber and ready to take this project on.

After:   Bulent went to work with first with pain remover. It did not work as the wood was too porous and absorbed the rattle can artwork like a sponge. So he got out the drill and used a wire brush attachment. That's the final result. As close to pre paint perfection as possible. 










Thursday, August 22, 2013

The Inspired - Dead Time

Source


Dead Time

Time moves so slowly it seems
I long to be long like history
The gloom of doom and the scare of fright
Even an average day can seem like a horror
I have a lot of words behind my tongue
I want to scream in this tomb
The office
Thursday, July 25, 2013

Keep Calm and Carry On

Thought for the Day



Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Something New!

I want to start a cosmetics company. I want to call it Moxie Make-Up and Cosmetics. I want to use TOMS one for one business model and give make-up and cosmetics to under served, at risk, low income, inner city ladies, beginning here in the U.S. then branching out to other countries and communities. Beauty should not be unattainable. Alas, where to begin? Where to get the capital? How?

I have a student named Renee. She recently went to the dermatologist for some skin irritations. He said she needed to stop wearing perfume or using lotion with scents and so on. As a teenager, she is pretty horrified at he thought of walking through life without the scents associated with being a girl. I was too when my doctor told me the same thing. So as a little present I made her Rockin' Renee. An Eau de Parfum made strictly of all natural products.

I hope you like it, love!


Saturday, December 15, 2012

For The Book Club - A Shopping Guide

Sometimes I visit The Folio Society just to eat my heart out! They have cloth and leather bound classics as well as modern tales with whimsical, colorful illustrations.

1.
Kate Baylay illustrated this. Her talent is priceless.


2.
I think these guys are super cute without lacking sophitication. The Literary Gift Company hails from the UK but ship all over the world! They have great gifty things like this candle, too.

 
"There was no moon, and everything beneath lay in misty darkness: not a light gleamed from any house, far or near all had been extinguished long ago: and those at Wuthering Heights were never visible—still she asserted she caught their shining.
'Look!' she cried eagerly, 'that's my room with the candle in it, and the trees swaying before it [...]" --- Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights

3.

And then there is this. It's a scent called "In the Library." 

"In the Library is a warm blend of English Novel, Russian and Moroccan Leather Bindings, Worn Cloth and a hint of wood polish."

The scent is made by Christopher Brosius from Brooklyn New York whose story is more than interesting. I recommend you visit CB I Hate Perfume just to peruse his cleverness.

4. 

And finally, The Jane Austen umbrella from Literary Luminaries.





Thursday, December 6, 2012

Christmas Gift Giving

Yeah so, it's here. The proverbial ship has sailed and we're now headlong into the holiday season.

There are no rule books anywhere that says how to do things but it feels so good to give and give and give.

Every year the husband and I have a party. I love to give gifts to the wee ones that friends bring over, and give cookies and mulled cider to the grown ups.

Once in a while a guest a will bring a hostess gift to me which is always unexpected and well loved.

I visit a website often called Creature Comforts. Ez has a list of some really cute stuff that she written about for the holidays. I've included them here and for the shopping guide, visit her! If you really want to thank your hostess, these are superb!









Monday, October 29, 2012

Wicked Space

I have been loving deep space satellite photos. I used to watch Carl Sagan with my Dad when I was young. And I was 6 when I waited in line to see Star Wars with my folks. Science has always intrigued and moved me. I hope you enjoy this little film from Wired Magazine.



Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Glass Tile Adornments






I love to go to my husbands tile showroom! I am always inspired by the stuff he has there. He and his partner do quite a bit of work in natural stone but his partner deals more frequently in pool tiles. I found some scraps last time I went and I put my crafting skills to work.

This morning I was motivated to make these little bracelets so I can give them as simple, inexpensive, chic gifts to ladies I care about.





Materials: Pinking shears, felt, glass, ceramic or shell tiles, a glue gun, some needle point thread, needle point or tapestry needles, sewing needles and thread and some hemp twine or fancy skinny ribbon and buttons.
With the pinking shears cut a straight line at the edge of a felt piece. Glue each glass tile to the felt with the glue gun. Cut off the strip of glued tiles on the other side using the pinking shears again.
Next, sew on the button. Be sure to measure your wrist. Sew the button on with a needle and thread as you would with a shirt button. Next cut a button hole on the other side. (Felt has poor integrity becasue it is not woven) You need to reinforce the button hole otherwise you'll lose the bracelet. Use the embroidery thread and blanket stitch around the small slit twice. After you tie it off glue a tiny piece of felt above and below the button hole after your reinforcement. You've just completed the bracelet and it's ready to wear. 

An alternate way to create a closure for your bracelet is by looping fancy string (as pictured) through a button with button holes big enough to accommodate the string. Then glue the string to the felt on the underside of the bracelet. Secure with a piece of felt that you glue on. On the other side of the bracelet you'll need a loop with which to fasten the bracelet to your wrist. Make a loop with the fancy string and glue it the same way you did on the button side. Again secure with glued felt. Before you do this step, measure your wrist so that you have a bracelet that fits comfortably. 



The finished product is pretty, unique and handmade.