Fabric

One of my favorite things in life has to be fabric.  I have a huge collection of it, stashed away within the walls of my house.  I keep corresponding patterns, hoping that one day my sewing skills will get magically better and I can create gorgeous wearable art.

A while ago, the fabric store here closed.  It has since reopened in a new location, but for a few months we were sans a place to run in and get buttons, notions or for me to simply walk around and look at all the visual inspiration.  Grim times, I tell you.  Being in a fabric store immediately fills me with joy, and I nearly always wind up in florals, looking for interesting (read: brightly colored) designs.

Let me step back now, and tell you that a few years ago when I was living in Virginia a site called Spoonflower was in its infancy.  I got into the beta and did a quick sample of a cool design I made in apophysis, which is fun fractal software.  After uploading it to the Spoonflower, I got a sample that I was thinking I wanted to sew onto a black apron as a patch.  It was a funky, spark of orange and red flame on a black background, but it came out faded.  Included was a handwritten note apologizing and explaining that black backgrounds were the hardest to print and they were still perfecting it.  Though I was a little disappointed, I didn't think much of it.  I was moving and planning my wedding at the time, and that scrap of fabric got pushed into a box someplace.

Back to now:  I rediscover Spoonflower, and they are awesome.  Not only is there fabric on there, but they've expanded to include wallpaper, gift wrap and decals.  I drew a design on a piece of cardstock with watercolor medium, ink and pencil.  I uploaded it and play around with the options, deciding on a mirrored repeat.  After ordering a fat quarter, I wait for it to come in the mail.  When it does, I note what I like and what I don't and go back to it.  It's a fun process.

Rinse and repeat.  I haven't tried a black background again yet, but the grey background on one of my fabrics came out beautiful and nuanced, just like in my original design.  I think it's a fair bet to say they've fixed any problems.

So I'm still learning, but right now I'm loving Spoonflower.  I've gotten four of my designs so far, and it's been a blast working on them.  Some of them need to be reworked or tweaked a little before I think about selling them.  I'm pretty busy at the moment, so they aren't a priority, but I wanted to share them with you.

Follow me on Spoonflower

It Flies By

July is one of those months that always goes by so quickly that I can hardly recall it.  By the time it comes around, I can hardly believe that over half of the year has gone by.  It seems strange, because I've just gotten used to writing 2013 as the date, and now we've finished more of the year than we have left.

But until it is finished, I still have plenty I want to do!  Recently I've been:

Testing out cupcakes.  I think it's optimal to have the cake and frosting be a little drier so it can maintain structural integrity.  This one is from a local cupcake shop, but we also tried the grocery store kind for comparison.

Taking pictures from the car.  Some part of Boston that I think is near the Museum of Science?  It was a lovely overcast day as we drove through it on our way home.  (These top two photos were taken with my phone and edited with Pic-Tap-Go, my favorite app.  It's by the people who make the Totally Rad Actions I use for Photoshop.)

Working at my messy desk.  I've been inspired to do a lot of illustrating/drawing lately.  I find that's the case when I'm not shooting as much.

Though the year is half over, I feel like I've just begun.

Slush Pile: Winthrop

Winthrop, Massachusetts
September 2012

A Not-So Bucket List

Let me share something with you all, I've never made a bucket list.  I've never quite understood the rationale behind it, since if you aspire to do something bad enough, it prioritizes its way up the list pretty quickly.   I guess if you have specific goals that you definitely want to cross off, it's the way to go, but I never can work up enthusiasm for the concept.

But this year feels significant - and I can't quite explain why at the moment.  It's like a promise is ready to be cashed in, and I'm hoping it's for something really, really good.  Please let it be good this time - because 2010 felt the same way, and let's just say I spent more time in the hospital than I would have liked.

So I started thinking about the things I'd like to do.  I'm really happy with my overall level of busy right now, though I would like to travel more.  Other than a nebulous wish to wander the globe aimlessly taking pictures, these are the things I want to do.

1) Write a comic  - I've wanted to do this for a while, but I haven't really gotten much plot.  Lots of practice drawings and ideas, not much plot.  It would be interesting to tell a story within the confines of a graphic novel.

2) Go to an improv workshop - This isn't because at the ripe young age of 31 I've decided to shuck it all, move to Hollywood and become the next funny sidekick.  (Sidenote - if I did go into anything related to acting, it would be theatre and I would make costumes.  I can sew, but not the way I'd like to. I'd like Tim Gunn to walk past raising an approving eyebrow as I expertly tailor chiffon.  Seriously, chiffon is like freakin tissue paper.)   But I like the concept of "Yes, and" that comes from creating a scene out of thin air.  In high school theatre, I remember trying it and it was unspeakably hard for me, and I was terribly awkward at first until I got the rhythm of it.  There's also a quickness that comes from it that comes in handy in social situations.

3) Move - I'm a Midwestern girl at heart.  While I've (mostly) enjoyed my time on the East Coast, the other day I surprised myself by looking over at my husband and saying "I want to live someplace where my sister can come and visit me and drive home."  That really says it all.  She could now, but that drive home would take two days.  I'd like something a little closer.  Of course, I own a half-finished old house with boxes from my last move four years ago, but this is just a list of wants.

4) More - This is a strange thing to list, but bear with me.  I'd like to do more of what I'm already doing.  Even though I just got finished saying I like the level of busy I am now, I would like to do more drawing, editing, writing, shooting and everything else.  What can I say, I love my work.

See, I can't even get past four things on a bucket list.  Maybe I should be more  specific, but I really can't - I rebel against too many constraints, even those self induced.

Slush Pile: Morning View

Lake George, New York
Oct 2012