Library Sketches

When I tell you how hard it was to draw this stack of books you will never believe me. I think maybe it's because everyone knows what a stack of books looks like. There were just too many angles for this Quick Draw McGraw, and my scanner is not helping my cause. It looks more decent in person. 


Since I'm such a rookie, I will distract you by telling you that I went to the library for the first time in a great while. Picked up a paperback Flannery O'Connor collection (Flannery's a Southern lady, for those not in the know, in case you ever need to use a pronoun to refer to her) and The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon. It was in the Mysteries section, and I was sold. 


Librarians and patrons alike were aghast at our new governor's cutbacks: no more inter-municipal lending. But no one could remember the governor's name. "Chris Christie," I said, on my way out. Who can forget a name like that? 


No one admitted voting for him.

Anyway, here's to free books!

Fiesta Fit For A Peach

I love my nieces; I love paper goods (not equally — does that mean I should have used a regular colon?). Combining the two makes sense, so I eagerly volunteered my services to my sister-in-law for my littlest niece's third birthday party. It's really fun to plan for an indoor/outdoor summer shindig for a change. I found these DesignSponge images irresistable, and used them as a jumping off point for the peach's party.

We picked fun colors and I made fringy invitations. (Sensitive information whited-out.)

Friday I assembled some fun banners to adorn the house and the deck. (I also love banners! Look at these Mexican party banners! One day I will come up with an excuse to buy them.) I was going through some old Martha Stewart Living issues before throwing them out and saw these guys, which are pretty close to our colors. Ole! (You'll notice that both the DesignSponge and Martha pieces feature margaritas... I'm so predictable. )

On a side note, can we agree that there's nothing better than a party at home full of friends and family? Catered events at swanky places are always beautiful, don't get me wrong. But relaxed, home-spun affairs are top-notch. If you're having a great time, no one is going to kick you out. You are free to while away the hours playing Pin the Tail on the Bebop, agonizing over the World Cup, and eating a second lunch.

What's For Lunch?*

Some big changes are afoot in the SevPrez household. Mr. SevPrez is embarking upon the road to another career and going to grad school in September. As such we are switching gears from a couple of bon vivants to a hungry student and a starving artist. Only I don't think we'll actually be all that hungry or starving, because we have been cooking up all sorts of great meals at home in lieu of dining out. Our spirits will be hungry and starving, not our appetites. I'm looking forward to the change.


I've started bringing my lunch to work instead of dining at fine establishments in lower Manhattan. This affords me more time to do other stuff on my lunch break (which I still get, and take.) Lots of walking, park-sitting, reading, sun bathing of the shins (a fruitless endeavor, for sure), taking pictures, and drawing.


These last bits have been inspired by my purchase of the Maira Kalman retrospective book, Maira Kalman: Various Illuminations (of a Crazy World). I got over my grief of narrowly missing her exhibit at the ICA in Philadelphia enough to carry the book from the shelf to the register of McNally Jackson. The book is a gigantic reminder of the things I should be doing with my life: things I will be happy to have done on the day I die. Lucky for me, these things don't require that I quit my job and start over. All I have to do is work on a little something every day.


I've been reading lots of good, inspiring things and trying stuff that I don't think I'm all that great at in the hopes that one day I will be better. Mainly I am searching for ways to call forth my life. The resulting pursuit is quite enjoyable, magical even. 


This is all a preamble to my request, dear readers. Please bear with me as I post some of the proverbial fruits of my lunch breaks. You may follow the blog for other reasons, or not enjoy the first drafts of my artistic endeavors, but it's helpful for me to share, and sharing is why I have a blog in the first place. Nobody likes a miser.

It has to be stated that I drew this Vaseline jar from memory, since I could have googled the label on my Blackberry when I wanted to remember it better. I had to draw it after I read a rant by Dave Eggers and got that old Flaming Lips song stuck in head. 


*PB&J on whole wheat. Ate it at 11:30 and it hit the spot in a big way!

The Pie Piper

On Memorial Day we attended my aunt's Lobsterfest again. More good times were had and lobsters were eaten, even despite a few thundershowers. 


This year I really wanted to show my enthusiasm for the party and my gratitude for being on the guest list, so I brought two pies, one peach and one strawberry-rhubarb. Last year there was a duel for the last piece of peach pie, which is very flattering, but there's nothing worse than having to box people out in order to get some dessert. After cutting the pies into 12 pieces, I encouraged people to have a small piece of each. Then I encouraged seconds. And then they were gone. I will always enable people's sweet teeth when it comes to my homemade desserts. Like life, homebaked delciousness is fleeting. Seize the dessert cart.

Holy Matrimony

Today is our third wedding anniversary. May 12th was the day we got engaged. In a week or two it'll be the anniversary of our first date, though neither of us can remember exactly when it was, because the twinkles in the eyes had started a few weeks prior. 


As I get older, I need a lot of inspiration to write a poem. Luckily, a six week period of springtime love will do the trick. I wrote this one for the mister.


Early May and June

This is our time,
A reassurance that there are some
sensations I will never forget.
The sun coming back,
the heat,
the trees, their leaves, the natural world.
This is the time that we found
each other —
we confirmed each other.

In eighty years I know
even if I don't remember who I am,
I will see the particular neon green bouquet of maple buds,
and hear the playoffs whistling in a room
down the hall of my convalescence,
and I will return spring of our courtship,
when we were lucky enough to gleam a future
in each other's eyes.

-DDH
(c) 2010.


Happy Anniversary, Mr. SevPrez.

Photo by RBB.