me likey

The monster within

 
Found this while digging through my vintage comic books. I called the number and it is STILL in service. Good to know.

Redux and featured!

My Etsy shop has been updated!
Check it out.

And some of my vintage fashion illos were recently featured on
www.forrestinavintage.blogspot.com.

Donna Bell's Southern Desserts

Images courtesy of Donna Bell's Southern Desserts

One recent summer day while exploring Asbury Park, NJ with some cohorts, we stumbled upon this awesome dessert truck. Literally, I screamed, 'Look, Shayna, a food truck!'  It's called Donna Bell's Southern Desserts. DBSD is owned and operated by two cute guys, Darren and Sam - like Bewitched!

Well, I took this as a personal challenge to see what was what because I was raised a Tarheel. And hell, my grandparents still live in a trailer.

We scurried over and peppered the owners with questions, "Do you always park here? What is the permit process like? What's your story? Can I see the inside of the truck?" Generously, they replied to all and gave us plenty of background info. After all the chatting I was parched, so I bought an Arnold Palmer (part tea, part lemonade) and Shayna indulged in the iced coffee. Alas, there was no soy milk. All in all, there were no complaints. Captain Ricky consumed The Mississippi Mud Pie in no time flat. Next time around, I will sample the cupcakes or banana pudding. YUM!

They forgot losers.

From the archives of Lori Spears...
May 2000, North Carolina.

You are welcome.

This is a crafty idea compliments of the local Indian culture. A fashion/sari store's welcome banner is constructed with faux flowers and spiked with silver balls to spell "welcome." I am not sure why there is a huge gap mid-word. Oh well.

I spied it while running errands and imagined it being incorporated into weddings and birthday parties. Thanks for the inspiration!

You may recall the other "welcome" oddity I found.

Trailer fetish

These Etsy gems are a tribute to my childhood summers. I chose four Etsians who rocked the camper. When I was a little girl, my family had a camper at the beach. It was so much fun to ride around on the big trike, hang out with my summer crew, swim and sleep in a bunk bed. Nowadays, I go "cabin-ing" because I am too much of a princess to stay in a tent anymore. My last tent experience was in knee-high snow in the wilds of Nevada. Ugh. It was a life-altering experience.

The first photo above features a fat quarter, an original print on fabric by Leanne Graeff. She also offers tee shirts and tea towels in cute dog and "house next door" prints. Be sure to check out her shop! Graeff also introduces us to Spoonflower which is a place specializing in custom fabric designs. This tip falls into the department of awesome. Contact Leanne at www.leannegraeff.etsy.com.

The next find is stationary made by Inky Winke of Ohio. Hello Buckeyes! These letterpress cards could serve many purposes - a moving notice or just because. Peep her other vintage transportation designs made on an antique printing press. Very cool! Contact them at www.inkywinke.etsy.com.

Read on for two more cabin delights.

In the library

So, what are you reading these days? On a recent 3 hour long bus-ride, I delved into "First Person Plural: My Life As a Multiple" by Cameron West. I scooped it up for $1 at the local Salvation Army and because I am not one to sit and read the first chapter while in the store, I read the book flap synopsis and was sold. Dissociative Identity Disorder is what Sybil suffered from, but she blacked out and could not recall any of the episodes. West said his DID was like hearing two conversations at once. It must have felt incredible and extremely scary.

Why my BF doesn't go grocery shopping with me...

 
This black and white photo is why I bought the sauce. It is so sweet. I love the oldies being romantic and I adore Rome. And guess what? Via Roma tastes really good - not ketchup-y or too sweet.
Having an arts background is a handicap when trying to swiftly navigate the aisles. All of the ooh-ing and ahh-ing over labels, shelf presentation and the overall design slows me down.

Sometimes, I buy wine based on the label, too.  I know that it is crazy.

And for all the reasons listed above, my BF despises grocery trips. Usually, he comes up with some excuse to opt out. Can you blame him?