School Schmool

Lately I've been really Daniel Clowes-ing out and just watching Ghost World and Art School Confidential over and over and re-reading Ghost World. Coincidentally or not, I am also starting art school tomorrow. Whoo, first year of university here I come and I thank the heavens and Gwen Stefani that I am not going back to highschool. All I can say is that I hope I have a better art school experience than Daniel Clowes seems to have had.

What I really like about Daniel Clowes work is how he taps into all the awful dark crap most movies and people pretend don't exist/ignore. I find his stuff painful to read and Terry Zwigoff's movie adaptations kind of hard to watch, but I still love them. It's very reassuring to know someone out there is as cynical as I am, but also to see how Daniel Clowes has obviously succeeded and made a living out of his art, past traumas aside. The art in both of the movies drives me insane because it's so good. I absolutely love Daniel Clowes style and Enid's sketchbook is like the total embodiment of perfection. I recently got a haircut so my hair kind of looks a bit like Audrey's and then a bit like Enid's when I blow dry it. I also dyed bits of it purple on a whim yesterday. I was at my friends house yesterday with a bunch of people, eating pizza one minute and then the next, there was bleach and Punky Colors all over da place.

I have to go to an orientation for university tomorrow, which I don't really want to go to because I hate all those icebreaker games and always end up looking painfully awkward, but whatevs, I gotta go. I've put together my best tough girl I-don't-give-a-shit-about-what-you-think outfit for tomorrow though, so I'm a bit excited.

Basically everything is thrifted and my rings are from a small independent bookstore, but I was so excited when I found them! I hope all you guys out there heading back to school have a great first day! And here's hoping I won't fall into the category of "self-obsessed neurotic art girl"!

Parlez-vous Français? And a GHOSTWORLD COLLAR

I haven't been a very dedicated blogger as of late. But there's a reason behind it...I'm in Quebec for a summer French language program! Luckily, I do have an internet connection in my dorm room (which is a single room and very tiny) so I should have more time to blog now that I'm actually here. I could only bring so much clothing, though. Which is probably a good thing, because it means I'll just have to be more creative with what I have. There are also really good vintage and thrift stores (and an H&M, which we don't have in my home province) close by. Therefore, I am excited to go off campus. It's also very hot and muggy here in Eastern Canada. I think I am doomed to have a sweaty brow and upper lip for the next five weeks. Maybe that will just be my new 'thing'.


On another note, I finished my Ghost World Seymour collar the night before I left for Quebec. I have to say I am pretty proud of the result.

I silk screened an image I put together on Photoshop of Steve Buscemi as Seymour from Ghost World onto the collar of a shirt I bought at Good Will for four dollars. Then I cut the collar off and opened up the bottom seam, removed excess fabric and slip stitched it shut.

Wearing my new collar.

An Enid-inspired outfit. Miu Miu-inspired Ghost World Collar, Bad Taste "Killer" t-shirt, Heritage 1981 skirt, Roots socks and thrifted Bass loafers (or lounge slippers. Whatever you want to call them).

Outfit Inspiration.

Me again.

Bass loafers. I had been dying to get a pair of Rachel Antonoff Bass shoes or a good pair of loafers and then the other day at Value Village, just sitting on the shelf in the size six women's shoes section, were these babies. Bass for just seven dollars.

The view from my dorm room. There are so many trees and the topography is a very hilly. We have nothing like that in the prairies.

I don't know if any of you noticed the increase in my photo quality. Well, they are much better quality, in case you hadn't... That's because I finally got a brand spanking new camera. It is gorgeous and I am guarding it with my life.

These pictures suck because they are taken using my web cam.

 I took Naomi Wolf's The Beauty Myth with me to read on the plane and in my spare time. I've always felt that the amount of pressure on women to look a certain way and fit into an accepted standard of beauty (one which few women are "lucky" enough to possess ) was unfair, but I had never really considered the extent to which women are oppressed by said standard. To tell the truth, I have never been extremely conscious of women's issues or considered myself a feminist, but reading this book is really opening up my eyes. As I was reading it on the plane, I found myself getting mad. But a good mad. A mad that is productive.

Some lighter reading for the trip. My friend gave me this book last year and I was supposed to read it and pass it on to my other two friends. I never did, but it's never too late.

A wonky and cool-looking mirror in my dorm room.

This song always makes me think of the prairies. It's a good kind of homesick.

House Cleaning Gems

 So today I wasn't going to post anything because I was supposed to be cleaning my house because I'm having a school's over BBQ/N64 party in a few days. But when I was cleaning I found all sorts of awesome things in my house I had completely forgotten that I owned. Like a genuine crystal ball my aunt bought for me fifteen years ago when she was in China. :O Pretty happy I found that. And a Pokemon tin full of my old 'crystals' and semi precious stones I used to use in grade five or six to 'cast spells' 'n stuff. Then I was cleaning out my comic book box (well, more like reading and not cleaning) and I found all these old Sailor Moon and Card Captor Sakura and Barbie comics I had forgotten about. All in all it was a goooood day. I also took the liberty of cleaning out my mom's closet and found this old wool (correction: linen blend. oups) plaid button front skirt and got really excited and stole it because she hasn't worn it in twenty plus years. It's too big for me so I've got a safety pin in the back and I'll have to alter it someday.

 My mom's old skirt, Bloch bodysuit from when I used to be a baton twirler, 50s style thrifted cardigan and thrifted sunglasses. Neon Pink Body Shop lipstick.

 Beat up oxfords from Spring (I think it's called Call It Spring in the states)

I also found my old Card Captor Sakura cosplay costume from when I was twelve. My lovely mother made it for me. It took her forever but I was sooo happy. I even had ears, a tail, spats and a wand my mom made for me to wear at an anime convention. I was hoping I could use the pinafore for something now but I tried it on and realized how much smaller I was when I was 12.

I went out for Chinese with my parents tonight and started doodling some designs on a napkin for the Ghost World collar I'm going to make. I can't start working on it for reals until I've scoured the house from top to bottom, tho. Although I did make a screen print template on photo shop for the Seymour cameo side. I'm not sure how its going to turn out though since I've never done any serious DIY screen printing before:)
I also found a J-pop CD my friends older sister gave to me for my tenth birthday with this song on it by Aya Matsuura. Happy happy!

JAPAN! CRAZY! CUTE! COLOUR! Sexy or cute; what type do you like? JUST. DRESS. HOW. YOU. FEEL. AYA. GAWD.