little red fox

in praise of Mississippi

I'll bet that's not something you hear very often, unless you actually live there. I don't live there anymore--but I used to and both parents and their families (for the most part) are also from there. So though I spent part of my life in/around New Orleans, I am also most definitely part-Mississippian. The particular area I'm talking about is the Mississippi Delta (where the best music EVER came from--in my humble opinion :). The Delta is mostly flat farmland (famous for cotton!) and compared to a lot of the U.S., one doesn't see many places like this anymore:

(farm land and abandoned house outside Tunica, MS)

(abandoned 'downtown' of Duncan, MS)

(the stretch of Highway 61)

('Old Delta Farms' silos on Highway 61)

('Club No Name' in Gunnison, MS)

Sandbar out on the Mighty Mississippi where we spent the day before the Fourth riding in the boat, floating in the water, playing in the sand...I just love a big stretch of nothing.

And where my nephew zonked out for a bit after his first-ever beach trip...

(young cotton)

And a sunset off our balcony. Total soul-healer. Exactly what I needed after finishing the run of the play-- rest, quiet, nature. Crickets! The sound of nothing:

looks like vacation to me.

We have hit the road! I wrapped up my show on Sunday and I am ready to Re. Lax. We are way out in the country in Mississippi. I'll be back with some lovely pictures shortly. It's such a stunning part of the country that not many people know about and I love it so...

42nd Street

I watched, then re-watched, one of my all-time favorite movies, 42nd Street the other day. It is by far one of the strangest things I have ever seen. I'm sure they weren't intending it, but it really seems like everyone involved was tripping on some illicit substance during filming. I love it so much for this reason. I love it for a hundred other reasons as well, including Ruby Keeler's astonishingly bad performance. Truly--it's jaw-dropping (apparently she was married to one of the producers or something). I also love, love it for the outfits. Jaw-dropping in a different kind of way. Look at her collar above. I might have to make that.

I really wanted to share, so I was pausing my computer and doing the screen-capture thing, so please forgive the poor picture quality. I think it's worth it.

I had a hard time getting a picture of this lovely girl at all. The camera just moved over her (how could it??) so this one is particularly blurry but I just think she is stunning. And the outfit. She also had black loafer-style tap shoes. Which is important to keep in mind--all these are the girls in their "practice clothes." They are literally tap-dancing day and night in things like this:

Complete with hat, sash, hair bow, and ankle socks. Dreamy.

Here's Ruby Keeler in her tap-dancing onesie looking particularly exhausted (this is right before she passes out while tapping her face off):

And Ginger Rogers in this sassy number (which I may have to re-create):

Why wouldn't you wear a monacle for around-the-clock rehearsals?

And I just love this girl--her outfit and her expression which never changed from what you see here:

I thought this would be pretty easy to recreate/make--a halter top and blousy white shorts.

I'm off to do a matinee and then my weekend begins! Have a lovely day wherever you are!

maybe the rain will never stop...

(New drawing from yesterday. Pencil and india ink on kraft cardstock.)

It really might never stop raining. Is this what it feels like to live in Seattle? This is kinda tough on the ol' spirits I have to say. And normally I love rain...but wow.

Nothing much around here today. I have two shows, which is tiring but we only have a week left!! Very exciting. I've loved pretty much every minute of this experience--I absolutely adore the people-- but I am almost never sad when things are over. I like to move on :) 

curiouser and curiouser...

(All photos from Flickr. Credits: 1. suz1212 2. AtypicalArt 3. stevechasmar 4. Beniah Brown 5. photo history 6. mystery cottage 7. eyeball jello mold 8. fixedgear 9. jack mord 10. paper pal 11. j. naturalia 12. Turn of the Century II)

vintage circus and burlesque

 

 

(all photos from Flickr: 1: 'The Fabulous Fantinos'--cardboy1; 2: 'Girl Scolding Frog'--cardboy1; 3: 'Welcome to the Customer Service'--Lobkevanaar; 4: 'Unknown French Burlesque Promo'--cardboy1; 5: 'It's not a party til the clown shows up!'--suz1212; 6: Ruby Keeler from "Show Girl"--happywanderer; 7: Suzy Beryl in full costume for the Follies--eliz.avery; 8: 'Irma Senta'--janwillemsen; 9: 'Rigolo Slangenmensh'--jan willemsen)

I'm not usually a regular-fashion-magazine kind of girl. In fact, I can't really get into most of them at all anymore. I'm a little turned off by the ads, of course, and the "articles" don't do a lot for me for the most part, either. And the styling just feels a little too far away from what I find interesting or inspiring. Though I always find exceptions, it's usually just the one vintage-inspired spread. A rare bird, indeed. But for some reason I have a lagging subscription to Lucky that I keep swearing I'll cancel....really I will. And in Lucky's defense, I do like a thing or two every other issue...not enough to justify the subscription, I grant you... However the issue before last had one of their collaged editor's picks pages that I just cannot shake. I want every single item you see above. I am seeing white pleated skirts in a whole new light and it is my newest thrifting obsession. I've made a version of the sailor pants (to be debuted soon!) and I have a plan for the shorts which are too cute for words. (As in I have none. They're that cute.) And I swear I think I've figured out a way to make that suit-styled bathing suit. Maybe I just want to be the lady in the center photo. Either way...good work, Lucky. Does this justify another year?

Yeah, probably not...

draw through the sadness

(Pencil on 8x11 kraft paper)

Not the best day I've ever had today...certainly not the worst...but feeling a mite sad did drive me to put the sewing projects aside for a moment and draw, draw, draw!...and out came a few newbies...

(gouache, ink, colored pencil on 8x11 kraft paper)

(pencil on 8x11 kraft paper)

This last one really sums up how I feel today. Useless effort...or energy reaching for...what, exactly? Anyway--it was nice to turn it into something productive...maybe I'll make cards out of them...or start a new series? I've been itching to do a new series based on a vintage circus theme...maybe these are the beginnings. Either way it was very satisfying to get back into the art portion of things...although I did finish a new headband today... :)

Sooooooo....I can be sad and productive! Very comforting. On some level...

new favorite thing

I am a very lucky girl. A lot of good things come my way, and of course it is usually via a wonderful person I knew via the aforementioned luck/good things part.

Today I was "introduced" to children's book illustrator Sophie Blackall. We have a mutual friend who thought we may have a thing or two in common, and she was quite right. :) Her illustrations are so beautiful and can be seen in about a million and one books--and they are just divine. She has a blog (where you can see some of her illustrations), a beautiful etsy shop (look at the fox and girl paperweight! sigh...) and another blog where she illustrates the missed connections ads from Craigslist. Like this one:

I think this is one of the most wonderful ideas I have ever seen! I just lost hours of my life looking at them...

small play big time

This is one of the coolest things I've had happen in a while! One of my peg-leg dolls is featured in the Summer 09 issue of Small. If you don't know about Small, it's an online children's catalog with amazing photography, kids' clothes, toys (obviously) and all kinds of good stuff. It's so beautifully and artfully done, and what an honor to be included. Can you spot Evie in the summer beach party pic above? (Hint: she's a small, well-dressed pirate :) And she's still available in the shop :)