ARTIST-IN -RESIDENCE

I just received an e-mail confirming that I have been selected as the fall 2009 artist-in-residence for The Franklin Press Project with the printing program I went through in college. I cannot even tell you how out-of-my-skin excited I am at this moment.

Several years ago I was talking to one of the people who spearheaded the project + it sounded like such a far-away dream. The university ordered a copy of the original plans for the [Benjamin] Franklin printing press from The Smithsonian + working with local master craftspeople they constructed a fully working replica. I literally squealed the first time I saw it completely finished (I am such a printing nerd + can easily talk about the subject for HOURS on end).

I have meetings to attend + projects to discuss with the faculty before I start. I will also be required to teach class + give a lecture (oy vey! I'm not good at public speaking), but it's such an amazing opportunity!

CHARITY SHOES

A co-worker gave me these Dansko Mary Janes yesterday. She bought them for $4.00 at The Goodwill, but they were too small + no matter how hard she tried, painful feet were not worth it. She told me I was the only person she knew who would appreciate them + they just happen to be my size.

Funny thing is I have been researching Medieval folklore, looking for ideas for my next broadside + I found a story about a German man who had a vision on his death bed of a linden tree with shoes hanging from every limb. Those who had done charitable work in life would be allowed to take a pair of shoes to protect their feet through the treacherous journey through the afterlife.

I'm thinking Medieval shoes were never as comfortable as Danskos.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PURCHASE

I always feel presumptuous when I print 100 plus Etsy thank you cards, but I'm on my third printing since I started my shop, so I guess I'll keep going.

Most are printed on the back of cut-up test prints. My craft is not the most ecologiclly sound one so I apply the 3 R's where I can.

WITHOUT DISTRACTIONS

My creative slump has ended. I spent the weekend carving lino blocks, printing 2 new cards + my new "thank you" insert for etsy sales.

Working with the "use what you have" idea, I gathered all my scrap linoleum + designed images within the confines of the small pieces. My boy said this card reminds him of Frogger.

I believe my love of sappy songs of the 70's has been well documented + after looking through my sketch book I realized I never followed through with my Debbie Boone inspired card. It was also partially inspired from Steve Carell's line from Anchorman, "I love lamp." (Do you really love the lamp, or are you just saying it because you saw it?)

AND because I have a friend who hates to see neat + tidy work spaces in craft magazines because she does not think they are realistic, I offer up a photo of my desk as it looks while I am in full production mode.

TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES

My computer died yesterday + I'm beginning to think that this is not the week for me + electrical items. After 4 years it was time to replace my G4 laptop so we are looking for a good deal on a Mac book. In the meantime I can share my boy's new Mac book.

p.s. All is not lost, the hard drive is OK (yipee!) + I did have back-up.

p.p.s. My W-2 was handed to me shortly after I posted this. I guess I know where my refund is going.

A COLLECTION OF THOUGHTS THAT DON'T FIT INTO ANY OTHER POSTS

photos of The Loveless Cafe, which prevent this from being a photo-less post

To all my Typepad blog friends: I am sorry that I have not been commenting on your posts lately. With the new log-in comment system I keep forgetting my user name/ password + I really must permanently abandon Safari for Firefox.

I went to Whole Foods with my canvas bags + after my transaction was over I asked for a wooden charity chip for bringing in my own bag. The check-out girl said they now take .10 off for each bag, stating apologetically, "we're not Wild Oats." Too bad, I really liked Wild Oats + I'm not too keen on Whole Foods.

Probably because most of our couple friends are vegetarians or vegans, I have become a vegetarian again. It wasn't conscious, but when we go out to eat or to someone's house for dinner it ends up being sans meat + right now the thought of meat really turns my stomach. This is my second go-around as a vegetarian.

Yesterday was a very upsetting day, my 1977 Cuisinart food processor died. It was a hand-me-down from my mother + was quite a work horse, which I used regularly throughout the week. I have a 1960's Waring blender but it's not as versatile (although it is fine for my immediate hummus-making needs). I welcome any make/ model suggestions on a reasonably priced full-sized food processor. Looking at the Amazon reviews, it seems like KitchenAid makes a good product.

Lastly, thank you to all the new people who have been leaving comments, I have enjoyed finding so many new blogs.

I am suffering from sleep deprivation + will say goodnight (goodnight).

"CREDO"

my copy of The Roycrofters' 1923 hand-printed collection of
E. Hubbards "inspired and inspiring selections"

As many of us set forth goals for our small businesses for the new year I would like to share Elber Hubbard's Business Credo with you. Founder of The Roycrofters, his words are definitely ones to base a business model + ethic on.

• I believe in myself.
• I believe in the goods I sell.
• I believe in the firm for whom I work.
• I believe in my colleagues and helpers.
• I believe in American business methods.
• I believe in producers, creaters, manufacturers, distributors, and in all industrial workers of the world who have a job, and hold it down.
• I believe that Truth is an asset.
• I believe in good cheer and in good health, and I recognize the fact that the first requisite in success is not to achieve the dollar, but to confer a benefit, and that the reward will come automatically, and usually as a matter of course.
• I believe in sunshine, fresh air, spinach, applesauce, laughter, buttermilk, babies, bombazine and chiffon, always remembering that the greatest word in the English language is "Sufficiency."
• I believe that when I make a sale I make a friend.
• And I believe that when I part with a man I must do it in such a way that when he sees me again he will be glad - and so will I.
• I believe in the hands that work, in the brains that think, and in the hearts that love.
• Amen, and Amen.

p.s. I don't have my camera, but I do have a scanner

PLAID + STRIPES (FRIDAY)

I want to thank Leya for hosting a week of color. This has given me the opportunity to get out + about + find some new blogs to add to my Bloglines (+ eventually my sidebar, when I get around to it).

I'm taking a few days off, mainly because my boy is in Boston + he has our camera. I just can't post without pictures. At Beth's suggestion I've started reading Three Cups of Tea + plan on having a quiet weekend,
Bundle up + enjoy your weekend.
(As I type this it's 59 degrees in L.A. + 8 degrees here)

FIRST DAY OF [GRAD] SCHOOL

Today is my boy's first day of grad school.
He received a grant to get a special education degree + then he'll get his master's degree. He said he has thought about being a special ed teacher for a long time.

I am so incredibly proud of him.

PINK (THURSDAY)

With the exception of liking Pinky Tuscadero on Happy Days, obsessing over Pretty In Pink + the plethora of pink Sanrio characters, I've never been into Laya's color choice for today.

That being said, I forgot about my pink Crocs ballet slippers.
($2.00 at The GO, not my first color choice).
It does not get more girly that this.

AND all the other pink things I could find in my house.
(Tammi + Marvin print by the talented folks at Yee-Haw Industries)

YELLOW (WEDNESDAY)

Lately I seem to be drawn to various shades of yellow yarn.

Door to the neighborhood indi-record store/
screen print shop for all your band's gig printing needs.

PURPLE (TUESDAY)

The 7-yr-old purple-loving me would hardly know what to make of the 37-yr-old indifferent-to-purple me.
Leah's color choice for today was a bit of a challenge.

These are all the purple items I could find in my house.

Out of the house was an even bigger challenge.
The only purple I could find was a folding chair on a porch.

BLUE (MONDAY)

Always ready for an assignment,

I am participating in Leya's color week over at Curious Bird.

The blue slab pot my boy made his freshman year of high school.

The city erected new blue signs that pretty much hold your hand + escort you to points of interest.

SUPER DUPER BOOK SALE

I am having a SUPER DUPER BOOK SALE in my Etsy shop. I have been storing a box of handbound books I've made over the years + since deciding not to produce books any more I am offering them at rock-bottom, not-to-be-missed prices starting this

SUNDAY!
SUNDAY!
SUNDAY!

Coptic + stab bound books
5 Lg. $10 ea, 2 Med. $7 ea + 2 Sm $5 ea
(monster truck rally not included)

HIKING FIERY GIZZARD

We have been wanting to hike Fiery Gizzard for a very long time. It's a pretty rocky, slightly strenuous hike + on a foggy day (with some light showers), it could not have been more beautiful.

On the hike back our friend David swam in this pool.
Even Monk, who loves to swim, would not get into the cold water.

Dusty (R) + Me (L)

Tall trees + high bluffs

My boy, Kara, Dusty, David + Monk
The blue rain coat squad
(Dusty + David are the parents of the boy who makes the tortilla tees)

Walking along the river in the fog

The leaning door to the leaning restaurant
we did not eat at because the kitchen was not open.

MY STUDIO

At Beth's request I am posting photos of my studio
(click on images for larger views)

My recent need to rid myself of "stuff" stemmed from feeling crowded in my studio. It was the type of situation where there were paths to certain areas + things were puzzled into place, to be disassembled when used. I am incredibly grateful to have my own room to call a studio, but I needed it to be a room where I wanted to spend my time .

The left side of the room is the quiet, calm, clutter-free side with the fireplace, my collections, the proof press, a chair + a closet.

The right side is the work side. My big desk, the flat files under the desk, two shelving units, two type cabinets, a spinning wheel + the platen press on a rolling cart (part of the work space puzzle). This side feels chaotic, but I'm still working on getting rid of stuff I don't need. None of this, "I may use this one day" B.S.

So this is it, where all the LALA dex work is produced.

MY FIRST HAT

I don't know what I was so afraid of, knitting a hat is not that difficult. I completed this hat (pattern from Treats and Treasures) in no time. Monk is not properly modeling my hat because it looks like a beret or an ice pack. I actually woke him up to take this photo.

I guess I did a good job because for the first time my boy asked me to knit something for him. Some friends gave me a gift certificate to another friend's yarn shop in my neighborhood + I bought a few skeins of Lopi Icelandic wool for future projects (including my boy's hat but he requested no purl, only knit stitches).

TORTILLA TEE

Our friend's 12-yr-old son makes t-shirts using tortillas as stencils.
He said it's harder to make the faces since he got braces.

I traded some Giant Robot stickers for this creation
+ had to provide the shirt.

TINKY WINKY

Our friends who rescue + foster animals found this little guy running around in the street. My boy named him Tinky Winky. OH! I do love him, but he'll have to make someone else very happy, we have too much animal madness in our household.

p.s. That is a sock fashioned into a little sweater.

UPDATE: I am happy to report that Tinky is now with a very loving family from the neighborhood who adopted him after their dog Lucky died of old age.

THE NEW YEAR SO FAR...

Our friends had a New Year's eve bonfire + invited everyone we know. The weather was COLD so we all got very cozy trying to stay warm. New Year's day was spent reminding ourselves (for future bonfires) that boilermakers are not our friends.

I took Jan 2 off + spent it bumming around Nashville thrift stores + antique malls with my boy. I found these two small prayer towers by an Asheville, NC artist named Holden McCurry. I originally saw these at last year's American Artisan Crafts Show, but they did not fit into my budget.


AND let's just say that 1/2 price day at Goodwill was very, very good to us. Best part is all our stereo equipment fits neatly behind the door on the left.