Feathered Hair and Sequin Glove

Rest In Peace

Goodsh*t: Prints & Paul

Paul. Watch out Steve.

Ikat

African Wax Print

Bandhani

Before there was Steve, there was Paul. And before there were either of them people were doing some important shit, designing beautiful fabrics. (I got full-on exposure about age 10. My dad always had Paul Simon's Graceland blasting on countless trips to our cabin in Ruidoso, New Mexico. It has been forever in my top 10 albums of all time. Serious stuff.) And given the background and recent trip to South Africa and recent job change into the world of print and pattern design, needless to say it's becoming my theme music. Anyway...

Current trends in the P&P world are very very ethnic, so much so, I am thinking about taking weaving lessons and booking my next trip to Central Asia. (One director has got me carving potatoes to make stamps for a floral print for girls! NICE!) I just want to share a few of the prints I am recreating:

Ikat - is a style of weaving that uses a resist dying process similar to tie-dying on either the warp or weft before the threads are woven to create a pattern or design. This is probably one of my favorites to re-create, they hail from South America, South-East Asia. I might just need to get that loom. But seriously, no budget for that, so I have been painting with watercolors and dragging those paintings into photoshop and slapping a filter on!

Bandhani - Bandhani is a dye/tying process. Grains are tied to the cloth and then the cloth is dyed, usually in black, green red and yellow. The part where the grain is tied remains white. Bandhani originated from Gujarat, India and various colors and patterns represent imparts of new life. We have a serious budget and I can't actually tie all the fabric myself, so I have been using white-out pens to achieve a similar feel, now if only my darn printers can get it right!

Wax Print - Similar to batik, wax printing is resist dying with a wax pattern covering the fabric. Always multicolored with intricate designs, some versions also include African proverbs. I have not made any designs with wax, but I do a lot of things using Elmer's glue. It's a faster approach and you get similar result. But I dunno, I think i am going to try my own wax designs, I wonder if that will infringe on the fire codes here? I keep picturing lighting candlesticks and dripping the wax all over.

And so that was your lesson of the day.

PS
I HIGHLY advise you click on the links. My descriptions are a little shotty! Busy day today!

Goodsh*t: Burnet Durn-it Cancha Learn-it?

Attawaytogo!

I think this photo was from 1990. Look how AWESOME my hair is.
From L to R: Holly Ray, Me, Lauren Taylor (Burch)

If you were good you got merits. If you were really good you got lots of merits. If you were a spazz with your merits like me, you blew them all at the merit store. Yes, it was like real money. And you could rent little woodland creatures too. This merit is actually from the 60's or 70's I believe. Some how this made it to NYC with me. The more recent ones are plastic and clearly I have no more of those.

The Quail Cabin '89
From L t0 R: Lanie Mckinnon, Carter McMahon, Kelly Pugh, Kristin Queen, Caroline Whiteside, Jeanne Connor, Lauren Taylor (Burch), Me, Gibbs Colgin (Miller), Mary Connor

I went to school to pass the time so I could go to Camp Longhorn every summer for 10 years. So much fun and secrets you'd think I joined a cult.

OH! And some famous CLH alumni: Blake Mycoskie the founder of TOM's!

PS
My hair got SOOO blond from the sun my first year, my parents didn't even recognize me when they came to pick me up!

PPS
The cult actually continues in old age, they have alumni camp, which I find extremely tempting, but too lazy to actually book the flight all the way to Texas!

Goodsh*t: Bicycle Regime

The Royal Me © 2009

I have been riding up to 20+ miles every week, even early in the mornings for about half an hour! SAY WAHT! I can't even believe it myself. So what I am sure you're all really wondering is, what gets me going (aside from my badass steed) especially at 6 am on a weekday? The ULTIMATE HARD ROCK BIKE SESH playlist:

1. Bang Your Head - Quiet Riot
2. Rock You Like a Hurricane - Scorpions
3. We're Not Gonna Take It - Twisted Sister
4. Round & Round - Ratt
5. Seperate Ways - Journey (What? you thought STEVE wouldn't be apart of my workout?!)
6. Cum On Feel the Noize - Quiet Riot
7. Electric Avenue - Eddie Grant (What? yea, so what, it doesn't go, but it keeps me from yelling at pedestrians. Calms me right down. Seriously, ya'll need to wake up, I nearly clip your head everyday. Think of me as a car, ok? I will run you over.)
8. Kiss Me Deadly - Lita Ford
9. Pour Some Sugar On Me - Def Leopard
10. Don't Stop Believin' - Journey (If you hear these lyrics at about 6:57 am around McCarren Park being shouted, it's me.)

(Or really, you could just buy The Wrestler soundtrack.)

Get Outta My Way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS
I should really list the mister's, as we are on opposite ends of the music spectrum. Did someone say The Poni-tails? We often ride together, the playlists keep us sane, as he rides like a cabbie and I ride like an angry grammy. It helps us focus and channel our true cyclist personas.

Goodsh*t: "It's Tradition!"

Ada Limon and I have a tradition, 3rd year in the running: Urban Booze Cruise starting at noon on the weekend of Memorial Day here in beautiful sunny Williamsburg. Summer is here, can you feel it?!

PS MAJOR NEWS!!!
Miss Ada has a poem "Crush" published into tomorrow's New Yorker! Congrats my dear! Massive!

PPS Ada's Poem!

Goodsh*t: Bow Intensive

The Royal Me © 2009

I like bows. I like stippling. It's little out of hand. I notice a lot of people write some really clever sh*t on their blogs or post-it notes or whatever. I don't got nothing clever today, just bows.

Goodsh*t: First Crush

Steve. Perry.

PS
Got that shirt in my hometown, at the American Council for the Blind. Hands down, best 2nd hand shop ever. I think basically because all the shit I want is so out of style in the minds of my old community that they wouldn't even think twice about my Journey 1986 Tour baseball heather grey shirt with royal blue quarter sleeves for a $1.82.

PPS
Don't stop believing.

PPPS
Oh fine, it was the Oh Sherrie song, you know that part where he's singing and then he's all woo'ing Sherrie on the steps?

A Change In The Weather...

The Royal Me © 2009

You know what's good? When you realize dreams that you didn't know you had (but you did, you just filed them away in the back of your mind. Maybe because you just thought now wasn't the time or perhaps you couldn't figure out how to execute them.) COME TRUE. I am happy to report that from here on out, instead of being a "Graphic Designer" (YUCK, I have always thought those 2 words, just did not FIT with me, EVER) as my current profession, I will now be specializing ONLY in print and pattern design. I will be tackling the world of fabric and intricate detailed ideas with pens and paper and watercolor and india ink and OH MY!

It's nice when you know something works for you, just you. You know?

Goodsh*t: Advice For Sale!

The more expensive things are, the better! Everyone knows that!

Holy Sh*t!: Card Carrying Members Only!

The Royal Me © 2009

I had a request for some business cards. Like I could say no to Deb. And what a better classier way to let loved ones know you are infected?

Goodsh*t: 4!

Who, WHO (and while I realize this song got waaaaaaay overplayed) doesn't love a little Feist, a little Sesame Street? It's Thursday!

And some totally irrelevant information about myself:

The last person I saw: Everyone there ever could be using NYC's MTA during morning rush hour.
The last person I talked to: The check out lady where I got my yellow split pea soup.
The last thing I bought for someone else: A vintage handkerchief. A belated birthday gift for Le Jeff.
The last song I heard: Kraftwerk's Tour de France
The last movie I saw: 3 o'clock High
The last tv program I watched: Green Wing
The last book I read: Another Bullshit Night in Suck City: A Memoir by Nick Flynn (still need to finish that)
The last time I laughed: This morning. While working with a colleague on some art. We thought we might ACTUALLY wear the garment the art was going on.
The last time I cried: On the plane to Austin. I was so ill I felt bad and cried because I thought the boyfriend wouldn't get to have fun in Texas!!
The last dream I had: I don't even remember. I slept like a rock.
The last thing I ate: Whole wheat toast with avocado, tomato, onion and salt and pepper.
The last thought I had before writing this post: This post prior was too short with just Feist and some muppets.

Holy Sh*t!: It's Kitten Time!

The Royal Me © 2007

A drawing. With Elmer's.

Goodsh*t: Signs, TX

If there's anything Austin should be known for (sans music, food, etc.) I think their signage should be waaaay up on that list. Every SINGLE establishment has type-candy, these are just a few, and can generally be found in the infamous SOCO area.

PS
Can anyone suggest a good camera? I am just noticing how CRAPTASTIC these photos look in comparison. I guess I could photoshop, but that might require more than I am willing to give. I will however shell out $500 for a new camera. Thoughts?

Goodsh*t: I Scream

The Royal Me © 2006

The Royal Me © 2007

Megan Price aka Mr. PS © 2006

A few folks here and there have asked to see what I do at work, so I thought I would share a few things from here on out. I can't share a lot of things I do because the clothing I do designs for has to hit the floors before I can release my ideas! You know, that binding contractual type of stuff. Anyway, while perusing one of my favorite blogs for me, for you I ran across MrPS (Megan Price) and fell into some sugar coated lust with her self screened totes. Like I need anymore bags, but I digress, it had ice cream all over it and well how can I not welcome summer with a little ice cream? I. Scream.

PS
I did those 2 treats for some girlie girl tees.
The first one was done in pen and tracing paper (heavenly textures!) and the second was some full on watercolor!

PPS
Unfortunately ice cream kills my tummy (lactose), but luckily I am a coconut JUNKIE and have been enjoying Purely Decadent's Mint Chocolate Chip. HOLY COCONUTS! It's GOOD!

Goodsh*t: Austin, Texas

Before I was a New Yorker, I was a Texan!
And I fully intend to get mah "twang" back!

Yawl check back with me now, ya hear? I will have extended my vocabulary in the meantime thought I would list a little Texan Terminology while I'mmatit:

Fixin' - (fix-in). About, when used with to, pronounced "tuh", as in "I'm fixin' tuh go to the game." Or, the whole of the side dishes included with a meal when made plural "fixins", as in "We're havin' turkey and all the fixins."

Big'o - (big-oh). Big ol', big ole, or big old, as in, "That sure's a big'o truck."

Whole 'nuther - (hole-nuther). A whole other, an indicator of something altogether different, as in "That's a whole 'nuther can o' worms."

Kerr's lyte - (Coor's-Light) Beer. "How's 'bout nother round of Kerr's Lyte?"

Yawl - (You-All) the pronoun of the second person plural "Good to see yawl!"


And of course, a little Waylon and Willie and the boys:



And rest assured, we gonna Honky Tonk when I get back! YEEEEE-HAAAAAW!

Goodsh*t: La Planète Sauvage

Fantastic Planet is.
As they say, "Put it in the Queue".
It's best viewed (heard) in it's original French language.

Goodsh*t: Miso & Ghostpatrol

I have been following Ghostpatrol's work for some time now, now insert Miso. Australian street artitsts: Quiet Adventure. Dark Dreams. Lost/Regained Childhood. Sly Foxes. Happy Tuesday!

PS
Find the whole of the documentary here.

Goodsh*t: Technicolor Dream Spring

These started out as drawings for a shirt or something. These are old. (The green one was inspired by some sheets I had as a kid. I hated them at the time, but now I wish I still had them!) I liked them so well I threw them into illustrator and pumped them full of color. Happy Spring! Can we have some hot weather now?

Holy Sh*t!: The Counterpart

I have a boyfriend. He's rad. My friends even think so. WOW! But I do get a lot of questions as to how I met such fine fella in probably one of the most difficult cities to have a solid relatioship. Well I will tell you: I got him off the internet.

After a year hiatus off of dating and what-not, I took matters into my own hands and joined a few of those dating sites. From the advice of a good friend "It beats meeting dudes in bars", I just said f*ck it. I actually had a really good experience even though I wasn't necessarily comfortable with the idea, a romantic at heart. So I thought I would share my online profile and how I scored! ENJOY!

PS Once he lets me, I will share some of his artwork here and maybe hopefully his architecture and design.

"Occupation:
DesignerPainterLoser

Quirks:
The word or phrase that best describes my personality:
funnypsychosweetbitch does that work?

The best or worst lie I've ever told:
I am from the South, therefore, if you don't like someone you be nice as shit to their face and talk about them when they're gone...

Fill in the blank: _____ is sexy; _____ is sexier.
NO. NOOOOOOO!

My most humbling moment:
Signing up for this shit.

The last thing that made me laugh out loud:
Signing up for this shit.

Ideals:
If I could be anywhere right now:
By the ocean.

If I was given a million dollars:
I would buy a piece of art and invest the rest.

Philosophies:
Five items I can't live without:
camera, tracing paper, paint, bike, friends

25 years from now, I see myself:
retired.

The role religion plays in my life:
none. none at all.

My personal motto or creed:
I beg your pardon! I never promised you a rose garden!

Style:
My personal style:
jeans.

The celebrity I resemble the most:
Gary Busey.

Body art:
Currently designing it, I won't tell you where I am putting it!!!

Favorite item of clothing:
jeans.

Space:
In my bedroom one will find...
paint, cameras, macbook, books, me, no dust.

In my refrigerator one will find...
water.

Pets:
I really want a dog, hmmmm, looking around right now, I am a busy girl, so I am still considering the idea.

Work & Living Environment:
The pace of my life is best described as:
laid back.

What I like - or dislike - about what I do for a living:
I draw unicorns for a living and I just got promoted, so I am pretty happy about that at the moment.

The type of family I come from:
A divided one.

The amount of fame and fortune I've achieved in my life is...
I am quite famous in certain circles...

Interests:
My favorite way to spend a weekend
Ridin' my bike.

If I could take a class on any subject, it would be...
awesome if I could just sit still for that long!

The sports I play, and the sports I watch
I am too competitive, I am not allowed to compete, people get hurt.

My most unusual or impressive skill
I can draw the mirror image of things just by looking at them. I have number dyslexia!

Entertainment:
The last great book I read:
Women, Charles Bukowski Sweet Land Stories, E. L. Doctorow The Portable Dorothy Parker

In my stereo right now, you'll find...
She & Him, Cheeseburger, Yelle and Yacht Rock (reference: Toto, Christopher Cross, Steely Dan, Hall and Oats. Oooo and i got outfits to match this genre!) And currently, I cannot get enough of Bread.

5 albums I can't live without:
Claude Debussy, Sigur Ros, Paul Simon, The Cure, Old 97s

The best movie I saw this year:
The Donner Party

Movies which spend the most time in my DVD player:
Anything by Simon Pegg i.e. Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead, Spaced.

Shows I Tivo (or would)?
NO.

Favorite on-screen sex scene:
you mean besides all the porn I have jamming up my harddrive?

Dating:
Activities I'd enjoy on a date:
Wine.

A date should be planned:
to include wine.

On a first date, I expect:
Wine.

Why You Should Get to Know Me:
I have a bike, I like to ride it and I am an artist/designer so I love making art, seeing art, making fun of art, vandalizing...

The. End.

Also:
I love cooking.
I love painting (currently working on my portfolio, as I would like to pursue an MFA in painting.).
I have a certificate to confirm my 3 years of lady lessons (I have manners and know which forks to use).
I love wine.
I love music.
I love to travel (headed to South Africa in the fall!).
I am from Texas.
I am better than you.

More About What I Am Looking For:
I'm gonna be straight ya'll, if you don't ride bikes, you don't have a job and you can't open the door for me when we hang out, NEXT! No seriously. I work really hard and I play really hard and I would like to meet a dood who can keep the pace and who is clever, funny and confident and has a nice group of friends too. Friends are really important, I got lots of them and they are a big part of my life, so you should definitely be social and outgoing! Also, it would be nice too, if your psychotic ex has already been put away somewhere, I have had enough of the death threats already. And no, I don't want to be in a threesome because "it will be fun" and no, I don't want to snort rails off your ass "you sure?" and no, I don't think collecting clown figurines puts you in touch with your "feminine side". Shit's creepy.

I am also big fan of fashion, so if you are wearing (look down) no and I mean, yea, I know you can change them, but NO PLEATED PANTS. Coaching shorts, yes! I put effort into mah looks, and so should you! When I look mah best, I feel mah best!

PS Using a shoelace from an old pair of chucks and tying it around your head is not sharp-looking nor does it make you outrageous and bohemian in appearance. It's just a dirty string around your head.

Just sayin'

And don't hotlist me bitches! It makes me think you're hesitant! The winking creeps my shit out too!

But, at the end of the day, I just want someone to ride bikes with."

Goodsh*t: Topshop

Tomorrow. Finally. 11 AM.
3 floors of utter chaos.
478 Broadway
New York, NY 10013