The Trading Tortoise

It's no secret that I am a fan of 

• art
• travel
• exploration
• spreading the beauty
• stories
• documenting said stories, and
• all things awesome.

If you also love any of the above, I encourage you to watch Monica Choy and Souther Salazar's Kickstarter video, and be inspired.  The duo imagined a way to combine all of the above into a unique experience called The Trading Tortoise.  I love that Ms. Choy and Mr. Salazar created a way to give (both to those who are lucky enough to witness the sure-to-be-stunning installation in person, as well as the pledgers who earn rewards for donating via Kickstarter) and to facilitate giving, among people from communities far and wide, at their traveling trade post.  Not to mention, the stories behind traded items will be a gift available to all on the website.

Apparently, I'm not the only one who feels The Trading Tortoise is an absolutely necessary project, because their Kickstarter campaign met its funding goal last night, with 17 days to go.  Even though the project has been funded, you can still contribute (and earn super cool rewards like postcards, mixed CD's, and zines created while the Tortoise is on the road!).  Extra dollars will go toward making extra stops on the tour.  I hope they stop in a city near you, so you are able to see the Tortoise and trade something special for something marvelous.

What would you bring to trade?  Would you make something for the occasion?  Do you already own an object you'd like to share with someone from somewhere else?  Just thinking about the possibilities makes me giddy!

That's the spirit!

True fact: I love receiving texts from Alicia.  Alicia tends to text me when she notices awesome things—street musicians with fancy instruments and the like.  As though she's a magic scout, keenly attuned to detect wonderful things, compelled to alert me to the beauty that abounds.  A couple weeks ago, she spotted this charmingly embellished advertisement on a BART train, and gifted it to me.  Behold the Googly Eyed Gnome!      

I believe we should start a movement to make 53% of all texts, messages of this sort.  (The other 47% can be the practical kind, of course.)  Agreed?

Sweet.  The next time you're out and about, I challenge you to 

1. recognize when you're witnessing something worthy of your admiration,
2. take a moment to appreciate whatever you see,
3. snap a photo, and 
4. send that photo to someone you think will share in your joy.

It'll be like one big, never-ending scavenger hunt for awesome.  We can assign points for various sightings: 25 for spotting an origami dinosaur on a park bench, 50 for a yarnbombed bike rack, 996 for a unicorn noshing on an ice cream cone.  We'll call our game Magic Scout.   

p.s. My cousin Melissa also plays this game.  She found a purty pink-haired gal in San Francisco.  How many points should we award her?

I did it!

One of my goals for 2012 was to read at least three books written for an adult audience.  Considering that I often go on young adult fiction binges that can last upwards of eleven months, planning to read three was doable, but certainly not a given.  I'm proud to say that as of April 11, 2012, when I completed Sherman Alexie's The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, three of the eight books I've read since January 1, were not written for adolescents!  (Insert my happy dance here—which bears a striking resemblance to the twins' moves.)

That said, I want to share a graphic novel (written for young adults) I recently read with you.  Meet the Janes, who are the cast of characters in The Plain Janes, a tale written by Cecil Castellucci and illustrated by Jim Rugg. 

After the main Jane's parents move her to suburbia in the name of safety, our leading lady manages to make friends with three other Janes-of-various-spellings.  Together, they form The P.L.A.I.N. Janes, a secret "art girl gang" whose mission is to create thought-provoking public art, in hopes of inspiring their strip-mall loving neighbors to appreciate beauty.  P.L.A.I.N. = People Loving Art in Neighborhoods.

Reasons these Janes are kind of my kindred:   

• Main Jane's (far left above) first thought as she stares at the sky from the perfectly manicured lawn in her new yard, notebook by her side, bird chirping overhead: "I'm in hell."
• And as she enters her new high school, she tells herself: "Remember it's just four years . . . Om, and all that."
• Jane-with-the-bob (second from right above) puts on a prosthetic nose and recites from Cyrano De Bergerac when she tries out for the school's production of Grease, much to the horror of the "cool" girls running the auditions.
• "I want her to stop worrying and love the world again." —Main Jane, speaking about her mom.  
• P.L.A.I.N. projects include: installing hundreds of stuffed animals outside an animal shelter with clever signs encouraging pet adoption; a message bottle tree, with instructions like dance, hug, and skip inside the hanging bottles; and yarn bombing parking meters and fire hydrants with striped cozies. 

No doubt you understand why I would invite the P.L.A.I.N. Janes to help fulfill my birthday mission.  These girls would be all over #s 5, 9, and 12!  

p.s. You're still totally invited to help fulfill my birthday mission, too.  The Janes would be so proud, and I would be impressed, grateful, and a lot of other positive adjectives!   

Be flattered, J.Crew

I've been eyeing these J.Crew shorts for a couple months.  But, I am simply not willing to pay $60 + tax for a pair of shorts.  A pair of shorts, people!  J.Crew, you are not that cute.  Okay, you are.  You totally are.  Nevertheless, when I can create something similar to what you're trying to sell me at a 75% margin?  With items I already own?  Not willing.  Sarah is my name, and creativity driven by frugality is my game.    

Supplies: denim shorts, pencil with an unused eraser, measuring tape, fabric ink, dish to serve as paint palette, and newspaper to protect the table.

In progress: I didn't care to be perfectly precise, but I didn't want random dots all over the place, either.  So, I used the measuring tape as a guide to keep my dotted rows more-or-less straight.  For the first row, I started at the waist, and placed each dot about halfway between the sewed seams, roughly 1" apart from each other.  Each subsequent row is approximately 1" below the one above, and staggered ½" laterally, too.  See the pattern?

Voilà! 

And, yes, I've worn these in public*, completely oblivious to the fact that the right leg sports a good 1½" more denim than the left. 

*at Disneyland, no less!  See bottom collage.

I'm still working on my French knots . . .

As promised, I crafted a bit this weekend.  I finished a beanie for Ben (pom-pom included), and a free-form embroidery piece (see above).  This needle work totally counts as my weekly doodle assignment.  A threaded doodle.  A threadoodle, if you will.  

I'm not sure what to do with it, actually.  It's on a flour sack towel, which is enormous, and the embroidery is in a corner, so it's not like the design will be on display when I fold the towel to hang it.  A framed wall hanging?  A throw pillow?  What do you think—what can I Cinderella this into so the embroidery will be prominently featured?    

Craft the Rain Away

Weather reports predict more rain this weekend in my neck of the woods.  More rain = more indoor time.  More indoor time = nonstop craft-fest (okay, maybe not nonstop, like, I'm sure I'll pause to feed my cats now and then. And should you concur with my transitive relation re: rain + craft time, you are welcome to take snack breaks, of course.).  So, I browsed ye olde world wide web in search of fun, rain-related projects to share with you.  Behold:

     

Bust out your scissors and electrical tape to create a mural with brightly colored construction paper, then admire your relaxing rainstorm like Color Me Katie.  If the outdoors aren't currently cooperating, might I suggest this soothing sound accompaniment?

If you'd rather create more dainty wall art, try your hand at embroidery.  Take inspiration from Katrien of pilli pilli.  Aren't her cloudy creations delightful?  I love the simplicity, and how they feel simultaneously modern and traditional.  I know the third piece depicts snowflakes, not rain drops, but it's so pretty, I just had to show you.  (One, two, three.)

Feel like channeling your inner Calder?  There are some darn sweet tutorials for cloudy/rain-inspired mobiles online.  Granted, the instructions for the one above (available here) are in French, but I'm sure someone with your smarts, and a little help from Google Translate, would make it work.  Other options:

Happy Raincloud Mobile

Rainy Day Mobile

Crumpled Paper Mobile

and I still think cloud lanterns are dreamy.

Or, if you'd prefer to pretend you're a Project Runway hopeful, alter some t-shirts using homemade appliques or bleach.  (I'm certain you could work wonders with a bleach pen if you'd rather "draw" than "paint".)

If you complete any of the above projects, you deserve to treat yourself.  This charming crocheted brooch would be a perfect reminder of your rainy day crafting—like a grown up Girl Scouts merit badge.  Be prepared (for people to compliment your uncommon ability to accessorize)!

Rainy Day Comfort Food

My most cherished comfort food, no matter the weather or season, is a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup.  Imagine my delight when I discovered a recipe that merges the flavors of each into one sandwich.  

I intended to make that tasty sandwich and attest to its awesomeness here.  Alas, I got lazy.  Or more precisely: hungry.  I didn't have time to roast tomatoes for 15 minutes, people.  I opted for a shortcut version, which was tasty, but I'm sure doesn't compare.  I am content, however, that this (↑) was in my belly in under five minutes.   

Shortcut version:

• Slice a tomato.  Salt and pepper the slices.   
• Spread some fancy stone ground mustard on slices of whole wheat sourdough.  
• Slice* enough cheddar to cover the bread.  Arrange cheddar slices on the bread.  Grind some pepper on the cheese, as well.  Trust. 
• Place the tomato slices on top of the cheese, and pop the concoction in the toaster oven for a few minutes.  
• Voilà!  Open-faced grilled cheese + tomato sandwiches for the impatient/famished.

*This post brought to you by the word, slice.

If candles aren't enough

Fact: baking bread, muffins, or cookies further enhances the cozy factor during a rained-in morning, afternoon, or evening.  The aroma wafting from the oven is almost as delicious as the end product.  Almost.

I baked these Almond Roca Cookies for Ben's dad yesterday because a) it was his birthday, b) Almond Roca is his favorite candy, and c) see above.    

Let it rain

Further inspired by the rain, I compiled a playlist.  I hope my favorite rainy day songs encourage you to celebrate the awesomeness that is spring rain! 

p.s. My seventeen-year old self would be very disappointed that November Rain was not included.  And I fear to think what nine-year old Sarah would have to say about my deliberate snubbing of Prince.  Don't get me wrong.  Prince is brilliant.  I love him.  I just wasn't in the mood for eight- and nine-minute, gospel/pop/rock/orchestral pieces with epic guitar solos.  If you are in that very specific mood, by all means, enjoy the Purple Rain.  :)

Customize your Notes-to-Self

Today I turned a blank Moleskine into a customized spot (pun intended) to record my notes-to-self.  If you'd like to do something similar, all you need to gather is

• a blank notebook
• various papers (I used what I already had on hand: origami paper, a postcard, and a TOMS catalog that came in the mail yesterday.  But think of the possibilities!  Gloriously colored junk mail, favorite photographs, index cards, graph paper, wrapping paper scraps, etc. etc. etc.!)
• a 1" diameter circle punch (similar to this guy)
• glue

I simply punched out some circles of the colors and patterns I fancied, arranged them around the cover until I had a layout I liked, then glued the little dots in place.  My only suggestion to help you make a less janky version is to use a paint brush when applying the glue.  Distributing a smooth and even layer of glue might help eliminate some of the bumpiness I saw under some of the thinner papers (I'm looking at you, origami paper!).  If you don't have a circle punch on hand, you can use something circular, like a can of tomato paste or a quarter, and trace it with a pencil, then cut it out with scissors.  I think different-sized circles would be très cute, too.  Or abandon the circle idea altogether, and cut out star shapes or triangles or hearts.  Or create whatever kind of collage you like.  Endless, the possibilities are!

A tiny little notebook is perfect for carrying around with you at all times.  You never know when you'll need to record a magical moment (e.g. when you discover a fantastic mural in your otherwise sleepy hometown, splash about in some puddles with your fancy rain boots, or create the perfectly cheerful playlist).  I write in mine at the end of each day, and challenge myself to list all of the wonderful things I observed, created, or felt during the past 24 hours.  By simply knowing that I expect this of myself each evening, I am more aware of noticing the goodness as its happening each day.  

Or you could use a little notebook like this to keep a running list of all the things you'd like to create.  Here's a list of ideas to get you started, if you're drawing a blank.  ;)

Happy weekend, everyone!   

p.s. (Blurry) bonus photo of Cleo's photobomb attempt.

Synchronized umbrella twirling?

If it were snowing where I live, I would be outside doing this, right now.  I wonder what the comparable activity to do in the rain would be?  Ideas?

Snow Drawings by Sonja Hinrichsen, found via Colossal

Great GOOD article + Ira

Ira Glass on Storytelling from David Shiyang Liu on Vimeo.

Remember, yesterday, when I said "we should create because we can"?  If your response was either "Yeah, but I'm not creative," or "Yeah, but what I come up with is crap,"—well, then, today's post is for you.

First, I'd like to remind you that both Ursula Le Guin and Pablo Picasso believe that creativity is innate; it's just a matter of recapturing it (if you ever feel you lost it).  If Ursula and Pablo's wisdom still isn't persuasive enough, please read Becca Nath's article on GOOD, How I Learned to Be Creative.  Before she needed to hem a pair of pants for a hot date, Becca would've said "nature" when asked if creativity was a nature or nurture thing.  But, now she knows the truth: being creative truly is a matter of being creative.  Creativity begets creativity.   

Now, for the scary truth: you may not like what you create, at first.  But fear not, friends.  Every creative person who is renowned as a "genius" created "crap" at some point.  (Don't believe me?  Perhaps Milton Glaser will convince you.)  And, if all of the words offered so far are still not enough to encourage you to create something, I direct your attention to Ira Glass's take on creative work (watch video up there ↑).  True, he's speaking of storytelling, but the same principles apply to creating in general.    

So!  What will you make because you can?

Fill in the blank

You may have noticed that I like me some whimsy and cheek in my street art.  I also have a penchant for pieces that make me think.  But Candy Chang's Before I Die project goes beyond simply making me think.  She re-imagined an abandoned house in her neighborhood in New Orleans, and gave her community a public place for reflection and awareness.  Using plywood and chalkboard paint, and offering chalk to all passersby, she created opportunities for individual expression and community interaction.  Brilliant.  I am in awe of her vision and its execution.

The project has grown, and continues to spread into other communities.  I found the wall in Santa Cruz particularly poignant.  And, as a runner, I appreciated San Francisco's twist: I Run Because.  Reminded me of the exceedingly sage pontification I once offered the world, via Twitter (the source of all contemporary philosophy worth its salt): we should run because we can.  

I now expand my credo to incorporate living an art-ful life—we should create because we can.  Thanks for the reminder, Ms. Chang.

Makes me smile

when people re-imagine their surroundings—

making streams of hearts gush from once-obsolete pipes,

and dumpsters smile.

Makes me smile when folks see potential in objects, and use them for something other than their original purpose.

And turn something mundane into something amusing.

Makes me smile to daydream of a home that greets me with a cheeky grin.


Sources
Color Me Katie's heart pipe 
Kristin Farr's smiling dumpster
refrigerator magnet letters mural
piano stairs
smiling house

Progress Report

Have you guys crossed off any tasks on GOOD's Art Every Day list this week?  I managed to check off a few, especially if you allow for altering and amending (which I do!).

✔ Doodle for 10 minutes straight.  Here's a close up of my favorite part (the yellow squiggles!).  Little did GOOD know, I keep a notebook exclusively for doodling, and I "assign" myself one doodle a week anyway.  :)

✔ Create something handmade.  Here's a crocheted cowl I'm working on.

✔ Research an art topic.  I began my quest to learn more about the origins of street art.  Yarn bombing is a form of street art that is particularly close to my heart.  On the left: Ben shows appreciation for a yarn bomb in Leipzig, Germany.  On the right: a tree cozy in Salzburg, Austria.
  

✔ Share links to a favorite artist's work.  I am smitten with Björk.  Not only is she a talented, hard working, and unique musician, she collaborates with others to create stunning visual aspects to her music performances.  Have you seen her videos for Crystalline and Moon?  Mesmerizing!  But, since we're about to usher in the weekend, I thought I'd also share my favorite upbeat Björk tune: It's Oh So Quiet.  I dare you not to dance along!

✔ Support the local arts scene.  Tomorrow is my first day of volunteering at the Museum of Craft and Folk Art in San Francisco, and I am so excited!  (But not like Jessie Spano excited; not to worry.)  Some of my first tasks will be in preparation for the closing party of the Randy Colosky Fiat Lux exhibit, which features the piece pictured above, Axis Mundi.  The entire exhibit is interesting and thought-provoking—especially in regards to how we view ordinary objects and their use.  If you're in the Bay Area, you should come check it out between 4:00-6:00 p.m. tomorrow.  MOCFA is near the Powell Street BART station.  And I hear there will be beer. 

I hope you all have an art-ful weekend!

p.s. I have a few other ideas for how to incorporate art into your weekend, if you're interested.  ;)

Be GOOD: Art Every Day

I'm a bit tardy alerting you guys to GOOD's 30-Day Challenge for March.  But you know what they say about late and never.  Plus, I'm giving you the opportunity to double up on some artistic activities for a few days in order to catch up, thus enhancing your enjoyment on said days twofold.  You're welcome.  ;) 

I digress.  The good people of GOOD are challenging us to incorporate art on the daily.  They've brainstormed 31 tasks that will ensure we are maximizing our artistic interactions with the world.  A few of my favorites:

• doodle for 10 minutes straight
• take a street art walking tour 
• make origami

Ok, you know what?  All 31 are my favorites, and I don't want to retype their whole list.  So, follow the link above to see which daily art activities you'll perform in March.  Feel free to alter some of the tasks, delete any you're not into, and/or add your own!  I even see some major crossover opportunities should you still desire to participate in the Magic Mission.  :D

p.s. That stunning Tupac/Adventure Time mural up there?  Is in Castro Valley!  I know!  (I mentioned it once before.)  Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I would not believe it either, friends.  But extraordinary surprises are all around us.  Are you looking?

Starting with #4

My partner in whatever the opposite of crime is (aka Ben) and I finally completed one of the projects for the Magic Mission.  We gathered provisions:

(yes, bubble tea played an essential role in this particular project)

and got busy.  Ben was, of course, all about the pun.

(TAG! You're it!, Don't leave me hangin', bro!, etc.)

Rhyming anthropomorphism also served as a muse—Cats shooting craps!

I, too, tried my hand at the visual pun.  See the corner of Have a [soccer] ball peeking out down there?  I was kinda proud of that one. :)

But sometimes just-plain-cute trumped clever.

Bonus points for sparkle.  Always.

We tied our tiny-messages-to-the-world on chain link fences, tennis court nets, tree branches, door handles, and bridge railings.  Today was such a windy day, though, that it was difficult to get photos of our tiny messages "in the wild".  Let's just say this guy reads, "you're a shooting star," ok? 

We saved quite a few of the lot, so the adventure will continue!  Do you have plans to complete a Magic Mission this weekend, friends?  If you're looking for an easy/fun one to start with, I highly recommend #4.

Cheers + magic to you!