Link Kaboom 26

"Finger Painting" by Jorge Colombo, New Yorker Magazine

1. iPhone Art Graces New Yorker: Is there anything these phones can't do? Using an iPhone app called Brushes, Jorge Colombo creates lovely expressionist landscapes. The New Yorker has featured one of his digital wonders on their cover this month, and shows the entire remarkable drawing process.

2. Albertine Workspace: Offers affordable, custom made dresses. O I am SO THERE!

3. The Douchiest Phone Message in History: Note to guys, when hitting on the ladies, don't do ANY of this. Good lord...

4. How We Read Online: I am a self-admitted lazy online reader. This article makes me feel better to know that I am not alone, as well as offering some great tips on keeping that text punchy and approachable in an online environment.

5. On The Hunt For Fabulous Fiction: Looking to bulk up your summer reading list? This mouthwatering list of new fiction by NPR is a great place to start.

6. Dung Bricks: It is what it sounds like. But before you turn your nose up, what if I told you the Ecofaebrick is 20% lighter and 20% stronger than traditional clay bricks, and a completely renewable as long as there are cows around? An excellent, awesome accomplishment!

7. How To Delete/Cancel Your Myspace Account: Let's face it - Myspace is over. And if your account has become similar to mine, a veritable refuse bin of band emails and spam, you may want to end your relationship with this social network disaster, only to discover how to do so is not very transparent. Here's what you need to know to cut the cord.

And finally, Bat For Lashes continues to awe and delight with their superb music videos. Here's the newest one for the song, "Pearl's Dream." Enjoy!

Bat For Lashes - "Pearl's Dream"

Inspiration Machine 44

Clockwise from top left: fofurasfelinas, shutterblog, Allison Sommers, Miss Lulu & The Teaspoon Shortage


1. Collect antique teaspoons

2. Remember that everyday, in every action, you are changing the world.

3. Blow kisses to beautiful days.

4. Go to your local hangout, but with the intention of making it a great adventure.

5. Wear mismatched shoes.

6. Instead of smoking cigarettes, invest in a bubble pipe.

7. Make your own granola.

8. Practice laughing every day.

9. Become a collector of bad jokes.

10. Lose yourself in the moments.

May Mixtape: I Just May...

"Björk Karaoke" by Gina Marr

May is such an odd time of year. It has growing pains, stands around like an awkward teenager, never sure if it's one thing or another. I kind of like it for that reason - it's cool, and warm, and full of seasonal surprises. And it means summer is right around the corner.

Here's that music for that lush time in between.



The Playlist:

1. Interpol - Evil

2. Bright Eyes - Coat Check Dream Song

3. Patrick Wolf - Overture

4. Black Eyed Peas - Like That (Feat Cee-Lo, John L)

5. Beck - Youthless

6. Animal Collective - My Girls

7. The National - Slow Show

8. Spoon - Paper Tiger

9. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero

10. Datarock - Give It Up (Kissy Sell Out Remix)

11. MF Doom - Lightworks

12. The Fiery Furnaces - Up in the North

13. Belle And Sebastian - Another Sunny Day

Words of Wisdom: Eleanor Roosevelt

Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. In that time she carved out the position we consider today that of the First Lady, as a diplomat to public service and social reform. Not satisfied to hide in the shadow of her husband the president, Eleanor was an active political force in her own right, an intelligent, eloquent female who worked ferociously for those that could not speak out for themselves. To this day she is considered the measuring rod that all first ladies are held up to, and she continues to be an inspiration and aspiration for active females the world over.

"It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness. "

"A woman is like a tea bag- you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water.

Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art."

"I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity."

"Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't."

"Friendship with oneself is all-important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world."

"Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people."

"I could not at any age be content to take my place in a corner by the fireside and simply look on."

"It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it."

"If someone betrays you once, it’s their fault; if they betray you twice, it’s your fault."

"My experience has been that work is almost the best way to pull oneself out of the depths."

"It is not fair to ask of others what you are unwilling to do yourself."

"Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself."

"Life was meant to be lived, and curiosity must be kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life."

"One thing life has taught me: if you are interested, you never have to look for new interests. They come to you. When you are genuinely interested in one thing, it will always lead to something else."

"The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience."

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do."

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

"People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built."

"Perhaps nature is our best assurance of immortality."

"Probably the happiest period in life most frequently is in middle age, when the eager passions of youth are cooled, and the infirmities of age not yet begun; as we see that the shadows, which are at morning and evening so large, almost entirely disappear at midday."

"You have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing is that you meet it with courage and with the best that you have to give."

"In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility."

"Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one."

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

"You must do the things you think you cannot do."

"What is to give light must endure the burning."

Link Kaboom 25

"claudiag01," Gina Marr's Inspiration Set

1. Gina Marr's Inspiration Flickr Set: Gina's collection of photographs, art, and articles will add inspiration to even the drabbest day.

2. Can Positive Thoughts Heal Another Person?: An interesting article about whether thoughts can affect your physical body, and the bodies of others.

3. No to Sri Lanka:
Encourage Sri Lanka to preserve human rights through your wallet. Avoid shopping at these vendors to encourage Sri Lanka to have an immediate cessation of hostilities against theTamil population.

4. 40 Useful and Creative Infographics: These informative graphics are amazing examples of how creative design can take flat information into a new realm entirely.

5. Germany Bans Very Long Names: Germany has had enough of multi-syllabic monocre monstrosities. Beware!

6. Infinite Summer: The mission, should you choose to accept it: read all 1000 pages of David Foster Wallace's acclaimed novel, Infinite Jest, between June 21 - September 22. Are you up to the challenge?

7. 9 Practical Ways to Help You Stay Focused: Some simple steps to help you stay on the straight and narrow.

Finally, an amazing little wonder of a music video, Nyle's "Let The Beat Build" shows how a song comes together from virtually nothing.

Nyle "Let The Beat Build" from Nyle on Vimeo.

Inspiration Machine 43

Clockwise from top left: Sally Jane Vintage, I N W, verhext, .B®am.

1. Make your own tea.

2. They are making a new flavor of ice cream in your honor. What flavor is it?

3. What song would you prefer to do a striptease to?

4. If you were a shoe, who designed you?

5. Smile at children.

6. Order a banana split.

7. Have impromptu picnics.

8. Have a stylish business card made up with just your name and telephone number. Give out your calling card to potential suitors/acquaintances.

9. Learn how to breakdance.

10. Are you living to be great, or to great in the eyes of others?

Pelvis Presley

Just a few close-ups of that wonderful Laura Burnham necklace I have been sporting like mad. Laura told me she made the cast from the pelvis bone of some unidentified animal.



I know some might find it a little odd to go around wearing a pelvis around your neck, but I consider it a homage to nature, and the art found therein. It's this truly marvelous, mysterious and lovely artifact.



Also, if you are as enamored of her work as I am, here's a little news:

If you are in the New York area, there's a sample sale today at
Tucker by Gaby Basora, 13 Essex St (between Hester and Canal), from 9am to 7pm. Laura works there, and tells me the clothing is beautiful and there will be some really good deals. Best part: Lauren will be selling some jewelry there as well!

If you make it out, tell them CMYKaboom sent ya. ;)

Wardrobery: 05/14/09

Tank: Target; Top: Target; Cardigan: Acrobat; Pants: Comme de Garcons for H&M; Boots: Zara; Belt: eBay

Wore this out to see a play at NYU called, "Where's Barbie's Vagina?" - it was a great piece about women and their perception of themselves. Yeah, I know - I'm wearing this cardigan into extinction. That's just how I roll - I'm the kind of person who will eat nothing but ice cream one week, nothing but sushi another - I go on kicks. And it's so comfortable, I find myself drawn back to it very often. Also, the deary weather we have been experiencing drives me into slouchy, relaxed outfits - my own personal impersonation of a raincloud.

This weekend Fiance Kaboom! and myself headed home bound. We took the parents to a slightly belated Mother's Day dinner. Mama Rosa and I both got an entire lobster, which included the mandatory bib - I don't care how necessary it is, there's no way I can feel dignified in a bib. My mom broke her foot last week, so there was much hobbling and wobbling, and she's toughing it out like a champ. Sunday we visited my grandmom, and then went on a brief tour through the new parts they have finished adding to the Cherry Hill Mall. It is a strange and surreal experience when your hometown is being transformed into a "premier shopping destination" - suffice to say, me and FK felt rather disoriented and distressed at the end of it.


Tank: Target; Top: Target; Cardigan: Acrobat; Pants: Comme de Garcons for H&M; Boots: Zara; Belt: eBay

How was your weekend?

Link Kaboom 24

Elizabeth Heyert, "The Sleepers"

1. The Sleepers: Photographer Elizabeth Heyert photographed couples as they slept. She then took the images and projected them across ancient, dilapidated walls across the Italian countryside. The effect is something sacred and beautiful. (NSFW due to nudity)

2. "Dark Night of the Soul": When I heard that Danger Mouse, Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse and David Lynch were teaming up to make music, I prepared myself for something dark and strange that would surely keep me awake at night, for fear of the terrible nightmares that would come after listening. What we have gotten instead is pleasant, beautiful, and not at all maddening. Yet, I fear that there maybe some subliminal messaging I am missing, as I can't stop speaking backwards...PLEH EM...

The best part? NPR is streaming the entire album here.

3. 100 Geeks You Should Be Following on Twitter: Wired.com puts together a list of the awesomest, nerdiest people you can follow on Twitter. As a result, I could tell you I am not following the lead developer of Dungeons & Dragons - but then I would be LYING.

4. Amazon to Let Bloggers Publish to the Kindle: In the latest development of Amazon's digital reading device, Amazon has announced they will be allowing bloggers to publish their blogs straight to the Kindle, where users can subscribe to each blog for a minimal fee. Bloggers the world over do a little happy dance in celebration.

5. TWEETS IN SPAAAACE!: At 4:30pm on Tuesday, May 12, astronaut Mike Massimino made internet history by becoming the first person to use Twitter from space, much to the dissapointment of Shaq and Ashton Kutcher. (You can follow Mike's space tweets here)

6. NYTimes expose on Richard Avedon: Possibly one of the most iconic photographers of the twentieth century, Richard Avedon captured the spirit of the 60's generation with his documentary style fashion photography. This article takes an in depth look at the man behind the camera.

7. Free, Awesome Fonts: Smashing Magazine compiles some of the best free-ware fonts the web has to offer, saving you hours of scrolling through hundreds for that diamond in the rough.

Finally, one of my favorite music videos of late: "Daniel," by Bat For Lashes. this band never fails to impress with their videos, always managing to be mysterious and fantastic:

Inspiration Machine 42

Clockwise from top left: lucycat, Gina Marr, lucycat, Camilla Engman

1. Make a "Calm Down" mixtape: compile some of your most soothing, enoyable music top play at those moments when you are uber stressed out.

2. Write down 10 ways you can optimize your life. Begin to implement them into your existence.

3. Try to look at each ddifficulty you encounter in life as a fun strategy excercise for you to hone your awesome skills.

4. Invent 3 new curse words.

5. Start jump roping daily.

6. Inundated with arbitrary emails? Create yourself an escape email address, and commit yourself to only using it for contacts and important things. You'll be amazed how much freedom you will gain in the move.

7. Learn how to give yourself a perfect pedicure.

8. Invite your best friends over for a spa party: give each other facials, pedicures, manicures and makeovers

9. Tile your floor in old pennies.

10. Host a Bring-Your-Own-Cocktail Party: Invite your friends over, and ask each to bring the fixings for their favorite drink. Have them set up their individual drink stations, and spend the evening sampling everyone's contributions.

Wardrobery: 05/13/08

Tank: Gadzooks; Top: Thrifted Necessary Objects; Cardigan: Acrobat; Skirt: Target; Shoes: Target; Necklaces: Japan & Laura Burnham; Watch: Bulova

Ring shopping was a success! In three weeks, Fiance Kaboom! and I will have our wedding bands. I have been somewhat out of sorts though, because the jeweler needed to borrow my engagement ring. I wear it so much that I feel a little odd not wearing it, and keep on startling myself when I notice it's gone, and for a moment think I have lost it. The jeweler assures me I'll have it back Friday - but in the meantime, this means I'm a free woman again - right?


Tank: Gadzooks; Top: Thrifted Necessary Objects; Cardigan: Acrobat; Skirt: Target; Shoes: Target; Necklaces: Japan & Laura Burnham; Watch: Bulova

I picked up this skirt this weekend at the local Target. I love maxi skirts, and this one is made of a wonderful light cotton fabric. It will be ideal to wear to the beach, or on those scorching days in the tree-less city.

I also just got back from the Yigel Azrouel sample sale today - sadly, the place was already pretty picked apart only a few hours in. I really wanted one of his circle-overlay boleros, but unfortunately they only had one left that was way too large on me. Oh, well, with wedding band purchases it's probably a blessing, as I shall need to save the moneys...

Wardrobery: 05/08/09

Dress: H&M; Cardigan: Acrobat; Slip: Mom; Leggings: Pixie Market; Boots: Zara; Necklaces: Kenneth J Lane and Laura Burnham; Watch: Bulova

I wore this little ensemble out for a night on the town with some extremely radical dames Friday night: Kris, Jazzy & Gala, to be precise. It was a very fun evening, kicked off with a trip to a cupcake bar, then back to Gala's pad for some tall boys and chit-chat as we waited for Jazzy to turn legal.

Once midnight came around, Jazzy quit being a pumpkin and turned 21! To celebrate, we headed to a favorite local bar of Jazzy's, drank sangria laden with maraschino cherries, played clever word games, chatted it up and had an all-around bang-up of a night.


Dress: H&M; Cardigan: Acrobat; Slip: Mom; Leggings: Pixie Market; Boots: Zara; Necklaces: Kenneth J Lane and Laura Burnham; Watch: Bulova

The cardigan is one of my recent acquisitions from a label called Acrobat. I think this is my new favorite clothing brand, as everything I have gotten from them has been fantastic - excellent clean design in delectable cozy fabrics.

Me and Fiance Kaboom! are going wedding band shopping tonight - I am a little nervous, as our tastes tend to differ in terms of adornment (I like it, he doesn't). O well, wish us luck!

My Daily Covet:"Valentino - A Grand Italian Epic" by Taschen

Valentino Garavani is simply divine - I am not sure if they make men like that anymore. His work defined a generation's idea of elegance: a perfect mixture of European refinement and Italian eccentricity. Throughout the brand's history, Valentino never deviated from his ideals of beauty and grace. As a result, for almost half a century, Valentino Garavani dominated Italian haute couture, dressing the world's wealthiest and most glamorous individuals. Today the brand continues to be a symbol of elegance, beauty and style, due heavily in part to its extensive history in the fashion ring, and it's refusal to balk in the face of shifting fads and fancies.



Taschen has taken us back to Valentino's heyday in their new book, "Valentino - A Grand Italian Epic." This book follows Valentino's remarkable career, and is packed full of stunning images from photo shoots, sketches, and documentary photographs taken from Valentino's personal archives. Accompanying the images are countless articles and interviews with Valentino himself.

Below are just a few of the stunning photos from this book:















I am eager to get my hands on this wonderful tome. It would be an invaluable source of inspiration and information for even the most casual fashion aficionado, and at a cool seventy bucks, it's a Taschen treasure that won't utterly break your budget.

Get your hands on your own hot copy here.

Link Kaboom 23

Robin Libbrecht, "53 Mind-blowing Uses of Typography"

1. 53 Mind-blowing Uses of Typography: Being able to design well typographically is an art in it's own right. Here are some incredible typographic design examples, compiled be PSD Tuts. Try not to drool on them.

2. 150 Best Hubble Space Images: Man, space is awesome. But it's weird how every time I see really good pictures from it, I have to convince myself they aren't computer simulations. I design too much...

3. 100 Terrific Twitter Feeds for Young Entrepreneurs: Look, if we are going to waste our lives tweeting, 140 characters at a time, we may as well get SOMETHING from it...

4. Nick Cave's Rejected Batshit Gladiator Sequel Script Discovered: Man, Nick Cave is the shit. If you don't believe me, go watch "The Proposition," and then listen to anything he has created musically. And someone has made a HUGE mistake, because the plot to this movie sounds like just about the greatest thing ever.

5. Evolution of Photoshop: 1988 - 2009: This history of Photshop icons and screencaps has been tickling me all week. Who remembers THE EYE? Man, those were some good times...

6. YouTube TV: YouTube now shows programs, like EVERY EPISODE OF STAR TREK EVER. Goodbye, life - it was nice while it lasted...

7. Figwit: Ok, this is so weird. Their is this elf that stood next to Legolas in the first LOTR movie (who also happens to be the guy from Flight of the Concords - told you, weird), that has sprung this entire fandom surrounding his character. Dubbed, Figwit (as in "Frodo is great..WHO IS THAT?!), he is a perfect example on how the internet can wretch the strangest things from obscurity.

And finally, I leave you with this little gem: Natalie Portman guest stars on Zach Galifianakis' serial talkshow, Between Two Ferns

Between Two Ferns With Zach Galifianakis from Between Two Ferns

Inspiration Machine 41

Clockwise from top left: Rebekah + Justin, UNIFORM Studio, David John Harris, .B®am.

1. Become an expert about a certain time period.

2. Treat yourself to an eccentric umbrella.

3. Where all the bracelets you own at once.

4. Bring back the eighties, and start making friendship bracelets.

5. Take a picture of the same outside location everyday, and then animate it's progression over a year.

6. Instead of lamenting them, treat rainy days as Meditation/Resuscitation Days: treat yourself to home facials, manicures, and relaxation methods, to make sure you are in top, shining form when the sun starts shining again.

7. Ground yourself with ten quiet breaths each day.

8. Learn how to waltz.

9. If you could have your own eighties hair-metal band, what would it be named? What would be the names of the members?

10. Practice laughing.

Neil Gaiman, Mariken Jongman, and Shaun Tan: PEN Childrens Book Committee

Last week, my friend Yael and I attended Leaps and Bounds, Fits and Starts: The Evolution of a Children’s Book Writer, a panel discussion featuring acclaimed children's book writers Neil Gaiman, Mariken Jongman, and Shaun Tan, hosted by the PEN World Voices Festival.



The event was a panel discussion about what it means to be a children's book writer: where to find inspiration, why we write for children, and what goes into writing material for children. But the talk was so much more than that: it quickly became an intense look at the minds behind some of the best and most challenging children's literature being created today.



Neil Gaiman was particularly engaging. He discussed topics as varied as nightmares to beekeeping, speaking in depth not only about his work in children's literature, but it's relation to his more varied body of work: specifically, how he balances both being a writer for children and adults.



I was fortunate enough to capture much of Neil's always witty dialog on my Vimeo, as well as several excerpts from the other writers in the panel (sadly, only an hour's worth of recording forces one to be picky). Anyway, Enjoy!























To learn more about the panel authors, please visit their sites:

Neil Gaiman
Mariken Jongman
Shaun Tan

Wardrobery: 05/04/09

Top: H&M, Cardigan: Charlotte Russe, Pants: Comme de Garcons for H&M, Shoes: Japan, Necklace: Laura Burnham, Watch: Bulova

Raaaaaaiiin. There's a lot of it all over the city. The last 3 days have been a wet mess.

It's also tricky getting dressed when it's all mucky outside. Since a large part of my commute is outside, certain shoes and pieces of clothing are straight out. As such, I have a few pieces that have come to be my "old reliables" when the weather gets mucky - these shoes are one of them. They're plastic, open-toed and adorable, so they are impervious to water, allow my wet feet to dry skank-free, and still succeed as looking cute as hell, regardless of the weather.


Top: H&M, Cardigan: Charlotte Russe, Pants: Comme de Garcons for H&M, Shoes: Japan, Necklace: Laura Burnham, Watch: Bulova

Also, I believe this is the first time I am showing off my Comme de Garcons pants, which I utterly adore. I had quite a fight wrangling a pair of these. They sold out in a New York minute when they debuted in H&M, which left me trawling eBay for months trying to get my hands on a pair - correction, to get my hands on a pair that didn't cost a billion bucks. I am pleased to report that with time and perseverance, I was successful, and even snatched them at a reasonable price.

They pants are incredibly comfortable, and very well made of a sturdy fabric - and even have a nice pair of pockets to boot. I have been wearing them like mad, and they have become an invaluable piece of my fashion collection. With their high leg, they are also perfect for rainy days.

What is your favorite wet weather wear?

Wardrobery: 05/02/09

tee: UO, blouse: thrifted, skirt: thrifted, socks: Japan, shoes: O Deer!, necklace: Laura Burnham, cuff: Shoegasm

Had a great weekend! Saturday me and my sister headed out to Williamsburg for an evening of mega-fun and a Bat For Lashes show. First, we had delicious pizza at what I consider the best pizza in Brooklyn, Anna Maria's (their pesto pizza blows my mind). Next, we discovered we had some time to kill before the show, so we grabbed some yummy dessert and tea at this amazing little cafe, whose name escapes me*. I had a fig mascarpone cake and Linda had raspberry mousse - and yes, it was as incredible as it sounds. Then we headed to Spoonbill & Sugartown Books where we snatched up some dirt-cheap used books.


tee: UO, blouse: thrifted, skirt: thrifted, socks: Japan, shoes: O Deer!, necklace: Laura Burnham, cuff: Shoegasm

The show was incredible. Natasha Khan is a force of nature. She wore the cutest black-and-white striped jumper, and spent the entire set dancing the stage, barefoot. She was as haunting and evocative as the album, if not more so. It was simply stunning.


"Bat for Lashes - Williamsburg Music Hall, Brooklyn - May 2, 2009" by absolutelyaudrey

You can see some more pics from the show, here.

These shots of what I wore out for the evening. Of course, Linda couldn't resist jumping in for a pic of her own...



* The cafe was Fabiannes Cafe & Pastry Shop! Yum!

Link Kaboom 22

Barbara Hulanicki for Topshop

1. Barbara Hulanicki for Topshop: Fashion illustrator and Biba founder collaborates with Topshop on a fashion line inspired by her illustration, and brings life one step closer in imitating art.

2. 5 Ways to Take Control of Your Personal Brand Today: Corner the market on yourself with these great tips on mastering your online identity.

3. Google Giving Away 250,000 Google Profile Business Cards: In the market for some business cards? Google is giving away for FREE. Get all up on that!

4. Amazon Interviews J.K.Rowling: Does Harry Potter really need to be over? Can't we just pretend it's not? This helps me. Let it help you.

5. Mystery of the West is Solved: Everett Ruess, a young talented painter, wanders off into the dessert in November of 1939, never to be seen again. What happened to him has remained a mystery, until today.

6. Adobe Suite Pillows: As if I don't see these icons enough, I want to also be able to lay on them. COLLECT MY DROOL, INDESIGN.

7. The Jersey City Apple Kiosk: As a Jersey City resident, I often find myself begrudgingly at the Newport Mall (considering for some ridiculous reason, JC refuses to build any adequate book stores). This piece is completely embarrassing, but funny enough that it had to be shared. And o yes, there IS an Arby's, and its GLORIOUS.

Finally, this is the greatest commercial EVER MADE: