Watercolor #5 {m'dearest sister.}

As much as my Corn bean would like to argue, I took the photograph this painting was based on, messed with the lighting levels to really give it some contrast, sketched it, and then watercolored it.

The painting without flash. {My darn scanner is too small, and my computer is too new for the software. LAME.}

This is the painting with the flash. I know. Less cool. Aw..

Now it is close up. She will eat your soul.

This little project gave me so many ideas for future adventures! I'm going to tackle a warhol-esque painting of Ms. Finster from recess next, I think. I'll tell ya how it goes.

Hooray!

-Lexi

The ballad of BB Dakota.

It all started a few weeks ago when The fall Urban Outfitters catalog came in the mail....

I flip through the pages, making fun of how angry and unkempt the models look, and then I see it. BAM. The most beautiful coat in the world. A BB Dakota wray coat. And it is screaming my name. I am sitting there, hyperventilating. I don't think I've ever wanted anything SO MUCH IN MY LIFE. {lie, but it produces great dramatic effect, so we're going to keep it that way.} I look at the price. $168. Hey! I could buy that, right? I've already done half of my Christmas shopping, so, yeah. Cool. Awesome. I'ma buy this coat. {Though in my subconscious mind I knew I'd NEVER spend that much for a coat. No matter if it is by BB Dakota.}

So, I get on the Urban Outfitters website, just so I can stare at the multiple angles of the coat longingly. But, hey! Guess what? They don't carry the coat on the website! Ha! Funny joke Urban Outfitters, funny. You think that just because you can not show the coat on your website, that a person who practically covets the picture from the catalog will simply give up? No, Urban Outfitters. I did not give up.

In fact, I went straight to the manufacturers' website to look for the coat, when indeed they did not carry it either.

This, dear children, left me furious. How could the direct manufacturer of the coat not carry THE COAT? In such rage, I looked the coat up on google only to find myself stuck in a tragic situation:

There was the coat.

Labeled in the BB Dakota Fall 2009 collection.

Of course BB Dakota did not have the coat on their website! It was from a year old and most likely sold out collection! But the fact that Urban Outfitters would include this in their catalog for this year puzzled me greatly.

Why put a picture of something you claim to own in a catalog so people will want to buy it, when you, in fact, do not own the thing in question.

So, due to my anger, I made an edited version of the photo in the catalog.

Weeks passed. I never truly forgot about the coat, I just became preoccupied with other things. School, recreational sports, pretending to be retired from blogging, and the like. Then today, while preparing to write a blog post about the coat, I decided to go to Urban Outfitters.com, just for funsies. I'm scrolling. I'm laughing. I'm having a good time, and there it is. The Coat of many Navajo-themed, earth-toned colors! There! One hundred and sixty-eight dollahz, foo!

I was shocked. How dare the corporate scum at UO sell me last fall's BB Dakota wray coat at this years' bank-crackin' price! I refuse to support these Lackey's of commercialistic horror! I REFUSE. * unless it is really cheap. **Or really cute. *** Or references my love for beards.

Join with me, comrades! We refuse to participate in such villainy!!

Also, in order to settle justice, I altered my first altering of the photo in the catalog. {It says: EXCEPT NOT! We are the corporate swine at UO, about to sell you last year's coat at this year's price!}

Meanwhile, I'll be sticking to the local thrift store.

{Thank-you-very-much.}

-Lexi

I lied. And I am sorry.

So, it turns out that the more I didn't blog, the more I really, really wanted to blog. It's just so darn therapeutic! And it seemed like when I had quit blogging, everything I came in contact with I wanted to post about. Such as..

• How incredibly dashing Inspector Lewis's sidekick, James Hathaway {aka Lawrence Fox in real life. He also starred opposite Anne Hathaway and James McAvoy in Becoming Jane.} is on the masterpiece mystery series, Inspector Lewis. {I mean, seriously. Look at him. His name is James. AND he's British.}


• How my World Civ teacher's upper lip DOES NOT MOVE and it is completely unnatural in every way.


• How I did not finish posting my story in six parts or the San Francisco chronicles.


• How if I were to end a movie, I would end it with this song:
  

I'm sorry for giving up on something that's been a part of my life for the past year so quickly. While I was not blogging, I realized that no matter how stupid my posts are or whatever, I'm still a blood-born blogger, and it is something I enjoy. I don't need to impress anyone.

Happy to be back after..what... a week? Yeah. Okay. Shortest retirement ever.

-Lexi.

Epic fail.

I bought Brandon Flowers' solo album, Flamingo, yesterday.

Only to find out there was a special edition version that came with four bonus tracks AND A POSTER.

Yes, I listen to lame music.

Also, I think I'm going to give up blogging. I can't think of anything good anymore, and I just feel lame now posting crap.
....And I really need to catch up on Axe cop.


Asta Lavista...er..whatever. You've been good to me.

-Lexi

cha. {self portrait numero dos.}

This is what I look like.

Done with tablet.

Airbrush technique and scratchboard tool.

Just in case you wanted to know.

-Lexi

A story presented in six parts. {Part 1}

Foreword: I had to write this for English, and since I am planning a very epic post in the very near future, I shall stall you with this for six posts. Hooplah for my geniousity.

Part 1:

The man sat at his kitchen table, sipping his daily cup of coffee. He was alone, his sterile white walls frowning upon his crumpled frame. He took another sip. His thoughts didn't differ much these days: how lonely he was, how he needed to get a job, how all he wanted was the cigarette that was hidden at the bottom of his sock drawer; the cigarette he should have weaned himself off of years ago. Sip.

But the man wasn't always lonely. He once was in love. He once had a lovely wife and a loyal dog, both which mysteriously disappeared a matter of years ago. Of course, this resulted in years of meaningless therapy and multiple overdoses on highly addictive prescription medication. There was a glimmer of light in the man's future, for he had an interview with one of the most prestigious corporations in the state, and this interview was the key to a new life, completely changed from the one he was now leaving behind. A smile slowly creeped across the man's face as he dreamt of a brighter future and took yet another sip of the caffeinated beverage.

~END OF PART ONE~

Stay tuned to see me ramble on about the man's depressing past and also get free Nachos!

f a l l

• The nights are getting chillier.


• the leaves are starting to blush.
  
• The 'Pumpkin Smash' smoothie is back at Jamba.


• My grandma sweaters are calling my name from their space bags and storage crates.
  
• Breaking out gloves without fingertips without being pestered.


• Hanging out on the stoop sketching stills when nobody else is home.


• Olive Greens, rusty oranges, and deep auburn's are all the more applicable.


• Listening to Fleet Foxes, Sam's town, and Morrissey.


• Long walks to not necessarily anywhere.


• Taking a lot of pictures of nature even though you aren't a good photographer.


• Apple Cider.


• Writing actually good blog posts.


• The little hairs on my short-sheared neck get to feel the cold for the first time.


• General conference {!}


• Art club. {I'm a dweeb.}
  
• Uke'n cross-legged in the great outdoors.
  
• Autumn water coloring--Dzama style.


• Matty, Ingrid, Band of Horses, 30 rock and strictly global.


• A new sketchbook.


• Possibly teaching myself how to get all Yokoo up in the place.

• Cloudy weather, wet leaves, rain, toasti-toes, Canadian hats and deerstalkers, and having an excuse to dress like a lumber Jane. {See picture above, drawn with tablet for my so-sick ALL GIRL BAND!}

It's just around the corner!

Charcoal, bro.

I have officially become addicted. This is my first sketch using charcoal. {I did it in arrt cloughb}

I mean, it isn't my best work, but it is always fun to experiment and broaden your horizons using different mediums. And the kid who was our model kept moving.

And the moral of this story, is that my pal charcoal and I are kickin' out of bummertown and heading to AWESOMEVILLE.

Just kidding. Now I feel lame.

plead.

Dear neighbors,

stop playing such crappy music in the mornings while I'm listening to NPR's Saturday breakfast jam!

IT IS IRRITATING.
AND YOUR USHER RUINS MY SPARKLEHORSE.
THE WALLS ARE PAPER THIN.

deepest regards,

Lexi