Thursday, April 28, 2011

the things i do: mess around with my drawings

I was hoping to create a beer label for the Steampunk City Art Exhibition but, long story short, I ran out of time. I ran out of time because I am teaching a full time class this week (I teach at Boston University's Center for Digital Imaging Arts), I am preparing for Somerville Open Studios, and I am preparing for an Open House this Saturday (we are selling our condo:FSBO). To top it off, I am also teaching a one-on-one class this Friday and celebrating my husband's birthday. Result: I didn't get it together in time for the submission deadline.

What I did do was start to create something....I am not entirely sure where I am going with it, but I can share a bit about my goals.... I wanted to mix my skulls with gears. My husband suggested I also toss in a splash of Victorian-era-camera-lens. So, I decided to pull out my handy iphone and use an app called OldPhotoPro and snap a photo of it. This is what I came up with.....and I'm not sure what do next. Ideas?

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

somethings orange

Thanks to my fellow etsy folk: Mary of MaryMaryHandmade of Honeoye Falls, NY for use of Cat-in-a-Box and Greta of Larripin Labs in Dallas, TX for the use of the cross stich Shrodinger.

Monday, April 25, 2011

the things i do: finalize prep work for open studios

Label bottles. Check!

99 bottles of beer on the wall....well, maybe not 99 bottles, but it's a hell of a lot of them! I have finally finished washing, printing, and labeling all of my bottles for Open Studios. Above is a photo of all the bottles - some, still needing to be capped.

Make Signage. Check!

I made my signs to match my bottles. I appreciate the importance of 'branding'. One sign is a price list and the other is a set of instructions...explaining to people how it is done. I want it to be very clear as to what my 'product' is and how one goes about acquiring it. I also created a 'look book' containing samples of all of my preexisting label designs. I want to make it easy for folks to see my goods....


Yard Bottles. Check!
I covered a bunch of bottles with orange duct tape for the installation that will be created in the yard....it's going to be cool!


Comic Bottles. Check!
For the 'special day' I am having an extra special product available! These labels will be available only on the days of Open Studios. These comic book themed labels are extra fun because I will take your photo on the spot. I will bring a wig or two and have some sunglasses and perhaps some hats available for your impromptu fashion shoot. I'll design the label for you right there on the spot and email it to you...your cool comic label will await you in your inbox, ready to print, when you get home. The four bottles below are some samples that I made of myself. Fun stuff I say. Fun stuff.

the things i do: fix things

Earlier I complained about my piece in the Somerville Museum. I complained that It was positioned in such a way that one would need to bend over to see it. You would need to get on your knees to read the text or see the details. Each time I saw the photo of it, it killed me. I have been spending a lot of time preparing for Open Studios and it really just broke my heart to see my work displayed so crappily.

Well, typical me, I decided that I needed to take matters into my own hands and at least ASK for them to fix it. It would kill me if I didn't at least ask. You never know until you ask right? So, I did. And guess what? They let me fix it!! Yipee. So, here is the new and improved display:

above is the 'after' shot. below is 'before':


I am so glad that I asked and that they were kind enough to accommodate me. It was an easy fix and now I can rest easy.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

the things i do: try to learn new things - the hula hoop

I was out buying Easter basket goodies for my kid when I came across a hula hoop in the store. I decided I would make the investment and get one for myself. I don't know how to use it yet but I am committed to the idea of teaching myself. I realized that as a stay-at-home designer the hula hoop is the perfect thing for me. As I am waiting for things to print, files to save or items to download/upload I can easily pick up the hula hoop and 'practice'. I can pick it up and put it down very quickly and easily and it makes the time that would otherwise be considered 'down time' into productive time. I went onto youtube to find some instructional videos but have found everything a bit too 'advanced' for me. I need to know how to get it to stay up. Got tips for me? Please advise...

Thanks to Ali Fitzgerald of HoopMamas from Lawrence, Kansas for letting me use the above photo. You can pick up a hula hoop at her Etsy shop!

the things i do: ride my bike

I have the coolest bike in the world. It is a Townie Electra. It looks like a cruiser but it actually has 21 speeds. Mine also has a kid seat on the back. It is a great bike because it utilizes 'flat foot technology' which means that you pedal with a flat foot (as opposed to using the ball of your foot). It is also great because you can sit upright....causing no strain on your wrists. Finally, it looks all kinds of cool. I can't tell you how often I get comments like 'cool ride' when I am out on the street. I just ring my bell and lift my chin and ride off into the sunset....

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

the things i do: prepare for an installation


This year, for the weekend of Somerville Open Studios Maria Marx and I will be creating an installation in the front yard of her home - where will be showcasing our work (#65 on the map).

In the past I have created small installations...filling the yard with hundreds of pinwheels, etc. but this time....well lets just say we will be going a bit 'bigger'.

Fortunately for me, the official color of SOS is orange; obviously, this works well with my overall branding. And, if you are in New England this year, you know that spring is not here (yes, its another cold, wet, dark day here). So...in an attempt at bringing cheer and color to the hood we will be filling the yard with orange! I have decorated beer bottles with orange duct tape to be distributed throughout the barren yard and we covering the barren tree with dozens and dozens and dozens (and dozens) of orange balloons.

I am creating patterns out of duct tape and cutting them out (by placing the tape onto transparency paper and then cutting it out). So far, I have seven bottles completed. I'm not sure what is going to look best so I am trying various things...and I am open to opinion. So if you have something to say, say it.

the things i do: allow my home to be taken over by bottles




In preparation for open studios I am spending a lot of time preparing bottles. This means that I have to collect bottles, wash bottles, dry bottles (inside and out), remove the labels off of the bottles (the crappiest job ever), label the bottles, cap the bottles and then store the bottles somewhere safe and dry. As a consequence of this my hands and nails are shot and my small home is overflowing with bottles.

something orange

'Warm Solitude'
Fine Art Photography by Matt of MatkirschPhoto; Schleswig, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

Saturday, April 16, 2011

the things i do: attend art openings (that feature my work!)


This is the Somerville Museum. Every year they host an exhibition featuring all of the artists that participate in Open Studios. This year I will be #65 on the map! Last night Maria Marx (of Maria Marx Art) and I attended the opening reception. Although I wasn't psyched at the placement of my work (it was a bit low and I wish they would have put it at eye level!) it is always fun to see your work in a museum. The exhibition will be up through Open Studios weekend (April 30-May 1) so I encourage you to pay the exhibition a visit. Be sure to kneel down in front of my piece and take a look!





I will be featuring my custom home brew labels at open studios. They are also available at my etsy shop!

the things i do: complain about the weather




Today is April 16th. Spring arrived nearly a month ago. And it is colder than a witches tit. And I am going to complain about it.

Today I went for a walk and took my daughter to the park. I wore a sweatshirt, jacket, jeans, scarf, hat and gloves. As I pushed the stroller home my fingers (inside of my gloves) were going numb. Numb. Numb. That's right: NUMB. What up with that?! It felt like wearing thermals under my jeans, mittens and a winter coat would have been appropriate. It is grey out; it is windy and cold and honestly, it sucks. I want warm weather. Bring on the heat damn it.

Thanks to thedreamygiraffe of South Carolina for permission to use 'Girl with Polar Bears'. One of my favorite things about this piece is that it is a print of her painting called 'Grin and Bear It'. Ironic?

the things i do: coloring cards

My latest creative adventure was inspired by some old illustrations of mine that I came across. I am always drawing tons of 'characters' with sharpies...they lend themselves well to being colored in. My friend Shauna told me that I needed to use my little characters more often. Also, in my unending quest to promote my etsy shop I learned that I need to have items at various price marks. So, I took the drawings and came up with this: Download-able greeting cards that you can color in on your own. It's as easy as one two three four: print. chop. color. fold

1. print
















2. chop















3.color














4.fold (and enjoy)

Friday, April 15, 2011

the things i do: promote the things i love


I'm a practical person. I'm not a boring or dull person. But I am practical. Part of my practicality manifests itself in my perpetual need to be comfortable. I don't tolerate shoes that aren't comfy (unless they aren't intended to be walked in. wink-wink.) I created the 'one mile rule'. This means I must be able to walk one mile comfortably in any pair of shoes that I own. No break-in period allowed. Off the rack - they got to fit the bill or I won't buy them. And, generally speaking, I don't mind paying for this quality.

For the longest time I was in search of a flat. I didn't want it to be boring ol' black and I didn't want a maryjane. I am sort of over the maryjane. Recently I went home and saw my sister Cat. She was wearing this great pair of silver flats with a yellow interior. She told me that she wore them all over Europe. This meant that they met or exceeded my one mile rule. We are the same size and so I tried her shoes on. And let me tell you....they were comfy. The quest was now on.
I had to have these shoes.

Thank goodness for the interweb. I knew my size and my brand. I did a quick search and found them, for the best price at 6pm.com. I had them 2 day shipped as I was traveling at the time...but the price was still great. The shoes arrived, I wear them, I love them and I receive tons of compliments on them.

Fast forward a couple of months. I now have 3 close friends who went out and bought that exact same pair of shoes! Another good friend is still on the quest for her size. Collectively, me and my pals own about 8 pair of Tsubo shoes...for men and women. They are sooo comfy, its nuts. The shoe is Edfu by Tsubo. If you can't get yourself the Edfu I have confidence that the other models are just as good.

Do your feet (and my eyes) a favor and go get a pair.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

the things i do: i swim


I swim. I am a swimmer. A real, genuine swimmer. I don't swim every day, and I often go extended periods without swimming. I may be out of shape and I may be broken. But, regardless of any of this I am a swimmer. And, swimming is the one thing in the world that I know, with confidence that I am really good at. Regardless of the last time that I swam, I can swim endlessly. I'm not kidding. I can go for miles at a time. And I do. And I love it.

When I was pregnant I swam several times a week; at least a mile a pop. As I got bigger, the primary difference in my swimming ability was that my flip turns became wider and lower...I had to get around my belly - but I never slowed down. I swam until the day before Lulu was born and I had planned to swim the day she was born....but my plans changed. I was swimming past my due date.

What I find interesting about being a 'swimmer' is that it's sort of like being from Michigan (or so I am told): you can take a person out of Michigan but you can't take the Michigan out of the person. And so, with that: you can't take the swimmer out of me. In the water I am efficient. I know how to swim. Ms. Blair (r.i.p.) was my high school swim coach. She was an excellent teacher who taught me the mechanics of swimming and gave me a real love for it. I was never the biggest or strongest but she taught me how to extend and stretch and concentrate on form. As a result, I worked on those things. And I continue to do so. Every time I get in the pool I aim to extend further, stretch longer and make less of a splash. I try to be a quiet swimmer. And now, decades later, I am a fast and efficient swimmer. I am an elegant swimmer.

I went swimming today. And it felt good. It was the first time in over a month, but when I got in the water I was home. And I kicked ass.







The two photos above are brought to you by to two other etsy folk! They are lovely pieces that make me want to submerge....

The top photo is called "A Saturday in '73". It is a vintage photography art print (8x8) and is available on etsy. Coincidentally, Donna Geissler is from Michigan. Check out her very cool etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/donnageissler

The second photo is a 5x5" print taken with a lomo diana+ camera. ManicPixie is the artist behind the camera and she hails from Bath, England. Check out her etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/people/ManicPixie

The first painting is titled "Swimming pool Dive". It is an original painting, canvas on on wood. You can check out this painting and other cool Cathie Carlson's (MagicMarkingsArt) originals at her etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/MagicMarkingsArt.


A special shout out to the three kind, responsive and talented etsy artists who allowed me to post their images! Please show your support to the kind ladies who support me by visiting their shops! Go on, get in....the water feels great.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

the things i do: collect vintage apparel


Over the years I have collected many cool pieces of vintage apparel. I've got everything from boots and purses to dresses, jewelry, hats, umbrellas and coats. I love vintage stuff because it is interesting - it has a past; a mysterious past. I like knowing that these items have been around a long time...who knows where they have traveled? who wore them? what parties they attended? or what adventures they have been on?

To me, vintage stuff is one-of-a-kind. I know in that in fact, it may not be. But, it is not cookie-cutter and you can't just go to Target or Macy's and pick one up. With vintage stuff, some sort of 'find' had to take place, searching in the back rooms of little shops, gifts from friends and relatives or dumpster scores - you have to be 'lucky' to acquire these pieces.

One portion of my collection are vintage hats. My hats are great. Some of them are pretty ridiculous and I can't imagine when they were worn with any seriousness; others create timeless silhouettes. All of these hats have their merits.

Two other pieces that I have that are definitely GREAT are my paper dress and my pink prom dress. The pink prom dress has a hot pink velveteen belt and a rhinestone detail over the little buckle. The pink tulle, although now at least 60 years old is fading and brittle but the dress has not lost the whimsy and fabulousness of a time long ago. My paper dress has held up well. It is probably from the 1960's. The image of a city in a storm is so cool. I love that it is a real 'piece' - treated as a canvas. It is so neat that the print is not a repetition.

I have far better photos of these dresses and I have created graphic design projects around these and many other dresses that I own. Graphic design has been a way for me to give these dresses one more day in the spotlight....

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

in the hood: e. scott originals





Okay guys: I've a got a new 'feature' to feature.
I live in Somerville, MA. I am a proud resident of the 02144. My neighborhood is great for many reasons. In fact, I could write an entire piece on that alone. And I probably should. In fact, I will. But this isn't that piece...nor is it the new feature that I am all pumped to write about. I digress. Refocus Irene. Refocus.

My new feature is called 'in the hood' and my goal is to tell you about something that is cool in my neighborhood. As I was trying to write a minute back, one of the reasons that my neighborhood is really cool is because there are tons of cool, local artists and many of them have shops. Within one avenue block (in either direction) I have two jewelers, a potter and a cupcake maker. The jeweler that I want to tell you about today is e. scott originals.

e. scott moved into our hood within this past year. Her cute little dog hangs out in her shop. Her shop is great. It's got vintage suitcases and great old picture frames hanging on the wall. The space has a great vibe. And her work is great.

She designs and makes all of her pieces. They are a bit edgier and hipper than your average local jeweler. Her work speaks to a younger crowd without being 'too young' or 'too trendy'. Her work is urban, sexy and feminine without being city-slicker or too 'pretty'. Her designs are both familiar and totally original. One of things I like best about her work is that she really knows how to play with the human form. Her necklaces are not just about some pretty object dangling from a chain or string...its about how they drape on your neck, your collar bone and your back. She creates natural textures with metals and makes jewelry that I want to wear.

The two items photographed above are the 'forget me knot' rope bangles and the anchor leather lariat. Both are available on her website:
www.escottoriginals.com

Check her stuff out: in her shop, on etsy, or at somerville open studios 2011!

today's shout out: LuLu of (MyPinkTurtleStudio)



















Today I would like to feature the work of LuLu! Not only does she have a fabulous name, but her work is pretty spectacular as well. I found her on etsy; her shop is called MyPinkTurtleStudio. She carries a large array of beautiful, colorful prints that she mounts to small pieces of wood to create these perfect little creations. Her work speaks to me on many levels: the color, the subject matter and the overall composition...mixing media and then there is the size. By creating small pieces (that are super affordable: many of her items cost $15!) you can afford to buy multiples and hang them together (or apart). One other great feature is that because they are mounted on wood blocks they can also free stand.

I purchased one piece for my home and another for my sister's christmas stocking. When they arrived I didn't want to give one up. I also realized that I could have purchased one for each of my sisters, most of my friends, my daughter and even for a gift exchange. These pieces are really special and really spectacular.

LuLu's selection is large. I know that at any point I can hop on to etsy.com and make a purchase from her to add to my collection. There are so many great options to select from that I am like a kid in a candy shop in her store.

You should really check it out. I mean it. Go. Look at her stuff. It's great.
Here's the link again:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/MyPinkTurtleStudio

the things i do: i draw pictures



















I have a tendency to always draw with lots of color. I can't seem to help myself. I usually start off with black and white. I begin to add a little bit of color to make that one little thing pop. Next thing you know, I am adding just a little bit more. And then, a little bit more...until the entire thing is totally colorful. I rarely go for muted colors. I go bold and I go bright. I love color. And I love contrast. Once in a blue moon I will force myself not to use color at all. It's the only way for me to do it. I'm all or nothing. The above drawing was as an exercise... in restraint.

Monday, April 11, 2011

the things i do: new york city



















I love New York. It's a great city that inspires me. I love the energy. The color. The style. I love walking for miles at a time, sitting down with exhausted feet and eating, drinking, listening and taking it all in. Fortunately, my 3 year old daughter feels the same way. New York City inspires creativity in me and makes me want to create, create, create. This past weekend we took in some of the sights and enjoyed our friends and family in NYC. Now I am home and it's time for me to hit the ground running and make something!

Thursday, April 7, 2011

the things i do: make cool signs

Etsy has been good to me. My etsy shop has acted as a 'portfolio' getting me cool gigs beyond the few sales that I have actually made in my store. What is even cooler is that the work that I have gotten has been EXACTLY the kind of work I want to be doing.

I was contacted by a woman at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT and she asked to create a beer label for an event that they were having celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Human Genome Project. As it turns out, she and I worked very well together with clear communication and fast turn around. And, she/they really liked my work....so that is always nice!

I made the beer label and had it printed on vinyl stickers (this would be great for the home brewer as these labels can withstand the dishwasher) and they were so pleased with it that they asked me to create additional signage for the other beverages that they were serving.


















I made signs for HiSeq Fruit Punch (the HiSeq is a gene sequencing machine).























I made a sign for Charles Street Cocoa (their facility is located at 320 Charles Street).
























And I made a sign for Sanger Sangria. Frederick Sanger won a Nobel Prize for his work with gene sequencing.
























My job is so cool because I get to learn about all of these random things....I have to research these machines, people and topics in order to create something that my clients will respond to...and in the process I get to explore things that would have never otherwise peaked my interest. It's also cool to know that some pretty fabulous scientists - maybe even a Nobeloriate or two - were drinking 'my beer'.

today's shout out: the urban chef





















Today's shout out goes to The Urban Chef, Inc.! The Urban Chef is the one and only Jenifer Murray. She is a chef (duh.), entrepreneur, wine master and mother. Obviously, Jen can cook. But one of things that I think sets her apart is that she is a master at accommodating food allergies. I recently tried ate some of her fabulous creations at a party. The pesto pasta salad and the cake - particularly the frosting - were the two items that were worth writing home about...or in this case, blogging about. Beside just tasting (and looking) great, all items at the party were nut free, dairy free and soy free.

I am very impressed when someone can be so accommodating, inclusive and still be great at what they do...it just makes the entire experience better for everyone. And for that reason a big shout out to Jen Murray, The Urban Chef!

Check out her website at: www.urbanchefinc.com

If you live in the Boston area you can try out her services: she offers tons of cool stuff including 'tasting parties' and private lessons on how to use knives properly. Very cool stuff. And she has a blog: theurbanchef.tumblr.com where she shares the occasional recipe. Maybe if you ask nicely she will share the pesto pasta salad one!

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

the things i do: baby shower stuff






















'Traditional gender roles' are more and more a thing of the past. There are a lot of hip parents out there who aren't into the hyper blue/pink baby gifts and baby showers. It is still nice to shower an expecting family with gifts however people like to have fun doing it. And to some of us, identifying melted chocolate bars in diaper isn't it. I honestly can't recall the last baby shower that I went to that didn't include men and women, food, drinks and yes, gifts. I have been asked to design beer labels for baby showers before. These labels often replace existing bottle labels in order to add a little something-something to the shower decor. I try to keep a sense of humor in all my work. (If you read the fine print you may chuckle.)

My labels aren't saccharine sweet and I aim for gender-neutral. I select both colors and objects that an adult can tolerate. I also do labels for party favors. Today I am posting this picture of a soap bar label that I designed (and is available at my etsy shop) in honor of my pal who is having a baby today (we all hope).




















The other thing that 'i do' for baby showers is make invitations. I have found much success and acclaim with my online shower invites. Again, I don't go for the saccharine sweet. Instead I go for cool design! I also aim for efficiency in all that I do. And my invites reflect this. Essentially, I create a website with the details of your event (and I can even add a registry link) and when guests rsvp the correspondence goes directly to your email. I keep the site up for a few months and then, it goes away. No waste. No fuss. (And it's far cooler than a traditional evite.)

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

today's shout out: mitu vintage!















today i want to give a special shout out to my new friend in etsy: mitu vintage!

katie sells women's vintage clothing, accessories and other treasures. beside liking her goods, i am giving her a shout out for helping get this blog started and for kindly answering questions i had about how to get my etsy shop out there and off the ground.

so do me a favor and stop by her shop!
this is a link to her shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/mituvintage