Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society

Hello, yous!

I have been so absent and so inert when it comes to this blog (and wearing pants that don't have an elastic waist).

It's really interesting what having a job that requires you to make your own schedule does to you. On one hand, it's incredibly awesome. I can grab my computer the second I wake up and basically get going. No need (on some days) for pesky things like breakfast and the brushing of the teeth that comes after that. On the other hand, with so much freedom comes the danger of slacking on everything except work. Such as, ahem, blogging.

Now that I've sort of started to settle into things, I've found new ways to coach myself to live a more "normal" existence. It doesn't matter that my motivators are things like: "I need to get dressed so the UPS guy doesn't see me in these red pajama pants three days in a row." and "I need to go out and run some errands so I have stories to tell Marc when he comes home that aren't an hour-by-hour rundown of the cats' napping schedules." Hence, the blogging again.

Plus, I've started going on appointments and meeting my clients, which is so very fun. I basically get to visit people in their awesome shops or studios, learn what they're all about and find ways to help them.

So anyway, thanks everyone for being patient with me and my inertia. Would you believe I still haven't gone to Steak N' Shake to fetch my camera? But hey, at least I'm all showered up today.

OH, and I almost forgot about the title of this grovel-y post! So, Marc was out of town this weekend, and I'm a total baby about sleeping in an empty apartment. It was bad enough that I'd just finished re-reading World War Z last week. I was up every hour listening for creaks and moan. BUT, I was wise enough to opt not to watch a movie about zombie Nazis. Instead I got my spooks from running through old episodes of Are You Afraid of the Dark?. Do you know most of that shit is up on Youtube? Oh, nostalgia!

Whatever gets you through the night

Cat Narnia: The little bulbs are starting to grow!


Here are some daytime shots


So far, so good. But I have been yelling at one cat when he even looks at that table. I think it's confusing him.

Also, here is a picture that just makes me happy:


(Look at his rickety little legs!!!)

So I walked into a hotel in the Peruvian countryside about three years ago (which I admit sounds a little like, "So I'm rappelling down Mount Vesuvius when suddenly I slip, and I start to fall. Just falling, ahh ahh, I'll never forget the terror. When suddenly I realize 'Holy shit, Hansel, haven't you been smoking Peyote for six straight days, and couldn't some of this maybe be in your head?'")...and there is a baby deer scampering around the lobby! Eeee!

The hotel staff explained that the little fellow was an orphan that had wandered in a few weeks prior and had decided to take up residence. He was SUPER adorable and friendly and even sat on my lap and licked my face. The staff also said he was great about just walking himself outside when he needed to TCB.

I wonder whatever became of little guy. I can't imagine they let him stay in the hotel once he got all hormonal and aggro and antler-y.

But awww.

I needed that pick-me-up. I hope it made you grin a little too.

Bits and bobs

I used to have a sheet of paper that listed out everything that popped into my head and could potentially be made into a post. I've lost it (both literally and figuratively), so here are the three thoughts that I'm managing to put down before they go bye-bye just like my to-post list and so many socks in the dryer...

1. I am desperate to get to Ikea (I guess because normal seething holiday shopping crowds in Chicago aren't enough for me. X-TREME SHOPPING, GUYS! We need our own deodorant and Mountain Dew flavor). Here's what I want to eyeball/buy:

Maskros for the bedroom? Maybe?

Dinera plate. Yeah boring. But this is a just a list for me because I can't seem to keep track of paper scraps. We have four of these. 10 would be nicer.

Just a thought: this Kotte wreath. I don't think we'll be doing a tree this year since the living room has already been overtaken by plants. Plus, the cats from hell will take it down within 24 hours of its purchase and loving, painstaking (ok, OCD addled) decoration.

This simple wreath in the wheat color could be nice and low key.

Maybe pick up some fairly cute, non-denominational gift wrap while I'm there.

So ok, four things in all. This should only take about five hours, two helpings of Sweedish meatballs, one drawn-out trip through the rug section and may result in a bickering match in the as-is section and me spending about $2,433.99, plus tax. Let's go! On a weekend! (Which, incidentally, is not going to happen until at least Dec. 12. So maybe scrap the wreath.)

2. Every day on the train to work, I listen to the automated speaker man tell me, "Next stop is Library and Van Buren. Doors open on the right at Library and Van Buren."

He quite clearly pronounces "library" as a three-syllable word: li-bra-ry. BUT, as the train rounds the corner from Adams and Wabash he starts up again: "Transfer to Blue and Red lines at Li-ber-ra-ry and Van Buren." Four syllables. I've been counting them on my fingers for a week now.

Why is this? And who is the man in the speaker? This means he's real and not a robot, right?

3. I finally moved some favorite blogs from my bookmarks to the sidebar over there ------->.
They are:
Designers' Brew
Get to Fixin'
Homebug
I Suwanee
Little Green Notebook
Pony Boy Press
Saffron and Genevieve
The Design Files
and, of course, my friend Leah at Thx thx thx.

Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

5. Phew, getting all of that off my mind freed up some space, I think! I hope to have some painting projects to share with you soon...

P.S. Pat on the back to me for just spellchecking and not getting anything wrong (except for those damn Ikea names) this time.

UPDATE: Erm, maybe not on the brain clearing. It took me hours to notice that I skipped right from three to five in that little list up there. Crap.

Let's talk shop

When we first started dating, Marc and I used to take lots of walks on sunny Sunday afternoons, usually down Western. Why, I have no idea. It's not a very pretty street, but the walks usually ended with me picking up some "treasure" from Stop! Look!

This Sunday, we switched things up with a hop-skip-jump trip from Ashland to Western (Margie's Candies, what up?) to Damen. I thought the day was pretty great after I was filled to the gills with ice cream and caramel, but that was only until we ducked into newly opened Agent Gallery Chicago just south of Augusta.

Holy awesome stuff!


Also? Pretty attainable prices.


And? Owner Mariano Chavez is very friendly. I had a great time briefly talking to him and hearing about his experiences so far with the shop (he's had an online store for quite some time and is now making the leap to brick and mortar).


The shop is small, so his collection of wonderful oddities is constantly revolving. Seems like a great reason to move our weekly walks a few blocks east.

Now if this lovely weather can just hold out...

(all photos from Agent Gallery Chicago)

P.S. Don't forget! Today is the last day to enter to win Nutty the Squirrel.

Can't get you out of my head

I'm kind of having one of those days where crawling inside a giant skull sofa that's lined with a sheepskin rug doesn't seem like such a crazy idea.

On Sundays I worship at the house of Craigslist

In other news, I recently found out what kind of people food my cat Harvey likes.

Hard-boiled egg yolk!

He's also already putting in lots of time on the Kofod Larsen rocker I bought yesterday (for a freaking song!).


Bonus: My mom has given me some great, simple white canvas I can use to recover the seat.

Black poodle curls may suit Harvey just fine, but they're just not my cup of tea.

*Speaking of breakfasts of champions, I had a drink at Kurt Vonnegut's favorite bar over the weekend. Such a cool, homey place. And just when I was beginning to lament the lack of good dive neighborhood/corner bars in Indianapolis.*

Pillow fight!

So originally, I was going to do a round up of all of the random, wonderful crap I'm watching on eBay these days. I'm certainly not going to buy it, so why shouldn't you?

But then, I noticed that a seller had listed all sorts of seriously awesome vintage needlepoint pillows. And you know, I love me some needlepoint pillows.

Actually timely, aren't some of these so nice for fall?


Perfect for reclining and sipping cider.

Maybe you want to put on a cowl-neck sweater and some Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie glasses and zone out to an old Judy Collins record while lounging with this guy.

I know I do.

Hey! Check out this one! It's a Cooooosssssssby sweataahhhh!


Come on, these two are so nice and neutral, you can't say they won't go in your house.

Ok, so the tulips aren't so seasonally appropriate, but who cares? They're awesome.

Too tame for you? Ok, then.






BLAM!!!!
How you like me now? I'm a badass blue-eyed Bengal tiger comin' at you from the couch!

Ahem. Actually I may have to kindly ask you to back off this guy. I kind of think I need him in my life, ok?

Go check out the seller. He has quite a few more snazzy pillows for sale (and some not-so-snazzy ones with corny golf sayings on them if that's your thing. No judgement.) Best thing is that they're all pretty reasonably priced at around $20. Even designer sample sale pillows are way above that.

If you guys are super nice and tell me which pillow is your fave--or if none, what random junk you like to collect--in the comments section (and stay the hell away from my bengal), I'll put up a post with some other neato eBay treasures.

Warning! A major whisker watch alert is in effect here

Sorry, guys, this has nothing to do with anything and is pretty damn ridiculous. But it's too hilarious not to share. (Leah, thanks for sending me this!)

P.S. Want a peek into my future?

In my leisure suite

Here's where I'll be tonight
Pretending that I live there. Or can afford any of their snazzy wares.

More info if you care to go:
Enjoy local art, great furniture, a beverage, and good company!

Artist/ gallery curator David "Netherland" van Alphen lives and works in Chicago, Illinois. Though David's family was from Holland, he was born in Toronto, and has been in Chicago for the last eight years. Being a child of the 70's has influenced him greatly and is reflected in most of his work. Juxtaposing images, his color choices and the new modern context comes through his nostalgic imagery and helps to isolate and enhance them into a beautiful montage. David does not resize, photocopy or scan any of the images he uses. All images are cut directly from their original source and and pieced together to keep each piece unique

More info about Netherland.

“Leisurama” will be on display until Friday,Sept.18th

Sunny Sunday afternoon of the dead

Man, spring has finally strolled into Chicago. This weekend was gorgeous.

Not wanting to waste a lovely, sunny Sunday, I spent yesterday afternoon curled up on my couch, drinking cheap (but kind of overpriced since it was from 7/11) white wine and eating Boy Scout popcorn while watching Day of the Dead.

While this is definitely the weak link in Romero's trilogy, I did notice that the actress who played sassy scientist Sarah looks a lot like a less-pointy Feist.

For your consideration:
Sarah


Feist


My roommate and co-viewer, who is even more of a pigmentally challenged Indoor Kid than I am, agreed. So we spent the duration of the movie shouting out, "Kill 'em, Feist! Kick his ass! Good, good. Now sing 'Mushaboom!'"