Sunday, October 28, 2007
Fudge Icing and Strawberry Koolaid
25 years later, this is pretty much STILL what I'm all about. Too bad that hair color would cost me $200 in the 21st century.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Packed and Loaded
We're going to visit my mom this weekend for her birthday. It's all I can do to just have nice quiet family time--I really want to run around and go to all of my favorite places and see my favorite people in Mid-Missouri. But in order to actually have a vacation type experience, and to not run from place to place, ditching my family, I must limit activities.
If I were to do whatever I wanted in Columbia Missouri and environs, it would be something like this:
1) Flat Branch Brewing for an artichokes and cheese burger and a Katy Trail Pale Ale.
2) Addisons' for Wonton Chicken Nachos
3) Booches for the tiniest greasiest cheeseburgers on a square of wax paper
4) Les Bougeouis Winery for the amazing view of the Missouri River at Sunset and a cheap middle-class good time.
And it's not all food related:
1) ride my bike on the Katy Trail forever and ever. (it goes from St. Louis to Kansas City, is so easy to ride, even trail, and traces the River
2) Go hiking in Rock Bridge State Park at the Devil's Ice Box
3) Go to a Mizzou Football Game
4) Shop at Poppy--where I first became a businesswoman
5) Visit Jo Stealey and Deborah Huelsbergen--my awesome teachers at Mizzou.
6) Go to Channel 8 where I learned about real life and work life (and mostly, social life)
7) Visit my grandparents where they live on the Osage River and the Mississippi River (hmm, no wonder I love water so much)
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Can't. Seem. to. Blog.
I've been having a blogging block lately. No particular reason, just a lot going on--major emotional issues at work, trying to get work done at home, trying to eat healthy, and probably the real culprit--recovering from a 4 day vacation. It's taking me a week or more to recover.
In happier news, I am actually crafting here behind the scenes. My love of limited production work has kicked into high gear with these little notebooks. They're inspired by How About Orange--that girl is such a genious. Simple, lovely ideas nearly everyday!
I love to have a little notebook with me at all times--and let's face it, the insides of my purse are serious battle ground. It's nice to not carry around my greatest handmade journal and let it get so beat up.
I decided to put fabric on mine. They're 4x5 inches and I used Wunder Under to attach some of my favorite prints. I know they could get a lot more detailed, but I'd like to keep them simple, and the price point low.
I hope to sell them at the Mamamade Openhouse on November 19th. And I'm going to send some to my cousin in St. Louis for a show she and her husband are participating in there.
Friday, October 19, 2007
After the Storm
Let it be known that I HATE storms. I went to bed last night bravely, but was awakened 2 hours later by a horrible cracking sound and the ground shaking. I was sure that the huge dead treen in my other neighbor's yard was about to come crashing through my bedroom window, but when I could see that it was still standing, I thought the big trees in my back yard were down, then I realized it was the guys who live next door. They're all okay, but a seemingly healthy tree is in pieces. I don't know how they're going to get the cars out of the driveway.
In other news, I'm officially back from Vegas. No, I didn't lose my shirt literally or figuratively.
I did manage to go to a quilt store on the day we rented a car. My companions thought I wanted to go to Red Rock Canyon, but I had ulterior motives. Mwahahahaha.
Okay, now Blogger won't let me upload any more pics. They'll have to wait until tomorrow. Let's hope a tree doesn't fall on my house today. Or a house fall on me.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Away, away!
I know it's not everyone's idea of a great getaway, but I'm so excited for a change of scenery, a fresh margarita, and some serious poolside fiction.
I'll be back to blogging on October 18th. (or not if I win at Slots a Fun)
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
His and Hers Wizard of Oz
Don't puke, but Jason and I spent the day Sunday painting together based on a common theme. He helped me with my acrylic, and I helped him with his watercolor. Sweet, right?
I think I'm going to be donating my piece to Artrageous--a huge fabulous AIDS fundraiser here in Nashville.
I heard about it at the open house I blogged about in my last post. It's really incredible for me to realize that I work best on a theme. They said this year's theme is "Oz" and away I went. I immediately had an idea, and I cranked it out.
Sometimes I feel like I just have so much going on in my head with my job where I'm supposed to be creative, my sewing, where I'm trying really hard to be innovative in a field that goes back to ancient times, (I probably won't be coming up with a new sewing technique, you know?) and generally trying to be hilarious at all times, that when I actually have time to create, I kind of spin my wheels. Anyway, I work really well when someone gives me a focus.* Like : "OZ" "Nashville" "Not Crap" Just kidding, no one has given me that, although...
Here's Jason's watercolor: Nashville Emerald City. Pretty good for a first watercolor attempt, right? Pretty good first time or not, I think.
Sunday, October 07, 2007
My Name in Lights
Actually, it's my Painting in someone's stairwell. I wouldn't be any happier if it were my name in lights. In fact, my painting in a stairwell is much less anxiety inducing. I went on a home tour in my favorite Nashville neighborhood this weekend. It was a thrill. I called my friend Julia to tell her that today, I'm not a failed artist. No, today, I'm a successful artist who has works in people's homes. People's FABULOUS craftsman style dream homes. Architect and super cool-type people's homes. Yeah. Take that.
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Here is the poster for the event, I purchased one, of course. It's by the brilliant Bryce McCloud of Isle of Printing here in Nashville. Sometimes I look at his work and have to turn away because it's so brilliant and I'm lime green with jealousy.
If I still went to confession, I would definitely go for envy as one of my sins. I remember as a kid going into confession and trying to think up something I did wrong, because I really was a pretty good kid most of the time and I usually came up with "I sometimes hit my sister, and sometimes I don't want to do the dishes, and sometimes I'm jealous of my friend so-and-so because she has Guess jeans and better hair than me." Oh, I wish I were still in need of good confession-quality sins. I'm sure I have plenty in my closet. Unfortunately the adult life holds many more temptations for actual sin, not the grabbing for straws kind.
Wow, this is why I don't usually post on Sunday. I'm starting to get all preachy. Time for bed!
Friday, October 05, 2007
Patchwork Surprise
I spent time last night piecing together some of my hoarded fabric for this brilliant idea I have for a patchwork totebag. I guess I just need to get over the idea that if I sell this at a reasonable price point for me, it will cost $150, and if I price it with the intention of actually selling it, I will get paid $5 per hour, less if you include materials.
Ah, the joys of being a hand-crafter. Oh well. Maybe I'll just put it in my etsy shop at the price i want and see what happens. Sometimes you have to price things higher to get them respected. I know that if I see an item on etsy that I know took forever to make, and the seller is charging a pittance, I wonder what's wrong with it.
I hope to have some significant time to craft this weekend, although it's already stacking up to be super busy. And my kitchen floor really needs to be scrubbed. I mean really. Maybe that's what I'll do on my oh-so-exciting Friday night.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
More of me on tv
Here's a link to a clip on the NewsChannel5 website. I was the guest on a show that focuses on retirement and I did 2 craft projects. I found myself thinking: oh, the things I could do if I were retired! I'm gonna be the hardest working retiree ever!
I demonstrated how to cutout and sew together the One-block wonder from C & T Publishing's Maxine Rosenthal. And a quick demo on how to take your photos and make an art quilt out of them.
Here's my One-block wonder from July:
Check it out!
Monday, October 01, 2007
Days of Rest
While I feel like I did artistic things all weekend, when I uploaded my pics this morning, I found little evidence of actual work. Truth is, I didn't even take my sewing machine out of the plastic tub from last week's class yet. I think I just needed a mental break from the sewing for just a moment. I really want to start focusing on printing my own designs and making bags, etc. out of my own fabric. I realized that i'm really intimidated by that process. I'm so afraid to fail that I'm having a hard time starting it.
Not to mention that it's really really hard to come up with great patterns. Just the way it is. And I resent time spent sketching because it seems so unproductive. Of course it's not, but drawing is just not something that comes really naturally to me. I'm working on it. That Jane Sassaman class I took this summer showed me that it is totally possible, I just need to sit down and do it.
For the rest of the weekend, I went to visit Shona at TACA art festival at the park, I drew and watercolored, and I spent most of the day on Saturday volunteering with Hands on Nashville painting a classroom at a school.
Yesterday the Nashville Brunch Bunch took a road trip to Leiper's Fork for sandwiches and awesome Carrot Cake. I can see why so many celebrities live out there. It's gorgeous! Rolling hills and black fences everywhere. I packed up all kinds of watercolor stuff thinking we would drive around and get lost and stop to paint, but alas, there was no where to stop that didn't seem like someone rich's property. I didn't want to cause a scene, and Jason wanted to get out of the sun, so on we drove. And I didn't even get any photos! What a shame!
Oh well, next weekend is a new weekend.