Not Summer, Bummer

Hi.

I have been gone for so long I cannot even remember what I have already said here. I was uploading pictures of these galaxy boxes and it dawned on me that I already showed these here. Well... here they are again?  I'm trying harder to take better pictures.  I think I need to set up a space in my house that is dedicated to product photography. This was my first go at it.  The problem is the deer are so cute it may be too distracting from the box.

 Inside is a world of mystery and glitter.

 How are your holiday preparations? I wish Christmas was in the summer. Everything is slower in the summer so maybe Christmas would be, too.  You could sit outside and open presents and drink Christmas lemonade.  I bet that's how Christmas goes down in the warmer climate areas.  Winter could be used for hunkering down and enjoying the snow and shorter days not spent running all over the place trying to buy gifts for everyone you have ever talked to.  Just an idea. Summer Christmas 2013!

Anyway. I finally learned how to make a dream catcher.  I wrapped some metal circles in fabric and then literally hemmed and hawed around it for about two days.  I watched this charming video over and over again of this crafty gal who did a step-by-step on dreamcatchers.  The video was so comforting, like hanging out with your Grandma while she makes you tea and teaches you how to wrap thread around a metal circle.



Finally I felt like I was up to the challenge.

 This is the first one I made. The webbing did not turn out right but I liked it anyway.  It almost looks like a spider so I guess that's neat.  I made a completed one but did not photograph it.  I will make more and more and more and more.

 Here are my newly organized supplies.  I obviously organized all this because I was procrastinating doing something for real.

I think I self-sabotage a lot. I had a photography teacher tell me that once. He said I'm so afraid of making bad work that I'll just go ahead and make bad work.  It's totally true. Or I just won't make work.  It's stupid and kind of childish.  I'm seriously ready to change that about myself.
How many times have I said that here?
But seriously. I'm ready.
Happppppy Holidayssssss.

Wedding Video for reals.

I'm so excited!! My official wedding video is live and I just got my wedding pictures this week.  It's been a very wedding week for me!  Caleb Irvin Photography is responsible for this amazing video filled with sweet clips from my wedding. I chose the song Home by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros as our song because it sums up exactly how I feel about my fella. I hope you will enjoy the video!

Video

I have wanted to post wedding photos for sometime now but it's starting to feel like I'm never going to get them. The other day I was looking at my phone and remembered taking this little video the day after the wedding.  This little moment was a sweet, peaceful one.  I hope the quality is good. It's only about a half a minute long and it feels so much like summer you can almost smell it.  Hopefully I'll have more pictures soon. I'm really excited to share!

Two options, one video. In case one doesn't work.

Arrows

The other night I added these sweet little arrows in my shop.  I had so much fun making these.   

I wish I could live in a Springtime world all year-round and wear crowns of feathers and glue glitter to flowers.

Note: I just realized in my Etsy listing I said the arrows are 1.5" long but they are 1'5" long. I hate math. And measuring.

Birthday and Other Trivial Things

 I'm writing this post on the business end of thirty.  It's crazy to think how many years I've been keeping this blog and how much I have changed. And how much has stayed the same.  I'm grateful for where I am that's for sure.
I celebrated with a cookie. My favorite from the grocery store. My sweet husband fancied it up for me.

This is the day after 30.

I got so many sweet gifts. Here are a few. My friend Janey knows how much I have wanted a horse ribbon. She's been holding onto this one for a while. (Those beautiful wall hangings were a wedding gift from my sweet boss.)

 

I got these charming balloons from my manager at work. She's a dear friend who knows how much I love heart shape everything. Especially balloons!

On a completely different note while I was uploading my pics I noticed these old pictures on my computer. These are from when I first took these banners into my work for consignment. I have been thinking about making more banners lately. I have been a little bit restless in my studio because there are so many things I want to do but can't get myself organized and focused. 

What's been on my mind lately is figuring out who my customer is.  I know so little about the business side of things. I just make and make and make but I don't know how to go about making the most of sales.  Any advice? I will happily read/listen to it all!

I hope you're doing well on the path to the holidays.  XoXo

Life In Pictures. And Words.

Ack! I can't believe so much time has gone by since I last posted.  The past few weeks have been such a blur.  There are many times I want to write but then I want to work instead and most times I just ended up watching TV and become emotionally exhausted.  Anyone watching The Walking Dead or Sons of Anarchy? They are both wearing me out.  I have to balance them out with episodes of The New Girl and The Mindy Project just to get my emotions in check.  By the time that's over I'm ready for bed.  I'm starting to become aware of the toll all this TV watching is doing so I am making more of an effort to get back into my studio.  Here is what I have been doing lately. Sorry for all the Instagram pics. It's the best way I can procrastinate while still doing stuff.

I made feta stuffed dates for Thanksgiving dinner. Its the fanciest thing I'll ever do.

I'm working on little boxes for storing mysteries of the universe. 

I'm not sure if I'm finished yet.

This collection of rocks is my favorite.

I'm finally working in my studio again! I'm excited about these little creations.

Impromptu dance party while painting pictures.

I listened to music from my grad school days and did photo transfers and got nostalgic for my twenties.

And then I made the mistake of pulling out a blank sheet of paper. Um.......

I finally added some new work to Etsy including this Springtime garland. In my world it's always Spring.

These guys are slowly being added while I'm slowly saying good-bye to others.  We're a jar family.

Friday I turn 30 and its the weirdest thing ever but also a little anti-climatic. I think I've really changed a lot in the last ten years...Thank goodness for that!! If I hadn't changed this blog would be dedicated to bad poetry and terrible art.  All about boys. But in an angsty embarrassing way.  I just spelled embarrassing correctly for the first time ever. I guess turning 30 is doing great things already.

Happy Wednesday to you!

Dreamy Dreams

See those cutie-pie house pillows on my old studio wall? I have had those for at least five years now and I'm absolutely crazy about them.  

The artist who made them, Dana from LeiLiLaLoo has just posted a bunch of new paintings and monoprints in her etsy shop and they are just as dreamy as her house pillows.  Since I have been trying to work on paintings lately I found these especially inspiring. Go to her shop and see many more goodies.

Makin' Stuff

Good morning! I just got back from my morning walk where I saw a group of five deer.  Then I saw one of the Mamas of that grouping start to run toward my friend and I.  There were two baby deer with them so I'm sure they were being protective but it was so scary. We started to run but I worried that would make them chase us more. I'm not sure what deer instincts are. We were finally able to round a corner by a chain link fence and hide from them.   We started running again trying to make it to the road and it was a good thing we did because they ended up also rounding the same corner where we were to get to the woods.  Aaaggghhh! My husband insisted deer do not chase people and that we were fine but I disagree. When they have two babies with them they are going to protect them.  So.... I'm going to live life today like I just barely escaped death! It's much more exhilarating to view it that way. And my husband is going to live life today like he is married to a crazy girl.

In art news... Sometimes when I procrastinate a project I am far more productive in other arenas than I would ever be without said project. I really want to make a series of paintings on paper and I'm starting to collect ideas for that but my fear of failure is out of control right now. So instead I have been making yarn pom poms like crazy.  I've been wanting to find a way to make banners and garlands that were not made of paper so they would be more substantial but it's really taken me a long time to find the right materials I want to work with. I used to hate yarn. I don't know why but I never considered it to be a material that I could ever work with. But now I'm obsessed with these pom poms.

I spent a long time trying to take this silly picture. I felt like I was chasing my tail-setting the camera up, taking it, running to check the image, setting it up again... finally I think this is as successful as it is going to be.  Those pretty house pillows in the background were made by LeiLiLaLoo.

I think I'm finished with this garland. Here is an instagram sneak peak.

I also started on a Christmas one. I've never been one for holiday-themed crafts. I'm always so obsessed with brighter colors and Springy looks but I'm really digging Christmas colors this year. I'd like to make several variations to sell in my shop.

I really have been working on some drawings, too. I'm working on new imagery which has been refreshing but also a little intimidating. I feel like I haven't used new imagery in a long time so it's completely overdue but that unknown territory is slowing me down.  

I hope I don't sound whiny. I'm excited to be using new images and new thoughts.  It's just that same 'ol fear that always creeps up on me.  That's why I keep making so many pom poms. I know what they are going to be in the end.

I hope you live your day today like you also narrowly avoided a deer attack!

Halloween Dancin'

Happy Halloween! This video is killin' it! Looks like I'm going to be spending the better part of my day learning The Droop!  Thank you to Lisette for posting this. Check out her artwork her to see some amazzzzing work!

And eat so much candy today. Eat all the candy.

Peace, Love and Jewelry!

I am so excited to share this with you all. One of my sweet childhood friends Jodie and her daughter Kennedy have been working hard on making Kennedy's jewelry design dreams a reality.  The two have spent the last couple of months creating and recently set up a booth in my hometown for their first jewelry sale.  This is so inspiring to me.  I can't wait to have kids of my own and I hope to follow in Jodie's footsteps and encourage my children to follow their dreams.  I did an interview with the two through email. Here is what they had to say.  Jodie's answers will be marked with a J while Kennedy's will have a K.

Jodie and Kennedy

 1. You guys did such an amazing job with your jewelry booth! What made you decide to set up your own booth? How long did you work on jewelry for this?

K:  Well thank you!  I decided to set up my own booth because it's fun making jewelry and I think the jewelry that I make is cool and unique.  J:  A friend of mine suggested that we set up a booth next to her booth, Sparkle Chicks, at Downtown Days and sell some of Kennedy's jewelry.  I was hesitant at first, but after asking Kennedy if she wanted to, which she was super excited about it, I was eager to try it.  K:  We worked on it a little over two months. 

Kennedy's friend Kinley helped at the sale. Check out those fabulous shirts!

The two set up the night before to practice styling their booth.

2.  Kennedy, where did you get your inspiration for the different pieces you made?

K:  Mom brought me back a bracelet from one of her trips and it was made out of coke tabs.  So, I decided I could make one like that but better.  The colors I make things with are in all different colors.  I just pick colors that I think look good together and are pretty. 

3.  You both worked on the jewelry together, did you two enjoy all the mother/daughter bonding time?  Did your brother help with anything?

K:  Yes, we did.  J:  Yes we had a great time making all these pieces together, but it wasn't always easy.  We had a few disagreements from time to time but overall it was such a blessing.  When you work with your child on a project like this you really get to see what's going on in their lives.  It gives you a chance to sit down and really talk about their hopes and dreams in life.  J:  Colin gave us the inspiration for the lego jewelry.  K:  Colin likes to play with Lego's so I just thought we would use them for something more fun; like jewelry!  Colin stayed away from the jewelry.  He said it was to girly.

4.  You two set the booth up in a very beautiful way. Did you both work on styling the booth together?

K:  Yes, mom did most of the work though.   J:  I found lots of ideas from lots of different places.  I wanted it to be displayed in a unique but attractive way.  We used a real shell to display some bracelets on and a faux fur rabbit rug out of Kennedy's doll house to display some necklaces on.  In order to make it look child friendly, we used a brightly colored doll house made out of cardboard, and a cake plate with holes around the base to display earrings on.  We were on a tight budget so I simply looked for things around the house that I thought would work. 

5.  What was the sale like?  I bet people were really excited to see all your work.  How was the day?

K:  It was good.  We sold a lot of stuff.  Lots of my friends stopped by and bought some of my jewelry.  J:  Everyone was so supportive of Kennedy and all her hard work.  It was such a good learning experience.  Kennedy is really shy by nature but this forced her to be more outgoing with strangers.   She learned some basic business concepts and it was a good opportunity to practice her math skills.

6.  Do you think you two will do this again? Any other creative projects in the works?

K:  YES YES YES YES YES cause it was a fun experience!  J:  Well, we are taking what pieces of jewelry we have left to our church's annual "Country Cupboard" this Saturday and we are donating the profits to The United Methodist Women's group.  That's all we have planned for now, but as you can see Kennedy is ready to do more!  

7. What was the best part for each of you while doing this?

K:  Selling the stuff and just experiencing what that was like to sell my jewelry, like a real jewelry designer.  J:  Being able to spend quality time with Kennedy was priceless. I hope one day she will look back on this and realize how much her Mother loves her and how much I was invested in her at such an early age.  Hopefully this will be just one of the many adventures we will go on in life together.

I'll admit I got a a little teary with Jodie's last comment.  This is so sweet and amazing to see a younger gal already so ambitious.  I want to thank both of these crafty and creative ladies for sharing their amazing story!  Thanks, Jodie and Kennedy!