Ragamuffin Living

Helen Frankenthaler

2010-12-11T19:30:00.000-08:00

This past week i came across a beautifully simple yet elegant painting that was on a wall in a magazine spread. I couldn't stop looking at it. That was the first time i had even heard of Ms. Frankenthaler.

Bio:

Born in New York in 1928, Helen Frankenthaler first studied with Rufino Tamayo at the Dalton School. At Bennington College, Vermont, 1945-49, she received a disciplined grounding in Cubism from Paul Feeley, though her own instincts lay closer to the linear freedom of Arshile Gorky and the color improvisations of Wassily Kandinsky's early work.

In 1950 the critic Clement Greenberg introduced her to contemporary painting. During that summer, she studied with Hans Hofmann in Provincetown, Massachusetts. In 1951 Adolph Gottlieb selected her for an important New Talent exhibition, and she had her first one person show in New York later that year.

The work of Jackson Pollock proved the decisive catalyst to the development of her style. Immediately appreciating the potential, not fully developed by Pollock, of pouring paint directly onto raw unprimed canvas, she thinned her paint with turpentine to allow the diluted color to penetrate quickly into the fabric, rather than build up on the surface. This revolutionary soak-stain approach not only permitted the spontaneous generation of complex forms but also made any separation of figure from background impossible since the two became virtually fused a technique that was an important influence on the work of other painters, particularly Morris Louis and Kenneth Noland.

cited from here.

handmade pom poms!

2010-12-08T13:28:00.000-08:00

I made these for my daughter's birthday on the weekend. So easy! HERE is the tutorial.

And i love Terrain, and online shop with a wonderfully original selection.

Tea towel Terrain

Why Ovio Organico does not use fragrance oils!

2010-12-02T10:15:00.000-08:00

Essential Versus Fragrance Oils: The Hazards of Scents

What is a Fragrance Oil?

Fragrance oils are combinations of synthetically manufactured chemicals designed to "mimic" the aroma of natural materials. Far from "natural", 95% of the chemicals found in these oils are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum, and include chemicals such as benzene derivatives, aldehydes, and others capable causing cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders (CNS) and allergic reactions. Today, fragrances are marketed to an unsuspecting public who think that these scents are "natural." Even unscented and fragrance-free products can contain masking scents to "mask" the smell of other ingredients.

Despite the widespread and constant exposure to fragrance chemicals in thousands of products, there is minimal government regulation and monitoring on their safety. With 1000 new synthetic chemicals added yearly to the already 80 - 100.000 in use today, most of which have not be tested individually or in combination for their effects on human health, its not surprising that one in five people experience health problems when exposed. Fragrance chemicals do not have to be listed on the product label. Trade secret laws keep toxicity testing and ingredient identification from being accurately disclosed, in an industry which is largely self-regulating!

Hormone Disrupting Effects

A study by Greenpeace in 2005, discovered that 36 well-known perfume brands contained two toxic, man-made chemicals, phthalate esters and synthetic musk, as in the "old" days the perfumes were derived 100% from botanical plants. Phthalates are known estrogen and testosterone hormone disrupters and effect DNA, male sperm and restricts lung function in men, while synthetic musk can attack living tissues. Phthalates have been associated with thyroid disorders, premature breast development in baby girls, and abnormal sexual development in male fetus and infants. They are also found in the blood of pregnant women, in breast milk, and can cross the placenta. Diethyl phthalate, commonly used in fragrances and other personal care products, damages the DNA of sperm which can lead to infertility in adult men. Phthalates can change peoples mood and behaviour, and as they can disguise unpleasant odours, are often found in cleaning products, in hospitals (seems today one of the most dangerous place on earth) and nursing homes.

Some fragrance chemicals can alter the skin's surface tension, facilitating the absorption of other chemicals into the skin. Fragrances can lead to allergies, eczema, psoriasis, contact dermatitis and other skin conditions. It is estimated that 1 - 2% of the North America population may have a skin allergy to fragrances as these can easily volatilize. And, as manufacturers use long lasting fragrance chemicals and invent new powerful potent ones, they can linger in the air, settling and sticking to skin, hair, clothes, furnishings, everything!

Fragranced laundry products provide constant exposure, infants' skin being especially susceptible to absorbing chemicals directly from diapers. Fragrance chemicals can also accumulate in fabrics and are very difficult to remove. Laundry will even absorb fragrances if other people have used fragrance detergents in their wash.

Neurological Effects

Fragrance chemicals affect brain and the central nervous system, with some effects being immediate and transistory, while others are chronic and long lasting. Fragrances can modify brain blood flow, alter blood pressure, pulse and mood, and trigger migraine headaches. When inhaled, some have potent sedative effects and some like AETT and musk ambrette are neurotoxic. Specially formulated fragrances are used to control public behaviour.

Respiratory Effects

Fragrance chemicals can induce or worsen respiratory problems, and lower airway irritation occurs in 15% of people. These respiratory irritants, which cause inflammation and increase mucus production, make the airways more susceptible to injury and allergens, as well as trigger and exacerbate such conditions as asthma, allergies, sinus problems and other respiratory disorders. In school aged children, fragrances can trigger asthma, a chronic illness afflicting 9 million American children. Among adults, asthma rates have doubled since 1980, with one in fourteen suffers from asthma, and with 72% of asthmatics citing fragrance as a trigger.

Environmental Effects

Fragrance are volatile compounds. The widespread use (and they are banned already in some clinics, hospitals and other public buildings) and vast numbers of fragranced products used cause extensive indoor and outdoor pollution. Many people find it difficult to enter public buildings, attend public events, stand near people or walk outdoors due to fragrances released in the air. A Norwegian study even found synthetic musk compounds in outdoor air in a remote area.

Fragrances are dispensed through ventilation systems in many buildings. They are designed to add a "pleasant" scent to the air (for example, using food smells in shopping malls and floral scents in stores to increase sales). Scents can cover up poor air quality due to odours from cigarette smoke, exhaust fumes, pesticides, mould and chemical off-gassing from furniture, carpet, glues, cleaning products etc. They can also cover up insufficient fresh air ventilation present in many offices, restaurants, hotels, airports etc.

An estimated 292 million Americans regularly wash and dry their clothes using fragranced laundry products!

Waste water treatment facilities do not remove fragrance chemicals, many of which are persistent and accumulate in the environment. The documented presence of fragrance chemicals in even drinking water, in streams and in lakes could adversely affect the health of people, animal and plant life.

For more information on the hazards of synthetic scents, refer to: www.ourlittleplace.com/perfume.html, www.herc.org/news/perfume/risks.htm

A variety of fragrance-free natural products are available in the market place, just make the effort and carefully read all the labels. If you can't pronounce the ingredients, don't buy it!

Words of Wisdom

You cannot cheat nature, however much you may cheat your fellow man.

Galilei (Italian Professor and Natural Scientist, 1564 - 1642)

*The following article was authored by Klaus Ferlow, HMH (Honorary Master Herbalist, Dominion Herbal College, Burnaby, B.C. est. 1926), innovator, lecturer, researcher, writer, President, founder and co-owner with his two sons Peter and Harald, CH (chartered Herbalist) of Ferlow Botanicals, Div. of Ferlow Brothers Ltd, Vancouver, B.C. manufacturing/distributingorganic toxin-free** medicinal herbal and personal care products to professional health & wellness practitioners in Canada and parts of USA since 1993. The company was founded in 1975. Klaus is also President of the "Hearts to Health Foundation" and on the Board of Directors of the Health Action Network Society (HANS), Burnaby, B.C. est. 1984, www.hans.org, Associated member of the Canadian Herbalist's Association of B.C., Surrey, www.chaofbc.org and member of the Neem Foundation, Bombay, India, www.neemfoundation.org.www.ferlowbotanicals.com , email: kferlow@shaw.ca.

www.ovioorganico.com

smell

2010-11-21T09:30:00.000-08:00

I've been smelling some delicious scents as of late. With Christmas next month, and warm egg-nog lattes tempting me every single day, I've become accustomed to the rich smells of this season very quickly. I also notice the terrible smells of fake "gingerbread" candles and creams that smell like a mix of chemical and grandma's baking. Why do people enjoy those smells? Part of the joy of perfume for me is the history of the essential oils, resins, concretes, and absolutes. I love the way the natural aromas change when worn on different skin, and that it was artfully created out of raw material, to make something fresh yet still organic.
I have a perfume that I've been working on for awhile now..adding oils, then waiting, smelling, wearing, adding more oils...and on. Its an interesting process since what i create in one moment will change within the month into something entirely its own.

I love MCMC Fragrances by perfumer Anne McClain. Anne has a perfumery in Brooklyn and also teaches natural perfumery courses at Lena Corwin Studio in New York City.

A few of my favorite things!

2010-10-22T22:52:00.000-07:00

Artist Kareena Zerefos is brilliant. I love everything about her work..playful, imaginative and oh so original.

The beautiful wool cloth nappies and sleepers from Nordic Natural Clothing.

This lap loom from Nova Naturals that i'm buying for my daughter for her birthday.

The work of photographer Tamara Dean in her series entitled: "Motherhood" .

This beautiful French blog Tou les jours Dimanche....

by artist Kareena Zerefos

by photographer Tamara Dean

Blog Love!

2010-09-30T22:47:00.000-07:00

I've been getting into felting as of late, and i found this blog: The Magic Onions. So many great crafting ideas! I love this post on the 'Waldorf Baby'. Great read for new mums :)

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Waldorf Baby by Rebecca

....'and so together they traveled over the rainbow bridge
and down the spiral staircase until they came to a big gate.
The child felt a little anxious about leaving his wonderful home,
but with courage in his heart and his Angel beside him,
he went through the gate and
a little baby boy was born upon the earth..'

Beyond the Rainbow Bridge
Barbara Patterson + Pamela Bradley

Welcoming a new baby is one of life's most precious and exciting milestones! As our children slowly wake up to the world around them, we come to understand that the first year of a baby's life is truly sacred, and we should treat it as such. Our children become our ultimate inspiration; we long to give them the best life possible....this begins with a strong foundation in the first year.

Waldorf education and lifestyle has been a warm, shining beacon in many of our lives. The following are suggestions to consider while enjoying your magical first year with your little angel...

Mind the first 40 days...Embrace your "babymoon!"

Traditionally, most cultures had rules about this time - this is the time of the post partum doula, and when women relatives would care for other children as well as the new mother/baby couple. Some anthroposophists advocate that the newborn remain in the same room for the duration of these 40 days. How realistic is this, you may ask? Make it work for you and your family....wear your baby close to you in a wrap or other soft carrier. Let him be close to your heart, where he belongs. Let him feel your inner rhythms as you go about your day;. singing, dancing, walking, and speaking. Breastfeed on demand, avoid watching the clock. During naps, a deep colored muslin or piece of gauze can be placed over the baby's sleeping space or window to filter bright light. During the night, baby can share sleep with you, helping him pick up on circadian rhythms. Baby nurseries can be warmly painted and decorated in a minimalistic fashion; abstaining from any loud toys or mobiles.

According to Steiner, infants' sense impressions "ripple, echo, and sound" throughout the whole of their bodies. From this perspective, what infants take in as impressions affects their life forces, how their bodies develop and the ability of their organs to function rhythmically.With this in mind,try your best as to not expose your little one to the modern hustle and bustle of life during this precious time. Babies take in their environment without discrimination. Imagine a baby's impression of a loud, brightly lit shopping mall or supermarket. During this time, we must be protective barriers for our babies! Try 5...or 10...or 40 days of peace and calm with your baby. Imagine howyou'll feel afterwards!

*Sing your heart out!

Your voice is a "homebase" to your little one....she has listened to your voice resonate in your body for the past 9 months! Singing is a lovely way to soothe your baby. I remember singing my baby to sleep as he nursed in my arms during the first few months...I found that it has a calming effect on mother, as well! Don't worry if your voice doesn't sound "top notch" to you....your baby loves it all the same!

The importance of Warmth.

Steiner taught that warmth supports life and is, therefore a foundation of all health and development. With this in mind, we understand that infants do not generate or maintain their own warmth as well as an adult would. These fragile infants rely on our care and effort to keep them warm through body contact, appropriate clothing, and blankets.

Take care to swaddle or dress your baby in layers of wool or natural wool blends. Make sure feet are always covered, as well as his head. Seventy percent of a child's body heat is lost through the head, so hats become very important in maintaining warmth. A pair of wool underclothes for the winter is a smart and sound investment! In fact, in Europe, there is a folk saying that all the months ending in "R" are months for babies to wear tights or long stockings made of wool or silk. By protecting the infants' small body from cold, we are proactive in making sure that they don’t have to waste precious energy and calories trying to keep warm!

A few of the many benefits of WOOL:

*Wool is highly durable, so woolen clothes generally last a long time! Consign your outgrown woolens and use the money to size up!

* Wool provides warmth, yet it breathes to maintain a comfortable temperature. So even in warm environments, wool maintains a comfortable temperature next to baby's skin. And wools natural fibers breathe, unlike synthetics.

As I mentioned above, one of the best ways to keep your baby warm, close, and calm is to wear her in a soft baby wrap. Check for proper positioning, making sure that baby's chin does not touch her chest, as this can hinder her breathing. Baby's head should be close enough for you to kiss! While there are some babies who only prefer to be worn "facing out", please take care to protect the senses.....wear your baby facing your chest. A baby worn facing outwards can not turn away from stimulation.

*Simplicity is key.

When it comes to material things, what does a baby really need? Presently, a baby registry at a big box store, such as Babys R Us, lists 70 "must have " items for welcoming your new little one. For a first time parent, this is more than overwhelming and not necessary!

A few "sleeping gowns" made from natural fibers, some warm blankets, and diapers are all a breastfeeding and co-sleeping baby really needs for her first few weeks. Lambskins for napping, playing and sitting upon are soft and lovely. They are a sound investment! In my opinion, everything else is very expensive and will end up at a yard sale!

I recently came across advice from an experienced mom that resonated within me: babies should be dressed just as such: a baby! An infant dressed in adult-like clothing swarmed with logos, lots of buttons, snaps, and ties seems spiritually disrespectful. I am a big fan of sleeping gowns and bonnets, even for baby boys.

Toys can be kept simple...a handmade knot doll, some wooden blocks, playsilks, and plenty of pots and pans will do! Limiting or abstaining from television is ideal. You can cover the TV set with a rainbow silk instead!

A word about diapers....if you can, diaper your baby's bottom in cloth. Research has shown a myriad of potential dangers in the chemicals involved in manufacturing disposable diapers, including burns to the sensitive skin surrounding the genitals. Why risk it? Cloth diapering is safe, effective, and fun! Many options are available, making cloth diapering affordable on nearly any budget.

Respect Milestones

There is nothing more amazing than watching your sweet little one reach milestones. Savor these moments, and take care not to rush them! A child "knows" when they are ready to begin crawling. They know when they are comfortable being upright. When they are ready to accept solid foods, they have ways of showing you! Pay close attention to these cues, and above all, respect them.

Hello, Rhythm!

Establishing a rhythm while caring for a newborn may seem impossible, especially if you have other children. Relax and enjoy your minutes, hours, and days with this new life and the rest will follow!

A rhythm is about the "flow" of your day, rather than a harsh schedule. Begin shaping your rhythm simply; establish waking and bedtimes first, as an "anchor point." Once these are established, begin to go about life with your new little one... eat breakfast, do some housework with baby in a sling, go for a relaxing walk outside.

Bed time rhythms can be especially helpful for both mother and baby. A warm bath, a baby massage and a softly sung lullaby will let your baby know that bedtime is coming. As a co-sleeping family, I always preferred to nurse my baby to sleep. Thirteen months later, this is still our rhythm!

Of course, some days your rhythm will seem "off" as you deal with fussiness, visitors, and other normal factors of life. Remember that you can always return to your rhythm, and this too, shall pass! Before you know it, your wee one will be walking and doing so much on his own. Embrace this precious time...record your thoughts and feelings in a special book. You could also write descriptive journal entries to your baby! The first few months of "babyhood" are fuzzy in my memory already...but when I look back at my journal, the emotions come flooding back to me, as if it were yesterday.

Above all, cherish these days as you weave a nest for your growing family. As mothers, we feel our children before we meet them on this earth...we experience their movement and activity; we dream of them at night. We are shaken and humbled as we feel them move through us as they arrive to meet the rest of the people who love them. Their smell intoxicates us; our hearts grow larger and fuller by the minute. Take care to savor every moment; let your children become who they are in their own time. We may be their first teacher, but they will always be the best guide!

(taken from http://themagiconions.blogspot.com)

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I'm back and pregnant...

2010-09-15T09:01:00.000-07:00

I missed my blog..i kept seeing beautiful objects or finding out great bits of information..and i would sigh, because i wasn't going to blog anymore. So many things have changed this past while, and i feel like i'm ready to post again. We are expecting our fourth babe this winter and so naturally i've been all things baby...

I love Bonpoint; a wonderful French children's fashion house.

2010-06-15T09:16:00.000-07:00

I've been following the BP Oil Volcano through Infowars ...and it's going to change the way we live forever. Its terrifying, but also unavoidable with our greed and laziness to change. It serves as a MEGA wake-up call for me to simplify my life, and gain skills other than those that move for money. My garden is a good size this year, and I'm going to be drying and canning as much as i can. Sometimes it takes a fire (or uncontained oil gusher!) under our human asses to make us move and change things up for the better. Hip yah!

2010-06-11T10:48:00.000-07:00

illustration by M.H. Jeeves

Somedays ths is how i feel..."God, even though i know you love me...i'm still angry!"

Stella and Dot

2010-06-09T15:15:00.000-07:00

So, I've started another business..yup, i did. I've been slowly turning Ovio into a mums and babes business, selling belly butters, perfumes and salves, etc..that are safe and wonderful for the childbearing crowd. Then there's Boho Birth; my Doula business that is expanding into pre and post natal herbal and nutritional consultations, Hypnobirthing and all things prego. And then there's the midwifery student in me needing another stream of cashflow to fund my education and all the other supplies i need for my other businesses (which aren't really "work" since i love what i do). So i signed up with Stella and Dot...and I LOVE IT. Its a nice break from all the serious info i read and preach about all the time. I don't have to make it, or stock it...all i have to do is wear it and have "Trunk Shows". Aside from doing farmers markets this summer for Ovio, i will be doing some doula work and working on Stella and Dot. Please check out my website, you can order on-line or through me..and the pieces are like artwork..many of them made in the same (sweat shop free) factories as Prada and Lanvin...something the design freak in me gets excited about. http://www.stelladot.com/sites/boho

down by the river where the kooks do roam

2010-05-20T21:47:00.000-07:00

I just got back from taking the kids to the river to throw some rocks before bed. It was so beautiful out..i took them around 8pm, and the sun was just perfect. I was hitting myself for not bringing my camera, but sometimes i force myself not to take it, just so i can let my kids enjoy the moment without their dear mother taking their photo. ("Stay right there, don't move...stop posing!! Just do what you were doing..naturally!!!...oooh, the light is just wonderful!"..and on and on i go) We threw some rocks and i ducked my head from getting hit at by three kids of different heights, who each think that they can throw right over my head. Then i realized we were alone there, all alone..in probably one of the worst place in Kamloops to be alone in..down by the river, "where the kooks do roam"..in a quiet place..with nobody around except a strange man sitting alone in his car in the parking lot, and the a man walking by, talking to himself. My imagination started going and then i remembered last summer when a gentleman was pleasuring himself in the bush beside the bike path. Suddenly i saw my mothers face telling me that "God gives us wisdom, so don't be stupid"... So I made us leave and then i felt like a big sissy.

Maybe this guy was waiting in the bush!

nice weather = forgotton blog

2010-05-14T16:31:00.000-07:00

I have been forgetting to blog lately (and to read my favorites)...its been so lovely outside that i haven't even wanted to..after all, keeping a blog and reading other blogs is a nice escape..but when i have the bright outdoors to escape to..who needs a computer desk in the basement? I've also been back to the books, taking some midwifery courses and putting together an on-line shop for Boho Birth. I've been so inspired lately in the path I've chosen that i've really been enjoying the routine of slow days puttering around the house, and playing with the kids in the backyard..and then the more grown-up evenings; studying, working, and being with an adult. There will never be enough time (or motivation!) to get everything done on my list..but i'm OK with that.

I have just gobbled up a great book titled; The Idle Parent...please check out the website; The Idler for some great parental advice :)

shuffle

2010-05-04T21:56:00.000-07:00

I am officially a soccer mom. Oy. Yes, its true. In fact, soccer now occupies three nights out of my week, and on one of those nights, i have two kids at opposite ends of the city at their games, which start at the same time. Talk about a shuffle! I hate shuffling..and hurrying... and eating frozen waffles for dinner at eight.

No wonder soccer moms have such bad reps, and even worse clothes...they do the week day scramble and it BLOWS! Side note: Jaida rocked as a goalie and Levi was able to keep his shorts up.

Now this lady is workin' some serious sparkle..look close..cheek & earlobe.
Photo taken from The Sartorialist

smattering of colour

2010-05-04T10:54:00.000-07:00

Love it...

photo from here

holiday

2010-05-02T14:42:00.000-07:00

I love this little vintage trailer.

Photo taken from here!

One summer in the not-so-distant future my family is going to camp out in a tiny little camper for the entire 2 months of summer. Far away from Starbucks, grocery stores and those damn cell phones. Oh, the dream..

One of my passions..natural perfumery

2010-04-27T09:52:00.000-07:00

Fragrance from Jeffrey DeChausse on Vimeo.

Some of my favorite things

2010-04-26T23:21:00.000-07:00

My FAVORITE artist (since yesterday) Rick Leong.

Charmco has the cutest little darn charms you ever did see...(this would be an 'add one a year for my birthday' kind of present since these are not for the short on cash).

These organic baby blankets with poetry written on them from Merry Fellows.

artist Rick Leong

Klutta

2010-04-23T11:24:00.000-07:00

I purchased a book last night called "Throw out Fifty Things- Clear the Clutter, Find your Life", by Gail Blanke...and wow, this lady is good. The book gives you detailed instruction for every-single-item in your house, and you have to give yourself scores on how well you did in certain rooms. This is a great challenge for me, since i am terrible at deciding what i NEED to trash...i either end up getting really angry and throwing out stuff i maybe shouldn't have, or not throwing anything away, because for some odd reason the "clutter" gives me comfort. I know that all of my books, clothes and boxes of keep sakes are just a symptom of not letting go of the past and of emotional issues (good memories and hurtful ones that i'm not ready to deal with)..and also the "i WILL fit into those damn skinny jeans again..i know it!" reasoning doesn't help either.
So Today, i'm going to go back upstairs and sort..and let go...and think thoughts like, " What would i care about losing if my house caught on fire?".

A FREE and wonderful design mag!

2010-04-15T00:23:00.000-07:00

For those of you who know me well, you know that i LOVE home design magazines. My favorite magazine was Domino and last year it was dropped for publication(I have all of them..is that sad?). Boo. Oh, how i looked forward with delight to the new issues. I loved that it had pictures of real peoples homes..some were tiny apartments decorated with small budgets and others were big houses decked out with bigger budgets, and all of it was brilliant. So, in 2010 the former market editor of Domino launched Lonny...a free online magazine with all of the greatness of Domino. I love real magazines more; the ones you can turn page by page, but this is the next best thing. (..and its free!) Check it out here...

authentic beauty

2010-03-30T00:09:00.000-07:00

I used to work in a health food store while we lived in Victoria, i was 22 and i was just coming into this new realm of being a mother, a wife, and embracing by new post pregnancy bod..which was actually pretty great when i think about it, but i remember being sad about my larger breasts that i knew would eventually sag..and the two stretch marks i had gotten (the second and third babies would bring along more saggage and a few more stretch marks, along with a herniated belly button that will forever be an "outie"). Anyways, back to my story...since i worked at a health food store, where vast amounts of hippies with hairy pits and dirty finger nails entered, i began my new vulnerable body conscious journey with GUSTO.
These women would come into the store to buy things like flax seed and enema bags, smelling like patchouli and lavender while not even batting an eye at the fact that most of their boobs hung a little low for North American standards, and their legs resembled ..hairy ones. I'm not sayin' they were all pretty...but they were stunning and beautiful in their confident smile, and their devil may care attitude.
When a woman knows she has purpose and strength, she is beautiful. Have you ever seen a woman working on a farm? Hair tied up loosely, sun burnt skin, dirt on her hands....she's not primping and always aware of what she looks like, she's aware of her plan, her focus, her purpose. THAT is what is so charming about people, men and women alike, who don't take themselves or their looks so seriously....their beauty is original and authentic, not copied or practiced like a role. It's real.

Botox = Boring (can i make a bumper sticker like this?!)

I'll often visit The Sartorialist to see pictures taken of interesting folks with their original style, from all over the globe.

(Photos taken from The Sartorialist)

art in my hART

2010-03-25T12:25:00.000-07:00

Reform School is a super cool shop in Silver Lake, CA. They also have an on-line shop, and i am so tempted to purchase almost everything...probably a bad idea. The art prints are very well priced, plus Urban Barn and IKEA don't have 'em! YEAH for original :)

Granville Art (...and stroller rentals)

2010-03-22T18:13:00.000-07:00

This past weekend while in Vancouver, i ventured into Granville Island and got the chance to poke around looking at art and textiles :) I only had one child with me so it was easier than when i usually go. (Although i did forget the freaking stroller..had to rent one at strange little office up a high staircase with no elevator...had to bring child down staircase to get money from ATM to pay the 5.00 rental fee...man who didn't speak English gave me wrong directions to ATM twice...paid the cash and brought said child and stroller down the crazy high staircase...when taking it back, had to yell at the office attendant from down below so she would come down and pick up the stroller..didn't hear me...had to carry stroller and child up, then child down. Stroller rentals at the top of high staircases!?)
That being said, i had a nice lunch with a friend at AGRO Cafe, had my sinfully good americano soy misto with half sweet caramel at my favorite coffee place (ever!) JJ BEAN , ended up learning about the difference between felting and fulling at Funk Shui Atelier, and fell in love with Jasna Sokolovic's ceramic tiles. All in all a good time on Granville (with friend and child).

Burn your bras ladies..saggy tits here we come!

2010-03-17T17:13:00.000-07:00

In the health food community there has been a knowing over the past decade or so, that lymph constriction in the breast tissue can cause tumors, and yes, even cancer. Have you ever had a really sore armpit area after wearing your underwire or sports bra all day? If lymph fluid cannot flow, it pools thus preventing oxygen and other nutrients from passing through to help regenerate tissues. At the same time, fluid filled with waste products have a harder time being flushed away. Its not too hard to see why the breast tissue can become compromised from tight fitting undergarments.
Medical athropologists Syd and Soma Singer studied Fijian women, and discovered they had very low incidences of breast cancer, as well as many other poor countries where wearing a bra just isn't the norm. We're talking about places where there is a high amount of pesticides and chemicals used, yet there is relatively no breast cancer.
Western medicine argues that the cause of breast cancer is still unknown, there may be genetic reasons, but they still need more money to find the cause! Hip hip hooray..they'll find it one day, after we're all dead, right? That gives me a tremendous amount of hope in our system.
So..this past week i went braless and loved it!! I felt so free and normal...why shouldn't it? We don't wear neck braces after our chicken skin starts to fall at 50...and maybe if we all went braless there would be a new normal in what our breasts really looked like. Just a thought.

And if i happen to come over to your house for dinner, don't worry, i'll strap one on just for you. ;)

Here is an article on the tissue..i mean issue.

Drew goes braless at the Golden Globes.

idea collector

2010-03-10T22:41:00.000-08:00

In all of my 29 years i have collected items of various catagories. Be it junk..literal junk (like candy wrappers as a kid), or books and 1950's clothing as an adult(sort of adult..i still feel like i'm in between kid land and adulthood most days). Tonight as Scott and I were sorting through old books and Vogue magazines that span about 5 years, he was getting mad at me for not wanting to toss, and i thought about why i can't just throw them out? And i realize its about all of those ideas held neatly in those glossy pages, or hidden in smelly 'vintage' books i collected from my school library as a kid. I love IDEAS! Old and new, I collect them. For me ideas are art in themselves and hope for the future. So suck it Scott.

picture taken from 'Oh Joy'

playing the monster

2010-03-05T23:04:00.000-08:00

Rubes really loves his typical nap time stories, and i usually just make one up. He always wants a dino, bear, puppy or monster in it. I like being the monster, i growl so loud that i almost scare myself. And then he says, "me don't like that game muma!" And then about a minute goes by and he says, "again". So I do it all over again substituting the monster for a bear or a dino (or a puppy!) and he (eventually) falls asleep.

portrait

2010-03-01T14:49:00.000-08:00

Photo by Lauren Nicole

I love this young girls photo. She's a Flickr queen!

Once

2010-02-28T16:00:00.000-08:00

I Love the film 'Once', the music is meloncholic and beautiful, the characters are well rounded and familiar, and the story is believable and lovely. I bought the music book the other day and i'm practicing this song at the moment.

Also, the pair from the film, have a band called 'The Swell Season'. They were a 'couple', and i was thrilled, but now they're not, and i became sad and withdrawn. boo. How's that for celebrity gossip?

dreamland

2010-02-19T20:57:00.000-08:00

On days when i feel out of control, laden with burdens, and not seeing the freedom at the end of the tunnel very clearly...i often escape into another place. Over the years the places have changed, but it always involves living in some sort of beach shack with my family,drinking exotic green smoothies from our solar powered Vita-Mix, in a country that doesn't have GMO food, with a government that just wants people to be free, healthy and happy. (If you believe that is what our current government is like, stop reading, because we already have nothing in common ;)
I haven't yet decided on a name for myself on this rare tropical island(the socialists are on the OTHER island),but i do know that i am brown and about 20 pounds lighter with no cavaties, and i think i'm at about 7 kids. Scott is the same..which is a good thing, since it means he doesn't need any changing (other than the rare occasion of 'attitude'), and my kids love hiking, digging in the dirt, and helping their mama with those darn coconut shells ..
...and then i open my eyes, and reality comes like a baseball bat to the forehead.

You know whats funny though? My little dreamland may be a tiny bit real because it helps me get through those moments when i can't see anything other than my dirty pile of dishes and the $1000.00 Mastercard bill.

http://www.pascalroy.com/
I believe that everyone needs a dreamland that brings them into a safe place where they can have a bit of a rest in..my mother has always dreamed of squirrels living in a tree with their chubby little mother bringing them biscuits and tea (don't laugh!), my kids are always thinking of a master plan for a playhouse they're planning on building in the backyard, and Scott dances in the basement by himself (can't a man have a dream!?).....Where do you go?

cool beans..everyone is sayin' it.

2010-02-17T10:05:00.000-08:00

Freedom from shoulds

2010-02-14T16:03:00.000-08:00

This past week has flown by, i am working on a couple of courses , homeschooling my tribe, and trying to detox all the excess stuff out of my life. Whether it be old clothes that need new homes, toxic relationships, or too many things on the "to-do" list that becomes a daily burden.I have decided that I am only going to do things that give me joy. It may sound selfish, but even giving is something that gives me joy..when i do it out of gratitude, not obligation. I am taking the Boundaries course and it is changing my life.

This week i am writing down all the things in my life that i WANT to do, and then i'll evaluate what fruit comes from those activities. Does it bring my family closer or farther apart? Does it bring me closer or farther apart from my Creator? ...sometimes i get caught up in wanting to do "good" things that need to be done, but what i have to look at is, "is this the best thing for my family at this time?". Just because something is good, doesn't mean its the time to do it, and maybe its for someone ELSE to do.

I'll end on this "When you always feel like you 'should' do something, you start to feel really 'shouldy'...say aloud and it'll make sense...

cutesy wootsie

2010-02-06T21:39:00.000-08:00

Check out "The World's Smallest Postal Service" for Valentine ideas...tiny heartfelt messages.

Sister Corita Kent

2010-02-02T15:14:00.000-08:00

*I read this article http://www.vmagazine.com/feature_article.php?n=590 and thought this nun was pretty rad.

SISTER CORITA KENT

IN THE 1960S, THE STARTLINGLY INNOVATIVE AND SOCIALLY REBELLIOUS PRINTMAKER CORITA KENT COULD BE FOUND NOT IN A COMMUNE BUT IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

If you were to go looking for innovation, subversion, and creativity, chances are that you wouldn’t head off to your nearest convent. But in 1964, the Immaculate Heart Convent in Los Angeles appointed a new art department head, Sister Corita Kent, a 46-year-old nun who had spent her adult life there. In the 1960s she produced some of the most original and disputed art of the era; over the course of that decade, she combined her religious vows with an increasingly successful career as an artist. It would be hard to think of a more conservative and traditional setting for a fine artist, but the resulting work was as radical and novel as it was politically engaged. Although much of her daily life was spent teaching at the convent’s college, above all else Corita was a printmaker. Her prints brought together advertising slogans with fragments of song lyrics and magazine covers, and she would often place these appropriated materials against a background of eye-scaldingly bright color. A street sign clashing with a newspaper headline, overlaid with a quote from Rilke; Jefferson Airplane lyrics and religious phrases vying for attention with a Pepsi slogan, presented in fluorescent oranges and greens. The result is like glancing at a city street corner while listening to three radios playing at once.

In other words, Sister Corita wasn’t creating the sort of image normally associated with religious art. Her work was never pious or worthy in the pejorative sense. In an age when religion was distinctly conservative and uncool, irrelevant to the ’60s social revolution, she dared to be exuberant and original. She organized parades far removed from the somber processionals of religious tradition; she persuaded cutting-edge thinkers like John Cage and Charles and Ray Eames to visit the convent; and, in doing so, she quickly became the modern face of the Church for the U.S. media. Her print work, meanwhile, was turning graphic design on its head through her predilection for cutting up text, bending it and warping it for her prints. Words appear distorted as if viewed through water, upside down, or pushed into unlikely shapes—far and away more advanced than any of the work her contemporaries were creating. Graphic designer and Hitchcock collaborator Saul Bass was one of the luminaries she persuaded to lecture at the convent, yet Corita’s work was, in fact, more radical than that of the more famous graphic artist. For her, phrases, words, and even letters didn’t need to be shown in full for viewers to be able to read them. MAR BAS stands in for “Market Basket,” RON for “wrong”—the brain filled in the rest. Richard Embray

a new blog for non-pregnant people!!

2010-01-26T16:52:00.000-08:00