Dreamy Mixed Media Art

"A large part of my work is the search for license-free images, illustrations or photos, for which copyright has long expired. Old books, magazines and the Internet are my primary resources for that. Once I have found the fitting image, I break it into pieces and then weave it back together mixed with other images. I transform, assemble and retouch the pieces, until the original image is no longer recognizable and an entirely new image is created."~ graphic designer Catrin Welz-Stein

Click through to read an interview with Ms. Welz-Stein & see more of her images (based on surrealism, folklore & fairy tales. She has a shop on Redbubble, as well. Very cool.

A rainy, sleepy Monday here. Time to put the kettle on.

ciao-meow/GGCM

(image via My Modern Met)

Guardian Gourds

These fairy-lighted pumpkins seem to stand guard against evil spirits abroad in the land. We thought it a nice thought on a spooky evening. Happy Hallowe'en, Samhain, Nos Calan Gaeaf!

ciao-shivery-meow/GG

(photograph via Martha Stewart via bricolage)

Tiny Fragile Animals

We are running very late indeed, today. Here is little post run originally on bricolage last month.

When GG's editor saw the second photograph (& more on Nonesuch via swissmiss), she thought of a line in a Leonard Cohen poem: /because your eyelashes/are the spines of tiny fragile animals.

Hop over to the link & see the other lashes. Very cool. If you're in the market for faux lashes, but can't imagine wearing these, here are some pretty pairs.

ciao-flutter-meow/GGCM

Shakespearean Insult Kit

Thou vain sheep-biting malt-worm!
Thou spleeny hell-hated puttock!
Thou dissembling rump-fed jolt-head!
Thou saucy ill-nurtured bum-bailey!

GG's editor has found relief & amusement from tweeting Shakespearean phrases out into the ether. While they were rude & often filthy to Elizabethans, they are funny to modern ears. Sometimes, one really does want to let someone have it online; but GG Central finds the world harsh enough without adding to it with modern vulgarity. So let fly with the old vulgarity & consult the Shakespearean Insult Kit.

PS: Here is another Shakespeare Insult Generator!

ciao-meow/GGCM

(photograph of Elizabeth Taylor & Richard Burton by Bob Penn/The Taming of the Shrew)

Storm Warnings

Hallooo from GG Central! Our home internetz have been restored just in time for Hurricane Irene. Yeesh. We will resume posting as soon as our electricity is restored or as soon as we arrive at a friend's house.

GG's editor is tweeting until the power goes off. Here's a great link to the New Yorker's Book Bench blog - Six Shorts To Read During a Hurricane.

Stay safe!

ciao-meow/GG Storm Central

(photograph by Anna Bond via bricolage by way of Cup of Jo)

Happy Bastille Day!

To all our friends in France (& around the world), have a festive day/evening. Giulia's editor is sitting in a café, trying to hear herself think. Headphones will have to be purchased if this internet crisis lasts much longer. Here is a post on GG's editor's blog if you'd like to say hello. For all posts on France, click here. We'll be back tomorrow, even if only to say bonjour!

ciao-festive-meow/GG Central-in-Exile

(photographs via Eiffel Tower & Martin Soler)

Elegant Arches

There is an ongoing personal maintenance crisis here at GG Central. A reminder of this today is an illustration by Gerald Zephyr on deviantArt. Off to figure out how to wrestle brows into Sophia-shape. (Giulia's brows are impeccable, of course.)

ciao-ouch-meow/the Mgmt.

(Sophia by Alfred Eisenstaedt via Old Hollywood)

GG's New Year's Eve

That's right - the party girl is asleep. Happy New Year to our friends around the world! You can leave a message for Giulia's editor here, if you like. xoxo

November Afternoon in Venice

A happy little boy in Venice in another time. By our friend Bernd who took wonderful photographs in Venice. Here are two more on bricolage. (photograph by Bernd Krause/all rights reserved)

Here's a fun game called Europe Map Match via KidsGeo.com.

Have a good evening!

ciao-meow/GGCM

What to Wear to a Mad Tea Party

Thank goodness a friend had the foresight to send Giulia's editor this fab Zara Carpenter Alice Bow headband for a recent birthday. She'll be suitably attired for the new Washington landscape. Zara is the talented hat/head gear designer at Chatham Girl. She has a cheeky English sense of humor. GG's editor wrote about her, here. And you can visit Zara, here. Now we must rush for we are late, very late...

Update: look at the new feline-inspired berets!

ciao-curiouser-meow/GG Central

(image via Chatham Girl/Zara Carpenter/all rights reserved/used with permission)

The Clever Pup's Paris Notebook - Week's End

GG Central is in a mad Friday/Saturday- Hallowe'en-Rally for Sanity rush...oof. So pull up a chair, sip on some hot chocolate (or a glass of wine) & dip into the recent Parisian adventures of our Canadian friend. This is a new & ongoing venture, not the Pup you might be accustomed to (note the Breton shirt, ballerinas, & the beret placed just so). Très mignon, non?

We'll be back over the weekend to wish you a Happy Hallowe'en. (You can always hop over to GG's editor's blog & say boo.)

ciao-meow/GG's editor

(illustration by Hazel Smith/all rights reserved 2010/used with permission)

Hallowe'en Costumes - Butterflies & Bees

Some fun costume ideas & how-to for adults & for grown-up + child via Martha Stewart. Only a few more days. We are working on the GG template & also on GG's editor's blog, so we're letting Martha & her amazing staff do the heavy lifting. (above: Madame Butterfly, Cat & Kitten, & Beekeeper)

ciao-meow/GG Hallowe'en Central

Hallowe'en Flower Girls

Need Hallowe'en costume ideas? Flower mad like GG & her editor? Here are a few from Martha Stewart. The top photograph is our ideal & is definitely do-able. (Don't forget about FEED Projects Halloween Trick-or-Treat bag.) Adult costumes & masks up next. (Very simple ideas, too.) (photographs via Martha Stewart & bricolage)

ciao-meow/GG Central

Fresh Flowers for Tough Times

For those of us residing in the State of Penury, here is an excellent idea by Sarah of Blossom and Branch, via Design*Sponge. It's a definite upgrade from our parsley-in-a-creamer. This is Sarah's second post in a twice-a-month series, Flowers A-Z. Take a look, you might be surprised by the ingredients.

ciao-meow/GG's floral designer

(images via design*sponge, GG collage)

Made4Aid Returns - Now on Etsy

Hoorah. Many of GG Central's favorite gifts given last year for the holidays & birthdays were from the good folks at Made4Aid in Britain. Instead of auctions (which we enjoyed), you can just go directly to Made4Aid's Etsy shop & have a look. There will be more additions in the next few weeks. Also, if you would like to donate anything, please get in touch with Made4Aid at made4aid [!at] yahoo.co.uk. They are super-friendly & talented people.

GG's editor uses her French market bag (made in England) every single week. Our friend Maria Caterina wears her Neapolitan skinny scarf proudly (& will again if it ever cools off, oh please). Our friends in Darfur use this lovely hand-embroidered tablecloth for their tea table in the Women's Cooperative. Etc. More to come, we just wanted you to know. There's more but Giulia has begun howl-meowling for her supper. Good grief, what a racket!

ciao-cheerio-meow/GG Central

(Smile card image via Made4Aid)

Riding Up Solsbury Hill - Week's End

GG just hopped up to look at the television. She heard a song advertising a film. We don't know about the film, but it was great to hear the song. Since we really can't say much about other matters at the moment, you might as well have a little fun. Here's a link to get you started on the archaeology & history of Little Solsbury Hill & the Cotswolds. Giulia wants to ride a bovine, but you can watch Peter Gabriel riding a bicycle while singing a song. In a circle. With a big audience. What would we do without English eccentrics? (And Scottish, Welsh, & Irish eccentrics, too.) Also, in case you didn't know: Peter is a humanitarian of the first order. (image, here)

ciao-crikey-meow/GG Central

Daring to Design - Week's End

You don't have to be designer, nope. Visit Shabby Apple's website & learn all about it. GG's editor loves Shabby Apple & thinks that you ought to consider some creative activity this weekend. The contest opened on August 15 & closes October 15. It's really, really not too late. You can find out more on their blog An Apple a Day.

As loyal readers know, Giulia does not need a dress--she has the perfect outfit every single day. She's incredibly chic. It's also very chic to have good manners & care about others. That's why we are pleased by the following from Shabby Apple Dresses website:

We at Shabby Apple Dresses love to help women dress but are also commited to helping women live as well. Thus we are supporting the fight against global poverty by partnering with Unitus-a non-profit organization that accelerates access to life-changing financial services for those at the bottom of the economic pyramid. Shabby Apple donates 5% of its net sales to support work in India (where Shabby Apple Dresses has sourced many of its dresses and the textiles used to manufacture its dresses). In addition, each Shabby Apple Dresses customer has the opportunity to donate an extra five dollars to Unitus every time she buys a dress. Shabby Apple Dresses and Unitus are involved with 10 of India's most promising microfinance organizations that provide financial services to more than 1.6 million hard-working women and their families.

Every $100 donation from Shabby Apple Dresses provides at least 20 women with access to financial services - and the chance to live a life without poverty.

Each new Shabby Apple Dresses dress features a unique hang tag with a micro-credit success story.

Now, isn't that fabulous? Go forth & design!

ciao-chic-meow/GG Central

(Christina Hendricks of Mad Men via AMC; Shabby Apple dresses collage)

GG Chic - The Catwalk Cats

Ooh la la. It's raining, as people say, cats & dogs. We love this adorable French cat with beret by Claire Owen. It reminded us of genius Grace Coddington's wonderful The Catwalk Cats. Here's a link to a Steidl Books illustration slideshow from the 2007 book. (No, we don't own it but someday...Giulia needs to earn some pocket money. We'll let you know how that turns out. Ahem. She's asleep right now, of course. Rainy day deep sleep.) We're also reminded of a favorite artist who channels cats, Jamie Shelman. Have you visited her Small Expectations blog? No? Immediately go there, well, here.

ciao-damp-meow/GG's editor

(French cat by Clare Owen via Audrey Hepburn Complex)

GG's La Rentreé Delay

Dearest Friends,

Upon looking at last year's entry on la rentreé, we realized that this state of affairs is not new. GG's editor is quite busy with an investigation as to why she is under-the-weather & how to come out from under it. Giulia, as we all know, hides her secret opposable thumbs & is of no help. She maintains that she is a publisher-muse, not a suffering writer. What cat suffers willingly? Or does anything uncomfortable?

Therefore, for the next week or so, we will run some popular posts from the archives that have been tweaked somewhat for timeliness, better photographs, & so forth. GG's editor's bricolage blog is up & running but at half-speed. We welcome your input on either blog. (You can make comments on GG on Facebook). There are excellent links on both pages. It's been a rather difficult summer here in Washington, DC & so we beg your indulgence.

ciao-meow/GG's editor

[This lovely photograph by thexmunichxromance reminds us of university days in Strasbourg, France. Via deviantArt]

GG Central - Summer Break

GG* is taking a much-needed break for the remainder of August. While we are away, please check out the links on this page, particularly Darfur Peace & Development Organization, Ante Up for Africa, Washington Animal Rescue League, Raise Hope for Congo, Enough Project, UNICEF, & the World Food Programme.

Please remember that Haiti remains in desperate need. Here is the link to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund.

As we write this, millions of Pakistanis--including children--are suffering terribly from the recent & continuing floods. Here is a list of American & international organizations collecting funds for aid.

For fun, comic relief, & also to help our dear animal friends visit Earl, Mooch, Chickpea & other great dudes at Mutts Comics website. (Yesh!) GG's editor would be delighted to hear from people via her bricolage blog.

ciao-meow/GG Central

*Giulia's editor is taking the break. Giulia is taking life with her usual equanimity (+ occasional bouts of wild celebration to prevent tedium).

Update - GG will return after Labor Day.

[photograph at the Lido di Ostia by Giampaolo Macorig via flickr details set]