Perhaps you’ve already heard about Pacific Standard Time, especially if you’re a Southern California resident.  If not, check out their site and start planning what events and exhibitions you want to go to!

“Pacific Standard Time is an unprecedented collaboration of cultural institutions across Southern California coming together to celebrate the birth of the L.A. art scene. Beginning October 2011, over 60 cultural institutions will make their contributions to this region-wide initiative encompassing every major L.A. art movement from 1945 to 1980.”

I’m super excited about these upcoming shows and events in and around LA. I suppose I should also mention that my jewelry line is going to be featured in the Orange County Museum of Art’s shop in conjunction with their Two Schools of Cool exhibit and State of Mind: New California Art Circa 1970, which is their contribution to Pacific Standard Time. I’m currently working on a batch of one-of-a-kind pieces for them, mainly with vintage materials.

Well tomorrow is my birthday. This has been an especially rough year, hence the sparse posts, but it’s only getting better. Anyway, I found this ring on Etsy and found myself thinking about it way too much… and then I bought it as a birthday present for myself. This seller is so nice, by the way! I thought it’d be a nice way to celebrate another year of life, despite the fact that it’s a mourning ring.

It’s a Civil War era mourning ring that is etched with a little daisy chain and zig-zag border on a round yellow gold disk mounted to the rose gold band. I really love how sweet and simple it is- and I like the way it looks with my signet ring (which I never take off). There is a place in back where a lock of hair would have been kept behind a protective covering, but which has worn away with time.  I’ve been obsessed with antique mourning jewelry for a very long time, but this is my first purchase, as most of it is not attainable for me ($$$!), nor is most of it practical for frequent wear.

You may have seen this image at Style.com or even followed this great tutorial on Honestly WTF.

Well I just watched Girls Just Want To Have Fun for the first time the other day (hooray for dance offs), another fun movie I missed out on in my youth.  In GJWHF, Helen Hunt’s style is that of the “quirky 80’s best friend”, and though there are other fashion gems in this movie (including a beret adorned with a plastic lizard) I took a screengrab of these dino-barrettes that reminded me of the above photo/tutorial. Granted, a less sophisticated version, but nonetheless I think you’ll see what I mean…

DIY tutorial for dinosaur barrettes ? la Helen Hunt:

1. Buy clips like these.

2. Buy rubber or plastic dinosaurs.  Stegosaurus or Pelycosaur might work best.

3. Hot glue dinosaurs to clips.

4. Wear in hair with some crazy expensive outfit, and pull off your own “quirky 80’s best friend” look.

I am embarrassed to say that I just watched True Stories for the first time last night, after years of meaning to watch it. I LOVED IT. I immediately wanted to re-watch it. It’s on demand on Netflix, so seriously, watch it. Or give it a re-watch if you’ve already seen it.

Found Eric’s work here, and spent quite a while perusing his awesome Flickr set. Check it out.
By the way, according to this photo he will draw you your own tee shirt for $75 which is expensive for a tee, but inexpensive for original artwork.

I saw these loafers at a wholesale market a few months back and drooled over them. I love them. They’re now available here.  Wishing I could spare $168 for shoes right now!

I scanned this from a Time Life book simply called Foliage House Plants.  Confession: I kinda bought this book just so I could scan Mrs. Ubogy and her terrarium, which she clearly loves and dotes on. There’s a tutorial on how to make the terrarium in the photo, but good luck finding a bottle this huge and awesome. Oh also, you will never keep it looking so pristine. Mrs. Ubogy has you beat.

I also just wanted to point out that your mom was making terrariums before you were.  But mainly, I love this photo.

The book is actually pretty good too, by the way.

I’m loving this series of paintings by Kate Shaw.  Psychedelic, but delicate.

(via here)

Another space to dream about. More images at iiiinspired.  All of my dream spaces (for example) are primarily filled with plants and light.

(via here / original photos from Elle Korea)

So I just watched Ferris Bueller’s Day Off for the first time with a friend. I know I’m twentysomething years late on this one. This scene is so good… but you already know that. Of course I also love this rad instrumental version of The Smith’s Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want.

*Can anyone out there help me to remember the artist who did a sort of fan-art piece based on this scene? I’ve been scouring the internet for it but can’t find it. It was maybe a year or so ago that I saw it.*