A Beautiful Mess

mymymyyy....

thank you for all of the kind comments about our "things i wish i had known" post. i felt great about sharing those things after (seriously) years of contemplating them. thank you for being so kind.

a few quick shares...

the poster for Mr. Larson's upcoming show. i can hear them practicing downstairs as i type this... sooo exciting! it's going to be wonderful. 

and it's been a little while since i did one of these....

the famous "what's in my bag?"
(i was reminded that it might be fun to do this by this lovely girl)
here's my list: 
-wallet
-journal
(a new one... i finished my previous one yesterday!)
-lots of pens
-flower ring
-perfume
-fingerless mittens (thank you Vivianna!)
-utility bill :)
-nerd glasses
-to-do list
-phone
-assorted fruit flavored gum
-sunglasses x 2 

i have been stitching on this thrift shop bag (inspired by some of my favorite designers... Orla Kiely & Betsy Johnson). I'll share more pics when it is %100 complete!

well, i have finally had a chance to conquer a few more home decor projects. I will share pics tomorrow. this is the most inspiring place i have ever lived. i really need to share more photos of the street. it's wonderful. and i am really pleased that my loft is taking shape because this lovely one is coming to stay next week....

our friend, sarah (who jeremy often calls "the coolest girl ever"). hopefully we will take plenty of photos and do lots of thrift shopping... oh yes, and making crafts!

ok... back to work for me.
xo. els

friday already?

how is it that this week has just disappeared?

well, this is where most of my time has gone....

you never get too old for jr.high style homemade tattoos! mr. larson gave me this one, he is quite the artist! 

my favorite boots... $7. :)
that's the problem with perfect boots, you can never find them unless you aren't looking.

my sister sent me some vintage copies of peter pan books this week. they are beautiful! i feel so inspired to work on my painting series.
i've been thinking a lot about my favorite painter, jim houser, this week...





he doesn't have a website, a blog, a myspace or a way to be contacted directly.... must be nice, in some ways (well, for time management). i don't blame him. but i do wish he had something, but it's ok... i'll just keep reading this. it's wonderful!

and one more little bit of inspiration for this week's end...





one of my favorite bands has a new album out this week. :)

oh, and then there's this...

and interview i did for our local GO Magazine.
As with any spoken interview the quotes aren't exactly as i would have said them... but you know how it is.  no big deal! :D

if you live in Springfield, you have probably noticed that the clouds have been uncommonly pretty this week. i  want to take some photos. Clouds are one of my new daily pleasures.

happy friday to you.
elsie

content.

my dad is the cutest ever!

here he is with one of his painted gourds... :D

today i spent most of the day painting and working on new projects...

i have to keep most of the new projects i am working on secret for just a little bit longer.... *sigh*.

so, i thought it would be fun to share a few *amazing* online vintage stores (for those of you who, like me, love to thrift shop but stay home waywaywayyy too much ;)).

mousevox

vint junky

bleubird

goodnight... :D xoxo. elsie

this week i vow...

to post every day!

I am feeling a rush of creativity, so it might be fun to share... and here is some randomness for now (you know i love the random stuff. ha!)

the sunglasses collection in my car... it's getting a little bit out of hand, but i don't mind. :)


my lovely friend, miss lulu, has opened an etsy shop for her beautiful self portraits. i really think she has the most adorable portraits i've ever seen!

and a few other etsy faves for the week.....


i've been a big fan of this shop for a long time now... so lovely and creative.

this print makes me smile.... i love it.

*sigh* the black apple shop is so lovely.

she has a little comic book right now....it's cute cute! i had to order one for my someday-in-the-very-distant-future-children. :)

and this is freaking cute as well. i just love it!

lately, i am going CRAZY to take new photos, make new stuff for my shop, start scrapbooking again (i've had a bit of a break and i finally feel really ready to fall in love with it again), and thrift store shop... there are not enough hours in the day.... i love this feeling. every night  before bed i am rushing to write down more ideas to experiment with in the morning and it's a great feeling!




these photos from the image is found blog are so inspiring. i think my camera is getting lonely these days... have to set aside some time to play this week!

and one of my favorite bands in the whole world has a new album coming out... you can listen to it here. so magical and inspiring. magic. magic. magic! i might even take a break from the flaming lips this week to listen to this album while i paint... maybe. :)

and last but not least.... my wonderful and *veryvery* talented friend, Brandon, has been filming for Mute Math  for the past month-ish and the stuff he is doing is *so beautiful*! i just wanted to share.... 

haircutz

somebody got a new haircut today... :D


my friend Phillip has this awesommmmmmme hair salon downtown called Blu Skies. he's the best!
here is a photo of his beautiful salon....

(this photo is by ryan. he is SUCH a great designer!)

look what emma sent in the mail..... :D so much fun.

well, it's a short post today.... i have lots of painting to do tonight!
xo. elsie

images from my world....

i decided to take some random shots of my home today... projects i am working on and "just for fun" shots... i wanted to give you a little peek into my daily life...

pretty sure these are the best snack in the whole world.... mmm.

some 25 cent coffee cups... i always thought when i was younger that i would like shopping at more fancy places, but nah... i still love thrift stores. pretty sure i always will.  it's one of my favorite "alone time" activities. so refreshing.

a note that emma left me a few weeks ago... can't erase it. not quite yet.

a new painting (still a work in progress!)....

some new sketches... working on new ideas for my etsy shop...

a new little clay toy friend i made... she is tiger lily inspired.

my dad made these!!! :D he has always been really into gardening and he had a whole bunch of gourds he saved and dried from this past year and he has been painting them! there are so many fun ones.. ghosts, aliens, star trek characters, a gnome and this past week he made one of jeremy and i (my parents *love* mr. larson)! :D i love my dad SO much. I need to remember to take my camera over there Sunday afternoon and get some shots of his whole collection so you can see them. it's so fun to see him trying new things. since he retired a few years ago he has had a lot of hobbies. he made his first painting a few months ago. i love it! :) thanks dad, for inspiring me to always keep trying new things!

a thrifted purse.

some new dolls from  one of my sweet etsy friends.


some new small paintings on wood. i love painting on wood lately.

and i have a new roommate around here... this darling girl. we have fun..... and speaking of fun, my love love love love love love love love is moving here next week! only .6 miles from my house... so i am pretty sure this is going to be the best summer ever. having these faces nearby is really like a dream come true for me...


brett and rachel have been among my closest friends for the past seven years and we have never lived in the same state before, much less within walking distance! rach and i started Red Velvet, our art group, about five years ago... being able to work together on a weekly basis and be an almost daily part of each other's lives really has been our dream and i am so thankful that it is finally coming true!

i just had to purchase this because it reminded me of someone i know ;)
i love ashley's art so much. she has such a beautiful style...


just in case you haven't checked it out, here is a link to her shop. :)

and speaking of etsy, some other good finds....
this girl has some beautiful work.




and i love this print sooo much!

link here.



and i am always quite the fan of matte stephens.

my little emma has been busy busy too sewing felt dolls.
(she made this first one for mr. larson....)



the peas make me smile! :D

i've been sort of in the mood to shop for home decor stuff....


these are super cute if you ask me....

i love these colors!  

and if i could crochet i would probably try to use this kit.  they are SO cute... but i am sort of maxed out in the hobby department at the moment.... :)

(whoa... this is turning into a very long post... ha!)

i have been dreaming of taking a little trip someday to oregon to stay in one of these awesome treehouses.   i mean, seriously... i can't think of anything cooler!



(they look sooooo magical!!)

speaking of cool trips i am dreaming of, emma and i are thinking of visiting Salvation Mountain next time i am in california (soon!). it's so beautiful... i've been wanting to see it for such a long time....





oh, and i saw this cute ad for my book in the new CK yesterday...it's always exciting to see stuff like this that i've worked on for such a long long time come to life... i love that feeling!

you still have a little wait until CHA, but the new collections we have been working on are my favorites we've ever done. i am so excited!

well, it's time for me to get back to work.... have a wonderful day.
xo. elsie