Belated Valentines, This Fickle Weather & The Stones

I recently did a quick little linocut print for our Hoodzpah clients. They were supposed to be little valentine, but they ended up getting sent out a little late, in typical Amy fashion. I printed each in black ink and then hand detailed in the gold detail. The banner says "We go together like rubber on asphalt." I feel like The Outlaws would even approve of this valentine. Anyways, printmaking is so fun. More of these little babies to come!

Shorts: Levis, Shoes: Seychelles, Shirt: Charlotte Russe.

The weather has been toying with our heart strings here in Orange County like a fickle woman. One day I was laying out on the beaches of Newport and riding my bike on the boardwalk in my daisy dukes, and the next I was bundled up in layers and beanies trying to survive the brutal wind and rain! Here's one of my outfits before the rain set in.

Back to work. Lot's to do and not enough time to do it in!

- Amy
Listening to: "They Girl With Far Away Eyes" by The Stones

Stacey Rozich, Kobe Bryant's Chiseled Cheekbones & How I Became an Insta-Whore

Quick Update:

• Found a place in Orange County that sells gouache paints finally. Aaron Bros on Newport Blvd. Can't wait to test those babies out. I can only hope to achieve an end product as epic as Stacey Rozich, whose work inspired me to try this medium out in the first place (see above). (Finders fee to Chris Steblay.) She is am-ahhhhzing. (Any "Happy Endings" fans out there? I want Penny to be my friend so bad.)

• I've decided that my next painting will be a portrait of the NBA's leading scorer, and forever reigning MVP in my heart, Kobe Bryant! Is he not the most handsome man in the NBA, not to mention one of the greatest to play the game eva'. But that last part is a given. Everyone knows he's got game, but how many take note of his perfectly chiseled cheek bones? Not enough, I tell you. As a tried and true Lakers fan, I plan to pay homage to both his beauty and his braun. It will be a lovely addition to my growing portrait wall. 

• Somehow I managed to accumulate 735 followers on instagram (shameless plug: @amyhoodlum) merely by posting pictures of my outfits. And now I am a monster. A monster who's only goal is to make it to the popular page. Seriously, it's an addiction! I'm not the only one. I have many a friend yearning for the honor (it ain't gonna happen Zach Hendrix). Someone call Dr. Phil. I got a record 102 likes on my pic today and yet STILL did not make it! What does a girl have to do? Anywho, here are some of my ensembles from the past few days. I'll get you Popular Page. *Sinister Laugh* 

Skirt: F21, Top: Old Navy, Hat: UO

Pants: Mossimo, Top: H&M, Leopard Heels: Steve Madden, Bracelet: H&M, Watch: Nixon, Bag: Moda Viajando.

- Amy

Listening to: "That Is What Makes Us Girls" by Lana Del Rey

Canadian Tuxedos, Being A True American & More Wally Progress

Breaking News! I finally got a jean jacket! I felt like I was failing as an American without one. Not anymore. (Cue  "Only in America" -ahhhhh I take that back. Cue "Bye Bye Miss American Pie". That's better.) The next few years of my life will be dedicated to slowly but surely breaking this bad boy in. Wear, tear, love, patches, buttons, maybe even studs. Who knows. 

In other news I am coloring in Wally The Wordsmith right now and it's so much fun. I'm using a retro-ish color palette. In other words every color is burnt. I'm also using a fun stamp pattern for the blacks. I made it in photoshop. We're going to offer it as a free download over at Hoodzpah soon. Get excited. Here's how that's going.

- Amy
Listening to: Donovan's "Season of the Witch"

New Hoodzpah Logos, Submarine & Dune

[Fig. 1: New Hoodzpah logo and stamp!]

Some Recents In The Life of Amy Hood:

• Recently watched Submarine and it was pretty hilarious. It also had a great soundtrack written by Alex Turner, frontman for the Arctic Monkeys and The Last Shadow Puppets. It's a somber - but not depressing - soundtrack that perfectly fits the film.

• Recently designed a fun new alternate logo for Hoodzpah. It's got a vintage, classic feel, like it was made by an 1800's letterpress shop. We got stamps made and the whole shebang [Fig. 1]. Stamps are so much fun. And they look so legit. Best $25 bucks I ever spent to get those two bad boys.

[Fig 2: Kyle McLaughlin in DUNE, directed by David Lynch]

• Recently rewatched Dune. Or the first half. I've realized that I'm at that point in my life where I don't trust any of the judgements or opinions that I formed when I was in highschool or younger. Things I used to hate I now rather enjoy, and even love. For a free wheelin youngster, I was pretty uptight back in the day and pretty narrow minded on what was good/entertaining/interesting/important/cool. So I decided to revisit Dune after a friend brought up the fact that he watches it daily. My first go around I thought it was boring and cheesy. It was a mystery as complex as dark matter as to why people thought it was a "cult classic." Upon revisiting, I get it now. Maybe because between age 15 and now I discovered David Lynch's other cult classic Twin Peaks, one of my favorite shows. Maybe because Dune features a younger Agent Cooper (I love that man). Who knows. But I get it now.

[Fig 3: Bloomers: V Generation; Heels: Aldo; Sweater: Mossimo at Target; Necklace: F21; Smile: Courtesy of my mama.]

• Recently wore bloomers in public. And it was awesome. [Fig. 3]

• Recently woke up early enough to see the sun rise.

• Recently redesigned my blog! As you see it now! Simpler... sleeker... Golder.

• Recently discovered this gem:

Dressember Week 2, Scandal & Fraulein Maria

The second week of Dressember, was full of some fun ones. Scandal broke out of the jean shirt outfit, but there was a spaghetti strap black number underneath for warmth. Reports were filed and an investigation ensued, but my name was eventually cleared and I was exonerated of all charges. I even had the Dressember creator take a peek for proof! No cheatin' here ladies and gents. Pure dedication. The photos are from instagram, so they're fun but a little pixelated. The crowd pleaser in this week was the Swedish schoolgirl/missing cast member from The Sound of Music (a.k.a. the yellow dress with the knee highs and the wide brimmed hat).  Click on any of the pics to enlarge.

I am so excited to wear pants. Heck, I'm so excited to just be able to wear whatever I want. 

- Amy

Listening to: "I Am 16 Going On 17" from The Sound of Music

Dressember Week 1, Skeletons on Motorbikes, & The Lumineers

Dressember is in full swing! And up until today the weather has been kind to my bare legs. Today, however, it's pouring rain and freezing, but I won't give into tights until absolutely necessary. Nothing like a little skin in the winter. Below is a recap of the first week of Dressember. I'm trying to mix things up even though I'm pretty much working with the exact same dresses I wore last year (see those here), so it's been fun and challenging to make old things look new and exciting. Click on the photos to enlarge. If you want to see more Dressember, just log into Instagram and search the hashtag #dressember. It's trending, baby.  


I've also been doing a lot of illustrating and painting for Hoodzpah clients recently. Above is a piece I whipped up the other night just for fun. It's a skeleton riding a vintage Norton. I realllllly wanted to keep it because I loved how it turned out, but my talented friend and fellow designer Allan Gungormez made me an offer I couldn't refuse for it. I'm going to try to get screenprints made of it however. First we have to make sure there's a high enough demand for them since screenprinting is kind of pricey. I used india ink and an ink brush for this illustration and I love the effect it had. I want to start using this more often. I'm going to try to get some work in on my portrait of Sara this weekend too! I want to have that finished before the new year. Blah, blah, blah, blah-blah-blah blah. I'm even boring myself now, so with that I'll say adieu! 


- Amy
Listening to: "Hey Ho" by The Lumineers. I've had them on loop for about a week now.






P.S. How about that snow last night in Orange County? The month I leave Lake Forest it SNOWS there. Figures. 

Day 1

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Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Second Summer, Bustin' Out The Mini Skirts & New Baubles

It's a lovely 75 degrees today in Lake Forest on this late November day, and that means bustin' out the tank tops and skirts and reveling in this "second summer." Second summer is almost better than real summer. Just at that stage in the year when you've given up hope on ever getting to slip on those daisy dukes and flowy tanks - just as you've resigned yourself to the fact that it's stockings and coats from here on out - it hits: 84 degree weather in late November. It's like thinking you ran out of cokes when you're desperately craving one, only to find a rogue lone soldier hiding in the back of the fridge behind the milk.

 I haven't posted an "outfit of the day" post in a while, and since I get to dust off my mini skirts and tanks, here we go. I have a new necklace, courtesy of the lovely Sara Wilkins, and a new bag, both of which were birthday presents and both of which were waiting to get shown off, so all the more reason. The bag is by Moda Viajando. It's made in Bali and it's a cute structured suede number with interestingly placed zippers and hot pink lining. Sara got the necklace at a cute little boutique up the street from her apartment in Portland. It's made by a local Portland jewelry designer who creates under the moniker Seaworthy, (not to be confused with the Seeworthy Project production company I have worked with in the past: one deals in beads and baubles, the other in boards and brahs). You can find her lovely things online. She makes nautical inspired jewelry that draws on art deco and native american arts with strong lines and geometric shapes. Beware: if you visit her etsy shop, you WILL need to buy something. The rest of the outfit is just a bunch of my favorite staples thrown together for comfort, style and ease.

Enjoy this lovely summer weather friends.

Bag: Moda Viajando
Skirt: BDG
Shoes: Seychelles
Rings, gift, Forever 21, and Hiya Moon
Watch: Nixon
Tank: H&M
Necklace: Seaworthy
Polish: NYC Times Square Tangerine Creme

- Amy
Listening to: "Brutal Hearts" by Bedouin Soundclash

P.S. Dressember is coming! For more details, visit Blythe Hill's site. She's the mastermind behind it all. You should participate. Just sayin. 

Denim, Denim, & Denim

[My Jean on Jean ensemble.]

I really like all this jean on jean action. What says "true American spirit" like denim? It's the uniform of the hard working, the adventurous, the ones with a little dirt under our fingernails. Not only is it made for tough work, but it's the staple for comfort and relaxation. Versatility.

I loved those Gap 1969 ads where they mixed different washes of jean in an outfit. That always seemed so taboo to me before, wearing jean on top and bottom. But when those ads came out, my world was opened up. I mean look at these guys and gals. They're cool, rugged, and classy all at once. This is why no matter what fads and styles each decade ushers in and out, denim is always the one thing that remains relevant.

[Lovely Gap Jeans Ladies]

[Josh Hartnett pulling it of swimmingly. Fellas, don't be scurred. Nothing like a man in denim.]

Every time I see the new "Go Forth" campaign for Levis I crave more jean in my life. Next up - a Levi's jean jacket. Let's see how much jean I can really get away with. I mean Ryan Adams probably sleeps in it. Here's my jean on jean look from the other day. The key is in the mixing and matching of washes.

Shirt: Love Stitch
Jeans: Mossimo
Belt: Target
Shoes: Seychelles
Watch: Nixon

Garter Chains, LA vs. OC, & Apple Pie

I want one of these. It seems like something you could ony pull off in LA, but I want to get one and see if I can rock it here in Orange County. It's funny how you could wear pretty much anything in LA and no one would blink twice - but I feel like everyone is constantly asking me here, "what are you wearing" or "why are you so dressed up?" Clothes are fun! It's just another canvas and means to being creative, so I like going out on a limb and trying new things. And I like dresses. So sue me. It's my grandmother's years of brainwashing. I think it might go over better than I thought because after bookmarking this chain garter on Etsy a while back, I saw that Volcom had their models sport similar thigh chains in their 2012 Swim Fashion Show. And Volcom is as Orange County as Apple Pie is American! So maybe OC is ready for this. I'll let you know how it goes over. Ordering... now.

Etsy, you've won again.

- Amy
Listening to: Page France's "Goodness"

Glamor Shots, New Pretty Things, & Shameless Shout Outs

Just as I had given up hope in my search for a pleated, sheer, maxi skirt (remember my post a few days ago?)- there it was. At Pretty In Pink Boutique in Costa Mesa, CA. I'd like to take this moment to thank Locale Magazine for assigning Jen and I the story that led us to Pretty In Pink because it is now hovering around the top of my list of places that I would love to call "my closet." They had so many cute shirts, dresses, shorts and earrings, it was all I had not to buy half the store. But what I did buy was the below gorgeous grey skirt and turquoise blue top. Both of which I will lovingly wear through the rest of summer and fall. All you ladies, check out Pretty In Pink. They have a monthly "Ladies Night" where you get 25% off anything in the store. Yeah. I'm following them on facebook now so I don't miss the next one. It's a down economy here. Plus they are right next door to one of my other favorite shops, Dee Lux, which carries new and used items for the best prices (not to mention an impressive and eclectic selection of the best sunglasses). And now a few glamor shots in my pretty new things.

- Amy
Listening to: Jimmy Durante's "As Time Goes By"

 

Shoe The Bear, Hot Chicks in Bunny Masks, & What I've Been Wearing

INSPIRATION OF THE DAY: Shoe The Bear

My friend (who is also a bitchin' - yeah, I said bitchin' - designer for Skateboarder Magazine) Chris Bywater sent me a link to this rad shoe company called Shoe The Bear. They're a Danish brand created by Thomas Frederiksen and Jakob Fugelsang and even more than I dig their shoes I dig their catalogs. Check out some of the photos from their FW 11 line. Makes me want to buy a bunny rabbit mask. I have a rad skin rug and set of horns in my room like the one in [Figure 1]. It must be my "redneck past nipping at my heels" as Ben Folds once bemoaned. Check out some of the creative shots/shoes below:

[Figure 1]

For The Ladies:

For The Fellas:

 Speaking of clothes and fashion, here's what I've been wearing. Disclaimer, the fur coat was from last week when it was cold and rainy, before it was 80 degrees and lovely out! Gotta love Southern California. Definitely taking a beach day this weekend.

Breakin' the rules with some jean on jean action. That's my hilarious coworker Guillermo doing Charlie's Angels poses with me. 

The fur fetish continues. Note for all you PETA members: it's faux!

Cue "Leather and Lace" by Stevie Nicks and Don Henley. 

I look like a bumble bee. Especially with the Jackie O shades. 

Happy Friday!

- Amy

Listening to: Airborne Toxic Event's "All I Ever Wanted"