Fabulist!

happy little trees

Charissa — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 00:31:46 PDT

So we haven't posted for a while now. And I swear there's a reason for that. I'll get to that in a minute.

Walking around my neighborhood a couple of months ago, I saw the tree pictured here, with a little smiling paper face on it. It had nothing to do with its surroundings, which were decidedly not whimsical, but it seemed to look at me with such friendliness and reassurance. Just the fact of its being there, of knowing that someone went out of their way to design a face, pick the right tree on the right street, and climb up there and add a touch of joy to the world, filled me with a sense of wonder.

And I thought to myself, I'd love to share this on the Fabulist. I'd love to talk about how this made me feel, and ask everyone what everyday surprises fill them with wonder. I'd love to have an ongoing dialogue about wonder and everyday magic and creativity and surprises and little things that bring us joy.

But I felt restricted by the current mission of the site. And I talked to the other contributors, and realized they've been feeling similarly. We've all had a nagging, subconscious feeling that this site, in its current incarnation, isn't an accurate picture of what we're truly passionate about.

So we're going to design a site that is. And it might take a little bit, and we hope you'll be patient, because we think you'll like it. And we hope you'll have a part in it, too. And when it's ready, you'll be the first to know. Just sign up for the mailing list. And keep an eye out for friendly trees.

The Other Davey Jones

Elaine — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:24:34 PST

Listen to David Bowie, kids. Even at 17, he knew how to stick it to the MAN.

Hello Kitty, Hello World

Charissa — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:22:50 PST

It's true. I haven't posted in a while. I was just lounging around in my backyard on my giant bed of pink fluffy cotton candy, when...well, you'll have to watch the video to understand the rest.

NSFW due to masked gimp Hello Kitties and mild BDSM-themed kitty business.

(via)

Your Smile Makes Me Want to Misbehave

Charissa — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 08:28:50 PST

And here's a special Valentine's Day installment of PostSecret. Because you can never get enough secrets, or enough joys (and sorrows) of love.

Lots more PostSecret valentines -- just follow the link at the bottom!

(link)

Be Mine

Charissa — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 08:20:27 PST

Valentine's Day is in the past, but because I'm a hopeless romantic, I have a few little odds and ends from Valentine's Day I wanted to put up. So here's the love story of Tim and his wife Claire, in pictures, as he's made a beautiful photo card for her each Valentine's Day for the past ten years. And they're each uniquely lovely.

What a sweetheart!

(link)

(Thanks, Hazel!)

The Fresh Glow of Bacon in the Morning

Charissa — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 07:10:54 PST

Tiny Run is treating us to another helping of glow-in-the-dark bacon shirts to remind us what makes it worth getting up in the morning. So if you are the kind of person who wants a slice of bacon glowing on your chest in tribute to the wonder that is bacon (AND YOU SHOULD BE!), you're in luck!

But they're only available for a couple more days, so hurry on over there, you!

(link)

We Are Insane These Days, When Left Alone

Charissa — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 05:55:36 PST

Go here and watch this video for Shenandoah Davis's "We; Camera" in high quality. Listen to it on headphones. Listen to it again.

Here's the bio behind all this wonderfulness:

"After a childhood spent being homeschooled by her mother at the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, Shenandoah Davis began teaching herself piano at the age of three and continued her classical studies up until college, where she decided to audition as a classical voice major despite having no prior vocal training because she worried that her self-taught technique would not be enough to gain her admittance. Studying classical voice, piano, jazz guitar and harp during college, she became frustrated with the 'tunnel vision' and politics of academia and, swearing off classical music after completing her degree, she began composing on her own. In the winter of 2006, a series of travels and tribulations led her to Seattle, where she currently resides.

In Shenandoah's American-gothic inspired songs, she weaves together strains of classical, ragtime and klezmer piano. 'We; Camera' was recorded in June of 2008 and has received rave reviews from Seattle's The Stranger, Seattle Weekly, Sound Magazine, as well as radio airplay up and down the West Coast and in her hometown of Boulder, Colorado. She is attending the Art Monastery this July in Umbria, Italy."

I get so excited hearing music by people with so much classical training, seeing how they employ their background in their own music. And it shows through here in all the best ways, while retaining this remarkable originality. I am amazed at how something can sound at once so familiar and so marvelously unique.

Shenandoah Davis - We; Camera

(myspace) : (buy) : (on tour)

Rides A Welcome Mat, On a Jungle Cat

Charissa — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:03:16 PST

I am helplessly smitten with Johnny Flynn, and you all already know how I feel about Laura Marling, so here's a video of them together, doing "Travel Light" by Jeffrey Lewis and Diane Cluck. Plus, there's whistling.

(Thanks, Mike!)

Valentine's Giveaway II -- The Finale

Charissa — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 15:09:39 PST

So the Great Valentine's Day Giveaway of 2009 is finished, and the prizes are snug in the post. A big congratulations to winners Sarianna, Karrisa, and Andrea, and a big thank you to all you wonderful poets who entered. Hopefully we can do more things like this in the future!

A very heartfelt thank you also goes out to sponsors My Favorite Mirror, Hoopla, and Untamed Menagerie. Along with making beautiful things, they are also extremely generous. My most happy of happy Valentine's wishes to all!

Jean on Jean Tonight

Charissa — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 07:05:29 PST

Pretty, pretty new video for pretty, pretty new song "Tonight" from Jean on Jean. (And definitely check out their blog, because it's fantastic.)

MYSPACE : URL : ON TOUR

The Museum of Broken Relationships

Charissa — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 06:53:58 PST

The Museum of Broken Relationships, a museum in Croatia dedicated to -- you guessed it -- broken relationships, is touring the world and will be in San Francisco just in time for Valentine's Day this weekend. But you can see some of the exhibits online right here, and even submit your own.

And the story that goes with this sweet teddy bear?

"„I love you“ – WHAT A LIE! LIES, DAMN LIES! Yes, it's like that when you are young, naïve and in love. And you don't realize your boyfriend started dating you just because he wanted to take you to bed! I got this teddy bear for Valentine's. He survived on top of my closet in a plastic bag, because it wasn’t him who hurt me, but the idiot who left him behind."

(link)

It's Tuesday Somewhere Music Roundup

Charissa — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 07:20:06 PST

Don't come at me with your geographical proofs and whatnot -- as long as I can believe it's Tuesday somewhere, I won't feel so bad about being late on this, as usual.

Polly Scattergood - Nitrogen Pink
:MYSPACE

Golem - Mirror Mirror
:MYSPACE

The Cloud Hymn - Wide
:MYSPACE

The Memories Attack - Peaks and Valleys
:MYSPACE

The Shortwave Set - Harmonica
:MYSPACE

Eleni Mandell - Artificial Fire
:MYSPACE

Plushgun - Just Impolite
:MYSPACE

Aidan Moffat & The Best Ofs - Big Blonde
:MYSPACE :Possibly the most charming video ever?

Muses

Charissa — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 04:05:33 PST

Kendra Binney is part of a show called "Muses" currently on display at the Black Maria Gallery in LA. You can view the entire show here -- it's all beautifully done -- but it was Kendra's work that really stuck out for me. And her artist's bio is the perfect accompaniment to her work:

Kendra Binney was raised in a small mountain town with no shoe stores. Most of her time was spent barefoot treading through the miniscule world of spiders, snakes and all things hiding in the grass. She transfers this closeness with the small and obscure into her paintings. Through scenes of dripping landscapes and insecure, vulnerable characters, she illustrates a world draped in memories, remorse, and fragile realities. Seen through pastel washes and shiny candy coatings of resins, her works evoke both nostalgia and contempt. They are at once gentle and cruel, sweet and unsettling. Kendra currently lives in Portland Oregon. She spends her days all alone in a small studio with no windows. Here she paints, daydreams, and paints some more."

I like to picture her in her tiny, windowless studio, painting pensive girls with huge eyes to take in all the light.

(link)

Timothy Information Limited

Charissa — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 03:54:41 PST

London-based artist Timothy Carson has an exhibit at Velvet da Vinci Gallery in San Francisco this month called "Timothy Information Limited: Demonstration 2." Here's the description, which I am seriously intrigued by:

"In an unknown place, at an unknown time, on an unknown day, in an unknown year, a demonstration is taking part. The usual cast of characters are there, the battle worn, the naïve, the angry, those carrying agendas, the confused and the passengers. Each badge in 'demonstration 2' portrays someone involved on that day. Some are the demonstrators, some the police, some are the stewards and some are just people caught up in the proceedings. The badges reflect the feelings, thoughts, beliefs and observations of some of the players during that eventful day."

The entire exhibit is a series of brooches -- you can view them all here. I haven't been able to find much about Timothy Carson, but I really like the concept. And apparently he'll be there in person this Friday the 13th from 6-8 PM, if you want to pop in and ask him some questions yourself.

(link)

Just Like An Angel

Charissa — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 18:41:20 PST

In honor of our ongoing affection for ukuleles and the ladies who play them, here's the ever-entrancing Amanda Palmer performing a cover of "Creep." On ukulele. Of course.

(Thanks, Mike!)