Hmm, do you think it’s:

a) a new type of vending machine?

b) a tear through the space-time continuum and that’s actually a hand from, er, Mars?

c) a pakulo at an art students’ senior show that I didn’t want to go to at first but ended up enjoying?

You’ve probably figured the answer out, smart cookie that you are! (Ross, however, would say B!)

Last Friday, I allowed myself to be dragged to the OTIS College Of Art And Design Senior Show. I didn’t want to go at first. I didn’t know what to expect and didn’t want to be stuck spending a perfectly good evening staring at an abstract painting, with people beside me nodding and saying, “Ah, yes! Ze colors! Ze anglez! Ze light!”, with me pretending to understand what they see. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not artistic at all, not in the fine arts sense. Crafty, yes. Visual, a little bit. But artistic? Even my stick figures raise their little stick-y arms in protest at how bad they look!

But the show was great! I looked at (and throughly enjoyed) art pieces in all sizes, shapes and manner. Those OTIS kids are awesome. So much talent. Even their refreshments for the night were artfully delivered by black-gloved hands sticking out of holes in a white wall. For some reason, a lot of people were wary of taking the free treats! But some did, and it was fun watching the arms go back into their holes, only to come out with other treats (even tissue!):

What made the night for me was a costume display by the fashion students, a retrospective on classic Disney characters’ costumes. I had to keep my jaw from dropping. Look at all this beautiful work.

Needless to say, I was snapping photos right and left. I was giddy with all the colors and shapes that filled my head. It turned out to be an inspiring night. The moral of this post is: ALWAYS go to an art show. That, and don’t be afraid of gloved hands sticking out of a blank wall.

Learn more about OTIS’ art programs HERE. And for more inspiring photos from that evening, including some really fun toy designs, go to the GWAC Flickr photo set HERE.

Leaving you with my favorite painting from that night, and yes, of course, it’s of a girl and her cake mixer.

As a frustrated dressmaker, I’m fascinated by the creative genius of clothes designers. The whole lot of ‘em, even the ones whose clothes I’d never consider wearing (or making). It was after this TVC came out that I started paying attention to Chanel. (It’s Baz Luhrman’s 2-minute take on the Roman Holiday storyline, starring Nicole Kidman. The ad had me as soon as that poofy pink dress unfurled!)

Since then, I’ve been guilty of gawking at anything Chanel.

I’ve spent undisclosed amounts of time in bookstores and Amazon, inhaling stuff like this:

Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel was a beloved figure in couture history. And now French filmmaker Anne Fontaine is making her life into a movie! Audrey Tautou will play Coco in Coco Before Chanel, a biopic that will attempt to portray the designer’s life in Paris before she became a rising star in haute couture.

I’m confessing: I can’t wait!

This was Mama’s Mother’s Day present all dressed up (and looking very chic!) in recycled pages from old fashion magazines. It’s also a way of celebrating the holiday for Mother Earth by taking something used and transforming it into something useful.

I chose some pages with interesting colors:

Used questionable amounts of Scotch tape to create a paper patchwork large enough for the gift:

Cut strips from excess paper and made curliqued bows:

And stuck them on the top in an interesting arrangement (Thank you, W., for the design suggestion!)

Voila! Tres chic! Happy Mom’s Day to all.

I found it! This Dymo label maker tvc came to mind while I was baking this weekend. Glad I tracked it down on Youtube. Watch, and giggle.

From Caryn’s Creative Swap:

1. What kind of creative things are you into?
- sewing (quilting, dressmaking)
- needle arts (needlepoint, knitting, crochet)
- baking/cooking

2. How would you describe your personal style? (girly, ethnic, modern, etc.)
- Ah! A bit tough to answer! But, style-wise, all these make sense to me:

- If you can guess who the four characters are above, you’re a person after my heart.

3. What are your favorite colors?
- green
- black and pink
- fuschia
- Maison Martin Margiela’s palette
- I don’t like PURPLE or any of its ilk!

4. What is one craft you would like to learn?
- millinery
- tatting
- lacemaking
(Oops, those are three!)

5. What other hobbies are you into?
- dance
- reading

6. What items do you really wish you had right now?
- a pretty canister/holder for my makeup brushes
- a keychain because my Hello Kitty one is on its way to heaven
- a pretty scarf with bird silhouettes on it like this one from Hayden- Harnett

- a new oversized bag for all my dance accoutrements, so I can haul my big behind back to class
- an honest-to-goodness book strap (like those vintage ones!)

Alright, my chips are on the table. Looking forward to crafty swappin’!

I never expected this blog to lead me to the discovery of other crafts (and craftsters) beyond my own sewing kit. But now it will – because I’ve joined Caryn’s Creative Swap. I don’t know WHEN I’m going to have time to do this (One crafty thing a month! I may have to skip out on some when I start traveling for work!), but the chance to reconnect with other curly-minded freaks like me was too good to pass up. Heehee.

Details of the swap are below. If you’re interested, please email Caryn at gandarynako-at-yahoo-dot-com.

I’m filing all swap posts under my DO Curlygory.

Mechanics:
1. Post the mechanics and logo on your blog and answer the meme (above). This will serve as reference for the people who will be sending you stuff. If you could, please tag back to sari-saring kulay so other interested people can also sign up.

2. The swap is on a monthly basis. You will be assigned a swap partner on rotation. Consult the meme that your partner posted on his/her blog and send four items.

3. The four items are as follows
1-something you made
2-a craft material you think he/she would enjoy
3- a snack or something you like munching on before, during or after the creative rush—It’d be nice to send something interesting from where you are currently based
4- a short note or card to say ‘Hi!’

4. Items should be posted on the last day of each month.

5. Wait to receive your items and then post something about it on your blog.

6. Other crafters who aren’t bloggers are also welcome to join; they just have to send Caryn an email with their name, adress and answers to the meme above to be included in the rotation. Emails may be sent to gandarynako-at-yahoo-dot-com.

7. On the first week of each month you will be sent the details of your next swap partner. Please try to keep all details confidential.

Good luck to all (especially me! Haha.)