{"id":1371,"date":"2008-07-20T00:01:37","date_gmt":"2008-07-20T06:01:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=1371"},"modified":"2008-07-20T08:35:30","modified_gmt":"2008-07-20T14:35:30","slug":"7-imps-7-kicks-72-featuring-laini-taylor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=1371","title":{"rendered":"7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #72: Featuring Laini Taylor"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jules<\/strong>: We’re so nerdy-excited to be featuring author and artist Laini Taylor<\/strong><\/a> and her Laini’s Ladies<\/strong><\/a> today. And that’s ’cause dang-it-all if she isn’t just a huge<\/em> inspiration to us all. For serious, check out the art page<\/strong><\/a> at her site: Collage<\/strong><\/a>. Oil paints<\/strong><\/a>. Stamps. Paper dolls. Mosaics. Clay. Garden art. Mixed media and digital art work. Drawings. Stationery. And her beautiful Laini’s Ladies<\/strong><\/a>, which are the focus of this kicks feature today. <\/p>\n

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{Here’s a fun fact: The face on the St. Augustine adornment is Laini’s blog partner<\/strong><\/a> in Sunday Scribblings<\/strong><\/em><\/a>, the writing prompt community they started a couple of years ago when they were both brand-new bloggers. I hadn’t seen this site ’til now. What a kickin’ idea!} <\/p>\n

And, even though we focus on art on Sundays, we have to of course OF COURSE mention Laini’s an author<\/strong><\/a>, too. (This link<\/strong><\/a> at her site will also give you the low-down on what she’s written and what’s to come! WAHOO! Goblin Fruit<\/em> sounds oh-so good.)<\/p>\n

Laini also keeps up with her own blog<\/strong><\/a> as well as one on writing, the wonderful Not for Robots<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, or—as Laini puts it—“everything I think I know about writing a novel.” <\/p>\n

Anyway, yes, back to Laini’s Ladies, featured here today… Laini’s Ladies, technically, are a gift and stationery collection, as Laini’s site explains it, that unites her “love of color and pattern with great quotations, sparkling beads, and ribbon, to create fun and elegant lacquered ‘ladies’ for home, garden, Christmas tree, bath, and greeting cards.” Today we’re featuring some of the hanging ornaments. This page<\/strong><\/a> of Laini’s site will tell you the great story about how Laini’s Ladies came to be. The adornments are sold by Bottman Design<\/strong><\/a>, and if you visit their site, you’ll see they’ve got soy wax candles, magnets, garden stakes and ornaments, and more. Anyone do their holiday shopping early? Well, I don’t, but I’m not going to forget that site (though Eisha and I already pinky-promised we’d get each other “The Royal Tenenbaums”<\/strong><\/a> for Christmas. Neither one of us actually owns the movie. What a shame, but I seriously digress). <\/p>\n

Here are some more ladies, and how truly, madly, deeply do I love the coffee one pictured above? A whole, whole lot. <\/p>\n

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And here are the two featured in the image at the top of our post, the one on the left including THE most brilliant thing Einstein ever said:<\/p>\n

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As many of you already know, Laini is married to freelance illustrator Jim Di Bartolo<\/strong><\/a>, who illustrated the cover and some interior images for Laini’s Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer<\/strong><\/em><\/a> (Putnam Juvenile; June ’07); who will be illustrating more of her books, including FULLY illustrating Goblin Fruit<\/em>; and who has a fabulous art blog<\/strong><\/a> where he features more of his work. Do we want to feature Jim one day soon if he’s up for it? Damn skippy we do. So, let’s hope he says yes, and—if so—look for that soon-ish. Woot! I want to learn more about this golfer<\/strong><\/a> anyway. <\/p>\n

Last but not least, Laini is working with the lovely and honorable Jone MacCulloch<\/strong><\/a> to organize the upcoming Portland Kidlitosphere conference. They’ve been working their tail-ends off, we’re sure of it. Here’s<\/strong><\/a> where you can read more about that. <\/p>\n

Many thanks to Laini for sharing with us today, especially having just met a major deadline<\/strong><\/a>. <\/p>\n

As a reminder, our 7-Kicks list is the meeting ground for listing Seven(ish) Exceptionally Fabulous, Beautiful, Interesting, Hilarious, or Otherwise Positive Noteworthy Things from the past week — whether book-related or not — that happened to you. Anyone is welcome to come list their kicks, so have at it. <\/p>\n

* * * eisha’s kicks * * *<\/strong><\/font><\/font><\/center><\/p>\n

Aw, Laini! Yay! Look at those awesome fairies, why don’t you. Just lovely.<\/p>\n

Iodine. Isn\u2019t that a pretty cover?1* Haven Kimmel has a blog!<\/strong><\/a> It is everything I could have hoped for: bizarre, brilliant, and gut-bustingly hilarious. This<\/strong><\/a> is the first post I read, and Mother of God, I laughed so hard I nearly soiled myself. Many of the posts culminate in photos of what appears to be (oh god) a taxidermied monkey. She’s also got a new novel, Iodine<\/strong><\/em>,<\/a> coming out in a couple of weeks. Between that and Breaking Dawn<\/em>, my first week of August is pretty much booked.<\/p>\n

2* I finally read Pride and Prejudice<\/em>. I cannot explain why it hasn’t happened until now, but I hold each and every one of you accountable. Honestly, what is wrong with you people? Why didn’t you put this in my hands 15 years ago? It’s so funny! And oh, it’s been forever since I read anything with language that rich. Lovely.<\/p>\n

3* I went blueberry and raspberry picking with some friends. We kept waiting to get hit by the thunderstorm we could see\/hear in the distance, but it never happened. And I have a freezer full of berries.<\/p>\n

4* There are some movie adaptations of books in various stages of development that I’m excited about. Like City of Ember<\/em><\/strong><\/a> (loved the book<\/strong><\/a> – and really, it’s not like I can get too many post-apocolyptic stories of late). And look, it’s got Bill Murray and Tim Robbins in it (but DON’T LOOK if you haven’t read the book because they totally give away one of the big plot points):<\/p>\n

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5* And Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, which, okay, I never finished the book, despite a majority vote that I should<\/strong><\/a>. But I bet the movie will be good. It’s got Michael Cera<\/strong><\/a>. I love him. Who doesn’t love him? <\/p>\n

6* He’s also set to star in the Scott Pilgrim<\/strong><\/a> movie, based on a series of graphic novels<\/strong><\/a> that I adore, which is going to be directed by Edgar Wright<\/strong><\/a> (you know, Shaun of the Dead<\/em>, Hot Fuzz<\/em>). Woo!<\/p>\n

7* Last, but not least: Jules and I declared<\/strong><\/a> our need to cut back and blog less, and you guys didn’t call us a couple of sissies. In fact, some of you are feeling the same way, which was very nice to hear. Thanks again, everyone.<\/p>\n

* * * Jules’ kicks * * *<\/strong><\/font><\/font><\/center><\/p>\n

1). Eisha, “sissies” made my inner fifth-grader snort-laugh milk out of my nose. That’s my kick #1 — that people didn’t cyber-look at us like we had bad cyber-scalp infections when we made our declaration. They actually understood — at least the people who commented! I suspect we might possibly perhaps potentially just maybe sound terribly<\/em> confusing to authors and publishers, but we did what we had to do, and, man, it feels good. ‘Cause, guess what? I read an adult fiction title! I read Jonathan Safran Foer’s<\/strong><\/a> Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close<\/em><\/strong><\/a> this week. It was good stuff. Jos\u00e9? Jos\u00e9! (If you’ve read it, you’ll understand that.)<\/p>\n

2). Laini’s Ladies. I’ve got that Louisa May Alcott addled-her-brain adornment hanging right by my desk, and I see it every day. <\/p>\n

2\u00bd). Andrea and Mark of Just One More Book!!<\/strong><\/em><\/a> think we’re “brillante.”<\/strong><\/a> Aw, thanks, you guys!<\/p>\n

3). Eisha’s post<\/strong><\/a> from yesterday. Hee hee. <\/p>\n

4). I second the glee Eisha feels at Haven’s new blog<\/strong><\/a>…AND HER UPCOMING NOVEL! WOOT!<\/em> again. <\/p>\n

5). The strawberry\/blueberry\/yogurt\/honey smoothies my husband makes. As he puts it, they’re scrumdangdiddlyumptious. <\/p>\n

6). My wee daughters really love the music of Feist<\/strong><\/a>, particularly her “1234”<\/strong><\/a> song. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve danced around to that thing. So, this week I stumbled upon this, and they just about passed out from happiness. Share with the children in your life. <\/p>\n

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As Entertainment Weekly<\/em> put it<\/strong><\/a>, which is where I found this, she might just have some Muppet coding in her DNA.<\/p>\n

7). I try not to share too many cutesy things that my children say. You have to be careful with that stuff, or you’ll sound all Bill-Cosby-kids-say-the-darndest-things and wear everyone out. But, humor me here. As I kissed my four-year-old last night and tucked her in to bed, she was all, “I love you to the top of your head” and then “I love you as far as the world” and then she wrapped it all up with “I love you as straight as your hair.” That right there is a lot of love, my friends. There are no curls in sight. <\/p>\n

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My bonus kick is that my husband and I are going to see “The Dark Knight”<\/strong><\/a> today. But, because it was so massively sold out and we couldn’t catch an afternoon showing, we are going to see an early-morning one. And Eisha’s out of town for some of this weekend. This means we’ll catch your kicks later<\/em> today, and if—by some chance—spam snags someone’s kicks, don’t worry. Eisha or I will unsnag it when we get back. <\/p>\n

So, what are<\/em> your kicks this week? And how about those beautiful book-lovin’, quote-sharin’ ladies of Laini’s?<\/font><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jules: We’re so nerdy-excited to be featuring author and artist Laini Taylor and her Laini’s Ladies today. And that’s ’cause dang-it-all if she isn’t just a huge inspiration to us all. For serious, check out the art page at her site: Collage. Oil paints. Stamps. Paper dolls. Mosaics. Clay. Garden art. Mixed media and digital […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1371","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-seven-good-things-before-monday"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1371","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1371"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1371\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1371"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1371"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1371"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}