Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day, friends!
I am so excited for today because I am in love with the cards and gifts I got for students and loved ones.

These are for my students, who I am turning into Doctor Who fans (hey, just doing my part to make the world a better place!).  On Monday night, rather than grade some papers that needed to be graded, I decided to poke around the internet for some Valentine inspiration for my students.  I knew I wanted to do something Doctor Who themed, and I also knew that no company really makes Doctor Who valentines.  As I was searching for inspiration, I found these on tumblr, and immediately started hunting around the internet to see if they were actually real and if I could buy them.  I love the internet.  Have I ever told you that?  I found the artist behind the very real, very professionally done cards, and found a way to contact her,  She got back to me that night, and after 20 or so emails, she had the cards in the mail the next day, set to be delivered by Thursday.  (I also love 2 day shipping.)
The artist is Faren Bearowitz, and I tracked her down here.  She was phenomenal to work with, I LOVE the cards, and I basically bought her out of her Doctor Who stock.

Next up- I got my special someone two cards because I couldn't decide on just one.  We are both huge Breaking Bad fans, so when I saw this card from Bee is for Bear, I knew I needed to get it.

The other card I got him stems from an inside joke that we've had since way back when we first met.

This one is from Shelby Goelz, who draws each card by hand, so you have beautiful little pieces of art to cherish even after the holiday is over.  She even put an apostrophe in the "im" for me.
The last card I got is for my favorite Valentine, my little AlliCat.

This one is also from Shelby's etsy shop.  The Cat loved it; it is a gorgeous little card.  (That's Finn from the cartoon Adventure Time in case you were wondering.)
All of the sellers were fantastic to work with, and I am so very happy with my purchases!
I can't wait to give out the gifts, too- perfume and the book the Cat has been wanting (she's also getting a bubble gum pink instax mini polaroid camera, but that's not from me), and a signed copy of a book for my guy, plus a subscription to the Dollar Shave Club.  The book is what I am super excited about; he read Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, which is the true story of a World War II soldier, and he loved it.  I was able to get him a signed copy of the book.  What makes it so special, to me, at least, is that it is signed not by the author, but by the soldier whose story is told in the book.  I love it!
I hope you are having a fantastic Valentine's Day, and that you have a fantastic weekend!  (I'm looking forward to a 4 day weekend, thanks to the holiday on Monday and an eye appointment in LA on Tuesday!)

Wear Your Art on Your Sleeve

Okay, let me just start this by saying I can be quite a dork. I like some pretty dorky things. You know what? I am okay with that. It is a big part of who I am, and, subsequently, how I teach. Being a dork has come in handy many times in my line of work. (In case you don't know, I am a 5th grade teacher.) Being a dork means that I follow a lot of things that kids follow, oddly enough, or things that kids will be following once I introduce it to them.  That is one of the perks of being a teacher- influence (insert evil, maniacal laughter here.)
I love introducing my students to random things and I love it even more when even just one of them takes off running with something I've shown them or that they've discovered while in my class.
One of the things I try to do is bring art into my classroom.  With state tests and standards and lack of materials and time, this is not always the easiest thing to do, but I try to do it anyway.
I have always loved going to museums and galleries, and I have always brought my daughter with me, from the time she was little.  She could point out a Degas hanging in the Getty and tell the nearest person who painted it by the time she was 3.  It was just a normal part of her little life because I made it that way.
I'm rambling a bit here.  The whole point of this is twofold.  One, I want to share this amazingly awesome museum geared towards kids that is in Tokyo.  I read an article on it recently, and immediately channeled my inner Liz Lemon (a'la 30 Rock) and declared, "I want to go to there."

image via This Is Colossal

image via This is Colossal
This was the Cat's favorite, as she happens to like the book The Invisible Man.

image via This is Colossal

Here is an interesting article and more information on Torafu's Haunted Art Gallery for kids.  A trip to the Tokyo Museum of Contemporary Art has been requested by the Cat.

Second, I thought I would share with you some of the pieces I like to share with my kids, and the pieces I feel compelled to wear while we are doing a corresponding art project.  The American Gothic socks are totally doable, and I already have the Van Gogh Tardis shirt (dork!); but that Lichtenstein dress, at a price tag of a couple of thousand dollars, is just a little bit out of my nonexistent classroom art budget.  Oh well.

Van Gogh TARDIS Babydoll / Socks / Vincent van Gogh / "The Flinger Sunflowers" - Threadless.com - Best t-shirts in the world

\ I don't have that Van Gogh shirt, the one with him throwing a vase of sunflowers, but I do love it. Maybe that one will be added to my closet. I will just have to make sure to do these particular projects on Friday, when I can justify wearing silly t-shirts and socks to school. I can't believe it is Thursday already! Just two more days and then the weekend?! Yes, please! I'm hoping we are going to be able to squeeze in a trip to LA within the next couple of days; I am craving a croque monsieur from Joan's on 3rd, some banana bread pudding from Magnolia Bakery, and a dole whip from a place we just found out about called, appropriately enough, Whipped. Fingers crossed this happens sooner than later, cause my mouth is watering just thinking about all of that food!

 

Just for Fun: Doctor Who

Alright.  Is anyone else out there as obsessed as I am with Doctor Who?  I've mentioned before about how the Cat and I watch marathons during school breaks, and this summer we had ourselves a Doctor Who marathon.  That means, thanks to Netflix, we watched all of the available episodes since 2005, from the 9th Doctor to the current 11th Doctor.  We still need to catch up on the older movies and episodes with the previous doctors, but for now, my favorite is the 10th Doctor, played by David Tennant, aka Barty Crouch Junior for all you Harry Potter fans out there.  I have two favorite episodes- Blink and the one with Renoir.  I love that one.  I cried at the end.  Such a good episode.
So anyway, why am I talking about Doctor Who on this blog dedicated mostly to fashion and interiors?  Because I have found some pretty cool stuff for fans of the show who like to waste their money on things!

Talking TARDIS cookie jar.  This reminds me of my sister-in-law,
who used to collect cookie jars.
When it says it talks, it means it makes TARDIS sounds. 
How awesome is that?!
from ThinkGeek

The Cat really wants this- a TARDIS beach towel.  Love.
from Think Geek

Starry Night with Exploding TARDIS
Like I said earlier, I loved the episode that featured Renoir,
and I loved it when they brought the character back for a later
episode.   Since I like to study Renoir with my students and recreate Starry Night
in our art class, I would love to have this mug sitting on my desk at school!
This one is from Think Geek too.
They have lots of fun stuff.

I love this.  I think it would be such a fun little addition to
my ever growing gallery wall collection
via etsy seller autogeography

What?!  Two of my favorite things, together!
via etsy seller Parodies Lost

Geez, are we seeing a theme emerging?!  This TARDIS lunch box
also reminds me of my sister-in-law, as this is another thing she collects.

Think Geek



I ADORE this.  Found it on oh that blue box

~Lori