November 2008
32 posts
Crazy Ol' Nick Saban
The Iron Bowl took place mere hours ago, and needless to say Toomer’s Corner will remain without a trace of toilet paper. For those of you international readers and/or anti-sports readers, the Iron Bowl is an important college football (fútbol Americano) game between major rivals Auburn University and the University of Alabama. Don’t worry, I’m not much of a sportscaster, so no...
Wojo & Ward
Do you enjoy laughter and entertainment? Let’s hope so. Quench your desire for a good time by catching a Wojo & Ward show! Maria “Wojo” Wojciechowski and Joy “Ward” Ward (this was my attempt at comedy) are a breakout comedy troupe that are taking the world by storm — starting with the Bible Belt. Once you throw Sean Alexander in the mix, you have...
Vote!
Okay, it’s voting time. It’s nothing monumental, sure, but it is still fun to make decisions. This decision you’re making is especially fun because you will compare two versions of the same song and choose your favorite. You’ll love doing this because music is entertaining, and so is pushing buttons on your computer. STEPS: 1. Scroll down and listen to Version One of the...
“The Goldrush Was Over” by Kyle Brady...
“The Goldrush Was Over” by Kyle Brady,...
Etsy
So, I was browsing through Etsy.com’s plethora of goods, and I fell in love as usual. For those of you who may have missed the boat, Etsy is a website that caters to sellers of handmade goods. It is really a great concept: support artists of all kinds by being able to find their items easily in their hosted “stores.” Well, as always, I’m breaking one of the ol’...
Arts & Crafts: Lampshades
DIY Lampshades are a great project! Just start with a blank lampshade of your choice and get creative. If you have a motif in mind, make a few sketches first. The reason I sketch even if I have a good idea is because I like to look at my design, then simplify! Less is more, people. Originally, the above lamp had an entire tree with crazy branches. I toned it down to geometric trunk and branches...
Pre-Tree Lampshade
Before he was a tree lamp, he was just our pal. Our French pal.
Found Magazine
If you have not stumbled across FoundMagazine.com yet, then do it now. As the title of the site suggests, found objects submitted by readers are posted twice daily. These objects can be anything, but are typically letters, notes, flyers, and photos. Sometimes you’ll see a gem like this Star Wars trivia matchbook or this philosophical, plastic business card case: ...
Anniversary Time! Woot!
Kyle, I know what you’re thinking: Anniversary?! Why in the world would she write about how in merely ONE month, we will have been together for two years?! Well, for once this isn’t about you — or me, for that matter. It is alexieileen.com’s one month anniversary! Time sure flies when you’re having fun. To celebrate, let’s discuss you viewers! In one month, I...
My Faux Nephew is Here!
Want your own hand-drawn announcement? Let me know! a [dot] vrabel [at] hotmail [dot] com
Waste of Life, But Fun!
Got way too much time on your hands? The Internet (are we still capitalizing Internet these days?) will take care of that! You can make magazine covers with photos of your choice at MagMyPic.com. Of course, this magazine generator’s best use is humiliation of friends and family. Here at alexieileen.com, we know that my ass would be handed to me. That being the case, please enjoy these highly...
Marriage - Future Style
Kyle: It would be weird to get married in the year 2010.
Alexi: Yeah, that year sounds lame.
Kyle: It's the future.
Alexi: We would have to have our wedding cake in pill form.
Kyle: Up the ass.
Alexi: Suppository style is reserved strictly for you.
Mmmmmexican Food
El Giro was a staple in our lives, to say the least. We ate there three to five times a week and probably spent 30% of our incomes on those veggie fajitas and frozen margaritas. In fact, I can legitimately credit seventeen pounds of body fat to El Giro. The margaritas — or as we call them, Margies (yes, a proper noun) — are the best in the world. Honestly. They are sweet, tart, and...
Home Sweet Home
Y’all (and I say “y’all” to set the mood), it is so good to be home in Fairhope, Alabama — even if it is just for two days. Things to Look Forward to: - Zoë Bear - Kyle’s & my families - EL GIRO (for the love of God!) - Mobile Bay & Fairhope Pier - Possible pseudo-nephew births? A Taste of the Things to Look Forward to: More hometown reporting to...
Manhattan Designer's Closet
Trust me, when a Fashion Design Director invites you to see her clothes, you look! Jessica Schroeder extends her invitation daily to the visitors of her addictive website, What I Wore. Not only do you get to view the outfit she wore that day, but she goes the extra mile to explain her inspiration for the outfit, where she’s going — and the best part — where she obtained it all. ...
Wii for Mii!
Okay, okay. So I’m a little behind on the trends. So my six-year old nephew, Andrew, had Wii games mastered in 2007. So what?! I have a Wii now, and I am finally cool. Yes, now you will have to remember back to when Wiis were novel…because I’m reviewing it. FAVORITE: Lame as it may be, the Wii feature that delights me most is the Mii Channel. For those of you who may not know,...
“What I Am” - Edie Brickell & New...
Alexi: Do you think that Paul Simon secretly makes fun of her for this song?
Kyle: What?
Alexi: Because he's Paul Simon and this song isn't really that good compared to his music.
Kyle: No. He probably loves her for it.
Alexi: You think so? Why?
Kyle: Paul Simon is a really nice guy.
Alexi: You're right. He is.
Delicious Cheeses!
Kyle and I have a major affinity for cheese boards. There is nothing quite like fine cheeses and great company. I thought I would share our dinner from the other night with you guys. As you can see, accompanying our selection of cheeses are crusty wheat baguette slices and tart green apples. Kyle had a glass of Pinot Noir, which I admit was pretty good…but I stuck with water…because...
Yikes!
Of all the blocks on the grid in downtown Nashville, you had to lose power in mine. I think Humphrey Bogart said that. Yeah, power was out all day today…and it was only out on one block of 2nd and 3rd Avenues. Guess where I live? Yeah. I blame it all on the Country Music Awards, which is being filmed at the Sommet Center about three blocks away. Selfish country singers…
Illustrated Portraits
Illustrated portraits are simple — in both senses of the word. They are almost Mac-like in aesthetic: clean, under-wrought, and sleek. These are also simple in production if you have Adobe Illustrator. They can really impress the less art or computer-savvy person, so throw one in your portfolio. All that you do is essentially copy the elements you like from a photo: Get it? Go do it! Make...
Best Love Story Ever: The Boy & The Tree
Clearly, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein is the most moving love story ever told. It starts with, “Once there was a tree…and she loved a little boy.” The boy comes at first to gather her leaves and play in her shade, and the tree would be so overjoyed to spend time with this little boy. If the boy were hungry, the tree selflessly would invite him to pick her apples. The...
Best Love Story Two: Edward & Sandra
The story of Edward Bloom and Sandra Templeton is told in my favorite movie Big Fish, directed by Tim Burton, which is loosely based on Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions by Daniel Wallace. Edward Bloom is a hot shot in his hometown of Ashton, Alabama and suffers from being a big fish in a small pond. He finds a loophole to get out of town (via a friendly giant, Carl) to pursue his great...
Best Love Story Three: Forrest & Jenny
You know, sometimes I feel like a countdown. This brief list will consist of the three best love stories. So, please, grab your box o’ Kleenex and reminisce with me.
Forrest Gump, a 1986 novel by Alabama native Winston Groom and 1994 Academy Award winning film, definitely portrays one of the most honest displays of love devised in our lifetimes. Forrest is a very simple man (to say the...
Game Time
It may not be Family Game Night, but we can still have some fun. Kyle and I are fans of association games, and the one we played tonight had a Super Hero theme. See, the idea of the game is to create a hero. Then, the next person has to draw a hero that could eliminate the former, and so on. The goal is to keep going until there is a character whose nemesis is completely unimaginable; whomever...
“…even I took a day off.”
Sorry, Kyle...had to be done...
Bemused grin on his six-year old face… Twenty years later, it’s the same old case. This angelic boy is hard to please; He’ll look at you like you have a disease. Don’t get him wrong, though, he’s a nice guy Despite his smile that’s undoubtedly wry. He’s loveable, funny, silly, and kind. Never an impure thought is on his mind! Today is his birthday! He...
Men, Exit Before It's Too Late!
My mom’s birthday is next week, and that got me in a nostalgic, pro-family mode. So, ladies (because I’m assuming the men heeded my warning), this article is dedicated to the top three children that I would gladly steal. The Wild Child: Alexis Gosselin Alexis Gosselin, of Jon & Kate Plus Ei8ht fame, possesses the most character and charm of all her siblings. She always says the...
WatchMustache Twirl, starring John-Boy. © Alexi Eileen Vrabel, 2007.
The Milkshake Plight, a Novella
It all started a couple days ago when I had a craving so intense, the only way I could survive the night was to quench the desire. In my wallet was one rumpled five dollar bill, and I knew it was my ticket to fulfillment. Kyle and I rolled up to the drive-through of the Jack in the Box on West End Avenue, and I had the gleam of hope in my eyes. As Kyle ordered my Holy Grail — a small...
Face I
Above is a piece entitled “Face I” that I completed back in July of this year. I really enjoyed the process of this piece, and I’m happy with the result…although it got slightly damaged in the move to Nashville last month. It portrays, obviously, a girl’s face by use of high contrast on her shadows and highlights.
As you can see, the materials used were cotton...