Monsters, Inc.

I was a huge fan of the "X-Files". But it wasn't the government cover-ups or myriad of alien takeovers that tickled my fancy...

...It was the monsters.

The forest creature, with glowing red eyes, that hunted its victims during the daylight hours...Leonard Betts, the cancer victim who could regenerate his appendages...Rob Roberts, the man with an unhealthy addiction to human brains...Chester Banton, a physicist, whose shadow is pure dark matter...or Flukman, the sewer-dwelling survivor of a nuclear waste dump gone horrendously wrong.

Those episodes gave me goosebumps. They were episodes that made you run, jump in your bed, and hide under the covers. But then, slowly, you began to realize it was just a TV show--and those fictitious "monsters" simply don't exist...

...Or maybe they just live under your bed.

Braaains Mobile, $33 - from Salty and Sweet.

Pizza Monster Print, $11 - from Heidi Burton.

Anatomical Mook Creature, $35 - from My Grey Sky.

58 Famous Monsters T-Shirt, $25 - from The Chop Shop.

In Focus: Mademoiselle Chipotte

I'm no stranger to collecting...stuff. Actually, it's more like amassing than collecting. Nevertheless, these collections form the happy, little piles that give my apartment its charm. The result is a visual symphony of meant-to-be, discarded treasures. On my radiator shelf, you'll find a bucket filled with wine and champagne corks. To the right is my jar of plastic sock holder thingies. Six inches from that is my box of movie ticket stubs. And towards the end, sits my stack of envelopes (from the ghosts of business correspondences past), just itching to be recycled in some clever way.

Mademoiselle Chipotte, an international Etsy seller from Belgium--is admittedly a "collections collector..." and a "...compulsive buyer". Their shop is an intriguing mixture of vintage flea market finds, miniature doodads, eclectic souvenirs, jewelery and more. Perusing through their shop, I begin to wonder where each little trinket might go in my apartment. The cuteness of each item confirms the obvious--they must go somewhere!

Teeny Tiny Dolly, $7.50

Vintage Ring, $25

Miniature Television Set, $8

Set of old Whistles, $35

Set of British Postage Stamps, $5

Virgin Mary Souvenir from Lourdes, France, $8

Vintage Miniature Lawn Chair Set, $40

Playing with fire

My apartment sports a non-working, fake fireplace. Ironically, this is good news--because for some reason I've been afraid of fire since I was a kid. Actually, it's more like a fear of really high heat. But fire will make me tremble a bit too.

Maybe it all spawned from touching a hot sauce pan as a kid and burning my hand. After the burn was treated and the wound healed, I remember thinking our stove was a death trap. And ever since that incident, my fear has slowly morphed in to a fear of actual fire.

To this day, I shy away from burning fires and high heat--so cookouts, bonfires and even backyard fireworks hijinks are a bit scary. I've gotten over the stove phobia now--maybe these lovely items will help me conquer my other fire/heat-related fears...

From top to bottom:

1. Vintage Matchbook Notepads, $10 - from Soma Venus.
2. Antique Red/White Enamel Pot, $27 - from Behind The Screen Door.
3. On Fire Screenprint, $60 - from The Dyslexic Press.
4. Felt Camp Fire Set, $60 - from Sweetie Pie Bakery.

Animals!

I watched a special about the Andes last night. And despite watching the entire "Planet Earth" series, I was not prepared for the awesomeness that ensued. Salt pan seas, glaciers, boiling lakes and overnight winter freezes were among the highlights. But the diverse animal life was the topper--rabbits sporting giant whiskers, penguins marching through a crowd of sea lions, alpacas chasing down zorro foxes, and condors swooping down for a mid-day meal.

Yeah, there's a zoo by my apartment...but the Andes win this round.

From top to bottom:

1. "Shy" Print, $18 - from Amber Alexander.
2. Vintage Brass Penguin, $45 - from The Sunday Times Market.
3. Fox Letterpress Print, $9 - from Raw Art Letterpress.
4. "Legend of the Thunderbird" Necklace, $24 - from Christine Domanic.

In Focus: Senioritis

Clear! Now pick up the paddles and give your art collection a jolt. Al Capone, Charles Dickens, Babe Ruth and my personal favorite, Michael Faraday, are the stars of Senioritis' collection of prints, "Remember Famous Seniors". Each 11" x 17" print sells for $15 and features a historical figure set against a background of bright, bold colors. There's an iconic image for everyone, whether your field of interest is art, philosophy, writing or even politics.

Senioritis also has coasters, magnets, and framed/limited edition prints. Currently they're running a "Christmas in July" sale -- all bookmarks are only $2.

Postal-Modern

I'll just go ahead and say it--I take mail for granted. And despite all the rate hikes and lines out the door, the U.S. Postal Service is pretty amazing. Just imagine the insane amount of logistics it must take to route a letter from San Diego, California to Portland, Maine. The mail carrier picks it up (at your door) and takes it to the local post office. The local post office sorts it--all of it. The planes, trucks and cars pick it up and deliver it--everywhere. Then, another local post office sorts it--again. And finally, back to your trusty mail carrier, who delivers it (right to your door step).

And typically, all within 2 days.

Postal Service: Thank You.

From Top to Bottom:

1. Custom Zip Code Necklace - $59, from Zip Code Candy.
2. Vintage Postage Stamps - $10, from Verde Studio.
3. Vintage Postal Scale - $25, from The Vintage Apartment.
4. Digital Collage - $3, from Sabinesydney.

What time is it?!

I'm obsessed with time. At least, that's what it must seem like to an outsider. I'm constantly looking at the microwave--what time is it? Or my phone--what time is it? Or even the coffee machine--WHAT TIME IS IT?!

And it's not as if I'm a very busy person. I have plenty of time to do most of things I want/need to get done. But something compels me to constantly monitor these ever-changing digital readouts.

My world was turned completely upside down this past week when two of my vintage clocks stopped ticking. It's like the world stopped spinning. What was I going to do? Now, every time I enter a room, I have absolutely no idea what time it is. And surprisingly, I'm starting to love it.

Sometimes, factors beyond your control force you to pause or even slow down to a sluggish crawl. But inevitably, you end up noticing things you may not have noticed before...

From top to bottom:

1. Cherry Pie Pillow - $35, from Diffraction Fiber.
2. Terrarium Ring - $110, from Woodland Belle.
3. Gorilla and Girl Print - $20, from Irena Sophia.
4. "Tetris" Gift Boxes - $21, from Little White Dog.

What inspires you?

Recently, I was interviewed for Re-Nest's (Apartment Therapy) "Handmade Home". Surprisingly, I struggled with answering a question that dealt with what inspires me. I sat and thought about it, and honestly, my brain was totally blank.

I think we make it difficult on ourselves when we try to accomplish creative tasks. We go in thinking that a masterpiece will instantly be born. When in reality, trial and error is really the backbone of anything that is ultimately creatively "successful".

Lately, I've found it helpful to pause and try to figure out what inspires me (which also takes a bit of practice). What I've discovered is that I'm intrigued by lots of things that most people see as flaws--discarded materials, rusty hardware, chipped paint, and in a general sense, junk.

Sometimes, even abandoned vehicles can inspire you.