Rain Day Project How-To: Silhouette Self Portrait

Just posted this simple DIY art project on the official Fuzzy Grapefruit Blog. Check it out for the how-to and let me know what you think!

February Second Saturday Craftacular - Feb. 9th in Houston

Do you have your Valentines all squared away and ready to go? Yeah, me neither. But come to this awesome love-themed show and you won't have to think twice about what to get your sweetie. The Second Saturday Craftacular at Hello-Lucky promises to showcase an eclectic array of loveliness that will have you oohing and ahhing just in time for Valentine's Day. I'll have a bunch of new bookboard jewelry designs, as well as a few new art prints and hand stamped notecards. Don't miss it!!!

February Second Saturday Craftacular
"Hearts Were Sliding Everywhere"

When: Feb 9, 2013

Time: 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Location: Hello-Lucky

(1025 Studewood Street, Houston, Texas 77008) 
Cost: Free

For more info:
Official Event Page
Facebook Page

Houston Japan Fest 2012

This past weekend, Ben and I went to the Houston Japan Fest with our friend from college, Akira. Although it was suuuuuper hot, it was a beautiful day and I even got to eat some seaweed salad (one of my most favorite things on the planet... I know, weird.)

Beautiful Hermann Park

A delicious yogurt drink that was sneakily good!

Who doesn't love a good sausage on a stick?

Seaweed salad!

Mmm, beef bowl.

Koi!

Challenge #2: Anthropomorphic Chinese Food

Challenge #1: Structure with 'Legs'

For the month of January, my sister Erika and I are challenging each other to complete a drawing every day... well, every other day (since we're alternating days). More about the challenge at our joint art blog, Arting Through Limbo

Challenge #1: Structure with 'Legs'

Do-Division Street Fest!!!

I've been rather bad about posting lately. In part, it might have something to do with the excessive crafting that MUST GET DONE BEFORE NEXT WEEKEND! I (fuzzy grapefruit) will be selling my handmade goods at...

Do Division Street Fest

June 5th & 6th, 12 noon - 10pm

Division Street (from Ashland to Leavitt)

Come out and say 'hello', or better yet say 'hello' AND purchase something cute and whimsical from me (need I mention that Father's Day is fast-approaching? I will, indeed, have no fewer than two highly masculine notecard designs to choose from)

And for the ladies, I have new bookboard designs! Here's a sneak peek at a few of the new drawings that will be available for purchase in the form of earrings and pendants:

It'll be lots of fun, hope to see you there!

Bookboard Earrings & Pendants

So, I've been working on this new idea for fuzzy grapefruit, and I'm soooo excited to show them at the Two Craft Minimum Show this Saturday. Presenting... Bookboard Earrings & Pendants! Each one is lovingly hand-drawn with archival ink onto recycled bookboard (the material used to make hard cover books), and sealed to a high gloss. No two are exactly the same (it's like wearing a one-of-a-kind illustration on your ears or around your neck)! This set is all packaged and ready to go to a loving home. Come to the show this Saturday to check them out :)

Random Review: The Vicious Kind

I had every intention of watching this movie while I distractedly carved stamps and made notecards. One of the major reasons I chose it was because Netflix categorized it as a "comedy" and I figured it would be much easier to multi-task with something not-too-serious being played in the background. Let me state right here and now: this film is most certainly NOT a comedy! As with most indie flicks, there are inevitably moments of real-life awkwardness that might cause you to smile nervously, but make no mistake about it – The Vicious Kind leans much much closer to the drama end of the genre spectrum.

The Vicious Kind begins with Caleb Sinclaire (played by Adam Scott), quietly distraught in the booth of a diner, while he waits for his younger brother Peter (Alex Frost) to return to the table. From the get-go, it's obvious that our main character (or who we assume to be our main character) is a guy with some issues. At first, I find it difficult to care about someone who is... well, kind of an asshole. But the story unfolds, and we find that Caleb is more complicated and vulnerable than previously thought. Caleb has grudgingly agreed to drive Peter and Peter's new girlfriend, Emma (Brittany Snow), to Caleb and Peter's home for Thanksgiving. Despite the fact that Caleb feels the need to protect his brother from so-called "whores" (a term he applies to all women) and dissuade him from dating Emma, he finds himself becoming increasingly infatuated with her.

The Vicious Kind has no easy answers. The characters are all complex and deeply flawed, and I found myself questioning whether feeling sympathy for them was the "right" thing to do. Adam Scott does an amazing job of being misanthropic while still being totally defenseless, and Brittany Snow (though I only knew her as Gossip Girl's very blonde Lily Rhodes) turns out to be no slouch either – that girl can cry like a pro! The acting alone is reason enough to watch The Vicious Kind. Bonus points for featuring J.K. Simmons as the slightly dysfunctional yet likable dad.

*Warning: Don't watch this film with your parents – The sex-scenes will just make you feel weird. (Don't say I didn't warn you).

Two-Craft Minimum: Awesome Artists

Chicago Style Crafters' very first show, "Two Craft Minimum" is just around the corner (May 1st)! We in the CSC have been working hard to promote and talk up the event, and I've been busy making notecards and sketchbooks, but I wanted to take a couple of minutes to promote some of the beautiful work of my fellow crafters and artisans. Here's a sneak peek at some of the fantastic goods you'll find at the Two-Craft Minimum show:

Melissa & Zoe's one-of-a-kind notebook keychains are totally romantic

I'm in love with this beautiful print by Madame Platypus

This 2-sided starfish pendant necklace by Something Beautiful is awesome (and reversible!!)

Nothing says "badass" like Spinal Fusion's rifle shell earrings

Milton and Margie's soy candles are perfect for adding a little warmth to your home

Swallow Kisses tattoo-inspired jewelry is both adorable and edgy, love them!

Cranky Pickle's bottlecap magnets and buttons are super-cute and earth-friendly

To see all of these awesome artists (and more) come check out the show:

Chicago Style Crafters Present: Two-Craft Minimum!

Saturday May 1st, 4:30 pm - 9 pm

Cole's Bar, 2338 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago

*bring a valid ID (we're in a bar)!

What the Peep - Easter Notecard Design

As I'm sure you're aware, I'm a sucker for the following things:

- animals (especially the cute fuzzy kind)

- sweet treats

- dorky and/or cutesy humor

...so it seemed only natural that my newest notecard design for Easter

would include one or all of these elements. Enjoy!

(notecards can be purchased through Supermarket or Etsy)

Random Review: Kinamand

Lately, I've been really disinterested in the prospect of watching American-made films. I think it has something to do with the limited talent pool. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of fantastic American actors (and fantastic American movies), but sometimes I want to watch a movie and NOT see the same svelte bodies and stretched, airbrushed faces over and over and over again.

Kinamand (Chinaman) is a Danish story about an uninspired working-man plumber named Keld (played by Bjarne Henriksen) whose fatigued wife (played by Charlotte Fich) ups and leaves him one day. The confused and mildly maladroit Keld starts frequenting the Chinese restaurant down the street and befriends the restaurant owner, Feng (Lin Kun Wu). Feng offers a solution to Keld's financial woes (a result of divorce expenses): marry Feng's younger sister, Ling (Vivian Wu), whose visa is expiring and must get married to stay in the country. In return, Feng will pay Keld a significant sum.

Kinamand is a really sweet story, without being saccharine, and the characters are totally believable (I suppose it helped that my Chinese-speaking roommate assured me of the legitimacy of their accents). I loved the fact that the characters were not black-and-white portrayals but rather, real human beings with shifting emotions and reactions. The strongest element of the film, however, is definitely the subtle intricacies of the characters' interactions. Honestly acted, beautifully filmed, extremely well-written. En stor nydelse!

Erika's B-Day

(forgot to upload this little illustration I made for Erika's

birthday music mix until now, but anyway yay cake!)

Handmade Market @ Empty Bottle THIS SATURDAY

Just a reminder: fuzzy grapefruit will be at the Handmade Market in Chicago on this Saturday, February the 13th from 12pm - 4pm. I'm sharing a table with the absolutely awesome (and girl-crush-worthy) Melissa Rutherfoord from Melissa & Zoe, and I've been crafting up a storm, so it should be pretty awesome. And just in case you've waited till the last minute to purchase something lovely for your special someone, fear not! I'll have plenty of Valentine-themed notecards available, and there will be lots of other cool sellers to choose from (check the official Handmade Market site for a full list of sellers.) Yippee!

CHA Winter Convention & Trade Show

I just recently went to Anaheim, California to attend the CHA (Craft and Hobby Association) Winter Convention & Trade Show. Ahh, how I love winter conventions in warm climates. I was there, working with Paper House Productions, a scrapbooking company located in Upstate New York, to assist with their "Make & Takes". "Make & Takes" are fun mini-projects that you show attendees how to make at your company booth to learn more about your line of products. This year, we made Wizard of Oz home decor projects and boy, did people go crazy for them! Day 1 was Glinda the Good Witch (which was so popular, we ran out of them), day 2 was the Wicked Witch of the West (which we ran out of by 2 o'clock), and day 3 was Dorothy Gale (which we also ran out of by about 2 o'clock). So all in all, I think they were a big success. And although I don't consider myself much of a scrapbooker, I am totally inspired by all the great projects and products I saw. Hopefully in the near future, you'll be seeing some uploads of three-dimensional paper illustrations (something I've been dying to try my hand at, and now feel confident to attempt). Happy crafting, everyone!

Temple: A Strategy Board Game

A few months ago, my friend Joe asked me if I was interested in designing the graphics for a board game he had created. A board game!? Me!?? Design!??? Heck, yes! So anyway, I think the design turned out really well, the game itself is fun to play (thanks to the genius of Joe), and well, I'm pretty excited about it. For more info about the creation of the game, the concept behind it, and how you can order your very own copy, check out the official company site, Gameful Enjoyment or the Game Crafter!