A quick shout out to Dear Colleen

Another artist and blogger I've been following for a little while now has come up with a great project to help raise some money for the oil spill off the gulf coast. In her words, "I know it’s not the current hot topic that it was but there is still a huge amount of clearing up to do and to have any hope of putting things right we need to keep raising funds." So I'd love to be able to help her out. My first step is mentioning her here, and also posting a link to the cute tote bag she has on offer to help the cause. The second is to start work designing a print or other small object to sell on my own, and of course, donate the proceeds. I hope to have this done by the weekend (because, as we all know, I've got a lot on my plate). I'll keep you all posted!

Down to the wire!

It's only 10 days until I install the show, and I didn't want to talk to much about it on here because I know that repetitive post topics can be boring (I read a lot of blogs). However, I'm beginning to feel the last minute pressure of the walls closing in, and that's the feeling that allows me to be most productive. When it comes to research and essays, I'll start well in advance, carefully following my method of notetaking, drafting, and editing. When it comes to art-making, however, I'm at my best when it's a coffee-and-nausea fueled all-nighter with my body aching and a ticking clock looming over my head. Ahhh, makes me feel like a student again.

I was going to sell some of my greeting cards sets at the show, but I figured that the logistics of doing so would be a little tricky. I've decided instead, to set up a little area where people could donate a couple bucks, or whatever they think is fair, in exchange for some individual greeting cards and postcards, and these (the photo above). I've decided to make 50 miniature drawings (think business card size) and package them in folded paper - as seen above - so that you can't see what the drawing is. People at the show can take them in exchange for a little donation. I figure this will help me offset a fraction of the cost of the show.

My sketchbook project sketchbook arrived in the mail last week! Here's a link if anyone's wondering what the Sketchbook Project is. I only just found out about it a few weeks ago and signed up immediately. This happy little fella now just needs to be filled, following my chosen theme: Great Hopes and Massive Failures.
The library will, at an additional cost, scan and digitize your submission, but I figure I'll just scan it myself as I go along. So, updates to follow! I'll get started when the show is over and done with.

So, til next week!

Just another Sunday

So, as I mentioned before, I've been playing around with a few different packaging ideas for my greeting cards. I've made little paper belts for them, but I'm still playing around with that. I don't think the graph paper contrasts enough. I bought some pretty grey paper...we'll see if that looks better. Also, as seen above, I decorated some envelopes with chiyogami paper to package my 5 x 7 prints in, should anyone want that. They look colourful and exciting, like little gifts.

A friendly reminder, the cards, envelopes, and prints are available to buy online :)


On another note, here are my inspiring images for the week. I've decided to go with a grey theme because It's overcast outside and I'm feeling a little less than sunny myself. Not to mention, even at the best of times, I love the colour grey. It's soft and cozy. Maybe not cozy the same way yellow is, for example, but I think grey has it's own sense of un-flashy, quiet calmness.


I found this little felt business card holder on craftgawker initially, but it had been featured on Try Handmade. I love the felt, and I love the robots. Normally I don't love ric-rac, but I even kind of love it here.

I am sort of in love with this illustration of a shark, done by Sara Broski and featured on Penguin & Fish. It's simple and elegant, grey, and kinda cool.

So it isn't news that I've become somewhat of a design and type fanboy of late. I saw a different version of these that read "ctrl, alt, del" but these mac ones are super cute and I want, nay, NEED them for my couch. Seeing as how, at any time, there are two mac laptops in my living room, I feel it would be only fitting.
__________________________________________________________________

Art post to follow shortly!

[little] update

I made a little update on my etsy - original drawings weren't selling, so I posted everything as prints. Now, prints of almost all of my drawings are available on etsy, including most of the ones I post here.
I'm also working on a few different options for bundles and packaging. Let's see how it all pans out!

6 month blog-verasry!

It's been six months since I started this little project, and since I posted new work yesterday, I figured I'd post some pictures of my workspace - my little corner of the room I lovingly refer to as my studio. I've explained before how I work in a little nest of stuff, all piled around an empty spot I sit in, with all of my pens, pencils, scissors, glue, coffee, etc at reach.
This photo is my favourite, and it includes my favourite piece of equipment - my typewriter. I bought it 5 years ago at Value Village and I've replaced the tape once. Sitting down in front of it always inspires me to come up with something, (even a few angsty poems I wrote after drinking a whole bottle of wine in 2005).


More junk, including my new screenprint squeegee and the boat tin I keep my sewing stuff in. And of course, the empty coffee cup from two days ago.


The thing on top of the black box is the folder where I keep all of my medium bits of patterned paper. Small ones go into a clear envelope, big ones stay in a large, flat paper bag. The other box is marked "fabric" and it's where all the medium and small bits of fabric live. The big pieces have a drawer.


The coarkboard hangs over my desk and houses some recent drawings as well as friend's art show invites and a few business cards.


My scanner! (And old laptop)


My cat Dee Dee, unimpressed at being woken up from his nap with a camera lens inching ever closer to his little nose. He is a constant fixture while I'm working, usually choosing to plop his fat self down on whatever piece of paper I'm trying to work on.
________________________________________________________________

Well, that's it for now, folks. Until next week! (And here's hoping for another great 6 months!)

Into the Woods

Or just into wood? My inspiration post for this week features natural wood. The reason why is because the other day I stopped at The Paper Place and bought a few things. They had these small, paper thin sheets of birch in three different sizes. I bought the middle size, and I intend to make beautiful miniature drawings/paintings/collages/illustrations on them. Then, after a little more wandering through the store (which houses an overload of things cute and beautiful) and entertaining a little sugar high on macarons from Nadege, I also bought a little blank wooden bracelet. They are plain and unfinished so that they can be decorated. I wondered whether the work I do would translate to jewelery, so I decided to give it a shot. Of course, I'll post as soon as I finish whatever I manage to do on it.


The wooden bracelet (still naked for now) and one of the little birch cards, also naked.

And now for other people's stuff:

I've mentioned Charmaine Olivia before, but I love her paintings on board. I also love doing paintings/collages on board, and since completing one is my goal for the weekend, I figured I'd post one of hers.


This brooch from Veer is so cute and design-y. And since I'm having a little love affair with design lately, I thought I'd post it. Most of their merch is type based and after about two years of ogling their online shop, I know it's just a matter of time before I buy this. Or a typography themed t-shirt, or typography themed coasters.


And how could I not love these little guys?

Coffee Headache

Unrelated to this weekend's post, I started off the day as I do every Saturday - with a hot black cup of coffee. What I failed to remember was that I haven't had coffee for a week so the caffeine made me jittery and gave me a killer headache. I powered through, though, and managed to get a bit of work done.

My first five by seven for today. It needs more but I don't know what.



The second. Not the best photo, unfortunately, but I didn't want to put all of that into my scanner. This is one of the ones that is going to be going into a shadowbox, and I'm excited to see it all finished. It was nice doing a bit of beading and embroidery again - I'll have to keep it up. I've got yards of fabrics and many little containers full of beads just waiting to be used. I haven't attached the text yet because I'm not sure exactly where I want it to go.

On another, unrelated note, the weather has been wonderful lately, and finally it's not humid! I was actually cold in my apartment this morning, which hasn't happened since I first moved in in May. I woke up around five and put a blanket on the bed! I was so excited to be cozy under my feather duvet I could hardly get back to sleep!