Patches and Progress: May Life Recap

Not gonna get too personal. But the boyfriend is off away in the army. So I've had a lot more time to do other things on my own. Almost like I'm picking back up where I left off. Doing patches again. Making art. Listening to music. So lets get into it!

Art:

I haven't so much as been making art as I've been inspired by other peoples art. I know when I get a real kick to make something I'll have a lot to look at and get a good idea of what my style is going to change into. 

So the number one change in what I've been taking a gander at is tattoos. I've been really interested in more feminine tattoos. My hair color has made me fall in love with anything pink and dainty-which for some reason wasn't the case before. I've been following a lot of tattoo artists on instagram. It started out with Alex Strangler though. (The turquoise-haired girl is Rachel Baldwin.)

Tv/Movies:

To make me a bit happier with the position I've been in recently I've been watching as many light-hearted things as possible. (This is also the reason why I'm not sure if I want to see The Fault In Our Stars. That shit made me depressed for days after I finished the book.) So other than watching Disney movies on Netflix, I've been getting intensely obsessed with Sailor Moon.

I know its some sort of sin to prefer the dubbed version of animes/anything like that over the subtitled versions. But I grew up hearing Serena and not Usagi. Serena's annoying voice brings back my childhood, man. So instead of watching Sailor Moon on hulu like everyone else is doing, I've been on this website watching as many episodes until I fall asleep.

Music:

Well, obviously I've been listening to all kinds of music since Febuary. But lately I've been listening to Florence + the Machine more than usual. More specifically Heartlines and Howl. Damn those songs are amazing. The lyrics in both of them have enough imagery for me to get back into painting. "And I’ve seen it in the flights of birds/I’ve seen it in you/The entrails of the animals/The blood running through/But in order to get to the heart/I think sometimes you'll have to cut through" LIKE YASSS. Or in Howl: "The fabric of your flesh, pure as a wedding dress/Until I wrap myself inside your arms I cannot rest/The saints can't help me now, the ropes have been unbound/I hunt for you with bloodied feet across the hallow'd ground/And howl" Goddamn she's amazing.

I also made a depressing playlist. Fun!

Don't Leave This World To Me

For very sad long distance relationships where the only form of communication is a letter ever few weeks. Fun.

1. Please Mr. Postman-The Marvelettes

"There must be some word today/ From my boyfriend so far away/ 

Please Mr Postman look and see/ Is there a letter, a letter for me"

2.Georgia On My Mind-Ray Charles

"Just an old sweet song/Keeps Georgia on my mind"

"Other arms reach out to me/Other eyes smile tenderly/

Still in peaceful dreams I see/The road leads back to you"

3.I'll Be Seeing You-Billie Holiday

"I'll be seeing you/In all the old familiar places/

That this heart of mine embraces/All day through"

4. Rivers and Roads-The Head and The Heart

"Nothing is as it has been/And I miss your face like hell"

"Rivers and roads/Rivers and roads/Rivers til I reach you"

5. Samson-Regina Spektor

"You are my sweetest downfall/I loved you first/I loved you first/

Beneath the stars came falling on our heads/But they're just old light/They're just old light/

Your hair was long when we first met"

"Oh we couldn't bring the columns down/We couldn't destroy a single one/

And the history books forgot about us/And the bible didn't mention us, not even once"

6.Winter Is All Over You-First Aid Kit

"I just hope you don't stay gone/Don't leave this world to me"

"Since you've been gone nothings been the same/The wind don't sing and the sky's so dim"

7. Blue Jeans (Cover)-Vindicated Mess

"You were sorta punk rock/I grew up on hip hop/But you fit me better than my favorite sweater/

And I know that love is mean/And love hurts/

But I still remember that day we met in December"

"I will love you til the end of time/I would wait a million years/

Promise you'll remember that you're mine/Baby can you see through the tears?"

8. Summertime Sadness-Lana Del Rey

"Kiss me hard before you go/Summertime sadness"

"Think I'll miss you forever/Like the stars miss the sun in the morning sky"

Put those tissues down and pull yourself together! I've also been listening to some upbeat stuff to lighten my spirits when I'm alone. Other than listening to music I know my boyfriend likes, I've been jamming out to the Bikini Kill station on my Pandora account. Which lead me to find this song. New Resolution by Heartless Bastards. "MY NEW RESOLUTION IS TO BE, SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT TAKE EVERYTHING SO SERIOUSLY!" It's very uplifting when the chorus hits. Their other stuff is good too! I just haven't taken to the time to really listen to it. The song is way too short for being so good but thats why God made the replay button.

The next song that makes me happy and want to scream and laugh and bounce around is some real crusty punk band Days N' Daze. Their whole album Rogue Taxidermy is great, though it makes me want to give these guys a Ricola after. My favorite song--which is probably a lot of people's favorite song--is Fuck It! It really captures their attitude about...everything. "Do what you like and then like what you do when you do it. And if they don't that's fine. Fuck 'em." 

Patches:

My orginal goal with the Game of Thrones patches was to make a shit ton of 'em and make like six or seven studded out jackets and a music video and an etsy account and all that good shit. But that's pretty impossible if you think about it. Punk jackets are usually a one-at-a-time task. They're supposed to represent the individual and that said individual spends a lot of time and effort into that one jacket. Making a bunch of them like that would take years probably unless I had help from other people. So I've just decided to stick to my Stark jacket and add to that until I'm satisfied. Then maybe after that I'll go back to my Tyrell vest or my Bolton flannel. If you wanna see those just look into my blogposts from a year ago.

So I started out with just a Hand of the King patch on the front pocket and the Stark back pieces, but I added two floral panels and a bit from a shirt that didn't fit that says "Thou shalt not kill my vibe"

Now I wanna add a bunch of little cute things. I don't feel like I have loyalty or credibility to put band names on my jacket. But maybe some cute feminism things I find on tumblr. I'm not as much of a badass as I want to be but I've been getting really inspired and have been getting a lot of help from http://fuckyeahpunkjackets.tumblr.com/. Not only do they post pictures and submission of people's jackets and vests but there is the occasional post an ask telling everyone little tips and tricks. Like using dental floss instead of thread or ducktaping a large back patch before sewing it on so it sticks longer. Also if you want to buy a start up kit for studding your jacket go to http://www.studsandspikes.com/. They have everything you'll need when it comes to that. 

My next purchase when I have money--which won't be in forever dear lord--will definitely be some patches from PosionApplePrintshop on esty. It's all witchy and dark. Everything is good quality and made with great detail. Can't wait to add it to my jacket and give it some edge. (I can pretend to be badass okay?)

And to jump to the complete opposite of PosionApple, I want to get a cute Sailor Moon patch. The sailor scout I've always identified most with (since kindergarten I believe) was Sailor Chibi Moon or as I just called her Mini Moon. This is probably where my love for pink hair stemmed from (that and Gwen Stefani). The only Mini Moon patch that is a reasonable price and a design I like is from FenyxDesignShop on etsy. They have all of the main sailor scouts I believe so if you're more of a Jupiter girl/guy yourself theres a patch for you (and the others obviously)!

That's pretty much it, if anyone ends up actually reading this and has questions about my jacket or just adding to jackets in general go ask me on my tumblr! I'll see you soon!

Virtual Inspiration Board (Grrrl Gang)

Art:

(Artists: Left-Hellen Jo, Top-Babs, Bottom-Wishcandy, Right-Kippery/Stephanie Pepper)

(Artists: Top Left-Wishcandy, Top Right-Mel Stringer, Bottom Left-Hellen Jo, Bottom Right-Babs)

Movies:

Death Proof (2007)

The Craft (1996)

Cry Baby (1990)

Grease (1978)

Music:

  Angry Riot Grrrl Playlist:

Roam the streets at night with your grrrl gang and go looking for trouble.

1. Oh Bondage Up Yours-Free Kitten

2. Terrorist-Heavens To Betsy

3.Icy Blue-7 Year Bitch

4. Handsome & Gretel-Babes In Toyland

5. Double Dare Ya-Bikini Kill

6. Retard Girl-Hole

7. Busiest Shopping Day of The Year-Katastrophy Wife

8. Call The Doctor-Sleater Kinney

9. Laredo-Bikini Kill

10. Just Like Me-L7

11. Suck My Left One-Bikini Kill

Its Been Much Too Long (Life Recap)

Remember when I updated this blog every month. Those were good times. It seems that now that I have a boyfriend and am going back to school I've been putting a lot of things off. So just for the sake of catching up, I'm going to post pictures of things I did each month. There's not going to be any context to these pictures, but honestly who cares no one reads this blog but future me.

October:

December:

January:

Max Normal

It's late at night. And I've literally been listening to Max Normal over and over again for hours. So I'm just going to put a handful of songs that you should check out. I am sleep deprived, just thought I should let you know.

Tik Tik Tik
Yes, I have mentioned this in another post. Don't care. This song is brilliant. It's mostly Yolandi. And the song is about two options, a single decision. The first verse is about how hard Yolandi's life is, the second is about a man who convinces her to sell drugs and her life spirals down, she asks to rewind. Then the next verse is like a rewind in time and she's faced with the drug dealer again and chooses to ignore him and collaborate with Max Normal instead. Fucking brilliant.
"Diamonds are created from extreme pressure"


Whenever You Ready

I love how soft and mellow this is, I wouldn't expect it to come from the same person who made Fok Julle Naaiers.

The Organ Grinder

This is probably my favorite song at the moment from Ninja/Max Normal/Waddy Jones etc. The creepy vibes are so perfect for this month, I love this so much I can't even. It's so easy when the chorus hits to just imagine some monster that haunts children.

Ripples In The Mesh

People have said that I like a lot of 'stoner' music. After enjoying this twenty seven minute story, I understood what they meant. I love Yolandi's little rap about her character Anica who wants to be an a rapper too. So creepy, so good. Shit goddamn. It's an entire story, and it makes me appreciate Yolandi and Max Normal/Ninja/Waddy Jones' acting skills. Which is something I never even thought about until now. 

Punch My Teeth Out

When I listen to shit like this constantly, I get a little angry that Max Normal didn't blow the fuck up when it did. This song is fucking amazing! I guess the timing and publicity was off for them, but oh my god please listen to this. 

Rap Fantasy

This is brilliant. I love the intro with Yolandi's incredibly strong accent, and the beat is so different, just because of the little clicking noises through out the song. And the chorus is so--I don't like using this word but--epic! I love singing it as loud as I can when I'm driving and I feel like a super hero or an eighties rock star.

Rap Made Easy
I have never heard a song like this. Literally 'teaching' you how to rap. It's genius! To quote one of the top comments of this video from Youtube user Joe Brennan: "wow, I always love Die Antwoord, but in a weird kind of way, but after discovering Max Normal, I kind of realize the genius behind it...I think everyone who is not sure (about) where they stand on Die Antwoord needs to hear all their stuff and they will be able to understand it easier." Very well put. Listening to Max Normal definitely fulfilled my Die Antwoord cravings after I thought I had heard everything from them. And I appreciate them, like, a thousand times more than before.

Too Cold To Hold

This was the first song that I heard from Max Normal and it's probably still on my top five favorites from them. My favorite lyrics are "Tomorrow/ I think I'll hang out with myself again/ Maybe even sport someone else's skin/ So if you hear some other cat kickin' my rhymes/ Just remember that his intestines might just be mine/ Cause anyone of these 6 billion civilians could very well be this reptilian/ No matter how resilient or brilliant you think you are/ If I decide that I need a new host/ Somebody's pretty little shell's gonna get a new ghost."
Do you realize how amazing that is?! I love his whole "documentary fiction" and his belief and ability to just regenerate (Doctor Who reference) completely and this is some creepy fore telling of Ninja.

Saint Lana of Song and Sadness

Saint Lana Of Song And Sadness

I decided to make a playlist revolving around Lana Del Rey's style of music.
A playlist for Lana Del Rey and all the heavy lidded, velvet voiced, melancholy sirens like her.

1. Swingin' Party-Lorde
2.Heart Shaped Box (Nirvanna Cover)-Hayley Richman
3.Blue Velvet (Bobby Vinton Cover)-Vindicated Mess
4.Bang Bang (Nancy Sinatra Cover)-2 Cellos ft. Sky Ferreria
5.Chelsea Hotel No 2. (Cover)-Lana Del Rey
6.Tennis Court-Lorde
7.Laura-Bat For Lashes
8.Dark Paradise (Lana Del Rey Cover)-Vindicated Mess
9. Without You-Lana Del Rey
10. Sad Dream (Cover)-Amanda Emilio

The Killing Type (End Of September)

Music

Caesar-I Blame Coco ft. Robyn

The Lord of the Flies references, the apocalyptic-ish, war couture style of the music video, and the up beat darkness of the song is what makes this so great. I especially like the "Hey momma. Can you fly?" "Yup" "I heard robins can fly" "Whatever." I've only just started listening to this song, so it might seep into my October music for me. 

The Killing Type-Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra

I don't know why my love for Amanda Palmer is moving at such a slow pace. First I loved Map of Tasmania, then my friend Chantal showed me a few of her songs and didn't think much of her. I know she's like the craziest most awesome person ever (I love watching her and Neil Gaiman on Youtube) but this song has finally got me hooked. The way she lets go completely in this music video makes me want to go insane and swim in a bed of blood. Like really badly. And the lyrics of this song are pretty top notch. I'm sure I'll be obsessed with her by next year.

Pitbull Terrier-Die Antwoord

LINK

LINK

LINK

Die Antwoord hasn't released a studio version of this song, but from what you can hear in this video, it's pretty amazing. If you want to skip the intro, skip to 2:02. It's so intense, and more rap-rave than I Fink You Freeky-which is saying something! I just wish Yolandi got to rap a verse, but on the other hand, Ninja didn't say a word in Cookie Thumper so maybe it's evened out.

Call Your Girlfriend-Robyn

I've always loved this song, but my love for it-and Robyn overall-has sparked again! I've been making my friends and co workers mixed CDs for Christmas, and one of my coworkers, Noemi, has a very exact music taste. Its mostly consisted of Paramore for a long time, but the second she told me she liked some Ellie Goudling, Imagine Dragons, Ed Sheeran, and all the 'mainstream indie' music, I told her to look up Lana Del Rey (who she hadn't heard of which is really weird) and after that I got her hooked on Comme Un Enfants (Freaks Radio Remix) by Yelle and it was like her shit. We'd constantly listen to Yelle and Lana at work. I just assumed she knew Robyn from jammin on Pandora Radio all the time, but once again I got her hooked onto another artist!

This is also my favorite music video by Robyn, it's like a glamorized version of dancing in your bedroom. Almost what you picture in your head when you are flailing your arms around and rolling on the floor all sexy like. She's such an awesome dancer, I don't know how she does it in those shoes.

This has been pumping up in my car everyday for the past two weeks, I just sing my heart out to it and replay. Feels good man.

ATM Jam-Azealia Banks ft. Pharrell

Okay, yes I have been listening to this to wake up every morning, to get pumped up before hanging out with friends, and while I'm in the shower. But I don't like it that much. It's too repetitive. The chorus, which only consists of three lines, drowns out the song and takes away from Azealia Banks' amazing verses. None of the remixes seem to make it better. And the music video is horrendous (that's why I linked you to the BBC version). But it has so much potential! Come on Pharrell! You can do better than that! 

Get Like Me-Nelly ft. Nicki Minaj, Pharrell

You can do better and you have! This was released in July of this year. I absolutely love this song, especially Nicki's verse (duh) and my favorite part of this music video is when she kicks off her heels and just struts from between the guys and starts her verse. I'm not saying this video is empowering--far from it! At one point a woman's ass is being slapped to the beat of the song like drums, and all of the women look like silent accessories for Nelly and Pharrell to show off next to their sneakers and jewelry.  But we should just acknowledge that hip hop isn't a very woman-friendly genre, and we can criticize it as much as we can like it. Sorry for the tangent. Moving on.

Pu$$y-Iggy Azalea

Boy, did it take me a while to warm up to Iggy. Especially when all I really heard from her was Work. And I fucking hate that song. Like with every fiber of my being. I don't know why. But I'm digging this song, and Murda Bizness ft. T.I. the music video is like Toddlers and Tiaras and its just hilarious, check out that one too!

Personal

So this month I did something that I've always wanted to do! Ever since I was a little girl, watching No Doubt's Gwen Stefani--especially in the Simple Kind Of Life music video, and the New music video--I've always wanted pink hair. I've asked my mother every year since I was twelve. At first she let me dye the ends pink in seventh grade (I made dip dye cool waddup just kidding), and then five years later she let me, once again, dye the ends pink. She told me once I got a job I could have pink all over. I did that. Then she said once I get my license. Did that too. Then she said when I turned 18. Did that a year ago. Finally it got to a point where I was going to do it regardless of her permission. When I told my mother I was going in for a hair consultation, she told me to slow down. "Maybe we should talk about this first," she said. And I shrugged my shoulders, my impatience turning into pure sass over the years, and said "I'm at a point where I'm just going to take what you tell me as advice, and do what I want to do anyways." I SAID THAT TO MY MOTHER AND SHE DIDN'T SLAP ME.
Literally every living soul has told me the following when I told them what I wanted to do with my hair:

• Do you have any idea how damaged your hair is going to be? (You. Are. Only. Young. Once. Fuck Everything. This was literally the number one thing brought up to me. By everyone. )
• You're going to get roots! And you're going to have to get your roots done all the time! With bleach! (I've had blonde and brunette hair, I know how this shit works)
• Say goodbye to washing your hair for a while, you're going to have to use dry shampoo all the time (That sounds fucking great)
• The color is going to fade in, like, two days (No. It's not.)
• You know how hard it's going to be to find clothes that match with your hair? (I know my Color Theory, fool. I'm an art major.)

Yeah, so people have been telling me this for years whenever I've told them about my secret hair goal desires. And I'm so glad I went through with it anyways!

Seriously, I've never loved my face as much as I have now. Or at least in a really long time. My instagram has been all selfies this past week. I love my hair so much. And I'm getting vain, but there shouldn't be anything wrong with that!

On the way to the salon, and the many days previous to that, I would play this song as loud as possible in my car:

Yeah that music video is the shit. And I'll leave you with that.

Well, today is October 1st. My birthday. I'm turning 19. I'll let you know how my favorite month of the year plays out. 

I'm Winnin' The End and The Beginnin' (Music for First Week of September)

It hasn't been a full week and new music sweeps past me for this month like I'm on a schedule! I don't know if I'm going to be jammin' to these stuff all September, so let me tell you what I've been listening to these past days! (And a very detailed description of my co-worker)

 I'm Out-Ciara ft Nicki Minaj

I loved this song the second it came out, but its only lately I've been constantly listening to it while in my drawing class. I thought that the music video with just the words was the official and I was a little bummed, but then this gem came out and ughh so perfect. Ciara and Nicki in matching white jumpsuits? YES! 

Never Le Nkemise (Part 1 & 2)-Die Antwoord

"If you don't like funerals *whispers* don't kick sand in Ninja's face"

The first half is rap and dubstep and the second is a techno instrumental, like are you fucking kidding me Die Antwoord?! I love this so much please listen and bang your head and jump around and enjoy.

Rock The Mic-Mikey J & The UK Female Allstars

The only rapper I've actually listened to and heard of before this video is Roxxxan. Please go check out her videos: Power, Too Fucking Facety, Thunder Bay and Guerilla. It's really tough to find new rappers that are as amazing as the mainstream ones, especially female rappers. So this video is like a hidden treasure for me. I've always wanted to make a mix of a shit ton of female rappers in one song, but now I don't have to do that because this video is so satisfying and I'm really lazy. 

Fitzpleasure-alt-j

At work (a children's indoor play place) I like to play a game called "How Inappropriate Can The Music I Play Get Before Parents Complain." I'm a fabulous employee, I know. The lyrics are a little hard to decipher when you aren't paying attention, so I play Fitzpleasure for the lil kiddies all the time. Sometimes twice in a shift. My alt-j obsession is finally growing past Breezeblocks, so if anyone has any other songs of theirs that they'd like to suggest, I'm all ears! I only listen to those two and Tesselate, and I'm not sure if there are any other songs at good as those. 

Lost, Picking Flowers In The Woods-Black Moth Super Rainbow

Speaking of work, I work with one of the greatest humans to ever walk the Earth. She's like a real life Stargirl. Her name is Dalia (DAH-LEE-AH), she is a total hippie who doesn't shave her legs, bends the employee dress code to her earthy whims (we're supposed to wear a plain red shirt and mostly black yoga pants, but she comes in with flowy wine colored tank tops-a dark shade of red-and flare out floral pants) she has crazy hair with chunks of dreads, braids, and beads. She will scorn you for throwing out water bottles and dig them out from the trash, I sometimes see her walking to her car at night with armfuls of plastic to recycle. She's an artist who goes to music festivals and does psychedelic drugs and wears clothes that she finds off the sidewalks of Santa Ana. She also reminds me of the sun, or a flower that's growing from a muddy garden. And she smells like tea tree oil. I'm only describing to you how amazing she is because this video reminds me of her, and I'm trying to prove that she's not a book character but it's very difficult. 

Dalia is a feminist, like myself, and we both bonded over our love for CocoRosie. Ever since then, she's been trying to get me into some of her music. Tame Impala was the first, but yesterday she showed me Black Moth Super Rainbow. I can't stop listening to this full EP while I'm drawing. It's so magical. Another band she showed me yesterday was Purity Ring.

Lofticries-Purity Ring

Our manager started complaining when we started playing this song, unplugged my phone from the aux cord, and put in her own iPod filled with old school Miley Cyrus and Fall Out Boy. How can you go from this Narnia of musical goodness to fucking Panic! At the Disco? HOW?! I DON'T UNDERSTAND!

Call Them Brothers-Regina Spektor ft Only Son

Whenever I feel like not listening to the same ten songs on KIIS FM, I grab my phone and play this while I'm driving. It's so calming at first and it just lets me exhale and relax. I really want to make either a Hunger Games playlist (again) or a Full Metal Alchemist playlist with this song. Ja feel? Maybe one of the two will be on this blog soon.

That's all so far everyone! Have a fun time with the videos and links-please check out the links! See you in a couple of weeks!