January 26, 2012

iphone!!!


Sorry no time to Blog - I have to set up my new iPHONE!!!
So many things to figure out and play with.

First order of business: Instagram
Just wait and see all the slick, hip pictures I am going to be posting (you can find me under the ID: TheSkartist)

then what?

There is a whole world of Apps.  Where do I begin?

Any recommendations?

January 25, 2012

One Final Post on the R.P.'s Racist Dog


            My dog, let’s call him “Tedward E. Edwards,” has recently taken his intolerance to new heights.  Lately, he has chosen to stand on a storage block in his sister’s (my daughter’s) room, look out the window at the street below, and growl at anyone (dogs and people) he finds unsavory.  Frankly, I must admit, when he does this, I think that it’s funny and a little cute (or cute and a little funny, I haven’t decided yet), as he stands there with his hands (front feet) on the window sill, fogging up a quarter-sized spot on the window with his snout (nose), tracking people (dogs and people) back and forth as they walk on the sidewalk, going about their business, all the while having nary a notion that there’s a well-bred Welsh Terrier up on the third floor hating them.  When he first started doing this, he would occasionally bark at people (dogs and people) he felt an exceptional distaste for, but when I threatened to take his window privileges away if he continued barking, he contented himself with just growling instead.  At this distance, one would have to assume that a growl is sufficient. 
           

January 23, 2012

Workspaces: Oldest Scene Shop in Warsaw

While I continue to figure out how I'm going to revamp my own studio this year.  I figure I will continue to gather inspiration and explore what other people have done with their spaces.

 For the commercial I was working on in Poland I had all the scenery custom made and I got a sneak peek into what was claimed to be the oldest Scene shop in Warsaw.  It was pretty amazing.  Gorgeous industrial machines with bright yellow knobs and handles.   I think my favorite part was the old cobblestone floor.  I can't help but imagine what this shop was actually used for before they started building scenery for movies (the likes of the Pianist and Schindler's List to name a few)

January 20, 2012

4 on Friday: Argyle Walls

I'm not the first one to do an Argyle Wall treatment.  Today's 4 on Friday I decided to highlight some of the other great ones out there.

This was the original inspiration:
via Design Dazzle
Here is another example of a design that mixes a whole lot of patterns but sticks to a simple color palette.
via Project Nursery Design Gallery 
This one is Oversized and Fun! 
via The Bump
And finally, if you are lacking artistic skills, time or just don't want to commit long term.  You can always just go the way of simple decals
available for $40 at Beepart on Etsy

January 19, 2012

Nursery Design: Argyle and Houndstooth and Bears Oh MY!

Nursery #1 by Skårtshop Design is DONE! And I have pictures to prove it!

For a memory refresh This was the design sketch I did:

 and this is how Emmet's  room turned out:

Lesson learned here is that you don't have to be afraid of mixing patterns as long as you stick to a simple and soothing color palette.  The rug was the biggest struggle.  Even now Mommy isn't 100% convinced.  Luckily at this point she's got too much other stuff going on to fight me on it : )

Enjoy the rest of the pictures, thanks to Emmet for helping model some of the room features!

Design Elements:
Paint Colors Used -- (all Benjamin Moore)   Background walls: Bleeker Beige (HC-80), Argyle Pattern: Fernwood Green (2145-40) & Northern Air (1676), Dark Brown Stitching: Clinton Brown (HC 67)
Furniture (Crib Dresser and Nightstand) -- From the All Seasons Collection by Young America
Glider -- Hand-me-down from a friend
No Sew Window Valance -- DIY instructions here
Arty The Skartshop Bear -- Handmade with LOVE
Argyle Carpet -- Overstock.com
Teddy Bear Lamp -- amazon.com
JUMP! Wall print - Skårtshop.com
Polka Dot Change Pad Cover -- by Carters
Crib Bedding -- Kids Line Monkey Play 4 piece bedding set (just used the skirt and flat sheet, and then I  did a little tweaking to the bumper by replacing the monkey panels with a simple striped fabric)
Diaper Caddy on change table --Munchkin Diaper Duty Organizer
Custom Embroidered Bins -- You Name It Baby

January 18, 2012

My Dog is a Racist


            My dog, let’s call him “Tedward,” is a racist. 

            It has previously been discussed in this column how this same Welsh Terrier, the aforementioned “Tedward,” is a bigot.  But “Tedward” also discriminates on color and breeding. 

            “Tedward” hates Golden Retrievers. 

            “Tedward” hates Springer Spaniels.

            And “Tedward” especially hates Labrador Retrievers of all ilk, whether they be yellow, chocolate, or black. 

            “Tedward’s” distaste for this latter mentioned breed manifested itself somewhat dramatically, and rather embarrassingly, this past weekend when he tried to attack Charlie Rose’s pet Black Lab. 

            But please, allow me to elaborate. 

            The wife, the baby, the dog (“Tedward”), and I were all at the southeast corner of Central Park, at 60th Street, just north of the golden horseman statue, when here came good old Charlie Rose with his dog in tow, headed directly toward “Tedward” for what was obviously intended as a nice friendly sniff.  Being a good dog owner with some semblance of self-awareness, this Recent Paterfamilias felt it was his responsibility to inform good old Charlie and his dog upon their approach that, should they continue their current course, this was not going to go well. 

            Apparently, Charlie had more confidence in “Tedward” than I, and he kept on coming. 

            As suspected, “Tedward” acted as promised. 

            It must be stated:  good old Charlie Rose was a good sport about the whole thing. 

            Charlie joked that, sometimes, his Lab likes to get in close to aggressive dogs, just to see how quickly he can retreat. 

            As I pointed out to good old Charlie Rose, the current expression on his Lab’s face was, “I don’t like the look of that Terrier over there.” 

            Good old Charlie, the good old sport that he is, chuckled at this. 

            I feel badly, sometimes, labeling my dear “Tedward” the Terrier as a bigot and a racist, but, the truth be told, if he didn’t act like an A-hole so much of the time, I’d probably have nicer things to say about him. 

            That being said, I don’t think I’d care for “Tedward” as much as I do if he wasn’t filled with so much feistiness, if he was instead just one of those standard, typically happy dogs, like a Golden Retriever, or a Springer Spaniel, or some stupid Black Lab who just happens to share a 5th Avenue apartment with a good old television personality.  (In all honesty, if I were “Tedward,” I probably would have attacked him, too.)