Rockin' Robin

Pop quiz:

Who is the most dashing of the Disney characters?

a. Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid

b. Prince Philip from Sleeping Beauty

c. Flynn Rider from Tangled

d. Aladdin from...well, Aladdin


*(Dimitri from Anastasia could not be included in this survey because he is from a FOX animation, not to be confused with Disney.)
Did you decide?




Well, go on then!



Okay, if your answer was secret option e. Robin Hood then you are right!!!!!!
(I would have also accepted "e. Robin of Locksley")


I know, I know, he's a fox, so he shouldn't count, right? But he's a fox...who happens to talk with a gorgeous British accent and you can't dispute the fact that he is devastatingly romantic in every meaning of the word. So much so that he wears a disguise to participate in an archery contest just to win a single kiss from Maid Marian! He even carved their initials into the trunk of a tree for crying outloud! So he wins. End of story.

Though you know I wouldn't be writing a post about Robin Hood unless I had recently crossed over the line into a obsession- a kick, if you will.
It's what I do. (I'm sorry, but you're just going to have to deal with that, Mom.)

Thanks to Netflix, I was able to check out the BBC's version of the most infamous outlaw in Nottingham. (Infamous: that's "more than famous!")

Bullseye! I can't get enough. I realize that I'm going to have to cope with what I have, because the show only lasted for 3 seasons. (When I see the end of season 3, I plan on being in a bad mood--Just warning those that will be subjected to being in my vincinity. ) Ah, I really don't want that day to come, so in the mean time, I'm gonna make treasuries on Etsy, and maybe even set up an archery range in my backyard (Just kidding...or am I?) in order to prolong the idea that the series isn't over...even though it is.

So here's my latest Etsy treasury:

And because I'd like to be blatantly pathetic with you, I shall count thy ways to prove this Robin Hood obsession to you.

1.  As a child, the cartoon I liked. The cartoon I loved...even though it is made up of many recycled scenes from previous Disney movies and the animators at Disney were so embarrassed of it. I still love it. Anyone else agree with me?

2.  I won't deny that I secretly love the Kevin Costner version Robin Hood :Prince of Thieves (1991). I don't even care that he doesn't have a British accent! K. Costner somehow manages to make me forget that he has a mullet, so that's got to count for something! Also, Alan Rickman's portrayal of the Sheriff of Nottingham is so skeevy! It's brilliant!

Here's one of K. Costner's costume..I still can't believe I saw this in person.

3. I would NEVER fathom changing the radio station if Bryan Adam's rendition of "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" were to play. (Though, I'd rather listen to silence than Clay Aiken's version.) I even have a copy of the sheet music with the original cover and bought multiple versions of the VHS to find the copy that has the music video that plays behind the credits. (I know, ultra-geek moment, but this was pre-youtube days.) Here's the video that I absolutely had to have in case you're curious. Ah, don't ya miss the days when one could wear denim from head to toe?

I still think it is one of the best songs of the 90's. It's timeless.

4. I even tried to convince the Senior Prom commitee to have "Everything I Do) I Do It For You" as the Prom Theme! In the end, they selected the theme song, "Heaven" by DJ SAMMY, but who was "Heaven" orignally by? That's right, Bryan Adams, so I'd like to think I had a little bit of an influence on them after all.

So, yeah, I'd say I'm a fan. But this is what I find interesting. Bryan Adams is synonymous with the Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves version in my twisted mind and I've actually thought for sometime now, that Bryan Adams would have made a great Robin Hood. (Okay, I've really exposed my insanity now. There's no going back.)

SO, you can imagine my elated state when I discovered that the actor they cast as Robin of Locksley in the BBC series resembled none other than...wait for it: My Bryan Adams--I have earned the right to call him "my". You don't want me to get into it. Just trust me.

I'll prove the resemblance between the two:

Okay, so let's talk logos/design now.

This is another reason why I like this BBC series.

I believe their logo is ingenious.

 Compared to...

which reads as "Robin Backwards-K-ood" to me. But in their defense, they do utilize the "o" as a target...so...I guess I'll let it slide. How does it read to you?

Any other fans of Robin Hood?

What did you think of the Ridley Scott version?

Here's are some beautiful screen captures from Ridley Scotts's Gladiator 3...I mean Robin Hood provided by mmorrow.

Alright, alright, I'll put an end to the Robin Hood madness...for now.

Hope my lovely readers all had a Happy Valentine's Day!

Sincerely,

Jana of Locksley...just kidding...not really...

Mimicking Minimalism

I know I've witnessed other people go through this phase. I especially recall my Aunt Carrie go through the phase.

Do you know the one I'm talking about? When you...

• Purge items that don't serve a purpose
• Prefer simplicity
• Choose the colour white

It's no secret that I'm a horder. I collect things. That's what I like. It's what I do. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a stash of old, empty Bonnebell Lipsmakers tubes in my closet or a vast collection of Bearstein Bear Books in my basement that haven't seen the light of day since 1993. I can't help it. I like to collect.

But yesterday, while being inundated by all the useless crap at Walmart, I decided it's time to be a person of simplicity.

For instance, if I'm ever engaged, I've decided that I'm not going to register for one of those decorative bathroom soap pumps. Why create one more task and waste the money on something hideous? I made this decision after seeing the gaudiest soap pump in existence. It had a ginormous ruby smack dab in the middle of it.  I'm all for rubies,but this just crossed a line. So soap pumps wear costume jewelry now... What is this world coming to? What's next bedazzeled spatulas? Please tell me there's an end to the madness!

So I'd like to simplify. I think I need to simplify. Of course I have no idea how to do that. And I suppose I need to embrace the colour white now like a true minimalist. And replace my furniture with items that look painful if I were to ever accidentally run into them.

I hate that I'm bringing up Bryan Adams again...but it's just something that I do. Anyways, his apartment was recently featured in Elle Decor magazine. Epitome of minimalism in my opinion.  I would think that I could use that place as a reference.  It's got everything covered.

• Coffee table that looks like it will most certainly be my knee caps' worst enemy....check.
• Furniture that looks uncomfortable....check
• It's predominantly white...check
• Consists of nothing that was made before 1960...check
• Contains no more than 9 books...check

I know I should try to be more simple. But I'm drawn to rooms like this:

 

• Clutter....check
• Dark, like a cave or lair with damask wallpaper....check
• Nothing that was made AFTER 1960....check
• Too many books to count in one glance....check
• Lots of lamps...check.
• Lots of places to sit and curl up with great books....check
• Lots of tables to set said books....check

I don't think I can be both. The Minimalist v. The Horder. Why do I have a feeling the Horder is going to win this round?

Does anyone have any advice on the matter? Do you think it's unhealthy to avoid white space and embrace clutter? Or do you find white space conducive to creativity?

Hatch Show Print

Back in the day when I worked at Guitar Center, we would post advertisements for upcoming concerts at the one and only Ryman Auditorium. These weren't just any ol' posters though. They were products of Hatch Show Print. Works of art. Anybody who was anybody would play the Ryman and it would be a special occasion. So the poster for such an event had to be timeless and memorable. Letterpressed.

The Hatch Show Print shop was located in downtown Nashville. There you could watch these posters come to life. The artists that worked on these posters were incredible. Daring. It takes guts to move with ease as you carve away at linoleum with a Speedball chisel. One mistake and you have to start from the beginning. Ah, but great mistakes make great art.

SO our Guitar Center would have one poster for every concert. One poster.

I swear employees would call dibs on these posters before they were even pinned to the corkboard.

I remember the torture of knowing that the My Morning Jacket or Norah Jones poster were within my grasp, yet were promptly spoken for.

Of course I let everyone know that I had eternal dibs (if that even exists) on any Bryan Adams poster that would grace the board. Although he never played Nashville while I lived there, I intend to own this one someday, Lord willing.

But at least I can relish in the victory of scoring the Patty Griffin poster, as well as a few other gems which adorn my walls to this day.

This concert never even took place. I believe Ms. Spektor cancelled due to a case of vertigo.  

I actually got to see this one which was amazing. Shawn Colvin's These Four Walls is a great album.

I just love all the detail.

Then my lovely friend, Sarah S. gave me this Mraz poster for my birthday.  I think I ran up and down the stairs, not knowing what to do with myself! Great gift!

I guess I've always been drawn to this style. I've enjoyed making a linoleum print or two over the years.  My little album cover is even a take on the art form.

Then there was my concept for a t-shirt with a play on the popular musical venue, combined with a flare for Ms. Austen. I just can't find the motivation to carve the stage coach...someday. 

I made this during my Celine phase. It may be one of my favourite projects to date.

And I had to create my baby. She was probably 40 lbs. lighter here though.

My Aunt Lori (Hi Aunt Lori!) actually had this framed at one time.

And this was a fun project.

I can't wait to work on another print. And who knows, maybe someday, I'll actually get to make one for a concert!