Dark Deco

Can It Be?

2011-11-25T18:59:00.000-08:00

A lot has happened since the last time I stopped in here...

I started a company...

I am going back to school...

But most importantly...

I'm moving! A new apartment means endless new decorating projects, and I hope I can share some of them here. Wish me luck with moving!

xoxo

Z

Jack It

2010-06-18T20:33:00.000-07:00

Just in time for the sticky weather, look at this new adorable little jacket from one of my favorites, Dollchops. It's a little on the pricey side and it's not really something you could wear every day, but I am unreasonably in love with it. I'll put it aside for a back-to-school shopping splurge.

On a side note, why does the ubiquitous Bernie Dexter model everything I want? I sense a diabolical plot.

Balls!

2010-06-08T18:21:00.000-07:00

My decision to pursue student life full-time weighs heavily on me when a print like this is released. Oh weird little midget ibex critter, you are just out of my reach.

Greg Simkins at Joshua Liner Gallery.

Mode Merr Sale

2010-06-08T18:13:00.000-07:00

Everything is 20% off at Mode Merr! I could always use more pencil skirts, right? Too bad I could also use more money. Oh student life, you are a cruel mistress.

I'm Not Dead

2010-05-18T12:55:00.000-07:00

I swear.

Things have been tough in the land of Z, but I will return soon with mindless ramblings and pictures of pretty things I cannot afford.

Learn Your Arts!

2010-03-22T10:55:00.000-07:00

Yay! There is a new Travis Lampe show up for view at Rotofugi gallery entitled Wee Epic Masterpiece Theatre. I have loved Travis Lampe's work for a long time, and this latest show is better than I could have imagined. Each piece references a classic work of art. They are all so squee-inducing and tragicomic-adorable. I love his consistent color palette and the myth-building repetition of his bizarre menagerie of archetypal critters. Take a second to look at this one, it will really put a smile on your face.

Lamb of God

2010-03-04T11:06:00.000-08:00

Oh little lamb friend, you must be mine! Once again Michael Hussar just kills me. Creepy, sad, beautiful, cute, macabre, stunning, and covered in pearls.

Living or dead...

2010-02-25T20:18:00.000-08:00

You know that horrible interview question where they ask you, "If you could invite any two people, living or dead, to a dinner party, who would they be?"

This is my answer.

Adventures in Ebay: Albinos!

2010-02-22T10:46:00.001-08:00

There are some lovely albino deer on ebay right now. Albinism and deer, two great tastes that taste great together.
This little fawn is just killing me. I can't even imagine how high the reserve price is on something so rare.

And you can't go wrong with a classic head mount. One of my great dreams is to have a whole room with dark painted walls and rows and rows of albino taxidermy. A girl can dream!

Spoonflower

2010-02-13T11:40:00.000-08:00

I love when I discover a great thing that I knew nothing about. I stumbled onto Spoonflower custom fabric the other day and have been obsessed ever since. The wild boar has a special place in my heart (and my belly) and I have earmarked this amazing pattern for new curtains.

I don't know anyone who is currently spawning, but if I did I would be calling up my aunt for advice and quilting the fuck out of this to die for exotic animal alphabet. N is for Narwhal, be still my heart!

Meat Dress ... for real

2010-02-10T11:25:00.000-08:00

This preview image from Mark Ryden's upcoming show here in NYC basically has me lactating with joy. If they don't release this as a print I will cry like a meat-covered baby. I cannot wait for this show!

I Want You're Skull

2010-02-06T11:49:00.000-08:00

I think these Brooke Kent mini paintings are the absolute sweetest present for Valentine's Day.

2010-01-29T08:37:00.000-08:00

I am frothing at the mouth with excitement for Bioshock 2. I clearly need this sweet, splicer-tastic mobile for my nerd den.

Adventures in Ebay

2010-01-26T10:23:00.000-08:00

There are things on ebay right now that make me want to fill my bathtub with ice, grab my boning knife and hack saw and say goodbye to half my organs. I hardly even drink - who needs a whole liver and two kidneys? Not when this Ray Caesar print needs a new home. On my wall.

My drool-inducing, quasi-religious love of Ray Caesar is no secret. His prints don't come up for sale often, and I am seriously considering begging on the street, taking up a collection for a fake charity, or just plain walking the ho' stro' for this piece of beauty.

Michael Hussar's White Devil is also available, not a print you see often. His whites palette makes my eyeballs wet.

What is this Greg Simkins creature, and where can I buy one? Simkins's work is more collectable all the time and this is an original!

2010-01-25T10:16:00.000-08:00

All Mode Merr skirts are on sale for $50 until January 29th. I love their clothing and wear their skirts at least twice, sometimes thrice, a week. Take advantage!

2010-01-25T10:02:00.000-08:00

Excuse me while I squeal at a volume audible only to dogs at the unbearable cuteness of this baby dik dik. Do yourselves a favor and watch the video.

I'm Curious

2010-01-23T21:40:00.000-08:00

Whoooooo are you sleeping on tonight? Perhaps these lovely new Alice pillowcases from Urban Outfitters?

Damsel in This Dress

2010-01-22T19:51:00.000-08:00

Underneath the Ye Olde Wenche trappings, Damsel in This Dress makes some pretty adorable little vestments. I watched her etsy shop for years but was always reluctant to purchase anything because I'd had so much corset snobbery instilled in me that I assumed her low-priced, front-lacing corsets must be crap. I was enticed by a Black Friday sale she held, and I am here today to eat my words. These things are fucking fantastic. They fit great, the fabrics are top-notch and the price is right. She's been doing more Victorian and steampunk-inspired styles lately and I hope there's more to come.

Gloi Vey

2010-01-21T18:55:00.000-08:00

I am officially addicted to Haus of Gloi. Their yummy scrubs, smooth-as-silk soaps and uber-scented bath salts are heavenly. The scent descriptions are also brimming with whimsicle fuckery:

Snow Wolf - Bristling and prowling, lonesome and haunting. Three howling firs, whitened frankincense, vanilla bean husk, tainted by droplets of blood cedar.

Apothecary - reminiscent of old books, bubbling concoctions, herbs and creaking floor boards! A pure essential oil blend of: Lemongrass, rosemary, atlas cedarwood, sweet basil, lavender and the tiniest drop of vetiver, and an added dash of detoxifying Zeolite clay for that beautiful terra glow!

Bristling and howling. Just like me before my second cup of coffee.

Camille in Wonderland

2010-01-20T18:34:00.000-08:00

I've had this one on my pre-order list for some time, but I had to post this delightful new spot about the upcoming Camille Rose Garcia edition of Alice in Wonderland. Are those prints I see her signing?!?! Be still my heart.

All I Want for Christmas ... art edition

2009-12-19T11:14:00.000-08:00

1) Madeline von Foerster, In the Garden

2) Lori Earley, Audrey

3) Chet Zar, Clown of Doom
4) Jonathan Bergeron, Royalty Hatching

5) Regina Alphonso, Flight From Forest
6) Kris Lewis, White Flag

Just a few things I've had my eye on, santa. Hint hint.

All I Want for Christmas...

2009-12-16T10:57:00.000-08:00

1) DL and Co Faunus Candle

2) Squillinan Neck Piece

3) Falcon Skull Ring

4) Caffeine Necklace

Go Figure...

2009-12-10T09:17:00.000-08:00

First, I am still alive, I swear! Just buried in science and OCD study habits. The end is near!

Second, I recently celebrated a milestone in my adult life. I am, for the first time ever, completely interest-bearing debt free! With my compulsive shopping habit, this is nothing short of a miracle. But of course, because this is how the universe works, someone had to go and release a print that is seriously making me consider starting all over again and whipping out the shiny plastic...

Michael Hussar has released a special edition of Daddy's Girl and I want it, I want it, I want it!!! It is hideously expensive at $1,500, but a deal compared to the prices that the original runs of this print go for when they come up on ebay (which is not very often). I have come close to giving in to temptation several times, but I'm trying to be strong!

Adding extra irony to this is the fact that I had a chance to buy one of the original prints of this years ago when Hubby Darling and I attended an art fair, but balked at the $400 price tag for a print. Lord, what fools these mortals be! Even more painful, I came very close to buying an original painting from a no-name young artist at that same fair, but didn't feel comfortable parting with $1,000 at the time, even though his work blew me away and I spent over an hour discussing his style with him. The artist? Oh, you know, just Kehinde Wiley, runaway star of this year's Art Basel. I am like the fucking penniless Cassandra of art collecting!

On that note, I return to my studies, hopefully to one day enjoy the financial freedom to never miss opportunities like this again.

2009-10-10T10:37:00.000-07:00

I am so tired of hearing all this shiz about being a "frugalista" and "recessionista." Hedgefund wives patting themselves on the back for shopping at Gilt group and venturing into Century 21. Bitch, please. I have been poor and fabulous since you were a gleam in your trophy wife mother's eye. Here are some of the ways I stay tranny fierce and tranny frugal (trannies never have money, trust me).

Wax On, Wax Off
After 2 years of painful lasering that seems to have reached the end of its usefulness, I have returned to waxing. My sister from another mister P raved about Uni K so I thought I'd give it a try. I wasn't expecting much, as I'd always been a Completely Bare devotee. Well, let me tell you. Completely Bare, I am officially tranny-slapping you and leaving you without a ride out in the cold. For the same price of a Brazilian from you, Uni K gave me a brazilian, full legs, and underarms. The wax left me with almost no redness and my technician was astoundingly thorough. They make their own wax out of pine pitch! I am in love.

Wear Stripper Shoes
Now that you can't tell the difference between expensive shoes and tranny shoes, bring on the cheap platforms.

Read Between the Lions
If you read as voraciously as I do, using the library can save hundreds of dollars. You can place holds on what you want, and they email you when it's available. They have movies too! I nerdishly worked my way through Cadfael recently.

Guys Don't Make Passes at Girls Who Wear Glasses

Last but certainly not least is one of my favorite money-saving resources, Zenni Optical. I have 7 pairs of glasses from them that I rotate daily and I constantly get stopped and complimented. They're insanely cheap and I'm yet to have a pair fall apart. They have tons of great designs and they even do sunglasses!

Golden Age

2009-10-08T21:49:00.001-07:00

There are so many new prints out that I am dying for. As cynical and snarky as I am, there are times when I sit back and feel lucky to just be alive right now, because this is really an amazing time for contemporary art. I'm sure there will come a day when I am not thrilled by any new work, and I just want to be grateful that I am able to collect what I can now and appreciate it. My life is just not worth living without beauty.

This Lori Earley print is on the cover of the new Hi Fructose and I just love it. Love love love.

The Evil Queen from Snow White by Steven Daily. I actually gasped aloud when I first saw this painting, and I almost fainted when I saw that it was available as a print. You will be mine!

From the same Disney Underground collection is Lola's Alice in Wonderland. It's just the right amount of cutesy for me, and I love the muted colors.

Circus Posterus added a ton of new prints, including this Chris Ryniak one. Another must-have.

Carrie Ann Baade never ceases to amaze me, and her portrait of Shien Lee is just beyond.

Lilith

2009-10-03T11:27:00.000-07:00

I am dying over Chet Zar's new show at CoproNason. The theme is Lilith! The original baddest bitch of all. I want every creepy painting on my walls now. I also want the patience to maintain a haircut like the one on the bottom!

What a man, what a man

2009-10-01T10:26:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago, I celebrated five wonderful years of knowing my mister. I got him this amazing print from Chris Conn. It arrived yesterday and it is so beautiful in real life! Unfortunately I'll have to get it custom framed due to the odd paper size. But it's still worth it.

Ring in the School Year

2009-09-21T19:14:00.000-07:00

I have dismissed Alchemy Gothic's jewelry for years as being all undead fairies and ubergawth dragonalia. I may have been wrong. Upon recent inspection, I discovered a wealth of enormous rings that I must have for fall. I am kind of sick of the steampunk look, but the double-knuckle airship captainess number above is killing me.

Magical Unicorn Shoes .. Literally

2009-09-21T10:21:00.001-07:00

These shoes from Jeffrey Campbell are pretty much the most amazing footwear I have seen in my life. They're a d'orsay pump. They're nude leather. They have ruffles. And the heel is supposed to look like a FUCKING UNICORN HORN!!! They are magical and I must have them immediately!

Ties Ties Ties Yeah

2009-09-17T11:14:00.000-07:00

I have a secret fondness for foppish dandies. While I married a gentleman who could basically be a covermodel for Bear Party Magazine (excellent bus reading, you will get your own seat bank, I promise), there are times when I wistfully sigh and wish he could be a little dandier. I do love a man in a pink tie. The pink unicorn tie above is so amazing it basically makes me want to create a drag king persona just so I can buy it for myself.

...And tell me that you love me

2009-08-31T11:16:00.000-07:00

This can basically be filed under most amazing thing ever in the whole entire universe ever. Custom glass chair designed by my homo-mancrush Douglas Little and glass artist Andy Paiko. Is it weird that I want to hump it?

Adventures in Ebay! Craola edition

2009-08-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

Adventures in Ebay returns!

As I prepare to head back to school and embark on a new career path, I find myself thinking about the things that inspire me to work hard and try to make my life better. Having a fierce art collection is very high on the list. As you have probably noticed, art is one of my great loves, specifically pop surrealism. (I prefer the term pop surrealism to lowbrow, and agree with gallery owner Kirsten Anderson’s differentiation between the two styles.) Some of the "lowbrow" style work is a little too cartoony for me. I generally prefer lush, detailed painting to the sketchwork and graffiti-influenced stuff.

Artist Greg Simkins (aka Craola) is a nice blend of the two. His roots are in graffiti but the colors and details in his paintings just blow me away. He has a few lovely prints floating around ebay right now, and I would really love to treat myself to one. Up top is my favorite (and therefore the most expensive!) Finders Keepers. Love it! Below are The Gauntlet, which gets extra credit for having my favorite critter in it, and a close-up of It Wanders. Should I settle for the cheaper one or wait for the more expensive one? Ach, decisions, decisions...

One Loris, Two...?

2009-08-16T21:12:00.000-07:00

My birthday is just over a month away! Hint hint.*

*Actually I'm afraid my demonic chihuahua would eat it, but a gal can dream.

Deer Me

2009-08-12T10:24:00.000-07:00

There are few things I love more than deer. Specifically, creepy cute deer. I treated myself to this painting on etsy a few months ago and it fills me with strange joy whenever I look at it.

I have been placed on an art restricted budget for a while (and have pretty much run out of wall space) but here are some other creepy deer I would love to see every day.

Please Pleaser Me

2009-08-03T11:11:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of my previous poledancer shoe post, I thought I'd put up some of my new favorite whore shoes from that staunch workhorse of working girl's footwear, Pleaser. I am loving this Victorian Pin-Up Whore aesthetic that they are selling me. These hot sluts will totally be coming home to my closet soon.

Also, in my very serious research for this scholarly article, I discovered that Pleaser will soon be knocking off Polly shoes! I've only seen them at Patricia Field, and I can imagine that the Pleaser ones will be much cheaper.

Times for some Taxidermy

2009-07-30T11:09:00.000-07:00

The NY Times ran a drool-inducing article on The New Antiquarians yesterday. Behold some of my favorite design porn from the feature. How come no one ever interviews me for these things?

Young man, while you are a bit too scrawny for my tastes, I must say, you are quite the handsome thing.

I love the sister team. While my sister is delightful and awe-inspiring in countless ways, she lacks my obsession with stuffed dead things. I don't foresee us ever decorating a room together. She is, however, supermodel gorgeous and photogenic (I get to be the "witty" sister, lucky me) so perhaps I just need to decorate rooms and stick her in them for photographs.

Stripping Your Wallet Bare, Indeed

2009-07-20T10:47:00.001-07:00

Lately I have noticed that it is getting harder and harder to tell the difference between luxury shoes and poledancer shoes. As I scrolled the Saks website the other day, I saw so many styles that would look right at home in the Hollywood Boulevard stripper shoe malls that I like to frequent. Obviously, I think this is a good thing, and I have always taken a pro-stripper shoe stance. But it does make me wonder what it means about design in general. Are we getting trashier? Does lowbrow no longer exist when every other designer shoe looks like it was meant for lapdancing? Will it finally become acceptable for me to wear 6" patent leather heels to the office?!

Three of the shoes below are from Saks, and one is from a stripper brand. Can you spot the AmberTiffaniStarr in the group?

Settling In

2009-07-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

Forgive my lengthy absence, dear reader, I've been busy grabbing life by the horns and arranging things to my satisfaction. Part of this plan involves a return to scholastic pursuits. If only I could brush up my organic chemistry while curled up in this fabulous deer chair.

Adventures in Ebay!

2009-06-11T09:46:00.000-07:00

Adventures in Ebay continues!

I have obviously been on a bit of a Camille Rose Garcia kick lately. I am in love with this octopus girl print and am desperately trying to restrain myself from buying it.
One of my secret loves is Egyptian Revival jewelry and housewares. This Wedgwood trinket box is just kitsch enough without being overwhelming, and the black basalt style matches the china I inherited at my wedding.

One of the more bizarre taxidermy mounts I have seen in some time, this albino squirrel appears to have fallen to his death and landed on a branch, or is perhaps taking a nap? I must have it.

Oh, Douglas Little, could I possibly love you more? This bird-claw candlestick is perfect in every way.

Squee for a cause!

2009-06-09T21:08:00.000-07:00

Check out this adorable new print from Camille Rose Garcia!!! There is only one word for this: squee!

But seriously, this sad little feller is for a very good cause. It's available exclusively from Roq La Rue and all proceeds benefit the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. They have an orphan baby elephant fostering program. Let me repeat that - orphan baby elephant fostering!!! What could be more deserving or completely squee-inducing?! If this does not make you cry a little bit, seriously, stop talking to me.

I'm already on the list to order one. How could I not?

Framed!

2009-06-08T11:18:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed a jaunt to Ikea this weekend and finally got some frames for a few of my latest art purchases. Above is a recent ebay score, a Michael Hussar print that sold out last year. I despaired of ever owning it, but it came along at the right price and I got it! And it was just in time for an anniversary present for hubby darling.

Below is Queen Bitch by Carrie Ann Baade. I got this for christmas and never got around to framing it. It looks so lovely on the wall!

Seriously, fuck framers, for 1/10 the price I framed everything myself and it looks exactly the same. Do you know how to use an x-acto knife? You can frame your own stuff. And have an excuse to eat some swedish meatballs.

Cuff Me

2009-05-31T20:17:00.000-07:00

Cuff links are perhaps my favorite male accessory. A little dandyish, always polished and full of possibility. They're one of my favorite go-to gifts for hubby darling.

My jaw dropped when I saw the new Ex Arte collection from Hobbs & Kent. With designs from some of my favorite pop surrealist artists like Ray Caesar and Gary Baseman, they're available in limited runs of 98. They come with a hefty price tag, but surely they're a good investment?

From etsy favorite OctopusMe come these drool-inducing baby octopus cuff links. They're cast from real octopi! Show me a man who wouldn't love these and I'll show you someone who needs to get the sand out of his vag.

Bamboo Bangers

2009-05-30T10:34:00.000-07:00

Summertime and the living is, while not easy, certainly not terrible. All this warm weather brings back fond memories of my city-dwelling summers, watching Puerto Rican girls play in open fire hydrants and envying their amazing earrings. This summer I will be treating myself to a pair of bamboo hoops, but perhaps not enjoying an open hydrant.

How can you go wrong with Bambi?

Betsey Johnson has not let me down, these cute little nautical hoops are perfect for a day at Coney Island.

Skins, not of animals for once

2009-05-17T20:32:00.000-07:00

Hubby Darling just got a brand new ipod that I am extremely jealous of. It makes my stone age mini look positively pathetic. When I do get a new ipod for myself, I am totally getting one of these fabulous Gelaskins for it! They have designs from many of my favorite pop surrealist artists, including the Brandt Peters design feature above, Kathie Olivas, Travis Louie, Kukula, and Tara McPherson. And they even have a few for my extinct mini, so I can tide myself over until I can justify getting a big boy.

Throw them where exactly?

2009-05-13T20:08:00.000-07:00

I sort of hate my couch sometimes, but I'd hate it less if it had these cute pillows on it. The color scheme also conveniently matches my favorite couch accessory, my dog.

From commondecency on etsy.

Adventures in Ebay

2009-05-10T20:36:00.000-07:00

It's time for a new segment, guys and dolls! I get a lot of questions about the strange things I find on the internet, so I thought I'd give everyone a little peek into my ebay watchlist.

The little bugger above is a taxidermied Indonesian Deer Mouse. He's $165, and I really, really, really want him. He also looks eerily like my dog.

This Michael Hussar print is to die for. The starting bid is also a great deal - it's about $100 more elsewhere.

This Vivienne Westwood bag is the perfect size and shape. Big enough for all my crap, but not so huge that I'm tempted to give myself permanent back problems.

Sadly I can't afford any of these gems right now. I just bought an amazing painting! I'll put up some pics as soon as it arrives. It involves a fawn and meat. Oh yes.

California Dreamin, with wallpaper pt. 2

2009-05-07T20:08:00.000-07:00

I am a nester at heart and need a living room that is beautiful and inviting. And what says inviting better than bats and venus flytraps? Flavor Paper is a fucking wet dream of gorgeous, subversive wallpaper. Their Elysian Fields pattern is neo-victorian and subtly dangerous, and decidedly Dark Deco.

Who says you can't have wallpaper in the kitchen? And what could be more appropriate in a kitchen than various sharp and hazardous items? Sharp Descent, a bloody brilliant idea if I do say so.

I could go on forever about how much I lust after Flavor Paper, and how amazing their pinup girl prints would be for Hubby's office, or how much I want a moustache bathroom, and don't even get me started on city park.

But for my favorite room in the house, I am feeling a little more traditional. Graham and Brown's pretty art nouveau black and cream would be so pleasant and peaceful in the bedroom.

California Dreamin, with wallpaper pt. 1

2009-05-07T19:44:00.000-07:00

The weather here has been drizzly and dismal for days on end. This inevitably puts my imagination into overdrive for a favorite fantasy: decorating my new house in LA. Do I have said house? No. Have I decorated every square inch of that make-believe bitch? Hells yeah.

I devote especial dream-time of this decorating fantasy to a medium firmly lodged in the Top Ten List of Things I Am Obsessed with: wallpaper. The old-fashioned, pastey-uppey kind. I have always dreamed of a house filled with fabulous wallpaper. It evokes a kind of permanence that any lifelong renter yearns for. So, behold, my gentle only-reader, my favorite wallpapers and their future homes.
Pictured above is the stunning Camille Rose Garcia paper from Curio Wallcoverings. Here is a glimpse of it in situ at her Scope Art Fair installation. Holy Goodness. I had some trepidation about giving my heart to this pattern due to the predominant purple in the color scheme, a color I am wary of in the home. And then I learned that they will do custom colors. I would do an antique rose and ecru background and pretty much be the happiest girl on earth. I would put this in a guest room /bathroom. I don't know that I would want to stare at it every single day, but I would love to wander into it from time to time. Prepare yourselves, friends and family. You will be sleeping with this.

Next up, my walk-in closet and shoe room. This art deco peacock feather pattern from Ferm Living is so cheerful and bold.
Stay tuned for the rest of my LA dream pad! And some really awesome wallpaper, I swear!

Beautiful Beasties

2009-05-06T20:22:00.000-07:00

A show I am so sad to miss...

Travis Louie and Kathie Olivas at CoproNason! Two great tastes that taste great together.

Interesting

2009-05-05T20:42:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite taxidermy artists has started a blog. It only has one post so far, but it is already intriguing.

Art Lust

2009-05-04T11:36:00.001-07:00

I am basically ruining my underpants I am so excited about the Lush Life show at Roq La Rue.

While many galleries in the "underground"/Pop Surrealism art scene have increasingly turned towards street art, Roq la Rue has decided to instead focus on the more formal, Symbolist -inspired painters in the genre. "Lush Life" brings together painters in both the alt-art world as well as contemporary art scene, who all work within a guideline of tight technical craftsmanship as well the use of opulent and decadent imagery to convey higher inner truths and emotions. This take on "Neo-Symbolism" is different from it's predecessor in that while it still mines the unconscious for a sense of mythic gravitas, it incorporates American culture's pervasive pop culture-flavored and cartoony aesthetic.

Wow, Roq La Rue. Way to custom-design a show for me that I cannot afford! What do you do for fun on the weekends, run around waving sandwiches in front of the homeless? And to make matters worse, it's closing a week before I arrive in Seattle with my sister! I won't even get to drool over the perfection. Thankfully, I can console myself with the Travis Lampe show that will be on exhibit. I can totally relate to his pigeon right now.

That pigeon is thinking, "I hope they make some affordable prints!"

Stockpiling time!

2009-05-03T09:21:00.000-07:00

Some people have been freaking out about swine flu and stockpiling Tamiflu and face masks. I am countering the hysteria by stockpiling candles.

We all know how much I love DL & Co. A little too much. It's in the top ten of Things I Am Obsessed With. And now it's worse, because all DL & Co candles are 50% off at JZRose. They have an amazing selection, including the entire Rare Botanicals line and the Memoirs of a Geisha line, which are sold out everywhere else. I have a big, yummy-smelling box heading my way! Yay! My only complaint? The diffusers aren't on sale!

Eye for Talent

2009-04-28T20:59:00.000-07:00

I wrote about Mark Brown last year when I was pondering some affordable art options. I was sad to see his etsy shop disappear, as I never did buy any prints from him. Lo and behold, he's now having his own grand show at Gallery 1988! I told you so, internet world of one person who reads this! I told you so! However, I have to give myself a big fail here - I doubt I'll ever see $15 prints from this guy again. The store on his website is still "under construction", and apparently he made a custom painting for some DB guyliner model who owns guitars. I am fucked.

Squeaky goodness!

2009-04-28T14:38:00.000-07:00

Ooooh, there are shiny new Melissa shoes at Vivienne Westwood! I got the Lady Dragon in two colors a while back and love them to death. And now they have new ones! I love this green color - it has little bits of glitter in it. Glitter! Rubber! Shoes! Cheap! Vivi! These shoes still make me a little bit hysterical.

The Shame, The Dazzle

2009-04-27T14:26:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make.

I joined Kim Kardashian's shoe club.

I am not joking.

The basic premise is that Kim Kardashian (again, I am not joking) and other "stylists" (erm...) pick out shoes for you every month based on a short quiz about your preferences. You can then choose to buy a pair of the shoes or not. Apparently my preferences translate into, "This bitch needs more heels."

First up, the Bailey. A little clunky, but not horrible. I'd have to see them in person - they look dangerously like an accessory for your Rizzo halloween costume if they're too cheap.

The Lola. I have to give a nod to the name, and I like the cone heel, but these are a little too blah for me. They'd look great on a mom, albeit a hip one.

The Naimah are knock-offs of a LAMB shoe I kind of liked a few years ago. Not too excited about these.

The Kenna are my favorite of the group. Peeptoe - check. Gray - check. Animal feature - check. I'll probably get these ones.

And to end on a high note, the Aura. Oh man. These are something I could imagine Ashley and Farrah from Rock of Love Bus picking out for a "classy" outfit. I am equally repulsed and intrigued by them.

And did I mention that all the shoes costs $40? Not too much to lose here as far as I can see. I will report back when the shoes arrive. After I get over the shame of buying shoes from Kim Kardashian.

F My Life

2009-04-25T10:48:00.000-07:00

Hubby darling has not been able to stop using the phrase "F My Life" since he discovered the website. I generally disapprove of such negativity, preferring to see my glass half-full. I generally think, "I love my life."

Except for today.

I had seen the Christian Louboutin Dillian pumps before. Saks had a red variety I found tempting, and Neiman's had the delectable but outrageously expensive lizard ones. I quickly talked myself down - the red isn't the right shade, all that orange would make my transparent skin look sick, and even I can't pretend I need $3,000.00 lizard shoes.

And then Barneys had to go and offer a blush leather pair. You motherfuckers. How am I supposed to pay off credit cards when you offer me ruffled stiletto maryjanes with leather labia growing out of the top?! Who else could wear these shoes but moi?!?!

F. My. Life.

A Bit of Sadness

2009-04-23T11:45:00.001-07:00

If you do not read the New Yorker regularly, I highly recommend that you take a minute to read A Tiny Feast by Chris Adrian. It is by far the best short story I have read in years. I cried when I read it. I never cry at fiction.

It was exactly two years ago that my mother died of colon cancer, after a brutal 14-month battle. As I watched the disease eat her from the inside out, I knew that my life would never be the same. To watch this strong and vibrant person waste away to a husk of herself, I knew that I could never believe in God, or the Spirits, or any unimaginable magical force surrounding me. Cancer is violent and senseless and indiscriminate. Reading this story brought me back to those delirious weeks of waiting in the hospital, sickening under fluorescent lights and that indescribable smell of death. I reached a point of exhaustion I didn't know I had in me and I started to hallucinate, watching the hundreds of flowers I had desperately bought for my mother dancing and swaying and winking at me. I woke up on the floor hours later to see my husband holding a giant burrito and a platter of sushi for me to eat - I'd forgotten to eat or sleep for two days. I wish I could believe, just for a moment, that I saw the fairies preparing a bier for her, with the Beastie of her dachshund Mingus covering her in his endless grief.

Happy Easter!

2009-04-11T20:25:00.000-07:00

Prepare to Be Mesmerized

2009-04-06T21:02:00.000-07:00

I spent all day storming Topshop and needed to relax. Nothing soothes me quite like the inebriated gyrations of the melting-faced Mexican tranny sensation known as DJ Lady Tribe. Excuse me while her languid stumbling lulls me into the sweet, dreamless sleep of a woman with new shoes.

Fierceness!

2009-03-24T18:50:00.000-07:00

I loved RuPaul's Drag Race right from the start. I wasn't thrilled with the winner - I liked Nina Flowers better - but the best cast member by far was Ongina. Oh my god, her tiny hats gave me such joy each week. I'm watching the reunion special right now, and her alligator-eating-a-bird head piece has made my whole night. I must copy it immediately! Ongina, can we be friends? We can trade outrageous hats and paint each other's nails... sigh. I'm in love!

Score!

2009-03-22T21:02:00.000-07:00

I avoid Urban Outfitters for many reasons. The stroke-inducing crowds, music, and general disarray of the wares; the sheer cheesiness of most of their stock; the right-wing douchebag who does not deserve my money. However, I found myself with time to kill near one of the hated dens of ironic flannel and ventured in. Imagine my surprise when I found a huge messy stack of
Modern Alchemy candles shoved under an armoire/robot display! At first I thought they were knock-offs and felt quite outraged on behalf of my homo man crush and future boss (in a perfect world). They are, in fact, real! And CHEAP! $18 a pop, versus $45 elsewhere. They are not as pretty as the more expensive ones: no lovely etched glass or pretty box here. A side by side comparison:

I snatched a Speakeasy one up. I figured they would be less fragrant than the expensive ones; wrong again! I did a room vs room challenge: Speakeasy in the living room vs. Tincture of Winchester in the bedroom. Couldn't tell a difference in "throw," to use ridiculous candle terms only employed by gay men. I will be stockpiling these fuckers. My only complaint is the small selection of scents. They don't have most of my favorites - Ex Libris, Boston Tea Party, Tincture of Winchester, Dia De Los Muertos. At least I love Speakeasy - gin and tobacco, nom nom nom. Twice Bitten is an apple scent that I like for the kitchen or bathroom, but it's a little too sweet for anywhere else. Cakewalk is a heavy vanilla and makes me want to whorf - vanilla is one of my least favorite scents on earth. Opium Den would be nice if it didn't conjure up so many traumatizing memories of my father's patchouli-incense laden lesbian bffs forcing me to eat sea kelp and wheat germ salads while listening to The Roches.

Please, Urban Outfuckers, make more, please!

What a Slut!

2009-03-18T21:13:00.000-07:00

I am yet to have friends with babies, which saddens me because I cannot buy these slutty baby shoes for any little future sluts and/or fierce trannies I might know. That's right, training heels for babies. They almost make me want to have a baby so I can dress her in spandex leotards and faux high heels and parade through Park Slope chain-smoking Kools and eating McDonalds, going "Das right, das right!" Then I'll spank the kid just for good measure and watch all the PC gentle-parenting yuppie automomoms keel over in horror.

My favorite part of this is that I found these abominations while trolling my favorite stripper shoe website. One for Mom, one for baby!

Also, the comments on the ABC article about the tiny bimbo shoes are side-splittingly hilarious. Some highlights:

I work in phone sex. Let's get that out of the way RIGHT off the bat. I would NEVER put an infant in a shoe that I get calls about, fetish calls, fantasy calls, "my boss wears the schmexiest high heels, I want her to walk all over my body in them" calls. UTTERLY disgusting.

Meanwhile, in Gloucester, Mass., it has recently been discovered that a group of young teenage girls made a pregnancy pact.Any relationship between (1) failure to protect our children's innocence and (2) what they choose to do when they were teens? Nah! And our media and purchasing decisions don't teach girls that the most important part of being a woman is the sexual part, either.

While they are at it lets get this little girls into baby thongs..............anyone wonder why child sex abuse is rampant!!! This is sick beyond words. When I say sick beyond words I am talking about putting babies in heels and basically sexualizing babies. You adult ladies still need to fix yourselves up for us men if you want to be happy!!

Bones, etc.

2009-03-16T21:53:00.000-07:00

I cannot resist a good articulated skeleton. Check out Rachel Bess. Good stuff.

Hippity Hoppity

2009-03-15T21:36:00.000-07:00

I am fucking obsessed with Custom Creature's new easter creatures. Now there are some pastels I can get down with. Note to self: cash in a vacation day and start working on those frozen mice!

Tea for me!

2009-02-16T18:21:00.000-08:00

I love shortbread. I love tea. When I saw that my local bodega (the aptly-named Smile!Deli) was carrying tea-flavored shortbread for $3 a box, I knew I was in trouble. I am going to pack my cupboards before someone realizes they mispriced these delicious little fuckers!

TopShoe

2009-02-12T19:56:00.000-08:00

Oh my god, the new shoes coming in at Topshop are fucking killing me. I can feel them wrapping their sweet, ruffly hands around my wallet and squeezing, like an abusive lover you just can't leave. And those inverted-pyramid recessed heels? They're stepping directly on my heart.

Keep the faith, Z! If I keep not shopping and paying off debt at this rate, I'll be debt-free by my birthday! Why does that not console me when I am drooling over those ankle boots?

2009-02-07T11:13:00.000-08:00

Defamer made my week with their collage of angry/creepy/scary Christian Bale pictures. Is it wrong that I find them all incredibly sexy? I mean, the licking blood one ... sigh. What a mouth that man has. And he gets extra love for being one of my people - what up Wales?

If you haven't done so, please watch the Bill O'Reilly freakout-Christian Bale rant video. It's bloody brilliant.

But Where Are Her Teeth?

2009-02-05T20:49:00.000-08:00

I love being a woman. I love it so much I am almost a drag queen. There are, however, times, certain times of the month, when it's a little trying. Suffice it to say I have been subsisting solely on percocet, Absolutely Fabulous, chocolate and hatred all week. So when I learned that they have recalled the cuddly uterus, I can't say I was surprised. Choking hazard, indeed.

Who's smiling now, fuzzball?

McQueen of My Heart!

2009-02-05T11:51:00.000-08:00

Is it wrong that I kind of want to make out with these shoes? The spring McQueens are arriving! Hold on to your horses, girl! Although I have to say, the idea of $1,000 shoes in this economy is a little ... questionable. Not like it's ever a question for my broke ass!

I also have to give an honorable mention to the most gorgeous flats ever. Like any self-respecting New York lady who takes public transportation and lives up five flights of stairs, I strut my stuff in my heels when I go out, then hobble around the corner and throw on some glorious back-up shoes that have been secreted in my purse all night. $1,000.00 back-up shoes are about as indulgent as you can get.

My eggs, my eggs

2009-02-03T08:36:00.000-08:00

Abomination! I just saw a commercial for Disney eggs that really blew my mind. It's not a joke. My favorite "selling point": they have protein and omega 3s! ALL EGGS DO!!! My only hope for this product is that someone has secretly adopted my sterilization of the idiotic program, and added birth control as the special ingredient in these things. Shame on any parent who buys these.

2009-02-02T10:42:00.000-08:00

I have mentioned my love of Brandt Peters and his whacked-out cartoonish paintings before. I desperately, desperately want one. Or several. It's almost unfair that one man can jam so much amazingness onto one canvas. Also unfair: I'm not in LA for his solo show at Gallery 1988 debuting today. With a briefcase full of cash. And more wall space. Fuck.

The Website That Time Forgot

2009-01-31T19:57:00.000-08:00

Oh, the 90s...and they are both my boyfriend, so back off bitches...

Remember when you were 14 and the internet was still brand new and amazing? You didn't have a computer at home, but your high school had a spiffy new "computer lab" complete with a conspiracy-theory spouting loon for a teacher who wouldn't pay any attention to what anyone was doing. You would come to class at best stoned and at worst tripping on acid, grab the computer way off in the corner and follow various haphazard "webrings" until you found something interesting, usually involving vampires, because you were totally cool like that. You would ignore the boys in the class trying to show you pictures of a woman having sex with a horse (snore) and gaze at custom fang websites, dreaming of the day when your braces came off and you could save up enough babysitting money to buy a pair of Lilith fangs. Those were the days.

I stumbled upon this gem of a website that someone apparently forgot to take down, as it hasn't been updated in a decade. It's like a shrine to the 90s. I had forgotten how easily dazzled I was, how I once eagerly perused sites like this that had no conceivable web design, no navigational bars, just haphazard lists of text with poorly-scanned pictures of blurry people in cropped turtlenecks. Remember when those seemed like such a great idea?

And look at this amazing specimen of manhood. His special gaze is only for your eyes. He will ensnare your heart in the tangled web of his fishnet shirt.

There are ladies who still rock this exact look. If it ain't broke...throw a purple cape on it and call it an outfit.

I really wish someone would do a Where Are They Now? of all these people. I really want to know.

Arm Me

2009-01-30T09:14:00.000-08:00

I have secretly wanted an armour ring for a long time. For years I associated them with the lame "Master Dracon, Vampyr Lord of Darkness" types that would bug me at goth clubs (oh, Batcave), attempting to lure me into their dark clutches by running their spiky and overly-embellished fingers over my arm. Tacky.

Like many fabulous goth fashion items, these are tricky to pull off. It's a fine line between elegant Daphne punk chick and looking like an extra from Darkon.

Vivienne Westwood, of course, has the perfect one, as she pretty much always does. However, that hot slut of a ring is out of my budget right now. I'm thinking the Pewter Half Armor Ring might do the trick, although I will then have to live with the shame of having shopped at WarriorJewelry.com ...

Speaking of shame, check out the shameful dolphin ring. Really? A dolphin armor ring? Really?!?! Putting this on a fat chick should be illegal.

Pretty Things

2009-01-28T14:24:00.000-08:00

Hubby dearest and I happened upon Dollhouse Bettie when we were in San Francisco last year. It was a wonderful surprise, considering it's smack in the middle of the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, where we had only seen corny headshops and cheesy "alternative" fashion stores. It's a delightful place, pink and pretty and full of fabulous vintage and retro lingerie. We found a treasure trove of vintage stockings and, erm, stocked up, although I am ashamed to say I haven't worn any of them yet - they're so precious I'm afraid to ruin them! Dove gray with a silver foot and back seam?!?! Swoon! Is there anything sexier than fully-fashioned stockings and an old-school waist cincher?

Are you there Mom it's me Bambi...

2009-01-27T22:01:00.000-08:00

Taxidermy art by Les Deux Garcons.

To Les Deux Garçons themselves it stands for the earlier made choices in life which have to be dragged along and which sometimes could be a hindrance for the future too.

Get On This!

2009-01-26T20:19:00.000-08:00

Hello Lover! Hmmm, rubbery, retro Vivienne Westwood cartoonish slingbacks? I can't think of anyone who could possibly need these more than the phone bill. And they're only $150!!!

Sail Away

2009-01-26T14:03:00.000-08:00

Oh, strange things to wear on your head, how I love you so. Australia's Lil Jen creates Marie Antoinette-worthy headwear. What girl doesn't need a ship hat? Check out her blog to scope some of her newest offerings and adventures.

Now Panic

2009-01-25T13:56:00.000-08:00

I think this is a much more sensible alternative to those ubiquitous WWII Keep Calm and Carry On posters.

Pliage, Pliage, Pretty Pliage?

2009-01-24T17:18:00.000-08:00

Gernot and Christian Louboutin, secret bffs? I wouldn't be surprised.

German artist Gernot does incredible, sexy, sexy, sexy fetish drawings featuring high, high, high heels and extreme latex fashion. I love him. A lot. My prints of his shoe-centric sketches continually scare my houseguests, who really should know better than to wander into my bedroom unprepared.

And then there's Christian Louboutin. Oh my, what can I really say? The man is a genius. And I have long suspected he is a big fucking pervert too. After hobbling around the Jeffrey sale in a pair of his pin-heeled slingbacks like a newborn colt on meth, I realized that I own genuine stripper shoes that are more wearable. These are fetish shoes, meant only to be delicately placed on and, erm, appreciated.

So how surprised could I really be at the beauty, the perfection, the incomparable fetishistic genius of his new Pliage clutch? Oh my god. Kill me now. It's an Art Deco undercover high heel fetishist clutch purse. In nude satin. And the shoe clasps at the top? Straight out of a Gernot picture, as you can see in the side-by-side below. This is now the official purse of Dark Deco. All hail Louboutin. I'm going to go pour myself a stiff drink and weep.

Curious Indeed

2009-01-23T11:37:00.000-08:00

Curious Expeditions is a marvelous travel blog with a keen interest in taxidermy (yay!) and the macabre, bizarre and wonderful. Their photographs from the Romanian Museum Time Forgot first caught my eye last year and I've been following them ever since. 2008: A Year in 15 Photos makes me realize that my life is far less exciting than I care to think. And that I desperately need to own a Snouter, pictured above.

Amore de Mori

2009-01-22T11:06:00.000-08:00

Doesn't that hat make you want to die? Amore de Mori is the ghoulishly delightful homepage of artist Bonnie Wood. She makes jaw-dropping taxidermy jewelry, hair adornments and art. I want one of everything. Please?

Born and raised in Norfolk, Bonnie was a strange child spending the majority of her days make believing, starting early her descent out of reality.

She had the immense good fortune of the local museum (Norwich castle) being host to one of the largest collections of taxidermy and fell in love at an early age with the glass cases and dusty borax smell.

She attended Norwich school of art and design, but found neither she nor the teachers had common ground and was cast out into the icy tundra of the Norwich streets.

Luckily fortune smiled on her in the form of a vision of the Virgin Mary casting a sleepy beacon of light to all the dying animals. Bonnie, refreshed by her muse, now crusades to immortalise the dead into one off things of beauty for those of us with one foot permanently stuck in the grave.

She also has some interesting blog entries and pictures on MySpaz.

And You Thought You Had Problems

2009-01-21T22:00:00.000-08:00

Impulses, begone!

2009-01-21T21:33:00.000-08:00

Oh, the suffering...

Madame Sher

2009-01-21T18:43:00.000-08:00

I love corsets. I won't go off on a long diatribe about what passes for a "corset" these days, except to say that if it doesn't have steel boning, a busk, and industrial-strength grommets, it's a novelty item at best. I do hate to sound like a snooty fetishist, they are such a bore. But the corsets I love are rib-smashing, waist-whittling, posture-straightening, breathtaking (literally) devices. To call it a mere garment is an injustice.

Madame Sher of Brazil makes real corsets. Her site is a feast for fetish eyes, but really, what girl wouldn't love a fairy-tale princess corset, or an adorable polka-dot confection? I'm favoring the Marilyn Monroe myself (Santa, are you listening?). She has something for everyone, from Ye Olde lightweights to the heroic tightlacers, who will love her Tight Comfort line, specially designed to be worn 23/7 (assuming you need an hour to shower, you lazy bitch). If you've got any free time left after drooling over all her designs, type her name into YouTube and watch all the hilarious appearances she's made on Brazilian talkshows. The hosts' faces really need no translation, and Sher herself is pretty easy on the eyes too.

Goodbye Bush!

2009-01-20T01:01:00.000-08:00

Inauguration Day by zunidyer

I'll be enjoying it from the comfort of my lair, but that doesn't mean I don't have an outfit planned!

Pass the Salt

2009-01-19T18:35:00.000-08:00

What do you get for the couple who has everything? I dare you to give this as a gift at your next boring family wedding. They'll never forget it. Or, if they're amazing, they'll love it because it's totally bizarre, like I do.

Walk Like...

2009-01-18T18:21:00.000-08:00

Etsy find of the week: Gorgeous Egyptian Art Deco brooch. Oh I want this so badly. Egyptian Revival done right is just so bloody amazing. And, if you're dropping $200 on a brooch, why not go all the way and throw in these pharaonically phab Louboutins?

Seeing Red

2009-01-18T11:11:00.000-08:00

My recent trip to LA was, as always, full of bizarre and fascinating events. Hubby and I tried to get some "tourist" stuff in, knowing that we will never do it once we actually move there. We hit LACMA during their free-admission evening and wandered around for hours. It's a lot to take in, and we only experienced a fraction of it (the siren song of Roscoe's lured us away). By far the most striking exhibit I saw was the Saint Fabiola room. Wow! We stumbled around speechless, staring at all the homely portraits. There's even a black velvet one! More pictures here.

The Urban Light installation is also amazing, and so beautiful at night. Here's me and hubby looking, for once, very short.

This Little Piggy

2009-01-16T19:27:00.000-08:00

I have a toe fetish. I work out in the Nike Air Rifts and have gone through 11 pairs so far. I have the matching socks. I have too many pairs of Irregular Choice cloven-toe heels, and when the great shopping moratorium of 09 ends, I want more.
And, as usual, Alexander McQueen has read my mind and broken my heart. The only consolation I can take is that these are too outrageous to be produced for sale, so I probably couldn't get them even I could afford them. Unless I became my uber-girl-crush Daphne Guinness, which I'm working on.

ibride

2009-01-15T19:34:00.000-08:00

As a New York City apartment dweller, I appreciate anything that can serve multiple purposes and save space. Ibride's gorgeous anthropomorphic bird trays are functional for parties, and can beautify your walls when they aren't holding cocktails. I'd seen the trays at various design stores and totally lusted after them, but it was only after I bothered to search for the company online that I realized that these designers are fucking geniuses! Their bizarre animal-body furniture is just too much for me to bear! My mind was buzzing with images of strange ephemera and curios crowded onto the ostrich console table, or a Monique Motil sculpture perched on top of the Bambi.

The Ache, the Longing...

2009-01-14T19:05:00.000-08:00

Bury me in Prada shoes by zunidyer

These amazing Miu Miu shoes are on sale. That sculptural heel! Prada/Miu Miu could do no wrong shoe wise last year as far as I'm concerned. I loved the crazy wing shoes and the weird, cartoonish pumps. And I can't even afford them now that they're on the economy-down-the-toilet-sale free-for-all tailspin. This would be a lovely time to have money.

Although I must admit, the prospect of $300 Alexander McQueen shoes has me wondering just where hubby dearest hid my credit cards... and don't even get me started on the purses!

Suck It, Hershey

2009-01-14T08:16:00.000-08:00

I gave my family chocolate this year. Everyone needs a little indulgence, especially with everything looking so dismal. I was already familiar with Vosges chocolates via their Bacon Bar, an item countless people have gifted me with (I can't imagine why!). I braved the Christmas crowds, the snow and my bright idea to shop the icy streets in 5" heeled boots and headed to their SoHo outpost to pick up some exotic candy bars for my loved ones. I fell on their free sample tray like a well-heeled locust and immediately fell in love with their toffee, an exorbitantly priced luxury I now dream about. And I bought out the store's collection of Bacon Chocolate Pigs for all the bacon-lovers I know. And one for myself, because who would share one of those?

Wouldn't It Be Lover-ly

2009-01-13T18:53:00.000-08:00

Oh my! I want to sit on it and read I Like You while eating a cupcake.

Spruce has amazing reupholstered furniture. This bench is worth a gander too.

2009-01-12T07:33:00.000-08:00

I avoid ebay for many reasons. I get frustrated with their search function, 99% of the stuff on it is crap anyway, and I don't need to put any extra effort into finding ways to spend money I do not have. The amazing offerings at Lauer Studio have me rethinking my moratorium. Well, not really rethinking so much as re-allowing-to-fantasize-about. I mean, who doesn't want a Dodo skeleton? And slightly cheaper, in a relative sense, is a platypus skeleton that pretty much has my panties in a bunch. And they're all replicas, so all your vegan fuckwad friends can't lose their shit at you. Unless you lie to them just to irk them, which I would absolutely never do.

Sartorial Eye Candy

2009-01-11T19:40:00.000-08:00

Everybody, including myself, is crazy about a sharp-dressed man. Duchess Clothier makes drool-inducingly well-cut suits for the gentleman in your life. You can get a custom-made 2-piece suit from their Scotch Basic collection for $500, a lovely price for something made-to-measure. For $100 more than you pay at Men's Wearhouse, you can get a classic or old-fashioned style that will really stand out. The Dashiell and the Frank are my favorites. Their website design is amazing and such fun to scroll through. I could spend all day dreaming of different fabrics and styles for hubby dearest! They use English tailors in Bangkok, which adds such an old-school colonial flair to things. Throw one on and head over to Double Crown for a Pimm's Cup, eh?

Little Black Sale

2009-01-10T18:57:00.000-08:00

A gorgeous, custom-made dress for under $100?!? Someone please buy this. It's perfect for Alfred Hitchcock movie night.

I live for the day I can have this apartment.

2009-01-10T18:05:00.000-08:00

I am not a consumer of “chick flicks.” I don’t like to cry or pine over loves lost at a movie. However, I found myself in a foul, foul mood one day last year, and decided to spare the world my barbs and see a movie alone, hopefully sheltering my poor husband and any innocent bystanders from the hateful invective that was bubbling up inside me. When I arrived at the nearest theatre my choices were an insipid Pixar animated piece of crap or a dreadful-looking chick flick. Figuring that I would at least enjoy the fashion, I haplessly wandered into Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day.

I was wallowing in my hatred for the world and consuming jellybeans at an alarming rate when I saw It. It had always existed in my mind, a faint shiny shimmer of geometry and metallics. My dream Egyptian Art Deco apartment. I dropped my jellybeans and basked in its sheepskin-rug’d glory, as my bad mood melted away in a haze of mirrors and Isis statues. As long as I can aspire to own this place one day, my life really couldn’t be that bad.
More at this blog.

Fuzzy Dissection

2009-01-09T19:01:00.000-08:00

This is pretty much the most fabulous knitted thing I have ever seen. There's a frog too!

Perhaps I need to magnify my credit cards bills…

2009-01-08T18:12:00.000-08:00

Oh, the injustice!
Mothology magnifier, I need one.

And in fantasy dream land, I could use it while wearing this ring.

Are They Sleeping?

2009-01-07T18:29:00.000-08:00

I have mentioned my love of taxidermy before and will continue to do so. Few things make me so excited and passionate. I’m so thrilled that it’s becoming more mainstream, although I still hesitate to mention it to people for fear of red paint or other nastiness. Alas, the narrow-mindedness of the hoi vanilloi.

Polly Morgan's work makes my heart jump into my throat with happiness and desire. I love her outré settings and unusual poses. The bent-necked little birdies are so exceptional and poignant – they look like dead birds, not stuffed ones made to look alive with carefully painted habitats and shining, fake eyes. I love the old-school naturalist taxidermic technique, but there’s something to be said for art that isn’t afraid to say, yes, this is a dead animal, and what?

From a beloved corner of my daily internet trolling, that dangerous vampire of my credit cards, etsy houses the delightful Loved to Death who makes amazing jewelry with bones and taxidermy elements. They’ve also recently added some strange vintage ephemera and medical items to their site, which led me to wonder, ala the famed Daphne Guinness closet cleanout,
“if these are her giveaways, what on earth is she keeping?”