Confection delection!

Candy is delicious, but what is even better is this wonderful package design.




Craig Skinner says: "McCraw's was a small Texas-based company with a rich history of quality and simplicity; all of which I set out to reflect when developing their new logo and packaging for their full line of confections."




The colors on this package are simple, yet eye catching. Don't you just fall in love with the hula cowgirl? She could be a paniolo.

Cover Up! Crazy Edition

I don't think Miss Patsy needs much of an introduction. She was clearly heaven sent.
Willie Nelson wrote this song for her, and no one else can sing it like she did.

"Crazy"
Patsy Cline

BUT, these three? Don't mind hearing them doing their version at all! Diana Krall is amazing, and I have always loved Willie Nelson. I first fell in love with him as a little girl, Stardust was a favorite album at our house. (I have mentioned it before, and I'll say it again. Willie Nelson kissed me. Kissed me! Just stopped signing autographs, turned his back on about 150 clamoring fans, and turned around when I asked him to sign a hat and kissed my face!) Sorry, back to business. Elvis Costello sounds like he was always meant to sing this song. Diana looks at him when he's doing his solo, and right then you can tell how head over heels she is. Those two are madly in love, and it is written all over their faces, isn't it?

"Crazy"
Diana Krall, Elvis Costello and Willie Nelson

Boo!

littleghost creates these dreamy prints, available in the Etsy shop. The print above is titled Beachball and is available for $20.

Wouldn't Hello ($20) look great in an entryway, or a nursery?

Tea Set ($18) is just perfect for a little girls room. I would have loved this as a young lass. I still do, in fact!

Mouse House

You may have noticed, if you've been reading my blog for a while, that I've been trying to expand the focus of my posting to include more subject matter. Music is one of my true loves, but I also am a huge admirer of art and all things beautiful and creative. So, in a general way, I am trying to make these things more present in my day to day life by searching them out. Including it all in my blog is a natural extension. I am having a lot of fun with it, and I hope that you, who read my blog, enjoy it too.

The Knife, brother and sister Olof Dreijer and Karin Dreijer Andersson, are from Sweden. The moody interiors of the mouse house are the perfect backdrop for the haunting effect of their vocals. This video for Marble House, by Chris Hopewell, is so gorgeously done. I can't even imagine how long it must have taken. All the tiny details make this something that needs several viewings in order to appreciate the craftwork.

"Marble House"

Pentapus

Seriously, what is not to like about Jim Houser's art?

I love his palette, the colors are calm. I'd put any of his work on my walls. You could look and look at his work and keep finding new stuff.

This installation is so wonderfully diverse. I love the mural on the wall, and all the different sized paintings hanging on it, the whole thing together is just amazing. I hope that it was sold as one piece.

One day, one lucky day, perhaps I can have one of his works. He's a skateboarder too. Now you know he's supa-dupa cool.

Images from FecalFace.com

Axons and Neurons Firing

Nervous System makes this beautiful jewelry. The brooch above is from the Dendrite line and is made from stainless steel "cut into delicate forms inspired by the aggregate growth of coral."

These pendants are part of the Full Moon series. They are my favorites. They are $60. Each piece is one of a kind. Guess what? They have an applet that you can launch to design your very own one of a kind piece that they will then fabricate for you!

White silicone is used to make this lacy bracelet from the Radiolaria series. You can also design your own pieces from this line.

Nervous System jewelry can be made in your choice of black or white silicone, stainless steel and gold. It's really fun to use the applets to design the pieces (and you feel like a scientist.) What could be more cool than to say that you designed the jewelry you're wearing when people admire it, as they undoubtedly will?

Yes or No

Image from FFFFound!

The union that f*ckin' works for you! (NSFW)

Some stinker decided to record an alternate version of the voiceover for this union PSA for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. It's the largest public employee and health care workers union in the United States. I chuckle every time I hear the guy's blowhard tone of voice.

"AFSCME"

Brought to you in the modern style

Have you ever seen J.otto Seibold and Vivian Walsh's books? The are the author/ illustrators of the most fabulous Mr.Lunch series and Olive the Other Reindeer.
Going to the Getty is all about visiting the Getty Center in Los Angeles. It is, in all ways, fantastic. If your child has apprehensions about visiting a museum, this book will peak their interest.

"Thanks to the royal egg timer the Queen's royal eggs were always perfect. That was a long time ago."

Seibold and Walsh detail information about the Getty Center with humor and panache. From the inside of the dust jacket:

"This is a book of facts about the Getty Center in Los Angeles.
It offers:
51 Fun Facts
3 Sort-Of Facts
1 Birds-Eye view
and an Endless Column

It contains weights and measurements

and it's brought to you in the modern style.

J.otto Seibold and Vivian Walsh, usually purveyors of dog and monkey tales, now focus their attention on on a major cultural institution.

Getty, once a man, now a Center."

Can anyone FFFFind me?

Just putting this out there, but is there anyone out there a member of the FFFFOUND! website? Would you have an invitation? I'd be happy to do something nice in return, like make you a surprise, a la the Summer Swap that was arranged over at I Suwannee.

Happy Birthday Carita and Christina!

Today my sister Carita and my friend Christina both celebrate their birthday. I wish them both a wonderful day, and a year full of happiness. I love you both!

"Happy Birthday"

Everyday Wild

Mikel Uribetxeberria, representing the Basque region of Spain, takes the wild and puts it in everyday spaces. The effect is spellbinding.

It's kind of spooky how well the color of rhinoceros' hide melds with walls that surround him. For more of Uribetxeberria's stunning photography, visit his website

Not illustrative devices

Flick the Groom off Your Cake Topper and Turn Up the Cyndi Lauper, 2007 gouache on paper


Geoffrey Todd Smith is one of Chicago's hottest artists going right now. I love the detail of his work, it looks like embroidery. You ought to click on the picture to get all of the detail, because it's intense.

Some excerpts from his FecalFace.com interview:

The titles of your work are peculiar, where are they coming from?

I try to choose titles that create a mood and capture the rhythm of the image. They are often humorous and they frequently use tongue twisters to re-enforce the optical challenges of the images. They are not intended as illustrative devices. I would compare it to the relationship of titles to instrumental music.

What kinds of things are you attracted to? What's inspiring to you? or has immensely inspired you throughout the years?

Wet stones, snow falling in front of pine trees, ominous weather, looking through tree branches without the leaves, negative space, the evocative potential of simple perspective, artificial symbols for naturally occurring phenomena (fire, lightning, water, etc.), cold temperatures, annoying sounds, repetition of form, unusual color combinations, order/disorder, puzzles, old videogames, sticker collections…

Love me, Femi, Don't stop!

We're in the midst of a heatwave here in Northern California, and this song is perfect for it. Femi Kuti (full name Olufela Olufemi Anikulapo Kuti) is the eldest son of legendary Afro-Beat pioneer Fela Kuti and wife Remi Kuti. (Fela Kuti had, at one point 27 wives, dancers in his band. Lordy.)

There is no mistaking what this song is about, it's hot!

"Beng Beng Beng"

I hope your Fourth is the Bomb!

I'm going to be looking forward to BBQ and caipirinhas! I use Ypioca cachaça (rated 86 by Wine Enthusiast) and only $16.99 with a ClubBev card at Beverages and More.

Right after I graduated from high school I moved to New York to live with my boyfriend. One of the hot spots at the time was The Coffee Shop, on Union Square. That was where I first encountered the delicious caipirinha. It's truly the perfectly refreshing drink for a warm summer night. Lime, sugar and rum... delicious. I don't drink very often, and I made one each for me and Brian last night. They were pretty heady! They tasted really smooth, but I felt it. It must be all the sugar, vodka drinks do not make me feel like that. I could see how these could end up giving a massive hangover, which in my case would certainly mean a migraine. I made sure I had plenty of water before bed! With the warm, possibly hot weather tomorrow, coupled with sun, I'm going to make sure that we bring a LOT of club soda to drink tomorrow....

Caipirinha

I love the Lugano table

I don't even have a house, but I already have a big table picked out, and this is it. I love how solid it is, the details, and even better, the price point, $499.
Of course, the bench adds another $199, but it'll be perfect for really wiggly bottoms. won't it?


Adults can sit in these, I believe there are even armchairs that match. All of this is available at Cost Plus World Market.

Cover Up! Satisfaction Edition

I introduce to you a new feature on A Rollerskating Jam, Cover Up!. It will include great cover songs and the originals, if they can be found in video form.

DEVO was an amazing group, I remember hearing them for the first time as a kid, and thinking that they were so fricking cool, nothing like I had ever heard before. Even my Dad was into them, and thought that they had a great concept. I love it when they pop up on my iPod (it's always on shuffle). When (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction came on today I suddenly came up with the Cover Up! concept. I have always wanted to make a bunch of cds using the same theme, there would be so many...

Enjoy!

"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"
DEVO



"Satisfaction"
Rolling Stones