My Evil Matryoshka will eat your face.

It arrived.

Sounds alot like "It's ALIVE."

But I haven't created a monster a la Frankenstein

. . . Yet.

This will do for now.

My Evil Matryoska tote is going to be my lucky charm this summer.

SO WATCH OUT.

(I love Etsy/Baostudio)

Ok.

(via My Vintage Heart)

Things I am obsessed with (as of this morning) or "ALL-ONE"

This is how the story usually goes: you're walking around, you're working or schooling, washing your hair in the shower, checking in on Gowalla (woot to us, Stina and Nate), checking out the cute waiters at Takashi (yeah right would I spend my free night at work. I'm a turncoat, so sue me), or just relatively minding your own business... WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT? Sure, you're focused on the activity. Sure. SUUUUURE. You're probably thinking about a billion other things. The boys (or girls) you crush on, how tired/hungry you are, whether or not everybody around you hates you/CAN READ YOUR MIND. But what about the other, less important things you obsess over? The flighty, less-important, maybe more worldly things? EX 1: I am still obsessing over that Green House Dress (ahhhhhhhhh so pretty, so domestic goddess, so I Love Lucy) I saw at Anthropologie last month, which I didn't buy because I didn't have a spare billion dollars to throw at that store. But seriously folks, at the moment, the tragedy of the-dress-that-got-away is not even registering over the fact that base-inconsequential-worldly-level Claire needs more of THIS in her life:

OBSESSION #1- Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap

A. This stuff is a catecholamine neurotransmitter in a bottled and bizarrely packaged form. Dopamine for my skin. Jessica P and I fell in love with this heavenly peppermint soap last fall when we were visiting her brother in NYC (subsequently taking over his room, shower and free time... thanks again, Travis P). Apparently, Jess and I run on the same life mantra of ignoring that the vicious Curiosity killed the Nosey (yet beloved, comely, and well dressed) Cat, because we both snuck some of Tra's magic body wash in shower, just to later sheepishly confess this to one another ("Wait, ah, you did that . . . too? -insert quiet chuckling-"). She was swept away. I was swept away. It was love at first the first hit to the olfactory sensory neurons.

B. Dr Bronner was the craziest man to ever want to be Gandhi. Or Jesus. Or just establish world peace. . . through soap. I wish you could zoom in on the label below. It has such gems as: "Eternal Father, Eternal One! Exceptions eternally? Absolute none." Sayings along the same vein cover every spare inch. I. Love. It. AND I'm almost all out of it. A tragic happenstance, indeed.

OBSESSION #2- Buying a swimsuit. But mostly just THIS swimsuit.

I want to be Esther Williams. Oh look. . . Anthropologie has the most perfect bathing suit ever. For a billion dollars. Awesome. But since it's either this or skinny-dipping. . .

OBSESSION #3- American Eskimo Dogs

Just look at that face, and tell me that you don't want one too. PLUS, in the 1930's and 1940's they were circus performers. Now look at that face, imagine it jumping up and down of an over sized beach ball, whilst balancing a teacup on it's nose, and tell me that you don't want one too.

OBSESSION #4- This photo. Uhhhh... Does anyone want to attempt this on my nails? Vincent van Gogh might have just rolled over in his grave. Maybe we should mix it up and instead paint Henri Matisse's 'Harmony in Red' on my toes.

OBSESSION #5- Learning how to Lucid Dream

Because there is SO MUCH that I want to do inside my head while I'm suppose to be sleeping.

Bonnie

This is Bonnie. She is my little sister, thus third in line to the Bagley throne.

Not only is she waaaaaaaaay cooler than me, but

TODAY IS HER BIRTHDAY.

Happy Birthday Darling.

We love you very very very very very very very much.

(THIRD BRIGHT EYES REFERENCE IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS... and counting)

In honor of my st-st-st-stunner of a sister's day of birth, I am going to list just a few of the things that make me so glad that she is in my family PLUS one of my favorite people.

AHEM.

• She is much braver than anyone I know. She sticks up for me, and defends me from ex boyfriends and the undead (only sometimes those are the same. She gets my back at work, and comes with me on adventures through the factory to buy candy and bottled water.

• She is so so SO creative and talented. She is the ultimate seamstress and fashionista. She draws and crafts like a little Martha. This girl is going places, and don't you forget it. She can do whatever she wants.
• She loves Left 4 Dead. Bonus points.
• She can rock combat boots and pikachu shirts like no one else. And guess what guys, IT'S WORKING. Not even I can pull off the things she pulls off.
• She is a babe. I mean. . . LOOK AT HER. Are you looking? Right. So beautiful.

• This girl is True. The most loyal friend and companion. It amazes me, the depth of her care(just look at her below. . . she's got his back. . . man, I crack myself up).
  
• She loves so deeply. When I grow up, I hope that I will be able to love someone even a minute portion of the way this girl loves.

Bonnie, I love you. I am so glad you are my sister.

CA, in small doses.

In the vein of re-visiting this past winter...
Jackie, Rachel, Jordan, and I went to Sunny/Blustery/Rainy southern CA for one of my grad school auditions.

pros: the naked cats (oh how I miss thee), seeing Evan (making him entertain us with circus parties and art strolls... we love you/have Evanmania, boy), watching Clint booty-dance with the manikins whilst shopping, SHOPPING (new bomber jacket, whatwhat), neti-pot, getting read to in bed, and being with my beautiful friends. I love them.

cons: not being able to eat at the fried chicken and waffles joint because I was sick, being sick (good faux-mommas Rachel and Jackie took care of me).

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh... I could wax nostalgic over the adventures and misadventures of this trip... but let's cut to the chase and just look at the polaroids (maybe I'll bust out the real camera photos sometime):