Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Harry Potter, is dat chu?

Folks, excuse the delays. Its nearing crunch time at school so I'm running around campus getting projects and papers finished. Meantime, enjoy the scenic library hall view. 
It's very Hogwarts, isn't it? 

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Korean Elle: This is how you do a photo shoot

Lee Hyori in Elle Korea

I love how Elle styled Lee Hyori, a Korean pop singer, for this spread. Adoring the dramatic eye makeup,  the clean white outfits, and the dreamy feel of the photography.  Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. Click over at PopSeoul for more scenes from Elle Korea [PopSeoul]

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Autumn Wedding


Isn't a British tradition for women to wear quirky hats at weddings? I still remember Stylebubble's crow headband. Pretty memorable. Very October actually. So, why the wedding post? This week, dearly devoted is jetting off to Alabama to see her brother get married. Hooray!  Today, I was browsing Etsy and was curious to see if they had wedding items. Ta da. The model is wearing this lovely, whimsical wedding crown: moyster wedding crown. Let's keep our fingers crossed that the weather will be beautiful. 

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

What the hell Urban Outfitters?


Halloween hasn't arrived and Urban Outfitters has busted out with its in-store Christmas displays. I'll begrudging give them credit for very cute holiday ornament merchandise thanks to Hello Kitty.
Hello Kitty Keeping Warm Ornament, $8 at Urban Outfitters

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Illustrators unite for free iPhone wallpapers

Ana Galvañ
Ana Galvañ

Today's theme is free. Free iPhone wallpapers for everyone courtesy of Poolga.
I picked a few to illustrate the high quality efforts that the folks put into them. Gorgeous, right?

Changethethought
Changethethought
Larry Mayorga
Larry Mayorga
Piktorama for Poolga
Piktorama

Monday, October 20, 2008

Food Porn is the result of dining on a budget

Empty fridge
This current economy hasn't been too friendly to dearly devoted's dining budget. Like everyone else, I've cut down my eating-out budget and inspiring myself and my bf to cook more. We've already ran through our limited inventory of quick-and-dirty 30 min. meal recipes: spaghetti, soups, etc. Our stipulation is to make meals quick + relatively healthy + budget-friendly. Well, late night web browsing leads me to these beautiful recipes from Apartment Therapy...and now I'm hungry as ever and its late at night....@*#)! So, what does everyone else like to cook on a budget? My favorite recipes, right now, are swapping veggies for pasta in low-carb spaghetti meals.  


Sunday, October 19, 2008

Tweaking the Blog

 Folks, I'm testing some things around here at dearly devoted. After a year's time, I figure the site could be a lil' refreshed.  Meantime, enjoy some of the tunes I've featured for October courtesy of imeem -- its tucked into my sidebar. 

Kamineko Wallpaper

Source: Azumanga Daioh

C'mon, you know you want to pet it.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Lady GaGa

I love Lady GaGa and I *adore* the look she's pulling off here. Loving this, it's very Jem . 

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Alamo Drafthouse Horror Series Posters


The folks over at the Alamo Drafthouse are celebrating Halloween early. Check out the debut of their Horror Series Posters, a tribute to the classics. For horror or design buffs, the posters are suitable for framing in your house (sans fanboy/fangirl geek factor). Hooray, graphic design! [Seen at OMG! Posters]

 

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Jack and Jil Blog

Seen at Paris Fashion Week 


What am I clicking on nowadays? Adding to the blogroll love: Jack and Jil Blog  blog. Fierce photography of the fashionable streets of New York, Paris, etc. I can get my photo voyeurism on. I *heart* the spike bracelets La Lanphear is sporting above. Fierce!

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Seattle Artist, Narboo


Let's take a look at Seattle artist,Narboo  aka. Brandon M. Baker. Seen over at the McLeod Residence, he was friendly, answered tons of my questions, and yessssshhh his area had free stickers of his art. Mmmm...free. At first glance, I thought he was selling pictorial postcards but a closer look made me laugh. Narboo loves carefully inserting his cartoon illustrations in snapshots. I love the geriatric seagull above. It just screams Fort Lauderdale, Fl, my hometown, represent. Check him out. 

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Cross Body Messenger Bag

Living in a metropolitan area, I'm adjusting to public transit as a daily norm. Riding the bus has become second-nature. One thing I'm coming to realize is the handiness of a nice messenger, cross-body strap bag that allows me to travel freely in the city. Now, I think I may have an option here. 
I appreciate the vintage details in this bag's construction from the cut of the leather to the nice skeleton key touch. It looks very solid. I hope the leather is nice to feel as it looks in these snapshots. 

Friday, October 10, 2008

Super Box Robot

Danboard Super Box by Steve Keys 

The theme for today's photo: Play! On a funny note, I'm not sure whether to feel threatened that Amazon's going to send a killer robot after me or this is a benevolent transformer...


To see Danboard Super Box in action, check out a Danboard  site 

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Kids for Halloween

Halloween in Harlem by Amy Stein (2005)
 Halloween meets fine art. Let me introduce to you, dear readers, my favorite photographs involving costumed kids at play on the streets of New York. In the 1940s, Helen Levitt documented the play life of New York City kids. Sixty-three years later, Amy Stein follows up with her homage. The atmosphere in both snapshots are haunting and yet, I'm happy to see the spirit of Halloween on display with it. 
Untitled by Helen Levitt (1942)

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Minding your ABCs: Typographic Inspiration


Light Writing Alphabet by Nir Tober 
Ruben Miller has an interesting graphic post about 22 Of the World's Most Creative Alphabets For a visual punch, high-tail it to his blog post and get inspired. Artists, photographers, designers show off their typographic work. Whether you're in the art/design community or like looking at art -- these examples make me pumped to be more inspirational in my daily thinking.  My personal favorite is showed above. Here are more below:



Meat Alphabet by Robert Bolesta    


Buildings and sky alphabet by Lisa Rienermann

Sign language matchbook alphabet. By Jonathan Keller

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Monday, October 6, 2008

T-mobile + Google's love child: HTC G1

T-Mobile HTC G1 White (5)

The HTC G1  (in white) is bound to have trendy fashionistas squealing: "A Must Have!" 
The "It" item has already made an appearance on my favorite show, Gossip Girl. It looks so good in white. Plus, HTC is a super popular brand overseas in Asia. On sale in Best Buys nationwide on Nov. 26th, T-mobile customers can nab one for about $180. The HTC G1 makes a strong contender against the iPhone but the only strikes against it are: a) no iPod/iTunes integration
b) clunky web browser (see below). Doesn't it remind you of the Sidekick when viewed horizontally? and c) T-mobile limiting data usage to 1G? If you go over, your internet speed crawl at 50kb?! Say it ain't so...I'm not too keen on that...
T-Mobile HTC G1 White (7)

Would I switch my iPhone for the G1? Most likely not due to these factors I listed above. But you bet I'll make my way to check one out in person and see. As a former T-mobile user (of 5 years!) the only major drawback was the high amount of dropped calls I used to get back home. 

Friday, October 3, 2008

Domo-kun stars in Target's Halloween Campaign

Target's Domo-kun Halloween campaign
Caught on iPhone camera: Domo-kun signage!

In Target's Halloween campaign, Japan's lovable, fuzzy brown export, Domo-kun, plays the starring role. In stores, Domo-kun displays are eye-capturing, smartly designed, and cheeky: Domo-kun as a ghost? Vampire? Disgruntled pumpkin carver? Check, check, check. I saw a three-foot Domo-kun replica hanging in the store front and asked the Target store manager if I could have it post-Halloween. Keeping my fingers crossed. Meantime, Target.com's Halloween section has dedicated an interactive section to Domo-kun. Watch a Domo-kun episode and the making of Domo-kun.  I've included a lil' slideshow of my favorite moments within it. Pretty smart of Target to tie Domo-kun's appeal to the Halloween spirit, this is the most memorable Halloween campaign I've seen Target run. Good stuff!

Target's Domo-kun Halloween Campaign
Target's Domo-kun Halloween Campaign
Target's Domo-kun Halloween Campaign
Target's Domo-kun Halloween Campaign
Target's Domo-kun Halloween Campaign
Target's Domo-kun Halloween Campaign


Update: I am crushed. I followed up with my local Target to ask the manager about their signage policies (I had wanted to be first on the list to snatch the domo-kun doll hanging in their Hallowee displays). According to her, Target isn't allowed to give their signage art away to consumers. Boooooooooo!!!! So, readers, ask your fellow Target managers and see if you guys got the same response! 

Food as Art: Bento Box creations

What is dearly devoted currently reading? 

I got a big kick out of reading  Face Food: the Visual Creativity of Japanese Bento Boxes. Christopher Salyers documents "charaben," the Japanese art of creating character-themed bento boxes. Visually lavish and more often, nutritious, these lunches were a way for Japanese parents to show their love to their kids (and make them eat their veggies). All I can squeal is, "How kawaii!" It's food porn meets Japanese culture. Seriously! They are almost too beautiful to eat. The book isn't so much as a DIY guide but a photo book dedicated to showing off the charabens parents have made.  This is a great, little coffee book to share with friends for creative food inspiration. I just wish the book had a step-by-step look at how these parents crafted their creations ~ videos anyone? 
A small Q+A interview is included with each charaben maker. I've included my favorite excerpts below: 
Benry and Asko from Tokyo Gas
Made by Risa
ingredients: broccoli, cheese, cherry tomato, egg, fried chicken,green beans, ham, imitation crab, macaroni, rice sausage, seaweed, spinach, yam potato

Describe a typical charaben-making day's schedule:
"I look inside my fridge and think of a character I can make with whatever is in there. I start making charaben at 6:00 and finish by 7:30 at the latest."

Shimajiro
Made by Risa
ingredients: cheese, cherry tomato, cucumber, edamame, fish cake, fried pasta, mayo, okra, beef patty, pumpkin seasoning, qual egg, rice, seaweed, teriyaki chicken, tomato skin


Three Lil Pigs
Made by Makiko Ogawa
ingredients: black beans, broccoli, carrot, cherry tomato, fish sausage, fried chicken, ketchup, lemon, quail egg, rice, sausage, seaweed, sour plum rice seasoning

What is charaben to you?
"A communication tool between my child and I and between my child and his classmates. Charaben opens up many unique opportunities for communication and happiness to share with others. Charaben is also a challenge as to how much I can express within the boundaries of an obento."

Thursday, October 2, 2008

New York Times: Ask a student for advice on budget decor

On The Cheap: New York Times Slideshow 


Did you check the New York Times Style section today? I did a double-take when I saw their "Thinking like a Student" article,  an homage to innovative, budget decorating: 
"Consider, in these economically difficult times, that inspiring model of creative home design, the college student. No, we are not kidding...there is still much that can be learned from students who’ve managed to put together great looking places on what a grown-up might pay for a one-way ticket to Paris."


I'm a little amused that The Gray Lady talks about college students, or god forbid, budget decorators, as if they don't read the NYT. Le sigh.  

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Recession Chic for the kids

Photobucket

 When I saw Graham and Green's Cardboard House for sale on its website at $80 (USD) -- the first thought that came to my mind was: "Necessity is the mother of invention."  
Times are hard economically. Why spend $80 -- that could go to gas, utilities, mortgage -- when you can make it yourself? While dearlydevoted is a shopping/design/lifestyle blog, I also encourage a DIY spirit. This folks, is a clear example of where creative, budget-friendly parents can rule: It's a frickin' cardboard house! Check out the incredible cardboard projects 
for kid furniture here: foldschool .