This is one of the creepiest illustrations I've ever seen.

I know they were trying to show a happy baby (who doesn't like being strapped down by large-handed humanoid beings who speak a language you don't understand?), but it ends up looking deranged, like a drunk Mel Gibson. Okay, maybe like an everyday Joaquin Phoenix.

How 'bout some art?

I got to do a little art project on the side this week. Sarah's third grade class makes shirts every year to wear for school pride Fridays and as an organizational tool for the teachers during field trips.

This year's theme for the grade is retro 60's. This shirt progressed from the iconic Woodstock poster to a more general (and refined) typographic solution. Everything is hand-drawn.

There is a subtle drop shadow used sparingly to give the art a little dimension. Of course, "Hippie" is raised in hierarchy by outlining the word. Psychedelic flowers are treated crudely so they'll appeal to eight-year-olds, but they round out the visual elements that reinforce the retro theme.

I thought "Don't Worry Be Hippie" was the perfect phrase for kids to have fun with. I doubt the students will appreciate these shirts as much as the circus ones I did last year. I think kids can probably relate to elephants and big tops, but we'll just pretend that this is a learning experience about the counter-culture, draft and how to end a war.

Peanuts and Cracker Jacks

Despite being busy with home projects, we found the time to enjoy a ball game with my family.

The new park is pretty small, but the downtown Tulsa skyline just over the outfield wall is pretty captivating.

Man, the eats there can't be disparaged. Alongside the booth dedicated to ice cream in helmets, you can find pizza, BBQ, mexican and standard stadium food. The team has been classed up since moving from the concrete and aluminum coffin in midtown.

No speed pitch, though.

Transitions

It's amazing how changing an adjacent color can affect a whole room. I noticed this week that the blue color we painted our laundry room has transformed from a murky, yellow-ish mess to a vibrant hue thanks to the painting of walls in the next room.

That lesson showed up again when we had our "antique" blue tub reglazed to a brilliant white. What appeared to be white tiles on the wall are now a disturbing beige. Now I get to learn how to tile vertical walls. Since we can't put shampoo bottles and such on our new tub, I'll probably have to learn how to make inserts, too.

Still, we are very happy with our tub. The cost of reglazing was equal to a new tub, minus the installation/removal. What a great deal!

Wow, what a slacker...

That's what they say about people who start blogs and then go nearly a month without posting to them.

I snipped this flower off the top of our mint plant that has been used solely for decoration since our acquisition. Actually, this is the first use I've gotten from the plant. It seems like only yesterday I was pining for mint lemonade.

Since we started remodeling our dining room/kitchen, this is the most use we've gotten out of a chair.

It turned out to be a nice photo, though.