New York City Texture

  I love looking at texture in the world around me here's some I found in New York City.

To see more click on this photo.

   

Make A Funny Bookmark

Old Lady Bookmark

First gather the supplies:

Chickpeas for the heads

cardboard from the back of a old note pad 

A small black and pink felt pen 

And a woven ribbon about 7 inches long 

This ribbon was found at an estate sale 

Interesting ribbons can be found at paper stores and fabric stores.

Fabric Glue or Weldbond Glue

A cute trim for under the neck or just tie a bow with small ribbon.

                                                        1) Cut the cardboard as shown above.

2) Then look at your chickpea and find the nose and draw a little pink circle under the nose.

 Now draw another about an 1/8 of an inch lower down for the mouth. Then draw the eyes on the sides in black and glue your head to the cardboard. (Note how the mouth is facing upwards.)                                                                        

                  3) Glue the cardboard with the head on it to the top of the ribbon about an 1/8" down.
                                          4) Now fold over both corners to hide the cardboard.
                                5) Take the excess at the top of the ribbon and with glue on your fingers
                                                                twist it into little horns.
                                                 6) Add a little trim detail under the chin.
                                    7)  Finish by pulling some threads from the bottom in order to make a nice
                                                          fringe or cut with a pinking shear.

Carousel Horse race

I found this funny improv that takes place in Bryant Park, Manhattan. I thought it'd make you smile.

My Winter Garden

Each year after the holiday lights are down the winter gets very dark for me. One of the ways I brighten my days is by building a winter garden in my kitchen. Each time I go grocery shopping I buy a primrose, daffodil or hyacinth. I keep them by my kitchen sink. I enjoy their cheerful shapes and colors. When they are done blooming I move them to my garden where they then bloom for years to come.

The Happy Secret to Better Work

Have you ever heard of Ted Talks? It's a great website that has many wonderful speakers talking about lots  of different topics. 

This one is "The Happy Secret to Better Work." The speaker is Shawn Achor. He studies happiness and how to achieve it. Did you know your brain can be tricked into feeling happy by just smiling, the act of smiling sends a message to the brain and tells it your happy. He talks about that in his Happiness Advantage series. If you have 12 minutes this video could make a difference in your life. 

Chanel Cruise 2013

If Marie Antoinette held court today this is what I imagine the courtiers would be wearing. This fashion show is in the Palace of  Versailles gardens as seen above.

From my Sketchbook

I try to sketch every night it helps me relax. I thought every once in awhile I would share some  of them with you. 

Three Chicks

Frank