Sunday, 24 July 2011
Cheap Fun Music Videos
Having a low budget and a bitchin' song, make.
....Jenny Lewis....
....The Decemberists.....
....Regina Spector.....
Friday, 22 July 2011
Inspiration: Space Invader
Perhaps it is a childhood thing, but I LOVE Space Invader and the graffiti artist who travels the world with his tiles. If you have never seen Space Invader's work in person, keep your eyes peeled!
Today on Poppytalk is a terrific Space Invader bookmark!!! Eek! I HAVE to make this!!!
If you want to see more of the Space Invader in action, check out the film "Exit Through the Gift Shop" by Banksy.
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| I photographed this two years ago in Brick Lane, London. |
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| This guy I spotted in New York City in the Spring. |
Thursday, 21 July 2011
Black and Red Ads
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| Why can't Canadian subways have fantastic ads? Nothing better then a black and red ad... |
Tuesday, 19 July 2011
Summer Reading: The Tortured Woman Series
When it comes to reading, I tend to read in themes. Strange themes. For a while I read nothing but gay, male, humour writers....David Sedaris, David Rakoff, Augusten Burroughs. Then when the "Julie and Julia" movie came out, I read everything that had to do with the trials and tribulations of French Cooking. (I highly, highly recommend My Life in Paris by Julia Child. It's absolutely wonderful.)
Now it is Summer 2011, and what is my theme? Books whose women are tortured by the boredom of everyday life. Isn't that awful?!?! But that is running theme!
The first in this wonderful series on my shelf is "The Member of the Wedding" by Carson McCullers. If you haven't read "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter," then I recommend it. In this book, a pre-teen becomes obsessed by her brother's wedding and wanting to leave her small Southern town life. It is a small book, a quick read, well-written but not necessarily fulfilling. What kept me interested is how much small town, southern life has changed in America: no televisions, segregation, men off to war, woman's place in the home, etc etc. You can imagine how quiet life really was and why this character was yearning to leave.
Next in the "Tortured Woman Series" is "The Wife's Tale" by Lori Lansens. The cover on this book must be the American cover....I quite like the hardcover, Canadian more. This is a story about a woman who has eaten herself out of life. Literally. You wouldn't get that from this cover would you?!?! Her husband leaves her and in doing so, she becomes aware that, "Hey, I am a fat pig and I took him for granted." I hated the main character in this book. I am so angry at her selfish stupidity. I wanted to smack her upside the head. Want to read something far better? Read Lansen's "The Girls," about conjoined twins living in a small Manitoba town (the same one the fat pig is from.) "The Girls" is awesome. Excellent summer read. Read it.
Third in the "Tortured Woman" series is "A Complicated Kindness" by Miriam Toews. This novel got a lot of hype in Canada and won a bunch of awards and I think it is recognized so much because of Toews childhood of actually growing up in a Mennonite community like her main character. Can you tell I didn't like this one either? Apparently it was supposed to be funny. I just found it really sad. The main character doesn't agree with the Mennonite religion, the lifestyle and she rebels against it.
Personally, I couldn't identify with her, as I didn't rebel by drinking, smoking, doing drugs in my teen years and this is how she acts out. And everything she rebels against doesn't help her or anyone around her. I suppose it is a coming of age story, much like "The Member of the Wedding," but I didn't feel any compassion for her.
Throughout all these novels, I have also been dabbling in "Isabella Blow: A Life in Fashion." I loved Isabella Blow and her fantastic, outrageous hats by Phillip Tracey, and wild Alexander McQueen clothes. She was a tortured soul, suffering from incredible bouts of depression. I hate to say it: this book makes....me....not...like....Isabella. (oh that is so hard to say!)
I will point out that this biography is horribly written. It is very obvious that the writer is a socialite and probably enjoyed jet-setting, digging the dirt on Isabella. Many of her stories are little quips - little bits and bobs from people told ten times over from those in the know. The author repeatedly talks about Isabella's money hardships and Isabella was absolutely horrible with money. She is vulgar. She is vain. She is horrible to men and coworkers and her husband and especially to her family. The author tries to make us feel pity for when poor Isabella is left out of her father's will. Hell! Had she had unlimited access to her family's bank account she would have bankrupt them without any thought!
I haven't finished "...A Life in Fashion" yet. I just get overwhelmed by the money discussions in the book and hope that Isabella had more depth to her than worrying about her cash flow or spending money.
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| Five out of Five: If you like cooking, Paris, this is a wonderful summer read. |
The first in this wonderful series on my shelf is "The Member of the Wedding" by Carson McCullers. If you haven't read "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter," then I recommend it. In this book, a pre-teen becomes obsessed by her brother's wedding and wanting to leave her small Southern town life. It is a small book, a quick read, well-written but not necessarily fulfilling. What kept me interested is how much small town, southern life has changed in America: no televisions, segregation, men off to war, woman's place in the home, etc etc. You can imagine how quiet life really was and why this character was yearning to leave.
Next in the "Tortured Woman Series" is "The Wife's Tale" by Lori Lansens. The cover on this book must be the American cover....I quite like the hardcover, Canadian more. This is a story about a woman who has eaten herself out of life. Literally. You wouldn't get that from this cover would you?!?! Her husband leaves her and in doing so, she becomes aware that, "Hey, I am a fat pig and I took him for granted." I hated the main character in this book. I am so angry at her selfish stupidity. I wanted to smack her upside the head. Want to read something far better? Read Lansen's "The Girls," about conjoined twins living in a small Manitoba town (the same one the fat pig is from.) "The Girls" is awesome. Excellent summer read. Read it.
Third in the "Tortured Woman" series is "A Complicated Kindness" by Miriam Toews. This novel got a lot of hype in Canada and won a bunch of awards and I think it is recognized so much because of Toews childhood of actually growing up in a Mennonite community like her main character. Can you tell I didn't like this one either? Apparently it was supposed to be funny. I just found it really sad. The main character doesn't agree with the Mennonite religion, the lifestyle and she rebels against it.
Personally, I couldn't identify with her, as I didn't rebel by drinking, smoking, doing drugs in my teen years and this is how she acts out. And everything she rebels against doesn't help her or anyone around her. I suppose it is a coming of age story, much like "The Member of the Wedding," but I didn't feel any compassion for her.
Throughout all these novels, I have also been dabbling in "Isabella Blow: A Life in Fashion." I loved Isabella Blow and her fantastic, outrageous hats by Phillip Tracey, and wild Alexander McQueen clothes. She was a tortured soul, suffering from incredible bouts of depression. I hate to say it: this book makes....me....not...like....Isabella. (oh that is so hard to say!)
I will point out that this biography is horribly written. It is very obvious that the writer is a socialite and probably enjoyed jet-setting, digging the dirt on Isabella. Many of her stories are little quips - little bits and bobs from people told ten times over from those in the know. The author repeatedly talks about Isabella's money hardships and Isabella was absolutely horrible with money. She is vulgar. She is vain. She is horrible to men and coworkers and her husband and especially to her family. The author tries to make us feel pity for when poor Isabella is left out of her father's will. Hell! Had she had unlimited access to her family's bank account she would have bankrupt them without any thought!
I haven't finished "...A Life in Fashion" yet. I just get overwhelmed by the money discussions in the book and hope that Isabella had more depth to her than worrying about her cash flow or spending money.
Thursday, 14 July 2011
Mmmm Cream....
....welcome back into my life. I missed you. Then some fabulous people developed lactose-free cream!!!!!!
To celebrate the beauty of this wonderful product, tonight I made a yummy fav: Tarragon Chicken.
Tarragon Chicken
4 chicken breasts
2 tsp vegetable oil
4 tsp of tarragon
1 clove of garlic
1/4 cup of cream
salt, pepper
pinch of paprika
a bit of lemon zest (if you like)
1. Add oil to the frying pan on medium heat. Add garlic and fry until light brown. Add chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper.
2. Fry for 2 minutes and add tarragon one side of the chicken, turn over and add tarragon to other side.
3. When chicken is light brown, add cream and any remaining tarragon you may have. Sprinkle with paprika. Continue until cream is bubbling slightly and chicken is firm. Serve with roasted potatoes or on rice.
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| Hello there....are you free tonight? |
Tarragon Chicken
4 chicken breasts
2 tsp vegetable oil
4 tsp of tarragon
1 clove of garlic
1/4 cup of cream
salt, pepper
pinch of paprika
a bit of lemon zest (if you like)
1. Add oil to the frying pan on medium heat. Add garlic and fry until light brown. Add chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper.
2. Fry for 2 minutes and add tarragon one side of the chicken, turn over and add tarragon to other side.
3. When chicken is light brown, add cream and any remaining tarragon you may have. Sprinkle with paprika. Continue until cream is bubbling slightly and chicken is firm. Serve with roasted potatoes or on rice.
Sunday, 10 July 2011
Pink Tiles Be Gone!
Why, oh why were pink tiles laid in my kitchen? When I think of kitchen colours, I do not think "PINK." I think green, or blue, or white....but not pink.
To start off with my current project, I must be honest. My apartment is not high-style and seriously needs some TLC which I am not about to give it, as it is, my landlords job. And should I complain since I have relatively inexpensive rent? Perhaps not. But the pink tiles are horrible and I know I can fix that!
Yes, I know there is paint to cover tiles but that would mean I would need to re-grout. The colour white would also clash with my beige walls, which maybe I will one day paint. Odds are however, I won't.
In this project, as with many others, I am using removable book vinyl. I love the stuff. I use it in all sorts of ways. This project also uses a product that simulates steel and is just shelf paper. Combine the two together and voila: a removable steel backsplash!!!
Materials:
Removable Book Vinyl (from Dollarama), at least 4 tubes
Simulated Steel Shelf Paper (at Canadian Tire, about $14 a tube); you will likely need at least 3 tubes
A Ruler and an Exacto Knife
Plenty of Patience if you are not crafty
1. Clean your tiles with soap and water. Clean your work surface. Any small bit of dust will adhere to the sticky side of your vinyl and will make a hideous bump. I used my countertop which has seen better days and I used my Exacto Knife on it too. I don't recommend this.
2. Adhere your book vinyl to your work surface. Be careful not to have bubbles in the vinyl. I suggest adhering the clear vinyl to end of the roll and slowly peel back the paper beneath, pressing down as you unroll.
3. Add silver vinyl overtop of clear vinyl. Why are we doing this? To make the silver removable for when you or I move out. We could avoid this step had the company that makes the silver vinyl removable but of course they haven't (just to make our lives difficult! GEEZ!) Again, work from one edge and slowly peel back the paper. You can only correct your air bubbles a few times before you will lift the silver off your vinyl.
4. At this stage you will have a heavy duty silver vinyl for your tiles. Cut and paste as you like. I use my hands to smooth the surface though you may find using a credit card as a squeegie helps. You may have little bumps from bits on your "clean" work surface (mine were bread crumbs). Remove those with your nail.
There are two styles you can try: A geometric style that I first tried and failed at. While the patterns look neat, it is difficult to cover the pink tiles because of the poor grouting and does tend to draw even more attention to the missing grout. The benefit of this technique is the great way it uses up your scraps.
The second (and method I wished I had used first), is covering up all the edges of the tiles with the vinyl creating a very slick appearance. By overlapping your seams, you are creating nearly-seamless look and covers up that awful grout!
Corners are handled much the same way as wallpapering....
Bubbles? Just like wall paper, use your Exacto Knife to poke a hole in the bubble and smooth to let the air out.
Enjoy your fancy backsplash! I started this project over a year ago and the first vinyl I laid is still adhered and removes just as easily from the tiles as day one. The corners of the geometric squares are still stuck to the tile, though some (not many) have begun to dog-ear. Frankly, it is better than pink. The surface is great to wipe down messes...I may not even remove mine when I move out because it is just so darn great.
To start off with my current project, I must be honest. My apartment is not high-style and seriously needs some TLC which I am not about to give it, as it is, my landlords job. And should I complain since I have relatively inexpensive rent? Perhaps not. But the pink tiles are horrible and I know I can fix that!
Yes, I know there is paint to cover tiles but that would mean I would need to re-grout. The colour white would also clash with my beige walls, which maybe I will one day paint. Odds are however, I won't.
In this project, as with many others, I am using removable book vinyl. I love the stuff. I use it in all sorts of ways. This project also uses a product that simulates steel and is just shelf paper. Combine the two together and voila: a removable steel backsplash!!!
Materials:
Removable Book Vinyl (from Dollarama), at least 4 tubes
Simulated Steel Shelf Paper (at Canadian Tire, about $14 a tube); you will likely need at least 3 tubes
A Ruler and an Exacto Knife
Plenty of Patience if you are not crafty
1. Clean your tiles with soap and water. Clean your work surface. Any small bit of dust will adhere to the sticky side of your vinyl and will make a hideous bump. I used my countertop which has seen better days and I used my Exacto Knife on it too. I don't recommend this.
3. Add silver vinyl overtop of clear vinyl. Why are we doing this? To make the silver removable for when you or I move out. We could avoid this step had the company that makes the silver vinyl removable but of course they haven't (just to make our lives difficult! GEEZ!) Again, work from one edge and slowly peel back the paper. You can only correct your air bubbles a few times before you will lift the silver off your vinyl.
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| You will get bumps: it is inevitable but don't worry too much about them, we will fix those later... |
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| Measuring twice and cut once, remember! The odd ripple is inevitable. |
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| Curses! A breadcrumb! |
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| Okay it really isn't all that bad. Repeatedly measuring your squares does get trying. |
Corners are handled much the same way as wallpapering....
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| Adhere vinyl to area and begin to cut away your corner with an Exacto Knife to have a shaped edge. |
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| Don't immediately puncture your vinyl bubbles until you have tried placing the vinyl on the wall. The bubbles may just be from air beneath the clear vinyl/work surface and will disappear once you lift the material off your work surface. |
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| Blueberry Crumble not included...now I just have to fix the caulking....)-: |
Saturday, 2 July 2011
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