{Music Monday} Raven's Song

I'm one of those people who stay at the end of the movie and wait for the credits. I hone in on the music when I watch a movie and usually want to know more about an unrecognizable song that piques my interest. I discovered the music of Aaron Embry by exactly that method - while watching Wish I Was Here. Raven's Song was a stand out for me and I immediately looked it up and discovered even more to love - the music of Aaron Embry. He got his start playing and recording with musicians like Elliot Smith and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - so it's no surprise that I was attracted to his music. 

The album Tiny Prayers has been on constant repeat in the screen printing studio lately. I use the imagery of birds, particularly ravens in my work. That, coupled with the gorgeous piano, makes it a nice studio fit.  

What are you listening to lately?

{Music Monday} Play & Repeat...

I'm honoring my old blogging routine by bringing back the Music Monday feature. Music is a huge part of my life & a necessity in the studio when I'm working. My musical tastes vary dramatically depending on mood & what I'm doing. I suppose everyone is like that.  I learned quickly when Chris & I started living together, that if, There Goes Rhymin' Simon is playing, that means Chris is dusting or deep cleaning. For me, I find that I like mellow music with a nice rhythm when I'm screen printing. What seems to get consistent studio play is the fairly new, Bahamas is Afie, album. Here's one of my favorite songs of the album- along with a little snippet that introduced me to the great trick of putting my iPhone in a (an empty) mug when listening to music. I like listening to Afie talk about his philosophy for the album as well - it's one that resonates with me & my work right now.

So, this album is my recent "go to" album - one that I can play continuously without the need to wash the ink off my hands & switch it out. 

What are you listening to these days? 

{Music Monday} Good Times...

Just popping by to say Happy Music Monday ! I'm excited for Matt Costa's new release tomorrow, are you? I have my itunes gift card from Christmas ready.  I'm needing some new studio music.... & I'm such a fan of his. I always love his aesthetic in his videos too-  I still think the Mr. Pitiful video is my all time favorite...

What are you listening to these days?

{Music Monday} Maps...

My kiddo loves maps. One of his favorite things to do is to visit the AAA (American Auto Association) office in town to get maps (the best use of our membership ever). He gets giddy with excitement & ends up pouring through them for hours. He's a perfect travel companion. While driving, he loves to read street signs - so we are always taking new ways home from places. Being that I'm a big They Might Be Giants fan, I've bought him all of their albums for kids. The new favorite song that literally is on ALL OF THE TIME is this one.... 

I think I even have all of the countries memorized now. He sings & draws the lyrics non-stop. He even brought the song to his last, pre-school, show & tell. Yesterday, Sayer started drawing a map in the morning & almost finished it before he went to bed - complete with a trail, park, & restaurant key. His is fascinated with the world map too. Sayer even drew me a map so that he could mark off where I send KLTworks tees. It's particularly cool that his skeleton tee has been shipped to at least 6 different countries now & he knows where they are. 

His enthusiasm for new things is infectious & we have been learning a lot around here. I can only imagine what he will be interested in next... & what They Might Be Giants song with go with it  (you may remember the Blood Mobile post from awhile back). 

At night he likes to study maps before he goes to bed. He says it's, "a nice way to travel". 

So happy Music Monday! Hope your week is full of adventure! 

{Music Monday} Last Monday in 2012...

Josh Ritter - Love Is Making Its Way Back Home from Josh Ritter on Vimeo.

What would you do with over 12,000 pieces of colored construction paper? If you were Erez Horovitz or Sarah Graves, you may make a video with them. This video was created with over 12,000 pieces of construction paper shown as it was shot- no special effects and I love it! It's a nice, last Music Monday of 2012, don't you think?

Happy New Year Everyone! 

I'm looking forward to lots of creativity, new discoveries, & projects in 2013 ... and sharing them with you of course. Thanks for stopping by this year!  ~Kristin

{Music Monday} Over & Over & Over ...

Wow, it's been quiet on the ol' klt:sketchbook! Things have a funny way of swooping my time away during these holiday months. It's that same old story of balance - making sure I'm present enough to enjoy the holiday festivities with my family, while staying on top of things in the studio at the same time. Right now I'm bogged down with wholesale orders that are of the time consuming nature (mobiles & plush) which means I'm in need of some good tunes. Andrew Bird's new album, Hands of Glory came out right when I needed it to. It's actually being passed from car to car & studio to studio because Chris likes it just as much as I do!  It's one of those albums where I can listen to it over & over again & I couldn't keep this little gem a secret....

This is one of my favorite songs on the disc & it's played so beautifully live! Here's another interesting listen if you have the time.... Andrew Bird Plays Sounds from a Room.

I'm going to do my best to check in more often in the next few weeks, but if you don't see me here, you can assume that I'm not caught up with orders yet. In the meantime, would you like to enjoy my favorite musician with me?

What are you listening to these days? 

photo credit: here & here

{Music Monday} Ho Hey it's Monday!

Wow, not only did Monday creep up on me, but it's October today too! My to do list is long & I'm counting on the Lumineers to help me cruise right through it. Catchy, isn't it? Happy Music Monday! What's on your playlist?

photo credit : here 

{Music Monday} Do it anyway...

Happy Birthday Jim Henson (he would have been 76 today)! This Music Monday is for you...

What a way to start the week. Thanks Ben Folds Five - this was awesome! 

photo credit: here

www.henson.com

{Music Monday} Hey Daydreamer...

Neil Halstead: Hey Daydreamer on Nowness.com.

I love the way this video by Hilary Walsh was shot. Such beautiful photography. Not to mention- the song, Hey Daydreamer, off of Neil Halstead's new album is lovely as well. Happy Music Monday! 

via: Nowness 

{Music Monday} Pure Imagination...

Thanks to the $5 sale bin at Target, we all have been enjoying the original (& my favorite version)  Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory this weekend. Funny how I vividly remembered some of the scenes & rediscovered others as an adult. I've been humming this song since Friday- sometimes breaking into a dance as well. So, I thought I would share my Gene Wilder/ Willy Wonka love. Hope you are having a great Labor Day & that it's full of pure imagination! 

Happy Music Monday!

photo credit: here

{Music Monday} Mystery Film Experiment...

This new Sigur Ros video caught my attention today- it's beautiful...  Happy Music Monday! What are you listening to? 

(Sigur Rós 'Valtari' Mystery Film Experiment: Varúð by Ryan McGinley. Taken from the "valtari mystery film experiment")

{Music Monday} A Wasteland Companion...

It's a M. Ward Music Monday. A Wasteland Companion  has been a "go to" playlist in the studio ever since the release in April. Today it's been on repeat & I thought I would share. Happy Music Monday! What is your "go to" playlist?

Photo Credit- M.Ward /Merge Records 

{Music Monday} Paper Animation...

Nothing like some wonderful paper animation to get the week started (love this). Happy Music Monday! What are you listening to? 

photo credit: here

{Music Monday} New favorite...

Chris & I watch Conan almost every night together- it's just one of those things & last week, one of the musical guests caught our attention. After hearing Alfie Jurvanen (aka Bahamas) play, we immediately went to the computer to find out more. Barchards is Bahamas second solo record- before that, Alfie had been the guitar player for Feist. Both of us played this song/album non-stop this weekend- so I thought I would share. Happy Music Monday! What are you listening to these days?

photo credit : here 

{Process & Inspiration} New Rooster!

I've been itching to make a new thread drawing image & finally had an opportunity & the inspiration to make it happen! I love to watch chickens strut around - their group dynamic cracks me up. I thought it would be fun to try my hand at a drawing one - & it was a rooster that finally made it on to the canvas. When thinking of a song to go with this image (because there is always a song to go with my images)- of course Dan Zanes popped into my head. All Around the Kitchen was on replay often for awhile in our house & we tend to dance around a lot like this on a daily basis.

I was looking through all of my children's books for chicken reference pictures &  Henny Penny was top on my inspiration reading list- however, I ended up using a picture of a Rhode Island Red Rooster as a reference in the end because my husband is from Rhode Island & it seemed to speak to me. After about 6 chicken drawings in thread, I was finally happy with one. Sayer's love of red is what helped me choose the tee color.  I guess you could say it's a sort of a rooster fire firefighter as far as he is concerned. 

And there you have it, the new klt:works rooster tees are finished & in the shop!  Now let's dance! 

{Thrilled Thursday} Play & Repeat...

Ok, so "thrilled" may be a bit strong, but seeing this Andrew Bird video this morning via Etsy was really cool- it's awesome! If you've been here before, you know that Andrew Bird is my all time favorite musician & I've been enjoying his new album in the studio non-stop since its release. The thing that sort of blew my mind, was that this video embraces everything that Sayer is interested in right now (space, human body, putting together drawings).  I showed it to him & he went bananas! We watched it 6 times before school this morning. I'm particularly excited that it's possibly replaced the bloodmobile video. This is a video/song that I don't mind playing over & over-  I really can't picture myself saying, "Sayer, will you turn off that Andrew Bird now?.  I hope you enjoy the video as much as we do! It was just what I needed on this rainy Thursday. I just couldn't wait until Music Monday....

Read about the video on the Etsy Blog

Andrew Bird's Etsy Shop

{Music Monday} Music to draw...

My 4yr old is like a little, curious sponge & I find it fascinating. I bought, Here Comes Science (They Might Be Giants) for him when he was 1 in total anticipation for the day he would love listening to it. I forgot about it until I was cruising through the itunes library in our old computer a few weeks ago (we recently moved the computer into my studio). The album came with very cool videos to the songs as well & Sayer & I re-discovered them one rainy Saturday while we were in the studio together. It was absolutely the most timely & perfect discovery. While he loves the entire album (the solar system is also drawn frequently), he is particularly taken with the Bloodmobile. 

He listens, sings, & draws the song non-stop. When he watches the video, he pauses it - draws something- plays it - pauses it - draws - plays... you get the idea. He loves the "H" (for human body) encyclopedia at grandma & grandpa's house & uses our anatomy books when he is home as reference. He draws the insides of the human body whenever he gets a chance. It can entertain him for a long time. There are little pieces of paper, big pieces of paper & sketchbooks full of pictures around the house. I find the heart, lungs, & kidneys everywhere. He & Chris even made a human heart & lungs in clay the other day- they're just waiting to be fired in the kiln. 

Sayer always draws whatever he is interested in at the time, obsessively. For awhile, it was presidents & money. There were little pieces of green paper with George Washington or Obama scattered about. So, I'm always curious as to what I will find in his cubby at preschool. His teachers are awesome about encouraging individuality & his cubby is usually overflowing. Last week, while everyone else had soft, & fluffy cotton ball covered sheep puppets, this was Sayer's ... 

Wow, that's powerful music that can inspire such dedication. When I think about what is really playing in my studio these days... I have to be honest-  it's Here Comes Science most of the time (it is quickly changed when I have the place to myself). Sayer got to go to the doctor today for his yearly check up & had the opportunity to share all of his drawings, new knowledge & Bloodmobile love - so how could I not choose this song for Music Monday? Happy Music Monday everyone! What is on repeat in your ipod/stereo? 

{Monday Music} Blunderbuss...

The studio is taking a break from the KLT assistant's recent favorite,  TMBG's  Here Comes Science (sorry kiddo) & moving on to something that will take me through a long nights work. Jack White's new Blunderbuss will work just fine thank you. Happy Music Monday! What are you listening to these days? 

{music monday} cool illustration...

I was drawn to the illustration by Celeste Potter in this Sarah Blasko video first  - but find that all of it stuck with me.  Happy Music Monday!  I'm heading into the studio on this rainy Monday. What are you up to?

{Music Monday} Color...

I've been extra drawn to color lately- playing with my colored pencils on my worktable in between sewing (see instagram above). When I browsed Alix's colorful Friday link Hootenanny, I replayed this video a few times. I thought it would be a nice way to start the week. Happy Music Monday!