Sweet 16

So I have been obsessed with this photo since I saw it some time ago.

Via Shelterness

Why you ask?  The large pink Abraham Lincoln print.  I grew up going to Disneyland and watching Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln and even have had the chance to visit Ford's Theater a few years ago.  Anyway I think most people can agree Abe Lincoln was a cool guy and I thought a pink Abraham Lincoln would be a welcome addition to my home.

But then I couldn't find it.  I pride myself on being able to locate items I want to purchase - I will waste spend a whole night searching for some insignificant item that has caught my eye (e.g., unicorn cocktail picks). Sure I found other portraits and even some in pink but none were quite right.  Then the other day I was perusing Pinterest and saw an Abe Lincoln print that I thought I could love just as much: Neapolitan Abe.

Via JustinRichel

 

It was still classic Abe (no zombie references) and pink.  But the added bonus was the ice-cream reference.  I'm sure we can add some other meaning to it as well - he's chocolate, vanilla and strawberry in the middle - but I'm not that deep when it comes to these things - I just know what I like and I liked this.

 

When I found the seller on Etsy I discovered - as though this couldn't get any better - that there was another Abe Lincoln print - again likely imbued with some social commentary - but again I just liked it: Rainbow Abe.

 



Via JustinRichel

 



Unfortunately Neapolitan Abe was not listed and there was only a small Rainbow Abe - I just contacted the seller and he relisted and now they are coming home to live with me!!

I have been limiting my art purchases lately as I have tons of art that isn't even hung up right now so it seems silly to get more but I was able to justify these because I had been looking for something for so long.

Halloween Care Package

I love Halloween.* I decorate my porch and inside. I'm always finding something else that I think I need for Halloween but I think that we don't have room for any new decorations this year. But I would love to spread the love and send out some Halloween care packages with items like the ones below.

 

Glittered Halloween Boo / Halloween Cupcake Topper Rosettes / Skello Kitty Cookies / Halloween Stripey Straws / Halloween Divine Twine / The Bride of Frankenstein / Halloween Edible Sugar Decorations

*This is likely only the first of many posts about Halloween decorations, goodies and general scariness between now and October 31st!

Teeny Tiny Beach

Somehow the summer got away from me without a vacation.  I took a Friday off and spent the day at a hotel pool which was nice but other than that I spent the summer working (and the end of it melting as it heats up around here). I came across some photos of beaches taken from high above (maybe from helicopters?) and thought they would make nice little watercolors. 

Getting the paper ready

Adding water, sand and foam

Some umbrellas

Some stripes and swirls

 

A few more and I felt like I had actually gone to the beach (well almost). 

 

 





My Muse

I've been thinking about getting a painting of Chopper done for some time but they are so expensive so a few nights ago I took a shot at it.  A sharpie and some watercolors and voila - Chopper surrounded by pink flowers. 





When I showed it to him he gave me the sniff of approval. 

Semantically Empty Placeholders

That is the correct name for words like "um" and "uh."  You know those placeholders that we use in every day conversation when we don't know what to say.  I learned this yesterday while reading through a 20 page report at work (my brain was umming by the end).  Anyway I found some items that captured those semantically empty placeholders that I thought I would share. 

Via The Merriweather Council on Etsy



Via Nukilan on Etsy.



Pigeonholed

I have no love for pigeons.  My sister was afraid of them as a child so they would sometimes ruin a trip to the park as she would flip out.  And I don't trust the fact that I have never seen a baby pigeon.  All that being said I came across this print the other day and day at Oeilwein and thought it was too cute not to share.  I like that the design is so simple and the tiny little Eiffel Tower doesn't hurt either.