A big welcome to everyone who is here because of the PaperCrave feature today! PaperCrave is a great blog about all things paper-related, and I am so happy to be featured today! Head on over to take a look right here.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Around the Studio
This was our first free weekend in DC in months; I just looked back at my planner and didn't see a weekend without something written in since April. So there was a lot of movie-watching, some watermelon-infused gin, a three-hour game of Catchphrase, some pottery, avoiding the 100+ degree heat, and a really relaxing weekend. I can't wait to do it all again next week.
And now, a look at what's going on around here:
And now, a look at what's going on around here:
Friday, July 22, 2011
A New Creative Outlet: Ceramics
One thing about turning your hobby into your job, is that you no longer have a hobby. I used to come home from work and make prints just for fun, but now that I do that all day, I no longer want to spend my free time printmaking. So, I needed a new creative outlet, and signed up for a ceramics class.
I took ceramics in high school, and spent a few hours in the course of four years doing it in college, so my skills are minimal. I was nervous before the first class that I wouldn't know what I was doing (it's geared towards people with an above-beginner skill level), but it is kind of like riding a bike. Once I had the ball of clay in my hand, it came back to me.
A selection of pots I made during the first class; some bowls, some flowerpots, and some undecided vessels that will find a use once they make it home.
At first my goal was just to relax and make a few pots, but now I have a long list of things I want to make, from pitchers to noodle bowls. There are a few being fired right now, but the best part isn't having a cupboard full of new ceramic bowls, it's having a creative outlet at the end of the day, that isn't for sale, isn't for work, and is just for fun.
I took ceramics in high school, and spent a few hours in the course of four years doing it in college, so my skills are minimal. I was nervous before the first class that I wouldn't know what I was doing (it's geared towards people with an above-beginner skill level), but it is kind of like riding a bike. Once I had the ball of clay in my hand, it came back to me.
A selection of pots I made during the first class; some bowls, some flowerpots, and some undecided vessels that will find a use once they make it home.
At first my goal was just to relax and make a few pots, but now I have a long list of things I want to make, from pitchers to noodle bowls. There are a few being fired right now, but the best part isn't having a cupboard full of new ceramic bowls, it's having a creative outlet at the end of the day, that isn't for sale, isn't for work, and is just for fun.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Urban Gardening
I've read a lot of articles about how "anyone can grow plants in their apartment," or "even a small balcony can be used to grow a garden." Let me tell you, this is not true. I have tried to grow so many vegetables and herbs in my apartment, and they have all withered and died, so I stick to house plants. And not all apartments have a convenient plant-growing balcony: some have rules that you can't put anything on the outside of the building. So, this left us unable to grow the cute little herb gardens people always have in their kitchens in magazines. We were wishing we had some outdoor space to grow things, when we realized there is a one foot piece of cement in front of the car in our parking spot: perfect for an urban garden. In the last month, it has gone from this:
To this!
There are three cherry tomato plants, one big tomato, one eggplant, basil and mint.
So far, the basil and mint are doing really well, and there have been a few delicious cherry tomatoes. Tiny eggplants and tomatoes are just starting to appear on the other two. So far, a success! I will make sure to share some pictures in a month or so when they hopefully start producing delicious vegetables.
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| Photo Courtesy of Natalie Shaw |
There are three cherry tomato plants, one big tomato, one eggplant, basil and mint.
So far, the basil and mint are doing really well, and there have been a few delicious cherry tomatoes. Tiny eggplants and tomatoes are just starting to appear on the other two. So far, a success! I will make sure to share some pictures in a month or so when they hopefully start producing delicious vegetables.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Artscape in Review
Thanks for an amazing weekend Baltimore! I was given lots of warnings before Artscape: that it's packed, incredibly hot, incredibly crazy, and full of "interesting" characters. It turned out to be all of those things, and a really great show. I hit my sales goal (and then doubled it), and got to do the best people-watching I've ever done.
I had a booth in the DIY section, so I was surrounded by a ton of other great artists. While I was applying, I had the option of choosing a few different booth locations, but after being there I realized it really didn't matter where your booth was, because the entire area was packed. I didn't leave the booth except for bathroom and food breaks, but every time I walked out, it was like going into a sea of people.
I seem to have captured a flying squirrel in the above picture...it must have been jumping off the roof as I clicked the shutter.
These pictures were taken Friday morning before the show opened, when the booth was nice and full of products. As the weekend went on, I had to keep taking away racks and tables as I sold out (no complaints here). For the last half hour on Sunday night, I made all cards buy one get one free, and I had a huge final rush of people in the booth. It was a great way to end the show, and I will definitely consider doing it again in the future.
My friend Rachel was my booth assistant on Saturday (thanks Rachel!), and to process all of the crazy people we saw passing the booth, we decided to write haikus about the people who really stood out from the crowd (and that was not an easy crowd to stand out from). An excerpt:
Some of the highlights included a naked gladiator casually shopping for jewelry, a graffiti artist who invited us to his condo to listen to the Grateful Dead, more ironic tattoos than I could count, and a lot of really amazing fashion that could never be pulled off outside of Baltimore.
I've never done a show that went so late at night before, but I really enjoyed it. Once the sun went down, it turned into a party and the alcohol really encouraged people to shop.
I brought some beers to the show so I could join in the party, but it was so hot that we would take one sip and want to go back to water. I was averaging about twelve water bottles per day.
My next door neighbors were Sea Grape Soap, a company selling all-natural soaps that smelled amazing. The whole tent smelled really good and kept drawing customers in, which worked for me! People kept picking up the cards to smell them, suggesting I branch into scented stationery. We did a trade so I got to come home with a bar of Mint Green Tea soap, a really refreshing soap that will be great to combat the DC heat.
Overall, it was an amazing weekend. It was so fun to spend some time in Baltimore and get to know the city a little. It's only an hour from DC but they couldn't be more different. Thanks to everyone who stopped by the booth this weekend, and I'll see you next year!
I had a booth in the DIY section, so I was surrounded by a ton of other great artists. While I was applying, I had the option of choosing a few different booth locations, but after being there I realized it really didn't matter where your booth was, because the entire area was packed. I didn't leave the booth except for bathroom and food breaks, but every time I walked out, it was like going into a sea of people.
I seem to have captured a flying squirrel in the above picture...it must have been jumping off the roof as I clicked the shutter.
These pictures were taken Friday morning before the show opened, when the booth was nice and full of products. As the weekend went on, I had to keep taking away racks and tables as I sold out (no complaints here). For the last half hour on Sunday night, I made all cards buy one get one free, and I had a huge final rush of people in the booth. It was a great way to end the show, and I will definitely consider doing it again in the future.
My friend Rachel was my booth assistant on Saturday (thanks Rachel!), and to process all of the crazy people we saw passing the booth, we decided to write haikus about the people who really stood out from the crowd (and that was not an easy crowd to stand out from). An excerpt:
The Grandma's romper:
Fit for a twenty year old
But she's rocking it.
Some of the highlights included a naked gladiator casually shopping for jewelry, a graffiti artist who invited us to his condo to listen to the Grateful Dead, more ironic tattoos than I could count, and a lot of really amazing fashion that could never be pulled off outside of Baltimore.
I've never done a show that went so late at night before, but I really enjoyed it. Once the sun went down, it turned into a party and the alcohol really encouraged people to shop.
I brought some beers to the show so I could join in the party, but it was so hot that we would take one sip and want to go back to water. I was averaging about twelve water bottles per day.
My next door neighbors were Sea Grape Soap, a company selling all-natural soaps that smelled amazing. The whole tent smelled really good and kept drawing customers in, which worked for me! People kept picking up the cards to smell them, suggesting I branch into scented stationery. We did a trade so I got to come home with a bar of Mint Green Tea soap, a really refreshing soap that will be great to combat the DC heat.
Overall, it was an amazing weekend. It was so fun to spend some time in Baltimore and get to know the city a little. It's only an hour from DC but they couldn't be more different. Thanks to everyone who stopped by the booth this weekend, and I'll see you next year!