Feature Friday: Where to find the funky

First, I should say that my household is starting to feel almost all better. Phew. We didn’t even have bad colds and we were a bunch of cowering wimps. For me it was really the cold on top of taking care of a baby and a toddler with colds. I was just. wiped. out.

But getting back to business is good. And in thinking about my choice for Feature Friday, I guess I could disclose that I have an art background. I do some graphic design work here and there and pick up different media in fits and spurts. People like to ask me what I like best, and I’ve decided I’m done with that question. It feels like too much of a commitment to answer, because I feel like as soon as I do I’m betraying all of the other things I also like to do and even the things I want to do and haven’t done yet. There were some classes I just couldn’t fit into my schedule before I graduated– but had I had all the time in the world, maybe I would have loved those things too? In fact, now I want to go back for more. Except without the parts where you have to be graded and attendance is taken. Well, I guess that’s what I’ll look for in a retirement community someday.

I’m overusing the italics already and I haven’t gotten to any substantial points yet.

So related to said art background, I love to find sites with sources for fun, cool, funky, retro, vintage, unusual imagery. And I like if it has lots of free things, too, of course.

The second site I like is Dover. Both the site and the company’s offerings are a little chaotic and crazy, but I like it because it’s sort of like digging through your favorite thrift store– you dig and dig and come out with a few gems that make you want to run home to show your mom what a treat you found. They send a weekly sample e-mail that’s fun. The products they sell are very reasonably priced. Great stocking stuffers for kids— crayon coloring, stained glass coloring, sticker, paper doll books. And all sorts of inspiration for crafters.

For some reeeeally far out stuff, check out Ffffound. Seriously far out. Fun. Inspiring. Sometimes totally weird, but cool.

And if those don’t offer something that gets your crafty juices flowing, or you’re looking for something very specific, there’s always Google Images. Once you’ve entered your search term, be sure to click on “show options” to specify whether you want photos, clip art, a line drawing, etc.

I hope someone else out there in blogworld likes these as much as I do. But I can handle being the only over-italicizing funky image nerd.