fashion icon and muse...

i was perusing my usual gossip and fashion sites today and saw this photo of a stunning woman with lots of bangle bracelets (fyi bangles are in again) from the twenties.  of course i had to google her and find out more of this woman's life.  the woman in the photo was nancy cunard.  she was a muse and lover to many of the most famous 20th century artist and writers, ernest hemingway, langston hughes and james joyce.  she also was an accomplished writer and poet herself.  this lady got around but was also doing good like being an early advocate of fighting racism and fascism.  I found these photos and i just love them!!!  you can tell just with these photos that this woman was definitely a spitfire!  enjoy:)

more grey gardens news...

here is a video that i found on YouTube...thank god for them!!!  It has snippets from the hbo movie about, "grey gardens."  enjoy!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=AgoyHdyE91o

i just love their style!

this is a photo from style.com.  these people (iris and carl apfel) were attending a party in miami and i just LOVED their personal style!!!!  I mean come on, just because you are old doesn't mean your wardrobe can't be adventurous, right?  Enjoy!!!

drew barrymore has got it going on!

Here is a still photo from the upcoming HBO movie about Big and Little Edie Bouvier.  Drew looks AMAZING in this shot and the resemblance is uncanny to Little Edie!!! Enjoy:)

i saw this commercial...

okay last night i saw this commercial for this hair accessory called BUMPITS!  Please check out the link!!!  it makes me laugh so hard that they say not recommended for children under 12 when you know those pageant moms will use it on their 3 year old daughter AND it says that it is not edible...WTF?!  Please check it out:) 

http://www.bighappiehair.com/instructions.html

p.s.  do they want everyone to look like Amy Winehouse???

wait a damn minute!!!

okay, for anyone who knows me, knows i loves me some ashford and simpson, "solid".  but now they reworked the song into solid as barak..WTF!!!  this is so damn funny, i almost thought it was a joke...but it wasn't.  check it out on youtube...HILARIOUS!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atLsl0Rn7gk

my new "love"

so i guess with valentine's day coming soon, i have unconsciously been attracted to anything RED!  i fell in love with these vintage fabrics and valentine's when i saw them!  it just seems that unless you pay a decent amount of money these days, you can't get fabric in these vibrant colors like you used to.  ahh, the good ole days.  the valentine's cards i found i loved for different reasons.  the victorian one was just beautifully done!  the other one was hilarious because of what the caption said...read it and see..ha!  i am working on one more installment of my valentine's day cards and will be selling them at Venus and Mars - The Showroom...come and see:)

second valentine....

this valentine is called "b.loved" and i just love how it turned out.  i think one more is going to be in the series...stay tuned!

new valentine's day cards coming...

this is the first card that i will be making for valentine's day from my very own "sweet t greetings!"  i am hoping to have 2 to 3 more designs coming soon and maybe can be sold at venus and mars - the showroom!  enjoy this one for now:)

last chance harvey

me and bill just got back from watching the latest movie by emma thompson and dustin hoffman called, "last chance harvey."  definitely a heartwarming and hopeful movie.  i have always been such a fan of emma thompson and especially her work in sense and sensibility, it tears my heart out every time!  of course kate winslet is also in that movie...another amazing actress.  i found this beautiful photo of emma online to share with you.  is it me or does she look a little like jodi foster...hmm? enjoy and have a great sunday.  

what is grace jones doing right now???

this has been ongoing joke for me.  when i worked at louis vuitton, apparently the people in charge of music for the company were obsessed with grace jones.  it made me think about celebrities and such and more specifically grace.  she is so avant garde and left of center i really wanted to know what is she doing right now while i am in a uniform suit, feet hurting, inside a mall waiting for customers.  so i started my question everytime a grace jones song came on..."What is Grace Jones doing RIGHT NOW this very second?!"  There were many creative answers to this question.  I found this photo of grace in the early eighties with john waters' muse, divine.  this photo is priceless, i love it so much!!!  examine the photo, grace on motorcycle (in heels) and hood, divine, nearly naked men in g-strings...AWESOME! As I imagined her life being like what is going on in this photo all the time, she must have done things not so glamorous and decadent.  Maybe standing in front of the fridge with door open in a silk kimono (naked underneath of course) wondering if she should eat the jello pudding cup or the leftover thai food...LOL

my ongoing crush...

two words....stefano pilati!!!!  stefano is the head designer for YSL and i have had a crush on him and his style for a while now.  i love how he takes fashion risks but isn't too stuffy.  it is elegant but comfortable and lived in.  enjoy:)

last night as Celine Dion!

so last night, my friend curt and i went to the Celine Dion concert! she IS the most wonderful singer IN THE WORLD!!! our night started off just right when we got to the sommet center in downtown nashville. there was so much animal fur being worn last night, i was upset i forgot my pig blood, just kidding! i could have stayed outside the arena where they were selling memorabilia and drinks all night long! it was like a circus of crazies! i saw penny pentecostal, joe the plumber, hockey mom, not-gay-for-jesus boy and more. couples were holding hands and kissing...i can only imagine what happened after the concert with those couples..ugh! my most favorite outfit of the night was hands down the asymmetrical blue denim top and skirt with white fringe and applique...OH YEAH....i said denim and white fringe!!!

well, after enduring the annoying opening act from las vegas...he performs at the golden nugget...need i say more, the show finally began at 9pm. after all was said and done, she was amazing! when i say she belted it out...i mean belted! this woman sounds flawless...everything all those rejects on american idol want to sound like but never will.

despite being a late school night,LOL, we had a great time! celine may not be liked by everyone, but after seeing and hearing her live, she puts her all into and it actually seems quite effortless! kudos Miss Dion!!!

a couple more pics from sunday...

here are two more photos from this past sunday at the sportsplex.  i look cute...ha!  there are hillarious...thanks to jesse fortner!

ice skating on sunday

yesterday, i celebrated kim's bday with a brunch at marche and then off to centennial sportsplex to ice skate.....ahhhhhh!  i have ice skated one time before this.  my family and i went to gatlinburg, tn and went up the mountain to uber gatlinburg, which i don't even know still exists.  anywho, that was about, oh, over 20 years ago!!!  well, for kim, i was gonna try.  I had fun but wow is it intimidating!  little squirts just wizzin' by me doin' trible salchows and shiz.  i was just elated when after being there over an hour and going around the rink multiple times...i didn't even fall down!  i have to also mention that i really never was the good on roller skates either...ugh, what a wussy i was.  2009 is a new year and this is the year for trying or retrying new things.  enjoy the pics, i will have more to come when jesse send me his pics!

p.s.  in attendance was kim, jesse, mike and nayeli:)

birthday cards from sweet t greetings...

here is a couple of examples of my personalized greeting cards.  i have been doing greeting cards for at least 10 years now.  the "green" card was for my friend curt (duh, it's on the envelope).  and the other for my friend kim.  curt's card was what i was working on yesterday using the alice in wonderland illustration.  kim's was totally out of inspiration from this origami paper that i've had for years but forgot i had.  enjoy!!!

the obsession continues

well, as you know i am currently inspired by the hoyle deck of cards.  this has made for a great segue into lewis carroll's wonderland.  with all of this talk of queens, jacks and such, i took a trip down the rabbit hole.  i have ALWAYS loved this story and the illustrations from the book have always fascinated me.  i am posting one of the drawings in which the queen utters, "OFF WITH HER HEAD!"

i look cute today!

judge for yo-self!

my food status is.....satisfied

i ate this awesome breakfast this morning at my favorite spot, Sylvan Park Melrose! This food is served from down home country ladies! My waitress today was Angel....I love her!!!

i can't stop laughing...

okay, please take a look at this commercial for a local window company.  pay special attention to the overzealous little girl singing and the escape convict guy playing the guitar.  priceless!!!

http://www.theoakleycompanies.com/media.html

just another day at Venus & Mars - The Showroom

just a few random photos i took today.....me being, well.....ME!!!!

some of my handywork...

here are some pics of my artwork at Venus and Mars - The Showroom.  there are 2 pics from my playing card inspiration, female fashion icon lampshade and gold frame wall!  enjoy!!!

inspiration comes from everywhere

i have been working on our upcoming holiday, valentine's day, for the store.  trying to figure out some cool visuals and images to put up temporary without looking like a 3rd grade classroom.  i have been inspired by the hoyle poker playing cards.  i love the colors, images and patterns!  i have some ideas that i will share with you, please stay tuned.

what a difference a shower makes.

i decided today to take a photo of myself right out of bed before my shower and one after i am done and dressed(of course).  WOW!!!  thank god for soap, water and some product:)

yes, i admit it....i was living under a rock!

after years of hearing her music but never truly investigating WHO it was, i finally did!  how could have missed, NINA SIMONE? she is so raw, multi-dimensional, heartfelt, passionate, etc.  as the great comic richard pryor once said, "white people had judy garland - we had nina."  i love that she, like judy, just oozed emotions of pain, suffering, love and lust all in a few notes!  i am certainly a novice when it comes to her music, but i am up for the challenge of discovering more! 

i love this photo i found on the net of the high priestess of soul....she looks so confident and sexy!

new obsession

okay....my new obsession is this day glo resurgence.  marc jacobs is up to his old tricks.  he is celebrating his friend and past collaborator stephen sprouse, who passed away in 2004 of heart failure due to lung cancer at the young age of 50.  the day glo colors of the new louis vuitton collection is celebrating the marc/stephen synergy as they did back in 2001, with a twist!  i became so inspired that i created my own piece of day glo.  my $5 find at a local goodwill turned into an eye-catching tote!!!  enjoy:)

two tennessee queens!!!

my love of dolly runs deep.  i can remember my mother putting me down for a nap, i believe i was maybe 4 or 5.  she would put in an 8-track of dolly parton...the jolene album to be more specific. that album had jolene, i will always love you, river of happiness, etc.  i will always equate dolly with comfort and home.  i couldn't resist posting this amazing painting by my inspirational friend/artist/entrepreneur sheila b.  she too is another creative force hailing from tennessee!  all good things come from this state, don't ya think? enjoy!!!

pretty in pink

today is my first foray into the blogiverse!!!  i wanted to use this as a way to share what inspires me, makes me excited, angry, etc.  that's why it is a blog of sugar AND spice:)

enjoy this pic of a mannequin that i created at the store, venus and mars - the showroom. she's my dainty valentine ballerina.

more to come...

xoxo

sweet t