“Please have snow, and mistletoe…”
Wordless Wednesday
“Inject your soul with liberty, its free.”
December 19, 2008, 1:12 am
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When I was in high school, actually make that junior high, I was a big Cranberries fan. My cousin bought me a VHS (oh god, I’m dating myself) of The Cranberries live in England and I played it constantly. I thought Dolores O’Riordan was the coolest woman on the planet. As a matter of fact the first time I cut my hair short, when I was 15, I was inspired by her. She looked so amazing with it, it was fashionable, and edgy… yet not as out there as Sinead O’Connor’s shaved head. She was definitely an icon back then. Outspoken but not pushy, through the song and video ‘Zombie‘ she made known the mostly ignored and unresolved struggle that had been going on in Northern Ireland for so many years.
Since then, Dolores has grown her hair out, gotten married, had three babies and left the Cranberries for a solo career. Last May, she released a new album called ‘Are you Listening?‘ I haven’t got the album, but I read up on it and listened to most of it on the internet. On Amazon, the majority of reviewers gave it 5 out of 5 stars, I’d have to say based on what I’ve heard I’d give it 4.
The songs on the album are based on her life, and experienced during the writing of the album. According to an interview on Bobbysix:
As well as being a delightfully catchy listen, Are You Listening? is a powerful juxtaposition of the darkness and light in O’Riordan’s world. Her song Black Widow was inspired by the death of her mother-in-law, while current single Ordinary Day is a paean to her daughter. In Human Spirit she sings: “Don’t let life consume you/It could eat you up inside,” and it is clear that Dolores O’Riordan is now wise, worldly and ready for phase two of her musical adventure. “When you’ve learnt as much as I’ve learnt, the second time around you see the error of your ways. I’m not saying I’ll never make a mistake again, because I will, but not the ones I’ve already made.”
If you liked the Cranberries, and like her voice, then you’ll definitely appreciate this album. Its like having the old Cranberries back again, or at least their sound. And its been a long time, since the last few albums they released (‘Bury the Hatchet‘ and ‘Wake Up and Smell the Coffee‘) just didn’t have that… at least for me. However if you didn’t like the Cranberries, or don’t enjoy O’Riordan’s voice, then you most assuredly won’t like ‘Are You Listening?‘ and I don’t see why you’d buy it or listen to it in the first place.
‘Black Widow’ is a haunting song with an almost choir-like feeling to the intro. ‘When We Were Young’ is so much like the old Cranberries it almost gives me déjà vu. Same with ‘Ordinary Day’ and ‘In the Garden.’ Theres a lot of drum machines used, giving the songs an almost Evanescence kind of vibe. Not that it sounds anything like Evanescence.
I’m definitely going to get my hands on this album. And I’d love to get my hands on that coat shes wearing in the promo photo above as well…
Dolores O'Riordan 'Are You Listening?'
“With your cherry lips & golden curls…”
Paradise Lost, 2007
Will Cotton has been a favorite painter of mine ever since Jay turned me on to him in 2004 or so (he worked at the time for a woman named Mary Boone who owned an art gallery that Will Cotton showed at). Not only is he practically photo-realistic in his depictions, but the colors he uses are just divine. Hes the kind of artist that I can only dream of being. To me, a good artist is someone who makes you not just think, but get excited over the work. And Will Cotton definitely does that for me.
Candy Curls, 2005
When I first started following his work he used way less models than he does now. I must say I like the juxtaposition of the females with the candy, it reminds me of the Sofia Coppola movie ‘Marie Antoinette‘ when her and her ladies-in-waiting are eating all those candies and pastries and trying on clothes. Specifically the painting above, and the ones below.
Rachel, 2006
Ribbon Candy, 2008
As someone who runs a website called Cupcake Rehab, I’m sure you can see and understand why I love these pieces. I wish he’d do a cupcake painting for me! He typically paints in oil on linen, and his sketches/drawings are also available for viewing on his website, along with a new sculpture that is also fantastic. I encourage you to check out his site, you’ll be amazed at his work and he’ll soon become one of your favorite artists.
These are a few (more) of my favorite paintings by Will:
Chalet, 2003
Chocolate Bath, 2002
Root Beer Swamp, 2002
Nuthouse, 2007
Chocolate Wave, 2002
Insatiable, 2008
Will Cotton
“Who doesn’t know I’m a big mess.”
To quote Eminem in ‘Without Me‘: “Two trailer park girls go ’round the outside, ’round the outside, ’round the outside…”
Or one trailer park girl in this case:
There. Are. No. Words.
Yeah.. I’m gonna pay $500 bucks a ticket to see THAT on tour. She definitely named her new album appropriately- ‘Circus.’ But an even better name would’ve been ‘Sideshow.’ And she can be the fat lady who eats babies or something, ’cause thats what she looks like.
Can somebody please explain to me how she sold 500,000 albums in the first week of that mess’ release? Please? Anyone? Do people still take her seriously? Do people still think she can sing/dance/not be batshit crazy??? Please help me understand.
This makes me laugh till I pee. I love The Superficial.
Britney Spears is a mess
“Its a marshmallow world.”
December 12, 2008, 9:05 pm
Comments ClosedThe year before last, my beloved gingerbread house that I made my senior year in high school in Sister Santa’s (I swear, that was really her name) art class finally bit the dust. Despite shellacking it and coating it in non-water soluble polyurethane, it finally just succumbed to moisture and fell apart. But it lasted almost 8 years so I can’t complain.
So last year I decided to make a new one. I followed Sr. Santa’s lead and made the actual house out of brown corrugated cardboard (thanks to Gingerbread Lane and the help of her website) and used a glue gun to put it together, then decorated it with canned Betty Crocker frosting (because of the high sugar content and how hard it gets when it dries) and miscellaneous candy and cookies. I cut a hole in the back piece and covered the windows on the insides with waxed paper, and then use a small set of white Christmas lights to light it by putting them through the hole in the back. Its beautiful, fun and not as complicated as you may think. And now I am here to tell you exactly how to do it yourself!
This is a super-fun project for people of any age. Because you use cardboard, you don’t have to worry about using uneven gingerbread that will fall apart easily, yet when decorated it looks just the same. You don’t have to make it this size, you can enlarge it or reduce it to your needs. This is for a basic house- feel free to add a chimney (like I did) or whatever else you can think of!
Cut two square ‘A’ pieces; 8″ x 8″
Cut two triangular ‘B’ pieces; 4″ high x 8″ wide
Cut two rectangular ‘C’ pieces; 12″ x 8″
Cut two rectangular ‘D’ pieces; 12″ x 6″
Once the pieces are cut out, cut out windows and draw a door. Make as many or as few as you like. Save the cut out pieces to use as shutters. If you want to light your house, be sure to cut a decent sized hole on the back ‘A’ piece.
Glue the four base pieces (‘B’ and ‘C’) together. Once dry and sturdy, glue on the two ‘B’ pieces. Then add the final two ‘D’ pieces. Now you’re ready to decorate!
I used Ginger Snaps for shingles on the roof, Twizzler bites for bricks on the chimney and front of roof, green Life Savers for Christmas wreaths on the windows, starlight mints as trim, and wintergreen Life Savers on the front of the house and graham crackers on the sides for shingles. I used two candy canes on either side of the front of the house and M&M’s for shutters and the walkway. Spearmint leaves make cute landscaping, and if you wish to make a tree for the front of your house, use a sugar cone. Put it upside down, and use frosting to attach spearmint leaves to it all the way around it. Then use red hots as “lights” if you like. I used white puffy paint to make lines on the windows and make “drips” on the windows as well.
Now you’re ready to display your house! If you want to keep it year after year, make sure to follow these tips:
- Spray with a NON water soluble polyurethane spray outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. I spray it once, let it dry and then spray it again. Do not over-saturate it though, because the candy will run or “melt.”
- Store in a plastic garbage bag tied tightly and THEN in a box thats sealed.
- Place in an area that isn’t too humid (if possible) and where it won’t get knocked over easily.
If you use these steps, your house will last a long time. Of course, every year minor repairs will most likely need to be made. And some candies do crack (see my M&M’s in the above picture) or fade a little, just by their natures.
There are so many possibilities, and so many things you can do. Check out this website and this website for ideas and inspiration. You can make it simple, or make it crazy complex. Its up to you.
For edible holiday recipes and ideas, check out my cupcake/foodie blog, Cupcake Rehab.
Gingerbread house
