Spread your wings and fly Allison!

Now that this season of America's Next Top Model is over, I have to admit I watched it religiously! I am NOT ashamed! My favorite model this season was Allison...hands down! Ceila, second runner up...love her! I'm really glad Allison didn't actually win though...I think she has more potential than just to be a spokeswoman for Cover Girl products! I love her unique look, she reminds me of strange beauty, Lily Cole. I hope to see her doing couture fashion editoral shoots for designers like Alexander McQueen very soon! Don't you just love this photograph of her!?

10 New Tattoos by Christopher Conn Askew!!!

I was reading my friend Chad's blog and he mentioned he wanted to get old-school roses tattooed all over his arms! I love the idea! I immediatly thought of Chris Conn because he uses alot of roses in his artwork. I love his style...he is definitely one of my favorite artists! I was thinking it's too bad Chris retired from tattooing...he worked as a tattoo artist from 1990 until his retirement from the industry in 2006. Since then he has thrown himself into his artistic and illustrative work. His medium is primarily watercolor, ink, graphite, gouache and gold leaf on paper. I went to his website to see what he's been up to lately and guess what!? Chris will be doing 10 new tattoos...no more...no less! He states:

"so, i am hereby announcing that i will do ten tattoos in NYC in August of this year. this definitely IS NOT a return to my previous tattoo career. anyone who foolishly places a bet on this being the beginnings of my return to the skin trade will lose their money. on june first, i will begin to release the 10 gift certificates on ebay. i will release one certificate per day, and each one will be on the auction block for 24 hours. after the bidding is over on one certificate, the next one will be released, until all 10 certificates are sold. each gift certificate is good for one person, on one specific date. if you win a certificate, that date is yours, and you have the entire work day (8 hours) with me. this includes consulting, drawing and tattooing. during this day, you will get my undivided attention, which means i won’t be consulting with other customers, taking phonecalls, etc. i will spend the entire day (minus an hour for lunch) focusing on the work at hand, slowly and patiently, and with a minimum of distraction." Read full details HERE!

New Black Forest Relics

A new collection of Black Forest Relics have arrived! Here's a sneak peek of the items I'll be adding to my Etsy Shop later this evening! *Layaway options are available* Feel free to contact me to make payment arrangements or to reserve something! xo Lavona

Ghost Bees

"Acclaimed artists like Marissa Nadler have shown no hesitation in their incorporation of psychedelic and shoegaze elements in folk, exposing a sub-genre that many have lovingly labeled as “dream-folk”. Ghost Bees are the latest to join the ascending ranks, portraying a hauntingly elegant form of folk music over lyrics that are poetically invigorating in meaning. Taking their lyrical influence from classic works of literature that deal with Gothic fiction, you can expect a slew of entertainingly original tales on the enchanting Tasseomancy." (link to article)

Nature Girls Rock!

I need to take a moment to do a little shout out to two fabulous girls! Emine of Cloven Hoof Jewelry and Pamela of Pamela Tuohy Jewelry! Not only are these girls are both talented couture jewelry designers inspired by Natural History...they are both sweet, thoughtful and generous! Incidentally, both of their jewelry collections can be found at Urban Flower Grange Hall.



I feel privileged to say I actually have a collection of Cloven Hoof Jewelry! Emine and I trade jewelry...and she always throws in something extra, she just can't control herself! This time she threw in this fabulous taxidermy deer eye rosette pin! Thank you Emine...I LOVE everything!!!



Check out these giant rhinocerous beetle brooches! The locket opens on one of them and has red jeweled eyes! I also have a tiny green jewel beetle necklace that I cherish! Her website is currently undergoing a tranformation but I'll let you all know as soon as she relaunches!



I wrote about Pamela Tuohy's gorgeous 'Lovers Eye' jewelry here a while ago. She was really happy to be featured here and said she enjoyed reading through the archives of my blog. When she asked me for my address I thought she was going to send me a post card or a lil' something. I couldn't believe my eyes as I opened the package she sent me...I cried! A lovely keepsake box containing one of her beautiful, one of a kind necklaces was accompanied by the sweetest most thoughtful note! And look, it's an OWL!!! Thanks again Pamela...I LOVE my necklace!!!

Lyell

Lyell Spring 2009

Rockettothesky

so beautiful...I can smell the forest...via Art and Ghosts...I also thought you might like this photograph of Meryl Streep sitting pretty...