right side of the brain meets left side of the brain.

Tonight I had to bring my laptop to the geek squad at best buy so they could help me find a printer that is actually mac compatable. The man opened up my computer and asked, "Are you an artist?" I didn't know how he knew, and he said, "There's paint all over your computer." At first I thought he thought it was cool, but then he sounded all annoyed and said, "I like things clean." I think he was also disturbed by my background picture, a Ray Caesar painting. Ohhhh well.

fox trot.

Black pencil skirt. Statistics: $15 and one size too small, the last one in the store, 6 buttons - 2 rows of three at front of waist. Isn't it great that they're called pencil skirts? How 1950s secretary. And how great would it be to be a writer and wear a pencil skirt?
I love the cover of this Snow White sticker book!

I painted a word for you.

Last fall I took a book making class in which one of my classmates handed out this poem: HOW TO BE AN ARTIST. Stay loose. Learn to watch snails. Plant impossible gardens. Invite someone dangerous to tea. Make little signs that say "yes!" and post them all over your house. Make friends with freedom and uncertainty. Look forward to dreams. Cry during movies. Swing as high as you can on a swingset, by moonlight. Cultivate moods. Refuse to "be responsible". Do it for love. Take lots of naps. Give money away. Do it now. The money will follow. Believe in magic. Laugh a lot. Celebrate every gorgeous moment. Take moonbaths. Have wild imaginings, transformative dreams and perfect calm. Draw on the walls. Read everyday. Imagine yourself magic. Giggle with children. Listen to old people. Open up. Dive in. Play with everything. Entertain your inner child. You are innocent. Build a fort with blankets. Get wet. Hug trees. Write love letters. ----I think this poem is lovely and wanted to share it with all of you! <3 Yours, Amanda

Your hair was long when we first met.

Some sketchbook stuff:



And some pictures from the kids' last day of summer:
Ellie and her Zelda.
Ely needed milk for his cereal, so he went down the dirt road to his Nana's and brought back a jar of milk. He gave the rest to Lillian, who licked it off her paws.
We drew for a little while. Ellie drew cute cats.

Ellie, Sam, and Rob played on the hammock..
and I rolled in the grass with Chelsea. I miss the summer already. It's back to Cambridge on Monday. I do look forward to seeing my friends and getting back to the city I love. Love, Amanda

The teddy bear has been compromised.

Tonight Mom and I saw The Nanny Diaries and I really liked it. It got bad reviews, but I thought it was really cute. I might be biased, though, seeing that that is my job, though I am not a live in (for which I am now thankful). I also adore Scarlett. And now I must sleep! Love, Amanda

Stars and Budoirs

This is a playlist I made at the beginning of the summer, specifically designed to make me feel like I'm in an underground nightclub circa 1944. Some of the songs are modern, but they all share the same feeling.

film heart

Has anyone seen the episodes of Scrubs with Brendan Frasier guest starring as Dr. Cox's brother in law? Until tonight, I had only seen one episode - the one where at the end, though still alive, Bredan's character takes on the classic position of Jesus in JD's eyes, with one hand delicately raised in the air and his camara over his heart like it's holy, and it's the most amazingly spiritual moment I think I've ever seen on a television show. I just saw the episode where his character dies of cancer for the first time, even though it's really old. Scrubs always added amazing spiritual touches that other shows lack completely. I think it's wonderful.

I dig a pony.

Jubilee and me. <3 Molly's Farm, VT.

black forest (cake)

I miss Ian and Ely's house. :(

a girl and her goat.

a thank you cd (cover) for Molly to say thanks for our trip to vermont, based on Molly's self portrait below.
<3 Amanda

barefoot contessa meets the moon.

It's clear that summer is down to its last few dwindling days. It's a feeling I had kind of forgotten about - that feeling you get when you're a kid and the summer is almost over. Being with Ellie, Ely, Sam, and Rob everyday - who range from age 9 to 14 - has brought back so many memories of what summer used to be like and what it felt like at "back to school" time. We've been making the most of their last days of freedom.





Sigh. I will miss this summer.

At his side and drunk on pride.

I made two exciting purchases tonight. This feathered headband from Target (reminds me of a vintage hat in an easily do-able form):
and Amy Winehouse's album Back to Black. It's soooooo amazingly old school in a really lovely way. Plus her hair, eye makeup, and clothes are fabulous to look at.
I love finding great things to buy. :)
Sketchbook page.
Adorable Marlon Brando picture from Molly. <3 Sweet dreams, everyone!

red rose inn

my picture board = all the people and things I love. or most of them, anyway.
A new print that mom and I found at a consignment shop last week. I loved the white frame - it looks like a dinner tray - and since I'm obsessed with trees lately (and have always loved birch trees especially), I asked mom if we could get it. This picture does not do it any justice. It looks beautiful in our hallway.
Unfinished painting and beloved vintage cello that Ely gave me. Pine treeeeeees!!! <3 I am currently reading The Red Rose Girls by Alice A. Carter as research for a small illustrated book I plan to do this fall on the lovely Kristen and Shelby (see artists sidebar). Pretty. I am going to do something tonight involving my intense new love of capes. capes, capes, capes. Love, Amanda
PS - we went to the beach today and it already felt like how the beach does in the fall. Dead fish included.

some inspiration;

Patron Saint of Dogs...and all else.

I think I love animals more and more every single day. Otters Holding Hands

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in honor of the colder weather:

Amanda and Emily, MFA Boston, Winter 2006

curious things.

I built this dollhouse for my alternative projects class this past spring. We had to come up with and build a model of a toy. I decided to make my dream dollhouse. Very secretive and mysterious.

foxy.

A little fox sketch from the spring - it was the beginning of a textile pattern for a class.
The free download of the week on itunes is a song called "You Picked Me" by a pretty lady also known as "A Fine Frenzy". I went to her myspace and she seems to be sharing my love of the woods, which makes me happy. :) I think her song is free until August 21st. Go get it!
http://myspace.com/afinefrenzy

day in.

Today, Ely and I decided to just stay in. We built a 3 story house boat in which we fully furnished each room before putting the ceiling atop. We then moved our leggos to the living room where we built an enormous train track and crashed the Sante Fe 1928 for a good hour. Then we went to Finders Keepers on Main St. where Joe gave Ely a wonderful book about these two twin boys in the 20s who collected antiques...sort of like Ely. Next was McDonalds french fries, of course. And then back to the house to eat lemon grass and wander the yard. Sunday I'm taking him to the flea market with me.
It was a great day.

The first time that I met you I knew one day I would know you even better.

"You are the Only One I Love" by JayMay is most definitely going to be my wedding song. http://www.myspace.com/jaymay

your lip is cut on the edge of her pleated skirt...

For the past few weeks I have been in love with pine trees. I also want a cape. Maybe a rust colored plaid one. I am in my forest phase, hence the new title of my blog. More to come on this later. - And then in a more hidden corner of my mind I'm obsessed with willow trees and lagoons. Surely more will come of this in the future, as well. - Today Mom and I are maybe off to the Cape to see her friend Jill one last time before she returns to Ohio. That will be nice. Tomorrow is me, Ely, and a thousand butterflies! - before I go, some evidence of my new love of plaid:
tinted sketchbook page. Love, Amanda :)

sketcha

I always give my girls long swan necks and decided to give long limbs a try as well.

Rasputina.

I posted about Rasputina before. I've collected a large amount of pictures of them in a folder on my computer, and there is no doubt in my day dreaming mind that their photographs are better than that of any other band I've seen. They literally blow my mind. Such a little world they've created for themselves. Here are some of my favorites:




I love their play on words in their publicity photos. Adding hand lettering/beautiful words is something I love to do with my own art. Give their songs a listen - they're beautiful storytellers, too.

Kashi Strawberry Fields Forever.

Breakfast at the Acres. <3

what a little moonlight can do...

I know I already updated today, but I just can't resist sharing photos from my recent trip to Vermont. My friend Molly Geiger (a lovely photographer) invited Nicole and I to her farm for a few days of beautiful country. It really was detoxifying. A beautiful time I'm very grateful for. Pictures by Molly. <3







Nicole's polaroids <3:



Thank you, Molly and Nicole, for the wonderful time!